Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?
UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined .Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”.
Nitrogen(氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi(真菌) networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons(神经元)in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it affects all.
Simard talks about “mother trees”, usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend .She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow .When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.
“We didn't take any notice of it.” Simard says sadly .“Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Old Trees Communicate Like Humans |
B.Young Trees Are In Need Of Protection |
C.Trees Contribute To Our Society |
D.Trees Are More Complex Than You Think |
In Simard's opinion, trees _______
A.compete for survival |
B.protect their own wealth |
C.depend on each other |
D.provide support for dying trees |
We can learn from the passage that .
A.“mother trees” are usually of no use to other trees. |
B.Charles Darwin had the same thought as Simard. |
C.if “mother trees” are cut down, the survival for the entire forest will be affected. |
D.people know much about the complex “tree societies”. |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to .
A.how “tree societies” work |
B.how trees grow old |
C.how forestry industry develops |
D.how young trees survive |
The HOPE IS A GAME--CHANGER PROJECT will deliver unbreakable soccer balls to kids who, all too often, see things horrible, broken and not survive the simplest of circumstances. The project started taking form well before anyone knew where it would lead –which is to test the power of like-minded people working together to turn inspiration into action.
Four years ago Bobby was in Rwanda offering help to the people there and taking photos of a child soldier named Moise with his “soccer ball”,which was a pile of rubbish tied together with a string. This “ball” was the only thing Moise could call his own --- no family, no home, no place to go. Forced to fight in the Congo and having killed three people at the unbearably young age of seven, the boy’s spirit was broken. And Bobby knew, as he took one photo after the next, that he’d never forget him. In fact, he returned the following year to tell Moise he had stayed deep within his heart ---but he was gone.
I recently helped Bobby launch his new book The Power of the Invisible Sun which features a photo of Moise, his ball, and kids from war-torn areas around the world. All of his earnings go towards the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT for the kids he visited over the past decade. They caught the emotional landscape from heartbreak to joy, but share the undeniable longing for recovery and hope.
Bobby and I share the unchangeable belief that delivering hope is really a game-changer, especially to a child. We believe that each indestructible ball will come to represent a lasting symbol of hope. A light no matter how small---The Power of the Invisible Sun.
This holiday season, I ask you to think about whether you are doing enough to help someone else in the world. Or as Bobby likes to put it, consider “taking a concrete baby step”, which added together, can create transformational change. It’s my great hope that the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT will change the lives of children the world over --- one book, one ball at a time.
51.In the first sentence of the passage, the writer implies that .
A.kids live an unsafe life in parts of the world
B.the balls sent to kids should be of good quality
C.young kids can not overcome the difficulties
D.kids intend to break their toys into pieces
52.The purpose of The HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT is to .
A.send ball gifts to kids in poor countries
B.collect money to help kids in need
C.comfort kids in war-torn areas
D.offer kids help to change their lives
53. How may Bobby feel about Mosie?
A.He was very proud of Mosie’s bravery.
B.He felt sorry for Mosie’s ruined childhood.
C.He thought money could solve Mosie’s problem.
D.He felt happy to tell him what was in his heart.
54.Which of the following about Bobby’s new book is TRUE?
A.It earned a lot of money to help kids like Mosie.
B.The photos inside reflected the kids’ hopeless life.
C.Its title shows the author’s belief to change the world.
D.It changed the life of the kids recorded in the book.
55.The underlined part in the last paragrph probably means .
A.starting the first step as a baby does
B.taking an active action from now on
C.making great changes step by step
D.doing some small but good deeds
I once had my Chinese MBA students brainstorming on “two-hour business plans”. I separated them into six groups and gave them an example: a restaurant chain. The more original their idea, the better, I said. Finally, five of the six groups presented plans for restaurant chains. The sixth proposed a catering(餐饮) service. Though I admitted the time limit had been difficult, I expressed my disappointment.
My students were middle managers, financial analysts and financiers from state-owned enterprises and global companies. They were not without talent or opinions, but they had been shaped by an educational system that rarely stressed or rewarded critical thinking or inventiveness. The scene I just described came in different forms during my two years’ teaching at the school. Papers were often copied from the Web and the Harvard Business Review. Case study debates were written up and just memorized. Students frequently said that copying is a superior business strategy, better than inventing and creating.
In China, every product you can imagine has been made and sold. But so few well-developed marketing and management minds have been raised that it will be a long time before most people in the world can name a Chinese brand.
