My Favorite Sweater
by Bonnie Highswith Taylor
My favorite sweater grew too small.
I love that sweater best of all.
My grandma made it when I was three.
She made that sweater just for me.
I picked the yarn(纱线)， a special blue.
The color of bluebells, wet with dew (露珠).
When I was three I was very small.
But now I’m five and much too tall.
I have a new jacket now that’s green.
So I gave my sweater to our cat Queen.
Queen just had kittens out in the shed (小屋)。
My favorite sweater is now their bed.
【小题1】 Who is the writer of the poem?

Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier.
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future —for example, getting into college or getting a good job —that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives.
Another secret to living a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget about your problems, and only think about the activity. Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.
【小题1】The best title of the passage is ________.

Everyone needs friends. Friends bring us happiness and hope in our lives. But the ability (能力)to make friends changes from person to person. To some people, making friends is easy, and to others it’s very difficult.
Making friends is a skill, and the first thing is to know how to get along with others.
If you have trouble in making friends, maybe I can tell you how to do it.
★Realize your own good points. You have skills and talents that others will like.
★Believe that you are a good person and have something nice to share with others.
★Be humorous. Learn to laugh at yourself and your weakness. Remember to smile to others.
★Respect the others. Everyone has his own idea. Learn how to listen to others’ ideas without trying to make them accept yours.
★Be kind. If you are kind to others, they will usually be kind to you. There are hundreds of little things you can do to show kindness. Open the door for someone. Wave to a friend and so on.
★Don’t complain. Learn to accept what you can’t change, and work hard to change what you can. No one is willing to hear your complaining all the time.
★Never give up. Even if you are faced with some closed-minded people, never give up. And try to find someone who will understand you.
【小题1】 Why do we need friends according to the passage?

Nora is an American girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little sister. Her name is Kate. Kate is only four. Nora likes Kate very much.
Today is Sunday. Nora wants her pen. She takes out her pencil case. “Oh, dear! Where’s my pen?” She can’t find her pen. She goes to ask her sister in her bedroom.
“Kate! I can’t find my pen. Can you see……Oh, what are you doing with (用) my pen?”
“I’m writing to my friend, Betty.” Kate answers. “But how can you? You don’t know what to write.”.“It doesn’t matter (没关系). Betty can’t read.” Kate says.
【小题1】Who are sisters? _______________

Do you ever find yourself getting really unhappy for almost no reason? Or suddenly feeling down without knowing why? Going from sadness to anger to joy in a matter of minutes can make many teens feel as though they're losing control. But why is the feeling so common among teens?
Maybe you're starting a new school and not able to see old friends as much. Getting good grades or wanting to be better in sports or other activities can be a concern (关注)for many teens. Being accepted by friends is important. Teens also may notice, for the first time, a sense of distance from parents and family. You may feel you want to be on your own and make your own decisions, but it can also seem a bit lonely at times.
Another important cause for mood swings is biology. When puberty begins, the body starts producing hormones（荷尔蒙）. These hormones cause physical changes in the body. But in some people, they also seem to cause emotional(情绪的)changes.
Here are some things you can do that might make those bad moods a bit easier to deal with.
Recognize you're not alone. Although not every teen experiences mood changes to the same degree, they are common.
Talk to people you trust. Friends can help each other by realizing that they're not alone in their feelings. Talking to parents is important, too. Parents can share their own experiences dealing with bad moods. Teachers are often good resources and a doctor can help to answer questions about development.
Get enough sleep. Though it can be hard to find enough time, getting enough rest is very important. Being tired can lead to more sadness.
Create. Taking part in some kinds of activities, like building something out of wood, or starting an art or music piece. Writing can help you organize and express your thoughts and feelings. Get your thoughts on paper. Do the same thing with paint, music, or other art forms. Put your feelings into your artwork.
【小题1】When puberty begins, many teens feel__________.

Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything—tutors (家庭教师), cards, special learning centers—in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic (天主教的) school.
After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn’t kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread (铺开) out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening.
Finally, little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity (好奇心). She went to his room and asked, “Son, what was it? Was it the nuns (修女)?”
Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, “No.”
“Well then,” she asked again. “WHAT was it?”
Little Tommy looked at her and said, “Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed (钉) to the plus sign (加号), I knew they weren’t joking.”
【小题1】 Why did Tommy’s parents send him to a catholic school?

