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If I were writing a history of my family, some of the darkest moments recorded would be those surrounding Christmas trees. One would certainly think otherwise; selecting and putting up our trees have always been filled with risk. For example, one afternoon dangerously close to Christmas Eve my mother bought what she thought to be a bargain, a glorious tree that was so full and tall that we could hardly get it into the house. Once we did, my father immediately realized that we would have to hire a carpenter to build a stand for it. Another December, perhaps the very next one, we bought a tree earlier than we ever had before. We were happy with its shape and delighted that its size was manageable. We easily placed it in a stand, decorated it from top to bottom, and then self-satisfiedly sat back by the fire in its soft light. Two or three days passed and the truth could not be hidden; we had bought a tree cut so long ago that its needles were coming off. There was nothing to do but undecorate it, take it down, and begin tree shopping again. Our most recent Christmas tree offered still another difficult task. When we brought it home, once again it seemed larger than it was in the great outdoors. To complicate matters, we had bought a new stand, one whose nuts （螺帽） and bolts （閂子） worked more mysteriously than those of our old stands. I persuaded two young neighbors to stop playing basketball and to help us get the tree into the house and set it correctly in the stand. Unfortunately, no one noticed the mud on our helpers' shoes, so only after removing several reddish brown spots from the carpet were we able to discuss the question of where the lights and ornaments （裝飾）were stored. Perhaps those who cut their own trees have tales more painful than these. I don't care to hear them, as my family's experiences are enough to cause me to make the following suggestion:" Let's forget the tree next Christmas. Let's simply hang some flowers on the front door and over the mirror in the hall. "
【小題1】The darkest moments in the writer's family were with the fact that _____.

A．the family bought big Christmas trees

B．they had problems decorating their Christmas trees

C．they had problems picking suitable Christmas trees

D．they had problems finding carpenters for putting up Christmas trees

【小題2】We can learn from the passage that the writer would like to _____.

A．forget about Christmas stories

B．get the neighbors to put up their trees

C．buy a better tree to celebrate Christmas

D．make other decorations rather than Christmas trees

【小題3】When the writer said " my mother bought what she thought to be a bargain", he means ____.

A．she bought the tree at a cheap price

B．she didn't really want to buy it

C．she had to bargain hard with the salesman

D．she couldn't afford a more expensive one

【小題4】Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．How to Select a Christmas Tree

B．No More Christmas Tree for Us

C．Dark Moments of Life

D．Christmas Without Trees

In a room at Texas Children Cancer Center in Houston, eight-year-old Simran Jatar lay in bed with a drip (點滴) above her to fight her bone cancer. Over her bald (禿的) 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 (鳴, 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 (蜷縮) 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.
【小題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

【小題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.

【小題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.

【小題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 was a Sunday and the heavy storm had lasted all night. The morning after the storm, though, was beautiful： blue skies, warm air and a calm, inviting sea touching the shore gently.
My father realized it was a good day for fishing and invited my sister and me to go with him. I was only 14 and fishing had never been my thing, but I decided to go all the same. I’m so glad I did.
On the road to the harbour we could see the terrible destruction on the coast, but the harbour itself was in fairly good shape. After all， it was protected by the arms of a bay that had only one tiny channel to the sea. As we got on board, we noticed two big humps(脊背) in the distance.
On approaching them, we saw it was a mother whale with her baby. We couldn’t believe it ——there aren’t any whales along the coast here. The storm must have driven them across the ocean into the bay, in which the still water was so badly polluted that nothing could survive.
The little baby whale——actually as big as our boat——was obviously stuck and could not move. The mother dived under the water and came up suddenly, making big whirlpools(漩渦) and waves. ”She’s trying to help her baby, but on the wrong side, ”my father said. At this point, my father moved our boat in a semicircle to the other side and, heading the boat towards the baby whale, pushed it gently. With our several gentle pushes the big hump turned over and disappeared under water. Then it swam up right beside its mum. They struggled in their desperate attempts to escape but missed the exit and started heading in the wrong direction. We hurried up to the whales and tried to lead them towards the bay channel. Slowly, they let us lead them, some-times rising from the water right beside us to breathe——and to give us a trusting look with those huge eyes. Once they hit their first part of clean water flowing straight from the sea, the mum gave us a wave with her tail and off they swam into the distance.
In the excitement it had felt like only a few minutes, but we had been with those wonderful animals for almost an hour and a half. That was the simple and lasting beauty of the day, Nearly four decades later, I still look back fondly to that golden day at sea.     
【小題1】The author says “I’m so glad I did ” (in Para. 2)because ______.