With this problem in mind, partnerships with institutions like Yale and MIT have been established. And then there’s the “thousand-talent scheme”: this new government program is intended to improve technological modernization by attracting top foreign-trained scientists to the mainland with big money. But there are worries about China’s research environment. It's hardly known for producing independent thinking and openness, and even big salary offers may not be attractive enough to overcome this.
At last, for China, becoming a major world creator is not just about setting up partnerships with top Western universities. Nor is it about gathering a group of well-educated people and telling them to think creatively. It’s about establishing a rich learning environment for young minds. It’s not that simple.
46.Why does the author feel disappointed at his students?
A.Because there is one group presenting a catering service.
B.Because the six groups made projects for restaurant chains.
C.Because all the students copied a case for the difficult topic.
D.Because the students’ ideas were lacking in creativeness.
47.Which of the following scenes is NOT considered as lack of creation?
A.Papers were often downloaded from the Internet.
B.Students often said that copying is a preferable business strategy.
C.Students combine knowledge and critical thoughts to solve a problem.
D.Case study debates were written up as well as recited.
48.The underlined word “scheme” in the forth paragraph means__________.
A.timetable B.theme C.project D.policy
49.We can infer from the passage that ___________.
A.China can make and sell any product all over the world
B.high pay may not solve the problem of China’s research environment
C.cooperation with institutions has been set up to make a Chinese brand
D.the new government program are aimed at encouraging imagination
50.Which is the best title of the passage?
A.Look for a New Way of Learning B.Reward Creative Thinking
C.How to Become a Creator D.Establish a technical Environment
Ⅲ阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解(共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Can you believe your eyes? A recent experiment suggests that the answer to that question may depend on your age.
Martin Doherty, a psychologist at the University of Stirling in Scotland, led the team of scientists. In this experiment, Doherty and his team tested the perception(观察力) of some people, using pictures of some orange circles. The researchers showed the same pictures to two groups of people. The first group included 151 children aged 4 to 10, and the second group included 24 adults aged 18 to 25.
The first group of pictures showed two circles alone on a white background. One of the circles was larger than the other, and these people were asked to identify the larger one. Four-year-olds identified the correct circle 79 percent of the time. Adults identified the correct circle 95 percent of the time.
Next, both groups were shown a picture where the orange circles, again of different sizes, were surrounded by gray circles. Here’s where the trick lies in. In some of the pictures, the smaller orange circle was surrounded by even smaller gray circles — making the orange circle appear larger than the other orange circle, which was the real larger one. And the larger orange circle was surrounded by even bigger gray circles — so it appeared to be smaller than the real smaller orange circle.
When young children aged 4 to 6 looked at these tricky pictures, they weren’t fooled — they were still able to find the bigger circle with roughly the same accuracy as before. Older children and adults, on the other hand, did not do as well. Older children often identified the smaller circle as the larger one, and adults got it wrong most of the time.
As children get older, Doherty said, their brains may develop the ability to identify visual context. In other words, they will begin to process the whole picture at once: the tricky gray circles, as well as the orange circle in the middle. As a result, they’re more likely to fall for this kind of visual trick.
41.Doherty and his team of scientists did an experiment to evaluate .
A.children’s and adults’ eye-sight
B.people’s ability to see accurately
C.children’s and adults’ brains
D.the influence of people’s age
42.When asked to find the larger circle, .
A.children at 6 got it wrong 79 % of the time with no gray ones around
B.only adults over 18 got it right 95% of the time with gray ones around
C.children at 4 got it right about 79 % of the time with gray ones around
D.adults got it right most of the time with gray ones around
43.According to the passage, we can know that .
A.a smaller orange circle appears bigger on a white background
B.an orange circle appears bigger than a gray one of the same size
C.a circle surrounded by other circles looks bigger than its real size
D.a circle surrounded by bigger ones looks smaller than its real size
44.Visual context may work when children get older than .
A.4 B.6 C.10 D.18
45.Why are younger children not fooled?
A.Because they are smarter than older children and adults.
B.Because older people are influenced by their experience.
C.Because people’s eyes become weaker as they grow older.
D.Because their brain can hardly notice related things together.
Folklore is the branch of the study of man which deals with local customs, tales and traditions. Everybody is a storehouse of folklore, though not everybody realizes it. Often, in deed, those who have never heard the word folklore have the greatest store of it, for the people with least book education commonly cherish most firmly old ideas and superstitions (迷信) which have been passed on by word of mouth for generations. Everyone has heard stories of ghosts, witches, fairies, and giants. We all know some proverbs and have come across such ideas as, for example, that it is lucky to see black cat and unlucky to see a single magpie (喜鹊). We keep certain seasons of the year as festivals, such as Christmas, and we are familiar with the special customs connected with weddings and funerals. All such things are of interest to those who study folklore.
