On the night of February 9, 1986, astronomers from 51 countries looked through their telescopes. They were watching for an old visitor from very far away. And sure enough, there it was, right on time! A bright light moved across the blackness. It was Haley’s comet(哈雷彗星).

    Haley’s comet is named for the English astronomer, Edmond Haley, who saw it in 1682．Haley knew that people had seen bright lights in the sky in 1531 and again in 1607．He did a little mathematics and said the visitor would come back again in 1785．He was right. Haley said that in the future, men would travel to the comet and ride it around space!

    As the comet came near the earth in 1986, the European Space Agency flied a rocket called Grotto. Grotto came within 605 kilometers (376 miles) of the atmosphere of the comet. It is about 15 kilometers long and 8 kilometers wide (9.3 miles by 5 miles). Its atmosphere contains the element nitrogen (氮气) but no air. The centre of the comet is made of dust and solid water. It’s a very cold, lonely place. Would you like to ride the comet, or do you prefer riding the earth?

1．From the article we know that Haley’s comet return every ________ years?

A．77

B．76

C．78

D．1758

2．We can infer that the comet will come back next in________?

A．2060

B．2066

C．2062

D．2000

3．The centre of comet is made of ________.

A．dust and nitrogen

B．ice and dust

C．water and ice

D．dust, ice and air

4．From the article we know that the comet is ________.

A．a new comer

B．an old visitor

C．a planet of the earth

D．a planet of the moon

    For thousands of years books were written by hand. In early printing, each work was hand carved. Few people could ever own books because they were too expensive. For this reason most people never learned to read. The improvements in printing helped make more books. The printers found a way to make moveable type for the printing press. Single letters could then be put together into words and words could be put together to form a page. This method was much easier than hand carving each word of a page. Printers began to print more, and books were more readily available. People began to read.

1．Few people could own books because ________.

A．they were owned by kings

B．few people could read

C．they were very expensive

D．all of the above

2．which of the following improvement in printing made books more available.

A．More men were trained as printers.

B．Moveable type was developed.

C．More people learned to read.

D．Each word was hand carved.

    Film stars may come and go, but Paul Newman’ s Career is Long—lasting．Newman has worked in films for 40 years．His most recent one opened in December．

    The film is called “Nobody’s Fool”．Newman plays a 60-year-old construction worker named Sully, when his son comes to town．Late in life，Sully learns to grow up．

    “I’ve played a lot Of characters and the character I play in ‘Nobody’s Fool’ is closer to me than any other roles I’ve done．”says Newman．

    Newman turned 70 years old on January 26，1998．“Nobody’s Fool” is his 52^nd film．He has won two Oscars in his career．

    Newman has found success in other aspects(方面)of life．He has been married 36 years．He took up car racing at the age of 47 and won prizes.

    Twelve years ago, he started a food company called Newman’s Own. He gives away all his money he has helping the poor.

1．The underlined sentence implies ________.

A．many film stars leave the screen after they’ve become successful

B．it is not easy for a film star to lose his or her charm

C．not all film stars can remain famous for a long time

D．film stars are successful not only on the screen

2．Newman likes the character of Sully because ________.

A．he finds a lot in the character that is new to him

B．he likes playing an ordinary person

C．he has never played such a wonderful role

D．he sees more of himself in Sully

3．Newman was born in ________.

A．1920s

B．1930s

C．1940s

D．1950s

4．The writer wrote this passage mainly to ________.

A．prove that a person can be successful in many ways

B．show us a most recent film by Paul Newman

C．introduce a famous film star, Paul Newman

D．tell us about Sully, a moving character in a recent film

    When you were born, the bridge between the right and left brain was not fully developed．Because of this all your actions of seeing, hearing and learning came from both sides of your brain. Your two hemi- spheres(半球) were both alike. By the time you were two or three years old, the two sides had developed their own particular tasks. One side of your brain may also have become better than the other at doing certain jobs.

　　  As you grew older you began to read, write and do maths, which helped make the left brain strong. You may also have spent time with such things as music lessons, art lessons and sports. These all helped to strengthen your right brain. The left and right sides of the brain become stronger after doing these particular tasks. The fact is true for at least ninety- five percent of the population.

　　  All people, unless they have had brain damaged, have ability to use the right and left hemispheres of their brain. We do, however, have a tendency to be either more right or more left- brained.

1．The first paragraph mainly suggests that________

A．as both sides develop, the left side of one’s brain becomes stronger

B．as both sides develop, the head bones become weaker

C．as one grows old, both sides of his brain become more alike

D．as one grows old, both sides of his brain become different

2．According to this passage ________.

