When Kyle walked into Ernie's Pet World, he looked very worried. He walked quickly to the front counter（柜臺(tái)）. The owner of the shop, Ernie, jumped out to greet Kyle. He was the shop's first shopper of the day.
"Good morning, sir!" Ernie said. "What can I help you with?"
"Well, I...," Kyle started to say.
"Wait, don't tell me," Ernie interrupted (打斷) him. "You're looking for a … a little dog... for
your daughter 's birthday.  Right?"
"No T really, l just..."
Ernie didn't let him finish. "Ah, I've got it, You just moved into a new house, and you want some fish for it. I have some very nice tanks over here."
"In fact, I..." Kyle was starting to look very nervous (緊張的). His face had a strange expression（表情）on it.
"No fish? Ah, a cat! You look like a cat person. At Ernie's Pet World, we have the best kinds. Take a look at this Persian— long, white hair, and look at that cute expression. She's looking at you. She's thinking, ‘Take me home. Take me home.’ Would you like some cat food and toys as well?"
"No, thank you," Kyle said. By this time, he was walking up and down. He had a pained (痛苦的) look on his face. "Really, I'm not interested in cats or fish or little dogs."
"What do you want, then?" Ernie asked.
Kyle looked like he was going to cry. "I just want to know if I can use your bathroom!" he finally said.
【小題1】 What does the writer want to tell us?

Of all the inventions, what do you think is ________ invention in the 21st century．

1. A.
   the most helpful
2. B.
   more helpful
3. C.
   helpful
4. D.
   more and more helpful

I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in. I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unluckily, it didn’t often work out. I was getting very tired. Because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification（資格證書）if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She asked me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course. I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that I could have a success, even if I am not top of the class at school.
【小題1】What do you think of the writer when she was a student?

I used to be very close to my father when I was a child. He gave me almost everything I wanted. Whenever I quarreled with my mother, I would turn to my father for comfort. He was everything to me.
Time flies like a bird. As I got older, I became silent and found it hard to start a conversation with my father. The gap(代溝) between us began to grow. He had done so much for me but I always took it for granted（理所當(dāng)然）.
Last time our school gave us two days off, and daddy gave me a ride home on his motorbike. I was tired and fell asleep on his back. Later my mother said he was very happy because it had been a long time since we got close last. Suddenly I felt a little shamed. I realized that I had paid no attention to him a lot during the last few years.
The next day I stayed in bed and when daddy tried to wake me up to have breakfast, I pretended(假裝) that I couldn’t hear him. At last he brought a bowl of noodles to my bed, and said, “Come on, dear, have your breakfast and then continue your dream.” I got so angry with him for troubling my sleep that I shouted, “__________.”
As I said this, I sat up quickly, and the bowl of noodles broke on the floor. Hearing the noise, mum came in and shouted at me, “What do you think your father is? Who else treats you as well as he does?”
I was shocked and didn’t know what to say. Finally I rushed with tears all over my face. I went to the pool where I used to go fishing with daddy. A few minutes later, I heard the sound of daddy’s motorbike. He was looking for me worriedly, but he didn’t notice me as I was sitting behind a tall brush.
I didn’t return home until 10 a.m.. The moment my parents saw me, they rushed to me. Mum hugged me tightly and daddy looked at me with worry in his eyes. “Are you hungry, dear?” he said at last. Before I could say anything, he had gone off on his motorbike to buy food for me.
【小題1】When the writer grew older, he found it         for him to have a talk with his father.