PART THREE: READING COMPREHENSION (30分)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
A
The Wuhan to Guangzhou MU(动车组) Train route will start to operate on the 26th of this month. The train is the fastest in the world. All the construction and preparations for the route's operation are in the final stages. Our reporter Li Dong has the details.
In a trial operation, the speed of the MU Train reached 394 kilometers per hour, the highest in the world. Though the speed during normal operation may be at 350 kilometers per hour, but this newly built high speed railway may still reduce the travel time of Wuhan to Guangzhou from more than 10 to 3 hours.
The total length of Wuhan—Guangzhou high speed railway is more than 1068 kilometers. The railway connects Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong. The total investment is more than 116 billion yuan.
Protection facilities like bars and surveillance cameras are installed along the whole railway. Zhang Shuguang, director of transport bureau of the Ministry of Railway says the safety system of the train and the route is also state of the art.
"The break distance of the train is 5 kilometers. But the MU Train can respond to any emergency situations within 32 kilometers. It's very safe."
The shortened travel distance is good news for many people. However some passengers also hope the service can be upgraded.
"The dinning and entertainment service can be better. I hope I can watch TV on the train."
"The weariness during travel can be eased if I can use internet on the train. I can feel more comfortable."
Jing Libin is the MU Train driver of the Wuhan—Guangzhou high speed railway. As a MU Train engineer who witnessed China's high speed railway development. Jing Libin says: It's a way faster!
"The development of China's railway is so fast. In the beginning of the year, the speed is only 160 kilometers per hour. Soon, the speed reached 250 kilometers. And now, it's 350 kilometers! As a driver, I am very impressed."
China plans to increase the railway operation length from the current 80 thousand kilometers to 110 thousand kilometers, which includes 18 thousand kilometers of high speed passenger railways by 2012.
Within 3 years, China plans to build an "8 Hour, High Speed Transportation Circle", which means, passengers may reach nearly all the provincial capital cities in China in about 8 hours by high speed railway. With the development of the railway, China’s economy will also continue her highest development. In the near future, China will be really powerful in the world.
56. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Fastest Train in the World
C. High Speed Railway Construction
B. Trial Operation of the MU Train
D. Newly Typed Train in the World.
57. Surveillance cameras are used for________.
A. art B. speed C. safety D. research
58. How much time would be needed from Wuhan to Guangzhou if the train travelled at its top speed?
A. a little more than three hours C. more than four hours
B. less than three hours D. less than seven hours
59. What can we learn from the passage?
A. There will be no problems on the new train.
B. Passengers are completely satisfied with the new train.
C. Jing Libin is very proud of the development of China’s railway.
D. China has 110 thousand kilometers ofthe railway operation length now.
60. What can we infer according to the author?
A. Nobody expected China would have such a fast train.
B. China will build more high speed railways.
C. The service of the train is hard to be improved.
D. China’s economy would slow down if her transport couldn’t be improved.
Neil Armstrong took“one small step for man”when he stepped on the moon’s surface while worldfamous physicist Stephen Hawking took a “giant leap (跳跃)”for Earth’s physically disabled when he experienced eight rounds of weightlessness in what he saw as the first step in a personal goal to travel in space.
“It was amazing，”Hawking told reporters afterwards，using his wellknown computerized voice.“The zeroG part was wonderful，and the highG part was no problem.I could have gone on and on.I have long wanted to go into space，and the zerogravity flight is the first step towards space travel.”
Hawking is one of the bestknown scientists because of his bestselling works on the mysteries of black holes and the origins of the universe，and because of his increasing disability.He is almost completely paralyzed (瘫痪的) and can communicate only via facial gestures and a gesturecontrolled computer system.
Thursady’s flight was a test run to find out if Hawking is capable of a rocketpowered journey to the edge of outer space，perhaps aboard the spaceship now being developed for Virgin Galactic.That craft is due to enter service in 2009 or so，and taking such a flight would check off what Hawking has said is his“next step”．“He would have flown more if we let him，”said Noah McMahon，one of Hawking’s coaches.“He was all smiles all the time.”
