C

True End of an Era

SURPRISE, surprise---David Beckham is in the news again! Sure, the England football star was never one to shy away from the headlines. But this time it seems people are talking as much about what Beckham is not doing as what he is.

Beckham won’t be playing for England at the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA． An injury he picked up while playing for AC Milan will likely rule the 34-year-old out for four months. It could be a sad end to the career of a player who has given his all to England since his debut (首次登场) in 1996. But rather than feeling sorry for the loss, some people are finally calling for us to move on from the Beckham obsession (着迷).

“The romantic wish of him seizing the day and inspiring England to glory was poppycock (胡扯),” according to an editorial in the Guardian. It argued that Beckham is past his best and would only have played a minor role at the World Cup anyway. But you might not have guessed it from the reaction of the rest of England.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent Beckham a “get well soon” message, and a Scottish poet even wrote a poem about the injury, comparing Beckham to the Greek hero Achilles.

But is it possible to forget about Beckham? Over his career Beckham has embodied (体现) everything the English like to think is good about their country. Beckham was never the most naturally gifted of footballers, but he reached the top through hard work and determination. He never gave up, even when things looked hopeless. And even as a superstar, he never forgot where he came from.

For this, the English took him to their hearts. Not a day goes by without seeing Beckham’s name in the newspapers, but the reality is his fantastic career is coming to the enD．Of course, it is sad that he’ll miss the World Cup, but this is a chance for England to find a new hero.

As a global icon(偶像) we will certainly miss him playing for England in South Africa this summer. But I think it’s time we finally give Beckham a break from the headlines.

Choose the best answer:

66．Which of the following may not be a result of Beckham’s injury?

A．Not being able to take part in the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA．

B．Not being able to play for England for four months.

C．People forgetting him.

D．This injury perhaps ending his career.

67．______ gave Beckham a negative evaluation.

A．Gordon Brown              B．An editorial in the Guardian

C．A Scottish poet              D．Most British people

68．Which is not the reason for it being hard for people to forget Beckham?

A．He has embodied British good characteristics and traits (特征).

B．He is one of the most naturally gifted footballers.

C．He is determined to achieve his goals.

D．He always remembers his country.

B

Macao is only forty miles from Hong Kong and it is easy to reach. You can get there by sea. It is an interesting place and it had a long history. Macao is part of China and most people living there are Chinese.

The first Europeans to go to Macao came from Portugal. More than four hundred years ago the Portuguese went there to trade with China. Some settled and made their homes there. They built strong forts to guard the city and the harbor. They also built churches, schools, hospitals and other places. Slowly the city grew. People from many countries came to live and work in Macao.

Today many people visit Macao. Some only go there to watch dog-racing or motor-racing or to gamble with their money. But Macao is a quiet and peaceful place. It is pleasant just to walk around and look at old buildings and forts. You feel you are back in the old days. Of course, some of the buildings are now in ruins. The Church of St. Paul has only the front wall with many steps leading up to it. But it is still interesting to see.

When you are hot and tired, there are small cool gardens to rest in. when you are hungry, there are good restaurants with many kinds of food. Nearby there are some islands, which are also nice and are easy to get to. There is certainly a lot to do in Macao.

61. Macao is easy to get to because_______.

   A. it is part of China and most people there are Chinese.

   B. it is an interesting place.

   C. it is very fast and cheap by sea

   D. it is not far away from Hong Kong.

62. Which of the following is Not true?

　 A. Portuguese were the first Europeans to go to Macao.

　 B. some Portuguese settled in Macao and made their homes half a century ago.

　 C. the city Macao grew slowly

　 D. people there put up strong forts to defend the city.

63. You feel in Macao you are back in the old days because_____

　 A. some of the buildings are now in ruins.

　 B. you can watch dog-racing or motor-racing.

　 C. you can go about and look at the old buildings and forts with pleasure.

　 D. it is a peaceful place.

64. Where will you have a break when you feel worn out?

　 A. In good restaurants.                                              B. In small cool gardens.

　 C. On some islands.                                            D. In beautiful parks.

65. The writer’s idea seems to be that_____.

　 A. people from many countries came to live and work in Macao.

　 B. Portuguese were willing to do business in China.

　 C. people in Macao serve good food.

　 D. Macao is a quiet and peaceful place with a lot to see and to do.

C

True End of an Era

       SURPRISE, surprise---David Beckham is in the news again! Sure, the England football star was never one to shy away from the headlines. But this time it seems people are talking as much about what Beckham is not doing as what he is.

       Beckham won’t be playing for England at the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA． An injury he picked up while playing for AC Milan will likely rule the 34-year-old out for four months. It could be a sad end to the career of a player who has given his all to England since his debut (首次登场) in 1996. But rather than feeling sorry for the loss, some people are finally calling for us to move on from the Beckham obsession (着迷).

