第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）阅读下-优题课

第三节阅读理解（共20题，每题2分，共40分）
President Barack Obama has apologized for a gaffe (失言) in which he described his bowling skills as akin to participants in the Special Olympics, a sports program for people with intellectual disabilities.
Obama made the mistake during an interview on Thursday night on “The Tonight Show” with host Jay Leno, the first time a sitting U.S. president had been on the show.
Talking about living in the White House, Obama said he had been practicing his bowling in the home’s bowling alley and had scored a 129 out of a possible 300.
It was an improvement on the embarrassing 37 he had rolled during a stop on the presidential campaign trail a year ago. “It’s like—it was like Special Olympics or something,” Obama said.
The Special Olympics is a global nonprofit organization serving some 200 million people with intellectual disabilities, with a presence in nearly 200 countries worldwide.
Soon after the Jay Leno interview, Obama telephoned Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver to apologize.
Shriver told ABC’s “Good Morning America” television show that Obama had apologized “in a way that I think was very moving” and that he said “he did not intend to humiliate (羞辱) the population, didn’t want to embarrass or give anybody any more reason for pain or kind of suffering.”
Shriver said people should gain a lesson from the incident.
“I think it’s important to see that words hurt. Words do matter. And these words in some respect, can be seen as humiliating or a put-down to people with special needs, do cause pain. And they do result in stereotypes,” Shriver said.
White House spokesman Bill Burton said Obama “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to look down upon the Special Olympics.”
“He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world,” Burton said.
1. What does the underlined word “akin” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. skillful B. similar C. appealing D. superior
2. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Obama loves sports and is especially gifted at bowling.
B. Obama apologized for his remarks via ABC’s TV show.
C. The Special Olympics are for various disabled people.
D. The Special Olympics don’t intend to make any money.
3. What does Shriver mean by saying people should gain a lesson from the incident?
A. Disabled people cannot be humiliated. B. One should be careful with his words.
C. An apology for wrong words is wanted. D. Words matter even more than actions.
4. The passage is mainly about ________.
A. Obama receiving a TV interview B. Obama looking down on the disabled
C. Obama apologizing for his gaffe D. Obama being attacked for his words

For the most part, schools are designed to produce people who fit into society, not people who set out to change it. However, schools, particularly universities, may not only spread culture; they may add to the cultural heritage(遗产). Today American society places a good deal of emphasis on the development of new knowledge, especially in the physical and biological sciences , medicine, and engineering. In the recent years, the nation’s leading universities have increasingly become research centers.
An emphasis（强调）on research has led universities to judge professors not by abilities as teachers, but as researcher. promotions(提升), salary increases , and other benefits have long been dependent on research and publication. However, the most important is no longer publishing. To be successful these days, professors have to bring in money provided by government and private industry. Critics claim that academic(学术) success is most likely to come to those who have learned to“ignore”their teaching duties to pursue research activities. Defenders say that even when students themselves are not involved in research projects they benefit from such an emphasis on research.
Major research universities like the Massachustts Institute of Technology have also cooperated with industrial companies to develop technology and products with commercial potential(潜能).With university-industry ties continuing to grow, debate（辩论）has increased about the consequences for basic science, academic openness, the control of information, the direction of research, and the influence on students.
1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT emphasized by today’s American society?
A. Physical science. B. Biological science.
C. Engineering.D. Computer science.
2. In the present standard, a successful professor is one who can____.
A. teach well
B. get financial support for research
C. get the highest salary
D. have many publications
3. Supporters of the present emphasis on research argue that_____.
A. it involves more students in it.
B. it does good to students anyway.
C. it has a direct good effect on teaching
D. it earns a lot of money for a university
4. The author seems to be_____ the move of emphasis to research.
A. totally againstB. sorry to see C. in favor of D. neutral (中立) about

Electricity shortage leaves Afghanistan in the dark. Electricity is in short supply in the Middle Eastern Nation of Afghanistan. Only 6 percent of the country’s residents have electric power, according to the Asian Development Bank, an organization that works to reduce poverty.
Some residents in Kabul received only 3 hours of electricity a day last fall. Others received none. Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan. “It’s dark everywhere,” says city resident Gul Hussein. “Some of our neighbours are using candles.”
Experts say water shortage is partly to blame. Water is used to make electricity. In Kabul, power becomes scarce in midsummer, when the region’s hydroelectric(水力发电的) dams dry up. Hydroelectricity is made by the force of falling water.
Kabul’s growing population is also a cause. Since the late 1990s, the city’s population has jumped from less than 1 million to more than 4 million people. Now even more electricity is needed.
Despite receiving millions of dollars in international aid, the country’s electricity shortages continue. Still, Afghans hope for a solution. One plan is to import, or bring in, power from the nearby country Uzbekistan. Afghan officials also spoke with U.S. president about the nation’s need to make its own electricity.
“ Life takes power,” says Jan Agha, a worker from Kabul. “If you have electricity, life is good; but if there’s no electricity, you go around like a blind man.”
1.One reason for electricity shortage is _________
A. the lack of international aid
B. the shortage of hydroelectric dams
C. the increase of population
D. the low temperature in midsummer
2. Which of the following will probably a solution for the problem of electricity shortage?
A. To build more hydroelectric dams.
B. To advise people to use less electricity.
C. To buy electricity from America.
D. To produce electricity on its own.
3. What does the underlined word “scarce” mean in paragraph 3?
A. not normal B. not little C. not effective D. not enough
4. Which one should be the best title for the passage?
A. Water Shortage in Afghanistan B. Population Lead to Lack of Electricity
C. Electricity Shortage in Afghanistan D. Help Needed in Afghanistan

Remembering names is an important social skill．Here are some ways to master it．
Recite and repeat in conversation．
When you hear a person’s name，repeat it．Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips．You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial．
Ask the other person to recite and repeat．
You can let other people help you remember their names．After you’ve been introduced to someone，ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you．Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names．
Admit you don’t know．
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed．Most of them will feel sympathy if you say．“I’m working to remember names better．Yours is right on the tip of my tongue．What is it again?”
Use associations．
Link each person you meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual．For example，you could make a mental note: "Vicki Cheng -- tall, black hair. " To reinforce you’re your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That's fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others -- an automatic review for you.
1. How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
A. They will be moved. B. They will be annoyed.
C. They will be happy. D. They will be discouraged.
2. If you can't remember someone's name, you may _______.
A. tell him the truth B. tell him a white lie
C. ask him for pity D. ask others to help you
3. When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember ______.
A. all their names B. a couple of names first
C. just their last names D. as many names as possible
4. What does the text mainly tell us?
A. Tips on an important social skill.
B. Importance of attending parties.
C. How to make use of associations.
D. How to recite and repeat names.

The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the farming culture of China. In the farming economy, oxen are the major animals pulling plows (犁).
Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as "boats on land" for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures(动物) .
In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who 1ive in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar (农历), and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.
Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.
1. The words "boats on land" underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to _______.
A. animals for taking goods B. creatures for pulling plows
C. treasures of the folk culture D. tools in the farming economy
2. From the third paragraph, we know that _______.
A. oxen are no more important today than in the past
B. ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup
C. oxen are treated as human in some areas of China
D. people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month
3. Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?
A. The special role of oxen in farming.
B. People's respect and love for oxen.
C. The practical value of an ox's body.
D. The contribution of oxen to the economy.
4. Why does the author write the text?
A. To stress the importance of oxen in farming.
B. To introduce a kind of Chinese folk culture.
C. To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.
D. To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.