My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can’t be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, “What do you want? Take my wallet,” but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re OK.”

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.

The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.

Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me --- “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.

1.When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ________.

A. she felt very annoyed  

B. she lost consciousness

C. she felt very much nervous  

D. she lost the power of thinking

2.What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A. Jeremy’s fighting                                                  B. The author’s screaming   

C. Their neighbour’s brave action                             D. The police’s arrival

3. When the author called for help, the neighbors didn’t come out immediately because ________.

A. they were much too frightened

B. they were busy preparing dinners

C. they needed time to find baseball bats

D. they thought someone was playing a trick

4.The author was happy to see the neighbors go because ________.

A. she hated to listen to their empty talk

B. she did not want to become an object of pity

C. she was angered by their being late to come to her help

D. she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock

5.The police were rather angry because ________.

A. the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm

B. they thought it was a case of little importance

C. the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything

D. the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene

6.What the author wants to tell us is that ________.

A. neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B. the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C. security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D. preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying，“What do you want? Take my wallet，” but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house—Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy，and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch (蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help！” at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the? more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in！” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to? come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely，“Please go and eat. We're OK.”

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of? bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I? was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer? sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was? directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes? talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy? and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out? in force twenty minutes later. They were ill?tempered about what was, to them, much trouble? about nothing.? After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to? describing the gunmen. “Typical，” said one policeman when we couldn't even agree on how tall? the men were.? Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two? policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help.

The policemen were matter?of?fact about the whole thing. The thin one said，“That was a? stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do? what you're told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.

Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the? house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys，” he said. “If you? had gone into the house with them...” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” ——he twisted his head toward me——“and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look，” said the fat policeman kindly, “ there's no right or wrong in the situation. There's just luck.”

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car? window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many? hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time—no? intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I’m sure there will be a next time.? It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone.Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves.

1.When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window，________.

A．she felt very annoyed

B．she lost consciousness

C．she felt very much nervous

D．she lost the power of thinking

2.What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A．Jeremy's fighting.

B．The author's screaming.

C．Their neighbour's brave action.

D．The police's arrival.

3.When the author called for help, the neighbors didn't come out immediately because________.

A．they were much too frightened

B．they were busy preparing dinners

C．they needed time to find baseball bats

D．they thought someone was playing a trick

4.What the author wants to tell us is that________.

A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can’t be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, “What do you want? Take my wallet,” but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re O.K.”

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.

The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.

Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me – “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.

1. When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ______.

A. she felt very annoyed              B. she lost consciousness

C. she felt very much nervous          D. she lost the power of thinking

2.What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A. Jeremy’s fighting                B. The author’s screaming

C. Their neighbour’s brave action      D. The police’s arrival

3.When the author called for help, the neighbors didn’t come out immediately because ______

A. they were much too frightened

B. they were busy preparing dinners

C. they needed time to find baseball bats

D. they thought someone was playing a trick

4.The author was happy to see the neighbors go because ______.

A. she hated to listen to their empty talk

B. she did not want to become an object of pity

C. she was angered by their being late to come to her help

D. she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock

5.The police were rather angry because ______.

A. the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm

B. they thought it was a case of little importance

C. the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything

D. the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene

6.What the author wants to tell us is that______.

A. neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B. the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C. security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D. preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

 (2009年苏、锡、常、镇四市高三教学情况调查(二))

A couple of days ago, my sister Liz and I spoke about Dad, and we decided to get him a little something together for Father’s Day. we talked about times when we were ---36--- up and how Mom and Dad used to play the “good cop, bad cop” thing on us. Dad has been a person of few words since we were ---37---. He raised us more by ---38--- than anything else. When he spoke, though, we listened, and he was always mysterious and difficult to understand. There was always a(n) ---39--- meaning that I never got, but Liz always ---40--- to decipher（破解）him. By the time I got to high school, I had wanted a whole bunch of skateboard gear（装备） and I ---41--- I was too old to ask money from my parents so I worked a burger joint. One day, I was really angry about annoying burgers. I came home huffing and puffing（气喘吁吁）. Dad saw me and asked me what was the ---42---. I told him that I was fed up with annoying burgers. He said that we all have to ---43--- somewhere, that we may know it now, but  the skills we learn even in a burger joint might come I handy later in life. “Who knows, you might end up having to run a ---44 or even own one when you grow up,” said Dad. The ---45--- me down and I kept what he said in mind, even though I didn’t agree with it.

       A couple of years later, when I got to college, I worked in a restaurant. During one of the really ---46--- days that we had, we  were short on kitchen staff. Our customers were getting impatient and the ---47--- were getting delayed. we were sure any minute something terrible would ---48--- out. I couldn’t stand the ---49--- anymore, so I rolled up my sleeves, got myself a hair net and helped out in the hot kitchen. We caught up the with the orders ---50---. The owner saw what I did and called me over around ---51--- time. He said he was very ---52--- . He raised my salary and made me the assistant manager even though I could only go part-time. That was ---53--- I realized that what my dad said to me all those years before was absolutely true.

       I’ve never forgotten what my dad said that. And whenever I have to do something that require new skills, no matter how small or ---54--- it seems, I have a new perspective（看法）that it might help me later on or even right now and I just don’t know it. Experience is everything and it ---55—a lot when you take lessons from it. That’s my life philosophy.

