An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother， "Only a miracle（奇迹） can save him now，" the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore(药店) with the money in her hand.

"And what do you want？" asked the salesman. "It's for my little brother，" the girl answered. "He's really， really sick and I want to buy a miracle."

"Pardon？" said the salesman.

"My brother Andrew has something bad growing in-side his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost？" "We don't sell a miracle here， child. I'm sorry，" the salesman said with a smile.

"Listen， if it isn't enough， I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."

A well-dressed man heard it and asked， "What kind of a miracle does your brother need？"

"I don't know，" she answered with her eyes full of tears. "He's really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it， so I have brought all my money."

"How much do you have？" asked the man. "$ 1.11， but I can try and get some more，" she answered.

"Well， what luck，" smiled the man. "$ 1.11， the price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took up the girl's hand and said， "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong，a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost？

56. What was the trouble in the little girl's family？

A. Her brother was seriously ill.             B. They had no money.

C. Nothing could save her brother.           D. Both A and B

57. In the eye of the little girl,a miracle might be _______.

A. something interesting                 B. something beautiful

C. some wonderful medicine              D. some good food

58. The little girl said again and again "……I can try and get some more." That shows _______.

A. she had still kept some money

B. she hoped not to be refused

C. There was no need to worry about money

D. she thought money was easy to get

59. What made the miracle happen？

A. The girl's love for her brother.            B. The girl's money.

C. The medicine from the drugstore.         D. Nobody can tell.

60. From the passage we can infer （推断） that _______.

A. The doctor didn't ask for any pay

B. A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

C. The little girl is lovely but not so clever

D. Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought

   

 

     Two weeks after the Second World War(战争) began, Peter wanted to join the army(军队), but he was only 16 years old, and boys were allowed to join only if they were over 18. So when the army doctor examined him, he said that he was 18. But Peter's brother Bill had joined the army a few days before, and the same doctor had examined him, too. This doctor remembered Bill's family name, so when he saw Peter's papers, he was surprised.

     "How old are you?" he said.

     "Eighteen, Sir. "Said Peter.

     "But your brother was eighteen, too. " said the doctor, "Are you twins?"

     "Oh, no, Sir," said Peter, and his face went red," My brother is five months older than me. "

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将其字母标号填入题前括号内。

1. When did the story happen?

    A. Before the Second World War.    

B. During the Second World War.

    C. Before the First World War.       

D. During the First World War.

2. In fact, how old was Peter?

     A. 18           B. 17           C. 16         D. 15

3. What did Bill do at that time?

     A. He was a doctor.               B. He was a soldier.

     C. He was a student.              D. He was a teacher.

4. How did the doctor feel when he saw Peter's papers?

     A. He was surprised.              B. He was mad.

     C. He was excited.                D. He was disappointed.

5. What is the Chinese meaning of "examined" in the passage?

A．考试       B．照顾        C．训练       D．检查

This morning my mother asked me__.

A. why he is not here    B. where Julia went last weekend

C. what time is it       D. how did my brother do it

 

This morning my mother asked me__.

A．why he is not here	B．where Julia went last weekend
C．what time is it	D．how did my brother do it

Just how popular was Mini? Very. Every year her classmates voted(推举) her the favorite student. The friends she had were much more than those of anyone else.
One day Mini was caught yakkety-yakking(大声说笑) and ordered to stay back as punishment(惩罚). Staying back meant doing something “useful”, like helping in the library after school.
Now Mini’s school had a rule. Once a month, if you had something else to do the day you were punished, you could ask a friend to stand in for you.
Unluckily, her aunt was visiting Mini that day. That afternoon was the only chance Mini had of seeing her for another five years.
Mini needed someone to stand in for her. She asked Betty, her “best” friend. “Oh, no, Mini, I can’t,” Betty said. “I must help my brother do his homework.”
“Tony, will you stay back for me?” Mini asked another friend. “I wish you’d told me earlier. I have to go to a relative’s house with my father,” he said.
Now, Mini was beginning to doubt(怀疑) if even one of her friends would agree to stay. But she tried again. She asked three more friends and each one refused.
So, after school Mini stayed to help the librarian. And, when she found Mini crying after everyone had left, it was she who surprised Mini by allowing her to leave to meet her aunt. “I may have many friends,” Mini said to herself, “but in reality I have none.”
【小题1】What does staying back mean in Mini’s school?

A．It means you have to do more homework.

B．It means you must study harder.

C．It means you have to do something “useful”.

D．It means you should ask a friend for help.

【小题2】How many friends did Mini ask for help? 

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

【小题3】Who helped Mini in the end?

A．The teacher.

B．Tony.

C．The librarian.

D．Nobody.

【小题4】What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “in reality”?

A．最后

B．事实上

C．终于

D．首先

【小题5】 Which of the following can describe Mini’s feeling?

A．Happy.

B．Excited.

C．Sad.

D．Bored.