America has long been considered the land of opportunity(机遇)by those from other countries. Americans, too, believe that the United States gives almost limitless opportunity for those who want to open business on their own.

　 Today, Americans are still fond of trying their hand at becoming small business people, even though only one out of two survives in the first two years. Many of these people start their business for the wrong reason: to get away from the paper work of their present jobs or to exchange the responsibility(责任)of their present jobs for free life styles. But more, not less paper work and responsibility come with the ownership of a small business .

　 Not all small businesses succeed. Fifty percent of the 4,550,000 that start in the United States ever fail(失败). Still ninety-five percent of businesses in the U.S. can be regarded as small, and these businesses altogether produce forty percent of America’s total national products.

1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

　 A. People from other countries and Americans think there are a lot of opportunities in the

　　 U.S.

　 B. Only the Americans think the U.S. can give them many opportunities.

　 C. Both people from other countries and Americans believe they have many opportunities in

　　 the U.S so that they can do whatever they like.

　 D. People from other countries and Americans all think the U.S. the place where they can

　　 realize their dreams.

2. From this passage, we know that ____.

　 A. many people from other countries think that in the past there were many opportunities in

　　 the U.S. but not now

　 B. now Americans don’t believe the U.S. can give them a lot of opportunities

　 C. people from other countries still think they have more opportunities in the U.S. than in

　　 their own countries

　 D. Americans think they have more opportunities to start their own business than those from

　　 other countries

3. According to this passage, many American people like to start their own business because

　 ____.

　 A. they want to become rich soon

　 B. they not only dislike their present job but also want a free life style

　 C. they don’t want to do paper work

　 D. they want to have more chances

4. From this passage, we can get the idea that ____.

　 A. it is easy to do business successfully in the U.S.

　 B. it is easy to start a business but hard to make it successful

　 C. there are more big businesses than small businesses in the U.S.

　 D. only big businesses can succeed in the U.S.

　 America has long been considered the land of opportunity(机遇)by those from other countries. Americans, too, believe that the United States gives almost limitless opportunity for those who want to open business on their own.

　 Today, Americans are still fond of trying their hand at becoming small business people, even though only one out of two survives in the first two years. Many of these people start their business for the wrong reason: to get away from the paper work of their present jobs or to exchange the responsibility(责任)of their present jobs for free life styles. But more, not less paper work and responsibility come with the ownership of a small business .

　 Not all small businesses succeed. Fifty percent of the 4,550,000 that start in the United States ever fail(失败). Still ninety-five percent of businesses in the U.S. can be regarded as small, and these businesses altogether produce forty percent of America’s total national products.

1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

　 A. People from other countries and Americans think there are a lot of opportunities in the

　　 U.S.

　 B. Only the Americans think the U.S. can give them many opportunities.

　 C. Both people from other countries and Americans believe they have many opportunities in

　　 the U.S so that they can do whatever they like.

　 D. People from other countries and Americans all think the U.S. the place where they can

　　 realize their dreams.

2. From this passage, we know that ____.

　 A. many people from other countries think that in the past there were many opportunities in

　　 the U.S. but not now

　 B. now Americans don’t believe the U.S. can give them a lot of opportunities

　 C. people from other countries still think they have more opportunities in the U.S. than in

　　 their own countries

　 D. Americans think they have more opportunities to start their own business than those from

　　 other countries

3. According to this passage, many American people like to start their own business because

　 ____.

　 A. they want to become rich soon

　 B. they not only dislike their present job but also want a free life style

　 C. they don’t want to do paper work

　 D. they want to have more chances

4. From this passage, we can get the idea that ____.

　 A. it is easy to do business successfully in the U.S.

　 B. it is easy to start a business but hard to make it successful

　 C. there are more big businesses than small businesses in the U.S.

　 D. only big businesses can succeed in the U.S.

短文填词

阅读下面短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词，并将该词完整地写在右边相对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确。

Dear editor,

I am in great need of some help from you.

