第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40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。
It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word “congratulations”. I don’t remember ever smiling so wide.
Then I looked at my financial package.
The cost of Dream School’s tuition, room and board was around $40,000— an impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren’t as famous as my first choice.
In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as I was always careful with money, I wasn’t sure what to do.
One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents’ financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was smile politely, eat free food ,listen quietly. But I surprised myself.
At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus（including guest lectures and social gatherings）. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.
As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chairs. As I walked out that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years right there.
In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream” university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me.
56. How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?
A. He was full of joy. B. He was lost in his dream.
C. He was worried about the money. D. He was uncertain which school to go to.
57. We can learn from the passage that the parents were _______.
A. honest B. strict C. supportive D. decisive
58. In Paragraph 5, “offered me a full ride” can be replaced by “_______”.
A. would pay for transport to the school
B. would show me around the campus
C. would offer free meals at all events
D. would charge me nothing for tuition
59. What does the author mainly want to say?
A. Your second-choice college may actually be your best fit.
B. You should consider comfort in your choice of schools.
C. You should try your best to attend your dream school.
D. Your choice of schools should be based on their fame.
Noah Webster, born on October 16, 1758, is known for The American Dictionary of the English Language. He has been called the" Father of American Scholarship and Education. " His " Blue-Backed Speller" books were used to teach spelling and reading to five generations of American children. But how much do you know about him beyond that?
At the age of 16, Noah Webster began attending Yale College, Unfortunately, he spent his four years at Yale during the American Revolutionary War, and, because of food shortages, many of his college classes were held in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Later, he served in the army. Having graduated from Yale in 1778, Webster wanted to continue his education in order to earn his law degree. He had to teach school in order to pay for his education. He set up many small schools that didn’t survive, but he was a good teacher because instead of forcing his students to learn, like what most teachers did, he rewarded them.
He earned his law degree in, 1781, but did not practice law until 1789. Once he started he found the law was not to his liking. Webster did not have much money.
In 1793, Alexander Hamilton lent him $ 1500 to move to New York City to edit a newspaper. In December, he founded New York’s first daily newspaper, American Minerva, and edited it for four years. For decades, he published textbooks, political essays, a report on some diseases, and newspaper articles for his party. He wrote so much that a modern list of his published works required 655 pages.
Noah Webster died on May 28, 1843 and was buried in the Grove Street Cemetery.Which of the following best describes Webster’s life at Yale?
| A．Tough. | B．Smooth. |
| C．Normal. | D．Tiring. |
What did Noah want to be after graduation from Yale?
| A．A teacher. | B．A lawyer. |
| C．A headmaster. | D．A scholar. |
What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
| A．Webster was a most productive author. |
| B．Webster led a miserable life in New York City. |
| C．Webster’S books added up to 655 pages. |
| D．Webster didn’t write any political Works. |
The statistics I’ve cited and the living examples are all too familiar to you. But what may not be so familiar will be the increasing number of women who are looking actively for advancement of for a new job in your offices. This woman may be equipped with professional skills and perhaps valuable experience. She will not be content to be Executive Assistant to Mr. Seldom Seen of the Assistant Vice President’s Girl Friday, who is the only one who comes in on Saturday.
She is the symbol of what I call the Second Wave of Feminism. She is the modern woman who is determined to be.
Her forerunner was the radical feminist who interpreted her trapped position as a female as oppression by the master class of men. Men, she believed, had created a domestic, servile role for women in order that men could have the career and the opportunity to participate in making the great decisions of society. Thus the radical feminist held that women through history had been oppressed and dehumanized, mainly because man chose to exploit his wife and the mother of his children. Sometimes it was deliberate exploitation and sometimes it was the innocence of never looking beneath the pretensions of life.
The radical feminists found strength in banding together. Coming to recognize each other for the first time, they could explore their own identities, realize their own power, and view the male and his system as the common enemy. The first phases of feminism in the last five years often took on this militant, class-warfare tone. Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Germaine Greer, and many others hammered home their ideas with a persistence that aroused and intrigued many of the brightest and most able women in the country. Consciousness-raising groups allowed women to explore both their identities and their dreams—and the two were often found in direct conflict.
What is the stereotyped role of American women? Marriage. A son. Two daughters. Breakfast. Ironing. Lunch. Bowling, maybe a garden club of for the very daring, non-credit courses in ceramics. Perhaps an occasional cocktail party. Dinner. Football or baseball on TV. Each day the same. Never any growth in expectations—unless it is growth because the husband has succeeded. The inevitable question: “Is that all there is to life?”
