0650《专科英语二》阅读理解复习题Passage 1Have you ever been ill? When you are ill, you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot, and there are pains all over your body. You don't want to work, and you stay in bed, feeling very sad. What makes us ill? It is germs(细菌). Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can't find them with your eyes, but you can see them with a microscope. They are very small and there could be hundreds of them on a very small thing. Germs are always found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope, we shall seethem in it. So your father and mother will not let you drink dirty water. Germs aren't found only in water. They are found in air and dust. If you cut your finger, if some of the dust from the floor goes into the cut(割开处), some of the germs would go into your finger. Your finger would become big and red, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs would go into all of your body, and you would have pain everywhere. 1. Which of the following is TRUE? A. If things are very small, they are germs. B. If things can't be seen, they must be germs. C. Germs are only in dirty water. D. Germs are everywhere around us. 2. What is a microscope used for? A. Making very small things look much bigger. B. Making very big things look much smaller. C. Helping you read some newspapers. D. Helping you if you can't see things clearly. 3. Why don't your parents let you drink dirty water? A. You haven't looked at it carefully. B. Water can't be drunk in this way. enough space, and there is too much traffic, noise and pollution. To not act now will make the problems harder to solve later. 31. According to the United Nations, the Day of 7 Billion fell on ________. A. October 30, 2011 B. October 31, 2011 C. November 1, 2011 D. November 2, 201132. What special gift did Danica receive when she was born? A. some flowers B. a birthday cake C. good medical care D. photos in the newspaper 33. The underlined words “populous country” in the second paragraph means a country which has .A. a large population B. a lot of money C. a large area D. a bit of pollution34. We can infer(推断)from the third paragraph that _________.A. The world’s population will stop increasing in 2100. B. Rich countries have more newborn babies than poor countries. C. The world had over 1 billion people before the 19th century.D. The world’s population has been growing more and more quickly. 35. What may be the best title for this passage?A. The lucky wife and her daughter B. Solve the population problems early C. The population of the Philippines D. A planet of seven billion Passage 8We have known for a long time that flowers of different plants open and close at different time of day. This is so familiar that there seems to be no need to ask the reason for it. Yet no one really understands why flowers open and close like this at particular times. The process (过程) is not as simple as we might think, as recent experiments have shown. In one study, flowers were kept in constant (连续的) darkness. We might expect that the flowers, without any information about the time of day, did not open as they normally do. In fact, they continued to open at their usual time. This suggests that they have some mysterious (神秘的) way of knowing the time. Their sense of time does not depend on information from the outside world; it is, so to speak, inside them, a kind of“inner clock”. This discovery (发现) may not seem to be very important. However, it was later found that not just plants but also animals —including man —have this“inner clock”which controls the working of their bodies andinfluences (影响) their activities. Men, then, are also influenced by this mysterious power. Whether we wish it or not, it affects such things in our life as our need for sleep, our need for food. In the past, this did not matter very much because people lived in natural condition. In the modern world, things are different; now there are spacemen, airplane pilots and, in ordinary life, a lot of people who haveto work at night. It would be very useful, then, to know more about the “inner clock”. Such ordinary things as flowers might help us understand more about ourselves. 36. A recent experiment showed that ________________. A. different flowers open and close at different times of day B. for their opening and closing, flowers do not need information from the outside world C. flowers are influenced by weak light even when they are in a dark room D. flowers can be used for telling the time 37. The “inner clock” __________. A. is an unimportant discovery B. is only found in animals C. has not been understood by far D. has an effect on human life 38. Further study of the “inner clock” will be useful because ____________. A. it might help us in some way B. we do not yet understand plants and animals well enough C. the number of spacemen and airplane pilots is fast increasing D. we should try to live more naturally than we do now 39. Kept in constant darkness, flowers ______________. A. will not open or close as usual B. will not open any longer C. will open as they do in natural conditions D. will always remain in full blossom (开花) 40. ______ have a mysterious power of knowing time without information from the outside world. A. Animals including man as well as plants B. All living things except man C. Flowers are the only things in the world that D. Neither animals nor plantsPassage 9When I was a little girl, my brothers and I collected stamps for many years. My mother didn't use to work during the