第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分80分）

第一节：阅读理解（共35小题；每小题2分，满分70分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21~55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

　　August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me.

　　You might think that I don’t want to spend my summer reading, but that’s not the problem: I love reading. On the first day of my summer holidays this year, I went to the library and got “A Gathering of Old Men” by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning paper. So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting. Teachers and librarians don’t understand that summer reading can be entertaining as well as educational. They choose books that a friend of my mother’s calls “spinach books”: good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience.

　　This bitterness started three years ago when I was about to begin high school. As preparation, my English teacher told me to read “The Age of Innocence” by American author Edith Wharton. I’m sure there are many people who enjoyed “The Age of Innocence” — some might even say it’s their favorite book.

　　But I don’t think any of these people read it as a 14-year-old boy on his summer vacation.

　　“The Age of Innocence” is the story of a forbidden romance in New York 100 years ago. At 14, my only experience with romance was my love for baseball. I couldn’t imagine being in love, much less being in love in 1900. “The Age of Innocence” was totally different to my life.

　　Most of my required summer reading has been like that — books written in a style that plays up the adjectives and plays down the verbs. I guess teachers don’t think exciting plots make for “good literature”. To me, though, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next.

　　If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” by George V. Higgins, “The Right Stuff” by Tom Wolfe, and “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value but, just as important, can also entertain kids on vacation. If the teachers could stand a little fun in the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable.

1. The author thinks he will have a difficult August because ____________.

A. he doesn’t like reading in summer vacation

B. he is to read the books boring and not right for kids

C. he hates the English teacher assigning homework

D. he hates August

2. What can make students interested in August reading ought to be ___________.

A. romantic                                                      B. out of date

C. entertaining and educational                            D. pure

3. The author listed such books as “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” because he thinks __________.

A. they can change his opinion                            B. he can learn a lot more from them

C. they are of literary value, and enjoyable    D. he has to do as teachers tell him to

4. In the opinion of the author of this passage, a good writer should be ___________.

A. one who describes events and characters in different ways

B. one who is full of imagination         

C. one who is learned

D. one who uses a way of describing that makes the reader wish to know what to happen next

5. Which of the following could be the best title of this passage?

A. Why Can’t Teachers Set Us Fun Books?

B. I Don’t Like Reading on the Vacation

C. Teachers, Don’t Set Us Any Reading Assignments

D. Teachers, Set Us Free

完形填空

　　All kinds of people came in to have their shoes shined. Most folks were friendly. But this man was different.

　　“How much do you make a week, boy?”he asked me. I felt he was __1__ at me.

　　He kept giving a sharp __2__ around every now and then. All the time I kept __3__ where I'd seen his face. Suddenly I knew. I'd seen his __4__ in the post office many times. He was the big robber: __5__ by the police in three states!

　　“You know, ”he was saying,“it's imagination people __6__. You'll never get anywhere as a shoeshine boy.”

　　I kept brushing on his shoes as __7__ as I could. The sooner I finished, the better. He said,“When I was sixteen, I had __8__ $ 2 500 of my own.”

　　That reminded me of something. Was it $ 2 500 or $ 5 000 or $ 25 000? I wasn't __9__. I knew a big reward was __10__ for him.

　　But what could I do about it? __11__ him with a can of shoe polish（擦亮剂）? A man his __12__ could grind（压碎）me into the floor. If only someone would come in! He kept talking away（喋喋不休）.“Along with __13__, it takes courage. The courage to take a chance. Start something on a shoestring（鞋带）.”

　　Suddenly I saw Officer Dailey __14__ across the street. Then, real fast, I began tightening the man's shoestrings.

　　The policeman was at the window when I cried out,“Officer Dailey, __15__! This man's a robber.”

　　“__16__,”the man shouted angrily. He started to jump off the stand. But he didn't go the __17__ he planned. He fell flat on his face and knocked himself out cold.

　　“That was __18__ clever of you,”the officer said. “You'll get a reward of $ 7 500 for him.”

　　“Well, it really wasn't my __19__,”I said.“It was his. He told me that __20__ you had courage and imagination, you could start something big on a shoestring.”

One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime (一角银币) left. He was hungry so he decided to 　 1　 for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. 　 2　 a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked 　 3　 so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I　 4　 you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied, “Mother has taught me never to accept 　 5　 for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger 　 6　 , but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and 　 7　 before this point. Years later the young woman became critically ill. The 　 8　 doctors were baffled (阻挡). They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her 　 9　 disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now 　 10 was called in for the consultation (会诊). When he heard the name of the town she came from, a(an) 　 11 light filled his eyes. 　 12 , he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He 　 13 her at once. He went back to the 　 14 room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special 　 15 to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was 　 16 . Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then 　 17 something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was 　 18 to open it because she was sure that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill 　 19 her attention. She read these words…

“Paid in full with a glass of 　 20 .”

(Singed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

46.A. ask B. beg　　 C. wait　 D. look

47. A. Because of　 B. In front of C. In case of　 D. Instead of

48. A. upset　 B. thirsty C. hungry　　　 D. sad

49. A. owe　　 B. cost　 C. lend　 D. own

50. A. offer　　 B. pay　　 C. help　 D. thanks

51. A. quickly B. mentally　　 C. physically　 D. warmly

52. A. quit　　 B. continue　　 C. retire　 D. surrender

53. A. local　　 B. poor　 C. kind　 D. cruel

54. A. common　　 B. ordinary　　 C. rare　 D. scarce

55. A. old　　　 B. famous　　　 C. unknown　 D. retired

56. A. strange B. special C. poor　 D. angry

57. A. Suddenly　　 B. Generally　 C. Unfortunately　　 D. Immediately

58. A. called　　　　 B. recognized C. remembered　　 D. found

59. A. waiting B. treating　　　 C. information D. consultation

60. A. interest B. food　 C. attention　　　　　 D. effort

61. A. defeated　　　 B. won　 C. lost　　 D. completed

62. A. changed　　　 B. read　 C. crossed　　 D. wrote

63. A. excited B. afraid C. nervous　　 D. surprised

64. A. caught B. called C. paid　 D. caused

65. A. water　　　　　　　　 B. coffee　　　　　　　　　　 C. milk　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. ice cream