"Yes, but what did we use to do before there was television?" How often we hear statements like this! Television hasn't been with us all that long, but we are already beginning to forget what the world was like without it. Before we admit the one-eyed monster into our homes, we never found it difficult to occupy our spare time. We used to enjoy civilized pleasures. For instance, we used to have hobbies, we used to entertain our friends and be entertained by them, we used to go outside for our amusements to theaters, cinemas, restaurants and sporting events. We even used to read books and listen to music and broadcast talk occasionally. All that belongs to the past. Now all our free time is regulated by the "goggle-box". We rush home or gulp down（吞咽）our meals to be in time for this or that program. We have even given up sitting at table and having a leisurely evening meal, exchanging the news of the day. A sandwich and a glass of beer will do-anything providing it doesn't interfere with the program. The monster demands and obtains absolute silence and attention. If any member of the family dares to open his mouth during a program, he is quickly silenced.
The whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly (television). Food is left uneaten, homework undone and sleep is lost. The telly is universal pacifier（抚慰者）．It is now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by putting them in the living-room and turning on the set.It doesn’t matter that the children will watch rubbishy commercials or violence－so long as they are quiet.
There is little limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world. Television consumes vast quantities of creative work. That is why most of programs are bad: it is impossible to keep pace with the demand and maintain high standards as well. When millions watch the same programs, the whole world becomes a village, and society is reduced to the conditions which obtain in preliterate（无文字的）communities. We become completely dependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spoken word.
Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with secondhand experiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We got so lazy; we choose to spend a fine day in semi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be a splendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend a holiday by the sea or in the mountain, far away from civilization. In quiet, natural surroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the repetitive oppression of King Telly.According to this passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．We used to have hobbies and go to theaters and sporting events. |
| B．We have a leisurely evening meal and exchange the news when we watch TV. |
| C．We quickly finish our meals so as to be in time for TV programs. |
| D．We are usually silent and attentive in front of TV. |
The main idea of the second paragraph is to show that_____.
| A．children are very noisy |
| B．TV is full of rubbishy commercials or violence |
| C．television disturbs our sleep |
| D．the whole generations are fascinated with TV |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Television Encourages Passive Enjoyment |
| B．Television Is Doing Irreparable（不能挽回的）harm |
| C．Television Is a Universal Pacifier |
| D．We Can't Live Without TV |
This passage is an article of_____.
| A．narration | B．description |
| C．criticism | D．argumentation |
Research on the human brain has been attracting the attention of more and more scientists in recent years, just like the booming hi-tech industry. One of the latest research topics is how to change the human brain or combine the computer and the human brain, i．e．, to transplant a chip into human brain．This idea may make everyone's dream come true．If we compare a human brain to a hard disc, what the scientists are doing is to enlarge the capacity of the hard disc．For the time being, there are some difficulties in such transplant experiments, but scientists never give up．
Experiments were started on animals．In 1996, a transplant experiment performed at the Defense and Military Physiology Research Institute in the U．S．turned a bear into a dolphin．
The dolphin was named Ted, and the bear was named Tallin．Using the most advanced technology, deep and detailed studies were made of the swimming action memory area in Ted's brain by the scientists．They got a lot of useful information．The information was saved into a button-sized chip, which was then transplanted into the action memory area in Tallin's brain．The information saved on the chip was released by means of electric power．
Recently, another memory transplant was performed at the Motor Nerve Research Institute of the University of California．The comprehensive memory transplanted in the experiment included actions, moods, logic, words, images, etc. The experiment involved an entire transplant of the memory area. This was the largest such experiment done so far.
The transplant was performed from a dog named “Genius” to a dog named “Idiot”．“Genius” could understand and follow up to 100 gestures and orders made by its master．It was a real genius．“Idiot” was the younger brother of “Genius”．It had no contact with people at all since its birth．It became an animal with nothing in its brain, without any memory．
The operation was a complete success．When the two dogs woke up, “Idiot” had grasped all the abilities “Genius” possessed; it was good at memorizing and sensible. It could follow every gesture and any command given by its master．But “Genius” gave no response to its master, and in fact did not recognize him at all．
47．The purpose of the experiment is____.
