高中英语故事类阅读试题

Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father came to America from Kenya, which is a country in Africa. His parents, Ann and Barack, met when they were students at the University of Hawaii. Since Barack had the same name as his father, young Barack went by the nickname “Barry”.
In 1979, after he finished high school, Barry went to Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. There, he started to learn about his African roots and decided to use his African name, Barack. After two years in L.A., he went to Columbia University in New York City to study politics.
After college, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked to help poor people in his city. He traveled to Africa to meet his grandmother and cousins for the first time. He went back many times over the years to visit with his family and learn about where he came from. At work, he met a lawyer named Michelle Robinson. They worked together in a big law firm. Then he left Chicago to go to Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He did very well in law school.
After he was done with school, Barack moved back to Chicago and in 1992 he married Michelle. He worked as a lawyer, devoted to helping poor people for free who had been treated unfairly. He worked hard to get the people he helped to vote(投票).
He made many people believe that their votes were important, and helped them feel like they could make a difference.
Barack Obama’s father was probably born in _________.

A．Hawaii	B． Illinois
C．Kenya	D．California

Which of the following is the right order according to the text?
①Getting married to Michelle.
②Travelling to Africa to meet his grandmother
③Going to Harvard Law School
④Going to Columbia University
⑤Working in a big law firm.

A．④③②⑤①	B．④②⑤③①
C．③④①⑤②	D．②①⑤④③

How did Obama get people to vote?

A．By cheating them to do so.

B．By making a difference to people.

C．By helping poor people who treat others unfairly.

D．By showing them the importance of their votes.

According to the text, which of the following words can best describe Barack Obama?

A．Kind-hearted	B．Humorous
C．Polite	D．Brave

B
This is a true story about a boy who, the world might say, was a terrible underachiever. While in the eighth grade, he failed subjects repeatedly. High school wasn’t much better; he flunked Latin, algebra, English, and received a grade of zero in physics. The boy managed to make the school golf team, but he lost the most important golf match of the season.
It’s not that his peers(同龄人) disliked this boy; it’s just that they never really seemed to notice him much. Even “Hellos” in the hall were a rarity. Out of all the failures in his life, there was something that did hold great importance to this boy, his love of drawing. Although in high school, the cartoons he submitted to the yearbook were rejected, once out of school, the boy was so sure of his artistic talent that he approached Walt Disney Studios with drawing works. I wish I could say the studios loved his work and immediately hired him, but such was not the case; another huge rejection.
Despite his lack of successes, this boy did not give up. He then decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons, about a little boy who was regarded as a loser and a nobody.
The name of this boy was Charles Schulz, the creator of the famous Charlie Brown and comic dog Snoopy.
In life, it is sometimes easy to feel like a nobody. We pass hundreds of people on the street on our way to work, or walk through a faceless crowd in a mall, and no one seems to notice or care. Deep inside, we may know we are special and unique and have lots to offer, but unless someone takes the time to look our way and give us a chance, we may feel worthless, just like Charlie Brown who couldn’t even manage to fly a kite or kick a football properly.
Just as Charles Schulz had faith in his artistic talent, so too, we must realize that nobody is a nobody. We all have special gifts and talents, and every human being is deserving and capable of being loved and appreciated.
The underlined word “flunked” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.

A．failed	B．learned
C．achieved	D．misunderstood

What can we infer about the boy in Paragraph 2?

A．He was hated by his peers.

B．He achieved great success in drawing in high school.

C．His work was refused by Walt Disney Studios.

D．He earned the praise from Walt Disney Studios.

When the boy suffered many defeats, he ________.

A．gave up his dream finally

B．wrote some articles in magazines

C．he turned to others for help

D．he wrote himself as a loser in cartoons

In the last two paragraphs, we are advised _______.

A．to open up our eyes

B．to believe we can make some difference

C．to learn more skills for development

D．to ask for more appreciation and love

Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．Nobody Is a Nobody.

B．A Hard-working Boy Is Successful.

C．We Should Turn Failure into Success.

D．One Cannot Succeed without Talents.

