Once　upon　a　time,　a　young　man　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　town　announcing　that　he　had　the　most　beautiful　heart　in　the　world.　A　large　crowd　gathered,　and　they　al　praised　his　heart　for　it　was　perfect.

    Suddenly,　an　old　man　appeared　and　said,　“Why　,your　heart　is　not　as　beautiful　as　mine.”

    The　old　man’s　heart　was　ful　of　scars（伤疤）.　Some　pieces　of　his　heart　were　removed　and　some　pieces　from　other　people　were　put　in,　but　they　didn’t　fit　quite　right.　So　there　were　several　jagged（锯齿状的）edges.　In　fact,　there　were　stil　some　holes　in　his　heart　where　the　pieces　were　missing.

    The　 young　 man　 laughed,“Comparing　yours　with　mine,　mine　is　perfect　and　yours　is　a　mess.”

    “Yes,”said　the　old　man.　“But,　every　scar　shows　that　I　took　out　a　piece　of　my　heart　and　gave　it　to　a　person,　and　often　he　gave　me　a　piece　of　his　heart　in　return.”

    “Why　do　you　have　some　jagged　edges　in　your　heart?”asked　the　young　man.“Because　the　shapes　of　the　pieces　weren’t　the　same.”“Then　the　holes?”“Sometimes　I　gave　pieces　of　my　heart　away,　and　the　other　person　hasn’t　given　back　a　piece　of　his,　so　… but　I　don’t　care.”“How　come?”“They　remind　me　of　the　love　we　shared.”

    The　young　man　was　deeply　moved.　He　walked　up　to　the　old　man,　took　a　piece　of　his　heart　out　and　gave　it　to　the　old　man.

    The　old　man　placed　it　in　his　heart,　then　took　a　piece　from　his　old　scarred　heart　and　placed　it　in　the　wound（伤口）in　the　young　man’s　heart.　It　fitted,　but　not　perfectly,　as　there　were　some　jagged　edges.

    The　young　man　looked　at　his　heart,　not　perfect　any　more　but　more　beautiful　than　ever.

    How　sad　it　must　be　to　go　through　 life　 with　 a　 whole　untouched　heart!

    1.　The　young　man　stood　in　the　town　to　_____.

    A.　meet　the　old　man　　　　B.　compare　his　heart　with　others’

    C.　show　his　beautiful　heart　D.　give　pieces　of　his　heart　to　others

   2.　It’s　clear　that　the　old　man　was　_____.

    A.　a　sily　man　　　　B.　a　humorous　man

    C.　a　wel-known　man　　　　D.　a　kind-hearted　man

  3.　We　learn　from　the　story　that　in　the　end　the　young　man　was　_____.

    A.　lost　　　　B.　moved　　　　C.　hurt　　　　D.　untouched

  4.　The　old　man　said“… but　I　don’t　care”means　_____.

    A.　he　didn’t　expect　others’return

    B.　he　didn’t　feel　pain

    C.　he　didn’t　think　it　serious

    D.　he　cared　nothing

  5.We　can　get　more　beautiful　hearts　by　sharing　_____

    A.　ideas　　　　B.　scars　　　　C.　love　　　　D.　beauty

Martin is an American boy. He is eight years old. His parents   41  _ five years ago and he is now living with his grandmother in New York.
　　One morning,  Jimmy ,  one of his classmates, came to his home with an exercises book in his hand. Jimmy lives in a house not far from Martin's. They often go to school together.
　　"Would you help me with this maths problem?" Jimmy said as soon as he came into the room. "It's too hard for me and I can't work it out."
　　"Let me try, " Martin said. "I   42  it isn't too hard for me. "
　　Martin tried his best but he couldn't work it out,   43   .
　　"If we had a small computer,  all the problems would be  44   for us to do. " Jimmy said.
　　"A small computer . . . , " Martin thought for a minute,  then he said, "I've got an idea. We can   45  one in a shop. "
　　"A computer is very   46   ,  and we don’t have enough money. "
　　"That's OK, " said Martin. "We can ask the new president (总统)   47  some money. He said he would help anyone in trouble. I' m sure he will help us. He is very rich, you know."
　　So they decided to write a letter to the new president. Soon the letter was finished and they hurried to the post office.
　　In front of the post office stood a small box. They   48   the letter into the box carefully and went home happily.
The next morning, they    49   the post office on their way to school. They found   50  ,  the box was not a post box but trash-box (果皮箱).