阅读下列短文, 从所给的四个选项中, 选出最佳答案

　Electricity is such a part of our everyday life and so much taken for granted nowadays that we hardly think twice when we switch on the light or turn on the radio．At night, roads are brightly lit, enabling people and traffic to move freely ．Colourful street-lights have become part of the character of every modern city．In the home, many labour saving devices are powered by electricity． Even when we turn off the lamp and are fast asleep, electricity is still working for us, driving our ice-boxes, heating our water, or keeping our rooms warm in winter．Every day, trains and trolleybuses take people to and from work．We rarely stop to think why or how they run until something goes wrong．

　In the summer of 1959, something did go wrong with power station that supplies New York with electricity．For a great many hours, lift came almost to standstill（停止）．Trains refused to move and the people in them sat in the dark, powerless to do anything ; lifts stopped working so that even if you were lucky enough not to be trapped（陷入）between two floors, you had the unpleaseant task（任务）of finding your way down hundreds of flights of stairs．Famous streets like Broadway and Fifth Avenue in an instant became as dark as the most distant back streets．

　People were afraid to leave their houses, for although the police had been ordered to stand by in case of （以免）emergency（紧急情况）they were just as puzzled and helpless as anybody else．

　At the same time, similar disorder happened in the home．New York can be very hot in summer and this year was no exception．Cool rooms became hot stoves．Food went bad in ice- boxes．Fish and meat remained uncooked in cooking pots, and people sat impatient and frightened in the dark as if an unseen enemy had landed from Mars（火星）, The only people who were not troubled by the darkness were the blind．Only one of the strangest things that took place was that some fifty blind people led many sighted workers home．When the lights came on again, hardly a person in the city can have turned on a switch without thinking how great a servant he bad at his finger-tips．

(1) In the first paragraph, the word“devices”means：

[　　]

A．electrical machines．

B．hand-tools that save man power．

C．inventions that make work easier．

D．ice-boxes and washing-machines only．

(2) According to what is said in this passage, electricity_______．

[　　]

A．has not made life easier．

B．is still something of a miracle（奇迹）

C．is something we think about all the time．

D．is something we have come to accept without questions．

(3) People were impatient and frightened, because ________

[　　]

A．the whole city was in complete darkness．

B．an unseen enemy had landed from Mars．

C．New York was very, very hot that summer．

D．blind people became more capable（能干的）than sighted workers．

(4) Some blind people led sighted workers home because _______　　

[　　]

A．blind people had better eyesight in darkness than sighted workers．

B．blind people were used to darkness and were not affected by the accident．

C．sighted workers were so frightened by the complete darkness that they lost their way．

D．the police had been ordered to stand by and could not take the workers home．

(5) The passage suggests that most large modern cities _______ 

[　　]

A．need more modern buildings．

B．are terrible places to live in．

C．would be better off without electricity．

D．completely depend on electricity．

This is my third story. When I was 17，I read a quote that 1 something like，“If you live each day 2 it was your last，someday you'll most certainly be right.”Since then，for the past thirty?three years，I've looked 3 the mirror every morning and asked myself：“If today were the last day of my life，would I want to do what I am about to do today？”And whenever the answer has been“No”for too many days in a 4 ，I know I need to change something.

　 About a year ago I was 　5 with cancer. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable，and that I should 　6 to live no longer than three to six months. They advised me to go home and get my 7 in order，which is doctors' code for“prepare to 8 ”. Later that evening when the doctors 　9 the cells taken from my pancreas(胰腺)under a microscope，they started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is 　10 with surgery. I had the surgery and，11 ，I'm fine now.

　 This was the closest I've been to facing death，and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Death is the 12 we all share. No one has 　13 escaped it. And that is 14 it should be，because death is very likely the single 15 invention of life. It's life's change agent. It clears out the old to make 　16 for the new. Your time is 　17 ，so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma(信条)—which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of 　18 opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly，have the courage to 　19 your heart and intuition(直觉). They 20 already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

