Farmers,as we all know,have been having a hard time of it lately,and have turned
to new ways of earning income from their land.This involves not only planting new kinds of crops,but some__55 ways of making money,the most unusual of which has got to be sheep racing.Yes,you heard me__56  !A farmer now holds sheep races on a regular basis,and during the past year over 100,000 people have __57  to watch the race.“I was passing the farm on my way to the sea for a holiday,"one punter (赛马经纪人)told me,“and I thought I'd have a look.I didn't believe it was serious to tell you the truth."According to a regular visitor,betting on sheep is more interesting than betting on horses.“At proper horse races everyone has already studied the form of the horse __58  ,and there are clear favourites. __59  nobody has heard anything about these _60  !Most people find it difficult to tell one from another in any
case."I stayed to watch the races,and I must admit that I found it quite__61  . In
a usual sheep race,half a dozen sheep race down hill over a course of about half a mile.Food is waiting for them at the other end of the__62  just to give them so
me encouragement,I ought to add!The sheep run surprisingly fast，__63 they have probably not eaten for a while.Anyway,the crowd around me were obviously enjoying
heir day out at the races, __64  by their happy faces and the sense of excitement.
55.A. common         B. strange            C. swift          D. illegal
56.A. honestly       B. surprisingly       C. completely     D. correctly
57.A. showed off     B. brought up         C. turned up      D. looked forward
58.A. behind time    B. in progress        C. in advance     D. in time 
59.A. But            B. Therefore          C. Moreover       D. Otherwise 
60.A.horses          B. sheep              C. races          D. stories
61.A.exciting        B. dangerous          C. boring         D. peculiar
62.A.race            B. hill               C. track          D. field
63.A.if              B. so                 C. yet            D. although
64.A.observing       B. judging            C. considering    D. inferring