In much of Asia, especially the so-called “rice bowl” cultures of China, Japan, Korea,  46   Vietnam, food is usually eaten with chopsticks.

    Chopsticks are usually two long, thin pieces of wood or bamboo. They can also be made of plastic, animal bone or metal. Sometimes chopsticks are quite artistic. Truly elegant chopsticks might  47  (make) of gold and silver with Chinese characters. Skilled workers also combine various hardwoods and metal  48  (create) special designs.

    The Chinese have used chopsticks for five thousand years. People probably cooked their food in large pots,  49  (use) twigs（树枝）to remove it. Over time,   50   the population grew, people began cutting food into small pieces so it would cook more quickly. Food in small pieces could be eaten easily with twigs which  51 (gradual) turned into chopsticks.

    Some people think that the great Chinese scholar Confucius,  52  lived from roughly 551 to 479 B.C., influenced the   53   (develop) of chopsticks. Confucius believed knives would remind people of killings and   54 (be) too violent for use at the table.

Chopsticks are not used everywhere in Asia. In India, for example, most people traditionally eat  55 their hands.

Wanted, Someone for a Kiss

We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programs. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.

Father Christmas

We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.

Working days: Every day from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30－16:00.

Excellent pay.

Please contact (联系) the Enterprise Shopping Center, Station Parade, Eastbourne.

Accountants Assistant

When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.

Wealden District Council

Software Trainer

If you are aged 24­45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in program writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of ￡15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV (简历) to Mrs. R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.

1．Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?

A. Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.           B. Mrs. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.

C. The Enterprise Shopping Centre.         D. Wealden District Council.

2．We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who________.

A. is aged between 24 and 40

B. may do some training work

C. should deal with general duties

D. can work for about a month

3．Which position is open to recent school graduates?

A. Producer, London Kiss.                   B. Father Christmas.

C. Accountants Assistant.                    D. Software Trainer.

4．What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?

A. One with GCSE grade C level.                  B. One with some office experience.

C. One having good computer knowledge.     D. One trained in producing music programs.

A group of kids at McIntyre Elementary School, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have created a special bench to make sure their fellow classmates aren’t left out on the playground. Called the “Buddy Bench”, students can use the seat as a safe and supportive place to let others know they’d like to be included in playtime, but may be too shy to ask. 
   The concept of the Buddy Bench is simple: Students who want to partake in playground games and activities, but may feel hesitant, can take a seat, which signifies(表明) to other children on the playground that they may need something extra to encourage them to participate. 
   The idea for the bench came about last year, when Farrell, school counselor at McIntyre Elementary, was conducting a leadership group to help students overcome shyness and gain confidence. Four fourth-grade students came up with the idea for the Buddy Bench in this workshop, and worked with Farrell to draft a letter to present to the Parent Teacher Staff Organization to make the bench a reality. The PTSO approved the students’ proposal, and installed(安装) a bright metal bench with a cheerful sign that reads “Buddy Bench” on the school’s playground. 
   Since it was installed on Nov. 16, the bench has been effective. The simple concept has resonated with(引起共鸣) the students, and already has created a better environment within the school community. 
   “Each day, I go to see the buddy bench working,” Farrell said. “The lessons they are learning now will benefit them their entire lives. It is simply a beautiful example of kids wanting to be kind and continue to be kind every day.”
13. Who is Buddy Bench created for?
    A. Students who love games and activities.
    B. Students who want and continue to be kind.
    C. Students who are left out on the playground.
   D. Students who are in Farrell’s leadership group.
14. What does the underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refer to?
    A. The PTSO.                                             B. Buddy Bench users.
    C. The workshop members.                            D. Farrell and teachers.
15. Which of the following statements can show “the bench has been effective”?
     A. The workshop kids have set a good example.
     B. More and more creative ideas have come up.
     C. The PTSO has decided to provide more buddy benches.
     D. Some shy students have found friends on the playground.

