Elena Kagan has reached a lifelong goal：becoming a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.The U．S. Senate confirmed Kagan on Thursday by a vote of 63?37.She replaces Justice John Paul Stevens，who retired in June.

Kagan will take a sacred oath(誓言) to uphold the Constitution of the United States on Saturday at a swearing?in ceremony.The new Justice will bring the number of women sitting on the nation’s highest court to three.Kagan joins Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor—all three New Yorkers.

Kagan is the fourth woman in history to sit on the Supreme Court.Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first female Justice.She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and served from 1981 to 2006.

Kagan，who is 50 years old，is the second Justice appointed by President Barack Obama.(He appointed Justice Sotomayor in 2009.) Obama told reporters on Thursday that Kagan will make an “outstanding Justice who understands that her rulings affect people.” He also noted that the addition of another woman to the Supreme Court marks a sign of progress for the country.Obama and Kagan will celebrate her confirmation with a ceremony at the White House today.

Kagan has spent most of her adult life working with the law.She served in President Clinton’s administration as a legal adviser，was the head of Harvard Law School，and until her confirmation Thursday，was the U．S. Solicitor General—one of the most powerful lawyers in the federal government.Kagan was born in New York City.She grew up in an apartment on the Upper West side of Manhattan，the strong?willed，independent middle sister sandwiched between two brothers.

Kagan’s mother was a public school teacher who taught fifth and sixth grades.Her father was a lawyer.

The new Justice once wore a judge’s robe in a picture for her high?school yearbook.Now she’ll be wearing real ones as she and the other eight Justices decide some of the most important legal cases.

1.What can we infer according to Paragraph 1?

A．Elena Kagan has become the only female Justice of America.

B．It’s Kagan’s dream to be a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.

C．Kagan achieved this position in the election by beating John Paul Stevens.

D．It will take a long time for Kagan to become a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．To take the place of an old Justice，a Justice was elected by the Senate.

B．There will be four women working in the United States Supreme Court.

C．Kagan will take a sacred oath before taking part in the election.

D．No one but a New Yorker can be a Justice of the Supreme Court.

3.What is the main idea of Paragraph 5?

A．Kagan is a born lawyer.

B．It is about Kagan’s biography.

C．Kagan’s character is fit for her job.

D．Kagan has worked for two Presidents.

4.This text must be taken from ________.

A．a storybook

B．a textbook

C．a newspaper

D．a biography of famous people

　　Dick was a twenty-year-old man. His father was a teacher and taught chemistry in a middle school and his mother worked in a shop. They lived a happy life until their parents died one night when suddenly an earthquake broke out. Luckily his sister took him to see their aunt in the city and they did not stay at home. Everything was destroyed in the earthquake and the two children got into trouble. Thanks to their aunt who was not rich enough, they grew up but they lived a hard life. His sister was so sad that she became a nun（修女）. After he finished middle school, he was introduced to an owner of a hotel and began to work there.

　　One day the young man fell to the ground while he was cleaning a window on the second floor. He was sent to the hospital and the doctor looked him over. One of his legs was broken and he had to be in hospital. He said to the nurse, “I'm a poor man, madam. Arrange a third-class ward for me, please.”“Can't anybody help you?” “No, madam.” answered Dick. “I have only a sister. She's a nun and she's poor, too.”“I don' t think so.” the nurse said angrily. “Nuns usually marry God. And God is the richest in the world, you know!”“Well, then.” Dick said with a smile. “Please arrange a first-class ward for me and post the bill to my brother-in-law.”

(1) Dick's parents died ________.

[　　]

(2) Dick and his sister escaped from the earthquake because ________.

[　　]

(3) The sister and brother lived a hard life because ________.

[　　]

A．they lost all

B．they were too young

C．they were hurt in the earthquake

D．they had to look after themselves

(4) Which of the following is true?

[　　]

A．The nurse would arrange a third-class ward for Dick.

B．The nurse would arrange a first-class ward for Dick.

C．The nurse would post dick's bill to God.

D．Dick had a rich brother-in-law.

　　Dick was a twenty-year-old man. His father was a teacher and taught chemistry in a middle school and his mother worked in a shop. They lived a happy life until their parents died one night when suddenly an earthquake broke out. Luckily his sister took him to see their aunt in the city and they did not stay at home. Everything was destroyed in the earthquake and the two children got into trouble. Thanks to their aunt who was not rich enough, they grew up but they lived a hard life. His sister was so sad that she became a nun（修女）. After he finished middle school, he was introduced to an owner of a hotel and began to work there.

　　One day the young man fell to the ground while he was cleaning a window on the second floor. He was sent to the hospital and the doctor looked him over. One of his legs was broken and he had to be in hospital. He said to the nurse, “I'm a poor man, madam. Arrange a third-class ward for me, please.”“Can't anybody help you?” “No, madam.” answered Dick. “I have only a sister. She's a nun and she's poor, too.”“I don' t think so.” the nurse said angrily. “Nuns usually marry God. And God is the richest in the world, you know!”“Well, then.” Dick said with a smile. “Please arrange a first-class ward for me and post the bill to my brother-in-law.”

(1) Dick's parents died ________.

[　　]

(2) Dick and his sister escaped from the earthquake because ________.

[　　]

(3) The sister and brother lived a hard life because ________.

[　　]

(4) Which of the following is true?

[　　]

A．The nurse would arrange a third-class ward for Dick.

B．The nurse would arrange a first-class ward for Dick.

C．The nurse would post dick's bill to God.

D．Dick had a rich brother-in-law.

A few years ago, when I was still in high school, I met a wonderful and warm teacher. At that time in my life, there were many changes to adjust to, apart from the usual teenage troubles. My parents had divorced, so my elder brother and I had chosen to stay with my dad. Due to the fact that he was keeping the house, we didn’t have to move.
During this time, my teacher took a special interest in me. Being my English teacher, she encouraged my mind to travel to creativity I had long given up. She brought me out of the shell I built.
She became my mother, my older sister, my friend and my teacher. The one thing she couldn’t do though was to make me more girly as growing up with only my dad and brother made me a real tomboy.
Sometimes, I would be really immature（不成熟的）, especially if she was scoring me less than others on purpose. She knew I could do better than what I was handing in and so pushed me to extend further than limits.
When I finished school and then after college I was about to leave my hometowns she gifted me a watch that every second, with my pulse, should remind me of the one person who will forever wait and love me without reservation.
Time has passed and our friendship is distant, but in my heart, soul and mind, she is the closest I ever got.
【小题1】The writer and her elder brother chose to live with their father simply because _________.