Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2－year－old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.
His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.
“I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight，” Dickinson told KABC.
That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.
“I told him, ‘Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.’ And he said, ‘No problem. They can't leave without me anyway，’”Dickinson told KABC.
Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana(大麻) at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first－degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.
Thanks to the pilot, Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were praiseworthy.
“You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating(可以原谅的) circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision，” Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. “I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers.”
【小题1】According to the passage, which is the correct order of the following events?
a. The pilot held the plane for Dickinson.
b. People read the story of the pilot on the Internet.
c. Caden suffered a head injury.
d. Dickinson was waiting in line at the security checking point.
d. Marilee McInnis praised the pilot's actions.

When we talk about stars ,especially women stars ,it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain's Got Talent（英国达人）star Susan Boyle has changed our views absolutely.
Simon Cowell ,one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle's voice. "This lady camp up ,and I'm thinking, 'This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea'. That changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through -it was one of my favorite moments," Cowell said.
The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been famous all over the world.
Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn't thought of changing her appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. "I mean, that's hardly a makeover," she added.Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, "I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence."
【小题1】Susan Boyle is _________

Time was running out, and Mark Dickinson wasn't sure whether he'd get to see his dying 2－year－old grandson one last time. A long line at Los Angeles International Airport's security checkpoint had kept him from getting to his gate on time.

His grandson Caden would be taken off life support in a matter of hours in Denver, Colorado, with or without his grandfather's presence, according to CNN affiliate KABC.

“I was kind of panicking because I was running late, and I really thought I wasn't going to make the flight，” Dickinson told KABC.

That's when a pilot from Southwest Airlines stepped up and held the flight at the gate until Dickinson arrived. The pilot was standing by the air bridge waiting for him when Dickinson arrived in socks, so rushed that he just grabbed his shoes at security and ran through the terminal.

“I told him, ‘Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that.’ And he said, ‘No problem. They can't leave without me anyway，’”Dickinson told KABC.

Authorities say Dickinson's grandson, Caden Rodgers, suffered a head injury after his mother's boyfriend threw him across the room. The boyfriend reportedly told police he was drunk and high on marijuana(大麻) at the time. The child later died and the boyfriend has been charged with first－degree murder, according to the Aurora Sentinel.

Thanks to the pilot, Dickinson made it to Colorado in time to say goodbye to his grandson. Most airlines would punish any staff member who holds up a flight, according to consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who broke the story of the sympathetic pilot on his blog. However, a Southwest spokeswoman said the pilot's actions were praiseworthy.

“You can't hold a plane for every late customer, but I think we would all agree that these were extenuating(可以原谅的) circumstances and the pilot absolutely made the right decision，” Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said. “I don't think you could ask for a better example of great service for our customers.”

1.According to the passage, which is the correct order of the following events?

a. The pilot held the plane for Dickinson.

b. People read the story of the pilot on the Internet.

c. Caden suffered a head injury.

d. Dickinson was waiting in line at the security checking point.

d. Marilee McInnis praised the pilot's actions.

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

2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. The security staff prohibited Dickinson from getting to his gate on time.

B. The plane couldn't leave without Dickinson according to the regulations.

C. Dickinson made it to see his grandson one last time.

D. Christopher Elliott holds the view that all the airlines should advocate similar actions.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. The boyfriend of Caden's mother hates him very much.

B. The boyfriend has been accused of first－degree murder.

C. Many pilots enjoy writing blog.

D. Dickinson had to take off his shoes at the security cheekpoint.

4.In writing this passage, the author mainly tells us a story about ________．

A. an unlucky man from Los Angeles making his flight

B. a poor boy being killed by his mother's boyfriend

C. Southwest Airlines' decision not to punish a pilot who held up the flight

D. a pilot holding the flight for a man going to see his dying grandson

When we talk about stars ,especially women stars ,it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain's Got Talent（英国达人）star Susan Boyle has changed our views absolutely.

Simon Cowell ,one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle's voice. "This lady camp up ,and I'm thinking, 'This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea'. That changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through -it was one of my favorite moments," Cowell said.

The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been famous all over the world.

Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn't thought of changing her appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. "I mean, that's hardly a makeover," she added.Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, "I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence."

1.Susan Boyle is _________

A．a judge           B．a reporter         C．a beautiful         D．a Scottish woman

2.Susan Boyle had a look of satisfaction on her face when she was singing because______.

A．she was confident of her singing

B．she was satisfied with the judges

C．she was pretty and in good shape

D．she sang the song I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables

3.According to the passage, which is NOT true?

A．It was the vocal talents that built Susan's confidence

B．Susan Boyle was not good at her lesson when at school.

C．Susan Boyle became famous because of her appearance.

D．Simon Cowell didn't think Susan Boyle a good singer at the first sight.

4.What can we learn from Susan Boyle's success

A．It's never too old to learn.

B．It's easier to succeed at the age of 47.

C．If you have a dream, try to make it come true!

D．If you are not able to study well, to be a singer instead.

Although international students want to dive into American culture, it is easier to stay close to the families.

“Most international students told me that they want to meet and make friends with as many Americans as they can,” said Mark Galloway, Institute for International Studies (IIS) student adviser at State University.

“But in reality, they are comfortable with being around people from their own country, if possible. ”

Testing of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is an admission test for international students enrolling in American universities. Galloway said students’ scores decreased when they spend less time with American students.

More than 450 international students are on campus at Murray State University. Thailand, Japan, South Korea, China and Germany are countries with the most students this semester, according to an IIS report.

Wichien Eampromate, Thai Student Association President, said poor English ability and cultural differences make it difficult for Thai students to spend time with Americans.

“We eat different things; we do different kinds of things,” said Eampromate.

On the other hand, Joon-Seong Bae, an exchange student from Korea University, said he tried to avoid hanging around other Koreans.

But it is not easy for him. He said he is less comfortable with Americans because he cannot say everything he wants to say, and not all Americans are patient with his limited English.

“There were two or three Americans and me,” Bae said. “We talked about something. As time went by, I was kind of excluded(排斥在外) because they talked to each other.

  While international students venture outside their comfort zones, American students also have the opportunity to be exposed to other cultures.

“I know there are a lot ( of American students) who want to get to know international students,” said Philip Lee, senior from Boonville, Indiana. “They are just uncomfortable. ”

Lee said he has learned about life from his international friends, although it is sometimes a challenge.

“ I can’t live a comfortable life all the time,” Lee said. “ I realized there is a great benefit of stepping out of my comfort zone to meet people. ”

60. From the first paragraph we learn that ______________.

A. international students enjoy American culture with difficulty

B. international students all go to America without preparation.

C. American culture, in fact, is the same as others

D. American culture is easy to deal with

61. What Bae has experienced tells us that ____________.

A. he is willing to help Koreans with their English

B. he prefers to stay home rather than meet Americans

C. he can’t express himself well with American students.

D. He doesn’t have any chance to meet American students

62. It can be inferred from this passage that ___________.

A. international students go to America in order to improve their English

B. international students can hardly make any friends in America

C. it is necessary for international students to make friends with Americans

D. it is bad for international students to get along with Americans