Ⅳ. Reading Comprehension (60 points)
Directions:
There are four reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose one best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.
Passage One
According to an old story, a farmer once found that a bag of corn had been stolen from his house. He went to the judge and told him about his loss. The judge ordered all the people of the farm to come before him. He took a number of sticks of equal length and gave one stick to each man.
He then said, “Come before me again tomorrow. I shall then know which of you is the thief because the stick given to the thief will be one inch longer than the others.”
The thief was afraid of being found out, and so the cut an inch off his stick. The next day the thief’s stick was found to be one inch shorter than any of the others. In this way the thief was found out, and was at once taken away to prison.
61. A bag of corn was found ________.
A. to be stolen B. stolen C. being stolen D. having stolen
62. The judge gave each man a stick _______.
A. to change back the farmer’s corn B. to beat the thief
C. as a tool to find out the thief D. so as to play a game together
63. According to the judge, the next day the thief’s stick would be one inch longer than the others’ because _______.
the thief’s stick would grow one inch longer
the other’s sticks would become one inch shorter
something wrong would happen to the thief’s stick
the judge had given the longer stick to the thief
64. Since the thief cut the stick short, ________.
he was found out
the judge couldn’t catch him
his stick had an equal length with the others’
his stick wouldn’t be any longer
65. The wise way the judge found out the thief in the end was to make ______.
the thief to cut an inch off the stick
the thief cut an inch off the stick
the stick grow an inch longer
the thief tell him what he had done
Passage Two
The home computer industry has been growing rapidly in the United States for the last ten years. Computers used to be large, expensive machines that were very difficult to use. But scientists and technicians have been making them smaller and cheaper while at the same time they have been made easier to use. As a result, their popularity has been increasing as more people have been buying computers for their homes and businesses.
Computers have been designed to store information and compute problems that are difficult for human beings to work out. Some have voices that speak with the operators. Stores use computers to keep records of their inventories (库存货物) and to send bills to their customers. Offices use computers to copy letters, record business and keep in touch with other offices. People have been using computers in their homes to keep track of the money they spend.
One important new use for computers is for entertainment. Many new games have been designed to be played on the computers. People of all ages have been playing these games. People also have been buying home computers to play computer games, watch movies and listen to concerts at home. They have become very popular indeed.
66. Computers used to _______.
A. work rapidly B. be large and expensive
C. be easy to use D. be used for fun
67. In recent years, computers are being made _______.
larger and more expensive B. smaller and cheaper
C. more difficult to use D. to work more slowly
68. Home computers can be used for _______.
A. writing letters B. playing games C. doing business D. all of the above
69. Salesmen use computers mainly to _______.
check the list of goods and materials that are kept in the store house
play games for pleasure
talk with their friends
write letters
70. The best title for the passage would be _______.
A. New Uses For Computers B. The Popularity of Home Computers
C. The Home Computer Industry D. Computers At Home
