Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four 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)
From snow-clogged mountain roads to desert highways, freeways to crowded city streets, Californians face a variety of tough driving conditions. But thanks to savvy driving, they consume proportionately less gasoline the rest of the nation. Here, some tips from the Golden State that will help drivers all over the country to get up to 25% more miles per gallon! By SUSAN NESTOR
FREEWAY FRENZY
● Try to maintain a steady speed — especially on freeways and expressways. Never exceed a steady 55 mph. Varying speed by as little as 5mph can reduce mileage by 1.5 miles per gallon. Avoid constant lane changes to “get ahead.”
● Buy radial tyres. If you do a lot of expressway driving, they can increase mileage by as much as 10%. Your fuel savings will pay for the higher tyre price.
ON CITY STREETS
● Plan your route. City driving consumes about 50% more fuel than highway driving (100% more in crowed traffic). Always choose a route with synchronized traffic signals to get the best run for your money.
● Avoid unnecessary braking. Anticipate(预期)traffic light changes; it takes a lot of extra gas to get the car up to speed again.
COLD
● In winter, keep the car in a garage. It will start up easier, and start-up time is when you use the most gasoline. No garage? Cover the engine compartment with an old blanket or rug to shield it from cold winds; remove before starting up.
● Remove all ice and snow. Driving in snow consumes more gas anyway; no sense hauling around extra weight.
65. All these above are ______ for drivers.
A. notices B. tips C. lessons D. advertisements
66. Highway driving can use about ______ fuel than city driving.
A. 20% more B. 20% less C. 50% more D. 50% less
67. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. In winter, you will have difficulty starting up a car if it is kept in a garage.
B. Drivers should avoid necessary breaking and constant lane changes.
C. A steady 65 mph is the ideal speed to save gasoline.
D. Radial tyres can help increase mileage in expressway driving.
B
Events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and tornadoes are all natural disasters. They are mostly related to the weather. Some are predictable ----like a hurricane. Some, like an earthquake, surprise us. It is necessary for us to learn about them, so we can be prepared!
Flooding happens during heavy rains, when rivers overflow, when ocean waves come onshore, when snow melts too fast or when dams or banks break. Flooding is the most common of all natural disasters.
Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation(蒸发) from the sea water increases their power.
Hurricanes have winds at least 74 miles per hour. When they come onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms. Tornadoes must always be taken seriously. Tornadoes can be very dangerous ---- sometimes even deadly. They come from powerful thunderstorms and appear as moving. Tornado winds can reach 300 miles per hour. They cause damage when they land the ground. They can damage an area one mile wide and 50 miles long.
While thunder won't hurt you ----lightning will! So it's important to pay attention when you hear thunder. Thunderstorms happen mostly in summer and every thunderstorm has lightning. Lightning can strike people and buildings, which is very dangerous.
Thunderstorms affect small areas when compared with hurricanes and winter storms. The typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter and lasts an average of 30 minutes.
A volcano is a mountain with a large opening at the top through which melting rock, steam, gases escape from time to time with violent force from inside the earth. When pressure increases, eruptions occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening fill the air with small pieces. Eruptions can cause lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, falling ash and floods, which is likely to knock down entire forests, cause floods and earthquakes. Fresh volcanic ash can cause damage to the lungs of older people, babies and people with respiratory problems.
64. From the passage, we know that ______.
A. all natural disasters can be predicted
B. all natural disasters are connected with the weather.
C. human beings can do nothing with natural disasters
D. the more we know about natural disasters, the less we will suffer.
65. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Flooding is the most common natural disaster.
B. Hurricanes and tornadoes can land the ground and cause damage.
C. Thunder can strike people and buildings.
D. Fresh volcanic ash can cause illnesses.
第三部分阅读理解
第一节(共14小题;每小题1.5分,满分21分):阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中,选出最佳选项。
A
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
61. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of ?
A. Cycling around a lake. B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym. D. Swimming in a sports center.
62. The author uses power walking as an example mainly because______.
A. it is an outdoor sport B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources D. it is recommended by experts
63. The author writes the passage to_______.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports
(D)
Malaria, the world's most widespread parasitic(寄生虫引起的)disease, kills as many as three million people every year—almost all of whom are under five, very poor, and African. In most years, more than five hundred million cases of illness result from the disease, although exact numbers are difficult to assess because many people don't (or can't) seek care. It is not unusual for a family earning less than two hundred dollars a year to spend a quarter of its income on malaria treatment, and what they often get no longer works. In countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Gambia, no family, village, hospital, or workplace can remain unaffected for long.
Malaria starts suddenly, with violent chills, which are soon followed by an intense fever and, often, headaches. As the parasites multiply, they take over the entire body. Malaria parasites live by eating the red blood cells they infect (感染). They can also attach themselves to blood vessels in the brain. If it doesn't kill you, malaria can happen again and again for years. The disease passed on to humans by female mosquitoes infected with one of four species of parasite. Together, the mosquito and the parasite are the most deadly couple in the history of the earth—and one of the most successful. Malaria has five thousand genes, and its ability to change rapidly to defend itself and resist new drugs has made it nearly impossible to control. Studies show that mosquitoes are passing on the virus more frequently, and there are more outbreaks in cities with large populations. Some of the disease's spread is due to global warming.
For decades, the first-choice treatment for malaria parasites in Africa has been chloroquine, a chemical which is very cheap and easy to make. Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, malaria parasites have become resistant to it. Successful alternatives that help prevent resistance are already available, but they have been in short supply and are very expensive. If these drugs should fail, nobody knows what would come next.