（1）A. said　 　　 B. described　 C. went　 　　 D. expressed

（2）A. unless 　　 B. as if　　 　 C. even if 　　 D. as long as

（3）A. in　　 　　　B. at　　　　 C. through 　　 D. On

（4）A. row　 　　 B. minute　　　 C. sense　 　　D. word

（5）A. connected 　B. infected　　 C. affected　 D. diagnosed

（6）A. want　 　　B. dream　　　 C. expect 　　D. imagine

（7）A. duties 　　 B. businesses C. affairs 　　D. life

（8）A. work　 　　B. start　　　 　C. talk　 　　D. die

（9）A. looked 　　B. viewed　　 C. realized 　　D. noticed

（10）A. curable 　　B. possible　 　 C. acceptable D. suitable

（11）A. carefully 　B. thankfully　　 C. anxiously 　D. hopefully

（12）A. possession B. destination　 C. expectation D. position

（13）A. ever　 　　 B. even　　 　 C. never　 　　D. still

（14）A. when　 　 B. while　　 　　C. as　　 　　 D. since

（15）A. better 　　B. worst　　 　　C. worse　 　　D. best

（16）A. use　 　 B. a difference　 C. sense　 　　 D. way

（17）A. endless 　B. repeated　　 C. countless 　　D. limited

（18）A. others' 　 B. others　　　 C. anyone's　 　 D. some others

（19）A. listen 　　B. follow　 　　 C. take　　 　　 D. accept

（20）A. however B.whatever 　C.somehow　 D.Somewhat

阅读理解

Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father. “But Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead.”

    Dad , in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt--a mistake 75% of the US population make every day. The big question is why.

    There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.

    Myth( 神话)Number One: It's best to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident.

    Truth: Sorry , but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear” is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are you'll have traveled through a windshield(挡风玻璃)or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are “thrown clear.”

　　Myth Number Two: Safety belts “trap” people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.

　　Truth: Sorry again. but studies show that people knocked unconscious(昏迷) due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations, not to be trapped in them.

　　Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour

　　Truth: when two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other. An unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.

Why did Elizabeth say to her father, “But. Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead”?

A. He was driving at great speed.

B. He was running across the street.

C. He didn't have his safety belt on.

D. He didn't take his medicine on time.

The reason Father was in a hurry to get home was that he＿＿＿＿＿．

A. wasn't feeling very well

B. hated to drive in the dark

C. wanted to take some exercise

D. didn't want to be caught by the police

According to the text, to be “thrown clear” of a serious accident is very dangerous ,because you ＿＿＿＿＿．

A. may be knocked down by other cars

B may get seriously hurt being thrown out of the car

C. may find it impossible to get away from the seat

D. may get caught in the car door

Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe＿＿＿.

A. the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident

B. they will be unable to think clearly in an accident

C. they will be caught when help comes

D. cars catch fire easily

What is the advice given in the text?

A．Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour.

B. Try your best to save yourself in a car accident.

C. Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving.

D. Drive slowly while you're not wearing a safety belt.　

Make the Most of College

Dear Daughter,

As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.

First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.

Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever.

Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.

Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.

Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.

Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!

College is the four years where you have:　

The greatest amount of free time

the first chance to be independent

the most flexibility（灵活性）to change 

the lowest risk for making mistakes

So please treasure your college years – make full use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.

May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.

                                                    Love,

Dad (&Mom)

What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter?

A. Uncertainty                                          B. Pure enjoyment.

C. Successes and challenges.                D. Experimentation with life.

What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?

A. Plan everything.                                  

B. Party with friends in her free time.

C. Ignore what others think or say.     

D. Treasure and make the best of her college years.

Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?

a. think and live independently

b. learn how to learn

c. choose friends with similar personalities

d. be genuine and sincere

e. try new things

A. abe                   B. bce                   C. cde                   D. abc

From the text, we can conclude the father ______.

A. is worried about his daughter

B. is strict with his daughter

C. is optimistic about his daughter’s future

D. is sad that his daughter is leaving home

Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, "But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead."

　　Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt-- a mistake 75% of US population make every day. The big question is why.

　　There have been many myths (神化,虚构的事) about safety belt ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.

　　Myth the Number One: It's best to be "thrown clear" of a serious accident.

　　Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to "throw you clear" is able going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are you'll have traveled through a windshield (挡风玻璃)or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times in cases where people are "thrown clear".

　　Myth Number Two: Safety-belts "trap" people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.

Truth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situation, not to be trapped in them.

　　Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour (mph).

　　Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 metres.

1.Why did Elizabeth say to her father, "But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead"?

A．He didn't have his safety belt on.

B．He was running across the street.

C．He was driving at great speed.

D．He didn't take his medicine on time.

2.he reason father was in a hurry to get home was that he __________.

A．wasn't feeling very well                   B．hated to drive in the dark

C．wanted to take some exercise              D．didn't want to be caught by the people

3.According to the text, to be "thrown clear" of a serious accident is very dangerous because you ________.

A．may be knocked down by other cars.

B．may get serious hurt thrown out of the car

C．may find it impossible to get away from the seat

D．may get caught in the car door

4.Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe _______.

A．they will be unable to think clearly in an accident

B．the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident

C．they will be caught when help comes

D．cars catch fire easily

5.What is the advice given in the test?

A．Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour.

B．Try your best to save yourself in a car accident.

C．Drive slowly while you're not wearing a safety belt.

D．Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving.