高中阅读理解练习

高中 高中语文新课程标准高中物理选修31全套教案高中英语研修观课报告高中物理学习方法和技巧高中数学说课稿范文 阅读理解练习 阅读理解练习 Passage 1 When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously ,did not give her good service ,pretended not to Understand her ,or even acted as if they did not hear her . My mother has realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was she . I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人).I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs.Tan..” And my mother was standing beside me ,whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me cheek already two week lone.” And then , in perfect English I said : “I’m getting rather concerned .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.” Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately , I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.” The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs.Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English. When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world. 41.Why was the author’s mother poorly served? A.She was unable to speak good English. B.She was often misunderstood. C.She was not clearly heard. D.She was not very polite. 42.From Paragorph 2, we know that the author was . A.good a pretending B.rude to the stockbroker C.ready to help her mother D.unwilling to phone for her mother 43.After the author made the phone call, . A.they forgave the stockbroker B.they failed to get the check C.they went to New York immediately D.they spoke to their boss at once 44.What does the author think of her mother’s English now? A.It confuses her. B.It embarrasses her. 1 C.It helps her understand the world. D.It helps her tolerate rude people. 45.We can inter from the passage that Chinese English . A.is clear and natural to non-native speakers B.is vivid and direct to non-native speakers C.has a verv bad reputation in America D.may bring inconvenience in America Passage 2 It is reported that conservation groups in North America have been arguing about the benefits and dangers of wolves. Some groups believe wolves should be killed. Other people believe wolves must be protected so that they will not disappear from the wilderndss(荒野) For Killing Wolves In Alaska，the wolf almost disappeared a few years ago，because hunters were killing hundreds 0f them forsport .However(1aws were established to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur(So the woIf population has greatly increased. Now there are so many wolves that they are destroying their own food supply( A wolf naturally eats animals in the deer family. People in the wilderness also hunt deer for food(Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the wilderness plant life(When the deer can’t find enough food，they die( If the wolves continue to kill large numbers of deer，their prey(猎物)will disappear some day(And the wolves will(too(So we must change the cycle of life in the wilderness to balance the ecology(If we killed more wolves，we would save them and their prey from dying out(We’d also save some farm animals( In another northern state，wolves attack cows and chickens for food(Farmers want the government to send biologists to study the problem(They believe it necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small woIf population( Against Killing Wolves If you had lived long ago，you would have heard many different stories about the dangerous wolf(According to most stories，hungry wolves often kill people for food(Even today，the stories of the“big bad woIf':will not disappear( But the fact is wolves are afraid of people(and they seldom travel in areas where there is a human smell(When wolves eat other animals，they usually kill the very young(or the sick and injured .The strongest survive .No kind of animal would have survived through the centuries if the weak members had lived(And has always been a law of nature. Although some people say it is good sense to kill wolves，we say it is nonsense!Researchers have found wolves and their prey living in balance(The wolves keep the deer population from becoming too large,and that keeps a balance in the wilderness plant life( The real problem is that the areas where wolves can live are being used bv people(Even if wilderness land is not used directly for human needs(the wolves can’t always find enough food .So they travel to the nearest source,which is often a farm(Then there is danger(The“big bad wolf”has arrived! And everyone knows what happens next( 60(According to the passage，some people in North America favor killing wolves for all the following reasons EXCET that ( 2 A(there are too many wolves B(they kill large numbers deer C(they attack cows and chickens for food D(they destroy the wilderness plant life 61(Some people are against killing wolves because ( A(wolves help to keep the ecological balance in the wildemess B(there is too small a wolf population in the wilderness C(there are too many deer in the wilderness D(wolves are afraid of people and never attack people 62(According to those against killing wolves，when wolves eat other animals， ( A(they never eat strong and healthy onesB(they always go against the law of nature C(they might help this kind of animals survive in nature D(they disturb the ecological balance in the wilderness 63(The last sentence“And everyone knows what happens next”implies that in such cases ( A(farm animals will be in danger and have to be shipped away B(woIves will kill people and people will in turn kill them C(wolves wilI find enough food sources on famls D(people will leave the areas where wolves can live Passage 3 There were smiling children all the way. Charily they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved. I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics. It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight, Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave hack. From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time. The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug (拥抱). I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car. I looked forward to the return journey. 71. The author expected the train trip to be 3 A. adventurous B. pleasant C. exciting D. dull 72.What did the author remember most fondly of her train trip? A. The friendly country people. B. The mountains along the way. C. The crowds of people in the streets. D. The simple lunch served on the train. 