For shopoholics, the post-Christmas period means only one thing ---- sales! Across the country, prices are reducing sharply on clothing, electronics and home furniture, but London is the place for serious shopping, and you can certainly pick up some amazing bargains.

The sales start on Boxing Day — 26th December, and continue for the month of January, but the keenest bargain hunters get there early to be first through the doors. In Oxford Street queues formed outside shops ahead of before-dawn openings for the start of their sales. At Brent Cross, in north London, more than 1,000 people were queuing at 3.30 am for the ‘Next’ clothing store’s sale which began at 4 am. Some eager individuals even camped outside the shops to be first in the line.

Consumers who hit the shops were rewarded with discounts of as much as 80% as department stores joined the bargain sales. The shops are very crowded as the sales reached the boiling-point, with more than half a million people gathering on London’s West End.

Famous sales include the biggest, most popular shops such as Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty and John Lewis. Department stores are always a good bet — you’re likely to find everything you need under one roof, including much-needed food and drinks!

It’s a good time to stock up on cheap small tools, and there’s no better time to invest in some designer clothes.

Some people are taking their partners shopping with them, and buying their Christmas presents in the sale----a practical but unromantic way of making sure you get the gift you really want. For a less exciting but less stressful shopping experience, online sellers are also getting in on the act with January sales of their own.

The most organized of all are those who are already doing their present shopping for next Christmas, in the January sales!

1.In the sales, people can buy, at a very low price, all of the following except ______.

2. We can learn from the passage that the sales ______.

3.“Hit the shops” in the third paragraph means to ______.

4.     What is the best title for this passage?

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项

Wings of Angel

    I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not   36  . I had a severe spinal cord disorder(脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much   37  than others.

I hated going to school and I hated   38   at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing   39  and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the   40  and seeing an ugly and hunchback(驼背).

My friends found me   41  because I didn’t let other get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life   42  Angela appeared.

That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school—a spot where no one would

  43  me. That’s when I first heard your voice.

“Hi. Can I sit down?”

I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.

“What are you looking at?” you asked.

“Ants.”

“What are they doing?”

 “No   44  .”

“I bet they’re playing games and make friends. Don’t you think so?”

That was how our   45  started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun—the ants, the clouds, my little niche(处境)—until it was sunset.

Then suddenly, you saw my   46  . She just stared.

My heart   47  . What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would   48   me now.

She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know why your back is hunched.”

I closed my eyes like a criminal waiting to be   50  . I begged in my heart for her to   51  , but you just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”

“No,” I answered   52  .

She bent and whispered in my ears.

“Your back is bunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”

I was   53  . I looked into your eyes and her   54  touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to   55  myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind – hearted friend.

