In the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. equal. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies. They formed utopian communities, which they called “communes”, where they could follow their philosophy of “do your own thing”. A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller, they built dome-shaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, the followers of San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school houses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm became famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin’s followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the group were arrested for growing marijuana.

　　Not all communes believed in the philosophy of “do your own thing”. However, Twin Oaks, a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner’s “conditioning” techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an “archeology”. Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.

1.Why did some young Americans decide to “drop out” of society during the 1960s?

　　A. They were not satisfied with American society.

　　B. They wanted to grow marijuana.

　　C. They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.

　　D. They did not want all people to be equal.

2. Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?

　　A. In dome-shaped house.         B. In old school houses.

　　C. On a farm in Tennessee.        D. In an archeology in Arizona.

3. Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to build dome-shaped house?

　　A. Paolo Soleri.  　             B. B.G.Skinner.

　　C. Steve Gaskin.                D. Buckminster Fuller.

4. What was the Twin Oaks commune based on?

　　A. The philosophy of “do your own thing”.

　　B. Virginia in the late 1960s.

　　C. The ideas of psychologist.

　　D. The belief that people must live closely together.

5. What is an “archeology”?

　　A. A person who studies archaeology.

　　B. A large building where people live closely together.

　　C. A city in Arizona.

　　D. A technique to control people.

 

When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: “We have to go to work now,” you’re left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.

　　Stage schools often act as agencies（代理机构）to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.

　　A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?

　Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days.

　The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don’t make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.

　People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they’re talking to________.

　　  A. attend a stage school　　　　  B. are going to the theatre

　　  C. have got some work to do 　　  D. love singing and dancing

　　 In the writer’s opinion, a good stage school should ________.

　　  A. produce star performers

　　  B. help pupils improve their study skills

　　  C. train pupils in language and performing arts

　　  D. provide a general education and stage training.

　“Professional work” as used in the text means ________.

　　  A. ordinary school work　　　　　  B. money-making performances

　　  C. stage training at school 　 　  D. acting, singing or dancing after class

　 Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?

　　  A. He thinks highly of what they have to offer.　　　　

　　  B. He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

　　  C. He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

　　  D. He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached.

Of all living creatures on earth, insects are the most plentiful. Some　 36　 are very useful to man, for example, bees,　 37　 we get honey and wax, and silkworms, which　 38　 us with silk. Other varieties,　 39　 , are extremely harmful, and do a great　 40　 of damage, especially to crops. Locusts （蝗虫） are perhaps the most dangerous of all,　 41　 they will eat almost any green　 42　 , and when millions of them　 43　 on cultivated land（耕地）they soon leave it　 44　 . In some countries they are the farmer’s　 45　 enemy. Another nuisance is the common　 46　 , not only because it　 47　 us indoors and out - of- doors, but because it spreads diseases.

　　Scientists have given much time and　 48　 to the study of insects. It needs the most careful and　 49　 observation. Thanks　 50　 their discoveries we now know almost all　 51　 is to be known about the habits of these hardworking insects, bees and ants, which live in　 52　 better planned in some ways than our　　53　 . But the most valuable work has been done in trying to give　 54　 to men, animals and crops from the　 55　 which insects cause.

　　36．A. members  B. forms  C. qualities  D. varieties

　　37．A. by which  B. from which  C. of which  D. in which

　　38．A. give  B. produce  C. offer  D. supply

　　39．A. however  B. meanwhile C. therefore  D. what's more

　　40．A. majority  B. number  C. amount  D. quantity

　　41．A. and  B. for  C. if  D. when

　　42．A. grass  B. field  C. fruit  D. plant

　　43．A. settle  B. attack  C. pass  D. cross

　　44．A. bare  B. nothing  C. empty  D. untouched

　　45．A. hardest  B. greatest  C. serious  D. wildest

　　46．A. insect  B. creature  C. fly  D. enemy

　　47．A. dislikes  B. bites  C. worries  D. hates

　　48．A. understanding  B. ideas  C. comprehension  D. thought

　　49．A. serious  B. patient  C. curious  D. long

　　50．A. for  B. of  C. to  D. with

　　51．A. that  B. which  C. there  D. what

　　52．A. societies  B. crowds C. teams  D. organizations

　　53．A. world  B. nation  C. selves  D. own

　　54．A. help  B. protection  C. living  D. defense

　　55．A. injury  B. wound  C. sickness  D. ruin

　　A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess（女家庭教师）Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ”I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”

　　“Forty.”

