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。
I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention． Finally， the driver， a man about 60，looked up from behind the wheel and apologized，“I’m sorry， but I was reading a letter．” He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough．
Since I was in no hurry， I told him to finish his letter． He shook his head， explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart． Curious， I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild． “This isn’t family，”he replied． “though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family． Old Edand I grew up together．”
They were always friends． But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago， it’d generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them． A couple of weeks ago， Ed died． “I should have kept in touch．” He repeated this， more to himself than to me． To comfort him， I said sometimes we just didn’t seem to find the time．“But we used to find the time，” he said． “Take a look．” He handed the letter over to me．
The first sentence “I’ve been meaning to write for some time， but I’ve always delayed it．” reminded me of myself． It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together． When I read the part where it said “Your friendship really means a lot to me， more than I can say because I’m not good at saying things like that”，I found myself nodding in agreement．
We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: “So I thought you’d like to know that I was thinking of you.” And it was ended with “Your Old Friend, Tom.”
“I thought your friend’s name was Ed,” I said.
“I’m Tom,” he explained. “It’s a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he’d died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner.” His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
When I got to my hotel room I didn’t unpack right away． I had to write a letter and post it．
Who wrote the letter？
A． Tom
B． Old ED．
C． The author．
D． The driver’s grandchild．
It can be inferred from the passage that the driver regretted_____．
| A．missing Ed’s funeral |
| B．moving away from his neighborhood |
| C．forgetting to send Ed Christmas cards |
| D．not being able to keep in touch with Ed |
From Paragraph 4，we learn that the author _______．
| A．often fails to write to his friends |
| B．has no intention to write to his friends |
| C．had many great moments with his friends |
| D．was good at expressing his feelings to friends |
What message does the passage probably try to convey？
| A．Comfort your friends when they are feeling down． |
| B．Life is unpredictable so live each day as if it were your last． |
| C．Remember to always mail your letters after expressing your words． |
| D．Always make time to value and experience your lasting friendships． |
Losing a baby tooth can be fun for a kid. You can put it under your pillow and look forward to finding some money there in the morning. And then you can watch your new permanent(永恒的) tooth grow in its place.
But if a permanent tooth falls out, that’s a problem. There isn’t another one under the gum(齿龈)that can replace it. Unfortunately, this happens to some older people. And if permanent teeth fall out or need to be pulled, an older person might need dentures.
Dentures, known as false teeth, are a set of replacement teeth for any teeth that are missing. There are partial dentures, which take the place of only a few teeth and prevent the others from changing position. If all the teeth are gone, the person would need complete dentures, which replace every tooth in the mouth.
Dentures can cause pains at first and take little time to get adjusted to. They also need special care. They should be brushed daily with a special denture brush and cleanser and soaked（浸泡） in denture solution when not in the mouth.
Dentures are important for the old because, without teeth, it’s hard to smile, talk, and eat properly. But it can be a little weird if you see someone take out his or her dentures. It can also be strange to see someone, like a grandparent, without dentures in because he or she won’t have any teeth. Try not to make fun of the person because this could cause hurt feelings.
People usually lose their permanent teeth due to periodontal disease（牙周炎）, or gum disease, which is caused by bacteria that attacks the gums. Diseased gums aren’t strong and healthy, so teeth can get loose and fall out. Older people often have many cavities(洞)that have been filled over the years, and these fillings can weaken over time, leading to more tooth problems.If one of your baby teeth falls out, you.
| A．should have a false tooth fixed in its place | B．have to put it under your pillow at once |
| C．will gain a permanent tooth in future | D．can exchange it for some money |
A person wearing dentures.
| A．should brush them with a special denture brush every few days |
| B．will take a very long time to adjust himself or herself to them |
| C．will experience unpleasant feelings at the beginning of fixing them |
| D．should use denture solution to soak them in his or her mouth |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Partial dentures can prevent the remaining teeth from changing position. |
| B．Old people will find it hard to smile, talk, and eat properly without teeth. |
| C．A person’s teeth will possibly get loose if diseases strike his gums. |
| D．It is hard for a person to wear dentures if all his teeth have fallen out. |
What does the underlined word “weird” mean in the fifth paragraph?
