How Room Designs Affect Our Work and Feelings
Architects have long had the feeling that the places we live in can affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. But now scientists are giving this feeling an empirical（经验的，实证的） basis. They are discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused and lead to relaxation.
Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity. In 2007, Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room's ceiling affects how people think. Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may lead them to make more abstract connections. Low ceilings, on the other hand, may inspire a more detailed outlook.
In additions to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building may influence an occupant's ability to concentrate. Nancy Wells and her colleagues at Cornell University found in their study that kids who experienced the greatest increase in greenness as a result of a family move made the most gains on a standard test of attention.
Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Tanner and his team found that students in classrooms with unblocked views of at least 50 feet outside the window had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
Recent study on room lighting design suggests than dim（暗淡的） light helps people to loosen up. If that is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner or at parties could increase relaxation. Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
So far scientists have focused mainly on public buildings. "We have a very limited number of studies, so we're almost looking at the problem through a straw（吸管）," architect David Allison says. "How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad, generalized use of them? That's what we're all struggling with." What does Joan Meyers-Levy focus on in her research?
| A．Light. |
| B．Ceilings. |
| C．Windows. |
| D．Furniture. |
The passage tells us that ______.
| A．the shape of furniture may affect people's feelings |
| B．lower ceilings may help improve students' creativity |
| C．children in a dim classroom may improve their grades |
| D．students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxed |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that ______.
| A．the problem is not approached step by step |
| B．the researches so far have faults in themselves |
| C．the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect |
| D．research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns |
Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
 |
CP: Central Point P: Point
SP: Sub-point（次要点） C: Conclusion
The world of the science-fiction 3-D film Avatar is so perfect that the line between fact and fiction has become somewhat blurred (模糊) .
Movie-goers have admitted being annoyed by depression at not being able to visit the planet Pandora. Set in the future when Earth's resources have been used up, director James Cameron's film tells the story of a company trying to exploit a rare mineral on a new planet. The humans clash with the natives — a peace-loving race of 7-foot-tall, blue-skinned creatures called the Na'vi, who exist in perfect harmony with nature.
Fans have flooded the Internet with their confused feelings. On the site Avatar Forums (论坛), the topic "Ways to deal with the depression of the dream of Pandora not being able to come true" has more than 1,000 posts. In a similar forum, Louis, one user, wrote: "When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed grey. It just seems so meaningless. I still don't really see any reason to keep doing things at all. I live in a dying world." On the Avatar site Naviblue, a fan calling himself Jorba has even asked others to join him in starting a real Na'vi tribe.
This fantasy world, with its wonderful plants and animal life, is brought to life by using impressive special effects. Many people believe that 2010 is the breakthrough year for the technology helped by 3-D movies such as Avatar. "It has taken the best of our technology to create this virtual world and real life will never be as perfect as it seems on screen. It makes real life seem more imperfect."
66. What is the best title of the text?
A. A blockbuster movie: Avatar
B. The Avatar effect: movie-goers feel depressed after watching Avatar
C. 2010: a breakthrough year for. 3-D movies
D. Pandora: a perfect world
67. We can infer that Louis___________after watching the film Avatar.
A. will cherish his present life more
B. feels disappointed about the real world
C. will intend to create a real Na'vi tribe
D. is proud of living on the earth
68. Thanks to the success of Av'atar, ___________.
A. 3-D technology will probably develop quickly in 2010
B. most people look forward to living on another planet
C. many more science-fiction films will be made in the coming years
D. people have become more realistic about life
69. The underlined word "virtual" probably means___________.
A. unreal C. true B. perfect D. practical
70. According to the passage the natives on the planet are___________
A. not harmony with the nature B. blue-haired race
C. peace-loving creatures D. fond of fighting with human race
"A survey was conducted in Shanghai where interviewees were asked if they wanted to be a factory worker. One percent of all people interviewed said “YES," Wang Hongjun, a technician, said, raising his voice for dramatic effect. "But I can tell you, only a small part of that 1 percent are telling the truth."
