第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题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，选出最佳答案，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Today most Chinese teenagers are happy to be favored by two parents and four grandparents
in their families. But have you ever thought about how to take care of four to twelve old people
when you grow up and get married? This could be a problem for most Chinese youths as China is
entering a new stage of an aging society.
An aging society refers to one where 10 percent or more of its population is over 60. By the end of 2007, Chinese over 60 years old have made up 11.7 percent of the nation’s total population.
“China is getting old before becoming rich,” said Cai Chuang, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The population increase that has powered Chinese growth for three decades will give way over the next ten years to a rapid aging of the society. This will lead to weaker economic growth, because of a lack of labor resources.
As a result of the family planning policy, it is expected that the country’s total working population will decrease after 2015.
China is not the only country getting old. More that 60 countries have become aging societies and one in three people in the European Union is a senior citizen.
However, experts said that China doesn’t have a highly developed social security network to support the old. Social security is an insurance program protecting those in need, including the old, the disabled and others.
56．An aging society is a society that .
A．less that 10% of its population is over 60
B．10% or more of its population is over 60
C．there are four old people in a family
D．most of its population is over 60
57．If China enters an aging society, .
A．there will not be enough labor resources
B．the family planning policy will be ended
C．everyone needs to take care of four to twelve old people
D．China will have a highly developed social security network
58．What does Cai Chuang mean by saying “China is getting old before becoming rich.”?
A．China will be an aging society, then be a developed country.
B．China will be a rich country before being an aging society.
C．An aging society will affect Chinese economy development.
D．China will stop developing because of its aging problem.
59．The passage mainly talks about .
A．an aging society B．Chinese social problem
C．family panning policy D．aging problem in China
Here is some mustknow information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.
In Brazil
Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible，with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe，be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social，preferring facetoface communication over emails or phone calls.
In Singapore
Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small，polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal，so meetings and dealings often are fastpaced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions，even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines how people interact in meetings. For example，people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank.
In the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE，status is important，so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So do not pull away from the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes，but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are onetoone，if your host offers you coffee，you should refuse. It might seem odd，but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented.
In Switzerland
The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality(守时) is vital，something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higherups make the final decisions，even if others might disagree. Neat，clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.The passage is mainly about___________
| A．communication types |
| B．the workplace atmosphere |
| C．customs and social manners |
| D．living conditions and standards |
Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?
| A．They put efficiency in the first place. |
| B．They dislike facetoface communication. |
| C．They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible. |
| D．They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank. |
In the UAE，when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?
| A．When greeting seniors. |
| B．When meeting the host alone. |
| C．When attending a presentation. |
| D．When dining with business partners. |
In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?
| A．In Brazil. |
| B．In Singapore. |
| C．In the United Arab Emirates. |
| D．In Switzerland. |
It is amazing to note that the Internet is still such a new device，and yet it is one of the fastest and most powerful media tools. But think about it for a moment. On the Internet，a big online company can be run by only two guys in their garage. So it is only reasonable then，that people shopping online would be a little leery of the security levels.
Internet giants such as Microsoft knew consumer confidence was the key to getting virtual(虚拟的) shopping off the ground，and they work hard to make people feel safe to shop online.
Credit card companies，too，quickly saw the potential for online shopping，and have installed things like online shopping insurance for people. If you ever have a problem with your online credit purchases，many credit card companies will happily refund(退还) your money and then set their claws on the company that wronged you. Now that’s buying power!
There are other bonuses for online shoppers，of course. No lineups，for one. No annoying mall shopping carts with broken wheels and kids crying because their parents won’t get them what they want.
When shopping online，consumers can sit down，have a coffee，and wear their slippers，not having to worry about their hair or parking，and just clicking through sale after sale. Comparison shopping couldn’t be any easier. And thanks to courier companies(快递公司) getting in on the act，you never need to wait longer than a day or two to get those all important purchases delivered right to your door.
No wonder so many companies are shaking their heads at traditional advertising and instead looking to the“virtual” world to attract online shoppers.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “leery” in the first paragraph?
| A．confident |
| B．doubtful |
| C．hopeful |
| D．disappointed |
Consumer confidence in online shopping mainly relies on .
| A．freedom of shopping |
| B．shopping convenience |
| C．security in shopping |
| D．Internet access |
The following have made contributions to the popularity of online shopping EXCEPT .
| A．Internet giants |
| B．traditional advertisers |
| C．courier companies |
| D．credit card companies |
What does the author think of the current online shopping?
| A．Safe，fast but unrealistic. |
| B．Cheap，convenient but unsafe. |
| C．Reliable，popular but slow. |
| D．Safe，convenient and fast. |
The Brown Bear
My wife Laura and I were on the beach，with three of our children，taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small，moving aimlessly.
Just a few minutes later，I heard my daughter shouting，“Dad！The bear is right behind us！” An aggressive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back—the sign(迹象) of an animal that is going in for the kill. And it was a cold April day. The bear behaved abnormally，probably because of hunger.
