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英语六级标准阅读及答案【完全版】 最新最全英语六级考试标准阅读150多篇 近乎涵盖所有类型应试题 附标准答案供复习 英语六级考试标准阅读及答案 第一篇 (Unit one Passage 1) I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year-round sun. You may think people in such a glamorous, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness. Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abiding emotion. Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends. I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness‖. But in memoir after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness. Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features. Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those rich and glamorous people we were so sure are happy because they are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all. 1.Which of the following is true? A.Fun creates long-lasting satisfaction. B.Fun provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness. C.Happiness is enduring whereas fun is short-lived. D.Fun that is long-standing may lead to happiness. 2.To the author, Hollywood stars all have an important role to play that is to __. A.rite memoir after memoir about their happiness. B.tell the public that happiness has nothing to do with fun. C.teach people how to enjoy their lives. D.bring happiness to the public instead of going to glamorous parties. 3.In the author’s opinion, marriage___. A.affords greater fun. B.leads to raising children. C.indicates commitment. D.ends in pain. 4.Couples having infant children___. A.are lucky since they can have a whole night’s sleep. B.find fun in tucking them into bed at night. C.find more time to play and joke with them. D.derive happiness from their endeavor. 5.If one get the meaning of the true sense of happiness, he will__. A.stop playing games and joking with others. B.make the best use of his time increasing happiness. C.give a free hand to money. D.keep himself with his family. 第一篇答案:CBCDB 第二篇(Unit one Passage 2) Once it was possible to define male and female roles easily by the division of labor. Men worked outside the home and earned the income to support their families, while women cooked the meals and took care of the home and the children. These roles were firmly fixed for most people, and there was not much opportunity for women to exchange their roles. But by the middle of this century, men’s and women’s roles were becoming less firmly fixed. In the 1950s, economic and social success was the goal of the typical American. But in the 1960s a new force developed called the counterculture. The people involved in this movement did not value the middle-class American goals. The counterculture presented men and women with new role choices. Taking more interest in childcare, men began to share child-raising tasks with their wives. In fact, some young men and women moved to communal homes or farms where the economic and childcare responsibilities were shared equally by both sexes. In addition, many Americans did not value the traditional male role of soldier. Some young men refused to be drafted as soldiers to fight in the war in Vietnam. In terms of numbers, the counterculture was not a very large group of people. But its influence spread to many parts of American society. Working men of all classes began to change their economic and social patterns. Industrial workers and business executives alike cut down on ―overtime‖ work so that they could spend more leisure time with their families. Some doctors, lawyers, and teachers turned away from high paying situations to practice their professions in poorer neighborhoods. In the 1970s, the feminist movement, or women’s liberation, produced additional economic and social changes. Women of all ages and at all levels of society were entering the work force in greater numbers. Most of them still took traditional women’s jobs as public school teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. But some women began to enter traditionally male occupations: police work, banking, dentistry, and construction work. Women were asking for equal work, and equal opportunities for promotion. Today the experts generally agree that important changes are taking place in the roles of men and women. Naturally, there are difficulties in adjusting to these transformations. 1.Which of the following best express the main idea of Paragraph 1? A.Women usually worked outside the home for wages. B.Men and women’s roles were easily exchanged in the past. C.Men’s roles at home were more firmly fixed than women’s. D.Men and women’s roles were usually quite separated in the past. 2.Which sentence best expresses the main idea of Paragraph 2? A.The first sentence. B.The second and the third sentences. C.The fourth sentence. D.The last sentence. 3.In the passage the author proposes that the counterculture___. A.destroyed the United States. B.transformed some American values. C.was not important in the United States. D.brought people more leisure time with their families. 4.It could be inferred from the passage that___. A.men and women will never share the same goals. B.some men will be willing to exchange their traditional male roles. C.most men will be happy to share some of the household responsibilities with their wives. D.more American households are headed by women than ever before. 5.The best title for the passage may be ___. A.Results of Feminist Movements B.New influence in American Life C.Counterculture and Its consequence D.Traditional Division of Male and Female Roles. 第二篇答案 DCBCB 第三篇(Unit one Passage 3) Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people’s physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds such as the Mistral, Hamsin or Sharav are blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing made of man-made fibres, or from TV sets, duplicators or computer display screens. When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and some particularly sensitive people suffer nausea or even mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been observed to come out of hibernation, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California. Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably accounts for the beneficial effect of a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with tumbling streams or waterfalls. To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers: small portable machines, which generate negative ions. They claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own minds by observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is debatable whether depending on seismic readings to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching the cat. 1.What effect does exceeding positive ionization have on some people? A.They think they are insane. B.They feel rather bad-tempered and short-fussed. C.They become violently sick. D.They are too tired to do anything. 2.In accordance with the passage, static electricity can be caused by___. A.using home-made electrical goods. B.wearing clothes made of natural materials. C.walking on artificial floor coverings. D.copying TV programs on a computer. 3.A high negative ion count is likely to be found___. A.near a pound with a water pump. B.close to a slow-flowing river. C.high in some barren mountains. D.by a rotating water sprinkler. 4.What kind of machine can generate negative ions indoors? A.Ionisers. B.Air-conditioners. C.Exhaust-fans D.Vacuum pumps. 5.Some scientists believe that___. A.watching animals to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than depending on seismography. B.the unusual behavior of animals cannot be trusted. C.neither watching nor using seismographs is reliable. D.earthquake 第三篇答案BCDAA 第四篇(Unit one Passage 4) A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and war. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors—or of people very different from our own—can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offer us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books. In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented; that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly ―political‖ artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros—as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martines—depicted these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems. In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic belief that statues are unholy. 