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完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Many young people in the United States never finish high school. Exactly how many drop out is another issue. Recent studies of 36 rate have had conflicting results.
For one thing, schools define and measure their dropout rates 37 . Some researchers say about 15 to 20 percent of public school students do not 38 their education on time. 39 many other experts and policymakers believe that for the past 20 years, the dropout rate has been around 30 percent. For Latino and black students, the 40 are even larger. Researchers say almost half of them 41 school. At the same time, almost half of the states let students leave school 42 the age of 18 without informing their parents.
Finding a good job 43 a high school education is becoming more and more difficult. A Northeastern University 44 in 2002 found that almost half of all dropouts aged 16 to 24 did not have a job. The 45 of a high school education can also 46 other problems. It is estimated that two-thirds of prisoners in the United States dropped out of high school.
Recent studies have 47 that the majority of students who drop out do it because they are failing. Many are 48 with their classes or feel disconnected from their school and teachers. Some students feel that educators place low 49 on them.
During the past 20 years, there have been efforts to 50 graduation rate through education reforms. Some communities are working on dropout 51 programs. These include some alternative (其它的) high schools to meet special 52 .
Experts think “early warning systems” can help 53 young schoolchildren at the risk of dropping out of high school. They say schools also need to get 54 more involved, especially if their children are 55 school often.
36. A. research B. finishing C. dropout D. completing
37. A. personally B. individually C. differently D. similarly
38. A. complete B. reach C. practise D. operate
39. A. And B. Besides C. Instead D. But
40. A. people B. students C. dropouts D. numbers
41. A. approach B. leave C. stay D. enter
42. A. after B. until C. before D. when
43. A. without B. together with C. out of D. off
44. A. project B. design C. sketch D. study
45. A. importance B. lack C. need D. requirement
46. A. lead to B. result C. conclude D. include
47. A. noticed B. watched C. shown D. inspected
48. A. bored B. interested C. indifferent D. unconcerned
49. A. outlook B. prediction C. remark D. expectations
50. A. decrease B. reduce C. increase D. unite
51. A. prevention B. conservation C. permission D. admittance
52. A. needs B. ways C. advantages D. means
53. A. receive B. accept C. get D. identify
54. A. mates B. teachers C. parents D. neighbors
55. A. missing B. staying C. leaving D. studying
Forever Young
It's Girls Night Out:Mom Edition, and I'm a player in a whole new game. It occurs to me that I really don't know these 36 women. We've been circling 37 for about three years, ever since our kids started 38 .We'd bump into each other in the parking 39 ,at Valentine's Day parties, and later as one or the other shyly 40 we all sign our kids up for softball, gymnastics or dance. Who knows 41 the five of us clumped together more than 42 of us clumped with other mothers. I suppose it happens 43 ,friendship circles spiraling in and around and about and anew.
This is the 44 time we've gathered without the kids, and I am having a 45 time saying “Janice”, as opposed to “Zoe's mom” or “Susan”, 46 “Kaitlin's mom”, and so I have decided, for tonight, not to 47 any names at all.
The 48 has already taken our drink order. I can't believe nobody 49 beer.Nope, this is a Diet Coke and iced tea crowd. In the back of my mind I'm 50 if I'm going to be the naughty 51 who corrupts this group.
There is so much 52 to take care of when you are just getting to 53 people as people. One of the things we are doing is 54 dates, the years that each of us 55 from this or that. I see where this is going.
36. A. five B. three C. Four D. two
37. A. each other B. one another C. all of us D. some of us
38. A. primary school B. university C. high school D. preschool
39. A. lot B. Station C. line D. square
40. A. said B. suggested C. informed D. found
41.A. what B. that C. how D. why
42. A. some B. none C. any D. all
43. A. all the time B. all of a sudden C. at the same time D. once and for all
44. A. last B. first C. Usual D. only
45. A. spare B. good C. difficult D. pleasant
46. A. instead of B. as well as C. in case of D. in the name of
47. A. call B. use C. forget D. tell
48. A. kid B. mother C. Friend D. waitress
49. A. brought B. liked C. ordered D. drank
50. A. wondering B. fearing C. Speaking D. asking
51. A. girl B. mother C. One D. kid
52. A. trouble B. business C. time D. food
53. A. regard B. name C. Find D. know
54. A. comparing B. making C. Deciding D. discussing
55. A. came B. changed C. graduated D. got
The United States is wellknown for its network of major highways designed to help a driver get from one place to another in the shortest possible time. 36 these wide modern roads are generally 37 and well maintained, with 38 sharp curves and many straight 39 ,a direct route is not always the most 40 one. Large highways often pass 41 scenic areas and interesting small towns. Furthermore, these highways generally 42 large urban centers which means that they become crowded with 43 traffic during rush hours, 44 the “fast, direct” way becomes a very slow route. However, there is 45 always another route to take 46 you are not in a hurry. Not far from the 47 new “superhighways”,there are often older, 48 heavily traveled roads which go through the countryside. 49 of these are good two lane roads; others are uneven roads 50 through the country. These secondary routes may go up steep slopes, along hilly 51 or down frightening hillsides to towns 52 in deep valleys. Though these are less direct routes, longer and slower, they generally go to places 53 the air is clear and the scenery is beautiful, and the driver may have a 54 to get a fresh, clean 55 of the world.
