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,从媒体所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In Stockholm, the Swedish Academy has chosen the British author Doris Lessing for the 2007 Nobel Prize in Literature.
The selection of Doris Lessing for a Nobel was popular among the hundreds of journalists gathered for the announcement in Stockholm.
Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy Horace Engdahl said with skepticism, fire and visionary power Lessing has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny.
Doris Lessing was born in 1919 in Persia - modern-day Iran - to British parents, moving as a child with her family to southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, where she stayed in school only to the age of 14.
A year after moving to London, she published her first novel in 1950. The Grass is Singing examines unbridgeable racial conflict in colonial Africa through the eyes of a white farmer's wife and her black servant.
A member of the British Communist Party during the 1950s and a campaigner against nuclear arms and South African apartheid, Lessing was for years banned from that country and from Rhodesia.
Her literary breakthrough came in 1962 with publication of The Golden Notebook, seen by many, though not necessarily Lessing, as a pioneering work of modern feminism. A disjointed study of the mind of the main character, Anna Wulf, the novel explores her thoughts about Africa, politics and communism, relationships with men and sex, and Jungian analysis and dream interpretation.
Lessing's themes shifted to psychology in her works from the 1960s, and by the 1970s she was fascinated with the Islamic mystic tradition of Sufism. Her turn toward science fiction with the Canopus series in the early 1980s was not warmly received by traditionalist critics, but she has continued to win new readers and numerous literary awards, including the David Cohen British Literary Prize and the Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature, both in 2001.
Following the announcement, the Horace Engdahl told VOA why he was personally so pleased with Lessing's selection.
"She is one of the truly great writers - of novels, short stories, fiction and non-fiction," Engdahl said. "She is one of the few writers who have had the courage to uphold the principle of equality between the male and female experience, and she has given the impulse to numbers of other women writers. And she is really the mother of a school that is one of the most important in our contemporary literature."
At 87, Doris lessing is the oldest Nobel Literature laureate since the first prizes were awarded in 1901. Each Nobel Prize is this year accompanied by a check for approximately $1.4 million.
41. How old was Doris Lessing when she published her first novel?
A. 14 B. 26 C. 31 D. 50
42. Which of the following about The Grass is Singing is true?
A. It is mainly about racial conflict between the whites and the blacks in the US.
B. The main characters are a white farmer’s wife and her black servant.
C. It was published in Africa.
D. It was Doris Lessing’s most famous novel.
43. We can infer from the passage that __________.
A. Journalists are very interested in the election of Doris Lessing’s for Nobel Prize.
B. Doris Lessing regard The Golden Notes as a pioneering work of feminism.
C. Doris Lessing has written about many different subjects.
D. Many writers have the courage to stick to the equality between the male and female experience.
44. The underlined word school in the last paragraph but one means________.
A. institution for educating children
B. college or university
C. department of a university
D. group of writers, thinkers
45. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. Doris Lessing wins Nobel Prize for literature
B. The greatest British female writer
C. The oldest Nobel Prize winner
D. 2007 Nobel Prize announced in Stockholm
Americans consider baseball as an American sport. They often refer to something being “as American as baseball and apple pie”. But is baseball really an American sport? And what are origins of baseball anyway?
The American game of baseball more than likely came from several European ball games. Russia had an early form of baseball and so did Germany and Romania. People in England played a game called “stool ball”. In this game, the pitcher(投手)tried to hit a stool(凳子)or chair with a ball and the batter(击球手)used a stick to keep the ball away. But American baseball was most likely based on another English game, which is called “rounders”. Players use a soft ball rater than a hard ball while playing rounders.
So when was the first real game of “baseball” played? It seems that it took place in the 1840s. The father of baseball was Alexander Cartwright, who organized a baseball club in New York. Cartwright developed 20 rules that distinguished baseball from previous ball games.
In 1858, the first organized baseball league—the National Association of Baseball players—was formed. This league began charging fans to watch the games. However, the players were all amateurs and did not get paid . In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings began to pay their players. Since they could hire the best players, Cincinnati won 57 games and lost none in their first season. As a result, other teams decided to hire players too. By 1871, the National Association was the first professional baseball league.
Today baseball is liked very much in America. Top professional baseball players earn millions of dollars each year. There are two professional leagues—the National League and the American League. The best teams from these two leagues compete for the baseball championship every year.81.What do Americans think of baseball? (No more than 3 words)2’
82. Why was Alexander Cartwright called “the father of baseball ”?(No more than 16 words).3’
83. Where did the American baseball most probably come from?(No more than 5 words).2’
84.What does the passage mainly talk about?(No more than 5 words).3’
With the popularity of 3D movies over the past several years , there was no doubt that the technology would make its way into our homes, The question is: Is it really a technology that is going to stay with us , thus deserving an upgrade(升级) at this time?
