Mike was starting the fourth grade in the autumn. He felt that he was old enough to ride a bike to school
like other kids. But there were two problems! The first was that he didn't know if his parents would let him
ride a bike to school. The second and the bigger of the two problems was that he didn't have a bike, because
he and his parents had just moved to the town this summer.
     Mike started to get over his problems. First, he asked his parents if they would let him ride a bike to school
in the autumn. To his surprise, they said, "Sure, Mike, you are old enough, but you don't have a bike!" Mike
began to think about how to solve the problem. Finally, he thought of an idea. He asked the neighbors if he
could mow (割) their lawns (草坪) to earn money to buy a bike. For all of them needed to mow their lawns,
they told Mike that would be fine, if his parents agreed. Mike's parents were pleased that he found a way to
buy a bike himself. They agreed and taught Mike how to mow the lawn properly. Finally, he had enough money
to buy his bike. He bought a beautiful black and red mountain bike.

1. Mike wanted to _____.

A. begin to study in autumn
B. ride a bike to school
C. mows the lawn for his family

2. What was the bigger problem for Mike?

A. He didn't have a bike.
B. He was not old enough to ride a bike.
C. His parents didn't want him to ride a bike.

3. What is the right order of the following events according to the article?
    ① Mike had two problems.
    ② Mike bought a bike.
    ③ Mike thought he was never too young to ride a bike.
    ④ Mike mowed the lawns for his neighbors.

A.①②③④　　
B.②①④③　　
C.③①④②

4. Which one is WRONG according to the passage?

A. Mike's family was new on his block (街区).
B. Mike was a gardening worker.
C. Mike bought a black and red bike.

5. Which is the best title?

A. Mike's kind neighbors.
B. Mike's new bike.
C. How to earn money.

     It was the last day of final examinations at a large college. On the steps of one building, a group of
engineering students were discussing the exam that was about to begin. On their faces was confidence.
This was their last exam before they graduated (毕业) and found jobs.
     Some talked of jobs they already had; others of jobs they would get. With four years of college study,
they felt ready and able to conquer (征服) the world.
     The coming exam, they knew, would be easy. The professor (教授) had said they could bring any
books or notes they wanted, but they couldn't talk to each other during the test.
     They walked into the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. The students' smiles became
wide as they saw that there were only five essay-type questions.
     Three hours passed and the exam came to an end. Then the professor began to collect the papers.
The students no longer looked confident. They seemed worried. No one spoke as the professor faced
the class with the papers in her hand.
     She looked at all the worried faces in front of her, and then asked, "How many students completed
all five questions?"
     Not a hand was put up.
     "How many of you answered four?" Still no hands.
     "Three? Two?" The students moved restlessly in their seats.
     "One, then. Certainly somebody finished one." But the class stayed silent. The professor put down
the papers. "That is just what I expected," she said.
     "I just wanted to make sure you realize that even though you have studied engineering for four years,
there are still many things about the subject you don't know. Instead of testing you on what you learned
in this class, I've given you questions that skilled engineers face in the world outside the classroom. You
can't expect to be an expert (专家) on the day you graduate. You have to learn as you go."
     Then, smiling, she added, "You will all pass this course, but remember that your education has just
begun."

1. What does the underlined word "restlessly" mean in the passage?

A. confidently
B. proudly
C. excitedly
D. nervously

2. Why did the professor design the final exam in such a way?

A. To make the students realize that they still had much to learn after graduation.
B. To find out whether the students could put what they had learned into practice.
C. To show that she had much more knowledge than her students in engineering.
D. To examine whether the students learned what they had been taught in her class.

3. What can be the best title of the passage?

A. A Playful Joke
B. A Lucky Chance
C. A Strange Professor
D. A Special Exam

     After our hospital visit, my husband and I needed cheering up, so we thought we would treat ourselves
to a big breakfast at our favourite restaurant. While we were waiting for our meals, we decided to use all our
small change and make our wallets light, so we counted it out as we waited.
     I vaguely (含糊地) remember seeing a man sitting nearby. When our meals arrived, we found a note. It
read, "Your breakfast has been paid for. Hope you have a lovely day."
     It was a wonderful surprise as nothing like that had ever happened to us. He must have thought we could
hardly pay the bill. We looked around to thank him, but he had left. As retirees (退休者), we were grateful
for the help like this, but it was the kindness of a total stranger that meant so much more to us.

1. The old couple went to restaurant for a big breakfast in order to ______.

A. become happier
B. become healthier
C. become lighter
D. become younger

2. What have you learnt from the story?

A. The old couple couldn't afford the meal.
B. The old couple paid the meal by small change.
C. The old couple had a free meal in the end
D. The old couple bought the man a big breakfast

3. Clearly, the man sitting near the couple was ______.

A. poor
B. rich
C. helpful
D. grateful

     John and Bobby worked in the same company. Both of them worked very hard. However, several years
later, Mr. Ted, the boss of the company, asked Bobby to be market manager. John could not accept the fact.
He thought the boss only liked those who flattered (奉承) him. So he decided not to work there.
     The boss knew John well and asked John to do one thing before he left. He asked John to go and find out
anyone selling watermelon in the market. Soon John returned and said that he found a man selling watermelon.
The boss asked him how much the watermelon was. John shook his head.
     The boss asked John to wait a moment. Then he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to do
the same thing. When Bobby returned, he told the boss that only one person was selling watermelon. It was
$1.2 a kilo and $10 for 10 kilos. Each watermelon weighed about 2 kilos. All came from the South two days
ago.
     John was much moved and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. Chances are in the daily
details (细节) and a more successful person sees more and father.

