BALTIMORE. MARYLAND—An old postcard changed the lives of an eleven-year-old boy and a very sick woman. The postcard had a picture of the steamship Titanic. The Titanic was the largest ocean ship in the world. It hit an iceberg（冰山）and sank on April 14. 1912. More than 1,500 of the 2,200 people on the ship were killed.

　　The postcard was passed from one person to another for more than 80 years. Then it appeared at a card show for people who liked to collect postcards. An eleven-year-old boy, Joey Russell, came to the show with his grandfather. His grandfather knew everything about the Titanic and its trip from England to New York. “Let’s buy that postcard.” he told Joey. “It will be important someday.”

　　Two years later, Joey’s grandfather took him on a special trip. They went on a trip to the North Atlantic ocean to watch as workers pulled the Titanic up from the bottom of the ocean. Joey put his special postcard in his bag for the trip. On the ship, Joey met Edith Haisman. This woman was on the Titanic when it sank. She was one of the people who were rescued. Joey pulled the postcard out of his pocket. “Please sign this, Mrs. Haisman.” he said. She was happy to write her name on the back of the postcard.

When Joey got home, he put the postcard away and forgot about it, Then Kate Shelley, one of Joey’s friends, told him that her mother was very sick. She needed an operation, but there was a problem. The operation was very expensive, and the family needed $80, 000 to pay for it. Friends and relatives tried to help. But where could they get so much money?

　　Then when Joey went to see the new movie “Titanic”, he had an idea. “Millions of people are seeing this movie and reading about the Titanic.” Joey thought. He remembered the old postcard with Edith Haisman’s signature on it. “Maybe I can sell it for some money. Then I can help Kate’s mom.”

　　Joey told his mother and father about his idea to help Mrs. Shelley. His parents helped him try to sell the postcard to the person who would pay the most money for it. Joey’s story was on television and in newspapers. Joey and Kate even went to New York to be on a national TV show. After the show, many people called in to offer money for the Titanic card. Someone bought it for $60. 000.

Joey’s kind heart and the old Titanic postcard worked together to save a woman’s life.

1.Which of the following is NOT true about the old postcard?

A. The Titanic was the largest steamship in the world in 1912.

B. The steamship Titanic hit an iceberg and sank about a hundred years ago

C. Over two thousand passengers were killed in the ocean accident.

D. More than eighty years had passed before the postcard belonged to Joey.

2.Joey Russell _________.

A. decided to buy the postcard at a shop

B. showed great interest in collecting postcards

C. took the postcard with him to see Mrs. Shelley

D. asked Mrs. Haisman to sign her name on his postcard

3.What does the underlined word “rescued” mean in the sentence?

A. Be made safe from danger.

B. Be on an ocean trip.

C. Be working on board.

D. Be asked to sell the postcard.

4.When did Joey Russell have the idea of selling his old postcard for money?

A. When Kate Shelley told him of her mother’s sickness.

    B. When he went to see the new movie “Titanic”.

    C. When he was reading the new book of Titanic.

    D. When he remembered Mrs. Haisman’s signature on his card.

5.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The Titanic arrived in New York at the end of April, 1912.

B. At the age of 13, Joey Russell got Mrs. Haisman’s signature.

C. Joey Russell sold out his postcards on a national TV show.

D. The Titanic card was sold to many people for $60, 000.

We drink tea every day. But more than three hundred years ago most of the people in Europe (欧洲) did not know anything about tea. Some people heard about it, but very few of them know what to do with it.

　　There is a story about an English sailor (水手) who went to countries in the east，the west and the south. He went to India and China. One day he came home and brought some tea as a present for his mother. She told her friends about the present and asked them to a “tea party”. When her friends came to the “tea party”, the old woman offered (给) them brown tea-leaves (茶叶). The old woman’s friends began to eat them. Of course, nobody liked the tea-leaves.

　　At that time the sailor came in. He looked at the table and said, “Mother, what have you done with the tea?”

　　“I boiled (煮) it，as you said.”

　　“And what did you do with the water?”

　　“I threw it away, of course.” answered the old woman.

　　“Now you may throw away the leaves, too.” said her son.

(    ) 1. Most of the people in Europe ________.

　　　  A. drank tea every day 300 years ago        B. drink tea every day

　　　  C. know nothing about tea               D. like to eat the tea-leaves

(    ) 2. One day the English sailor brought his mother some tea from ________.

　　　  A. countries in the west                   B. countries in the south

　　　  C. India or China                       D. a tea shop in England

(    ) 3. The sailor’s mother asked her friends to her house, because ________.

　　　  A. the sailor told her to

　　　  B. she wanted to ask her friends what to do with the tea

　　　  C. she liked to show off (炫耀)

　　　  D. she wanted to sample (品尝) the tea together with her friends

(    ) 4. At the “tea party”，________.

　　　  A. all the woman’s friends spoke highly of the tea

　　　  B. nobody knew what to do with the tea

　　　  C. the woman offered her friends some dried (干的) tea

　　　  D. the woman gave her friends each a glass of tea water

(    ) 5. What mistake did the old woman make? She ________.

　　　  A. boiled the tea                       B. did as the sailor said

　　　  C. poured away the water                D. didn't throw away the tea-leaves

Today is Tom’s birthday. After school he walks past the shop on the street corner. He looks at the window. That pair of trainers is still there. He really wants to have them very much.
　He was very sad and walks away. He knows his mother can give him anything he likes if she can. But he also knows she has no money and the trainers are too expensive. He doesn’t go home at once because his mother could notice (注意) his worry. So he goes to the park and sits on the grass. Then he sees a boy in a wheel chair (轮椅) . He finds that the boy moves the wheel with his hands. Tom looks at him carefully and is surprised to see that the boy has no feet. He looks at his own feet. “It’s much better to be without shoes than without feet.” he thinks. There is no reason (理由) for him to feel so sorry and sad. He smiles and thinks he is happier.
【小题1】Tom passed the shop__________.