A．to combine the computer and the human brain
B．to make bear swim
C．to make some stupid dog turn clever
D．to enlarge the capacity of human brain
48．Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．The scientists transferred a button-sized chip which useful information in Tallin’s brain.
B．The first comprehensive memory transplant was performed at the Motor Nerve Research University.
C．The second experiment wasn’t an entire transplant of the memory area.
D．The Idiot was an animal with memory before brain experiment
49．What does the underlined word “success” refer to?
A．The two dogs woke up.
B．They were both good at memorizing.
C．The Idiot grasped all the abilities of Genius.
D．The Genius grasped all the abilities of Idiot.
50．According to the text, we can infer .
A．a person can know more after the experiment.
B．a bear can swim after being transferred a chip with related useful information
C．a dog can become clever after entire transplant of the memory area
D．it is really good for animals to have been involved in the transplant experiment
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2. Part-time job: We require three part-time shop assistants to work during the evening．No experience required, applicants should be between 18 and 26 years old．Call 0115 - 765643 for more information．
3. Computer trained secretaries: Do you have experience working with computers? If you want to know more about us, call 0457-896754.
4. Teaching Assistants Needed: Hania’s Playshool needs 2 young teaching assistants to help with classes from 9 to 3 pm．Applicants should have references. For more information please visit www. Haniaplayschool. co. uk.
5. Weekend Work Available: We are looking for retired adults who would like to work part time on weekends for Rubberlast Group Ltd. Duties include answering the telephone and giving customers’ information. For more information call us at 0113-6741326.
6. University positions Open: The University of Bristol is looking for 4 teaching assistants to help with homework correction．Applicants should have a degree in one of the following: Political Science, English, Economics or History．Please call the University of Bristol for more information．
7. Home Delivery Representative: We are looking for someone who has excellent customer care, communication skills, a sales background with at least one year’s experience and is a good team player with creative ideas. In return we offer a starting salary of $ 20,000 and 25 days paid holiday per year. For more information please call Direct Delivery Team of Yorkshire Post on 0113-2388318.
44．Which position is most suitable for a retired person?
A．Part-time Shop Assistant.
B．Teaching Assistant in Hania’s Playschool.
C．Weekend Workin Rubberlast Group Ltd.
D．Teaching Assistant in the University of Bristol.
45．If you have good computer skills and recently graduated from university (English degree), which jobs can you apply for?
A．Job 1,2 and 7. B．Job 3,4 and 6. C．Job 4,6 and 7. D．Job 2,3 and 5.
46．Which is the only position that has a formal educational requirement?
A．Full Time Secretary at United Business Ltd.
B．Home Delivery Representative for Yorkshire Post.
C．Teaching Assistant at Hania’s Playschool.
D．University Positions at the University of Bristol.
Beijing plans to build huge free or low-cost parking lots beyond the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads to encourage more car owners to take buses or subways to the downtown area．
The plan is just one of the many measures the city plans to take to reduce its traffic jams．Low or no parking fees would be used as economic leverage(杠杆作用) to reduce growing parking demands from urban areas．
Car owners living in the suburbs will be encouraged to park their cars beyond the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads and take buses or subways to the downtown area．Statistics show that nearly one quarter of the city’s traffic flow is concentrated in the 62-square-kilometer downtown area within the Second Ring Road, which makes up only 12 percent of the city’s total area．
The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau receives between 400 and 500 calls reporting traffic jams every day and more than 90 percent of the roads are filled to capacity during rush hours every morning and evening．Part of the problem is the lack of easy links between bus routes, subways and cars．
According to the communication commission, half of the city’s investment in transportation will go towards public transit（公共交通） construction in the next few years, making a jump from the current only 20 per cent．Moreover, Beijing plans to change its layout （布局） by building new city centers, such as at Yizhuang, Tongzhou, Shunyi and Changping, in a bid to reduce the traffic flow to the downtown．
The current layout of Beijing-expanded ring roads around the same center of the Forbidden City, is seen as the root cause of the endless traffic jams．The downtown area is crowded with three business centers and one financial center, as well as nearly 400 government organs and institutions．
Traffic experts say building more urban centers around Beijing may reduce the number of residents living in the suburbs and traveling long distances to work downtown every day, thus reducing traffic flow．
40．In the coming years, if a man beyond the Fourth Ring Road goes to work in the downtown of Beijing, he is encouraged to _________．
A．take buses or subways B．take a taxi
C．drive the car quickly D．park his car in a place which asks for no fees
41．According to this passage, when more and more people drive to work in rush hour in Beijing, it is likely to _______．
A．save time B．cause traffic jams
C．cause traffic accidents D．reduce air pollution
42．The aim in building new city centers is to ________．
A．make it convenient for people to go shopping
B．develop its local resources
C．reduce the traffic flow to the downtown
