Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.

　 I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal thoughts.

　 He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. Nevertheless, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first.

　 Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.

My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.

56. According to the first paragraph, what the author’s friend said made the author feel ______.

A. puzzled　　 　　 B. heart broken.　　 　 C. frightened　　 D. hopeless

57. By saying “convenience is not in my vocabulary”, the author means ______.

　 A. he is always ready to help his friend.

　 B. he hardly spares time to help his friend.

　 C. he has no good excuse for refusing his friend.

　 D. he is not good at communicating with his friend.

58. From the passage we learn that the author’s friend ________.

　 A. had a happy childhood but everything changed later

　 B. wanted to share his story but no one listened.

　 C. took it for granted that he was made fun of

　 D. was always of sad appearance

59. What does the author learn from his experiences?

　 A. How to make a big difference to others.

　 B. The importance of encouragement.

　 C. How to get rid of depression

　 D. The necessity of security

A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.

The conversation soon turned into complaints about 36 in work and life. Offering his 37 coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and 38 with a large pot of coffee and a 39 of cups---porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some beautiful—telling them to 40 themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “if you have 41 , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been 42 , leaving behind the plain and 43 ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 44 of your problems and stress.”

“Be assured that the cup 45 adds no quality to the coffee. 46 it is just more expensive and in some cases 47 hides what we drink.”

“ 48 all of you really want is coffee, not the cup, 49 you consciously went for the best cups…. And then you began 50 each other’s cups.”

Now consider this: 51 is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. 52 are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the 53 of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 54 to enjoy the coffee. Value the coffee, not the cups! Don’t let the cups 55 you … enjoy the coffee instead.

36. A. stress　 　　 　　 B. dream　　　　　　　 C. sorrow　　　 　　 D. truth

37. A. friends 　　　　　 B. customers　　　　 C. fellows　　　 　　 D. guests

38. A. carried　　　　　　　 B. returned　　　　　 C. arrived　　　 　　 D. reached

39. A. kind　　　　　　　　　 B. variety　　　 C. sort　　　　　 　　 D. number

40. A. devote 　 　　　　 B. expose　　　 　 C. help　　　　　 　　 D. addicted

41. A. searched 　 　　 B. witnessed　　　　 C. noticed　　　 　　 D. discovered

42. A. taken up　　　　　　 B. brought in　 　　　 C. sold out　　 　　 D. cut down

43. A. expensive　　　　　 B. cheap　　　　　　　 C. beautiful　　 　　 D. usual

44. A. point　　 　　　　　 B. answer　　　　　　 C. source　　　 　　 　　 D. result

45. A. by itself　　　　　　 B. on its own　　　　 C. for itself　　 　　 D. itself

46. A. At no time　 　 B. At times　　　　　　 C. In no case 　　 D. In most cases

47. A. ever　　　　　　　　　 B. even　　　　　　　　 C. never　　　　 　　 D. hardly

48. A. What　　　　　　　　 B. That　　　　　　　　 C. Which 　　 D. Whether

49. A. but　　　　　　　　　　 B. so　　　　　　　　　　 C. and 　　　　 　　 D. for

50. A. suspecting　　　　　 B. liking　　　　　　　　 C. envying　　 　　 D. eyeing

51. A. Love　　　　　　　　　 B. Life　　　　　　　　　 C. Future 　　 D. Failure

52. A. They　 　 　　　　 B. We　　　　　　　　　 C. You　 　　 　　 D. What

53. A. quantity　　　　　　 B. style　　　　　　　　 C. quality 　　 D. standard

54. A. have　　 　 　　　　 B. hesitate　　　　　　 C. forget 　　 　　 D. fail

55. A. force 　　　　　　　 B. drive　　　　　　　　 C. puzzle 　　 　　 D. amaze

---- It took me nearly 5 years to make a breakthrough in my field.　　

---- Well, you know what people say. _________.

A. There is no smoke without fire.　

B. Practice makes perfect.

C. All roads lead to Rome.

D. No pains, no gains.

It would be very safe if you_________ the door_________ to the garden.

A. fasten; led　　　　 　　 B. will fasten; leads

C. fastened; leading D. fastened; to lead

 When the accident happened, your brother escaped being hurt, _______?

 A. didn’t he                         B. did he           

C. didn’t it                          D. did it

---- Where did you watch the national flag being raised last Monday morning?

---- It was on the square _____ we flew kites sometimes.      

A. which                                  B. that               

C. to which                              D. where

----Can you think of another good idea?

----This is the best approach I can imagine ________ the work ahead of schedule.　

A. to accomplish　　 　　　　　　　　 B. to accomplishing

C. accomplishing　　 　　　　　　　　 D. accomplished

------Thank you very much for giving me a hand when I was in trouble.

------Don’t mention it. I only did what anyone else _______ in my place.　

A. must do　　　　　　 　　　　　 B. might do

C. would have done D. can have done

Barrack Obama’s recent visit to the Asian nations clearly sent a message to the world _____ Asia is important in America’s global partnership.

A. which　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. where

C. that D. what

The last thirty years _____ the greatest number of laws stopping our rights and progress. Until today we have reached a stage _____ we have almost no rights at all.

A. saw; which　　　　　　 　 B. see; where

C. are seeing; in which D. have seen; where