                  Building Trust in a Relationship Again

    Trust is a learned behavior that we gain from past experiences.   36    . Trust is a risk. But you can’t be successful when there’s a lack of trust in a relationship that results from an action where the wrongdoer takes no responsibility to fix the mistake.

    Unfortunately, we’ve all been victims of betrayal. Whether we’ve been stolen from, lied to , misled, or cheated on, there are different levels of losing trust. Sometimes people simply can’t trust anymore.     37    It’s understandable, but if you’re willing to build trust in a relationship again, we have some steps you can take to get you there.

    ●   38   Having confidence in yourself will help you make better choices because you can see  what the best outcome would be for your well-being.

    ●    39    If you’ve been betrayed, you are the victim of your circumstance. But there’s a difference between being a victim and living with a “victim mentality”. At some point in all of our lives, we’ll have our trust tested or violated.

    You didn’t lose “everything”. Once trust is lost, what is left? Instead of looking at the situation from this hopeless angle, look at everything you still have and be thankful for all of the good in your life.   40   Instead, it’s a healthy way to work through the experience to allow room for positive growth and forgiveness.

   A. Learn to really trust yourself.

   B. It is putting confidence in someone.

   C. Stop regarding yourself as the victim.

   D. Remember that you can expect the best in return.

   E. They’ve been too badly hurt and they can’t bear to let it happen again.

   F. This knowledge carries over in their attitude toward their future relationships.

   G. Seeing the positive side of things doesn’t mean you’re ignoring what happened.

If you ever imagined walking on a footbridge which is hanging high up in the sky and taking in the views of mountains and the sea below, you can actually realize that dream in Langkawi. The bridge, part of the master plan of Mount Mat Cincang Geo Park, has been designed and constructed to give you an experience which would otherwise be impossible to attain. It is a suspended (悬挂的) bridge made of steel and supported by a single pylon (桥塔) in the middle, which is a tall tower and keeps the bridge suspended in an open space. You need to take the cable car ride from Oriental Village in Pantai Kok area, go up to the top station and then access the bridge through a set of stairs. That is the only way you can reach the bridge.

Some facts about Langkawi Sky Bridge

l       Total length of the bridge is 125 meters;

l       Height of the pylon is 82 meters;

l       The pylon is grounded at a height of 605 meters above sea level;

l       The bridge holds a maximum of 200 persons at a time;

l       The area of the bridge is 500 square meters.

Open Hours & Entry Fee

l       The bridge is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily.

l       Entry: RM5 for adults and RM3 for child. This is separate from the cable car ride.

Tips

l       If it’s cloudy, you won’t get any view. So see from the base (Oriental Village) if there are any clouds before you buy your tickets.

l       There can be a long queue at the cable car ticketing counter. The total waiting time can be well over an hour so go early before the counter opens.

Contact

l       Phone: 604 959 4225

24. What can we learn from the text about Langkawi Sky Bridge?

   A. Its tickets can be bought online.                               B. Tourists can visit it during the evening.

   C. Tourists can reach it only by the cable car.               D. It can hold 200 persons at most every day.

25. What is the main function of the pylon?

   A. To support the bridge.                                               B. To attract the tourists.

   C. To connect the cable car.                                          D. To decorate the bridge.

26. What is the height of Langkawi Sky Bridge?

   A. 125 meters above sea level.                                     B. 687 meters above sea level.

   C. 605 meters above sea level.                                     D. 812 meters above sea level.

27. Where does this text probably come from?

   A. A science textbook.                                             B. A news report.

   C. A museum guide.                                                       D. A tourist brochure.

Summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and share good food. You may want to set a pretty table and create a welcoming atmosphere, but without spending weeks preparing for the big night. Follow these steps for a stylish summer party.

Choose a color plan

The season itself can inspire the color plan, such as nature-inspired hues like ocean blues and grassy greens. One item may also inspire the rest of the party, such as these napkins.___16___

Use cotton for table cloth

Instead of searching for just the right table cloth, head to your local cotton store where the options are endless.   ____17____? No problem! Use pinking shears(花齿剪)to cut your table cloth and napkins to size.