A．he witnessed the whole process of fishing

B．he enjoyed the beauty of the calm sea

C．he experienced the rescue of the whales

D．he spent the weekend with his family

【小題2】The harbour survived the storm owing to____________.

A．the shape of the harbour	B．the arms of the bay
C．the still water in the channel	D．the long coast line

【小題3】The mother whale failed to help her baby because__________.

A．she had stayed in the polluted water for too long

B．the whirlpools she had made were not big enough

C．she had no other whales around to turn to for help

D．the waves pushed her baby in the wrong direction

【小題4】what is the theme of the story?

A．Saving lives brings people a sense of happiness

B．Fishing provides excitement for children

C．It’s necessary to live in harmony with animals

D．It’s vital to protect the environment

John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching the high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks.
Luckily he had a strong-willed caring mother. John remembered that his mother told him many times, “Son，you can be anything you want really to be if you just believe.” She told him not to depend on others，including his mother. “You have to earn success,” she said. “All the people who work hard don’t succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard.”
These words came from a woman with less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don’t mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son, who was then 15，to Chicago.
Chicago in 1933 was not the promised land that black southerners were looking for. John’s mother and stepfather could not find work. But here John could go to school, and here he learned the power of words — as an editor of the newspaper and yearbook at Du Sable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks.
While others discouraged (使氣餒) him, John’s mother offered him more words to live by: “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” She also let him pawn（典當）her furniture to get the ＄500 he needed to start the Negro magazine.
It is natural that difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful. He always keeps his mother’s words in mind: “Son, failure is not in your vocabulary!”
Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America — worth $150 million.
【小題1】John’s father died in ________.

A．1922

B．1933

C．1924

D．1923

【小題2】John’s mother decided to move to Chicago because _______.

A．his father died when John was very young

B．life was too hard for them to stay on in their hometown

C．there were no schools for black people in their hometown

D．John needed more education badly

【小題3】John’s mother ________．

A．didn’t believe in or depend on others

B．thought no one could succeed without working hard

C．believed one would succeed without working hard

D．thought one could be whatever one wanted to be

【小題4】The story mainly tells us ________ .

A．a(chǎn)bout the spiritual support John’s mother gave him

B．how John H. Johnson became successful

C．a(chǎn)bout the importance of a good education

D．a(chǎn)bout the key to success for blacks

There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume(香水)。
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D. (醫(yī)學博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
【小題1】What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?

A．She made Teddy feel ashamed.

B．She asked the children to play with Teddy.

C．She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row.

D．She told the class something untrue about herself.

【小題2】What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?

A．He often told lies.

B．He was good at math.

C．He needed motherly care.

D．He enjoyed playing with others.

【小題3】In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?                                             

A．She taught fewer school subjects.

B．She became stricter with her students.

C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher.

D．She cared more about educating students.

【小題4】Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding?

A．She had kept in touch with him.

B．She had given him encouragement.

C．She had sent him Christmas presents.

D．She had taught him how to judge people.

Australia is the smallest continent in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is on the Southern Hemisphere of the earth. Australia is big, but its population is small. The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai.
Enough laws have been made to fight against pollution. The cities in Australia have little air or water pollution. The sky is blue and the water is clean. You can clearly see fish in the rivers. Plants grow very well.
Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flower exhibition. There we saw large numbers of wild flowers on show, most of which we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers. Every year in spring Perth has a wild flower exhibition. After visiting Perth, we spent a day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves very much. When we heard bells ringing at the top of the hills, we looked up, but what we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to our car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us along the path.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos（袋鼠）. After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself among the white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere you can see sheep.
【小題1】Which country is the writer most possibly from?

