—How would you like your coffee, sir?
—________. It’s my favourite.

A lot of teenagers are good at art at school, but how would you feel if people called you “the new Picasso(毕加索)” or if presidents and other famous people collected your paintings?
Alexandra Nechita was ten when her paintings became famous all over the world. She visited Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and her family’s native place (祖籍) Romania where 5,000 fans came to see her at the airport. Alexandra said, “When it all started, I was moved. It was very exciting and I loved the traveling, but I got very tired. And I missed home.”
Alexandra is a good student. Her studies always come first. She only starts painting after she’s done her homework. She works on two or three paintings at a time. The paintings sell for thousands and Alexandra’s parents have given up their jobs to work for their daughter. Life for the Nechita family is very different from what it was like a few years ago.
Alexandra’s father Niki left Romania for political reasons in 1985. At first he tried his best to learn English and had different kinds of low-paid jobs. In 1987, he brought his wife and Alexandra, who was then 18 months old, to America. The family was very poor. Alexandra began to draw at the age of three.
She was drawing for four or five hours a day. Soon people offered to buy her paintings and she had her first art show at the age of eight. Stories about this child appeared in the newspapers and television. They now live in a large house with a swimming pool. Her mother said, “We started without anything, but thanks to Alexandra, we have everything we ever dreamed of.”
【小题1】Alexandra became well-known all over the world for her paintings at the age of _______.

IMAGINE a life without arms or legs! You can’t hold anyone in your   26  . You can’t walk anywhere with your feet. How would you last a day like that? Would you   27   at yourself in the mirror like Nick Vujicic, the 29-year-old Australian?

Nick was born without limbs（四肢）, so life was not   28   for him. At school many students played jokes on him   29   he looked different from everyone else. He was refused to be   30   friends, so he always felt   31  . However, he faced that bravely. He   32   to type and write with two toes（脚趾）at the age of six, and he could   33   surf and play golf. In college, he achieved great success and was among the   34   students in the studies. And he decided on   35   to do later in his life—to encourage others to work hard for their dreams.

Now Nick is one of the most popular   36   in the world. He travels to many countries and gives speeches about his story   37   difficulties. “Living life fully is about looking at what you   38  , not what you don’t have.” he said. His   39   encourages millions of people.

 “I tell people to keep on getting up when they   40   and to always love themselves,” he said. “If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done.”

1.A. arms           B. ears                 C. eyes             D. teeth

2.A. laugh          B. cry              C. smile            D. shout

3.A. old                B. easy             C. modern           D. difficult

4.A. because            B. if               C. until            D. although

5.A. his                B. my               C. their            D. our

6. A. happy         B. relaxed          C. lonely           D. surprised

7.A. failed             B. forgot       C. helped           D. learned

8.A. even           B. ever             C. never            D. hardly

9.A. tall               B. lazy             C. sleepy               D. excellent

10.A. how           B. who              C. what             D. where

11.A. doctors           B. speakers         C. scientists   D. managers

12.A. at                B. for              C. into             D. against

13.A. make          B. have             C. lose             D. want

14.A. story         B. sadness          C. friend           D. family

15.A. fall          B. play             C. listen           D. exercise

If you had only three years left to live, how would you spend your time? It’s a hard question and few of us would even like to think about it. But 18-year-old Huang Ge has to answer this question and he says, “I want to thank the people who have helped me.”
At the age of one, Huang’s mother left the family. Six years later, he was badly ill. He has been using a wheelchair since 9 years old. Doctors said he would only live to 18.After Huang’s story went on TV, hundreds of people sent money to help him. The boy was so moved that he decided to thank every one of them. But he has to be tied to his wheelchair. And the family can only afford a three-wheeled motorcycle(三轮摩托). Since 2003, the father and son have traveled 14,000 kilometers, to 10 provinces, and thanked more than 30 helpers.          
“I am moved by the story of the boy. We need the courage to face death, and we should also show our gratefulness to those who help us,” says an online post on CCTV. com.
【小题1】_________, Huang Ge started to use a wheelchair.