阅读理解

　　The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday. The time printed on the invitation, was 7:30 pm. Jane went off with her husband, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and song.

　　By 9:45, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless. Other guests began whispering that they, too, were starving. But no one wanted to leave, just in case some food was about to appear. By 11; 00, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads. Jane and David left hungry and angry.

　　Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6:30－8:30 pm means drinks only, go out to dinner afterwards, 8:00 pm or 8:30 pm means possible dinner, but 9:30 pm and any time thereafter means no food, eat beforehand, roll up late.

　　But this is not always the case. If asked to a student's party at 6:30 pm, it is normal for guests not to appear before midnight, if at all, and no one cares. Being the first to arrive－looking eager－is social death. When my mother is asked to a party for 6:30, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven. My age group (late thirties) falls somewhere between the two, but because we still think we're young. We're probably closer to student-time than grown-up time.

　　The accepted custom at present is confusing(混乱的), sometimes annoying, and it often means you may go home hungry, but it does lend every part that precious element(成分) of surprise.

1．The underlined words “off their heads” probably mean ________.

[　　]

2．Jane and David's story is used to show that ________.

[　　]

A．party-goers usually get hungry at parties

B．party invitations can be confusing

C．people should ask for food at parties

D．birthday parties for middle-aged people are dull

3．For some young people, arriving on time for a student's party will probably be considered ________.

[　　]

4．According to the writer, people in their late thirties ________.

[　　]

A．are likely to arrive late for a party

B．care little about the party time

C．haven't really grown up yet

D．like surprises at parties

5．What is the general idea of the text?

[　　]

A．It's safe to arrive late just when food is served.

B．It's wise to eat something before going to a party.

C．It's important to follow social rules of party-going.

D．It's necessary to read invitations carefully.

阅读理解

　　Five Waiters and Ten Waitresses

　　－Aged under 22

　　－At least high school graduates

　　－Good-looking：men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65

　　－Those knowing foreign languages favoured

　　－Paid 1,600－2,200 dollars per month

　　One Secretary

　　－Aged under 30

　　－Females favoured

　　－Good at writing and skilled at computer

　　If interested, call 465-4768 or write to:

　　Mr. Jack Hundis

　　Room 0825, Fairemont Hotel

　　567 Wood Stre1, San Makes, 78003

　　Fax：6954828

　　Accountant(会计)

　　－Aged between 25 and 40

　　－With an experience of at least two years

　　－With a degree and an accountant certificate(证书)

　　－Paid 3,000－4,000 dollars monthly

　　－With a practical knowledge of computer

　　Salesclerk

　　－Aged 25 or less

　　－Basic education of 12 years or more

　　－Good at computer

　　－Paid 1,800－2,200 dollars monthly

　　：447-4398

　　Fax：3485269

1．It you don't know how to use a computer, you can just apply for the position as ________.

[　　]

2．If you want to got the position of accountant in Wilson Bookstore, you have to satisfy the following conditions except

[　　]

A．being a woman

B．knowing well how to use a computer

C．having been an accountant

D．having an accountant certificate

3．If you want to try for a job in Fairemont Hotel, you ________.

[　　]

A．have to be a woman and know foreign languages

B．should be a university graduate

C．have to be taller than 1.72 meters

D．should be younger than 30 years old

4．From the ads we can conclude that ________.

[　　]

A．you'll be better paid in Wilson Bookstore than in Fairemont Hotel

B．all the jobs offered require experience

C．the better education you've received, the more money you'll make

D．if you want to be an accountant, you may call 465-4768

阅读理解

　　The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet(彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.

　　On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere(大气层) with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.

　　Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The city of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won't escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero, Crops are ruined. The sun won't be seen for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.

　　Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs(恐龙) were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn't live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?

1．What is mainly described in the passage?

[　　]

A．A historic discovery.

B．An event of imagination.

C．A research on space.

D．A scientific adventure.

2．When the first piece hits the South Atlantic, it causes ________.

[　　]

A．an earthquake

B．damages to cities

C．an Earth explosion

D．huge waves

3．Why can't the northern half of the earth escape for long?

[　　]

A．Because the land is covered with water.

B．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth.

C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero.

D．Because wars break out among countries.

4．By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove ________.

[　　]

A．animals could not live in the cold climate

B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story

C．the human beings will die out in 2094

D．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space

阅读理解

　　Japan escaped the world's most powerful earthquake in two and half years on Friday with only 400 injuries, most of them minor.

