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A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并填在答卷卡上。
A guitarist was pleasantly surprised to hear from New York City police that his valuable guitar had been found. It disappeared almost a year ago when he got out of a taxi and forgot to take the guitar with him. Laurence Lennon, 44, said he was running late that day. He was talking to his manager on his cellphone when he rushed out of the taxi. He said that he gave the driver $60 and told him to keep the change. He walked through the front doors of the concert hall, still talking on the phone to his manager.
Upon discovering his loss, Lennon used his cellphone to call the police. The policewoman asked him for the name of the taxi company, the number of the taxi, and the name of the driver. He said that she must have been joking.
She told Lennon that he could apply for a missing item report online. Lennon asked for address. It was www.nypd.gov/toprotectandtoserve/haveaniceday. She told him that finding the guitar might take a couple of years for finding guitars was not as important as finding murderers and marijuana (大麻)smokers. Then she told him to have a nice day.
“This year has been depressing,” said Lennon. “I had to put off the recording of two new CDs. I’ve been using borrowed guitars. And I was losing hope of ever recovering my guitar.”
Lennon was reunited with his $100,000 guitar yesterday. The guitar had been discovered in the corner of a coffeehouse only two blocks from where Lennon had lost it. Lennon had offered a $10,000 reward for its return. He said he would give the reward to the coffeehouse owner, who had informed the police.
1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Careless guitarist surprised. B. Valuable guitar found.
C. Coffeehouse owner rewarded. D. Taxi driver still unknown.
2. In the first paragraph, the author explained ________.
A. how costly the guitar was B. how important the concert was
C. why the guitarist was late D. why the guitar was left behind
3. By saying “she must have been joking” in Para 2, the guitarist probably means ________.
A. it was impossible for him to answer her questions
B. there must have been something she felt funny
C. she didn’t believe at all that he had lost his guitar
D. she must have felt that his behavior was funny
4. In the policewoman’s opinion, finding the lost guitar _________.
A. was not important at all B. wouldn’t be done online
C. could be a long time hunting D. only depended on the driver
Pride and Prejudice for the Modern Woman
Let us imagine how Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's most famous work, might be updated, 200 years on.
Austen's popularity is rooted in her intelligence. But today she would certainly have had a very different life, as would her characters. Here's my own suggestion. . .
It is a truth finally and universally acknowledged that a single woman with brains deserves to have equal opportunities to men, however disadvantaged she may feel by sexism.
" My dear husband," said his hopeful wife one day, " have you heard that the local store, standing empty for so long, is taken over by a bright young businesswoman?"
Her dull and indifferent (漠不关心的) husband replied that he had not. "But it is, it is," she replied excitedly. Mr Dull-Husband made no reply.
"Don't you want to know her plans?" she cried with some impatience.
"Well, clearly you think it matters to your silly little head. .. so I'd better listen. "
"Well, my dear, the rumour (传言) is that she has already set up a string of successful businesses in northern England, though how a woman can know anything about that is beyond me. She will move in herself next month. " "What is her name?" "Bingley. "
"Is she married or single?"
"What a question! And none of your business. But her coming will be a fine thing for our five boys. " "How so? How can it possibly affect them? "
"My dear love; those lazy boys need something to wake them up. There are bound to be jobs going. "
" Is that her point in settling here? Surely as a woman she has simply taken a fancy to the place. "
" Nonsense, my love, how little you've noticed the world has changed. She's got a first-rate degree and some sort of business qualification, I'm told. She surely needs one of our boys! Perhaps you might give her a call. "
" Me? No. Perhaps you can take an interest. You still have your looks, after all. She may even offer you a job. " "Oh, that's not likely. These new chances belong to the younger generation. But now you mention it, I think I'll go along all the same. "
And Mrs Bennet went along. That was 10 years ago. She is now managing director of a FTSE-listed company.
... It would remain the case, of course, that Mrs Bennet would be one of very few women on the company board, that her salary would be lower than her male colleagues, her bonus of a more "female" dimension and her lifespan (年限) among the city's business leaders shorter than theirs. Still, she'd no doubt have enjoyed Davos-and might even have hobnobbed (攀谈) with influential figures.
1. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
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2. |
The underlined part in the passage suggests that Mrs Bennet
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3. |
In the eyes of Mrs Bennet, Bingley surely needed one of their boys to
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4. |
What does the writer intend to tell us?
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This is What a REAL Silver Dollar Looks Like
If you trust in the yen, the euro, and the dollar... stop reading.
Because this is a story about the silver coin EVERYBODY wants.
You read the headlines. You know that troubled economic times have put global currency on a rollercoaster ( ride. But millions have found a smarter way to build long-term value with high-grade collectable silver. And right now, those people are lining up to secure some of the last 2012 U. S. Mint Silver Eagles, America's Newest Silver Eagle Dollars. Today, you can graduate to the front of that line. Buy now and you can own these brilliant uncirculated Silver Dollars for only $38.95!
You Can't Afford to Lose
Why are we releasing (发行) this silver dollar for such a remarkable price? Because we want to introduce you to what hundreds of thousands of smart collectors and satisfied customers have known since 1984—New York Mint is the place to find the world's finest high-grade coins. That's why we're offering you this Brilliant Uncirculated 2012 U. S. Silver Eagle for as little as $37.45 (plus s/h).
Timing is Everything
Our advice? Keep this to yourself. Because the more people who know about this offer, the worse it is for you. Demand for Silver Eagles in 2011 broke records. Experts predict that 2012 Silver Eagles may break them all over again. Due to rapid changes in the price of silver, prices may be higher or lower and are subject to(受...影响) change without notice. Supplies are limited. Call immediately to add these Silver Eagles to your holdings before it's too late.
Offer Limited to 40 per household 2012 American Silver Eagle Coin
Your cost
1-4 Coins $38.95 each + s/h
5-9 Coins $38.45each + s/h
10-19 Coins $37. 95 each + s/h
20-40 Coins $37.45 each + s/h
Note: $10 s/h (shipping and handling) for each purchase
For fastest service, call toll-free 24 hours a day
1-888-201-7143
Offer Code (代码) ASE177-04
Please mention this code when you call.
New York Mint 14101
Southcross Drive W.,Dept. ASE177-04
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
www. NewYorkMint. comWhat is stressed in the ad?
A.The coin is of high quality and worth collecting. |
B.The coin can be circulated as a currency. |
C.Limited supplies guarantee a stable price of the coin. |
D.Demand for the coin is bound to break records. |
If you buy six 2012 U. S. Mint Silver Eagles by post, you should pay at least ____.
A.$230.7 | B.$233.7 | C.$240.7 | D.$243.7 |
The ad strongly encourages people to purchase the silver coins by ____.
A.shopping online |
B.making a phone call |
C.lining up in front of the stores |
D.writing to the company |
Your glasses may someday replace your smartphone, and some New Yorkers are ready for the switch. Some in the city can't wait to try them on and use the maps and GPS that the futuristic eyewear is likely to include.
" I'd use it if I were hanging out with friends at 3 a. m. and going to the bar and wanted to see what was open," said Walter Choo, 40, of Fort Greene.
The smartphone-like glasses will likely come out this year and cost between $250 and $600, the Times said, possibly including a variation of augmented(增强的) reality, a technology already available on smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) that overlays information onto the screen about one's surroundings. So, for example, if you were walking down a street, indicators would pop up showing you the nearest coffee shop or directions could be plotted out and come into view right on the sidewalk in front of you.
" As far as a mainstream consumer product, this just isn't something anybody needs," said Sam Biddle, who writes for Gizmodo.com. " We're accustomed to having one thing in our pocket to do all these things," he added, "and the average consumer isn't gonna be able to afford another device (装置) that's hundreds and hundreds of dollars. "
9to5Google publisher Seth Weintraub, who has been reporting on the smartphone-like glasses since late last year, said he is confident that this type of wearable device will eventually be as common as smartphones.
"It's just like smartphones 10 years ago," Weintraub said. "A few people started getting emails on their phones, and people thought that was crazy. Same kind of thing. We see people bending their heads to look at their smartphones, and it's unnatural," he said. " There's gonna be improvements to that, and this a step there. " One of the possible functions of the smartphone-like glasses is to ____.
