A Journey of Discovery

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is one of the most famous American novels.

Published in 1884, it was one of the first novels in the USA written in common, everyday language. For example, using non-standard English, Twain wrote, ‘I haven’t got no money,’ to mean ‘I do not have any money’. In this way, Twain made his characters very true to life.

The story is told by Huckleberry Finn, called Huck for short, who runs away to escape his abusive father. At first, Huck goes to a small island in the middle of the Mississippi River. There, he finds Jim, a black slave who has run away to escape slavery. The two of them stay on the island for a few weeks and become friends, but they must leave because Huck learns that people are looking for Jim. They decide to travel on a raft on the Mississippi River to reach the Ohio River, which will take them north to a state that does not allow slavery.

During their journey, Huck and Jim visit many places along the river and meet many different people. Unfortunately, most of the people they meet are not good. For instance, Huck and Jim meet a family, the Grangerfords, who have been fighting with another family, the Shepherdsons, for so many years that nobody remembers how the fight began. While Huck stays with the Grangerfords, the fighting starts again, and several members of both families are killed. Lat6r, Huck and Jim meet the King and the Duke, two men who take control of their raft and make money by tricking people. During the confusion following one of these tricks, Huck and Jim escape with their raft.

Although the people Huck and Jim meet are bad, they are also funny. Mark Twain used humour to show readers the problems of American society in the t800s. More importantly, despite all of the bad things that happen to Huck and Jim, the novel has a happy ending for both of them. Jim gets his freedom because his owner has died and set him free in her will, and Huck learns that his father has died, so he is also safe.

     The Aclventures of Huckleberry Finn is an adventurous and humourous story, and it teaches modern readers a lot about American society in the 1800s.

President Barack Obama has apologized for a gaffe (失言) in which he described his bowling skills as akin to participants in the Special Olympics, a sports program for people with intellectual disabilities.

Obama made the mistake during an interview on Thursday night on “The Tonight Show” with host Jay Leno, the first time a sitting U.S. president had been on the show.

Talking about living in the White House, Obama said he had been practicing his bowling in the home’s bowling alley and had scored a 129 out of a possible 300.

It was an improvement on the embarrassing 37 he had rolled during a stop on the presidential campaign trail a year ago. “It’s like—it was like Special Olympics or something,” Obama said.

The Special Olympics is a global nonprofit organization serving some 200 million people with intellectual disabilities, with a presence in nearly 200 countries worldwide.

Soon after the Jay Leno interview, Obama telephoned Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver to apologize.

Shriver told ABC’s “Good Morning America” television show that Obama had apologized “in a way that I think was very moving” and that he said “he did not intend to humiliate (羞辱) the population, didn’t want to embarrass or give anybody any more reason for pain or kind of suffering.”

Shriver said people should gain a lesson from the incident.

“I think it’s important to see that words hurt. Words do matter. And these words in some respect, can be seen as humiliating or a put-down to people with special needs, do cause pain. And they do result in stereotypes,” Shriver said.

White House spokesman Bill Burton said Obama “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to look down upon the Special Olympics.”

“He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world,” Burton said.

56. What does the underlined word “akin” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A. skillful                 B. similar           C. appealing              D. superior

57. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Obama loves sports and is especially gifted at bowling.

B. Obama apologized for his remarks via ABC’s TV show.

C. The Special Olympics are for various disabled people.

D. The Special Olympics don’t intend to make any money.

58. What does Shriver mean by saying people should gain a lesson from the incident?

A. Disabled people cannot be humiliated.            B. One should be careful with his words.

C. An apology for wrong words is wanted.         D. Words matter even more than actions.

59. The passage is mainly about ________.

A. Obama receiving a TV interview                          B. Obama looking down on the disabled

C. Obama apologizing for his gaffe                  D. Obama being attacked for his words

Modern Manners

Philip Howard answers your questions on contemporary etiquette (礼仪)

Philip Howard,

When my friend and I (two ladies of a certain age) go out to have a meal, she always leaves an extremely large tip. At times, the tip will equal the amount of one of the main dishes—sometimes it comes to about 30 per cent of the bill. I feel 15—20 per cent is adequate for services offered and depending on the type of restaurant. At a cafe I would like to leave 15 per cent or a bit more depending on the service and etc. A larger tip would be appropriate if we are in a big city or a nicer place. My friend says “Well, I am sure they are not driving a Mercedes (奔驰汽车).” Well, neither am I, and how does she know? Who is correct and how can I make changes? I might add I do truly feel tipping should be based on good service, and also if you frequent a place and know the staff a larger tip is OK. I would never hesitate to tip a waitperson. I always leave to the higher side. 

