Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A. B. C. and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

Dear World,

   Growing up in the U.S.A., I always wanted to experience another culture. The   36   came when I was 15. After several months of   37   , I was ready to spend the second term of my first year of high school as an exchange student in Australia.

   Landing in Perth was one of the most exciting moments of my life. I   38   then that there was no turning back. The family I would live with was waiting for me, and it would be only five days   39   the new school year started.

   The Catholic school I   40   was different from my public school back in the States. The uniform code was very strict. We were only   41   to wear one bracelet, which had to be a watch and one necklace, which had to have a Holy Cross. I was quite intimidated(害怕的) at first,   42   never having been to a new school—even in the United States. Everything went   43   , though. The teachers were welcoming and the students were friendly.

   The most unforgettable time of my term abroad was with forty-one other international exchange students traveling around Australia during our term break. Our   44   were as extensive as our nationalities: we traveled to Sydney, Canberra, Mildura, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Airlie Beach, and the Cold Coast.

   The few weeks we enjoyed together were crowded with   45   . We took a day-cruise on Darling Harbor and visited the Sydney Opera House.  We slept in an “underground town”. We walked around the famous Ayers Rock and went sailing on the Pacific Ocean.

   At the end of our   46   in Australia, we had three weeks of traveling time to share our stories and help each other deal with leaving. It was   47   that our last day together was filled with tears. We packed our camp, exchanged e-mail addresses, and gathered together for a final good-bye.

36. A. opportunity               B. vacation                         C. privilege                         D. dream

37. A. examining                 B. staying                           C. preparing                        D. resting

38. A. wished                      B. wondered                       C. realized                           D. concluded

39.A. when                         B. before                            C. until                               D. since

40.A. visited                       B. involved                         C. studied                           D. attended

41. A. persuaded                 B. allowed                          C. determined                      D. forced

42. A. always                      B. intentionally                    C. especially                        D. specially

43.A. smoothly                   B. annoyingly                      C. toughly                           D. strangely

44.A. shelters                      B. worksites                       C. habitats                          D. destinations

45.A. challenges                  B. amusements                    C. assignments                    D. activities

46.A. holiday                      B. work                              C. stay                               D. tour

47. A. unexpected                B. essential                         C. embarrassing                  D. natural

III. Reading Comprehension
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
She's open-minded and I'm conservative(保守的). She loves vegetables and I prefer doughnuts. She saves ducks and I eat them. We are very best friends, completely ___(50)___ in everything we do, but true soul mates to the core.
It's truly an unusual relationship. Pat and I started out with the same ___(51)___ in Catholic(天主教) school, but over the years Pat could no longer handle the guilt and completely ___(52)___ her ideas, while I remain a Catholic and practice religiously.
___(53)____ our relationship sometimes has its ups and downs, it has lasted longer than any of our marriages, and ___(54)___, all of our disagreements work themselves out. We ___(55)___ our inner thoughts and dreams, and we know that our deepest darkest secrets are sacred.（神圣的）
When my father was dying, I ___(56)___ endless hours in the hospital. Pat visited ___(57)___, lifting my spirits in the midst of the sadness. Even my dad, in his final days, __(58)____ about Pat's native energy healings, after she performed one in his room, and he questioned if it was Santeria（古巴的一種宗教）—Cuban black magic. Those were the days I truly understood the meaning of ___(59)___, as she brought my Bombshell friends in, filled with gifts designed to make me laugh.
I didn't have time for new friends ___(60)___ Pat brought these Bombshell women into my life. On this day, I understood why my friend brought us all together. The compassion(同情，憐憫) and ___(61)___ I received from these women is a feeling I will ___(62)___ for the rest of my life.
Dad died that same night my friends came to see me, and Pat stood with my family at his bedside as he ___(63)___ his last breath. As my family embraced in a(n) ___(64) ___ farewell, I was thankful to God for bringing Pat into my life.
50. A. common                    B. opposite                  C. consistent                       D. same
51. A. interests                    B. ambitions                C. beliefs                          D. wishes
52. A. transformed                      B. kept                         C. develop                           D. promote
53. A. As                      B. if                             C. Though                           D. once
54. A. hardly                       B. unfortunately           C. especially                        D. finally
55. A. have                         B. share                       C. speak out                        D. change
56. A. spent                        B. kept                         C. lasted                              D. took
57. A. rarely                       B. specially                   C. carefully                         D. frequently
58. A. played                             B. joked                       C. showed                           D. brought
59. A. surprise                     B. help                        C. friendship                       D. joy
60. A. whom                        B. which                      C. because                           D. when
61. A. gifts                          B. friends                       C. love                   D. responsibility
62. A. emphasize                  B. admire                            C. value                              D. enjoy
63. A. got back                    B. took                         C. held                                D. let out
64. A. emotional                  B. amazing              C. shocking              D. unexpected

III. Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

She's open-minded and I'm conservative(保守的). She loves vegetables and I prefer doughnuts. She saves ducks and I eat them. We are very best friends, completely ___(50)___ in everything we do, but true soul mates to the core.

It's truly an unusual relationship. Pat and I started out with the same ___(51)___ in Catholic(天主教) school, but over the years Pat could no longer handle the guilt and completely ___(52)___ her ideas, while I remain a Catholic and practice religiously.

___(53)____ our relationship sometimes has its ups and downs, it has lasted longer than any of our marriages, and ___(54)___, all of our disagreements work themselves out. We ___(55)___ our inner thoughts and dreams, and we know that our deepest darkest secrets are sacred.（神圣的）

When my father was dying, I ___(56)___ endless hours in the hospital. Pat visited ___(57)___, lifting my spirits in the midst of the sadness. Even my dad, in his final days, __(58)____ about Pat's native energy healings, after she performed one in his room, and he questioned if it was Santeria（古巴的一種宗教）—Cuban black magic. Those were the days I truly understood the meaning of ___(59)___, as she brought my Bombshell friends in, filled with gifts designed to make me laugh.

I didn't have time for new friends ___(60)___ Pat brought these Bombshell women into my life. On this day, I understood why my friend brought us all together. The compassion(同情，憐憫) and ___(61)___ I received from these women is a feeling I will ___(62)___ for the rest of my life.

Dad died that same night my friends came to see me, and Pat stood with my family at his bedside as he ___(63)___ his last breath. As my family embraced in a(n) ___(64) ___ farewell, I was thankful to God for bringing Pat into my life.

50. A. common                    B. opposite                  C. consistent                       D. same

51. A. interests                    B. ambitions                C. beliefs                          D. wishes

52. A. transformed                      B. kept                         C. develop                           D. promote

53. A. As                      B. if                             C. Though                           D. once

54. A. hardly                       B. unfortunately           C. especially                        D. finally

55. A. have                         B. share                       C. speak out                        D. change

56. A. spent                        B. kept                         C. lasted                              D. took

57. A. rarely                       B. specially                   C. carefully                         D. frequently

58. A. played                             B. joked                       C. showed                           D. brought

59. A. surprise                     B. help                        C. friendship                       D. joy

60. A. whom                        B. which                      C. because                           D. when

61. A. gifts                          B. friends                       C. love                   D. responsibility

62. A. emphasize                  B. admire                            C. value                              D. enjoy

63. A. got back                    B. took                         C. held                                D. let out

64. A. emotional                  B. amazing              C. shocking              D. unexpected

III. Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

She's open-minded and I'm conservative(保守的). She loves vegetables and I prefer doughnuts. She saves ducks and I eat them. We are very best friends, completely ___(50)___ in everything we do, but true soul mates to the core.

