Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, “I’m homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?”
In that split second, everything I’d learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don’t talk to strangers … Be a good citizen … People will take ­advantage of you … Treat others as you wish to be treated … The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return … I guess love won the debate. “Sure,” I said. “What would you like?”
She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student.
She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual – lo mein and General Tso’s chicken.
As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time.
“So, what’s your name?” she asked.
“I’m Claire,” I said, startled at our exact same thought. “What’s yours?”
“Joyce,” she said with a smile.
We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. “Hopefully,” I replied. “I’m interested in nursing.”
“I went to college for nursing,” she said.
I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I’d feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this.
Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, “If you don’t like it you can take it back.” I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. “You don’t like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do.” I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all?
I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it.” How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly.
She replied, “I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad’s favorite, so I get that now.” Noticing that she used the word “was,” I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad.
She asked why I was at the mall.
“I’m waiting for friends. We’re going to see ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” I replied, stumbling over the words a bit.
“‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” she echoed in awe. “What’s that about?” I realized that she didn’t see commercials for movies.
I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. “A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting.”
She got up to get a to-go box. “Would you like one?” she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot.
“Would you like these?” I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. “Oh, no, thank you,” she said. “This is enough.” I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much.
“I need to meet my friends now,” I explained. “It was so nice to meet you, Joyce.”
“You too, Claire,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you.”
I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can’t help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn’t need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck?
I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life.
【小題1】From the second paragraph we know that the writer _________.

Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, “I’m homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?”

    In that split second, everything I’d learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don’t talk to strangers … Be a good citizen … People will take ­advantage of you … Treat others as you wish to be treated … The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return … I guess love won the debate. “Sure,” I said. “What would you like?”

    She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student.

    She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual – lo mein and General Tso’s chicken.

    As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time.

    “So, what’s your name?” she asked.

    “I’m Claire,” I said, startled at our exact same thought. “What’s yours?”

    “Joyce,” she said with a smile.

    We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. “Hopefully,” I replied. “I’m interested in nursing.”

    “I went to college for nursing,” she said.

    I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I’d feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this.

    Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, “If you don’t like it you can take it back.” I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. “You don’t like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do.” I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all?

    I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it.” How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly.

    She replied, “I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad’s favorite, so I get that now.” Noticing that she used the word “was,” I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad.

    She asked why I was at the mall.

    “I’m waiting for friends. We’re going to see ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” I replied, stumbling over the words a bit.

    “‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” she echoed in awe. “What’s that about?” I realized that she didn’t see commercials for movies.

    I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. “A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting.”

    She got up to get a to-go box. “Would you like one?” she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot.

    “Would you like these?” I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. “Oh, no, thank you,” she said. “This is enough.” I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much.

    “I need to meet my friends now,” I explained. “It was so nice to meet you, Joyce.”

    “You too, Claire,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you.”

    I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can’t help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn’t need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck?

    I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life.

1.From the second paragraph we know that the writer _________.

   A. debated with the girl over moral issues

B. hates having to make a quick decision

   C. hesitated before she decided to reach out

D. fell in love with the girl at the first sight

2.The writer felt guilty for a moment because ________.

   A. she was particular about food and also wasted so much

   B. she was a strict vegetarian who ate very little

   C. she didn’t order enough food for the girl

   D. she urged the girl to take her share of food

3.Why did Joyce end up unemployed and homeless?

   A. She was a victim of high education

B. She actually had some kind of mental disorder

   C. She graduated with average grades

D. The reason is not yet given.

4.Which detail doesn’t show the coincidence in the story?

   A. They both took interest in nursing.

   B. They were about to ask names of each other at the same time.

   C. When Claire headed to the theater, Joyce went back downstairs.

   D. They were both musical lovers.

5.The writer was very happy to have met Joyce because______.

   A. she didn’t know what she was going to be until then.

   B. this chance meeting changed her attitudes towards life in a way.

   C. she was glad to be able to pay for someone in need.

   D. hopefully the force that brought them together may bring good luck to Joyce.

6.The passage is intended to _______.

   A. arouse readers’ curiosity

B. explore social problems

   C. teach readers a lesson

D. share a sweet personal story

BEIJING, Nov. 30 – The Bird’s Nest may have been built for last year’s Summer Games but Beijing’s Olympic stadium will soon be aiming at fans of winter sports.

As temperatures have begun to drop in recent weeks, so too has the number of visitors to the 80,000-seater venue, which cost 3.6 billion yuan ($527 million) to build.

And, fearing another harsh (寒冷的) winter, National Stadium Co Ltd, which owns the Bird’s Nest, yesterday planed to spend 50 million yuan on a “snow festival”. 　

From Dec 19, visitors will be able to pay 120 yuan to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, among other things, on its newly constructed slopes.

