Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste.” Drink Good Wet Root Beer.” Fill up with Pacific Gas.” Only if you sleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, are you spared the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!"
The beginning of the ride is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you’ve traveled that way before. Usually some things have changed new houses, new buildings, sometimes even a new road. The bus driver has a style of driving and it’s fun to try to figure it out the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless (鲁莽的) or daring, the ride can be as thrilling (惊心动魄的) as a suspense story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the rightor the lefthand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you’ve got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops.
The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know it will soon be over and there’s a kind of expectation and excitement in that. The seat of course, has become harder as the hours have passed. By now you’ve sat with your legs crossed, with your hands in your lap, with your hands on the armrests even with your hands crossed behind your head. The end comes just at no more ways to sit.According to the passage, what do the passengers usually see when they are on a long bus trip?
A.Buses on the road. | B.Films on television. |
C.Advertisements on the billboards. | D.Gas stations. |
What is the purpose of this passage?
A.To give the writer’s opinion about long bus trips. |
B.To persuade you to take a long bus trip. |
C.To explain how bus trips and television shows differ. |
D.To describe the billboards along the road. |
The writer of this passage would probably favor .
A.bus drivers who aren’t reckless | B.driving alone |
C.a television set on the bus | D.no billboards along the road |
The writer feels long bus rides are like TV shows because .
A.the commercials![]() |
B.they both have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with commercials in between |
C.the drivers are always reckless on TV shows just as they are on buses |
D.both traveling and watching TV are not exciting. |
The writer thinks that the end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning because both are .
A.exciting | B.comfortable | C.tiring | D.boring |
Archaeologists believe they are on the turning point of throwing light on the life of William Shakespeare — by excavating (发掘) what may have been the playwright’s dust hole.
Experts have begun excavating the ruins of New Place, Shakespeare’s former home in Stratford-upon-Avon, which was destroyed 250 years ago.Although little remains of the property, the team, led by Birmingham Archaeology, believes it has identified a dust hole used by the 16th century poet.
Small pieces of pottery (陶瓷) and broken clay pipe have already been found from a muddy hole on the site, which they claim could yield some of the most significant discoveries about Shakespeare in decades.The dig focuses on three areas of the property, which Shakespeare bought in 1597 when he returned to his home town from London having achieved fame — including the so-called knot garden at the back of the building.
Dr Diana Owen, Director of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which owns the site, said, “We do not know if the knot garden was an area used by Shakespeare — it may have been a yard simply used by his servants.But this could actually yield some fantastic results, especially if it was an area where rubbish was thrown or the dust hole was located.”
Kevin Colls, from Birmingham Archaeology, added, “Through documentary evidence we know Shakespeare lived at New Place but we have very little information regarding the layout (布局) of the house and gardens at this time.Through archaeological fieldwork, in particular the dig of structural remains and the recovery of artefacts, we hope to fill in the blanks.”
Until October, visitors will be able to watch archaeologists and volunteers at work as they excavate the remains of the house, which was knocked down in 1759.Experts hope to unearth evidence to support theories that Shakespeare wrote many of his most famous works at the property.
71.This excavation intends to ______.
A.know something about the playwright’s dust hole
B.search for some treasure in the dust hole
C.explore the life of William Shakespeare
D.find something that Shakespeare lost
72.New Place was destroyed in the ______ century.
A.15th B.16th C.17th D.18th
73.Small pieces of pottery and broken clay pipe on the site ______.
A.could show Shakespeare’s luxurious life
B.could lead to important discoveries about Shakespeare
C.could show us that Shakespeare lived at New Place
D.could prove when New Place was knocked down
74.The underlined phrase “the blanks” in Paragraph 5 refers to ______.
A.the ruins of New Place
B.the smallest pieces of broken pottery
C.three areas of the property
D.the layout of the house and gardens of New Place
75.What can we learn from the text?
A.Shakespeare used to live at New Place.
B.Shakespeare became famous after 1597.
C.Only his servants used the knot garden.
D.Dr Diana Owen owns Shakespeare’s property.
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。
Making greener choices and encouraging healthy lifestyles can promote your health and benefit the environment.Here are some guidelines to follow:
Choose foods thoughtfully
Americans have never had such a variety or abundance of food to choose from.Besides so many choices, we now hear about our “food print”, the amount of land needed to supply one person’s nutritional needs for a year.Do we buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico or tomatoes grown locally in a hothouse? Do we get the Granny Smiths from the farmers’ market or the supermarket? Is organic produce healthier for us and the planet?
