E

A century ago in the United States, when an individual brought suit against a company, public opinion tended to protect that company. But perhaps this phenomenon was most striking in the case of the railroads. Nearly half of all negligence cases decided through 1896 involved railroads. And the railroads usually won.

Most of the cases were decided in sate courts, when the railroads had the climate of the times on their sides. Government supported the railroad industry; the progress railroads represented was not to be slowed down by requiring them often to pay damages to those unlucky enough to be hurt working for them.

Court decisions always went against railroad workers. A Mr. Farwell, an engineer, lost his right hand when a switchman’s negligence ran his engine off the track. The court reasoned that since Farwell had taken the job of an engineer voluntarily at good pay, he had accepted the risk. Therefore the accident, though avoidable had the switchmen acted carefully, was a “pure accident”. In effect a railroad could never be held responsible for injury to one employee caused by the mistake of another.

In one case where a Pennsylvania Railroad worker had started a fire at a warehouse and the fire had spread several blocks, causing widespread damage, a jury found the company responsible for all the damage. But the court overturned the jury’s decision because it argued that the railroad’s negligence was the immediate cause of damage only to the nearest buildings. Beyond them the connection was too remote to consider.

As the century wore on, public sentiment began to turn against the railroads—against their economic and political power and high fares as well as against their callousness toward individuals.

72. Which of the following is NOT true in Farwell’s case?

A. Farwell was injured because he negligently ran his engine off the track.

B. Farwell would not have been injured if the switchman had been more careful.

C. The court argued that the victim had accepted the risk since he had willingly taken his job.

D. The court decided that the railroad should not be held responsible.

73. What must have happened after the fire case was settled in court?

A. The railroad compensated for the damage to the immediate buildings.

B. The railroad compensated for all the damage by the fire.

C. The railroad paid nothing for the damaged building.

D. The railroad worker paid for the property damage himself.

74. The following aroused public resentment EXCEPT _____.

A. political power   B. high fares    C. economic loss   D. indifference

75. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. Railroad oppressing individuals in the US.

B. History of the US railroads.

C. Railroad workers’ working rights.

D. Law cases concerning the railroads.

One Sunday, a picture in the newspaper touched me. A young woman stood in front of a totally destroyed home. A little boy stood beside her with his head   36 . Holding her skirt tightly was a tiny girl, eyes wide with   37  and fear.

With growing   38  I noticed that their sizes of each family member closely   39  ours. This would be a good opportunity to   40  my children, so I explained their difficult  41  to my seven-year-old twins and three-year-old Meghan.

“We have so much, but these poor people now have nothing,” I said, “we’ll   42  what we have with them.”

I brought three large boxes and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously   43  the boys and I filled one box with canned food.

While I   44__ our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and   45  some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched   46  as the boys piled up useless toys in the box.

“I’ll help you find something for the little girl,” I said to her.

The boys placed the toys they had   47  to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, much-loved doll  48  tightly to her chest. She   49  in front of the box, pressed her little face into Lucy’s face, gave her a   50  kiss, then, laid her gently on top of the other toys.

“Oh, honey,” I said. “You   51  to give away Lucy. You love her so much.”

Meghan nodded, eyes shining with tears. “Lucy makes me happy, Mommy.   52  she’ll make that little girl happy, too.”

I stared at Meghan for a long moment,   53  how I could teach the boys the lesson she had just taught me.

It’s easy to give what we don’t want any more, but   54  to let go of things we cherish, isn’t it?   55 , the true spirit of giving is to give with your heart.

