Most city parks are places where you can escape from big,ugly structures of metal and stone.The Manhattan High Line is different.Raised 25 feet above the ground,this massive metal structure once supported a rail line.The line opened in 1934 but it was hardly used after the 1960s,and much of it was torn down.However,one stretch remained in a region of Manhattan.The railway structure was ugly and everyone knew that at some time,it would have to be removed.
But the High Line was not destroyed.In fact.now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city.The idea to change the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond.In 1999,they attended a community meeting to decide the fate of the High Line.David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the historical structure. Later on,when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line,they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city,and they realized that the High Line had potential to become a park.There was growing interest in improving urban centers,and so the project quickly gathered funds for construction.
The first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike.Each part of the park has a different atmosphere.Some areas are like balconies with wonderful city views.Other sections have wide lawns and walkways planted with wild flowers.Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years—a railway line overgrown with weeds.What is the text mainly about?
| A.A park. | B.A train line. |
| C.City transport. | D.A historical monument. |
Which of the following is NOT true about the High Line?
| A.It is above ground level. | B.Only part of the line remains. |
| C.It is now a popular park. | D.Trains still use the line. |
Why did David and Hammond want to save the High Line at first?
| A.They thought it would make a good park. |
| B.They wanted to reopen the train line. |
| C.They thought it had historical value. |
| D.They were interested in improving the city. |
Why were people easily persuaded by David and Hammond’s idea?
| A.They wanted to make cities nicer places. |
| B.They wanted to see the wild flowers too. |
| C.They realized the High Line was important. |
| D.They knew that funds were available. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that the park is ______________.
| A.popular with tourists | B.similar to what it used to be |
| C.various in its design | D.1ike natural countryside |
第二部分:阅读理解(共两节,满分50分)
第一节:阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A, B, C, D) 中,选出可以填入空
白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。(共20小题,每小题2分,共40分)
A
A university graduate described as a “respectable and intelligent” woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of shoplifting for the second time in six months.
Ana Luz, recently studying for PhD has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops.
Luz, who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road, Cambridge, admitted stealing clothes worth 9.95 pounds from John Lewis in Oxford Street, London, on March 9.
Phillip Lomoyne, prosecuting(起诉), said Luz selected some clothes from display and took them to the ladies’ toilet in the store, when she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected, having taken off the anti-theft security alarm.
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying, Mr. Lomoyne said.
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions.
Luz, 28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October, but Morag Duff, defending said she had never been in trouble with the police before this.
“She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn’t really have any explanation why she did this,” Miss Duff said. “She didn’t intend to steal when she went into the store. She is at a loss to explain it. She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady. She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is something in particular that caused her to do this.”
Judge David Azan fined Luz 50 pounds, and warned: “You have got a criminal record. If you carry on like this, you will end up in prison, which will ruin your bright future you may have.”
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain, went on to a famous university in Berlin, Germany for her master’s degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University, UK.
41.What is Ana Luz’s nationality?
A.American. B.British. C.Spanish. D.German.
42.What does the underlined sentence “She is at a loss to explain it” mean?
A.In her opinion it was a loss to the clothes shops where she stole things.
B.She doesn’t have any idea why she has the desire to steal from shops.
C.She thinks it is a loss for her to explain why she stole things from shops.
D.Personally she feels ashamed and embarrassed for her shoplifting actions.
43.Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “shoplifting” used in the passage?
A.Carrying goods in a lift for a shop. B.Taking goods to the ladies’ toilet.
C.Selecting some goods from a display. D.Taking goods from a shop without paying.
44.From the passage we can learn that________.
A.Ana Luz has already got her PhD at Cambridge University, UK
B.Ana Luz is ashamed and embarrassed and knows why she often did so
C.the university graduate will be put in prison if she steals in shops once more
D.Phillip Lomoyne is the “respectable and intelligent” woman’s defense(辩护) lawyer
45.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Shoplifting Shame of a PhD Student.