Bring the inside out

Summer design tips often include the saying, “Bring the Outside In.” Well, for outdoor summer entertaining, bring the inside out! Get outside for your summer gathering.____18____ Create a welcoming environment by brining décor items inside your home out to your event.

___19___

No summer party is complete without greenery. Choosing an all-green for your centerpieces provides the casual feel of summer. Grocery store Eucalyptus sprigs create the perfect summer centerpiece, but something form your yrd works just as well!

Create simple and stylish place cards

Place cards make you guests feel welcome, but you do not want to spend all day making complex name labels! Instead, choose a thick paper that fits your color plan. Cut a 4-inch square and fold it in half. ___20___ .

Now the table is set, the lounge is ready, and all that’s left for you to do is enjoy your guests!

A. Does it look beautiful after designing

B. Use green plants instead of flowers

C. Don’t have time or know how to sew

D. Write each person’s name in gold paint pen

E. Go to a nearby store to buy some green plants

F. Once you make a decision, begin gathering your items

G. There is something magical about entertaining out in nature

假如你是李华，某培训中心准备组织你校学生出国参加英语夏令营(English Summer Camp) ，夏令营活动安排如下：英国文化夏令营(The UK Culture Summer Camp)，美国语言夏令营(America Language Summer Camp)。 写一封申请信给该培训中心，报名参加其中的一个夏令营。信的内容必须包括：

1. 你感兴趣的夏令营。

2. 为什么想参加这个活动。

3. 对这项活动有怎样的打算和期待。

注意:

1. 词数100左右。

2. 信的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am very glad that the English Summer Camp will be held to help us improve English and learn more about English culture.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours truly,

Li Hua

 My ambition is to work for a firm that develops computer       when I grow up.

A. software   B. section    C. shadow    D. stress

The reason _____he was absent was_______  he  went shopping in town that day.

A. that ; why    B. why ;why

C. why; that    D. that; because

Tracey Webb and her husband Keith were driving friends home to Tavistock late on 11May when they saw two cars that had just crashed badly．

The couple had only completed their first aid training on the previous day，but they didn't hesitate（犹豫） to act．Tracey said，"We stopped our car，and our friend Drew called 999．I ran to the cars first and check the people．Both drivers were very shocked，but they were up and walking around．However，there was a front seat passenger trapped in one car so I asked Drew to also call for a fire truck．

"I shouted to Keith to help the drivers，then climbed into the back seat of the car and sat holding the head of the trapped passenger，a 17﹣year﹣old boy．Both his legs were caught under the dashboard（仪表盘）．The car was full of broken glass．The passenger's head was covered in glass and tiny cuts．"

Tracey added，"He was crying in pain，so I kept talking to him to calm him down．Following my first aid training，I checked for signs of injury and asked some of the boy's medical history to pass on to the doctors．

"An ambulance（救护车） came first，and the doctors said I was doing exactly the right thing．I sat holding the injured passenger's head upright and still for another 20minutes and finally handed over to a doctor just before the firemen cut off the roof of the car．"

Throughout the process，the couple both stayed calm and focused on what they had learned during their first aid course．

"If I had not taken my first aid training，the situation could have been very different that night．We saved a life，"said Tracey．

31．On seeing the car accident，Tracey immediately　  　．

A．called for an ambulance            

B．asked the firemen for help

C．checked the men in the car accident  

D．climbed into the car to save the injured boy

32．What was wrong with the 17﹣year﹣old boy？　  　

A．He was seriously injured and couldn't see．

B．He got trapped in the car and couldn't get out．

C．His head hit the dashboard and was covered in cuts．

D．His legs were cut by pieces of glass and losing blood．

33．When the doctors said Tracey did the right thing，they meant that Tracey　  　．

A．chose to take first aid course        

B．waited for the doctors to come

C．was kind enough to save a stranger     

D．kept the boy calm and protect his head

34．Which words can best describe Tracey and her husband？　  　

A．Calm and warm﹣hearted                

B．Quick and creative．

C．Patient and clever．

D．Kind and honest．

If you go out to the fields at night spring or summer, you can hear singing   61  (happy)here and there. It seems as if they were performing a field concert.

