After sunset on our last day at the farm I walked out into the desert. In this, the first pleasant moment for a walk after long hot hours, I thought I was the only thing out of doors. Suddenly I stopped. Before me a rattlesnake lay fixed, its head not yet drawn back to strike but only turned a little to watch what I would do. Many snakes will run away at the sight of a man but this rattlesnake felt no necessity to get out of any-body's way. He held his ground in calm watch-fullness waiting for me to show my intentions. My first aim was to take no notice of him; I had never killed an animal if I was not forced to kill. But I remembered that there were children, dogs and horses at the farm as well as men and women with thin clothes on; my duty was to kill the snake. I went back to the farm and returned with a stick. The rattlesnake had not moved; he lay like a wire but more quickly than I could stride he shot into a bush and set up his rattling, warning me by this that I had made an unreasonable attack and attempted to take his life and that if I insisted he would have no choice but to take mine if he could. For a moment I listened to this terrifying sound and then I struck into the bush with my stick and, chop-ping about, dragged him out of the bush with his back broken.

He struck once more at the stick but a moment later his neck was broken and he was soon dead althoughwww..com when I picked him up by the tail his mouth opened, proving that a dead snake may still bite. There was blood in his mouth and poison was dropping; it was not only a dis-gusting(令人作呕的) sight but a pitiful one too. I dropped the body into a green bush and, as I did so, I saw him in my imagination, crawling over the sands as he might have done if I had let him go.

At the sight of the author, the rattlesnake        .

A. shot into a bush

B. lay motionless but got ready to meet danger

C. drew itself up to strike

D. took no notice of his presence

The author had to kill the rattlesnake because       .

A. it stood in his way

B. it attempted to take his life

C. it presented a disgusting sight

D. its presence was a danger to the people and animals at the farm

Which of the following best describes the rattlesnake?

A. It attacked man without any reason.

B. It would not attack unless it was attacked.

C. It ran away at the sight of man.

D. It exposed itself to danger.

It is implied at the end of the passage that the author____.

A. regretted having killed the snake

B. was glad that he had killed the snake

C. felt a little sorry for the snake

D. could not help thinking about the dead snake

Little Robby, our neighbour’s nephew, carefully drew some water into a bowl and started for the door. How I hated this water rationing (定量供应). We were forced to bathe in the deep little pond we shared with Jessie, our cow. Wells were dry, and crops transformed to dust.
I watched Robby sitting down onto the steps to my house. Bees buzzed circling his hair, and he buzzed with them. I remembered his aunt’s words: I don’t know what I was thinking when I took him in. The crash killed my sister, and he wasn’t hurt, but he can’t talk. He’s in a world of all his own.
Why couldn’t she see the wonderful gifts this boy possessed? He was blessed with a loving nature and a deep admiration for all living things, and I knew he could talk to animals. My heart ached for Robby, who was to stay with us for the summer, and had already been the dearest part of our world, eagerly tending the garden with me and my husband, Tom.
On a string around Robby’s neck hung a whistle, in case he was ever lost or in danger. After all, he could not call out for help. But he knew perfectly well that the whistle was not a toy. Blowing on it would bring us both running. I had told him the story of the boy who cried wolf, and I knew he understood me.
I sighed as I cleared up the last supper dish. Every ounce of recycled water was saved for a tiny vegetable garden Robby had planted. Tom turned to me. “You know, honey, I’ve been thinking about...”
Before he could continue, a scream from the yard made us jump. My God! It’s Robby’s whistle! When we reached him, he was pointing excitedly to the sky. Looking up, we saw the most magnificent sight: Rain Clouds! “Robby! Quick! We need all the pots and pans!”
Robby raced with me to the house. A drop of water fell on my pot and then another. Soon the yard was enveloped in soaking, glorious rain. We all stood with faces held upward to feel the comfort of it. Tom picked up Robby and danced about the pots, shouting and whooping, “Rain for Robby!” Tom swung about to show me Robby’s face: he was laughing right out loud, “W-W-Wobby’s!” “Wobby’s … wain … Mom,” giggling（咯咯地笑）, and stretching out one tiny hand in the shape of a cup to catch the rain.
I hugged them both, tears of joy mixing with the rain.
【小题1】The underlined phrase “the wonderful gifts” in the 3rd paragraph refers to Robby’s ______.

After sunset on our last day at the farm I walked out into the desert. In this, the first pleasant moment for a walk after long hot hours, I thought I was the only thing out of doors. Suddenly I stopped. Before me a rattlesnake lay fixed, its head not yet drawn back to strike but only turned a little to watch what I would do. Many snakes will run away at the sight of a man but this rattlesnake felt no necessity to get out of any-body's way. He held his ground in calm watch-fullness waiting for me to show my intentions. My first aim was to take no notice of him; I had never killed an animal if I was not forced to kill. But I remembered that there were children, dogs and horses at the farm as well as men and women with thin clothes on; my duty was to kill the snake. I went back to the farm and returned with a stick. The rattlesnake had not moved; he lay like a wire but more quickly than I could stride he shot into a bush and set up his rattling, warning me by this that I had made an unreasonable attack and attempted to take his life and that if I insisted he would have no choice but to take mine if he could. For a moment I listened to this terrifying sound and then I struck into the bush with my stick and, chop-ping about, dragged him out of the bush with his back broken. w.wHe struck once more at the stick but a moment later his neck was broken and he was soon dead althoughwww..com when I picked him up by the tail his mouth opened, proving that a dead snake may still bite. There was blood in his mouth and poison was dropping; it was not only a dis-gusting(令人作呕的) sight but a pitiful one too. I dropped the body into a green bush and, as I did so, I saw him in my imagination, crawling over the sands as he might have done if I had let him go.

