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。
On the first day of school we were challenged to get to know a new classmate. I was looking around， when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I found a little old lady with a warm smile.
She said， “Hi， handsome！ I'm Rose. I'm 87 years old. Can I give you a hug(拥抱)？” I laughed and heartily responded， “Of course！”
“Why are you in college at such a young， innocent(天真的)age？” I asked.
She jokingly replied，“I'm here to meet a rich husband， get married， have children， and then travel around.”
“No， seriously，” I asked. I was curious why she took on this challenge at this age.
“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one！” She told me. We became instant friends.
Over the year， Rose became a campus icon(偶像)and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us.
“We do not stop playing because we are old； we grow old because we stop playing. Here are the secrets to staying young. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams， you die. We have many people walking around who are dead， and they don't even know it！” she said.
“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability，” she added. “But growing up requires finding the opportunity in change. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what they did， but rather for things they did not do.”
One week after graduation that year， Rose died peacefully in her sleep. She taught us by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.
56.Rose started college at the age of 87 in order to .
A.marry a rich man B.travel around the world
C.make more friends D.realize her dream
57.Which of the following best explains “she was living it up” in the seventh paragraph？
A.She was living a long life. B.She was enjoying herself.
C.She was spending a lot of money. D.She was killing time.
58.When you lose your dreams， you die because .
A.there's no sense in living without your aim
B.you can't sleep well every night
C.you are too old and have to stop playing
D.something is terribly wrong with your brain
59.What would be the best title for the passage？
A.Meet the Challenge B.Never Waste Time
C.Grow Up or Grow Old？ D.Have You Got Ready？
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”
The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.
One day, the wise man saw the young man .
| A．dancing along the beach | B．walking with a dancer |
| C．picking up starfish for sale | D．trying to save as many starfish as possible |
Near the end of the passage, “something very special” refers to .
| A．the gifts from friends | B．the strength of making decision |
| C．our own starfish | D．the ability of shaping one’s own future |
From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that .
| A．the wise man realized something new and important |
| B．the wise man thought it was foolish of the young man to throw starfish into the ocean |
| C．the young man had the ability to make a difference |
| D．it is necessary for us to save starfish on the beach |
The writer told this story in order to show us .
| A．how and where we can write a good article |
| B．everyone can do something for the future |
| C．wise men are sometimes stupid |
| D．young people are actually wiser than old people |
Hello, Shanghai!
| Shanghai is hosting the 2010 World Expo with the theme: “Better City, Better Life.” The Expo is a window to the world. Haibao, the mascot, will guide you around the Expo Park. |
|
| The World Has Come to You. Join the Trip to the Pavilions! (场馆) |
|
| Pavilions |
What’s inside? |
| China Pavilion |
Coloring the Future Red The first stop is the China Pavilion. As the largest national pavilion, it has three floors. There are three parts. Footprint in the East on the top floor shows the changes in Chinese cities. Journey of Wisdom on the second floor shows the China’s four great inventions. Blossoming（绽放的）City on the ground floor shows what future cities will look like. The China Pavilion is painted in seven different red colors. It makes the pavilion look red at different times of day. |
| UK Pavilion |
Life Begins Here You will see a “World Bank” of seeds: There are 60,000 seeds in the UK Pavilion. They are from seed banks in the UK and Kunming in China. If you can’t go to Shanghai, you can find out all about the UK Pavilion at its website online at: http://ukshanghaiexpo. com/ home. php. |
| Norway Pavilion |
A Green Pavilion Norway is the best country for living in the world. At the Shanghai World Expo, you’ll find out what it means to be “powered by nature”. When the sun shines, the roof collects solar energy. The Norway Pavilion uses this energy for electricity. You can also learn about how green energy like the sun, wind and wave power is used to make air cleaner in cities. |
| Visit Expo from Your Home Don’t have enough time or money to visit the World Expo in Shanghai? Check the official website Expo Online, at www. Expo 2010. cn. It has two main parts. One is a site tour. The other is Expo Carnival（嘉年华）. You will feel like you’re enjoying the real Expo Park. Why not check it out? |
Which part of the China Pavilion should people go to if they are interested in the four great inventions?
| A．The ground floor. | B．The second floor. | C．The third floor. | D．The top floor. |
What is the typical feature of the UK Pavilion?
| A．People can see it on line. | B．It is the largest national pavilion. |
| C．People can see 60,000 seeds here. | D．All the seeds are from the UK. |
Which of the following can best explain the meaning of “a green pavilion”?
| A．A pavilion using green energy. | B．A pavilion painted in green. |
| C．A pavilion with more sunshine. | D．A pavilion with cleaner air. |
Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon (峡谷) when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region.
Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents (啮齿目动物) and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well.
“This is a huge find,” says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. “I don’t think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago.”
