Once upon a time two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict(对抗). It was the first serious one in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed.

      Then the long cooperation fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

      One morning there was a knock on John’ door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days’ work,” he said. “Could I help you?”

     “Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek(河沟) at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow(草地) between us and he took his bulldozer(推土机) to the levee(堤) and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. I want you to build me a fence―an 8-foot fence ―so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow.”

     The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.” The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

  The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.

      There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge― a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work― and his younger brother was coming across, his hand outstretched.

  “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

  The brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.

  “I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but, I have so many more bridges to build.”

72. What was life like for the two brothers before the conflict?

A.  They lived a poor, miserable life.

B.  They were friendly neighbors, helping each other.

C.  They never spoke to each other.

D.  They lived together as one family.

73. Which of the following best describes the carpenter?

A. He was skilled but dishonest.

B. He was hardworking but unskilled.

C. He was clever, hardworking, but cold hearted.

D. He was clever, helpful and skilled.

74. The best title for this passage is ________.

   A. A Fine Piece of Work

B. A Clever Carpenter

   C . A Conflict between Two Brothers

D. Two Brothers

75. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A.  The younger brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek.

B.  After the conflict John was angry with his younger brother.

C.  At first the carpenter planned to build an 8-foot fence as John asked him to.

D.  The two brother made peace at last.


I'm writing this letter slowly because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happened within 20 miles from our home, so we moved.
I won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so that they wouldn't have to change their address. This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well though: last week I put a load in and pulled the chain (拉链) and haven't seen them since. The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice last week; the first time for three days and the second time for four days. About that coat you wanted me to send you, your uncle Stanley said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.
John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out. Your sister had a baby this morning, but I haven't found out what it is yet. The baby looks just like your brother.
Uncle Ted fell in a whiskey vat(桶)last week. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off playfully and drowned. We had him cremated(焚化)and he burned for three days.
Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up trunk. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. You other two friends were in back. They drowned because they couldn't get the tail gate down.
There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened.
Love,
Mom
P.S. I was going to send you some money but the envelope was already sealed.
【小题1】From the passage, we can infer that _____.

A.here is the letter by a son for his father
B.here is the letter by a mother for her son
C.the family moved to a new and nice place because it is really good there
D.the writer's daughter has got a male baby
【小题2】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The number of the family is four, including the new-born baby.
B.The son can't send his parents a letter because the address was taken by the other family.
C.The son will receive a coat with the buttons detached (拆下).
D.None is true.
【小题3】The underlined word "it"(Para.3) refers to _____.
A.the thing that the baby was born B.the baby
C.the son's father D.the son's mother
【小题4】What is the reason why the family moved to a new place?
A.The son asked them to do so .
B.The place is really nice and the climate there is not bad, too.
C.His dad read in the newspaper most accidents happened within 20 miles from their home.
D.His sister had a baby, so they wanted to find a fine place.

I shall never forget the day when the earthquake took place. The time was about 5 o’clock in the afternoon and I was driving along the road to take my daughter from school. Our plan was to go swimming together. I finished my work at 4 o’clock and then went to the post office. Then I stopped off at a shop in order to get some fresh fruit. We’d like to have some fruit after swimming.
I was driving along a high road on my way to my daughter’s school. Over my road was another road, which was built like a bridge for cars coming to the other way. I was hungry so I put the bag of apples in the seat beside me and started to eat one.
Suddenly I saw the cars in front of me start to move from side to side. Then my car started to shake! I didn't know what was happening. Perhaps something had gone wrong with my car. I drove more slowly and then I stopped the car and at the same moment the road fell onto the cars in front of me.
I found myself in the dark. I couldn't move. The bottom parts of both of my legs and my feet were hurting badly and I couldn't move them. All around me was quiet. But above me I could hear shouts and a lot of noise. Then I memorized what had happened. I had been in an earthquake.
For about two hours nobody came. Luckily I could reach the bag of apples, so at least I had plenty to eat. Then I heard people climbing towards me. A team of people had come to see if anyone was under the broken road. I called out, “I’m here!” when I heard a shout. Soon a stranger climbed to the side of the road near my car. “How are you doing?” he asked. “Not too bad, ”I said. “But my feet and legs feel as if they’re broken.”“We’ll have you out of there just as soon as we can.” They didn't get me out until the next morning. I had been in my car for fourteen hours.
【小题1】When the earthquake took place, the writer was        .

