阅读理解

　　Some inventions are so useful, but seem so simple, that we wonder why no one thought of them long ago. Post-it Notes--the pieces of paper that you can fasten almost any where and then remove without leaving any sign that they were there--are an example of such an invention.

　　Post-it Notes were invented about twenty years ago by Art Fry, a scientist at 3M Corporation. The idea for the product came from a frustrating(令人沮丧的)experience he often had while singing in his church choir(唱诗班). Fry used pieces of paper as bookmarks to mark the places in his book of songs, but these bookmarks were always falling out. He knew he needed a bookmark that would stay where he put it, but that he could remove without damaging the pages.

　　Around that time, Fry heard about a new adhesive(粘合剂) that a colleague(同行), Dr. Spence Silver, had created. This adhesive was special because it was sticky，but not too sticky. It was strong enough to hold papers together, but weak enough to not tear the paper when it was removed. Fry saw that the new adhesive could help solve his bookmark problem. One morning, Fry put some of the adhesive on the edge of a piece of paper. Just as he hoped, it made a perfect bookmark.

　　A short time later, Fry realized that his new invention had even more uses than being a great bookmark. He came to this realization when he wrote a note on one of his new“bookmarks”and attached(附着)it to a report he was going to give to a colleague. Soon, co-workers were asking Fry for more samples(样品)of his invention so that they could use the new type of notes themselves.

　　Fry and some other people at 3 M believed so much in the new product that they persuaded the company to give away thousands of the“sticky pieces of paper”for trial use. When some salespeople at 3M went to offices and showed workers just how helpful the new type of notes could be, they immediately received many orders. As more and more people discovered how useful Post-it Notes could be, the product took off.

1．The invention of Post-it Notes showed that Art Fry _____.

[　　]

A．had a lot of knowledge

B．was very hard-working

C．was good at creative(创造性的)thinking

D．loved his job in the church

2．In what way did Dr. Spence help Art Fry?

[　　]

A．They worked together and often discussed science.

B．His invention of a special adhesive made Art's invention possible.

C．He persuaded 3M Corporation to give away lots of Post-it Notes for trial use.

D．He cooperated with Art by providing the new adhesive for Art.

3．Which of the following is a possible use of Post-it Notes?

[　　]

A．A note on a friend's door.

B．An e-mail to a friend.

C．A postcard from abroad.

D．An ad in a newspaper.

42The underlined phrase“took off”means _____.

[　　]

A．started to leave the ground

B．disappeared from the market

C．had even more uses

D．became popular very quickly

　　A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess（女家庭教师）Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ”I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”

　　“Forty.”

　　“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”

　　“Two months and five days.”

　　“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.

　　“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct？”

　　Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but - still not a word.

　　“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect （疏忽）, Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”

　　“You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.

　　“But I made a note of it.”

　　“Well... if you say so.”

　　“Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”

　　Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!

　　“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”

　　“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is !”

　　I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.

　　“Merci （法语: 谢谢）,”she whispered.

　　I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.

　　“For the money. ”

　　“But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you ! I have actually stolen from you ! Why this‘merci’？”

　　“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”

　　“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless （懦弱）?Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws（爪）—to be such a fool?”

　　Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”

　　I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world !”

　　While talking to Julia, the wrier expected from her ________.

　　A. a protest　　　　　　　　　　　B. gratitude

　　C. obedience　　　　　　　　　　 D. an explanation

　　What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.

　　A. nervousness in front of her boss

　　B. acceptance of injustice

　　C. shyness when talking about money

　　D. reluctance to express herself

　　The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.

　　A. to be more aggressive

　　B. to be more careful in her work

　　C. to protect her right

　　D. to live independently

　　At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”to show ________.

　　A. his understanding of Julia’s anxiety

　　B. his worry about Julia’s future

　　C. his concern on the living condition of working - class people

　　D. his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited

Columbus returned home with the news of his discovery of “Indian” 36 Columbus called it. Then he was considered as the hero who had given a new world to Spain. Never had so great __37__ been shown to any __38__man.But there were some who were jealous of the __39__.”Who is this Columbus?” they asked, “and what has he done? Isn’t he a poor sailor from Italy？And could __40__ other seamen sail across the ocean just as he has done?”

One day Columbus was at 41 and several of these fellows were __42__ too. They tried to make Columbus __43__.”You have discovered strange lands __44__ the sea,”they said.“But we don’t see why there __45__ be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean and anybody can coast along the islands __46__ ,just as you have done. It is the __47__ thing in the world.”

Columbus made no answer, but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the people at the table, “Who __48__ you, gentlemen, can make the egg stand __49__ ?” One by one they tried the __50__．When the egg had gone __51__　around and everyone had failed, all said that it could not be done, Then Columbus took the egg and __52__the shell of the egg’s small end a little upon the table. After that there was no trouble in making it stand __53__.“Gentlemen,”said he, “what is easy than to do this __54__ you said was impossible ? It is simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it-----AFTER HE HAD BEEN SHOWN __55__.”

1.A. so         B. when     C as        D. that

2.                A．respect         B．response        C．reward   D．request

3.                A．great          B．common        C．usual D．noble

4.                A．discovery       B．inventor        C．discover  D．bravery

5.                A．some          B．any            C．no   D．every

6.                A．palace         B．hotel           C．counter  D．dinner

7.                A．friendly        B．present         C．rude D．angry

8.                A．uncomfortable   B．happy          C．satisfied  D．disappointed

9.                A．beyond         B．in             C．along D．on

10.               A．could          B．would          C．should    D．might

11.                                A．on another side  B．on other side

C．on the other side                  D．on one side

12.               A．easiest         B．simplest        C．content   D．convenient

13.               A．besides        B．among         C．including  D．except

14.               A．on end         B．in end          C．by end    D．to end

15.               A．egg            B．experiment     C．method   D．way

16.               A．entirely        B．eventually      C．fluently   D．frequently

17.               A．supported      B．hit            C．broke D．stuck

18.               A．downward      B．upward         C．backward  D．inward

19.               A．that           B．what           C．how  D．why

20.               A．WHAT          B．WHEN          C．WHY  D．HOW