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）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A
The house was quiet at 5 a.m. and Tim’s mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke the quiet. He’d dreamt of the cave last night? The purring (轻微颤动声) of the freezer had been the sea .
Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He’d eat after he’d been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea．
He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches — but his mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches, she’d want to know why he had to leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table: Gone to Michael’s Back tonight . Tim .
The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn’t up. Even the highway up the hill was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
The sand hills still breathed heat from yesterday’s sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched (延伸) across the sea . The sun was pushing its way over the edge of the world．
Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed higher in the sky.
He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn’t go in all the way …
41．What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?
A．He left the house quietly. B．He had breakfast at home.
C．He left a note on the freezer. D．He put a sweater in his schoolbag.
42．“He settled for some biscuits ” (in Paragraph 3) means that Tim .
A．had to leave the biscuits on the table .
B．liked biscuits better than sandwiches
C．had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches
D．could only find some biscuits in the kitchen
43．What made it possible for Tim to see the entry to the cave?
A．The height of the first rocks.
B．The ups and downs of the waves.
C．The change in the position of the sun.
D．The vast stretch of the sunlit beach.
44．Whish of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?
A．The sea looked like a piece of gold．
B．Seabirds flew away when Tim arrived．
C．Tim was the only person on the beach.
D．The sky got dark as Tim reached the cave.
45．In the story , Tim’s mood changed from .
A．loneliness to craziness B．anxiousness to excitement
C．helplessness to happiness D．eagerness to nervousness
B
Listen carefully，working people! We would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free!
It’s“no”．What do you ask? We’ll say it again：“No”,a sweet and simple“no”．Say“no” at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears．
“Saying ‘no’ to others means you are saying ‘yes’ to yourself. Time is precious．People are spending money buying time。And yet we are willing to give up our time because we can’t say ‘no’．”said Leslie Charles，a professional speaker from East Lansing，Michigan．Susie Watson，a famous writer，said people who always say “yes” need to say “no” without guilt(内疚)or fear of punishment．“I would rather have someone give me a loving‘no’ than all obligated(强制的)‘yes’，”she said．She feels “no” need to give an explanation when she says “no” either socially or professionally．Does she feel guilty about it?“Not at all，”said Watson，who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middlebury．Connecticut．“Most people are afraid of saying ‘no’．My advice is to say ‘yes’ only if you don’t mean ‘no’．”Watson said “no” is the most effective weapon against wasting time．“Every year there are more demands on your time．Other people are happy to use up your time．”Watson said．Time saving appears to be “no’s” greatest friend．
“No” can be your new friend．a powerful tool to take back your life．“No” may even take you further in the business world than “yes”．“No” is power and strength．“No” now seems completely correct．
“Saying ‘no’ isn’t easy．But finally it’s greatly liberating，”Charles said．But，he added，a “no” project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term
habit．But．he also warns：“Don’t go to extremes．Don’t find yourself saying ‘no’ to everything． In return you should learn to hear ‘no’．”
45．The underlined part “you are saying ‘yes’ to yourself” probably means that .
A．you can have more time to play with others
B．you needn’t mind other’s feeling when happy
C．you are selfish and may treat others rudely
D．you can do with your business as planned
46．When you say “no” to others，you should say it .
A. secretly B．politely C．proudly D．guiltily
47．In Watson’s opinion，people can save much time if they .
A．1earn to refuse B. refuse as much as possible
C．fear to refuse D. refuse without hesitation
48．If you say “no” to everything．you’11 .
A．make a lot of money B．enjoy a more wonderful life
C．face difficulty in life D. forget to say “yes” in the end
第二部分阅读理解
（共25小题；第一节每小题2分，第二节每小题1分，满分45分）
第一节阅读下列短文。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。
A
After lunch,I walked back home. I was just to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping. It wasn’t much but,as I turned, my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too. A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime.
The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on pavement is an attention-getter．It Can be nothing more than a penny．Whatever the coin is，no one ignores the sound of it．It got me thinking about sounds again．We are surrounded by so many sounds that attract the most attention．
People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine，a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street．When I’m in New York，I’m a New Yorker．I don’t turn either．Like the natives，I hardly hear a siren(警报)there．
However，at home in my little town in Connecticut，it’s different．The distant sound of a police car, all emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed．It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us．not the loudest．In the middle of the night, I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away thigh three closed doors．I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imaginnation turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house．How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime?
