I’d been 16 for six days and was already prepared to deal with failure. I remember when my mum woke me up that morning, her voice wasn’t as scratchy as it usually was.

    I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was reluctant （不愿） to leave its warmth and comfort, and reluctant to face the problem that I’d let myself forget for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of bed.

I finished getting ready and tried to settle down. It didn’t’ work, so I decided that my mum and I should go. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I failed, with the wheel hitting the pavement. After that, the little bit of confidence I’d had was gone. I tried two more times, but didn’t improve much. Then we headed to the test site.

I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes—just enough time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my turn. I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday.

I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some comfort and I realized something: sometime between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside, I had become calmer.

The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite well. The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well and I passed it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second test next Thursday.

Back in the building I didn’t have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her smile made her face softer. And I’m sure it was at least as big as mine. But, her eyes looked kind of teary, so, I knew she was happy for me.

1．We can infer ______.

       A．the writer’s mother might often wakes him up rudely

       B．the writer’s mother is always kind to him

       C．the writer’s mother hates him

       D．never wakes him up in the morning

2．What has the author done probably in the past six months?

       A．He has been ill in bed.                 B．He has been learning to drive.

       C．He has prepared to deal with failure.      D．He has been looking after his mother.

3．Which is TRUE according to the passage?

       A．As he did well at the beginning of the text, his confidence grew.

       B．He didn’t’ doubt that he could pass the driving test.

       C．As soon as he got to the test site, he calmed down.

       D．He was happy that he had to come back next Thursday.

4．Which work can be used to describe the writer’s character?

       A．Uneasy.                                         B．Unhappy.

       C．Unconfident.                          D．Unlucky.

My husband and I married in a large country town. The morning after the wedding, we were going back to my parents’ home. As my husband was packing, I noticed he’d placed my 31 in the luggage crate(大木箱) on top of the car. I said that maybe he should 32 it. He turned and said, “It’ll be 33 . Trust me! It won’t come off.”

Halfway home we had a car come racing up beside us and the driver 34 us down. She said she’d seen a red suitcase on the side of the road several kilometers back and was 35 if it was ours. We looked 　36 and, to our 37 , discovered that the case had flown off.

　　　 We raced back, but the case was 38 . We visited the local police station, but as the road was a common link between several towns, we weren’t very 39 . We put it all down to our bad 40 .

　　　 Seven years later, my father got a(n) 41 from a lady asking if I’d lost a red suitcase. Her husband had 42 the case abandoned on the side of the road. He assumed he’d be able to find an address or name somewhere inside and 43 it later. On opening the case, they’d found the wedding cards, no address, and no way of 44 who we were. They’d spent seven years moving around the area, always taking the suitcase with them.

　　　 They were about to 45 again and decided to give it one more 46 before leaving. This time, on opening the jewellery box, they 47 a piece of paper folded up in it——my birth certificate. 48

that my parents were still in the district, they started to ring around. The suitcase was 49 returned to us.

　　　 This couple’s 50 and persistence(堅(jiān)持) in finding us is truly admirable.

31. A. jewellery　　　　　　　　 B. money　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. handbag　　　　　　　　 D. suitcase

32. A. close 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. fasten　　　 　　　　 C. pack　 　　　　　　　　 D. lift

33. A. strong 　　　　　　　　 B. flexible 　　　　　　　　 C. safe　　　　　　　　　　　 D. heavy

34. A. took　 　　　　　　　　 B. calmed 　　　　　　　　 C. led　 　　　　　　　　　 D. waved

35. A. wondering　 　　　　 B. suggesting　 　　　　　　 C. recognizing　　　　　　　　　 D. hesitating

36. A. around　 　　　　　　　 B. out　 　　　　　　　　 C. down　　　　　　　　　　 D. up

37. A. relief　 　　　　　　　　 B. regret　　　 　　　　 C. disappointment　　　　　　 D. confusion

38. A. gone 　　　　　　　　　　 B. broken　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. stolen　 　　　　　　　 D. hidden

39. A. anxious 　　　　　　　 B. hopeful 　　　　　　　 C. surprised　 　　　　　 D. frightened

40. A. idea　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. way　 　　　　　　　　　 C. luck　 　　　　　　　　　 D. plan

41. A. call 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. message　 　　　　　 C. notice 　　　　　　　　　 D. email　

42. A. fixed up　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. picked up　 　　　　 C. pulled out　 　　　　 D. given out

43. A. use　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. examine　　 　　　　 C. return　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. collect

