3. What kind of life would Oliver lead?

A. A happy life　　　 B. A simple life　　　　 C. A quiet life　　 D. A terrible life(BAD)

U

How men first learned to invent words is unknown, in other words, the origin of language is mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other, and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters , which could be combined to represent those sounds and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters, we call words.

　 The power of the words, then, lies in their associations--- the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience, and the longer we live , the more certain words recall us the glad and sad events of our past, and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.

　 Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should, there, learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar.

2. Before the young woman died, she _______.

　　　 A. kissed her child　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. walked a long way

　　 C. was lying in the street　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. shook her head

1. People would go to the workhouse when they ________.

　　 A. were out of work　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. had no money and no place to live in

　　 C. were very ill　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. were dying

3. The best title is _____.

A. Noralee’s phone-a-song　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Selling songs

C. Over the phone　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Songwriters and Noralee　 (BAA)

T

Among other buildings in a certain town, there is a house for poor people. They go there when they have no money and no where to live. It’s called a workhouse.

Oliver twist was born there. His mother, a young woman, lay ill in bed. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side.

“Let me see the child, and die,” she said.

“Oh, you must not talk about dying yet,” said the doctor.

“No, dear,” said the old woman. “You are too young to die.”

The young woman shook her head and held out her hand towards the child.

The doctor put the child in her arms. She pressed her cold white lips (嘴唇)to its face, and then fell back --- and died.

“She’s dead,” said the doctor. “Where did she come from?”

“She was brought here last night,” said the old woman. “She was lying in the street. She had walked a long way and her shoes were worn out. Nobody knows where she came from, or where was she going to.”

The doctor said “Goodbye” to the old woman and left. He went home to his dinner.

The old woman sat down on a chair in front of the fire and began to dress the baby. She dressed him in the very old clothes used for a baby born in the workhouse --- a poor child without father or mother, born into a world which had no love or pity for him.

2. What does the word “figures” mean?

　　 A. numbers　　　　　　　 B. wishes　　　　　　　　　 C. learns　　　　　　　　　 D. hopes

1. Who does Noralee write songs for?

　　　 A.Some pop stars.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Anyone who calls to ask for songs.　

　　 C. Those who love her songs.　　　　　　　　　　 D. Anyone who telephones her.

5. The best title for this passage is ______________.

　　 A. An Exploring Ship　　　　　 　　　　　　 B. An Astonishing Voyage

　　 C. A Ship Without Its Crew　　 　　　　　　　 D. Discovery of the Resolute(ABDBB)

S

There are many songwriters, but none quite like Noralee Dahl from Torrance, California. The 55-year-old songwriter will write a song for anyone. Just give her a call, and in about thirty minutes she will play an original (最初的) song just for you over the telephone.

　 Noralee calls her operation “phone-a-song.” As soon as she receives a request by telephone, she starts writing. The cost is fifteen dollars a song, plus three dollars for a tape of her song.

　 Noralee’s songs are a blend (混合) of country and popular music. She does the singing --- which she has been doing since she was three years old --- and the guitar playing. So far, Noralee figures she has wrote about 500 songs.

4. The Resolute became famous mainly because ___________.

　　 A. it was found after a long time

　　 B. it floated a long way by itself

　　 C. it was one of the exploring ships locked in the Arctic Ocean

　　 D. no crew was seen on it at sea

3. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

　 　　 A. Little water got into it when the Resolute was found.

　　 B. The crew of Resolute returned to England in 1855.

　　 C. George Henry was the name of an island in the Arctic.

　　 D. The unusual appearance of the ship drew Buddington's attention.

2. How many months did the Resolute sail on the sea with its crew?

　 　 A. Fourteen.　　 　　　 B. Sixteen.　　 　　　 C. Eighteen.　　 　　　 D. Nineteen.