My son Jack, a fourth grader, was having a hard time in getting interested in story books recently, so I offered to read the first few chapters to him. In the early pages of ‘Incident at Halk Hill’, a quiet little boy has a special meeting with a female badger (獾).Soon after, another badger is caught in a steel leg trap(陷阱), and the author describes in detail the pain and scare of an animal struggling to its death. We meet the cruel hunter and his ill treatment of a dog; we see the badger being skinned by the boy's father；and we experience the child's confusion when beaten by his father in anger. Pretty heavy going for ten-year-olds, I thought.
Last night , I returned from a weekend away to find that Jack had finished the whole book on his own. “It was really, really good and sad, and violent，” he reported. “There was a lot of killing.”
“Were there any happy parts?" I asked,
"The boy's life was saved by the badger, and that was good. But then that badger got caught in a trap again and at the end it's dying, too. ” Jack said, "It was so sad that I almost cried. ”
I told him that many books have made me cry, beginning with Heidi, when I was just his age, right on up to the novel I finished last week.
“Well，” he admitted then, “I actually did cry. Reading that book just reminded me of all the sadness in the world, and it made me feel sad ,too. ”
So, I think, now he has been through the sad tone of the passage , the discovery that words on a printed page can give rise to such strong emotion ，that a book can move you right out of your own comfortable little self and into someone else's pain. Thus we come to realize that if we are to remain fully engaged in life, open to its mysteries and feel sorry towards its suffering, we indeed need stories to grab（抓住） us by the neck and remind us of the sadness in the world that is not our own.
【小题1】‘Incident at Halk Hill’ is a _______story.

My son Jack, a fourth grader, was having a hard time in getting interested in story books recently, so I offered to read the first few chapters to him. In the early pages of ‘Incident at Halk Hill’, a quiet little boy has a special meeting with a female badger (獾).Soon after, another badger is caught in a steel leg trap(陷阱), and the author describes in detail the pain and scare of an animal struggling to its death. We meet the cruel hunter and his ill treatment of a dog; we see the badger being skinned by the boy's father；and we experience the child's confusion when beaten by his father in anger. Pretty heavy going for ten-year-olds, I thought.
Last night , I returned from a weekend away to find that Jack had finished the whole book on his own. “It was really, really good and sad, and violent，” he reported. “There was a lot of killing.”
“Were there any happy parts?" I asked,
"The boy's life was saved by the badger, and that was good. But then that badger got caught in a trap again and at the end it's dying, too. ” Jack said, "It was so sad that I almost cried. ”
I told him that many books have made me cry, beginning with Heidi, when I was just his age, right on up to the novel I finished last week.
“Well，” he admitted then, “I actually did cry. Reading that book just reminded me of all the sadness in the world, and it made me feel sad ,too. ”
So, I think, now he has been through the sad tone of the passage , the discovery that words on a printed page can give rise to such strong emotion ，that a book can move you right out of your own comfortable little self and into someone else's pain. Thus we come to realize that if we are to remain fully engaged in life, open to its mysteries and feel sorry towards its suffering, we indeed need stories to grab（抓住） us by the neck and remind us of the sadness in the world that is not our own

1. 1.

   ‘Incident at Halk Hill’ is a _______story

   1. A.
      sad
   2. B.
      happy
   3. C.
      funny
   4. D.
      boring
2. 2.

   The underlined sentence “Pretty heavy going for ten-year-olds" means____

   1. A.
      the book is too long for a ten year old child
   2. B.
      the book is too difficult for a ten year old child
   3. C.
      the book is too violent(暴力) for a ten year old child
   4. D.
      the book is too pretty for a ten year old child
3. 3.

   According to the passage , stories can be something to help you_____

   1. A.
      enjoy your spare time
   2. B.
      develop your care for animals
   3. C.
      realize the truth of life
   4. D.
      think about your own life
4. 4.

