PART Ⅲ  READI NG COMPREHENTION (30 marks)
   Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
(A)
LATEST BOOKS
 Below you’ll find some latest published books that have been added to the library’s collection in the past 45 days. 
She Is Not Invisible
Sergwick’s “She Is Not Invisible” is partly a thriller, partly a philosophical reflection on coincidence, but mostly, it’s the story of Laureth: a blind British teenager whose father, a famous author, has gone missing in America. She sets out to find him, taking her seven-year-old brother as a guide. She is not sure this is strictly legal, so she pretends not to be blind as they make their way through Heathrow airport and the streets of New York City.
Six Bad Poets
“Six Bad Poets” is a farce-in-verse(鬧劇式詩(shī)句) by Christopher Reid, following the brave acts and misfortunes of a group of poets –three men and three women, whose destinies(命運(yùn)) are more closely connected than they themselves can know, in their attempts to deal with the risks of London literary society.
Britain Against Napoleon
 This book describes how the British state successfully organized itself to overcome Napoleon.
For more than twenty years after 1793, the French army was supreme(最優(yōu)的) in continental Europe, and the British population lived in fear of French invasion(人侵). How did Britain survive and win a generation-long war against a country which at its peak commanded many times Britain’s own resources and manpower?
 In “Britain Against Napoleon”, Roger Knight looks beyond the familiar bravery of the army and navy to the politicians and civil servants, and examines how they made it possible to continue the war. 
The Beau Monde 
 Hannah Greig’s “The Beau Monde” tells the story of the world’s first fashion-obsessed(癡迷于時(shí)尚的) society in eighteenth-century London and takes us on a tour from court and Parliament (約會(huì)) to Georgian London’s parks, pleasure grounds and private homes, meeting a rich and colorful cast of contemporary characters along the way. It reveals the secrets of how membership of the new elite(精英) was won, maintained and sometimes lost. This book also shows how being fashionable was the key to power in a new social order.  
56. According to the passage, Laureth______
   A. is a famous writer              B. is a blind young girl 
   C. has been lost in New York       D. has raised her little brother by herself
57. Who writes a book about six poets?
   A. Christopher Reid.              B. Hannah Greig.
   C. Roger Knight.                 D. Sedgwick.
 58. The book “Britain Against Napoleon” focuses on_______
    A. how the British defeated Napoleon
    B. how Napoleon occupied the UK
    C. the contribution of politicians 
    D. the influence of war 
 59. If you are interested in the history of fashion, you should read______.
    A. “She Is Not Invisible”          B. “Six Bad Poets”
    C “Britain Against Napoleon”      D. “The Beau Monde”
 60. The main purpose of passage is to______.
A. compare the books            B. inform readers of new books 
C. advocate diverse reading       D. persuade people to read more

(B)
When my friend put out the idea of homeschooling to her parents, the first reaction they gave was, “You are cutting the child off the world.” Did the child really get cut off or did the child socialize better?
    The moment we hear of homeschooling, we think the child will have no opportunities to interact with peers(同齡人). However, in my friend’s opinion, we forget that when attending a regular school, the child is not into socializing all the while. The child is restricted to so many other activities. Studies take a major role in a child’s life. The child hardly has the time to interact at school.
    The child might be meeting and studying along with many peers; however, how many kids interact with all the kids in a class? But in homeschooling system, as my friend mentioned, the kid has all the time and can plan his day accordingly. During the day the child studies just like other school-going kids but with no burden of homework and project work, the child has so much free time in the evening as to effectively interact and play with peers. The quality time the child spends in education is really impressive.
    Homeschooled kids have the opportunity to socialize more often as they have a lot of time in their hands. They can also make socializing a regular habit. Just as my friend said, her child goes to a neighboring park almost every day and has a set of friends who go there daily. Other children get back home to finish off homework and project work whereas her child who is already through with studies gets the opportunity to spend time with family members.
    When I heard this, I really felt how lucky the child was. Definitely the child had a better opportunity to socialize when compares with my kids. However, I might not consider homeschooling for my kid, as I am so used to the traditional schooling system and feel regular schooling the safest bet.
61. What is the author’s attitude towards his friend’s idea of homeschooling?
   A. Surprised.    B. Interested.     C. Confident.         D. Negative.
62. The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to _________.
 A. express his views on homeschooling.
 B. explain what homeschooling is. 
 C. share his ways of teaching his children. 
 D. promote homeschooling.
63. What do we know about homeschooling children?
 A. They don’t interact with their peers often. 
 B. They have more spare time to play.
 C. They are restricted to certain activities. 
 D. They can’t gain enough knowledge.
64. According to the author what is the biggest advantage of homeschooling children?
 A. They will become braver.             B. They can be more popular. 
 C. They can be better at socializing.        D. They can study better.
65. How does the passage mainly develop?
 A. By following the order of importance.  B. By following the order of time 
 C. By making comparison.     D. By presenting facts.
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