A young woman was driving through the lonely countryside. It was dark and raining. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding her hand out as if she wanted a lift.

“I can’t leave her out in this weather,” the woman said to herself, so she stopped the car and opened the door.

“Do you want a lift?” she asked. The old woman nodded and climbed into the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, “Have you been waiting for a long time?” The old woman shook her head. “Strange,” thought the young woman. She tried again. “Bad weather for the time of year,” she said. The old woman nodded. No matter what she said, the hitchhiker (搭便车的人) gave no answer except for a nod of the head or a shrug.

Then the young woman noticed the hitchhiker’s hands which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized that the hitchhiker was actually a man! She stopped the car. “I can’t see out of the rear screen（后屏）,” she said. “Would you mind clearing it for me?” The hitchhiker nodded and opened the door. As soon as the hitchhiker was out of the car, the terrified young woman raced off.

When she got to the next village she pulled up. She noticed that the hitchhiker had left his handbag behind. She picked it up and opened it. She gave a gasp — inside the bag was a gun.

1. The young woman stopped the car because ______.

    A. “the old woman” asked her to

    B. she knew “the old woman”

    C. she knocked “the old woman” down

D. she wanted to help “the old woman” out in the bad weather

2. What’s the weather like that day?

   A. Sunny           B. Cloudy          C. Rainy          D. Windy

3. The young woman asked the hitchhiker to clear the rear screen because _______.

    A. this was the way she thought of to get rid of him

    B. she couldn’t see out of the rear screen

    C. the hitchhiker was very helpful

    D. the rear screen was covered with dirt

4. The hitchhiker left the bag with a gun in it behind because _______.

    A. he wanted to give the young woman a warning

    B. he hadn’t expected that the young woman would leave him behind in the rain

    C. it was his present for the young woman

    D. he wanted to kill the young woman with the gun

5. What might the man be?

A. a teacher               B. a soldier               C. a robber            D. an actor

Life is good for penguins in Antarctica(南极洲)at the end of the movie Happy Feet. Real-life penguins, though, have little to celebrate.

Twelve of the world’s 19 penguin species(种类)face serious dangers, according to wildlife experts.

They are in danger of disappearing from the earth, including emperor penguins.

“Many of the world’s penguin species are in big trouble, ”penguin expert Kassel Siegel told WR News.

Her wildlife group is asking the US government to protect the 12 species of penguins in danger. Several countries are making efforts to make sure the rapidly increasing tourists in Antarctica do not cause environmental problems.

Overfishing is one reason for the problem. Penguins eat small fish and tiny animals called krill. Fishing boats are catching lots of krill. That leaves less food for penguins to eat.

Another reason for the decline(减少)in the number of penguins is global warming. Global warming is the slow increase in average temperature around the world. It is causing sea ice to melt. Penguins need the sea ice as a place to rest while they search for krill.

Scientists say global warming is caused when we drive cars or use electricity. That burns coal, oil, and natural gas. The burning of coal, oil, and natural gas gives off gases that add to the overheating of the earth. “We can and must reduce gas emissions(排放)to keep penguins safe in the future, ”says Siegel.

6. What would probably happen if people reduced their use of coal, oil, and natural gas?

A. Penguins would have to move to other places to live.

B. Penguins would be less likely to disappear from the earth.

C. There would be more krill for penguins to eat.

D. It would save people a lot of money.

7. Which of the following are the reasons for the decline in the number of penguins?

A. The development of tourism and overheating.

B. Overfishing and attacks from other animals.

C. Overfishing and overheating.

D. The development of tourism and attacks from other animals.

8. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Penguins mainly live on small fish and tiny animals which live in water.

B. Penguins need the sea ice as a place to feed their children.

C. Nineteen of the world’s penguin species face serious dangers.

D. The US government has taken measures to protect the penguins in danger.

   This was my grandmother’s first Christmas without grandfather. When we reached her house, it did seem a little    9    without grandfather.

