The other day, I received a most unexpected message in response to one of my essays: I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished. I shared your opinion …
It was signed Margaret Leibfried, who was my English teacher — a teacher who appeared at a vital (关键) point in my life and helped me believe that I could become a writer.
Thirty years ago, I entered high school as an introvert (性格内向的人) made all the more shy because I was the school’s only nonwhite student. I always felt in danger of being swept away by a sea of tall white athletes. I spent a lot of time alone, reading and writing stories, hoping to escape being teased.
Ms. Leibfried taught American literature and composition grammar, which involved the usual memorizing vocabulary, but also, thrillingly, reading novels.
Thrilling to me, that is. Many of my classmates expressed dislike for novels because they were “not real.” For once, I didn’t care what they thought. Ms. Leibfried seemed to notice my interest in both reading and writing, and she took the time to make me feel less shy; she even offered me reading suggestions, like one of her favorite novels, “The Bell Jar.”
That year’s big project was a book report, to be read aloud to the class. However, Ms. Leibfried suggested I do something “a little different.” Instead of a report, I chose a passage from “The Bell Jar” that I considered as the best to recite.
The morning of the presentations, I remember my hands sweating so badly as I walked to the front of the class that I kept my hands crossed, so I wouldn’t wipe them on my blouse.
When I finished, to my surprise, the class applauded. “Marie has picked out a particularly sensitive piece of writing and delivered it beautifully,” Ms. Leibfried said, smiling. I felt, maybe for the first time, confident.What was the author’s high school life like before she met Ms. Leibfried?
| A．Lonely. | B．Exciting. | C．Wild. | D．Busy |
In Paragraph 5, the author mainly tells us .
| A．how she cared what her classmates thought |
| B．when she became interested in “The Bell Jar” |
| C．why many of her classmates disliked novels |
| D．how Ms. Leibfried helped and encouraged her |
Why did Ms. Leibfried ask the author to recite a passage in front of the class?
| A．To test whether she had a good memory. |
| B．To make her earn the respect of her classmates. |
| C．To help deepen her understanding of “The Bell Jar.” |
| D．To guide her to build a good relationship with others. |
How did the author feel when she made the presentation?
| A．Comfortable. | B．sad. | C．Nervous. | D．Confident. |
What was the author’s purpose in writing the text?
| A．To express her thanks to her teacher. |
| B．To discuss the issue of racial prejudice (偏见). |
| C．To introduce one of her favorite books. |
| D．To suggest the ways to gain confidence. |
No one can fail to stand in awed ( 令人敬畏的 ) admiration of the great discoveries of history—Newton' s laws of motion; Kepler' s principles of planetary movement, Einstein' s general theory of relativity. Equally awe-inspiring are artistic creations in painting, theatre, music and literature, which have also been brought about by discovery through personal efforts. What do these extraordinary achievements of well-known scientists and artists have to do with problem solving?
A great scientific discovery or a great work of art is surely the result of problem-solving activity. The solution to a problem, we are told, often comes to thinkers in a “flash of insight (顿悟) ”， although they may have been turning the problem over in their minds for some time. As a particular form of problem solving, these creative acts are based on the broad knowledge gained in the past, whether this be of the public" sort known to science, or of the "private" sort known to the artist.
Many creative thinkers state that they have completely devoted themselves to the subject matter of the problem, often over fairly long periods of time. Indeed, it would be strange if they had not done this. Nothing in such statements supports the idea that there is anything very different about the problem solving that leads to discoveries of the great contributions to the society. The act of discovery, even in the relatively predictable (可以预见的) sense that it occurs in everyday learning, involves (涉及) a “sudden insight” which changes the problem situation into a solution situation. As we have seen, everyday discovery also requires that the learner have the knowledge of the rules gained in the past, which is involved in the solution.
52. Newton, Kepler and Einstein are mentioned in the first paragraph to_______.
A. bring about the subject of the discussion
B. explain that scientists are more creative
C. show the difference between science and arts
D. prove that arts require more personal efforts
53. While knowledge from the past plays an important role in their achievements, thinkers sometimes also depend on their______.
A.artistic tastes B. sudden insight
C.admiration of discoveries D.scientific experiments
54. What does the underlined word “this” refer to?
A.Great contributions to the society
B.Long-time study of the subject matter.
C.Various statements about problem solving.
D. Complete devotion to artistic creation.
55. We may conclude from the passage that ______.
A.it is more likely to make scientific and artistic discoveries in everyday learning.
B.a sudden insight and knowledge from the past are required in making discoveries
C.scientific discoveries or artistic creations are usually unpredictable in nature
D.knowledge of the rules in the past is often developed in the changes of situation
The scene in the Hollywood movie The Day After Tomorrow, where global warming could soon turn the global climate (气候) into a new ice age, may never occur, according to new research.
The next ice age could be 15,000 years away, say European scientists who last month announced a continuous record of 7.40,000 years of climate data (数据) obtained from the Antarctic ice.
Scientists from 10 nations have now almost completely drilled through a 3,000-meter.depth of ice high in the Antarctic mainland. They figure out that the area where summer temperatures can fall to –40℃, has at least 900,000 years of snowfalls,, kept as neatly as the growth rings of a tree. And the ice and air caught in each layer(层) have begun to answer questions about the climates in the past..
The results show that there have been eight ice ages in the past 740, 000 years and eight warmer periods. And by comparing the pattern of global conditions today with those of the past, the researchers reported in Nature that the present warm period could last another 15, 000 years.
