高中英語特殊句式的高考真題分析(2)
高中英語閱讀理解的專題練習(xí)
The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups.Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say.A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness, or worry.Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap (間隙) with conversation.Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a persons needs.
Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do.Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops, what maybe implied(暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing.In these cultures, silence is a call for reflection.
Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power.For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion.However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her.In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.
Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing.Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily.A nurse who understands the healing(治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.
1.What does the author say about silence in conversations?
A.It implies anger. B.It promotes friendship.
C.It is culture-specific. D.It is content-based.
2.Which of the following people might regard silence as a call for careful thought?
A.The Chinese. B.The French.
C.The Mexicans. D.The Russians.
3.What does the author advise nurses to do about silence?
A.Let it continue as the patient pleases.
B.Break it while treating patients.
C.Evaluate its harm to patients.
D.Make use of its healing effects.
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A.Sound and Silence
B.What It Means to Be Silent
C.Silence to Native Americans
D.Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold
Passage 2 (2016·全國)
話題：圖書分享活動
詞數(shù)：250
Reading can be a social activity.Think of the people who belong to book groups.They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them.Now, the website BookCrossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.
Members go on the site and register the books they own and would like to share.BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book.Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure, traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.
Bruce Peterson, the managing director of BookCrossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read.BookCrossing combines both.”
Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops.Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.
People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it.E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossing to keep them updated about where their books have been found.Bruce Peterson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.
BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual(虛擬).The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.
★1.Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph?
A.To explain what they are.
B.To introduce BookCrossing.
C.To stress the importance of reading.
D.To encourage readers to share their ideas.
2.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.The book.
B.An adventure.
C.A public place.
D.The identification number.
3.What will a BookCrosser do with a book after reading it?
A.Meet other readers to discuss it.
B.Keep it safe in his bookcase.
C.Pass it on to another reader.
D.Mail it back to its owner.
★4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Online Reading: A Virtual Tour
B.Electronic Books: A new Trend
C.A Book Group Brings Tradition Back
D.A Website Links People through Books
Passage 3 (2016·全國)
話題：蘋果節(jié)
詞數(shù)：277
If you are a fruit grower—or would like to become one—take advantage of Apple Day to see whats around.It’s called Apple Day but in practice it’s more like Apple Month.The day itself is on October 21, but since it has caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain.
Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples.To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans.Although it doesn?t taste of anything special, it?s still worth a try, as is the knobbly(多疙瘩的) Cats Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else.
There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions.One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you’ll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it?s a__pipe__dream for most apple lovers who fall for it.
At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games.
Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit，including stately gardens and commercial orchards(果園).If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale，near Faversham in Kent.
1.What can people do at the apple events?
A.Attend experts’ lectures.
B.Visit fruit-loving families.
C.Plant fruit trees in an orchard.
D.Taste many kinds of apples.
2.What can we learn about Decio?
A.It is a new variety. B.It has a strange look.
C.It is rarely seen now. D.It has a special taste.
3.What does the underlined phrase “a pipe dream” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.A practical idea. B.A vain hope.
C.A brilliant plan. D.A selfish desire.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To show how to grow apples.
B.To introduce an apple festival.
C.To help people select apples.
D.To promote apple research.
Passage 4(2016·全國)
話題：好消息傳播快
詞數(shù)：338
Bad news sells.If it bleeds, it leads.No news is good news, and good news is no news.Those are the classic rules for the evening broadcasts and the morning papers.But now that information is being spread and monitored(監(jiān)控) in different ways, researchers are discovering new rules.By tracking people’s e-mails and online posts, scientists have found that good news can spread faster and farther than disasters and sob stories.
“The if it bleeds’ rule works for mass media，” says Jonah Berger, a scholar at the University of Pennsylvania.“They want your eyeballs and dont care how you’re feeling.But when you share a story with your friends, you care a lot more how they react.You don’t want them to think of you as a Debbie Downer.”
Researchers analyzing word-of-mouth communication—e-mails，Web posts and reviews, face-to-face conversations—found that it tended to be more positive than negative(消極的), but that didnt necessarily mean people preferred positive news.Was positive news shared more often simply because people experienced more good things than bad things? To test for that possibility, Dr.Berger looked at how people spread a particular set of news stories: thousands of articles on The New York Times’ website.He and a Penn colleague analyzed the “most e-mailed” list for six months.One of his first finds was that articles in the science section were much more likely to make the list than non-science articles.He found that science amazed Times readers and made them want to share this positive feeling with others.
Readers also tended to share articles that were exciting or funny, or that inspired negative feelings like anger or anxiety, but not articles that left them merely sad.They needed to be aroused(激發(fā)) one way or the other, and they preferred good news to bad.The more positive an article, the more likely it was to be shared, as Dr.Berger explains in his new book, “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”
1.What do the classic rules mentioned in the text apply to?
A.News reports. B.Research papers.
C.Private e-mails. D.Daily conversations.
2.What can we infer about people like Debbie Downer?
A.Theyre socially inactive.
B.Theyre good at telling stories.
C.Theyre inconsiderate of others.
D.Theyre careful with their words.
3.Which tended to be the most e-mailed according to Dr.Bergers research?
A.Sports news. B.Science articles.
C.Personal accounts. D.Financial reviews.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Sad Stories Travel Far Wide.
B.Online News Attracts More People.
C.Reading Habits Change with the Times.
D.Good News Beats Bad on Social Networks.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：房間與身材
詞數(shù)：316
Your house may have an effect on your figure.Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off.You can make your environment work for you instead of against you.Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights.Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating，for people are often less selfconscious(難為情)when they're in poorly lit places-and so more likely to eat lots of food.If your home doesn't have enough window light，get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors.Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites.In one study，people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room.Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing，while cold colors make us feel less hungry.So when it's time to repaint，go blue.
Don't forget the clock-or the radio.People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories(卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals.Begin keeping track of the time，and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes.And while you're at it，actually sit down to eat.If you need some help slowing down，turn on relaxing music.It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes.Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat.We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12inch plate instead of a 10inch plate.When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one，total intake(攝入) jumps by 14 percent.And we'll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short，wide glass than a tall，skinny glass.
1.The text is especially helpful for those who care about________.
A.their home comforts
B.their body shape
C.house buying
D.healthy diets
2.A home environment in blue can help people________.
A.digest food better
B.reduce food intake
C.burn more calories
D.regain their appetites
3.What are people advised to do at mealtimes?
A.Eat quickly.
B.Play fast music.
C.Use smaller spoons.
D.Turn down the lights.
★4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Is Your House Making You Fat?
B.Ways of Serving Dinner
C.Effects of SelfConsciousness
D.Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?
Passage (2015·安徽)
話題：家庭團(tuán)結(jié)
詞數(shù)：304
When her five daughters were young, Helene An always told them that there was strength in unity (團(tuán)結(jié)). To show this, she held up one chopstick, representing one person. Then she easily broke it into two pieces. Next, she tied several chopsticks together, representing a family. She showed the girls it was hard to break the tied chopsticks. This lesson about family unity stayed with the daughters as they grew up.
Helene An and her family own a large restaurant business in California. However, when Helene and her husband Danny left their home in Vietnam in 1975, they didn't have much money. They moved their family to San Francisco. There they joined Danny's mother, Diana, who owned a small Italian sandwich shop. Soon afterwards, Helene and Diana changed the sandwich shop into a small Vietnamese restaurant. The five daughters helped in the restaurant when they were young. However, Helene did not want her daughters to always work in the family business because she thought it was too hard.
Eventually the girls all graduated from college and went away to work for themselves, but one by one, the daughters returned to work in the family business. They opened new restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Even though family members sometimes disagreed with each other, they worked together to make the business successful. Daughter Elisabeth explains, “Our mother taught us that to succeed we must have unity, and to have unity we must have peace. Without the strength of the family, there is no business.”
Their expanding business became a large corporation in 1996, with three generations of Ans working together. Now the Ans' corporation makes more than $20 million each year. Although they began with a small restaurant, they had big dreams, and they worked together. Now they are a big success.
1.Helene tied several chopsticks together to show________.
A.the strength of family unity
B.the difficulty of growing up
C.the advantage of chopsticks
D.the best way of giving a lesson
2.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that the An family________________.
A.started a business in 1975
B.left Vietnam without much money
C.bought a restaurant in San Francisco
D.opened a sandwich shop in Los Angeles
3.What can we infer about the An daughters?
A.They did not finish their college education.
B.They could not bear to work in the family business.
C.They were influenced by what Helene taught them.
D.They were troubled by disagreement among family members.
★4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A.How to Run a Corporation
B.Strength Comes from Peace
C.How to Achieve a Big Dream
D.Family Unity Builds Success
Passage (2015·安徽)
話題：互聯(lián)網(wǎng)與記憶
詞數(shù)：288
As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remembering less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know how the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.
In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the computer. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夾). Surprisingly, people later remembered the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory (交互記憶)”
According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.
★1.The passage begins with two questions to________.
A.introduce the main topic
B.show the author's altitude
C.describe how to use the Internet.
D.explain how to store information
2.What can we learn about the first experiment?
A.The Sparrow's team typed the information into a computer.
B.The two groups remembered the information equally well.
C.The first group did not try to remember the information.
D.The second group did not understand the information.
3.In transactive memory, people________.
A.keep the information in mind
B.change the quantity of information
C.organize information like a computer
D.remember how to find the information
4.What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?
A.We are using memory differently.
B.We are becoming more intelligent.
C.We have poorer memories than before.
D.We need a better way to access information.
Passage (2015·四川)
話題：金字塔
詞數(shù)：436
No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo.But a new study suggests they used a little rock‘n’roll.Longago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled then across the sand, the scientists say.
“Technically, I think what they're proposing is possible，” physicist Daniel Bonn said.
People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks.And there's no obvious answer.On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck.The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away.
The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths.Many scientists suspect workers first would have put the blocks on sleds(滑板).Then they would have dragged them along paths.To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated_the_paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle.Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand.
Evidence from the sand supports this idea.Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths.
However, physicist Joseph West thinks there might have been a simpler way, who led the new study .West said, “I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction.I thought, ‘Why don't they just try rolling the things?’ ” A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized.That, he notes, should make a block of stone “a lot easier to roll than a square”.
So he tried it.
He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30kilogram stone block.That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel.Then they placed the block on the ground.
They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled.The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths.They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery(滑的)path.
West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks，but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding.At least，workers wouldn't have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.
1.It's widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by ________.
A.rolling them on roads
B.pushing them over the sand
C.sliding them on smooth paths
D.dragging them on some poles
2.The underlined part “lubricated the paths” in Paragraph 4 means________.
A.made the paths wet
B.made the paths hard
C.made the paths wide
D.made the paths slippery
3.What does the underlined word “it”in Paragraph 7 refer to?
A.Rolling the blocks with poles attached.
B.Rolling the blocks on wooden wheels.
C.Rolling poles to move the blocks.
D.Rolling the blocks with fat.
4.Why is rolling better than sliding according to West?
A.Because more force is needed for sliding.
B.Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle.
C.Because sliding on smooth roads is more dangerous.
D.Because less preparation on paths is needed for rolling.
★5.What is the text mainly about?
A.An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
B.An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
C.An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
D.An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site.
Passage 9 (2015·天津)
話題：社會機(jī)器人
詞數(shù)：309
Whether in the home or the workplace, social robots are going to become a lot more common in the next few years.Social robots are about to bring technology to the everyday world in a more humanized way, said Cynthia Breazeal, chief scientist at the robot company Jibo.
While household robots today do the normal housework, social robots will be much more like companions than mere tools.For example, these robots will be able to distinguish when someone is happy or sad.This allows them to respond more appropriately to the user.
The Jibo robot, arranged to ship later this year, is designed to be a personalized assistant.You can talk to the robot, ask it questions, and make requests for it to perform different tasks.The robot doesn't just deliver general answers to questions; it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household.It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.
Social robots are not just finding their way into the home.They have potential applications in everything from education to health care and are already finding their way into some of these spaces.
Fellow Robots is one company bringing social robots to the market.The company's “Oshbot” robot is built to assist customers in a store, which can help the customers find items and help guide them to the product's location in the store.It can also speak different languages and make recommendations for different items based on what the customer is shopping for.
The more interaction the robot has with humans, the more it learns.But Oshbot, like other social robots, is not intended to replace workers, but to work alongside other employees.“We have technologies to train social robots to do things not for us, but with us，” said Breazeal.
1.How are social robots different from household robots?
A.They can control their emotions.
B.They are more like humans.
C.They do the normal housework.
D.They respond to users more slowly.
2.What can a Jibo robot do according to Paragraph 3?
A.Communicate with you and perform operations.
B.Answer your questions and make requests.
C.Take your family pictures and deliver milk.
D.Obey your orders and remind you to take pills.
3.What can Oshbot work as?
A.A language teacher. B.A tour guide.
C.A shop assistant. D.A private nurse.
4.We can learn from the last paragraph that social robots will ________.
A.train employees
B.be our workmates
C.improve technologies
D.take the place of workers
5.What does the passage mainly present?
A.A new design idea of household robots.
B.Marketing strategies for social robots.
C.Information on household robots.
D.An introduction to social robots.
Passage (2015·陜西)
話題：咖啡樹種植
詞數(shù)：307
The production of coffee beans is a huge，profitable business，but，unfortunately，fullsun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage.The change in how coffee is grown from shadegrown production to fullsun production endangers the very existence of certain animals and birds，and even disturbs the world's ecological balance.
On a local level，the damage of the forest required by fullsun fields affects the area's birds and animals.The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other species (物種)that depend on the trees' flowers and fruits.Fullsun coffee growers destroy this forest home.As a result，many species are quickly dying out.
On a more global level，the destruction of the rainforest for fullsun coffee fields also threatens (威脅) human life.Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life，and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases.In addition，new coffeegrowing techniques are poisoning the water locally，and eventually the world's groundwater.
Both locally and globally，the continued spread of fullsun coffee plantations (種植園) could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology.The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate，and studies show that the loss of oxygengiving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming.Moreover，the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic (酸性的) soil conditions.
It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects of life，from the local environment to the global ecology.But consumers do have a choice.They can purchase shadegrown coffee whenever possible，although at a higher cost.The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.
1.What can we learn about fullsun coffee production from Paragraph 4?
A.It limits the spread of new growing techniques.
B.It leads to air pollution and global warming.
C.It slows down the loss of shade trees.
D.It improves local soil conditions.
2.The purpose of the text is to________.
A.entertain B.advertise C.instruct D.persuade
3.Where does this text probably come from?
A.An agricultural magazine.
B.A medical journal.
C.An engineering textbook.
D.A tourist guide.
4.Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?
Passage 11 (2014·山東)
話題：Elizabeth為自由而戰(zhàn)
詞數(shù)：289
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves.At the age of six months she was acquired，along with her sister，by John Ashley，a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholder.She became known as“Mumbet”or“Mum Bett.”
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family.One day，Ashley's wife tried to strike Mumbet's sister with a spade.Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead.Furious，she left the house and refused to come back.When the Ashleys tried to make her return，Mumbet consulted a lawyer，Theodore Sedgewick.With his help，Mumbet sued(起訴) for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys，Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution.If the constitution said that all people were free and equal，then she thought it should apply to her.Eventually，Mumbet won her freedom—the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough，after the trial，the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee.She declined and instead went to work for Sedgewick.Mumbet died in 1829，but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔).One of her greatgrandchildren was W.E.B.Du Bois，one of the founders of the NAACP，and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet's tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried.It reads，in part：“She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years.She could neither read nor write，yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.”
1.What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?
A.She was born a slave.
B.She was a slaveholder.
C.She had a famous sister.
D.She was born into a rich family.
2.Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?
A.She found an employer.
B.She wanted to be a lawyer.
C.She was hit and got angry.
D.She had to take care of her sister.
3.What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new constitution?
A.She should always obey her owners' orders.
B.She should be as free and equal as whites.
C.How to be a good servant.
D.How to apply for a job.
4.What did Mumbet do after the trial?
A.She chose to work for a lawyer.
B.She founded the NAACP.
C.She continued to serve the Ashleys.
D.She went to live with her grandchildren.
★5.What is the text mainly about?
A.A story of a famous writer and spokesperson.
B.The friendship between a lawyer and a slave.
C.The life of a brave African American woman.
D.A trial that shocked the whole world.
Passage (2014·重慶)
話題：我與室友Kate
詞數(shù)：298
I was never very neat，while my roommate Kate was extremely organized.Each of her objects had its place，but mine always hid somewhere.She even labeled (貼標(biāo)簽)everything.I always looked for everything.Over time，Kate got neater and I got messier.She would push my dirty clothing over，and I would lay my books on her tidy desk.We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening.Kate came into the room.Soon，I heard her screaming，“Take your shoes away!Why under my bed!”Deafened，I saw my shoes flying at me.I jumped to my feet and started yelling.She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger.We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call.Kate answered it.From her end of the conversation，I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill.When she hung up，she quickly crawled (爬)under her covers，sobbing.Obviously，that was something she should not go through alone.All of a sudden，a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly，I collected the pencils，took back the books，made my bed，cleaned the socks and swept the floor，even on her side.I got so into my work that I even didn't notice Kate had sat up.She was watching，her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief.Then，she reached out her hands to grasp mine.I looked up into her eyes.She smiled at me，“Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year.We didn't always agree，but we learned the key to living together：giving in，cleaning up and holding on.
1.What made Kate so angry one evening?
A.She couldn't find her books.
B.She heard the author shouting loud.
C.She got the news that her grandma was ill.
D.She saw the author's shoes beneath her bed.
2.The author tidied up the room most probably because ________.
A.she was scared by Kate's anger
B.she hated herself for being so messy
C.she wanted to show her care
D.she was asked by Kate to do so
3.How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
A.By analyzing causes.
B.By showing differences.
C.By describing a process.
D.By following time order.
★4.What might be the best title for the story?
A.My Friend Kate
B.Hard Work Pays Off
C.How to Be Organized
D.Learning to Be Roommates
Passage (2014·重慶)
話題：肥胖與鍛煉
詞數(shù)：304
There have always been a lot of commonly believed but false ideas about being fat and doing exercise.Some people believe that they can't help putting on weight as they get older，while others hold that if they stop exercising，their muscles will turn into fat.Here are some more myths：
I'll never lose weight—I come from a fat family
Wrong!While we can't change the body type we are born with，we can't blame our genes for making us fat.There's plenty of evidence that fatness runs in families，and the main reason is that they share the same habits of eating too much and exercising too little.
I am fat because I burn calories slowly
Wrong!Fatness is not caused by a slow metabolism(新陳代謝).In fact，although fat people consume more energy than slim people，they also fail to realize how much they eat!Keeping a diary can help you work out your daily food intake more accurately.
Exercise is boring
Wrong!Anything will become boring if you do it repetitively.The key is to develop a balanced and varied program that's fun as well as progressive.If you enjoy a Sunday walk，take a different route.If you do yoga，try a tai chi class.If you like swimming，set yourself a distance or time challenge.
No pain，no gain
Wrong!Exercise is not meant to hurt.Indeed，pain is your body telling you something's wrong，and continuing to exercise could lead to serious injury.You may experience mild discomfort as you begin to exercise regularly，but this is your body adapting to the positive changes in your lifestyle and the aches should disappear relatively quickly.If they don't，rest and seek medical advice.
1.What does the author think about being fat?
A.It is the family genes that make people fat.
B.People are fat because they consume too little energy.
C.A diary of exercise can prevent people from becoming fat.
D.It is the consequence of people's unbalanced lifestyle.
