PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION ( 30 points)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
When Christopher Columbus landed on the then unnamed Costa Rica in 1502, he saw many Indians wearing gold earrings. So he thought the land must be rich in gold. He named the place Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish.
Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported (出口) to other countries like America and West Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.
Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.
Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate (单独的) schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans.
56. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. How Columbus found Costa Rica. B. How Costa Rica got its name.
C. What the Costa Ricans wore. D. What language the Costa Ricans spoke.
57. The Costa Ricans may NOT paint their houses ______.
A. pink and red B. grey and black
C. blue and green D. yellow and orange
58. In Costa Rica, boys and girls between seven and fourteen ______.
A. must go to school B. study in the same school
C. do not have to go to school at all D. can choose to stop schooling at any time
59. From December to February, school children in Costa Rica ______.
A. have lessons every day B. have their examinations
C. help their parents pick coffee beans D. help their parents decorate their houses
60. This passage is mainly about ______.
A. Christopher Columbus B. Costa Rica
C. some products from Costa Rica D. the education of Costa Rica
When people in the U. S. have company or when they’re invited to (formal or informal) get-togethers, they usually make a point of trying to make others feel comfortable and relaxed. On the whole, they tend to be informal. Men shake hands, but usually only when they’re introduced. Male friends and business associated (同事) who haven’ t seen each other in a while may shake hands when they say hello. Women usually don’t shake hands when being introduced to each other. When a woman and man are introduced, shaking hands is up to the woman. Americans rarely shake hands to say goodbye, except on business occasions. American women are used to being independent. They are used to going to places by themselves, making their own money, and often living alone. Sometimes they will ask men for help, but they usually don” t want to be protected. Since the women’s movement started, it’s not always clear whether women expect men to open doors or help them into their coats. American women may start conversations with men or even ask them to dance.
There are a lot of Americans who don’t smoke or drink, and many who don’t want people to do those things in their houses. It” s always best to ask for permission before you bring alcohol to a dinner or before you light up a cigarette, if you are with people you don’t know very well. Non-smokers have become more militant (好战的) about smoking in public places. Many restaurants, for example, have set up special areas for smokers.
Houseguests may bring gifts when they come to visit, and they often offer to help in some way. As a guest, you may want to ask your host or hostess if there’s anything you can do to help in the kitchen. In many cases, the gesture is more important than actually helping.“..., the gesture is more important than actually helping.” Here “gesture” means ________.
| A．态度 | B．话题 | C．姿态 | D．言行 |
．When American people are introduced to each other, _______.
| A．men seldom shake hands |
| B．women often shake hands |
| C．a woman decides if she will shake hands with a man |
| D．a man decides if he will shake hands with a woman |
______is not mentioned(提到)in the passage.
| A．How to visit an American family | B．When American women’s movement started |
| C．American women are independent | D．Non-smokers hate smoking in public places |
Which one is not right?
| A．None of Americans want people to smoke or drink in their houses. |
| B．Many Americans don’t smoke or drink. |
| C．Many special areas for smokers have been set up in the U.S.. |
| D．It’s best to ask before you smoke in America. |
How much paper do you use every year? Maybe you can’t answer this question quickly. In 1900 the world’s use of paper was about one kilogram for each person in a year. Now some countries use 50 kilograms of paper for each person in a year. But countries like America, England and Sweden certainly use more paper than other countries.
Paper was first made in China about 2000 years ago. It was made from the hair-like parts of certain plants. Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100. In 1500, a German named Schaeffer found out that one could make the best paper from trees. After that the forest countries of Canada, Sweden, America, Finland became the most important ones in paper making.
When we think of paper, we think of newspapers, books and writing paper. But there are many other uses. Only half of the paper is used for books and things like that. Paper is very good for keeping you warm. Houses are often insulated(使绝缘, 隔离 ) with paper. You may see some men asleep on a large number of newspapers. They’re insulating themselves from the cold. In Finland the temperature is sometimes -40 centigrade (C). The farmers wear paper boots in the snow. Nothing could be warmer.