1.More can be learned about a culture from a study of art history than general history because art history__. A.show us the religious and emotions of a people in addition to political values. B.provide us with information about the daily activities of people in the past. C.give us an insight into the essential qualities of a time and a place. D.all of the above. 2.Art is subjective in that__. A.a personal and emotional view of history is presented through it. B.it can easily rouse our anger or sadness about social problems. C.it will find a ready echo in our hearts. D.both B and C. 3.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A.Unlike Francisco Goya, Pablo and several Mexican artists expressed their political opinions in their paintings. B.History books often reveal the compilers’ political views. C.Religious art remained in Europe for centuries the only type of art because most people regarded the Bible as the Holy Book. D.All the above mentioned. 4.The passage is mainly discussing__. A.the difference between general history and art history. B.The making of art history. C.What can we learn from art. D.The influence of artists on art history. 5.In may be concluded from this passage that__. A.Islamic artists have had to create architectural decorations with images of flowers or geometric forms. B.History teachers are more objective than general history. C.It is more difficult to study art history than general history. D.People and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the Bible. 第四篇答案:DDDCA 第五篇 (Unit 2 Passage 1) If the old maxim that the customer is always right still has meaning, then the airlines that ply the world’s busiest air route between London and Paris have a flight on their hands. The Eurostar train service linking the UK and French capitals via the Channel Tunnel is winning customers in increasing numbers. In late May, it carried its one millionth passenger, having run only a limited service between London, Paris and Brussels since November 1994, starting with two trains a day in each direction to Paris and Brussels. By 1997, the company believes that it will be carrying ten million passengers a year, and continue to grow from there. From July, Eurostar steps its service to nine trains each way between London and Paris, and five between London and Brussels. Each train carries almost 800 passengers, 210 of them in first class. The airlines estimate that they will initially lose around 15%-20% of their London-Paris traffic to the railways once Eurostar starts a full service later this year (1995), with 15 trains a day each way. A similar service will start to Brussels. The damage will be limited, however, the airlines believe, with passenger numbers returning to previous levels within two to three years. In the short term, the damage caused by the 1 million people-levels traveling between London and Paris and Brussels on Eurostar trains means that some air services are already suffering. Some of the major carriers say that their passenger numbers are down by less than 5% and point to their rivals-Particularly Air France-as having suffered the problems. On the Brussels route, the railway company had less success, and the airlines report anything from around a 5% drop to no visible decline in traffic. The airlines’ optimism on returning traffic levels is based on historical precedent. British Midland, for example, points to its experience on Heathrow Leeds Bradford service which saw passenger numbers fold by 15% when British Rail electrified and modernized the railway line between London and Yorkshire. Two years later, travel had risen between the two destinations to the point where the airline was carrying record numbers of passengers. 1.British airlines confide in the fact that__. A.they are more powerful than other European airlines. B.their total loss won’t go beyond a drop of 5% passengers. C.their traffic levels will return in 2-3 years. D.traveling by rail can never catch up with traveling by air. 2.The author’s attitude towards the drop of passengers may be described as__. A.worried. B.delighted C.puzzled. D.unrivaled. 3.In the passage, British Rail (Para 6) is mentioned to__. A.provide a comparison with Eurostar. B.support the airlines’ optimism. C.prove the inevitable drop of air passengers. D.call for electrification and modernization of the railway. 4.The railway’s Brussels route is brought forth to show that__. A.the Eurostar train service is not doing good business. B.the airlines can well compete with the railway. C.the Eurostar train service only caused little damage. D.only some airlines, such as Air France, are suffering. 5.The passage is taken from the first of an essay, from which we may well predict that in the following part the author is going to__. A.praise the airlines’ clear-mindedness. B.warn the airlines of high-speed rail services. C.propose a reduction of London/Paris flights. D.advise the airlines to follow British Midland as their model. 第五篇答案:CABCB 第六篇(Unit 2 Passage 2) Without regular supplies of some hormones our capacity to behave would be seriously impaired; without others we would soon die. Tiny amounts of some hormones can modify moods and actions, our inclination to eat or drink, our aggressiveness or submissiveness, and our reproductive and parental behavior. And hormones do more than influence adult behavior; early in life they help to determine the development of bodily form and may even determine an individual’s behavioral capacities. Later in life the changing outputs of some endocrine glands and the body’s changing sensitivity to some hormones are essential aspects of the phenomena of aging. Communication within the body and the consequent integration of behavior were considered the exclusive province of the nervous system up to the beginning of the present century. The emergence of endocrinology as a separate discipline can probably be traced to the experiments of Bayliss and Starling on the hormone secretion. This substance is secreted from cells in the intestinal walls when food enters the stomach; it travels through the bloodstream and stimulates the pancreas to liberate pancreatic juice, which aids in digestion. By showing that special cells secret chemical agents that are conveyed by the bloodstream and regulate distant target organs or tissues. Bayliss and starling demonstrated that chemical integration could occur without participation of the nervous system. The term ―hormone‖ was first used with reference to secretion. Starling derived the term from the Greek hormone, meaning ―to excite or set in motion. The term ―endocrine‖ was introduced shortly thereafter ―Endocrine‖ is used to refer to glands that secret products into the bloodstream. The term ―endocrine‖ contrasts with ―exocrine‖, which is applied to glands that secret their products though ducts to the site of action. Examples of exocrine glands are the tear glands, the sweat glands, and the pancreas, which secrets pancreatic juice through a duct into the intestine. Exocrine glands are also called duct glands, while endocrine glands are called ductless. 1.What is the author’s main purpose in the passage? A.To explain the specific functions of various hormones. B.To provide general information about hormones. C.To explain how the term ―hormone‖ evolved. D.To report on experiments in endocrinology. 2.The passage supports which of the following conclusions? A.The human body requires large amounts of most hormones. B.Synthetic hormones can replace a person’s natural supply of hormones if necessary. C.The quantity of hormones produced and their effects on the body are related to a person’s age. D.The short child of tall parents very likely had a hormone deficiency early in life. 3.It can be inferred from the passage that before the Bayliss and Starling experiments, most people believed that chemical integration occurred only___. A.during sleep. B.in the endocrine glands. C.under control of the nervous system. D.during strenuous exercise. 4.The word ―liberate‖ could best be replaced by which of the following? A.Emancipate B.Discharge C.Surrender D.Save 5.According to the passage another term for exocrine glands is___. A.duct glands B.endocrine glands C.ductless glands D.intestinal glands. 