Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people the nation and especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation, it will tell you the potential（潜势）of that nation.

If today in America, you ask the high school students to list their heroes, their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars —the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model (推举…为榜样). The rock stars too often are involved with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However, one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes.

A second type of hero for the American youth is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area — SPORTS. However, too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of a mess. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of life of the sports star.

A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However, the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model for young people.

Today, the rock star, the athlete and the actor all have become the models of the youth in America. Really, do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist? These people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However, they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone.

What is really sad is that the young try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American youngsters are only rock stars, athletes and actors, the future does not look too bright.

56. The hero discussed in this article means a person ______.

A. who has done something brave          B. who plays an important role in a play

C. whom people greatly admire            D. who rides the waves and moves with the tides

57. What is true of the groups mentioned in this article?

A. They are not fright but are good-looking.       B. They are rich but are strict with themselves.

C. They are talented in some area but lead an indecent life.   D. They are perfect in every way.

58. American young people will not admire ______.

A. a university professor           B. a popular singer     C. a football player     D. a film actress

59. According to the writer, people should hold up as their model those______.

A. who are rich and wear the latest fashion clothes     B. whose personal life is good

C. who can express people’s feelings             D. who work in the interests (利益) of the people

60. What is the writer’s attitude towards American youth’s admiration for their heroes?

A. He is understanding.      B. He is critical.     C. He is angry.        D. He is uninterested.

 

Write on more than three words for each answer.

The father of Western philosophy

The word ‘philosophy’ means ‘love of wisdom’. Philosophy can be thought of as a way of looking at the world around us, or of answering the great questions of life, such as ‘Why are we here ?’ and ‘What is truth?’

The father of Western philosophy was Socrates. Socrates was from Athens, in Greece. When he was young, he was a brave soldier. Later, he became a teacher, but he taught for free, and earned his salary from being a common worker. Aside from this, we know very little about him. Since he never wrote a book, we also know very little about his philosophy. Yet, Socrates has had a deep influence on Western thought and science.

To understand how this can true, we must understand how Socrates taught. Socrates taught by asking questions. Through this, he challenged his students to develop and explain their own arguments. In many cases, his questions made his students aware of their own errors. Many students got embarrassed and even angry when this happened, while others changed their opinions. Socrates’ way of approaching the truth is now called the Socratic Methods. The idea of asking questions until you reach the right answer is the basis of modern philosophy and science.

Unfortunately for him, Socrates questioned too much. He always asked challenging questions to everyone he met, upsetting many people in Athens. Finally, some people had had enough of him, so they took him to court for questioning the existence of the Greek’s Gods and for corrupting the young people of Athens. At his trial, he defended himself by asking his judges yet more questions. This just made a bad situation worse. Finally he was put to death by being forced to drink poison.                 Through his death, Socrates became the hero of all people who search for the truth.

The Father of Western philosophy
The   1.  of philosophy	Philosophy can be 2.  as a way of looking at the world around us, or of answering the great questions of life.
Brief introduction to Socrates	Socrates was     3.  Athens. He was a brave soldier when he was young. Later, he worked as a teacher who taught  4. and earned his salary from being a common worker.
Socratic Method	Socrates taught by    5.  . Through this, he challenged his students to develop and explain their own arguments to make the students aware of their own errors. His way of   6.  he truth is now called the Socratic Method.
7. for Socrates’ death	Socrates always liked asking    8.  questions to everyone, which upset many people in Athens, so they took him to 9.  for questioning the existence of the Greek gods and for corrupting the young people.   10.  , he was put to death by being forced to drink poison. However, he became the hero of all people who search for the truth.

 

The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other forever. He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him.

The next morning he said to the men, “Have you provided me with that sunset?”

“No, sir,” the men answered.

The director was angry. “Why not?”  he asked.

“Well, sir,” one of the men answered, “we’re on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset.”

“But I want a sunset!” the director shouted. “Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one.”

But then a young secretary had an idea. “Why don’t you photograph a sunrise,” she suggested, “and then play it backwards? Then it’ll look like a sunset.”

“That’s a very good idea!” the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, “Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea.”

The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o’clock they took it to the director. “Here it is, sir,” they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased.

They all went into the studio. “All right,” the director explained, “now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the ‘sunset’ behind them.”

The “sunset” began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.

The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.

One evening, the director sent his camera crew out _________.

  A. to film a scene on the sea        B. to find an actor and an actress

  C. to watch a beautiful sunset       D. to meet the audience

Why did the director want to send his crew to the west coast?

  A. Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset.

  B. Because he was angry with his crew.

  C. Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset.

  D. Because it was his secretary’s suggestion.

The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because ______.

  A. it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine

  B. when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening

  C. it was more moving than a sunrise

  D. the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset

After the “sunset” began, the director suddenly put his face in his hands ______.

  A. because he was moved to tears

  B. as he saw everything in the film moving backwards

  C. as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined

  D. because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and heroine

Which of the following is NOT true?

  A. The crew had to follow the secretary’s advice.

  B. If you want to see a sunrise, the east coat is the place to go.

  C. The camera crew wasn’t able to film the scene the first day.

  D. The director ordered his crew to stop filming the “sunset”.

Shay asked, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.
Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, “We’re losing by six runs (分) and the game is in the eighth inning (局).I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.
Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch (投) came and Shay missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game .Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming, “Shay, run to first! ” Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..
Everyone should, “Run to second!” Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time, could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.
All were screaming，“Shay，Shay，Shay，all the way Shay.” Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, “Shay, run to third.” As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,“Shay, run home！”Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.
That day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn’t make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!
【小题1】
Not expecting much, Shay’s father still asked the boy if Shay could play, mainly because the father _________.

A．noticed some of the boys on the field were heisting

B．guessed his presence would affect the boy’s decision

C．learned some of the boys on the field knew Shay well

D．understood Shay did need a feeling of being accepted

【小题2】
In the bottom of the final inning Shay was given the bat because the boys _________.

A．believed they were sure to win the game

B．would like to help Shay enjoy the game

C．found Shay was so eager to be a winner

D．fell forced to give Shay another chance

【小题3】
The smallest boy threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head, probably because that boy ________.

A．was obviously aware of the pitcher’s purpose

B．looked forward to winning the game for his team

C．failed to throw the ball to the second baseman

D．saw that Shay already reached second base

【小题4】
Which of the following has nothing to do with Shay’s becoming the hero for his team?

A．The pitcher did not throw the ball to the first baseman.

B．The audience and the players from both teams cheered for him.

C．The opposing players failed to stop his running to home.

D．One of the opposing players ran to help him.

【小题5】
What to you think is the theme of the story?

A．True human nature could be realized in the way we treat each other.

B．Everyone has his own strength even if mentally or physically disabled.

C．Everyone can develop his team spirit in sports and please his parents.

D．The results of the game should not be the only concern of the players.

----Did you hear about the hero who rescued the child from the burning building?

----Yes. What do you think most people ______ if they were in a similar situation?

A. will do        B will have done.  C. would do       D. would have done