For thirty years, Johnson arrived at work at 9A.M. exactly. He never missed a day and was never late.
However, on one particular day, 9A.M. passed without Johnson’s arrival, it caused a sensation (轰动). All workers stopped and wait, and the boss himself looked at his watch and complained.
Finally, exactly at ten, Johnson turned up, clothes dusty and torn, his face hurt and bruised（挫伤）, his glasses bent. He limped painfully to the time clock, struck in with a strong fist, and said, knowing that all eyes were upon him, “I fell and rolled down two flights of stairs in the subway and nearly killed myself.”
But the boss said, “And to roll down two flights of stairs took you a whole hour?”
【小题1】How long did Johnson work in the company?

A．9 years.

B．10 years.

C．20 years.

D．30 years.

【小题2】What did the other workers do when Johnson was late for work?

A．They were waiting for Johnson.

B．They did their work as usual.

C．They complained against Johnson.

D．They were excited to see Johnson was late.

【小题3】What does the boss mean when he said “And to roll down two flights of stairs took you a whole hour?”?

A．He was worried about Johnson’s health.

B．He was glad that Johnson was late for work.

C．He was surprised at Johnson’s being late for work.

D．He wanted to know more about the reason for Johnson’s being late for work.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B

Tony Bennett, the American singer recently touring Britain, can't remember how many times he has sung his standard hit "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". He sang it again to his audience at the London Palladium last night.

"I never get tired of singing it," he said, "I like it very much. It's a great city and it's a good song."

Bennett is to record a TV special with the American singer Lena Horne while he is here. And a new LP recorded by him in London for Philips titled "Listen Easy" will be published in June.

"I like it here," he added quietly over whiskey. "I would like to live here so many months of the year."

He already keeps a large flat in Grosvenor Square, where he is staying with his actress wife Sandie Grant and their three-year-old daughter Joanna. It has a studio where he likes to paint. Tony plans to have his first exhibition later in the year and he has already sold one picture for $4,000. At the end of the year Tony is to star in a musical film which has been specially written for him called "Two Bits", an informal expression for 50 cents. It's about an Italian immigrant(移民) who goes to America, but he becomes a failure.

"In many ways it's very close to my life the way the story has been written," said Bennett. "My father, an Italian, was ill and died when I was nine. He always wanted me to sing, but he never lived long enough to be a part of my success."

The film is to be made by Italy's top director Vittoria De Sica.

60. The underlined phrase "standard hit" in the first paragraph most probably means "_____".

A. Bennett's favorite song that's not very popular

B. a song that is always popular

C. a song which is like a heavy blow to his audience

D. a song which makes him standard

61. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

A. "Two Bits" is a musical film.

B. Tony is to star in a film.

C. "Listen Easy" is a new record by Bennett.

D. "Listen Easy" has been published.

62. What does Tony Bennett want to do?

A. Buy a house and live in England.

B. Stay with his wife and daughter in England.

C. Live part of each year in England.

D. Leave America and settle in England.

63. What can we learn about Tony Bennett's father from this text?

A. He liked his son's singing.

B. He was born in Italy and died in America.

C. He was a part of Bennett's achievement.

D. He was glad that his son became famous.

I moved into a new house in July. Since then I have met a few of my neighbors who are very nice people. For Christmas, I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbors I know. There were nine neighbors whom I knew by name or spoke with often when I was out in my yard. I knew which houses they lived in.

I decided to add one more to my list. This lady I decided to add lives down the street from me. I meet her every morning walking to work as I drive down the street. She always smiles to me. But I had no idea who she was and which house she lived in.

I planned to make small fruit baskets and leave them on my neighbor's front porches (门廊) on Christmas Eve. I signed the cards: “Happy Holidays from 5104 Northumberland Road.”

I saved the last for the friendly lady. I finally decided on a house where I met her each morning and guessed that it was hers.

My neighbors really appreciated the baskets and would tell me as they saw me in the yard or they would call, and a couple even came by to thank me.

This morning I found a small note in the mailbox. It was addressed simply: Resident, 5104 Northumberland Road.

The Thank You card really caught me by surprise. I opened it and read the message, “Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you left on our porch. It was very thoughtful. Richard Kelly passed away last week. He talked a lot about how nice it was that someone remembered him in his time of illness. He really appreciated it.”

I had no idea who Richard Kelly was and that he had been seriously ill. I had left that nice lady’s basket on his porch by mistake. I wanted to say sorry, but that would be wrong. I believe that Mr. Kelly was meant to have that basket because he was dying. I hate that the nice lady did not get to receive a fruit basket on Christmas, but I believe if she knew what had happened, she would be happy. I feel pleased to have helped Richard Kelly's last days be more cheerful.

