Britain’s oldest man made his first visit to London yesterday at the age of 101. Mr John Evans, who spent 60 years working as a miner in South Wales, had never found the time or money to make the trip from his home in Forest–fach, near Swansea. “There was a trip to the White City, but it was ten shillings’ return from Swansea—too much I thought. All my money went to the family then,” he said. But when British Rail offered him an all–expense–paid birthday gift to the capital, he just could not refuse.

He arrived at Paddington Station in his best suit, favorite Panama hat and a red rose in his buttonhole. “It’s very exciting. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

Until yesterday he had never been far from home. “But I’ve been on the seas to that faraway land called Fracombe 21 miles from home,” he joked. During the next two days Mr Evans will be taken on a short tour of London to see the sights. Top of his list is a visit to the House of Parliament.

The only arrangement he does not like is the wheelchair provided for him if he gets tired. “I don’t like the chair—people will think I am getting old,” he said. His secret for a long and healthy life has been well publicized—no wine, no tobacco and no anger.

Before setting off from Swansea with his 76–year–old son, he said jokingly, “I’m glad to see they’ve given me a return ticket.”

1.Mr. Evans didn’t go to see the world because he                .

A. had already been on the seas to Fracombe                 B. was too busy to go too far away from home

C. couldn’t afford both the time and money   D. believed “East or west, home is the best”

2. Mr Evans didn’t like the wheelchair because                 .

A. he was not used to traveling in it

B. the wheelchair was not easy to operate

C. he preferred walking to sitting in it at home

D. he thought he was still young enough to manage the trip

3.The probable explanation to Mr Evans’ long life lies in                  .

A. his good living habits       B. his hard working for the family

C. his sticking to his hometown D. his living conditions near the Swansea

In the middle of the night, Peter's wife suddenly fell ill. She couldn't help crying, “Oh， my stomach! Get the  1 !”

Peter, awaking from a deep sleep, thought his wife was only having a   2  dream.

“Stop that noise,” he said to her. He turned over and tried to go to   3  again, but his wife still cried out, “Oh, help！help！ I'm sure I'm   4  .”

Peter got out of bed and started   5 , but he could not find him any clothes.

“Where is my shirt?” he asked. His wife was   6  ill to tell him, and she could only cry, “Oh, my   7   stomach!”

As soon as he had put his clothes   8 , he said, “Now, my dear, are you quite   9 that you need the doctor? Surely you can wait   10  morning, can’t you?”

“No, I can't. Go, go, go,” his wife shouted, “  11  you will find me dead   12  the morning.”

So Peter went out into the dark street. He had only gone a few meters   13  he heard his wife calling him again．

“I’m   14  again now, and I shall not want the doctor.” she said softly.

Hearing this, he started running as   15  as he could towards the doctor’s. When he arrived there, he knocked at the door loudly enough to wake   16  around.

The doctor put his sleepy head out of the bedroom window and said, “Er? Who’s there?”

“Oh, Doctor.” Peter called up to him, “I have very   17  news for you. My wife   18 ill with a terrible stomachache. I was on my way to bring you to her, but she called me back to say the trouble had suddenly  19  her. So you need not come. Go back to   20  now, and sleep well!”

1.                A．driver          B．nurse          C．doctor   D．child

2.                A．terrible         B．interesting      C．surprising D．wonderful

3.                A．bed           B．sleep           C．dream    D．hospital

4.                A．walking         B．dying           C．aching    D．sleeping

5.                A．dressing        B．wearing         C．raising    D．working

6.                A．very           B．so             C．too  D．quite

7.                A．good           B．bad            C．wrong    D．poor

8.                A．down          B．off             C．on   D．up

9.                A．surprised       B．afraid          C．certain   D．worried

10.               A．before         B．for            C．to    D．until

11.               A．and           B．but            C．so    D．or

12.               A．after           B．in             C．before    D．until

13.               A．after           B．when          C．before    D．while

14.               A．good          B．wrong          C．all right    D．right

15.               A．fast            B．slowly          C．hurriedly  D．happily

16.               A．everyone       B．someone       C．no one    D．doctors

17.               A．good          B．bad            C．necessary  D．ill

18.               A．fell            B．stayed         C．grew D．failed

19.               A．gone off        B．missed         C．pleased   D．left

20.               A．your home      B．your bedroom   C．your dream D．bed

　　A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe passed and shouted, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?"

　　"No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me."

　　Soon the water rose to Smith's waist. At this point a motor boat pulled up and someone called out, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?"

　　"No, thanks, I have faith in God and he will save me."

　　Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. "Grab the rope, "shouted the pilot. "I'll pull you up."

　　"No, thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in God and he will save me. "But after hours of struggling with water, poor exhausted Smith drowned and went to his reward. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met God and complained about this. "Tell me, God, "he said, "I had such faith in you to save me and you let me drown. What happened?"

　　To which God replied, "What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter."

　　56．When the pilot asked Smith to grab the rope, ______.

