The young woman seated next to us at the sushi(寿司) bar gave off an alien air; her looks and style, we thought, made it likely that she was not American born.
But then she spoke in perfect American English, with the typical characteristic of many young Californians.
As it turns out, however, she wasn’t from these parts after all; she was born in Iran and spoke only Farsi(波斯语) until her arrival here two years ago. What classes, we wondered, had she attended to learn the language so well?
“I didn’t,” she said. “I used Rosetta Stone.”
Those yellow boxes sold at shopping-mall and airport newspaper stands may be the most recognizable example of PC-based language learning, but it certainly isn’t the only one.
With the growth of broadband connectivity and social networks, companies have introduced a wide range of Internet-based language learning products, both free and fee-based, that allow students to interact in real time with instructors in other countries, gain access to their lesson plans wherever they are in the world, and communicate with pen pals who are also trying to remember if bambino means baby.
Learning a language sometimes seems as difficult as dieting. The solution is to figure out how to stay interested after the curiosity wears off.
To fight against boredom, online language programs have introduced crossword puzzles, interactive(交互的) videos and other games to reward users for making progress.
Online courses are either fee-based, free or a combination. Starter kits(入门套件) of fee-based programs may cost just a few hundred dollars, but the cost to reach higher levels of comprehension and speaking can easily be $1,000.
While that may sound expensive, language company managers say it isn’t; college courses often cost many thousands of dollars to reach the same level.
So, cost aside, how do you choose which program to use? The answer is that one size doesn’t fit all.
55.   Which of the following is the fact about “Rosetta Stone”?
A.      Rosetta Stone is only a special stone with the name Rosetta on
B.      Rosetta Stone is a free PC-based language learning product.
C.      Rosetta Stone is a reference book for English learners to use.
D.     Rosetta Stone is a language-learning software
56.   The case of the young woman in the passage is meant to tell the reader that ______.
A.      the woman is one of many successful language learners
B.      the woman likes Rosetta Stone very much
C.      many people are benefiting from the Internet language learning products
D.     Rosetta Stone is one of the successful PC-based language instructors
57.   We can learn from the passage that ______.
A.      they offer the English learners all kinds of free courses
B.      learners can communicate with teachers at any time
C.      students can compare notes with their e-pals about language study
D.     advanced online courses usually cost more than the college ones of the same level
58.   What information will be most probably provided following the last paragraph?
A.      An introduction of different online language learning products.
B.      An introduction of different language learning methods.
C.      The strengths and weaknesses of Internet language learning products.
D.     A comparison between online and college language learning.

I used to watch her from my kitchen window．She seemed so small as she struggled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground．The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during break．I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball．I watched in wonder as she ran circles a- round the other kids．She managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net．The boys always tried to stop her but no one could．I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone．

One day I asked her why she practiced so much．Without a moment of hesitation she said, "I want to go to college．The only way I can go is to get a scholarship to save money for our family．I am going to play college basketball．I want to be the best．My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count．" Well, I had to give it to her ?she was determined．I watched her through those junior high years and into high school．Every week, she led her school team to victory．

One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in her arms．I walked up and sat down in the cool grass beside her．Quietly I asked what was wrong． "Oh, nothing," came a soft reply, "I am just too short．" The coach told her that she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team ?much less offered a scholarship —so she should stop dreaming about college．She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I sensed her disappointment．I asked her if she had talked to Father about it yet．She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong．They just did not understand the power of a dream．He told her that if she truly wanted a scholar-ship, nothing could stop her except one thing —her own attitude．

The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was offered a scholarship and joined the college team．She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of．

1..

The author was probably the girl's___       _．

    A．neighbor         B．friend           C．teacher          D．mother

2..

．Why was the girl's heart broken?

    A．She was considered too short to be a top player．

    B．Her coach stopped her training because of her height．

    C．She couldn't be on a college basketball team．

    D．She wouldn't be admitted by her basketball friends．

3..

We can learn from the passage that ___     _．

    A．her family wouldn't like to pay her college fee

    B．her father forced her to play basketball in collage

    C．being a top basketball player can win a scholarship for college

    D．she wouldn't like to turn to his father for help when in difficulty

4..

．Which proverb best matches the story?

    A．Practice makes perfect．                                

B．Rome was not built in a day．

    C．Where there is a will, there is a way．                 

D．Pride comes before a fall．

My aunt Edith was a widow of 50，working as a secretary，when doctors discovered she had got what was then thought to be a very serious heart illness.?

Aunt Edith didn’t accept defeat easily. She began studying medical reports in library and found an article in a magazine about a well-known heart doctor，Dr.Michael Debakey，of Houston，Texas. He had saved the life of someone with the same illness. The article said Dr Debakey’s fees were very high；Aunt Edith couldn’t possibly pay them. But could he tell her of someone whose fee she could pay??

So Aunt Edith wrote to him. She simply listed her reasons for wanting to live：her three children，who would be on their own in three or four years and among them a little girl who always dreamed of traveling and seeing the world. There wasn’t a word of self-pity-only warmth and humor and the joy of living. She mailed the letter，not really expecting an answer.

