It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word “congratulations. ”I don’t remember ever smiling so wide.

Then I looked at my financial（财政的）package.

The cost of Dream School’s tuition（学费）, room and board was around $ 40,000- an impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren’t as famous as my first choice.

In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn’t sure what to do.

One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents’ financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was to smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.

At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus （校园）including guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.

As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years right there.

In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream”university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me.

1.How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?

A．He was lost in his dream.

B．He was full of joy.

C．He was worried about the money.

D．He was uncertain which school to go to.

2.We can learn from the passage that the parents were _________.

A．honest           B．supportive         C．strict             D．decisive

3.In Paragraph 5, “offered me a full ride”can be replaced by “_______”.

A．would charge me nothing for tuition         B．would pay for transport to the school

C．would show me around the campus          D．would offer free meals at all events

4.What does the author mainly want to say?

A．You should consider comfort in your choice of schools.

B．You should try your best to attend your dream school.

C．Your second-choice college may actually be your best fit.

D．Your choice of schools should be based on their fame.

My mother has been a true inspiration to me and changed the way I look at life. Since my birth she has made it evident that I would become ___16___ and that I would be one of the great ones. She has taught me that I can do anything if I put my ___17___ to it.

As a young boy, I struggled to achieve tasks that came ___18___ to others. I had problems with writing, reading and especially speaking. I didn’t talk the way ___19___ kids did and did not respond to questions or stay alert（警觉的）to my surroundings. My reading was poor ___20___ with teachers helping me, and my speech was hard to ___21___. My writing was not at the ___22___ it should have been. Even simple things like knowing my left from my right or being able to snap my fingers (弹手指) were ___23___.

My mother ___24___ all my challenges and as a professor with a PH.D, decided to ___25___ the situation early in my development. She didn’t want me to ___26___. After a while, we did indeed get over all the problems that had ___27___ me. She spent hours every day ___28___ me everything I needed to know, determined to help me learn. ___29___ her I would not be anywhere close to the level I am now.

In addition, she gave ___30___ for my life. She told me what to do and what not to do. Her expectations have always been high ___31___ she knows that I can do it. For that, I thank her. She would not allow her son to be incapable. She never ___32___ on me, and to this day she tells me education is a must. I will be a ___33___ person if I continue to follow her lead. She encourages me to study hard for my ___34___ and attend college.

She used her gifts as a ___35___ to help a child—her child—and now I have the opportunity to become something.

1.                A．everything      B．nothing         C．anything  D．something

2.                A．mind           B．brain           C．feelings   D．work

3.                A．smoothly       B．strongly         C．frequently D．easily

4.                A．average        B．ordinary        C．normal   D．common

5.                A．just            B．ever           C．even D．only

6.                A．hear           B．write           C．read D．understand

7.                A．level           B．length          C．speed    D．degree

8.                A．problems       B．excuses         C．worries   D．duties

9.                A．suffered        B．observed       C．removed  D．tolerated

10.               A．study          B．find           C．change    D．keep

11.               A．fight           B．struggle        C．strike D．challenge

12.               A．interrupted     B．disturbed       C．terrified   D．troubled

13.               A．teaching        B．giving          C．supporting D．reminding

14.               A．Without        B．Except         C．Besides   D．Beyond

15.               A．information     B．advice         C．promise   D．expectation

16.               A．before         B．though         C．because   D．unless

17.               A．set up          B．gave up        C．pushed up D．looked up

18.               A．rich           B．famous         C．successful D．powerful

19.               A．training        B．grades         C．experiments    D．abilities

20.               A．woman         B．doctor         C．sister D．teacher

A woman named Emily renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”

“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”

“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.

One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.

The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.

I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”

Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (受鼓舞) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”

Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.

1.What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?

A. The recorder was impatient and rude.

B. The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.

C. The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.

D. Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.

2.How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?

A. curious        B. indifferent                   C. puzzled            D. interested

3.Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?

A. Because the author cared little about rewards.

B. Because she thought the author did admirable work.

C. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.

D. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A. To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.

B. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.

C. To show that the author had a greater job than Emily.

D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.

Last winter, when I was heavily pregnant, I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law's house and had to park in a nearby parking lot because they didn't have accessible parking. The snow was extremely heavy and there was lots of ice on the ground --- not many people had ventured out that evening!

