Question

William Stone, a spokesman of one of the biggest import & export companies in Yorkshire, Britain, was making an angry speech at a business conference in Berlin for seeking a complete solution to the problem of so called “Mad Cow Disease”, which had been spreading quickly throughout the country and was regarded as a direct cause of the death of a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was said to have eaten some well-done beef and died two weeks later. The death caused great fear among beef-eaters all over the world.

“We don’t believe it since until now I haven’t received even a smallest piece of paper reporting the real cause of the death,” said Mr Stone excitedly facing the thirty representatives from at least twenty countries that had been the biggest import countries of the British beef but now refused to have it. When he saw no signs of anybody being willing to speak out, Mr Stone got madder, adding, “You will have to eat beef every day, won’t you? In the past, to get our beef, you ordered in advance, as much as you could, saying in your thank-you letter, … without the British beef we can’t imagine what a colorless sight would be on our countrymen’s dinner tables.”

“But now, gentlemen, you say ‘Mad Cow Disease…Death frightening … sorry to stop enjoying your beef for the moment!’” Mr Stone let out a shout and then seized a handful of paper out from a paper bag lying beside the microphone, “Here, here … What you are thinking about is all here. Have a look at your telegram, gentlemen!”

His audience looked at each other, still expressionless. “Well, let our beef rot away,” Mr Stone continued. “And let your men go hungry—they’ll be mad one day. Thank you!” He took his handkerchief out of his pocket, wiping off sweat while walking down back to his seat. All of the listeners stayed silent for seconds, then laughter burst out.

They, including Mr Stone himself, laughed so much that the chairman of the conference announced a rest of ten minutes.

1．From Mr Stone’s speech we know that ________.

A．the British beef had been widely enjoyed by people out of the country

B．the British beef had once been widely praised by the people of the country

C．the British beef caused the so-called disease

D．Mr Stone often received letters of thanks from beef-eaters

2．Mr Stone thought that since his government didn’t prove that the death of the girl had been caused by the disease, the countries of which representatives were listening should agree to import __________.

A．beef without disease                                   B．some other beef

C．a kind of beef as he suggested              D．as much British beef as before

3．The underlined word “mad” means “___________” on Mr Stone’s side, but “________” on the listeners side.

A．hungry; angry         B．bad; good 

C．angry; ill in mind     D．ill in mind; hungry

4．The laughter made by both the speaker and the listeners showed _________.

A．the problem of the “Mad Cow Disease” would be solved in an easy manner

B．both sides felt something funny

C．the listeners were making fun of the British speaker, Mr Stone

D．Mr Stone’s speech was a successful one

Answer 1

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