The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. “At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can’t achieve,” the reporter said, “Ben is a twice-published author.” But Ben’s two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts（手稿）by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben’s parents.

Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author.”

The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. “There are no prodigies(神童) in literature,” he said. “Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben’s father, Ken, said Ben’s ambitions “weren’t to knock Harry Potter off the list,” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something.”

Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. “Being a published author,” she said, “was always a dream of mine.” Her new dream: three books by age 15.

1.Which of the following is true of Ben?

A．He has achieved something unusual for his age.

B．His self-published books were well received.

C．His manuscripts were favored by the publisher.

D．He was thought little of by the public media.

2.What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works?

A．The rapid increase of online readership.

B．The increasing number of publishers.

C．The immediate access to marketing agencies.

D．The development of printing and publishing.

3.Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill?

A．They want to offer opportunities to their children.

B．They want to give encouragement to their children.

C．They want to help their children avoid hardship.

D．They want to show love and care for their children.

4.What dose Alan Rinzler suggest that children should do?

A．Be forbidden to write books

B．Start writing at an early age

C．Be professionally guided

D．Learn from experience

5.Why do some children self-publish works according to the last part?

A．Just to achieve their dreams.

B．Just to earn more money.

C．Just to gain self-confidence.

D．Just to satisfy their parents.

 

The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. “At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can’t achieve,” the reporter said, “Ben is a twice-published author.” But Ben’s two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts（手稿）by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben’s parents.
Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author.”
The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. “There are no prodigies(神童) in literature,” he said. “Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben’s father, Ken, said Ben’s ambitions “weren’t to knock Harry Potter off the list,” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something.”
Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. “Being a published author,” she said, “was always a dream of mine.” Her new dream: three books by age 15.
【小题1】Which of the following is true of Ben?

A．He has achieved something unusual for his age.

B．His self-published books were well received.

C．His manuscripts were favored by the publisher.

D．He was thought little of by the public media.

【小题2】What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works?

A．The rapid increase of online readership.

B．The increasing number of publishers.

C．The immediate access to marketing agencies.

D．The development of printing and publishing.

【小题3】Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill?

A．They want to offer opportunities to their children.

B．They want to give encouragement to their children.

C．They want to help their children avoid hardship.

D．They want to show love and care for their children.

【小题4】What dose Alan Rinzler suggest that children should do?

A．Be forbidden to write books

B．Start writing at an early age

C．Be professionally guided

D．Learn from experience

【小题5】Why do some children self-publish works according to the last part?

A．Just to achieve their dreams.

B．Just to earn more money.

C．Just to gain self-confidence.

D．Just to satisfy their parents.

阅读理解 　　The protest movement called Occupy Wall Street has struck a nerve．The demonstrators'(示威者)goals may not be obvious but their complaints are very real． 　　The truth is that millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes and their life savings because of the greed(贪欲)and illegal behavior of Wall Street．Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bemanke also said the protesters hold the view that the financial institutions are responsible for "getting the US into this mess", and added, "I can't blame those protesters．" 　　Where do we go from this movement? How do we calm the protesters' anger? 　　For starters, we should break up the super financial institutions．Left to their own selfish will．Wall Street bankers will continue to gamble(赌博)with other people's money．There also is a sound economic argument against too few owning far too much．The idea that six super financial institutions(Bank of America, CitiGroup, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs)can take control over the economy frightens anyone who believes in a competitive free-market system．Good Republican presidents like William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt broke up Standard Oil, the Railroad Trusts．and other huge companies a century ago． 　　Real unemployment is more than 16％．Average family income has declined by ＄3,600 over the last decade．A record 46 million Americans live in poverty．The gap between the very rich and everyone else, the widest of any major country, is growing wider．Now is the time for us to end the financial oligarchy(寡头)that has been so harmful to our economy．If a bank is too big, it is too big to exist． (1) Millions of Americans lost their jobs as a result of ________． [　　] A． the decline of average family income B． illegal behavior of Wall Street C． wider gap between the very rich and everyone else D． the protest movement called Occupy Wall Street (2) Which of the following belongs to the super financial institutions? [　　] A． Standard Oil B． Federal Reserve C． JP Morgan Chase D． Teddy Roosevelt (3) What can we learn from the passage? [　　] A． The protest movement has very clear aims． B． Wall Street bankers manage people's money well． C． Super financial institutions should be broken up． D． Average family income is always in decline． (4) What is the attitude of the writer towards the financial institutions? [　　] A． critical B． supportive C． indifferent D． enthusiastic