B.Apologizing for the Actions in Shops.
C.Seeking Professional Help from Experts.
D.Controlling the Desire to Steal from Shops.
E
Language is a major problem for the European Union(EU).The agreement or treaty (条约) which created the organization that eventually became the EU, the Treaty of Rome,stated that each country’s language must be treated equally.The original six countries had only three languages between them:French, German and Dutch . However, there are now 15 countries in the EU, with a total of 12 languages. EU documents must be translated into all these languages,and at official meetings, the speeches must be translated into all the languages by interpreters.
All this translating is very expensive and time consuming . It is said that nearly half of all employees of the EU are engaged in translating documents and speeches, and nearly half of the EU’s administrative (管理方面的) costs are spent on this task.In the near future it is probable that several more countries, most of them having their own languages, will join the EU, thus making the situation even worse.
The problem is not just cost:there are practical difficulties as well. With 12 languages,there are 132 possible “translation situations” that might be needed.It is often difficult to find people in the right place at the right time who can translate from (for example) Danish into Greek, or Dutch into Portuguese, at a high professional standard.
In practice, the problem has been made less severe by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials,since almost all of them speak some English. However, any action to reduce the number of official languages (perhaps to four or five) would be a blow to the pride of the smaller countries. Another commonly suggested solution is to make English the official language for all EU business. However, this is strongly resisted by powerful member countries like France and Germany.
72.What’s the main purpose of this passage?
A.To give a solution to a problem.
B.To find out a problem and show how severe it is
C.To criticize the European Union for inefficiency.
D.To show that the problem cannot be solved.
73.According to the writer,the use of English in contacts among EU officials has _________.
A.angered the officials who don’t speak English
B.increased the number of official languages
C.reduced the effect of the problem
D.been supported by powerful member countries
74.The writer mentions “Danish into Greek” as an example of ________.
A.a situation that might be difficult to deal with
B.a situation that occurs at times
C.one of the 12 situations that requires an interpreter
D.languages easily being interpreted
75.The writer suggests that if the number of official languages were reduced, ________
A.the EU would not know which official languages to choose
B.countries whose languages were not used officially would be unhappy
C.only easy languages would be used officially
D.the smaller member countries would be pleased
D
“Wanted by the FBI.” To the murderer, or the bank robber, these are the most frightening words in the world. When the criminal hears them,he knows that six thousand trained persons are after him.
Why should he be so afraid? There are thousands of cities and villages where he can hide,and forests and deserts, as well. Besides, he’s usually rich with stolen money.
Money can make it easier to hide. With money, the criminal can even pay a doctor to operate on his face and make him hard to recognize. But the criminals know that as public enemies, they can be found by the FBI no matter where they hide.
They know every trick the criminal knows and many more. If he makes just one mistake,they’ll get him. That’s why the man who is wanted can’t sleep. That’s why he becomes nervous, why he jumps at every sound.
The FBI began on May 10th, 1924. General Harlan Stone chose Edgar Hoover, a young lawyer, to head the new agency . “What we need is a wholly new kind of police force,” he said. “Criminals today are smart.They use stolen cars and even planes to make their gateways. They have learned to open any lock,using advanced technology. We can’t beat them with old methods. We have to train officers to work scientifically.”
Edgar Hoover quietly went ahead with his plans. He picked his men carefully. They had to be between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. He wanted only men with good manners and good character. When working as his officers, they would have to meet all kinds of people. Hoover wanted men who could handle a teacup as well as a gun. But the FBI cannot help in every police problem. It can look into only certain crimes against the government. Solving all other crimes is the duty of local police forces.
68.A man wanted by the FBI will find that money is ________.
A.not at all usefulB.very helpful for a while
C.necessary for his crime D.everything for him
69.Before he worked with the FBI,Edgar Hoover was a ____________.
