段落阅读: 1. ... A child’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a hassle ; it can be a basket of fun, according to Amy , a mother of two, ages 4 and 18 months. ... What does the underlined word “hassle” probably mean? A. A party designed by specialists. B. A plan requiring careful thought. C. A situation causing difficulty or trouble. D. A demand made by guests. 2. I feel that since you are my superior , it would be presumptuous of me to tell you what to do . The word " presumptuous " in the middle of the passage is closest in meaning to " __________ " . A . full of respect B . too confident and rude C . lacking in experience D . too shy and quiet 3. If anyone doubt the outcome of his two experiments, said Baker, “I suggest they repeat the experiments and see for themselves.” ... The underlined word “outcome” in the last paragraph most probably means ________________. A. value B. result C. performance D. connection 通篇阅读: Richard Williams works hard. He’s clever, careful, and fast .His work is dangerous. Richard thinks of himself as a professional—a professional thief. Yesterday was a typical day. Richard dressed in a business suit, took his briefcase ( 手提箱 ), and drove to a town about ten miles from his home. He parked his car in a busy area, then began to walk along the street. No one looked at him. He was another businessman walking to work. At 8 : 05, Richard saw what he wanted. A man was leaving his house. Richard walked around the block again. At 8 : 10 , he watched a woman leave the same house. After she left, Richard worked quickly. He walked to the side of the house and stood behind a tree. He took a screwdriver ( 螺丝刀 ) out of his briefcase and quickly opened the window and climbed in. First, he looked through the desk in the living room. He found $200 in cash ( 现金 ). In the dining room, he put the silverware ( 银器 ) into his briefcase. The next stop was the bedroom. Richard stole a diamond ring and an emerald ( 祖母绿宝石 ) necklace. Richard passed a color TV, a stereo ( 音响 ), and a camera, but he didn’t touch them. Everything had to fit into his briefcase. In less than five minutes, Richand climbed back out the window. He looked around carefully, then began his walk down the street again. No one looked at him. He was just another businessman, walking to work. 4. Why did Richard wear a business suit? A. Because he is a professional. B. Because he didn’t want to draw others’ attention to him. C. Because he works hard. D. Because he is a thief. 5. Richard ____ , after the man left his house. A. stood behind a tree B. entered the house C. walked around the block again D. opened the window with a screwdriver 6. The reason why R didn't take the TV set is that ____ A. it is no use for him B. it's too heavy to carry C. it's worth nothing D. it's difficult for him to carry such a thing without being noticed. 7. How long did Richard stay in the house? A. Five minutes. B. One hour. C. Nearly five minutes. D. Fifteen minutes.