Zero Gravity had originally planned to bring Hawking back to NASA’s Shuttle Landing Facility here after six upsanddowns.Hawking’s performance showed well for more tests.Zero Gravity Corp.cofounder Peter Diamandis said Hawking experienced the flight better than his physicians had expected.He noted that the four minutes Hawking spent in weightlessness was about as much time as he would spend in zeroG during a space flight.By saying“Stephen Hawking took a‘giant leap’” in the first paragraph，the writer means __________．
| A．ordinary people can not do what Hawking did |
| B．Stephen Hawking managed to jump by himself |
| C．it is not easy for a disabled person like Hawking |
| D．Hawking has finished almost all that is needed to do |
The underlined word“zeroG”in Paragraph 2 probably refers to __________．
| A．space travel |
| B．zerogravity |
| C．a personal goal |
| D．the first step |
Which of the following would the writer probably agree?
| A．Hawking was one of the workers in Zero Gravity Company. |
| B．McMahon was not satisfied with what Hawking did in this test. |
| C．Peter Diamandis bought a spaceship for Hawking to travel in space. |
| D．Hawking would spend in zeroG during a space flight for 4 minutes. |
The text mainly wants to tell us _________．
| A．Hawking takes a “giant leap”for Earth’s disabled |
| B．a spaceship will be sent into space before long |
| C．what Neil Armstrong had experienced in space |
| D．common people can also experience space flights |
A group of professional people asked a group of 4 to 8 yearolds this question，“What does love mean？”The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.See what they think：
“When my grandmother got arthritis (关节炎)，she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore.So my grandfather does it for her all the time，even when his hands got arthritis too.That’s love.”Rebecca－age 8
“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”Chrissy－age 6
“Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip (一小口) before giving it to him，to make sure the taste is OK.”Danny－age 7
“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt，then he wears it every day.”Noelle－age7
“My mummy loves me more than anybody.You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”Clare－age 6
“Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is more handsome than David Beckham.”Chris－age 7
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.The winner was a fouryearold child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.Upon seeing the man cry，the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard，climbed onto his lap (膝上)，and just sat there.When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor，the little boy said，“Nothing，I just helped him cry.”The children’s answers are mainly based on __________．
| A．their own stories |
| B．their family stories |
| C．what happened around them |
| D．how they viewed people around them |
How many children’s answers describe a happy marriage?
| A．Three. |
| B．Four. |
| C．Five. |
| D．Six. |
Sixyearold Clare feels __________．
| A．her father’s love for her |
| B．her grandparent’s love for her |
| C．her friends’love for her |
| D．her mother’s love for her |
According to Leo Buscaglia，the fouryearold boy __________．
| A．cheered his neighbour up in a unique way |
| B．gave love a special definition |
| C．comforted his neighbour in the most caring way |
| D．had a good understanding of his neighbour’s sadness |
The plan is for Kitty and Fido to go？Here’s what you need to know.,“Take_the_pet_for_a_few_short_rides_before_your_trip_so_it_gets_used_to_it，”says_Greg_Hammer.“You_can’t_take_your_pet_on_a_fourhour_trip_if_he’s_never_been_in_the_car_before.”,Make sure your cellphone number is on the pet’s collar，in case he gets lost.,Put it on his tags or write it on the collar in permanent marker.And have your vet inject your pet with a tiny microchip implant.If he loses his collar，rescue organizations will scan the back of his neck，see his personal identification number，and contact you.,RealSimple.com：Solutions to common pet problems,It’s the safest for passengers and your pets if cats ride in a carrier and dogs in a car harness or a crate，depending on what makes them most comfortable.“Pets that are out of their comfort zones can have behavior problems in the car，which can be dangerous while driving，”says Hammer.,Try not to let your dog ride with his head out of the window.,Beyond the danger of getting hit，“particles of dirt or debris can enter the eyes，ears，and noses，causing injury or infection，”says Hammer.,RealSimple.com: 8 things your pet shouldn’t eat,Make regular stops－every two hours for a puppy，every three to four hours for a cat or an adult dog－so your pet can take a walk on a leash (some cats enjoy a little leash walk)．,Feed your pet only lightly before getting in the car－pets can become carsick.Once you’ve stopped driving for the day，feed normally.,RealSimple.com：The top ten pet owner mistakes,Plan your pet’s typical feeding and walking schedule into your travel time.If your pet eats at midday，stop and give him a quick walk and a small meal.The underlined sentence shows __________．
| A．preparations for the trip are very important |
| B．it is difficult for pets to ride |
| C．take care when traveling with pets |
| D．a fourhour trip isn’t allowed for pets, |
How does the author think of a tiny microchip implant？
| A．Cheap. |
| B．Expensive. |
| C．Useful |
| D．Nice. |
Before you take your pets in the car，you’d better __________．
| A．make it fall asleep |
| B．feed it too much food |
| C．feed it in a normal way, |
| D．give it a little to eat |
What’s the best title for the passage？
| A．How to raise pets |
| B．How to take pets on road trips |
| C．How to solve common pet problems |
| D．How to correct pet mistakes |
Are you a forgetful person? You might be able to blame your genes, a new study in the journal Neuroscience Letters suggests.
