I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car．I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work．

Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum．From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money．There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered．This was one of those “don't want to be bothered times”．

“ I hope he doesn't ask me for any money,” I thought．

He didn't．He came and sat on the edge of the pavement in front of the bus stop but he didn't

look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus．After a few minutes he spoke．

“That's a very pretty car,” he said．

He was in rags but he had an air of dignity around him．His badly-grown blond beard kept more than his face warm．

I said, “thanks,” and continued wiping off my car．He sat there quietly as I worked．The expected plea（乞求） for money never came．As the silence between us widened, something inside said, “ask him if he needs any help．” I was sure that he would say “yes” but I held true to the inner voice．

“Do you need any help?” I asked．

He answered in three simple words that I shall never forget．We often look for wisdom in great men and women．We expect it from those of higher learning and achievements．I expected nothing but an outstretched dirty hand．He spoke the three words that shook me．

“Don't we all?” he said．

1. Why did the writer parked his car before the mall?

A. Because he wanted to pick up his wife．

B. Because he wanted to show off his car．

C. Because he wanted to wipe off his car．

D. Because he wanted to do some shopping．

2. Which has the closest meaning to the underlined word "bum" in Paragraph 2?

A. dustman                            B. driver                 C. beggar               D. robber

3. Which is the best title for this text?

A. A good husband                                      B. Didn't he need help? 

C. Don't we all?                           D. One should be generous

The parents of a troubled teen may feel unsure as to whom to turn to in order to find help for their child. They may feel as if they have exhausted all of their options, and sometimes they are on the verge of giving up. But there is hope. Schools for troubled teens offer discipline and in some cases, drug treatment programs that can provide important life skills, and more importantly, a fresh start.

The following is a list of the most effective types of schools for troubled teens. Not every facility is a match for every child, but by knowing the differences between them, parents can make a better educated decision about where to send their teenager.

Boarding Schools

When a child is unable to deal with the relative freedom of a standard school day, boarding schools might be a good choice. At boarding schools, the child lives in a dorm setting, where almost every minute of the day is scheduled by school administrators.

Treatment Centers

When a teenager has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, a residential center that specializes in young people is an outstanding way to help them break the cycle of addiction. Treatment centers feature individual and group counseling to help identify the root causes of the drug problem and help develop the life skills needed to stay clean when the program is over.

Wilderness Programs 

Designed to help improve the discipline and self-reliance of the child, wilderness programs send kids back to nature. By placing them in a foreign and sometimes uncomfortable setting, wilderness programs hope to improve children’s behavior. Programs generally include hikes, exercise programs and team building exercises.

Boot Camps

Boot camps are the most extreme style of school for troubled teens. These facilities are modeled after actual military boot camps, where the individual must get into shape, work as part of a team, and follow a long, hard set of rules and regulations. However, boot camps might not be the best choice for a teen with a drug addiction.

4. Who would be the intended readers of the passage?

A. Teachers.            B. Parents.                 C. Students.            D. Experts.

5. As the author suggests, schools for troubled teens______.

A. can be a good choice for some desperate parents

B. can completely help and change troubled teens

C. are becoming popular with teens in trouble

D. care more about discipline than life skills

6. According to the passage, boarding schools_____.

A. provide children with more freedom   

B. have their students’ time managed carefully

C. pay much attention to team building exercises   

D. can make children feel safer

7. What’s the purpose of this passage?

A. To introduce schools for troubled teens.

B. To show some problems of troubled teens.

C. To teach parents how to educate their children. 

D. To remind parents to care for their children.

 “Yes, I’ll be ready at nine in the morning. Goodbye, dear, and thanks again.” It had not been an easy telephone call for Mrs. Robson to make. Her daughter had been very kind, of course, and had immediately agreed to pick her up and drive her to the station, but Mrs. Robson hated to admit that she needed help. Since her husband died ten years ago, she had prided herself on her independence. She had continued to live in their little house, alone.

This evening, however, she was standing at her living-room window, staring out at the SOLD notice in the small front garden. Her feelings were mixed. Of course, she was sad at the thought of leaving the house, as it was full of so many memories. But at the same time she was looking forward to spending her last years near the sea, back in the little seaside town where she had been born. With the money from the sale of the house, she had bought a little flat there. She turned from the living room window, and looked round at the room. One or two pieces of furniture remained, covered with sheet. All her pictures had been taken from the walls. There was a small fish tank, with two goldfish in it. When asked why, her husband used to say: “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” Since he had passed away, she had always kept some goldfish, and always had “something alive in the room”.

The next morning, as her train was pulling out of the station, Mrs. Robson called to her daughter, “Kate, you won’t forget to collect the goldfish, will you? The children will love them. It’s…”

“I know,” Kate interrupted gently. “It’s nice to have something alive in the room.” But in the little house, the two goldfish had stopped their circling. They were floating on the water, in the room with silent walls.

