Just how popular was Mini? Very. Every year her classmates voted(推舉) her the favorite student. The friends she had were much more than those of anyone else.
One day Mini was caught yakkety-yakking(大聲說笑) and ordered to stay back as punishment(懲罰). Staying back meant doing something “useful”, like helping in the library after school.
Now Mini’s school had a rule. Once a month, if you had something else to do the day you were punished, you could ask a friend to stand in for you.
Unluckily, her aunt was visiting Mini that day. That afternoon was the only chance Mini had of seeing her for another five years.
Mini needed someone to stand in for her. She asked Betty, her “best” friend. “Oh, no, Mini, I can’t,” Betty said. “I must help my brother do his homework.”
“Tony, will you stay back for me?” Mini asked another friend. “I wish you’d told me earlier. I have to go to a relative’s house with my father,” he said.
Now, Mini was beginning to doubt(懷疑) if even one of her friends would agree to stay. But she tried again. She asked three more friends and each one refused.
So, after school Mini stayed to help the librarian. And, when she found Mini crying after everyone had left, it was she who surprised Mini by allowing her to leave to meet her aunt. “I may have many friends,” Mini said to herself, “but in reality I have none.”
【小題1】What does staying back mean in Mini’s school?

Just how popular was Mini? Very. Every year her classmates voted(推舉) her the favorite student. The friends she had were much more than those of anyone else.

One day Mini was caught yakkety-yakking(大聲說笑) and ordered to stay back as punishment(懲罰). Staying back meant doing something “useful”, like helping in the library after school.

Now Mini’s school had a rule. Once a month, if you had something else to do the day you were punished, you could ask a friend to stand in for you.

Unluckily, her aunt was visiting Mini that day. That afternoon was the only chance Mini had of seeing her for another five years.

Mini needed someone to stand in for her. She asked Betty, her “best” friend. “Oh, no, Mini, I can’t,” Betty said. “I must help my brother do his homework.”

“Tony, will you stay back for me?” Mini asked another friend. “I wish you’d told me earlier. I have to go to a relative’s house with my father,” he said.

Now, Mini was beginning to doubt(懷疑) if even one of her friends would agree to stay. But she tried again. She asked three more friends and each one refused.

So, after school Mini stayed to help the librarian. And, when she found Mini crying after everyone had left, it was she who surprised Mini by allowing her to leave to meet her aunt. “I may have many friends,” Mini said to herself, “but in reality I have none.”

1.What does staying back mean in Mini’s school?

2.How many friends did Mini ask for help? 

3.Who helped Mini in the end?

4.What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “in reality”?

5. Which of the following can describe Mini’s feeling?

During his college years, Sherman Rogers spent a summer in logging(伐木) camp. When the boss had to leave for   41  days, he put Rogers in charge(掌管).

“What shall I do if the men   42  to follow my orders?” Rogers asked. He thought of Tony, a worker who complained all day, gave the other men a   43  time.

“Fire（解雇） them,” the boss said. Then, as if reading Rogers’ mind, he added, “I suppose you are going to fire Tony if you get the   44 . I’d feel badly about that. I have been logging for 40 years. Tony is one of the best workers I’ve ever had. I know he hates everybody and   45 . But he comes in first and leaves last. There has not been an   46  for eight years on the hill where he works.”

The next day, Rogers went to Tony, “Tony, do you know I’m in charge here today?” Tony said yes. “I was going to fire you the first time we quarreled,   47  I want you to know I’m not,” he told Tony, adding   48  the boss had said.

When he finished, Tony dropped the things in his hand and tears went down his   49 .

“Why didn’t he tell me that eight years   50  ?”

That day Tony worked   51  than ever before – and he smiled!

Rogers went back to   52  after that summer. Twelve years later he met Tony again who was now boss for one of the largest logging companies in the West. Rogers asked him how he came to California and happened to be so   53 .

Tony replied, “Were it not for the one minute you talk to me back that day, I would kill somebody some day. One minute   54  my whole life.”

Have you got one minute to thank someone? One minute to appreciate(欣賞) her or him? One minute. It can make a   55  for a lifetime.

During his college years, Sherman Rogers spent a summer in logging(伐木) camp. When the boss had to leave for   41  days, he put Rogers in charge(掌管).
“What shall I do if the men   42  to follow my orders?” Rogers asked. He thought of Tony, a worker who complained all day, gave the other men a   43  time.
“Fire（解雇） them,” the boss said. Then, as if reading Rogers’ mind, he added, “I suppose you are going to fire Tony if you get the   44 . I’d feel badly about that. I have been logging for 40 years. Tony is one of the best workers I’ve ever had. I know he hates everybody and   45 . But he comes in first and leaves last. There has not been an   46  for eight years on the hill where he works.”
The next day, Rogers went to Tony, “Tony, do you know I’m in charge here today?” Tony said yes. “I was going to fire you the first time we quarreled,   47  I want you to know I’m not,” he told Tony, adding   48  the boss had said.
When he finished, Tony dropped the things in his hand and tears went down his   49 .
“Why didn’t he tell me that eight years   50  ?”
That day Tony worked   51  than ever before – and he smiled!
Rogers went back to   52  after that summer. Twelve years later he met Tony again who was now boss for one of the largest logging companies in the West. Rogers asked him how he came to California and happened to be so   53 .
Tony replied, “Were it not for the one minute you talk to me back that day, I would kill somebody some day. One minute   54  my whole life.”
Have you got one minute to thank someone? One minute to appreciate(欣賞) her or him? One minute. It can make a   55  for a lifetime.