“How did Norman know, Sister Emma?”
“He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you.
“Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal.”
Abbess was following Sister Emma closely.
“And then?”
“Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death.”
“But who killed Norman?”
“Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless (坦率的) mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man’s life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment—the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock.”
There was a pause.What may have happened to Aryan?
| A．He was killed by poison. |
| B．He was found missing. |
| C．He was poisoned but saved. |
| D．He went away with what he had found. |
What did Abbess do according to Sister Emma when Aryan came back?
| A．She talked with Aryan about Norman’s strange actions. . |
| B．She secretly discussed with Aryan about something secret. |
| C．She followed the two men and found what they were doing. |
| D．She let Sister Emma help find out the two men’s secret. |
What can we conclude from the above story?
| A．Abbess served the detective. |
| B．Emma knows all the people mentioned. |
| C．Aryan was sent to kill Abbess but failed. |
| D．Norman seemed very devoted to Abbess. |
Which of the following might be true according to the above passage?
| A．Abbess hired Norman to fight against Aryan. |
| B．Norman told everything to Emma. |
| C．Aryan worked for the detective. |
| D．All the people came from the capital. |
It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has a different effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others it is a catastrophe (灾难).
There are countries between these two extremes that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one such country, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfall, however light, roads are blocked, trains and buses stop in the middle of traffic. Normal communications are affected as well, telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. Almost within hours, there are also shortages(缺乏) –bread, vegetables and other things – not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened, and go out to store up these commodities, “just for fear that something bad should happen.”
Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough plan and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow ploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy some ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospital education or helping the old.According to the writer, Britain is a country____.
| A．which has regular snow | B．which is not well prepared for snow |
| C．for which snow is not a catastrophe | D．for which snow is a wonder |
The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following except____
| A．traffic | B．communication | C．food supplies | D．service quality |
After a few hours’ snowing there are often shortages of food because______
| A．shops have closed down | B．people buy as much as they can |
| C．farmers can’t produce any more | D．people eat more vegetables in winter |
The first reason why the British don’t buy snow ploughs is that______
| A．spreading salt is good enough | B．old people need more money |
| C．snow ploughs are not used often | D．the hospital is more important |
Dear Friend,
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And there's a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children's books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.
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But am I good enough?
I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn't know where to turn for help.
Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude(潜能), and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.
The promise that paid off.
The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:
You will complete at least one manuscript(手稿) suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish ou
r course.
I really didn't expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.
Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children's books and over 300 stories and articles.
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Sincerely,
Kristi Holl, Instructor
Institute of Children's LiteratureFrom the first three paragraphs, we learn that_____.
| A．children's books are usually bestsellers. |
| B．publishers are making $3 billion each year. |
C．magazines for  tee nagers have drawn public attention. |
| D．there is a growing need for writers of children's books. |
When finishing the course, you are promised to_____.
| A．be a successful publisher |
| B．become a confident editor |
| C．finish one work for publication |
| D．get one story or article published |
Kristi Holl mentions her experience mainly to_____.
| A．prove she is a good instructor |
| B．promote the writing program |
| C．give her advice on course preparation |
| D．show she sold more stories than article |
Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?
Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbooks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.
Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbook, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge. |
| B．cinemas are the best choice in getting information. |
| C．reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun. |
| D．newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself. |
What does the sentences “Television has not killed reading, however ” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?
| A．People only need reading, though. |
| B．Reading is still necessary today. |
| C．Reading is more fun than television. |
| D．Watching television doesn’t help reading. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Fewer and fewer people will buy books. |
| B．A good dictionary should be kept in every home. |
| C．Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks. |
| D．More people like TV programs about famous men. |
“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be 'a skeleton in his family's closet'. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica's father said with anger. “Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?”“Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.”“Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica's parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt
, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica's mother sank in a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They're both crazy,” she thought.According to Jessica's mother, “a skeleton in the close” means ________.
| A．a family honor | B．a family secret | C．a family story | D．a family treasure |
What can we learn about some Australians' ancestors from Paragraph 2?
| A．They were brought to Australia as prisoners. |
| B．They were the earliest people living in Australia. |
| C．They were involved in some crimes in Australia. |
| D．They were not regarded as criminals in their days. |
Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
| A．She was curious about it. | B．She planned to keep it for fun. |
| C．She needed it for her school task. | D．She intended to scare her parents. |
Jessica's parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ________.
| A．they were crazy. |
| B．they were over excited. |
| C．they realized their misunderstanding. |
| D．they both thought they had won the quarrel. |
Some scientists say that animals in the oceans are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings.
The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels (分贝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect.
Some scientists have proposed setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected.
Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds object to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean. According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?
| A．The man-made noises. | B．The noises made by themselves. |
| C．The sound of earthquakes. | D．The sound of the ice-breaking. |
Which of the following is discussed in the third paragraph?
| A．Different places with different types of noises. |
| B．The very human ears sensitive to all types of noises. |
| C．The same noise measured differently on land and in the ocean. |
| D．The ocean animals' reaction to noises. |
As to the influence of noises on whales, which of the following statements is true?
| A．They are deaf to noises. |
| B．Noises at a certain level may hurt them. |
| C．They are easily confused by noises. |
| D．Noises will limit their ability to reproduce. |
According to the passage, what will scientists most probably do in the future?
| A．They will try their best to decrease noise. |
| B．They will work hard to cut down noise pollution. |
| C．They will study the effect of different noises. |
| D．They will protect animals from harmful noises. |