The frog is a beneficial creature that does good to human beings. They can catch fast-moving insects. Each frog eats a large number of pets that are harmful to crops. This little creature is regarded   62  the natural enemy of pests.

But now the number or frogs   63  (become)smaller and smaller. This is   64  they are killed and put   65  the table as a delicious dish by their chief enemy, human beings. It is cruel, isn’t it? The cause of the rapid   66  (reduce)of frogs is that farmers use pesticide(杀虫剂)to kill pests ,and then frogs get  67  (kill)as a result of eating the poison-killed insects.

Something must be done without delay   68  (save)frogs. If we don’t punish those   69  sell and kill frogs to make money, then one day all of us  70  (punish)by nature for failing to save frogs.

It was raining lightly when I 61________ (arrive) in Yangshuo just before dawn. But I didn’t care. A few hours 62.________, I’d been at home in Hong Kong, with 63.______ (it) choking(窒息的) fog. Here, the air was clean and fresh, even with the rain.

I’d skipped nearby Guilin, a dream place for tourists seeking the limestone mountain tops and dark waters of the Li River 64._______ are pictured by artists in so many Chinese 65._______(painting). Instead, I’d go straight to Yangshuo. For those who fly to Guilin, it’s only an hour away 66._______ car and offers all the scenery of the better-known city.

Yangshuo 67.________ (be) really beautiful. A study of travelers 68._______ (conduct) by the website Trip Advisor considers Yangshuo as one of the top 10 destinations in the world. And the town is fast becoming a popular weekend destination for people in Asia. Abercrombie & Kent, a travel company in Hong Kong, says it 69._______(regular) arranges quick holidays here for people 70._________ (live) in Shanghai and Hong Kong.   

When I told my father that I was moving to Des Moines, Iowa, he told me about the only time he had been there. It was in the 1930s, when he was an editor of the literary magazine of Southern Methodist University(SMU) in Dallas, Texas. He also worked as a professor at SMU, and there was a girl student in his class who suffered from a serious back disease. She couldn't afford the operation because her family was poor.

Her mother ran a boardinghouse in Galveston, a seaside town near Houston, Texas. She was cleaning out the attic(阁楼) one day when she came across an old dusty manuscript(手稿). On its top page were the words, “By O. Henry.” It was a nice story, and she sent it to her daughter at SMU, who showed it to my father. My father had never read the story before, but it sounded like O. Henry, and he knew that O. Henry had once lived in Houston. So it was possible that the famous author had gone to the beach and stayed in the Galveston boardinghouse, and had written the story there and left the manuscript behind by accident. My father visited an O. Henry expert at Columbia University in New York, who authenticated the story as O. Henry's.

My father then set out to sell it. Eventually, he found himself in Des Moines, meeting with Gardner Cowles, a top editor at the Des Moines Register. Cowles loved the story and bought it on the spot. My father took the money to the girl. It was just enough for her to have the operation she so desperately needed.

My father never told me what the O. Henry story was about. But I doubt that it could have been better than his own story.

29. Who found the O. Henry's manuscript?

   A. The girl's mother.                         B. The author's father.

   C. The girl.                                 D. The author.

30. Which of the following might explain the fact that the manuscript was found in the attic?

   A. O. Henry once worked in Houston.

   B. O. Henry once stayed in Galveston.

   C. O. Henry once moved to Des Moines.

   D. O. Henry once taught at SMU.

31. The underlined word “authenticated” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.

   A. treated             B. discovered   C. proved           D. described

32. According to the text, why did the author's father go to Des Moines?

   A. To sell the O. Henry story.

   B. To meet the author himself.

   C. To talk with the O. Henry expert.

   D. To give money to the girl.

Space is a dangerous place, not only because of meteors (流星) but also because of rays from the sun and other stars. The atmosphere again acts as our protective blanket on earth. Light gets through, and this is necessary for plants to make the food that we eat. Heat, too, makes our environment endurable. Various kinds of rays come through the air from outer space, but enormous quantities of radiation from the sun are screened off. As soon as men leave the atmosphere they are exposed to this radiation but their spacesuits or the walls of their spacecraft, if they are inside, do prevent a lot of radiation damage.

