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She handed me a five dollar bill through the car window, then turned and walked away. I don’t know her name, nor where she was going ,but I know I will never forget that stranger who generously saved me from a lot of frustration（挫折） and prevented me from walking a mile or more to my destination.
That day My husband, Leo, and I were already a half hour late for an important conference . We had taken the wrong fork in the expressway, and found ourselves stuck in traffic that was blocked for four miles due to a serious accident.
Just then, one tapped on the window on the passenger side. It was a short, medium-built woman, who was all bundled up in jacket and scarf, wearing jeans and boots. Surprised, I was reluctant, at first, to roll the window down. What could she possibly want? I lowered the window just enough to hear what the woman had to say. Through the window, she shoved a five dollar bill. “I don’t have change,” she said, “but here is an extra five dollar bill. Use it to pay for your parking spot.” I was floored! Was this woman, whom I’d never seen before, actually giving me this much money? Yes, that was exactly what she was doing! She wouldn’t take the check I offered her for the cash. She just walked away.
1.What kept the author and her husband from arriving on time?
A. They had a traffic accident. B. They took a wrong turning.
C. Their car broke down half way. D. The traffic was heavy on the freeway.
2. The problem the author had in parking their car was that ________.
A. they couldn’t pay for parking by check
B. neither of them had money with them
C. they had no five-dollar bill
D. there was no parking lot near the conference
3.The underlined word “dejected” probably means.
A. embarrassed B. confused C. disappointed D. worried
4..Why was the author unhappy to roll down the window?
A. She was frustrated for coming too late.
B. She feared the woman would beg for money.
C. She didn’t expect to be disturbed（打扰）by strangers.
D. She didn’t know what the woman would do.
5. The author writes the text to ________.
A. warn readers of the difficulty with parking
B. express her gratitude to the stranger
C. talk about her bad experience
D. call on readers to lend a helping hand if possible
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A 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window that set his heart racing. But the1– five dollars was far beyond Reuben Earle’s money. Five dollars would2almost a week’s food for his family.
But hearing the sound of hammering (捶打的声音) from a side street, Reuben had a(n)3. He ran towards the sound and discovered he could 4the hessian sacks (麻袋) which were thrown away and sell them for five cents a piece.
Every day5 , Reuben walked down the town, collecting6 . On the day the school closed for the summer, no student was more7than Reuben, for he had more time for his “work”. Then one day the time had8.
Reuben ran down Water Street to the 9 . “Please, Mister. I have to sell the sacks now.” The man took the sacks,10 into his pocket and placed four coins in Reuben’s hand. Reuben said a thank you and11home. On arriving home, Reuben uncovered the tin can12he kept the money. He poured the coins out and began to count. He had 13 .
Then he headed for the shop. “I have the money,” he told the owner 14 . The man went to the window and15Reuben’s treasure. He wiped the dust off, carefully wrapped (包裹) it in brown paper and16it to Reuben.
Racing home, Reuben shouted, “Here, Mom! Here!” He placed a small17 in her hands. She unwrapped it carefully. A jewel box 18. Dora lifted the lid (盖子), tears beginning to fill her eyes. Dora had19received such a gift; she had no jewelry 20 her wedding ring. Speechless, she smiled and gathered her son into her arms.
1. A．price B．cost C．worth D．value
2. A．buy B．offer C．enjoy D．expect
3. A．question B．try C．idea D．schedule
4. A．sell B．collect C．fetch D．bury
5. A．before dinner B．in class C．at church D．after school
6. A．the money B．the sacks C．the paper D．the tin cans
7. A．pleased B．surprised C．worried D．tired
8. A．passed B．ended C．come D．wasted
9. A．hotel B．school C．bank D．store
10. A．hid B．reached C．stole D．put
11. A．stayed B．walked C．got D．ran
12. A．when B．which C．while D．where
13. A．none B．enough C．little D．much
14. A．calmly B．honestly C．proudly D．angrily
15. A．took out B．gave out C．set out D．left out
16. A．lent B．threw C．handed D．took
17. A．box B．ring C．book D．letter
18. A．opened B．dropped C．appeared D．broke
19. A．often B．never C．just D．ever
20. A．including B．with C．as well as D．except for
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I keep a two dollar bill in my wallet that was given to me by my mother when I was six years old.
