My newly-rented small apartment was far away from the centre of London and it was becoming essential for me to find a job, so finally I spent a whole morning getting to town and putting my name down to be considered by London Transport for a job on the underground. They were looking for guards, not drivers. This suited me. I couldn’t drive a car but thought that I could probably guard a train, and perhaps continue to write my poems between stations. The writers Keats and Chekhov had been doctors. T.S. Eliot had worked in a bank and Wallace Stevens for an insurance company. I’d be a subway guard. I could see myself being cheerful, useful, a good man in a crisis(危机). Obviously I’d be overqualified but I was willing to forget about that in return for a steady income and travel privileges — those being particularly welcome to someone living a long way from the city centre.
The next day I sat down, with almost a hundred other candidates, for the intelligence test. I must have done all right because after about half an hour’s wait I was sent into another room for a psychological test. This time there were only about fifty candidates. The interviewer sat at a desk. Candidates were signaled forward to occupy the seat opposite him when the previous occupant had been dismissed, after a greater or shorter time. Obviously the long interviews were the more successful ones. Some of the interviews were as short as five minutes. Mine was the only one that lasted a minute and a half.
I can remember the questions now: “Why did you leave your last job?” “Why did you leave your job before that?” “And the one before that?” I can’t recall my answers, except that they were short at first and grew progressively shorter. His closing statement, I thought, revealed(显示) a lack of sensitivity which helped to explain why as a psychologist, he had risen no higher than the underground railway. “You’ve failed the psychological test and we are unable to offer you a position.”
Failing to get that job was my low point. Or so I thought, believing that the work was easy. Actually, such jobs — being a postman is another one I still desire — demand exactly the sort of elementary yet responsible awareness that the habitual dreamer is least qualified to give. But I was still far short of full self-understanding. I was also short of cash..The writer applied for the job chiefly because _________.
A.he wanted to work in the centre of London |
B.he could no longer afford to live without one |
C.he was not interested in any other available job |
D.he had received some suitable training |
.The writer thought he was overqualified for the job because _________.
A.he often traveled underground | B.he had written many poems |
C.he could deal with difficult situations | D.he had worked in a company |
.The length of his interview meant that _________.
A.he was not going to be offered the job |
B.he had not done well in the intelligence test |
C.he did not like the interviewer at all |
D.he had little work experience to talk about |
.What does the writer realize now that he did not realize then?
A.How unpleasant ordinary jobs can be. |
B.How difficult it is to be a poet. |
C.How unsuitable he was for the job. |
D.How badly he did in the interview. |
.What’s the writer’s opinion of the psychologist?
A.He was very aggressive(有进取心的). | B.He was unhappy with his job. |
C.He was quite inefficient. | D.He was rather unsympathetic. |
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you've visited,Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen ---- the 21st century replacement of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no."
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a strong bad feeling about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series oftests that reveal people will give away personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon(优惠卷)。
But privacy does matter ---- at least sometimes. It's like health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.
1. What does the author mean by saying "the 21st century replacement of being caught naked"?
A. People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.
B. In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.
C. People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.
D. Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.
2.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A. Friends should open their hearts to each other.
B. Friends should always be faithful to each other.
C. There should be a distance even between friends.
D. There should be fewer arguments between friends.
3. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret"?
A. Modern society has finally developed into an open society.
B. People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C. There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.
D. Many search engines benefit from giving away people's identities.
4. What do most Americans do as for privacy protection?
A. They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B. They use various loyalty cards for business transactions(交易)..
C. They rely most and more on electronic devices.
D. They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
5. According to the passage, privacy is like health because ___.
A. people will make every effort to keep it.
B. its importance is rarely understood
C. it is something that can easily be lost
D. people don't treasure it until they lose it
In 1605 some Englishmen planned to kill their king, James I, because they thought he was a bad man. They knew that on November 5th the king would go to the House of Lords to talk with his nobles.
The men rented a building next to the House of Lords. They dug through a wall and put many barrels of gunpowder in a cellar of the House of Lords. They chose a man called Guy Fawkes to set fires to the gunpowder but something went wrong with their plan. One of the men had a relative who was coming to the House of Lords to meet the King. He warned his relative to stay at home .The relative spoke to other nobles and soon the King heard about the danger. Soldiers searched the cellars and found the gunpowder on November 4th, Guy Fawkes was caught and killed.
Every year, on November 5th , English children remember Guy Fawkes . They collect old boxes, newspapers and rubbish so that they can make a big fire, which they call a bonfire. They put a pole in the middle of the fire and tie a “guy” to it . “The guy” is the figure of Guy Fawkes and is made of old clothes and paper . Sometimes they push their “guy” round the streets in a cart and ask for money so that they can buy fireworks.