　　Damage from the pre-dawn quake－measuring 8 on the Richter scale－was relatively light, not only because it struck deep under the ocean but because Japan's population was prepared for such an event.

　　Power and water supplies were cut off for several hours after the event. There were no reports at 4:50 am (local time). Two fishermen are still missing, though. Police suspect they have been swept away by the tsunami (huge ocean wave) that followed the earthquake.

　　A wide area of the island suffered damage: roads were blocked, fishing boats sunk, and part of the ceiling of Kushiro airport, 900 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, caved in. Kushiro, a city of 190,000 people, was believed to be the hardest hit.

　　In the nearby city of Tomakomai, black smoke and flames rose into the sky from an oil tank fire. There were no injuries though, and the fire was contained within hours. Officials said 188,700 barrels of crude oil were lost.

　　Residents were shaken by the event, but stayed calm despite some 25 aftershocks－at least one registering 7.1 on the Richter scale.

　　The quake was the strongest worldwide since the 8.4-magnitude quake of June 23, 2001. That, near the coast of Peru(秘鲁), killed 74 people.

　　Takeshi Matsumura, a Hokkaido government official, said 455 people were confirmed injured by late Friday.

　　Only 28 were seriously hurt, mostly suffering from broken bones. Located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

(Sunday, Sep. 30,2003)

1．According to the news, Japan was struck by the 8-magnitude earthquake on ________.

[　　]

2．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

[　　]

A．The 2003 earthquake that hit Japan recently was the strongest worldwide quake in this century.

B．A great part of the country was damaged because the Japanese were not prepared.

C．No people were killed in the earthquake but two fishermen disappeared.

D．Power and water supplies were cut off for only a few days.

3．What happened to the city of Tomakomai in the earthquake?

[　　]

A．It suffered a harder hit than the city of Kushiro.

B．Part of the ceiling of Tomakomai airport caved in.

C．A fire burned for only a few hours before it was controlled but some people were injured.

D．An oil tank caught fire and black smoke and flames shot into the sky.

4．The word “minor” in the first paragraph means ________.

[　　]

5．Which description about the quake of June 23, 2001 is true?

[　　]

A．It happened not far away from the coast of Peru, killing 74 people.

B．455 people were killed in the earthquake.

C．There were 25 aftershocks after the 8.4-magnitude quake.

D．It was the second strongest earthquake in this century.

阅读理解

　　That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theatre. With opening night only a week ago, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.

　　As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers(抢劫犯). Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.

　　About a block from my apartment(公寓房间), I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.

　　Suddenly I wasn't cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I'd heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.

　　Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck(垃圾车) pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eye. “Is this what you're looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.

　　It was nearly 3 A. M. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn't get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn't be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.

1．How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?

[　　]

A．Cold and sick.

B．Fortunate and helpful.

C．Satisfied and cheerful.

D．Disappointed and helpless.

2．From the first paragraph, we learn that the writer was busy ________.

[　　]

A．solving her problem at the bank

B．taking part in various city activities

C．learning acting in an evening school

D．preparing for the first night show

3．On her way home the writer ________.

[　　]

A．lost her wallet unknowingly

B．was stopped by a garbage truck driver

C．was robbed of her wallet by an armed man

D．found some homeless people following her

4．In the fifth paragraph, why did the writer say she was dreaming?

[　　]

A．Someone offered to take her back home.

B．A red-haired man came to see her.

C．She heard someone call her name.

D．Her wallet was found in a garbage truck.

5．From the text, we can infer that the writer ________.

[　　]

A．would stop working at night

B．would stay on in San Francisco

C．would make friends with cleaners

D．would give up her job at the bank

阅读理解

　　There is a lot to do at the beach. Many people like to swim. Children can build castles in the sand. Others may want to just sit with their faces turned up. They like to be in the sun. But they must take care. Doctors say that doing this for too long can hurt you.

　　Other people like to look for interesting things in the sand. Many of these people carry pails as they walk along by the water. These hold the things they find. They might find pretty shells or rocks to put in them.

　　Some people like to watch the animals on the beach. Sometimes crabs go walking by. Birds fly and dive to find food. Fish are fun to watch, too. But you should know the fish that can hurt you. Then if you see them, you will know to stay away.

　　Most people go to the beach for the water. Sea water is good for swimming. But it is not good for drinking. That's because it is full of salt. The salt in sea water really comes from rocks and soil.

