第三部分:阅读理解(共15小题,每题2分,满分30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。
For years I wanted a flower garden. I’d spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.
But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know."
Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.
I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty lean, no-frills budget.
Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on - and I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard!
I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: "IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin."
Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis (棚架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.
I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes - every time.
I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!(430 words)
1. By saying “Do you see a money tree outside .….,” the mother actually means “________”
A.Observation is the best teacher. B.Seeing is believing.
C.The outsider sees the most of the game. D.It is not easy to gain money
2. The best title for the passage would probably be_______.
A.My flower garden B.Marvin helps to realize my dream
C.Love in Michigan D.Money grows on trees
3. The underlined word “no - frills” in the fifth paragraphs is similar in meaning to_______.
A.wasteful B.tight C.absurd D.helpful
4. From the last but the third paragraph we can infer that the mother is_______
A.divorced when she was young B.not caring for her kids any longer
C.alone but not at all lonely D.prouder with her garden than with her kids.
On a freezing-cold February morning in Indiana, Jhaqueil Reagan,18, left home to walk to a job interview—ten miles away, over snow-covered roads.
Reagan had been looking for work for months. His mother had died two years earlier, and he was the only caretaker of his younger brother, Cole, 16, and sister, Jazzlyn, seven. He was desperate for a regular salary after cutting lawns(草坪) and doing other temporaryjobs.
Three hours into his hard trip, Reagan had covered only three miles. He paused outside a Cajun restaurant called Papa Roux to ask for directions from owner Art Bouvier, who was clearing ice and snow from the parking lot. “I told him to get on the bus,” says Bouvier. “He thanked me and went on his way.”
Fifteen minutes later, Bouvier pulled up in his car beside Reagan as he walked along. “You’ve really got to be on the bus,” he told Reagan. “I don’t have money for the bus,” Reagan replied. Bouvier offered him a lift. On the way, he asked the boy about his job search.
“I thought, This is the kind of kid I want working for me,” says Bouvier. He got the teen’s phone number and dropped him off for his interview.
Later that day, Bouvier wrote about Reagan on Facebook. “He doesn’t know it yet, but he starts on Monday,” Bouvier wrote. “It’s been a while since I’ve met someone so young with a work ethic(伦理) like that!” A few hours later, Bouvier called to offer Reagan a job. Shocked, the teen accepted on the spot. A television reporter caught wind of the story and interviewed the pair on camera that night.
Today, Reagan is washing dishes, filling orders, and greeting Papa Roux customers for $8.50 an hour. The publicity(宣传) has brought in so many new customers that Bouvier plans to open a second restaurant by the end of the year.Why did Jhaqueil Reagan have to find a job ?
| A.Because he had to make enough money to support his family. |
| B.Because his parents had died two years earlier. |
| C.Because he wanted to change his job. |
| D.Because he was desperate for a good job. |
Which of the following can be used to replace the underlined part in the sixth paragraph ?
| A.reported | B.delivered | C.heard | D.told |
Which of the following words best describes Bouvier?
| A.honest | B.warm-hearted | C.modest | D.independent |
What’s the best title of the passage ?
| A.A Young Man Who Had an Interview | B.A Young Man Who Found a Job |
| C.A Boss Who Offered a Job | D.A Boss Who Took a Chance |
Good Housekeeping has discovered that even if a child wear a helmet when she bikes, or skates, it may not protect her from a serious head injury.
Every year, 390,000 children under age 15 go to hospital emergency rooms with bike-related injuries. Of that number, about one third children suffer head injuries and an estimated 200 die. By wearing a helmet, a child can reduce her risk of injury by as much as 85 percent. But remember —— a bicycle helmet must fit properly to be safe. Here are five steps to making sure your child's helmet fits properly.
1) If you haven't bought your child's helmet already, you might want to consider one with a rear stabilizer(稳定杆). A rear stabilizer holds the back of the head gently and helps the helmet stay correctly positioned.
2) The helmet should fit closely and shouldn't slide from side to side or front to back. If your child can put two fingers on both temples inside the helmet, it's too big. Try a smaller size. But if the next size down is too small, use the fit pads(护垫). Fit pads come in different sizes and attach to the helmet with Velcro.
3) Tell your child to open her mouth widely and ask if she can feel the helmet push down onto the top of her head. If she can't, you need to readjust her helmet.
4) To prevent strap slippage, wind a rubber band around the strap where it meets the fastener.
5) Recheck the fit regularly.
You should replace the bicycle helmet:
If she has been in an accident with it.
If the buckle(金属扣) breaks or if a piece breaks off.
If it doesn't have a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Society for Testing and Materials, or Snell Memorial Foundation sticker.
