English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

　 However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

　 We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探討它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

　 And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

　 How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

　 English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看見的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

55. According to the passage ______.

A. boxing rings should be round

B. pineapples are the apples on the pine tree

C. there should be egg in an eggplant

D. sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things

56. Which of the following is the correct plural (復(fù)數(shù)形式) form?

A. Beeth.　 　 B. Meese.　 　　　 C. Geese. 　 　D. Tooth.

57. Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A. Quite a lot and quite a few.　　　　　　　 B. Overlook and oversee.　

C. A wise man and a wise guy.　　　 　　　　　　 D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

58. Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ______.

A. lazy　　　　　　 B. crazy 　　　　　　 C. clever 　 　D. stupid

"Mr. Johnson tells me that you would like to learn about the work of a reporter," the editor

mid. "Well, a 36　 is the eyes and ears of his newspaper. You couldn' t have a newspaper 37 reporters. It's the news that reporters write that　 38　 the column (欄目) of the paper. We all have to be　 39　 to write about anything that may happen; We　 40　 have to write about what　 41　 on in the police courts one day and about earthquakes, floods and　 42　 disasters the next;　 43　 we may have to meet a famous film star in the morning and a member of the government in the afternoon.　 44　 we may talk to a big industrialist who has 45　 opened a　 large factory and later visit an artist　 46 work is being exhibited. The work is　 47　 the same, yet there's one thing that must always 48　 the same. Do you know what that is? You　 have to write a 49　 and correct account of (敘述) whoever and　 50　 you have .seen. It does not　 51　 what your political ideas are; for example, I have to'report speeches by politicians I may not agree　 52　 , even dislike, yet I must never　 53　 my feelings to appear in what I write about them. It is pleasant and interesting　 54 . I have done it for thirty years and　 wouldn't change it for　 55.

36. A. person　　　　　　 B. reporter　　　　　　 C. publisher　　　 D. job

37. A. from　　　　　　 B. beyond　　　　　　 C. without　　　　 D. among

38. A. builds　　　　　 B. attracts　　　　　 C. interests　　　 D. fills

39. A. prepared　　　　 B. pleased　　　　　　 C. productive　　　 D. profex, ional

40. A. may　　　　　　　 B. could　　　　　 　　C. must　　　　　　 D. should

41. A. holds　　　　　　 B. goes　　　　　　　 C. keeps　　　　　 D. depends

42. A. important　　　　 B. dead　　　　　　　 C. harmful　　　　 D. natural

43. A. therefore　　　　　 B. otherwise　　　　　 C. or D. for

44. A. Then　　　　　　 B. When　　　　　　 C. If　　　　　　　 D. Although

45. A. never　　　　　　 B. yet　　　　　　　　 C. just　　　　　　 D. ever

46. A. which　　　　　　 B. whose　　　　　　 C. whom　　　　　 D. that

47. A. always　　　　　 B. never　　　　　　　 C. just　　　　　　 D. generally

48. A. appear　　　　　　 B. operate　　　　　　 C. remain　　　　　 D. leave

49. A. large　　　　　　 B. long　　　　　　　 C. funny　　　　　 D. fair

50. A. whatever　　　　 B. where　　　　　 　 C. how　　　　　　 D. whenever

51. A. show　　　　　　 B. care　　　　　　　　 C. explain　　　　　 D. matter

52. A. to　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　 C. about　　　　　 D. on

53. A. allow　　　　　　 B. cause　　　　　　　 C. forbid　　　　　 D. keep

54. A. article　　　　　 B. report　　　　　　　 C. work　　　　　　 D. feeling

55. A. everything　　　　 B. anything　　　　　 C. something　　　 D. nothing

 I know you didn’t break the cup _______, but you should buy him a new one. After all, that was his favorite one.

   A. by chance           B. on purpose         C. as usual             D. at dusk

 Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon! This is your captain speaking. Our plane is now flying at a(n) _______ of 30,000 feet.

   A. altitude            B. base                       C. schedule             D. outline

 When the expression first came into being, people refused to use it but _____ they began to accept it.

   A. usually                       B. gradually                  C. frequently                 D. unwillingly

 Nowadays many young people like ______ sports, such as skydiving and bungee jumping.

   A. funny                        B. loose                        C. extreme           D. official

 — So you didn’t say “hello” to him last night?

— Well, I stopped and smiled when I saw him, but he _____me and walked on.

A. ignored                      B. refused                     C. recognized                D. missed

--I wonder if I could use your dictionary.

--Of course.　　　　 , please,

　　 A. Go on　　　　　　 B. Go ahead　　　　　 C. Go up　　　　　 D. Go away

We should try to do　　　　 work with　　　　 money.

　　 A. many; little　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. much; few

　　 C. more; less　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. more; fewer

When 　　　 his choice of gifts, he decided to take one that was not too expensive.

　　 A. offering　　　　　 B. he is offered　　　　 C. offered　　　　 D. he offered