The literal meaning of philosophy is “love of wisdom”.But this meaning does not tell us very much.Unlike the other disciplines(学科)，philosophy cannot be defined by what you study,because it is actually unlimited.Anything can be the subject matter of philosophy: art, history, law,language,literature,mathematics,medicine,psychology,religion,science,and values.Philosophy is one of the world’s oldest subjects of study,and in fact,the other academic disciplines are directly related to philosophy.For this reason you get a Doctorate(博士学位) of Philosophy(Ph.D.) in biochemistry,or computer science,or psychology.
Two broad sub-fields of philosophy are logic and the history of philosophy.Logic is the science of argument and critical thinking.It provides sound methods for distinguishing good from bad reasoning.The history of philosophy involves the study of major philosophers and period in development of philosophy.
Of what use is philosophy?First it is useful in educational advancement.It is necessary for understanding other disciplines.Only philosophy questions the nature of the concepts used in a discipline,and its relation to other disciplines.And through the study of philosophy,one develops sound methods of research and analysis that can be applied to any field.
There are a number of general uses of philosophy.It strengthens one’s ability to solve problems,to communicate,to organize ideas and issues,to persuade,and to take what is the most important from a large quantity of data .These general uses are of great benefit in the career field,not necessarily for obtaining one’s first job after graduation,but for preparing for positions of responsibility,management and leadership later on.It is very short-sighted after all,to take a course of studies only for the purpose of getting one’s first job.The useful skills developed through the study of philosophy have significant long-term benefits in career advancement.No other discipline systematically follows the ideals of wisdom,leadership,and capacity to resolve human conflict.According to Paragraph 1,philosophy can best be described as the study of______.
| A．social sciences |
| B．natural sciences |
| C．both social and natural sciences |
| D．the subject matter of politics |
With the study of philosophy,you can_______.
| A．become a great leader |
| B．succeed in everything |
| C．find a good job soon after graduation |
| D．make progress in your career development |
According to the passage,which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Philosophy is an independent discipline. |
| B．Logic helps you to become a better thinker. |
| C．The study of philosophy brings you immediate benefits. |
| D．The meaning of philosophy is too limited to define. |
From the passage,we can conclude______.
A.not all the subjects have to do with philosophy
B.a person will get a Ph.D.if he/she studies philosophy
C.philosophy can be helpful for the study of any other subjects
D.philosophy is the only solution to all the problems to the world
B
The Frog and The Crane
In the heart of the woods there lay a cool, green pond. The shores of the pond were set with ranks of tall bulrushes(芦苇) that waved crisply in the wind, and in the shallow bays there were fleets of broad water lily leaves. Among the rushes and reeds and in the quiet water there dwelt a large tribe of Frogs.
On every warm night of spring, the voices of the Frogs arose in a cheerful chorus. Some voices were low and deep---these were the oldest and wisest of the Frogs; at least, they were old enough to have learned wisdom. Some were high and shrill, and these were the voices of the little Frogs who did not like to be reminded of the days when they had tails and no legs.
"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!" croaked（哇哇叫） a very large frog, sitting in the shade of a water lily leaf.
"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!" replied another voice from the opposite bank.
"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!" boasted a third old Frog from the furthest shore of the pond.
Now a long-legged white Crane was standing near by, well hidden by the coarse grass that grew at the water's edge. He was very hungry that evening, and when he heard the deep voice of the first frog ,he made a quick pass under the broad leaf with his long, cruel bill. The old Frog gave a frightened croak, and kicked violently in his efforts to get away.
The Crane almost had him, when something cold and slimy wound itself about one of his legs. He drew back for a second, and the Frog got safely away! But the Crane did not lose his dinner after all, for about his leg was curled a large black water snake, and that made a fair meal.
Now he rested awhile on one leg, and listened. The first Frog was silent, but from the opposite bank the second Frog croaked boastfully:"Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!"
The Crane began to be hungry again. He went round the pond , trying to catch the second frog..
Just as he drew closer to the frog, the Crane saw something that made him let go. a mink(水貂) had crept very close to the Crane, hoping to seize him at his meal! So the second Frog got away too; but he was so dreadfully frightened that he never spoke again.
After a long time the Crane got over his fright and he became very hungry once more. The pond had been still so long that many of the Frogs were singing their pleasant chorus, and above them all there boomed the deep voice of the third and last Bullfrog, saying: "Kerrump! kerrump! I'm chief of this pond!"
The Crane determined to silence him once for all. He croaked and struggled in vain. But just then a Fox crept up behind the Crane and seized him! The Crane let go the Frog and was carried off screaming into the woods for the Fox's supper. So the third Frog got away; but he was badly lamed by the Crane's strong bill, and he never dared to open his mouth againWhy didn’t the crane catch the first frog?
| A．Because the frog kicked too violently. |
| B．Because something would itself around the crane’s leg. |
| C．Because the crane was distracted by another frog. |
| D．Because the frog was frightened away by the noise of the crane. |
According to the passage, the crane ______.
| A．ate nothing that night |
| B．got hurt three times |
| C．let all the three frogs get away |
| D．didn’t dare to catch the frogs in the end |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．It is dangerous living in the woods. |
| B．A wise person always keeps silent. |
| C．Be careful when you are close to your goal. |
| D．Never be proud, even if you have done well. |
Where can we probably find this passage?
| A．In a children’s book |
| B．In an introduction to animals |
| C．In a book about dangers in the woods |
| D．In a book full of information about ponds. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
The new species of monkey was officially unveiled in a scientific journal last week.
