There are many sorts of spies. There are those employed by governments to protect their countries’ interests; there are those we find in fiction and film, like the famous James Bond; and then there are the spies of the business world. But now there is a new form of espionage (间谍): sports spying. It may be a profitable job – if the spy can find a buyer for the information.
Last week, British newspapers reported that the England national team had been secretly recorded by an unknown group of individuals.
Media suggested that bugs had picked up a discussion of team tactics (战术), as well as playful talk about athletes’ affairs and possible rewards for players if they manage to win the World Cup.
England officials immediately filed a suit to stop media from publishing the contents of the recordings. Little is known about the identities of the spies, but authorities doubt they have any connection to rival sides preparing for this summer’s competition in South Africa. Rather, it appears that the people who bugged the hotel meeting room are just after money. If they find the right buyer, they could get a lot of it.
Gambling in major sports, like football, involves much more than picking the winner of a particular match. People can also place bets on starting line-ups, the timing of substitutions and goals scored. Knowing a team’s tactics for a particular game, or for a series of games, can help gamblers to increase their chances of winning big money.
England manager Fabio Capello tried to play down the importance of game tactics. He argued that a team’s psychological preparation is the most vital. “It’s more important to train the mind, to find confidence, create a group and a winning mentality,” he said.
Perhaps of more interest to the casual fan are the discussions of the players’ relationships with wives and girlfriends. UK newspapers may be prevented from publishing the details, but some Britons might say, the chances of the recordings never being heard are about as good as those of England winning this year’s competition: slim to none.We may know from the first paragraph that ______________.
| A．the spies mentioned are all pursuing money |
| B．all the spies are employed by the government |
| C．James Bond belongs to spies of the business world |
| D．if a sport spy can find a buyer, he can make money |
What does the underlined word “bugs” probably mean?
| A．A small insect. | B．The devices used in the spying. |
| C．A kind of virus. | D．A kind of laptop computers. |
The group of individuals who spied the England national team____________.
| A．are from the rival sides for sure |
| B．probably intended to make money |
| C．are involved in gambling |
| D．knew a winning mentality for a team is important |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．The chance of the England team winning the African World Cup is very small. |
| B．Many people will never hear the recordings. |
| C．A fan will be more interested in the players’ relationships with wives and girlfriends. |
| D．No one can get any information from the UK newspapers for ever. |
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。
The stories we share with one another are important．They show wisdom and provide inspiration．They are important to our development．But sometimes people choose not to tell.
Consider the negative effects of not sharing a story in the news: People are wondering if public health officials are holding back too much information about the recent outbreak of Ebola.
There is a danger in holding back stories that ought to be told． Bobette Buster said it like this, “The fact is, history has shown us that stories not told can become like a dangerous genie (妖怪) left in a bottle．When they are finally uncorked, their power to destroy is set free.”
There are a number of reasons why we hide parts of our story: they often show our weaknesses or expose our disadvantages; they require courage and strength to share; and of course, there are some stories that should be kept secret—especially those that embarrass someone else.
Most of us have two selves: the one we display on the outside and the one we actually are on the inside．And the better we get at hiding the stories that show our true selves, the more damage we may be causing to ourselves and to others.
Honesty and openness is important: It proves we are trustworthy．It displays we are human．We are not perfect or better．It highlights the importance of hard work and personal development．Hard work may not allow us to overcome our disadvantages completely．But with hard work, we do not have to be restricted to our mistakes.
