I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.
Then I met an agent（代理商）who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal—that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck—of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract（合同）of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding（有回报的）.
【小题1】What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?

I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.
Then I met an agent（代理商）who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract（合同）of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding（有回报的）.
【小题1】What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?

I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.

I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.

It takes confidence to make a new start—there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.

Then I met an agent(代理商) who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.

The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal—that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.

It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck—of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract(合同)of the publisher—to be a published writer—is unbelievably rewarding(有回报的).

1.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．I was waiting for good fortune.

B．I was trying to find an admirable job.

C．I was being aimless about a suitable job.

D．I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time.

2.The author decided to write a novel              .

A．to finish the writing course                B．to realize her own dream

C．to satisfy readers’ wish                 D．to earn more money

3.How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?

A．Disturbed.         B．Ashamed.         C．Confident.         D．Uncertain.

4.What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?

A．It pays to stick to one’s goal.

B．Hard work can lead to success.

C．She feels like being unexpectedly lucky.

D．There is no end in sight when starting to do something.

第二节：阅读下列材料, 从所给的六个选项(A、Ｂ、Ｃ、Ｄ、Ｅ、和F) 中，选出符合各小题要求的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。

It was coming up on Mother’s Day, and John usually tried to make it “back home”, but this year he was just too tired. He was in a small town just outside of Little Rock when he drove by a flower shop. He said to himself. “I know what I will do, I’ll send Mom some roses.”

   He went into the small shop and saw a young boy talking to the clerk. “How many roses can I get for six dollars, ma’am?” The boy asked. The clerk was trying to explain that roses were expensive. Maybe the young man would be happy with carnations.

   “No. I have to have roses,” he said. “My Mom was sick so much last year and I didn’t get to spend much time with her. I want to get something special. It has to be red roses, because that’s her favourite.”

The clerk looked up at John and was just shaking her head. Something inside of John was touched by the boy’s voice. He wanted to get those roses so bad. John had been blessed in his business, and he looked at the clerk and silently mouthed that he would pay for the boy’s roses.

The clerk looked at the young man and said, “Okay, I will give you a dozen red roses for your six dollars.” The young man almost jumped into the air. He took the flowers and ran from the store. It was worth the extra thirty-five dollars just to see that kind of excitement.

John ordered his own flowers and had the clerk to be sure that delivery would include a note telling his mother how much he loved her. As he drove away from the shop, he was feeling very good. He caught a light about two blocks from the shop. As he waited at the light, he saw the young boy walking down the sidewalk. He watched him cross the street and enter a park through two huge gates. Suddenly, he realized it wasn't a park. It was a cemetery(墓地). He saw the young man stop by a small monument and go to his knees. He carefully laid the roses on the grave and began to cry.

As he cried, John heard the young man speak, “Mommy, oh Mommy, why didn’t I tell you how much I love you. Why didn’t I tell you one more time? Jesus, please, find my Mommy. Tell my Mommy I love her."

John turned, tears in his eyes, and walked back to his car. He drove quickly to the flower shop and told her he would take the flowers personally. He wanted to be sure and tell his Mother one more time just how much he loved her.

1. How much money did the young man’s flowers altogether cost?

A. 41 dollars      B. 6 dollars      C. 35 dollars       D.29 dollars 

2. What’s the main reason that John helped the young man pay the roses?

 A. Because he had a lot of money.

B. Because they are good friends.

C. Because he was moved by what the young man said.

 D. Because he likes to help others.

3. According to the passage, which sentence is true?

A. The young man’s mother has passed away.

B. The young man often tells his mother that he loves her.

C. John often goes home to visit his mother.

D. John doesn’t love his mother.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. He will have the flowers delivered to his mother.

B. He will send the flowers to his mother himself.

He decided to buy more flowers.

He will not buy the flowers.

I spotted (发现;认出) him at the checkout counter, bagging at No.14. His arms shook violently as he placed a carton (纸板箱;纸盒) of eggs into a plastic bag. He wore a yellow plastic name tag on which he had written “Jerry” in kindergarten penmanship (书法). He looked middle-aged but his mental age must have been about 12.

Ever since I smiled at him the first time he bagged my groceries at my local supermarket, Jerry has followed me around like an adoring fan. His lack of boundaries makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know how to avoid being noticed by him. I don’t want to speak to the manager — my complaint could get him fired. So I start avoiding him.

There are other grocery stores, but I choose this one because it employs people with disabilities, from which my brothers have also suffered.

Last Wednesday after I finished choosing what I wanted, I turned around and drove my cart to Checkout No.3, hoping Jerry would not notice me and stay at No.14.

“Paper or plastic, ma’am?” Jerry’s soft voice surprised me from behind. “Paper, please.” I noticed that the checkout stand created plenty of space between Jerry and the clerk. In this situation, he knew where to stand. The clerk said to me: “＄27.30, please.” I handed my own cart, signed my receipt and stepped around the counter, where Jerry was holding my last packet of biscuits. He came towards me, stopping an inch from me. He was too close. I wanted to dash out of the store and leave behind the packet. Instead, I stood with my hand frozen on the cart. His eyes looked lonely — I knew they would follow me after I left the store. I wanted to apologize for my coldness. “I’m …I’m sorry.” A tiny voice inside me said. I tapped my head with my hand as if I had forgotten something. “Forgive me. I’m from New York City. I’m not used to people being so helpful.”

He laughed. I laughed. His eyes brightened. “It’s my job, ma’am. I like it.” he said. When he offered to push my cart, I didn’t care but nodded deeply. 

44. The author feels uncomfortable because _______________ .

A. Jerry is like an adoring fan to her

B. Jerry is mentally younger

C. Jerry’s handwriting is terrible

D. Jerry is too close to her without proper distance

45. At the checkout stand, _______________ .

A. Jerry offered to pay my biscuits

B. Jerry was left behind with a packet of biscuits.

C. Jerry knew the social importance of distance.

D. Jerry was not close to me.

46. From the passage we can infer that _______________ .

A. Jerry liked his job

B. the author was afraid of Jerry

C. the author’s brothers were disabled

D. Jerry saw the author as his close friend

47. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Too Close for Comfortable

B. Don’t Look Down upon the Disabled

C. How to Keep a Good Relation    

D. Don’t Smile at Strangers