A young mother set her feet on the pathway of the life. “Is the way long?”

And her guide said, “Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old ____ you reach the end of it, but the end will be better than the beginning.” But the young mother was happy and would not ____ anything could be better than these years. So she ____ with her children and gathered flowers for them along the way and bathed with them in the clear springs. The sun shone on them, and life was good. And the young mother cried, “ Nothing will be ____ than this.”

Then the night came. And the storm (暴风雨) ____ them and the path was dark, and the children shook with ____ and cold. And the mother drew them close and covered them with her clothes, and the children said, “ Oh, Mum, we are not afraid, for you are ____, and we know that no harm (伤害) can come to us.” And the mother said, “This is better than the ____ of the day, for I have taught my ____ courage.”

And the morning came. There was a hill ahead, and the children ____ it and soon grew tired. And the mother was ____, too. But she said to the children, “ A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed and climbed, and when they reached the top, they said, “Mum, we ____ not have done it without you.” And when the mother lay down to sleep that night, she ____at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the ____ , for my children have learned determination(决心) in the face of ____. Yesterday I gave them courage—today I gave them strength.”

1.A. after????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?????? B. before????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. since ????????????? ????????????? ? D. until

2.A. know ????????????? ????????????? ??? ?? B. believe????????????? ????????????? ??? C. feel????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? D. find

3.A. worked ????????????? ????????????? ??? ?? B. stayed????????? C. played? ????????????? ????????????? ? D. studied

4.A. worse????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?? B. better????????????? ????????????? ???? C. easier????????????? ????????????? ????? D. sadder

5.A. hit????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?????? B. beat????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. took????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? D. carried

6.A. excitement????????????? ????????????? ?? B. happiness????????????? ???? C. interest????????????? ????????????? ? D. fear

7.A. far????????????? ????????????? ?????????? B. away????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. near????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? D. out

8.A. coldest????????????? ????????????? ?????? B. coolest????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. darkest ????????????? ????????????? ? D. brightest

9.A. students????????????? ????????????? ?????? B. classmates ????????????? ????????????? C. friends????????????? ????????????? ? D. children

10.A. walked????????????? ????????????? ?????? B. moved????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. climbed????????????? ????????????? ? D. flew

11.A. tired????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?? B. happy ????????????? ????????????? ???? C. angry????????????? ????????????? ????? D. proud

12.A. will????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?? B. can????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. could ????????????? ????????????? ? D. shouldn’t

13.A. looked over????????????? ?????? B. looked on????????????? ???? C. looked after????????????? ? D. looked up

14.A. last????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ? ??? B. next????????????? ????????????? ????????????? C. latest????????????? ????????????? ????? D. second

15.A. dark????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ?? B. difficulties????????????? ????????????? C. failure????????????? ????????????? ? D. success

--- Can you wait for me for another two hours?
--- Sorry. Two hours _____ too long, I will go without you.

Dear Reader,
Think about an 11-year-old child spending her days washing clothes, looking after a baby brother, and doing hard work on the farm.
Think about a little girl. She knows there will not be enough food for dinner, and has no water to drink because it is not clean. She has watched her father, brother and sister lose their lives as the family has no money to send for a doctor.
Hard to believe? For Maria Pastora, these are the facts of life.
Maria would gladly walk to school, but her mother, now alone, really needs her at home. Maria had to leave school to work for her poor family.
But for five dollars a week, you can help out a child like Maria. Show her that somewhere, some­one will help her. Through Save the Children, you can help Maria’s mother get better crops (收成) from their farm, and earn the money to buy clothes and things for school.
To help Maria most, your money is to put to­gether with other helpers, so hardworking people can help themselves. Build a school or a hospital, make their farm better, bring in clean water... This is what Save the Children has been about since 1932.
For you there are many returns. You can write letters to each other, get photos, or study reports. Know you are helping and saving another person in the same world as you. That’s how Save the Chil­dren works. But without you, it can’t work. Please take a moment to fill in this form to help a child like Maria and her village.
It can make such a difference in her life and yours.
Save the Children
David L. Guyer
Chairman
(    ) 7. Maria’s father, brother and sister died because they_________.
A. were too poor to see a doctor   B. didn’t know where to find a doctor
C. didn’t have enough food to eat  D. were too busy to see a doctor
(    ) 8. This letter mainly tells you to_________.
A. know about poor people   B. earn some money for poor children
C. show pity to poor people   D. donate money to help poor children
(    ) 9. If you try to help a child like Maria, which of the following can’t you get from her?
A. You can often get some pictures from her.
B. You can get more money from her when she grows up.
C. You can often get her letters.
D. You can often be told how she is getting on.
(    ) 10. This letter most probably appears_________.
A. on TV     B. in a magazine     C. in a dictionary    D. on the radio