第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
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。
A
A Chinese graduate’s record – setting $8,888,888 donation to his school at Yale University has caused wide debate at home.
The donation will primarily help build the new SOM campus, while part of it will provide scholarship support for the International Relations Program at Yale's new Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, as well as fund(资助) a variety of China-related activities at the university.
Some asked why Zhang Lei, who graduated from Yale less than 10 years ago, chose an overseas institution rather than Renmin University, his alma mater (母校), for the donation. But a larger group of online users voiced support for Zhang's move and said there is still room for improvement regarding management of universities in China.
"We should look at this news from an international standpoint," said Chi Fulin, professor and president of China Institute for Development and Reform. Chi said although Yale gets the money, the donation will also benefit China.
"It will promote more Sino-US exchange programs, and more Chinese will be involved in these exchanges." He said that China also has received a lot of support and funding from overseas donors, and Zhang's move should be regarded with "respect, understanding and encouragement".
In terms of cultural and educational exchanges between China and the US, a larger part of financial aid comes from non – government organizations. "China should also try to attract more donations through such channels in the future," he said.
Zhang said Yale changed his life and taught him the spirit of giving. "Yale has been helping China for more than 100 years. he said, “Many Chinese leaders were educated at Yale. But the relationship has been one-way for too long and I want to help change that."
Zhang, who graduated from the Yale School of Management in 2002, worked for the Yale Investments Office. In 2005, Zhang founded Hillhouse Capital Management Ltd, a Beijing-based investment fund that manages $2.5 billion.
56．Zhang Lei contributed such a large sum of money to Yale just .
A．to relieve the situation that Yale was lacking in money
B．to pay Yale back for the free education he received
C．to help change the pattern of the one – way assistance
D．to promote the relationship between China and the US
57．What’s the writer’s attitude towards Zhang Lei’s donation to Yale?
A．objective B．supportive C．opposed D．unconcerned
58．From the passage, we can see professor Chi Fulin argues that .
A．more Chinese should be involved in donating money to US
B．the behavior of Zhang Lei is respectable and deserves praise
C．government organizations matter much in exchange programs
D．universities in China should take management more seriously
59．As for Zhang Lei, .
A．his generosity made him world – famous overnight
B．his company mainly serves the Yale Investments Office
C．Yale shaped his life and taught him the spirit of giving
D．he considers Yale his preference to Renmiu University
60．Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A．Act of Kindness set a record
B．Individual donation makes a difference
C．A new page for Sino – US relationship
D．Donation to Yale caused debate
Bacteria are an annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms（微生物） from our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station, so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week. How is NASA overcoming this very tiny big problem? It's turning to a bunch of high school kids. But not just any kids. It depending on NASA HUNCH high school class, like the one science teachers Gene Gordon and Donna Himmelberg lead at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.
HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. For the past two years, Gordon's students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity, and they think they're close to a solution（解决方案）. "We don't give the students any breaks. They have to do it just like NASA engineers," says Florence Gold, a project manager.
"There are no tests," Gordon says. "There is no graded homework. There almost are no grades, other than 'Are you working towards your goal?' Basically, it's 'I've got to produce this product and then, at the end of year, present it to NASA.' Engineers come and really do an in-person review, and…it's not a very nice thing at time. It's a hard business review of your product."
Gordon says the HUNCH program has an impact（影响） on college admissions and practical life skills. "These kids are so absorbed in their studies that I just sit back. I don't teach." And that annoying bacteria? Gordon says his students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem, readying a workable solution to test in space.
（1）What do we know about the bacteria in the International Space Station?
| A． |
They are hard to get rid of. |
| B． |
They lead to air pollution. |
| C． |
They appear different forms. |
| D． |
They damage the instruments. |
（2）What is the purpose of the HUNCH program?
| A． |
To strengthen teacher-student relationships. |
| B． |
To sharpen students' communication skills. |
| C． |
To allow students to experience zero gravity. |
| D． |
To link space technology with school education |
（3）What do the NASA engineers do for the students in the program?
| A． |
Check their product. |
| B． |
Guide project designs |
| C． |
Adjust work schedules. |
| D． |
Grade their homework. |
（4）What is the best title for the text?