Radiation is the greatest known danger to explorers in space, The unit of radiation is called “rem” Scientists have reason to think that a man can put up with far more radiation than 0.1rem without being damaged; the figure of 60 rems has been agreed on. The trouble is that it is extremely difficult to be sure about radiation damage. A person may feel perfectly well, but the cells of his or her sex organs may be damaged, and this will not be discovered until the birth of deformed children or even grandchildren. Missions of the Apollo flights have had to cross belts of high radiation and , during the outward and return journeys, the Apollo crew accumulated(积累) a large amount of rems. So far, no dangerous amounts of radiation have been reported, but the Apollo missions have been quite short. We simply do not know yet how men are going to get on when they spend weeks and months outside the protection of the atmosphere, working in a space laboratory. Drugs might help to decrease the damage done by radiation, but no really effective ones have been found so far.

29．In which way is the atmosphere necessary to man according to the first paragraph?

A. It screens off the falling meteors.

B. It provides enough light for plants to grow.

C. It supplies the heat necessary for human survival.

D. It protects him against the harmful rays from space.

30．We know from the passage that           .

A. exposure to even tiny amount of radiation is fatal( 致命的)

B. the effect of exposure to radiation is slow in coming

C. radiation is avoidable in space exploration

D. astronauts in spacesuits needn’t worry about radiation damage 

31．The underlined word “deformed” probably means        .

       A. badly-shaped       B. weak      C. naturally-grown     D. ugly

32．It can be inferred from the passage that             .

       A. the Apollo mission was very successful

       B. astronauts will have deformed children or grandchildren

       C. protection from space radiation is no easy job

    D. radiation is not a threat to well-protected space explorers

 When it comes to sports passion, nothing _______the craziness in fans more than football.

   A. picks out                    B. makes out           C. brings out       D. figures out

It had been a long drive to the Veteran’s hospital. My brother and I had gone to  41  my Dad who had been  42  days earlier, weak, sick and confused. The  43  had diagnosed him with pneumonia(肺炎) and found cancer cells in his brain. My Dad looked so  44  lying there in bed. It wasn’t just the  45  that was getting to him. It was also being so  46  his family and friends. 

As I sat by his  47  , a little woman with a big smile  48  into his room. She was at least 80 years old but seemed to have the  49  of someone 60 years younger. She was a volunteer  50  handmade get-well cards from the local elementary school. Gently, she took my Dad’s hand and thanked him for his service to our country. It was the first time since he had gotten  51  that I saw my Dad smile. I  52  her into the hallway as she left and  53  her for lifting my Dad’s  54  . “I am just sharing a little  55  , sweetie,” she said with a smile as she walked into the next  56  room to share a little more.

That 80-year-old angel reminded me again of what is  57  in this life: sharing our love. When we share our love, we create  58  not only in the hearts of those  59  us, but in our own hearts as well. When we share our love, we find ourselves doing what we were always  60  to do. When we share our love, we make our souls lighter, our lives brighter and the world better.

41.A. invite                      B. amuse                   C. visit                      D. watch

42.A. refused                   B. admitted                C. hurt                      D. wounded

43.A. family                     B. patient                  C. nurse                    D. doctor

44.A. sad                         B. small                    C. bored                   D. calm

45.A. work                      B. illness                   C. failure                   D. loneliness

46.A. related to          B. strange to             C. far away from       D. different from

47.A. bed                         B. chair                     C. table                     D. window

48 .A. broke                     B. walked                  C. turned                  D. looked

49.A. looks                      B. strength                C. wealth                  D. energy

50.A. delivering B. showing                               C. selling                   D. collecting

51.A. hurt                        B. guilty                    C. sick                      D. bored

