A strange woman comes to my door one day in early March.It’s a rich area so we often have people selling things door to door，dusters，make?up，frozen foods—but she doesn’t look like a professional saleswoman.She hasn’t got the patter(喋喋不休) either.She just smiles shyly and puts a card in my hand：“Amy Turner.Pet Portraits Undertaken.”

I run my fingernail along the cheap gold edge of the card and look at her，waiting for an explanation.

“I’ll paint any animal in the comfort of your own home.”Amy Turner says.“Wouldn’t you like a nice picture of your loved one？I’ve had experience of dogs，cats，parrots，prize bulls...”

“Prize bulls！”I can’t help looking up and down our street.The thought of any of my neighbours keeping bulls in their back gardens makes me smile.

“I don’t have any animals，”I say as we look past each other.She must be wishing some little cat or dog would come running down the hall to give the game away and it is the first chance I’ve had to smell the air outside.It is one of those spring mornings when you wake up and find winter’s gone.Even the camellia in the garden opposite has flowered overnight，pink blossoms which look shocking against the quiet greens and greys.

“Why are you still in your dressing gown？”Amy says，turning her attention back to me.“It’s nearly lunchtime.Are you ill？”

“I’m fine，”I lie.I’m not going to tell a stranger I’ve just been sick in the toilet upstairs and would still be sticking my fingers down my throat if the doorbell hadn’t rung.But now I’m not sure what to do next.Amy is still standing there.She_doesn’t_seem_to_think_that_not_having_a_pet_is

_a_good_enough_excuse.

“I’m starving.”she says and I smile politely，nodding the way you do before you say goodbye.

“No，”she puts her foot in the door.“I’m really starving.I’ve had nothing to eat for two days and no one has any pets for me to paint.I need some food or I’ll faint，right here on your doorstep.”

I stand to one side and let her in.

1．According to the text，what does a professional saleswoman usually do?

A．Sells things door to door with her cards.

B．Never puts a card into people’s hands.

C．Tries to talk people into buying her things.

D．Smiles，hands her cards and walks away.

2．What does the underlined word “one” in the third paragraph stand for?

A．Dog. 　　　　B．Child.　　　　　 C．Pet. 　　　　　D．Cat.

3．From the text we know that Amy is a ________.

A．young baby?sitter 　 B．poor beggar　 C．professional salesgirl D．poor painter

4．What does the writer mean by saying “She doesn’t seem to think that not having a pet is a good enough excuse.”？

A．It seems that she doesn’t want to leave.

B．She wants the writer to give another excuse.

C．She is sure there is a pet in the house.

D．She thinks that not having a pet is a bad thing.

I was sitting at the counter having breakfast at a restaurant the other day．It' s a small place． A man walked in and sat next to me．On top of the milk-dispenser （自动售货机） is a small 1_ placed there for both the customers' enjoyment and the owners when things get 2 The news was mostly about the local people．There was a little girl 3 through some coats in a shop on the screen now．The reporter asked her if she found something that 4 ．She smiled, "I like this store．Mommy said I could have any coat I wanted, 5 I'm getting this one for my friend, Mandy．All I know is that Mandy 6 a coat．"

Out of the comer of my eye I could see the man lower his head and begin to 7 his eyes．"Hey, don't feel bad," I told him．He turned 8 me．I could still see the 9 ．

He said, "I'm Mandy' s father．That's the first time I've seen that．"

Oh, my God! My hands 10 and I also wept．"It must be raining," he 11 ．We spoke for a few more minutes．It turns out that he' s been 12 for more than a year and now does odd （零散的） jobs to pay bills．We said 13 and I went to the cash register．I said in a low voice that I 14 his check．"He only gets coffee," the 15 said．"Well, here．This is for my meal, his coffee and tell him this is for Mandy．"

Many years ago I spoke at my friend' s church in Atlanta．A woman came up to me and gave me everything she had in her 16 ．I was shocked and began to 17 it．"It isn't very much , but God said it would multiply．Please take it," she said．

It was $ 57．I 18 carried it with me until that very day．I gave it away and replaced it． I turned to walk away and another man sitting at the counter said, " I heard your 19 with that man．I'll help him, 20 ．"

His eyes watered and he said," He' s right．It must be raining．"

1. A．radio B．television C．recorder D．computer

2. A．busy B．easy C．fast D．slow

3. A．putting B．looking C．waiting D．taking

4. A．fitted B．happened C．mattered D．started

5. A．until B．so C．but D．designs

6. A．needs B．buys C．donates D．designs

7. A．protect B．close C．describe D．wipe

8. A．toward B．at C．behind D．for

9. A．anger B．eyes C．tears D．joy

10. A．cleaned B．shook C．helped D．touched

11. A．sighed B．guessed C．screamed D．joked

12. A．sick B．sad C．jobless D．hopeless

13. A．okay B．hello C．nothing D．goodbye

14. A．examined B．wanted C．watched D．accepted

15. A．clerk B．teacher C．president D．nurse

16. A．glass B．purse C．house D．basket

17. A．forget B．praise C．refuse D．advise

18. A．always B．sometimes C．never D．rarely

19. A．discussion B．problem C．conversation D．decision

20. A．though B．yet C．still D．too

A lesson in caring

It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora 36 . She wasn’t even four, but she 37 at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”

I don’t remember my 38 . But I do remember a sudden 39 feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her 40 , whether it was 41 flying or children playing. But now she was noticing 42 and beggary.

