题目内容
People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced that their dreams are prophetic（预言的）because a few have come true; they fail to notice the many that have not. Consider also the belief that “the phone always rings when I’m in the shower. ” If it does ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn’t ring, that nonevent probably won’t even be remembered.
People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths “happen in threes. ” Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time period. I if three plane crashes occur in a month, then the period of time that counts as their “happening together” is one month; if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end strengthens such beliefs.
We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people think they are more intelligent, more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of an automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use standards that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, “Everybody ranks himself high in qualities. ” He values: careful drives give weight to care, skilled drivers give weight to skill, and those who are polite give weight to courtesy. ” This way everyone ranks high on his own scale.
Perhaps the most important mental habit we can learn is to be cautions（谨慎的）in drawing conclusions. The “evidence” of everyday life is sometimes misleading.
72. In the first paragraph the author states that .
A. dreams are prophetic because some of them did come true.
B. dreams may come true if clearly remembered.
C. dreams and reality are closely related.
D. dreams cannot be said to be prophetic even though a few have come true.
73. By “things like… ‘happen in threes’” in Para. 2, the author indicates that people believe .
A. unfortunate events usually happen together.
B. personal misfortunes tend to happen every now and then.
C. misfortunes will occur three times in one’s whole life.
D. misfortunes will never occur more than three times to a person in his lifetime.
74. The underlined word “courtesy” probably means .
A. good manners. B. suitable speech.
C. friendly relations. D. satisfactory service.
75. It can be concluded from the passage that .
A. we should not base our conclusions on accidental evidence.
B. there is some truth even in the wildest dreams.
C. one should take notice of other people’s merits（优点）.
D. there is no order or pattern in world events.
DAAA
Do you know that many clowns go to school to learn how to be funny? How would you like to go to that school? You could learn how to walk and talk like a clown. Then you could make people laugh.
Clowns may go to school for a year. There they learn to move in funny ways. They learn to run and jump like different animals. They also learn how to fall down in a special way. They make sure they don’t get injured. They make every move look easy. But really it’s hard work.
In a school clowns decide how they will look. They make funny pants and tops. Then clowns have their funny long shoes made. They also learn to make up their faces. Clowns carefully put special paint on, so they look silly.
They start by making every part of their feces white. Then they use red paint around their mouths to make them look big. Clowns may paint re spots on each side of their faces, too. Big red noses are added. They put on funny hair or funny hats.
Now they look silly. They are ready to go to work! You can see clowns at the circus or parade. They do funny things to surprise people. Ten big clowns may get out of a very small car. Or they may walk on a high rope. Then they almost fall. The faces they make when they try to stand up again make people laugh.
【小题1】The word “clown” in this passage refers to ____.
A．a person who tries to make people laugh by th is funny looks, clothes and tricks and actions |
| B．a person who copies others in speaking, actions and way of walking |
C．a person who gives performances only to make p eople laugh. |
| D．a person whose job is very easy to do. |
| A．Clowns learn to be funny at school to make people laugh |
| B．Clowns wear strange pants and tops and funny long shoes. |
| C．Clowns don’t feel frightened when they walk on a high rope. |
| D．Clowns put on funny hair and hats and make faces |
| A．a parade | B．the circus | C．school | D．both A and B |
| A．there are quite a number of clown schools in the world |
B．people laugh when they watch clowns play at the circus |
| C．clowns like animals very much so they jump like different animals |
D．clowns make people laugh b ut they seldom laugh |
Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that are common around the world. Many people ride bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as a means of transportation. The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1818. Because it was made of wood, it wasn’t very strong nor did it have pedals (脚踏板）.Riders moved it by pushing their feet against the ground.
In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle. Macmillan’s machine had iron-covered wheels to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated levers, similar to pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t look much like the modem bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles could be ridden easily, they were never produced in large numbers.
In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an improved pedal mechanism. They called their bicycle a velocipede，but most people called it a “bone shaker” because of the effect of the wood and iron frame. Despite the impolite nickname, the velocipede was a hit. After a few years, the Michaux family was making hundreds of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking young people.
Ten years later, James Starley , an English inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient，and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top-heavy，and ridden mostly for entertainment.
It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H. J. Lawson, the safety bicycle would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it easier to ride. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the back wheel. By 1893，the safety bicycle had been further improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamond-shaped frame, and easy braking. With the improvements provided by Lawson; bicycles became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.
【小题1】This passage was most likely written in order to _____.
| A．compare bicycles used for different purposes |
| B．describe the problems early bicycle makers experienced |
| C．persuade readers to use bicycles for transportation |
| D．tell readers about the early history of the bicycle |
| A．add weight to the bicycle |
| B．make the bicycle easier to ride |
| C．allow the wheels to last longer |
| D．let the bicycle be more comfortable |
【小题4】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Two hundred years ago，bicycles did not exist. |
| B．The first bicycle could be ridden at a very quick pace. |
| C．The Michaux brothers called their bicycle a “bone shaker”. |
| D．Macmillan’s machine had wheels with rubber tires. |
| A．importance | B．time | C．place | D．Interest |