I am a high school student and w　　　 about something.

Yesterday one of my best 　　　　 (朋友) told me that he

was going to 　　　　 school. He said that he wanted to start his

　　　 business. I tried my best to get him to change his mind,

but I 　　　　 (失败). I know it is difficult for him to change his

mind. He is not doing so 　　　　 (好) in his studies, yet I want

to insist that he can give it a t　　　 . The process is a great more

i　　　 than the results. Now there are only sixty days to go

before that test. I am not sure 　　　　 his decision is right or

wrong. I need your a 　　　 badly.

There lived a poor farmer. He had a beautiful white horse. Many people offered him much money to buy the horse. But he wouldn’t 21 it. The villagers told him, “You are so 　22 . You have such a precious horse.” The farmer said, “It is true that my horse may bring me a 　 23 . But we can’t say it is good luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.” The villagers didn’t like his 24 .

One day the horse just 　25 . They searched everywhere. But the horse was not found. The villagers told the farmer, “You should have sold that horse. It is such bad luck that the horse was stolen.” The farmer replied, “It is true that my horse is 　26 . But we can’t say it is good luck or bad luck because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.” The villagers still didn’t like his answer.

After a few days, to the great 　27 of all the villagers, the horse came back to the farmer and 　28 a dozen white horses from the forest with it. The villagers all gathered 　29 the farmer and said he was so lucky. The farmer offered the same reply. The villagers thought the man was 30 .

One day the farmer’s youthful son was riding one of the horses. 　31 he fell off the horse and seriously broke his legs. The villagers came to 32 the farmer, “We are really sorry for you. It’s such bad luck that your only son has become disabled now.” The farmer 33 replied with the same word. The villagers really got mad and they didn’t 　34 him.

A few months later, suddenly the king of a neighboring country 35 the farmer’s own country. In order to win the war the king of the farmer made a(n) 36 that all the youth of the country should 37 the army, except 　38 people. The villagers were all in 　39 . They came to the farmer and said, “You are a lucky man. 40 you can see your son alive.” The wise farmer kept on giving the same reply. And the story never ended.

21. A. raise　　　　　 B. sell　　　 C. have　　　　　 D. control(控制)

22. A. right　　　　　 B. fine　　　 C. lucky　　　　 D. careful

23. A. fight　　　　　 B. faith(信念) C. failure(失败)　 D. fortune(财富)

24. A. result　　　　 B. reply　　　 C. horse　　 　　 D. excuse

25. A. died　　　　　 B. deserted(遗弃)C. walked　　　 D. disappeared

26. A. missing　　　 B. losing　　　 C. taken　　　　 D. left

27. A. disappointment B. happy　　　 C. surprise　　　 D. sadness

28. A. accepted　　　 B. brought　　 C. got　　　　 D. received

29. A. around　　　　 B. in　　　　　 C. to　　　　　 D. of

30. A. excited　　　　 B. puzzled　　 C. crazy　　　　 D. proud

31. A. Luckily　　　 B. Suddenly　　 C. Immediately　 D. Gradually

32. A. comfort　　　 B. talk　　　 C. remind　　　 D. warn

33. A. never　　　　 B. already　　　 C. seldom　　　 D. still

34. A. enjoy　　　　 B. understand　 C. help　　　　 D. tell

35. A. treated　　　　 B. cheated　　　 C. blocked　　　 D. attacked

36. A. announcement　 B. debate　　　 C. appointment　 D. expression

37 .A. Attend(参加)　 B. take part　　 C. serve　　　　 D. join

38. A. young　　　　 B. old　　　　 C. disabled　　　 D. perfect(完美的)

39. A. sorrow(悲伤)　 B. happiness　 C. trouble　　　 D. joy(高兴)

40. A. At last　　　　 B. At most　　 C. At first　　　 D. At least

. How pleased the detective was _____ what his customer told him!