Once there was a parrot on sale in a pet store. It was a beautiful red and blue bird. It sat on a perch ( 横杆 ) in the middle of the store, so that everyone could see it when they came in. The owner was very proud of it and asked a high price for it.  

One day a man went into the store. “ That’s a beautiful bird,” he said to the owner, “ But why is it so expensive? Is it an unusual bird?”

 “ No, it’s not very unusual. It’s expensive because it can talk.” the pet store owner said.

“ I see. How can I make it talk?” the man asked.

The owner asked him, “ Do you see those strings ( 细绳 ) tied to each of the bird’s legs?

“ Yes,” the man answered.

 “ Well, you pull those strings,” the pet store owner told him. That will make the parrot talk.”

The man asked, “ Do you mind if I try?”

 “ Not at all,” the owner said.

The man walked up to the parrot and pulled the string on its left leg. The parrot said, “ Good morning.”

The man pulled the string on the parrot’s right leg. This time the parrot said, “ How are you today?”

“ That’s not very interesting,” said the man. “ Any parrot could do that.” Then he laughed, “ But what would happen if I pulled both strings at the same time?”

 “ I’ll fall off my perch, you fool !”the parrot said.

1. The parrot was expensive because ________.

A. it was pretty beautiful         B. it could talk with people

C. it was a very unusual bird      D. it was in the middle of the store

2.The parrot would talk when ________.

A. people came into the pet store   B. it was the pet store owner

C. people said it was beautiful     D. people pulled the strings on its legs

3. Which is the first sentence that the parrot said to the man?

A. Good morning.              B. How are you?

C. That wasn’t interesting        D. I’ll fall off my perch, you fool!

4. From the story we know the parrot was ________.

A. kind       B. silly      C. clever      D. crazy

5. The best title for the passage should be ________.

Unusual Parrot   B. Parrot Talk      C. Silly Man     D. Clever Owner

 

“Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever things weren’t going my way. “Don’t worry, one day your luck will change.”

Mother was right, as I discovered after I had finished my college education. I had decided to try for a job in radio. One day, I wanted to host(主持) a sports program. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station. But I got turned down every time.

In one station, a kind lady said my problem was that I hadn’t got enough experience. “ Get some work with a small station and work your way up,” she said.

I went back home. I couldn’t get a job there, either. Then my dad told me a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn’t get the job.

I felt really down. “ Your luck will change,” Mom said to me. Dad lent me the car to help me to look for my job. I tried another radio station in Iowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone.

As I left his office, I asked, “How can someone be a sports announcer(播音员) if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”

I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man call. “ What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?” He put me in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game, I succeeded.

On my way home, Mom’s words came back to me, “One day your luck will change, Son. And when it happens, it’ll feel doubly(加倍的) good because of all the hard work you’ve had.” At that moment I knew what just what she meant.

1. What’s the writer’s ideal (理想的) job?

A. A sportsman   B. A shop assistant    C. A sports announcer   D. A businessman

2.Why didn’t the writer get the job in Chicago? 

A. because he was too young              B. Because he didn’t get college education

C. Because he’s got a good-looking person   D. Because he hadn’t got enough experience

3.Which of the following is true according to the article?

A. You just need wait for some time, then luck will come.

B. Luck will come if you try your best to do everything.

C. It’s important for you to wait for luck.

D. You should trust your mother.

4.The sentence “But I got turned down every time.” Means “______”

A. But I was refused every time      B. But I was successful every time

C. But I lost my way every time      D. But the door of every station was always closed

5.What’s the best title of this passage?

A. Mother’s words            B. Everything Happens For The Best 

C. No One Is Always Lucky     D. To Find A Job In Radio Is Difficult

 

阅读下面短文，用括号内所给动词的适当形式填空(必要时可加情态动词或助动词）。
" Everything happens for the best," my grandmother said whenever things weren't going my way. "Don't worry, one day your luck【小题1】_______(change). "
Grandmother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college. I had decided to be sports announcer (广播员) in a radio station, so I 【小题2】_______ ( go) to Shanghai and knocked on the door of every station. But I got refused every time.
In one station, a kind lady said my problem was short of experience. " Get some work with a small station and【小题3】______(work) your way up ," she said.
I couldn't get a job there, either. Then my dad told me a businessman had opened a company and needed someone【小题4】_______ ( manage) the sports center. But again, I didn't get the job.
I felt really down. "Your luck will change," Granny reminded me. I tried another radio station in Beijing. But the owner, a nice man, told me he already had someone.
As I left his office, I asked, " How can someone be a sports announcer if he 【小题5】_______(not, get) a job in a radio station?"
I 【小题6】_______( wait) for the elevator when I heard the man call, " What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?" I 【小题7】_______(put) in front of a microphone and asked to imagine I was commenting (评论) on a football game. "Now you 【小题8】_______ (watch) the football game between Lu Neng and Shen Hua. . . "
On my way home, Granny's words came back to me, " One day your luck will change, boy. And when it 【小题9】 _______( happen) , it'll feel twice as good because of all the disappointment (失望) you 【小题10】 _______ ( have) . " At that moment I knew just what she meant.