A South African farmer is receiving phone calls from his sheep after equipping them with cell phones to keep tabs on the flock amid recent livestock thefts, according to local press Wednesday.

When the sheep call, it is always bad news for farmer Erard Louw of the Cape Town suburbs, as the phones around their necks are only set to switch on when the sheep start running, a sign that thieves have cut through the fences.

"As they run it gives me a phone call and says 'Sheep One' or 'Sheep Two' and so on, so at least I know where to start looking because the farm is 750 hectares (1,850 acres)," Louw told the Cape Times daily.

Louw attached the phone-like security device to the collars of four sheep in separate flocks after thieves sneaked in and stole 27 sheep and 13 lambs a couple of weeks ago, driving Louw to rack his brains for ways to protect his animals.

He said there was no use calling nearby police, as they were stationed too far away and in his experience they either lacked an available car or the vehicle was out of fuel or missing tyres -- also the work of thieves.

According to Louw, the cell phones have already proved their worth, with one sheep-snatcher caught thanks to the device.

Still, with theft attempts currently at their peak, given long winter nights and early nightfall, a few sheep-robbers managed to get away in spite of the device.

"The phone did start ringing that night and I went out," he said, but added that he was too late.

1.Why did Erard Louw attach the phone-like device to the sheep he raises?

A. Because he thought it was fun to do.

B. Because the police there didn’t care about animals.

C. Because he liked hi-tech very much.

D. Because he wanted to protect them against thieves.

2.What does the underlined expression in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A. Try very hard to remember or think of something.

B. Have a headache.

C. Make the brain bigger.

D. Shake the brain from side to side.

3.You can most probably read this passage______.

A. in a book

B. in a dictionary

C. in a newspaper

D. in a novel

 

完型填空 （共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

A Fool’s Day falls on 1^st of April. People _31_forget the significance （意义） of the day.

In March 1980, I was 32 at Durham University with seven other Chinese students. I had 33  to go to another university after graduation and had 34          application (申请)  forms to several 35  . Every morning I arrived at the porter’s office (传达室) and waited my fate. But no 36  came.

On April 1^st, as I was eating my 37 , Huang came in , with a toothbrush(牙刷)  38  in his hand.  39 fearing that he might forget the important news , he passed me the 40 . “Morning , Wu,” he said , “I saw Mr. G this morning. He told me that a letter had arrived in his office for you from Manchester University, and asked you to go and get it 41 possible.” I jumped with 42 .

I even didn’t 43 my breakfast and rushed to Mr. G’s office but he wasn’t   44  . I then went to the secretary’s room and  45 everything to her. She opened Mr. G’s room. I looked at everything. There didn’t seem to be a letter for me. “If he had asked you to pick it up from here,” said the secretary , “ he would have put it in  46 or simply left it to me.”

Greatly 47 , I walked out of the room and 48 the secretary lock it. 49 the secretary’s eyes 50  . “Sorry,” she said. “It’s April Fool’s Day!”

A sometimes        B. never            C. always       D. seldom

A. staying     B. working      C. visiting     D. studying

A. continued       B. planned      C. went         D. remembered

A. returned        B. taken            C. brought      D. sent

A. people      B. colleges     C. cities           D. offices

A. application B. report       C. reply            D. chance

A. dinner          B. lunch            C. supper       D. breakfast

A. still           B. even         C. yet          D. already

A. Because of  B .As if            C. After            D. While

A. message        B. sign         C. letter           D. notice

A. if             B. as soon as       C. when         D. as fast as

A. the news       B. the letter       C. joy          D. luck

A. take           B. finish           C. eat          D. have

A. anywhere       B. in           C. at           D. away

A. asked      B. tells            C. explained        D. answered

A. the office     B. his desk     C. the room     D. an obvious（明显的） place

A. disappoint     B. disappointed     C. disappointing        D. disappointment

A. watched        B. noticed          C. saw              D. got

A. Quickly        B. Strangely            C. Finally          D. Suddenly

A. closed         B. opened           C. brightened       D. darkened

I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.

