Between ten and midnight the United States is politically leaderless—there is no center of information anywhere in the nation except in the New York headquarters of the great broadcasting companies and two wire services. No candidate and no party can afford the investment on election night to match the news-gathering resources of the mass media; and so as every citizen sits in his home watching his TV set or listening to his radio, he is the equal of any other in knowledge. There is nothing that can be done in these hours, for no one can longer direct the great strike for America’s power; the polls have closed. Good or bad, whatever the decision, America will accept the decision—and cut down any man who goes against it, even though for millions the decision runs contrary to their own votes. The general vote is an expression of national will, the only substitute for violence and blood. Its decision is to be defended as one defends civilization itself.

There is nothing like this American expression of will in England or France, India or Russia. Only one other major nation in modern history has tried to elect its leader directly by mass, free, popular vote. This was the Weiman Republic of Germany, which modeled its unitary vote for national leaders on the American practice. Out of its experiment with the system it got Hitler. Americans have had Lincoln, Wilson and two Roosevelts. Nothing can be done when the voting returns are flooding in; the White House and its power will move to one or another of the two candidates, and all will know about it in the morning. But for these hours history stops.

Between ten P.M. and midnight the United States is politically leaderless because ________.

A. the president has been murdered          

B. the general strike for power has ended

C. the government has resigned             

D. the general vote is being held

“The great strike for America’s power” in Paragraph 1 refers to ________.

A. the strike of the government members

B. the great vote

C. the election campaign

D. the strike of the government employees

The author believes that the decision at the polls will ________.

A. lead to a civil war             B. result in a general strike

C. cause violence and blood     D. be defended by all Americans

Without the general vote, the author implies ________.

A. there would be a civil war    B. there would be a general strike

C. there would be an election campaign    D. there would be a fierce debate

After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.

Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated—no trading disks, no on-line communication—or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.

In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.

The much-feared M-day was ________.

A. Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike

B. Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated

C. the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike

D. the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday

Computer viruses are ________.

A. diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks

B. viruses hidden in a computer’s instructions by the designers

C. little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered

D. just those computer programs created by malevolent designers

Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?

A. A burnt child dreads the fire.        B. The bug’s bark was worse than its bite.

C. A barking dog seldom bites.         D. Once bitten, twice shy.

The author implies that in days to come the viruses might be used ________.

A. to destroy data                            B. to commit crimes

C. to commit mischief                      D. to create confusion

II、阅读（共两节，满分50分）
第一节阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A teenage girl is fighting for her life today after being struck by lightning as severe thunderstorms swept across Britain. The girl was one of four teenage girls from London who were hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park during a storm. Earlier, Joseph Wharton, 14, died as he was struck by lightning while camping in his friend’s backyard in the West Midlands.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the girl remained in serious condition at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. She had stopped breathing by the time the first paramedic (护理人员) arrived on the scene just two minutes after the strike at 5:40 p.m. yesterday.
The other three girls hit by the bolt all had injuries, and were taken to University College Hospital. Their conditions were not serious, the spokesman added.
The strike lifted the girls into the air and then dropped them to the ground, a witness reported.
A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said paramedics risked their lives to treat the girls. “The storm was still overhead and lightning was still coming down while they were treating the patients,” he said. “All staff involved acted very professionally in providing fast treatment to these patients in very difficult circumstances.” Scotland Yard said the incident was being looked into by officers from the Royal Parks’ Operational Command Unit.
Joseph Wharton of Byland Way, Bloxwich, was hit during the extended thunderstorm which struck the region yesterday morning. He was pronounced dead at Walsall Manor Hospital.
He had been sleeping in a tent while staying with school friend Michael Lees at a house on nearby Cresswell Crescent.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics were called at 7:50 a.m. and unsuccessful attempts were made to revive（使苏醒）the sports-mad teenager. A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said four or five people die each year as a result of lightning strikes in the UK.
26、All four girls________.
A. were killed by the lightning                B. were seriously injured
C. were being treated at the same hospital   D. were lifted up and dropped to the ground
27、The underlined word “bolt” probably means “________”.
A. thunder             B. rain                  C. storm                      D. lightning
28、Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The boy was killed after the four girls had been hit.
B. The paramedics began to treat the girls after taking them to the hospital.
C. First-aid was given to the girls during the storm.
D. The boy was hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park.
29、It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. many British people die from lightning strikes every year
B. the writer blames the government for the accident
C. the paramedics could also have been hit by lightning while aiding the girls
D. Joseph had been playing in the open air before the strike
30、This passage is probably taken from a ________.
A. magazine       B. newspaper   C. science fiction    D. weather report

