She has been in           doctors describe as a vegetative(植物的) state for six years.

The producers of instant coffee found their product strongly resisted in the market places despite their manifest advantages. Furthermore, the advertising cost for instant coffee was far greater than that for regular coffee. Efforts were made to find the cause of the consumers “seemingly unreasonable resistance to the product”. The reason given by most people was dislike for the taste. The producers suspected that there might be deeper reasons. However, this was confirmed by one of motivation research's classic studies, one often cited（引用）in the trade.

Mason Haire, professor of the University of California, constructed two shopping lists that were the same except for one item. There were six items common to both lists: hamburger, carrots, baking powder, bread, canned peaches and potatoes, with the bands or amounts specified. The seventh item, in the fifth place on both lists, read “1 Ib. Maxwell House coffee” on one list and “Nescafe instant coffee” on the other. One list was given to each person in a group of fifty women, and the other list to those in another group of the same size. The women were asked to study their lists and then to describe, as far as they could, the kind of woman（“personality and character”）who would draw up（制定）that shopping list. Nearly half of those who had received the list including instant coffee described a housewife who was lazy and a poor planner. On the other hand, only one woman in the other group described the housewife, who had included regular coffee on her list, as lazy; only six of that group suggested that she was a poor planner. Eight women felt that the instant-coffee user was probably not a good wife. No one in the other group drew such a conclusion about the house-wife who intended to buy regular coffee.

53. In this instance, the purpose of motivation research was to discover      .

why people drink coffee

B. why instant coffee was successful

C. why regular coffee was successful

D. the real reason why people would not buy instant coffee

54. This investigation indicates that       .

50 percent of housewives are lazy

B. housewives who use instant coffee are lazy

C. many women believe that wives who use instant coffee are lazy

D. wives who use regular coffee are good planners

55. On the results of this test, the producers probably revised their advertising to show a     .

lazy housewife using regular coffee

B. hard-working housewife using instant coffee

C. lazy housewife using instant coffee

D. man obviously enjoying the taste of instant coffee

56. It is implied but not stated that       .

A. Despite its advantages, most people dislike instant coffee because of its taste.

B. The advertising cost for instant coffee was greater than for regular coffee.

C. Very often we do not know the real reasons for doing things.

D. Taste is the principal factor in determining what we buy.

I don’t really care how many claws the animal in a comic book (漫画书) has. I’m not overly concerned whether the bird is colored green or grey. In fact I don’t think comic book “collector” really applies to me at all. I’m probably more of a comic book “appreciator”. My interest has always been in what can be accomplished with the medium of “visual story - telling”. In the respect, comic books are the best thing going. And there are some great comics out there.
I’m not sure exactly where this interest of mine came from. I do know that as a child, comic books allowed me to improve my reading – skills. The Mighty Thor made me develop an interest in Norse legends; Challengers of the Unknown got me interested in science fiction. The combination of words and pictures was a perfect springboard (起点) for my childhood imagination.
So just how does one learn to appreciate comic book art? There is a classic example. Writer Scott Macloud was philosophical (达观的) about what makes a comic book stand out in his best – selling book Understanding Comics. The book, first published in 1994, has been translated into 13 languages and is practically useful for students studying graphic illustration (图示说明).
On the Internet there are some cool comic book sites to be found. More than a few are mainly about superheroes and the like. But there are some choice sites that I would describe as “literary (文学的),” in that you can find some great resources that discuss the comic book as an art form. Among them there is a great article and interview at www.rcharvey.com discussing the influence of several artists and writers in the field.
Check it out. Spend two dollars on a comic book and read it with your children. You may find yourself enjoying what you see and read. You may even find yourself wanting more.
And wanting to read more is a good thing!
53．According to Para. 1 the author is concerned about          .
A．the color of the characters in a comic book
B．how many comic books he has collected
C．what he can learn from a visual story
D．whether a story is true to life
54．What do we know about Scott Macloud’s best – selling book?
A．There are many classic examples if comic books in it.
B．It is helpful 1 for students studying science fiction.
C．It suggests what good comic books are like.
D．It is mainly intended for parents.
55．In the passage, the author encourages people to         .
A．follow the example of superheroes from comic books
B．join in the discussion at www.rcharvey.com
C．consider comic books to be literary.
D．buy and read more comic books
56．What is the best title for the passage?
A．Children’s favorite books
B．Well – known comic books
C．Comic books – cooler than you think
D．How to become a good comic book writer

“Birds are not as loyal to their partners as you might think, with divorce, child abandonment and remarriage a common part of birds’ life,” a new book has shown. Author and biology professor Bridge Stutchbury, dispels the love-bird belief that birds pair up for life. “In terms of the top 10 beliefs about birds, the lasting pair bonds that we think about, do occur in some birds, but in most of the little songbirds that we studied, no,” the professor from York University in Toronto said. The divorce rate among greater flamingos is 99 percent.

