Millions of Americans run to the bank or visit ATM when they need cash. They use credit cards when they want to buy clothes, VCRs, or television sets.

　 But there is an underclass—people with low incomes and no credit history—who visit their neighborhood pawnshops(当铺)when they need cash or a loan(贷款).

　 About 20 percent of the US population has no bank account. More than half of this group don’t have credit cards and cannot get bank loans.

　 “These people are borrowing an average of $50,” said John P. Caskey of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. “If you add up in terms of how much dollar value pawnshop provide, they don’t look very important. If you add up how much of the population they serve or the number of loans they make, they are important.”

　 Because they make loans, pawnshops are a type of bank, often calling themselves “the bank of the little people”.

　 Caskey and Swarthmore student Brian Zidmund in 1989 looked at the importance of pawnshops in the US economy—the first serious study of the subject since the 1930s.

　 Their conclusion: pawnshops are the consumer’s lender of last resort(最后一招).

　 Pawnshop customers typically cannot get credit at banks. They have poor credit records, low and unstable incomes, or cannot maintain positive bank account balances.

　 Typically, pawnshop customers borrow relatively small amounts that traditional lenders are unwilling or unable to provide on a secured basis.

　 “If you look at total consumer credit, the amounts provided by pawnshops remain small,” Caskey said. “They are lending mainly to low-income people. In terms of the population they serve, they’re really important.”

　 In 1988, there were about 6,900 pawnshops in the United States—one for every two commercial banks. They made about 35 million loans, providing 1 percent of the nation’s consumer credit.

1. The best title for the passage would be ____.

　 A. Credit Cards for the Poor　　　　　　　　 B. Banks for the Poor

　 C. Pawnshops VS Banks　　　　　　　　　　 D. Commercial Banks

2. What does the underclass people do when they need cash?

　 A. They go to local banks for help.

　 B. They apply for credit cards.

　 C. They ask for a loan from large banks.

　 D. They apply for a loan in pawnshops.

3. What can we learn about pawnshops?

　 A. Poor people come to pawnshops as their last resort.

　 B. Most people prefer pawnshops for their need of cash.

　 C. Pawnshops are an important part of the state economy.

　 D. Pawnshops are not important because they make up only 1 percent of the nation’s

　　　 consumer credit.

4. According to John P. Caskey, pawnshops are important because ____.

　 A. they provide great dollar value to the poor

　 B. they make big loans to a lot of people

　 C. they are serving the majority of the population

　 D. they make a large number of loans to the poor

The Universal Autograph (名人签名) Collectors Club(UACC) has been serving the collector for over 25 years. Founded in 1965, the UACC began as a small group of Long Island. New York autograph collectors and has grown to be the largest collector’s organization of its kind.

   The UACC by its purpose is primarily an educational fellowship(联谊会) where knowledge and resources are shared with not only the membership, but also the public at large. By joining the UACC, you will be introduced to the fastest growing hobby in the world today.

   Autographs have been called “frozen moment in time” by some people. Probably the most personal thing that one person can give is his or her signature.

   In 1843, former President James Madison sent an autograph for a collection which the Princess Victoria was making. The future British Queen was only 15 years old at the time. Financier J.P. Morgan, Sr. began collecting when he was 16, and his son continued adding to the father’s collection. As the daughter of the Mayor of Boston, Rose Fitzgerald collected autographs, as did her son, John F. Kennedy. Franklin Roosevelt, Malcolm Forbes and Glenn Ford are a few more well-known autograph collectors. By collecting autographs, you become a curator(馆长) of history.

   Here are some of the best reasons to join the UACC.

   The UACC publishes The Pen and Quill, the highly regarded 64-page bimonthly journal with articles and news in all fields of autograph collecting. UACC members may place free ads in The Pen and Quill to express their wants or just swap with other members.

Writing for autographs to famous living people can also be interesting. The more interesting the letter, the better chance for an interesting reply.