76. According to paragraph 1, many people don't seek care because _______.
A. they are too poor
B. it is unusual to seek care
C. they can remain unaffected for long
D. there are too many people suffering from the disease
77. People suffering from malaria _______.
A. have to kill female mosquitoes B. have ability to defend parasites
C. have their red blood cells infected D. have sudden fever, followed by chills
78. Which of the following may be the reason for the wide spread of the disease?
A. Its resistance to global warming.
B. Its ability to pass on the virus frequently.
C. Its outbreaks in cities with large populations.
D. Its ability to defend itself and resist new drugs.
79. It can be inferred from the passage that _______. .
A. no drugs have been found to treat the disease
B. the alternative treatment is not easily available to most people
C. malaria has developed its ability to resist parasites
D. nobody knows what will be the drug to treat the disease
80. Which of the following questions has NOT been discussed in the passage?
A. How can we know one is suffering from malaria?
B. How many people are killed by malaria each year?
C. Why are there so many people suffering from malaria?
D. What has been done to keep people unaffected for long?
(C)
Young adult filmmakers all hope to show their works in international festivals like Sundance and Toronto. But what about really young filmmakers who aren’t in film school yet and aren’t, strictly speaking, even adults?
They are at the heart of Wingspan Arts Kids Film Festival, tomorrow, in a setting any director might envy: Lincoln Center. Complete with “red carpet” interviews and various awards, the festival has much in common with events for more experienced moviemakers, except for the age of the participants: about 8 to 18.
“What’s really exciting is that it’s film for kids by kids,” said Cori Gardner, managing director of Wingspan Arts, a nonprofit organization offering youth arts programs in the New York area. This year the festival will include films not only from Wingspan but also from other city organizations and one from a middle school in Arlington, Virginia. “We want to make this a national event,” Ms. Gardner added.
The nine shorts to be shown range from a Claymation biography of B. B. King to a science fiction adventure set in the year 3005. “A lot of the material is really mature,” Ms. Gardner said, talking about films by the New York City branch of Global Action Project, a media arts and leadership-training group. “The Choice is about the history of a family and Master Anti-Smoker is about the dangers of secondhand smoke.” Dream of the Invisibles describes young immigrants’(移民) feelings of both belonging and not belonging in their adopted country.
The festival will end with an open reception at which other films will be shown. These include a music video and a full-length film whose title is Pressures.
71. Wingspan Arts Kids Film Festival _______.
A. is organized by a middle school B. is as famous as the Toronto Festival
C. shows films made by children D. offers awards to film school students
72. Which of the following is true of Wingspan Arts?
A. It helps young filmmakers to make money.
B. It provides arts projects for young people.
C. It’s a media arts and leadership-training group.
D. It’s a national organization for young people.
73. The underlined word “shorts” in Paragraph 4 refers to _______.
A. short trousers B. short kids C. short films D. short stories
74. Movies to be shown in the festival _______.
A. cover different subjects
B. focus on kids’ life
C. are produced by Global Action Project
D. are directed by Ms. Gardner
75. At the end of this film festival, there will be _______.
A. various awards B. “red carpet” interviews
C. an open reception D. a concert at Lincoln Center
(B)
WHEN an NBA player is young he thinks he can win the championship by himself. It is only later when he has aged and been through many battles that he learns an important lesson: there is no "I" in "team".
There is no better example of the value of teamwork than the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were all superstars on three different teams. Yet, none of them had any titles to show for it. Then, last season, they decided to sacrifice money and individual statistics to play together. Garnett and Allen joined Pierce on the Celtics and changed the NBA in the process.
It started in simple ways. Garnett and Allen are two of the most intense athletes in the world. They treat every second of every practice like it is the NBA championship. If you want to play alongside them then you will have to do the same. So, the young guys on the Celtics started giving their full effort too.
Pierce had been the star of the Celtics for many years. He used to shoot the ball many times a game. But with the addition of Allen and Garnett he shot less and focused on defense. His selflessness showed the young players that doing what made the team better was the only thing that mattered.
When the Celtics were winning and the game was almost over, Garnett, Pierce and Allen would come out of the game. But they wouldn’t just sit on the bench. Instead, they stood and cheered and screamed for their teammates. They wanted to support their friends and teammates.
Now, the guys who don't play know they can still affect the game by cheering so they scream and cheer when Garnett, Allen and Pierce are playing. The Celtics have developed a strong relationship. They are more than just teammates. They are brothers.
The result: the Boston Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship and are considered the favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship again this year.
There is a saying that goes, “A successful team beats with one heart.” If that is the case, the Celtics may have the biggest heart in the NBA.
66. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. The stories of three famous basketball superstars.
B. The importance of teamwork among teammates.
C. A famous basketball team named the Boston Celtics.
D. Matches between the Boston Celtics and other teams.
67. From the passage, we can see that _______.
A. most mature NBA players believe they can win the championship by themselves
B. Pierce, Garnett and Allen had to give up personal glory for team success
C. Allen, Pierce, together with Garnett had been the stars of the Celtics for many years
D. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett had won NBA championships before they joined hands.
68. What does this sentence “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.” mean in Paragraph 1?
A. “I” will be missing once "I" am on the court.
B. “I” work so hard in a team that “I” will forget who “I” am.
C. The members of the team are more important than the individual.
D. Surrounded by other players, “I” don’t seem to exist.
69. Which of the following is NOT true about Pierce’s recent performance?
A. He became an even better shooter with others’ help.
B. He focused much more attention on defence.
C. He created more chances for teammates.
D. He stood and cheered for his teammates.
70. Which of the following didn’t contribute to the success of the Boston Celtics?
A. The whole team has become devoted to each and every stage of the game.
B. The cooperation and teamwork among the teammates in the match.
C. The influence of Garnett, Allen, Pierce and other teammates’ cheering.
D. The increasing frequency of team players on the bench.