III．阅读（共两节，满分40分）

第一节     阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Until late in the 20th century, most Americans spent time with people of different generations．Now middle-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves．

    That’s because we group people by age．We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-year-olds in schools and sports activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior-citizen homes．Why?

　　We live away from the old for many reasons．Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of aging and dying．It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes．Sometimes it’s so hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most．

　　Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old．And we have discovered that they often save the young．

　　A reporter moved her family onto a block filled with old people．At first her children were disappointed．But the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbors and had her children deliver it and visit．Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects．“My children have never been less lonely,” the reporter said．

　　The young, in turn, save the old．Once I was in a rest home when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was immediately surrounded．People who hadn’t gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair．Even those who had seemed asleep woke up to watch the child．Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure．

　　Grandparents are a special case．They give their grandchildren a feeling of security(安全) and continuity．As my husband put it, “My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end．” Grandchildren speak of attention they don’t get from worried parents．“My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down,” one friend said．A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting．

41．Now in an American family, people can find that _____．

　　A．children never live with their parents

　　B．not all working people live with their parents

　　C．aged people are supported by their grandchildren

　　D．grandchildren are supported by their grandparents

42．What may be the reason why old people are left alone?

　　A．The old don’t like to live in a big family

　　B．The young can’t get enough money to support the old

　　C．Different generations have different lifestyles

　　D．The old are too weak to live with the young

43．The fact the reporter told us shows that _____．

　　A．old people in America lead a hard life

　　B．old people in America enjoy banana bread

　　C．she had no time to take care of her children

　　D．old people are easy to get along with

44．Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _____．

　　A．they had never seen a baby before

　　B．the baby was clever and beautiful

　　C．the baby brought them the image of life

　　D．the baby’s mother would take care of them

45．Why are some children quieter,calmer and more trusting?

         A．Because they have relationships with their grandparents

         B．Because their worried parents ask them to act like that

         C．Because they have nothing to worry about

         D．Because their teachers ask them to act like that

 The flag looks especially beautiful _______________　the blue sky.

  A. against          B. on             C. towards        D. beyond

Dear Benter,
　　You have been away exactly two weeks today but it seems more like two years to me!
　　I’m glad to hear you’ll be back soon. Are you coming directly home, dear? Or do you plan to make some stops   36  the way? I hope you’ll be home in  37 for Patsy’s birthday next Sunday. She is  38 you to show films to her  39 friends.
Patsy keeps asking every day  40 you’ll be back. She says you never  41  that story you were telling her about  42 train that lost its “ toot”(喇叭嘟嘟声). You’d better   43  and think up a good ending  44 it. You know how Patsy is? She  45 be happy until she knows exactly what ­__46  to the “toot” and  47 the little train got it back  48 !
　　Everything at home is fine except that we  49 you so much! I’ve been  50 with the spring cleaning. Yesterday I had Cora  51 in to wash the kitchen walls and she did a very good __52 of it. The kitchen looks as though it’s been repainted. I made some new yellow curtains, and they  53 very beautiful.
　 I went to see your mother yesterday. Her  54 is all gone and she looks very  55 . Your sister Jean looks wonderful! She has taken off about fifteen pounds since she began dieting. But now she’s complaining that none of her clothes fit!
Hope to see you before next Sunday.
　 Love and kisses to you!
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　     Yours
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　           Lynn
【小题1】A in           B. on          C. at          D. along

----- The flower is beautiful. ----- _________.

　 A. So is it 　 B. So it is  C. It is so 　 D. So it is

Dear Benter,

　　You have been away exactly two weeks today but it seems more like two years to me!

　　I’m glad to hear you’ll be back soon. Are you coming directly home, dear? Or do you plan to make some stops   36   the way? I hope you’ll be home in  37  for Patsy’s birthday next Sunday. She is  38  you to show films to her  39  friends.

    Patsy keeps asking every day  40  you’ll be back. She says you never  41   that story you were telling her about  42  train that lost its “ toot”(喇叭嘟嘟声). You’d better   43   and think up a good ending  44  it. You know how Patsy is? She  45  be happy until she knows exactly what ­__46   to the “toot” and  47  the little train got it back  48  !

　　Everything at home is fine except that we  49  you so much! I’ve been  50  with the spring cleaning. Yesterday I had Cora  51  in to wash the kitchen walls and she did a very good __52  of it. The kitchen looks as though it’s been repainted. I made some new yellow curtains, and they  53  very beautiful.

　 I went to see your mother yesterday. Her  54  is all gone and she looks very  55  . Your sister Jean looks wonderful! She has taken off about fifteen pounds since she began dieting. But now she’s complaining that none of her clothes fit!

   Hope to see you before next Sunday.

　 Love and kisses to you!

            　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　     Yours

           　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　            Lynn

1.A in            B. on           C. at           D. along

2.A. time         B. fact          C. all           D. the end

3.A. expecting     B. thinking      C. agreeing      D. hoping

4.A. small        B. short         C. little         D. low

5.A. that          B. when        C. why         D. unless

6.A. finished      B. stopped       C. supplied     D. included

7.A. some        B. a            C. the          D. this

8.A. care         B. arrive        C. pretend       D. hurry

9.A. on          B. for           C. at           D. in

10.A. mustn’t      B. couldn’t      C. won’t        D. shouldn’t

11.A. affected      B. about        C. happened     D. was

12.A. how         B. however      C. because      D. why

13.A. yet          B. too          C. again         D. next

14.A. love         B. think         C. miss         D. care

15.A. working      B. ready        C. together       D. busy

16.A. stay         B. come         C. visit          D. drop

17.A. work        B. job           C. thing         D. clean

18.A. show        B. feel          C. become       D. look

19.A. cold         B. heat          C. health        D. medicine

20.A. good        B. well          C. nice          D. best