The 31 goes with me wherever I go. My mother gave it to me so that 32 would follow me. She looked at me and said, “I want you to carry this two dollar bill for extra good luck.”
“Thanks, mom,” I replied, “I will keep it 33 to me always.”
My mother passed away when I was seven years old. I remember I took out my two dollar bill and held it in my hand for the longest time, knowing that she would 34 me the rest of my life.
Each time I felt I had a crisis, I would 35 for my two dollar bill and set it on the table. I would 36 at it for several hours and could always 37 a solution. When I applied for my first job, I was thirty years old and very shy. The thought of being interviewed for a job was 38 but I had to work. I saw one of the interviewers well dressed with 39 purse and shoes. I also knew the chance of being chosen was 40 when looking at the length of others’ resumes.
“What makes you feel you are 41 for this job?” The well－dressed woman asked. “I really need this job and there is nothing I can not do” I responded. She then asked me a series of questions and the interview was over. As I left, I 42 and said “Please give me a chance. I learn quickly and can be a very 43 member of your team.”
I went home, 44 . That evening I received a phone call. “Gina” she said, “we decided to give you a chance to 45 yourself.” “Thank you, you will not regret this decision.” I 46 the phone and yelled. At that instant, I remember my mom once said to us “You are 47 in my mind. Don’t 48 failure. It is a way to get us to try harder.”
How 49 this gift from Mom! It had built up 50 in me.
1. A．money B．check C．bill D．paper
2. A．luck B．happiness C．wealth D．wisdom
3. A．close B．near C．hard D．firm
4. A．look out for B．watch over C．see to D．come across
5. A．get B．stretch C．hold D．reach
6. A．stare B．glance C．observe D．glare
7. A．come up with B．put forward C．set up D．pull through
8. A．exciting B．amazing C．nervous D．scary
9. A．suitable B．matching C．fancy D．exaggerating（夸张的）
10. A．slim B．terrible C．few D．abundant
11. A．born B．qualified C．stable D．grateful
12. A．turned around B．turned back C．put up D．raise up
13. A．productive B．additional C．concise（简洁） D．effective
14. A．terrified B．exhausted C．sound D．cautious
15. A．test B．challenge C．prove D．strengthen
16. A．hung up B．got through C．set aside D．got off
17. A．brilliant B．awesome C．careful D．unbelievable
18. A．stand B．bend C．fear D．ruin
19. A．rare B．special C．relative D．primary
20. A．confidence B．perseverance C．model D．intelligence
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I used to watch her from my kitchen window. She seemed so as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was the street from our home and I would often the kids as they played during breaks.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but nobody could.
I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone. She would practice dribbling（运球）and shooting over and over again, sometimes dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. She looked me in eyes and without a moment of she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I that if I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best. My told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Then she smiled and ran towards the court to repeat the routine.
Well, I had to admit that she was . I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her school team to victory.
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in arms. I walked across the street and sat down in the cool grass beside her. I asked what was wrong. “Oh, nothing,” came a soft reply. “I am just too .” The coaches told her that at 5’5” she would probably get to play for a top ranked team— much less offered a scholarship — so she should stop dreaming about college.
She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I her disappointment. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.
She her head from her hands and told me that her father said those were wrong. They just did not understand the of a dream. He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college and if she truly wanted a scholarship, nothing could stop her except one thing — her own . He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was seen by a college basketball coach. She was indeed offered a , and admitted to the college team. She was going to get the college education that she had of and worked toward for all those years.
It’s true: If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.
1.A. small B. strong C. tall D. fat
2.A. in B. along C. beside D. across
3.A. see B. observe C. notice D. watch
4.A. terror B. satisfaction C. wonder D. disappointment
5.A. on B. over C. by D. with
6.A. until B. in C. after D. before
7.A. hesitation B. silence C. rest D. relief
8.A. wondered B. decided C. suspected D. declared
9.A. Mom B. coach C. Daddy D. teacher
10.A. determined B. enthusiastic C. optimistic D. smart
11.A. Quietly B. Secretly C. Impatiently D. Briefly
12.A. young B. slow C. short D. weak
13.A. soon B. never C. later D. afterwards
14.A. recognized B. judged C. sensed D. understood
15.A. turned B. lowered C. shook D. lifted
16.A. coaches B. statements C. players D. facts
17.A. key B. role C. truth D. power
18.A. performance B. idea C. attitude D. ability
19.A. reward B. hand C. scholarship D. job
20.A. talked B. dreamed C. thought D. heard
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On plenty of drives with my mom through my childhood, she would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.
Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.
Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden.
I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for dandelions(蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct(直觉) for protection.
I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house.
Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with sweetness. I immediately wanted to share with my mom.
1.Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?
A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.
B. To show that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.
C. To show how much her mother cares about the environment.
D. Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother’s Day.
2.Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s “green life”?
A. Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy.
B. Saving glass jars or empty cheese containers
C. Setting a caught spider free in the garden
D. Picking dandelions on busy streets
3.What can be learned from the last paragraph?
A. Tomatoes are the author’s favorite fruit.
B. It is her mother who taught the author to plant tomatoes.
C. Planting tomatoes is a way of protecting environment.
D. The author really appreciates her mother’s teaching.
4.The writer’s attitude towards her mom’s behavior changed in the order of ______.
A. understanding — negative— supporting
B. supporting — doubtful — negative
C. negative — understanding — supporting
D. doubtful— negative— supporting
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“Is there anything else you need, honey?” my dad asked me as he put three twenty dollar bills in my hand. I was traveling back home from a family visit, and after treating me to breakfast and filling my car with gas, it was obvious that my dad wanted to make sure that I would be okay on the road.
“No, Dad. You've done so much already. Thank you！” I was overwhelmed once again by his kind acts of providing everything I needed, although I turned 40. Yet I realize that in my father's eyes, I will always be his little girl. He takes deep pleasure in knowing his children are all right. Now that he has enough money, he loves to give whenever he sees a need.
But this was not always the case. Divorced from my mother when I was 11, my dad couldn't be around his kids as often as he would have liked. Money was also tight; even weekend visits were rare. However, my dad stayed in constant communication with us and made sure he was involved in our lives. Though he couldn't always be there in person, I knew he was only a phone call away. I could always make sure of that.
Even now, almost 30 years later, I treasure knowing that I can pick up the phone and call Dad, and he'll be there for me. I have a wonderful husband, but that hasn't changed how Dad sees me. I'm still his child and he loves to see that my needs are met.
I remember a time when I was shopping in a hardware store (五金店) with Dad. I mentioned my plans to paint one wall in my house. Well, that's all it took for Dad to take action. By the time I got to the checkout(结账) line, all the supplies I picked out were put out of my hands and placed with things he bought.
Then there was the time when I took him with me to do some grocery shopping for just a few “ items”. By the time we were finished, my shopping cart was full of groceries from every shelf in the store! My sister and I joke that if you don't want Dad to buy it for you, avoid even mentioning you want something.
1.What's the best title for the passage?
A. Father's generosity B. Father's considerate love
C. The love for children D. Love's power
2.The author demonstrates her father's love for her mainly by______.
A. suggestion B. reasoning
C. examples D. argument
3.Which of the following is not TRUE?
A. After the author got married, her father no longer get himself involved in her life.
B. Now the father's economic condition is satisfying.
C. The author's father was divorced when she was 11.
D. The father has a great sense of responsibility.
4.The authors' two shopping experiences with father show______.
A. father paid little attention to money
B. father was quick in action
C. father loved going shopping very much
D. father paid great attention to his children's needs
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“Is there anything else you need, honey？” my dad asked me as he put three twentydollar bills in my hand. I was traveling back home from a family visit, and after treating me to breakfast and filling my car with gas, it was obvious that my dad wanted to make sure that I would be okay on the road.
“No, Dad. You've done so much already. Thank you！” I was overwhelmed once again by his kind acts of providing everything I needed, despite the fact I just turned 
40. Yet I realize that in my father's eyes, I will always be his little girl. He takes deep pleasure in knowing his children are all right. Now that he has enough money, he loves to give whenever he sees a need.
