Honeybees are disappearing for unknown reasons around the United States. Last winter, bees disappeared from 23 percent of American beekeeping businesses. Causes of the phenomenon, however, have remained a mystery.
Now, scientists from several universities and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have a possible explanation for the bee decline（数量下降）. It is a little known virus called Israeli acute--paralysis virus (IAPV) .The virus kills bees. Researchers in Israel first described it in 2004 , but until now, bee experts hadn’t paid much attention to it.
When trying to find out why the bees were disappearing, a research team at Columbia University studied bee colonies ( 群体), some with and the others without decline. The research turned up large numbers of two types of fungi (真菌) once suspected of causing the bee decline. The research results, however, showed that the fungi were almost as common in colonies without a decline as they were in colonies with a decline. The researchers concluded that the two fungi probably weren’t the cause.
Studies of the presence of IAPV, however, showed more interesting information. In those studies, done by a team at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, the virus showed up in 83 percent of samples from colonies with symptoms (症状). Only five percent of samples from symptomless colonies had it.
Scientists still don’t know whether IAPIV can single--handedly cause the bee decline. They believe that even if the virus is making colonies sick , it could have a partner in crime. It’s possible, for instance, that insects or chemicals in the environment weaken bees, making them more likely to catch IAPV.
Scientists are still trying to figure out how IAPV came to the United States. The United States currently allows bee products to be imported from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If it turns out that this trade is spreading disease, the rules might eventually change.
68. According to the passage ，IAPV is a virus that ______.
A. hasn’t attracted much attention
B. well-known to doctors and scientist
C. was first found by Austrian researchers
D. is dangerous to animals and human beings
69. The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph probably means______.
A. the virus could also cause other damages
B. there must be something that is the real cause
C. IAPV is not the only cause for the bee decline
D. the virus may be caused by the polluted environment
70. From the third and fourth paragraphs, we know researchers draw their conclusions by means of _______.
A. calculating B. comparing C. examining D. investigating
71. What still remains unknown to American scientists according to the passage?
A. How and why to kill IAPV.
B. How IAPV came to America.
C. Whether bee products should be imported.
D. How to change the rules of the bee products trade.
72. The best title for this passage would be _____.
A. Bee Disease B. How to Kill IAPV
C. A Virus—IAPV D. Two Types of Fungi
Alone in the wilderness. Nothing but jungle. A world of shadow with the rays of light falling like blonde hair from the crowns of the giant trees. Jungle in the midday sun. Every- thing motionless. Not a sound from sky or earth. Complete silence. Only some coconuts falling, at long intervals, very far away. The world reduced to the soft touch of cool grass along my naked back, and a sweet smell of rich soil and vegetation. Stretched out with closed eyes beside my heavy burden of fruit and firewood, I enjoyed the feeling of fresh blood streaming through every part of my body and fresh jungle air filling every corner of my lungs.
Resting motionless, I could see the sun through my closed eyelids, alone in the sky, as lonely as I, and as motionless and silent as everything else. The earth had surely stopped turning and somewhere on this planet there was supposed to be roaring traffic in busy streets. What a crazy, unbelievable thought!
Another coconut fell, to make the world come to a complete standstill. I had to roll over onto my stomach to feel that at least I could move and make noises. Then I found company. A little brown ant was struggling to find its way with a bit of dry straw through the jungle of leaves and grass below my nose. I wondered if I could give the little fellow a lift with its burden, but it showed not the slightest sign of tiredness and struggled on with all six legs, head first or head last, waving its feelers energetically as if the trip had just started. Who ever saw a tired ant? Tiredness, disagreeable tiredness, is restricted to hunted animals, slaves and modern man. It is as great an effort for an office clerk to walk five blocks with a loaded briefcase as it is for a jungle-dweller to cross a valley with a goat on his back. It is as hard to get up and climb or run when you have been seated for years as it is to get up and walk when you have been in bed for months. The body is strange. Spare it, and you get really tired for almost nothing; use it, and almost nothing makes you really tired.
