After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed.
 During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy (肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dick,
My mum said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday that I would go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I will never get to do that. However, I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Your friend,
Matthew
小题1: The boy looked forward to meeting the author because _________. | A．he was also good at weight lifting | B．he wanted to get to the Olympics and win a medal | | C．he was one of the author’s students | D．he admired the author very much |
小题2: The underlined sentence in the third paragraph pr obably means that _______.| A．the boy never complained about how unlucky he was to have this disease | | B．the boy never complained about not being able to go to school | | C．the boy never complained why the author had never come to see him before | | D．the boy never complained about not getting a medal |
小题3: From the passage we learn that _________. | A．Matthew was an athlete | B．Matthew was an optimistic and determined boy | | C．The author used to have the same disease as Matthew had | D．Matthew became a champion before he died |
小题4:Matthew didn’t accept the author’s medal because _________. | A．he thought it was too expensive | B．he was sure that he could win one in the future | | C．he thought it was of no use to him as he would die soon | D．he would not be pitied by others |
小题5:What would be the best title for this passage? | A．A sick boy. | B．A special friend. | C．A real champion. | D．A famous athlete. |
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小题1:D
小题1:A
小题1:B
小题1:D
小题1:C |
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核心考点
试题【After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special s】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
It was a cold, wet day on June 6, 2010, when 14-year-old Wasana arrived at school. Waiting outside his classroom for his classmates to 36 , Wasana stared at the 37 . Then his eyes fell upon the 18-metre-high hill that 38 at the back of the classroom.
He 39 large amounts of rainwater flowing down the hill, and water was also bubbling(冒泡) at the base of a rock on the hill. For a few minutes, Wasana 40 the water, wondering why it looked so 41 . Then it hit him — the 42 was similar to the video he was shown during Disaster Management classes. Fearing a 43 disaster, he shouted 44 at the students waiting outside their classrooms. “Run, run, don’t stay here! The 45 on the hill is going to fall on us!”
Chaos(混乱) broke out as the 46 ran to the open area that had been appointed as an emergency gathering point. When some teachers 47 Wasana, he showed them the water gushing from the hill, and they started leading the students to safer ground.
Just then Principal Gurusinghe drove into the school. Wasana ran over to tell him what was happening. After 48 the site, Gurusinghe knew the school was in 49 . The enormous rock at the top of the hill could come crashing down 50 .
51 a group of teachers and older students, Gurusinghe climbed the hill and tried to make the water flow away from the rock. They were too 52 : ten minutes later, they heard screams as the huge rock rushed down the hill. There was little Gurusinghe and his group could do as they watched the earth 53 their classrooms. Thanks to Wasana’s 54 action and careful observation, 55 was hurt in the incident.
| 小题1: | | A．arrive | B．rest | C．dine | D．chat |
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| 小题3: | | A．placed | B．stood | C．hid | D．faced |
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| 小题4: | | A．noticed | B．felt | C．knew | D．heard |
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| 小题5: | | A．shouted at | B．aimed at | C．glared at | D．stared at |
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| 小题6: | | A．interesting | B．dangerous | C．moving | D．familiar |
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| 小题7: | | A．show | B．scene | C．site | D．view |
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| 小题8: | | A．going | B．heading | C．coming | D．leaving |
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| 小题9: | | A．happily | B．wildly | C．rudely | D．angrily |
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| 小题10: | | A．rock | B．sand | C．tree | D．water |
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| 小题11: | | A．principals | B．villagers | C．students | D．climbers |
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| 小题12: | | A．questioned | B．blamed | C．instructed | D．approached |
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| 小题13: | | A．examining | B．visiting | C．choosing | D．clearing |
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| 小题14: | | A．security | B．relief | C．danger | D．damage |
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| 小题15: | | A．for the moment | B．at any minute | | C．at one time | D．for once |
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| 小题16: | | A．Taking | B．Helping | C．Demanding | D．Leading |
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| 小题17: | | A．late | B．unique | C．nervous | D．strange |
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| 小题18: | | A．occupy | B．threaten | C．swallow | D．enter |
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| 小题19: | | A．legal | B．quick | C．united | D．direct |
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| 小题20: | | A．someone | B．only one | C．anyone | D．no one |
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It was a cold winter’s night when I stopped for gas on my way home from work. I was tired and had a slight 16 .