A.on his way to the post office B.stopping off at a shop
C.doing some shoppingD.under a road built like a bridge
【小题2】The writer’s car began to move from side to side because      .
A.there was something wrong with his carB.he ate apples as he drove
C.an earthquake happenedD.he drove too fast
【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.When the earthquake happened, the writer was with his daughter together.
B.The writer’s legs and feet were badly wounded in the earthquake.
C.The writer was saved as soon as the stranger climbed up the road.
D.The writer was so frightened that he forgot everything that happened around him.
【小题4】Which of the following shows the right order of what happened to the writer?
a. A stranger climbed to the side of road near his car and asked how he was doing.
b. The writer finished his work.
c. He felt his car shaking on his way to his daughter’s school.
d. He bought some fresh fruit in a shop.
e. He was saved the next morning.
f. The writer found himself in the dark.
g. He went to the post office.
A.b,g,d,c,f,a,eB.b,d,c,g,f,a,e
C.d,b,c,f,g,a,eD.c,a,f,g,b,d,e
【小题5】From the passage we’re sure that the writer was         .
A.a teacher of a schoolB.a manager of a shop
C.a father of a girlD.a worker of a post office

If there is one thing I’m quite sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we still be reading newspapers. Not those newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of the news from the television or have the radio switched on in the background or in the car. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.

The basic British character won’t change, and one of the characteristics of the British is that we don’t much like talking to each other when we get up. So what better way is there to keep yourself thinking in the morning than to wrap yourself in a newspaper?

Over the past couple of centuries, human beings have developed a close relationship with the newspaper. It has become as natural as breathing or enjoying the sun. And it is not just the British who love newspapers. On suburban trains in Calcutta, for instance, just one person in the whole car will buy a newspaper and read aloud the best bits to his fellow passengers, much to everybody’s enjoyment.

The nature of what is news may change. What essentially (本质上) makes news is what affects our lives and the big political stories, the coverage of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters, will continue much the same. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though. It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives, like genetic engineering. In the future I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do, whether it’s love or depression. We develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.

It’s quite possible that in the next century newspaper will be transmitted electronically from the national equivalents of Fleet Street (伦敦的舰队街,以报馆集中而著称) and printed out in our own homes. In fact, I’m pretty sure that that is how it will happen in future. You’ll be probably selecting from a menu, making up your own bespoke newspaper by picking out the things you want to read and say. You might even have an intelligent screening device (装置) to do the job for you.

I think people have got it wrong when they talk about the competition between the different media. They actually have a relationship, feeding off each other. It was once predicted that television would kill off newspapers, which hasn’t happened. What is read on the printed page is more enduring (持久的) than pictures on a flickering screen or sound lost in the sky. And as for the Internet, it’s never really satisfying to read something just on a screen.

1.The author of the passage is most probably from _______________.

A.Russia            B.India             C.Britain            D.America

2.According to the passage, the future of newspapers ____________.

A.will be mainly connected with scientific research

B.will report more important political activities

C.will directly cover more on scientific research

D.will build a bridge between different people

3.The underlined part “bespoke newspaper” of the passage probably refers to _____________.

A.a newspaper which dares to report the truth

B.a newspaper edited to one’s own interest

C.a newspaper edited and published for the public

D.a newspaper which only covers the life of family members

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A.It was centuries ago that newspapers came into being .

B.Televisions have taken the place of newspapers .

C.The Internet will gradually take the place of newspapers.

D.The nature of news may remain the same over generations.

 

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