阅读理解，阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。 　　The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn．, was breathless in its praise．“At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can't achieve, ” the reporter said．“Ben is a twice-published author．” But Ben's two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts(手稿)by an eagle eyed publisher．They were self-published, at a cost of ＄400 by Ben's parents． 　　Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self?publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author．” 　　The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player．But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance．Mr Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message．“There are no prodigies(神童)in literature, ” he said．“Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not．” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make it better． 　　Ben's father, Ken, said Ben's ambitions “weren't to knock Harry Potter off the list, ” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something．” 　　Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self?published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers．Being a published author, she said, “was always a dream of mine．” Her new dream： three books by age 15． (1) Which of the following is true of Ben? [　　] A． His manuscripts were favored by the publisher． B． His self-published books were well received． C． He has achieved something unusual for his age． D． He was thought little of by the public media． (2) What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works? [　　] A． The rapid increase of online readership． B． The increasing number of publishers． C． The immediate access to marketing agencies． D． The development of printing and publishing． (3) Some parents pay the self-publishing bill for the purpose of． [　　] A． offering opportunities B． giving encouragement C． helping avoid hardship D． showing love and care (4) Alan Rinzler suggests that children should． [　　] A． be forbidden to write books B． start writing at an early age C． be professionally guided D． learn from experience (5) According to the last part, some children self-publish works just to． [　　] A． earn more money B． achieve their dreams C． gain self-confidence D． satisfy their parents

The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. “At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can’t achieve,” the reporter said, “Ben is a twice-published author.” But Ben’s two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts（手稿）by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben’s parents.
Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author.”
The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. “There are no prodigies(神童) in literature,” he said. “Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben’s father, Ken, said Ben’s ambitions “weren’t to knock Harry Potter off the list,” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something.”
Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. “Being a published author,” she said, “was always a dream of mine.” Her new dream: three books by age 15

1. 1.

   Which of the following is true of Ben?

   1. A.
      He has achieved something unusual for his age
   2. B.
      His self-published books were well received
   3. C.
      His manuscripts were favored by the publisher
   4. D.
      He was thought little of by the public media
2. 2.

   What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works?

   1. A.
      The rapid increase of online readership
   2. B.
      The increasing number of publishers
   3. C.
      The immediate access to marketing agencies
   4. D.
      The development of printing and publishing
3. 3.

   Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill?

   1. A.
      They want to offer opportunities to their children
   2. B.
      They want to give encouragement to their children
   3. C.
      They want to help their children avoid hardship
   4. D.
      They want to show love and care for their children
4. 4.

   What dose Alan Rinzler suggest that children should do?

   1. A.
      Be forbidden to write books
   2. B.
      Start writing at an early age
   3. C.
      Be professionally guided
   4. D.
      Learn from experience
5. 5.

   Why do some children self-publish works according to the last part?

   1. A.
      Just to achieve their dreams
   2. B.
      Just to earn more money
   3. C.
      Just to gain self-confidence
   4. D.
      Just to satisfy their parents

As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.                             
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.                                               
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make a choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress is, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.                                                              
【小题1】People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.                                                 

A．they do not know how to enjoy themselves

B．they do not believe that relaxation is important for health

C．they are travelling fast all the time

D．they are becoming busier with their work

【小题2】According to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his ________.   

A．not fearing stress	B．knowing the art of relaxation
C．high sense of responsibility	D．having control over performance

【小题3】Which of the following statements is true?  

A．We can find some ways to avoid stress.

B．Stress is always harmful to people.

C．It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.

D．Different people can withstand different amounts of stress.

【小题4】In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______. 

A．"making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"

B．"reaction to stress both chemically and physically"

C．"responding to crises quickly"

D．"losing heart at the signs of difficulties"

【小题5】In the last sentence of the passage, "do so " refers to ______.     