Many families have recently bought a new TV set, and the idea of changing it just to take advantage of a technology in its infancy(初期)will put many people off the idea. Then there are the additional costs that come along with a 3Dset from needing to get a Blu-ray player that can process the signal to purchasing enough glasses for the entire family to be able to watch a program at the same time.
Another issue is that the glasses are expensive as well as complicated, and have also been known to cause headaches, none of which makes for a pleasant experience.
While manufacturers are working towards glasses-free technology, it just isn’t here yet, and it could be several years before it is commercially successful. That is one of main things that will keep 3D completely in the “fashion” zone for the time being . If the television manufacturers are willing to hold onto the idea until glasses-free choices are available—and they can reach a higher installed(安装)user base—this might very well catch on. Everyone needs to remember, however, that these are businesses, and they are in it to make money. If 3D isn’t selling at the rate they are comfortable with, then they will dump it and move on to the next thing.
Many homes are filled with products that didn’t catch on rapidly and companies ended up leaving them with no support. Do you have an HD DVD player? Remember how the MiniDisc was supposed to replace the CD? For now, it’s easy to see how 3D televisions could join this list of technologies.
There is one upside to the 3D television problem: They have beautiful 2D images. Even if 3D goes away, you still have a great –looking screen and beautiful images. If you are in the market for a new TV and you can afford to drop the couple extra hundred dollars to buy one, you can view it as guaranteeing your purchase in case the technology proves to be effective.We know from the text that 3D TV.
A.is easy to operate |
B.has been fully developed |
C.has many products attached to it |
D.has already replaced normal TV sets |
What’s the main idea of paragraph 4?
A.3D is fashionable and expensive. |
B.It’s hard for 3D to be commercially successful. |
C.Television manufacturers’ only purpose is to make money. |
D.It’s impossible to create glasses-free technology at the moment. |
The examples of the HD DVD player and CD are to show.
A.they are not necessary |
B.they are bound to be replaced |
C.3D TV might not be here to stay |
D.3D technology needs improving |
The underlined word “upside” in the last paragraph probably means.
A.solution | B.exception | C.character | D.benefit |
What’s the author’s opinion on 3D TV?
A.He is critical of it.
B. He thinks highly of it.
C.It is more effective than expected.
D. It has more beautiful images than 2D.
Emilio and Michi spread the colorful tablecloth on the table. They made room for Drew, who was carrying a dish. “Watch out,” Drew warned. “This is pretty hot.”
A moment later, Kent and Alyssa added another hot dish to the table. “That smells so good!” said Michi. “Are most of the parents here yet? I’m hungry.”
Kent looked through the doors that led into the hallway. “I think Ms. Milano and Mr.Hasselbach just finished giving them the garden touring. They should be heading into the cafeteria next.”
The students of Jefferson Middle School in Saint Louis, US had spent all afternoon preparing for the evening meal. They did their best to transform the lunchroom into a beautiful dining area for their families.
As the families found their seats, Ms. Milano asked Drew, Emilio, and Michi to join her at the front of the room. She said, “I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Drew, Emilio and Michi for their wonderful idea. A year ago, they first came to me with the plan for starting a garden at Jefferson. I wondered whether it would work, but they had thought through everything. Any time I had a question about how we would make this work, they had an answer prepared. As you can see, they were absolutely correct. About three-quarters of the food you will be enjoying came from the school garden. The students prepared the entire meal themselves.”
Ms. Milano handed Drew, Michi and Emilio a box each. They opened their box as Ms. Milano continued. “As a thank-you to these students for their creative idea and hard work, they have each received a stepping stone(垫脚石)for the garden. Their names and date appear on the stones.”
She turned to them. “Students for years to come will be enjoying the garden that you helped create,” she said. “We thought it would be appropriate for them to have a reminder of our garden’s founders.”
They held up their stepping stones and smiled as the crowd clapped. “And now,” said Ms Milano, “please help yourself to some of the mouthwatering food our young chefs have prepared. Dinner is served!”What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.The students’ parents. | B.New students. | C.Teachers. | D.The school chefs. |
According to the text, the food served on the table
A.was served as a lunch |
B.was cooked by the students |
C.was prepared to thank the kids |
D.was entirely from the school garden |
What was Ms. Milano’s original attitude toward starting a garden at school?
A.She was doubtful about it |
B.She felt it was worth a try |
C.she was strongly against it |
D.She thought it a wonderful idea. |
Why did Ms. Milano give stepping stones to Drew, Michi , and Emilio?
A.They have good cooking skills. |
B.They are the best students of the school. |
C.They have made the school more beautiful. |
D.They are the founders of the school garden. |
What would be the best title of the text?
