Many of us have heard stories about teachers who can “see” into a student’s future. Even if a student is not performing well, they can predict success. We are convinced that this ability, this gift, is evidence that they were “called to teach.” If the gift of sight is evidence, how greater must be the gift of touch. I have a story.

I grew up in the fifties in a poor African American neighborhood in Stockton, California, that had neither sidewalks nor an elementary school. Each day, always in groups at our parents’ insistence, my friends and I would leave home early enough to walk eight blocks to school and be in our seats when the bell rang. For four blocks, we walked on dusty roads. By the fifth block, we walked on sidewalks that led to lovely homes and to Fair Oaks Elementary School. It was at Fair Oaks, in a sixth grade English class, that I met Ms. Victoria Hunter, a teacher who had a huge influence on my life.

During reading periods, she would walk around the room, stop at our desks, stand over us for a second or two, and then touch us. Without saying anything to us (nothing could break the silence of reading periods), she would place two fingers lightly on our throats and hold them there for seconds. I learned many years later when I was a student at Stanford University that teachers touch the throat of students to check for sub-vocalization (默读), which slows down the reading speed. I did not know at the time why Ms. Hunter was touching our throats, but I was a serious and respectful student and so, during silent reading period, I did what Ms. Hunter told us to do. I kept my eyes on the material I was reading and waited for her to place her fingers lightly on my throat.

One day, out of curiosity, I raised my head from my book — though not high — so that I could see Ms. Hunter, a white woman from Canada, moving up and down the rows, stopping at the desks of my classmates. I wanted to see how they reacted when she touched their throats. She walked past them. I was confused. Did she pass them by because they were model students? What did we, the students who were touched, not do right? I sat up straighter in my chair, thinking that my way of sitting might be the problem. I was confused. Several days later, I watched again, this time raising my head a little higher. Nothing changed. Ms. Hunter touched the same students. Always, she touched me.

She touched me with her hands. She also touched me with her belief in my ability to achieve. She motivated me by demanding the best from me and by letting teachers I would meet in junior high school know that I should be challenged, that I would be serious about my work. I am convinced that she touched me because she could “see” me in the future. That was true of all of us at Fair Oaks who sat still and silent as Ms. Hunter placed her fingers lightly on our throats. We left Fair Oaks as “best students,” entered John Marshall Junior High School, finished at the top of our high school class, and went on to earn graduate degrees in various subjects. Ms. Hunter saw us achieving and she touched us to make certain that we would.

I was not surprised that she came to my graduation ceremony at Edison High School in Stockton or that she talked to me about finishing college and earning a Ph. D. She expected that of me. She gave me a beautifully wrapped box. Inside was a gift, the beauty of which multiplies even as it touches me: a necklace to which I can add charms for each stage of my life.

1.According to the writer, what is a special ability many good teachers possess?

A. The ability to make all students behave well.

B. The ability to treat different students in the same way.

C. The ability to discover a student’s potential to succeed.

D. The ability to predict the near future of a poor student.

2.When she saw Ms. Hunter walk past some students without touching their throats, the writer felt ______.

A. disturbed????????????? B. puzzled????????????? C. ashamed????????????? D. annoyed

3.What does the writer mean by “a necklace to which I can add charms for each stage of my life” (paragraph 6)?

A. A gift which encourages me to do well on the journey of my life.

B. A gift which becomes more and more valuable as time goes by.

C. A necklace which I wear on all important occasions in my life.

D. A necklace which suits me and adds to my charm.

4.Which of the following serves as the best title for the story?

A. Ms. Hunter’s Surprise????????????? B. Ms. Hunter’s Challenge

C. A Teacher’s Touch? ????????????? D. A Teacher’s Memory

阅读理解。阅读下列短文，从每题所给的选项中，选出最佳答案。

　　Ms. Hunter, who has loved music all her life, began her career (生涯)when she was only seven years old. She ran away from her home in Memphis, Tennessee because she'd heard that singers in Chicago were making ten dollars a week. Even though she was young and tiny, she was able to get a job, and people began to recognize her great talent. She travelled all over the world and became famous not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter.

　　During all those years, Ms. Hunter was very close to her mother, whom she brought from Memphis to live and travel with her. But when her mother died in1954, there was a sudden and total change in Ms. Hunter's life. A few days after mother's death, Ms. Hunter entered school and became a nurse. She gave up singing-forever, she thought.

　　For more than twenty-three years, she worked happily as a nurse at a New York hospital, where no one had any idea of her unusual past. Nor did they have much idea of her age. When they finally insisted she retire (退休), they believed she had reached age seventy. “I was eighty-two.” Ms. Hunter said with a smile.

She became terribly bored (烦恼) and told some of her old friends about it. One of them suggested that she should go back to singing. She did, and she has been busy ever since.

(1)Ms. Hunter ran away from her home ________.

[　　]

A．in order to get more money

B．because she wanted to study music

C．in order to live with her mother

D．because she wanted to become a nurse

(2)The word “talent” in the first paragraph most probably means ________.

[　　]

(3)From the second paragraph we know that ________.

[　　]

A．Ms. Hunter was not good at singing

B．Ms. Hunter's mother wanted her to work in a hospital

C．Ms. Hunter had a deep love for her mother

D．Ms. Hunter was in poor health

(4)In which year was Ms. Hunter born?