       “The romantic wish of him seizing the day and inspiring England to glory was poppycock (胡扯),” according to an editorial in the Guardian. It argued that Beckham is past his best and would only have played a minor role at the World Cup anyway. But you might not have guessed it from the reaction of the rest of England.

       British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent Beckham a “get well soon” message, and a Scottish poet even wrote a poem about the injury, comparing Beckham to the Greek hero Achilles.

But is it possible to forget about Beckham? Over his career Beckham has embodied (体现) everything the English like to think is good about their country. Beckham was never the most naturally gifted of footballers, but he reached the top through hard work and determination. He never gave up, even when things looked hopeless. And even as a superstar, he never forgot where he came from.

       For this, the English took him to their hearts. Not a day goes by without seeing Beckham’s name in the newspapers, but the reality is his fantastic career is coming to the enD．Of course, it is sad that he’ll miss the World Cup, but this is a chance for England to find a new hero.

As a global icon(偶像) we will certainly miss him playing for England in South Africa this summer. But I think it’s time we finally give Beckham a break from the headlines.

Choose the best answer:

66．Which of the following may not be a result of Beckham’s injury?

       A．Not being able to take part in the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA．

       B．Not being able to play for England for four months.

       C．People forgetting him.

       D．This injury perhaps ending his career.

67．______ gave Beckham a negative evaluation.

       A．Gordon Brown              B．An editorial in the Guardian

       C．A Scottish poet              D．Most British people

68．Which is not the reason for it being hard for people to forget Beckham?

       A．He has embodied British good characteristics and traits (特征).

       B．He is one of the most naturally gifted footballers.

       C．He is determined to achieve his goals.

       D．He always remembers his country.

On a warm Monday, Jenny Neilson bought a sandwich and parked her car under some trees. Rolling down the windows to  36  in fresh air, she settled back to enjoy her lunch. Suddenly she  37  a big bald（秃顶的）man running through the parking lot. Before she came to  38  what would happen, the man was there, shouting through her window. “Get out!”
Neilson  39 .
Pulling open her door, the man seized her  40  the neck and hair, and threw her out of the car onto the ground. She screamed,  41 her purse and the keys.
Two reporters of the local newspaper, Robert Bruce and Jeff Jackson, just outside their office building on a  42  , heard the screams and began running.
When they  43  Neilson’s car, the attacker had jumped into the driver’s seat and was  44 searching for the keys. Bruce opened the door, and he and Jackson dragged the man out. The attacker  45  back. But even in his cornered panic, he was no  46  for the two athletic men.
Reggie Miller, a worker of the local newspaper, heard the screams, too. He rushed back to the office to  47  the police, and then ran back with some plastic ropes —— used to tie up newspapers.
With his arms  48  tightly behind him, the prisoner looked up and said   49  , “I hope you guys feel good about yourselves – you just caught one of the most wanted men.” They 50  him and waited for the police.
Later, Bruce and Jackson were shocked to learn the man was the  51 carjacker（劫车者） and suspected murderer, whose  52 —but with a full head of hair – had been recently printed in their own newspaper.
Neilson considers herself lucky  53  she suffered injuries. She believes the story might have had a 54  ending if those good people had not come to her aid. “Unfortunately,” she says, “many people would   55  have done what they did, and that is the real truth.”

Norah had a cottage on a cliff（悬崖）above a big bay. In winter it could be very unpleasant because of strong winds and sea waves. In fact, when a gale was blowing, Norah and her husband got used to sleeping in a small room downstairs, because their bedroom upstairs, which faced the gales, had a very big window, and they were afraid that an extra violent wind might break it and blow pieces of broken glass over them.
Also, the salt wave from the sea put an end to many of the colorful plants Norah planted in her garden. She tried putting up a fence to protect them, but the wind just hit it, went up over the top and then down the other side, so in the end she filled the garden with trees and bushes that liked salt.
But most of the summer Norah enjoyed her cottage and garden very much. At weekends she could sit out-of-doors in the sun, looking at the beautiful view, with interesting ships and boats passing by, and she could very easily cycle down to the sea for a swim.
Now, Norah and her husband had plenty of friends and relations. In the summer lots of them used to come to enjoy the beautiful place, and in the end it really became quite annoying for the couple. When they were at home, they found friends and relations arriving, expecting to be given unlimited drinks and meals, and to sit in the sun for hours, talking as if Norah and her husband had nothing else to do but entertain and listen to them.
This went on for several years. Norah didn’t wish to appear rude by refusing to let her friends and relations in, but on the other hand, she was getting tired every summer.
Then one day Norah was complaining about this to her hairdresser while she was doing her hair. “You’re disturbed by too many uninvited guests, are you?” said the hairdresser. “Why don’t you try my way of escaping?”
“What’s that?” asked Norah.
“Well,” the hairdresser answered, “when the bell rings, I put on my coat and take my shopping bag. If it’s someone I don’t want to see, I say innocently, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go out.’ But…”
【小题1】The underlined word “gale” can be replaced by _____.