第二部分阅读理解（共25小题：每小题2分，满分50分）第一节-优题课

PART THREE: READING COMPREHENSION (30分)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that “The people were very attentive.” John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that “Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . .”
A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri’s Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered “fire scars” on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree’s cambium (形成层). Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure (低气压) helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. “The record fits pretty close,” says Guyette. “We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there.”
Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, “Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes.” Others gave different answers. One stated that a “flaming star” had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution nearly as influential as the war for independence from the English.
New Englanders would not soon forget that dark day; it lived on in folklore, poems, and sermons for generations.
56. New Englanders crowded into churches because they were frightened by .
A. the pink color of the sun B. the darkened sky at daytime
C. the Last Judgment on Friday D. the American War of Independence
57. What can we infer about the event in New England on May 19, 1780?
A. Prayers remained silent and attentive.
B. Night birds no longer came out to sing.
C. People’s ears became sharper than usual.
D. Midday meals were served by candlelight.
58. According to the researchers, the origin of the event was .
A. an east wind B. a severe drought
C. some burning fuel D. low barometric pressure
59. What can we know about the debates after the dark day?
A. They focused on causes of the event.
B. They swept throughout the Western world.
C. They were organized by scientific institutions.
D. They improved Americans’ ability to communicate.
60. What can be the best title for the text?
A. New England’s dark day. B. Voices of angry prediction.
C. There is no smoke without fire. D. Tree rings and scientific discovery.

As bananas ripen， the green skin turns ye11ow gradually. Chemical changes occur in the f1esh of the fruit as well：starch（淀粉）changes to sugar；pectin（果胶）breaks down，losing its stiffness； and the f1esh softens.
Is ripening fruit a self－contained system， or is the rate of these changes affected by the environment？ We designed the experiment below to see if different atmospheres， produced by different packaging， affected the rate of ripening. You will vary the atmosphere surrounding unripe bananas and observe the effect on the ripening process。
Now set up the bananas in their environments as follows：
1. Put two green bananas in a paper bag and fo1d the top over to seal out the air.
2．Put one green banana and the very ripe banana in the other paper bag and fold over the top.
3. Put two green bananas in a plastic bag and seal it.
4. Wrap（包）one green banana tightly in a plastic bag.
5. Leave one green banana exposed to the air.
Leave the fruit a1one or five days to ripen. Ripening fruit“breathes”． This means that it takes up oxygen and gives off C02. Oxygen is extremely important and necessary for the chemical reactions involved in ripening. In addition, ripening fruit gives off another gas, called ethylene（乙烯）. Not only is ethylene a product of ripening fruit, it also promotes the further ripening of the fruit.
Paper bags tend to keep the ethylene in, but they allow oxygen and ethylene to pass through slowly. Plastic bags do not allow the free flow of oxygen or ethylene. In this experiment, the green banana in paper bag with the ripe banana should ripen most quickly. The green bananas in the paper bag should ripen faster than the bananas in the plastic bag. The banana left exposed to air has an unlimited supply of oxygen, so it will turn brown most quickly. You will notice that the side of this banana that rests on the counter will ripen more quickly than the other sides, because it has the
closest contact（接触）with its own ethylene. The banana that is tightly wrapped in plastic has no oxygen supply and should ripen most slowly. Now can you see why bananas are sealed in plastic in many supermarkets？
72. What makes the green banana in Bag 2 ripen more quickly than the ones in Bag 1？
A. Ethylene from the very ripe banana. B. The free flow of oxygen or ethylene
C. C02 from the very ripe banana. D. The limitation of oxygen supply.
73. How can we slow down the ripening of bananas exposed to the air？
A. To rest them on the counter. B. To keep them in the basket.
C. To put them on the ground. D. To hang them up from the ceiling
74. It can be concluded from the passage that .
A. the ripening banana is a self-contained system
B. the rate of ripening bananas is affected by the environment
C. wrapped bananas experience no chemical changes to ripen
D. ripening bananas give off oxygen, C0, and ethylene
75. Why are bananas sealed in plastic in many supermarkets？
A. To make them ripen more quickly. B. To make them ripen more slowly.
C. To make banana flesh soften. D. To turn green bananas yellow.

