It was a cold winter’s night when I stopped for gas on my way home from work. I was tired and had a slight   36 .

I worked in a   37  doctor’s office and this was one of those days when the unexpected happened, making the schedule run   38  than usual. It seemed I was going to be late   39  home and my husband, being the   40  person, would be ready to pronounce me late once again. Maybe   41  I hurried, I could still make it home.

I was heading inside to   42  for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter. I heard them asking for   43  to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just   44  a few minutes ago.

The young man at the counter was trying to be   45  in explaining how to get there, with two other people making   46 . One of them was   47  trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, “Would you like to follow me to the   48 ?”

A look of   49  crossed the woman’s face.

“I’m going right by there,” I said, which wasn’t a(an)   50  since I had just made up my mind to do   51  that.

I got in my car and began the journey back. I was trying to watch to be sure they were right   52  me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there as rush hour traffic was beginning to   53 . I felt better than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.

Later, as I arrived home, my husband   54 , “So you aren’t ever late any more.”

I said, “Sometimes it’s   55  to be late.”

请在表格中的空格里填入最恰当的单词，每个空格只限填1个单词。

Chinese, unlike many other languages, has a large family of dialects and written forms. Spoken Chinese is specially complex with more than five recognized dialect groups, even the written language with two recognized characters.

The written forms of Chinese include a traditional system of characters and a simplified one. The simplified version of characters came into use in 1949.

Traditional Chinese characters are still widely used throughout Asia and among Chinese people around the world, while the simplified characters are only found in the People’s Republic of China.

It is usually accepted that there are five major dialect groups within the Chinese language group. These are Mandarin, Wu, Min, Cantonese and Hakka.

Mandarin is the official language on the Chinese mainland and Chinese Taiwan. It  is also one of the four official languages of Singapore.

Wu is spoken around the lower Yangtze River and its tributaies(支流). Shanghai is a well-known dialect of Wu.

Min is commonly spoken by people in Taiwan, Fujian and Hainan. Cantonese is mainly spoken in the province of Guangdong. Cantonese is also spoken in many parts of the Chinese Diaspra(移居地), particularly Hong Kong and overseas Chinese settlements in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia. Hakka is the least well-known dialect group inside China compared to the above four. Most of the Hakka dialect group is scattered(散居) throughout southeastern China in Guangxi Province. Historically, the Hakka people were northerners who moved south over several hundred years. Their name Hakka means “guest” indicaing their immigrant(移民) status in the southern areas to which they moved.

The Best Rice Cookers

☆☆☆☆Tefal Automatic 2W3 Classic Rice Cooker

One of the largest rice cookers on the market, with a 2-litre capacity （容量）（up to 12 servings）．It looks "rather utilitarian", but gives "the least sticky results" and its removable power cord means it can be taken outdoors or to the table．It comes with eight recipes and once cooking is completed it automatically switches to "keep-warm mode"．Price; $29．99．Call 0800-616413 for stockists．

☆☆☆ Keiswood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC310

A "stylish looking machine with a heavy glass lid and a steam tray for steaming fish and vegetables．It cooks up to ten portions of rice（l．8-litre capacity）, and produces "good results" although the rice tends to get sticky on the bottom layer．It keeps the rice warm once cooking is completed, but the power cord is not removable．Price:$34．99．Call 01705-392333 for stockists．

☆☆☆Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W

This cooker has a one – litre capacity (five portions of rice) and keeps rice warm for up to 12 hours after cooking. The lid has a clip – lock and is sealed so cooking is pressurized. It cooks rice “perfectly”, though “at a price”. Price: $ 109.90. Call 0181 – 9982100 for stockists.

☆☆☆Magimix – 2 – Tier Steamer

    A double – layer steamer with two large stainless – steel steam baskets. Rice is cooked in a heat – proff dish which is inserted in the bottom tier (层). It is “perfectly done” in just 20 minutes, with “no stickiness or scorching (烧焦).” The rice can also be kept warm on half power. Price: $ 89.95. Call 04183 – 427411 for stockiest.

☆☆☆Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Raf 4241)

    A four – portion steamer which takes just ten mantes in the microwave to cook four “fluffy” portions of rice. It is alos suitable for vegetables, noodles and pasta and is “great for smallest quantities”. Price: $ 5.95. Call 015394 – 88100 to order.

☆☆Hinari Steam Supreme

A double – layer steamer which comes with an additional rice bowl and lid. Its main drawbacks are “time and capacity”; the rice bowl can only hold two portions and this takes 55 minutes to cool. The instructions are also confusing. “Good as a general steamer, mediocre as a rice cooker”. Price: $ 19.99. Call Alba Ltd on 0181 – 7873111 for stockiest.

Which of the following is unlikely to be considered by a housewife who hates washing sticky cookers?

       A．Tefal Automatic 2003 Classic Rice Cooker

       B．Kenwood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC 310

       C．magimix 2 – Tier Steamer

       D．Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Ref 4241)

      may not be so popular with customers as others because it is time – consuming, low in capacity and vague in instructions.

       A．Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W

       B．Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Ref4241)

       C．Hinari Steam Supreme

       D．Kenwood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC 310

The phrase “at a price” describing Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W implies that its price is           .

       A．low   B．high  C．above average  D．reasonable

It is interesting how NASA(美国航空航天管理局)chose their astronauts for landing them on the moon. They chose men  26  the age of twenty and thirty-five. There were about fifty of them, Many were  27  air pilots.  28 were scientists with two or three degrees. NASA telephoned each man they were going to choose; told him the plans and the  29  they might get in. They then asked him if he was willing to be trained as an astronaut. “How could any man  30 such an exciting job?” One of them said, “Dangerous? Of course. It’s dangerous  31 most exciting”

The health and physical condition of  32 was, of course, very necessary.  33  those in very good health and physical condition were chosen.

While being trained to be astronauts. They went through many  34 . They studied the star and the moon, and they also studied geology, the science of rocks. This was necessary  35  astronauts would have to look for rocks on the moon. They would try to find rocks which might help to tell the  36 of the moon. They were all  37 to fly in helicopters （直升飞机）。These helicopters landed  38 down to give them some experience of the way the spaceship would  39 land on the moon , They were also taught the  40  facts about the conditions in space. They learnt all the technical details of the spaceships and rockets. They visited the scientists and engineers who  41 them. They visited the factories where they were  42. They learnt how every 43 of a space-ship and its instruments work. They also learnt every detail of ground-control  44 .

In a word, to be chosen as an astronaut. One must be in good health,  45  in science and good at piloting.

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended．In a natural reflex (反应), I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office.

In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility (谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．

The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．at the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer．

In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见)．I remember a time, at age 17 — I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．

    But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．

1.We can learn from the first two paragraphs that____________________．

A．the author regretted his act of prejudice

B．the blind woman needed the money badly

C．the author was as poor as the blind woman

D．the author was a native American

2.According to Paragraph 4, hearing the father’s words, the author was probably_____．

A．rather hurt     B．very excited     C．deeply moved      D．greatly inspired

3.According to the passage, the author probably agrees that one should________．

A．be nice to the elderly and the disabled

B．try to experience different kinds of life

C．treat others equally with love and respect

D．think about one’s past as often as possible

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Learn from Your Past               B．How My Dream Comes True

C．A Belief That Will Never Change      D．A Priceless Lesson in the Street