“I was only thirteen when four of my team members and I were chosen by my swim coach to train with the Chinese National Team. The following piece shows how that experience has influenced me.”
The night before I left for China, my mother called me into her room. I entered not knowing what to expect. I sat down at the end of her very neatly-made bed, opposite the bedroom table on which she kept a Ming-style vase illustrated in great detail. She told me that my great-grandmother was still living in the surroundings of Beijing. Her name was Ren Li Ling and she was 97 years old. This was the first time I had ever heard of her.
The dragon on the vase snaked through the flowers and vines(藤蔓)as my mother said, “Pu Pu, look at me. You need to hear this so that when you go to China you will understand. You must keep this knowledge in your heart.”
She told me a story about my grandfather, Ren Li Ling's son, who left Beijing to go to college in Taiwan. She told me how the Chinese civil war kept him away from his mother for fifty years, so neither of them even knew that the other was alive. No one from Taiwan could visit, write, or call anyone in mainland. All lines of communication were cut off.
She told me of my grandfather's devotion to his own children, and how difficult it was for him to send his daughter to America for her education, fearing that same separation. He gave my mother all that he could give — nineteen years of love and fifty years of savings. I learned how my mother, through means only available in this country, would finally be able to unite my great-grandmother with my grandfather again. The dragon curled around the vase, connecting the separate vines. For a fleeting second, I felt it was present in my mother's room. It was all very strange, yet very clear. I began to understand that this trip to China was not just for me; it was for my mother, and her father, and his mother. Now, I had not only a future, but more significantly, a past. I saw the world with new eyes.
And so I went to China and met my great-grandmother. My great-aunt picked me up at the training center, and we rode in a taxi through the crowded city. The noise of the taxi and the city united into a deep roar. We finally stopped in front of a narrow street lined on either side with small one-level houses. As we made our way to a house like all the others, I drew the stares of many people in the street. My great-aunt led me through a rotting(朽烂的)doorway into a room with a furnace(炉子), table, and a rocking chair where an old woman wearing gloves sat facing the doorway, covered with a worn brown blanket. I walked over and immediately embraced this frail woman as if I had known her all my life. My limited, broken Chinese wasn't up to expressing my complicated feelings. And even though I couldn't completely understand what she was saying in her thick Beijing accent, I knew — the same way I knew what my mother had been trying to tell me before I left. Her joy shone through her toothless smile. She wouldn't let go of my hand. I haltingly(结结巴巴地)asked her how she had managed to live such a long life. She answered in words I will never forget, “Hope has kept me alive. I have lived this long because I wanted to see my son before I died.”
My fellow team members must have wondered how two people separated by three generations could be so close. Before this trip, I would have wondered the same thing. And even now, I can't quite explain it. We were as different as two people can be; some 85 years and 8,000 miles apart. We came from two entirely different cultures; yet we were connected by a common heritage(传统).
I stayed for dinner which was cooked in a black iron wok(锅)over the furnace. The meal was lavish(过分丰盛的), prepared in my honor. As I began to eat, with my great-grandmother beside me, I felt the dragon was present. But this time, the feeling didn't pass; the dragon had become a part of me.
My great-grandmother passed away last year at the age of 100. With her highest hopes and wildest dreams fulfilled, I know she died happy. The writer’s mother called him into her room to ___________________.
A.prepare him for the trip and warn him against possible problems |
B.remind him of his origin |
C.ask him to look for his great-grandmother |
D.share with him the story of her childhood |
The dragon is mentioned several times in the passage because __________________.
A.the vase with the dragon on it is very valuable and beautiful |
B.it stands for the blood running in every Chinese |
C.it is a sign of the writer’s devotion to his birthplace |
D.the writer’s mother hoped the writer would be as strong as a dragon |
How old was the writer’s mother when she was sent to America for her education.
A.13 | B.16 | C.19 | D.20 |
Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
A.The writer’s grandfather was afraid of a war when sending his daughter to America. |
B.The hope to see her son again kept the writer’s great-grandmother alive for this long. |
C.It was within the writer’s expectation that he could be so close to his great-grandmother. |
D.The writer’s great-grandmother was reunited with her son before she died. |
Which is the best title for the text?
A.We Share the Same Heritage. |
B.Love from My Great-grandmother. |
C.A Story from My Mother. |
D.An Unforgettable Training Trip. |
C
A recent study, while showing a generally positive attitude toward science, also suggests a widespread worry that it may be “running out of control”. This idea is dangerous.
Science can be a force for evil as well as for good. Its applications can be channeled either way, depending on our decisions. The decisions we make, personally or collectively, will determine the outcomes of science. But here is a real danger. Science is advancing so fast and is so strongly influenced by businesses that we are likely to believe whatever decisions we come to will make little difference. And, rather than fighting for the best possible policies, we may step back and do nothing.
