The technology is great. Without it we wouldn’t have been able to put a man on the moon, explore the ocean’s depths or eat microwave sausages. Computers have revolutionized our lives and they have the power to educate and pass on knowledge. But sometimes this power can create more problems than it solves.

Every doctor has had to try their best to calm down patients who’ve come into their surgery waving an Internet print-out, convinced that they have some rare incurable disease, say, throat cancer. The truth is usually far more ordinary, though: they don’t have throat cancer, and it’s just that their throats are swollen. Being a graduate of the Internet “school” of medicine does not guarantee accurate self-health-checks.

One day Mrs. Almond came to my hospital after feeling faint at work. While I took her blood sample and tried to find out what was wrong, she said calmly, “I know what’s wrong；I’ve got throat cancer. I know there’s nothing you doctors can do about it and I’ve just got to wait until the day comes.”

As a matter of routine I ordered a chest X-ray. I looked at it and the blood results an hour later. Something wasn’t right. “Did your local doctor do an X-ray?” I asked. “Oh, I haven’t been to the doctor for years,” she replied. “I read about it on a website and the symptoms fitted, so I knew that’s what I had.”

However, some of her symptoms, like the severe cough and weight loss, didn’t fit with it—but she’d just ignored this.

I looked at the X-ray again, and more tests confirmed it wasn’t the cancer but tuberculosis (肺结核)—something that most certainly did need treating, and could be deadly. She was lucky we caught it when we did.

Mrs. Almond went pale when I explained she would have to be on treatment for the next six months to ensure that she was fully recovered. It was certainly a lesson for her. “I’m so embarrassed,” she said, shaking her head, as I explained that all the people she had come into close contact with would have to be found out and tested. She listed up to about 20, and then I went to my office to type up my notes. Unexpectedly, the computer was not working, so I had to wait until someone from the IT department came to fix it. Typical. Maybe I should have a microwave sausage while I waited?

1.Mrs. Almond talked about her illness calmly because ______.

A．she thought she knew it well

B．she had purchased medicine online

C．she graduated from a medical school

D．she had been treated by local doctors

2.It was lucky for Mrs. Almond ______.

A．to have contacted many friends

B．to have recovered in a short time

C．to have her assumption confirmed

D．to have her disease identified in time

3.Mrs. Almond said “I’m so embarrassed” (Para. 7) because ______.

A．she had distrusted her close friends

B．she had caused unnecessary trouble

C．she had to refuse the doctor’s advice

D．she had to tell the truth to the doctor

4. By mentioning the breakdown of the computer, the author probably wants to prove ______.

A．it’s a must to take a break at work

B．it’s vital to believe in IT professionals

C．it’s unwise to simply rely on technology

D．it’s a danger to work long hours on computers

I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a passage from the Bible about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.”“Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “do you know something I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that medical checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me？Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?” It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
【小题1】From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage __________.

A．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life

B．he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband

C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change

D．he is beginning to regret what he did to his wife before

I know I should have told the headmaster at the time. That was my real 　36 .

He had gone out of the study for some 　37 , leaving me alone. In his absence I looked to see 　38 was on his desk. In the middle 　39 　a small piece of paper on 　40 were written the words “English Writing Prize 1949. History Is a Serious of Biographies (人物传记)”.

A(n) 41 boy would have avoided looking at the title 　42 he saw the paper. But I did not. The subject of the English Writing Prize was kept a 　43 until the start of the exam so I could not 　44 reading it.

When the headmaster 　45 ，I was looking out of the window.

I should have told him what had 　46 then. It would have been so 　47 to say: “I’m sorry, but I saw 　48 for the English Writing Prize on your desk. You’ll have to 　49 it.”

The chance passed and I did not 　50 it. I took the exam the next day and I won. I didn’t mean to cheat, but it was still cheating 　51 　.

That was thirty-eight years ago 　52 I was fifteen. I have never told anyone about it before, nor 　53 tried to explain to myself why not.

It’s obvious that I could not 　54 I had seen the title. Whatever it was, it has become a good 　　 55 of how a little mistake can trap (使陷入) you in a more serious moral corner (道德困境).