2.According to the author，how can we make exercise more interesting?
A.By taking varied exercise.
B.By choosing simple exercise.
C.By doing regular exercise.
D.By sticking to outdoor exercise.
3.What is the author's opinion about“No pain，no gain”in exercising?
A.Keeping fit is essentially a painful experience.
B.Exercise should be stopped if continuous pain is felt.
C.Pain in exercise is a precondition for reaching your goal.
D.Getting used to pain leads to positive changes in your body.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To declare the importance of keeping fit.
B.To clarify some misconceptions about fatness and exercise.
C.To confirm what has long been believed about keeping fit.
D.To explain some medical facts about being fat and doing exercise.
Passage 14 (2014·廣東)
話題：音樂天才的故事
詞數(shù)：348
Samuel Osmond is a 19yearold law student from Cornwall，England.He never studied the piano.However，he can play very difficult musical pieces by musicians such as Chopin and Beethoven just a few minutes after he hears them.He learns a piece of music by listening to it in parts.Then he thinks about the notes in his head.Two years ago，he played his first piece Moonlight Sonata(奏鳴曲)by Beethoven.He surprised everyone around him.
Amazed that he remembered this long and difficult piece of music and played it perfectly，his teachers say Samuel is unbelievable.They say his ability is very rare，but Samuel doesn't even realize that what he can do is special.Samuel wanted to become a lawyer as it was the wish of his parents，but music teachers told him he should study music instead.Now，he studies law and music.
Samuel can't understand why everyone is so surprised.“I grew up with music.My mother played the piano and my father played the guitar.About two years ago，I suddenly decided to start playing the piano，without being able to read music and without having any lessons.It comes easily to me—I hear the notes and can bear them in mind—each and every note，”says Samuel.
Recently，Samuel performed a piece during a special event at his college.The piece had more than a thousand notes.The audience was impressed by his amazing performance.He is now learning a piece that is so difficult that many professional pianists can't play it.Samuel says confidently，“It's all about super memory—I guess I have that gift.”
However，Samuel's ability to remember things doesn't stop with music.His family says that even when he was a young boy，Samuel heard someone read a story，and then he could retell the story word for word.
Samuel is still only a teenager.He doesn't know what he wants to do in the future.For now，he is just happy to play beautiful music and continue his studies.
1.What is special about Samuel Osmond?
A.He has a gift for writing music.
B.He can write down the note he hears.
C.He is a top student at the law school.
D.He can play the musical piece he hears.
2.What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
A.Samuel chose law against the wish of his parents.
B.Samuel planned to be a lawyer rather than a musician.
C.Samuel thinks of himself as a man of great musical ability.
D.Samuel studies law and music on the advice of his teachers.
3.Everyone around Samuel was surprised because he ________.
A.received a good early education in music
B.played the guitar and the piano perfectly
C.could play the piano without reading music
D.could play the guitar better than his father
4.What can we infer about Samuel in Paragraph 4?
A.He became famous during a special event at his college.
B.He is proud of his ability to remember things accurately.
C.He plays the piano better than many professional pianists.
D.He impressed the audience by playing all the musical pieces.
5.Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
A.The Qualities of a Musician
B.The Story of a Musical Talent
C.The Importance of Early Education
D.The Relationship between Memory and Music
Passage 1 (2014·湖北)
話題：摩天大樓的爭議
詞數(shù)：408
London's newest skyscraper (摩天大樓) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build.At a height of almost 310 metres，it is the tallest building in Europe.The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London.However，not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano.When he began designing the Shard for London，Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖頂).He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city.The sides of the building aren't regular.So the building has an unusual shape.It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass.And that is how the building got the name：the Shard.Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition.The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅桿) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors.At the top，there is an observatory.At the moment the building is empty，but eventually there will be a fivestar hotel.There will also be top quality restaurants，apartments and offices.
Before building work began，a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved.Now they are still unhappy about the Shard.Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York，but not in London.They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape.But that is the only thing.There is no decoration，only flat surfaces.The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago.They also think the Shard is too big for London.It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent.They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal.Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel.But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London.So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline.It is not certain，however，that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1.London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ________.
A.its cost B.its size
C.its shape D.its height
2.When he designed the Shard，Piano wanted it to _____________.
A.change London's skyline
B.inherit London's tradition
C.imitate the Egyptian style
D.attract potential visitors
3.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ________.
A.is only preferred by the rich
B.is intended for wealthy people
C.is far away from the poor area
D.is popular only with Londoners
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.The Shard：Cheers and Claps
B.The Shard：Work of a Great Architect
C.The Shard：New Symbol of London?
D.The Shard：A Change for the Better?
Passage 1 (2014·浙江)
話題：入鄉(xiāng)隨俗
詞數(shù)：448
Here is some mustknow information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.
In Brazil
Brazilians are warm and friendly.They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder.People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses.Schedules tend to be flexible，with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned.But to be safe，be on time.Meals can stretch for hours—there's no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil.Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon.Brazilians are social，preferring facetoface communication over emails or phone calls.
In Singapore
Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small，polite bow.Business cards should be offered and received with two hands.Arriving late is considered disrespectful.So be on time.Efficiency(效率) is the goal，so meetings and dealings often are fastpaced.Singaporeans are direct in their discussions，even when the subject is about money.Rank is important and authority is respected.This determines how people interact in meetings.For example，people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank.
In the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE，status is important，so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles.The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere.So do not pull away from the handshake.Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress.Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees.People do not avoid entertaining in their homes，but they also hold business meals at restaurants.Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided.When meetings are onetoone，if your host offers you coffee，you should refuse.It might seem odd，but it is a cultural tradition.Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented.
In Switzerland
The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name.They also are respectful of private lives.You should be careful not to ask about personal topics.Punctuality (守時) is vital，something that comes from a deep respect for others' time.Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe.They also have clear structure in their companies.Higherups make the final decisions，even if others might disagree.Neat，clean dress is expected.The Swiss follow formal table manners.They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table.It is polite to finish the food on your plate.
★1.The passage is mainly about ________.
A.communication types
B.the workplace atmosphere
C.customs and social manners
D.living conditions and standards
2.Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?
A.They put efficiency in the first place.
B.They dislike facetoface communication.
C.They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.
D.They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.
3.In the UAE，when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?
A.When greeting seniors.
B.When meeting the host alone.
C.When attending a presentation.
D.When dining with business partners.
4.In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?
A.In Brazil.
B.In Singapore.
C.In the United Arab Emirates.
D.In Switzerland.
Passage 17 (2014·遼寧)
話題：無私的“母親樹”
詞數(shù)：291
Would it surprise you to learn that，like animals，trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?
UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined.Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest，Simard shows just how wrong he was.In fact，the_opposite_is_true：trees survive through their cooperation and support，passing around necessary nutrition“depending on who needs it”.
Nitrogen (氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi (真菌) networks，making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy.This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons (神經(jīng)元) in our brains，and when one tree is destroyed，it affects all.
Simard talks about“mother trees”，usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend.She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation，transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow.When humans cut down“mother trees”with no awareness of these highly complex“tree societies”or the networks on which they feed，we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.
“We didn't take any notice of it，” Simard says sadly.“Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying，but we never give them chance.”If we could put across the message to the forestry industry，we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.
1.The underlined sentence“the opposite is true”in Paragraph 2 probably means that trees ________.
A.compete for survival
B.protect their own wealth
C.depend on each other
D.provide support for dying trees
2.“Mother trees”are extremely important because they ________.
A.look the largest in size in the forest
B.pass on nutrition to young trees
C.seem more likely to be cut down by humans
D.know more about the complex“tree societies”
3.The underlined word“it”in the last paragraph refers to ________.
A.how“tree societies”work
B.how trees grow old
C.how forestry industry develops
D.how young trees survive
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Old Trees Communicate Like Humans
B.Young Trees Are In Need Of Protection
C.Trees Are More Awesome Than You Think
D.Trees Contribute To Our Society
Passage 1 (2014·江西)
話題：公益組織
詞數(shù)：339
Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you had a hundred dollars less.Also imagine what it would be like spending the rest of your life with your eyes closed.Imagine having to read this page，not with your eyes but with your fingertips.
With existing medical knowledge and skills，twothirds of the world's 42 million blind should not have to suffer.Unfortunately，rich countries possess most of this knowledge，while developing countries do not.
ORBIS is an international nonprofit organization which operates the world's only flying teaching eye hospital.ORBIS intends to help fight blindness worldwide.Inside a DC8 aircraft，there is a fullyequipped teaching hospital with television studio and classroom.Doctors are taught the latest techniques of bringing sight back to people here.Project ORBIS also aims at promoting peaceful cooperation(合作) among countries.
ORBIS tries to help developing countries by providing training during threeweek medical programs.ORBIS has taught sightsaving techniques to over 35,000 doctors and nurses，who continue to cure tens of thousands of blind people every year.ORBIS has conducted 17 plane programs in China so far.For the seven to ten million blind in China ORBIS is planning to do more for them.At the moment an ORBIS team is working on a longterm plan to develop a training center and to provide eye care services to Shanxi Province.ORBIS needs your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.
For just US $38，you can help one person see;for $380 you can bring sight to 10 people;$1,300 helps teach a doctor new skills;and for $13,000 you can provide a training program for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again.Your money can open their eyes to the world.Please help ORBIS improve the quality of life for so many people less fortunate than ourselves.
1.The first paragraph is intended to ________.
A.introduce a new way of reading
B.advise the public to lead a simple life
C.direct the public's attention to the blind
D.encourage the public to use imagination
2.What do we learn about existing medical knowledge and skills in the world?
A.They are adequate.
B.They have not been updated.
C.They are not equally distributed.
D.They have benefited most of the blind.
3.ORBIS aims to help the blind by ________.
A.teaching medical students
B.training doctors and nurses
C.running flying hospitals globally
D.setting up nonprofit organizations
4.What does the author try to do in the last paragragh?
A.Appeal for donations.
B.Make an advertisement.
C.Promote training programs.
D.Show sympathy for the blind.
5.What can be the best title for the passage?
A.ORBIS in China
B.Fighting Blindness
C.ORBIS Flying Hospital
D.Sightsaving Techniques
Passage 1 (2014·四川)
話題：九歲女孩創(chuàng)造的奇跡
詞數(shù)：310
A schoolgirl saved her father's life by kicking him in the chest after he suffered a serious allergic(過敏的) reaction which stopped his heart.
Izzy，nine，restarted father Colm's heart by stamping(踩)on his chest after he fell down at home and stopped breathing.
Izzy's mother，Debbie，immediately called 999 but Izzy knew doctors would never arrive in time to save her father，so decided to use CPR.
However，she quickly discovered her arms weren't strong enough，so she stamped on her father's chest instead.
Debbie then took over with some more conventional chest compressions(按壓) until the ambulance arrived.
Izzy，who has been given a bravery award by her school，said：“I just kicked him really hard.My mum taught me CPR but I knew I wasn't strong enough to use hands.I was quite scared.The doctor said I might as well be a doctor or a nurse.My mum said that Dad was going to hospital with a big footprint on his chest.”
“She's a little star，”said Debbie，“I was really upset but Izzy just took over.I just can't believe what she did.I really think all children should be taught first aid.Izzy did CPR then the doctor turned up.Colm had to have more treatment on the way to the hospital and we've got to see an expert.”
Truck driver Colm,35，suffered a mystery allergic reaction on Saturday and was taken to hospital，but was sent home only for it to happen again the next day.The second attack was so serious that his airway swelled，preventing him from breathing，his blood pressure dropped suddenly，and his heart stopped for a moment.
He has now made a full recovery from his suffering.
1.Izzy kicked her father in the chest ________.
A.to express her helplessness
B.to practise CPR on him
C.to keep him awake
D.to restart his heart
2.What's the right order of the events?
?、買zzy kicked Colm
②Debbie called 999
?、跧zzy learned CPR
?、蹸olm's heart stopped.
A. B.
C. D.
3.What does Paragraph 8 mainly talk about?
A.What Colm suffered.
B.Colm's present condition.
C.What caused Colm's allergy.
D.Symptoms of Colm's allergic reaction.
4.Why does the author write the news?
A.To describe a serious accident.
B.To prove the importance of CPR.
C.To report a 9yearold girl's brave act.
D.To call people's attention to allergic reaction.
Passage (2014·陜西)
話題：美國人為什么肥胖
詞數(shù)：307
Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight，while the French，who consume rich food，continue to stay thin?Now a research by Cornell University suggests how lifestyle and decisions about eating may affect weight.Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full.However，Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr.Joseph Mercola，a health expert，the French see eating as an important part of their lifestyle.They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table，while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities.Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full.So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped.In addition，he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week.The French，instead，tend to shop daily，walking to small shops and farmers' markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits，vegetables，and eggs as well as highquality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States，Mireille Guiliano，author of French Women Don't Get Fat，decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food.Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences，evidence shows that recent lifestyle changes may be affecting French eating habits.Today the rate of obesityor extreme overweightamong adults is only 6%.However，as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions，the obesity rate among French children has reached 17%-and is growing.
1.In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr.Joseph Mercola?
A.They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.
B.They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.
C.They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.
D.They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.
2.This text is mainly about the relationship between ________.
A.Americans and the French
B.lifestyle and obesity
C.children and adults
D.fast food and overweight
3.The text is mainly developed ________.
A.by contrast B.by space
C.by process D.by classification
4.Where does this text probably come from?
A.A TV interview. B.A food advertisement.
C.A health report. D.A book review.
考點(diǎn)二 細(xì)節(jié)理解題
Passage 1 (2016·全國)
話題：四位偉大女性
詞數(shù)：260
You probably know who Marie Curie was，but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson.Of the outstanding ladies listed below，who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams(1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank.Addams helped the poor and worked for peace.She encouraged a sense of community(社區(qū))by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need.In 1931，Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson(1907-1964)
If it werent for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today.Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)
When Sandra Day OConnor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952，she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman.She became an Arizona state senator(參議員)and，in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S.Supreme Court.OConnor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)
On December 1，1955，in Montgomery，Alabama，Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a passenger.Her simple act landed Parks in prison.But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott.It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement.“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in，”said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?
A.Her social work.
B.Her lack of proper training in law.
C.Her efforts to win a prize.
D.Her community background.
2.What is the reason for OConnor’s being rejected by the law firm?
A.Her lack of proper training in law.
B.Her little work experience in court.
C.The discrimination against women.
D.The poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the US?
A.Jane Addams. B.Rachel Carson.
C.Sandra Day OConnor. D.Rosa Parks.
4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?
A.They are highly educated.
B.They are truly creative.
C.They are pioneers.
D.They are peace-lovers.
Passage 2 (2016·全國)
話題：四則廣告
詞數(shù)：278
Whats On?
Electric__Underground
7.30 pm.—1.00 am. Free at the Cyclops Theatre
Do you know whos playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands.Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract(合同)? If so, come early to the talk at 7.30 pm. by Jules Skye, a successful record producer.Hes going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce your music.
Gee__Whizz
8.30 pm.—10.30 pm. Comedy at Kaleidoscope
Come and see Gee Whizz perform.Hes the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene.This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest.Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00 pm. for drinks and snacks(快餐
Simon’s__Workshop
5.00 pm.—7.30 pm. Wednesdays at Victoria Stage
This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy.The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh.Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years? experience of teaching comedy.His workshops are exciting and fun.An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.
Charlotte__Stone
8.00 pm.—11.00 pm. Pizza World
Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out.Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano.The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食).Book early to get a table.Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.
★1.Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?
A.Jules Skye. B.Gee Whizz.
C.Charlotte Stone. D.James Pickering.
2.At which place can people of different ages enjoy a good laugh?
A.The Cyclops Theatre B.Kaleidoscope
C.Victoria Stage D.Pizza World
3.What do we know about Simon’s Workshop?
A.It requires membership status.
B.It lasts three hours each time.
C.It is run by a comedy club.
D.It is held every Wednesday.
4.When will Charlotte Stone perform her songs?
A.5.00 pm.—7.30 pm. B.7.30 pm.—1.00 am.
C.8.00 pm.—11.00 pm. D.8.30 pm.—10.30 pm.
Passage 3 (2016·全國)
話題：航海重現(xiàn)
詞數(shù)：278
A new collection of photos brings an unsuccessful Antarctic voyage back to life.
Frank Hurleys pictures would be outstanding—undoubtedly first-rate photo-journalism—if they had been made last week.In fact, they were shot from 1914 through 1916, most of them after a disastrous shipwreck(海難), by a cameraman who had no reasonable expectation of survival.Many of the images were stored in an ice chest, under freezing water, in the damaged wooden ship.
The ship was the Endurance, a small, tight, Norwegian-built three-master that was intended to take Sir Ernest Shackleton and a small crew of seamen and scientists, 27 men in all, to the southernmost shore of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea.From that point Shackleton wanted to force a passage by dog sled(雪橇) across the continent.The journey was intended to achieve more than what Captain Robert Falcon Scott had done.Captain Scott had reached the South Pole early in 1912 but had died with his four companions on the march back.
As writer Caroline Alexander makes clear in her forceful and well-researched story The Endurance, adventuring was even then a thoroughly commercial effort.Scotts last journey, completed as he lay in a tent dying of cold and hunger, caught the world?s imagination, and a film made in his honor drew crowds.Shackleton, a onetime British merchant-navy officer who had got to within 100 miles of the South Pole in 1908, started a business before his 1914 voyage to make money from movie and still photography.Frank Hurley, a confident and gifted Australian photographer who knew the Antarctic, was hired to make the images, most of which have never before been published.
★1.What do we know about the photos taken by Hurley?
A.They were made last week.
B.They showed undersea sceneries.
C.They were found by a cameraman.
D.They recorded a disastrous adventure.
2.Who reached the South Pole first according to the text?
A.Frank Hurley. B.Ernest Shackleton.
C.Robert Falcon Scott. D.Caroline Alexander.
3.What does Alexander think was the purpose of the 1914 voyage?
A.Artistic creation. B.Scientific research.
C.Money making. D.Treasure hunting.
Passage 4 (2016·全國)
話題：樂隊廣告
詞數(shù)：184
Opera at Music Hall：1243 Elm Street.The season runs June through August，with additional performances in March and September.The Opera honors enjoy the Arts membership discounts.Phone：241-2742.http：//www.cityopera.com.
Chamber Orchestra：The Orchestra plays at Memorial Hall at 1406 Elm Street, which offers several concerts from March through June.Call 723-1182 for more information.http：www.chamberoch.com.
Symphony Orchestra：At Music Hall and Riverbend.For ticket sales, call 381-3300.Regular season runs September through May at Music Hall in summer at Riverbend.http：//www.symphony.org/home.asp.
College Conservatory of Music (CCM)：Performances are on the main campus(校園)of the university, usually at Patricia Cobbett Theater.CCM organizes a variety of events, including performances by the well-known Lasalle Quartet, CCMs Philharmonic Orchestra, and various groups of musicians presenting Baroque through modern music.Students with I.D.card can attend the events for free.A free schedule of events for each term is available by calling the box office at 556-4183.http：//www.ccm.uc.edu/events/calendar.
Riverbend Music Theater：6295 Kellogg Ave.Large outdoor theater with the closest seats under cover (piece difference).Big name shows all summer long! Phone：232-6220.http：///www.riverbendmusic.com.
1.Which number should you call if you want to see opera?
A.241-2742. B.723-1182.
C.381-3300. D.232-6220.
2.When can you go to a concert by Chamber Orchestra?
A.February. B May.
C August. D November.
★3.Where can students go for free performances with their ID cards?
A.Music Hall.
B.Memorial Hall.
C.Patricia Cobbett Theater.