A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and 43 it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was 44 about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how 45 our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to 46 myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn 47 . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this? 48 , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She 49 us right over.

The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed. 50 inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home 51 .

Professionals call such a(n) 52 “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something 53 that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and 54 clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve 55 her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

1.A. did B. was C. has D. had

2.A. pulled　　　　 B. replaced C. waved D. aimed

3.A. debate B. reply C. explanation D. expression

4.A. general　　　　 B. funny C. heavy D. magical

5.A. web　　　　　 B. dream　　　　　 C. castle D. world

6.A. insects B. animals　　　　 C. plants　　　D. birds

7.A. coldness 　　　 B. illness 　　　 C. suffering　　D. appearance

8.A. sent 　　 B. returned　　　 C. devoted　　 D. posted

9.A. concerned B. sorry　　　　 C. worried 　D. excited

10.A. creative　　　 B. valuable　　　 C. shocking　　D. simple

11.A. warn　　　　　 B. stop　　　　　 C. allow 　　　D. push

12.A. back 　　　　 B. away　　　　 C. up　　　　 D. out

13.A. Therefore　　　 B. But 　　 C. Anyhow　　D. Also

14.A. requested 　　 B. promised　　　 C. invited 　　 D. helped

15.A. Although B. Once　　　　　 C. Because 　　D. Though

16.A. in tears B. in surprise C. in reality D. in disappointment

17.A. stay B. visit 　　　　 C. reception　　D. challenge

18.A. fair B. famous　　　　 C. difficult　　 D. enjoyable

19.A. collect B. make　　　　　 C. order 　　　D. design

20.A. let B. made　　　　　 C. watched 　　D. affected

Over the last 70 years,researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However,of all the factors,wealth and age are the top two.

Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed,clothe and house yourself,each extra dollar makes less and less difference.

Researchers find that,on average,wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century,average income has sharply increased in developed countries,yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met,money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends,neighbors and colleagues.

“Dollars buy status,and status makes people feel better,”conclude some experts,which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways—scientists or actors,for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.

In a research,Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money,but for friends,family,job,health—rose furthest beyond what they already had,tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap(差距).Indeed,the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income,”says Michalos.

Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging,how could the elderly be more satisfied?”asks Professor Laura Carstensen.

In one survey,Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94,and asked them to fill out an emotions questionaire.She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people,but negative emotions much less often.

Why are old people happier?Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it,or they’re more realistic about their goals,only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out,older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t.

“People realize not only what they have,but also that what they have cannot last forever,”she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85,for example,may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”

1.According to the passage,the feeling of happiness ______.

A.is determined partly by genes

B.increases gradually with age

C.has little to do with wealth

D.is measured by desires

2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ______.

A.make them feel much better

B.provide chances to make friends

C.improve their social position

D.satisfy their professional interests

3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more ______.

A.optimistic

B.successful

C.practical

D.emotional

4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if ______.

A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger

B.they have a stronger desire for friendship

C.their income is below their expectation

D.the hope for good health is greater

Facebook means never having to say goodbye. The social media website has earned a reputation for reconnecting old friends. Last week，a guy whom I hadn't seen since my bachelor party five years ago sent me a friend request. I accepted and waited for “Easy E” to send me a greeting of some kind. He had sought me out，after all.
I learned from his profile that he was in a relationship and had a son. However，I'm pretty sure we won't ever write wall-to-wall，let alone email each other. But he'll remain a friend of online until one of us makes a point of removing the other from his official list.
My pool of friends consists of family members，college buddies，coworkers from past and present，and friends of friends. There are 35 in all. If I spent some time uploading old email addresses，I'm confident that I could increase my friend count actually.
A person could make a mission out of reconnecting with childhood friends，former classmates，distant cousins, and those one would like to get to know better. And some people can even handle hundreds of onscreen relationships，keeping up with the daily happenings of their small army of companions. After all，there are worse fates than having too many friends.
Thanks to email，the inability to schedule face-to-face meetings no longer means a friendship must come to a close. But even with email，people will lose touch if one or both parties stop writing back. That’s normal. People move from school to school，job to job，city to city. You never have to feel guilty for breaking away.
Every day，the masterminds of Web 2.0 find new ways of making human communication easier. However，convenience can be a crutch(拐杖).Some things shouldn't be simplified. When it comes to friendship，there can be no shortcuts.

1.
According to Paragraph 1，the website is famous because ________.
1. A.
  it has an interesting name of “Facebook”
2. B.
  it helps people get in touch with old friends
3. C.
  it can send people a greeting of some kind
4. D.
  it reminds people of events in the past
2.
From the second paragraph we can learn that the writer ________.
1. A.
  would write to the friend quite often
2. B.
  asked the friend to email him
3. C.
  did get some information about the friend
4. D.
  would keep in touch with the friend forever
3.
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
1. A.
  There are 35 people in the author's list of friends right now.
2. B.
  The author communicates with all the 35 friends by emails.
3. C.
  The list of 35 friends doesn't include the old email addresses.
4. D.
  It is not difficult for the author to increase his friend count.
4.
What does the author think of the convenience of communicating online?
1. A.
  The technology could not keep true friendship forever.
2. B.
  The social website of Facebook means nothing at all.
3. C.
  There will be no ways of making real friends online.
4. D.
  People will not lose friends with the help of the Facebook.

According to Paragraph 1，the website is famous because ________.

From the second paragraph we can learn that the writer ________.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

What does the author think of the convenience of communicating online?

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