Anyone who works in an office knows the power of technology. When it works, life is wonderful. Information files across the world in seconds. It saves time and makes our jobs easier. But when technology goes wrong, everyone hates it.

   In March, Peter Golota received a gas bill for $0.00. He threw it away. In April, he received another bill for $0.00. He threw that one way, too. In May, the gas company sent him a letter which said he had to pay his gas bill. If he didn’t pay it, they were going to cut off his gas. He called and told them the bill was for $0.00. They said it was a computer error. But the bills continued. Finally, he sent a check for $0.00. This caused the bank’s computer to crash. After a lot of angry phone calls and the letters between the man, the gas company, and the bank, the case went to court. The gas company lost, and had to pay Peter Golota $8,000. It all happened because of a bill for $0.00.

   A man from Colorado appeared on the news when he shot his computer because it crashed all the time. The man, who owned a bar, put the “dead” laptop on the wall for everyone to see. The police said, “It’s the first time someone shot a computer because he was angry with it.” They arrested him.

   In December, Margaret Smart, of Energies Solutions, stood up in front of 2,000 people in Taxes. As she began to speak, her microphone stopped working. They found another one. After two minutes, that one also died. When she decided to show her notes on PowerPoint, the computer refused to start up. The title of her presentation was “Technology: The way Forward”.

64. Why did the bank’s computer crash?

   A. Because it kept sending gas bills for $0.00.

   B. Because Peter Golota sent a check for $0.00.

   C.  Because the gas company sent a letter to the bank.

   D. Because the gas bill case went to court.

65. Who got angry with his computer and shot it?

   A. A bar owner.                                                    B. A policeman.

C.  Peter Golota.                                                    D. A bank manager.

66. Margaret Smart’s computer refuses to start up probably because ________.

   A. there was a power failure                        B. it worked too long

   C.  it went wrong                                          D. someone shot her computer

Happy April Fool’s Day! In celebration of the day, we have put together a list of some of the greatest hoaxes (恶作剧) in history. They are the lies that have been designed for innocent people who are ready to believe them.

▲INSTANT COLOR TV

In 1962 there was only one TV channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station’s Kjell Stepson, appearing on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, all viewers could now quickly and easily transform their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon (尼龙) stocking over their TV screen, and they would begin to see their favorite shows in color. Reportedly, hundreds of thousands of people, were taken in. Actual color TV transmission only started to appear in Sweden on April 1, 1970.

▲SAN SERRIFFE

In 1977 the British newspaper The Guardian published a special seven –page supplement(增刊) in honor of the tenth anniversary of San Serriffe, a small republic located in the Indian Ocean. A series of articles affectionately asked for more information about the beautiful holiday spot. Few noticed that every thing about the island was made up.

▲NIXON FOR PRESIDENT

In 1992 American National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program announced that, Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, “ I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” Accompanying this announcement were audio clips(片断) of Nixon delivering his election speech. Listeners responded immediately to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and anger. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Huckleberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon’s voice was copied by comedian Rich Little.

1.Which of the following countries in NOT mentioned in the text?

2.Who worked as a host on the radio?

3.When did the small republic San Serriffe come into being?

4.Where can we probably read this article?

Todd was working at his gas station(加油站) at night when he heard over the radio that a ___1___ in Long Island had been ___2___ by an armed man who had killed the night guard and got away with $150,000. “One hundred and fifty thousand,” Todd whistled. Here’s a fellow who just ___3___ into a bank and helps himself ___4___ so much money. Todd thought of the ___5___ with which he managed to get the amount of money he ___6___ to start his gas station. So many papers to ___7___. So much money to pay back.

The news ___8___ twenty minutes later. The gunman had ___9___ a car for a ride, and then ___10___ out the driver. He was possibly ___11___ the Southern State Parkway in a white Ford. License plate(车牌) number LJR 1939. The ___12___ of the announcer continued: “__13___ out for white cars. Don’t pick up ___14___, and all you folks in gas stations better not do ___15___ to a white Ford car.”

Todd stood up and ___16___ to see out into the cold night. It was dark but Todd ___17___ the Southern State Parkway was out there. Just ___18___, Todd saw the headlights coming at him and a car pulled in for ___19___. There it was, a white Ford. He saw the ___20___, LJR 1939.

“What should I do?” Todd had to make a quick ___21___.

“Yes, sir?” Todd ___22___ while making up his mind for sure.

“__23__ her up,” the man said sounding like any other ___24___.

When the tank(油箱) was full, Todd quickly turned round and pointed a gun at the man.

“Hands up ___25___ get out.”

