华中师范大学网络学院《阅读 1》练习测试题库

I. Vocabulary: (每题一分)

A．Directions: These exercise give you practice using clues from a reading passage.

Use your general knowledge, your knowledge of stems and affixes, and information

form the entire text below to guess the meaning of the following words. Then match

the words with the probable explanations.

Passage 1: Think Positive!

If you are an optimist, you probable look at life a little differently than many

other people. Partly cloudy to you means mostly sunny. If you lose your map and

don't know where you are, you think of it as a chance to enjoy some sightseeing.

When you lose your job, you think of it as a chance to change careers. You have probably taken a few digs from pessimist: They call you "unrealistic";

they say you see the world "through rose-colored glasses "instead of "the way it really

is." They say you're a dreamer.Pessimism is often portrayed as the sign of the intellectual, and optimism as the

philosophy of the fool. Voltire said optimists maintain "that all is well when things are

going bad." Novelist James Branch Cabell said, "The optimist proclaims that we live

in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true.But new scientific research suggests that optimists may know something we can

all learn from. The research links optimist to health and well-being; optimists tend to

be healthier and happier.

1. optimist a. connects

2. sightseeing b. a person who sees things in a positive way and expects

things to go well

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3. digs c. insists4. pessimist d. seeing the places of interest in a location5. portrayed e. claim6. maintain f. negative comments7. proclaims g. described8. links h. people who expect things will go badly

Passage 2: Dumping Health Risks on Developing Nations

issued the Victoria Declaration, a 44-page world-wide plan for reducing health

problems. It included several recommendations. First, governments should adopt laws

that would end advertising and other types of promotion of tobacco products.

Governments should work for a multinational ban on tobacco exports; tobacco

exporting should be stopped. Finally, a tobacco fund would be created in each country

that would be funded by a tobacco sales tax. Every time people bought tobacco, they

would be contributing to the fund. This money would be used for creation of a smoke-

free society."While smoking has slowly but declined in the United States since 1964, the

World Health Organization (WHO) notes that smoking in developing countries has

increased steadily," says John W. Farquhar, professor of medicine and director of the

Standford University Center for Research in Disease Prevention. WHO estimates that

550, 000 of the 5,500,0000 people in the world will die prematurely of smoking and

its effects.Farquhar says that politically, morally, and educationally, the thrust of future

programs must be to help developing countries. These countries must receive the

support they need to create programs that strive toward the same results that are

finally being reached in the developed world. According to Farquhar, we should

ensure that the developed world not look at emerging nations as a dumping ground for

products, such as tobacco, that they no longer want, that is, products that are

becoming less marketable in the developed world. To Farquhar, pushing dangerous

products onto other counties just because they cannot be sold in the developed world

is unjust.

9. adopt a. able to be sold

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10. promotion b. a place to which unwanted things are sent11. ban c. to accept formally and put into effort12. fund d. gone down13. tax e. developing14. declined f. an official rule that forbids something15. prematurely g. a payment to government based on the price of each item16. thrust h. make great effort17. strive i. a supply of money for a particular purpose18.emerging j. young19. dumping ground k. attempts to sell20. marketable l. goal

B．Word analysis can help you to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words. Using

context clues and what you know about prefixes, try to guess the meaning of the

marked words by choosing the right answers. 1. The magazine used to be published only once a year, but now it is printed

semiannually.The magazine is now printed ________________________.

a. once a year b. once half a year c. once a month d. twice a month

2. The new school has 20 classrooms, a library, an office area, and a large

multipurpose room that can be used as a lunchroom, gymnasium, and theater.A multipurpose room can be used ______________________.

a. for reading b. b. for mealsc. for meetings d. d. for all of the above

3. The English actor’s monocle hung on a string around his neck. When he read, he

held it to his eye.The actor used the monocle ________________________.

a. on one of his eyes b. on two eyes c. as a mirror d. as a mask

4. Bill hopes he will get the new job he applied for. The new salary would be triple

the amount of money he makes now.

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If Bill makes $ 600 now, his new salary will be ________________.a. $ 120 b. $ 1200 c. $ 1600 d. $1800

5. Many people never expected to see the unification of West Germany and the

German Democratic Republic.The word “unification” means _______________________.

a. to split into two b. to split into many parts c. to join together d. to disappear

6. Al should not be in the choir; he sings in a monotone.Al should ____________________.

a. sing alone b. sing with another singer c. stop singing d. sing a different song

7. This team will probably win the semifinal game, but I would be very surprised if

the players are good enough to win the final, championship game tomorrow.In the semifinal, the players should fight for _________________

a.the first place b. the second placec. the third place d. none of the above

8. According to bilateral trade agreement, both countries will sell more of each

other’s products.The agreement is agreed by ____________________.

a. one country b. two countries c. three countries d. four countries

9. The bank wanted to build a multistory building downtown, but the people of the

small town did not want such a tall building on Main Street.The building has ___________________.

a. one floor b. two floors c. many floors d. many rooms

10. In the semidarkness of the theater, I had a hard time finding my seat.The theater is ____________.

a. almost dark b. completely dark c. bright d. clean

C．In this exercise, do not try to learn the meanings of the italicized words. Work to

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develop your ability to guess the meanings of the words using context clues. Read

each sentence carefully, and write a definition, synonym, or description in the space

provided. Do not leave any item without a guess. The only bad answer in this exercise

is no answer. Guess, guess, guess! Then match the proper definition with the marked

word.

a. to move like a snake b. to take a child as a legal member of a family c. sat upon d. control e. long teeth of the elephant f. extremely hungry g. shouting and complaining h. to push with a pointed object i. quiet

j. a kind of dentist

Multiple choice: 1. We watched the cat come quietly across the field to where the bird perched on the

wire. But just as it seemed that the cat would certainly catch him, he flew away.

_______________________

2. The Wilsons could not have children of their own, so they decided to adopt a baby.________________

3. Elephants are in danger of disappearing completely. They are killed for their tusks,

which people use to make jewelry. _____________________

4. Gentleman was an angry old man, who could often be heard complaining and

shouting and arguing about some part of modern life that he disagreed with just

yesterday, for example, I heard him railing against women who work outside the

home.

5. The snake slithered through the grass. _________________________________

6. Ross is a very unpleasant person. The other day some of us were having a

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conversation in the hall when he came up and started arguing about politics and

religion. As he became more and more excited, he pushed closer to me until I was

backed up against the wall. Then he started poking me in the chest with his finger, as

if he were punctuating a sentence on my shirt.____________________________________________

7. My uncle is a periodonist, so when he comes to stay with us we have to be careful

to brush our teeth after every meal. If we don't, he tells long stories about his patients,

whose teeth have fallen out because they do not brush regularly.

_______________________________

8. Just like his taciturn father, John rarely says anything at family gatherings.

________________

9. After not eating all day, Joyce was ravenous. She wanted to eat everything in sight.____________________

10. Eating a lot of rich food is unhealthy. The doctor told John he would have to curb

his eating if he did not eat to risk heart disease. ______________________________

II. Sentence Understanding: (每题一分)

Directions: Read the following sentences carefully and quickly. The questions are

designed to test your understanding.

1. An interesting fact about technology is that it can both hurt the environment and be

our best hope for preventing or repairing such damage. What can we infer from the above sentence?A. Technology is the best way to repair the environment. B. It's interesting to use technology to help the environment. C. Technology can cause environmental damage. D. Technology is the only way to repair environmental damage.

2. As anyone who has ever visited Paris will know, the difference between a traveler

and a tourist lies not in the place visited but in the way it is visited, not in where you

go but how.

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What can we learn from the sentence?A. For this author, the terms traveler and tourist are synonyms. B. Tourists visit different places than do travelers.C. Only a tourist would visit Paris. D. You can see both travelers and tourists in Paris.

3. Despite all the money it spent on advertising the new car, the company isn't having

much success selling it. What does the sentence tell us about the company?A. It spent a lot of money on advertising. B. Its advertisements have had much success. C. It has had a lot of success selling its new car. D. It has had a lot of success selling its advertising.

4. Mrs. Dawson, who had just gone upstairs to change clothes, heard a sudden shout

as she passed the old lady's door. Who shouted? A. Mrs. Dawson B. the old lady C. We don't know. D. Someone who had just gone upstairs.

5. Albert was sitting next to Julia in the outer office when Alice returned after her

meeting with Miss Cain. Who had a meeting? A. Albert and JuliaB. Julia and Miss Cain C. Julia and Alice D. Alice and Miss Cain

6. If any final proof were needed of Joanna's remarkable abilities, it could be found in

the way she performed on the difficult three-hour entrance examination.How did Joanna do on the examination? A. She did very well. B. She found the examination difficult. C. She could do all except the final proof.

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D. After three hours she hadn't finished.

7. Obviously, there was a tremendous amount of research that needed to be done, and

that would require more money than was available by way of government funding. What was money needed for? A. to study government funding B. to get government funding C. to conduct research D. to repay the government

8. If it wasn't bad enough that Kevin left the dinner early, I found out that he left with

my coat instead of his. What do we definitely know about Kevin? A. He ate dinner early. B. He should have left early. C. It wasn't bad that he left. D. He left his coat.

9. The real reason why prices were, and still are, too high is complicated, and no short

discussion can satisfactorily explain this problem.What word or phrase best describes prices?A. Complicated.B. Adequately explained.C. Too high in the past, but low now.D. Too high in the past and in the present.

10. Because the supply of natural gas was plentiful in comparison to other choices

like coal and fuel oil, and because it burns cleaner, many people changed their heating

systems to natural gas, thereby creating shortages.Why did people prefer gas?A. It was natural.B. There were no other choices.C. The other fuels were dirtier and less plentiful.D. There is, even today, a plentiful supply of it.

11. Things won't get done simply because the situation requires them to be done.

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What can we learn from the sentence?A. It takes more than the existence of a need for thing to get done.B. The situation has little to do with the need for something to get done.C. A need and a situation which causes the need are adequate to ensure that things will get done.D. Thing will usually get done regardless of conditions other than the situation which requires them to be done.

12. Words can be recognized by the mature reader about as quickly as individual letter

or syllable.What can we learn from the sentence?