　　“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”

　　“Two months and five days.”

　　“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.

　　“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct？”

　　Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but - still not a word.

　　“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect （疏忽）, Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”

　　“You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.

　　“But I made a note of it.”

　　“Well... if you say so.”

　　“Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”

　　Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!

　　“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”

　　“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is !”

　　I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.

　　“Merci （法语: 谢谢）,”she whispered.

　　I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.

　　“For the money. ”

　　“But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you ! I have actually stolen from you ! Why this‘merci’？”

　　“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”

　　“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless （懦弱）?Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws（爪）—to be such a fool?”

　　Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”

　　I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world !”

　　While talking to Julia, the wrier expected from her ________.

　　A. a protest　　　　　　　　　　　B. gratitude

　　C. obedience　　　　　　　　　　 D. an explanation

　　What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.

　　A. nervousness in front of her boss

　　B. acceptance of injustice

　　C. shyness when talking about money

　　D. reluctance to express herself

　　The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.

　　A. to be more aggressive

　　B. to be more careful in her work

　　C. to protect her right

　　D. to live independently

　　At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”to show ________.

　　A. his understanding of Julia’s anxiety

　　B. his worry about Julia’s future

　　C. his concern on the living condition of working - class people

　　D. his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited

At the age of 13，I visited a doctor with my parents. As I sat in the examining chair，the doctor looked into my 　31　.“She did inherit (继承) it，”he said with coldness.“You need to be prepared. There is no 　32　 for this disease.”

My father 　33　 a gene which，in most cases，results in blindness. I’d inherited the gene. He gradually 　34　 his eyesight and so did I. At last we were both 　35　 blind—he was fifty-seven years old，　36　 I was only twenty-eight.

My world 　37　 as the darkness fell，　38　 the dreams my husband and I had for us and for our three little boys. But 　39　 I tried to find some hope and 　40　，my eyes were opened to a new realization.

My father had 　41　 me not just failing eyesight，but an example of 　42　 in the face of hardships as well. We were all living in Bolivia in 1964 when he decided to 　43　 the family to America. He worked tirelessly to 　44 the right of living in the US.

Alone in the States，he 　45　 his helplessness and lack of fluency in English. He managed to rent a small apartment，and nine months later，sent airline tickets for my mom，my brother and me.

Decades later，　46 an American citizen，I look back at what he'd shown me. He set an example proving that determination is important to success. His 　47　 taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness.

I did the same as I stepped into a 　48　 world. I fulfilled (完成) my own 　49　 as a wife，mom，Sunday school teacher and Spanish interpreter. What I inherited from my father helped me to 50　 my life in a whole new light.

1.A.mouth           B.eyes          C.ears          D.throat

2.A.solution         B.reason         C.excuse          D.cure

3..A.carried            B.spread            C.infected      D.raised

4.A.damaged         B.lost         C.recovered     D.gained

5.A.rapidly         B.nearly         C.completely       D.terribly

6.A.though              B.but               C.so                D.since

7.A.broke down      B.broke off     C.broke away        D.broke out

8.A.realizing           B.sharing      C.disturbing        D.destroying

9.A.when            B.before         C.unless           D.until

10.A.honour         B.beauty            C.strength      D.failure

11.A.handed         B.rewarded      C.given         D.taught

12.A.contribution       B.determination C.challenge     D.honesty

13.A.move           B.settle            C.arrange           D.send

14.A.enjoy           B.declare          C.apply         D.win

15.A.accepted       B.admitted      C.overcame      D.met

16.A.as                 B.like          C.for            D.to

17.A.knowledge      B.journey           C.situation          D.event

18.A.cruel          B.inner             C.modern         D. dark

19.A.promises       B. hopes            C. roles            D. changes

20.A.touch          B. end          C. save           D. see