Passage One

Heres a funny story.

The new headmaster decided that hed better first take a secret 1 before doing something about Class 5A， which was the worst class in Hill Valley High School. He didnt need to be informed 2 the class was， for 3 were leading the way.

The door was shut inside. The lock it had was missing， 4 knocked off， just leaving a 5 for the headmaster.

Though the headmaster had 6 badly behaved classes before， what appeared through the 7 was still a shock for him. It was a scene that was 8 seen in action films. But he knew what to do. He 9 go into the classroom， take hold of the

10 boy and punish him. This would be an example to the others.

He took a deep breath and then 11 to open the classroom door. He had been prepared for the scene that there should be a shock of 12 ， but few treated him as an important 13 ， and some even paid little attention to his existence.

“Silence！” he shouted at the top of his voice. This time it was really 14 . They stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Quickly he walked up to the 15 boy in the room， who he 16 had been playing an important part and also had been shouting at the others at the top of his voice.

He seized the boy by the ear and 17 him to the front of the class.

“Im going to punish you as an example to the rest，” he said. “Now go to my office and wait for me.”

Then he turned to the class and 18 them about how to behave at school.

To 19 his speech， he said， “Does anyone have any questions？”

One of the students put up her hand. “Yes， sir. I have. When can you free my 20 back to continue his class？”

1. A. watch B. inspection C. look D. examination

2. A. where B. how C. what D. when

3. A. guides B. lessons C. noises D. teachers

4. A. other than B. or rather C. worse still D. rather than

5. A. problem B. fault C. reason D. lookout

6. A. experienced B. heard C. told D. punished

7. A. window B. door C. gap D. hole

8. A. seldom B. hardly C. never D. often

9. A. might B. should C. would D. could

10. A. noisiest B. biggest C. smallest D. youngest

11. A. pushed B. kicked C. forced D. knocked

12. A. silence B. surprise C. happiness D. paleness

13. A. teacher B. headmaster C. role D. actor

14. A. hearing B. working C. punishing D. surprising

15. A. oldest-looking B. ordinary-looking C. funny-looking D. ill-looking

16. A. believed B. supposed C. guessed D. recognized

17. A. pushed B. pulled C. ordered D. got

18. A. announced B. said C. declared D. lectured

19. A. add to B. carry on C. end up D. show off

20. A. teacher B. brother C. monitor D. deskmate

Passage Two

Believe it or not， sometimes love can make what seems impossible really possible.

Years ago a professor gave a group of graduate students this 1 to finish their paper： Go to the 2 residential area and take 200 3 ， between the ages of 12 and 16， get to know their backgrounds and surroundings， and then 4 their chances for the future.

The students， after 5 social research figures， talking to the boys， and 6 much data， drew a conclusion that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in prison or 7 to commit a crime. Twenty-five years later， another group of graduate students was given the job of 8 the prediction. They went back to the same 9 . Some of the boys， who by then had grown up， were still there， a few had died， and some had moved 10 ， but they got in touch with 180 of the 11 200. They found that only four of the group had ever been sent to prison.

Why was it that these men， who had lived in a breeding place of crime， had such a 12 good record？ The researchers were continually told， “Well， there was a teacher...” They looked through the data further， 13 found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher， who was now 14 in a home for retired teachers. How had she had this remarkable 15 over that group of children？ Could she give them any reason why these boys should have 16 so well just because of her？

“No，” she said， “no， I really couldnt.” And then， thinking back over the years， she said 17 ， more to herself than to her 18 ， “I loved those boys...” So， if you are a teacher， remember to 19 more about your students， 20 their scores， backgrounds and environments， for love can change everything.

1. A. topic B. way C. task D. reward

2. A. richest B. poorest C. crowded D. nearby

3. A. patients B. workers C. girls D. boys

4. A. predict B. offer C. help D. seize

5. A. experimenting with B. filling in C. referring to D. working out

6. A. inputting B. ignoring C. comparing D. forgetting

7. A. intend B. tend C. decide D. plan

8. A. knowing B. recognizing C. realizing D. testing

9. A. place B. university C. hospital D. factory

10. A. down B. on C. around D. away

11. A. missing B. original C. last D. remaining

12. A. disappointingly B. surprisingly C. satisfyingly D. interestingly

13. A. even B. then C. but D. and

14. A. living B. studying C. sleeping D. existing

15. A. change B. influence C. share D. responsibility

16. A. grew B. devoted C. learned D. behaved

17. A. nervously B. sadly C. thoughtfully D. curiously

18. A. questioners B. children C. students D. neighbors

19. A. appreciate B. argue C. care D. know

20. A. according to B. rather than C. other than D. regardless of

Passage Three

Two weeks before Christmas， mother told me we were going to my grandmothers house for the holiday. Grandma and Uncle Henry lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town. They had no electricity or running water and 1 what I considered the “good things” in life. They 2 made no plans for Christmas. When Christmas Eve arrived， mom told me in her best “I-mean-it” voice to 3 all the decorations from our tree. She packed those up， 4 all the materials for a 5 turkey dinner.

