第三部分阅读理解(共15小题;每小题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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Florence Nightingale was born in a rich family. When she was young she took lessons in music and drawing, and read great books. She also traveled a great deal with her mother and father.
As a child she felt that visiting sick people was both a duty and a pleasure. She enjoyed helping them. At last mind was made up. “I’m going to be a nurse,” she decided.
“Nursing isn’t the right work for a lady,” her father told her.
“Then I will make it so, “she smiled. And she went to learn nursing in Germany and France. When she returned to England, Florence started a nursing home for home. During the Crimean War in 1854 she went with a group of thirty eight nurses to the front hospitals. What they saw there was terrible. Dirt and death were everywhere to be seen — and smelled. The officer there did not want any woman to tell him how to run a hospital, either. But the brave nurse went to work . Florence used her own money and some from friends to buy clothes, beds, medicine and food for the men. Her only pay was in smiles from the lips of dying soldiers. But they were more than enough for this kind woman.
After she returned to England, she was honored for her services by Queen Victoria. But Florence said that her work had just begun. She raised money to build the Nightingale Home for Nurses in London. She also wrote a book on public health, which was printed in several countries.
Florence Nightingale died at the age of ninety, still trying to serve others through her work as a nurse. Indeed, it is because of her that we honor nurses today.
1.When she was a child, Florence ____.
A.loved to travel very much B.knew what her duty in life was
C.loved to help sick people D.was most interested in music and drawing
2.During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence served in the front hospital where ____.
A.she earned a little money B.work was very difficult
C.few soldiers died because of her work D.she didn’t have enough food or clothes
3.The passage can best be described as ____.
A.the life story of a famous woman B.a description of the nursing work
C.an example of successful education D.the history of nursing in England
C
"Reduce, reuse and recycle, this familiar environmentalist slogan tells us how to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills and waterways.
The concept is being used to deal with one possibly dangerous form of waste –--- electronic junk (电子垃圾), such as old computers, cell-phones, and televisions. But this process for managing e-waste may be used in an unscrupulous(不择手段的) way more often than not used, a recent report suggests.
“A lot of these materials are being sent to developing nations under the excuse of reuse –--- to bridge the digital divide,” said Richard Gutierrez, a policy researcher.
One of the problems is that no one proves whether these old machines work before they hit the seaways. Because of this, the report says, e-waste is a growing problem in Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere in the developing world. Much of the waste ends up being thrown away along rivers and roads. Often it’s picked apart by poor people, who may face dangerous exposure to poisonous chemicals in the equipment.
Businessmen also pay workers a little money to get back materials such as gold and copper. This low-tech recovery process could expose workers and the local environment to many dangerous materials used to build electronics. According to Gutierrez, this shadow economy exists because the excuse of recycling and reusing electronics gives businessmen “a green passport” to ship waste around the globe. “Developing nations must take upon some of the responsibility themselves,” Gutierrez said. But, he added, “A greater portion of this responsibility should fall on the exporting state.”
China, for example, has become a dumping(倾倒,堆放) place for large amounts of e-waste. The nation is beginning to take action to stop the flow of dangerous materials across its borders. The Chinese government, after many years of denial(否认), is finally beginning to take the lead.
70.What does the fourth paragraph mainly discuss?
A. Old computers and TVs still work before they are sent abroad.
B. Poor people break up e-waste to collect some valuable materials.
C. A lot of e-waste is dumped in developing countries.
D. The problem of e-waste is growing in developing countries.
71.From what Gutierrez said we can learn that ________.
A. exporting countries should mainly be responsible for this problem.
B. neither rich nor poor countries should be blamed for this problem
C. developing countries should be responsible for this problem
D. poor countries should be blamed for this problem
72.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _______.
A. China has hidden a large amount of e-waste in many secret places
B. China has greatly changed the idea about the problem of e-waste
C. China has prevented poisonous materials from entering China for a long time
D. China is falling behind other countries in dealing with e-waste
73.The passage mainly tells us that _______.
A. developing countries are facing serious environmental problems
B. e-waste is a growing problem in developed countries
C. e-waste is sent to developing countries under the excuse of reuse
D. developing countries are making full use of e-waste
B
British science-fiction writer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke has been buried in his adopted country of Sri Lanka.
Music from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was played at the funeral and members of the family cried as his coffin was lowered.
"Here lies Arthur Charles Clarke. He never grew up and did not stop growing, his gravestone in Colombo is to read, in accordance with the author' s wishes.
Sir Arthur died from heart failure and breathing problems at the age of 90.
A nationwide one-minute silence was ordered by the Sri Lankan government to coincide with the ceremony.
Sir Arthur' s brother, Fred Clarke, attended the funeral along with members of the Ekanayake family, with whom the writer had lived in recent years.
Fred Clarke said his elder brother had always loved the warm climate and the friendly people of Sir Lanka.
