I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.

    He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. “What are you doing?” I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.

    He then answered me with a simple statement“TEACH THE CHILDREN！”

    I was puzzled; what did he mean?

    Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR(杉木) TREE .“Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round，describing the everlasting hope of mankind，all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.”

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. “Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a savior(救世主) for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of his promise.”

    He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. “Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of he who displaces(取代) the darkness.”

    Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. “Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.”

    Santa looked back and was pleased. I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, “Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but an humble servant of the one that is, and I bow down to worship HIM, our LORD, our GOD.”

1.Author opened the door when he was going to sleep because________.

A. he heard something unusual

B. he was not sleeping at the moment

C. he saw the Santa at the moment

D. he wanted to step out of the room

2.According to Santa, the star was ________.

A. a symbol of man's thoughts turning towards heaven

B. the sigh of fulfillment of the Santa's promise

C. the symbol of the light of the world

D. the sound of the bell which ring mankind to the fold

3.What does the underlined word “twinkle” refer to?

A. Tears.　　B. Smiles.　　C. Glasses.　　D. Eyes.

“Can I see my baby？” the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby’ s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed(叹息), knowing that his life was to be misfortunate. He cried to his mum “A boy, a big boy... called me a freak (怪人)．”
He grew up, handsome. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might communicate with other young people，” his mother blamed him, but felt a kindness in her heart.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’ re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’ s a secret.” The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared.
Later he married and became a lawyer. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.” “I do not believe you could，” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”
The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’ s casket棺材. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to show the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut，” his father whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they？”
【小题1】Why did Mother gasp when she saw her newborn baby?

“Can I see my baby？” the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.

Time proved that the baby’ s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed(叹息), knowing that his life was to be misfortunate. He cried to his mum “A boy, a big boy... called me a freak (怪人)．”

He grew up, handsome. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might communicate with other young people，” his mother blamed him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’ re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’ s a secret.” The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared.

Later he married and became a lawyer. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.” “I do not believe you could，” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”

The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother’ s casket棺材. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to show the mother had no outer ears.

“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut，” his father whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they？”

1.Why did Mother gasp when she saw her newborn baby?

A. Because her son had a tiny face.　　　　 B. Because she saw her son crying.

C. Because her son was born imperfect.　　 D. Because her son was in her arms.

2.Which word can describe Mother’ s feeling when the son threw himself into her arms?

A. Nervous.　　　　　　 B. Sympathetic.　　 C. Proud.       D. Angry.

3.We can infer that the person who donate the ears is_____.

A. A doctor.        B. His father.　　　 C. His mother.     　D. A stranger.

4.From the passage we know the followings are True except________

A, the mother felt sorry for the son without ears   B. the doctor didn’t like the baby

C. the boy meant everything to the mother        D. the father kept the secret until mother died

5.The best title for the passage would be ________.

A. Mother’s hair　　　　　　　　B. An unforgettable memory

C. Who gave me the ears?　　　 　D. Who is my best respectable person?

My job was to make classroom observations and encourage a training program that would enable students to feel good about themselves and take charge of their lives. Donna was one of the volunteer teachers who participated in this 　26 .

One day, I entered Donna’s classroom, took a seat in the back of the room and 　27 . All the students were working 　28 a task. The student next to me was filling her page with “I Can’ts.” “I can’t kick the soccer ball.” “I can’t get Debbie to like me.” Her page was half full and she showed no 　29 of stopping. I walked down the row and found 　30 was writing sentences, describing things they couldn’t do.

By this time the activity aroused my 　31 , so I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going on 　32 I noticed she too was busy writing. “I can’t get John’s mother to come for a parents’ meeting.” I felt it best not to 　33 .

After another ten minutes, the students were 　34 to fold the papers in half and bring them to the front. They placed their “I Can’t” statements into an empty shoebox. Then Donna 35 hers. She put the lid on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door. Students followed the teacher. I followed the students. Halfway down the hallway Donna got a shovel from the tool house, and then marched the students to the farthest corner of the playground. There they began to 　36 . The box of “I Can’ts” was placed at the 　37 of the hole and then quickly covered with dirt. At this point Donna announced, “Boys and girls, please join hands and 　38 your heads.” They quickly formed a circle around the grave.

Donna delivered the eulogy (悼词). “Friends, we gathered here today to 　39 the memory of ‘I Can’t.’ He is 　40 by his brothers and sisters ‘I Can’ and ‘I Will’. May ‘I Can’t’ rest in 　41 . Amen!”

She turned the students 　42 and marched them back into the classroom. They celebrated the 　43 of “I Can’t”. Donna cut a large tombstone from paper. She wrote the words “I Can’t” at the top and the date at the bottom, then hung it in the classroom. On those rare occasions when a student 　44 and said, “I Can’t,” Donna 　45 pointed to the paper tombstone. The student then remembered that “I Can’t” was dead and chose other statement.　

26. A. job　　　　　　 　 B. project　　　　 C. observation　　　　　　　　 D. course

27. A. checked　　　 　 B. noticed　　　　 C. watched　　　　　　　 D. waited

28. A. on 　　　 　 B. with　　　　　　　　　 C. as　　　　　　　　　　　 　　 D. for

29. A. scenes 　　　 　 B. senses　　　　 　　　 C. marks　　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. signs

30. A. nobody 　 B. somebody　　　　　 C. everyone　　　 　　　 D. anyone

31. A. curiosity　　 　 B. suspect 　　　 C. sympathy　　　　　　 　　　 D. worry

32. A. and　　　　　　 　 B. or　　　　 　　　 C. but 　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. so

33. A. insert　　　　　 　 B. interrupt　　　　　　 C. talk　　　　　　　 　　　 D. request

34. A. taught　 　 　 B. shown 　　　 C. forced　　　　　 　　　 　　 D. instructed

35. A. added　 　 　 B. wrote　　　　　　　　 C. made　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. folded

36. A. cry　　　 　　　 　 B. pray　　　　　　　　　 C. dig　　　　　　　　　　　 　　 D. play

37. A. back　　 　　　 　 B. bottom　　　　　　 　　　 C. top　　　　　　　　　 D. edge

38. A. drop　　　　　 　　　 B. raise　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. fall　　　　　　　　　 D. lift

39. A. keep　　　　　 　　　 B. thank　　　　　　　　　　　 C. forgive　　　　　　 D. honor

40. A. remembered B. punished　　　　　　　　　 C. removed　　　　　 D. replaced

41. A. silence　　　　 B. heart　　　　　　　　　　　 C. peace　　　　　　　 D. memory

42. A. down　　　　　　　　 B. up　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. off　　　　　　　　　 D. around　

43. A. birth　　　　　　　　　 B. passing　　　　　　　　　　 C. loss　　　　　　　　 D. starting

44. A. awoke　　　　 B. reminded　　　　　　　　 C. forgot　　　 D. apologized

45. A. simply　　　　 B. hardly　　　 　　　 C. seriously　　　　　 D. angrily