A. program the opening hours of a bar |
B. supply you with a picture of the future |
C. provide information about your surroundings |
D. update the maps and GPS in your smartphones |
The underlined phrase "pop up" in the third paragraph probably means " ____".
A.develop rapidly | B.get round quickly |
C.appear immediately | D.go over automatically |
According to Sam Biddle, the smartphone-like glasses are ____.
A.necessary for teenagers |
B.attractive to New Yorkers |
C.available to people worldwide |
D.expensive for average consumers |
We can learn from the last two paragraphs that the smartphone-like glasses ____.
A.may have a potential market |
B.are as common as smartphones |
C.are popular among young adults |
D.will be improved by a new technology |
When I was 12, all I wanted was a signet (图章) ring. They were the "in" thing and it seemed every girl except me had one. On my 13th birthday, my Mum gave me a signet ring with my initials(姓名首字母) carved into it. I was in heaven.
What made it even more special was that it was about the only thing that wasn't being "replaced". We'd been burnt out in fires that swept through our area earlier that year and had lost everything-so most of the " new" stuff (东西) we got was really just to replace what we'd lost. But not my ring. My ring was new.
Then, only one month later, I lost it. I took it off before bed and it was missing in the morning. I was sad and searched everywhere for it. But it seemed to have disappeared. Eventually, I gave up and stopped looking for it. And two years later, we sold the house and moved away.
Years passed, and a couple of moves later, I was visiting my parents' when Mum told me that she had something for me. It wasn't my birthday, nor was it Easter or Christmas or any other gift-giving occasion. Mum noticed my questioning look. " You'll recognize this one," she said, smiling.
Then she handed me a small ring box. I took it from her and opened it to find my beautiful signet ring inside. The family who had bought our house 13 years earlier had recently decided to do some redecorations, which included replacing the carpets. When they pulled the carpet up in my old bedroom, they found the ring. As it had my initials carved into it, they realized who owned the ring. They'd had it professionally cleaned up by a jeweler before sending it to my mother. And it still fits me.
1. |
The underlined word "in" in the first paragraph probably means "".
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2. |
When she got the ring back, the writer was about.
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3. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
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4. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
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A German study suggests that people who were too optimistic about their future actually faced greater risk of disability or death within 10 years than those pessimists who expected their future to be worse.
The paper, published this March in Psychology and Aging, examined health and welfare surveys from roughly 40,000 Germans between ages 18 and 96. The surveys were conducted every year from 1993 to 2003.
Survey respondents (受访者) were asked to estimate their present and future life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10, among other questions.
The researchers found that young adults (age 18 to 39) routinely overestimated their future life satisfaction, while middle-aged adults (age 40 to 64) more accurately predicted how they would feel in the future. Adults of 65 and older, however, were far more likely to underestimate their future life satisfaction. Not only did they feel more satisfied than they thought they would, the older pessimists seemed to suffer a lower ratio (比率) of disability and death for the study period.
"We observed that being too optimistic in predicting a better future than actually observed was associated with a greater risk of disability and a greater risk of death within the following decade," wrote Frieder R. Lang, a professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Lang and his colleagues believed that people who were pessimistic about their future may be more careful about their actions than people who expected a rosy future.
"Seeing a dark future may encourage positive evaluations of the actual self and may contribute to taking improved precautions (预防措施)," the authors wrote.
Surprisingly, compared with those in poor health or who had low incomes, respondents who enjoyed good health or income were associated with expecting a greater decline. Also, the researchers said that higher income was related to a greater risk of disability.
The authors of the study noted that there were limitations to their conclusions. Illness, medical treatment and personal loss could also have driven health outcomes.
However, the researchers said a pattern was clear. "We found that from early to late adulthood, individuals adapt their expectations of future life satisfaction from optimistic, to accurate, to pessimistic," the authors concluded.
1. |
According to the study, who made the most accurate prediction of their future life satisfaction?
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2. |
Pessimism may be positive in some way because it causes people.
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3. |
How do people of higher income see their future?
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4. |
What is the clear conclusion of the study?
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