One day, four lawyers were riding their horses along a country road. There had been a rain. Water was dripping(滴) from the trees, and the grass was wet. They rode slowly, talking and laughing. Suddenly they heard some noises from the tree above them. “What is the matter?” asked the first lawyer. “Oh, it’s only some old birds!” said the second lawyer， “The storm made one of the babies fall out of the nest. It is too young to fly, and the mother bird is very worried.” “What a pity! It’ll die down there in the grass,” said the third lawyer. “It doesn’t matter. It’s only a bird,” said the second lawyer. Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and took the little one in his big warm hands.
“Never mind, my little fellow,” said Mr. Lincoln， “I will put you back in your little nest.” He climbed up the tree and put the bird softly into their warm little home. A few minutes later, Mr. Lincoln joined them again. His shoes were covered with mud and he was wet. Then the other three laughed at him. They thought it was foolish for a strong man to do so much just for a young bird. “Gentlemen,” said Mr. Lincoln, “I could not sleep tonight if I had left the helpless bird in the grass.” Later Abraham Lincoln became very famous as a lawyer. He also became the president of America. He was one of the greatest American presidents.
51. The reason why the mother bird was worried was that ______.
A. there was a rain B. the lawyers were under its tree
C. one of its babies fell out of the nest D. it could not fly
52. We can learn about the other three lawyers from the passage that ______.
A. the second lawyer was kind
B. they were all cold-hearted
C. they did something to save the baby bird
D. the third lawyer put the bird into its nest
53. The underlined phrase “little fellow” in paragraph 2 means ______.
A. the mother bird B. Lincoln’s little friends
C. the other three lawyers D. the baby bird
54. From the passage we know Lincoln ______.
A. liked riding horses
B. was very kind and loved birds and animals
C. liked being laughed at
D. wanted to be the president of America then
Women turn to online shopping
Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping，according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women，but during the 2004 holiday season 58 percent of those making online purchases were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming”，said Lee Rainie，a director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group，which carried out the study.
Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the most dramatic（显著的）increases in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However，three-quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2004．They worried about credit card security，or just compared online prices with off-line prices，then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“But even if shoppers don’t buy online，websites are becoming promotion tools for stores，”said Dan Hess，vice president of Comscore Networks Inc．Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make shoppers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient，more reliable and more comfortable，” Hess said.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2004． |
| B．Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women. |
| C．People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online. |
| D．More women shopped online than men in 2004. |
From the passage we can infer that________.
| A．men usually decide how to spend money in the family |
| B．women usually decide what to buy in the family |
| C．the Internet is used in all the shops. |
| D．more and more shops will sell their goods online. |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．American people only buy gifts in holidays. |
| B．Shopping online is fun for women. |
| C．Shopping off-line provides better service. |
| D．Young people like to do gift-shopping online. |
In general, people talk about two groups of colours warm colours and cool colours. Researchers in psychology think that there are also two groups of people people who prefer warm colours and people who prefer cool colours.
The warm colours are red, orange and yellow. Where there are warm colours and a lot of light, people usually want to be active. People think that red, for example, is exciting. Sociable people, those who like to be with others, like red. The cool colours are green, blue and violet. These colours, unlike warm colours , are relaxing. Where there are cool colours, people are usually quiet. People who like to spend time alone often prefer blue.
Red may be exciting, but one researcher says that time seems to pass more slowly in a room with warm colours than in a room with cool colours. He suggests that a warm colour, such as red or orange is a good colour for a living room or restaurant. People who are relaxing or eating do not want time to pass quickly. Cool colours are better for offices or factories if the people who are working there want time to pass quickly.
Researchers do not know why people think some colours are warm and other colours are cool. However, almost everyone agrees that red, orange, and yellow are warm and that green, blue and violet are cool. Perhaps warm colours remind people of warm days and the cool colours remind them of cool days. Because in the north the sun is higher during summer, the hot summer sunlight appears yellow.Which of the following colours belong to cool colours?
| A．Yellow, green. | B．Blue, violet. |
| C．Black, blue. | D．Brown, white. |
Which of the following statements is not true?
| A．Sociable people like warm colours. |
| B．Warm colours can make people excited. |
| C．People who like to be with others don’t like red. |
| D．Where there are warm colours, people want to be active. |
Which is the right colour for different rooms?
| A．Red or orange for offices. |
| B．Orange for dining-rooms. |
| C．Blue for bedrooms. |
| D．Red for studies. |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．It shows the reason why people think some colours are warm and others are cool. |
| B．Warm colours remind people of warm days. |
| C．Cool colours remind people of cool days. |
| D．People have an agreeable opinion of warm colours and cool colours. |
You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists（拳头）. But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead!
Of course he isn’t really dead. With any luck he isn’t even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars of even catch fire, are professionals（专业人士）. They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen（替身演员）. That is to say, they perform tricks.
There are two sides to their work.They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress(床垫). Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar!
But although their work depends on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman’s success depends on careful timing（时间测量）. For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion（爆炸）just at the right moment.
Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff（悬崖）a thousand feet high. His parachute failed to open, and he was killed.
