Although man has known about asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for （对……负责）the opening of that first mine.
Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport(carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein（岩脉）
in the province of Quebec in Canada.
Ever since 1881, Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens: the rock breaks down into fine, soapy fibers（滑腻的纤维）。
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads（线）,but they have found thousands of uses for this fireproof material, often called the “cloth of stone”.
1. The title that best expresses the main idea of the passage is _____.
A. Asbestos mined in Canada B. Fireproof matter
C. A “wonder” mineral D. A new roofing material
2. Johns proved his ability （能力）as a salesman by_____.
going into the roofing business
carrying asbestos from Italy
sending a trained scientist
showing the use of asbestos gloves
3. Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us?
A. It is like thread B. It feels soapy
C. It bums easily D. It is unusually heavy
4. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to______.
show the need for more scientists
compare asbestos with other minerals
increase the sales of asbestos
present facts about asbestos
第三节：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2.5分，满分50分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳答案
A couple of years ago, I received a $ 600 insurance dividend (保险股息).Sitting at the kitchen table, my wife and I discussed what we might do with the money. I realized now that the refrigerator overheard our talk. The very next day it went wrong. The repairman told us we needed a new unit. Cost:$600. Not long after that, we got a refund（赔偿金）from the shop, enough to pay for a trip to Mexico. “I’ve something to tell you,” I said to my wife in a low voice. “How about the living-room?” she suggested. I remembered the color TV set was there. “No, not there. Let’s go out.” I showed her the check as we stood on the driveway. We held each other excitedly and hardly noticed the rain. My car was parked within5 meters. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. As I started for the airport the next day, the car began making strange sounds. Changing the engine cost about $ 1, 000.
Then I looked through our financial records. I discovered that during the last ten years we spent all our “found money” repairing a hot water heater, a television and a stove.
I never mention money in front of our mechanical equipment. But if this article is published and I am paid for, the word processor（文字信息处理机）is going to go for sure. It’ll know.
1. What went wrong first as the writer’s?
A. The refrigerator B. The stove
C. The TV set D. The engine of the car
2. What has been repaired and still remains all right?
A. The car B. The color TV set
C. The stove D. The hot water heater
3. Which statement is wrong according to the passage?
A.There are many pieces of modern equipment in the writer’s home
B.The writer often discusses with his wife on how to spend their money.
C.The writer has gone into a lot of trouble to repair his things
D.The writer’s refrigerator can overhear him
第二节：完形填空。（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Throughout history man has had to accept the fact that all living things must die. But people now live longer than they 36 . Yet, all living things still show the 37 of aging, which will eventually 38 deaths.
Aging is not a disease, but as a person passes maturity（成熟期）,the cells of the body and the 39 they form do not function as well as they 40 in childhood and teenage years. The body provides less 41 against disease and is more 42 to have accident.
A number of related causes may 43 to aging. Some cells of the body have a fairly long life, but they are not 44 when they die . As a person ages, 45 of brain cells and muscle cells decreases. 46. body cells die and are replaced by new cells. In an aging person the 47 cells may not be as workable or as capable 48 growth as those of a young person.
Another 49 in aging may be changes within the cells 50.Some of the protein chemicals in cells are known to 51 with age and become less elastic（有弹性的）.This is why the skin of old people wrinkles（皱纹）and hangs 52 . This is also the reason why old people 53 in height. There may be other more important chemical changes in the cells. Some complex cell chemicals, such as DNA an RNA, store and 54 information that the cells need. Aging may affect this 55 and change the information-carrying molecules so that they do not transmit the information as well.
36. A. would B. be used to C. used to D. used
37. A. function B. effect C. affect D. sign
38. A. lead in B. give in C. run into D. result in
39. A. hands B. feet C. heart D. organs
40. A. made B. took C. did D. remembered
41. A. energy B. protection C. vigor D. power
42. A. likely B. probable C. possible D. alike
43. A. attend B. contribute C. add D. devote
44. A. replaced B. reborn C. recovered D. surrendered
45. A. a number B. the amount C. the number D. a great deal
46. A. The others B. the other C. Another D. Other
47. A. old B. left C. new D. other
48. A. to B. for C. of D. in
49. A. factor B. effect C. reason D. element
50. A. it B. them C. themselves D. that
51. A. become B. turn C. change D. get
52. A. loose B. high C. large D. fat
53. A. increase B. shrink C. lengthen D. decrease
54. A. pass away B. pass by C. pass off D. pass on
55. A. improvement B. procession C. approach D. process
Believe it or not,_________ you have, I’m always on your side.
A) what great difficulty B)how great difficulty
C) no matter what great difficulty D) however great difficulty
The cruel parents ______ because of ______ they had done to the little girl.
A) got punishment; which B) got punished; what
C) got punishing; that D) got to be punished; why
__ I do not know what I ___________ without the suitcase you lent me.
__ Glad to have been of some help to you.
A) would have done B) would do C) should have done D) should do