Researchers from the University of Bonn have identified a variant（变体） on the DRD2 gene that seems to be associated with increased forgetfulness.
Everyone has one of two variants of the DRD2 gene, the difference is just one letter in the genetic code: Some people have the cytosine (C) variant, while others have the thymine (T) variant. The researchers wanted to see how having one variant over another was associated with forgetfulness.
To test this, they analyzed the DRD2 gene of 500 study participants, and also had the participants answer surveys about their forgetfulness (such as how often they misplaced their keys, or forgot names).
Most of the study participants—three quarters of them—had the thymine gene variant, while the other quarter had the cytosine gene variant. Researchers found an association between more forgetfulness problems and having the thymine gene variant of DRD2. Meanwhile, the cytosine gene variant seemed to have a protective effect against forgetfulness.
However, “there are things you can do to compensate for forgetfulness; writing yourself notes or making more of an effort to put your keys down in a specific location—and not just anywhere,” study researcher Dr. Sebastian Markett, of the University of Bonn, said in a statement.
Research has also suggested that some age groups are more forgetful than others. A recent national poll showed that millenials, who were born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, are actually more likely than seniors to be absent-minded with things like what day of the week it is, where they put their keys and remembering to bring their lunch.
Meanwhile, another study recently published in the journal BMC Psychology showed that men are more likely than women to experience minor memory problems.What do we know about the DRD2?
| A．It has two similar variants. |
| B．Some people don’t have it. |
| C．It’s bad for people’s memory. |
| D．Everyone has one of its variants. |
We can infer from the study that ______.
| A．most people have the C gene variant |
| B．about 75% of the study participants are forgetful |
| C．people with the C gene variant are more forgetful |
| D．the T gene variant helps improve people’s memory |
Paragraph 6 is mainly about ______.
| A．the result of study |
| B．how to avoid the forgetfulness |
| C．why forgetfulness is normal |
| D．the influence of forgetfulness |
Which section of a newspaper is the test most probably taken from?
| A．Health. | B．Nature. |
| C．People. | D．Science |
Today, in many high schools, teaching is now a technical miracle of computer labs, digital cameras, DVD players and laptops. Teachers can e-mail parents, post messages for students on online bulletin(公告，告示) boards, and take attendance with a quick movement of a mouse.
Even though we are now living in the digital age, the basic and most important element of education has not changed. Most students still need that one-on-one, teacher-student relationship to learn and to succeed. Teenagers need instruction in English, math or history, but they also want personal advice and encouragement. Kids talk with me about their families, their weekend plans, their favorite TV shows and their relationship problems. In my English and journalism classes, we talk about Shakespeare and persuasive(富有哲理的) essays, but we also discuss college basketball, the war in Iraq and career choices. Students show me pictures of their rebuilt cars, their family vacations, and their newborn baby brothers. This personal connection is the necessary link between teachers and students that no amount of technology can improve upon or replace.
A few years ago I had a student in sophomore English who was struggling with my class and with school in general. Although he was a humorous young man who liked to joke around, I knew his family life was far from ideal. Whenever I approached him about missing homework or low test grades, he always had the same reply, “It doesn't matter because I'm quitting school anyway.” Even though he always said this in a half-teasing way, I knew he needed to hear my different opinion and my “value of a high school education” lecture. He needed to hear this speech from me. After he left my class, he struggled through the next two years of school. But, he did finally graduate because we kept telling him to hang in there. We’d cared about him finishing school.
Recently, I saw this former student working at a local Italian restaurant. I told him again how proud I was of him. He said that he was hoping to go back to school to become a certified electrician. I encouraged him to get that training.
Students rely on compassionate teachers to guide, to tutor, to listen, to laugh and to cry with them. Teachers provide the most important link in the educational process—the human one.The first paragraph mainly talks about _____________.
| A．the variety of modern teaching methods. |
| B．the wide use of modern technology in education |
| C．the importance of teacher-parent relationship. |
| D．the importance of using modern technology. |
The underlined word “ compassionate” in Para 5 means ____________.
| A．ambitious | B．knowledgeable |
| C．sympathetic | D．selfish |
According to the text, the most important element in education is _________.
| A．teachers’ good instruction |
| B．advanced technology |
| C．teachers’ encouragement |
| D．personal connection |
The author states his view of education by __________.
| A．example | B．description | C．figure | D．comparison |