Grandfather’s Clock

In the dining room of my grandfather’s house stood a(n) 　36 grandfather clock. Meals in that dining room were 　37 for four generations to become one. And always that grandfather clock stood like a trusted family friend, watching over the laughter and story 　38

and gentle kidding that were a part of our lives. Year after year, the clock 　39 , a part of my memories, a part of my heart. Even more wonderful to me was my grandfather’s 　40 . He wound that clock with a special key each day. That key was magic to me. It kept our family’s magnificent clock ticking and chiming. I remember watching as my grand-father took the key from his pocket and opened the hidden door in the massive clock. He inserted the key and

41 　　 not too much, never overwind, he’d tell me seriously, nor too 　42 . He never let that clock wind down and stop. When we grandkids got a little older, he showed us how to open the door and let us each take a turn 　43 the key. I remember the first time I did, I

44 , to be part of this family routine was sacred. After my 　45 grandfather died, it was several days after the funeral 　46 I remembered the clock! The tears flowed freely when I entered the dining room. The clock stood lonely as quiet as the 　47 had been, hushed. The clock even seemed smaller. Not quite as magnificent without my grandfather’s special 48 . I couldn’t 　49 to look at it. Sometime later, years later, my grandmother gave me the clock and the key. The old house was quiet. The hands on the clock were 50 , a reminder of time

slipping away, stopped at the 　51 moment when my grandfather had stopped winding it. I took the key in my shaking hand and opened the clock door. All of a sudden, I was a child again, watching my grandfather with his silver-white hair and 　52　 blue eyes. He was there, winking at me, at the secret of the clock’s magic, at the key that held so much power. I stood,

53 in the moment for a long time. Then slowly, I inserted the key. It 　54 to life. Tick-tock, tick-tock, life and chimes were 　55 into the dining room, into the house and into my heart. In the movement of the hands of the clock, my grandfather lived again.

36.　 A. used　　　　　　　　 B. traditional　　　　　　　　 C. massive　　　　　　　　　 D. ancient

37.　 A. a time　　　　　　　 B. one time　　　　　　　　　 C. instant　　　　　　　 　 D. time

38.　 A. swapping　　　　 B. telling　　　　　　　　　　　 C. developing　　　　　　　 D. spreading

39.　 A. stroke　　　　　　　 B. sounded　　　　　　　　　 C. chimed　　　　　　　　　　 D. echoed

40.　 A. ceremony　　　　 B. routine C. movement　　　　　　　 D. instruction

41.　 A. moved B. wound　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. motivated D. powered

42.　 A. little　　　　　　　　 B. loose　　　　　　　　　　　 C. tight　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. much

43.　 A. using　　　　　　　 B. inserting　　　　　　　　　 C. spinning　　　　　　　　　 D. winding

44. A. nerved　　　　　　　　　　 B. excited　　　　　　　　　　 C. trembled　　　　　　　　　 D. shook

45.　 A. beloved　　　　　　 B. lovely　　　　　　　　　　　 C. respectful　　　　　　　　 D. respective

46.　 A. when　　　　　　　 B. before　　　　　　　　　　 C. until　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. till

47.　 A. function　　　　　 B. ceremony　　　　　　　　 C. funeral　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. meeting

48.　 A. reach　　　　　　　 B. attention　　　　　　　　　 C. fixing　　　　　　　 　 D. touch

49.　 A. bear　　　　　　　　 B. continue　　　　　　　　　 C. allow　　　　　　　　　　　 D. forbid

50.　 A. dotted　　　　　　　 B. stopped　　　　　　　　　 C. frozen　　　　　　　　　　 D. paused

51.　 A. precise　　　　　　 B. perspective　　　　　　　 C. previous　　　　　　　　　 D. primary

52.　 A. staring　　 　　 B. twinkling　　　　　 　 C. shining　　 　　　　　 D. glaring

53.　 A. thought　　　　　　 B. imagined　　　　　　　　　 C. recalled　　　　　　　　　 D. lost

54.　 A. renewed　　　　　 B. sprang　　　　　　　　　　 C. survived　　　　　　　　　 D. awoke

55.　 A. poured　　　　　　　　　　 B. crowded　　　　　　　　　 C. filled　　　　　　　　　　　 D. breathed

A long car journey can be a nightmare(噩梦) for everyone,whether they are adults or children,passengers or drivers.The driver at least has something that he or she needs to concentrate on but for the other occupants of the car, the journey can be boring, uncomfortable, and can make you feel sick. Moreover, passengers who suffer during car journeys can cause stress and anxiety to the driver, who may therefore lose concentration and cause an accident.

　 With this problem in mind, doctors and child psychiatrists have recommended a series of things to do and not do to make these journeys less stressful.

　 ◆Surveys suggest that a major cause of arguments on car journeys is　　　 , and evidence shows that drivers operate better if they are listening to something of their own choice. This means that, especially when different generations are traveling, everyone except the driver who wants to listen to music should be equipped with their own source of music or radio.

　 ◆By far the most successful strategy, especially if there are children in the car,is to turn the journey into a fun task of some kind. For example, children can be issued with an illustrated worksheet, offering them the chance to tick off things that they see—a blue motorway road sign,for example,or a particular kind of tree.

　 ◆It is of course important to have sufficient provisions(储备物) for the trip,with water on the top of the list. However, doctors are now warning parents against giving their children fast food items and fizzy(起泡的) drinks,the kind of things that cause hyperactivity and can create tension and problems.

1. What is the main idea of this passage? (Please answer within 10 words)

2. Fill in the blank in the third paragraph of the passage to complete the sentence. (Please answer within 10 words)

3. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?

　 For chihlren passengers, the most efficient way is to make the journey more enjoyable.

4. Translate the underlined sentence in the first paragraph into proper Chinese.

5. What do you think are the needed sufficient provisions for children during the trip?

　　 (Please answer within 20 words)

A. campaign　　　　　 B. noted　　　　　　　　　 C. focus　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. careful　　 E. released

F. fall　　　　　　　　　　 G. trend　　　　　　　 H. dead　　　　　　　　 I. major　　　　　　　　 J. extended

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The U.S. unemployment rate probably rose in October as employers stepped up hiring only slightly, underscoring President Barack Obama’s vulnerability in next week’s presidential election.

Employers likely added 125,000 jobs to their payrolls last month, according to a Reuters survey of economists. That would be up from 114,000 in September, but would 　 41　 short of what is needed to quickly cut the jobless rate.

Indeed, economists expect the unemployment rate — a key 　　42　 in the neck-and-neck race for the White House ——to tick up by a tenth of a percentage point to 7.9 percent, reversing part of a surprise drop seen in September.

The Labor Department's closely watched report, which will be 　 43 at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 GMT) on Friday, will be the last 　44 report card on the economy before Tuesday's presidential election, which pits (使竞争）President Obama against Republican Mitt Romney.

If economists are right, it will show the eighth straight month of dull job growth, a worrisome　 45 that would likely reinforce the Federal Reserve's resolve to keep easy money policies in place until the economy shows more vigor.

"The weakness in overall economic growth momentum has 　 46 into the last quarter of the year," said Millan Mulraine, an economist at TD Securities in New York.

Romney has made the nation's feeble jobs market, which has caused Obama a lot of trouble since he took office in 2009, the centerpiece of his 　 47 . The last Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll showed Obama and Romney in a 　 48　 heat.

Still, the report could provide fodder for both candidates. Some economists have 　 49　 an increase in the jobless rate might have a silver lining if it is driven by Americans pouring into the labor market to restart job hunts.