58. What do we know about Olivetti?

A. It produced the best typewriter in the world.

B. It designed the world’s first mainframe computer.

C. It exported more typewriters than other companies.

D. It has five independent companies with its head office in Ivrea.

57. What was probably the direct result of Olivetti’s falling behind in electronic technology

A. Adriano’s death　　　　　　　　　　 B.A period of financial problems

C. Its faster progress　　　　　　　　　 D. Its agreements with other companies.

2010年高考题

Passage 1

(10·安徽A篇)

The engineer Camilla Olivetti was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivrea, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter. Today the company’s head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world,

　　 By 1930 there was a staff of 700 and the company turned out 13.000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriters to other countries.

　　 Camillo’s son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduced a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialist. The company developed new and better typewriters and then calculators(计算器). In 1959 it produced the ELEA computer system. This was the first mainframe(主机) computer designed and made in Italy.

After Adriano died in 1960, the company had a period of financial problem. Other companies, especially the Japanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company.

In 1978, Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marketing and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one of the world’s lesding companies in information technology and commucations. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group-one for personal computers, one for other office equipment, one for systems and service, and two for telecommunications.

56.From the text we learn that 　　　　　　

A. by 1930 Olivetti produced 13.000 typewriters a year

B. Olivetti earned more in the 1960s than in the 1950s

C. some of Olivetti’s 700 staff regularly visited customers in Italy

D. Olivetti set up offices in other countries from the very beginning

35．A．selling　　　　　　 B．speaking　　　　　　　　 C．writing　　　　　　　　　　　 D．listening

答案 　DACBA　　 AADCB　　 CADDC　 ADDCB

Passage 88

(陕西省西安铁一中2010届高三上学期九月月考)

Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but also　 16　 that there's a big difference between"　 17　 a writer "and writing. In most　 18　 these individuals are dreaming of　 19　 and fame, not the long hours　 20　 at a typewriter. "You've got to want to write, "I say to　 21　 ,　 "not want to be a writer". 　　 The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and　 22　 paying affair. For every writer kissed　 23　 fortune there are thousands more whose desire is　　 24　 rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U. S. Coast Guard to become a freelance writer (自由撰稿人)，I had no prospects (chances of success)　 25 . What I did have was a friend who　　 26　 me my room in a New York apartment building.　　 27　 didn't even matter that it was cold and had　　 28　 bathroom. I immediately bought a used manual (手控的)　　 29　　 and felt like a genuine writer. 　　 After a year or so,　　 30　 , I still hadn't gotten a break and began to　 31　 myself. It was so hard to sell a story that hardly made enough to eat.　 32　 I knew I wanted to write. I had　　 33　 about it for years. I wasn't going to be one of those people who die wondering.　　 34 if ? I would keep putting my dream to the test even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of　　 35　 . This is the Shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. 16. A. demand　　　　　　　　　　B. require　　　　　　　　　　 C. explain　　　　　　　　　　 D. add 17. A. liking　　　　　　　　　　 B. admiring　　　　　　　 C. respecting　　　　　　　　 D. being 18. A. cases　　　　　　　　　　 B. conditions　　　　　　 C. aspects　　　　　　　　　　 D. ways 19. A. health　　　　　　　　　　 B. wealth　　　　　　　　　 C. future　　　　　　　　　　　 D. happiness 20. A. deeply　　　　　　　　　 B. alone　　　　　　　　　 C. lonely　　　　　　　　　　　 D. alive 21. A. you　　　　　　　　　　　 B. him　　　　　　　　　　 C. them　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. myself 22. A. high　　　　　　　　　　　 B. poor　　　　　　　　　　 C. rich　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. average 23. A. by　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　　　　 C. of　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. to 24. A. ever　　　　　　　　　　　 B. never　　　　　　　　　 C. even　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. still 25. A. at all　　　　　　　　　　 B. in　all　　　　　　　　　 C. above all　　　　　　　　　 D. after all 26. A. helped　　　　　　　　　 B. provided　　　　　　　 C. supplied　　　　　　　　　 D. found 27. A. He　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. I　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. It　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. They 28. A. no　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. any　　　　　　　　　　　 C. some　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. each 29. A. bathroom　　　　　　　 B. pen　　　　　　　　　　　 C. typewriter　　　　　　　　 D. machine 30. A. though　　　　　　　　　 B. however　　　　　　　 C. yet　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. therefore 31.A. doubt　　　　　　　　　　 B. comfort　　　　　　　　 C. believe　　　　　　　　　　　 D. express 32. A. While　　　　　　　　　　 B. So　　　　　　　　　　　 C. But　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. As 33. A. dreamed　　　　　　　　 B. thought　　　　　　　　 C. known　　　　　　　　　　　　　D. talked 34. A. Even　　　　　　　　　　 B. As　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Only　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. What 35. A. darkness　　　　　　　　 B. loss　　　　　　　　　　 　 C. failure　　　　　　　　　　　 D. change 答案 　16---20　 CDABB　　　21---25　 CBABA　　　 26---30　 DCACB　　　 31---35　 ACBDC

34．A．help　　　　　　　　 B．harm　　　　　　　　　　　 C．income　　　　　　　　　　　 D．money

33．A．examined　　　 B．searched　　　　　　　　 C．checked　　　　　　　　　　 D．tested

32．A．alive　　　　　　　　 B．dead　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．missing　　　　　　　　　　　 D．born

31．A．everything　　 B．anything　　　　　　　　 C．nothing　　　　　　　　　　　 D．something

30．A．help　　　　　　　　 B．job　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．god　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．company

29．A．day　　　　　　　　　 B．second　　　　　　　　　　 C．week　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．moment