They say a cat has nine lives, and I think that possible since I am now living my third life and I’m not even a cat．My father died when I was 15, and we had a hard struggle to make a living．And my mother, who was seriously ill in her last years, died while still in her 60s．My sister married soon after, and I followed her example within the year．

This was when I began to enjoy my first life．I was very happy, in excellent health．I had a good job in San Jose and a beautiful home up the peninsula (半岛) in San Carlos．Life was a pleasant dream．Then the dream ended．I became afflicted (使苦恼) with a slowly progressive disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my right arm and leg, and then my other side．Thus began my second life…．

In spite of my disease I still drove to and from work each day, with the aid of special equipment installed in my car．And I managed to keep my health and optimism (乐观), to a degree, because of 14 steps．Crazy? Not at all．Our home was an affair with 14 steps leading up from the garage to the kitchen door．Those steps were a standard measure of life．They were my yardstick, my challenge to continue living．I felt that if the day arrived when I was unable to lift one foot up one step and then drag the other painfully after it ---repeating the process 14 times, I would be through---I could then admit defeat and lie down and die．

Then on a dark night in August, 1971, I began my third life．It was raining when I started home that night; strong winds and slashing rain beat down on the car as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads．Suddenly the steering wheel jerked (猝然一动)．In the same instant I heard the bang of a blowout．It was impossible for me to change that tire! Utterly impossible!

I started the engine and thumped slowly along, keeping well over on the shoulder until I came to the dirt road, where I turned in and where I found lighted windows welcomed me to a house and pulled into the driveway and honked the horn．

The door opened and a little girl stood there．When she knew what happened to me, she went into the house and a moment later came out, followed by a man who called a cheerful greeting．I sat there comfortable and dry, and felt a bit sorry for the man and the little girl working so hard in the storm．

About an hour later, the man’s voice was heard, “This is a bad night for car trouble, but you’re all set now．” “Thanks,” I said．“How much do I owe you?” He shook his head, “Nothing．Cynthia told me you were a cripple．Glad to be of help．I know you’d do the same for me．There’s no charge, friend．” I held out a five-dollar bill, “No! I like to pay my way．” He made no effort to take it and the little girl stepped closer to the window and said quietly, “Grandpa can’t see it．”

1．“A cat has nine lives” here means ___________．

A．a cat can live nine times longer than any other animal

B．a cat can die ninth

C．a lucky man can not die easily

D．the writer will live nine times

2．What do you think of the man who helped change the tire?

A．Warm-hearted but pitiable

B．Warm-hearted and happy

C．A blind old man that has nothing to do every day．

D．A poor old man that is always ready to help others．

3．How will the story be ended?

A．The writer paid the little girl but the old man did not accept．

B．The writer drove away with tears running down his cheek．

C．The writer stayed there, without knowing what to do and how to do．

D．In the next few frozen seconds the writer felt the shame and astonishment he had never felt before．

4．How do you understand the underlined sentence “I followed my sister’s example?”

A．He listened to his sister carefully．

B．Mother told him that he must get the agreement from his sister for whatever he would do．

C．His sister got married．He, too．

D．His sister was a great woman．．He must learn from her．

5．The best title for this passage perhaps will be _____．

A．The Old Man and His Daughter                    B．Heart Leaping Up

C．Never Lose Heart                                        D．Good Will Be Rewarded Good

"Ready... set..." The gun popped and off we were. The other girls ran ahead of me. I found myself limping(跛) and felt ashamed as I5 farther and farther behind.
The first-place runner was two laps(圈) ahead of me when she crossed the finish line. "Hooray!" the 39shouted with the loudest cheer I had ever heard at a meeting.
"Maybe I should quit," I 40as I limped on. "Those people wouldn't like to wait for me to finish this race." Somehow,6 , I decided to keep going. During the last two laps, I ran7 and decided not to compete in track next year. I couldn't beat the girl who lapped me twice, even if my foot did8 .
When I finished, I heard a cheer-just as9 as the one the first-place girl received "What was that all about?" I asked myself. I turned around and sure enough, the boys were preparing for their race. "They10 be cheering for the boys."
I went11 to the bathroom where a girl came across me and said, "Wow, you've got courage!"
I thought, "Courage? She must be12 me for someone else. I just13 a race! I would have never been able to finish those two miles14 I were you. What happened to your foot? We were cheering for you. Did you hear us?"
I couldn't believe it. A(n)15 stranger had cheered for me-not for my victory, but for my perseverance. Suddenly I16 hope. I decided to stick with track next year. One girl saved my17 .
That day I learned two things. First, a18 kindness and confidence in people can make a great difference to them. Second, strength and courage aren't measured in the19 and victories. They are measured in the struggles we20 .

