Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

I walked to the door and knocked, “Just a minute,” answered a weak, elderly voice.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.

I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good man.” She said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I’m in no hurry,” she said. “I’m on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she’d ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

At dawn, she suddenly said,” I’m tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked.

“Nothing.” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered. “Oh, there are other passengers,” I answered.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto e tightly. Our hug ended with her remark, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy.”

1.The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.

A. show she was familiar with the city

B. see some places for the last time

C. let the driver earn more money

D. reach the destination on time

2.The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he ______.

A. wanted to do her a favor

B. shut off the meter by mistake

C. had received her payment in advance

D. was in a hurry to take other passengers

3.What can we learn from the story?

A. Giving is always a pleasure.

B. People should respect each other.

C. An act of kindness can bring people great joy.

D. People should learn to appreciate others’ concern.

     阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could __1__ tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 2in class.

When I took the first exam, I was 3to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper,   4English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained_ 5.

I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that  6because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I   7with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 8.

One more test before the final exam. One more  9to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time.   10The meaning of the word “thorough”. But my  11__    did no good and everything  12as before.

The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what   13I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the   14goodbye.

I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even  15myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have  16__with a test.

A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He  17__ to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you  18, you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”

I stared at him.  19That his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head   20, as I had never done before.

I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

1.A. take        B. discuss      C. cover         D. get

2.A. sought      B. presented    C. exchanged     D. obtained

3.A. shocked     B. worried      C. scared        D. anxious

4.A. but         B. so          C. for           D. or

5.A. unchanged   B. unpleasant   C. unfriendly     D. unmoved

6.A. reflected     B. meant       C. improved     D. affected

7.A. quarreled    B. reasoned     C. bargained     D. chatted

8.A. attitude      B. mind        C. plan         D. view

9.A. choice       B. step         C. chance       D. measure

10.A. memorized    B. considered   C. accepted      D. learned

11.A. ambition      B. confidence   C. effort         D. method

12.A. stayed        B. went        C. worked       D. changed

13.A. grade         B. answer      C. lesson        D. comment

14.A. scholarship     B. course      C. degree       D. subject

15.A. helped         B. favored     C. treated       D. relaxed

16.A. fun            B. luck       C. problems      D. tricks.

17.A. happened       B. proved     C. pretended     D. seemed

18.A. valued         B. imagined    C. expected     D. welcomed

19.A. remembering    B. guessing    C. supposing    D. realizing

20.A. out            B. over       C. on           D. off

 It is worth considering what makes “convenience” foods so popular, and ____ better ones of your own.

A. introduces      B. to introduce

C. introducing     D. introduced

 I’m sorry you’ve been waiting so long, but it’ll still be some time ____ Brian get back.

A. before    B. since    C. till    D. after

 If you really have to leave during the meeting, you’d better leave ____ the back door.

A. for     B. by     C. across     D. out

 I feel greatly honored ____ into their society.

A. to welcome          B. welcoming

C. to be welcomed       D. welcomed

 –Did the book give the information you needed?

   –Yes. But _____ it, I had to read the entire book.

A. to find   B. find   C. to finding   D. finding

 The companies are working together to create         they hope will be the best means of transport in the 21^st century.

   A. which           B. that            C. what          D. who

 No decision      about any future appointment until all the candidates have been interviewed.

   A. will be made            B. is made

   C. is being made           D. has been made

 I’ll give you y friend’s home address,      I can be reached most evenings.

   A. which               B. when

   C. whom               D. where