A. Individual letters and syllables are recognized appreciably faster than words by the

mature reader.B. Syllables, individual letters, and words are recognized with about the same speed

by the mature reader.C. Syllables are commonly recognized faster than individual letters by the mature

reader.D. It makes little difference whether the reader is taught to concentrate on recognizing

whole words, syllables, or individual letters.

13. An author usually emphasizes important points in his work by the use of devices

which attract the reader's attention.What can we learn from the sentence?

A. Attention-getting techniques are used by authors for emphasis of important points.B. Authors generally assume that a mature reader will be able to identify important

points on his own.C. Most authors are interested in presenting their work to the interested reader and

assume that the interested reader will work out the important points.D. An author usually does assume that all of his readers will identify important points

in his work without assistance.

14. College students tend to demonstrate the capacity to absorb knowledge but seldom

produce ideas of their own.The sentence tells us that ________________.A. College students sample courses in the basic knowledge area to test their

skills for college success.

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B. College students can usually gain factual knowledge but seldom organize new

concepts.C. Students attend college in order to absorb ideas and produce knowledge.D. Students attend college in order to absorb knowledge and learn to organize the

knowledge into concept.

15. An effective teacher is the enthusiastic lecturer who makes his subject exciting

and meaningful for the student.The sentence tells us that ________________.A. The ineffective lecturer is probably enthusiastic about his subject and

students.B. Effective teaching is exciting and enthusiastic.C. The enthusiastic lecturer who makes his subject exciting and meaningfulfor his students is an effective teacher.D. College lecturers are effective teachers of exciting subject and students.

16.My discovery of Tillie Olsen was a gift from a friend; years ago she gave me her

copy of Tell Me a Riddle because she liked the stories and wanted to share the

experience.What do we know about Tille Olsen?A. she is a friend. B. She likes stories.C. She gives gifts. D. She is an author.

17. The project of which this book is the result was first suggested in the summer of

1992, in the course of some leisurely conversations at the foot of and (occasionally)

on top of the Alps of western Austria.What can you know from the sentence?A. This book was written in 1992.B. This book was written in Austria.C. This book is a collection of conversations held in 1992.D. This book is the end result of a project.

18. A few government officials even estimate that the war has created more than

half a million refugees who need immediate food, clothing, and shelter.

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Exactly how many refugees are there?A. half a million B. over half a million C. We don't know exactly. D. Only a few government officials know the exact figure. 19. Los Angeles' safety record with school buses is generally a good one, but of

course this record is only as good as the school bus drivers themselves.What can we learn?A. In spite of a generally good safely record for their school buses, Los Angles school bus drivers are not very good.B. Los Angeles' safety record with school bused has improved because better bus

drivers have been hired.C. If cities wish to maintain good safety records with school buses, they school hire

good school bus drivers.D. With better school buses, drivers will be able to maintain better safety records. 20. Taxes being so high, the descendents of the wealthy class of the nineteenth century are being forced to rent out their estates to paying guests.What can we learn?A. In the nineteenth century, the wealthy class rented out its estates.B. Because of high taxes, families that were rich one hundred years ago now rent out their estates.C. Guests pay high taxes when they rent old estates.

D. High taxes have not changed the lives of some of the old wealthy families.

21. Cliff said he doesn't mind going to the grocery store if his roommate is too busy to

go tonight.We know that _______________.A. Cliff is too busy to go.B. Cliff doesn't want to go.C. Cliff's roommate is too busy to go.D. Cliff may go to the store. 22. The project would have failed even with Theresa's help. What do we know about the project?

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A. It failed because Theresa didn't help.B. Theresa did not help, and it failed. C. Theresa helped, so it didn't fail. D. It will fail without Theresa's help. 23. Ms. Haar announced the winner of the contest once Mr. Wilson had arrived. What

happened first? A. The winner was announced. B. Mr. Wilson arrived. C. Mr. Wilson won the contest. D. Ms. Haar won the contest. 24. By the time he was 19, in 1963, Li Huasheng knew without any doubt that he

wanted to be a painter.What can we know about Li Huasheng? A. In 1963, Li Huasheng was a painter. B. In 1963, Li Huasheng doubted that he wanted to be a painter. C. Li Huasheng is probably a painter today. D. Li Huasheng had always wanted to be a painter. 25. Only a few modern artists are as internationally successful as the sculptor Carl

Andre.What can we learn about Carl Andre? A. Only a few modern artists are successful. B. Carl Andre is not an artist. C. Carl Andre is more internationally successful than most modern artists.D. Many modern artists are more successful than Carl Andre. 26. Unlike women's clothes, men's wear styles don't usually undergo dramatic

changes.Which of the following is right? A. Women's clothing styles often change dramatically. B. Men's clothing styles often change dramatically. C. Men who style women's clothes dislike women. D. Men's underwear, unlike women's clothes, is likely to undergo dramatic changes.

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27. Despite what many people believe, writing is not only a matter of putting one's

ideas into words.Which of the following is right? A. Writing is only a matter of putting one's ideas into words. B. Writing requires putting one's words into ideas. C. Many people believe that writing is only a matter of putting one's ideas into words. D. Many people believe that writing is not only a matter of putting one's ideas into

words. 28. There should be a special place on bookshelves for well-meaning lesson books

like Norman Leach's "My Wicked Stepmother." A. This is a successful lesson book B. The author of this sentence doesn't like this book C. The book tries to give someone a good lesson. D. Norman Leach is the author of the book. 29. Aside from her work with the movie director D.W. Griffith, Lillian Gish's acting

in The Wind is her best. Gish's best performance was__________________.A. in The Wind. B. aside from her work. C. with D.W. Griffith. D. not as good as D.W. Griffith's. 30. Sam, the worst player on the team, passed the ball to Pete who, as the best player,

had a better chance to score. What happened in the game? A. Sam got a better chance to score. B. Pete threw the ball to the best player. C. Sam threw the ball to the best player. D. Pete threw the ball to the worst player. 31. For J.D. Woods, the long-term worry is not that there will be too many airplanes at

the small airport, but too few. J.D. Woods worries that_________________.A. there will not be enough airplanes. B. there will be too many airplanes.

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C. the airport will be too small. D. it will take a long time to land at the airport. 32. With the exception of AT&T, each of the many long-distance telephone companies

in this country is a relative youngster. What does the author say about AT&T? A. It is a relatively young company. B. It is older than the other long-distance companies. C. It no longer operates in this country. D. It has a long relationship with other companies. 33. The ability to read is essential to success in school.The sentence tells us that ____________.A. Reading ability and success in school have little in common.B. Individual progress records should be kept by all students.C. A student cannot hope to succeed in school if he cannot read.D. Reading is an active progress. 34. About three-fourths of all study in college requires reading.The sentence tells us that _____________.A. Most of study required in college calls for reading on the part of the student.B. College study is difficult.C. About three-fourths of the college-age population should go to college.D. Although reading ability is important many other study skills are important in

college. 35. A good athlete is careful to keep in excellent physical condition.The sentence tells us that ______________.A. Good athletes seem to be those who are naturally strong.B. A good athlete is concerned about staying in top physical condition.C. Good athletes usually stay in top condition as a result of holding jobs which require

hard physical labor.D. A good athlete usually lives in good conditions.　36. This is not just a sad-but-true story; the boy's experience is horrible and damaging,

yet a sense of love shines through every word.

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How does the author of this sentence feel about the story?A. It transmits a sense of love. B. It is just sad. C. It is not true.D. It is horrible and damaging.

37. The financial situation isn't bad yet, but we believe that we have some vital

information and, if it is correct, unemployment will soon become a serious problem.What do we know about the financial situation?A. It won't change. B. It will become a serious problem. C. It is not bad now.D. It will improve. 38. Like other timeless symbols, flags have accompanied mankind for thousands of

years, gaining even wider meaning, yet losing none of their inherent and original

force. What can you know from the sentence?A. In spite of losing some of their original force, flags are a timeless symbol that has

accompanied mankind for thousands of years.B. Timeless symbols typically gain wider meaning while not losing their inherent

force.C. Thousands of years ago flags accompanied mankind but through time they have

their force.D. Because flags are considered a timeless symbol, they have gained continually

wider meaning without losing their inherent original force. 39. When there is an absence of reliable information about drugs, the risks involved in

using them are greatly increased.What can we infer form the sentence?A. There is no reliable information about drugs.B. Using drugs is more dangerous when we don't know what effects and dangers are

involved.C. The risks involved in using drugs have increased.D. There are no risks involved in using drugs if we have reliable information about

them.

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40. The general then added, "The only reasonable solution to the sort of problems

caused by the current unstable political situation is one of diplomacy and economic

measures and not the use of military force."What type of solution does the general support?A. economic and diplomatic actionB. diplomatic and economic action if military force failsC. only diplomatic action D. military action in response to political problems

41. The Green Tiger Press believes that the relatively unknown works of great

children's illustrators are sources of vast beauty and power, and is attempting to make

these treasures more easily available.What is the goal of this printing company?A. to publish more children's booksB. to develop powerful stories C. to make children's illustrations more easily available D. to encourage artists to become children's illustrators 42. Although he calls the $1,000 donation " a very generous amount, especially in

these times," the president expresses hope that the project will attract additional funds

from companies and other sources so that it can continue beyond this first year.What does the president know about the project?A. It will cost only $1,000.B. It is very special.C. Special sources will support it.D. It cannot continue without additional funding. 43. According to the definition of Chinese traditional medicine, acupuncture is the

treatment of disease-not just the alleviation of pain- by inserting very fine needles into

the body at specific points called loci.What can we learn from the above?A. Those using acupuncture treat disease by placing needles into the body at specific

points.B. Finely pointed needles called loci are used in acupuncture.