D.Riverbend Music Theater.
4.How is Riverbend Music Theater different from the other places?
A.It has seats in the open air.
B.It gives shows all year round.
C.It offers membership discounts.
D.It presents famous musical works.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：藝術(shù)展
詞數(shù)：221
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was one of the most popular of modern artists.The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings，sculptures，drawings and more.Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces，most importantly The Persistence of Memory.There is also L'Enigme sans Fin from 1938，works on paper，objects，and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist's showman qualities.
The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning，the world of birth.The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.
The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (無限).“From the infinity small to the infinity large，contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus：amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museumtheatre in Figueras，” explains the Pompidou Centre.
The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作)with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid，Spain，and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St.Petersburg，F(xiàn)lorida.
1.Which of the following best describes Dali according to Paragraph 1?
A.Optimistic. B.Productive.
C.Generous. D.Traditional.
2.What is Dali's The Persistence of Memory considered to be?
A.One of his masterworks.
B.A successful screen adaptation.
C.An artistic creation for the stage.
D.One of the best TV programmes.
3.How are the exhibits arranged at the World of Dali?
A.By popularity. B.By importance.
C.By size and shape. D.By time and subject.
4.What does the word “contributions” in the last paragraph refer to?
A.Artworks. B.Projects.
C.Donations. D.Documents.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：倒霉的彩電
詞數(shù)：272
My color television has given me nothing but a headache.I was able to buy it a little over a year ago because I had my relatives give me money for my birthday instead of a lot of clothes that wouldn't fit.I let a salesclerk fool me into buying a discontinued model.I realized this a day later，when I saw newspaper advertisements for the set at seventyfive dollars less than I had paid.The set worked so beautifully when I first got it home that I would keep it on until stations signed_off for the night.Fortunately，I didn't got any channels showing allnight movies or I would never have gotten to bed.
Then I started developing a problem with the set that involved static (靜電) noise.For some reason，when certain shows switched into a commercial，a loud noise would sound for a few seconds.Gradually，this noise began to appear during a show，and to get rid of it，I had to change to another channel and then change it back.Sometimes this technique would not work，and I had to pick up the set and shake it to remove the sound.I actually began to build up my arm muscles(肌肉) shaking my set.
When neither of these methods removed the static noise，I would sit helplessly and wait for the noise to go away.At last I ended up hitting the set with my fist，and it stopped working altogether.My trip to the repair shop cost me $62，and the set is working well now，but I keep expecting more trouble.
1.Why did the author say he was fooled into buying the TV set?
A.He got an older model than he had expected.
B.He couldn't return it when it was broken.
C.He could have bought it at a lower price.
D.He failed to find any movie shows on it.
2.Which of the following can best replace the phrase “signed off” in Paragraph 1?
A.ended all their programs
B.provided fewer channels
C.changed to commercials
D.showed allnight movies
3.How did the author finally get his TV set working again?
A.By shaking and hitting it.
B.By turning it on and off.
C.By switching channels.
D.By having it repaired.
4. How does the author sound when telling the story?
A.Curious. B.Anxious.
C.Cautious. D.Humorous.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：高學(xué)費(fèi)與責(zé)任感
詞數(shù)：261
More students than ever before are taking a gapyear (間隔年)before going to university.It used to be called the “year off” between school and university.The gapyear phenomenon originated(起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.
This year,25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year，according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service(UCAS).
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year.Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education.“Students who take a wellplanned year out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course.Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，” he said.
But not everyone is happy.Owain James，the president of the National Union of Students(NUS)，argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship-young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education.“New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to ￡15,000 in debt.It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree.NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods，”he said.
★1. What do we learn about the gap year from the text?
A.It is flexible in length.
B.It is a time for relaxation.
C.It is increasingly popular.
D.It is required by universities.
2. According to Tony Higgins，students taking a gap year________.
A.are better prepared for college studies
B.know a lot more about their future jobs
C.are more likely to leave university in debt
D.have a better chance to enter top universities
3. How does Owain James feel about the gapyear phenomenon?
A.He's puzzled. B.He's worried.
C.He's surprised. D.He's annoyed.
4. What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics?
A.Attend additional courses.
B.Make plans for the new term.
C.Earn money for their education.
D.Prepare for their graduate studies.
Passage (2015·安徽)
話題：食物與文化
詞數(shù)：298
Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (農(nóng)村的) and urban areas within one country.
Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (時刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (興旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (預(yù)示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving redcolored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.
★1.According to the passage, sharing bread________.
A.indicates a lack of food
B.can help to develop unity
C.is a custom unique to rural areas
D.has its roots in birthday celebrations
2.What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?
A.Trust. B.Success.
C.Health. D.Togetherness.
3.The author explains the role of food in celebrations by________.
A.using examples B.making comparisons
C.analyzing causes D.describing processes
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The custom of sharing food.
B.The specific meaning of food.
C.The role of food in ceremonies.
D.The importance of food in culture.
Passage (2015·湖北)
話題：小馬駒
詞數(shù)：384
“I see you've got a bit of water on your coat，” said the man at the petrol station.“Is it raining out there?”“No，it's pretty nice，” I replied，checking my sleeve.“Oh，right.A pony(馬駒) bit me earlier.”
As it happened，the bite was virtually painless: more the kind of small bite you might get from a naughty child.The pony responsible was queuing up for some ice cream in the car park near Haytor，and perhaps thought I'd jumped in ahead of him.
The reason why the ponies here are naughty is that Haytor is a touristheavy area and tourists are constantly feeding the ponies foods，despite signs asking them not to.By feeding the ponies，tourists increase the risk of them getting hit by a car，and make them harder to gather during the area's annual pony drift(遷移).
The purpose of a pony drift is to gather them up so their health can be checked，the baby ones can be stooped from feeding on their mother's milk，and those who've gone beyond their limited area can be returned to their correct area.Some of them are also later sold，in order to limit the number of ponies according to the rules set by Natural England.
Three weeks ago，I witnessed a small neardisaster a few miles west of here.While walking，I noticed a pony roll over on his back.“Hello!” I said to him，assuming he was just rolling for fun，but he was very still and，as I got closer，I saw him kicking his legs in the air and breathing heavily.I began to properly worry about him.Fortunately，I managed to get in touch with a Dartmoor's Livestock Protection officer and send her a photo.The officer immediately sent a local farmer out to check on the pony.The pony had actually been trapped between two rocks.The farmer freed him，and he began to run happily around again.
Dartmoor has 1,000 or so ponies，who play a critical role in creating the diversity of species in this area.Many people are working hard to preserve these ponies，and trying to come up with plans to find a sustainable(可持續(xù)的) future for one of Dartmoor's most financiallytroubled elements.
1.Why are tourists asked not to feed the ponies?
A.To protect the tourists from being bitten.
B.To keep the ponies off the petrol station.
C.To avoid putting the ponies in danger.
D.To prevent the ponies from fighting.
2.One of the purposes of the annual pony drift is _____________________________.
A.to feed baby ponies on milk
B.to control the number of ponies
C.to expand the habitat for ponies
D.to sell the ponies at a good price
3.What was the author's first reaction when he saw a pony roll on its back?
A.He freed it from the trap.
B.He called a protection officer.
C.He worried about it very much.
D.He thought of it as being naughty.
4.What does the author imply about the preservation of Dartmoor's ponies?
A.It lacks people's involvement.
B.It costs a large amount of money.
C.It will affect tourism in Dartmoor.
D.It has caused an imbalance of species.
Passage (2015·四川)
話題：母親節(jié)
詞數(shù)：335
Across Britain，burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers，But，according to a new study，we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.
Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work.Now，the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours，they would earn as much as$172,000 a year.
The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do，as well as the hours they are working，to determine the figure.This would make their yearly income $30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.
By analysing the numbers，it found the average mother works 119 hours a week,40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime.After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18，it found that，on most days，mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm.
To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour，it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on，including housekeeper，parttime lawyer，personal trainer and entertainer.Being a parttime lawyer，at $48.98 an hour，would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”，with psychologist(心理學(xué)家)a close second.
It also asked mothers about the challenges they face，with 80 percent making emotional(情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.
Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.
The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother's Day.The emotional，physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be neverending，but children are also sources of great joy and happiness.Investing(投入)in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.
★1.How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister?
A.￡30,000. B.￡142,000.
C.￡172,000. D.￡202,000.
2.The biggest challenge for most mothers is from________.
A.emotional demand
B.low pay for work
C.heavy workload
D.lack of training
3.What is stressed in the last paragraph?
A.Mothers' importance shows in family all year long.
B.The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile.
C.Mothers' devotion to children can hardly be calculated.
D.Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return.
4.What can we conclude from the study?
A.Mothers' working hours should be largely reduced.
B.Mothers should balance their time for work and rest.
C.Mothers' labour is of a higher value than it is realised.
D.Mothers should be freed from housework for social life.
Passage 11 (2015·天津)
話題：大學(xué)宿舍規(guī)范
詞數(shù)：342
University Room Regulations
Approved and Prohibited Items
The following items are approved for use in residential(住宿的) rooms: electric blankets, hair dryers, personal computers, radios, televisions and DVD players.Items that are not allowed in student rooms include: candles, ceiling fans, fireworks, waterbeds, sun lamps and wireless routers.Please note that any prohibited items will be taken away by the Office of Residence Life.
Access to Residential Rooms
Students are provided with a combination(組合密碼) for their room door locks upon checkin.Do not share your room door lock combination with anyone.The Office of Residence Life may change the door lock combination at any time at the expense of the resident if it is found that the student has shared the combination with others.The fee is $25 to change a room combination.
Cooking Policy
Students living in buildings that have kitchens are only permitted to cook in the kitchen.Students must clean up after cooking.This is not the responsibility of housekeeping staff.Kitchens that are not kept clean may be closed for use.With the exception of using a small microwave oven(微波爐) to heat food, students are not permitted to cook in their rooms.
Pet Policy
No pets except fish are permitted in student rooms.Students who are found with pets, whether visiting or owned by the student, are subject to an initial fine of $100 and a continuing fine of $50 a day per pet.Students receive written notice when the fine goes into effect.If, one week from the date of written notice, the pet is not removed, the student is referred to the Student Court.
Quiet Hours
Residential buildings must maintain an atmosphere that supports the academic mission of the University.Minimum quiet hours in all campus residences are 11：00 pm to 8：00 am Sunday through Thursday.Quiet hours on Friday and Saturday nights are 1：00 am to 8：00 am.Students who violate quiet hours are subject to a fine of $25.
★1.Which of the following items are allowed in student rooms?
A.Ceiling fans and waterbeds.
B.Wireless routers and radios.
C.Hair dryers and candles.
D.TVs and electric blankets.
2.What if a student is found to have told his combination to others?
A.The combination should be changed.
B.The Office should be charged.
C.He should replace the door lock.
D.He should check out of the room.
3.What do we know about the cooking policy?
A.A microwave oven can be used.
B.Cooking in student rooms is permitted.
C.A housekeeper is to clean up the kitchen.
D.Students are to close kitchen doors after cooking.
4.If a student has kept a cat in his room for a week since the warning, he will face ________.
A.parent visits B.a fine of $100
C.the Student Court D.a written notice
5.When can students enjoy a party in residences?
A.7：00 am, Sunday. B.7：30 am, Thursday.
C.11：30 pm, Monday. D.00：30 am, Saturday.
Passage (2015·福建)
話題：美食節(jié)
詞數(shù)：362
Food festivals around the world
Stilton Cheese Rolling
May Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include cheese rolling in their annual plans.Teams of four，dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes, roll a complete cheese along a 50metre course.On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors' lane(賽道).Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones).All the competitors are served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese.
Fiery Foods Festival—The Hottest Festival on Earth
Every year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico.They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction—food that is not just spicy(辛辣)，but hot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water.Their destination is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three days every March.You might like to try a chocolatecovered habanero pepper—officially the hottest pepper in the world—or any one of the thousands of products that are on show.But one thing's for sure—if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn't for you!
La Tomatina—The World's Biggest Food Fight
On the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts La Tomatina—the world's largest food fight.A weeklong celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events.The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes—official fightstarters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd.
The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back.Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again—and for a muchneeded wash!
★1.In the Stilton cheese rolling competition, competitors on each team must ________.
A.wear various formal clothes
B.roll a wooden cheese in their own lane
C.kick or throw their cheese
D.use a real cheese weighing about four kilos
2.Where is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival held?
A.In New Mexico. B.In the Caribbean.
C.In Australia. D.In China.
3.The celebration of La Tomatina lasts ________.
A.three days B.seven days
C.less than three days D.more than seven days
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The chief prize for the Stilton cheese rolling competition is beer or port wine.
B.More than 10,000 Chinese take part in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival.
C.Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival.
D.An exciting tomato battle takes place at the beginning of La Tomatina.
Passage (2014·四川)
話題：做志愿者吧
詞數(shù)：187
Do you want to get home from work knowing you have made a real difference in someone's life?
If yes，don't care about sex or age!Come and join us，then you'll_make_it!
Position：Volunteer Social Care Assistant(No Pay with Free Meals)
Place：Manchester
Hours：Part Time
We are now looking for volunteers to support people with learning disabilities to live active lives!Only 4 days left.Don't miss the chance of lending your warm hands to help others!
Role：
You will provide people with learning disabilities with all aspects of their daily lives.You will help them to develop new skills.You will help them to protect their rights and their safety.But your primary concern is to let them know they are valued.
Skills and Experience Required：
You will have the right values and great listening skills.You will be honest and patient.You will have the ability to drive a car and to communicate in fluent written and spoken English since you'll have to help those people with different learning disabilities.Previous carerelated experience will be a great advantage for you.
1.The text is meant to ________.
A.leave a note
B.send an invitation
C.present a document
D.carry an advertisement
2.What does the underlined part mean?
A.You'll make others' lives more meaningful with this job.
B.You'll arrive home just in time from this job.
C.You'll earn a good salary from this job.
D.You'll succeed in getting this job.
★3.The volunteers' primary responsibility is to help people with learning disabilities ________.
A.to get some financial support
B.to properly protect themselves
C.to learn some new living skills
D.to realize their own importance
4.Which of the following can first be chosen as a volunteer?
A.The one who can drive a car.
B.The one who has done similar work before.
C.The one who has patience to listen to others.
D.The one who can use English to communicate.
Passage 1 (2014·江蘇)
話題：機(jī)會成本
詞數(shù)：430
However wealthy we may be，we can never find enough hours in the day to do everything we want.Economics deals with this problem through the concept of opportunity cost，which simply refers to whether someone's time or money could be better spent on something else.
Every hour of our time has a value.For every hour we work at one job we could quite easily be doing another，or be sleeping or watching a film.Each of these options has a different opportunity cost—namely，what they cost us in missed opportunities.
Say you intend to watch a football match but the tickets are expensive and it will take you a couple of hours to get to and from the stadium.Why not，you might reason，watch the game from home and use the leftover money and time to have dinner with friends?This—the alternative use of your cash and time—is the opportunity cost.
For economists，every decision is made by knowledge of what one must forgo—in terms of money and enjoyment—in order to take it up.By knowing precisely what you are receiving and what you are missing out on，you ought to be able to make betterinformed，more reasonable decisions.Consider that most famous economic rule of all：there's no such thing as a free lunch.Even if someone offers to take you out to lunch for free，the time you will spend in the restaurant still costs you something in terms of forgone opportunities.
Some people find the idea of opportunity cost extremely discouraging：imagine spending your entire life calculating whether your time would be better spent elsewhere doing something more profitable or enjoyable.Yet，in a sense it's human nature to do precisely that—we assess the advantages and disadvantages of decisions all the time.
In the business world，a popular phrase is“value for money.”People want their cash to go as far as possible.However，another is fast obtaining an advantage：“value for time.”The biggest restriction on our resources is the number of hours we can devote to something，so we look to maximize the return we get on our investment of time.By reading this passage you are giving over a bit of your time which could be spent doing other activities，such as sleeping and eating.In return，however，this passage will help you to think like an economist，closely considering the opportunity cost of each of your decisions.
★1.According to the passage，the concept of“opportunity cost”is applied to ________.
A.making more money
B.taking more opportunities
C.reducing missed opportunities
D.weighing the choice of opportunities
2.The“leftover...time”in Paragraph 3 probably refers to the time ________.
A.spared for watching the match at home
B.taken to have dinner with friends
C.spent on the way to and from the match
D.saved from not going to watch the match
3.What are forgone opportunities?
A.Opportunities you forget in decisionmaking.
B.Opportunities you give up for better ones.
C.Opportunities you miss accidentally.
D.Opportunities you make up for.
Passage 1 (2014·安徽)
話題：大象與蜜蜂
詞數(shù)：334
Recordings of angry bees are enough to send big，tough African elephants running away，a new study says.Beehives (蜂窩)—either recorded or real—may even prevent elephants from damaging farmers' crops.
In 2002，scientist Lucy King and her team found that elephants avoid certain trees with bees living in them.Today，Lucy wants to see if African honeybees might discourage elephants from eating crops.But before she asked farmers to go to the trouble of setting up beehives on their farms，she needed to find out if the bees would scare elephants away.
Lucy found a wild beehive inside a tree in northern Kenya and set up a recorder.Then she threw a stone into the beehive，which burst into life.Lucy and her assistant hid in their car until the angry bees had calmed down.Next，Lucy searched out elephant families in Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya and put a speaker in a tree close to each family.
From a distance，Lucy switched on the prerecorded sound of angry bees while at the same time recording the elephants with a video camera.Half the elephant groups left the area within ten seconds.Out of a total of 17 groups，only one group ignored the sound of the angry bees.Lucy reported that all the young elephants immediately ran to their mothers to hide under them.When Lucy played the sound of a waterfall (瀑布) instead of the angry bees to many of the same elephant families，the animals were undisturbed.Even after four minutes，most of the groups stayed in one place.
Lucy is now studying whether the elephants will continue to avoid the sound of angry bees after hearing it several times.She hasn't tested enough groups yet to know，but her initial (最初的) results were promising enough to begin trials with farmers.She has now begun placing speakers in the fields to see if elephants are frightened away.
★1.We know from the passage that elephants may be frightened of ________.
A.loud noises B.some crops
C.video cameras D.angry bees
2. As mentioned in the passage，Lucy ________.
A.works by herself in Africa
B.needs to test more elephant groups
C.has stopped elephants eating crops
D.has got farmers to set up beehives on their farms
3.Why did Lucy throw a stone into a wild beehive?
A.To record the sound of bees.
B.To make a video of elephants.
C.To see if elephants would run away.
D.To find out more about the behavior of bees.
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Young elephants ignore African honeybees.
B.Waterfalls can make elephants stay in one place.
C.Elephants do not go near trees with bees living in them.
D.Farmers do not allow Lucy to conduct tests in their fields.
Passage 16 (2014·北京)
話題：水族館
詞數(shù)：340
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium (水族館)
The allnew Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium，situated in the heart of Melbourne's CBD，is one of Victoria's leading visitor attractions and an unforgettable outing for the whole family.Having 12 amazing zones of discovery，Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is the very place that you cannot miss when you visit the city.
* Opening Times
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is open from 9：30 am until 6：00 pm every day of the year，including public holidays.Last admission is at 5：00 pm，one hour before closing.
* Location (位置)
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is located on the corner of Flinders Street and King Street，Melbourne.It is situated on the Yarra River，opposite Crown Entertainment Complex.
* Getting to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
Train
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is a short walk from either Flinders or Southern Cross train stations.
Tram(有軌電車)
The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium tram stop is located on the free City Circle Tram route (公交線路) and also routes 70 and 75.City Circle trams run every 10 minutes in both directions.
Shuttle Bus
The Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle is a free bus service，stopping at key tourist attractions in and around the City.Running daily，every 15 minutes from 10：00 am to 4：00 pm.
* Car Parking
While there is no public car parking at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium，there are several public car parking lots available only a short walk away.
* Wheelchair Access
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium provides people in wheelchairs with full access to all 12 zones.Each floor also has wheelchair accessible toilets.
* Terms
Tickets will be emailed to you immediately after purchase or you can download and print your ticket once payment has been accepted.Please print out all tickets purchased and present at the front entrance of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium.No ticket，no entry!
★1.Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium ________.
A.is located at the center of the CBD in the city
B.has 12 most attractive places in Melbourne
C.admits visitors from 9：30 am until 6：00 pm
D.is beside Crown Entertainment Complex
2.Getting to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium，visitors can take ________.
A.trains from Southern Cross train station
B.shuttle buses around the train station
C.boats across the Yarra River
D.either tram route 70 or 75
3.Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium offers visitors ________.
A.free car parking B.wheelchair access
C.Internet connection D.transportation service
4.Tickets to Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium ________.
A.are free to all visitors
B.can be purchased by email
C.are checked at the entrance
D.can be printed at the ticket office
Passage 1 (2014·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：Mark Turin挽救瀕臨消失的語言
詞數(shù)：332
As more and more people speak the global languages of English，Chinese，Spanish，and Arabic，other languages are rapidly disappearing.In fact，half of the 6,000～7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century，according to the United Nations Educational，Scientific，and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In an effort to prevent language loss，scholars from a number of organizations—UNESCO and National Geographic among them—have for many years been documenting dying languages and the cultures they reflect.
Mark Turin，a scientist at the Macmillan Center，Yale University，who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas，is following in that_tradition.His recently published book，A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture，grows out of his experience living，working and raising a family in a village in Nepal.
Documenting the Thangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin，who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayan reaches of India，Nepal，Bhutan，and China.But he is not content to simply record these voices before they disappear without record.
At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials—including photographs，films，tape recordings，and field notes—which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection.
Now，through the two organizations that he has founded—the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project—Turin has started a campaign to make such documents，found in libraries and stores around the world，available not just to scholars but to the younger generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected.Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet，Turin notes，the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities.
1.Many scholars are making efforts to ________.
A.promote global languages
B.rescue disappearing languages
C.search for language communities
D.set up language research organizations
2.What does“that tradition”in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Having full records of the languages.
B.Writing books on language teaching.
C.Telling stories about language users.
D.Living with the native speakers.
3.What is Turin's book based on?
A.The cultural studies in India.
B.The documents available at Yale.
C.His language research in Bhutan.
D.His personal experience in Nepal.
4.Which of the following best describes Turin's work?
A.Write，sell and donate.
B.Record，repair and reward.
C.Collect，protect and reconnect.
D.Design，experiment and report.
Passage 1 (2014·北京)
話題：做正確的決定
詞數(shù)：426
Choosing the Right Resolution (決定)
Millions of Americans began 2014 with the same resolution they started 2013 with，a goal of losing weight.However，setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake.
To reach our goal of losing weight—the output，we need to control what we eat—the input (輸入).That is，we tend to care about the output but not to control the input.This is a bad way to construct goals.The alternative is to focus your resolution on the input.Instead of resolving to lose weight，try an actionable resolution：“I'll stop having dessert for lunch，”or“I'll walk every day for 20 minutes.”Creating a goal that focuses on a wellspecified input will likely be more effective than concentrating on the outcome.
Recently a new science behind incentives (激勵)，including in education，has been discussed.For example，researcher Roland Fryer wanted to see what works best in motivating children to do better in school.In some cases，he gave students incentives based on input，like reading certain books，while in others，the incentives were based on output，like results on exams.His main finding was that incentives increased achievement when based on input but had no effect when based on output.Fryer's conclusion was that the incentives for inputs might be more effective because students do not know how to do better on an exam，aside from general rules like“study harder.”Reading certain books，on the other hand，is a wellset task over which they have much more control.
As long as you have direct control over your goal，you have a much higher chance of success.And it's easier to start again if you fail，because you know exactly what you need to do.
If you want to cut down on your spending，a good goal would be making morning coffee at home instead of going to a café，for example.This is a wellspecified actionbased goal for which you can measure your success easily.Spending less money isn't a goal because it's too general.Similarly，if you want to spend more time with your family，don't stop with this general wish.Think about an actionable habit that you could adopt and stick to，like a family movie night every Wednesday.
In the long run，these new goals could become a habit.
1.The writer thinks that setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake because ________.
A.it is hard to achieve for most Americans
B.it is focused too much on the result
C.it is dependent on too many things
D.it is based on actionable decisions
2.In Roland Fryer's research，some students did better than the others because ________.
A.they obeyed all the general rules
B.they paid more attention to exams
C.they were motivated by their classmates
D.they were rewarded for reading some books
3.According to the writer，which of the following statements is a good goal?
A.“I'll give up dessert.”
B.“I'll study harder.”
C.“I'll cut down my expenses.”
D.“I'll spend more time with my family.”
4.The writer strongly believes that we should ________.
A.develop good habits and focus on the outcome
B.be optimistic about final goals and stick to them
C.pick specific actions that can be turned into good habits
D.set ambitious goals that can balance the input and output
Passage 19 (2014·天津)
話題：大學(xué)指南
詞數(shù)：340
A Guide to the University
Food
The TWU Cafeteria is open 7 am to 8 pm.It serves snacks(小吃)，drinks，ice cream bars and meals.You can pay with cash or your ID cards.You can add meal money to your ID cards at the Front Desk.Even if you do not buy your food in the cafeteria，you can use the tables to eat your lunch，to have meetings and to study.
If you are on campus in the evening or late at night，you can buy snacks，fast food，and drinks in the Lower Café located in the bottom level of the Douglas Centre.This area is often used for entertainment such as concerts，games or TV watching.
Relaxation
The Globe，located in the bottom level of McMillan Hall，is available for relaxing，studying，cooking，and eating.Monthly activities are held here for all international students.Hours are 10 am to 10 pm，closed on Sundays.
Health
Located on the top floor of Douglas Hall，the Wellness Centre is committed to physical，emotional and social health.A doctor and nurse is available if you have health questions or need immediate medical help or personal advice.The cost of this is included in your medical insurance.Hours are Monday to Friday,9 am to noon and 1：00 to 4：30 pm.
Academic Support
All students have access to the Writing Centre on the upper floor of Douglas Hall.Here，qualified volunteers will work with you on written work，grammar，vocabulary，and other academic skills.You can sign up for an appointment on the signup sheet outside the door：two 30minute appointments per week maximum.This service is free.
Transportation
The TWU Express is a shuttle(班車) service.The shuttle transports students between campus and the shopping centre，leaving from the Mattson Centre.Operation hours are between 9 am and 3 pm，Saturdays only.Round trip fare is $1.
1.What can you do in the TWU Cafeteria?
A.Do homework and watch TV.
B.Buy drinks and enjoy concerts.
C.have meals and meet with friends.
D.Add money to your ID and play chess.
2.Where and when can you cook your own food?
A.The Globe，F(xiàn)riday.
B.The Lower Café，Sunday.
C.The TWU Cafeteria，F(xiàn)riday.
D.The McMillan Hall，Sunday.
3.The Guide tells us that the Wellness Centre ________.
A.is open six days a week
B.offers services free of charge
C.trains students in medical care
D.gives advice on mental health
4.How can you seek help from the Writing Centre?
A.By applying online.
B.By calling the centre.
C.By filling in a signup form.
D.By going to the centre directly.
5.What is the function of TWU Express?
A.To carry students to the lecture halls.
B.To provide students with campus tours
C.To take students to the Mattson Centre.
D.To transport students to and from the stores.
Passage (2014·江西)
話題：度假村活動
詞數(shù)：411
HOLIDAY FUN AT THE POWERHOUSE
500 HARRIS STREET ULTIMO ·TELEPHONE (02)9217 0111
Join in the holiday fun at the Powerhouse this month linked to our new exhibition，Evolution & Revolution：Chinese dress 1700s to now.DON'T FORGET our other special event，the Club Med Circus School which is part of the Circus(馬戲團(tuán))!150 years of circus in Australia exhibition experience!
Chinese Folk Dancing：Colorful Chinese dance and musical performances by The Chinese Folk Dancing School of Sydney.Dances include：the Golden stick dance and the Chinese drum dance.A feature will be the Qin Dynasty Emperor's court dance.Also included is a show of face painting for Beijing Opera performances.
Sunday 29 June and Wednesday 2 July in the Turbine Hall，at 11.30 am & 1.30 pm.
Australian Chinese Children's Arts Theatre：Wellknown children's play experts from Shanghai lead this dynamic youth group.Performances include Chinese fairy tales and plays.
Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 July in the Turbine Hall，at 11.30 am & 1.30 pm.
Chinese Youth League: A traditional performing arts group featuring performance highlights such as the Red scarf and Spring flower dances，and a musician playing Er Hu.
Sunday 6 to Tuesday 8 July in the Turbine Hall,11.30 am to 1.30 pm.
Kids Activity：Make a Paper Horse: Young children make a paper horse cutout.(The horse is a frequent theme in Chinese painting，indicating a kind of advancement.) Suitable for ages 812 years.
Saturday 28 June to Tuesday 8 July in the Turbine Hall，12.00 pm to 1.00 pm.
◆Club Med Circus School: Learn circus skills，including the trapeze，trampolining and magic.Note only for children over 5.There are 40 places available in each 1 hour session and these must be booked at the front desk，level 4，on the day.
Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 July at 11.30 am & 1.00 pm.
Enjoy unlimited free visits and many other benefits by becoming a Family member of the Powerhouse.Our family memberships cover two adults and all children under the age of 16 years at the one address.
Members receive Powerline，our monthly magazine，discounts in the shops and the restaurants，as well as free admission to the Museum.All this for as little as $50,00 a year!Call (02)9217 0600 for more details.
★1.When can you watch the Chinese drum dance?
A.On July 2. B.On July 3.
C.On July 6. D.On July 8.
2.To learn the magic tricks，you can go to ________.
A.Kids Activity
B.Chinese Youth League
C.Club Med Circus School
D.Children's Arts Theatre
3.What is required if you want to enjoy free visits to the Museum?
A.Calling (02)9217 0600.
B.Gaining family membership.
C.Coming for the holiday fun.
D.Paying Powerline $50.00 a year.
4.What is the main purpose of the text?
A.To attract visitors.
B.To present schedules.
C.To report the performances.
D.To teach kids Chinese arts.
Passage (2014·廣東)
話題：洋流研究
詞數(shù)：341
Scientists today are making greater effort to study ocean currents (洋流).Most do it using satellites and other hightech equipment.However，ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way—by studying movements of random floating garbage.A scientist with many years' experience，he started this type of research in the early 1990s when he heard about hundreds of athletic shoes washing up on the shores of the northwest coast of the United States.There were so many shoes that people were setting up swap_meets to try and match left and right shoes to sell or wear.
Ebbesmeyer found out in his researches that the shoes—about 60,000 in total—fell into the ocean in a shipping accident.He phoned the shoe company and asked if they wanted the shoes back.As expected，the company told him that they didn't.Ebbesmeyer realized this could be a great experiment.If he learned when and where the shoes went into the water and tracked where they landed，he could learn a lot about the patterns of ocean currents.
The Pacific Northwest is one of the world's best areas for beachcombing(海灘搜尋) because winds and currents join here，and as a result，there is a group of serious beachcombers in the area.Ebbesmeyer got to know a lot of them and asked for their help in collecting information about where the shoes landed.In a year he collected reliable information on 1,600 shoes.With this data，he and a colleague were able to test and improve a computer program designed to model ocean currents，and publish the findings of their study.
As the result of his work，Ebbesmeyer has become known as the scientist to call with questions about any unusual objects found floating in the ocean.He has even started an association of beachcombers and ocean experts，with 500 subscribers from West Africa to New Zealand.They have recorded all lost objects ranging from potatoes to golf gloves.
1.The underlined phrase swap meets in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
A.fitting rooms B.trading fairs
C.business talks D.group meetings
2.Ebbesmeyer phoned the shoe company to find out ________.
A.what caused the shipping accident
B.when and where the shoes went missing
C.whether it was all right to use their shoes
D.how much they lost in the shipping accident
3.How did Ebbesmeyer prove his assumption?
A.By collecting information from beachcombers.
B.By studying the shoes found by beachcombers.
C.By searching the web for ocean currents models.
D.By researching ocean currents data in the library.
4.Ebbesmeyer is most famous for ________.
A.traveling widely the coastal cities of the world
B.making records for any lost objects on the sea
C.running a global currents research association
D.phoning about any doubtful objects on the sea
5.What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?
A.To call people's attention to ocean pollution.
B.To warn people of shipping safety in the ocean.
C.To explain a unique way of studying ocean currents.
D.To give tips on how to search for lost objects on the beach.
Passage 22 (2014·湖北)
話題：寬容的力量
詞數(shù)：397
Before I had my son，I spent two years working with children with disabilities.I learned that shouting and threats of punishment would result in a disaster.Coming up against their behaviour could only make the job harder and their behaviour more extreme.I found something that worked，though.
There was a very naughty boy in the nursery and a teacher who was generally very confident with the children was asked to take charge of him.One day the boy joined a session in the room next to mine.His appearance created an atmosphere of tension.He spent the entire session running around，hitting and kicking，and destroying property.
I was in the craft room working with some other children when my coworker told me that this boy's teacher was in tears，and could not get control of the situation.As we were talking，the boy ran in.I told my coworker that I would take care of him.
I closed the door.He was full of energy，throwing things around and making a huge mess.But I could see that he was doing all these to annoy me.He needed connection，and this was the only way he knew how to ask for it.So I sat back down and kept quiet.Then he slowed down and began making a rocket.I talked to him about it.We continued like this for a few minutes before I slipped into the conversation：
“So what happened today?”
It was purely a question，no blame or anger in my tone.I believe that if I had criticized him，the gate that was slowly opening would have shut firmly closed.He told me that the teacher didn't let him do what he knew well due to safety but asked him to do what he disliked.He also admitted that he had enjoyed making her run around and saw it as a game.I explained that his teacher had not seen it as a game and was very upset.This again was stated simply as a fact.I suggested that next time he had a session，he talk about what he hoped to do at the start，which might be easier for everyone.He agreed and was quiet for a moment.Then he looked at me with tears in his eyes before quietly asking if he could go to find his teacher to apologize.
★1.The boy made trouble for his teacher because he ______________________________.
A.was accused of destroying property
B.was told not to yell at other children
C.was made to do things against his will
D.was blamed for creating an air of tension
2.Why didn't the author do anything about the boy's bad behavior at first?
A.She didn't want to make it worse.
B.She didn't mind the huge mess at all.
C.She was tired of shouting and threats.
D.She hadn't thought of a coping strategy.
3.The author managed to get the boy to talk to her by ________.
A.playing games with him
B.giving him a good suggestion
C.describing his teacher's feelings
D.avoiding making critical remarks
4.Why did the boy have tears in his eyes in the end?
A.He was sorry about his reputation.
B.He was regretful about his behavior.
C.He was fearful of the author's warning.
D.He was sad for the author's misunderstanding.
Passage (2014·大綱全國)
話題：地鐵指南
詞數(shù)：294
Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail(地鐵)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out.Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machines are in every station.Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and farecard machines only provide up to $5 in change.
Get one day of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass.Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations.Use it after 9：30 a.m.until closing on weekdays，and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours_of_service
Open：5 a.m.Mon.Fri 7 a.m.SatSun.
Close：midnight Sun.Thurs.3 a.m.Fri.Sat.nights
Last train times vary.To avoid (避免) missing the last train，please check the last train times posted in stations.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change，the fare is $1.35.When paying with a SmarTrip® card the fare is $1.25
Fares_for_senior/disabled_customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare.On Metrorail and Metrobus，use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTrip® card.For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards，SmarTrip® cards and passes，please visit MetroOpensDoors.com or call 2026377000 and 2026378000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 2029621100.
Travel_tips
·Avoid riding during weekday rush periods—before 9：30 a.m.and between 4 and 6 p.m.
·If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station，please call Lost & Found at 2029621195.
★1.What should you know about farecard machines?
A.They start selling tickets at 9：30 a.m.
B.They are connected to change machines.
C.They offer special service to the elderly.
D.They make change for no more than $5.
2.At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
A.At midnight. B.At 3 a.m.
C.At 5 a.m. D.At 7 p.m.
3.What is good about a SmarTrip® card?
A.It is convenient for old people.
B.It saves money for its users.
C.It can be bought at any time.
D.It is sold on the Internet.
4.Which Number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
A.2029621195 B.2029621100
C.2026377000 D.2026378000
考點(diǎn)三 推理判斷題
Passage 1 (2016·全國)
話題：父母照顧孫子現(xiàn)象
詞數(shù)：277
Grandparents Answer a Call
As a third-generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never planned to move away.Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help their children, she politely refused.Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms Garza finally say yes.That was four years ago.Today all three generations regard the move as a success，giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities.
No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to the children and grandchildren.Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing.Even President Obama’s mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and move into the White House to help care for her granddaughters.According to a study of grandparents. com，83 percent of the people said Mrs.Robinsons decision will influence grandparents in the American family.Two-thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obamas family.
“In the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn’t get away from home far enough and fast enough to prove we could do it on our own，”says Christine Crosby, publisher of Grand magazine for grandparents. “We now realize how important family is and how important to be near them, especially when youre raising children.”
Moving is not for everyone.Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead.Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder.
★1.Why was Garza’s move a success?
A.It strengthened her family ties.
B.It improved her living conditions.
C.It enabled her make more friends.
D.It helped her know more new places.
2.What was the reaction of the public to Mrs.Robinson’s decision?
A.17% expressed their support for it.
B.Few people responded sympathetically.
C.83% believed it had a bad influence.
D.The majority thought it was a trend.
3.What did Crosby say about people in the 1960s?
A.They were unsure of themselves.
B.They were eager to raise more children.
C.They wanted to live away from their parents.
D.They had little respect for their grandparent.
4.What does the author suggest the grandparents do in the last paragraph?
A.Make decisions in the best interests of their own
B.Ask their children to pay more visits to them
C.Sacrifice for their struggling children
D.Get to know themselves better
Passage 2 (2016·全國)
話題：拼裝玩具的魔力
詞數(shù)：278
Five years ago, when I taught art at a school in Seattle, I used Tinkertoys as a test at the beginning of a term to find out something about my students.I put a small set of Tinkertoys in front of each student, and said：“Make something out of the Tinkertoys.You have 45 minutes today—and 45 minutes each day for the rest of the week.”
A few students hesitated to start.They waited to see the rest of the class would do.Several others checked the instructions and made something according to one of the model plans provided.Another group built something out of their own imaginations.
Once I had a boy who worked experimentally with Tinkertoys in his free time.His constructions filled a shelf in the art classroom and a good part of his bedroom at home.I was delighted at the presence of such a student.Here was an exceptionally creative mind at work.His presence meant that I had an unexpected teaching assistant in class whose creativity would infect(感染) other students.
Encouraging this kind of thinking has a downside.I ran the risk of losing those students who had a different style of thinking.Without fail one would declare, “But I’m just not creative.”
“Do you dream at night when you’re asleep?”
“Oh, sure.”
“So tell me one of your most interesting dreams.” The student would tell something wildly imaginative.Flying in the sky or in a time machine or growing three heads.“Thats pretty creative.Who does that for you?”
