I lived next door to Debbie and her 84-year-old mother, Nan, for about six months. One night last summer, Debbie asked me to check on her mother because she worked the overnight shift (夜班) at a nursing home.

I was glad to help. But I   1    felt a little funny about it.   2    , I’ve been blind since I was a baby and out of   3    for years. In fact, at 54, I came to wonder if I had any   4    to live.

A bit after 9:00 pm, I heard a sound—over the years my ears have grown super  5    . It was Nan. “Jim, Jim. The house is   6    ! Help!”

I went as far as I could to Debbie’s. I got to the front door,   7   for the key and unlocked the door. “Nan! Where are you?” I called.

 “Here, Jim. Help!” her voice was  8    and low.

I felt my   9    inside. “Nan, where are you? Keep   10  !” “Here, Jim, here!” sounds as if she’s    11    in front of me. I reached out and touched her shoulder. We felt our way down the steps. ___12____ in the sweet, fresh summer air.

Later the fire truck arrived. Debbie came too. Nan and I heard the sound of the   13    coming down. Finally, the firefighters   14    the fire.

I heard Nan crying. She said, “I was so   15    and got turned around. I couldn’t find the door. You saved my life.”

Now Debbie’s voice quivered (发抖), “You’re a hero. You rescued my mom.”

I hardly knew what to say. Two hours earlier I was wondering whether I really mattered to anyone. And now I saved a life. Nan and Debbie were thanking me. Truth was, I wanted to thank them. Nan wasn’t the only one who had been saved that day.

A. seldom        B. hardly         C. also              D. soon

A. First of all     B. At all          C. Above all          D. After all

A. sight          B. money         C. patience           D. work

A. value          B. pain           C. sadness           D. good

A. useless         B. deaf           C. sensitive          D. responsible

A. too cold        B. on sale         C. too hot           D. on fire

A. looked         B. reached        C. searched          D. waited

A. afraid          B. weak          C. calm             D. certain

A. way           B. key            C. heart            D. fear

A. talking         B. standing        C. lying            D. staying

A. sill            B. even           C. right            D. away

A. appearing       B. breathing       C. lost             D. driven

A. house          B. truck           C. fire             D. air

A. set out         B. put out          C. hold up          D. put off

tired             B. fortunate         C. disappointed      D. scared

Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human conditions is our possibility to give and receive support from one another under stressful(有压力的) conditions. Social support makes up of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily problems. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over types of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, show that the presence of social support helps people defend themselves against illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.

Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others in spite of our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Taking part in free-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting(转移注意力) us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support — money aid, material resources, and needed services — that reduces stress by helping us resolve and deal with our problems.

1. Interpersonal relationships are important because they can _______.

A. make people live more easily

B. smooth away daily problems

C. deal with life changes

D. cure types of illnesses

2. The researches show that people's physical and mental health _______.

A. lies in the social medical care systems which support them

B. has much to do with the amount of support they get from others

C. depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles

D. is related to their courage for dealing with major life changes

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “cushions” ?

       A. takes place of                                B. makes up of

       C. lessens the effect of                        D. gets rid of

4. Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work in spare time is an example of _______.

       A. instrumental support                       B. informational support

       C. social companionship                      D. the strengthening of self-respect

5. What is the subject discussed in the text?

A. Interpersonal relationships.             B. Kinds of social support.

C. Ways to deal with stress.                 D. Effects of stressful conditions.

Stop wasting your time on the wrong mountain

I have two friends who are backpackers. There is a portion of New York’s Adirondack Mountains called the High Peaks region. It is made up of 46 mountains with a___1____ of over 4,000 feet.

The Adirondack Mountain Club gives special honor and a patch to    2    who climbs all 46 mountains. My two friends decided to go for this   3   . It took them several years to accomplish it.

My friends had climbed 10 of the mountains. The left one was the farthest,    4    much effort. A hiking trail led past the base of the mountain,    5    from that point they were on their own.

Early one morning they left their      6    and walked 5 miles on the hiking trail to the base of a    7     of mountains. One of the mountains in this chain was the last one they  8  for their patch.

When they reached the base of the mountain chain they    9     that they had left their compass and map back in the camp.    10     returning to the camp, they decided to go on without them.

For hours they    11    uphill suffering heat and black flies. Finally, late in the afternoon they   12    themselves on the top of a mountain. They were tired but   13   .

The excitement was short-lived however. When they    14    the valley, they saw another higher mountain. They had climbed the    15    hill! It was too late that weekend to correct their    16   . They had to wait another 4 months to climb the right mountain.

This story    17    that often in life we make effort toward a    18    but without the right map and personal compass it is easy to get    19    .

Knowing your life purpose gives you a    20     personal map and compass. And that makes sure you are always climbing the right mountain.

