第三部分：阅读理解（共两节，40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，共30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me．I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride，today，Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No ! Leave me alone!”Those were the last words I said to him that morning．
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later．I forgot to be mad at them and went I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”．
When I reached the hospital，my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive.“Your lather told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911，thank God! If he had moved Daddy，there’s no telling what might have happened．A broken rib（肋骨）might have pierced（穿透）a lung….”
My mother may have said more，but I didn’t hear．I didn’t hear anything except those terrible
words：Leave me alone．My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more．How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation．I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him．
“Daddy… I am so sorry….”
“It’s okay，sweetheart．I'll be okay．”
“No，”I said，“I mean about what I said to you that day．You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly．He looked at me and said．“Sweetheart,
I don’t remember anything about that day， not before，during or after the accident． I remember
kissing you goodnight the night before，though．”He managed a weak smile．
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power．They can hurt or they
can heal．And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.
56．The author was in bad mood that morning because______.
A．his father had a terrible accident
B．he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends
C．his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema
D．his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends
57．Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?
A．Because he didn’t go along with his father．
B．Because he was rude to his father that morning．
C．Because he failed to come earlier after the accident．
D．Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital
58．The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that______
A．he had a poor memory
B．he didn’t wanted to comfort his son
C．he just wanted to comfort his son
D．he lost his memory after the accident
59．What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?
A．Don’t treat your parents badly．
B．Don’t hurt others with rude words．
C．Don’t move the injured in an accident．
D．Don’t be angry with friends at small things
To learn an instrument(乐器) such as the violin or accordion（手风琴）takes years. The job opportunities for musicians are scarce and competition is fierce. Then why are more people than ever before paying a lot of good cash to get their children the best music teaching they can afford?
The secret lies in the influence of music on the whole person. It has been found that learning a musical instrument actually increases a person’s IQ over time. Different instruments and different trypes of music have varying effect, with classical music and the string（弦乐） family coming out on top, potentially increasing you IQ by up to 12 points!
When is a good time to start learning music? Experts have found that even the fetus（胎儿）can benefit from listening to classical music. Surround yourself and your family with good music from the first. The Suzuki Piano Method teaches children from the age of 3 years piano, with two lessons per week. From preschool, children can learn to read music and play from sheet music. Progress in learning your instrument is directly proportional（成比例的）to the amount of practicing.
Is there such a thing as an unmusical child? Shinichi Suzuki proposes that music is the native home language of all human beings and therefore nobody can be “unmusical”. Of course there are exceptional talents, compared to which others may seem to be slower learners.
Is there any benefit for adults in starting an instrument? Apart from the purely relaxing aspect, yes. Learning an instrument can earn even adults additional IQ points, and as an added benefit in improves your health by reducing your stress levels. Your social life may benefit too, if you are prepared to come out of your box and join occasions such as Ceilidhs (musical get-togethers) or arrange house concerts. It has been established that people who play instruments tend to be more emotionally balanced and more patient with themselves, others and life in general.
So go ahead, sign up for that amateur orchestra, dust off your old trombone（长号）or take your first real six-string down from the attic（阁楼）; get out there and play!Playing which of the following musical instruments can help increase a person’s IQ most?
| A．The piano | B．The violin | C．The trombone | D．The accordion |
According to Shinichi Suzuki, .
| A．The progress in learning an instrument depends on natural gifts |
| B．It is too late for an adult to start an instrument |
| C．Every child has a natural talent for music. |
| D．All people can understand and read music. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Music can balance our life. |
| B．Music can improve our living conditions. |
| C．Playing instruments can make adults keep their IQ points. |
| D．Playing instruments can help us get along well with others. |
By writing the text, the author mainly wants to.
| A．persuade us to send our children to music schools |
| B．express his great interest in musical instruments |
| C．tell us the importance of Music in Development |
| D．invite us to attend Ceilidhs |
There are many benefits for the adult to learn instruments, which of the following is NOT RIGHT?
| A．Feeling relaxed. | B．Earn additional IQ points. |
| C．Improve your health. | D．Show your talents |
Officials in the Midwestern U. S. town of Joplin, Missouri, say the death from Sundays’ big tornado reaches 116 and that search efforts continue for possible survivors trapped in rubble (碎石). Search and rescue teams are conducting their third sweep through the nearly 10 kilometer – long and one – kilometer wide area of destruction left by the tornado. They are working as quickly as possible while weather conditions remain relatively stable. More storms are forecast for the area.
