Bum rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate would be $ 50,000 a month when my new media company started. So, I began looking around for individuals who would be my first investors. “Angel money” it was called. But when I reviewed my list of acquaintances to find those who might be able to help, I found the number got small.

　　With no other choices, I began meeting with the venture-capital companies. But I was warned they took a huge share of your company for the money they put in. And if you struggled, they could drop you cold.

　　As I was searching for “angel money”, I started to build a team who trusted me even though I didn't have money for paychecks yet.

　　Bill Becker was an expert in computer programming and image processing at a very famous Media Lab at M. I.T. With his arrival, my company suddenly had a major technology “guy” in-house.

　　Katherine Henderson, a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer, joined us as our director of market research. Steve White came on as operating officer. He had worked for the developer of a home-finance software, Quicken. We grabbed him.

　　We had some really good people, but we still didn't have enough money. One night, my neighbor, Louise Johnson, came for a visit. She and I were only nodding acquaintances, but her boys and ours were constant companions. She ran a very good business at the time.

　　Louise was brilliant and missed nothing. She had been watching my progress closely. She knew I was dying for money and I had prospects but could offer no guarantees of success.

　　She told me that her attorney had talked to mine and the terms had been agreed upon. She handed me an envelope. Inside was a check for $ 500,000.

　　I almost fell down. I heard her voice as if from heaven.

　　“I have confidence in your plan,” she said. “You' 11 do well. You're going to work hard for it, but it' s satisfying when you build your own company.”

　　Who would have thought I'd find an angel so close to home? There were no words sufficient for the moment. We just said good night. She left and I just stood there, completely humbled and completely committed.

1.For a newly-established business, bum rate refers to___________.

A. the salary it pays to its staff

B. the interest it pays to the bank

C. the way in which it raises capital

D. the speed at which it spends money

2.By "Angel money", the author refers to__________.

A. the money borrowed from banks

B. the money spent to promote sales

C. the money raised from close friends

D. the money needed to start a business

3.To get help from a venture-capital company, you may have to__________.

A. put up with unfair terms　         B. change your business line

C. enlarge your business scope      　D. let them operate your business

4.The author easily built a team for his company because__________.

A. they were underpaid at their previous jobs

B. they were turned down by other companies

C. they were confident of the author and his business

D. they were satisfied with the salaries in his company

5.Louise decided to lend money to the author because__________.

A. she wanted to join his company

B. she knew he would build a team

C. she knew his plan would succeed

D. she wanted to help promote his sales

第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从16-35各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
The Price of a Dream
　　I grew up poor—living with my wonderful mother. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I was 　16　 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 　17　 a dream.
My dream was 　18　. By the time I was sixteen, I started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and 　19　 anything that moved on the football field.
I was also  20　. My high school coach was John, who not only believed in me, but also taught me 　21　to believe in myself. He 　22　 me the difference between having a dream and remaining true to that dream. One particular 　23　 with Coach John changed my life forever.
　　A friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket—money for a new bike, new clothes and the 　24　 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 　25　 up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing.
　　When I told John, he was 　26　 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” He shouted. “Your 　27　 days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them.” I stood before him with my head 　28　, trying to think of the right　29　　that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 　30　 in me.
　　“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” He asked. “3.5 dollars an hour,” I replied.
　　“Well,” he asked, “is $ 3.5 an hour the price of a dream?”
　　That simple question made  31    for me the difference between  32 　something at once and having a 　33　. I decided myself to play sports that summer and the ___34    year after I finished high school, I was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 　35　 a $ 20,000 contract. Finally, I bought my mother the house of my dream!
16. A. happy                 B. polite　             C. shy　                        D. honest
17. A. live                    B. have　　　       C. make　　　           D. need
18. A. athletics                 B. music　　　     C. business　　              D. money
19. A. kick                   B. play                   C. pass　　　　             D. hit
20. A. right                   B. popular　　       C. lucky　　　             D. honest
21. A. how                   B. why　　　        C. when　　　           D. whether
22. A. gave                   B. taught　　　     C. brought　　　          D. asked
23. A. accident                 B. matter　　      C. problem　　            D. experience
24. A. aim　　　　    B. idea　　　       C. start　　　　           D. purpose
25. A. keep　　　      B. end　　　       C. give　　　　           D. pick
26. A. mad　　　　     B. mournful　             C. frightened　           D. shameful
27. A. living　　　     B. playing　　        C. working　　            D. dreaming
28. A. moving　　      B. nodding　　       C. shaking　　           D. hanging
29. A. answers　　      B. excuses　　        C. words　　　            D. ways
30. A. sadness　　    B. regret　            C. hopelessness           D. disappointment
31. A. direct　　　　  B. clear　　           C. straight　　　      D. bare
32. A. wanting　　　    B. changing　　       C. dreaming　　           D. enjoying
33. A. wish　　　　　 B. goal　　　                 C. score　　　　      D. desire
34. A. following　　　 B. same　　           C. previous　　            D. very
35. A. charged　　　　B. got　　　　         C. offered　　       D. presented

四、写作（共两节，满分35分）

第一节 短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）

　　以下标有题号的每一行均有一个错误，请找出，并按下列情况改正：

　　此行多一个词：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉，在该行右边横线上写出该词，并也用斜线划掉。

　　此行缺一个词：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），在该行右边横线上写出该加的词。

　　此行错一个词：在错的词下划一横线，在该行右边横线上写出改正后的词。

注意：请在答题卡上作答。

John stayed up late last night, so while he woke up in the                     76．__________

morning, it was already 9 o’clock. He thought, “I was late for                        77．__________

school.” Then he got dressed quickly and washed him                                           78．__________

in no more than ten seconds and hurried into living-room                               79．__________

where his mother was preparing for breakfast. Before his mother                           80．__________

could say anything, he told her, “Mum, it is too late that I                              81．__________

have no time enjoy my breakfast. Good-bye!” With these words                            82．__________

he got his schoolbag but ran out. On the way to school, he                              83．__________

rode fast. It took him ten minutes, four minutes less than usually, to                84．__________

come to the school gate. To his great surprises, it was closed. “Ha!                  85．__________

It is Saturday! How forgetful I am today!”

Never before had I imagined I should have the opportunity to live with so many girls．Would  they 　36　such a single “Hi” from me? I was about to greet my new roommates，　37　they did  not seem to have the same 　38　attention that I had．They just dealt with their own 　39　， sorting out their clothes，and making arrangements for their university life．Thus tranquility（宁静）
became the 　40　atmosphere in the dormitory．
To my surprise，　41　such a situation，I did not feel a sense of 　42　．With time going on，we got to know each other deeper．I was　43　to find that in deep soul we all had great dreams and belonged to the same　44　．
However，not long before the 　45 　was disturbed by my own upset of mind for study pressure．What I was　46　about seemed to have 　47　to do with them and what they were doing and talking about seemed so far away from me．However，one incident changed my 　48　and made me treasure this kind of 　49　better and more confident in our friendship．
One day，when I was leaving the teachers’ office，it was in complete silence and frightening 　50　．At my dormitory gate，I was startled （使惊奇）to find there still 　51 　a little light glimmering in the darkness，so faint but yet so clear．Just under the 　52　of the light，I went to the room without any difficulty．They were in sound sleep，leaving the 　53　light on in the calm world．Tears rolled down my cheeks．
I know 　54　that we all like tranquility，both in environment and in our mind．It is the care that 　55　all the misunderstandings and unpleasantness．