V. Reading Comprehension (10%)

Directions: Read the following passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

(1)

I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement (通告) in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theater box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9 o' clock to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theater was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately(不幸), the theater is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip, so I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed. I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theater in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth it to hear the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theater, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.

The writer of the story works ____.

A.        in a big city  B. in a small town  C. in a town by the sea  D. on a farm

13.  He is probably____.

A.        a peasant  B. a college teacher  C. a manager of a company  D. a clerk

14.  Which of the following statements is true?

A. He likes to make the round trip by bus.

B. He is very fond of jazz music.

C. He is fond of all kinds of music.

D. He hates waiting in line for tickets.

15.  Why did the man say 10 minutes felt like an hour?

A. Because he was afraid of being late for work.

B. Because he was afraid of not being able to get the ticket.

C. Because he was afraid that he had to pay a lot for the taxi.

D. Because he had nothing else to think about on the taxi.

16.  Why wasn’t the man able to go to the jazz concert?

A. Because he didn’t have enough money to buy it

B. Because he didn’t try hard to get it.

C. Because he was quite busy that day.

D. Because the tickets happened to be sold out when he hurried to the theatre.

17.  The story is about ____.

A. a good concert

B. someone enjoying a good concert

C. someone trying to buy tickets for a concert

D. someone's disappointment at not being able to hear a Concert。

(2)

If you’re a foreigner and looking for the place that has everything, there’s only a place to visit, and that’s New York. It’s a whole world in a city.

The World of Theater

All of New York is a stage, and it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many shows in one place? Only in New York!

The World of Music

Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Center; go to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hot dance places found anywhere.

The World of Art

From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees(圆锥形帐篷). Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.

The World of Fine Dinning

Whether it is roast Beijing duck in China town, lasagna in Little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin(chicken cooked in wine) found anywhere, there is a world of great taste waiting for you in New York.

The World of Sights

What other city has a Statue of Liberty(自由女神像)? A Rockefeller Center? Or a Bronx Zoo? What else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through the Central Park? Only in New York!

18.  The aim of this passage is to ____.

A. try to persuade the readers to visit New York to see the world

B. tell the readers where New York lies

C. supply the readers some information about New York jobs

D. help the readers get a better understanding of New York

19.  According to the passage, New York is famous for ____. Which one is not correct?

A. Dinning

B. Sights

C. Art

D. Sports

20.  Which of the following programs can a visitor only have in New York?

A. To enjoy Beijing roast duck.                                   B. To taste the finest French coq au vin.
C. To spend an evening with Beethoven.                      D. To see the Statue of Liberty.

21.  The passage above may be taken from _____ .

A. a handbook for an English student                          B. a guidebook for a foreign visitor
C. a pocketbook for a businessman                             D. a storybook for native readers