A. NASA: The Home of Astronauts.
B. Space: The Final Homework Frontier.
C. Nature: An Outdoor Classroom.
D. HUNCH:A College Admission Reform.
Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach's Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel's "me" time. And like more Americans, she's not alone.
A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half（53 percent）have breakfast alone and nearly half（46 percent）have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.
"I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know？" Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. "Today, I just wanted some time to myself, "she said.
Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he's on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction（交流）. "I reflect on how my day's gone and think about the rest of the week," he said. "It's a chance for self-reflection, You return to work recharged and with a plan."
That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. "It doesn't feel as alone as it may have before al the advances in technology," said Laurie Demerit, whose company provided the statistics for the report.
（1）What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?
| A． |
Food variety. |
| B． |
Eating habits. |
| C． |
Table manners. |
| D． |
Restaurant service. |
（2）Why does Bechtel prefer to go out for lunch?
| A． |
To meet with her coworkers. |
| B． |
To catch up with her work. |
| C． |
To have some time on her own. |
| D． |
To collect data for her report. |
（3）What do we know about Mazoleny?
| A． |
He makes videos for the bar. |
| B． |
He's fond of the food at the bar. |
| C． |
He interviews customers at the bar. |
| D． |
He's familiar with the barkeeper. |
（4）What is the text mainly about?
| A． |
The trend of having meals alone. |
| B． |
The importance of self-reflection. |
| C． |
The stress from working overtime. |
| D． |
The advantage of wireless technology. |
"You can use me as a last resort（选择）, and if nobody else volunteers, then I will do it." This was an actual reply from a parent after I put out a request for volunteers for my kids lacrosse（长曲棍球）club.
I guess that there's probably some demanding work schedule, or social anxiety around stepping up to help for an unknown sport. She may just need a little persuading. So I try again and tug at the heartstrings. I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids aren't even on … At this point the unwilling parent speaks up, "Alright. Yes, I'll do it."
I'm secretly relieved because I know there's real power in sharing volunteer responsibilities among many. The unwilling parent organizes the meal schedule, sends out emails, and collects money for end-of-season gifts. Somewhere along the way, the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable member of the team. The coach is able to focus on the kids while the other parents are relieved to be off the hook for another season. Handing out sliced oranges to bloodthirsty kids can be as exciting as watching your own kid score a goal.
Still, most of us volunteers breathe a sigh of relief when the season comes to a close. That relief is coupled with a deep understanding of why the same people keep coming back for more: Connecting to the community（社区）as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.
In that sense, I'm pretty sure volunteering is more of a selfish act than I'd freely like to admit. However, if others benefit in the process, and I get some reward too, does it really matter where my motivation lies?
（1）What can we infer about the parent from her reply in paragraph 1?
| A． |
She knows little about the club. |
| B． |
She isn't good at sports. |
| C． |
She just doesn't want to volunteer. |
| D． |
She's unable to meet her schedule. |
（2）What does the underlined phrase "tug at the heartstrings" in paragraph 2 mean?
| A． |
Encourage team work . |
| B． |
Appeal to feeling. |
| C． |
Promote good deeds. |
| D． |
Provide advice. |
（3）What can we learn about the parent from paragraph 3?
| A． |
She gets interested in lacrosse. |
| B． |
She is proud of her kids. |
| C． |
She'll work for another season. |
| D． |
She becomes a good helper. |
（4）Why does the author like doing volunteer work?
| A． |
It gives her a sense of duty. |
| B． |
It makes her very happy. |
| C． |
It enables her to work hard. |
| D． |
It brings her material rewards. |
My Favourite Books
Jo Usmar is a writer for Cosmopolitan and co-author of the This Book Will series（系列）of lifestyle books. Here she picks her top reads.