Joplin Fire Chief Mitch Randles said there are areas with large piles of rubble that might hold survivors. “We are still finding individuals. We did rescue seven individuals from underneath rubble yesterday and, of course, we are also finding dead folks as well.” Said more folks and that is why we are doing these searches. We want to make every opportunity that we can to find everybody that is in the rubble and that has survived to this point.”
Randles said the current sweep involves a slower pace that previous searches and that he plans a fourth search, possibly on Wednesday, using specially trained dogs. “We are searching every structure that has been damaged or destroyed in a more in-depth manner, “he said.” I have dogs and dog handlers coming from all over the country do help us in that effort.”
Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr said the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations are helping people who were left homeless by the tornado and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is on hand to help. “Joplin is a great city. We have suffered a great loss, “said Rohr.” We will recover and we will recover strongly and we have a lot of help and a lot of volunteers to make that easier.”
The tornado that struck Joplin was classified by the Natioonal Weather Service as an F – 4, with winds of more than 300 kilometers per hour. It lasted only 20 minutes, but it killed more that 100 people, injured more than 400 others, and destroyed or heavily damaged some 2,000 homes, businesses, churches and a hospital. Authorities have registered more than 1,700 calls about missing people and they hope to resolvemost of those cases soon, as victims are identified and survivors come forth and reunite with loved ones.
This was the worst tornado to strike the United States in 60 years. It was the latest in a wave of violent storms that have swept Midwestern and southern states in recent weeks, leaving more than 300 people dead an causing more than $2 billion dollars in damage.What kind of disaster (灾害)of this article is talking about?
| A．tornado | B．earthquake | C．flood | D．drought |
The best headline for this newspaper article would be.
| A．Difficulties in the Rescue |
| B．The Great Loss Brought by the Tornado |
| C．Search for Survivors After the Disaster |
| D．Worst Tornado in the USA |
The word “resolve” in Para 5 probably means.
| A．cover | B．settle | C．overcome | D．challenge |
The number of death caused by the tornado that struck Joplin reached more than.
| A．100 | B．300 | C．400 | D．1,700 |
From the text, it can be inferred that.
| A．many victims might be under the ruins |
| B．it was impossible to find out survivors |
| C．the tornado lasted several weeks |
| D．the bad weather influenced the rescue greatly |
Besides containing attractive flowers, trees and other plants that beautify the community, eco-friendly rain gardens are healthy for the environment and the people living and working nearby.
A rain garden （雨水花园）is not very different from a traditional garden. It is just a far more eco-friendly garden. Usually it is built lower than the ground. Rain gardens make smart use of rain and storm water by temporarily holding water from rain and storms and letting it soak（浸入）slowly into the ground before it runs into streams or enters the public drinking water supply.
Thus, a rain garden keeps the water, allowing it to be used as needed by plants in the rain garden, rather than flowing immediately into nearby streams and going unused. The water will soak slowly into the ground within a day or two. This creates an advantage that the rain garden does not allow mosquitoes to breed. This is a simple, attractive, and eco-friendly “green” way to treat storm water.
What’s more, planting a rain garden helps reduce pollution and improve the environment. Without using expensive machinery and chemicals, rain gardens remove harmful chemicals in the rainwater and cut down on the amount of pollution reaching streams and rivers by up to 30%.
Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they are more used to the locals climate, soil, and water conditions. They may attract local wildlife such as native birds. Water your rain garden immediately after planting and once a week, unless you have had at least an inch of rain during the week. Once the native plants establish the necessary root system, it will require little care.
