I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theater box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9 o’clock to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theater was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately, the theater is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip—so I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed, I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth hearing the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.

1.The writer is probably ______.

A．worker                               B．a college teacher

C．manager of a company                   D．a clerk

2.He learned ______ that there would be a concert last Friday.

A．from his friends

B．from one of his colleagues

C．over the radio

D．from the newspaper

3.He could go and buy the ticket ______.

A．any day before work hours

B．both before and after work hours

C．only during lunch time

D．on Saturday and Sunday

4.The word “relieved” in the last two sentences may best be replaced by “______”.

A．surprised         B．pleased           C．puzzled           D．sorry

5.The story is about ______.

A．a good concert

B．someone enjoying a good concert

C．someone trying to buy concert tickets for his friends

D．someone’s disappointment at not being able to go to the concert

Each spring brings a new blossom of wildflowers in the ditches (沟渠)along the highway. I travel daily to work. There is one particular    26    flower that has    27   caught my eyes. I’ve noticed it blooms only in the morning hours; the    28    sun is too warm for it. Every day for about two weeks. I see those beautiful    29   .
This spring I    30   a wildflower garden in our yard. “I can look out of the   31   window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. I’ve often thought those lovely blue flowers from the   32  would look great in that bed alongside other wildflowers. Everyday I    33  past the flowers thinking, I’ll stop on my way home and    34   them.” “gee (哎呀), I don’t want to get my good clothes dirty…” whatever the reason, I    35  stopped to dig them.
One day on my way home from work in my car, I was    36    to see the highway department had moved the ditches and the pretty blue flowers were    37  . I thought to myself, “You    38    too long. You should have done it when you first saw them  39   this spring. ”
A week ago, we were shocked and saddened to learn my older sister-in-law had a terminal brain tumor (肿块). She is 10 years    40   than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance. We haven’t been as    41   as we all would have liked. I couldn’t help but see the   42     between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband’s    43  and us. I do believe god has given us some time left to    44  some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again, I’ll    45   and transplant them to my wildflower garden.

The reason I have to go is ________ if I don't．

1. A.
   that she will be disappointed
2. B.
   because she will be disappointed
3. C.
   on account of her being disappointed
4. D.
   that she will be disappointing

Last January I was given a chance to work in another country. At first, I lived a  36   life, but soon I met a group of new friends and they were really nice.

Then something   37   happened. One of our friends suffered from kidney stones (肾结石), which had to be   38   surgically as soon as possible. But it was not as   39   as that! Our friend could not   40   the operation, which put him into deep   41  . I didn’t know how to help him because I didn’t have any money either.   42  , I never lost hope. Instead I tried to think of other   43  and told him not to worry because everything would be all right.

Before I left the hospital, I talked to the surgeon and asked him to do the surgery, saying I would pay the expenses the next day   44    I had that kind of money. Well, I must have been   45   because the surgeon agreed to do it! But how was I going to get that much money?

All I knew was that I needed to help my friend! Although it could be   46   to deal with this kind of situation, I decided to make some efforts. I tried to borrow money but failed. I tried   47   my things but no one wanted them. Then I had the idea of talking to my    48  . I asked him if I could have my next two months’ salary in advance—without even thinking on how I would   49   for two months with no money. He was surprised and asked me the reason. I told him that I had a friend who was really in need.   50   I convinced him too and then he gave my two months’ salary without any   51  !

Upon getting the money, I ran to the hospital and paid all the bills. My friend didn’t know how to thank me. I just said, “Come on! Give me a   52  !”

Friendship may not only be found at the happy moment but sometimes you can find it on the   53   time in your life! I’ve done a good thing by being a (an)   54   friend and I think it is well worth the   55 .

1.A. private            B. lonely         C. colorful               D. normal

2.A. strange            B. wrong                C. unexpected      D. unfair

3.A. removed            B. reduced            C. examined        D. lifted

4.A. terrible           B. painful       C. simple                 D. special

5.A. stand      B. consider               C. perform             D. afford

6.A. anxiety            B. confusion             C. embarrassment D. dissatisfaction

7.A. Thus           B. Otherwise      C. However           D. Therefore

8.A. reasons           B. choices        C. symptoms      D. expectations

9.A. even if             B. as if         C. so that                 D. in case

10.A. encouraging     B. annoying          C. astonishing     D. convincing

11.A. challenging       B. disturbing     C. amazing             D. scaring

12.A. saving            B. handling        C. donating          D. selling

13.A. colleague          B. relative              C. boss                D. surgeon

14.A. adapt             B. survive         C. continue           D. wander

15.A. Luckily     B. Slightly        C. Constantly         D. Occasionally

16.A. analysis         B. dignity                C. hesitation     D. remark

17.A. favor             B. hug           C. promise         D. reply

18.A. best          B. longest              C. strangest               D. toughest

19.A. supportive        B. sensitive        C. aggressive        D. attentive

20.A. tolerance          B. sympathy             C. pressure         D. effort

I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theater box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9 o’clock to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theater was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately, the theater is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip—so I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed, I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth hearing the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.

The writer is probably ______.

       A. worker                                                        B. a college teacher      

       C. manager of a company                                  D. a clerk

He learned ______ that there would be a concert last Friday.

       A. from his friends                                           B. from one of his colleagues

       C. over the radio                                              D. from the newspaper

He could go and buy the ticket ______.

       A. any day before work hours                                   B. both before and after work hours

       C. only during lunch time                                 D. on Saturday and Sunday

The word “relieved” in the last two sentences may best be replaced by “______”.

       A. surprised                  B. pleased                     C. puzzled                    D. sorry

The story is about ______.

       A. a good concert         

       B. someone enjoying a good concert

       C. someone trying to buy concert tickets for his friends

       D. someone’s disappointment at not being able to go to the concert