I held my camera tripod(三脚架) in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders，and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.
Even so，this was a fight I had to win：I was all that stood between the bear and my family，who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.
The bear hit at the camera，cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face；the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move，and I sensed that my bones were going to break.
Drawing back my free hand，I struck the bear as hard as I could for five or six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur，trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling(扭打) with the bear at this point. Then，as suddenly as it had begun，the fight ended. The bear moved back towards the forest，before returning for another attack—the first time I felt panic.
Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat，the bear moved off，destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured，but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I’m proud that my family remained clearheaded when panic could have led to a very different outcome.The brown bear approached the family in order to .
| A．catch shore birds |
| B．start an attack |
| C．protect the children |
| D．set up a barrier for itself |
The bear finally went away after it .
| A．felt safe |
| B．got injured |
| C．found some food |
| D．took away the camera |
The writer and his family survived mainly due to their .
| A．pride |
| B．patience |
| C．calmness |
| D．cautiousness |
You may have experienced the frustration of receiving a parking fine or finding your car towed away （拖走）after leaving it parked for a couple of minutes．
But now a high tech car sticker could help motorists avoid such a situation by allowing a traffic warden（管理员）to get in touch with them．Car owners can buy the sticker and place it inside their car’s windscreen，having set it up with vital information，such as their phone number．The slim design will i nclude a sensor that will send a text message warning a driver about a coming fine when touched by a traffic warden．The message will ask them to move their car immediately．The driver could then type a reply for the warden us ing their smartphone，which will appear on the sticker’s screen．They may choose to write something along the lines of“back in two minutes”in a bid to avoid a fine．Frankfurt-based IT consultant，Daniel Kalliontzis，came up with the idea and is raising funds on Indiegogo to put his 54 sticker into production．
The smart sticker system will rely on the good will of traffic wardens and critically，a German law．The law states:“An officer has to choose the most e fficient and inexpensive way for the car owner to remove the vehicle．”It could be cheaper for the authorities to contact the driver than to tow his car．
At the time of writing，Mr Kalliontzis has raised just over 3，000 of his 50，000 goal on Indiegogo．If he manages to raise the money，the stickers will be shipped in June 2015．But it appears that car owners using the smart system could get some unnecessary warning messages，because anyone could touch the smart sticker．The first paragraph is intended to ________．
| A．highlight an awkward situation |
| B．complain about a parking fine |
| C．introduce the topic of the passage |
| D．remind motorists of the parking risk |
What may probably contribute to the application of the TowStop sticker in Germany？
| A．The sticker’s low cost． |
| B．The mass production． |
| C．The goodwill of motorists． |
| D．The law of the country． |
What can be concluded from the last paragraph about the TowStop Sticker？
| A．It takes time and efforts to put it to use． |
| B．Only traffic wardens can touch the sticker． |
| C．All car owners will use the sticker in 2015． |
| D．Kalliontzis is experienced in raising money． |
What’s the right order of the following statements according to the passage？
①A message is sent by the sensor．
②The sticker is put inside a car’s windscreen．
③A traffic warden touches the smart sticker．
④The sticker is set up with vital information．
⑤The motorist sends a message．
| A．②④⑤③① |
| B．④②③①⑤ |
| C．④②③⑤① |
| D．②④①③⑤ |
Answering the Community Needs of Our City
The Silver City Council recognizes that citizens have certain needs．To better meet your needs，we have made several changes to community facilities in 2014．The followings show how we have tried to make your life better．
Transport
☆Three stations for the suburbs have been added to the western train service．
☆20 new buses for the southern line were purchased in January．
☆50 per cent of city bus stops have been upgradeD．
Communication
☆Broadband cable is now av ailable to all parts of the city．
☆All of the new Government buildings are smart wired for better computer service！
Medical Facilities
☆The new state of the art Nightingale Hospital was opened in June．
☆To overcome a shortage of trained medical staff at Dover Hospital，10 doctors have been employed from overseas．
☆Some facilities at Station Street Hospital have been upgradeD．
Education
☆Textbooks will be free to all primary students in 2014！
☆Rental for private schools has been reduceD．
Protection and Security
☆Extra police now patrol（巡逻）the tourist areas．
☆50 new police officers graduated in July and have taken up duties in the city areA．
Entertainment / Recreation
☆The new Central Community Building opened in May．
☆5，000 new fiction books were bought for the Silver City Library．What is the purpose of the changes in Silver City？
A． To satisfy all the needs of the citizens．
B． To make public service improveD．
C． To better the citizens’life．
D． To meet the needs of the Silver City Council．What can we learn from the passage？
| A．Travel books are provided in the new library． |
| B．More bus lines and stops are bought in Silver City． |
| C．Free medical treatment is available at Station Street Hospital． |
| D．There are more police officers on duty now． |
The public notice is from _______．
| A．the community |
| B．the local government |
| C．the Silver City Library |
| D．a travel agency |