Strange it may sound, this is a true story about a lesson of honesty happening between a lucky thief and a worthy professor.
Once a thief won a lottery ticket but left it at his crime(犯罪) scene when he stole a suitcase from a professor. To his great surprise, his victim, who picked up the ticket and took the prize money of ￡25 000, managed to get in touch with him in order to return him the case. The robbery took place when John Smith, a math professor was changing a tyre on the motorway. The thief happened to pass by. He appeared to be a warm-hearted guy and stopped “to help”. When the professor found his suitcase in the car missing, the thief had driven off as fast as he could. The professor picked up the dropped ticket on the floor and put it in his pocket before driving home.
John Smith didn’t realize it was a winner until he knew the lottery results on TV. He got the prize money and began a battle with himself silently in his heart. At last，he decided not to keep the money although he just had been robbed of his suitcase by the owner of the ticket. He set out to advertise in newspapers and on radio for finding the owner, “ Don’t be surprised that I’m trying to find the man who robbed me in order to returned him the ￡25 000—a lottery win. Please meet me without telling me your real name if you don’t want to. ”.
Later John received tens of hundreds of calls from people around the country trying to trick him into handing them the cash. But he didn’t arrange to meet the right person in the park until he recognized the voice. The robber, was moved into tears when he returned the suitcase. “Why didn’t you keep the money？”he asked, not believing what was happening. The honest professor replied simply, “Because it’s not mine.” With these words, he walked off，spurningthe thief’s offer of a reward.
The underlined sentence “Then he began a battle with himself silently.” suggested that .

A．he made an immediate decision on knowing the lottery results

B．he silently decided to punish the robber by keeping the ticket

C．he realized that money played an important role as honesty .

D．he hesitated about how to deal with the ticket for some time

Hundreds of people phoned the professor because they _______.

A．lost their lottery ticket

B．hoped to take the money

C．knew who the robber was

D．wanted to make fun of him

The underlined word “spurning” in the last sentence is similar to______.

A．forgetting	B．accepting
C．refusing	D．making

Which of the following can be used as the best title for the passage?

A．A Magical Lottery

B．A Thief’s Lucky Day

C．A Stubborn Professor

D．A Reward of Honesty

Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours(绕行路)in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement(限制)and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’d get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons.
We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey----and the best part of yourself.
Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’ home?

A．She needn’t stop on the way.

B．It would be faster and easier.

C．Her kids would feel less confined.

D．She felt better with other drivers nearby.

What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6 ?

A．Freeways are where beauty hides.

B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life

C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health

D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals

Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home

A．To give herself some time to read

B．To order some food for them

C．To play a game with them.

D．To let them cool down

What could be the best title for the passage

A．Charm of the Detour

B．The Road to Bravery

C．Creativity out of Necessity

D．Road trip and Country Life

President Barack Obama has complained about the loss of privacy that comes with being leader of the United States, regretting the loss of simple pleasures such as a long walk or a trip to the car wash or supermarket．
“I just miss -- I miss being anonymous,” he said. “I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks. I can't take a walk.”
His dream, he said, was to “go through Central Park and watch folks passing by…spend the day watching people -- I miss that”.
Faced with angry criticism for playing more golf than most previous occupants of the White House, he explained that the sport was simply the best way of getting away from it all. “It's the only excuse I have to get outside for four hours.” he told Hearst magazines．
Though he said he enjoyed his life in the White House, he felt disappointed with some of the ways of Washington, which he has failed in his pledge (誓言) to change, such as the "kabuki dance" among political parties before serious policy discussions begin． His comments may be seen as vindication (证实) by critics who have accused him of appearing too detached (漠然), and being slow to engage in vital issues such as Libya and the near shutdown of the US government last week．
Since arriving at the White House in January 2009, Mr Obama has already racked up 60 rounds of golf in office, more than George W Bush did in his eight years．In terms of ability, Golf Digest magazine has ranked Mr Obama eighth out of the 18 presidents who played the game since it became established in the early 20th century．
What do the second paragraph and the third paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Obama likes living a busy life．

B．Obama used to spend most of his time with his family．

C．Obama wishes to enjoy simple pleasures．

D．He used to wash his car himself．

According to Obama, he plays golf to.

A．release his pressure

B．keep fit

C．balance his work

D．show his ability

We can infer from the passage that Obama is kabuki dance．

A．curious about	B．interested in
C．content with	D．tired of

Which of the following statements is from the critics?