A．"expose ourselves to stress"

B．"find ways to deal with stress"

C．"remove stress from our lives"

D．"established links between diseases and stress"

On August 26, 1999, New York City experienced a torrential downpour. The merciless rain caused the streets to flood. New York City' s subway system came to a screeching stop as the subway stations were drowned in water. Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour.
Many people who were going to work were trapped and forced to go home. Some battled with fellow New Yorkers to hail a cab or to get on a bus. Still others braved the storm, walking miles to get to work.
I happened to be one of the people on their way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most service had stopped. After running around like crazy and making my way through crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was operating. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to board the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the platform. Determined to get to work, I decided to take the train uptown several stops and then switch back to the downtown train. It was annoyance, but it paid off. However, the train got more packed at each stop. People pushed and shoved. I was constantly hit with elbows and bags. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (no end),the train reached my stop.
But the journey was not over yet. I would still have to walk several blocks to get to my office. When I finally got to work, I was completely soaked and left a puddle of water everywhere I sat. I was also exhausted (tired out)and discouraged from my commute.
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When 5:00 rolled around,I was ready to go home. I was about to log off my computer when I received an email from Garth, my Deputy Director:
I would like to thank all those who made the effort and eventually reported to work. It is always reassuring, at times like these, when employees so clearly show their devotion to their jobs. Thank you.
His email was short,but I learned more from that brief message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of appreciation can make a big difference.The rainstorm and the transit troubles had made me miserable.But Garth's words immediately invigorated me and put a smile back on my face.As a matter of fact,his email made the whole subway painful experience all worthwhile.
August 26,1999 may have been one of the darkest days in New York City history,but it was one of the brightest days in my life thanks to Garth.
65.The subway system in NY came to a sudden stop because_______.
A. most of its service had stopped        B. it was flooded by busy travelers
C. it was during a morning rush hour      D. its stations were covered with water
66.How did the writer get to her office?
A. By pushing in the stairs to the platform.        B. By switching trains in a roundabout way
C. By battling with people to hail a taxi.   D. By walking miles to get to the office.
67.The underlined word "invigorated" probably means_______.
A. inspired             B. expected      C. liberated            D. convinced
68.Which is the best title for the passage?
A. A downpour in mid-summer          B. A lesson from a rainy day
C. An appreciation of a misery           D. A dark day in New York history

A little stress is good, since it helps you keep motivated to meet your goals. However, too much stress is bad for your health. Stress needs to be managed in order to prevent anxiety (焦虑). Here are some tips on how to manage stress.
Write it out
Write down everything that seems stressful, and ways to deal with each problem. You’ll find a things-to-do list much easier to manage than having all messed up in your head. Write down the tasks along with the specific times when you can do them.
One task at a time
Give each task all your attention while you’re doing it, and forget the rest. This will keep you from feeling anxious about things you have left to do. Thinking about other tasks only adds unnecessary stress, and can even stop you from doing the task you’re busy with at present. You don’t need to do everything all at once, or on your own. The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow disappear if someone is there to help you.
Give yourself a reward
Rewarding yourself for what you’ve already done, no matter how small, is a great way to motivate yourself to keep going. It will reduce stress, and make you happier to go on with the next task.
Give yourself a break
Breaks of ten to fifteen minutes are important. Visit a cafe or take a quick walk —anything to take your mind off the work for a while. If you need to stay at work, sit with your eyes closed and imagine a peaceful place or some other relaxing scenes. This will remove the stress from your muscles and mind.
【小题1】The best title for the passage would probably be _____.

A．Stress Is Good or Not

B．How to Form Good Working Habits

C．Tips on How to Manage Stress

D．Ways to Keep Healthy

【小题2】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．It’s better to plan a specific time to do the task.

B．It helps you stay motivated to think about the undone tasks.

C．It’s unnecessary for you to do all the tasks by yourself.

D．It helps if you put your attention to one task at a time.

【小题3】Which of the following would the author agree?

A．The more stress you have, the more motivated you will be.

B．Writing down everything seems impossible.

C．Only reward yourself for your biggest achievements in your work.

D．It is necessary to have a break during your work.

【小题4】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Stress is always bad for people.

B．Imagining a relaxing scene may help.

C．The best way to relax is by rewarding yourself.

D．Finishing tasks on time reduces stress.

