It was Mother's Day. John was so busy with his work that he couldn't go back home. When he passed
by a flower shop in the evening, an idea came to his mind, "I'll send Mum some roses." While John was
picking his flowers, a young man went inside. "How many roses can I get for only five dollars, madam?" he
asked. The assistant was trying to tell him roses were as expensive as forty dollars a dozen (一打). Maybe
he would be happy with carnations (康乃馨).
     "No, I have to have red roses," he said. "My mum was badly ill last year and I didn't get to spend much
time with her. Now I want to get something special, it has to be roses as rose is her favourite."
     After hearing it, John said he would pay the rest of the money for the young man. Moved by both of
them, the assistant said, "Well, lovely young men, thirty dollars a dozen, only for you." Taking the roses, the
young man almost jumped into the air and ran out of the shop. It was well worth twenty－five dollars that
John paid to see the exciting moment. Then John paid for his dozen of roses and told the assistant to send
them to his mother.
     As he walked out, he felt nice. Suddenly he saw the young man crossing the street and going into a park.
But soon John realized it was not a park but a cemetery (墓地). Crying, the young man carefully put down
the roses, "Mum, oh, Mum, why didn't I tell you how much I loved you? God, please help me find my mum
and tell her I love her."
     Seeing this, John turned and quickly walked to the shop. He would take the flowers home himself.

1. John spent _____ altogether (总共) in the flower shop that day.

A. $5
B. $25
C. $30
D. $55

2. The young man cried at the cemetery because he _____.

A. had spent all his money on the roses
B. wasn't able to tell his mother he loved her himself
C. felt sorry to ask John to pay for his flowers
D. hadn't got enough money for his sick mother

3. At last John changed his mind and went home because he wanted to _____.

A. tell his mother he loved her himself
B. ask his mother for more money
C. tell his mother the young man's story
D. ask his mother if she liked roses

4. Which of the following does the writer want to tell us from this passage?

A. Buy roses for your mother when she is ill
B. Let your mother know how much you love her
C. Work hard to get more money for your mother
D. Send your mother flowers on Mother's Day

     "BANG!" the door caused a reverberation (回声). It was just standing there, with father standing on one
side, and I on the other side.
     We were both in great anger. "Never set foot in this house again!" stormed father. With tears welling up
in my eyes, I rushed out of the flat and ran along the street.
     The street lights were shining, causing rather sad-feeling. I wandered aimlessly.
     A young father who held a child in his arms walked past me. I felt as if I saw my childhood from another
space: happy and carefree.
     But now… I don't know whether it is because I have grown up or because dad is getting old. We differ
in our ways of thinking. He always put his opinions and codes of behavior on me. Whenever I do something
wrong, he never admits it. We are just like two people coming from two different worlds. It feels like there is
an iron door between us that can never be opened.
     I wandered the streets, without a destination in mind. My heart was frozen on this hot summer night. As
I walked on there were fewer and fewer people on the streets, until I had only the street lights to keep me
company. When I finally reached the high-rise apartment block in which I lived,I saw that the light was still on.
     I thought to myself:"Is father waiting for me, or is he still angry with me?"
     In fact, it was nothing. Perhaps, dad was throwing away some of his old stamps. Perhaps he thought they
were useless. I never had the courage to tell him that I liked collecting stamps. I can't stand his outrageous (蛮
横的) words:"I can't throw you away, let alone these old papers?"
     All the lights were off except father's.
     Dad was always like this. Maybe he didn't know how to express himself. After shouting at me, he never
showed any mercy or any moments of regret. After an argument he has the habit of creeping up in my sleep
and then tucking me underneath the covers.
     This was how he always was. He has been a leader for so long that telling everyone else what to do has
become his second nature.
     The light was still on. "Am I wrong?" I whispered, maybe… With the key in hand, I was as nervous as I
had ever been. At last, I decided to open the door. As soon as I opened the door tears ran down my cheeks.
I suddenly realized that the iron door that I had imagined between us did not exist at all. Love-it second to none.

1. Decide which is the best order of the following according to what happened in the passage.
    a. I opened the door and entered the house.
    b. Sadly I ran out into the street.
    c. I reached the place where I lived and saw my house still brightly lit.
    d. I thought of my father's kindness towards me.
    e. I walked about in the street without any aim.

