The hardworking businessman Jones used to work all day in his shop and so hard-working was he that at times he would make the sparks(火星) fly from his hammer.
The son of Mr. Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see him every day and for hours and hours he would enjoy himself watching how the man worked.
“ Young man, why don’t you try your hand to learn to make shoe tacks (釘) , even if it is only to pass the time ? ” said Jones. “ Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you .”
The lazy boy began to see what he could do. But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.
Old Mr. Smith died and the son because of the war lost all his goods. He had to leave home and was forced to live in another country. It so happened that in this village there were many shoemakers who were spending a lot of money buying tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers’ shoes.
Our young Mr. Smith, who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread, remembered that once upon a time he had learned the art of making tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers. He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in the workshop. The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer. And after a while, Mr. Smith found that he was soon making the finest tacks in the village.
“ How funny it seems, ” he used to say, “ even making tacks can make money. My trade is more useful to me than all my former riches.”
小題1:The young man learnt to make shoe tacks because ___________.
A．his father told him toB．he wanted to learn a skill
C．Jones encouraged him toD．he just wanted to pass his time
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A．Old Mr. Smith enjoyed making the shoe tacks.
B．Jones had said the young man must be in need of the skill.
C．The higher prices they paid, the more tacks the shoemakers would get.
D．The young man earned his living by his skills learnt when he was young.
小題3:What can we learn from the story ?
A．Practice makes perfect.
B．Skill makes life easy.
C．A good beginning makes good ending.
D．Every man has his gift.

小題1:C
小題2:D
小題3:B
本文講述了一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的故事，告訴大家技能的重要性。
小題1:推理題。根據(jù)文章第三段可知是Jones鼓勵(lì)她這樣做的。
小題2:主旨大意題。通讀全文可知答案為D。
小題3:推理題。根據(jù)文章最后一段可知答案為B，技巧能讓生活更容易，人人都要有一項(xiàng)技能。
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Before she appeared on the reality show(真人秀) Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle was just an ordinary middle-aged British woman. Now all this is going to change.
She lives in a house with her cat Pebbles in a tiny Scottish town. Because of learning difficulties, she doesn’t have much education. But what she does have is a very good voice. As a kid, she sang in church and choirs and school plays. For a living, she sang at local pubs.
When she took the stage on April 10th her hair was untidy and her clothes seemed just one step up from rags. The audience laughed at her.
But then she opened her mouth. A few bars into the song and the laughing audience went silent. A beautiful voice was singing I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables. Everyone was amazed. At the end of her song, the audience jumped to their feet and applauded wildly.
Almost overnight, Susan became a household name. She won fans and millions of admirers. Her online videos have drawn over 85.2 million hits.
Susan’s story proved the truth of an old saying: “Never judge the book by its cover.” Susan may look ordinary, and doesn’t have much dress sense, but she can certainly sing.
Susan’s fans admire her courage, as much as they do her voice. She has experienced mockery and many disappointments, but her love for music has kept her going, which is worth anyone’s respect.
小題1:According to the passage, Susan Boyle _______.
A．is a famous young actress
B．became famous after a show
C．used to be a good student
D．is good at dancing and has millions of admirers
小題2:The underlined phrase “just one step up from” in the third paragraph probably means______.
A．far fromB．close to
C．different fromD．the same as
小題3:The audience jumped and applauded wildly because__________.
A．her hair was untidy and her clothes seemed just one step up from rags
B．she looked very funny
C．she sang so well that everyone was amazed
D．she made a foolish mistake in the end
小題4:Susan Boyle has many fans now because of _______.
A．her beautiful face
B．her knowing how to dress
C．her good education
D．her beautiful voice and courage
小題5:The passage is mainly about___________.
A．how to win fans
B．how to sing well
C．a(chǎn) woman’s sudden success
D．a(chǎn) woman’s simple life