These are very complex issues that require analysis of many criteria, including the energy used in producing and transporting the food, as well as the type of soil and methods of raising the food.
Despite the complexities, there are some general guidelines you can follow.For instance, eat less meat or eat low on the food chain.Your doctor may have recommended you to restrict your consumption of red meat because of its too much fat content.Beyond that, there are environmental reasons, too.Raising food animals contributes substantially to climate change because a meat-based diet requires more land, energy and water than a plant-based one.
Drinking plenty of fluids is significant during hot weather or when exercising.But is bottled water the way to go? You may not think so when seeing the true costs.Based on a survey, manufacturing the 30-plus billion plastic water bottles can produce more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide and use three times the amount of water in the bottle.Adding in transportation, the energy used comes to over 50 million barrels of oil equivalent (等价物).Consequently, skip the bottled water and drink tap water, both at home and at restaurants.Additionally, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner than tap.
56.In Paragraph 2 the author puts forward three questions mainly ______.
A.to prove Americans have less food to choose from
B.to show us the shopping habits of most Americans
C.to indicate Americans tend to buy food from abroad
D.to remind people to reconsider their food purchase
57.The doctor recommends eating less red meat partly because ______.
A.it contains too much fat
B.it costs a lot in transportation
C.it is too low on the food chain
D.it isn’t related to climate change
58.According to the text, which of the following is true?
A.Americans all prefer to buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico.
B.The plant-based diet is responsible for the climate change.
C.Americans have a variety of food to choose from.
D.Organic produce is the only choice for Americans.
59.Based on the last paragraph, we know that ______.
A.bottled water is cleaner than tap water
B.tap water is economical as well as eco-friendly
C.bottled water is more available than tap water
D.tap water uses one-third the cost of bottled water
60.What is the best subtitle for the last paragraph?
A.Skip bottled water, carry tap B.Drink bottled water
C.Produce plastic water bottles D.Save water resources
Before the widespread use of computers, managers could not make full use of large amounts of valuable information about a company’s activities. The information either reached managers too late or was too expensive to be used. Today, managers are facing a wide range of data processing and information instruments. In place of a few financial controls, managers can draw on computer-based information systems to control activities in every area of their company. On any kinds at performance measures, the information provided by these systems helps managers compare standards with actual results, find out problems, and take corrective action before it is too late to make changes.
The introduction of computerized information systems has sharply changed management control in many companies. Even a neighborhood shopkeeper may now use computers to control sales and other activities. In large companies, electronic data processing systems monitor entire projects and sets of operations.
Now, there are about 24 million microcomputers in use in the United States, one for every 10 citizens. It is estimated that by 1996, 61 percent of American managers will be using some sort of electronic workstation. In order for managers to be sure that the computer-based information they are receiving is accurate, they need to understand how computers work. However, in most cases they do not need to learn how to program computers. Rather, managers should understand how computerized information systems work; how they are developed; their limitations and costs; and the manner in which information system may be used. Such an understanding is not difficult to achieve.
One research found that business firms were more successful in teaching basic information about computers to business graduates than they were in teaching business subjects to computer science graduates.
46. In the second paragraph the author mentions a neighborhood shopkeeper to show that _____.
A. few people could afford a computer
B. computer is now becoming more and more widely used in business
C. only shopkeepers are wealthy enough to buy computers
D. computer is far more intelligent than man as far as business is concerned
47. From the third paragraph we learn that ________.
A. it is essential that managers know how to program computers
B. managers may sometimes receive inaccurate information from computers
C. in most companies, an employee has to share a computer with at least 9 other employees
D. computerized information system is perfect in every way
48. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT that _________.
A. computer science graduates are quick to learn business subjects because of their professional knowledge about computers
B. with the help of computers, company mangers are now more informed of what’s going on in their companies
C. computer is a great help for business management
D. computerized information enables managers to take timely measures to prevent possible mistakes
49. According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
A. It’s a difficult task for the managers to deal with a wide range of computer-based information daily.
B. The introduction of computerized information system is a revolution in management
C. In order to perform good management, managers need to have much knowledge about computer.
D. A good knowledge of computer leads managers to success
50. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to teach information about computers to business graduates.
B. Computer’s growing popularity nationwide.
C. Application of computer in business management.
D. Computer training program for mangers.
Ⅲ. 阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅渎理解(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A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It all began with a stop at a red light.