36. A. plan　　　　　　　　　　　 B. fault　　　　　　　　　　 C. grade　　　　　　　　　 D. luck

37. A. reason　　　　　　　　　 B. course　　　　　　　　 C. example　　　　　　　 D. vacation

38. A. this　　　　　　　　　　　 B. which　　　　　　　　　 C. that　　　　　　　　　　 D. what

39. A. are　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. is　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. was　　　　　　　　　　 D. were

40. A. what　　　　　　　　　　 B. which　　　　　　　　　 C. that　　　　　　　　　　 D. where

41. A. honest　　　　　　　　　 B. handsome　　　　　　 C. friendly　　　　　　　　 D. active

42. A. as well　　　　　　　　　 B. as soon as　　　　　　 C. as well as　　　　　　 D. as a result

43. A. question　　　　　　　　 B. key　　　　　　　　　　　 C. note　　　　　　　　　　 D. secret

44. A. help　　　　　　　　　　　 B. consider　　　　　　　 C. practise　　　　　　　 D. forget

45. A. disappeared　　　　　　 B. stayed　　　　　　　　　 C. returned　　　　　　　 D. went

46. A. existed　　　　　　　　　 B. remained　　　　　　　 C. happened　　　　　　 D. continued

47. A. tiring　　　　　　　　　　 B. easy　　　　　　　　　　 C. important　　　　　　 D. difficult

48. A. the title　　　　　　　　　 B. the exam　　　　　　　 C. the paper　　　　　　 D. the window

49. A. repeat　　　　　　　　　　 B. defend　　　　　　　　 C. correct　　　　　　　　 D. change

50. A. take　　　　　　　　　 B. have　　　　　　　　　　 C. lose　　　　　　　　 D. find

51. A. Otherwise　 　　 B. Therefore　　 　 C. anyhow　　　　　　 D. though

52. A. which　　　　 　　 B. when　　　　　　　　　 C. on which　　　　　 D. that

53. A. I have　　　　 　　 B. has I　　　　　　 　 C. have I　　　 　　 D. I has

54. A. inspect　　　　 　　 B. perform　　　　　　　 C. employ　　　　　　 D. admit

55. A. example　　　　　　 B. reason　　　　　　　　 C. matter　　　 　　　 D. signal

　　A man walked into a restaurant that advertised having the longest menu in the world. The manager was very proud of being able to provide any dish, no matter how unusual.

　　At the bottom of the menu, there was a notice that said, “If you do not see the dish you require on this menu, please tell us and we will add it to the menu immediately.”

　　The man looked at the menu and decided to make life really difficult for the manager and his chef. He would order something that was very unusual.

　　When the waiter came up to take his order, he said,“You say you can serve any dish, anything at all, even if it's not on your menu, which is the longest menu in the world.”

　　“That is correct, sir. We have never yet been unable to meet our customers' requirements.”

　　“Very well,” the man said.“In that case, bring me two elephant ears on toast. Indian, not African.”

　　The waiter wrote down on his pad：Two Indian elephant ears on toast.

　　“Very good, sir,”he said.“That shouldn't take long.”

　　He walked away quickly.

　　The man was very surprised and rather disappointed.

　　Then he smiled as the waiter returned with a very unhappy look on his face. “Ah!” the man said. “You can't bring me elephant ears on toast, can you?”

　　The waiter was very apologetic.

　　“I'm very sorry, sir, and this is most embarrassing,” he said, “but I'm afraid we can't. Unfortunately, we've run out of bread.”

(1) What did the man want to do?

[　　]

A．Embarrass the manager.

B．Have some toast.

C．Buy an elephant.

D．Read the longest menu in the world.

(2) What did the notice at the bottom of the menu mean?

[　　]

A．Please order elephant ears.

B．We will serve any dish you want.

C．We have the newest menu in the world.

D．If you think a certain dish isn't to your taste, you can leave it out.

(3) Why did the customer order elephant ears?

[　　]

A．He was hungry.

B．He had never eaten them.

C．He thought they would be tasty.

D．He didn't think the restaurant had any.

(4) The customer was disappointed because _______.

[　　]

A．the waiter was not worded by his order

B．the waiter was too slow

C．he wanted to eat Indian elephant ears

D．there were too many people

(5) The waiter was unhappy because _____.

[　　]

A．the man didn't order elephant ears

B．they had no elephant to cook

C．they didn't want to serve the customer

D．the chef didn't know how to cook the elephant ears