There is a story of a country where the rate of inflation（通货膨胀率）is so high that clever people pay for a taxi ride before the trip instead of after. This story may or may not be true. But inflation was almost that serious in Germany from July 1920 until December 1923. Prices went up so fast that by the end of 1923 they were 50 billion percent higher－a rise of almost 25000 / 40 a month.

　　There was so much paper money, and it had so little value, that people carried bags full of money around to pay for things. One woman told the story of standing outside a shop with a basket full of 500 000 mark notes（马克）. She wanted to buy just one piece of meat, and she hoped she had enough money. But when she was looking, a thief robbed（抢夺） her. He didn't take her money, though, he threw it away and took the basket in stead.

　　At first workers demanded to be paid every day. But as the situation be came worse, they had to be paid twice a day. But they had to run out and spend the money at once, or it would lose its value. People bought anything that was for sale, but food was almost impossible to find. Farm workers re fused to take money. They wanted to be paid in potatoes instead.

　　New policies（政策）ended the inflation in 1923, when the government introduced a new money. But about half of the German people lost every thing in those three and a half years.

　　1．People paid for a taxi ride before the trip because they________

　　　　A. did not want to carry so much money with them

　　　　B. had so much paper money that they wanted to spend them quickly

　　　　C. wanted to save money

　　　　D. were afraid of the taxi driver

　　2．According to the passage, in Germany the prices in 1920 were ________.

　　　　A. higher than those in 1923

　　　　B. lower than those in 1923

　　　　C. the highest in history

　　　　D. the lowest in history

　　3．The thief stole the basket instead of the money in it because he thought _________

　　　　A. he couldn't buy a piece of meat with the money

　　　　B. the basket was more valuable than the money

　　　　C. the basket was what he needed most

　　　　D. the money was of no value

　　4．The farm workers demanded to be paid in potatoes because they be lieved that _______

　　　　A. the money could not buy potatoes

　　　　B. the money might lose its value

　　　　C. the potato was too expensive

　　　　D. the potato was valuable

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Motherhood is a career to respect
　　A WOMAN renewing her driver’s license at the CountyClerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
　　“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a...”
　　“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
　　“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation... ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
　　One day I found myself in the same situation. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
　　The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate (研究员) in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
　　The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
　　I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement (声明) was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
　　“Might I ask,” said the clerk with interest, “just what you do in your field?”
　　Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
　　There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
　　As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (激励) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants – ages 13, 7, and 3.
　　Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
　　I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
　　Motherhood... What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
【小题1】 How did the female clerk feel at first when the writer told her occupation?

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

     One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered．and they all admired his heart for it was 　41　. There was not a scar in it. Suddenly, an old man appeared and said, “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as 　42　.”

　　The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s 　43　. It was full of scars, it had places 　44　 pieces had been removed and other pieces 45　 in, but they didn’t fit quite right, and there were several 　46　 edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gaps where whole pieces were missing.

　　The young man laughed. “ 　47　 your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars.”

　　“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours  48　 perfect but I would never trade with you. You see, every　49　 represents a person 　50　 I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they 51　 me a piece of their heart that fits into the  52　 place in my heart. But because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we 　53　.

　　“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart 　54　, and the other person hasn’t returned a 　55　 of his or her heart to me. These are the empty gaps—giving love is 　56　 a chance. Although these gaps are painful, they 　57　 open, reminding me of the love I have for those people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have been waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?’’

　　The young man walked up to the old man, 　58　 his perfect heart, and tipped a piece out. He 　59　 it to the old man.

　　The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It 　60　, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

　　The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

　　They embraced and walked away side by side.

1.A．ugly　　　　　B．perfect　　　　　 C．beautiful　　　　D．hurt

2.A．mine　　　　 B．his　　　　　　　 C．theirs　　　　　D．ours

3.A．coat　　　　　B．appearance　　　　C．face　　　　　 D．heart

4.A．that　　　　　B．which　　　　　　C．where　　　　　D．whose

5.A．cut　　　　　 B．set　　　　　　　C．put　　　　　　 D．brought

6.A．smooth　　　 B．rough　　　　　　C．broken　　　　　D．pretty

7.A.Comparing　　　B．Compared　　　　C．Compare　　　 D．Compares

8.A．looks　　　　 B．seems　　　　　　C．is　　　　　　　D．fits

9.A．one　　　　　 B．heart　　　　　　 C．piece　　　　　 D．scar

10.A．on whom　　 B．in whom　　　　　C．with whom　　  D．to whom

11.A．take　　　　 B．give　　　　　　　C．lend　　　　　　D．pass

12.A．empty　　　 B．full　　　　　　　 C．original　　　　 D．first

13.A．had　　　　  B．gave　　　　　　 C．shared　　　　　D．owned

14.A．in　　　　　 B．away　　　　　　 C．off　　　　　　D．up

15.A．lot　　　　　 B．sheet　　　　　　 C．piece　　　　　D．pile

16.A．making　　　 B．taking　　　　　　C．keeping　　　　D．bringing

17.A．keep　　　　　B．cut　　　　　　　C．come　　　　　D．stay

18.A．carried away　　B．reached into　　　C．took out　　　 D．brought up

19.A．offered　　　　B．took　　　　　　C．passed　　　　　D．served

20.A．fit　　　　　　B．hit　　　　　　　C．beat　　　　　　D．set

完形填空

　　There was a rich foreign merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and 1 her with best clothes and 2 her to delicious food.

　　He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to 3 her to his friends.

　　He, too, loved his 2nd wife. 4 the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she 5 always help him out.

　　Now, the merchant's 1st wife had made great contributions to his business. However, the merchant did not love her and 6 she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

　　One day, the merchant fell ill. He knew that he was going to die 7 . He told himself,“Now I have 4 wives with me. 8 when I die, I'll be alone. How 9 I'll be!”

　　Thus, he asked the 4th wife,“I 10 you most. Now that I'm dying, will you 11 me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

　　The 12 merchant then asked the 3rd wife,“I have loved you so much for all my life. Will you follow me and keep me company?” “ 13 !”replied the 3rd wife.“Life is so good over here! I'm going to 14 when you die!”

　　He then asked the 2nd wife,“I 15 turned to you for help. Now I need you help again. Will you follow me and keep me company?” “I'm sorry, I can't 16 you out this time!”replied the 2nd wife.

　　Then a voice 17 out,“I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter 18 you go.”Brokenhearted, the merchant said,“I 19 have taken much better care of you while I could have !”

　　　　20 ,we all have 4 wives in our lives: our body, our possessions, our friends, and our soul. We should take good care of our soul all our life.