Passage 32

　　For most people, the word “fashion” means “clothes”. But people may ask the question, “What clothes are in fashion?” And they use the adjective (形容词) “fashionable” in the same way: “She was wearing a fashionable color.”

　　But of course there are fashions in many things, not only in clothes. There are fashions in holidays, in restaurants, in films and books. There are even fashions in school subjects, jobs…and in languages.

　　Fashions change as time goes. If you look at pictures of people or things from the past, you will see that fashions have always changed. An English house of 1750 was different from his grandson in 1860.

　　Today fashions change very quickly. Some of this is natural (自然的). We hear about things much more quickly than in the past. Newspapers, radios, telephones and television send information from one country to another in a few hours.

　　New fashions mean that people will buy new things, so you see there is money in fashion.

　　1.From this passage we know that “fashion” means _________.

　　A. clothes B. many things C. most of the popular things D. everything

　　2.Which of the following things is fashionable today?

　　A. Surfing on the Internet B. Having a family dinner on New Year’s Day

　　C. Learning to sing songs on the radio D. Doing morning exercises at school.

　　3.Today fashions change very quickly because _______.

　　A.People read newspapers every day

　　B. radios send information from one country to another

　　C. new things that people like are often shown on TV

　　D. people quickly learn what is happening in the world

　　4.“There is money in fashion.” means ________.

　　A. clothes are expensive B. money comes from fashion

　　C. people like new things D. there are no fashions without money

　　Passage 33

　　First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, "Look out," I put my head out of a window and a basin (盆) of water fell on me. It seems that "Look out" may mean "don‘t look out."

　　Second Frenchman: Once I was on a ship and heard the captain (船长) shout, "All hands on deck," I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them.

　　Third Frenchman: I once visited an English friend early in the morning and the maid who came to the door and said, "He’s not up yet. Come back in half an hour," When I went again for him, she said, "He‘s not down yet."

　　"If he’s not up and he’s not down, where is he?" I asked.

　　She said, "He’s still in bed. When I say ‘He’s not up ’ I mean ‘he has not yet got up’. When I say ‘He’s not down ’ I mean ‘he has not yet come downstairs,’"

　　1."Look out" here means “ _______”.

　　A. put your head out of the window and look B. Take care

　　C. I’m going to pour the water D. Help me

　　2."All hands on deck" means “ _______ ”.

　　A.All the sailors gather ( 集合 )on deck B. Give your hands to me

　　C.Put your right hand and left hand on deck D. Shake your hands with me

　　3.When the maid said, “He’s not up yet.” She meant that _______ .

　　A. he has not grown up yet B. he has not yet got up

　　C. he has not woke up yet D. he has not yet come upstairs

　　4.When the third Frenchman went back, the English friend _______ .

　　A. was washing his face B. was having his breakfast

　　C. was still in an upstairs room D. was reading a newspaper

　　5.Which do you think is the best title for this article?

　　A. Three Frenchmen and their English Friends B. The English Language

　　C. Three French Stories D. What a Language!

　　Passage 34

　　Newspapers are very important in our daily life. Many people begin their day by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes, however, they didn‘t have the time to read the news carefully and must be pleased with a quick look at the front page. At other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to have a quick look at the headlines (标题).

　　There are newspapers to please every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In some towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some places the paper is printed weekly.

　　Most papers have several editions, especially on Sundays when the edition is larger than usual. There are besides the front page with the most important news, the sports news, the amusement (娱乐) page, a business page and so on.

　　1.People read newspaper to _______.

　　A. learn about the most important news B. be pleased

　　C. get some information D. learn about whatever they want

　　2.Reading the headlines, people can know _______.

　　A. what the passages are about B. what is going on

　　C. about the most important news D. about sports

　　3.In big cities newspapers are usually printed _______.

　　A. daily B. weekly C. monthly D. yearly

　　4.Most papers have _______ on Sundays than usual.

　　A. more types B. more pages C. less types D. less pages

　　5.If you want to see a film, you’d better read _______ in a newspaper.

　　A. the business page B. the front page

　　C. the sports page D. the amusement page

　　Passage 35

　　This dictionary tells you about English words and how to use them in reading, writing and speaking English. It not only gives the meaning of words, it can also help you with spelling, word building, grammar and pronunciation.

