第二部分阅读理解(共两节,满分40分)
(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。
Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames (绰号). Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag, Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence (影响) on the world of music.
Born in 1901 in New Orleans, be grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said,“Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent (天赋) for music when he was taught to play the cornet (短号) at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that travelled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.
In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong begins. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, “Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.”He was the father of the jazz style(风格) and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6,1971, was headline news around the world.
1. Armstrong was called Pops because he____________
A.looked like a musician B.was a musician of much influence
C.showed an interest in music D.travelled to play modern music
2. The third paragraph is developed______________.
A.by space B.by examples
C.by time D.by comparison
3. Which statement about Armstrong is true?
A.His tale begins in New Orleans.
B.He was born before jazz was invented.
C.His music was popular with his listeners.
D.He learned popular music at a boy’s home.
4. Which would be the best title for the text?
A.The Invention of the Jazz Music
B.The Father of the Jazz Style
C.The Making of a Musician
D.The Spread of Popular Music
If you see a group of kids hitting and abusing an animal, would you stop them? Would you at least call the police? Again people would walk away. Some people do not believe that animal abuse is a big issue.
Every day animals are abused in their homes or on the streets. It seems as if politicians do nothing to stop this issue. Everyone is worried about education and global warming. What about animals? We should not ignore them just because they cannot talk to us. Animals, like us humans, have rights. Every living being has the right to warm shelter and good food, but most importantly, they have the right to be wanted and loved. They have the right to be a special, much loved member of their own family.
There are many organizations that deal with abused animals or animals that have no home like ASPCA, PETA, the Humane Society and many more. There are organizations that deal with this issue, but that does not mean that we still shouldn’t help. The biggest saying that bothers me is, “I am only one person. I can’t make a difference.” If everyone thought like that, we wouldn’t have the organizations and loving people who help the world every day. By helping one animal, you are making a difference.
There are many things you can do right now to help animals around your neighborhood. You can volunteer at your local animal shelter, raise money for animal shelters, inform your community about animal abuse or you can write to your representatives and tell them that animal abuse needs to be taken seriously.
As you walk down the street, try to help any animals you see walking around. You can easily buy a cheap box of dry cat or dog food to feed the animals. If we do not help our animals now, we may never have animals again. Always remember that with every step you take, you help save an animal’s life and isn’t that worth fighting for?Some people won’t stop kids from abusing animals because ______.
A.they are too busy to worry about the animals |
B.they don’t take animal abuse seriously |
C.they just leave it to the police |
D.they are afraid of being laughed at |
We can learn from the text that ASPCA ______.
A.is another name for the Humane Society |
B.provides shelter for both animals and humans |
C.deals with such issues as education and global warming |
D.aims at protecting animals from being abused |
Which of the following statements will the author agree with?
A.Dogs have the right to be treated kindly. |
B.One person cannot possibly make a difference. |
C.Cruelty to animals deserves more attention than global warming. |
D.It is the politicians’ duty to stop animal abuse. |
The main purpose of the text is to ______.
A.criticize those who abuse animals |
B.advise people to stop animal abuse |
C.show how animals are abused |
D.explain why people abuse animals |
Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive(欺骗)? When someone tells you something that is true,but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.
For example,someone might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery(彩票). It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!”
This guy's a winner,right? Maybe,maybe not.We then discover that he bought $ 200 worth of tickets,and only one was a winner.He’s really a big loser!
He didn’t say anything that was false,but he left out important information on purpose.That’s called a half-truth.Half truths are not technically lies,but they are just as dishonest.
Some politicians often use this trick.Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term,her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs.Then she seeks another term.One of her opponents(对手)says,“During Governor Smith’s term,the state lost one million jobs!” That’s true.However,an honest statement would have been,“During Governor Smith's term,the state had a net gain of two million jobs.’’
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths.It’s against the law to make false statements so they try to mislead you with the truth.An advertisement might say,“Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.”It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.
This kind of deception happens too often.It’s a sad fact of life:Lies are lies,and sometimes the truth can 1ie as well.We may infer that the author believes people should ________.
A.buy lottery tickets if possible |
B.make use of half-truths |
C.be careful about what they are told |
D.not trust the Yucky Company |
How many examples does the writer give to show how the truth is used to deceive?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Using half truths is against the law. |
B.Technically,half truths are in fact lies. |
C.Yucky Pills is a very good medicine for toothache. |
D.Governor Smith did a good job during her last term. |
Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A.He’s really a big loser! |
B.Sometimes the truth can lie as well. |
C.Advertisers will sometimes use half truths. |
D.It’s against the law to make false statements. |
Swim Birthday Parties
Ages 3 and up.
