第二部分 阅读理解(共25小题。第一节每小题2分,第二节每小题1分;满分45分)
第一节 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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Erik Weihemnayer was born with an eye problem. As a child his eyesight became worse
and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a full and active life.
Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He
competed in long-distance hiking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, though, is mountain climbing.
As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-metre rock wall of El Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at13,000 feet above sea level in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. And then, on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest climbing challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.
Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of
Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. "When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on
top of the world. "
41. When did Erik become blind totally?
A. In 1968. B. In 1995. C. In 1981. D. In 1970.
42. Erik got married ____.
A. on the summit of Mount McKinley B. when climbing Mount Everest
C. on the top of Aconcagua D. when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
43. What is Erik' s special way for climbing a mountain?
A. Taking his girlfriend. B. Doing his share of work.
C. Using two long poles. D. Keeping a good team around him.
44. Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?
a. He topped Mount McKinley.
b. He became blind.
c. He challenged Mount Everest.
d. He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.
e. He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.
A. b, e, d, c, a B. a, b, e, d, c C. b, a, e, d, c D. b, d, a, c, d
For many centuries,countless scholars have asked the question:What is beauty? As designers update the latest fashions and artists create their masterpieces, what is considered beautiful changes at an alarming pace. Fifty years ago, the full-figured American actress Marilyn Monroe was a symbol of the American aesthetic(美学的)value;today, many Hollywood actresses different in appearance from Marilyn’s have taken her place. However,aesthetic values not only differ from generation to generation,but do so along cultural lines as well. Often, what is considered hating one civilization is just the aesthetic appeal in another. Thus it is difficult to give an absolute definition(定义)of beauty.
As fundamental(基础的)physicists,my colleagues and I like to believe that we are involved in a search for a beauty that affects definition. The beauty that we search for is not what is set up through the work of people and subject to the tastes, but rather what has been laid down by nature Physics allows its students to look past outer appearances,into a deeper beauty. As a human being, I am attracted by the visual appeal of a wave crashing on the beach. As a physicist, however I am able to see the deeper beauty of the physical laws that govern such a phenomenon.
In truth,since Albert Einstein put forward the idea that there might be one main physical theory that governs the universe,aesthetics have become a driving force in modern physics. Einstein and other later physicists have discovered that:Nature, as its most fundamental level,is beautifully constructed. The extraordinary simplicity (朴素)of the laws that govern the universe is really breathtaking. As Einstein said, it would seem more likely that we should find ourselves living in a “chaotic (无秩序曲)world,in no way graspable(能理解的) through thinking”. Yet we are now closer than ever to a full understanding of the universe’s beautiful clockwork. As new discoveries and technologies allow us to examine the physical world on deeper and deeper levels,we find that the beauty itself becomes much deeper.The reference to “Marilyn Monroe” in Paragraph 2 mainly serves to___________.
A.compare traditional concept of the East with the West |
B.express there is no fixed definition of aesthetics |
C.set an example of today’s beauty standards |
D.discuss her abilities as an actress |
When appreciating a wave crashing on the beach,a physicist sees the beauty of_____.
A.the visual attraction |
B.the powerful sounds |
C.the physical laws behind |
D.the lovely creatures |
Why are Albert Einstein’s words mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A.To detail the functions of physical laws. |
B.To highlight the range of Einstein’s influence. |
C.To show that Einstein doubted the beauty of physics. |
D.To stress the very simplicity of the laws of the universe. |
what does the passage mainly talk about ?___________.
A.a special way of seeing beauty |
B.the influence of physics |
C.the awareness of cross-culture |
D.the traditional ideas on value |
D
We all have fond memories of taking a few lazy months off after the stress of A-levels. So now that summer has arrived, let’s take full advantage. It goes without saying that summer vacations are the perfect time to go traveling.
Tickets go up greatly when you turn 26, so make the most of cheaper rates while you’re eligible.