36. A. Although B. Since C. Because D. Therefore
37. A. rough B. splendid C. smooth D. complicated
38. A. little B. few C. much D. many
39. A. selections B. separations C. divisions D. sections
40. A. terrible B. Possible C. enjoyable D. reasonable
41. A. to B. Into C. over D. by
42. A. lead B. connect C. collect D. provide
43. A. large B. fast C. light D. heavy
44. A. when B. for C. but D. that
45. A. yet B. still C. almost D. quite
46. A. unless B. if C. as D. since
47. A. relatively B. regularly C. reasonably D. respectively
48. A. and B. Less C. more D. or
49. A. All B. Several C. Lots D. Some
50. A. driving B. crossing C. curving D. traveling
51. A. rocks B. cliffs C. roads D. paths
52. A. lying B. laying C. laid D. lied
53. A. there B. when C. which D. where
54. A. space B. period C. chance D. spot
55. A. view B. variety C. visit D. Virtue
Nancy had just got a secretary's job in a big company to work in the sales department. Monday was the first day that she went to work, so she was very 36 .She got up very early and arrived at the 37 at twenty to eight. She 38 the door open and found nobody there. “I am the 39 to arrive.” She thought and came to her desk. She was surprised to 40 a large bunch of flowers on it. They were fresh.She 41 the flowers from the desk and smelled them. “Oh,how lovely!” Nancy 42 joyfully. She then looked round for a 43 to put them in. “Somebody has sent me flowers the 44 first day!” She thought happily. “But who could it be?” She began to wonder.
The day passed very 45 and Nancy did everything with great interest and 46 .For the following days of the week, the first thing Nancy did was to change water for the flowers. And then she 47 herself in her work.
Then came another Monday. When she came near her desk she was overjoyed to see a(an) 48 bunch of flowers there. She quickly put them in the vase, replacing the old ones.
The same thing happened again the next Monday, Nancy felt it 49 and this time she began to think of ways to find out the 50 .
On Tuesday afternoon, she was sent to 51 a plan to the general manager's office. She had to stay for a while at his secretary's desk waiting for his 52 .She happened to see on the desk a big note book 53 “Records of managers' meetings”, and glanced at the 54 pages. Suddenly her eyes fell on these words:“In order to keep the secretaries 55 ,the company has decided that every Monday morning a bunch of fresh flowers should be sent to each secretary's desk.”
Later, she was told that their general manager was a business management psychologist.
36. A. depressed B. encouraged C. excited D. surprised
37. A. office B. workshop C. Classroom D. bookshop
38. A. forced B. pushed C. Turned D. knocked
39. A. last B. second C. Third D. first
40. A. uncover B. smell C. Find D. pick
41. A. picked up B. threw away C. stared at D. took up
42. A. cried B. Laughed C. wept D. replied
43. A. jar B. Box C. bottle D. vase
44. A. happy B. very C. funny D. quite
45. A. slowly B. normally C. quickly D. hardly
46. A. wisdom B. bravery C. passion D. enthusiasm
47. A. buried B. dressed C. Devoted D. seated
48. A. old B. Red C. blue D. new
49. A. special B. angry C. strange D. difficult
50. A. sender B. receiver C. manager D. waiter
51. A. send for B. hand out C. try out D. hand in
52.A. orders B. directives C. gifts D. receipts
53. A. marked B. written C. printed D. signed
54. A. closed B. damaged C. pinned D. half-opened
55. A. at home B. on time C. in high spirits D. in low spirits
Love Is Just a Thread
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the 36 tuition for my brother and me. They don't 37 in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. My father has a bad temper; it's easy for him to lose his temper.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I 38 sat down beside her and looked at her.
