I try not to be biased（偏见）but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His social worker assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee. He was short, a little fat, with the smooth facial features and thick-togued speech of Down’s Syndrome（唐氏综合症）. I thought most of my customers would be uncomfortable around Stevie, so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.
I shouldn’t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my regular trucker customers had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished.
Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.
That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a heart surgery. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often had heart problems at an early age and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.
A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, did a little dance when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at her and asked, “Okay, Frannie, what was that all about?”
"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."
"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"
Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is."
Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.
After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand.
"What's up?" I asked.
“I cleared off that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting after they left, and I found this. This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup."
She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie".
That was three months ago. Today is New Year’s day , the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he had been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. I took him and his mother by their arms. “To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me.”
I led them toward a large corner booth. I could feel and hear truck customers and the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups and dinner plates, all sitting slightly on dozens of folded paper napkins.
"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said.
Stevie looked at me, and then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed on it.
I turned to his mother. “There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving!”
While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table.

1. 1.

   Why did the author have doubts about hiring Stevie?

   1. A.
      Stevie was not that reliable.
   2. B.
      Stevie was mentally disabled
   3. C.
      Stevie was too short and fat.
   4. D.
      Stevie was bad-tempered
2. 2.

   What made the author not fully satisfied with Stevie’s work?

   1. A.
      That he made customers uncomfortable.
   2. B.
      That he couldn’t pay attention to his duties.
   3. C.
      That he often spilled cups of coffee.
   4. D.
      That he usually cleaned the table too early.
3. 3.

   By saying the underlined words in Paragaraph3, the author meant that the money she paid Stevie       .   

   1. A.
      could help Stevie out of the trouble
   2. B.
      could send Stevie to a group home
   3. C.
      couldn’t thoroughly solve Stevie’s problem
   4. D.
      could make a great difference to Stevie’s life
4. 4.

   Why did the author ask Stevie to clean up the mess on the table?

   1. A.
      Stevie could pick up the money that was given to him.
   2. B.
      The table was so dirty that it needed cleaning.
   3. C.
      It was Stevie’s duty to clean the table.
   4. D.
      She wanted to congratulate Stevie on his coming back.
5. 5.

   What made Stevie popular among the staff and customers in the restaurant?

   1. A.
      His special appearance.
   2. B.
      His hard work and optimism.
   3. C.
      His funny speeches and actions.
   4. D.
      His kind-hearted behaviour.

I tried not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His social worker assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee. He was short, a little fat with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down’s Syndrome (唐氏综合症). I thought most of my customers would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.

I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his fat little finger, and within a month my regular truck customers had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot(吉祥物). After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished.

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.

That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a heart surgery. His social worker said that people with Down’s Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, did a little dance when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at her and asked, "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?"

"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."

"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"

Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.

After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I cleared off that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting after they left, and I found this was folded and put under a coffee cup."

She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie".

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His social worker said he had been counting the days until the doctor said he could work. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.

I led them toward a large corner booth. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, and dinner plates, all sitting slightly bent on dozens of folded paper napkins.

"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said.

Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed on it.

I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. "Happy Thanksgiving !"

Well, it got really noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny?

While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table.

55. Which of the following is true about Stevie?   

A. Stevie worked on a bus selling bus fare. 

B. Stevie was a mentally healthy boy.

C. Stevie was bad-tempered because he suffered Down’s Syndrome.               

D. Stevie wiped tables and mopped floors in a restaurant.

56. According to the story, which of the following sentences is true?

A. Stevie made customers uncomfortable.    B. Stevie usually cleaned the table too early

C. Stevie often spilled coffee out of cups.    D. Stevie couldn’t fix his attention on his work.

57. By saying the underlined sentence in Para. 3, the author meant that the money she paid Stevie ________.

A. could help Stevie out of the money trouble. 

B. couldn’t thoroughly solve Stevie’s problem.

C. could make a great difference to Stevie’s life.

D. couldn’t send Stevie to a group home.

58. Why did Frannie sigh after she got word that Stevie would be OK ?

A. She was worried about Stevie’s finance problem.

B. She was worried about Stevie’s health.

C. She was worried that the owner would fire Stevie.

D. She was worried that no one would help Stevie.

59. Why did the author ask Stevie to clean up the mess on the table after he returned?

A. It was Stevie’s duty to clean the table.

B. The table was so dirty that it needed cleaning.

C. Stevie would find the money that was given to him.

D. She wanted to congratulate Stevie on his coming back.

60. Stevie was popular among the staff and customers in the restaurant because of ______.

A. his special appearance.           B. his hard work and optimism.

C. his funny speeches and actions.    D. his kind-hearted behaviours.

Dear Dad,

Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father's Day cards. They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you. Yet as I selected and read, it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.

You'll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 55 Father's Days together. I haven't always been with you on Father's Day but I've always been with you in my heart.

You know, Dad, there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap. You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.

The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear ( 档位) when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the '54 Chevy whether you liked it or not. The police officer who sent me home, after you reported the Chevy stolen, didn't have much tolerance for a stub­born 16 year old, while you were so tolerant about it, Dad, and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.

Our relationship greatly improved when I married a man you liked, and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left. Somewhere along the line, the generation gap disappeared. I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together, rather like a fine wine.

But the strangest thing happened last week. I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car. It didn't immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car. It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.