8. According to the passage, we know that Mrs. Robson ________.

A. was a person who liked to be alone

B. was not able to help herself

C. did not like asking people for help

D. wanted to live without her husband

9. On her last night in the house, Mrs. Robson was feeling __________.

A. a bit sad but not totally unhappy

B. happy but unable to help herself

C. proud and sad

D. in poor spirits

10. Mrs. Robson was going to __________.

A. be in hospital                 B. live with her daughter

C. meet her husband              D. live where she was born

11. The little house meant a lot to Mrs. Robson because________.

A. it was full of pets and plants

B. many friends and relatives visited it

C. it had a long and unforgettable history

D. an important part of her life was spent there

Scientists in Mexico have just begun a new study of one of the world’s biggest pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, north of Mexico City. They’re putting lots of small, high-tech machines under the pyramid to try to unlock some of its secrets. For thousands of years, people have tried to uncover the secrets of the pyramids.

The people who built the pyramids made lots of secret doors and rooms to stop robbers from finding the treasures inside. However, there always have been some smart thieves in history. Now, almost all of Egypt’s pyramids have been robbed, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which is the largest pyramid in the world. It is the only one of the ancient wonders of the world that is still standing.

In AD 820, an Arab king named Abdullah AL Manum got a group of workers to dig their way into the Great Pyramid and have a look. Inside the pyramid, they found three rooms—the Queen’s Chamber, the Grand Gallery and the King’s Chamber. But to their surprise, the men didn’t find the treasures they wanted. The Queen’s and King’s Chambers were both empty! Where were the King’s mummy and his treasures? Had someone already taken them away? The huge stone doors at the pyramid’s entrance were still closed when AL Manum’s men went inside. How had the thieves got in and out?

Since then, many people have gone inside the Great Pyramid to have a look or to try to take things. But still, no other chambers or walkways have been found.

In 2002, an American team made the most recent visit to the Great Pyramid. Scientists sent a robot into the pyramid, but they only found a mysterious locked stone door.

12. The first two paragraphs were written to show that ____.

      A. ancient Egyptian emperors were cruel

     B. the Pyramid of the Sun is an unusual historic building

     C. construction workers led a hard life in ancient Egypt

     D. the secrets of the pyramids remain to be uncovered

13. What is the purpose of making some secret doors to the pyramids?  _______.

     A. To try to unlock some of its secrets

     B. To stop robbers from finding the treasures inside

     C. To refuse some visitors all over the world into it

     D. To tell the truth to the people in the future

14. Which of the following is NOT true to the Great Pyramid of Khufu? ______.

     A. It is the largest pyramid in the world.  

     B. It is the only one of the ancient wonders that is still standing.

     C. Abdullah AL Manum took the King’s mummy and his treasures away

     D. Scientists found a mysterious locked stone door to the Great Pyramid

15. What would be the best title for the text?

     A. The Pyramid of the Sun      

B. The Great Pyramid of Khufu

    C. A Mysterious Locked Stone Door 

    D. Unlocking the Doors of History of the Pyramid

Watching a sporting event with family and friends under the sun is a great experience in summer.  16   In the United States, heat exposure led to 8,000 deaths between 1979 and 2003. Luckily, a little prevention can go a long way towards making sure of an enjoyable day.

Know the danger

Heat-related illnesses do not require record-breaking temperatures to occur.   17   The body’s temperature can reach 106 or 107 degrees Fahrenheit on a 90-degree day, creating a potentially deadly situation. Factors such as age, weight or a medical condition can influence people.

Drink plenty of water

 18   Sweating is your body’s key way to keep cool, so drink water to stay well hydrated(含水的) before you feel thirsty. A cool beer may sound perfect on a hot day, but drink responsibly. Alcohol stops the body’s cooling system and causes you to go to the bathroom frequently.

           19   

Wear light-colored and loosely fitting clothing, so air can go around your body and help keep you cool. A hat is a must to help you keep cool, since your head contains many blood vessels(血管), and sun block(防晒乳) is always a good idea.

Take action

What should you do if you are suffering from the heat while watching your favorite event?

Get up and go. It is a simple piece of advice, but could make the difference between a quick recovery and something more severe that requires medical attention. The ideal thing is to move yourself from the position you’re in to an area that is a little cooler. 20  

A. Dress for the occasion

B. Weather-related causes

C. In hot weather, it is essential to stay hydrated.

D. You may miss a little of the action, but it beats missing a lot.

E. But when you add sun exposure to the crowds, the results can be deadly.

F. It is also important to take advantage of services the equipment provides.

G. Temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit can be dangerous.