“Is there any 39 between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice.
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with 40 in her eyes. She didn't answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.
41 at last I heard my mother say the following words:
“Susan,” she said 42 .“Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable(耐用的).If life is a
43 ,then love should be a thread. It can 44 be seen anywhere or anytime, but it's really there. Love is 45 .”
I listened carefully but I couldn't understand her until the next 46 .At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. After they were 47 ,every day in the morning and dusk(黄昏),my mother helped my father walk 48 on the country road. My father had never been so 49 .Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently shone through the leaves. All of these 50 the most beautiful picture in the world. The doctor had said my father would 51 in two months. But after two months he still couldn't walk alone. We were all worried.
“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.
“Susan,”he said gently.“To tell you the truth, I just like 52 with your mom. I like this kind of life.” 53 from his eyes, I knew he loved my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this 54 ,I understand that love is just a 55 in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
36. A. expensive B. low C. cheap D. high
37. A. play B. talk C. act D. perform
38. A. silently B. carefully C. certainly D. happily
39. A. money B. love C. time D. distance
40. A. surprise B. pride C. disappointment D. satisfaction
41. A. So B. But C. And D. For
42. A. sadly B. excitedly C. regretfully D. thoughtfully
43. A. trouble B. pleasure C. quilt D. cloth
44. A. hardly B. often C. always D. ever
45. A. valuable B. inside C. true D. priceless
46. A. winter B. autumn C. summer D. spring
47. A. free B. back C. fine D. ready
48. A. continuously B. worriedly C. constantly D. slowly
49. A. gently B. perfect C. pleased D. thankful
50. A. put up B. took up C. made up D. set up
51. A. run B. recover C. Stand D. work
52. A. walking B. living C. sitting D. chatting
53. A. Examining B. Seeing C. Noticing D. Reading
54. A. practice B. observation C. experience D. activity
55. A. thread B. thing C. jewel D. light
Everyone has experienced trying, but failing to master a difficult book that was begun with the hope of increasing one's understanding. When that happens, it is 36 to think that it was a mistake to try to read it, but that was not the mistake. The mistake was in 37 too much from the first reading of a(n) 38 book. If you read it in the right way, no book written for the 39 reader, no matter how difficult, need be a cause for despair(令人失望).
What is the right method? The 40 is an important and helpful rule of reading that is either not 41 or often forgotten. That rule is simply this: when reading a difficult book for the first time, read it through without ever 42 to think about the things that you do not understand immediately.
Do not be stopped by what you 43 understand. Read through the difficult 44 ,and you soon come to things that you do understand. Read these 45 .You will have a much better chance of understanding all of the book when you read it again, but that 46 you to have read the book through once 47 .
What you understand by reading the book through to the 48 will help you when you try later to read the places that you did not 49 in your first reading. Or if you never re-read the book, understanding half of it is much better than understanding 50 of it, which will happen 51 you allow yourself to be stopped by the first difficult part of the book.
Most of us were taught to 52 the things that we do not understand. We were told to find the 53 of unfamiliar words, and to try to find an explanation in another 54 for anything that we did not understand in the book that we were reading. But when these things are done before the proper time, they only 55 our reading, instead of helping it.
36. A. necessary B. useful C. natural D. effective
37. A. learning B. wanting C. accepting D. expecting
38. A. easy B. difficult C. important D. correct
39. A. ordinary B. young C. serious D. sincere
40. A. method B. question C. answer D. problem
41. A. taught B. known C. sure D. perfect
42. A. starting B. hesitating C. Stopping D. repeating
43. A. can't B. won't C. mustn't D. wouldn't
44. A. words B. articles C. parts D. points
45. A. quickly B. immediately C. clearly D. carefully
46. A. requires B. causes C. advises D. allows
47. A. later B. after C. before D. again
48. A. top B. end C. bottom D. cover
49. A. see B. turn C. Notice D. understand
50. A. anything B. everything C. nothing D. something
51. A. if B. so that C. whenever D. as though
52. A. put away B. put down C. think of D. think about
53. A. uses B. Meanings C. Spellings D. troubles
54. A. thinking B. reading C. Book D. way
55. A. harm B. increase C. Improve D. prevent