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 an operation (手術(shù)) could save him now and there was no one to
lend them the money. 
       One day she heard her Daddy say to her tearful mother, "Only a miracle (奇跡) can save him now."
The little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank (存錢罐) from its hiding place. She poured
all the coins out on the floor and counted them carefully. 
       Holding her piggy bank, she ran to the nearby drugs store. she placed her coins on the glass counter.
       "I want to buy a miracle for my little brother. He is really sick." said the little girl to the shop assistant.
       "I beg your pardon?" the shop assistant could hardly believe what he heard.
       "His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a
miracle can save him."
       "We don't sell miracle here, child. I'm sorry," the shop assistant said.
       "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how
much it costs." 
       In the shop was a well-dressed customer (顧客). His name was Carlton Armstrong. He asked the little
girl, "What kind of miracle does your brother need?" 
       "I don't know," she replied. "He is really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy
can't pay for it." 
        "How much do you have?" asked the man. "One dollar and eleven cents," she answered. "Well," smiled
the man. "A dollar and eleven cents? That is the exact price of a miracle for your little brother. I have the kind
of miracle you need." 
        He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live.
I want to see your brother and meet your parents." 
        Carlton Armstrong saved Andrew's life by giving him a successful operation. 
        "That operation," her mother said in a low voice, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have
cost." The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost-one dollar and eleven cents.
1. Could the girl's family pay for the boy's operation?
     ________________________________________________________.
2. Where did Carlton Armstrong work?
     ________________________________________________________.
3. What did the little girl think of miracle at first?
     ________________________________________________________.
4. How did Carlton Armstrong do the miracle?
     ________________________________________________________.
5. Why did Carlton Armstrong receive the girl's one dollar and eleven cents?
     ________________________________________________________.

    Mrs Baker lived in a small town. Her husband worked in a factory several years ago. He was able to do
everything. But the boss (老板) was bad to the workers and he was paid (付給) little. Sometimes his family
were hungry. He had to leave there and went to Sydney. The factory needed the workers like him and he
easily found work there. He worked hard and made much money. He went to England for his holiday once
a year. He missed (思念) his wife and children very much. One day he called Mrs Baker. On the telephone
he asked her to go to travel in Australia. Of course they were all happy.
    It's very far from England to Sydney. Mrs Baker and her children had to take a plane. They left their
country for the first time and they were travelling in a plane for the first time, too. They were all excited
(激動的). The two children did not feel tired though they couldn't fall asleep the night before. Their mother
stopped them, but they didn't listen to her. One of them nearly hit an air hostess (空中小姐) with some plates
in her hands. Mrs Baker became a bit unhappy and said, "Don't run wild (胡鬧) here! Go and play outside!"

1. Sometimes the Bakers were hungry because            .

A. the boss had not enough money
B. the boss paid Mr Baker little
C. Mr Baker's family was large
D. they were very lazy

2. As            , Mr Baker easily found work in Sydney.

A. he was born in England
B. Australia is a big country
C. he was very able
D. he had worked in a factory

3. Mr Baker wanted his wife and children to go to Sydney because            .

A. he wanted very much to see them
B. he couldn't go back to England
C. they hoped to travel in Australia
D. they hoped to move to Sydney

4.            , so the two children couldn't fall asleep the night before.

A. They would play in the plane
B. Their mother would work in Sydney
C. They would take a plane for the first time
D. They would study in Australia

5. Which of the following is true?

A. Mrs Baker forgot they were in a plane.
B. Mrs Baker didn't love her children.
C. The two children were too excited to fall asleep in a plane.
D. Mrs Baker was afraid to take a plane.

       Ron, the teacher at the skydiving (跳傘運(yùn)動) school, was surprised when the gray-haired man said that his
name was Walter and asked if he could take skydiving lessons. Ron asked him how old he was and he
(1) r           that he was 60. Ron explained to Walter that (2) a            over 50 had to be checked by a doctor
before he could learn to jump from a plane. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you start learning (3) w            a letter
from your doctor."
       Walter smiled. "Here is a letter from my doctor. He asked me to take (4) l             of tests and he says that
I'm fine."
       So Walter was able to join the skydiving school. He came to all the lessons and worked very (5) h          .
Soon it was the time for him to make his (6) f             jump. Ron asked him if he was feeling OK. Walter
answered that he had never felt better. However, he added that there was something he should have told Ron
(7) e           . Ron asked what it was and Walter smiled. Then just before he jumped, he told Ron that he wasn't
60. Ron asked how old Walter (8) r            was and Walter told him he was 75!
       Walter has a lot of (9) h           . He enjoys riding fast motorbikes and (10) c            mountains. Last year
he was saved by a police helicopter (直升飛機(jī)) in Wales.
       His daughter Betty worries about him. "I think he should stop all these activities. But my mother says that
as long as he's happy, it's OK."