For the people living in the Nile Basin, the river is their life:. This 6,825 km waterway, whose watershed（流域） covers three million square kilometers, flows through mountains ,woodlands, lakes and deserts. Its potential for fishing, tourism and shipping is great—but so are its challenges.
Water shortage , already serious in Egypt and Sudan , will soon influence several other countries in the watershed as well. Today, about 160 million people depend on the Nile River for their living. Within the next 25 yeas ,the district's population is expected to double, adding to the demand brought about by growth in industry and agriculture. The frequent drought（干旱）adds to the urgency.
Water quality is also a problem. Precious soil is washed out to sea. Wastes from industry and agriculture create pollution. Higher concentrations of salt influence irrigated soils. Water-borne diseases continue unchecked. In areas where it's hot and damp, water hyacinths choke off lakes, dams and other sections of the river, making it difficult for fishing and other businesses to move forward.
Native people along the narrow area of farmland have watched the sand move closer day by day. They’ve seen the river change course, and their only source（来源） of water thickened with mud. They’re very poor and have few choices.
But a new program, the Nile Basin Initiative （NBI），is offering very practical assistance. The program is more than just a water-management project. It’s a plan for the social and economic development of a vast district: it concentrates on the needs of the poorest of the poor and the environment that supports them.
These are whole ecosystem problems, calling for united solutions（解决办法）. Half the Nile Basin's countries are among the world's poorest nations；yet, somehow, they must find the resources, skills and political will to overcome these challenges.
68. What are the great challenges the Nile Basin faces？
A. The development of .shipping industry.
B. Overfishing of native people.
C. Water shortage and water quality.
D. Increasing population and tourism.
69. The underlined word “hyacinths”（in Paragraph 3） refer to “ ”.
A. animals B. plants C. rocks D. salts
70. The program NBI is mainly aimed at .
A. preventing water pollution B. changing the river course
C. improving living condition of the poor
D. preventing land from becoming desert
71. What would be the best title of this passage？
A. People's Life in Egypt and Sudan
B. Frequent Drought in Egypt and Sudan
C. The Poorest Countries in the Nile Basin
D. The Ecosystem Problems in the Nile Basin

It used to be that Christmas, with a little help from Blue Peter, was about adding the personal touch. We'd sit there for hours making cards and gifts for family and friends, knowing that the thought put into them would be properly appreciated.
Nowadays, time is against us, but there is still one easy way for you to make someone's Christmas this year — a personalised card from M＆S’ new website. To celebrate their new site, M＆S is offering Times readers two-for-one on all cards. Simply choose one of the 300 exclusive（独家的）Christmas designs — starting from￡1. 99, personalise it by changing the name and writing a message or uploading a photo. Then, add the receiver’s address and the card will be sent for you. Order by 2pm and it will be posted the same day.
In all, there are l,500 card designs to choose from, covering all kinds of special occasions. So if you want to get ahead of yourself for 2010, you know where to visit. You can even choose to be reminded of those important dates every year.
To claim your two-for-one on M＆S personalized cards, simply visit marksandspencer-personalised.com. Remember to enter the code ‘TIMESFRI’ on the payment page. This code is available for two days.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS：M＆S PERSONALISED CARDS
1. The product given for free must be of equal or lower value.
2. Payment of postage is required.
3. Marks ＆ Spencer reserves the right to take back this offer without prior（预先）notice.
64. What does the underlined part “two-for-one”（in Paragraph 3）mean in the ad？
A. Two paid cards and one free card.
B. One paid card and two free cards.
C. Your name and a message on one card.
D. Your photo and the receiver’s on one card.
65. From the ad we can know that M＆S is most probably .
A. a website selling Christmas cards only
B. an agency of the newspaper Times
C. a company promoting the sales of cards
D. an advertising agency of card producers
66. To order the product for your friends now, you should .
A. enter a code on the payment page of M＆S’ website
B. always order it before two o’clock in the afternoon
C. put into the card your own date of birth and address
D. spend time making cards with the help of Blue Peter
67. According to the ad, if you order the Christmas cards, .
A. they can be delivered free of charge
B. you can enjoy the special offer all the year round
C. their value may be lower than that of a free card
D. you can get a favor of at least ￡1. 99

On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, “You're nervous and that's okay. Everyone is afraid of high school. ”I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends.
On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn't figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be？ I didn't think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it！The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right.
Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out.
With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging.
Since then, I've been elected vice president of my class, which wasn't much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions.
It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you participate in some out-of-class activities because you’ll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn't straight A’s.
Most important of all, be who you are , whether you're a “fool”, an athlete, or a lower grader. Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. Now you know the true secrets of high school.
60. The main reason for the authors fear on his first day is that .
A. he was unable to work out the puzzle
B. his schoolmates were unfriendly to him
C. he was not familiar with the new surroundings
D. his schoolbag was too heavy for him to carry
61. From the author's first day experience we can infer that .
A. his home was far from the school
B. he got to school after classes began
C. he didn’t get any school schedule
D. he didn't know the right way to class
62. After his first week at school, the author .
A. was still not accustomed to the schedule
B. gradually adjusted himself to the new school
C. found high school not so challenging as he had imagined
D. ran for president of his class against three other students
63. According to the passage, the secret of the author’s success lies mainly in .
A. making more friends B. getting more A’s at school
C. being who he really is D. joining in out-of-class activities