Passage 3

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

The cowboy is the hero of many movies,. He is, even today, a symbol of courage and adventure. But what was the life of the cowboy really like?

The cowboy’s job is clear from the word cowboy. Cowboy were men who took care of cows and other cattle. The cattle were in the West and in Texas. People in the cities of the East wanted beef these cattle. Trains could take the cattle east. But first the cattle had to get to the trains. Part of the cowboy’s job was to take the cattle hundreds of miles to the railroad town. The trips were called cattle drivers. A cattle drive usually took several months. Cowboys rode for sixteen hours a day. Because they rode so much, each cowboy brought along about eight horses. A cowboy changed horses several times each day.

The cowboys had to make sure that cattle arrived safely. Before starting on a drive, the cowboys branded the cattle. They burned a mark on the cattle to show who they belonged to. But these marks didn’t stop rustlers, or cattle thieves. Cowboys had to protect the cattle from rustlers. Rustlers made the dangerous trip even more dangerous.

Even though their work was very difficult and dangerous, cowboys did not earn much money. They were paid badly. Yet cowboys liked their way of life. They lived in a wild and open country. They lived a life of adventure and freedom.

11. A cowboy is a symbol of .

A. courage and adventure B. a hard life and big pay

C. movies in the past D. cows and other cattle

12. The cowboys’ job was .

A. to be a hero in real life B. to be a hero of the movie

C. to take care of cattle D. to be a dangerous rustler

13. During a cattle driver, cowboys took a group of cows from a wild and open country to .

A. the West states and Texas B. the cities of the East States

C. the people who eat beef in cities D. the railroad towns hundred miles away

14. On their way of cattle drivers, the cowboys protected the cattle by .

A. burning a mark on their cows B. keeping an eye on cattle thieves

C. making the trip more dangerous D. looking after eight cows each person

15. Cowboys enjoyed themselves because .

A. they liked their way of life B. they made a lot of money

C. they had a vary difficult job D. they were heroes in movies

Passage 2

Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:

When aluminum was first produced about a hundred and fifty years ago, it was so difficult to separate form the ores in which it was found that its price was higher than that of gold. The price remained high until a new process was discovered for refining the metal with the aid of electricity approximately three quarters of a century later. The new method was so much cheaper that aluminum because practical for many purposes, one of which was making pots and pans.

Aluminum is lightweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms. By mixing it with other metals, scientists have been able to produce a variety of alloys, some of which have the strength of steel but weigh only one third as much.

Today, the uses of aluminum are innumerable. Perhaps its most important use is in transportation. Aluminum is found in the engine of automobiles, in the hulls of boats. It is also used in many parts of airplanes. In fact, the huge “airbus” planes would probably never have been produced if aluminum did not exist. By making vehicles lighter in weight aluminum has greatly reduced the amount of fuel needed to move them, Aluminum is also being used extensively in the building industry in some countries.

Since aluminum is such a versatile (多用的) metal, it is fortunate that bauxite (铝土矿), which is one of its chief sources, is also one of the earth’s most plentiful substances. As the source of aluminum is almost inexhaustible, we can expect that more and more uses will be found for this versatile metal.

6. The price of aluminum was sharply reduced when people discovered a new refining process with the aid of .

A. wind B. solar energy C. hydraulic power D. electricity

7. Aluminum is .

A. lightweight, rustproof but not easily shaped into different forms

B. heavyweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms

C. lightweight, rustproof and easily shaped into different forms

D. lightweight and easily shaped into different forms but it is easy to become rusty

8. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Aluminum is widely used in transportation.

B. Aluminum is also used in many parts of airplanes.

C. Aluminum is being used extensively in the building industry.

D. Aluminum is not used in its pure form.

9. Aluminum is found on earth mostly in the form of .

A. pure metal B. bauxite C. gold D. liquid

10. What is the passage talking about?

A. The features of aluminum and its functions. B. The process of aluminum.

C. The discovery of aluminum. D. The promising future of aluminum.

You have your choice of three _____ of ice cream.

Passage 3

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

The idea of a special day to honor mothers was first put forward in America in 1907. two years later a woman, Mrs. John Bruce Dodd, in the state of Washington proposed a similar day to honor the head of the family—the father. Her mother died when she was very young, and her father brought her up. She loved her father very much.

