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　　Enduring Storms

　　Several more rounds of severe storms, tornadoes and flash flooding struck many parts of the American Midwest and Northeast as bad weather continued across the US for a second month.

　　Monsoon Storms

　　A south-west monsoon has caused havoc in parts of SriLanka. Government meteorologists said that unexpected monsoonal winds blew directly across the country from the Southern Hemisphere at about 100 km/h, producing several rounds of stormy weather. Nearly 250 houses in the capital Colombo were damaged.

For the week ending 3 July 1998

　　Mt. Etna Erupts

　　Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano erupted shortly after midnight on July 1, shooting“bombs”of lava nearly 1.5 metres in diameter on the eastern side of the mountain. The 30-minute eruption could be seen for several miles, but did not threaten any nearby villages.

　　Hurricane

　　Hurricane Blas lost strength as it moved over cooler waters in the Pacific Ocean to the west of Mexico. Blasformed off southwest Mexico during the previous week, but squalls on the outer fringes of the storm lashed western Michoacan State, killing four people when their wood and cardboard home collapsed.

　　Monkey Repellent

　　After years of unsuccessful attempts to keep crop-eating monkeys out of Japanese fields, a Tokyo research team believes that it may have finally found a way to prevent the damage caused by the monkeys. Animal raids on crops were successfully prevented by shooting chilli powder into the air, irritating the eyes and noses of monkeys that passed in front of carefully-placed warning sensors.“We’ve tried…all kinds of preventive measures, but the monkeys are smart enough to outwit the tricks,”said Toshiaki Wada, Director of the Tokyo Forestry Experiment Station in western Tokyo.

1．The monsoon is Sri Lanka ________.

[　　]

A．was of average strength

B．destroyed more property than previous monsoons

C．was not typical for that time of the year

D．affected only the outer areas of the nation

2．What aspect of Hurricane Blas does the map show?

[　　]

3．According to the information, which of the following statements is TRUE?

[　　]

A．The eruption of Mt. Etna lasted thirty days.

B．Hurricane Blas was formed off the coast of Italy.

C．The American Midwest had fine weather throughout July 1998.

D．The eruption of Mt. Etna did not destroy local villages.

4．According to the information, the monkeys in the Japanese fields ________.

[　　]

A．destroy crops

B．kill unsuspecting humans

C．spread eye diseases to humans

D．stop farmers from working

5．Toshiaki Wada, Director of the Tokyo Forestry Experiment Station, would describe the monkeys as ________.

[　　]

It is not ______ that Sanlu has been connected to a scandal involving milk powder，according to China Daily.

A. for the first time B. the first time　

C. first time　　　 D. in the first time

As sixth graders, kids were separating into groups, but I wasn't sure where I belonged．

　 Our teacher gave us a task called "secret friends" for the coming week．We were supposed to do nice things　 36　 our friends without letting them know who was doing it．We could leave　 37　 notes or cards either on their desks or in their backpacks．Before doing the task, with our eyes closed, from a basket, we　 38 a name of a classmate who we were to secretly befriend over the next five days．

　 Soon, the task was turned into a competition of giving　 39 instead of notes．Everyone was getting cool presents except me．My friend followed the teacher's　 40　 without a fault．I received nothing but handmade cards with nice words about me．

　 On the last morning, I finally got a package．When I 　41　 it, the girls around all　 42 ．It was perfumed powder, an "old lady" gift．My face went red．

　 I tried to forget about the　 43　 gift, but when the same girls　 44　 it again during the break in the bathroom, I joined in, "How stupid! My grandmother wouldn't 　45 want it．" The girls laughed at my 　46　 and filed out of the bathroom．Washing my hands, I let the water run through my fingers 47 　I thought about my words．It wasn't　 48　 like me to say things like that．

　 "I'm your secret friend．" It was Rochelle．" I' m sorry about the gift," she whispered to me, tears 49 down her face．

　 From a poor family, she was a　 50　 at school for those with rich parents．Yet she just took all the 51　 and the horrible treatment silently．

　 I was sick to my stomach as my　 52　 words ran through my mind．She had heard everything．How could I have been so cruel?

　 Later I learned she had felt bad all week about not being able to leave me any cool present and her mum had given up her only luxury（奢侈品）．

　 And I had 　53 everything for her．

　 I told her that I had only said those things to try to　 54　 .