Some people go even further. They say that despite the moral and legal objections(反对), whatever is scientifically possible will be done-somewhere, sometime. They believe that science will get out of control in the end. This belief is dangerous too, because it fuels a sense of hopelessness and discourages then from making efforts to build a safer world.
In our interconnected world, the lack of agreement in and out of the world of science can lead to the failure to control the use of science. Without a common understanding, the challenges of “controlling” science in this century will be really tough. Take human cloning for example. Despite the general agreement among scientists on its possible huge impact(影响) on traditional moral values, some countries still go ahead with the research and development of its related techniques. The outcomes are hard to predict.
Therefore, discussions on how science is applied should be extended far beyond scientific societies. Only through the untied efforts of people with hope, can we be fully safe against the misuse of science and can science best serve mankind in the future.
63. What can we conclude from the recent study?
A. People think highly of science.
B. People hold mixed opinions about science.
C. Science is getting dangerously out of control.
D. Science is used for both good and bad purposes.
64. According to the passage, what will happen if we hold that science is getting beyond control?
A. The development of science will hopelessly slow down.
B. Businesses will have even greater influence on science.
C. The public will lose faith in bringing about a bright future.
D. People will work more actively to put science under control.
65. The discussion should reach beyond scientific societies because ________.
A. scientists have failed to predict the outcomes
B. the ties between different areas need strengthening
C. united efforts are necessary for the development of science
D. people need to work together to prevent the bad use of science
66. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Science and its applications bring us many dangers.
B. The development of science mostly lies in people’s attitudes.
C. Mankind can largely take control of science with their efforts.
D. The future of science will be influenced by the dangerous ideas.
B
Read the following reviews for movies that are showing at the moment. And then answer questions.
Happiness(Romance) ★★★★
Happiness tells the story of two people (Lisa Turbot and Danny Roy) who work for different advertising companies. They talk on the phone all the time and don't like each other. But then they correspond by email and fall in love. This movie will be very popular with teenagers and people who like romances. It also has beautiful music.
I Scream (Thriller) ★★
In I Scream, Paul (Colin Jacks) is a young man who joins a thriller club. Each of the members tries to frighten the others. Paul is told to stay in an old house for the night. Everyone who has tried to stay in the house before has died. This movie is very frightening but also quite silly. It doesn't make sense for Paul to stay in the house when things start to go wrong. Only for people who like thrillers.
Paul's Heroes (Comedy) ★★★
This is a very funny war movie set in World War Two. Six soldiers (including Sammy Turblow) have to get to Italy to take secret messages to the American army there. During the movie, they dress up as women and fight with Italian workers. You can guess the ending, but it's great fun getting there.
______________ (Drama) ★★★★
This is a very good drama with Jack Ross, who pays a hard-working truck driver. His wife becomes ill and he has to find a doctor who can help her. In his travels he meets Dr. Lloyd (Phil Driver) who has found the cure for the illness, but Jack Ross has only twelve hours to get the medicine back to his wife on the other side of America. This is an excellent movie, which is very exciting.
59. Which of the four movies is the least popular with people?
A. The 1st one. B. The 2nd one. C. The 3rd one. D. The 4th one.
60. The underlined word "correspond" can be replaced by ______________.
A. dateB. exchange C. writeD. communicate
61. A thriller is most probably a film which tells something _______________.
A. frightening B. instructiveC. humorous D. interesting
62. Which of the following is the best title for the fourth film?
A. A Hard-working Truck Driver B. Medicine
C. A Strange Illness D. Twelve Hours
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
请认真阅读下列短文,从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。s5u.com
A
Your Genes, Your Future
How would you feel if someone gave you an envelope with a description of every one of your genes? Supposing this information could tell you what illnesses you were likely to get, or even what illness you might die of, would you open the envelope?
It's a difficult question to answer. But the fact is that scientists have already begun to discover how certain genes influence us. And in the next decade, they will learn a lot more.
We have known for a long time that many of our physical characteristics are inherited. For example, our eye colour and certain diseases are decided by our genes. As long as you have a good diet, scientists can predict your height by looking at your parents' heights. And we now know that the need to wear glasses has a genetic cause. Our eating habits also appear to be decided by our genes!
With other characteristics, things are not so clear. Certainly, scientists have now shown that some traits are strongly influenced by our genes. Do you prefer getting up early or late? To a great extent, it's your genes that decide, Do you enjoy dangerous sports such as car racing? There is a gene that influences how much excitement we need.
But with most psychological characteristics, scientists are learning that both our genes and our environment affect us. This is true of things such as how violent we are, and how well we get on with other people. So, even though scientists may soon be able to describe our genes in detail, it does not mean they will be able to predict our future with any real success.
Nonetheless, the fact is that scientists will be able to "read" our genes in the near future. This will create new problems. To give a few examples, insurance companies may not want to insure people whose genes predict certain illnesses. Employers may not want to employ people who have a gene for violence. One thing is already clear -- with these new developments, life is going to become even more complicated!
