阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Scottish pupils recently were part of a new scheme that allowed them to take their exams online. Those examinations provided a glimpse of the future in May when 120 candidates in 10 centers in Scotland sat in front of computers to take a multiple-choice online exam. Although candidates were using a computer mouse instead of a pen, in all other ways the exam was the same as normal.
Exam rooms were set out to ensure that only the candidates and the teachers were able to see the individual screens. The online answers were sent directly to a safe area. According to the students at St Ninian’s in East Renfrewshire who took an online French exam, it was definitely the most motivated they had ever felt when taking an exam.
“I could go as fast as I wanted to, rather than as slow as everyone else wanted to,” said one. “It was better than looking back and forth between the questions,” said another. One pupil even described it as fun.
Their head teacher, Dorothy Graham, was not so surprised, “They are so used to doing things on computers that it seems natural for them. The boys liked it because they didn’t have to worry about how neat their work was.” The only things that worried her were power cuts and systems’ crashing.
It’s thought that online exams could be the norm (常态) in about five years. However, last year there were warnings about computerizing exams in England and Wales. It’s thought that it could be unfair to some students if they come from homes without access to a computer. In the first paragraph the underlined word “candidates” probably means _________.
| A．teachers who are supposed to prepare the test |
| B．people who grade the students’ papers |
| C．teachers who oversee the students in the exam rooms |
| D．pupils who take the online exam |
Pupils who take this kind of exam _________.
| A．do not need to write the answers down |
| B．must write the answers clearly with a mouse |
| C．have to answer the questions very quickly |
| D．can answer the questions for as long as they like |
Why do people think it is unfair to some students without computers at home?
| A．Because they are not able to take the exam at home. |
| B．Because they can’t be allowed to take the exams if they don’t have computers at home. |
| C．Because they can’t operate computers as well as those who have computers at home. |
| D．Because they are worried about how neat their work is. |
According to the head teacher, pupils won’t be able to take the exam if _________.
| A．they don’t have a computer at home |
| B．the computer system breaks down |
| C．the teacher sees individual screen |
| D．they take pens into the exam rooms |
We can learn from the passage that it is mainly about ________.
| A．computers in modern schools |
| B．taking exams online |
| C．testing computers in classroom |
| D．taking a multiple-choice exam |
Every day it seems that people are coming up with new and innovative ways to use mobile devices like cellphones and smart phones. Researchers at Princeton University are looking for new ways to measure a person’s sense of wellbeing with mobile devices.
To gain a better understanding of how cellphones and other mobile devices can measure our sense of happiness, the research team conducted a study that was published recently in the journal Demography. To gather data for their study, the team created an application for mobile devices using the Android operating system.
Once the app was developed, the researchers invited people to download it and take part in their study. Over a three-week period, the research team was able to collect data from some 270 participants living in 13 countries.
Participants came not only from the United States, but also from other nations like Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Over the course of the study, participants received occasional text questions from the researchers that asked “How happy are you?”. Along with recording their response, the app used the mobile device’s built-in GPS to keep track of the participant’s location.
The study participants were asked to rate their current state of happiness on a scale of zero to five. As they gathered data from the information collected through the application, the researchers then were able to create new methods that could help provide a better understanding of how our surroundings can influence our emotional well-being.
The researchers learned that mobile devices can provide an effective way to quickly grab information that, because of today’s active lifestyle, can be difficult to record. Being able to quickly grab this information was something the researchers felt was important. They said feelings and emotions that were recorded as they were happening were most likely to be more honest and precise than using other methods like writing down how they felt on a piece of paper after the fact.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The study the team conducted has not been published yet. |
| B．About 270 people from 13 countries participated in the study. |
| C．The participants didn’t need to download the app to participate. |
| D．None of the participants came from the United Kingdom. |
What did the researchers find vital as to rate people’s sense of happiness from the passage?
| A．Recording people’s feelings and emotions quickly. |
| B．Writing down how they felt on a piece of paper. |
| C．Answering the text question “How happy are you?” |
| D．Knowing how the surroundings affect people’s happiness. |
The underlined word in the first paragraph probably refers to ______.
| A．emotion | B．wealth |
| C．happiness | D．technology |
The best title of the passage is most likely to be “_______”.
| A．People’s Sense of Happiness Related to Mobile Phones |
| B．Scientists Track Happiness with Cellphones |
| C．Methods to Rate People’s Happiness |
| D．A Better Understanding of People’s Sense of Happiness |
A mother’s ad calling for her son to come home for Chinese New Year ran on the front page of the Chinese Melbourne Daily newspaper on January 14.
It placed a full page ad, saying “Dear Peng, I’ve called you many times but you don’t pick up, maybe you will see this. Dad and mom won’t ever force you to get married anymore, come home for Chinese New Year! From your mom who loves you.”
The ad, which appeared on the front page of the Chinese Melbourne Daily on Tuesday, would cost $2,796.80 Australian dollars ($2465). The newspaper serves the city’s Chinese community. The mother, who lives in Guangzhou had placed the ad after losing contact with her son.
Every year around this time, many Chinese prepare to head home for China’s most important festival. But many of the younger generation are afraid of facing family confrontations about their love life.
On the online Chinese forum Tianya. cn, a single man asked for advice on facing his family. “It’s almost that time of the year. How should I explain to my family and relatives that I am single?” a user in Guangzhou “1979xiaozhu” posted. Many of the replies were telling him not to go home instead.
User “qianlidaiwanwoduxing” wrote: “Going home means they will either arrange blind dates for you or you get scolded.”
