It’s not easy to be an astronaut’s son. Everybody expects you to be special or perfect. I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. I mean he’s so special and so good at everything he does. Even in middle school he was class president and captain of the football team.
　　Well, to be honest, I often dream about being some kind of hero or doing something special—like saving a child from a burning building or discovering a new star. I was daydreaming at school one morning when my teacher said there would be a Father’s Day writing competition for the whole school. “I hope we have a winner right here in my class.”
　　When I got home, I started to think about what to write. My father is an astronaut. N0, I wouldn’t start like that. That was the way others saw him. How did I see my father? Hmm.
　　I saw him sitting with me in the dark when I had a terrible dream. I remembered how he hugged me for hours when my dog Spotty was killed by a car. Yes, these were the things I was going to write. To me, he wasn’t just a world-famous astronaut. He was my dad.
　　My parents and I went to school on Thursday night．There were so many people in the big hall! My dad looked at me, and I shrugged(聳肩)．
　　The third prize was announced and it was not me. I was relieved(釋然)and disappointed at the same time. The second prize was announced. It was me.
　　1 went up to the stage and read what I had written, “My father’s son”. When I finished, the people stood up and cheered. I saw my father blowing his nose. Tears were running down my mother's face. Dad cleared his throat and put his hand on my shoulder. “Son, this is the proudest moment of my life.’’
　　It was the proudest moment of my life, too. Maybe I’ll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize, but it was enough just to be my father’s son.
【小題1】The writer felt it_________ to be the son of a famous person．

A．1ucky

B．natural

C．hard

D．pleasant

【小題2】In order to_________ the writer would like to save a child from a burning building．

A．become astronaut	B．become a great hero
C．be made school team captain	D．be made class president

【小題3】What did the boy probably write in his composition?

A．A lot of special things he had done．

B．The story of his father as an astronaut．

C．The unforgettable time he spent with his father．

D．The experiences his father had in middle school．

【小題4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．My daydream	B．My father’s son
C．My famous father	D．My happy family

The secrets of happiness
Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success do not bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are some suggestions to help you be happier.
__【小題1】__ Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future—for example, getting into college or getting a good a job—that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple happiness, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends.____【小題2】____
Another secret of having a happy life is to be active and have hobbies in which you can forget your problems. Many people enjoy dancing or playing a sport, such as skating or soccer.___【小題3】_____
Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they help others. ____【小題4】______ You can help a friend with his or her lessons, go shopping to buy food for your family, or simple help out around the house by washing dishes.

You can forget about your problems, and only think about the activity.

B. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone.

C. The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life.

D. People who have several close friends live happier and healthier lives.

 
【小題5】According to the article, what can bring lasting happiness to you?

A．Enjoying the simple things you like.	B．Being active and having hobbies.
C．Helping others.	D．All of the above.

Eagles are members of the bird family. More than 60 kinds live in Africa. Once there was a baby eagle living in a nest on a cliff(懸崖). The baby eagle loved his nest. It was warm, soft and comfortable. And even better, he had all the food and love that his mother could give. Whenever the baby eagle was hungry, his mother would always come just in time with delicious food he liked.
He was growing happily day after day. But suddenly his world changed. His mother stopped coming to the nest. He was full of sadness and fear. He thought he would die soon. He cried, but nobody heard him.
Two days later his mother came with some nice food. The baby eagle was wild with joy. But his mother put the food at the top of the mountain and then looked down at her baby. The baby eagle cried out, “Mom, why did you do this to me? I’m hungry. Don’t you know I will die if I have nothing to eat?”
“Here is the last meal I give you. Come and get it by yourself.” his mother said. Then she flew down and pushed the baby out of the nest.
The baby eagle fell down, faster and faster. He looked up at his mom, “Why do you abandon me?” He looked down at the earth. The ground was much closer. Then something strange happened. The air caught behind his arms and he began to fly! He wasn’t moving to the ground any more. Instead, his eyes were pointed up at the sun. “You are flying! You can make it!” His mother smiled.
【小題1】Which of the following is true about the baby eagle’s life before his mother stopped coming to the nest?

A．He lived in a nest in a tree.	B．His mother gave him nice food.
C．He was always cold and hungry.	D．He lived very happily with his friends.

【小題2】How did the eagle feel as soon as he saw his mother coming again?

A．Sad.

B．Happy.

C．Afraid.

D．Angry.

【小題3】What did the baby eagle’s mother do when she came the last time?

A．She put some food in the nest.

B．She just came to see him again.

C．She shouted at her baby eagle and flew away.