A. b, e, d, c, a
B. b, e, c, d, a
C. b, e, a, c, d
D. b, e, c, a, d

2. What made the writer think of his childhood?

A. The sight of the street lights.
B. The sight of the empty street.
C. The sight of a father with a child in his arms.
D. The sight of light in his own house.

3. Why do you think the father often shouts at his son?

A. perhaps the father is getting older and older.
B. perhaps the son has already grown up.
C. perhaps they never agree with each other.
D. perhaps the father has got used to doing that.

4. What conclusion can you come to after reading the passage?

A. The father treats his son in an unfair way.
B. The father is actually kind to his son.
C. The father is neither kind nor cruel to his son.
D. The father is always finding fault with his son.

     We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at
a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched with mouth open in surprise,
Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room and took
out a wet mop (拖把). She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said,
"Very dirty floors."
     "Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them," the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and
said, "But aren't you working late?"
     Mum just pushed harder, each swipe (拖一下) of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I
watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to write in the big book.
     After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand.
As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you."
     Outside, Mum told me:"Linda is fine. No fever."
     "You saw her, Mum?"
     "Of course, I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. It's a fine hospital.
But such floors! A mop is no good. A brush (刷子) is needed."

1. When she took a mop from the small room,what Mum really wanted to do was .

A. to clean the floor
B. to please the nurse
C. to see a patient (病人)
D. to surprise the story-teller

2. When the nurse talked to Mum she thought Mum was a _____.

A. nurse
B. visitor
C. patient
D. cleaner

3. After reading the story what can we know about the hospital?

A. It is a children's hospital.
B. It has strict rules about visiting hours.
C. The conditions there aren't very good.
D. The nurses and doctors there don't work hard.

4. From the text we know that Linda is most likely _____.

A. the story-teller's sister
B. Mum's friend
C. the story-teller's classmate
D. Dad's boss

     On Saturday nights, A.J. Coston doesn't get a lot of sleep. Usually three or four times a night, a loud bell
rings, a red light flashes, and he has to jump out of his bed. That's because he's a weekend volunteer firefighter
with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Station 13 in Northern Virginia. During the week, he lives at home with
his mom, dad and sister and does his main job which is going to high school.
     "I always wanted to get into firefighting since I was a little kid watching fire trucks go by," he says. "One
day on the Internet I noticed that Loudoun County offered a junior firefighter program." He was only 16, but
he got it.
     Fighting fires is dangerous work. Firefighters never stop practicing the skills they need to stay safe. Once
Coston learned those skills, he was allowed to work inside burning buildings.
     "Teamwork is most important," he says. "It's the whole team that puts the fire out."
     Firefighters feel great about helping people. "My most unbelievable call was probably the time four kids
were struck by lightning," says Coston. He will be off to college next fall, building on his dream job. "I'll get
my degree in emergency medical care. and then work in a fire and rescue company for a while. I want to be
a flight doctor on a helicopter in the end, but I will never forget the days as a firefighter. These are my
unforgettable experiences," he says.

1. Coston can't sleep well on Saturday nights because _____.

A. he has to work part-time at weekends
B. he has some sleeping problems
C. he has to do his job as a volunteer firefighter
D. he always worries that there may be a fire

2. What do we learn about Coston from the passage?

A. He doesn't like studying at school.
B. He will go to college next year.
C. He dreams to be a great hero one day.
D. He is only sixteen years old.

3. In Coston's opinion, what is the key thing in putting out a fire?

A. Skills.
B. Teamwork.
C. Courage.
D. Equipment.

4. All of the following are true EXCEPT that _____.

A. Coston wanted to be a firefighter when he was a kid
B. Coston tried several times before he became a volunteer firefighter
C. firefighters feel proud that they can help people
D. firefighters have to practice skills all the time to stay safe

5. What does the underlined part "dream job" in the last paragraph refer to?

A. Being a firefighter.
B. Being a volunteer in a fire and rescue company.
C. Being a flight doctor on a helicopter.
D. Working in a hospital.