A．the two sides of one’s brain do particular jobs their own at his birth

B．one gets information from both hemispheres when he was born

C．one’s actions of seeing, hearing and learning still come from both sides of his brain at the age of three

D．almost all the people are left- brained

3．It is true for most people ________.

A．to get knowledge by using their right hemi sphere

B．to develop skills by using their left hemisphere

C．that if he plays musical instruments well the right side of his brain is stronger than ordinary people’s

D．that it makes no difference to use either the right or left side of his brain

4．Which of the following is thought to be discussed after the third paragraph?

A．Are you right or left- brained?

B．What particular jobs does the right side of your brain do?

C．Which are you more interested in, maths or music?

D．Do you belong to the group of 95% or the one of 5%?

    Nearly everyone is attached to water, whether it be the sea, canals, rivers or the village pond．Beautiful as it is, water should be regarded with respect as it can be hazardous. Around 300 children up to the age of ten die each year from drowning. It should be every parent’s responsibility to ensure that both he and the child can swim and that as the child gets older, he has some knowledge of life—saving and artificial respiration(人工呼吸).

    The basic rules of water safety are:

    ——don’t leave small children playing alone in water.

    ——never swim an hour before or an hour after a main meal.

    ——if it’s a danger area, find out before you start swimming where the life- guard is or where a lifebelt is available(可提供的).

    ——as children get older, try to teach them to remain calm in an emergency(紧急情况).

    ——look out for warning signs to see whether

you’re in a danger area(see under this)

    ——Be especially careful of inland stretches of water - pools, reservoirs(水库) and dykes(沟)

　　 ——where there are often fewer people about than at the seaside.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

THE NATIONAL CODE FOR BATHERS— the code deals only with warnings that indicate(标示)"Unsafe to Bathe"

1. Color: red, UNSAFE TO BATHE- do not enter the water.

2. Color: red board, white lettering. UN- SAFE TO BATHE AT ALL TIMES. Lifesaving equipment is also painted red for easy identification(识别).

3. Color: red and yellow. PATROLLED(巡逻) BATHING AREAS. Bathing areas with lifesaving facilities(设施) provided by patrols of lifeguards.

4. Color: black and white color. SURFING(冲浪) AREA．Area set aside for surf or Malibu board (冲浪板) riding.

5. Color: white and blue. The divers’ flag means DIVERS DOWN. Boat users keep well clear of this area.

1. What does the writer of this article feel about water?

A．Everyone is attracted to the water in the village pond.

B．It is attractive but dangerous.

C．It is beautiful and respected by everybody.

D．The sea, the canals, the rivers affect the weather.

2. We can infer from the text that "Hints on safety" used as the title means ________.

A．Useful advice

B．Expert opinions

C．Public comments

D．Indirect suggestions

3. What does the writer say about the danger to children?

A．Around 30 ten - year - olds die every year.

B．Ten children each year die from drowning.

C．There are about 300 children, aged ten or under, who are drowned every year.

D．The 300 children who are drowned every year are usually more than ten years old.

4. What does the writer think that parents should make sure their children know?

A．How to be able to save his or her own life.

B．How to get older through knowledge of artificial respiration.

C．How to swim and breathe under water.

D．How to swim and how to save other people’s lives if they get into trouble in the water.

5. Which of the following should you not do?

A．Let small children play in the water.

B．Swim after a heavy meal.

C．Swim in an inland pool.

D．Swim with your children.

6. What does this sign mean?

A．Do not use a surfboard here.

B．Lifeguards patrol this area.

C．This area is not for ordinary swimming.

D．Unsafe to bathe at all times.

    Notices have been put up here and there in the village for the last fortnight (两星期) announcing a meeting to discuss the yearly Flower Show, which has not been held in Fairacre for a number of years. Before I became the village school teacher here, the Flower Show appears to have been an event of some importance and people came from miles around to enjoy a day at Fairacre. It was normally held in a field at the side of the church.

    I decided to go to the meeting, as the children in my school, I knew, used to play quite a large part in this village excitement and there were a number of special competitions, such as collecting wild flowers, making dolls’ house decorations(装饰) or little gardens and so on, included in the program. Also, with the example of Mr. Annett’s gardening efforts at Beech Green in mind, I had been considering for some time a school garden of our own, and this village show should give our efforts additional encouragement.

1. The writer decided to go to the meeting because ________.

A．she had arranged it

B．Mr. Annett was going, too

C．She was interested in collecting wild flowers

D．a Flower Show might help to interest her students in making a garden of their own

2. What sort of things would the village children perhaps be interested in doing as part of the Flower Show?

A．Playing excitedly in the school garden and dolls’ house.

