第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
When I was young, I went looking for gold in California．I never found enough to make me rich．But I did discover a beautiful part of the country．It was called "the Stanislau"．The Stanislau was like Heaven on Earth．It had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees．
Other men, also looking for gold, had reached the Stanislau hills of California many years before I did．They had built a town in the valley with sidewalks and stores, banks and schools．They had also built pretty little houses for their families．
At first, they found a lot of gold in the Stanislau hills．But their good luck did not last．After a few years, the gold disappeared．By the time I reached the Stanislau, all the people were gone, too．
Grass now grew in the streets．And the little houses were covered by wild rose bushes．Only the sound of insects filled the air as I walked through the empty town that summer day so long ago．Then, 1 realized I was not alone after all．
A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of one of the little houses．This house was not covered by wild rose bushes．A nice little garden in front of the house was full of blue and yellow flowers．White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind．
Still smiling, the man opened the door of his house and signed to me．1 went inside and could not believe my eyes．I had been living for weeks in rough mining camps with other gold miners．We slept on the hard ground, ate canned beans from cold metal plates and spent our days in the difficult search for gold．
Here in this little house, my spirit seemed to come to life again．
I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor．Pictures hung all around the room．And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers．A woman had made this house into a home．
The pleasure I felt in my heart must have shown on my face．The man read my thoughts．"Yes," he smiled, "it is all her work．Everything in this room has felt the touch of her hand．"
One of the pictures on the wall was not hanging straight．He noticed it and went to fix it．He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was really straight．Then he gave it a gentle touch with his hand．
56．According to the passage, the Stanislau was _____．
A．an independent country B．a beautiful part of California
C．a rough mining camp D．an almost bare mountain
57．The writer writes the passage mainly to _____．
A．recall his experience in California B．persuade people to visit the Stanislau
C．introduce the couple he met D．offer tips on searching for gold
58．Which of the following can best describe the couple?
A．Ambitious but selfish． B．Hopeful and merciful．
C．Warm-hearted and contented． D．Enthusiastic but hopeless．
59．What's the correct order of the events?
a．I went to California in search of gold．
b．A town was built in the valley．
c．I came to the front of a little house．
d．The man put the picture straight．
e．I walked through the empty town．
A．b, a, e, c, d B．b, a, c, e, d
C．a, b, e, c, d D．a, b, e, d, c
You might not want a holiday in your hometown, but there is probably someone who does. And, in exchange, you could have a cheap vacation anywhere in the world.
Just picture the scene: you’re watching the sunset from the balcony of a Caribbean island house. It’s large. And it’s free as long as you don’t mind the owners living in your home at the same time.
All you need to be a home-swapper is the Internet and a rough idea of when and where you want to go on holiday. When you find someone whose dates match yours, and who wants to visit your area, you’re all set to swap.
The advantages are numerous: you can save a fortune in accommodation cost. You could get to use the owners’ car, boat, bikes, pool or gym. You might even be able to come to an arrangement about looking after each other’s pets!
You also get to live like a local, and you might be invited around to neighbors’ homes for tea, barbecues and tips on the area. People say that these cultural experiences are the memories that last. Plus, instead of one tiny hotel room, you have an entire house where you can make yourself at home. And it’s not cold and impersonal like a hotel room.
Of course, there are disadvantages. A lot of effort and communication are needed before the arrangements are finalized. Nobody wants a stranger living in their house, sleeping in their bed and using their bathroom, so you have to get to know each other well beforehand.
Some people are concerned about theft or property damage, but in reality this is very rare. Most home-exchangers have the view that “If they can trust me with their house, I can trust them with mine.” The worse complaint people have is the difference in standards of cleanness.
If you’re interested in home-exchange for your next holiday, start by contacting a famous agency like homelink.org and intervac,co.uk. These agencies will also have advice about preparing for a home-exchange.What will you most probably remember if you have exchanged your home with another?
| A．The sunset. |
| B．The car or boat of the home owner. |
| C．The pet of the home owner. |
| D．A gathering in his neighborhood. |
If you want to exchange your home with another, you should do all of the following EXCEPT_________.
| A．trying to know each other |
| B．surfing the Internet for information |
| C．inviting your neighbors home for tea |
| D．finding someone who wants to visit your area |
Where can you most probably find the passage?
| A．In a story book. | B．In a guide book. |
| C．In a textbook. | D．In a science book. |
On the last day before Christmas, I hurried to a store to buy some gifts. While looking in the toys section,. I noticed a small boy of about five years old, pressing a doll against his chest．Keeping on touching the hair of the doll, the boy murmured sadly, "I don't have enough money．What can I do?" I walked towards him and asked him curiously who he wanted to give the doll to．
" It is the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for this Christmas．She was so sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her．" I told him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all and not to worry．However, he replied sadly, " No, Santa Claus cannot take it to where she is now．I have to give the doll to my mother so that she can give it to her when she goes there．" His eyes looked so sad while saying this． " My sister has gone to be with God．Daddy says that Mommy will also join God very soon so I think that she can take the doll with her to give it to my sister．" My heart nearly stopped．
The boy looked up at me and said, " I told Daddy to tell Mommy not to go yet．I asked him to wait until I come back from the store．" Then, he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing．He told me, " I also want Mommy to take this photo with her so that she will not forget me, I love my Mommy and I wish she didn't have to leave me but Daddy says that she has to go and join my little sister．" Then he looked at the doll again quietly with sad eyes．
I quickly reached my hand into my pocket, saying, "What if we checked again, just in case, to see if you have enough money?"We can safely say ________ ．
| A．Santa Claus would bring the doll to the girl |
| B．the story happened in winter |
| C．the boy was with his father at the store |
| D．the author met the boy accidentally |
What can be inferred from the story?
| A．Something serious happened to the boy's mother and sister． |
| B．The boy's mother and sister were dying． |
| C．The boy's parents had to go to accompany his sister． |
| D．The boy's sister had asked him for his photo． |
Which best describes the boy?
| A．Sensitive and casual． | B．Considerate and sad． |
| C．Thankful and optimistic． | D．Determined and guilty． |
What would happen at the end of the story?
| A．The boy would gain sympathy by cheating． |
| B．The boy would persuade his mother not to go． |
| C．The author would give the boy some money． |
| D．The boy's father would express thanks to the author． |
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030. Our expanding bodies not only lead to a medical problem, but also endanger personal safety in some situations—in an airplane crash, for example, according to a recent article in The New York Times.
