A small ,white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree and it has been there for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Justin hated Christmas—oh, not the true meaning of Christmas.Overspending was one thing, but compared to the difficult experience of choosing gifts—running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and a pair of gloves for Grandma…,spending money is nothing. I felt too tired to think of any special gifts.

Knowing Justin felt the same way, I decided one year not to buy the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so on. I reached for something special just for Justin. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling （摔跤）at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored (贊助) by an inner-city church.These youngsters, dressed in such worn-out shoes that shoe strings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, while our boys were in their blue and gold uniforms and new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was shocked to see that the other team were wrestling without wearing helmets (頭盔) to protect their ears. Well, our boys ended up defeating them. We took every weight class.

Justin, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot potential (潛力) , but losing like this could take the heart out of them.” Justin loved kids—all kids, and he knew them, having coached little league football and baseball. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought different kinds of wrestling helmets and shoes. I sent them to inner-city church without leaving my name.

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Justin what I had done and that was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and since then the envelope has become the highlight of our Christmas.

1.Justin hated Christmas because _____.

A. he didn’t enjoy receiving gifts                

B. he had a hard time choosing gifts

C. he spent too much money buying gifts 

D. he disliked putting gifts under the Christmas tree

2.We know from the passage that the team sponsored by inner-city church_____.

A. were well dressed                                                        B. paid no attention to safety 

C. feared Kevin’s team                                          D. couldn’t afford a helmet

3.How did Justin feel about the team’s failure ?

A. Upset                    B. Angry            C. Hopeless                D. Shameful

4.Why did the writer send gifts to the inner-city church without leaving her name ?

A. To avoid being thanked                   B. To play a joke on Justin

C. To give Justin a surprise                           D. To protect her private information

5.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. The Church Gift                 B. A Special Note                 

C. The White Envelope                  D. A Christmas Card

 

Sixteen years ago a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile.
It was the early autumn of my first year at a middle school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to speak to anyone.
Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn’t talk with anyone about my problems.
Then one day, when my classmates were talking happily with their friends, I was sitting at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom. I didn’t know who he was. He passed by me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile.
Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy and warm. That smile changed my life. I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now.
One day I asked him why he had smiled, but he couldn’t remember doing so!
It doesn’t matter because all the dark days have gone. I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it is lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.
【小題1】When did the writer get the gift?

A．At the age of 16.

B．After making friends with the boy.

C．In the first year at a middle school.

D．After becoming closer to everyone in the class.

【小題2】 Why was the smile an important gift?

A．Because the writer’s old school was far away.

B．Because the writer didn’t know who the boy was.

C．Because the smile didn’t mean anything to the boy.

D．Because the writer felt lonely and had no friends and it made her feel happy and warm.

【小題3】 Why didn’t the writer talk to anyone in her new school about her problems?

A．Because she was always unhappy.

B．Because she didn’t know anyone at the time.

C．Because she was in the first year at the junior high school.

D．Because she didn’t want her parents to worry about her.

【小題4】How did the smile change her life?

A．She started to make friends.

B．She became the best friend of the boy.

C．Her parents didn’t worry about her any more.

D．She realized that she was lonely.

【小題5】Where does she now think her feeling of unhappiness came from?

A．From her old school.	B．From her parents.
C．From herself.	D．From her classmates at the new school.

A

Several years ago，a television reporter was talking to three of the most important people in America. One was a very rich banker，another owned one of the largest companies in the world，and the third owned many buildings in the center of New York.

The reporter was talking to them about being important. “How do we know if someone is really important？” the reporter asked the banker.

The banker thought for a few moments and then said， “I think anybody who is invited to the White House to meet the President of the United States is really important. ”

The reporter then turned to the owner of the very large company. “Do you agree with that？” she asked.

The man shook his head， “No. I think the President invites a lot of people to the White House. You‘d only be important if while you were visiting the President， there was a telephone call from the president of another country，and the President of the US said he was too busy to answer it. ”

The reporter turned to the third man. “Do you think so？”

“No， I don‘t，” he said. “I don’t think that makes the visitor important. That makes the President important. ”

“Then what would make the visitor important？” the reporter and the other two men asked.

“Oh， I think if the visitor to the White House was talking to the President and the phone rang， and the President picked up the receiver， listened and then said， ‘It’s for you. ‘ ”

1.This story happened in _______.

A．England           B．America           C．Japan             D．Australia

2.There are _______ in this passage.

A．three men and one woman                B．two men and two women

C．three women and one man                D．four women

3.The following is true EXCEPT_________.

A．The banker thought any visitor to the White House was really important.

B．The owner of the very large company thought the visitor would be important if while he was visiting the President, the President would not answer any telephone call

C．The owner of many buildings thoughtthe visitor was really important if he was talking to the President and the President received a telephone call for the visitor.

D．the reporter knew the way to find out who was the most important.

 

 

I have been keeping 41 pets at home: mice, turtles and rabbits. But golden hanmsters are my favorite. I am always surprised by 42 cute they can be.

It was summer when I first 43 two golden hamsters. They 44 brown, about the size of my hand. When I 45 by, they were cracking melon seeds (嗑瓜子). They did that as 46 as any human! I was so amused (逗樂) that I bought them at once.

The only one who was not happy to see the newcomers was my 47 . She thought 48 would make our home dirty all the time. So I made a 49 for them on the balcony (陽臺).

Hamsters always want people to look at them. They try to get noticed by raising the front part of their body, 50 they watch you come and go until you stop and talk to them. Watch out when they start to roller-turn in their cage (籠子). They won’t stop 51 you have tears of laugher!

Hamsters are 52 than you think. One morning several months ago, I found one missing. The side of the cage was much 53 than the hamster and the cage had a lid. How did the little one climb up, open the lid and 54 ? I thought hard. But I’ve 55 found an answer.

1. A. one        B. different         C. three        D. same

2.A. how        B. how a          C. what         D. what a

3. A. carry       B. saw            C. gave         D. left

4. A. are         B. was            C. were        D. is

5. A. pass        B. past            C. passing      D. passed

6. A. soon        B. well           C. possible      D. better

7.. A. father       B. brother         C. mother      D. teacher

8. A. they        B. them           C. their         D. theirs

9. A. school      B. factory         C. shop         D. home

10. A. so         B. then            C. just         D. next

11. A. if          B. as             C. until        D. whether

12. A. smart      B. smarts          C. smarter      D. smartest

13. A. tall         B. taller          C. tallest       D. most tallest

14.. A. run at       B. run away       C. run to       D. run out of

15.. A. ever        B. already         C. sometimes   D. never