When Bill Gates decided to create Microsoft, he ________ law at Harvard University.

A．studied 

B．had studied

C．was studying 

D．would study

Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been!
What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.
When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners (吸尘器), collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before vacuum dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.
Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.
【小题1】 What is this passage about?

A．A sad story.	B．Australia’s northern part.
C．A rain of fish.	D．The damage done by floods.

Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been!

    What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.

    When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners (吸尘器), collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before vacuum dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.

    Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.

1. What is this passage about?

     A. A sad story.                     B. Australia’s northern part.

     C. A rain of fish.                   D. The damage done by floods.

2. Fish-falls occur in Australia __________.

     A. quite often                      B. on large farms

     C. only in winter                   D. when the air is calm

3.The underlined word “infinite” is closest in meaning to “__________”.

     A. easy        B. difficult          C. countless         D. dangerous

It gives me great pleasure today to say a few words in praise of a man we will all miss very much. To be honest, I can't imagine we will do without him when he's gone.

　　Bill Masters almost single-handed built up our sales force in the Houston area and developed the market position that we enjoy today. In only six years, he has brought the firm from a very low fifth position in the area sales to the point where we now outsell all but one of our competitors. Not only have we got 37 per cent of the market under Bill's leadership; we are increasing our share with each passing month.

　　As you know, the company has moved Bill to northern California to work his sales magic in one of this company's most competitive(竞争的) areas. But we know that if anyone can do it, Bill Masters can, and I know you all join me in wishing him the best of luck in his new work.

1.The speech was made _______.

A．at a welcome meeting

B．at the opening of a new school term

C．when somebody was leaving

D．when they had a new manager

2.How long did Masters worked there?

A．37 years                              B．less than 5 years

C．about six years                         D．since he began to work

3.When Bill started to work in Houston area, he had _______to help him.

A．many people                           B．nobody

C．about 37 people                        D．very few people

4.Bill increased the company's sale _______.

A．by 37 per cent every month

B．to the second largest in the area

C．to be the fifth largest in the area

D．five times as much as before

This story happened after the First World War. A French soldier named Frank returned to his hometown after the war.___41___he had been disabled in the war, he could hardly do anything. So before long he became very___42___.
Every year the former___43___ in the town would hold a party.Once the party was held in Bill’s house.Since he had become a rich man,he___44___the other soldiers with a lot of good wine and tasty food. At the party,Bill was so glad that he took out a big gold ___45___he had collected to___46___them. The coin was passed around.They talked and laughed.___47___,most of them got drunk and the gold coin was soon___48___. When Bill remembered the gold coin,he found it was___49___.Everybody helped to___50___the coin in the room,but they___51___.At that time,someone___52___that everyone in the room be searched.Everyone else___53___except Frank.”I’m not a___54___,why should I be searched?” Then he went out of Bill’s house.Since then people believed that it was Frank___55___had stolen the gold coin.Frank was looked down upon from then on.All the people in the town___56___from him.
Several years later,when Bill repaired his house,he___57___to find the gold coin in a crack of the floor.He hurried to Frank’s house to tell him about it and he___58___to Frank.Then he asked Frank,”But why didn’t you___59___to be searched at the time?”Hearing this Frank’s face turned red.”Because… my ___60___was full of bread and chicken that I had taken from your table and would carry home for my hungry wife and children.”