1. Who was the market manager?

A. John. 
B. Bobby.
C. Ted.

2. How did John feel about Ted's choice first?

A. Moved.
B. Annoyed.
C. Accepted.

3. Why did Ted ask John and Bobby to do the same thing?

A. To buy some fresh watermelons for the workers.
B. To find the price of watermelon in the market.
C. To help John know the difference between himself and Bobby.

4. What can be the best title (标题) for the passage?

A. More, Details, More Chances.
B. More Practice, More Success.
C. Better Luck, Better Jobs.

                                                              Learn a second language
     There was once a young mouse that lived in a hole in a wall. One day, the young mouse woke up from
his sleep and looked out of the hole. As he looked out, a fantastic smell came to his nose."Cheese!" the mouse
said happily to himself. "I'll go and get it now and have it for breakfast."
     But then he remembered his parents' words. His parents were very clever mice and often said to their
son,"Always wait before you go for a piece of cheese."
     So the young mouse waited quietly. Then he heard a quiet "Miaow" and he knew the cat was there. He
stayed in the hole and said to himself,"I'm glad I listened to my parents and learned to wait."
     The next day, he looked out again. He put his nose out of the hole, and the beautiful smell of cheese came
to his nose again. He could see the cheese. It was only a few centimetres away. But he sat still and waited
quietly. This time he did not hear any cat noises. Instead he heard a very quiet "Woof, woof."
     "It's a dog!" he thought."If the dog is there, the cat won't be there. I expect the dog has chased the cat
away, so I'm safe." The mouse ran out of the hole and started eating the cheese. He did not see the cat,
which caught him and ate him.
     When the cat finished her meal, she said to herself, "I'm glad I listened to my parents and learned a
second language."

1. Who told the mouse to wait before going for a piece of cheese?

A. The cat.
B. The dog.
C. The cat's parents.
D. The mouse's parents.

2. How did the young mouse know the cat was there?

A. He heard the cat.
B. He saw the cat.
C. He smelt the cat.
D. He knew the cat.

3. What was the cat's meal?

A. The mouse's parents.
B. The cheese.
C. The young mouse.
D. The fish.

4. Which language did the cat learn as a second language?

A. English.
B. Chinese.
C. Dog language.
D. Mouse language.

5. Which of the following sentences is Not True according to the passage?

A. The young mouse lived in a hole in a wall.
B. The next day the mouse didn't hear any cat noises.
C. The cat pretended to be a dog by making the noise "woof".
D. The mouse's parents told their daughter to wait before going for a piece of cheese.

    Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England on 8th January, 1942. He went to school in St Albans-a small
city near London. Although he did well, he was never top of his class. After leaving school, Hawking went first
to Oxford University where he studied physics, then he went to Cambridge University where he studied
cosmology. As he himself admits (承认), he didn't work hard. He was a very lazy student, and did very little
work. However, he still got good marks.
    It was at the age of 20 that Hawking first noticed something was wrong with him. He started to bump
(撞上) into things. When he visited his family at Christmas time, his mother was so worried that she made him
see a doctor. Hawking was sent to hospital for tests. Finally, the result came back. Hawking had motor neurone
disease, an incurable illness which would make him unable to speak, breathe or move without the help of a
machine. Doctors said they had no way to help him. He would die before he was 23.
    At first, Hawking became very sad. After a while, though, he began to see his life in a different way. As he
later write, "Before my illness was diagnosed (诊断), I had been very bored with life. There bad not seemed to
be anything worth doing. But shortly after I came out of hospital, I suddenly realized that there were a lot of
worth while things I could do." Hawking married, found a job at Cambridge University, and had three children.
He also went on to do some of the most important scientific research.
    Today, Hawking still works at Cambridge University as a professor. He strongly believes that his story shows
that nobody, however bad their situation (处境) is, should lose hope. "Life is not fair, "he once said. "You just
have to do the best you can in your own situation."

1. As a university student, Stephen Hawking _______.

A. worked very hard
B. studied maths and physics
C. was the best student in his class
D. was lazy and did very little work

2. Hawking first noticed something was wrong with him when ______.

A. he was sent to hospital for tests
B. his mother made him, see a doctor
C. he was twenty years old
D. he visited his family at Christmas time one year

3. In this passage the word "incurable" means ______.

A. 无法治愈的
B. 难以确诊的
C. 常见的
D. 可以治愈的

4. When Hawking was first diagnosed with motor neurone disease, he            .

A. made up his mind to get married
B. began to see his life in a different way
C. thought that nothing in life was worth doing
D. became very unhappy

5. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Motor Neurone Disease
B. Life is Fair
C. Professor Stephen Hawking
D. A Lazy Boy