People who study folklore won’t criticize the old beliefs and practices they come across as silly, childish, or old-fashioned. Instead, they will try to collect accurate records of them and then see how these are connected with other ideas and customs of other places or times. By comparing with what is known of olden times or the folklore of other countries, they try to discover how certain beliefs and practices came into being, and what purpose they serve now or used to serve in the past.
Often we find that the beliefs which seem most peculiar and unreasonable, and the customs which appear least practical, are of the greatest interest and importance because they are commonly the oldest. Sometimes they were part of an ancient ritual (惯例) or served a useful purpose when people’s way of life was different from what it is now. So we not only learn about what people thought and did in the past but are better able to understand present customs. People often keep up customs when they have forgotten the original reason for them, and in the course of time a fresh reason gets attached to the custom. Thus, when some joker ties an old shoe to the back of the taxi taking the bride and bridegroom to the station for their honeymoon, he would say it was “for luck”, but actually a shoe is an old fertility (繁殖力) symbol and has a place in the wedding customs of China and Palestine.
51. According to the text, people usually pass on old ideas and superstitions by _________.
A. putting them in a large storehouse B. writing them down in books
C. celebrating them as festivals D. mouth from one generation to another
52. The underlined word “they” (in Para.2) most probably refers to _________.
A. practices and beliefs B. customs and traditions
C. records and tales D. places or times
53. It is most unlikely for people who study folklore to _________.
A. collect as many records of old beliefs and practices as possible
B. compare the present customs with those of the olden times
C. criticize the old beliefs and superstitions as silly or childish
D. find out the purpose the certain beliefs and practices serve or used to serve
54. Which of the following statements is true about customs?
A. The customs which do not appear practical mean nothing to most people.
B. The reasons for certain customs may change in the course of history.
C. People who practice customs are quite familiar with their origins.
D. The wedding customs in China and Palestine are of great similarity.
55. What would be the best title for the passage? A. What Does Folklore Really Mean?
B. How Do People Keep Up Customs?
C. Who Studies Tales And Traditions?
D. When Did Some Old Beliefs Begin?
My son and a bunch of his 13-year-old friends piled into the back seat of my car, ready for the last-day-of-school party at McDonald’s on report card day last year. “Jack got a laptop for getting straight A’s, and Laurie got a cell phone,” one boy said. “Oh, yeah, and Sarah got an iPod Nano, and she’s only in third grade,” said another. “And how about Brian? He got $ 10 for each A.”
I suddenly became concerned. These payoffs might get parents through grammar school, but what about high school and beyond? What would be left after the electric guitar, the cell phone, and the portable DVD player?I saw the road ahead: As the homework load increased, my income would decrease. I saw my comfortable lifestyle disappear before my eyes — no more of those $5 bags of already-peeled organic carrots. No more organic anything!
I started to feel surprised and nervous. Would every goal attained by my two children fetch a reward? A high grade point average? A good class ranking? Would sports achievements be included in this reward system: soccer goals, touchdowns, runs-batted-in? What about orchestra? Would first chair pay more than second? I’d be penniless by eighth-grade graduation.
“We never paid anything for good grades,” said my neighbor across the street, whose son was recently accepted at MIT. “He just did it on his own. Maybe once in a while we went out for pizza, but that’s about it.”
Don’t you just hate that? We’re all running around looking for the MP3 player with the most updates, and she’s spending a few dollars on pizza. She gets motivation; we get negotiation.
46.Why did the writer suddenly become concerned?
A.Because many kids were getting very good grade at school.
B.Because he was worried about the current reword system.
C.Because he wasn’t making enough money to buy things for his kids’ good grades. D.Because kids were having too many parties after school.
47.The underlined sentence “As the homework load increased, my income would decrease.” (in
Paragraph 3) probably means that _________.
A.taking care of the children would influence my work
B.I would spend more money on my children’s homework
C.reducing children’s homework load would cost me a lot
D.more rewards would be needed as the children grew up
48.The example of the author’s neighbor shows that _________.
A.pizza is the best way to encourage children
B.the author’s neighbor was very poor
C.reward is not the only way to encourage children
D.the son of the author’s neighbor’s didn’t like reward
49.It can be inferred from the passage that _________.
A.children would think that you should if you pay them for good grades
B.children would work harder if you buy them pizza for good grades
C.children would not ask for rewards when they enter high school
D.children would not ask for rewards when they enter university
50.What is the author’s attitude toward paying children reward for good grades?
A.Helpful. B.Uncertain. C.Unpleasant. D.Unknowable.