Ever since man began to use the telephone, there have been new problems arising from the carrying of messages. At first, each message was carried by a pair of overhead wires. As a result, telephone exchanges were soon surrounded by thousands of wires. The wires were then replaced by cables (电缆)，each containing many pairs of wires. Each cable is capable of carrying many messages. These cables, laid underground, replaced the overhead wires.

The more extensive telephone services have become, the more demand for these services has increased, particularly the demand for long-distance services. In China, for example, this growth is now over 30% every year. Long-distance telephone exchanges are usually in crowded cities, where is not easy to lay new labels for expanding services.

The use of radio to send telephone message and to link all telephone exchanges makes it possible to get rid of overhead wires and some underground cables.

Now man has invented the microwave system ( 微波系统 ). In a microwave system messages from various places can be brought together, and then they are sent out and received by radio. After that, the messages are split into their original form. Finally, they are sent to the places where they are going to be sent.

1.The word “message” ( in paragraph 1) is close in meaning to “______”.

A. electricity     B. industry     C. information    D. wave

2.A cable is different from an overhead wire, because it ________.

A. is made of wood

B. needs more exchange

C. carries more messages

D. is much longer

3.What does the word extensive mean？

A. growing       B. using       C. holding     D. understanding

4.The best title for the passage would be “________”.

A. The Telephone and Its Past

B. From the Wire to the Microwave System

C. The Needs for Better Telephones

D. How to Use the Telephone

Read the following materials, and from A, B, C and D, choose the one that is suitable for the demands of each person from 77 to 80

Sam, Mr. Read, Miss Hope and the Kings each want to decide on an advertisement to answer. Read the following descriptions and help them make proper choices.

(   ) 77. Sam will spend his holiday in Hawaii where there is lots of sunshine. Maybe he needs to buy something to protect his eyes.

(   ) 78. Mr. Read has been out of work for weeks, and he feels very upset and don’t know what to do.

(   ) 79. Miss Hope is always ready to help others. She is a nurse and can speak good English.

(   ) 80. The Kings have just moved into a new house. They need to buy something to clean the floor and the carpet.

Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.

In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.

In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.

But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.

1.The underlined phrase “a residential area” means an area________.

A．where people can buy things

B．which is suitable for living in

C．where people can do business

D．which is near a city center

2.Why do people move to live in cities or towns?

A．Because they like noisy life better than peaceful life.

B．Because they can live more comfortably there.

C．Because they mainly want to find work there.

D．Because they are sure of having a better life there.

3.Which of the following statement is NOT true about the business district?

A．Big companies usually have their main offices in the business district.

B．A business district usually lies in the city center downtown.

C．People usually work and live in the business district.

D．Nearly every major city has its own business district.

4.In the United States, many people work in the center of a big city________.

A．and live there

B．but live in the suburbs of the city

C．and live in another city

D．but live in rural areas

5.We can infer that this movement from rural to urban areas ________.

A．has been going on for more than 2,000 years

B．will surely continue in the future

C．may not continue in the future

D．has now stopped already

Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural(乡下的) areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.

In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a_residential_area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.

In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers(摩天大楼)and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.

But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.

1.The underlined phrase “a residential area” means an area________.

2.Why do people move to live in cities or towns?

3.Which of the following statement is NOT true about the business district?

对话填空