四、阅读理解（共40分）
A
Linda Evans was my best friend －like the sister I never had. We did everything together: piano lessons, movies, swimming, and horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away. Linda and I kept in touch through letters, and we saw each other on special time －like my wedding and Linda’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped “Address Unknown”. I had no idea how to find Linda.
Over the years, I missed Linda very much, I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sadness when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Linda could fill.
One day I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked a lot like Linda and whose last name was Wagman－ Linda’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagmans,” I thought, but I still wrote to her.
She called as soon as she got my letter. “Mrs. Tobin!” she said excitedly, “Linda Evans Wagman is my mother.”
Minutes later I heard a voice that I knew very much, even after 40 years, laughed and cried and caught up on each other’s lives. Now the empty place in my heart is filled, and there’s one thing that Linda and I know for sure: we won’t lose each other again!
56. The writer went to piano lessons with Linda Evans_______.
A. at the age of 13 B. before she got married
C. after they moved to new homes D. before the writer’s family moved away
57. They didn’t often write to each other because they_______.
A. got married B. had little time to do so
C. didn’t like writing letters D. could see each other on special time
58. There was an empty place in the writer’s heart because she______.
A. was in trouble
B. didn’t know Linda’s address
C. received the card that she sent
D. didn’t have a friend like Linda to share her happiness or sadness
59. The writer was happy when she_________.
A. read the newspaper
B. heard Linda’s voice on the phone
C. met a young woman who looked a lot like Linda
D. wrote to the woman whose last name was Wagman
Bicycle Safety
Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
Equipment
Brakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
Helmet A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly.
Lights Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such spots can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:
No bicycle registration---------------------------------------------------$25
Bicycle parking banned--------------------------------------------------$30
Blocking path with bicycle ---------------------------------------------$40
Violation of bicycle equipment requirement -------------------------$35Registration of your bicycle may help you _____________.
| A．find your stolen bicycle | B．get your serial number |
| C．receive free repair services | D．settle conflicts with walkers |
According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?
| A．Brakes. | B．A helmet. | C．A headlight. | D．A taillight. |
When you ride a bicycle on the campus, _________________.
| A．ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks |
| B．cycle at a speed of over 15 mph |
| C．put the walkers’ right of way first |
| D．call the police before leaving in case of accident |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A guide for safe bicycling on campus |
| B．Directions for bicycle tour on campus. |
| C．Regulations of bicycle race on campus. |
| D．Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus. |
In a great many cities, hundreds of people ride bikes to work every day. In New York, some bike riders have even formed a group called Bike for a Better City. They declare that if more people rode bikes to work, there would be fewer automobiles in the downtown part of the city and so less dirty air from car engines．
For several years, this group had been trying to get the city government to help bike riders． For example, they want the city to draw special lanes(车道) for bikes on some of the main streets, because when bike riders must use the same lanes as cars there are accidents. Bike for a Better City feels that if there were special lanes, more people would use bikes．
But no bike lanes have been drawn. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea—they say it will slow traffic. Some store owners on the main streets don’t like the idea—they say that if there is less traffic, they will have less business．
The city government has not yet decided what to do． It wants to keep everyone happy. On weekends, Central Park—the largest place open ground in New York— is closed to cars, and the roads may be used by bikes only．In New York, a group of bike riders__________．
| A．are keeping practicing for health |
| B．have no cars of their own |
| C．are complaining there are not enough buses |
| D．are trying to settle the problem of air pollution |
The bike riders suggest that __________．
| A．bikes should be used instead of cars |
| B．bike lanes should be drawn |
| C．fewer buses or cars should be used |
| D．the number of special lanes should be decreased |
The advantage of the special lanes is that__________．
| A．they will make cars and buses run slowly |
| B．they will make it easier for bike riders to go to parks |
| C．they will make the city more beautiful |
| D．they will prevent accidents |
Why is a full moon, yellower and bigger when it is coming up than when it is higher in the sky?
That's a good question about something that we all can see. Let's talk about the moon's color first.
We see the moon only because of the sunlight that falls on it and is reflected. Actually, the moon is not a very good reflector, because its surface is all rocks and dirt. We see it in almost its true color when it is high in the sky.
When the moon first comes up, its light reaches our eyes after an extra-long path through the atmosphere (大气). There are lots of particles (微粒) scattering (分散) light in that long path. Blue light is scattered more than other colors, which means that it doesn't reach your eyes. The light that is left over looks yellow to your eye.
Now about the other question—why the moon seems to change in size. That's more complicated. It's not an effect of the atmosphere, the way color is; it's not caused by something fooling your eyes. It seems, instead, to be caused by something that fools your brain—an illusion(错觉).