A．The president lost lots of privacy, but he loves the life in the White House.

B．There are always unnecessary procedures among political parties．

C．The president seems to be indifferent towards some really important issues．

D．The president is really a great golf player．

What is the passage mainly about?

A．Obama's favorite pastime．

B．Obama’s complaints about lack of privacy as president．

C．The public's criticism of Obama．

D．Obama's regrets for being the US president．

In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember: little steps add up to big dreams.
When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be __________.

A．a writer	B．a teacher
C．a judge	D．a doctor

Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?

A．She wanted to study by herself.

B．She fell in love and got married.

C．She suffered from a serious illness.

D．She decided to look after her grandma.

What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?

A．She was busy yet happy with her family life.

B．She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons.

C．She wanted to remain a full-time housewife.

D．She was too confused to make a correct choice.

What does the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．Failure is the mother of success.

B．Little by little, one goes far.

C．Every coin has two sides.

D．Well begun, half done.

Which of the following can best describe the author?

A．Caring and determined.

B．Honest and responsible.

C．Ambitious and sensitive.

D．Innocent and single-minded.

“OK,” I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice. “What’s going on with you and your friend J.?” J. is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp-- a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. Now she’s the one on the outs, and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long.
“She’s fond of giving orders, ” Lucy complained. “She’s turning everyone against me. She’s mean. And she’s fat.” “Excuse me,” I said, struggling for calm. “What did you just said?” “She’s fat.” Lucy mumbled(含糊地说).“We’re going upstairs,” I said, my voice cold. “We’re going to discuss this.” And up we went. I’d spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we’d have the conversation about this horrible word. I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing, but in all of my imaginings, it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word-Fat.
My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her. “How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn’t your fault?” I began. “She could stop eating so much,” Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple advice a thousand doctors have given overweight women for years.
“It’s not always that easy,” I said. “Everyone’s different in terms of how they treat food.” Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on. I opened my mouth, then closed it. Should I tell her that, in teasing a woman’s weight, she’s joined the long tradition of critics? Should I tell her I didn’t cry when someone posted my picture and commented , “I’m sorry, but aren’t authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty?”
Does she need to know, now, that life isn’t fair? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don’t have. Words are my tools. Stories are my job. It’s possible she’ll remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say.
So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true. I say to my daughter, “I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you. But I’m disappointed in you right now. There are plenty of reasons for not liking someone. What she looks like isn’t one of them. ”
Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks. “I won’t say that again,” she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair. As we sit there together, I pray for her to be smart and strong. I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her. And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I’ve struggled, that weight will never be her cross to bear. She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use in my head. I pray that she will never get fat.
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 indicates that Lucy ______.

A．often makes fun of her friend J.

B．has turned against her friend J.

C．gets along well with her friend J.

D．has begun to compete with her friend J.

Why does the author want to discuss with Lucy?

A．Because she wants to offer some other helpful advice.

B．Because she has prepared the conversation for nine years.

C．Because she is really shocked at Lucy’s rudeness.

D．Because she decides to tell Lucy a similar story of her own.

What does the author want to tell her daughter?

A．It is not easy to take the doctors’ advice to eat less.

B．People shouldn’t complain because life is unfair.

C．She herself was once laughed at for her appearance.

D．People shouldn’t be blamed for their appearance.

It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A．the author earns a living by writing stories.

B．the author is a fat but good-looking woman.

C．the author will stop loving her daughter for what she said.

D．the author’s daughter agreed with her from the very beginning.

We can learn from the last paragraph that_________.

A．Lucy was deeply moved by her mother’s prayer.

B．a mother’s prayer will shape her daughter’s attitude towards life

C．the author allows her daughter to use the F word in her head

D．the author hopes her daughter will never have weight trouble

The author’s attitude towards her daughter can be best described as _________.