1.How many Christmas gifts did the author intend to send?

   A. 9.         B. 8           C. 10               D. 11

2.Where did the friendly lady live?

A. She lived at the end of Northumberland Road.

B. Her address was 5104 Northumberland Road.

C. She was thought to share a house with Mr. Kelly.

D. The author was not sure about her address at all.

3.How did the author’s neighbors respond to his gifts?

   A. They liked the gifts very much and were thankful.

   B. They were thankful that they wanted to be friends.

   C. They all made phone calls to say “Thank You”.

   D. They all visited him by person to show gratitude.

4.What does the author mean in the last paragraph?

   A. He was regretful that the nice lady didn’t receive his gift.

   B. He was glad to have made Mr. Kelly's life more pleasant. 

   C. He thought Richard Kelly deserved to receive that basket.

   D. The old lady was happy to sacrifice to make Kelly happy.

 

Work is a part of living —my grandparents understood that. They lived and worked on a farm that has been in my family for 150 years. They raised chickens for eggs , pigs and cattle for meat . Cows were kept for milk and the cream, from which Grandma made butter and cheese. What little yard they had became a garden.
The Depression, therefore, didn’t make much change in their lives. But it did bring an unending flow of men out of work, drifting from job to job, to the farm. The first to show up at the door of the kitchen was a man in rags. He took off his hat and quietly explained that he hadn’t eaten for a while. Grandpa stood watching him a bit , then said , “There’s a stack of firewood against the fence behind the barn (谷仓). I’ve been needing to get it moved to the other side of the fence . You have just about enough time to finish the job before lunch .”
Grandma said a surprising thing happened. The man got a shine in his eyes and he hurried to the barn at once. She set another place at the table and made an apple pie. During lunch, the stranger didn’t say much, but when he left, his shoulders had straightened. “Nothing ruins a man like losing his self-respect,” Grandpa later told me.
Soon after, another man showed up asking for a meal. This one was dressed in a suit and carried a small old suitcase. Grandpa came out when he heard voices. He looked at the man and then offered a handshake.” There is a stack of firewood along the fence down behind the barn I’ve been meaning to get it moved. It’d sure be a help to me . And we’d be pleased to have you stay for lunch.” The fellow set his suitcase aside and neatly laid his coat on top. Then he set off to work.
Grandma says she doesn’t remember how many strangers they shared a meal with during those Depression days-or how many times that stack of wood got moved.
【小题1】When he was asked to move a stack of firewood, the first man who asked for a meal got a shine in his eyes for he was glad that         .

A．he had found a good job

B．he would have something to eat

C．he would no longer suffer from the Depression

D．he would get what he wanted without losing his self-respect

【小题2】The writer’s grandfather asked those jobless men to move the stack of firewood because    ____ .

A．he didn’t want them to have a meal free of charge

B．he had been needing to get it moved

C．he wanted to help them in his own way

D．he wanted to show them his kindness and respect

【小题3】The writer’s grandfather was all of the following but        .

A．kind

B．thoughtful

C．wealthy

D．sympathetic

【小题4】The best title for the story would be        .

A．The Depression

B．The Pleasure of Helping Others

C．No Pains , No Gains

D．Work-A Part of Living

The business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors (债主) were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy (破产).
Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is troubling you.” he said. After listening to the executive, the old man said: “I believe I can help you.”
He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying: “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.” Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.
The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!
“I can settle all my debts in a moment!” he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe, just knowing it would give him the strength to work out a way to save his business.
With renewed optimism, he made better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big deals. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.
Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.
“I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.” And she led the old man away by the arm.
【小题1】What was the executive worried about?

A．He couldn’t produce enough for the suppliers.

B．The creditors wouldn’t lend him any money.

C．His products didn’t sell well.

D．He might run into bankcruptcy.

【小题2】Which of the following statements about the old man is TRUE?

A．The old man had known the executive was in trouble before he came.

B．The old man’s way of helping the executive worked out well.

C．The check he wrote was far from enough for the executive.

D．In fact the old man didn’t want to have his money back.

【小题3】The executive didn’t cash the check because ____________.
A. He was afraid that the bank didn’t have so much money.
B. The check gave him a lot of strength and encouragement.
C. He was uncertain if he could ever pay back the money.
D. He knew the old man wasn’t John D. Rockefeller at all.