I guess what I'm trying to say, Dad, is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today. Honoring a father on Father's Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking. It's about loving someone more than words can say, and it's wishing that never had to end.

I love you, Dad.

Love,

Jenny

1.How did Jenny probably feel on the night she was sent home by the police?

A. Disappointed. ????????????? B. Nervous. ????????????? C. Guilty.????? D. Frightened.

2.We can learn from the passage that Jenny and her father_________.

A. kept in touch by writing each other ?????????????

B. are separated due to the generation gap

C. have been getting along very well ?????????????

D. had a hard time understanding each other

3.Why did Jenny feel strange when she saw her father last week?.

A. She seldom saw him driving that huge car.

B.She had never realized his being old and weak.

C. She didn't expect to meet with him there.

D.She had never seen him driving so slowly before.

4.Jenny wrote his father this letter to _________

A. tell him about their conflicts ?

B. say sorry for her being stubborn

C. express her gratitude to him??

D. remind him of the early incident

Dear Dad,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father’s Day cards. They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you. Yet as I selected and read, it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.
You’ll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 55 Father’s Day together. I haven’t always been with you on Father’s Day but I’ve always been with you in my heart.
You know, Dad, there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap. You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.
The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear ( 档位) when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the '54 Chevy whether you liked it or not. The police officer who sent me home, after you reported the Chevy stolen, didn't have much tolerance for a stub­born 16 year old, while you were so tolerant about it, Dad, and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship greatly improved when I married a man you liked, and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left. Somewhere along the line, the generation gap disappeared. I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together, rather like a fine wine.
But the strangest thing happened last week. I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car. It didn't immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car. It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
I guess what I'm trying to say, Dad, is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today. Honoring a father on Father's Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking. It's about loving someone more than words can say, and it's wishing that never had to end.
I love you, Dad.
Love,
Jenny
1.How did Jenny probably feel on the night she was sent home by the police?

A．Disappointed. ????????????? B．Nervous. ????????????? C．Guilty.????????????? D．Frightened.

2.We can learn from the passage that Jenny and her father_________.

A．kept in touch by writing each other

B．are separated due to the generation gap

C．have been getting along very well

D．had a hard time understanding each other

3.Why did Jenny feel strange when she saw her father last week?.

A．She seldom saw him driving that huge car.

B．She had never realized his being old and weak.

C．She didn't expect to meet with him there.

D．She had never seen him driving so slowly before.

4.Jenny wrote his father this letter to _________

A．tell him about their conflicts????????????? B．say sorry for her being stubborn

C．express her gratitude to him????????????? D．remind him of the early incident

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出一个最佳选项。

I was a single parent of four small children，working at a minimum—wage job．Money was always   1   I never   2   any in the bank．It was Christmas time，and although there wasn’t money for a lot of gifts，we planned to decorate our home and celebrate with friends.

But the big   3    for the kids was the fun of Christmas shopping at the mall．They talked and   4  for weeks ahead of time，asking each other and their grandparents what they wanted for Christmas．I dreaded it．I had   5   $100 for presents to be shared by all five of us.

    The   6  day arrived and we started out early．I   7  the money equally among us and reminded them to  8  gifts about four dollars each．Then everyone scattered for shopping.

Back in the car driving home，everyone was  9 high Christmas spirits，but my younger daughter，Ginger，was unusually  10 .I could  11  through the plastic bag that she had bought candy bars—fifty—cent candy bars! I was so angry．For what did you swap the twenty dollars you   12  from me? I wanted to yell at her，but I didn’t say anything   13   we got home．I   14  her into my bedroom and closed the door，ready to be  15  again when I asked her what she had done with the money.

    “I was looking around，thinking of what to buy，and I stopped to   16   the little cards on one of the Salvation Army’s Giving Trees．One of the cards was for a little girl，four years old， and all she wanted for Christmas was  17   with clothes and a hairbrush．So I   18   the card off the tree and bought the doll and hairbrush for her and took it to the Salvation Army booth.’’

    “I only had   19   money left to buy candy bars for us，” Ginger continued，” but we have so much and she doesn’t have anything.”

    I never felt so   20   as I did that day.

1.     A．tight           B．adequate      C．short           D．ample

2.     A．withdrew        B．deposited    C．stored          D．hid

3.     A．day             B．excitement                       C．time       D．wish

4.     A．asked           B．searched      C．planned         D．waited

5.     A．included        B．borrowed      C．saved           D．charged

6.     A．fine            B．fair          C．funny           D．big

7.     A．allocated       B．contributed    C．assigned       D．advocated

8.     A．look up         B．look for      C．look through    D．look into

9.     A．in              B．at            C．for             D．of

10.  A．happy           B．upset         C．noisy           D．quiet

11.  A．tell            B．think         C．believe         D．consider

12.  A．cheated         B．grasped       C．attained        D．stole

13.  A．unless          B．until         C．as              D．since

14.  A．found           B．forced        C．seized          D．called

15.  A．angry           B．curious       C．excited         D．surprised

16.  A．watch           B．read          C．enjoy           D．buy

17.  A．card            B．toy           C．gift            D．doll

18.  A．took            B．kept          C．turned          D．1eft

19.   A．little          B．no            C．enough          D．many

20.   A．glad            B．poor          C．rich            D．great