When I returned to my car around 11pm, I noticed that I was the only car left. Nervously, I hopped into the car and let it warm up a bit. When I finally tried to drive away, my wheels began to spin. I was stuck! I spun and spun and wondered what to do.

All of a sudden, in my rear view mirror, I saw four teen-aged boys approaching my car. They were walking side by side in a line and dressed a bit like gang members --- at least I thought that's what they looked like. My car was in a very isolated area and I began to panic. I was certain they were coming to my car to harm me. Terrified, I just froze. One of the young men tapped on my window and said "Excuse me, Ma'am, can we help you? You seem stuck." Still afraid and fearing the worst, I said "I am stuck." And the young man said "It's okay, stay in your car and we'll push you out of the snow." And they did!

When they finally got me out of the snow, they smiled and waved. I rolled down my window and thanked them, embarrassed to have judged them so poorly.

1.Why did the author just freeze when the four young men walking toward her car?

A．Because she was afraid of being harmed.

B．Because she sat in her car for too long a time.

C．Because she was cold indeed in that freezing evening.

D．Because she knew they would rob her of the car.

2.Which of the following words can best describe the four young men?

A．Impolite.

B．Ill-mannered.

C．Unfriendly

D．Warm-hearted.

3.Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．One of the four teenagers was a gang member.

B．The kids wanted to help the author out of trouble.

C．The author would have a baby in her car.

D．The young men enjoyed pushing cars out of the snow.

4.The best title for the text would be___________．

A．Every man has his faults

B．Fortune favors those who use their judgment

C．Don't judge a book by its cover

D．Think twice before you do.

I want to talk about the economy．Not "the economy" we hear about endlessly in the news each day and in politicians' speeches．I want to talk about the real economy, the one we live in day by day．

Most people aren't particularly interested in "the economy"．"Share prices are flying high; interest rates are soaring;  the Dow Jones Index closed sixty-three points down on 8472．35．" We hear this and subconsciously switch off．

Notice that "the economy" is not the same as the economy, "The economy" is what men in suits play with to make vast personal wealth．The economy is where the rest of us live on a daily basis, earning our living, paying our taxes, and purchasing the necessities of life．

We are supposed to be benefiting from all the advantages of a well-off society．So why do we feel tired and stressed? We have no time for anything other than work, which is ridiculous given the number of labor-saving devices in our lives．Our towns become more and more crowded．We poison our air and seas, and our food is full of chemicals．There's something wrong here．If times were truly good, then you may think we'd all feel optimistic about the future．Yet the majority of us are deeply worried．More than 90 percent of us think we are too concerned about ourselves and not concerned enough about future generations．

The term "economic expansion" suggests something desirable, but expansion simply means spending more money．More spending doesn't mean that life is getting better．We all know it often means the opposite - greed, crime, poverty, pollution．More spending merely feeds our whole economic system, which is based on production and consumption．Unless money keeps circulating,  the economy breaks down．If we don't keep consuming,  the whole system goes into stalemate（僵局）．

How do we break the cycle and make some changes? We need to become far more aware of the results of our actions．We buy clothes that are made in sweat shops by virtual slaves in poor parts of the world．We create mountains of waste．We demand cheap food,  mindless of the fact that it totally lacks taste and is produced using chemicals that poison the land．

The consumption culture makes us unaware of the effect of our own behavior．Our main problem is not that we don't know what to do about it．It is gathering the desire to do it．

1.According to the author, which one belongs to the real economy?

A．The Dow Jones Index．

B．Increases in interest rates

C．Skyrocketing share prices

D．Shopping in a supermarket

2.It can be concluded from Paragraph 4 that        ．

A．people are benefiting from a well-off society

B．the future generation is a big concern for most people

C．people still feel much pressure despite labor-saving devices

D．the majority of people are optimistic about the future

3.What is true about economic expansion?

A．It guarantees a better life for us．

B．It may lead to some social problems．

C．It will stop the circulation of money．

D．It has only brought desirable effects．

4.The author writes the passage mainly to       ．

A．call on us to change our behavior

B．suggest a solution for over-consumption

C．make a distinction between two economies

D．inform us of the effects of economic expansion