Last year, around Labor Day, I read a “Happy Ad” in our local newspaper． There was a lady in a local nursing home, who was celebrating her 90th birthday and her family wanted everyone to know about it． It said that if you wanted to drop her a line, here was her address． So I did． I found a birthday card and dropped her a short note, wishing her a happy birthday．

A week or so later, someone knocked at my front door． I opened the door and found a middle-aged man standing on my doorstep． He introduced himself as the son of this woman to whom I had sent the card． He explained that he just wanted to drop by in person and thank me for sending such a nice card to his mom． Apparently, like many older folks, she did not receive much mail and was quite excited to receive mine． I just didn’t know what to say． I told him it was my pleasure and that I hoped his mom had enjoyed her birthday．

That year, I did not send out any Christmas cards, except to this lovely old lady in the nursing home． I just told her that I was thinking about her and hoped that she had a nice holiday． I sent her a Valentine and also a couple of notes in between． I just thought she might like to have someone write to her, to get some mail．

She passed away a couple of months ago． I never met this lady, but I did keep her and her family in my thoughts． I dropped them a line of sympathy． I hope that my few little notes were enough to brighten a couple of her days here on earth．

1.The old lady’s address was given because ____________．

   A． her family wanted to make her well-known

   B． the old lady wanted to receive a birthday card

   C． the son of the old lady wanted to meet the author

   D． her family wanted to give her a happy birthday

2.Which of the following best describes the author?

   A． Brave．          B． Polite．       C． Caring．        D． Faithful．

3.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

    A． A Kind Act     B． An Old Lady     C． A Happy Ad      D． A Considerate Son

Having driven almost thirty hours, I decided to stay in South Carolina for a few days. The next morning, I purchased a three-day fishing license and bait (餌料) before heading to the lake.

Opening my trunk, I carefully took out my fishing gear (用具), put it on the lake’s edge, baited up and began to fish.

“Good morning,” said someone, walking up from behind me.

Turning around, I saw a game warden (獵場(chǎng)管理員) with a clip-board.

“Good morning,” I said, nodding my head.

“Catch any fish?” he asked.

“No sir, just relaxing and killing time.”

“Can I see your fishing license?”

I handed him the license I had purchased at the bait shop.

“Can I see your driver’s license, too?” he requested.

“I see the name on the driver’s license is spelled Kiser and the name on the fishing license is Kaiser,” said the warden.

“The gentleman at the bait shop must have written it wrong,” I told him.

“Well, I’m afraid I’ll have to write you up for fishing with an invalid license and take away your fishing gear.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I responded, with a surprised look on my face.

Sure enough I was written up and my fishing gear taken away. I was told that I would have to pay a fine and that my stuff would be sold at auction（拍賣(mài)）.

I stood there almost in tears as he drove away. Those rods and reels were very special to me. I had used them over twenty years, fishing with my friends, who were now all dead.

After returning home in Georgia, I telephoned South Carolina trying to explain the situation, but no

one would listen. I was told that the Department of Fish and Game had a “zero tolerance” for fishing and hunting violations. Finally, in tears I paid the fine and gave up the fight.

Nine months later, I received a letter. I had no idea who it was from as there was no return address. On a plain piece of notebook paper was written “Auction for the Department of Fish and Game held this Saturday at 11:00 am.”

On Saturday, at six in the morning I headed to South Carolina. By ten o’clock I had found the auction. There were numerous boats and piles upon piles of fishing equipment. All at once, there it was—my wonderful stuff all thrown in a pile as if it was worth nothing.

As the auction began I took my seat. In my wallet was twenty-seven dollars. For more than an hour I waited for my property to be brought to the auction block.

“We have three rods and reels here. I guess we will sell this as a unit,” said the auctioneer.

“50 dollars,” yelled someone in the crowd.

“51 dollars,” yelled another man.

I rose from my seat and walked out of the auction.

“66 dollars,” I heard as the bidding continued.

“100 dollars,” came another bid. The auction became silent.

“100 dollars once, 100 dollars twice, 100 dollars three times. Sold for 100 dollars,” went the auctioneer.