I rose to my feet. I had heard a horse neighing down in the valley. Above me, on the open highland plains, there were wild horses. But down in the valley there was never a horse unless there was a man on it. Somebody was making his way up the valley and my wife was alone.
68.The author mentions “coconuts falling” in the first paragraph to ________.
A. show his loneliness B. add beauty to the jungle
C. express his love of nature D. stress the absolute silence
69.How does the author feel about the ant?
A. He admired its attitude toward work.
B. He was shocked at its tireless efforts.
C. He showed sympathy for the little ant.
D. He was content to have it as a companion.
70.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author would probably _______.
A. work harder than before B. talk to the man on the horse
C. make his way home D. stay in the valley
71.We can learn from the passage that the author ________.
A. enjoyed being alone B. had an unforgettable adventure
C. missed his busy life in the city D. experienced a world of quietness
Shanghai is different from New York in many ways, but there are many things that are similar.
Shanghai is one of the most populated(人口众多的) cities in Asia, and New York is one of the most populated cities in North America. The weather in summer is very hot in Shanghai, and it is the same in New York. Shanghai is a port and industrial city, and New York is too. Shanghai has a problem with pollution, and New York has a similar problem. They both have serious traffic problems.
The traffic problem in Shanghai is caused by many bicycles. The traffic problem in New York is caused by many cars. Most of the people in Shanghai live in apartments in low buildings, while most of the people in New York live in apartments in high buildings. People eat with chopsticks in Shanghai, but they eat with knives and forks in New York. While there are some differences, the main problems of big cities are almost the same everywhere in the world.
66. New York is in _______ .
A. South Asia B. North Asia C. North America D. South America
67. Shanghai has problems in _______.
A. pollution B. population
C. traffic D. A, B and C
68. People in New York live in _________.
A. small houses in low buildings B. apartment in high buildings
C. apartment in low buildings 
D. small houses in high buildings
69. Which of the statements is right?
A. The weather in Shanghai is hot, white the weather in New York isn't.
B. The traffic problem in Shanghai is caused by cars.
C. People in New York eat with knives and forks.
D. Shanghai is an agricultural city.
70. The main problems of big cities are _______.
A. different B. similar C. complete same D. polluted.
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题3分，满分60分）
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
When it comes to intelligence, human beings are the top dogs of the animal kingdom. But in recent years, scientists have been documenting surprising intelligence and emotional depth in animals ranging from honeybees to elephants. Here are some amazing examples.
Artistic Monkey Business
Jannet Schmid, director of the Little River Zoo in Norman, Oklahoma, learned a lot about the intelligence of capuchin monkeys. She and her busband adopted a young male, named Bailey. The capuchin particularly liked taking car rides, insisting that he insert the key and ride in the front passenger’s seat.
Now Bailey has become a devoted painter. He uses brushes to create colorful, abstract paintings, and prefers not to be disturbed.
Prairie Dog Sound
Through a variety of birdlike sounds, prairie dogs warn each other of approaching creatures. They demonstrated a surprisingly complex communication system. In his 25 years of study, Slobodchikoff, a professor of biology, has recorded them pronouncing ten nouns including hawk, deer and coyote, a number of adjectives to identify color, size and shape, and even some verbs to indicate speed.
In an ongoing study, Slobodchikoff learns that their brain contains a very extensive vocabulary. He once used his best prairie dog sound to say coyote, and they just looked at him in anger as if he had said a bad word.
Ivy League Parrot
One African grey parrot Alex is said to have the cognitive abilities of a five-year-old child. Alex can identify 50 different objects, seven colors, five shapes, quantities up to six, and the concepts of bigger, smaller, same and different.
