We once had a poster competition in our fifth grade art class.

 “You could win prizes,’’our teacher told US as she wrote the poster information on the blackboard. She passed out sheets of construction paper while continuing,“The first prize is ten dollars. You just have to make sure that the words on the blackboard appear somewhere on your poster. ”

We studied the board critically. Some of US looked with one eye and held up certain colors against the blackboard,rocking the sheets to the fight or left while we conjured up our designs. Others twisted their hair around their fingers or chewed their erasers while deep in thought. We had plans for that ten—dollar grand prize,each and every one of US. I'm going to spend mine on candies,one hopeful would announce,while another practiced looking serious,wise and rich.

Everyone in the class made a poster. Some of us used parts of those fancy paper napkins, while others used nothing but colored construction paper. Some of US used big designs,and some of us preferred to gather our art tidily down in one comer of our poster and let the space draw the viewer's attention to it. Some of US would wander past the good students’ desks and then return to our own projects with a growing sense of hopelessness. It was yet another grown-up trick of the soil they seemed especially fond of。making all of US believe we had a fair chance,and then always—always—rewarding the same old winners.

I believe I drew a sailboat,but I can’t say that with any certainty. I made it. I admired it. I determined it to be the very best of all of the posters I had seen,and then I turned it in.

Minutes passed.

No one came along to give me the grand prize,and then someone distracted me,and I probably never would have thought about that poster again.

I was still sitting at my desk,thinking,What poster? When the teacher gave me an envelope with a ten-dollar bill in it and everyone in the class applauded for me.

46. What was the teacher's requirement for the poster?

A. It must appear in time.

B. It must be done in class.

C. It must be done on a construction sheet.

D. It must include the words on the blackboard.

47. The underlined phrase in paragraph 3 most probably means _____________.

A. formed an idea for

B. made an outline for

C. made some space for

D. chose some colors for

48. After the teacher’s words,all the students in the class _________.

A. 1ooked very serious

B. thought they would be rich

C. began to think about their designs

D. began to play games

49. After seeing the good students’ designs,some students _________.

A. 1oved their own designs more

B. thought they had a fair chance

C. put their own designs in a comer

D. thought they would not win the prize

50. We can infer from the passage that the author ______________.

A. enjoyed grown-up tricks very much

B. 1oved poster competitions very much

C. felt surprised to win the competition

D. became wise and rich after the competition

 A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess(女家庭教师)Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ”I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”

  “Forty.”

  “No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”

  “Two months and five days.”

  “Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.

  “Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct?”

  Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but - still not a word.

  “Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect (疏忽), Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”

  “You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.

  “But I made a note of it.”

  “Well... if you say so.”

  “Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”

  Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!

  “Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”

  “Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is !”

  I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.

  “Merci (法语: 谢谢),”she whispered.

  I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.

  “For the money. ”

  “But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you ! I have actually stolen from you ! Why this‘merci’?”

  “In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”

  “They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless (懦弱)?Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws(爪)—to be such a fool?”

  Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”

  I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world !”

While talking to Julia, the wrier expected from her ________.

  A. a protest           B. gratitude

  C. obedience           D. an explanation

What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.

  A. nervousness in front of her boss

  B. acceptance of injustice

  C. shyness when talking about money

  D. reluctance to express herself

The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.

  A. to be more aggressive

  B. to be more careful in her work

  C. to protect her right

  D. to live independently

At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”to show ________.

  A. his understanding of Julia’s anxiety

  B. his worry about Julia’s future

  C. his concern on the living condition of working - class people

  D. his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited

A man was selling medicine at a fair(集市).At first he sold bottles of a cure(药剂)for colds(感冒)for just a dollar a bottle.
Many people wanted to buy it and the man's young assistant moved quickly through the crowd collecting money and handing out bottles of the cure.
Then,when he had a big crowd, the man held up a very small bottle.
“And now,ladies and gentlemen,” he shouted,“Here is the medicine you have been waiting for.The cure for old age.Drink just one bottle of this and you will live forever.”?
“And,ladies and gentlemen,” the man continued,“I'm not going to charge you a hundred dollars a bottle for this wonderful medicine.I'm not going to charge you fifty dollars a bottle.I'm not going to charge you twenty-five dollars a bottle. Now,ladies and gentlemen,I'm going to charge you just ten dollars a bottle. Think,my friends,for ten dollars you can live forever.”?
Most of the people in the crowd did not believe this.
One person shouted,“If it can make you live forever,why don't you drink it?”
Then another person cried,“Yes,you look as if you're at least sixty years old.?
“Thank you,sir,thank you,” the man answered,“I'm so glad you said that. My real age is three hundred and twenty-nine.”?
The crowd laughed at this but there were still some people who wanted to believe the man. One of them spoke to the man's assistant as she passed by, “Is that true?”?he asked.“Is he three hundred and twenty-nine?”?
“Don't ask me,” the assistant said,“I've only worked for him for a hundred and fifty years.”?
【小题1】What did the man sell at first at the fair?

