六、阅读理解(共15小题，计30分。其中第一节10小题，计20分;第二节共5小题，计10分)

第一节：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.

There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what tim e the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.

I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I signed and sat down to read my Economics.

It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.

From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.

The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all look beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.

I looked forward to the return journey.

46. The author expected the train trip to be ______.

A. adventurous B. pleasant C. exciting D. dull

47. What did the author remember most fondly(温情地)of her train trip?

A. The friendly country people.

B. The mountains along the way.

C. The crowds of people in the streets.

D. The simple lunch served on the train.

48. Which of the following words can best take the place of the word “relish” in the secondaragraph?

A. choose B. enjoy C. prepare for D. carry on

49. Where was the writer going?

A. Johore Baru B. The Causeway C. Butterworth D. Singapore

50. What can we learn from the story?

A. Comfort in traveling by train.

B. Pleasure of living in the country.

C. Reading gives people delight.

D. Smiles brighten people up.

B

Can you remember the day when you spoke your first words? If you can, you are unusual. Try to think what the first months of your life were like, I’m sure you just spent most of your time eating, sleeping and crying. As you grew older, you were awake more of the time. It took your parents more to play with you and talk to you. You watched and listened. You began to know that people make some sounds to go with some things.

Then you began to cry to make sounds you heard. And step by step you were able to make the right sound for one thing.

On that day you came to understand the secret of the language. The secret is that a certain sound means a certain thing. One sound might be as good as another. But it is not as good as a word unless everyone agrees on its meaning. Only when a group of people use the same set of sounds of things, they can understand each other, so these people have a language.

After you found the secret of language, you learnt words. Some of the words meant things, such as book, chairs and shops. Some of the words meant actions such as go and swim. And other words describe things such as good or dirty. Soon you learn to put words together to express one’s idea, such as “I want to go out and play with my friends.” This is language. By the way of language people can communicate. So we say languages mean communication.

51. ______ can remember the day when we spoke our first words.

A. Few of us B. No one C. Most people D. Someone

52. When you were a little baby, you ______.

A. made sounds to let people know that you wanted to eat

B. spent most of your time eating, playing and sleeping

C. could not hear any sounds around you

D. spent most of your time playing with your parents

53. The secret of language is that ______.

A. on sound might be as good as another

B. a certain sound is for a certain thing