San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare.
Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils.
The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment.
“We have a confused view of what this time period was like, ” says another scientist. “A discovery like this could really be an important contribution.”
About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California.
What does the passage mainly focus on?
| A．The secret of ancient animals’ deaths. |
| B．The preparation for a future fossil exhibition. |
| C．A great discovery of fossils. |
| D．The history of San Timoteo Canyon. |
From what Rick says, we know ________. (原创)
| A．fossils were discovered in the canyon for the first time. |
| B．the canyon in ancient times was quite different. |
| C．more research work will be carried on in the canyon. |
| D．the river water helped to protect the animal fossils. |
Compared to the discovery at the La Brea Tar Pits, the canyon-involved fossils _______.
| A．are far older | B．include more species |
| C．are better preserved | D．make experts more confused |
What do we know about the fossils from the passage?
| A．All of them are of new species. |
| B．Some of them have been destroyed |
| C．They were looked for under experts’ guidance. |
| D．They will be on show in the near future. |
It is true that shyness can be a disadvantage socially for those who suffer from it seriously. I mean real shyness, not somebody who is simply quiet. Quiet people could be shy, but on the other hand, they may just be observing because they are unsure of you or others in your company. They may be capable of being extrovert (性格外向的) and sociable, but on some particular occasions, they are quiet.
I have learnt from my experience that those who observe and listen more and talk less can gain a position of strength. This means that even a very shy person, the type who is reluctant to talk in company (在交际场合) , especially new company, can become a strong person in just about anything they choose. Remember, knowledge is power, and a shy introvert (性格内向的人) is in a better position to gain knowledge than an extrovert. Introverted people can give great attention to learning, and as good listeners they can take in an enormous amount from others. Over time, people can come to respect them far more than the extrovert who speaks a lot. Usually about themselves.
What does it take , then for a very shy person to be that successful person they have always wanted to be ? They may only need one more thing to push themselves on their way. They need to dare themselves to take the leap; and when they do , they will probably find all the knowledge they have gained over the years will help them on their way to the top in their chosen field.
What does the first paragraph mainly want to tell us?
| A．A person who is quiet may not be shy. |
| B．A shy person may not be a calm one. |
| C．Quiet people are usually doubtful. |
| D．Shyness is sometimes a bad feature. |
The underlined word “reluctant” in paragraph 2 probably means ______.
| A．lazy | B．careful | C．eager | D．unwilling |
According to the author, introverted people can be successful because they usually ___________.
| A．have a strong will | B．talk less and show off less |
| C．learn more than extroverts | D．have a good attitude to learning |
It can be learned from the last paragraph that “one more thing” probably refers to __________.
| A．energy | B．courage | C．quietness | D．knowledge |
Count Me Out
Call me old-fashioned. Call me old. Call me what you want, but I refuse to become part of this new Internet world.
I do not possess a computer at home or at the office. Actually, I stopped going to an office 35 years ago, when all communications were done with a pen, a typewriter, or, if the matter was of world-shaking importance, over the telephone. Likewise, if you like something advertised in a newspaper or magazine, you visited the shop selling it at the given address, or you phoned the number shown. Then you spoke to the fellow and asked for further details.
Tell me what you think of the following ad that appeared the other day in the newspaper. It was for a cure for cancer and this is what it said: “Awareness is the key. Visit spfulford. com at the awareness site.” There was no address or telephone number for the site. So what do unfortunate people without a computer do if they are seeking a cure for their illness?
There are, I am told, certain advantages in having access to the Internet. You can, for example, send love messages across the world or even get married to someone that you meet online. This bit doesn’t interest me; I have been happily married for 60 years. There are, of course, other activities for Internet users besides finding love. They can pay bills, order groceries, or discuss with their doctors.
And this is by no means all. More amazing things are yet to come in the near future. I read a newspaper report recently that quoted Stephen Hawking, an important British scientist. “The complexity of a computer as it exists today is probably less than the brain of an earthworm,” he said. “But, as technology advances, computers will become more complex, and a time may come when the Internet may develop ‘consciousness.’ In other words, the Internet will be able to think, have feelings, and may well be able to act on its own.”
If Professor Hawking is right, I may change my attitude to computers. As I grow older each day, I would like one of those that not only thinks for me but also accepts responsibilities for all my mistakes.
What’s the meaning of the title “Count Me Out”?
| A．Get me out of the Internet world. |
| B．Computers are trying to take control of life. |
| C．Modern technology pushes old people away. |
| D．Do not expect me to be a supporter of the Internet. |
According to Paragraph 2, the author thinks computers are.
| A．unnecessary | B．convenient | C．expensive | D．advanced |
What might the author like about the future computer?
| A．Taking blames. | B．Curing illnesses. |
| C．Delivering messages. | D．Responding to emotions. |