Christmas morning 6 perfectly， with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow. 7 I was silently angry in the backseat of the car as we made our 8 to grandmas. This was going to be the 9 Christmas ever！

Grandma was 10 to see us as we walked up to her door. “What on earth are you doing here？” she stammered （結巴）， “We werent expecting 11 . Its Christmas， and I dont even have a turkey to cook for you.” “I knew 12 ，” mom said as we set boxes of goodies on the kitchen table. “Thats 13 we brought them with us.” “We 14 have a tree，” mom insisted. “ 15 ， what will we do with all these decorations？”

Uncle Henry quickly caught moms spirit. He called me to join him， and we found a perfect Christmas tree in the woods. Soon the house 16 fresh as we decorated the tree， and the day 17 a festive air. The turkey dinner was very good， too. I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas day！

Dessert was forgotten 18 mom came out with the final surprise—a flaming （燃燒的） pudding， “Merry Christmas， mother，” mom said. “Dear me！” grandma was surprised， “I havent seen a flaming pudding， since I left England before I married.” Tears of 19 filled her eyes.

I could not help 20 ， either. I knew then that mom had also given me the best Christmas present ever—she had taught me a beautiful thing—it is to give.

1. A. prepared B. lacked C. refused D. desired

2. A. also B. still C. never D. hardly

3. A. replace B. collect C. remove D. show

4. A. instead of B. by the side of C. along with D. in spite of

5. A. normal B. complete C. fresh D. separate

6. A. dawned B. passed C. broke D. happened

7. A. But B. So C. And D. Then

8. A. decision B. way C. wish D. plan

9. A. last B. busiest C. best D. worst

10. A. expected B. eager C. surprised D. ready

11. A. anyone B. others C. someone D. no one

12. A. you B. all C. that D. this

13. A. how B. why C. where D. when

14. A. may B. will C. can D. must

15. A. Meanwhile B. Therefore C. However D. Otherwise

16. A. improved B. smelled C. decreased D. changed

17. A. showed up B. carried on C. took on D. lighted up

18. A. until B. after C. because D. unless

19. A. sadness B. joy C. regret D. worry

20. A. speaking B. shouting C. laughing D. crying

Passage Four

The night was dark， though sometimes the moving clouds allowed a star or two to be seen in the sky. The poor men held onto any bit of wood they could find. They called to the Marie for 1 ， but it was far 2 the reach of the human voice.

At one oclock in the morning， the water was getting 3 ， and a strong 4 had begun to blow. Suddenly 5 were seen in the distance； another ship！ The shouts of the swimmers were heard on board， and willing hands pulled them out of the water. The 6 of the ship that had so 7 arrived on the scene in time to save their lives was Ellen. What had brought it to the exact spot through the 8 and the pathless sea？

Its captain had known 9 about the wreck （沉船） and had indeed attempted to sail away from it. And let him speak for himself. “I was forced by the wind，” he said， “to 10 my course. Just as I did it， a small 11 flew across the ship once or twice and then 12 at my face. I took no 13 of this until exactly the same thing happened at a 14 time， which caused me to think it rather 15 . While I was thus 16 it， the same bird for the third time， made its appearance and flew 17 in the same way as before. I was then 18 to change my course back to the original （原來的） one.”

“I had not gone far 19 I heard strange noises； and when I tried to 20 where they came from， I found I was in the middle of people who had been shipwrecked. I immediately did my best to save them.”

1. A. food B. help C. rest D. stop

2. A. between B. out C. beyond D. in

3. A. colder B. deeper C. saltier D. warmer

4. A. smoke B. wave C. sand D. wind

5. A. people B. lights C. ships D. houses

6. A. name B. owner C. captain D. person

7. A. slowly B. early C. immediately D. fortunately

8. A. light B. wind C. darkness D. water

9. A. everything B. nothing C. something D. anything

10. A. continue B. turn C. change D. sail

11. A. light B. fly C. plane D. bird

12. A. flew B. stopped C. stayed D. booked

13. A. hold B. care C. notice D. count

14. A. good B. second C. third D. long

15. A. interesting B. funny C. common D. unusual

16. A. searching B. expecting C. considering D. studying

17. A. away B. back C. up D. down

18. A. decided B. told C. persuaded D. invited

19. A. when B. while C. as D. after

20. A. listen to B. stick to C. make sure D. look out

Passage Five

When I was growing up， I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was severely crippled （嚴重跛腳的） and very short， and when we 1 walk together， his hand on my arm for 2 ， people would stare. I would be inwardly upset at the 3

attention. And as we started out， he always said， “You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you.”