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


You’re standing with your classmates. Everyone is talking—except you. Perhaps you’re afraid they will laugh at what you say. Or maybe you just aren’t brave enough to speak.
I’ve been there, and so have many other people all over the world. Shyness is like a snake that crawls(爬進(jìn)) into our mouths and stops us speaking. But we shouldn’t let it stay there.
I am 29 years old. Even today, that snake still sometimes visits me. But when I was in high school, I was so shy that I wouldn’t talk to anyone except my parents and best friends. If a stranger asked me the way to a local shop, it was as if I’d forgotten how to talk.
One summer, I got a job in a restaurant and that helped a lot. It meant I had to talk to customers. I had to tell them how much their meal cost. I had to ask them if they wanted to drink Coke or Sprite. I had to tell the people in the kitchen if someone wanted pickle（泡菜）on their sandwich.
This job taught me how to speak with people.
You may not be old enough to find a part-time job. But you can look for other chances to speak with people. You can offer to help an old woman carry her heavy bag. Or you can go to get a newspaper for your family.
If you do these things for a while, the “shyness” snake will soon begin to leave you alone. It’ll look for another mouth to crawl into.
小題1:The example in the first paragraph is used to          .
A．show that everyone has the right to speak in class
B．tell readers that it is not right to laugh at others
C．introduce the fact that many people have a shyness problem
D．a(chǎn)rgue that it is alright to keep silent in public
小題2:The underlined sentence in the second paragraph probably means       .
A．he’s been in many situations that make other people feel shy
B．he is confident that he can find a way to get over shyness
C．he is sad because he knows he will always be shy
D．like many other people he once was troubled by shyness
小題3:The author’s duties in the restaurant included           .
A．cooking the meals for customers
B．taking the customers’ orders
C．discussing the menu with the manager
D．helping people in the kitchen
小題4:Who was the article written for?
A．Shy early teenagers.
B．College students.
C．People who work at a restaurant.
D．People who need a part-time job.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Voluntary work
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Senior choir
Do you like singing with other people? Are you aged between 14-18? Want to take it to a higher level? We need your vocal cords! Lots of fun, friendly people and the chance to perform in public! Come to a meeting with Mr. Davies this Thursday at 3:30 pm in the Music Annexe.
 
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My cat, Comfrey, has had kittens. Lovely cute fluffy bundles, black, black & white or tortoiseshell. No charge, but they must go to good, caring homes where they will be well-looked after!!!
See Jan Swirsky in 4E. Only 3 left!
 
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Stationers & booksheller W.H. Smiths are sponsoring a creative writing competition open to secondary school students 12-18 throughout the UK. The theme of the competition is: Breaking down barriers. Entries, which can be in prose or poetry, must be no longer than 2000 words, and they mustn’t have been published before. Send your entry to: breaking Down Barriers, PO Box 23 Great Boolean, WV1 4RY.
 
Calling for future Beckhams and Owens!
The Kings Park Junior 11 needs new talent. If you fancy your form, are free on  Saturday Mornings and Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30 for soccer training, ring Barry Mole on 367060.
小題1:You have to contact someone by phone to enter for        .
A．Voluntary work
B．Senior choir
C．Creative writing competition
D．Kings Part Junior Tryout
小題2:Which of the following activities has no age limit?
A．Voluntary work.B．Senior choir.
C．Kitten adoption.D．Writing competition.
小題3:Which of the following is true about Creative Writing Competition?
A．It is funded by companies.
B．There are topics to choose from.
C．Poetry is not accepted.
D．Entries will be put in print.
小題4:Where are you most likely to find the information above?
A．In a newspaper entertainment section.
B．On a school notice board.
C．In a handbook for students.
D．In a monthly student magazine.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Obama Still Smokes in Secret
US President Barack Obama has just made life more difficult for cigarette makers. He has just signed a law that will set tough new rules for the tobacco industry. The new law gives the US Food and Drug Administration the power to strictly limit the making and marketing of tobacco products.
At a White House signing ceremony Monday, Obama said that he was among the nearly 90% of smokers who took up the habit before their 18 th birthday.
Obama, who has publicly struggled to give up smoking, said he still hadn’t completely kicked the habit. Every now and then he still smokes in secret.
“As a former smoker I struggle with it all the time. Do I still smoke sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No.” Obama said at a news conference.
“I don' t do it in front of my lads．I don ?t do it in front of my family．I would say that I am 95% cured, but there are times when I mess up, " he said．
"Once you go down this path, it' s something you continually struggle with, which is exactly why the law is so important．The new law is not about me, it' s about the next generation of kids coming up．What we don ' t want is kids going down that path," he said．
Nearly 20% of Americans smoke and tobacco use kills about 440,000 people a year in the United States due to cancer, heart disease, and other serious diseases．
小題1:The new law makes life difficult for             .
A．Obama
B．tobacco industry
C．White House
D．US Food and Drug Administration
小題2:What do we know about Obama?
A．He no longer smokes．
B．He still smokes as usual．
C．He began to smoke at eighteen．
D．He is trying hard to give up smoking．
小題3:According to the passage, Obama is most concerned about           ．
A．childrenB．officialsC．his familyD．Businessmen