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C. The author believes people know that acupuncture can be used to treat illness.D. Only those who practice traditional Chinese medicine use acupuncture. 44. It would be difficult to overpraise this book.What can we learn from the above?A. This is a difficult book.B. This book deserves much praise.C. It is difficult not to overpraise this book.D. It is difficult to praise this book. 45 These robust and persistent sailors gathered from all the nations of western Europe,

and set out on the voyages that laid foundations for four great empires with no other

power than sail and oar.Why were these voyages important?A. Sailors came from many countries in Europe.B. The voyages laid the foundation for western Europe.C. The foundations for empires were established.D. Western Europe lost its power. 46. Young people need to develop the values, attitudes, and problem-solving skills

essential to their participation in a political system that was designed, and is still

based, on the assumption that all citizens would be so prepared.What is a basic assumption of this political system? A. All people will be capable of participation.B. All people participate in the system.C. All people should have the same values and attitudes.D. Most people cannot develop the skills to participate in the system. 47. While we may be interested in the possibilities of social harmony and individual

fulfillment to be achieved through nontraditional education, one cannot help being

cautious about accepting any sort of one-sided educational program as a cure for the

world's ills.How does the author feel about nontraditional education?A. He believes that it has no possibility of success.B. He doubts that it can cure the world's ills.C. He feels that it is a cure for the world's ills.

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D. He believes it will bring social harmony. 48. Although the company has a large cafeteria, most offices have their own

coffeemakers.What can we know?A. Making coffee in the office is more convenient.B. The coffee in the cafeteria is terrible.C. Many people in the company drink coffee. D. People don’t like the coffee in the cafeteria. 49. A retired widower spends some time each day sitting on a bench in a shopping

mall. He frequently starts conversations with people who sit near him.What can we know?A. The man is lonely and goes to the mall to be around people.B. The man is mentally disturbed.C. One of the man's favorite places is the mall. D. The man missed his wife. 50. As her father let go the bike, Robin pedaled another ten feet before failing. "I was

Flying!" whooped Robin.What can we know?A. Robin is learning to ride a two-wheeler.B. She was badly hurt when she fell.C. Robin is thrilled with her own progress.

III. Paragraph reading （每题 2分）Directions: Read the following paragraphs quickly to discover the main idea. Don't worry about the details in the paragraphs. You only want to determine the general message. After you read each paragraph, circle the letter next to the sentence that best expresses the main idea.

Paragraph 1

A process is a natural series of actions and reactions that leads to specific results. All of us

participate in a variety of processes every day. We digest our food, heal ourselves by making new

skin cells, distribute resources through our bodies by breathing, and use our five senses. Natural

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processes go on all around us as well. Plants produce their own food through photosynthesis,

storms build and move, volcanoes erupt, and fertilized eggs mature---the list seems endless.

A. We all take part in many processes every day.

B. Natural processes that go on around us include photosynthesis.

C. A series of actions and reactions that leads to certain results is called a process.

D. Natural processes take place within our bodies.

Paragraph 2

To scan is to look for specific information quickly without reading word by word. You have to

know what you're looking for before you begin. When you scan, look for key words, names, dates,

or other specifics that mean you have found the information you are looking for. Don't stop to read

everything on a page slowly and carefully. Instead, scan until you come to the information you

need; then read carefully.

A. Scanning is reading quickly to find specific information.

B. Before you read a passage, you should scan it.

C. It is not a good idea to read word by word.

D. Scanning is a useful reading skill.

Paragraph 3

" How will it play in Peoria?" This question was asked in the United States in the 1920s when

singers, dancers, and other entertainers performed in traveling musical shows. Performers thought

that if the citizens of a typical U.S. town such as Peoria, Illinois, liked their show it would

probably be popular across the country. If Peorians disliked it, the entertainers believed the show

would fail. This "Peoria test" is still applied to the people of the state of Illinois. Illinoisans' likes

and dislikes seem to mirror those of people across the land. Perhaps this is true because of Illinois'

central location; it is a crossroads between east and west, north and south. Or perhaps it is because

Illinoisans come from such different backgrounds and follow such a wide variety of lifestyles.

A. Illinois is located in the central part of the United States.

B. Illinoisans come form different backgrounds.

C. The " Peoria test " is the name of a famous show.

D. Illinoisans' opinions seem to mirror the beliefs of people throughout the United States.

Paragraph 4

If you ask most people to explain why they like someone when they first meet, they'll tell you

it's because of the person's personality, intelligence, or sense of humor. But they're probably

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wrong. The characteristic that most impresses people when meeting for the first time is physical

appearance. Although it may seem unfair, attractive people are frequently preferred over less

attractive ones.

A. Judging people by their appearance is unfair.

B. Physical appearance is more important to what we think of others than we believe it is.

C. Personally, intelligence, and sense of humor are important in deciding whether you like

someone or not.

D. Most people deceive themselves.

E. People should spend more time combing their hair.

Paragraph 5

All communication is a two-way involving a speaker or writer and listeners or readers ( the

audience ). In written communication, because the audience is not present, the audience is easy to

ignore. However, the kind of audience you write for determines what you write and how you

write. In describing the World Series baseball championship to a British reader, you would have to

include definitions, explanations, and facts that a reader in the United States would not need.

Similarly, if you write about cricket ( a British sport ) for an audience in the United States, you

would need to include a lot of basic information. If you wrote about the international banking

systems for bankers, your language and information would be more technical than in a paper

written for readers who don't know much about the subject. A discussion of acid rain written for

an audience of environmentalists would be quite different one written for factory owners.

A. A communication is a process that involves speakers and writers.

B. British readers would need special information to understand an article on the World

Series.

C. Listeners and readers are called the audience.

D. It is important to consider your audience when you write.

Paragraph 6

Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying the effects of nicotine on the brain.

Nicotine is the major drug in cigarettes. The scientists' long-term goal is to improve methods for

helping people quit smoking. Recently they have found that cigarettes give several "benefits" to

smokers that may help explain why quitting smoking is so hard. The nicotine in cigarettes seems

to help smokers with problems of daily living. It helps them feel calm. Nicotine also causes short-

term improvements in concentration, memory, alertness, and feelings of well-being.

A. Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying how to help smokers stop

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smoking.

B. Nicotine improves concentration, memory, and alertness.

C. Some "benefits" of smoking may help explain why smokers have a hard time quitting.

D. Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new program to help people

stop smoking.

Paragraph 7

The United States faces a transportation crisis. U. S. highways and airways are getting more

and more crowed. In the next 20 years, the time that automobile drivers lose because of crowed

highways is expected to increase from 3 billion to 12 billion hours a year. During the same time

period, the number of airplane flights with delays of more than eight minutes is predicted to triple.

For both highway and air travel, the estimated cost of delay to passengers will rise from $15

billion a year today to $61 billion 20 years from now.

A. Airplanes will not be delayed as much as cars will be.

B. Transportation problems in the United States are increasing.

C. Twenty years from now, drivers will be delayed 12 billion hours a year.

D. Transportation delays now cost travelers billions of dollars.

Paragraph 8

Shizuo Torii, a professor at Toho University in Japan, has studied the sense of smell. He

studied the effects that odors have on the feelings and behaviors of humans. By measuring the

brain waves of people after they smelled a particular odor, Torii found that some odors produced a

brain wave pattern that showed the people were calm. Other odors produced a pattern that showed

excitement. It was discovered, for example, that lemon and peppermint have an exciting effect;

nutmeg and lavender reduce stress; and a mix of rosemary and lemon will improve concentration.

Some Japanese corporations are using the results of this research to make the workplace more

productive and pleasant.

A. People's brain waves are different when they smell lemon than when they smell rosemary.

B. Japanese corporations want to make the workplace more pleasant and efficient.

C. Shizuo Torii is a Japanese professor paid by corporations to improve the workplace

environment.

D. A Japanese researcher has discovered that smells affect people's brain waves.

Paragraph 9

In the United State, old people who no longer have an income or who suffer from a loss of

21

physical abilities are often forced to give up living alone. They must leave their homes and depend

on someone else to give them a place to live and to take care of their physical needs: they must

either live with relatives or live in homes for the aged. This loss of independence is a major

problem for the aged.

A. Being unable to live alone is a serious problem for old people in the United States.

B. Old people in the United States who are poor or sick cannot live alone.

C. Old people who are poor or sick should live with their relatives, not in homes for the aged.

D. In the United States, old people who are poor or sick are forced to live in homes for the

aged.

Paragraph 10

Not all of the islands in the Caribbean Sea are the tops of a volcanic mountain range that

begins under the sea. Some are the tops of older, non-volcanic mountains, mountains that have

been covered in coral. Coral is a hard, rocklike material that is made of the shells of sea animals

called coral polyps. When coral polyps are alive, they attach to any base they can find, such as old

mountaintops under the sea. When the polyps die, they leave their shells behind as a rocky

covering. Then, new polyps attach to this covering. The result is a coral island. Many of the

smaller islands in the Caribbean are coral islands.

A. Some of the islands in the Caribbean Sea are the tops of old, underwater volcanoes.

B. There are many small islands in the Caribbean Sea.

C. Many of the Caribbean islands are the tops of old mountains that are covered with coral.

D. Coral is formed by animal called coral polyps.

IV. Reading Comprehension: (每题 2分)

Directions: Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For

each of them there are four choices marked A., B., C. and D.. You should decide on

the best choice and write down the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

Passage one The concept of culture has been defined many times, and although no definition has

achieved universal acceptance, most of the definitions include three central ideas: that

culture is passed n from generation to generation, that a culture represents a ready-

made prescription for living and for making day-to-day decisions, and, finally, that the

components of a culture are accepted by those in the culture as good, and true, and not

to be questioned. The eminent anthropologist George Murdock has listed seventy-

22

three items that characterize every known culture, past and present. The list begins

with Age-grading and Athletic sports, runs to Weaning and Weather Control, and

includes on the way such items as Calendar, Firemaking, Property Rights, and

Toolmaking. I would submit that even the most extreme advocate of a culture of

poverty viewpoint would readily acknowledge that, with respect to almost all of these

items, every American, beyond the first generation immigrant, regardless of race or

class, is a member of a common culture. We all share pretty much the same sports.

Maybe poor kids don't know how to play polo, and rich kids don't spend time with

stickball, but we all know baseball, and football, and basketball. Despite some

misguided efforts to raise minor dialects to the status of separate tongues, we all, in

fact, share the same language. There may be differences in diction and usage, but it

would be ridiculous to say that all Americans don't speak English. We have the

calendar, the law, and large numbers of other cultural items in common. It may well

be true that on a few of the seventy-three items there are minor variations between

classes, but these kinds of things are really slight variations on a common theme.

There are other items that show variability, not in relation to class, but in relation to

religion and ethnic background-funeral customs and cooking, for example. But if

there is one place in America where the melting pot is a reality, it is on the kitchen

stove; in the course of one month, half the readers of this sentence have probably

eaten pizza, hot pastrami, and chow mein. Specific differences that might be identified

a signs of separate cultural identity are relatively insignificant within the general unity

of American life; they are cultural commas and semicolons in the paragraphs and

pages of American life. 1. According to the author's definition of culture, ____ . A. a culture should be accepted and maintained universally B. a culture should be free from falsehood and evils C. the items of a culture should be taken for granted by people D. the items of a culture should be accepted by well-educated people 2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Baseball, football and basketball are popular sports in America. B. Pizza, hot pastrami, and chow mein are popular diet in America. C. There is no variation in using the American calendar. D. There is no variation in using the American language. 3. It can be inferred that all the following will most probably be included in the

seventy-three items except ____.

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A. heir and heritage B. childrearing practices C. dream patterns D. table manners 4. By saying that "they are cultural commas and semicolons..." the author means that

commas and semicolons ____. A. can be interpreted as subculture of American lifeB. can be identified as various ways of American life C. stand for work and rest in American life D. are preferred in writing the stories concerning American life

5. The author's main purpose in writing this passage is to ____. A. prove that different people have different definitions of culture B. inform that variations exist as far as a culture is concerned C. indicate that culture is closely connected with social classes D. show that the idea that the poor constitute a separate culture is an absurdity

Passage two It is 3A.M. Everything on the university campus seems ghostlike in the quiet,

misty darkness - everything except the computer center. Here, twenty students

rumpled and bleary-eyed, sit transfixed at their consoles, tapping away on the terminal

keys. With eyes glued to the video screen, they tap on for hours. For the rest of the

world, it might be the middle of the night, but here time does not exist. This is a world

unto itself. These young computer "hackers" are pursuing a kind of compulsion, a

drive so consuming it overshadows nearly every other part of their lives and forms the

focal point of their existence. They are compulsive computer programmers. Some of

these students have been at the console for thirty hours or more without a break for

meals or sleep. Some have fallen asleep on sofas and lounge chairs in the computer

center, trying to catch a few winks but loathe to get too far away from their beloved

machines. Most of these students don't have to be at the computer center in the middle of

the night. They aren't working on assignments. They are there because they want to be

- they are irresistibly drawn there. And they are not alone. There are hackers at computer centers all across the

country. In their extreme form, they focus on nothing else. They flunk out of school

and lose contact with friends; they might have difficulty finding jobs, choosing

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instead to wander from one computer center to another. They may even forgo personal

hygiene. "I remember one hacker. We literally had to carry him off his chair to feed him and

put him to sleep. We really feared for his health," says a computer science professor at

MIT. Computer science teachers are now more aware of the implications of this hacker

phenomenon and are on the lookout for potential hackers and cases of computer

addiction that are already severe. They know that the case of the hackers is not just the

story of one person's relationship with a machine. It is the story of a society's

relationship to the so-called thinking machines, which are becoming almost

ubiquitous. 1. We can learn from the passage that those at the computer center in the middle of the

night are ____. A. students working on a program B. students using computers to amuse themselves C. hard-working computer science majors D. students deeply fascinated by the computer

2. Which of the following is NOT true of those young computer "hackers"? A. Most of them are top students majoring in computer programming. B. For them, computer programming is the sole purpose for their life. C. They can stay with the computer at the center for nearly three days on end. D. Their "love" for the computer is so deep that they want to be near their

machines even when they sleep. 3. It can be reasonably inferred from the passage that ____.

A. the "hacker" phenomenon exists only at university computer centers B. university computer centers are open to almost everyone C. university computer centers are expecting outstanding programmers out of

the "hackers" D. the "hacker" phenomenon is partly attributable to the deficiency of the

computer centers 4. The author's attitude towards the "hacker" phenomenon can be described as ____.

A. affirmative B. contemptuous C. anxious

D. disgusted 5. Which of the following may be a most appropriate title for the passage?

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A. The Charm of Computer Science B. A New Type of Electronic Toys C. Compulsive Computer Programmers D. Computer Addicts

Passage three Every profession or trade, every art, and every science has its technical

vocabulary. Different occupations, however, differ widely in the character of their

special vocabularies. In trades and handicrafts, and other vocations, like farming and

fishery, that have occupied great numbers of men from remote times, the technical

vocabulary, is very old. It consists largely of native words, or of borrowed words that

have worked themselves into the very fibre of our language. Hence, though highly

technical in many particulars, these vocabularies are more familiar in sound, and more

generally understood, than most other technicalities. The special dialects of law,

medicine, divinity, and philosophy have also, in their older strata, become pretty

familiar to cultivated persons and have contributed much to the popular vocabulary.

Yet every vocation still possesses a large body of technical terms that remain

essentially foreign, even to educated speech. And the proportion has been much

increased in the last fifty years, particularly in the various departments of natural and

political science and in the mechanic arts. Here new terms are coined with the greatest

freedom, and abandoned with indifference when they have served their turn. Most of

the new coinages are confined to special discussions, and seldom get into general

literature or conversation. Yet no profession is nowadays, as all professions once

were, a close guild. The lawyer, the physician, the man of science, the divine,

associated freely with his fellow-creatures, and does not meet them in a merely

professional way. Furthermore, what is called "popular science" makes everybody

acquainted with modern views and recent discoveries. Any important experiment,

though made in a remote or provincial laboratory, is at once reported in the

newspapers, and everybody is soon talking about it - as in the case of the Roentgen

rays and wireless telegraphy. Thus our common speech is always taking up new

technical terms and making them commonplace. 1. Special words used in technical discussion ____.

A. never last long B. are considered artificial language speech C. should be confined to scientific fields

26

D. may become part of common speech 2. It is true that ____.

A. an educated person would be expected to know most technical terms B. everyone is interested in scientific findings C. the average man often uses in his own vocabulary what was once technical

language not meant for him D. various professions and occupations often interchange their dialects and jargons

3. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of technical terms

in the terminology of A. farming B. sports C. government D. fishery

4. The writer of the article was, no doubt ____. A. a linguist B. an essayist C. a scientist D. an attorney

5. The author's main purpose in the passage is to ____. A. describe a phenomenon B. be entertaining C. argue a belief D. propose a solution

Passage four

　　 Unless we spend money to spot and prevent asteroids (小行星 ) now, one

might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it, say some scientists.

　　Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids (流星 ) that race across the

night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don t threaten us. But there are also

thousands of asteroids whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth.　　Buy $50 million worth of new telescopes right now. Then spend $10 million a

year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a

fatal one, the scientists say, we’ll have a way to change its course. 　　Some scientists favor pushing asteroids off course with nuclear weapons. But

27

the cost wouldn’t be cheap.　　Is it worth it? Two things experts consider when judging any risk are: 1) How

likely the event is; and 2) How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts

think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every

500,000 years. Sounds pretty rare - but if one did fall, it would be the end of the

world. "If we don t take care of these big asteroids, they’ll take care of us," says one

scientist. "It s that simple."　　The cure, though, might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets of

nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth? "The world has less to fear from doomsday

(毁灭性的) rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them," said a New York

Times article.1. What does the passage say about asteroids and meteoroids? 　A. They are heavenly bodies different in composition.

　B. They are heavenly bodies similar in nature.

　C. There are more asteroids than meteoroids.

　D. Asteroids are more mysterious than meteoroids.　　

2. What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth? A. It is very unlikely but the danger exists. B. Such a collision might occur once every 25 years.C. Collisions of smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected. D. It s still too early to say whether such a collision might occur.

3. What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the course

of asteroids? A. It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem. B. It may create more problems than it might solve. C. It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely.

D. Further research should be done before it is proved applicable

4. We can conclude from the passage that ______. A. while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world B. asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future C. the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely to

28

happen in our lifetime D. workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids with

Earth 　

5. Which of the following best describes the author s tone in this passage? A. Optimistic. B. Critical. C. Objective. D. Arbitrary.

Passage five

　　 Believe it or not, optical illusion (错觉) can cut highway crashes.

　　 Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by

nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent stripes, called chevrons (人字形 ), painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they

really are, and thus drivers slow down. 　　Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in

Washington D.C. is planning to repeat Japan s success. Starting next year, the

foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around

the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes.　　Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifth of all fatal traffic

accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation

will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest - curves,

exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges.　　Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can

initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full

speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars　　Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are

driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The

result is a longer lasting reduction in highway speed and the number of traffic

accidents.1. The passage mainly discusses ______.

A. a new way of highway speed control C. a new approach to training drivers

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B. a new pattern for painting highways D. a new type of optical illusion 2. On roads painted with chevrons, drivers tend to feel that ______.

A. they should avoid speed-related hazards B. they are driving in the wrong laneC. they should slow down their speed D. they are approaching the speed limit

3. The advantage of chevrons over straight, horizontal bars is that the former ______. A. can keep drivers awake C. will have a longer effect on drivers

B. can cut road accidents in half D. will look more attractive

4. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety plans to

______. A. try out the Japanese method in certain areas

B. change the road signs across the country C. replace straight, horizontal bars with chevrons D. repeat the Japanese road patterns

5. What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted across roads? A. They are falling out of use in the United States. B. They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time. C. They are applicable only on broad roads. D. They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles.

