第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分, 满分40分)
阅读下列短文,从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
MEXICO CITY: A jetliner from the beach resort of Cancun was briefly hijacked as it landed in Mexico City on Wednesday. The hijackers released all passengers shortly before federal police stormed the plane, and the crew emerged unharmed moments later.
Police, who did not fire a single shot, led as many as eight handcuffed men away from the airplane, which was isolated at the end of a runway in an area designed for emergencies. The hijackers’ motive was unclear, though Mexican news media initially identified them as Bolivians demanding to speak with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
US, French and Mexican citizens were among the 112 passengers and crew on Aeromexico Flight 576, according to a US official who had been briefed on the situation. The official was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Mexico’s transportation and communications secretary, Juan Molinar, said there was no bomb on the airplane, although some passengers said one of the hijackers held a package that resembled an explosive device, and a bomb squad (拆弹小组) was later seen near the airplane.
He did not immediately identify the hijackers or speculate on their motive.
“Various people who participated in the act have been detained and we are investigating,”Molinar said.
The attorney general’s office said it was opening an investigation into terrorism and kidnapping but did not specify how many people could be charged.
Mexican news media initially reported the hijackers were Bolivian, but Bolivia’s ambassador to Mexico, Jorge Mancilla, said Mexican authorities had no evidence that was the case. Mancilla said sources told him they could be Colombian or Venezuelan. Several passengers told reporters they did not notice a non-Mexican accent.
Passenger Rocio Garcia told the Televisa network that the pilot made an announcement after landing in Mexico City that the airplane was being hijacked. Passengers said the hijackers never communicated with them directly.
“These were scary moments,”she said.
She said she saw one of the hijackers whom she described as a well-dressed, older man.
“He looked fine, like a normal passenger,”she said.
Passenger Daniel Hernandez said he saw a hijacker carrying a Bible.
51.From the first paragraph we can conclude that _________.
A.the hijackers just wanted to play a trick on the police
B.the hijackers didn’t prepare for their action
C.the hijackers surrendered before the police fired
D.the hijackers lost their way at the last moment
52.From what Juan Molinar said we can learn that _________.
A.police were still trying to identify a possible bomb
B.passengers succeeded in stopping the explosion
C.a frightening bomb was found later on the airplane
D.several Mexicans were involved in the hijacking
53.What may be the first step taken when the hijacked plane landed?
A.They gave a sudden attack at the hijackers.
B.They kept the plane away from other planes.
C.They asked the crew to control the hijackers.
D.They abandoned the plane at the end of the runway.
54.The hijackers, as some passengers described, _________.
A.were good at bargaining with the police
B.were all well-dressed American old men
C.all came from Colombia or Venezuela
D.stayed calm and appeared noble, educated
Men have always believed that they are smarter than women. Now, a study has found that while this is certainly true, men also have to deal with the fact that they are also more stupid than the fairer sex.
In the study, scientists measured the IQ of 2500 brothers and sisters and they found an uneven number of men not only in the top two percent, but also in the bottom two percent.
The study's participants were tested on science, maths, English and mechanical abilities.
Though there were twice as many men as women in the smartest group, there were also twice as many men among the bottom.
The aggregate(总数)scores of men and women were similar.
One of the study's authors, psychology professor Timothy Bates, said that the phenomenon may be because men have always been expected to be high achievers and women have been restricted to spend more time taking care of their homes.
"The female developmental program may be tilted more towards ensuring survival and the safety of the middle ground.," the Daily Mail quoted Professor Bates, of Edinburgh University, as saying.
The research tallies with past results that men were more likely than women to receive first class University degrees or thirds and women secured the seconds.
It has been said that men are more ready to take risk when it comes to academics. Women have always found to be steadier in their learning.
A past study has shown that women are securing more firsts and seconds, while men are continuing to receive more thirds.
The argument for the change is that the increase of coursework at the cost of exams favors women's steady approach.The purpose of the passage is to tell us that ________.
A.man are smarter then women |
B.man are more stupid the women |
C.a new fact about the IQ of men and women has been found |
D.men are more likely to receive first class university degrees |
According to Timothy Bates, less women are in the smartest group because _________.
A.they are born stupid |
B.they have to spend more time to tale care of their homes than men |
C.they don’t like to take risk |
D.they are not expected to be high achievers |
The underlined word tallies with in the eighth paragraph means________.
A.agree with | B.deal with | C.go against | D.go with |
It can be inferred from the passage that_________.
A.Women are steadier in their learning. |
B.men are more ready to take risk in everything |
C.women are securing more firsts and seconds |
D.women are doing much better in academy |
Which of the following questions has NOT been discussed in the passage? _________.
A.Why are men smarter than women? |
B.Why are men more stupid than women? |
C.How does the result go along with the past research? |
D.How can we help the men in the bottom? |
Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen.The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster.Luckily, they are just the director' s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example.Once I took a trip to the glacier.Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years.They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top that I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川).My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact.Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that' s about the population of the entire Italy.According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands.It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now.Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water.Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away.Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place.It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future.Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them.
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean. The earth does not belong to us.On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home.It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality.Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ? __________.
A.To give example. | B.To lead into the topic. |
C.To make prediction. | D.To provide the evidence. |
How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier? ____________.
A.Worried. | B.Puzzled. | C.Scared. | D.Bored. |
It can be inferred from the third paragraph that.
A.56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level |
B.Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050 |
C.Human beings will be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming |
D.It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality |
According to the passage, you are advised to.
