阅读理解

　　Americans are always in a hurry, they seem to be under permanent pressure to think that there is something more to do the next moment. This fast pace is reflected in the popularity of fast-food restaurants, one-stop stations and micro-ovens. They hate to waste their time and would frown if their time is wasted by interruptions or by poor service. They appreciate the practice of doing things as quickly as possible, as in their eyes,“patience is the virtue of asses.”

　　In contract, people in Indonesia believe in“rubber time”, to the extent that time can stretch or shrink. In Africa, people who do something in a rush are actually asking for trouble; they'd be suspected of trying to cheat! In their culture, a slow unusual, worth doubt.

　　Here is a contract between the slow pace people (SPP) and the fast pace people(FPP);

　　◇SPP－Consider an appointment as a target to achieve, if possible.

　　　FPP－take a promise seriously and try to keep it by all means.

　　◇SPP－are dedicated to people and human relationship.

　　　FPP－are devoted to work rather than to human relationship.

　　　SPP－change plans easily.

　　　FPP－follow and stick to the plans.

　　◇SPP－decide to be punctual or not based on human relationship.

　　　FPP－stress punctuality.

　　◇SPP－show strong tendency to build lifetime friendship.

　　　FPP-are used to short-term relationship.

(1)Which of the following statements indicates that Americans are leading a fast-pace life?

[　　]

A．Americans have modern kitchen equipment.

B．Fast-food restaurants are popular with Americans.

C．Almost every American family owns a car.

D．There are a lot of railway stations in the United States.

(2)The underlined phrase“one-stop stations”probably means ________.

[　　]

A．A bus stop is not far from one another

B．There are a number of police stations in the United States

C．There are a lot of gas stations here and there, and it is one-stop distance between them.

D．It is a long way from a gas station to the next one

(3)In which country people who do something in a rush are suspected of trying to cheat?

[　　]

A．Venezuela　　　　　　B．Italy

C．Vietnam　　　　　　　D．Zambia

(4)If a person cares more for human relationship than his job, he must belong to ________.

[　　]

A．the fast pace people

B．the slow pace people

C．the lazy people

D．the clever people

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。

I first met Annie Mae, a maid (女仆), at my parents-in-laws’ in 1959. She prepared and　　 36　 meals in her quiet, gentle way and then returned to the kitchen to read her Bible (《圣经》) while we 　　37　 . She was a devoted Christian. I found this increasingly true 　　38　 I came to know her more by observation than by conversation.

My husband and I 　　39　 　visited his parents. Each time I saw her eating　 40　 , reading her Bible, I wanted to sit down with her and just talk. 　 41　 , whites didn’t do that with blacks then, and I had to 　 42　 the practice.

In 1965, I decided to 　　43　 the furniture and return to my home state with my two 　　44　　 when my husband wanted a divorce (离婚).

Annie Mae asked if she could buy the boys’ 　 45　 . When I answered 　　46　 , she asked the price. Then, she asked if she could 　　47 　 a little money each month. She was　　 48　 , and I knew her well.

Then each month, an envelope 　　49　 us from Annie Mae with 2 or 3 dollars. A year passed. Annie Mae’s 　 50　 payment arrived along with the following note:

Dear Mrs. Holladay,

I am sending you my last payment of three dollars for the beds 　　51　 . I told my two sons they could now put the beds 　　52　 　and sleep in them, for they are now paid for and rightfully 　 53　 us.Thank you for your 　　54　 .

Annie Mae

I read the note two or three times, my eyes filled with tears. Had I only known earlier, I would have said, “Use them now. Don’t 　　55　 until you pay for them.”