   By writing the passage, the writer mainly wants to____

   1. A.
      tell a story that interested his son
   2. B.
      show the importance of reading stories
   3. C.
      share an experience between himself and his son
   4. D.
      show how to make children interested in books

My Fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease (老年痴呆症).

Upon learning this news, Nancy & I had to decide whether as private citizens we would   36   this a private matter or we would make this news known in a   37   way.

In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer   38   I had my cancer surgeries (外科手术). We found that after we told it to the public, we were able to   39   public awareness(意识). We were happy that   40   many more people went to have a test. They were treated in early stages and able to   41   to normal, healthy lives.

So now, we feel it is   42   to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater   43   of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are   44   by it.

At the moment I feel just fine. I’d   45   to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have   46   done. I will continue to share   47    journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch   48   my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s Disease   49  , the family often suffers a lot. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this   50   experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will   51   it with faith and courage.

At last, let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of   52    me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home,   53   that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and endless optimism (乐观) for its future.

I now begin this   54   that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright   55   ahead.

Thank you my friends. May God always bless you.

                                                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                              Ronald Reagan

A. stay                    B. keep                        C. hold                         D. pretend

A. proper                   B. good                        C. public                   D. suitable

A. and                    B. but                          C. or                            D. so

A. raise                   B. make                       C. take                         D. turn

A. by the way             B. on condition             C. in a whole             D. as a result

A. repeat                    B. cover                    C. return                   D. replace

A. impossible             B. important              C. pity                      D. obvious

A. care                B. encouragement       C. awareness           D. decision

A. protected            B. affected                    C. examined              D. effected

A. intend                  B. want                        C. love                      D. continue

A. finally                 B. seldom                     C. always                      D. rarely

A. life’s                   B. one’s                     C. other’s                   D. today’s

A. for                   B. with                         C. by                        D. on

A. progresses            B. cures                    C. removes                D. recovers

A. meaningful          B. useful                   C. careful                      D. painful

A. treat                    B. see                           C. face                      D. consider

A. having                 B. allowing                   C. showing                D. declaring

A. whoever                  B. wherever                  C. whenever              D. whatever

A. life                   B. road                         C. line                       D. journey

A. evening            B. day                          C. night                     D. dawn

My Fellow Americans,
I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease (老年痴呆症).
Upon learning this news, Nancy & I had to decide whether as private citizens we would  36  this a private matter or we would make this news known in a  37  way.
In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer  38  I had my cancer surgeries (外科手术). We found that after we told it to the public, we were able to  39  public awareness(意识). We were happy that  40   many more people went to have a test. They were treated in early stages and able to  41  to normal, healthy lives.
So now, we feel it is  42   to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater  43  of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are  44   by it.
At the moment I feel just fine. I’d  45   to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have  46  done. I will continue to share  47    journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch  48   my friends and supporters.
Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s Disease  49 , the family often suffers a lot. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this   50  experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will   51  it with faith and courage.
At last, let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of  52   me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home,  53  that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and endless optimism (乐观) for its future.
I now begin this  54  that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright   55  ahead.
Thank you my friends. May God always bless you.
Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan

My Fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease (老年痴呆症).

Upon learning this news, Nancy & I had to decide whether as private citizens we would  36  this a private matter or we would make this news known in a  37  way.

In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer  38  I had my cancer surgeries (外科手术). We found that after we told it to the public, we were able to  39  public awareness(意识). We were happy that  40   many more people went to have a test. They were treated in early stages and able to  41  to normal, healthy lives.

So now, we feel it is  42   to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater  43  of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are  44   by it.

At the moment I feel just fine. I’d  45   to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have  46  done. I will continue to share  47    journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch  48   my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s Disease  49 , the family often suffers a lot. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this   50  experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will   51  it with faith and courage.

At last, let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of  52   me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home,  53  that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and endless optimism (乐观) for its future.

I now begin this  54  that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright   55  ahead.

Thank you my friends. May God always bless you.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan