During my high school years, the most important thing was what I was wearing to the Friday night dance and who I was taking．Although college was talked about, it was the least of my worries．

When I was graduating eighth grade and starting high school, my elder brother was graduating twelfth grade and going onto college．For my graduation, he gave me a card in which he wrote, “Enjoy your four years…they go by fast．” I remember not believing him then, but looking back…he was right．Those four years shaped who I was as a person, pushed me to my limit and encouraged me to become an adult．

However, I was so completely absorbed in my junior and senior years of high school, that when someone spoke of college I brushed it off．I wasn't ready to leave my comfort zone of having all of my closest friends together and knowing what every single day was going to be like．Studying was something I did only AFTER I nailed my half-time dance performance．I knew my parents wanted me to go to college, so I told them I would go to community college (社区学院) and I didn’t worry about my SAT（美国大学入学考试）scores．

When my senior year passed and everyone graduated and went off to their own college, I started to wish I had done the same．My friends were living away, meeting new people, discovering new places, and I was living at home and driving to and from class every day．It seemed exactly like high school．I hated it! I thought college was supposed to be different! Why didn’t I take more time to research colleges and do the same? I ended up loving college and wishing I had four years to enjoy the campus atmosphere instead of two．

My advice to anyone thinking about attending college is to think about it very seriously and look into all of your choices well ahead of time．Now I have graduate and I am working full time and I would do anything to go back to my high school days for a second chance!

Why didn’t the author worry about his SAT scores?

A．He wanted to go to community college．

B．He had been admitted for his gift in dance．

C．He was well prepared for the exam．

D．He believed his brother would help him．

When in high school, the author          

A．drove to and from class every day．

B．buried himself in his study all the time．

C．enjoyed talking about future college life．

D．lived in the school except on holidays．

What did the author’s brother mean by “Enjoy your four years…they go by fast”?

       A．He wished the author to have more dance．

B．He advised the author to value the years．

C．He encouraged the author to leave his comfort zone．

D．He suggested the author aim at a community college．

Talking of his high school years, the author feels      ．

A．regretful       B．lonely   C．angry     D．pleased

During my high school years, the most important thing was what I was wearing to the Friday night dance and who I was taking. Although college was talked about, it was the least of my worries. 

When I was graduating eighth grade and starting high school, my older brother was graduating twelfth grade and going onto college. For my graduation, he gave me a card in which he wrote, “Enjoy your four years…, they go by fast.” I remember not believe him then, but looking back…, he was right. Those four years shaped who I was as a person, pushed me to my limit and encouraged me to become an adult. 

However, I was so completely absorbed in my junior and senior years of high school, that when someone spoke of college I brushed it off. I wasn't ready to leave my comfort zone of having all of my closest friends together and knowing what every single day was going to be like . Studying was something I did only AFTER I nailed my half-time dance performance. I knew my parents wanted me to go to college, so I told them I would go to commuity college (社区学院)and I didn’t worry about my SAT（美国大学入学考试）scores. 

When my senior year passed and everyone graduated and went off to their own college ,I started to wish I had done the same. My friends were living away, meeting new people, discovering new places, and I was living at home and driving to and from class every day. It seemed exactly like high school. I hated it! I thought college was supposed to be different! Why didn’t I take more time to research colleges and do the same? I ended up loving college and wishing I had four years to enjoy the campus(大学校园)atmosphere instead of two. 

My advice to anyone thinking about attending college is to think about it very seriously and look into all of your choices well ahead of time. Now I have graduate and I am working full time and I would do anything to go back to my high school days for a second chance!

1.Why didn’t the author worry about his SAT scores? 

A．He wanted to go to community college.

B．He had a gift for dance.

C．He was well prepared for the exam.

D．He believed his brother would help him.

2.When in high school, the author          .

A．drove to and from class every day

B．buried himself in his study all the time

C．enjoyed talking about future college life

D．lived in the school except on holidays

3.What did the author’s brother mean by “Enjoy your four years…, they go by fast.”?

A．He wished the author to have more dance.

B．He advised the author to value the years.

C．He encouraged the author to leave his comfort zone.

D．He suggested the author aim at a community college.

4.Talking of his high school years, the author feels       .

A．regretful                       B．lonely                             C．angry                             D．pleased

 Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, I was asked to see a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.

He was Matthew. When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles(障碍) and going for my dreams.

      I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain(抱怨). He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams.  He knew what he was talking about. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.