The Production Department can be a fun place to work in a TV station. It can also be quite stressful if the station broadcasts a significant amount of live programming. There can be a number of interesting positions in this department. Here is a list of the core ones:
The Production Manager heads the department, and is the person to contact if you are interested in working in this area. He or she oversees all activities in the studios, hires and fires workers, meets with customers who want to produce an advertisement, and monitors expense budgets for the department. The person in this position may also sometimes act as a Director, Producer, Camera Operator, or any other role in which they are proficient.
Directors lead the crew during a production session. Over a headset, the Director tells Camera Operators what shots to get and the Technical Director (TD) what audio and video to put on the air. Directors work closely with the Producer of each program, ensuring that the final product meets with the Producer’s demands.
A Technical Director is a master at “punching” up the correct video source. In other words, if the Director calls for camera one, the Technical Director puts camera one on the air. The TD sits in front of a massive board called a “swicher” during production sessions, which allows him or her to literally switch between video sources. Since this can be a high-pressure, fast-moving job, the best Technical Directors are people who can stay even-tempered and in control.
The Stage Manager is responsible for everything that goes on in the television studio. This person makes sure all of the equipment is in good working order, oversees the building and placement of all staging, and may even set the lighting for all productions. Really efficient Stage Managers take pride in their studios, and it would not be unusual to see this person sweeping the floor or cleaning the sets between productions. This is a leadership position, which often leads to promotion to the position of Production Manager.
【小题1】According to the writer, working in the Production Department _______.

A．is an interesting experience

B．is always very stressful

C．needs much professional knowledge

D．is the best choice to work in a TV station

【小题2】The Production Manager ______.

A．seldom takes part in producing programs

B．is also called “Producer”

C．usually trains new workers in person

D．is responsible to deal with advertisers

【小题3】The Technical Director _______.

A．decides what shots to get

B．works closely with the Producer

C．meets the demands of Camera Operators

D．carries out the orders by the Director

( C )
Steve is always in a good mood. One day I went up to Steve and asked him, “ How do you do it?”  Steve replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘You have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ So I choose to be in a good mood. It’s your choice how you live your life.”
I reflected on what Steve said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. Several years later, I heard that Steve was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communication tower. I saw Steve about six months after the accident. I asked him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my daughter,” Steve replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”
“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness (意识)?” I asked.
Steve continued, “The paramedics (护理人员) were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he is a dead man’. I knew I needed to take action.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“A nurse asked if I was allergic (过敏的) to anything,” Steve answered, “ ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working. I yelled,’ Gravity (重力).’Over their laughter, I said, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’”
Steve lived, thanks to the skills of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.
I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Every single day has enough trouble of its own.
69. What is Steve’s attitude towards life?       
A. Worrying about life all day long.   B. Choosing to see the positive aspects of life.
C. Being cold to people in life.  D. Being angry at everything in life.
70. What did the writer do after he left the Tower Industry?
A. He furthered his studies in college.  B. He went on a vacation in foreign countries.
C. He stayed at home to enjoy his life.  D. He started his own business.
71. What went through Steve’s mind when the accident happened?
A. How badly he was injured.  B. The reason for the accident.
C. The well-being of his daughter. D. Whether he was going to die or not

A child who has once been pleased with a tale likes, as a rule, to have it retold in almost the same words, but this should not lead parents to treat printed fairy stories as formal texts. It is always much better to tell a story than read it out of a book, and, if a parent can produce what is on the printed text in the actual situation, so much the better.
A charge (指责) made against fairy tales is that they harm the child by frightening him or making him sad. To prove the latter, one would have to show in a controlled experiment that children who have read fairy stories were more often sorry for cruelty than those who had not. As to fears, there are, I think, some cases of children being dangerously terrified by some fairy story. Often, however, this arises (出现) from the child having heard the story once. Familiarity with the story by repetition turns the pain of fear into the pleasure of a fear faced and mastered.There are also people who are against fairy stories on the grounds that they are not objectively true, that giants, witches, two -- headed dragons, magic carpets, etc. do not exist; and that, instead of being fond of the strange side in fairy tales, the child should be taught to learn the reality by studying history. I find such people, I must say so strong that I do not know how to argue with them. If their case were sound, the world should be full of mad men trying to fly from New York to Philadelphia on a stick or covering a telephone with kisses in the belief that it was their beloved girl -friend.
No fairy story ever declared to be a description of the real world and no clever child has ever believed that it was.
【小题1】The author considers that a fairy story is more effective when it is ___________ .