第六篇答案:BDCBA 第七篇(Unit 2 Passage 3) The discovery of the Antarctic not only proved one of the most interesting of all geographical adventures, but created what might be called ―the heroic age of Antarctic exploration‖. By their tremendous heroism, men such as Shakleton, Scott, and Amundsen caused a new continent to emerge from the shadows, and yet that heroic age, little more than a century old, is already passing. Modern science and inventions are revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into these icy wastes will probably depend on motor vehicles equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on the dogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and hardly comparable. Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost equal in size to South America, and enormous field of work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of this continent remain to be accurately charted, and the maping of the whole of the interior presents a formidable task to the cartographers who undertake the work. Once their labors are completed, it will be possible to prospect the vast natural resources which scientists believe will furnish one of the largest treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has yet known, and almost inexhaustible sources of copper, coal, uranium, and many other ores will become available to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era of practical exploitation of the Antarctic wastes. The polar darkness which hides this continent for the six winter months will be defeated by huge batteries of light, and make possible the establishing of air-fields for the future inter-continental air services by making these areas as light as day. Present flying routes will be completely changed, for the Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from Australia to South America comparatively easy over the 5,000 miles journey. The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd has shown that the climate is possible even for men completely untrained for expeditions into those frozen wastes. Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow before, and yet he records that they survived the rigors of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so that, provided that the appropriate installations are made, we may assume that human beings from all countries could live there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the most healthy climate in the world, for the intense cold of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and rendered it absolutely germfree, with the consequences that ordinary and extraordinary sickness and diseases from which man suffers in other zones with different climates are here utterly unknown. There exist no problems of conservation and preservation of food supplies, for the latter keep indefinitely without any signs of deterioration; it may even be that later generations will come to regard the Antarctic as the natural storehouse for the whole world. Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on the shores of this continent, and what so few years ago was regarded as a ―dead continent‖ now promises to be a most active center of human life and endeavor. 1.When did man begin to explore the Antarctic? A.About 100years ago. B.In this century. C.At the beginning of the 19th century. D.In 1798. 2.What must the explorers be, even though they have modern equipment and techniques? A.Brave and tough B.Stubborn and arrogant. C.Well-liked and humorous. D.Stout and smart. 3.The most healthy climate in the world is___. A.in South America. B.in the Arctic Region. C.in the Antarctic Continent. D.in the Atlantic Ocean. 4.What kind of metals and minerals can we find in the Antarctic? A.Magnetite, coal and ores. B.Copper, coal and uranium. C.Silver, natural gas and uranium. D.Aluminum, copper and natural gas. 5.What is planned for the continent? A.Building dams along the coasts. B.Setting up several summer resorts along the coasts. C.Mapping the coast and whole territory. D.Setting up permanent bases on the coasts. 第六篇答案:BDCBA 第七篇(Unit 2 Passage 3) The discovery of the Antarctic not only proved one of the most interesting of all geographical adv entures, but created what might be called ―the heroic age of Antarctic exploration‖. By their treme ndous heroism, men such as Shakleton, Scott, and Amundsen caused a new continent to emerge fr om the shadows, and yet that heroic age, little more than a century old, is already passing. Moder n science and inventions are revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into these icy wastes w ill probably depend on motor vehicles equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on the dogs th at earlier discoverers found so invaluable and hardly comparable. Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost equal in size to South America, and enormous field of work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of this continent remain to be accurately charted, and the maping of the whole of the interior presents a formidable task to the cartographers who undertake the work. Once their labors are completed, it will be possible to prospect the vast natural resources which scientists believe will furnish one of the largest treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has yet known, and almost inexhaustible sources of copper, coal, uranium, and many other ores will become available to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era of practical exploitation of the Antarctic wastes. The polar darkness which hides this continent for the six winter months will be defeated by huge batteries of light, and make possible the establishing of air-fields for the future inter-continental air services by making these areas as light as day. Present flying routes will be completely changed, for the Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from Australia to South America comparatively easy over the 5,000 miles journey. The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd has show possible even for men completely untrained for expeditions into those frozen that the climate is n wastes. Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow before, and yet he records that t that, provided that the appropriathey survived the rigors of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so e installations are made, we may assume that human beings from all countries could live there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the most healthy climate in the world, for the intense cold of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and rendered it absolutely germfree, with the consequences that ordinary and extraordinary sickness and diseases from which man suffers in other zones with different climates are here utterly unknown. There exist no problems of conservation and preservation of food supplies, for the latter keep indefinitely without any signs of deterioration; it may even be that later generations will come to regard the Antarctic as the natural storehouse for the whole world. Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on the shores of this continent, and what so few years ago was regarded as a ―dead continent‖ now promises to be a most active center of huma n life and endeavor. 1.When did man begin to explore the Antarctic? A.About 100years ago. B.In this century. C.At the beginning of the 19th century. D.In 1798. 2.What must the explorers be, even though they have modern equipment and techniques? A.Brave and tough B.Stubborn and arrogant. C.Well-liked and humorous. D.Stout and smart. 3.The most healthy climate in the world is___. A.in South America. B.in the Arctic Region. C.in the Antarctic Continent. D.in the Atlantic Ocean. 4.What kind of metals and minerals can we find in the Antarctic? A.Magnetite, coal and ores. B.Copper, coal and uranium. C.Silver, natural gas and uranium. D.Aluminum, copper and natural gas. 5.What is planned for the continent? A.Building dams along the coasts. B.Setting up several summer resorts along the coasts. C.Mapping the coast and whole territory. D.Setting up permanent bases on the coasts. 第七篇答案:AACBD 第八篇(Unit 2 passage4) At some time in your life you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don’t act on your impulse, but let it pass instead. You know that to commit the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject. One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is topic that Americans talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. Th e ―in‖ look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and self-respect. In an image-conscious society like the U.S., thin is ―in‖, fat i s ―out‖. It’s not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed with staying slim and ―in shape‖. The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the sole reason for A merica’s fascination with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the critical importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do by hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily beco me weak and vulnerable to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising. 1.From the passage we can infer taboo is__. A.a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. B.a crime committed on impulse. C.behavior considered unacceptable in society’s eyes. other people. D.an unfavorable impression left on 2.Based on the ideas presented in the passage we can conclude ―being fat‖ __ in American society. A.will always remain a taboo. B.is not considered a taboo by most people. C.has long been a taboo. D.may no longer be a taboo some day. 3.The topic of fat is __ many other taboo subjects. A.the same as B.different from C.more popular than D.less often talked about than. 4.In the U.S., thin is ―in‖, fat is ―out‖, this means__. A.thin is ―inside‖, fat is ―outside‖. B.thin is ―diligent‖, fat is ―lazy‖. C.thin is ―youthful‖, fat is ―spiritless‖. D.thin is ―fashionable‖, fat is ―unfashionable‖. 5.Apart from this new understanding of the correlation between health and exercise, the main reason the passage gives for why so many Americans are exercising regularly is__. A.their changed life-style. B.their eagerness to stay thin and youthful. C.their appreciation of the importance of exercise. D.the encouragement they have received from their companies. 第八篇答案:CDBDB 第九篇(Unit 3 passage1) Computers monitor everything in Singapore from soil composition to location of manholes. At the airport, it took just 15 seconds for the computerized immigration system to scan and approve my passport. It takes only one minute to be checked into a public hospital. By 1998, almost every household will be wired for interactive cable TV and the Internet, the global computer network. Shoppers will be able to view and pay for products electronically. A 24-hour community telecomputing network will allow users to communicate with elected representatives and retrieve information about government services. It is all part of the government’s plan to tran sform the nation into what it calls the ―Intelligent Island‖. In so many ways, Singapore has elevated the concept of efficiency to a kind of national ideology. For the past ten years, Singapore’s work force was rated the best in the world-ahead of Japan and the U.S.-in terms of productivity, skill and attitude by the Business Environment Risk Intelligence service. Behind the ―Singapore miracle‖ is a man Richard Nixon described as one of ―the ablest leaders I h ave met,‖ one who, ―in other times and other places, might have attained the world stature of a Churchill.‖ Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore’s struggle for independence in the 1950s, serving as Prim e Minister from 1959 until 1990. Today (1995), at 71, he has nominally retired to the office of Senior Minister, where he continues to influence his country’s future. Lee offered companies tax brea ks, political stability, cheap labor and strike-free environment. Nearly 90 percent of Singaporean adults now own their own homes and thanks to strict adherence to the principle of merit, personal opportunities abound. ―If you’ve got talent and work hard, yo u can be anything here,‖ says a Malaysian-born woman who holds a high-level civil-service position. Lee likes to boast that Singapore has avoided the ―moral breakdown‖ of Western countries. He attr ibutes his nation’s success to strong family ties, a reliance on education as the engine of advancement and social philosophy that he claims is superior to America’s. In an interview with Reader’s Digest, he said that the United States has ―lost its bearings‖ by emp hasizing individual rights at the expense of society. ―An ethical society,‖ he said, ―is one which m atches human rights with responsibilities.‖ 1.What characterizes Singapore’s advancement is its___. A.computer monitoring. B.work efficiency. C.high productivity. D.value on ethics. 2.From Nixon’s perspective, Lee is___. A.almost as great as Churchill. B.not as great as Churchill. C.only second to Churchill in being a leader. D.just as great as Churchill. 3.In the last paragraph, ―lost its bearings‖ may mean___. A.become impatient. B.failed to find the right position. C.lost its foundation. D.grown band-mannered. can be anything here‖(Paragraph 5) may be paraphrased as___. 4.―You A.You can hope for a very bright prospect. B.You may be able to do anything needed. C.You can choose any job as you like. D.You will become an outstanding worker. 5.In Singapore, the concept of efficiency___. A.has been emphasized throughout the country. B.has become an essential quality for citizens to aim at. C.is brought forward by the government in order to compete with America. D.is known as the basis for building the ―Intelligent Island.‖ 第九篇答案:DDBAB 第十篇(Unit 3 passage2) Chinese Americans today have higher incomes than Americans in general and higher occupational status. The Chinese have risen to this position despite some of the harshest discrimination and violence faced by any immigrants to the United States in the history of this country. Long confined to a narrow range of occupations they succeeded in those occupations and then spread out into other areas in later years, when opportunities finally opened up for them. Today much of the Chinese prosperity is due to the simple fact that they work more and have more (usually better) education than others. Almost one out of five Chinese families has three or more income earners compared to one out of thirteen for Puerto Ricans, one out of ten among American Indians, and one out of eight among Whites. When the Chinese advantages in working and educational are held constant, they have no advantage over other Americans. That is in a Chinese Family with a given number of people working and with a given amount of education by the head of the family, the income is not only about average for such families, and offer a little less than average. While Chinese Americans as a group are prosperous and well-educated Chinatowns are pockets of poverty, and illiteracy is much higher among the Chinese than among Americans in general. Those paradoxes are due to sharp internal differences. Descendants of the Chinese Americans who emigrated long ago from Toishan Province have maintained Chinese values and have added accultura tion to American society with remarkable success. More recent Hong Kong Chinese are from more diverse cultural origins, and acquired western values and styles in Hong Kong, with out having acquired the skills to proper and support those aspirations in the American economy. Foreign-born Chinese men in the United States are one-fourth lower incomes than native-born Chinese even though the foreign-born have been in the United States an average of seventeen years. While the older Hong Kong Chinese work tenaciously to sustain and advance themselves, the Hong Kong Chinese youths often react with resentment and antisocial behavior, including terrorism and murder. The need to maintain tourism in Chinatown causes the Chinese leaders to mute or downplay these problems as much as possible. 1.According to the passage, today, Chinese Americans owe their prosperity to___. A.their diligence and better education than others. B.their support of American government. C.their fight against discriminations. D.advantages in working only. 2.The passage is mainly concerned with___. A.chinese Americans today. B.social status of Chinese Americans today. C.incomes and occupational status of Chinese Americans today. D.problems of Chinese Americans today. 