A．Japan

B．Canada

C．China

D．America

【小題2】We can learn from the passage that _________.

A．Australia is the smallest country in the world

B．Australia is the same size of Shanghai.

C．Australia is in the northern part of the earth.

D．The people in Australia are as many as those in Shanghai.

【小題3】Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Australia has enough laws to fight against pollution.

B．Perth is the biggest city in Australia.

C．The wild flowers in Perth must be different from what the author sees in his/her country.

D．The author enjoyed his/her visit in the country.

【小題4】The underlined word “exhibition” in the third paragraph means _________.

A．a(chǎn) public show for people to visit

B．a(chǎn) market where you can buy all kinds of flowers

C．a(chǎn) place where all kinds of flowers are grown

D．a(chǎn) field where there are flowers and animal

A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, “Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?” Her question was a good one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn’t fair. It’s a disappointment, but it’s absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It’s not and it won’t be.
One of the nice things about surrendering(屈從) to the fact that life isn’t fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it’s not “l(fā)ife’s job” to make everything perfect: it’s our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn’t fair doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don’t recognize or admit that life isn’t fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn’t fair, however, we feel compassion(熱情)for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. You may be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action.
【小題1】The writer thought of his friend’s question as a good one because    .

A．he also wanted to know who held such an opinion.

B．it made him recall something during his childhood.

C．many people thought life was fair

D．like his friend, he also thought life was unfair.

【小題2】The second paragraph of the passage mainly tells us that   .

A．it’s nice to complain about life

B．it’s nice to accept the injustice of life

C．we should not feel sorry for everything

D．everyone should be treated fairly

【小題3】From the passage, we can learn that the author’s attitude to life is     .

A．positive

B．negative

C．self-pity

D．indifferent

【小題4】Which of the following could be the best title of the text?

A．A Helpful Action: Try to Feel Compassion

B．A bad Question: Why Life Isn’t Fair

C．Surrender to the Fact That Life Isn’t Fair

D．Do Our Best to Improve Ourselves

Once there was a young woman who didn’t like her job. Everyday when she came home from work, she told her husband how terrible her day had been, how tiring the work and how unreasonable her boss. “Leave that job,” her husband told her.
“Oh, I will,” she said. “But not yet. I have too many friends there for me to leave.” And so she remained unhappy at work until the years became decades and her children had children. “Leave that job,” her grandchildren told her. “Oh, I will,” she said. “But not yet. There are only seven more years until I reach thirty years of service and can retire. So I can’t just yet.”
I know this woman. And her story reminds me of an old dog half asleep on the porch of a general store, moaning and groaning in the sun. “Why is your dog acting that way?” a customer asked the store owner. “Oh,” answered the man. “He’s lying on a nail.” “Well, why doesn’t he move?” “Because it’s not hurting him bad enough.”
That’s true for people, too. We convince ourselves the pain is not bad enough to leave the workplace we know. But we’re wrong. Prolonged work pain is continuing. Some work pain damages our self-esteem, kills our passion or destroys our dreams.
Wilbur Wright once commented, “We could hardly wait to get up in the morning. I know that exhilarating feeling of being so passionate about something I was working on that I couldn’t wait to get back to work. And people who are winning at working know that kind of passion, too.”
They get excited about work. They offer their unique gifts and talents eagerly. And when things don’t change as they sometimes will, they refuse to let environment hijack(劫持) their self-esteem, passion or dreams.
【小題1】The woman complained to her husband every day because   .

A．she didn’t have enough money to support her family

B．her boss criticized her for what she had done

C．she was not satisfied with her job at all

D．her work was difficult and her boss was cruel

【小題2】From the second paragraph we can know that the woman   .

A．liked making friends with others

B．loved all of her children very much

C．left her tiring job at last

D．did exactly the same job all along

【小題3】The underlined word “Prolonged” (in Paragraph 4) means   .

A．lasting

B．slight

C．serious

D．hard

【小題4】People who are getting along well with their work     .

