It was not yet eleven o’clock when a boat crossed the river with a single passenger who had obtained his transportation at that unusual hour by promising an extra fare.

While the youth stood on the landing-place searching in his pockets for money, the ferryman lifted a lantern, by the aid of which, together with the newly risen moon, he took a very accurate survey of the stranger’s figure. He was a young man of barely eighteen years, evidently country bred（长大的）, and now, as it seemed, on his first visit to town. He was wearing a rough gray coat, which was in good shape, but which had seen many winters before this one. The garments under his coat were well constructed of leather, and fitted tightly to a pair of muscular legs; his stockings of blue yarn must have been the work of a mother or sister, and on his head was a three-cornered hat, which in its better days had sheltered the grayer head of the lad’s father. In his left hand was a walking stick, and his equipment was completed by a leather bag not so abundantly stocked as to inconvenience the strong shoulders on which it hung. Brown, curly hair, well-shaped-features, bright, cheerful eyes were nature’s gifts, and worth all that art could have done for his adornment(装饰).

The youth, whose name was Robin, paid the boatman, and then walked forward into the town with a light step, as if he had not already traveled more than thirty miles that day. As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings as eagerly as if he were entering London or Madrid, instead of the little metropolis（都市）of a New England colony.

What time of the year was it in this story?

A. Winter.           B. Fall.       C. Summer.    D. Spring.

The boatman was willing to take Robin across the river because ________.

A. he was going to row across the river anyway

B. he saw that Robin was young and rich

C. he would give extra money

D. he felt sorry for him because Robin looked poor

The stockings that Robin wore were obviously _________.

A. well worn         B. very expensive       C. handmade         D. much too big

From the text we can learn that Robin had traveled __________.

A. from London              B. from Madrid

C. from a nearby city                D. over thirty miles

At what time of day did Robin cross the river?

A. Night.      B. Late afternoon    C. Midday.          D. Morning.    

New York is one of the last large American cities to have some of its policemen on horseback. The New York police have 170 horses that they use in certain parts of the city. The horses are expensive to feed, but it is even more expensive to take care of them. Because the horses must walk on the streets, they need special horseshoes. In fact, they need more than 8,000 of them each year. Every police horse in New York gets new shoes every month. Keeping these shoes in good repair is the job of six blacksmiths. There are only about thirty-five of these blacksmiths in the whole Unite States.

The cost of shoeing a horse is between twenty dollars and thirty--five dollars, and it takes a good blacksmith two to three hours to do the job.  

A blacksmith’s job is not an easy one. He must be able to shape a shoe from a piece of metal and then fit it to the horse’s foot. The blacksmith must bend over all the time when he is fitting the shoe and must hold the weight of the horse’s leg while he works. But even more important, he must be able to deal with horses ------ for before the blacksmith can begin his work, he has to get the horse to lift its leg.

One of the blacksmiths in New York is James Corbin. He came to the country form Ireland in 1948.He not only makes horseshoes for the police but also works for a group of horse owners near the city. Corbin became interested in blacksmithing because his father did it, and, as he puts it, “It’s a good way to make a living.”

1.According to the reading passage, a blacksmith must be likely a         man.

    A. clever               B. rich             C. strong               D. tall

2. James Corbin became a blacksmith because he        .

    A. was interested in horses.                    B. was needed by the policemen

    C. drew a picture of the horses                 D. had to make a living

3. In the reading passage “to shape a shoe” is to       .

    A. fit it on the horse’s foot                          B. use it for two or three hours

    C. make the form of a horseshoe from a piece of metal   D. draw a picture of the shoe

4.The best title for the passage is          .

    A. Policemen on Horseback               B. Blacksmiths and Horseshoeing

    C. James Corbin, a Blacksmith           D. Horseshoeing Is a Good Way to Make a Living

5. Which of the following is true?

    A. Only a few large American cities have some policemen on horseback.

    B. New York is the only city in America to have some policemen on horseback.

    C. Policemen on horseback enjoy traveling around the United States.

    D. Policemen on horseback are less expensive than those in cars.

Bicycle Safety

Operation  Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.

Theft Prevention  Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.

Equipment

Brakes  Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.

Helmet  A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fit properly.

 Lights    Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.

Rules of the Road

Riding on Campus  As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.

Bicycle Parking  Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.

If Things Go Wrong

If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:

No bicycle registration------------------------$25

Bicycle parking banned-------------------------$30

Blocking path with bicycle -------------------$40

Violation of bicycle equipment requirement -----$35

1.Registration of your bicycle may help you __________.

A．find your stolen bicycle

B．get your serial number

C．receive free repair services

D．settle conflicts with walkers

2.If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined __________.

A．$25              B．$30              C．$35              D．$40

3.What is the passage mainly about?

A．A guide for safe bicycling on campus.

B．Directions for bicycle tour on campus.

C．Regulations of bicycle race on campus.

D．Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus.

When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm. In the winter especially, we were quite far away from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that my life has its problems too.

One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma (哮喘), and the air is so serious polluted that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.

Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment (娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising — and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.

Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens (十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.

What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?

A. Staying on the farm.                      B. Leaving home for the city.

C. Moving to the countryside.             D. Running away from the school.

Which of the following is true about the writer?

A. He lives in the city now.           B. He is in good health.

C. He prefers driving a car.                D. He is very old now.  

In the passage, the writer tries to __________.

A. persuade the reader to live in the city         B. describe his life in the countryside

C. show an interest in the outside world           D. express his opinions about the way of life

How is the passage mainly developed?

A. By inferring.                B. By listing examples.       

C. By comparing.          D. By giving explanations.