The stadium owners expect to attract more than 20,000 visitors a day – twice as many as it currently does – during the two-month festival, which will include events for both the Western and Chinese new years.

Officials revealed it would take just 5,000 visitors a day to cover the costs of the project.

“It’s not a bad idea. You can ski on man-made snow in Dubai, so why not here?” said Heiko Grasse, a tourist from Germany, yesterday.

Famous outdoor equipment makers and local brands are in talks over sponsorship for the event, the Bird’s Nest owners said yesterday, while the capital’s television network will also provide 500 hours of coverage.

“The Bird’s Nest will not have a cold winter again,” Wu Jingjun, the new president of National Stadium Co Ltd, told China Daily yesterday. “We will create seasonal events almost every month from now on with assistance from the government and, importantly, the public.”

Yang Cheng, a newly appointed vice-president of National Stadium Co Ltd, said the snow festival would run for five consecutive winters if successful.

1.How many people visit The Bird’s Nest a day before the “snow festival”?

A. About 80,000.   B. About 20,000.     About 10,000.   D. About 5,000. 

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A. The “snow festival” will attract more visitors from China than the Western countries.

B. People aren’t allowed to visit The Bird’s Nest before Dec 19.

 The “snow festival” would run for at least five winters.

D. More than 2.4 million yuan a day is expected to be made in the “snow festival”.

3.What does Wu Jingjun mean by saying “The Bird’s Nest will not have a cold winter again”?

A. The Bird’s Nest will be kept at high temperatures in winter.

B. Winter Olympic Games will be held in The Bird’s Nest.

 The “snow festival” will provide many events in winter.

D. The Bird’s Nest will get much more assistance from the government.

4.Which of the following may NOT be included in the “snow festival” events?

A. A football game.  B. Skiing.   Snowboarding.  D. A New Year’s Party. 

Today I was at the mall waiting for friends, when a lady wearing a knit hat and a sweater came up to me and, shivering, said, “I’m homeless. Would you mind buying me some food?”
In that split second, everything I’d learned since kindergarten flashed through my mind. Don’t talk to strangers … Be a good citizen … People will take ­advantage of you … Treat others as you wish to be treated … The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return … I guess love won the debate. “Sure,” I said. “What would you like?”
She thought and then said, “I’d like to get Chinese food.” We headed upstairs. On the way she told me about when she was a teenager. She remembers taking pictures for the yearbook with her best friend. She was in the band and played basketball. She got good grades and was a good student.
She ordered soup, an egg roll, white rice, and pepper chicken. I would normally think that was a lot, but she had probably barely eaten in the last few days. I got my usual – lo mein and General Tso’s chicken.
As we ate, we got to know each other. She asked if I played any instruments. I replied that I played the violin, cello, and guitar. She told me she played the flute, piano, guitar, and violin. In the middle of our meal, I realized something. And she thought of it at exactly the same time.
“So, what’s your name?” she asked.
“I’m Claire,” I said, startled at our exact same thought. “What’s yours?”
“Joyce,” she said with a smile.
We continued talking, and she asked my favorite subjects in school and if I wanted to go to college. “Hopefully,” I replied. “I’m interested in nursing.”
“I went to college for nursing,” she said.
I was taken aback. How could we have so much in common? Was she pretending so I’d feel sympathy for her? But her eyes were genuine as she said this.
Meanwhile I was eating my lo mein, picking around the cabbage and the other vegetables. Joyce said, “If you don’t like it you can take it back.” I told her that I liked it, but was not fond of the vegetables. She broke into a big grin. “You don’t like vegetables, huh? Neither did I. But now I do.” I immediately felt guilty. How could I be picking at my food across from someone who barely gets to eat at all?
I tried my best to finish, but she seemed to sense my guilt and said, “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it.” How could she know what I was feeling? I told her the dish was my favorite, but I just eat slowly.
She replied, “I used to like lo mein, but pepper chicken was my dad’s favorite, so I get that now.” Noticing that she used the word “was,” I assumed her dad had passed away. I found it sweet that she gave up her favorite in order to honor her dad.
She asked why I was at the mall.
“I’m waiting for friends. We’re going to see ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” I replied, stumbling over the words a bit.
“‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’” she echoed in awe. “What’s that about?” I realized that she didn’t see commercials for movies.
I explained the basic plot and she chuckled. “A man who is born 80 years old and ages backwards! That sounds interesting.”
She got up to get a to-go box. “Would you like one?” she asked, but I refused. I realized that this food would probably last her for a few days, and I was glad she had ordered a lot.
“Would you like these?” I asked, gesturing at the food I had left untouched. “Oh, no, thank you,” she said. “This is enough.” I got up to throw my tray away, feeling guilty about wasting so much.
“I need to meet my friends now,” I explained. “It was so nice to meet you, Joyce.”
“You too, Claire,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you.”
I headed to the theater, and she went back downstairs. It sounds like a perfect coincidence, but I can’t help but think that some force compelled us to meet. I kept puzzling, Why is Joyce homeless? It seems so unfair. She shouldn’t need people to buy her dinner. She was a nurse. She got good grades. She took pictures for her yearbook. She was the person I hope to be in the future. What went wrong? How could such a good life be rewarded with horrible luck?
I feel lucky to have run into Joyce. She changed my outlook. She is still a wonderful person, despite what the world has done to her. I wish her the best, and can only hope that the force that brought us together will help her find what she deserves in life.

