We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it.

Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils. The standards may be changed ---- no examination is perfect ---- but to have no external(外部的)tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards. There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in external examinations or in any controls in schools or on teachers. This would mean that everything would depend on luck since every pupil would depend on the efficiency, the ideal and the purpose of each teacher.

Without external examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them ---- a form of favoritism will replace equality. At the moment, the bright child from an ill-respected school can show certificates（證書）to prove he or she is suitable for a job, while the lack of a certificate shows the unsuitability of a dull child attending a well - respected school. This defense of excellence and opportunity would disappear if external examinations were taken away, and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school's fame, unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored school.

The opponents（對(duì)手）of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils. According to these people, there must be no special, different, academic class. They have even suggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area: all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection. The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computer.

These people are not just against school organization, but are at war with the whole idea of modem competitive society and they are using children in schools for their destructive purposes. There is no reason why we should allow such people to determine the way our schools are organized when it is to the obvious disadvantage of the pupils, of the schools and of our society as a whole.

41．According to the passage, the writer thinks that ________.

A. changing the standards could mean the end of equality

B. standards must keep changing in order to achieve equality

C. there would be no standards without external examinations

D. we cannot have standards because examinations are not perfect

42．In the writer's opinion, what would happen if external examinations were taken away?

A. There would be no more opportunities and no more excellence.

B. Children from poor families would not be able to change schools.

C. Going to a favored school should be the only way to get a good job.

D. Schools for bright children would lose their fame.

43．The situation at the moment is that ________.

A. many children who are suitable for a job have no proof of their suitability

B. a school's fame is not important, as long as a child has a certificate.

C. children attending well - respected schools need not get certificates.

D. a bright child doesn't need a certificate a t all to get a good job.

44．Which of the following sentences is TRUE?

A. Most students from poor families can't get a good job.

B. Some people are using students to destroy our society.

C. The writer thinks it a good way to choose a job by computer.

D. The opponents of the examination want to reorganize schools.

45．The opponents would agree that _________.

A. computers should be selected to take over many jobs

B. particular people should not be chosen for particular jobs

C. well-respected schools should be got rid of as soon as possible

D. the students are not equally treated if they take external examinations

One day an out of work mimic(滑稽演員) is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw the crowd，a zoo keeper grabs him and drags him into his office. The zoo keeper explains to the mimic that the zoo's most popular attraction，a gorilla(大猩猩)，has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mimic a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mimic accepts.

So the next morning the mimic puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He discovers that it's a great job. He can sleep all he wants，play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mimic. However，eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on wires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience，he climbs to the top of his cage，crawls across a partition(隔離物)，and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. Of course，this makes the lion very angry，but the crowd loves it.

At the end of the day the zoo keeper comes and gives the mimic a raise for being such a good attraction. Well，this goes on for some time－the mimic keeps taunting the lion，the crowds grow larger，and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the angry lion he slips and falls. The mimic is terrified.

The lion gathers itself and prepares to attack. The mimic is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally，the mimic starts screaming and yelling，“Help me，help me！”But the lion is quick and attacks. The mimic soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says，“Shut up，you idiot！Do you want to get us both fired？”

36．The mimic visits the zoo to________.

A．take care of the dying gorilla           B．beg some money from the zoo keeper

C．a(chǎn)sk for a job there                     D．perform and earn some money there

37．The zoo keeper offers the mimic a job to act as the gorilla because________.

A．it is more expensive to hire a real gorilla

B．the real gorilla died but the keeper does not want to lose its visitors

C．he likes the mimic's performance

D．he wants to help the mimic who is out of work

38．What does the mimic feel about the new job at first?

A．He likes it because he has enough freedom in the job.

B．He likes it but he prefers to working as a mimic.

C．He doesn't like it for people do not respect him.

D．He doesn't like it because he gets little pay.

39．The mimic climbs to the lion's cage because________.

A．he finds it more interesting to climb the cage

B．he wants to play with the lion

C．he wants to attract the attention of his audience

D．he has never seen a lion before

40．What does the passage mainly tell us?

A. The mimic and his job                B. The mimic and his success

C. The actor and the mimic              D. The mimic and his animals

 “Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. “If you can carry on, one day something good will happen. And you’ll   16   that it wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous   17  .”

Mother was right,   18   I discovered after   19   from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way   20   sports announcer. I hitchhiked（搭便車） to Chicago and knocked on the door of   21   station—and got   22   every time. In one   23  , a kind lady told me that big stations couldn’t   24   hiring inexperienced persons. “Go out in the sticks and find a small station that’ll give you a   25  .” she said.

I thumbed home to Dixon, Illinois. While there was no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local   26   to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I   27  . The job sounded just right for me.   28   I wasn’t hired.

My disappointment must have shown. “Everything happens for the best,” Mom   29   me. Dad   30   me the car to job-hunt. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had   31   hired an announcer.

As I left his office, my   32   boiled over. I asked aloud, “How can a fellow get to be a sport announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?” I was waiting for the elevator   33   I heard MacArthur calling, “What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?” Then he stood next to me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an   34   game.

On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother’s words: “if you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous disappointment”. I often   35   what direction my life might have taken if I’d gotten the job at Montgomery Ward.

16．A. realize  B. recognize    C. request  D. receive

17．A. disappointment   B. excitement   C. pressure D. anxiety

18．A. what B. as   C. when D. how

19．A. studying B. working  C. living   D. graduating

20．A. up to    B. out at   C. up for   D. down to

21．A. every    B. many C. a few    D. some

22．A. taken down   B. broken down  C. turned down  D. put down

23．A. room B. image    C. studio   D. stage

24．A. risk B. avoid    C. mind D. regret

25．A. trouble  B. chance   C. choice   D. change

26．A. adviser  B. athlete  C. photographer D. composer

27．A. applied  B. assisted C. approved D. admitted

28．A. And      B. But      C. However  D. So

29．A. reminded B. praised  C. demanded D. informed

30．A. supplied B. provided C. prepared D. offered

31．A. still    B. even C. already  D. yet

32．A. distinction  B. frustration  C. impression   D. expression

33．A. until    B. when C. while    D. as

34．A. visible  B. bitterness   C. imaginary    D. satisfactory

35．A. think    B. suspect  C. doubt    D. wonder

He had to _______ paying the bills because of a lack of money.

A. put down         B. put off          C. put out          D. put aside

The manager demanded that the workers _______ extra hours to complete the task ahead of time.

A. work   B. were working    C. worked    D. would work

It is helpful to put children in a situation _____ they can see themselves differently.

A. that             B. when         C. which        D. where

John as well as the other children who ______ no parents ______ good care of in the village.

A. has; is being taken                  B. has; are being taken

C. have; is being taken                 D. have; are being taken

----Did you look up the time of the high-speed trains to Shanghai?

----Yes, the early train is __________ to leave at 5:30 a.m.

A. likely   B. possibleC. due   D. about

It took me quite a long time to ________ the new environment here.

A. adapt to B. relate toC. apply to D. attach to