Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (40 points)

Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or incomplete statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.

Passage One

A wealthy Persian prince loved good stories. The older he grew，the fonder he became of them. But he always regretted they had to have an end. So he decided to give half his wealth and his beautiful daughter to the man who could tell him a story without an end. Anybody who failed would be sent to prison for life. The risk was so great that nobody came to the palace to tell the prince a story for a whole year. Then one day a tall, handsome young man came and said he wanted to tell a story that would go on forever. The prince agreed but warned him what would happen if he failed. “The risk is worth the head of your fair daughter, ”the young man replied poetically（得体地）. He then began this well-known story: 

“Once upon a time there was a certain King who feared famine. So he ordered his men to build an enormous storehouse, which he filled with corn. Then, when it was up, made water-proof and made fire-proof, the King felt happy. But one day he noticed a small hole in the roof and as he looked at it, a locust came out with a grain of corn. A minute later, another locust came out with another grain of corn. Then a third locust with another grain of corn. Then a fourth locust, flying at great speed, pushed through the hole and came out with two grains of corn. Then a fifth locust came and …” 

“Stop” shouted the Prince. “I can’t,” answered the young man. “I must go on until I tell  you what happened to each grain of the corn.” “But that will go on forever.” The Prince protested. “Exactly” the

young man replied, and he smiled as he turned towards the Prince’s beautiful young daughter.   

41. The Prince always felt regretted about story because _________. 

A. he had too much wealth            B. there was terrible famine 

C. all stories have ends               D. there was no story-teller 

42. The young man risked to tell an endless story to the Prince for _________. 

 A. a great sum of money              B. the Prince’s beautiful daughter  

  C. showing his bravery               D. Both A and C 

43. The young man would be sent to prison _________ if he failed to tell a story without an end.  

  A. forever        B. for some time   C. for a while      D. for a year 

44.In order to prevent famine, the King asked to build _________. 

A. a huge storehouse B. a large farm  

C. a beautiful palace D. a waterproof kitchen 

45. The thing the King noticed first in the roof was _________. 

  A. a loaf        B. a small hole     C. a grain of corn   D. a locust 

Passage Two

Packaging is an important form of advertising. A package can sometimes motivate someone to buy a product. For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food that comes in a box with a picture of a TV character. The child is more interested in the picture than in the breakfast food. Pictures for children to color or cut out, games printed on a package, or small gifts inside a box also motivate many children to buy products or to ask their parents for them. 

Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing. Food products sold in reusable containers are examples of this. Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free. However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product. 

The size of a package also motivates a buyer. Maybe the package has “Economy Size” printed on it. This suggests that the large size has the most product for the least money. But that is not always true. To find out, a buyer has to know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit. 

The information on the package should provide some answers. But the important thing for any buyer to remember is that a package is often an advertisement. The words and pictures do not tell the whole story. Only the product inside can do that

46. Which of the following statements could best summarize the main idea of the passage?  

A. Children are interested in some packages of products. 

B. Package is one of the important ways of advertising. 

C. People prefer to buy the products in plain containers. 

D. The size of a package usually motivates a buyer. 

47. The phrase “a buyer will get something for nothing” ( Line 1, Para 2 ) probably means _________. 

  A. a buyer will get something free of charge       B. a buyer will get something useless 

  C. a buyer will get something useful           D. nothing is worth buying 

48. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?  

  A. Sometimes people are easily motivated by packages. 

B. Small children sometimes are more interested in games printed on a package than the product itself. 

  C. A product in a reusable container must be cheaper than a similar product in a plain container. 

  D. “Economy Size” doesn’ t always suggest that people can buy the most product for the least money.

49. What does the word “ them ” ( Line 5, Para. 1) refer to? _________. 

  A. Small gifts        B. Pictures       C. Games            D. Products 

50. What does the author imply in the last paragraph?   

  A. Package is just an advertisement. 

  B. Buyers shouldn’t believe the information on the package too much. 

  C. The package has nothing to do at all with the product. 

  D. Buyers can always find answers in the information on the package. 

Passage Three

For any Englishman, there can never be any discussion as to who is the world’s greatest poet and greatest dramatist. Only one name can possibly suggest itself to him: that of William Shakespeare. Every Englishman has some knowledge, however slight, of the work our greatest writer. All of us use words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings that have become part of the common property of English-speaking people. Most of the time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we use, rather like the old lady who was taken to see a performance of HAMLET and complained that “it was full of well-known proverbs and quotations.” 

Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the great resources of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand. There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it. Such a study is well worth the effort (it is not, of course, recommended to beginners) even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day. 

51. English people _________. 

  A. have never discussed who is the world’s greatest poet and greatest dramatist 

  B. never discuss about the world’s greatest poets or dramatists 

  C. are sure who is the world’s greatest poet and greatest dramatist 

  D. do not care who is the world’s greatest poet and greatest dramatist 

52. Every Englishman knows _________. 

  A. more or less about Shakespeare      B. Shakespeare, but only slightly 

  C. all the Shakespeare’s writings        D. only the name of greatest English writer 

53. Which of the following is TRUE? 

A. We use all the words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings. 

  B. Shakespeare’s writings have become the property of those who are learning to speak English. 

  C. It is likely to be true that people often do not know the origin of the words they use.

D. All the words people use are taken from Shakespeare’s writings. 

54. “HAMLET” is _________. 

A. a play written by Shakespeare  

B. a play recommended by Shakespeare 

  C. a play appreciated by Shakespeare  

  D. a play people have been complaining about 

55. It is worthwhile to study the various ways in which Shakespeare used English because _________. 

  A. English words have changed a lot since Shakespeare’s time 

  B. by doing so one can be fully aware of the richness of English language 

  C. English words are now being used in the same way as in Shakespeare’s days   

 D. English words are now the same in various ways as in Shakespeare’ days