English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three quarters of international mails are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary - perhaps as many as two million words.
However, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger . Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (矛盾) , we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them. And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don't fing , grocers don't groce , and hammers don't ham? If the plural (复数形式) of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth ? One goose, two geese - so one moose , two meese? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That's why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.According to the passage________.
A.there should be eggs in an eggplant |
B.sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different |
C.pineapples are the apples on the pine tree |
D.boxing rings should be round |
What does the author use most to prove his idea?
A.Plurals. | B.Paradoxes. |
C.Comparisons. | D.Synonyms. |
The underlined words "a wise guy" in paragraph 3 probably mean "______ ".
A.somebody wise | B.a valuable chance |
C.an opposite word | D.a stupid person |
The last paragraph is written to show .
A.English is important |
B.a word may have several definitions |
C.human beings are creative |
D.why people invented English |
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (肿大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消过毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (药膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly.
56. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
B. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properly
57. Burns are divided into different degrees according to _______.
A. what kind of treatment they need
B. what kind of tissue of the body is damaged
C. whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is
D. which layer of skin is burned
58. From the passage we learn that _______.
A. if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment
B. first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment
C. burns without pains can be treated at home
D. the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is
59. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe
B. you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid
C. you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken
D. you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area
60.where do you probably find the passage?
A.a fashion magazine B.a guide book
C.a book on first aid D.a section about culture in the newspaper
31st October —— A team of British explorers has announced they are going to the North Pole to measure the ice cap’s thickness. The exploration will take ground-based readings (仪表的读数) of an ice formation which most scientists agree is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Explorer Pen Hadow’s three-member team will pull a sled-fixed radar device, which measures ice density every eight centimeters, 2,000 kilometers across the Arctic and will produce millions of readings.
They will leave in February, 2008 and will face temperatures of -50℃ on a journey that will take up to 120 days. They have been testing their equipment in Britain and Canada.
Hadow is excited about the prospects (前景), “For the first time we will be able to transmit video images — webcam film of the expedition — as it unfolds so people can track us, and the whole idea is to engage as many people as we can in what we’re doing.”
New fallen snow on top of the ice makes ground-based measurements more accurate than satellite data.
“It has been in the planning stage for a while,” said Hadow. “We spent the last two years developing impulse radar (冲击雷达), which normally is about 100 kilograms and hangs under an aircraft and so on. We’ve managed to get it down to about 4 kilograms. It’s the size of a briefcase and we are dragging it behind the sled as we go.”
The ice cap shrank enough in 2007 so that a pathway through the cap known as the Northwest Passage opened up during the melting of the Arctic summer.
Cambridge University’s Joao Rodrigues explains, “Thickness of the ice cap will determine how much solar radiation will be reflected and the heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere and it is thus a vital component (成分) of climate models.”
If warming trends continue, some experts predict that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free during the summer within a few decades.
71 What would be the best title for the text?
A. Exploration to the North Pole.
B. Arctic ice cap shrinking.
C. Arctic ice survey announced.
D. Ground-based measurements of ice.
72. What is special about the exploration?
A. It will be broadcast live on the Internet.
B. Explorers will use a sled-fixed radar device.
C. Explorers will travel in extremely cold conditions.
D. Ground-based measurements are more accurate.
73. What is the purpose of the exploration?
A. To measure the ice cap’s thickness.
B. To study whether ice will disappear in the Arctic.
C. To make a film about the Arctic exploration.
D. To make people interested in what they are doing.
74. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. ice in the Arctic will disappear in ten years
B. the exploration will last for half a year
C. Hadow spent two years developing a kind of radar, which is about 100 kilograms
D. if there is snow on ice, satellites can’t measure the ice thickness accurately enough
75. From the passage, we learn that ________.
A. the explorers will measure ice density every other centimeter
B. people will be able to follow the explorers and see what they are doing
C. people could go through the Northwest Passage in the 2007 Arctic summer
D. the equipment that Hadow’s team use will be tested in the United States
Sometime in the next century, the familiar early-newspaper on the front porch (门廊) will disappear. And instead of reading your newspaper, it will read to you. You’ll get up and turn on the computer newspaper just like switching on the TV. An electronic voice will distribute stories about the latest events, guided by a program that selects the type of news you want. You’ll even get to choose the kind of voice you want to hear. Want more information on this brief story? A simple touch makes the entire text appear. Save it in your own personal computer if you like. These are among the predictions from communication experts working on the newspapers of the future. Pictured as part of broader home-based media and entertainment systems, computer newspapers will unite print and broadcast reporting, and offer news and analysis with video images of news events.
Most of the technology is available now, but convincing more people that they don’t need to read a newspaper is the next step. But resistance to computer newspapers may be stronger from within journalism. Since it is such a cultural change, it may be that the present generation of journalists and publishers will have to die off before the next generation realizes that the newspaper industry is no longer a newspaper industry. Technology is making the end of traditional newspapers unavoidable.