（D）
Between ten and midnight the United States is politically leaderless——there is no center of information anywhere in the nation except in the New York headquarters of the great broadcasting companies and the two great wire services．No candidate and no party can afford the investment on election night to match the news-gathering resources of the mass media; and so, as every citizen sits in his home watching his TV set or listening to his radio, he is the equal of any other in knowledge．There is nothing that can be done in these hours, for on one can any longer direct the great strike for America’s power; the polls have closed．Good or bad, whatever the decision．America will accept the decision——and cut down any man who goes against it, even though for millions the decision runs contrary to their own votes．The general vote is an expression of national will, the only substitute for violence and blood．Its decision is to be defended as one defends civilization itself．
There is nothing like this American expression of will in England or France, India or Russia or China．Only one other major nation in modern history has ever tried to elect its leader directly by mass, free, popular vote．This was the Weimar Republic of Germany, which modeled its unitary vote for national leaders on the American practice．Out of its experiment with the system it got Hitler．Americans have had Lincoln, Wilson and two Roosevelts．Nothing can be done when the voting returns are flooding in; the White House and its power will move to one or another of the two candidates, and all will know about it in the morning．But for these hours history stops．
76．Between ten p．m．and midnight, the United States has no leader because________．
A．the President has resigned
B．the strike for power has ended
C．the polls have closed and the results are not in
D．there has been a revolution
77．“The great strike for America’s power” in paragraph 1 refers to_________．
A．the strike of the mass media    B．the great coal strike
C．striking while the iron is hot   D．the election campaign
78．According to the author only one other major modern nation ever tried to elect its leader by mass, free, popular vote．That nation was___________．
A．India B．Germany  C．Russia      D．England
79．The author believes the decision at the polls will     ．
A．lead to anarchy B．result in men being cut down
C．cause violence and blood D．be defended by all Americans

II、阅读（共两节，满分50分）

第一节阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A teenage girl is fighting for her life today after being struck by lightning as severe thunderstorms swept across Britain. The girl was one of four teenage girls from London who were hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park during a storm. Earlier, Joseph Wharton, 14, died as he was struck by lightning while camping in his friend’s backyard in the West Midlands.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the girl remained in serious condition at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. She had stopped breathing by the time the first paramedic (护理人员) arrived on the scene just two minutes after the strike at 5:40 p.m. yesterday.

The other three girls hit by the bolt all had injuries, and were taken to University College Hospital. Their conditions were not serious, the spokesman added.

The strike lifted the girls into the air and then dropped them to the ground, a witness reported.

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said paramedics risked their lives to treat the girls. “The storm was still overhead and lightning was still coming down while they were treating the patients,” he said. “All staff involved acted very professionally in providing fast treatment to these patients in very difficult circumstances.” Scotland Yard said the incident was being looked into by officers from the Royal Parks’ Operational Command Unit.

Joseph Wharton of Byland Way, Bloxwich, was hit during the extended thunderstorm which struck the region yesterday morning. He was pronounced dead at Walsall Manor Hospital.

He had been sleeping in a tent while staying with school friend Michael Lees at a house on nearby Cresswell Crescent.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics were called at 7:50 a.m. and unsuccessful attempts were made to revive（使苏醒）the sports-mad teenager. A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said four or five people die each year as a result of lightning strikes in the UK.

26、All four girls________.

A. were killed by the lightning                B. were seriously injured

C. were being treated at the same hospital   D. were lifted up and dropped to the ground

27、The underlined word “bolt” probably means “________”.

A. thunder             B. rain                  C. storm                      D. lightning

28、Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The boy was killed after the four girls had been hit.

B. The paramedics began to treat the girls after taking them to the hospital.

C. First-aid was given to the girls during the storm.

D. The boy was hit by lightning in the Parade Ground area of Hyde Park.

29、It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A. many British people die from lightning strikes every year

B. the writer blames the government for the accident

C. the paramedics could also have been hit by lightning while aiding the girls

D. Joseph had been playing in the open air before the strike

30、This passage is probably taken from a ________.

A. magazine       B. newspaper   C. science fiction    D. weather report