高中英语阅读理解

Old age may not sound exciting. But recent findings offer good news for older people and for people who worried about getting older.
Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of 50. In fact, they say by the age of 85, people are happier with their life than they were when they were 18 years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the US. The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of 18 and 85.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of 22 and 25.
The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
The findings appeared in the Proceedings of the National Acadamy of Science.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
What does the underlined word “negative” mean?

A．负面的	B．积极的
C．平和的	D．激烈的

What kind of people has the highest stress levels?

A．People were between the ages of 18 and 85.

B．Those in their seventies and eighties.

C．People reached their fifties.

D．Adults between the ages of 22 and 25.

Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older.

B．Researchers know exactly why happiness increases as people get older.

C．Women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.

D．Levels of stress were highest among adults between the age of 22 and 25.

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

A．The older, the happier.

B．Why elder people feel happier than young men?

C．Different emotional patterns between men and women.

D．What makes the elder happy?

Our first winter in Canada was the happiest we have experienced. We were living in the countryside then and had just arrived from Hong Kong that autumn. One evening in mid December snow began to fall. When we looked out of the window and saw that it was snowing, we all cheered. It was the first snow we had ever seen and we were excited. We could hardly wait for the snow to stop so that we could go out to play. Next morning when we woke up, it was still snowing. We switched on the radio and learned that more than ten inches of snow had falled during the night and that since the roads were blocked there would be no school that day. We jumped up and down for joy and begged mother to let us go outside to play in the snow. She said we could go out after breakfast if we dressed ourselves warmly and promised to come back as soon as we felt cold.
When we went out, the snow had almost stopped. The roads , paths, gardens, and playing grounds were all hidden under a white blanket of soft snow. It was the most beautiful sight we had ever seen. Just then, we saw some neighbour’s children coming out to play. We ran over to join them. Together we built a snowman and a snow house. After that, we took turns sliding down a hill on a large piece of cardboard. We were having so much fun when supper time came. Mother almost had to force us to go in and eat.
The children all cheered when they saw the snow because ________.

A．they knew they would have no school for the next day

B．it was the first time they had seen snow

C．they knew that winter had come

D．they liked cold weather

The children didn’t have to go to school because ________.

A．their teachers were sure that children liked snow

B．they wanted to play on the snow field

C．heavy snow blocked the roads

D．their mother allowed them to play truant

The writer and his brothers and sisters built ________.

A．a snowman and a cardboard house of their own

B．a snowman and a snow house for themselves to live in

C．a snowman and a snow house with their neighbors’ children

D．a white blanket on the roads

A book review tells not only what a book is about, but also how successful it is at what it is trying to do. Professors often assign (布置) book reviews as practice in careful analytical (分析的) reading.
As a reviewer, you bring together the two parts of accurate, analytical reading and strong, personal response when you indicate what the book is about and what it might mean to a reader. In other words, reviewers answer not only the WHAT but the SO WHAT question about a book. Thus, in writing a review, you combine the skills of describing what is on the page，analyzing how the book tried to achieve its purpose, and expressing your own reactions.
Most book reviews start with a heading that includes all the basic information about the book, like:
Title.
Author.
Place of publication, publisher, date of publication.
Number of pages.
The review usually begins with an introduction that lets your readers know what the review will say. The first paragraph usually includes the author and title again, so your readers don't have to look up to find this information. You should also include a very brief description of the contents of the book, the purpose or audience for the book, and your reaction and evaluation.
Then you move into a section of background information that helps place the book in context and discusses how to judge the book. Next, you should give a summary of the main points, quoting (引用) and explaining key phrases from the author. Finally, you get to the heart of your review -- your evaluation of the book. In this section, you might discuss some of the following issues:
·How well the book has achieved its goal.
·What possibilities are suggested by the book.
·What the book has left out.
·How the book compares with others on the subject.
·What personal experiences you've had related to the subject.
It is important to use labels (标签) to carefully distinguish your views from the author's, so that you don't confuse your readers.
Then, like other essays, you can end with a direct comment on the book, and tie together issues raised in the review in a conclusion.
There is, of course, no set form, but a general rule is that the first one-half to two-thirds of the review should summarize the author's main ideas and at least one-third should evaluate the book.
According to the text, personal response of a book reviewer refers to _______.