36. A. getting                B. going                C. growing            D. coming

37. A. schoolboys          B. kids                  C. adults                D. graduates

38. A. instruction           B. example             C. order                D. inspiration

39. A. obvious               B. unclear              C. reasonable         D. hidden

40. A. failed                  B. refused              C. tried                  D. managed

41. A. imagined             B. promised           C. figured              D. suggested

42. A. experience           B. matter               C. event                D. accident

43. A. start                   B. work                 C. stay                  D. leave

44. A. restaurant            B. hospital             C. school               D. plant

45. A. calmed                B. settled               C. let                     D. put

46. A. exciting               B. worrying           C. busy                 D. happy

47. A. meetings             B. parties               C. menus               D. orders

48. A. break                  B. show                C. go                    D. set

49. A. quarrel                B. laziness             C. relaxation          D. tension

50. A. eventually            B. regularly            C. obviously          D. thankfully

51. A. breakfast             B. lunch                C. opening             D. closing

52. A. influenced           B. interested           C. inspired             D. impressed

53. A. when                  B. why                  C. whether            D. where

54. A. important            B. impressive         C. interesting         D. insignificant

55. A. works                 B. counts               C. shows               D. benefits

A few days ago, my sister Liz and I talked about Dad, and we decided to get him a little something for Father's Day. We talked about the times when we were 1 up and how Mom and Dad used to play the ‘good cop, bad cop’ thing on us. Dad has been a person of few words since we were 2 . He raised us more by 3 than anything else. When he spoke, though we listened, he was always mysterious and difficult to understand. There was always a(n) 4 meaning that I never got, but Liz always 5 to decipher(破解) him. By the time I got to high school, I had wanted a skateboard and I 6 I was too old to ask money from my parents, so I worked at a burger joint (美式汉堡店). One day, I was really angry about annoying burgers. I came home huffing and puffing(气喘吁吁). Dad saw me and asked me what was the 7. I told him that I was fed up with annoying burgers. He said that we all have to start somewhere, that we may not know it now, but the skills we learn even in a burger joint might come in handy 8in life, ‘Who knows, you might end up having to run a 9 or even own one when you grow up,’ said Dad. He 10 me down and I kept what he said in mind, even though I really didn’t agree with it.
A couple of years later, when I got to college, I worked in a restaurant. During one of the really 11 days that we had, we were short on kitchen staff. Our customers were getting impatient and the 12 were getting delayed. We were sure any minute something terrible would 13 out. I couldn’t stand the 14 any more, so I rolled up my sleeves, got myself a hair net and helped out in the hot kitchen. We caught up with the orders 15. The owner saw what I did and called me over around 16 time. He said that he was very 17. He raised my salary and made me the assistant manager even though I could only go part-time. That was 18 I realized that what my dad said to me all those years before was absolutely true.
I’ve never forgotten what my dad said that day. And whenever I have to do something that requires new skills, no matter how insignificant or 19 it seems, I have a new perspective(看法) that it might really help me later on or even right now and I just don’t know it. Experience is everything and it 20 a lot when you take lessons from it. That’s my life’s philosophy.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      getting
   2. B.
      going
   3. C.
      growing
   4. D.
      coming
2. 2.
   1. A.
      schoolboys
   2. B.
      kids
   3. C.
      adults
   4. D.
      graduates
3. 3.
   1. A.
      instruction
   2. B.
      example
   3. C.
      order
   4. D.
      inspiration
4. 4.
   1. A.
      obvious
   2. B.
      clear
   3. C.
      reasonable
   4. D.
      hidden
5. 5.
   1. A.
      failed
   2. B.
      refused
   3. C.
      tried
   4. D.
      managed
6. 6.
   1. A.
      imagined
   2. B.
      promised
   3. C.
      believed
   4. D.
      suggested
7. 7.
   1. A.
      experience
   2. B.
      matter
   3. C.
      event
   4. D.
      accident
8. 8.
   1. A.
      later
   2. B.
      sooner
   3. C.
      latter
   4. D.
      late
9. 9.
   1. A.
      restaurant
   2. B.
      hospital
   3. C.
      school
   4. D.
      plant
10. 10.
    1. A.
       calmed
    2. B.
       wrote
    3. C.
       1et
    4. D.
       put
11. 11.
    1. A.
       exciting
    2. B.
       worrying
    3. C.
       busy
    4. D.
       happy
12. 12.
    1. A.
       meetings
    2. B.
       parties
    3. C.
       menus
    4. D.
       orders
13. 13.
    1. A.
       break
    2. B.
       show
    3. C.
       go
    4. D.
       set
14. 14.
    1. A.
       quarrel
    2. B.
       1aziness
    3. C.
       relaxation
    4. D.
       tension
15. 15.
    1. A.
       eventually
    2. B.
       regularly
    3. C.
       obviously
    4. D.
       thankfully
16. 16.
    1. A.
       breakfast
    2. B.
       1unch
    3. C.
       opening
    4. D.
       closing
17. 17.
    1. A.
       influenced
    2. B.
       interested
    3. C.
       inspired
    4. D.
       impressed
18. 18.
    1. A.
       when
    2. B.
       why
    3. C.
       whether
    4. D.
       where
19. 19.
    1. A.
       important
    2. B.
       impressive
    3. C.
       interesting
    4. D.
       small
20. 20.
    1. A.
       works
    2. B.
       counts
    3. C.
       shows
    4. D.
       studies