There are over one million superstitions(迷信), and most people believe at least one or two of　them.

Many people are superstitious about numbers. They think that there are lucky numbers and unlucky numbers.

The number 13 is often considered unlucky. In some parts of the world, buildings have no 13th floor and streets have no houses with the number 13. In Japan, "4" is considered unlucky because in Japanese the word "four" is pronounced the same as the word "death" .

Japanese never give gifts of four knives, four napkins, or four of anything.

What are the lucky numbers? Seven is a lucky number in many places, and "8" is considered a lucky number in Japan and China. In China, businesses often open on August 8, and many couples register to get married at eight past eight on August 8.

Superstitions about numbers are so widespread that some people--called numerologist--make a living by giving advice about numbers.

In 1937, when the Toyoda family of Japan wanted to form a car company, they asked a numerologist if "Toyoda" would be a good name for the company. The numerologist said it would not be. He explained that "Toyota" would be a better name for the company. The family took his advice. As a result, millions of people drive "Toyota" and not "Toyoda" .

There are many other kinds of superstitions. There are superstitions about eating, sleeping, sneezing and itching(抓痒). There are superstitions about animals and holidays and horseshoes.

There are even superstitions about superstitions. Those superstitions will tell people how to reverse bad luck.

When the Japanese bump heads, they immediately bump heads again. According to a Japanese superstition, the first-bump means their parents will die, but the second bump "erases" the first bump         

To reverse bad luck in general, people turn around three times, turn their pockets inside out, or put their hats on backwards.

In the United States, baseball players sometimes wear their caps backwards when their team is losing. It looks silly, but the baseball players do not mind if it helps them win the game.

1.It can be inferred that superstitions about numbers are          .

2.The underlined word "reverse" means          .

3.If a Japanese purposely bumps his head again after an accidental bump, we can be sure that     .  

4.The writer wrote this passage with the purpose of          .

There are over one million superstitions(迷信), and most people believe at least one or two of　them.
Many people are superstitious about numbers. They think that there are lucky numbers and unlucky numbers.
The number 13 is often considered unlucky. In some parts of the world, buildings have no 13th floor and streets have no houses with the number 13. In Japan, "4" is considered unlucky because in Japanese the word "four" is pronounced the same as the word "death" .
Japanese never give gifts of four knives, four napkins, or four of anything.
What are the lucky numbers? Seven is a lucky number in many places, and "8" is considered a lucky number in Japan and China. In China, businesses often open on August 8, and many couples register to get married at eight past eight on August 8.
Superstitions about numbers are so widespread that some people--called numerologist--make a living by giving advice about numbers.
In 1937, when the Toyoda family of Japan wanted to form a car company, they asked a numerologist if "Toyoda" would be a good name for the company. The numerologist said it would not be. He explained that "Toyota" would be a better name for the company. The family took his advice. As a result, millions of people drive "Toyota" and not "Toyoda" .
There are many other kinds of superstitions. There are superstitions about eating, sleeping, sneezing and itching(抓痒). There are superstitions about animals and holidays and horseshoes.
There are even superstitions about superstitions. Those superstitions will tell people how to reverse bad luck.
When the Japanese bump heads, they immediately bump heads again. According to a Japanese superstition, the first-bump means their parents will die, but the second bump "erases" the first bump         
To reverse bad luck in general, people turn around three times, turn their pockets inside out, or put their hats on backwards.
In the United States, baseball players sometimes wear their caps backwards when their team is losing. It looks silly, but the baseball players do not mind if it helps them win the game.   
【小题1】It can be inferred that superstitions about numbers are           .

