5、The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending phone call “made” by US President George W Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Of course, neither of them could really do that for you-you would just “borrow” their voices.

AT & T labs will start selling speech software that it says is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life.

The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recordings of a person’s voice to say things that the person never actually said.

Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that reads digital files aloud, and makers of automated voice devices(装置). The advances raise several problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person’s voice? (Some experts even believe that new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses.)

And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud(假冒), would the synthesized(合成的) voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know?

Even Mr Fruchterman, one of AT & T lab’s possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. “Just like you can’t trust a photograph anymore.” He said, “you won’t be able to trust a voice either.”

53．With the help of the speech software, it is most possible __________.

       A．to improve a famous person’s speech

       B．to say what you want in another’s voice

       C．to make a speech much more easily

       D．to help you to find a better job

54．It the speech software were widely used, ___________.

       A．people would no longer believe each other

       B．it would not be necessary to go for a speech by a famous person

       C．no radio or TV broadcasters would be needed

       D．recording of a voice alone would not be taken as a proof in the court

55．According to the passage, you can infer that ___________.

       A．the software will turn out to be an immediate success in the market

       B．the government will forbid the sale of the software in the market

       C．it’s hard to decide whether the software will enjoy popularity

       D．the software will soon prove to be nothing but rubbish

56．The passage mainly wants to __________.

       A．introduce a new software                     B．explain the disadvantage of a new invention

       C．advertise a new kind of product            D．describe the future market of a new product

4、Among the four skills in learning English, which one of these is the “odd-man-out”? The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone on your own. But you can’t really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be “dangerous” because men in white coats may come and take you away!

Where can you find people to speak English? And how can you practise speaking when you are alone?

At school If you pay to go to a language school, you should use the opportunity to speak. If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students, try to say as much as possible. Don’t worry about your mistakes. Just speak!

Conversation Clubs Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another. Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you. They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee.

Shopping Even if you don’t want to buy anything, you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop. “How much does this cost?” “Can I pay by cheque?” Often you can start a real conversation-and it costs you nothing!

Café and Bars There are often American, Britain, Irish and Australian bars in many large cities. If you can find one. You’ll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language.

Language is all around you Everywhere you go, you find language. Shop names, street names, advertisements, notices, and car numbers… When you walk down the street, practise reading the words and numbers that you see. Say them to yourself. It’s not exactly a conversation, but it will help you to “think” in English. But don’t speak too loud1

Songs and Video Repeat the words of an English-language song singing with the music until it becomes automatic. It’s good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English.

Above all, speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake, you know that you have made progress!

49．What might happen if you speak to yourself loudly in public?

       A．The police will take you away and punish you.

       B．The doctors will force you to stay in hospital.

       C．You will have to pay to escape being punished.

       D．You will be forbidden to be member of the club.

50．In which places can you learn English NOT free of charge?

       A．At school, in conversation clubs and café and bars.

       B．At school, in shops and café bars.

       C．In conversation clubs, shops, songs and video.

       D．In conversation clubs and in the streets.

51．Why does the writer say “Make as many mistakes as possible” Because _________.

       A．everyone will make mistakes in learning English.

       B．everyone will meet people speaking English with some mistakes.

       C．making mistakes is a must in making progress in learning English.

       D．making mistakes can make one realize the importance of speaking.

52．According to the passage, which way is NOT likely to be accepted by English beginners?

       A．Recite poems loudly along the riverside.

       B．Listen to some English fashion songs and video.

       C．Find an Englishman to speak English with.

       D．In class, try to practise in groups of pairs.

3、Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy. They were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. These violins sound better than any others. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Musicians still prefer the old ones. No one really knows why these old Italian violins are so special, but many people think they have an answer.

Some people think it is the age of the violins. They say that today’s violins will also sound wonderful someday. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer. There must be something different about Cremona or those Italian violin makers.

Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. The wood of the violin is very important. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins.

But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut very carefully. It has to be the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this was the secret of the Italians. Maybe they understood more than we do about how to cut the wood.

Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists measured these old violins very carefully. They can make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new violins still do not sound as good as the old one. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish, which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. No one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish. So no one can make the same varnish today.

There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. Their secret may be lost forever. Young musicians today hope this is not true. They need fine violins. But there aren’t very many of the old violins left. Also, the old violins are very expensive. Recently, a famous old Italian violin was sold for about US $ 300,000!

45．This passage is about ________.

       A．making violins                                     B．musical instruments

       C．scientific ideas                                     D．the old Italian violins

46．The best violins ____________.

       A．are made with modern techniques          B．were lost  many years ago

       C．were made in Italy 200 years ago          D．were made by scientists

47．Some people think that modern violins __________.

       A．will sound better in the future                B．will sound worse in the future

       C．sound wonderful naturally                    D．will never be as old as those from Cremona

48．Violins made today ________.

       A．look the same as the old ones                B．sound the same as the old ones

       C．are better than the old ones                   D．have the same varnish as the old ones

2、I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The advertisement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theatre box in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9:00 to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theatre was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately, the theatre is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday. I stood at the bus stop for 15 minutes waiting for the bus, By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip. So I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again next day. On Thursday, my luck changed. I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly 20 minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office, I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line. I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi, it was expensive, but I felt it would be worth it to hear the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, however, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.

41．The man learned           that there would be a concert last Friday.

       A．from his friends                                   B．from one of his work-mates

       C．over the radio                                      D．from the newspaper

42．He tried to go to the theatre every day but managed to get there only _______.

       A．once                  B．twice                  C．three times          D．four times

43．One day the man took _______ to get to the theatre by bus.

       A．forty-five minutes                                 B．fifteen minutes

       C．just twenty minutes                              D．over an hour

44．The underlined word “relieved” may best be replaced by ___________.

       A．surprised             B．pleased                C．puzzled               D．sorry

1、

“Stop that man!” Vernon shouted. “He has a bomb!” Everywhere, passengers were   21   there feet and screaming. Guerrero stopped with his   22   to the toilets. “  23   away from me!” he shouted.

“Guerrero, listen to me!” Vernon   24   him over the heads of the others. There was a silence as Guerrero   25   back at him.

“We know who you are,” Vernon went on. “And we know   26   you’re trying to do. We know all about the insurance(保险) and the bomb. That   27   that the insurance is no   28  . Do you understand? It’s worth nothing. If you die you’ll die for nothing and your family will get nothing.   29   than that, they’ll be blamed and made to   30  . Think of that, Guerrero.”

Guerrero hesitated. Vernon kept talking and hoped that Guerrero would   31   him.

“…”

A man came out of one of the   32   behind Guerrero. At the   33   of the door opening, he   34  .

“Get the guy with the case! He’s got a bomb!” somebody shouted.

Guerrero   35   past the man and ran into the toilet. He had not really understood   36   that had happened in the last few minutes, but he understood that,   37   so many things in his life, his great plan had   38  . His life had been a failure, and now his   39   would be a failure be a failure too.

As he pulled the string(导火索), he wondered   40   whether the bomb would be another failure. In the last second of his life he learned that it was not.

38、Many people hold the view that        prison isn’t        only cure for law-breakers .

       A．a ; the                B．不填; the            C．the ; the              D．the ;a

37、It’s very hot and dry , but it        to be cool in the evening .

       A．expects               B．promises             C．wants                 D．hopes

36、―Jane has got a very good job in the government .

―       she looks so happy .

       A．It’s natural          B．That’s because    C．No wonder         D．As though

35、I don’t think he could have done such a stupid thing last night ,       ?

       A．do I                   B．could I               C．did he                 D．has he