I've met colorful people like Wang all over China. They are cynical (玩世不恭的) yet warmhearted, plain spoken but smart. And many of them are confined (局限于) to work in factories.
Wang is a top technician but also represents manual factory workers, who are China's most important natural resource. Their energy is powering China's economic boom, and their muscle is turning the wheel of the world's factory.
But does their unskilled labor give their life meaning? At school, did they tell their friends: "When I grow up I want to work in a factory making socks?" Did you?
Factory work has always been a stepping-stone from farm life to the city and a modern life. It's been happening for centuries, but today, with our space-age technology, it's outdated. Earning 1,200 yuan ($169) per month working in a factory is better than that on a farm, but as Wang points out, it's not a dream career. There should be better ways to earn your rice.
Many modern factories no longer have production line workers. Robots do the assembly (装配). People just do the monitoring. In this age of technology, in which China is now working smarter and not just harder, why are people still standing in production lines?
But life is cheap in China. So why not continue to exploit the low-cost labor situation and keep the economy growing fast, some entrepreneurs may ask.
But have these businessmen ever labored in a factory?
61. How many people surveyed really like to be factory workers?
A. One percent B. Only a small part
C. Only a small part of that one percent D. The writer didn’t mention it.
62. Which is NOT the writer's opinion of factory workers?
A. cynical B. unimportant C. warmhearted D. plain spoken
63. Wang Hongjun is a person who is___________.
A. difficult to get along with
B. humorous but serious
C. cynical but warmhearted, plain spoken but smart
D. full of energy but doesn't want to work hard
64. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Factory workers make contributions to China's economic boom.
B. Working in a factory is better than that on a farm.
C. Factory workers are satisfied with their living conditions.
D. Some entrepreneurs exploited the low-cost labor situation.
65. The writer uses___________ to begin the passage.
A. a lot of figures B. many examples C. some dialogue D. the result of a survey
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。
TIJUANA, Mexico – A powerful earthquake swayed (摇动) buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities and forcing the evacuation (疏散) of hospitals and nursing homes. One California city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings.
The 7.2-magnitude quake centered just south of the US border near Mexicali was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit region in decades.
"It sounds like it's felt by at least 20 million people," USGS seismologist Lucy Jones said. "Most of Southern California felt this earthquake."
Sunday afternoon's earthquake hit hardest in Mexicali, a commerce center along Mexico's border with California, where authorities said the quake was followed by at least 20 smaller aftershocks, including ones of magnitudes 5.1, 4.5 and 4.3.
"It has not stopped trembling in Mexicali," said Baja California state Civil Protection Director Alfredo Escobedo on Monday.
Escobedo said one man was killed when his home collapsed just outside of Mexicali and another died when he rushed into the street in panic and was struck by a car. At least 100 people were injured in the city, most of them struck by falling objects. Power was out in virtually the entire city.
Susan Warmbier was putting away groceries in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista when her husband asked, "Is the house moving?"
Elsewhere in San Diego, there were reports of shattered windows, broken pipes and water main breaks in private buildings, but no reports of injuries, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said. Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed as a precaution.
Across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, the quake caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in some areas. No tsunami warning was issued, but hundreds of people on Tijuana's crowded beach feared the worst and fled when they felt the ground shake.
56. What's the best title of the passage?
A. A strong quake in Mexico, but no tsunami
B. A strong quake kills 2 in Mexico, frightens US states
C. A strong quake, downtowns closed off
D. A strong quake, buildings collapses
57. The 7.2-magnitude quake___________
A. centered just south of the Mexico
B. was felt by 20 million people in Mexico
C. was felt by most of Southern California
D. was the strongest earthquakes to hit region in centuries
58. Which is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Some cities had power failure after the quake.
B. One of the cities closed off its downtown because of the swaying buildings.
C. Many smaller quakes happened after the 7.2-magnitude one.
D. Hundreds of people on the beach died because of the tsunami.
59. People got injured mostly ___________
A. because they were in panic
B. because the power was out in the whole city
C. because of the falling objects
D. because they were buried under the falling objects
60. Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed___________
A. to avoid further dangers
B. by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
C. as a reminding of the quake
D. to prevent the bridge from destroying
Exposure to the radio frequently fields（射频场）generated by mobile phones does not cause head pain or increase blood pressure, according to a Norwegian study. Instead, people
who experience such symptoms（征兆）do so because they expect that they will occur, the findings suggested.