A．repeated without any change	B．treated as a joke
C．made some changes by the parent	D．set in the present time

【小题2】According to the passage, great fear can take place in a child when the story is ________ .

A．in a realistic setting (背景)	B．heard for the first time
C．repeated too often	D．told in a different way

【小题3】The advantage claimed (提出) for repeating fairy stories to young children is that it _______.

A．makes them less fearful

B．develops their power of memory

C．makes them believe there is nothing to be afraid of

D．encourages them not to have strange beliefs

【小题4】One of the reasons why some people are against fairy tales is that __________.

A．they are full of imagination

B．they just make up the stories which are far from the truth

C．they are not interesting

D．they make teachers of history difficult to teach

Happiness is for everyone. You don’t need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on. Why? Because those who have big houses may often feel lonely and those who have cars may want to walk on the country roads in their free time.
In fact, happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it. When you are in trouble at school, your friends will help you; when you study hard at your lessons, your parents are always taking good care of your life and your health; when you get a success, your friends will say congratulations to you; when you do something wrong, people around you will help you to correct it. And when you do something good to others, you will feel happy, too. All these are your happiness. If you notice a bit of them, you can see that happiness is always around you.
Happiness doesn’t mean money. It is a feeling of your heart. When you are poor, you can also say you are very happy, because you have something that can’t be bought with money. When you meet with difficulties, you can say loudly you are very happy, because you have more chances to challenge yourself. As the saying goes, life is like a revolving（旋转的）door. When it closes, it also opens. If you take every chance you get, you can be a happy and lucky person.
【小题1】When you do something wrong, people around you will_______.

A．quarrel with you	B．help you correct it
C．do something wrong like you	D．laugh at you

【小题2】What will your friends say when you make great progress?

A．Oh, so do I.

B．Congratulations!

C．Good luck!

D．Just so-so!

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．People who have cars would never like to walk in the open air.

B．You can get help from others when you are in trouble.

C．You can still be a happy person even if you have little money.

D．Happiness is always around you though difficulties come towards you.

【小题4】The passage mainly tells us_______.

A．parents always care for our life and health

B．we’re not happy if we meet with difficulties

C．happiness is always around us

D．life is colorful

People across America are lining up at doctor’s offices, hospitals, and even shopping streets hoping to receive a flu shot .However, many of them have returned home without one. 
This year’s flu season is starting early and it’s already spreading quickly .Officials said that the flu has now spread to 50states.That’s why the flu shot isn’t easy to find.
Help will soon be on its way .A manufacturer of the  will ship 100,000 doses for adults, and 150,000for children soon. Although this could be one of the worst flu outbreaks in years, experts say that the flu is not a very serious disease for most people.
“We don’t need to fear or worry that something very bad will happen,” said the director of Centers for Disease control and Prevention.” Most of us will get through this fine.”

20090505

Many public hospitals only give the vaccine to the elderly, children under two , and people with bad health problems. Chris Rikon, a mother in Maryland, was able to find a shot for her 13-month –old daughter , but not her two-year-old son.

       “I would have felt better if both of them bad been able to get the shots.” Rikon said.
Gerberling also reminds people to use common sense during flu season. People should cover their mouths and noses when they cough ,and wash their hands often .children who have symptoms of the flu should stay home from school, and adults who develop the symptoms shouldn’t go to work .This simple prevention could prevent the illness from spreading .
Of course, there is always chicken soup to make you feel better. Scientific studies show that chicken soup actually does help people breathe better when they are sick. Scientists say that any hot liquid will help, but for some reason, soup does it best .they say that the soup’s smell may be important, but they are not completely sure why. And if you don’t like chicken, keep in mind that the healing effect comes from the soup ,not the chicken.
57．What is mainly discussed in the passage?
A．Preventing the flu by people themselves    B．The lack of the vaccine
C．the spread of flu in America              D．Ways to deal with the flu
58．Which statement is correct according to the passage?
A．Help in the form of vaccine has arrived
B．Chris Rikon’s case is used to prove the shortage of the shot
C．Eating more chicken can help keep the flu away
D．The reason why chicken soup is helpful is clear now
59．Chicken soup can help people with flu in the way that ____
A．chicken smell makes you feel better    B．it’s delicious and makes you eat better
C．its smell gives you comfortable breath  D．the chicken provides you a better mind
60．Why most of the people can’t get the flu shot?
A．Because it is expensive   B．Because the manufacturer of the vaccine closed down
C．Because the flu has spread widely ,there isn’t enough vaccine
D．because only children and the elderly are given vaccine.

