A lady in an old cotton dress and her husband, dressed in an old suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked into the president of Harvard’s outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such country people had no business at Harvard. She frowned. “We want to see the president,” the man said softly.  “He’ll be busy all day,” the secretary said coldly. “We’ll wait,” the lady replied.

For hours, the secretary didn’t talk to them, hoping that the couple would finally become tired and go away. They didn’t. And the secretary finally decided to disturb the president. “Maybe if they just see you for a few minutes, they’ll leave,” she told him. He frowned too. Someone of his importance didn’t have the time to spend with nobodies.

The president walked toward them unwillingly. The lady told him, “We had a son that attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard, and was very happy here. But he was accidentally killed. And my husband and I would like to set up a memorial(纪念碑) to him somewhere on campus. ” The president was so surprised that he shouted sharply, “We can’t put up a statue(塑像) for every person who attended Harvard and died, this place would look like a cemetery.

“Oh, no” the lady explained, “We don’t want to build a statue. We thought we would give a building to Harvard.” The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at their plain clothes, and said with surprise, “A building! Do you have any idea how much a building costs? The physical building at Harvard cost seven million and a half.”

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. He could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly. “Is that all it costs to start a university?” Her husband nodded(点头). Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they set up the university with their name -------a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

You can easily judge(判断) others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.

46. What did the old couple go to Harvard for?

A. They wanted to see their son.

B. They had an important meeting

C. They went to Harvard just to see start a university

D. They wanted to meet the president of Harvard.

47. Why didn’t the president come out to meet the couple?

A. He was really busy at that time.

B. The secretary didn’t allow the couple to meet the president.

C. He was important and didn’t have time for unimportant people.

D. He had an important friend to meet and had to spend some time together.

48. From the passage, we can know ______.

A. the old couple were in fact rich people

B. the secretary was afraid of the old couple

C. the old couple’s son was killed in Harvard

D. the president of Harvard was kind and patient to anyone

49. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. the old couple set up their own university.

B. the old couple set up a memorial to their son

C. the old couple gave a building to Harvard.

D. Giving a building to Harvard was easy and cheap at that time.

50. The best title of the passage is “______”.

A. Never Judge a Book by Its Cover     B. How the Stanford Was Built 

C.A Visit to Harvard University        D. A Strange Old Couple

 

In Britain you’re allowed to drive a car when you’re seventeen. You have to get a special two-year driving license before you can start. When you’re leaning, someone with a full license always has to be in the car with you because you aren’t allowed to drive the car on the road alone. You don’t have to go to a driving school --- a friend can teach you. The person with you isn’t allowed to take money for the lesson unless he’s got a teacher’s license.

Before you’re allowed to have a full license, you have to take a driving test. You can take a test in your own car, but it has to be fit for the road. In the test you have to drive round for about half an hour and then answer a few questions. If you don’t pass the test, you’re allowed to take it again a few weeks later if you want to. In 1970 a woman passed her fortieth test after 212 driving lessons! When you’ve passed your test, you don’t have to take it again, and you’re allowed to go on driving as long as you like. Britain’s oldest driver was a man who drove in 1974 at the age of 100.

Before 1904 everyone was allowed to drive, even children. Then from 1904 car drivers had to have a license. But they didn’t have to take a test until 1935. On the early days of car driving, before 1878, cars weren’t allowed to go faster than four miles an hour and someone had to lead the car with a red flag.

47. A person can’t take money for driving lessons unless he __________.

A. has learnt to drive in a driving school          

B. has a full driving license

C. has a full license and a teacher’s license

D. is given a special two-year driving license

48. In the driving test, one _______________________.

A. mustn’t drive his car, even though the car is fit for the road   

B. is usually asked to drive on roads for some time

C. has to be examined only in car driving skills

D. must drive around for more than an hour

49. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. There is no limit (限制)to the age of an old man who drives a car.

B. One can take a driving test again and again until he passes it.

C. There was a speed limit to cars before 1878.

D. A car driver didn’t have to get a limit license until 1935.

50. The best title for the passage is _____________.

A. Driving Licenses in Britain　　                B. Tests for Britain People 

C. Driving Cars　　　　　　　　              D. Young Men’s Driving Licenses

Life is like the four seasons. Now I am very old, but when I was young, it was the spring of my life. I was born, I played a lot, and then I started school. I learned many new things. Like a flower, I grew bigger every day. There were happy days and sorrowful days: some days the sun shone, and some days it didn’t.

In my twenties, I had a good job. I was strong and happy. Then I married (结婚) and had a child. In those days, I didn’t have much time to think. Every day I was busy and worked very hard. And so, I started to get some white hairs. The summer of my life passed quickly.

Then the days got shorter. Leaves fell from the trees. My child was a university student, and then an engineer. My home was much quieter. I started walking more slowly. One day I stopped working. I had more time. I understood this was my autumn, a beautiful time when the trees change color and give us delicious fruits.