36．A．them B．it      C．mo    D．her

37．A．sadder      B．shorter      C．weaker     D．slower

38．A．looking    B．smiling     C．aiming      D．glaring

39．A．still   B．alone C．straight     D．together

40．A．street B．sun    C．corner      D．mirror

41．A．distant      B．stubborn   C．hopeless    D．unfortunate

42．A．after B．before      C．since D．until

43．A．disturb     B．seek  C．interrupt   D．ignore

44．A．wonder     B．idea   C．sign   D．action

45．A．connection       B．competition      C．conversation     D．comprehension

46．A．face  B．back  C．eyes  D．shoulders

47．A．sank  B．beat  C．broke       D．ached

48．A．care for    B．rely on     C．look down upon      D．put up with

49．A．that   B．how  C．whether    D．why

50．A．accused    B．arrested    C．punished   D．sentenced

51．A．relax B．leave C．stop   D．pause

52．A．shyly B．weakly     C．proudly    D．firmly

53．A．astonished B．ashamed   C．annoyed    D．amused

54．A．wisdom    B．generosity C．honesty     D．kindness

55．A．control     B．like   C．comfort    D．enjoy

E
The key to happiness is how quickly you can get back your focus on what’s important.
-----Anonymous
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, who almost caused a big accident, started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage (rubbish) trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.
I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do anymore."
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
72. What happened one day when the author was taking a taxi?
A. The taxi almost hit another car.
B. The taxi driver was injured.
C. The author scolded the driver of the other car.
D. The author learned a lesson from the driver of the garbage truck.
73. How did the taxi driver respond to the behaviour of the driver of the black car?
A. He yelled back at the driver.            B. He sent the driver to the hospital.
C. He was friendly towards the driver.  D. He dumped some garbage in front of his car.
74. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A. The author used to have a lot of garbage trucks.
B. The author used to complain a lot.
C. The author used to have a lot of money.
D. The author used to be a good manager.
75. According to the passage, what should you do if people “dump garbage” on you?
A. Ignore them and go on with our own work.
B. Try our best to persuade them not to do that again.
C. Tell them to dump the garbage in the right place.
D. Take over their work and carry the garbage to somewhere else. 

第二节语法填空 (共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)

One day, Henry Adam, an American businessman, sailed out of the bay.    11   (luck) he was carried out to sea by a strong wind. Just when hope was about gone, he was picked up by a ship for London. In the ship he earned his passage by   12  (work) without pay, as a common sailor. When he got to London he was almost   13  .(penny)

On the following morning Henry was wandering on the pavement, when a window behind him was raised, and a gentleman asked him to step in. He   14  (show) into a room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. A couple of days   15   these two old and wealthy brothers had been having a hot argument what might happen to a stranger in London without a friend, and with no money   16   a million-pound bank-note. One said he   17  (starve) to death; the other said he wouldn't. So they agreed to decide it by a bet. They wrote a   18   with the million-pound bank-note in it. Then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to until Henry came along.

After they had his story, one of   19   handed Henry an envelope, and said he would find the explanation inside. After promising   20   to open it until 2 o’clock, Henry took his leave.

第二节完型填空（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36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项
Wings of Angel
I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not   36  . I had a severe spinal cord disorder(脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much   37  than others.
I hated going to school and I hated   38   at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing   39  and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the   40  and seeing an ugly and hunchback(驼背).
My friends found me   41  because I didn’t let other get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life   42  Angela appeared.
That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school—a spot where no one would
43  me. That’s when I first heard your voice.
“Hi. Can I sit down?”
I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.
“What are you looking at?” you asked.
“Ants.”
“What are they doing?”
“No   44  .”
“I bet they’re playing games and make friends. Don’t you think so?”
That was how our   45  started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun—the ants, the clouds, my little niche(处境)—until it was sunset.
Then suddenly, you saw my   46  . She just stared.
My heart   47  . What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would   48   me now.
She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know why your back is hunched.”
I closed my eyes like a criminal waiting to be   50  . I begged in my heart for her to   51  , but you just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”
“No,” I answered   52  .
She bent and whispered in my ears.
“Your back is bunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”
I was   53  . I looked into your eyes and her   54  touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to   55  myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind – hearted friend.
36．A．them B．it      C．mo    D．her
37．A．sadder      B．shorter      C．weaker     D．slower
38．A．looking    B．smiling     C．aiming      D．glaring
39．A．still   B．alone C．straight     D．together
40．A．street B．sun    C．corner      D．mirror
41．A．distant      B．stubborn   C．hopeless    D．unfortunate
42．A．after  B．before      C．since D．until
43．A．disturb     B．seek  C．interrupt   D．ignore
44．A．wonder     B．idea   C．sign   D．action
45．A．connection       B．competition      C．conversation     D．comprehension
46．A．face  B．back  C．eyes  D．shoulders
47．A．sank  B．beat   C．broke       D．ached
48．A．care for    B．rely on     C．look down upon      D．put up with
49．A．that   B．how  C．whether    D．why
50．A．accused    B．arrested    C．punished   D．sentenced
51．A．relax B．leave C．stop   D．pause
52．A．shyly B．weakly     C．proudly    D．firmly
53．A．astonished B．ashamed   C．annoyed    D．amused
54．A．wisdom    B．generosity C．honesty     D．kindness
55．A．control     B．like   C．comfort    D．enjoy