　　As the rain water moves, it picks up some salt from the ground and from rocks. The water takes the salt into rivers. Then the salty river water runs into the sea. River water has been running into the sea for a long, long time. So there is much salt in it. And it will keep on getting even more.

1．What would you probably find people doing at the beach according to the passage?

[　　]

A．Children build castles in the sand.

B．People look for some interesting things in the sand.

C．People watch the animals on the beach.

D．All the above.

2．Many people carry pails to hold ________ on the beach.

[　　]

3．People like to go to the beach for the following reasons except ________.

[　　]

A．people like to sit with their faces turned up in the sun

B．people like to look for interesting things in the sand

C．people like to taste sea water

D．people like to watch the animals on the beach

4．Which of the following is true based on paragraph 4?

[　　]

A．Sea water is good both for drinking and swimming.

B．Sea water is good neither for drinking nor for swimming.

C．Sea water is good for drinking but not good for swimming.

D．Sea water is good for swimming but not good for drinking.

5．From the sentence “But you should know the fish that can hurt you”, we can infer that ________.

[　　]

A．some fish in the sea hurt people

B．shark is fierce fish that hurts people

C．there are people hurt by the fish than people drown

D．like sharks whales hurt people, too

阅读理解

　　Bright comets(彗星) are a rare(罕见的)and beautiful sight. Though we think of them as members of the sun’s family, many comets go far beyond the orbits of the planets. As a rule they return once in a while to travel around the sun

　　A comet seems to be composed of gas, dust and ice. There is a great deal of solid, frozen material. As the mass gets near the sun, the outer frozen parts begin to melt(融化), and more gases form. The pressure of the sun’s radiation(放射) drives the dust and gases outwards in a long, streaming“tail”, perhaps several tails. For this reason the tail always points away from the sun. And when the comet moves farther from the radiation, the tail gets smaller and at last disappears.

　　We owe (把……归于)our knowledge chiefly to Sir Edmond Harley(1656－1742). He saw a very beautiful one in 1682, and it led him to study comets and their orbits.

　　Then he said,“The comet of 1682 was the same one that appeared in 1531 and again in 1607. It will return in 1758 or 1759.”

　　Harley died in 1742, but people waited and watched…And sure enough, Harley’s Comet arrived, big and bright, early in 1759. The comet was named:“Comet Harley”and it comes about every 75 years.

　　Last time it returned in 1986 and was watched by hundreds of millions of people. If you were one of them, I hope you will be lucky enough to watch it again next time it appears.

1．In what way are comets different from planets?

[　　]

A．They don’t travel round the sun.

B．They are not members of the sun’s family.

C．They are nearer to the sun than planets.

D．They go far beyond the sun than planets.

2．What is the long tail of the comet composed of (由……组成)?

[　　]

A．Gas, dust and ice.

B．Radiation of the sun.

C．Solid, frozen material.

D．Dust and gases.

3．

The reason why the tail of a comet always points away from the sun is that ________.

[　　]

A．it is getting nearer to the sun

B．the dust and gases are driven outward by the pressure

C．its outer frozen parts begin to melt

D．it is moving round the sun

4．Which of the following is right?

[　　]

A．Sure enough, Harley saw the comet arrive early in 1759.

B．Harley’s Comet returned in 1758 as Harley had expected.

C．Seventeen years after Harley’ death the comet returned.

D．We’ll see Comet Harley again in 75 years.

5．When will Comet Harley return next time?

[　　]

阅读理解

　　As a young artist, Walt Disney often worked late in his workroom. One night he heard some mice in his wastebasket. He caught them and kept them in small cages on his desk. One of these little creatures became his particular friend and gave him the idea for the famous cartoon character Mickey Mouse. In 1928 Mickey Mouse first appeared in a cartoon film. When sound was starting to be used in movies, Disney immediately made his Mickey Mouse take on the movie screen. Spectators(观众) ,old and young, were delighted. Mickey is a wonderful clean mouse in a cleaned up world created by Walt Disney. Movies about Mickey Mouse had been popular with spectators everywhere around the world ever since it was created.

　　Mickey Mouse was followed by Donald Duck, Pluto the Dog, the three Little Pigs, and then the Seven Dwarfs(侏儒)and Snow White. Everyone of these Disney characters had brought great amusement and laughter to children and adults alike. Walt founded his Disney Empire on his popular cartoon characters.