But the days kept getting shorter and colder. Winter has come. I am older and weaker. I know I do not have many days left, but I will enjoy them to the end.

46. The writer started walking more slowly in the _______ of his life.

A. spring                B. summer            C. autumn                    D. winter

47. According to the passage, which of the following ages is during the summer of his life?

A. 15.                    B. 33.                          C. 62.                         D. 87.

48. What does the word “sorrowful” mean in this passage?

A. Sad.                  B. Exciting.                 C. Wonderful.              D. Pleasant.

49. Which of the following is true?

A. The writer was an engineer.

B. The writer had a garden with flowers.

C. The writer was always happy as a child. 

D. The writer now is old and weak, but still he enjoys his life.

50. The best title of the passage can be _______.

A. Four Seasons                                         B. My Life

C. Four Seasons in a Year                            D. Four Seasons in My Life

    Every morning, the newspaper chief editor(主编) holds a meeting with the reporters. They discuss the main events(事件) of the day. Reporters are then sent to cover the events.

   As soon as the reporters know what to write about, they get down to work. They telephone people and fix a time for a face-to-face interview with them. Sometimes they do telephone interviews. Checking information is very important. They go to the newspaper’s own library to look up any information that they need. This is called “doing one’s homework”.

   At the same time, the picture editor decides which photographs will be used for the next day’s paper. All the people who work on a newspaper must be able to work fast. Reporters have to stop working on one story and start working at once on the important new one. They must find out the new information as quickly as possible. Later in the day, everything is put together at the news desk. Reporters return, type their stories into the computer and hand them to the editor.

    The chief editor decides which will be the most important story on the front page. Sometimes this will have to be changed if something more important happens late in the day. Word editors read the stories which the reporters have written and make any necessary changes.

Finally, there is no more time left for adding new stories, and the time for printing(印刷) the newspaper has come. This is done on fast-moving printing machines. The newspapers are then delivered(发送) by truck, plane or rail. Speed is important. People want to buy the latest newspaper; nobody wants to buy yesterday’s.

46. What is the work in a newspaper office like?

   A. Interesting and confusing                            B. Important and patient.

   C. Particular and necessary.                D. Fast and busy.

47. According to the passage, the last step of a reporter’s work is ____________.

   A. writing stories                         B. doing interviews        

   C. doing homework                       D. handing stories to the editor

48. The front page contents(内容) are decided by ___________.

   A. the importance of the events                  B. how well the stories are written

   C. the knowledge of the chief editor        D. whether they are the latest

49. Word editors’ work is to ____________.

   A. help the chief editor with the morning discussion

   B. decide when and how the papers can be printed

   C. read the stories and make necessary changes

   D. get together information from reporters and photographers

50. The best title for this passage is “____________”.

   A. How a newspaper is born                 B. How newspapers are delivered

   C. What kind of papers readers like                  D. Whose work is more important

    Every morning, the newspaper chief editor(主编) holds a meeting with the reporters. They discuss the main events(事件) of the day. Reporters are then sent to cover the events.

   As soon as the reporters know what to write about, they get down to work. They telephone people and fix a time for a face-to-face interview with them. Sometimes they do telephone interviews. Checking information is very important. They go to the newspaper’s own library to look up any information that they need. This is called “doing one’s homework”.

   At the same time, the picture editor decides which photographs will be used for the next day’s paper. All the people who work on a newspaper must be able to work fast. Reporters have to stop working on one story and start working at once on the important new one. They must find out the new information as quickly as possible. Later in the day, everything is put together at the news desk. Reporters return, type their stories into the computer and hand them to the editor.

    The chief editor decides which will be the most important story on the front page. Sometimes this will have to be changed if something more important happens late in the day. Word editors read the stories which the reporters have written and make any necessary changes.

Finally, there is no more time left for adding new stories, and the time for printing(印刷) the newspaper has come. This is done on fast-moving printing machines. The newspapers are then delivered(发送) by truck, plane or rail. Speed is important. People want to buy the latest newspaper; nobody wants to buy yesterday’s.

46. What is the work in a newspaper office like?

   A. Interesting and confusing               B. Important and patient.

   C. Particular and necessary.                D. Fast and busy.

47. According to the passage, the last step of a reporter’s work is ____________.

   A. writing stories                         B. doing interviews        

   C. doing homework                       D. handing stories to the editor

48. The front page contents(内容) are decided by ___________.

   A. the importance of the events              B. how well the stories are written

   C. the knowledge of the chief editor        D. whether they are the latest

49. Word editors’ work is to ____________.

   A. help the chief editor with the morning discussion

   B. decide when and how the papers can be printed

   C. read the stories and make necessary changes

   D. get together information from reporters and photographers

50. The best title for this passage is “____________”.

   A. How a newspaper is born         B. How newspapers are delivered

   C. What kind of papers readers like            D. Whose work is more important