I never wanted a dog, but now I’m so glad I have one.

About two years ago, my wife, Cathy, got a dog with a face only a mother could have. We named her Gertie.

Gertie is a kind of dog that has to grow on you. So I decided that the dog would be trained. This didn’t quite go as planned. At 15 weeks old, she was nearly made to leave the Petsmart Training School. She spent every night lying in our bed——snoring(打鼾)so loudly that I hardly got a good night’s sleep.

Then, about six months after she arrived, I felt that something in my heart was taking place, and I was unable to stop it. My behavior began to change. I began to smile at people when passing them in a street.

I was returned from neighbors. I started calling my kids, and to my surprise, they started calling me. I even tried to speak to my grandchildren over the phone once. I even was glad to listen to laughter from a 10-month-old granddaughter. The point is that I was changing.

My wife and I both agree that it is Gertie who has changed my behavior.

Gertie is now nearly two years old and almost fully grown. I have come to like the pet little by little, thought she is my wife's dog.

1. What did the man think of the dog at the beginning?

  A. It looks very beautiful.                       B. It wasn't very lovely.

  C. It wasn't necessary to be trained.        D. It could change his life.

2. When did the man's behavior began to change?

  A. About two years ago.

  B. When Gertie was nearly two years ago.

  C. When Gertie was 15 weeks old.               

  D. About six months after Gertie arrived.

3. Which of the following is not mentioned about the man’s change?

  A. He began to smile at the people.

  B. He liked helping his neighbors.

  C. He started calling his kids.

  D. He spoke to his grandchildren over the phone.

4. According to the passage which of the following is right?

  A. The dog has been trained very well.

  B. The man has become more confident.                    

  C. The man has become friendlier.

  D. The man likes the dog better than his wife.

5. From the passage, what do you think of pets?

  A. Pets are not useful to people.

  B. Keeping pets is dangerous.

  C. Sometimes pets can change someone’s life.

  D. Pets need to be looked after well.

Angela Chang(张韶涵) didn’t know it would be so hard to turn singing into a career(失业). She went to many different record companies. But she was always turned down for looking too young and small.

“I’d never had such difficulties before,” Chang said. But Chang’s talent was finally accepted in 2002. When she got a piece of work, she cried.

She soon became a star. Her first album Over the Rainbow sold very well. She won many awards.

“You wouldn’t believe such a beautiful voice could come from such a small body,” said one musician after hearing Chang sing. “She has a special voice. You can’t forget it.”

But the 25-year-old girl has other talents too. Chang is also an actress. She has played a role in the popular TV plays, My MVP Valentine and At Dolphin Bay. Many people remember her common-girl parts in the plays. But acting is difficult. Chang once acted so badly that she was nearly fired(解雇). Another time it took her 27 tries to get a scene(一场戏) right.

“I cried when I got back home,” Chang said. “But I knew that I wouldn’t always fail. You only fail when you give up.”

Now with four albums behind her - Over the Rainbow, Aurora, Pandora and Flower in the Wonderland, it’s clear that Chang and music were made for each other. As she sings in one song, “I have a pair of invisible wings(隐形的翅膀). They fly me to the skies and give me hope.”

1. The phrase “turned down” in the first paragraph means “________________”.

        A. 承认                       B. 拒绝                       C. 开除                D. 雇用

2. Many record companies refused to co-operate(合作) with her because ______________.

A. she looks very common                                B. she is too young

 C. she doesn’t sing very well                                  D. she looks young and small

3. Which of the following is NOT right?

       A. She won many awards for the album Over the Rainbow.

       B. She has made four films.

       C. One musician spoke highly of(赞扬) her. 

D. She is not only a singer but an actress.

4. Although acting is difficult for her, she never gives up because ______________.

        A. she is strong-minded                                   

B. people like her films 

        C. she is interested in acting                             

D. she acted in the popular TV plays

5. Which do you think is the best title of the passage?

       A. The Small Girl.                                             B. Four Albums.

       C. I have a Pair of Invisible Wings.                      D. A Poor Actress.

Angela Chang (张韶涵) didn’t know it would be so hard to turn singing into a career (失业). She went to many different record companies. But she was always turned down for looking too young and small.

