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 .

 

72.We are told that a high-tech cash register is really just        .

       A.a simple adding machine

       B.an electric instrument of sight

       C.a way to keep employees honest

       D.an expensive piece of window dressing

73.Grocery store price lists are updated by        .

       A.an employee                                       B.a telephone receiver

       C.an adding machine                              D.a typewriter

74.According to the passage , which of the following statements is true ?

       A.That high-tech cash register is anything but an electric eye .

       B.The grocery stores update the price list every other day .

       C.There is no machine with intelligence today.

       D.There are four biggest lies in America .

75.Which of the following describes the main idea of the passage ?

       A.Computers are stupid and inefficient .

       B.Computer errors are basically human errors .

       C.Computers can help department stores update the price list .

       D.Supermarket price errors are often made through dishonesty .

 

 

Question : What is more astonishing than a 60―ton whale on a flatbed truck being driven down the street ?

Answer : A 60―ton whale on a flatbed truck exploding and raining blubber (fat of whales ) all over the sidewalk .

 

   That’s what happened in Taiwan recently , when a dead sperm whale being shipped to the Halobios Research Centre for an autopsy (尸体解剖) developed an extremely bad case of gas and blew up before it reached its destination .

The whale was found alive on a Taiwan beach last weekend, and died shortly after it was discovered . Since the 56-foot whale was the largest whale ever beached on Taiwan’s shores , scientists wanted to study it and perform an autopsy for educational purpose .

Obviously , too much time passed between when the animal died and the time it was set to be moved to the autopsy location , because it had already started to go bad .When things rot , they give off gases as a by-product . In the whale’s case , the gases were trapped in its belly . The pressure inside the rotting creature grew so much that it popped like an over-filled balloon . Unfortunately , it was on a truck in the middle of the city of Taiwan at the time ―cars and shops lining the street were covered with whale bits and juices , much to their owners’ discouragement .

According to news reports , traffic was tied up for hours while officials tried to clean up the streets .

Newspaper editors worldwide were probably smiling to themselves , since they had a ready-made headline ―several reports about the incident were titled “There She Blows !” after the famous line from the book Moby Dick .

 

68.The purpose of the question  at the beginning of this news report is to       .

       A.explain the reason                               B.sell newspapers

       C.attract readers                                    D.give an immediate answer

69.The whale’s explosion is the result of       .

       A.pressure from gases building up in the creature as it began to rot

       B.the long transport of the creature from the beach to the center

       C.the extremely busy traffic in the streets it passed by

       D.the quick process of rotting of the animal

70.What is the correct order of the incidents ?

       a. The whale was set to a flatbed truck .     

       b. The whale was discovered .

       c. The whale exploded .

       d. The whale died .

       A.b; c; a ; d            B.d; c; b; a             C.b; d; a; c            D.d; b; a; c

71.What do we know from the last paragraph ?

       A.Some newspaper editors were laughed at .

       B.Moby Dick is the name of a woman writer .

       C.All the newspapers reported the story under the same title .

       D.The title “There She Blows!” is taken from the book Moby Dick .

A few minutes ago , walking back from lunch , I started to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping . It wasn’t much but , as I turned , my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too . A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime .

The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on sidewalk is an attention-getter . It can be nothing more than a penny . Whatever the coin is , no one ignores the sound of it . It got me thinking about sounds again .

We are surrounded by so many sounds that attract the most attention . People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine, a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street .

When I’m in New York , I’m a New Yorker . I don’t turn either . Like the natives . I hardly hear a siren (警笛) there .

At home in my little town in Connecticut, it’s different . The distant loud noise of a police car , an emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed .

It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us , not the loudest . In the middle of the night , I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away through three closed doors . I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imagination turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house . How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime ?

I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what the bad sounds are .

I’ve turned against whistling , for instance . I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been connecting the whistler with a nervous person making noises .

The tapping , tapping ,tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me .  I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it .

 

63.The sound of a coin dropping makes people       .

       A.think of money                                   B.look at each other

       C.pay attention to it                                D.stop crossing the street

64.How does the author relate to sounds at night ?

       A.He imagines sounds that do not exist .

       B.He thinks taps should be turned off .

       C.He believes it’s rather quiet at night .

       D.He overstates quiet sounds .

65.He dislikes whistling because       .

       A.he is tired of it                                    B.he used to be happier

       C.it reminds him of tense people              D.he doesn’t like workers

66.What kind of sound does he find pleasant ?

       A.Tapping of his typewriter .                    B.Clinking sound of keys .

       C.Tinkling sound of a coin dropping .       D.Creaking sounds .

67.How does the writer feel about sounds in general ?

       A.They make him feel at home .

       B.He thinks they should be ignored .

       C.He believes they are part of our lives .

       D.He prefers silence to loud noises .

Hungry for Change is part of a growing movement of people who want to stop famine throughout the world . They want to make certain that people in famine areas can protect themselves from the effects of future droughts . They also want to make certain that enough help is quickly available for emergencies in all parts of the world .

