Some people say that ________ British are ________ funny people.

[　　]

The Americans have been voted the world’s “funniest nationality” ---the one “best at making people laugh” ---in a global poll (民意调查), which also names the Germans the “least funny” nationality and the British “not as funny as they think”.

30,000 people across 15 countries were asked to name both the “funniest” and “least funny” nationality in a poll conducted by Badoo.com, the world’s largest social network for meeting new people, with 119 million users worldwide.

The Americans were voted the funniest nationality, ahead of the Spanish --- the funniest Europeans --- in second, Italians in third and British in seventh.

The voting for the “least funny” nationality confirmed（证实，证明） the view of America’s Mark Twain that “a German joke is no laughing matter”. The Germans won, ahead of the Russians and Turks. The stereotype of German humourlessness is believed to derive from their reputation（名声）for efficiency, punctuality（守时）and rationality(理性). Examples of German jokes include: “Yesterday, I met my friend Horst at the hospital. He’d swallowed a sponge. He says it doesn’t hurt but he’s always thirsty.”

“When we meet someone new, one of the first things we notice is whether they make us laugh”, says Lloyd Price, Badoo’s Marketing Director. “America is a worthy poll winner”, says Price. “It’s the world’s only comedy superpower.”

The British pride themselves on their humour but learn from the poll that they’re not as funny as they think. They placed just seventh of 15 --- behind the Brazilians, French and Mexicans.

56. According to the poll, which is the right order from the funniest nationality to the least funny one?

A. Spanish, Americans, French, Mexicans, British

B. Americans, Spanish, Italians, Brazilians, French

C. British, Mexicans, Brazilians, Spanish, Americans

D. Italians, French, British, Mexicans, Brazilians

57. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The poll was conducted among 119 million people by Badoo. com.

B. Spanish are the funniest nationality in Europe.

C. That Germans are named the “least funny” nationality is because of Mark Twain.

D. Some people think that British are funny while others think the opposite in the poll.

58. Which can be the substitute of the word “derive” in the fourth paragraph?

A. acquire           B. suffer             C. translate                 D. accomplish

59. What is the author’s purpose of telling us a German joke?

A. The author wants to show that Germans are good at telling jokes.

B. The author wants to confirm what Mark Twain said.

C. The author wants to prove that Germans are not funny at all.

D. The author just wants to say that swallowing a sponge is no harm.

60. It seems that the best title for this passage is ______.

A. The Funniest Nationality

B. A Global Poll Conducted by Badoo.Com

C. Americans Won the Funniest Nationality

D. Americans Voted “Funniest Nation”, Germans “Least Funny”

William Stone, a spokesman of one of the biggest import & export companies in Yorkshire, Britain, was making an angry speech at a business conference in Berlin for seeking a complete solution to the problem of so called “Mad Cow Disease”, which had been spreading quickly throughout the country and was regarded as a direct cause of the death of a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was said to have eaten some well-done beef and died two weeks later. The death caused great fear among beef-eaters all over the world.

“We don’t believe it since until now I haven’t received even a smallest piece of paper reporting the real cause of the death,” said Mr Stone excitedly facing the thirty representatives from at least twenty countries that had been the biggest import countries of the British beef but now refused to have it. When he saw no signs of anybody being willing to speak out, Mr Stone got madder, adding, “You will have to eat beef every day, won’t you? In the past, to get our beef, you ordered in advance, as much as you could, saying in your thank-you letter, … without the British beef we can’t imagine what a colorless sight would be on our countrymen’s dinner tables.”

“But now, gentlemen, you say ‘Mad Cow Disease…Death frightening … sorry to stop enjoying your beef for the moment!’” Mr Stone let out a shout and then seized a handful of paper out from a paper bag lying beside the microphone, “Here, here … What you are thinking about is all here. Have a look at your telegram, gentlemen!”