“Nobody.I do it.”
“Really—at night, when youre asleep?”
“Sure.”
“Try doing it in the daytime, in class, okay?”
1.The teacher used Tinkertoys in class in order to________.
A.know more about the students
B.make the lessons more exciting
C.raise the students interest in art
D.teach the students about toy design
2.What do we know about the boy mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A.He liked to help his teacher.
B.He preferred to study alone.
C.He was active in class.
D.He was imaginative.
3.What does the underlined word “downside” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Mistake. B.Drawback.
C.Difficulty. D.Burden.
4.Why did the teacher ask the students to talk about their dreams?
A.To help them to see their creativity.
B.To find out about their sleeping habits.
C.To help them to improve their memory.
D.To find out about their ways of thinking.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：不一樣的冬天
詞數(shù)：353
The freezing Northeast hasn't been a terribly fun place to spend time this winter，so when the chance came for a weekend to Sarasota，F(xiàn)lorida，my bags were packed before you could say “sunshine”.I left for the land of warmth and vitamin C(維生素C)，thinking of beaches and orange trees.When we touched down to blue skies and warm air，I sent up a small prayer of gratefulness.Swimming pools，wine tasting，and pink sunsets(at normal evening hours，not 4 in the afternoon) filled the weekend，but the best part—particularly to my taste，dulled by months of coldweather root vegetables—was a 7 a.m.adventure to the Sarasota farmers' market that proved to be more than worth the early wakeup call.
The market，which was founded in 1979，sets up its tents every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.rain or shine，along North Lemon and State streets.Baskets of perfect red strawberries，the redpainted sides of the Java Dawg coffee truck;and most of all，the tomatoes：amazing，large，soft and round red tomatoes.
Disappointed by many a broken，vineripened(蔓上成熟的) promise，I've refused to buy winter tomatoes for years.No matter how attractive they look in the store，once I get them home they're unfailingly dry，hard，and tasteless.But I homed in，with uncertainty，on one particular table at the Brown's Grove Farm's stand，full of fresh and soft tomatoes the size of my fist.These were the real deal—and at that moment，I realized that the best part of Sarasota in winter was going to be eating things that back home in New York I wouldn't be experiencing again for months.
Delighted as I was by the tomatoes in sight，my happiness deepened when I learned that Brown's Grove Farm is one of the suppliers for Jack Dusty，a newly opened restaurant at the Sarasota Ritz Carlton，where—luckily for me—I was planning to have dinner that very night.Without even seeing the menu，I knew I'd be ordering every tomato on it.
1.What did the author think of her winter life in New York?
A.Exciting. B.Boring. C.Relaxing. D.Annoying.
2.What made the author's getting up early worthwhile?
A.Having a swim.
B.Breathing in fresh air.
C.Walking in the morning sun.
D.Visiting a local farmer's market.
★3.What can we learn about tomatoes sold in New York in winter?
A.They are soft. B.They look nice.
C.They taste great. D.They are juicy.
4.What was the author going to do that evening?
A.Go to a farm. B.Check into a hotel.
C.Eat in a restaurant. D.Buy fresh vegetables.
Passage (2015·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：精神咖啡館
詞數(shù)：310
Conflict is on the menu tonight at the cafe La Chope.This evening，as on every Thursday night，psychologist Maud Lehanne is leading two of France's favorite pastimes，coffee drinking and the “talking cure”.Here they are learning to get in touch with their true feelings.It isn't always easy.The customers—some thirty Parisians who pay just under $2 (plus drinks) per session—are quick to intellectualize (高談闊論)，slow to open up and connect.“You are forbidden to say ‘one feels，’ or ‘people think’，”Lehanne told them.“Say ‘I think，’ ‘Think me’.”
A cafe society where no intellectualizing is allowed?It couldn't seem more unFrench.But Lehanne's psychology cafe is about more than knowing oneself：It's trying to help the city's troubled neighborhood cafes.Over the years，Parisian cafes have fallen victim to changes in the French lifestyle—longer working hours，a fastfood boom and a younger generation's desire to spend more time at home.Dozens of new theme cafes appear to change the situation.Cafes focused around psychology，history，and engineering are catching on，filling tables well into the evening.
The city's “psychology cafes”，which offer great comfort，are among the most popular places.Middleaged homemakers，retirees，and the unemployed come to such cafes to talk about love，anger and dreams with a psychologist.And they come to Lehanne's group just to learn to say what they feel.“There's a strong need in Paris for communication，”says Maurice Frisch a cafe La Chope regular who works as a religious instructor in a nearby church.“People have few real friends.And they need to open up.”Lehanne says she'd like to see psychology cafes all over France.“If people had normal lives，these cafes wouldn't exist，”she says，“If life weren't a battle，people wouldn't need a special place just to speak.”But then，It wouldn't be France.
1.What are people encouraged to do at the cafe La Chope?
A.Learn a new subject.
B.Keep in touch with friends.
C.Show off their knowledge.
D.Express their true feelings.
2.How are cafes affected by French lifestyle changes?
A.They are less frequently visited.
B.They stay open for longer hours.
C.They have bigger night crowds.
D.They start to serve fast food.
3.What are theme cafes expected to do?
A.Create more jobs. B.Supply better drinks.
C.Save the cafe business. D.Serve the neighborhood.
4.Why are psychology cafes becoming popular in Paris?
A.They bring people true friendship.
B.They give people spiritual support.
C.They help people realize their dreams.
D.They offer a platform for business links.
Passage (2015·天津)
話題：書的魅力
詞數(shù)：407
One day when I was 12, my mother gave me an order: I was to walk to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer.This was one more weapon for her to defeat my strange problem—inability to read.
In the library, I found my way into the “Children's Room.” I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf at random.The cover of a book caught my eye.It presented a picture of a beagle.I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal companion I ever had as a child.He was my secret sharer, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him.I never forgot my beagle.
There on the book's cover was a beagle which looked identical(相同的) to my dog.I ran my fingers over the picture of the dog on the cover.My eyes ran across the title, Amos, the Beagle with a Plan.Unknowingly, I had read the title.Without opening the book, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.
Under the shade of a bush, I started to read about Amos.I read very, very slowly with difficulty.Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home.That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book.At the end of the story, my mind continued the final scene of reunion, on and on, until my own lost dog and I were, in my mind, running together.
My mother's call returned me to the real world.I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book.Everyone knew I could not read.But I had read it.Books could be incredibly wonderful and I was going to read them.
I never told my mother about my “miraculous” (奇跡般地) experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year.And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in literature, and authored his own books, articles, poetry and fiction.The power of the words has held.
1.The author's mother told him to borrow a book in order to ________.
A.encourage him to do more walking
B.let him spend a meaningful summer
C.help cure him of his reading problem
D.make him learn more about weapons
2.The book caught the author's eye because ________.
A.it contained pretty pictures of animals
B.it reminded him of his own dog
C.he found its title easy to understand
D.he liked children's stories very much
3.Why could the author manage to read the book through?
A.He was forced by his mother to read it.
B.He identified with the story in the book.
C.The book told the story of his pet dog.
D.The happy ending of the story attracted him.
★4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The author has become a successful writer.
B.The author's mother read the same book.
C.The author's mother rewarded him with books.
D.The author has had happy summers ever since.
5.Which one could be the best title of the passage?
A.The Charm of a Book
B.Mum's Strict Order
C.Reunion with My Beagle
D.My Passion for Reading
Passage (2015·陜西)
話題：生還的奇跡
詞數(shù)：295
When the dog named Judy spotted the first sheep in her life，she did what comes naturally.The fouryearold dog set off racing after the sheep across several fields and，being a city animal，lost both her sheep and her sense of direction.Then she ran along the edge of a cliff (懸崖) and fell 100 feet，bouncing off a rock into the sea.
Her owner Mike Holden panicked and called the coastguard of Cornwall，who turned up in seconds.Six volunteers slid down the cliff with the help of a rope but gave up all hope of finding her alive after a 90minute search.
Three days later，a hurricane hit the coast near Cornwall.Mr.Holden returned home from his holiday upset and convinced his pet was dead.He comforted himself with the thought she had died in the most beautiful part of the country.
For the next two weeks，the Holdens were heartbroken.Then，one day，the phone rang and Steve Tregear，the coastguard of Cornwall，asked Holden if he would like his dog back.
A birdwatcher，armed with a telescope，found the pet sitting desperately on a rock.While he sounded the alarm, a student from Leeds climbed down the cliff to collect Judy.
The dog had initially been knocked unconscious (失去知覺的) but had survived by drinking water from a fresh stream at the base of the cliff.She may have fed on the body of a sheep which had also fallen over the edge.“The dog was very thin and hungry，”Steve Tregear said.“It was a very lucky dog.She survived because of a plentiful supply of fresh water，”he added.
It was，as Mr.Holden admitted，“a minor miracle (奇跡)”.
1.The dog Judy fell down the cliff when she was ________.
A.rescuing her owner B.caught in a hurricane
C.blocked by a rock D.running after a sheep
2.Who spotted Judy after the accident?
A.A birdwatcher. B.A student from Leeds.
C.Six volunteers. D.The coastguard of Cornwall.
3.What can we infer from the text?
A.People like to travel with their pets.
B.Judy was taken to the fields for hunting.
C.Luck plays a vital role in Judy's survival.
D.Holden cared little where Judy was buried.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.Miracle of the Coastguard.
B.Surviving a Hurricane.
C.Dangers in the Wild.
D.Coming Back from the Dead.
Passage (2015·福建)
話題：父親的教育
詞數(shù)：412
Papa, as a son of a dirtpoor farmer, left school early and went to work in a factory, for education was for the rich then.So, the world became his school.With great interest, he read everything he could lay his hands on, listened to the town elders and learned about the world beyond his tiny hometown.“There's so much to learn，” he'd say.“Though we're born stupid, only the stupid remain that way.” He was determined that none of his children would be denied (拒絕) an education.
Thus, Papa insisted that we learn at least one new thing each day.Though, as children, we thought this was crazy, it would never have occurred to us to deny Papa a request.And dinner time seemed perfect for sharing what we had learned.We would talk about the news of the day; no matter how insignificant, it was never taken lightly.Papa would listen carefully and was ready with some comment, always to the point.
Then came the moment—the time to share the day's new learning.
Papa, at the head of the table, would push back his chair and pour a glass of red wine, ready to listen.
“Felice，” he'd say, “tell me what you learned today.”
“I learned that the population of Nepal is....”
Silence.
Papa was thinking about what was said, as if the salvation(拯救) of the world would depend upon it.“The population of Nepal.Hmm.Well ....” he'd say.“Get the map; let's see where Nepal is.” And the whole family went on a search for Nepal.
This same experience was repeated until each family member had a turn.Dinner ended only after we had a clear understanding of at least half a dozen such facts.
As children, we thought very little about these educational wonders.Our family, however, was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another's education.And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming(肯定) our value, giving us a sense of dignity, Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
Later during my training as a future teacher，I studied with some of the most famous educators.They were imparting(傳授) what Papa had known all along—the value of continual learning.His technique has served me well all my life.Not a single day has been wasted, though I can never tell when knowing the population of Nepal might prove useful.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.The author's father was born in a worker's family.
B.Those born stupid could not change their life.
C.The town elders wanted to learn about the world.
D.The poor could hardly afford school education.
2.The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.
A.one new thing B.a request
C.the news D.some comment
3.It can be learned from the passage that the author ________.
A.enjoyed talking about news
B.knew very well about Nepal
C.felt regret about those wasted days
D.appreciated his father's educational technique
4.What is the greatest value of “dinner time” to the author?
A.Continual learning.
B.Showing talents.
C.Family gettogether.
D.Winning Papa's approval.
5.The author's father can be best described as ________.
A.an educator expert at training future teachers
B.a parent insistent on his children's education
C.a participant willing to share his knowledge
D.a teacher strict about everything his students did
Passage (2015·湖南)
話題：燈塔管理員的故事
詞數(shù)：356
Have your parents ever inspected your room to see if you cleaned it properly? Imagine having your entire house, garage, and yard inspected at any time—with no warning. Inspections were a regular part of lighthouse (燈塔) living, and a keeper's reputation depended on the results. A few times each year, an inspector arrived to look over the entire light station. The inspections were supposed to be a surprise, but keepers sometimes had advance notice.
Once lighthouses had telephones, keepers would call each other to warn that the inspector was approaching. After boats began flying special flags noting the inspector was aboard, the keeper's family made it a game to see who could notice the boat first. As soon as someone spotted the boat, everyone would do lastminute tidying and change into fancy clothes. The keeper then scurried to put on his dress uniform and cap. Children of keepers remember inspectors wearing white gloves to run their fingers over door frames and windowsills looking for dust.
Despite the serious nature of inspections, they resulted in some funny moments. Betty Byrnes remembered when her mother did not have time to wash all the dishes before an inspection. At the time, people did not have dishwashers in their homes. In an effort to clean up quickly, Mrs. Byrnes tossed all the dishes into a big bread pan, covered them with a cloth and stuck them in the oven. If the inspector opened the oven door, it would look like bread was baking. He never did.
One day, Glenn Furst's mother put oil on the kitchen floor just before the inspector entered their house. Like floor wax, the oil made the floors shiny and helped protect the wood.This time, though, she used a little too much oil. When the inspector extended his hand to greet Glenn's mother, he slipped on the freshly oiled surface. “He came across that floor waving his arms like a young bird attempting its first flight，” Glenn later wrote. After he steadied himself, he shook Glenn's mother's hand, and the inspection continued as though nothing had happened.
1.What does Paragraph 1 tell us about the inspection at the light station?
A.It was carried out once a year.
B.It was often announced in advance.
C.It was important for the keeper's fame.
D.It was focused on the garage and yard.
2.The family began making preparations immediately after ________.
A.one of the members saw the boat
B.a warning call reached the lighthouse
C.the keeper put on the dress uniform and cap
D.the inspector flew special flags in the distance
★3.Mrs. Byrnes put the dishes in the oven because this would________.
A.result in some fun
B.speed up washing them
C.make her home look tidy
D.be a demand from the inspector
4.If the inspector had opened the oven door, he would have seen________.
A.an empty pan
B.many clean dishes
C.pieces of baked bread
D.a cloth covering something
5.The inspector waved his arms ________.
A.to try his best to keep steady
B.to show his satisfaction with the floor
C.to extend a warm greeting to Glenn's mother
D.to express his intention to continue the inspection
Passage (2014·四川)
話題：男性和女性的差異
詞數(shù)：329
Women are friendly.But men are more competitive.Why?Researchers have found it's all down to the hormone oxytocin(荷爾蒙催生素).Although known as the love hormone，it affects the sexes differently.
“Women tend to be social in their behavior.They often share with others.But men tend to be competitive.They are trying to improve their social status，”said Professor Ryan.
Generally，people believe that the hormone exytocin is let out in our body in various social situations and our body creates a large amount of it during positive social interactions(互動)such as falling in love or giving birth.
But in a previous experiment Professor Ryan found that the hormone is also let out in our body during negative social interactions such as envy.
Further researches showed that in men the hormone oxytocin improves the ability to recognize competitive relationships，but in women it raises the ability to recognize friendship.
Professor Ryan's recent experiment used 62 men and women aged 20 to 37.
Half of the participants(參與者)received oxytocin.The other half received placebo(安慰劑).
After a week，the two groups switched with participants.They went through the same procedure with the other material.
Following each treatment，they were shown some video pictures with different social interactions.Then they were asked to analyze the relationships by answering some questions.The questions were about telling friendship from competition.And their answers should be based on gestures，body language and facial expressions.
The results indicated that，after treatment with oxytocin，men's ability to correctly recognize competitive relationships improved，but in women it was the ability to correctly recognize friendship that got better.
Professor Ryan thus concluded：“Our experiment proves that the hormone oxytocin can raise people's abilities to better distinguish different social interactions.And the behavior differences between men and women are caused by biological factors(因素)that are mainly hormonal.”
1.What causes men and women to behave differently according to the text?
A.Placebo. B.Oxytocin.
C.The gesture. D.The social status.
2.What can we learn from Professor Ryan's previous experiment?
A.Oxytocin affects our behavior in a different way.
B.Our body lets out oxytocin when we are deep in love.
C.Our body produces oxytocin when we feel unhappy about others' success.
D.Oxytocin improves our abilities to understand people's behavior differences.
3.Why did Professor Ryan conduct the recent experiment?
A.To test the effect of oxytocin on the ability to recognize social interactions.
B.To know the differences between friendship and competition.
C.To know people's different abilities to answer questions.
D.To test people's understanding of body language.
4.The author develops the text by ________.
A.explaining people's behaviors
B.describing his own experiences
C.distinguishing sexual differences
D.discussing research experiments
Passage (2014·天津)
話題：遠(yuǎn)距離簽名
詞數(shù)：368
A worldfamous Canadian author，Margaret Atwood，has created the world's first longdistance signing device(裝置)，the LongPen.
After many tiring booksigning tours from city to city，Atwood thought there must be a better way to do them.She hired some technical experts and started her own company in 2004.Together they designed the LongPen.Here's how it works：The author writes a personal message and signature on a computer tablet(手寫板) using a special pen.On the receiving end，in another city，a robotic arm fitted with a regular pen signs the book.The author and fan can talk with each other via webcams(網(wǎng)絡(luò)攝像機(jī)) and computer screens.
Work on the LongPen began in Atwood's basement(地下室).At first，they had no idea it would be as hard as it turned out to be.The device went through several versions，including one that actually had smoke coming out of it.The inventing finally completed，test runs were made in Ottawa，and the LongPen was officially launched at the 2006 London Book Fair.From here，Atwood conducted two transatlantic book signings of her latest book for fans in Toronto and New York City.
The LongPen produces a unique signature each time because it copies the movement of the author in real time.It has several other potential applications.It could increase credit card security and allow people to sign contracts from another province.The video exchange between signer and receiver can be recorded on DVD for proof when legal documents are used.
“It's really fun，” said the owner of a bookstore，who was present for one of the test runs.“Obviously you can't shake hands with the author，but there are chances for a connection that you don't get from a regular book signing.”
The response to the invention hasn't been all favorable.Atwood has received criticism from authors who think she's trying to end book tours.But she said，“It will be possible to go to places that you never got sent to before because the publishers couldn't afford it.”
1.Why did Atwood decide to invent the LongPen?
A.To set up her own company.
B.To win herself greater popularity.
C.To write her books in a new way.
D.To make book signings less tiring.
2.How does the LongPen work?
A.It copies the author's signature and prints it on a book.
B.It signs a book while receiving the author's signature.
C.The webcam sends the author's signature to another city.
D.The fan uses it to copy the author's signature himself.
★3.What do we know about the invention of the LongPen?
A.It has been completed but not put into use.
B.The basement caught fire by accident.
C.Some versions failed before its test run.
D.The designers were wellprepared for the difficulty.
4.How could the LongPen be used in the future?
A.To draft legal documents.
B.To improve credit card security.
C.To keep a record of the author's ideas.
D.To allow author and fan to exchange videos.
5.What could be inferred from Paragraphs 5 and 6?
A.Atwood doesn't mean to end book tours.
B.Critics think the LongPen is of little use.
C.Bookstore owners don't support the LongPen.
D.Publishers dislike the LongPen for its high cost.
Passage (2014·福建)
話題：風(fēng)能發(fā)電機(jī)
詞數(shù)：359
As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe，few issues cause greater concern than energy policy.Many village communities feel their countryside is being ruined by the powerproducing machines of wind farms;yet they never take“direct action”，even though the planning laws put them at a severe disadvantage.And the generous subsidies (財政補(bǔ)貼)，which encourage the expansion of wind power，are not favorable to the village communities and set landowners in conflict with other residents (居民).
