Bill Javis took over our village news-agency at a time of life when most of us only want to relax. He just thought he would like something but not too much to do, and the news-agency was ready-made. The business produced little enough for him, but Bill was a man who only wanted the simplicity and order and regularity of the job. He had been a long-serving sailor, and all his life had done everything by the clock.

Every day he opened his shop at six a.m. to catch the early trade; the papers arrived on his door-step before that. Many of Bill’s customers were city workers, and the shop was convenient for the station. Business was tailing off by 10 o’clock, so at eleven sharp Bill closed for lunch. It was hard luck on anybody who wanted a paper or magazine in the afternoon, for most likely Bill would be down on the river bank, fishing, and his nearest competitor was five kilometers away. Sometime in the afternoon, the evening paper landed on the doormat, and at 4 o’clock Bill reopened. The evening rush lasted till seven, and it was worthwhile.

He lived in a flat above the shop, alone. Except in the very bad weather, you always knew where to find him in the afternoon, as I have said. Once, on a sunny afternoon, I walked home along the river bank from a shopping trip to the village. By my watch it was three minutes past four, so I was astonished to see Bill sitting there on his little chair with a line in the water. He had had no luck, I could see, but he was making no effort to move.

“What’s wrong, Bill?” I called out from the path.

For answer, he put a hand in his jacket and took out a big, golden object. For a moment I had no idea what it could be, and then it suddenly went off with a noise like a fire engine. Stopping the bell, Bill held the thing up and called back, “Ten to four, you see, and this is dead right.”

I had never known anyone carrying a brass alarm clock round with him before.

1．Bill opened the shop so early in the day because ___________.

A．he liked to do as much as possible before he went to work

B．the shop had to be open when the morning papers came

C．he was never sure of the time

D．it was then that he did a lot of business

2．You might say “hard luck” to someone who __________.

A．has just heard some very good news

B．is less fortunate than he or she ought to be

C．puts great effort into whatever he or she tries

D．fails through his or her own fault entirely

3．On that sunny afternoon, the writer was surprised when he saw Bill because ________.

A．he thought it was late for Bill to be still fishing

B．he thought Bill was ill, since he was not moving at all

C．Bill had not caught anything, and that seemed strange

D．Bill stayed in his flat

4．From the information given in the passage, who or what do you think was wrong?

A．The bell was; it must have gone off at the wrong time.

B．Bill was; he had dropped off to sleep.

C．The writer’s watch was fast.

D．Bill’s clock was wrong; it was very old.

閱讀理解

　　Bill Javis took over our village news-agency at a time of life when most of us only want to relax. He just thought he would like something but not too much to do, and the news-agency was readymade. The business produced little enough for him, but Bill was a man who only wanted the simplicity and order and regularity of the job. He had been a long-serving sailor, and all his life had done everything by the clock.

　　Every day he opened his shop at six a. m. to catch the early trade; the papers arrived on his door-step before that. Many of Bill's customers were city workers and the shop was convenient for the station. Business was tailing off by 10 o'clock , so at eleven sharp Bill closed for lunch. It was hard luck on anybody who wanted a paper or magazine in the afternoon , for most likely Bill would be down on the river bank, fishing, and his nearest competitor was five kilometers away. Sometime in the afternoon, the evening paper landed on the doormat, and at 4 o'clock Bill reopened. The evening rush lasted till seven, and it was worth while.

　　He lived in a flat above the shop, alone, except in the very bad weather, you always knew where to find him in the afternoon, as I have said. Once, on a sunny afternoon, I walked home along the river bank from a shopping trip to the village. By my watch was three minutes past four, so I was astonished to see Bill sitting there on his little chair with a line in the water. He had had no luck , I could see , but he was making no effort to move.

　　“What's wrong, Bill?” I called out from the path.

　　For answer, he put a hand in his jacket and took out a big, golden object. For a moment I had no idea what it could be, and then it suddenly went off with a noise like a fire engine. Stopping the bell, Bill held the thing up and called back, “Ten to four, you see, and this is dead right. ”

　　I had never known anyone carrying a brass alarm clock round with him before.

1．Bill Javis became a news-agent when ________.

[　　]

A．he needed the money

B．he decided to take things easy

C．he was quite an old man

D．he gave up clock-repairing

2．Bill opened the shop so early in the day because ________.

[　　]

A．he liked to do as much as possible before he went to work

B．the shop had to be open when the morning papers came

C．he was never sure of the time

D．it was then that he did a lot of business

3．You might say “Hand luck” to someone who ________.

[　　]

A．has just heard some very good news

B．is less fortunate than he or she ought to be

C．puts great effort into whatever he or she tries

D．fails through his or her own fault entirely

4．On that sunny afternoon, the writer was surprised when he saw Bill because ________.

[　　]

A．he thought is was late for Bill to be still fishing

B．he thought Bill was ill , since he was not moving at all

C．Bill had not caught anything, and that seemed strange

D．Bill stayed in his flat

5．From the information given in the passage, who or what do you think was wrong?

[　　]

A．Bill opened his shop and read the papers every morning.

B．Bill was; he had dropped off to sleep.

C．The writer's watch was fast.

D．Bill's clock was wrong; it was very old.

When I was 11, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺點(diǎn)). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn’t a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. In the end, I became so angry that I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.” I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Dad. He refused to take it.” That’s just for you,” he said.
“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”
Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice. 
【小題1】What did the father do after he had heard his daughter’s complaint? 

A．He told her not to pay any attention to whatever”enemy”had said.

B．He criticized (批評) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings.

C．He told her to write down all that her” enemy” had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true.

D．He refused to take the list and have a look at it.

【小題2】 What does “Week by week her list grew” mean?

A．Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious.

B．She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer.

C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on.

D．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me.

【小題3】 Why did her father listen to her quietly?

A．Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth.

B．Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wantedto show this by keeping silent for a while.

C．Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment.

D．Because he believed that what her daughter’s “enemy” said was mostly true.

【小題4】 Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?

A．The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had

B．Not an Enemy,but the Best Friend

C．My Father

D．My Childhood

When I was 11, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺點(diǎn)). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn’t a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. In the end, I became so angry that I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.

He listened to me quietly, then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.” I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.

I brought the list back to Dad. He refused to take it.” That’s just for you,” he said.

“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”

Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice. 

1.What did the father do after he had heard his daughter’s complaint? 

A．He told her not to pay any attention to whatever”enemy”had said.

B．He criticized (批評) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings.

C．He told her to write down all that her” enemy” had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true.

D．He refused to take the list and have a look at it.

2. What does “Week by week her list grew” mean?

A．Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious.

B．She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer.

C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on.

D．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me.

3. Why did her father listen to her quietly?

A．Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth.

B．Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wantedto show this by keeping silent for a while.

C．Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment.

D．Because he believed that what her daughter’s “enemy” said was mostly true.

4. Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?

A．The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had

B．Not an Enemy,but the Best Friend

C．My Father

D．My Childhood