Until last spring, Nia Parker and the other kids in her neighborhood went to school on Bus 59．But as fuel prices rose, the school district needed to find a way to cut its transportation costs. So the school’s busing company redrew its route map, canceling Nia’s bus. Now Nia and her neighbors travel the half mile to school via a “walking school bus”—a group of kids, supervised （监护） by an adult or two, who make the walk together.

Many parents are delighted to see their kids walking to school, partly because many did so themselves. According to a 1979 survey, nearly half of school kids walked or biked to school, compared with only 16 percent in 2011.Modern parents have been unwilling to let kids walk to school for fear of traffic, crime or simple bullying, but with organized adult supervision, those concerns have reduced.

Schools and busing companies are finding other ways to save．In rural areas where busing is a must, some schools have even chosen four-day school weeks. Busing companies instruct drivers to cancel extra stops from routes and to turn off the engine while idling（挂空挡）.They are also using computer software to determine the most fuel-efficient routes, which aren’t always the shortest ones.

There could be disadvantages, however, to the busing cutbacks. If every formerly bused student begins walking to school, it’s an environmental win—but if too many of their parents decide to drive them instead, the overall carbon footprint can grow. Replacing buses with many more parent-driven cars can also increase safety risks. A 2011 report concluded students are 13 times safer on a school bus than in a passenger car, since buses have fewer accidents and withstand(承受) them better due to their size. And some students complain about the long morning hikes, particularly when the route contains a really big hill.

56. In regards to walking to school, modern parents seem much concerned with the _____.

　 A. safety of their kids’　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 B. kids’ physical strength

　 C. time spent on the way　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. changes in the route

57. To save money, some schools choose to _____.

A. shorten the school week B. take the shortest routes

　 C. stop using school buses　　　　　 　　D. use fuel-efficient buses

58. Busing cutbacks may lead to _____.

　 A. fewer complaints about long morning hikes

　 B. more students taking public transportation

　 C. an increase in carbon dioxide emissions

　 D. a decrease in the safety of school buses

完形填空

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I’m a straight-A student and have been my whole life .When you come from a family of educators, it just seems 　36　 .

With high academic standards and a competitive 　37 , I don’t just like losing and I also can’t 　38 it. I need to beat the 　39 students, perfectly in everything. I’ve even gone so far as to define myself by my 　40 , saying how outstanding I am. If I don’t get the grade I 　 41 then I am lost.

　 Today I was sitting in class trying to 　42 the last minutes studying for a test in which I had to get full marks. 　43 the girl behind me started talking to me, I tried to listen 　44 while still glancing at my study sheet 　45 .When I thought the conversation required it, I smiled, nodded and 　46 . And then I found myself wishing she would be 　47 so I could study .After a while, she said, “You know, you’re a really good 　48　 . You’re so easy to talk to.” I froze.

　 I replayed the praise in my head before smiling and accepting it 　49 . But inside, I knew it wasn’t true .She’d made every effort to have a conversation and I wasn’t even trying to 　50 .

　 I passed the test excellently despite my 　51 of lost study time, but the one thing I needed to learn most wasn’t on that test. I had 　52 being the best student so that I had failed at just being normal. So what 　53 to me most? What I have is all about my personal 　54　 and about me being too self-centered. There can only be so many scholars, but there is 　55 enough sympathy. I want that to be what matters to me --- sympathy.

36.　　　　 A. usual 　　　　　　 B. helpless 　　　　　　 C. unfortunate 　　　　　　 D. natural

37.　　　　 A. spirit　　　　　　　 B. sport　　　　　　　　　 C. school　　　　　　　　　　　 D. market

38.　　　　 A. take　　　　　　　　 B. recommend 　　　 C. stand　　　　　　　　　　　 D. help

39.　　　　 A. ordinary　　　　　 B. top　　　　　　　　　　 C. handsome 　　　　　　　 D. strong

40.　　　　 A. strength　　　　　 B. appearance　　　　 C. grades 　　　　　　　　　　 D. tricks

41.　　　　 A. invent 　　　　　　 B. expect 　　　　　　　 C. copy 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hide

42.　　　　 A. save 　　　　　　　 B. spend　　　　　　　　 C. collect 　　　　　　　　　　 D. cost

43.　　　　 A. When　　　　　　　 B. After 　　　　　　　　 C. Because 　　　　　　　　　 D. Before

44.　　　　 A. rudely 　　　　　 B. bitterly 　　　　　　　 C. excitedly 　　　　　　　　 D. politely

45.　　　　 A. in no time　　　　 B. on time C. for a long time D. now and then

46.　　　　 A. refused 　　　　　 B. worked 　　　　　　 C. agreed　 　　　　　　　　 D. waited

47.　　　　 A. quiet　　　　　　　 B. gentle　　　　　　　　 C. pretty 　　　　　　　　　　 D. safe

48.　　　　 A. talker　　　　　　　 B. listener 　　　　　　 C. lecturer　　　　　　　　　　 D. teacher

49.　　　　 A. angrily　　　　　　 B. carelessly 　　　　　 C. disappointedly 　　　　 D. gladly

50.　　　　 A. alarm 　　　　　　 B. gather 　　　　　　　 C. participate 　　　　　　　 D. shout

51.　　　　 A. fear　　　　　　　　 B. joy 　　　　　　　　　 C. worry 　　　　　　　　　　 D. possession

52.　　　　 A. given up　　　　　 B. focused on　　　　 C. complained of 　　　　 D. dreamed of

53.　　　　 A. happens 　　　　 B. matters 　　　　　　 C. appeals 　　　　　　　　　 D. devotes

54.　　　　 A. success　　　　　 B. failure　　　　　　　　 C. depression　　　　　　　　 D. health

55.　　　　 A. always 　　　　　 B. ever　　　　　　　　　 C. much　　　　　　　　　　　 D. never

 Had I known about this computer program, a huge amount of time and energy ______.

A. would have been saved                  B. had been saved

C. will be saved                         D. was saved

--- Could you please buy me a stamp when you pass the post office?

----_________

A. Yes, I could B. No, I couldn’t　　

C. Ok, I’d be glad to　　　　　　　　 D. No, you can’t

 Hardly had I seen the light ______ I heard a loud noise.

A. then                                  B. when            

C. since                               D. than

The way he did the job was different _____ we were used to.

A. in which                              B. in what            

C. from which                          D. from what

Mr. Brown is a manager, ____ who cares for workers very much.

A. the one                               B. it                

C. one                              D. this

Americans eat ______ vegetables per person today as they did in 1910.

　 A. more than twice　　　　　　　　　 　 B. as twice as many　

C. twice as many as D. more than twice as many

The hurricane in NEW YORK brought down a great number of houses, _____ thousands of people homeless.

A. making                              B. made            

C. to make                           D. having made

--- He can speak English because he once lived in London.

---- Really? How long ____ there?

A. does he live                           B. is he living        

C. has he lived                         D. did he live