Violent gangs. Bar fights. Broken bones. No, we aren’t talking about a late night in Downtown Chico; we’re talking about the things that come to many people’s minds when the word, motorcycle, is mentioned.
Many Chico State students have learned of the convenience of small motorcycles and scooters when it comes to parking on or near campus. Motorcycle parking is something that is available when compared to the amount of vacant automotive parking—something especially valuable when running a bit late for class. Motorcycle-riding students have also learned to appreciate the 50 to 80 average miles per gallon, especially today when it seems as if gasoline prices are shooting up faster and more often than a back alley addict.
Still, some people are reluctant to ride the steel horse. Marc Lewis, a 24-year-old Chico State anthropology student, is one of those people. “I’ve had motorcycles in the past. I know what they’re about. I want another one, for recreational purposes,” Lewis said. The only things holding Lewis back are insurance costs and what he refers to as “unsafe drivers”. Safety and insurance costs certainly are important factors.
Chris Kelley, employee of Cost-U-Less Insurance Center at 166 Cohasset Road, Suite 3, admits that motorcycle insurance can get pricey. The average price per month for Chico State students in their 20s is about $100, Kelley said. “The most expensive rate I’ve ever charged was something like $32,000 a year,” Kelley said. “The guy had a horrible record.”
If a motorcycle is something that you’ve always been curious about but have been frightened by the dangerous image it is often given, try rethinking your position. Motorcycling is one of the most diverse activities in existence. Consider the information you find here a brief introduction to several of the more popular aspects of motorcycle riding.
44. When it comes to motorcycles, one tends to think of ____.
A. a late night in Downtown Chico B. the horse made of steel
C. the money paid for insurance D. a horrible image motorcycles give
45. According to the second paragraph, which of the following is NOT true?
A. It is very convenient for students to ride motorcycles.
B. The campus has enough parking place for motorcycles.
C. Students are often late for class riding motorcycles.
D. Motorcycles consume less gasoline.
46. Why are some people unwilling to ride the steel horse?
A. Because they often have their bones broken.
B. Because they are worried about the costly insurance and safety problems.
C. Because they have to pay for the pricey gasoline.
D. Because they don’t want to ride it for entertainment.
47. The writer intends to tell us in the last paragraph that ____.
A. we shouldn’t buy a motorcycle due to the danger it causes
B. many people are frightened by the dangerous image
C. we shouldn’t be curious about the motorcycle any more
D. motorcycles are still popular regardless of the disadvantages
In 1891, a man named James Naismith was teaching physical education at a school in Springfield. One long, cold winter, he had to create a game for 18 young men to play indoors. So the Canadian-born Naismith wrote some rules.
Rule number one: “The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.” Two: “The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist).”
In all, there were 13 rules— the original rules of basketball. James Naismith is recognized as the inventor of basketball.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches established the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States in 1949. It opened in 1968 at Springfield College. A new, larger building opened in 1985. And, four years ago, the Hall of Fame moved into a newer building, just south of its former home. The new building increased the size by almost one hundred percent.
Honors ring in Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Basketball Hall of Fame is a museum and entertainment center. It combines history with technology. And it tries to capture the energy and excitement of the game. In the Center Court area, for example, visitors can play interactive games of basketball and take part in skill competitions.
The Hall of Fame explores basketball at every level of the game. Visitors learn about professional basketball in the United States and other countries. They learn about women’s teams and how the game is played at the college level. They also learn about basketball for disabled people.
The Hall of Fame honors the best players, teams, coaches and officials in basketball. Earlier this month, six more honorees joined the more than 250 people in the Hall of Fame. The six new members are Geno Auriemma, Charles Barkley, Joe Dumars, Sandro Gamba, David Gavitt and Dominique Wilkins.
40. James Naismith is considered to be the forerunner of basketball mainly because ____.
A. he discovered the first basketball
B. he created the earliest basketball games
C. he set up the Basketball Hall of Fame
D. he organized the earliest basketball games
41. From the passage, we can infer that ____.
A. the Hall of Fame only honors the best basketball players
B. James Naismith was employed as a coach in the Hall of Fame
C. visitors can compete with the professional players in the hall
D. a variety of basketball games are developed by the Hall of Fame
42. James Naismith made some rules in order to ____.
A. organize an indoor basketball game
B. improve physical education at school
C. train his students for the Hall of Fame
D. invent the game of basketball for the young
43. The passage talks mainly about ____.
A. the Basketball Hall of Fame B. the first basketball games
C. the original 13 basketball rules D. the players in the Hall of Fame
How old was I? I can’t recall. Maybe I was only 10, about to turn 11, making it the first Christmas after my father left, and left me to fill that sad, shattered place in my mother’s heart. Whenever it was, it was the Christmas the magic changed: the year I stopped being a wide-eyed child and tried eagerly to play Father Christmas myself. It was the Christmas of the coat.
