Basketball star Yao Ming announced his retirement on July 20^th of 2011 after a great career that made him China’s best-known athlete and helped improve the game’s global growth.

The 2.26m star said, “Today I announce a personal decision. I’m officially retiring and ending my career as a basketball player. The retirement means one door has been closed for me, but a new one has opened to a whole new life outside for me to enjoy. Though I’ll leave the sporting arena(競技場), I’m not leaving basketball.”

　 No professional athlete hasn’t got hurt, and Yao, is no difference. Unfortunately for the big man, the old saying,” the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” was true for his NBA career. Along the way, Yao picked up knock after knock but kept working hard and this helped to make him a fan favorite. However, in the end, the stress was too much for his body to take.

Yao said he planned to keep developing his role as the owner of the Shanghai Sharks, the team where he started his professional career and which he bought in 2009. Yao joined the Rockets as the first pick in the 2002 NBA games. He won over Americans and became a national model in China through his strong play, his grace and self-confidence. He was not China’s first player in the NBA, but he was certainly the best-known.

“I would like to thank you for giving me a great nine-year career,” he said. “Nine years ago I came to Houston as a young, tall, thin player and the city and team changed me into a grown man, not only a basketball player... I’m leaving the basketball court but I am not leaving the game. I’ll do my best to bring honor and glory to my hometown and to Chinese basketball.”

46．Yao Ming played in the NBA for ______ years.

A. 8　　　　　　　　 B. 9　　　　　　 C. 10　　　　　　 D. 11

47. Yao Ming became a national model in China because______.

A. He is the excellent basketball player B. He is the owner of the Shanghai Sharks

C. He has strong play, personal grace and self-confidence D. His height is 2.26m

48. Why did Yao announce his retirement on July 20^th of 2011?

A. The stress was too much for his body　　　 B. He can’t sand working hard

C. He often picked up knock after knock　　　 D. His injury made him leave

49. What does the word “career” mean in the fourth paragraph?

A. 領(lǐng)域　　　　　　 B. 生涯　　　　　 C. 運動　　　　　 D. 聯(lián)賽

50. The passage is mostly from _________.

A. An ad.　　　　 B. A newspaper　　　 C. A novel　　　　 D. A letter

In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的). No one had told them about the British custom (習(xí)慣)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .
Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty. In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means ‘no’. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it’s quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand .
【小題1】 The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _________.

Saturday morning was bright and fresh. There was a song in every heart, cheer on every face, and a  spring in every step.
Tom appeared with a bucket of white paint in one hand and a brush in the other. His Aunt Polly told him to paint the fence around the garden. It was thirty yards long and nine feet high. He felt very depressed.
Then he had a wonderful idea. He picked up his brush and started to work.
Soon Ben came along the road. He was happily eating an apple. He stopped to look at Tom. Tom went on painting and pretended（假裝）not to see Ben.
“I’m going swimming,” said Ben. “Do you want to go swimming, Tom? But I guess you can’t. You have to stay and work, don’t you?”
“Work?” Tom said. “This isn’t work. I’m enjoying myself. Does a boy get a chance to paint a fence like this every day?”
Ben  thought  about  this.  Tom  continued  painting  carefully. Sometimes he stopped, stood back to look at the fence like an artist, and then added a bit more paint in just the right place. Ben was watching Tom paint with great interest. He was getting more and more eager to have a try himself.
After a while, Ben asked Tom if he would let him paint a little. Tom thought about it, and said,
“No, Ben, I can’t. You see. Aunt Polly wants it to be done well. Aunt Polly said that I must paint it with great care.”
“Oh, please, Tom,” begged Ben. “I can do it. I’ll be really careful. Just let me try. I’ll give you half of my apple. Well, I’ll give you all of it!”
“Well, all right, Ben,” said Tom. “You must be very careful.”
He gave Ben his brush with worry on his face but joy in his heart. He sat down under the tree, and started to eat Ben’s apple. All day, boys came to make fun of Tom, but they ended up staying to paint. When Ben got tired, Billy was waiting. He gave Tom a kite for a chance to paint. Then Johnny offered him twelve marbles, and so on.
By late afternoon Tom had gained all sorts of toys, and the fence had gained three  coats of paint. Later Aunt Polly came to look at the painted fence. She was so pleased with Tom’s work that she gave Tom a large cake!
【小題1】Why did Tom pretend not to see Ben when he came and watched him painting?