Dr Gunnhild Oftedal and colleagues at the Norway University of Science and Technology in Trondheim experimented on 17 subjects who “ regularly experienced pain or discomfort in the head during or shortly after mobile phone calls lasting between 15 and 30 minutes.”
The participants were tested during mobile phone radiofrequency exposure and sham exposure（假性辐射）, without knowing which sessions was which. Each session lasted 30 minutes. and 65 pairs of trials were conducted.
As reported in the medical magazine Cephalalgia, the subjects said they felt an increase in pain or discomfort during 68 per cent of all trials. The degree of not associated with the order of trials.
The researchers observed no significant correlations between actual exposures and the subjects’ reports of symptoms, and no effects of exposure on changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
Oftedal’s team concludes that the most likely explanation for the headaches and discomfort reported by the subjects “is that the symptoms are due to negative expectations.”
67. According to the report, people using mobiles feel affected by exposure to the radiofrequency fields because __________
A. they have merely imaginary expectations
B. some symptoms just occur in their body
C. there are negative effects produced by mobiles
D. radiofrequency generated by mobiles is too high
68. Which word in the report refers to the same as the underlined word “subjects”?
A. researchers B. symptoms C. trials D. participants
69. Dr Gunnhild Oftedal and his colleagues _______.
A. find effects of exposure on changes in heart rate or blood pressure
B. test the participants in two different situations
C. feel an increase in pain or discomfort during most trials
D. conclude that the symptoms do result from the radiofrequency fields
70. We can infer from the report that _____.
A. Dr Gunnhild Oftedal and his colleagues are strongly against the use of mobiles
B. the subjects share the same discomfort in both mobile radiofrequency exposure and sham exposure
C. the subjects are told in advance which section they will be in and which order they will follow
D. Dr Gunnhild Oftedal and his colleagues fail to find the side effects caused by exposure to the radiofrequency fields
I have studied in the boarding school in UK for about two years, and I really like it very much.
I always wanted to run a business of some sort; and finally I got such a good chance to do
so at the beginning of the summer term. The business project is called Young Enterprise, where we set up a small company called “Limitless” and sold the products to the school and public. I was appointed deputy director and financial director of the company, in which my role was to manage the financial activities.
I have learn so much from this experience, for I could put what I has learnt into practice in a real life and learn to work with different people, which improved my skills in management and communication.
In this school we students can organize out own activities if we want to, and the school is usually highly supportive: so this term I have organized an Engineering Society in school, which arranges regular visits to local industries. So far, the society which has only 10 members has proved to be really “popular”. Well, it is always the quality, not the quantity, that matters, isn’t it?
I have had many opportunities to challenge myself since I got to the school, and I do think it is all of these challenges that make me more and more mature. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I have learned in this school is to have the initiative (主动) to look for any possible challenges.
63. Why does the writer like this boarding school so much?
A. Because he has learned there for about two years.
B. Because he ran a business of his own.
C. Because he has many opportunities to look for any possible challenges initiatively.
D. Because he was promoted to be deputy director and financial director of the company.
64. What’s the writer’s duty in the small company called “Limitless”?
A. To be in charge of the finance of the business.
B. To put what he has learned into practice.
C. To work with people from different backgrounds.
D. To find out how the consumers bought their products.
65. He has learnt a lot about _______ from the experience of running a small company.
A. what the teacher don’t know B. what can’t be learned from books
C. financial knowledge D. management and communication skills
66. From the passage, we know that ________.
A. the school usually supports the students activities
B. all of the students’ activities are supported by the school.
C. the school usually organize the students’ activities directly
D. the writer is not the organizer of the Engineering Society in the school