My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying，“What do you want? Take my wallet，” but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house—Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy，and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch (蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help！” at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the? more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in！” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to? come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely，“Please go and eat. We're OK.”

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of? bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I? was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer? sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was? directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes? talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy? and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out? in force twenty minutes later. They were ill?tempered about what was, to them, much trouble? about nothing.? After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to? describing the gunmen. “Typical，” said one policeman when we couldn't even agree on how tall? the men were.? Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two? policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help.

The policemen were matter?of?fact about the whole thing. The thin one said，“That was a? stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do? what you're told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.

Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the? house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys，” he said. “If you? had gone into the house with them...” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” ——he twisted his head toward me——“and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look，” said the fat policeman kindly, “ there's no right or wrong in the situation. There's just luck.”

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car? window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many? hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time—no? intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I’m sure there will be a next time.? It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone.Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves.

1.When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window，________.

A．she felt very annoyed

B．she lost consciousness

C．she felt very much nervous

D．she lost the power of thinking

2.What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A．Jeremy's fighting.

B．The author's screaming.

C．Their neighbour's brave action.

D．The police's arrival.

3.When the author called for help, the neighbors didn't come out immediately because________.

A．they were much too frightened

B．they were busy preparing dinners

C．they needed time to find baseball bats

D．they thought someone was playing a trick

4.What the author wants to tell us is that________.

A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can’t be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, “What do you want? Take my wallet,” but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re OK.”

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.

The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.

Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me --- “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.

1.When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ________.

A. she felt very annoyed  

B. she lost consciousness

C. she felt very much nervous  

D. she lost the power of thinking

2.What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A. Jeremy’s fighting                                                  B. The author’s screaming   

C. Their neighbour’s brave action                             D. The police’s arrival

3. When the author called for help, the neighbors didn’t come out immediately because ________.

A. they were much too frightened

B. they were busy preparing dinners

C. they needed time to find baseball bats

D. they thought someone was playing a trick

4.The author was happy to see the neighbors go because ________.

A. she hated to listen to their empty talk

B. she did not want to become an object of pity

C. she was angered by their being late to come to her help

D. she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock

5.The police were rather angry because ________.

A. the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm

B. they thought it was a case of little importance

C. the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything

D. the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene

6.What the author wants to tell us is that ________.

A. neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B. the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C. security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D. preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

I drove a school bus as a part-time job. Thirty-nine children all had stories to tell me about their summers. Charlie though __16__me. From the first day on Charlie was __17__. If a fight broke out I didn’t have to turn my __18__to know who had started it. If a girl was crying chances were that Charlie had __19__ her hair. No matter how I spoke to him gently or __20__ he wouldn’t say a word. He’d just __21__ me with those big gray eyes of his. One day I found a small tin heart (小锡心)on the bus was gone. “Does anyone know __22__happened to the little heart here” I asked. Some children cried “Charlie __23__it Search him” When I asked him to come forward his gaze( 注视) __24__ my eyes. I stuck my hand into one of his pockets. Then I felt it—the __25__ outline(轮廓)of the small tin heart. Charlie stared at me for a long time. There were no __26__ in those big gray eyes no plea( 恳求) for mercy. He seemed to be waiting for what he’d come to __27__ from the world. I was about to pull the tin heart out of Charlie’s pocket __28__I stopped myself. Let him keep it, I said “It must have fallen off before I got here.” Without a word Charlie __29__ to his seat. When he got off at his stop, he didn’t so much as glance at me. Several days later just that__30__ Charlie moved away… A dozen years after retirement we met in the street. To my __31__, he hugged me. After he let go, he pulled something from his pocket and held it up for me to see. An old key chain… bent out of __32__, the lettering faded (消褪). You __33__probably guess what it was—the little tin heart. “You were the only one who kept trying.” He explained. We __34__ again and went our separate ways. I am so __35__ I’d done a good job.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36-55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

Yesterday I heard about a single mom with two kids that I barely know. She was pleading for help to pay her   36  bill so it wouldn’t get disconnected. I have seen her help many others over the past months. She   37  to make ends meet but puts on a smile   38  her children won’t worry. She has no family near her so if she   39  her phone, her children or their school will have no way to get in   40  with her. After reading her plea（恳求）, I thought about it all night and it broke my heart.

This morning I   41  her that I wanted to help. And I   42  her phone bill so that she would not lose it. She wrote me one of the most   43  letters I have ever received,   44  me how thankful she was. She   45  and said that I would never know how   46  it meant to her that a stranger would be so   47  . She had nowhere to go and didn’t know where to turn. I   48  to her that she was a kind heart and it is especially important to me to help   49  people such as her.

I am very glad to have been able to help   50 . Her tears of joy and heartfelt   51  were more than enough thanks for me. Everything we do for someone else, big or small, makes such a big   52 . We can share some happiness and sorrows. Among all of us, we have the ability to   53  solutions to some problems that now   54 . Opening my heart and   55   for a friend in need makes me proud and I am thankful I was able to pay it forward today!

I drove a school bus as a part-time job. Thirty-nine children all had stories to tell me about their summers. Charlie though __16__me. From the first day on Charlie was __17__. If a fight broke out I didn’t have to turn my __18__to know who had started it. If a girl was crying chances were that Charlie had __19__ her hair. No matter how I spoke to him gently or __20__ he wouldn’t say a word. He’d just __21__ me with those big gray eyes of his. One day I found a small tin heart (小锡心 )on the bus was gone. “Does anyone know __22__happened to the little heart here” I asked. Some children cried “Charlie __23__it Search him” When I asked him to come forward his gaze( 注视) __24__ my eyes. I stuck my hand into one of his pockets. Then I felt it—the __25__ outline(轮廓 )of the small tin heart. Charlie stared at me for a long time. There were no __26__ in those big gray eyes no plea( 恳求) for mercy. He seemed to be waiting for what he’d come to __27__ from the world. I was about to pull the tin heart out of Charlie’s pocket __28__I stopped myself. Let him keep it, I said “It must have fallen off before I got here.” Without a word Charlie __29__ to his seat. When he got off at his stop, he didn’t so much as glance at me. Several days later just that__30__ Charlie moved away… A dozen years after retirement we met in the street. To my __31__, he hugged me. After he let go, he pulled something from his pocket and held it up for me to see. An old key chain… bent out of __32__, the lettering faded (消褪). You __33__probably guess what it was—the little tin heart. “You were the only one who kept trying.” He explained. We __34__ again and went our separate ways. I am so __35__ I’d done a good job.

1.A. ignored      B. feared          C. greeted         D. told

2.A. active        B. troublesome     C. independent     D. noisy

3.A. position      B. shoulder        C. head           D. attention

4.A. pulled       B. cut             C. stole           D. played

5. A. secretly      B. carefully        C. proudly         D. strictly

6.A. laugh at      B. stare at          C. depend on      D. concentrate on

7.A. how         B. why            C. what           D. who

8.A. did          B. made           C. wore           D. said

9.A. turned into    B. burned into      C. stepped into     D. flew into

10. A. shining       B. hard            C. strange         D. familiar

11.A. tears         B. puzzles         C. hopes           D. ways

12.A. plea          B. ask            C. expect          D. disappoint

13.A. while         B. when          C. as              D. if

14.A. came         B. wanted         C. intended         D. returned

15.A. summer       B. autumn         C. spring          D. winter

16.A. delight        B. sadness         C. surprise        D. annoyance

17.A. shape         B. date            C. order          D. fashion

18.A. need          B. can            C. must           D. may

19.A. talked         B. looked         C. smiled          D. hugged

20.A. happy         B. sure           C. lucky           D. shocked