阅读理解

　　Americans are always in a hurry, they seem to be under permanent pressure to think that there is something more to do the next moment. This fast pace is reflected in the popularity of fast-food restaurants, one-stop stations and micro-ovens. They hate to waste their time and would frown if their time is wasted by interruptions or by poor service. They appreciate the practice of doing things as quickly as possible, as in their eyes,“patience is the virtue of asses.”

　　In contract, people in Indonesia believe in“rubber time”, to the extent that time can stretch or shrink. In Africa, people who do something in a rush are actually asking for trouble; they'd be suspected of trying to cheat! In their culture, a slow unusual, worth doubt.

　　Here is a contract between the slow pace people (SPP) and the fast pace people(FPP);

　　◇SPP－Consider an appointment as a target to achieve, if possible.

　　　FPP－take a promise seriously and try to keep it by all means.

　　◇SPP－are dedicated to people and human relationship.

　　　FPP－are devoted to work rather than to human relationship.

　　　SPP－change plans easily.

　　　FPP－follow and stick to the plans.

　　◇SPP－decide to be punctual or not based on human relationship.

　　　FPP－stress punctuality.

　　◇SPP－show strong tendency to build lifetime friendship.

　　　FPP-are used to short-term relationship.

(1)Which of the following statements indicates that Americans are leading a fast-pace life?

[　　]

A．Americans have modern kitchen equipment.

B．Fast-food restaurants are popular with Americans.

C．Almost every American family owns a car.

D．There are a lot of railway stations in the United States.

(2)The underlined phrase“one-stop stations”probably means ________.

[　　]

A．A bus stop is not far from one another

B．There are a number of police stations in the United States

C．There are a lot of gas stations here and there, and it is one-stop distance between them.

D．It is a long way from a gas station to the next one

(3)In which country people who do something in a rush are suspected of trying to cheat?

[　　]

A．Venezuela　　　　　　B．Italy

C．Vietnam　　　　　　　D．Zambia

(4)If a person cares more for human relationship than his job, he must belong to ________.

[　　]

A．the fast pace people

B．the slow pace people

C．the lazy people

D．the clever people

Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a book-lover or only there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find a shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon totally unaware of your surroundings. You soon become interested in some books or others, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent too much time there and have to rush off to keep some forgotten appointment.
This chance to escape the realities of everyday life is the main attraction of a bookshop. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can walk around such a place to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will come up to you with the greeting "Can I help you?" You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished reading. Then, and only then, are his services necessary.
Once a medical student had to read a textbook which was far too expensive for him to buy. He couldn't borrow it from the library and the only copy he could find was in a certain bookshop. Every afternoon, therefore, he would go along to the shop and read a little of the book at a time. One day, however, he was disappointed to find the book missing from his usual place. He was about to leave, when he noticed the owner of the shop beckoning to him. Expecting to be told off, he went towards him. To his surprise, the owner pointed to the book which was tucked away in a corner. "I put it there in case anyone tries to buy it !"He said, and left the delighted student continuing his reading.
【小题1】According to the passage the main attraction of a bookshop is that ________.

What I Want for You and Every Child in America

　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 by President-Elect Barack Obama

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you’ve both had a lot of 　1 these last two years during the campaign, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I also know that it hasn’t always been easy for you and Mom, and that although you are both excited about that new puppy(幼犬), it doesn’t 2 for all the time we’ve been apart. I know 3 I’ve missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me--about how I’d 4 my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my 5 　with all your curiosity and mischief （捣乱） and those smiles that never 6 to fill my heart and light up my day. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. That’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools 7 of their potential---schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill （灌输） in them a sense of 8 about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college 9 their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them have time to spend time with their own 10 .

I want us to 11 back the boundaries(界限) of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach 12 the divides(分水岭) of race and region, gender and religion that 13 us from seeing the best in each other.

That was the 14 your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for 15 because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean 16 .

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better and that the 17 work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a duty we pass on to our children.