Passage six

　Amtrak (美国铁路客运公司) was experiencing a downswing in ridership (客运量 ) along the lines comprising its rail system. Of major concern to Amtrak and its

advertising agency DDB Needham, were the long-distance western routes where

ridership had been declining significantly. 　　At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the

west. Trains were fast, very luxurious, and quite convenient compared to other forms

of transportation existing at the time. However, times change and the automobile

became America s standard of convenience. Also, air travel had easily established

itself as the fastest method of traveling great distances. Therefore, the task for DDB

Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in

order to change their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be

30

considered for travel in the west.　　 Two portions of the total market were targeted: 1) anxious fliers - those

concerned with safety, relaxation, and cleanliness and 2) travel-lovers - those viewing

themselves as relaxed, casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their

vacation. The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences

such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment of the great western outdoors. It

stressed experiences gained by using the trains and portrayed western train trips as

wonderful adventures.　　Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed

along some of the more famous western routes and emphasized the romantic names of

some of these trains (Empire Builder, etc.). These ads were strategically placed among

family-oriented TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to

most effectively reach target audiences. Results were impressive. The Empire Builder,

which was focused on in one ad, enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its

Chicago to Seattle route.1. What s the author s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed and

convenience. B. To stress the influence of the automobile on America s standard of convenience. C. To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion. D. To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing

consumer attitudes.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership was due to the

fact that ______. A. trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation B. trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation C. trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be D. trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience

3. To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized ______. A. the freedom and convenience provided on trains B. the practical aspects of train travelC. the adventurous aspects of train tripsD. the safety and cleanliness of train trips

31

4. The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving nature

and America because ______.A. they could focus on meaningful travel experiences B. they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs C. their profits could be increased by some 15 percent D. most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences

5. According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in ridership and

profits because ______. A. the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised B. it provided an exciting travel experienceC. its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors D. it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle

Passage Seven In the days immediately following hurricane Andrew's deadly visit to South

Florida, Allstate Insurance hastily dispatched more than 2,000 extra claim adjusters to

the devastated area to assist the 200 stationed there. Many of the reserves arrived in

convoys of motor homes. Others flew in from as far away as Alaska and California.

Since the storm had knocked out telephone lines, Allstate rushed to set up its own

communications system. Allatate expects to pay out 1.2 billion to cover more than

121,000 damage claims as a result of Andrew. All told, U.S. property and casualty insurers have been hit with more than 8

billion in Andrew-related claims, making the hurricane the most costly single calamity

to strike the industry since the San Francisco earthquake and fire in 1906 (cost: 6

billion, after inflation). With claims continuing to pour in, Andrew threatens to take a

painful toll on the already battered property-casualty insurance industry and its 100

million policy-holders. The final bill, analysts predict, is likely to top 10 billion.

While most well-capitalized insurers are expected to weather the storm, less anchored

firms are in danger of being blown away, leaving U.S. consumers stuck with the tab.

Says Sean Mooney, senior researcher at the Insurance Information Institute: "It will

take years before the industry digs itself out from the wreckage left by Andrew. Some

[companies] will be buried by it." Hurricane Andrew is the latest in a string of mishaps to plague the American

insurance industry this year. In April an overflowing Chicago River flooded the city's

32

downtown district, costing insurers 300 million in claims. A month later, Los Angeles

was rocked by the worst civilian riot in the U.S. since the Civil War. The insurance

toll: 1 billion. Then came a series of major hailstorms in Texas, Florida an Kansas.

They cost insurers a combined 700 million. And two weeks after Andrew, another

lethal hurricane, Iniki, smashed into Hawaii, causing 1.4 billion in damages. In all,

property and casualty insurers have paid out a record 13 billion in claims so far this

year, far surpassing the previous high of 7.6 billion in 1989, the year of Hurricane

Hugo and California's Bay Area earthquake. Just as in that year, when those

catastrophes were followed by substantial increases in insurance premiums, insurers

are already lobbying for rate relief. 1. According to the passage, "Allstate Insurance" most likely refers to ____. A. one of the property and casualty insurers in the U.S. B. the only insurance company responsible for the damage claims by Andrew C. the insurance industry as a whole D. the biggest insurance company in the U.S. 2. As is stated in the second paragraph, the result of Hurricane Andrew is likely to

____. A. lead to inflation throughout the U.S. B. make the largest insurers suffer the most C. put the industry in Sough Florida out of action

D. cause insurers with insufficient funds to go bankrupt 3. Using context clues, we may infer that "stuck with the tab" most probably means

____. A. "caught in the hurricane" B. "exposed to natural disasters" C. "trapped in financial difficulties" D. "extremely vulnerable to further damages" 4. The end of the passage implies that, to compensate for their huge loss, the

insurers will ____. A. resort to a very big increase in insurance premiums B. ask for subsidies from the federal government C. reduce their insurance coverage thereafter D. require a higher interest rate from the bank 5. The main purpose of the passage is to ____. A. show the severe damages and heavy losses caused by Hurricane Andrew B. suggest that U.S. insurers are virtually unable to cover the damage claims any

33

more C. tell about the difficult situation faced by the insurers throughout the U.S. D. prove that disasters tend to cause ever worsening devastation as time goes on 　Passage Eight 　The biggest safety threat facing airlines today may not be a terrorist with a gun,

but the man with the portable computer in business class. In the last 15 years, pilots

have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic

interference. The source of this interference remains unconfirmed, but increasingly,

experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic devices such as portable

computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones.

　　　RTCA, an organization which advises the aviation (航空 ) industry, has

recommended that all airlines ban (禁止 ) such devices from being used during

"critical" stages of flight, particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone

further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently, rules on using these devices

are left up to individual airlines. And although some airlines prohibit passengers from

using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are reluctant to enforce a total

ban, given that many passengers want to work during flights.　　　 The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an

aircraft's computers. Experts know that portable devices emit radiation which affects

those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because

they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of

knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not.

　　　The fact that aircraft may be vulnerable (易受损的) to interference raises

the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation

equipment. As worrying, though, is the passenger who can't hear the instructions to

turn off his radio because the music's too loud.

1. The passage is mainly about ________. A. a new regulation for all airlines B. the defects of electronic devices C. a possible cause of aircraft crashesD. effective safety measures for air flight

34

2. What is said about the over 100 aircraft incidents in the past 15 years? A. They may have been caused by the damage to the radio systems. B. They may have taken place during take-off and landing.C. They were proved to have been caused by the passengers' portable computers. D. They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference.

3. Few airlines want to impose a total ban on their passengers using electronic devices

because ________. A. they don't believe there is such a danger as radio interference B. the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved C. most passengers refuse to take a plane which bans the use of radio and cassette

players D. they have other effective safety measures to fall back on

4. Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an

airplane's computers? A. Because it is extremely dangerous to conduct such research on an airplane. B. Because it remains a mystery what wavelengths are liable to be interfered with. C. Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in

labs. 　　　D. Because experts lack adequate equipment to do such research.

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author ________.A. is in favor of prohibiting passengers' use of electronic devices completely B. has overestimated the danger of electromagnetic interference C. hasn't formed his own opinion on this problem D. regards it as unreasonable to exercise a total ban during flight 　Passage Nine

The rise of multinational corporations (跨国公司 ), global marketing, new

communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an

unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR. 　　Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, the U.S.

35

leadership in public relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries. Ten

years ago, for example, the world's top five public relations agencies were American-

owned. In 1991, only one was. The British in particular are becoming more

sophisticated and creative. A recent survey found that more than half of all British

companies include PR as part of their corporate ( 公司的 ) planning activities,

compared to about one-third of U.S. companies. It may not be long before London

replaces New York as the capital of PR.　　　Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a

whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs.

Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country.

Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts (相对应的人)

in knowing a second language. Less than 5 percent of Burson-Marshall's U.S.

employees know two languages. Ogilvy and Mather has about the same percentage.

Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a

second language. Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on

international affairs. In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the

Wall Street Journal. Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the

Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this

country.　　　 Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN

(Cable News Network). Turner recently announced that the word "foreign" would no

longer be used on CNN news broadcasts. According to Turner, global

communications have made the nations of the world so interdependant that there is no

longer any such thing as foreign. 　　　

1. According to the passage, U.S. leadership in public relations is being threatened

because of ________. A. an unparalleled increase in the number of public relations companiesB. shrinking cultural differences and new communications technologies C. the decreasing number of multinational corporations in the U.S. D. increased efforts of other countries in public relations

2. London could soon replace New York as the center of PR because ________.

36

A. British companies are more ambitious than U.S. companies B. British companies place more importance on PR than U.S. companies C. British companies are heavily involved in planning activities D. four of the world's top public relations agencies are British-owned

3. The word "provincial" (Line 2, Para. 3) most probably means " ________ ".A. limited in outlook B. like people from the provinces C. rigid in thinking D. interested in world financial affairs

4. We learn from the third paragraph that employees in the American PR industry

________. A. speak at least one foreign language fluently B. are ignorant about world geographyC. are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts D. enjoy reading a great variety of English business publications

5. What lesson might the PR industry take from Ted Turner of CNN?A. American PR companies should be more internationally-minded. B. The American PR industry should develop global communications technologies. C. People working in PR should be more fluent in foreign languages. D. People involved in PR should avoid using the word "foreign".

Passage TenBrazil has become one of the developing world's great successes at reducing

population growth - but more by accident than design. While countries such as India

have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really

trying, says George Martine at Harvard. 　　Brazil's population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951

and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have

only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further

since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World

countries.

　　Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧)

37

and instalment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important,

although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world's biggest

producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil's most popular television network, shows

three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a

night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.　　 "Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the

problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values - not many

children, different attitudes towards sex, women working," says Martine. "They sent

this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious of other patterns of

behaviour and other values, which were put into a very attractive package."　　 Meanwhile, the instalment plans tried to encourage the poor to become

consumers. "This led to an enormous change in consumption patterns and

consumption was incompatible (不相容的 ) with unlimited reproduction," says

Martine.　　1. According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth ________. A. by educating its citizens B. by careful family planning C. by developing TV programmes D. by chance

2. According to the passage, many Third World countries ________. A. haven't attached much importance to birth control B. would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rateC. haven't yet found an effective measure to control their population D. neglected the role of TV plays in family planning

3. The phrase "puts it down to" (Line 1, Para. 3) is closest in meaning to "

________". A. attributes it to B. finds it a reason forC. sums it up as D. compares it to

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4. Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil's birth rate because ________. A. they keep people sitting long hours watching TV B. they have gradually changed people's way of life C. people are drawn to their attractive package D. they popularize birth control measures

5. What is Martine's conclusion about Brazil's population growth?A. The increase in birth rate will promote consumption.B. The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate.C. Consumption patterns and reproduction patterns are contradictory. D. A country's production is limited by its population growth.