Pool parties are during recreation swim in the 25-yard pool. Each party consists of an hour of celebration in a private room. Parties are for 1—5 children. All non-swimmers or children requiring floatation must be at arm’s length from the pool and accompanied by an adult or guardian.
Please contact Sarah Hagan 762—8384x210.
Fee: Members $ 175/Non-members $225
Youth Fitness Birthday Parties
Leave the party activities to us! Your party package includes:1/2 hour set-up,1 hour program time including equipment,props,etc.1 hour party time for cake,presents,etc.,1/2 hour clean-up time and 1 or 2 hours specialists. Parents supply decorations, food and paper goods. To schedule a Youth Fitness Birthday Party, call Mary Ann Genuario (x282).
Fee:$295 for up to 10 children,$10 each additional child—16 children maximum. Non-member price available upon request.
The Art Spot Birthday Parties
The Art Spot offers a variety of creative fine art parties for Ages 4—Adult! We supply the invitations, a balloon bouquet(花束), paper goods, project materials and a party host; all you need to bring is the cake!
Parties are one and a half hours, the first hour the group create their art project, and last 1/2 hour is for cake and presents! Parties are usually held on Friday nights and weekends but weekday parties are available.
Cost: $21 per child.
Rain or shine there’s no better place than the Art Spot for your child’s next party!
Nursery School Birthday Parties
If planning a party is not your thing, let us do the work for you! We offer a variety of pre-planned parties to choose from. You may also do a combination of 2 parties for boy/ girl parties. All parties are on Saturday afternoons between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and are one and a half hours in length. Parties include a craft or activity and paper goods. You may arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled time to set-up. To schedule a party please contact Kim Murphy(x214).
Fee(Up to 15 children):$200 Members/ $250 Non-member,$15 each additional child.The phrase “be at arm’s length” probably means“”.
A.be as careful as possible |
B.be as long as an arm |
C.be as near as possible |
D.be as faraway as possible |
If 12 children take part in Youth Fitness Birthday Parties, they will pay.
A.$ 455 | B.$315 | C.$ 200 | D.$250 |
If your child joins in the Art Spot Birthday Parties, he will.
A.swim in the 25-yard pool |
B.spend half an hour to clean up |
C.create his own art project |
D.o activities with other kids |
What information can you get from the passage?
A.You can schedule the party when it is convenient for you. |
B.The number of people for these parties is limited. |
C.ou need to bring nothing to join in the birthday parties. |
D.All of these birthday parties center on a special theme. |
When I was growing up, I was ashamed to be seen with my father. He was severely disabled and very short, and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on.
It was difficult to coordinate(协调)our steps—his slow, mine impatient—and because of that, we didn’t say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you.”
He never talked about himself as an object of sympathy, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a “good heart”, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him. I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don’t know accurately what a “good heart” is.
Unable to join in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. I now know he participated in some things indirectly through me, his only son. When I played ball (poorly), he “played” too. When I joined the Navy, he “joined” too. And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, “This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different.” Those words were never said aloud.
He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my unwillingness to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about small affairs, when I am envious of another’s good fortune, when I don’t have a “good heart”.
At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain my balance, and say, “You set the pace. I will try to adjust to you.”The author felt unhappy walking with his father because ________.
A.he felt sympathy for his father’s physical disability |
B.it was hard for them to walk at the same pace |
C.he didn’t want others to know he had an ugly father |
D.it was not easy for his father to keep balance |
In the father’s view, the most important quality a good person should have is ________.
A.beautiful appearance | B.excellent health |
C.a smart head | D.a good heart |
It can be inferred from the text that ________.
A.the father was proud of his only son |
B.the father took part in all his son’s activities |
C.the author was upset when asked to his father’s office |
D.the author was an outstanding player |
According to the last paragraph, by saying “You set the pace. I will adjust to you.” the author means that ________.
A.he is now glad to help his father to walk |
B.he regrets his unwillingness to walk with his father |
C.he will follow Father’s standards of being a good man |
D.he will never forget how mentally strong his father was |
I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”(风格)of directions every time I ask “ How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don’t know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
A.describe the place carefully |
B.show him a map of the place |
C.tell him the names of the streets |
D.refer to recognizable buildings and places |
What is the place where people measure distance in time?
A. New York. B. Los Angles.
C. Kansas C. IowaPeople inYucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ________ .
A.in order to save time | B.as a test |
C.so as to be polite | D.for fun |
What can we infer from the text?
A.It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
B.It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
C.People have similar understanding of politeness. |
D.New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |