Ban the Band（乐队）?

    Every year, our school has a dance for all the students. It’s a little funny seeing friends in clean shoes and trousers or colorful　　36　　, instead of the usual school uniform.

     Most of us think the dance is great　　37　　－even the teachers enjoy being there. 　　38　　, two weeks ago someone said that there would be no　　39　　band this year only CDs.

     “I don’t　　40　　it!” Amy cried out during the lunch break.

     “Someone said the school couldn’t　　41　　a band, and they think it’s too noisy anyway,” added Daniel.

     “Well, I don’t think it’s　　42　　enough without a band!” declared Angela, “and I’m going to see what can be done.”

      Angela was as good as her　　43　　. In the afternoon she went to see the school headmaster who agreed to give the　　44　　some more thought. And he suggested that one　　45　　for having a band was to increase the price of each ticket from $5 to $10. Angela had to　　46　　out whether the students would like to do that.

     “I need all of you to help me,” she　　47　　to our group before school the next day. “Mr. Berry gave me a list of all the names, and suggested we ask each one their 　　48　　about the band and the extra cost.”

      　　49　　the day we asked around as Angela suggested, and wrote down people’s feelings about the band and the cost. We were amazed how much　　50　　there was for the band and everyone agreed to pay the extra $5.

      “I’m surprised,” smiled Mr. Berry, when we gave him the　　51　　. “I really thought that only a few people　　52　　their band and that the cost would be too high. OK, Angela, your next　　53　　is to find a good band and line them up for the dance.”

Angela was all smiles and　　54　　the news to Amy and Daniel. “You’re　　55　　,” smiled Daniel to Angela as he thought how close they came to having a less than perfect dance.

36.A. shapes                B. dresses                    C. flowers                    D. pictures

37.A. fun                    B. work                       C. effort                      D. progress

38.A. Besides              B. Otherwise                C. However                 D. Therefore

39.A. new                    B. live                         C. foreign                    D. marching

40.A. mean                 B. need                        C. accept                     D. believe

41.A. lead                    B. serve                       C. afford                     D. form

42.A. good                  B. clear                       C. useful                      D. easy

43. A.look                   B. behavior                  C. mind                      D. word

44.A. schedule             B. situation                  C. view                       D. action

45.A. possibility           B. concern                   C. decision                  D. chance

46.A. call                    B. find                        C. carry                      D. point

47.A. admitted             B. replied                    C. apologized              D. announced

48.A. knowledge   B. instruction              C. opinion                   D. information

49.A. On                    B. For                         C. By                          D. During

50.A. trust                   B. money                     C. support                    D. care

51.A. results                B. notices              C. questions                 D. examples

52.A. welcomed          B. wanted                    C. defended                 D. invited

53.A. task                    B. business                   C. exercise                  D. duty

54.A. showed               B. wrote                      C. broke                      D. read

55.A. amusing       B. interesting          C. exciting                D. amazing

It was eleven o'clock that night when Mr. Pontellier returned from his night out. He was in an excellent humor, in high spirits, and very talkative. His entrance awoke his wife, who was in bed and fast asleep when he came in. He talked to her while he undressed, telling her anecdotes and bits of news and gossip that he had gathered during the day. She was overcome with sleep, and answered him with little half utterances.

　　He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, showed so little interest in things which concerned him and valued so little his conversation.

　　Mr. Pontellier had forgotten the candies and peanuts that he had promised the boys. Still, he loved them very much and went into the room where they slept to take a look at them and make sure that they were resting comfortably. The result of his investigation was far from satisfactory. He turned and shifted the youngsters about in bed. One of them began to kick and talk about a basket full of crabs.

　　Mr. Pontellier returned to his wife with the information that Raoul had a high fever and needed looking after. Then he lit his cigar and went and sat near the open door to smoke it.

　　Mrs. Pontellier was quite sure Raoul had no fever. He had gone to bed perfectly well, she said, and nothing had made him sick. Mr. Pontellier was too well familiar with fever symptoms to be mistaken. He assured her the child was burning with fever at that moment in the next room.

　　He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother's place to look after children, whose on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his business. He could not be in two places at once; making a living for his family on the street, and staying home to see that no harm done to them. He talked in a dull, repeated and insistent way.

　　Mrs. Pontellier sprang out of bed and went into the next room. She soon came back and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning her head down on the pillow. She said nothing, and refused to answer her husband when he questioned her. When his cigar was smoked out, he went to bed, and in half a minute was fast asleep.

　　Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her nightdress. She went out on the porch, where she sat down and began to rock herself in the chair.

