After lunch,I walked back home. I was just to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping. It wasn’t much but,as I turned, my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too. A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime.
The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on pavement is an attention-getter．It Can be nothing more than a penny．Whatever the coin is，no one ignores the sound of it．It got me thinking about sounds again．We are surrounded by so many sounds that attract the most attention．
People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine，a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street．When I’m in New York，I’m a New Yorker．I don’t turn either．Like the natives，I hardly hear a siren(警报)there．
However，at home in my little town in Connecticut，it’s different．The distant sound of a police car, all emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed．It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us．not the loudest．In the middle of the night, I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away thigh three closed doors．I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imaginnation turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house．How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime?
I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what the bad sounds are,I’ve turned against whistling，for instance：I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been associating the whistler with a nervous person making unconscious noises．The tapping，tapping，tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me．I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it．The sound of a coin dropping makes people________
| A．think of money | B．look at each other |
| C．pay attention to it | D．stop crossing the street |
The author dislikes whistling because__________
| A．he has got tired of it | B．it reminds him of tense people |
| C．he used to be happier | D．he doesn’t like workers |
What kind of sound does the author find pleasant?
| A．Tapping sound of his typewriter． | B．Clinking sound of keys |
| C．Tinkling sound of a coin dropping． | D．Creaking sound of footsteps |
How does the author feel about sounds in general?
| A．They make him feel al home． | B．He thinks they should be ignored |
| C．He prefers silence to loud noises． | D．He believes they are part of our life |
Life on-line can be a much richer experience when you aren’t restricted to just written words and still pictures.Even if you’re new to the Net,you’ve probably heard about multimedia on-line—listening to audio,watching animations and videos,even playing in three-dimensional space.Sound and movement make information come alive.
To experience it,you’ll need special pieces of software called plug-ins.The term “plug-in” refers to a small,add-on piece of software which extends the capabilities of your web browser,like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer,turning your computer into a radio or TV.
When you arrive at a web page which contains a file requiring a plug-in which you don’t have,you will usually receive a message asking if you want to get it by downloading it and installing it into your computer.Most of the time,the installation will be automatic.
Occasionally,you’ll run into a downloaded file which needs to be decompressed or un-zipped before installation.Once installed,plug-ins run automatically,without you having to do anything.
Many multimedia controls still need to be obtained from the developer but are installed automatically.
Shockwave is a good example of this.All you need to do is go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the ActiveX control.The rest happens automatically.The next time you go to a “Shocked” website,the Shockwave control loads and plays the movie.
Most plug-ins and controls can be downloaded for free on the Internet,although not all will work with every system.Some of them,for instance,only work with Windows 95.Plug-ins can help us to do all of the following except _________.
| A．listening to music |
| B．watching animations and videos |
| C．playing three-dimensioned games |
| D．searching for information on the net |
The correct explanation about “plug-in” is _________.
| A．a radio or TV connected with a computer |
| B．a small,add-on piece of hardware which improves your web browser |
| C．a small,add-on piece of software which can turn your computer into a radio or TV |
| D．a small,add-on piece of software like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer |
When we go to a “shocked” website a second time,_________.
| A．we should go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the Active X control |
| B．the shockwave control loads itself and plays the movie for us |
| C．we will be asked whether to download the shockwave control or not |
| D．we have to buy the shockwave control and load it |
Most of the time,how can we get a plug-in before automatic installation?
| A．We have to buy it from the developer. |
| B．We have to borrow it from the developer. |
| C．We have to rent it from the developer. |
| D．We can obtain from the developer without paying. |
How Good Are US Drivers?
The CBS-TV“National Drivers’ Test”，showed that many US drivers have a lot to learn.Here’s why.
CBS picked 1799 sample drivers to take the test in TV studios in New York，Philadelphia，Chicago，and Los Angeles.More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test.And the average score was the lowest passing mark—51 points out of a possible 80.
Chicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points.Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points.New York and Philadelphia drivers got 50 points—a failing score.Drivers with 50 points or less were rated“poorly informed”by the judges.
Here are some of the test results:
1.Are men drivers better informed than women ones?
Yes.Men averaged 52 points.Women got an average of 49.
2.Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?
No.Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points.Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51.Drives over 45 failed with a 48-point average.
3.Does education make a difference?
Yes.College graduates averaged 52 points.High school graduates averaged 50.Those without high school diplomas(毕业证) got 48.And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points—three more than those who hadn’t.
4.Does driving experience make a difference?
Yes.Drivers with three or more years of experience averaged 51 points.Drivers with less experience averaged 49.
Here are some surprising facts brought out by the test:
1.More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking red light means a full stop.
2.Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal(eight-sided)sign means stop.
3.More than two out of three drivers did not know what to do when being“tailgated(追尾)”.
The answer:slow down，drive to the right，and let the driver behind pass.
