When you practice reading with passages shorter than book length, do not try to take in each word separately, one after the other. It is much more difficult to grasp the broad theme of the passage this way, and you will also get the stuck on individual words which may not be absolutely essential to a general understanding of the passage. It is a good idea to skim through the passage very quickly first to get the general idea of each paragraph. Titles, paragraph headings and emphasized word can be a great help in getting this skeleton outline of the passage. It is surprising how many people do not read titles, introductions or paragraph headings. Can you, without looking back, remember the title of this passage and the heading of this paragraph?
Most paragraphs of a passage or chapter have a 'topic sentence' which expresses the central idea. The remaining sentence expand or support that idea. It has been estimated that between 60% and 90% of all expositive（说明的）paragraphs in English have the topic sentence first. Always pay special attention to the first sentence of a paragraph; it is most likely to give you the main idea.
Sometimes , though , the first sentence in the paragraph does not have the feel of 'main idea' sentence. It does not seem to give us enough new information to justify a paragraph. The next most likely place to look for the topic sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph.
Remember that the opening and closing paragraphs of a passage or chapter are particularly important . The opening paragraph suggests the general direction and content of the piece, while the closing paragraph often summarizes the very essence （精髓）.It is a good idea to skim through a passage quickly first ________.
| A．at about 350 w. P.m.(words per minute) |
| B．to get the general idea of each paragraph |
| C．so that you can take in each word separately |
| D．to make sure you get to the end at least once |
The topic sentence of an expository paragraph in English_______.
| A．usually comes in the middle |
| B．is most likely to be found at the end |
| C．is most often at the beginning |
| D．is usually left out in expository writing |
Most expository paragraphs in English have a clearly defined topic sentence. In such paragraphs the topic sentence comes first ________.
| A．in about 40% of cases | B．in about 80% of cases |
| C．in about 20% cases | D．very rarely |
Some times we know the first sentence is not the topic sentence because ________.
| A．it does not seem to give us enough new information |
| B．it is not long enough |
| C．it does not come at the beginning |
| D．it does not make complete sentence |
We each have a unique genetic (基因的，遗传的) make-up. Every cell of your body has the same set of about 100,000 separate genes made of DNA. These are the instructions for producing a person. Genes decide everything from the colour of your skin to the way your brain works. You have one of several billion combinations of DNA which come from the random mixing of your parents’ genes. Except for identical twins (同卵双胞胎), no one has the same combination as another person. You are unique! You are unique in another way too: in the way you are raised and all the experiences you have from before birth to adult life. These experiences influence you, your behaviour and attitudes, and the choices you make.
But are genes or life experiences more important in shaping your appearance and personality? Scientists are studying twins to find out. One set of twins occurs every 70 births---some are identical and others are non-identical twins. Identical twins are special because they share exactly the same genes and often the same environment. Non-identical twins are more like ordinary brothers and sisters.
Some identical twins have been adopted and brought up in different homes. With identical genes but a different home environment, scientists can study twins to see how much a particular feature depends on the genes we inherit. For example, we know that eye problems, like short-sightedness, are mostly genetic. But resistance to pain is largely dependent on experiences. Genes also influence our eating habits. Identical twins brought up apart often like to eat at the same time of day and feel full after eating the same amount. Non-identical twins in similar circumstances have more varied eating habits. Identical twins are also more likely to follow the same patterns for marriage and divorce than non-identical twins.
Scientists are trying to identify the different genes that influence our behaviour. Some people are thrill-seekers and get into risk-taking and adventurous activities. They take up extreme sports like bungee jumping and possibly take drugs. Scientists have discovered a gene which affects this.
We could ask, “Are our lives determined by our genes or our upbringing?” Scientists are learning more all the time, but it is certainly true that both are important in making us who we are.What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．We cannot easily change our physical appearance. |
| B．How we turn out depends on our parents’ genes. |
| C．Everyone has a physical double somewhere in the world. |
| D．Both our genes and our experiences make us who we are. |
Why are scientists studying twins?
| A．To find out how many twins are born every year. |
| B．To discover what shapes us as individuals. |
| C．To compare differences between twins. |
| D．To study brother-and-sister relationships. |
According to the passage, __________.
| A．one in 70 twins are genetically identical |
| B．non-identical twins are usually not of the same sex |
| C．twins separated at birth behave exactly the same |
| D．identical twins are genetically the same |
Which of the following is most affected by experience according the passage?
| A．Eating habits. | B．Eye-sight. | C．Pain resistance. | D．Marriage patterns. |
What does the underlined “this” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Our love of sport. | B．Our attitude to risk-taking. |
| C．Our skill at bungee jumping. | D．Our ability to take drugs. |
A Swedish man was dug out alive after being snowed in his car on a forest track for two months with no food, police and local media reported on Saturday.
The 45-year-old from southern Sweden was found on Friday, February17, too weak to say more than a few words.
He was found not far from the city of Umea in the north of Sweden by snowmobilers who thought they had come across a ruined car until they dug their way to a window and saw movement inside.
The man, who was lying in the back seat in a sleeping bag, said he had been in the car since December 19.
“Just incredible that he’s alive considering that he had no food, but also since it’s been really cold for some time after Christmas.” a rescue team member told regional daily Vasterbottens- Kuriren, which broke the news.
Ebbe Nyberg, duty officer at the Umea police, said police saw no reason to doubt that the man had been stuck in the car for a very long time.
“We would not make up something like this. The rescue services were on site too and saw the same as us.” he told Vasterbottens-Kuriren.
Umea University Hospital, where the man is recovering after being rescued by police and a rescue team, said in a statement he was doing well considering the circumstances.
Doctors at the hospital said humans would normally be able to survive for about four weeks without food. Besides eating snow, the man probably survived by going into a dormant-like(休眠似的）state, physician Stefan Branth told Vasterbottens-Kuriren.
“A bit like a bear that hibernates. Humans can do that.” he said. “He probably had a body temperature of around 31 degrees which the body adjusted to. Due to the low temperature, not much energy was used up.”
“Why the man ended up under the snow in the forest remains unknown,” police said.Who found the Swedish man in the snow?
| A．Snowmobilers. | B．The police. | C．A rescue team. | D．Local people. |
“Police saw no reason to doubt that the man had been stuck in the car for a very long time.” implies that .
| A．police didn’t think it true | B．police were sure of the fact |
| C．police had some doubt on the fact | D．police had reasons to doubt the fact |
The reason why the man could survive was most probably that .
| A．he was only forty-five year old | B．he did not use any energy |
| C．he slept in the sleeping bag | D．he was in a dormant-like state |
Which is the correct order of the following events?
a．The Swedish man was stuck in the snow.
b．He was sent to Umea University Hospital.
c．He was found by snowmobilers.
d．He was recovering after treatment.
e．He stayed in his car for nearly two months.
f．He was dug out by people.
| A．e, a, c, d, f, b | B．a, e, c, f, b, d |
| C．a, f, c, e, b, d | D．e, c, f, a, d, b |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．A Traffic Accident | B．A Long Sleep in Winter |
| C．An Incredible Survival | D．A Successful Rescue |
FOR many young people, having to attend school with a parent would be their worst nightmare. However, Senior 1 student Li Qinmei is happy taking her father with her as long as she can go to classes. He is disabled and unable to take care of himself.
The 16-year-old country girl in Zhucheng, Shandong Province has experienced one disaster after another in her short life. Li lost her mother at three. Four years later, her father became paralyzed after a tractor accident. At 12, her misfortune returned with the death of her grandma. Since then she has been forced to shoulder all the responsibility for her broken family.
Li learnt to cook and managed to live a life with an allowance of only 24 yuan per month. The most difficult thing she had to deal with was helping her father bathe, dress and use the toilet as he could hardly move.
"I felt embarrassed, and so did my dad. It was really hard at the beginning," she recalled.
During most of her junior school years, Li went to classes only once a month as her father was seriously ill at the time.
"I taught myself at home and asked teachers for help on my school days," she explained.
Li's hard work paid off this fall. She was admitted by Zhucheng No 1 High School, a local key school, based on her good performance in the entrance exams.
The school offered Li and her father a room on campus to live in so she could look after him during breaks.
Once in a while, Li felt sad when she saw her classmates going shopping or hanging out with friends.
"I envy them sometimes because they have both mum and dad to look after them. However, I soon feel relieved as I still have my dad with me," she said.
Li admitted that the difficulties in life had taught her to be strong.