A.drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place |
B.recycle everything that is used |
C.go to see the movie 2012 at once |
D.work together to take good care of our planet |
What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?
A.Think twice before taking action. |
B.It's our duty to protect the ocean. |
C.Everyone together can make a difference. |
D.It's important to save every drop of water. |
"Beating is a sign of affection, cursing (骂)is a sign of love."
Many may not expect to hear the words of the old Chinese saying in these modern times—with parents wealthier and better educated than they have ever been-but experts say they still ring true.
Today, it seems, Chinese parents are more likely to send their children to pre-college military academies in the United States in the hope that some tough love will pave the way tosuccess.
"Good education doesn't mean letting your child enjoy privileges, especially our boys," said Song Wenming, an entrepreneur(企业家)in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang province." They should be raised in tough conditions to know what to fight for in the future."
In August, Song sent his 17-year-old son to Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) in Pennsylvania. And he is far from alone, even though it takes a lot of money - around $48,000 per year —to send a child to a strict military school.
Statistics shows that an increasing number of Chinese students have been registering with such academies.
A few years ago, there were no Chinese students at Valley Forge. Today, there are 28."All of the Chinese students at Valley Forge came from wealthy families, some of them were spoiled," said Jennifer Myers, director of marketing and communications at the school.
Song's only son, Song Siyu, had a rocky start during his first six weeks at the school. The teenager said he went to the school voluntarily but did not expect it to be as difficult.
Now, three months later, he has perfected the art of taking a bath in 35 seconds, finishing a meal without looking at his food, and making his bed with precision. He can even take criticism, no matter how unreasonable.
"The training is hard but I know it is good for self-development of individuals," said Song Siyu.'The endless training and scolding are just ways to build up our character, they are not personal."
But his enthusiasm is not universal. Ten of the 13 Chinese students who joined the academy this year have transferred to other schools.
But for those who stick with it, there is a reward for all the hard work.From the second paragraph, we can know the old Chinese saying _____.
A.is out of date in modern times. |
B.is disagreed by rich parents. |
C.is still worth trusting |
D.is deeply believed by better educated parent. |
The underlined sentence means that _____
A.Song sent his only son to military school, so he feels lonely. |
B.Song is the only one who sends his child t to military school. |
C.There are other people sending their children to military school besides Song. |
D.The fee of the military school is so high that only Song can afford it. |
Song Siyu got some achievements in the military school except _____.
A.taking a bath in a short time |
B.having his meal with his eyes closed |
C.taking unreasonable criticism |
D.improving his character |
How many Chinese students are there at Valley Forge before this year?
A.10 | B.13 | C.15 | D.25 |
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A.It's likely that more and more Chinese students will attend VFMA.
B. Most Chinese parents approve of educating their children by beating and cursing nowadays.
C.Song Siyu had no difficulty in adjusting to the life at VFMA.
D.Most Chinese students support the way of education at VFMA.
Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit(山顶) of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.
Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won’t miss the Pacaya-tour companies.
But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above steaming. Hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active summit; the McKenney Cone(火山锥).
Many tours are timed so when you arrive at the cone of the volcano there is plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down .What is the main purpose of this passage?
A.To attract tourists to Pacaya. |
B.To describe the beauty of Pacaya. |
C.To introduce guided tours to Pacaya. |
D.To explain the power of nature at Pacaya. |
Antigua is a city .
A.where people can have a close-up view of the volcano |
B.where the daring Pacaya tour starts |
C.that lies on the summit of Pacaya |
D.that is famous for its tour companies |
Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will.
A.walk down to the active summit |
B.hear the continuous loud screams from above |
C.make greater efforts than to other summits |
D.see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions |
Many tours are timed for people to .
A.get down the mountain in time when night falls |
B.avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone |
C.enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky |
D.appreciate the scenery of the 2560-metre-high mountain |
The short passage probably comes from___________.
A.a travel journal | B.a popular science magazine |
C.A novel | D.an advertisement |
It’s true that quite a few most respected scientific authorities have confirmed that the world is becoming hotter and hotter. There’s also strong evidence that humans are contributing to the warming. Countless recent reports have proved the same thing. For instance, a 2010 summary about the climate science by the Royal Society noted that: “The global warming over the last half-century has been caused mainly by human activity.”
You may not believe that humans could change the planet’s climate, but the basic science is well understood. Each year, billions of tons of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere because of human activity. As has been known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible (看不见的) blanket.
Of course, the earth’s climate has always been changing due to “natural” factors such as volcanic eruption or changes in solar, or cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun. According to the scientific research, however, the warming observed by now matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere – not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming recorded so far, that would give birth to a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it: “If some newly discovered factor is to blame for the climate change, then why aren’t carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?”
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two identical Earths – one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn’t possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an absolute certainty. In most scientists’ opinion, the global warming is mainly caused by ________.
A.solar activity | B.volcanic activity |
C.natural factors | D.human factors |
The text is developed by ________.
A.giving typical examples |
B.following the order of space |
C.analyzing a theory and arguing it |
D.comparing and finding differences |
The underline word “identical” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
A.totally different | B.exactly the same |
C.extremely important | D.partly independent |
Which of the following is not the cause of climate change?
A.volcanic eruption |
B.cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun |
C.changes in solar |
D.floods and droughts |
Which of the following can be the best title?
A.Are All the Scientists Really Scientific? |
B.Where Is Global Warming Leading Us to? |
C.Are Humans Definitely Causing Global Warming? |
D.What’s the Relation of Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases? |