Mom first saw the coat at Tobias, one of the nicer women’s stores in our town’s little mall. It was a deep forest green. A long, heavy, wool dress coat with side pockets. Mom pulled it out from the rack（架） and held it up. “Long enough,”she murmured and slipped it on.
“I need a new coat,” Mom smiled before the three-way mirror. She made any clothing look good, and this coat hugged her just right. She glanced at the price tag, then hung the coat back on the rack, pausing once more to feel the smooth brush of wool.
Eighty-seven dollars. But I didn’t think twice. As we moved on through the mall, I found some excuse to come back and ask one of the Tobias ladies to hold the coat.
At last I had the coat. The store ladies wrapped it in their biggest box with bright blue paper and a thick silver ribbon. I don’t remember how I got it home, but I can still feel the bursting excitement and pride that filled me each time I glimpsed at the beautifully wrapped gift hiding under my sweater. I would occasionally dig it out just to hold the box, to imagine the big space it would take up under our tree. Here it was ─ joy, peace, and love ─ all wrapped up, waiting for Mom’s loving gratitude.
36. That the writer’s mother felt the coat before they left the store showed that ____.
A. the coat was of good quality B. the coat was too expensive
C. she liked the coat very much D. she’d get it in the end
37. The writer tried to act as Father Christmas in order to ____.
A. show he grew up B. show he missed his father
C. bring his mother a surprise D. enjoy himself
38. The writer hid the coat under his sweater in order to ____.
A. imagine the space taken up under the Christmas tree
B. feel the strong feeling to his mother on Christmas
C. give his mother a big surprise on Christmas Day
D. keep the new coat tidy and orderly in the box
39. What can be the best title of this passage?
A. A Merry Christmas B. Christmas of the Coat
C. A Deep Green Coat D. Mother’s Merry Christmas
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
The winter skies are grey and it’s cold outside. The nights come early and we spend a lot more time 16 and alone. Many people 17 winter: so cold, so dark, so boring. But I like winter because I have more time to read.
For many students reading means school; it means 18 . Reading is something your teacher assigns and it’s something you’re 19 . Reading is something you have to do, not something you want to do. But for me and many other people, reading is the most 20 thing we can imagine. Getting lost in a good book can 21 a cold winter evening disappear. Dull grey skies are no 22 for the fantastic adventures of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings《指环王》，or for romantic trouble-making of Jane Austen’s Emma《爱玛》, or for the youthful problems of Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye《麦田守望者》.
All of those books are studied in North American high schools. They are interesting and well written books that 23 young people. 24 , even there, many high school students don’t enjoy reading the books because they are 25 their school work: “Oh, my God! Two hundred pages! I’ll never be able to read 26 much.” But sometimes a funny thing happens. They begin to read and they begin to follow the 27 . Suddenly, the world inside the book becomes more exciting and more wonderful than the world they 28 . At the moment the thought 29 reading is work disappears and reading becomes 30 .
Reading anything is 31 but reading good books is a terrific way to improve your English. Good writers write English very well and 32 you with good examples to follow. And good books will tell you more about English 33 : what people think, how they talk, how they interact with each other. But don’t let me 34 it by telling you that reading is good for you. Just think of it as a good way to 35 on a cold winter evening.
16. A. indoors B. indoor C. outdoors D. outside
17. A. like B. prefer C. hate D. love
18. A. job B. worry C. try D. work
19. A. tested B. tested on C. examined D. examined on
20. A. enjoyable B. reasonable C. comfortable D. considerable
21. A. want B. cause C. make D. force
22. A. contest B. challenge C. competition D. match
23. A. appeal to B. respond to C. react to D. reply to
24. A. Fortunately B. Luckily C. Unfortunately D. Accidentally
25. A. free from B. part of C. in place of D. far from
26. A. not B. very C. those D. that
27. A. story B. subject C. instruction D. theme
28. A. leave for B. care about C. flee from D. live in
29. A. what B. that C. this D. which
30. A. a comfort B. a failure C. a success D. a pleasure
31. A. bad B. mean C. great D. grand
32. A. provide B. offer C. give D. award
33 A. custom B. language C. culture D. art
34. A. break B. spoil C. make D. develop
35. A. keep warm B. stand still C. stay calm D. stay cool
Mary didn’t want of the two kinds and asked the shop assistant to show her .
|
A．both; the other |
B．all; the others |
|
C．either; another |
D．neither; another |
You can’t camp you like these days. Many natural areas are now under protection.
|
A．what |
B．when |
C．wherever |
D．which |