A．accurate and analytical reading

B．the reviewer’s understanding about the background of the book

C．the reviewer's indication of what the book is about and what it means to a reader

D．skills of describing what is on the page

What is the most important part of a book review?

A．The heading.	B．The evaluation.
C．The conclusion.	D．The introduction.

Readers will get puzzled if __________.

A．there is no heading in a book review

B．the book review is not complex enough

C．the reviewer's point of view is mixed with the author's

D．there are some different issues listed in the book review

What is suggested for a book review in this text?

A．Quoting from other similar books.

B．Commenting on the book in a fixed form.

C．Analyzing the author's writing experience in the past.

D．Comparing the book with others on a similar subject.

There are quite a few advantages of wearing school uniforms．The idea may seem disagreeable at first，but considering all the positive effects coming from wearing uniforms you would be more likely to enjoy them．
Teachers love school uniforms because it helps provide an orderly learning environment．Having students dressed in uniforms may teach them how to present themselves in a neat and professional manner．It gives students the opportunity to learn how to dress like young ladies and gentleman．And they can focus their attention on academics rather than style．
Purchasing(购买) school uniforms is easy and needs less hesitation and consideration．No matter what the school's policy is，there are only specific essential(基本的) pieces to the wardrobe(服装) that are necessary，so it won’t break the bank．A few wardrobe items can last a long time．Parents could also enjoy an easy morning，as it will take less time to choose a set of clothes for the school day．
Students wearing uniforms will feel less pressure about what to wear or not to wear when their classmates are dressed similarly．Getting dressed before school becomes less of a chore(琐事) when students are limited in their choices，so there shouldn’t be any trouble about choosing an outfit the day and getting ready quickly．Some students may not like the lack of individuality(个性) with a uniform，but some school dress code policies may offer them the opportunities to show their unique styles．
Uniforms today are also becoming trendier and can be seen in many areas of pop culture．Celebrities(名人)and fashion designers are using uniforms as inspiration for new looks which also appeal to students．
What would be the best title for the text?

A．How to dress properly．

B．The history of school uniforms．

C．The advantages of school uniforms．

D．How to deal with pressure in school．

Teachers think that wearing school uniforms __________．

A．is just a tradition that students should follow

B．makes students feel less pressure in study

C．helps students put more effort into their studies

D．makes students lose their independence and identity

The underlined part “it won't break the bank” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_______”．

A．a school uniform doesn’t cost a lot of money

B．a school uniform should be worn every day

C．parents will have to go to the bank many times

D．parents who work in a bank can afford the uniform

We can infer from the text that school uniform __________．

A．are not popular with fashion designers

B．were not accepted by parents in the past

C．will be designed by students themselves

D．will be more fashionable in the future

Each of us can live strong，healthy，energetic lives for a long time to come．The key？Actually，there are many of them．
Eat fewer calories，but more food
Slimming down can help prevent disease，and cutting way back on the amount you eat may even slow the aging process．When nutrition researchers invited themselves over for dinner in kitchens across the globe-from Greece to Japan to the state of Pennsylvania--they discovered a stomach-satisfying secret to good health：Pile your plate high with vegetables and fruits，add respectable parts of beans and whole grains，and ignore high-calorie food like cheeseburgers，cream sauces，and fatty meats．
Use exercise as an anti-aging vaccine
Exercise can help you gain a better quality of life as you age．It's no secret that physical activity strengthens muscles，burn calories，and puts a happy bounce in your step．But recently，researchers discovered a new，extra benefit：Exercise acts as a powerful way against the aging process itself. When exercise physiologists put healthy people aged 60 to 85 on Weight-training programs for six months then tested them for signs of free-radical(自由基) damage，they were surprised by the results．By the end of the study，low-intensity exercisers had a drop in free-radical damage，while high-intensity exercisers had a slight increase．
Find something interesting to do
Life is always busy no matter what your age．But the truth is，when people are retired，time usually does become more available for adults after 60．With this time come choices．The easy one is merely to relax：watch more TV，eat out more often，talk on the phone as much as you want．The better choice? Discover something more meaningful to devote yourself to and do it wholeheartedly．
Which of the following is what you should eat more?

