Questions, old and new

Intro: China Daily compared the questions in the English section of the gaokao four decades ago with those asked last year. Here is a selection. See if you can answer them correctly, and try to guess those that appeared in the 1977 test.

Part I: Choose the correct word to fill each blank.

1. In this factory, it's hard to tell cadres ________ workers.

a) from b) to c) about

2. - Excuse me. Which movie are you waiting for?

- The new Star Wars. We _________ here for more than two hours.

a) waited b) wait c) would be waiting d) have been waiting

3. I live next door to a couple _________ children often make a lot of noise.

a) whose b) why c) where d) which

4. We must _________ the importance of the four modernizations.

a) learn by heart b) keep in mind c) know by heart

Part II: Fill each blank in the following paragraphs with a proper word or with the proper form of the word given in parenthesis.

Paragraph one:

Chengdu has dozens of new millionaires, Asia's biggest building and fancy new hotels. But for tourists like me, pandas are its top 1________ (attract).

So it was a great honor to be invited backstage at the nonprofit Panda Base, where ticket sales help pay for research. I 2________ (allow) to get up close to these cute animals at the 60-hectare center.

From tomorrow, I will be their UK ambassador. The title will be 3________ (official) given to me at a ceremony in London. But my connection with pandas goes back 4________ my days on a TV show in the mid-1980s, 5________ I was the first Western TV reporter 6________ (permit) to film a special unit caring for pandas rescued from starvation in the wild.

My ambassadorial duties will include 7________ (introduce) British visitors to the 120-plus pandas at Chengdu and others at a research center in the misty mountains of Bifengxia. On my recent visit, I held a lively 3-month-old twin that had been rejected by 8________ (it) mother. The nursery team switches him every few 9________ (day) with his sister, so that while one is being bottle-fed, 10________ other is with mum. She never suspects.

Paragraph two:

Premier Chou came to 1____ my grandmother the first time he 2____ Tachai. I shouted into Granny's 3____, "Granny, the premier's here. He's come all the 4____ from Peking to see you."

"How 5________ we are to meet you, Premier Chou," Granny said. "How did you get here and how 6________ are you going to stay?"

The premier said, "I came by 7________, so the journey took me only a few hours. I 8________ think I can stay in Tachai very long, because I've got a 9________ of work to do in Peking. I 10________ be back today."