46. What does the word “letdown” in line 6, paragraph 2 mean?

A. failure　　 　　 B. surprise　　 　　 C. disappointment　　 D. sadness

45. How many points did Yao Ming win in his first game in NBA?

A. zero　　　 　　 B. two　　　　 　　 C. 29　　　　　 　　　　　 D. 10

44. What’s the direct reason for Xing Tao to join the school basketball team?

A. He watched an NBA game.

B. He liked basketball. 　

C. 　He hoped to play for NBA.

D. 　He had a dream that he would become a basketball star. 　

43. On a child’s birthday in Belgium, a parent _____. 　

A. spanks the child　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. pricks the child

C. sleeps in the child’s bedroom 　　　　　　 D. asks the child to sleep with him/her

B

“Someday, there’ll be no Americans left in the NBA,” said 12-year-old Xing Tao, who joined his school team two weeks ago after watching Yao Ming in a televised NBA game. “The players will all be Chinese, like Yao.”

To China, Yao is a home-grown superstar who helped make the world’s first basketball league closer to Chinese players. To the NBA, the 2. 23-meter center offers an opening of a different sort into the world’s largest new market. Yao’s NBA first appearance against the Indiana Pacers in October reached 287 million families in the US. That game might have been a bit of a letdown to Yao’s fans: He played just 11 of the 48 minutes, had two rebounds and got no points. Comparing that with his performance on December 19, also against Indiana, Yao won 29 points and 10 rebounds. “This was one of the most exciting games I’ve had,” Yao said after Houston’s 95-83 victory. The NBA has to be excited about his on-count success. In all his games, he’s averaging 12. 7 points and 7. 7 rebounds, quite good for a new star. “Yao Ming has brought the NBA closer to the Chinese,” said NBA spokeswoman Cheong Sau Ching, “That makes the dream seem practical for other people in China and proud to be Chinese.”

The 22-year-old Yao is not the country’s first player in the NBA: Wang Zhizhi broke down the Dallas Mavericks in November 2003. But Yao’s combination of modesty and skills make him a favourite back home. 　

42. The reason for birthday spanks is _______. 　

A. to make the spirits come　　　　　　　　　　 B. to be different

C. to make the bad spirits go away　 　　　 D. to make the child cry

41. On a child’s birthday in England and Scotland, ______. 　

A. people spanks the child 　　　　　 B. the child always cries

C. the child is not lucky　　　 　　　　　　 D. the child can spank his parents

39. A. only　　　　　　　　　 B. certain　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. very　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. just

38. A. when　　　　　　　　　 B. then　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. while　　　　　　　　　　　 D. as 　

37. A. look　　　　　　　　　 B. find　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. discover　　　　　　　　　 D. search for