Does this mean we admit every weakness, every disadvantage, and every secret regret to everybody we meet? No, of course not．There is a time and a place and a certain level of relationship necessary for some stories to be told in an appropriate manner.What’s the function of the example in Paragraph 2?
| A．It reflects that people are concerning about the spread of Ebola. |
| B．It shows the bad effect caused by sharing a story. |
| C．It proves not sharing a story can cause trouble. |
| D．It concludes that one should share a story at a proper time. |
One of the reasons why people are unwilling to share experiences is that _______.
| A．story-sharing highlights the importance of hard work |
| B．people are used to exposing their weaknesses |
| C．people sometimes have no courage to share their stories |
| D．some stories make themselves feel uneasy |
Which is close in meaning to the underlined word “uncorked” in Paragraph 3?
| A．freed | B．broken | C．unfolded | D．untouched |
The writer aims to convince us to _______.
| A．be open to people close to you by sharing some secrets |
| B．share stories appropriately for the good of others and ourselves |
| C．remove the dangers that can be caused by untold stories |
| D．realize the importance of being honest when making friends |
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。
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St．Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch．In addition to our exhibition galleries, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end． There are many things to do at the Museum in DC． We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults．We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours & Admission: Open every day except December 25.Admission is free.
Regular Hours: 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Extended Hours: 10: 00 am to 7: 30 pm
December 26—30, 2014.
March 30—April 20, 2015.
Fridays and Saturdays, April 24—May 16, 2015.
May 17—September 7, 2015.
VISITING TIPS:
Limit the Number of Bags: All visitors are screened through metal detectors upon entry．The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry．Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items, which include pocket knives and tripods (三脚架)．Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food and Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum．You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food Court, not in the Museum．Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use．However, tripods and monopods (单脚架) are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty．Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center:
At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open 10: 00 am to 5: 30 pm
Phone: 202-633-2214
E-mail: NASM-VisitorServices@ si．eduAccording to the passage, the National Air and Space Museum is a museum __.
| A．where only adults can take part in some educational activities |
| B．everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets |
| C．where one can touch anything he likes |
| D．everyone can visit without time limits all the year round |
If the Greens plan to visit the Museum at 6: 00 pm, it is accessible on _______.
| A．December 24, 2014 (Wednesday) | B．March 1, 2015 (Sunday) |
| C．July 6, 2015 (Monday) | D．September 15, 2015 (Tuesday) |
A visitor to the museum can _______.
| A．eat and drink in the Museum or in the Food Court |
| B．take photos with tripods for personal use |
| C．bring fewer bags to go through metal detectors |
| D．get some medical treatment if he suddenly falls ill |
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
| A．make an advertisement for the museum |
| B．attract people to explore the universe |
| C．encourage adults to bring their children there |
| D．show what is on display in the museum |
Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a second thought．Actually, the ancient Greeks wrote this way．The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers, though．As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best．Also at this time, sentences switched directions．A sentence read from left to right．The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc． The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They put something that can separate words in a sentence．The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a dot.
When the 5thcentury arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points．The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading．Then in the 13thcentury, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation．He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence．He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause．Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma (逗号).
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family．The exclamation mark (感叹号) comes from the Latin word io．It means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question．Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question.
Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays．New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways．Take for example the “interrobang”．This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both．For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized yet, but its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.From the first paragraph, we can know that _______.
| A．good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks |
| B．a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece |
| C．ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks |
| D．the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times |
The passage is developed _______.
| A．by time | B．by space |
| C．by comparison | D．by importance |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks |
| B．exclamation and question marks came from Latin |
| C．spaces and slashes were already used before the 5thcentury |
| D．Aldus Manutius first started to use commas |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
| A．The combination of two marks will not work. |
| B．It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks. |
| C．Old punctuation marks need to be standardized. |
| D．Punctuation marks are still changing today. |
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。
To most people, noise pollution is a jet flying over their head． For one Spanish woman, it is a neighbor playing the piano．The woman has taken her neighbor to court．Now she wants to send her neighbor to prison for over seven years on the charges of psychological damage and noise pollution.
In a country known for its noisiness, the case has raised eyebrowsNeighbors often complain about street noise in Spain, but people seeking prison time for someone practicing the piano is unheard of．At the trial, Sonia Bosom says she has been suffering noise pollution up to now due to the practice sessions of Laia Martin, who lives below her．Martin, 27, didn’t admit that she played at home that often, saying she took regular classes in other towns and mostly practiced at home on the weekends.