D．She pushed her baby eagle out of the nest..

【小題4】The underlined word “abandon” means _________ in Chinese.

A．拋棄

B．保護

C．歧視

D．拯救

【小題5】We can infer from the story that the baby eagle ___________.

A．lost his mother	B．fell down and died
C．could get food himself	D．was still angry with his mother

I was walking around in a store. I saw an assistant pass this little boy his money back, saying, “I’m sorry, but you don’t have enough money to buy this doll.” I walked toward him and asked him who he wished to give this doll to.
“It’s the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was so sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.” he said.
I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus will bring it to her, and he shouldn’t worry. But he replied to me sadly, “No, Santa Claus can’t bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.” His eyes were so sad while saying this. “My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.” My heart nearly stopped. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy, “What if we checked again, just in case (萬一)you do have enough money?”
“Ok,” he said. “I hope that I have enough.” I added some of my money to his without letting him see and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money left . The little boy said, “Thank you God for giving me enough money!”
I left the store, feeling as if my life had been changed forever.
【小題1】Whom did the boy want to give the doll to?

A．His mother

B．His friend

C．His sister

D．The writer

【小題2】The boy finally had enough money for the doll because_________.

A．he didn’t count correctly at first	B．the writer added some money
C．the assistant added some money	D．the assistant made the doll cheaper

【小題3】How did the writer feel at last?

A．Shy.

B．Nervous.

C．Happy.

D．Angry.

【小題4】What does the story tell us?

A．We should help other people in need.	B．Money does not matter.
C．We should believe in Santa Claus.	D．We should borrow money when necessary

On a cold morning at a bus station, a man played six famous pieces of music for about an hour. During that time, about two thousand people went through the station, most of them were on their way to work.
3 minutes later: a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed down, stopped for a few seconds and went away.
4 minutes later: the musician received his first dollar. A woman threw the money in the box and kept on walking without stopping.
6 minutes later: a young man stopped to listen to him. Then he looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes later: a 3-year-old boy stopped to look at the musician, but his mother took him away. Several other children did the same as the boy. And nearly all the parents took their children away.
45 minutes later: the musician kept on playing. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 persons gave him money but left quickly.
After 1 hour, the musician finished playing. In the end, he collected $ 32. No one noticed that he had finished playing.
No one knew this, but the musician was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. At that time, he played one of the most wonderful pieces ever written, with a very expensive violin.
If we do not have time to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing with the most beautiful violin, how many other things are we missing?
【小題1】Joshua Bell played six famous pieces of music for ________ at a bus station.

A．half an hour

B．a(chǎn)n hour

C．fifteen minutes

D．a(chǎn) day

【小題2】__________ gave the first dollar to Joshua Bell for his performance.

A．A mid-aged man

B．A Young man

C．A woman

D．A 3-year-old boy

【小題3】Nearly all the parents ________________ while they went past the musician.

A．took their children away	B．threw the money into the box
C．stayed with their children listening	D．looked at their watch

【小題4】Joshua Bell was in fact ________________.

A．a(chǎn) very famous pianist	B．a(chǎn) very popular singer
C．a(chǎn) very poor violinist	D．a(chǎn) very famous violinist

He was a single father, raising a 5-year-old boy alone. He worried about his son growing up without a mother to care for him.
One day he went away on business, leaving the child alone. He was worried about the child all the way, not knowing if he had eaten. But his child always told him not to worry. He went home quickly after finishing his work.
When he got home, the child was deep asleep. He was tired out. When he was about to sleep himself, he was surprised to find an overturned bowl of noodles under the quilt. He spanked his sleeping son angrily:"Why are you so naughty, making the quilt dirty? Who will wash it?" It was the first time that he had hit his boy after his wife's death.
"I haven't," the boy explained with tears in his eyes. "This is your supper, Daddy." In order to let his father eat dinner as soon as he got home, the boy cooked two bowls of noodles: one for himself, the other one for his father. He was afraid his father's noodles would get cold, so he placed them under the quilt to keep them hot.
Hearing this, the father hugged his boy tightly without saying a word.
【小題1】According to the passage we know the boy only had _________.

A．a(chǎn) grandfather

B．a(chǎn) mother

C．a(chǎn) father

D．a(chǎn) grandmother

【小題2】The single father was always worried about ______.

A．his work

B． his money

C．his son

D．his quilt

【小題3】When the father got home , __________________________

A．His son wasn't at home.	B．He was tired out
C．His son was doing his homework	D．He was very happy.

【小題4】When the father knew the truth, _________.