week, but she worked in the post office near our house on Saturday, and she used to bring home all the new stamps as they were issued(发行). On the day of the World Cup football final in London in 1966, we were very excited because England were playing West Germany in the final. When we were having lunch, my mother told us to go to the postoffice straightaway after the match if England won, but she didn't tell us why. At 2 o'clock my mother went back to work as usual, which the rest of the family were watching the football on TV at home. Although she wasn't watching the match, she was listening to it on the radio. England won 4: 2 and so my brothers and I ran to the post office. As we burst in, my mother was standingbehind the counter. She was waiting to sell us a very special limited edition with ENGLAND WINNERS on each stamp. We were over the moon. We still have it today, and perhaps it is worth a lot of money.41. This passage mainly tells us__________. A. the author and her brother used to like stamps very much B. the author had a very kind mother C. the author and her brothers had an unforgettable experience in collecting stampsD. their mother used to support them by working in the post office 42. According to the passage, her mother worked in the post office__________ A. during the week B. on Saturdays C. on Sundays D. for six days 43. Their mother told them to go to the post office straightaway after the match if England won, but she didn't tell us why. Why do you think she did that? A. She wanted to give them a surprise B. She doubted if she would get the stamps C. She forgot to do thatD. She thought it unnecessary to tell them the reason 44. What does the sentence" We were over the moon." mean? A. We jumped high B. We were extremely happy about it C. We watched the moon for a long timeD. We couldn’t sleep the whole night 45. What is the best title for this passage? A. My Childhood B. My mother C. A Precious Stamp D. A Memorable Experience in Collecting StampsPassage 10One day a bookseller (书商) let a big box of books fall on his foot. “Go to see the doctor,” said his wife. “No,” he said. “I’ll wait until the doctor comes into the shop next time. Then I’ll ask him about my foot. If I goto see him, I ’ll have to pay him.”On the next day the doctor came into the shop for some books. When the bookseller was getting them ready, he told the doctor about his bad foot. The doctor looked at it.“You must put that foot in hot water every night. Then you must put something on it,” said the doctor.He took out a piece of paper and wrote on it. “Buy this and put it on the foot before you go to bed every night,” he said.“Thank you,” said the bookseller. “And now, sir, here are your books.”“How much?” said the doctor.“Two pounds.”“Good,” said the doctor. “I shall not have to pay you anything.”“Why?” asked the bookseller.“I told you about your foot. I want two pounds for that. If people come to my house, I ask them to pay one pound for a small thing like that. But when I go to their houses, I want two pounds. And I came here, didn’t I?”46. What happened to the bookseller one day?A. He lost a box of books.B. His foot was wounded by a box of books.C. He lent the doctor a box of books.D. he sold out all his books.47. The bookseller’s wife asked him _________. A. to go out for some medicine B. to send somebody for a doctorC. to go to see the doctor D. to wait for the doctor to come48. The bookseller didn’t take his wife’s advice because__________. A. he was afraid of the doctor B. he didn’t like to take medicineC. he couldn’t walk by himself D. he didn’t want to pay the doctor49. The doctor paid _______ for the books.A. one pound B. two poundsC. nothing D. something50. The bookseller paid ________ money for seeing the doctor in the endA. more B. lessC. the same amount of D. noPassage 11Once James Thornhill, a famous English painter, was asked to paint some pictures on the walls of the king'spalace in English. Then workers were sent for and a big platform(台子) was made. With the help of a worker, Thornhill started painting on the platform. They worked for a whole year and atlast the pictures were ready. Thornhill was happy when he looked at the pictures, for they were really beautiful. He looked at them for a long time, and then took one step back and looked again. Now the pictures were even more beautiful. He tookanother step, then another. Finally he was at the very edge( 边 缘 ) of the platform, but he did not know itbecause he was thinking of his pictures. The worker saw everything. "What should I do?" he thought. "Thornhill is at the very edge of the platform.If I cry out, he will take another step, fall off it and surely be killed." So the worker quickly took somepaint(漆) and threw it at the picture. "What are you doing?" cried the painter, running quickly forward to his pictures.51. James Thornhill, was an English_________.A. worker B. artistC. king D. writer52. He was ordered to _________.A. paint the wall of the king's palace in EnglandB. paint some pictures on the wall of the palaceC. build a big platform in front of the palaceD. put up some new pictures on the old wall53. It took them _________ to finish the pictures.A. a month B. a weekC. twelve months D. half a month54. James Thornhill felt that the ________ he was from the pictures, the ________they were.A. nearer…more beautiful B. farther…more uglyC. farther…more beautiful D. higher above…more good-looking55. The worker threw some paint at the picture in order to__________.A. save James’ life B. destroy the pictureC. make the picture more beautiful D. make the king angryPassage 12Mr. Tom Forester lived by himself a long way from town. He hardly ever left his home, but one day he went into town to buy some things in the market. After he had bought them, he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table by himself. When he looked around, he saw several old people put glasses on before reading their newspapers, so after lunch he decided to go to a shop to buy himself some glasses too. He walked along the road, and soon found a shop.The man in the shop made him try on a lot of glasses, but Tom always said,” No, I can’t read with these.”The man became more and more puzzled （迷惑不解）, until finally he said, “Excuse me, but can you read atall?”