三、阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A

My teenage son Karl became withdrawn after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. At this rate he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.

One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and pleaded for help. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son.  I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”

I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son but I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.

Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he even made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”

56. By saying “Karl became withdrawn”, the author means that the boy changed entirely and ______.

A. preferred to stay alone at home           B. lost interest in his studies

C. refused to talk to others                                                 D. began to dislike his mother

57.There was silence on the other end of the line because______.

A. the speaker was too moved to say anything to the mother

B. the speaker waited for the mother to finish speaking

C. the speaker didn’t want the mother to recognize his voice

D. the speaker was unable to interrupt the mother

58. The sentence “he even made the honor roll means that______”.

A. he was even on the list to be praised at the parent-teacher meeting

B. he was even on the list of students who made progress in grades

C. he was even on the list of students who had turned themselves around

D. he was even on the list of the best students at school

59. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Children in single-parent families often have mental problems.

B. Mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life.

C. Being understood by parents is very important to teenagers.

D. School education doesn’t work without full support from parents.

 

B

If a person forgets names, places or facts --and has trouble with everyday things like reading or shopping --it may not mean you are getting old. It could be Alzheimer’s disease. So it’s important to see a doctor as soon as you can.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. But a drug called ARICEPT has been used by millions of people to help their symptoms(症状).

In studies, ARICEPT has been proved to work for Alzheimer’s. It has helped people improve their memory over time. It has also helped them to keep doing everyday things on their own.

Ask your doctor if ARICEPT is right for you or your loved one. It is the Number One drug for Alzheimer’s in the world. The sooner you know it’s Alzheimer’s, the better ARICEPT can help.

ARICEPT is good for many but may not be good for everyone. Some people may experience not sleeping well, feeling very tired, or not wanting to eat. In studies, these side effects weren’t serious at all and went away over time. Some people taking ARICEPT may feel light-headed. In this case you should tell your doctors because your condition may get worse.

60. If one suffers from Alzheimer’s, _______.

A. he has trouble with his memory         

B. he can’t do everyday things on his own

C. he often forgets things because he is old

D. he can’t move about

61. What is ARICEPT ?

A. A medicine to cure Alzheimer’s.         

B. A medicine to delay signs of aging.

C. A medicine to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

D. A medicine to cure brain damage.

62. One who is taking ARICEPT should go to see a doctor if he ______.

A. can’t fall asleep                                                                 B. feels tired out   

C. has no desire to eat                                                       D. feels like a drunken man