In response to Mrs. Dodd’s idea that same year—1909, the state governor of Washington proclaimed (宣布) the third Sunday in June Father’s Day. The idea was officially approved by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended national observance of the occasion “to establish more intimate (亲密) relations between fathers and their children, and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.” The red or white rose is recognized as the official Father’s Day flower.

Father’s Day took longer to establish on a national scale than Mother’s Day, but as the idea grained popularity, tradesmen and manufacturers began to see the commercial possibilities. They encouraged sons and daughters to honor their fathers with small thank-you presents, such as a tie or pair of socks, as well as by sending greeting cards.

During the Second World War, American servicemen stationed in Britain began to request Father’s Day greeting cards to send home. This generated a response with British card publishers. Though at first the British public was slow to accept this rather artificial day, it’s now well celebrated in Britain on the third Sunday in June in much the same way as in America.

Father’s Day seems to be much less important as occasion than the Mother’s Day. Not many of the children offer their fathers some presents. But the American fathers still think they are much better fated than the fathers of many other countries, who have not even a day for their sake in name only.

11. When did Father’s Day officially begin to have national popularity?

A. 1907 B. 1909 C. 1916 D. 1924

12. Who first started the idea of holding the Father’s Day?

A. Mrs. John Bruce Dodd B. Mrs. John Bruce’s Mother

C. The government of Washington. D. Some businessmen.

13. What flower will be popular on Father’s Day?

A. Lily B. Water Lily C. Red rose or white rose D. Sunflower.

14. Which statement is true, a according to this passage?

A. It took even longer for Mother’s Day to gain national popularity.

B. The businessmen helped to make Father’s Day popular.

C. Father’s Day is only celebrated in America.

D. Father’s Day is only a trick of the businessmen to make money.

15. What was the first reaction of the British publishing towards Father’s Day?

A. They thought highly of it and accepted it at once.

B. They just accepted it at once without any hesitation.

C. They just thought it a joke.

D. They thought it was too artificial and took a long time to accept.

PartIIICloze

Directions:Therearetwentyblanksinthefollowingpassage.Foreachblanktherearefourchoices.ChoosetheonethatbestfitsintothepassageandthenmarksyouranswerontheAnswerSheet.

Beforethe20thcenturythehorseprovideddaytodaytransportationintheUnitedStates.Trainswereusedonlyforlong-distancetransportation.

Todaythecaristhemostpopular61oftransportationinalloftheUnitedStates.Ithascompletely62thehorseasameansofeverydaytransportation.Americansusetheircarsfor6390percentofallpersonal64.

MostAmericansareableto65cars.

Theaveragepriceofa66madecarwas1050in1950,1740in1960andupto1750671975.DuringthisperiodAmericancarmanufacturerssetabout68theirproductsandworkefficiency.

Asaresult,theyearlyincomeofthe69familyincreasedfrom1950to197570thanthepriceofcars.Forthisreason71anewcartakesasmaller72ofafamily’stotalearningstoday.

In195173ittook8.1monthsofanaveragefamily’s74tobuyanewcar.In1962anewcar758.3ofafamily’sannualearnings.By1975itonlytook4.7576income.Inaddition,the1975carsweretechnically77tomodelsfrompreviousyears.

The78oftheautomobileextendsthroughouttheeconomy79thecarissoimportanttoAmericans.Americansspendmoremoneyto80theircarsrunningthanonanyotheritem.

61.A.kindsB.meansC.meanD.types

62.A.deniedB.reproducedC.replacedD.ridiculed

63.A.hardlyB.nearlyC.certainlyD.somehow

64.A.tripB.worksC.businessD.travel

65.A.buyB.sellC.raceD.see

66.A.quicklyB.regularlyC.rapidlyD.recently

67.A.onB.inC.behindD.about

68.A.raisingB.makingC.reducingD.improving

69.A.unusualB.interestedC.averageD.biggest

70.A.slowestB.equalC.fasterD.lessthan

71.A.bringingB.obtainC.boughtD.purchasing

72.A.partB.halfC.numberD.side

73.A.clearlyB.proportionallyC.percentageD.suddenly

74.A.incomeB.workC.plansD.debts

75.A.usedB.spendC.costD.needed

76.A.months’B.dollarsC.familyD.year

77.A.famousB.superiorC.fastestD.purchasing

78.A.runningB.noticeC.influenceD.discussion

79.A.thenB.asC.soD.which

80.A.startB.leaveC.keepD.repair