On Nov.18th,1908,three men went up in a balloon(气球).They started early in London. The headman was Auguste Gaudron,and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way.
　 Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope(绳子),and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight(重量).It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand.
　 After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 metes, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men's basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand; but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice.
　 At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they climbed to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 meters! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland heavily but safely. They had traveled 1,797 kilometers from London!
1.Three men flew in balloon ________.
A. for nearly 1,800 kilometers 　　　　　　　　B. to another city

C. to visit Poland 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. more than a century ago
2.The metal box was used for ________.
A. carrying the bags of sand' ' 　　　　　　　　B. keeping drinking-water

C. carrying ropes of the basket 　　　　　　　　D. changing weight
3.When the balloon went up higher,________.
A. the temperature of the balloon began to fall　

B. They saw the sun go down
C. They made a hole in the basket with their knives

D. They could see a black hole on the ground
4.The balloon landed ________.
A. in London　 　　　　B. on the sea 　　　　 C. on a lake 　　 D. in a foreign country
5.Which of the following is NOT true ________
A The three men started their journey before the sun rose.
B. The balloon began to go up when they threw bags of sand out of the basket.
C. When they pulled the box into the basket, the balloon began to climb up.
D. The three men had to land because they felt cold.

On Nov.18th,1908,three men went up in a balloon(????).They started early in London. The headman was Auguste Gaudron,and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way.

   Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope(????),and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight(????).It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand.

   After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 metes, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men's basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand; but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice.

   At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they climbed to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 meters! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland heavily but safely. They had traveled 1,797 kilometers from London!

1.Three men flew in balloon ________.

  A. for nearly 1,800 kilometers                  B. to another city

C. to visit Poland                           D. more than a century ago

2.The metal box was used for ________.

  A. carrying the bags of sand                 B. keeping drinking-water

C. carrying ropes of the basket                  D. changing weight

3.When the balloon went up higher,________.

  A. the temperature of the balloon began to fall  

B. They saw the sun go down

C. They made a hole in the basket with their knives

D. They could see a black hole on the ground

4.The balloon landed ________.

  A. in London       B. on the sea        C. on a lake      D. in a foreign country

5.Which of the following is NOT true ________

  A  The three men started their journey before the sun rose.

  B.  The balloon began to go up when they threw bags of sand out of the basket.

  C.  When they pulled the box into the basket, the balloon began to climb up.

  D.  The three men had to land because they felt cold.

On Nov.18th,1908, three men went up in a balloon（气球）.They started early in London. The headman was Augusta Gaudron, and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way.

Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope（绳子）,and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight（重量）.It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand.

After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 metres, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men's basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand; but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice.

At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they　climbed to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 metres! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland　heavily but safely. They had travelled 1,797 kilometers from London!

1. Three men flew in balloon ________.

A. for nearly 1,800 kilometers　 B.to another city

C. to visit Poland　　　　　　　 D.more than a century ago

2. When the balloon went up higher, ________.

A. the temperature of the balloon began to fall　

B. They saw the sun go down

C. They made a hole in the basket with their knives

D. They could see a black hole on the ground

3. The balloon landed ________.

A. in London　　　　 B. on the sea

C.on a lake　　　　　 D.in a foreign country

4. Which of the following is NOT true?________

A. The three men started their journey before the sun rose.

B. The balloon began to go up when they threw bags of sand out of the basket.

C. When they pulled the box into the basket, the balloon began to climb up.

D. The three men had to land because they felt cold.

This is a story that happened in Europe in the 17th century. Tulips (郁金香) were introduced into Holland before the 17th century but it did not take long for the flowers to gain popularity among the upper classes. Flowers of such beauty soon became symbols of power and the rich tried their best to lay their hands on some to display them in their gardens. When more people learned of the prices thatthe rich were willing to pay for tulips, they knew they just found a “get-rich-quick” gold mine.

By 1634, the whole country was so attracted by tulips that all other activities almost came to a stop. People were trading in tulips and even buying and selling bulbs (球茎). At that time, one rare bulb cost as much as ten tons of cheese.

Many made a fortune in the beginning. As the prices moved in one direction, they only needed to buy low and sell high, buy high and sell higher. After the gains, confidence rose and many sold away all their property in order to invest more money in tulips, hoping to make more money. The desire was so strong that those who were watching also rushed to the tulip market. Everyone thought that the high demand for tulips would continue forever and prices could only go up because more and more people from all over the world would start to like tulips.

When the prices of tulips was much higher than it should be, few people bought them for planting in their gardens. The real demand for the flowers seemed greater than it really was. Many people were buying them for speculation (投机), not appreciation. In 1637, for some unknown reasons, a group of people suddenly realized the danger. The prices of tulips began to fall and the market crashed. When confidence was destroyed, it could not be recovered and prices kept falling. Soon the nobles and the rich became poor. Cries of suffering were heard everywhere in Holland.

41. Why did the upper classes buy tulips in the beginning?

   A. Because the prices of tulips were low.    

  B. Because they wanted to make a fortune.

C. Because tulips were introduced from abroad.         

D. Because tulips were beautiful and represented power.

42. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

   A. greed was the reason why so many people were mad about tulips

   B. tulips became popular among the upper classes very slowly

   C. people who were mad about tulips bought them for appreciation

   D. when the prices were extremely high, most people planted tulips in their gardens

43. The passage is mainly about ________.

   A. Europe in the 17th century                 B. buying and selling tulips             

C. being mad about tulips                        D. the life of the nobles and the rich