Also Alex is considered to make reasoned decisions. During an experiment, researchers gave Alex different-colored blocks in sets of two, three and six. When asked which color group had five blocks, Alex replied, “None.” And he answered the same in repeated tests. Obviously, he interpreted the concept of “none” as an absence of quantity all on his own. That’s a lot like a high school student answering questions on a quiz show.
56.Which of the following is true?
A. Bailey is as clever as a child of five.
B. The prairie dog loves taking car rides.
C. The capuchin monkey is fond of painting.
D. Alex develops a communication system.
57.The underlined word “coyote” in Paragraph 4 refers to ________.
A. a verb B. an animal C. a warning D. an adjective
58.The African grey parrot Alex can ________.
A. answer questions on a quiz show
B. understand the figure “7”
C. identify five colors and seven shapes
D. apply the concept of “none” correctly
59.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Animal communication B. Animal research
C. Animal intelligence D. Animal information
.
Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago . He studied the observations of comets (彗星) which other scientists had made . The orbit of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem . He could not figure it out . Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems .
However , Halley had a friend named Newton, who was a brilliant (有才华的) mathematician . Newton thought he had already worked out that problem , but he could not find the papers on which he had done it . He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse (椭圆) .
Now Halley set to work .He figured out the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists . He made a surprising discovery . The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit . Yet their appearances had been 75 to 76 years apart (相隔).
This seemed very strange to Halley. The different comets followed the same orbit . The more Halley thought about it , the more he thought that there had not been three different comets , as people thought . He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times .The comet had gone away and had come back again .
It was an astonishing idea ! Halley felt certain enough to make a prediction of what would happen in the future . He decided that this comet would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested .
In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky . Halley did not see it , for he had died some years before . Ever since then that comet has been called Halley’s comet , in his honor .
67．Edmund Halley figured out the orbit of _______________.
A．some different comets appearing several times
B．the same comet appearing at different times
C．three different comets appearing three times
D．several comets appearing at the same time
68．Halley made his discovery_______________.
A．by doing experiments
B．by means of his own careful observation
C．by using the work of other scientists
D．by chance
69．Halley made a surprising , but correct prediction in the year __________ .
A．1704 B．1705 C．1706 D．1707
70．This passage in general is about _______________.
A．Halley and other scientists B．the orbit of a comet
C．Newton and Halley D．Halley and his discovery
71．According to the passage , which of the flowing is NOT true ?
A．Newton figured out the orbit of the comet .
B．Halley figured out the orbit of the comet first .
C．Newton gave Halley some help .
D．Halley died before 1758.
LOS ANGELES,July8（Xinhua）——Michael Jackson's burial remained a mystery as part of his brain is being held by the coroner's （验尸官）office for tests, an official said.
The late superstar's body was transported to an undisclosed place Tuesday after a star-crowded public memorial service at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. It is still unclear where and when the singer's body will be buried.
Ed Winter, assistant chief coroner said families often wait for mass of brain part to be returned before permitted burial. He said he understood no burial would take place immediately although he was not aware of instructions from the Jackson family. The coroner's office released a death certificate(证明) for Jackson Tuesday that listed the cause of death as "delay."
Michael Jackson，the King of Pop，was born on August 29，1958，and died on June 25，2009 after being rushed to a Los Angeles hospital from his rented house when his heart stopped functioning properly. A police investigation into his death is focusing on the possibility that his death was caused by a medication overdose（过量）, including possibly Diprivan, a powerful sedative (镇静剂)usually used for general anesthesia（麻醉）.
68. Why hasn’t Jackson’s burial been held? ______
A. The place to bury him isn’t sure.
B. His family didn’t give instructions
C. Part of his body is still being tested
D. The time to bury him is still being discusseded
69. The direct cause of the super popstar’s death is ______
A. that his heart stopped beating
B. due to a powerful sedative used for anesthesia
C. overdose of some medicine
D. the delay of being rushed to the hospital
70. Which statement is true? ______
A. No one can bury the body of one’s beloved without the government’s instructions.
B. Many popstars were involved in Jackson’s memorial service.
C. The police doubted whether Jackson was murdered.
D. Jackson died at home.
71. We can infer from the passage that______
A. The burial can’t happen without a death certificate.
B. Jackson’s family are skeptical (怀疑的)about Jackson’s death
C. Jackson was possibly murdered by his doctor
D. The brain part of all people’s body must be transported to be tested
There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.
Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the “acting area” and the “auditorium”. In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or super natural beings, and mimed the desired effect－success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.
Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.
77. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The origins of theater. B. The role of ritual in modern dance.
C. The importance of storytelling. D. The variety of early religious activities.
78. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph?
A.The reason drama is often unpredictable.
B.The seasons in which dramas were performed.
C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots.
D. The importance of costumes in early drama.
79. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama?
A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.
B. Ritual is shorter than drama.
C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.
D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.
80. The passage supports which of the following statements?
A. No one really knows how the theater began.
B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically.
C. Storytelling is an important part of dance.
D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.
Do dogs understand us?
Be careful what you say around your dog. It might understand more than you think.
A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany. The dog also
appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child. Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee.
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects. Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back. In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right. As the dog couldn't see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words.
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew. The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before.
The correct object was chosen in seven out of ten tests, suggesting that the dog had worked
out the answer by process of elimination(排除法). A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive.
Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog. For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed (品种)known for its m
ental abilities. In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months.
It's hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say. Even if they do, they can't talk back. Still, it wouldn't hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then. You might just get a big, wet kiss in return! From paragraph 2 we know that __ .
| A．animals are as clever as human beings |
| B．chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills |
| C．dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees |
| D．dogs have similar learning abilities as 3-year-old children |
Both experiments show that .
| A．Rico is smart enough to get all commands right |
| B．Rico can recognize different things including toys |
| C．Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics |
| D．Rico won't forget the names of objects once recognizing them |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training. |
| B．The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie's mental abilities. |
| C．The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects. |
| D．Rico is born to understand its owner's commands. |
What does the writer want to tell us?
| A．To train your dog. | B．To talk to your dog. |
| C．To be careful with your dog. | D．To be friendly to your dog. |
In general, people talk about two groups of colors: warm colors and cool colors. Researchers in psychology think that there are also two groups of people: people who prefer warm colors and people who prefer cool colors.
The warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Where there are warm colors and a lot of light, people usually want to be active. People think that red, for example, is exciting. Sociable people, those who like to be with others, like red. The cool colors are green, blue and violet. These colors, unlike warm colors, are relaxing. Where there are cool colors, people are usually quiet. People who like to spend time alone often prefer blue.
Red may be exciting, but one researcher says that time seems to pass more slowly in a room with warm colors than in a room with cool colors. He suggests that a warm color, such as red or orange is a good color for a living room or restaurant. People who are relaxing or eating do not want time to pass quickly. Cool colors are better for offices or factories if the people who are working there want time to pass quickly.
Researchers do not know why people think some colors are warm and other colors are cool. How ever, almost everyone agrees that red, orange, and yellow are warm and that green, blue, and violet are cool. Perhaps warm colors remind people of warm days and the cool colors remind them of cool days. Because in the north the sun is higher during summer, the hot summer sunlight appears yellow.Which of the following colors belong to cool colors?
| A．Yellow, green. | B．Blue, violet. |
| C．Black, blue. | D．Brown, white. |
Which of the following statements is not true?
| A．Sociable people like warm colors. |
| B．Warm colors can make people excited. |
| C．People who like to be with others don't like red. |
| D．Where there are warm colors, people want to be active. |
Which is the right color for different rooms?
| A．Red or orange for offices. | B．Orange for dining-rooms. |
| C．Blue for bedrooms. | D．Red for studies. |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．It shows the reason why people think some colors are warm and others are cool. |
| B．Warm colors remind people of warm days. |
| C．Cool colors remind people of cool days. |
| D．People have an agreeable opinion of warm colors and cool colors. |
You either have it, or you don’t— a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we’ll lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around,” says Jim Martland, Research director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:
If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree-- something easy to recognize. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
Simplify the way for finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.
