2、    I’d been 16 for six days and was already prepared to deal with failure. I remember when my mum woke me up that morning; her voice wasn’t as scratchy as it usually was.

    I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant (不愿) to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I’d let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed.

I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn’t work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I’d had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn’t improve much. Then we headed to the test site.

I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes―just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday.

I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer.

The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday.

Back in the building I didn’t have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I’m sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me.

56. We can infer ______.

       A. the writer’s mother might often wakes him up rudely

       B. the writer’s mother is always kind to him

       C. the writer’s mother hates him

       D. never wakes him up in the morning

57. What has the author done probably in the past six months?

       A. He has been ill in bed.                                  B. He has been learning to drive.

       C. He has prepared to deal with failure.             D. He has been looking after his mother.

58. Which is TRUE according to the passage?

       A. As he did well at the beginning of the text, his confidence grew.

       B. He didn’t doubt that he could pass the driving test.

       C. As soon as he got to the test site, he calmed down.

       D. He was happy that he had to come back next Thursday.

59. Which word can be used to describe the writer’s character?

       A. Uneasy.              B. Unhappy.              C. Unconfident.             D. Unlucky.

1、

I’ve spent most of my career as a traveling salesman, and so I know that batting loneliness is an occupational hazard(职业病). But one year, my little girl Jeanine gave me the cure   36   for my homesickness.

It had black beady eyes, a red bow tie and orange feet－a toy penguin that stood about five inches tall.   37   to its left wing was a little sign bearing the hand painted declaration “I Love My Dad!” I   38   granted(给予) the penguin a special   39   on my dresser.

On my next   40  ,  I threw the penguin in my suitcase. That night when I   41   home, Jeanine was   42   that the penguin had disappeared. “Honey, he’s here with me,” I explained, “I 43   him along.”

From then on, the penguin came with me－as essential as my briefcase of shaving kit. And we   44  friends along the way.  In Albuquerque , I   45   into a hotel, dumped out my bag and dashed to a meeting. When I returned, the maid had   46   the bed and stood the penguin on the pillow. In Boston, I found it   47   in a glass on the nightstand. Once a customs agent at New York’s Kennedy Airport dug the penguin out of my suitcase and,   48   it up, said, “Thank God we don’t charge   49   on love, or you’d owe bundle(一大笔钱).”

One night, I discovered the penguin   50  , and after frantic(发疯的) phone call, I learned I’d left it in my previous   51   room, where it had been rescued by a maid. I droved a hundred miles to get it; and when I arrived at midnight, the penguin was   52   at the front desk. In the lobby(大厅), tired business travelers looked on at the reunion－I think with a touch(少量的) of   53  .

    Jeanine is in college now, and I don’t travel as much. The penguin sits on my   54  , a reminder that love is wonderful traveling   55  . All those years on the road, it was the one thing I never left home without.

24、----What time do you start work?

---- _____________.

  A. It’s none of your business.        B. It varies.

  C. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.                 D. It doesn’t make any difference

23、Jack’s room always has the dusty smell of an apartment whose windows are　opened.

A．rarely                   B．generally             C．apparently           D．frequently

22、

―What is your secret of success?  

―_______ is my efforts, not my intelligence that really ________.  

A. That; counts             B. It; counts          C. It; count         D. That; count  

21、We're selecting ten causes ― from supporting poor families ________ the environment ― and giving you a chance to vote for your favorite.

A. to save    B. to saving    C. saving D. saved

20、 At times I am ashamed，________ there's a difference between being ashamed and not doing ___________ about it.

A. though；something          B. but；anything

C. and；everything              D. so；nothing

19、UNR is a very _______ engine―it recharges its own battery while it's running.

A. flexible    B. permanent    C. dehcate D. efficient

18、 We prefer to measure our football team's success _______ the number of fans attending rather than the number of games won.

A. in addition to    B. in terms of    C. in honor of D. in response to

17、It also has basic versions of its programs available for online users free of_______，which can be downloaded easily.

A. bill                 B. cost               C. charge              D. expense