     Today is my first day at Merchiston Castle School, and I was really nervous about it, because I have never
visited the school before and didn't take any summer course. Despite my anxiety, I soon relaxed once I arrived;
the staff were so nice that I felt my spoken English was better than it actually was! As soon as I walked into
the dayroom of my boarding house, I was absolutely (完全地) amazed by the friendly atmosphere; everyone
was so friendly that a boy as shy as I had no difficulty in setting in, and I made many new friends on my very
first day, although I was struggling to remember all the names.
     Also I realized there were other international students in the house from all over the world, such as South
Korea, Japan and Russia. Although their English was not so fluent, it didn't take long for us to understand each
other at all. In some ways, it was even better to practice English by speaking to the international students,
because we were both learning.
     As a boarder, the quality of food is something I consider very important, and Merchiston has not let me
down. The school kitchens are run by a professional catering company, and the quality of food is excellent,
also they take the issue of a healthy diet really seriously. I remember once I was asked to take more salad for
my meal by a member of the kitchen staff for I did not have enough vegetables. This brings to another point
of being a boarder: you need to learn how to look after yourself and be responsible for yourself. One of the
huge advantages of being a boarder is that we can have breakfast in the school, which means we don't have
to pull ourselves out of the bed as early as the daypupils!

1. Why was the writer nervous when he was at Merchiston Castle School on the first day?

A. Because he had no friends and relatives there.
B. Because he didn't know the school well.
C. Because he was not good at English.
D. Because he was shy.

2. On the first day, _____.

A. though the writer was anxious,he soon relaxed
B. he found the dayroom of his boarding house terrible
C. he made many new friends,but he didn't remember any of their names
D. he thought he spoke English better than the staff in the school

3. Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?

A. In the boarding house,there are only students from South Korea, Japan and Russia.
B. The international students in the boarding house don't speak Englsih very fluently.
C. The food in Merchiston doesn't make the writer disappiointed.
D. The professional catering company thinks the issue of a healthy diet is very important.

4. The underlined word "boarder" in the last paragraph means "_____".

A. a student who is from abroad
B. a student who lives at school
C. a student who is good at English
D. a student who used to be shy

     The first day of school we were interested to get to know a new classmate. I looked around when a gentle
hand touched my shoulder. I found a little old lady with a warm smile.
     She said, "Hi! I'm Rose. I'm 87 years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and I heartily responded, "Of
course!"
     "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent (天真无邪的) age?" I asked.
     She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have children, and then travel around." 
     "Not seriously," I asked. I was curious why she took on this challenge at this age.
     "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. We became instant
friends.
     Over the year, Rose became a campus icon (偶像) and she easily made friends wherever she went. She
loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other students.
     At the end of the semester, we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she
taught us.
     "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. Here are the secrets to
staying young. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your
dreams, you die. Unfortunately we have many people like this walking around?" she said.
     "There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't
take any talent or ability," she added. "But growing up requires finding the opportunity in change. Have no
regrets. The elderly usually don't regret what they did, but rather things they did not do."
     One week after graduation that year, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. She taught us by example that _____.

1. Why was Rose in college at 87? Because _____.

A. she wanted to meet a rich husband
B. she wanted to get married and have children
C. she wanted to travel around
D. she dreamed of having a college education

2. According to the passage, Rose loved to do the following EXCEPT _____.

A. dress up
B. enjoy the attention from the other students
C. play football
D. make friends

3. According to what Rose said,we can know that to stay young you must not _____.

A. laugh
B. be humorous
C. have a dream
D. lose your dream

4. According to the last paragraph but one we know _____.

A. growing older is quite different from growing up
B. growing older needs talent
C. growing up doesn't require ability
D. the elderly usually have no regrets

5. Which of the following can be used to fill in the blank at the end of the passage?

A. where there is a will, there's a way
B. never too late to learn
C. Study hard and you will be young
D. never too late to be all you can possibly be