A．loving but strict

B．indifferent but patient

C．satisfied and friendly

D．unsatisfied and angry

One evening last summer, when I asked my 14 year old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response shocked me．"What’s a colander(漏勺)?" he asked．
I could only blame myself．In the family, nobody else’s hands went in the sauce except my own．But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn’t prepared Ray for．
As parents, while we focus on our sons’ confidence and character, we perhaps don’t always consider that we are also raising someone’s future roommates, boyfriends, husbands, or fathers．I wanted to know that I’d raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, "What’s for dinner?" So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home economics course．I was delighted to find that he didn’t say no．For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine．One day, as his tomato sauce reduced on the stove, he washed and seasoned a chicken for roasting．Then he rolled out the piecrust (馅饼皮) and filled it with apples, all while listening to my explanation on the importance of preheating an oven．
I knew that he would rather have been shooting hoops in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother—he tried to beg not to have sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive— but it couldn’t be denied that he was learning, and more than just housekeeping．"I appreciate what you do as a mom," he told me one day．Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more importantly, he realizes there’s nothing masculine (男子气概的) about being helpless．
Now, not only can he make his own dinner, but also he can make a big meal for his family．That’s what I call a man．I’m glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter in-law．
Why was the author shocked at her son’s response?

A．Because he was not well behaved．

B．Because he refused to help with dinner．

C．Because he didn’t know the common kitchen tools．

D．Because he was very curious about kitchen tools．

In the author’s opinion, some parents pay little attention to _______．

A．building up children’s confidence

B．telling kids what is right and wrong

C．preparing children for their future life

D．making children live a hard life

After learning to do housework, Ray _______．

A．fell in love with sewing

B．did other work in the house

C．began to be more hardworking

D．acknowledged his mother’s efforts

We can infer from the text that Ray _______．

A．made great progress in cooking．

B．always thought housework interesting．

C．preferred sewing to cooking．

D．was unwilling to learn cooking at first．

What would the author like to convey in the text?

A．Useful education for boys

B．The importance of housework

C．Boys should be involved in housework．

D．Cooking and sewing make boys masculine．

Mo was waiting in the corridor outside her class. She was feeling sick. She had two exams that day and physics was first .She really hated physics. It was her worst subject. Terry Looked back at her from the front of the line, and then looked away quickly. Mo thought she looked guilty. She didn't have a problem with physics she didn't have a problem with anything ...Miss Perfect!
"Hi, Mo, it's your favorite exam today, "said Nima, laughing as she joined the line .Terry was looking at Mo again. “So what's wrong with her?” asked Nima."I thought you were friends." “Yes, so did I," said Mo." But she hasn't spoken to me for two weeks now. She promised to help me review for the physics exam too, but then she's ignored all my calls and texts .And when I rang her house, her mum just told me she was busy. She's forgotten who her friends are!" said Mo angrily. "Are you listening to me?" Mr. Reed was talking to the class and the other students were going into the exam room. Mo gave Nima a worried look and followed them.
Mo couldn't answer question number five. She looked up and saw Terry sitting two rows in front of her. Mo couldn't believe it! Terry was holding her phone on her knee under the table and reading from it. Is that how Terry always got such good grades? She felt really angry at Terry, but she didn't know what to do. She thought about telling the teacher, but what would everyone else think of her? "Stop writing and put your pens down" said Mr. Reed as he started to collect the exam papers. Oh no, Mo hadn't answered two of the questions. She was going to fail again!
Mo wanted to talk to Terry at lunch time, but she couldn't find her anywhere. The next exam was history. That was Mo's favourite subject but she wasn't feeling good. Mo went to the library to study, but she couldn't concentrate. She didn't know what to do about Terry. She thought about telling a teacher, but everyone would hate her if she did that. "It wasn't fair!” she thought. "Terry was getting good grades by cheating all that time.” thought Mo. Just then, Mr. Reed walked past her table. “Mr. Reed.”
Mo was sitting behind Terry again in the history exam that afternoon. Mo was feeling terrible. Why had she told Mr. Reed? But it was too late now. And anyway, Terry didn't want to be her friend! Mr. Reed wanted her to look at him and nod if she saw that Terry was cheating in the exam. She was working on the last question when she saw that Terry had her phone under the table. Without thinking, Mo looked up and nodded to Mr. Reed. Terry was too busy looking at her phone and she didn't hear him as he walked silently up to her table. Mr. Reed didn't say anything. He just picked up her exam paper, tore it in half and pointed to the door, to tell Terry to leave the room. Terry was crying as she walked to the door. Everyone was staring at her and Mo felt really guilty now. Why did she tell Mr. Reed?
Mo was walking towards the school gate, when she heard footsteps behind her. It was Terry. “Mo, please wait! I want to talk to you.” Mo could see that Terry had been crying, her face was pale and her eyes were red. Mo couldn't say a word. “Listen," said Terry. "I'm really sorry I haven't answered any of your calls, but we're having a terrible time at home. My dad had a heart attack two weeks ago and he's in hospital. He had a big heart operation today and I was very worried about him. I know it was stupid, but I was reading texts from my mum to see how the operation was going, but Mr. Reed caught me with my phone. He thought I was cheating. He believes me now, but I have to take the exam again. I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was happening. I haven't forgotten that you're a good friend'. Will you forgive me? ”
At the beginning of the story Mo felt sick most probably because ______.

