54．What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A. Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine.

B. People are always disappointed during war time.

C. Entertainment can serve an important purpose.

D. People should be married when they are small children.

答案　 CADC

Passage 14

(吉林省公主岭市范家屯一中2010届高三模拟考试)

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.

Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people's home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.

So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips(窍门). She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glassed of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke(now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes(基因)from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.

A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:

Sorry, I'm still alive!

53．Tom would dance on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because 　　.

A. the wooden plate would make it sound as if Tom was dancing

B. it made Tom look taller

C. the eight–foot–tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted

D. the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller

52．What does the author think about Tom’s wedding?

A. It helped people cheer up in a dark time.

B. People gave it too much of their attention.

C. It was funny and ridiculous.

D. Tom and Lavinia were stupid.

51．“Talk of the town” means 　　.

A. it was in the newspaper

B. people spread bad rumors about it

C. it was the most popular happenings

D. it was discussed in a city meeting

48．Which is true about S.H.E?

A. They caused a storm of excitement in Southeast Asia.

B. They have well prepared to perform with their idols.

C. They were close friends when they entered a singing contest.

D. Their secret to success is the pretty faces and expensive clothes.

答案　 DDCA

Passage 13

(湖北省黄冈中学2010届高三8月月考)

When Charles Stratton was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P. T. Barnum. Mr. Barnum thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled the world together.

He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a name, General Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.

During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall. Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty five.

Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a schoolteacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.

The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about 2000 guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding marriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.

Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored(发起) “Tom Thumb” weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.

47．What do you know about Peng Weiye?

A. She stayed outside the Hongkou Stadium to listen to S.H.E.

B. She will watch the performance in Guangzhou on January 15.

C. She pays close attention to everything about S.H.E.

D. She appreciates that her parents understood her well.

46．How did the Taiwanese band get the name?

A. Their fans gave the name to them.

B. Their idols had a deep influence on them.

C. A singing contest gave their idea of the band name.

D. The first letter of each of the singers’ English names.

45．What makes Peng Weiye, a senior 2 girl, so excited?

A. She is the one who will be met by S.H.E.

B. S.H.E. will perform in Las Vegas over Christmas.

C. Her parents bought her a ticket for S.H.E.’s Shanghai show.

D. S.H.E. will perform on the annual CCTV Spring Festival Evening.

60. According to the text, which remarks following is NOT reasonable?

A. Jack Ma believes an employee’s talent is less important than the acceptance of the company’ principals.

B. Alibaba is an online commerce company started eight years ago.

C. Alibaba has become the biggest e-commerce company in China.

D. Alibaba’s shares rocketed after they made their first public appearance on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange last week.

答案　 57.C　 58.C　 59.A　 60.D

[09年10月更新]

Passage 12

(河北省正定中学2010届高三上学期第一次月考)

“S.H.E. is going to sing at the CCTV annual Spring Festival Evening Party, is that true?” cried out Peng Weiye, a Senior 2 girl in Shanghai and die-hard(铁杆的) S.H.E. fan.

After checking it on the Internet, Peng quickly phoned friends to spread the news. For fans like her, S.H.E.’s performance is perhaps the only part of the old fashioned evening to get excited about.

The Taiwanese band is made up of Selina, Hebe and Ella. Their name comes from the first letter of each of the singers’ English names.

Last week S.H.E. announced they will perform in Las Vegas, US, over Christmas and then in Guangzhou on January 15.

At their Shanghai show on October 30, hundreds of parents waited outside the Hongkou Stadium. Thousands of teenagers sang, cried and shouted as the band performed.

“I love their music, healthy image and everything related to them. Thank God that, although my parents don’t understand why I love them so much, they still bought me a ticket for that show,” said Peng about the Shanghai performance.

It is not just on the mainland that the three girls have thrilled (make sb. excited) audiences. In the past year the band has passed through Taiwan, Hong Kong and even Singapore and Malaysia.

When the three high school girls entered a singing contest in Taiwan in 2000, none of them ever dreamed of being a superstar. “We had never met before, and we didn’t talk at all at the beginning,” recalled Ella.

When asked about the secret of their success, she said, “Our average looks and not-so-expensive clothes keep us close to our fans. We are happy to be the girl next door, your singing sisters.”

“ It’s really a magical journey, from day- dreaming high school girls to singers performing on the same stage as our idols. Nothing but magical,” she said.

59. What does Ma take the most pride in?

A. His employees.　　　　　　 B. His website.

C. Alibaba Group’s Shares.　　 D. His efficient management.