I walked to my truck, got in and just sat there. Suddenly I heard something hit the side of my truck. Turning around, I saw the back of a man putting my three rods and reels into my truck. It was the same game warden who wrote me the ticket almost a year ago!

As I got out of the truck he stuck out his hand and said, “I wasn’t wrong. It’s the law that is wrong.”

I shook his hand, thanked him and drove away. I cried as I crossed the South Carolina Georgia state line.

1.Who wrote a letter to the writer telling him about the auction?

2.Why did the writer walk out of the auction while it was going on?

3.What did the game warden mean by saying “It’s the law that is wrong”?

It was about midday. I’d left work early in the morning to cash a cheque. I walked along to the bank, and found that there weren’t too many people about ten or eleven customers in there, which was pretty unusual for those central city banks.
I waited until it was my turn and just went up to the desk and started to talk to the bank clerk. He had a really strange expression on his face -- just sort of blank stare at least I thought he was looking at me and then I realized he was staring over my shoulder.
I began to turn round to see what he was looking at. At the same moment the outside bank guard came flying through the door and lay face down on the floor and following him through the door were three frightening masked men. They were carrying guns; at least I think the one in front was carrying a gun. Whether or not they said anything at that point I can’t remember to this day, or whether people just automatically put their hands up I’ve just no idea.
For a few moments there was just total silence, suddenly broken by the telephone ringing and I remember thinking and wondering who was on the other end of the telephone. Nobody went to answer the telephone, so this thing just kept on ringing and ringing. Then two of the masked men went to the counter, jumped over it and got the cashiers and the bank clerks to start filling the bags with cash. While the two were getting the money, the one at the door who was covering us with the gun was a bit frightened. He started swearing at them, and telling them to hurry up, to get a move on. They jumped back over the counter. One of them slipped as he landed on the floor and fell over and the other two swore at him again. They left through the door. Warning us, “Don’t move, stay like that with your hands up for ten minutes.” And then they just disappeared. Again back to total silence. People put their hands down, I put my hands down but I just stayed exactly where I was.
【小題1】What does the writer mean by saying “…a pretty unusual number for those central banks” in the first paragraph?

短文改錯(cuò)
It was my 18th birthday yesterday. As the age is special for our teenagers, so my parents held a birthday party for me at home. With my parents and some of my good friends attend my birthday party, I really had unforgettable experience. We sang songs, dancing and played games together. We all enjoyed ourselves very much. During the party, my parent told me that from then on I was no longer a child and an adult. They also said I should be more independent and responsibly. Hearing their words, I was greatly encouraged. It was just in that moment when I felt I was a grown-up

VI. 短文改錯(cuò)
找出下面一段文章中的錯(cuò)處并改正。如該行缺一詞，在文中缺詞處標(biāo)上“  ” ，并在相應(yīng)的橫線(xiàn)上寫(xiě)上正確的詞語(yǔ)；如該行多一詞，在文中用斜線(xiàn)劃掉多余的詞，并在相應(yīng)的橫線(xiàn)上寫(xiě)上該詞，用斜線(xiàn)劃去；如該行錯(cuò)一詞，在文中用橫線(xiàn)標(biāo)出，再在相應(yīng)的橫線(xiàn)上寫(xiě)上正確的詞語(yǔ)。如該行無(wú)錯(cuò)，在相應(yīng)的橫線(xiàn)上打上“  ” 。
示例：
Betty wants to be  nurse and works with sick people        a      
who need her helps.                                help     
Last summer Betty  had  broke her leg.                had    
The pain was very great and she couldn’t walk.                   
The telephone rang and I picked out the receiver(話(huà)筒). “Hello,”   69.____________
I said.  “Hello,” said the voice. “Bill here, is Betty there?”         70.____________
“I’m sorry,” I said, “You have got the wrong number.”             71.____________
A few seconds late, the telephone rang again. Just                 72.____________
as I expected he was Bill, “You have made a mistake again.”        73.____________
I explained. The telephone rang a third time. This made I           74.____________
angry. I speak in a big voice, “Hello, Bill, Betty here.”             75._____________
For a moment there was a dead silent. Then someone said,         76._____________
“What’s the wrong with you, Tom?” It was my mother.            77._____________
I could do anything but say sorry to my mother.                  78_____________