1. 1.
   1. A.
      earlier
   2. B.
      smaller
   3. C.
      simpler
   4. D.
      later
2. 2.
   1. A.
      mention
   2. B.
      present
   3. C.
      attend
   4. D.
      watch
3. 3.
   1. A.
      left
   2. B.
      dropped
   3. C.
      moved
   4. D.
      fell
4. 4.
   1. A.
      competitors
   2. B.
      crowd
   3. C.
      public
   4. D.
      team
5. 5.
   1. A.
      swore
   2. B.
      discouraged
   3. C.
      determined
   4. D.
      thought
6. 6.
   1. A.
      however
   2. B.
      merely
   3. C.
      therefore
   4. D.
      too
7. 7.
   1. A.
      in surprise
   2. B.
      in a hurry
   3. C.
      in pain
   4. D.
      in panic
8. 8.
   1. A.
      hurt
   2. B.
      heal
   3. C.
      harm
   4. D.
      cure
9. 9.
   1. A.
      different
   2. B.
      same
   3. C.
      enthusiastic
   4. D.
      outstanding
10. 10.
    1. A.
       may
    2. B.
       would
    3. C.
       must
    4. D.
       could
11. 11.
    1. A.
       soon
    2. B.
       around
    3. C.
       straight
    4. D.
       opposite
12. 12.
    1. A.
       recognizing
    2. B.
       tricking
    3. C.
       knowing
    4. D.
       mistaking
13. 13.
    1. A.
       won
    2. B.
       defeated
    3. C.
       lost
    4. D.
       missed
14. 14.
    1. A.
       as if
    2. B.
       in ease
    3. C.
       though
    4. D.
       if
15. 15.
    1. A.
       complete
    2. B.
       new
    3. C.
       crazy
    4. D.
       excited
16. 16.
    1. A.
       returned
    2. B.
       rewarded
    3. C.
       readapted
    4. D.
       regained
17. 17.
    1. A.
       life
    2. B.
       face
    3. C.
       dream
    4. D.
       trouble
18. 18.
    1. A.
       little
    2. B.
       useful
    3. C.
       rare
    4. D.
       valueless
19. 19.
    1. A.
       possessions
    2. B.
       medals
    3. C.
       words
    4. D.
       smiles
20. 20.
    1. A.
       get across
    2. B.
       get in
    3. C.
       get over
    4. D.
       get to

They began killing the native ___ they set foot on the island. Which of the following is NOT right?

A. the moment    B. immediately    C. straightly    D. directly

The young Mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this a long way?” she asked. And her guide said, “Yes, and the ways are hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.”

The young Mother had her golden days. She played with her children and gathered flowers for them along the way and bathed them in the clear streams, and the sun shone on them.

Then the night came and the storm. The children shook with fear and cold, the Mother drew them close and covered them with blankets. The children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are with us.”

When the morning came, there was a hill ahead. The children climbed and grew tired. Now and then the Mother said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed. When they reached the top they said, “Mother, we would not have done it without you.” Lying down at night, the Mother looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned how to face hardship. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today I have given them strength.”

The next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth－clouds of war, hate and evil, and the children got frightened and shook all over. The Mother said, “Look up. Lift your eyes to the light.” The children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, which guided them beyond the darkness. That night the Mother said, “This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children hope.”

The days went on and the Mother grew old. She was little and bent while her children were tall and strong. When the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather and at last they came to a hill, and beyond it they could see a shining road and a golden gate open wide.

The Mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey, now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone.” The children stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gate closed after her. They said, “We cannot see her, but she is with us still. She is a living presence.”

Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she is the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks and she is the cool hand on your forehead when you’re not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter and your tear drops. She is your first home and she is the map you follow. Nothing on earth can separate you.

1．What three things does the Mother show her children?

       A．Flowers, clouds and hills                      B．Courage, strength and hope

       C．Tear drops, maps and leaves.                D．Storm, hardship and glory.

2．The underlined word “golden gate” suggests _______.

       A．a gate which is made of shining gold

       B．a gate which separate effort and hope

       C．a gate which lies between life and death

       D．a gate which stops wind and storm

3．What does the writer intend to express in the last paragraph?

       A．We can compare a mother to map in our life journey.

       B．Mother is like a good instructor in our life.

       C．Mother is always the support in our life.

       D．Mother is devoted to working as a servant in a family.

4．What feeling does the author intend to pass on you?

       A．Sadness           B．Pity          C．Sorrow            D．Beauty

The young Mother set her foot on the path of life . “ Is this a long way ? ”she asked . And her guide said “ Yes , and the ways are hard . And you will be old before you reach the end of it . But the end will be better than the beginning . ”

       The young Mother had her golden days . She played with her children , and gathered flowers for them along the way , and bathed them in the clear streams , and the sun shone on them .

       Then the night came , and the storm . The children shook with fear and cold , the Mother drew them close and covered them with blankets , the children said , “ Mother , we are not afraid , for you are with is . ”

       When the morning came ,there was a hill ahead . The children climbed and grew tired , Now and then the Mother said to the children , “ A little patience and we are there .” So the children chimbed , when they reached the top they said , “ Mother , we would not have done it without you . ” Lying down at night , the Mother looked up at the stars and said , “ This is a better day than the last , for my children have learned how to face hardship . Yesterday I gave them courage . Today I have given them strength .”

       The next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth—clouds of war , hate and evil , and the children got frightened and shook all over , the Mother said , “ Look up . Lift your eyes to the light .” The children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory , it guided them beyond the darkness . That night the Mother said , “ This is the best day of all , for I have shown my children hope .”

       The days went on and the Mother grew old . She was little and bent while her children were tall and strong . When the way was rough , they lifted her , for she was as light as a feather , and at last they came to a hill , and beyond they could see a shining road and a golden gate open wide .

       The Mother said , “ I have reached the end of my journey . Now I know the end is better than the beginning , for my children can walk alone .” The children stood and watched her as she went on alone , and the gate closed after her . They said , “ We cannot see her , but she is with us still . She is a living presence . ”

       Mother is always with you . She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street , she’s the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks , and she’s the cool hand on your forehead when you’re not well . Your Mother lives inside your laughter and your tear drops . She’s your first home and she’s the map you follow . Nothing on earth can separate you .

1．What three things does the Mother show her children ?

       A．Flowers , clouds and hills                           

B．Courage , strength and hope

C．Tear drops , maps and leaves                      

D．Storm , hardship and glory

2．The underlined word “golden gate ” suggests ________ .

       A．a gate which is made of shining gold            

B．a gate which separates effort and hope

C．a gate which stops wind and storms                   

D．a gate which lies between life and death

3．What feeling does the author intend to pass on you ?

       A．Sadness                 B．Pity                        C．Sorrow                   D．Beauty