Research suggests that there is a very close connection between greenhouse gas levels and global average temperatures. It also shows that carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) levels are the highest for at least 440,000 years.
"If people say to you: the greenhouse effect is a good thing because we would go into an ice age otherwise, our data say no, a new ice age is not hanging over our heads,” said Eric Wolff from the British Antarctic Survey. "Now we have eight examples of how the climate goes in and out of ice ages… and you can learn what the rules are that go into the climate models that tell us about the future."
Scientists found that whenever temperatures rose in the frozen record, so did carbon dioxide level. "In 440,000 years we have never seen greenhouse gas get as thick as it is today," said Dr Wolff.
48. In drilling through the ice in Antarctica, scientists, have found that______.
A. the lowest temperature there is －40℃ B. the depth of ice is 3,000 meters
C. the ice has existed for 15,000 years D. snowfalls are kept in certain patterns
49. The information of the global climate conditions in the past can be obtained through______.
A. separating carbon dioxide from the air
B. examining the growth rings of trees
C. comparing temperatures in different areas
D. studying the ice and air caught in each layer
50. We can infer from Eric Wolff's words that_______.
A. there is something wrong with the data B. greenhouse effect is always a bad thing
C. a new ice age will not come in the near future
D. greenhouse gas will get thick in the future
51. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Research over the Antarctic area. B. Warm period to last about 15, 000 years.
C. Report on the eight ice ages in the past. D. Hollywood movies and the global climate.
To extinguish (熄灭) different kinds of fires, several types of fire extinguishers have been invented. They must be ready for immediate use when fire breaks out. Most portable (手提式的) kinds operate for less than a minute, so they are useful only on small fires. The law requires ships, trains, buses and planes to carry extinguishers.
Since fuel, oxygen (氧气) and heat must be present in order for fire to exist, one or more of these things must be removed or reduced to extinguish a fire. If the heat is reduced by cooling the material below a certain temperature, the fire goes out. The cooling method is the most common way to put out a fire. Water is the best cooling material because it is low in cost and easy to get.
Another method of extinguishing fire is by cutting off the oxygen. This is usually done by covering the fire with sand, steam or some other things. A blanket may be used do cover a small fire.
A third method is called separation, which includes removing the fuel, or material easy to burn, from a fire, so that it can find no fuel.
The method that is used to put out a fire depends upon the type of fire. Fires have been grouped in three classes. Fires in wood, paper, cloth and the like are called Class A fires. These materials usually help keep the fire on. Such fires can be stopped most readily by cooling with water.
68. If a fire breaks out on a bus, which of the follow should be ready there for you to use?
A. Sand B. Water C. A blanket. D. An extinguisher.
69. To cover a small piece of burning wood with a basin in order to stop the fire is an example of .
A. separating the fire B. reducing the heat
C. removing the fuel D. cutting off the oxygen
70. In choosing how to put out a fire, we should first be clear about .
A. when it breaks out B. how it comes about
C. what kind it is D. where it takes place
71. What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A. Another class of fires B. Another type of extinguishers
C. How fires break out.D. How fires can be prevented.
Lions are opportunists. They prefer to eat without having to do too much work. When resting in the shade, they are also watching the sky to see what is flying by, and even in the heat of the day they will suddenly start up and run a mile across the plains to find out what is going on. If another animal has made a kill, they will drive it off and take the kill for themselves. A grown lion can easily eat 60 pounds of meat at a single feeding. Often they eat until it seems painful for them to lie down.
The lionesses (母狮) , being thinner and faster, are better hunters (猎手) than the males (雄狮). But the males don’t mind. After the kill they move in and take the test share.
Most kills are made at night or just before daybreak. We have seen many, many daylight attempts but only ten kills. Roughly, It’s about twenty daytime attempts for one kill.
When lions are hiding for an attack by a water hole, they wait patiently and can charge at any second. The kill is the exciting moment in the day-to-day life of the lion, since these great animals spend most of their time, about 20 hours a day, sleeping and resting.
Lions are social cats, and when they are having a rest, they love to touch each other. After drinking at a water hole, a lioness rests her head on another’s back. When walking, young lions often touch faces with older ones, an act of close ties among members of the group.
64. By describing lions as “opportunists” in the first paragraph, the author means to say that lions .
A. are cruel animals B. are clever animals
C. like to take advantage of other animals D. like to take every chance to eat
65. According to the text, which of the following is true?
A. Lions make most kills in the daytime.
B. Males care more about eating than active killing.
C. Lions are curious about things happening around them.
D. It doesn’t take lions too much time to make a kill.
66. How can we know that lions are social animals?
A. They depend on each other.B. They look after each other well.
C. They readily share what they have. D. They enjoy each other’s company.
67. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Powerful Lions B. Lions at Work and Play
C. Lions, Social Cats D. Lions, Skilled Hunters
When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly ad possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk(冒…危险)being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing(追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby(喜好), especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement . “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”
56. For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A.head straight for the center of the storm B.get into the car for safety
C.wait patiently for the storm to develop D.collect information about a coming storm
57. Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
A.not to drive in a heavy rain B.to do it in an organized way
C.not to get too close to a storm D.to spend more time on it in summer
58. By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
A.storm chasing costs a lot of money B.storm chasing is worth hours of waiting
C.efforts in storm chasing are well paid D.a storm presents the greatest show on Earth
59. What can we learn from the text?
A.Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment
B.Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.
C.Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.
D.Storm chasing is only fit for young people.