Peter the Great(1672～1725) was the ruler of the Russian Empire, who wanted his city to be unique in Russia. Therefore, the city was filled with canals like those of Venice, baroque (巴洛克式的)palaces and British townhouses. Now the city has celebrated its 300th anniversary(周年). 

Naming the city was a difficult matter. At first, Peter the Great called the new Russian city Sankt Pieter Burkh. But, he soon changed this to St Petersburg. When World WarⅠ broke out in 1914, it was renamed Petrograd. On the death of Lenin in 1924, it became Leningrad. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it returned to St Petersburg. From the start, St Petersburg was a very modern, international city. It first became the Russian capital in 1712, and with this in mind, Peter hired a great deal of international talent to build and develop it. 

The most obvious effect of this arrival of foreigners was in the design of the city’s streets, parks, palaces and government buildings. Although bombed to near destruction by Adolf Hitler’s forces in the 1940s, the city was rebuilt, stone by stone. What you see around you in the end of Catherine the Great’s rule in 1796, after nearly a century, is Peter’s city which was one of the finest in the world. 

Peter the Great’s city was, and now remains a meeting point for the cultures of Russia and Europe, whether you are one of the 49 percent of its population who, in 1991, voted to remain its revolutionary name, Leningrad, or the 51 percent who chose St Petersburg. To everyone, it remains Peter, an architectural(建筑学的)stone of race and beauty. 

55. St Petersburg is a great city which ______. 

A. used to be very famous

B. is a mixture of various styles

C. was completely destroyed in the 1940s

D. is more important than any other city in Russia

56. Which of the following names of the city has the longest history?

A. St Petersburg.                               B. Sankt Pieter Burkh.

C. Petrograd.                                 D. Leningrad. 

57. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To show customs of St Petersburg

B. To describe the building styles of St Petersburg

C. To introduce the great history of St Petersburg

D. To tell us more people are interested in St Petersburg

58. We can learn from the passage that _________.

A. the city was renamed St Petersburg at the death of Peter the Great

B. the city was destroyed by Catherine the Great 100 years after its completion

C. the people of the city are divided in their opinion about what it should be called

D. all the people of the city have agreed that Peter should remain as its name

The 92-year-old, thin, calm and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, although she is nearly blind, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the hall of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.

As she walked slowly to the elevator, I provided a true description of her tiny room, including the old sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she said with the happiness of an eight-year-old girl having just been presented with a birthday gift.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room…just wait.”

“That doesn’t matter,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s how I arranged my mind. I have already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away.” She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account(账户). You take what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to put in a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my memory bank.” And with a smile, she said, “All my memories are happy ones.”

Mrs. Jones was always happy in the nursing home and she died at the age of 108.

51. The room in which the old lady will live _______.

A. is very comfortable                       B. isn’t new and big

C. is fairly big                                    D. is equipped with new furniture

52. Mrs. Jones was very happy when told about her room because she _______.

A. couldn’t see what her room was like

B. thought the nursing home was her home

C. would have to live in the nursing home

D. had already made up her mind to be happy

53. From the passage we know that the author is probably _______.

A. one of Mrs. Jones’ children               B. a relative of Mrs. Jones

C. a nurse woking in the nursing home       D. the owner of the nursing home

54. Which of the following words can best describe Mrs. Jones?

A. Cheerful         B. Proud                   C. Determined                  D. Honest

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Parents affect their children a lot. They can be a great example for their children in the daily life. A man always stands out on different corners of our city,  31 . I often don’t have much extra to  32  him.  33 , many times when my mom is with me, she always hands him some money, which makes me feel  34 .

       Last night, I was on my way to the store to get  35  when I saw the man. My daughter and her friend were in the  36 . We all felt  37  that this man was standing out in the cold, wet weather. 

       Many people say that he should be able to 38 . I think he may not have an address to look for a job. Either way, I don’t feel it is my place to 39 . I decided to help this man,  40 I wanted to show the girls the  41  of helping others, instead of  42  whether they were really struggling or not. Since he is standing out on different corners all day and night, no matter what the  43 , he must really  44  the help.

       So we left our car and gave him some money. The girls and I were still  45  that he would be cold, standing out in this bad weather. So we got him a hot coffee. He was very  46  to us for our help.

       All of us left with smiles,  47  me! Because, as we were  48  , the girls were planning ways they could  49  money to help him and others like him.

       It was the  50  trip I have ever made to get bread!

31. A. playing                B. singing            C. begging                    D. smiling

32. A. help                    B. teach               C. visit                      D. describe

33. A. Therefore            B. However           C. Anyway                   D. Besides

34. A. angry                 B. pleased              C. disappointed             D. embarrassed

35. A. chocolate            B. hamburger  C. bread                    D. milk

36. A. store                B. street           C. car                      D. school

37. A. sorry                  B. poor                C. doubtful                   D. strange     

38. A. speak               B. work               C. walk                 D. come

39. A. explain         B. judge            C. consider               D. worry

40. A. if                   B. though            C. unless                   D. because

41. A. guidance          B. difficulty        C. importance        D. difference

42. A. understanding      B. explaining       C. believing                   D. worrying

43. A. cost                 B. weather            C. attitude                 D. age

44. A. need                  B. doubt           C. refuse                 D. remember

45. A. concerned         B. curious              C. astonished             D. puzzled

46. A. patient           B. grateful             C. kind                  D. polite

47. A. except                B. only               C. especially              D. probably

48. A. running away      B. standing up C. coming up             D. driving away

49. A. receive                B. spend             C. raise                      D. pay

50. A. best                   B. busiest           C. fastest            D. shortest

 There is no doubt that children are always longing _________ the Spring Festival.

A. to                    B. on                     C. for                           D. about

—Have you seen my coat?

—Oh, Mary must take it _________; she has the same one as yours.

A. by design          B. by mistake         C. by accident        D. by chance

It _________ have been her to have made such a mistake. She is always careful.

A. mustn’t           B. mightn’t          C. couldn’t                 D. wouldn’t

 Excuse me, but it is time to have your temperature _________.

A. taking                      B. to take             C. take                        D. taken

There is further room for improvement in Tom’s work _________ he has achieved a lot until now.

A. even though           B. as though       C. now that                 D. so that

 In spring my parents always go to the hospital for _________ checks.

A. regular            B. normal             C. usual                     D. common

Only_________ his fears _________ to live confidently.

      A. after did he overcome; he began      B. after did he overcome; did he begin

      C. after he overcame; he began         D. after he overcame; did he begin