Matilda
Roald Dahl
I once wrote a paper on the influence of fairy tales on Roald Dahl's writing and it gave me a new appreciation for his strange and delightful words. Matilda's battles with her cruel parents and the bossy headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, are equally funny and frightening, but they're also aspirational.
After Dark
Haruki Murakami
It's about two sisters-Eri, a model who either won't or can't stop sleeping, and Mari, a young student. In trying to connect to her sister. Mari starts changing her life and discovers a world of diverse "night people" who are hiding secrets.
Gone Girl
Gillian Fynn
There was a bit of me that didn't want to love this when everyone else on the planet did but the horror story is brilliant. There's tension and anxiety from the beginning as Nick and Amy battle for your trust. It's a real whodunit and the frustration when you realise what's going on is horribly enjoyable
The Stand
Stephen King
This is an excellent fantasy novel from one of the best storytellers around. After a serious flu outbreak wipes out 99.4% of the world's population, a battle unfolds between good and evil among those let. Randall Flagg is one of the scariest characters ever.
（1）Who does "I" refer to in the text?
| A． |
Stephen King. |
| B． |
Gillian Flynn. |
| C． |
Jo Usmar. |
| D． |
Roald Dahl |
（2）Which of the following tells about Mari and Eri?
| A． |
Cosmopolitan. |
| B． |
Matilda. |
| C． |
After Dark. |
| D． |
The Stand. |
（3）What kind of book is G one Girl?
| A． |
A folk tale. |
| B． |
A biography. |
| C． |
A love story. |
| D． |
A horror story. |
We may think we're a culture that gets rid of our worn technology at the first sight of something shiny and new, but a new study shows that we keep using our old devices (装置) well after they go out of style. That's bad news for the environment - and our wallets - as these outdated devices consume much more energy than the newer ones that do the same things.
To figure out how much power these devices are using, Callie Babbitt and her colleagues at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York tracked the environmental costs for each product throughout its life - from when its minerals are mined to when we stop using the device. This method provided a readout for how home energy use evolved since the early 1990s. Devices were grouped by generation. Desktop computers, basic mobile phones, and box-set TVs defined 1992. Digital cameras arrived on the scene in 1997. And MP3 players, smart phones, and LCD TVs entered homes in 2002, before tablets and e-readers showed up in 2007.
As we accumulated more devices, however, we didn't throw out our old ones." The Living-room television is replaced and gets planted in the kid's room, and suddenly one day, you have a TV in every room of the house," said one researcher. The average number of electronic devices rose from four per household in 1992 to 13 in 2007. We're not just keeping these old devices-we continue to use them. According to the analysis of Babbitt's team, old desktop monitors and box TV's with cathode ray tubes are the worst devices with their energy consumption and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions(排放) more than doubling during the 1992 to 2007 window.
So what's the solution(解决方案)? The team's data only went up to 2007, but the researchers also explored what would happen if consumers replaced old products with new electronics that serve more than one function, such as a tablet for word processing and TV viewing. They found that more on-demand entertainment viewing on tables instead of TVs and desktop computers could cut energy consumption by 44%.
32.What does the author think of new devices?
| A． |
They are environment-friendly. |
| B． |
They are no better than the old. |
| C． |
They cost more to use at home. |
| D． |
They go out of style quickly. |
33.Why did Babbitt's team conduct the research?
| A． |
To reduce the cost of minerals. |
| B． |
To test the life cycle of a product. |
| C． |
To update consumers on new technology. |
| D． |
To find out electricity consumption of the devices. |
34.Which of the following uses the least energy?
| A． |
The box-set TV. |
| B． |
The tablet. |
| C． |
The LCD TV. |
| D． |
The desktop computer. |
35.What does the text suggest people do about old electronic devices?
| A． |
Stop using them. |
| B． |
Take them apart. |
| C． |
Upgrade them. |
| D． |
Recycle them. |