Background music may seem harmless, but it can have a powerful effect on those who hear it. Recorded background music first found its way into factories, shops and restaurants in the USA. Very soon it spread to other parts of the world. Now it is becoming difficult to go shopping or eat a meal without listening to background music.
　　To begin with, background music was intended simply to create a soothing (舒适的) atmosphere. Recently, however, it's becoming a big business. An American marketing expert has shown that music can boost(提升) sales or increase factory production by as much as a third.
　　But it has to be the light music. Lively music has no effect at all on sales. Slow music can increase receipts(收入) by 34%. This is probably because shoppers slow down and have more opportunity to spot items they would like to buy. Yet, slow music isn't always the answer. The expert found that in restaurants slow music meant customers took longer to eat their meals, which reduced overall sales. So restaurant owners might be well advised to play faster music to keep the customers moving-unless, of course, the resulting indigestion(消化不良) leads to complaints.
【小题1】Background music was first used ________.

It was eleven o'clock that night when Mr. Pontellier returned from his night out. He was in an excellent humor, in high spirits, and very talkative. His entrance awoke his wife, who was in bed and fast asleep when he came in. He talked to her while he undressed, telling her anecdotes and bits of news and gossip that he had gathered during the day. She was overcome with sleep, and answered him with little half utterances.
　　He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, showed so little interest in things which concerned him and valued so little his conversation.
　　Mr. Pontellier had forgotten the candies and peanuts that he had promised the boys. Still, he loved them very much and went into the room where they slept to take a look at them and make sure that they were resting comfortably. The result of his investigation was far from satisfactory. He turned and shifted the youngsters about in bed. One of them began to kick and talk about a basket full of crabs.
　　Mr. Pontellier returned to his wife with the information that Raoul had a high fever and needed looking after. Then he lit his cigar and went and sat near the open door to smoke it.
　　Mrs. Pontellier was quite sure Raoul had no fever. He had gone to bed perfectly well, she said, and nothing had made him sick. Mr. Pontellier was too well familiar with fever symptoms to be mistaken. He assured her the child was burning with fever at that moment in the next room.
　　He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother's place to look after children, whose on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his business. He could not be in two places at once; making a living for his family on the street, and staying home to see that no harm done to them. He talked in a dull, repeated and insistent way.
　　Mrs. Pontellier sprang out of bed and went into the next room. She soon came back and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning her head down on the pillow. She said nothing, and refused to answer her husband when he questioned her. When his cigar was smoked out, he went to bed, and in half a minute was fast asleep.
　　Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her nightdress. She went out on the porch, where she sat down and began to rock herself in the chair.
　　It was then past midnight. The cottages were all dark. There was no sound except the hooting of an old owl and the everlasting voice of the sea, which broke like a mournful lullaby (催眠曲) upon the night.
　　The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her nightdress no longer served to dry them. She went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms.
　　She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as had just happened were not uncommon in her married life. They seemed never before to have weighed much against theabundance (充足) of her husband's kindness and a uniform devotion which had come to be self-understood.
　　An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with vague pain. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly scolding her husband, expressing sadness about Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just having a good cry all to herself.
　　The mosquitoes succeeded in driving away a mood which might have held her there in the darkness half a night longer.
　　The following morning Mr. Pontellier was up in good time to take the carriage which was to convey him to the ship. He was returning to the city to his business, and they would not see him again at the Island till the coming Saturday. He had regained his calmness, which seemed to have been somewhatweakened the night before. He was eager to be gone, as he looked forward to a lively week in the financial center.
【小题1】Mr.Pontellier comes back home from his night out in a/an ______state of mind.

阅读下面短文，根据短文内容，填写表格。

　　How much do you know about Brazil? You might think of football , samba (桑巴) and the Amazon． But there is a lot more to this country： its wonderful land, history and culture．

　　On September 7 , 1822 , Brazil won its independence (独立) from Portugal． So that day is Brazil’s National Day．

　　It is the largest country in South America and has the second longest river in the world． It is called the Amazon． The river is 6, 440 kilometres long and runs through the world’s largest rainforest． The rainforest is home to between 800, 000 and 5 million kinds of plants and animals． But be careful when you swim because the biggest snake, the Anaconda (大水蟒), and the most terrible fish, the Piranha (水虎鱼) , live there!

　　Brazilians love sports, especially football． Many great players were born in Brazil like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo． Football is-played everywhere． It is so popular that schools and businesses close during their important matches !

　　The Brazilians also love dancing very much． The national dance is the samba． Samba is a very lively and fun dance． Every year in February or March, there is the Carnival (狂欢节) in Rio de Janeiro． This is a time for parades and partying ! People go out and dance in the streets Dancers dress up in colorful clothes and go through the streets on big cars called floats． Tens of thousands of people watch the dancing．

　　If you want to be part of the carnival, then find a chance to travel to Brazil!

While I studied at school, I felt great difficulty in learning my Latin translations. I was always very 　36　in using a dictionary, and 　37　it most difficult, while to other boys it seemed no 　38　.

　　I formed an alliance(盟友) with a boy in the Sixth Grade. He was very clever and 　39　read Latin as easily as English. My friend for his part was almost as 　40　troubled by the English essays he had to write for the headmaster as I was 　41　these Latin words. We agreed together that he should 　42　me my Latin translations and that I should do his essays. The arrangement 　43　wonderfully. The headmaster seemed quite 　44　with my work, and I had more time to myself in the morning. On the other hand, once a week 　45　I had to compose the essays of my friend. For several months no difficulty 　46　, but once we were nearly caught out.