A．He hit his son	B．He was very upset.
C．He hugged his son tightly.	D．He went outside.

Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier.
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future —for example, getting into college or getting a good job —that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives. Another secret to living a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget about your problems, and only think about the activity. Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.
【小題1】According to the writer, which isn’t a simple thing in life?

A．Enjoying the present

B．Reading a book

C．Spending time with close friends

D．Spending too much time getting a good job

【小題2】The best title（標題）of the passage is ________.

A．Money Makes You Happy

B．The Secrets of Happiness

C．Ideas for Helping Other People to Be Happy

D．Good Friends Make You Happy

【小題3】The second paragraph tells us that ________.

A．the more friends you have, the happier you will be

B．we shouldn’t think about our future

C．happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life.

D．some people fail to live a happy life

【小題4】The passage gives us ________ pieces of advice on happiness.

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．four

【小題5】The writer thinks that ________.

A．everyone knows how to live a happier life

B．it’s wrong to spend time on work

C．hobbies take up too much time

D．doing good things for someone can make you happier

In recent years advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and instruments are being developed every day to extend（延長）life. However，some people，including some doctors， are not in favour of these life extending measures，and they argue that people should have the right to die when they want. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself，and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable（不能忍受的. They say that people should be allowed to die with dignity（尊嚴） and to decide when they want to die. Others argue that life under any conditions is better.
【小題1】In recent years, people can live longer than in the past,It’s because of_________.

A．the development of medical technology

B．big hospitals

C．good doctors

D．both B and C

【小題2】According to some people， whether a dying patient has the right to die or not is up to_________.

A．the doctors	B．the surroundings（環(huán)境）
C．his or her family	D．the patient himself or herself

【小題3】The writer’s opinion is_________.

A．death is better than life

B．life is better than death

C．neither death nor life is good

D．none of the above

【小題4】Why do some patients want to die? Because_______.

A．the doctors are not good

B．the conditions are bad

C．life is too hard

D．they are seriouly ill

Giving a gift can mean a lot. It can be a way to deepen (加深) a friendship. Before you get a gift for someone, spend time really thinking about what makes him or her special. Think about their interests, hobbies, needs and happiest moments. For example, friends and families with children might love a special calendar that contains everyone’s birthday and other special dates and events.
For music fans, a CD filled (填充) with their favourite music always makes a special gift.
Spending time with loved ones is also a way to give them a gift. You might take that special person out for a birthday dinner at your favourite restaurant.
Making a gift for someone using your own skills is very special. It is much more meaningful than a store-bought gift and shows how much you care!
Writing your feelings in a greeting card can be a simple way to make a keepsake (紀念品) that will be remembered for years.
【小題1】The writer thinks that we should think about someone’s ____ before we get him or her a gift.
①interests ②hobbies ③needs ④height

A．①②④

B．①②③

C．②③④

D．①③④

【小題2】According to the passage, _____ gifts are the best.

A．special

B．popular

C．expensive

D．store-bought

【小題3】For music fans, _____ is a special gift.

A．a(chǎn) calendar

B．nice food

C．a(chǎn) music CD

D．a(chǎn) greeting card

【小題4】Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

A．Never go to a shop to buy a gift.

B．We make a gift by ourselves to show our skills.

C．A greeting card is too simple and cheap to be a gift.

D．Having dinner with a loved one can be a special kind of gift.

【小題5】What is the best title for this passage?

A．How to Give Special Gifts

B．How to Remember Friends’ Birthdays

C．How to make Yourself Special

D．How to Be a Good Gift Receiver

Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents, however, it is not true.
Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap (代溝).
Don’t argue with your parents. Don’t get to your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can’t express yourself well if you are angry. Go someplace to cool off. Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter.
Try to reach a compromise (和解). Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.
Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect (尊敬) to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong.
Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try!
【小題1】According to the passage who have a communication problem?

A．parents and other people

B．only school kids and their parents

C．teachers and their students

D．parents and children of all ages

【小題2】How many pieces of advice does the writer give us to bridge the generation gap?

A．5.

B．4.

C．3.

D．2.

【小題3】The underlined word “bridge” in the passage means “______”.

A．建立

B．消除

C．通過

D．到達

【小題4】If the values of your parents are different from those of yours, you’d better ______.

A．a(chǎn)rgue with them

B．keep away from them

C．a(chǎn)gree with them all the time

D．tell your parents what you care about

【小題5】The best title for the passage is______.

A．How to bridge the generation gap

B．How to deal with family problems

C．How to be good parents

D．How to be a good child