Our usual walk was 4 the subway， which was 5 he got to work. He went to work sick， and 6 bad weather， he always never 7 a day.

When snow or ice was on the ground， it was impossible for him to walk， even with help. At such 8 my sisters or I would 9 him through the streets on a childs sleigh （馬拉雪車） to the subway entrance.

He never talked about himself as an object of pity， 10 did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he

looked 11 in others was “a good heart”， and if he found one， the owner was good enough for him. Now I am older， I believe that is a 12 standard by which to judge people， 13 I still dont know exactly what “a good heart” is. But I know the times I dont have 14 myself.

Unable to engage in many activities， my father still tried to take part in some way. When a local baseball team found itself without a manager， he 15 it going. I now know he 16 in some things indirectly through me. When I played ball， he “played”， too.

He has been 17 many years now， but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my unwillingness to be 18 with him during our walks. If he did， I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was， how I regretted it. I think of him when I get unhappy with something unimportant， when I am envious of anothers good 19 ， when I dont have “a good heart”.

At such times I put my hand on his arm to 20 my balance， and say， “You set the pace. Ill try to adjust to you.”

1. A. would B. need C. might D. could

2. A. pleasure B. balance C. advice D. good

3. A. desired B. expected C. wanted D. unwanted

4. A. outside or inside B. round C. to or from D. past

5. A. when B. which C. how D. what

6. A. because of B. according to C. instead of D. in spite of

7. A. missed B. escaped C. joined D. lost

8. A. days B. years C. times D. hours

9. A. lead B. show C. bring D. pull

10. A. and B. nor C. so D. not

11. A. around B. down C. on D. for

12. A. high B. low C. proper D. strict

13. A. as though B. even though C. in case D. no matter

14. A. it B. them C. that D. one

15. A. kept B. made C. helped D. watched

16. A. employed B. interested C. joined D. served

17. A. died B. gone C. left D. lost

18. A. spoken B. bought C. heard D. seen

19. A. house B. father C. friend D. fortune

20. A. regain B. receive C. repay D. reuse

Passage Six

You are near the front line of a battle. Around you shells are exploding； people are shooting from a house behind you. What are you doing there？ You arent a soldier. You arent 1 carrying a gun. Youre standing in front of a 2 and youre telling the TV 3 what is happening.

Its all in a days work for a war reporter， and it can be very 4 .In the first two years of the 5 in former Yugoslavia （前南斯拉夫）， 28 reporters and photographers were killed. Hundreds more were 6 . What kind of people put themselves in danger to 7 pictures to our TV screens and 8 to our newspapers？ Why do they do it？

“I think its every young journalists 9 to be a foreign reporter，” said Michael Nicholson， “thats 10 you find the excitement. So when the first opportunity comes， you take it 11 it is a war.” But there are moments of 12 . Jeremy Bowen said， “Yes， when youre lying on the ground and bullets （子彈） are flying 13 your ears， you think‘What am I doing here？ Im not going to do this again. But that feeling 14 after a while and when the next war starts， youll be 15 .”

“None of us believes that were going to 16 ，” added Michael. But he always 17 a lucky charm （護身符） with him. It was given to him by his wife for his first war. Its a card which says “Take care of yourself”. Does he ever think about dying？ “Oh， 18 ， and every time it happens you look to the sky and say to God，‘If you get me out of this， I 19

Ill never do it again. You can almost hear God 20 ， because you know he doesnt believe you.”

1. A. simply B. really C. merely D. even

2. A. crowd B. house C. battlefield D. camera

3. A. producers B. viewers C. directors D. actors

4. A. dangerous B. exciting C. normal D. disappointing

5. A. stay B. fight C. war D. life

6. A. injured B. buried C. defeated D. saved

7. A. bring B. show C. buy D. make

8. A. scenes B. passages C. stories D. contents

9. A. belief B. dream C. duty D. faith

10. A. why B. what C. how D. where

11. A. even so B. ever since C. as if D. even if

12. A. fear B. surprise C. shame D. sadness

13. A. into B. around C. past D. through

14. A. returns B. goes C. continues D. occurs

15. A. there B. away C. out D. home

16. A. leave B. escape C. die D. remain

17. A. hangs B. wears C. holds D. carries

18. A. never B. many times C. some time D. seldom

19. A. consider B. accept C. promise D. guess

20. A. whispering B. laughing C. screaming D. crying

Passage Seven

As Thanksgiving Day was drawing near， the teacher of Grade One gave her class some strange homework to draw a picture of 1 for which they were thankful.

