February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
72. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
A. Because there were few women in his country at that time.
B. Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.
C. Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people.
D. Because he wanted to control the birth rate.
73. Valentine was put into prison because _______.
A. he killed one of the soldiers B. he stole a lot of food
C. he didn’t obey the emperor’s order D. he didn’t want to be a soldier
74. The last paragraph mainly tells us _______.
A. students in China send cards to their teachers
B. it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China
C. it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China
D. Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now
75. The best title for this passage should be _______.
A. Valentine’s Day B. A Brave Priest
C. Valentine’s Day in China D. A Romantic Man
三、阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从55～75题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
When Mr. David retired, he bought a small house in a village near the sea. He liked it and hoped to live a quiet life in it.
But to his great surprise, many tourists came to see his house in summer holidays, for it was the most interesting building in the village. From morning to night there were tourists outside the house. They kept looking into the rooms through the windows and many of them even went into Mr. David’s garden. This was too much for Mr. David. He decided to drive the visitors away. So he put a notice on the window. The notice said: “If you want to satisfy your curiosity, came in and look round. Price: twenty dollars.”
Mr. David was sure that the visitors would stop coming, but he was wrong. More and more visitors came and Mr. David had to spend every day showing them around his house. “I came here to retire, not to work as a guide.” he said angrily. In the end, he sold the house and moved away.
1. Mr. David’s house was that many tourists came to see it.
A．so small B．so quiet C．so interesting D．such interesting
2. Mr. David put a notice on the window in order .
A．to drive the visitors away
B．to satisfy the visitor’s curiosity
C．to let visitors come in and look round
D．to get some money out of the visitors
3. The notice made the visitors .
A．more interested in his house
B．lost interest in his house
C．angry at the unfair price
D．feel happy about the price
4. At last he had to sell his house and move away because .
A．he did not like it at all
B．he could not work as a guide
C．he made enough money and wanted to buy a new expensive house
D．he could not live a quiet life in it
Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?
Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbacks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.
Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbooks, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems . Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.
1It can be inferred from the passage that _________.
A. TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge.
B. cinemas are the best choice in getting information.
C. reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun.
D. newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself.
2 What does the sentence “Television has not killed reading, however” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?
A. People only need reading, though. B. Reading is still necessary today.
C. Reading is more fun than television D. Watching television doesn’t help reading.
3Which of the following is mainly discussed in the last paragraph?
A. Types of books B. Kinds of dictionaries.
C. Lists of history books D. Collections of stories and poems
4What can we learn from the passage?
A. Fewer and fewer people will buy books.
B. A good dictionary should be kept in every home.
C. Books with hard covers sell better than paperbacks.
D. More people like TV programs about famous men.
Welcome to the Ambassador Hotel. To make your stay as enjoyable as possible, we hope you will use our facilities（设施）to the full.
Dining Room
Breakfast is served in the dining room from 8 to 9:30 a.m.. Alternatively, the room staff will bring a breakfast tray to your room at any time after 7 a.m., if you place an order for it by telephone. In this case, please fill out a card and hang it outside your door when you go to bed. Lunch: 12:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Telephone:48752
Room Service
This operates 24 hours a day. Phone the Reception Desk, and your message will be passed on to the room staff.
Telephone:48759
Telephone
To make a telephone call, dial 0 for Reception and Laundry (洗衣店), and ask to be connected. We apologize for delays in putting calls through when the staff are very busy. There are also public telephone booths (电话亭) near the Reception Desk. Early calls should be booked with Reception.
Shop
The hotel shop is open for souvenirs（纪念品）, gifts and toiletries（化妆品）from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Telephone:48687
Laundry
We have a laundry on the premises（附属）and will wash, iron and return your clothes within 24 hours. Ask the room staff to phone the laundrymen to collect them.
Telephone:48867
Bar
The hotel bar is open from 12 to 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.. The Reception staff will cash cheques and exchange money in many foreign currencies（货币）.
1The announcement mainly gives us information about ________.
A. facilities in the hotel B. providing passengers all kinds of service
C. the ways of serving D. carrying out the promise of the hotel
2The card in a bedroom of the hotel is announced that _________.
A. you should keep silence when walking past the room
B. the passenger of the room is taking a rest
C. the waiters mustn’t enter the room
D. any visitors won’t bother the hotel guest
3You have arrived to stay at the hotel at 2 a.m., and want a snack (快餐), What should you do ?
A. Go to the hotel shop. B. Go to the hotel bar.
C. Give a message to the waiter. D. Phone Reception
Sydney—Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.
Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: they were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.
1 Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones________.
A. because they are students B. when they are free
C. when they are at school D. because they are young
2 We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from________.
A. the makers and sellers B. some other strangers
C. their parents and friends D. some mobile phone users
3 Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t _______ during school hours.
A. use their mobile phones B. leave their mobile phones
C. help the teachers with their work D. get in touch with their children
4 The underlined word “they” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.
A. many teachers B. some messages
C. mobile phones D. some students
第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分；共30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber (黄瓜) up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. “What's the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”
This is a popular joke among British school children. It shows Britain's famous dry and satirical (讽刺的) way of seeing the funny side of life. People say this unique sense of humor is one of Britain's national characteristics.
The British sense of humor is different from other countries because it is often more negative. When it comes to making the British laugh, there is nothing that works better than a socially inappropriate (不恰当的) joke. It reflects the culture where mocking (嘲弄) is part of everyday life.
While most Britons don’t take these jokes too seriously, foreigners often don’t understand them. A recent survey found that most foreigners who visited Britain think the British are “unfriendly and have almost no sense of humor”.
Are the British just not as funny as they think they are? Leo McKinstry, a British journalist, thinks the British are funny. “Accusing the British of having no sense of humor is like telling Rolls-Royce (劳斯莱斯) that its cars are cheap and not good in quality,” he says.
1 What does the doctor actually mean by the remark “You’re not eating properly”?
A. What you have had is the cause of these problems. B. You are not having the right food.
C. You don’t eat the way people usually do.D. You eat with the wrong cutlery. ( 餐具 )
2 The word “dry” in Paragraph 2 means ________.
A. without water or liquid inside B. special and popular among school children
C. dull and meaningless D. funny and clever while seeming to be serious
3 Why do most visitors, who once visited Britain, think that the British are unfriendly?
A. Because the British always take things seriously.
B. Because the British have no sense of humor.
C. Because the British are cold and difficult to get along with.
D. Because the British have a different sense of humor.
4 Which of the following is NOT the characteristics of British humor?
A. dry and satirical B. negative and mocking
C. encouraging and gentle D. clever and witty