Schedules, as the 21st century people know, simply did not exist in the 17th and 18th centuries. We are upset if a plane arrives an hour late. Our ancestors weren’t upset if an April ship didn’t show up until June. They began to worry in July and were often happy when it showed up in August. When a long-distance ship finally did get to the port, the whole city became busy and excited. Businessmen hurried down to check the goods they had ordered. The ship would probably stay in port for at least three days, often a week, to take on businessmen, give the sailors a rest, find out about the latest news, weather conditions, and so on.
Travel time could only be approximate. One never knew when the winds would be good. So even though “average sailing time” was given, time could change considerably, shortening the voyage by up to 25% or putting it off by up to 500% or more! The average run from England to Boston was about a month and a half, but there were also voyages of three months. One voyage in 1640 lasted six months!
Travel time is not the same in both directions, due to the winds and currents. This is especially true in the Caribbean, where winds are from the southeast the entire year. Ships sailing west across the Atlantic spend longer than ships sailing east, and the contrary winds can prevent a ship from actually making it to the harbor even if it gets close. One ship was held off the North Carolina coast for 17 days before being able to land!
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A. No sailor was allowed to have fun when the ship reached land.
B. People in ancient times didn’t care about other people’s safety.
C. The ship would leave for a voyage when all of the preparations were made.
D. A long-distance ship would create a lot of excitement in the place where it landed.
2. According to the passage, travel time can’t be fixed due to ___________ .
A. the people at the port B. average sailing time
C. the changeable climate D. the businessmen and the sailors
3. The underlined word “currents” in the third paragraph means __________ .
A. the movement of water B. the movement of winds
C. direction of the traveling ship D. travel time of ships
Here is a poster on a middle school website. Read the website poster.
Going, Going, Gone!
The Haynes Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization invites you to attend our latest fund-raiser, the Fourth Annual Haynes School Auction (拍卖)!
Saturday, May 10
6:00 p.m. ~ 11:00 p.m.
In the school hall
6:00 p.m.~ 6:30 p.m.: All items for auction are previewed.
6:30 p.m.~ 7:00 p.m.: Silent auction begins.
7:00 p.m.~ 7:30 p.m.: Highest bidders (出价人) from silent auction are determined.
7:30 p.m.~ 11:00 p.m.: Main auction begins.
Items (物品) up for bid in the silent auction vary in value from $ 5.00 to $ 30.00.
Items up for bid in the main auction include the following:
●Airline tickets to a place of your choice
●Weekend getaways at first-class hotels
●Season tickets to the Chicago Bears football game
●$ 50 gift tickets to local gift shops, restaurants, and salons
Don’t miss the boat! Book your tickets today.
Last year, tickets were sold out in five days!
Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
$ 15.00 per person
All the money from the auction will be given to the Haynes School computer lab.
1．Which of the following is NOT mentioned as being up for bid at the auction?
A. A movie pass to the local cinema.
B. A weekend stay at a hotel.
C. A ticket to a restaurant.
D. Airline tickets.
2．The more items that are given or bought for auction, ________.
A. the less money that will be charged for the tickets to the auction
B. the more money that can be raised to support the computer lab
C. the faster the ticket will be sold to the auction
D. the higher the value that will be placed on the items in the silent auction
3．Which of the following is most likely to happen at the year’s auction?
A. The airline tickets will receive higher bids than any other item.
B. All items up for bid will be sold for at least twice their value.
C. More money will be raised this year than in any other year before.
D. Tickets for the event will be sold out in less than one week.
4．The phrase “first-come, first-served” tells you that ________.
A. people can buy the tickets on the first day only
B. the person who is the first to arrive will receive a ticket at no charge
C. food and drinks will be served at the auction
D. tickets are sold in the order of who arrives first to buy them
第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分, 满分40分）
第一节 （共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties(特色菜) in Germany, Spain, and France.
At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named campus cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.
Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma (魅力) is key. “Food TV isn’t about food anymore,” says Flay. “It’s about your personality and finding a way to keep people’s eyeballs on your show.”
But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flights. Lieberman got the job.
1. We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family_______.
A. have relatives in Europe B. love cooking at home
C. often hold parties D. own a restaurant
2. The Food Network got to know Lieberman_________
A. at one of his parities B. from his teachers
C. through his taped show D. on a television program
3. Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?
A. He could prepare meals in a small kitchen.
B. He was famous for his shows on Food TV.
C. He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches.
D. He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals
4. What can we learn about Lieberman from the text?
A. He is clever but lonely. B. He is friendly and active.
C. He enjoys traveling around. D. He often changes his menus.
第二节 完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
I grew up poor –living with my wonderful mother. We had little money ,but plenty of love and attention . I was 36 and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was , he could still 37 a dream.
My dream was to be a(n) 38 .By the time I was 16, I started playing baseball. I could throw a ninety-mile-per hour fastball and 39 anything that moved on the football field. I was also 40 : My high school coach was John , who not only believed in me ,but also taught me 41 to believe in myself .He 42 me the difference between having a dream and remaining true to that dream .One particular 43 with Coach John changed my life forever .
A friend recommended ( suggested ) me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my packet-money for a new bike, new clothes and the 44 of savings for a house for my mother .Then I realized I would have to 45 up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell John I wouldn’t be playing.
When I told John , he was 46 as I expected him to be . “You have your whole life to work ,” he said . “ Your 47 days are limited .You can’t afford to waste them.” I stood before him with my head 48 ,trying to think of the 49 that would explain to him why my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his 50 in me.
“ How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he asked . “3.5 dollars an hour.” I replied.
“Well.” he asked , “is 3.5 dollars an hour the price of a dream?”
That simple questions made 51 for me the difference between 52 something right now and having a 53 . I decided myself to play sports that summer and with the year I was 54 by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play baseball ,and was 55 a $20000 contract ( agreement ) .In 1999, I bought my mother the house of my dream !
36.A.happy B. polite C. shy D. honest
37. A. live B. afford C. make D. need
38. A. athlete B. musician C. businessman D. writer
39. A. kick B. play C. pass D. hit
40. A. fight B. popular C. lucky D. confident
41. A. how B. why C. when D. whether
42. A. gave B. taught C. brought D. asked
43. A. accident B. matter C. problem D. experience
44. A. aim B. idea C. start D. purpose
45. A. keep B. end C. give D. pick
46. A. mad B. mournful C. frightened D. shameful
47. A. living B. playing C. working D. learning
48. A. moving B. nodding C. shaking D. hanging
49. A. answers B. excuses C. words D. ways
50. A. sadness B. regret C. hopelessness D. disappointment
51. A. direct B. clear C. straight D. bare
52. A. wanting B. changing C. dreaming D. enjoying
53. A. wish B. goal C. score. D. desire
54. A. had B. made C. fired D. hired
55. A. paid B. got C. offered D. presented
The two shirts are ____ the same size ,but different ____ color.
A. of; of B. in ;in C. of; in D. in; of
A poet and artist ____ coming to our school to give us students a lecture about Chinese literature tomorrow afternoon .
A. was B. are C. is D. were