“No, of course I can’t!” Tom said angrily. “If I was already able to read, do you think I would have come here to buy glasses?” 56. Mr. Forester lived_________.A. with his family in a city B. with his family in the countrysideC. alone in a city D. alone in the countryside57. Tom _________went into town.A. often B. alwaysC. almost never D. everyday58. The old people in the restaurant read their newspapers_________.A. with glasses on B. with glasses offC. with glasses of beer in front of themD. with glass pipes in their mouths59. The shop Tom went into sold_________.A. drinking glasses and cupsB. glass for windows and doorsC. glasses for people who could not readD. glasses for people who could not see well60. What kind of mistake did Tom make?A. He went to the wrong kind of shop.B. He didn’t try on all the glasses in the shop.C. He thought that a person who had not learned to read would be able to do so if he wore glasses.D. He left his money in the restaurant.Passage 13Father’s Day has a very short history. It was started because there was a Mother’s Day. And just because someAmericans thought that if we had a Mother’s Day, we should also have a Father’s Day. Father’s Day hasbecome important in North America. And shopkeepers found it was a good way to get people to buy presentsfor their fathers, presents from their shops. By the way, very few countries have a Father’s Day, though some have Children’s Day, or a special day forboys and another for girls. More and more countries are having Mother’s Day, so maybe Father’s Day will alsobecome popular before too long. Now, what do people in North America do on Father’s Day? The newspapers,radios, and TV tell children what they should do－buy a Father’s Day present for your father. They even tell awife to buy a Father’s Day present－not for her father but for her husband, even if he is not yet a father. Andthey tell grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present for their grandfathers. The important thing to remember about Father’s Day is that American children can show their love to theirfathers in a more open way. 61. Father’s Day was started just because . A. there was a Mother’s Day B. there was a Children’s Day C. people liked their fathers a lot D. fathers were more important 62. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Many countries have a Father’s Day. B. Father’s Day has a short history. C. Father’s Day has become important in North America. D. Maybe Father’s Day will become popular before too long.63. In America, people have a Father’s Day to . A. go shopping with their fathers B. help their fathers do something C. show their love to their fathers D. get money from their fathers 64. On Father’s Day, shopkeepers always want . A. people to buy as many presents as possible B. children to buy presents only for their fathers C. women to buy presents only for their husbands D. grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present only for their grandfathers 65. It can be learned from the article that . A. the writer is against Father’s Day B. many countries have a Father’s Day C. shopkeepers can get more money on Father’s Day than usual D. We don’t need to have a Father’s DayPassage 14Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old.One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in themiddle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission(录取) to medical schools, shewas finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave musiclessons to get money for the cost of schooling. In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to bea surgeon(外科医师) , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman.By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a newhospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital, she also set up the first medical school for women. 66. Why couldn’t Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon? A. She couldn’t get admitted to medical school B. She decided to further her education in Paris C. A serious eye problem stopped her D. It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States 67. What main obstacle(障碍)almost destroyed Elizabeth’s chances for becoming a doctor? A. She was a woman. B. She wrote too many letters. C. She couldn’t graduate from medical school. D. She couldn’t set up her hospital. 68. How many years passed between her graduation from medical school and the opening of her hospital? A. Eight years B. Ten years C. Nineteen years D. Thirty-six years 69. According to the passage, all of the following are “firsts” in the life of Elizabeth Blackwell, except that she______. A. became the first woman physician B. was the first woman doctor C. and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children D. set up the first medical school for women70. Elizabeth Blackwell spent most of her life in _______. A. England B. Paris C. the United States D. New York CityPassage 15Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probablysing when you are happy. Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However, they singmost of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out oftheir territory. Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims ( 声称) as itsown. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Yourhouse is your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter yourterritory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away. If so, you have actually frightened the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing.But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting ( 筑巢) season. So he is screaming all thetime, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usuallyenough to keep an outsider away. 71. Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually ________. A. an expression of happiness B. a way of warning C. an expression of anger D. a way of greeting 72. What is a bird’s“territory”？ A. A place where families of other species are not accepted. B. A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice. C. An area for which birds fight against each other. D. An area which a bird considers to be its own. 73. Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season? A. Because they want to invite more friends. B. Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away. C. Because they want to find outsiders around. D. Because their singing helps get rid of their fears. 74. How does the writer explain birds’ singing? A. By comparing birds with human beings. B. By reporting experiment results. C. By describing birds’ daily life. D. By telling a bird’s story. 75. What does the underline word “screaming” in paragraph 4 mean? A. 哭喊声 B. 令人惊愕的 C. 尖叫声 D. 尖叫的Passage 16When a big earthquake hit Wenchuan on May 17, many houses fell down. After the earthquake, all the newspapers reported many stories about some of the families who were in trouble. One Sunday, when I was reading a newspaper, a special picture touched（触动）me. It gave the clothing sizesof each family member. I thought that this would be a good chance to teach my children to help those who were less lucky than themselves. I said to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and three-year-old Meghan. "We have so much, and these poor people now have nothing. We'll share what we have with them. I filled a box with foods and clothes. While I was doing this, I encouraged(鼓励) the boys to choose their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys took out his old toys and games and put them together. Then she walked away. A few minutes later she came back with Lucy, her much-loved doll. She put the doll on top of the other toys. “Oh, dear,” I said, “You don't have to give Lucy. You love her so much.” Meghan said, “ Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she'll make another little girl happy, too.” I looked at Meghan for a long moment. She taught me a lesson. It's easy to give something that we don't want C. There must be lots of germs in it. D. Water will make you ill. 4. Which of the following is NOT true? A. Germs can be found both in water and in the air. B. Germs can go into your finger if it is cut. C. If your temperature is not OK, there must be germs in your body. D. If your finger isn't cut, there aren't any germs on it. 5. What's the main idea of the passage? A. Germs may make us ill. B. Germs are in dirty water. C. Don't drink dirty water. D. Take care of your fingers. Passage 2 If you get into the forest with your friends, stay with them always. If you don’t, you may get lost. If youreally get lost, this is what you should do. Sit down and stay where you are. Don’t try to find your friends—let them find you by staying in one place.　　There is another way to help your friends or other nearby people to find you. Give them a signal (信号) by shouting or whistling (吹口哨) three times. Any signal given three times is a call for help.　　Keep up shouting or whistling always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They give you two shouts, two whistles, or two gun-shots (枪声). When someone gives you a signal, it is an answer to a call for help.　　If you don’t think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house---cover up to the holes with branches (树枝) with lots of leaves. Make yourself a soft bed with leaves and grass. any more, but harder to give what we cherish（珍爱）, isn't?76. The writer has children. A. one B. two C. three D. four 77. The underlined word "donate" probably means . A.捐赠 B.丢掉 C.展出 D.放好 78. Lucy is the name of . A. a girl B. a game C. a doll D. an earthquake 79. Which of the following is TRUE? A. An earthquake happened in the writer's hometown. B. The writer didn't let Meghan give her much-loved doll at last. C. The writer decided to buy some clothes for those people in trouble. D. The writer thinks it is more difficult to give what we love a lot. 80.What’s the best title of this passage? A. A Family Story. B. The Spirit of Giving. C. The way of helping others. D. A Sad Experience.参考答案：1-5 DACDA 6-10 ADCDB 11-15 BDCDC 16-20 DBABC21-25 DDCAB 26-30 BBDAD 31-35 CBADD 36-40 BDACA 41-45 CBABD 46-50 BCDCA 51-55 BBCCA 56-60 DCADC 61-65 AACAC 66-70 CAABC 71-75 BDBAC 76-80 CACDB 　　What should you do if you get hungry or need drinking water? You would have to leave your little house to look for a river. Don’t just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop them as you walk so that you can find your way back. The most important thing to do when you are lost is—stay in one place.6. If you lost in the forest, you should _______.　 