Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that are common around the world. Many people ride bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as a means of transportation. The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1818. Because it was made of wood, it wasn’t very strong nor did it have pedals (脚踏板）.Riders moved it by pushing their feet against the ground.

In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle. Macmillan’s machine had iron-covered wheels to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated levers, similar to pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t look much like the modem bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles could be ridden easily, they were never produced in large numbers.

In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an improved pedal mechanism. They called their bicycle a velocipede，but most people called it a “bone shaker” because of the effect of the wood and iron frame. Despite the impolite nickname, the velocipede was a hit. After a few years, the Michaux family was making hundreds of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking young people.

Ten years later, James Starley , an English inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient，and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top-heavy，and ridden mostly for entertainment.

It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H. J. Lawson, the safety bicycle would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it easier to ride. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the back wheel. By 1893，the safety bicycle had been further improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamond-shaped frame, and easy braking. With the improvements provided by Lawson_; bicycles became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.

1.This passage was most likely written in order to _____.

A．compare bicycles used for different purposes

B．describe the problems early bicycle makers experienced

C．persuade readers to use bicycles for transportation

D．tell readers about the early history of the bicycle

2.Macmillan covered the wheels of his bicycle with iron to _____

A．add weight to the bicycle

B．make the bicycle easier to ride

C．allow the wheels to last longer

D．let the bicycle be more comfortable

3.Which of the following bicycle types was invented by James Starley?

4.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Two hundred years ago，bicycles did not exist.

B．The first bicycle could be ridden at a very quick pace.

C．The Michaux brothers called their bicycle a “bone shaker”.

D．Macmillan’s machine had wheels with rubber tires.

5.The information about bicycles in this passage is arranged according to _____.

A．importance        B．time              C．place             D．Interest

The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means （通讯设备）.Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it.

Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, Man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world.

Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.

Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air.

Pollution by carbon dioxide is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. It is true that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.

The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in population at the same time.

1..

. Hundreds of years ago, the pollution was _________it is today.

A. much easier than        B. as easy as          C. as hard as         D. much less than

2..

 Our world is becoming much smaller_________.

A. because the earth is being polluted day and night

B. because science is developing

C. because of the rise in population

D. because the earth is blown away by the wind every year

3..

 Air pollution is the most serious kind of pollution because_________.

A. it does harm to all living things in the world       B. it makes much noise

C. it makes our rivers and lakes dirty               D. it makes us angry more easily

4..

 Which of the following is NOT the possible way to reduce air pollution?

 A. Stop people from burning coal in the houses and factories in the city

B. Stop putting dirty smoke into the air

C. Encourage people to go to work by bike or on foot instead of driving a car

D. Don’t throw rubbish into the river.

5..

 Which of the following is NOT true?

A. The problem of pollution is not so serious because there are not so many people living on the earth.

B. The pollution of the earth grows as fast as the world’s population does.

C. If people could go to work by bike ,it would be helpful against the problem of carbon dioxide.

D. Many countries are making rules to fight against pollution.

第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）出可以填入空白的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert.After they were seated, the mother saw a friend in the audience and walked   36   the aisle(通道)to greet her.  37  the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and   38  explored his way through a door   39   "NO ADMITTANCE."

      40   the house’s lights dimmed and the   41   was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was   42 . Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused   43   the impressive Steinway on stage.In   44  , the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently(纯洁地)picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

    At that moment, the great piano master   45   his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't   46  ." "Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left   47   and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the   48   side of the child and he   49   a running obbligato(伴奏).Together, the   50   master and the young novice(新手)transformed a   51  situation into a wonderfully creative   52  . The audience was mesmerized(迷倒).

    That's the way it is with God.  53  we can finish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the  54   aren't exactly flowing music. But   55  the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

. A. through          B.down               C.across            D.over

. A. Seizing          B.Taking              C.Catching          D.Using

A. fortunately       B.immediatly          C.eventually         D.surprisingly

. A. marked          B.said                 C.carried           D.noticed

.A. Before           B.When                C.Since            D.Because

. A. concert          B.lecture               C.speech           D.party

. A. crying           B.sleeping             C.missing           D.playing

. A. on              B.to                  C.in                D.at

. A.anger             B.surprise            C.delight             D.horror

. A. made            B.walked             C.finished           D.found

. A.move             B.quit                C.leave             D.play

.A.finger             B.arm               C.foot               D. hand

.A. other             B.another             C.both              D.each

. A.filled             B.played              C.added             D.passed

. A. old              B.great               C.famous            D.patient

. A.fanscinating       B.exciting            C.surprising         D.frightening. A.experience         B.choice              C.performance       D.exercise

. A. which            B.That                C.What            D.How

. A.results            B.ways                C.music           D.concert

. A. of               B.for                   C. with            D.by

Health officials issued a waring over common energy-saving l一ghtbulbs(灯泡) after research showed some types could potentially harm the skin and may even raise the risk of cancer.

A study by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) found that some eco-friendly lightbuulbs release levels of ultraviolet (UV) (紫外线) radiation that are above recognized safety limits. The agency urged people who work with lamps nearby to avoid spending more than one hour within a foot of the eco-friendly bulbs. The warning was directed at those using desk lamps for long periods, such as jewellery makers, and others who might have lights close to their faces, such as car mechanics.

John O’Hagan, a scientist at the HPA’s centre for radiation, chemical and environmental dangers, began tests on the ligthbulbs after patient groups raised concern about them. Among the groups were patients with a skin disease called lupus, which makes people highly sensitive to light.

The tests measured UV light from the lamps and found the highest levels of UV radiation, measured 2cm from the lightbulbs, were equivalent to being outside in direct sunlight in the summer. The most immediate risk from the lightbulbs is a reddening of the skin similar to sunburn, but there is also a small increased risk of skin cancer associated with this, again similar to that of sunburn.

The risk of health problems from the lightbulbs was not so high that people should remove them from their homes. People are advised to avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work until the problem is sorted out. It has confirmed that the government will not be reviewing its strategy on introducing energy efficient lightbulbs.

1.The underlined word “equivalent” in paragraph 4  most probably means ______.

2.In order not to be harmed by the UV radiation from some lightbulbs, people should ______.

3.In the next part, the author would most probably further explain _____.

4.We can learn from the passage that ____.