None of them had expected that the middle-aged engineer died ____ his design uncompleted.

A of　 B　 without　 C　 from　 D with

The name “cowboy” conjures up many different images from movies, songs and TV. These imagined cowboys range from white-hat-wearing heroes to gun-shooting hooligans(流氓).But, cowboys are actually real people from US history.?

When the US Civil War ended, many soldiers had no place to call home. So, they began to drift to the country's rural West. Ranchers(农场主) hired these men to take care of the cattle and work around the ranch. When the ranch owner wanted to sell the cattle, the cowboys would round up the herd from the open prairie(牧场) and drive the cattle miles to the market.?

With the invention of barbed wire(铁丝网),the cowboy era(1865-1890) began to come to an end. But people in the East had always been curious about their lifestyle. Many country/western songs during this time tried to capture the true cowboy spirit. Newspapers published cowboy tales in serial form and adventure novels followed. The bigger the fiction, the better the sales. These novels often portrayed cowboys as cruel and violent men. Cowboys carried the bad reputation for many years afterwards.

When movies began to be popular in the 1920s,the cowboy image changed again. Now, a cowboy became the great white knight(骑士) that loved his horse more than the beautiful ladies he rescued. As the cowboy of the “Old West” spent more time with his horse than the ladies, this era's image was not entirely false.

Then, in the 50s,Hollywood began producing so-called “spaghetti westerns(意大利西部片)”.They earned the nickname because Italian companies financed the films and TV shows. This started the decade's “Cowboy Craze”.While this didn't last long, it made modern country/western music, fashion and dance extremely popular.?

In recent years, with the help of musicians, radio stations and bars, cowboy nostalgia(怀旧情绪) has returned. Even though his image is still changing—somewhere between ballad singing country boy and bar?room fighter—there's one thing for sure, you can't keep the cowboy down.?

The purpose of this story is to _______.

A. introduce cowboy movies and novels?

B. introduce various productions associated with cowboys?

C. show the cowboy's everlasting charm　?

D. inform us about the cowboy's spirit?

Before they became cowboys, they _______.

A. served in the army    B. worked as bar-room fighters?

C. owned ranches      D. were adventurous explorers?

During “the cowboy era” mentioned in the story, _______.?

A. the cowboy often came to the rescue of ladies in newspaper tales?

B. the distant Wild West appealed to people in the East?

C. cowboys were shown as cruel and violent men on the silver screen?

D. country music started the cowboy craze which swept the whole country

By saying “you can't keep the cowboy down”,the writer means that _______.

A. cowboys are real people in history   B. cowboys still fascinate people?

C. you can't make cowboys unhappy     D. you can't grasp the cowboy spirit?

?

Forever Young?

　　It's Girls Night Out:Mom Edition, and I'm a player in a whole new game. It occurs to me that I really don't know these　36　women. We've been circling　37　 for about three years, ever since our kids started　38　.We'd bump into each other in the parking　39　,at Valentine's Day parties, and later as one or the other shyly　40　we all sign our kids up for softball, gymnastics or dance. Who knows　41　the five of us clumped together more than　42　of us clumped with other mothers. I suppose it happens　43　,friendship circles spiraling in and around and about and anew.?

This is the　44　time we've gathered without the kids, and I am having a　45　time saying “Janice”, as opposed to “Zoe's mom” or “Susan”,　46　 “Kaitlin's mom”, and so I have decided, for tonight, not to　47　any names at all.?

The　48　has already taken our drink order. I can't believe nobody　49　beer.Nope, this is a Diet Coke and iced tea crowd. In the back of my mind I'm　50　if I'm going to be the naughty　51　who corrupts this group.?

There is so much　52　to take care of when you are just getting to　53　people as people. One of the things we are doing is　54　dates, the years that each of us　55　from this or that. I see where this is going.?

36. A. five      B. three   C. Four   D. two?

37. A. each other    B. one another       C. all of us     D. some of us?

38. A. primary school    B. university   C. high school D. preschool?

39. A. lot       B. Station       C. line     D. square?

40. A. said      B. suggested   C. informed    D. found?

41.A. what     B. that     C. how    D. why?

42. A. some    B. none   C. any     D. all?

43. A. all the time  B. all of a sudden   C. at the same time D. once and for all?

44. A. last      B. first    C. Usual  D. only?

45. A. spare    B. good   C. difficult     D. pleasant?

46. A. instead of    B. as well as   C. in case of   D. in the name of?

47. A. call      B. use     C. forget D. tell?

48. A. kid              B. mother       C. Friend D. waitress?

49. A. brought       B. liked   C. ordered      D. drank?

50. A. wondering   B. fearing       C. Speaking    D. asking?

51. A. girl      B. mother       C. One    D. kid?

52. A. trouble B. business     C. time    D. food?

53. A. regard  B. name  C. Find   D. know?

54. A. comparing   B. making      C. Deciding    D. discussing?

55. A. came    B. changed     C. graduated   D. got??