I am a team leader in an insurance company.   We are going through a lot of changes right now which is __1__ much stress for all of us. A few weeks ago I was having a day so __2__ that I even doubted if I had the ability to do this challenging work, and was about ready to change to a less stressful job __3__. Something happened that day to change my way of __4__ and I am so appreciative of this young lady. I want to let her know that the small act __5__.

On the top of my cubicle(工作隔间)I have a small collection of lighthouses(灯塔)to let people know where I am sitting __6__ my team members have to find me for emergencies.

That day I came into the office and was about to get the day __7__ when Crystal came over. I asked if she needed anything. She said，“I __8__ you something.  I looked at her   ”with a __9__ look  and said，“Well，thank you, but why __10__ you buy me anything？”I had never spoke to this young lady __11__. She said，“Every day I stand up and look across the __12__ and see your light houses. Then I feel I am not alone and I encourage myself that there are always __13__ things in life. I saw this on the way to work and thought __14__ would like it. I wish it would have the same __15__ as your lighthouses do. ”In her hand she had a small globe with a lighthouse and a ship on it. I gave her a hug and __16__ her.   I don't think she knows how much that small act of __17__ changed my day：I remained __18__ the rest of the day.

For anyone that reads this，I hope you remember，no matter what the __19__ is，you could change someone's day, __20__ even his views on life.

1. A. preventing　B. reducing　C. causing　　D. suffering

2. A. funny      B. nice      C. bad       D. dull

3. A. everywhere  B. elsewhere  C. anywhere  D. nowhere

4. A. working     B. behaving  C. speaking  D. thinking

5. A. broke my heart   B. touched my heart

C. lost my heart     D. tore my heart

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

7. A. ended      B. started  C. changed   D. avoided

8. A. borrowed  B. lent  C. sold  D. bought

9. A. delighted  B. puzzled  C. thankful  D. worried

10. A. might  B. dare  C. could  D. would

11. A. before  B. then  C. since  D. after

12. A. dorm  B. office  C. ship  D. tower

13. A. bright       B. challenging

C. bad         D. stressful

14. A. colleagues  B. leaders  C. you  D. I

15. A. opinion  B. cause  C. expectation  D. effect

16. A. praised  B. thanked  C. scolded  D. refused

17. A. justice  B. courage  C. kindness  D. tolerance

18. A. careful      B. encouraged

C. tired         D. alone

19. A. present  B. work  C. gesture  D. intention

20. A. so       B. for  C. or      D. nor

We have so many first days in our lives. First days are milestones(里程碑) in our lives. They 36 the beginning of a new experience or journey and they are also filled with　 37　 feelings. They can be a little frightening as we step into the unknown, but they can also inspire us as they give us fresh　 38 for the future.

I want to share a 39 that perfectly shows this point. Trisha was told that 40 is the key to knowledge. She watched her older brother 41 he read his schoolbooks and could hardly 42 the day when she would learn to read.

But after Trisha 43 started school, she found that she was not able to understand words like the other boys and girls. However hard she 44 , she saw only confusion. Trisha 45 , the teacher and the other children laughing at her, and she began to believe that she was not 　46 .

By the time Trisha entered the fifth grade, she had lost the 47 in herself. That was the year when she met Mr. Falker. He was 48 . He praised Trisha’s talents, and he wouldn’t tolerate the other children laughing at her. After some time, Mr. Falker 49 that Trisha didn’t know how to read, but he knew she could 50 some help.

He found an expert, and together they 51 with Trisha after school. They 52 her to understand words 　53 one day Mr. Falker handed her a book and she could read it all by herself. She didn’t even notice the tears in his eyes.

This is a true story. The little girl is Patricia Polacco, a famous 54 , and Thank you Mr. Falker is the twenty-sixth book that she has written. Mr. Falker gave her a fresh new 55 and made a difference in her life.

【小题1】A. cause　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. mark　　　　　　　　　　　 C. describe　　　　　　　　 D. show

【小题2】A. absurd　　　　　　　　　　　 B. strange　　　　　　　　　 C. mixed　　　　　　　　　　 D. strong

【小题3】A. blood　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. evidence　　　　　　　　 C. hope　　　　　　　　　　　 D. air

【小题4】A. belief　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. story　　　　　　　　　　　 C. view　　　　　　　　　　　 D. concern

【小题5】A. reading　　　　　　　　　　　 B. speaking　　　　　　　　 C. listening　　　　　　　　 D. thinking

【小题6】A. before　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. since　　　　　　　　　　　 C. as　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. though

【小题7】A. look for　　　　　　　　　　　 B. wait for　　　　　　　　　 C. ask for　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. wish for

【小题8】A. gradually　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. mostly　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. finally　　　　　　　　　　 D. firmly

【小题9】A. breathed　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. tried　　　　　　　　　　　 C. managed　　　　　　　 D. pressed

【小题10】A. took off　　　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. stayed up　　　　　　　 C. kept on　　　　　　　　　 D. fell behind

