It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Our children were upstairs unpacking，and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. “What are you doing out there?” I called to him.
He looked up, smiling. “I’m making you a surprise.’’ I thought it could be just about anything. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us. Today, however, Dad would say no more ，and caught up in the business of our new life ，I eventually forgot about his surprise.
Until one gloomy day the next March when I glanced out of the window，I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses (番红花）throughout the front lawn 一 blue, yellow and my favorite pink ，with little faces moving up and down in the cold wind. I remembered the things Dad secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs?
My father’s crocuses bloomed (开花）each spring for the next five seasons, always bringing the same assurance： Hard times are almost over. Hold on, keep going, and light is coming soon.
Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms and the next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses ，so I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did. He died suddenly one October day. My family were in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith.
On a spring afternoon four years later, I was driving back when I felt depressed. It was Dad’s birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual — my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived up to his faith. Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. There on the muddy grass with small piles of melting snow ，bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.
How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years ago, one that hadn’t bloomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.
Hold on, keep going, and light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day, but it built my faith for a lifetime.
【小题1】According to the first three paragraphs, we learn that ______.

完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）

I had been out shopping and really took too much time doing it. I was tired and about to (61) home. That is when I saw her.

She was stopped in the left hand turn lane (车道), (62) to get onto the highway but never (63) it. I slowed down, rolled open my window and asked. “Do you need any (64) ?”

“Yes, I ran out of gas. I just moved here and I don’t even know (65) a gas station is,” she replied.

She didn’t have a gas can, so I told her I’d run down the (66) to see if I could get one from the local station. When I (67) with a full can of gas, she couldn’t (68) me enough and told me she would pay for the an and gas. (69), I refused.

As I was (70) the gas in, she said, “I thought no one would even stop. I was afraid to leave the car and even more afraid to (71) help.”

“Well, I couldn’t pass by (72) offering help,” I said. “I’ve used up gas myself a few times. You know I’m getting (73). Now I’m running out of gas and time. It just seems to fly by.”

She then said (74) that I though was a gem (佳作): “My Dad said that old age is (75) toilet paper. The closer you get to the end of the roll the (76) it spins.”

I laughed so hard that I (77) dropped the container. She tried to start the car and it (78). The I told her to keep the (79) can in her trunk.

Seeing her grateful (80), I said friendly, “I’m glad to be of help. Welcome to Pennsylvania.”

1.A．have                       B．leave                   C．stay                    D．head

2.A．ready                      B．ashamed              C．afraid                  D．brave

3.A．made                      B．did                     C．found                  D．completed

4.A．gas                         B．money                C．help                    D．car 

5.A．what                       B．how                    C．where                 D．why

6.A．road                        B．car                      C．station                 D．window

7.A．started                     B．left                     C．mixed                 D．returned

8.A．know                      B．congratulate         C．expect                 D．thank

9.A．Of course                B．In addition          C．After all              D．Never mind

10.A．forcing                  B．pouring               C．fitting                 D．throwing

11.A．offer                     B．get                      C．send                    D．refuse

12.A．before                   B．without               C．for                      D．beneath

13.A．well                      B．strong                 C．old                     D．weak

14.A．it                          B．one                     C．something           D．all

15.A．of                         B．on                      C．as                       D．like

16.A．faster                    B．slower                 C．tighter                 D．looser

17.A．simply                   B． hardly               C．nearly                 D．really

18.A．rode                      B．worked               C．drove                  D．pulled

19.A．special                   B．valuable              C．small                  D．empty

20.A．award                    B．reward                C．smile                  D．letter

完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）

I had been out shopping and really took too much time doing it. I was tired and about to (61) home. That is when I saw her.

She was stopped in the left hand turn lane (车道), (62) to get onto the highway but never (63) it. I slowed down, rolled open my window and asked. “Do you need any (64) ?”

“Yes, I ran out of gas. I just moved here and I don’t even know (65) a gas station is,” she replied.

She didn’t have a gas can, so I told her I’d run down the (66) to see if I could get one from the local station. When I (67) with a full can of gas, she couldn’t (68) me enough and told me she would pay for the an and gas. (69), I refused.

As I was (70) the gas in, she said, “I thought no one would even stop. I was afraid to leave the car and even more afraid to (71) help.”

“Well, I couldn’t pass by (72) offering help,” I said. “I’ve used up gas myself a few times. You know I’m getting (73). Now I’m running out of gas and time. It just seems to fly by.”

She then said (74) that I though was a gem (佳作): “My Dad said that old age is (75) toilet paper. The closer you get to the end of the roll the (76) it spins.”

I laughed so hard that I (77) dropped the container. She tried to start the car and it (78). The I told her to keep the (79) can in her trunk.

Seeing her grateful (80), I said friendly, “I’m glad to be of help. Welcome to Pennsylvania.”