The New York Times’ Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are designed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards（标准） for airplane seat strength—first set more than 60 years ago---require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds. Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds and the average woman 165 pounds. Negroni reports:
“If a heavier person completely fills a seat ,the seat is not likely to behave as designed during a crash,”Robert Salzar,the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. “The energy that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be protected properly”.
“Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only,” Dr. Salzar said. “If a seat or a seat belt fails,”he said, “those people who are seated nearby could not be safe from the uncontrolled movements of the passenger.”
Most complaints（投诉） about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price, and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times’ article bring up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators（调查者） got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to talk about the problem. Experts agreed that crash testing should be done .Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, they said.
Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board’s investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger was a problem.What is the article in The New York Times mainly about?
| A．The size of airplane seats and seat belts |
| B．Safety of overweight airplane passengers |
| C．Airplane crashes |
| D．A medical problem caused by being overweight |
Robert Salzar would probably agree that_________.
| A．overweight passengers should buy two seats |
| B．the government should help produce safer planes |
| C．standards for airplane seat strength should be raised |
| D．passengers should know how to protect themselves |
What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．Experts | B．Passengers |
| C．Investigators | D．The airplane seat makers |
We can learn from the text that_________
| A．airplane seat makers have taken action now |
| B．there are few complaints about airplane seats |
| C．those seated near the overweight may suffer too |
| D．only a small number of airplane accidents result from the overweight |
what is the best title for the text?
| A．Why do passengers Feel Anxious about Flying? |
| B．Will 42% of Americans Be Overweight by 2030? |
| C．When Will the Overweight Enjoy Their Flight? |
| D．Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for the Overweight? |
Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.
AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of hotel expense and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19 Oct.) cost £169.15 at Booking.com. A week later, the same room cost £118.15.
If you want to know dates to avoid—or you’re looking for a big event to pass your time—check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category.
STAYAWAY FROM THE STATION If traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more because of convenience at the start of your holiday.
Don’t be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months ahead of time, the cheapest room at Travelodge’s Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was £95.95. A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was £75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just £62.95.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. So it will be a good choice to consider checking into a self-cooking flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O’Neill Flat on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, available for £420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKE London’s ‘Boris bikes’ have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs.
Among the smaller cities with their own programmes are Newcastle (casual members pay around £1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or £5 per day)..The Brighton Comedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may______.
| A．help travelers pass time |
| B．attract lots of travelers to the UK |
| C．allow travelers to make flexible plans |
| D．cause travelers to pay more for hotel expense |
“Farringdon” in Paragraph 5 is most probably __________.
| A．a hotel away from the train station |
| B．the tube line to Covent Garden |
| C．an ideal holiday destination |
| D．the name of a travel agency |
The passage shows that the O’Neill Flat __________.
| A．lies on the ground floor |
| B．is located in central London |
| C．provides cooking facilities for tourists |
| D．costs over £100 on average per day in late September |
Cardiff’s program allows a free bike for a period of __________ at most.
| A．half an hour | B．one hour |
| C．one hour and a half | D．two hours |
The main purpose of the passage is __________.
| A．to tell visitors how to book in advance |
| B．to supply visitors with hotel information |
| C．to show visitors the importance of self-help |
| D．to offer visitors some money-saving tips |
You can’t always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belvacv doesn’t think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That’s why he created lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain sensing umbrella.
The designer says he came up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “Once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be a good idea to have a canopy(伞蓬) built into a street lamp.” he said.
The lampbrella is an ordinary street lamp fitted with an umbrella canopy. It has a built-in electric motor which can open or close the umbrella if it is needed. Sensors(传感器)then ensure that the umbrella offers people shelter whenever it starts raining.
In addition to the rain sensor, there’s also a 360°motion sensor which tells whether anyone’s using the lampbrella. After three minutes of not being used the canopy is closed.
According to the designer, the lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the passers-by. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lighting strike. Each lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed at 2 meters off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of passers-by.
Although there are no plans to take lampbrella into production, Belyacv says he recently introduced his creation to one Moscow Department, and insists this creation could be set on any street where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter.For what purpose did Belyacv create the lampbrella?
| A．To predict a heavy rain |
| B．To check the weather forecast |
| C．To protect people from the rain |
| D．To remind people to take an umbrella |
What do we know from Belyacv’s words in Paragraph2?
| A．He came up with the idea of his creation from an experience |
| B．it rains a lot in the city of Saint Petersburg |
| C．Street lamps are protected by canopies |
| D．He enjoyed taking walks in the rain |
Which of the following show how the lampbrella works?
| A．motor→canopy→sensors | B．Sensors→motor→canopy |
| C．motor→sensors→canopy | D．canopy→motor→sensors |
What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the lampbrella?
| A．Its moving speed | B．Its appearance |
| C．Its installation | D．Its safety |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．The designer will open a company to produce his product |
| B．The lampbrella could be put into immediate production |
| C．The designer is sure that his creation is practical |
| D．The lampbrella would be put on show in Moscow |