Sometimes I really doubt (懷疑) whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are busy trying to make money in order to pay for my brother's education and mine. They don't act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. For them, “I love you” is too difficult to say. Even sending flowers to each other on some special days is hardly ever seen.

One day, my mother was repairing a quilt. I silently sat beside her and looked at her. “Mom, may I ask you a question?” I said. “What?” she replied, still doing her work. “Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. My mother stopped her work and looked at me in surprise. She didn't answer my question at once. Then, she bowed her head and continued to do her work.

I was afraid that I had hurt her feelings. I felt so embarrassed that I didn't know what to do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:

“ Look at this thread (線). Sometimes it appears, but most of the time, it hides in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it's really there."

I couldn't understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn't walk by himself. All of us were worried about him. "Dad, how are you feeling now?" I asked him one day. "Susan, don't worry about me." he said gently. "To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life." Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.

Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.

1.Why does the writer doubt the love of her parents?

A. Because they hardly meet each other.

B. Because they hardly speak to each other.

C. Because they often argue with each other.

D. Because they hardly express their love.

2.How did the writer feel after she asked her mom the question?

A. Embarrassed.B. Excited. C. Angry. D. Bored.

3.What does the underlined word "durable" mean in Chinese?

A. 好看的B. 廉價的 C. 耐用的D. .昂貴的

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The writer understood her mum’s words at once.

B. After two months from the hospital, Susan’s father could walk by himself.

C. The writer’s parents didn’t love each other.

D. Love is there, no matter whether you say it or not

5.What's the best title for the passage?

A. My Parents B. Love is Just a Thread

C. How to Find Love D. Where to Find Love

通讀下面短文，掌握其大意，然后在各題所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中選出一個最佳選項。

One afternoon, my son Adam asked me, “Are all people the same even if they are different in color?” 　 　I thought for a while, and then I said, “I’ll explain, 　31 you can just wait until we make a quick stop at the grocery store. I have something interesting to show you.”

　 　At the grocery store, we 32 some apples—red, green and yellow ones. Back home, I told Adam, “It’s time to 　33 your question.” I put one apple of each type on the table. Then I looked at Adam, who had a 　34 look on his face.

“People are like apples. They come in all 　35 colors, shapes and sizes. On the 　36 , some of the apples may not 　37 look as delicious as the others.” As I was talking, Adam was 　38 each one carefully. 　 Then, I took each of the apples and peeled them, 　39 them back on the table, but 　40 a different place.

　 “Okay, Adam, tell me which is which.”

　 He said, “I 　41 tell. They all look the same now.” “Take a bite of 　42 . See if that helps you decide which one is which.”

　 He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face. “People are 　43　 like apples! They are all different, but once you 　44 the outside, they’re pretty much the same on the inside.”

　　 He totally 　45 it. I didn’t need to say or do anything else.

31. A. although　　 　　 B. so　　　 　　　　　　 　 C. because　 　　　　 D. if

32. A. bought　　　 　　 B. ate　 　　　　　　　 　 C. saw　　　 　　 D. found

33. A. check 　　　　　　　　　 B. tell　　 　　　　　　　　　　 　 C. answer　 　　　　　 D. improve

34. A. worried　　 　　 B. satisfied　 　　　　 　 C. proud　 　　　　　　 D. curious

35. A. usual　　 　　　　　 B. normal　 　　　　 　 C. different 　　　　　 D. same

36. A. outside　　 　　　　　　 B. whole　　 　　　　 　 C. table　　 　　　　　　 D. inside

37. A. still　　　　 　　　　 B. even　　 　　　　　 　 C. only　　 　　　　　　 D. ever

38. A. examining　 　　 B. listening 　　　　 　 C. drawing 　　　　　 D. picking

39. A. keeping　　 　　 B. placing　 　　　　 　 C. pulling　 　　　　　　 D. giving

40. A. on　　　　 　　　　 B. towards　　 　　　　　　 　 C. for　　 　　　 　　D. in

41. A. mustn’t　　 　　 B. can’t　　　 　　　　 　 C. shouldn’t 　 　 D. needn’t

42. A. each one　　 　　 B. each other　 　　 　 C. the other 　　　　　 D. one other

43. A. just　　　　 　　　　 B. always　　　 　　　　　　 　 C. only　　　　　　　　　 D. never

44. A. put away　 　　 B. get down　　 　 　 C. hand out　 　　　　 D. take off

45. A. made　　　 　　　　 B. took　　　　 　　　　　　 　 C. got　　 　　　　　　　 　 D. did

Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey. One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while then the farmer said, “Let's do something to pass the time.” “What do you want to do?” “We can ask each other riddles (謎語),” the farmer said, “You start” “Let's make the rules first,” the businessman said, “And Let's make the game more interesting. Let's play it for money. If we don't know the answer to a riddle, we have to pay a dollar.”

The farmer thought about this for a while, then he said, “That's not fair (公平). You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer.” “That's true.” The businessman said, “What do you think we should do?”“ If you don't know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. If I don't know the answer to a riddle, I'll pay you $50,”the farmer said. “The businessman thought about this, then he said,” “OK, that's fair. Who will go first?” “I will” the farmer said, “Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?” The businessman repeated (重復(fù)) the riddle, “What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that's a good one. I'm afraid I don't know the answer.”

He gave the farmer $100, and then said, “Tell me the answer, what has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?” “I don't know” the farmer said, and gave him $50.

1．The story happened ________________.

       A．in a shop                                             B．on a farm           

       C．between two passengers                       D．before a long plane journey

2．What does the word “riddle” mean in this story?

       A．Something to help make rules                B．Something to win money

       C．A kind of game on doing business        D．A difficult question to find the answer to

3．Why did the businessman agree to give more money if he lost?

       A．Because he thought he knew more than the farmer

       B．Because he made much more money than the farmer

       C．Because he was interested in making riddles

       D．Because he was better at playing riddle games

4．The farmer ____________.

       A．spend all his money on the plane ticket  

       B．won fifty dollars by playing the riddle games  

       C．didn't want to pay even one dollar 

       D．enjoyed himself on his long journey 

5．Which of the following is not true? 

       A．The businessman knew the answer to his riddle

       B．The two men made their riddle game more interesting by playing it for money.

       C．The farmer was cleverer than the businessman.

       D．The two men made rules for their riddle game.

During my second year of nursing school, our teacher gave us a test. I was a hardworking student and I did well in all the subjects. I finished the questions successfully until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Of course this was a joke. I saw the cleaning woman every day. She is short and about 60 years old. She has dark hair. But how would I know her name? I had never talked with her before. In fact, I’d never even thought about talking to her. I stared at my paper and started to feel rather guilty. Finally, I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grades.
“Absolutely,” the teacher said. “In your life, you will meet many people. All are important. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is to smile and to say hello.”
I’ve never forgotten that lesson. Everyone deserves my attention and I should get to know all of the people who work and live around me. That was, perhaps, the most important lesson of my life. I also learned the cleaning woman’s name was Dorothy.
【小題1】How was the writer at the nursing school?