A．Fatty meats．	B．Whole grains．
C．Cream sauces．	D．Cheeseburgers．

The new discovery of exercise probably is that__________．

A．it can help you live a better life

B．it can strengthen muscles

C．it can burn calories

D．it can prevent aging process

When do you have more free time according to this text?

A．In your fifties．	B．Beyond sixty．
C．Over seventy	D．Before sixty．

The best title of this text should be "_______"．

A．How to Keep a Balanced Diet

B．The Importance of Your Health

C．Keys to living Longer and Better

D．Hobbies making Your Healthy

Are you learning a foreign 1anguage? Do you find it challenging to learn a foreign language? However，there are a few tips you can use in order to earn a top grade--as well as actually use the skills you've learned．
One of the most important and basic lessons in dealing with a foreign language is to learn and understand each concept and lesson before moving on to the next one．If you don’t understand one concept but move on to the next chapter anyway，you're less likely to understand the new material．
Learning a new language is not only an academic tool，but can help you in your everyday life as well．Being good at another language can help you communicate with other people，aid you when traveling to foreign countries，and even make your resume look better．
And it is important to learn correct pronunciation as soon as possible for poor pronunciation can be hard to break．Native speakers of the language as well as others fluent in the language you are 1earning will appreciate your efforts to learn correct pronunciation．
Gather outside materials such as books，study guides，books on tape，and travel books to aid you in learning the language．Your textbooks can't possibly teach you everything you need to know，so seeking out—side sources is generally a good rule of thumb to keep in mind．
A significant motivator in learning a foreign language is traveling to the country where the language is spoken．That way，you can see firsthand how the language is used，learn the culture，and meet native speakers of the language．Native speakers appreciate sincere attempts of others who take the time to learn their language．
Seek out native speakers of your new language in your school or neighborhood．They can help you with many skills，including pronunciation，and they can provide immediate feedback on your progress．
This passage is written to __________.

A．explain why learning a foreign language is challenging

B．tell us the importance of learning foreign 1anguages

C．tell us some ways of earning a top grade

D．give us some tips on learning foreign languages

What's the best subtitle of Paragraph 3?

A．Think beyond academic tool.

B．Learn each concept.

C．Plan a trip to use your skills．

D．Consider a language as an academic tool.

We can learn from the passage that __________.

A．textbooks are not good for us when 1earning a foreign language

B．1earning pronunciation well from the very beginning is very important

C．poor pronunciation can be easy to break with the help of native speakers

D．seeking too many outside sources will be more harmful than beneficial

Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?
Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get
information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbacks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.
Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbooks, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge

B．cinemas are the best choice in getting information

C．reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun

D．newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself

What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph “Television has not killed reading, however.” suggest?

A．People only need reading, though.

B．Reading is more fun than television.

C．Reading is still necessary today.

D．Watching television doesn’t help reading.

Where can you probably see this passage?

A．In a travel booklet.

B．In a science report.

C．In a fashion show magazine.

D．In an education book review.

Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.
Recite and repeat in conversation.
When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips. You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
Ask the other person to recite and repeat.
You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
Admit you don’t know.
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy (同情) if you say, “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again?”
Use association (联系).
Connect each person you meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: “Vicki Cheng — tall, black hair.” To strengthen your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to meetings, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That’s fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others — a review for you.
How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?

A．They will be moved.	B．They will be annoyed.
C．They will be delighted.	D．They will be discouraged.

If you can’t remember someone’s name, you may .

A．tell him the truth	B．tell him a white lie
C．ask him for pity	D．ask others to help you

When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember _______.

A．all their names	B．a couple of names first
C．just their last names	D．as many names as possible

What does the text mainly tell us?

A．Tips on an important social skill.

B．Importance of attending parties.