　 "We aren't that different from each other, are we?" She smiled 　55 ．Her simple words, spoken from her heart, found their way straight into mine．

36．A．for　　 　　 B．behind　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．through　　　　 D．like

37．A．convincing　　 　　　　　　　　 B．reminding　　　 　　　　　 C．rewarding　　　 D．encouraging

38/A．drew　　　　 　 B．dragged　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．found　 D．picked

39．A．chances　　 B．help　　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．hope　　　　　 D．gifts

40．A．guidance　　　 　　　　　　　　 B．patterns　　 C．directions　　　 　 D．admission

41．A．discovered　 B．opened　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．grasped　　　　 D．held

42．A．blamed　　 　 B．shouted　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．laughed　　　　 D．commented

43．A．special　　 B．delicate　　　　 C．worrying　 　　D．embarrassing

44．A．mentioned　 B．saw　　　　　　 C．showed　　　 D．suggested

45．A．just　　　　 B．ever　　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．even　　　　　 D．only　

46．A．remarks　　　 B．feeling　　　　 C．suffering　　　 D．reactions

47．A．if　　　　　 B．as　　 　　　　 C．since　　　　　 D．because

48．A, exactly　　　　 　　　　　　　　 B．perfectly　　　　 C．normally　　 　 D．necessarily

49．A．dashing　　 B．getting　　　　 C．smoothing　　　 　　　　　 D．streaming

50．A．goal　　　 　 B．target　　　　 C．centre　　　　　 　　　　　 D．wonder

51．A．challenge　 　 B．puzzle　　 　 C．teasing　　 D．ignoring

52．A．powerful　　　 　　　　　　　　 B．hurtful　　　　　 C．tense　　　 D．scary

53．A．ruined　　　 B．broken　　　　 　　　　　　　　 C．changed　　 　 D．disturbed

54．A．turn off　　　 　　　　　　　　 B．show off　　　　 C．get in　　 　 D．fit in

55．A．optimistically 　　　　　　　 B．understandingly　 C ．persuasively D．honestly

As sixth graders, kids were separating into groups, but I wasn't sure where I belonged．

　　　 Our teacher gave us a task called "secret friends" for the coming week．We were supposed to do nice things　 36　 our friends without letting them know who was doing it．We could leave　 37　 notes or cards either on their desks or in their backpacks．Before doing the task, with our eyes closed, from a basket, we　 38 a name of a classmate who we were to secretly befriend over the next five days．

　　　 Soon, the task was turned into a competition of giving 　 39 instead of notes．Everyone was getting cool presents except me．My friend 　 40　 what the teacher had told us without a fault．I received nothing but hand-made cards with nice words about me．

　　　 On the last morning, I finally got a package．When I 　41　 it, the girls around all　 42 ．It was perfumed powder, an "old lady" gift．My face went red．

　　　 I tried to forget about the　 43　 gift, but when the same girls　 44　 it again during the break in the bathroom, I joined in, "How stupid! My grandmother wouldn't 　45 want it．" The girls laughed at my 　46　 and filed out of the bathroom．Washing my hands, I let the water run through my fingers 　 47 I thought about my words．It wasn't　 48　 like me to say things like that．

"I'm your secret friend．" It was Rochelle．" I' m sorry about the gift," she whispered to me,tears 　 49　 down her face．

　　　 From a poor family, she was a　 50　 at school for those with rich parents．Yet she just took all the 51　 and the horrible treatment silently．

　　　 I was sick to my stomach as my　 52　 words ran through my mind．She had heard everything．How could I have been so cruel?

　　　 Later I learned she had felt bad all week about not being able to leave me any cool present and her mum had given up her only luxury．

　　　 And I had 　53 everything for her．

　　　 I told her that I had only said those things to try to　 54　 .

　　　 "We aren't that different from each other, are we?" She smiled 　55 ．Her simple words, spoken from her heart, found their way straight into mine．

36．A．for　　 　　　　　　 B．behind　　　　 C. through　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．like

37．A．convincing　　 　 B．reminding　　　 C. rewarding　　　　　　 D. encouraging

38．A．drew　　　　 　　 B．dragged　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．found　 　 D．picked

39．A．chances　　 　　 B．help　　　　　 C．hope　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．gifts

40．A．learned　　　　 B．copied　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．followed　　　 　 D．discovered

41．A．discovered　 　　 B．opened　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. grasped　　　　 　　 D．held

42．A．blamed　　 　　　　 B．shouted　　　 　 C. laughed　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．commented

43．A．special　　 　　　 B．valuable　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. worrying　　 D. embarrassing

44．A．mentioned　 　　 B．saw　　　　　　 C．showed　　　 　　 D．suggested

45．A．just　　　　 　　　 B．ever　　　　　 C．even　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．only　

46．A．remarks　 　　 B．feeling　　　　 C. suffering　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．expression

47．A．if　　　　　 　　 B．as　　　　　　 C．since　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．because

48．A．exactly　　　　 B．perfectly　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．normally　　 　　 D．necessarily

49．A．dashing　　 　　 B．getting　　　　 C. smoothing 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．streaming

50．A．goal　　　 　　　　 B．target　　　　　 C．centre　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．wonder