The rapid growth of many feminist organizations attests to the fact that these radical feminists had touched some vital nerves. The magazine “Ms.” was born in the year of the death of the magazine “Life.” But too often the consciousness-raising sessions became ends in themselves. Too often sexism reversed itself and man-hating was encouraged. Many had been with the male chauvinist.
It is not difficult, therefore, to detect a trend toward moderation. Consciousness-raising increasingly is regarded as a means to independence and fulfillment, rather than a ceremony of fulfillment itself. Genuine independence can be realized through competence, through finding a career, through the use of education. Remember that for many decades the education of women was not supposed to be useful.What was the main idea of this passage?
| A．The Second Wave of Feminist. |
| B．Women’s Independent Spirits. |
| C．The Unity of Women. |
| D．The Action of Union. |
What was the author’s attitude toward the radical?
| A．He supported it wholeheartedly. |
| B．He opposed it strongly. |
| C．He disapproved to some extent. |
| D．He ignored it completely. |
What does the word “militant” mean?
| A．Aggressive. | B．Ambitions. |
| C．Progressive. | D．Independent. |
What was the radical feminist’s view point about the male?
| A．Women were exploited by the male. |
| B．Women were independent of the male. |
| C．Women’s lives were deprived by the male. |
| D．The male were their common enemy. |
A victor is, by definition, someone who wins a struggle or contest. However, that doesn’t mean he or she will live a proud and happy life ever after, as Katniss Everdeen is about to discover in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Catching Fire, out in Chinese theaters on Nov 21, is set in a futuristic society called Panem. Every year its government holds a televised fight to the death. Two teenagers from each of the 12 districts of Panem are chosen to compete.
In the new film, last year’s victors Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and her partner Peeta are back home after winning the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss just wants to live a normal life. However, that never seems to happen. She has nightmares, which remind her that she is a killer.
Her worst nightmare comes true when the annual Hunger Games arrive again. The teenager finds herself back in the competition along with Peeta. Since Katniss brings hope to Panem through her courage, President Snow plans to use this year’s Games to kill off Katniss and Peeta and in turn dampen the fires of rebellion.
“This is the next step of Katniss’ heroism and the next part of her journey to finding out who she is really going to be,” Lawrence told Reuters.
Fast-paced and full of action, Catching Fire looks to outdo the success that the first film had in 2012. With a 97 percent rating on the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes, it is enjoying positive reviews. Critics have praised it for being faithful to the book written by American author Suzanne Collins. The Hollywood Reporter said that Catching Fire outshines the first movie a lot.
Jennifer Lawrence, who won a best actress Oscar this year for her 2012 movie Silver Linings Playbook, has helped Catching Fire find success, Forbes pointed out. The 23-year-old actress does well playing a young lady who hates what she was forced to do to stay alive yet is determined not to give up.
“Lawrence’s down-to-earth personality in real life won the hearts of the public. So given a wildly popular first film that blew everyone away, a rising fan base and a lead performer beloved by the mainstream press and viewers, the sequel(续集) was always going to be big,” Forbes noted.The underlined word “dampen” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
| A．hold | B．light | C．reduce | D．support |
Which of the following is TRUE about the film’s story according to the article?
| A．Every year 12 teenagers in total are chosen to join in the televised fight. |
| B．Despite having won the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss doesn’t feel much joy. |
| C．Katniss and Peeta are chosen once again to make the TV show more appealing. |
| D．Jennifer Lawrence won a best actress Oscar this year for the first Hunger Games movie. |
What are some reasons why Catching Fire will probably be successful?
a. The previous film was successful.
b. It is true to the original book’s story.
c. Most of the reviews of the movie are positive.
d. It has many famous stars in addition to Jennifer Lawrence.
| A．abc | B．abd | C．acd | D．bcd |
After reading the passage, we can infer that _______.
| A．President Snow thinks highly of Katniss and Peeta’s victory |
| B．Katniss decides to fight in the 75th Hunger Games because she loves it |
| C．Critics hold a negative attitude to the first movie of Hunger Games |
| D．The personality of the leading actress contributes to the success of Catching Fire |
Computer games have been criticised for quite some time over a whole range of issues. Some people say they are overly violent and encourage violent behaviour particularly in children. Others say that they make children unsociable and are bad for their eyes. Some have even attributed falling standards of literacy and a lack of interest in reading on them. Now, however, it seems that computer games have also become a feminist issue.
Game manufacturers have, for some time, been looking to increase the number of female game players. The vast majority of computer games still sell to a mainly male market. Perhaps this is because the violent nature of many of the games appeals more to males or perhaps because many of the main characters in the games are male. Manufacturers' attempts to produce more female characters increase their share of the female gaming market which has met with serious criticism from many women's groups.