A.A school garden | B.Garden chefs | C.Creative students | D.A delicious meal |
Watercress is positively packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. The writings of both the Romans and the Ancient Greeks record the consumption of watercress by all classes. Hippocrates, “the father of medicine”, was so convinced that watercress was a great healer that he built his first hospital next to a stream so that he could grow a plentiful supply of the shiny green leaves for his patients. The Romans chewed watercress in large quantities, believing that it would cure baldness. They, too, looked with favor on watercress as a salad.
Watercress sandwiches were traditionally a breakfast item in nineteenth-century Europe. The most basic type of watercress sandwich has two pieces of white bread with a mixture of butter and watercress greens . A nickname(绰号)for the vegetable, in fact, was “poor man’s bread”, because watercress was often eaten on its own for breakfast by families that could not afford the bread to go with it.
Watercress is a member of the mustard(芥菜) family. It contains vitamins C(66mg per 100g), K and A, and is also a valuable source of minerals such as iron, potassium, copper and calcium. The mustard oils in its silky leaves and stems(茎)contain an ingredient known as PEITC. Recent research has proved that PEITC can prevent the growth of cancer cells and, in some cases, actually destroy them.
The best watercress has silky green leaves without any marks and has undamaged stems, The older the plant, the darker are its leaves and the thicker its stems. This means a higher concentration of oils and vitamins. Young watercress, on the other hand, may be harvested after only twenty-eight days growth and has a milder taste. It is best to eat watercress fresh and raw , to keep more of its valuable nutrients, but it can be lightly cooked and used as an alternative to spinach—another dark green vegetable—in various recipes. From soups to salads, watercress is now considered around the world as a natural and healthy super food.From paragraph 1, we can learn that________.
A.watercress is usually grown in wet areas |
B.the ancient Greeks only used watercress for medicine |
C.watercress is the most ancient vegetable known to man |
D.the Romans rubbed watercress on their heads to cure baldness |
The underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
A.butter | B.watercress | C.breakfast | D.bread |
Which of the following is TRUE about watercress?
A.It belongs to the same family as spinach.
B.It contains mustard oils only in leaves.
C.It can help guard against cancer.
D.It is rich in vitamins C and B.Compared with older watercress, young watercress .
A.has lighter green leaves |
B.contains more minerals |
C.is better for medical use |
D.is more suitable for eating raw |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.The history of watercress | B.watrcress, a medicinal plant |
C.Watercress, the amazing food | D.New findings about watercress |
Yawning sends out certain messages -either “Oh,this movie is so boring” or “I probably need to get some sleep”. But did you know that a yawn can also help your brain to cool down when it is overheated?
A new study, led by a research team at Princeton University, has indicated that yawning could be the brain’s natural way of regulating temperature. People yawn more often when the temperature outdoors is lower than their body temperature but are less likely to yawn when it is hotter outdoors, according to Sciencedaily. com.
The research team did an experiment on 160 people, 80 in summer and 80 in winter, to examine how often they yawned at different air temperatures. The study found that people yawned more often in winter than in summer. Scientists say that when the air temperature is lower outside the body, there is heat exchange between the overheated brain and the cool air. But when the air temperature is higher than or equal to the body, people are less likely to yawn because the hot air they breathe in will make the brain even hotter.
When people yawn, their jaw is also stretched,which increases blood flow and may also help cool the brain
The study showed that the amount someone yawned could be related to the amount of time they spent outside. The longer they spent outside in summer, the less they yawned. Nearly 40 percent of participants yawned within their first five minutes outside, but after that the percentage was reduced to less than 10 percent.
However, the result was the opposite in winter. The number of people who yawned increased when they spent more than five minutes outdoors. But the change was only slight compared to summertime.
According to Gallup, this is the first report to show that yawning frequencies change depending on season. This could help us to understand better the way our brains work. It may also help us understand the reason why frequent yawning can sometimes be a sign of brain disease.The purpose of the experiment is ______.
A.to find the frequency of people’s yawning |
B.to indicate brain can regulate temperature naturally |
C.to prove people yawn in winter and in summer equally |
D.to show the real reason why people yawn |
The information we get from Paragraphs 5 and 6 is that ______.
A.longer outdoor summertime results in more yawns |
B.yawning frequency increases with outdoor time |
C.yawning frequency changes with outdoor time |
D.longer outdoor wintertime leads to fewer yawns |
Acorrding to the text,people yawn more often ______.
A.when the air temperature is equal to the body |
B.when the hot air breathed in makes the brain hotter |
C.when the air temperature is higher than the body |
D.when the air temperature is lower outside the body |
What could be the best title for the text?
A.Yawning Is A Sign of Brain Disease |
B.Yawning Cools Your Brain |
C.Yawning Benefits Your Body |
D.Yawning Carries Some Information |