The sun was shining when I got on No. 151 bus. We passengers sat jammed in heavy clothes. No one spoke. That’s one of the 36 rules. Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to 37 behind our newspapers. People who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their 38.

As the bus came near the Mile, a 39 suddenly rang out, “40! This is your driver speaking.” We 41 the back of the driver’s head. “Put your papers down. All of you.” The 42 came down. “Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go 43.” 

Surprisingly we all did it. Still no one smiled. I faced an older woman, her head wrapped in a red scarf. I saw her 44 every day. Our eyes met. We waited for the next  45 from the driver. “Now repeat after me. Good morning, neighbor!”

Our voices were 46. For many of us, these were the 47 words we had spoken that day. But we said them together, like 48, to the strangers beside us. We couldn’t help 49. There was the feeling of relief(解脱) that we were not being robbed. Moreover, there was the sense of ice being 50. “Good morning, neighbor.” It was not so 51 after all. Some of us repeated it, others shook hands, and many laughed.

The bus driver said nothing more. He didn’t 52 to. Not a single newspaper went back up. I heard laughter, a warm sound I had 53 heard before in bus No. 151.

When I 54 my stop, I said goodbye to my seatmate, and then jumped off the bus. That day I was 55 off happily.

The house was quiet at 5 am and Tim’s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He’d dreamt of the cave last night. The purring（轻微颤动声）of the freezer had been the sea.                                         
Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He’d eat after he’d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.
He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches—but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches. She’d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table:
Gone to Michael’s. Back tonight, Tim.
The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn’t up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
The sand hills still breathed heat from yesterday’s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea. The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world.
Over the first rocks, along to the point, Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.
He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn’t go in all the way...
【小题1】What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?

SECTION B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C, and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
It was early spring. The sun was strong and warm. I went over the hillside fields behind my village,   36   buntings and linnets, the birds I loved most.
I turned along a bush between two fields where I had seen the birds before, but on this fine day almost the first birds that I saw were winter visitors. I was  37   not to see a bunting straightaway, but I went on, stopping occasionally to look at the black-thorn (黑刺李) flowers in the bush, and   38  I did hear a bunting singing. Or was it? Was I not perhaps turning a note of skylark (云雀) song into that of the song I was hoping to hear?
But the bunting’s songwas prettyclear, andwithin afew minutesI was proved
  39 . The song was coming from the bush, and as I approached   40   I saw the brown bird resting in a small tree. It opened its mouth, and   41  once more. Then it flew off. It was the only one I saw that day, but at least I had found one of the birds I had   42  .
It was not until I was on my way back home that I caught sight of some    43  . I saw five of them gathering on the ground when I was just coming back beside the
   44   where I had found the bunting. As I came nearer, they flew up, spreading their tails so that their white edges    45   to look like a white fan in the sky. Then, to my
   46  , some big pigeons suddenly came flying and joined the linnets. A moment later they had all    47 but I had fulfilled my hopes for the day.
36.A. looking at     B. looking for C. looking up  D. looking after
37.A. disappointed B. dismissed   C. dissatisfied D. disturbed
38.A. directly B. gradually   C. suddenly    D. immediately
39.A. proper   B. right C. useful        D. true
40.A. sadly     B. hurriedly   C. proudly     D. quietly
41.A. danced  B. ate      C. sang    D. shouted
42.A. observed      B. noticed       C. expected     D. described
43.A. linnets B. skylarks     C. pigeons     D. buntings
44.A. bush     B. road   C. grass   D. black-thorn
45.A. widened       B. enlarged     C. lengthened  D. expanded
46.A. knowledge   B. pleasure     C. amusement       D. honour
47.A. gathered       B. lost     C. missed       D. gone

The sun was shining brightly, _______ everything there _______ more beautiful.

　 A. making; look 　B. to make; looked C. and made; looking 　 D. and making; be looked

“Christmas comes but once a year” is a familiar phrase，and indeed for many people the 25th of December is the highlight of the calendar.

But for one British man once a year is not enough.Andy Park，who is better known by his nickname Mr.Christmas，has celebrated Christmas every single day for the last 14 years.

The 44?year?old electrician claims to have eaten a full roast dinner every day for the last decade and a half，having his way through over 5,000 turkeys,117,000 Brussels sprouts，and around 30,000 roast potatoes in the process.He also sends himself a Christmas card every day and looks forward to opening a present he has bought himself each evening，while watching the Queen's Speech.

Mr.Park estimates (估价) his festive fetish costs him ￡150 (1,570 yuan) a week.This year，however，the divorcee says he is feeling the pinch (拮据) due to the global financial crisis，and is decreasing his celebrations.His Christmas habit is putting a strain on more than just his wallet.Mr.Park was previously warned by his doctor that his Christmas addiction could kill him.His daily over?cost has caused his weight up to 19 stone (121kg)．

“I'll never forget the day it started，” said Mr.Park.“The sun was shining，but I was just feeling fed up and bored，so I went home and put the decorations up.Suddenly I was happy.I thought，this is fun.So I did it again the next day，and the day after that.”

And Mr.Park has not been content to keep his Christmas cheer to himself.In 2005 he released a song which was called “It's Christmas Every Day”，but has yet to find chart success.

1．How old was Mr.Park when he first celebrated his daily Christmas?

A．44. 　　　　　　　　 B．24.

C．22. 　　　　　　　　 D．29.

2．The doctor warned him because________.

A．he spent too much money on Christmas

B．his addiction and diet did harm to his health

C．he ate too much and became poor

D．Mr.Park felt bad and worried

3．He did many things to celebrate daily Christmas EXCEPT________.

A．buying a Christmas card for himself

B．inviting friends to his home

C．setting many decorations at home

D．having a big meal

4．How will Mr.Park deal with his pinch?

A．By decreasing Christmas decoration.

B．By canceling his daily Christmas.

C．By recording a Christmas song.　

D．By seeing his doctor.