Istheresomethingthatyouvealway-优题课

第五节阅读理解
On May 29, 1973, Thomas Bradley, a black man, was elected mayor of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the third largest city in the United States, with a population of three million. About sixteen percent of the city’s population are black.
News of this election appeared on the front pages of newspapers everywhere in the United States. Here is how one major newspaper reported the event.
LOS ANGELES ELECTS BRADLEY MAYOR UNSEATING YORTY
BLACK WINS 56% OF VOTES
Bradley called his victory over Yorty “ the fulfillment of a dream ”. During his childhood and youth, people had kept telling him , “You can’t do this, you can’t go there, because you are a Negro. ” Nevertheless he had won a decisive victory over a man who had been won 43.7 percent.
Los Angeles voters have had many opportunities to judge. Thomas Bradley had to form an opinion of him, The son of a poor farmer Texas, he joined the Los Angeles police force in 1940. During his twenty-one years on the police force he earned a law degree by attending school at night. He was elected to the city council years ago.
At the time of the Los Angeles election, three other American cities already had black mayors, but none of these cities had as large a population as Los Angeles. Besides, the percentage of blacks in those other cities was much larger. Cleveland, Ohio, had thirty-six percent black when Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1967. In the same year Richard Hatcher was elected mayor of Cary. In Newark, New Jersey, sixty percent of the population were black when Kenneth Gibson was elected in 1970. Thus election of a black mayor in those cities was not very surprising .
In Los Angeles, thousands of white citizens voted for Thomas Bradley because they believed he would be a better mayor than the white candidate. Bradley had spent forty-eight of his fifty-five years in Los Angeles. Four years ago, Bradley lost mayoral election to Yorty. This time Bradley won.
56. People kept telling Bradley not to “go there” in his childhood because ____________
A. he was too young B. he was a black boy
C. he came from a poor farmer’s family D. he himself hated the whites
57. In the author’s opinion, It was surprising that _______________
A. the whites would vote for a black mayor
B. the black mayor lost his mayor election to Yorty four years ago
C. the black mayor came from a poor farmer’s family
D. there would be so many black mayors
58. From the passage, we can learn that people _______________
A. voted for Bradley because of his black color
B. cared much about his color when they voted
C. voted for him to give a chance to fulfill his dream
D. voted for him because they trusted him
59. Bradley hit the front page headline, for ________________
A. he was the first black mayor in history
B. he once served in the Los Angeles police force
C. he was the first black mayor of one of the largest cities in the USA
D. a poor farmer’s son could also win an important election
60. From Bradley’s victory in the election we can see that ____________
A. blacks had equal rights as whites in the USA
B. black people’s situation began to be improving much more than before
C. one can be successful through hard work in the USA no matter what color he is
D. it is certain that someday the USA will have a black president

Many banks are still not lending. They worry that they will not have enough capital to cover losses, but the situation does not allow many businesses to have the money they need to operate, and further slows a struggling economy. In the United States, the government has so far provided almost 150 billion dollars to banks, mainly through buying shares. Yet this may not be enough to save some major banks. By some estimates, banks have at least one trillion dollars in losses that they have not yet reported.
The new administration of President Barack Obama is considering ways to save banks.
One possibility is to expand federal guarantees against losses on some troubled financial assets(资产). The government has already offered guarantees to Bank of America and Citigroup. But the cost of this kind of insurance could be huge.
Another possibility is to create a so-called bad bank. It would take questionable securities held by other banks. The idea would be similar to the Resolution Trust Corporation set up by the government in 1989. It was formed to sell assets from failed savings and loan banks.
But it is difficult to put a price on trouble securities. Taxpayers would lose money if the government pays too much. And if it pays too little, banks could still fail.
Some people see nationalization(国有化) as the answer. That is when a government takes ownership of a private business, often with the idea of selling it back to investors later. Existing shares become worthless.
In the early 1990s, Sweden nationalized some banks and later sold their troubled assets, recovering some costs. But a similar effort in the United States, the world’s biggest economy, could take years. And experts warn that lending and politics do not mix.
Coming up with a plan to fix the banks and the financial system is now the job for Tim Geithner. The Senate confirmed his this week to replace Henry Paulson as Treasury Secretary. Tim Geithner’s last job was head of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Supporters said he is the best person to deal with the financial crisis. But one-third of the Senate, mostly Republicans, voted against him.
He face rebuke for his failure to pay 34,000 dollars in taxes when he worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He owed it to “careless mistakes”. As Treasury Secretary he is the nation’s chief tax collector.
51. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The financial crisis in the United States.
B. Possible ways to save US banks.
C. President Barack Obama’s financial policy.
D. The problems US banks are facing now.
52. We can learn from the passage that _________.
A. all the banks in the US have stopped lending money now.
B. American banks have lost less than one trillion dollars
C. the US government has taken some measures to save the banks
D. the American economic situation is getting much better
53. Which of the following is NOT a possibility to help the banks out of trouble?
A. Expanding federal guarantees against losses on some troubled financial assets.
B. Creating a bad band to take questionable securities held by other banks.
C. Nationalizing the banks and selling them back to investors later.
D. Confirming Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary to replace Henry Paulson.
54. The underlined word “rebuke” in the last paragraph most probably means “_________”.
A. judgment B. sympathy C. assessment D. blame
55. It can be concluded from the passage that _________.
A. Barack Obama’s government has taken effectively measures to save their banks.
B. Tim Geithner is the best person to deal with the financial crisis
C. each possible way mentioned in the passage has its disadvantage
D. nationalization may be the best way to save US banks

