When I was quite young, I discovered that somewhere inside the telephone lived an amazing

person - "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.　

One day while my mother was out, I hit my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there was no one home to give me any sympathy. I walked around the house, finally arriving at the telephone! Quickly, I called “Information Please" and told her what happened.  She told me to open the icebox and hold a little piece of ice to my finger.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. When my pet bird died, I told "Information Please" the sad story. She tried to comfort me, she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better. Another day I was on the telephone, “How do you spell ‘grateful’? ". All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was 9, we moved to Boston.

A few years later, on my way to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour or so between planes. Without thinking, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, please."    　　

Surprisingly, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information." I hadn't planned on this but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell ‘grateful’?"  

There was a long pause. Then came the soft-spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."   I laughed. "So it's really still you," I said, "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."  I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and asked if I could call her again. "Please do," she said, "Just ask for Sally."　　

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered me. I was told that Sally passed away five weeks before.   　　

Before I could hang up she told me that Sally left a message for me—“Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean.”  I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life have you touched today?　

1.What does “Information, Please” refer to in the passage?

A. An amazing girl.

B. A special kind of telephone.

C. A communication system.

D. A service that helps telephone users.

2.What happened to the little boy one day when he was at home alone? 

A. He was amused by the telephone.

B. He hurt his finger with a hammer.

C. He found an amazing telephone.

D. He got a piece of ice from an icebox.

3.What did “Information, Please” give the little boy whenever he was in trouble? 

A. Information and conversation.

B. Good memories and happiness.

C. Sympathy and information.

D. Friendship and cheers.

4.When did the author get in touch with “Information, Please” again after he moved to Boston?  

A. When he was in trouble on his way to college.

B. When his plane stopped in Seattle for half an hour.

C. When he went back to Seattle to visit his sister.

D. Three months later after he moved to Boston.

 

The first people who gave names to hurricanes were those who knew them best — the people of Puerto Rico. The small island of Puerto Rico is in the West Indies, off the coast of Florida. This is where all the hurricanes begin that strike the east coast of the United States. Often they pass near Puerto Rico or cross it on their way north. The people of Puerto Rico expect some of these unwelcome visitors every year. Each one is named after the Saint’s Day on which it arrives. Two of the most destructive storms were the Santo Ana in 1840 and the San Ciriaco in 1899.

Giving girls’ names to hurricanes is a fairly new idea. It all began with a story called “Storm”, written by George Stewart in 1941. In it a weatherman amused himself by naming storms after girls he knew. He named one Maria. The story describes how she Maria grew and developed, and how she changed the lives of people when she struck the United States.

Weathermen of the U.S. Army and Navy used the same system during World WarⅡ. They were studying weather conditions over the Pacific Ocean. One of their duties was to warn American ships and planes when a storm was coming. Whenever they spotted one, they gave it a girl’s name. The first one of the year was given a name beginning with [A]. The second one got a name beginning with [B]. They used all the letters from A to W, and still the storms kept coming. They had to use three lists from A to W to have enough names to go around. This was the first list of hurricane names that followed the alphabet. It served as a model for the system the Weather Bureau (局) introduced in 1942.

　　Before 1950 the Weather Bureau had no special system for naming hurricanes. When a hurricane was born down in the West Indies, the Weather Bureau simply collected information about it. It reported how fast the storm was moving and where it would go next. Weather reports warned people in the path of the hurricane, so that they could do whatever was necessary to protect themselves.

　　This system worked out fine as long as weather reports talked about only one hurricane at a time. But one week in September 1950 there were three hurricanes at the same time. The things began to get confused. Some people got the hurricanes mixed up and didn’t know which was which. This convinced the Weather Bureau that it needed a code for naming the storms in order to avoid confusion in the future.

Hurricanes were first named after the _________.

       A. date on which they occurred　 B. place where they began

　    C. amount of destruction they did　     D. particular feature they have

The practice of giving girls’ names to hurricanes was started by _________.

　    A. a radio operator       B. an author                 C. a sailor              D. local people

The purpose for which weathermen of the army and navy began using girls’ names for hurricanes was ________.

　    A. to keep information from the enemy      B. to follow the standard method of the United States

　    C. not given in the article　  D. to remember a certain girl

The Weather Bureau began naming hurricanes because it would help them _________.