A few days later，my doorbell rang. Aunt Edith didn’t wait to come in；she stood in the hall and read aloud:?

Your beautiful letter moved me very deeply. If you can come to Houston，there will be no charge for either the hospital or the operation.?

Signed：Michael Debakey?

That was seven years ago. Since then，Aunt Edith has been around the world. Her three children are happily married. For her age，she is one of the youngest，most alive people I know.?

1. “Aunt Edith didn’t accept defeat easily” means that 　　　　.

A. she was very beautiful

B. she was very strong?

C. she was very brave

D. she was very warm hearted?

2. Why did Aunt Edith write to Dr. Debakey? Because 　　　　 .

A. she had no time to visit him?

B. she didn’t know the way to Houston?

C. she didn’t believe in him?

D. she wanted to get some help from him?

3.In fact，Aunt Edith’s letter to Dr.Debakey was full of 　　　　.?

A. courage　　　　　　　 B .illness

C. pity　　　　　　　　　　 D. sadness?

4.After reading Dr.Debakey’s letter，Aunt Edith felt 　　　　 .?

A. discouraged　　　　　　 B. frightened

C. disappointed　　　　　　 D. encouraged?

The young woman seated next to us at the sushi(寿司) bar gave off an alien air; her looks and style, we thought, made it likely that she was not American born.

But then she spoke in perfect American English, with the typical characteristic of many young Californians.

As it turns out, however, she wasn’t from these parts after all; she was born in Iran and spoke only Farsi(波斯语) until her arrival here two years ago. What classes, we wondered, had she attended to learn the language so well?

“I didn’t,” she said. “I used Rosetta Stone.”

Those yellow boxes sold at shopping-mall and airport newspaper stands may be the most recognizable example of PC-based language learning, but it certainly isn’t the only one.

With the growth of broadband connectivity and social networks, companies have introduced a wide range of Internet-based language learning products, both free and fee-based, that allow students to interact in real time with instructors in other countries, gain access to their lesson plans wherever they are in the world, and communicate with pen pals who are also trying to remember if bambino means baby.

Learning a language sometimes seems as difficult as dieting. The solution is to figure out how to stay interested after the curiosity wears off.

To fight against boredom, online language programs have introduced crossword puzzles, interactive(交互的) videos and other games to reward users for making progress.

Online courses are either fee-based, free or a combination. Starter kits(入门套件) of fee-based programs may cost just a few hundred dollars, but the cost to reach higher levels of comprehension and speaking can easily be $1,000.

While that may sound expensive, language company managers say it isn’t; college courses often cost many thousands of dollars to reach the same level.

So, cost aside, how do you choose which program to use? The answer is that one size doesn’t fit all.

55.   Which of the following is the fact about “Rosetta Stone”?

A.      Rosetta Stone is only a special stone with the name Rosetta on

B.      Rosetta Stone is a free PC-based language learning product.

C.      Rosetta Stone is a reference book for English learners to use.

D.     Rosetta Stone is a language-learning software

56.   The case of the young woman in the passage is meant to tell the reader that ______.

A.      the woman is one of many successful language learners

B.      the woman likes Rosetta Stone very much

C.      many people are benefiting from the Internet language learning products

D.     Rosetta Stone is one of the successful PC-based language instructors

57.   We can learn from the passage that ______.

A.      they offer the English learners all kinds of free courses

B.      learners can communicate with teachers at any time

C.      students can compare notes with their e-pals about language study

D.     advanced online courses usually cost more than the college ones of the same level

58.   What information will be most probably provided following the last paragraph?

A.      An introduction of different online language learning products.

B.      An introduction of different language learning methods.

C.      The strengths and weaknesses of Internet language learning products.

D.     A comparison between online and college language learning.

 I used to watch her from my kitchen window. She seemed so small as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during break. I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but no one could. I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone.

One day I asked her why she practiced so much. Without a moment of hesitation she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is to get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Well, I had to give it to her—she was determined. I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory.

One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in her arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. Quietly I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply, “I am just too short.” The coach told her that at 5’5” she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team—much less offered a scholarship—so she should stop dreaming about college. She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I sensed her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong. They just did not understand the power of a dream. He told her that if she truly wanted a scholarship and that nothing could stop her except one thing — her own attitude.

The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was offered a scholarship and on the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of.

1.The author was probably the girl’s        .

A. brother or sister            B. friend       C. mother          D. teacher

2.Why was the girl heartbroken ?

A. She was considered too short to be a top player.

B. Her coach stopped her training because of her height.

C. She couldn’t be on a college basketball team.

D. She wouldn’t be admitted by an ideal college.

3. We can learn from the passage that        .

A. her family wouldn’t like to pay her college fee

B. her father forced her to play basketball in collage

C. being a top basketball player can win you a scholarship for college

D. she wouldn’t like to turn to his father for help when in difficulty

4.Which word can best describe her father ?

A. Encouraging.     B. Optimistic.      C. Stubborn.            D. Cruel.

5.Which proverb best matches the story ?

A. Practice makes perfect.              B. Rome was not built in a day.

C. Where there is a will, there is a way.    D. Pride comes before a fall.