“This year my mom gave me an ultimatum. One, bring 50,000 yuan; second, bring a wife home. If I don’t have both then she said I don’t need to come home. What a tragedy!” said user “fghjkh84”.
Those girls who can’t handle the pressure of parents can rent a boyfriend for the day through China’s online shopping giant, Taobao.com. Rental boyfriends come with services such as meeting the parents, shopping and watching movies.The mother placed a full page ad in order to _______.
| A．ask her son to come back to China for the festival |
| B．beg her son to answer her telephone more times |
| C．force her son to come home and get married |
| D．make her son become famous in Melbourne |
Why did the mother place the ad in the Chinese Melbourne Daily?
| A．Because her son didn’t want to get married in China. |
| B．Because she couldn’t get in touch with her son any more. |
| C．Because her son wanted to live alone in Australia. |
| D．Because she wanted her son to come back to work. |
What leads many Chinese young people not to go home for New Year?
| A．Their busy work. | B．The long distance. |
| C．Their low pay. | D．Their love life. |
From the passage we can infer ______.
| A．the user “1979xiaozhu” is a married young man |
| B．the user “qianlidaiwanwoduxing” will go home |
| C．the user “fghjkh84” will bring a wife home |
| D．some single girls have to bring an untrue boyfriend home |
“When an American asks me this question, it’s like a wall of ice crashing down between us.” my Moscow-born friend Galina said. The question is “How are you?”.
The answer Americans give, of course is, “Fine.” But when Russians hear this they think one of two things: you are experiencing a rare moment of fineness or you are lying.
Ask a Russian, “How are you?” and you will hear, for better or worse, the truth. I have experienced many painful minutes of silence after my grandmother made her stock response: “Terrible,” to which she might add, “Why? Because being old is terrible and I am very old.”
“‘Fine’ makes Russians think that Americans have no soul,” I explained recently to an American-born friend. “That they just want to go home, eat a frozen dinner in front of the TV, and wait out the hours before going to work to make money again.” He laughed, “You know, there’s something to that.”
The thing most Russians don’t realize is that, in English, “How are you?” isn’t a question at all, but a form of “hi”, like the Russian “privyet!”
Psychologists at the University of Michigan have shown that, while Russians are, indeed, easier to be depressed than Americans, their open acceptance of bad experiences might be healthier.
Recently, when I looked through a few American guides on traveling to Russia, I was disappointed to find that they all suggested that tourists adopt the American approach to “How are you”.When you ask a Russian “how are you” the Russian will ________.
| A．answer “fine” | B．tell you the truth |
| C．make no answer | D．get angry and walk away |
If an American answers “fine” to the question “how are you”, the Russian will think ______.
| A．he is not honest | B．he will go home |
| C．he likes watching TV | D．he is living a bad life |
We can infer Russians’ answer to “how are you” can make Americans feel ________.
| A．happy | B．angry |
| C．puzzled | D．touched |
I have ______ many different friends ______ it is hard to choose just one best friend.
| A．so; as | B．so; that |
| C．such; as | D．such; that |
Wednesday night 7: 30 p. m. at the Chuckle Bar!
Starring Rodney Mann, Pedro Mendez and Larry Dunne!
Next Wednesday night at the Chuckle Bar we have an all star line up of comedians. Three of the world’s best known comedians are coming together for one night only. Book your tickets by calling 1 900 555 6565 or be at the door early to buy them before the show begins.
Rodney Mann
Mann is famous for his jokes about average people and their life. Many of his jokes are social commentaries on everyday things. He loves to set his jokes in New York, the city where he grew up.
Mann’s most famous opening line, “You know, I was walking down the street the other day. . . ” is known all over the world. He is just back from his tour of Europe, and is appearing at the Chuckle Bar for one night only. Don’t miss it!
Pedro Mendez
Pedro Mendez grew up on a small farm in Panama. He moved to the USA with his parents when he was ten, and has been telling jokes and making people laugh ever since. Recently, the 30 year old comedian began to film a new TV programme that he will both act in and produce.
Experience Mendez’s unique Latin style humor for yourself. His routine, “I had a farm in Panama”, is a classic that should not be missed.
Larry Dunne
Larry Dunne has been making people laugh all over the world for more than five decades. He began his career by performing for soldiers in Hawaii in the 1950s, and since then, he has been the host of his own late night TV programme. The videos and DVDs of his performances are the best sellers of any stand-up acts out there. As an old style comedian, Dunne uses lots of singing and dancing as part of his routines.
Dunne is best known for his jokes about life in the USA and how it has changed during his lifetime. This will be Dunne’s last show before he retires, so don’t miss it.
Call 1-900-555-6565 to reserve your tickets or be at the door by 7: 00 p. m. .Rodney Mann grew up in ______ .
| A．the USA | B．Panama |
| C．Hawaii | D．New York |
The show begins ______.
| A．at lunch time | B．at 7: 30 p. m. |
| C．at 7: 00 p.m | D．at 7: 30 a. m. |
Pedro Mendez has lived in ______ for ______ years.
| A．the USA; thirty-four | B．the USA; |
| C．Panama; thirty-four | D．the USA; twenty |
The oldest comedian is probably ______, and has been performing ______.
| A．Rodney Mann; for over fifty years |
| B．Larry Dunne; since the 1970s |
| C．Larry Dunne; for over fifty years |
| D．Pedro Mendez; for over fifty years |
The comedy show will have ______ comedians on ______ night.
| A．three; one | B．three; two |
| C．one; three | D．one; two |