If it doesn't fit correctly. Even if the helmet fit perfectly two years ago, it might be too small now.Who is this passage mainly written for?
| A.Children. | B.Teachers. | C.Parents. | D.helmet producers. |
What does the author mainly want to stress in the second paragraph?
| A.The bike-related injury is a serious threat to the children. |
| B.The bicycle helmets must fit properly while the children are biking. |
| C.It’s necessary for the children to wear helmets while biking. |
| D.Many students suffer bike-related injuries every year. |
If a girl finds a helmet a little bit big for her head, what should she do?
| A.She must buy a smaller size. |
| B.She can use some fit pads. |
| C.She can put fingers on both temples inside the helmet. |
| D.She must make helmet slide from side to side. |
Phil White, a father, found the buckle of his girl’s helmet broken, he can_______
| A.buy a new bicycle helmet for her |
| B.mend the bicycle helmet himself |
| C.continue to use the bicycle helmet |
| D.throw away the broken buckle |
Ethiopia has greatly reduced its death rates for children under the age of five years during the last two decades, new UN statistics show. The report says Ethiopia has cut the number of child deaths, by two thirds or so, to 68 per 1,000 births compared to that in 1990.
The government owed the improved figures to its growing economy. Despite the reduction, the UN Children's Fund said Ethiopia needed to do much more to improve health facilities(设施) for pregnant women.
Ethiopia is one of Africa's poorest states, although it has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years and is one of the continent's leading coffee producers. Its economy centers around agriculture, which in turn relies on rainfall.
The BBC's Emmanuel Igunza in the capital, Addis Ababa, says Ethiopia was once representative of poor nutrition in Africa. But the latest UNICEF(联合国儿童基金会) figures show Ethiopia is one of the few African countries on the path to realizing the development goal of reducing child death rates, he says.
Ethiopia's Health Minister Kesetebirhan Admasu said increasing family incomes had helped improve people's health. "This has also resulted in better nutrition for children and women; this has translated into better medical conditions —— all these have a direct or indirect influence on the survival of children," he told BBC Africa. He said the government has also been "aggressively expanding its primary health care network".
"We have now 93% coverage(覆盖) of one health centre for 25,000 people, which basically means one health facility within a 7km area," he said.How many in 1000 births would die in Ethiopia in 1990?
| A.about 680 | B.about 330 | C.about 68 | D.about 200 |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A.Ethiopian children benefit from its fastest economy growing. |
| B.Ethiopia has a long way to go to improve health facilities. |
| C.Ethiopia is the economic center because of its rich rainfall. |
| D.Ethiopia has already become a rich state in Africa. |
What do we know according to the latest UNICEF figures?
| A.Many African countries have high child death rates now. |
| B.Ethiopia is the only country that has reduced child death rates. |
| C.Ethiopia is the most successful in reducing child death rates. |
| D.Ethiopia was once known for its poor nutrition in Africa. |
What Kesetebirhan Admasu said shows that_______.
| A.agricultural incomes have helped improve all the people's health in Africa |
| B.now the health care network is perfect in Ethiopia |
| C.93% of the 25,000 people enjoy health centers in Ethiopia |
| D.the government has been taking active measures to improve people's health |
This parable(寓言)is told of a farmer who owned an old mule(骡子). The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying for whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing(评估)the situation, the farmer sympathized(同情)with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together , told them what had happened, and asked them to help pour dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out his misery.
At the beginning, the old mule was crazy! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shovelling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up!
This he did, blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up… shake it off and step up!” He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly(胜利地)over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him… all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity(逆境).
That’s life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.
The adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the very real potential to benefit us! Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs(生手)built the boat. Professionals built the Titanic.Why did the farmer decide to bury the mule in the well?
| A.Because he thought the mule was of little use. |
| B.Because he didn’t like the praying made by the mule. |
| C.Because he thought the well couldn’t be used any longer after the accident. |
| D.Because he didn’t want to see the mule suffer more in the well. |
What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?
| A.The mule became calm | B.The mule became quiet. |
| C.The mule suddenly had an idea | D.The mule lost heart. |
Who saved the mule at last?
| A.The farmer | B.The farmer’s neighbors |
| C.The farmer and his neighbors | D.The mule himself |
What lesson can we learn from the passage?
a. One should give up something of little use.
b. One should depend oneself when in trouble.
c. One should show mercy to others who are in trouble.
d. There must be something that one can do well no matter what he is.
e. Be self-determined and never give up, and one can succeed in the end.
| A.a, b, e | B.b, d, e | C.a, c, e | D.b, c, e |
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they’re a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
| A.To think about happy times. |
| B.To make many decisions at a time. |
| C.To stop feeling regretful about the past. |
| D.To learn about the process of decision-making. |
Damasio’s study suggests that ______.
| A.emotions are the enemy of decision making |
| B.our brain has nothing to do with decision making |
| C.people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds |
| D.our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions |
Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
| A.They often forget their past choices. |
| B.They make decisions without much thinking. |
| C.They tend to save time when shopping. |
| D.They are too angry to bargain. |
What do we learn from the text?
| A.Emotions are a part of decision making. |
| B.Sad people always make the worst choices. |
| C.No emotion seems to help us make good choices. |
| D.Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation. |