When a group of children pelltelr siop a convercaiion wiih vou. saying:"We have io go to work now." you're ieft feelins suprised and ceriainlv uneasv. After all. this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is Juat unthinkable. That is. until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools. and thai ibe "work" they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre. Stage schools often acr as agencies (代理机构) to supply children for stage and television work. More worihy of ihe name `siage eckool. nre thase few p!aces where children auend full time. with a iraining for the theatre and a general educaiion.A visit to such school will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After alI. what lively children woudn"t settle {or snendins onlv half the day doing ordinary school work. and acting. singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?Then of course these are time for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Thase under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 do 80 days.The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don't make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good siudy results. the lacis seem 'o augged ths is not alwaystbe case.

1.Peeple would sipp feeling uneasy wben realisng that ibe ch]Idren tbey're ialking to

A. aiiend a stage school

B. are going to ibe theaire

C. hsv. gor some work io do

D. love singlns and dancins

2.In ihe wrier's opnion. a ged siage school shoud.

A. preduco siar performers

B. help pup;ls imnrove iheir siudy sk]1]s

C. train pupils in Isnguage and periorming arts

D. provide a guneral ofucation and siage irairting

3."Professional work" as used in the next means＿＿＿＿＿．

A．ordinary school work

B．rooneyrnaking performances

C. siage oraining at school

D. aciing. singing or dancing afier class

4. Whck ofthe follewing beat deecrbes how the wrier feels abeui siage echoolso

A. He ibinks hishlv of wbnt they have ic rffer.

B. He favours an early siart in the training of performing aris.

C．He f'els uncomforiable aboui chldren vuiiins on nieh: sbows.

D．He douhis ihe siandard of ordlnary educaiion ihew have reachof.

If you live in the country or have ever visited there, ____ are that you have heard birds singing to welcome the new day.

A、situations   B、facts    C、dances   D、possibilities

Let’s keep to the point, or we ______ any decisions

1. A.
   will never reach
2. B.
   have never reached
3. C.
   never reach
4. D.
   never reached

In the U.S., people prefer waiting for a table to sitting with people they don’t know. This means a hostess may not seat a small group until a small table is available, even if a large one is. If you are sitting at a table with people you don’t know, it is impolite to light up a cigarette without first asking if it will disturb them.

At American restaurants and coffee shops you are usually served tap water before you order. You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill.

Most cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing time for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars. Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day.

Serving in restaurants is often large; too large for many people. If you can’t finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a “doggie bag”. It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everybody knows you’re taking the food for yourself.

Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal. Some people have “Sunday dinner”. This is an especially big noon meal.

Tips are not usually added to the check. They are not included in the price of the meal, either. A tip of about 15% is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave. In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there. Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change.

1. Which statement is true?

A. American people like sitting with people they don’t know.

B. Tips shouldn’t be given to the waiter or waitress.

C. Orange juice is served before you order

D. American people would not light a cigarette if the people who sit at the same table mind their smoking.

2. What does the underlined word “doggie bag” mean in the article? It means ______.

A. a bag with a picture of a dog on it

B. a bag used to carry dogs

C. a small bag for taking the food left over home to enjoy it later

D. a small bag for taking the food left over home for dogs

3. Sunday dinner is _______.

A. a dinner in the evening               B. a big noon meal

C. a big lunch Sunday                  D. a supper on Sunday

For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead．“We can do without railways” people say，as if motorcars and planes made the railways unnecessary．We all keep hearing that trains are slow，that they lose money，that they’re dying．But this is far from the truth．In these days of expensive oil，the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes．If you want to carry people or goods from place to place，they’re cheaper than planes．And they have much in common with planes．A plane goes in a strange line and so does a railway．What is more，it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another．It doesn’t 1eave you as a plane does，miles and miles from the city center．It doesn’t hold you up as a car does，in endless traffic jams．And a single train can carry goods which no plane or motorcar could ever do．Far from being dead，the railways are very much alive．Modern railway lines give you a smooth，untroubled journey．Where else can you eat well，sleep in comfort，feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time? And we are only at the beginning．For we have just entered the age of super-fast trains, traveling at 1 50 miles an hour and more．Soon we will be wondering why we spent so much on motorways we can't use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can't fly in for the same reason.

Some people think the railways are dead for many reasons except that ______   ．

  A．planes and motorcars will take the place of trains  B．oil is expensive today

  C．trains are slow                              D．railways lose money

The writer’s idea seems to be that ______   ．

  A. we can do without railways    B．trains have much in common with motorcars and planes

  C．motorcars and planes are not as good as trains D．trains are as good as motorcars and planes

According to the writer，which of the following is NOT true?

  A．It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane．

  B．The railway station is usually at the center of a city．

  C．When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city center．

  D．No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does．

From the underlined sentence at the end of the passage，we can infer that    ．

  A．1ess and less people will take planes and motorways in the future

  B．the people have known that the train is better than planes and motorways

  C．trains will be more popular in the future

  D．nobody likes spending much money on motorways