第三部分 阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节 阅读理解(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列四篇短文,从每题所给的四个选现(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Weighed down(压得喘不过气来) by study? Pushed to the limit by the fast pace of life? Frightened by the possible war? Well, you’re not alone. Men and women in France are seeking relief using the world’s best medicine─laughter.
In the past year, more than 25 laughter clubs have been set up across the country. People of all ages release their stress with an hour of group laughs. “People telephoned me and said they have forgotten what it is to laugh. They want to find a place where they can escape all their problems for a while. So they come,” said 40-year-old Jocelyn Le Moan. She usually takes a class of around 60 people through a series of laughter techniques.
Her pupils range from teenagers to 70 years old, but most are middle-aged white collars seeking 60 minutes of relaxation at the end of a busy day.
Le Moan takes them through the “Lion Laugh” and the “Laugh Contest”, where participants “speak” to each other in different ways. And instead of talking, they break into fits of laughter. At the end there are 15 minutes of “meditation”(沉思),when they lie on their backs and let the laughs burst out of their mouths.
“I love it. It’s an experience that has changed my life. Through it I rediscovered the child’s laugh inside me,” said Romain Jourffroy, 24.
Like Jourffroy, many laughter club members find themselves changed into children again, and why not? The average preschooler laughs up to 400 times a day. The average adult only a sad seven to fifteen.
The physical benefits of laughter are already well-recognized. Doctors say the act of laughing releases good chemicals into the blood-stream, while the quick breathing that accompanies it helps massage(按摩)the digestive organs and strengthens the heart.
“A full hour is like having your insides go jogging! One finishes out of breath, but feels revitalized (产生新活力). And on top of that, you’ve had a laugh,” said doctor Alexisd Estaing.
And many participants in Paris also emphasize the psychological benefits. They believe that laughter is a way of making oneself feel more confident.
“Maybe it is because we are surrounded by so many troubles that we feel the need to keep laughing,” said Anne Maurigiano, a 29-year-old filmmaker.
1. From the passage, we can conclude the following but __________.
A. Jocelyn Le Moan is a teacher of the club.
B. the members are mostly middle-aged white collars.
C. people always need some way to relax in life.
D. laugh freely and everything goes well.
2. The writer suggested that you should __________.
A. have a good laugh after a busy day
B. talk to each other about what troubles you
C. learn series of laughter techniques
D. take the world’s best medicine
3. Which of the following is NOT included among the benefits of laughing ?
A. It can make people rediscover their children’s laugh.
B. It can release good chemical into blood-stream.
C. It can make you feel self-confident.
D. It can cure the illness of people.
4. What does the phrase “on the top of that ” mean?
A. besides B. on the top of tiredness
C. above all D. on the top of your energy
Some families live quite far in the UK.Visiting them can either be an adventure or a chore(麻烦事).It depends on how much family members like each other.
If all goes well,kids have an exciting time.Your relatives will plan different fun activities and make you happy.Taking you to visit relatives gives your parents a chance to rest.It gives older relatives a good chance to relive the time when they had young kids.If they do not have children of their own,they get to play parent for a while.
I remember that Blackpool Pleasure Beach was the place I liked to go with my grandparents
It is an amusement park on the northwest coast.It is packed with roller coasters(过山车)and candy stalls(糖果摊).You could race small boats on a lake or scare yourself into death riding the ghost train.I had good memories of my time there.
As you get older,you suddenly become the one who must help your relatives with their kids.I have four COUSINS aged between one and eleven.They are fantastic and I really enjoy seeing them.However,it is very tiring,as they get so excited and energetic(充满活力).I fall asleep hoping they will remember our good times when they get older.If all goes well,visiting relatives far away can be _____for kids.
A.dangerous | B.exciting | C.boring | D.hard |
By saying “relive the time”,the author means the old relatives enjoy______.
A.sharing old memories | B.eating lots of food |
C.watching old movies | D.going out together |
The author feel tired after playing with his cousins because_________.
A.his cousins are funny | B.he enjoys playing with them |
C.he doesn’t like children | D.his cousins have too much energy |
The best title for this passage is
A.My Favorite Amusement Park | B.Fun Playing with Cousins |
C.Visiting Relatives in the UK | D.Childhood Memories |
China news, Beijing, Feb. 9 – Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market
, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry and controlling the release of loans and lands to property developers. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered. What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
A.8000 yuan | B.10000 yuan | C.7000 yuan | D.It’s not mentioned here |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?
A.Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality,environment and supporting facilities. |
B.American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
C.The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. |
D.There are more people who need houses in China. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
A.The hous![]() |
B.There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market |
C.The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States |
D.Chinese governmen![]() |
How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?
A.Four | B.Three | C.Five | D.Two |
Dear Cassy,
Thanks for reminding me by e-mail that you want to baby-sit our children. In spite of the fact that you are only 15 years old, my wife and I would be willing to consider your application if you can meet a few modest requirements:
1. Submit three letters from teachers who will prove that you have never failed to follow directions perfectly in class and never failed to hand in the homework on time.
2. Submit a note from two doctors which says that you are in perfect health, have never been sick, and never will be sick.