"I believe I will go on and continue my studies at a good university," she said, in a confident tone.
Her teacher Mr. Wang has the same belief. Li made great progress in the recent monthly exams. "She works hard and is always eager to excel . It's not easy for her never to be late for school, but she has managed to make it work," Wang said.Li Qinmei has to shoulder the family because ________.
| A．her father was badly injured in a car accident |
| B．her mother passed away when she was 3 |
| C．her grandma died when she was 12 |
| D．misfortune in her life forced her to do so |
From the passage we can infer that _________.
| A．Li Qinmei doesn’t like others talking about her father |
| B．many young students hate going to school with their parents |
| C．Li Qinmei has made great progress in her study |
| D．Li Qinmei has lost three relatives and has to take care of her father |
What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “hanging out” in the passage?_________.
| A．playing outside | B．working hard | C．exchanging ideas | D．talking happily |
According to the passage, which statement is Not True? __________.
| A．Li Qinmei was admitted to a local key school because of his good scores in the exams |
| B．Li Qinmei is very embarrassed when she helps her father bathe |
| C．Li Qinmei often goes to attend her father after class |
| D．Li Qinmei is able to go to class on time though she has to attend her father |
What’s the best title of the story?________.
| A．Difficulties make strong | B．A touching story |
| C．A strong-minded girl-Li Qinmei | D．Li Qinmei’s successful study life |
Light travels at a speed which is about a million times faster than the speed of sound. You can get some idea of this difference by watching the start of a race. If you stand some distance away from the starter, you can see smoke from his gun before the sound reaches your ears.
This great speed of light produces some strange facts. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach us. If you look at the light of the moon tonight, remember that the light rays left the moon 1.3 seconds before they reached you. The nearest star is so far away that the light that you can see from it tonight started to travel towards you four years ago at a speed of nearly 2 million km. per minute. In some cases, the light from one of tonight’s stars had started on its journey to you before you were born.
Thus, if we want to be honest, we can’t say, “The stars are shining tonight.” We have to say instead, “The stars look pretty. They were shining four years ago, but their light has only just reached the earth.” Light speed is ______ sound speed
| A．as fast as | B．a million times slower than |
| C．about millions of times faster than | D．about a million times faster than |
If you stand 200 meters away from a man who is firing a gun to start a race, you will find out that ______.
| A．you can hear the sound before you see the smoke |
| B．the sound does not travel as fast as light |
| C．the sound will reach you before the man fires |
| D．sound travels about a million times faster than light |
Sunlight obviously (明显地) ______ than the light of the moon
| A．has to travel a greater distance | B．moves less quickly |
| C．travels much more quickly | D．is less powerful(有力的) |
The scientific way of saying "The stars are shining tonight" should be ______.
| A．the stars have been shining all the time |
| B．the stars seen tonight will shine four years later |
| C．the stars were shining long ago but seen tonight |
| D．the starlight seen today could be seen four years ago |
| Driver Wanted Drive for busy restaurant some evening and weekend work All meals are free Ring 33335678 |
House for Sale ￥150, 000, built in 1995 The house with 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, a kitchen and a breakfast room. It’s on the south side of the city |
| Yingbin Supermarket, the biggest shopping centre in our city will open on July 8, 2005. Everybody with today’s Tianjin Daily will get a small present that day. You are welcome. Tel: 27984321 Add: No.6 Huanghe Road Tianjin Daily June 1, 2005 |
Rose’s Special Concert Time: 2 p.m., July 3, Saturday Place: People’s Statium Ticket Price: RMB: 150 yuan for adults; 70 Yuan for students June 25, 2005 |
If you work as a driver in the restaurant, you may ______.
| A．never pay for meals | B．pay a little for meals |
| C．work on weekends | D．work in the afternoon |
If you buy the house, you ______.
| A．may pay more than ￥150, 000 for it | B．must have breakfast in the kitchen |
| C．have to take a bath in the public bathroom | D．may live on the south side of the city |
Any customer with a Tianjin Daily of June 1, 2005 will get a small present from ______.
| A．every supermarket | B．Huanghe Road |
| C．Tianjin Daily | D．Yingbin Supermarket |
If two adults and two students want to go to the concert, the tickets will cost RMB______.
| A．220 yuan | B．440 yuan | C．270 yuan | D．370 yuan |