【小题11】A. smart　　　　　　　　　　　 B. hard-working　　　　 C. healthy　　　　　　　　　 D. easy-going

【小题12】A. memory　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. balance　　　　　　　　 C. chance　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. confidence

【小题13】A. shy　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　 B. proud　　　　　　　　　　 C. different　　　　　　　　 D. strict

【小题14】A. doubted　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. witnessed　　　　　　　 C. represented　　　　　　　　 D. realized

【小题15】A. with　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. besides　　　　　　　　　 C. including　　　　　　　　 D. within

【小题16】A. sang　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. worked　　　　　　　　　 C. danced　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. chatted

【小题17】A. helped　　　　　　　　　　 B. forced　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. begged　　　　　　　　　 D. allowed

【小题18】A. when　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. once　　　　　　　　　　　 C. until　　　　　　　　　　　 D. whether

【小题19】A. teacher　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. writer　　　　　　　　　　 C. expert　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. guide

【小题20】A. school　　　　　　　　　　　 B. start　　　　　　　　　　　 C. home　　　　　　　　　　 D. attention

第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
A
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied. “Things aren’t always what they seem.”
　　The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable(好客的) farmer and his wife. After sharing the little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, “How could this happen? Why did you watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house,” she accused, “The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help.”
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied.
“When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so that he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”
56．Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family?
A．Because she didn’t like the greedy owner.
B．Because she wanted to save the gold for the poor.
C．Because the basement was too cold to stay in.
D．Because she believed that one should always be ready to offer help.
57．The youngest angel was very angry because      .
A．the old angel killed the farmer’s cow
B．the old angel treated the two families differently
C．the wealthy man gave them a bad place to live
D．the angel of death took the cow away
58．Why did the older angel let the farmer’s cow die?
　　A．Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow.
B．Because she wanted to teach the youngest angel a lesson.
　　C．Because she wanted to save the farmer’s wife.
　　D．Because she thinks it is unfair to the rich
59．The story tries to tell the reader that________.
　　A．angels are always ready to help the poor
　　B．what we see is not necessarily what it is
　　C．angles are always to help the rich
D．the young should always learn from the old

He gave me the phone number in order ______ contact him when we are in need of help.

　 A. to 　 B. of me to  C. for me to 　 D. that I

Ban the Band（乐队）?

    Every year, our school has a dance for all the students. It’s a little funny seeing friends in clean shoes and trousers or colorful　　36　　, instead of the usual school uniform.

     Most of us think the dance is great　　37　　－even the teachers enjoy being there. 　　38　　, two weeks ago someone said that there would be no　　39　　band this year only CDs.

     “I don’t　　40　　it!” Amy cried out during the lunch break.

     “Someone said the school couldn’t　　41　　a band, and they think it’s too noisy anyway,” added Daniel.

     “Well, I don’t think it’s　　42　　enough without a band!” declared Angela, “and I’m going to see what can be done.”

      Angela was as good as her　　43　　. In the afternoon she went to see the school headmaster who agreed to give the　　44　　some more thought. And he suggested that one　　45　　for having a band was to increase the price of each ticket from $5 to $10. Angela had to　　46　　out whether the students would like to do that.

     “I need all of you to help me,” she　　47　　to our group before school the next day. “Mr. Berry gave me a list of all the names, and suggested we ask each one their 　　48　　about the band and the extra cost.”

      　　49　　the day we asked around as Angela suggested, and wrote down people’s feelings about the band and the cost. We were amazed how much　　50　　there was for the band and everyone agreed to pay the extra $5.

      “I’m surprised,” smiled Mr. Berry, when we gave him the　　51　　. “I really thought that only a few people　　52　　their band and that the cost would be too high. OK, Angela, your next　　53　　is to find a good band and line them up for the dance.”

Angela was all smiles and　　54　　the news to Amy and Daniel. “You’re　　55　　,” smiled Daniel to Angela as he thought how close they came to having a less than perfect dance.

36.A. shapes                B. dresses                    C. flowers                    D. pictures

37.A. fun                    B. work                       C. effort                      D. progress

38.A. Besides              B. Otherwise                C. However                 D. Therefore

39.A. new                    B. live                         C. foreign                    D. marching

40.A. mean                 B. need                        C. accept                     D. believe

41.A. lead                    B. serve                       C. afford                     D. form

42.A. good                  B. clear                       C. useful                      D. easy

43. A.look                   B. behavior                  C. mind                      D. word

44.A. schedule             B. situation                  C. view                       D. action

45.A. possibility           B. concern                   C. decision                  D. chance

46.A. call                    B. find                        C. carry                      D. point

47.A. admitted             B. replied                    C. apologized              D. announced

48.A. knowledge   B. instruction              C. opinion                   D. information

49.A. On                    B. For                         C. By                          D. During

50.A. trust                   B. money                     C. support                    D. care

51.A. results                B. notices              C. questions                 D. examples

52.A. welcomed          B. wanted                    C. defended                 D. invited

53.A. task                    B. business                   C. exercise                  D. duty

54.A. showed               B. wrote                      C. broke                      D. read

55.A. amusing       B. interesting          C. exciting                D. amazing