I was an extremely verbal child, and growing up with my dad was an experiment in linguistics(语言学). My father was a man of few words. Whenever I wanted his permission for a certain activity, I planned a speech that included who would be there, where it would take place, how long it would last, and why it was an incredibly wonderful opportunity for me. He would listen and then say either “Yes” or “No.” There were never any qualifiers; not “Yes, but be home by dinner” or “No, unless you can convince me otherwise.” It was yes or no, plain and simple.
My father’s phone messages were also lessons in patience and long-suffering to a teenage girl. I was quite active in high school. Not only did I enjoy being involved in many areas, but I came into contact with many a great teenage guy. I can recall one busy day when I had met two great guys and had given each of them my phone number. The first words out of my mouth when I walked through the front door were, “Dad! Did anyone call?” His answer, of course, was simply “Yes”.I required for a more accurate description of the caller. His answer: “A boy.” Since I had met two guys that day, this did not help me. I ran to my room in tears.
Knowing my dad’s dislike of language in general and his fondness for briefness, it surprised me to hear that he was going to teach the eleven-year-old boys’ Sunday school class. He did so for not one, but many years. I always wondered if he actually said anything, or if they all just sat in their chairs and stared at each other. I was sure that if people were waiting on my father to break the ice with brilliant conversation or a springboard comment, they’d be badly disappointed. Still, September after September, my father hung his sign outside the Sunday school room: Mr. Ernst—Eleven-Year-Old Boys. In order to get Dad to agree to the author’s outing, the author had to make up the following EXCEPT _____.
| A．the friends I shall meet in the activity |
| B．the activity is a chance for anyone |
| C．the place where the activity is to be held |
| D．the time that I shall spend in the activity |
When the author says “My father’s phone messages were also lessons in patience and long-suffering to a teenage girl.”, it means that when she was young _____.
| A．her father once gave her a lesson about patience and long-lasting pain |
| B．her father’s brief phone messages angered her a lot but made her patient |
| C．she was trained to be patient and brave because of her father’s brief phone messages |
| D．she suffered and had to be patient because of her father’s brief phone messages |
What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “break the ice” in Paragraph 3?
| A．Make the ice crack. | B．Stop talking. |
| C．Start a talk. | D．Interrupt a talk. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．My father would answer me with “Yes, but be home by dinner” sometimes. |
| B．I came into contact with just a few great teenage guys because I was active in high school. |
| C．That my father would teach the eleven-year-old boys’ Weekday school class surprised me. |
| D．I always wanted to know how my father, who talked so little, taught the boys. |
C
Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farms have experienced an “agricultural revolution”. On the farm of today, machines provide almost all the power.
One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock(家畜) to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for pig producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power.
Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real “mechanized hired hand” that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Agricultural engineers believe that computer-aided robots will make shocking changes in farming before the end of the century. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear（修剪） sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the barn, then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete change of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.
49. Which sentence carried the main idea of the whole passage?
A.The first sentence of the third paragraph.
B. The first sentence of the second paragraph.
C. The first sentence of the first paragraph.
D. The last sentence of the second paragraph.
50. According to the passage, computers can not help farmers decide _______.
A. how much money they can earn from their products
B. whether to plant a certain kind of crop
C. what livestock to raise D. when to sell their products
51. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Farmers in the future will depend totally on computers.
B. Farmers mainly use machines on their farms at present.
C.Both computers and robots have been in use on today’s farms.
D. Students at agricultural colleges must take computer classes because they can do
nothing without the help of computers on today’s farms.
52. What is the best title for the whole passage?
A. Computer, Farmers’ Best Friend B. Farmers in The Future
C. The Agricultural Revolution D. Computers and Robots
B
“It was all his own idea, ” says Pat Peters, the 38-year-old wife of Palo Alto, California high school football coach Bob Peters, 39. Bob had just drawn up a “motherhood contract” --a document stating that for 70 days this summer he would take over the care and feeding of the couple’s four children, plus all household chores. Although he didn’t even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was quite confident.(He thought the experience would make a nice book.)
After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to give up. “I was beaten down, completely humbled（挫败的）,” admits Peters. Three weeks later he spoke to the local press, stating, “Not only is motherhood a difficult task, not only is it never-ending, it is an impossible job for any normal human being.”
Bob and Pat were high school sweethearts. After they were married in 1960, she worked as a secretary to help put him through university. Since then Bob has been the football and wrestling coach at Palo Alto’s Cubberley High while Pat raised the kids. Then two years ago Pat went back to work as a secretary at Cubberley. “I had been around children so much,” she sighs, “I couldn’t talk to a grown-up.” She continued to run the household, however----until Bob signed the contract, therefore, she decided to relax and enjoy it.
