LanguageasaSystemofSymbolsOfal-优题课

Many years ago, when I was first out of school and working in Danver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Messouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Okiahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register（收款台）, I said hello to an old couple who were also paying for gas. I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend’s. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon after, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery(电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford shop(a shop selling cars)was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?” I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment; so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks, I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank-you, and it meant a lot, he said.
“Thank you”-- two powerful words. They’re easy to say and mean so much.
57. The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City___________.
A. to visit a friendB. to see his parents
C. to pay at the cash register D. to have more gas for his car
58. The words “took off” underlined in Paragraph 2 mean “___________ ”
A. turned offB.moved off C. put up D. set up
59. What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
A. He had it pulled back to the gas station.
B.The couples sent him a business card.
C. The couple offered to help him.
D. He called his friend for help.
60.By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show__________.
A. how to write a thank-you letter B. how to deal with car problems
C. the kindheartedness of old people D. the importance of expressing thanks

The fact that blind people can see things using other parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us to understand our feelings about color. If they can sense color differences, then perhaps we, too, are affected by color without knowing it. Salesmen have discovered by experience over a long period of time that sugar sells badly in green wrappings, that blue foods are considered not agreeable to the taste ,and that cosmetics (化妆品) should never be packed in brown. These discoveries have grown into a whole subject of color psychology (心理学).
Some of our preferences（偏爱）are clearly psychological. Dark blue is the color of the night sky and therefore connected with calm, while yellow is a day color connected with energy and encouragement. Experiments have shown that colors, partly because they are connected with psychology, also have a direct effect on people’s mind. People in bright red surroundings show an increase in breathing speed, heartbeat and blood pressure. Red is exciting. Pure blue has exactly the opposite effect; it is a calming color. Being exciting, red was chosen as the signal for danger, but a closer study shows that a bright yellow can produce a more basic state of alarm, so fire engines in some advanced areas are now rushing around in bright yellow colors that stop buses, trucks and cars.
53. The passage tells us that salesmen have _______.
A. found out that colors affect sales
B.discovered the relationship between color and psychology
C. tried colors on blind people
D. developed a special subject of color psychology
54. If people are exposed to (置身于) pure blue, _______.
A. their body pressure rises B.they won’t easily feel nervous
C. they want to taste blue foods D. they will feel like buying things
55. The most effective color in the passage for warning people is _____.
A. red B.bright yellow C. dark blue D. green
56. Which of the following do you think is the best title of the passage?
A. Color and FeelingsB.Colors and Sales
C. The Blind and Colors D. Preferences for Colors

Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV, radio and films all help us to communicate with others. They all help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.
Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows you want to say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying “No”. You nod and people know you are saying “Yes’.
Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs on doors tell you where to go in or out. And an arrow is often used to show people the direction. Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time?
People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, about the sea and many other things.
50. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. It is a most popular way for man to communicate with words.
B.Words are the only way for man to communicate.
C. Using radio is one of the ways to communicate.
D. TV can help people know the world better.
51. Which of the following signs is usually used to show you the direction?
A. A picture B.A number C. A kind of color D. An arrow
52. How does an artist often carry messages to people?
A. He writes articles. B.He gives reports.
C. He sings songs. D. He draw pictures.

第二部分：阅读理解（共15小题;每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项。
A farmer was put in prison. One day, he got a letter from his wife.
“I am worried about our farm,” she wrote. “It’s time to plant potatoes, but I can’t do all the digging by myself.”
The farmer thought over and then had an idea. He wrote to his wife, “Don’t dig the fields. This is where my gold is. Don’t plant potatoes until I come home.”
A few days later, the farmer got another letter from his wife. It said, “Two days ago, about ten prison guards came to our fields. It looked as if they were looking for something. They have dug our fields.”
The farmer wrote to his wife at once. “Now you can plant our potatoes.” he wrote.
46. Why was the farmer put in prison? ________.
A. Because he had done something wrong
Because he had a lot of gold in the fields
C. The writer didn’t say anything about why the farmer was put in prison
D. For nothing
47. The farmer told his wife ____ first.
A. not to dig the fields B.to dig the fields
C. to ask the prison guards for help D. to find the gold in the fields
48. Why did the prison guards dig the farmer’s fields?________.
A. They wanted to help the farmerB.Their leader ordered them to do so
C. The farmer asked them to do so D. They wanted to find out the gold
49. Why did the farmer ask his wife to plant potatoes at once ? Because _____.
A. their fields had been dug
B.the gold was found out
C. the prison guards asked him to do so
D. the prison guards were digging the fields

A plane crash in Western Russian killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the other 96 political and military officials on board on April 10. The accident has led to huge national mourning in Poland. But it may provide an opportunity for reconciliation (和解) between Poland and Russia, countries that have a troubled relationship.
Many from the political elite were lost in the crash. Beside the president, the dead include the army chief of Staff, the head of National Security Bureau, the national bank president, the deputy foreign minister and other members of parliament.
The Polish delegation was heading to Russia to mark the 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre (屠杀) when the accident occurred. In 1940, about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials captured after the Soviet Army invaded Poland in 1939, were killed secretly by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
The Katyn Massacre had been a sensitive topic between the countries. The former Soviet Union always denied responsibility for the massacre. It was not until 1992 that Russian released archived documents about the killing.
Katyn is merely a short chapter in Poland and Russia’s long and troubled history. In the 18 th century, along with Prussia, (then an important part of Germany) and Austria. Russia participated in three carve – ups of Poland. In 1795, after the third carve – up, the country was erased from the map of Europe. It was in 1918 that Poland regained its independence. But in 1939, at the beginning of the World War II, it was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union under a secret pact. After the war, Poland became a communist country with close ties to the Soviet Union.
In 1989, Poland switched to capitalism and pursued a pro – West position. The most recent tension between the two countries was in 2008. That year, Poland decided to have a US missile shield (导弹防御系统) on its soil, while neighboring Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
But the plane crash has created a chance for reconciliation, with Russia sharing the sadness of Poland. Russia has declared April 12 a day of mourning for the victims. Flags flew at half – mast in Moscow. And earlier on April 7, Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became the first Russian leader to mark the anniversary of the massacre.
“I think it should improve relations between the two countries, as Russians feel our grief,” said Radek Sikorski, Pland’s foreign minister.
66．Put the following events in order of time.
①The Katyn Massacre
②Poland switched to capitalism.
③Russia divided Poland with Austria and Prussia.
④Poland became a communist country.
⑤Poland was invaded by the Soviet Army.
A．③①④⑤② B．③⑤①④② C．①③⑤④② D．①⑤②④③
67．After the accident, which of the following did Russia do to share the sadness of Poland?
A．Flags were lowed to half – mast in the capital city of Russia.
B．Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
C．Russia declared the day when the accident happened a day of mourning for the victims.
D．Vladimir Putin marked the anniversary of the massacre.
68．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The Katyn Massacre was the very beginning of Poland and Russia’s trouble relationship.
B．In 1939 about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials were killed by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
C．Altogether 96 political and military officials were killed in the accident.
D．The relationship between Poland and Russia has not always been tense since the three carve – ups of Poland in the 18 th century.
69．It can be conclude from the article that .
A．the relationship between Poland and Russia will be even tenser than before
B．Poland will cancel its plan to mark the anniversary of the Katyn Massacre
C．no Russian leaders have marked the anniversary of the massacre before, though Russia released the truth in 1992.
D．Poland will forgive Russians, for they showed great sympathy after the accident.
70．What would be the best title for the passage?
A．The troubled relationship between Russia and Poland.
B．Poland and Russia united by tragedy.
C．The 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre.
D．A plane crash killing Polish president.