（1）Americanschoolsarelookingfo-优题课

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）
　　阅读下面短文，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。
A little under one-third of U.S. families have no Internet access and do not plan to get it, with most of the holdouts seeing little use for it in their lives, according to a survey released on Friday.
Park Associates, a Dallas-based technology market research firm, said 29 percent of U.S. families, or 31 million homes, do not have Internet access and do not intend to subscribe（预订） to an Internet service over the next 12 months. The second annual National Technology Scan conducted by Park found that the main reason why potential customers say they do not subscribe to the Internet is because of the low value to their daily lives rather than concerns over cost.
Forty-four percent of these families say they are not interested in anything on the Internet, versus just 22 percent who say they cannot afford a computer or the cost of Internet service, the survey showed. The answer "I'm not sure how to use the Internet" came from 17 percent of participants who do not subscribe. The response "I do all my e-commerce shopping and YouTube-watching at work" was cited by 14 percent of Internet-access refuseniks. Three percent said the Internet doesn't reach their homes.
The study found U.S. broadband adoption grew to 52 percent over 2006, up from 42 percent in 2005. Roughly half of new subscribers converted（转变） from slower-speed, dial-up Internet access while the other half of families had no prior access.
"The industry continues to chip （击破）away at the core of non-subscribers, but has a long way to go," said John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. "Entertainment applications will be the key. If anything will pull in the holdouts, it's going to be applications that make the Internet more similar to pay-TV," he predicted.
41. What does the underlined word “holdouts” in the first paragraph most probably mean?
A. some American families
B. those who hold out one’s opinions
C. those who have been surveyed
D. those who still haven’t access to the Internet currently
42. Many potential customers refuse to subscribe to the Internet mainly because __________.
A. they show too much concern about the cost
B. they can find little value of it
C. they do most YouTube-watching at work
D. the Internet doesn’t reach their homes
43. From the passage we can infer that _____________.
A. It is not an easy job to transform those holdouts into the Internet users
B. people will adopt dial-up Internet access no more
C. many Americans enjoy doing e-commerce shopping at home
D. more than half of the population are using the Internet in 2005
44. According to John Barrett, what is the key to attracting more U.S. families to broadband service?
A. making the Internet look more similar to TV set
B. applying the Internet more to entertainment
C. providing more pay-TV programs
D. chipping away at the core of non-subscribers
45. Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Web develops with technology
B. The present situation of web
C. Many Americans see little point to web
D. It is urgent to promote web service

I will be traveling to Australia as a Student Ambassador with People to People. People to People arranges for American students to travel all around the world to learn about other cultures, and to help others understand American culture. The program was founded by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote peace through understanding.
I had to put in many hours of special work to get to this point. First, a teacher nominated (推荐) me, and then I attended an informational meeting about the program. The application process included an interview, and finally, I was accepted.
That’s when the hard work really began. In addition to attending monthly meetings to prepare for the big trip, my parents encouraged my twin sister Beth (also participating in the program) and me to raise $ 2,000 each to help pay for the cost. And so the fund-raising began. We did everything from selling candy bars to selling an old car to decorating people’s mailboxes during the holiday season. We also babysat, washed cars, held a yard sale, and washed windows. After months of hard work I had raised a total of $2319.87! Combined, Beth and I raised over $ 4500.00!
Now I have a problem-packing. Yes, I know it sounds unimportant, but my suitcase seems to have shrunk (收缩) as I placed my belongings inside. According to airline regulations (规定), a suitcase can be no larger than 54 inches and weigh no more than 44 pounds. For a person who likes to wear a different outfit every day, packing all my clothes into such a small space seemed an impossible task. However, I have lessened my load and my suitcase which started out weighting overweight now checks in at a mere 36. Apart from a slightly bloated (臃肿) carry-on bag, my luggage is definitely manageable.
I doubt that I will not get much sleep tonight because I am so excited! I know that what lies ahead is going to be the trip of lifetime!
When does the author write the passage?

A．Before leaving for Australia.	B．Several months before the journey.
C．Just hours after reaching the destination.	D．The night when she was accepted.

Which of the following is not the aim of People to People program?

A．To promote peace through understanding.	B．To collect money for traveling.
C．To make American culture known to others.	D．To learn about other cultures.

Which is the correct order of the author’ preparation for the journey?
a. being accepted as a member
b. raising money for the trip
c. attending a meeting about the program
d. packing belongings
e. being nominated by the teacher

A．e, a, b, c, d

B．a, c, e, d, b

C．e, c, a, d, b

D．e, c, a, b, d

What does the author think of the journey?

