3. If anything goes wrong with Big Ben, Mr. John Vernon will stop the bell　　　 T　　 F

2.From the first paragraph we can see that Big Ben has been working well

since 1956　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

1.From this passage we can se that Big Ben ____.

　 A. can be seen from all parts of London

　 B. never makes any mistakes in telling time

　 C. is very important to the people of London

　 D. is the tallest clock in the world

8.What does the word established mean in Chinese in this passage?

　 A. 建立　　　　　　　　 B. 赞扬　　　　　　　　　　 C. 传播　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. 流行　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Words per minute ______

%Comprehension _______

Passage 25　

Big Ben

Every day thousands of Londoners set their watches by Big Ben. Every 15 minutes they can hear the bells of Big Ben. This most famous clock in the world is always correct. Well, almost always. In 1976 the bells in the clock tower(塔) did not ring for 51 hours. It was the first time for 20 years that Big Ben had been silent for so many hours.

Three men always came at once if there was any problem with Big Ben. But they were not necessary this time. Mr. John Vernon, director (董事) of the company of clockmakers who looked after Big Ben, stopped the bell himself because painters were coming to the clock room to give it a new coat of paint at the top of the 66.metre tower.

“My job is very important,” said Mr. Vernon. "Everyone looks at the clock. If something is wrong, everyone wants to know why.” But Mr. Vernon had to stop the bells. The wheels that moved the bells were very close to the walls, and the bell swung (摇摆) only two centimeters away from the wall the painters were going to paint. That’s why the bells in the clock tower did not ring for so many hours.

　　　　　　　　　　　　 Length 209

Total Reading Time ___

_____________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions without referring to the reading:

7.Shaw’s international fame was famous all over the world before he

got married.　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

6. Shaw got married in 1889 when he was 35.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

5. According to this article, a Marxist reading circle was founded in Jan, 1884　 T　　 F

4.From the passage, we can infer that Bernard Shaw left Ireland and went to　

　London when he was 19.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

3. Bernard Shaw’s father was not a good farther.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

2.Bernard Shaw received little love from his mother when he was young.　　　　 T　　 F