第三部分：阅读理解（共2节，满分35分）
第一节：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（共15小题，每小题2分,满分30分）.
ARGENTINA’S new government faced public anger over its recent decision to greatly reduce the dollar value of its citizens’ bank savings. More than two-thirds of Argentine bank savings were in US dollars. The country’s recession (衰退)，which is in its fourth year, has left a third of Argentine’s 36 million people in poverty.
A few angry people took the streets on January 21, beating pots and pans in protest. And a group of unemployed Argentines demanding jobs blocked a major highway into Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires.
Argentines fear they could lose up to half the dollar value of their savings. Some on the street said the country’s fifth president in the past month has already failed them.
After three weeks in power, President Eduardo Duhalde has broken his first and biggest promise. He said he would return people’s savings in the currency in which were deposited(开户). Duhalde aims to make exports more competitive. But this is expected to have a serious effect on ordinary families, for the simple reason that in Argentine, 80 percent of loans and mortgages(抵押) are in dollars. The government froze all the bank savings made in dollars, worth US$45 billion in total to stop a run on banks. This cause huge street protest earlier this month and contributed to the downfall of two governments. “Most of my life savings were just taken away from me, “ said Jose, a 38-year-old citizen. “I was going to move to Italy but now I can’t because my money is trapped here. Argentina is like a prison.”
The government loosened the new banking rules a little bit on January 17. However, people still don’t have free access to their bank account. They are only allowed to take out rapidly devaluing pesos, even though their savings are in US dollars.
The banking controls will remain in place for about three months, with a few exceptions for the elderly or people with sever illnesses who need crash.
56. How many people have been left in poverty because of Argentina’s economic recession?
A. all Argentines people B. 24 million people
C. 12 million people D. 36 million people
57. What cause Argentines to protest in the streets earlier this month?
Argentina’s economic recession.
Argentina’s new government made its people angry.
Argentina’s government froze all the bank savings made in US dollars.
Two of Argentina’s governments failed to make exports more competitive.
58. What does the sentence… my money is trapped here” mean_____?
My bank savings have been frozen by the government.
I don’t want to take my money away.
I don’t have any money in the bank.
My money has been taken by the Italian government.
59. According to the article, which of the following sentences is correct?
people can get their money from the bank freely.
People are only allowed to get US dollars from the bank.
The government will only allow people to get pesos from the bank.
The banking controls will loosen a little in three months’ time.
60. Argentines cannot get US dollars from the bank unless they are_____.
A. ordinary people B. rich or government officials
C. poor people D. old or seriously ill
Afederal agency on Tuesday called for a ban on all cellphone use by drivers -- the most far-reaching recommendation up to now — saying its decision was based on a decade of investigations into distraction-related(与分散注意力有关的) accidents, as well as growing concerns that powerful mobile devices are giving drivers even more reasons to look away from the road.
As part of its recommendation, the National Transportation Safety Board is urging states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices, including wireless headsets. No state now has made laws to ban such activity, but the Board said that drivers faced serious risks from talking on wireless headsets, just as they do by taking a hand off the wheel to hold a phone to their ears.
However,the concern was heightened by increasingly powerful phones that people can use to send e-mails, watch movies and play games.
"Everyyear, new devices are being on sale." she said. "People are attracted to update their Facebook page, to play music with cellphone, as if sitting ata desk. But they are driving acar."
Theagency based its recommendation on evidence from its investigation of numerous crashes in which electronic distraction was a major contributing factor.
Ms.Hersman said she understood that this recommendation would be unwelcome in some circles, given the number of drivers who talk and text. But she compared distracted driving to drunken driving and even smoking, which required wholesale cultural shifts to change behavior.
"It'sgoing to be very unpopular with some people." she said. "We're not here to win apopularity contest. We're here to do the right thing. This is a difficult recommendation, but it's the right recommendation and it is time."
Theagency's recommendation is not required for states to adopt such a ban. And it won't likely be agreed upon by state lawmakers who are unwillingly to anger those who have grown accustomed to using their device behind the wheel.
Theban also deserves attention because it is the first call by a federal agency to end the practice completely, rather than the partial ban that some lawmakers have put in place by allowing hands-free talking.The ban on all cellphone use by drivers was put forward______.
| A．after a long discussion and recommendation |
| B．after about ten years' investigation in it |
| C．because of the most powerful mobile devices |
| D．for the reason of heading away from the road |
From the second paragraph we know that now______.
| A．it is legal to use wireless headsets while driving |
| B．wireless headsets are illegal in some states |
| C．it is safe to talk on wireless headsets while driving |
| D．hands-free devices can be used in some states |
We can know from the passage that______.
| A．electronic distraction resulted in numerous crashes |
| B．numerous crashes were caused by drunk driving |
| C．electronic distraction contributed much to the ban |
| D．the recommendation was based on electronic distraction |
Ms Hersman thinks that distracted driving, drunken driving and smoking______.
| A．are just common behaviors | B．can be shifted to behaviors |
| C．are behaviors to be changed | D．are just cultural behaviors |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Cellphone Ban inCars | B．Valuable Ban for Cellphones |
| C．Drivers Ban Cellphones | D．Cellphone Ban while Driving |
We now think of chocolate as sweet, but once it was bitter. We think of it as a candy, but once it was a medicine. Today, chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or just a snack. Sometimes it’s an ingredient(配料) in the main course of a meal. Mexicans make a hot chocolate sauce called mole and pour it over chicken. The Mexicans also eat chocolate with spices like chili peppers.
Chocolate is a product of the tropical cacao tree. The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys say “Ugh!” and run away. Workers must first dry and then roast the beans. This removes the bitter taste.
The word “chocolate” comes from a Mayan word. The Mayas were an ancient people who once lived in Mexico. They valued the cacao tree. Some used the beans for money, while others crushed them to make a drink.
When the Spaniards came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they started drinking cacao too. Because the drink was strong and bitter, they thought it was a medicine. No one had the idea of adding sugar. The Spaniards took some beans back to Europe and opened cafes. Wealthy people drank cacao and said it was good for the digestion.
In the 1800s, the owner of a chocolate factory in England discovered that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao. It quickly became a cheap and popular drink. Soon afterwards, a factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate. Later on, another factory mixed milk and chocolate together. People liked the taste of milk chocolate even better.
Besides the chocolate candy bar, one of the most popular American snacks is the chocolate chip cookie. Favorite desserts are chocolate cream pie and, of course, an ice cream sundae with hot fudge sauce. It was ________that discovered sugar could remove the bitter taste of cacao.
| A．The workers in the chocolate factory | B．The Spaniards |
| C．The people in England | D．The owner of a chocolate factory |
According to the passage which of the following statements is true?
| A．Nobody had the idea of adding sugar until the sixteenth century. |
| B．The word “chocolate” comes from a Mexican word. |
| C．The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys like them. |
| D．Workers must dry and roast the beans to remove the bitter taste. |
The Spaniards think that cacao was a medicine because________
| A．it was strong and bitter. | B．it was good for digestion. |
| C．it cured man’s diseases. | D．it was a kind of drink for good health. |
Which is the right time order of the events regarding chocolate?
a. Chocolate became a cheap and popular drink in England.
b. A factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate.
c. The Spaniards started drinking cacao.
d. It was found that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao.
e. A factory mixed milk and chocolate together.
| A．a-b-c-d-e | B．c-d-e-b-a | C．c-d-a-b-e | D．c-d-b-e-a |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or a candy bar |
| B．Mexicans like chocolate very much |
| C．chocolate is a product of the cacao tree |
| D．people liked the taste of chocolate mixed with milk |
In the last years of the Warring States period, the State of Qin attacked the State of Wei on a large scale repeatedly and occupied large areas of land, for the State of Wei was too weak to defend itself. In 273 B.C., the Qin army launched a more serious attack upon the State of Wei than ever. The king of the State of Wei gathered his officials, and asked with a worried look if anyone could propose a way to defeat the Qin army. After years of chaos caused by the wars, the officials trembled when fighting was mentioned, and no one dared to speak of resistance.
At the critical moment when a large enemy force was bearing down upon the border, most of the officials persuaded the king to sue for peace, at the cost of giving away to the State of Qin the large area of land north of the Huanghe River and south of the Taihang Mountain. However Su Dai, a counselor, did not agree. He hurried up to the king and said, "Your Majesty, they don't think about the interests of the country at all. It is just because they are afraid of death that they ask you to sue for peace by betraying the country. Of course you can temporarily satisfy the ambition of Qin, but it will never stop attacking us until our land is totally given away."
He added,“Once there was a man whose house was on fire. People told him to put out the fire with water, but he would not listen. Instead, he carried a faggot to put out the fire, only to make the fire fiercer. Isn't it similar to carrying faggots to put out a fire if you agree to sue for peace at the cost of the land of the State of Wei?”
