The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when 1 ran into something solid. It was Carlos.
“My God, you’re tall,” he said.
Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry. I walked to my seat without a word.
I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn’t know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington.
“Take that seat，” Mr. McCarthy told the cocky newcomer Carlos，pointing to the only empty one，in the back of the room.
Carlos grinned,“But I need a couple of dictionaries.”Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos，not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.
It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice-president. “How come?”I kept asking myself,“How come this shrimp who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular?”
So that morning，I stopped Carlos and said，“It doesn’t seem to bother you — being short.”He looked up at me , “Of course I mind being short. But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin，I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.” “You seem to get along great,”I admitted, “But what about me? Nobody wants to date a girl taller than he is.” “The trouble with you is you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red…
56．The author was angry because ________.
A．the class made fun of her                                                B．Carlos was too rude to her
C．she had to carry many books                                          D．Reed Harrington didn’t date her
57．Which of the following about Carlos is NOT TRUE?
A．He was popular.                                                                 B．He was new in the school.
C．He was shorter than the author.                                   D．He was chosen president in the school elections.
58．We can infer from the passage that ________.
A．Carlos and the author have become good friends
B．the author will be more confident
C．Carlos always encouraged the author
D．the author was tall
59．What’s the best title of the passage?
A．How to be popular                                                             B．A tall girl
C．Be yourself                                                                          D．Something about Carlos

I live in a rural area but sometimes we go to the city to go shopping. One day, my daughter and I   21  we needed a day of it. We   22   made the most of it. Like anyone that likes going shopping, we of course had a   23   day.

After we bought all that we needed, it was time to go. On the way to the exit doors, there was a lady   24   the pay phone who wasn’t able to speak English very well. She    25   getting help from people but kept getting   26   all the time. Seeing the   27   in her face, I stopped to see if I could help her. I didn’t really   28   much of what she was saying but I finally got the idea   29   she wanted a  30  . She gave me the coins and I called one of the taxi companies. I   31   that the lady didn’t talk much English but  32   a taxi. They replied they would   33   one out right now. I tried my best to tell that to the lady. Soon she   34   happily. Obviously, she was very   35   to me.

When my kids were   36  , I would do an act of kindness and after we were away from the   37  , I would explain what I did and    38  . I wasn’t trying to    39   but just trying to teach them about acts of   40  . They learned that it was OK to help others and have gone on to do the same.

1. A. meant         B. argued           C. accepted         D. decided

2. A. surely        B. willingly   C. legally          D. sadly

3. A. hopeful       B. pleasant         C. lucky        D. equal

4. A. by            B. on               C. with         D. from

5.. A. considered       B. managed      C. begged           D. tried

6. A. turned to         B. turned up   C. turned down      D. turned off

7.. A. calmness         B. sadness          C. courage          D. anger

8. A. think             B. seize        C. hear             D. understand

9. A. that              B. which        C. what         D. where

10.. A. company         B. taxi         C. telephone   D. lift

11.. A. apologized      B. explained   C. repeated     D. sentenced

12.. A. escaped         B. voted        C. needed           D. rewarded

13.. A. send        B. lend         C. give         D. leave

14.. A. listened        B. smiled           C. moved        D. agreed

15. A. helpful          B. satisfied        C. thankful         D. loyal

16.A. generous          B. young        C. unhappy          D. unfair

17. A. exhibition       B. position         C. situation   D. acceptance

18. A. where        B. when         C. how          D. why 

19.. A. show off        B. show around      C. blow up          D. give up

20. A. guidance         B. kindness     C. principle        D. willingness

In the fall of 1985．I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere．Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell．

My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65．She was the first in our family to reach that goal．But one year after I started college, she developed cancer．I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her．It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait．

Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopted and biological children．In 1999, we adopted our first son．To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional．A year later came our second adopted boy．Then followed son No．3．In 2003, I gave birth to another boy．

You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8! Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo．Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time．But I never gave up on the dream either．I had only one choice: to find a way．That meant talking as few as one class each semester．

The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys．They often wanted me to stay home with them．There certainly were times I wanted to quit, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives．

In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina．It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！

I am not special, just single-minded．It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal．Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day．It’s a process．Remember: little steps add up to big dreams．

1.When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be         .

2.Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?

3.What dose the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?

4.Which of the following can best describe the author ?

The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when I ran into something solid. It was Carlos.

“My, you’re tall,” he said.

Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word.

I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn’t know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington. “Take that seat,” Mr. McCarthy told the proud newcomer Carlos, pointing to the only empty one, in the back of the room.

Carlos smiled broadly. “But I need a couple of dictionaries.” Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos, not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.

It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice president. “How come?” I kept asking myself. “How come this shrimp(虾) who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular.”

So on that morning, I stopped Carlos and said, “It doesn’t seem to bother you—being short.” He looked up at me.“Of course I mind being short. But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin, I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.” “You seem to get along great,” I admitted. “But what about me? Nobody wants to date a girl taller than he is.” “The trouble with you is you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red...

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A. The writer cared much about Reed’s attitude.

   B. Carlos isn’t popular with the classmates.

   C. The writer is always confident with herself.

   D. Carlos always makes fun of the writer.

From the passage, we can conclude _______________.

   A. Carlos is as tall as the writer

   B. Carlos fell love with the writer later

   C. the writer is very tall

   D. Reed, Carlos and the writer became good friends later

What can we use to describe Carlos’ character?

   A. Handsome and proud                         B. Humorous and confident

C. Diligent and helpful                       D. Hardworking and popular

What’s the best title of the passage?

   A. A girl and a boy.                                     B. My shortcomings.

   C. My helpful classmates.                                   D. A change in my life.

Madame Curie ,the youngest of five children ,was born in Warsaw ,Poland in 1867. Marie Curie's maiden name was Manya. Her parents were teachers,and she learned the importance of education at an early age. No higher education was offered to women in Poland at that time,so Manya took a job as a governess(女家庭教师). She sent part of her income to Paris to help pay for her older sister's medical studies. Her sister qualified as a doctor and married a fellow doctor in 1891. Manya went to join them in Paris ,changing her name to Marie. She entered the Sorbonne(now the Universities of Paris)and studied physics and mathematics, graduating at the top of her class. For the research she wanted to do , she was introduced to another young scientist, Pierre Curie. Later they fell in love with each other . After their marriage, they worked together on radioactivity.

 Fame troubled Marie Curie and also her husband, because science was their world and in this world of science fame and honor to persons had no value. One day when a writer for a newspaper tried to ask Marie about herself and her thoughts and her beliefs, she answered him, “In science we must be interested in things,not in persons.” Much of the real character and spirit of this unusual woman was found in these few words,which she was later often to repeat. One evening, at a big party,a friend asked if she would like to meet the King of Greece,who was also a guest.She answered in her simple manner, “I don't see the value of it.” Then,seeing that she had hurt the feelings of her friend, she quickly added, “But …but…of course,I shall do whatever you please. Just as you please.”

What did Marie Curie once do to help pay for her older sister's medical studies?

A.She was a teacher.                   B.She was a doctor.

C.She was a governess.                 D.She was a waitress.

What was valuable to Marie Curie?

A.science and research.               B.fame and honor.

C.character and spirit.               D.persons and things.

The writer for a newspaper was interested in____.

A.things       B.Marie Curie          C.Marie's husband          D.persons

What do you think might have happened between Marie Curie and the King of Greece?

A.The King was angry with Marie Curie.

B.For the sake of her friend Marie Curie met the King of Greece.

C.The King of Greece wrote a letter to invite Marie Curie to meet him.

D.Marie Curie held another party for the King.