I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world.
From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a deformity that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes.
Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season.
“The world will see him when he can walk,” she told Dad. “And he will walk.”
Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin.
A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs (肢). Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs.
“There's nothing anyone can do but you can't,” Mam said. “You and I are going to walk through town.”
The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. “Hold your head up high, now, Ronan,” she said.
We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride.
That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk.
Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me—Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do—and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it.
I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived.
【小题1】What was the problem with the author as a baby?

A.He was expected unable to walk.
B.He was born outward in character.
C.He had a problem with listening.
D.He was shorter than a normal baby.
【小题2】The underlined word “deformity” in the second paragraph most probably means _______.
A.shortcomingB.disadvantageC.disabilityD.delay
【小题3】Why did Mam dress him and herself in finest clothes?
A.To hide their depressed feeling.
B.To indicate it an unusual day.
C.To show off their clothes.
D.To celebrate his successful operation.
【小题4】From the story we may conclude that his mother was _______.
A.determinedB.stubbornC.generousD.distinguished
【小题5】According to the writer, what mattered most in his success?
A.His consistent effort.B.His talent for music.
C.His countless failures.D.His mother's promise.

When you practice reading with passages shorter than book length, do not try to take in each word separately, one after the other. It is much more difficult to grasp the broad theme of the passage this way, and you will also get the stuck on individual words which may not be absolutely essential to a general understanding of the passage. It is a good idea to skim through the passage very quickly first to get the general idea of each paragraph. Titles, paragraph headings and emphasized word can be a great help in getting this skeleton outline of the passage. It is surprising how many people do not read titles, introductions or paragraph headings. Can you, without looking back, remember the title of this passage and the heading of this paragraph?
Most paragraphs of a passage or chapter have a 'topic sentence' which expresses the central idea. The remaining sentence expand or support that idea. It has been estimated that between 60% and 90% of all expositive(说明的)paragraphs in English have the topic sentence first. Always pay special attention to the first sentence of a paragraph; it is most likely to give you the main idea.
Sometimes , though , the first sentence in the paragraph does not have the feel of 'main idea' sentence. It does not seem to give us enough new information to justify a paragraph. The next most likely place to look for the topic sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph.
Remember that the opening and closing paragraphs of a passage or chapter are particularly important . The opening paragraph suggests the general direction and content of the piece, while the closing paragraph often summarizes the very essence (精髓).
【小题1】It is a good idea to skim through a passage quickly first ________.

A.at about 350 w. P.m.(words per minute)
B.to get the general idea of each paragraph
C.so that you can take in each word separately
D.to make sure you get to the end at least once
【小题2】The topic sentence of an expository paragraph in English_______.
A.usually comes in the middle
B.is most likely to be found at the end
C.is most often at the beginning
D.is usually left out in expository writing
【小题3】Most expository paragraphs in English have a clearly defined topic sentence. In such paragraphs the topic sentence comes first ________.
A.in about 40% of casesB.in about 80% of cases
C.in about 20% casesD.very rarely
【小题4】Some times we know the first sentence is not the topic sentence because ________.
A.it does not seem to give us enough new information
B.it is not long enough
C.it does not come at the beginning
D.it does not make complete sentence


Part-time Front Desk Position
, a book development company, is looking for a part-time front desk office worker. This position is perfect for a person who is cheerful, dependable, and pleasant to work with. Also, you should be able to welcome guests, redirect phone call, and take messages. More importantly, you can stay cool under pressure. You are expected to work 5:00--6:00 pm weekdays. You need to fill in some forms if you are interested.
Forms can be collected at
866 United Nations Plaza, #525
New York, NY 10037
 
               Important Points to Remember When Swimming
·Wait at least an hour after meals.
·Follow the advice of lifeguards.
·Don’t dive into unknown waters. Always swim in line with the
·Find out at the seaside when and where it is safe to swim.
·Don’t use floating toys on the water. Wind can easily sweep them out to sea.
·Get out of the water if you feel tired or cold. Cold can kill even strong swimmers.
Help Telephone:212-543-5902
Atlantic City Beach Office
 