                                     Yours,

                                      Barbara Bade

Barbara Bade,

Americans are more generous tippers than the British. I suspect that 10 per cent for a tip is about normal in the UK. Tipping is a strange survival in our age of supposed equality and minimum wages. Your friend has a generous nature and deep purse. I do not see why you cannot let her tip whatever she wants, and do your own thing. I agree that a tip should be a reward for good service and general good feeling. If the service is rotten and the meal a disaster, we should withhold a tip and explain why we are doing so. Few of us have the chutzpah (厚颜) to do this. Sensible restaurants have a box for tips, so that they are shared out among the staff, including those in the kitchens whom we do not see. (I trust that the management does not receive the money as extra profit.) I look forward to the day when waiters and other servants are paid a good enough living wage, so that they do not have to depend on the generosity of strangers to survive. To wait at table is just as honorable a way to earn a living in this wicked world. If you are pleased with the meal and cheerful service, you should tip as handsomely as your purse affords. I don’t suppose that your waiter / waitress is driving a Mercedes, even in the States. 

                                       Yours,

                                            Philip Howard

60. We can learn from the first letter that Barbara prefers ___________.

A. changing her own ideas on how to tip waiters

B. leaving a bigger tip to the familiar waitpersons

C. eating at a café rather than in a nice restaurant

D. saving as much money as possible for herself

61. It can be inferred that Barbara’s friend tips waiters heavily ________.

A. to show that she is well off                               B. because they are thought to be poorly paid

C. to show that she is generous                          D. because they have offered her full service

62. Besides quality of service, Philip regards __________ as principles of tipping.

A. taste of food and amount of one’s money

B. taste of food and the number of servants

C. generosity of strangers and the number of servants

D. amount of one’s money and generosity of strangers

Ben walked quietly. He wanted to surprise the hunter. But then, what would he do?

Suddenly he heard a bird’s wings beating the dry grass. Ben moved quickly toward the sound.

He saw a colored head ... the head of a beautiful bird. The bird did not move until Ben came close. Then it tried to fly away, but one wing was broken.

Ben lifted the bird and held it close against his body. The bird fought to escape, but soon lay quietly in Ben’s arms.

Ben decided to take the bird home and fix its broken wings so that it could fly again.

He was almost out of the woods when he heard the hunter behind him.

“You just found that bird?” the hunter asked.

“Yes,” Ben answered.

“It is mine!”

Ben was afraid and tried to answer, but his mouth was too dry to speak. Nevertheless, he wetted his lips and said, “No.”

“I shot him and I say he is mine!”

“But he is not dead yet,” Ben answered, “and besides, anything on my land belongs to me.”

The hunter looked down at the little man and smiled. “Say, who are you?”

Ben’s voice shook with both fear and anger. “I own this land. There are signs everywhere that say, ‘No hunting’.”

“No need to get angry, mister,” the hunter said. “Control yourself.”

There was something threatening in the man’s cool quiet voice. And he had a gun. His arms were free and Ben’s were not.

The hunter stepped closer and said, “Give me that bird!”

Ben was white with anger. “No!” he answered. His eye glasses became wet and he had to look over the top of them to see the other man.

“Give me the bird and I will go away,” the hunter said.

“You get off my land,” Ben told him. “Get off right now...you do not belong here!”

The man’s face got red. “Mister,” he said, “I have been hunting here all my life. I grew up here.”

“That is a thing of the past,” Ben said. “I do not know who you are and I do not care. I own this place now and I am telling you to leave. You go back through the woods and get off my land!”

“Now look, mister,” the hunter said, “be reasonable.”

The hunter raised his gun.

A cold wind blew across Ben’s face. He looked into the hunter’s gray eyes. Ben was frightened. It was not too late, he thought. He could still give the bird to the hunter and return safely home...that would end this whole ugly business.

