第三部分：阅读理解（共两节，40分）

第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，共30分）

　　阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

                            A  

 The following are letters to the editor of a school newspaper

 Dear editor,

　　I’d like to express my opinion about grades. Students should be allowed to study without worrying about grades. Fortunately, most educators are becoming aware of the fact that students have different interests and abilities. I understand that grades are useful, but grades often limit creativity. Competing for better grades causes many students to turn down opportunities to pursue music, dramatics and sports. Grades force an arbitrary(武断的) standard of success on everyone. I do not demand as some extremists do, that grades be removed immediately. However, I do believe that less emphasis should be placed on grades. I hope that someday grades will become optional at Village High School. 

Magdalena Smith

Drama Club 

Dear editor,

　　I’d like to say something about grades. Let’s face the facts about grades. Grades perform three basic functions. First, grades motivate students to work at their highest level of competence. Second, they act as a reward for hardworking students and as a punishment to students who do not work hard. Finally, grades are used as an effective standard by which to measure student achievement. Good grades help students to get jobs and to get into university. I've spoken with a number of students who have jobs, and most of them say that they were hired primarily on the basis of their grades. My grades helped me land a part-time job and will help me get into university next year. I think grades are extremely important at Village High School. 

Simon Harper

Science Club 

56. Which of the following is not Magdalena Smith’s opinion?

A. Students may give up the chance to learn music and sports for grades.

B. Students’ creativity may not be developed for grades.

C. Grades should not be used to measure a person’s success.

D. Grades should be taken away at once.

57. We can learn Simon Harper _____.

A. believes in the benefits of good grades 

B. is concerned about students' creativity

C. doesn't work too hard at his studies

D. supports students' interests and abilities

58. From the second letter, we can infer that Simon Harper is a/an_____.

A. teacher    B. headmaster   C. student  D. advertiser

　　             B 

　　　As a boy I was always small for my age. I was also five years younger than one of my brothers and seven years younger than the other. As a result I often felt left out when their friends came over to play. I was either too small or too young for whatever they were doing and they didn't want their younger brother listening in on their conversations either. More often than not I found myself outside playing alone and feeling forgotten. 

　　　I remember one spring afternoon feeling especially lonely as I sat in the yard behind our house. We lived miles from town and I rarely saw my own friends outside of school. I heard my brothers laughing from inside the house and felt a single tear coming down my cheek. At that moment I saw a large brown dog walking over to me. He looked happy and his tail was wagging as well. Even though he didn't know me he greeted me like a long lost friend, licking my chin and sitting beside me on the spring grass. It must have been at least an hour that I petted and talked to this four-legged angel. He let me pour out all my troubles and share my deepest thoughts before he kissed my cheek goodbye and ambled off either to Heaven or his home. I went back inside feeling happy, knowing that no matter what life may hold I was loved. Now over 40 years later I still remember that angel with a smile.

　　　I believe that God sent him in that moment of sadness to remind me just how much he loved me. There is nothing more important than knowing we are loved. When we are loved, we will learn to love others. Learning to love helps us to understand ourselves and other people better.

59. How did the writer feel when his brothers’ friends came?

Proud.   B. Lonely.  C. Worried.    D. Happy.

60. The writer shared his troubles and thoughts with the dog because ______.

it was his friend

B. it could understand him

C. it was friendly to him  

D. it looked like an angel

61. From Paragraph 2, we can learn that ______.

the boy met a long lost friend

the boy had no friends at school

the dog helped the boy realize that he was loved

the dog spent the afternoon with the boy and his brothers

62. The author wrote the story to______.

A. encourage people to talk about their troubles

B. tell people they should treat animals friendly

C. share his unforgettable experience with us

D. show knowing you are loved is the most important 
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