Perhapsthemostextraordinary(奇特-优题课

When traveling abroad, it is wise to carry your money in traveler's checks because checks are protected against loss or theft. If your checks are lost or stolen, the issuing authority will refund(赔偿) your money.
Not only are they safe, they are also convenient. They are available in different currencies(货币) and they can be cashed at most banks throughout the world. Most shops, hotels and restaurants also accept them. Traveler's checks are very easy to use. When you collect them, you sign each check once. The cashier enters the amount in your passport. When you cash, you sign each check again. The cashier will usually ask to see your passport again too.
To get traveler's checks you usually go to your bank. They can be paid in cash or in other ways. Large amounts, however, must be ordered in advance.
For the safety and convenience of traveler's checks, you are charged two commissions(佣金，酬劳): an insurance commission when you buy them and an encashment commission when you cash them.
It is suitable to make a note of the serial numbers of your checks. Keep this separate from your traveler's checks.
72 . People like to carry their money in traveler’s checks when traveling abroad, because______
A. they cannot be lost or stolen B. they can be used anywhere
C. they are safe and handy D. they can save travelers plenty of money
73. If your traveler's checks are lost or stolen, who will refund you?
A. The authority that issues you the passport.
B. The insurance company.
C. The bank where you buy your checks.
D. The travel agency that arranges your travel.
74. You sign your traveler’s check for the second time in order to ________.
A. get your passport B. cash it
C. claim(要求) insurance D. pay for commission
75 . Which of the following statement is TRUE?
A. You need not pay a commission for the safety of your traveler’s checks.
B. People usually get traveler’s checks from foreign banks.
C. Traveler’s checks can be exchanged for the money of the country you visit.
D. You cannot get your passport until you get your traveler’s checks.

Few buildings on earth can compete with the legendary beauty of the Taj Mahal. Towering over the ancient Indian city of Agra, the Taj Mahal is the grandest monument (纪念碑) to love ever created.
The lovers in this story are the 17th century Indian emperor Shah Jehan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She took a leading role in advising him, which is something unusual for a woman to do for a husband who’s an emperor. Over the course of their nineteen-year marriage she gave birth to 14 children. But in 1631 while trying to deliver their fifteenth — she tragically died. He was heartbroken when she died. And after her death, he decided to build the world’s greatest monument ever built, for love.
He ordered the royal architects to design the most beautiful building the world had known and decided to name it after his beloved, Mumtaz Mahal. He called on twenty thousand workers and sent many more people to all corners of his country in search of valuable metals and jewels. And after seventeen years of hard work, Shah Jehan’s monument was completed and his beloved empress was moved to her final resting place.
Everything had gone according to plan, but Shah Jehan’s luck was about to change ... In 1658, just four years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, he was thrown out of power. Unfortunately, his son, Aran Azibe imprisoned him, his own father. And he spent the last seven years of his life in prison. And he was allowed to look at the Taj Mahal through a window. His life was in ruins, but when he died his last wish was promised. He was buried beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.
68 . The Taj Mahal was built for ______.
A. Mumtaz B. Shah C. Mumtaz or Shah D. Mumtaz and Shah
69. The Taj Mahal was completed in ______.
A. 1658 B. 1662 C. 1654D. 1665
70 . What was unusual for Mumtaz Mahal according to the passage?
A. She gave birth to 14 children for her husband.
B. She gave important advice to her husband.
C. She asked her son to imprison his father
D. She planned to build the world’s greatest monument.
71. Which of the following is TRUE about Shah Jehan?
A. He was killed by his own son.
B. He lost his power as a result of the Taj Mahal.
C. He put his own son into prison.
D. He hoped to be buried together with his wife.

We arrived at the hospital only to find Dad weak, but his smile was as sure as ever. My husband and I had to work, so our relatives would help him get home from the hospital and look after him. But I wanted Dad to know that we cared about him, too, even when we weren’t with him.
Then I remembered a family tradition (传统) when our children were small. When leaving their grandparents’ home, each child would write a love note for their grandparents to find after we were gone. They hid notes in the food box, or even in the fridge. For days their grandparents would smile as they discovered these notes of the children’s love.
So as I cleaned Dad’s room downstairs before he got home, I began writing notes. Some showed my love. Most notes were in his room downstairs where he would be able to find, but one note was hidden upstairs under his pillow. “Dad, if you have found this note, you must be feeling better. We are so glad!”
My notes were a reminder (提醒的事物) of our love for Dad. Just like his medicines made him better physically (身体上), these would improve his mental (精神的) health. Several weeks later, I made a phone call to Dad and asked what he was doing. He said, “I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I am just reading the note you left under my pillow upstairs!”
64. Which of the following did the author NOT do for her father?
A. Writing notes. B. Driving her father home.
C. Making phone calls. D. Helping to clean her father’s room.
65. The underlined word “these” (in Paragraph 4) refers to “______”.
A. medicines B. the relatives’ care and help
C. notes D. delicious foods
66. The author hid most notes _____.
A. in Dad’s room downstairsB. in the food box
C. in the fridgeD. under Dad’s pillow upstairs
67. From the passage we can know the author’s notes couldn’t ______.
A. show her love for DadB. make Dad remember something
C. make Dad healthier mentallyD. improve Dad’s physical health