1. A. length          B. height           C. width            D. depth

2. A. something       B. someone          C. anything         D. anyone

3. A. fame            B. award          C. medal            D. gift

4. A. requiring        B. making          C. wasting          D. paying

5. A. and             B. even            C. so               D. but

6. A. village          B. house            C. camp            D. cottage

7. A. series           B. lot              C. chain             D. kind

8. A. needed          B. prepared         C. looked           D. hunted

9. A. understood       B. thought           C. forgot             D. discovered

10. A. Instead          B. Rather than       C. In case of         D. In spite of

11. A. rushed           B. rolled            C. walked           D. ran

12. A. relaxed          B. congratulated     C. enjoyed           D. found

13. A. excited          B. surprised         C. disappointed       D. puzzled

13. A. looked for       B. looked across      C. looked on         D. looked through

15. A. high            B. right             C. wrong            D. small

16. A. direction         B. wrong           C. decision           D. error

17. A. provides         B. brings            C. offers            D. proves

18. A. choice           B. goal               C. promise          D. result

19. A. hurt             B. separated          C. lost             D. bothered

20. A. beautiful          B. famous           C. expensive         D. powerful

It was the first snow of winter — an exciting day for every child but not for most teachers. Up until now, I had been old enough to dress myself, but today would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher, had been through brst snow days many times, but I think she may still remember this one. 

I managed to get into my wool snow trousers. But I struggled won my jacket because it didn’t fit well. It was a hand-mc-down from my brother, and if made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes, At least my hat and scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots(靴子). 

In her calm, motherly voice she said, “By the end of winter, you will all be able to put on your own boots.” I didn’t realize at the at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence(信心). 

I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected grown-ups to do all the work. After much pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too. 

I announced, “They’re on the wrong feet.”

She struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again. 

“They’re my brother’s boots, you know,” I said. “I hate them”. 

Somehow,  from long years of practice,  she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying(烦人的) little girl,  She struggle with me, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens(连指手套)?”

I looked into her eyes and said, “I didn’t want to lose them, so I hid them in the toes of my boots. 

The little girl was more satisfied with her_____.

A. trousers     B. jacket      C. boots     D. hat

Miss Finlayson had difficulty with the girl’s boots mainly because_____.

A. the girl got them from her brother     B. the girl put something in them

C. they were on the wrong feet        D. they did not fit the girl well

Why does the author Miss Finlayson would remember that first snow day?

A. Because the little girl was in her brother’s clothes. 

B. Because it was the most exciting day of the winter . 

C. Because the little girl played a trick on her. 

D. Because the little girl wore a pretty scarf. 

We can learn from the text that Miss Finlayson____.

A. was losing confidence in the little girl. 

B. gradually lost patience with the little girl. 

C. became disappointed with the little girl. 

D. was getting bored with the little girl.

Some disabled people use a special card when they park their cars. These are called disabled placards, which are removable signs that can be hung from the rear-view(后视) mirror of a car. These placards are only supposed to be for disabled people.

       These placards are meant to help disabled people in a number of ways. They allow the person to park in special parking spaces. They can also be used when disabled people are being dropped off or picked up. Disabled people can even use them to park without having to pay.

       Parking officials think that some people are cheating. Not all people who have these placards are disabled. Today, one in sixteen drivers in California carries the sign. There are a lot more people who have disabled placards today than ten years ago. An official from the DMV(加州车辆管理局) says that there are many reasons for the increase. As people get older, they may develop health problems and need to have one. There are also other reasons why more drivers have them today. Finally, there are a number of people who have them that should not.

       Last year the DMV cancelled more than 25,000 permits. They found that lots of people who had the disabled placards had died. These permits are no longer valid.

Some people are worried that the system is being abused. They are worried that access to the program could be limited because of the misuse. More rules could make it harder for people with real disabilities to get these placards.

What do we know about placards?

   A. They are all used by disabled people.

   B. They are cards designed by disabled people.

   C. They can help disabled people park their cars.

   D. They allow disabled people to drive anywhere.

The DMV canceled many permits because_________.

   A. the number of old people is growing

   B. the number of disabled people is on the rise

   C. they want to make it harder for people to get them

   D. some people who have the placards have died

What can people do with the placards?

   A. Drivers can use them when picking up disabled people

   B. Disabled people can pay for parking with them.

   C. Drivers can use them to drive their cars.

   D. People can have access to DMV with them.

What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

   A. The reasons why disabled placards are also popular among drivers.

   B. Some healthy people also use the disabled placards.

   C. The number of disabled placard users had increased.

   D. More reasons for drivers to use disabled placards.

We learn from the passage that_________.

   A. disabled placards will be stopped by the government

   B. some people will be punished for breaking the law

   C. some disabled people will be forbidden to use disabled placards

   D. some rules will be made related to disabled placards

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