1. 1.

   From the second paragraph we know that the writer _________.

   1. A.
      debated with the girl over moral issues
   2. B.
      hates having to make a quick decision
   3. C.
      hesitated before she decided to reach out
   4. D.
      fell in love with the girl at the first sight
2. 2.

   The writer felt guilty for a moment because ________.

   1. A.
      she was particular about food and also wasted so much
   2. B.
      she was a strict vegetarian who ate very little
   3. C.
      she didn’t order enough food for the girl
   4. D.
      she urged the girl to take her share of food
3. 3.

   Why did Joyce end up unemployed and homeless?

   1. A.
      She was a victim of high education
   2. B.
      She actually had some kind of mental disorder
   3. C.
      She graduated with average grades
   4. D.
      The reason is not yet given.
4. 4.

   Which detail doesn’t show the coincidence in the story?

   1. A.
      They both took interest in nursing.
   2. B.
      They were about to ask names of each other at the same time.
   3. C.
      When Claire headed to the theater, Joyce went back downstairs.
   4. D.
      They were both musical lovers.
5. 5.

   The writer was very happy to have met Joyce because______.

   1. A.
      she didn’t know what she was going to be until then.
   2. B.
      this chance meeting changed her attitudes towards life in a way.
   3. C.
      she was glad to be able to pay for someone in need.
   4. D.
      hopefully the force that brought them together may bring good luck to Joyce.
6. 6.

   The passage is intended to _______.

   1. A.
      arouse readers’ curiosity
   2. B.
      explore social problems
   3. C.
      teach readers a lesson
   4. D.
      share a sweet personal story

BEIJING, Nov. 30 – The Bird’s Nest may have been built for last year’s Summer Games but Beijing’s Olympic stadium will soon be aiming at fans of winter sports.

As temperatures have begun to drop in recent weeks, so too has the number of visitors to the 80,000-seater venue, which cost 3.6 billion yuan ($527 million) to build.

And, fearing another harsh (寒冷的) winter, National Stadium Co Ltd, which owns the Bird’s Nest, yesterday planed to spend 50 million yuan on a “snow festival”. 　

From Dec 19, visitors will be able to pay 120 yuan to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, among other things, on its newly constructed slopes.

The stadium owners expect to attract more than 20,000 visitors a day – twice as many as it currently does – during the two-month festival, which will include events for both the Western and Chinese new years.

Officials revealed it would take just 5,000 visitors a day to cover the costs of the project.

“It’s not a bad idea. You can ski on man-made snow in Dubai, so why not here?” said Heiko Grasse, a tourist from Germany, yesterday.

Famous outdoor equipment makers and local brands are in talks over sponsorship for the event, the Bird’s Nest owners said yesterday, while the capital’s television network will also provide 500 hours of coverage.

“The Bird’s Nest will not have a cold winter again,” Wu Jingjun, the new president of National Stadium Co Ltd, told China Daily yesterday. “We will create seasonal events almost every month from now on with assistance from the government and, importantly, the public.”

Yang Cheng, a newly appointed vice-president of National Stadium Co Ltd, said the snow festival would run for five consecutive winters if successful.

60. How many people visit The Bird’s Nest a day before the “snow festival”?

A. About 80,000.   B. About 20,000.    C. About 10,000.   D. About 5,000. 

61. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A. The “snow festival” will attract more visitors from China than the Western countries.

B. People aren’t allowed to visit The Bird’s Nest before Dec 19.

C. The “snow festival” would run for at least five winters.

D. More than 2.4 million yuan a day is expected to be made in the “snow festival”.

62. What does Wu Jingjun mean by saying “The Bird’s Nest will not have a cold winter again”?

A. The Bird’s Nest will be kept at high temperatures in winter.

B. Winter Olympic Games will be held in The Bird’s Nest.

C. The “snow festival” will provide many events in winter.

D. The Bird’s Nest will get much more assistance from the government.

63. Which of the following may NOT be included in the “snow festival” events?

A. A football game.  B. Skiing.  C. Snowboarding.  D. A New Year’s Party.