E
A century ago in the United States, when an individual brought suit against a company, public opinion tended to protect that company. But perhaps this phenomenon was most striking in the case of the railroads. Nearly half of all negligence cases decided through 1896 involved railroads. And the railroads usually won.
Most of the cases were decided in sate courts, when the railroads had the climate of the times on their sides. Government supported the railroad industry; the progress railroads represented was not to be slowed down by requiring them often to pay damages to those unlucky enough to be hurt working for them.
Court decisions always went against railroad workers. A Mr. Farwell, an engineer, lost his right hand when a switchman’s negligence ran his engine off the track. The court reasoned that since Farwell had taken the job of an engineer voluntarily at good pay, he had accepted the risk. Therefore the accident, though avoidable had the switchmen acted carefully, was a “pure accident”. In effect a railroad could never be held responsible for injury to one employee caused by the mistake of another.
In one case where a Pennsylvania Railroad worker had started a fire at a warehouse and the fire had spread several blocks, causing widespread damage, a jury found the company responsible for all the damage. But the court overturned the jury’s decision because it argued that the railroad’s negligence was the immediate cause of damage only to the nearest buildings. Beyond them the connection was too remote to consider.
As the century wore on, public sentiment began to turn against the railroads—against their economic and political power and high fares as well as against their callousness toward individuals.
72. Which of the following is NOT true in Farwell’s case?
A. Farwell was injured because he negligently ran his engine off the track.
B. Farwell would not have been injured if the switchman had been more careful.
C. The court argued that the victim had accepted the risk since he had willingly taken his job.
D. The court decided that the railroad should not be held responsible.
73. What must have happened after the fire case was settled in court?
A. The railroad compensated for the damage to the immediate buildings.
B. The railroad compensated for all the damage by the fire.
C. The railroad paid nothing for the damaged building.
D. The railroad worker paid for the property damage himself.
74. The following aroused public resentment EXCEPT _____.
A. political power   B. high fares    C. economic loss   D. indifference
75. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Railroad oppressing individuals in the US.
B. History of the US railroads.
C. Railroad workers’ working rights.
D. Law cases concerning the railroads.

E
A United Nations report says the number of people in the world is expected to reach 6500 million this July. By the middle of the century, the population could reach more than 9000 million. That would be an increase of 40﹪.
These numbers are fresh estimates for a report on world population change from 1950 to 2050. Hania Zlotnik is director of the U.N. Population Division. She says the world has added nearly 500 million people in the last six years.
But, in her words, "the good news is that new estimates show that it will take a little longer" to add the next 500 million. Mizz Zlotnik says this will probably happen by 2013.
The U.N. report says most population growth by 2050 will take place in less developed countries. Their population is expected to increase from 5000 million today to almost 8000 million. The population of more developed nations is expected to stay about the same, at just over 1000 million.
The report says nine countries will be responsible for about half the world population increase by 2050. These include Bangladesh, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and India. The others are Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and the United States.
Twelve countries are expected to have populations at least three times the size now. These include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and East Timor. The others are Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger and Uganda.
The report says birth rates remain low in forty-four developed countries.
Today, worldwide, there is an average of two-point-six children per woman. This number is expected to fall to just over two children per woman in  2050. But U.N. population experts note that they cannot be sure which way birth rates will go in the future.
The U.N. report also notes that AIDS has increased death rates and slowed population growth in sixty countries. The area most affected by the disease is Southern Africa.
There, how long people live has fallen from an average of sixty-two years in 1995 to forty-eight now. Researchers believe life expectancy will fall to forty-three years by 2015, then begin a slow recovery.
67. Which of the following statements is true?
A. The population growth will slow down in the next few years.
B. Most population growth will take place in developed countries.
C. There is an average of 2.6 children per woman in developed countries.
D. The area most affected by AIDS is Uganda.
68. Which one is the best title of this passage?
A. AIDS slowed population growth.
B. Most population growth will take place in less developed countries.
C. Population growth and death rate.
D. UN world population report.
69．The author believes that the population growth results from_______
A. The birth rate in developed countries is too high.
B. The birth rate in developing countries is too high.
C. AIDS hit only a few countries.
D. A decrease in death rate.
70. Which of the following best describe the author’s attitude towards the rapid population growth?
A. sympathetic     B. happy       C. optimistic     D. critical

People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1933, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their surprise that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliff (悬崖) on which they had been built. While ex??perts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.

Erosion (侵蚀) of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be aban??doned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be eaten up by the hungry sea.

Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland ar??ea of hard rock, which will not be eaten as limestone is. Mean??while, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain fu??ture, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knock??down price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.

1. What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?

A. The rising of the sea level.

B. The experts’ short of knowledge.

C. The washing-away of limestone cliff.

D. The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.

2. The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.

A. will soon become a problem for people living in central England

B. has now become a threat to the local residents

C. can be stopped if proper measures are taken

D. is quickly changing the map of England

3. The experts’ study on the problem of erosion can ________.

A. warn people whose homes are in danger

B. provide an effective way to slow it down

C. help to its eventual solution

D. lead to its eventual solution

4. It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.

A. house agents along the coast do not support the idea

B. it is too costly and will endanger neighboring areas

C. the government is too slow in taking action

D. they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents

People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1933, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their surprise that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliff (悬崖) on which they had been built. While ex??perts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.

Erosion (侵蚀) of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be aban??doned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be eaten up by the hungry sea.

Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland ar??ea of hard rock, which will not be eaten as limestone is. Mean??while, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain fu??ture, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knock??down price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.

What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?

A. The rising of the sea level.

B. The experts’ short of knowledge.

C. The washing-away of limestone cliff.

D. The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.

The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.

A. will soon become a problem for people living in central England

B. has now become a threat to the local residents

C. can be stopped if proper measures are taken

D. is quickly changing the map of England

The experts’ study on the problem of erosion can ________.

A. warn people whose homes are in danger

B. provide an effective way to slow it down

C. help to its eventual solution

D. lead to its eventual solution(www.nmet168.com)

It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.

A. house agents along the coast do not support the idea

B. it is too costly and will endanger neighboring areas

C. the government is too slow in taking action

D. they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents

       阅读下面短文并回答问题（请注意问题后的字数要求）

       Perhaps you are an average student with average intelligence．However, you can receive better grades if you want．Yes, even students with average intelligence can be top students without additional work．Here's how:

       1．Plan your time carefully．Make a list of your weekly tasks．Then make a schedule of your time．Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments．Of course, studying shouldn't occupy all of the free time on the schedule．

       2．Make good use of your time in class．Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later．Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says．

       3．Skim before you read．Look over a passage, quickly before you begin to read it more carefully．As you preview the material, you get some idea of the content and how it is organized．Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions; Skimming helps double your reading speed and improve your comprehension as well.

       4．        ．Go over your notes as soon as you can after class．Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused．If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day, skim and read that material, too．If you review your notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer．Regular review leads to improved performance on tests．

       5．Develop a good attitude towards tests．The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject．The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't worry excessively （过分地） about a single test．

       There are other techniques that might help you with your studying．Improving your studying habits will improve your grades．

1.Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?

       If you fail an ea-am, don't let it trouble you too much.

2.According to the passage, how can an average student improve his/her grades?

       （Please answer within 10 words．）

3.Please fill in the blank in the fifth paragraph with a proper sentence．（Please answer within 10 words.）

4.Which tip do you think is the most useful? Why? (Please answer within 20 words.)

5.Translate the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph into Chinese.