Our three-year-old daughter Becky wanted a dog. But we were too busy to buy one. One day, Becky ran in, shouting, “Mom! Come to see my dog!” Her face was red with   36 .
　　I followed her to the bush and found a   37 ! He was hurt. Seeing me, he stood up   38 ! I could see his teeth! God! My mouth felt dry. “Don’t be afraid. That’s Mom. She  39 you, too.” Becky said. Then he became friendly. It was  40 !
　　I   41  to find my husband and told him about the wolf. We should have  42  the wolf, but Becky loved him. Besides, he was gentle(温柔的) to Becky. So we called the vet finally.
　　Becky named the wolf (狼) Ralph ,  43  she carried food to him every day. Later, Ralph got well. They played together in the daytime. At night, Ralph would return to the mountains. Sometimes he   44  but came back several days later.
　　On Becky’s first day of school, we could see Ralph’s   45 . After the school bus left, Ralph lay by the side of the road and   46  . When Becky returned, he got happy again. This    47  throughout Becky’s school years.
　　Twelve   48  passed.
　　One day we heard that a she-wolf was killed. The other wolf was hurt and ran away. We were   49  about Ralph. That night, Ralph returned with a wound (伤). Fifteen-year-old Becky held his head and   50  him. We hope he could come through. However, he   51 .
　　Becky cried. I noticed something strange in the bush — two little yellow eyes! Ralph’s  52 ! Before he died, Ralph   53  his child to us! He knew he would be  54  here, as he had been. Ralph, Ralph... I was   55 .
　　“Don’t be afraid, little ... Ralphie. That’s Mom. She loves you, too.”

　　                                C
Among the more colorful characters of Leadville’s golden age were H.A.W. Tabor and his second wife, Elizabeth McCourt, better known as "Baby Doe". Their history is fast becoming one of the legends of the Old West. Horace Austin Warner Tabor was a school teacher in Vermont. With his first wife and two children he left Vermont by covered wagon in 1855 to homestead in Kansas. Perhaps he did not find farming to his liking, or perhaps he was attracted by rumors of fortunes to be made in Colorado mines. At any rate, a few years later he moved west to the small Colorado mining camp known as California Gulch, which he later renamed Leadville when he became its leading citizen. "A large amount of lead is sure to be found here." he said.  
　　As it turned out, it was silver, not lead, that was to make Leadville’s fortune and wealth. Tabor knew little about mining himself, so he opened a general store, which sold everything from boots to salt, flour, and tobacco. It was his custom to "grubstake" prospective（预期的） miners, in other words, to supply them with food and supplies, or"grub", while they looked for ore（矿石）, in return for which he would get a share in the mine if one was discovered. He did this for a number of years, but no one that he aided ever found anything of value.
　　Finally one day in the year 1878, so the story goes, two miners came in and asked for "grub". Tabor had decided to quit supplying it because he had lost too much money that way. These were persistent（坚持的）, however, and Tabor was too busy to argue with them. "Oh help yourself. One more time won’t make any difference," He said and went on selling shoes and hats to other customers. The two miners took $17 worth of supplies, in return for which they gave Tabor a one-third interest in their findings. They picked a barren place on the mountainside and began to dig. After nine days they struck a rich vein of silver. Tabor bought the shares of the other two men, and so the mine belonged to him alone. This mine, known as the "Pittsburgh Mine," made $1,300, 000 for Tabor in return for his $17 investment.
　　Later Tabor bought the Matchless Mine on another barren hillside just outside the town for $117,000.This turned out to be even more abundant than the Pittsburgh, producing $35 000 worth of silver per day at one time. Leadville grew. Tabor became its first mayor, and later became the governor of the state.  
49. The word "grubstake" in paragraph 2 means __________ .
　A. to supply miners with food and supplies
　B. to open a general store
　C. to do one’s contribution to the development of the mine
　D. to supply miners with food and supplies and in return get a share in the mine, if one was discovered
50.Tabor made his first fortune_________.
　A. by supplying two prospective miners and getting in return a one-third interest in the findings
　B. because he was persuaded by the two miners to quit supplying
　C. by buying the shares of the other
　D. as a land speculator（投机商）
51. The underlying（潜在的）reason for Tabor’s successful life career is __________.
　  A. purely accidental
B. based on the analysis of miner’s being very poor and their possibility of discovering
profitable mining site
C. through the help from his second wife
　　D. he planned well and accomplished targets step by step
52. If this passage is the first part of an article, who might be introduced in the following  part?
A. Tabor’s life.     　　                        B. Tabor’s second wife, Elizabeth McCourt.
　　C. Other colorful characters.　　         D. Tabor’s other careers.　　

— I wonder how much you charge for your services．
— The first two are free _______the third costs $30．