One day something went wrong with a man’s bicycle chain(链条). The man could not repair it,
so he looked    16   for help. The only house nearby belonged to a woman who had
   17   there a few months earlier. The man knocked at the door, but the woman did not
answer. The door had clear glass in it, and the man    18   see that the woman was home. He
decided to knock again. Finally the woman came to the door. The man immediately explained his
   19  . “I can fix the chain,” the woman said. Later when the bike was    20   to go,
the man said, ‘Thanks. I hope I can help you some day.”“I never need help,” the woman said.
The following week the man was riding his bike    21  he noticed the woman walking
down the street. A strong wind suddenly lifted(拾起) her hat and sent it into the branches(枝) of
an old tree. The woman tried to get her hat with a stick, but she failed. She seemed    22   
because she clearly was not dressed for tree-climbing. The man hurried over, quickly climbed up
to the hat and    23   it into the woman’s waiting hands. When she put on her hat, she
   24   the man as he climbed back on his bike. ‘I think I told you I never need help,” the
woman said, “I’m glad you didn’t    25   me. Thanks.” Then they both smiled.

Have you ever seen a movie called “ The Choir Boys”(《放牛班的春天》)？The French movie tells the story of a group of naughty boys who learn music from a dedicated(尽职的) teacher. In Shanghai, there is also a group of children learning music. But their story is a bit different.
The musical group, “Shepherds’ Kids” , was founded(建立) by the Shanghai Jiuqian Volunteer Center. There are about 40 students in this group. Their parents are migrants(打工者) working in Shanghai.
“ The music courses are free,” said Zhang Yichao, founder of the group. “We just want to make the children’s lives more colorful.”
The kids learn singing, dancing and musical instruments. Their teachers are volunteers from high schools.
Learning music is not an easy job, especially for these migrant workers’ children.
“I never know the musical stave(五线谱) before,” said Hua Delong, 13. “Sometimes it was really hard to study.”
Tang Yue is a volunteer teacher at the center. She is a student from Shanghai Ping’he Bilingual High School.
“These kids face difficulties bravely,” said Tang. “Sometimes they have to help their parents do housework and have little time to practice, but I never hear them complain.”
Their hard work has paid off(回报). Today many people know the group. They have even performed as a choir for foreign pop stars.
Li Luo, 14, told “ Teens” how appreciative she was of the group.
“I had little fun before. I seldom(很少) watched TV. Study seemed the most interesting thing in my life. “Shepherds’ Kids has given me a new life.”
【小题1】In Hua Delong’s opinion, learning music is not an easy job because _______.

I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she’d said again, “it’s for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace—it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside--- a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
【小题1】The writer began to love her mother’s desk____________.

Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure (奇遇)？Riding the train can be a real adventure.That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak.I often take a four?hour trip to visit my children.Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.

Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride，there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation— in another language.It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train.I think it was annoying.

Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two?day trip by train.She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home，although she had no trouble driving.The train ride was the only choice for her.She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.

She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents.That is a very good question.Both of us are old and have children.She asked that same question from time to time.

There are always many people on the train from all walks of life，different countries，and many languages.Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures.If you get hungry，you can buy food in the food car at any time.If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.

It sure beats driving the car，which has to stop for food and restrooms.And it is better than taking the bus.

1．According to the passage，the purpose of the author’s train ride was________.

A．to do business　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．to see her children

C．to visit places of interest 　　　　　　　　　 D．to see her old friends

2．Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 3?

A．Disappointed. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．Satisfied.

C．Worried. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Pleased.

3．Which of the following is TRUE about the old lady sitting next to the author?

A．She is too old to drive now.

B．She does not like to take trains.

C．Although she is old，she has a good memory.

D．Her daughters live far away from her home.

4．In the author’s opinion，on the train Amtrak________.

A．the services are quite good

B．the food is terribly expensive

C．all the passengers are polite

D．all the passengers are American

5．What is the best title for this passage?

A．Train ride—a cultural experience

B．A painful experience on the train

C．The history of Amtrak

D．A wonderful lady

根据汉语意思完成句子。(每空1分，共20分)

1.当我与他在一起时，从不感到无聊。

When I am him, I never .

2.朱蕊非常和蔼，总是愿意任何时候帮助别人。

Zhurui is very , and she is willing

others .

3.我认为这是我曾做过的最难的家庭作业。

I think this is homework I have ever done.

4.在身高上，你至少比他矮四厘米。

In , you are at least four centimeters him.

5.在那次测试后，他体重减轻了很多。

After that , he losts a lot of .

6.你很勤奋，但不够耐心。

You are very , but you are not enough.

7.她是杰出的，但应该学会微笑。

She is , but she should learn to .