　    A. collect information more rapidly　  B. warn people more efficiently

　    C. make use of military (军事的) records　 D. remember them

One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime (一角银币) left. He was hungry so he decided to 　 1　 for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. 　 2　 a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked 　 3　 so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I　 4　 you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied, “Mother has taught me never to accept 　 5　 for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger 　 6　 , but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and 　 7　 before this point. Years later the young woman became critically ill. The 　 8　 doctors were baffled (阻挡). They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her 　 9　 disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now 　 10 was called in for the consultation (会诊). When he heard the name of the town she came from, a(an) 　 11 light filled his eyes. 　 12 , he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He 　 13 her at once. He went back to the 　 14 room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special 　 15 to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was 　 16 . Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then 　 17 something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was 　 18 to open it because she was sure that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill 　 19 her attention. She read these words…

“Paid in full with a glass of 　 20 .”

(Singed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

46.A. ask B. beg　　 C. wait　 D. look

47. A. Because of　 B. In front of C. In case of　 D. Instead of

48. A. upset　 B. thirsty C. hungry　　　 D. sad

49. A. owe　　 B. cost　 C. lend　 D. own

50. A. offer　　 B. pay　　 C. help　 D. thanks

51. A. quickly B. mentally　　 C. physically　 D. warmly

52. A. quit　　 B. continue　　 C. retire　 D. surrender

53. A. local　　 B. poor　 C. kind　 D. cruel

54. A. common　　 B. ordinary　　 C. rare　 D. scarce

55. A. old　　　 B. famous　　　 C. unknown　 D. retired

56. A. strange B. special C. poor　 D. angry

57. A. Suddenly　　 B. Generally　 C. Unfortunately　　 D. Immediately

58. A. called　　　　 B. recognized C. remembered　　 D. found

59. A. waiting B. treating　　　 C. information D. consultation

60. A. interest B. food　 C. attention　　　　　 D. effort

61. A. defeated　　　 B. won　 C. lost　　 D. completed

62. A. changed　　　 B. read　 C. crossed　　 D. wrote

63. A. excited B. afraid C. nervous　　 D. surprised

64. A. caught B. called C. paid　 D. caused

65. A. water　　　　　　　　 B. coffee　　　　　　　　　　 C. milk　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. ice cream

One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime (一角银币) left. He was hungry so he decided to 　 1　 for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. 　 2　 a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked 　 3　 so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I　 4　 you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied, “Mother has taught me never to accept 　 5　 for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger 　 6　 , but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and 　 7　 before this point. Years later the young woman became critically ill. The 　 8　 doctors were baffled (阻挡). They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her 　 9　 disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now 　 10 was called in for the consultation (会诊). When he heard the name of the town she came from, a(an) 　 11 light filled his eyes. 　 12 , he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He 　 13 her at once. He went back to the 　 14 room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special 　 15 to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was 　 16 . Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then 　 17 something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was 　 18 to open it because she was sure that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill 　 19 her attention. She read these words…

“Paid in full with a glass of 　 20 .”

(Singed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

46.A. ask B. beg　　 C. wait　 D. look

47. A. Because of　 B. In front of C. In case of　 D. Instead of

48. A. upset　 B. thirsty C. hungry　　　 D. sad

49. A. owe　　 B. cost　 C. lend　 D. own

50. A. offer　　 B. pay　　 C. help　 D. thanks

51. A. quickly B. mentally　　 C. physically　 D. warmly

52. A. quit　　 B. continue　　 C. retire　 D. surrender

53. A. local　　 B. poor　 C. kind　 D. cruel

54. A. common　　 B. ordinary　　 C. rare　 D. scarce

55. A. old　　　 B. famous　　　 C. unknown　 D. retired

56. A. strange B. special C. poor　 D. angry

57. A. Suddenly　　 B. Generally　 C. Unfortunately　　 D. Immediately

58. A. called　　　　 B. recognized C. remembered　　 D. found

59. A. waiting B. treating　　　 C. information D. consultation

60. A. interest B. food　 C. attention　　　　　 D. effort

61. A. defeated　　　 B. won　 C. lost　　 D. completed

62. A. changed　　　 B. read　 C. crossed　　 D. wrote

63. A. excited B. afraid C. nervous　　 D. surprised

64. A. caught B. called C. paid　 D. caused

65. A. water　　　　　　　　 B. coffee　　　　　　　　　　 C. milk　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. ice cream