It's truly an unusual relationship. Pat and I started out with the same ___(51)___ in Catholic(天主教) school, but over the years Pat could no longer handle the guilt and completely ___(52)___ her ideas, while I remain a Catholic and practice religiously.

___(53)____ our relationship sometimes has its ups and downs, it has lasted longer than any of our marriages, and ___(54)___, all of our disagreements work themselves out. We ___(55)___ our inner thoughts and dreams, and we know that our deepest darkest secrets are sacred.（神圣的）

When my father was dying, I ___(56)___ endless hours in the hospital. Pat visited ___(57)___, lifting my spirits in the midst of the sadness. Even my dad, in his final days, __(58)____ about Pat's native energy healings, after she performed one in his room, and he questioned if it was Santeria（古巴的一種宗教）—Cuban black magic. Those were the days I truly understood the meaning of ___(59)___, as she brought my Bombshell friends in, filled with gifts designed to make me laugh.

I didn't have time for new friends ___(60)___ Pat brought these Bombshell women into my life. On this day, I understood why my friend brought us all together. The compassion(同情，憐憫) and ___(61)___ I received from these women is a feeling I will ___(62)___ for the rest of my life.

Dad died that same night my friends came to see me, and Pat stood with my family at his bedside as he ___(63)___ his last breath. As my family embraced in a(n) ___(64) ___ farewell, I was thankful to God for bringing Pat into my life.

50. A. common                    B. opposite                  C. consistent                       D. same

51. A. interests                    B. ambitions                C. beliefs                           D. wishes

52. A. transformed                      B. kept                         C. develop                           D. promote

53. A. As                       B. if                             C. Though                           D. once

54. A. hardly                       B. unfortunately           C. especially                        D. finally

55. A. have                         B. share                       C. speak out                        D. change

56. A. spent                        B. kept                         C. lasted                              D. took

57. A. rarely                       B. specially                   C. carefully                         D. frequently

58. A. played                             B. joked                       C. showed                           D. brought

59. A. surprise                     B. help                        C. friendship                       D. joy

60. A. whom                        B. which                      C. because                           D. when

61. A. gifts                          B. friends                         C. love                    D. responsibility

62. A. emphasize                  B. admire                            C. value                              D. enjoy

63. A. got back                    B. took                         C. held                                D. let out

64. A. emotional                  B. amazing                C. shocking               D. unexpected

The sea horse is a magical animal, which has puzzled （使困惑） people for thousands of years. In ancient Rome sea horses were believed to be the babies of Neptune’s horses. And Neptune was the god of the ocean. Now we know they are not horses at all — they are a kind of fish. They still seem as magical as ever, especially to divers who have watched them horsing around(瞎闖) in the sea. But today, sea horse populations face an uncertain future. Fishermen are catching too many of them, and their undersea habitats （棲息地） are being destroyed.
At least 20 million sea horses are taken from the ocean each year. More than 95% are used for traditional medicines in Asian countries. The sea horses are usually dried and then made into powder which is used to treat such problems as asthma（哮喘）, throat infections, skin diseases and cuts. How well the medicines work is unclear.
Sea horses are also bought and sold in large numbers as pets. Sea horse expert Amanda Vincent warns against buying pet sea horses. “A lot of people treat them as if they’re goldfish,” she says. But sea horses require very special care and live food. Most captive (被獵取的) sea horses pick up diseases and die.
Sea horse experts are trying to teach fishermen to become sea horse farmers. Instead of pulling nets of sea horses from the ocean, fishermen could learn to raise them in specially designed saltwater “farms”. That way, fishermen would have sea horses to sell, but ocean populations would not be hurt.
Vincent and her team have only discovered the 35 different species of sea horses, and they still have plenty of sea horse secrets left to unlock. That is why, Vincent told TFK, protecting future sea horse populations is especially important: “I promise your readers that by the time they grow up to be marine biologists, we’ll still have a lot to learn.”
【小題1】In the past, Romans thought the sea horse to be ______.