51．A．challenge　 　　　 B．puzzle　　 　　　　 C．teasing　　 　　　 D．ignoring

52．A．powerful　　　 　 B．hurtful　　　　　 C．tense　　　 　　　 D．scary

53．A．ruined　　　 　　　 B．stolen　　　　 C．changed　 　　　 D．disturbed

54．A．turn off　　　 　 B．show off　　　　 C. get in　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D．fit in

55．A．optimistically 　　 B．understandingly　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C .persuasively D．honestly

Moths are very ugly creatures．At least that is what I always thought until a reliable source told me otherwise．My brother Joseph and I once stayed overnight at our Aunt Linda’s house, our favorite relative．She spoke to us like adults, and she always had the best 21 ．Joseph was only four and still afraid of the dark．Just as I dozed off to sleep, he woke me up and asked, “Jennie, what are those ugly things near the light?” He was pointing to the moths fluttering around the hall light．“They’re just moths, go to sleep,” I told him．

He wasn’t 22 with that answer, so the next time my Aunt walked by the door he asked her to make the ugly moths go away．When she asked why, he said 23 , “Because they’re ugly and scary!” She laughed, rubbing his head, and asked, “Do you know why moths are brown?” Joe just shook his head．

“ 24 , moths were the most beautiful animals in the animal kingdom．They have always been helpful, kind, and 25 creatures．One day the angels up in heaven were crying．They were sad because it was cloudy and they couldn’t 26 the people on earth．Their tears fell down to the earth as 27 raindrops．Now that the sweet little moths 28 to see everyone so sad, they decided to make a rainbow．The moths 29 that if they asked their cousins, the butterflies, to help, they could all give up just a little bit of their colors and 30 , make a beautiful rainbow．

One of the littlest moths flew to ask the queen of the butterflies for help．31 , the butterflies were too vain and selfish to give up any of their colors for neither the people nor the angels．So, the moths decided to make the rainbow themselves．They 32 their wings very hard and the powder on them formed little clouds．They kept giving a little more and more 33 the rainbow stretched all the way across the sky．They had given away all their colors except brown, which didn’t 34 their beautiful rainbow．

Now the once colorful moths were 35 and brown．At the rainbow, the angels up in heaven became joyous．They smiled and the 36 of their smiles shone down on the earth as sunshine．It made the people on earth cheerful and they smiled, too．Now every time it rains the baby moths, who still have their colors, spread them 37 the sky to make more rainbows．”

My brother sank into deep 38 with that story and hasn’t feared moths 39 ．The story my aunt told us had been gathering 40 in the back corners of my brain for years．

21．A．jokes 　　　　　　　　　 B．editions 　　　　　　　　 C．stories 　　　　　　　　 D．memories

22．A．familiar 　　　　　　　　 B．content 　　　　　　　　 C．impressed 　　　　　　 D．confirmed

23．A．cautiously 　　　　　　 B．casually 　　　　　　　　 C．simply 　　　　　　　　 D．anxiously

24．A．By all means 　　　　 B．In any circumstance C．To be honest 　　　 D．At one time

25．A．generous 　　　　　　　 B．aggressive 　　　　　　 C．considerate 　　　　　 D．faithful

26．A．hang out with 　　　 B．show concern for C．take control of 　　　 D．look down upon

27．A．constant 　　　　　　　 B．endless 　　　　　　　　 C．occasional 　　　　　　 D．permanent

28．A．hesitated 　　　　　　　 B．declined 　　　　　　　 C．intended 　　　　　　　 D．hated

29．A．clarified 　　　　　　　 B．figured 　　　　　　　　 C．recommended 　　　 D．predicted

30．A．moreover 　　　　　　 B．therefore 　　　　　　　 C．meanwhile 　　　　　 D．instead

31．A．Unexpectedly 　　　　 B．Obviously 　　　　　　 C．Eventually 　　　　　　 D．Strangely

32．A．expanded 　　　　　　 B．struck 　　　　　　　　　 C．beat 　　　　　　　　　　 D．stretched

33．A．until 　　　　　　　　　　 B．before 　　　　　　　　　 C．while 　　　　　　　　　 D．after

34．A．adapt to 　　　　　　　 B．bring out 　　　　　　　 C．make up 　　　　　　　 D．fit into

35．A．ordinary 　　　　　　　 B．common 　　　　　　　 C．plain 　　　　　　　　　　 D．awful

36．A．warmth 　　　　　　　　 B．strength 　　　　　　　 C．truth 　　　　　　　　　　 D．wealth

37．A．beyond 　　　　　　　　 B．through 　　　　　　　　 C．under 　　　　　　　　　 D．across

38．A．thought 　　　　　　　　 B．dream 　　　　　　　　　 C．sleep 　　　　　　　　　 D．curiosity

39．A．though 　　　　　　　　 B．since 　　　　　　　　　　 C．anyway 　　　　　　　 D．later

40．A．powder 　　　　　　　　 B．rainbows 　　　　　　　 C．dust 　　　　　　　　　　 D．shadows