At a certain time in our lives we consider every place as the possible site for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.

　 The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.

　 The real attraction of the Hollowell farm to me was its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition of the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apple trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.

　 I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t think I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted (无牵挂的). It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

56. What do we know about the author?

　 A. He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.

　 B. He made a study of many farms before buying.

　 C. He made money by buying and selling farms.

　 D. He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.

57. Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

　 A. It was of good market value.　　 B. It was next to the highway.

　 C. It was in a good position.　　　 D. It was behind a nice garden.

58. Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

　 B. He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.

　 C. He wanted to keep the farm as it was.

　 D. He was eager to become a farm owner.

59. The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

A. the money the author lost in buying the farm

B. the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place

C. the removal of the trees around the house

D. the failure to possess the Hollowell place

60. What does the author believe as important in life?

A. To own a farm　　　　　　 B. To satisfy his needs

C. To be free from worries 　　 D. To live in the countryside

---Cliff, I lost your ball at school. I suppose I should pay for it.

　 --- Oh. _____. It was just as old ball anyway.

　　A.Take it easy 　　B.By no means 　　C.You got it 　　D.Forget it .

________is reported in the newspapers, talks between the two countries are making progress．

　 A．It B．As C．Which　 D．What

- --Cliff, I lost your ball at school. I suppose I should pay for it.

　 --- Oh. _____. It was just as old ball anyway.

　　A.Take it easy 　   B.By no means      C.You got it 　     D.Forget it .

　　In Washington D. C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is a very special address. It is the address of the White House, the home of the President of the United States.

　　Originally the White House was gray and was called the Presidential Palace. It was built between 1792 and 1800. At this time, the city of Washington itself was being built. It was to be the nation's new capital city. George Washing-ton, the first President, and Pierre Charles L' Enfant, a French engineer, chose the place for the new city. L' Enfant then planned the city. The President's home was an important part of the plan.

　　A contest was held to pick a design for the President's home. An architect named James Hoban won. He designed a large three-story（三层）house of gray stones.

　　President Washington never lived in the Presidential Palace. The first President to live there was John Adams, the second President of the United States, and his wife Mrs. Adams did not really like her new house. In her letters, she often complained about the cold. Fifty fireplaces were not enough to keep the house warm.

　　In 1812 the United States and Britain went to war. In 1814, the British invaded（侵略）Washington. They burned many buildings, including the Presidential Palace.

　　After the war James Hoban, the original architect, partially（部分地）rebuilt the President's home. To cover the marks of the fire, the building was painted white. Before long it became known as the White House.

　　The White House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. Every year more than 1.5 million visitors go through the five rooms that are open to the public.

(1) ______is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

[　　]

A．The address of Washington D.C.

B．The address of the White House

C．The original name of the White House

D．The address of George Washington's home

(2) The Presidential Palace was________.

[　　]

A．painted white at first

B．made of white stones

C．made of gray stones

D．two-story house of gray stones

(3) The President's home and the city of Washington were _______.

[　　]

A．built by the British

B．built at the same time

C．built by the French

D．built by the Americans

(4) The first President to live in the Presidential Palace was_________.

[　　]

A．George Washington

B．the third President of the United States

C．John Adams and Mrs. Adams