Although Peters had consulted(咨询) with his school’s home economics teachers and the head of the cafeteria, his meals were sometimes a disaster. “I tried to slip the butter I’d forgotten under the eggs after they were frying, ” he says. For the last three weeks, the family ate out a lot—sometimes having Macdonald’s hamburgers for lunch and dinner.
As for housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean if the bed is made. “I found an easier way-I shut the doors, ” he says. Soon the kids were wearing the same clothes for a week. “I made them wear their shirts inside out, and when we went to pick up Pat at work they turned them right side out so they would look clean.”
Now that Bob has publicly admitted he was wrong, he is routinely sharing the child-raising and household tasks with Pat. The tentative（暂时的） title of his book about the summer is taken from something he shouted at the kids one day.
45. The couple signed the contract because _______.
A. Pat complained a lot about her doing the housework all by herself
B. Bob loved taking care of children and wanted his wife to have a good rest
C. they agreed that husband and wife should share household tasks
D. Bob thought it easy to take care of the family and wanted the experience for a book
46. It was agreed that if Bob failed to keep to the contract, he would have to _______.
A. pay a certain amount of money
B.admit publicly he was wrong about motherhood
C. say sorry to his wife D. do all the housework for years
47. What can we learn about Pat Peters?
A. She was hard-working and selfless. B. She was pretty and kind-hearted.
C. She was tired of the child-raising and household tasks.
D. She did not love Bob any longer.
48. Which of the following can best end the news story?
A. “Wait till your mother gets home!” B. “My experience of being a mother.”
C. “I’m proud of you all, my dear!”D. “Motherhood: an impossible job for anyone.”
第三部分：阅读理解
A
In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it’s a matter of life of death. The time chosen for the call communications its importance.
In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life. For example, if people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the A.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
41. If one makes a telephone call at dawn, this would mean ____.
A. the matter is of value B. the matter is somewhat important
C. the matter requires attention D. it is a matter of life or death
42. According to the passage, time plays an important role in ____.
A. everyday life B. school life C. communications D. private life
43. According to the passage, the author of the article may agree that ____.
A. it is not appropriate to send your invitation cards only three or four days before a dinner party date in U. S. A.
B. it is impolite to be prompt
C. it is best for one to make telephone calls at night because it costs much less
D. if one is less than 5 minutes late, he has to make a short apology
44. The best title for this passage is “ ____”.
A. Time and tide wait for no man B. The importance of time
C. The importance of an announcement D. The voices of time
E
Language is a major problem for the European Union (EU) . The argument or treaty (条约) which created the organization that finally 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/Flemish. 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 employ
ees 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 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 less serious by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials , since almost all of them speak some English. However, any move 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 .
77.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 serious it is.
C. To criticize (批评) the European Union for inefficiency.
D. To show that the problem cannot be solved.
78. According to the writer, the use of English in contacts among EU officials has_________.
A. angered the officials who don’t speak English
B. reduced the number of official languages.
C. lessened the effect of the problem.
D. been opposed by powerful member countries.
79. 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 often.
C. one of the 12 situations that requires an interpreter. D. languages easily being interpreted
80.The writer suggests that if the number of official languages was 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 languages which are easy to translate would be used officially.
D. the smaller member countries would be pleased.
D
While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had an experience which occurred merely two feet away from me.
Trying to locate my friend among the passengers coming through the jet way, I noticed a man walking toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he kissed his three children one by one and said, “It’s nice to see you. I missed you so much!” Then he hugged his wife, “I’ve saved the best for last!” giving her the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. They stared at each other’s eyes, smiling at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds（新婚夫妇）, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be.
Full of admiration, I asked, “Wow! How long have you two been married?” “Being together for fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” He replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well, then, how long have you been away?” I asked. “Two whole days!” “Two days?” I was astonished. By the intensity (热烈) of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks --- if not months. I knew my expression betrayed me, so I turned away my eyes and said quietly, “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after so long!”
The man suddenly stopped smiling and looked me straight in the eye. With forcefulness he told me something that left me a different person. “Don’t hope, friend…decide!” Then he smiled again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”
With that, he and his family turned and walked away together.
I was still watching that man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, “What are you looking at?” Without hesitation, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, “My future!”
74. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The man replied to the author, with his eyes still fixed on his wife’s face.
B. After being away for several weeks, the man missed his family very much.
C. It was fourteen years since the couple had got married.
D. Their three kids reminded the author of newlyweds.
75. By saying “my expression betrayed me” (in Paragraph 4), the author means that _________.
A. he failed to express his ideas to the man
B. the man sensed his real feelings from his expression
C. he didn’t believe in his expression any more
D. his expression was not faithful to him
76. From the passage, we can infer that __________.
A. the experience may be easily forgotten by the author
B. the author will live a passionate life from now on
C. the author will be away from his family and hug them passionately upon his return
D. Americans prefer to save the best for last