Before astronauts can go into space, they have to have the right suit. That’s why NASA（美国国家航天和航空局）scientists are developing a new kind of space suit——lighter and more flexible than before. These new space suits will have lots of mobility(灵活性) for the astronauts, but will not need much maintenance. NASA wants the suits to include new technology that can help astronauts be safe in outer space.
Right now, the American space suit weighs about 275 pounds and is big and massive. But the suit is also easy to work in for long periods of time. The Russian space suit is less complicated, but is used only a few times and then gets thrown away.
“Finding the right balance is always going to be a challenge,” said a long-time astronaut Jeff Williams. Williams has worn both types of suits. Space suits protect astronauts from both extreme heat and freezing temperatures. They carry life-packs with oxygen for the astronauts. They also shield astronauts from radiation, or particles that send out harmful rays.
Scientists are using computers to design the new suits. This allows them to change the design again and again, and to even test the design out before actually making anything. “There’s a lot more capable tools and technology to get the job done——a lot more knowledge, as well,” said Joe Kosmo. Kosmo helped design, develop, and test suits during the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and shuttle periods.
These new space suits will be much lighter and use a new kind of complex material. They also will have a smaller life support backpack, thanks to tiny electronics. NASA hopes to have the first prototypes(原型) in development by 2010 and certify(证明) the suit by 2012. This will be in time for the launch of the Orion spaceship in 2014.
【小题1】 What characteristic does the new space suit have?

A．The new space suit will need much maintenance.

B．The new space suit will be heavier than before.

C．The new space suit will have less mobility than before.

D．The new suit will use new technology to help astronauts be safe in outer space.

【小题2】What’s the disadvantage of the Russian space suit?

A．The Russian space suit is big and massive.

B．The Russian space suit is much complicated.

C．The Russian space suit is merely used a few times.

D．The Russian space suit is easy to work in for long periods of time.

【小题3】The underlined word “shield” in the third paragraph might mean_______.

A．harm

B．protect

C．help

D．warn

【小题4】Why can scientists test the design out before actually making the new space suits?

A．Because designing the new space suit is not a complex task.

B．Because computers are being used to help scientists design the new space suits.

C．Because it needs little knowledge to design the new space suits.

D．Because the scientists only change the old space suits a little and make them into the new ones.

【小题5】How long will it take scientists to put the new space suits from prototypes into the first practical use?

A．Two years.

B．Three years.

C．Four years.

D．Six years.