Though Su Dai's argument was very convincing, the king accepted the suggestion of those officials and gave away to the State of Qin a large area of the land of the State of Wei. As might be expected, the Qin army attacked the State of Wei in 225 B.C. again, surrounding the capital city Daliang and flooding it by digging open the dykes (堤防) of the Huanghe River. The State of Wei was finally destroyed.When asked how to defeat the Qin army, most officials _______.
| A．were scared and at a loss what to do |
| B．looked worried and turned to Su Dai for help |
| C．asked a large enemy force to bear down upon the border |
| D．were extremely frightened and decided to give up fighting back |
The underlined phrase“sue for”in Paragraph 2 probably means _______.
| A．demand | B．beg for | C．search for | D．negotiate for |
Su Dai used the example of“carrying faggots to put out a fire”to show _______.
| A．the ambition of the State of Qin | B．the serious results of giving in |
| C．the loss of the land of the State of Wei | D．the trembling consequences of defense |
The story is mainly developed by _______.
| A．time | B．logic | C．making comparison | D．cause and effect |
The attitude of the writer towards Su Dai is _______.
| A．approval | B．praise | C．neutral | D．disapproval |
Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons (神经元）in our brains.
Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate (模仿)it，whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further： mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions y they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.
Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example: “The hand took hold of the ball”), the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball).
Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.
Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact(互动）.Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent (相等物）for neuroscience of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does---well, perhaps you'll understand why.Mirror neurons can explain.
| A． why we cry when we are hurt |
| B．why we cough when we suffer from a cold |
| C． why we smile when we see someone else smile |
| D． why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late |
The underlined word "triggered" in the third paragraph probably means “’’
| A．set off | B．cut off | C．built up | D．broken up |
We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons ________.
| A． relate to human behavior and interaction |
| B．control human physical actions and feelings |
| C． result in bad behavior and social disorders |
| D． determine our knowledge and language abilities |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A． Ways to find mirror neurons. |
| B．Problems of mirror neurons. |
| C．Existence of mirror neurons. |
| D． Functions of mirror neurons. |
Easter(复活节 ) is still a great day for worship, randy in baskets and running around the yard finding eggs, but every year it gets quite a bit worse for bunnies.
And no, not because the kids like to pull their ears. The culprit is climate change, and some researchers found that rising temperatures are having harmful effects on at least five species of rabbit in the US.
Take the Lower Keys March rabbit, for instance. An endangered species that lives in the Lower Florida Keys, this species of cottontail is a great swimmer — it lives on the islands! — but it is already severely affected by development and now by rising levels. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, an ocean level rise of only 0. 6 meters will send these guys jumping to higher ground and a 0.9-meter rise would wipe out their habitat (栖息地) completely.
The snowshoe hare, on the other hand, has a color issue. Most of these rabbits change their fur color from white in the wintertime to brown in the summer, each designed to give them better cover from predators（捕食者）.As the number of days with snow decreases all across the country, however, more and more bunnies arc being left in white fur during brown dirt days of both fall and spring, making them an easier mark for predators. Researchers know that the color change is controlled by the number of hours of sunlight, but whether the rabbit will be able to adapt quick enough to survive is a big question. The National Wildlife Federation has reported that hunters have noticed their numbers are already markedly down.
American pikas or rock rabbits, a relative of rabbits and hares, might be the firs' of these species to go extinct due to climate change. About 7-8 inches long, pikas live high in the cool, damp mountains west of the Rocky Mountains. As global temperatures rise, they would naturally migrate (迁徙) to higher ground — but they already occupy the mountaintops. They can't go any higher. The National Wildlife Federation reports that they might not be able to stand the new temperatures as their habitat beats up.
The volcano rabbit has the same problem. These rabbits live on the slopes of volcanoes in Mexico, and recent studies have shown that the lower range of their habitat has already shifted upward about 700 meters, but there are not suitable plants for them to move higher, so they are stuck in the middle. Scientists are concerned about their populations.
Native to the US, pygmy rabbits weigh less than 1 pound and live in the American West. They are believed to be the smallest rabbits in the world. Their habitats have been destroyed by development. Several populations, such as the Columbia Basin pygmy, almost went extinct and were saved by zoo breeding programs. Pygmy rabbits also rely on winter cover by digging tunnels through the snow to escape predators, but lesser snowfall is leaving them exposed.
All of this gives new meaning to dressing up in a giant bunny costume this Easter. The writer mentions Easter at the beginning of the passage in order to_______.
| A．show the importance of Easter Day | B．introduce the issue about bunnies |
| C．remind people of Easter traditions | |
| D．discuss the relationship between Easter and bunnies |
The word “culprit” ( Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to______.
| A．criminal | B．judge | C．victim | D．producer |
According to the passage, some rabbits can now be easily discovered by predators because they_______
| A．are exposed lo more skillful hunters |
| B．have moved to habitats with fewer plants |
| C．haven't adapted themselves to climate change |
| D．can't change their fur color into white in the fall and the spring |
The problem faced by volcano rabbets and rock rabbits is that________.
A. both are affected by 1ess snow
B. both are affected by rising sea levels
C neither can find enough food
D. neither can migrate to higher places