A. stay where you are and give signals three times　 B. walk around the forest and shout so that your friends could hear you　 C. try to find your friends as soon as possible　 D. try to get out of the forest and shout for help7. If you want to let people believe that you are not just making noise for fun, you should _______.　 A. tell people that you are lost B. keep up shouting or whistling　 C. shout at the top of your voice D. shout or whistle three times8. When you hear two shouts, or whistles, or gunshots, __________.　 A. you should shout more loudly B. you can whistle three times　 C. it is an answer to your call for help D. you should try to run to them9. When you want to leave your place to get drinking water, you should ________.　 A. just go to the river 　 B. find some glasses or bottles before you go　 C. make a fire so that you can have some tea　 D. leave marks so that you can find your way back10. This passage mainly tells you __________.　 A. when you hear a signal always three times, it is a call for help　 B. What you should do if you get lost in a forest　 C. any signal given twice means an answer to a call for help　 D. how you can live longer in a forest Passage 3Dr. Harvey Gates, the noted scientist, might never have discovered the Kamron lizard (蜥蜴) in Bolivia, if it had not been for a childhood accident. As a boy, he was determined to become a baseball player, but when he broke his arm in practice at the age of fourteen and was forced to stay off the playing field for a while, he took notice of the natural world around him and liked what he saw.After he had recovered from his injury, he caught a squirrel(松鼠)and raised it as a pet. Soon he was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.　　In l962, he entered Blakeford College and majored in biology. By 1966 he had received his Bachelor(学士)of Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University, he received his Doctor of Science degree. It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies in South America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard. This animal was different from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In other respects, it was similar to others of the same family. It could change its color and go for long periods without food.11. Of the four statements, which one best indicates(表明) the author’s idea？　 A. Dr. Gates is a scientist who can always attract the public attention to his research.　 B. Dr. Gates is a very famous scientist, though he wanted to be a sportsman at first.　 C. Dr. Gates is a scientist who always carries a notebook with him wherever he goes.　 D. Dr. Gates is very popular for his determination to become a baseball player.12. In the first paragraph of the passage, the phrase “in practice” means “_________”.　 A. while doing some practical work　 B. while studying animals　 C. while making up his mind to become a baseball player　 D. while playing baseball13. In the second paragraph, the word “creatures” can best be replaced by_________.　 A. people B. things C. animals D. living things14. It was_________ that Dr. Gates discovered the Kamron lizard. 　 A. after he had graduated from Drysdale University　 B. right after he had finished his study for the doctor’s degree　 C. after he had received his highest degree　 D. during the time when he was studying for the doctor’s degree15. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a feature of the Kamron lizard？　 A. It possesses four toes on its front feet.　 B. It can live a long while without eating.　 C. It may go for weeks without drinking.D. lt is capable of changing colors.Passage 4The police do many things for us. They help keep our things and us safe. They help keep cars moving safely. They take care of people who are hurt. Then they see these people get to a doctor.The police go around town to see that everything is all right. They get around town in many ways. Some of them walk or go by car. In some big cities, some of the police ride on horses. It is strange to see these animals in the street. As they go around town, the police help people. Sometimes they find lost children. They take the children home. If the police see a fight, they put an end to it right away. Sometimes people will ask the police how to get to a place in town. The police can always tell the people which way to go. They know all the streets and roads well. Some police stand at crossings. They tell the cars when to go and when to stop. They make sure that the cars do not go too fast. They help children cross the street. They also help people who can't walk too well. Without the police, our streets would not be safe. Cars might go too fast and hurt people. Lost people might never be found. The police do a good job. We need them. And we should thank them for a job well done. 16. The police do many things for us. They help keep our things and us _____. A. warm B. clean C. quiet D. safe 17. How do some of the police get around in some big cities? A. By taxi. B. On horses. C. By bus. D. On bikes. 