第二部分：阅读理解1Before you go to another country it is a great help if you know the language and some of the customs of the country.When people meet each other for the first time in Britain, they say ―How do you do?‖ and shake han ds. Usually they do not shake hands when they just meet or say goodbye. But they shake hands after they haven’t met for a long time or when they will be away from each other for a long time.Last year a group of German students went to England for a holiday. Their teacher told them that the English people hardly shake hands. So when they met their English friends at the station, they kept their hands behind their backs, the English students had learned that the Germans shake hands as often as possible, so they put their hands in front and got ready to shake hands with them. It make both of them laugh.1. It is very helpful if you know the language and some of the customs of the country.A. TB. F2. English people usually shake hands when they meet every time.A. TB. F3. Usually English people don’t shake hands when they just meet or say goodbye.A. TB. F4. English people like shaking hands very much.A. TB. F5. This story is about languages and customs.A. TB. F2In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached（附予) to telephone calls made after 11:00 pm. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it’s a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance. In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U. S. A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate（伙伴）waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.6. What is the main idea of this ?B. The role of time in social life over the world.7. What does it mean in the if you call someone during his or her sleeping hours?B. A matter of life or death.8. Which of the following time is proper if you want to make an appointment with your friend?B. At 4:00 pm.9. Which of the following statements is true according to the ?D. Promptness is valued highly in American life.10. From the we can safely infer that ______________.B. the meaning of time differs in different parts of the world3When a man is taller and stronger than other men, he is sometimes called a giant. Many people think of Chamberlain as a giant. He is so tall that he has a special, extra-long bed to sleep in and a special car with enough space for his long legs. During his playing days, Wilt was paid about $200 000 a year. That was what the president of the United States earned for being president. At that time, it was more than any other athlete in the entire history of sports had ever been paid.Wilt played for the Los Angeles Lakers team. He helped to make it the best team in the Western Division of the National Basketball Association, which is a group of the very finest professional teams in the world. Wilt owns a beautiful apartment building in Los Angeles and another one in New York. He owns racehorses (赛马). He wears fine clothes. He owns an English Bentley car.When Wilt was just seven years old, he took a job. He did not tell his mother or father, but one day his mother found out. She looked out into the street and saw Wilt lifting crates for a milkman. Mrs. Chamberlain told the milkman that Wilt was only seven. She said he shouldn’t be lifting those heavy milk crates. ―I thought he was twelve‖, said the milkman.11. According to the , people called Wilt Chamberlain a giant.A. TB. F12 Wilt Chamberlain played for the Seattle Seahawks.A. TB. F13. The president of the United States earned as much money doing his job each year as Wilt earned playing basketball.A. TB. F14. Wilt Chamberlain could be such a famous basketball player only because he played for the finest professional team.A. TB. F15. According to the , the word ―honesty‖ best describes Wilt’s desire to work when he was seven.A. TB. F4There are three kinds of goals: short-term, medium-range and long-term goals.Short-term goals are those that usually deal with current activities, which we can apply on a daily basis. Such goals can be achieved in a week or less, or two weeks, or possibly, months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation. Long-term goals cannot amount to very much without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.The intermediate goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year, or they could even extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step, you will enforce the belief in yourability to grow and succeed. And as your list of completion dates grow, your motivation and desire will increase.Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static (静止的) thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.19. What is the main idea of this ?C. Different kinds of goals in life.20. Which of the following statements is wrong according to the ?C. Life is a static thing, thus we should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.5Gladys Holm was a secretary (秘书). She worked in an office all her life. Gladys earned (挣) about $ 15,000 a year. She died when she was 86 years old. And she left a big surprise –$ 18 million! She gave the money to a children’s hospital.Gladys Holm never got married or had any children. But she always liked children, and she wanted to help them. When her friend’s daughter was ill in hospital, Gladys brought her a teddy bear. After that, she visited the hospital many times. Every time she visited, she brought teddy bears for those chil dren. After that, people started to call Gladys the ―Teddy Bear Lady‖.Gladys always gave toys and presents to her friends and family but no one knew she had a lot of money. She lived in a small house outside Chicago. Everyone was very surprised when they learned she was a millionaire. A family friend said, ―She always gave us nice presents and things, but we didn’t know she was rich.How did Gladys get so much money? She asked her boss how to earn more money, and she listened to what he said. She bought the stocks (股票) that he told her to buy, and she got very rich. Before she died, she talked to her friends about ―giving something to the children’s hospital‖. No one knew that the ―something‖ was $ 18 million!21. Gladys Holm often visited the hospital and gave children teddy bears because she had a lot of teddy bears.A. TB. F22. People started to call Gladys the ―Teddy Bear Lady‖ after she died.A. TB. F23. Everyone was surprised that Gladys had so much money.A. TB. F24. Gladys did what the boss told her to do, so she got rich.A. TB. F25. When Gladys Holm became a millionaire, she stopped working.A. TB. F6Britain and France are separated by the English Channel, a body of water that can be crossed in as few as 20 minutes. But the cultures of the two countries sometimes seem to be miles apart.Last Thursday Britain and France celebrated the l00th anniversary (周年纪念) of the signing of a friendship agreement called the Entente Cordiality. The agreement marked a new beginning for the countries following centuries of wars and love-hate partnership.But their relationship has been ups and downs over the past century. Just last year, there were fierce disagreements over the Iraq war—which British Prime Minister Tony Blair supported despite French President Jacques Chirac speaking out against it. This discomfort is expressed in Blair and Chirac’s body language at international meetings. While the French leader often greets German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder with a hug (拥抱), Blair just receives a handshake. However, some political experts say the war in Iraq could in fact have helped ties.The history of divisions may well be because of the very different ways in which the two sides see the world. But this doesn’t stop 12 million Britons taking holidays in France each year. However, only 3 million French come in the opposite direction. Surveys (调查) show that most French people feel closer to the Germans than they do to the British. And the research carried out in Britain has found that only a third of the population believes the French can be trusted. Perhaps this bad feeling comes because the British dislike France’s close relationship with Germany, or because the French are no t happy with Britain’s close links with the US.Whatever the answer is, as both sides celebrate 100 years of ―doubtful friendship‖, they are at 1east able to make jokes about each other. Here’s one: What’s the best thing about Britain’s relationship with France? The English Channel.26. For centuries，the relationship between Britain and France is .D. a mixture of love and hate27. The war in Iraq does to the relationship between France and Britain.28. The British are not so friendly to and the French are not so friendly to .A. Germany; America29. are more interested in having holidays in .20. What does the last sentence mean?C. France and Britain are near neighbors, and this will help balance the relationship between them.7Language is always changing. In a society where life continues year after year with few changes, the languages do not change either. The earliest known languages had difficult grammar but a small, limited vocabulary. Over the century, the grammar changed, and the vocabulary grew. For example, the English and Spanish people who came to America during the sixteenth century gave names to all the new plants and animals they found. In this way, hundreds of new words were introduced into English and Spanish vocabularies. Today life is changing very fast, and language is changing fast too.There are several major language families in the world. Some scientists say there are nine main families, but other scientists divided them differently. Th e languages in each family are connected, and scientists think that they came from the same parent language. About 3% of the people in the world speak languages that are not in these major families.6. The early language had many words and easy grammar.A. TB. F7. In the next few hundred years we can expect language to change a great deal.A. TB. F8. This article shows that language changes with changes in society.A. TB. F9. From this article we can know that language will become easier and easier.A. TB. F10. The first English and Spanish people arrived in America more than 400-500 years ago.A. TB. F8When John and Victoria Falls arrived in New York City for one-year stay, they did not bring very many things with them. They had planned either to live in a furnished apartment or to buy used furniture. But they soon learned about a new system that more and more people are using. The renting of home furnishings (bed, tables, dishes, and so on) has become one of America’s fastest growing businesses.What kinds of people rent their home furnishings instead of buying them? People who are international business or government officials, foreign students, airline workers, young married couples—people whose job or business may force them to move frequently from one city to another. They save a lot of trouble and the cost of moving their furniture each time. They simply rent new furniture when they reach their new homes. Young people with little money do not want to buy cheap furniture that they may soon dislike. They prefer to wait until they have enough money to buy furniture they really like. Meanwhile, they find they can rent better quality furniture than they could afford to buy.One family, who now have a large, beautiful home of their own, liked their rented furniture so much that they decided to keep renting it instead of buying new things. But u sually people don’t like to tell others about it. The idea of renting home furnishings is still quite new, and they are not sure what their neighbors might think.11. Which of the following has become one of America’s fastest growing businesses?D. Renting home furnishings.12. Why do some people prefer to rent furniture?C. Because it saves them much trouble and money.13. What can you infer from the ?B. Renting furniture is not popular in the couple’s home town.14. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the ?B. A New Way of Getting Home Furnishings.15. Young people liked renting home furniture in thatMost dog owners feel that their dogs are their best friends. Almost everyone likes dogs because they try hard to please their owners. One of my favorite stories is about a dog that wanted his owner to please him.One of my friends has a large German shepherd named Jack. These dogs are often very intelligent. Every Sunday afternoon, my friend takes Jack for a walk in the park. Jack likes these long walks very much.One Sunday afternoon, a young man came to visit my friend. He stayed a long time, and he talked and talked. So it was time for my friend to take Jack for his walk, but the visitor didn’t leave. Jack became very worried about his walk in the park. He walked around the room several times and then sat down directly in front of the visitor and looked at him. But the visitor paid no atten tion. He continued talking. Finally, Jack couldn’t stand it any longer. He went out the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down again in front of the visitor, but this time he held the man’s hat in his mouth.German shepherds aren’t the only in telligent dogs. Another intelligent dog is a Seeing Eye dog. This is a special dog, which helps blind people walk along the streets and do many other things. We call these dogs Seeing Eye dogs because they are the ―eyes‖ of the blind people and they help them to ―see‖. Seeing Eye dogs generally go to special schools for several years to learn to help blind people.6. Like many other dogs, Jack tried to please its owner master.A. TB. F7. Jack came to sit in front of the visitor in order to invite him for a walk.A. TB. F8. ―Finally, Jack couldn’t stand it any longer‖ means that Jack could no longer put up with the visitor.A. TB. F9. Seeing Eye dogs help and see for blind people.A. TB. F10. Famous Dogs in Germany would be the most suitable for this .A. TB. F10By definition, heroes and heroines are men and women distinguished by uncommon courage, achievements, and self-sacrifice made most for the benefits of others-they are people against whom we measure others. They are men and women recognized for shaping our nation’s consciousness and development as well as the lives of those who admire them. Yet, some people say that ours is an age where true heroes and heroines are hard to come by, where the very idea of heroism is something beyond us – an artifact of the past. Some maintain that because the Cold War is over and because America is at peace, our age is essentially an unheroic one. Furthermore, the overall crime rate is down, poverty has been eased by a strong and growing economy, and advances continue to be made in medical science.Cultural icons are hard to define, but we know them when we see them. They are people who manage to go beyond celebrity (明星), who are legendary, who somehow manage to become mythic. But what makes some figures icons and others mere celebrities? That’s hard to answer. In part, their lives have the quality of a story to tell. For instance, the beautiful young Diana Spencer who at 19 married a prince, renounced marriage and the throne, and died at the moment she found true love. Good looks certainly help. So does a special indefinable charm, with the help of the media. But nothing confirms an icon more than a tragic death-such as Martin Luther King，Jr. John F. Kennedy, and Princess Diana.11. The mainly deals with __________.C. heroes and icons12. Heroes and heroines are usually _________.D. all of the above13. Which of the following statements is wrong?D. Heroes and heroines can only emerge in war times.14. Beautiful young Diana Spencer found her genuine love ________.C. just before her death15. What is more likely to set an icon’s status?B. Tragic and early death.11―Dreams may be more important than sleep. We all need to dream,‖ some scientists say.Dreams take up about one quarter of our sleeping time. People have several dreams each night. Dreams are like short films. They are usually in colour. Some dreams are like old films. They come to us over and over again. That may be because the dreamer is worrying about something. Dreaming may be a way of trying to find an answer.Some people get new ideas about their work from dreams. They may have been thinking about their work all day. These thoughts can carry over into dreams.Sometimes we wake up with a good feeling from a dream. But often we can’t remember the dream. Dreams can disappear quickly from memory.Too much dreaming can be harmful. The more we sleep, the longer we dream. The mind is hard at work when we dream. That is why we may have a long sleep and still wake up tired.6. It may be less important to sleep than to dream.A. TB. F7. Dreams and films are usually very long.A. TB. F8. Some people often dream about their work because they may be thinking about their work all day.A. TB. F9. The main idea of the story is people like to sleep.A. TB. F10. Dreams are always good for our health.A. TB. F12Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1900 the world’s use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of years. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment.11. What’s the meaning for the word ―parchment‖?B. A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals.12. Which of the following is not mentioned about the invention of paper?A. More jobs could be provided than before.13. When did the Egyptians begin to use paper widely?A. Around 1400.14. Which of the following countries uses more paper for each person a year?B. Sweden.15. What is the main idea of this short talk?C. The invention of paper is of great significance to man.13Americans with small families own a small car or a large one. If both parents are working, they usually have two cars. When the family is large, one of the cars is sold and they will buy a van.A small car can hold four persons and a large car can hold six persons but it is very crowded. A van hold seven persons easily, so a family of three children could ask their grandparents to go on a holiday travel. They could all travel together.Mr. Hagen and his wife had a third child last year. This made them sell a second car and buy a van. There are seven seats in the van, and the sixth and seventh seats are used to put other things, for a family of five must carry many suitcases when they travel. When they arrive at their grandparents’ home, the suitcases are brought into the room and the two seats can then carry the grandparents.Americans call vans motor homes. A motor home is always used for holidays. When a family is traveling to the mountains or to the seaside, they can live in their motor home for a few days or weeks. All the members of a big family can enjoy a happier life when they are traveling together. That is why motor homes have become very popular. In America there are many parks for motor homes.6. From the , a van is also