The bird struggled weakly and made a wild, strange noise.

Then Ben knew he could never give this bird to the hunter. This feeling gave Ben great strength, and he was no longer afraid.

“I will never let you kill this bird,” he said. “Get away from here. If you try to take this bird, I will fight...you have a gun and you are bigger, but that does not worry me. You will never get this bird...you will have to kill me first.”

The two men looked at each other. Ben’s fear returned. His knees began to shake and he felt sick. Yet he stood straight, wondering what would happen next.

They stood close to each other for a long time. The woods were strangely quiet. Then the hunter’s rough voice broke the silence.

“You are a fool.” And then to Ben’s surprise, he slowly walked away.

Ben watched until he was gone. His arms hurt, his body felt wet and cold.

67. Why did the hunter smile when saying “Say, who are you”?

A. He wanted to confirm Ben’s identity in a friendly way.

B. He was amused at Ben’s reply and interested in him.

C. He looked down on Ben and thought his reply ridiculous.

D. He meant to be friendly enough to get the bird from Ben.

68. What strengthened Ben’s determination never to give the bird to the hunter?

A. His strong dislike of the hunter.     B. His firm confidence in himself.

C. His ownership of this piece of land.   D. His concern and sympathy for the bird.

69. Why did the hunter remark that Ben was a fool at the end of the story?

A. Ben tried to protect a bird at all costs.

B. Ben pretended to be fearless although scared.

C. Ben stood close to him saying nothing for long.

D. Ben insisted on him leaving the land.

70. Which of the following best describes Ben’s state of mind in the incident?

A. Ben was willing to compromise.                    B. Ben never thought of giving in.

C. Ben held out to the end.                                D. Ben was sure about his victory.

He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his family's cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake.
      On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch（鲈鱼）with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure（鱼饵）and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset, then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake.
      When his pole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully worked the fish alongside the dock.
      Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass. The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish, gills playing back and forth in the moonlight. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.--- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy.
      "You'll have to put it back, son," he said.
      "Dad!" cried the boy.
      "There will be other fish," said his father.
      "Not as big as this one," cried the boy.
      He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could tell by the clarity of his father's voice that the decision was not negotiable. He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water.
      The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish.
      That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock.
      He was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish---again and again---every time he comes up against a question of ethics（道德规范）.

66. Why did the father ask his son to put the perch back?

A. Because the father disliked the perch.  B. Because the father was afraid of being fined.

C. Because the ethics must be observed.

D. Because the son was more experience in fishing than his father.

67. The underlined word “negotiable” in the passage refers to _________.

A. reasonable     B. transferable     C. acceptable    D. reliable

68. When does the architect (the father’s son) think of that perch put back?

A. When he takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock.

B. When he builds many famous buildings.

C. When he pays a visit to his old father.

D. When he faces some problems about ethics.

69. Which word can not be used to describe the boy’s father?

A. honest    B. noble-minded      C. caring        D. generous

70. From the passage, we can learn _________.

A. how we do the right thing and are strengthened

B. how we have a chance to beat the system and take it

C. how we master some skills of going fishing

D. how we understand our parents’ words is very important

There was once a beautiful nymph called Echo. But Echo had one failing; she was fond of talking, and whether in chat or argument, would have the last word. As she was good company , she and Zeus became good friends. However，Zeus’ wife, Hera, became jealous. She followed Zeus to the earth to find out what he was doing and Zeus asked Echo to distract Hera until he could escape. Later when Hera discovered she had been tricked, she became very angry. She turned on Echo and said, “You shall lose the use of your tongue because you cheated me. You’ll have the last word, bur no longer have the power to speak first.” So from that moment on, Beautiful Echo was hardly able to hold a conversation because she could only repeat the last words of those around her. She became very embarrassed and hid herself deep in the woods.

       One day a handsome young man called Narcissus came into the woods. He had been hunting deer and lost his way. However, the moment Echo saw him, she fell in love with him. She followed him, wishing to tell him but unable o begin a conversation. Oh, how she wished she could speak first. Unfortunately, Narcissus was far too busy worrying about where his companions might be and how he could find his way home.

