任务型阅读 (共30分，每题2分)

　　Passage E

Sending E-cards on the Internet

　　The Internet has changed our habits, including our habit of sending greeting cards. There are many e-card websites that make it so easy to find the right greeting cards. They have greatly changed the way we send greetings to each other.

　　Our lives have become so busy that we have limited personal time . These e-card websites have allowed everyone to easily share their feelings and emotions(感情) with the people they love. They contain (包括)plenty of greeting cards that can be used immediately. The users can choose any card they like, from festival greetings to birthday wishes. In fact, e-cards are perfect for any event. That's why more and more people like to send e-cards. If the users are interested in making their own greeting cards on the Internet, they can create a card within only a few minutes.

　　Another benefit(好处) of e-card websites is that they have made it possible for us to send top quality cards to our beloved(心爱的) ones and surprise them with cheerful greetings. They allow us to send our greetings on a specific(特定的) date. So we can plan for the occasion(场合) when we want to send the card. For example, we can send our e-card on a certain day and then visit the person with some flowers the next day. This will surely create a good impression(印象) on the person we love.

　　We have never forgotten the importance of saying sorry to our beloved ones. But sometimes we fail to do so because, we are not brave enough to face those we hurt. Some e-cards on these websites allow us to express our feelings in a more thoughtful way.

　　Although some people still would rather buy traditional cards in the shops for the persons they love, especially when they want the cards to last a long time, more and more people are choosing to send greetings on the Internet.

Basketball is still a young game. It's over a hundred years old. In the winter of 1891, a certain college was having some trouble with its boy students. The weather was bad and the students had to stay indoors. As they couldn't play outdoors, they were unhappy, and some even got into fights from time to time.

　　Some of the teachers, at the college asked Dr. Naismith to invent a game so that the students might have something to play with. It was not easy to invent such a game because it had to be played indoors , and the court (球场) was not very large.

　　Dr. Naismith thought for a few days and invented a kind of ball game. It was a fast, wonderful game with much moving and passing of the ball. It was played between two teams. To make a score , the ball had to be thrown into the basket ten feet(英尺) above the floor on the wall . At each end of the court there was such a basket. At first, Dr. Naismith wanted to throw the ball into a box. As he could not find boxes of the right size, he had to use fruit baskets instead. That is how the game got its name.

1. How long is it since basketball was invented?

　　A. 1000 years                      　　　　　　　　　　B. More than 100 years

　　C. 1100 years                       　　　　　　　　　　D. Less than 100 years

2. The students felt unhappy because _______.

　　A. they had much homework to do

　　B. they often got into fights

　　C. they couldn't play outdoors 

　　D. they had little time to study

3. Who asked Dr. Naismith to invent a game?

　　A. Some students                    　　　　　　　　B. Some teachers

　　C. Some students' parents           　　　 D. Some of his friends

4. When a student ______ , he makes a score.

　　A. receives the ball.               　　　　　　

　　B. throws the ball to another student

　　C. runs quickly with the ball in his hand  

　　D. throws the ball into the basket

5. Which sentence is right?

　　A. Dr. Naismith had to use fruit to throw the ball.

　　B. It was easy to invent the game.

　　C. The students could go outdoors when the weather was bad.

　　D. The ball had to be thrown into the basket five feet above the floor.

What do people do with their old, out-of-date but still useful computers? Most people don’t know what to do with them. Many old computers are put away in homes. Many more are simply thrown out with the rubbish.　　
Some companies are thinking of ways to bring down the number of old computers. Sony has agreed to help recycle old Sony products. Dell, Hewlett-Packard and other companies now also take back some old computers.　　
In some countries, laws are being passed, too. Computer companies will have to collect and recycle their used products. And 70% of computer waste must be recycled. The idea behind the laws is that computer companies themselves should pay the cost. That will encourage them to make computers that are easier and cheaper to repair and upgrade（升级）.　　
Yet while many people are throwing away good computers, others cannot afford them at all. Hundreds of organizations are working to solve this problem. They collect and repair old computers. Some also teach others how to repair computers.　　
The computers then go to schools, charities and people who need them. Giving a used computer to one of these organizations can turn one person’s rubbish into someone else’s useful things—and cut down on waste, too.　　

1. 1.

   How do people usually deal with their old computers?　　

   1. A.
      They stop using them
   2. B.
      They give them to others
   3. C.
      They fix them up.　　
2. 2.

   What do some computer companies do to bring down the number of old computers?　　

   1. A.
      They don’t do anything about them.　　
   2. B.
      They take back some old ones.       　　
   3. C.
      They donate them to some charities.　　
3. 3.

   According to some countries’ laws, what must computer companies do?　　

   1. A.
      Collect and recycle most of computer waste. 　　
   2. B.
      Repair and upgrade old computers.      　　
   3. C.
      Make much cheaper computers.　　
4. 4.

   What may people who can’t afford computers think of the used computers?　　

   1. A.
      Expensive
   2. B.
      Useful
   3. C.
      Out-of -date.　　
5. 5.

   What is the passage about?　　

   1. A.
      Repairing old computers.　　
   2. B.
      Selling old computers.              　　
   3. C.
      Recycling old computers.