IV. 阅读理解:(共20题,每小题2分,共40分)
My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half-playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?"
"You bet," I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class, our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100.
This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict(冲突) with his fear of drawing attention to himself.
It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging(刺痛) and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness.
"Oh, he doesn't want to go away," said my mother, "You shouldn't go on like this.” “It's up to him," said my father. "He can make up his own mind."
36. The house the writer's family lived in was ________.
A. the best they could afford B. right for their social position
C. for showing off D. rather small
37. His father sold his Roils-Royce because ________.
A. it made him feel uneasy B. it was too old to work well
C. it was too expensive to possess D. it was too cheap
38. The writer's father enjoyed being in the middle class because ________.
A. it drew attention to him B. it didn't bring him in arguments
C. it was understood as a joke D. he disliked showing off
39. What was the writer's reaction to the idea of going to Eton?
A. He was very unhappy. B. He didn't believe it.
C. He was delighted. D. He had mixed feelings.
40. We can know from the passage that ________.
A. Children who can go to Eton are very famous
B. Children can go to Eton if they will
C. It is very difficult for a child to get a chance to go to Eton
D. Children don't have the right to decide whether they will go to Eton
Where did Li Hua see Mrs Daniels’ advertisement?
A.At London University. | B.In a newspaper |
C.On the Internet. | D.On TV. |
Why did Li Hua write the Email?
A.To make friends with Mrs Daniels. |
B.To apply to study at London University. |
C.To get more information about Mrs Daniels’ lessons. |
D.To find out more information about Aston College. |
Which of the following information did Li Hua NOT mention in his email?
A.His age |
B.His reasons for learning English |
C.His language level |
D.The language skills he wants to focus on. |
Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his ______.
A.listening and writing | B.writing and speaking |
C.listening and grammar | D.listening and speaking |
San Francisco has many museums. You can visit one and learn something new. We have art, science, history and other special museums. Some museums are open every day. Some are only open on certain days. Some museums are expensive, and others are free. But some of the expensive ones have free days. Many museums have websites. The websites usually have information about the things you can see in the museums.
On a museum’s website you can get information about ticket prices and free days. You can also know where the museum is and when it is open. Sometimes you have to click on the words like Visit, Information, or About to find the information. That will be hard work for you. San Francisco has many museums for you to visit and ______.
A.learn something new | B.play computer games |
C.watch the movies | D.click on Information |
Some museums in San Francisco are open every day, but some are only open ______.
A.on weekdays | B.on weekends |
C.on certain days | D.on holidays |
Many museums have ______ with information about the things you can see in them.
A.ticket prices | B.their websites |
C.open hours | D.free days |
Dear College Dean
It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to enhance (improve) the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lab. It is the tradition of this school to promote education and to be at the vanguard of new technology. That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.
Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CDs, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. What do we want for our students and our college? Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology? In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.
We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future. Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.
While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects. Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the Internet. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage. Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find.
If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands. Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.
The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of lifeThe purpose of the author in writing the passage is .
A.to describe the problems caused by lack of computers |
B.to explain why students are in great need of computers |
C.to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers |
D.to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers |
From the passage we can infer that .
A.present computers in the college cannot meet the demands of the students |
B.computers in the college will be updated to meet the student’s demands soon |
C.the college has the responsibility to help the students to prepare for their future |
D.it is also necessary to expand the college bookstore by using part of the donation |
In paragraph 4, the author mainly wants to tell us that .
A.computers are beneficial to students’ academic success |
B.computers are helpful to student’s competition for success |
C.students find it convenient to do assignments by using computers |
D.students wish to use the money to buy more advanced computers |
Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
It is thought that crying is hardly an activity encouraged by society. Tear, whether they are of sorrow, anger, or joy, typically make Americans feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. The shedder of tears (落泪者) is likely to apologize, even when a great tragedy was the cause. The observer of tears is likely to do everything possible to put an end to the emotional tears. But judging from recent studies of crying behavior, both those responses to tears are often inappropriate and may even be counterproductive (适得其反).
Humans are the only animals clearly known to shed emotional tears. Since evolution has given rise to few purposeless physiological responses, it is logical to assume that crying has one or more functions that enhance (increase) survival.