       When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles（障碍） than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion（冠军）. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”

       Last summer I got the news that Matthew had died and a letter Matthew had written me a few days before:

Dear Rick,

My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. The doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.

       I told you some day I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I’ll never make it. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.

Thank you for loving me.

Your friend,

Matthew

1. The boy wished to meet the writer because ________.

A. he wished to take part in the Olympics

B. he admired the author very much

C. he hoped to make friends with the author

    D.  he enjoyed going in for weighting lifting

2. Which of the statements is TRUE?

A. Matthew was good at weight lifting.

    B. Rick had the similar disease as a child.

C. Rick encouraged the boy to become a champion. 

    D. Matthew never gave up in face of disease.

3. Why did the boy refuse the writer’s medal?

A. He didn’t need Rick’s pity.

B. Rick looked on the medal as the most important thing.

C. The gold medal was very dear to Rick.

D. He thought he was not worthy of it.  

4. What can be inferred from Matthew’s letter?

  A. Mathew was unhappy before death. 

  B. Mathew kept in touch with Rick .

  C. Mathew sent some pictures to Rick.

D. Mathew got an Olympic gold medal.

Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, I was asked to see a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.

He was Matthew. When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles(障碍) and going for my dreams.

      I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain. He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.

       When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”

       Last summer I got the news that Matthew had passed away and a letter Matthew had written me a few days before:

Dear Rick,

My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. The doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.

       I told you some day I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I’ll never make it. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.

Thank you for loving me.

Your friend,

Matthew

44. The boy wished to meet the author because ________.

A. he admired the author very much

B. he wished to take part in the Olympics

C. he hoped to make friends with the author

  C. he enjoyed going in for weighting lifting

45. Which of the statements is TRUE?

A. Matthew was good at weight lifting.

  B. Rick had the similar disease as a child.

C. Matthew remained optimistic in face of disease.

  D. Rick encouraged the boy to become a champion.

46. Why did the boy refuse the author’s medal?

A. He thought he was not worthy of it.  B. Rick looked on the medal as treasure.

  C. The gold medal was very dear to Rick.D. He didn’t want to be pitied by others.

47. What can be inferred from Matthew’s letter?

  A. Rick was unhappy before death.  B. Rick kept in touch with Mathew.

  C. Mathew sent some pictures to Rick.D. Mathew got an Olympic gold medal.

During my high school years, the most important thing was what I was wearing to the Friday night dance and who I was taking．Although college was talked about, it was the least of my worries．

When I was graduating eighth grade and starting high school, my elder brother was graduating twelfth grade and going onto college．For my graduation, he gave me a card in which he wrote, “Enjoy your four years…they go by fast．” I remember not believing him then, but looking back…he was right．Those four years shaped who I was as a person, pushed me to my limit and encouraged me to become an adult．

However, I was so completely absorbed in my junior and senior years of high school, that when someone spoke of college I brushed it off．I wasn't ready to leave my comfort zone of having all of my closest friends together and knowing what every single day was going to be like．Studying was something I did only AFTER I nailed my half-time dance performance．I knew my parents wanted me to go to college, so I told them I would go to community college （社区学院） and I didn’t worry about my SAT（美国大学入学考试）scores．

When my senior year passed and everyone graduated and went off to their own college, I started to wish I had done the same．My friends were living away, meeting new people, discovering new places, and I was living at home and driving to and from class every day．It seemed exactly like high school．I hated it! I thought college was supposed to be different! Why didn’t I take more time to research colleges and do the same? I ended up loving college and wishing I had four years to enjoy the campus atmosphere instead of two．

My advice to anyone thinking about attending college is to think about it very seriously and look into all of your choices well ahead of time．Now I have graduate and I am working full time and I would do anything to go back to my high school days for a second chance!

1．Why didn’t the author worry about his SAT scores?

A．He wanted to go to community college．

B．He had been admitted for his gift in dance．

C．He was well prepared for the exam．

D．He believed his brother would help him．

2．When in high school, the author          

A．drove to and from class every day．

B．buried himself in his study all the time．

C．enjoyed talking about future college life．

D．lived in the school except on holidays．

3．What did the author’s brother mean by “Enjoy your four years…they go by fast”?

       A．He wished the author to have more dance．

B．He advised the author to value the years．

C．He encouraged the author to leave his comfort zone． 

D．He suggested the author aim at a community college．

4．Talking of his high school years, the author feels      ．

A．regretful              B．lonely                C．angry            D．pleased