With a satisfied smile, Keisha finished the last sentence of her English essay about one of her heroes, Rosa Parks, an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
“Keisha,” her mother shouted from downstairs. “It’s almost 4:15.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t be late. ” Keisha pulled down a storybook from her bookshelf， as she always read to the nursing home’s residents. And on an impulse（一时心血来潮）, she added her English notebook as well.
As Keisha came running in the door, the manager told her, “We have a new resident this week, Mrs. Ruby Watson. She’s still adjusting to her new surroundings. You’ll find her in Room 28. And by the way, Keisha, good luck.”
Keisha walked down the hallway at a quick pace. As she entered Room 28, she met two sharp brown eyes staring at her doubtfully.
“I’m Keisha Jackson, a volunteer,” Keisha explained. “I come here to help pass the time with residents, or read to them, or, . . .” Keisha started stammering（结巴）as Mrs.
Watson continued to stare at her.
“I didn’t request anyone to keep me company,” Mrs. Watson interrupted. “I’m alone most of the time, and that’s how I prefer it.”
“I brought along some funny stories,” Keisha said hesitantly.
“I’m not in the mood for funny stories,” Mrs. Watson replied angrily. “What else do you have?”
Nervously, Keisha opened her notebook to her essay. She read the title aloud, “Rosa
Parks: A Woman of Courage and Conviction（信念）.” She glanced at Mrs. Watson to see how she might react, but to her surprise, Mrs. Watson’s face relaxed and her eyes shone.
“Read to me about Rosa,” Mrs. Watson said.
Keisha read how Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in 1955 inspired the protest that became a turning point in the struggle for civil rights.
“I walked with Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King,” Mrs. Watson said with pride. “That was the greatest moment of my life because…” She paused.
“Because… you were a woman of courage and conviction too.”
Sitting up straighter, Mrs. Watson said, “Yes, I was and I still am. Thank you for reminding me, Keisha. Next Thursday, I will tell you my story.”
1.Why did Keisha take her English notebook along?
A.Her mother asked her to take it. B.She would hand it in on her way.
C.She might read her essay to someone. D.The manager wanted to read her essay.
2.Why did the manager wish Keisha good luck before she visited Mrs. Watson?
A.Mrs. Watson could be difficult. B.Mrs. Watson was in poor health.
C.Keisha was feeling nervous. D.Keisha was a shy person.
3.Mrs. Watson’s eyes (Para. 10) suggested that she was ______.
A.amused B.puzzled
C.annoyed D.interested
4.What effect did Keisha’s essay have on Mrs. Watson?
A.It aroused her curiosity in volunteer work.
B.It built up her expectation for more visitors.
C.It awoke her pride in her struggle for civil rights.
D.It changed her attitude to the Civil Rights Movement.
5.Readers may find this story inspiring because ______.
A.a girl enjoys learning about her heroes B.a girl helps someone feel appreciated
C.a woman overcomes hardship by herself D.a woman gathers the courage for life
When you choose a higher education course, here are some tips for you to follow.
Choosing your course
There are a range of subjects and courses available. Many are work-related; others are academic. You’ll need to look beyond the course title because courses with almost the same name may differ enormously. For example, if you’re interested in construction but wish to use your creative skills, you may be better suited to a building design management course than a building project management course.
Style of learning
Think about the style of learning that best suits you. It’s important to study a subject that you particularly enjoy, but if you want to follow a career in a different area, you may consider taking the subjects you want to learn and joining them into one degree. Many degree courses are made up of different subject modules which deal with particular areas of interest.
Choosing where to study
Where you study can be almost as important as what you study. One thing to consider is whether you want to live at home or move away. For some people, living at home offers the best of both worlds, but it may make sense to move if you want to study a particular course at a specific university or college. Many students value the experience of living on campus or in a different part of the country as an important part of university life.
Finding out more about courses
Once you’ve got a list of courses that appeal to you, it’s worth looking at some other sources of information about them, like independent reports. These provide information on the numbers of students who finished the course, student satisfaction and more.
