It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2009. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.

The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货),saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.

 I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.

People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性)as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.

Why was the bike so important to the couple

A. The man's job was bike racing.     B. It was their only possession.

   C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.       D. They used it for work and daily life.

We can infer from the text that ____________.

A. the couple worked 60 hours a week.     B. people were busy before Christmas

C. the stranger brought over the bike       D. life was hard for the young family.

How did people get to know the couple's problem

A. From radio broadcasts.              B. From a newspaper.

C. From TV news.                    D. From a stranger.

What do the couple learn from their experience

A. Strangers are usually of little help.      B. One should take care of their bike.

   C. News reports make people famous.      D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.

B
For almost two months Dominic York, a 23-year-old hairdresser, wandered about hospitals all night, wearing a white coat and pretending he was a doctor. Yesterday he proudly claimed in court that despite his complete lack of medical experience or qualifications, he had saved several people’s lives. He had even been allowed to assist a surgeon during an emergency operation on a patient who was about to die on something she had swallowed.
“I watched one of those TV dramas about a hospital and suddenly I felt like playing one of the roles myself. So I put on a white jacket and a stethoscope(听诊器)and walked around one of the biggest hospital in London. At first I just watched. Once you learn how doctors talk to patients, nurses and others doctors, it’s easy to take people in,” he said.
One of the patients he treated was Laura Kennan. She had been knocked down by a car and fainted. When she came to in hospital, York was standing over her.
“He looked very professional. He told me his name was Doctor Simon. Then he gave me some sort of injection,” she said. And then he suddenly cleared off when a nurse asked who he was. She didn’t think there was anything wrong. “I would never have realized he was a fake if a policewoman hadn’t showed me his photograph a week later. When the policewoman told me who he really was, I could hardly believe my ears.”
Judge Raymond Adams told York that he was. “ shocked and horrified” that he got away with his deceiving for so long, and then sentenced him to eighteen months in a special prison for criminal with mental disorders.
“I can only hope that this will not lead to further problems. After all, you will have considerable opportunity to study the behaviour of the psychiatrists(精神科医生)who will look after you while you are there. If you try to persuade people that you yourself are a psychiatrist after you are set free, I shall make sure that you are given a much longer sentence.” Judge Adams warned York.
5. York was proud of the fact that ___________.
A. a surgeon let him watch an operation.
B. he could perform some duties of a doctor.
C. he had cheated doctors for so long
D. people thought he could become a real doctor
6. York learned how to behave like a doctor by __________.
A. watching other doctors work             B. talking to doctors and nurses
C. getting some training and experience         D. observing doctors while he was a patient
7. Why was Laura Kennan in hospital?
A. She had swallowed something and almost died.
B. She had to have and emergency operation.
C. She had been injured in a road accident.
D. She had lost consciousness while driving.
8. The judge’s remark implied that York would be more severely punished if he _________.
A. pretended to be a psychiatrist            B. tried to get away from prison
C. was proud of what he had done     D. studied the behaviour of the psychiatrist

I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability.

    I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”.

    I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc.

    I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.

1.What did the author study originally when he was in college?

A. Psychology  B. Commercial Arts   C. International Business   D. English Composition

2.What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?

A. He decided to study International Business at first.

B. He wanted to study two majors.

C. He liked Psychology better.

D. He chose his major with the help of his friends.

3.Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?

A. Because he heard some negative remarks about it.

B. Because he was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study.

C. Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam.

D. Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money.

4.Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?

A. Dull and challenging.             B. Interesting and easy.  

C. Interesting and challenging.        D. Dull and easy

5.According to the passage, the author _________.

A. was not able to find a full-time job

B. is most interested in writing

C. pays for his schooling with the help of his family

D. is satisfied with his achievements.

Brave Frenchman Found Half-way Around the World (NEW YORK)

A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.

Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year-old Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.

He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him.

“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”

Duret, an engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pier (码头) when he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.

When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.

Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.

The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.

“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”

Why was Duret in New York?

A. To meet his girlfriend.              B. To work as an engineer.

C. To spend his holiday.               D. To visit the Andersons.

What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?

A. He was interviewed by a newspaper.

B. He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes.

C. He went to the hospital in the ambulance.

D. He disappeared from the spot quickly.

Who dived after Duret into the river to save the little girl?

A. David Anderson.                 B. A passer-by. 

C. His girlfriend.                   D. A taxi driver.

When was Duret most probably found to be the very hero?

A. The day when he was leaving for home.

B. A couple of days after the girl was rescued.

C. The first day when he was in New York.

D. The same day when he was interviewed.

Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sévigné in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities（设备） to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgrum. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military’s Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity（辐射能）. Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia （白血病）on March 17, 1956.
【小题1】Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?