A．It could be a tiring expensive journey.

B．It could be long-lasting journey, which needs taking all daily necessities.

C．It could be an exciting, unforgettable journey.

D．It could be an overseas journey, during which she would experience hard labor.

Have you ever been in a meeting while someone was making a speech and realized suddenly that your mind was a million miles away? You probably felt sorry and made up your mind to pay attention and never have daydreaming again. Most of us, from earliest school days, have been told that daydreaming is a waste of time.
“On the contrary, “says L. Giambra, an expert in psychology (心理学), “daydreaming is quite necessary. Without it, the mind couldn't get done all the thinking it has to do during a normal day... You can't possibly do all your thinking with a conscious(有意识的)mind. Instead, your unconscious mind is working out problems all the time. Daydreaming then may be one way that the unconscious and conscious states of mind have silent dialogues. “
Early experts in psychology paid no attention to the importance of daydreams or even considered them harmful. At one time daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses. They did not have a better understanding of daydreams until the late 1980s. Eric Klinger, a professor of psychology, is the writer of the book Daydreaming. Klinger says, “We know now that daydreaming is one of the main ways that we organize our lives, learn from our experiences, and plan for our futures. Day dreams really are a window on the things we fear and the things we long for in life. “
Daydreams are usually very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand. It's easier to gain a deep understanding of your life by paying close attention to your daydreams than by trying to examine your sleep dreams carefully. Daydreams help you recognize the difficult situations in your life and find out a possible way of handling(处理) them.
Daydreams cannot be predicted(预料); they move off in unexpected directions which may be creative and full of useful ideas. For many famous artists and scientists, daydreams were and are a main source of creative energy.
So the next time you catch yourself daydreaming, don't stop. Just pay attention to your dream. It may be more important than you think.
Daydreaming used to be considered.

A．very simple and direct	B．unimportant or even harmful
C．a necessary part of thinking	D．the result of an unconscious mind

In what way are daydreams different from sleep dreams?

A．Daydreams help us to handle more difficult situations.

B．Daydreams are not so easy for us to control and direct.

C．Daydreams are easier for us to understand.

D．Daydreams help to develop an unconscious mind.

Professor Eric Klinger believes that.

A．we may study our experiences just through our daydreams

B．daydreaming is one of the important ways that we recognize our lives

C．our fears and longings in life are shown in our daydreams

D．we should be able to tell our futures by having daydreams

The writer of the article thinks that.

A．daydreaming is more helpful than sleep dreams

B．daydreaming with an unconscious mind will do good to health

C．Professor Eric Klinger has a better idea than L. Giambra

D．many artists and scientists are famous because they have daydreams

Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Daydreaming was once regarded as a cause of some mental illnesses.

B．Many well-known artists gained energy of creation from daydreams.

C．Experts began to have a better understanding of daydreams in the late 1980s.

D．Scientists believe that we can know daydreams before having them.

A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.
　　On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I-can-do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”
　　On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) across the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.　　
　　So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.　　
　　Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about his clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.　　
　　North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.
　　Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”
One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ________.

A．clothes dryers are more efficient

B．clothesline drying reduces home value

C．clothes dryers are energy-saving

D．clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

A．He is a kind-hearted man.	B．He is an impolite man.
C．He is an experienced gardener.	D．He is a man of social responsibility.

Who are in favor of clothesline drying?　　

A．housing businesses.	B．Environmentalists.
C．Homeowners Associations.	D．Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.

What is mainly discussed in the text?　　

A．Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.　　

B．Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.　　

C．Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.　　

D．Different varieties of clotheslines.

Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road
— Reported by Sheila Carrick
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear(灰熊)and mountain lion can cross the road.
"Millions of animals die each year on US roads," the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact，only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the US today. The main reason? Road kill.
"Ecopassages (生态通道 ) " may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. "These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders(火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!
The writer uses the example of "ocelots " to show that ________.

A．wild animals have become more dangerous

B．the driving conditions have improved greatly

C．the measure for projecting wildlife fails to work

D．an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents

From the news story, we know an ecopassage is ________.

A．an underground path for cars	B．a fence built for the safety of the area
C．a bridge for animals to get over a river	D．a path for animals to cross the road

When the writer says that animals seem" to be catching on", he means ________.

A．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road

B．animals begin to learn to use ecopassages

C．animals are crossing the road in groups

D．animals are increasing in number

The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because________

A．wild animals may attack cars	B．wild animals may jam the road
C．they may see wild animals in the park	D．they may see wild animals on ecopassages

A．at the beginning of （1）	B．between （1） and （2）
C．between（2） and （3）	D．at the end of （3）