C

The Necklace is a short story by Guy de Maupassant. It tells the story of Madame Mathilde Loisel and her husband Charles. Mathilde always imagines herself in a high social position with wonderful jewels. However, she has nothing and marries a low-paid clerk who tries his best to make her happy.

Through lots of begging at work, Charles is able to get two invitations to the Ministry of Public Instruction Party. Mathilde refuses to go, for she has nothing to wear. Her husband is upset to see her sadness. Using money that he saved to buy a rifle, he gives Mathilde 400 francs and asks his wife to buy a dress that suits her. Mathilde goes out and buys a dress. However, even with the clothes, Mathilde is still not happy as she has no jewels to wear with it. The couple does not have much money left, so her husband suggests Mathilde borrow something from her friend, Madame Jeanne Forestier. Mathilde picks out the fanciest diamond necklace that she can find. After attending the Ministry of Public Instruction Party, Mathilde discovers that she has lost the necklace.

Mathilde and her husband forage everywhere, but the necklace is not to be found. So they have to take out loans from generous friends to buy a diamond necklace that looks just like the one that was lost. It takes them ten years of hard labor to pay the loans back. Towards the end, Mathilde takes a walk, recalling her past and the night when the necklace was lost. Suddenly, she comes across Madame Jeanne Forestier. Mathilde confesses (坦白) about that night and how she worked so hard to return her necklace. Madame Jeanne Forestier, deeply moved, tells Mathilde that the one she borrowed was not made of real diamonds, and that it was worth at most 500 francs.

44. Why doesn’t Madame Mathilde Loisel want to go to the party at first?

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. Because she doesn’t have anything nice to wear.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Because she doesn’t want to use up her husband’s money.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Because she doesn’t want to borrow jewels from her friend.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Because she doesn’t want to embarrass her husband in public.

45. What does the underlined word “forage” in Paragraph 3 mean?

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. Worry.　 　　 B. Decorate.　　　　 C. Search.　　 D. Appear.

46. What does the couple decide to do after failing to find the necklace?

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. Pay its owner a big sum of money.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Have it replaced without telling its owner.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Borrow another necklace from a rich friend.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Tell its owner the truth and ask for a solution.

47. We can infer from the passage that 　　.

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. Mathilde is very proud of her hard labor

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. the couple regrets returning the necklace

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. Mathilde buys a fake necklace for her friend

　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. the couple didn’t know they lost a fake necklace

B

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A giant snowman named Snowzilla has mysteriously appeared again this year — despite the city’s ban.

Someone again built the giant snowman in Billy Powers’ front yard in Anchorage. Snowzilla reappeared before dawn Tuesday, two days before 2011 Christmas.

For the last three years, Snowzilla — to the delight of some and the disagreement of others — has been a very popular attraction in Powers’ yard. In 2008, Snowzilla rose 16 feet. He had a corncob pipe (玉米穗轴烟斗) and a carrot nose and two eyes made out of beer bottles. This year, Snowzilla is about 25 feet tall. He’s wearing a black stovepipe hat (礼帽) and a scarf.

Snowzilla has been rising outside Powers’ home. His children — he is the father of seven — collected snow from neighbors’ yards to make the snowman big enough. Each year, Snowzilla got a bit bigger.

Not everybody in the neighborhood liked all the cars and visitors who came to see him. City officials thought Snowzilla to be a public nuisance (滋扰行为) and potential danger. The city put up a public notice on Powers’ door. City officials said Snowzilla increased traffic to the point of endangerment and that the snowman itself was unsafe.

The mayor’s office on Tuesday issued a statement defending its move against Snowzilla.

“He has repeatedly ignored city efforts to find ways to cater for his desire to build a giant snowman without taking the quiet life quality of the neighborhood into consideration,” said an official from Mayor Mark Begich’s office. “This is a neighborhood of small homes on small streets. It can’t support so heavy traffic and visitors that are interested in Snowzilla.”

The city said it did not expect to take any further action until after Christmas.

40. When did Snowzilla begin to attract tourists?

　　 A. In 2008.　　　　 B. In 2009.　　　　 C. In 2010.　　　　 D. In 2011.

41. What’s the purpose of the city’s ban?

　　 A. To prevent cars entering the city.

　　 B. To prevent road accidents happening.

　　 C. To ensure the ease of local people’s life.

　　 D. To ensure the safety of Powers’ children.

42. Which of the following is NOT caused by Snowzilla?

　 　 A. The heavy traffic.　　　　　　　　　 B. Powers’ desire for giant snowmen.

　　 C. The neighbors’ complaining. 　 D. The public notice on Powers’ door.

43. What can be expected to happen?

　　 A. Snowzilla will disappear after Christmas.

　　 B. Powers will move away from his neighborhood.

　　 C. Powers will be sent to prison after Christmas.

　　 D. Tourists will be charged higher after Christmas.

第二节 完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)