　　　　A. Smith pulled the pilot up　　　　　 B. Smith did so

　　　　C. Smith didn't do so　　　　　　　　 D. Smith didn't hear him

　　57．At last, poor exhausted Smith drowned and ______.

　　　　A. went to his reward　　　　　　　　B. passed away

　　　　C. went to heaven　　　　　　　　　 D. all of the above

　　58．What do we know about Smith? ______.

　　　　A. He was a lazy man

　　　　B. He was a lucky man who believed in God

　　　　C. He was a poor man

　　　　D. He was a silly man who believed in God　

　　　59．What do you think of this passage? This passage is very ______.

　　　　A. moving　　　　B. humorous　　　C. depressing　　　D. surprising　

　　60．The best title of this passage is" ______" .

　　　　A. What Do You Want from Me?　　　 B. How Do You Believe in God?

　　　　C. How God Loved Smith!　　　　　　D. Smith Obeyed God's Order

This year 2,300 teenagers (young people aged from 13-19 ) from all over the world will spend about ten months in U.S. homes. They will attend U.S. schools, meet U.S. teenagers, and form impressions (印象) of the real American teenagers. American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and have a new understanding of the rest of the world.

Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In return, George’s son, Mike, spent a year in Fred’s home in America.

Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months’ study, the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected — much harder. Students rose respectfully (尊敬地) when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities.

Family life, too, was different. The family’s word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual (个人). Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car.

“Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”

At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize (批评) American schools.” he says. “It is far too easy by our level (水准). But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens (市民). There ought to be some middle ground between the two.”                                               

The whole exchange program is mainly to ____.

A. help teenagers in other countries know the real America

B. send students in America to travel in Germany

C. let students learn something about other countries

D. have teenagers learn new languages

What did Fred and Mike agree on?

A. American food tasted better than German food.

B. German schools were harder than American schools.

C. Americans and Germans were both friendly.

D. There were more cars on the streets in America.

What is particular (特别的) in American schools?

    A. There is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings..

    B. There are a lot of after-school activities.

    C. Students usually take 14 subjects in all.

D. Students go outside to enjoy themselves in a car.

What did Mike think after experiencing the American school life?

A. A better education should include something good from both America and Germany.

B. German schools trained students to be better citizens.

C. American schools were not as good as German schools.

D. The easy life in the American school was more helpful to students.

 1685 was a very good year for German composers. Within the space of a month, two of the greatest were born: Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.

Handel’s father was a barber and surgeon, which sounds like a strange combination today, but back then those occupations went hand in hand. Even though Handel was very interested in music, his father didn’t think that was a good way to earn a living, so he wanted his son to be a lawyer. The story goes that Handel smuggled a quiet piano into the house so that he could practice in secret.

One day, Handel went along when his father went to shave a duke. While his father was working, Handel sat down and played the duke’s organ. The duke was so impressed that he convinced Handel’s father to let his son study music, and Handel finally got to learn how to compose.

Handel soon discovered that what he liked most was opera. In fact, he was so passionate about opera that he even fought a duel (决斗) over it with one of his friends. Since Italy was the place to learn about opera composing, Handel went off to Italy to study. When he got home, he got a job as court composer for a German prince.

Having landed such a wonderful job, Handel immediately asked his boss for time off. He wanted to go to England, where he’d heard that there weren’t nearly enough composers to satisfy the British taste for Italian opera.

After great success writing opera in London, Handel came back to Germany. Then fate played a funny trick on Handel and his boss. The Queen of England died, and it just so happened that the prince Handel worked for was next in line to the British throne ( 王位 ). When he arrived in London as King George, followed Handel, his court composer in Germany.

In addition to serving the King, Handel became one of the most successful opera composers of his time. And he also produced them and traveled all over Europe to hire the best singers. There are stories of battles with rival ( 对手 )opera producers and of fights between rival singers. Handel apparently had quite a temper.

If you ever go to London, look for Handel’s grave in Westminster Abbey, where there’s a wonderful monument to him.

66. How did Handel begin to learn to compose?

A. His father was sure of his future success.

B. His performance impressed a duke.

C. He begged his father to send him to Italy.

D. He practiced hard and taught himself music.

67. What does the underlined word “smuggled” mean in the passage?

A. bought secretly               B. took secretly  

C. carried in advance          D. possessed personally

68. Why did Handel later settle down in Britain instead of Germany?

A. Because he could find better jobs in London.

B. Because he enjoyed greater fame in London.

C. Because his boss became King of Britain and brought him along.

D. Because London was a wonderful place to learn about opera.

69. Which of the following words can NOT be used to describe Handel, as 

shown in the passage?

A. bad-tempered   B. talented     C. enthusiastic  D. optimistic

70. Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?

A. Handel was born in the same year with Bach.

B. Many people worked both as a barber and surgeon.

C. Handel quit his job to learn about opera in Italy.

D. Handel was buried in London and was built a monument.