A．have to get up early every day

B．a(chǎn)re not willing to go to work

C．need more unique gifts and talents

D．a(chǎn)re likely to change with the situation

Breathe, wave and smile. Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers. The huge stadium shook with all the whistling and clapping.
It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the moment. Each deserved it. The seniors had been preparing for four years for this once-in-a-lifetime moment—the commencement(畢業(yè)典禮).
Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in marron cap and gown(方帽長袍).
Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance(對美國的忠孝宣誓).
Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. The tears in some eyes convinced me that many had deep feelings about the occasion. It was as the class motto says, “Life brings us tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry; the smiles fade; but the memories last forever.”
Then came the core (核心) of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest.
To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. A girl sitting next to me even started yawning. But it wasn’t boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives.
A new page in the book of that person’s life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage.
【小題1】What’s the article mainly about?

A．An American high school’s graduation ceremony

B．The opening ceremony of a sports meeting.

C．A presentation of college diplomas.

D．A US college’s farewell party.

【小題2】Which of the following statements about the author is FALSE?

A．She was one of the graduates.

B．She was a foreign exchange student.

C．She was excited to receive her diploma.

D．She felt it great to be at the ceremony.

【小題3】The right order of the following events is_____________.
a. Diplomas were presented to graduates. 
b. Students gave farewell speeches.
c. The US national anthem was played.
d. The principal gave a short, warm speech.
e. Seniors went into the stadium.

A．b,c,a,d,e

B．c,d,b,e,a

C．d,b,e,a,c

D．e,d,c,b,a

【小題4】From the text, we can conclude that_______.

A．a(chǎn) diploma ensures a good job

B．a(chǎn) diploma guarantees a bright future

C．the commencement symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life

D．everyone felt excited at the presentation of the diploma

On Sunday while I was having my own Father’s Day celebration, I thought about my dad a lot. By the time I called to tell him that I loved him, he had already gone to bed. So I wrote the following to show what my dad means to me.
About 28 years ago, my dad was a used car salesman. Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA for the auction（拍賣會）. Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it there.
One day, I was riding with my dad to Shreveport for the auction when he found a hitchhiker（搭車者）with a backpack. As soon as dad saw him, he pulled the car over and offered him a ride. Dad asked him his name and continued to talk to him about all sorts of things. I can’t recall why but he told dad a lot of terrible things that had occurred to him. I sat in the back seat and watched the scene with amazement. I could see that the hitchhiker changed his attitude as he could tell someone who was really listening to him.
We drove another forty-five minutes before we had to exit the interstate（州際公路）. We pulled over and dad told him to keep his head up and things would start looking up for him soon. He reached into his pocket and handed the hitchhiker a twenty-dollar bill and then a the-dollar bill.
We drove on and my dad did not say a single thing. I was still completely amazed by what I just witnessed. I was always told everyone to never pick up a hitchhiker and yet my dad did it every single time he saw one. I’m sure that it made that poor man’s day, probably a month to follow.
While reflecting upon that story, I learned a lot about my dad and life. I learned that if you come from a place of service or compassion, you can change people’s lives. Just one single kind act can change someone’s life. It never occurred to my dad about not stopping to help him.
This is the type of person my dad is. Thank you for setting such high standards for me to follow.
Dad, I love you. Happy Father’s Day!
【小題1】The author and his dad met a hitchhiker（搭車者）_______.

A．when they were just warned not to pick up a stranger

B．on their way to Shreveport to sell a car

C．on their way to the west for a trip

D．when their car was running out of gas

【小題2】What do we learn about the hitchhiker from the passage?

A．Something unpleasant occurred to him.

B．He was going to the auction.

C．At first he didn’t believe in the author.

D．It was he who bought the author’s car.

【小題3】How did the author feel about his dad’s behavior at that time?

A．Angry

B．Appreciated

C．Surprised

D．Ashamed

【小題4】What did the author learn from his father?

A．Just a single kind act can make a difference.

B．Try learning to be a good listener.

C．Set high standards for yourself in life.

D．Offering a ride to a stranger is dangerous.