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第二部分 阅读理解 (共25小题；每小题2分，满分50分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
How will you celebrate New Year’s Eve? By having a party with your classmates? Going to the karaoke for a singing competition? Many people around the world celebrate the day. Let’s have a look at what people in other countries do.
In the United States, thousands of people jam into Times Square in New York to welcome in the new year at midnight. The change from New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is very exciting. People count down (倒计时) the seconds to welcome the new day as the New Year ball slowly gets down and lights up the area.
In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, everyone eats 12 grapes. They eat one grape for each toll (钟声) to bring good luck for the next 12 months of the new year.
In Scotland, fireworks are set off in front of the Edinburgh Castle. Immediately after midnight, people sing Auld Lang Syne (《友谊地久天长》). The words are in Scottish and mean “days gone by”. The famous Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote the song.
In Brazil, most people wear white clothes on New Year’s Eve to bring good luck for the new year. If they live near a beach, after midnight, people go there, light candles in the sand, throw flowers in the sea and make a wish. They say that the goddess who protects the sea will make their wishes come true.
Did you know?
The date January 1 was picked by the Roman leader Julius Caesar (凯撒大帝) as the change of the year when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. The month of January was named after the Roman god, Janus. He is pictured with two heads. One head looks forward and the other back. They represent a break between the old and new.
41. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. The history of New Year. B. New Year joy all around the world.
C. Where to celebrate the New Year’s Eve. D. 12 grapes, 12 months .
42. People in the US don’t when on the New Year’s Eve.
A. eat 12 grapes B. go to the Times Square
C. count down the seconds D. get excited
43. In Scotland, you will probably see _______.
A. the famous poet Robert Burns sings the Auld Lang Syne
B. most people wear white clothes
C. people go for a singing competition
D. fireworks set off in front of the Edinburgh Castle
44. We can learn from the last paragraph that .
A. Janus established the calendar
B. Julius Caesar made the month of January the start of a year
C. The calendar before 46BC was the same as the one today
D. Julius Caesar was the Roman god
45. What does the underlined word jam in the second paragraph mean?
A. come in a large number B. walk up and down
C. rush from time to time D. come now and then
B
Loved and hated, but never boring. That is what people say of American writer Norman Mailer, who died late last year at the age of 84. He was the author of some of the greatest books of the 20th century.
But Mailer will be remembered as much for his personality as for his writing. He was rude and bad-tempered. He violently attacked other authors and even wounded one of his six wives.
However, this never stopped Mailer from being successful. People always wanted to read his books. His provocative (煽动性的) writing style and willingness to deal with difficult subjects made his books bestsellers.
“He was willing to take risks with just about everything,” says the author Gore Vidal. “He had a radical (激进的) imagination, a way of approaching subjects that was never boring.”
In a career that lasted six decades, Mailer wrote about a wide variety of subjects from history and politics to sport and celebrities. But he was most famous for writing novels and he twice won the Pulitzer Prize.
His best book was The Naked and the Dead, a story about the tensions between American soldiers fighting Japan in World War II. Drawn on his own experiences as a soldier, it is a study of men at war examining their cruelty and bravery.
Mailer’s brilliance as an author was his ability to capture human behavior. He did so through interesting characters, realistic dialogue and rich descriptions. The author William F. Buckley said, “He created the most beautiful metaphors (比喻) in the English.”
Mailer leaves behind more than 40 books as his literary legacy (遗产). However, he never achieved his life’s goal. He wanted to write what he called the “big one”, the greatest novel ever written about America. Well, at least it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
46. According to the passage, .
A. Norman Mailer was loved by all people B. Norman Mailer wounded other authors
C. Norman Mailer wasn’t successful D. Norman Mailer wrote many great books
47. By saying “Mailer will be remembered as much for his personality as for his writing”, the author means that .
A. People will remember Mailer because he has a great personality
B. Mailer’s personality is as impressing as his writing
C. People like his writing better
D. Mailer included many personalities in his writing
48. Why did people always want to read his books?
A. Because he was loved and hated.
B. Because he often violently attacked other authors.
C. Because he had a provocative writing style and willing to handle difficult subjects.
D. Because the characters in his writings are the most beautiful.
49. About The Naked and The Dead , which of the following is true?
A. There are a lot of interesting characters in the book.
B. It’s about American soldiers fighting Germany in World War II.
C. It shows the bravery and cruelty of men when facing war.
D. There are the most beautiful metaphors in the book.
50. What attitude does the author hold toward Norman Mailer in the passage?
A. objective B. disagreeable C. friendly D. Indifferent
