When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: “We have to go to work now,” you’re left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.

　　Stage schools often act as agencies（代理机构）to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.

　　A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?

　Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days.

　The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don’t make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.

　People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they’re talking to________.

　　  A. attend a stage school　　　　  B. are going to the theatre

　　  C. have got some work to do 　　  D. love singing and dancing

　　 In the writer’s opinion, a good stage school should ________.

　　  A. produce star performers

　　  B. help pupils improve their study skills

　　  C. train pupils in language and performing arts

　　  D. provide a general education and stage training.

　“Professional work” as used in the text means ________.

　　  A. ordinary school work　　　　　  B. money-making performances

　　  C. stage training at school 　 　  D. acting, singing or dancing after class

　 Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?

　　  A. He thinks highly of what they have to offer.　　　　

　　  B. He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

　　  C. He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

　　  D. He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached.

Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not tell them about it till I’d got one.

　 I had seen an agency (中介机构) advertised in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the 61 in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as 62 as if I were going on the stage. Finding the 63 quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which said “Enter without knocking, if you please.”

　 The simple atmosphere of the office 64 me. The woman looked carefully at me 65 through her glasses, and then 66 me in a low voice. I answered softly. All of a sudden I started to feel rather 67 . She wondered why I was looking for this sort of 68 . I felt even more helpless when she told me that it would be 69 to get a job without 70 . I wondered whether I ought to leave, 71 the telephone on her desk rang. I heard her say: “ 72 , I’ve got someone in the 73 at this very moment who might 74 .” She wrote down a 75 , and held it out to me, saying: “ Ring up this lady. She wants a 76 immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by cooking a dinner for ten people.”

　 “ Oh yes,” said I — 77 having cooked for more than four in my life. I 78 her again and again, and rushed out to the 79 telephone box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep breath, and rang the number. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for. I spent the next few hours 80 cook books.

61. A. bed　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B house　　　　　　　　　　　 C. agency　　　　　　　　　　　 D. office
62. A. proud　 　 　　　　　　　 B. pleased　　　　　　　　　　 C. nervous 　　　　　　　　　 D. worried
63. A. family　 　　　　　　　　　 B. door　　　 　　　　　　　　 C. place　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. stage
64. A. calmed　 　　　　　　　　　 B. excited　　 　　　　　　　 C. frightened　 　　　　　　　 D. disturbed
65. A. as usual　 　　　　　　　　 B. for a while 　　　　　　 C. in a minute　 　　　　　　 D. once again
66. A. advised　 　　　　　　　　 B. examined　 　　　　　 C. informed　 　　　　　　　 D. questioned
67. A. encouraged　　　 　　　 B. dissatisfied 　　　　 C. hopeless　　 　　　　　　 D. pleased
68. A. place　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. job　　　　　 　　　　　　　 C. advice　　　 　　　　　　　 D. help
69. A. difficult　　 　　　　　　　 B. helpless　　　　 　　　　 C. possible　　 　　　　　　　 D. unusual
70. A. ability　　　　　　　　　　　 B. experience　　　　　　　 C. knowledge 　　　　　　　 D. study
71. A. after　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. since　　　　　　　　　　　 C. until　　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. when
72. A. Above all　　　　　　　　　 B. As a matter of fact 　 C. As a result 　　 　　　　 D. In spite of that
73. A. family　　　　　　　　　　　 B. house　　　　　　　　　　　 C. office 　　 　　　　　　　　 D. restaurant
74. A. hire　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. accept　　　　　　　　　　 C. suit 　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. offer
75. A. letter　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. name　　　　　　　　　　　 C. note 　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. number
76. A. cook　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. help　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. teacher 　　 　　　　　　　 D. secretary
77. A. almost　　　　　　　　　　　 B. never　　　　　　　　　　　 C. nearly 　　 　　　　　　　　 D. really
78. A. answered　　　　　　　　　 B. promised　　　　　　　　 C. thanked 　　　　　　　　　 D. told
79. A. outside　　　　　　　　　　 B. local　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. closest 　　 　　　　　　　 D. nearest
80. A. borrowing　　　　　　　　 B. buying　　　　　　　　　　 C. reading 　　 　　　　　　　 D. writing

   Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not tell them about it till I’d got one.

    I had seen an agency (中介机构) advertised in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the __1___ in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as __2___ as if I were going on the stage. Finding the __3___ quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which said “Enter without knocking, if you please. ”

    The simple atmosphere of the office __4___ me.  The woman looked carefully at me __5___ through her glasses, and then __6___ me in a low voice. I answered softly. All of a sudden I started to feel rather __7___. She wondered why I was looking for this sort of __8___. I felt even more helpless when she told me that it would be __9___ to get a job without __10___. I wondered whether I ought to leave, __11___ the telephone on her desk rang. I heard her say:

    “__12___, I’ve got someone in the __13___ at this very moment who might __14___” She wrote down a __15___, and held it out to me, saying: “Ring up this lady. She wants a __16___ immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by cooking a dinner for ten people.”

    “Oh yes,” said I—__17___ having cooked for more than four in my life. I __18___ her again and again, and rushed out to the __19___ telephone box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep breath, and rang the number. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for.

    I spent the next few hours __20___ cook books.

1.A．bed　　　　  B house　　　　 C．agency　　　　　　 D．office

2.A．proud　　    B．please　　   C．nervous　　　　    D．worried

3.A．family　　   B．door　　　　 C．place　　　　　　  D．stage

4.A．calmed　　   B．excited　　  C．frightened　　　　  D．disturbed

5.A．as usual　　  B．for a while   C．in a minute　　　　 D．once again

6.A．advised　　  B．examined    C．informed　　　　   D．questioned

7.A．encouraged   B．dissatisfied   C．hopeless　　　　   D．pleased

8.A．place　　    B．job　　　　  C．advice　　　　    D．help

9.A．difficult　　 B．helpless　　   C．possible　　　　   D．unusual

10.A．ability　　  B．experience    C．knowledge　　    D．study

11.A．after　　   B．since　　　　 C．until　　　　　　 D．when

12.A．Above all   B．As a matter of fact  C．As a result    D．In spite of that

13.A．family　　 B．house　　 　　C．office　　　　    D．restaurant

14.A．hire　　   B．accept　　　　 C．suit　　　　　　  D．offer

15.A．letter　　  B．name　　　　  C．note　　　　    D．number

16.A．cook　　  B．help　　　　   C．teacher　　　　  D．secretary

17.A．almost　　 B．never　　　　 C．nearly　　　　   D．really

18.A．answered  B．promised　　   C．thanked　　　　  D．told

19.A．outside    B．local　　　　  C．closest　　　　   D．nearest

20.A．borrowing  B．buying　　    C．reading　　　　  D．writing