When John and Victoria Falls arrived in New York City for one-year stay, they did not bring very many things with them. They had planned either to live in a furnished apartment or to buy used furniture.
But they soon learned about a new system that more and more people are using. The renting of home furnishings (bed, tables, dishes, and so on) has become one of America’s fastest growing businesses.
What kinds of people rent their home furnishings instead of buying them? People who are international business or government officials, foreign students, airline workers, young married couple –people whose job or business may force them to move frequently from one city to another. They save a lot of trouble and the cost of moving their furniture each time. They simply rent new furniture when they reach their new homes. Young people with little money do not want to buy cheap furniture that they may soon dislike. They prefer to wait until they have enough money to buy furniture that they really like.
Meanwhile, they find they can rent better quality furniture than they could afford to buy.
One family, who now have a large, beautiful home of their own, liked their rented furniture so much that they decided to keep renting it instead of buying new things. But usually people don’t like to tell others about it. The idea of renting home furnishings is still quite new, and they are not sure what their neighbors might think. (248words)
16. Which of the following has become one of America’s fastest growing businesses? ____________
A. Selling home furnishings. B. Renting furnished apartments.
C. Selling used furniture. D. Renting home furnishings.
17. Why do some people prefer to rent furniture? ____________
A. Because the furniture they get in this way is new.
B. Because it saves them a lot of money.
C. Because it saves them much trouble and money.
D. Because they can always get better quality furniture in this way.
18. What can you infer from the passage? ____________
A. The idea of renting furniture is not acceptable.
B. Renting furniture is not popular in the couple’s home town.
C. Only those who don’t have enough money to rent furniture.
D. People usually grow to like the furniture they have rented.
19. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage? ____________
A. Rent or Buy?
B. A New Way of Getting Home Furnishings.
C. Furnished Apartments.
D. A New Idea.
20. Young people liked renting home furniture in that __________.
A. They have less money
B. They don’t want to buy old furniture
C. The new furniture is of good quality
D. They don’t have much money and don’t want to buy the cheap furniture
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答案：D C B B D
27
Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.
How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1990 the world’s use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.
Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of year. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment. (208words)
21. What’s the meaning for the word “parchment”? ____________
A. The skin of young animals.
B. A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals.
C. The paper used by European countries.
D. The paper of Egypt.
22. Which of the following is not mentioned about the invention of paper? ____________
A. More jobs could be provided than before.
B. More people could be educated than before.
C. More books could be printed and distributed.
D. More ways could be used to exchange knowledge.
23. When did the Egyptians begin to use paper widely? ____________
A. Around 1400. B. Around 1900. C. Around 400. D. Around 900.
24. Which of the following countries uses more paper for each person a year? ____________
A. China B. Sweden C. Egypt D. Japan
25. What is the main idea of this short talk? ____________
A. More and more paper is being consumed nowadays.
B. Paper enables people to receive education more easily.
C. The invention of paper is of great significance to man.
D. Paper contributes a lot to the keeping of historical records.
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答案：B A A B C
28
Laws have been written to govern the use of American National Flag, and to ensure proper respect for the flag. Custom has also governed the common practice in regard to its use. All the armed services have precise regulations on how to display the national flag. This may vary somewhat from the general rules. The national flag should be raised and lowered by hand. Do not raise the flag while it is folded.
Unfolded the flag first, and then hoist it quickly to the top of the flagpole. Lower it slowly and with dignity.Place no objects on or over the flag. Do not use the flag as part of a costume or athletic uniform. Do not print it upon cushions, handkerchief, paper napkins or boxes. A federal law provides that the trademark cannot be registered if it comprises the flag, or badgers of the US.
When the flag is used to unveil a statue or monument, it shouldn’t serve as a covering of the object to be unveiled. If it is displayed on such occasions, do not allow the flag to the ground, but let it be carried high up in the air to form a feature of the ceremony. Take every precaution to prevent the flag from soiled. It should not be allowed to touch the ground or floor, nor to brush against objects.