     Mr. White works in an office. He liked reading in bed when he was at school. It was bad for his eyes
and now he is near-sighted. But he wouldn't want anybody else to know about it and he never wears a pair
of glasses. It often brings him some trouble.
     One winter morning he was sent to a village school on business. He got off a bus at a stop in a small town.
Then he had to walk there. The road to the village wasn't smooth. There were stones here and there. He fell
over several times and it made his clothes very dirty. At last he got to the village. Suddenly it began to blow
strongly and it got much colder. His hat was blown off while he was looking for the school. He had to run
after it but he couldn't catch it. He was wondering why his hat ran into a house as if it had legs. And then he
ran into the house, too. A big woman appeared and stopped him by shouting angrily," What are you running
after my hen for?"

1. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A. Mr. White wears a pair of glasses.
B. Mr. White works in a village school.
C. Mr. White likes reading in bed in his office.
D. Mr. White often has some trouble because of his near sight.

2. What was the weather like when Mr. White was walking to the village school?

A. It was warm.
B. It was windy.
C. It was fine.
D. It was cool.

3. Mr. White couldn't get his hat because _________.

A. his hat had legs
B. his hat was the big woman's
C. he couldn't see his hat at all
D. he couldn't run as fast as his hat

     In 1961, a man found a strange cat on his farm in Scotland. The cat's ears were folded, bent forward,
on its head. In fact, this was a new kind of cat. People named it the "Scottish Fold (蘇格蘭折耳貓)".
     The Scottish Fold has a round head and large eyes. Its neck and legs are short, which makes it look very
cute. Interestingly, all the Scottish Folds are born with straight and unfolded ears. And when they are growing
up day by day, some cats' ears will begin to fold. So, the Scottish Fold comes in two types: folded ears and
straight ears.
     Besides, there is a nickname for the Scottish Fold. It is the "Messenger of Peace". Why? Because the Folds
are sweet and friendly animals. They can get along well with other cats. And unlike some other cats, they can
even get along well with dogs! In many different environments, such as at a noisy house, or in a cat show,
you can see them playing with other animals happily. Well, when you come to a new school, do you think it's
difficult to adapt to the new environment? Perhaps you can learn from the Scottish Fold. That is: always be
sweet and friendly to others.

1. Tie Scottish Fold ________.

A. is born with folded ears
B. is born with straight ears
C. always has folded ears
D. always has straight ears

2. What does the Scottish Fold look like?

A. It has a round head and large eyes.
B. Its neck and legs are short.
C. It looks very cute.
D. All above.

3. Why are the Scottish Folds named the "Messenger of Peace"?

A. Because their ears are folded.
B. Because they look very cute.
C. Because they can get on well with other animals.
D. Because they can stay at a noisy house or in a cat show.

4. According to the passage, what is the writer's suggestion to us when we are in a new environment?

A. We should have a nickname.
B. We should learn from the cats.
C. We should get along well with dogs.
D. We should always be sweet and friendly to others.

     Brian was not good at public speaking. One day, he 1_______ (invite) to make a speech at a church. His
2_______ (young) sister, Ann knew he was nervous and tried to calm him down. "Don't worry. Everything
3_______ (be) fine." When the day came, Brian's car had an accident on the way to the church. Luckily, he
was not 4_______ (bad) hurt and arrived at the church on time. It was 5_______ (he) turn. When he stood up,
hit coat became tangled with his chair. After a few 6_______ (minute), he finally began his speech. but he was
so nervous that he dropped his book. Many people thought he would run, but he went on.
     Suddenly, people saw something 7_______ (usual) 8_______ (run) down from his nose, blood! He
stopped 9_______ (speak) when he saw the blood. But he still tried to finish his still tired to finish his speech.
Then Ann quietly moved to the front and handed him her handkerchief. Then she gave him a smile and
10_______ (return) to her seat,
     It was a 11_______ (real) simple gesture, and might be the 12_______ (simple). She just saw someone
in need, and gave him a hand. In the end, Brian finished his talk, with more confidence.

     David got a job in a police station after he left school. He worked there for 42 years and he'll retire this
year. He worked hard in the past 42 years. But he was not a lucky man. He failed to catch a thief. He was
often sorry for it.
     Last weekend, while David's wife was cooking she found there was no salt at home. So she asked her
husband to buy some. In the shop, David saw a young man taking away a wallet from a woman's bag. He
walked to him quietly, but the young man noticed David and ran away at once. David ran after him. At last
the thief ran into a blind alley (死胡同) and David caught him.
     "Please give me a chance, sir." said the thief
     "Who can give one to me?" said David, "I'll soon retire and I catch a thief for the first time!"

(     )1. David worked hard in the past 42 years.            
(     )2. David was a lucky man, and he often caught thieves.
(     )3. Last weekend his wife asked him to buy some sugar. 
(     )4. A young man was stealing a woman's wallet in a shop.
(     )5. The young man was the first thief that David caught.