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第二节：完形填空(共20小题，每小题1．5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36～55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Throughout history，people have been the victims of pickpockets．Today，  36  is one of the most rapidly increasing  37 ．Pickpockets are increasing   38  and developing better methods to practice their skill．  39  one million Americans lose money to pickpockets every year．No one is really safe  40   a skilled pickpocket．His victims，or “marks” 41  they are rolled，can be rich or poor，young or old．  42 the 18th century，pickpockets   43  in England．Large crowds of people would gather to watch the hanging  44  was supposed to be a warning to other pickpockets．  45 ，in time the practice was discontinued．
Police officials say that most   46  pickpockets come from South America． 47 these expert pickpockets  48   in special schools called Jingle Bell School．A pickpocket graduates from a J．B． 49 he is able to steal a wallet from a dressed dummy that has  50 inside its pockets!
Some of the  51  places of pickpockets are banks，airports，supermarkets，trains and bus stations．  52  a pickpocket will work with another pickpocket  53  his partner．  54  being the victim of a pickpocket，it is   55  to be very careful when in the midst of large gatherings of people．
36．A．pick pocketing B．stealing pickpockets    C．to pickpocket D．to steal pickpockets
37．A．headaches           B．faults              C．mistakes                 D．crimes
38．A．by far                 B．at random       C．in number              D．out of order
39．A．Automatically     B．Obviously        C．Approximately       D．Subsequently
40．A．against               B．with               C．out of                    D．from
41．A．since                  B．as                   C．so                          D．thus
42．A．At                      B．Since              C．From                     D．During
43．A．were hanged       B．would hang        C．were hung              D．must be hung
44．A．what                  B．of which         C．which                    D．among whom
45．A．Therefore           B．At once          C．Because                 D．However
46．A．attractive            B．convenient       C．efficient                 D．serious
47．A．Much of             B．A large amount of   C．Many of                 D．A great number
48．A．are researched     B．specialize            C．are trained              D．major
49．A．where                 B．when                  C．although                D．however
50．A．money                B．jewelry               C．bells                      D．rings
51．A．favorite              B．liking                 C．favored                  D．be liked
52．A．Seldom              B．Once                  C．Often                     D．Forever
53．A．like                    B．being                  C．for                        D．as
54．A．To avoid             B．To neglect           C．Trying not              D．To forget
55．A．critical               B．fortunately          C．important               D．obvious