In the evening they light the bonfire and let off many fireworks: crackers, rockets , bangers and many other kinds .November 5th is an exciting day for children in England. It is always a busy day for firemen and for hospitals. Sparks from the bonfires sometimes set fire to fences, trees or houses. Every year children are injured when fireworks exploded unexpectedly.
1 Some Englishmen planned to kill their king because _______.
A. they thought highly of him B. they thought poorly of him
C. they thought nothing of him D. they thought well of him
2 Something went wrong with their plan because one of the men _____ .
A. told the King about B. told other nobles about it
C. told his relative about it D. Guy Fawkes was killed
3 How do English children remember Guy Fawkes every year ?
A. They make a bonfire B. They make a figure of Guy
C. They left off fireworks. D. All above.
4 The phrase “let off many fireworks” in the passage means “_____”.
A. allow the fireworks to leave B. cause the fireworks to explode
C. keep the fireworks off the bonfire D. put the fireworks into the bonfire
5 November 5th is a busy day for firemen because ______.
A. fireworks are in great need
B. quite a few houses catch fire when fireworks explode
C. many children are injured by the unexpected explosion of fireworks
D. both B and C
第三部分阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列三篇短文,从每题所给的四个选现(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I came to study in the United States a year ago. Yet I did not know the real American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor and go to court.
After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I’d have to have a good lawyer. And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer .Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him .But every time I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215. My lawyer was all smiles the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. He knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance company the date I was leaving America. Knowing that ,they played for time,… and I left without getting a cent.
My experiences taught me two things about America: firstly, in a country like America money is everything. It is more important than friendship, honor or professional morality. Secondly, foreigners are still being unfairly treated. So when we talk about America, we should see both its good and bad sides.
1. The author’s roommate offered to help him because _____.
A. he felt sorry for the author
B. he thought it was a chance to make some money
C. he knew the doctor was a very good one
D. he wanted the author to have a good lawyer
2. A good doctor is essential for the author to_____.
A. be properly treated
B. talk with the person responsible for the accident
C. recover before he leaves America
D. eventually get the responsible party to pay for his injury
3. The underlined word “ charge ” in this passage means ______.
A. be responsible B. accuse C. ask as a price D. claim
4. Both the doctor and the lawyer in this passage are very ______.
A. friendly B. greedy C. professional D. busy
5. What conclusion can you draw from the story?
A. Going to court is something very common in America.
B. One must be very careful while driving a car.
C. there are more bad sides in America than good sides.
D. Money is more important than other things in the US.
D
After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy(肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter(举重运动员), and I knew about overcoming obstacles (障碍) and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.
When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase(衣箱) and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion(冠军). You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Rick,
My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live anymore. But I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I will never get to do that. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Your friend,
Mathew
72. The boy wanted to meet the author because ______.
A. he was interested in what the author was doing
B. he wanted to get a gold medal himself
C. he admired the author very much
D. he wanted the author to know him too
73. The underlined part in the third paragraph probably means “______”.
A. Why do you come to see me? B. Why do I have to stay at home?
C. Why does the disease fall on me? D. Why not give a gold medal to me?
74. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. Matthew was a determined boy and considered himself as normal
B. Rick used to have the same disease and later became a power lifter
C. Matthew was to become a champion before he died
D. After meeting Matthew, Rick regarded him as normal.
75. The author wrote the passage with the purpose of ______.
A. describing his unusual friendship with a disabled child
B. showing his admiration towards the disabled child
C. telling an experience of meeting a disabled child
D. expressing his pity to all the disabled children
( C )
Steve is always in a good mood. One day I went up to Steve and asked him, “ How do you do it?” Steve replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘You have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ So I choose to be in a good mood. It’s your choice how you live your life.”
I reflected on what Steve said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. Several years later, I heard that Steve was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communication tower. I saw Steve about six months after the accident. I asked him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my daughter,” Steve replied. “Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”
“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness (意识)?” I asked.
Steve continued, “The paramedics (护理人员) were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he is a dead man’. I knew I needed to take action.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“A nurse asked if I was allergic (过敏的) to anything,” Steve answered, “ ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working. I yelled,’ Gravity (重力).’Over their laughter, I said, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’”
Steve lived, thanks to the skills of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.
I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Every single day has enough trouble of its own.
69. What is Steve’s attitude towards life?
A. Worrying about life all day long. B. Choosing to see the positive aspects of life.
C. Being cold to people in life. D. Being angry at everything in life.
70. What did the writer do after he left the Tower Industry?
A. He furthered his studies in college. B. He went on a vacation in foreign countries.
C. He stayed at home to enjoy his life. D. He started his own business.
71. What went through Steve’s mind when the accident happened?
A. How badly he was injured. B. The reason for the accident.
C. The well-being of his daughter. D. Whether he was going to die or not