18. In the text,“put an end to” means “ _______”. A. stop B. cut C. kill D. fly 19. Which of the following is not true?A. The police help find the lost children.B. The police ignore the fight between people.C. The police tell the cars when to go and when to stop.D. The police take care of people who are hurt.20. The text is mainly talking about the_______of the police. A. life B. road C. job D. dayPassage 5My friend Matt and I arrived at the Activity Centre on Friday evening. The accommodation wasn't wonderful, but we had everything we needed (beds, blankets, food), and we were pleased to be out of the city and in the fresh air. On Saturday morning we met the other ten members of our group. Cameron had come along with two friends, Kevin and Simon, while sisters Carole and Lynn had come with Amanda. There were some other members I didn't know. We had come from different places and none of us knew the area. We knew we were going to spend the weekend outdoors, but none of us was sure exactly how. Half of us spent the morning caving while the others went rock-climbing and then we changed at lunchtime. Matt and I went to the caves(岩洞) first. Climbing out was harder than going in, but after a good deal of pushing, we were out at last. Though we were covered with mud，we were pleased and excited by what we'd done.21. The writer spent the Saturday morning_______. A. rock-climbing B. sleepingC. meeting friendsD. caving 22. There were _______members in all in the writer’s group. A. 6 B. 8 C. l0 D. 12 33. We can learn from the passage that_______ . A. some of the group had been there before B. the group had done rock-climbing many times C. some of the group already knew each other D. group all came from the same city 24. The write thought her weekend was_______. A. interestingB. relaxing C. frighteningD. unpleasant 25. This passage mainly talks about _______. A. the writer's friends at the Activity Centre B. the writer's experience at the Activity Centre C. outdoor sports at the Activity Centre D. how to go rock-climbing and caving Passage 6Hundreds of years ago, a Roman army came north from England to make war on Scotland. The Scots, a brave people, loved their country very much. They fought hard to drive the enemy out of Scotland, but there were too many Romans. It looked as if the Romans would win. One night, the leader of Scots marched his soldiers to the top of a hill.“We will rest here tonight, my men,”he said. “Tomorrow we will fight one more battle. We must win or we will die.” They were all very tired, so they ate their supper quickly and fell asleep. There were four guards on duty, but they, too, were very tired, and one by one, also fell asleep. The Romans were not asleep. Quickly they gathered at the foot of the hill. Slowly they climbed up the hillside, taking care not to make a sound. Closer and closer they came to the sleeping Scots. They were almost at the top. A few minutes more, the war would be over. Suddenly, one of them put his foot on a thistle(蓟). He cried out and his sudden cry woke the Scots. In a moment, they were on their feet and ready for battle. The fighting was hard but it did not last long. The Scots wiped out the Romans and savedtheir country. The thistle is not a beautiful plant. It has sharp needles all over it. Few people like it. But the people of Scotland liked it so much that they made it their national flower. 26. Hundreds of years ago there was a war between ________. A. Roman army and North England B. Roman army and the Scots C. England and Scots D. a brave people and the Scots 27. At first it looked as if the Romans would win because ________. A. the Scots were not brave B. the Roman army was so strong C. the Scots did not have a good leader D. the Romans had the support from the Scottish 28. “We must win or we will die.”What the leader of the Scots said means ________. A. they were sure to win B. they couldn't escape from death C. they would win and then they would die D. they must try hard to win, otherwise they would be killed 29. The Romans climbed up the hill quietly because ________. A. they didn't want to wake the Scots B. they wanted to reach the top C. they wanted to catch the four guards first D. they were afraid of the sharp needles of the thistle 30. The people of Scotland made thistle their national flower because ________. A. it is a beautiful plant B. it is fresh and lovely C. it had so many sharp needles all over it D. it was the thistle that helped the Scots to win the battle Passage 7On 31 October, 2011, a baby was born in a hospital in Manila, the Philippines. It’s a baby girl with 5.5 pounds, and the world’s population reached seven billion. United Nations Population Fund (基金会) staffgave a cake to the family of newborn baby girl named Danica Camacho. The birth came a day ahead of what the United Nations had proclaimed(公布) as The Day of 7 Billion. The Philippines is the 12th most populous country in the world. Only 50 years ago, the Philippines’ population stood at 27.1 million. Today they are about 95 million. That’s a 250 percent jump. Such a country waits for the baby of Mary Rose Castin, the 21-year-old wife. “I didn’t realize there were so many people,” said Mary Rose when she was told that the world’s population was reaching seven billion.The world’s population didn’t hit the 1 billion until the 19th century. But only just a hundred years later, we were 2 billion strong. Every day, 382,000 babies are born all over the world. Most of the births are in countries already struggling to feed a growing number of hungry mouths. By 2100, Earth will be welcoming its 10 billionth baby. In the world of 7 billion, large populations necessarily need more houses. Medical care will also be a serious problem. An increasing population is an environmental problem in many countries. There is not