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


In seventh grade, Brittany Blythe dreamed of being a cheerleader. Her school’s coaches were less than enthusiastic. “They said, ‘I don’t know how you’ll be able to do it,’ she recalls. “‘You won’t be able to do it. ’”
But Brittany, now a junior at Strath Haven High School near Philadelphia, persisted(堅(jiān)持). And when the junior team cheerleaders won a tournament last year, she was right there, dancing and cheering with the rest of the team.
Not bad for someone whose legs were cut off below the knee when she was two years old.
Brittany, 18, was born without shinbones(脛骨)--“just blood and muscle tissue”, as she puts it. When she tried to walk, her legs twisted.
After the operation, she adapted quickly. “From day one, I basically jumped up and wanted to do everything,” she says. Prosthetic legs(假腿) allowed her to move around upright, but too slowly to keep up with her friends. Brittany’s solution: take the legs off and walk on her knees---sometimes she still does when safety and comfort permit.
She’s rarely daunted. Other children laughed at her through the years, especially in junior high school, but she says the challenge only made her stronger. Now she’s trying to convince her coaches to let her remove the prostheses and be a flyer, the cheerleader who’s thrown in the air and caught by her teammates.
Brittany doesn’t think her problems are more difficult than the next person’s. “My disability was the first thing I had to get through, and that’s going to prepare me for the future,” she says. “It’s all just a test: If someone throws you a curve ball(給你出難題), what are you going to do?”
小題1:What was the school’s coaches’ attitude towards Brittany’s idea of being a cheerleader?
A．Supportive B．DoubtfulC．OpposedD．Curious
小題2:What did Brittany do to keep up with her friends?
A．She used a pair of walking sticks.
B．She practiced hard every day.
C．She walked on her knees.
D．She asked her friends for help
小題3:The underlined word “daunted” in Paragraph 6 probably means _____________.
A．discouraged B．a(chǎn)ngryC．confident D．fortunate
小題4:We can learn from the last paragraph that Brittany __________.
A．is not well prepared for the future
B．takes a positive attitude towards life
C．likes the challenge of learning new things
D．thinks that her problems are more difficult than other’s.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


The Gullah people in the southern US have honored their culture for more than 100 years. Living mainly on the Sea Islands and coastal areas of South Carolina, Georgia and Floride, the Gullah people, an African-American group, have a rich culture including their own language. It is a Creole language created by slaves who came to the US from the West Africa in the 1800s. It combines West African languages with English.
For many years efforts have been made to save the Gullah language. One project began in 1979. Its goal was to translate the New Testament part of the Bible into Gullah. Experts say that it was a difficult process because Gullah is not a written language. It is a spoken language only.
A team of Gullah speakers began working on the translation to make the Bible easier to understand for those who spoke Gullah as their main language. The Gullah version is called De Nyew Testament. It is written in English on one side of the page, and next to it, there is a Gullah translation. De Nyew Testament was published by the American Bible Society. The project also received help from the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Wycliffe Bible Translators, the United Bible Societies and the Penn Centre
Experts believe that the translated Bible is a major step towards saving the Gullah language and traditions. “This is more than a Bible translation,” says Robert Hodgson, at the American Bible Society. “De Nyew Testament raises the Gullah language and culture to a new level.” Ardell Greene is a member of the translation team. She calls the book “a treasure”. She says that the Gullah version of the Bible will be read in churches and will help young people keep the Gullah language alive.
小題1:According to the passage, De Nyew Testament can be best seen as _______.
A．a(chǎn) good version of the Bible
B．something difficult to understand
C．a(chǎn) spoken form of the Gullah language
D．the effort to save the Gullah language
小題2:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Gullah communities can be found in the southern US.
B．Gullah is influenced by both English and West African languages.
C．De Nyew Testament is a complete Bible translation.
D．Ardell Greene thinks highly of De Nyew Testament.
小題3:What does this passage mainly focus on?
A．Efforts to save the Gullah language.
B．Different versions of the Bible.
C．The history of the Gullah people.
D．The culture of the Gullah people.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The dirty, homeless man sat on the pavement, staring at the atones. He thought back more than twenty years to when he was a boy living in a small red brick house on this very street. He recalled the flower garden, the swing his dad made, and the bike he had saved up for months to buy.
The man shrugged impatiently, for the brightness of those pictures hurt him, and his memory travelled on another ten years. He had a job by then, plenty of friends and started to come home less. He did not really want to remember those years, nor the day when, because o’ debts, he had gone home planning to ask for money. He felt embarrassed, but he knew exactly where his dad kept the money. When his parents stepped out of the room, he took what he wanted and left.
That was the last time he had seen them. Ashamed, he went abroad, and his parents knew nothing about the years of wandering or time in prison. But locked in his cell he often thought of home. Once free, he would love to see his parents again, if they were still alive, and still wanted to see him.
When his prison time was up, he found -a job, but couldn’t settle. Something was drawing him home. He did not want to arrive penniless, so he hitchhiked most of the long journey back. But less than a mile from his destination he started to feel sick with doubt. Could they ever accept this man who had so bitterly disappointed them?
He spent most of that day sitting under a tree. That evening he posted a letter which, although short, had taken him hours to write. It ended with:
I know it is unreasonable of me to suppose you want to see me ... so it’s up to you. I’ll come early Thursday morning. If you want me home, hang a white handkerchief in the window of my old bedroom. If it’s there, I’ll come in; if not, I’ll wave good-bye and go.
And now it was Thursday morning and he was sitting on the pavement at the end of the street. Finally he got up and walked slowly toward the old house. He drew a long breath and looked.
His parents were taking no risks. ________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
The man threw his head back, gave a cry of relief and ran straight through the open front door.
小題1: Why did the man shrug impatiently (paragraph 2) while he was thinking of his childhood?
A．The thoughts made him angry.
B．He felt he had wasted time.
C．He was anxious to go home.
D．The sweet memory caused him much pain.
小題2:Why did it take him hours to write the letter?
A．He doubted if his parents still lived in that house.
B．He had much news to tell his parents.
C．He felt ashamed to ask for forgiveness.
D．He was longing to return home and felt excited.
小題3: In what order did the following events take place?
a. He took the money from his parents.
b. He bought a bicycle with his savings.
c. He was sentenced to prison.
d. He wrote the letter home.
e. He sat on the pavement.
f. He hitchhiked back home.
A．b, a, c, d, e, f B．b, a, c, f, d, e
C．a(chǎn), c, b, d, f, a D．a(chǎn), d, b, c, e, f
小題4:Which of the following best fits into paragraph 8 ?
A．Every inch of the house was covered in white. Sheets, pillowcases and table clothes had been placed on every window and door, making it look like a snow house.
B．The house before him was just as he remembered: the red bricks, the brown door and nothing else.
C．A colourful blanket was over the front door. On it, in large letters, was written, "Welcome home, son
D．A police car was parked in the drive way, and two officers stood at the front door.
小題5:The best title of the passage is _______.
A．Sweet Memory B．White Handkerchief
C．Abandoned Son D．Leaving Home