Hungry for Change has helped to raise millions of pounds for famine relief (救助) . It has attracted a great deal of newspaper publicity for its relief work . It has also been successful in persuading the government in Britain to increase its aid budget by several million pounds and carry out new research into improved crops . While Hungry for Change works in Britain for an end to poverty and famine in the world , Oxfam is helping to get over the fear of famine in such countries as Ethiopia and Sudan with long-term development projects .

In North West Darfur , Sudan , Oxfam is helping to increase food production .

In Nile Province , Sudan , Oxfam is planting trees in order to provide fuel and shelter , and to protect the soil . It is a faraway area , where rainfall is poor and conditions for agriculture and the forests are difficult .

In Arba Minch , Ethiopia , Oxfam is supporting a project to supply clean water to villages . Clean water will reduce the risk of diseases, especially among children .

 

59.Hungry for Change and Oxfam are two       .

      A.branch offices     B.churches            C.hospitals             D.organizations

60.The underlined word “famine” probably means       .

       A.the bad harvest of grain                       B.very serious lack of food

       C.the place covered with water                D.a long period of dry weather

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

       A.Hungry for Change has collected a lot of money .

       B.Hungry for Change wants to help people prevent famine .

       C.Oxfam is planting trees to improve agriculture in Nile Province .

       D.Oxfam plans to improve agriculture in Sudan in a very short time .

62.According to the passage , Oxfam does not help       .

       A.to build schools and hospitals               B.to increase food production

       C.to provide fuel and shelter                    D.to supply clean water

Ad.1

West High School Bake Sale

Come and support our band and buy some delicious baked goods !

Friday, September 20th , 2:00―4:00 p.m.

In the hall by the office after school

Cookies : 25 cents each or 5 for $1

Brownies : 50 cents each or 3 for $ 1.25

Cake by the slice : $ 1

Whole cakes : $ 8

Proceeds go toward sending our band to Nationals .

 

 

Ad.2

SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES

Ups or U.S. Parcel Post are the standard methods for continental U. S. shipments .

ORDER TOTAL                       GROUND                     EXPEDITED GROUND

                                                9―12 working days      4―5 working days

$ 0.00 to $ 30.00                       $ 4.50                           $ 5.50

$ 30.01 to $ 60.00                     $ 7.25                           $ 8.25

$ 60.01 to $100.00                    $ 9.50                           $ 10.50

$ 100.01 to $ 200.00                  $ 11.50                          $ 12.50

Add $ 7.00 to Ground Rates for 3 Days .

 

 

56.How much money can you save if you buy 3 brownies ?

      A.50 cents .            B.1.25 dollars .        C.75 cents .            D.25 cents .

57.Which of the following gives you the most for your money if you buy the baked goods ?

       A.4 cookies .          B.5 cookies .           C.2 brownies .        D.One slice of cake .

58.If you wish to receive an order totaling $ 90.00 within 3 days , how much would the shipping cost ?

       A.$ 10.50               B.$ 15.00               C.$ 16.50               D.$ 26.50

Do not push yourself too hard

One Friday earlier this school year , all of a sudden it felt like I had pulled a muscle in my back . I knew I was    36    . After a few days I stopped eating , which meant I lost    37    ; the clothes bought two weeks earlier began hanging    38    . In addition , I started    39    so less that my eyelids were constantly heavy . My parents got   40     . I thought fear wasn’t going to    41    my life . Yet , I spent every minute of every day    42    how I was going to get myself out of trouble , and it made me mad .

Then I    43    to accept I was ill . I kept my job working 25 hours a week in a shop ; I didn’t    44    any classes . When I was    45    , I sucked it up and kept on going .   46    it kills you , it makes you stronger , right ?

But now I find myself thinking whether that’s    47    it . I’m taking the classes and writing for the newspaper because it looks    48    on college applications . And I am working 25 hours a week so that ,   49    I get into my dream school, I can afford it .

Here I am , already sick from the amount of work . So , what good is a(n)   50    application if I’m dead ? What is the    51    of doing this work if I can’t enjoy the results ?

   52    , by writing my story I’m not only   53     that I can’t take it , but I’m telling all the people who are too concerned with the    54    to worry about now .This is my warning : Don’t   55     the high dive if you don’t like the deep end .

36.A.tired

B.ill

C.sad

D.cold

37.A.heart

B.chance

C.confidence

D.weight

38.A.loose

B.proper

C.regular 

D.tight

39.A.protecting

B.sleeping

C.amusing

D.observing

40.A.annoyed

B.disturbed

C.scared

D.shocked

41.A.control

B.lose

C.take

D.explore

42.A.noticing

B.showing

C.answering

D.wondering

43.A.refused

B.agreed

C.determined

D.managed

44.A.attend

B.choose

C.drop

D.expect

45.A.leaving

B.training

C.performing

D.hurting

46.A.Since

B.If

C.Though

D.Unless

47.A.unfair

B.honest

C.worth

D.equal

48.A.firm

B.good

C.curious

D.serious

49.A.once

B.though

C.unless

D.whether

50.A.expensive

B.impressive

C.instructive

D.sensitive

51.A.point

B.duty

C.promise

D.action

52.A.In case

B.In return

C.In fact

D.In all

53.A.regretting

B.reporting

C.desiring

D.admitting

54.A.income

B.education

C.pressure

D.future

55.A.cross

B.escape

C.climb

D.avoid

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