What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC.
1.Digital money
We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe(刷) our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money.
You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash.
When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next.
2.Bionic(能力超人的)eye
It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back—by wearing bionic eyes.
A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to “see” the environment and send data directly to the brain.
Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution(高清晰度的) version could be just a few years away.
3.Selfdriving cars
Everything is going automatic these days—washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get distracted by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself.
Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. “By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road,” said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine.The underlined word “distracted” in the article is closest in meaning to “________”.
A.directed | B.discouraged |
C.attacked | D.disturbed |
Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is ________.
A.optimistic | B.pessimistic |
C.doubtful | D.cautious |
Which section is the article most likely to be found in the newspaper?
A.Learning Kit | B.Campus Trends |
C.Entertainment | D.Technology |
In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who'd lived those years with us.In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us —the ones so easily overlooked.If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it.Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness.
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, it brightens yours.If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others.It may be just the medicine you need.
Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately.In that case don't let embarrassment sink you into silence —speak up the first time you have the chance.
Once a young minister.Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiuti Indians in British Columbia.The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for thank you.But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity.Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness.They do their thanks.
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us—including ourselves.For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart.Its message is universal; its lyrics transcend (超越) all earthly barriers; its music touches the heavens.
53.In the first paragraph the writer mainly encourages us.
A.never to overlook our close friends in daily life
B.to express our sincere thanks timely to those around us
C.to wait for a proper occasion to show our thanks
D.to increase the world's happiness by saying thanks
54.According to the writer, could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out.
A.seeing a doctor to find the right medicine we need
B.expressing our thanks as much as we can
C.showing others actively we are interested in them
D.speaking up the moment we have the chance
55.Mark Brian's story is mentioned in the passage in order to show the fact that .
A.the Indians didn't have any words for appreciation
B.the Indians were particularly generous to others
C.Mark Brian's set the Indians an example to show thanks
D.some people may express their thanks through different approaches
56.What message does the writer intend to communicate in the last paragraph?
A.Thanks is of great importance in developing harmonious relationship.
B.One grateful heart is surely to deserve another good one in return.
C.Thankfulness which goes beyond all barriers is universally understood.
D.Human beings would misunderstand each other without appreciation.
Dear Daughter:
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
First, I want to tell you how proud we are.Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are.You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important years in your life.It is in college that you will discover what learning is about.This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-leamer.So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you cherish forever.
Follow your passion in college.Take courses you think you will enjoy.Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
Most importantly, make friends and be happy.College friends are often the best in life.Pick a few friends and become really close to them—pick the ones who are genuine and sincere to you.Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks, or even personalities.
Start planning early —what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to leam? I think your plan of studying fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life.I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control.Being in control feels great.Try it, and you'll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
●he greatest amount of free time
●the first chance to be independent
●the most flexibility to change
●the lowest risk for making mistakes
So please value your college years ?make full use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be bold to experiment, leam and grow through your successes and challenges.
May Columbia become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (& Mom)
49.What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter?
A.Opportunities and uncertainty.
B.Happy learning and pure enjoyment
C.Successes and challenges.
D.Independent learning and experimentation with life.
50.What does the underlined expression "be in the driver's seat" refer to?
A.Control what happens in a certain situation.
B.Learn how to drive a car.
C.Stand in a driver's situation.
D.Learn to adjust yourself to coursework
51.Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?
a.think and live independently b.learn how to learn
c.choose friends with similar personalities d.be genuine and sincere
e.try new things
A.abc B.bce C.cde D.able
52.From the text we can conclude the father.
A.is worried about others' gossiping about his daughter
B.is strict with his daughter's making friends with others
C.is upset about his daughter's life planning
D.is optimistic about his daughter's future.
第二部分阅读理解(第一节20小题,第二节5小题;每小题2分,共50分)
第一节:阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Marrakesh has many names —the Red City, Pearl of the South, the Heartbeat of Morocco—lives up to them all.It is an important and former imperial city in Morocco.It has a population of 1,070,838 and is the capital of the mid-southwestern economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz.Marrakesh, located in central Morocco, rests at the foothills of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains.Its location and rich cultural traditions make it one of the hottest tourist destinations in North Africa today.This lively city attracts visitors with its beautiful palaces, ancient winding streets, colorful goods, and lively city square.
One of the city's leading attractions is the Medina —its walled, ancient quarter—within which lies a maze (迷宫) of small, winding streets.This district dates back to the founding of the city in the llth century.Marrakesh's earliest rulers built walls around the Medina as well as mosques (清真寺)and palaces within it.Most of those were destroyed by attackers in 1147, but the city flourished again from the 17th through the 19th centuries, when many new architectural wonders were constructed.
Today, these monuments give visitors a feel for the history and culture of the city.But the Medina is not a museum.It is a lively place, crowded with people day and night.This district still houses the city's traditional market, the largest one in Morocco.The market serves locals and visitors alike, selling spices, carpets, leather bags, and colorful scarves.Here visitors can also purchase traditional pastries and other snacks in narrow streets where slaves were once bought and sold.
The Medina is a prime example of an ancient city center.In 1985, it was named officially a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in recognition of its historical importance and the need to preserve it for future generations.
41.What does the writer imply about Marrakesh?
A.It was attacked and destroyed in the 17th century.
B.It has grown quickly and become modern in a short time.
C.It draws large numbers of tourists with its splendid history and culture.
D.It has been reconstructed and boasts good public transportation.
42.According to the writer, what were built in the Medina by the earliest rulers?
A.Large campuses. B.Places of worship.
C.Sports facilities. D.Impressive theaters.
