Former Irish President Mary Robinson was just making a polite conversation with an Ethiopian (埃塞俄比亚的) teenager about her wedding day. The 16yearold had already been married for a year. “She looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, ‘I had to drop out of school’，” Robinson said in a telephone interview. “That conveyed to me the reality，” said Robinson, the first woman to serve as Ireland's president and former U．N. high commissioner for human fights. “Her life, as far as she is concerned, had more or less ended.”
Robinson said keeping girls in school was one of the most important things policymakers could do to address the coming challenges of an ever-increasing population, predicted by the United Nations to reach 7 billion soon. “European countries are concerned about aging populations as is Japan, but this is much less of an issue than the huge number of people which we are going to see over the next 40 years when the population goes from 7 billion to 9 billion，” she said. “Almost all of that increase will be in poor developing countries, so that we have a very big challenge.”
Family planning experts worry in particular about the future population explosion in subSaharan Africa. In May, the United Nations projected the world population would reach 9.3billion in 2050 and 10.1 billion by 2100. Much of that growth will come from Africa, where the population is growing at 2.3 percent a year—more than double Asia's 1 percent growth rate. If that rate stays consistent, which is not certain, Africa's population will reach 3.6 billion by 2100 from the present 1 billion.
Joel Cohen, a professor of population studies at Rockefeller University and Columbia University in New York, said universal secondary education offered a way to reduce population in high birthrate regions. In addition to providing information about birth control, a secondary education teaches women to reduce their own fertility (生育力), improve the health of their children and allows them to move from a mindset of having many children, in the hopes that some will survive to improving the quality of each child's life, Cohen wrote in the journal Nature.In the first paragraph, the author introduces his topic by ________.
| A．explaining the author's opinions |
| B．giving an example |
| C．describing the poor education system |
| D．coming straight to the topic |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Robinson is happy after talking to the Ethiopian girl. |
| B．Robinson is a successful expert in population studies. |
| C．Robinson is worried about population growth. |
| D．Robinson encourages female education. |
What is Joel Cohen's view about secondary education?
| A．It provides basic knowledge of health. |
| B．It improves the health of children. |
| C．It makes people pay more attention to education. |
| D．It can change people's parenting ideas. |
According to Robinson, what is one of the most important things policymakers can do to prevent the population from increasing rapidly?
| A．Keeping girls in school. |
| B．Letting girls go away from Africa. |
| C．Letting young girls remain single. |
| D．Keeping girls in families. |
About nine million people like rock climbing in America. Millions more take part in the activity around the world. Some do it just for fun. Others compete.
Climbing takes strength, control and good balance. Climbers have to pull themselves straight up the face of very high rocks or walls. So they have to be strong enough to carry their own weight. And climbers sometimes have to hold onto rocks by only their fingers or toes.
There are several kinds of rock climbing. Traditional rock climbing is done outside. Climbers wear ropes and tie equipment to the rocks as they climb many hundreds of meters up. They also connect their ropes to the equipment. If a climber slips, a rope can stop him from falling.
Sport climbing is similar. However, in it the protective equipment is placed in the rock all the time. There is also indoor climbing. Rock walls made of wood have places for the climber’s hands and feet.
Ice climbing is exactly as it sounds. People climb glaciers or frozen waterfalls instead of rocks. They use special equipment for the ice.
And then there is bouldering-climbing rocks (巨石攀岩) between three and seven meters high. It is quicker and stronger climbing. Many climbers like bouldering because they can use less equipment. Climbers often need only special shoes and chalk (防滑粉). All climbers use chalk to keep their hands dry.
Most rocks have cracks and holes and parts that stick out. Climbers use these for foot-holds and handholds. Climbers use their legs to climb. They try not to pull themselves up with their hands or arms. Arms and hands are for position and balance.
People almost always climb in groups of two or more. Climbing alone is very dangerous. Expert rock climbers say only the very best in the sport should do it.The writer mentions the numbers in Paragraph 1 in order to show that _________.
| A．people do rock climbing just for fun |
| B．rock climbing is popular around the world |
| C．people around the world like the same thing |
| D．Americans like all sports |
We can learn for the Paragraph 2 that________.
| A．a person must take some food for rock climbing |
| B．rock climbing is more dangerous than people think |
| C．rock climbing takes place outside |
| D．rock climbing is not for everyone |
What’s the feature of traditional rock climbing?
| A．It is very safe. | B．It is done alone. |
| C．It is done outside. | D．It needs no equipment. |
According to the passage, people like bouldering because______.
| A．it is simpler than other kinds |
| B．they can try special equipment |
| C．they only have to climb several meters high |
| D．they can do it indoors |
Which of the following is TRUE about rock climbing?
| A．Climbers use their hands or arms to climb. |
| B．Climbers use no special equipment for ice climbing. |
| C．Climbers do rock climbing in groups. |
| D．Climbers do rock climbing without ropes |
We walked in the hospital so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors."
"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them," the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?"
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe (拖一下) of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book.
After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you."
Outside, Mum told me, "Dagmar is fine. No fever. "
"You saw her, Mum?"
"Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush."When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to do was______.
| A．to clean the floor |
| B．to please the nurse |
| C．to see a patient |
| D．to surprise the story-teller |
When the nurse talked to Mum she thought Mum was a______.
| A．nurse | B．visitor |
| C．patient | D．cleaner |
After reading the story what can we infer about the hospital?
| A．It is a children's hospital. |
| B．It has strict rules about visiting hours. |
| C．The conditions there aren't very good. |
| D．The nurses and doctors there don't work hard. |
From the text we know that Dagmar is most likely________.
| A．the story-teller's sister |
| B．Mum's friend |
| C．the story-teller's classmate |
| D．Dad's boss |
Which of the following words best describes Mum?
| A．strange | B．warm-hearted |
| C．clever | D．hard-working |
【2015·新课标全国I】D
Conflict is on the menu tonight at the café La Chope. This evening, as on every Thursday night, psychologist Maud Lehanne is leading two of France’s favorite pastimes, coffee drinking and the “talking cure”. Here they are learning to get in touch with their true feelings. It isn’t always easy. They customers - some thirty Parisians who pay just under $2 (plus drinks) per session - care quick to intellectualize (高谈阔论)，slow to open up and connect. “You are forbidden to say ‘one feels,’ or ‘people think’,” Lehane told them. “Say ‘I think,’ ‘Think me’.”
A café society where no intellectualizing is allowed? It couldn’t seem more un-French. But Lehanne’s psychology café is about more than knowing oneself: It’s trying to help the city’s troubled neighborhood cafes. Over the years, Parisian cafes have fallen victim to changes in the French lifestyle - longer working hours, a fast food boom and a younger generation’s desire to spend more time at home. Dozens of new theme cafes appear to change the situation. Cafes focused around psychology, history, and engineering are catching on, filling tables well into the evening.
The city’s psychology cafes, which offer great comfort, are among the most popular places. Middle-aged homemakers, retirees, and the unemployed come to such cafes to talk about love, anger, and dreams with a psychologist. And they come to Lehanne’s group just to learn to say what they feel. “There’s a strong need in Paris for communication,” says Maurice Frisch, a cafe La Chope regular who works as a religious instructor in a nearby church. “People have few real friends. And they need to open up.” Lehanne says she’d like to see psychology cafes all over France. “If people had normal lives, these cafes wouldn’t exist”, she says, “If life weren’t a battle, people wouldn’t need a special place just to speak.” But them, it wouldn’t be France.What are people encouraged to do at the cafe La Chope?
| A．Learn a new subject |
| B．Keep in touch with friends. |
| C．Show off their knowledge. |
| D．Express their true feelings. |
How are cafes affected by French lifestyle changes?
| A．They are less frequently visited. |
| B．They stay open for longer hours. |
| C．They have bigger night crowds. |
| D．They start to serve fast food. |
What are theme cafes expected to do?
| A．Create more jobs. |
| B．Supply better drinks. |
| C．Save the cafe business. |
| D．Serve the neighborhood. |
Why are psychology cafes becoming popular in Paris?
| A．They bring people true friendship. |
| B．They give people spiritual support. |
| C．They help people realize their dreams. |
| D．They offer a platform for business links. |
【2015·新课标全国II】B
Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. you can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less self-conscious(难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places – and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.
Don’t forget the clock – or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories(卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turning on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plants can easily makes us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake(摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____.
| A．their home comforts |
| B．their body shape |
| C．house buying |
| D．healthy diets |
A home environment in blue can help people ____.
| A．digest food better |
| B．reduce food intake |
| C．burn more calories |
| D．regain their appetites |
What are people advised to do at mealtimes?
| A．Eat quickly. |
| B．Play fast music |
| C．Use smaller spoons |
| D．Turn down the lights |
What can be a suitable title for the text?
| A．Is Your House Making You Fat? |
| B．Ways of Serving Dinner |
| C．Effects of Self-Consciousness |
| D．Is Your Home Environment Relaxing? |
【2015·湖南】B
In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, "No, thanks. I've got a good horse under me."
The city planner decided to build an underground drainage (排水) system, but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city.
An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced me the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12 feet.
This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements, and the second stories into main floors, or hoist the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building?
That's where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews (螺旋千斤顶) beneath the building's foundation. One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews. At Pullman's signal each man turned his jackscrew the same amount at the same time, thereby raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening. Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river.The author mentions the joke to show ______.
| A．horses were fairly useful in Chicago |
| B．Chicago's streets were extremely muddy |
| C．Chicago was very dangerous in the spring |
| D．the Chicago people were particularly humorous |
The city planners were convinced by Ellis Chesbrough to_______.
| A．get rid of the street dirt |
| B．lower the Chicago River |
| C．fight against heavy floods |
| D．build the pipes above ground |
The underlined word "hoist" in Paragraph 4 means "_______".
| A．change | B．lift |
| C．repair | D．decorate |
What can we conclude about the moving operation of the Tremont Hotel?
| A．It went on smoothly as intended. |
| B．It interrupted the business of the hotel. |
| C．It involved Pullman turning ten jackscrews. |
| D．It separated the building from its foundation. |
The passage is mainly about the early Chicago's ______.
| A．popular life styles and their influences |
| B．environmental disasters and their causes |
| C．engineering problems and their solutions |
| D．successful businessmen and their achievements |