Section B
Directions: Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
Matsushita, the world’s largest provider of consumer electronics, has decided to move in on Hollywood. Last weekend, Matsushita company leaders met with movies VIPs from MCA, Inc., the entertainment community that produced the movies as “Jaws” and “E.T. the Extra-terrestrial”. If the negotiations are successful, Matsushita will pay somewhere between $6 billion and $7.5 billion for MCA, by far the largest U.S. buying by a Japanese company.
The deal is larger than last year’s $5 billion buying of Columbia Pictures by Matsushita’s competitor, Sony Corporation. The movement by the Japanese companies shows Tokyo’s growing interest in the entertainment world. It is surprising for both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Why does a disciplined, no-nonsense nation like Japan want to get into show business? The answer is quite simple: To make money. Japanese corporation leaders feel the global potential of the entertainment business and recognize that there is an increasing market for movies and television in the rapidly industrializing world.
1. The movement of buying American entertainment companies by the Japanese shows that____ _.
A. American movies are better than Japanese
B. Japan has growing interest in the entertainment worl
d
C. Japanese market is larger than American market
D. Japanese people are richer
2. A disciplined nation like Japan wants to get into show business because _____
A. they want to make money
B. they want to learn from American people
C. they want to entertain their people
D. they want to win in the competition
3. Matsushita would pay ______ for MCA.
A.$5 billion
B.$6 billion
C.$7.5 billion
D. Somewhere between $6 billion to $7.5 billion
Markwaswalkinghomefromschoolonedaywhenhenoticedtheboy ahead of him had stumbled over something and dropped all of the books he was carrying along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove and a small tape recorder. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered articles. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked Mark discovered the boy’s name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball and history, and that he was having lots of trouble with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.
TheyarrivedatBill'shomefirstandMarkwasinvitedinforaCokeandtowatch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared small talk, then both graduated from junior high school. They ended up in the same high school where they had brief contacts over the years. Finally the long awaited senior year came and three weeks before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.
Billremindedhimofthedayyearsagowhentheyhadfirstmet."DidyoueverwonderwhyIwascarryingsomanythingshomethatday?"askedBill."Yousee,IcleanedoutmylockerbecauseIdidn'twanttoleaveamessforanyoneelse.Ihadstoredawaysomeofmymother'ssleepingpillsandIwasgoinghometocommitsuicide.Butafterwespentsometimetogethertalkingandlaughing,IrealizedthatifIhadkilledmyself,Iwouldhavemissedthattimeandsomanyothersthatmightfollow.Soyou see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life.”The underlined word “stumbled” in Paragraph One probably means .
| A．stopped himself | B．came to life |
| C．trapped himself | D．lost one’s balance |
It can be inferred that________ according to the passage.
| A．The boy took so many books with him because he was about to take an exam soon. |
| B．From the beginning, in fact, Mark knew Bill was to kill himself. |
| C．Bill valued the days whenthey spenttalkingandlaughing together |
| D．Bill was dismissed for his breaking the school rules |
What was it that saved Bill’s life in fact?
| A．Friendliness and kindness. | B．Understanding and Honesty. |
| C．Bill’s confidence and strong will | D．Bill’s mother’s encouragement |
From the passage we can learn that _____.
| A．Bill would have remove to another school if Mark hadn't met him that day |
| B．Bill had planned to go to kill himself for the loss of his girlfriend. |
| C．From the first meeting, they often talked and play together. |
| D．Mark found out Bill’s secret and saved his life. |
Which of the following should be the best title for this passage?
| A．A little but meaning thing |
| B．Just a Little Smile |
| C．Unforgettable School Life |
| D．Friendship and Life |
Wearing a big hat and playing a guitar, a country music singer is using his rising and falling voice to tell the audience about his love, hope and loss. Few people could avoid getting caught up in his feelings.
This is the appeal（魅力）of country music, which speaks to the basic emotions of human life. Throughout the 20th century, it has grown into one of the most original and lasting American musical forms.
Country music's roots are in the songs of the American South, brought over by early immigrants(移民) from England. Those songs expressed the hardships of rural life and deep religious beliefs. In the 1920s, country music came into being as its first recordings were made. Early stars like Jimmy Rodger, known as "The Father of Country Music", and the Carter Family established its strong traditions － good song-writing, singing and playing.
Much of this music was written for and brought to the American public through the cowboy films of the 1930s and 1940s. It was widely popular then and many singers turned up on stage wearing Western fringe and cowboy hats.
In the 1950s, the country music recording industry was set up in Nashville and moved away from its rough roots. But singers like John Denver, with his hit track "Take Me Home, Country Roads", insisted on the originality and emotions of "real" country music.
Younger artists in the 1990s turned to older country styles and mixed t3vhem with elements of rock 'n' roll. Steve Earle, with his song "The Devil's Right Hand", is typical of this so-called "another country music".
Country music continues to speak to Americans of all ages and backgrounds. And it gives the nation an identity（独特性）.
