Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin was a person who liked playing the violin and was full of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to a fancy dress ball (化装舞会). He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He came up with an idea. He thought everyone would be attracted by him if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two, wheels under each shoe. These were the first rolled skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing the violin. Everyone was amazed to see this. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. Suddenly he ran into a huge mirror hanging on the wall. It fell down and broke into pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's entrance for a long time.
60．The passage is mainly about_______.
A．a strange man
B．an unusual party
C．how roller skating started
D．how people held parties in the 18th century
61．People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he________.
A．often gave others surprises B．was a gifted musician
C．invented the roller skates D．was full of imagination
62．Merlin put wheels under his shoes to_________.
A．impress the party guests B．arrive at the party sooner
C．test his invention D．show his skill in walking on wheels
63．What is main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?
A．The roller skates needed further improvement.
B．The party guests took Merlin for a fool.
C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.
D．Merlin got himself into trouble.
Aria Ricardo was a beautiful, slim young woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin. She used to work as a model and earn as much as $ 2,000 in one day in front of the camera. She modeled for top magazines in Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and throughout the United States.
Aria’s father, now retired because of a disability, was a police officer who really loved his work. Aria would rather follow in her father’s footsteps than pursue her modeling career. She remembered listening to her father tell stories when he came home after a day on the beat. The excitement, tensions and risks of police work appealed to her.
Aria got started in the modeling business quite by accident. She accompanied a friend to an interview at a modeling agency. Her friend wanted the job, while Aria didn’t. The people at the agency were impressed with Aria’s appearance and poise. They knew she’d be brilliant in front of the camera. So they sent her on her first modeling job—for Seventeen magazine—right away.
While she was successful as a model, Aria never gave up her dream of being a police officer. She passed the written exam for the New York Police Department. She planned to enter the Police Academy as quickly as possible. Her family and friends thought she was out of her mind even to consider such a thing. Police work was dangerous and the pay couldn’t compare to a top model’s income. But Aria knew what she wanted, and she went for it. She had never really intended to be a model anyway. Finally she hooked her fish.
56．Aria’s success as a model resulted from _______.
A．her desire to succeed in it B．her looks and shape
C．the help of her father D．the competition with her friend
57．Aria went into modeling because _______.
A．she wanted to earn more money
B．she wanted to accompany her friend
C．she was given an unexpected opportunity
D．she was very beautiful
58．Aria’s family would like her to _______.
A．remain a model B．do whatever she liked
C．find something challenging D． follow her father’s footsteps
59．Aria Ricardo probably is a ______ now.
A．photographer working for a magazine B．student of the Police Academy
C．top model of a world company D．woman police officer
完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
When Alice started to cycle home from Jenny’s house, she was certainly not afraid of the dark. 36 , it was only a 15 – minute ride home. But halfway there, she began to wish she hadn’t been so 37 .
As she rounded a sharp bend, it suddenly 38 cold – very cold. Alice’s breath became puffs of white cloud and her legs were so cold that it was hard for her to ride.
With her heart beating fast, she struggled so hard to move __39__ that she didn’t hear the car which suddenly appeared beside her. She stopped by the road. The big black car also __40__. Slowly, the passenger-window began to slide down. Alice held her breath. In the soft light inside the car, something __41__. Then, the light brightened and Alice was staring at a sweet, grey-haired old lady. “Hello, dear,” said the old lady. “I need __42__. I’m afraid I’m lost. I need to find the nearest airport. I must be there in the next five minutes.”
“Airport? You __43__ are lost,” Alice said. “You need to go back five kilometers __44__ you reach the T-junction. Turn left and __45__ for about another 10 kilometers to the main highway. From there, just follow the __46__ to the airport. But I’m afraid there’s no __47__ you’ll get there in five minutes!”
“Thank you very much, dear,” replied the old lady. “Don’t worry — I’ll __48__ in time.”
The __49__ moved up and the car started off. A little way ahead, it __50__ and with headlights flashing, it drove past Alice. But then, something __51__ happened. The car began changing. First, its color __52__from black to silvery-grey. Then, the wheels began disappearing, but the car continued to move forward, __53__ just above the ground. As the car __54__ into the dark sky, the big red tail-lights grew larger and larger and glowed more and more brightly. With a faint(微弱的) whistling __55__, the car was gone in seconds, leaving Alice shaking her head in disbelief…
36．A．However B．Besides C．Therefore D．Otherwise
37．A．brave B．excited C．curious D．certain
38．A．fell B．seemed C．proved D．grew
39．A．aside B．around C．forward D．backward
40．A．arrived B．stopped C．stayed D．started
41．A．gathered B．existed C．dropped D．moved
42．A．help B．gas C．rest D．water
43．A．necessarily B．normally C．basically D．certainly
44．A．if B．until C．unless D．as
45．A．drive B．walk C．follow D．march
46．A．address B．signs C．notices D．guidance
47．A．doubt B room C．time D．way
48．A．have it B．get it C．make it D．finish it
49．A．door B．window C．headlight D．wheel
50．A．passed B．rushed C．turned D．continued
51．A．strange B．sensitive C．imaginable D．terrible
52．A．developed B．appeared C．spread D．faded (become paler)
53．A．rolling B．floating C．drawing D．flashing
54．A．pointed B．returned C．broke D．rose
55．A．tune B．voice C．sound D．tone
--- Don’t leave water while you brush your teeth, honey.
--- Ok, Mum.
A．run B．running C．being run D．to run
．--- Where did he leave his car key?
--- It was in the lab he made the experiment.
A．where B．that C．what D．there
--- Why don’t we take a little break?
--- Didn’t we just have ?
A．this B．that C．it D．one