Now you will never get lost again!
68. Scientists believe that _________.
A. some babies are born with a sense of direction
B. people learn a sense of direction as they grow older
C. people never lose their sense of direction
D. everybody has a sense of direction from birth
69. What is true of 7-year-old children according to the passage?
A. They never have a sense of direction without maps.
B. They should never be allowed out alone if they lack (缺乏) a sense of direction.
C. They have a sense of direction and can find their way around.
D. They can develop a good sense of direction if they are driven around in a car.
70. If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should ________.
A. tie it to a tree so as to prevent it from being stolen
B. draw a map of the route to help remember where it is
C. avoid taking the same route when you come back to it
D. remember something easily recognizable on the route
71. According to the passage, the best way to find your way around is to _________.
A. ask policemen for directions
B. use walls, streams, and streets to guide yourself
C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs
D. count the number of landmarks that you see
Berlin — Germany will allow entry 20,000 foreign high-tech workers, under a plan announced on May 31st. Chancellor(总理) Gerhard Schroreder sees this as a way to keep the country from falling behind in information technology.
The plan for this so-called ‘green cards’, not like the US work permit system, came in answer to industry demands that there were not enough qualified workers to fill positions.
Workers who came to Germ
any under the new rules, effective from August will be given a five-year work permit after proving they have completed studies in a related field or can promise to at least 100,000 marks (US$48 000).
Family members are also allowed, though they too will receive work permits. “They are strong competition in the rest of the world for these people,” Schroreder said mentioning not only the United States but also British and France. Germany would be making a mistake if it didn’t take part in this competition.
He said employers have already offered 11,000 jobs through a “green card hotline” and some 4,700 applications emailed information requests.
The Chancellor also said the number of workers and the time limits of their stay may be extended, possibly unde
r current German law. Allowing the workers to stay longer means they could finally become citizens. Since the beginning of this year, foreigners who have lived in the country for eight years can ask for being naturalized.
53. From the first paragraph we can get to know that Germany______.
A. is a less-developed country B. used to be a developed country
C. is short of high-tech workers D. once lost interest in information technology
54. If a high-tech worker wants to work in Germany, he or she can enter Germany______.
A. in June B. after July C. before August D. at any time
55. It is mentioned in the passage that competition in high tech______.
A. is only in America，Britain and France
B. has nothing to do with small countries
C. is weak in Asian countries
D. will affect the future of a country
56. To be naturalized as a German, according to this passage, seems______.
A. difficult B. easy C. impossible D. popular
Nowadays, it is possible to travel to distant parts of the globe in several hours. This can result in the traveler ending up in a part of the world where time is different from his or her own “body clock” ,which control our sleep patterns.
If we travel east or west by more than four time zones (hours) then we will usually be affected.
In the past when people traveled by sea, there was enough time for the body to adjust to the local time, but with the advent of modern high speed aircraft the body does not have time to adjust. Therefore, there is the term “jet lag(时差反应)”. It normally takes one day per time zone (hour) for the body to adjust to its new surroundings.
The effects of jet lag are usually tiredness and insomnia (失眠) but can also include: poor concentration, nausea (恶心) ,vomiting (呕吐), constipation (便秘) and general malaise (不舒服). The effects are made worse by alcohol.
Sleeping while flying may help to reduce the symptoms (症状) of jet lag, but long periods of immobility aboard aircraft can make the traveler feel numb(麻木的) in the legs. The following are some other tips of reducing the symptoms of jet lag:
①Avoid traveling when you are already tired and rest before departure.
②Stopovers on long flights may be helpful.
③A relaxed flight is important.
