第二部分：阅读理解（共20小题; 每小题2分,满分40分）

Around six weeks ago, Kaileen came running into the house, just getting off the bus from school. She was all excited about a story about homeless pets because of Hurricane (飓风) Katrina and all that was going on to help them. She said that this information came from her animal newspaper (your KIND News). Kaileen has a great love and compassion (同情心) for animals, so her excitement did not surprise me. Her next ideas, however, did. She said that we should go around right then to our neighbors and collect all their change to send to the animal shelters (保护所).

I thought this was a school project, but in fact, it was not. This was what Kaileen wanted to do on her own! Well, it warmed me all over. To see your child so willing to help others just lets you feel that maybe you had done something right in raising (养育) her.

Anyway, I told her to make a card and send it out to our neighbors first. With the help of her older brother, Kaileen soon made a lovely card that asked our neighbors to help these pets by giving their spare change. She gave them a few days and a date she would come by to pick up any donations (捐赠). 

Well, I had to go out and buy a donation box. Kaileen collected $279.50!!! I just thought you would like to know how KIND News had touched a little one’s heart and given her the idea to show her compassion for animals. Thank you — we really enjoy your paper.

36. The passage is probably taken from ______. 

A. a report about a warm-hearted girl

B. an advertisement for an animal shelter 

C. a thank-you letter to a newspaper

D. a donation program for homeless pets 

37. What was the author’s feeling about Kaileen’s idea? 

A. Pleased and excited. 

B. Surprised and moved.

C. Tired and sad.                         

D. Worried and angry.

38. From the passage we learn that KIND News ______.

A. collects donations for homeless people 

B. sets up many shelters for homeless animals 

C. tells children how to keep pets healthy 

D. encourages children to help homeless pets 

39. We can infer that the passage is written by Kaileen’s ______.

A. parent          B. teacher         C. brother      D. neighbor

Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska .At first glance it does not look like much .It is a woman’s shoes of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique about this shoes is where it was found .It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail（路线）used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known .Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1,500 stairs carved outfaced? Or did she throw away goods that she didn’t need in order to travel lighter?

    Over 100,000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires .Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh（艰苦的）wilderness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather.

    The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure .But what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century.

1.The ordinary leather shoes of a woman is considered unusual because        .

    A．it is an important clue to a mystery   B．it was found on a famous trail

    C．it belonged to a IP at one time    D．it was a fashionable shoe at that time

2.According to this passage ,many people who went to Alaska       .

    A．eventually became millionaires       B．brought with them many shoes

    C．had conflicts with the local people  D．were not properly equipped

3.Which of the following is the best title?

    A．A Shoe Tells a Story             B．Gold Fever

    C．The Importance of the Shoe       D．A shoe of Popular Style

Do you know that a fast reader can get the ideas better than a slow reader can? Of course, you save time by reading fast, but this is not the main reason for fast reading. The main reason is that you understand better what you are reading when you read fast.

As your eyes move along the line of print, they make fixations (固定) or pauses. It is important that you see several words at a fixation. It is also important that your eyes leave a group of words quickly and move on to another group. The number of letters or words that you see at a fixation is called your eye span. Pay more attention to improving your rate of reading. With practice you can learn to read faster than you usually read.

The way in which you read always depends on what you are reading and for what purpose. You should know the different ways of reading so that you can apply whatever method that is necessary. Here are four ways of reading:

(1) Skimming is an important kind of reading. This method can be used when you wish to review something that you have forgotten. You can skim to get the main points.

(2) Rapid first reading and then rereading certain parts carefully is important. You may use this type of reading to study a science lesson or a history lesson.

(3) You need to do careful reading and rereading sometimes. This type of reading is necessary for making an intensive (精深的) study of your school subjects, solving Maths problems or reading directions.

(4) Rapid reading is used when reading stories for enjoyment. you may also do rapid reading when reviewing material that you already know well.

1.The main reason for reading fast is that you can _______what you are fast reading.

2.The way of reading always depends on _______.

3.The underlined word "skimming" in the fourth paragraph means _______.

4.Careful reading is an important kind of reading _________.

Short Story Contest Rules

·The contest begins at 9 am Friday, November 29, 2008 and ends at 4 pm Thursday, January 17,2009.

·The contest is open to all residents of Ontario who are at 16 or over, except for employees, judges, and anyone living with any employee of the sponsors or judges.

·The author’s name, address, phone number, and a 25-50-word self-introduction must be included with each entry on a separate sheet of paper. The name of the author should not appear in the story itself.

· Stories must be original and unpublished up to the time the winners are declared on June 23, 2009.

·Stories must be written on a computer or typewriter, be double-spaced and no longer than 2,500 words. Total word count should be printed on the front page of the story.

· No changes to a story are allowed once the Star receives your entry. Manuscripts will not be returned.

· A $5 entry fee must accompany each entry. Cheques or money orders should be made out to the Sunday Star Short Story Contest. Please do not send coins.

·Winners will be informed by telephone between 9 am and 5 pm on June 23, 2009.

·Professors from the writing Centre at Ryerson University will complete the first round of judging. Another group of professional writers will select the final three.

SEND YOUR STORY TO:

SHORT STORY CONTEST, THE SUNDAY STAR ONE YONGE STREET, TORONTO, Ontario M5E1E6

Full contest rules are available at www.the star.com / contests Tel: 416 – 367 – 2000

56. Which of the following is allowed to be written on the front page of the story?

A. The total word count.                 B. The author’s name.

C. The author’s self-introduction.          D. The author’s phone number.

57. From the above advertisement, we can find out ______.

A. the topic of the stories

B. the number of winners

C. the money the sponsors give to the organizer

D. the total number of contestants

58. It can be learned from the passage that ______.

A. Winners will get a book of short stories besides the money

B. Citizens over 16 living in Ontario can compete in the contest

C. Contestants should send printed stories to the organizer

D. Professors from universities will decide the winners        

第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。

A man accused of failing to return more than 700 children's books to five different libraries in the county was released from prison after a book publisher agreed to post his bond(保释金)of $1,000. The publisher said, "There's a story here. This is a man who loves books. He just can't let go of them. He hasn't stolen a single book. So what's the crime? We think that Mr Banish has a story to tell. We plan to publish his story."

When asked why he didn't return the books, Mr Banish said, "Well, how could I? They became family to me. I was afraid to return them, because I knew that kids or dogs would get hold of these books and chew them up, throw them around, tear the pages, spill soda on them, get jam and jelly on them, and drown them in the toilet.

He continued, "Books are people, too! They talk to you, they take care of you, and they enrich you with wisdom, humor and love. A book is a guest in my home. How could I kick it out? I repaired torn pages. I dusted them with a soft clean cloth. I turned their pages so they could breathe and get some fresh air."

"Every week I reorganized them on their shelves so they could meet new friends. My books were HAPPY books. You could tell just by looking at them. Now they're all back in the libraries, on the lower shelves, on the floors, at the mercy of all those runny-nosed kids. I can hear them calling me. I need to rescue them. Excuse me. I have to go now."

56. Why was the man put into prison?

A. Because the book publisher persuaded the police to do so.

B. Because he stole 700 children's books from the five different libraries.

C. Because he refused to return the books that he had borrowed.

D. Because he wanted to publish his story.

57. How did the man treat books?

A. He treated them as real people.

B. He treated them as his own children.

C. He treated them as his furniture.

D. He treated them as his job.

58. From the passage we can learn that the man is _______.

A. a thief      B. a writer       C. crazy about books   D. unfortunate

59. What might happen after the man was set free?

A. He might stop borrowing books.

B. He might start a library of his own.

C. He might go on borrowing books from libraries.