　　It was then past midnight. The cottages were all dark. There was no sound except the hooting of an old owl and the everlasting voice of the sea, which broke like a mournful lullaby (催眠曲) upon the night.

　　The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her nightdress no longer served to dry them. She went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms.

　　She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as had just happened were not uncommon in her married life. They seemed never before to have weighed much against theabundance (充足) of her husband's kindness and a uniform devotion which had come to be self-understood.

　　An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with vague pain. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly scolding her husband, expressing sadness about Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just having a good cry all to herself.

　　The mosquitoes succeeded in driving away a mood which might have held her there in the darkness half a night longer.

　　The following morning Mr. Pontellier was up in good time to take the carriage which was to convey him to the ship. He was returning to the city to his business, and they would not see him again at the Island till the coming Saturday. He had regained his calmness, which seemed to have been somewhatweakened the night before. He was eager to be gone, as he looked forward to a lively week in the financial center.

1.Mr.Pontellier comes back home from his night out in a/an ______state of mind.

A．excited           B．confused          C．depressed         D．disappointed

2. Mr. Pontellier criticizes his wife because ______.

A．she is not wholly devoted to her children

B．she does little housework but sleep

C．she knows nothing about fever symptoms

D．she fails to take her son to hospital

3.The writer would most likely describe Mr. Pontellier’s conduct during the evening as ______.

A．impatient and generous                  B．enthusiastic and responsible

C．concerned and gentle                    D．inconsiderate and self-centered

4.The underlined sentence suggests that Mr. Pontellier's complaints to his wife are ______.

A．hesitant and confused                    B．not as urgent as he claims

C．angry and uncertain                     D．too complex to make sense

5.In paragraphs 8 to 13, Mrs. Pontellier’s reactions to her husband’s behavior suggest that ______.

A．she accepts unquestioningly her role of taking care of the children

B．this is one of the first times she has acknowledged her unhappiness with her husband

C．her relationship with her husband is not what has made her depressed

D．she is angry about something that happened before her husband left

6.The passage shows Mr. Pontellier is happiest when he ______.

A．sits near the open door smoking a cigar and talking

B．makes up with his wife after a heated argument

C．has been away from home or is about to leave home

D．has given his children gifts of candies and peanuts

 

It was a cold, wet day when 14­year­old Wasana Sanjeewa reached St. Anthony's College. Waiting __31__ his classroom for his classmates to arrive, Wasana looked at the __32__. Then he noticed enormous amounts of rainwater flowing down the hill behind the classroom. For a few minutes, Wasana _33__ the water, wondering why it looked so __34__．

Then it hit him — the scene was similar to the slides he was shown during Disaster Management classes.

__35__ an approaching disaster, Wasana swung into action. “Run, run, don't stay here! The rocks on the hill are going to fall on us！” he __36__ and all the students ran to the open area.Then Wasana ran over to __37__ Principal Nihal Gurauinghe what was happening.

After __38__ the hill, Gurauinghe knew the school was in trouble. He and some teachers __39__ to stop the waterflow, but they were too __40__： huge rocks fell down the hill with sand and mud, and the entire school was destroyed.

When Wasana __41__ home later that day, his white uniform covered in mud, he got the __42___ from his mother. He tried to explain that he had __43__ two hundred schoolmates __44__ she didn't believe him.

His mother __45__ realized he was telling the truth when she saw a TV report about the __46__. Filled with pride, she hugged Wasana and said that he was indeed a __47__．

No one was hurt in the incident because of Wasana's __48__ action and careful observation.

“Wasana's action __49__ us that sometimes we cannot wait until something happens before we take action. It __50___ be too late by then，” Gurauinghe said.

1.                A．inside　　      B．behind         C．outside   D．over

 

2.                A．sun            B．rain            C．snow D．fog

 

3.                A．pointed at       B．decided on      C．kept on   D．stared at

 

4.                A．familiar         B．special         C．fresh D．random

 

5.                A．Banning        B．Imagining       C．Predicting D．Hearing

 

6.                A．explained       B．shouted        C．concluded D．whispered

 

7.                A．ask            B．promise        C．tell  D．persuade

 

8.                A．inspecting       B．describing       C．measuring D．assessing

 

9.                A．chose          B．tried           C．helped   D．agreed

 

10.               A．late           B．mild           C．blank D．anxious

 

11.               A．missed         B．left            C．moved    D．returned

 

12.               A．reward         B．blame          C．effect D．faith

 

13.               A．cured          B．fought         C．saved D．guided

 

14.               A．so             B．or             C．for   D．but

 

15.               A．naturally        B．necessarily      C．completely D．finally

 

16.               A．adventure      B．disaster        C．failure D．experience

 

17.               A．loser          B．fool           C．hero  D．star

 

18.               A．quiet          B．tough          C．quick D．safe

 

19.               A．taught         B．interested      C．warned   D．confused

 

20.               A．might          B．has to          C．must  D．ought to

 

 

Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general．Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian（百姓的）clothes．People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform．The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes．Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform．What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity（身份）than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits．They save on other clothes．They save on laundry bills．They are tax-deductible（可减税的）．They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

　　Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them．Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement．When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.

