— ＄1，500， but that's my last offer.

    — OK. It's a ____.

A. cost           B. price          C. reward            D. deal

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict(对抗). It was the first serious one in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed.

      Then the long cooperation fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

      One morning there was a knock on John’ door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days’ work,” he said. “Could I help you?”

     “Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek(河沟) at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow(草地) between us and he took his bulldozer(推土机) to the levee(堤) and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. I want you to build me a fence―an 8-foot fence ―so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow.”

     The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.” The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

  The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.

      There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge― a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work― and his younger brother was coming across, his hand outstretched.

  “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

  The brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.

  “I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but, I have so many more bridges to build.”

72. What was life like for the two brothers before the conflict?

A.  They lived a poor, miserable life.

B.  They were friendly neighbors, helping each other.

C.  They never spoke to each other.

D.  They lived together as one family.

73. Which of the following best describes the carpenter?

A. He was skilled but dishonest.

B. He was hardworking but unskilled.

C. He was clever, hardworking, but cold hearted.

D. He was clever, helpful and skilled.

74. The best title for this passage is ________.

   A. A Fine Piece of Work

B. A Clever Carpenter

   C . A Conflict between Two Brothers

D. Two Brothers

75. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A.  The younger brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek.

B.  After the conflict John was angry with his younger brother.

C.  At first the carpenter planned to build an 8-foot fence as John asked him to.

D.  The two brother made peace at last.

完形填空

The Brick

　　About ten years ago, a young and very successful manager named Josh was travelling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit fast in his 1 car.

　　He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars. 2 his car passed, no child rushed out, but a brick did and WHUMP! It 3 his shiny black side door! Josh 4 out of his car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up 5 a parked car. He shouted at the kid,“ 6 was that all about and who are you? Just what are you doing?”He went on with 7 “That's my new Jaguar, that brick you threw is going to cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”

　　“Please, mister, please…I'm 8 ! I didn't know what else to do!” 9 the youngster.“I threw the brick 10 no one else would stop!”Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he 11 around the parked car.“It's my brother, mister,”he said.“He rolled 12 the sidewalk and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't 13 him up.”Sobbing, the boy asked the manager,“Would you please help me get him 14 into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.”

15　　 beyond words, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief 16 wiped the cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then 17 the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

　　It was a long and slow walk back to his expensive car. Josh 18 did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the damage to 19 him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Pay 20 to the bricks of life coming at to you.

We all have storms through our lives. But we have no right to make everyone else suffer with our own   31 .
The carpenter I   32  to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a(n)   33  first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his truck   34  to start.
While I drove him home, he sat in stony   35  .
On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused   36   at a small tree,   37  tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door, he underwent a(n)   38  transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he   39   his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
The next day my   40  drove me to ask him about what I had seen. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t   41  having troubles on the job, but the troubles don’t   42  to the house with my family. So I just   43  them up on the tree. Then in the morning I pick them up again.”
“  44  thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as   45  as I remember the night before.”
Putting   46  around our problems is a really good idea --- it prevents our difficulties from spilling over onto loved people, who can’t do anything about our problems. Why   47  them if they can’t help us?
So, plant yourself a trouble tree outside and use it   48   you come home. Be grateful that you have loved ones to go home to    49  your loved one is simply your beloved dog. And when you picked up your troubles on the way each morning, be   50  that they’re not as heavy as they were the night before.

第二节   完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Several months ago, my 22－year－old niece phoned me. “Aunt,” she said in her sweet voice, “the blood bank called and asked if I would donate blood. Would you come and donate with me?” I couldn't  21  her though I had never done that before.
I didn't know before going to the blood bank   22   I would be able to donate blood in the   23   of someone specific. There was a bulletin board with photos of children who were
24  at the Children's Hospital where I lost my daughter to   25   two years ago, so my heart went out to these children who were   26   cancer. One photo was of a little black girl, only nine. I   27   to donate my blood in Alexis's name. A month later, I   28   , and then a month after that, I went back again. I felt this was something I could do,    29   I made a promise to myself to go as often as possible.
One morning I heard a newscaster（播音员）   30   about a young girl named Alexis on TV.    31   , that's my Alexis from the blood bank who had lost her battle with cancer! My heart   32   . As I sat with tears running down my face, I listened to Alexis's story she left behind. I wasn't   33   to hear what an extraordinary child Alexis was,   34  I saw it in her eyes when I saw her   35   at the blood bank. She had the most angelic（天使般的）face, and a smile   36   of joy and courage. I never met this wonderful child, but she surely   37   me.
I am always telling myself that even though I do something that doesn't take   38   of my time, effort or money, it doesn't mean that what I do has no   39   . Every little thing we do to   40   another has value to the one who needs it.
21．A．blame               B．refuse           C．punish           D．comfort
22．A．where               B．why              C．until             D．that
23．A．name                B．charge           C．course           D．hope
24．A. volunteers          B．nurses           C．patients         D．students
25．A．a fire                B．water            C．cancer           D．an accident
26．A．curing              B．producing      C．examining     D．battling
27．A．hesitated           B．demanded      C．ordered         D．came
28．A．got through       B．got along       C．went back      D．went round
29．A．still                  B．but                      C．so                 D．or
30．A．reporting          B．thinking        C．reminding     D．worrying
31．A．Naturally          B．Doubtfully    C．Unfortunately  D．Unusually
32．A．broke              B．flew          C．beat              D．hit
33．A．interested          B．surprised       C．encouraged    D．disappointed
34．A．once                 B．which           C．while            D．because
35．A．photograph       B．smile            C．achievements  D．success
36．A．afraid            B．full              C．jealous          D．ashamed
37．A．touched            B．caught           C．defended       D．thanked
38．A．much                      B．advantage      C．notice           D．none
39．A．difference         B．preference     C．victory          D．value
40．A．improve           B．trust              C．help              D．Educate