Bushwick is a tough place to grow up. This part of Brooklyn, in New York City, has a lot of crimes. More than half of its 100,000 residents rely on aid from the government. Only 50% of students at Bushwick High School graduate in four years.
Some people might say, “We should help these poor kids who have so many challenges.” But Malaak Compton-Rock looks at the teens in Bushwick and says, “Go to help kids who have even bigger challenges than you do.” She believes that once young people see the power they have to make things better, they can handle their own problems more easily. So her service group, the Angel Rock Project, took 30 Bushwick kids to Soweto, in South Africa, to help poor families there. Soweto is a township outside the city of Johannesburg. The effort, called Journey for Change, aims to show that any kid can change the world.
“Kids in Bushwick face pressure to drop out of school or become involved in gangs and drugs.” Says Compton-Rock. “We want them to live a life of purpose and service.”
In Soweto, many parents have died of AIDS, a deadly disease. When that happens, a grandparent or a child must lead the family. The Bushwick volunteers helped such families. They tended vegetable gardens, cared for babies and bought groceries.
“The saddest thing was when we visited an orphanage (孤儿院) and I helped a little boy who had been abandoned because he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS,” says Queen Clyde, 12. “It‘s been good to be on this trip. But what’s also important is what we do when it’s finished. That’s what counts.” “I never appreciated what I had until I saw some people who had nothing,” says Sadara Lewis, 12. “It’s really changed my attitude. I want to make a difference.”
The trip was two weeks long. But the kids, aged 12 to 15, will spend all year speaking about their experience, fund-raising and more.
46. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. Bushwick is the poorest place in New York City.
B. Bushwick still needs more care from the government.
C. It is children who suffer most in New York City.
D. Children in Bushwick are living in a bad situation.
47. In Compton-Rock’s opinion, the Bushwick kids _________.
A. have fewer challenges than those in any other district
B. are living much better a life than people in Africa
C. can learn to deal with their own problems by helping others
D. should be kept out of schools in this part of the city
48. Compared with Bushwick kids, some children in Soweto _________.
A. may have bigger challenges B. receive no care from the government
C. are much more independent D. are able to lead the family
49. According to the passage, “Journey for Change” can be best seen as the saying “_________”.
A. God helps those who help themselves B. saying and doing are two things
C. one stone kills two birds D. a friend in need is a friend indeed
50. From the passage we know that _________.
A. there are few students in Bushwick High School
B. the trip to Soweto will have a long influence in spite of its short time.
C. most children are suffering from AIDS in Soweto
D. kids with HIV will be abandoned in Soweto