Overseas volunteering won’t amaze future employers, but it can be very useful. Finding a reliable (可靠的) company that won’t cheat you is important, as is discovering a program that interests you. There are plenty of websites where you can see other people’s suggestions.
Of course for most of us, money is tight. To avoid overspending you can combine employment and vacation. Hannah Warn, a psychology (心理学) student at the University of Winchester, is spending her summer at Camp America where students enjoy a good time on a summer camp. “Being thrown into something where I don’t really know what to expect is exciting,” she says. “It gives me a chance to experience being away from home in a different way.”
Those with a talent for languages might also consider working abroad as an au pair (互惠工人). The work may be a chance to involve yourself in a new culture while your employer pays most of the bill.
If you have an idea of the sort of career you’d like, getting work experience is wise. In many careers, graduating with only your degree to show for your three or four years just won’t make it. Send applications (申请) off early and to as many places as possible. Make sure you take a well-earned break this summer.From the passage,we can infer that .
A.students will be offered part-time jobs during the vacation |
B.students may employ lower-price tickets when they are traveling |
C.students should have a longer summer vacation than ever |
D.students will be offered part-time jobs during the vacation |
The underlined part “you’re eligible” in Para. 2 can best be replaced by “ ”.
A.you have more free time | B.you’re tired of school life |
C.you enjoy traveling a lot | D.you’re of the right age |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the example of Hannah Warn?
A.Camp America offers jobs to students. |
B.Psychology students are good at saving money. |
C.Students had better choose a camp related to their future job. |
D.A camp is a good place to combine employment and vacation. |
From the passage, we may conclude that the one who is more likely to seek a job after graduation is _____
A.John, who got extraordinary academic records during his university years. |
B.Lily, who worked abroad as an au pair during summer vacations. |
C.Tom, who got working experience relevant to his future job in college. |
D.Mary, who got a degree after studying four years in a famous university. |
C
English songs have been very popular for people around the world for many decades.Singers, from Elvis Presley to Ricky Martin, from the Beatles to Eminen and from Natalie Cole to Britney Spears, have all been sitting in everyone’s heart, even for people who don’t speak English. But will you have better English skills if you listen to English songs for a long time?
From my experiences, some people listen to English songs for 20-30 years but still haven’t accomplished any good English skills. Some people choose English songs to be the “main learning approach”, but most of them have failed.
Listening to English songs does not help you to speak English fluently. It does help you gain some vocabularies. Most of them are unusual ones that you don’t use in your everyday life. You won’t learn the sentence “It is a complicate project. We really need to meet the deadline.” in any English songs.
People like using English songs to practice English skills because it’s easy and enjoyable.They think that sitting in the car listening to English songs day by day can improve their English skills. It is not that actually.
You will not improve your listening skills because normal people don’t speak with melody (乐调). People don’t talk like Eminen’s songs (well, actually, some teenagers do). You can’t get yourself familiar with English pronunciation or accent just from listening to English songs. The words that they pronounce in the songs are not the words that you will hear in your everyday life.It often even confuses you more how English is pronounced.
I would fully encourage you to watch English movies, listen to radio news or other normal talks, but not music. Of course, you can consume it for fun but not the aim to improve your English skills.What’s the main idea of the passage?_____
A.How English songs aid people with practicing English skills. |
B.Where people can find good English songs to practise their English skills |
C.Why people are not willing to develop their English by listening to English songs. |
D.Who has made English songs popular throughout the world. |
English songs are beneficial to English learners if they hope to ________.
A.adapt to express themselves in daily life |
B.enlarge their vocabularies |
C.improve their listening skills |
D.speak English fluently |
what can we conclude from the text ? ________.
A.English songs get people familiar with English pronunciation or accent |
B.watching English movies or listening to radio news can be great helpful to English learners |
C.worldfamous singers have done a lot to help people learn English |
D.most people who listen to English songs in their car speak English very well |
B
Many people take it for granted that black is a color of bad things while white should always mean something good. This may be because, in their opinion, black is related to darkness and white to purity. However, that is not always the case. Did you know that the same one color may mean differently in different places of the world?