49. At the sight of the author, the rattlesnake        .

A. shot into a bush

B. lay motionless but got ready to meet danger

C. drew itself up to strike

D. took no notice of his presence

50. The author had to kill the rattlesnake because       .

A. it stood in his way

B. it attempted to take his life

C. it presented a disgusting sight

D. its presence was a danger to the people and animals at the farm

51. Which of the following best describes the rattlesnake?

A. It attacked man without any reason.

B. It would not attack unless it was attacked.

C. It ran away at the sight of man.

D. It exposed itself to danger.

52. It is implied at the end of the passage that the author____.

A. regretted having killed the snake

B. was glad that he had killed the snake

C. felt a little sorry for the snake

D. could not help thinking about the dead snake

After sunset on our last day at the farm I walked out into the desert. In this, the first pleasant moment for a walk after long hot hours, I thought I was the only thing out of doors. Suddenly I stopped. Before me a rattlesnake lay fixed, its head not yet drawn back to strike but only turned a little to watch what I would do. Many snakes will run away at the sight of a man but this rattlesnake felt no necessity to get out of any-body's way. He held his ground in calm watch-fullness waiting for me to show my intentions. My first aim was to take no notice of him; I had never killed an animal if I was not forced to kill. But I remembered that there were children, dogs and horses at the farm as well as men and women with thin clothes on; my duty was to kill the snake. I went back to the farm and returned with a stick. The rattlesnake had not moved; he lay like a wire but more quickly than I could stride he shot into a bush and set up his rattling, warning me by this that I had made an unreasonable attack and attempted to take his life and that if I insisted he would have no choice but to take mine if he could. For a moment I listened to this terrifying sound and then I struck into the bush with my stick and, chop-ping about, dragged him out of the bush with his back broken.
He struck once more at the stick but a moment later his neck was broken and he was soon dead althoughwww.ks5u.com when I picked him up by the tail his mouth opened, proving that a dead snake may still bite. There was blood in his mouth and poison was dropping; it was not only a dis-gusting(令人作呕的) sight but a pitiful one too. I dropped the body into a green bush and, as I did so, I saw him in my imagination, crawling over the sands as he might have done if I had let him go.

1. 1.

   At the sight of the author, the rattlesnake        .

   1. A.
      shot into a bush
   2. B.
      lay motionless but got ready to meet danger
   3. C.
      drew itself up to strike
   4. D.
      took no notice of his presence
2. 2.

   The author had to kill the rattlesnake because       .

   1. A.
      it stood in his way
   2. B.
      it attempted to take his life
   3. C.
      it presented a disgusting sight
   4. D.
      its presence was a danger to the people and animals at the farm
3. 3.

   Which of the following best describes the rattlesnake?

   1. A.
      It attacked man without any reason.
   2. B.
      It would not attack unless it was attacked.
   3. C.
      It ran away at the sight of man.
   4. D.
      It exposed itself to danger.
4. 4.

   It is implied at the end of the passage that the author____.

   1. A.
      regretted having killed the snake
   2. B.
      was glad that he had killed the snake
   3. C.
      felt a little sorry for the snake
   4. D.
      could not help thinking about the dead snake

第二节 完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

One night, a poor young artist stood at the gate of the subway station, playing his violin. Many people ___36___ and put some money into the   _37_   of the young man.

The next day, the young artist came to the same place again. Different from the day before, he ___38___ out a large piece of paper, ___39___ it on the ground and put some stones on it. Then he began ___40___. Before long, many people were attracted by the ___41___ on that paper which said, “Last ___42___, a gentleman named George Sang put an important thing into my hat by ___43___. Please come to claim(认领) it soon.”

A middle-aged man ran there in a hurry and rushed ___44___ the crowd to the violinist and grabbed his shoulders and said, “Yes, ___45___ is you. You did come here. I knew that you are an ___46___ man and would certainly come here.”

The story ___47___out to be this: George Sang bought a ___48___ ticket a few days ago. The awards ___49___ yesterday and he won a(n) ___50___ of $500,000. On his way home, he took out 50 dollars and put it in the violinist’s hat, However, the lottery ticket(彩票) was also thrown in. The violinist was a ___51___ at an Arts College. He had ___52___ the ticket to Vienna and would take a plane that morning. ___53___, when he found the lottery ticket, he cancelled(取消) the flight and came back to where he was given the lottery ticket.

Later someone asked the violinist ___54___he didn’t take the lottery ticket for himself. The violinist said, “Although I don’t have much ___55___, I live happily; but if I lose honesty, I won’t be happy forever.”

36. A. picked up        B. sped up        C. broke down D. slowed down

37. A. hat          B. pocket C. bag       D. plate

38. A. brought B. made   C. took     D. put

39. A. lie  B. laid       C. lied       D. lain

40. A. selling    B. playing          C. speaking      D. reading

41. A. news      B. notice  C. words  D. advertisement

42. A. night      B. morning       C. evening        D. noon

43. A. purpose B. mistake        C. design D. occasion

44. A. across    B. over     C. through        D. among

45. A. that        B. it  C. he         D. this

46. A. brave     B. attractive    C. confident     D. honest

47. A. looked    B. carried          C. reached        D. turned

48. A. train       B. lottery C. plane   D. subway

49. A. closed    B. ended  C. opened         D. launched

50. A. prize       B. price    C. reward         D. fund

51. A. professor       B. worker          C. violinist         D. student

52. A. applied  B. booked         C. kept     D. renewed

53. A. However     B. Otherwise         C. Therefore    D. Instead

54. A. what      B. why      C. where  D. when

55. A. happiness      B. lottery C. honesty        D. money