3.Chinatowns are pockets of poverty, as is probably associated with___. A.most descendants of Chinese Americans are rebelling. B.most descendants of Chinese Americans are illiterate. C.sharp internal difference between Chinese coming from different cultural backgrounds. D.only a few Chinese Americans are rich. 4.Which of the following statements is not true according to this article? A.As part of the minority, Chinese Americans are still experiencing discrimination in American today. B.Nowadays, Chinese Americans are working in wider fields. C.Foreign-born Chinese earn lower income than native-born Chinese Americans with the similar advantages in the U.S. D.None of the above. 5.According to the author, which of the following can best describe the older Hong Kong Chinese and the younger? A.Tenacious; rebellion. B.Conservative; open-minded. C.Out-of-date; fashionable. D.Obedient; disobedient. 第10篇答案:ACCCA 第11篇(Unit 3 Passage 3) Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time; if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the languages he uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people. In the same way, when children learn to do all the other things they learn to do without being taught-to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle-compare those performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his own mistakes for himself, let alone correct them. We do it all for him. We act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. Soon he becomes dependent on the teacher. Let him do it himself. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says, what answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not. If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells us that he can’t find the way to get the right answe r. Let’s end this nonsense of grades, exams, marks, Let us throw them all out, and let the children learn what all educated persons must some day learn, how to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know. Let them get on with this job in the way that seems sensible to them. With our help as school teachers if they ask for it. The idea that there is a body of knowledge to be learnt at school and used for the rest of one’s life is nonsense in a world as complicated and rapidly changing as ours. Anxious parents and teachers say, ―But suppose they fail to learn something essential they will need to get in the world?‖ Don’t worry! If it is essential, they will go out into the world and learn it. 1.What does the author think is the best way for children to learn things? A.by copying what other people do. B.by making mistakes and having them corrected. C.by listening to explanations from skilled people. D.by asking a great many questions. 2.What does the author think teachers do which they should not do? A.They give children correct answers. B.They point out children’s mistakes to them. C.They allow children to mark their own work. D.They encourage children to mark to copy from one another. 3.The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning to ride a bicycle are___. A.not really important skills. B.more important than other skills. C.basically different from learning adult skills. D.basically the same as learning other skills. 4.Exams, grades, and marks should be abolished because children’s progress should only be estim ated by___. A.educated persons. B.the children themselves. C.teachers. D.parents. 5.The author fears that children will grow up into adults while being___. A.too independent of others. B.too critical of themselves. C.incapable to think for themselves. D.incapable to use basic skills. 第11篇答案:ABDBC 第12篇(Unit 3 Passage 4) We can begin our discussion of ―population as global issue‖ with what most persons mean when t hey discuss ―the population problem‖: too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the nu mber added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to ―a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.‖ To understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race. This pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in rece nt years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality. Demographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world’s population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The i about 80,000,000 persons annually. ncrease is 1.Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy? A.A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population. B.A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid, dramatic increase. C.Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year. D.A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality. 2.During the first period of demographic history, societies were often in danger of extinction because___. A.only one in ten persons could live past 40. B.there was higher mortality than fertility in most places. C.it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions. D.our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children. 3.Which statement is true about population increase? A.There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000. B.About 50,000 babies are born every six hours at present. C.Between 8000 BC and the present, the population increase is about 80,000,000 persons each year. D.The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present. 4.The author of the passage intends to___. A.warn people against the population explosion in the near future. B.compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650. C.find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years. D.present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth. 5.The word ―demographic‖ in the first paragraph means___. A.statistics of human. B.surroundings study. C.accumulation of human. D.development of human. 第12篇答案:ABADA 第13篇(Unit4 Passage1) Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is said—the words. Words do provide us with som e information, but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are used to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of those associations if we listen for more than words. We don’t always say w hat we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words don’t mean anything except ― I’m lettin g off some steam. I don’t really want you to pay close attention to what I’m saying. Just pay attent ion to what I’m feeling.‖ Mostly we mean several things at once. A person wanting to purchase a house says to the current owner, ―This step has to be fixed before I’ll buy.‖ The owner says, ― I t’s been like that for years.‖ Actually, the step hasn’t been like that for years, but the unspoken me ssage is: ― I don’t want to fix it. We put up with it. Why can’t you?‖ The search for a more expansi ve view of meaning can be developed of examining a message in terms of who said it, when it occurred, the related conditions or situation, and how it was said. When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kisses after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friend’s unusually docile behavior may only be understoo d by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness. Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic. For example, a person who says ―No!‖ to a serials of charges like ―You’re dumb,‖ ―You’re lazy,‖ and ―Y ou’re dishonest,‖ may also say ―No!‖ and try to justify his or her response if the next statement is ―And you’re good looking.‖ We would do well to listen for how messages are presented. The words, ―If sure has been nice to h ave you over,‖ can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phrase can be said once or repeated several times. And the meanings we associate with the phrase will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance; sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes. 1.Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners, if ___. A.they use proper words to carry their ideas. B.they both speak truly of their own feelings. C.they try to understand each other’s ideas beyond words. D.they are capable of associating meaning with their words. 2.