Passage 11:There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how

they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children

something to do. 　　In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and

most girls with another. In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys

pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their

mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step

into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.　　What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed

over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have

been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the

universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their

persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and

among the Arctic (北极的 ) peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared.

Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their

surroundings. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny

animals and vehicles.　　Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been

subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress

from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent (进步). The

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progress from a rattle (拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant

today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the

artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials. 　　　　1. The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls

play with is that ________. A. their social roles are rigidly determined B. most boys would like to follow their fathers' professions C. boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers D. they like challenging activities

　2. One aspect of "the universality of toys" lies in the fact that ________.

A. technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys B. the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of

universitiesC. the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys D. the basic characteristics of toys are the same the world over

　3. Which of the following is the author's view on the historical development of

toys? A. The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged.B. Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. C. The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years. D. Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child's character.

　4. Regarded as a kind of art form, toys ________.

A. follow a direct line of ascentB. also appeal greatly to adults C. are not characterized by technological progressD. reflect the pace of social progress

　5. The author uses the example of a rattle to show that ________.

A. in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials B. even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technologyC. it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making

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D. even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time

Passage 12

In bringing up children, every parent watches eagerly the child's acquisition(学会) of

each new skill the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of

reading and writing. It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning

rate, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of worry in the child.

This might happen at any stage. A baby might be forced to use a toilet too early, a

young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the

words he reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without

any learning opportunities, he loses his natural enthusiasm for life and his desire to

find out new things for himself.Parents vary greatly in their degree of strictness towards their children. Some

may be especially strict in money matters. Others are sever over times of coming

home at night or punctuality for meals. In general, the controls imposed represent the

needs of the parents and the values of the community as much as the child's own

happiness. As regards the development of moral standards in the growing child, consistency

is very important in parental teaching. To forbid a thing one day and excuse it the next

is no foundation for morality(道德 ). Also, parents should realize that "example is

better than precept". If they are not sincere and do not practice what they preach (说教), their children may grow confused, and emotionally insecure when they grow old

enough to think for themselves, and realize they have been to some extent fooled. A sudden awareness of a marked difference between their parents' principles and

their morals can be a dangerous disappointment.1. Eagerly watching the child's acquisition of new skills ______ .A. should be avoidedB. is universal among parentsC. sets up dangerous states of worry in the childD. will make him lose interest in learning new things

2. In the process of children's learning new skills parents ______ .

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A. should encourage them to read before they know the meaning of the words they

readB. should not expect too much of themC. should achieve a balance between pushing them too hard and leaving them on their

ownD. should create as many learning opportunities as possible

3. The second paragraph mainly tells us that ______ .A. parents should be strict with their childrenB. parental controls reflect only the needs of the parents and the values of the

communityC. parental restrictions vary, and are not always enforced for the benefit of the

children aloneD. parents vary in their strictness towards their children according to the situation4. The word "precept"( Line 3, Para. 3) probably means "______ ".A. idea B. punishment C. behavior D. instruction30 In moral matters, parents should _______ .A. observe the rules themselvesB. be aware of the marked difference between adults and childrenC. forbid things which have no foundation in moralityD. consistently ensure the security of their children

Passage 13A good modern newspaper is an extraordinary piece of reading. It is remarkable first

for what it contains: the range of news from local crime to international politics, from

sport to business to fashion to science, and the range of comment and special features

(特定 ) as well, from editorial page to feature articles and interviews to criticism of

books, art, theatre and music. A newspaper is even more remarkable for the way one

reads it: never completely, never straight through, but always by jumping from here to

there, in and out glancing at one piece, reading another article all the way through,

reading just a few paragraphs of the next. A good modern newspaper offers a variety

to attract many different readers, but far more than any one reader is interested in.

What brings this variety together in one place is its topicality (时事性), its immediate

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relation to what is happening in your world and your locality now. But immediacy and

the speed of production that goes with it mean also that much of what appears in a

newspaper has no more than transient(短暂的 ) value. For all these reasons, no two

people really read the same paper: what each person does is to put together out of the

pages of that day's paper, his own selection and sequence, his own news paper. For all

these reasons, reading newspapers efficiently, which means getting what you want

from them without missing things you need but without wasting time, demands skill

and selfawareness as you modify and apply the techniques of reading .1. A modern newspaper is remarkable for all the following except its ______ .A. wide coverage B. uniform styleC. speed in reporting news D. popularity

2. According to the passage, the reason why no two people really read the "same"newspaper is that ______ .A. people scan for the news they are interested inB. different people prefer different newspapersC. people are rarely interested in the same kind of newsD. people have different views about what a good newspaper is

3. It can be conclude from the passage that newspaper readers ______ .A. apply reading techniques skillfullyB. jump from one newspaper to anotherC. appreciate the variety of a newspaperD. usually read a newspaper selectively

4. A good newspaper offers "a variety" to readers because ______ .A. it tries to serve different readersB. it has to cover things that happen in a certain localityC. readers are difficult to pleaseD. readers like to read different newspapers

5. The best title for this passage would be "______".A. The importance of Newspaper TopicalityB. The Characteristics of a Good NewspaperC. The Variety of a Good Newspaper

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D. Some Suggestions on How to Read a Newspaper

Passage 14

American society is not nap (午睡 ) friendly. In fact, says David Dinges, a sleep

specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "There's even a

prohibition against admitting we need sleep". Nobody wants to be caught napping or

found asleep at work. To quote a proverb: "Some sleep five hours, nature requires

seven, laziness nine and wickedness eleven. "Wrong. The way not to fall asleep at work is to take naps when you need them. "We have to totally change our attitude toward napping", says Dr. William Dement of

Stanford University, the godfather of sleep research. Last year a national commission led by Dement identified an "American sleep debt"

which one member said was as important as the national debt, The commission was

concerned about the dangers of sleepiness: people causing industrial accidents or

falling asleep while driving. This may be why we have a new sleep policy in the

White House. According to recent reports, president Clinton is trying to take a half

hour snooze (打瞌睡) every afternoon.

About 60 percent of American adults nap when given the opportunity. We seem to

have "a mid afternoon quiet phase" also called "a secondary sleep gate. "Sleeping 15

minutes to two hours in the early afternoon can reduce stress and make us refreshed.

Clearly, we were born to nap. We Superstars of Snooze don't nap to replace lost shut eye or to prepare for anight shift. Rather, we "snack" on sleep, whenever, wherever and at whatever time we

feel like it. I myself have napped in buses, cars, planes and on boats; on floors and

beds; and in libraries, offices and museums.1. It is commonly accepted in American society that too much sleep is ______ .A. unreasonable B. criminal C. harmful D. costly

2. The research done by the Dement commission shows that Americans ______ .A. don't like to take napsB. are terribly worried about their national debtC. sleep less than is good for themD. have caused many industrial and traffic accidents

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3. The purpose of this article is to ______ .A. warn us of the wickedness of nappingB. explain the danger of sleepinessC. discuss the side effects of nappingD. convince the reader of the necessity of napping

4. The "American sleep debt"( Line 1, Para. 3) is the result of ______ .A. the traditional misconception the Americans have about sleepB. the new sleep policy of the Clinton AdministrationC. the rapid development of American industryD. the Americans' worry about the danger of sleepiness

5. The second sentence of the last paragraph tells us that it is ______ .A. preferable to have a sound sleep before a night shiftB. good practice to eat something light before we go to bedC. essential to make up for cost sleepD. natural to take a nap whenever we feel the need for it

Passage 15

Violin prodigies (神童), I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions.

Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and

brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's

greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They

were all Jews(犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in

that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they

were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage. " As a result, every Jewish

parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the

West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values

excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育 ) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing

societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with

stronger discipline than ours. " says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits

every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after

45

World War , that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became aⅡ

discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated

as the Japanese. That's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work,biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach,

for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had

significant careers in music.1 .Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music schoolbecause______ .A. it would allow them access to a better life in the WestB. Jewish children are born with excellent musical talentC. they wanted their children to enter into the professional fieldD. it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country

2 .Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that ______ .A. enforce strong discipline on students who want to achieve excellenceB. treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full developmentC. encourage people to compete with each otherD. promise talented children high positions

3 .Japan is described in the passage as a country that attaches importance to ______ .A. all-round development. B. the learning of Western musicC. strict training of children D. variety in academic studies

4 .Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies

according to the passage?A. A natural gift. B. Extensive knowledge of music.C. Very early training. D.A prejudice-free society.

5 .Which of the following titles best summarizes the main idea of the passage?A. Jewish Contribution to Music. B. Training of Musicians in the WorldC. Music and Society D. The Making of Prodigies Passage 16Statuses are marvelous human inventions that enable us to get along with one another

and to determine where we "fit" in society. As we go about our everyday lives, we

46

mentally attempt to place people in terms of their statuses. For example, we must

judge whether the person in the library is a reader or a librarian, whether the telephone

caller is a friend or a salesman, whether the unfamiliar person on our property is a

thier or a meter reader, and so on.The statuses we assume often vary with the people we encounter, and change

throughout life. Most of us can, at very high speed, assume the statuses that various

situations require. Much of social interaction consists of identifying and selecting

among appropriate statuses and allowing other people to assume their statuses in

relation to us. This means that we fit our actions to those of other people based on a

constant mental process of appraisal and interpretation. Although some of us find the

task more difficult than others, most of us perform it rather effortlessly.A status has been compared to ready-made clothes. Within certain limits, the buyer

can choose style and fabric. But an American is not free to choose the costume (服装)

of a Chinese peasant or that of a Hindu prince. We must choose from among the

clothing presented by our society. Furthermore, our choice is limited to a size that will

fit, as well as by our pocketbook (钱包). Having made a choice within these limits we

can have certain alterations made, but apart from minor adjustments, we tend to be

limited to what the stores have on their racks. Statuses too come ready made, and the

range of choice among them is limited.1. In the first paragraph, the writer tells us that statuses can help us _______.A. determine whether a person is fit for a certain jobB. behave appropriately in relation to other peopleC. protect ourselves in unfamiliar situationsD. make friends with other people

2. According to the writer, people often assume different statuses ______.A. in order to identify themselves with othersB. in order to better identify othersC. as their mental processes changeD. as the situation changes

3. The word "appraisal" (Line5, Para.2) most probably means "_______".A. involvement B. appreciation C. assessment D. presentation

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4. In the last sentence of the second paragraph, the pronoun "it" refers to "______".A. fitting our actions to those of other people appropriatelyB. identification of other people's statusesC. selecting one's own statuses D. constant mental process

5. By saying that "an American is not free to choose the costume of a Chinese peasant

or that of a Hindu prince" (Lines 2-3, Para. 3), the writer means _______.A. different people have different styles of clothesB. ready-made clothes may need alterationsC. statuses come ready made just like clothesD. our choice of statuses is limited

Passage 17Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such

people, but I also explain that there's a big difference between "being a writer" and

writing. In most cases these individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long

hours alone at a typewriter. "You've got to want to write," I say to them, "not want to

be a writer".The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every

writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded.

