高二英语基础阅读材料Lesson 56 Faster than sound! 比声音还快！How fast did the winning car go?Once a year, a race is held for old cars. A lot of cars entered for this race last year and there was a great deal of excitement just before it began. One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The most unusual car was a Benz which had only three wheels. Built in 1885,it was the oldest car taking part. After a great many loud explosions, the race began. Many of the cars broke down on the cour se and some drivers spent more t ime under their cars than in them! A few cars, however, completed the race. The winning car reached a speed of forty miles an hour----much faster than any of its rivals. It sped downhill at the pleasure. It was very different from modern car races but no less exciting.New words and expressions 生词和短语sound /saund/ n. 声音 explosion [ɪkˈspləʊʒn] n.爆炸，轰响excitement [ɪkˈsaɪtmənt] n.激动，兴奋 course [kɔː(r)s] n.跑道；行程handsome ['hænsəm] adj. 漂亮的；美观的 rival ['raɪv l] n.对手Rolls-Royce [ˈrəulzˈrɔis] 罗尔斯-罗伊斯 speed /spi:d/ (sped/sped/,sped) v.疾驶Benz /benz/ n. downhill /daun'hil/ adv. 下坡wheel /wi:l/ n.轮子回答下列问题.1 Did a lot of old cars enter for the race or not? How often is it held?2 What could be heard when they set off? Did many cars break down during the race or not? Did a few manage to complete the course or not?3 Did the winning car go downhill quickly or slowly? When did its driver have a lot of difficulty trying to stop it?用括号中的连词改写以下句子，必要时可以省略用斜体印出的词。

1 There was a loud explosion. My old ca r stopped. (and)2 I got out. I wanted to have a look at the engine. (to)3 The n a man passed me. He was driving a large modern car. (a man who)4 I waved to him. He did not stop. (but)5 I passed the large car later. Its driver was changing a wheel. (When)Exercises 练习A. 划出课文中表示比较的用法，注意以下这些词组的用法：a lot of, a great deal of, a great many, a few, and different from.B. 补上遗漏的词，完成练习后再对照课文核对你的答案。

Once a year a race is hel d for old cars. A _______ ______cars entered for this race last year and there was a great ______of excitement just before it began. One of the______ handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The______ unusual car was a Benz which had only three wheels. Built in 1885, it was the ______(old) car taking part. After a great______ loud explosions, the race began. ______of the cars broke down on the course and some drivers spent___ time under their cars than in them! A______ cars, however, completed the race. The winning car reached a speed of forty miles an hour----much faster______ any of its rivals. It sped downhill at the end of the race and its driver had a ______ ______trouble trying to stop it. The race gave everyone a great______ of pleasure. It was very dif ferent ______modern car races but no______ exciting.Multiple choice questions 多项选择题1 What was unusual about the car race?a． The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. b． The Benz which was built in 1885. c． All the cars were old. d．There were many loud explosions.2 A lot of cars took part in the race, ______.a． but only a few completed the course b． and they all completed the course c． and most of them completed the course d． but only one of them completed the course3 A lot of cars entered for this race. There were______ cars in it.a． much b． lot of c． lots of d． plenty4 ______in 1885, so it was the oldest car in the race.a． It built b． Built c． It was built d． Having built5 It was the oldest car taking part. There wasn't ______one.a． an olde r b． the oldest c． an elder d． the eldest6 It reached a speed of forty miles an hour. It ______ forty miles an hour. a． ran b． ran with c． went at d． drove with7 It was different from modern cars. It wasn't______ modern cars.a． the same as b． the same with c． same with d． same as8 One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce. It was a ______car.a． pretty b． beautiful c． seemly d． nice9 The most unusual car was a Benz. It wasn't a ______car.a． used b． common c．vulgar d． accustomed10 There were many loud explosions. There were m any loud ______.a． knocks b． hits c． bangs d． thumps11 Many of the cars broke down. They ______.a． were in pieces b． were broken up c． couldn't go d． were spoilt 12 It went faster t han any of its rivals. It went faster than its ______.a． opponents b． enemies c． competitors d． partners。