―I’m letting off some steam‖ in paragraph 1 means___. A.I’m just calling your attention. B.I’m just kidding. C.I’m just saying the opposite. D.I’m just giving off some sound. 3.The house-owner’s example shows that he actually means___. A.the step has been like that for years. B.he doesn’t think it necessary to fix the step. C.the condition of the step is only a minor fault. D.the cost involved in the fixing should be shared. 4.Some responses and behaviors may appear very illogical, but are justifiable if___. A.linked to an abnormal amount of assertiveness. B.seen as one’s habitual pattern of behavior. C.taken as part of an ordering sequence. D.expressed to a series of charges. 5.The word ―ritualistically‖ in the last paragraph equals something done___. A.without true intention. B.light-heartedly. C.in a way of ceremony. D.with less emphasis. 第13篇答案:DBABC 第14篇(Unit Four,Passage 2) Which is safer-staying at home, traveling to work on public transport, or working in the office? Surprisingly, each of these carries the same risk, which is very low. However, what about flying compared to working in the chemical industry? Unfortunately, the former is 65 times riskier than the latter! In fact, the accident rate of workers in the chemical industry is less than that of almost any of human activity, and almost as safe as staying at home. The trouble with the chemical industry is that when things go wrong they often cause death to those living nearby. It is this which makes chemical accidents so newsworthy. Fortunately, they are extremely rare. The most famous ones happened at Texas City (1947),Flixborough (1974), Seveso (1976), Pemex (1984) and Bhopal (1984). Some of these are always in the minds of the people even though the loss of life was small. No one died at Seveso, and only 28 workers at Flixborough. The worst accident of all was Bhopal, where up to 3,000 were killed. The Texas City explosion of fertilizer killed 552. The Pemex fire at a sto rage plant for natural gas in the suburbs of Mexico City took 542 lives, just a month before the unfortunate event at Bhopal. Some experts have discussed these accidents and used each accident to illustrate a particular danger. Thus the Texas City explosion was caused by tons of ammonium nitrate(硝酸铵),which is saf e unless stored in great quantity. The Flixborough fireball was the fault of management, which took risks to keep production going during essential repairs. The Seveso accident shows what happens if the local authorities lack knowledge of the danger on their doorstep. When the poisonous gas drifted over the town, local leaders were incapable of taking effective action. The Pemex fire was made worse by an overloaded site in an overcrowded suburb. The fire set off a chain reaction os exploding storage tanks. Yet, by a miracle, the two largest tanks did not explode. Had these caug then 3,000 strong rescue team and fire fighters would all have died. ht fire, 1.Which of the following statements is true? A.Working at the office is safer than staying at home. B.Traverlling to work on public transport is safer than working at the office. C.Staying at home is safer than working in the chemical industry. D.Working in the chemical industry is safer than traveling by air. 2.Chemical accidents are usually important enough to be reported as news because ____. A.they are very rare B.they often cause loss of life C.they always occur in big cities D.they arouse the interest of all the readers 3.According to passage, the chemical accident that caused by the fault of management happened at ____. A.Texas city B.Flixborough C.Seveso D.Mexico City 4.From the passage we know that ammonium nitrate is a kind of ____. A.natural gas, which can easily catch fire B.fertilizer, which can't be stored in a great quantity C.poisonous substance, which can't be used in overcrowded areas D.fuel, which is stored in large tanks 5.From the discussion among some experts we may coclude that ____. A.to avoid any accidents we should not repair the facilities in chemical industry B.the local authorities should not be concerned with the production of the chemical industry C.all these accidents could have been avoided or controlled if effective measure had been taken D.natural gas stored in very large tanks is always safe 第十四篇答案:DBABC 第十五篇(Unit 4,Passage 3) What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry, art, or mathematics during pregnancy seem utterly impossible. How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child? There is no connection between their nervous systems. Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child, because it changes the activity of her glands and so the chemistry her blood. Any chemical change in the mother’s blood wil l affect the child for better or worse. But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child. In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior. It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics. It may be, however, that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence. If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics, they will probably make a success of that study. As for musical ability, it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that make it comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute, and particularly vigorous emotions. If these factors are all organized around music, the child may become a musician. The same factors, in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest. The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry. The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery. It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited, then nor even the love of it, but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill. Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up. 1. Which of the following statements is not true? A. Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects during their pregnancy. B. It is utterly impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development. C. The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. D. There are no connection between mother’s nervous systems and her unborn child’s. 2. A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that ____. A. she is emotionally shocked B. she has a good knowledge of inheritance C. she takes part in all kind of activities D. she sticks to studying 3. According to the passage, a child may inherit____. A. everything from his mother B. a knowledge of mathematics C. a rather general ability that we call intelligence D. her mother’s musical ability 4. If a child inherits something from his mother, such as an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or of the vocal organs, he will ____. A. surely become musician B. mostly become a poet C. possibly become a teacher D. become a musician on the condition that all these factors are organized around music 5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Role of Inheritance. B. An Unborn Child. C. Function of instincts. D. Inherited Talents. 第15篇答案:BACDA 第16篇 The case for college has been accepted without question for more than a generation. All high school graduates ought to go, says conventional wisdom and statistical evidence, because college will help them earn more money, become ―better‖ people, and learn to be more responsible citizens th an those who don’t go. But college has never been able to work its magic for everyone. And now that close to half our high school graduates are attending, those who don’t fit the pattern are becoming more numerous, an d more obvious. College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis; college students interfere with each other’s experiments and write false letters of recommendation in the intense competition for admission to graduate school. Other find no stimulation in their studies, and drop out—often en couraged by college administrators. Some observers say the fault is with the young people themselves—they are spoiled and they are e xpecting too much. But that is a condemnation of the students as a whole, and doesn’t explain all c ampus unhappiness. Others blame the state of the world, and they are partly right. We have been told that young people have to go to college because our economy can’t absorb an army of untraine d eighteen-year-olds. But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer absorb an army of trained twenty-two-year-olds, either. Some adventuresome educators and watchers have openly begun to suggest that college may not be the best, the proper, the only place for every young person after the completion of high school. We may have been looking at all those surveys and statistics upside down, it seems, and through the rosy glow of our own remembered college experiences. Perhaps college doesn’t make peopl e intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, or quick to learn things—may it is just the other way aroun d, and intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, quick-learning people are merely the ones who have been attracted to college in the first place. And perhaps all those successful college graduates woul d have been successful whether they had gone to college or not. This is heresy to those of us who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good, more has to be much better. But contrary evidence is beginning to mount up. 1.According to the author, ___. A.people used to question the value of college education. B.people used to have full confidence in higher education. C.all high school graduates went to college. D.very few high school graduates chose to go to college. 2.In the 2nd paragraph, ―those who don’t fit the pattern‖ refer to___. A.high school graduates who aren’t suitable for college education. B.college graduates who are selling shoes and driving taxis. C.college students who aren’t any better for their higher education. D.high school graduates who failed to be admitted to college. 3.The dropout rate of college students seems to go up because___. A.young people are disappointed with the conventional way of teaching at college. B.many people are required to join the army. C.young people have little motivation in pursuing a higher education. D.young people don’t like the intense competition for admission to graduate school. 4.According to the passage, the problems of college education partly originate in the fact that___. A.society cannot provide enough jobs for properly trained graduates. B.High school graduates do not fit the pattern of college education. C.Too many students have to earn their own living. D.College administrators encourage students to drop out. 5.In this passage the author argues that___. A.more and more evidence shows college education may not be the best thing for high school graduates. B.College education is not enough if one wants to be successful. C.College education benefits only the intelligent, ambitious, and quick-learning people. D.Intelligent people may learn quicker if they don’t go to college. 第十六篇答案:BCCAA 第十七篇:(Unit 5,Passage 1) A controversy erupted in the scientific community in early 1998 over the use of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid ) fingerprinting in criminal investigations. DNA fingerprinting was introduced in 1987 as a method to identify individuals based on a pattern seen in their DNA, the molecule of which genes are made. DNA is present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. DNA fingerprinting has been used successfully in various ways, such as to determine paternity where it is not clea r who the father of a particular child is. However, it is in the area of criminal investigations that DNA fingerprinting has potentially powerful and controversial uses. DNA fingerprinting and other DNA analysis techniques have revolutionized criminal investigations by giving investigators powerful new tools in the attempt to trove guilt, not just establish innocence. When used in criminal investigations, a DNA fingerprint pattern from a suspect is compared with a DNA fingerprint pattern obtained from such material as hairs or blood found at the scene of a crime. A match between the two DNA samples can be used as evidence to convict a suspect. The controversy in 1998 stemmed form a report published in December 1991 by population geneticists Richard C. Lewontin of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and Daniel L. Hartl called into question the methods to calculate how likely it is that a match between two DNA fingerprints might occur by chance alone. In particular, they argued that the current method cannot properly determine the likelihood that two DNA samples will match because they came from the same individual rather than simply from two different individuals who are members of the same ethnic group. Lewontin and Hartl called for better surveys of DNA patterns methods are adequate. In response to their criticisms, population geneticists Ranajit Chakraborty of the University of Texas in Dallas and Kenneth K.Kidd of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., argued that enough data are already available to show that the methods currently being used are adequate. In January 1998, however, the federal Bureau of Investigation and laboratories that conduct DNA tests announced that they would collect additional DNA samples form various ethnic groups in an attempt to resolve some of these questions. And, in April, a National Academy of Sciences called for strict standards and system of accreditation for DNA testing laboratories. 1.Before DNA fingerprinting is used, suspects____. A.would have to leave their fingerprints for further investigations B.would have to submit evidence for their innocence C.could easily escape conviction of guilt D.cold be convicted of guilt as well 2.DNA fingerprinting can be unreliable when ____. A.the methods used for blood- cell calculation are not accurate B.two different individuals of the same ethnic group may have the same DNA fingerprinting pattern C.a match is by chance left with fingerprints that happen to belong to two different individuals D.two different individuals leave two DNA samples. 3.To geneticists like Lewontin and Hartl, the current method ____. A.is not so convincing as to exclude the likelihood that two DNA samples can never come from two individuals B.is arguable because two individuals of the same ethnic group are likely to have the same DNA pattern. C.Is not based on adequate scientific theory of genetics D.Is theoretically contradictory to what they have been studying 4.The attitude of the Federal Bereau of Investigation shows that ____. A.enough data are yet to be collected form various ethnic groups to confirm the unlikelihood of two DNA samples coming from two individual members B.enough data of DNA samples should be collected to confirm that only DNA samples form the same person can match C.enough data are yet to be collected from various ethnic groups to determine the likelihood of two different DNA samples coming form the same person D.additional samples from various ethnic groups should be collected to determine that two DNA samples are unlikely to come from the same person 5.National Academy of Sciences holds the stance that ____. A.DNA testing should be systematized B.Only authorized laboratories can conduct DNA testing C.The academy only is authorized to work out standards for testing D.The academy has the right to accredit laboratories for DNA testing 第十七篇答案:CBABB 第十八篇:(Unit 5,Passage 2) Racket, din clamor, noise, whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America’s most widesp read nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger to people’s health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact, never closes and the body still responds—sometimes with extreme tensio n, as to a strange sound in the night. The annoyance we feel when faced with noise is the most common outward symptom of the stress building up inside us. Indeed, because irritability is so apparent, legislators have made public annoyance the basis of many noise abatement programs. The more subtle and more serious health hazards associated with stress caused by noise traditionally have been given much less attention. Nevertheless, when we are annoyed or made irritable by noise, we should consider these symptoms fair warning that other thing may be happening to us, some of which may be damaging to our health. Of many health hazards to noise, hearing loss is the most clearly observable and measurable by health professionals. The other hazards are harder to pin down. For many of us, there may be a risk that exposure to the stress of noise increases susceptibility to disease and infection. The more susceptible among us may experience noise as a complicating factor in heart problems and other diseases. Noise that causes annoyance and irritability in health persons may have serious consequences for these already ill in mind or body. Noise affects us throughout our lives. For example, there are indications of effects on the unborn child when mothers are exposed to industrial and environmental noise. During infancy and childhood, youngsters exposed to high noise levels may have trouble falling asleep and obtaining necessary amounts of rest. Why, then, is there not greater alarm about these dangers? Perhaps it is because the link between noise and many disabilities or diseases has not yet been conclusively demonstrated. Perhaps it is because we tend to dismiss annoyance as a price to pay for living in the modern world. It may also be because we still think of hearing loss as only an occupational hazard. 