D．solve the problem of more laid-off workers
43．The passage suggests the author ______．
A．is tired of driving to work
B．finds it costs less to take subways than to drive
C．is for the plan to reduce Beijing’s traffic congestion(拥挤)
D．has benefited a lot by driving to the downtown every day
第二部分：阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节：（共15小题：每小题2分，满分30分）
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。
Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity．All who work with her admire and respect her．But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy．When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers．At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London．Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling．At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia．Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous．
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again．She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her．She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg．After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs(假肢)．It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one．It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries．It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney．
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others．Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination（提名） for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996．Heathe’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her．Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world．
36．This passage is mainly about _________．
A．Heather’s miserable life B．Heather’s contribution to the world
C．Heather’s success in her work D．Heather’s belief in life
37．Heather began her modeling career _________．
A．due to her mother’s encouragement
B．after her brothers abandoned her
C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances
D．because she was especially beautiful
38．Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?
A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996．
B．Heather began her charity work while working as a model．
C．Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously．
D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems．
39．From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because_________．
A．she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood．
B．she was a world-famous model
C．she is determined and never gives in
D．she made a great difference in the world
The damming of river systems in the northwestern United States has had damaging effects on salmon(鲑鱼). In the spring young salmon, called smolts, drift into rivers from smaller streams. They swim with the current downstream heading for the Pacific Ocean. Before the large-scale constructions of dams(水坝), the young salmon used the strong flow from melting snows to get to the sea in between six and twenty days. It is necessary to do this because during these days the smolts’ bodies undergo the physiological changes for adaptation to salt water.
Unfortunately, the current has become very slow due to the construction of numerous dams. Companies operating the dams also intentionally slow the current. They store the water from the melting snow until the winter, when more electric power is needed. The net result is that many of the young fish do not survive the now sixty-day trip to the sea. Consequently, there are fewer adult salmon to migrate(回游) back up the rivers for breeding. When the time comes for the salmon to return, they again face the problem of dams. As fewer adult salmon are able to get back to their cool upstream water, they fail to produce a sufficiently new generation of salmon. This cycle could eventually lead to the extinction of the fish.
Attempts are being made to transport the young salmon down river by boats. However, many scientists think that this artificial method of getting the fish to the sea kills more than it saves. Another suggestion, recently proposed by environmentalists, is to increase the rate of water flow. This would be a partial（部分的） solution to the declining salmon numbers. One method of doing this would call for releasing water from upstream dam. This would speed up the downstream movement of the smolts.
Another method would be to reduce the water level in the dams for a period in the spring when the smolts are migrating downstream. This would also increase the flow rate temporarily without requiring large amounts of water and, thus, enable the young salmon to move downstream faster. Unfortunately, both of these proposals have met with criticism from the power companies, which strongly suggests the uncertain fate of the salmon in the region.
76. What’s the main topic of the passage?
A. The failure of adult salmon to reproduce.
B. The importance of smolts returning upstream.
C. The need for smolts to reach salt water quickly.
D. The harm caused to salmon by river damming.
77. The passage discusses all of the following methods of dealing with salmon issue EXCEPT _____.
A. carrying the fish in boats
B. allowing water to be released from upstream dams
C. dropping water levels in dams
D. breeding salmon
78. In paragraph 3, what does the author mean by the statement that many scientists think that this artificial method of getting the fish to the sea kills more than it saves?
A. Saving fish is artificial.
B. More fish die when transported than would die otherwise
C. Artificial methods of transportation give salmon the chance to get adapted to salt water.
D. The sea kills more fish than are saved by transportation.
79. Which of the following statements would the author most probably agree with?
A. The salmon problem is likely to continue.
B. A solution to the salmon problem will be found in the near future.
C. Salmon will be extinct very quickly.
D. The government should step in and provide a way out.