44. A. mentioning　　 　　　　　 B. believing　 　　　　 C. sharing　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. telling

45. A. travel　 　　　　　　　　 B. move　 　　　　　　　　 C. ask 　　　　　　　　　　 D. meet

46. A. search　 　　　　　　　 B. chance　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. try　 　　　　　　　　　 D. check

47. A. felt　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. read　 　　　　　　　　　 C. got　 　　　　　　　　　 D. noticed　

48. A. Expecting　 　　　　　 B. Considering　 　　 C. Realizing　　 　　　 D. Judging

49. A. finally　 　　　　　　　 B. gradually　　 　　　 C. surely　　 　　　　　　 D. immediately

50. A. courage　 　　　　　　　　　 B. generosity　　　　　　　　　　 C. honesty　　 　　　　 D. selflessness　

There is one showing love．a(chǎn)nd there's another not responding in time．During lifetime, however, it turns out to be a regret and we always think of making it up when it's gone．

A father sat at his desk staring over his monthly bills 21 his young son rushed in and 22  ．"Dad．because this is your birthday and you're 55 years old, I'm going to give you 55 23 ．one for each year!" When the boy started 24  his agreement, the father exclaimed, "Oh．Andrew, don't do it now; I'm too 25  !" The youngster immediately 26  silent as tears welled up in his big blue eyes．27  the father said, "You can finish later．"

The boy said nothing but quietly 28  ,disappointment written 29  his face．That evening the father said, "Come and finish the 30  kisses now．Andrew!" But the boy didn't respond．

Unfortunately, a few days later after this incident, the boy had an   31  and was drowned．His 32  father wrote．"If only I 33  tell him how much I regret my thoughtless 34 ,and could be assured that he knows how much my heart is 35  ．"

Love is a two-way street．Any loving act must be warmly accepted 36  it will be taken as rejection and can 37  a scar．If we are too busy to give and 38  love, we are too busy! Nothing is more important than 39  with love to the cry for love from those who are near and precious to us, because there may be no 40  at all as in the case of the little boy．

1.	A．while B．before C．a(chǎn)s D．when

 

2.	A．a(chǎn)nnounced B．laughed C．replied D．a(chǎn)dded

 

3.	A．gifts B．kisses C．cards D．wishes

 

4.	A．coming up with B．getting away with C．looking forward D．getting on with

 

5.	A．a(chǎn)ngry B．busy C．glad D．curious

 

6.	A．felt B．went C．fell D．looked

 

7.	A．Excitedly B．Nervously C．Jokingly D．Apologetically

 

8.	A．turned away B．calmed down C．walked away D．set off

 

9.	A．over B．through C．a(chǎn)gainst D．within

 

10.	A．unfinished B．loving C．comforting D．caring

 

11.	A．operation B．event C．a(chǎn)ccident D．injury

 

12.	A．beloved B．unlucky C．considerate D．heartbroken

 

13.	A．would B．should C．must D．could

14.A words                      B．comments    C．questions          D．a(chǎn)ccounts

15.	A．racing B．a(chǎn)ching C．sinking D．beating

 

16.	A．but B．a(chǎn)nd C．yet D．or

 

17.	A．remain B．leave C．stay D．keep

 

18.	A．spread B．hold C．receive D．catch

 

19.	A．coming B．a(chǎn)ccepting C．learning D．responding

 

20.	A．chance B．regret C．time D．story