【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 e must use others to help them municate. Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively（有效地 ） . Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures. Finally, having more multilanguage speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can municate well, the world can bee closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems. The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves fet their mother language and bee silenced. 53. The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to______. A. discuss the need for teaching a new language B. show the problems of speaking only one language C. describe the advantages of moving to another country D. introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers 54. According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can______. A. find a better job B. make more friends C. better understand history D. municate more independently 55. The underlined phrase “multilanguage speakers” (In Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.” A. more than one language B. a new language C. their mother language D. body language 56. What is the passage mainly about? A. How to learn another language. B. The importance of learning English. C. The benefits of learning other languages. D. The reasons why people e to America. D “Yes, ladies and gentlemen, wele aboard NASA’s Space Elevator. We’re going to leave soon. The entire ride will take about five hours, so sit back and enjoy the trip. As we rise, be sure to look out the window. You’ll see the sky change from deep blue to black. It is one of the most wonderful views（景色） you will ever see! ” Does this sound like the SciFi Channel? Well, it’s not. Scientists are thinking that a “space elevator” will be possible toward the end of the 21st century. A space elevator will consist of a long cable (電纜 ) from the Earth’s surface into space to an altitude(高度 ) of about 35,786 km. “Elevators” will travel along the cable and move people and loads between Earth and space. One of the greatest advantages is that the cost will be much less. Researchers estimate (估計(jì) ) that a passenger with baggage at 150 kg might cost only $222! Compare that to today’s cost of around $ million for the same weight. It would make “cheap” space travel possible. Scientists believe carbon nanotubes (納米管 ) may be used to make highstrength materials for the cables, although they are still being studied. It was Arthur C. Clarke who brought this idea to the general public. In his science fiction novel Fountains of Paradise, engineers build a space elevator on top of a mountain peak on an island. One day, Clarke was asked a question by a student during his speech. The student asked when the space elevator would bee a reality. Clarke answered, “Probably about 50 years after everybody stops laughing.” He’s got a point. When we stop thinking of something as impossible, then we start working on its development. 57. Why should passengers in a space elevator look out the window while they are moving into space? A. Because the blue sky is very beautiful. B. Because the view outside is wonderful. C. Because the sky changes from black to blue. D. Because the trip will take about seven hours. 58. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. Scientists haven’t used carbon nanotubes to make the cables. B. Traveling in space elevators will cost much less in the future. C. Passengers will be able to travel in space elevators with baggage. D. Space elevators will travel for 35,786 km around the Earth’s surface. 59. What is the best title for this passage? A. Possible Now: Space Travel B. Cheap Space Travel C. Going into Space in an Elevator D. Space Travel — Impossible 七、閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的五個選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有一項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。（共 8 分，每小題 2 分） Peter was the best table tennis player in his school and hardly ever lost a match. He hated losing anything. 60. ______ If he lost, he would feel terrible. It seemed to Peter that losing was the worst thing in the world. A new kid, Albert, came to Peter’s school. He was good at table tennis, too. 61. ______ Peter worked hard to get ready for the match, but Albert didn’t seem to think much of it. When the match began, Albert was a real player. There was always a smile on his face, while Peter looked serious all the time. Peter thought it was so important to win the match that he even wanted to cheat, but he lost in the end. “You played very well, Peter. I think we can play again sometime,” said Albert. But Peter didn’t feel happy and couldn’t fall asleep that night. One day, Peter saw Albert playing basketball. Though he lost again and again, the happy smile never left his fa