PART THREE   READING COMPREHENSION (30%)
Directions: Read the following three passages．Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements．For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D．Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage
They say a cat has nine lives, and I think that possible since I am now living my third life and I’m not even a cat. My father died when I was 15, and we had a hard struggle to make a living. And my mother, who was seriously ill in her last years, died while still in her 60s. My sister married soon after, and I followed her example within the year.
This was when I began to enjoy my first life. I was very happy, in excellent health. I had a good job in San Jose and a beautiful home up the peninsula (半岛) in San Carlos. Life was a pleasant dream. Then the dream ended. I became afflicted (使苦恼) with a slowly progressive disease of the motor nerves, affecting first my right arm and leg, and then my other side. Thus began my second life...
In spite of my disease I still drove to and from work each day, with the aid of special equipment installed in my car. And I managed to keep my health and optimism (乐观), to a degree, because of 14 steps. Crazy? Not at all. Our home was an affair with 14 steps leading up from the garage to the kitchen door. Those steps were a standard measure of life. They were my yardstick, my challenge to continue living. I felt that if the day arrived when I was unable to lift one foot up one step and then drag the other painfully after it ---repeating the process 14 times, I would be through---I could then admit defeat and lie down and die.
Then on a dark night in August, 1971, I began my third life. It was raining when I started home that night; strong winds and slashing rain beat down on the car as I drove slowly down one of the less-traveled roads. Suddenly the steering wheel jerked (猝然一动). In the same instant I heard the bang of a blowout. It was impossible for me to change that tire! Utterly impossible!
I started the engine and thumped slowly along until I came to the dirt road, where I turned in and where I found lighted windows welcomed me to a house and pulled into the driveway and honked the horn.
The door opened and a little girl stood there. When she knew what happened to me, she went into the house and a moment later came out, followed by a man who called a cheerful greeting. I sat there comfortable and dry, and felt a bit sorry for the man and the little girl working so hard in the storm.
About an hour later, the man’s voice was heard, “This is a bad night for car trouble, but you’re all set now.” “Thanks,” I said. “How much do I owe you?” He shook his head, “Nothing. Cynthia told me you were a cripple. Glad to be of help. I know you’d do the same for me. There’s no charge, friend.” I held out a five-dollar bill, “No! I like to pay my way.” He made no effort to take it and the little girl stepped closer to the window and said quietly, “Grandpa can’t see it.”
56. “A cat has nine lives” here means ___________.
A. a cat can live nine times longer than any other animal  B .a cat can die ninth
C .a lucky man can not die easily                     D the writer will live nine times
57. What do you think of the man who helped change the tire?
A. Old, warm-hearted but pitiable             
B. Blind, but warm-hearted and happy
C. A blind old man that has nothing to do every day.
D. A poor old man that is always ready to help others.
58. How will the story be ended?
A. The writer paid the little girl but the old man did not accept.
B. The writer drove away with tears running down his cheek.
C. The writer stayed there, without knowing what to do and how to do it.
D. In the next few frozen seconds the writer felt the shame and astonishment he had never felt
before.
59. How do you understand the underlined sentence “I followed my sister’s example?”
A.  He listened to his sister carefully.
B  Mother told him that he must get the agreement from his sister for whatever he would do.
C  His sister got married. He, too.
D  His sister was a great woman.. He must learn from her.
60. The best title for this passage perhaps will be _____.
A.The Old Man and His Daughter              B. Heart Leaping Up
C.Never Lose Heart                        D. Good Will Be Rewarded Good

How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, and the old wishing they were young again! Each age has its pleasure and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each agc gives him without wasting any time in uselcss regrets.
Children is a time when there are few duties to make life hard. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after, and loved whatever he may do. It’s impossible for him to be given so much again in his life without having to do anything in return. Besides, life is always giving new things to the child. A child finds pleasure in playing in the rain, or in the snow. His first visit to the seaside makes him wild. But a child has his pains; he is not so free to do as he wishes. He is continually being told not to do this, not to do that, or being punished for what he has done wrong. His life is therefore not perfectly happy.
When the young man starts to make his own living, he becomes free from the rules of school and parents; but at the time he is forced to accept duties. He can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the law of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison, lf, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble, and has good health, he can have the great happiness of seeing himself make steady pro-gress in his job and of building up his own position in society.
Old age has always been thought of as the worst age to be, but it is not necessary for the old to be unhappy. With old age should come wisdom and tile ability to help others with advice wisely given. They can have the joy of seeing their Children making progress in life; they can watch their grandchildren growing up around them and, perhaps, best of all, they can, if their life has been a useful one, feel the happiness of having come through the battle of life safely and of having reached a time when they can lie back and rest, leaving others to continue the fight.
【小题1】The main reason children wish they were grown up, and the old wish they were young again is that ______.

A．both aren’t satisfied with the weak points at their ages

B．both enjoy the strong points at the other age by looking back or looking forward

C．the human beings should be like this

D．they don’t think both ages are acceptable

【小题2】“Enjoy what each age gives him without wasting time in useless regrets” means ______. 

A．Enjoy what is given to him by people at his age, feeling regrets

B．Enjoy himself at his own age, feeling regrets for a waste of time

C．Make full use of the time he is given at his age instead of regretting having no achievements

D．Enjoy his own age and took down on the people at other ages

【小题3】“Children is a time when there are few duties to make life hard” means “______”. 

A．Children shouldn’t be made to live a hard life

B．All the children won’t have to work for their own living

C．Children shouldn’t answer for the hard life they are leading

D．A child bas few duties to try hard to make a living for himself or for his seniors

【小题4】 According to the passage, what is a child’s greatest dissatisfaction? 

