At a certain time in our lives we consider every place as the possible sites(地点) for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.

   The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.

   The real attractions of the Hollowell farm to me were its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded(相邻) on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition of the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apples trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.

   I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t think I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted (无牵挂的). It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

51. What do we know about the author?

   A. He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.

   B. He made a study of many farms before buying.

   C. He made money by buying and selling farms.

   D. He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.

52. Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

   A. It was of good market value.

   B. It was next to the highway.

   C. It was in a good position.

   D. It was behind a nice garden.

53. Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

   A. He was afraid the owner might changes his mind.

   B. He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.

   C. He wanted to keep the farm as it was.

   D. He was eager to become a farm owner.

54. The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

A. the money the author lost in buying the farm

B. the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place

C. the removal of the trees around the house

D. the failure to possess the Hollowell place

55. What does the author believe as important in life?

A. To own a farm

B. To satisfy his needs

C. To be free from worries

D. To live in the countryside

At a certain time in our lives we consider every place as the possible sites(地点) for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.
The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.
The real attractiong of the Hollowell farm to me were its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded(相邻) on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition fo the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apples trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.
I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t thing I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted (无牵挂的). It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.
【小题1】What do we know about the author?

（B）
I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham’s for the first fortnight of the January sale. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I’ll never forget.
I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales; where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock (货物) and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced. Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn’t sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them. Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale. Clever! Lastly, they buy in “seconds? (clothes not in perfect condition) for the sale and they are sold very cheaply.
When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building. This made me very nervous.
When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards, looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand. The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in. I couldn’t believe my eyes; this wasn’t shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn’t keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind.
Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted. Quarrels broke out. Mothers were using their small children to crawl(爬行) through people’s legs and get hold of things they couldn’t get near themselves.
Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose, each wanting to be the first served. Where had the famous English Queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper(脾气)! I was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why, twice a year, Graham’s were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this.
In the sale fever, people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying. As long as it was a bargain it was OK.
You won’t believe this but as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours. Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale.
61. What kind of clothes is likely to be sold 5% cheaper?
A. Last summer’s clothes.     B. Clothes not in perfect condition.
C. Clothes bought in specially for the sales.   D. Clothes for winter.
62. Which of the following statements is true?
A. The customers gave up the queuing for which the English are famous.
B. The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted.
C. Small children enjoyed crawling through people’s legs.
D. The security guards were fearless of the crowd.
63. In the author’s opinion, why were Graham’s happy to make their expensive store into “Battlefield?
A. There were too many clothes and they wanted to clear them in the sales.
B. They were eager to show that they were clever at doing business.
C. They could take the chance to raise the prices of all their clothes.
D. They wanted to make more money by having sales.
64. The expression “crashed out” means ________.
A. chatted with her friends    B. slept soundly
C. broke down       D. dined out
65. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Best Bargain.     B. Hunting for a job.
C. Sale Fever.         D. A Pleasant Fortnight.

At a certain time in our lives we consider every place as the possible sites(地点) for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.
The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.
The real attractiong of the Hollowell farm to me were its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded(相邻) on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition fo the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apples trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.
I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t thing I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted (无牵挂的). It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

1. 1.

   What do we know about the author?

   1. A.
      He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.
   2. B.
      He made a study of many farms before buying.
   3. C.
      He made money by buying and selling farms.
   4. D.
      He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.
2. 2.

   Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

   1. A.
      It was of good market value.
   2. B.
      It was next to the highway.
   3. C.
      It was in a good position.
   4. D.
      It was behind a nice garden.
3. 3.

   Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

   1. A.
      He was afraid the owner might changes his mind.
   2. B.
      He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.
   3. C.
      He wanted to keep the farm as it was.
   4. D.
      He was eager to become a farm owner.
4. 4.

   The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

   1. A.
      the money the author lost in buying the farm
   2. B.
      the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place
   3. C.
      the removal of the trees around the house
   4. D.
      the failure to possess the Hollowell place
5. 5.

   What does the author believe as important in life?

   1. A.
      To own a farm
   2. B.
      To satisfy his needs
   3. C.
      To be free from worries
   4. D.
      To live in the countryside

（B）

I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham’s for the first fortnight of the January sale. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I’ll never forget.

I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales; where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock (货物) and the stock that people buy all the year round; some of these things are slightly reduced. Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn’t sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them. Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale. Clever! Lastly, they buy in “seconds? (clothes not in perfect condition) for the sale and they are sold very cheaply.

When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building. This made me very nervous.

When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards, looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand. The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in. I couldn’t believe my eyes; this wasn’t shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn’t keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind.

Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted. Quarrels broke out. Mothers were using their small children to crawl(爬行) through people’s legs and get hold of things they couldn’t get near themselves.

Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose, each wanting to be the first served. Where had the famous English Queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper(脾气)! I was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why, twice a year, Graham’s were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this.

In the sale fever, people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying. As long as it was a bargain it was OK.

You won’t believe this but as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours. Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale.

61. What kind of clothes is likely to be sold 5% cheaper?

A. Last summer’s clothes.     B. Clothes not in perfect condition.

C. Clothes bought in specially for the sales.   D. Clothes for winter.

62. Which of the following statements is true?

A. The customers gave up the queuing for which the English are famous.

B. The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted.

C. Small children enjoyed crawling through people’s legs.

D. The security guards were fearless of the crowd.

63. In the author’s opinion, why were Graham’s happy to make their expensive store into “Battlefield?

A. There were too many clothes and they wanted to clear them in the sales.

B. They were eager to show that they were clever at doing business.

C. They could take the chance to raise the prices of all their clothes.

D. They wanted to make more money by having sales.

64. The expression “crashed out” means ________.

A. chatted with her friends    B. slept soundly

C. broke down       D. dined out

65. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Best Bargain.     B. Hunting for a job.

C. Sale Fever.         D. A Pleasant Fortnight.