I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what the bad sounds are,I’ve turned against whistling，for instance：I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been associating the whistler with a nervous person making unconscious noises．The tapping，tapping，tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me．I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it．
41．The sound of a coin dropping makes people________．
A．think of money B．look at each other
C．pay attention to it D．stop crossing the street
42．The author dislikes whistling because__________．
A．he has got tired of it B．it reminds him of tense people
C．he used to be happier D．he doesn’t like workers
43. What kind of sound does the author find pleasant?
A．Tapping sound of his typewriter． B．Clinking sound of keys．
C．Tinkling sound of a coin dropping． D．Creaking sound of footsteps．
44．How does the author feel about sounds in general?
A．They make him feel al home． B．He thinks they should be ignored．
C．He prefers silence to loud noises． D．He believes they ale part of our life．
In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by setting fire to cities. Important people on both sides, who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence--- as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch（关键时刻）, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instinct remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learned that violence never solves a problem but makes it even acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed（流血）, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us.
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and harder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persuaded by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement（执行）. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework of the law.
72. What is the best title for this passage?
A. Advocating Violence.
B. Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice
C. Violence as a Legitimate Solution
D. Violence: The Instinct of Human Race
73. Recorded history has taught us __________.
A. violence never solves anything B. nothing
C. the bloodshed means nothing D. everything
74. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men ________.
A. can’t get a hearing B. are looked down upon
C. are persecuted D. have difficulty in advocating law enforcement
75. According to the author, the best way to solve race prejudice is ________.
A. law enforcement B. knowledge C. nonviolence D. mopping up the violent mess
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so. But selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle
Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being neck-swirling, eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic mothers.
These images have helped define the way all black women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundations as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simply to be herself.
It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will become a stand-in for us all.
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of adoring fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. African-American blogs have all written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House---mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone---an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intellect will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.
69. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?
A. She serves as a role model for African-American women.
B. She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.
C. She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.
D. She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women
70. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?
A. They are victims of family violence.
B. They are of an inferior social group.
C. They use quite a lot of body language.
D. They live on charity and social welfare.
71. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?
A. However many fans she has, she should remain modest.
B. She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.
C. However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.
D. She will give priority to African-American women’s concern.
The Lego Group had a very humble beginning in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Denmark. Christiansen began creating wooden toys in 1932. Two years later, he stumbled on the Lego name by putting together the first two letters of the Danish words Leg and Godt, which mean “play well.” The name could be interpreted as “I put together” in Latin; it also corresponds to the Greek verb meaning “gather” or “pick up.”
In 1947, the company expanded to making plastic toys. At first, the use of plastic for toy manufacture was not highly regarded by retailers and consumers of the time. Many of the Lego Group’s shipments were returned, following poor sales. However, Christiansen’s son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, saw the immense potential in Lego bricks to become a system for creative play. As the junior managing director of the Lego Group, he spent years trying to improve the “locking” ability of the bricks and made the bricks more versatile. In 1958, the modern interlocking brick design was finally developed and patented.
Today Lego is sold in more than 130 countries. Every minute 33,824 Lego bricks are made, and kids around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with Lego. There will be more than 400 million people playing with Lego bricks this year. On average, every person in the world owns 62 Lego bricks, and about seven Lego sets are sold every second.
This year Lego fans all over the world are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tiny building blocks. Though already 50 years old, Lego is still the same product it was in the 1950s. Bricks bought then are still compatible with current bricks and that is probably the reason the toy has never fallen out of favor.
65. Which of the following is true about the name Lego?
A. It is a combination of Greek and Latin words.
B. It was created by Ole Kirk Christiansen’s son.
C. It was created in 1947 for naming the plastic toys.
D. It came from Danish words meaning “play” and “well.”
66. When did the Lego brick become as a creative form of toy?
A. 1958 B. 1947 C. 1934 D. 1932
67. Which of the following is true in describing the popularity of Lego?
A. More than 5 billion people in the world own Lego sets.
B. Children spend an average of 62 dollars on Lego bricks each year.
C. People in the world spend 400 million hours playing with Lego every year.
D. The Lego Group now produces more than 30 thousand toy bricks every minute.
68. What is the main reason that Lego remains popular up to now?
A. Old Lego bricks may still be connected to new ones.
B. The company hasn’t changed its name since 1947.
C. The material for the bricks has proved to be safe.
D. The price of the toy is relatively reasonable.