Passage Two
Women on a touring holiday of Britain were injured by an explosion in their motor van in the center of Norwich yesterday.
Shoppers, traders and businessmen in Red Lion Street were shocked by a loud bang, and seconds later the two men jumped over from the vehicle. Several people rushed to give assistance and helped to put out the fire inside the vehicle.
“I heard this explosion. It was pretty loud. I thought it could have been a bomb.” Said Mr. Leslie Webster, manager of the market, who was working in his office in Red Lion Street. “I looked out of the window and saw this lad leap from the van and roll on the ground. Then another lad came out of the van. He seemed to be in a worse state --- parts of his trousers were hanging below his knee.”
“I came downstairs to get a fire extinguisher(灭火器), but by the time I got outside someone from the bank was in the van with an extinguisher.”
Mr. Webster, who lives at 71, Trinity Street, Norwich, said both victims were shocked. One was taken into the market’s office to await an ambulance. “The second man insisted on going back into the van to see if everything was all right, and five minutes later he came out with a drawer that was blazing.” He added.
The explosion was also heard inside the bank. Staff provided a fire extinguisher and telephoned for an ambulance.
Although a plastic window was blown out, damage inside the vehicle was mainly superficial.
The two men have spent the last six months touring the Continent and has traveled to Norwich from Snetterton. At the time of the incident their wives were shopping in the city.
36. The two men in the van ______.
A. were unhurt
B. were slightly hurt
C. were shocked and badly hurt
D. needed a long-time treatment
37. The word “leap” most probably means ______.
A. jump over
B. step up
C. fall down
D. get out
38. In Mr. Webster’s opinion, the explosion ______.
A. was almost a bomb
B. wasn’t a bomb
C. was like a bomb
D. was a bomb
39. In the accident ______.
A. the windows of the bank were blown out
B. the contents of the van were damaged
C. everything in the van was all right
D. the van was burned
40. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Mr. Webster saw what had happened.
B. Mr. Webster helped to put out the fire.
C. Mr. Webster didn’t take a fire extinguisher to the van.
D. Mr. Webster wanted to help in the accident but he didn’t have a chance
Passage Three
Everyone experiences fear during major crisis—such as fires, automobile accidents, etc. Some people even feel very nervous when they fly in airplanes. No matter how hard they try, they cannot lower their anxiety. Some people try to hide their nervousness: they try to disguise their anxiety by telling jokes. Others become loud and aggressive, attacking people by making them the butt of cruel jokes. Sometimes making someone else the target of jokes is an attempt to control one’s own fears—to master anxiety.
A number of factors can be mentioned as important in explaining why some people have a fear of flying: early childhood experiences, general sense of security, fear of heights, trust in others, percentage of alcohol in blood, etc. The memory of a bad experience can sometimes trigger the same fear caused by that experience. Thus, a child might be frightened by the sight of a dog even though he is safe, merely because he once had a bad experience with a dog. A bad experience can be the cue that triggers our fears. But the crucial factor seems to be a feeling of no control.
Usually we are able to suppress our feelings so that they do not affect our behavior. But sometimes the tension produced by our fears is so great that we cannot suppress it. At such time we need to discharge the tension by laughing or crying. By smiling foolishly and talking loudly, we are able to repress the rising feeling of fear so that it does not affect the way we behave.
Because it is necessary to recognize a problem before it can be solved, admitting that we are afraid is an integral part of the process of mastering our fears.
36. To make someone the butt of jokes means ______.
A. to make someone become the object of jokes
B. to force someone to enjoy jokes
C. to entitle someone to tell jokes
D. to offend someone by jokes
37. What is the positive purpose of people’s telling jokes?
A. To show one’s sense of humor.
B. To control one’s own fears.
C. To disguise their anxiety.
D. To attack others.
38. To master anxiety means ______.
A. to be familiar with tension
B. to hold back the feeling of uneasiness
C. to conquer the feeling of nervousness
D. to be good at the subject of anxiety
39. According to the author, which of the following is the most important factor triggering the feeling of fear?
A. The fear of heights.
B. Early childhood experience.
C. The general sense of security.
D. A feeling of no control.
40. According to the concluding paragraph, what is essential to go through the process of mastering one’s fears?
A. To be conscious of the way of mastering fears.
B. To repress the rising feeling of fear.
C. To admit the feeling of fears.
D. To control one’s feelings.