Here's a drawing that creates an illusion. The two cones(圆锥体) are really the same size. But the rest of the drawing makes the right-hand cone seem farther away. Your brain knows that faraway objects are really larger than they look. It decides that the right-hand cone must be larger because it seems to be farther away.
Similarly, when you see the moon just come up over a line of trees or houses—or whatever makes the horizon(地平线)—it may be that your brain decides that the moon must be larger because it seems to be farther away.The moon doesn't reflect the sunlight very well because________________.
| A．it is high in the sky | B．its surface is rough |
| C．its surface is white | D．it isn't a good reflector |
Which statement is true according to the passage?
| A．In the course of its rising, the moon is getting smaller and smaller |
| B．The size of the moon is more complicated than its color |
| C．The atmosphere has the same effect on the moon's size as on its color |
| D．The change in the moon's size is caused by an illusion while that in its color is caused by the atmosphere |
After reading this passage, you can possibly answer one of the following questions. Which one? ______.
| A．Why is the sun bigger when it rises over the horizon? |
| B．Why does the sun look bigger when it rises over the horizon? |
| C．Why does the sun look golden? |
| D．Why does the sun rise in the east? |
Who do you think probably wrote this passage?________.
| A．A novelist | B．A reporter |
| C．A science editor | D．An English teacher． |
Many English learners have difficulty deciding what kind of English accent they want to have． A US accent, perhaps modeled on the way a Hollywood star speaks? Or maybe you want to imitate（模仿） the British accent of a BBC news reader?
Young British people find the US accent attractive while young US people like a British accent． Especially when the person speaking is of the opposite sex(异性)! Let’s listen to what they have to say．
Stephen Yang, 17, from London, UK
A US accent is cute, especially when a girl speaks it． Whether it’s Jessia Alba speaking or the girl- next-door, the way US girls speak has a sweet tingle that is really sassy(时髦)． A girl from Texas recently moved into our neighborhood． Her Texan twang（鼻音） had all the boys here on their knees within seconds of meeting her．
To me, accents reflect the attitudes, characteristics and lifestyles of the people．
Jennifer Sun, 16, from New Jersey, US
From watching English actors like Daniel Radcliffe, my friends and I have developed a soft spot for British men．Some are attracted to the qualities of English males, while others admire their sense of style．
Everyone, however, agrees that the most appealing aspect of an English man is his accent． For example, many American girls watch Harry Potter movies over and over again just to listen to the actors speak．
The English accent seems almost like art．In Stephen Yang’s opinion, accents just show__________．
| A．the beauty of the language |
| B．how the language is spoken |
| C．the cultural differences of the speakers |
| D．the meeting of the day |
The underlined sentence in paragraph means that __________．
| A．All the boys broke their knees |
| B．All the boys fell to the ground |
| C．All the boys liked her accent very much |
| D．All the boys imitated（模仿）her accent |
Many American girls watch Harry Porter again and again in order to __________．
| A．learn the acting skills of the these stars |
| B．learn the magic performed by Harry Potter |
| C．imitate the actors’ accents |
| D．know more about British English |
What is probably the best title for this passage?
| A．British English and American English |
| B．British Accent or American Accent |
| C．American English Accent is Most Accepted |
| D．The difference between British Accent and American Accent． |
The first English week at our school started on May 4th, 2009． The whole school was filled with an English learning atmosphere． A series of activities was held． There were handwriting activities, story writing, English songs, role playing in English, and so on, all the teachers and students were very happy． They spoke English, sang English songs and enjoyed all the activities．
Handwriting was for the students in lower grades． Although most of them couldn’t write so well, they were all very careful about it． In the show window, there were a lot of colorful handwritten papers． They copied some articles from books or newspapers． And then they decorated them with pictures in different colors, and some even put their own photos on them． How cute and lovely they looked!
Story writing was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8． These students are always fond of cartoons, so they got interested in this activity． Reading the stories they made up, all the visitors couldn’t help speaking highly of them．
The most important event was the English show on the last day． The students and teachers presented a lot of English songs and English operas． Each program won storms of applause．
One week is not very long, but all the students and teachers learned a lot． Just as the headmaster said, “It is a helpful week． It will certainly lead us to enjoy and learn more from our English studies．”In this passage, the English week is described as__________．
| A．surprising | B．boring | C．enjoyable | D．serious |
Which of the following is Not true?
| A．All the students took part in the handwriting contest． |
| B．The story writing contest was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8． |
| C．The English show was the most important event． |
| D．Teachers also took part in the English week． |
What does the underlined word “applause” probably mean?
| A．Noise | B．Cheer | C．Sound | D．Music |
What does the writer probably want to tell us at the end of the passage?
| A．The activities are a good way to learn English． |
| B．Students usually don’t like English． |
| C．The activities last longer． |
| D．Learning English in the classroom is invaluable． |