The UACC also offers its members the opportunity to buy uncommon autographic materials at low prices. Meanwhile, it publishes low-cost reference works for its members.

Once you join the UACC, you will be added to our mailing list and will receive catalogs(目录) of autographs for sale by dealer members. The UACC has nearly 200 of the world’s most professional dealers as members. Each member provides contact information on our website, including mailing address, telephone numbers, e-mail-addresses, website address, etc. We always try to promote our dealer program and encourage collectors to always buy from these dealers.

1.Paragraph 4 is presented to inform you that __________.

A. autographs might be the most personal thing that one can give

B. the hobby started as early as the 19^th century

C. autographs have a long history and was popular even among great people

D. autographs reflect history and sometimes change history

2.What does the underlined word “ swap” probably mean?

A. write for autographs                                           B. exchange autographs

C. mail autographs                                                   D. sign autographs

3.Which of the following about the service offered by the UACC is NOT right?

A. It offers member a good way in which they can get what they need much easily.

B. A magazine is published every two months to help you know about the world’s hobby.

C. It offers collectors great deals on unusual autographs at reasonable prices.

D. It offers Internet service to make extra profits.

4.This passage is mainly__________

A. to encourage you to join the UACC

B. to tell you how interesting autograph collecting is

C. to tell you the fast development of the autograph collecting

D. to inform you where you can get an autograph

第二卷（非选择题   共33分）

V.单词拼写( 共8小题；每小题1分，满分8分 )

62.John often plays j________ on his roommates, which makes them angry.

63.It’s quite o________ that he isn’t telling the truth because his face becomes red.

64.His supporters g_______ in the main square to listen to his speech.

65. An old lady was killed in the hotel ,so nobody there was allowed to leave without p_________.

66.We must let everyone be aware that to p________ wildlife is very important.

67.Zhao Benshan’s h__________ words made every audience present laugh. 

68.After I saw the film, I knew that the scientist had spent many years e_________ a new planet for people to live in.

69.With the blue s________ given, the driver started the car.

BUKHANNON, West Virginia~~Two rescue teams slowly moved along a two—mile path on Monday night to the site of a coal mine explosion that trapped 13 miners, who had not been heard from since the early morning accident.

Meanwhile, at a nearby church, more than 250 family members and friends gathered, waiting for updates on the rescuers' progress.

The miners were trapped at about .6:30 and many families weren't informed of the accident until about 10 a.m.~~more than three hours after it happened. "It's very upsetting, but you've got to be patient, I guess," said John Helms, whose brother, Terry, was trapped in the mine.

The trapped miners were about 260 fee underground and about 10,000 feet from the Sago Mine's entrance, said Roger Nicholson, a lawyer from International Coal Group.

At a late night news conference, Nicholson said one team had advanced about 4, 800 feet in the four hours since entering the mine just before 6 p.m. Another team entered the mine about 30 minutes later.

He said the crew was very experienced, with some members having worked underground for 30 to 35 years. The miners were equipped with al>out one hour of breathable oxygen each. The company has not released the names of the miners.

The teams test the air about every 500 feet, and have to disconnect the power to the phones they use to communicate with the surface before doing that. "We don't want to be electrifying anything if it's in an atmospfiere with hurnahle gases," Kips said.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. High levels of carbon monoxide ( 一氧化物) were discovered shortly after the explosion, which delayed rescue efforts, but those levels have weakened since then, authorities said.

According to the passage, we ran infer that    .

communication with the trapped miners was cut off

the rescue started as soon as the accident happened

the two rescue teams entered the mine at the same time

all the miners who were trapped underground were still alive

If the first team advanced at an average speed, they could dig about______per hour.

A. 1,000 feet   B. 1,200 feet   C. 2,400 feet   D. 4,800 feet

Where ran the passage he seen?

A. Iii a magazine.  B. In a science hook. C. On an advertisement. D. In a newspaper.