The results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council(委员会).They will help future safety planning.The author’s purpose is to_________.
| A．prove that men are better drivers than women |
| B．give you safe driving directions |
| C．tell you the results of a national drivers’ test |
| D．require you to get an education |
From the information in this article，which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Older drivers are better informed than younger drivers. |
| B．Experience makes a difference among drivers. |
| C．Most drivers failed the test. |
| D．Most people don’ t know what a blinking red light means. |
The test covered the following areas about drivers except_________.
| A．education | B．years of driving experience |
| C．sex | D．health |
Which of the following as a group was rated“poorly informed”by the judges?
| A．Men. | B．High school graduated drivers. |
| C．Drivers from 27-45 years of age. | D．Drivers with 3 or more years of experience. |
When in 1789，George Washington became the first president of the United States，there was no permanent(永久的)capital in which to house the government.During the Revolutionary War seven different cities had served as the national capital.In addition，members of congress(国会)could not agree as to where this permanent capital should be located.Some officials wanted it in the north，others wanted it in the south.Each of the states hoped that the capital might lie within its own state lines.At last it was decided that the capital should occupy a section(区域)by itself，separate from any of the states.The place chosen was situated on the Potomas River.The land belonged originally(原先地) to the state of Maryland，but Maryland agreed to the national government.The section was named the District of Columbia after Christopher Columbus.The city itself was named Washington，after George Washington.Work was begun on the new capital in 1791.In the year 1799 Congress occupied the new capital building at the same time the White House was opened as the home of all future presidents.Before the year 1800，the capital of America had been located in_________.
| A．Maryland | B．Washington | C．New York | D．several cities |
Why was it decided that the capital should be separated from any of the states?Because_________.
| A．the District of Columbia was on the borders(边境) of several states |
| B．the District of Columbia was in the center of America |
| C．Maryland insisted that the capital lie in its own state |
| D．each of the states wanted the capital might lie within its own state |
Presidents of the United States live in_________.
A.the capital building C.Maryland C.New York D.the White HouseWhich of the following statements is true?
| A．Capital is the place for presidents to live in. |
| B．Capital should be the largest city in the country. |
| C．It took nine years to build the capital of Washington. |
| D．Since 1791，Washington has been the capital of the United States. |
There are many types of reports.A report is simply an account of something that has happened.The commonest are news reports.We get them in newspapers，over radio and on television.Sometimes cinemas also show us newsreels.
The main purpose of a newspaper is to provide news.If you examine a newspaper closely，you will find that there are all types of news:accidents，floods，fires，wars，fashions(服装)，sports，books，etc.The news covers everything that happens to people and their surroundings.Sometimes there are news items which are very amusing.
A news report is usually very short，except when it is about something very important，but it contains(包含) a lot of information.It is also written in short paragraphs.The first paragraph is in fact a summary(总结) of the news item.It gives all the necessary information，what，when，where，how and why.The other paragraphs give full details of the subject.There may also be interviews with people.The words actually spoken by them are within inverted commas(引号).
Often there are photographs to go with the news to make it more interesting.The easiest way to get today’s news is_________.
| A．to go to the cinema | B．to watch a color TV |
| C．to read today’s newspapers | D．to listen to the music over radio |
Newspapers sell well mainly because_________.
| A．they cost very little |
| B．they are easy to get |
| C．they have got pictures to go with the news |
| D．they provide all sorts of news in them |
This passage mainly talks about _________.
| A．different types of reports |
| B．news reports |
| C．happenings to people and their surroundings |
| D．the length of a news reports |
Manhattan Island is surrounded on the east by the East and Harlem Rivers and on the west by the North and Hudson Rivers.It links with the other four towns which make up New York City and with New Jersey are by means of subways,underground tunnels and bridges which lead into Manhanttan from the surrounding area.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the first suspension bridge to link Brooklyn to Manhanttan.It is also the second oldest bridge in New York.The architect was John Augustus Roebling,who was the chief engineer of the suspended Railroad Bridge at Niagara Falls.
Misfortune accompanied the building of the bridge,which took place from 1869 to 1883.The architect died as a result of an accident early during the construction.His son,Washington Roebling,carried on his father’s work,using the most advanced engineering techniques of the day.He also fell ill during the construction of the bridge and was obliged to direct the work on it from an apartment window overlooking the site.
Since its construction the Brooklyn Bridge has remained a busy and important passage in New York.
The Brooklyn Bridge is 6775 feet long and 1595 feet wide.The suspended part is 3450 feet long and 85 feet wide.It has a clearance of 133 feet above water level.Four huge cables extend across the bridge,supported by two towers,each 272 feet high.Each of these cables is made up of 5700 wires.If you want to go to Princeton University in New Jersey from Manhattan,you_________.
| A．must drive across a bridge | B．must take a Metro train |
| C．have to go through a tunnel | D．can use any of the above means |
The Brooklyn Bridge is _________.
| A．the first suspended railway bridge in the USA |
| B．the first oldest bridge in New York |
| C．the first suspension bridge between Manhattan Island and Brooklyn |
| D．the first suspension bridge built in the USA |
In the course of the construction of the bridge_________.
| A．the chief engineer was in short of money |
| B．misfortune fell on the chief engineer |
| C．John Augustus Roebling fell ill |
| D．Washington Roebling met with an accident |
Washington Roebling was forced to_________.
| A．direct the building work on the bridge |
| B．lead the builders of the bridge in a hospital |
| C．give his directions to the workers from a flat nearby |
| D．direct the construction of the bridge by radio |