Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.

He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early  childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general.

    Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim (受害者) of his anger.

    Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.

    Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs  he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing.

    In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913. Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country.

    Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston.

60.The followings are writers EXCEPT ________.

A. Robert Edward Lee                                B. Robert Lee Frost

C. Ernest Hemingway                                  D. Ezra Pound

61.The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to show that

A. he had great influence on Frost’s poetry and life

B. Frost’ s poetry style was the same as Hemingway’s

C. Frost was unhappy because he was the victim of his father

D. Frost spent his childhood unhappily

62.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Once Frost’s first book was published he gained great praise in his country.

B. After leaving Harvard University, he began to learn to write poetry.

C. Frost was found lo have a gift in poetry while he studied in high school.

D. Robert Frost’s father was angry and drank a lot because he didn’t realize his dream.

63.What’s the passage mainly about?

A. Roberl Frost’s unhappy childhood.            B. Roberl Frost’s first and second book.

C. Roberl Frost’s family and jobs.                  D. Roberl Frost’s life and poetry.

CHICAGO --Bill Clinton's eagerly awaited memoir(自传), My Life, will be published this June, and is sure to ignite（点燃）a firestorm of interest in an already politically charged election year. Bill Clinton said that most presidential memoirs are thought to be "dull and self-serving, but I hope mine is interesting and self-serving.”

My Life, which is being published by Knopf and will sell for $ 35, is expected by many industry watchers to rise to the top of the best-seller lists.

Clinton said the book tells the story of his life from his birth and childhood in Arkansas to his years in the White House. From the book readers can have a look at his successes and setbacks.

He tells the story “as it happens to me, so you see what it's like to be president ... to see how everything happens at once.”

Without offering specifics or mentioning Monica Lewinsky, Clinton said, "I don't spare myself" in the book.

"I have no idea if this is a great book," he said, "but it's a pretty good story. "

Clinton was reportedly paid an advance of $10 million for the book, which was supposed to be done a year ago.

"The minute that book goes on sale, people will be lined up buying the book," said Bob Wietrak, a vice-president（副总统）and chief merchant for Barnes & Noble.

Some predict the 957-page book will be one of the few presidential memoirs to fly off shelves.

Booksellers have already taken pre-orders. The 1.5 million-copy first printing is bigger than the first run for Hillary Clinton's memoir Living History, which sold 1.8 million copies.

56. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the book My Life?

A. It will come out in June.  B. It has 957 pages in all.

C. It is priced at $ 35.  D. It will be published by Barnes & Noble

57. Readers will not find much information about        in the book.

A. Clinton's childhood  B. Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky

C. Clinton's political life   D. Clinton’s presidential election

58. The underlined word "setback" means              .

A. a change from worse to better   B. a change from better to worse

C. a change from worse to worst          D. a change better to best

59. What can we learn about the sale of book?

A. The whole printing will be bigger than that of Hillary Clinton's Living History

B. Some booksellers have placed orders beforehand.

C. The book will be taken off the shelves after it meets failure.

D. People have to place an order for the book before it comes out.

The Price of a Dream

I grew up poor, living with my wonderful mother. We had little money but plenty of love and attention. I was 　36 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still 　37 a dream.

My dream was to be a sportsman. 38 I was sixteen, I had started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and hit anything that moved on the football field. I was also 　39 : My high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who not only believed in me, but taught me 40 to believe in myself. He 　41 me the difference between having a dream and realizing the dream. One particular 　42 with Coach Jarvis changed my life forever.

It was the summer between my junior and senior years, and a friend recommended (推荐) me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket—money for a new bike and new clothes, and the 　43 of savings for a house for my mother. Then I realized I would have to 　44 summer baseball to deal with the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing.

When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as 　45 as I expected him to be. “You have your whole life to work,” he said. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t 　46 to waste them.” I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the 　47 that would explain 　48 him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 　49 in me.

“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he asked. “Three twenty-five an hour,” I replied.

“Well,” he asked, “is $3.25 an hour the 　50 of a dream?”

That simple question made it 　51 to me the difference between 　52 something right now and following a dream. I 　53 myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was 　54 by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball, and was 　55 a $20,000 contract. In 2000, I bought my mother the house of my dream!

36.　 A. happy　　　　　　　　　 B. polite　　　　　　 C. shy　　　　　　　　　 D. honest

37.　 A. lose　　　　　　　　　　　 B. have　　　　　　　 C. make　　　　　　　　 D. need

38.　 A. By the time　　　　　　 B. The time　　　　 C. At one time　　　 D. At a time

39.　 A. right　　　　　　　　　　 B. popular　　　　　 C. lucky　　　　　　　 D. confident

40.　 A. how 　　　　　　　　　　 B. why　　　　　　　 C. when　　　　　　　 D. whether

41.　 A. gave　　　　　　　　　　 B. taught　　　　　　 C. brought　　　　　　 D. asked

42.　 A. accident　　　　　　　　 B. matter　　　　　　 C. problem　　　　　　 D. experience

43.　 A. aim　　　　　　　　　　　 B. idea　　　　　　　 C. start　　　　　　　　 D. purpose

44.　 A. keep up　　　　　　　　 B. put up　　　　　　 C. give up　　　　　　 D. pick up

45.　 A. mad　　　　　　　　　　　 B. happy 　　　　　 C. frightened　　　　 D. shameful

46.　 A. adopt　　　　　　　　　　 B. afford　　　　　　 C. affect　　　　　　　 D. effect

47.　 A. answers　　　　　　　　 B. excuses　　　　　 C. words　　　　　　　 D. ways

48.　 A. for　　　　　　　　　　　 B. to　　　　　　　　　 C. on　　　　　　　　　　 D. in

49.　 A. sadness　　　　　　　　 B. regret　　　　　　 C. hopelessness　　 D. disappointment

50.　 A. source　　　　　　　　　 B. prize　　　　　　　 C. price　　　　　　　　 D. allowance

51.　 A. direct　　　　　　　　　　 B. clear　　　　　　　 C. clean　　　　　　　　 D. straight

52.　 A. wanting　　　　　　　　 B. changing 　　　 C. dreaming　　　　　 D. choosing

53.　 A. provided　　　　　　　 B. devoted　　　　　 C. headed　　　　　　 D. imagined

54.　 A. worked　　　　　　　　 B. mentioned　　　 C. fired　　　　　　　　 D. hired

55.　 A. paid　　　　　　　　　　　 B. got　　　　　　　　 C. offered　　　　　　 D. signed

As a doctor, I cannot ­          to make any mistakes. It would be dangerous for the patients.

A. request                  B. permit                    C. afford                    D. admit

          number of mobile phone users in China is           reach 500,000 by 2012

A. A; expecting to     B. The; expected to    C. A; expected to         D. The; expecting to 

He had          little education that he was not fit          the job.

A. such; for           B. so; for                 C. such; to                D. so; to

— Shall we go shopping now?

— Look at the clouds, I’m afraid there        be heavy rain. I guess we        stay at home.

A. will; are to                                           B. is going to; ’d better

C. will; are going to                                   D. is going to; would

— We’d like you to start working tomorrow if possible.

— I’m sorry, but I can’t possibly start until Monday.          ? 

A. Do you agree with me                              B. Is that a good idea  

C. Do you think I’m right                            D. Will that be all right

We thought of selling this old furniture, but we’ve decided to______        it. It might be valuable.

A. hold on to                    B. keep up with             C. turn to              D. look after

 The bank is equipped with new alarm ________. We can say it’s safe and reliable completely.
  A. system         B. way           C. order            D. method