By the year 1869 when the first transcontinental railroad was finished, over 350,000 pioneers had taken the Oregon Trail to head west and start a new life, which is known as the Gold Rush Period in American history. Many of these were women and most were accompanied by children.
Before heading west, many women often spent their day doing nothing more than visiting, needlework, and the occasional gardening of flowers. Others were not from as wealthy families and had to work alongside their men as laborers. Neither type was in most cases prepared for the hardships that lay ahead.

Once they did reach their destination, the work was far from over. A house would need to be built. Women quickly learned to use all kinds of tools right alongside their husbands. At the first sign of spring, a garden would need to be planted. Pioneer women also had to deal with dangerous wild animals, including bears and lions. Indians were also a concern, and some did fall to their deaths by the Indians’ hand. Where were the men when all this was being done? Working the fields and mining were the two most usual occupations. Their remaining work, which there was plenty of, fell to the women and the oldest children if there were any.
Women who headed west learned quickly that there was much more to life than teas and visiting. They had no choice but to struggle for survival. This was their life.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?

By this time next summer, you ___ a high paying job. I, on the other hand , will still be studying for my degree.

A. will have found    B. will find     C.have found    D.will be finding 

By the year 1869 when the first transcontinental railroad was finished, over 350,000 pioneers had taken the Oregon Trail to head west and start a new life, which is known as the Gold Rush Period in American history. Many of these were women and most were accompanied by children.

Before heading west, many women often spent their day doing nothing more than visiting, needlework, and the occasional gardening of flowers. Others were not from as wealthy families and had to work alongside their men as laborers. Neither type was in most cases prepared for the hardships that lay ahead.

Once they did reach their destination, the work was far from over. A house would need to be built. Women quickly learned to use all kinds of tools right alongside their husbands. At the first sign of spring, a garden would need to be planted. Pioneer women also had to deal with dangerous wild animals, including bears and lions. Indians were also a concern, and some did fall to their deaths by the Indians’ hand. Where were the men when all this was being done? Working the fields and mining were the two most usual occupations. Their remaining work, which there was plenty of, fell to the women and the oldest children if there were any.

Women who headed west learned quickly that there was much more to life than teas and visiting. They had no choice but to struggle for survival. This was their life.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Changes in the Gold Rush Period.

B. New life in the West.

C. Great people in American history.

D. Pioneer women to the West.

2.By mentioning women’s life before heading west in paragraph 2, the author implies (暗示) that          .

A. it was a real struggle for women to adapt to the hard life in the West

B. it was not reasonable for women to give up their comfortable life

C. it was a better choice for women to experience a new and hard life

D. it was necessary for women to change their lifestyle completely

3.According to the passage, which was NOT the problem women faced when heading west?

A. They had no choice but to throw away many of their beloved things.

B. They could not take their children along because of the hard journey.

C. It was common that they lost their husbands in some accidents.

D. They suffered from diseases or even lost their lives.

4.Women were kept busy with all the following work EXCEPT _________.

A. building a house

B. planting a garden

C. driving wild animals away

D. caring for the Indians

By the time she got the box open, Nancy was so excited that she could hardly  36  herself. Eagerly she  37  the cotton surrounding the small object inside the box, and  38  it up to the light. It glittered and sparkled（闪耀）――made alive by the bright sunlight  39  through the large picture window.

    Nancy  40  the object slowly in her hands, first this way and then that way. It continued to sparkle and shine  41  it had a light of its own. She let out a little squeal(尖叫) of  42  .Her diamond engagement ring had been found and returned to her, just as the woman on the phone had     43  .

    For two weeks, Nancy had  44 gone mad after  45  the ring on the subway. She had placed ads in the newspapers and over the radio,  46  a reward for the return of the ring. And she had almost _47  hope when the telephone call  48  .

    A kind, elderly female voice  49  her that she had found the ring wedged(挤塞)in a seat cushion. She had called, she said, to  50  the exact address and had promised to return the ring by insured mail the next day. And then she added sweetly:

   “There is no need to send a  51  either. I lost my engagement ring once when I was young, and _52  kind, unknown person returned it to me the next day. I feel I’m only  53  an old debt of gratitude.”

Nancy had thanked the finder again and again and asked her name, but the other woman had said that it wasn’t  54   .

    And now, here was the ring once again in her hand. She slipped it once again on her finger and  55  a huge sigh of relief

By the time she got the box open, Nancy was so excited that she could hardly  36  herself. Eagerly she  37  the cotton surrounding the small object inside the box, and  38  it up to the light. It glittered and sparkled（闪耀）――made alive by the bright sunlight  39  through the large picture window.

    Nancy  40  the object slowly in her hands, first this way and then that way. It continued to sparkle and shine  41  it had a light of its own. She let out a little squeal(尖叫) of  42  .Her diamond engagement ring had been found and returned to her, just as the woman on the phone had     43  .

    For two weeks, Nancy had  44 gone mad after  45  the ring on the subway. She had placed ads in the newspapers and over the radio,  46  a reward for the return of the ring. And she had almost _47  hope when the telephone call  48  .

    A kind, elderly female voice  49  her that she had found the ring wedged(挤塞)in a seat cushion. She had called, she said, to  50  the exact address and had promised to return the ring by insured mail the next day. And then she added sweetly:

   “There is no need to send a  51  either. I lost my engagement ring once when I was young, and _52  kind, unknown person returned it to me the next day. I feel I’m only  53  an old debt of gratitude.”

Nancy had thanked the finder again and again and asked her name, but the other woman had said that it wasn’t  54   .

    And now, here was the ring once again in her hand. She slipped it once again on her finger and  55  a huge sigh of relief