The animal kingdom has a new member. On September 12, researchers unveiled（揭开）to the world a newly discovered species of monkey. The primate(灵长类动物) is called the lesula, short for its Latin name, Cercopithecus lomamiensis. The lesula is only the second monkey species discovered in 28 years.
Meet the Lesula
Scientists first saw the lesula in June 2007 in the town of Opala in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo, often called the DRC, is located in Central Africa. The lesula lives in the lowland rainforests of central DRC. The monkey found in Opala was the pet of a local family. Researchers say the species was already well known to hunters. The found additional lesulas in the wild.
The lesula has been compared to another species of monkey calledCercopithecus hamlyni, better known as the owl-faced monkey. This animal earns its name for having a long, flat nose and a face that that looks like that of an owl. The lesula and the owl-faced monkey are similar in size and both have a stripe on their nose. These new findings on the lesula prove that the two monkeys are close relatives, but different species. Scientists say the lesula usually weighs about 12 pounds and measures about 20 inches. It has a mane of long blond hair and a cream-colored stripe running down its nose. The lesula eats a vegetarian diet. Its habitat extends nearly 11,000 square miles across the DRC’s eastern central basin.
Robert Kityo is a zoology professor at Uganda’s Makerere University. He says that the lesula discovery is proof that the eastern central basin is filled with species yet to be discovered. This new find also creates awareness about the importance of preserving, or protecting, African rainforests. Many forests are threatened by illegal logging and hunting. Preserving these rainforests allows new species like the lesula to continue to grow and change.The monkey found in Opala __________.
| A．was the only living lesula |
| B．got lost from its group |
| C．was raised by a local family |
| D．was unknown to the hunters |
Why was the Cercopithecus hamlyni called the owl-faced monkey?
| A．It has the same color as owl. |
| B．Its face looks like that of an owl. |
| C．It eats the same diet as owls. |
| D．It has the same strip on its nose as owls. |
What has been found about the lesula and the owl-faced monkey?
| A．They were found in the same area. |
| B．They belong to the same species. |
| C．They are close relatives. |
| D．Both of them eat a vegetarian diet. |
The lesula discovery indicates that _______.
| A．many species remain to be discovered in eastern central basin |
| B．illegal logging and hunting are the main threats to African rainforests |
| C．effective measures should be taken to control the exploration of the African rainforests |
| D．African rainforests are disappearing gradually because of lack of protection |
D
Amazon is taking a leap into movie production, planning to fund a dozen original feature films each year, and to compress the time it takes to move them from theatres to viewers’ homes.
The first film projects are expected to begin production at Amazon Studios later this year, and to make their first public appearance in U.S. theatres. But Amazon plans to push them to its Prime Instant Video subscription service as little as 30 to 60 days later.
The long-standing timeline for movie releases is already under pressure, and Amazon’s latest move is another step toward collapsing it to satisfy increasingly impatient audiences. But where competitor Netflix Inc. has sought to do away with wait times entirely.
When Netflix promised last October to commission a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and to release it on its streaming site the same day when it would open in theatres in the fall of 2015, cinema owners refused. “We believe the theatrical window is an important part of the overall movie sales cycle,” a spokesperson for theatre chain said.
Paul, a senior media analyst, expects many of Amazon’s original movies will have the feel of independent films with their more challenging subject matter, often made for $10-million or less. The goal isn’t to go toe to toe with “the big blockbuster machine,” with their $100-million-plus production budgets.“I don’t see this as laying down the gauntlet,” Mr. Dergarabedian said. “It’s a strategy of co-existence.”
Prime Instant Video offers online access to a wide array of films and television shows for $99 (U.S.) a year. But it is not currently available in Canada, unless viewers use a virtual private network to disguise their location.
The new company, Amazon Original Movies, will be led by Ted Hope, an American independent filmmaker.
“Audiences already recognize Amazon has raised the bar with productions in the episodic realm, coping with bold material in unique ways and teaming with top talent, both established and emerging,” Mr. Hope said.Why does Amazon begin to make original feature films?
| A．To attract more Prime Instant Video customers |
| B．To win the Golden Globe Award |
| C．To cooperate with Netflix Inc. |
| D．To contribute to the film industry. |
The original films that Amazon release _______.
| A．may not use new actors |
| B．will first be shown in Canadian theatres |
| C．may be seen at home two months after they are released |
| D．may not be welcome in the US |
From the passage we can infer the theatre _______.
| A．doesn’t want to show Amazon’s new films |
| B．prefers to co-operate with Netflix Inc. |
| C．will make more profits because Amazon’ films cost less. |
| D．doesn’t like the time being shortened from theatres to homes |
What does the underlined word “compress” mean?
| A．Lengthen. | B．Shorten. |
| C．Increase. | D．Quit. |
What can be the best title?
| A．Amazon comes into world market. |
| B．Amazon has a bright future. |
| C．Amazon jumps into movies |
| D．The competition in film industry becomes serious. |
C
The spread of Western eating habits around the world is bad for human health and the environment. Those findings come from a new report in the journal Nature.