A．have      B．leave C．stay   D．head

A．ready     B．ashamed   C．afraid       D．brave

A．made     B．did    C．found       D．completed

A．gas B．money      C．help  D．car 

A．what      B．how  C．where       D．why

A．road      B．car    C．station      D．window

A．started   B．left    C．mixed       D．returned

A．know     B．congratulate     C．expect      D．thank

A．Of course      B．In addition       C．After all   D．Never mind

A．forcing B．pouring    C．fitting       D．throwing

A．offer    B．get    C．send  D．refuse

A．before  B．without     C．for    D．beneath

A．well     B．strong       C．old    D．weak

A．it  B．one   C．something D．all

A．of B．on     C．as      D．like

A．faster   B．slower      C．tighter      D．looser

A．simply B．hardly      C．nearly       D．really

A．rode     B．worked     C．drove       D．pulled

A．special B．valuable    C．small D．empty

A．award  B．reward      C．smile D．letter

It was midnight in Paris and we were rolling toward Avenue Bosguet. As we came to the Pont Alexandra Ⅲ, the taxi slowed down, for the traffic light was red against us, and then, without stopping, we sailed through the red in a sudden burst of speed. The same performance was repeated at the Alma Bridge. As I paid the driver, I asked him why he had driven through two red lights.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, breaking the law and endangering your life that way.” I protested.
He looked at me, astonished, “Ashamed of myself? I am a law abiding(守法的) citizen and have no desire to get killed either.” He cut me off before I could protest.
“No, just listen to me before you complain. What did I do? Went through a red light. Well, did you ever stop to consider what a red light is? What it means?”
“Certainly,”I replied. “It’s a stop signal and means the traffic is rolling in the opposite direction.”
“Half-right,”said the driver, “But incomplete. It’s only an automatic(自动的) stop signal. And it does not mean that there is cross traffic. Did you see any cross traffic during our trip? Of course not. I slowed down at the light, looked carefully to the right and to the left. Not another car on the street at this hour. Well, then! What would you have me do? Should I stop like a stupid animal because an automatic, brainless machine turns red every forty seconds? No, sir,”he shouted, “I am a man, not a machine. I have eyes and a brain and judgment, given me by God. Ashamed of myself, you say? I would only be ashamed of myself if I let those blinking lamps do my thinking for me. Good night,sir.”
【小题1】At the Alma Bridge,__________.

A．he found there was no cross traffic there at that time

B．he thought it a shame to be controlled by a machine

C．he knew no other driver would see him at this hour

D．he didn’t trust any brainless machine

第三部分：阅读理解 
第一节 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。（共15小题，每小题2分，共30分）           
A
It was midnight in Paris and we were rolling toward Avenue Bosguet. As we came to the Pont Alexandra Ⅲ, the taxi slowed down, for the traffic light was red against us, and then, without stopping, we sailed through the red in a sudden burst of speed. The same performance was repeated at the Alma Bridge. As I paid the driver, I asked him why he had driven through two red lights.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, breaking the law and endangering your life that way ,” I protested.
He looked at me, astonished. “Ashamed of myself? I am a law abiding(守法的)citizen and have no desire to get killed either.” He cut me off before I could protest.
“No, just listen to me before you complain .What did I do? Went through a red light. Well, did you ever stop to consider what a red light is, what it means?”
“Certainly,” I replied. “It’s a stop signal and means that traffic is rolling in the opposite direction.”
“Half-right,” said the driver, “but incomplete. It’s only an automatic stop signal. And it does not mean that there is cross traffic. Did you see any cross traffic during our trip? Of course not. I slowed down at the light, looked carefully to the right and to the left. Not another car on the street at this hour. Well, then! What would you have me do? Should I stop like a stupid animal because an automatic, brainless machine turns red every forty seconds? No, sir,” he shouted. “I am a man, not a machine. I have eyes and a brain and judgment, given me by God. Ashamed of myself, you say? I would only be ashamed of myself if I let those blinking lamps do my thinking for me. Good night ,sir.”
Is this bad, is this good? Frankly I am no longer sure...
56. At the Alma Bridge,_________.
A. the writer stopped the taxi and paid the driver              
B. the taxi went through a red light again
C. there was a performance the writer had already watched
D. the writer began to criticize the driver
57. To the taxi driver, a red light_________.
A. was not a stop signal                            
B. should not work at midnight
C. sometimes made mistakes in judgment    
D. didn’t always mean that there was cross traffic
58. The main reason the driver dared to drive through the red light was that______.
A. he found there was no cross traffic there at that time
B. he thought it a shame to be controlled by a machine
C. he knew no other driver would see him at this hour
D. he didn’t trust any brainless machine
59. According to the passage, the driver thought what he had done was________.
A. law abiding（守法的）                   B .lawbreaking 
C. something to be proud of                     D .something to be ashamed of