A．Terry was looking at her form the front of the line

B．she was worried that she would fail the physics exam

C．she had to take two different exams within one day

D．she had been waiting in the line for too long a time

Who does “Miss Perfect” in the first paragraph refer to?

A．Mo

B．Nima

C．Terry

D．Terry's mum

It can be inferred from the above passage that___________

A．students didn't like those who were not faithful to their friends

B．Mr. Reed was a strict teacher who never corrected his mistakes

C．The physics exam was much more difficult than the history exam

D．Mo was angry because Nima laughed at her relationship with Terry

Terry didn't help Mo review for the physics exam because_______________

A．she didn't consider Mo as a true friend

B．she herself was quite bad at physics

C．she had to look after her sick father

D．she was selfish and hated to waste time

At the end of the story Mo probably felt_______________

A．confident and optimistic	B．glad and inspired
C．sad and angry	D．regretful and guilt

What lesson can we learn from this passage?

A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B．Friendship should be based on trust.

C．Old friends and old wines are the best.

D．A life without a friend is a life without a sun.

Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions(探险)but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children at his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, he was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them .Fortuna for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide range of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.
In what way was this expedition different for Larry?

A．His daughter had grown up.

B．He had become a famous diver.

C．His father would dive with him.

D．His daughter would dive with him.

What can be inferred from Paragraph2?

A．Larry had some privileges.

B．Larry liked the rented diving suits.

C．Divers had to buy diving equipment.

D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive.

Why did Larry have to stay in a cage underwater sometimes?

A．To protect himself from danger.

B．To dive into the deep water.

C．To admire the underwater view.

D．To take photo more conveniently.

What can be learned from the underlined sentence?

A．Larry didn’t wear a watch.

B．Larry was not good at math.

C．Larry had a poor memory.

D．Larry enjoyed the adventure.

In 1959, when Jean Harper was in the third grade, her teacher gave the class an assignment to write a report on what they wanted to be when they grew up. She poured her heart into her report and expressed her dream of becoming an airline pilot. Her paper came back with an "F" on it. The teacher told her it was a "fairy tale". Jean was heartbroken and ashamed. As the years went by, Jean was beaten down by the discouragement and negativity she encountered whenever she talked about her dream. "Girls can't become airline pilots; never have, never will. You're crazy. That's impossible. "Finally Jean gave up.
In her senior year of high school, her English teacher was a Mrs. Dorothy Slaton, a demanding teacher with high standards. One day Mrs. Slaton asked this question: "If you had unlimited finances, unlimited access to the finest schools, unlimited talents and abilities, what would you do?" Jean felt a rush of the old enthusiasm, and with excitement she wrote down the very old dream.
The next thing that Mrs. Slaton said changed the course of Jean's life. The teacher leaned forward over her desk and said, "I have a little secret for you. You do have unlimited abilities and talents. When you leave school, if you don't go for your dreams, no one will do it for you. You can have what you want if you want it enough."
The hurt and fear of years of discouragement disappeared all of a sudden. Jean felt thrilled and told her about her dream of becoming a pilot. Mrs. Slaton slapped the desk top. "Then do it!" she said.
So Jean did. It didn't happen overnight. In her l0 years of hard work, even facing varieties of laugh, frustration and opposition, she never gave up her dream. Instead, she went on doing everything her third-grade teacher said was fairy-tale.
Eventually, Jean Harper became a Boeing 737 captain for the United Airline Company.
Jean’s third-grade teacher thought her dream to be ____________.

A．great	B．impossible
C．challenging	D．reasonable

Mrs. Slaton may hold the view that _____________.