We sometimes have to meet some difficulties that we never expect, but we should develop a positive attitude to life. Keeping a positive attitude isn't always easy, especially when we are going through a difficult time in our life. However, we know, only when we take a positive attitude, can we overcome the difficulties.
On July 23rd, 1993, Wang Jiapeng lost his legs when his plane crashed. Wang was only 12 years old. He felt he was the unluckiest person in the world. When he saw students with their schoolbags on their backs, the sound of his wheelchair made him sick. Wang’s mother took him to a special hospital in Beijing. She looked after him in the daytime and worked at night to make money. But after two years,
Wang was still not able to leave the hospital. Wang’s mother became too tired to go on and one day she herself became a hospital patient! One morning she woke up and saw her son holding breakfast for her. Wang’s trip to the food shop was his first time outside the hospital in two years. The five-minute walk took him thirty minutes.
But he was finally able to make an important decision. He didn’t care how other people looked at him. He had to learn to do things himself.
For the next few years, Wang taught himself all his middle school subjects in the hospital and five years after the accident, he won a chance to study in a college in Norway. Wang learned to drive, go rock climbing and ski. He even won two gold medals for skiing in an international skiing competition.
“You are what you think you are,” said Wang. “If you think you’re disabled, you are. If you don’t think so, you aren’t.”
So we know that if you can keep a positive attitude, even when things aren't going well in your life, you are the true winner of life.
根据短文内容判断正、误。
(注意，考生将答题卡相应位置涂黑。正确的涂“A”，错误的涂“B”)
【小题1】Wang Jiapeng, born on July 23rd, 1993, lost his legs because of a plane crash.
【小题2】At first he felt very unlucky when seeing others going to school.
【小题3】In order to look after him, his mother had to stop work and she finally fell ill.
【小题4】He finished the middle school by himself and got a chance to go to college.
【小题5】Positive thinking benefited Wang Jiapeng and he became good at skating.

A  School  Report

Hu Yizhou, also known as Zhouzhou, was born with intellectual disabilities. When he was 25 years old, he had an IQ of 30 and behaved himself like a 3-year-old child. But he does well in music. His disability has not prevented him from becoming a well-known conductor (指挥家).
Zhang Yiqing, a director(导演) with Hubei TV station, learnt of Zhouzhou’s talent（天赋）for music. He wanted to help the young man. Later Zhouzhou’s story has made into a film and was spread in China, Europe and America. Ever since he was famous for his great musical talent, Zhouzhou has received a lot of attention from home and abroad. He has taken part in many art performances (表演). Now he works in the Chinese Disabled Art Group as a conductor. To Zhouzhou, standing on the stage is already a big success.
【小题1】 What is Zhouzhou good at?

Jessie felt her life so boring one summer day. She was tired of watching TV, she read all her books, and her friends were on vacation. She wanted something different to do. Suddenly, she saw the lawn mower（割草机）sitting in the yard.
“Mom," she shouted, ‘‘I think I will mow the lawn." Her mom ran into the yard and said,“Oh no, you don't. You're too young to mow the lawn."
“I'm fourteen years old and know how to do it," Jessie said. "Besides, it would help Dad out, and he won't have to worry about it over the weekend."
Mom thought for a while and then decided to let Jessie give it a try. After all, she was home and would keep an eye on her. Jessie already knew how to start the lawn mower from watching her dad. Jessie checked the gas（汽油）to make sure it was full, and put on her gardening gloves to protect her hands. Mom watched from the kitchen window. Jessie really does know how to mow the lawn. She was very careful around the flowers and trees. When she finished, she felt so good, but she was so hot. Mom brought her some ice tea and said, "You really did a great job. Dad will be very surprised."
Later that day, Dad came home and said to Jessie's mom, "You didn't have to mow the lawn. I was going to do it on Saturday. It looks great. Thanks."
"I didn't mow it. Jessie did."
"Wow, our little girl is growing up!" Dad told Jessie what a great job she had done.
"It was fun, and I will do it again next week," said Jessie.
The neighbor next door came by and asked Jessie if she wanted to mow his lawn and make some money. "Sure!" said Jessie. Jessie began mowing his lawn. Two other neighbors asked so, then another three. Jessie was now mowing lawns for them all and making some money. She was no longer bored! "I won't have time to spend my money," she laughed to herself.
【小题1】 In order to do something different, Jessie decide to _______.