Many people seem to think that science fiction is typified by the Bug-eyed Monster, embodying every feature that most people find unpleasant. This is unfortunate because it degrades a worthwhile literary endeavor. Instead, the basic interest of science fiction lies in the relation between man and his technology and between man and the universe. Science fiction is a literature of change and a literature of the future, and the aspects of human life that it considers make it well worth reading and studying for no other literary form does quite the same things. What is science fiction? To begin, the following definition should be helpful: science fiction is a literary subgenre which postulates(以…为前提) a change (for human beings) from conditions as we know them and follows the implications of these changes to a conclusion.
The first point that science fiction is a literary subgenre is a very important one, but one which is often overlooked. Specifically, science fiction is either a short story or a novel. There are only a few dramas which could be called science fiction; the body of poetry that might be labeled science fiction is only slightly larger. To say that science fiction is a subgenre of prose fiction(小说) is to say that it has all the basic characteristics and serves the same basic functions in much the same way as prose fiction in general, that is, it shares a great deal with all other novels and short stories.
Everything that can be said about prose fiction, in general, applies to science fiction. Every piece of science fiction, whether short story or novel, must have a narrator, a story, a plot, characters, setting, and language. The themes of science fiction are concerned with interpreting man’s nature and experience around him. Themes in science fiction are constructed and presented in exactly the same ways that themes are dealt with in any other kind of fiction. They are the result to a particular combination of a narrator, story, plot, character, setting, and language. In short, the reasons for reading and enjoying science fiction, and the ways of studying and analyzing it, are basically the same as they would be for any other story or novel.
51.From the first paragraph, we can infer that science fiction has been most popular in the 20th century because ____.
A with the growth of literacy, the size of the reading public has increased
B competition from television has created a demand for more exciting fiction
C science fiction is easier to understand than other kinds of fiction
D the increased importance of technology has given science fiction an increased relevance
52.According to the definition in the passage, a fictional work that places human beings in a prehistoric world inhabited by dinosaurs____.
A cannot be called science fiction because it does not deal with the future
B cannot be called science fiction because it doesn’t deal with technology
C can be called science fiction because it deals with man’s relation with the world
D can be called science fiction because it places people in an environment different from the one we know
53. Science fiction is called a literary subgenre because____.
A it is not important enough to be a literary genre
B it cannot be made into a dramatic presentation
C it shares characteristics with other types of prose fiction
D it has its limits
54.One implication of the final sentence in the passage is that____.
A the reader should turn next to commentaries on general fiction
B there is no reason for any reader not to like science fiction
C the reader should compare other novels and stories to science fiction
D those who can appreciate prose fiction can appreciate science fiction
55.An appropriate title for this passage would be____.
A Man and the Universe
B Toward a Definition of Science Fiction
C A Type of Prose Fiction
D The Bug-Eyed Monster
Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been!
What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.
When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners (吸尘器), collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before vacuum dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.
Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as commo
n as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky. What is this passage about?
| A．A sad story. | B．Australia’s northern part. |
C．A rain of fish. |
D．The damage done by floods. |
Fish-falls occur in Australia __________.
| A．quite often | B．on large farms |
| C．only in winter | D．when the air is calm |
The underlined word “infinite” is closest in meaning to “__________”.
| A．easy | B．difficult | C．countless | D．dangerous |
A sign can be found in the front yard of a house in the US. The people living here want to let their dog play outside and ensure it won’t run into the street. So, they hire a company to set up an “invisible fence”, an electric wire buried in the ground around the yard. The dog wears a special collar and when it walks near to the “fence”, the wire will send out a small shock. The dog quickly learns to stay away from the edge of the yard. As it says at the bottom of the sign, the fence will keep your dog “safe” (away from the street) and “at home” (contained inside the yard).
The small word “BRAND” printed in blue means that “Invisible Fence” is registered as the company’s brand name. Similarly, the “TM” printed after “your dog safe at home” stands for “trade mark”, a slogan registered specifically to one company. The people set up an “invisible fence” _________.
| A．to let their dog play outside their house |
| B．to keep their dog away from the edge of the yard |
| C．to keep their dog inside their yard |
| D．to warn others not to enter their house |
Which is NOT true about the “invisible fence”?
| A．The fence does not exist at all. |
| B．The “Invisible Fence” is the name of a company. |
| C．Without the special collar, the fence won’t work on the dog. |
| D．Science and technology play an important part in it. |
Imagine living locked inside a closet.You can’t choose when and what to eat or how you will spend your time.You can’t even decide when the lights go on and off. Think about spending your whole life like this.
This is the life of lab animals.
Now consider the needs of these animals.Chimpanzees(黑猩猩),in their natural homes,are never separated from their families.They spend hours together every day.But in a lab,chimpanzees are put in cages alone.There are no families,only cold,hard cages,and loneliness that goes on for so many years that most of them lose their minds at last.
Worse yet are the experiments.Animals are given diseases they would never normally get.Experimenters force-feed(给……强行喂食) chemicals to them,conduct repeated surgeries(手术),and much more,Think of what it would be like to put up with these and then be thrown back into a cage,usually without any painkillers.Often animals see other animals being killed right in front of them.
