40. According to the author, a high-tech cash register is really just

A. a simply adding machine

B. an electric instrument of sight

C. a way to keep employees honest

D. an expensive piece of window dressing

39. It can be concluded from the passage that　　　　 .

A. we should not base our conclusions on accidental evidence.

B. there is some truth even in the wildest dreams.

C. one should take notice of other people’s merits(优点).

D. there is no order or pattern in world events.

B

The three biggest lies in America are:(1)“ The check is in the mail.”(2)“ Of course I’ll respect you in the morning. ”(3)“ It was a computer error.”

Of these three little white lies, the worst of the lot by far is the third. It’s the only one that can never be true. Today, if a bank statement cheats you out of $ 900 that way, you know what the clerk is sure to say:“ It was a computer error.” Nonsense. The computer is reporting nothing more than what the clerk typed into it.

The most annoying case of all is when the computerized cash register in the grocery store shows that an item costs more than it actually does. If the innocent buyer points out the mistake, the checker, bagger and manager all come together and offer the familiar explanation:“ It was a computer error.”

It wasn’t , of course. That high-tech cash register is really nothing more than an electric eye. The eye reads the Universal Product Code-that ribbon of black and white lines on the package－and then checks the code against a price list stored in memory. If the price list is right, you’ll be charged accurately.

Grocery stores update the price list each day－that is, somebody sits at a keyboard and types in the prices. If the price they type in is too high, there are only two explanations: carelessness or dishonesty. But somehow “a computer error” is supposed to excuse everything.

One reason we let people hide behind a computer is the common misunderstanding that huge, modern computers are “electric brains” with “artificial intelligence.” At some point there might be a machine with intelligence, but none exists today. The smartest computer on earth right now is no more “ intelligent”　 than your average screwdriver(螺丝刀) at this point in the development of computers the only thing any machine can do is what a human has instructed it to do .

38. The underlined word “courtesy” probably means　　　　　 .

A. good manners. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. suitable speech.

C. friendly relations. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. satisfactory service.

37. By “things like… ‘happen in threes’” in Para. 2, the author indicates that people believe　　 .

A. unfortunate events usually happen together.

B. personal misfortunes tend to happen every now and then.

C. misfortunes will occur three times in one’s whole life.

D. misfortunes will never occur more than three times to a person in his lifetime.

36. In the first paragraph the author states that　　　　　 .

A. dreams are prophetic because some of them did come true.

B. dreams may come true if clearly remembered.

C. dreams and reality are closely related.

D. dreams cannot be said to be prophetic even though a few have come true.

34．A．difficult　　　　　　　　　　 B．important　　　　　 C．useful　　　　　　　　　　 D．careful

33．A．paying back　　　　　　　 B．paying off　　　　　 C．paying　　　　　　　　　 D．paying for

32．A．certain　　　　　　　　　　　 B．some　　　　　　　　　 C．any　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．the

31．A．reward　　　　　　　　　　　 B．prize　　　　　　　　　 C．scholarship　　　　　　 D．award