11. How do Americans ensure proper respect for the national flag？
A. By making laws. B. By enforcing discipline.
C. By educating the public. D. By holding ceremonies.
12. What is the regulation regarding the raising of the American National Flag?
A. It should be raised by soldiers. B. It should be raised quickly by hand.
C. It should be raised only by Americans.
D. It should be raised by mechanical means.
13. How should the American National Flag be displayed at an unveiling ceremony?
A. It should be attached to the status.
B. It should be hung from the top of the monument.
C. It should be spread over the object to be unveiled.
D. It should be carried high up in the air.
14. What do we learn about the use of the American National Flag?
A. There has been a lot of controversy over the use of flag.
B. The best athletes can wear uniforms with the design of the flag.
C. There are precise regulations and customs to be followed.
D. Americans can print the flag on their cushions or handkerchiefs.
15. What is Americans’ attitude towards their National Flag?
A. Arbitrary . B. Respect. C. Happy. D. Brave.
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答案: A B D C B
29
It has been reported that in colleges across the United States, the daytime serial drama known as the soap opera has suddenly become “in”. Between the hours of 11 a. m. and 4:30 p. m., college television lounges are filled with soap opera fans who can’t wait to see the next episode in the lives of their favorite characters.
Actually, soaps are more than a college favorite; they’re a youth favorite. When school is out, high-school students are in front of their TV sets. One young working woman admitted that she turned down a higher paying job rather than give up watching her favorite serials. During the 1960’s, it was uncommon for young people to watch soap operas. The mood of the sixties was very different from now. It was a time of seriousness, and talk was about social issues of great importance.
Now, seriousness has been replaced by fun. Young people want to be happy. It may seem strange that they should turn to soap opera, which is known for showing trouble in people’s lives. But soap opera is enjoyment. Young people can identify with the soap opera character, who, like the college-age viewer, is looking for happy love, and probably not finding it. And soap opera gives young people a chance to feel close to people without having to bear any responsibility for their problems.
16. What is soap opera?
A. Plays based on science fiction stories. B. Plays based on non-fiction stories.
C. The daytime serial dramas on TV. D. Popular documentary films on TV.
17. What can be the best title of the passage?
A. College student viewers. B. Favorite TV serials.
C. Soap opera fans. D. College-age viewers.
18. Which are not the reasons why the soap opera suddenly becomes “in” according to the passage?
A. Because the viewers want to be happy and to enjoy themselves.
B. Because the soap opera makes young people feel close to their people.
C. Because the viewers can find themselves in the soap opera characters.
D. Because the young people have to bear the responsibilities for their troubles.
19. What can learn from the passage?
A. College students like soap operas more than any other social groups.
B. Young people of sixties like soap operas more than people today.
C. Young viewers have turned themselves from the seriousness of sixties to enjoyment now.
D. The young as a whole are trying to look for happy love but in vain.
20. What message does the author want to convey to us?
A. The people’s favorites to drama works have been changed for a long time.
B. The people’s favorites to drama works change along with the times.
C. The people’s favorites to drama works is changed by the soap opera.
D. The people’s favorites have changed the drama works.
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答案: C C D C B
30
How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery.
All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thought and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to present those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words.
The power of words, then, lies in their associations-the thing they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar.
21. The origin of language is _______.
A. a legend handed down from the past B. a matter that is hidden or secret
C. a question difficult to answer D. a problem not yet solved
22. What is true about words?
A. They are used to express feelings only. B. They can not be written down.
C. They are simply sounds. D. They are mysterious.
23. The real power of words lies in their _______.
A. properties B. characteristics
C. peculiarity D. representative function
24. By “association”, the author means _______.
A. a special quality B. a joining of ideas in the mind
C. an appearance which is puzzling D. a strange feature
25. Which of the following statements about the real poet is NOT true?
A. He is no more than a master of words.
B. He can convey his ideas in words which sing like music.
C. He can move men to tears.
D. His style is always charming.
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答案: D C D B A
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