　　To use your dictionary correctly, you need to understand how the dictionary works. At the front of the book, you will find some exercises to help you make the most use of your dictionary.

　　If you look up the word “colour”, you will find two spellings for this word. “Colour” is used in British English, while “color” is used in American English. When such a thing happens, the dictionary shows it with the word “BrE” for British English and “AmE” for American English.

　　The dictionary also helps you pronounce words correctly. It uses a special alphabet (特殊字母表) to show pronunciation. If you turn to the inside back face, you will see all the phonetic letters (音标) with some words to show you how they are pronounced. Just have a look this page when you’re not sure how to say a word.

　　The most important reason for using a dictionary is to find out the meaning of a word—its DEFINITION.

　　In this dictionary, the definitions have been written using only 2000 words. This means that the definitions of even the most difficult words are simply explained (简单解释) and easy to understand.

　　When a word has more than one meaning, read all the meanings until you find the one that correctly tells the use of the word you are looking for.

　　Most of the words in this dictionary can be used by people in all parts of the world.

　　1.This dictionary cannot help you with _____.

　　A. singing B. grammar C. spelling D. pronunciation

　　2. ____of the words in the dictionary have two spellings.

　　A. All B. One C. Few D. Some

　　3.The AmE spelling of the Chinese word “颜色”in this dictionary is______.

　　A. colour B. collar C. color D. corner

　　4.The phonetic alphabet helps you each word correctly.

　　A. understand B. write C. say D. know

　　5.The Chinese meaning of “definition” here is ______.

　　A. 词性 B. 词条 C. 词义 D. 词库

　　6.How many words are there in this dictionary？_________.

　　A. Two thousand B. One thousand C. One hundred D. We don’t know

　　7.The dictionary explains ______.

　　A. some of the difficult words B. all the words in a simple way

　　C. all the easy words D. the words of two meanings

　　Passage 36

　　The Winter Olympics is also called the White Olympics. At this time, many colorful stamps are published (发行) to mark (标志) the great Games. The first stamps marking the opening came out on January 25, 1932 in the United States for the 3rd White Olympics. From then on, publishing stamps during the White Olympics became a rule(规定).

　　During the 4th Winter Olympic Games a group of stamps were published in Germany in November 1936. The five rings of Olympics were drawn on the front of the sportswear. It was the first time that the rings appeared on the stamps of the White Olympics.

　　In the 1950’s, the stamps of this kind became more colorful. When the White Olympics came, the host countries (东道主) as well as the non-host countries published stamps to mark those Games. China also published four stamps in February 1980, when the Chinese sportsmen began to take part in the White Olympics.

　　Japan is the only Asian country that has ever held the White Olympics. Altogether 14, 500 million stamps were sold to collect money for this sports meeting.

　　Different kinds of sports were drawn on these small stamps. People can enjoy the beauty of the wonderful movements of some sportsmen.

　　1.The White Olympics and the Winter Olympics _______.

　　A. are the same thing B. are different games

　　C. are not held in winter D. are held in summer

　　2.The world made it a rule to publish stamps to mark the great world Games ______.

　　A. after the year 1936 B. after the 3rd Winter Olympics

　　C. before the 3rd White Olympics D. before the year 1932

　　3.The Winter Olympics is held once ________.

　　A. every two years B. every three years

　　C. every four years D. every five years

　　4.Which of the following is true?

　　A.Only the host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.

　　B.Only the non-host countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.

　　C.All the countries can publish stamps to mark those Games.

　　D.Japan can’t publish stamps to mark those Games.

　　5.What may appear on the stamps of the White Olympics?

　　A. Basketball. B. Table tennis. C. Football. D. Skating.

　　Passage 37

　　In 1998, World Cup Football Match held in France took up a new rule. Instead of the usual black and white ball, a colorful ball was used in the game. The new ball was made up of 32 pieces of three colors: red, blue and white. Interestingly enough, the French national flag happened to be in three colors, too. Besides, 32 teams took part in the coming World Cup. But early football was made up of eight pieces of leather. As time went by, more pieces of leather were used, from 12 pieces to 18 to 26 and then to 32 now.

　　About three million such new footballs were made. And then some players were playing the new ball in their training. The makers have warned the goalkeeper that the new ball flies in a direct line at a fast speed.