His audience looked at each other, still expressionless. “Well, let our beef rot away,” Mr Stone continued. “And let your men go hungry—they’ll be mad one day. Thank you!” He took his handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping off sweat while walking down back to his seat. All of the listeners stayed silent for seconds, then laughter burst out.

They, including Mr Stone himself, laughed so much that the chairman of the conference announced a rest of ten minutes.

1．From Mr Stone’s speech we know that ________.

A．the British beef had been widely enjoyed by people out of the country

B．the British beef had once been widely praised by the people of the country

C．the British beef caused the so-called disease

D．Mr Stone often received letters of thanks from beef-eaters

2．Mr Stone thought that since his government didn’t prove that the death of the girl had been caused by the disease, the countries of which representatives were listening should agree to import __________.

A．beef without disease                                   B．some other beef

C．a kind of beef as he suggested              D．as much British beef as before

3．The underlined word “mad” means “___________” on Mr Stone’s side, but “________” on the listeners side.

A．hungry; angry         B．bad; good 

C．angry; ill in mind     D．ill in mind; hungry

4．The laughter made by both the speaker and the listeners showed _________.

A．the problem of the “Mad Cow Disease” would be solved in an easy manner

B．both sides felt something funny

C．the listeners were making fun of the British speaker, Mr Stone

D．Mr Stone’s speech was a successful one

阅读理解

　　William Stone, a spokesman of one of the biggest import & export companies in Yorkshire, Britain, was making an angry speech at a business conference in Berlin for seeking a complete solution to the problem of so called “Mad Cow Disease”, which had been spreading quickly throughout the country and was regarded as a direct cause of the death of a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was said to have eaten some well-done beef and died two weeks later. The death caused great fear among beef-eaters all over the world.

　　“We don't believe it since until now I haven't received even a smallest piece of paper reporting the real cause of the death, ” said Mr. Stone excitedly facing the thirty representatives from at least twenty countries that had been the biggest import countries of the British beef but now refused to have it. When he saw no signs of anybody being willing to speak out, Mr. Stone got madder, adding, “You will have to eat beef every day, won't you? In the past, to get our beef, you ordered months in advance, as much as you could, saying in your thank-you letters; ‘…Without the British beef we can't imagine what a colorless sight would be on our countrymen's dinner tables. ’”

　　“But now, gentlemen, you say ‘Mad Cow Disease …Death frightening …sorry to stop enjoying your beef for the moment! ’” Mr. Stone let out a shout and then seized a handful of paper out from a paper bag lying beside the microphone, “Here, here …what you are thinking about is all here. Have a look at your telegram, gentlemen!”

　　His audience looked at each other, still expressionless. “Well, let our beef rot away,” Mr. Stone continued. “And let your men go hungry ---- they'll be mad one day. Thank you!” He took his handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping off sweat while walking down back to his seat. All of the listeners stayed silent for seconds, then laughter burst out.

　　They, including Mr. Stone himself, laughed so much that the chairman of the conference announced a rest of ten minutes.

1．From Mr Stone's speech we know that ________.

[　　]

A．the British beef had been widely enjoyed by people out of the country

B．the British beef had once been widely praised by the people of the country

C．the British beef caused the so-called disease

D．Mr Stone often received letters of thanks from beef-eaters

2．Mr. Stone thought that since his government didn't prove that the death of the girl had been caused by the disease, the countries of which representatives were listening should agree to import ________.

[　　]

A．a beef without disease

B．some other beef

C．a kind of beef as he suggested

D．as much British beef as before

3．The underlined word “mad” in the last but one paragraph means “________” on Mr Stone's side but “________” on the listeners' side.

[　　]

4．The laughter made by both the speaker and the listeners showed ________.

[　　]

A．the problem of the “Mad Cow Disease” would be solved in an easy manner

B．both sides felt something funny

C．the listeners were making fun of the British speaker ---- Mr. Stone

D．Mr. Stone's speech was a successful one