Where we live, on the eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.
The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and ducks. In the autumn, they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year, snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, there is a freeze which hardens the water to the ice.
One morning, a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out, “There is a goose out
there.”
We saw the figure of a large Canada goose, very iii, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.
Then from the dark sky, she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life it still had might be pecked（啄）out by those great swan beaks.
Instead, those beaks began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose’s head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I cannot fly,” four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice and held in the feathers. Slowly, the goose spread its wings as far as they could go, and moved slowly into the sky.
This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one hopeful question:“ If so for birds, why not for man?”
【小题1】What happened to the Canada goose?

---The weather has been very hot and dry.
---Yes. If it had rained even a drop, things would be much better now! And my vegetables ______.

The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake at 5:46 a. rn. on January 17, 1995,Kobe (神户) and its surrounding areas suffered a killer earthquake. Only two other events in this century, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and World War II caused more deaths in Japan than this earthquake. The epicenter was at the northern tip of Awaji Island. The quake registered 7.2 on the Richter scale (里氏震级). The greatest amount of damage was seen in the Japanese port city of Kobe, and at final count 6 348 people had lost their lives.

The people of the area were quite unprepared for such a big earthquake. Experts had said that most modern buildings would be quite safe even from an earthquake as strong as the Great Kanto Earthquake. This was clearly not true. Television cameras showed the many buildings that had fallen down. The highway that ran through the city had fallen over on its side looking as if it had been pushed over by a giant.

Thousands of people were homeless, However, some of the finest human qualities were seen in the time of crises (moment of great danger). People formed long lines for water and other supplies. They shared what they had with one another. People from young to old stopped to talk to each other and give a few encouraging words. The people living in the area knew that their old life had been destroyed. They believe they can rebuild their life, and a better one,

64. Only two other events caused more deaths in Japan. They are _____.

A. the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Second World War

B. the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and World War II

C. the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995

D. the First World War and the Second World War

65. Which of the following is true?

A. The Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake was the greatest in the world history. 

B. The earthquake broke out in summer.

C. The center of the earthquake was in the northern end of the port city.

D. More than six thousand people lost their lives in the earthquake.

66. The passage seems to suggest that _____.

A. a giant was able to start an earthquake

B. modem buildings were strong enough to be safe from any earthquake

C. less people would have died if they had been prepared for it

D. experts always tell lies

 I ：阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。(共12个小题；每小题1分，满分12分)

   A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor(继任者) to take over the business.

     29  choosing one of his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives(主管) in his company together, and said, “ I will give each one of you a(n)  30

today. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and   31  here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed. I will then  32  your plants, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”

   Jim was there that day and he also received a seed. He went home  33  , and got a pot, some soil and planted the seed. Every day, he watered it and   34  to see if it had grown, but nothing ever grew.

   Time flew, and it was time to  35  their plants to the boss. When Jim arrived, he was   36

the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were all   37  ——in all shapes and sizes.

   When the old CEO arrived, he   38  the room and greeted his young executives. “My goodness! What great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown.” All of a sudden, the CEO noticed Jim at the back of the room with his   39  pot. He asked him what had happened to his seed—— Jim told him his story.

   The CEO looked at Jim, and then   40  to the young excutives, “ Now we have the next Chief Executive Officer ——his name is Jim!”

   Nobody could believe it, including Jim himself. Then the CEO said, “ One year ago the seeds I gave everyone were all boiled seeds; it was not possible for them to grow. Remember, everyone, if you plant honesty, you will reap(收获) trust.”

29.  A. Because of       B. In addition to  C. Apart from      D. Instead of

30.  A. order         B. plant           C. seed             D. appointment

31.  A. come back          B. get off                 C. forget about           D. walk around

32.  A. collect             B. buy             C. sell                  D. judge

33.  A. excitedly           B. nervously        C. carefully            D. angrily

34.  A. declared           B. remained         C. watched             D. intended

35.  A. dig out            B. pack up          C. meet with            D. bring back

36.  A. disappointed at      B. amazed at        C. satisfied with         D. cautious about

37.  A. green              B. beautiful        C. disappointing        D. dying

38.  A. scanned            B. found          C. searched              D. inspected

39.  A. broken            B.empty           C. big                 D. expensive

40.  A. explained          B. suggested        C. announced           D. introduced

 The melon the Smiths served at dinner would have tasted ___ if it had been put in the fridge for a little while.

A.good                                  B.better

C.best                                  D.well