“Sesame Street” has been called “the longest street in the world”. That is because the television program by that name can now be seen in so many parts of the world. That program became one of American’s exports soon after it went on the air in New York in 1969.

In the United States more than six million children watch the program regularly. The viewers include more than half the nation’s pre-school children, from every kind of economic(经济的), racial(种族的), and geographical group.

Although some educators object to certain elements in the program, parents praise it highly. Many teachers also consider it a great help, though some teachers find that problems arise when first graders who have learned from “Sesame Street” are in the same class with children who have not watched the program.  

Tests have shown that children from all racial, geographical, and economic backgrounds have benefited from watching it. Those who watch it five times a week learn more than occasional(偶然的) viewers. In the US the program is shown at different hours during the week in order to increase the number of children who can watch it regularly.

The programs all use songs, stories, jokes, and pictures to give children a basic understanding of numbers, letters and human relationships. But there are some differences. For example, the Spanish program, produced in Mexico City, devotes more time to teaching whole words than to teaching separate letters.

Why has “Sesame Street” been so much more successful than other children’s shows? Many reasons have been suggested. People mention the educational theories(理论) of its creators, the support by the government and private(私人的) businesses, and the skillful use of a variety of TV tricks. Perhaps an equally important reason is that mothers watch it along with their children. This is partly because famous adult stars often appear on it. But the best reason for the success of the program may be that it makes every child watching feel able to learn. The child finds himself learning, and he wants to learn more.

40. “Sesame Street” is actually _______.

A. a street in the US                 B. a program for children

C. a program for teachers       D. a program for students

41. Children who often watch the program _______.  

A. can have problems in school       

B. will find it a great help

C. will take no interest in their studies

D. will be well educated

42. Why is “Sesame Street” so popular in the world?

A. Because it is supported by the government and businesses.

B. Because it uses a variety of skillful tricks.

C. Because mothers watch it along with their children.

D. Because it makes every child watching it feel able to learn.

43. The best title for this passage can be _______.

A. TV Programs                                             B. Educating Children

C. Sesame Street                       D. A Great Success

根据课文内容，在空格内填入正确的英语单词，并将该词完整的写在答题卷上。所填单词要求与课文一致，每空一词。

1.Throughout the city, smartly dressed business people _________ __________ their offices or the nearest department stores, mobile phones ________ to their ears and visitors can only watch and imagine the deals and fortunes _________ _________ at that very second.

2.Travellers of the 1920s remember it mainly as a city of busy lanes with homes built around courtyards, but these have _________ _________ _________ the high-rise apartment blocks of the 21^st century.

3.The mobile, _________ __________ a toy for the rich, has today __________ social and geographical __________ to find its way into the hands of the young, the old, the rich and the poor, even in communities largely untouched by new technologies.

4.This time I managed to hit one of the balls in the mid-air so that it bounced and rolled off the stage. The audience _________ __________ __________ and I __________ __________ the stage to get the ball, I _________ my ankle.

5.Good health is everyone’s ___________ ___________ of wealth.

It is because of its geographical position that typhoon is    in Taiwan during summer.

A．fluent            B．frequent          C．native            D．present

There is no better way to enjoy Scottish traditions than going fishing and tasting a little bit of whisky(威士忌)at a quiet place like the Inverlochy Castle. When Queen Victoria visited the castle in 1873, she wrote in her diary, “I never saw a lovelier spot ,” And she didn’t even go fishing.

Scotland is not easily defined. In certain moments, this quiet land of lakes and grasses and mountains changes before your very eyes. When evening gently sweeps the hillside into orange light, the rivers, teeming with fish, can turn into streams of gold . As you settle down with just a fishing pole and a basket on the bank of River Orchy, near the Inverlochy Castle , any frustration(烦恼) will float away as gently as the circling water. It’s just you and purple, pink, white flowers, seeking a perfect harmony. If you are a new comer to fishing, learning the basics from a fishing guide may leave you with a lifetime’s fun. For many, fishing is more than a sport; it is an art.

Scotland offers interesting place where you can rest after a long day’s fishing. Set against a wild mountain and hidden behind woodland, the beautiful Inverlochy Castle Hotel below the Nevis is a perfect place to see the beauty of Scotland’s mountains. Ben Nevis is the highest of all British mountains, and reaching its 1343-metre top is a challenge. But it’s not just what goes up matters; what comes down is unique. More than 900 metres high, on the mountain’s north face, lies an all-important source of pure water. Its name comes from the Gaelic language “usquebaugh” or “water of life”; and it is the single most important ingredient(原料) in Scotland’s best known drink: whisky.

1.The story of Queen Victoria is to show that _____.

A．the queen is rich in tour experience

B．the Castle is a good place to go in Scotland

C．tasting whisky is better than going fishing

D．1873 is a special year for the queen

2.How is Paragraph 2 mainly developed?

A．By giving descriptions.

B．By following time order.

C．By analyzing causes.

D．By making comparisons.

3.What is Ben Nevis special for?

A．The Inverlochy Castle Hotel .

B．The beauty of its surroundings.

C．The water from the mountain.

D．The challenge up to its top.

4.What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce Scottish traditions to tourists.

B．To show the attractions of Scotland to readers.

C．To explore geographical characteristics of Scotland.

D．To describe the pleasures of life in Scotland.

Cyberspace,data superhighway,multimedia,for those who have seen the future,and the linking of computers,televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever.Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia,little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor.As for all the new high technology,the West concerns itself with the “how”,while the question of “for whom” is put aside once again.
Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy.Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries,and transnational corporations take full advantage of it.Terms of trade and exchange,interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods.The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets — with a destructive impact on the have­nots.
For them the result is unstable.Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine.As “futures” are traded on computer screens,developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.
So what are the options of regaining control？One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications.Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints on developing countries’ economies.
Communication technology is generally exported from the US,Europe or Japan；the patents,skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries.It is also expensive,therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain.
1. From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of________.
A．the rich countries                              B．scientific development
C．the local elites                                     D．the world economy
2．It can be inferred from the passage that________.
A．international trade should be expanded
B．the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration
C．the exports of the poor countries should be increased
D．communication technology in developing countries should be modernized
3．Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries?
A．Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market.
B．Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries.
C．Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries.
D．Because it inhibits the industrial growth of developing countries.
4．The development of modern communication technology in developing countries may________.
A．hinder their industrial production
B．cause them to lose control of their trade
C．force them to reduce their share of exports
D．cost them their economic independence
5．The author’s attitude towards the communication revolution is________.
A．positive                                             B．critical
C．indifferent                                        D．tolerant