When I left a 20-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard to become a freelance writer (自由撰稿者), I had no prospects at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my

room in a New York apartment building. It didn't even matter that it was cold and had

no bathroom. I immediately bought a used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine

writer.After a year or so, however, I still hadn't gotten a break and began to doubt

myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I knew I

wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn't going to be one of those

people who die wondering, What if? I would keep putting my dream to the test-even

though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadowland of

hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.

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1. The passage is meant to ______.A. warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experienceB. advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writerC. show young people it's unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fameD. encourage young people to pursue a writing career

2. What can be concluded from the passage?A. Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.B. A writer's success depends on luck rather than on effort.C. Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation.D. The chances for a writer to become successful are small.

3. Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing

career?A. He wasn't able to produce a single book.B. He hadn't seen a change for the better.C. He wasn't able to have a rest for a whole year.D. he found his dream would never come true.

4. "... people who die wondering, What if?" (Line 3, para.3) refers to "those

________".A. who think too much of the dark side of lifeB. who regret giving up their career halfwayC. who think a lot without making a decisionD. who are full of imagination even upon death

5. "Shadowland" in the last sentence refers to ______.A. the wonderland one often dreams aboutB. the bright future that one is looking forward to C. the state of uncertainty before one's final goal is reachedD. a world that exists only in one's imagination

Passage 18It is, everyone agrees, a huge task that the child performs when he learns to

speak, and the fact that he does so in so short a period of time challenges explanation. Language learning begins with listening. Individual children vary greatly in the

49

amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and late starters are often long

listeners. Most children will "obey" spoken instructions some time before they can

speak, though the word obey is hardly accurate as a description of the eager and

delighted cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak, many

children will also ask questions by gesture and by making questioning noises.Any attempt to trace the development from the noises babies make to their first

spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making

noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves out as

particularly indicative of delight, distress, sociability, and so on. But since these

cannot be said to show the baby's intention to communicate, they can hardly be

regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months

they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new

sounds to their repertoire (能发出的全部声音 ). This self-imitation leads on to

deliberate (有意识的 ) imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other

people. The problem then arises as to the point at which one can say that these

imitations can be considered as speech.1. By "... challenges explanation" (Line 2, Para.1) the author means that ______.

A. no explanation is necessary for such an obvious phenomenonB. no explanation has been made up to nowC. it's no easy job to provide an adequate explanationD. it's high time that an explanation was provided

2. The third paragraph is mainly about _____.A. the development of babies' early forms of languageB. the difficulties of babies in learning to speakC. babies' strong desire to communicateD. babies' intention to communicate

3. The author's purpose in writing the second paragraph is to show that children

_______.A. usually obey without asking questionsB. are passive in the process of learning to speakC. are born cooperative

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D. learn to speak by listening

4. From the passage we learn that ______.A. early starters can learn to speak within only six monthsB. children show a strong desire to communicate by making noisesC. imitation plays an important role in learning to speakD. children have various difficulties in learning to speak

5. The best title for this passage would be ______.A. How Babies Learn to Speak B. Early Forms of LanguageC.A Huge Task for Children D. Noise Making and language Learning

Passage 19Psychologists take opposing views of how external rewards, from warm praise to

cold cash, affect motivation and creativity. Behaviorists, who study the relation

between actions and their consequences, argue that rewards can improve performance

at work and school. Cognitive (认知学派的) researchers, who study various aspects

of mental life, maintain that rewards often destroy creativity by encouraging

dependence on approval and gifts from others.The latter view has gained many supporters, especially among educators. But the

careful use of small monetary (金钱的 ) rewards sparks creativity in grade-school

children, suggesting that properly presented inducements ( 刺 激 ) indeed aid

inventiveness, according to a study in the June Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology."If kids know they're working for a reward and can focus on a relatively

challenging task, they show the most creativity," says Robert Eisenberger of the

University of Delaware in Neward. "But it's easy to kill creativity by giving rewards

for poor performance or creating too much anticipation for rewards."A teacher who continually draws attention to rewards or who hands out high

grades for ordinary achievement ends up with uninspired students, Eisenberger holds.

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As an example of the latter point, he notes growing efforts at major universities to

tighten grading standards and restore failing grades.In earlier grades, the use of so-called token economies, in which students handle

challenging problems and receive performance-based points toward valued rewards,

shows promise in raising effort and creativity, the Delaware psychologist claims.1. Psychologists are divided with regard to their attitudes toward _____.

A. the choice between spiritual encouragement and monetary rewardsB. the amount of monetary rewards for student' creativityC. the study of relationship between actions and their consequencesD. the effects of external rewards on students' performance

2. What is the response of many educators to external rewards for their students?A. They have no doubts about them. B. They have doubts about them.C. They approve of them. D. They avoid talking about them.

3. Which of the following can best raise students; creativity according to Robert

Eisenberger?A. Assigning them tasks they have not dealt with before.B. Assigning them tasks which require inventiveness.C. Giving them rewards they really deserve.D. Giving them rewards they anticipate.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that major universities are trying to tighten their

grading standards because they believe ______.A. rewarding poor performance may kill the creativity of studentsB. punishment is more effective than rewardingC. failing uninspired students helps improve their overall academic standardsD. discouraging the students' anticipation for easy rewards is a matter of urgency

5. The phrase "token economies" (Line 1, Para. 5) probably refers to _____.A. ways to develop economy B. systems of rewarding studentsC. approaches to solving problems D. methods of improving performance

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Passage 20

The fridge is considered a necessity. It has been so since

the 1960s when packaged food first appeared with the

label:"store in the refrigerator."

In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. the milkman

came daily, the grocer, the butcher (肉商), the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered

two or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus

(剩余的)bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted, and we were

never troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh

vegetables are almost unobtainable in the country.The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food

preservation. A vast way of well-tried techniques already existed--natural cooling,

drying, smoking, salting, sugaring, bottling...What refrigeration did promote was marketing--marketing hardware and

electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing dead bodies of animals around the globe

in search of a good price.Consequently, most of the world's fridges are to be found, not in the tropics

where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mind temperatures

where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of fridges hum

away continuously and at vast expense, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled space

inside an artificially-heated house--while outside, nature provides the desired

temperature free of charge.The fridge's effect upon the environment has been evident, while its contribution

to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don't believe me, try it yourself,

invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss the

hamburgers (汉堡包),but at least you'll get rid of that terrible hum.

1. The statement "In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily."

(Line 1, Para.2) suggests that ______.

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A. the author was well-fed and healthy even without a fridge in his fiftiesB. the author was not accustomed to using fridges even in his fiftiesC. there was no fridge in the author's home in the 1950sD. the fridge was in its early stage of development in the 1950s

2. Why does the author say that nothing was wasted before the invention of fridges?A. People would not buy more food than was necessary.B. Food was delivered to people two or three times a week.C. Food was sold fresh and did not get rotten easily.D. People had effective ways to preserve their food.

3. Who benefited the least from fridges according to the author?A. Inventors. B. Consumers. C. Manufacturers. D Travelling salesmen.

4. Which of the following phrases in the fifth paragraph indicates the fridge's negative

effect on the environment?A. "Hum away continuously" B. "Climatically almost unnecessary"C. "Artificially-cooled space"D. "With mild temperatures"

5. What is the author's overall attitude toward fridges?A) Neutral. B. Critical. C. Objective. D. Compromising.

Passage 21The human brain contains 10 thousand million cells and each of these may have

a thousand connections. Such enormous numbers used to discourage us and cause us

to dismiss the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability, but now that

we have grown used to moving forward at such a pace we can be less sure. Quite

soon, in only 10 or 20 years perhaps, we will be able to assemble a machine as

complex as the human brain, and if we can we will. It may then take us a long time to

render it intelligent by loading in the right software( 软件 ) or by altering the

architecture but that too will happen.

I think it certain that in decades, not centuries, machines of silicon(硅) will arise

54

first to rival and then exceed their human ancestors. Once they exceed us they will be

capable of their own design. In a real sense they will be able to reproduce themselves.

Silicon will have ended carbon's long control. And we will no longer be able to claim

ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe.As the intelligence of robots increases to match that of humans and as their cost

declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers, first on

earth through their ability to withstand environments, harmful to ourselves. Thus,

deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined. Further ahead, by a combination of

the great wealth this new age will bring and the technology it will provide, the

construction of a vast, man-created word in space, home to thousands or millions of

people, will be within our power.1. In what way can we make a machine intelligent?

A. By making it work in such environments as deserts, oceans or space.B. By working hard for 10 or 20 years.C. By either properly programming it or changing its structure.C. By reproducing it.

2. What does the writer think about machines with human-like ability?A. He believes they will be useful to human beings.B. He believes that they will control us in the future.C.He is not quite sure in what way they may influence us.D.He doesn't consider the construction of such machines possible.

3. The word "carbon" (Line 4, Para. 2) stands for ______.A. intelligent robots B. a chemical elementC. an organic substance D. human beings

4. A robot can be used to expand our frontiers when _______.A. its intelligence and cost are beyond questionB. it is able to bear the rough environmentC. it is made as complex as the human brainD. its architecture is different from that of the present ones

5. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.A. after the installation of a great number of cells and connections, robots will be

capable of self-reproduction

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B. with the rapid development of technology, people have come to realize the

possibility of making a machine with human-like ability.C. once we make a machine as complex as the human brain, it will possess

intelligenceD. robots will have control of the vast, man-made word in space

Passage 22After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994,earthquake

scientists had good news to report: The damage and death toll (死亡人数) could have

been much worse.More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of

similar intensity that shook America in 1988 claimed 25,000 victims.Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake

occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city's highways. In

addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20

years have strengthened the city's buildings and highways, making them more

resistant to quakes.Despite the good news, civil engineers aren't resting on their successes. Pinned to

their drawing boards are blueprints (蓝图 ) for improved quake-resistant buildings.