C．How to make use of associations.

D．How to recite and repeat names.

From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures. Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre (罗浮宫) in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries. It is the biggest art museum in the world. The Louvre has not always been a museum. The first building was a fort. In 1190, it was the king’s castle with high walls and a round tower, which had a river around it to keep out the enemies. Over the years, the number of buildings around the castle grew. By 1350, the castle no longer needed a fort. The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens.
During times of peace, new treasures were brought in. During the days of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings were damaged.
When Francis I became king of France in 1515, he brought in many artists from other countries. One of the artists was Lenardo da Vinci from Italy. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is the best known painting in the museum today. In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum. It is a place where art treasures are kept for everyone to enjoy. Every year millions of people from all over the world come to the Louvre to see the masterpieces.
How long has the Louvre been a museum?

A．For over 800 years.	B．Since 1350
C．Since l515	D．For over 200 years

Most of works of art in the Louvre have been collected probably by _______.

A．the French people	B．Francis I
C．Leonardo da Vinci	D．people of the world

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Da Vinci once stayed in France.

B．“Mona Lisa” is kept in the Louvre.

C．The Louvre was once a church as well as a palace.

D．The Louvre is a place of interest to different people from all over the world.

Why is it good for the works of art to be kept in public museums?

A．Works of art will not be stolen.

B．Works of art will not be damaged.

C．Artists can study the works of art.

D．Everyone has a chance to enjoy the works of art.

I travel a lot in my work, and what I dislike about my job is eating alone. It always makes me feel lonely to see others laughing and talking. So, room service for several nights was a better choice for me.
After having room service three nights at a hotel in Houston, however, I needed to get out of my room. Although the restaurant opened at 6:30, I arrived at 6:25. The waiter at the front desk made a comment (评论) about my “being there really early”. I explained my dislike of eating alone in restaurants. He then seated me at a lovely table and asked me whether I would mind if he sat down with me for a while.
I was glad! He sat and talked with me about his career goals and the difficulty of being at work on nights, weekends and holidays. He said he hadn’t enough time to be with his family. After 15 minutes, he saw some customers at the front desk and excused himself. I noticed that before he went to the front desk, he stopped in the kitchen for a moment.
Then another waiter came out of the kitchen and had a wonderful chat with me. Before I left that night, some other waiters, even the cook, had come out of the kitchen and sat with me!
When I asked for my bill about one hour later, all the people who had sat down with me came over in a big group to my table, and presented me with a red rose. And I cried! What had begun as a lonely night ended as a beautiful experience.
The author asked for room service because _______.

A．a lot of money would be saved in this way

B．he didn’t like to eat with other people around

C．he didn’t wanted to be recognized by the waiters

D．seeing people laughing and talking made him feel bad

How did the waiter feel when he saw the author come in at 6:25?

A．Dissatisfied.	B．Pleased.
C．Surprised.	D．Angry.

From the third paragraph, we can learn that the waiter at the front desk _______.

A．knew how to attract more customers to his restaurant

B．found it hard to balance his work and his family

C．was getting tired of his present job

D．had never had such a chance to talk about his worries

The author wants to tell us that _______.

A．people are actually all lonely in their own way

B．restaurants should put the need of customers first

C．the kindness of strangers can make you less lonely

D．restaurants are full of surprises for lonely people

Fear is an emotion like others such as happiness, anger, hurt and sadness. We need emotions to process information we receive and decide how to respond. Being afraid of fast cars, for example, is something that might protect us from harm. Being afraid of the consequence of a choice may prevent us getting into trouble.
Fears in young children commonly center on certain animals like snakes or big dogs. Fears are caused often because of experiences or ideas expressed by others, and at times, the media. Many normal fears during the early years, like men with beards, or large dogs, disappear with age. Those relating to personal failure and ridicule (嘲笑) remain through adulthood and may need special help to overcome.
Children’s fears are often trivial, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. They need to be recognized and accepted as real for that child. Only when we help children understand their fears can they grow normally in their ability to deal with them.
Research shows that as a child grows up, the center of his fears changes a lot. Things like divorce, a teacher who “shouted at me”, people with guns, bullies, big boys, or “making fun of me” top the list of childhood fears.
We can not always prevent these experiences from happening, but it’s essential that children be allowed to freely express their emotions without judgment. Sympathy and a caring listener will help ease the pain of these fears. Read books and stories to your child about children who have experienced similar fears. This helps children talk about their fears and find ways to cope. With all emotions, fears become less of a problem for children as they gain self-confidence and they find that fear is normal and can be dealt with.
The underlined word “trivial” in the third paragraph probably means “_______”.