A.a cure for colds
B.bottles
C.a cure for old age
D.a medicine that made people live forever
【小题2】How much did the man charge for the cure for old age?
A.one dollar a bottle
B.twenty-five dollars a bottle
C.ten dollars a bottle
D.fifty dollars a bottle
【小题3】What does the word “assistant” mean in this passage?
A.仆人B.朋友C.同伴D.助手
【小题4】What does this passage really mean?
A.The cure for old age is very useful and not so expensive.
B.The man is not honest,and neither is his assistant.
C.The cheaper the medicine is,the more people will buy.
D.The two men are very honest,and they would like to help people live forever.

I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma.I remember the day when my big sister dropped the bomb: “There is no Santa Claus,” she laughed.“Even dummies know that!”
  I fled to Grandma because I knew she always told me  21 .After I told her everything, she said “No Santa Claus? Don’t believe it. Now,  22 your coat, and let’s go.”
  “Go? Go where?” I asked.
  “Where” 23  to be the General Store.As we walked through its doors, Grandma   24 me ten dollars.That was a lot in those days.“Take this money and buy something for  25 needs it.I’ll wait for you in the car.”
  The store seemed big and  26 , full of people hurrying to finish their Christmas shopping.For a few moments I just stood there, 27  , holding that bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
  Suddenly I thought of Bobbie who sat right behind me.I remembered he didn’t have a coat.I fingered the bill with growing  28 .I would buy Bobbie a coat.
  “Is this a Christmas present for someone?” the lady behind the   29  asked me kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down
  “Yes,” I replied shyly.“It’s…for Bobbie.”
  The nice lady smiled at me.I didn’t get any  30 , but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.
  That evening, Grandma helped me  31  the coat and wrote, “To Bobby, From Santa Claus” on it.Then she  32 me over to Bobbie’s house.
  Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie’s house, and she and I crept 33 and hid in the  34 .Then Grandma gave me a sign.“All right, Santa Claus, get going.”
  I took a deep 35 , dashed for his front door, threw the present down, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety.Together we  36 breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.Finally it  37 , and there stood Bobbie.
Forty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those  38 spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie’s bushes. 39 ,  I realized: Santa was alive and well, and we were  40  his team.

【小题1】
A.the reasonB.many thingsC.storiesD.the truth
【小题2】
A.put onB.put away C.put upD.put down
【小题3】
A.usedB.turned outC.found outD.turned up
【小题4】
A.lentB.took C.paid D.handed
【小题5】
A.anyoneB.whomever C.someone whoD.those who
【小题6】
A.crowded B.variedC.noisyD.convenient
【小题7】
A.satisfiedB.confusedC.curiousD.amazed
【小题8】
A.worryB.disappointmentC.happinessD.excitement
【小题9】
A.counter B.desk C.shelfD.goods
【小题10】
A.moneyB.giftsC.changeD.encouragement
【小题11】
A.makeB.wrap C.undo D.design
【小题12】
A.droveB.took C.ledD.asked
【小题13】
A.quickly B.painfullyC.nervouslyD.noiselessly
【小题14】
A.bushes B.darkness C.doorwayD.car
【小题15】
A.courageB.look C.step D.breath
【小题16】
A.waited B.whisperedC.creptD.stood
【小题17】
A.cameB.soundedC.didD.appeared
【小题18】
A.moments B.days C.time D.people
【小题19】
A.TodayB.That yearC.That nightD.Since then
【小题20】
A.on B.forC.atD.of

A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

“You are employed,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.”

The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail.”

“I’m sorry,” said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And he who doesn’t exist cannot have the job. ”

The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.

The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and returned late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers(零售商) in the US.

He started to plan his family’s future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker(保险业经纪人) and chose a protection plan.

When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, “I don’t have an e-mail.”

The broker answered curiously, “You don’t have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire(帝国). Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

1.Why can’t the man have the job at Microsoft?

A.Because he was lazy.                     B.Because he didn’t pass the test.

C.Because he didn’t have an e-mail.          D.Because he didn’t have a computer.

2.The underlined word “triple” can be replaced by ______.

A.become large      B.become 3 times     C.increase quickly    D.decrease quickly

3.The man can be described as _______.

A.helpful and grateful                     B.positive and generous

C.smart and hardworking                   D.stubborn and unselfish

4.Which proverb can best describe the story?

A.Misfortune may be an actual blessing.        B.Where there is a will, there is a way.

C.Accidents will happen.                    D.No pains , no gains.

 

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