第三部分  阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I suddenly heard an elephant crying as though frightened．Looking down，I immediately recognized that something was wrong，and ran down to the edge of the near bank．There I saw Ma Shwe with her three-month-old calf(young elephant)struggling in the fast-rising water，and it was a life-and-death struggle．Her calf was floating and screaming with fear．Ma Shwe was as near to the far bank as she could get，holding her whole body against the rushing water，and keeping the calf pressed against her huge body．Every now and then the rushing water would sweep the calf away.

There was a sudden rise in the water and the calf was washed clean over the mother’s body and was gone ．Ma Shwe turned quickly to reach it and pressed the calf with her head and trunk(象鼻)against the rocky bank．Then with a huge effort，she picked it up in her trunk and tried until she was able to place it on a narrow shelf of rock．

Just at this moment．she fell back into the river．If she were carried down, it would be certain death．I knew，as well as she did，that there was one spot where she could get up the bank，but it was on the other side from where she had put her calf．While I was wondering what I could do next，I heard the sound of a mother’s love．Ma Shwe had crossed the river and got up the bank and was making her way back as fast as she could，roaring(吼叫)all the time，but to her calf it was music.[来源:ZXXK]

56．The moment the author got down to the river bank he saw           ．

A．the calf was about to fall into the river

B．Ma Shwe was placing the calf on the rock

C．the calf was washed away by the rising water

D．Ma Shwe was holding the calf against the rushing water

57．How did Ma Shwe manage to save her calf from the fast-flowing water?

A．By pressing it against her body．

B．By putting it on a safe spot．

C．By taking it away with her．

D．By carrying it on her back．

58．How did the calf feel about the mother elephant's roaring?[来源:学,科,网]

A．It was a great comfort.                       B．It was a sign of danger．

C．It was a call for help．                         D．It was a musical note．

59．What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．The mother took the calf away on its body．

B．The mother cleaned the calf with its back．

C．The calf was carried away by the water．

D．The calf was washed clean in the water．

60．What could be the best title for the text?

A．A Brave Act                              B．A Mother's Love

C．A Deadly River                                   D．A Matter of Life and Death

 

In a room at Texas Children Cancer Center in Houston, eight-year-old Simran Jatar lay in bed with a drip (点滴) above her to fight her bone cancer. Over her bald (秃的) head, she wore a pink hat that matched her clothes. But the third grader’s cheery dressing didn’t mask her pain and weary eyes.

Then a visitor showed up. “Do you want to write a song?” asked Anita Kruse, 49, rolling a cart equipped with an electronic keyboard, a microphone and speakers. Simran stared. “Have you ever written a poem?” Anita Kruse continued. “Well, yes,” Simran said.

Within minutes, Simran was reading her poem into the microphone. “Some bird soaring through the sky,” she said softly. “Imagination in its head…” Anita Kruse added piano music, a few warbling (鸣, 唱) birds, and finally the girl’s voice. Thirty minutes later, she presented Simran with a CD of her first recorded song.

That was the beginning of Anita Kruse’s project, Purple Songs Can Fly, one that has helped more than 125 young patients write and record songs. As a composer and pianist who had performed at the hospital, Kruse said that the idea of how she could help “came in one flash”.

The effect on the kids has been great. One teenage girl, curling (蜷缩) in pain in her wheelchair, stood unaided to dance to a hip-hop song she had written. A 12-year-old boy with Hodgkin’s disease who rarely spoke surprised his doctors with a song he called I Can Make It.

“My time with the kids is heartbreaking because of the severity of their illnesses,” says Anita Kruse. “But they also make you happy, when the children are smiling, excited to share their CD with their families.”

Simran is now an active sixth grader and cancer-free. From time to time, she and her mother listen to her song, Always Remembering, and they always remember the “really sweet and nice and loving” lady who gave them a shining moment in the dark hour.

1.Simran Jatar lay in bed in hospital because ______.

A．most of her hair had fallen out

B．she was receiving treatment for cancer

C．she felt depressed and quit from school

D．she was suffering from a pain in her back

2.What do we know about Anita Kruse’s project?

A．It helps young patients record songs.

B．It is supported by singers and patients.

C．It aims to replace the medical treatment.

D．It offers patients chances to realize their dreams.

3.What does the case of a 12-year-old boy suggest?

A．Most children are naturally fond of music.

B．He was brave enough to put up performance.

C．The project has positive effect on young patients.

D．Singing is the best way to treat some illnesses.

4.What is probably the best title for the passage?

A．Purple Songs Can Fly

B．Singing Can Improve Health

C．A Shining Moment in Life

D．A Kind Woman—Anita Kruse

 

It is love that makes the world go round. And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties. So we say: “Love will find a way.” As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything. A Chinese saying runs: “never hit a person who is smiling at you.” It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own— a universal language—understood by the people of every nation in the world. We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue. We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will.

