In 1971, Arthur P. Mullaney, of Randolph, Massachusetts, came up with a great idea. He asked his neighbors to give up cigarettes for a day and donate the money they would have spent for cigarettes to a high school. During the next five years the idea spread to other communities across the nation. In 1977, the American Cancer Society held the first Great American Smokeout. The event became a tradition held on the third Thursday of November each year.

This year on November 20, the Great American Smokeout will celebrate its 27th birthday. The event has had a great effect on America's health: millions stop smoking for a day, and many of these people successfully take that further and quit for good. It also has changed attitudes toward smoking and resulted in public policies that help keep young people from starting to smoke and protect nonsmokers from the hazards of second-hand smoke.

Smokers are encouraged to put down their cigarettes for 24 hours. Society volunteers provide smoking cessation（停止）activities. Hospitals also hand off self-help materials and information. Many communities hold parades. To make smoking socially unacceptable, the Great American Smokeout has been chaired by some of America's most popular people including Edward Asner and Natalie Cole.

The event has been effective. For example, in 1999, 10 million Americans took the challenge. Of them, 6 percent reported they were smoking less or not at all one to five days later. The focus of the event has evolved from simply helping adults to helping children. However, the Great American Smokeout still faces many challenges. About 47 million adults in the U. S. currently smoke and about half will die prematurely（过早地）from smoking.

1．Why did Arthur P. Mullaney come up with the idea?

A．To save money for their lives.

B．To found a famous organization.

C．To spare cigarettes for others.

D．To help the students in a school.

2．During the first five years, the Great American Smokeout ________.

A．was held on the third Thursday of the November

B．was only limited to the area around

C．became the national organization

D．was also very famous in other countries

3．What is the meaning of the underlined word “hazards” in Paragraph 2?

A．Markets.       B．Cigarettes.       C．Dangers.        D． Places.

4．It can be inferred from the text that the Great American Smokeout ________.

A．is still in great need of existing in US

B．only focuses its attention on adults

C．has become a world-wide organization now

D．has developed very slowly in the past few years

My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.
One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.
“I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”
Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep.
【小题1】Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________.

My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.

One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.

“I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”

Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep.

1.Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________.

2.Why did Ollie want Bruce to be with Gwen?

3.The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_______.

4.What can we learn from the passage ?

My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.
One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.
“I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”
Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep

1. 1.

   Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________

   1. A.
      he was too weak to travel
   2. B.
      he could hardly be able to speak
   3. C.
      he could not afford the trip
   4. D.
      he was waiting for his grandchild to be born
2. 2.

   Why did Ollie want Bruce to be with Gwen?

   1. A.
      Ollie thought it was too much trouble for Bruce to stay at hospital
   2. B.
      Ollie wanted Bruce to bring the baby along as soon as it was born
   3. C.
      Ollie didn’t want his son to be absent when his baby was born
   4. D.
      Ollie couldn’t bear his son seeing him dying with a broken heart
3. 3.

   The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_______

   1. A.
      Disappointedly
   2. B.
      Unwillingly
   3. C.
      Excitedly
   4. D.
      Immediately
4. 4.

   What can we learn from the passage ?

   1. A.
      Ollie and his wife had planned to settle in Florida
   2. B.
      Ollie cared for his son more than his daughter
   3. C.
      Ollie was sad about not being able to see his first grandchild
   4. D.
      Ollie died happy and in peace

My husband Ollie had retired from teaching and we were making plans to travel together to Florida. Then he was terribly ill and became very weak, hardly able to speak. Weeks passed and it became clear that Ollie was near death, but I prayed day and night that he could get better.

　　　 One of us was always in Ollie’s hospital room—either me, or our grown children, Bruce and Karen. One day, in his broken and weak speech, Ollie told Bruce, “Go home. You should be with Gwen.” Gwen was Bruce’s wife. They had been married for six years and lived hundreds of miles away. Gwen was about to have a baby. We felt an extra sadness, knowing Ollie would never see his first grandchild.

　　　 “I don’t want to leave you, Dad,” Bruce said. Ollie repeated, “You should be with Gwen.” Reluctantly, Bruce left. “When the baby comes,” he promised Ollie, “you will be the first to know.” A few days later, around 2 p.m., Ollie awoke from a sleep. He turned and looked at me. I sat close to hear his weak words. “The baby is coming now. It’s a boy,” he said. For a moment his eyes were filled with tears. Then he went back to sleep again. Not long after that, Karen ran into the room. “Bruce called,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “Gwen gave birth to a healthy baby boy around two o’ clock.”

　　　 Ollie smiled; he had been the first to know. That night, Ollie died in his sleep.

51. Ollie didn’t travel to Florida because________.

A. he was too weak to travel

B. he could hardly be able to speak

C. he could not afford the trip　　　　　　　　　　

D. he was waiting for his grandchild to be born

52. Why did Ollie want Bruce to be with Gwen?

A. Ollie thought it was too much trouble for Bruce to stay at hospital.

B. Ollie wanted Bruce to bring the baby along as soon as it was born.

C. Ollie didn’t want his son to be absent when his baby was born.

D. Ollie couldn’t bear his son seeing him dying with a broken heart.

53. The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to_______.

A. Disappointedly 　　　 B. Unwillingly　　　 C. Excitedly　　　　　 D. Immediately

54. What can we learn from the passage ?

A. Ollie and his wife had planned to settle in Florida.

B. Ollie cared for his son more than his daughter.

C. Ollie was sad about not being able to see his first grandchild.

D. Ollie died happy and in peace.