But this was not always the case. Divorced from my mother when I was 11, my dad couldn't be around his kids as often as he would have liked. Money was also tight; even weekend visits were rare. However, my dad stayed in constant communication with us and made sure he was involved in our lives. Though he couldn't always be there in person, I knew he was only a phone call away. I could always count on that.
Even now, almost 30 years later, I treasure knowing that I can pick up the phone and call Dad, and he'll be there for me. I have a wonderful husband, but that hasn't changed how Dad sees me. I'm still his child and he loves to see that my needs are met.
I remember a time when I was shopping in a hardware store(五金店)with Dad. I mentioned my plans to paint one wall in my house. Well, that's all it took for Dad to take action. By the time I got to the checkout(结账) line, all the supplies I picked out were put out of my hands and placed with things he bought.
Then there was the time when I took him with me to do some grocery shopping for just a few “ items”. By the time we were finished, my shopping cart was full of groceries from every shelf in the store! My sister and I joke that if you don't want Dad to buy it for you, avoid even mentioning you want something.
1.What's the best title for the passage?
A. Father's considerate love
B. Father's generosity
C. The love for children
D. Love's power
2.The author demonstrates her father's love for her mainly by________.
A. examples B. reasoning
C. persuasion D. argument
3.Which of the following is not TRUE?
A. The author's father was divorced when she was 11.
B. Now the father's economic condition is satisfying.
C. The father has a great sense of responsibility.
D. After the author got married, her father no longer get himself involved in her life.
4.The authors' two shopping experiences with father show________.
A. father paid little attention to money
B. father was quick in action
C. father paid great attention to his children's needs
D. father loved going shopping very much
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All American dollar bills（纸币）weigh the same, they’re the same size, and they’re made of the same material. “There are no physical marks for those with vision（视力）loss, who need an effective means of knowing how much it is, a $1 or a $100?” explains Vencer Cotton, director of technology and training at the Columbia Lighthouse for the Bind in Washington D.C.
NOW there is something that comes pretty close. Meet the iBill, a piece of plastic about the size of a large cigarette lighter. Equipped with one AAA battery, a couple of buttons and a speaker, the iBill is designed to be simple. A narrow opening allows for a U..S. Bill to be placed inside and upon scanning, it will say the amount the bill is worth. However, even though the iBill can do that job for you, it doesn’t mean it’ll tell you if a bill is real or even how much you have.
Created by Orbit Research, it will be the first money reader distributed by the U.S.Bureau of engraving and Printing (BEP). THE BUREAU WILL SOON BE SHIPPING iBills, free of charge, across the country. “It is my No. 1 choice,” Cotton says of the iBill, especially when it comes to sorting money as fast as possible.”
There are actually a bunch of apps（应用程序）that can do what the iBill ca, made convenient by the iPhone’s voiceover functions. In particular, EyeNote was also developed by the U.S. BEP to help distinguish bills. Another app, called LookTel, offers recognition for a large number of countries’ bills and VisionHunt distinguishes different kinds of bills and offers many tools to the blind. “But a lot of blind people can’t afford an iPhone,” says Shawn Callaway, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington D.C.
1.The iBill was invented to .
A. pay for things at certain shops
B. help children sort out their money
C. help the blind recognize their money
D. tell whether a dollar bill is real or not
2.What can we learn about the iBill?
A. It is unbreakable.
B. It can’t calculate.
C. It can light a cigarette.
D. It costs a lot of money.
3.Compared with other apps, the iBill .
A. is much easier for poor people to accept
B. offers more useful functions to the blind
C. is the only one developed by the U.S. BEP
D. can tell the differences between many foreign bills
4.What is the purpose of this text?
A. To encourage people to help the blind.
B. To talk about American dollar bills.
C. To ask people to buy the iBill.
D. To introduce a hi-tech tool.
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What does the man want?
A. A one-dollar bill. B. Some coins. C. A parking place.
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How much will the woman pay to rent the car?
A. 200 dollars. B. 210 dollars. C. 240 dollars.
40. Yet I realize that in my father's eyes, I will always be his little girl. He takes deep pleasure in knowing his children are all right. Now that he has enough money, he loves to give whenever he sees a need.