第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. One of the reasons people love it so much is that you get presents. But like presents, Christmas needs to be unwrapped so that you can understand the true meaning behind the day.
Many Chinese believe everyone in Western countries celebrate this holiday. That is not true. Christmas is an important religious holiday for Christians. December 25 represents the birthday of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the son of God.
Christianity (基督教) is a very popular religion in America and Europe. However, there are many other religions, too. People who celebrate those religions don’t celebrate Christmas. But during the winter season they usually have their own important holiday. That is why when talking to a foreigner it is safer to say, “ Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” because you never know his/her religious background.
The image of a fat, happy man in red---Santa Claus---has come to represent the idea of goodness and love instead of religious part or the “Christmas spirit”. Santa Claus is based on a man named Saint Nicholas who was a 4th century Greek Christian.
Saint Nicholas bought presents for children and gave them away anonymously(匿名地). This is where the idea of gift on Christmas began. But the Santa Claus didn’t exist until the 19th century when an American named Thomas Nast drew cartoons of him. So really, Santa has nothing to do with the religious holiday.
In fact, some people who celebrate Christmas don’t really care about Santa Claus.
Christmas is a special day for Christians but the ideas of being good and loving your neighbors are not limited to Christianity. So buy a gift for your friend, tell your mother you love her and have merry Christmas. I mean ,”Happy holidays!”
56. Christians believe December 25 represents the birthday of _________.
A. Santa Claus B. God C. Jesus Christ D. Thomas Nast
57. In the passage, the author thinks __________.
A. Santa Claus was a real person in the past
B. everyone should believe in Christianity
C. all people in Western countries celebrate Christmas
D. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Christmas holiday
58. What is “the true meaning” in the first passage?
A. For many people Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year
B. The Westerners have different religious backgrounds
C. Some like to say “Merry Christmas”, and others like to say “Happy holidays”
D. Being good and loving our neighbors are the virtues of all humans
59. What is the CORRECT explanation of Santa Claus?
A. He was a Greek Christian in the 4th century
B. He was an American who was born in the 19th century
C. His image represents the “Christmas spirit”
D. He was a cartoon figure drawn by Thomas Nast
第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项
About 1,000 students were having a final exam in a huge hall. Obviously the teacher wasn’t very well liked, who kept yelling out how much time was left.
During the exam he was so 36 going around the room making sure that nobody __37 . He asked the students to pile the 38 tests on the huge desk. This made for quite a mess.
Anyway, everyone needed a fairy good 39 . Many students did poorly when rushed.
One of the students 40 that he must get a good grade, so he went on 41 the professor said “ pencils down and __42__ your exam papers.”
Five minutes turned into ten, ten into twenty, twenty into forty , ___43 an hour after the test was over, our friend finally put down his pencil , _44 up his work, and headed to the front to present his final. The whole time, the professor sat there, __45__ waiting for the student to complete.
“What do you think you are doing?” It was clear that the professor had 46__ only to give the student a 47 time.
“ Turning in my exam,” replied the student confidently.
“ I’m afraid I have some bad 48 for you,” the professor said“ Your 49 is an hour late. You’ve 50 it.”
The student smiled slyly (狡诈地) 51_ asked the professor, “ Do you know who I am ?”
“ No,” cried out the professor __52_ _.
The student 53 the professor right in the eyes and said slowly, “ I didn’t think so,” 54 he lifted up one of the piles half way, put his test neatly into the center of the pile, let the pile fall 55 his test in the middle, turned around, and walked out of the huge hall.
36. A. kind B. busy C. strict D. serious
37. A. cheated B. failed C. hated D. passed
38. A. written B. answer C. unfinished D. completed
39. A. teacher B. friend C. grade D. paper
40. A. said B. thought C. insisted D. demanded
41. A. when B. while C. once D. as soon as
42. A. get in B. check up C. hand in D. end up
43. A. hardly B. especially C. unfortunately D. almost
44. A. gathered B. brought C. sent D. made
45. A. strangely B. patiently C. surprisingly D. curiously
46. A. hoped B. decided C. waited D. worked
47. A. easy B. hard C. lively D. good
48. A. information B. result C. advice D. news
49. A. exam B. time C. arrival D. turn
50. A. gained B. failed C. destroyed D. mastered
51. A. and B. but C. so D. however
52. A. cruelly B. calmly C. angrily D. firmly
53. A. fixed B. hit C. blamed D. looked
54. A. before B. after C. since D. as
55. A. changing B. burying C. improving D. sticking
They _________ laughing when they heard his funny voice.
A. burst B. fell about C. felt about D. burst into
Peter was disappointed to see the bike he had ________ went wrong again.
A. repaired B had repaired C. repair D. to repair
All the crew _______ were killed in that heavy storm.
A. board B. abroad C. on board D. on the board
--- Did you see a man in black pass by just now ?
---- No, sir. I _________ a newspaper.
A. read B. was reading C. would read D. am reading
