December2Sharoncalledaboutfour-优题课

Today, roller skating is easy and fun．But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball（化装舞会）. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
　　Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
　　On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin’s grand entrance for a long time!
60．The text is mainly about ________.
A．a strange man B．an unusual party
C．how roller skating began D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century
61．People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _________.
　　A．often gave others surprises　　　　　B．was a gifted musician
C．invented the roller skates　　　　　　D．was full of imagination
62．Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________ .
A．impress the party guests　　　　　　B．arrive at the party sooner
C．test his invention　　　　　　　　　D．show his skill in walking on wheels
63．What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?
A．The roller skates needed further improvement. B．The party guests took Merlin for a fool.
C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.D．Merlin got himself into trouble.

Education is required and free for every child in the United States. Most children start school by the age of six. They attend eight years of elementary school and four years of high school (or secondary school ).The money for free public schools comes from taxes, and each state is responsible for its own educational system .State legislatures (立法机关) set the educational requirements but leave the management of the schools in the hands of the local communities .Most states require their children to go to school until a certain age. This age varies from 16 to 18 years according to the laws of the individual state. The Federal government contributes funds to the states for additional schools and schools services.
After graduation from high school, a student can start his higher education in two –year college, a four-year college, a university or a specialized professional school----either public or private. Most colleges admit students on the basis of their high-school records. The cost of a college education is expensive in private universities, but it is much less in those supported by states and cities. Many students receive scholarships from the schools, the government, or private foundations and organizations. More than 50 percent of the college students work to help pay their college expenses.
Only 2 percent of the population of the country cannot read and write.
56、Where does the money for public schools come from ?
A. From the Federal government. B. From the state legislatures.
C. From taxes. D. From the parents of the school children.
57、What is the educational system in the United States based on ?
A. The Federal governmentB. Individual school
C. Individual state D. Local communities
58、What percentage of the population is illiterate (文盲？
A. 50 B. 2 C. 4 D. 6
59、How are college expenses of most students paid ?
A. They won earnings from part-time work .
B. Scholarship from the schools, the government or private foundations.
C. Taxes .
D. Both A and B.

American scientists have developed the first material that repairs itself. The material is a form of plastic that has been engineered to fill breaks in its surface.
Plastics are used today in everything from airplane wings to hundreds of object found in the home. Scientists wanted to find a way to make objects made of plastic last longer. The researchers hope their new discovery can be used to make objects that are difficult or impossible to replace.
The surface of plastic objects breaks over time. Very small breaks develop every time a plastic object is used. The researchers wanted to find out how to stop plastic from developing small breaks that weaken and destroy it. They found the answer in the chemical structure（构造）of plastic itself.
Plastic is made of monomers（单体）. These monomers link together to form polymers（聚合物）. Polymers give plastic its ability to be shaped and its strength. The research team found a way to make plastic that contains very small balloons filled with monomer liquid（液体）. When the new plastic cracks（裂开）, the monomer liquid is let out and flows into the crack. Thus the break is repaired. The repaired plastic has seventy – five percent of the strength of undamaged plastic.
The new self – repairing plastic is not yet ready for production. But it has several possible uses. One could be in space vehicles where parts cannot be repaired or replaced. Another possible use might be in bridges. And it could be used in people, to replace bone joints that have become broken or damaged.
72．Which of the following can be the best title for the article?
A．Ever-Lasting Material Invented.
B．The Chemical Structure of Plastic.
C．Plastic that Repairs Itself.
D．Small Balloons that Makes Plastic Stronger.
73．We know from the passage that the repair is done as .
A．the cracked plastic parts are changed
B．the plastic is made
C．the liquid is put into the plastic cracks
D．the plastic cracks
74．The scientist are planning to use the new material in space vehicles, bridges and people because .
A．the plastic parts in them are required to last longer
B．the plastic parts in them are easily broken or damaged
C．the new material cannot be used elsewhere
D．they want to experiment in these places first
75．What can we know about the new material mentioned in the passage?
A．It is a kind of liquid that is commonly used.
B．It is more difficult to make than common plastics.
C．Its surface does not crack so easily as other ones.
D．It makes it difficult or impossible to replace plastic objects.

Students must apply for a place before attending any class. Applications(申请), either by post or in person, are dealt with strictly in the order they are received at the Adult Education Office.
　　You can apply:
　　BY POST-Use the card provided with the exact fee. You'll be accepted on the course unless it is full, in which case we will inform you. An acknowledgement(承认) will not be made nor a receipt(收据) sent unless you provide a stamped addressed envelope. Receipts will normally be given out at the first class.
　　IN PERSON-Call at the Adult Education Office (ground floor, Block C) between approximately 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (2:30 p.m. on Fridays), or at the College Reception Desk (at the main entrance) at the other times (in the evenings until about 7:30 p.m. on Fridays).
　　Students should note that popular classes may be full well before the course is to start, so that early application is strongly advised to avoid disappointment.
　　For the AUTUMN TERM, applications will be accepted by post (preferably) or in person from 1st August.
　　For the SPRING TERM, applications will be accepted from 1st December.
　　For the SUMMER TERM, applications will be accepted from 1st April.
68．Students who apply to the college by post will ________ .
　　A．avoid disappointment
　　B．be sent a bill
　　C．have an advantage over people applying in person
　　D．be informed if they haven't got a place
69．Students applying by post must ________ .
　　A．hand in a stamped addressed envelope in person
　　B．pay at the first class
　　C．bring the receipt to the first class
　　D．send payment with their application
70．Where can students apply in person?
　　A．At the College Reception Desk at 3:30 p.m.
　　B．At the Adult Education Office after about 3:30 p.m.
　　C．At the Adult Education Office at 9:30 a.m.
　　D．At the College Reception Desk at 2:20 p.m. on Fridays.
71．If students want to apply for the AUTUMN TERM, ________ .
　　A．they should check whether the course is full
　　B．they can apply by post or in person
　　C．applications must be received by August 1st
　　D．they must apply in person before August 1

Watching some children trying to catch butterflies one hot August afternoon, I was reminded of an incident in my own childhooD．When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.
We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. There isn’t a musical instrument made by man that can produce a more beautiful sound than the song of the mockingbird.
I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.
I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, in its fright at being captured, the bird fluttered about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.
I had left the cage out on our back porch, and on the second day of the bird’s captivity my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.
The following morning when I went to see how my captive was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken excellent care of my little bird, or so I thought.
Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in captivity.”
Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.
64．Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?
A．He had just got a new cage. B．He liked its beautiful feather.
C．He wanted it to sing for him. D．He wanted a pet for a companion.
65．The mockingbird died because it ______.
A．was frightened to death B．ate the poisonous food its mother gave it
C．refused to eat anything D．drank the poisonous water by mistake
66．An ornithologist probably means ______.
A．a religious person B．a kind person
C．a schoolmaster D．a expert in birds
67．What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?
A．Freedom is very valuable to all creatures.
B．All birds put in a cage won’t live long.
C．You should keep the birds from their mother.
D．Be careful about food you give to baby birds.