36.The main idea of this passage is that .
A.in every school there is a “top” crowd that sets pace
B.it is a mistake to follow the “top” crowd blindly
C.at one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong
D.people who follow the “top” crowd are putting their lives in danger
37.The author disapproves of wearing red sweaters if .
A.the crowd is wearing them B.one can’t afford them
C.one doesn’t look good in red D.it is against school rules
38.People who follow the “top” crowd blindly .
A.are rebels （叛逆者） without a cause B.have no respect for their parents
C.are good-for-nothings D.sometimes do
things against their better judgment
39.The underlined phrase “to bow out” may probably mean .
A.not to take part B.to make an excuse C.to feel sorry D.to be
ashamed
40.The author urges the reader to .
A.follow the crowd B.take the advice from the “top” crowd
C.be independent D.do whatever he wants
The fact that everybody enjoys a good mystery explains why magicians are such popular entertainers. We all know that a magician does not really depend on “magic” to perform his tricks, but on his ability to act at great speed. However, this does not prevent us from enjoying watching a magician produce rabbits from a hat, swallow countless eggs, or saw（锯）his wife in two.
Probably the greatest magician of all time was Harry Houdini who died in 1926. His real name was Enrich Weiss, but he adopted the name “Houdini” after reading a book which influenced him greatly. This had been written by a famous magician called Robert Houdini. Houdini mastered the art of escaping. He could free himself from the tightest knots （最牢固的结）or the most difficult locks in seconds. Although no one really knows how he did this, there is no doubt that he had made a close study of every type of lock ever invented. He would carry a small steel needle-like tool fastened to his leg and he used this instead of a key.
Houdini once asked the Chicago police to lock him in prison. They bound him in chains and locked him up, but he freed himself in an instant. The police accused him of having used a tool andlocked him up again. This time he wore no clothes and there were chains round his neck, waist, wrists（手腕）,and legs; but he again escaped in a few minutes. Houdini had probably hidden his “needle” in a wax-like substance and dropped it on the floor in the passage（过道）.As he went past, he stepped on it so that it so that it stuck to（粘在）the bottom of his foot. His most famous escape, however, was altogether astonishing. He was heavily chained up and shut in an empty wooden box the lid of which was nailed down. The box was dropped into the sea in New York harbor. In one minute Houdini had swum to the surface. When the box was brought up, it was opened and the chains were found inside.
41. Magicians’ successful tricks mostly depend on the fact that they can .
A.create any animals mysteriously B.eat a lot of eggs
C.cut their wives in two D.perform tricks quickly
42. Enrich Weiss used the name Harry Houdini because .