　　After trying the ball for some time, a footballer said that the ball was quite different from the traditional (传统的) black and white one, and that the goalkeeper would find it harder to catch them. Another footballer said that there would be more goals. “For the player on the ground, the new ball is easier to control as it flies. A good player can shoot in more goals,” he said.

　　1.What was the new rule in the 1998 World Cup Football Match?

　　A.The new ball made up of 32 pieces of three colors was used.

　　B.The flags of the teams were in three colors.

　　C.Only 32 teams took part in the game.

　　D.The white and black football was used instead.

　　2.What is the color of the French national flag?

　　A.Black and white. B. Red and black.

　　C. Blue, red and white D. Black, white and red.

　　3.Which of the following sentences is not true?

　　A.Early footballs were made up of eight pieces of leather in two colors.

　　B.Eighteen pieces of leather were once used to make a football.

　　C.Footballers often used the black and white balls in the past.

　　D.The football made up of twelve pieces of leather was just used by twelve teams.

　　4.It is not easy for the goalkeepers to catch the new footballs, because ______.

　　A.they are not as big as the old ones

　　B.they fly at a fast speed

　　C.they are made up of more pieces of leather than the old ones

　　D.the goalkeepers haven’t tried the new football

　　5.What’s the best title for this passage?

　　A. Football of New Kind B. 98 World Cup Football Match

　　C. Goalkeepers and Players D. Three-color Flag of France

　　Passage 38

　　Most people have flown kites or have seen one or ride and dip in a strong spring wind. Not so many people know that kites were first made in China thousands of years ago. The ancient (古代的) Chinese were making and flying kites even before they were writing.

　　A long time ago, the Chinese made kites to use in wars. They would fly these war kites in the dark. The kites were fixed so that they made strange sounds. Men who were at war with them would hear these sounds and run away. The thought those sounds were made by gods in the sky.

　　The ancient Chinese also flew kites to bring good luck and to make their crops grow rich and tall. Sometimes they tied long strings (绳子) and hooks (钩) to their kites. Then they would fly the kites over water, letting the hooks hang down to catch fish.

　　The Chinese use sticks, strings and paper for their kites. Some of these kites look like animals or trees. Others look like birds or houses.

　　1.The main idea of the first paragraph is that _______.

　　A.kites were first made in China

　　B.most of us have flown or seen one

　　C.the ancient Chinese were making kites before they were writing

　　D.the ancient Chinese were good at making kites

　　2.In ancient China kites could be used for _______.

　　A.catching fish B. helping people fly

　　C. watering the crops D. helping people walk in the dark

　　3.The ancient Chinese used kites in wars because the kites ______.

　　A. could bring good luck B. looked like animals

　　C. could help them win a war D. could fly high

　　4.The Chinese usually use ______ for their kites.

　　A.sticks, strings and grass B. strings, hair and wood

　　C. paper, strings and sticks D. paper, ropes and hooks

　　5.What is the best title of this passage?

　　A. Lucky Kites B. Strange Kites

　　C. Beautiful Kites D. Chinese Kites

　　Passage 39

　　Shanghai: Car rentals (出租) are becoming more and more popular as an inexpensive way of taking to roads. Business people, foreign and families alike are making good use of the growing industry (工业).

　　The first car rental company opened in Shanghai in 1992 and now 12 car rental players are in the game, with more than 11,500 cars in their books.

　　The largest player-Shanghai Basher Tourism Car Rental Center offers a wide variety of choices—deluxe sedans, minivans, station wagons, coaches. Santana sedans are the big favorite.

　　Companies can attract (吸引) enough customers (消费者) for 70 percent of their cars every month. This figure (数字) shoots up during holiday seasons like National Day, Labor Day and New Year’s Day, with some recording 100 % rental.

　　The main market force rests in the growing population of white-collar employees (白领雇员), who can afford the new service, said Zhuang Yu, marketing manager of Shanghai Angel Car Rental Co.

　　1.The words “deluxe sedans,” “minivans” and “station wagons” used in the text refer to_________.

　　A. cars in the making B. car rental firms C. cars for rent D. car makers

　　2. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

　　A. 70% of the cars can be rented out on holiday.

　　B. 70% of the customers are white-collar employees.

　　C. More firms are open for service during holiday seasons.

　　D. Some firms rent out all their cars during holiday seasons.

　　3. Shanghai’s car rental industry is growing so fast mainly due to_________.

　　A. better cars supplied by producers

　　B. fast service offered by car rental firms

　　C. the increasing number of white-collar employees

　　D. people’s growing interest in traveling during holidays

　　Passage 40

　　The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. More time and money that doctors spend on their medical education is probably one reason for this problem.