A．He thinks he has not got the equal freedom as his seniors.

B．He thinks he knows less about things than the older do.

C．He thinks it easy for him to do something wrong.

D．He thinks the society doesn’t believe in him.

When I was learning calligraphy (书法), my teacher told me a story.
A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practiced handwriting with old sheets of newspaper complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, “Try to use the best paper. Maybe you'll write better.”
The student did as he was told. It really worked. He made headway not long afterwards and felt curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered，“When you used old newspaper to practice handwriting, you would think you were writing a draft. It didn't matter if you wrote badly as old newspaper was plenty in supply. In that case you wouldn't pay much attention to it. Now you use the best paper and you'll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity of chances and you'll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you'll do the handwriting much more attentively than practicing. Of course you've made rapid progress.”
Indeed, we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless “old newspaper”．We don't care if we scrawl and waste it, thinking that it will come endlessly—the “old newspaper” is inexhaustible. In such a mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.
Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life there's no chance for us to draft. That's because what we call “draft” actually is the answer sheet we write that cannot be changed.
Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of the best paper.
【小题1】The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought ________.

A．the student would practice more carefully on the best paper

B．it was comfortable to write on the best paper

C．the student had enough money to buy the best paper

D．the student could write more on the best paper

【小题2】The student didn't make much progress at first because ________.

A．he didn't follow his teacher's advice

B．he was too poor to buy better paper to write on

C．he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft

D．he was not used to the calligrapher's teaching manner

【小题3】We learn from the passage that ________.

A．the student finally gave up

B．the student made rapid progress by practicing more carefully

C．the calligrapher was strict with his students

D．old newspaper is not useful

【小题4】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．What teachers say is always true.

B．Success calls for attentiveness.

C．Handwriting is easy to practice.

D．New things are always better than old ones.

【小题5】The writer wants to tell us that ________.

A．there are some good ways to practice handwriting

B．life is like old newspaper

C．we should learn from the student in the story

D．life will not give us a chance to draw a draft

   Mylonoa Island in autumn and winter is peaceful and beautiful. It is perfect for a relaxing stay or a brief visit. One can see and enjoy the blue skies, the wide beaches, and also have wonderful walks in the hills, perhaps not every day, but usually until the beginning of January. Visitors and winter tourists often come to Mykonos to discover the traditional Greek island. They can escape busy Athens after business, or calm down after a long European tour before traveling on further to Egypt, Israel, or Asia.
Apart from the more usual tourists, you will find various hikers, walkers, readers, writers, bikers, and so on in this island. You can also visit the beautiful Delos, hike through mountains walk on beaches, explore another side of the island life with some monasteries(修道院), horse ride, or take part in local gatherings and meet some friendly Mykonians,
Mykonos’ climate is Mediterranean and mild. Autumn is always blue skied and sunny, where the temperature only drops very gradually. The nice days for beach going and swimming last until early January. The real winter months are also mild. Even in January, the temperature never drops very to be on. The island has a great percentage of humidity because of the south-easterly winds and rainfall between mid-January and each- March; there is also a possibility of storms and colder northerly winds at this period. Snow is rare, perhaps one every ten years. The clear blue sky still exists for most of the winter.
【小题1】Mykonos island lies in _______.

A．Egypt

B．Israel

C．Greek

D．India

【小题2】 What’s the main purpose of this passage?

A．To sum up some situations of many islands.

B．To introduce a beautiful island to people.

C．To compare their climate.

D．To describe the people visiting the island.

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT wrong?

A．Every year, a great number of people go to Mykonos island to tour, hike, walk, read, write and bike.

B．It often snows in Mykonos island.

C．Mykonos’ climate is very awful.

D．From time to time, you can see the blue sky in Mykonos island.

【小题4】 What’s the Chinese meaning of the underlined word “humidity”?

A．温度

B．湿度

C．紫外线

D．大气压

【小题5】 We can infer from the passage ______.

A．Mykonos island is a well-known tour resort

B．Mykonos island is a very big island in Europe

C．there are many rare animals in Mykonos island

D．winter is the best season to travel to Mykonos island.