48.A.took care of B.looked down upon

C.got away from D.caught the attention of

解析：选D。Lena Horne很受欢迎，吸引了一些电影制片人的注意。

49.A.stopped B.preferred

C.enjoyed D.began

解析：选D。Lena Horne吸引了一些电影制片人的注意，所以不久之后就开始去拍电影了。

50.A.if B.because

C.though D.so

解析：选B。后面是在解释原因，故选B。

51.A.worst B.fastest

C.best D.biggest

解析：选A。根据But的语境，可知Lena Horne并不喜欢这种原因，故选A。

52.A.served B.sang

C.looked D.acted

解析：选C。Lena Horne之所以被选中拍电影，是因为她的样子，而不是因为她优秀或者工作努力。

53.A.protect B.break

C.exchange D.show

解析：选B。根据后文语境，可知Lena Horne通过自己的努力，打破了种族隔阂。

54.A.hate B.service

C.pity D.love

解析：选D。根据and respect的语境，可知Lena Horne赢得了观众的喜爱和尊敬。

55.A.hide B.make

C.fight D.experience

解析：选C。Lena Horne成名后，利用自己的名声反抗社会对黑人美国人的不公正对待，故选C。

第三部分　阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分，满分40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。

A

My mother loves flowers.As soon as warm weather comes around，you will find her planting，watering and weeding over everything.For many years we lived next door to each other，and she spent as much time in my garden as she did her own.After the flowers became plentiful each summer，she would cut colorful bouquets(花束)to enjoy inside the house-both hers and mine.I would often come home from work and find a beautiful arrangement(布置) of fresh flowers on my coffee table.

Shortly before Christmas one year，a local flower shop offered a bouquet?a?month special.It seemed to be a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years.

After the holidays，in early January，I drove her to the flower shop to pick up her first month’s bouquet.The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase(花瓶).

I was so embarrassed(尴尬的).However，after we returned home，she began to arrange the flowers she had received.“Mom，I’m sorry，”I told her.“I can’t believe how skimpy that bouquet is.”She looked at me and smiled.“It’s okay，”she said.“It allows me to better enjoy the beauty of each one.”

Mom’s words helped me to realize something bigger and more important-when we have too many good things，we often fail to enjoy the beauty of each one.

Thanks，Mom，for helping me understand that less is sometimes more.

【解题导语】　作者给妈妈买了一束鲜花，可是数量太少，连一个小花瓶都装不满，但妈妈却很喜欢。

56.According to Paragraph 1，which of the following is TRUE?

A.The author’s mother put fresh flowers on the author’s coffee table.

B.The author used to buy some fresh flowers on her way home.

C.The author’s mother usually bought flowers for her daughter.

D.The author and her mother shared a beautiful garden.

解析：选A。细节理解题。由第一段最后两句话可知，“妈妈”经常将花园里新鲜的花拿到“我”和她的房间里，这样，我下班回家后会在咖啡桌上发现漂亮的鲜花，只有A项表达正确。

57.The author bought her mother flowers to　　　　.

A.celebrate the coming Christmas

B.express thanks for all her mother’s done

C.bring more flowers to her mother’s garden

D.arrange her mother’s new house

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第二段的a great way to thank her for all of the flowers she had given me through the years可知。

58.The underlined word “skimpy” in Paragraph 4 means　　　　.

A.beautiful B.colorful

C.cheap D.small

解析：选D。词义猜测题。由第三段的The small fresh colorful bouquet would hardly fill a small vase.可知，那束花连一个小花瓶都装不满，可见花束很小。

59.What did the author learn from her mother?

A.How to grow flowers.

B.How to arrange flowers.

C.Enjoying life if possible.

D.Considering things in other ways.

解析：选D。推理判断题。尽管花的数量很少，妈妈却说这样她可以更好地欣赏每一朵花。文章最后一段升华了主题。由此推断作者从她母亲那里学会从另一个角度去看事情。