called a motor home.A. TB. F7. Before Mr. Hagen and his wife bought a van, they sold their old house.A. TB. F8. A motor home is usually owned by a family with more than two children.A. TB. F9. Americans usually use motor homes to drive their children to school every day.A. TB. F10. Motor homes have become popular because they can let families have a happier life when they go out for their holidays.A. TB. F14Laws have been written to govern the use of American National Flag, and to ensure proper respect for the flag. Custom has also governed the common practice in regard to its use. All the armed services have precise regulations on how todisplay the national flag. This may vary somewhat from the general rules. The national flag should be raised and lowered by hand. Do not raise the flag while it is folded. Unfold the flag first, and then hoist it quickly to the top of the flagpole. Lower it slowly and with dignity. Place no objects on or over the flag. Do not use the flag as part of a costume or athletic uniform. Do not print it upon cushions, handkerchiefs, paper napkins or boxes. A federal law provides that the trademark cannot be registered if it comprises the flag, or badges of the US. When the flag is used to unveil a statue or monument, it shouldn’t serve as a covering of the object to be unveiled. If it is displayed on such occasions, do not allow the flag to fall to the ground, but let it be carried high up in the air to form a feature of the ceremony. Take every precaution to prevent the flag from soiled. It should not be allowed to touch the ground or floor, nor to brush against objects.11. How do Americans ensure proper respect for the national flag?A. By making laws.12. What is the regulation regarding the raising of the American National Flag?B. It should be raised quickly by hand.13. How should the American National Flag be displayed at an unveiling ceremony?D. It should be carried high up in the air.14. What do we learn about the use of the American National Flag?C. There are precise regulations and customs to be followed.15. What is Americans’ attitude towards their National Flag?B. Respect.15Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for a Paris bus. The bus for Paris would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in line, others were walking around. There was a group of schoolgirls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in line. Tom looked around but there was no place for him to sit.He walked into the station cafe. He looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down before a large mirror on the wall. Just then, Mike, one of Tom’s workmates came in and sat with Tom.―What time is your bus?‖ asked Mike.―There’s plenty of time yet,‖ answered Tom.―Well, I’ll get you some more tea then,‖ said Mike.They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again. ―Oh! It’s going backward!‖ he cried. ―A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it’s half past eleven.‖―You’re looking at the clock in the mirror.‖ said Mike. Tom was so sad. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. Since then Tom has never liked mirrors.6. Tom went into the station cafe because Mike asked him to have a cup of tea.A. TB. F7. It was half past twelve in fact when Tom looked at the clock in the mirror?A. TB. F8. From the story we know that when we look at a clock in a mirror, we will find it’s going slower.A. TB. F9. Tom looked at the clock in the mirror only once.A. TB. F10. Tom arrived in Paris on time.A. TB. F16It has been reported that in colleges across the United States, the daytime serial drama known as the soap opera has suddenly become ―in‖. Between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., college television lounges are filled with soap opera fans who can’t wait to see the next episode in the lives of their favorite characters.Actually, soaps are more than a college f avorite; they’re a youth favorite. When school is out, high-school students are in front of their TV sets. One young working woman admitted that she turned down a higher paying job rather than give up watching her favorite serials. During the 1960’s, it wa s uncommon for young people to watch soap operas. The mood of the sixties was very different from now. It was a time of seriousness, and talk was about social issues of great importance.Now, seriousness has been replaced by fun. Young people want to be happy. It may seem strange that they should turn to soap opera, which is known for showing trouble in people’s lives. But soap opera is enjoyment. Young people can identify with the soap opera character, who, like the college-age viewer, is looking for happy love, and probably not finding it. And soap opera gives young people a chance to feel close to people without having to bear any responsibility for their problems.11. What is soap opera?C. The daytime serial dramas on TV.12. What can be the best title of the ?C. Soap opera fans.13. Which is not the reason why the soap opera suddenly becomes ―in‖ according to the ？D. Because the young people have to bear the responsibilities for their troubles.14. What can we learn from the ？C. Young viewers have turned themselves from the seriousness of sixties to enjoyment now.15. What message does the author want to convey to us？B. The people’s favorites to drama works change along with the times.17Long, long ago there was a very foolish thief. Do you know what he did one day? When he wanted to steal the bell on his neighbor’s door, he walked up to the door, took hold of the bell and pulled hard. The bell made a very loud noise. The thief was afraid and went home.Then he sat down to think, ―I must do something about the noise,‖ he said. He thought and thought. At last he had an idea. ―Ah, I’ll put some cotton in my ears. Then I won’t be able to hear the noise.‖ The next day he went to the door of his neighbor, and took hold of the bell. This time he pulled even harder. The bell rang loudly, but the thief did not hear anything. With another hard pull he got the bell out. Just then the neighbor came running out.―Steal my bell? I’ll teach you a lesson,‖ the angry man shouted. And he hit the thief on the nose.The foolish thief did not know how the neighbor found out he was stealing the bell. ―Why did he come out just then?‖ he wondered.。