The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often

take place.In the past, making structures quake-resistant meant firm yet flexible materials,

such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a

building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its

foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent designs give

buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports. Called smart buildings, the

structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake's vibrations. When the

ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to

shift in the opposite direction.The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would

save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged furing earthquakes.1. One reason why the loss of lives in the Los Angeles earthquake was comparatively

low is that ______.

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A. new computers had been installed in the buildingsB. it occurred in the residential areas rather that on the highwaysC. large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holidayD. improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways

2. The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to ______.A. counterbalance a earthquake's action on the buildingB. predict the coming of an earthquake with accuracyC. help strengthen the foundation of the buildingD. measure the impact of an earthquake's vibrations

3. The smart buildings discussed in the passage _______.A. would cause serious financial problemsB. would be worthwhile though costlyC. would increase the complexity of architectural designD. can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes

4. It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing the damage caused by

earthquakes attention should be focused on _______.A. the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital constructionB. the development of flexible building materialsC. the reduction of the impact of ground vibrationsD. early forecasts of earthquakes

5. The author's main purpose in writing the passage is to _______.A. compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the U.S.B. encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computersC. outline the history of the development of quake-resistant building materialsD. report new developments in constructing quake-resistant buildings

V. Article Reading: (30%)Directions: Read the following article and then do the exercises below. Please write down your answers on your answer sheet.

A Day's WaitErnest Hemingway

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Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was born in Oak Park, near Chicago. After

leaving high school, he worked on the Kansas City Star---a newspaper know for its

high standards---and there learned a great deal about exactness and style in reporting.

Later, his experience in World War I gave him material for many of his short stories

and some of his novels, including The Sun Also Rises(1926) and A Farewell to

Arms(1929). During the Spanish Civil War, he went to Spain to write newspaper

articles and her gained background for the novel Form Whom the Bell Tolls(1940). In

1954 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In this story from Winner Take Nothing(1933), Hemingway shows the feeling of

a boy who, through a misunderstanding, undergoes a shattering experience. This very

short story on the surface may seem to be only a simple event. On another level,

though, it has a serious theme.

1 He came into the room to shut the windows while we were still in bed and I

saw he looked ill. He was shivering, his face was white, and he walked slowly as

though it ached to move."What's the matter, Schatz?""I've got a headache.""You better go back to bed.""No, I'm all right.""You go to bed. I'll see you when I'm dressed."2 But when I came downstairs he was dressed, sitting by the fire, looking a very

sick and miserable boy of nine years. When I put my hand on his forehead I knew he

had a fever."You go up to bed," I said, "you're sick.""I'm all right," he said.3 When the doctor came he took the boy's temperature."What is it?' I asked him."One hundred and two."4 Downstairs, the doctor left three different medicines in different colored

capsules with instructions for giving them. One was to bring down the fever, another a

purgative, the third to overcome an acid condition. The germs of influenza can only

exist in an acid condition. He explained. He seemed to know all about influenza and

said there was nothing to worry about if the fever did not go above one hundred and

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four degrees. This was a light epidemic of flu and there was no danger if you avoided

pneumonia.5 Back in the room I wrote the boy's temperature down and made a note of the

time to give various capsules."Do you want me to read to you?""All right. If you want to," said the boy. His face was very white and there were

dark areas under his eyes. He lay still in the bed and seemed very detached from what

was going on.6 I read aloud from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates; but I could see he was not

following what I was reading. "How do you feel, Schatz?" I asked him."Just the same, so far," he said. 7 I sat at the foot of the bed and read to myself while I waited for it to be time to

give another capsule. It would have been natural for him to go to sleep, but when I

looked up he was looking at the foot of the bed, looking very strangely."Why don't you try to sleep? I'll wake you up for the medicine.""I'd rather stay awake."8 After a while he said to me, "You don't have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it

bothers you.""It doesn't bother me.""No, I mean you don't have to stay if it's going to bother you."9 I thought perhaps he was a little lightheaded and after giving him the

prescribed capsules at eleven o'clock I went out for a while. It was a bright, cold day,

the ground covered with a sleet that had frozen so that it seemed as if all the bare

trees, the bushes, the cut brush and all the grass and the bare ground had been

vanished with ice. I took the young Irish setter for a walk up the road and along a

frozen creek, but it was difficult to stand or walk on the glassy surface and the red dog

slipped and slithered and I fell twice, hard, once dropping my gun and having it slide

away over the ice.10 We flushed a covey of quail under a high clay bank with overhanging brush

and I killed two as they went out of sight over the top of the bank. Some of the covey

lit in trees, but most of them scattered into brush piles and it was necessary to jump on

the ice-coated mounds of brush several times before, they would flush. Coming out

while you were poised unsteadily on the ice, springy brush they made difficult

shooting and I killed two, missed five, and started back pleased to have found a covey

left to find on another day.

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11 At the house they said the boy had refused to leave any one come into the

room."You can't come in," he said. "You mustn't get what I have."12 I went up to him and found him in exactly the position I had left, white faced,

but with the tops of his cheeks flushed by the fever, staring still, as he had stared, at

the foot of the bed.13 I took his temperature."What is it?""Something like a hundred," I said. It was one hundred and two and four tenths."It was a hundred and two," he said."Who said so?""The doctor.""Your temperature is all right," I said, "it's nothing to worry about.""I don't worry," he said, "but I can't keep from thinking.""Don't think," I said. "Just take it easy.""I'm taking it easy," he said and looked straight ahead. He was evidently holding

tight onto himself about something."Take this with water.""Do you think it will do any good?""Of course it will."14 I sat down and opened the Pirate book and commenced to read, but I could

see he was not following, so I stopped."About what time do you think I'm going to die?" he asked."What?""About how long will it be before I die?""You aren't going to die. What's the matter with you.""Oh, yes, I am. I heard him say a hundred and two.""People don't die with a fever of one hundred and two. That's a silly way to talk.""I know they do. At school in France the boys told me you can't live with forty-

four degrees. I've got a hundred and two."15 He had been waiting to die all day, ever since nine o'clock in the morning."You poor Schatz," I said. "Poor old Schatz. It's like miles and kilometers. You

aren't going to die. That's a different themometer. On that themomter thirty-seven is

normal. On this kind it's ninety-eight.""Are you sure?""Absolutely," I said. "It's like miles and kilometers. You know, like how many

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kilometers we make when we do seventy miles in the car?""Oh," he said.16 But his gaze at the foot of the bed relaxed slowly. The hold over himself

relaxed too, finally, and the text day it was very slack and he cried very easily at little

things that were of no importance.

Exercise I. Vocabulary from Context: (1 % X 1 0= 10%)A. For each word or phrase in List A find the corresponding meaning according

to the text in List B. Write the number you have chosen in the space provided before

each word or phrase in List A. A 1_____ shiver (para. 1) 2_____ white (para. 1) 3_____ forehead (para. 2) 4_____ influenza (para. 4) 5_____ pirate (para. 9) 6_____ lightheaded (para.9) 7_____ sleet (para. 9) 8_____ brush (para. 9) 9_____ creek (para.9) 10_____ slither (para. 9) B1. flu, a disease2. sea-order3. dizzy or faint4. shake as if cold5. combination of rain and snow6. part from the hairline to the eyebrows7. small stream8. pale, lacking color9. dense growth of bushes and shrubs10. slide with a side-to-side motion

B. Work out the meaning of each of the following words from the context in which it appears

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by ticking the best choice: (1% X 8 = 8%)

11. Detached in para. 5 probably means_________.A. indifferent toB. removedC. interested in 12. Vanished in para. 9 probably means_________.A. covered as with a polishB. disappearedC. wiped clean 13. Lit in para.10 probably means____________.A. hidB. landedC. lay 14. Scattered in para. 10 probably means_________.A. disappearedB. flewC. went off in all directions 15. Flush in para. 10 probably means_________.A. blushB. jumpC. rise suddenly and fly away 16. Poised in para. 10 probably means_________.A. standingB. balancedC. struggling 17. Springy in para. 10 probably means_________.A. dancingB. moving up and downC. falling

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18. Commenced in para. 14 probably means_________.A. beganB. got readyC. was asked

Exercise II. Comprehension Exercises: (2% X 6= 12%)

19. What made the boy look strangely while his father was reading Howard Pyle's

Book of Pirates (para. 7)?A. He was very interested in the book his father was reading.B. He was evidently thinking about something strange.C. The fever he had made him look strange.D. The terrible tension he was experiencing at that moment made him look

strangely.

20. Why did the boy refuse to let anyone come into the room?A. He was afraid that others might catch the flu from him.B. He didn't want to be disturbed in his sleep.C. He was afraid that people might take away his things.D. He didn't want others to find out what he was doing in the room.

21. He was evidently holding tight onto himself about something means__________. A. The boy was keeping firm control over himself.B. He had something of value with him and would not let go.C. He had a secret and didn't want t tell his father.D. He felt quite nervous about some of his mischievous tricks.

22. Why, in the end, did the boy cry very easily at little things that were of no

importance?A. He was usually a relaxed boy who often complained about unimportant

things.B. He had been so tense that he couldn't control his emotions when he finally

relaxed.C. He had waited so long to die that in a sense he was disappointed.D. He was very unhappy that his illness kept him from going hunting with his

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father.

23. What made the boy think that he was going to die?A. The doctor's visit.B. His high fever.C. A misunderstanding of the meaning of "one hundred and two".D. The capsules of the doctor gave him.

24. Why did the boy misunderstand what was meant by "one hundred and two"?A. The doctor did not make it very clear to him.B. He was too young to understand.C. His friends in America told him so.D. His contacts with the European culture caused the misunderstanding.

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