While heroines such as Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider game are seen as providing positive role models of strong women, many believe that the character's unrealistic Barbies are subconsciously setting unattainable standards in the minds of young women. Perhaps a stronger criticism is that although many games now include female characters, their role is often secondary and they support the main, male, action characters within the games. Of course the nature of many of the games remains violent and destructive and this in itself could well continue to put off female gamers.
There are now, however, a number of web sites springing up on the World Wide Web to help women deal with this issue. Sites such as Game Girlz, Women Gamers and Game Gal offer game reviews, articles, discussion forums and even employment opportunities for women interested in becoming part of the rapidly expanding games industry. The games are reviewed by women from a very female perspective. Some rate the games from one to ten across a range of criteria which include the appearance of the female characters, the degree of intelligence attributed to them in the game and even the marketing attitude adopted by the company. The sites are obviously looking for games that move away from the very male dominated and violent nature of the majority of computer games. Many of them review games that are more constructive and developmental. Although the common fantasy themes of knights, witches and goblins（妖精） still exist within these games, the aims are often very different. Instead of destroying opposing armies，the aim of the game can be to make peace with them.
With this increased degree of awareness and involvement from women in the games industry many positive changes could be made that could encourage more women and young girls to become enthusiastic about technology. Perhaps we may even find more male gamers moving away from the traditional violent and destructive games towards the more positive values promoted by these more feminine role models, after all Tomb Raider is still one of the most popular computer games on the market, but perhaps that's too much to ask.What is paragraph 1 mainly about ?
| A．The violence in computer games. |
| B．Common criticisms of computer games. |
| C．Children’s feeling in computer games. |
| D．The computer issues. |
Manufacturers want to produce more female characters in order to _______.
| A．increase sales in the male market |
| B．help women learn how to play computer games |
| C．encourage more women to buy computer games |
| D．increase the number of male game players |
From the passage we know that Tomb Raider is _______.
| A．a film which provides positive role models of strong women |
| B．a site which helps women to deal with many issues |
| C．a female role which is secondary in many games |
| D．a computer game which is very popular on the market |
Which would be the best title for the passage ?
| A．Girls’ Games | B．Computer Games |
| C．Children’s Games | D．Games Industry |
Have you wondered why you have two eyes and why they are set close together on the front of your face? The reasons are simple and important to the way you see the rest of your world．
Your eyes are like two small cameras. A camera catches an image of an object and records it on film．Similarly，when you look at something，each eye takes in what it sees and sends this image to the back of the eyeball．Because your eyes are set close together，they view the world from about the same height but from slightly different angles. Working as a team, the eyes send the images to your brain, which puts them together into a single, centered image.
Seeing in stereo means seeing with two eyes working together，which is called stereoscopic sight．This allows you to view the world in three dimensions，or 3-D．Seeing depth helps you to judge the distance between you and the objects you see and to adjust to the changing angle at which you see something as you move closer to or farther away from it．If images are coming from only one eye, however，only two of these dimensions-height and width-can be perceived．A world seen with one eye is thus two-dimensional，as in a photograph．
Now consider why your two eyes are on the front of your face．Think of other animals with this same arrangement．They are all animals that hunt，like lions and wolves．Their eyes face directly in front of them．This provides a field of sight about 180 degrees wide，which is called binocular sight．On the other hand，animals that are hunted have eyes on the sides of the head，which provides nearly 360-degree field of sight．In order to stay alive，they need to see things coming from the sides and from behind．However，without stereoscopic sight，they have difficulty determining how far a danger is．
With sight both stereoscopic and binocular，humans share with animal hunters the ability to see from side to side and to accurately determine the distance．If you think it would be great to have another type of sight，perhaps with hundreds of tiny eyes like many insects do，think again! Each tiny insect eye sees only a tiny part．Besides，what if you needed glasses? Be glad for the eyesight that you have．According to the passage，an eye is like a camera because both
| A．can record images |
| B．can imagine objects |
| C．provide centered images |
| D．work at the same height |
Stereoscopic sight is a result of having
| A．a three-hundred-sixty-degree field of sight |
| B．hundreds of eyes，all seeing parts of an image |
| C．two eyes close to one another that work together |
| D．one eye on either side of the head，each seeing a different image |
The author implies that “seeing in stereo”
| A．is similar to the way cameras work |
| B．is an ability humans are fortunate to have |
| C．would be better for a wider field of sight |
| D．helps people to have better sight than animals |