B．Picking and arranging flowers from other people’s gardens.

C．Going out in the countryside to pick flowers and making small gardens of their own.

D．Making a dolls’ house and decorating the school.

3. Why had notices been put up in the village?

A．Because Mr. Annett’s gardening efforts had made people consider holding a Flower Show at Fairacre.

B．In order for the Flower Show Committee to discuss next year’s Flower Show.

C．So the village school teacher could interest the children in gardening.

D．To see if the village people wanted to start holding a Flower Show again.

    The oldest and hardest cow beef may be made as tender (柔嫩) and tasty as young and choice meat. This declaration was made by the French physicist Denis Papin in his book published in 1681, which described his New Digester or pressure cooker. It was a cast iron pot with an airtight lid, which allowed liquids to boil at a higher temperature than usual, and so it cooked food in a quarter of the time. The food was cooled by pressurized steam being forced through it at about 121℃ . All pressure cookers were made of cast iron until 1905, when the first aluminum(铝) model was made in America．In 1938, Alfred Vischer, a man from Chicago, U. S. A., designed a simple interlocking pan and lid, and an improved pressure - tight seal (密封)—a replaceable rubber sealing ring. When Vischer’s patent(专利) expired in 1954, many companies entered the field, and the rapid pressure cooker became popular with people who had little time to cook or had to supply food for unexpected guests.

1. Which of the following shows the correct order of what happened?

a- Denis Papin called his invention "New Digester".

b- It began to be widely used by common families.

c- Instead of cast iron, it was first made of aluminum.

d - The first pressure cooker was invented in France.

e- Alfred Vischer greatly improved its design.

f - Vischer’s patent came to an end.

g- Many other companies began to produce it.

A．d, a, e, c, g, f, b

B．a, d, c, b, e, f, g

C．d, a, c, e, f, g, b

D．g, c, a, e, d, f, b

2. In the writer’s opinion, the best advantage of a pressure cooker is that ________.

A．the oldest and hardest cow beef can be made tender and tasty

B．it allows liquids to boil at a higher temperature than usual

C．it can help people to supply food for unexpected guests

D．it helps people spend much less time in cooking

3. The best title of this passage would be ________.

A．New Digester

B．Pressure Cooker

C．Favorite Cooker

D．The History of Cooker

　　 Sharks(鲨鱼) are not as dangerous to humans as humans are to sharks. Even though millions of people swim in the seas each year, fewer than fifty serious shark attacks appear usually, and only ten of these are fatal (致命的). The reason for this low accident rate is that most sharks are afraid of living things as large as humans. Of the350 known kinds of sharks, only one — the great white shark — is totally unafraid of humans. At the same time, humans kill sharks in greater numbers than in the past. Thousands are hunted and killed each year for food．Thousands more are killed by the nets under the water, which are put off the beaches to protect swimmers in Australia and South Africa．Even the great white shark is reducing as humans hunt it for its teeth, which are sold to collectors. Maybe it is time we began worrying less about protecting people from sharks and more about protecting sharks from people.

1. The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A．it doesn’t matter if a person is attacked by a shark

B．sharks are not as dangerous as people think

C．sharks are afraid of things the size of a human

D．there are fewer shark attacks than before

2. Nets are put off the beaches in some countries so that ________.

A．swimmers will be safe on the beaches

B．people can kill more dangerous sharks

C．people can catch sharks easily

D．sharks will not be attacked

3. By writing this passage, the writer wants to give us a warning that ________.

A．the nets off the beaches are killing too many sharks

B．too many people want to collect shark teeth

C．sharks are in danger

D．sharks are still dangerous

    Although the author of “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp” set his tale in China, some present day students trace the tale to Egypt rather than to the land of the Orient. The sorcerer (巫师) who plans to rob the tomb is Moorish rather than Chinese. The tomb or cave could very well have been one of the subterranean(地下的) treasure houses and elaborate tombs of the Saite period．The public bath mentioned in the story was characteristic of the Moslem world rather than of the Oriental.

What’s the most suitable rifle for this paragraph?

A．Background of Aladdin

B．Sorcerer of Aladdin

C．Tale of China

D．Lamplight

   One of the main traits in workers is dependability. The less supervision the employee needs the more he is worth to the firm. A man should be willing to do a full day’s work even though he is not being watched．Supervisors will supply the necessary leadership and direction. The dependable employee will do his job well without complaining or trying to find unfair shortcuts.

The most proper title for this paragraph is ________.

A．Success on the job

B．Supervisors on the job

C．A job well - done

D．The dependable worker