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My anger toward that grew with each step. Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked, in passing. The, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Carlos, he no speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?” In that moment I felt transformed. Carlos’ smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will to ward all mankind stood ten feet tall. “Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’” “Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He’ll understand. I am sure!” Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning.

    From that day on, I became smile – conscious, and I practice the diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody. When I got excited in traffic, taking the right – of – way (公路用地) from the other car with my stupid mistake, I’d smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically. This action on my part would always draw a good – natured smile in return. If the other fellow was at fault – and if I could remember my resolution in time! – he’d get a broad smile of understanding. This took a bit of doing at first. I’ll admit it wasn’t always easy, but it was fun. The results were sometimes amazing. Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill – feeling and tension. I’m wondering now how many tragic add dents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile!

1.The author got angry while shopping one day because         .

A. of the clerk’s unfriendliness and lack of concern

B. of her misfortune

C. she failed to purchase what she intended

D. a dark – complexion young man laughed at her

2.From the conversation between the author and the Mexican woman, we can infer that the woman         .

A. was well – educated but unwilling to help others

B. was able to speak English

C. knew some English and was ready to help others

D. was familiar with the young man

3. In the author’s opinion, if all people remembered to smile when driving,         .

A. many traffic accidents could be avoided

B. they would receive a good natural smile in return

C. they could get a broad smile of understanding

D. they wouldn’t feel any tension

4. The best title for this passage could be          .

A. The Art of Smiling          B. The Universal Language

C. The Power of Love        D. The Magic Power of Friendship

 

 

D

It is a hot summer day，and you feel thirsty A friend gives you a glass of cold lemonade．How do you feel when you see the glass? Will you describe your feeling as happiness or as pleasure? I believe you will say it is a feeling of pleasure．There is a connection between these two kinds of feelings，and sometimes one causes the other，but they are not the same．Pleasure is more dependent on the five senses while happiness is independent of them．

When you are happy，little unpleasant events usually do not disturb you．When you are unhappy，you feel as if everything is against you．You may compensate for it by eating chocolate and sweets because this gives you pleasure；yet you stay unhappy．A person may smoke cigarettes

because it gives him pleasure，yet，this does not make him happier，especially if he knows the fact that it is not good for his health

The physical world is always in a changing state．At each moment a new thing is being created，changed，transformed and then destroyed. This is the normal state of things and no one call change it．If we stay still in a certain state，we are sure to experience unhappiness sooner or later．On the other hand，if we adjust to the environment，nothing can influence our moods．Then outer events have nothing to do with our inner joy of mind.

The room of the mind was filled with worry or fear．If you are free of thinking about them, the room has been emptied，and then you will see what is happening and experience it When your

mind stays quiet，you will see that happiness comes from the inside．

67．What does the underlined phrase“compensate for”in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?

A．to make a suitable payment for       B．to let out your anger for

C．to provide with a balancing effect for    D．to solve the problems for

68．According to the passage, in which of the following situations can you feel happy? 

A．A friend gives you a glass of cold lemonade when you feel thirsty．

B．You eat chocolate and sweets when you feel as if everything is against you．

C．Smoke cigarettes even though you know the fact that it is not good for your health．

D．You are free from worry or fear when your mind stays quiet．

69．We can learn from the passage___________．

A．happiness is more dependent on the five sepses

B．pleasure sometimes arouses happiness

C．you feel happy when nothing around you changes in a certain state

D．you feel unhappy because you have to adjust to the environment

70．Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．Pleasure Leads To Happiness             B．Happiness Changes Us

C．Happiness Is Within Us                        D．Stay A Quiet Mind

 

When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day holidays posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas eve when I arrived home, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine. “Where did it come from?” I asked.

“I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, such a rush！He just brought it in this afternoon…” The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the tree top crystal star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas. “It’s not like the one you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look for a good one. But I couldn’t be fussy (挑剔的)．”

“Don’t worry,” I told her. “It’s perfect.” It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect．

1.From the passage, we can infer that ______．

A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war

B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war

C．all the soldiers had three-day holidays

D．the writer could not go home for Christmas

2.When the writer got home, ______．

A．it was December 23th

B．it was snowing heavily

C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room

D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother

3.From this passage，we can conclude that ______．

A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees

B．his mother didn’t like perfect trees

C．his mother didn’t want to have a tree

D．the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else

4.“All Christmas trees are perfect”，because they can remind you of ______．

A．the wartime	B．the green of a pine
C．the pleasant smell	D．the sweet home

5.The best title for this passage would be “______”．

A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree

B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas

C．The Perfect Christmas Tree

D．The Christmas Without a Tree