Grandfather had always said the Christmas     10     was the most important. So we set to work assembling（组装）the beautiful     11     tree that was stored in grandfather’s closet（储藏室）. After we finished, we stepped back to      12     our work. It looked wonderful. But something was     13     .

“Where’s the star?” I asked. It was my grandmother’s     14     . As we emptied box after box and found no star, my grandmother’s eyes     15     with tears. Grandfather had given it to Grandmother fifty years ago. Now, on her first Christmas without      16      , the star was gone, too.

“Let’s      17     in the closet where the tree was,” my sister Donna said. We    18     under beds and over shelves, inside and outside      19    we had exhausted every possibility. We could see Grandmother was     20      , although she tried not to show it. By now, it was     21     outside, and time for bed, as Santa would soon be here.

The next morning, my sisters and I     22      early to see what Santa had left under the tree. After breakfast, the family sat together to      23     presents. “The last gift is to Grandmother from Grandfather.” Father said, in a puzzled voice.

“From who?” There was     24       in my grandmother’s voice.

“I found that      25     in the closet when we got the tree down,” Mother explained.

My grandmother opened it. Her face lit up when she pulled out a(n)     26       golden star. There was a note attached. Her voice trembled（颤抖）as she read it:

Don’t be  27         with me, dear. I broke your star while putting away the tree. Thought it was time for a new one, I hope it brings you as much      28       as the first one. Merry Christmas.

9. A．empty                      B．cold                C．slow               D．absent

10. A．wish                       B．tree                       C．spirit              D．work

11. A．unique            B．artificial          C．widespread    D．alive

12. A．follow              B．show              C．judge             D．admire

13. A．losing              B．happening      C．missing                 D．falling

14. A．doubt              B．reward           C．honour                 D．treasure

15. A．filled                B．covered         C．put                       D．removed

16. A．them                      B．it                           C．her                       D．him

17. A．stop                       B．move             C．start                     D．stay

18. A．hid                         B．searched      C．lay                        D．found

19. A．as                          B．until                C．because               D．though

20. A．disappointed   B．amazed        C．excited                 D．shocked

21. A．snowing           B．raining           C．blowing                 D．darkening

22. A．cheered up    B．picked up       C．woke up        D．took up

23. A．pack               B．open             C．pick               D．exchange

24. A．happiness              B．fright             C．surprise                D．hope

25. A．gift                   B．book             C．note              D．letter

26. A．big                         B．old                C．shining                 D．broken

27. A．generous                B．angry            C．strict              D．important

28. A．sadness                 B．concern        C．peace            D．joy

Have you ever dreamed of being famous 29.__________ a musician? At first many singers may form a band to practise their music. And then they may get the chance to give 30._________ (perform) in pubs or clubs. Later they may gradually become popular. 31._________, the Monkees started in a different way. They began as a TV show. The TV organizers had put an advertisement in a newspaper 32.__________ (look) for rock musicians who could act as well as sing. 33._________ (honest) speaking, only one of them was good enough and the other three members pretended 34._________ (sing). So it couldn’t 35._________ (call) a real band at the beginning. Anyhow, their shows were 36.__________ (humour) and they became popular. After a year or so, they worked harder and produced 37.________ own records and started touring. About 1970, the Monkees broke up but they reunited in the mid-1980s and in 1996 produced a new record, with 38._________ they celebrated their former happy time.

49. 这样做恐怕弊大于利。 I’m afraid it will ______ ______ ______ than good.

50. 他们损坏了汽车却逃之夭夭。 They ______ ______ ______ damaging the car.

51. 你既然已经长大，就该像样一点了。 ______ ______ you are a big boy, you must ______ ______.

52. 与其说这颜色是蓝色，不如说它是绿色。 The color seems green ______ ______ blue.

53. 他爷爷手拿报纸坐在扶手椅里。

His grandfather ______ ______ in the armchair ______ a newspaper.

54.夜色渐近，远山变成了深蓝色。

Evening came slowly. The hills ______ ______ ______ turned dark blue.