完形填空

　　You have probably heard of homing pigeons, which usually appeared in war. From 3,000 B．C．to the present, homing pigeons have 1 as postmen. They have been especially useful for carrying messages 2 war. The telegraph is not 3 to carry about. Sometimes only the little pigeon can take a message where it ought to go.

　　In 1870, when the Prussians surrounded the city of Paris, the city was cut off from all the 4 means of communication. The people 5 many different ways of sending news. One way was to let go small balloons carrying mail.

　　 6 of course, they only drifted 7 the wind carried them. Often they landed inside the enemy’s lines. Even balloons large enough to carry a pilot could hardly be well controlled.

　　It was pigeons that in the end. solved the 8 . Homing pigeons were brought into 9 . Soon they were carrying letters far and wide. The enemy bought 10 to catch pigeons, but the little postmen could fly faster than their 11 . Strangely enough, pigeons played an important 12 in war.

　　During World War I every army unit had a group of pigeons 13 . Many of them wore honored. Among them 14 an American pigeon with a French name Char Ami, which meant “dear friend”. A group of U.S. soldiers were surrounded by the enemy. They had no food and no bullets. They nearly died of 15 . There was little hope for them. Cher Ami made his way 16 the bullets and succeeded. At once planes 17 to drop food and ammunition (军火) to them. With their strength 18 , the soldiers fought back to their own army and got saved.

　　 19 can pigeons carry the message? There were various methods. Usually the message is put into a little glass tube. The tube is tied to the leg or hidden under 20 or hung around the neck.

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Dear Laura,

I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish love in your program. You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in today’s world. Well, I’m here to give you  ___36___.

I wanted to do something very ___37___ for my fifteen-year-old son, who has always been the perfect child. He ___38___ all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle. Then, he spent hours and hours on it ___39___ it looked almost new. I was so ___40___ of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet and a riding outfit.

I could ___41___ wait for him to open up his gift. In fact, I barely slept the night before. Upon a wakening, I went to the kitchen to ___42___ the coffee, tea, and morning goodies. In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a ___43___:” To my wonderful mother, all my love, your son.”

I was so ___44___. It had been a long-standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could ___45___ lessons. “Learn to play the piano, and I’ll get you one” was my husband’s ___46___.

I stood there shocked, crying a river, asking myself how my son could ___47___ this expensive gift.

Of course, the ___48___ awoke, and my son was thrilled(激动的)with my reaction. Many kisses were ___49___, and I immediately wanted him to ___50___ my gift.

As he saw the helmet and outfit, the look on his face was not ___51___ what I was expecting. Then I ___52___ that he has sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard.

Of course I was the proudest mother ___53___ on that day, and my feet never hit the ground for a month.

So I wanted you to know, that kind of love still ___54___ and lives even in the ever-changing world of me, me, me!

I thought you’d love to ___55___ this story.

Yours,

Hilary

P.S. The next day, my husband and I bought him a new “used” already shiny motorcycle.

36. A. hope    B. advice C. support      D. courage

37. A. polite   B. similar       C. special       D. private

38. A. played  B. studied       C. traveled      D. worked

39. A. after     B. before C. unless D. until

40. A. sure     B. fond   C. proud  D. confident

41. A. perhaps       B. really  C. almost D. hardly

42. A. start     B. cook   C. set      D. serve

43. A. note     B. notice C. word   D. sign

44. A. disturbed     B. confused    C. astonished  D. inspired

45. A. give     B. take    C. draw   D. teach

46. A. reason  B. request       C. comment    D. response

47. A. present B. afford C. find    D. order

48. A. neighbor      B. building     C. home  D. house

49. A. exchanged B. experienced  C. expected     D. exhibited

50. A. tear      B. open   C. check  D. receive

51. A. purely  B. basically     C. obviously   D. exactly

52. A. realized       B. remembered      C. imagined    D. supposed

53. A. only     B. still     C. ever    D. even

54. A. works   B. exists  C. matters       D. counts

55. A. send     B. publish       C. share   D. write

.---I think the company may not offer you a good pay.

---_______, I won’t take the job.

   A. That is to say      B. What is more    C. In other words      D. In that case

Everybody has to buy or sell things sometimes. Even students who are usually not very rich, have to learn something about making purchases intelligently. As a student, you may find, for example, that you need to a walkman or winter clothing. You may want to buy a television or a used car. Of course, you want to get good value for your money. If you are considering a major purchase, or any purchase you should remember several important things.

※Study first, and then decide what to buy. You can learn a lot just by reading books and advertisements.

 Remember that a high quality product will probably last longer and work better. Of course, for a superior product you are expected to pay more. An inferior product may not give you the same quality, but the price could be low. A poor quality product could be expensive and a valuable one could be on sale at a greatly reduced price.

※Don’t worry. Take your time. After you decide what product you want to buy, go to many different stores. If you cannot find the product you want, you try to order it directly from the factory or ask the store to order it for you.

Look for a good deal. If you wait, you may probably find that your product will go on sale and you may be able to save 10,20, or even 50 percent of the original price.

Finally, before you buy, make sure that that product is guaranteed. If you find the lowest possible price, you will generally be happy with your purchase and also keep more money in the bank.

Which of the following should you care more while shopping?

  A. The price of the product    B. The information of the product

  C. The size of the product     D. The quality of the product

According to the writer, waiting before shopping probably means_____.

  A. saving money           B. wasting money

  C. losing the product      D. wasting time

If you want to have a good purchase, you should do all the following except ____

   A. getting enough information about the product

   B. taking your friend’s advice

   C. making sure about the guarantee of the product

   D. waiting until the proper time

The main purpose of the passage is to tell us that ____.

   A. how to find the product you want

   B. how to have a good purchase

   C. how to save money

   D. how to buy product with high quality.