　　One afternoon, the headmaster 　47　my friend to discuss one essay with him in a lively spirit. “I was interested in this 　48　you make here. I think you might have gone further. Tell me 　49　you had in your mind.” The headmaster continued in this 　50　for some time to fear of my friend. However, the headmaster, not wishing to 　51　an occasion of praise into 　52　of fault-finding, finally 　53　him go. He came back to me like a man who had had a very narrow 　54　and I made up my mind to make every effort to study my 　55　.

A. quick　　　　 B. slow　　　　　 C. hard　　　　　　　 D. good

A. made 　　　　B. got 　　　　　  C. found 　　　　　　 D. left

A. trouble　　　　B. difference　　   C. labor 　　　　　　  D. worry

A. might　　　　　B. would 　　　　C. should　　　　　　  D. could

A. very 　　　　　B. little　　　　   C. much　　　　　　　D. few

A. for　　　　　　 B. by　　　　　　C. in　　　　　　　　 D. to

A. change　　　　　B. take　　　　　 C. forgive　　　　　  D. tell

A. worked　　　　　B. tried　　　　  C. happened　　　　　 D. developed

A. angry　　　　　　B. satisfied　　   C. frightened　　　　  D. sad

A. or so　　　　　　B. or else　　　   C. as usual　　　　　  D. as far

A. became 　　　　 B. seemed　　　　 C. lay　　　　　　　 D. appeared

A. called　　　　　　B. taught　　　　 C. arranged　　　　　 D. sent

A. aim　　　　　　　B. goal　　　　　 C. point　　　　　 　 D. opinion

A. why　　　　　　　B. how 　　　　　C. which　　　　　　 D. what

A. excitement 　　    B. way 　　　　　C. meaning 　　　　　D. disappointment

A. turn 　　　　　　 B. leave 　　　　 C. grow　　　　　　　D. become

A. none　　　　　　　B. one 　　　　　C. either　　　　　　 D. some

A. ordered　　　　　　B. asked 　　　　C. took　　　　　　　D. let

A. surprise 　　　　   B. escape　　　　C. hope　　　　　　　D. chance

A. reading　　　　　　B. writing 　　　 C. translations　　　   D. essays

Window

　 Bill and John, both seriously ill, lived in the same room at Marie Hospital. John lived next to the only window of the room and was allowed to 21 in his bed and watch for an hour every day. But Bill had to spend all his time 22 on his back.

　 They became friends soon and talked for hours every day. They spoke of their families, their children, their hobbies, and their 23 in the American army. Each day John would sit up and 24 to his roommate Bill what he could see outside the window.

　 Through John's description, Bill's world was 25 　and brightened by all the activities and colors of the outside world. The window overlooked a beautiful park with a lovely 26, John told Bill. Ducks played on the water 27 children sailed their model boats. And a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As John described all these 28 , Bill would close his eyes and 29 　the picturesque scene. Bill was recovering 30 .However, John became weak day by day.

　 Late one night, Bill was lying in bed 31 　the ceiling when John began to cough seriously. Then doctors and nurses rushed to the room. Thirty minutes later, John 32 coughing. Now, there was only silence-- 33 silence.

　 The following morning, Bill was moved to the bed next to the window at his request. Slowly and 34, he supported himself up on one elbow to take the first look. But to his 35 , he could see nothing but a 36 　wall.

Only at that moment did he begin to realize that the pursuit of happiness was a matter of 37. It was a positive attitude we chose to express. It was not a gift that got 38 　to our doorstep each morning, nor did it come through the window. It was an inward journey. Whether a man is happy or not depends on his own thoughts 39 anything outward.

　 So Bill began to describe the 40 　world to his new roommate that he saw through the only window of the room.

21. A. stand up　　 　B. sit up　　　　　 　C. set up　　 　　　　 D. stay up

22. A. lying　　　 　 B. depending　　　 C. going　　　　　 　 D. relying

23. A. service　　　 　B. advice　　　　　 C. appearance　　 　　D. violence

24. A. explain　　 　 B. complain　　　 　 C. describe　　　　 　 D. introduce

25. A. affected　　 　B. broadened　　 　　C. damaged　　　　 　D. expanded

26. A. tower　　　 　 B. lake　　　　　 　　C. statue　　　　　 　D. hill

27. A. while　　　 　 B. though　　　　 　C. unless　　　　 　 D. until

28. A. in addition 　　B. in general　　　 　 C. in brief　　　　 　　D. in detail

29. A. see　　　　　 B. remember　　　 　 C. imagine　　　　 　D. recognize

30. A. up to now　 　 B. little by little　　　 C. sooner or later　 　　D. one by one

31. A. thinking about 　B. staring at　　　 　 C. holding up　　 　　 D. fixing on

32. A. stopped　　 　 B. continued　　　　 C. avoided　　　　　 D. survived

33. A. deadly　　　 　B. dead　　　　　 　C. breathless　　 　 D. aimless

34. A. regretfully　 　　B. fortunately　　 　 C. particularly　　 　D. hopefully

35. A. surprise　　　 　B. delight　　　　 　C. relief　　　　　 D. anger

36. A. simple　　　 　B. blank　　　　　 　C. colored　　　　 D. painted

37. A. consideration 　B. expression　　　 C. choice　　　 　　D. practice

38. A. delivered　　　 B. decorated　　　　 C. devoted　　　　　 D. determined

39. A. more than　　 　B. better than　 　　C. other than　　 　　D. rather than

40. A. friendly　　　 　B. yearly　　　　 C. lively　　　　　　 D. likely