Likeagrowingnumberofyoungwomen-优题课

Although man has known about asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for （对……负责）the opening of that first mine.
Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport(carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein（岩脉）
in the province of Quebec in Canada.
Ever since 1881, Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens: the rock breaks down into fine, soapy fibers（滑腻的纤维）。
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads（线）,but they have found thousands of uses for this fireproof material, often called the “cloth of stone”.
59. The title that best expresses the main idea of the passage is _____.
A. Asbestos mined in Canada B. Fireproof matter
C. A “wonder” mineral D. A new roofing material
60. Johns proved his ability （能力）as a salesman by_____.
going into the roofing business
carrying asbestos from Italy
sending a trained scientist
showing the use of asbestos gloves
61. Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us?
A. It is like thread B. It feels soapy
C. It bums easily D. It is unusually heavy
62. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to______.
show the need for more scientists
compare asbestos with other minerals
increase the sales of asbestos
present facts about asbestos

A couple of years ago, I received a $ 600 insurance dividend (保险股息).Sitting at the kitchen table, my wife and I discussed what we might do with the money. I realized now that the refrigerator overheard our talk. The very next day it went wrong. The repairman told us we needed a new unit. Cost:$600. Not long after that, we got a refund（赔偿金）from the shop, enough to pay for a trip to Mexico. “I’ve something to tell you,” I said to my wife in a low voice. “How about the living-room?” she suggested. I remembered the color TV set was there. “No, not there. Let’s go out.” I showed her the check as we stood on the driveway. We held each other excitedly and hardly noticed the rain. My car was parked within5 meters. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. As I started for the airport the next day, the car began making strange sounds. Changing the engine cost about $ 1, 000.
Then I looked through our financial records. I discovered that during the last ten years we spent all our “found money” repairing a hot water heater, a television and a stove.
I never mention money in front of our mechanical equipment. But if this article is published and I am paid for, the word processor（文字信息处理机）is going to go for sure. It’ll know.
56. What went wrong first as the writer’s?
A. The refrigerator B. The stove
C. The TV set D. The engine of the car
57. What has been repaired and still remains all right?
A. The car B. The color TV set
C. The stove D. The hot water heater
58. Which statement is wrong according to the passage?
There are many pieces of modern equipment in the writer’s home
The writer often discusses with his wife on how to spend their money.
The writer has gone into a lot of trouble to repair his things
The writer’s refrigerator can overhear him

Unless we spend money to spot and prevent asteroids (小行星) now, one might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it, say some scientists.
Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids (流星) that race across the night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don’t threaten us. But there are also thousands whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth.
Buy $50 million worth of new telescopes right now. Then spend $100 million a year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a fatal one, the scientists say, we’ll have a way to change its course.
Some scientists favor pushing asteroids off course with nuclear weapons. But the cost wouldn’t be cheap.
Is it worth it? Two things experts consider when judging any risk are: 1) How likely the event is; and 2) How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every 500,000 years. Sounds pretty rare-but if one did fall, it would be the end of the world. If we don’t take care of these big asteroids, they’ll take care of us,” says one scientist. “It’s that simple.”
The cure, though, might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets of nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth? “ The world has less to fear from doomsday (毁灭性的) rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them,” said a New York Times article.
66. What does the passage say about asteroids and meteoroids?
A.They are heavenly bodies different in composition.
B. They are heavenly bodies similar in nature.
C. There are more asteroids than meteoroids.
D. Asteroids are more mysterious than meteoroids.
67. What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth?
A. It is very unlikely but the danger exists.
B. Such a collision might occur once every 25 years.
C. Collisions of smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected.
D. It’s still too early to say whether such a collision might occur.
68. What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the course of asteroids?
A. It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem.
B. It may create more problems than it might solve.
C. It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely.
D. Further research should be done before it is proved applicable.
69. We can conclude from the passage that ________
A. while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world.
B. asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future.
C. the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely to happen in our lifetime
D. workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids with Earth.
70. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in this passage?
A. Optimistic B. CriticalC. ObjectiveD. Arbitrary

