She was known to millions as the "Queen of Crime" or the "Duchess (女公爵) of Death". But surprisingly, she hated violence and blood, and knew nothing of the weapons most often used in murder. "I don't think I dare look at a really horrible and damaged body," Agatha Christie once said. But her pen dared to travel where her eyes would not. In a 50-year writing career, Christie's murder stories made her the world's best-known mystery writer. She is outsold only by the Bible (《圣经》) and Shakespeare.

Her works have been turned into films and TV series, and a line of computer games is set to be released over the next six years.

"My grandmother liked to use new ways to reach people who wanted to enjoy her work," said Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard. "Turning her stories into PC games allows us to introduce classic mysteries to new audiences."

Born in 1890 in England, Christie was educated at home and began her writing career while working as a nurse during World War I. She went on to produce 79 novels and numerous (大量的) short stories, dying at the age of 86. "With her knowledge of murder, Christie could have been a teacher at police academies," said one fan.

Her first novel, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" (《斯泰尔斯庄园奇案》), also introduced Hercule Poirot, a retired Belgian (比利时的) police officer who starred in 30 of her works. Among the most popular are "Murder on the Orient Express" (《东方快车谋杀案》) (1934), and "Death on the Nile" (《尼罗河上的惨案》) (1937).

Poirot is a tidy little man with a funny-looking moustache, an egg-shaped head, and a high opinion of himself. He draws conclusions from observing the behavior of those around him, always managing to spot patterns that others cannot see. Poirot has become so famous that someone has even written his biography (传记), "The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot".

Starring in 17 novels, another Christie character, Miss Marple, is nearly as well known as Poirot. But while the Belgian uses his powers of observation, the old Miss Marple relies on her knowledge of human nature to solve crimes. As she once said, "Human nature is the same everywhere."

1. Agatha Christie was a ________ woman.

A. rich B. kind C. bold D. outstanding

2. Christie's murder stories ranked the ________ in sale amount.

A. second B. first C. third D. fourth

3. Christie's stories have been turned into ________ other forms.

A. two B. three C. four D. five

4. Christie's knowledge of murder was ________ .

A. poor B. rich C. limited D. poor

5. Poirot's success lies in his power of ________ while Miss Marple's success belongs to her knowledge of ________ .

A. observation； human nature

B. murder； imagination

C. imagination； murder

D. human nature； observation

(D)篇

1. D。归纳综合题，可用综合归纳法来解。认真阅读分析原文不难发现，Christie一生写了79部小说和大量短篇小说，当然是一个很出色的人。

2. C。推理判断题，可用逻辑推断法来解。由原文第一节末句可推出答案。

3. B。细节判断题，可用直接就题找文法来解。原文第二节体现答案。

4. B。推理判断题，可用逻辑推断法来解。由原文第四节"With her knowledge of murder, Christie could have been a teacher at police academies,"said one fan.可以推出答案。

5. A。细节判断题，可用直接就题找文法来解。原文末节But while the Belgian uses his powers of observation, the old Miss Marple relies on her knowledge of human nature to solve crimes. 体现答案。

【小题1】The little boy held his mother’s hand f___________ when crossing the street.
【小题2】The school is within walking d___________ of my house.
【小题3】The time is a_____________ when we must think about buying a new house.
【小题4】It was a great ___________（宽慰） to have rain after a long time of drought.
【小题5】Have you ever read the original v________of the novel?
【小题6】In the 1950s the Chinese government introduced ________(简化) Chinese characters.
【小题7】He discovered the _________(废墟) of the old city in the nearby  countryside.
【小题8】________ by his accent, he comes from the north of the country.(据他的口音判断)
【小题9】How did you p_____ him into joining us? It’s amazing!.
【小题10】I was told that he had made an unpleasant c_________ on my speech.

The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated(估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.

In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate(足够的) working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.

The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West.

1.What would be the best title for this passage?

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

3.According to the passage, what is the main reason for the widespread use of English?

4.What forms an adequate working knowledge of English?

5.What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?

6.C。细节题。根据文章最后一段倒数第2句可推知此题

Inspiration
“Mama, when I grow up, I’m going to be one of those!” I said this after seeing the Capital Dancing Company perform when I was three. It was the first time that my __36__ took on a vivid form and acted as something important to start my training. As I grew older and was __37__ to more, my interests in the world of dance __38__ varied but that little girl’s dream of someday becoming a __39__ in the company never left me. In the summer of 2005 when I was 18, I received the phone call which made that dream a __40__; I became a member of the company __41__ back to 1925.
As I look back on that day now, it surely __42__ any sense of reality. I believe I stayed in a state of pleasant disbelief __43__ I was halfway through rehearsals (排练) on my first day. I never actually __44__ to get the job. After being offered the position, I was completely __45__. I remember shaking with excitement.
Though I was absolutely thrilled with the change, it did not come without its fair share of __46__. Through the strict rehearsal period of dancing six days a week, I found it vital to __47__ up the material fast with every last bit of concentration. It is that extreme __48__ to detail (细节) and stress on practice that set us __49__. To then follow those high-energy rehearsals __50__ a busy show schedule of up to five performances a day, I discovered a new __51__ of the words “hard work.” What I thought were my physical __52__ were pushed much further than I thought __53__. I learned to make each performance better than the last.
Today, when I look at the unbelievable company that I have the great __54__ of being a part of, not only as a member, but as a dance captain, I see a __55__ that has inspired not only generations of little girls but a splendid company that continues to develop and grow-and inspires people every day to follow their dreams.

阅读下面短文，从短文所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。

   Newcomers（新来的人） to the United States are often    36    by the schools. American schools    37    seem so different from the schools they know in    38    parts of the world. American education is based on the    39    that children    40    to learn to think    41    themselves. The school should be the    42    where they learn to do this.    43   , children learn the “three R’s” [(Reading, Writing and Arithmetic(算术)], history and government (often called Social Studies) and many other    44   . They also learn    45   be independent(独立的)，how to make their own judgement(判断), and how to develop their own   46    and interests. The American teacher does not    47   the children in her class to sit    48   hands folded quietly and to say    49  . She wants them to listen attentively(专心地) to ask questions. She knows that    50    children learn from books is    51  . She also knows that it is necessary for them to know how to use this    52   for their   53    and development. During Open School Week, parents have a    54    to see how American education    55   .

【小题１】A. happy          B. afraid               C. glad             D. surprised

【小题１】 A. some time    B. sometime         C. sometimes            D. some times

【小题１】A. other          B. the other            C. another              D. all

【小题１】 A. opinion      B. idea                 C. promise          D. conclusion

【小题１】A. need           B. needed               C. dare                 D. dared

【小题１】A. of             B. against          C. for                  D. with

【小题１】 A. place         B. space            C. room             D. area

【小题１】A. From school    B. out school           C. By school            D. In school

【小题１】A. lessons       B. knowledge       C. subjects             D. object

【小题１】 A. when to       B. how to           C. what to              D. where to

【小题１】A. ability        B. skill                C. abilities            D. skills

【小题１】 A. think         B. want                 C. let              D. make

【小题１】 A. with          B. across               C. over             D. above

【小题１】A. something      B. anything             C. nothing              D. much

【小题１】A. that          B. which            C. where                D. what

【小题１】A. important     B. unimportant      C. necessary            D. useless

【小题１】A. study         B. work             C. learning             D. aim

【小题１】A. growing       B. growth           C. future               D. tomorrow

【小题１】A. ability            B. possibility          C. interest             D. chance

【小题１】A. develops      B. learns               C. goes             D. works