Most of the class might be 2 not rich enough， but still many would 3 the holidays with turkeys and other traditional goodies （好吃的東西） of the season. These， the teacher thought， would be the 4 of most of her students art. And they were.

But Douglas made a（n） 5 kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teachers true child of misery， 6 and unhappy. As other children played at breaks， Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess the pain Douglas felt 7 those sad eyes.

Yes， his picture was different. When 8 to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful， he drew a 9 ， nothing else. Just an empty hand.

His abstract（抽象的）image captured （代表） the 10 of his classmates. Whose hand could it be？ One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer， because farmers 11 turkeys. Another suggested a police officer， because the police protect and 12 people. And so the discussion went—until the teacher 13 forgot the young artist himself.

14 the children had gone on to other assignments， she 15 at Douglas desk， bent down， and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured， “Its yours， teacher.”

She recalled the 16 when she had taken his hand and walked with him here and there， as she had other students. How 17 had she said， “Take my hand， Douglas， well go outside.” Or， “Let me show you how to hold your pencil.” Or， “Lets do this together.” Douglas was most 18 for his teachers hand.

Brushing aside a tear， she went on with her work.

In fact， people 19 not always say “thanks”. But they remember the hand that 20 .

1. A. anybody B. something C. nothing D. everything

2. A. suggested B. affected C. encouraged D. considered

3. A. celebrate B. share C. like D. avoid

4. A. purposes B. subjects C. persons D. examples

5. A. good B. encouraging C. different D. exciting

6. A. happy B. naughty C. weak D. lively

7. A. behind B. beside C. before D. around

8. A. hoped B. asked C. forced D. persuaded

9. A. gift B. person C. hand D. teacher

10. A. thought B. description C. respect D. imagination

11. A. raise B. need C. buy D. sell

12. A. look at B. care for C. take away D. drive off

13. A. always B. almost C. usually D. therefore

14. A. Before B. Now that C. Since D. When

15. A. stared B. aimed C. paused D. glanced

16. A. chances B. forms C. ways D. times

17. A. seldom B. often C. soon D. much

18. A. thankful B. calm C. pleased D. comfortable

19. A. could B. must C. should D. might

20. A. moves on B. sticks above C. reaches out D. puts out

Passage Eight

One afternoon I was sitting at my favorite table in a restaurant， waiting for the food I had ordered to arrive. Suddenly I 1 that a man sitting at a table near the window kept glancing in my direction， 2 he knew me. The man had a newspaper 3 in front of him， which he was 4 to read， but I could 5 that he was keeping an eye on me. When the waiter brought my 6 ， the man was clearly puzzled by the 7 way in which the waiter and I 8 each other. He seemed even more puzzled as 9 went on and it became 10 that all the waiters in the restaurant knew me. Finally he got up and went into the 11 . When he came out， he paid his bill and 12 without another glance in my direction.

I called the owner of the restaurant and asked what the man had 13 . “Well，” he said， “that man was a detective （偵探）. He 14 you here because he thought you were the man he was looking 15 .” “What？” I said， showing my 16 . The owner continued， “He came into the kitchen and showed me a photo of the wanted man. I 17 say he looked very much like you！ Of course， since we know you， we told him that he had made a 18 .” “Well， its really 19 I came to a restaurant where Im known，” I said. “ 20 ， I might have been in trouble.”

1. A. knew B. understood C. noticed D. recognized

2. A. since B. even if C. though D. as if

3. A. flat B. open C. cut D. fixed

4. A. hoping B. thinking C. pretending D. continuing

5. A. see B. find C. guess D. learn

6. A. menu B. bill C. paper D. food

7. A. direct B. familiar C. strange D. funny

8. A. chatted with B. looked at C. laughed at D. talked about

9. A. the waiter B. time C. I D. the dinner

10. A. true B. hopeful C. clear D. possible

11. A. restaurant B. washroom C. office D. kitchen

12. A. left B. acted C. sat D. calmed

13. A. wanted B. tried C. ordered D. wished

14. A. met B. caught C. followed D. discovered

15. A. up B. with C. at D. for

16. A. care B. surprise C. worry D. regret

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

18. A. discovery B. mistake C. decision D. fortune

19. A. pitiful B. natural C. occasional D. lucky

20. A. Thus B. However C. Otherwise D. Therefore

Passage Nine

Dear Laura，

I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish love in your program. You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in todays world. Well， Im here to give you 1 .