A．only some of her students have great potential

B．her students are good enough to be admitted to the best schools

C．belief contributes to realizing a dream

D．Jean was to have her dream realized

According to the passage, we can infer that___________.

A．Jean’s dream was always in her deep heart

B．Jean owed her success to all her teachers

C．most people around Jean approved of her dream

D．Jean achieved her dream with ease

Which is the best title of the passage?

A．A Respectable Teacher	B．How to Realize a Dream
C．Hard Work Pays off	D．Reach for the Sky

Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare’s World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in l564 and where he grew up. The property (房产) remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806. The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world, for over 250 years.
◆Enter through the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare's World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from Shakespeare’s period.
◆Enjoy the traditional English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
pThe Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map: nearest is Windsor Street (3 minutes’ Walk).
㊣The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition, and the garden are accessible (可进入的) to wheelchair users.
⊙The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?

A．￡9.80.

B．￡12.00.

C．￡14.20.

D．￡16.40.

Where is the nearest parking place to Shakespeare’s Birthplace?

A．Behind the exhibition hall.

B．Opposite the Visitors’ Centre.

C．At Windsor Street.

D．Near the Coffee House.

A wheelchair user may need help to enter .

A．the House	B．the garden
C．the Visitors’ Centre	D．the exhibition hall

The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience.
One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.
When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability.
David was very quiet (he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.
One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave.
It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, “Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!”
David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, “He doesn’t talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!”
The author finally hired David because________.

A．there were no other workers in the shop then

B．he needed someone who was willing to work then

C．David kept showing up

D．he realized David was dependable

We can infer from the last paragraph that_______.

A．the author feels lucky to hire David

B．David has had his character changed through work

C．the author prefers David to be more outgoing

D．some customers just play jokes on David

The author gave David an interview to _______.

A．find a person who is reliable

B．find a part-time worker in need

C．give him some practice

D．show sympathy for him

The author’s tone in describing David is full of ______.

A．pity	B．wonder
C．disappointment	D．appreciation

Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice．Gifts are easy—they’re given after all．Choice can be hard．
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago．I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year．I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast，and the idea of building all online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old，and I’d been married for a year．I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t and I wasn’t sure what to expect．MacKenzie told me I should go for it．As a young boy，I’d been a garage inventor．I’d always wanted to be all inventor，and she wanted me to follow my passion．
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired．I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet．He took me on a long walk in Central Park，listened carefully to me，and finally said，“That sounds like a really good idea，but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job．”That 1ogic made some sense to me，and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision．Seen in that light,it really was a difficult choice，but finally，I decided I had to give it a shot．I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing．And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much consideration ，I took the less safe path to follow my passion ，and I’m proud of that choice．For all of us，in the end，we are our choice．
What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?

A．His dream of being an inventor．

B．The support of his wife．

C．The greatly increasing usage of the Internet．

D．Millions of exciting titles,

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?

A．The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him．

B．He would be very excited if he tried it out．

C．Be would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try．

D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him．

Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Cleverness and Kindness	B．The Starting of Amazon
C．Following My Passion	D．We Are What We Choose

We can know from the passage that_______．

A．the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author

B．the author wanted someone else to try the idea

C．the author might not regret if he failed the idea

D．the author might go back to his boss if he failed

After a terrible electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, the whole world became completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water at the base of the tree. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a plough and a wall. When Mrs. Edwards came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread, and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a convincing answer as to why this should have happened. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since Robert lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.
The reason for Robert’s attempts to kill himself was that _________.

A．a terrible traffic accident happened to him

B．he had to live in a dark and silent world

C．he was struck by the lightning once more

D．nobody in the world cared about him

What was Robert doing when he was struck by the lightning?

A．Taking a walk with a stick.

B．Sheltering from the rain under a tree.

C．Driving a car.

D．Lying on the ground.

We can infer from the text that ________.

A．Robert’s wife sent for doctors immediately after the shock

B．many doctors came because Robert was badly injured

C．there was no exact explanation for Robert’s recovery

D．a sudden injury in the head led to Robert’s recovery

What’s the best title of the whole passage?

A．A Terrible Electrical Accident

B．Robert Edwards and His Wife

C．What a Sudden Shock

D．An Unforgettable Experience