Despite technological advances, it could take decades to replace newsprint with computer screens. It might take 30 to 40 years to complete the changeover because people need to buy computers and because newspapers have established financial interests in the paper industry.
66. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of computer newspapers?
A. They are cheaper than traditional newspapers.
B. They are more convenient to read.
C. You can choose the kind of voice you want to hear.
D. You can easily save information for future use.
67. Which of the following is a reason why it will take a long time to complete the changeover?
A. The technology is impossible now.
B. Computer newspapers are too expensive.
C. The popularization of computers needs a long time.
D. Traditional newspapers are easier to read.
68. It can be inferred that journalists are against computer newspapers because _______.
A. they don’t know how to use computers
B. they think computer newspapers take too much time to read
C. they think the new technology is bad
D. they have been trained to write for traditional newspapers
69. We can infer from the passage that _______.
A. all technological changes are good
B. new technologies don’t always replace old ones
C. new technologies will eventually replace old ones
D. traditional newspapers are here to stay for another century
70. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Computer newspapers are well liked.
B. Newspapers of the future will be on the computer.
C. Newspapers are out of fashion.
D. New communications technology.
Claude and Louris are “giraffes”. So are police officers Hankins and Pearson. These men and women don’t look like giraffes; they look like you and me. Then, why do people call them “giraffes”?
A giraffe, they say, is an animal that sticks its neck out, can see places far away and has a large heart. It lives a quiet life and moves about in an easy and beautiful way. In the same way, a “giraffe” can be a person who likes to “stick his or her neck out” for other people, always watches for future happenings, has a warm heart for people around, and at the same time lives a quiet and beautiful life himself or herself.
“The Giraffe Project” is a 10-year-old group which finds and honors “giraffes” in the US and in the world. The group wants to teach people to do something to build a better world. The group members believe that a person shouldn’t draw his or her head back; instead, they tell people to “stick their neck out” and help others. Claude and Louris, Hankins and Pearson are only a few of the nearly 1,000 “giraffes” that the group found and honored.
Claude and Louris were getting old and they left their work with some money that they saved for future use. One day, however, they saw a homeless man looking for a place to keep warm and they decided that they should “stick their neck out” and give him some help. Today, they lived in Friends’ House, where they invite twelve homeless people to stay every night.
Police officers Hankins and Pearson work in a large city. They see crimes every day and their work is sometimes dangerous. They work hard for their money. However, these two men put their savings together and even borrowed money to start an educational center to teach young people in a poor part of the city. Hankins and Pearson are certainly “giraffes”.
66. Which of the following is true?
A. Some of the people around us look like giraffes.
B. Giraffes are the most beautiful animal in the world.
C. “Giraffes” is a beautiful name for those who are ready to help other people.
D. A “giraffe” is someone who can stick his neck out and see the future.
67. “The Giraffe Project” is a group _____.
A. of police officers B. which appeared ten years ago
C. of ten-year-old children D. which takes care of children
68. People call Claude and Hankins “giraffes” because they _____.
A. do what is needed for a good world B. are not afraid of dangerous work
C. found a home for some homeless people D. made money only for other people
69. What does “The Giraffe Project” do?
A. It tells people how to live a quiet life.
B. It helps the homeless and teaches the young people.
C. It tries to find 1,000 warm-hearted people in the US.
D. It shows people what their duty is for a better world.
70. The underlined word “crime” in the last paragraph has the similar meaning to ____.
A. mistake B. happiness C. failure D. wrongdoing
Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important work in the world.
Before the nineteenth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often poor. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably(明显地) in the next century.
Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers has helped double and even triple the production of some major crops. More scientific animal care and animal raising have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.
As farming has become less important as a way of life in the United States, it has become more important as a source which offers materials to industry. Today's successful farmers are experts not just in agriculture but also in accounting, marketing, and finance. Farms that are not run in a similar way have great difficulty surviving.
61. We are told in the first paragraph about ____.
A. the history of farming B. the importance of farming
C. the development of farming D. the changes of farming
62. Which of the following describes American farming before the 19th century?
A. Farmers didn’t work hard on their farms.
B. Farmers used tractors to help them.
C. Farming was the main way of living for most people.
D. Farmers could supply materials to industry.
63. Crop production has increased greatly now thanks to all the following EXCEPT __.
A. scientific methods B. labor- saving machinery
C. farmers’ hard work D. chemical fertilizers
64. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Traditional American farming.
B. The increase in the number of crops in the US.
C. Modern farming methods.
D. American farmers’ hard work.
65. The passage mainly talks about_____.
A. the advantages of American farming B. the changes in American farming
C. the situation of American farms D. how rapidly farming has developed