Last Friday, I was ing home late after spending time with friends and thought I’d go down to the $99 cent pizza place. On the way, I saw a man sitting on the stairs alone there. I’d seen him before every day I run late to work, but this time I had no place to rush off to.
There was something about him, a quiet manner, different from many of other homeless people I had seen in New York City. I walked past him, went to the pizza place, and those 10 seconds waiting in line was enough to practice stepping outside of my usual, familiar flow. So with a few slices in hand, I went back to join him. I asked him if he was hungry. He said yes, but not for pizza because it made him unfortable. He’d rather have a few bucks for chicken and rice since it was easier on his stomach. It’s funny, in that moment, he became more real to me.
This man I had seen almost every day was someone with specific conditions, needs, and experiences. We exchanged names and ended up talking for a little over an hour that night as Kevin told me stories from his life, how he had done things when “he was younger and didn’t know any better” and how he tried to make amends (补偿) but too much time had passed. He shared his views on the value for young adults to learn the history of other people.
He talked about his one wish being in his 60’s before he leaves this earth, which is to share his story with the teenagers and young adults so they could avoid the mistakes he went through. Throughout the conversation, he eventually got his chicken and rice and gifted me a rose he had been carrying. Shortly afterwards, I made my way home, thinking to myself, “I met an amazing homeless person”.The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to ____.
| A．share his experience |
| B．show his generosity |
| C．express his thoughts |
| D．exchange his opinions |
The homeless man refused pizza because he ____.
| A．did not feel very hungry at that moment |
| B．had something wrong with his stomach |
| C．preferred some chicken and rice to pizza |
| D．might feel ashamed to be given something |
What’s the homeless man’s last wish?
| A．To bee a lot younger again. |
| B．To make amends for his early life. |
| C．To have enough chicken and rice to eat. |
| D．To teach the young not to follow his example. |
It can be inferred from the text that ____.
| A．The homeless man is different from others |
| B．The writer showed his pity to the homeless man |
| C．What the homeless man thought shocked the writer |
| D．What the homeless man did was not very meaningful |
How do you like the homeless man after reading the passage?
| A．Learned. | B．Honorable. |
| C．Determined. | D．Promising. |
Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills. With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence, according to Intermountain Therapy Animals （ITA） in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs（READ）.
The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache,” said Lisa Myron, manager of the children’s department.
Last November, the two groups started “Dog Day Afternoon” in the children's department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a “paw graphed” book at the last class.
The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager. What is mainly discussed in the text?
| A．Children’s reading difficulties. |
| B．Advantages of raising dogs. |
| C．Service in public library. |
| D．A special reading program. |
Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think ______________.
| A．dogs are young children's best friends |
| B．children can play with dogs while reading |
| C．dogs can provide encouragement for shy children |
| D．children and dogs understand each other |
By saying “The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea”, the writer means the library ____________.
A. uses dogs to attract children.
B. accepts the idea put forward by ITA.
C. has opened a children's department.
D. has decided to train some dogs. A “paw graphed” book is most probably_____________.
| A．a book used in Saturday classes |
| B．a book written by the children |
| C．a prize for the children |
| D．a gift from parents |
Here are some advertisements taken from a newspaper.
（1）
Dear Drew Carter,
Your first year on this earth has been a pleasure ride for all of us. We love you!
Dad and Mom
and many friends
（2）
Lawlis---Clarke
The Doctor Virgil and Marjorie Lawlis are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Diane Susan to Mr. Robert Brent Clarks, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Clarks of Herford, Texas.
A spring wedding is planned in House.
（3）
Isbell---Foss
Mr. and Mrs. Davis K. Isbell announce the marriage of their daughter Dang to Mr. Stanley Foss, son of Mrs. John Sipe of Ada, Minnessota.
The wedding will be early April at Abiding Love Lutheran Church.
（4）
Story－Kurio
Miss Stephanie Story and Mr. Todd Warren Kurio were married on February 5, at half past seven o'clock in the evening in Highland Park Prebytefian Church in Dallas, Texas. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Brue Story Jr. of Dallas. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Stanley Kurio of Austin. What would be the best title for the first advertisement?
| A．We Love You | B．Happy lst Birthday |
| C．One Year Old | D．Our One-Year-Old Son |
Lawlis and Clarke are going to get married___________.
| A．in a church | B．where Clarke’s parents live |
| C．against their parents' will | D．to Lawlis’ parents' joy |
Who are now married couple?
| A．Lawlis and Clarke | B．Dang Isbell and Foss |
| C．Story and Kurio | D．The text doesn't say. |
Who got or will get married in spring?
| A．Not only Lawlis and Clarke but also Isbell and Foss |
| B．Neither Lawlis and Clarke nor Isbell and Foss |
| C．Either Isbell and Foss or Story and Kurio |
| D．Neither Lawlis and Clarke nor Story and Kurio |
How words came into being is unknown. All we assume（推测）is that some early men invented certain sounds, in one way or another, to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could talk with each other. Later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be put together to show those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, are called words.
The power of words, then, lies in their associations - the things they bring up to our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words bring back to us the happy and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which have powerful effects on our minds and feelings. This clever use of words is what we call literary style（文体）. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can express his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them correctly, or they will make our speech silly and common.We learn from the text that language might have begun with
| A．actions | B．expressions | C．sounds | D．signs |
What is mainly discussed in Paragraph 2?
| A．The relation of human experience with words. |
| B．The gradual change and development of words. |
| C．The learning of new words. |
| D．The importance of old words. |
In the last paragraph, what does the author suggest that we should do?
| A．Associate with listeners. | B．Make musical speeches. |
| C．Learn poems by heart. | D．Use words skillfully. |
Does Being Famous Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today’s star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world’s attention. Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their privacy. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities — famous people — worry constantly about their public appearance. In the end, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. “Over time,” Villarreal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of following celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B.C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren’t all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice（正义）. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.It can be learned from the passage that stars today _________.
| A．spend too much on their public appearance |
| B．are often misunderstood by the public |
| C．can no longer have their privacy protected |
| D．care little about how they have become famous |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history. |
| B．Great heroes of the past were generally admired. |
| C．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers. |
| D．Well-known actors are usually targets of tabloids. |
What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
| A．There are huge population of fans. |
| B．They get little support from society. |
| C．They get few good opportunities. |
| D．Many modern ways of getting news are being used. |
What is the author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?
| A．Sincere. | B．Doubting | C．Supporting. | D．Disagreeing. |
On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they’d rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair got frightened and tried to row back to shore(海滨). But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.
“Everything went quiet in my head,” Tim recalls. “I’m trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line.”
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. “At one point, I considered turning back,” he says. “I wondered if I was putting my life in danger.” After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to shout to the boys, “Take down the umbrella!”
“Let’s aim for the pier（码头）,” Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. “Can you guys swim?” he cried. “A little bit,” the boys said.
Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys’ faces.
“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. “Yes,” Tim told them each time.
After 30 minutes, they reached the pier.Why did the two boys go to the sea?
| A．To test the umbrella as a sail. | B．To swim in the open water. |
| C．To get back their football. | D．To go boat rowing. |
What does “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．The wind | B．The water | C．The boat | D．The beach |
How can the two boys finally reach the pier?
| A．They swam to the pier all by themselves. |
| B．They were pulled to the pier by Tim. |
| C．They were washed to the pier by the waves. |
| D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back. |
Which is the best title of the text?
| A．How to save people on sea | B．Brave Rescue of kids on Sea |
| C．An Unforgettable Experience | D．Careless Kids in Danger |
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