"He said he had managed to escape 40 British winters and had no regrets," Mr. Clarke told AFP news agency.
Tamara Ekanayake, who grew up at Sir Arthur' s home in Colombo, paid tribute to him, "We feel so proud that you left your mark on us. Your footprint will never fade (褪去).”
Before the funeral, yellow roses were thrown on to Sir Arthur' s body as a final gesture of respect as it lay on a white bed beneath curved elephant tusks.
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 1917-19 March 2008) was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, most famous for the novel 2001: A Spare Odyssey, which led to the film of the same name.
Clarke served in the Royal Air Force as a radar instructor and technician from 1941-1946, proposed satellite communication systems in 1945 which won him a nomination ( 提名) in 1994 for a Nobel Prize, and 1999 for literature, and became the chairman of the British Interplanetary Society from 1947-1950 and again in 1953.
Clarke moved to Sri Lanka in 1956 largely to pursue his interest in scuba diving, and lived there until his death.
66.What do you think the underlined phrase "paid tribute to' in paragraph 9 means?
A. Paid money to. B. Paid attention to.
C. Spoke highly of D. Expressed one' s thanks to.
67. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Charles Clarke suffered from breathing problems.
B. Charles Clarke made the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
C. Charles Clarke had served in the Royal Air Force for about 5 years.
D. Charles Clarke won a nomination for a Nobel Prize in 1994.
68.Where do you think the passage is most probably from?
A. A science fiction. B. A fashion magazine.
C. A news website. D. A students' textbook.
69. Which of the following is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To introduce Charles Clarke' s interest.
B. To inform readers about the danger of heart failure.
C. To introduce the books by Charles Clarke.
D. To inform readers of Charles Clarke' s funeral.
第三部分:阅读理解(满分40分,共20小题,每小题2分)
A
Britain almost more than any other country in the world must seriously face the problem of building upwards, that is to say, of accommodating a considerable proportion of its population in high-rise blocks of flats. It is said that an Englishman objects to this type of existence, but if this is so, he differs from most inhabitants of the world today.
In the past, blocks of flats have been associated with the lower income groups, and many of them lacked the obvious provisions, such as central heating, constant hot water supply, electrically operated lifts, and so on. Some even didn’t have facilities for disposal of dust and rubbish or storage places for baby carriages on the ground floor. Many lacked playgrounds for children on the top of their buildings, and drying grounds for washing. It is likely that the dispute regarding flats versus (对抗) individual houses will continue to rage on for a long time as far as Britain is concerned. And it is unfortunate that there should be hot feelings on both sides whenever this subject is raised. Those who oppose the building of flats base their cases primarily on the assumption (设想) that everyone prefers an individual home and garden and on the high cost per unit of accommodation. They, however, ignore the higher cost of providing full services to a scattered community and the cost in both money and time commuting to work for the suburban resident.
61. It can be inferred from the passage that ____.
A. unlike most people in other countries, English people dislike living in flats
B. people in most countries of the world today like living in the suburbs
C. people in Britain are eager to move into high-rise blocks of flats
D. modern flats in Britain fail to provide the necessary facilities for living
62. What can we learn about the blocks of flats built in the past from the passage?
A. They were conveniently located.
B. The people who lived there were not rich.
C. They were usually not large enough for big families to live in.
D. The children who lived in them could play on the top of the buildings.
63. Some people don’t like living in flats because ____.
A. they must pay much money
B. they prefer to live in a house with a garden
C. there is no central heating and constant hot water supply
D. the disposal of rubbish is a problem for people living in flats
64. Some people don’t like living in suburban houses because ____.
A. the houses are not large enough
B. people who live in the suburbs must pay much money for the service work
C. people who live in the suburbs have to spend a lot of money and time traveling to work every day
D. it can be difficult for them to do some shopping and to get along well with their neighbors
65. This passage is mainly about __________.
A. living in high-rise blocks of flats
B. living in the suburbs
C. the difference in living in a flat in Britain and living in a flat in other countries
D. the attitude of British people towards living in flats
C
There is a place where Christmas lives all year long. It is called Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The family-owned business calls itself the world’s largest Christmas store. The late Wally Bronner started the business in 1945.
Wayne Bronner, Wally’s son, is president and CEO of what is now a multi-million dollar corporation. He learned the business from an early age. Some of his best memories are traveling to other countries with his father to find new products for the store.
Bronner’s sells more than fifty thousand holiday products from seventy nations. Half of the products cost less than ten dollars. Wayne Bronner says demand for small objects to hang on Christmas trees has expanded over the years. People spend more time, effort and money into decorating their homes with these ornaments(装饰品), lights and religious scenes. Bronner’s is famous for its nativity scenes which show the birth of Jesus Christ.
Michigan has the nation’s highest unemployment rate. Bronner’s has been affected by the financial crisis, too. But not in reduced sales.