Hundreds of thousands of animals are poisoned,blinded,and killed every year in product tests for shampoos,skin creams and new cancer drugs.Although more than 500 companies have stopped testing on animals,some of them still force chemicals into monkeys’ stomachs and rabbits’ eyes.
Although some facilities are better than others at caring for animals—not every lab worker kills a mouse by cutting off its head with scissors—there are no happy animals inside laboratories.Will the lab life end? When will it end?The passage mainly tells us about.
| A．animals’ lives in laboratories | B．cruel experiments on animals |
| C．the needs of animals in labs | D．facilities used to care for animals |
Animals in a lab.
①are very cold,and in separate cages
②feel lonely locked inside a cage
③aren’t fed anything but chemicals
④are forced to undergo cruel tests
⑤are forced to eat chemicals
| A．①③④ | B．②③⑤ | C．②④⑤ | D．①④⑤ |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．some companies have found ways to replace animal tests |
| B．animals normally get no strange diseases |
| C．animals are happy in labs with better facilities |
| D．painkillers can change the results of experiments |
The author’s attitude towards the future of animals for experiment can be described as _______.
| A．positive | B．worried | C．satisfied | D．disappointed |
In the last few years the Internet has become a widespread phenomenon(现象) around the world.People have started to use the computers just like they used to watch TV. Whenever we get hungry,we simply order a pizza through the Internet and while we are waiting for the food,we can send an important business e-mail concerning some sales for tomorrow.It is,in fact,very comfortable to just simply sit down and have a chat with somebody from South Africa about fishing and get some important advice.Sometimes when you are sad and are feeling lonely,if you go o
n the Internet,you can find good entertainment that will keep you busy.
To make a long story short,we just don’t have the time to communicate with people in person anymore.Besides,there is so much information easy to get on the Internet that when we start surfing,we find it hard for us to get away from the computer.There are a lot of people who are addicted(沉溺于) to TV and watch it 5 to 7 hours a day,while recently addiction to the Internet has become a very serious problem.You might think that these kinds of things could never happen to you,but it is not really true.To prevent yourself from getting addicted,the most important thing is to make sure that you are not spending too much time in front of the screen.Although it might seem to be easy to pull yourself away from the Web,it is simply not the case.You might have to make an effort to place some limits(限制) on yourself.The first paragraph of the text mainly tells us that.
| A．it is nice to have a Net friend from South Africa |
| B．the Internet can help us to do business |
| C．some people prefer surfing the Internet to watching TV |
| D．the Internet can make our life more convenient |
To avoid getting addicted to the Internet,we should.
| A．watch TV more hours a day instead |
| B．limit our time in front of the screen |
| C．communicate with people face to face |
| D．entertain ourselves in other ways |
From the passage,we can infer that the writer.
| A．has once been addicted to the Net |
| B．is completely against surfing the Net |
| C．knows how to surf the Net efficiently |
| D．thinks the Net brings bads and goods |
The text is most probably taken from.
| A．a health book | B．a geography magazine |
| C．a life magazine | D．a computer technology book |
Taking the train is a wonderful way to see America.In the 19th century,train routes appeared from coast to coast,carrying both people and goods Today,a long-distance Amtrak train trip is a different way to experience the United States.
The long-distance Amtrak trains have lots of room.Coach seats have lots of leg room and wide aisles(走
廊),sightseeing lounges(休闲室) have large windows,and sleeping areas can provide a good night’s rest.On a train trip,there’s time to talk,play cards or board games,and read to one another.On a car trip,parents have to drive while on a train,parents can sit back and watch the scenery go by.Unlike an a
irplane,traveling by train is not the quickest way to arrive at your destination;the train is the destination in itself.
Amtrak manages long-distance trains that run through the United States.Routes have different names,such as Empire Builder,California Zephyr,Sunset Limited and Southwest Chief.The long-distance trains have double-decker cars(Superliners), sightseeing lounges, and a real dining car.On shorter trains,such as from New York to Washington.DC,the cars are single level and only have a snack bar.In the Superliner trains,the sightseeing lounge is lined with windows on the second level while on the lower level a snack bar and tables can be found.In the evening,videos are shown in the lounge car—either entertaining movies or documentaries.
Tip:As delays are common on Amtrak trains,always call the station before you go there.Otherwise,you may be cooling your heels(脚后跟) for hours.What’s the advantage of seeing America by train?
| A．There are more services on the train than any other |
| B．Traveling by train is the quickest way to reach your destination. |
| C．Traveling by train gives people more time to see and do things. |
| D．The trains like Amtrak allow people to enjoy the journey cheaply. |
Which of the following can be found on short-distance Amtrak trains?
| A．Sleeping areas. | B．Snack bars. |
| C．Sightseeing lounges. | D．Coach seats. |
.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
| A．You will have to wait. | B．You make your heel cool. |
| C．You will have no place to stand on the train. | D．Your feet will be hurt on the train. |
.Which of the following about Superliners is true?
| A．There are lines of windows on the lower level. | B．The snack bar is on the higher level. |
| C．A sightseeing lounge is on the upper level. | D．Both levels are equipped with videos. |