　　One of Disney s favorite dreams was to create a new kind of amusement park－a place where parents and children could all go and have fun together. In 1955 his first amusement park, Disneyland opened in California. In late 1971 a bigger amusement park, Disney World, was completed in Orlando, Florida. Walt Disney himself did not live long enough to visit his Florida park, though. He died in December 1966. However, death brought only his life to an end, but not his dream. His empire is growing. It has expanded(扩 展) to Japan in Asia and France in Europe.

　　Will it come to China tomorrow? We’ll wait and see.

1．What is Mickey Mouse?

[　　]

A．Mickey Mouse is a little mouse once kept in a small cage by Walt Disney.

B．Mickey Mouse is a famous cartoon character.

C．Mickey Mouse is the mouse living in Disney’s workroom.

D．Mickey Mouse is a cartoon film.

2．The underlined word“alike”in the second paragraph probably means ________.

[　　]

A．in the same way

B．at once

C．like one another

D．as they like

3．Florida park was ________.

[　　]

A．an amusement park larger than Disneyland

B．a kind of park for children to play in

C．called Disneyland

D．first completed in 1955

4．Which of the following statements is true?

[　　]

A．Walt Disney lived to see Disney World.

B．Walt Disney lived up to his name.

C．Disney Empire is sure to be found in China tomorrow.

D．Mickey Mouse is the only Disney character that has brought great fun to people.

阅读理解

　　In the 1930’s, a lot of people in the USA were out of work. Among these people was a man named Alfred Butts. He always has an interest in word games and so, to fill his time, he planned a game which he called“Lexico”. However, he was not completely satisfied with the game, so he made a number of changes to it and, in time, changed its name from“Lexico”to“Alph”and then to“Criss·Cross”. He wanted to make some money from his new game, but he didn’t have any real commercial(商业性的)success.

　　In l939, Butts happened to meet a man called Jim Brunot who showed an interest in the new game. The two men worked together on developing the game and in 1984 it was offered for sale in the United States under its new name －“Scrabble”.

　　At first, it didn’t sell very we’ll. In the first year it sold just 2,250 sets and by 1951 it had only reached 8,500 sets a year.

　　Then, in 1952 the manager of Macy’s department store in New York, Jack Strauss, happened to play “Scrabble”while he was on holiday. He thought it was a wonderful game and , when he went back to work after his holiday, he insisted that Macy’s should stock(储备)the game and make an effort to call the public’s attention to it.

　　As a result,“Scrabble”became a big success in the United States and it soon spread to Australia and then to other English-speaking countries.

1．The text is mainly about ________.

[　　]

2．Alfred Butts invented the game“Lexico” ________.

[　　]

A．to make himself famous

B．to make spelling simpler

C．when he was out of work and looking for a job

D．when he was playing word games to pass the time

3．Who made“Scrabble”popular?

[　　]

A．Alfred Butts.

B．Jack Strauss.

C．Alfred Butts and Jim Brunot.

D．Jack Strauss and Jim Brunot.

4．When did Alfred Butts first put his game on the market?

[　　]

A．In 1939.

B．In 1948.

C．Before 1939.

D．Between 1939 and 1948.

5．What does the underlined word“call”mean in Paragraph 4?

[　　]

阅读理解

　　Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save a life. It is important to know the way you can use and show them to everyone in the family, such as stairs and fire escapes, but not lifts. From the lower floors of building, escape through windows is possible. Learn the best way of leaving by window with the least chance of serious injury(伤害).

　　The second floor windows is usually not very high from the ground. A person of average(平均,一 般) height, hanging by the fingertips will have a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building.

　　Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed before opening the window. Otherwise, smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked(渗漏)into the room.

　　On a second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto the cement (水漏)might end in injury. Bushes and grass can help to break a fall.

1．Which of the following should not be used when trying to escape a fire?

[　　]

2．How far from the ground is the second floor window?

[　　]

A．About 12 feet.

B．About 6 feet.

C．Nearly 10 feet.

D．About the height of an average man.

3．According to the passage, windows are ________ of escaping a fire.

[　　]

A．the only way

B．the best way

C．safer than any other ways

D．one of the possible ways

4．The writer tells us that ________.

[　　]

A．breathing in smoke might be harmful

B．smoke will enter the room by an open window

C．fresh air can’t reach the second floor

D．to keep your head low will help you escape from a fire

5．If you are on the ground floor when a fire breaks out, you’d better drop ________.

[　　]

A．directly onto the ground

B．first onto a roof then onto the cement

C．first onto a roof then onto bushes or grass

D．onto the cement rather than bushes or grass