(C)YOURmommightcookabowlofnood-优题课

Whether you're heading into the wild or down the road, it's hard to find a better electronic sidekick than a GPS. (Well, you know, other than a cell phone.)
Because a GPS has to receive a signal from space, physical impediments(遮挡) like skyscrapers, cliff faces, and even trees can stump(阻断) it. Reception is less of an issue with the ultrasensitive(超灵敏) chipsets in newer models, but if the walls are closing in on you, take a tip from a time when navigation systems weren't the streamlined panels they are today: Hooking up an antenna(天线) will make use of even the most tenuous celestial connection. There's a port on the back of most GPS devices for jacking in.
You'll also want to remember that a GPS is not a compass: It runs on software. Like your PC, it needs to communicate with the mother ship periodically. Vendors(供应商) refresh firmware and maps on a regular basis, sometimes even daily. These updates deliver new bits of data that significantly affect your gadget's accuracy. But if you live in the boonies(郊区) on a road named after your sister-wife, don't expect NavTeq to come a-knocking with its survey equipment. Fortunately, most companies make it easy to update your own maps. Usually it's as simple as plugging into your home computer, dropping a couple of pins in Google Maps, and clicking Save.
If you own a new Tom Tom, it's even easier. You can edit maps on the unit itself, though you might not have to: Some of the company's navigation updates themselves. Tom Tom's IQ Routes software takes data from every person who uses the company' gadgets and readjusts its assumptions about which roads you should use and how long a given route will take. It will even change its own maps.
See, it's not that hard: Your GPS may use NASA technology, but getting the most out of it isn't rocket science.
46. The writer thinks the useful electronic partner is ______besides a cell phone when driving outdoors.
A. a GPS B. Tom Tom's IQ Routes C. a PC D. NASA
47. Which statement is NOT true about a GPS according to the passage?
A. It receives a signal from space.
B. It is not a compass.
C. It needs to refresh its information.
D. It has no port to connect other equipment.
48. You may learn from the passage that Tom Tom (Para 4) is _______.
A. a GPS receiver
B. a device that can be used to edit maps
C. a device that can be used to update software
D. a person who readjusts GPS assumptions
49. The main idea of the last paragraph is _______.
A. that we should make the most of GPS in rocket science
B. that getting the most out of GPS is too difficult
C. getting the most out of GPS is very easy
D. GPS owns NASA technology
50. Which is not mentioned about a GPS according to the passage?
A. Its usage. B. Its price and shape. C. Its technology. D. Its benefit.

III 阅读(共两节，满分40分)
第—节阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读—列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
File-sharing occurs whenever one individual sends a file to another. The only way to even try to limit this process is to monitor all communication between ordinary people. Despite the crackdown on Napster, Kazaa and other peer-to-peer(对等网络) services over the past decade, the volume of file-sharing has grown exponentially. Even if the authorities closed down all other possibilities, people could still send copyrighted files as attachments to e-mails or through private networks. If people start doing that, should we give the government the right to monitor all mail and all encrypted(加密) networks? Whenever there are ways of communicating in private, they will be used to share copyrighted material. If you want to stop people doing this, you must remove the right to communicate in private. There is no other option. Society has to make a choice.
The world is at a crossroads. The internet and new information technologies are so powerful that no matter what we do, society will change. But the direction has not been decided.
The internet it still in its infancy, but already we see fantastic things appearing as if by magic. Take Linux, the free computer operating system, or Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. But where technology opens up new possibilities, our intellectual property laws do their best to restrict them. Linux is held back by patents, the rest of the examples by copyright. The public increasingly recognizes the need for reform.
Our manifesto(声明) is to reform copyright laws and gradually abolish(废除) the patent system. We oppose mass surveillance (监视)and censorship(审查制度) on the net, as in the rest of society. We intend to devote all our time and energy to protecting the basal civil liberties on the net and elsewhere.
Political decisions taken over the next five years are likely to set the course we take into the information society, and will affect the lives of millions for many years into the future. The information revolution is happening here and now. It is up to us to decide what future we want.
41. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Over the past decade, the volume of file-sharing has increased doubly.
B. Over the past decade, other peer-to-peer(对等网络) services have been beaten down.
C. Copyright laws should be reformed.
D. File-sharing occurs unless a file is sent on the Internet.
42. In the opinion of the writer, the government ________.
A. has to make a choice
B. should stop people sharing the copyrighted files
C. shouldn't stop people sharing the copyrighted files
D. should monitor all the mail and all encrypted (加密) networks
43. The author's main purpose in writing the passage is____________.
A. to have the basal citizen's freedom on the net and elsewhere
B. to establish the patent system
C. to abolish copyright laws
D. to reform computer operating system
44. The underlined word “restrict” in Paragraph 3 most probably means__________.
A. remove B. limit C. close D. reform
45. We can infer from the passage_______________.
A. A new information revolution will be coming.
B. People won't share copyrighted material on the net
C. People can share the free encyclopedia
D. The future of the Internet will rely on the government