              Eventually Narcissus, with Echo following behind along, came to a pool of water in the middle of the woods. Feeling thirsty, Narcissus bent down to drink. As he did so, he saw a beautiful creature in the water staring up at him. . He immediately bent over and said to him, “I love you!” Echo, nearby, and seeing her chance, immediately responded “…. I love you!” But it was too late. Narcissus was already in love, with himself.

`      The stranger seemed to rise up closer to Narcissus who was so involved that he entirely failed to notice Echo. “I want to stay and look at this beautiful sight forever,” he whispered dreamily to himself.”… Forever,” repeated Echo sadly. “Come her,” called Narcissus to his reflection as he moved his head and the creature seemed to move away. “…Here.” responded Echo. Narcissus bent back down to see his reflection more clearly. “So beautiful! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!” “….So beautiful!” responded Echo truthfully.

       Narcissus remained by the water refusing all Echo’s silent offers of food and drink until he died. Where he had been, a flower grew in his place, as beautiful as Narcissus himself. As for Echo, from that time forward, she also didn’t eat or drink till she turned to rocks and all that was left was her voice. Even now you can still hear Echo trying to attract Narcissus’ attention by repeating his words and still see Narcissus as a beautiful flower growing near a pool.

64. Why was Echo unable to  let Narcissus know she loved him?

       A. Because she had lost the ability to speak.        B. Because she was too shy to speak first.

       C. Because Hera had taken away her ability to speak first.

       D.  Because Narcissus took no notice of her.

65. “The stranger” in paragraph 4 refers to ______.

       A. Echo         B. A fairy in the woods.        C. Hera.         D. Narcissus himself.

66. Which of the following kinds of person can be described as a “Narcissus”?

       A. A person who loves and admires himself or herself.

       B. A person who’s afraid of being separated from companions.

       C. A person who is too shy to have a chat with other people.

       D. A person who loves to admire beautiful water flowers.

67. Which of the following is the correct order of the events?

       a) Hera wouldn’t let Echo start a conversation.

       b) Narcissus fell in love with his reflection in the water.

       c) Echo saw Narcissus and fell in love at the first sight.

       d) Echo distracted Hera to help Zeus escape.

       e) Narcissus became a flower and Echo a rock.

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

68. What’s the best title of this passage?

       A. Echo’s sacrifice.                                   B. Echo and Hera.

       C. Echo and Narcissus.                       D. Narcissus’s self-love. 

It had been a long time since I had been to Jacksonville, Florida. I had driven to town hoping to see the old barber shop where my hair had been cut as a child.     

I parked my truck and decided to try and locate a telephone to see if the Florida Barber College had moved to a new location.   

After walking about a block I saw an open shoe store. I walked inside and asked if I could use their telephone book. Unable to find a listing for the Barber College, I picked out the number of a local beauty salon, hoping they might tell me if the barber college was still in business. The number was busy, so I decided to wait and try again in a few minutes.

As the salesman and I stood talking the front door opened and a young man about twenty came into the store pushing himself in a wheelchair. “I need a new pair of shoes,” said the customer. As he turned the corner, there was a blanket across his lap. I was shocked to see that the young man had no legs.

“A gift for a friend?” I asked the boy. “No,” he replied. They are for me,” he continued, with a smile on his face. I just smiled back and watched to see what would happen next.

“What type of shoe would you like?” asked the clerk. “How about a pair of cowboy boots?” The man pointed to the back wall where three or four pairs of boots were displayed. The salesman, sharply turning, headed off to the backroom.

“Isn’t this fun?” the boy asked me. I moved my hand to let him know that I did not understand his question. “When I was a kid, my parents used to buy me a new pair of shoes every year. That was such a wonderful feeling. Something I have never forgotten. The smell of the leather and the pride I felt when I walked around the store showing off my new shoes.”

The salesman came walking down the aisle with a large box. He sat it down on the floor, took out one boot and handed it to the young man. The boy closed his eyes. He placed the boot against his nose, and drew in a large breath. I did not know what to say as tears began to fall on the young man’s cheeks. “What type of accident did you have?” I asked him. “Farm accident,” he said, as he tried to clear his voice.

“Do you want the cowboy boots?” the salesman asked him. 

“Oh, yes!” he answered.

“I see buying a new pair of shoes still gives you that good feeling you talked about,” I told the young man, as I smiled. 

