The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun.
The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations.
Obama’s victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times.“Kobe( the basketball player) doesn’t have to be everybody’s role model anymore.”
Recent polls also suggest that Obama’s victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites“will finally be worked out”. This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963.
However, it’s still too early to tell whether Obama’s presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities.
Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America’s racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse of the family unit in black communities.
It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse（扭转）such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, say that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities.“That’s not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama,”he told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence.”
In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama’s rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US.
52: For years, before Obama was elected president of the US,      .
A. Kobe was the only role model for all the blacks
B. blacks could only find role models on the basketball court
C. minorities in America couldn’t find role models in their real life
D. American blacks had no role model who was successful in political area
53. According to Bill Bank,      .
A. Obama is not the proper role model for African-Americans
B. young blacks should not be so much influenced by Obama
C. blacks should find other role models because Obama is far from their reality
D. it’s better for young blacks to find role models in those who are close to them
54. What do you think the author is probably going to talk about in the next paragraph?
A. In what ways Obama will contribute to racial relations in the US.
B. How Obama will influence Americans as a national role model.
C. How Obama will contribute to multiculturalism in the US.
D. How to choose a role model in his community as a young black.
55.What would be the best title for this passage?
A. The First African-American President
B. America’s New Role Model
C. Obama—a Successful Black
D. Choosing a Right Role Model

   It was a cool October evening. Excitement and family members （36） the hall. I was only a 7-year-old girl, but I was the center of  (37) . Finally, after weeks of preparation, I would  (38)  all my hard work in a dance of performance. Everything would be (39) —so I thought. I waited backstage all  (40 )  in my black tights with a golden belt. In a loud and clear voice, the master of ceremonies (41) that my class was next.
My dance class was doing a routine on wooden boxes two feet by two feet, facing the (42). All I had to do in the next move was to put one foot on the box next to mine and keep my other foot on my box. It really was an  (43) move. I was concentrating so much  (44) the huge smile on my face and holding my head up that I did not look  (45) I was going. I missed my partner’s box altogether and  (46) .There I was standing on the stage floor when my classmates were on top of their boxes. I could hear giggles(咯咯笑) coming from the audience, and I felt the  (47) rush to my face. I remembered my dance teacher had told us, “If you make a mistake, keep smiling so the audience will not (48) .I did my best to follow her  (49) as I continued with the routine.
When the curtain dropped, so did my  (50) for the evening. I (51) bitterly, tasting the salt from the tears that streamed down my face. I ran backstage, but no one could  (52) me down.
Recently I realized I had been a  (53) that night. I was  (54) but I fought the urge to run off the stage. (55) I finished the routine with a smile on my face. Now when friends and family laugh about the time I slipped during a dance performance, I can laugh too.

In the 1960s Professor Bolin predicted that the “greenhouse effect”, caused by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, would lead to important changes in the Earth’s climate. At the time his prediction were regarded as science fiction. But it is now gradually agreed that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double from 0.03% to 0.06% in the next 50 years and that temperatures worldwide will rise by 2°Celsius.
Although a temperature rise of 2°may not seem significant, the local effects may be much greater: in polar regions a rise of 10°by 2025 is expected and in Northern Europe a rise of 4°. Indeed the first effects were expected to be felt before the end of the 20^th century,
But how does the “greenhouse effect”operate and why should such a tiny proportion（比例）of CO₂ have such a harmful effect? When living creatures breathe out or when things are burned, CO₂ enters the atmosphere. Until recently all of this was absorbed by plants, which converted it back into oxygen.
However, the balance of nature has been disturbed. In power stations, in factories and in our cars, we are burning more and more fossil fuels( coal, oil and natural gas ) and this produces huge quantities of CO₂---18 billion tons of it enter the atmosphere every year. Added to this, the destruction of forests means that less CO₂ can be converted into oxygen by plants. So, the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere is increasing every year.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

It is love that makes the world go round. And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties. So we say: “Love will find a way.” As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything. A Chinese saying runs: “never hit a person who is smiling at you.” It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own— a universal language—understood by the people of every nation in the world. We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue. We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will.
One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store. My anger toward that grew with each step. Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked, in passing. The, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back. “I really owe you a debt of gratitude,” I said softly. His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly. “Carlos, he no speak English,” she volunteered. “You want I should tell him something?” In that moment I felt transformed. Carlos’ smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will to ward all mankind stood ten feet tall. “Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said ‘Thank you!’” “Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled. I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted. “He’ll understand. I am sure!” Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning.
From that day on, I became smile – conscious, and I practice the diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody. When I got excited in traffic, taking the right – of – way (公路用地) from the other car with my stupid mistake, I’d smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically. This action on my part would always draw a good – natured smile in return. If the other fellow was at fault – and if I could remember my resolution in time! – he’d get a broad smile of understanding. This took a bit of doing at first. I’ll admit it wasn’t always easy, but it was fun. The results were sometimes amazing. Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill – feeling and tension. I’m wondering now how many tragic add dents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile!
59．The author got angry while shopping one day because         .
A．of the clerk’s unfriendliness and lack of concern
B．of her misfortune
C．she failed to purchase what she intended
D．a dark – complexion young man laughed at her
60．From the conversation between the author and the Mexican woman, we can infer that the woman         .
A．was well – educated but unwilling to help others
B．was able to speak English
C．knew some English and was ready to help others
D．was familiar with the young man
61．In the author’s opinion, if all people remembered to smile when driving,         .
A．many traffic accidents could be avoided
B．they would receive a good natural smile in return
C．they could get a broad smile of understanding
D．they wouldn’t feel any tension
62．The best title for this passage could be          .
A．The Art of Smiling  B．The Universal Language
C．The Power of Love  D．The Magic Power of Friendship

Long long ago, there was a small village. This village had a  36   tradition. At the beginning of every year, any boy who had reached the age of majority (成年) was given land and money to build a home. The boy had to  37  his home before winter. If his home failed to endure the cold weather in winter, the villagers could not  38   him in any way．
One _39_, Paul and Marc reached their majority. They  40  their land and money and decided to search nearby villages for ideas on building their homes．In each village, they found the nicest  41  and talked to the owners. Each owner gladly offered  42 ．
After Marc saw several homes, he  43  the best ideas and went back to his own land. Paul, _44_, continued collecting more ideas. Soon he had so many great ideas that he began to  45  some of them. But he always believed he could find even better ideas in the next village．
Marc began building his home. He had several false starts,  46   his home gradually rose from his land. By fall, Marc had finished his home. It wasn't perfect, but it was strong and he could  47  it later. Paul enjoyed all the beautiful homes and 48  with home owners. The first snow came and Paul, realizing he was running out of time, 49   back to his land. He built the best home he could in the time he had, but it was 50  .The first winter storm destroyed his home and he froze to  51 ．The villagers mourned for him．
Marc  52  the winter．Each year, Marc searched for other good ideas he could use to make his own home look better. He became a leader in the village, 53  a family, and lived a happy, content life．
We all build and improve our own mental homes. It’s  54   and fun for us to search for ideas from other mental home owners, but we only improve our own mental home if we actually  55  the best ideas．