The Parthenon in Athens is a building with a long and complex history. Built nearly 2,500 years ago as a temple celebrating the Greek goddess Athena, it was for thousands of years the church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque (清真寺), and finally a ruin. The building was changed and the sculptures much damaged over the centuries. By 1800 only about half of the original sculptural decoration remained.
Between 1801 and 1805, Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Athens, acting with the full knowledge and permission of the Ottoman authorities, removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the fallen ruins and from the building itself. Lord Elgin loved Greek history and transported the sculptures back to Britain. The arrival of the sculptures in London had a huge effect on the European public, greatly increasing interest in ancient Greek culture and influencing contemporary artistic trends. These sculptures were acquired from Lord Elgin by the British Museum in 1816 and since then they have all been on display to the public, free of charge.
Since the early 1980s, however, the Greek government has argued for the permanent removal to Athens of all the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. They have also challenged the British Museum Board of Trustees' legal title to the sculptures.
The British Museum, however, insists that it exists to tell the story of cultural achievement throughout the world, from the dawn of human history over two million years ago until the present day. The museum considers itself an important resource for the world: the breadth and depth of its collection allows the world public to re-examine cultural identities and explore the complex network of interconnected world cultures.
It also says that, within the context of this unparalleled collection, the Parthenon sculptures are an important representation of ancient Athenian civilization. Each year millions of visitors admire the artistry of the sculptures and gain insights on how ancient Greece influenced - and was influenced by - the other civilizations that it encountered.
51. For most of its history people went to the Parthenon to ______.
A. admire the goddess Athena B. pray to their god
C. search for sculptures D. learn about its complex history
52. The underlined "it" (in Paragraph 4) refers to "_________".
A. the British Museum B. the Greek government
C. the Parthenon D. the British Museum Board of Trustees
53. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The sculptures introduced ancient Greek culture to the west.
B. Ancient Greek culture has greatly influenced world culture.
C. The British Museum has made much money from the Parthenon sculptures.
D. The British Museum is the place most capable of preserving these sculptures.
54. What can we learn about Lord Elgin from the passage?
A. He is greatly admired in Greece.
B. He worked for the Ottoman Empire.
C. He saved the Parthenon sculptures from being destroyed.
D. He had a deep interest in Greek culture.
55. The author's main intention in writing this passage is to tell _____.
A. the history of the Parthenon and its sculptures
B. what people can see in the British Museum
C. why the British Museum refuses to return the sculptures
D. the influence of Greece on British culture