“Yes it does.” he said “And I may have someone, and his feet to share it with some day.” 

67. Why did the young man want to buy a new pair of shoes?

A. Because he bought a pair every year.

B. Because he wanted to send a new pair to a friend.

C. Because he hoped to keep it for memory.

D. Because he enjoyed the feeling of possessing a new pair.

68. The author writes about the barber shop at the beginning of the article in order to _______.

A. introduce the background of the story

   B. see if the Barber College had moved to a new location

   C. find a listing for the Barber College       D. pick out a local beauty salon

69. How did the author feel when he saw a young man without legs buying a pair of shoes?

A. Unexpected.     B. Proud.    C. Sympathetic.    D. Superior.

70. What can you conclude from the passage?

A. The young man was a stubborn person.      B. The author was a man of understanding.

C. The cowboy boots were fashionable then.   D. The disabled envied much those healthy.

Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course," she said.

    "Can we write him a letter?"

    She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes."

    My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked.

    "No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for.

    "Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Morn was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.

    She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped(缠绕) the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.

    "Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three."

   The balloon, carrying my letter, darted(猛冲) upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds.

   Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend(超越) this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary(遗传的). I prayed to be a balloon.

56. When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother ______.

   A. felt it hard to answer                        B. thought her a creative girl

C. believed it easy to do so                     D. found it easy to lie

57. When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she ______.

   A. jumped with joy                            B. became excited

   C. started writing immediately            D. was worried that it couldn't be delivered

58. In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?

A. An incurable disease.                      B. An unforgettable memory.

   C. The hard time her father had.                  D. The failures her father experienced.

59. What would be the best title for the passage?

    A. The strong red balloon                      B. An unforgettable experience

   C. Fly to paradise                            D . A great father

Al had been working in this factory only eleven months, but he excelled at everything he did. He looked for new tasks-as an opportunity to gain experience. To him, mistakes were not to be denied but considered an opportunity to learn. He was, by far, the most capable man among his workmates, One day, when he was finishing his work of the day, he heard Jack calling him.

“What are you going to do about…?” asked Jack.

“I’ll come off the end rail,” interrupted Al.

“No, I mean about Joe’s promotion?”

“I’m going back to school,” Al said.

“Excuse me!” W ww.k s5u.co m

“I’m going back to school,” Al repeated.

“You mean you’re quitting!”

Was it that simple? Is this why there was so much misery in men’s lives? “I’m going back to school” was just an excuse, and Al knew it, thought Jack, or Al would not be drunk. It seemed that Al would rather get drunk than fight for his happiness. But why? Jack had no answer.

“Yes, and I’m going back to school. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t believe that this kind of thing can happen. Maybe if I get more education and a better job, it will be different.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Well, what do you want we to do?” Al was getting angry: “I can’t stay here! I can’t work where the most incapable get the biggest reward! I can’t kill Joe and the boss like…”

Al stopped. They both knew what this meant.

“Like I did?”

Al did not answer.

“Yes, I killed two men with my bare hands; yes, I got punished and lost my job-but I kept my soul!”

Al undertood the hidden statement. Al did not know whether it was his anger, or the beer, or both that made him less cautious in the face. He held his hands firmly. Then be heard Jack: “You’ve got the right idea, Al. You’ve got to fight.”

Al needed to think. Instead of taking the subway, he walked five miles back home. By the time he entered his bedroom, he climbed into bed. Turned off his mind, and fell asleed.

67．Choose from the following a right word to describe Jack.

A．Tough.     B．Incapable. C．Lazy. D．Talkative.

68．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

       A．Jack was not happy about Joe’s promotion.

       B．Al and jack were workmates.

       C．The conversation between Al and Jack happened in their workplace.

       D．The conversation between Al and Jack happened during the working hours.

69．What can we infer from the underlined part?

       A．Jack thinks Al has lost his soul.

       B．Jack used to be a killer.

       C．Al would be a killer.

       D．Don’t be a killer like Jack. W ww.k s5u.co m

70．Which of the following is true about Al at the end of the story?

       A．Al felt so tired from the long walk home and couldn’t help falling asleep.

       B．Al and made up his mind and knew what to do.

       C．Al forgot all that had happened.

       D．Al was too confused to think further.