These are the things I want for you--- to 18 in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach. And I want every child to have the same 19 to learn and dream and grow that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you 20 you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, confidence, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Love, Dad

1. A. play　　　　　　 B. fun　　　　　　 C. pain　　　　　　 D. gain

2. A. take up　　　　　 B. pick up　　　　 C. make up　　　　　 D. put up

3. A. how much　　　 B. how many　　　 C. how soon　　　　 D. how long

4. A. lose　　　　　　 B. make　　　　　 C. take　　　　　　　 D. walk

5. A. world 　　　　　 B. family　　　　 C. position　　　　　 D. place

6. A. succeed　　　　 B. come　　　　　 C. tend　　　　　　　 D. fail

7. A. worth　　　　　 B. worthless　　　　 C. worthwhile　　　　 D. worthy

8. A. humor　　　　　 B. hatred　　　　　 C. wonder　　　　　 D. sadness

9. A. even if　　　　 B. as if　　　　　　 C. as long as　　　　 D. if

10. A. friends　　　　 B. kids　　　　　　 C. boys　　　　　　 D. girls

11. A. rush　　　　　 B. catch　　　　　 C. push　　　　　　 D. pull

12. A. to　 　　　　 B. in　　　　　　 C. into　　　　　　　 D. beyond

13. A. keep　　　　　 B. let　　　　　　 C. make　　　　　　 D. warn

14. A. way　　　　　 B. method　　　　　 C. means　　　　　 D. lesson

15. A. quantity　　　 B. quality　　　　　 C. equality　　　　　 D. quarter

16. A. everything　　 B. something　　　 C. anything　　　　　 D. nothing

17. A. unfinished　　 B. finished　　　　 C. unfinishing　　　　 D. finishing

18. A. wake up　　　 B. grow up　　　　 C. come up　　　　　 D. get up

19. A. difficulty　　　 B. barriers　　　　 C. anxiety　　　　　 D. chances

20. A. rather than　　 B. other than　　　　 C. less than　　　　 D. more than

The United States is well?known for its network of major highways designed to help a driver get from one place to another in the shortest possible time.?　36　? these wide modern roads are generally ?　37　? and well maintained, with ?　38　? sharp curves and many straight ?　39　?,a direct route is not always the most ?　40　? one. Large highways often pass ?　41　? scenic areas and interesting small towns. Furthermore, these highways generally ?　42　? large urban centers which means that they become crowded with ?　43　? traffic during rush hours,?　44　? the “fast, direct” way becomes a very slow route. However, there is ?　45　? always another route to take ?　46　? you are not in a hurry. Not far from the ?　47　? new “superhighways”,there are often older,?　48　? heavily traveled roads which go through the countryside.?　49　? of these are good two lane roads; others are uneven roads ?　50　? through the country. These secondary routes may go up steep slopes, along hilly ?　51　? or down frightening hillsides to towns ?　52　? in deep valleys. Though these are less direct routes, longer and slower, they generally go to places ?　53　? the air is clear and the scenery is beautiful, and the driver may have a ?　54　? to get a fresh, clean ?　55　? of the world.

36. A. Although     B. Since  C. Because      D. Therefore

37. A. rough   B. splendid     C. smooth       D. complicated

38. A. little     B. few     C. much  D. many

39. A. selections     B. separations C. divisions    D. sections

40. A. terrible B. Possible     C. enjoyable   D. reasonable

41. A. to B. Into    C. over    D. by

42. A. lead     B. connect      C. collect D. provide

43. A. large    B. fast     C. light   D. heavy

44. A. when    B. for      C. but     D. that

45. A. yet       B. still     C. almost D. quite

46. A. unless   B. if C. as       D. since

47. A. relatively     B. regularly    C. reasonably  D. respectively

48. A. and      B. Less    C. more   D. or

49. A. All       B. Several      C. Lots    D. Some

50. A. driving B. crossing     C. curving      D. traveling

51. A. rocks    B. cliffs   C. roads  D. paths

52. A. lying    B. laying C. laid     D. lied

53. A. there    B. when  C. which D. where

54. A. space    B. period C. chance       D. spot

55. A. view    B. variety       C. visit    D. Virtue