第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
第一节 阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项 (A，B，C，D) 中，选出最佳选项。
Once upon a time in a land far away, there was a wonderful old man who loved everything：animals, spiders, insects...
One day while walking through the woods the nice old man found a cocoon（茧）of a butterfly. He took it home. A few days later, a small opening appeared; he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged（露出） easily.
But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract（收缩） in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
And we could never fly.
56. What did the old man find when walking through the woods?
A. A cocoon of a butterfly. B. A butterfly.
C. A spider. D. A pair of scissors.
57. What would have happened to the butterfly without the old man’s help?
A. It would have died in the cocoon.
B. It would have become a true butterfly.
C. It would have been strong enough to go farther.
D. It would have stopped struggling through the cocoon.
58. The underlined word “cripple” in Paragraph 7 probably means ______.
A. disable B. climb C. enable D. beat
59. What can we learn from this story?
A. Man can never go against nature.
B. It’s necessary to live with some difficulties.
C. One cannot help others without thinking twice.
D. Mankind should take good care of insects.
A classical guitarist was excited to hear from New York City police that his valuable guitar had been found. It disappeared almost a year ago when he got out of a cab and forgot to take the guitar with him. Laurence Lennon, 44, said he was running late that day. He was talking to his manager on his cell phone when he dashed out of the taxi. He said that he gave the driver $ 60 and told him to keep the change. He walked through the front doors of the concert hall still talking on the phone to his manager.
Upon discovering his loss, Lennon used his cell phone to call the police. The policewoman asked him for the name of the cab company, the number of the cab, and the name of the driver. He said that she had to be kidding.
She told Lennon that he could file a missing items report at the police station or online. Lennon asked for the online address. She told him that finding the guitar might take a couple of years—finding guitars was not as important as finding murderers and marijuana smokers. Then she told him to have a nice day.
“This year has been depressing，” said Lennon. “I had to put off the recording of two new CDs. I've been using borrowed guitars. And I was losing hope of ever recovering my guitar.”
Lennon was reunited with his $ 100,000 musical instrument yesterday. The case and the guitar had been discovered in the corner of a coffee house only two blocks from where Lennon had lost it in the first place. Lennon had offered a $ 10,000 reward for its return. He said he would give the reward to the coffee house owner, who had informed the police.It can be inferred from this reading passage that________.
| A．Lennon couldn't give any useful information about the driver and his cab |
| B．Lennon gave the driver much more money than what was actually needed |
| C．Lennon was too busy talking to his friend to remember to pay the cab driver |
| D．Lennon used to work at the concert hall in New York City |
The policewoman told Lennon________.
| A．not to worry about the guitar |
| B．to have a nice day in New York City |
| C．to wait with patience |
| D．to find the cab driver and talk to him |
Which of the following is the most important according to the policewoman?
| A．Finding a lost guitar. | B．Finding the cab driver. |
| C．Enjoying one's own life | D．Finding murderers. |
The underlined word“depressing”can be best explained by“________”．
| A．making people unfortunate |
| B．making people feel sad |
| C．making people losing money |
| D．making people losing good luck |
The Horn of Plenty is one of the largest natural health food stores within the Greater Hamilton area. We are big supporters of buying locally and we are here to tell you why it is so important for your family, the community and the environment.
The concept of buying locally is simple: buy food produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible. Not only will your food be fresher and tastier, but you are helping protect the environment and are supporting businesses within your community and reducing pollution.
Better for the environment
Sustainability (持续性) and global warming are such hot topics at the moment, and many people want to do their bit to help support a healthier environment. Small action carried out by many people can make a big difference. Most materials in an average North American meal have traveled about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate. To cut out a big part of this travel would greatly reduce not only pollution from transportation and refrigeration but also customers’ expenses as well.
Taste and nutritional content
Locally-grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Because they are picked at the height of ripeness (成熟) and travel only a short distance to the market, their freshness, nutrition, and flavor are kept. Produce trucked in from far away may lose both taste and nutritional content.
Community and home values
When you buy direct from a farmer or buy locally-grown foods, you are engaged in a time-honored tradition between a grower and an eater. You also help keep dollars within your community.It can be inferred from the third paragraph that ___________.
| A．global warming is the most serious problem now |
| B．North American food is rich in various kinds of materials |
| C．the increased cost of transporting food is passed on to the customers |
| D．most people support buying locally |
Locally-grown fruits and vegetables taste good mostly because___________.
| A．they are picked when they are fully grown |
| B．they are not polluted by chemical fertilizer |
| C．they can be harvested at any time |
| D．they are sent to the market at a high speed |
According to the author, when you buy locally-grown foods ___________.
| A．you can see how fruits and vegetables grow |
| B．you will contribute to protecting the environment |
| C．you will become much healthier and prettier |
| D．you are making money from your community |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The way to keep your food tasty and healthy. |
| B．The popularity of the Horn of Plenty. |
| C．The importance of protecting the environment. |
| D．The benefits of buying locally. |
I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.