3. Submit a document (文件) from your physical education teacher or team coach that proves that you can do each of the following: Run two miles in less than nine minutes, climb an oily rope to a height of twenty feet in thirty seconds while balancing a glass of water on your nose, and walk in bare feet over hot coals and broken glass without complaint or injury.
4. Submit letters from at least two mental health experts saying that you have never had a bad thought towards any living being or not living object.
5. Play and defeat five expert chess players with your eyes covered after going without sleep for 48 hours.
6. Wait patiently for two years while we make sure that all your documents are true.
Your loving and trusting friends,
The SmithsFrom the letter we can know that ______.
A.Cassy wrote to the Smiths twice | B.Cassy loves children very much |
C.Cassy will be in perfect health | D.Cassy does very well in her studies |
Which of the following can most probably replace the underlined word “submit”?
A.write | B.report | C.hand in | D.recommend (推荐) |
What can we infer from this text?
A.Their children are hard to baby-sit. | B.Their children are well educated. |
C.Cassy is good at doing many things. | D.Cassy won't get the job as a baby-sitter. |
Which of the following words can best describe the Smiths?
A.Humorous. | B.Patient. | C.Honest. | D.Kind-hearted. |
He only finished fourth in this year's Super Boy talent show. But it didn't stop him capturing (俘获) the hearts of thousands of fans. He can hit high notes with ease. And he is very modest. Zhang Jie,25,shed(流) sweat and tears all the way through the competition, but he never gave up.
“No matter how life treats him, he always fights back bravely ,”said Wu Chunyan, a Senior 2 student in Hubei.“He has never lost his dream of being a singer.”The road to fame is always rocky, and Zhang is no exception. As a college student he was majoring in tourism. He was considering becoming a tourist guide after graduation until he entered a singing competition.
His life changed after he competed in My Show. He won first place and signed with a record company.“I was very excited and regarded it as a way to take me closer to my dream,” he said. But the company gave him little money to make music and slowly began to ignore him. Zhang even borrowed money to buy costumes.“Life has its ups and downs. But the tough (艰难的) reality only makes me stronger,” he said.
He forgot he was once a champion of a talent show and joined Super Boy. His decision got support from his family who worked hard to make ends meet. His mother sold rice noodles on a street in his hometown, but she said she would “support him forever.”
“I have the dream to buy a large house for my parents, where my mom can get a large window sill (窗台) to grow flowers,” said Zhang.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.An easy way to success![]() |
B.A rocky path to success |
C.A clever boy | D.A successful boy |
From the passage, we can know that _________.
A.he once won the first place in Super Boy talent show. |
B.he finished fourth in My Show. |
C.he is an exception on his way to fame. |
D.after sig![]() |
When he met with difficulty in a record company, he decided to _______.
A.join Super Boy | B.tell the others he was a champion |
C.give up on his way to success | D.quarrel with the boss |
Before he joined in a singing competition, his dream was to become________.
A.a great scientist | B.a good college student |
C.a famous singer | D.a tourist guide |
Not long ago, people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old. Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life.
Scientists note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregivers. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other human beings.
One study shows that babies can learn before they are born. The researchers placed a tape recorder on the stomach of a pregnant woman. Then, they played a recording of a short story. On the day the baby was born,the researchers attempted to find if he knew the sounds of the story repeated while in his mother. They did this by placing a device in the mouth of the newborn baby.
The baby would hear the story if he moved his mouth one way. If the baby moved his mouth the other way, he would hear a different story. The researchers say the baby clearly liked the story he heard before he was born. They say the baby would move his mouth so he could hear the story again and again.
Another study shows how mothers can strongly influence social development and language skills in their children.
Researchers studied the children from the age of one month to three years. The researchers attempted to measure the sensitivity of the mothers. The women were considered sensitive if they supported their children’s activities and did not interfere unnecessarily. They tested the children for thinking and language development when they were three years old. Also, the researchers observed the women for signs of depression.
The children of depressed women did not do as well in tests as the children of women who did not suffer from depression. The children of depressed women did poorly in tests of language skills and understanding what they hear.
These children also were less cooperative and had more problems dealing with other people. The researchers noted that the sensitivity of the mothers was important to the intelligence development of their children. Children did better when their mothers were caring, even when they suffered from depression.
According to the passage,which of the following is NOT the factor that influences the intelligence development in babies?
A.The environment. | B.Mother’s sensitivity. |
C.Their peers (同龄人). | D.Education before birth. |
What is the purpose of the experiment in which newborn babies heard the stories?
A.To prove that babies can learn before they are born. |
B.To prove that babies can learn on the first day they are born. |
C.To show mothers can strongly influence the int![]() |
D.To indicate early education has a deep effect on the babies’ language skills. |
Which group of children did the worst in tests of language skills?
A.The children of depressed mothers who cared little for their children. |
B.The children of women who did not suffer from depression. |
C.The children of depressed but caring mothers. |
D.Children with high communication abilities. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Scientific findings about how babies develop before birth. |
B.Scientific findings about how the environment has an effect on babies’ intelligence. |
C.A study shows babies are not able to learn things until they are born or six months old. |
D.Scientific findings about how intelligence develops in babies. |