It was early morning. Peter Corbett helped Mark Wellman out of his wheelchair and onto the ground. They stood before El Captain, a huge rock almost 1.2 kilometers high. Mark had long dreamed to climb El Captain when he was a child. At the age of twenty?one, he had fallen while climbing mountain, losing his legs. But he never lost his love for life.?
Mark knew he couldn't finish the climb alone, but his friend Peter would be there to lend a helping hand. They thought it would take seven days to reach the top. Now Peter climbed about 30 meters up and hit a piton(巖釘) into the rock. Fastening(拴緊) one end of a 50?meter rope(繩子) to the piton, he let the other end of the rope fall down. Mark caught the rope and fastened it to his belt. He next reached above his head and fastened a T-bar(丁字鐵) to the rope. Mark took a deep breath, pushed the T?bar up almost as far as his arms could reach, and began the first pull?up. High above, Peter let out a cheer, “You're on your way.”?
For the first four days the two men progressed upward(向上) without accident. But on the fifth day, a very strong wind began to blow, making it hard for Mark to hold on to his rope. But Mark kept on pushing up the T-bar and pulling himself up.?
It took them one day more than they had expected. But as the two heads appeared the group of people waiting on the top went wild with joy.?
Mark Wellman showed that if you set your heart and mind on something, no wall is too high, no dream impossible.
【小題1】 With the help of his friend, Mark could climb up El Captain about  meters in height each day.?

It was early morning. Peter Corbett helped Mark Wellman out of his wheelchair and onto the ground. They stood before El Captain, a huge rock almost 1.2 kilometers high. Mark had long dreamed to climb El Captain when he was a child. At the age of twenty?one, he had fallen while climbing mountain, losing his legs. But he never lost his love for life.?
Mark knew he couldn't finish the climb alone, but his friend Peter would be there to lend a helping hand. They thought it would take seven days to reach the top. Now Peter climbed about 30 meters up and hit a piton(巖釘) into the rock. Fastening(拴緊) one end of a 50?meter rope(繩子) to the piton, he let the other end of the rope fall down. Mark caught the rope and fastened it to his belt. He next reached above his head and fastened a T-bar(丁字鐵) to the rope. Mark took a deep breath, pushed the T?bar up almost as far as his arms could reach, and began the first pull?up. High above, Peter let out a cheer, “You're on your way.”?
For the first four days the two men progressed upward(向上) without accident. But on the fifth day, a very strong wind began to blow, making it hard for Mark to hold on to his rope. But Mark kept on pushing up the T-bar and pulling himself up.?
It took them one day more than they had expected. But as the two heads appeared the group of people waiting on the top went wild with joy.?
Mark Wellman showed that if you set your heart and mind on something, no wall is too high, no dream impossible.

1. 1.

   With the help of his friend, Mark could climb up El Captain about  meters in height each day.?

   1. A.
      300
   2. B.
      150
   3. C.
      50
   4. D.
      30?
2. 2.

   While climbing, Mark .?

   1. A.
      carried the T-bar on his back and stepped upward?
   2. B.
      pushed up the T-bar and pulled himself up?
   3. C.
      sat in his wheelchair and pushed himself up?
   4. D.
      held on to the rope drawn up by his friend?
3. 3.

   Which is the correct order of the steps before Mark's climbing??
   a. push up the T-bar
   b. tie the rope to his belt?
   c. hit the piton into the rock
   d. fasten the T-bar to the rope?
   e. tie the rope to the piton?

   1. A.
      c?e?b?d?a
   2. B.
      e?c?a?b?d
   3. C.
      e?b?d?c?a
   4. D.
      b?d?e?c?a?
4. 4.

   Which of the following is true of Mark Wellman? ?

   1. A.
      He realized his dream without anyone helping him. ?
   2. B.
      He was badly injured when he climbed El Captain. ?
   3. C.
      He dreamed to climb up El Captain for a long time. ?
   4. D.
      He climbed up the rock by using a tool for the disabled.?
5. 5.

   What can we learn from the passage??

   1. A.
      A friend in need is a friend indeed.
   2. B.
      Dreams will come true in the end. ?
   3. C.
      Each step is important to success.
   4. D.
      Nothing can stop a strong will.?

A few years ago, Dave Stirling had the idea of selling CDs over the Internet. The business he started from his home in Ohio, the USA, now sells 500,000 CDs a year and has made him into a millionaire(百萬富翁)at the age of 24.

“I could see that this was the future of shopping,” says Stirling. “Why should you pay $15 for a CD and spend the time and the money getting into the store and parking your car? You can have the same CD for half of the price by clicking(敲擊)on your computer. And we can find any CD you want and bring it to your door in 24 hours!”

According to Stirling, this is the only beginning, “I believe that one day we’ll do our shopping over the net: it’s easier, quicker and cheaper. Shops and supermarkets will be the past.”

1.Dave Stirling started his business from _____

A. his home   B. His company   C. the office 

2.How has Stirling become so rich ?

A. By making ice cream.

B. By making advertisements.

C. By selling CDs over the Internet.

3.If you pay $15 for a CD in the store, how much should you pay for it over the net?

A. $15      B. $12        C. $7.5 

4.By shopping over the net, you won’t _______________.

A. spend the time and the money

B. click on your computer

C. get into the store by yourself

5.What can we learn from the passage?

A. More than half of the Americans prefer to shop over the net.

B. Shops and supermarkets will be the past in the future.

C. It’s easier, quicker and more expensive to do our shopping over the net.

PRIVATE ENGLISH LESSONS

An experienced teacher is offering private lessons in English.

Please email me at the address below and tell me:

◆Your age

◆Reasons for learning English

◆Your level of English

◆Areas that you need to focus on – grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, etc.

Mrs. Daniels( daniels_m@mail.com)

From: Li_Hua@gmail.com

To: daniels_m@mail.com

CC…:

Subject: English Lessons

Dear Mrs. Daniels,

I recently saw your advertisement on the university website offering private English lessons. I’m very interested in your private lessons and would like some more information.

I am a student at Aston College here in Hong Kong studying English, so my language level is already quite good.

However, I feel that I need to improve my listening and speaking skills. This is because I’m planning to study at London University in England next year and I think your lessons will help me to live and study abroad.

Could you send me some more information about the lessons offered, such as where and when they will be held and how much they cost? Also, I would like to know whether you teach students in groups or one-on-one.

I would be glad to supply any further information you might need.

Regards,

Li Hua

1.Where did Li Hua see Mrs. Daniels’ advertisement?

A. At London University              B. In a newspaper

C. On the Internet                    D. On TV

2.Why did Li Hua write the email?

A. To make friends with Mrs. Daniels

B. To apply to study at London University

C. To get more information about Mrs. Daniels’ lessons

D. To find out more information about Aston College

3.Which of the following information did Li Hua NOT mention in his email?

A. His age                        B. His reasons for learning English

C. His language level               D. The language skills he wants to focus on

4.Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his______.

A. listening and writing             B. writing and speaking

C. listening and grammar            D. listening and speaking

5.What can we learn about Li Hua from his email?

A. He is now living in England

B. He is a student in Hong Kong

C. His level of English is very low.

D. He is studying at London University.