Wayne Bronner said, “Even though people are spending less, we’re having more people visit here. And as a result we’ve actually had a sales increase.” Bronner’s success is also linked to community co-operation and investment. Frankenmuth is a town of five thousand people in eastern Michigan’s farm country. The town was settled by Bavarian Germans in the 1800s. It has kept its traditions alive in buildings and restaurants.
Bavarian cultural themes and Bronner’s huge store bring three million visitors a year. The town is the most popular place for tourists in the state. Bronner’s business is aimed at a single day of the year. But that is not too different from other businesses.
“About half of our business is done in the last quarter of the year, in the last three months. And actually when you compare that with most retailers(零售商), that follows the same pattern.” Wayne Bronner says the family’s long-term planning and willingness to reinvest profits has grown the company into what it is today. Still, it does not hurt to build a business on a holiday which is celebrated worldwide. Currently, about only two percent of sales are overseas. But Wayne Bronner sees room for growth, especially through the Internet.
51. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is probably ______.
A. a private business B. a state-run business
C. the world’s largest store D. a nationalized corporation
52. Bronner’s mainly sells ______.
A. festival ornaments made by themselves
B. holiday products imported from foreign countries
C. festival ornaments during the summer and winter holidays
D. holiday products to tourists from foreign countries
53. We can learn from the passage that ________.
A. most of Bronner’s products are expensive
B. people are spending less money on small objects
C. Frankenmuth is a modern town popular with tourists
D. Wally Bronner, founder of Bronner’s, has passed away
54. In what way has the financial crisis affected Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland?
A. Many of its staff have lost their jobs.
B. Only two percent of sales are overseas.
C. The corporation has had an increased sale.
D. People are spending less in Bronner’s.
55. Bronner’s success lies in the following EXCEPT ________.
A. aiming its business at a single day of the year
B. community co-operation and investment
C. the family’s long-term planning
D. the willingness to reinvest profits
B
Almost 200 countries met for two weeks in Copenhagen, Denmark at a United Nations conference on climate change. It was due to conclude a deal designed to set a carbon cutting framework to cover 2012-2050. In the end, only five of them reached an agreement: the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa.
President Obama praised the agreement last Friday. He said, “Many people are disappointed in the agreement, but the compromise is better than nothing.”
The voluntary agreement, known as the Copenhagen Accord, urges major polluters to make deeper cuts in the emission(排放) of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, are partly created by burning oil and coal for transportation and electricity.
The agreement sets targets to prevent the Earth’s average temperature from rising more than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. And the plan calls for 100 billion dollars a year in aid to poor nations to deal with climate change. This would start in 2020.
But the agreement is not legally binding(约束). It fails to set detailed targets for cuts in carbon emissions. And it failed to earn the support of all the nations at the talks.
India’s environment minister praised the united position taken by India, China, Brazil and South Africa. He said it permitted them to avoid the legally binding targets and international supervision proposed by developed countries.
India has promised to cut emissions by at least twenty percent but they say rich nations created the problem, so they should take most of the responsibility for reducing greenhouse gases.
China rejected accusations that it was responsible for the results at Copenhagen. A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said developed countries didn’t perform well at the talks. She said China has taken its own measures to fight climate change and supports pressing ahead with international cooperation.
China and other large developing countries have accused rich nations of failing to offer big enough cuts in their own emissions. They also say wealthy nations did not offer enough money and technology to help poor countries deal with climate change.
In Europe, politicians and environmentalists expressed deep disappointment that world leaders failed to reach a stronger agreement. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the Copenhagen Accord is only a beginning, and that he will work with world leaders to reach a legally binding treaty(条约) in the coming months.
46. What’s the main purpose of the Copenhagen conference?
A. To sign the Copenhagen Accord.
B. To reach a legally binding agreement on cutting carbon emissions.
C. To discuss measures of controlling the world climate change.
D. To prevent the Earth’s average temperature from rising.
47. Which is true about the agreement, the Copenhagen Accord?
A. It will collect $ 100 billion to help poor countries to deal with climate change.
B. It has earned the support of all the nations at the conference.
C. It has set detailed targets for big enough cuts in carbon emissions.
D. It is far from a satisfactory agreement, which should be legally binding.
48. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. the Copenhagen conference has achieved most of its designed goals
B. a stronger agreement with legal effect will soon be reached
C. big differences still remain between developing and developed countries.
D. developed countries won’t make cuts in the emission of greenhouse gases
49. Which of the following is NOT China’s attitude towards the issue of climate change?
A. China should be responsible for the result of the world climate change.
B. Rich countries should offer more money to help poor ones deal with climate change.
C. China supports pressing ahead with international cooperation to fight climate change.
D. Major polluters should make deeper cuts in the emission of greenhouse gases.
50. By saying “the Copenhagen Accord is only a beginning”, Ban Ki-moon implies that ______.
A. there is still a long way to go
B. there is little hope to realize the goal
C. too little is achieved at this conference
D. he is disappointed with the world leaders