In old times, there was a story about a young athletic boy hungry for success, for whom winning was everything.

One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small native village. He and two other young boys were to compete. A large crowd had gathered to witness the competition and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had traveled far to bear witness too.

The race started. Sure enough, the boy dug deep and showed his determination, strength and power. He came first. The crowd cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

A second race was called, and two new young challengers came forward to run with the little boy. The little boy finished first once again. The crowd again cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man expressed no opinion.

   “Another race, another race!” shouted the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, a frail old lady and a blind man. “What is this?” asked the little boy. “Race!” said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher.

The little boy raised his arms in delight. The crowd, however, was silent showing no happiness. “Why don’t they join in my success?” he asked the wise old man. “Race again, ” replied the wise man. “This time, all three of you, finish together,” continued the wise man. The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then took the two challengers by the hand.

The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled.

56. According to the passage, the young athletic boy ______ .

A. was crazy about winning competitions        B. considered the blind man foolish

C. was angry with the wise man                D. showed no respect to the young challengers

57. The wise man went to watch the competitions to ______ .

A. teach the boy a lesson                      B. show the crowd his wisdom

C. help the lady and the blind man             D. see whether the boy was powerful

58. Why did the crowd remain silent when the boy beat the lady and the blind man?

A. Because the boy was proud.                 B. Because the boy was impolite.

C. Because the boy was not helpful.             D. Because the boy was overconfident.

59. What is the message conveyed in the story?

A. Small talk is helpful.                       B. Love and kindness are rewarding.

C. Wisdom is more important than strength.     D. Sympathy should be given to the weak.

60. What does the underlined word “frail” probably mean?

A. well-dressed            B. rich            C. weak            D. athletic

In the United States, friendships can be close, constant, intense, generous, and real, yet fade away in a short time if circumstances change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may change Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship where it left off and are delighted.

In the States, you can feel free to visit people’s homes, share their holidays, enjoy their children and their lives without fear that you are taking on a lasting obligation. Do not hesitate to accept hospitality because you cannot give it in return. No one will expect you to do so for they know you are far from home. Americans will enjoy welcoming you and be pleased if you accept their hospitality easily.

Once you arrive there, the welcome will be full and warm and real. Most visitors find themselves readily invited into many homes there. In some countries it is considered inhospitable to entertain at home, offering what is felt as “merely” home cooked food, not “doing something” for your guest. It is felt that restaurant entertaining shows more respect and welcome. Or for various other reasons, such as crowded space, language difficulties, or family customs, outsiders are not invited into homes.

In the United State s, both methods are used, but it is often considered more friendly to invite a person to one’s home than to a public place, except in purely business relationships. So, if your host or hostess brings you home, do not feel that you are being shown inferior treatment. Don’t feel neglected if you do not find flowers waving to you in your hotel room either. Flowers are very expensive there, and hotel delivery is uncertain that the arrival times are delayed, changed, or canceled—so flowers are not customarily sent as a welcoming touch. Please do not feel unwanted! Outward signs vary in different lands; the inward welcome is what matters, and this will be real.

51. In the United States, you will find friendships ____ if circumstances change.

A. die suddenly          B. pass away  C. disappear gradually    D. last forever

52. Americans ____ their foreign friends to make a return for their hospitality.

A. ask               B. wish          C. never allow               D. don’t expect

53. In some other countries, giving a dinner party at home is considered ____ than in a restaurant.

A. less friendly           B. less hospitable  C. more natural              D. more popular

54. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. Flowers are available at all time.        B. Flowers are expensive.

C. Flowers are signs of outward welcome.   D. Flowers are not necessarily sent to guests.

55. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A. American Hospitality       B. American Friendship   C. American Invitation   D. American Welcome

Diane Fossey was a famous American gorilla(大猩猩) expert. She had a completely 31 way to study gorillas — she 32 to be one of them. She 33 their actions and way of 34 — eating plants and getting down on her hands and knees to 35 the way a gorilla does. It was a new relationship and a different way of 36 .

　 Unfortunately, Diane Fossey was 37 in Rwanda in 1985 and her story was made into the popular 38 “Gorillas in the Mist”. It was a long way from the movie “King Kong”, which is about a gorilla as a kind-hearted monster — a frightening animal, and helped to show a new idea: the real monster is 39 , while the gorilla is to be 40 .

　 Today there are thought to be around 48,000 lowland gorillas and maybe 400-450 mountain gorillas in the 41 . From the Congo in West Africa, to Rwanda and Uganda further east, they are 42 by hunting and by the 43 of their forest homes.

　 Some time ago, I found in my letterbox a little magazine from the World Wide Fund for Nature. It had

44 photos side by side. One was of a young gorilla. “This is a 45 of mammal,” said the words below it, “It is being 46 by man. We must 47 it for our own good.” 48 the other photo showed a human baby. The words also 49 , “This is a species of mammal, ” but then went on “It is the most 50 on earth. We must retrain it for its own good.”

31. A. funny　　　　　　　　 B. ridiculous　　　　　　　　 C. new　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. confusing

32. A. pretended　　　　　 B. persuaded　　　　　　　　 C. wanted　　　　　　　　　　 D. asked

33. A. watched　　　　　　 B. made 　　　　　　　　　　 C. took　 　　 　 D. copied

34. A. work　　　　　　　　 B. life　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. rest 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. playing

35. A. play 　　　　　B. walk 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. jump　　　　　　　　　　　 D. climb

36. A. research　　　　　　 B. nature 　　　　　　　　　　 C. protection　　　　　　　　 D. knowledge

37. A. injured 　　　　　　 B. wounded　　　　　　　　 C. harmed　　　　　　　　　 D. murdered

38. A. film 　　　　　B. book 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. program　　　　　　　　　 D. magazine

39. A. ghost　　　　　　　　 B. man　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. wildlife　　　 　　 　　 D. animal

40. A. hated 　　　　　　　 B. frightened　　　　　　　　 C. worried　　 　　 　　 D. admired

41. A. zoos 　　　　　B. woods　　　　　　　　　　 C. reserves　　　　　　　　　 D. wild

42. A. endangered　　　　 B. disappeared 　 C. shot　 　　 　 D. hurt

43. A. cutting off　 B. cutting out 　 C. cutting down　　 D. cutting up

44. A. five 　　　　　　　　 B. four　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. three　　　　　　　　　　　 D. two

45. A. species 　　　　　　 B. variety　　　　　　　　　　 C. group 　　　 D. sort

46. A. revived 　　　　　　 B. imported　　　　　　　　　 C. destroyed　　　　 D. purchased

47. A. keep　　　　　 B. present　　　 　 C. feed　　　　　 D. save

48. A. so　　　　　　　　　　 B. because　　 　 C. while　　　　 D. as

49. A. read 　　　　　 B. spoke　　　　 　 C. told　　　　　 D. talked

50. A. creative 　　　　　　 B. persuasive 　 C. impressive　　　　 D. destructive

 The little boy sounded       he was going to die of fright after he was caught cheating in the exam.

 A. as if           B. even if                C. like               D. as

 “Carnival” comes from two Latin words,       “no more meat”.

A. mean         B. meaning            C. means             D. meant

 Many things       impossible in the past are common today.

A. to consider        B. being considered       C. considering     D. considered

 He       to go abroad, but he changed his mind after finding a good job at the last moment.

A. had planned       B. is planning  C. has planned       D. would plan

 The city       I was born is on the new railway line.

    A. which                      B. that          C. from which D. where

— Pele isn’t as famous as the other footballers, in my opinion.

— 　. He is a real and world-famous sportsman.

　 A. I agree absolutely　　　　　　　　　 B. You may be right

　 C. l can't agree more　　　　　　　　　 D. That's not the point

— Peter is a boy who often lies to us.

— So no matter 　 he 　　 tomorrow, we won't believe him.

　 A. how; is said　　　　　　 B. what; says　　　　 C. why; will say　　 D. what; will say