A: For years some people have been saying that railways are dead. They say, “Trains are slow, and they lose money. Motorcars and planes have made them unnecessary.”

B:    1.   . I think in these days of expensive oil, railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes.

A: Right. If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they are much cheaper than planes.

B:    2.   . A plane goes in a straight line, and so does a railway.

A: What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another.    3.   . Nor does it hold you up as a car does in heavy traffic.

B:    4.   . Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey. We’ve just entered the age of super-fast trains, traveling at 160 miles an hour and more.

A：5.

A. So railways will have very bright future, I dare say. 

B. It doesn’t leave you as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center.

C. Far from being dead, railways are developing very quickly.

D. Trains are really slower than planes. 

E. And they have much in common with planes.

F. But it is far from the truth. 

G. Trains are really more comfortable than planes.

 

C

At one time it was the dream of many little girls to become a nurse. Today, however, America is facing its worst nurse shortage since World War I. Recently about 2,000,000 nurses are needed and 60 percent of all hospitals in the US have shortages large enough to threaten(="say" that you will hurt somebody if they don’t do what you want) the quality of care provided. The demand for nurses spreads widely throughout the nursing field.

What has become of these women in white? The answer lies in not one but several causes. One possibility is the fact that women have greater career options(职业选择). In the past, women who chose to work outside the home had two basic choices: nursing or teaching. Today, more women than ever are in the work force, but their choices have greatly increased. There are women doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers. In fact, women today are found in nearly every field of work. Nursing has been left behind, as women move on to jobs with higher pay and greater status(地位). A woman or man in the nursing field is often looked down upon as “just a nurse”. Teachers may be also at fault. Many high school students are actually being steered(劝导) away from nursing, told by teachers that they are “too bright to be a nurse”.

Americans are living longer than ever and requiring more medical attention. In fact, the number of elderly patients has almost doubled in the past twenty years. Obviously a larger population requires more nurses. AIDS and other diseases have caused more and more people to need nursing care. Usually fatal diseases mean long hospital stay, that is to say, more nurses are needed to care for these patients. It is estimated that the demand for nurses will be doubled the supply in the coming ten years.

63. Why is America facing its worst nurse shortage?

A. Because American health conditions are becoming worse and worse.

B. Because more and more women prefer to be teachers and doctors.

C. Because women have been provided with many different jobs.

D. Because women no longer choose to be nurses.

64. The passage tells us that high school teachers are at fault for ___________.

A. not mentioning the worst nurse shortage in the US

B. introducing jobs with higher pay and greater status to their students

C. not asking the government to raise the nurses’ payment

D. persuading the students not to be nurses

65. The author wrote this passage in order to __________.

A. describe the unequal treatment of women in the US

B. warn people to pay more attention to the nursing problem

C. tell us women’s free choice of jobs today

D. call on women not to be nurses

66. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. High school students think themselves too bright to be nurses.

B. Women in the US have greater career choice than those in other countries.

C. Of all the hospitals in the world 60 percent more nurses are badly needed.

D. Nursing used to be a popular job among women.

 

B

To: manager@ tastytreat.com.ca

Date: Monday, 7 October, 3:34p.m.

From: raymondyuen@ canada.net

Subject: Complaint

Dear Mr. Price,

I have eaten in your restaurant many times and have always been happy with the food and service. This makes what happened last Saturday even more disappointing.

It was my son’s birthday so we booked a no-smoking table at your restaurant for 7:30 p.m. We arrived on time but were told that our table was not yet ready. At 8:00 p.m., we were given a table in the smoking section. I asked to move but I was told that there were no other tables. A lot of people were smoking so it was uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Our first waitress, Janet, was very polite and helpful. She gave us free drinks for waiting so long. Our food also came quickly and looked fresh and tasty. When my wife had eaten most of her meal, she found a dead cockroach (蟑螂) in her vegetables. She was shocked and wanted to leave. At first, the waitress told us it was a piece of garlic(蒜). When we told her that garlic does not have legs, she apologized and took the food away.

We asked for the bill, expecting not to pay for my wife’s meal. Nobody came. After 15 minutes, I asked to see the manager. The head waiter told us that you were on holiday. I complained again about the horrible cockroach. He told me Janet had finished work. He didn’t believe my story and gave me a bill for three meals. I argued with him but was forced to pay.

The waitress, Janet, was always friendly, but I would like an apology from your impolite head waiter and a full refund (退款) for our meal. It cost $68. Until then, I will not be eating at your restaurant or recommending it to anyone.

You can contact me at 742-3254 or through e-mail if you want more information.

Thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Raymond Yuen

69. We learn from the text that last Saturday Mr. Yuen _____.

　 A. was satisfied with the restaurant.          B. was disappointed with the restaurant

　 C. had to wait for his food                   D. ate for the first time at the restaurant

70. The writer had to pay the bill because _______.

A. the head waiter would not believe his story 

B. the manager was on holiday

C. Janet didn’t believe there was cockroach in the vegetables

D. his wife had eaten most of her meal

71. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A. Mr.Yuen demanded that the head waiter apologize to him.

