My teenage son Karl became withdrawn after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.

One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and asked God for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”

I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up（哽咽）and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son, but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands. ” For a moment there was silence on the other and of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.

　　Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent –– teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”

1.Which of the following has the similar meaning as the underlined word “withdrawn” in the  first paragraph?

2.There was silence on the other end of the line because _ _________.

3.Who was it that telephoned Karl’s mother that day?

4.From the passage we can learn that _____________.

Beautiful pictures of mountains and forests, clear skies, flying birds, wild animals, silly faces — you can find them all in one place. 46 ? On a postcard! Have people always sent postcards? No! Before postcards, people 47 sealed (密封的) letters.

The 48 for the first decorated (装饰的) postcard came to John P. Charlton in 1861. He thought a simple card 49 a border would be a great way to send a note. Then in the late 1800s, postcards which had pictures on them 50 . By law, people had to write their note on the front—on the picture! The back was 51 for the address. Several years later, England allowed a divided-back (背面隔开的) postcard. Then people could write their 52 on the back left side. And they put the address 53 . During the early 1900s, the golden age of postcards, people around the world were more and more 54 picture postcards. In 1908, Americans alone mailed over 677 million postcards.

Today, postcards are the 55 most popular collection in the world after stamps and coins. You can always see or get a lot of newly-designed postcards, especially on New Year's Day.

46. A. How　　 B. When　　　 C. Why　　　 D. Where

47. A. liked　　　 B. hated　　　 C. found　　　 D. lost

48. A. advice　　 B. picture　　　 C. idea　　　 D. card

49. A. above　　 B. with　　　　 C. under　　 D. for

50. A. happened　 B. changed　　　 C. ended 　　D. appeared

51. A. even　　　 B. only　　　　 C. still　　　 D. ever

52. A. note　　　 B. word　　　　 C. address　　 D. letter

53. A. on the front B. on the back　 C. on the left　 D. on the right

54. A. surprised at B. interested in　 C. expected by D. worried about

55. A. first　　　 B. second　　　 C. third　　　 D. fourth

-　　　　　　　 bike is this?

- I think it’ peter’s

A. Who　　　　　　 B. Which　　　　　 C. Whose　　　　　 D. What

In Britain you’re allowed to drive a car when you’re seventeen. You have to get a special two-year driving license before you can start. When you’re learning, someone with a full license always has to be in the car with you because you aren’t allowed to drive the car on the road alone. You don’t have to go to a driving school --- a friend can teach you. The person with you isn’t allowed to take money for the lesson unless he’s got a teacher’s license.

Before you’re allowed to have a full license, you have to take a driving test. You can take a test in your own car, but it has to be fit for the road. In the test you have to drive round for about half an hour and then answer a few questions. If you don’t pass the test, you’re allowed to take it again a few weeks later if you want to. In 1970 a woman passed her fortieth test after 212 driving lessons! When you’ve passed your test, you don’t have to take it again, and you’re allowed to go on driving as long as you like. Britain’s oldest driver was a man who drove in 1974 at the age of 100.

Before 1904 everyone was allowed to drive, even children. Then from 1904 car drivers had to have a license. But they didn’t have to take a test until 1935. On the early days of car driving, before 1878, cars weren’t allowed to go faster than four miles an hour, and someone had to lead the car with a red flag.

1.A person can’t take money for driving lessons unless he __________.

A. has learnt to drive in a driving school   

B. has a full driving license

C. has a full license and a teacher’s license

D. is given a special two-year driving license

2.In the driving test, one _______________________.

A. mustn’t drive his car, even though the car is fit for the road   

B. is usually asked to drive on roads for some time

C. has to be examined only in car driving skills

D. must drive around for more than an hour

3.When can I take the driving test again if I don’t pass it?

A. a few years later                               

B. right after the first test 

C. a few weeks later                           

D. never

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. There is no limit (限制)to the age of an old man who drives a car.

B. One can take a driving test again and again until he passes it.

C. There was a speed limit to cars before 1878.

D. A car driver didn’t have to get a limit license until 1935.

5.The best title for the passage is _____________.

A. Driving Licenses in Britain　　             

B. Tests for Britain People 

C. Driving Cars　　　　　　　　                

D. Young Men’s Driving Licenses

A recent study offers a picture of how dangerous it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a fatal（致命的）accident as a teenager driving alone. However, the possibility of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional (added) passenger.

　　It was also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased greatly after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight. With passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a late night accident.

　　Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior” than with just a lack of driving experience. Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to help solve the problem is to have states setting up so-called graduated licensing systems（等级执照制）. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove that he/she is able to drive in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with a limited number of passengers, before graduating to full driving on his own. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place. The systems have reduced teenage driver crashes（相撞）, according to recent studies.

1.Which of the following situations is most dangerous according to the passage?

A．Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p.m.

B．A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car.

C．Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night.

D．A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight.

2.According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly because __.

A．their preference for driving at night

B．their lack of driving experience

C．their careless way of driving

D．their driving with passengers