　　Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems．Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes．Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.

It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality _______.

　    A．still judge a man by his clothes

　    B．hold the uniform in such high regard

　    C．enjoy having a professional identity

　    D．will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform

People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform _______.

　    A．suggests quality work

　    B．discards his social identity

　    C．appears to be more practical

　    D．looks superior to a person in civilian clothes

The chief function of a uniform is to _______.

　    A．provide practical benefits to the wearer

　    B．make the wearer catch the public eye

       C．inspire the wearer’s confidence in himself

　    D．provide the wearer with a professional identity

The best title for this passage would be _______.

　    A．Uniforms and Society

　    B．The Importance of Wearing a Uniform

　    C．Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform

　    D．Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms

It was eleven o'clock that night when Mr. Pontellier returned from his night out. He was in an excellent humor, in high spirits, and very talkative. His entrance awoke his wife, who was in bed and fast asleep when he came in. He talked to her while he undressed, telling her anecdotes and bits of news and gossip that he had gathered during the day. She was overcome with sleep, and answered him with little half utterances.

　　He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, showed so little interest in things which concerned him and valued so little his conversation.

　　Mr. Pontellier had forgotten the candies and peanuts that he had promised the boys. Still, he loved them very much and went into the room where they slept to take a look at them and make sure that they were resting comfortably. The result of his investigation was far from satisfactory. He turned and shifted the youngsters about in bed. One of them began to kick and talk about a basket full of crabs.

　　Mr. Pontellier returned to his wife with the information that Raoul had a high fever and needed looking after. Then he lit his cigar and went and sat near the open door to smoke it.

　　Mrs. Pontellier was quite sure Raoul had no fever. He had gone to bed perfectly well, she said, and nothing had made him sick. Mr. Pontellier was too well familiar with fever symptoms to be mistaken. He assured her the child was burning with fever at that moment in the next room.

　　He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother's place to look after children, whose on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his business. He could not be in two places at once; making a living for his family on the street, and staying home to see that no harm done to them. He talked in a dull, repeated and insistent way.

　　Mrs. Pontellier sprang out of bed and went into the next room. She soon came back and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning her head down on the pillow. She said nothing, and refused to answer her husband when he questioned her. When his cigar was smoked out, he went to bed, and in half a minute was fast asleep.

　　Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her nightdress. She went out on the porch, where she sat down and began to rock herself in the chair.

　　It was then past midnight. The cottages were all dark. There was no sound except the hooting of an old owl and the everlasting voice of the sea, which broke like a mournful lullaby (催眠曲) upon the night.

　　The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her nightdress no longer served to dry them. She went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms.

　　She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as had just happened were not uncommon in her married life. They seemed never before to have weighed much against the abundance (充足) of her husband's kindness and a uniform devotion which had come to be self-understood.

　　An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with vague pain. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly scolding her husband, expressing sadness about Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just having a good cry all to herself.

　　The mosquitoes succeeded in driving away a mood which might have held her there in the darkness half a night longer.

　　The following morning Mr. Pontellier was up in good time to take the carriage which was to convey him to the ship. He was returning to the city to his business, and they would not see him again at the Island till the coming Saturday. He had regained his calmness, which seemed to have been somewhat weakened the night before. He was eager to be gone, as he looked forward to a lively week in the financial center.

1.Mr.Pontellier comes back home from his night out in a/an ______state of mind.

A. excited                   B. confused                                   C. depressed            D. disappointed

2. The writer would most likely describe Mr. Pontellier’s conduct during the evening as ______.

A. impatient and generous                                                  B. enthusiastic and responsible

C. concerned and gentle                        D. inconsiderate and self-centered

3.In paragraphs 8 to 13, Mrs. Pontellier’s reactions to her husband’s behavior suggest that ______.

A. she accepts unquestioningly her role of taking care of the children

B. this is one of the times she has acknowledged her unhappiness with her husband

C. her relationship with her husband is not what has made her depressed

D. she is angry about something that happened before her husband left