52.A. forced                     B. watched                C. pushed                 D. followed

53.A. thanked                   B. questioned             C. forgave                 D. blamed

54.A. hand                       B. head                     C. spirits                   D. dreams

55.A. love                        B. present                 C. time                     D. information

56.A. nurse’s                    B. doctor’s                C. patient’s                D. women’s

57.A. hard                        B. easy                     C. initial                    D. essential

58.A. surprise                   B. joy                       C. security                D. wonder

59.A. within                     B. beyond                 C. around                  D. before

60.A. meant                     B. ordered                 C. asked                   D. Attracted

阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式

Qingming was the most important festival of the year in ancient times and a spring outing was the most important part of the Qingming custom and, therefore,     1    was the major theme for poetry and paintings.

Of all the ancient poems about Qingming, the one     2    the Tang poet Du Mu is a well-known poem and has come down to the present day. It goes     3    (rough) like this: Qingming’s day is a rainy day, and people with a

    4    (break) heart are back and forth on the way. May I ask where I can fined a wine shop? The shepherd kid, pointing afar,     5    (say) there you can find the best. This is     6    vivid description of the mood you felt on the qingming Festival.

The Song     7    (art) , Zhang Zeduan’s painting “Qingming Scroll” is a masterpiece of art     8    describes what happens on both banks of the Bian River on the Qingming Festival. There are a crowd of people from all walks of life, some     9    (take) carriages, others siting in sedans (轿子), on     10    (they) way to the suburbs for spring outings. When you look at the picture you feel like part of it.

Sometimes, it is the smallest acts of kindness that are the most memorable. It was several years ago that this particular event                     41   .

My children and I were almost finishing the       42        for Kathy’s birthday celebration. At one store we had

       43    a colorful balloon with Kathy’s   44  character on it. We had to make one more stop at another store    to                   45    our purchases. I sent my older daughter and her little brother out to our car      46           my other daughter, Kathy, and I were waiting at the cashier line. A very short time                                       47     ,     they     both     came running back into the store and were                             48      that Kathy’s birthday balloon had escaped. I was tired from

       49   , but I told them we would get Kathy another balloon, sending them back to the      50   . I paid for our

       51    all the while trying to think of the most       52    place to buy one.

As Kathy and I moved towards our car a lady with a kind face came up to us. Pressing some folded     53   in my hand, she                      54      that she had seen what had happened and did not want my children to be sad about the

       55    of the balloon. I thanked her for her    56    and attempted to give her the money back. She was most

       57   , saying “I love children and I like to see them be      58     .”

I was very        59   , not by the money, but by this lovely lady’s act of kindness and generosity. Her kindness made Kathy’s birthday even more                 60   . I truly believe that dear lady is one of God’s earthly angels.

41. A. existed                B. occurred                  C. mattered                   D. remained

42. A. preparations         B. explanations              C. conversations           D. considerations

43. A. booked                B. drawn                      C. left                          D. bought

44. A. typical                 B. beautiful                   C. favorite                    D. famous

45. A. compare              B. complete                  C. count                       D. find

46. A. though                B. if                             C. so                            D. while

47. A. later                    B. ago                          C. again                        D. long

48. A. angry                  B. excited                     C. upset                       D. bored

49. A. driving                B. working                   C. shopping                  D. talking

50. A. store                   B. memory                   C. freedom                   D. car

51. A. gifts                    B. purchases                 C. clothes                     D. balloons

52. A. convenient           B. comfortable              C. perfect                     D. familiar

53. A. pictures               B. money                      C. books                      D. shoes

54. A. explained             B. insisted                     C. admitted                   D. promised

55. A. risk                     B. sight                        C. thought                    D. loss

56. A. carefulness          B. patience                    C. usefulness                D. kindness

57. A. confident             B. troubled                    C. determined               D. satisfied

58. A. happy                 B. sad                          C. funny                       D. angry

59. A. puzzled               B. touched                    C. moving                    D. inspired

60. A. special                B. terrible                     C. expensive                 D. respectful

Feeling exhausted and hopeless, I began walking to my car. Every step seemed tiring, and every step was another to survive. As I looked up into the sky I thought about how my grandmother had left me, and my anger began to return. I was annoyed by the loss, and my belief in God was beginning to fade. I couldn’t understand why these things happened. So as I stood in a public parking lot a million questions formed in my mind. Why did this happen to me? Aren’t we supposed to get signs from the people that pass on? Why did I not feel her presence anymore? Is there a heaven?

