Number　 sense is not the ability to count. It is the ability to recognize a 　 1　 in number. Human beings are born with this ability. 2 ，experiments show that many animals are, too. For example, many birds have good number sense. If a nest has four eggs and you remove one, the bird will not　 3 . However, if you remove two, the bird 4 leaves. This means that the bird knows the 　5　 between two and three.

Another interesting experiment showed a bird's 6 number sense. A man was trying to take a photo of a crow(乌鸦)that had a nest in a tower, but the crow always left when she saw him coming. The bird did not 7 until the man left the tower. The man had an 8 .He took another man with him to the tower. One man left and the other stayed, but they did not 9 the bird. The crow stayed away until the second man left, too. The experiment was　 10 with three men and then with four men. But the crow did not return to the nest until all the men were 11 .It was not until five men went into the tower and only four left that they were 12 able to fool the crow.

How good is a human's number sense? It's not very good. For example, babies about fourteen months old almost always notice if something is taken away from a 　13 group. But when the number goes beyond three or four, the children are 14　 fooled.

It seems that number sense is something we have in common with many animals in this world, and that our human 15 is not much better than a crow's.

1. A. rise　　　　　　　 B. pattern　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. change　　　　　　　　　　 D. trend

2. A. Importantly　 B. Surprisingly　 C. Disappointedly D. Fortunately

3. A. survive　　　　　　　　 B. care　　　　　　　　 C. hatch　　　　 D. notice

4. A. generally 　　　　　　 B. sincerely　　 C. casually　　　　　 D. deliberately

5．A. distance 　　　　　 B. range　　　　 C. different　 　　　 D. interval

6．A. amazing 　　　　　 B. annoying　　　　　 C. satisfying　 D. disturbing

7. A. relax　　　　　　　　　 B. recover　　　　　　 C. react　　　　 D. return

8. A. appointment　　　　 B. excuse　　　　　　 C. idea　　　　　 D. explanation

9. A. fool　　　　　　　　　　 B. hurt　　　　　 C. catch　　　　 D. kill

10.A. repo　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. repeated　　 C. designed　　 D. approved

11.A. confused　　　　　　 B. gone　　　　 C. tired　　　　　 D. drunk

12.A. gradually　　　　　　 B. luckily　　　 C. strangely　 D. finally

13.　 A. single　　　　　　　 B. small　　　　 C. local　　　　 D. new

14. A. seldom　　　　　　　 B. temporarily C. merely　　　 D. often

15. A. sight　　　　　　　　　 B. nature　　　 C. ability　　　　 D. belief

One topic is rarely mentioned in all the talk of improving standards in our schools: the almost complete failure of foreign-language teaching. As a French graduate who has taught for more than twenty-five years, I believe I have some idea of why the failure is so total.  21  the faults already found out in the education system as a whole — such as child-centred learning, the “discovery” method, and the low expectations by teachers of pupils — there have been several serious  22  which have a direct effect on language teaching.

The first is the removal from the curriculum (课程) of the thorough teaching of English  23 . Pupils now do not know a verb from a noun, the subject of a sentence from its object, or the difference between the past, present, or future.

Another important error is mixed-ability teaching, or teaching in ability groups so  24  that the most able groups are  25  and are bored while the least able are lost and  26  bored. Strangely enough, few head teachers seem to be in favour of mixed-ability school football teams.

Progress depends on memory, and pupils start to forget immediately they stop having 27  lessons. This is why many people who attended French lessons at school, even those who got good grades, have  28  it a few years later. Because they never need it, they do not practice it.

Most American schools have accepted what is inevitable and  29  modern languages, even Spanish, from the curriculum. Perhaps it is time for Britain to do the same, and stop  30  resources on a subject which few pupils want or need.

21. A. Due to                 B. In addition to       C. Instead of            D. In spite of

22. A. errors                  B. situations             C. systems               D. methods

23. A. vocabulary           B. culture                C. grammar             D. literature

24. A. wide                    B. similar                C. separate               D. unique

25. A. kept out               B. turned down        C. held back            D. left behind

26. A. surprisingly          B. individually         C. equally                D. hardly

27. A. extra                   B. traditional           C. basic                   D. regular

28. A. needed                 B. forgotten             C. practised             D. left

29. A. restored               B. absorbed             C. prohibited           D. withdrawn

30. A. wasting                B. focusing              C. exploiting            D. sharing

. It is difficult for us to learn a lesson in life __________ we’ve actually had that lesson.

A. until   B. after

C. since   D. when

If you travel around the world , you will be surprised to find just how different the foreign customs can be from your own .

A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table . The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself . Also in India , you might see a man apparently shaking his head at another and assume that he is disagreeing . But in many parts of India a shake of the head is a gesture that shows agreement of acceptance .

Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty . In that country you shake your head to indicate “yes” —a nod indicates “no”. The Arabs are known for their hospitality . At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula , you will find that any drinking vessel （容器，器皿）is repeatedly refilled as soon as you drink it up .

In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting talking to someone , even at an important meeting . Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand , however , could cause offence . It is too informal an attitude for such an occasion . Also when in Thailand you are not supposed to touch the head of an adult —it’s just not done . In Japan , it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home . In Europe such attitudes are disappearing .

Customs vary from country to country . Visitors may be at a loss as to what to do in a foreign environment . In such circumstances , the golden rule to follow is : When in Rome , do as the Romans do .

60．In which country , a left — hand is not welcomed ?         .

       A．Thailand B．India       C Arabic peninsula D．Bulgaria

61．In which country , if someone shakes his head at another , it shows that he agrees or accepts ?

            .

       A．Bulgaria B．Thailand C．China      D．Arabic Peninsula

62．Which of the following is impolite in Europe ?         .

       A．to cross your legs

       B．to touch the head of an adult

       C．That men plan evening entertainment and leave their wives at home

       D．To drain the glass in your hand

63．If you don’t know the customs in the country where you visit , the golden rule to follow is          .

       A．to do as the Romans do B．to do nothing

       C．to visit Rome only D．to do as the natives do