四、阅读理解(20小题，每小题2分.共40分)

阅读下面四篇语言材料，然后按文后要求做题。

A

Dear Uncle Horton,

We just want to let you know what a great weekend we had with you while we were in Boise. You are a fantastic guide and it was so nice of you to have taken us out for a tour of the city.  The sights were beautiful and our two girls loved the Discovery Centre very much. They are still talking about it.

We are not sure when we’ll meet again, but we hope it won’t be too long. Please let us know of any plans you might have to visit New York. We would love you to visit us and we hope to have the pleasure of taking you around New York City.

Thanks again for a truly great weekend.

Much love,

Dick and Kate

******************************************************************************

Dear.Mum,

Happy Mother’s Day! Since I have my own kid, I have got to know how hard mothering is. Thank you for being so patient with me through my ups and downs. I hope I can be as good a mother to Lily as you are to me. Thanks for being such a good mum. Whether you come to visit me or we talk on the phone, l always feel we're so close. You're always my best friend.  I hope you know how much I love you!

Helen

根据材料内容选择最佳答案，并将其标号填人题前括号内.

(    )46. Why did Dick and Kate write to Uncle Horton?

A. To say sorry to him.                 B. To say thanks to him.

C.  To invite him to their house.         D. To tell him about their travel plans. .

(    )47. There are at least _ people in Dick's family.

A. six          B. seven       C. four       D. five

(    )48.Who is Lily?

A. Helen’s mum.                        B. Helen’s friend

C. Helen’s sister.                        D. Helen’s daughter

(    )49.What does Helen think of her mum?

A. Quiet.     B. Patient.      C. Strict. . .  .  D. Serious.

(    )50.Which of the following is TRUE7

A. Dick and Kate live in Boise

B. Uncle Horton will visit New York soon.

C. Helen’s mother lives with Helen

D. Helen loves her mother very much.

B[

English is spoken as a first language by about 375 million people and as a foreign  language by around 750 million people. It is being learned by about a billion people.   These numbers alone make English   ▲  to learn. If you are not fluent (流利的) in English, it may be good for you to know the advantages of learning the language.

In many countries, English is used as a working language. In the United States,  English speakers make more money than those who don’t speak English at all. Learning . English can increase the chance of getting a good job.

If you visit a country, you can easily find someone who can speak at least a little  English. So if 'you know English, you have a chance to communicate almost anywhere  you travel.[

Its not easy for parents who don’t understand English to raise children in an English   -speaking country. For example; if they send their children to school and the teacher does not speak their mother language, parents are likely to have difficulty communicating with the teacher. And if the children have homework they do not understand, parents cannot help them.

Want to get advice on how to learn English well? Please go on looking at our website.

根据材料内容选择最佳答案，并将其标号填人题前括号内。

(    )51. According to the first paragraph, about            million people speak English as a

first language.

A.375  B.750  C.1,125  D. 1,500

(    )52. Which of the following can be put in  ▲   ?

A. hopeless     .B. difficult     C. Boring    D. important

(    )53. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the reading?

A. English is helpful in finding a job.

B. English is helpful in traveling to other places.

C. Children who learn English well can receive more attention.        .

D. Parents who know English well have no trouble helping kids with homework

(    )54. Who is this passage written for?

A.  People who learn English as a first language.    .

B. People who are not good at English.

D. People who love traveling.

(    )55. Where can you probably find the above reading?

A. In a museum.            B. In a magazine.

C. In a newspaper.           D. On the Internet.