| A．inconvenient | B．excited | C．uncomfortable | D．impolite |
Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a ‘territory’ is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting（筑巢）season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually________.
| A．an expression of happiness | B．a way of warning |
| C．an expression of anger | D．a way of greeting |
What does the underlined word “territory’’ mean?
| A．A place where families of other species are not accepted |
| B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice |
| C．An area for which birds fight against each other |
| D．An area which a bird considers to be its own |
Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
| A．Because they want to invite more friends |
| B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away |
| C．Because they want to find outsiders around |
| D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears |
How does the writer explain bird’s singing?
| A．By comparing birds with human beings | B．By reporting experiment results |
| C．By describing birds’ daily life | D．By telling a bird’s story |
Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. 
Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe（成熟） or finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the fifteenth century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century or so later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in battle. By the eighteenth century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job. Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from the early nineteen hundreds. A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.
The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. The new plants produced much larger crops. The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.
Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play “Othello”. It describes the unpleasant feeling a person has when someone has something he wants. A young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if his girlfriend begins going out with someone else. Or, that green-eyed monster may affect your friend if you get a pay rise and she does not. Greenhorn now refers to ____.
| A．a person who is new in a job | B．a new solider | C．a young horse | D．a thumb |
A person who has a green thumb is a person ____.
| A．whose garden is greener than others’ | B．whose thumbs are in green color |
| C．who is good at growing plants | D．who is younger than his neighbors |
The author is actually talking about ____.
| A．colors | B．language | C．politics | D．agriculture |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．In about the 16th century, a greenhorn meant an experienced soldier |
| B．The Green Revolution may have some connection with green thumbs |
| C．The green-eyed monster was probably created by William Shakespeare |
| D．The green-eyed monster can be used to describe a person who is jealous |
SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Captain Good Fellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Good Fellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, Free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold；don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”
“The Zoo”, a popular rock group from Australia, will give their first US concert tomorrow night at 8:00 at Rose Hall, City CollegeYou can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food____.
| A．at the front entrance of City Hall | B．at the Ballgame |
| C．at 5:00 pm | D．at Central Park on Saturday |
The Redbirds ballgame_____.
| A．is in the afternoon | B．is outside | C．is at the gate | D．might be cold |
“The Zoo” is _____.
| A．a park with lots of animals | B．US concert |
| C．a music group | D．going to give the concert at 8:00 am |
Nickname: Hawaii’s Island of Adventure
Size: 4,028 square miles
Population: 148,677．The most heavily populated areas are Hilo on the east side and Kailua-Kona on the west.
Temperature: Averages between 71°F and 77°F year around.
Beaches: 47 Golf Courses: 20 Highest Peak: Mauna Kea, 13,796 feet.
Agriculture: The bulk of Hawaii’s farming products are grown and processed on the Big Island, including coffee, macadamia nuts and papaya.
Lodging: 9,655 rooms total; Nightly rates range from$ 35—$ 5,000.
Airports: Hilo International Airport on the east side and Kona International Airport on the west side.
Rental Cars: All of the nationally known rental car companies have locations at Hilo International and Kona International Airports as well as many resorts．In addition, Hilo, Kona and the major resort areas are serviced by taxis.
Resources: Call (800) 648—2441 to order a video, poster, brochures and maps from the Big Island Visitors Bureau．See www.bigisland.org for Updated information.
Shopping: The large shopping centers are in Hilo, Kona, Waimea and the Kohala Coast.The passage is intended to be read by _______.
| A．students | B．businessmen | C．tourists | D．immigrants |
The average population per square mile on the island is about _________.
| A．28 | B．32 | C．37 | D．44 |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a traffic means to get around the Big Island
| A．By train． | B．By air． | C．By rental car． | D．By taxi. |
What can we infer from the passage
| A．You can see www.bigisland.org for updated information. |
| B．You can call (800) 648 – 2441 to order some food. |
| C．You can find some courts to play tennis on the island. |
| D．You may pay a high price for spending one night on the island. |