Three surfers rushed to save a man’s life after he was left drifting on a notorious stretch of water.
The men stayed with Greg Popple for 30 minutes and had to be rescued themselves by helicopter as the drama unfolded.
The 45-year-old had floated out on a body board near Hutchwns Point at 8:30 am. He found himself in trouble about half-a-mile from the shore and dangerously close to rocks. Surfers Graig Evans, 31, Robert Miles, 19, and Owain Daviees, 23, were risking their own safety to keep him floating for 30 minutes. Luckily a passer-by noticed what was going on and raised the alarm. Porthcawl Coastguard, Porthcaw Lifeboat and an RAF helicopter all took part in the rescue.
“The man who got into trouble was a body boarder-there was a big tide where he was,” said Joe Missen. “Three other surfers spotted he was in difficulty and he was going down. They kept him afloat because he was in a state of shock and out of energy. If Mr. Popple was closer to the rocks, it could have been a lot worse, but they managed to keep him from harm”.
Mr. Missen’s mum Alison, also part of the rescue team, said, “That part of the water is notorious for taking people out to nowhere”.
The three men had clocked off a night shift at Ford Motor Company shortly before the incident.
“I headed straight down to the beach for a surf, when I saw him flailing(挥动). We just swam straight out to him and kept him calm while the help came”.
The four men were taken to the life boat house to recover, without injuries.
61. What would be the best title for the text?
A.Three Men to Be PraisedB Notorious Place for Surfers
C.Surfers Rescue Man Caught in Tide D.Greg Popple-a Lucky Dog
62. The helicopter came up at the request of ________.
A.Greg Popple B. Craig Evans C. Robert Miles D. a passer-by
63. About the incident, we know that ______.
A.Mr. Popple moved difficulty for loss of energy
B.The three men were badly injured
C.Mr. Popple’mum was also in the rescue team
D.Mr. Davies was going to work that morning
64. According to the text, what was the most important thing to do for the three men?
A.Keeping him farther away from the rocks. B.Keeping Mr Popple swimming in the sea.
C.Asking him to have a good rest. D.Keeping him floating everywhere.
65. What may the style of this passage be?
A.A story. B. A news report. C. A poster. D. An advertisement.

One dark and stormy night, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia, hoping to get shelter for the night.
The clerk, a friendly man with a beautiful smile, explained that there were three conferences in town. “All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said, “but I can't send a nice couple like you into the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not a suite, but it will be good enough to make you comfortable for the night.” The couple agreed.
As the elderly man paid the bill the next morning, he told the clerk, “You are the kind of person who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’Il build one for you.” The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh.
Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the elderly man, asking the clerk to pay him a visit. The elderly man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a reddish stone one with watchtowers thrusting up to the sky, and told the clerk that it was the hotel he had just built for him to manage.
That wonderful building was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. And this young clerk whose names was George C. Boldt never foresaw the return of events that would lead him into the manager of one of the world's most attractive hotels.
56 .When the elderly couple left the hotel, they ________. .
A .took what they said as a joke
B .wanted to build the same hotel in the future
C .hoped that the clerk would replace the boss of the hotel
D. thought the clerk was talented in managing hotels
57. Why did the elderly man build a hotel for the clerk?
A .He was grateful to the clerk. B.They had a bet at first.
C.He wanted to please the clerk. D. He wanted to sell the hotel.
58. According to the text, the clerk
A. helped the couple because he thought they were poor
B. hoped that the old couple could give him a large amount of money
C. didn't expect to receive things in return from the old couple.
D. became rich, thanks to his own efforts
59. From the text, we can infer that .
A. anybody can be a successful manager B. old people are always very rich
C. good luck is always waiting for lucky people D. kindness can bring a good return
60.What do you think of the clerk?
A. He was willing to help. B. He was very attractive.
C. He tried to make money for his hotel． D. He liked making friends.