阅读下列短文, 从所给的四个选项中, 选出最佳答案。

    There are many stories about snakes, and I find it interesting to　　 try to imagine how such stories got started. One common and colorful　　 misbelief is that the familiar garter snake (无毒小蛇) swallows (吞)　　 its young to protect them. The habits of this harmless snake are well　　 known in the United States since it usually lives in areas such as　　 parks and gardens. Like all snakes, the garter swallows the whole　　 creatures it uses for food. However, unlike most other common snakes,　　 the garter bears its young alive, in litters (一窝) of up to 50. My　　 guess is that our forefathers, observing the garter snakes' behavior　　 simply took it as true that the snake had swallowed its little ones in　　 time of danger, and was now setting them free again. This idea has　　 continued to exist in American people's tales to this very day.

(1) The author wondered _____________.

[    ]

A. how the stories of snakes got started　　 　　   

B. if garter snakes harm people　　 　　   

C. if garter snakes lay eggs　　 　　   

D. how the garter snake swallowed and protected its young　　 　　

(2) What is true about the garter snake?

[    ]

A. It eats its young alive.　　 　　   

B. It frightens people.　　 　　  

C. It is often found in people's homes.　　 　　   

D. It doesn't lay eggs.　　 　　

(3) From the story we know the garter snake _________.

[    ]

A. gives birth to young ones one by one　　 　　   

B. swallows its young when in danger　　 　　   

C. sets its young free when danger was gone　　 　　   

D. swallows the whole creatures for food like other snakes　　 　　

(4) What does the author think of the story about garter snake?

[    ]

A. Imaginative　　B. True　　 　　   

C. Interesting　　D. Believable　　 　　

(5) The underlined word "bears" probably means ________.

[    ]

A. keeps　　   B. gives birth to 　　  

C. swallows　　D. carries away from   

III.完形填空（共20小题,每题1.5分,满分30分）

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从36-55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。

When children are very young, they learn from their grandparents and parents what is proper and good behavior.

A two-year-old child always  36  of himself or herself first. Sometimes, he or she tells people “This is  37 .” Of course, the  38  of sharing has to be  39  so that the child learns to  40  along with another child.

It is  41  for a family member to train the child so that he or she can  42  how to serve others and become a useful person in  43 . Discipline(纪律) should always be given with  44 .

Once a young child is taught to  45 , the child begins to realize that  46  is not a punishment but a valuable  47  in life. The idea of discipline becomes more important  48  the child is a student in elementary school..

If a person is  49 , he or she will not have  50  in life. If a person is trained, it doesn’t  51  what job he or she accepts, and there will be a  52  result. Parents and grandparents are very  53  that young children learn discipline early in their life, for happiness and pride will be the  54  of their achievements.

Usually, it is in middle school that children decide whether they will accept discipline as the road to success. For those who do, the  55  is very bright leading to a happy life.

