5. Which of the following is Not true?

A. People any be killed because of a heavy fog.

B. The underground may be taken on a heavy fog day.

C. The gates to the underground had to be closed on a heavy fog day.

D. Sometimes people have to feel their way in the fog.

C　

Buying insurance is a way in which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay small sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only a few will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the small sums of money it had collected.

The first modern fire insurance company was formed in London in the 1740s. A great fire had just destroyed most of the city and people wanted protection against further losses. The first company grew rapidly. Some other companies were founded in other areas.

Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752, and then a new kind of insurance for farmers was suggested. The new insurance would provide protection against the loss of　 crops from storms.

Later on another new insurance company was started in America. This company, which offered life insurance, collected small sums of money regularly from many different men. If a man died, his family was given a large sum of money.

Over the years, insurance companies have offered new kinds of insurance protection. The new kinds of insurance cover from such accidents as car and plane crashes. Today, most people have some kind of insurance.

4. After the fog spread into the Opera House,　　　　　 　.

A. they had to stop playing

B. they had to finish the first act in a hurry

C. the conductor stopped conducting

D. they went on to play the second act

3. Those who were caught in the fog could not 　　　　　　.

A. do anything as usual

B. feel their way home with their hands

C. take the underground instead of buses or cars

D. walk slowly along the walls of houses

2. In London, December 4,1952 was the day 　　　　　　.

A. when there was the thickest fog　

B. people stopped doing anything

C. the traffic was stopped by the drivers

D. when the cars were left empty by drivers

1. London is famous for its fogs because 　　　　　　.

A. it’s far from the sea　　　　　　　 B. there was a bad fog in 1952

C. it’s close to the sea 　　　　　　　 D. it was rainy

45. Which of the following words best describes Louisa? 　A. Hardworking and lonely.　　　　　B. Curious and friendly. 　C. Changeable and foolish.　 　　　　 D. Polite and patient.

B

Being not far from the sea, London is famous for its fogs. The worst of them happened on December 4,1952. All movements in the town came to a stop. It was almost impossible to drive or to ride in anything. The streets which led to the center were filled with buses that moved two miles an hour, soon the whole traffic was stopped. Being left by their drivers, the buses and cars stood empty in the streets. Many who usually traveled by bus took the underground. But there were so many people there that the gates to the underground had to be closed. Being caught in the fog people felt their way along their walls of houses with one hand, while they put out the other in front of them so as not to knock against something or somebody.

At the Opera House, they got through the first act of La Traviata before so much fog had spread into the building that singers couldn’t see the conductor.

44. Louisa’s main responsibility was _____. 　A. to cook　　　　　　　　　B. to run the house 　C. to wash dishes　　　　　　　D. to feed the seagulls

43. Anna was a successful teacher because _____. 　A. she had a strong sense of discipline　　 B. she was extremely intelligent 　C. she knew her subjects well　　　　 　 D. she had a wonderful personality

42. Louisa’s mother devoted herself to _____. 　A. students　　　　　　　　　B. housework 　C. poor people　　　　　 　　　D. her children

41. We can learn from the article that the Alcotts was _____. 　A. an extremely poor family 　B. a happy, united family 　C. a family with lots of serious problems 　D. a family that should have remained in the country