I worked in a 17 doctor’s office and this was one of those days when the unexpected happened, making the schedule run 18 than usual. It seemed I was going to be late 19 home and my husband, being the 20 person, would be ready to pronounce me late once again. Maybe if I hurried, I could still _21 __it home.
I was heading inside to 22 for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter. I heard them asking for 23 to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just _24_ a few minutes ago.
The young man at the counter was trying to be 25 in explaining how to get there, with two other people making 26 . One of them was 27 trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, “Would you like to follow me to the 28 ?”
A look of 29 crossed the woman’s face.
“I’m going right by there,” I said, which wasn’t a (an) 30 since I had just made up my mind to do 31 that.
I got in my car and began the journey back. I was trying to watch to be sure they were right 32 me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there as rush hour traffic was beginning to 33 . I felt better than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.
Later, as I arrived home, my husband 34 me, “So you aren’t ever late any more.”
I said, “Sometimes it’s 35 to be late.”
| 小题1: | | A．break | B．cold | C．fever | D．headache |
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| 小题2: | | A．foreign | B．common | C．noisy | D．busy |
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| 小题3: | | A．later | B．earlier | C．easier | D．simpler |
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| 小题4: | | A．getting | B．cooking | C．calling | D．working |
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| 小题5: | | A．tough | B．generous | C．punctual | D．rough |
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| 小题6: | | A．get | B．take | C．arrive | D．make |
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| 小题7: | | A．pay | B．charge | C．wait | D．search |
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| 小题8: | | A．opinions | B．trouble | C．directions | D．instructions |
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| 小题9: | | A．reached | B．visited | C．called | D．left |
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| 小题10: | | A．skilled | B．helpful | C．experienced | D．active |
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| 小题11: | | A．comments | B．promises | C．jokes | D．offers |
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| 小题12: | | A．only | B．still | C．even | D．ever |
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| 小题13: | | A．station | B．office | C．hospital | D．hotel |
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| 小题14: | | A．happiness | B．relief | C．sadness | D．peace |
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| 小题15: | | A．lie | B．fact | C．reason | D．duty |
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| 小题16: | | A．partly | B．voluntarily | C．exactly | D．perfectly |
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| 小题17: | | A．across | B．before | C．beside | D．behind |
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| 小题18: | | A．go up | B．die down | C．take up | D．get through |
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| 小题19: | | A．teased | B．yelled | C．joked | D．laughed |
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| 小题20: | | A．possible | B．special | C．good | D．safe |
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To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains, But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain, Its first use was as a shade against the sun!
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times . Probably the first to use it were the Chinese in the 11th century B C.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe.
Umbrellas have hot changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made , in a whole variety of colors.
小题1:According to this passage, the umbrella was probably first invented in ancient_______.| A．China | B．Egypt | C．Greece | D．Rome |
小题2:Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella?| A．No one exactly knows who the inventor of the umbrella was | | B．The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun. | | C．The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century | | D．In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. |
小题3:A strange feature of the umbrella’s use is that it was used as__________.| A．protection against rain | B．a shade against the sun | | C．a symbol of honor and power | D．women’s decoration (装饰) |
小题4:In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain_______________.| A．during the Middle Ages | B．by the 18th | C．in Rome | D．in Greece |
小题5:This passage talks mainly about_______________.| A．when and how the umbrella was invented | | B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe | | C．the development of the umbrella | | D．The history and use of the umbrella |
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Father Maurice Chase used a special way to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Catholic priest（神父） took $ 15,000 in cash to Los Angeles’ Skid Row (贫民区) and gave it away. Twenty wheelchair – bound peop le received $100 bills, while the rest received $1to $ 3 each．
“I come out here to tell them that God loves them and I love them and that some one is concerned about them,” Chase said．
Chase has given away cash and blessings every Sunday at the same corner for 24 years．Several hundred people wait for him every week．
He makes a point of coming on Thanksgiving and Christmas, too, but this is the first year he spent his birthday in the downtown neighborhood where people live mainly in shelters and on dirty sidewalks．
“ It’s the place that makes me the happiest．I just love it,” said Chase. “I look forward to coming here.”
