______ I enjoy the book with some nice pictures, I don’t have enough money to buy it．

A．Since                    B．While               C．As                    D．If

I used to go camping a lot, so it won’t be the first time I          in a tent.

A．have slept                 B．had slept　          C．was sleeping      D．slept

We went to Mountain Tai last weekend, ________, not surprisingly, was crowded with visitors.

A．that                     B．which              C．where              D．when

The company provides cheap Internet access．_______, it makes shareware freely available.

A．In addition                B．In brief              C．In return             D．In common

I ________ be slow, but at least I don't make stupid mistakes.

A．must                        B．need                 C．should              D．may

―Better get down to your work, Jack.

―         .

A．It’s my pleasure                               B．Not to mention it

C．Mind your own business                     D．You’re welcome

为适应山东省素质教育的要求，你校学生会开展了学生“读一本好书”的学习活动，请你根据以下提示，写一篇英语短文向《21世纪报》进行报道，并简要说明你对该项活动的评价。

   注意： 1. 不得透露所在学校信息。

           2. 可适当增加内容，使文章完整通顺。

3. 字数：120-150。

[1]Hocus-pocus sounds magical, doesn't it? And the word comes from the world of magic playing in Medieval (中世纪) Europe. In the dictionary Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, hocus-pocus is explained this way: a method or belief that you think is based on false ideas, e.g. He thinks psychology is a lot of hocus-pocus.

[2]I'm afraid this explanation isn't as interesting as the sounding of the word itself. But then again, the dictionary I mentioned is a dictionary for beginners. One can't expect much from it when it comes to such an interesting word as hocus-pocus. The Merriam-Webster dictionary online, on the other hand, gives a more detailed explanation: (1) sleight of hand; (2) nonsense or sham used especially to cloak deception. And it gives the origin of the word: probably from hocus pocus, imitation of a Latin phrase used by magicians.

[3]This explanation gets to the basic nature of hocus-pocus―exotic (外来的) but meaningless talk by the magician to fool the audience. Watch any magician at work and we'll notice that he sometimes talks constantly while performing tricks, using hocus-pocus, such as ear-catching words, eye-catching hand or body movements, to distract(分散) our attention while he gets a trick done.

[4]Hocus pocus reveals the nonsensical nature of the magician's talk on stage. And it was introduced into the English language probably just on the strength of the rhyming sound of it. Hocus-pocus, lovely.

[5]Well, knowing its origin which is from performing magicians in Europe, I'm sure you will find hocus pocus easier to remember. You'll also learn where to put it into use.

76. What is the passage mainly about? (Please answer within 10 words.)

77. Please list some examples of using “hocus pocus” mentioned in the passage. (Please answer within 10 words.)

① __________________ ② _______________ ③ _______________

78. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?

Hocus pocus shows magicians’ completely ridiculous and pointless words while performing.

79. Translate the underlined sentence in the passage into Chinese.

80. In what situations do you think we can use hocus-pocus? (Please answer within 30 words.)

Shoppers who have cut back on purchases in the worrying U.S. economy are likely to continue their conservative shopping habits even if the economy improves, according to a new study.

That signals continued bad news for retailers(零售商), who have been struggling to respond to a great cutback in spending as consumers have opened their wallets only for basic items, while cutting back on unimportant purchases.

The report, which estimates retail sales growth to be flat this year, found that three-quarters of respondents to a monthly survey of 4,000 consumers said they had shifted their shopping behaviors because of the economy. Most said they were making do with less or going without some favorite items.

“The habits learned during this economic crisis have the potential to permanently change the mind-set of consumers,” the report said. “The vast majority of shoppers who are changing their near-term shopping behavior say they plan to continue them as the economy improves.”

To ease the consumer discomfort, smart retailers will focus on downsizing, the report said, as adding stores to an already crowded retail landscape is out of fashion. It came up with smaller initiatives to build shopping buzz, such as limited editions of products or having existing stores target local markets. The report also forecast that retailers will increasingly focus on private brands to attract cost-conscious shoppers, while adding complementary categories of goods to their stores to make one-stop shops for consumers.

While warehouse clubs and super centers are expected to fare the best in the weak environment in 2009, discount department stores and supermarkets will be the weakest, the report warned. Sales of clothes, though expected to rebound in 2010, will be the hardest hit and slowest to recover.

71. The current shopping behavior in the US is becoming________.

   A. arbitrary              B. protective                 C. conservative             D. aggressive

72. Which is the measure the retailers won’t take to attract shoppers?

  A. Adding more stores to the busy retail landscape.

  B. Keeping the editions of products limited.

  C. Making “one-stop” shops for customers.

  D. Concentrating on private brands and downsizing.

73. What will the consumers do with the worrying US economy?

  A. Having existing stores target local markets.

  B. Going without some favorite items.

  C. Giving up their near-term shopping plan.

  D. Opening their wallets for daily buying.

74. The underlined phrase “fare the best” most probably means “________”.

  A. setting the best example                          B. working out the best

  C. making the greatest efforts                     D. having the most discount

75. According to the report, _______.

   A. bigger shops will be more successful

   B. supermarkets do better than super centers

  C. clothing will recover smoothly in 2010

  D. most respondents suffer from the crisis

Do you ever run out of great books to read? So what should I read next? Is fast-paced crime fiction your thing?

Try the new Patricia Cornwell book, Scarpetta (Putnam). She is such an able writer and handles complex forensic(法庭的) intelligence with ease. You need to be prepared, though, for the world you're entering―this isn't for the faint of heart, let's say.

      If peace is more your thing, try Mary Pipher's wonderful new book, Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World (Riverhead). Mary is a lovely, comfortable writer who takes the reader through her personal awakening after reputation and fortune came her way. Even if you've never experienced life as a bestselling writer (as she has done, in her book years back, Reviving Ophelia), you'll totally understand and sympathize with her renewed need for privacy, distance and quiet.

      What if you want a straightforward, totally thrilling read with vivid characters, set about World War II? You cannot go wrong with Jim Lehrer's new novel, Oh, Johnny (Random House), about a young Marine whose life is changed forever when he meets a woman on his way to war. His relationship with her lasts him through danger and hardship, and there's an impressive ending. See our interview with the productive novelist/newsman in the current issue of Reader's Digest (March, on stands now), by the way, for insight into the very talented Mr. Lehrer and what interests him.

      Well, what about something wickedly funny and totally offbeat? Does the name Carrie Fisher do anything for you? Try her vivid and new life in Hollywood and elsewhere, Wishful Drinking (Simon & Schuster). Be prepared for humor as sharp as knives.

66. In which column will you probably find the above passage?

   A. Advice.          B. News story.        C. Advertisement.     D. Comments.

67. What does the writer intend to tell us by the underlined sentence?

   A. The world is complex and hard.                           B. Scarpetta is a thriller.

   C. The fiction is hard to understand.                         D. Society is hard to fit into.

68. Which of the following is true of Mary Pipher?

   A. She is an adventurous writer.             

   B. She doesn’t care about fortune.

   C. Her books normally sell well.                     

   D. She can help you achieve writing skills.  

69. To get further information about Jim Lehrer, you may________.

   A. go to Reader’s Digest issued in March             B. go to Random House

   C. analyze the characters in Oh, Johnny                  D. read the novel Oh, Johnny

70. Which book isn’t directly based on the writer’s own life?

   A. Seeking Peace.    B. Reviving Ophelia.        C. Wishful Drinking.      D. Oh, Johnny.