36.A. cares          B. says 　　   C. speaks          D. thinks

37.A. mine          B. ours        C. theirs           D. yours

38.A. fact         B. idea         C. reason       D. mind

39.A. exchanged   B. introduced    C. brought          D. known

40.A. come          B. go          C. do             D. get

41.A. necessary   B. easy          C. hard         D. clear

42.A. learn     B. study     C. guess         D. remember

43.A. country    B. family    C. society       D. public

44.A. dislike    B. excitement   C. love        D. anger

45.A. live        B. share          C. play       D. work

46.A. homework  B. order       C. exam     D. discipline

47.A. lesson      B. text         C. class       D. work

48.A. though    B. because    C. since         D. when

49.A. taught     B. unknown        C. popular        D. untrained

50.A. help       B. business         C. success     D. purpose

51.A. matter    B. like     C. seem         D. appear

52.A. bad        B. good    C. final         D. natural

53.A. careful    B. worried    C. surprised      D. hopeful

54.A. example         B. reason    C. result         D. point

55.A. future      B. sun        C. day        D. sky

When I was quite young, I discovered that somewhere inside the telephone lived an amazing  person - "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.　
One day while my mother was out, I hit my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there was no one home to give me any sympathy. I walked around the house, finally arriving at the telephone! Quickly, I called “Information Please" and told her what happened.  She told me to open the icebox and hold a little piece of ice to my finger.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. When my pet bird died, I told
"Information Please" the sad story. She tried to comfort me, she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better. Another day I was on the telephone, “How do you spell ‘grateful’? ". All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was 9, we moved to Boston.
A few years later, on my way to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an
hour or so between planes. Without thinking, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information, please."    　　
Surprisingly, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information." I hadn't planned on
this but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell ‘grateful’?"  
There was a long pause. Then came the soft-spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have
healed by now."   I laughed. "So it's really still you," I said, "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."  I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and asked if I could call her again. "Please do," she said, "Just ask for Sally."　　
Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered me. I was told that Sally
passed away five weeks before.   　　
Before I could hang up she told me that Sally left a message for me—“Tell him I still say
there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean.”  I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.
Never underestimate the impression you may make on others. Whose life have you touched
today?　
【小题1】
What does “Information, Please” refer to in the passage?

As you______new words in context, it is a very good method for you to guess their meanings.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A. come about　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. come across

C. come out　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. come up

第二节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

　　阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

　　John Blanchard was at Grand Central Station,looking for the girl whose heart he knew,but whose face he didn't,the girl with the 36 .

　　His interest in her had begun 13 months before in a Florida 37 .He was reading a book there and was attracted by the 38 on the margins left by a reader named Miss Hollis Maynell.He 39 to find her address and wrote her a letter 40 himself.The next day he was shipped overseas for 41 in the army in World War Ⅱ.

　　During the next 13 months the two grew to know each other throught the 42 .When he returned,they decided their first 43 -7 pm at Grand Gentral Station. "Youll 44 me," she wrote,"by the red rose I'll be 45 on my coat."

　　A young girl in a green suit was coming 46 Blanchard.She was so beautiful that he started fixing his eyes upon her,entirely 47 to notice that she was not wearing a rose.Just then,he saw Hollis Maynell,who was 48 just behind the girl.She was a woman well past 40,with 49 hair under a worn hat.

　　Blanchard felt 50 .But he didn't hesitate.He said to 51 ,"I'm Lieutenant(中尉) John Blanchard,and you must be Miss Maynell.I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to 52 ?"

　　"I don't 53 what this is about,son," she said,"but the young lady 54 asked me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner,I should tell you that she is 55 you in the big restaurant across the street!"

　　You can hardly imagine how happy Lieutenant John Blanchard felt at the moment!　

　　36.A.book B.hat C.rose D.letter

　　37.A.library B.restaurant C.post office D.station

　　38.A.trails B.notes C.signs D.marks

　　39.A.attempted B.stopped C.intended D.managed

　　40.A.introducing B.displaying C.acknowledging D.claiming

　　41.A.business B.work C.service D.research

　　42.A.ship B.mail C.line D.telegraphy

　　43.A.greeting B.interview C.meeting D.talk

　　44.A.memorize B.impress C.run into D.recognize

　　45.A.putting B.carrying C.fixing D.wearing

　　46.A.toward B.over C.from D.off

　　47.A.refusing B.forgetting C.stopping D.managing

　　48.A.standing B.wandering C.chasing D.hurrying

　　49.A.lighening B.darkening C.graying D.thickning

　　50.A.excited B.shy C.embarrassed D.disappointed

　　51.A.the girl B.the woman C.himself D.the passer - by

　　52.A.dinner B.my house C.the hotel D.the train

　　53.A.guess B.believe C.know D.like

　　54.A.under a worn hat B.in the green suit C.with gray hair D.standing behind

　　55.A.preparing for B.looking for C.teating D.waiting for