There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers, he used two buckets(水桶). One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and dilapidated one, which had seen many years of service, but was now past its best.

Every morning, the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path, one on each side, to the flowerbeds. The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled. The old bucket felt very ashamed because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds, much water had leaked along the path.

Sometimes the new bucket would say, “See how capable I am! How good it is that the gardener has me to water the flowers every day! I don't know why he still bothers with you. What a waste of space you are!”

And all that the old bucket could say was，“I know I am not very useful, but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me, at least.”

One day, the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual, he said, “You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back, I want you to look carefully along the path.”

Then the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed, on the side where the new bucket was carried, there was just bare earth; on the other side where the old bucket was carried, there was a joyous row of wild flowers, leading all the way to the garden.

21. What was the old bucket ashamed of?

A. His past.                  B. His aging.                   C. His manner.                D. His leaking.

22. What does the underlined word “dilapidated” probably mean?

A. dirty                        B. dark                             C. worn-out                     D. ordinary-looking.

23. The new bucket made conversations with the old one mainly to _________.       

A. take pity on the old one                               B. laugh at the old one

C. show off its beautiful looks                         D. praise the gardener’s kindness

24. Why was the old bucket still kept by the gardener?

   A. Because it was used to keep a balance.        B. Because it stayed in its best condition.

 C. Because it had its own function.                   D. Because it was taken as a treasure.

There is a famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

This was an age before telephones. Someone was delivering a message. When Coleridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration. His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his door. His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a little piece.

This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone.

The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them. But more damaging may be the cell phone’s interruption of our thoughts.

We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our cell phones, and this is by and large (大体上) a healthy, protective development. “I didn’t hear it ring” or “I didn’t realize my phone had shut off” are among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.

The notion of being unreachable is not a new concept—we have “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?

Now time alone, or a conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished. Even cell phone devotees（信徒）, myself usually included, can’t help at times wanting to throw their phones away, or curse(咒骂) the day they were invented.

But we don’t and won’t, and there really is no need. All that’s required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it. In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt (轻视)for the rings of our own phones.

A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from the person next to us，though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg—who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie. But most likely it is not, and I’m better off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the slice of pizza I’ll eat for lunch.

25. What is the point of the story about the poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?

A. To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone.

B. To encourage readers to read the works of this poet.

C. To show how important inspiration is to a poet.

D. To direct readers’ attention to the main topic.

26. What does the writer think about people telling “white lies” about their cell phones?

A. It is a way of signaling that you don’t like the caller.

B. It is basically a good way to protect one’s privacy.

C. We should feel guilty when we can’t tell the truth. 

D. It is natural to tell lies about small things.

27. According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?

A. Cell phones interrupt people’s private time.

B. With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.

C. People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones.

D. People get so addicted to the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else.

28. What does the last paragraph imply?

A. Never let cell phones disturb your life too much.

B. A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.

C. Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.

D. You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone.

    I discovered the power of fear when I became stuck to my driveway, as if my feet were crazy—glued to the cement（水泥）．As much as I tried, I could not move them. The realization that my daughters were playing in Nancy's house, just one-half block away, paralyzed（麻痹） my legs, making me unable to move when I neared the end of our driveway. Dense, black smoke was rising from behind the Sycamore Maple trees on the other side of the street and was enveloping three houses, making them barely visible. Nancy's house was one of them.

       I tried to call out for my daughters hoping to see them run safely to my arms, but my voice was also stuck - stuck in my throat with no intention of coming out. There I stood, helpless, paralyzed and silenced by fear, unable to protect the two little girls I loved more than even I had realized.

      Although trapped in a body that couldn't move or speak, I could still hear. I could hear other mothers anxiously calling their children. I could hear a frightening silence that covered the neighborhood instead of the usual happy voices of children. And, finally, I could hear the alarm of the fire engine. As the alarm announced, "We're on our way," it instantly dissolved the crazy glue that had held my feet to the cement and it unlocked the soundproof box that had silenced my voice. I was free to make sure my daughters were safe.

      As I continued down the driveway, two little girls, my two little girls, ran toward me from across the street. They had come home to tell me about the fire in the garage next to Nancy's house. Not only did my feet and voice work now, but my eyes were also in good working order and had no trouble producing tears.

29. Why was the author stuck to her driveway?

A. She was too tired to move her legs.                      B. Thick black smoke blocked her view.

C. The cement on the driveway was still wet.           D. The fear for her daughters' safety struck her.

30. What made the author able to move and speak again?

A. Shouting from other anxious mothers.                 B. Strange silence in the neighborhood.

C. The alarm of the coming fire engine.                   D. The courage to protect her daughters.

31. What does the author suggest at the end of the story?

A. She burst into tears of relief and happiness.        B. She was really thankful to see her girls saved.

C. She was too excited to believe what she saw.      D. She overcame her fear and fully recovered,

32. What is the best title for the text?

A. Love in Fire          B. The Power of Fear       C. A Narrow Escape   D. The Price of Fear

I wish there would be a way to describe China in simple terms but that’s impossible. For the most part Chinese people are friendly, easy-going and optimistic. They are curious and unusually patient and they are also the hardest-working people I have ever met.

In China, family is everything. In my English classes when the students were asked what they would do if they only had a few hours to live, most students told me how they would spend their last few hours with their families and parents. Many times the subjects in the classes center on families and friends. I teach many students a year, talking to them freely.

The cost of living here is very low compared with that of the US. The city of Xiang Fan I live in isn’t large and I live better. Non-imported（非进口的） foods are very cheap, so are clothing and articles of everyday use. The cost of public transportation is very low, too. Chinese value education. However, it is reported that many children can’t afford the expenses of schooling and are forced to leave school in some poor areas in China. But they organized Project Hope many years ago. It creates conditions for the poor children to go back to school. In my opinion, Project Hope is of great importance to the development of the rural education.

When we read news of China in the west, rarely, if ever, will we see anything mentioned of the positive changes China has gone through. While it is true that economic miracles have not reached many areas of China, we also have the same problems.

When I am asked which country I consider better, China or the US, my answer has always been the same, “We are not worse or better than each other, we are only different.”

33. What does the author think of Chinese people?

   A. He thinks most Chinese people hardly work.              B. He praises most Chinese people a lot.

   C. He thinks most Chinese people are proud.         D. He dislikes most Chinese people.

34. What are not cheap in China in the author’s opinion?

   A. Clothes and shoes made in China.                                   B. Public transportation tickets.

   C. Imported foods .                                                               D. Local foods.

35. We can infer from the passage that the author thinks __________．

   A. the progress of China is seldom reported in the US

   B. China’s economic miracles have appeared everywhere

   C. the westerners have got to know China well

   D. the education in rural areas is never cared about in China

Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight：

• Schedule yearly exams.   36   Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

• Protect against UV rays (紫外线)．Long-term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it’s extremely important to wear sunglasses.   37 

• Give your eyes a break. Two-thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products.   38   Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

•  39   As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins(维生素) C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

• Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜)．Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk.   40   Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A. Eat your greens.

B. Eye care should begin early in life.

C. They can properly protect your eyes.

D. Stay in good shape by taking more Vitamins.

E. Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

F. Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

G. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness.