Parts of Africa are covered by a dark cloud. But this is no rain cloud. It is a living cloud made of billions of locusts (蝗虫) that are traveling across the continent eating everything in their path.

And now in the battle to stop this disaster, a radio station in Senegal, West Africa, is offering listeners 50 kilograms of rice if they can catch and kill 50 kilograms of locusts.  “We think this idea will get more people to take part in the war on the locusts,” said Abdoulaye Ba, from Sud-Fm, a radio station in one of Senegal’s worst affected areas.

This is West Africa’s biggest locust disaster in 15 years, and it is moving east, causing huge damage to crops. As they move they produce young and increase their number and will soon threaten (威胁) Sudan in the northeast of Africa. Some say it could reach Asia.

Experts say the harmful effect on crops in areas already suf­fering from food shortage and war could cause many people to go hungry. Governments in the areas are not well equipped to fight the pest.

Although leaders of 12 countries have agreed on a plan, it is not expected to be enough. “We are now treating 6,000 hectares (公顷) per day with pesticide (杀虫剂), but we need to treat 20,000 hectares per day in order to have any hope of controlling this disaster,” said Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Babah, director of locust control in Mauritania.

Requests are being made for international aid, which is the only way to limit the disaster, the UN’s Food and Agricul­ture Organization warned.

1. By using “dark cloud” to describe locusts in the first para­graph, the author of the article ________.

A. showed the size and speed of the mass of locusts

B. suggested the great damage that locusts have caused

C. warned that locusts would sweep the continent like rain clouds

D. required the people to fight against the locusts

2. The story is mainly about ________.

A. a struggle to fight against a disaster brought by locusts in West Africa

B. the difficulty in controlling locusts

C. how locusts caused great damage to West Africa

D. West Africa’s united effort in fighting a disaster

3. The locust disaster ________.

A. would be even more serious in Asia  

B. was out of control

C. affected only the warning areas

D. can not be stopped unless twice as much pesticide is provided for the affected areas

4. Which of the following is WRONG?

A. Sud-Fm offered a reward for fighting locusts so that more people would join in the effort.

B. Senegal is to the southwest of Africa.

C. The passage doesn’t mention why the locusts can cause such damage in West Africa.

D. 12 countries affected by locusts have united but still lack pesticide.

　　 阅读下面短文，从短文所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

On the night of the play，Jack was at the theatre early and he was already dressed in a suit of policeman’s clothes long 36 the end of the first scene．He certainly looked the part all right. He thought as he 37 himself in the mirror．
　　 Then he suddenly felt nervous．After all， it was his first time to 38 a part in a play． 39 could he face all those people watching the play？He put his head in his hands and tried to 40 his lines（台词），but nothing 41 to his mind．
　　A knock on the door made him look 42 ．He was to go on stage（舞台） in the second scene．“Have I 　43 my part and ruined（破坏）the play for everybody？” he thought to himself． But 44 was only the manager．She 45 how nervous he was and 46 he should stand near the stage 47 he could watch and follow the play． It was a good 48 of getting rid of his nervousness， she said． She was right； it seemed to 　49 ． In fact the more he watched the play， the 50 he felt himself part of it．
　　 At last the 51 came for him to appear on the stage． But suddenly the manager came to him again， 52 worried as she placed a hand on his arm to 53 him back． “Has anything gone 54 ？” Jack asked． “I’m afraid you’re going to be 55 ，” she said． “They’ve jumped three pages of the play and have missed your part out completely．”
36． A． before　　 B． by 　　　　　 C． after　　　　　　 D． at
37． A． looked　　 B． showed　　　 C． admired　 　　 D． enjoyed
38． A． make　　　 B． join 　　　　 C． have 　　　　　 D． give
39． A． Where　　　 B． Why　　　　　 C． When 　　　　 D． How
40． A． read 　　　 B． remember 　　C． understand 　D． learn
41． A． came 　　　 B． went 　　　　 C． happened 　　 D． got
42． A． away　　　 B． up 　　　　　 C． out 　　　　　 　D． down
43． A． passed　　 B． left 　　　　　 C． missed　 　　 D． failed
44． A． this 　　　　 B． that　　　　　 C． she 　　　　　　 D． it
45． A． wondered　　B． imagined 　　C． noticed 　　 D． examined
46． A． agreed　　　 B． suggested C． persuaded 　　　 D． encouraged
47． A． where 　　　B． when 　　　 C． which 　　　 　 D． there
48． A． idea 　　　 B． way　　　　　 C． path 　　　　 　 D． plan
49． A． do 　　　　 B． win 　　　　　 C． work　　　　　　 D． act
50． A． less 　　　 B． harder　　 C． better　　　　　 D． more
51． A． hour 　　　 B． minute 　　　 C． moment　　　 D． period
52． A． feeling　　 B． looking　　　 C． sounding　　　 D． growing
53． A． hold 　　　 B． take 　　　 C． catch 　　　　　 D． push
54． A． bad 　　　　 B． late 　　　　 C． mad 　　　　　　 D． wrong
55． A． frightened B． excited　 C． disappointed　　　 D． pleased

完形填空：

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意,然后从 1～25　　 各题所给的四个选项中，选出一个最佳答案．

　On the night of the play, Jack was at the theatre early and he was already dressed in a policeman's clothes long 　1 　the end of the first scene． He certainly looked the part all right, he thought as he 　2　 himself in the mirror． He 　3　 thought of going out into the street to see 　4 　he could pass as 　5　 out there． Just for 　6 　, of course．

　Then he suddenly felt nervous． After all, it was his first time to 　7 　a part in a play． 　8 　could he face all those people 　9 　the play? He put his head in his hands and tried to 　10 　his lines (台词), but nothing 　11 　to his mind．

　A knock on the door made him look 　12 　． He was to go on stage (舞台) in the second scene． “Have I 　13 　my part and ruined (破坏) the play for everybody?”he thought to himself． But 　14 　was only the　　 manager． She 　15 　how nervous he was and 　16 　he should stand near the stage 　17 　he could watch and follow the play． It was a 　18 　of getting rid of his nervousness, she was right, it seemed to 　19 　． In fact the more he watched the play the 　20 　the felt himself part of it．

　At last the 　21 　came for him to appear on the stage． But suddenly the manager came to him again, 　22 　worried as she placed a hand on his arm to 　23 　him back． “Has anything gone 　24 　?” Jack　　 asked． “I'm afraid you're going to be 　25 　,” she　　 said． “They've jumped three pages of the play and have missed your part out　　 completely．”

A young man who lived in London was in love with a beautiful girl. Soon she became his fiancée(未婚妻).The man was very poor 26 the girl was rich. The young man wanted to give her a 27 on her birthday. He wanted to buy something  28 for her, but he had no 29  how to do it, as he had very little 30 .

The next morning he went to a shop. There were many fine things there; rings, gold watches, diamonds but all these things were   31  .There was one thing he could not take his eyes   32   .   33   was a beautiful vase. That would be a wonderful present for  34 . He had been looking at the vase for half an hour  35  the manager asked what had happened to him. The young man told him everything. The manager felt  36   for him and decided to help him. A brilliant idea   37  him. The manager pointed to the corner of the shop. To his great  38  , the young man saw a vase   39  into many pieces. The manager said, “I can help you. I shall order my servant to   40   it and take it to your fiancée. When he enters the room, he will   41   it.”

On the birthday of his fiancée the young man was very   42  . Everything happened as he had   43  ．The servant brought in the vase, and as he entered the room, he dropped it. There was   44 on everybody's face. When the vase was unwrapped, the guests saw that  45 was packed separately.

1..

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

2.

A. vase                B. coat          C. ring          D. present

3.. 

A. important           B. necessary     C. separate      D. beautiful

4.

A. way                 B. plan          C. idea          D. path

5.  

A. time                B. thought       C. money         D. change

6.  

A. too expensive       B. so cheap      C. too big       D. very beautiful

7.

A. on                  B. out           C. off           D. over

8.  

A. It                  B. Which        C. This          D. one

9.

A. a man               B. him           C. a girl        D. his fiancée

10. 

A. when                B. while         C. since         D. after

11.  A. sorry          B. sorrowful     C. worried       D. uneasy

12.

A. stuck               B. came          C. helped        D. struck

13. 

A. surprise            B. excitement    C. joy           D. horror

14. 

A. burst               B. broken        C. got           D. turned

15.

A. wrap (包起来)       B. send          C. buy           D. pick

16.

A. watch               B. fall          C. drop          D. unwrap

17.

A. exited              B. surprised     C. calm          D. busy

18.

A. planned             B. told          C. realized      D. expected

19. 

A. expression          B. anger         C. horror        D. fun

20. 

A. the vase            B. the present   C. all that      D. each piece