Many years ago, there was a story of a school teacher—Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume.
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day， she stopped teaching reading, writing and maths. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a letter from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.（医学博士）.
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear， “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you."
1.What first impression did Teddy give Mrs. Thompson?
A. He often told lies.
B. He was good at math.
C. He was dirty and not easy-going.
D. He enjoyed playing with others.
2.According to the first paragraph, which is true between Teddy and his teacher?
A. Mrs. Thompson had a dislike of Teddy at first.
B. Mrs. Thompson didn’t play well with him.
C. Mrs. Thompson loved him all the time.
D. Mrs. Thompson told Teddy not to tell a lie.
3.Why did Teddy become one of the smartest children in the class?
A. Mrs. Thompson paid little attention to him.
B. Mrs. Thompson gave him encouragement more often
C. Teddy was cleverer than before.
D. Teddy got on well with other students.
4.Why did Teddy invite Mrs. Thompson to his wedding?
A. Teddy kept in touch with her all the time.
B. Teddy thanked her for her help and encouragement.
C. Teddy was treated by the teacher like her son.
D. She had taught him how to judge people.
5.From the passage, we can infer that ______.
A. we should love our teacher
B. we shouldn’t tell a lie in any way
C. knowledge can’t be important
D. motherly care can really make a difference
In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. A father rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake.
After the shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what happened, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of ruins that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his promise to his son.
Remembering his son’s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging.
Other parents tried to pull him off the ruins, saying: “It’s too late! They’re all dead! You can’t help!” He replied, “Are you going to help me now?” The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school’s ruins saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. We’ll take care of it. Go home.” This loving, caring American father asked, “Are you going to help me now?”
The police came and said, “You’re, anxious and it’s over. Go home. We’ll handle it!” He replied, “Are you going to help me now?” No one helped.
Courageously he went on alone. He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24 hours...36 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he heard his son’s voice. He screamed his son’s name, “ARMAND!” He heard back, “Dad! It’s me, Dad! You promised no matter what happened, you would always be there for me! You did it, Dad!” “What’s going on in there? How is it?” the father asked.
“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. ”
“Come out, boy!”
“No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, because I know you’ll get me! No matter what happens, I know you’ll always be there for me!”
1. Why did the father keep digging?
A. Because he promised his wife he would take care of their son.
B. Because others persuaded him to do so.
C. Because he promised his son that he would be with him whatever happened.
D. Because his son was his only child.
2. Many people came up and tried to persuade the father to stop digging except ______.
A. the police B. the fire chief
C. some kind parents D. the medical officer
3.Which of the following best describes the son?
A. Calm, hopeful and strong-minded.
B. Careful, helpful and absent-minded.
C. Frightened, hopeless and thankful.
D. Cold-hearted, honest and faithful.
4.What does the underlined word “they” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. those parents B. the students
C. the teachers D. The fire officers
5.We can learn from the passage that ______.
A. sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand
B. you cannot go on well in life until you forget your past failures
C. love can set us free from all fear and overcome the difficulties
D. we have enough happiness to make us sweet and enough sorrow to keep us human
Recently divorced(离婚), I had no job and was on my way downtown to go the rounds of the employment offices despite the great 36 . My old umbrella was broken, and I could not 37 another one.
I sat down in the streetcar — and there against the seat was a beautiful silk 38 with a silver handle inlaid (镶嵌) with gold. I had 39 seen anything so lovely.
I 40 the handle and saw a 41 . I got off the streetcar and 42 opened the umbrella to protect myself. Then I searched a 43 book for the name on the umbrella and found it. I called and a lady answered.
Yes, she said in 44 , that was her umbrella, which her parents, now dead, had given her for a birthday present. 45 , she added, it had been stolen at school (she was a teacher) more than a year before.
She was so excited that I 46 I was 47 a job and went directly to her house. She took the umbrella, her 48 filled with tears.
I refused the 49 she gave me. We talked for a while, and I must have given her my address. I don’t remember.
The next six months were 50 . I was able to obtain 51 here and there. l reached the lowest point in my 52 . Unless a miracle happened, I would be homeless in January, foodless, jobless.
Christmas Eve came. No money to buy my daughter a gift. I was sobbing (抽泣) in the cold little kitchen 53 the doorbell rang and my daughter Peggy ran to answer it. He was a postman, and his arms were 54 of parcels. “This is a mistake” I said, but he read the name on the parcels and there were for me.
Peggy and I sat on the floor and opened them. I looked for the name of the sender. It was the teacher. The address was 55 “California”, where she had moved.
1.A. cloud B. rain C. wind D. snow
2.A. search B. catch C. afford D. sell
3.A. raincoat B. seat C. book D. umbrella
4.A. never B. ever C. almost D. nearly
5.A. concluded B. examined C. learned D. helped
6.A. name B. address C. card D. demand
7.A. deliberately B. specially C. sadly D. thankfully
8.A. technology B. engine C. telephone D. medicine
9.A. anger B. surprise C. danger D. sorrow
10.A. And B. But C. So D. Or
11. A. forgot B. remembered C. indicated D. decided
12.A. applied for B. watching for C. asking for D. looking for
13.A. face B. nose C. eyes D. ear
14.A. reward B. prize C. present D. umbrella
15. A. freezing B. surprising C. shocking D struggling
16.A. failures B. successes C. jobs D. wages
17.A. heart B. favor C. work D. life
18.A. as B. while C. when D. then
19.A. proud B. full C. careful D. glad
20. A. simply B. directly C. finally D. nearly
______ his nose, he’s quite good looking.
A. Besides B. Apart from C. except that D. Now that
— It sounds like something is wrong with the car’s engine.
—______, we’d better have it repaired immediately.
A. Where possible B. If not
C. But for that D. If so
What a(n) ______ it is that they were born in the same year and on the same day!
A. coincidence B. accident C. incident D. confidence