　　A visit to a doctor’s office costs from 15 to 50 dollars. It is almost impossible for people to pay for the medical care they need. Many people in the United States think that doctors are overpaid. Most doctors, however, disagree. They say that they were required (要求) to study medicine for a long time. Tuition for many years of medical education costs a lot of money. Doctors say that it is necessary for most medical students to borrow money from bank to pay their tuition. Because their money must be repaid to the bank, young doctors need to receive a lot of money for their work. So, they charge (收费) people high prices for medical care.

　　Therefore, it is possible that the high cost of medical care in America is unnecessary, because high tuition is one cause of high costs. One way to lower costs would be to have medical schools that are free or have low tuition.

　　1.The word “tuition” in the passage probably refers to ____.

　　A. teaching the students B. studying the courses

　　C. payment for education D. living at school

　　2.The reason for the high medical cost told in the passage is that _________.

　　A.tuition in medical schools is high B. the price of medicine is high

　　C. doctors are overpaid D. doctors must pay money to the banks

　　3.One way to lower the cost of medical care would be ____ .

　　A. not to see a doctor

　　B. to pay doctors less money

　　C. to let medical students have free or partly free medical education

　　D. to forbid doctors to ask their patients for too much money

　　4.The main idea of the article is that　____ .

　　A. a visit to a doctor’s office may cost as much as $15 to $50 in the United States

　　B. the cost of medical care is the main reason for the high costs in the United States

　　C. medical care in the United States costs a lot of money because doctors want to be rich

　　D. the high cost of tuition in medical schools is one reason for the high cost of medical care in America

　　5.The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. What does the writer think about it?

　　A. He agrees that doctors are overpaid.

　　B. He thinks it a big problem and suggests a way to settle it.

　　C. He doesn't think the medical students should borrow money from banks.

　　D. He doesn't think it necessary for the medical students to study for a long time.

　　Passage 41

　　You will have a lot of reading to do in this grade this year. You can do more of it in less time if you learn to read rapidly.

　　Perhaps you have been told about some habits (习惯) which keep a person from reading fast and have been strongly asked to break those habits which you might have.

　　Do you still have any of these bad habits? Check yourself by answering “yes” or “no” to these questions.

　　(1) Do you move your lips (嘴唇) when reading silently?

　　(2) Do you point to words with your finger as you read?

　　(3) Do you move your head from side to side as you read?

　　(4) Do you read one word at a time?

　　If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, start at once to break the habit. If you move your lips, hold your fingers over them, or hold a piece of paper between your lips while you are reading. Then if your lips move, your will know it and can stop them.

　　If you point to words, hold the two sides of your book, one side with your left hand, the other side with your right hand. Then you won’t have a free finger to use in pointing while reading. If you move your head, place your chin (下巴) in one hand and hold your head still (静止不动的).

　　If you read no more than one or two three words at a time, you need to work very hard in learning to take in (吸收) more words at each glance (一瞥) as your eyes travel across the lines of words.

　　Even if you do rather fast now, you can learn to read even faster. As you probably have been told, the se of fast reading is to take in whole groups of words at each glance. Read in thought groups and force (迫使) your eyes along the lines of words at fast as you can make them go. Anyone who practices doing these things will be able to read faster.

　　1.You may hold your fingers over your lips while reading so as ________.

　　A. to tell others to be silent B. to feel whether your lips move or not

　　C. to hold a piece of paper between them D. to keep yourself from talking to others

　　2.When you read, _________.

　　A. don’t keep your head still B. don’t hold your books with your hands

　　C. don’t stand up near a desk D. don’t use your finger to point to words

　　3.If you learn to read fast, _______

　　A. you can read more in less time B. you can write faster

　　C. you can understand better D. you can read less in more time

　　4.You must _____ those habits that we are talking about in this reading.

　　A. remember B. have C. get rid of (改掉) D. keep

　　5.This reading mainly about _______.

　　A. the way of reading fast B. the importance of fast reading

　　C. the bad habits in reading D. how to speak quickly