B. Mr.Yuen asked for a full refund for their meal.

C. Mr.Yuen will not eat at the restaurant any more.

D. The head waiter was not as polite as Janet. 

 

C

At one time it was the dream of many little girls to become a nurse. Today, however, America is facing its worst nurse shortage since World War I. Recently about 2,000,000 nurses are needed and 60 percent of all hospitals in the US have shortages large enough to threaten(=say that you will hurt somebody if they don’t do what you want) the quality of care provided. The demand for nurses spreads widely throughout the nursing field.

What has become of these women in white? The answer lies in not one but several causes. One possibility is the fact that women have greater career options(职业选择). In the past, women who chose to work outside the home had two basic choices: nursing or teaching. Today, more women than ever are in the work force, but their choices have greatly increased. There are women doctors, lawyers, firefighters and police officers. In fact, women today are found in nearly every field of work. Nursing has been left behind, as women move on to jobs with higher pay and greater status(地位). A woman or man in the nursing field is often looked down upon as “just a nurse”. Teachers may be also at fault. Many high school students are actually being steered(劝导) away from nursing, told by teachers that they are “too bright to be a nurse”.

Americans are living longer than ever and requiring more medical attention. In fact, the number of elderly patients has almost doubled in the past twenty years. Obviously a larger population requires more nurses. AIDS and other diseases have caused more and more people to need nursing care. Usually fatal diseases mean long hospital stay, that is to say, more nurses are needed to care for these patients. It is estimated that the demand for nurses will be doubled the supply in the coming ten years.

63. Why is America facing its worst nurse shortage?

  A. Because American health conditions are becoming worse and worse.

  B. Because more and more women prefer to be teachers and doctors.

  C. Because women have been provided with many different jobs.

  D. Because women no longer choose to be nurses.

64. The passage tells us that high school teachers are at fault for ___________.

  A. not mentioning the worst nurse shortage in the US

  B. introducing jobs with higher pay and greater status to their students

  C. not asking the government to raise the nurses’ payment

  D. persuading the students not to be nurses

65. The author wrote this passage in order to __________.

  A. describe the unequal treatment of women in the US

  B. warn people to pay more attention to the nursing problem

  C. tell us women’s free choice of jobs today

  D. call on women not to be nurses

66. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

  A. High school students think themselves too bright to be nurses.

  B. Women in the US have greater career choice than those in other countries.

  C. Of all the hospitals in the world 60 percent more nurses are badly needed.

  D. Nursing used to be a popular job among women.

B

To: manager@ tastytreat.com.ca

Date: Monday, 7 October, 3:34p.m.

From: raymondyuen@ canada.net

Subject: Complaint

Dear Mr. Price,

I have eaten in your restaurant many times and have always been happy with the food and service. This makes what happened last Saturday even more disappointing.

It was my son’s birthday so we booked a no-smoking table at your restaurant for 7:30 p.m. We arrived on time but were told that our table was not yet ready. At 8:00 p.m., we were given a table in the smoking section. I asked to move but I was told that there were no other tables. A lot of people were smoking so it was uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Our first waitress, Janet, was very polite and helpful. She gave us free drinks for waiting so long. Our food also came quickly and looked fresh and tasty. When my wife had eaten most of her meal, she found a dead cockroach (蟑螂) in her vegetables. She was shocked and wanted to leave. At first, the waitress told us it was a piece of garlic(蒜). When we told her that garlic does not have legs, she apologized and took the food away.

We asked for the bill, expecting not to pay for my wife’s meal. Nobody came. After 15 minutes, I asked to see the manager. The head waiter told us that you were on holiday. I complained again about the horrible cockroach. He told me Janet had finished work. He didn’t believe my story and gave me a bill for three meals. I argued with him but was forced to pay.

The waitress, Janet, was always friendly, but I would like an apology from your impolite head waiter and a full refund (退款) for our meal. It cost $68. Until then, I will not be eating at your restaurant or recommending it to anyone.

You can contact me at 742-3254 or through e-mail if you want more information.

Thank you for your attention.

                                                                    Yours sincerely,

                                                                       Raymond Yuen

69. We learn from the text that last Saturday Mr. Yuen _____.

　 A. was satisfied with the restaurant.           B. was disappointed with the restaurant

　 C. had to wait for his food                    D. ate for the first time at the restaurant

70. The writer had to pay the bill because _______.

A. the head waiter would not believe his story 

B. the manager was on holiday

C. Janet didn’t believe there was cockroach in the vegetables

D. his wife had eaten most of her meal

71. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

   A. Mr.Yuen demanded that the head waiter apologize to him.

   B. Mr.Yuen asked for a full refund for their meal.

   C. Mr.Yuen will not eat at the restaurant any more.

   D. The head waiter was not as polite as Janet.