The money comes from donations he receives from rich and famous people he met during his work as assistant to the president of Loyola Marymount University．
The crowd broke into choruses of “Happy Birthday” several times. Some people presented him birthday cards, to his delight．
Travis Kemp, a 51 – year – old disabled man with long black hair, was one of the lucky 20 to receive $ 100. He said he had no special plans for spending the money. “He has a lot of respect from me,” Kemp said. “I know I couldn’t do it.”
小题1:On his 90 th birthday, Chase ．| A．handed out cash to the needy | | B．collected money for poor people | | C．visited poor people’s homes with gifts | | D．held a party at Los Angeles’ Skid Row |
小题2:Which of the following makes Chase feel the happiest?| A．Celebrating his birthday with his neighbours． | | B．Working in Loyola Marymount University． | | C．Celebrating Christmas with the people he has helped． | | D．Going to Los Angeles’ Skid Row to help people there． |
小题3:What’s the source of the money Chase used to help people?| A．All his savings． | | B．His earnings as a Catholic priest． | | C．Donations from the wealthy and celebrities(名人)． | D．Donations from Loyol a Marymount University． |
小题4:Travis Kemp is mentioned in the text to show ．| A．he was the luckiest person on that day | | B．the disabled need to be taken care of | | C．Chase is greatly appreciated by the needy | | D．even old people came to celebrate Chase’s birthday |
小题5:Which statement is CORRECT according to the passage?| A．Every recipient could get $100 in cash from Father Maurice Chase． | | B．Father Maurice Chase gave the cash away not only on his birthday but also on other occasions． | | C．Although Father Maurice Chase gave the cash away on his birthday, he didn’t receive anything in return． | | D．Father Maurice Chase earned a lot of money as assistant to the president of Loyola Marymount University． |
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The story begins with fishing.
Once a boy and his father went fishing before bass (a kind of special fish) season opened. They were fishing ea rly in the evening, catching other fish with worms. Then the boy tied on a small silver lure (鱼饵) and put it into the lake. Suddenly he felt that something very big pulling on the lure. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully brought the fish beside the bank. Finally he lifted the tired fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass(the special fish).
The boy and his father looked at the big fish. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 pm – two hours before the bass season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy. “You’ll have to put it back, son,” he said.
“Dad!” cried the boy, “There will be other fish,” said his father. “Not as big as this one,” cried the boy. He looked around the la ke. No other fishermen or boats were in sight in the moonlight. He looked again at his father.
Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he had caught the fish, the boy could tell from his father’s voice that the decision couldn’t be changed. He threw the huge bass into the black water. The big fish disappeared. The boy thought that he would never again see such a big fish.
That was 34 years ago. Today the boy is a successful architect in New York City. He often takes his own son and daughters to fish at the same place.
And he was right. He has never again caught such a large fish as the one he got that night long ago. But he does see that same fish … again and again … every time he has an ethical decision to make. For, as his father had  taught him, ethics (伦理道德)are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult.
小题1: What happened when the big fish turned out to be a bass?| A．The boy threw the bass back into the water willingly. | | B．The boy and his father discussed what to do with the big fish. | | C．The father lit a match in order to check the time. | | D．They worried other fishermen may discover what they had done. |
小题2:From the text we know that the father _____.| A．disliked the huge fish | B．was firm and stubborn | | C．didn’t love his son | D．always disagreed with his son |
小题3:The successful architect went fishing with his children at the same place because _____.| A．they might catch a big fish there | | B．he was taught a moral lesson there | | C．it was a most popular fishing spot | | D．their children enjoyed fishing there |
小题4:What does the story imply?| A．An ethical decision is always easy to make. | | B．It is easy to say something, but difficult to do. | | C．It’s hard to tell right from wrong sometimes | | D．Fishing can help one to make right decisions |
小题5:What kind of the person the father is?| A．kind | B．honest | C．optimistic | D．satisfied |
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