题目内容
Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!
What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.
When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.
Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.
56. What is this passage about?
A. A sad story. B. A rain of fish.
C. Australia’s northern part. D. The damage done by floods.
57. Fish-falls occur in Australia_________ .
A. quite often B. on large farms
C. only in winter D. when the air is calm
58. It is a known fact that ________.
A. one should watch where one steps
B. Bill Tapp is a scientist who studies farming
C. the natural world can never create waterfalls that fall upward
D. the seasons in the southern part are different from those in the northern part
59. The word “infinite” is closest in meaning to _________.
A. easy B. difficult C. countless D. dangerous
第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。Your friends might be in Australia or maybe just down the road, but they are all just a few clicks away. Life has 36 for millions of teenagers across the world who now make friends online. 37 you use chat rooms, QQ, MSN or ICQ, you are 38 of a virtual community (虚拟社区)."I rarely talk with my parents or grandparents, 39 I talk a lot with my old friends on QQ," said Fox's Shadow, the online nickname (网名) used by a Senior 2 girl in China. "Eighty per cent of my classmates use QQ 40 school."QQ is the biggest messaging 41 in China. A record shows 4 million people used it one Saturday night in October, 42 to Tencent, the company which developed QQ.And Fox's Shadow might well have been one of them. "I log in (登陆) on Friday nights, and Saturdays or Sundays when I feel 43 . I usually 44 about 10 hours chatting online every week," she said. "But I rarely talk with 45 , especially boys or men."Even though she likes chatting, she is careful about making 46 with strangers online. "You don't know 47 you're talking to. You should 48 be careful about who you trust online."Many people would like to meet offline when they feel they have got to 49 someone very well. Fox's Shadow once met one of her online friends face to face. It was a girl who was a comic fan like 50 and they went to a comic show together.However, not all teenagers have been so 51 . At the beginning of this year, a 17-year-old girl in Liaoning Province was killed after meeting a friend she had found on QQ. The criminals (罪犯) weren't 52 until last month.A 16-year-old Beijing boy, known online as Bart Simon, dislikes QQ users. "I used to chat on QQ, but I found that most people were talking 53 ," he said. Now he chats online in English, using MSN. But he spends little time chatting as he sees it as a 54 of time and money. "If you are really 55 to it, sometimes you just can't concentrate (集中精神) in class," he said. 36.A. improved B. become C. changed D. increased37.A. Whether B. If C. When D. Unless38.A. member B. part C. partner D. number39.A. but B. as C. when D still.40.A. before B. at C. after D. since41.A. service B. product C. structure D. organization42.A. granting B. depending C. considering D. according43.A. sleepy B. tired C. bored D. busy44.A. take B. cost C. pay D. spend45.A. friends B. adults C. males D. strangers46.A. relation B. touch C. contact D. friends47.A. who B. which C. whose D. these48.A. often B. usually C. sometimes D. always49.A. know B. recognize C. tell D. judge50.A. herself B she C. anybody else D. everyone51.A. good B. fortunate C. safely D. healthy52.A. kept B. held C. caught D. killed53.A. uselessness B. noise C. nonsense D. rubbish54.A. short B. lack C. waste D. little55.A. kept B. held C. addicted D. stuck
D Can it be true that Australian men spend more time during the week brushing their teeth than they do alone with their children? A new study from the University of New South Wales has discovered that during the working week, Aussie fathers only spend an average of just over a minute each day alone with their children．Australian mothers, on the other hand, spend three hours a week looking after their children — a much greater disparity （悬殊） than in other countries like America, Denmark, Italy and France, where couples divide the child-care more evenly． These findings will upset those who want to shake off the perhaps unfair image of Australia as a land of old-fashioned male chauvinism （大男子主义）． According to the study, Australian fathers appear to like the fun aspects of parenthood, but shy away from the drudgery．So while they tend to be happy taking the kids to the park or to sports events, they are unlikely to participate regularly in feeding, bathing, or taking the kids to school．In short, parenting is seen as a woman's job and a man's hobby in Australia． Many people believe that in Europe the last twenty years have seen the arrival of the so-called "new man" — the man who is willing to share the housework and child-care．The "new man" never misses his children's school plays and he always gets home in time to read their bedtime story．Indeed, a questionnaire conducted in the UK indicated that almost 70 of British women thought that men were as good at raising children as women． That's something for Aussie men to think about while they are brushing their teeth!68．The underlined word "drudgery" refers to ______． A．enjoyable activity B．easy job C．social responsibility D．boring work69．In Australian parenting, ______． A．both fathers and mothers take it as a hobby B．neither fathers nor mothers spend enough time on child-care C．parents don't share the same amount of child-care D．fathers don't like the kids at all70．The passage says that the "new man" would ______． A．go home right after work B．spend more time on their work C．read stories to their children D．do all the housework71．According to the passage, Australian fathers should A．spend more time with their kids B．know more about their family C．learn from their wives D．stay at home longer
It can’t be true that when in Rome do as the Romans do. So here’s some necessary information for you on what you can talk with the local people in France, Australia and Switzerland, and different customs of these countries.
In France
You’ll find that conversations often turn into heated debates. Give opinions on subjects that you are knowledgeable about. There is rarely a moment of silence, except when the topic under discussion has been exhausting, and nothing new has been introduced.
Food, art ,music and current events or history are welcome topics. The French believe in freedom. You can criticize anyone, but not Napoleon, who is a symbol of French spirit, and never use the standard U.S. opening remark “ What do you do?”
In Australia
Australians tend to be enthusiastic debaters. A wide range of topics may be open to discussion, including religion and politics. The best policy, however, is to wait for Australian companions to bring up subjects: be prepared to hear their arguments.
Sport is a common topic of conversation in Australian and Australians tend to use sporting comparison. Australian like to criticize themselves, but they can’t stand criticism from others.
Don’t talk big. Australians prefer to judge your competence and abilities through your actions. People who show off their education in conversation may be subject to tease.
In Switzerland
The Swiss may seem cold. Once you get close to them, however , you’ll find that they are honest and responsible people, who will be loyal to your interests.
They are good listeners and will remember practically everything you say to them. Sometimes they will even go so far as to take notes while you speak. The Swiss are very private people, so you should avoid asking personal questions. They can be rather serious, so it is advisable to avoid making jokes on them.
1.According to the passage, when talking you are advised_______.
A. to discuss the heated issue with the French
B. not to use sporting comparison with Australians
C. to have the Australians start a subject
D. not to ask people of the three countries personal questions
2.We can learn from the passage that___________.
A. Australians may not show off their education before others
B. Australians like to criticize other people
C. you can express your ideas for everything you know little about to the French
D. you can criticize anyone in France because you have freedom
3.What is the theme of the passage?
A. How to adapt to the life abroad.
B. What to argue about with foreigners.
C. How to find better topics.
D. What to talk about with foreigners.
4.Following the passage, the author would most probably tell us_____
A. effective communication with foreigners
B. customs of the three countries
C. his or her own experiences
D. how to be a good listener
“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 into 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.
1. According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means .
A. a family honor B. a family secret
C. a family story D. a family treasure
2.What can we learn about some Australian’s 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.
3.Jessica’s mother fell down into a faint because she was .
A. knocked B. frightened C. injured D. surprised
4.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.
5.Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because .
A. they were crazy
B. they were overexcited
C. they realized their misunderstanding
D. they both thought they had won the quarrel