    Suddenly, a woman driving right by my side rolled down her window and distracted my unanswered thoughts. “Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me,” she said loudly. Thinking she was going to ask for my parking spot, I simply pointed to my car. The thought of having to say where my car was seemed like too much to bear. “No, excuse me,” she said again.

    At this point, I felt I had no choice but to see what this annoying lady wanted. As I got closer, I was startled—was this my grandmother’s nurse, Adu, who lived with her during her final months? I soon realized that she wasn’t, although the resemblance was unusual. Then, I realized that this Adu was searching for something in her bag. Surprisingly, I was overcome by a sense of relief that led me to be patient the entire time the lady was searching. Others would be nervous by a stranger reaching in their bag, but I wasn’t. She finally reached to the very bottom of her bag and handed me a three-page booklet. “It looks like you need this,” she said calmly with a warm smile on her face.

    I looked down at the mysterious and obviously used booklet and on the front cover in big bold letters read “What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?”

    It took me only a few seconds to comprehend the exchange with this woman, but by the time I looked up, she was gone.

    I walked slowly into my car holding the tiny little booklet that was given to me with fear that it would fly away in the wind. I didn’t know what it was exactly, but I knew that if my grandmother had anything to do with that I didn’t want to let it go.

    I felt a sense of relaxation as I opened the first page. It explained how people pass on, but their spirit remains with us. This was the first time since my grandma had passed that I felt her with me, just like I had wanted. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but I did know that I finally felt happiness from the surprising change in events.

    I couldn’t, and still can’t, believe what had happened to me on that day. I don’t remember the specific details that you usually hear about like what the person was wearing, the time of day, or even the weather, but it doesn’t matter. It was a random day in November when my life turned back around and I began to feel hope again. It was real. It was a miracle. And, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.

1. The author refused to say anything to the woman but just pointed to her own car at first mainly because ______.

    A. the author did not know the woman

    B. the woman interrupted the author’s thoughts

    C. the author was too weak to say anything

    D. the author thought she wanted to use the vacant parking space

2. What can we learn about the author’s grandmother?

    A. She was kind to the author.          B. She left nothing to the author.

    C. She often made the author angry.         D. She lost faith in God.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

    A. The author and the woman became good friends later.

    B. The woman turned out to be the author’s grandmother’s nurse.

    C. The author knows the specific details about this experience.

    D. The author was very grateful to the unknown woman.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. What Hope for Dead Loved Ones?        B. Miracle at the Parking Lot

C. True Love for My Grandmother          D. Adu, My Grandmother’s Nurse

Two little children were sitting by the fire one cold winter’s night. Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door. “Who can it be?” they wondered. One ran    61    (curious) to open it. There, outside in the cold and the darkness, stood a child    62  no shoes on his feet and dressed in old thin garments. He was trembling with cold,    63    he asked to come in and warm himself.

“Yes, come,” cried both the children. They drew the little stranger to their warm seat,    64   (share) their supper with him, and gave him their bed, and they slept on a hard bench.

On the night, they   65    (awake) by sweet music,    66  was played by a band of children in shining garments. Suddenly the stranger child stood in front of    67   : no longer cold and ragged, but dressed in silvery light. He said, “I am the Christ Child,    68   (wander) through the world to bring peace and    69   (happy) to good children as you. As you have helped me so much, this tree will give rich fruit to you every year.”

When he was saying that, he broke    70    branch from the tree that grew near the door, planted it in the ground and disappeared. But the branch grew into a great tree, and every year it bore wonderful golden fruit for the kind children.