[　　]

(5)Which is NOT true according to the text? ________.

[　　]

A．Ms. Hunter retired from hospital in1977．

B．At the age of59, Ms. Hunter entered school and became a nurse.

C．Ms. Hunter began to sing again after she reached age82．

D．After her mother's death, Ms. Hunter became a famous singer and song writer.

阅读理解。阅读下列短文，从每题所给的选项中，选出最佳答案。

　　Ms. Hunter, who has loved music all her life, began her career (生涯)when she was only seven years old. She ran away from her home in Memphis, Tennessee because she'd heard that singers in Chicago were making ten dollars a week. Even though she was young and tiny, she was able to get a job, and people began to recognize her great talent. She travelled all over the world and became famous not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter.

　　During all those years, Ms. Hunter was very close to her mother, whom she brought from Memphis to live and travel with her. But when her mother died in1954, there was a sudden and total change in Ms. Hunter's life. A few days after mother's death, Ms. Hunter entered school and became a nurse. She gave up singing-forever, she thought.

　　For more than twenty-three years, she worked happily as a nurse at a New York hospital, where no one had any idea of her unusual past. Nor did they have much idea of her age. When they finally insisted she retire (退休), they believed she had reached age seventy. “I was eighty-two.” Ms. Hunter said with a smile.

She became terribly bored (烦恼) and told some of her old friends about it. One of them suggested that she should go back to singing. She did, and she has been busy ever since.

1．Ms. Hunter ran away from her home ________.

[　　]

A．in order to get more money

B．because she wanted to study music

C．in order to live with her mother

D．because she wanted to become a nurse

2．The word “talent” in the first paragraph most probably means ________.

[　　]

3．From the second paragraph we know that ________.

[　　]

A．Ms. Hunter was not good at singing

B．Ms. Hunter's mother wanted her to work in a hospital

C．Ms. Hunter had a deep love for her mother

D．Ms. Hunter was in poor health

4．In which year was Ms. Hunter born?

[　　]

5．Which is NOT true according to the text? ________.

[　　]

A．Ms. Hunter retired from hospital in1977．

B．At the age of59, Ms. Hunter entered school and became a nurse.

C．Ms. Hunter began to sing again after she reached age82．

D．After her mother's death, Ms. Hunter became a famous singer and song writer.

阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。

以下是广告信息：

以下是与广告相关的读者来信。请匹配来信与它们所对应的广告。

                                                        May 15，2006

Gentleman,

    The enclosed advertisement for your organization comes from the April issue of    Cosmopolitan. I am interested in doing volunteer work for abused children and would 1ike to    have your information booklet. My address is as follows:

                             6 Villa Maurice，

                             92160 Antony France

    Yours truly，

    D. Gruber

                                                 January 15, 2006

    Dear Sir or Madam，

   I am interested in writing adventure stories for children. Please send information on the    course you offer to the following address:

                                5481 Torrance Blvd，

                                Torrance, CA 90503

    Yours faithfully，

    Irene Ponbs (Ms)

                                                     April 14，2006

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    I am interested in finding a part-time job in the morning. Please send information to the     following address:

                            2955 Pacific Coast Highway,

                            Torrance,CA 90505

    Sincerely,

    M. E. Nielson (Mr)

    1068 Baxter Road,

    Loveland, Ohio 45140

    March 13，2006

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    Please send me your catalog and information on the service you offer. I have a small    business and have been robbed several times.

  Yours truly，

J. Barnes

     Am Frankenheim 21,

     5000 Koln 40 Germany

     June 1, 2006

     Dear Sir,

     I would like to receive the list mentioned in your recent advertisement, as well as more     information about L.A. Parent. I enclose a self-addressed envelope.

Yours faithfully,

H. Wolf

 阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。

以下是广告信息：

以下是与广告相关的读者来信。请匹配来信与它们所对应的广告。

1.                                                        May 15，2006

Gentleman,

    The enclosed advertisement for your organization comes from the April issue of    Cosmopolitan. I am interested in doing volunteer work for abused children and would 1ike to    have your information booklet. My address is as follows:

                             6 Villa Maurice，

                             92160 Antony France

    Yours truly，

    D. Gruber

2.                                                 January 15, 2006

    Dear Sir or Madam，

   I am interested in writing adventure stories for children. Please send information on the    course you offer to the following address:

                                5481 Torrance Blvd，

                                Torrance, CA 90503

    Yours faithfully，

    Irene Ponbs (Ms)

3.                                                     April 14，2006

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    I am interested in finding a part-time job in the morning. Please send information to the     following address:

                            2955 Pacific Coast Highway,

                            Torrance,CA 90505

    Sincerely,

    M. E. Nielson (Mr)

4.

    1068 Baxter Road,

    Loveland, Ohio 45140

    March 13，2006

    Dear Sir or Madam,

    Please send me your catalog and information on the service you offer. I have a small    business and have been robbed several times.

  Yours truly，

J. Barnes

5.

     Am Frankenheim 21,

     5000 Koln 40 Germany

     June 1, 2006

     Dear Sir,

     I would like to receive the list mentioned in your recent advertisement, as well as more     information about L.A. Parent. I enclose a self-addressed envelope.

Yours faithfully,

H. Wolf