43.According to this passage, what were sold at one time in the Medina?
A.Maps of Morocco. B.Very rare books.
C.Pack animals. D.Human beings.
44.What is the passage mainly about?
A.A brief introduction of Marrakesh.
B.The process of Marrakesh's reconstruction.
C.The recognition of Marrakesh's historical importance.
D.The description of Marrakesh's flourishing culture.
The black robin is one of the world’s rarest birds. It is a small, wild bird, and it lives only on the island of Little Mangere, off the coast of New Zealand. In 1967 there were about fifty black robins; in 1977 there were fewer than ten. These are the only black robins left in the world. The island has many other birds, of different kinds, large and small; these seem to multiply very happily.
Energetic steps are being taken to preserve the black robin. Detailed studies are going on, and a public appeal for money has bee made. The idea is to buy another island nearby as a special home, a “reserve”, for threatened wild life, including black robins. The organizers say that Little Mangere should then be supplied with the robin’s food—it eats only one kind of seed. Thousands of the required plants are at present being cultivated in new Zealand. The public appeal is aimed at the conscience of mankind, so that the wild black robin will not die out and disappear form the earth in our time at least.
Is all this concern a waste of human effort? Is it any business of ours whether the black robin survives or dies out? Are we losing our sense of what is reasonable and what is unreasonable?
In the earth’s long, long past, hundreds, of kinds of creatures have evolved, risen to a degree of success—and died out. In the long, long future, there will be many new and different forms of life. Those creatures that adapt themselves successfully to what the earth offers will survive for a long time. Those that fail to meet the challenges will disappear early. This is nature’s proven method of operation.
The rule of selection—“the survival of the fittest”—is the one by which human beings have themselves arrived on the scene. We, being one of the most adaptable creatures the earth has yet produced, may last longer than most. You may take it as another rule that when, at last, human beings show signs of dying out, no other creature will extend a paw to put off our departure. On the contrary, we will be hurried out. For nature, tough fair, is a hard-hearted mistress. She has no favorites.
Life seems to have grown too tough for black robins. I leave you to judge whether we should try to do something about it.
57.The black robin is dying out mainly because__________.
A.people have been very careless about its survival
B.its only food supply is far from enough on Little Mangere
C.the other birds on the island have destroyed it
D.the appeal for money has come at the wrong time
58.In Paragraph 3, the writer puts forward three questions to__________
A.make a comparison B.make an argument
C.introduce a topic D.present his own idea
59.As for selection and survival, the decisive factor seems to be__________.
A.the ability to adapt to changed or changing conditions
B.the number of wild life reserves that are available
C.the concern and generosity of the public
D.the size of the home, or the amount of space one has to live in
60.The writer’s attitude towards the protection of the black robins is__________.
A.active B.passive C.unconcerned D.optimistic
Andrew Carnegie was a 19th century steel tycoon(大亨)who became one of the 20th century’s most famous philanthropists(慈善家)His life story is one of the most famous rags-to-riches accounts in United States history.
Carnegie was born in Dunfermlined, Scotland, on November 25,1835. The son of a weaver, he came with his family to the United States in 1848 and settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. At age thirteen, Carnegie went to work as a bobbin(线轴)boy in a cotton mill. He then moved rapidly through a series of jobs with Western Union and the Pnnsylvania Railroad. In 1865, he resigned to establish his own business and eventually organized the Carnegie Steel Company, which started the steel industry in Pittsburgh. At age sixty-five, he sold the company to J. P. Morgan for $480 million and devoted the rest of his life to his philanthropic activities and writing, including his autobiography(自传).
Many persons of wealth have contributed to charity, but Carnegie was perhaps the first to state publicly that the rich have a moral responsibility to donate their fortune. In 1889 he wrote The Gospe(福音)of Wealth, in which he stated that all personal wealth beyond what was required to supply the needs of one’s family should be regarded as a trust fund to be managed for the benefit of the company.
Carnegie set about giving away his fortune through countless personal gifts and through the establishment of various trusts. In his thirties, Carnegie had already begun to give away some of his fast-accumulating funds. His first large gifts were made to his native town. Later he created seven philanthropic and educational organizations in the United States, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, and several more in Europe.
One of Carnegie’s lifelong interests was the establishment of free public libraries to make available to everyone a means of self-education. There were only a few public libraries in the world when, in 1881, Carnegie began to promote his idea. He and the Corporation subsequently(随后)spent over $56 million to build 2,509 libraries throughout the English-speaking world.
After this program was ended in 1917, the Corporation continued for about forty years an interest in the improvement of library services. Other major program in the Corporation’s early history included adult education and education in the fine arts.
During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over $350 million. He died in Lenox, Massachusetts on August 11,1919.
53.Carnegie became wealthy by__________.
A.his investment in weaving industry B.his father’s financial support
C.starting his steel business from nothing D.his philanthropic activities
54.What is the correct order of events related to Carnegie?
a.He sold his company.
b.He organized the Carnegie Steel Company.
c.He worked in a cotton mill.
d.He came to the United States.
e.He wrote The Gospel of Wealth.
A.c-d-e-b-a B.c-b-a-d-e C.d-c-b-e-a D.d-b-a-e-c
55.What can we learn about Carnegie according to the passage?
A.He was the first wealthy person who contributed to charity.
B.He believed that it was the duty of the wealthy to help society.
C.He called on the wealthy to give away all of their fortune to help the poor.
D.He was willing to give personal gifts only to his friends and relatives.
56.Carnegie established public libraries in order to __________.
A.win a good reputation for his company
B.collect money for his educational organizations
C.improve library services
D.help people educate themselves