38. A. sign　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. state　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. mean　 　　　　　　　　 D. exhibit

37. A. enjoyable　 　　　　　　 B. humorous　 　　　　　　　　　 C. simple　 　　　　　　　 D. difficult

36. A. difficulty　 　　　　　　　 B. disadvantage　 　　　　　　　　　 C. trouble　 　　　　　　 D. discomfort

55. A. attractive　　　　　　　　 B. critical　　　　　　　　　　 　　 C. fair　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. sad

答案　 36-40 B C D A D　 41-45 A B C D A　　 46-50 B C D A C　 51-55 B D D D D

Passage 21

(江苏省扬州中学2010届高三上学期开学考试)

As an engineering student, I had a degree and three good job offers. I can’t help trembling when I hear about studies that show that women are at a 　36 　when it comes to math. However, I discovered: just because a subject is 　37 　to learn, it does not 　38 　you are not good at it. You just have to grit your teeth and work harder to get good at it. 　39 　you do, there’s a strong chance you will enjoy it more than anything else.

In eighth grade I took algebra(代数学). On one test I got only 36 percent of the 　40 　answers. I failed the next one, too. I started to 　41 . Maybe I’m just not good at this. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who didn’t take my bad grades as a judgment of my 　42 , but 　43 　as an indication that I should study more. He 　44 　me aside and told me he knew I could do better. He let me 　45 　the tests, and I pulled my grade up to an A.

I studied a lot in college, too. I had moments of fear while sitting below the buzzing fluorescent lights in the 　46 　library on Saturday afternoons, when I 　47 　that the estrogen(雌性激素)in my body was 　48 　me from understanding thermodynamics(热力学). But the 　49 　in my classes had to work just as hard, and I knew that I couldn’t 　50 　to lose confidence in myself. I didn’t want to choose between my femininity(女性)and a good career. 　51 　I reminded myself that those 　52 , the ones that say that math comes more naturally to men, are faulty.

Here’s a secret: math and science don’t go 　53 　to most people. No one was 　54 　born knowing calculus. A woman can learn anything a man can, but first she needs to know that she can do it, and that takes a leap of 　55 . It also helps to have to have selective hearing.

54. A. customers　　　　　　　 B. patients　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. reporters　　　　　　　 D. doctors

53. A. must　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. need　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. should　　　　　 　　 D. might

52. A. regret　　　　　　　　　　　 B. forget　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. fail　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. try

51. A. for　　　　　　　　　　 　　 B. against　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　 C. through　　　　　　　　 D. across

50. A. boring　　　　　　　　　　　 B. shocking　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. true　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. wrong

49. A. term　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. cooperation　　　　　　　　　 　　 C. election　　　　　　　　 D. service