Angus MacLeod was fifty and he had spent his entire life as a shepherd in the remote mountainous region of northwest Scotland. He had never owned a radio or television nor had he travelled further than forty kilometres from his birthplace. His knowledge of the world was gained only from his brief trips to the village to sell his sheep and buy food. However, he had lately come to rely on the growing number of hill-walkers in the region as sources of international news.
In the spring of 1992, a Spanish student came across Angus high in the mountains. Eager to practise his English he engaged Angus in conversation. The student told Angus of the forthcoming Olympic Games in Barcelona. Excited by the student's colourful description of Spain and the Games, Angus decided to attend the event in person and two months later arrived in Barcelona.
The ticketless Angus stood outside the stadium with his canny brain working overtime, watching a growing number of individuals entering the stadium through a small entrance at the side. He noticed that they all seemed to be carrying objects. Perhaps they were workmen, he thought. He moved closer and watched.
Within minutes a thin young man came along carrying an extremely long pole. He approached the official at the door and said "Pole Vault". The official moved to the side and the man entered. Next came a heavy-set man with a spear. Angus wondered how a man could carry such a dangerous weapon in a modern city. The man shouted " Javelin " and was presently admitted. Angus was puzzled. Perhaps they were all connected with security. His puzzlement grew when a huge man appeared with a steel ball in his hand. He shouted "Shot Putt" and walked past the official.
It suddenly dawned on Angus that these people were competitors. He opened his programme and sure enough under the heading "events" he saw the three words the men had said. Angus laughed to himself as a plan began to take shape in his mind. First he needed to buy one or two things.
An hour later he reappeared dressed in a tracksuit with "Scotland" written across the chest. Over his shoulder he carried a roll of barbed wire (铁丝网). Smiling to himself he walked up to the official and as casually as he could, shouted, "Fencing!"
46. Which was Angus' new way of getting information about the outside world?
A. Travelling from his birthplace. B. Listening to radio and watching TV.
C. Going to the nearby village to sell sheep. D. Talking to hill-walkers in the region.
47. What are "Javelin" , "Pole Vault", "Shot Putt" and "Fencing" in the passage?
A. Olympic events. B. Names of competitors.
C. Security weapons. D. Names of countries.
48. From the passage we can learn that ______.
A. more and more people went to Scotland to practise their English
B. the Spanish student's description of his country excited Angus
C. Angus had been planning a trip to Barcelona to see the Olympic Games
D. Angus became a member of the Scottish Olympic team
49. From the passage we know that Angus seemed to be
A. poorly-informed B. intelligent C. strong-minded D. athletic
50. What do you expect the official would do in the end?
A. Help him carry the wire. B. Refuse to let him in.
C. Give him a close inspection. D. Lead him to the competition.

III 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A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The hole in the Earth's ozone layer (臭氧层) has until now protected Antarctica from the worst effects of global warming. But scientists have warned that as the hole closes up in the next few decades, temperatures on the continent could rise by around 3oC on average, with melting ice contributing to a global sea level increase of up to 1.4 metres.
In the past decades the western Antarctic has seen rapid ice loss as the world has warmed, but the other parts of the continent have, paradoxically, been cooling, resulting in a 10% increase in ice in the seas around the region. This is because the hole in the ozone layer has increased cold winds in Antarctica, making much of the continent surface colder than usual.
But now that the gasses that cause the ozone hole have been banned, scientists expect the hole to repair itself within the next 50 to 60 years. By then the cooling effect will have faded out and the Antarctic will face the full impact of global warming. This means an increase in average air temperatures of around 3OC and a reduction in sea ice by around a third.
The biggest threat to the continent comes from warming seas. Robert Johnson, a scientist who monitors Antarctica ice sheets, said, "The ice sheets in Antarctica are hundreds of metres thick. But once warm ocean waters start flowing underneath, the ice will begin thinning and could break up very quickly. "Thinning ice sheets cause ice to break away from the continent and to melt even faster. Escaping ice from western Antarctica has already resulted in a 10% rise in global sea level in recent decades.
Johnson believes that international action to reduce global warming is required immediately or it may be too late. "Everything is connected - Antarctica may be a long way away but it is an important part of the Earth's system," said Johnson. "It contains 90% of the world's ice, 70% of the world's fresh water and that is enough, if it melts completely, to raise sea levels by 63 metres."
Even in a worse-case situation scientists don't expect the ice to entirely disappear, but predict that, because of the melting ice sheets, average sea level rise will be around 1.4 metres higher by the end of the century.
41. The underlined word "paradoxically" (in Paragraph 2) most probably means "__".
A. rapidly B. approximately C. contradictorily D. apparently
42. What is the effect of the hole in the ozone layer on Antarctica?
A. It is causing the ice to melt faster.
B. It is making much of the continent colder.
C. It is making the effects of global warming in the region worse.
D. It is reducing the amount of water in Antarctica.
43. What do scientists think is the biggest danger facing Antarctica?
A. Rising sea levels. B. Warming sea water temperature.
C. Water pollution. D. Growing ice sheets.
44. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Antarctica is currently experiencing the full effects of global warming.
B. The average temperature has increased by 3OC in recent decades.
C. Antarctica contains most of the world's fresh water.
D. Ten percent of Antarctica's ice has already been lost.
45. The best title for the passage is ______.
A. Our planet in danger B. Antarctica melting away
C. Action plan to save Antarctica D. Let's save the ozone layer