1.                A．off            B．up             C．down D．round

 

2.                A．smile          B．confusion       C．joy  D．anger

 

3.                A．happiness       B．friendship       C．puzzle    D．interest

 

4.                A．matched        B．equaled        C．compared D．suited

 

5.                A．help           B．complain        C．change   D．teach

 

6.                A．experience      B．problem        C．situation  D．process

 

7.                A．give           B．share          C．send D．spare

 

8.                A．as             B．since           C．though   D．because

 

9.                A．came through    B．broke through    C．sorted through D．got through

 

10.               A．donate         B．leave          C．keep D．sell

 

11.               A．hopefully       B．anxiously       C．depressingly    D．quietly

 

12.               A．separated       B．chosen         C．bought    D．confirmed

 

13.               A．hugged         B．tied           C．grasped   D．caught

 

14.               A．settled         B．regretted       C．paused    D．cried

 

15.               A．precious        B．final           C．hearty    D．lovely

 

16.               A．wouldn’t like   B．ought not       C．had better not  D．don’t have

 

17.               A．Also           B．Yet            C．Maybe    D．Though

 

18.               A．knowing        B．wondering      C．realizing   D．expecting

 

19.               A．available        B．necessary       C．important  D．hard

 

20.               A．However       B．Therefore       C．Otherwise D．Moreover

 

 

 (07·四川A篇)

I believe that my country, Poland, is a perfect example for a place where food is particularly important. When we were little children, we began to understand how much a loaf of bread meant to our parents—to some it might sound silly but for me the custom of kissing bread before you started cutting it was simply amazing. It's not so common nowadays to treat food that way, since you hardly ever bake your own bread. Besides, everyone would call you crazy if you tried to kiss every bread roll before you ate them! But though we no longer make our food from scratch (起点), some customs have been kept--that's why I feel so sorry every time I have to throw any food away—even though I no longer live with my parents and nobody would blame me for this anymore!

Many people of our nation are still working as farmers, eating what they grow and harvest and therefore enjoying everything more. It's widely known that you value more anything that needs your effort in the first place. In most homes in Poland, especially those of farmers, the whole family would try and have their meals together--extremely difficult now, but so rewarding (值得) ! You can share other members' troubles and successes, give your children some attention, or just sit down for a moment instead of rushing through life aimlessly. Furthermore, your body, and stomach in particular will be very grateful (感激) for such a time!

In Poland, a wedding, Christmas or even a birthday is celebrated with a great meal. Women in the house get together and cook, sometimes for a few days before the event, and the extremely good or unusual food will be remembered and widely talked about.

You cannot over-value the importance of food in the country. What's more, almost everyone in Poland will be as interested in the topic as I am.

56. When the writer was a child, he / she ________.

   A. found people were crazy about bread   

B. began to realize the importance of food

C. thought that cutting bread was amazing        

D. learned people hardly baked their own bread

57. The writer feels very sorry when he/she has to throw away any food because

   A. he/she makes food from scratch                

B. his/her parents would blame him/her

   C. some customs still have effect on him/her     

D. many people are still working hard as farmers

58. From the text, we can learn that, in Poland, ________.

    A. most meals can be interesting topics for a long time

    B. the whole family often have meals together nowadays

    C. it's common for women to get together to cook for a few days

    D. family members can know more. about each other by having meals together

People often fall ill because of me． 1  , they can hardly blame me; it is largely their own 2 ．A tired person may get 3  , especially when he goes to crowded places with polluted air．A sudden change in 4  is another factor．In hot summer, people turn on the air-conditioner upon returning home．They will catch a cold easily．

My latest victim is an energetic student．After school, he played football hard for two hours．Though 5  , he still went to the cinema．Then he got back home and took a cold shower immediately．

I seized this golden chance to 6  him．He reacted ,trying to 7  me , but I was already 8  deep in his throat．He kept sneezing（打喷嚏） and his nose was running． 9  he put on some warm clothes, it didn’t work, for there were too many of us．Besides, his sore throat kept 10  him, and he developed a cough to force me and my family out, but  11 ．

The next day he couldn’t go to 12  ．He had lost his appetite and was not as 13  as before．His mother made him orange juice every few hours for more vitamin C, which would help his14  

For two days he was 15  by his mother．As he rested more, his defense strengthened and I began to feel the 16  ．I knew I had to 17  him before long．But I am not the one who gives up easily, and I made every effort to fight back． 18  , it was my turn to feel 19  now, for his defense system was starting an all-out attack against me．I became 20  and finally my time was over．

Do you know what I am?

