IV. 课外阅读理解（20%）

Some people remember the things by writing notes to themselves. Then they leave the notes in obvious places, such as on the table or on the floor in the middle of the living room. I don’t think I like to write notes to myself.

Most of the time I lose them or forget to look at them until it’s too late. I prefer to use an alarm clock to tell me what I should do. I have ten alarm clocks in my house. They could tell me about things. For example, if I have to make a telephone call at a certain time, I’ll set an alarm clock to go off a few minutes early and put the clock by the telephone. Or if I want to watch a certain television programme , I’ll set an alarm clock at the right time and put the clock on top of the TV set. I can remember almost anything if I use my clocks. However, sometimes an alarm clock goes off and I don’t know what it means.

I always remember setting it , but not why I set it. If the clock is by the telephone, I know I may have set it to tell me to call someone, but I can’t be sure. I might have set it to tell myself that somebody was to call me at a certain time.

     1. Some people like to write notes to themselves so that they can _____.

       A. leave them in obvious places      B. remember what to do at a certain time

       C. watch a certain programme       D. make a phone call at a certain time

     2. I don’t like to write notes to myself because _____.

       A. they are easy to lose or forget to look at      B. I don’t know where to put them

       C. my handwriting is poor                   D. it gives me too much trouble

     3. I often use ______ to help me remember things.

       A. a notebook        B. a computer        C. telephone calls        D. alarm clocks

     4. Sometimes an alarm clock can’t help me because _____.

       A. I put the clock in a wrong place                B. the clock goes wrong

       C. when the clock goes off, I forget why I set it      D. I’m not sure whom I should call

     5. In this passage, ‘ go off’ means ______.

       A. start off        B. get off        C. go away        D. make a sudden noise

 

       A drunk suddenly w _______ into the middle of the ring during the bullfight. The drunk was u _____ of the danger and the crowd were shouting.

       The bull was very busy with the matador at the time, but it suddenly c _____ sight of the drunk who was shouting rude r _____ and waving a red cap. The bull was apparently s _____ to criticism and it forgot all about the matador and c _____ at the drunk. The crowd suddenly grew quiet. But the drunk seemed quite sure of himself. When the bull got close to him, he clumsily stepped a _____ to let it pass. The crowd b ______ into cheers and the drunk bowed. By this time, three men had come into the ring and they quickly dragged the drunk to safety. Even the bull seemed to feel sorry for him, for it looked on sympathetically until the drunk was out of the w ______ before once more turning it's a ______ to the matador.