Fifteen years ago, I worked in a local lumber mill (木材厂). The hours were 　16　 . The work was dangerous. And the 　17　 　was low. Every day was a struggle 　18　 . It was too hot in the summer and the 　19　 　was constant in the winter. My back would burn with the 　20　 　from the constant bending, lifting and carrying. My feet would ache from 　21　 　the entire day. My fingers would bleed from the 　22　 　work that my hands were doing. I tried to keep my spirit up while I worked there, but day by day I felt that I was developing 　23　 . Every morning, I would place Band-Aids around my fingers and 　24　 　my old heavy work shoes. Every night, I would drag (拖) myself home smelling of sweat and dust and collapse (崩溃) on the 　25　 .

One evening I felt like I could 　26　 　it no more. Why was I working myself to death there just to 　27 　? Why couldn’t I find a better job than that? Why was I having to 　28　 　all those things?

I wasn’t really expecting a(n) 　29　 , but life loves to surprise us. As I struggled up the 　30　 　to my front door, I found all three of my young children 　31　 　me with smiling faces. “Daddy, Daddy!” my daughter yelled. I 　32　 　and picked her up in my arms. After 　33　 　them all, I laughed for the first time in days and sat down 　34　 . It was just the answer that I needed.

Eventually, I moved on to a 　35　 　job, but I never forgot the answer to my questions. We may have to work to live, but we live to love.

16.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. long　　　　　　　　 B. upset　　　　　 C. spare　　　　 　 D. reasonable

17.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. price　　　　　　　　 B. pay　　　　　　 C. opinion　　　 　　 D. temperature

18.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. mentally　　　　　 B. excitedly　　　 C. easily　　　　　 D. physically

19.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. noise　　　　　　　　 B. kindness　　　 C. cold　　　　　 　 D. warmth

20.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. pain　　　　　　　　 B. anxiety　　　　 C. shame　　　　 　 D. guilt

21.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. running　　　　　　 B. standing　　　 C. dancing　　　　 D. climbing

22.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. occasional　　　　 B. regular　　　　 C. extra　　　　 　 D. continuous

23.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. confidence　　　　 B. impression　 C. depression　　　 D. understanding

24.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. clean up　　　　　 B. prepare for　 C. take off　　　 　 D. put on

25.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. ground　　　　　　 B. sofa　　　　　　 C. floor　　　　　 　　　 D. table

26.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. take　　　　　　　　 B. forget　　　　　 C. enjoy　　　　 　 D. repair

27.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. confirm　　　　　　 B. promise　　　 C. learn　　　　　 　 D. survive

28. A. put forward　 　 B. bring up　　　 C. come across 　　　　 D. go through

29.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. challenge　　　　　 B. position　　　 C. answer　　　　 D. prediction

30.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. windows　　　　　 B. steps　　　　　　 C. pools　　　　 　 D. roofs

31.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. passing by　　　　 B. hearing from　 C. waiting for　 　 D. looking for

32.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. wondered　　　　 B. admitted　　　 C. returned　　　 　 D. smiled

33.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. pushing　　　　　　 B. hugging　　　 C. punishing　　　 　　　 D. directing

34.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. peacefully　　　　 B. angrily　　　　 C. worriedly　　　 　　　 D. proudly

35.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 A. hard　　　　　　　　 B. tiring　　　　　 C. better　　　　 　　 D. dirty

15. — I feel nervous before the exam.

　　— 　　　　　It won’t be too difficult for you to pass it.

A. Are you serious?　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Of course not.

C. I beg your pardon?　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Take things easy.　　 　　　

14. It is I who 　　　　　going to have a trip to New York this summer.　　　

A. am　　　　　　 　　 B. are　　　 　　　　　　　　　　 C. is　　　　　　 　　　 D. be

13. I am determined to get a ticket for the concert 　　　　　it means standing in a line all night.

A. now that　 　　　　　　　 B. even if　 　　　　　 　　　 C. as if　　　　　 　　　 D. so that　

12. The boy stood at the corner silently, 　　　　　his heart beating fast.

A. in　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. of　　　 　　　　　　　　 C. with　　　　 　　　　　 D. for　　

11. I 　　　　　a report about the air pollution in my hometown all the morning and haven’t finished it yet.

A. wrote　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. have been writing　 　 C. was writing　　　 　　 　　　 D. have written

10. 　　　　　James, we have told everyone the bad news.

A. Except for　 　　　　　　　 B. Next to　　　　　 　 C. Because of　 　　　 　 D. In case of