American middle school students don’t seem to care that they' re worse at maths than their counterparts (同齡人) in China's Hong Kong and Finland. "I don't need it," my student says. "I'm going to be a basketball star. Or a car mechanic, or a singer. "

Middle school students' maths skills were tested by the International Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The United States ranked 28th out of 41 countries tested. After all, when was the last time you used algebra (代數(shù))?

But maths isn't just about training Americans to become scientists. It has its own value. It helps you see patterns and develops your logic skills, and it teaches you to concentrate and to separate truth from falsehood. Maths helps you make wise financial decisions, so you can avoid false claims from advertisers, politicians and others. It helps you determine risk. For example, after an airplane crash, studies show that people are more likely to drive than to take a plane in spite of the fact that they are much more likely to be killed or injured while driving. Planes are not like criminals who repeat the same crime over and over. One plane is not more likely to crash just because another plane recently did. In fact, the most dangerous time to drive is probably right after a plane crash because so many people are on the road.

It is not possible to really understand science and the scientific method without understanding maths. A rainbow is even more beautiful and amazing when we understand it.

The precision of maths helps us think in a very special way. How do we bring the learning of maths back to life? I don't have the big answer. I try my best to help pupils find answers to some maths problems. When I can get one to say, "wow, that's great," I feel the joy of a small victory.

56. Some American students don't care about their poor maths results because _________.

A. maths is useless to most people                                B. they have no interest in maths

C. they think maths has nothing to do with their future   D. they don't do well in maths

57. The example in Paragraph 3 is used to show _________.

A. every coin has its two sides                       B. we should not be cheated by fault facts

C. maths is close to our daily life               D. a simple fact shows complicated rules

58. The writer would agree that ________.

A. it's normal that American kids are weak in maths       

B. without maths we'll miss much in our life

C. maths is the most important subject at school           

D. American kids don't work hard at school

59. This text is most probably written by_______.

A. a student career guide                    B. a researcher on students' problems

C. a specialist in students' studies                D. a maths teacher

It was a cold winter’s night when I stopped for gas on my way home from work. I was tired and had a slight 　36 .

I worked in a 　37 doctor’s office and this was one of those days when the unexpected happened, making the schedule run 　38 than usual. It seemed I was going to be late 　39 home and my husband, being the 　40 person, would be ready to pronounce（宣布） me late once again. Maybe 　41 I hurried, I could still make it home.

I was heading inside to 　42 for my gas when I noticed an older couple at the counter. I heard them asking for 　43 to the local hospital. It was the same hospital that I had just 　44 a few minutes ago.

The young man at the counter was trying to be 　45 in explaining how to get there, with two other people making 　46 . One of them was 　47 trying to give them a whole different route back. It was then that I walked over to the couple and said, “Would you like to follow me to the 　48 ?”

A look of 　49 crossed the woman’s face.

“I’m going right by there,” I said, which wasn’t a(an) 　50 since I had just made up my mind to do 　51 that.

I got in my car and began the journey back. I was trying to watch to be sure they were right 　52 me. It took only fifteen minutes to get there as rush hour traffic was beginning to 　53 . I felt better than I had all day and my headache was nearly gone.

Later, as I arrived home, my husband 　54 , “So you aren’t ever late any more.”

I said, “Sometimes it’s 　55 to be late.”

36. A. break　　　　　　　　 B. headache　　　　　　　　 C. cold　　　　　　　　 　 D. fever

37. A. foreign　　　　　　　 B. common　　　　　　　　　 C. noisy　　　　 　 　　　 D. busy

38. A. earlier　　　　　　　　 B. easier　　　　　　　　　　　 C. later　　　　　　　　 　 D. simpler

39. A. working　　　　　　 B. cooking　　　　　　　　　 C. calling　　　　　　　　　　 D. getting　　　

40. A. punctual　　　　　　 B. tough　　　　　　　　　　　 C. generous　　　　　　　　 D. careful

41. A. as　　　　　　　　　　　 B. since　　　　　　　　　　　 C. while　　　　　　　　　　　 D. if

42. A. change　　　　 　 B. pay　　　　　　　　　 　 C. wait　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. search

43. A. opinions　　　　　　 B. directions　　　　 　 C. trouble　　　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. money

44. A. reached　　　　　　　 B. visited　　　　　　　　　　 C. called　　　　　　　　　　　 D. left

45. A. skilled　　　　　　　　 B. active　　　　　　　 　 C. experienced　　　　　　　　　　 D. helpful　　

46. A. jokes　　　　　 　 B. promises　　　　　　　　 C. comments　　　　　　　 D. offers

47. A. only　　　　　　　　　 B. still　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. even　　　　　　　　　　　 D. ever

48. A. station　　　　　　　 B. hospital　　　　　　　　　 C. office　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hotel

49. A. panic　　　　　　　　 B. sadness　　　　　　　　　 C. relief　　　　　　　　 D. peace

50. A. duty　　　　　　　　　 B. lie　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. reason　　　　　　　　　　 D. fact

51. A. partly　　　　　　　　 B. exactly　　　　　　 　 C. properly　　　　　　　　　 D. perfectly

52. A. across　　　　　　　 B. before　　　　　　　　　　 C. beside　　　　　　　　　　 D. behind

53. A. go up　　　　　　　　 B. speed up　　　　　　　　　 C. die down　　　　　 　 D. turn down

54. A. teased　　　　　　　　 B. shouted　　　　　　　　　 C. burst　　　　　　　　　　　 D. laughed

55. A. possible　　　　　　 　 B. good　　　　　　　　　　　 C. special　　　 　 　　　　　 D. safe

---I apologize for not being able to join you for dinner.

--- ________. We’ll get together later.

　　　 A. Go ahead　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Not to worry

　　　 C. That’s right　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Don’t mention it

 Success in life doesn’t happan ___________. It’s the result of devoting your time and energey to what you’ve set out to do.

       A. by force            B. by design      C. by accident     D. by choice

 With our knowledge __________ practice, we can make great contributions to our society.

      A. to based on      B. basing on      C. based on       D. base on

 If you let challenges and difficulties benefit ___________ depress you,much more can be accomplished than you thoought possible.

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

--- Can I come and have a look at your new house?

--- Yes, ___________ !

　 A. with pleasure　 B. I like it　　　 C. I quite agree　 D. by all means

---Did you go to the show last night?

--- Yeah. Every boy and every girl in the area __________ invited．

A. were               B. was          C. has been       D. have been

 ­_________you may have , you should gather your courage to face the challenge .

A. However serious a problem                        B. What a serious problem

C. However a serious problem                        D. No matter how a serious problem

 He is a man of few words, and seldom speaks until _________ to.
      A. speaking       B. spoken           C. speak         D. be spoken