Although man has known asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for(对…负责) the opening of that first mine.

Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport (carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein(岩脉), in the province of Quebec in Canada.

Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres(纤维).

Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads(线), but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”.

Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A. Asbestos mined in Canada        B. Fireproof matter

C. A “wonder” mineral                 D. A new roofing material

Johns proved his ability as a salesman by_______.

A. going into roofing business      B. carrying asbestos from Italy

C. sending a trained scientist         D. showing the use of asbestos gloves

Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us?

A. It is like thread.               B. It feels soapy.

C. It burns easily.                 D. It is unusually heavy.

The author’s main purpose in writing this passage was to _______.

A. show the need for more scientists

B. compare asbestos with other minerals

C. increase the sales of asbestos

D. present facts about asbestos

    Although man has known asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for(对…负责) the opening of that first mine.

    Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport (carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein(岩脉), in the province of Quebec in Canada.

    Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres(纤维).

    Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads(线), but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”.

1. Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A. Asbestos mined in Canada        B. Fireproof matter

C. A “wonder” mineral                 D. A new roofing material

2. Johns proved his ability as a salesman by_______.

A. going into roofing business      B. carrying asbestos from Italy

C. sending a trained scientist         D. showing the use of asbestos gloves

3. Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us?

A. It is like thread.               B. It feels soapy.

C. It burns easily.                 D. It is unusually heavy.

4. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage was to _______.

A. show the need for more scientists

B. compare asbestos with other minerals

C. increase the sales of asbestos

D. present facts about asbestos

When 16-year-old Ella Fitzgerald stepped onto the stage to perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1934, she had no idea that her life was about to change. Her childhood had been    36 . After the death of her parents, Fitzgerald had been placed in a boarding school.   37 , the teachers at the school mistreated her,   38  she ran away. Homeless and orphaned, Fitzgerald was trying her best to   39  on the streets of New York City when she won a contest to perform during an amateur night at the Apollo. She had   40  planned to dance, but at the last second, she decided to sing her mother’s favorite song   41 . Her performance earned her   42  from several well-known musicians. Ella Fitzgerald went on to become a   43  jazz singer.
During a musical career that spanned six decades, Fitzgerald   44  more than 200 albums. She won 13 Grammy Awards, the last of which she received in 1990. She worked with some of the greatest American singers of the twentieth century, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie. Her talent and charm   45  a wide range of listeners around the world. The worldwide   46  of Ella Fitzgerald helped make jazz a more popular genre.
Until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the United States   47  African American citizens the same treatment   48  white citizens received. Fitzgerald’s manager and her band   49  to perform at places where discrimination was practiced. They also decided not to perform unless they were paid the same   50  as white singers and musicians. Ella’s fight for   51   received support from numerous celebrity admirers, including Marilyn Monroe. Fitzgerald never took her good fortune for granted. She gave money to charities and organizations that contributed to   52  disadvantages children. For her many civic contributions, in 1992 President George Bush   53  her the Presidential Medal of Honor, one of the highest honors   54  to civilians.
In 1991, Fitzgerald gave her   55  performance in New York’s Carnegie Hall. Although Ella Fitzgerald died in 1996, the American “First Lady of Song” continues to live in the hearts and ears of music lovers worldwide.

Although man has known asbestos （石棉） for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H.W.Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for the opening of that first mine．
Mr.Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy． He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands.How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all．You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials． However, because it was very expensive to transport them from Italy to the United States, Mr.Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein（岩脉）, in the province of Quebec in Canada．
Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen．When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be．When it is separated, a strange thing happens: the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres．
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads, but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”．
【小题1】Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?

When the musical sound rings you, you immediately reach for your pocket ready to have a chat．But although you probably use it all the time, have you ever stopped to think about the manners related to talking on the phone? If you haven’t, here are some tips to guide you．
●Always give the person you are calling plenty of time to get to the phone before you hang up．If the person who answers is not the one you want，give your name and ask if you may speak to the person you want．
●Think about the time you call people．Try not to call too early in the morning（before about 9:00）or too late at night（after about 9:30）．Also try not to call at mealtimes．
●If you go by plane to visit your relatives at Christmas, remember to follow airline instructions．Cell phones must be turned off as soon as the plane doors are closed and remain so until the doors open again on arrival．
●When face to face with someone, do not talk on the phone．It is rude to be on the phone when a waiter is trying to take your order in a restaurant, or when you are returning the shoes you have just been trying on in a shop．Finish any face-to-face business before taking a call．Continuing to use the phone while nodding to the person in front of you is quite impolite．
●When in a restaurant with your friends，keep phone conversations short．Make a call only if it is important．Practise speaking in a low voice．If no one looks your way, you’ve got it．
●If you go to a theatre, a concert or a cinema, consider the other people around you．Check that your phone is “off” before you enter．If you are expecting a very important call, put your phone on “vibrate”（振动）and run for the exit as soon as you feel it．If you forget both “off” and “vibrate” and your phone rings, don’t answer it, turn it off straight away．
【小题1】Which is true according to the passage above?

A．You have succeeded in making a call without disturbing others．

B．You have made the phone call brief and interesting．

C．You’ve got the message you are waiting for．

D．You have made a phone call secretly．