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 a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money. When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother. "Only a miracle can save him now," the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.
She hurried to a drugstore （药店） with the money in her hand.
"And what do you want？”asked the salesman.”It's for my little brother，" the girl answered. "He's really; really sick and I want to buy a miracle."
"Pardon？”said the salesman.
"My brother Andrew has something bad growing in-side his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"
“We don't sell a miracle here, child. I'm sorry,”the salesman said with a smile.
"Listen, if it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."
A well-dressed man heard it and asked, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"I don't know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. "He's really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought all my money."
"How much do you have?”asked the man.”
“$ 1.11, but I can try and get some more, “she answered.
"Well, what luck, " smiled the man. "$ 1.11， the price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took up the girl's hand and said， "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."
That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong， a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again.
How much did the miracle cost？
1. What was the trouble in the little girl's family？
A. Her brother was seriously ill.
B. They had no money.
C. Nothing could save her brother.
D. Both A and B.
2. In the eye of the little girl， a miracle might be _______.
A. something interesting
B. something beautiful
C. some wonderful medicine
D. some good food
3. The little girl said again and again "……I can try and get some more." That shows _______.
A. she had still kept some money
B. she hoped not to be refused
C. There was no need to worry about money
D. she thought money was easy to get
4.What made the miracle happen？
A. The girl's love for her brother.
B. The girl's money.
C. The medicine from the drugstore.
D. Nobody can tell.
5. From the passage we can infer （推断） that _______.
A. The doctor didn't ask for any pay
B. A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on
C. The little girl is lovely but not so clever
D. Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought
Mitsuaki recently arrived in the United States to enter university．He wants to do well in his studies and fit the new culture．But Mitsuaki has a problem．It's not his teachers．It's not even his English ability．His problem is that he doesn't have a car．Mitsuaki has already discovered a basic fact of American culture： Driving is a way of life．
There are different transportations in America．Many cities have taxis, buses and subways. But most people find it the easiest to drive, even if they do have to deal with heavy traffic. Nowadays busy families often have more than one vehicle．Many people think their car as a status symbol．But no matter what their social status are, people without wheels feel stressed．
When Mitsuaki first arrived, he was amazed at how young many American drivers there were．Young people in America often get their driver's license around age 16 by passing a written test and a driving test．Before they can get their license, they have to take a driver education course, For teenagers, being able to drive is important. It's hard to find an American teenager without one．
Mitsuaki finally decides that he needs a car. His host family helps him find a good used car to buy. But before he gets his license and starts driving, he has to understand the American style of driving, He also needs to learn some of the basic rules of the road that good drivers follow.
Driving to Americans is what flying to birds．It's almost part of their nature．For many Americans, being behind the wheel is like their natural home．But if they don’t drive carefully, they can become an endangered animal.
1. What is Mitsuaki’s trouble in the USA?
A. His roommates are not friendly.
B. He doesn't have enough money.
C. He doesn't have a car himself.
D. He can't speak English well.
2. Which is the easiest transportation in the USA?
A. Taxis B. Planes C. Cars D. Buses
3. How many tests do teenagers have to pass before they get their license?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
4.Which of the following is true?
A. Mitsuaki decided he should buy a car.
B. Mitsuaki bought a new car in the end.
C. Mitsuaki didn't have to learn traffic rules.
D. Mitsuaki didn’t have to get a license.
5. The best title of the passage is _____________.
A. How to get driving license in the USA
B. Do we have to buy cars in the USA
C. It’s not easy to live in the USA
D. Driving is a way of life in the USA
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism (乐观主义), but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost-having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule： Almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.
1. How did the author get to know America?
A. From her relatives. B. From her mother.
C. From books and pictures. D. From radio programs.
2.The writer felt_______ upon leaving for America.
A. worried B. upset C. amazed D. excited
3.For the first two years in New York, the author .
A. often lost her way
B. did not think about her future
C. studied in three different schools
D. got on well with her stepfather
4.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
A. She worked as a translator.
B. She attended a lot of job interviews.
C. She paid telephone bills for her family.
D. She helped her family with her English. .
5. The author believes that .
A. her future will be free from troubles
B. it is difficult to learn to become patient
C. there are more good things than bad things
D. good things will happen if one keeps trying
Mr. Clinton and his 3-year-old son Tony are basketball fans. Last October 10th was Tony’s birthday, so Mr. Clinton decided to him to New York, for the first game of the World Series. They had no ticket but hoped to buy a from scalpers.
It was a two hours’ ride. After they arrived, they walked in the street for two hours, carrying a that read, “ We need two tickets.” There were many scalpers around, but the ticket was $200. They were about to when suddenly a man stopped them. He took out two tickets and them to Mr. Clinton.
“How much do you want?”
“Just a ,” said the man. “Enjoy the game.”
Mr. Clinton wouldn’t accept, so the man explained, “I’m Jackson. Hans is my boss. He and his wife haven’t a World Series in 18 years. he is ill and can’t watch the game this time. So he told me to give the two tickets to people who I thought would actually enjoy the game. A lot of people looked they might just take the tickets and sell them. Then I saw you and I you for a while. You seemed very . You made me think of my dad and me when I was a child. I dreamed going to a World Series game with my father. But my dream came true.”
How do you suppose this made Mr. Clinton and his son feel? Here is what Mr. Clinton said： “This is the most wonderful thing ever happened to us. My boy and I must have turned to each other over 30 times and said, ‘I can’t believe this.’ We still never forget Jackson and Hans.”
1.A. walk B. fly C. ride D. drive
2.A. pair B. piece C. slide D. set
3.A. paper B. letter C. sign D. word
4.A. earliest B. cheapest C. latest D. dearest
5.A. leave B. start C. go D. flee
6.A. brought B. took C. handed D. left
7.A. joke B. present C. dollar D. match
8.A. missed B. watched C. played D. caught
9.A. So B. And C. Or D. But
10.A. even though B. as if C. even if D. after all
11.A. begged B. followed C. asked D. thought
12.A. excited B. pleased C. disappointed D. bored
13.A. at B. like C. of D. with
14.A. always B. often C. usually D. never
15.A. that B. which C. when D. why
–I was just in time to get there for the meeting. Thank you for lending me the bike.
--_________
A. That’s right B. Of course not
C. You’re welcome D. The same to you
–Excuse me, can you tell me___________?
--Sorry, I don’t know. You can go to the information desk.
A. that there is a train
B. which train can I take
C. when the train leaves
D. where does the train go