Although some observers have suggested that crying is a way to ask for assistance form others (as a crying baby might from its mother), the shedding of tears is hardly necessary to get help. Vocal cries would have been quite enough, more likely than tears to gain attention. So, it appears, there must be something special about tears themselves.
Indeed, the new studies suggest that emotional tears may play a direct role in alleviating stress, University of Minnesota researchers who are studying the chemical composition of tears have recently isolated two important chemicals from emotional tears. Both chemicals are found only in tears that are shed in response to emotion. Tears shed because of exposure to cut onion would contain no such substance.
Other researchers are investigating the usefulness of tears as a means of diagnosing human ills and monitoring drugs. At Tulane University’s Teat Analysis Laboratory Dr. Peter Kastl and his colleagues report that they can use tears to detect drug abuse, to study the causes of “dry eye” syndrome(综合症)and the effects of eye surgery, and perhaps even to measure exposure to environmental pollutants. What does the phrase “both those responses” in Paragraph 1 refer to ?
A.Crying out of sorrow and shedding tears for happiness. |
B.The embarrassment and unpleasant sensation of the observers. |
C.The tear shedder’s apology and the observer’s effort to stop the crying. |
D.Linking illness with crying and finding the chemical composition of tears. |
From the passage we can infer that .
A.it is unnatural for people to shed tears |
B.we can reduce our stress by shedding tears |
C.shedders of tears can’t get help by crying loudly |
D.unlike animals, humans can shed tears for survival |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Roles of emotional tears. |
B.functions of shedding tears. |
C.Unwelcome shedders of tears. |
D.Research on the effects of tears. |
The Great Wall of China is one of Beijing’s biggest draws for tourists; despite its fame and ubiquity in postcards across the world, it rarely fails to attract tourists at the first proper sight.Yet the authorities open only certain sections of the wall as fit for viewing, and few get to visit the unauthorized sections. Fewer still are aware of the existence of at least one part of the Wall that remains in almost original condition, nearly 1,500 years after construction of legendaryfortification began. But there’s a good reason for this – it’s underwater.
American journalist Steven Schwankert has been diving since age 10. It was though his setting – up of a diving school that Schwankert came to explore some of lesser – known areas of China’s lakes – and discovered the underwater Wall under a reservoir.“The most fascinating piece of diving I ever did in China must be the Great Wall. I managed to find out about it via the Internet. It wasn’t difficult to get to Pan Jiakou in Hebei Province, near the East Qing Tomb about 4 hour’s drive from Beijing. Why do I want to dive the Great Wall? Why do people want to walk on the Great Wall? It’s the same answer.”
There are, however, advantages of visiting the Great Wall in a diving suit over being on foot. The water acts as a preservative by preventing the kind of mass tourism that has brought trouble on other parts of the Wall.“Unlike the people who walk in the Wall, we as divers never need to actually touch it. I’ve dived twice there, the last time in July. I found that the water then was much deeper than it was before – 13 meters deep.” When he first dived, parts of the Wall were visible above the surface. Now even the guard tower is completely submerged. “It’s better that the Wall is deep under water, as there are lots of boats coming in and out around that area. Their wave action could potentially damage the brickwork. So, the deeper, the better.”Steven Schwankert is most interested in .
A.collecting photos of the Wall |
B.walking along on the Wall |
C.diving the underwater Wall |
D.visiting some famous lakes |
What does the underlined word “submerged” in Paragraph 5 most probably mean?
A.Damaged by water. | B.Washed by water. |
C.Preserved by water. | D.Covered by water. |
What is the topic discussed in the last paragraph?
A.Advantages of walking on the Great Wall. |
B.Advantages of visiting the underwater Wall. |
C.The reasons why the Wall is deep under water. |
D.The reasons why the underwater Wall is protected. |
What can we infer from the text?
A.The underwater Wall will sink deeper year by year. |
B.Diving the Wall is popular with divers all over the world. |
C.Diving is a good way to visit the Wall without causing much damage. |
D.More and more tourists will come to visit the underwater Wall in China. |