I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability. I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”. I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me t o attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc. I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.What did the author study originally when he was in college?
| A．Psychology | B．Commercial Arts |
| C．International Business | D．English Composition |
What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?
| A．He decided to study International Business at first. |
| B．He wanted to study two majors. |
| C．He liked Psychology better. |
| D．He chose his major with the help of his friends. |
Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?
| A．Because he heard some negative remarks about it. |
| B．Because h e was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study. |
| C．Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam. |
| D．Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money. |
Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?
| A．Dull and challenging. | B．Interesting and easy. |
| C．Interesting and challenging. | D．Dull and easy |
According to the passage, the author _________.
| A．was not able to find a full-time job |
| B．is most interested in writing |
| C．pays for hi s schooling with the help of his family |
| D．is satisfied with his achievements. |
E
The knowledge society will be a highly competitive one, for organizations and individuals alike, information technology, although only one of many new features of the next society, is already having one important effect: it is allowing knowledge to spread nearinstantly, and making it accessible to everyone. Given the ease and speed at which information travels, every institution in the knowledge society—not only businesses, but also schools, universities, hospitals and increasingly government agencies too—has to be globally competitive, even though most organizations will continue to be local in their activities and in their markets. This is because the Internet will keep customers everywhere informed of what is available anywhere in the world, and at what price.
This new knowledge economy will rely heavily on knowledge workers. At present, this term is widely used to describe people with considerable theoretical knowledge and learning, such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants and chemical engineers. But the most striking growth will be in “knowledge technologists”: computer technicians, software designers, analysts in clinical labs, manufacturing technologists. These people are as much manual(体力) workers as they are knowledge workers; in fact, they usually spend far more time working with their hands than with their brains, but their manual work is based on a large amount of theoretical knowledge which can be acquired only through formal education, not through an apprenticeship(学徒期). They are not, as a rule, much better paid than traditional skilled workers, but they see themselves as “professionals”, just as unskilled manual workers in manufacturing were the dominant social and political force in the 21st century, knowledge technologists are likely to become the dominant social—and perhaps also political—force over the next decades.
67.The quick spread of knowledge in the next society______
A.is based on information technology
B.results from a highly competitive society
C.is likely to increase information flow
D.will become the biggest problem to handle
68.“Knowledge workers” mentioned in the passage most likely______.
A.work with hands rather than brains
B.have received primary and secondary education
C.have acquired theoretical knowledge through apprenticeship
D.have received higher education and acquired theoretical knowledge
69.The underlined word “dominant” in this passage probably means______.
A.most influential B.most interesting C.most diligentD.most serious
70.The chief reason for fierce competition in the knowledge society is that______.
A.individuals are easily influenced by information
B.customers keep track of new products worldwide
C.anyone can have access to knowledge anytime and anywhere
D.local organizations such as universities and hospitals will be globalized
D
KIDS in a Sudanese refugee camp raise a cloud of dust as they kick around a football. NBA superstar Traey Mc Grady watches from a distance before offering to buy the kids a grass patch for $1,000.
Perhaps he sees a Ronaldinho rising up out of the African soil. Or maybe he just wants to do something—anything—to give these children some hope. But he is told, politely, that grass is not what the kids need.
Mc Grady, 29, writes on his website that he traveled to Africa because he was tired of only reading about it in the news.“Who are the faces behind the statistics?” he said.“I need to see it for myself.” And he did. He stepped out of his beautiful house and flew to a place torn to bits by war and famine(饥荒). He slept in a tent. He talked with people who had suffered. And he swallowed his pride.
But no one should blame Mc Grady for wanting to buy the kids a patch of grass. Sport gave him a chance, so perhaps he thought it would do the same for the refugees.
Mc Grady was eyed by NBA scouts as a teenager and he didn’t bother going to college. Instead, he leaped right into the NBA. Since that move, basketball has given him a handsome living, but one very far removed from the lives of ordinary people. As Mc Grady would learn in Africa, most people see sport as just a break from life’s difficulties. They don’t mistake it for life itself. Only Mc Grady knows how the trip to Africa changed him, but I’d bet that, at the very least, it has given him a new sense for what is truly meaningful.
Mc Grady doesn’t own an NBA championship ring. He hasn’t risen to the heights of Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. But, perhaps, now he knows he doesn’t have to in order to truly make a difference in the world.
63.The refugee children most probably need______.
A.clean drinking water B.a grass football patch
C.necessities of survival D.a tent to sleep in
64.What can we learn about Mc Grady from the passage?
A.Basketball made him what he is today.
B.He is an NBA superstar as great as Kobe or Jordan.
C.He didn’t show his talent for basketball as a teenager.
D.He taught children to play football in a refugee camp.
65.What does the underlined part “scouts” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A.players. B.fans. C.audience. D.hunters.
66.Mc Grady learned from his visit to Africa that______.
A.he needn’t improve his basketball skills to reach the heights of his seniors
B.sport gave him a chance and means everything to him
C.people in hunger can never understand the importance of sport
D.what’s truly meaningful can be a world of difference to different people
C
In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressure even within the same racial group, if some members are darker skinned than others.
