Try this little test. A man dressed completely in black is sitting at a bar in a country pub. He is drinking one whisky after another. After three hours, the man in black leaves the pub and walks drunkenly down a small country road. There are no lights, and there is no moon. A car without headlights approaches. The driver notices the man, however, and is able to brake in time to avoid an accident. How could the driver see the man in black? Think about this.
The reason we can get stuck with this – and other problems in life—is that we make assumptions. If we assume that the man in black is out for an evening drink, then the problem is a hard one to solve.
The dictionary describes an assumption as something we take for granted or suppose to be true. Assumptions are essential to logical thinking and decision-making, but what happens if they are false?
Sometimes false assumptions can lead to disaster. On 8 January 1989, a British Midland Airways Boeing took off from Heathrow for Belfast. The number-two (right) engine, which had caused trouble on the previous flight, had been cleared. Twenty minutes after take-off, the plane began to shake violently. The flight recorder later showed what had happened. The captain asked the co-pilot what the problem was. “It’s the f-ing right engine again!” he replied. The captain ordered no.2 engine to be shut down, and the lefthand (no.1) engine to be turned on for an emergency landing. The 737 crashed on the edge of the M1 motorway. The cause of the crash? The captain and copilot made a false assumption and shut down the wrong engine. Of the 118 passengers, 39 died and 74 suffered serious injury.
The more risky or the more expensive the decision, the more important it is to check assumptions. There is a nice way to remember the importance of assumption checking. Look at the letters in the word ASSUME, and note that taking things for granted can make an ASS（傻瓜） of U and ME.
1. What purpose does Paragraph 1 serve in the passage?
A. To provide background information of the topic.
B. To attract readers attention to the topic.
C. To use an example to support the topic.
D. To offer basic knowledge of the topic.
2. The main purpose of the passage is to remind the readers _________.
A. of the importance of making assumptions
B. of the danger of making assumptions
C. to make assumptions before dealing with problems
D. to check assumptions before dealing with problems
3. The best title for this passage may probably be __________.
A. Assumptions Lead To Disaster
B. Ways of Avoiding False Assumption
C. When Things Are Not as They First Seem
D. Assumptions and Decision-making
4. The most probable reason that the driver can see the man in black is that       .
A. there were bright stars in the sky when the accident happened.
B. the driver had very good eyesight.
C. the accident happened where the lights were bright.
D. the accident happened during the afternoon, in daylight.

Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph．There is one extra heading which you do not need.

I have heard that fluoride can help stop dental decay, but I recently read that it is poisonous．Which of these is true? How can children use fluoride safely?

This question is answered by Dr Marcia M．Rich who practises general dentistry in Newholt．She is also a lecturer at the University and a writer for the monthly magazine Your Dentist Cares．

My answer to the first question is to stress that fluoride works well and is safe when users follow instructions．Young children have a tendency to swallow toothpaste, which is why they should only have a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste on their toothbrush．If this simple measure is taken, parents can be confident that children will be protected against tooth decay, and come to no harm.

Almost all medicines have an adverse effect－or even be deadly－if they are not taken as directed．So you are right－fluoride can be poisonous if it is swallowed in very large quantities．It is for the reason that fluoride supplements can only be obtained on prescription from the doctor or dentist．Please be assured that fluoride overdoses are rare－in fact, I have never heard of any fatal incidents related to fluoride poisoning.

Scientific studies have shown that fluoride can help to prevent cavities as long as it is used correctly．If fluoride is abused, there is a risk of illness or even deaths in extreme cases．If a deadly amount of fluoride is taken, immediate first-aid could save a life．A person who has swallowed a large amount of fluoride will probably start vomiting．If not, the patient should be given milk or antacid and taken to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment.

Taking too much fluoride while teeth are growing can lead to a condition called dental fluorosis．The most likely cause is the swallowing of fluoride toothpastes by young children．It can also be caused by inappropriate use of fluoride drop or other fluoride supplements, for example when fluoride is already is already present in drinking water．  

根据对话内容，从对话后的选项中选出能填入空白出的最佳答案，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有两项多余选项。（共5小题：每小题一分，满分5分）

注意：E涂AB,F涂AC,G涂AD

A:Now,Mr John.I’ve read your own docter’s report.So you haven’t been feeling well lately.56

B:Yes.It’s my leg,docter.My left leg.I’m suffering from frequent strange pain in it.

A：57

B:It’s like boiling water running down my leg.It’s been getting worse lately too.I’v been losing sleep.

A:58

B:Yes,that’s right.It’s been keeping me awake.

A:Have you been getting tired lately after you have a walk?

B:Why?Yes,Yes,I have,docter.

A:Hmm…59.

B:Do you think it’s serious?

A:Probably not.

B:But…Docter Cook,my local docter think it’s only that I have been working too hard lately.

A: 60  Don’t worry.We’ ll find out soon.

第二节：（共5小题，每小题2分，满分10分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

注意：请将答案转写到答题卡上，写在本试卷上无效。

Since the pre-historic times, man has had an urge to satisfy his needs, but as we climbed the steps of evolution with giant leaps, we somehow left behind common sense and logical thinking — we forgot that we have stopped thinking ahead of times．

    If you are hungry, what do you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that? ____71_____ But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your favorite star and many such absurd things．When mind looses its freedom to grow, creativity gets a full stop．This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?"．Well this is the aftermath of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things．

    Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading．Now why reading and not watching TV? ___72___ Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to take advantage of reading．You have innumerable number of books in this world which will answer all your “How to?” questions．___73___ Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas．The same seed if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, of which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams! This is nothing other than creativity．The larger number of books you read, your mind will open up like never before．Also this improves your speaking skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary in writing．___74____

    Actually, I had a problem in speaking English fluently, but as I read, I could improve significantly．___75____ So guys do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading．Now what are you waiting for?

A．Soon you will find no difficulty employing the right words when speaking．

B．The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed．

C．I am still on the path of improvement to satisfy my thirst．

D．Just like your stomach, even your mind is hungry．

E．Because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from the childhood．

F．Within no time you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time．

G．Because watching TV too often will make you a “couch potato”．

Suppose that we lined up our roughly 14 million United States businesses in order of size, starting with the smallest, along an imaginary road from San Francisco to New York. There will be 4,500 businesses to the mile, or a little less than one per foot. Suppose further that we planted a flag each business. The height of the flag pole represents the yearly volume of sales (销量) , each $ 10, 000 in sales in shown by one foot of pole.
The line of flagpoles is a very interesting sight. From San Francisco to about Reno, it is almost unnoticeable, a row of poles about a foot high. From Reno eastward the poles increase in height until, near Columbus, Ohio - about four - fifths of the way across the nation - flags fly about 10 feet in the air.
But as we approach the eastern terminus (终点) , the poles suddenly begin to mount (升高) . There are about 300, 000 firms in the country with sales over $ 500, 000. These firms take up the last 75 miles of the 3,000 - mile road. There are 200, 000 firms with sales over $ 1 million. They take up the last 50 miles. Then there are 1, 000 firms with sales of $ 50, 000, 000 or more. They take up the last quarter of a mile before the city limits, flags flying at cloud height, 5 , 000 feet up .
At the very gate of New York, on the last 100 feet of the last mile , we find the 100 largest industrial firms . They have sales of at least $ 1.5 billion, so that their flags are already miles high. Along the last 10 feet of road , there are 10 largest companies . Their sales are roughly $ 10 billion and up : their flags fly 190 miles in the air , almost in the stratosphere (平流层) .
【小题1】What is the author’s main purpose in this passage?