Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!

　　 What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.

　　When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.

　　Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.

　　56. What is this passage about?

　　A. A sad story. 　　　　　　　　　　　　B. A rain of fish.

　　C. Australia’s northern part.　　　　　D. The damage done by floods.

　　57. Fish-falls occur in Australia_________ .

　　A. quite often 　　　　　　B. on large farms

　　C. only in winter　　　　　D. when the air is calm

　　58. It is a known fact that ________.

　　A. one should watch where one steps

　　B. Bill Tapp is a scientist who studies farming

　　C. the natural world can never create waterfalls that fall upward

　　D. the seasons in the southern part are different from those in the northern part

　　59. The word “infinite” is closest in meaning to _________.

　　A. easy 　　　B. difficult 　　　C. countless 　　　D. dangerous

Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!

　　 What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.

　　When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.

　　Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.

　　56. What is this passage about?

　　A. A sad story. 　　　　　　　　　　　　B. A rain of fish.

　　C. Australia’s northern part.　　　　　D. The damage done by floods.

　　57. Fish-falls occur in Australia_________ .

　　A. quite often 　　　　　　B. on large farms

　　C. only in winter　　　　　D. when the air is calm

　　58. It is a known fact that ________.

　　A. one should watch where one steps

　　B. Bill Tapp is a scientist who studies farming

　　C. the natural world can never create waterfalls that fall upward

　　D. the seasons in the southern part are different from those in the northern part

 　59. The word “infinite” is closest in meaning to _________.

　　A. easy 　　　B. difficult 　　　C. countless 　　　D. dangerous

—-Excuse me, I wonder if you can help me?

—-Sure._______?

A. What help　　　 B. What is this　　　 C. What is it　　　 D. What do you want

 

It was January 25th, 2008: Nisha and Akshaye’s 　31 anniversary. But things had changed since their marriage. The couple 　32 about small things. Yet they still loved each other.

Nisha thought her husband might have 　33 about their anniversary. When door bell rang, Nisha was 　34 happy that Akshaye had finally remembered. She ran to open the door. Indeed, Akshaye was standing outside and 　35 a bunch of flowers. They started to have a(n) 36 night. But then the phone started ringing. Nisha went to 　37 it up. There was a man on the other 　38 of the phone. “Hello, madam. I am calling from the 　39 station. Is this Mr. Akshaye Malhotra’s number?”

“Yes, it is.”

“There was an 　40 , and a man died. We got your number from the man’s 　41 . We need you to come here and 　42 the body.”

Nisha’s heart 　43 . “Whhhaat? B...but my husband is here with me.”

“Sorry, madam, the accident took place at 3:00 pm.”

She had heard that the soul of the dead person would come to meet you before it 　44 . She ran to the sitting room. Akshaye was not there. Had something bad really happened? If she had been given __45 chance, she would have mended all her 　46 . She was about to lose her senses. 　47__ Akshaye came out of the bathroom, saying, “Dear, my wallet was 　48 while I was 　49 my way home this afternoon.”

Life might not give you a 　50 chance. So never waste a moment when you have the chance to make up for your deeds.

31. A. marriage　　　　　　 B. engagement　　　 C. divorce　　　　　　　 D. birth

32. A. talked　　　　　　　　 B. argued　　　　　　　 C. quarreled　　　　　 D. agreed

33. A. remembered　　　 B. memorized　　　　 C. reminded　　　　　 D. forgotten

34. A. friendly　　　　　　　 B. luckily　　　　　　　　 C. surprisingly　　　　 D. fortunately

35. A. giving　　　　　　　　 B. holding　　　　　　　 C. carrying　　　　　　 D. delivering

36. A. gentle　　　　　　　　 B. romantic　　　　　　 C. extraordinary　　 D. normal

37. A. pick　　　　　　　　　　 B. put　　　　　　　　　　 C. get　　　　　　　　　　 D. give

38. A. beginning　　　　　 B. end　　　　　　　　　　 C. line　　　　　　　　　　 D. call

39. A. post　　　　　　　　　 B. bus　　　　　　　　　　 C. police　　　　　　　　 D. railway

40. A. incident　　　　　　　 B. affair　　　　　　　　　 C. event　　　　　　　　 D. accident

41. A. ID card　　　　　　　 B. passport　　　　　　 C. license　　　　　　　 D. wallet

42. A. realize　　　　　　　　 B. know　　　　　　　　　 C. achieve　　　　　　　 D. identify

43. A. sank　　　　　　　　　 B. drowned　　　　　　 C. shocked　　　　　　 D. beat

44. A. departed　　　　　　 B. arrived　　　　　　　 C. appeared　　　　　 D. recovered

45. A. the other　　　　　　 B. other　　　　　　　　　 C. another　　　　　　　 D. one

46. A. mistakes　　　　　　 B. failure　　　　　　　　 C. faults　　　　　　　　　 D. disadvantages

47. A. Suddenly　　　　　 B. Luckily　　　　　　　　 C. Unfortunately　　 D. Sadly

48. A. thrown　　　　　　　 B. stolen　　　　　　　　 C. dropped　　　　　　 D. attached

49. A. in　　　　　　　　　　　 B. on　　　　　　　　　　　 C. above　　　　　　　　 D. over

50. A. nice　　　　　　　　　 B. third　　　　　　　　　 C. satisfied　　　　　　 D. second