Often, local governments and private businesses develop large rain gardens in their yards and in public parks as a way to improve the environment and solve flooding problems. However, you don’t need to be a professional environmental engineer to create a rain garden. As long as you’re eco-conscious homeowners, you can help the environment by building smaller rain gardens in your yards.Which of the following is NOT RIGHT for the function(功能) of rain gardens?
| A．They are good for living conditions. |
| B．They increase pollution. |
| C．They can beautify the community. |
| D．They improve the environment. |
Which of the following is the eco-friendly function of rain gardens discussed in Paragraph 4?
| A．They can keep the rain and storm water. |
| B．They can help reduce the pollution problem. |
| C．They can be healthy for the people around. |
| D．They can make the environment more beautiful. |
One of the main reasons why native plants are recommended is that.
| A．they cost less and are much easier to get |
| B．they may attract local wildlife to come |
| C．they require little care from the local gardener |
| D．they are more used to the local growing conditions |
What do we know about rain gardens?
| A．They need little water after all the plants are planted. |
| B．They usually need at least an inch of rainwater a week. |
| C．They may attract local birds and change the locals climate. |
| D．They may reduce the water pollution problem by 70%. |
Who are the intended readers of the passage?
| A．Homeowners. | B．Students. | C．Engineers, | D．Educators. |
People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word “mouth.”
For example, if you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say “Do not bad mouth me.” Sometimes, people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person’s feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.” If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words, he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing.
Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest: “I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth.”
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person, “was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life, like food.
Parents might sometimes withhold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example, if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off.
But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough.People use their mouths for many things. Which is NOT RIGHT?
| A．eat | B．talk | C．sing | D．hear |
In what kind of situation will a person say “Do not bad mouth me.”? _____________.
| A．When he feels down . | B．When he feels regretful. |
| C．When he is spoken ill of. | D．When he feels innocent. |
If a person feels sorry for what he has said, he might say “.”
| A．Do not bad mouth me | B．I really put my foot in my mouth this time |
| C．Do not put words in my mouth | D．Stop mouthing off |
If a person lives from hand to mouth, it implies.
| A．he is badly – off(家境贫寒) | B．he is hard – working |
| C．he is well – off（家境好） | D．he has enough to eat |
By saying, “I have been running my mouth long enough”, the speaker means “”.
| A．I have run a long way | B．I have been a mouthy person |
| C．I have learned a lot | D．I have talked too much |
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago. Because more people live longer, there are more people around at any given time. In fact, it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birthrates, that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies, people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine (饥荒), infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved, where as if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies, people feel a moral obligation (责任) to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work; we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement, somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illnesses than young or middle-aged people; unless they have wealth or private or government insurance, they must often “go on welfare” if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile (衰老的) or too weak and ill to care for themselves, they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures, they would be cared for at home until they died. Today, with most members of a household working or in school, there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need, a great many nursing homes and convalescent (疗养的) hospitals have been built. These are often profit making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups. While a few of these institutions are good, most of them are simply “dumping (倒垃圾的) grounds” for the dying in which “care” is given by poorly paid, overworked, and under skilled personnel (员工).The author believes that the increased size of the human population results from _______.
| A．an increase in birthrates | B．the industrial development |
| C．a decrease in death rates | D．childhood diseases |
It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering cultures _______.
| A．it was a moral responsibility for the families to keep alive the aged people who could not work |
| B．the survival of infants was less important than that of their parents in times of starvation |
| C．old people were given the task of imparting (传授) the cultural wisdom of the tribe to new generations |
| D．death was celebrated as a time of rejoicing for an individual freed of (免除) the hardships of life |
The phrase “this need” in the last paragraph refers to ________.
| A．prolonging the dying old people’s lives |
| B．reducing the problems caused by the retired people |
| C．making profits through caring for the sick or weak people |
| D．taking care of the sick or weak people |
According to the passage, which of the following statements about the old people in the United States is true?
| A．Many of them live on social security money which is hardly enough. |
| B．Minority of them remain in a state of near poverty after their retirement. |
| C．Many nursing homes are sponsored by religious and nonprofit groups. |
| D．Older people have wealth or private insurance if they have a serious illness. |