I wanted to do something very 2 for my fifteen-year-old son， who has always been the perfect child. He 3 all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle. Then， he spent hours and hours on it 4 it looked almost new. I was so 5 of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet and a riding outfit.

I could 6 wait for him to open up his gift. In fact， I barely slept the night before. Upon awakening， I went to the kitchen to 7 the coffee， tea， and morning goodies. In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a 8 ： “To my wonderful mother， all my love， your son.”

I was so 9 . It had been a long-standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could 10 lessons. “Learn to play the piano， and Ill get you one” was my husbands 11 .

I stood there shocked， crying a river， and asking myself how my son could 12 this expensive gift.

Of course， the 13 awoke， and my son was thrilled （激動的） with my reaction. Many kisses were 14 ， and I immediately wanted him to 15 my gift.

As he saw the helmet and outfit， the look on his face was not 16 what I was expecting. Then I 17 that he had sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard.

Of course I was the proudest mother 18 on that day， and my feet never hit the ground for a month.

So I wanted you to know， that kind of love still 19 and lives even in the ever-changing world of me， me， me！

I thought youd love to 20 this story.

Yours，

Hilary

P.S. The next day， my husband and I bought him a new “used” already shiny motorcycle.

1. A. hope B. advice C. support D. courage

2. A. polite B. similar C. special D. private

3. A. played B. studied C. traveled D. worked

4. A. after B. before C. unless D. until

5. A. sure B. fond C. proud D. confident

6. A. perhaps B. really C. almost D. hardly

7. A. start B. cook C. set D. serve

8. A. note B. notice C. word D. sign

9. A. disturbed B. confused C. astonished D. inspired

10. A. give B. take C. draw D. teach

11. A. reason B. request C. comment D. response

12. A. present B. afford C. find D. order

13. A. neighbor B. building C. home D. house

14. A. exchanged B. experienced C. expected D. exhibited

15. A. tear B. open C. check D. receive

16. A. purely B. basically C. obviously D. exactly

17. A. realized B. remembered C. imagined D. supposed

18. A. only B. still C. ever D. even

19. A. works B. exists C. matters D. counts

20. A. send B. publish C. share D. write

Passage Ten

Having left the town， the girl stopped the car at the landing near the entrance of the bay. She stepped into the 1 and rowed out silently. The tide was rushing to the entrance and 2 to the wild open sea. She had to row across the bay to reach 3 side. The waves struck against the side of the boat， 4 and uneven； it became 5 difficult to row. If she 6 for a moment， the tide would push the boat back towards the 7 .

She wasnt even halfway， 8 she was already tired and her hands 9 from pulling on the rough wooden oars （船槳）. “Im never going to 10 it，” she thought. She rested the oars on her knees and 11 her head helplessly， then looked up as she 12 the boat shift （晃動） against the tide.

The east wind， which had swung （旋轉） around from the southwest， 13 her help and pushed the boat towards the mountains. It was going to be all 14 . Her hands werent so painful. Her chest didnt feel as if it was about to burst 15 more.

The lights of the town became 16 . One of the oars banged against the side of the boat and she 17 it with a start. Had she been asleep， or just 18 ？ She looked over her shoulder. She was almost on the beach. The girl gave one last 19 on the oars to ground the boat， and then lay back against the seat. She listened to the waves 20 and knew she had come home. Far across the moonlit bay the lights were no more than a sparkling chain.

1. A. car B. boat C. ship D. mail

2. A. beside B. before C. behind D. beyond

3. A. another B. other C. either D. the other

4. A. deep B. calm C. gentle D. rough

5. A. more B. less C. as D. least

6. A. slept B. continued C. rested D. rowed

7. A. home B. mountains C. southwest D. entrance

8. A. if B. so C. but D. since

9. A. hurt B. ruined C. troubled D. broke

10. A. get B. make C. keep D. take

11. A. mined B. dropped C. cooked D. raised

12. A. saw B. made C. heard D. felt

13. A. got to B. came to C. sent for D. reached for

14. A. difficult B. serious C. right D. certain

15. A. any B. still C. no D. once

16. A. brighter B. bigger C. closer D. smaller

17. A. destroyed B. threw C. repaired D. seized

18. A. dreaming B. guessing C. inventing D. expecting

19. A. blow B. hit C. pull D. strike

20. A. anxiously B. happily C. sadly D. carefully