“I’d never had such difficulties before,” Chang said. But Chang’s talent was finally accepted in 2002. When she got a piece of work, she cried.

She soon became a star. Her first album Over the Rainbow sold very well. She won many awards.

“You wouldn’t believe such a beautiful voice could come from such a small body,” said one musician after hearing Chang sing. “She has a special voice. You can’t forget it.”

But the 25-year-old girl has other talents too. Chang is also an actress. She has played a role in the popular TV plays, My MVP Valentine and At Dolphin Bay. Many people remember her common-girl parts in the plays. But acting is difficult. Chang once acted so badly that she was nearly fired (解雇). Another time it took her 27 tries to get a scene (一场戏) right.

“I cried when I got back home,” Chang said. “But I knew that I wouldn’t always fail. You only fail when you give up.”

Now with four albums behind her - Over the Rainbow, Aurora, Pandora and Flower in the Wonderland, it’s clear that Chang and music were made for each other. As she sings in one song, “I have a pair of invisible wings (隐形的翅膀). They fly me to the skies and give me hope.”

1.The phrase “turned down” in the first paragraph means “______”.

         A. 承认                             B. 拒绝                             C. 开除                      D. 雇用

2. Many record companies refused to co-operate (合作) with her because ______.

         A. she looks very common                                          B. she is too young

         C. she doesn’t sing very well                                 D. she looks young and small

3. Although acting is difficult for her, she never gives up because ______.

         A. she is strong-minded                                          B. people like her films 

         C. she is interested in acting                                               D. she acted in the popular TV plays

4.Which do you think is the best title of the passage?

         A. The Small Girl.                                                           B. Four Albums.

        C. I have a Pair of Invisible Wings.                 D. A Poor Actress.

Angela Chang (张韶涵) didn’t know it would be so hard to turn singing into a career (失业). She went to many different record companies. But she was always turned down for looking too young and small.

“I’d never had such difficulties before,” Chang said. But Chang’s talent was finally accepted in 2002. When she got a piece of work, she cried.

She soon became a star. Her first album Over the Rainbow sold very well. She won many awards.

“You wouldn’t believe such a beautiful voice could come from such a small body,” said one musician after hearing Chang sing. “She has a special voice. You can’t forget it.”

But the 25-year-old girl has other talents too. Chang is also an actress. She has played a role in the popular TV plays, My MVP Valentine and At Dolphin Bay. Many people remember her common-girl parts in the plays. But acting is difficult. Chang once acted so badly that she was nearly fired (解雇). Another time it took her 27 tries to get a scene (一场戏) right.

“I cried when I got back home,” Chang said. “But I knew that I wouldn’t always fail. You only fail when you give up.”

Now with four albums behind her - Over the Rainbow, Aurora, Pandora and Flower in the Wonderland, it’s clear that Chang and music were made for each other. As she sings in one song, “I have a pair of invisible wings (隐形的翅膀). They fly me to the skies and give me hope.”

1.The phrase “turned down” in the first paragraph means “______”.

         A. 承认                             B. 拒绝                             C. 开除                      D. 雇用

2. Many record companies refused to co-operate (合作) with her because ______.

         A. she looks very common                                          B. she is too young

         C. she doesn’t sing very well                                 D. she looks young and small

3. Although acting is difficult for her, she never gives up because ______.

         A. she is strong-minded                                          B. people like her films 

         C. she is interested in acting                                               D. she acted in the popular TV plays

4.Which do you think is the best title of the passage?

         A. The Small Girl.                                                           B. Four Albums.

        C. I have a Pair of Invisible Wings.                 D. A Poor Actress.