17. A. poor　　　　　　　　　　 B. black　　　　　　　 　　 C. faraway　　　　　　　 D. nearby

16. A. pouring　　　　　　　　 B. falling　　　　　　　 　 C. dropping　　　 D. flooding

15. All the leading newspapers ____ the trade talks between China and the United States.

　　 A. reported　　　　　　　　　　　 B. printed　　　　　　 C. announced　　　　　 D. published

第二节 完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5.分，满分30分)

A strong wind was blowing hard, thunder was rumbling, and lightning flashed across the dark sky. Rain was 　16　 　down; it looked as if heaven had been broken open.

Gleams of light appeared from windows of 　17　 　houses, shining like jewels in all the dark.

A 　18　 　woman dressed in rags and trembling with cold was 　19　 　on a lonely road, while the merciless rain was 　20　 　her without pause. She knocked at the door, and a 　21　 　answered it. She begged him to let her stay a while 　22　 . The boy then let her into the sitting room and 　23　 　her sitting by the fire.

The woman 　24　 　old and tired under the bright electric light, 　25　 　she was only in her early thirties. She sat 　26　 　for a moment, and then her eyes began to look about the 　27 . When her wandering eyes rested on the picture of a young man, she 　28　 up, looking thunderstruck. Just then, the boy came with his 　29　 . The man at once recognized the woman as his　 　30　 . They had 　31　 　touch with each other during the war, and he thought he had lost her forever.

　 32　 　words needed to be spoken, They embraced each other 　33　 　the boy stared at them, puzzled.

The storm was over and the sky cleared. Feeling very 　34　 , the couple stood face to face with their child between them, watching the rain as it gradually 　35　 .

14. -- Let's go and have a good drink tonight.

　 -- ________ Have you got the first prize in the competition?

　 A. What for?　　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　B. Thanks a lot.

C. Yes, I'd like to.　　　　 　　　　　　　　 　　　　D. Why not?

13. Solar energy heating system is an _____ method of heating.

　 A. economic　　　 　　　　　 B. economy　 　　　　　 C. economics　 　 D. economical

12.　 ---- I’ve put my name down for the expedition trip to Antarctica.

　 　-----_________.

　 　A. Is that all?　　　　　　　 　　　　　 　　　　B. That’s all right.

C. I believe what you said.　　 　　　　 　　　　D. Are you serious?

11. _______ there was no conclusive evidence, most people thought he was guilty.

　 　A. When　　 　　　　 　　B. As far as　　　 C. As long as　 　 　D. While

10. ________ I call on him, he is out.

A. The moment　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　B. So far as　　

C. Every time　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　D. Any time

9. If you stand here, you'll get a better ________ of the river.

A. sight　　　 　　　B. view　　　　　　 C. scene　　　 　　　　 　D. scenery

8. ______ in the regulations that you should not tell other people the password of your e-mail account.

　 　A. What is required　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　B. What requires　　

　 　C. It is required　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　 　　D. It requires