     The elephant was lying heavily on its side, fast asleep. A few dogs started barking at it. The elephant woke
up in a terrible anger: it chased the dogs into the village where they ran for safety. That didn't stop the elephant.
It destroyed a dozen houses and injured several people. The villagers were scared and angry. Then someone
suggested calling Parbati, the elephant princess.
     Parbati Barua's father was a hunter of tigers and an elephant tamer. He taught Parbati to ride an elephant
before she could even walk. He also taught her the dangerous art of the elephant round-up-how to catch wild
elephants.
     Parbati hasn't always lived in the jungle. After a happy childhood hunting with her father, she was sent to
boarding school in the city. But Parbati never got used to being there and many years later she went back to
her old fife. "Life in the city is too dull. Catching elephants is an adventure and the excitement lasts for days
after the chase," she says.
     But Parbati doesn't catch elephants just for fun. "My work," she says, "is to rescue man from the elephants,
and to keep the elephants safe from man." And this is exactly what Parbati has been doing for many years.
Increasingly, the Indian elephant is angry: for many years, illegal hunters have attacked it and its home in the
jungle has been reduced to small pieces of land. It is now fighting back. Whenever wild elephants enter a tea
garden or a village, Parbati is called to guide the animals back to the jungle before they can kill.
     The work of an elephant tamer also involves love and devotion. A good elephant tamer will spend hours a
day singing love songs to a newly captured elephant. "Eventually they grow to love their tamers and never
forget them. They are also more loyal than humans," she said, as she climbed up one of her elephants and sat
on the giant, happy animal. An elephant princess indeed!

1. For Parbati, catching elephants is mainly to _____.

A. get long lasting excitement
B. keep both man and elephants safe
C. send them back to the jungle
D. make the angry elephants tame

2. Before Parbati studied in a boarding school, _____.

A. she spent her time hunting with her father
B. she learned how to sing love songs
C. she had already been called an elephant princess
D. she was taught how to hunt tigers

3. Indian elephants are getting increasingly angry and they revenge because _____.

A. they are caught and sent for heavy work
B. illegal hunters capture them and kill them
C. they are attacked and their land gets limited
D. dogs often bark at them and chase them

4. The passage starts with an elephant story in order to explain that in India _____.

A. people easily fall victim to elephants' attacks
B. the man-elephant relationship is getting worse
C. elephant tamers are in short supply
D. dogs are as powerful as elephants

     Fear plays no part in this latest problem. "I'm not afraid I'll lose my children. I won't lose my children.
We live together, and nothing, nothing," she repeats, her voice rising when speaking to John's lawyer,
"will stop me from being with my children. A law? Year, right. Don't disturb me when it comes to my
children. You are never going to win. If John wants to see them, I cannot stop him. He's their father-I
want them to see him! However, his visit in his present condition will disturb the children's stable (稳定的)
life."
     John, who has spent much of his time in California recently, has only hired a house for himself in
Pennsylvania, according to his lawyer. "If he'd like to stick to a regular life, I'd be more than happy to do
that," Jane says. "The best thing for any child of a divorced (离婚的) parent is a stable life. I want nothing
more than for him to set up a stable life for himself, so that he can be part of making our children's lives
more stable."
     While matters of money and care won't be settled for weeks, Jane hardly puts her life on hold. Last
week the ABC network announced that Jane would return with her own show, Twist of Jane, in which
she gives advice to other moms.Jane and her eight children will also return to ABC in a series of Jane Plus
8 specials showing them on various adventures. It's a rest for Jane who insists that she needs her new,
busy life to provide for her family. "I have to lead such a life.and I'm thankful that I've built it to the top
where now I can support my children." she says.
     And whether a bellicose (好斗的) dance judge or a bellicose former wife, Jane plans to keep 0n facing
attacks on her. "Some people try to knock me down-only to make me more fierce, more protective, more
determined to do better," she says. "Go ahead, take me on. This will just make me stronger." 

1. According to Jane in the first paragraph, the low _____.

A. can't take her children away from her
B. can't do anything with the case
C. will best settle the problem
D. will disturb her children

2. What does "to do that" refer to in the second paragraph?

A. To live with John.
B. To hire a house for John.
C. To allow John to see the children.
D. To ask John to set up a regular life.

3. What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean?

A. Jane's life is very difficult.
B. Jane continues to live as usual.
C. Jane almost can't control her lire.
D. Jane works very hard to live a happy life.

4. Which word can best describe Jane?

A. Proud.
B. Fierce.
C. Determined.
D. Independent.