With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home.

“ How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.

“ None.”

“ Where did you go?”

“ The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”

“ What did you do?”

“ Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”

“ You just stood there?”

“ Didn’t sell a single one.”

“ My God, Russell!”

Uncle Allen put in, “ Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned.

Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.

One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.

“ If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “ you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.

My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.

1.Why did the boy start his job young?

A．He wanted to be famous in the future.	B．The job was quite easy for him.
C．His mother had high hopes for him.	D．The competition for the job was fierce.

2.From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.

A．excited

B．interested

C．ashamed

D．disappointed

3.What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

A．She forced him to continue.	B．She punished him.
C．She gave him some money.	D．She changed her plan.

4.What is the text mainly about?

A．The early life of a journalist.

B．The early success of a journalist.

C．The happy childhood of the writer.

D．The important role of the writer in his family.

 

I began working in journalism(新闻工作) when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was supper time, I walked back home.
“How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel(五分镍币). It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.
【小题1】 Why did the boy start his job young?

A．He wanted to be famous in the future.

B．The job was quite easy for him.

C．His mother had high hopes for him.

D．The competition for the job was fierce.

【小题2】From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.

A．excited	B．interested
C．ashamed	D．disappointed

【小题3】What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

A．She forced him to continue.

B．She punished him.

C．She gave him some money.

D．She changed her plan.

【小题4】 What does the underlined phrase “this battle” refer to?

A．The war between the boy’s parents.

B．The arguing between the boy and his mother.

C．The quarrel between the boy and his customers.

D．The fight between the boy and his father.

【小题5】 What is the text mainly about?

A．The early life of a journalist.

B．The early success of a journalist.

C．The happy childhood of the writer.

D．The important role of the writer in his family.

完型填空 （共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

A Fool’s Day falls on 1^st of April. People _31_forget the significance （意义） of the day.

In March 1980, I was 32 at Durham University with seven other Chinese students. I had 33  to go to another university after graduation and had 34          application (申请)  forms to several 35  . Every morning I arrived at the porter’s office (传达室) and waited my fate. But no 36  came.

On April 1^st, as I was eating my 37 , Huang came in , with a toothbrush(牙刷)  38  in his hand.  39 fearing that he might forget the important news , he passed me the 40 . “Morning , Wu,” he said , “I saw Mr. G this morning. He told me that a letter had arrived in his office for you from Manchester University, and asked you to go and get it 41 possible.” I jumped with 42 .

I even didn’t 43 my breakfast and rushed to Mr. G’s office but he wasn’t   44  . I then went to the secretary’s room and  45 everything to her. She opened Mr. G’s room. I looked at everything. There didn’t seem to be a letter for me. “If he had asked you to pick it up from here,” said the secretary , “ he would have put it in  46 or simply left it to me.”

Greatly 47 , I walked out of the room and 48 the secretary lock it. 49 the secretary’s eyes 50  . “Sorry,” she said. “It’s April Fool’s Day!”

A sometimes        B. never            C. always       D. seldom

A. staying     B. working      C. visiting     D. studying

A. continued       B. planned      C. went         D. remembered

A. returned        B. taken            C. brought      D. sent

A. people      B. colleges     C. cities           D. offices

A. application B. report       C. reply            D. chance

A. dinner          B. lunch            C. supper       D. breakfast

A. still           B. even         C. yet          D. already

A. Because of  B .As if            C. After            D. While

A. message     B. sign         C. letter           D. notice

A. if              B. as soon as       C. when         D. as fast as

A. the news        B. the letter       C. joy          D. luck

A. take            B. finish           C. eat          D. have

A. anywhere        B. in           C. at           D. away

A. asked       B. tells            C. explained        D. answered

A. the office      B. his desk     C. the room     D. an obvious（明显的） place

A. disappoint      B. disappointed     C. disappointing        D. disappointment

A. watched     B. noticed          C. saw              D. got

A. Quickly     B. Strangely            C. Finally          D. Suddenly

A. closed          B. opened           C. brightened       D. darkened