IV. 阅读理解  30%
阅读下列短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
When Cathleen Gardiner’s twins were born 17 years ago, doctors told her that they were a pair in a million. One had Down syndrome(低能综合症), while the other did not. Here, Cathleen tells their touching story.
Since Sean was born 17 years ago, I have always thought that he is just as wonderful as his brother and sister. Though he had a disability(残疾), we have never viewed him as a burden. He has always been a blessing. The doctors explained that though they were twins, they came from two different eggs. Lisa could walk at 11 months old, while Sean didn’t take his first steps till he was three. By two, Lisa was talking a lot, but Sean wasn’t able to speak until he was nearly four.
For the first five years of his life, Sean needed a great deal of care. Looking after him was my full-time job, though I also worked as a technical adviser in a computing company. We never treated them differently. We gave them the same toys and spoke to them in the same way. We encouraged Sean to keep up with Lisa, even though he never could, and we would help him develop his abilities. We sent them to the same primary school even after doctors advised us that Sean should go to a school for the disabled.
We had to explain to Lisa that he wouldn’t learn as quickly as she would. She told us that she’d help him with his school work. Having a non-disabled twin has really helped Sean develop. The love they share has given him a great deal of support. Now Sean and Lisa are both about to finish high school. I don’t think he would have done nearly as well today without Lisa’s help.
56. At least how many children does Mrs. Gardiner have?
A. Two.     B. Three.      C. Four.   D. One.
57. The third paragraph mainly tells us that _______.
A. the couple treated the twins equally
B. Cathleen did all she could to look after Sean
C. the couple didn’t follow the doctor’s advice
D. the couple encouraged Sean to grow up
58. All of the following statements are true except_________.
A. Sean couldn’t develope so well without his parents’great effort.
B. As a twin sister,Lisa gave Sean a lot of help.
C. As a mother of a disabeled child,Cathleen must have suffered a lot.
D. Cathleen loved Sean more than Lisa because of his disability.
59. This passage tells us that _________.
A. love can do wonders           B. nobody is foolish or clever
C. being stupid doesn’t matter       D. all men are born equal

     Being considered a leader in our society is indeed of high praise. Leadership means power, commands respect and, most important, encourages achievement. Unlike vitamin C, leadership skills can't be easily swallowed down. They must be carefully cultivated.

     Different from popular belief, most good leaders are made, not born. They learn their skills in their everyday lives. But which do they develop? How do they (and how can you) get others to follow?

     Always give credit. Many leaders note that the most efficient way to get a good performance from others is to treat them like heroes. Giving public credit to someone who has earned it is the best leadership technique in the world. It is also an act of generosity (慷慨) that's never forgotten.

     Giving credit is more effective than even the most constructive criticism (批评) , which often hurts rather than helps. Kenneth Blanchard, the author of The One-Minute Manager, agrees. "Catch people doing something right!" he says. Then tell everyone about it.

     Take informed risks. " The best leaders know that taking a risk is not a thoughtless exercise," says management adviser Marilyn Machlowitz. "Sky divers don't go up in an airplane without checking the parachutes (降落伞) beforehand. "

      Because the idea of risk also carries with it the possibility of failure, many of us usually wait for others to take charge. But if you want to be a leader, you must learn to fail － and not die a thousand deaths. Pick yourself up and start all over again.

      Encourage enthusiasm (热情). "When people understand the importance of work, they lend their mental strengths," says Lee Ducat. But when they get excited about the work, all their energy gets poured into the job. That's a great force! Is this the best way to create excitement? Be enthusiastic yourself － You will be followed by everyone.

60. The underlined word "cultivated" (paragraph 1) roughly means _______.

A. encouraged        B. compared          C. examined          D. developed

61. The part Always give credit tells us that a leader should _______.

A. give helpful criticism                                          B. regard others as real heroes

C. praise people for their good performances       D. praise everyone

62. To be a good leader, you should _______.

A. not be afraid of any risks                              B. think twice before taking risks

C. try to avoid any possible failures                    D. know what a thoughtless exercise is

63. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. Leadership Is of Skills and Techniques           B. Leadership Is Very Important

C. Not Many Can Be Leaders                             D. How to Be a Leader

Dear Economist,

My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love．There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage．I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart．My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs．

　　I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good―lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit(紧密团结的) international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy．My wife complains about poor labour policies, the “fact” that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business．

　　Who is right? Will our marriage survive?

Brian Gee

Dear Brian,

I have to agree with you about Walmart．Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly (不知不觉地) a progressive success story．The chain’s prices don’t much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year．

　　Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages．Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed．Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees．And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers．

　　Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence．You are sure to win the conversation．The divorce is likely to be more argued．

Economist

1.What concerns Brian Gee so much that he wrote the letter?

2.Brian Gee’s wife tends to hold the opinion that _________．

3.What can be inferred from the reply letter?