Philanthropy Kevin Salwen, a writer and entrepreneur in Atlanta, was driving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006. While waiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.
“Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal,” Hannah protested. The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable. She pestered (纠缠) her parents about inequity, insisting that she wanted to do something.
“What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”
Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager. Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donating half the money to charity, while using the other half to buy a more modest replacement home.
Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project — crazy, impetuous (鲁莽) and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughter scheduled to be published next month: “The Power of Half.” It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.
At a time of enormous needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when so many Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from text messages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came together to make a difference — for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a column a week ago, I described neurological(神经学的) evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights up parts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction such as food and sex. The Salwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures of selflessness.
Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always assumed that their kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.
41. The best title of the passage should be__________.
A. The less , the better. B. An unexpected satisfaction
C. Something we can live without D. Somewhat crazy but inspiring
42. What does the word “inequity” most probably mean in the sentence?
A. unfairness B. satisfaction C. personal attitude D. reasonable statement
43.The sentence “An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.” means _____.
A. When an unreasonable child reads the book, their house will disappear.
B. When an unreasonable child reads the book, he will ask his parents to sell their house.
C. When an unreasonable child reads this, the whole family will enjoy themselves in the street.
D. The child who likes to express himself will ask the whole family to enjoy the book outside.
44.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Mercedes coupe is only an ordinary car which is quite cheap.
B. Hannah asked her parents to do something charitable and they sold their house.
C. Unselfishness has nothing to do with people’s primary satisfaction.
D. Hannah’s parents felt regretted having sold the big house.
45.“Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means__________.
A. Never give a quick answer to an idealistic teenager.
B. Don’t respond to a child’s demands firmly without consideration.
C. Give an answer if the child is reasonable.
D. Unless the child is realistic otherwise never give an answer immediately
Benjamin and Carol report that the “short sleepers” had been more or less average in their sleep needs until the men were in their teens. But at about age 15 or so, the men voluntarily began cutting down their nightly sleep time because of pressures from school, work, and other activities. These men tended to view their nightly periods of unconsciousness as bothersome interruptions in their daily routines.
In general, these “short sleeps” appeared ambitious, active, energetic, cheerful, conformist(不动摇) in their opinions, and very sure about their career choices. They often held several jobs at once, or workers full-or part-time while going to school. And many of them had a strong urge to appear “normal” or “acceptable” to their friends and associates.
When asked to recall their dreams, the “short sleepers” did poorly. More than this, they seemed to prefer not remembering. In similar fashion, their usual way of dealing with psychological problems was to deny that the problem existed, and then to keep busy in the hope that the trouble would go away.
The sleep patterns of the “short sleepers” were similar to, but less extreme than, sleep patterns shown by many mental patients considered as manic(疯人).
The “long sleepers” were quite different indeed. Benjamin and Carol report that these young men had been lengthy sleeps since childhood. They seemed to enjoy their sleep, protected it, and were quite concerned when they were occasionally deprived of their desired 9 hours of nightly bed rest. They tended to recall their dreams much better than did the “short sleepers.”
Many of the “long sleepers” were shy, anxious, introverted (内向), inhibited (压抑), passive, mildly depressed, and unsure of themselves (particularly in social situations). Several openly state that sleep was an escape from their daily problems.
51. According to the report,______.
A) many short sleepers need less sleep by nature
B) many short sleepers have to reduce their nightly sleep time because they are busy with their work
C) long sleepers sleep a longer period of time during the day
D) many long sleepers preserve their sleeping habit formed during their childhood
52. Many “short sleepers” are likely to hold the view that _____.
A) sleep is a withdrawal from the reality
B) sleep interferes with their sound judgments
C) sleep is the least expensive item on their routine program
D) sleep is the best way to deal with psychological troubles
53. It is stated in the third paragraph that short sleepers _____.
A) are ideally energetic even under the pressures of life
B) often neglect the consequences of inadequate sleep
C) do not know how to relax properly
D) are more unlikely to run into mental problems
54. When sometimes they cannot enjoy adequate sleep, the long sleepers might ____.
A) appear disturbed B) become energetic C) feel dissatisfied D) be extremely depressed
55. Which of the following is Not included in the passage?
A) If one sleeps inadequately, his performance suffers and his memory is weakened
B) The sleep patterns of short sleepers are exactly the same as those shown by many mental patients
C) Long and short sleepers differ in their attitudes towards sleep
D) Short sleepers would be better off with more rest