50. Thus the age we live in offers little prospect of outward stability, and only those who by an inner serenity and disentanglement have learned how to deal with the continually unexpected can be at home in it.

A. One of the characteristics of our age is that it is constantly changing.

B. It is impossible for us to be living in the same age all our lives.

C. We are living in a very dangerous age ,and it is not stable at all.

D. Living in an age of instability, we can’t hope to live peacefully.转贴于：自学考试_博学在线

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IV. 阅读理解。认真阅读下列两篇短文，每篇短文后有5个问题，根据短文的内容从A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择一个正确答案，并将所选答案的字母写在答题纸上。（本大题共10小题，每小题1分，共10分）

  Read the two passages and answer the questions. (10 points)

Passage 1

On my voyage to Japan, I shared a cabin with Mr. Kelada. He was chatty and seemed too sure of himself.

One evening at dinner the passengers started talking about culture pearls(人工养殖珍珠) the Japanese were making, Mr. Kelada rushed the new topic:

“I’m going to Japan just to look into the Japanese pearl business. I’m in the trade and I know all the best pearls in the world. They’ll never be able to get a culture pearl that an expert like me can’t tell with half an eye.” He pointed to the chain that Mrs. Ramsay wore. “You take my word for it, Mrs. Ramsay, that chain you’re wearing will never be worth a cent less than it is now.”

Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed (脸红) a little and slipped the chain inside her dress. Mr. Ramsay leaned forward. He gave us all a look, and a smile shone in his eyes.

“That’s a pretty chain, isn’t it? ”

“I noticed it at once,” answered Mr. Kelada. “Gee, I said to myself, those are pearls all right.”

“I didn’t buy it myself, of course. I’d be interested to know how much you think it cost.”

“Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue I shouldn’t be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.”

Mr. Ramsay smiled grimly.

“You’ll be surprised to hear that Mrs. Ramsay bought that string at a department store the day before we left New York, for eighteen dollars.”

Mr. Kelada flushed.

“Nonsense. It’s not only real, but it’s as fine a string for its size as I’ve ever seen.”

“Will you bet(打赌) on it? I’ll bet you a hundred dollars that it’s imitation.”

“Done.”

“Oh, Elmer, you can’t bet on a certainty,” said Mrs. Ramsay.

She had a little smile on her lips, and her tone was gently showing strong disagreement.

“Can’t I? If I get a chance of easy money like that I should be all sorts of a fool not to take it .”

“But how can it be proved?” she continued. “It’s only my word against Mr. Kelada’s”.

“Let me look at the chain, and if it’s imitation, I’ll tell you quickly enough. I can afford to lose a hundred dollars,” said Mr. Kelada.

“Take it off, dear. Let the gentleman look at it as much as he wants.”

Mrs. Ramsay hesitated a moment. She put her hands to the clasp(项链扣).

“I can’t undo it,” she said. “Mr. Kelada will just have to take my word for it.”

I had a sudden suspicion that something unfortunate was about to occur, but I could think of nothing to say.

Mr. Ramsay jumped up.

“I’ll undo it.”

He handed the chain to Mr. Kelada. The man took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his smooth and rather dark-coloured face. He handed back the chain. He was about to speak. Suddenly he caught sight of Mrs. Ramsay’s face. It was so white that she looked as though she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. They held a desperate appeal(恳求); it was so clear that I wondered why her husband did not see it.

Mr. Kelada stopped with his mouth open. He flushed deeply. You could almost see the effort he was making over himself.

“I was mistaken,” he said. “It’s a very good imitation… ” He handed Mr. Ramsay a hundred-dollar note without a word . I noticed that Mr. Kelada’s hands were trembling.

51. At the start of the story, Mr. Kelada is found boasting about his skill in

A. recognizing culture pearls from real ones.

B. predicting the rise and fall of pearl market.

C. examining pearls with half an eye.

D. estimating the price of any jewel.

52. What result did Mrs. Ramsay desperately want the bet to end with? Why?

A. She wanted Mr. Kelada to win because she wanted her pearls to turn out real.

B. She expected her husband to lose because he had forced her to take her chain off.

C. She wished that Mr. Kelada would lose because she didn’t want her husband to know the truth.

D. She desperately hoped her husband would win because she didn’t want him to lose $100.

53. When Mrs. Ramsay put on a look of “desperate appeal” she

A. was afraid that her husband would lose $100.

B. appealed to her husband not to bet on certainty.

C. wanted both to calm down and give up the bet.

D. w