④Sleeping tablets will help you to sleep and be correspondingly alert (相对警惕的) during the next day, but they do not speed up adjustment to the new time zone.
⑤Remember the actual traveling time will usually be at least twice the actual time spent in the air since it will include traveling to and from and hanging around in airports.
⑥Avoid heavy commitments on the first day after arrival.
57. The following are the effects of jet lag EXCEPT _____.
A. tiredness B. coughing C. insomnia D. vomiting
58. The word “immobility” in the fifth paragraph means “_____”.
A. stillness B. movement C. activity D. happiness
59. We can reduce the symptoms of jet lag by _____.
A. drinking some alcohol B. keeping ourselves awake
C. taking some medicine D. sleeping while flying
60. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To suggest people travel by sea instead of by air.
B. To tell people the effects of jet lag.
C. To give people some advice about reducing the symptoms of jet lag.
D. To tell people about their body clock.
I arrived at my mother’s home for our Monday family dinner. The smells of food flew over from the kitchen. Mother was pulling out quilt(被子)after quilt from the boxes, proudly showing me their beauties. She was preparing for a quilt show at the Elmhurst Church. When we began to fold and put them back into the boxes, I noticed something at the bottom of one box. I pulled it out. “What is this?” I asked.
“Oh?” Mom said, “That’s Mama’s quilt.”
I spread the quilt. It looked as if a group of school children had pieced it together; irregular designs, childish pictures, a crooked line on the right.
“Grandmother made this?” I said, surprised. My grandmother was a master at making quilts. This certainly didn’t look like any of the quilts she had made.
“Yes, right before she died. I brought it home with me last year and made some changes,” she said. “I’m still working on it. See, this is what I’ve done so far.”
I looked at it more closely. She had made straight a crooked line. At the center of the quilt, she had stitched(缝) a piece of cloth with these words: “My mother made many quilts. She didn’t get all lines straight. But I think this is beautiful. I want to see it finished. Her last quilt.”
“Ooh, this is so nice, Mom,” I said.
It occurred to me that by completing my grandmother’s quilt, my mother was honoring her own mother. I realized, too, that I held in my hands a family treasure. It started with the loving hands of one woman, and continued with the loving hands of another.
68. Why did the author go to mother’s home?
A. To see her mother’s quilts. B. To help prepare for a show.
C. To get together for the family dinner. D. To discuss her grandmother’s life.
69. The author was surprised because __________________.
A. the quilt looked very strange. B. her grandmother liked the quilt.
C. the quilt was the best she had seen. D. her mother had made some changes
70. The underlined word “crooked” in the passage most probably means __________ .
A. unfinished B. broken C. bent D. unusual
71. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Quilt Show B. Mother’s Home C. A Monday Dinner D. Grandmother’s Quilt
Bobby Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen, a tough working-class neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side. But Hell's Kitchen lies right next door to Broadway, and the bright lights attracted Bobby from the time he was a teen. Being stage-struck was hardly what a street kid could admit to his partners. Fearing their ridicule, he told no one, not even his girlfriend, when he started taking acting lessons at age 17. If you were a kid from the neighborhood, you became a cop, construction worker, longshoreman（码头搬运工人）or criminal. Not an actor.
Moresco struggled to make that long walk a few blocks east. He studied acting, turned out for all the cattle calls -- and during the decade of the 1970s made a total of $2,000. "I wasn't a good actor, but I had a driving need to do something different with my life," he says.
He moved to Hollywood, where he drove a cab and worked as a bartender（调酒师）. "My father said, 'Stop this craziness and get a job; you have a wife and daughter.' “But Moresco kept working at his chosen craft.
Then in 1983 his younger brother Thomas was murdered in a mob-linked killing. Moresco moved back to his old neighborhood and started writing as a way to explore the pain and the patrimony of Hell's Kitchen. Half-Deserted Streets, based on his brother's killing, opened at a small Off-Broadway theater in 1988. A Hollywood producer saw it and asked him to work on a screenplay.
