The biggest change in the world today is technology. The reason why the world is getting smaller is that people can now talk to each other more quickly than before with more information.

The computer now has the information of a library of books on all subjects. With the knowledge available（可用的） to every person of the world, the world seems to be smaller. By sitting at a computer, different software programs give students the chance to learn about all subjects simply by asking the computer to find the information.

Now students can produce written papers at a high level of skill because the computer brings information immediately to the student. The computer becomes the library. Students and parents are now learning what an important tool the computer has become for improving education.

The telephone can now be used in cars or carried in a purse or pocket so that people can talk to each other at any time. Often, a beeper（寻呼机） will be carried at all times by an adult. When it begins to beep, the adult can see which number is calling. It might be a family member or a business. By going to the car, he can call back immediately. The car becomes the office for business simply because of the car phone.

Letters within a country might have taken a few days to be delivered. Between countries, it might take a few weeks. Technology has developed a fax machine where a letter can travel anywhere in the world immediately. This has changed the way people do business. Also, family members can use the fax for personal messages.

Many computers can receive an e-mail. This is like the fax letter. Often, businesses have a fax machine but homes do not. If a computer is in a home, it can receive e-mail messages from anyone in the world. It is like the telephone but it costs much less to receive messages.

The next generation will have computers in most homes and be able to send faxes and e-mails throughout the world.

Today, information is limited because not everyone has a computer. However, in the future, the computer will be as common as the telephone or television. Technology is changing the way people communicate with each other.

1. The idea that the world is getting smaller is that _______ .

A. the world is really smaller than before for some reason

B. trains and buses travel faster than before

C. people can communicate with each other more quickly than before

D. there are more and more rockets and satellites in space

2. What the writer talks most about in the article is _______ .

A. the computer

B. the e-mail

C. the fax

D. the telephone

3. Fewer and fewer people use the beeper because _______ .

A. it is difficult to use

B. it shows only the number of someone's telephone

C. the beeper owner can answer the telephone only by going to a car

D. at times public telephones are easily found

4. According to the writer, using the fax is _______ than telephoning .

A. more useful

B. less expensive

C. less important

D. more necessary

 ― Which number is yours?

―_____--it's that one here, yes, this one.

A. Let me see       B. Let's say           C. Mind you        D. Excuse me

The First of May is a Bank Holiday—the first public holiday of the year in England.
Most people consider it a special day ,the beginning of summer ,a day when the light lasts long into the evening ,and when we can look for warm weather .We don't always get it .We feel disappointed ,but not surprised if there are cold winds and frosts at night in May .Winter should be over .Most people know that in the past ,when farming occupied almost everyone ,the changing seasons were of great importance .In that older time there was every reason to celebrate May Day .Customs of those celebrations remain.?
Of these customs ,the best known is the choosing of a May Queen and the dancing round Maypole .Even these customs are little more than memories now—but in the last century it was quite common in villages and small towns ,and even in schools and colleges ,for a pretty and popular girl to be chosen Queen of the May .It was a great honour to be chosen .For a day she wore a light and flowery dress, carried garlands（花环）,and was ceremonially crowned with flowers .She presided over a procession ,as a rule with a number of attendants ,and over the Maypole dancing and all kinds of entertainment .The Maypole was slender（苗条的） tree trunk ,cut off its branches, with beautiful ribbons fastened to the top .The dancing was designed in such a way that the dancer's movements move the ribbons into a pattern. This, as you can imagine ,required skill from the dancer ,and was not achieved without practice .
It's the Celtic（凯尔特的）people who celebrated the First of May as a spring festival .Their celebration seems to have had little to do with taking pleasure in early ,beautiful flowers and in warmer weather! They called it Beltane—the fire of the god Bel .They lit fires ,in the expectation that their blaze would help the sun in its struggle to regain its strength. They drove their cattle between banks of flame in the expectation that the terrified beasts would be purified（净化） and protected from disease .A tree ,which must have been blackened with smoke ,stood in the middle of the fires ,and is thought to have been the origin of the Maypole .Their priests（牧师） made sacrifices to the goods in the hope of good harvests and sufficient store of food for the winter. There was dancing certainly ,but it was noisy and cheerful ,since its purpose was not to weave a pattern of colored ribbons ,but to drive out evil spirits from the earth and to arouse those kind spirits.?
1.The main purpose of the passage is to show ________.?
A.the reason why they celebrate May Day?
B.the start and customs of May Day?
C.the way they celebrate May Day?
D.the choosing of a May Queen during May Day
2.According to the passage ,which sentence is NOT true??
A.In the old days they celebrated May Day for the changing of the seasons.?
B.In England summer begins at the first of May.?
C.The custom of the choosing of a May Queen still exists in the present May Day celebration.?
D.The Celtic people celebrated the first of May as a spring festival.?
3.From the surrounding words and sentences we know that the word “presided” means ________.
A.管理 B.越过 C.指挥 D.主持?
4.The best title for this passage is ________.?
A.The First of May  B.The Beginning of Summer
C.May Queen    D.The Holiday of the Year?

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Fish market

The Hongqiao Shanghai Grand Mercure Hotel is inviting all seafood lovers to its Asiatique restaurant this December to enjoy a five star fish market for 178 yuan plus a 15-percent surcharge（附加费） on Wednesdays and Fridays. Guest can choose from tuna, salmon, sea bass or yellow-tail, and the chefs at the Grand Mercure will happily grill, steam or fry the 'catch' to their liking. The deal includes a complimentary glass of white wine. Children under 1.2 m can eat for free.

021-5153-3300 ext 3708

Christmas menu

Epicure on 45 is ushering in the festive season with a special Christmas menu next month. Highlights include steamed lobster and spinach salad with mango, nuts, raspberry and walnut dressing (165 yuan), and traditional roast turkey with filling, giblets and cranberry sauce with fresh vegetables (198 yuan). Epicure on 45 is a revolving restaurant located on the 45th floor of the Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World Hotel.

021-6359-9999 ext 4210

Chocolate delight

Bar 505 at the Sofitel Shanghai Hyland is offering a Sweet alternative to afternoon tea this season with its set of milk chocolate and hazelnut chips lollipop, bittersweet chocolate tartlet and jam with brioche along with creamy hot chocolate every day from 1 pm to 6 pm for 98 yuan.

021-6351-5888 ext 4281

Hot soups

The Okura Garden Hotel Shanghai's Baiyulan Chinese restaurant is serving up four nourishing winter soups this December for 98 yuan for two plus a 15-percent service charge. They include chicken soup with American ginseng and wild mushroom, and beef tendon stew with apricot and Chinese wild yam.

021-6415-1111 ext 5215

53.Where can you enjoy the hazelnut chips lollipop?

A Grand Mercure hotel.   B Epicure on 45   C Bar 505  D Baiyulan Chinese restaurant

54.How much should be paid if two adults take a child under 1.2m on Friday in Fish market ?

A 178  B  356   C  386   D  409

55.If you want to taste steamed lobster,which number do you need?

A  021-5153-3300 ext 3708

B  021-6359-9999 ext 4210

C  021-6351-5888 ext 4281

D  021-6415-1111 ext 5215

56.If you are in Baiyulan restaurant,you can enjoy the following except__________.

A chicken soup  B wild mushroom  C beef tendon stew  D salmon