Those who disagree with the rapid expansion of wind farms state that the damage they cause is out of proportion(比例) to the benefits they bring，because their energy output cannot match that of the carbonbased power stations they are supposed to replace.Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables，nuclear and carbon，and that the country is committed to meeting EU (European Union) targets for noncarbon energy generation.
Against this background，the fact that there is an argument within the government over whether to publish an official report on wind farms' impact on the countryside becomes even more extraordinary.The two parties in the coalition (聯(lián)合) government are in disagreement over what it should say.
We have some advice for the two parties：publish the report，and let the country be the judge.Even if it contains evidence that wind farms are harmful，it will hardly be a pleasant surprise to people who do not like them.Equally，supporters must argue their case by acknowledging the concerns and explaining why they are either misplaced or worthy of much attention.
The suggestion that further negotiations are to take place to produce an“acceptable”report suggests that the politics of coalition government are doing the country harm in a certain way.Given the sensitivities involved，all the information should be available so that people can reach their own conclusions，rather than being left with the suspicion(猜疑)that facts are being replaced by political beliefs.
1.We can learn from the first paragraph that ________.
A.energy policy catches much attention of the public
B.the residents are in favor of the expansion of wind farms
C.many village communities are satisfied with the subsidies
D.the planning laws offer great benefits to the residents
2.Supporters think that the expansion of wind power ________.
A.is more rapid than that of carbonbased power
B.guarantees an increase in energy output
C.is expected to be much better than that of nuclear power
D.agrees with EU targets for noncarbon energy generation
★3.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.an official report will settle the energy problem
B.the two parties are divided over the issue of wind farms
C.the two parties have agreed on a further negotiation
D.political beliefs concerning energy issue go against facts
★4.Which of the following reflects the author's opinion?
A.Increase political impact on energy policy.
B.Release a statement of supporters on wind farms.
C.Let the nation judge the facts about wind power.
D.Leave the two parties to reach their own conclusions.
Passage 12 (2014·廣東)
話題：燈塔自愿者
詞數(shù)：351
Like many new graduates，I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do.My degree，with honors，in English literature had not really prepared me for anything practical.I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world somehow，but I had no idea how to do that.That's when I learned about the Lighthouse Project.
I started my journey as a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers.I knew it would be a lot of hard work，and that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time.In short，I did not take my decision to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly.Neither did my family.
Eventually，however，I won the support of my family，and I sent in all the paperwork needed for application.After countless interviews and presentations，I managed to stand out among the candidates and survive the test alone.Several months later，I finally received a call asking me to report for duty.I would be going to a small village near Abuja，Nigeria.Where?What?Nigeria?I had no idea.But I was about to find out.
After completing my training，I was sent to the village that was small and desperately in need of proper accommodation.Though the local villagers were poor，they offered their homes，hearts，and food as if I were their own family.I was asked to lead a small team of local people in building a new schoolhouse.For the next year or so，I taught in that same schoolhouse.But I sometimes think I learned more from my students than they did from me.
Sometime during that period，I realized that all those things that had seemed so strange or unusual to me no longer did，though I did not get anywhere with the local language，and I returned to the United States a different man.The Lighthouse Project had changed my life forever.
1.What do we know about the author?
A.His university education focused on theoretical knowledge.
B.His dream at university was to become a volunteer.
C.He took pride in having contributed to the world.
D.He felt honored to study English literature.
2.According to Paragraph 2，it is most likely that the author ________.
A.discussed his decision with his family
B.asked previous volunteers about voluntary work
C.attended special training to perform difficult tasks
D.felt sad about having to leave his family and friends
★3.In his application for the volunteer job，the author ________.
A.participated in many discussions
B.went through challenging survival tests
C.wrote quite a few papers on voluntary work
D.faced strong competition from other candidates
4.On arrival at the village，the author was ________.
A.asked to lead a farming team
B.sent to teach in a schoolhouse
C.received warmly by local villagers
D.arranged to live in a separate house
5.What can we infer from the author's experiences in Nigeria?
A.He found some difficulty adapting to the local culture.
B.He had learned to communicate in the local language.
C.He had overcome all his weaknesses before he left for home.
D.He was chosen as the most respectable teacher by his students.
Passage 13 (2014·湖北)
話題：迷人的海灘
詞數(shù)：424
You've flown halfway around the world;you've sniffed out this place that nobody in Falongland or Thailand seems to have ever heard of;so what on earth is there to do here?You consider this question as you sink into an old wooden beach chair that holds you above the sand.
It was a long journey from Bangkok to Huaplee.By the time you found the bus station and got yourself sorted out，it took almost as long as the flight from Falongland.
Huaplee is located just south of Hua Hin，about two hundred kilometres from Bangkok，down the west side of the Gulf of Thailand.Not many tourists find this place，and the ones that do wonder if finding it has been their purpose all along.
There's an apparent laziness that surrounds you here.It's what this place offers，and it's free of charge.The small waves that tap the shoreline seem to slow everything down.You settle into your beach chair in preparation for a long rest.You sit there and watch the sea.
It's early afternoon，so the cook comes out and asks what you'd like to eat this evening.Before long he's rushed off to the market to buy the ingredients for whatever it was that you ordered—every meal fresh and to order.No menu here.
There is no poolside noise here but just that wonderfully warm，clear blue sea.There's no street noise.The only sounds are the murmurs of nature.
For now you just count your blessings (福祉)，listing them in the sand with your toe (腳趾).You don't have to worry about being late for work.You don't have to do anything.
The beach to your right stretches off to the horizon (地平線)，slowly narrowing to nothingness only to reemerge again on your left，now steadily widening until it covers the chair beneath you.Sand to your left and sand to your right;it's unbroken，endless.No start，no end，just sand，sun，and peace.Step off it，and you reenter the world of traffic，stress，work，and hurry.
Normally you're the type who can't sit still for more than ten minutes，but you're on Huaplee Lazy Beach now and，in the right frame of mind，it stretches all the way around the world.
“How could it take me so long to find it?”you wonder.
1.When the author first went to Huaplee Beach，________________________________.
A.he found it unworthwhile
B.he failed to sort himself out
C.he became sensitive to smell
D.he had difficulty in finding it
2.What is special about the food service at Huaplee Beach?
A.No menu. B.Free food.
C.Self service. D.Quick delivery.
3.In the author's opinion，a tourist can enjoy Huaplee Beach most when he ________.
A.sits in a beach chair
B.forgets his daily routine
C.plans a detailed schedule
D.draws pictures in the sand
4.What does the author imply by his question at the end of the passage?
A.He shouldn't have counted his blessings.
B.He should have understood the wonder of nature.
C.He shouldn't have spent so much time on the trip.
D.He should have come to the place earlier.
Passage 14 (2014·山東)
話題：熱天的回憶
詞數(shù)：316
It was one of those terribly hot days in Baltimore.Needless to say，it was too hot to do anything outside.But it was also scorching in our apartment.This was 1962，and I would not live in a place with an air conditioner for another ten years.So my brother and I decided to leave the apartment to find someplace indoors.He suggested we could see a movie.It was a brilliant plan.
Movie theaters were one of the few places you could sit all day and—most important—sit in air conditioning.In those days，you could buy one ticket and sit through two movies.Then，the theater would show the same two movies again.If you wanted to，you could sit through them twice.Most people did not do that，but the manager at our theater, Mr.Bellow，did not mind if you did.
That particular day，my brother and I sat through both movies twice，trying to escape the heat.We bought three bags of popcorn and three sodas each.Then，we sat and watched The Music Man followed by The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.We'd already seen the second movie once before.It had been at the theater since January，because Mr.Bellow loved anything with John Wayne in it.
We left the theater around 8，just before the evening shows began.But we returned the next day and saw the same two movies again，twice more.And we did it the next day too.Finally，on the fourth day，the heat wave broke.
Still，to this day I can sing half the songs in The Music Man and recite half of John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart's dialogue from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance!Those memories are some of the few I have of the heat wave of 1962.They're really memories of the screen，not memories of my life.
1.In which year did the author first live in a place with an air conditioner?
A.1952. B.1962. C.1972. D.1982.
2.What does the underlined word“It”in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.The heat.
B.The theater.
C.The Music Man.
D.The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
★3.What do we know about Mr.Bellow?
A.He loved children very much.
B.He was a fan of John Wayne.
C.He sold air conditioners.
D.He was a movie star.
4.Why did the author and his/her brother see the same movies several times?
A.The two movies were really wonderful.
B.They wanted to avoid the heat outside.
C.The manager of the theater was friendly.
D.They liked the popcorn and the soda at the theater.
5.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.The author turned out to be a great singer.
B.The author enjoyed the heat wave of 1962.
C.The author's life has been changed by the two movies.
D.The author considers the experience at the theater unforgettable.
Passage 15 (2014·湖南)
話題：能源的使用
詞數(shù)：353
The behaviour of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use，according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions (排放)by 80 percent by 2050，part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zerocarbon by 2016.But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own—though extremely important—is not enough to achieve such reductions：the behaviour of the people using the building has to change too.
The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency (效率)，which instead focus on architectural and technological developments.
‘Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything，’explains Katy Janda，a UKERC senior researcher，‘consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design.’In other words，old habits die hard，even in the bestdesigned ecohome.
Another part of the problem is information.Households and billpayers don't have the knowledge they need to change their energyuse habits.Without specific information，it's hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices.Feedback (反饋) facilities，like smart meters and energy monitors，could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use;some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15 percent energy savings using smart meters.
Social science research has added a further dimension (方面)，suggesting that individuals' behaviour in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted—whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat (恒溫器)，for example.
Janda argues that education is the key.She calls for a focused programme to teach people about buildings and their own behaviour in them.
1.As to energy use，the new research from UKERC stresses the importance of ________.
A.zerocarbon homes
B.the behaviour of building users
C.sustainable building design
D.the reduction of carbon emissions
2.The underlined word“which”in Paragraph 2 refers to “________.”
A.the ways B.their homes
C.developments D.existing efforts
3.What are Katy Janda's words mainly about?
A.The importance of changing building users' habits.
B.The necessity of making a careful building design.
C.The variety of consumption patterns of building users.
D.The role of technology in improving energy efficiency.
4.The information gap in energy use ________.
A.can be bridged by feedback facilities
B.affects the study on energy monitors
C.brings about problems for smart meters
D.will be caused by building users' old habits
5.What does the dimension added by social science research suggest?
A.The social science research is to be furthered.
B.The education programme is under discussion.
C.The behaviour of building users is unpredictable.
D.The behaviour preference of building users is similar.
Passage 1 (2014·四川)
話題：冒險經(jīng)歷
詞數(shù)：332
In 1943，when I was 4，my parents moved from Coeur d'Alene，Idaho，to Fairbanks，Alaska，where adventure was never very far away.
We arrived in the summer，just in time to enjoy the midnight sun.All that sunlight was fantastic for Mom's vegetable garden.Working in the garden at midnight tended to throw her timing off，so she didn't care much about my bedtime.
Dad was a Railway Express agent and Mom was his clerk.That left me in a mess.I usually managed to find some trouble to get into.Once I had a little fire going in the dirt basement of a hotel.I had tried to light a barrel(桶)of paint but couldn't really get a good fire going.The smoke got pretty bad，though，and when I made my exit，a crowd and the police were there to greet me.The policemen took my matches and drove me home.
Mom and Dad were occupied in the garden and Dad told the police to keep me，and they did!I had a tour of the prison before Mom rescued me.I hadn't turned 5 yet.
As I entered kindergarten，the serious cold began to set in.Would it surprise you to know that I soon left part of my tongue on a metal handrail at school?
As for Leonhard Seppala，famous as a dog sledder(駕雪橇者)，I think I knew him well because I was taken for a ride with his white dog team one Sunday.At the time I didn't realize what a superstar he was，but I do remember the ride well.I was wrapped(包裹)heavily and well sheltered from the freezing and blowing weather.
In 1950，we moved back to Coeur d'Alene，but we got one more Alaskan adventure when Leonhard invited us eight years later by paying a visit to Idaho to attend a gathering of former neighbors of Alaska.
★1.What can be inferred about the author's family?
A.His father was a cruel man.
B.His parents didn't love him.
C.His parents used to be very busy.
D.His mother didn't have any jobs.
2.What happened when the author was 4?
A.He learned to smoke.
B.He was locked in a basement.
C.He was arrested by the police.
D.He nearly caused a fire accident.
3.Which of the following is true?
A.Leonhard was good at driving dog sleds.
B.The author spent his whole childhood in Alaska.
C.Leonhard often visited the author's family after 1950.
D.The author suffered a lot while taking the dog sled in Alaska.
4.What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A.To look back on his childhood with adventures.
B.To describe the extreme weather of Alaska.
C.To express how much he misses Leonhard.
D.To show off his pride in making trouble.
考點(diǎn)四 詞義猜測題
Passage 1 (2016·全國)
話題：一次非同尋常的投遞
詞數(shù)：254
I am Peter Hodes, a volunteer stem courier.Since March 2012, Ive done 89 trips of those, 51 have been abroad, I have 42 hours to carry stem cells(干細(xì)胞)in my little box because Ive got two ice packs and that’s how long they last.In all, from the time the stem cells are harvested from a donor(捐獻(xiàn)者) to the time they can be implanted in the patient, weve got 72 hours at most, So I am always conscious of time.
I had one trip last year where I was caught by a hurricane in America.I picked up the stem cells in Providence, Rhode Island, and was meant to fly to Washington then back to London.But when I arrived at the check-in desk at Providence, the lady on the desk said：“Well, I’m really sorry, I’ve got some bad news for you—there are no flights from Washington.”So I took my box and put it on the desk and I said：“In this box are some stem cells that are urgently needed for a patientplease, please, you’ve got to get me back to the United Kingdom.”She just dropped everything.She arranged for a flight on a small plane to be held for me.re-routed(改道)me through Newark and got me back to the UK even earlier than originally scheduled.
For this courier job, you’re consciously aware that in that box you’ve got something that is potentially going to save somebody’s life.
★1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word“courier” in Paragraph 1?
A provider B delivery man
C collector D medical doctor
2.Why does Peter have to complete his trip within 42 hours?
A.He cannot stay away from his job too long.
B.The donor can only wait for that long.
C.The operation needs that very much.
D.The ice wont last any longer.
3.Which flight did the woman put Peter on first?
A.To London. B.To Newark.
C.To Providence. D.To Washington.
Passage 2 (2016·全國)
話題：一個有趣的故事
詞數(shù)：304
On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner.They settled in at a comfortable East Slide café and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table.
“Hey, aren’t you from Mississippi?” the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger.“Im from Mississippi too.”
Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party.When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair.
“They began telling me all the news of Mississippi，” Welty said.“I didnt know what my New York friends were thinking.”
Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine.By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside.Welty’s new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab.Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi.
“My friends said: Now we believe your stories，” Welty added.“And I said: ‘Now you know.These are the people that make me write them.”
Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation.
“I don’t make them up，” she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years.“I dont have to.”
Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty’s people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus.It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out.Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment(片段) of a particularly interesting story.
1.What happened when Welty was with her friends at the cafe?
A.Two strangers joined her.
B.Her childhood friends came in.
C.A heavy rain ruined the dinner.
D.Some people held a party there.
★2.The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 6 refers to Welty’s________.
A.readers B.partiesC.friends D.stories
3.What can we learn about the characters in Weltys fiction?
A.They live in big cities
B.They are mostly women
C.They come from real life
D.They are pleasure seekers
Passage (2015·安徽)
話題：小螞蟻大力量
詞數(shù)：288
There are an extremely large number of ants worldwide. Each individual (個體的) ant hardly weigh anything, but put together they weigh roughly the same as all of mankind. They also live nearly everywhere, except on frozen mountain tops and around the poles. For animals their size, ants have been astonishingly successful, largely due to their wonderful social behavior.
In colonies (群體) that range in size from a few hundred to tens of millions, they organize their lives with a clear division of labor. Even more amazing is how they achieve this level of organization. Where we use sound and sight to communicate, ants depend primarily on pheromones (外激素), chemicals sent out by individuals and smelled or tasted by fellow members of their colony. When an ant finds food, it produces a pheromone that will lead others straight to where the food is. When an individual ant comes under attack or is dying, it sends out an alarm pheromone to warn the colony to prepare for a conflict as a defense unit.
In fact, when it comes to the art of war, ants have no equal. They are completely fearless and will readily take_on a creature much larger than themselves, attacking in large groups and overcoming their target. Such is their devotion to the common good of the colony that not only soldier ants but also worker ants will sacrifice their lives to help defeat an enemy.
Behaving in this selfless and devoted manner, these little creatures have survived on Earth, for more than 140 million years, far longer than dinosaurs. Because they think as one, they have a collective (集體的) intelligence greater than you would expect from its individual parts.
1.We can learn from the passage that ants are________.
A.not willing to share food
B.not found around the poles
C.more successful than all other animals
D.too many to achieve any level of organization
2.Ants can use pheromones for________.
A.escape B.communication
C.warning enemies D.arranging labor
★3.What does the underlined expression “take on” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Accept. B.Employ.
C.Play with. D.Fight against.
4.Which of the following contributes most to the survival of ants?
A.Their behavior. B.Their size.
C.Their number. D.Their weight
Passage (2015·湖北)
話題：自給種植
詞數(shù)：369
What Theresa Loe is doing proves that a large farm isn't a prerequisite for a modern growyourown lifestyle.On a mere 1/10 of an acre in Los Angeles，Loe and her family grow，can(裝罐) and preserve much of the food they consume.
Loe is a master food preserver，gardener and canning expert.She also operates a website，where she shares her tips and recipes，with the goal of demonstrating that everyone has the ability to control what's on their plate.
Loe initially went to school to become an engineer，but she quickly learned that her enthusiasm was mainly about growing and preparing her own food.“I got into cooking my own food and started growing my own herbs(香草) and foods for that fresh flavor，” she said.Engineer by day，Loe learned cooking at night school.She ultimately purchased a small piece of land with her husband and began growing their own foods.
“I teach people how to live farmfresh without a farm.”Loc said.Through her website Loc emphasizes that “anybody can do this anywhere.”Got an apartment with a balcony(陽臺)?Plant some herbs.A window?Perfect spot for growing.Start with herbs，she recommends，because “they're very forgiving.”Just a little of the herbs “can take your regular cooking to a whole new level.”she added.“I think it's a great place to start.”Then?Try growing something from a seed，she said，like a tomato or some tea.
Canning is a natural extension of the planting she does.With every planted food.Loe noted，there's a moment when it's bursting with its absolute peak flavor.“I try and keep it in a time capsule in a canning jar.”Loe said.“Canning for me is about knowing what's in your food，knowing where it comes from.”
In addition to being more in touch with the food she's eating，another joy comes from passing this knowledge and this desire for good food to her children: “Influencing them and telling them your opinion on not only being careful what we eat but understanding the_bigger_picture.” she said，“that if we don't take care of the earth，no one will.”
★1.The underlined word “prerequisite”(Paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to “________”.
A.recipe B.substitute
C.requirement D.challenge
2.Why does Loe suggest starting with herbs?
A.They are used daily.
B.They are easy to grow.
C.They can grow very tall.
D.They can be eaten uncooked.
3.According to Loe，what is the benefit of canning her planted foods?
A.It can preserve their best flavor.
B.It can promote her online sales.
C.It can better her cooking skills.
D.It can improve their nutrition.
4.What is the “the bigger picture”(Para .6) that Loe wishes her children to understand?
