A. never have any plants or animals in them B. can all be turned into good land before long
C. are becoming smaller and smaller D. get very little rain
42. Land is becoming desert little by little because ______.
A. plants can’t grow there B. there is not enough rain
C. people haven’t done what scientists wish them to do
D. scientists know little about the deserts
43.After reading this passage，we learn that ________ .
A. plants can keep dry land from becoming desert
B. it is good to get rid of the grass in the deserts
C. all places without much rain will become deserts
D. it is better to grow crops on dry land than to cut them
B
Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap，strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of models because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is，he made a great many cars of exactly the same kind.Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer，but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(机械师).By the age of 29，in 1892，he had built his first car.However，the car made in this way，the famous “Model T” did not appear until 1908-five years after Ford had started his great motor car factory.This car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty years.Since Ford’s time，this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would otherwise be very expensive.
44.Ford was able to sell millions of cars，because_____.
A.he made many great cars B.his cars are many
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind D.both A and B
45.The young man became a mechanic，_______.
A.which was his father’s will B.which was against his own will
C.which was against his father’s will D.which was the will of both
46.The “Model T” was very famous_____.
A.before 1908 B.between 1892 and 1908 C.before 1892 D.after 1908
47.Ford built his own car factory_______
A.in 1903 B.in 1908 C.in 1913 D.in 1897
C
During recent years， floods and flash floods have caused billions of dollars in damage. They are among the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Even more importantly， they're the No.1 weather-related killer. A flood can happen anywhere along the Mississippi， in New England， even in the desert.
The following are some fascinating facts about floods and flash floods.
A flood (commonly called a river flood) is the high flow of water from a river or similar body of water， happening over a period of time too long to be considered a flash flood. Flooding is caused in many ways. Winter or spring rains， together with melting snows， can fill rivers too quickly. Heavy rains from hurricanes or other tropical(热带的)systems can also produce river flooding. The Mississippi River Flood of 1993 was caused by repeated heavy rain from thunderstorms over a period of weeks.
Flash floods are quickly-rising floods which are usually the result of heavy rains over a short period of time， often only several hours or even less. They can also be caused by ice jams(冰塞)on rivers related to a winter or spring melting， or occasionally even a dam break. The constant influx(汇集)of water finally causes a great overflow to begin， powerful enough to sweep vehicles away， roll big stones into roadways， uproot trees， level buildings， and knock bridges down. The speed of the rising of water is the most frightening thing.
Remember: Move to higher ground and stay away from low areas during heavy rain. Stay out of flooded areas. Never allow children to play or walk in flowing water. Never drive your car into water of unknown depths.
48. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Power of floods B. Damage of floods C. When floods happen D. Facts about floods
49. The last paragraph is mainly about ________.
A. flood safety tips B. warnings for floods C. waste water systems D. flood prevention
50. Which of the following statements is NOT the reason for the occurrence of flash floods?
A. Heavy rains. B. Ice jams. C. Dam breaks. D. Ground water rising.
51. According to the passage， people are most afraid of _______ during flash floods.
A. the constant influx of water B. the sudden occurrence of flash floods
C. the quick rising water D. the great damage of flash floods
D
The first true of sports equipment that man invented was the ball . In ancient Egypt ， as everywhere ， pitching stones was a favorite children’s game . But a badly thrown rock could hurt a child . Looking for something less dangerous to throw ， the Egyptians made what were probably the first ball .
At first ， balls were made of grass or leaves held together by vines . Later they were made of pieces of animal skin sewed together and filled tightly with feathers or hay . Even the Egyptians were warlike ， they found time for peaceful games . Before long they had developed a number of ball games ， each with its own set of rules . Perhaps they played ball more for instruction than for fun . Ball playing was thought of mainly as a way to teach young men the speed and skill they would need for war .
52 . The ball was probably invented because ______ .
A . throwing stones often invented injures B . throwing stones was not fun .
C. games with stones did not have rules . D. rocks were too busy to throw .
53 . The first balls were probably made of _______ .
A. animal skins stuffed with rocks B . twists of hay
C. hides stuffed with hay or feathers D. grass and leaves tied with vines
54 . This selection says that the Egyptians played ____
A. many different games with balls B . many different kinds of games
C. only one ball game D. different games with similar rules
55. The best title for this selection is _____ .
A. The First Ball Games B . How Egyptians Children Played Games
C. Egyptian Sports D. The Beginning of Sports
E
If your mother wants to tell you something ， she uses words . Birds can not talk as we do . But some birds can make sounds to warn their young of danger . They have their own ways to make the young birds do certain things.
The jackdaw is a kind of blackbirds that lives in Europe. Jackdaws live together in flocks ( 群) .Young jackdaws do not know their enemies. When an older jackdaw sees a dog ， it makes a loud tattling (格格响的)sound. The young birds know this sound means an enemy is nearby. The sounds warns them to know their enemy .
If a young jackdaw is in a dangerous place， a jackdaw parent flies over him from behind .The parent bird flies low over the young bird’s back， the parents’ tail feathers move quickly from side to side. It is trying to say ，“Follow me .”
At the same time ， the parent calls out ， “ Key-aw ，Key-aw .” The parent means ， “ Fly home with me .” The young bird then follows the older one home .
Young jackdaws do not have to learn what certain sounds mean. They know the meaning of these sounds from the time they hatch (孵化) .
56. The jackdaw lives in _____ .
A. Europe B . Australia C. America D .Africa
57 . When an old jackdaw sees a dog ， it _____ .
A. calls out “Follow me .” B . makes a loud sound C. flies away D. fights the dog .
58 . Parent jackdaw can use their tail feathers to ______ .
A . ask their young to follow them B . play a game with the young
C. tell the meal time D. give a warning of a fire
59 . The story tells much about _____ .
A. the danger of jackdaws. B . the ways in which mother can talk to their children.
C. the way jackdaws warn their young of danger. D. how the jackdaws are living.
60 . Which of the following does this story lead you to believe ?
A. All animal parents can talk to their young.
B . Dogs are the most dangerous enemies for jackdaws.
C. Young jackdaws know the meaning of their parents’ sound when they grow older .
D. Some birds can give certain information to one another.