A．small

B．serious

C．harmful

D．common

From the passage we can learn that ________.

A．some childhood fears may have a lasting influence

B．children should avoid the media to reduce their fear

C．fears can be judged according to the environment

D．children with similar fears can communicate easily

What’s the best title for this passage?

A．How to Overcome Children’s Fears

B．Children’s Fears

C．The kind of Children’s Fears

D．The Bad Effects of Fears

Treetops, the hotel in the trees, are famous in the world. People know little about Kenya, but they know of Treetops. When King George VI died, Princess Elizabeth was staying on the Treetops, and when she came down from there, “She succeeded him as the queen of the country”.
The hotel is in the middle of the forest, and it shows the pleasure of Africa. When you visit it, you will be sent into the heart of the forest by hotel buses, and then a guide, with a gun to protect you against big game, will go with you to the Treetops. Before and after dinner, for the whole night if you wish, you can sit on the corridor(走廊), watching animals come to the water pool. The earliest hotel Treetops was built round a large tree on the opposite side of the water, but that was destroyed by fire and the new hotel Treetops, which is built round several trees, is much bigger.
The dining room at Treetops is small, and the waiters cannot walk round to serve guests, so a clever “railway service” has been invented. Guests take their food as it passes slowly in front of them, along a line in the center of the table.
There are many animals around the Treetops. When you visit them, you can see:
---Animals and their babies are waiting to greet the guests.
---Animals, enjoying the Treetops pool in the daylight.
---A long bodied, long ring tailed very active cat-like animal is a special one coming out at night. He hunts and eats anything he can catch and is very destructive. He lives in the trees at Treetops. He comes for his food every evening. Do not get too near to him, as his teeth and claws（爪）can do you harm. These animals can be trained and become lovely pets.
The underlined word “succeeded” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.

A．did what she was trying to do

B．gained her purpose

C．replaced someone in an important position

D．completed an easy task

According to the third paragraph, “railway service” actually refers to __________.

A．the service provided at the railway station

B．the supply of food on the train

C．the service provided along the railway

D．the supply of food along a moving line

Which of the following statements about “the cat-like animal” is WRONG?

A．It comes for food only at night.

B．It lives in the trees at Treetops.

C．Its teeth and claws can do people harm.

D．It can catch any other animal in the forest.

We can learn from the text that the guests _________.

A．will be protected by a guide in the forest

B．can play with the cat-like animals

C．can have parties in the dinning room

D．could not sit on the corridor at night

TV LISTING FOR WLS-TV IN CHICAGO（May, 7, 2012）

2：30 AM	Weekend ABC 7 News（Repeat） The top local, regional and national news events are presented by the ABC 7 Weekend News Team, along with weather, sports and travel conditions.
3：00 AM	Inside Edition（New, TV-PG） Rumors about mass murderer Charles Manson’s secret son.
3：30 AM	America This Morning（New） Live reports from ABC News headquarters in Washington D. C. Early morning news events and the top headlines of the day are examined and reported.
4：30 AM	ABC 7 News This Morning（New） The ABC 7 Morning News Team provides a general look at overnight and early morning news events, weather forecasts and traffic updates for early risers.
5：00 AM	Mirror Mirror Reporter Rebecca Spera provides the latest developments in the beauty, health and fashion industries and answers commonly-asked beauty questions.
5：30 AM	Home with Lisa Quinn Professional designer Lisa Quinn shows how to refurnish, reorganize and redesign the home in order to maximize convenience and style.
6：00AM	Everyday Living Quick beauty tips; protect yourself from money problems; the four most commonly parenting mistakes.
7：00AM	Windy City Live（Repeat） Tile ABC 7 team of hosts provides the latest on things of interest in Chicago including cultural events, lifestyle topics, fashion trends and celebrity news.