Stutchbury’s book, The Private Lives of Birds, based on 20 years of research from radio filming and DNA testing shows male Acadian flycatchers fertilize(使受孕) females far away from their home nests, “ The main discovery is that so many birds do divorce for what humans would describe as selfish reasons,” Professor Stutchbury said. She noted that females may seek out males that are more colorful and better singers, or look to “step up in the world” and move to areas that are safer and have more food. “Females are looking for the highest quality male so that their children will be of high quality,” she added.

Professor Stutchbury said shorter summers may drive females to leave their nests before their young are fully grown up so they can quickly find new mates（配偶） and lay more eggs, leaving the males to feed the hungry chicks on their own.

Males can double their success in producing children by fertilizing neighboring females, but only “mates” care for the young, and some are none the wiser. “  They can’t tell when the egg comes out and whether it’s theirs or not,” She said. “They have no way to know.”

Divorce is surprisingly common among birds, and most live with one partner for only a few months or years. Divorce rates range from 99 percent in the greater flamingo to zero in the wandering albatross(信天翁).

What does the underline word “dispels” mean?

A. States                      B. Doubts             C. Confirms          D. Removes

The book The Private Lives of Birds_____.

A. shows the kind of male birds females seek out.             

B. indicates the wandering albatross is the most faithful.

C. is based on Professor Stutchbury’s 20 years’ research.

D. suggests that female birds select males near their home.

According to the passage, we can infer that________.

A. young birds’ quality depends on their feather.

B. some male birds care for others’ young as their own.

C. female birds go to find males as soon as autumn comes.

D. female birds are responsible for feeding the hungry babies.

What is the passage mainly about?

A. A book about love-birds.

B. Birds’ living habits and love life

C. The fact that birds don’t love their mates forever.

D. The factors that influence birds to look for another mate.

“Birds are not as loyal to their partners as you might think, with divorce, child abandonment and remarriage a common part of birds’ life,” a new book has shown. Author and biology professor Bridge Stutchbury, dispels the love-bird belief that birds pair up for life. “In terms of the top 10 beliefs about birds, the lasting pair bonds that we think about, do occur in some birds, but in most of the little songbirds that we studied, no,” the professor from York University in Toronto said. The divorce rate among greater flamingos is 99 percent.

Stutchbury’s book, The Private Lives of Birds, based on 20 years of research from radio filming and DNA testing shows male Acadian flycatchers fertilize(使受孕) females far away from their home nests, “ The main discovery is that so many birds do divorce for what humans would describe as selfish reasons,” Professor Stutchbury said. She noted that females may seek out males that are more colorful and better singers, or look to “step up in the world” and move to areas that are safer and have more food. “Females are looking for the highest quality male so that their children will be of high quality,” she added.

Professor Stutchbury said shorter summers may drive females to leave their nests before their young are fully grown up so they can quickly find new mates（配偶） and lay more eggs, leaving the males to feed the hungry chicks on their own.

Males can double their success in producing children by fertilizing neighboring females, but only “mates” care for the young, and some are none the wiser. “  They can’t tell when the egg comes out and whether it’s theirs or not,” She said. “They have no way to know.”

Divorce is surprisingly common among birds, and most live with one partner for only a few months or years. Divorce rates range from 99 percent in the greater flamingo to zero in the wandering albatross(信天翁).

1.What does the underline word “dispels” mean?

A. States                      B. Doubts             C. Confirms          D. Removes

2.The book The Private Lives of Birds_____.

A. shows the kind of male birds females seek out.             

B. indicates the wandering albatross is the most faithful.

C. is based on Professor Stutchbury’s 20 years’ research.

D. suggests that female birds select males near their home.

3.According to the passage, we can infer that________.

A. young birds’ quality depends on their feather.

B. some male birds care for others’ young as their own.

C. female birds go to find males as soon as autumn comes.

D. female birds are responsible for feeding the hungry babies.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. A book about love-birds.

B. Birds’ living habits and love life

C. The fact that birds don’t love their mates forever.

D. The factors that influence birds to look for another mate.