A.The knowledge about good food.
B.The way to live a growourown life.
C.The joy of getting in touch with foods.
D.The responsibility to protect our earth.
Passage (2015·四川)
話題：父親的蔬菜
詞數(shù)：299
Nothing could stop Dad.After he was put on disability for a bad back, he bought a small farm in the country, just enough to grow food for the family.He planted vegetables, fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.
And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgin's chicken house in exchange for manure(肥料).The smell really burned the inside of your nose.When we complained about the terrible smell, Dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right.For example, just one of his cantaloupes filled the entire house with its sweet smell, and the taste was even sweeter.
As the vegetables started coming in, Dad threw himself into cooking.One day, armed with a basket of vegetables, he announced he was going to make stew(燉菜).Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, corns, onions and carrots.For about half an hour，the pressure built and the vegetables cooked.Finally, Dad turned off the stove, the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam.If we thought Dad's pile of chicken manure was bad, this was 10 times worse.When Dad took off the lid, the smell nearly knocked us out.
Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house.Just how bad was it? The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak!
Determined, Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around.It didn't look that bad, and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell, it didn't offend the nose so much, either.I took a taste.It would never win a prize in a cooking competition, but it was surprisingly edible, and we drank up every last drop of soup.
1.Why did Dad clean Old Man McColgin's chicken house regularly?
A.To earn some money for the family.
B.To collect manure for his crops.
C.To get rid of the terrible smell.
D.To set a good example to us.
2.What can we infer about Dad's stew?
A.It is popular among the neighbors.
B.It contains honey and vegetables.
C.It looks very wonderful.
D.It tastes quite delicious.
★3.What does the underlined word “offend” in the last paragraph mean?
A.To attract. B.To upset.
C.To air. D.To shut.
4.What can we learn about Dad from the text?
A.He is an experienced cook.
B.He is a troublesome father.
C.He has a positive attitude to life.
D.He suffers a lot from his disability.
Passage (2015·天津)
話題：勇氣的力量
詞數(shù)：348
Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend.He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I've ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty (強(qiáng)大的) forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed.It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all.On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite_off_more_than_you_are_sure_you_can_eat.And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces.They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas—even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones.But they are more important than physical ones.A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player.“In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line，” said Tim.“I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet(子彈)—and stopped him cold.”
Boldness—a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight.But it can be taught to children and developed in adults.Confidence builds up.Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee of success.But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities—and you'll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
1.Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past?
A.He faced huge risks.
B.He lacked mighty forces.
C.Fear prevented him from trying.
D.Failure blocked his way to success.
2.What is the implied meaning of the underlined part?
A.Swallow more than you can digest.
B.Act slightly above your abilities.
C.Develop more mysterious powers.
D.Learn to make creative decisions.
3.What was especially important for Tim's successful defense in the football game?
A.His physical strength.
B.His basic skill.
C.His real fear.
D.His spiritual force.
4.What can be learned from Paragraph 5?
A.Confidence grows more rapidly in adults.
B.Trying without success is meaningless.
C.Repeated failure creates a better life.
D.Boldness can be gained little by little.
5.What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?
A.To encourage people to be courageous.
B.To advise people to build up physical power.
C.To tell people the ways to guarantee success.
D.To recommend people to develop more abilities.
Passage 7 (2015·陜西)
話題：父母參與與孩子成績
詞數(shù)：295
Parents who help their children with homework may actually be bringing down their school grades.Other forms of parental_involvement,_including volunteering at school and observing a child's class，also fail to help，according to the most recent study on the topic.
The findings challenge a key principle of modern parenting (養(yǎng)育子女) where schools expect them to act as partners in their children's education.Previous generations concentrated on getting children to school on time, fed，dressed and ready to learn.
Keith Robinson，the author of the study，said，“I really don't know if the public is ready for this but there are some ways parents can be involved in their kids' education that leads to declines in their academic performance.One of the things that was consistently negative was parents' help with homework.”Robinson suggested that may be because parents themselves struggle to understand the tasks.“They may either not remember the material their kids are studying now，or in some cases never learnt it themselves，but they're still offering advice.”
Robinson assessed parental involvement performance and found one of the most damaging things a parent could do was to punish their children for poor marks.In general，about 20% of parental involvement was positive，about 45% negative and the rest statistically insignificant.
Common sense suggests it was a good thing for parents to get involved because “children with good academic success do have involved parents”，admitted Robinson.But he argued that this did not prove parental involvement was the root cause of that success.“A big surprise was that AsianAmerican parents whose kids are doing so well in school hardly involved.They took a more reasonable approach，conveying to their children how success at school could improve their lives.”
★1.The underlined expression “parental involvement” in Paragraph 1 probably means________.
A.parents' expectation on children's health
B.parents' participation in children's education
C.parents' control over children's life
D.parents' plan for children's future
2.What is the major finding of Robinson's study?
A.Modern parents raise children in a more scientific way.
B.Punishing kids for bad marks is mentally damaging.
C.Parental involvement is not so beneficial as expected.
D.Parents are not able to help with children's homework.
3.The example of AsianAmerican parents implies that parents should________.
A.help children realize the importance of schooling
B.set a specific life goal for their children
C.spend more time improving their own lives
D.take a more active part in school management
Passage 8 (2014·天津)
話題：回歸健康
詞數(shù)：366
People aren't walking any more—if they can figure out a way to avoid it.
I felt superior about this matter until the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel.The journey is a matter of 281 steps.But I used the car.And I wasn't in any hurry，either.I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness：motorosis.
It is an illness to which I had thought myself immune(免疫的)，for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs.At that time，we regarded 25 miles as a good day's walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill.It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship.And the effect was lasting.When I was 45 years old I raced—and beat—a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Statue of Liberty.
Such enterprises today are regarded by many middleaged persons as bad for the heart.But a wellknown British physician，Sir Adolphe Abrahams，pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise.A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illnesses than one who exercises regularly.And walking is an ideal form of exercise—the most familiar and natural of all.
It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot.The man walking can learn the trees，flowers，insects，birds and animals，the significance of seasons，the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world.He cannot learn in a car.
The car is a convenient means of transport，but we have made it our way of life.Many people don't dare to approach Nature any more;to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat.To them security is a_steel_river thundering on a concrete road.And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.
I say that the green of forests is the mind's best light.And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.
1.What is the national sickness?
A.Walking too much.
B.Traveling too much.
C.Driving cars too much.
D.Climbing stairs too much.
2.What was life like when the author was young?
A.People usually went around on foot.
B.People often walked 25 miles a day.
C.People used to climb the Statue of Liberty.
D.People considered a tenhour walk as a hardship.
3.The author mentions Henry Thoreau to prove that ______.
A.middleaged people like getting back to nature
B.walking in nature helps enrich one's mind
C.people need regular exercise to keep fit
D.going on foot prevents heart disease
★4.What is compared to“a steel river”in Paragraph 6?
A.A queue of cars.
B.A ray of traffic light.
C.A flash of lightning.
D.A stream of people.
5.What is the author's intention of writing this passage?
A.To tell people to reflect more on life.
B.To recommend people to give up driving.
C.To advise people to do outdoor activities.
D.To encourage people to return to walking.
Passage (2014·大綱全國)
話題：美國孩子學(xué)漢語
詞數(shù)：302
One of the latest trends(趨勢) in American Childcare is Chinese au pairs.Au Pair in Stamford，Conn.，for example，has got increasing numbers of requests for Chinese au pairs from zero to around 4,000 since 2004.And that's true all across the country.
“I thought it would be very useful for him to learn Chinese at an early age，”Joseph Stocke，the managing director of a company，says of his 2yearold son.“I would at least like to give him the chance to use the language in the future.”After only six months of being cared for by a 25yearold woman from China，the boy can already understand basic Chinese daily expressions，his dad says.
Li Drake，a Chinese native raising two children in Minnesota with an American husband，had another reason for looking for an au pair from China：She didn't want her children to miss out on their roots.“Because I am Chinese，my husband and I wanted the children to keep exposed to(接觸) the language and culture(文化)，”she says.
“Staying with a native speaker is better for children than simply sitting in a classroom，”says Suzanne Flynn，a professor in language education of children.“But parents must understand that just one year with an au pair is unlikely to produce wonders.Complete mastery demands continued learning until the age of 10 or 12.”
The popularity of au pairs from China has been strengthened by the increasing numbers of American parents who want their children to learn Chinese.It is expected that American demand for au pairs will continue to rise in the next few years.
★1.What does the term“au pair”in the text mean?
A.A mother raising her children on her own.
B.A young foreign woman taking care of children.
C.A professor in language education of children.
D.A child learning a foreign language at home.
2.Li Drake has her children study Chinese because she wants them ________.
A.to live in China some day
B.to speak the language at home
C.to catch up with other children
D.to learn about the Chinese culture
3.How can children learn a foreign language best according to Flynn?
A.From their parents.
B.By attending classes.
C.From a native speaker.
D.By starting at an early age.
4.What can we infer from the text?
A.Learning Chinese is becoming popular in America.
B.Educated woman do better in looking after children.
C.Chinese au pairs need to improve their English skills.
D.Children can learn a foreign language well in six months.
Passage (2014·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：旅鴿的歷史
詞數(shù)：333
Passenger pigeons(旅鴿)once flew over much of the United States in unbelievable numbers.Written accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries described flocks(群)so large that they darkened the sky for hours.
It was calculated that when its population reached its highest point，there were more than 3 billion passenger pigeons—a number equal to 24 to 40 percent of the total bird population in the United States，making it perhaps the most abundant bird in the world.Even as late as 1870 when their numbers had already become smaller，a flock believed to be 1 mile wide and 320 miles (about 515 kilometers) long was seen near Cincinnati.
Sadly，the abundance of passenger pigeons may have been their undoing.Where the birds were most abundant，people believed there was an everlasting supply and killed them by the thousands.Commercial hunters attracted them to small clearings with grain，waited until pigeons had settled to feed，then threw large nets over them，taking hundreds at a time.The birds were shipped to large cities and sold in restaurants.
By the closing decades of the 19th century，the hardwood forests where passenger pigeons nested had been damaged by Americans' need for wood，which scattered(驅(qū)散)the flocks and forced the birds to go farther north，where cold temperatures and spring storms contributed to their decline.Soon the great flocks were gone，never to be seen again.
In 1897，the state of Michigan passed a law prohibiting the killing of passenger pigeons，but by then，no sizable flocks had been seen in the state for 10 years.The last confirmed wild pigeon in the United States was shot by a boy in Pike County，Ohio，in 1900.For a time，a few birds survived under human care.The last of them，known affectionately as Martha，died at the Cincinnati Zoological Garden on September 1,1914.
1.In the 18th and early 19th centuries，passenger pigeons ________.
A.were the biggest bird in the world
B.lived mainly in the south of America
C.did great harm to the natural environment
D.were the largest bird population in the US
★2.The underlined word“undoing”probably refers to the pigeons' ________.
A.escape B.ruin
C.liberation D.evolution
3.What was the main reason for people to kill passenger pigeons?
A.To seek pleasure. B.To save other birds.
C.To make money. D.To protect crops.
4.What can we infer about the law passed in Michigan?
A.It was ignored by the public.
B.It was declared too late.
C.It was unfair.
D.It was strict.
Passage (2014·廣東)
話題：善舉的傳播
詞數(shù)：379
It was a cold winter day.A woman drove up to the Rainbow Bridge tollbooth (收費(fèi)站).“I'm paying for myself，and for the six cars behind me，”she said with a smile，handing over seven tickets.One after another，the next six drivers arriving at the tollbooth were informed，“Some lady up ahead already paid your fare.”
It turned out that the woman，Natalie Smith，had read something on a friend's refrigerator：“Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.”The phrase impressed her so much that she copied it down.
Judy Foreman spotted the same phrase on a warehouse wall far away from home.When it stayed on her mind for days，she gave up and drove all the way back to copy it down.“I thought it was beautiful，”she said，explaining why she'd taken to writing it at the bottom of all her letters，“like a message from above.”Her husband，F(xiàn)rank，liked the phrase so much that he put it up on the classroom wall for his students，one of whom was the daughter of Alice Johnson，a local news reporter.Alice put it in the newspaper，admitting that though she liked it，she didn't know where it came from or what it really meant.
Two days later，Alice got a call from Anne Herbert，a woman living in Marin.It was in a restaurant that Anne wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper，after turning it around in her mind for days.
“Here's the idea，”Anne says.“Anything you think there should be more of，do it randomly.”Her fantasies include painting the classrooms of shabby schools，leaving hot meals on kitchen tables in the poor part of town，and giving money secretly to a proud old lady.Anne says，“Kindness_can_build_on_itself_as_much_as_violence_can.”
The acts of random kindness spread.If you were one of those drivers who found your fare paid，who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else later.Like all great events，kindness begins slowly，with every single act.Let it be yours!
1.Why did Natalie Smith pay for the six cars behind her?
A.She knew the car drivers well.
B.She wanted to show kindness.
C.She hoped to please others.
D.She had seven tickets.
2.Judy Foreman copied down the phrase because she ________.
A.thought it was beautifully written
B.wanted to know what it really meant
C.decided to write it on a warehouse wall
D.wanted her husband to put it up in the classroom
3.Who came up with the phrase according to the passage?
A.Judy Foreman. B.Natalie Smith.
C.Alice Johnson. D.Anne Herbert.
4.Which of the following statements is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence above?
A.Kindness and violence can change the world.
B.Kindness and violence can affect one's behavior.
C.Kindness and violence can reproduce themselves.
D.Kindness and violence can shape one's character.
5.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.People should practice random kindness to those in need.
B.People who receive kindness are likely to offer it to others.
C.People should practice random kindness to strangers they meet.
D.People who receive kindness are likely to pay it back to the giver.
Passage 1 (2014·湖北)
話題：狒狒的發(fā)現(xiàn)
詞數(shù)：344
Working with a group of baboons (狒狒) in the Namibian desert，Dr.Alecia Carter of the Department of Zoology，Cambridge University set baboons learning tasks involving a novel food and a familiar food hidden in a box.Some baboons were given the chance to watch another baboon who already knew how to solve the task，while others had to learn for themselves.To work out how brave or anxious the baboons were，Dr.Carter presented them either with a novel food or a threat in the form of a model of a poisonous snake.
She found that personality had a major impact on learning.The braver baboons learnt，but the shy ones did not learn the task although they watched the baboon perform the task of finding the novel food just as long as the brave ones did.In effect，despite being made aware of what to do，they were still too shy to do what the experienced baboon did.
The same held true for anxious baboons compared with calm ones.The anxious individuals learnt the task by observing others while those who were relaxed did not，even though they spent more time watching.
This mismatch between collecting social information and using it shows that personality plays a key role in social learning in animals，something that has previously been ignored in studies on how animals learn to do things.The findings are significant because they suggest that animals may perform poorly in cognitive (認(rèn)知的) tasks not because they aren't clever enough to solve them，but because they are too shy or nervous to use the social information.
The findings may impact how we understand the formation of culture in societies through social learning.If some individuals are unable to get information from others because they don't associate with the knowledgeable individuals，or they are too shy to use the information once they have it，information may not travel between all group members，preventing the formation of a culture based on social learning.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The design of Dr.Carter's research.
B.The results of Dr.Carter's research.
C.The purpose of Dr.Carter's research.
D.The significance of Dr.Carter's research.
2.According to the research，which baboons are more likely to complete a new learning task?
A.Those that have more experience.
B.Those that can avoid potential risks.
C.Those that like to work independently.
D.Those that feel anxious about learning.
3.Which best illustrates the“mismatch”mentioned in Paragraph 4?
A.Some baboons are intelligent but slow in learning.
B.Some baboons are shy but active in social activities.
C.Some baboons observe others but don't follow them.
D.Some baboons perform new tasks but don't concentrate.
4.Dr.Carter's findings indicate that our culture might be formed through ________.
A.storing information
B.learning from each other
C.understanding different people
D.travelling between social groups
Passage 1 (2014·大綱全國)
話題：失而復(fù)得的文件
詞數(shù)：290
Arriving in Sydney on his own from India，my husband，Rashid，stayed in a hotel for a short time while looking for a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay，he went out one day to do some shopping.He came back in the late afternoon to discover that his suitcase was gone.He was extremely worried as the suitcase had all his important papers，including his passport(護(hù)照).
He reported the case to the police and then sat there，lost and lonely in a strange city，thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork organized again from a distant country while trying to settle down in a new one.
Late in the evening，the phone rang.It was a stranger.He was trying to pronounce my husband's name and was asking him a lot of questions.Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can(垃圾桶)that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband rushed to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers and documents(文件).Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of unfamiliar papers.Her parents had carefully sorted them out，although they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents.At last they had seen a halfwritten letter in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only restored the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and trust in people.We still remember their kindness and often send a warm wish their way.
1.What did Rashid plan to do after his arrival in Sydney?
A.Go shopping. B.Find a house.
C.Join his family. D.Take a vacation.
2.The girl's parents got Rashid's phone number from ________.
A.a friend of his family B.a Sydney policeman
C.a letter in his papers D.a stranger in Sydney
3.What does the underlined word“restored”in the last paragraph mean?
A.Showed. B.Sent out.
C.Delivered. D.Gave back.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.From India to Australia.
B.Living in a New Country.
C.Turning Trash to Treasure.
D.In Search of New Friends.
Passage 1 (2014·重慶)
話題：追蹤孟加拉虎
詞數(shù)：289
One moment it was quiet and calm in the forest，the next，the air was charged with tension.The elephant had heard the distant alarm calls of animals and her mood suddenly changed.I urged the elephant deeper into the forest.We sounded like a forest fire—crackling，snapping，trailblazing.But through all the noise came a sharp warning cry.The elephant stopped and we heard it again—the telltale call of a spotted deer.
I looked quickly around the shadows of the forest.Rays of sunlight shone through tree branches，beneath which the patchwork (交錯) of green plants and shadowswithinshadows would make tiger stripes (條紋) look more attractive.Apart from an occasional noise from the elephant's stomach，the forest was silent.
Gradually，the tension slipped from our bodies.The elephant seized a nearby branch and put it into her mouth.I reached forward and gently moved my hand over the elephant's neck;there was a soft part，free of wrinkles and hairs，behind her ear.
This was my fourth time to_sense_the_aura of the forest in Corbett，although I saw no tigers in the end.Located at the foot of the Himalayan mountains，Corbett is home to about 135 Bengal tigers，but the forest seemed to be guarding their whereabouts(出沒處)，a silent reminder of their secrecy and rarity.Still，I was happy enough touching the elephant behind the ear.If I had so desperately wanted to see a tiger，I could have gone to a zoo.After all，spotting tigers merely confirms their beauty;tracking them can make you aware of something more.
1.Which of the following was a clear signal of alarm?
A.The elephant stopped.
B.A spotted deer called.
C.The elephant seized a branch.
D.The forest was silent for a while.
2.The author begins his account of the tour in the forest mainly by ________.
A.describing various sounds
B.comparing different animals
C.listing different activities
D.introducing various plants
3.What does the underlined part“to sense the aura”most probably mean?
A.To see the diversity.
B.To enjoy the scenery.
C.To feel the atmosphere.
D.To experience the freedom.
4.How does the author feel after several visits to Corbett?
A.Seeing a Bengal tiger is quite thrilling.
B.It is very timeconsuming to travel in Corbett.
C.It is really worthwhile to study the animals in Corbett.
D.The process of finding Bengal tigers is most appealing.
