B. To please people and other animals. C. To make new friends and keep old ones. D. To avoid the danger from the outside world.

B

Malka and Shaindle are sisters. Although they live an hour's drive from each other and don’t see each other often, they are in touch. Malka has a large family. Shaindle, however, has had difficulty having children.

Malka had just given birth to another son. Shaindle , married three years and still childless, was receiving fertility(生育) treatments. Involved with work, doctor’s visits, and medical treats, she was unable to make the trip to visit her sister after she had given birth.

Malka knew her sister’s problem and was quite understanding. Shaindle and her husband Feivel would be at the haptismal (洗礼) ceremony，of course.

On the day of the haptism, Shaindle and Feivel arrived early, earlier than Malka and her family. Malka’s mother-in-law, Yehudit, was already at the hall. “Hello,” said Shaindle cheerfully, never thinking what was about to happen.

Yehudit turned to her angrily and said, “What a selfish sister you are! Never once did you see fit to visit Makla this entire week! No wonder you have no children!”

Shaindle went into shock at her words. She turned away, her eyes filled with tears. The accusation had cut Shaindle like a knife. She was psychologically bleeding. Poor Shaindle couldn’t calm down. It took a while before she could regain her calmness. She couldn’t look at Yehudit; it was just too painful for her to do so.

The minute the words had escaped Yehudit’s mouth, she knew she had crossed a red line. She had stepped on very raw toes and felt regretted for her words –but it was too late. Her attempts to apologize were ineffective. The celebration had suddenly turned sour in just a matter of seconds. After all these years, the memory of that happening lingers on …

25. Shaindle didn’t visit her sister after her sister gave birth because______________.

A. she envied（嫉妒）her sister B. she lived too far from her sister

C. she was too busy

D. she didn’t feel quite herself

26. We can learn from the last paragraph that_____________.

A. Shaindle didn’t forgive Yehudit for many years

B. Yehudit didn’t realize how her words could affect Shaindle C. Shaindle couldn’t get rid of the bad memory for many years D. Shaindle burst out anger at Malka’s mother-in-law 27. The purpose of the passage is to tell us ___________.

A. words can really hurt us B. sistes should care for each other C. we should try to forget unpleasant things D. two sisters’ different experiences

28. The underlined part “stepped on very raw toes” probably means_____________.

A. be impolite to somebody B. hurt somebody deeply C. meet somebody by accident D. make fun of somebody

C

Matthew Henson—Arctic Explorer

In 1880, fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea. The travel, the adventure, the danger, and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson. One day, he found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds. For the next five years, Henson sailed around the world. With the help of the ship’s captain and other members of the crew, Henson learned mathematics, navigation, history, geography, and many other subjects. By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885, Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.

Unable to find work anywhere else, Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington, D.C. One day in 1887, a man came in to buy a hat. The man, Robert Peary, asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea. Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S. government.

He needed experienced men to accompany him. The shop owner knew about his young employee’s skills and experience on ocean journeys, so he introduced Peary to Henson.

Using his map-reading and sailing skills, Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman. Peary soon made Henson his assistant, and they became close friends. One day Peary told Henson about his real dream: to be the first man to stand on “the top of the world” at the North Pole. He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true. Over the next five years, the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic. However, they were not able to reach the pole either time. The cold, wind, and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined.

In 1908, Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole. Both men were over forty years old. The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot. This would be their last chance. With four Inuit guides, they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the pole. Peary’s feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled. In April 1909, Henson’s instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole. Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.

In later years, Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements. Today, the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes’ graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery.

29. In paragraph1, the author shows how Henson became ________. A. a skilled seaman B. a highly educated captain C. employed in a restaurant D. interested in helping others 30. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us ________. A. how Matthew Henson met Robert Peary B. why Matthew Henson went to the hat shop

C. why Matthew Henson stopped working on the Katie Hinds D. how Robert Peary knew that Matthew Henson had sea experience

31. On their trip to the North Pole, Henson and Peary could best be compared to ________. A. treasure hunters seeking big fortunes B. generals seeking power over another country

C. soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom D. fighters performing a task in an unknown land

D

When introducing American universities, some of the first institutions to mention are the Ivy League schools. Originally, the Ivy League was an athletic conference made up of 8 private institutes of higher learning in northeastern United States. However, as time went on, these schools also became known for their excellence in academics besides athletics. Included in the Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and Harvard University. These 8 schools have been recognized as some of the best colleges and universities in the United States.

Harvard University is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The university includes a number of graduate and professional schools, as well as a college for undergraduates. In 2012, Harvard ranked number one in US News’ ranking of national universities again. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institute of higher education in the United States. It can be said that first there was Harvard, then the United States of America. Also, Harvard’s library contains the oldest collection of books in the United States as well as the largest private collection in the world. Harvard has also been described by Forbes Magazine as one of the “billionaire universities” as of their recent list of 469 billionaires, 50 received a degree from Harvard.

Harvard College (the institute for undergraduate students) is one of the most famous schools in the United States. It offers over 40 undergraduate fields of study, including astrophysics, mathematics, neurobiology(神经生物学), etc. And the financial aid program there is amazing. Even though the tuition is about 37,576, and there are other expenses throughout the year, about 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid. Out of those students, over 90% of them had their full need met. And the policies for international students are the same for U.S. citizens.

Harvard College is very selective, as it only admits about 6% of their applicants. For admission into Harvard College, it is required that students take the SAT or the ACT, as well as 2 SAT Subject Tests. Harvard will also look at other factors during admission such as your application essay, high school transcript, work experience, GPA (Grade Point Average), your