三级水平测试试题

Spot dictation

Test 1

In my (1)_____, I have had to master three different kinds of writing machines. I began my career on the manual typewriter. I soon (2)_____ and typed between sixty-five and seventy words per minute. (3)_____, I found myself (4)_____ to an electric typewriter. At first, I swore I preferred a manual because I had trouble remembering (5)______. Also, it took me several days to quit reaching for a carriage return. After a while, however, I (6)_____ returning to a manual. Recently, I was persuaded to give up my electric typewriter for a word processor. (7)_____, I complained in the beginning (8)_____ the new keyboard and the commands. But after using the word processor (9)_____, I don't believe I would consider (10) ______ of the electric typewriter.

Test 2

A farmer who lived in a small village (1)______ in his stomach. The doctor in the village had (2)______ but been unable to cure him. The farmer decided to see (3)______. As he loved money badly and (4)______, he thought he would find out what he would have to pay this doctor. He was told that his patient had to pay three pounds for the first visit, and (5)______. The farmer (6)______. As he came into the doctor's room, he said, "Good morning, doctor. (7)______." The doctor was a little surprised. Then he asked the farmer a few questions, examined his chest and took the pound which the farmer (8)______. The doctor said with a smile, "Well, sir.

(9)______. Please continue to take the same medicine I gave you (10)______."

Test 3

Americans eat breakfast and lunch quickly unless it is a (1)_____. The evening meal is usually longer and a time (2) _____. Rushing through daytime meals is (3)_____ in America. Another reason for (4)______ is that many people eat in restaurants that are (5)______ waiting for a place so that they too (6)______ and return to work (7) _____. So each one hurries to (8)_____. As with busy people everywhere (9)_____ with meals that are eaten in a hurry and those (10)_____ slowly with friends.

Test 4

The first true piece of sports equipment (1)______ was the ball.

In ancient Egypt, as everywhere, pitching stones was a (2)_____. But a badly thrown rock (3)______. Looking for something less dangerous to throw, the Egyptians made (4)_____.

At first, balls (5)_____ held together by vines. Later they were made of pieces of animal skin sewed together and (6)_______.

Even though the Egyptians were warlike, they (7)_____. Before long they had developed a number of ball games, (8)_____. Perhaps they played ball (9)_____. Ball playing was thought of mainly as a way to teach young men the speed and skill (10)_____.

Test 5

It is only a shiny, yellow metal, but it is (1)______ on earth. Since the beginning of time, men have looked for (2)______, gold.

Gold is soft and easy (3)______. If it gets wet, it does not rust like iron or other metals. Acids do not change it. One important reason that gold is so valuable is

(4)______.

(5)______, gold must be combined with other metals (6)______. By hardening gold, people can then make coins and jewelry with it. (7)______ are nickel, platinum, and copper. Gold jewelry (8)______. The K means Karat (carat), which is a measure of the amount of pure gold in the jewelry. Pure gold is 24K. Therefore, a necklace which is 14K is (9)______.

Many countries utilize gold for certain coins, but this practice is not as common now as it once was. The United States, for instance, (10)______ in 1933.

Test 6

A nobleman and a merchant once met in a tavern. For their lunch (1)______. When it was brought, the nobleman took a spoonful. (2)______ that he burned his mouth and (3)______. The merchant asked him why he was weep ing. The nobleman was (4)______ he had burned his mouth and answered, "Sir, I once had a brother (5)______, for which he was hanged. I was thinking of his death, (6)______." The merchant, believing his story, began to eat his soup. He (7)______, so that he had tears in his eyes. Noticing it, the nobleman asked the merchant, "Sir, (8)______?" The merchant, who now saw that the nobleman(9)______, answered, "My lord, I am weeping because you were not(10) ______."

Test 7

We have just climbed out of a spaceship (1) _____. Behind us is the ship, (2)_____ and half in deep shadow. (3)_____ is a wall of mountains towering against the black sky. And there, (4)_____, is a great ball of light, (5)_____ in blue and green and brown with a patch of dazzling white at the top. (6)_____ — the earth.

(7)_____ and rise like prize jumpers —up float, and down again. Hopping carefully, (8)_____, the sloping crater walls, the shadowy crater floors.

(9)_____ — there is no air to carry sound, no wind; there are no smells, no plants, no animals. There is (10)_____, blinding sunlight and cold black shadows.

Test 8

An expensive car (1)_____ of a small town was overtaken by a young motorcycle policeman. As he started (2)_____, the woman behind the wheel said haughtily, "(3) _____, young man, I think you should know that (4)_____ is a good friend of mine." The officer did not say a word, (5)_____. "I am also a friend of chief of police Barnes," continued the woman, (6)_____ each moment. Still he kept on writing. "Young man," she persisted, "I know Judge Lawson and State Senator Patton."

(7)_____, the officer asked pleasantly, "Tell me, do you know Bill Bronson?"

"Why, no," (8)_____.

"Well, that is the man (9)_____." He said, (10)_____ his motorcycle, "I am Bill Bronson."

Test 9

A certain old gentleman was very (1)_______, and thought that young people nowadays were not being taught the importance of knowing (2)_______.

One day he was (3)_______ near his home when he saw some young boys standing around a small cat. The old gentleman (4)______ and asked them (5)_______. One of the boys said to him, "(6)_______. We're telling lies, and the one (7)_______ gets to keep the cat."

The old gentleman thought that this was a good opportunity (8)_______, so he said to them, "(9)______ in my life." All at once there was a great shout from all the boys, and they said. "(10)_______! You can take the cat!"

Test 10

A man was (1)_____ in the country and wanted to sell it and (2) _____. He attempted to sell it for a long time, (3)______, so at last he decided (4)_____ by using a real estate agent.

The agent promptly advertised the house, and a few days later, the owner saw (5)______ of it, with a wonderful description of its gardens (6)_____.

After the house owner had (7)______, he hastened to telephone (8)_______ and said to him, "I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, but I've decided (9)_______ after all. After reading your advertisement in that magazine, I can see that it's (10)______ I've wanted to live in all my life."