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

I was a newcomer of Miss Burn’s seventh grade. Past“newcomer”experiences had been difficult, so I was
very anxious to fit in.
Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. Their chat was friendly, so
I began to relax. My new classmates filled me in on the school, the teachers and the other kids. it wasn’t long
before the class herd(書(shū)呆子)was pointed out to me: Mary Lou. Actually she called herself Mary Louise. A
formal, overmodest young girl with old-fashioned clothes, she wasn’t ugly—not even funny looking. Practical
shoes, long wool skirt and a blouse completed the image of a complete herd. The girls’ whispers got louder and
louder. Mary Lou didn’t notice this. After school, the girls invited me to join them in front of the school.
Arms wrapped around her backpack, Mary Lou came down the school steps. The taunting began—rude,
biting comments and disrespectful words from the girls. I paused, then joined right in. My force began to pick
up as I approached her, mean(卑劣)remarks falling from my lips. I even pulled the belt of her backpack and then
pushed her. The belt broke, Mary Lou fell. Everyone was laughing and patting me. I fit in. But I was not proud.
Something inside me hurt.
Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and—without a tear shed—off, she went. She held her head high as a
small trickle of blood ran down from her injured knee.
I turned to leave with my laughing friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. His skin, dark hair
and handsome features told me this was her father. Respectful of Mary Lou’s proud spirit, he remained still and
watched the lonely girl walk toward him. Only his eyes—shining with both grief and pride—followed. As I
passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that spoke to my shame and scolded my heart. He didn’t
speak a word.
No scolding from a teacher or a parent could linger(逗留)as much as that hurt in my heart from the day a
father’s eyes taught me kindness and strength and dignity. I never again joined the cruel herds. I never
again hurt someone for my own gain.
小題1: The writer felt she fit in when      .
A．she relaxed and talked with her new classmateB．she became a leader of a school club
C．she picked a wing off a butterflyD．others cheered for her after she treated Mary badly
小題2:What does the underlined word“taunting”mean in the article?
A．Playing a gameB．Joining a club
C．Criticizing a personD．Watching a movie
小題3:Mary’s father     after he saw what happened to her daughter.
A．felt shameful and angry for his daughterB．felt sad and proud for his daughter’s bravery
C．felt it necessary to teach the writer a lessonD．felt it a pity that she didn’t fight back
小題4:The writer would never hurt someone for her own gain because she    .
A．was impressed by Mary’s calmness
B．was afraid to be scolded by Mary’s father
C．was sorry she hurt Mary’s knee
D．was aware that it was a shame to make fun of Mary
小題5:According to the article, the writer is probably     .
A．a(chǎn) rude girl who enjoys making fun of others
B．a(chǎn) clever girl who is good at making friends with others
C．a(chǎn) shy girl who isn’t good at communicating with others
D．a(chǎn) brave girl who is willing to correct her mistakes

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