London will stage its biggest political funeral in almost half a century on Wednesday when Britain's governing elite join the Queen and global leaders to bid farewell to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, better known as the “ Iron Lady".

In an event comparable to that of Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965, Thatcher's coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage through streets lined with admirers from parliament to the city's most famous cathedral.

The bells of London's symbolic Big Ben clock tower will fall silent for the first time since Churchill's funeral and more than 700 men and women from Britain's armed forces will honor a woman who led them to victory in the 1982 Falklands War as foreign politicians from around 170 nations look on.

Surveys have shown that many are unhappy that the estimated l0-million($15 million)pound bill for the funeral is being picked up by the taxpayer, while some left-wing lawmakers say the luxurious funeral is too expensive.                                                                            

But her admirers, of whom there are many in her party and in southern England, argue that her historical profile deserves such a funeral. She was the country's first and only woman premier, was Britain's longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, and won three general elections.

More than 2,300 mourners will attend including 11 serving prime ministers from around the world, the British government's entire cabinet, two heads of state and 17 foreign ministers.

But there will be notable absences. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to attend and Nancy Reagan, the widow of Thatcher's great U·S. ally Ronald Reagan, is also unable to come.

Thatcher struck up a close relationship with Reagan during the Cold War, backed the first President  George Bush during the 1991 Gulf War, and was among the first to discover that Gorbachev was a man she could "do business with. ”

Covered in the red, white and blue British flag, Thatcher's coffin lay overnight in a 13th-century church in Britain's parliament, a forum she dominated for years.

1.From the passage we know that Big Ben clock tower will fall silent to         .

A. get repaired for the first time

B. honour the passing away of the great woman

C. tell the specific time to the public

D. welcome the officials from all over the world

2.Who that are still alive will be absent from the funeral?

A. Mikhail Gorbachev and Nancy Reagan.

B. Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan.

C. Nancy Reagan and Ronald Reagan.

D. George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev.

3.From the passage we can learn that Margaret Thatcher was        .

A. strong and smart               B. weak and disappointing

C. aggressive and warlike                   D. stubborn and luxurious

4.Which of the following might serve as the best title of the passage?

A. The legend of Thatcher, the “Iron Lady".

B. Why Big Ben falls silent for the first time?

C. Who will pay for such a luxurious funeral?

D. London will witness its biggest political funeral.

One day a famous actor had just got into the train with all his luggage when a young man came and   31  down in the seat opposite him. The young man took out a  32  and began to read it, 33  the actor tried to get some   34 in his corner of the carriage.

When he opened his eyes,  he   35  that the young man was looking at him with his   36  open, his book forgotten. The actor shut his eyes and tried to sleep again, 37  every time he opened them, the young man was looking at him with the same excited look .At last, he gave up the attempt(企图) to sleep, took out a newspaper, put it   38  in front of him and began to read. The young man tried several times to get into conversation with the actor, but   39 .

After a long period of silence the young man said again, “I’m George P. Anderson of Willington, Vermont.” This time the actor put his   40  down and said, “So am I.” That was the end of the conversation.

Another secret of animals’ survival is telepathy（心灵感应）. This sense becomes atrophied（衰退） in man, but a(n)   1  thought-communication functions in animals. Elsa, the lioness, frequently    2    when George and I intended to visit her camp, even though it    3   180 miles from our home in Isiolo. On most     4    when we made our irregular visit she was waiting for us. By following the spoor（野兽的足迹），we     5    that she had sometimes walked 50 or 60 miles to meet us.

The same thing    6   when I took Elsa’s sisters to Nairobi to be flown to the Rotterdam zoo, Elsa’s zoo. Elsa stayed behind with George in Isiolo 180 miles     7    . He did not know when I was coming back, no person knew. But Elsa knew. On the morning of my     8    she sat down at the entrance and wouldn’t make any     9    until I arrived in the evening.

I have known this kind of thought-communication with the animal with whom I’ve lived. When Elsa died, I woke in the night, knowing what had happened, even though I was several miles away. The same thing     10    later with one of Pippa’s cubs.

I don’t     11    this sensitivity with my own kind. Feel far more in tune with what is going on when I am in the bush than when I am in London on Nairobi. We don’t know much yet about this telepathy from which gland（腺体） it comes, or how it    12   . But if men could awaken or    13    it in themselves, and then cooperate by trusting each other,    14     fearing and treating one another    15   , the world would be a far better place.

1.A. extremely  B. completely    C. thoroughly    D. definitely

2.A. sensed       B. aware   C. feels      D. concerns

3.A. lay      B. lies        C. located D. stood

4.A. case   B. conditions     C. occasions      D. situations

5.A. discussed   B. dismissed      C. discovered    D. distrusted

6.A. happened  B. broken out    C. replaced        D. took over

7.A. far      B. farther  C. away     D. far from

8.A. turn   B. return   C. reality   D. reappear

9.A. emotions   B. feelings          C. exchanges     D. movement

10.A.burst forth         B. burst     C. appeared      D. occurred

11.A. command         B. confirm          C. possess D. prohibit

12.A. starts        B. comprehends        C. manufactures        D. works

13.A. create      B. plant     C. cultivate        D. produce

14.A. rather than       B. other than     C. would rather          D. or rather

15.A.suspiciously       B. suspecting     C. prosperously         D. doubtfully

One day a famous actor had just got into the train with all his luggage when a young man came and 　31 down in the seat opposite him. The young man took out a 32 and began to read it, 33 the actor tried to get some 　34 in his corner of the carriage.

When he opened his eyes, he 　35 that the young man was looking at him with his 　36 open, his book forgotten. The actor shut his eyes and tried to sleep again, 37 every time he opened them, the young man was looking at him with the same excited look .At last, he gave up the attempt(企图) to sleep, took out a newspaper, put it 　38 in front of him and began to read. The young man tried several times to get into conversation with the actor, but 　39 .

After a long period of silence the young man said again, “I’m George P. Anderson of Willington, Vermont.” This time the actor put his 　40 down and said, “So am I.” That was the end of the conversation.

31．A. lay　　　　 B. sat　　　　　　 C. looked　　　　 D. got

32．A. newspaper　 B. magazine　　　 C. book　　　　 D. letter

33．A. when　　　 B. because　　　　 C. as　　　　　　 D. while

34．A. drink　　　 B. help　　　　　　 C. food　　　　 D. sleep

35．A. found　　　 B. thought　　　　 C. felt　　　　　 D. expected

36．A. book　　　 B. mouth　　　　　 C. arms　　　　 D. shirt

37．A. but　　　　 B. therefore　　　　 C. so　　　　　 D. however

38．A. away　　　 B. up　　　　　　 C. down　　　　 D. out

39．A. failed　　　 B. succeeded　　　 C. missed　　　 D. refused

40．A. paper　　　 B. luggage　　　　 C. feet　　　　　 D. hands