Can you remember the first time you learned to ride a bike or drive a car？Learning these skills changed your life forever and opened up new horizons（视野）. Learning about computers can be like learning how to ride a bike or drive a car. Once you have invested the time to master the skills，you will never go back to the old days. The new technology is simply too convenient and too powerful.
Technological developments through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort. We have continuously looked for better ways of doing things. Each invention and new development has allowed us to extend our capabilities. Today we see one of the most dramatic technologies ever developed—the computer. It extends the capabilities of our minds.
Computers have saved organizations millions of dollars. Furthermore，these same computer systems have opened up new opportunities that would have gone undiscovered or neglected. The computer may multiply what we can do，and the return on investment is high. The growth of computer usage is surprising. On the other hand，the computer can do serious damage. Invasion of privacy（侵犯隐私），fraud（欺诈），and computer-related mistakes are just a few shocking examples.The computer is like a double-edged sword. It has the ability to cut us free from some activities，but it can also cut deep into profits，personal privacy，and our society in general. How it is used is not a function of technology. It is strictly a function of how people decide to use or misuse this new technology. The choice is yours，and only through a knowledge of computer systems will you be able to avoid the dangers while enjoying the many，many benefits of the computer age.
【小题1】The writer thinks learning about computers is like learning how to ride a bike or drive a car because ______.

 They are shocked to find that in this town the traffic rules are not strictly ________.

       A. noticed             B. recommended    C. observed         D. concerned

Can you remember the first time you learned to ride a bike or drive a car？Learning these skills changed your life forever and opened up new horizons（视野）.Learning about computers can be like learning how to ride a bike or drive a car.Once you have invested the time to master the skills，you will never go back to the old days.The new technology is simply too convenient and too powerful.

Technological developments through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort.We have continuously looked for better ways of doing things.Each invention and new development has allowed us to extend our capabilities.Today we see one of the most dramatic technologies ever developed—the computer.It extends the capabilities of our minds.

Computers have saved organizations millions of dollars. Furthermore，these same computer systems have opened up new opportunities that would have gone undiscovered or neglected.The computer may multiply what we can do，and the return on investment is high.The growth of computer usage is surprising. On the other hand，the computer can do serious damage.Invasion of privacy（侵犯隐私），fraud（欺诈），and computer-related mistakes are just a few shocking examples.?The computer is like a double-edged sword.It has the ability to cut us free from some activities，but it can also cut deep into profits，personal privacy，and our society in general.How it is used is not a function of technology.It is strictly a function of how people decide to use or misuse this new technology.The choice is yours，and only through a knowledge of computer systems will you be able to avoid the dangers while enjoying the many，many benefits of the computer age.

1.The writer thinks learning about computers is like learning how to ride a bike or drive a car because ______.

A.it is simple and practical　　　　　　　　 B.it needs a lot of practice

C.it leads people to new life experiences　 D.it takes much time to master the skills

2.According to the passage，computers bring people the following benefits except ______.

A.avoiding mistakes　　　　　　　　　 B.saving money

C.making money　　　　　　　　　　　 D.opening up opportunities

3.According to the writer，the bad effects of computers can be avoided if we ______.

A.have some knowledge of computer systems

B.tell people not to misuse computers

C.have strict rules over the use of computers

D.make more investments in the technology

4.This passage is probably written for ______.

A.computers　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B.computer producers

C.computer learners　　　　　　　　　 D.computer programmers

完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)

A beggar, carrying a shabby(破旧的) old wallet, was begging alone from house to house. As he complained about his 36 , he kept wondering that people who lived in 37 houses should always be unsatisfied, 38 rich they might be, and they should go so far as to 39 all they have.

       “Here, for example,” he said, the former master of this house succeeded in trading, and made himself very rich. By then, instead of stopping, and handing over his 40 to another, and spending the rest of his years 41 peace, he took to(从事) equipping ships. He expected to get mountains of gold; but the ships were 42 , and his treasures were lost. Now they all lie at the bottom of the sea, and he has found his 43 disappeared like those in dreams. In short, examples of this are 44.

       At this moment Fortune suddenly appeared to the beggar and said, “Listen! I have long wished to 45 you. Here are a lot of gold coins I have found. Hold out your wallet, and I will fill it with them; but only on this condition: All shall be gold that falls into the wallet, but if 46 of them falls out of the wallet to the ground, it 47 become dust. Consider this well. I have warned you I shall 48 keep my word. Your wallet is old, don’t fill it 49 its power.” The beggar was almost too overjoyed to breathe. He 50 felt the ground below his feet. A stream of coins were poured 51 it. The wallet soon became rather heavy.

       “Is that 52 ?” “Not yet,” “Isn’t it 53 ?” “Never fear.” “Consider, you are a millionaire.” “Just a little more, just 54 a handful,” But at that moment the wallet broke, the gold coins 55 dust and Fortune disappeared. The beggar had nothing but his empty wallet and remained as poor as before.

A. plan                   B. fate                          C. idea                         D. dream

A. dark                 B. poor                        C. clean                        D. rich

A. how                    B. so                   C. however                   D. whatever

A. win               B. lose                C. throw                       D. forget

A. business              B. debt                 C. money                            D. chance

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

A. bought                      B. sold                 C. missed                      D. robbed

A. luck                    B. riches                       C. trade                        D. future

A. countless             B. wonderful                C. helpless                    D. funny

A. admire                   B. help                  C. encourage                 D. excite

A. little                   B. much                       C. any              D. lots

A. must                  B. may                C. shall                        D. can

A. mostly                B. simply              C. possibly             D. strictly

A. beyond                B. within                      C. during             D. by

A. really                B. actually                    C. hardly                      D. nearly

A. for                        B. into                     C. on                     D. from

A. so             B. enough                     C. true                D. right

A. trembling           B. shaking                  C. breaking                   D. rolling

A. try                    B. put                 C. leave                        D. add

A. cleared up                 B. brought up          C. fell into                  D. turned into

How Women Were Freed From Their Homes

As late as 1800, a woman's only place was in her home. Women in business were unheard of. No respectable woman would dream of entering what was strictly a “man’s world”. Even if she would, what could she do? Men were sure that no woman could do a job well outside her home. This was a widely accepted idea. When the famous Bronte sisters began writing books in 1846, they had to resort to using men’s names as aliases.

Teaching was the first profession opened to women, soon after 1800. But even that was not easy for women to take because most high schools and colleges were open only to men. Oberlin College in Ohio was the first college in America to take in women.

Nursing was regarded as a respectable profession for women only after Florence Nightingale won high credit for her nursing career and became famous. Miss Nightingale opened the first training school for nursing in 1860 in England.

The invention of typewriters in 1867 helped to bring women out of their homes to join the business world. Because women are careful and have nimble fingers, businessmen found that they were well suited to this kind of work.

By 1890, tens of thousands of women were working in schools, hospitals, shops, offices, and factories both in England and the States. Some even managed to become doctors or lawyers. The idea of women working in business and other circles was accepted.

1.Oberlin College was the first college in America _______.

2. It can be inferred from the text that besides nursing, Florence Nightingale was also ______.

3.Quite a lot of women entered the business world _______