His reputation grew, and he got enough assignments to move back to Hollywood. By 2003, he was again out of work and out of cash when he got a call from Paul Haggis, a director who had befriended him. Haggis wanted help writing a film about the country after September 11. The two worked on the writing, but every studio in town turned it down. They kept pitching it. Studio executives, however, thought no one wanted to see a severe, honest vision of race and fear and lives in collision in modern America.
Moresco believed so strongly in the script that he borrowed money, sold his house. He and Haggis kept pushing. At last the writers found an independent film producer who would take a chance, but the upfront money was too little, Moresco delayed his salary.
Crash slipped into the theaters in May 2005, and quietly became both a hit and a critical success. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three -- Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Paul Haggis and the kid from Hell's Kitchen.
At age 54, Bobby Moresco became an overnight success. "If you have something you want to do in life, don't think about the problems," he says, "think about other ways to get it done."
60. Why Bobby Moresco did not tell anyone that he started taking lessons at age 17?
A. He wnted to give his girlfriend a surprise.
B. His girlfriend did not allow him to do this.
C. He was afraid of being laughed at.
D. He had no talent for acting.
61. Which of the following sentences is NOT true?
A. His father did not support his work as a bartender.
B. Before he became an overnight success, his life experienced ups and downs.
C. His brother’s death inspired his writing Half-Deserted Streets.
D. Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen which is a few blocks east of Broadway.
62. The Studio executives turned the script Crash down because ______________.
A. they thought the script would not be popular.
B. the script was not well written.
C. they had no money to make the film based on the script.
D. they thought Moresco was not famous.
63. What’s the best title of the article?
A. The Road to Success B. Try It a Different Way
C. A Talented man—Moresco D. Moresco’s Perseverance
.
Is there anything more important than health? I don’t think so. “Health is the greatest wealth(财富),” wise people say. You can’t be good at your studies or work well when you are ill.
If you have a headache, toothache, backache, earache or bad pain in the stomach, if you complain of a bad cough, if you run a high temperature and have a bad cold, or if you suffer from high or low blood pressure, I think you should go to the doctor.
The doctor will examine your throat, feel your pulse, test your blood pressure, take your temperature, sound your heart and lungs, test your eyes, check your teeth or have your chest X-rayed. After that he will advise some treatment, or some medicine. The only thing you have to do is to follow his advice.
Speaking about doctor’s advice, I can’t help telling you a funny story.
An old gentleman came to see the doctor. The man was very ill. He told the doctor about his weakness, memory loss and serious problems with his heart and lungs. The doctor examined him and said there was no medicine for his disease.
He told his patient to go to a quiet place for a month and have a good rest. He also advised him to eat a lot of meat, drink two glasses of red wine every day and take long walks. In other words, the doctor advised him to follow the rule: “Eat at pleasure, drink with measure and enjoy life as it is.” The doctor also said that if the man wanted to be well again, he shouldn’t smoke more than one cigarette a day.
A month later the gentleman came into the doctor’s office. He looked cheerful and happy. He thanked the doctor and said that he had never felt a healthier man.
“But you know, doctor,” he said, “it’s not easy to begin smoking at my age.”
45. The writer thinks that_____________
health is more important than wealth
B. work is as important as studies
C. medicine is more important than pleasure
D. nothing is more important than money
46. The underlined part means “__________”.
he was feeling better than ever B. he wasn’t a healthy man
C. he was feeling worse than before D. he will be well again
47. From the last sentence of the passage, we learn the man__________before the doctor told him not to smoke more than one cigarette a day.
A. was a heavy smoker B. didn’t smoke so much
C. didn’t smoke D. began to learn to smoke
48. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The doctor usually tests his/her blood pressure when a person is ill.
B. The man told the doctor he couldn’t remember things.
C. The man thanked the doctor.
D. The man didn’t follow the doctor’s advice.
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