1．A．Therefore                 B．Besides                   C．However                D．Then

2．A．business                   B．responsibility     C．excuse                     D．fault

3．A．punished                   B．blamed                   C．caught                   D．killed

4．A．temperature        B．season                    C．place                     D．condition

5．A．excited                     B．hurt                        C．late                        D．tired

6．A．injure                        B．bother                    C．attack                    D．destroy

7． A．get on with              B．get rid of                C．put up with         D．take hold of

8． A．reproducing            B．waiting                   C．hiding                    D．disappearing

9． A．Since                      B．Once                      C．Whether                 D．Although

10． A．reminding       B．upsetting                  C．comforting             D．influencing

11． A．escaped                 B．succeeded        C．regretted                 D．failed

12． A．bed                       B．work                      C．school                   D．hospital

13． A．peaceful                B．afraid                     C．active                    D．happy

14． A．recovery               B．development      C．study                      D．affected

15． A．protected               B．nursed                    C．scolded                  D．affected

16． A．loss                      B．operation         C．pressure                 D．movement

17． A．leave                     B．catch                      C．forget                    D．beat

18． A．Uncertainly            B．Unsuccessfully        C．Unusually               D．Unfortunately

19． A．painful                  B．disappointed      C．nervous           D．ashamed

20． A．bigger                   B．weaker                   C．smaller                   D．stronger

    The horse and carriage is a thing of the past, but love and marriage are still with us and still closely interrelated. Most American marriages, particularly first marriages   1   young couples, are the result of attraction and affection   2  than practical considerations. In the United States, parents do not   3   marriages for their children. Teenagers begin   4  in high school and usually find mates(配偶) through their own academic and social   5  .

Though young people feel   6  to choose their friends from   7  groups, most choose a mate of similar background. This is due in part to parental   8  . Parents can not spouses(配偶)for their children, but they can usually   9  choices by 10 disapproval of someone they consider unsuitable.

  10  , marriages between members of different groups are increasing, probably because of the greater   11  of today’s youth and the fact that they are restricted by   12  prejudices than their parents. Many young people   13   their home towns to attend college, serve in the armed forces,   14  pursue a career in a bigger city. Once away from home and family, it’s more   15  for them to date and marry outside their own social group.

In mobile American society, interclass   16  are neither nor shocking. Interfaith marriages are on the   17  particularly between Protestants and Catholics. On the other hand,   18 marriage is still very uncommon. It can be difficult for couples to from different races to find a place to live,   19  friendships, and raise a family. Marriages between people of different national   20   (but the same race and religion) have been commonplace here since colonial(殖民的) times.

1．A．involving 　          B．linking 　            C．connecting 　     D．including

2．A．more　                B．less 　                C．other　              D．rather

3．A．provide                 B．consider              C．arrange               D．admit

4．A．dating　               B．appointing　        C．engaging 　        D．matching

5．A．positions 　          B．customs　           C．contracts　         D．contacts

6．A．certain 　             B．abnormal　         C．awkward　         D．free

7．A．limited                  B．identical               C．diverse                D．distant

8．A．order                    B．ignorance            C．guidance             D．rudeness

9．A．force                    B．influence             C．make                  D．offer

10．A．However             B．Moreover            C．Therefore            D．Furthermore

11．A．mobility               B．motive                 C．moral                  D．mission

12．A．greater                B．stronger              C．narrower             D．fewer

13．A．desert                 B．leave                   C．escape                D．remove

20080519

14．A．but                     B．so                       C．or                       D．and

15．A．difficult               B．likely                   C．important            D．risky

16．A．communications   B．marriages            C．exchanges           D．associations

17．A．edge                   B．decline                C．rise                     D．air

18．A．international         B．interstate             C．internet               D．interracial

19．A．keep up               B．bring up              C．put up                 D．turn up

20．A．source                B．origin                  C．resource              D．standard