The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark skin are using skinlightening products, even if they may face health risks.
They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.
Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. This process is also called bleaching. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the most dangerous is hydroquinone.
Hydroquinone has been banned in several countries. This chemical has been linked to kidney damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy.
At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long term use they can cause problems. They can even make some skin darker. The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.
Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital. Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage.
And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.
59.Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “bleaching”?
A.coloring B.changing C.lighting D.pleasing
60.Why has the skin lightening become a common activity all over the world?
A.There are many products that can make the dark skin light.
B.Many people with dark skin have no confidence.
C.People with light skin seem to have more advantages over people with dark skin.
D.People with dark skin are forced by the pressure of their families.
61.According to the text customers using the bleaching products would also risk______.
A.finger damageB.low weight C.skin cancerD.emotional damage
62.The writer’s attitude toward using the bleaching products is______.
A.supportive B.positive C.doubtful D.negative
B
The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when I ran into something solid. It was Carlos.
“My, you’re tall,” he said.
Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word.
I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn’t know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington. “Take that seat,” Mr. McCarthy told the proud newcomer Carlos, pointing to the only empty one, in the back of the room.
Carlos smiled broadly.“But I need a couple of dictionaries.” Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos, not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.
It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vicepresident.“How come?” I kept asking myself.“How come this shrimp(虾) who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular.”
So on that morning, I stopped Carlos and said,“It doesn’t seem to bother you—being short.” He looked up at me.“Of course I mind being short. But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin, I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.”“You seem to get along great,” I admitted.“But what about me? Nobody wants to date a girl taller than he is.”“The trouble with you is you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red...
55.It’s a story about______.
A.a tall boy and a short girl B.a short boy and a tall girl
C.a tall boy and a tall girl D.a short boy and a short girl
56.From the story, we can see the boy Carlos is______.
A.handsome and humorous B.humorous and confident
C.handsome and popular D.honest and popular
57.The underlined sentence “That would be the last straw” suggests that the writer______.
A.cared much about Reed’s attitude
B.thought Reed was different from the rest
C.couldn’t stand Carlos making fun of her
D.hoped Reed was unaware of the event
58.According to the passage, what happened in the end?
A.Carlos and the author hurt each other.
B.Reed and the author fell into love with each other.
C.The author changed attitude and turned to be confident.
D.Carlos was finally elected president of student committee.
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
A
BILL GATES has promised to give all of his US $ 58 billion fortune to charity—rather than leaving it for his children.
The founder of Microsoft, who steps down from his post Friday, said he wants to make a “positive contribution” to the world. He has promised to transfer his money to the charity he has set up with his wife Melinda, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which funds health and education projects around the world.
He revealed(透露) his decision a week before he steps down as executive chairman of Microsoft, the firm he founded more than 30 years ago. The 52yearold will continue to work as nonexecutive chairman and will spend just one day a week at the business.
Speaking about the jointdecision he made regarding his fortune with his wife, he said,“We’ve chosen not to pass it on to our children. We want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive impact.” He said he did not want to leave it in his will for his children and added,“It’s like saying which children are most important.”
In an interview with BBC’s Newsnight, he said:“I want to make a positive contribution to the world.”
Bill Gates will step down from his post Friday, 33 years after he founded Microsoft in 1975. His success with the computer giant has made him the richest man in the world for 13 years in a row according to Fortune magazine’s rich list.
When he founded the firm he said he wanted to put “a computer on every desk and in every home.” Many people have said that the computer revolution would not have happened without him and more than 90 percent of computers in the world run on Microsoft Windows.
He will be succeeded in his post by Steve Balmer, the cochief executive since 2000. Although the move was announced two years ago and there has been lots of planning, many people speculate that Gates’ departure will leave a big gap in the firm.
Charlene Li, from Consultants Forrester Research, said:“What they’re going to lose is that founding focus, and the ability to rally the troops.”
Microsoft has an outstanding financial performance and currently has profit margins estimated at 30 percent. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation claims to be the biggest philanthropic organization in the world.
51.Why has BILL GATES promised to give all of his US $58 billion fortune to charity?
A.He wants to make a positive contribution to the world.
B.He has set up the charity with his wife Melinda.
C.He has decided to step down from his post.
D.More than 90 percent of computers in the world run on Microsoft Windows.
52.Who set up the charity to which Bill Gates will transfer the money?
A.Bill Gates. B.Melinda Gates.
C.Bill Gates and his wife. D.Bill Gates and Steve Balmer.
53.What’s Charlene Li’s attitude towards Bill Gates’ departure?
A.Optimistic. B.Worried. C.Critical. D.Neutral.
54.The underlined sentence “He will be succeeded in his post by Steve Balmer.” means Steve Balmer will.
A.be as successful as Bill Gates
B.fill the gap Bill Gates leaves in the firm
C.start a computer revolution with the help of Bill Gates
D.take over after Bill Gates steps down