There was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a favor. The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn’t just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man’s face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.The underlined word “favor” in Para. 2 refers to________.
| A．passing the young man a cup of orange juice |
| B．buying lunch for the old man |
| C．exchanging meals with the old man |
| D．giving the juice to the old man |
Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?
| A．Kind and considerate | B．Generous and proud. |
| C．Rich and friendly. | D．Humorous and helpful. |
In the author’s opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that____________.
| A．the old man could probably accept it |
| B．he would become famous for his good deed |
| C．more people would be inspired to do good deeds |
| D．he would become a friend of the servant |
Lots of people like a good fright at Halloween(万圣节). Yet, the most frightening thing of all about the night is that twice as many children are killed while out and about on Halloween compared to any other day of the year, according to a study by Safe Kids Worldwide. It can also be a worrying time for others, especially elderly people living alone. But many people think it’s just harmless fun.
But is it harmless fun?
Police forces across Britain are giving warnings about Halloween night. They are asking all those wishing to celebrate Halloween this year to respect those who don’t want to join in.
Some forces, like West Mercia Police, have produced “Sorry, No Trick or Treat”posters which can be downloaded from their website, and put up in windows. They want people to send them to the old or anyone who may be frightened by ghosts(鬼) knocking on their doors.
A spokesman said: “Children should not call on houses where the posters are put up, neither should they call on strangers, as this can put young people at risk and also make some house owners anxious, especially those who are elderly or living alone.”
The police want all trick or treaters to remember that disturbing other people or throwing objects at their homes or cars are all criminal offences(刑事罪). “What may start off as a bit of fun could end up with someone getting a criminal record,” they warn. “Parents may want to consider having a Halloween party at home, instead.”
Kent Police are warning young people never to go into the home of someone they don’t know—and to remember not to frighten people.
Warwickshire Police are also warning that tricks may seem like harmless fun but can cause trouble to others. They say behaviour such as throwing eggs can quickly cross the line between being anti-social and causing criminal damage. This can result in fines of ￡2,500 for small offences.The study made by Safe kids Worldwide has found that _________.
| A．kids are afraid of Halloween |
| B．Halloween brings people no fun |
| C．kids are involved in criminal offences |
| D．Halloween night puts some kids at risk |
British police forces are making efforts to _________.
| A．put an end to trick or treat |
| B．control anti-social behaviours |
| C．punish those who frighten others |
| D．make Halloween safe trouble-free |
“Sorry, No Trick or Treat ” posters are designed to _________.
| A．ask people to respect the elderly. |
| B．make some people free from harm |
| C．warn little kids to behave themselves |
| D．express disagreement with Halloween |
Over the years, many cities and states have tried to put a tax(税) on sugary drinks. Last week, Berkeley, California succeeded. The city in northern California will charge a penny-per-ounce tax on most sugary drinks. The tax is expected to raise more than ＄1 million every year to fight against obesity(肥胖).
Makers of sugary drinks are against the tax. They say picking out one product will not solve the obesity problem in America. They also argue that a tax is an attack on personal freedom. “Families should be able to make the choice for their kids without the government stepping in,” said Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Association(美国饮料协会).
Gindlesperger says that the fight against obesity is more successful when the government partners with industry. He shows how the beverage industry worked with President Bill Clinton’s administration is the 1990s. They introduced water, milk, and fruit juice into a large number of schools, which took the place of sugary drinks. More recently, the beverage industry listened to First Lady Michelle Obama’s suggestion that labels(标签)on sugary drinks be clearer. Containers of up to 20 ounces will show the total calories on the front.
Some people say a tax is a surefire way to help reduce obesity in the U.S. “There is clear evidence that taxes result in less consumption(消费) of sugary drinks,” says Dr. Rachel Johnson, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She points to Mexico as an example. The country put up a tax on sugary drinks in January, and sales have already dropped by 10%. What’s more, sales of healthier drinks have increased. Bottled water sales are up by 13%. Milk sales are up by 7%.
Another purpose of the tax is to raise money to fight childhood obesity. Money will be used to build playgrounds, create educational materials, and increase the sales of the healthier foods. “We’ve already helped reduce obesity to some degree,” says Dr. Johnson. “I’m confident that we’re going to see even bigger progress soon.”In the 1990s, sugary drinks in many schools _________.
| A．were charged a penny-per-ounce tax |
| B．were not as popular as they are today |
| C．were replaced by water, milk, and fruit juice |
| D．were not more than 20 ounces per bottle |
The underlined word “surefire” in Paragraph 4 can best be replaced by “_________”.
| A．good | B．stupid | C．strange | D．new |
Why does Johnson talk about Mexico?
| A．It is her favorite country. |
| B．She likes Mexican sugary drinks. |
| C．She tries to show a tax can help a lot. |
| D．It produces all kinds of sugary drinks. |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A．To ask kids to drink fewer sugary drinks. |
| B．To show how to fight childhood obesity. |
| C．To talk about different taxes in Berkeley. |
| D．To discuss if sugary drinks should be taxed. |