*TV-PG：programs for children with parents’ guidance
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. ABC News headquarters is in Washington D. C.
B. Lisa Quinn is a professor providing the latest information in fashion.
C. Parenting mistakes are discussed in the morning TV programs.
D. ABC 7 News This Morning will give early risers a general look at traffic updates.
Which content should be watched with parents’ guidance?

A．Commonly-asked beauty questions.

B．Celebrity news.

C．Rumors about Charles Manson’s secret son.

D．Lifestyle topics.

If one would like to deal with money problems, he may refer to __________.

A．Everyday Living	B．Mirror Mirror
C．Windy City Live	D．Home with Lisa Quinn

If you want to know the latest weather forecast of the day, you should watch at _________.

A．2：30AM	B．3：30AM
C．4：30AM	D．7：00AM

I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification（资格证）if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part –time course. I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.
What is the author’s present job?

A．Working part-time in a college.

B．Taking care of children for a family.

C．Helping children with their schoolwork.

D．Looking after children at a kindergarten.

When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ___________.

A．was paid for extra work

B．often worked long hours

C．got much help form her boss

D．took a day off every other week

Why did the author leave her first job?

A．She found a full-time job.

B．She was fed up with children.

C．She decided to attend a part-time course.

D．She needed a test after working extra hours.

What has the author learned from her own experiences?

A．Less successful students can still have a career.

B．Qualifications are necessary for a career.

C．Hard work makes an excellent student.

D．One must choose the job she likes.

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a longhandled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of the house where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy left him. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and moved it along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could not continue and sat down.
He knew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans for the day. They would walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to work on a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.
He put his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he could find some ways to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there was nothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hour of freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up the idea.
At this dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mind with a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again to whitewash.
While Tom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked along the street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of a riverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”， “Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made other strange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.
Tom went on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and then said: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, can you？”
No answer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the result with the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he kept on working.
Ben said, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”
Tom turned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”
“Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish you could? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Of course you would.”
Tom looked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you call work？”
“Why, isn't that work？”
Tom went back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly. “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits Tom Sawyer.”
“Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”
The brush continued to move.
“Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day？”
Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back to look at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Ben watched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”
Tom thought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.
“No—no—it won't do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be done very carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it well enough.”
“No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”
“Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly … ”
“Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'll give you the core of my apple.”
“Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”
“I'll give you all of it.”
Tom gave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. And while Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating the apple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one came to laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold the next chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it for a dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.
And he had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty of company, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run out of whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.
He had discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a man or a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.
How many characters are mentioned in this story?

A．4.

B．5.

C．6.

D．7

Why did Tom take all his bits of toys out of his pockets?

A．Because he wanted to know if he could buy help with his toys.

B．Because he wanted to throw his toys away.

C．Because he wanted to give his toys to his friends.

D．Because he was tired and wanted to play with his toys.

Tom was about to agree to let Ben whitewash when he changed his mind because ________.

A．Tom planned to make Ben give up his apple first

B．Tom wanted to do the whitewashing by himself

C．Tom was unwilling to let Ben do the whitewashing

D．Tom was afraid Ben would do the whitewashing better

We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．Tom was interested in whitewashing the fence

B．Tom had a lot of friends who are ready to help others

C．Tom was unwilling to whitewash the fence, but he managed to let other boys do it for him

D．Tom was good at whitewashing the fence, so he looked at the result of his work with the eye of an artist

What made Ben Rogers eagerly give up his apple and offer to brush the fence for Tom?

A．His curiosity about Tom's brushing job.

B．His warm heart and kindness to friends.

C．Tom's threat.

D．Aunt Polly's idea.

  Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A．The Happy Whitewasher

B．Tom And His Fellows

C．Whitewashing A Fence

D．How To Make The Things Difficult To Get.