1.In Paragraph 1, the phrase ―immune to‖ are used to mean ___. A.unaffected by B.hurt by C.unlikely to be seen by D.unknown by 2.The author’s attitude toward noise would best be described as ___. A.unrealistic B.traditional C.concerned D.hysterical 3.Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage? A.Noise is a major problem; most people recognize its importance. B.Although noise can be annoying, it is not a major problem. C.Noise is a major problem and has not yet been recognized as such. D.Noise is a major problem about which nothing can be done. 4.The author condemns noise essentially because it ___. A.is against the law B.can make some people irritable C.is a nuisance D.in a ganger to people’s health 5.The author would probably consider research about the effects noise has on people to be ___. A.unimportant B.impossible. C.a waste of money D.essential 第十八篇答案:ACCDD 5,Passage 3) 第十九篇(Unit Is language, like food, like food, a basic human need without which a child at a critical period of life can be starved and damaged? Judging from the drastic experiment of Frederick I in the thirteenth century, it may be hoping to discover what language a child would speak if he heard no mother tongue, he told the nurses to keep silent. All the infants died before the first year. But clearly there was more than lack of language here. What was missing was good mothering. Without good mothering, in the first year of life especially, the capacity to survive is seriously affected. Today no such severe lack exists as that ordered by Frederick. Nevertheless, some children are still backward in speaking. Most often the reason for this is that the mother is insensitive to the signals of the infant, whose brain is programmed to learn language rapidly. If these sensitive periods are neglected, the ideal time for acquiring skills passes and they might never be learned so easily again. A bird learns to sing and to fly rapidly at right time, but the process is slow and hard once the critical stage has passed. Experts suggest that speech stages are reached in a fixed sequence and at a constant age, but there are cases where speech has started late in a child who eventually turns out to be of high IQ. At twelve weeks a baby smiles and makes bowel – like sounds; at twelve months he can speak simpl e words and understand simple commands; at eighteen months he has a vocabulary of three to fifty words. At three he knows about 1,000 words which he can put into sentences, and at four his lan born with the capacity to speak. What is special about maguage differs from that of his parents in n’s brain, compared with that of the monkey, is the complex system which enables a child to com – bear‖. And even more inmect the sight and feel of, say, a toy – bear with the sound pattern ―toy credible is the young brain’s ability to pick out an order in language from the mixture of sound around him, to analyse, to combine and recombine the parts of a language in new ways. But speech has to be induced, and this depends on interaction between the mother and the child, where the mother recognizes the signals in the child’s babbling, grasping and smiling, and respond s to them. Insensitivity of the mother to these signals dulls the interaction because the child gets discouraged and sends out only the obvious signals,. Sensitivity to the child’s non – verbal signals i s essential to the growth and development of language. 1.The purpose of Frederick I’s experiment was ____. A.to prove that children are born with ability to speak B.to discover what language a child would speak without hearing any human speak C.to find out what role careful nursing would play in teaching a child to speak D.to prove that a child could be damaged without learning a language 2.The reason that some children are backward in speaking is most likely that ____. A.they are incapable of learning language rapidly B.they are exposed to too much language at once C.their mothers respond inadequately to their attempts to speak D.their mothers are not intelligent enough to help them 3.What is particularly remarkable about a child is that ____. A.he is born with the capacity to speak B.he has a brain more complex than an animal’s C.he can produce his own sentences D.he owes his speech ability to good nursing 4.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? A.The faculty of speech is inborn in man. B.The child’s brain is highly selective. C.Most children learn their language in definite stages. D.All the above 5.If a child starts to speak later than others, he will ____in future. A.have a high IQ B.be less intelligent C.be insensitive to verbal signals D.not necessarily be backward 第十九篇答案:BCCDD 第二十篇:(Unit 5,Passage 4) Hong Kong, major commercial center for Asia, and with a population which has grown at an alarming rate to over 5 million, is a city highly dependent on mass transit of all sorts, both local and long distance. The average Hong Kong worker or businessman, going about his daily activities, simply must use public transportation at one time or another. Because Hong Kong is in two parts, Kowloon, on the mainland side, and Hong Kong, the island, with Hong Kong’s harbor in between, Hong Kong’s mass transit systems, in addition to going o ver land must also cross water. Going from home to work, or going shopping from one side of the harbor to the other, the Hong Kong resident has three choices. One way is to take a bus, which will cross the harbor through an underwater traffic tunnel moving slowly through bumper-to-bumper traffic. Another way is by ferryboat, a pleasant ride which crosses the harbor in from seven to fifteen minutes. But by far the fastest way of crossing the harbor is the newly built underground electric railway, the Hong Kong Metro. If one boards the train in the Central District, the commercial area of Hong Kong on the island side, he can speed across the harbor in an astonishing three minutes. On the other side of the harbor the railway continues, snaking back and forth through the outlying districts of Kowloon, allowing one to get off a short distance from his destination. The story of the Metro is an encouraging one for supporters of mass transit. Although building the system was certainly a challenging task, the Japanese firm hired to construct it did so in record time. Construction got underway in 1979 and it was completed in 1980. For the average commuter the system has only one disadvantages: it is more expensive than by bus or ferry. One can ride the bus across the harbor for half as much, or he can ride the ferry across for less than one-fifth as much. 1.Hong Kong ___. A.can do without mass transit. B.finds public transportation too expensive. C.needs public transportation. D.has an insufficient mass transit system. 2.Hong Kong Public transportation extends ___. A.over hills and valleys. B.across land and water. C.through mountains. D.throughout the Kowloon area. the underwater traffic tunnel is ___. 3.The traffic in A.heavy B.light C.fast D.dangerous 4.Crossing the harbor by train is ___. A.by far the most economical method. B.the most pleasant method. C.the least pleasant method. D.the fastest method. 5.The business area on the island side of Hong Kong is referred to be as ___. A.Kowloon B.the Central District C.the Hong Kong Metro D.the Hong Kong’s harbor. 第二十篇答案:CBADB