36. A. offered 　　　　　　 B. served 　　　　　　 C. gave 　　　　　　　 D. showed

37. A. talked 　　　　　　　 B. quarreled 　　　　 C. ate 　　　　　　　　 D. watched

38. A. so that 　　　　　　　　　　 B. in case 　　　　　　 C. as if 　　　　　　　 D. even though

39. A. often 　　　　　　　　 B. hardly 　　　　　　 C. never 　　　　　　　　　　 D. again

40. A. angrily 　　　　　　 　　B. wildly 　　　　　　 C. secretly 　　　　　 D. alone

41. A. Instead 　　　　　　 B. However 　　　　 C. Still 　　　　　　　　 D. So

42. A. protect 　　　　　　　　　　 B. break 　　　　　　　 C. follow 　　　　　　 D. stop

43. A. sell 　　　　　　　　　 B. buy 　　　　　　　　 C. repair 　　　　　　　　　　 D. change

44. A. parents 　　　　　　 B. sons 　　　　　　　 C. brothers 　 　　　 D. friends

45. A. toys　　　　　　　　　 B. chairs 　　　　　　 C. desks　　　　　　　 D. beds

46. A. sorry 　　　　　　　 B. thanks 　　　　　　 C. no 　　　　　　　　　 D. yes

47. A. earn 　　　　　　　　 B. use 　　　　　　　　 C. send 　　　　　　　 D. get

48. A. clever 　　　　　　　 B. honest 　　　　　　 C. simple 　　　　　 D. kind

49. A. separated 　　　　　 B. disturbed 　　　　 C. reached 　　　　　 D. kept

50. A. first 　　　　　　　　 B. only 　　　　　　　 C. double 　　　　　　 D. last

51. A. in full 　　　　　　　 B. in short 　　　　　 C. in common 　　 D. in general

52. A. together　　　　　　 　 B. away　　　　　　　　 C. on 　　　　　　　　　 D. down

53. A. depend on 　　　　 B. belong to 　　　　 C. lie in 　　　　　　　 D. begin with

54. A. help 　　　　　　　　 B. friendship　　　　 C. trust 　　　　　　　 D. faith

55. A. wait 　　　　　　　　 B. leave 　　　　　　　 C. return 　　　　　　　　　　 D. put

As the Chinese saying goes, each family has its own trouble. But I want to say that some troubles are 1 .

My mother is now 84 years old. She can’t read or write, nor can she understand Putonghua. What’s 2 , she is hard of hearing. 3 she came to live with us from our hometown, our two children gave her new meaning in life and kept her 4 for several years. When the children grew up, she still kept 5 in housework, shopping, and cooking every day.

6 she was getting old, we asked her to keep 7 the road and not go shopping, cook　 and wash clothes. The more she 8 , the more we worried for her. But she never followed us. Now every day at work, I 9 my mother when I have a few minutes. What is she doing now, I 10. The modern kitchen appliances(厨房用具) have trained a good 11 into a forgetful cook. She forgets to 12 the gas and we’ll smell rice 13 　before we enter our home. Rushing into the kitchen, we’ll see the 14 pot smoking on the stove. We have asked her not to do housework, but she says we don’t 15 her any more and cries and refuses to eat. Then we comfort her as if we were treating a child.

1. A. curious　　　　 B. glad　　　　　 C. sweet　　　　　 D. troublesome

2. A. more　　　　　 B. that　　　　　 C. better　　　 　　D. wrong

3. A. Since　　　　　 B. Because　　　 C. Until　　　　　　 D. When

4. A. free　　　　　　 B. unhappy　　　 C. busy　　　　　　 D. worried

5. A. active　　　　　 B. easy　　　　　 C. quiet　　　　　　 D. secret

6. A. So　　　　　　 B. Though　　　 C. What　 　　　　 D. As

7. A. away　　　　　 B. off　　　　　 C. on　　　　　　　 D. up

8. A. did　　　　　　 B. kept　　　　　 C. lived　　　　　 D. said

9. A. ask　　　　　　 B. see　　　　　 C. call　　　　　　 D. miss

10. A. know　　　　　 B. say　　　 　　C. suppose　　　　 D. wonder

11. A. child　　　　　　 B. housewife　　 C. servant　　　　 D. worker

12. A. close　　　　　　 B. shut off　　　 C. turn on　　　　 D. use

13. A. burning　　　　　 B. cooked　　　 C. ready　　　　　 D. smell

14. A. grain　　　　　　 B. rice　　　　　 C. tea　　　　　　 D. water

15 . A. belong to　　　　 B. care about　　 C. need　　　　　 D. respect