【正文】 on movie? Think again. On February 21, New Zealand fishermen landed a colossal squid the length of a school bus. They had been fishing with long lines for Chilean sea bass (黑鱸 ) in the waters off the coast of New Zealand when they caught the rare squid. With two hours of hard work, the crew skillfully pulled the creature into a and dragged it aboard their ship. Scientists estimate (估計 ) that the animal weighs about a half ton and is about 40 feet long. That would make this colossal squid the biggest on record. First identified in 1925 after two tentacles were found in a whale’s stomach, the colossal squid has long been a mystery. The animals are not easy to observe because they can go down to ocean depths of 6,500 feet. What scientists do know from studying the bodies of a half dozen colossal squids is that they are fierce hunters. The recently captured colossal squid has been frozen to keep it for scientific study. It will be transported to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, in the capital city of Wellington. Experts believe it to be the first adult male ever caught undamaged. Scientists hope to learn more about the colossal squid’ s diet, behavior and reproductive (繁殖 ) patterns. “Scientists will be very interested in this amazing creature,” said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton. “It adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment.” 48. Why is it usually difficult for experts to observe the squid? A. Because it moves too fast. B. Because it is too large. C. Because it is very dangerous. D. Because it can go down to deep ocean. 49. What can be inferred from the passage? A. The squid is from a science fiction story. B. The fishermen often meet colossal squids. C. Scientists know much about the colossal squid. D. The fishermen had some difficulty catching the large squid. 50. What’s the purpose of catching such a huge squid? A. To make it into food. B. To set a world record. C. To do research on it. D. To display it for visitors. 51. What would be the best title for the passage? A. The biggest squid ever found B. Scientific research on squid C. The lifestyle of the colossal squid D. How the fishermen caught the squid E★★ Have you ever heard the saying “ All roads lead to Rome” ? At one time, this was pretty much true. During the Roman Empire, lots of roads were built in order to move armies, send messages by courier (信使 ), and make trade easier. This construction work went on for five centuries!If all the roads built during the Roman Empire were put together end to end, they would circle the equator twice. The work of Roman roads was begun in 312 BC. It was demanded that the roads be built strong so that they would not fall down. Roman soldiers, supervised (監(jiān)督 ) by engineers, laid down the roads in a special pattern of layers. The first layer was made of sand. Next, the builders added rocks and rubble. On top of these materials came gravel. On this solid foundation, the road builders placed paving stones. Also, Roman roads were cambered. This means that they were built higher in the middle than on the edges, allowing rainwater to run off, which prevented flooding. We use the same technique in building roads today. The Romans also laid out roads over hills when necessary, setting them down in a zigzag pattern to make the road rise gradually. All Roman roads had milestones (里程碑 ), placed every thousands paces (a Roman mile). The milestones told when the road was built, who was emperor at the time, the road’ s destination, how far the traveler was from the destination, and how many miles had been traveled since the beginning of the road. This information was a great help to travelers. Because of their excellence in construction, it really is no surprise that many parts of Roman road still exist today. These roadways are one of the most impressive acplishments of the Roman Empire. 52. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean? A. The Roman Empire was very powerful. B. Lots of roads were built during the Roman Empire. C. The roads built during the Roman Empire wer