考點(diǎn)五 觀點(diǎn)態(tài)度題
Passage 1 (2016·北京)
話題：為什么大學(xué)不是家
詞數(shù)：439
Why College Is Not Home
The college years are supposed to be a time for important growth in autonomy(自主性) and the development of adult identity.However，now they are becoming an extended period of adolescence，during which many of todays students are not shouldered with adult responsibilities.
For previous generations，college was decisive break from parental control; guidance and support needed help from people of the same age and from within.In the past two decades，however，continued connection with and dependence on family，thanks to cellphones，email and social media，have increased significantly.Some parents go so far as to help with coursework.Instead of promoting the idea of college as a passage from the shelter of the family to autonomy and adult responsibility，universities have given in to the idea that they should provide the same environment as that of the home.
To prepare for increased autonomy and responsibility，college needs to be a time of exploration and experimentation.This process involves “trying on ” new ways of thinking about oneself both intellectually(在思維方面) and personally.While we should provide “safe spaces” within colleges，we must also make it safe to express opinions and challenge majority views.Intellectual growth and flexibility are fostered on debate and questioning.
Learning to deal with the social world is equally important.Because a college community(群體) differs from the family，many students will struggle to find a sense of belonging.If students rely on administrators to regulate their social behavior and thinking pattern，they are not facing the challenge of finding an identity within a larger and complex community.
Moreover，the tendency for universities to monitor and shape student behavior runs up against another characteristic of young adults: the response to being controlled by their elders.If acceptable social behavior is too strictly defined(規(guī)定) and controlled，the insensitive or aggressive behavior that administrators are seeking to minimize may actually be encouraged.
It is not surprising that young people are likely to burst out，particularly when there are reasons to do so.Our generation once joined hands and stood firm at times of national emergency.What is lacking today is the conflict between adolescents desire for autonomy and their understanding of an unsafe world.Therefore，there is the desire for their dorms to be replacement homes and not places to experience intellectual growth.
Every college discussion about community values，social climate and behavior should include recognition of the developmental importance of student autonomy and self-regulation，of the necessary tension between safety and self-discovery.
1.What’s the author’s attitude toward continued parental guidance to college students?
A.Sympathetic. B.Disapproving.
C.Supportive. D.Neutral.
2.The underlined word “passage” in Paragraph 2 means ________.
A.change B.choice
C.text D.extension
3.According to the author，what role should college play?
A.To develop a shared identity among students.
B.To define and regulate students social behavior.
C.To provide a safe world without tension for students.
D.To foster students intellectual and personal development.
4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
I：Introduction P：Point Sp：Sub-point(次要點(diǎn))
C：Conclusion
Passage (2015·湖北)
話題：書評
詞數(shù)：354
Science has a lot of uses.It can uncover laws of nature，cure diseases，make bombs，and help bridges to stand up.Indeed science is so good at what it does that there's always a temptation(誘惑) to drag it into problems where it may not be helpful.David Brooks，author of The Social Animal，The Hidden Sources of Love，Character，and Achievement，appears to be the latest in a long line of writers who have failed to resist the temptation.
Brooks gained fame for several books.His latest book The Social Animal，however，is more ambitious and serious than his earlier books.It is an attempt to deal with a set of weighty topics.The book focuses on big questions：What has science revealed about human nature? What are the sources of character? And why are some people happy and successful while others aren't?
To answer these questions，Brooks surveys a wide range of disciplines (學(xué)科).Considering this，you might expect the book to be a dry recitation of facts.But Brooks has structured his book in an unorthodox (非常規(guī)的)，and perhaps unfortunate，way.Instead of introducing scientific theories，he tells a story，within which he tries to make his points，perhaps in order to keep the reader's attention.So as Harold and Erica，the hero and heroine in his story，live through childhood，we hear about the science of child development，and as they begin to date we hear about the theory of sexual attraction.Brooks carries this through to the death of one of his characters.
On the whole，Brooks' story is acceptable if uninspired.As one would expect，his writing is mostly clear and，to be fair，some chapters stand out above the rest.I enjoyed ，for instance，the chapter in which Harold discovers how to think on his own.While Harold and Erica are certainly not strong or memorable characters，the more serious problems with The Social Animal lie elsewhere.These problems partly involve Brooks's attempt to translate his tale into science.
1.The author mentions the functions of science at the beginning of the passage to ________.
A.illustrate where science can be applied
B.demonstrate the value of Brooks's new book
C.remind the readers of the importance of science
D.explain why many writers use science in their works
2.According to the author，which of the following could be a strength of the book?
A.Its strong basis.
B.Its convincing points.
C.Its clear writing.
D.Its memorable characters.
3.What is the author's general attitude towards the book?
A.Contradictory. B.Supportive.
C.Cautious. D.Critical.
4.What is the author likely to write about after the last paragraph?
A.Problems with the book.
B.Brooks's life experience.
C.Death of the characters.
D.Brooks's translation skills.
Passage (2014·重慶)
話題：水上行走
詞數(shù)：288
The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly.Sadly，biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid-we simply weigh too much，and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet，resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However，several types of animals can walk on water.One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus，a lizard (蜥蜴) native to Central and South America.It can run across water for a distance of several meters，avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet.The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward.For humans to do this，we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate“hitting”.
But fortunately there is an alternative：cornflour.By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot)，you can create a“nonNewtonian”liquid that doesn't behave like normal water.Now，if the surface of the water is hit hard enough，particles(粒子) in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard.Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step，and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound，it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice.If you must do it，then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink—and take a shower afterward!
1.Walking on water hasn't become a reality mainly because humans ________.
A.are not interested in it
B.have biological limitations
C.have not invented proper tools
D.are afraid to make an attempt
2.What do we know about Basilicus basilicus from the passage?
A.It is light enough to walk on water.
B.Its huge feet enable it to stay above water.
C.It can run across water at a certain speed.
D.Its unique skin keeps it from getting wet in water.
3.What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage?
A.To create a thick liquid.
B.To turn the water into solid.
C.To help the liquid behave normally.
D.To enable the water to move rapidly.
4.What is the author's attitude toward the idea of humans' walking on water?
A.It is risky but beneficial.
B.It is interesting and worth trying.
C.It is crazy and cannot become a reality.
D.It is impractical though theoretically possible.
Passage (2014·新課標(biāo)全國)
話題：面對困惑
詞數(shù)：335
A typical lion tamer (馴獸師) in people's mind is an entertainer holding a whip (鞭)and a chair.The whip gets all of the attention，but it's mostly for show.In reality，it's the chair that does the important work.When a lion tamer holds a chair in front of the lion's face，the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the chair at the same time.With its focus divided，the lion becomes confused and is unsure about what to do next.When faced with so many options，the lion chooses to freeze and wait instead of attacking the man holding the chair.
How often do you find yourself in the same position as the lion?How often do you have something you want to achieve (e.g.lose weight，start a business，travel more)-only to end up confused by all of the options in front of you and never make progress?
This upsets me to no end because while all the experts are busy debating about which option is best，the people who want to improve their lives are left confused by all of the conflicting information.The end result is that we feel like we can't focus or that we're focused on the wrong things，and so we take less action，make less progress，and stay the same when we could be improving.
It doesn't have to be that way.Anytime you find the world waving a chair in your face，remember this ：All you need to do is focus on one thing.You just need to get started.Starting before you feel ready is one of the habits of successful people.If you have somewhere you want to go，something you want to accomplish，someone you want to become...take immediate action.If you're clear about where you want to go，the rest of the world will either help you get there or get out of the way.
1.Why does the lion tamer use a chair?
A.To trick the lion.
B.To show off his skills.
C.To get ready for a fight.
D.To entertain the audience.
2.In what sense are people similar to a lion facing a chair?
A.They feel puzzled over choices.
B.They hold on to the wrong things.
C.They find it hard to make changes.
D.They have to do something for show.
3.What is the author's attitude towards the experts mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A.Tolerant. B.Doubtful.
C.Respectful. D.Supportive.
4.When the world is“waving a chair in your face”，you're advised to ________.
A.wait for a better chance B.break your old habits
C.make a quick decision D.ask for clear guidance
Passage (2014·陜西)
話題：運(yùn)動日
詞數(shù)：296
One afternoon last week，I saw three tearful children from my son's school being comforted by teachers.That morning，my 11yearold had stomach pains，retching(干嘔)into a bowl.Talking to other mothers later，I heard about other children with stomachache or difficulty sleeping the night before.
What caused so much pain?Sports day.Sports day might be necessary at a highlycompetitive independent school，but not at a village primary school.For the children who can fly like the wind，sports day cause no problem.For those who are overweight or just not good at sport，it is nightmare(噩夢).Even for those who enjoy running but fall halfway down the track in front of the entire school and their parents，it can prove a disaster.
Why do we put our children through this annual suffering?Some may say competition is character building;or it's taking part，not winning，that's important;or that it is a tradition of school life.I just felt great pity for those children in tears or in pain.
Team games at the end of sports day produced some close races，wild enthusiasm，lots of shouting-and were fun to watch.More importantly，the children who were not so fast or quick at passing the ball were hidden a little from everyone's eyes.Some of them also had the thrill of being on the winning side.
I wish that sports day could be abandoned and replaced with some other less competitive event.Perhaps an afternoon of team games，with a few races for those who want them，would be less stressful for the children and a lot more fun to watch.
1.What can we learn about the author's son from Paragraph 1?
A.He talked with some mothers.
B.He comforted his classmates.
C.He had difficulty in sleeping.
D.He suffered from stomachache.
2.Sports day is still an annul event in this school probably because ________.
A.this is an independent school
B.it is a tradition of the school
C.it helps children lose weight
D.children enjoy watching sports
3.What does the author think about team games?
A.They should include more stressful races.
B.They are acceptable to different children.
C.They should be abandoned at primary schools.
D.They are less fun for those who love running.
4.What is the author's attitude towards sports day?
A.Critical. B.Neutral.
C.Positive. D.Ambiguous.
Passage 1 (2016·福建省閩粵聯(lián)合體高三聯(lián)考)
話題：父母與子女
詞數(shù)：296
My dearest son and daughter，
The story of New Jersey high school student Rachel Canning suing (起訴) her parents for child support and high school education inspired me to write you a little letter.Let me just put this out there: the only way I expect to see you in a court is as a lawyer or a judge.
There are two things about this case that seem to be disaster.
First，its natural for parents and children to argue.I can guarantee that we will disagree.One or both of you will，at some point，scream at the top of your lungs the various ways you hate me.And I wont always like you，either.But I will always love you and do everything I can to keep your best interests as my focus，even when Im so angry.We are family.That means we are as much a part of one another as the flesh，blood and bones in our body.And we all should think about it very deeply instead of breaking that bond.
Second，Ill be honest，no matter how far apart we are on your life choices，your father and I will most certainly pay everything we can for your higher education.But that doesnt mean you deserve it.To be clear，that is a privilege we happily extend (給予) to you—not a right you are born with.And you will have to work hard to earn that privilege.Growing up is hard work.
If I do my job properly as your mother—and you do yours as my children—you would sooner get a job or two，and find a way to make your dreams come true than go to trial over what you think you have the right to.
Love always，
Mom
1.The mother writes this letter because she wants her children to ________.
A.be prepared for education
B.learn a lesson from the case
C.take up the legal profession
D.remember Rachel Canning
2.When in disagreement，the mother expects her children not to ________.
A.guarantee anything
B.scream out their anger
C.break the family bond
D.forget their best interests
3.The mother thinks of parents paying for their children’s higher education as ________.
A.a way in which children realize their dreams
B.a test of whether parents love their children
C.a privilege that children should earn
D.a right that parents are born with
Passage 2 (2016·山東臨沂一模)
話題：旗桿上的貓
詞數(shù)：355
“I honestly have no idea how that cat got up there.It’s a hundred-foot-metal pole.Theres no way he climbed that thing，”Jim said to the worried woman.It wasnt even her cat，but she was passing by and saw it，immediately calling the fire-station to come to save it.Jim saw a lot of strange things as a fireman，often sad or upsetting things，but this was new.
“I suppose we could get the blanket and see if we can convince the poor cat to jump down.But he doesn’t really look too scared...”Jim said to the woman.
“Dave，get over here Jim called over his shoulder to the fire truck driver.Dave walked over and looked where Jim was pointing.
“How’d he get up there?”
Jim shrugged，similarly puzzled.“Do you suppose we could get the blanket and convince him to jump?”
Dave shrugged in response.“I dont see why not.”
Jim looked up at the black mass on the top of the flagpole，the American nag waving proudly beneath him.It was definitely a cat，and he regarded the people gathered below as if they were his subjects (臣民) and he their king，his yellow eyes scanning his surroundings with apparent disinterest.
When the blanket was spread out below the cat，Jim and Dave began striking the flagpole.The cat looked down，and then gazed into the sky as if it were looking for something.Jim and Dave followed his gaze.Suddenly，out of the clear sky，appeared a dark figure.The figure swooped (俯沖) low toward the flagpole.It was an eagle! As it got closer，the cat leaped down the pole swiftly onto the ground，and then got lost in the bushes.
Jim，Dave，and the old woman were left with their mouths open.They all agreed it was the best way to get it down.
1.Why did the woman call the fire station ?
A.Because the pole was on fire.
B.Because her cat was missing.
C.Because she felt it was strange.
D.Because she wanted to save the cat.
2.What does the underlined word “him” refer to?
A.The cat. B.Jim.
C.The king. D.Dave.
3.What did the firemen plan to do at first?
A.To strike the pole.
B.To spread the blanket.
C.To shout at the cat.
D.To shrug helplessly.
4.Who saved the cat?
A.An eagle. B.The firemen.
C.The cat itself. D.The people around.
答案 C [推理判斷題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段the cat leaped down the pole swiftly onto the ground，and then got lost in the bushes.可知是貓自己從旗桿頂上爬了下來，故選C。]
Passage 3 (2016·石嘴山市一模)
話題：大運(yùn)河申請世界文化遺產(chǎn)
詞數(shù)：316
When it comes to cultural heritage protection, the Grand Canal of China is probably the world’s greatest project of its kind.The big inland waterway system in the north-eastern and central eastern plains passes through eight of the countrys present-day provinces.
The Canal runs from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang Province in the south.Constructed in sections from the 5th century BC onwards, it was designed as a means of communication in the 7th century AD.The Canal is the worlds greatest civil engineering project before the Industrial Revolution.
The Grand Canal reached a peak in the 13th century, providing an inland navigation(航行) network consisting of more than 2，000 kilometers of artificial waterways, linking five of the most important river basins in China, including the Yellow River and the Yangtze.It entered a bid as a UNESCO(聯(lián)合國教科文組織) cultural heritage site in 2008.
The Grand Canal cultural square is located in Beijings Tongzhou district.Ever since the Yuan dynasty 800 years ago, the Tongzhou section of the Grand Canal has been the life blood of Beijing.Grain and building materials were all transported to meet the endless demands of the big cities.Even today, the Grand Canal plays a major role in the lives of its citizens.
“I grew up near the Grand Canal.In the past the waterway was a lot narrower, but now it’s nice and wide and bridges are built over it.I think if the bid for world heritage status succeeds, it will greatly make Tongzhou more famous in the world, especially with Tongzhou aiming to be a sub-center of the capital Beijing，” a citizen said.
The result of the bid is set to be released next week, and no doubt it will certainly make it into the history books if the Canal is listed as a world heritage site.
1.It can be concluded from the passage that________.
A.The bids result of the Canal will be announced soon
B.the Canal is the UNESCOs newest world heritage site
C.the Canal is to connect Tongzhou with Zhejiang Province
D.the Canal will be a bid for a UNESCO cultural heritage site
2.The Grand Canal was in the most glorious time________.
A.when it was aimed as a means of communication
B.when it crossed theYellow River and the Yangtze
C.when it was born about six hundred years later
D.when it was designed as an artificial waterway
3.What can we infer by reading the passage?
A.Tongzhou used to be the capital of the Yuan dynasty.
B.Most citizens living inTongzhou depend on the Canal.
C.Tongzhou will benefit if the Canal is made a heritage site.
D.Some citizens think the Canal not to be a cultural heritage item.
Passage 4 (2016·河北定興月考)
話題：女兒給我的啟示
詞數(shù)：290
I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room.In one hand was a plastic phone;in the other a toy.I listened as she was speaking to her make-believe little friend.And Ill never forget the words she said，even though it was pretend.
She said，“Suzies in the corner because she’s not been very good.She didn’t listen to a word I said or do the things she should.” In the corner I saw her baby doll well dressed.It was obvious she’d been put there to sit alone and think.
My daughter continued her “conversation”，as I sat down on the floor.She said，“Im all fed up，I just dont know what to do with her anymore? She never lets me do the things that I just have to do?”
And that day I thought a lot about making some changes in my life;As I listened to her innocent words that cut me like a knife.I hadnt been paying enough attention to what I hold most dear.I’d been caught up in responsibilities that increased throughout the year.
But now my attitude has changed，because，in my heart，I realize...Ive seen the world in a different light through my little darling’s eyes.So，let the cobweb(蜘蛛網(wǎng)) cut the corners and the children rule the floor，Im not going to worry about keeping up with them anymore.I’m going to fill the house with memories of a child and her mother...For we have only one childhood，and we will never get another.
1.Who is Suzie?
A.My girls phone. B.A baby doll.
C.The author. D.My girls friend.
2.How did the author feel when hearing my little girls words?
A.Uncomfortable. B.Moved.
C.Interested. D.Unbelievable.
3.The passage leads you to believe that ________.
A.the little girl doesnt hate her mother any more
B.the author wants her little girl to have a happy childhood
C.the author cares nothing about her daughters happiness
D.the author has become lazy because of her daughter
4.What might be the best title?
A.How to deal with my daughter
B.My lovely daughter
C.Only one childhood
D.A world of children
Passage 5 (2016·皖江名校聯(lián)考)
話題：聰明的女孩
詞數(shù)：302
(CNN)—A 12-year-old girl who had a feeling that she might be quite clever has taken a test and proved she was absolutely right.
Lydia Sebastian achieved the top score of 162 on Mensa，Cattell III B paper，suggesting she has a higher IQ than well-known geniuses Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.The comparison doesn’t__sit__well__with the British student，whos currently in Year 8 at Colchester County high school，a selective girls grammar school in Essex，England.
“I dont think I can be compared to such great intellectuals such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.They’ve achieved so much.I don’t think it’s right，” Lydia told CNN.
Lydia sat the test in her summer holidays，after raising the idea with her parents and pestering (糾纏)them for the best part of a year.It turns out the test wasnt that hard after all.
“I was really nervous before the test and I thought it was going to be really hard.But as I started the test，I thought it was a bit easier than I thought it was going to be，” she said.
Lydias not quite sure what she wants to do when she leaves school，although shes leaning toward something “based around Maths，because its one of my favorite subjects.” “All I’m going to do is work as hard as I can，and see where that gets me，” she said.
To explain Lydias mark’s level，the top adult score in the Cattell III B test，which primarily tests verbal(語言) reasoning，is 161.A top 2% score—which allows entry to Mensa，the club for those with high IQs—would be 148 or over.Lydia scored 162，placing her in the top 1% of the population.
1.Lydia wanted to have an IQ test because ________.
A.all people around thought that she was smart
B.she felt that she might have a high IQ
C.her parents strongly wanted her to do so
D.the grammar school advised her to do so
2.What does the underlined words mean in the second paragraph?
A.is not accepted by B.is not related to
C.does not satisfy D.does not affect
3.What is Lydias plan about the future according to the text?
A.She doesnt have to work hard with her high IQ.
B.She has a tendency to focus around Maths.
C.She is quite sure about what to do in the future.
D.She will drop out of the grammar school.
4.What do we know from the last paragraph?
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