Arrive on time.
Introduce yourself in a polite manner.
Read company materials while you wait.
Have a firm handshake.
Listen.
Use body language to show interest.
Smile and nod to the interviewers.
Ask about the next thing you should do.
Thank the interviewer.
Write a thank-you letter to anyone you have spoken to.
For more information, please visit jobweb.com
368 Cooper Square, New York.
【小题1】If you want to work in an office, where can you get the forms to fill in?
A.jobweb.comB.Atlantic City Beach Office.
C.368 Cooper Square, New York, NYD.866 United, New York, NY 10017.
【小题2】What does a person need most to be the one-hour weekday job?
A.He should he cheerful, dependable, and easy-going.
B.He has to work from Monday to Friday.
C.He can remain calm in a difficult situation.
D.He can welcome guests and deal with phone calls.
【小题3】According to the above information, what is the right thing to do when you?
A.To keep close to the beach.B.To dive into unknown waters.
C.To use floating toys on the water.D.To swim soon after lunch.
【小题4】The best title for the last piece of information would be_________.
A.Tips on Showing Interest in a JobB.Stops to a Successful Interview
C.Advice on Introducing Yourself PolitelyD.of Body Language in an Interview

The Five Rules for Keeping Fit
Hi, there! I'm Grystal Collins, and I'm very happy to share some time with you. So, you want to keep fit, huh? Well, you surely came to the right place. Together we can keep fit and healthy, and succeed in doing that. It's easy. Everybody can do it, you hear? Just remember the five golden rules.
Number one: Always wear comfortable clothes when you are exercising. You need to feel comfortable and relaxed(放松).
Number two: You should always do some warming-up exercise first to get your body ready for the real thing.
Number three: Never try to do too much exercise too soon. Take it nice and easy now, you hear? There's no rush about this.
Number four: Don't forget to relax for about five minutes when you've finished your exercise. You need to rest a little bit after you've been exercising.
And here is the golden rule Number five. Stop at once if you feel any pain in your neck, head or any part of your body.
【小题1】The students may most probably be the people ___________.

A.who are ill
B.who want to be healthier
C.who are Crystal Collins' good friends
D.who are not interested in taking exercise
【小题2】Crystal Collins may most probably say this            .
A.before the exercise starts
B.when the exercise is over
C.during the exercise
D.as soon as the exercise has started
【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true?
A.You should do some warming-up exercise before the real thing.
B.You should wear comfortable clothes.
C.You should rest for a while when you are doing warming-up exercise.
D.You should stop if you feel any pain in your body.

阅读下面的短文,请根据短文后的要求答题(请注意问题后的字数要求)
Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you gain the most from them, and make sure you do not waste this wonderful opportunity to learn?
〔1〕Be positive about school! Don't say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school-life and your school subjects. Join in lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile.
〔2〕Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable.
〔3〕Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong.
〔4〕__________________________. Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish a race if you rest all the time.
〔5〕Don't be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone fails some tests, loses some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don't let small problems seem very big and important.
〔6〕Talk about problems—sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don't be too embarrassed to turn to others. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything!
〔7〕Plan your time. Don't waste life lying in bed on Saturday morning. Go and play a sport, learn the piano, work on a project, read a book, practise English, or help someone with problems. There are always a lot of things to do.
Follow my advice, and have a happy school-life!
【小题1】What is the best tile of the text? (Please answer within 8 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
【小题2】Which sentence in the text is closest in meaning to the following one?
You’d better not be too shy to ask someone else for help.
____________________________________________________________________________
【小题3】 Fill in the blank in Item 4 with proper words. (Please answer within 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
【小题4】The writer thinks it is good to put up your hand in class, what’s your idea? (Please answer within 20 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
【小题5】 Translate the underlined sentence in paragraph one into Chinese.
____________________________________________________________________________

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