Each year more and more things are made of paper. We have had paper cups and plates for a long time. But now we hear that chairs, tables and even beds can be made of paper. With paper boots and shoes, you can wear paper hats, paper dresses and paper raincoats. When you have used them away and buy new ones. People have made paper boats, but they haven’t made paper planes or cars. Just wait they perhaps will.How much paper does each person use in a year in some countries now?
| A．One kilogram | B．Fifteen kilograms | C．Fifty kilograms | D．Forty kilograms |
______ use more paper than other countries.
| A．Sweden | B．America | C．England | D．A, B and C |
When was paper first made in southern Europe?
| A．2000 years ago | B．In 1100 | C．In 1500 | D．In 1900 |
Why do farmers in Finland wear paper boots in the snow?
| A．Because they are so poor that they can buy only paper boots |
| B．Because there are no other kinds of boots there |
| C．Because paper boots are warmer than anything else there |
| D．Because paper boots are so nice that they don’t like other kinds |
What should the best title of passage be?
| A．Paper and Its Uses | B．Paper and Its History |
| C．Paper Was First Made in China | D．How Much Paper Is Used in A Year |
When someone says, "Well, I guess I’ll have to go to face the music", it does not mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this or that, and why you did not do this or that. Sour（剌耳的; 拙劣的）music, indeed, but it has to be faced.
The phrase “to face the music” is familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old. Where did the expression come from?
The first information comes from the American writer James Fennimore Cooper. He said in 1851 that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage. After they got their cue（提示，暗示） to go on, they often said, "It’s time to go to face the music." And that is exactly what they did--- face the orchestra (管弦乐队) which was just below the stage.
An actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the audience that might be friendly or perhaps unfriendly especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. So, “to face the music" came to mean having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice.
The other explanation comes from the army. Men had to face inspection(视察)by their leader. The soldiers worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean--shiny enough to pass inspection? Still, the men had to go out, and face the music of the band, as well as the inspection. What else could they do? According to the passage, the word “music" means________.
| A．your boss’s criticism(批评) | B．your leader’s inspection |
| C．something unpleasant to be experienced | D．sour pop music |
The phrase ‘to face the music" was first used by _______.
| A．all the Americans | B．the American writer James Fennimore cooper |
| C．some American actors | D．the American orchestra |
An actor might feel frightened or nervous when going on stage. One of the reasons is that ______.
| A．his performance was not good at all |
| B．he might not remember what he should say on stage |
| C．he had to face the unfriendly audience |
| D．most of the audience might be his friends |
to face the music" is also used to mean that soldiers were not willing _______.
| A．to be examined about their equipment | B．to be found weak |
| C．to show themselves up in public | D．to be inspected by their leader |
The passage is mainly about_______.
| A．the meaning of the phrase ‘to face the music" | B．how to deal with something unpleasant |
| C．how to learn English phrase | D．how to go through difficulty |
Pet owners are being encouraged to take their animals to work，a move scientists say can be good for productivity，workplace morale（士气），and the well-being (安宁, 幸福)of animals.
A study found that 25% of Australian women would like to keep an office pet. Sue Chaseling of Pet care Information Service said the practice of keeping office pets was good both for the people and the pets.“On the pets’ side，they are not left on their own and won’t feel lonely and unhappy，”she said. A study of major US companies showed that 73% found office pets beneficial（有益的），while 27% experienced a drop in absenteeism（缺勤）.
Xarni Riggs has two cats walking around her Global Hair Salon in Paddington.“My customers love them. They are their favorites，”she said.“They are not troublesome. They know when to go and have a sleep in the sun.”
Little black BJ has spent nearly all his two years “working” at Punch Gallery in Balmain. Owner Iain Powell said he had had cats at the gallery for 15 years.“BJ often lies in the shop window and people walking past tap on the glass，”he said.
Ms Chaseling said cats were popular in service industries because they enabled a point of conversation. But she said owners had to make sure both their co－workers and the cats were comfortable.The percentage of American companies that are in favor of keeping office pets is ________.
| A．73% | B．27% | C．25% | D．15% |
We know from the text that “BJ” ________.
| A．works in the Global Hair Salon | B．often greets the passers－by |
| C．likes to sleep in the sun | D．is a two－year－old cat |
The best title for this text would be ________.
| A．Pets Help Attract Customers | B．Your Favorite Office Pets |
| C．Pets Join the Workforce | D．Busy Life for Pets |
We have two daughters：Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening，we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party，and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests，and then they would take the guests’coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly，the younger one，admiring her dress，her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom，crying. I said，“What are you doing，my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said，“Mommy，why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her，kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now whenever I visit a friend’s home，I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.The underlined expression“make a big‘to do’over”（Paragraph 4） means________.
| A．show much concern about | B．have a special effect on |
| C．list jobs to be done for | D．do good things for |
The guests praised Kelly for carrying coats upstairs because of her________.
| A．beautiful hair | B．pretty clothes |
| C．lovely smile | D．young age |
Kristen felt sad and cried because________.
| A．the guest gave her more coats to carry |
| B．she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly |
| C．the guests praised her sister more than her |
| D．her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests |
We can conclude from the passage that________.
| A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children |
| B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt |
| C．people usually like the younger children more |
| D．adults should treat children equally |