In the Englishspeaking world, black is the color of mourning. People wear black clothes at the funeral. Red is concerned with danger or bloodshed (流血).Yellow is the word for fear. If you are afraid, you are yellow. Yet none of these sayings is true outside the Englishspeaking world. In China and Korea white is the color of mourning. In Russia, China and some other countries, red stands for beauty, life and excellence. In Italy and Germany, you are yellow with anger, not with fear.
Even within the Englishspeaking area it is not difficult to find color contradictions (矛盾). A red cap in the United States is a porter in a railway station. In Britain, however, a red cap is a military policeman. Both names are logical because both men wear red caps. Similarly, the British term for an American white collar worker is sometimes called a blackcoated worker.
One does not have to cross an area to find color differences. Would you rather be redblooded or a blueblooded? If we go back to the origin, we find that both terms are logical as both names suggest. The expression “blue blood” comes from Spain, where some noble families proudly said that they had “blue blood”. Actually they meant that they had no Moorish or Jewish blood. But then why “blue” blood? Because they were fairskinned, and it is only natural that their blood vessels (血管) stood out appearing blue.Yellow is concerned with anger in ________.
A.Russia | B.Britain |
C.Germany | D.China |
The two meanings of the term “red cap” form a difference in ________.
A.pronunciation | B.climate |
C.logical relationship | D.custom |
Britain as well as America would probably agree that ________.
A.black stands for the color of mourning |
B.a blackcoated worker is employed in an office |
C.red represents beauty and excellence |
D.a red cap is a porter in a station |
The best title for this passage is “________”.
A.The Origin of Blue Blood |
B.The Development of the Symbolic Use of Colors |
C.Colors That Carry Bad Meanings |
D.The Meaning Concerned with Certain Colors |
A
On Aug.11 shopper Jenni Ware bought 207 dollars' worth of groceries at Trader Joe's and when she was waiting to pay,she realized that she had lost her wallet.Carolee Hazard,who was in line behind her,offered to pay the bill!Jenni later sent Carolee a check for 300 dollars,and suggested that Carolee treat herself to a massage with the cash leftover.
Carolee turned to her online Facebook group for advice on what she should do with the 93 dollar gift.The idea Carolee chose was to give it to a local food bank.
Carolee not only sent in the money that Jenni had given her to Second Harvest Food Bank,but matched that amount herself.So did a Facebook friend.And another,and another.So far,over 10,000 dollars have come in from people in many countries to feed the hungry through local food banks.
Carolee has started the "93 Dollar Club" on Facebook,where people across the globe can read the story and comment on it.There are links on that page which people may use to give money to a food bank close to them.Carolee says,"It's been amazing to see this grow and how excited people are getting.I have told the story to my friends and they say it encourages them to do good immediately."
Carolee and Jenni are no longer strangers.They've become Facebook freinds and they've made a real_world connection that will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Junni remembers that she was in a "bad mood" that day in the grocery store,and Carolee's help reminded her that there are good people in the world.Jenni said,"It's just a reminder that there are these amazingly kind people out there.And it also reminds me of hwo good I want to be."Why did Carolee offer to pay for the groceries?
A.Carolee and jenni were Facebook friends. |
B.Carolee wanted to set up the “93 Dollar club” |
C.Jenni was Carolee’s neighbor. |
D.Caroleewas always ready to help others. |
How much money did Carolee send in to Second Harvest Food Bank?
A.$93 | B.$186 | C.$207 | D.$300 |
Caroleedry set up the “93 Dollar club” to_____
A.Help people make Facebook friends |
B.Make her story known to people across the globe |
C.Call on people to donate money for hungry |
D.Make herself known to the public |
It can be inferred from jenni’s words that ____
A.She believes there are many kind people in the world |
B.She does not believe in humanity |
C.She doubts whether she can become a kind person |
D.She believes Carolee will be her life-long friend |