There are ways to solve this diet-health-environment problem. But they will require a change in eating habits. And what we eat can be a product of culture, personal taste, price and ease.
David Tilman , a professor of ecology, examined information from 100 countries to identify what people ate and how diet affected health and found as nations industrialized, population increased and earnings rose, more people began to adopt what has been called the Western diet.
The Western diet is high in refined or processed sugar, fat, oil and meat. By eating these foods, people began to get fatter -- and sicker.
David Tillman says overweight people are at greater risk for non-infectious diseases like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
Unfortunately when people become industrialized, if they adopt this Western diet, they are going to have these same health impacts, and in some cases if you are Asian, you have them more seriously than what happens in the West."
China, he says, is an example where the number of diabetes cases has jumped. And that’s happening all across the world, in Mexico, Nigeria and so on.
A diet bad for human beings is also bad for the environment. As the world's population grows, experts say more forests will become farmland for crops or grasslands for grazing cattle.
"We are likely to have more greenhouse gas released in the future from agriculture because of this dietary shift than all the greenhouse gas that comes out of cars, airplanes, boats and ships. So our change in diet is likely to be worse for the world for climate warming than all the transportation sources we use right now."
He says one possible solution is leaving the Western diet behind.What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The advantage of the Western diet |
| B．The disadvantage of the Western diet. |
| C．The diseases caused by the Western diet. |
| D．The popularity of the Western diet. |
Why do more and more people eat Western diet?
| A．Because Western diet is good for health. |
| B．Because people have more money. |
| C．Because Western diet is cheaper. |
| D．Because Western diet can make people thin. |
According to the passage, what is good for our environment?
| A．Giving up the Western diet. |
| B．Returning to Chinese diet. |
| C．Growing more crops |
| D．Raising more cattle. |
In which section of a newspaper can you find this passage?
| A．Science and Technology. |
| B．Education and Culture. |
| C．Environment and Health. |
| D．Agriculture and Climate. |
Which statement is true?
| A．The Western diet has little effect on Asians . |
| B．The China diet is rich in fat and oil. |
| C．Leaving the Western diet behind is easy for people. |
| D．More forests will become farmland as the world's population grows . |
B
Ceaseless technology. A punishing workweek. That to –do list that keeps multiplying. It is no wonder many of us find it difficult to have a sufficient amount of sleep. But will sleeping more on the weekend make up for hours of lost snoozing (小睡)? One sleep expert, W. Christopher Winter raised the question.
Sleeping binge
Getting eight hours of shut-eye each night is generally recommended, but many people don’t. As the week rolls from Monday to Friday, they accumulate a sleep debt. Spending a few extra hours in bed on a Saturday morning, people assume, will help them “ catch up” on lost sleep. They’re likely right, “ Nobody knows how long the horizon is, probably a few nights, but studies show that recovery sleep in the short term does work,” says Dr. Winter, a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Sleep banking
Recent data suggests that banking sleep in advance of a long night can actually offset (补偿) upcoming sleep deprivation. If you knew you were going to have to stay up all night on a particular day, for example, you could sleep for 10 hours a day for multiple days before the event, and be fine, Dr. Winter says. Just plan ahead.
Routine naps
A scheduled nap is healthier than catching up on or banking sleep. “ Because sleep extension can make you feel groggy (昏昏沉沉), I always recommend a short nap (if a person feels they need it ), at the same time, every day,” says Dr. Winter. He adds that 25 minutes is ideal. “ When you schedule a short nap, your body anticipates it and slows down, without falling into a deep dream sleep,” he says. That refreshing, scheduled break is better than an occasional weekend lie-in. “ The body likes routine,” he says, “ When it’s prepared, it works more efficiently.”What is the topic of this passage?
| A．The bad effect of lacking sleep. |
| B．Advantages of enough sleep. |
| C．Some knowledge about sleep. |
| D．The ways to get sound sleep. |
Why do people accumulate a sleep debt during the week?
| A．Because they have a tight weekday. |
| B．Because they watch TV late into night. |
| C．Because they have to look after children. |
| D．Because they want to catch up on lost sleep on weekend. |
Which is the recommended way to keep healthy ?
| A．Banking sleeping. |
| B．Catching up on lost sleep. |
| C．An occasional weekend lie-in. |
| D．Scheduled naps. |
what is the meaning of the underlined word “deprivation”.
| A．Increase. | B．Loss. | C．Time. | D．Problem. |
Which is right according to the passage?
| A．Most people always get 8-hour-sleep each night. |
| B．Recovery sleep can make a difference. |
| C．Everyone should have a short nap. |
| D．A nap won’t work as expected. |