Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be a simple fact ? Do you argue whether it’s cold outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit ?
If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant.The first blind man who felt the elephant’s trunk said it was like a snake.The second who felt the elephant’s side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal’s tusk.The fourth, who had hold of the elephant’s tail insisted that it was like a rope.The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he put his arm around one the elephant’s legs.
The sixth, who was tall and got hold of the elephant’s ears, said it was like a huge fan.
Each man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience.So if someone disagrees with you about a “simple fact”, it’s often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.
To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a “simple fact”, try this simple experiment.Get three large bowls.Put ice water in one.Put hot water in the second.Put lukewarm water in the third.Now put your left hand in the ice water.Put your right hand in the hot water.After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water.Your right hand will tell you the water is cold.Your left hand will tell you it’s hot !What makes people think about simple facts differently ?
A.The fact that simple facts differ from one another |
B.The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact |
C.The fact that people often disagree with one another |
D.The fact that it’s hard to make up one’s mind about simple facts |
The writer’s advice is _______________.
A.We should never think about simple facts |
B.We should never judge something with a one-sided view |
C.We should not agree about simple facts |
D.We must learn from the six blind men |
After reading the last paragraph, we may think of __________.
A.Newton’s law | B.Galileo’s theory of falling objects |
C.Einstein’s theory of relativity | D.Marx’s On Capital (资本) |
More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple. The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1996, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves.
The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world’s best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple.
In nutrition(营养) it was all good news too. This nice-tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C(维生素C) than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.
Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep the market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte’s attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out of the market.
65. We learn from the text that the new type of pineapple is ______.
A. green outside and sweet inside
B. good-looking outside and soft inside
C. yellowy-gold outside and hard inside
D. a little soft outside and sweet inside
66. Why was the new type of pineapple selling well?
A. It was rich in nutrition and tasted nice. B. It was less sweet and good for health.
C. It was developed by Del Monte. D. It was used as medicine.
67. The underlined word “fixture” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to something ______.
A. that people enjoy eating B. that is always present
C. that is difficult to get D. that people use as a gift
68. We learn from the last paragraph that Del Monte ______.
A. allowed other companies to develop pineapples
B. succeeded in keeping the pineapple for itself
C. tried hard to control the pineapple market
D. planned to help the other companies
阅读理解(满分40分)
第一节(共15小题年每小题2分,满分30分)
请阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中,选出最佳答案,并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm, in the winter especially, we wear quite out off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital.
However, I soon discovered that one big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it became of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever you tastes in culture or entertainment(娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising --- and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is , when you are in your teens(十几岁)or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
61. What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
A. Staying on the farm. B. Moving to the countryside.
C. Leaving home for the city. D. Running away from the school.
62. Which of the following is true about the writer?
A. He is very old now. B. He is in good health.
C. He prefers driving a car. D. He lives in the city now.
63. In the passage, the writer tries to __________.
A. express his opinions about way of life B. describe his life in the countryside
C. an interest in the outside world D. persuade the reader to live in the city
64. How is the passage mainly developed?
A. By inferring. B. By comparing.
C. By listing examples. D. By giving explanations.
Having drunk too much, Alfred was now driving his car along the country road at the top speed, when an old man walked across the road. Unluckily, the car ran into him and Alfred was filled with fear. But after looking around and thinking there was not a single person who saw the accident, Alfred drove away without picking up the old man to the hospital. The old man was not a fool. He looked up and kept Alfred’s car number in mind. About one month later, they both went to the court. Alfred’s lawyer said, “Alfred is an experienced driver of more than twenty years.”
“If experience can hold water here,” the old man’s lawyer said, “the old man has been walking for over sixty years safely.”
74. From the story we can know that Alfred was ______.
A. dishonest B. foolish C. smart C. honest
75. The expression “hold water” in the last paragraph means ______.
A. carry water B. be reasonable C. have good luck D. get back what is lost
Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the greatest resources of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal use of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand words! There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare uses it. Such a study is well worth the effort, even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day.
However, it is surprising that we should know comparatively little about the life of the greatest English writer. We know that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon, and that he died there in 1616. He almost certainly attended the Grammar School in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know he was married there in 1582 to Anne Hathaway and that he had three children. We know that he spent much of his life in London writing his great works. But this is almost all that we do know.
However, what is important about Shakespeare’s life is not its other less important details but its products, the plays and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeare’s life to the small number we already possess and for an equally long time critics (评论家) have been talking about the plays. Sometimes, indeed, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear under the great mass of comment (评论) that has been written upon it.
Luckily this is not likely to happen. Shakespeare’s people have long delighted not just the English but lovers of literature everywhere, and will continue to do so after the scholars and critics and all their works have been forgotten.
70. According to the writer, which of the following remains uncertain about Shakespeare?
A. His date of birth. B. His marriage.
C. His life in the Grammar School. D. His date of death.
71. It can be inferred from Para.3 that ______.
A. not all the comments on Shakespeare’s works have produced good effects
B. scholars have successfully collected facts about Shakespeare’s life
C. critics are more interested in Shakespeare’s plays than his poetry
D. the details of Shakespeare’s life are more important than his literary works
72. What does the last sentence in Para.3 mean?
A. People don’t think the poetry of Shakespeare good any more.
B. People pay more attention to the comment than the poetry of Shakespeare.
C. People can’t see the poetry of Shakespeare any more.
D. The comment is printed upon the poetry of Shakespeare.
73. “Shakespeare’s people” in Para.4 refers to _______.
A. the characters in Shakespeare’s products
B. the people whose native language is English
C. the people living in Shakespeare’s day
D. the readers of Shakespeare’s works
The South China tiger could become extinct within 30 to 50 years if it does not receive protection. There are only 20 to 30 South China tigers in their earliest natural places, with Guangdong Province having only five left because forests are being destroyed as a result of rapid industrial growth.
The South China tiger can live 20 to 25 years, but the survival rate for the young is becoming lower as a result of rapid growth in industry and tourism. Even with hard work, it is hoped that the number of South China tigers can only reach 150 to 180 in the coming century.
68. The underlined word “extinct ” means ______.
A. different B. seriously ill C. no longer exist D. frightening
69. The best title for this news could be ______.
A. The Life Span of the South China Tiger
B. The Coming Century for the South China Tiger
C. Chinese Scientists Call SOS for South China Tigers
D. Industrial Growth—The Enemy of South China Tiger