In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action. For nowadays there are stunt-girls too!Stuntmen are those who
| A．often dress up as actors |
| B．prefer to lead dangerous lives |
| C．often perform seemingly dangerous actions |
| D．often fight each other for their lives |
Stuntmen earn their living by
| A．playing their dirty tricks | B．selling their special skills |
| C．jumping out of high windows | D．jumping from fast moving trains |
Usually when a stuntman falls from a high building
| A．he needs little protection |
| B．he will be covered with a mattress |
| C．his life is endangered |
| D．his safety is generally all right |
What can be inferred from the author’s example of the Norwegian stuntman?
| A．Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman. |
| B．The percentage of serious accidents is high |
| C．Parachutes must be of good quality. |
| D．The cliff is too high. |
When you are visiting New York City with kids，there are numerous things to do which will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
•The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. The Whispering Room's architecture allows for a phenomenon that usually sparks a lot of giggles. Once inside the gallery，place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of the participants to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence or two and the person at the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E．42nd St.
New York，NY 10017
2127715322
grandcentralterminal.com
•American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869.In addition to its impressive exhibits，permanent attractions bring the cool feeling to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and take in the impressive dinosaur skeletons. And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids on the fragility of the ocean.
Central Park West at 79th St.
New York，NY,10024
212—769—5606
amnh.org
•The Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read，and moreover，to enjoy reading. The Scholastic Store helps to make that wish a reality by publishing engaging，well written stories that appeal to children. With classics such as Clifford the Big Red Dog，The Magic School Bus，and Harry Potter，the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway
New York,10012
212—343—6100
scholastic.com
•Ellen's Stardust Diner
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat .At Ellen's Stardust Diner，a diverse menu will whet everyone's appetite. Arugula salads，grilled cheese，burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. The hall of beauty queens，a drive-in theatre and wait staff that sing to you can add to the unique dining experience.
•1650 Broadway，corner of 51st St.
•New York，NY 10019
•2129565151
ellensstardustdiner.com Once children visit the Whispering Gallery they'll find it ________.
| A．interesting | B．splendid | C．disappointing | D．frightening |
Which of the following websites helps the kids learn about the ancient ocean life?
| A．ellensstardustdiner.com | B．grandcentralterminal.com |
| C．amnh.org | D．scholastic.com |
You would like to get your children interested in reading so you can bring them to visit ________.
| A．the Whispering Gallery | B．the Scholastic Store |
| C．Ellen's Stardust Diner | D．American Museum of Natural History |
In addition to your favorite food in Ellen's Stardust Diner you can also ________.
| A．make some good friends |
| B．see many beautiful queens |
| C．receive the first—class service |
| D．enjoy some entertaining programs |
Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
| A．Tips for travelling around New York City |
| B．Children would like to travel in big cities |
| C．Things to do with kids in New York City |
| D．Entertaining activities in the United States |
Playing basketball isn’t ladylike. That’s what Jewell Chapman’s high school headmaster told her in 1961 when he was against the girls’ basketball program.
“We were very discouraged, ” said Chapman, a forward（前锋）for her high school team of Des Moines.
Nearly 50 years later, Chapman is back on the playground. She’s 62 and plays for “Hot Pink Grannies”, joining about 10 other women on a team whose uniforms are black trousers and hot pink socks. They play in the Iowa Granny Basketball League.
It’s one of dozens of basketball leagues for women over 50 that have arisen across the country. For some, it’s a chance to exercise and meet people; for others, it’s a once – refused chance to make up.
“You see more and more elderly women’s teams taking part in state and national competitions,” said Michael Rogers, a professor in sports studies at Wichita State University. “In the future it will be something common to have leagues like this.”
Yearly surveys by the National Sporting Goods Association show the number of women aged 55 and older who play basketball at least 50 times a year has grown from 16,000 in 1995 to nearly 131,000 ten years later.
The women on the Hot Pink Grannies are good – natured but competitive when game time comes.
“I think I’m tough” says Colleen Pulliam, 69, showing off her strong arms at her challengers in a game against “Strutters”, known for their bright yellow socks.
Granny Basketball Leagues and similar groups spread quickly through much of the country, including California, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.Which is right about Chapman?
| A．She thinks playing basketball isn’t ladylike. |
| B．She is now 62 years old and feels discouraged. |
| C．She plays basketball again about 50 years later. |
| D．She is a forward in the Hot Pink Grannies. |
The underlined sentence “it’s a once – refused chance to make up” in the fourth paragraph means .
| A．it is chance to realize their old dream |
| B．it is chance to take part in sports |
| C．it is chance to earn a reputation |
| D．it is chance to compete for medals |
Who is probably a player of “Hot Oink Grannies”?
| A．Des Moines. | B．Colleen Pulliam. | C．Michael Rogers. | D．Strutters. |
Which of the following statements is true?
A．Some elderly women play basketball with the purpose of getting wealthy.
B．Granny Basketball Leagues have spread all over the USA.
C．The women on the Hot Pink Grannies are good – natured and less competitive.
D．The number of women aged 55 and older who play basketball has greatly increased.From the passage we can infer .
| A．in the 1960s, playing basketball wasn’t considered as a girls’ sport |
| B．the color of the socks is of great importance to granny players |
| C．more and more granny players are confident about getting higher scores |
| D．Jewell Chapman’s high school headmaster has already changed his attitude |