56. Which characteristics is mostly likely to be inherited?
A. Eye colour. B. Interest. C. Future. D. Ability.
57. What kind of problem will these new developments create?
A. You may die of a certain illness described in the envelope.
B. There will be an increased number of violent people.
C. People may take part in dangerous sports such as car racing.
D. Insurance companies may refuse to insure people with a gene for certain disease.
58. Why won’t scientists be able to tell us a lot about our future?
A. Because we’re affected not only by our genes but also by our environment.
B. Because scientists will not able to read our genes in the near future.
C. Because life in the future will be more complicated.
D. Because scientists can’t describe our genes in detail.
Will there ever be another Einstein? This is the undercurrent(潜流) of conversation at Einstein memorial meetings throughout the year. A new Einstein will appear, scientists say. But it may take a long time. After all, more than 200 years separated Einstein from Isaac Newton.
Many physicists say the next Einstein hasn't been born yet, or is a baby now. That's because the search for a unified theory that would explain all the forces of nature has pushed current mathematics to its limits. New math must be created after the problem can be solved.
But researchers say there are many other factors working against another Einstein appearing anytime soon. For one thing, physics is a much different field today. In Einstein's day, there were a few thousand physicists worldwide, and the theorists who could argue with Einstein probably would fit into a streetcar with seats to spare. Education is different, too. One key aspect of Einstein's training that-is little noticed is the years of philosophy he read as a teenager --- Kant, Schopenhauer and Spinoza, among others. It taught him how to think independently about space and time and it wasn't long before he became a philosopher himself.
And Einstein was a clever musician. The interplay between music and math is well-known. Einstein would play his violin hard as a way to think through a knotty physics problem.
Today, universities have produced millions of physicists. There aren't many jobs in science for them, so they go to Wall Street and Silicon Valley to apply their analytical skills. Those who stay in science don’t work alone and they sometimes do experiment together which takes years.
It's hard to imagine a renegade(背叛者) like Einstein standing it. “Maybe there is an Einstein out there today,” said Columbia University physicist Brian Greene, “but it would be a lot harder for him to be heard.”According to the second paragraph, the next Einstein will ___________.
A.have to create new math | B.create a unified theory |
C.have to be born now | D.push math to its limits |
The underlined words “knotty” in the fourth paragraph means ____________.
A.easy | B.interesting | C.strange | D.difficult |
Which of the following will be useful for the next Einstein to be born?
A.There will be music around. |
B.There will be no problems to solve. |
C.There will be suitable philosophy to study. |
D.There are only a few physicists. |
The bold words “unified theory” in Paragraph 2 refers to ___________.
A.agreement | B.mathematical rule |
C.unique idea | D.physical saying |
A husband-and-wife team from California reached the Pacific Ocean after a 4,900- mile-cross
-country walk, becoming the first to backpack the American Discovery Trail in one continuous
walk.
Marcia and Ken powers, of Pleasanton, started the travel across 13 states, through 14 national parks and 16 national forests on Feb. 27 from Cape Henlopen in Delaware. Nearly eight months later, the excited couple walked through water into the Pacific Ocean at Point Reyes, a day ahead of time.
“We are a little sad that a great adventure is over. It was a fantastic adventure. And now we go home and just do housework. It's really sad.” Marcia, who said she's in her 50s, and her 60-year-old husband traversed cities, desert, mountains and farmland before reaching the Pacifics alone with arms around each other' s backpacks.
They overcame deep snow in the East, a quicksand in Utah, close lightning strikes in the Mid- west and strong desert sandstorms in the West while averaging 22 miles a day and taking only four days off. But they enjoyed the French history of St. Louis' the beauty of the Colorado Rockies and the kindness of strangers they met along the way. They particularly remember two brothers ---- a
doctor and dentist-------who put them up in their homes, after terrible days, and a motorcyclist who gave them water after they failed to find any on Utah's lonely Wah Wah Desert.
“Americans are truly warm-hearted and wonderful people.” Marcia Powers said. “We got to meet people that we would never meet in our daily living at home. We got to touch it with our feet and hands and smell all its scents and hear its wildlife. It' s an amazing country,” she added.Which of the following about couple's walk is TRUE?
A.The walk covered more than 13 states. |
B.The walk lasted about half a year. |
C.The walk didn't meet any desert. |
D.The walk might end before October 27. |
The underlined word “traversed” in the third paragraph means “____________.”
A.enjoy | B.move across, through or over |
C.overcome | D.look at |
According to the text, we can infer that during the walk the couple __________.
A.were treated warm-heartedly by the local people |
B.never stopped to have a rest |
C.were ever caught in a heavy rain and became ill |
D.felt the quicksand in Utah was very interesting |
The couple went through many places except ____________.
A.big rivers | B.desert | C.hills | D.fields |