1. A. store      B. bank   C. station D. house

2. A. searched for   B. held up      C. taken over  D. broken into

3. A. walks     B. looks  C. marches     D. drives

4. A. for  B. by      C. to       D. of

5. A. satisfaction    B. difficulty    C. disappointment  D. spirit

6. A. saved     B. made  C. offered       D. needed

7. A. collect    B. prove  C. sign    D. write

8. A. continued      B. lasted  C. spread D. arrived

9. A. bought   B. borrowed   C. stolen  D. stopped

10. A. sent      B. found  C. left     D. pushed

11. A. calling from       B. fleeing from      C. heading for D. looking for

12. A. news    B. warning     C. advice D. voice

13. A. Look    B. Run    C. Call    D. Set

14. A. guests   B. strangers    C. prisoners    D. passengers

15. A. harm    B. favor  C. service       D. business

16. A. tried     B. decided      C. hoped D. happened

17. A. considered   B. knew  C. recognized  D. learnt

18. A. then     B. there   C. right   D. now

19. A. directions    B. repairs       C. gas     D. parking

20. A. mark    B. number      C. sign    D. name

21. A. decision       B. call     C. movement  D. remark

22. A. wondered    B. stopped      C. waited D. asked

23. A. Cover   B. Fill     C. Check D. Tie

24. A. visitor  B. robber C. driver D. rider

25. A. or B. and     C. but     D. to

Some of the United States’ biggest banks have closed their doors to students at community colleges, for-profit universities and other less competitive schools, even as they continue to extend government-backed loans to students at eh nation’s top universities.

Citibank has been among the most active in rebuilding the list of colleges it serves. JPMorgan Chase, PNC and SunTrust say have not dropped whole loan plans, but are cutting colleges. Some less-selective four-year colleges, like Eastern Oregon University and William Jessup University, say they have been dropped by some lenders.

The practice suggests  that if the credit crisis and poor conditions in the student loan business continue, some of the nation’s neediest students will be hurt most. The difficulty of borrowing money may keep them from attending school or force them to take a semester（学期） off.  For those who have got student loans, they will end up with less attractive terms and may run a greater risk of dropping out if they have to change lenders in the middle of their college year.

Tuition and loan amounts can be quite small at community colleges. But these institutions, which are a stepping stone to other educational programs or to better jobs, often draw students from the lower ranks of the economic classes. According to the most recent data, about a third of US graduates took out loans, a majority of them guaranteed by the government.

“If put too many obstacles in their way to get a loan, they ’ll take a third job or use a credit card,” said Jacqueline K. Bradley, assistant director for financial aid at Mendocino College. “That almost guarantees that they won’t be as successful in their college career.”

Some loan companies have stopped the students loan business entirely, viewing it as unprofitable in the current environment. Students attending first-class, expensive, public and private four-year universities can expect to remain plentiful. The banks generally say these loans are bigger, more profitable, and less risky, perhaps in part because the banks expect graduates from these universities to earn more.

So far, financial aid administrators say they have been able to find some lenders that students can switch to, but this is costly to students--- in money and time.

59. Who will be the most upset at the news?

A. A poor students at a top university.          B. A poor students at a community university.

C. A bank clerk dealing with student loan business.

D. A teacher from a for-profitable university.

60. With too many obstacles in their way to get a loan, students will probably __________.

A. switch to top universities                       B. cancel their credit cards

C. fail in their exams                                 D. win a scholarship

61. When they say something is “government-backed”, you mean it is ___________.

A. guaranteed by the government                B. dropped by the government

C. against government                               D. for government

62. What is the best title for the passage?

A. The students loan business in America.    B. Banks and universities in America.

C. Student loans start to drop colleges.        D. Credit crisis starts to affect loans.

A thief returned a mobile phone and thousands of yuan he had stolen from a woman after receiving 21 text messages from her, a local newspaper reported.

Pan Aiying, a Chinese teacher at Wutou Middle School in Qihe County, in East China’s Shandong Province, didn’t think her text messages would help to get her belongings(财物) back.

A young man riding a motorcycle robbed her of her bag, in which there was her mobile phone, bank cards and 4,900 yuan, as she was riding her bicycle home on Saturday evening.

Pan said at first she considered calling the police, but then decided to try to persuade（说服）the young man to return her bag. Pan called her lost phone with her friend’s, but couldn’t get through. So she began sending messages.

“Hey, I’m Pan Aiying, a teacher from Wutou Middle School. You must be going through a difficult time. If so, I will not blame you.” Wrote Pan in her first text message, which got no answer. “Keep the 4,900 yuan if you really need it, but please return the other things to me. You are still young. To make mistakes is human. Correcting your mistake is more important than anything.” Pan wrote in another message.

She gave up hope after sending 21 text messages without any answer and planned to call the police the next morning. However, as she left her home on Sunday morning, Pan found her stolen bag lying in the courtyard. Nothing was lost.

“Pan: I am sorry. I made a mistake. Please forgive me. You are so kind even though I stole from you. I’ll correct my ways and be an honest person,” said a letter left with the bag.

1. Where was Pan Aiying robbed?

A. In the school.   B. At home.   C. In the courtyard.   D. on her way home

2. Why didn’t Pan Aiying call the police at first?

A. Because she thought the police wouldn’t help her.

B. Because it was too late at that time.

C. Because she wanted to communicate with the thief first.

D. Because her friend asked her not to.

3. How long was Pan Aiying’s bag missing?

A. About two days.                      B. About 12 hours.  

C. About one day and a half.               D. About 24 hours.

4. From the news we can learn that ____________.

A. the young man would not steal any more

B. Pan Aiying didn’t give up hope after sending 21 text messages

C. the young man would pay a visit to Pan Aiying personally

D. Pan Aiying teaches English in a middle school in Shandong Province