【正文】 ginable. / Besides senators, congressmen and other government officials, / it serves libraries, researchers, artists and scientists throughout the country and the world. / The Library is one of the largest libraries in the world. / It has a collection of 74 million items which are housed in three buildings. / The bookshelves stretch for 350 miles. / Of the 18 million books, more than half are in languages other than English. / The main reading room is a great hall of marble pillars. / It is the center of activity in the library. / There is a puter catalog center with six terminals for quick access to information. / For greater speed and efficiency, / the library has installed an electric book – carrying system / that carries books from one building to another in only a few seconds. / (160 words)Passage 12 A Car Soccer RaceAmerican football is different from the European football / and some people think that it is better. / Now there’s a new kind of football or soccer which is played in America. / It’s called car soccer. / The players drive small cars, which are called Beetles. / The players try to catch the ball in their cars. / The cars are protected all since they often crash into each other. / The ball is larger than the usual one and the players are protected, too. / In 1985, the First European car soccer match took place in West Germany. / Teams from some countries in European played in the match. / The Beetles raced around the ground madly / while the spectators shouted “The ball is behind you”. / When the match ended, three cars had been crashed into pieces. / And the players as well as many of the spectators were badly hurt and had to be taken to hospital. / Will this car soccer bee as popular as football? I doubt. / (160 words)Passage 13 Changes of Family LifeThe concept of family life has changed considerably over the years. / In earliest times, several generations lived together in clans, / which consisted of all living descendents and their husbands or wives. / These clans were almost totally selfsufficient, / every member contributing in some way toward the survival of the group. / The men hunted and fished for food or sometimes maintained flocks of sheep or goats. / The women baked bread and roasted the meat their men provided. / Special members of the munity were selected to make products like pottery, baskets and home weapons. / But with the development of greater varieties of food, clothing and shelter, / a single clan could no longer develop all the individual skills the group required. / Clans merged into larger societies and at the same time broke into smaller units consisting of married couples and their children. / Later the Industrial Revolution brought about even more important changes in family life. / New inventions brought shorter working hours for men and easier housekeeping routines for women. / Today a productive family life suggests not the group’s cooperative efforts of working together, / but the pleasant and meaningful sharing of its leisure. / (185 words)Passage 14 VitaminsIt was not until the beginning of this century that it was recognized / that certain substances were essential in the diet to prevent or cure some diseases. / These substances are now known as vitamins. / They are vital for growth, good health, / and maintenance of the normal functions of the body. / A wellbalanced diet should provide all the vitamins we normally require. / Those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to buy sufficient food / should not suffer from vitamin deficiency. / However, for various reasons, / some people do not maintain a balanced diet. / People often lose their appetite because of illness. / People living alone may not bother to eat proper meals, / and people on a diet may not eat sufficient quantities of necessary foods. / Moreover, modern methods of preserving, freezing, and longterm storage of food, / together with overcooking, can destroy many of the vitamins. / (145 words)Passage 15 CometsIn recent years scientists’ investigation of ets has increased / because of growing interest in the origin of the sun and planets. / Scientists want to learn how ets are formed. / They think that such information will help explain the origin of the solar system. / The word “et” es from Greek and means “hairy object”. / In history ets have a special place. / People believed that they brought news of death, destruction or military victories. / The tails of ets provide viewers with spectacular sights at night. / Comet tails are millions of kilometers long. / The tails frequently reach lengths of 250 million kilometers and more. / The most famous et of history is called Halley’s Comet, which appears every 76 years. / It was named for Edward Halley, a British astronomer. / He predicted the appearance of the et in 1758, 16 years after his death. / Halley’s Comet is extremely bright and has two tails. / In the 20th century it returned in 1910 and 1986. / (159 words)Passage 16 Mobile Phone EtiquetteThe mobile phone has created a new way of life. / It gives us the opportunity to reach people when and wherever we like. / But when mobile phones bee as monplace as wristwatches, / it seems they are creating embarrassing situations. / People let their phones ring in restaurants, theaters or business meetings. / People loudly discuss very personal issues over their phones while strangers are around them. / People spend all their time in the presence of friends / paying more attention to those at the other end of their mobile phones. / By now, everyone knows that mobile phone etiquette is a real problem. / These are tips for being a good mobile citizen. / Firstly, remember to check your phone is off at activities. / Secondly, respect the people around you when you make or take calls in public. / Thirdly, don’t answer your cell