III. 阅读 (共两节，满分40分)
第—节阅读理解 (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。
Two-legged, humanoid (类人的) robots such as Honda Motor Co. Ltd’s ASIMO would likely have an easier time climbing up stairs inside homes than a robot that moves on wheels, developers say.
But it will be some time before such devices make their way into people’s homes.
“They may look smart, but they are still quite stupid,” Shimoyama said. “I don’t think they will ever be as smart as humans.”
While safety is an obvious concern, robots also need to be sensitive to people’s needs.
Researchers at Fujitsu Frontech Ltd and Fujitsu L aboratories responsible for developing “Enon”, a guide and patrol (巡逻) robot designed for use in shopping malls and corporate facilities (公共场所), are working on this.
Enon, which has a humanoid upper body but no legs, is equipped with a touch screen on its chest and space in its belly to carry loads weighting up to 10 kg.
In guide mode, it will detect a newcomer and approach the person with a nod and a greeting: “Are you a visitor? Hello.”
Visitors requiring directions can point to icons (图标) displayed on Enon’s chest screen. If the restroom icon is pressed, the screen will display a map that shows the way.
The robot will then face and point in the direction of the restroom, although it won’t actually walk the visitor there.
Enon is now in use at four locations in Japan, including a shopping mall near Tokyo. The main goal is to make it more helpful for the elderly.
“People who work in the transportation sector often ask whether we can build a robot that will find elderly people who look lost in train stations, and ask them if they are all right,” said Toshihido Marita, director of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd’s autonomous system laboratory. “Actually that is hard to do, very hard,” he said.
41. The advantage of Honda Motor Co. Ltd’s ASIMO is that _________.
A. it can do any housework for usB. it can talk with patients or old people
C. it can climb up stairs as humansD. it can walk smoothly with its wheels
42. According to Shimoyama, robots _________.
A. can be made to do everything humans do
B. will be made as smart as humans in the future
C. will remain as stupid as before
D. can never compete with humans in intelligence
43. Most important of all, a robot should be made _________ at present.
A. safe and elegant B. safe and functional
C. elegant and cheapD. sensitive and cheap
44. Which of the following statements about “Enon” is NOT true?
A. It can be used as a guide in hospitals.
B. It can help shoppers carry goods selected.
C. It can be used to welcome guests in restaurants.
D. It can be used to stop thieves in malls.
45. Enon is mainly designed to help _________.
A. old people B. mall owners C. tourists or newcomers D. shoppers

The HOPE IS A GAME--CHANGER PROJECT will deliver unbreakable soccer balls to kids who, all too often, see things horrible, broken and not survive the simplest of circumstances. The project started taking form well before anyone knew where it would lead –which is to test the power of like-minded people working together to turn inspiration into action.
Four years ago Bobby was in Rwanda offering help to the people there and taking photos of a child soldier named Moise with his “soccer ball”，which was a pile of rubbish tied together with a string. This “ball” was the only thing Moise could call his own --- no family, no home, no place to go. Forced to fight in the Congo and having killed three people at the unbearably young age of seven, the boy’s spirit was broken. And Bobby knew, as he took one photo after the next, that he’d never forget him. In fact, he returned the following year to tell Moise he had stayed deep within his heart ---but he was gone.
I recently helped Bobby launch his new book The Power of the Invisible Sun which features a photo of Moise, his ball, and kids from war-torn areas around the world. All of his earnings go towards the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT for the kids he visited over the past decade. They caught the emotional landscape from heartbreak to joy, but share the undeniable longing for recovery and hope.
Bobby and I share the unchangeable belief that delivering hope is really a game-changer, especially to a child. We believe that each indestructible ball will come to represent a lasting symbol of hope. A light no matter how small---The Power of the Invisible Sun.
This holiday season, I ask you to think about whether you are doing enough to help someone else in the world. Or as Bobby likes to put it, consider “taking a concrete baby step”, which added together, can create transformational change. It’s my great hope that the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT will change the lives of children the world over --- one book, one ball at a time.
51．In the first sentence of the passage, the writer implies that .
A．kids live an unsafe life in parts of the world
B．the balls sent to kids should be of good quality
C．young kids can not overcome the difficulties
D．kids intend to break their toys into pieces
52．The purpose of The HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT is to .
A．send ball gifts to kids in poor countries
B．collect money to help kids in need
C．comfort kids in war-torn areas
D．offer kids help to change their lives
53． How may Bobby feel about Mosie?
A．He was very proud of Mosie’s bravery.
B．He felt sorry for Mosie’s ruined childhood.
C．He thought money could solve Mosie’s problem.
D．He felt happy to tell him what was in his heart.
54．Which of the following about Bobby’s new book is TRUE?
A．It earned a lot of money to help kids like Mosie.
B．The photos inside reflected the kids’ hopeless life.
C．Its title shows the author’s belief to change the world.
D．It changed the life of the kids recorded in the book.
55．The underlined part in the last paragrph probably means .
A．starting the first step as a baby does
B．taking an active action from now on
C．making great changes step by step
D．doing some small but good deeds

A．Car racing.	B．Playing tennis.
C．Rock climbing.	D．Surfing.