A.policeman B.lawyer C.teacher D.general
70.The FBI was begun in order to____.
A.reduce crimes B.bring younger men into police work
C.fight crimes scientifically D.offer jobs
71.A man who can “handle a teacup as well as a gun” has both ____________.
A.courage and manners B.strength and kindness
C.wisdom and energy D.ability and humor
C
President Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English. An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama," has sold more than 400,000 copies in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.
Japanese have a fervor for learning English and many bookstores have a corner dedicated (专门用于) to dozens of journals in the language, many of them now featuring the new U.S. leader's face.
"Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates(候选人) are excellent as listening tools to learn English. Obama's are especially so. His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as 'yes, we can,' 'change' and 'hope' that even Japanese people can memorize," said Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.
Speeches by George W. Bush and former nominee(提名) John Kerry's four years ago did not have the same interest, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians. “We have to turn to a foreign president for someone in whom to place our hopes”, Yamamoto said.
The 95-page paperback features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries(初选), in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are accompanied by Japanese translations.
The 1,050 yen ($12) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website, http://www.amazon.co.jp/. He said lawmakers from Japan's main opposition Democratic Party had bought the book to study Obama's speeches.
Following Obama's inauguration(就职典礼), Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel(续集) that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863.
64. Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates are excellent as listening tools to learn English because ________.
A. the speakers are all great
B. the speakers have high speech skills
C. the language is full of humor
D. the contents are good and the words are easy to catch
65. Why do Japanese place their hopes in a foreign president?
A. Because they don’t have politicians who have such a positive influence.
B. Because they have the same attitude as the foreign presidents.
C. Because they have never made a political speech.
D. Because they hope to have a foreigner as their leader.
66. Which is true about “The Speeches of Barack Obama”?
A. It contains all Obama’s speeches .
B. It has 1,050 pages with a CD.
C. It includes his inaugural address.
D. It is an especially popular book in Japan.
67. Which of the following can best describe the main idea of the passage?
A. Japan speaks highly of Obama president .
B. Japan learns English from Obama speeches textbook .
C. Obama gains his fame from his election speeches.
D. Obama gives Japanese speeches on how to learn English.
B
It is important that you make a good impression at work. If you make a good impression on your boss, he or she is more likely to give you more responsibilities which can lead to promotions and raises. Here are some ways to make a good impression at work.
Use Proper Office Etiquette (礼仪)
Using proper manners will help you make a good impression on your boss and also your co-workers. Office etiquette includes everything from the proper way to use e-mails to knowing when, where, and how to use your cellphone at work。
Face Up to Your Mistakes
When you make a mistake at work, which everyone inevitably (不可避免地) does at some point, face up to it. Don’t ignore your mistake or blame others. Take the responsibility and come up with a solution to your mistake. Your boss may not be happy about it, but he or she will at least be impressed with your response.
Know to Call in Sick
Do you think coming to work when you are sick instead of staying at home will impress your boss? Reasonable bosses know that the sick employee not only is unproductive but also he or she can spread an illness around the office. Call in sick when you are ill.
Come through in a Crisis
When the unexpected thing happens at work, who will make a better impression on the boss? Of course it’s the employee who deals with the crisis quickly and effectively.
60. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. How to Use Good Etiquette
B. How to Deal with Mistakes at Work
C. How to Be a Good Worker in the Future
D. How to Make a Good Impression at Work
61. What should you do if you make a mistake at work?
A. Try to ignore the mistake.
B. Put the blame on others.
C. Think out a solution to your mistake.
D. Leave the company as soon as possible.
62. According to the writer, when you are ill you’d better _______.
A. go to work on time as usual
B. stay at home without telling others
C. go on working but stay away from others
D. stop working and ask for a leave
63. Who will make good impressions on the boss?
A. Employees who deal with the crisis quickly and effectively.
B. Employees who often make mistakes.
C. Employees who go to work though they are ill.
D. Employees who often use their cellphones at work.