Unlike pop music, country music was American, and only American. During its development, it continued to emphasize that "American" element and sounded completely different from its English ancestors. It may even be said that its sound and story tell the history of the United States. Which of the following is the typical image(形象) when a country music singer performs?
| A．Wearing a big hat and playing a guitar. |
| B．Using the rising and falling voice. |
| C．Telling about his love, hope and loss. |
| D．Singing for those working in the fields. |
Which of the following statements about country music is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Country music was created by immigrants from England. |
| B．Country music comes from South American songs. |
| C．John Denver was known as "The Father of Country Music" |
| D．Country music that belongs to pop music was American, and only American. |
The underlined expression “getting caught up in” probably means_________.
| A．become interested or involved in |
| B．becoming fashionable or popularin |
| C．become caught in |
| D．breaking away from |
The author mentioned Jimmy Rodger, John Denver and Steve Earle to __.
| A．tell us the stage singing style of country music |
| B．show the process of the development of country music |
| C．attract the audience's attention to country music |
| D．introduce some famous stars to readers |
When did Country music begin to turn into a stage art？
| A．In the 1920s | B．In the 1940s | C．in the 1950s | D．in the 1990s |
In the U.S., people prefer waiting for a table to sitting with people they don’t know. This means a hostess may not seat a small group until a small table is available, even if a large one is. If you are sitting at a table with people you don’t know, it is impolite to light up a cigarette without first asking if it will disturb them.
At American restaurants and coffee shops you are usually served tap water before you order. You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill.
Most cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing time for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars. Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day.
Serving in restaurants is often large; too large for many people. If you can’t finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a “doggie bag”. It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everybody knows you’re taking the food for yourself.
Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal. Some people have “Sunday dinner”. This is an especially big noon meal.
Tips are not usually added to the check. They are not included in the price of the meal, either. A tip of about 15% is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave. In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there. Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change. Which statement is true?
| A．American people like sitting with people they don’t know. |
| B．Tips shouldn’t be given to the waiter or waitress. |
| C．Orange juice is served before you order |
| D．American people would not light a cigarette if the people who sit at the same table mind their smoking. |
What does the underlined word “doggie bag” mean in the article? It means ______.
| A．a bag with a picture of a dog on it |
| B．a bag used to carry dogs |
| C．a small bag for taking the food left over home to enjoy it later |
| D．a small bag for taking the food left over home for dogs |
Sunday dinner is _______.
| A．a dinner in the evening | B．a big noon meal |
| C．a big lunch Sunday | D．a supper on Sunday |
Specialists say that it is not easy to get used to life in a new culture. “Culture shock” is the term these specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. There are three stages of culture shock, say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.
There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems—the telephone, post office, or transportation—may be difficult to work out. The most simple things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.
Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self-image.
Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation (迷惘). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves for the strange environment, and create an escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience—these are the long-term solutions to the problem of culture shock.According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following
except _____.
| A．language communication | B．weather conditions and customs |
| C．public service systems | D．homesickness |
According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, __________.
A, the fewer difficulties you may have abroad
B. the more difficulties you may have abroad
C. the more money you will earn abroad
D. the less homesick you will feel abroad What is the main idea of the last passage?
| A．Escape unfamiliar environment |
| B．The feeling of homesickness. |
| C．Homesickness can solve the problem of culture shock. |
| D．The best way to overcome culture shock: get familiar with the new culture. |
In many ways, our society doesn’t simply prepare for the kinds of lives that the elderly must lead. We have made medical advances that allow people to live longer than ever before, but we do not seem to know what to do with them after we have saved their lives. Too little allowance (津贴) is made for the person who is no longer earning a living, who can not walk long distances or drive a car, or who may have physical or mental disabilities that keep him from communicating with others. The institutional (慈善机构的) care we give our older people is a good reflection of the overall attitude of our society toward the aged.
In the past few years, nursing homes have received wide attention as boring, meaningless places where old people often have little else to do but wait for the end of their lives. Elderly wards in mental hospitals are even worse. One of the most shocking things abort nursing homes has been the unwillingness of people on the outside to show real concern for what happens in these institutions. Even people who are entrusting (委托) a parent to the care of a home rarely ask about the nurse-parent ratio (比率), about the kinds of creative facilities or physical treatment equipment available, or about the frequency of doctors’ visits.
And the government has provided federal money without enforcing high standards of care. In fact federal standards were lowered in 1974. Therefore, in some sense our concern for the aged seems to be moving backwards, not forwards. This picture is in striking contrast to the treatment of respectable patriarchs (男长者) and matriarchs (女长者) in many societies.
1. What would be the most suitable title for this passage?
A. Failure of Care for the Elderly B. The Elderly
C. Institutional CareD. A National Shame
2. We can conclude from this passage that the writer feels ____.
A. nursing homes should be got rid of
B. a country that can help people live longer should also be able to care for them better
C. people have no thanks toward their parents
D. our society’s institutions need to be reformed
3. The writer believes that people who place a parent in a nursing home should ____.
A. demand higher federal standards
B. consider the example set in other countries
C. be ashamed of not keeping the parents in their own homes
D. investigate it first
4. The writer complains ____.
A. about the indifference of some people towards nursing homes
B. about the shortage of equipment in nursing home
C. that nursing homes keep the aged from communicating with others
D. both A and B