On the first day of the trial, the newspaper reported that Bosom told the court she now hated pianos so much that she couldn’t even stand seeing them in a film.
Bosom says years of hearing constant playing has caused her “psychological injury”．Medical reports show she has suffered from a variety of problems, including insomnia (失眠), anxiety, and panic attacks.
She says tests by local authorities have found that the sound levels made by the piano are up to 10 decibels (分贝) higher than the limit．City authorities have asked the family several times to either stop the piano playing or soundproof (隔音) the room．The family told the court they carried out soundproofing work twice but the complaints continued.
The court hasn’t made a final decision．A spokeswoman says the trial will end before May.Bosom wants to send Martin to prison because _______.
| A．Martin’s playing the piano damaged her health |
| B．Bosom suffered from heart attack |
| C．Martin refused to take regular classes in other towns |
| D．Martin flew a jet over her head |
How did Laia Martin respond to the complaints?
| A．She stopped playing the piano. |
| B．She soundproofed the room. |
| C．She didn’t admit she played at home. |
| D．She took her neighbor to court. |
Which of the following may probably be the best title for the passage?
| A．A 7-year Sentence Caused by the Piano |
| B．Pianist Charged with Noise Pollution |
| C．Health Problems of a Spanish Woman |
| D．Actions Against Noise by Local Authority |
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。
I am a vegetarian（素食主义者）．Many people are quick to think of vegetarianism as strange behavior．I treasure our Earth, and since we only have one, we should protect it and the wildlife that lives on it．But that’s only one of the reasons to be a vegetarian．
Vegetarians may live longer, healthier lives．There is a connection between red meat consumption and various diseases．From an economic standpoint, it requires less land, money and energy to produce foods for a vegetarian diet．While there are many benefits to being a vegetarian, only a handful of those who attempt to adopt this lifestyle succeed．
The most important quality required to be a vegetarian is firmness since surrounded by the temptation of meat, we tend to give up vegetarianism easily．Creativity is almost as important as commitment．It’s easy to tire of eating nothing but salad． But with a little creativity and some soy products, almost any meal can become vegetarian-friendly．
Not everyone wants to be vegetarian．Accepting this is part of being a vegetarian with style．Forcing your beliefs on others is disrespectful．Stylish vegetarians should also be able to turn down a meaty dish politely without annoying their hosts．
Being a successful vegetarian has been easy for me, but it may not be so for others．acommon mistake is quitting before your body has adjusted to the change．It can be difficult to keep the lifestyle in the beginning because of temptation．However, it fades over time．Another common mistake is quitting because you’ve been misinformed about the nutritional wisdom of being a vegetarian．That’s why it is vital to be educateD． Countless people will tell you that it’s impossible to obtain the nutrients and protein（蛋白质）your body requires without meat, but they are incorrect．People actually need only 44-55 grams of protein a day, and that is easily found in a vegetarian diet．Many meat eaters are consuming three times that amount, which is not beneficial．It leads to diseases．Vegetables can also supply all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs．However, if you’re still not convinced, you can take a multi-vitamin．According to the passage, being a vegetarian helps ______．
| A．protect the wildlife |
| B．free people from diseases |
| C．rid people from strange behaviors |
| D．develop a better economy |
What’s the underlined word temptation in Paragraph 3 closest in meaning to?
| A．Unpleasant taste | B．Extreme attraction |
| C．Great consumption | D．Significant importance |
Stylish vegetarians do not ______．
| A．force others to be vegetarians |
| B．respect other people’s beliefs |
| C．turn down hosts gracefully |
| D．refuse an offer of meat |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many people give up before their bodies can adjust to the transition． |
| B．Many people quit because they’re poorly educated about nutrition． |
| C．Consuming 150 grams protein a day can be harmful． |
| D．Vegetarians need multi-vitamins to keep healthy． |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Reasons why the author became a vegetarian． |
| B．Important qualities required to be a vegetarian． |
| C．Advantages and disadvantages of being a vegetarian． |
| D．Common mistakes on the way to being a vegetarian． |