Open days
Open days usually take place in spring or autumn. Although you may have an idea about what a course is like, there’s no substitute（替代）for attending a class yourself. If you can’t come on the open days, you can sign up for a guided tour instead.
1.You need to look beyond the course title because courses with similar names may be ______.
A.creativity-focused B.work-related
C.far different D.quite similar
2.What are you advised to do if your interest disagrees with your future career?
A.Add preferred subjects to your degree courses.
B.Choose the subjects based on your interest.
C.Earn different degrees.
D.Give up your interest.
3.What do we learn about from Para. 4?
A.Disadvantages of studying on campus.
B.Reasons for choosing where to study.
C.Importance of attending a nearby college.
D.Problems of going to a faraway university.
4.Why is it recommended to check independent reports?
A.To increase applicants’ interest.
B.To better understand a course.
C.To figure out how to complete a course.
D.To find out how different the courses are.
5.On the open days, would-be college students can ______.
A.sign up for a particular course
B.take a guided tour on the campus
C.see whether there is a substitute course
D.have a first-hand experience of a course
Years of living with a lisp (口齿不清) had taught me it was better not to say anything than to speak and risk embarrassment. As a result of my ______, I felt distanced from most of my peers (同龄人). “Kathy? Oh, she’s quiet.” That’s what most people would say when they ____ me, as if “Quiet” were part of my ____. I was okay with that. I didn’t need to be ____.
Last September, however, that all ____. I started my creative writing class with Ms. Haist. Every day we would be given a different writing task and, if we wished, we could ____ what we had written. I ____ listening to others read their work and thinking: “That will never be me. I’ll never have the ____ to do that.”
One day, I was really ____ with what I had written and wanted to share. My heart was beating wildly as I raised my hand. Those ____ little voices were ringing in my ear, “You have a lisp, remember? ____, your writing isn’t that good. Be quiet.” I was about to ____ my hand when I met Ms. Haist’s encouraging eyes.
I swallowed the voices down and let my real voice ___. I could hear it ___as I read, and I could hear every stutter (结巴) and mistake. I finished reading, waiting to be laughed at. ____, I heard claps from the class and praise from Ms. Haist.
The next day, I did it ____. Soon I was reading out loud nearly every day. Gradually, I realized that ____ my lisp, the class and the teacher always appreciated my writing. Now I may still not be the most ____, social person, but I’ve become better at oral presentations. I ____ read my poetry out loud at a reading club.
Every time those little voices try to tell me to be quiet, I think of all the encouragement I received in class and I know that I ____ to be heard.
1.A.embarrassment B.excitement C.humor D.silence
2.A.heard from B.talked of C.called on D.looked for
3.A.name B.opinion C.duty D.business
4.A.seen B.heard C.followed D.protected
5.A.disappeared B.returned C.developed D.changed
6.A.examine B.practice C.share D.copy
7.A.regret B.consider C.imagine D.remember
8.A.time B.courage C.patience D.evidence
9.A.busy B.strict C.pleased D.disappointed
10.A.tired B.urgent C.funny D.cheerful
11.A.Besides B.Otherwise C.Therefore D.Normally
12.A.touch B.wave C.extend D.withdraw
13.A.go down B.die away C.come out D.calm down
14.A.shaking B.singing C.shouting D.deepening
15.A.Sadly B.Hopefully C.Honestly D.Unexpectedly
16.A.again B.alone C.already D.anyway
17.A.thanks to B.instead of C.despite D.except
18.A.serious B.outgoing C.nervous D.hardworking
19.A.even B.still C.only D.seldom
20.A.fear B.agree C.deserve D.pretend
What was it ______ brought you two together? Was it your love of music?
A.as B.who C.that D.which
Jane wishes that she ______ foreign trade instead of literature when she was in college.
A.studied B.had studied
C.would study D.might have studied
Make sure you save all your work on screen____the computer breaks down.
A.in case B.as if C.so that D.even though