The Olympic Games are seen as the greatest test of an athlete’s ability and are supposed to celebrate the spirit of fair play. But in fact, sportsmen have been using drugs to cheat their way to victory since the Games first began.
In the early years, athletes ate mushrooms(蘑菇)and plant seeds to improve their performance. Nowadays, this kind of cheating has a name doping(服用兴奋剂).
Just last month, Britain’s top sprinter(赛跑选手) Dwain Chambers and several American athletes tested positive(呈阳性)for the drug THG. Until a coach secretly gave a sample of THG to scientists, no one knew how to test for it.
“We’re like cops(警察)chasing criminals—athletes are always adapting and looking for areas we haven’t investigated,” said Jacquew de Ceaurriz, a French anti-doping expert.
Since the first drugs test was carried out at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, many cheats have been caught out. The most famous case in history is that of Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson.
He broke the 100 meters world record in winning gold at the 1988 Seoul(汉城)Olympics. But days later, he tested positive for drug use, lost his gold medal and was banned from the sport. Five years later, he returned to action—only to be found positive again and banned forever.
China has also had problems with drug cheats. At the 1994 Asian Games, 11 Chinese athletes—seven of them swimmers—tested positive for banned drugs. Sports organizations promised that cheating on this scale would not happen again.
Experts are also worried that doping can damage a person’s health. It is believed to increase the risk of liver and kidney(肝肾)diseases, and women may experience reproductive(生育) problems. As long as they can stay ahead of the scientists, it is unlikely the cheats will stop. But experts say there is a limit to what can be achieved and that athletes will not be able to change their bodies using gene(基因)technology.
“For the moment, genetic doping does not exist,” said de Ceaurriz. “Even in 10 or 15 years it will not be done easily—the scientific community(界)will not let it happen.”
( ) 60. Which of the following is not the way that some athletes cheat to their better sports achievements?
A.Eating mushrooms.B Taking drug THG.
C. Taking genetic doping. D. Eating plant seeds.
( ) 61. How many countries are mentioned in the passage in which there were athletes doping?
A. Two. B. Four. C. Sic. D. Eight.
( ) 62. We can infer from the passage that ____.
A.scientists get a lot of information about drugs before the athletes take doping
B.taking doping will never happen again because of the serious test
C.few athletes used drug cheats before the first drugs test was carried out at the 1968 Olympics
D.problems with drug cheats are still serious though they are severely tested
( ) 63. Which statement of the following is true?
A.Many police are sent to chase criminals of taking doping during the Olympic Games.
B.The drug test was carried out until the 1968 Olympics.
C.There is the possibility that women athletes taking doping will give no birth to a child.
D.Ben Johnson was banned from sports forever for being tested positive for drug use at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

三. 阅读理解（每小题2分，满分40分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Ten years ago I used to be very fit (健康的). I rode a bike to work and I got a lot of exercise at weekends. I used to play tennis a lot and go for long walks. In those days I didn’t earn very much. I had a job in an office. It wasn’t a very good job but I had a lot of time to do the things I enjoyed doing.
Then, about eight years ago, I got a much better job. The pay was better, but the hours were a lot longer. I bought a car and drove to work every day. I began to take people out to lunch. And I began to put on weight, too. I stopped playing tennis and going for long walks at weekends because I just didn’t have any time for things like that any more.
There’s a lot of stress (压力) in my job. Perhaps that’s why I started drinking more than I used to. For example, I used to have only half a glass of whisky when I got home, but then I started filling my glass to the top, and instead of having one glass, I would have several. I started smoking a lot, too. I never used to smoke at all.
Two months ago I had a heart attack. At first I just couldn’t believe it. Luckily it wasn’t very serious. The doctor advised me to stop smoking and to eat less. He also advised me to work less and get more exercise. But I just haven’t any time! My job takes everything out of me!
Sometimes I wonder if I should get another job. Perhaps I could do something like I used to do. But if I do that, I won’t earn as much. I have a family to support. I have to think of them, too. I just don’t know what I should do. What do you think?
56. Compared with ten years ago, what is worse for the author now?
A. His job. B. His pay. C. His means of transport. D. His health.
57. According to the passage, when the author got the better job, which of the following is NOT true?
A. He got higher pay.B. His working hours weren’t long.
C. He found it very stressful. D. He had little free time at weekends.
58. After the author had a heart attack, the doctor advised him _____.
A. not to work any longerB. to take a long vacation abroad
C. to stop smoking and take exerciseD. not to eat out any more
59. What can we learn about the author?
A. The author is not sure what he should do now.
B. The author has taken the doctor’s advice.
C. The author has got another new job
D. The author feels much better now.

A．buy goods	B．visit an exhibition
C．travel around	D．enjoy the Crystal Palace itself