73.Which of the following words can best take the place of the word“relish”in the second paragraph? A. choose B. enjoy C. prepare for D. carry on 74.Where was the writer going? A. Johore Baru. B. The Causeway. C. Butterworth. D. Singapore. 75.What can we learn from the story? A. Comfort in traveling by train. B. Pleasure of living in the country. C. Reading gives people delight. D. Smiles brighten people up. Passage 4 It was a Sunday and the heavy storm had lasted all night.The morning after the storm,though,was beautiful:blue skies,warm air and a calm,inviting sea touching the shore gently. My father realised it was a good day for fishing and invited my sister and me to go with him.I was only 14 and fishing had never been my thing, but I decided to go all the same.I’m so glad I did. On the road to the harbour we could see the terrible destruction on the coast,but the harbour itself was in fairly good shape.After all， it was protected by the arms of a bay that had only one tiny channel to the sea.As we got on board,we noticed two big humps(脊背) in the distance. On approaching them,we saw it was a mother whale with her baby.We couldn’t believe it — —there aren’t any whales along the coast here.The storm must have driven them across the ocean into the bay, in which the still water was so badlly polluted that nothing could survive. The little baby whale——actually as big as our boal——was obviously stuck and could not move.The mother dived under the water and came up suddenly,making big whirlpools(漩涡) and waves.”She’s trying to help her baby, but on the wrong side,”my father said.At this point,my father moved our boat in a semicircle to the other side and ,heading the boat towards the baby whale,pushed it gently.With our several gentle pushes the big hump turned over and disappared under water.Then it swam up right beside its mum.They struggled in their desperate attempts to 4 escape but missed the exit and started heading in the wrong direction.We hurried up to the whales and tried to lead them towards the bay channel.Showly,they let us lead them,some-times rising from the water right beside us to breathe——and to give us a trusting look with those huge eyes.Once they hit their first part of clean water flowing straight from the sea,the mum gave us a wave with her tail and off they swam into the distance. In the excitement it had felt like only a few minutes, but we had been with those wonderful animals for almost an hour and a half.That was the simple and lasting beauty of the day,Nearly four decades later ,I still look back fondly to that golden day at sea. 51. The author says “I’m so glad I did .”(in Para.2)because __________. A. be witnessed the whole process of fishing B. he enjoyed the beauty of the calm sea C. he experienced the rescue of the whales D. he spent the weekend with his family 52. The harbour survived the storm owing to____________. A. the shape of the harbour B. the arms of the bay C. the still water in the channel D. the long coast line 53. The mother whale failed to help her baby because__________. A. she had stayed in the polluted water for too long B. the whirlpools she had made were not big enough C. she had no other whales around to turn to for help D. the waves pushed her baby in the wrong direction 54.what is the theme of the story? A. Saving lives brings people a sense of happiness B. Fishing provides excitement for children C. It’s necessary to live in harmony with animals D. It’s vital to protect the environment Passage 5 Goldie's Secret She turned up at the doorstep of my house in Cornwall. No way could I have sent her away. No way, not me anyway. Maybe someone had kicked her out of their car the night before. "We're moving house.'; "No space for her any more with the baby coming." "We never really wanted her, but what could we have done? She was a present." People find all sorts of excuses for abandoning an animal. And she was one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen. I called her Goldie. If I had known what was going to happen I would have given her a more creative name. She was so unsettled during those first few days. She hardly ate anything and had such an air of sadness about her. There was nothing I could do to make her happy, it seemed. Heaven knows what had happened to her at her previous owner's. But eventually at the end of the first week she calmed down. Always by my side, whether we were out on one of our long walks or sitting by the fire. That's why it was such a shock when she pulled away from me one day when we were out for a walk. We were a long way from home, when she started barking and getting very restless. 5 Eventually I couldn't hold her any longer and she raced off down the road towards a farmhouse in the distance as fast as she could. By the time I reached the farm I was very tired and upset with Goldie. But when I saw her licking (舔) the four puppies (幼犬) I started to feel sympathy towards them. "We didn't know what had happened to her," said the woman at the door. "I took her for a walk one day, soon after the puppies were born, and she just disappeared." "She must have tried to come back to them and got lost," added a boy from behind her. ' I must admit I do miss Goldie, but I've got Nugget now, and she looks just like her mother. And I've learnt a good lesson: not to judge people. 56. How did the author feel about Goldie when Goldie came to the house? A. Shocked. B. Sympathetic. C. Annoyed. D. Upset. 57. In her first few days at the author's house, Goldie . AI felt worried B. was angry C. ate a little D. sat by the fire 58. Goldie rushed off to a farmhouse one day because she . A. saw her puppies B. heard familiar barking C. wanted to leave the author D. found her way to her old home 59. The passage is organized in order of . A. time B. effectiveness C. importance D. complexity Passage 6 Open Letter to an Editor I had an interesting conversation with a reporter recently---one who works for you. In fact, he's one of your best reporters. He wants to leave. Your reporter gave me a copy of his resume (简历) and photocopies of six stories that he wrote for you. The headlines showed you played them proudly. With great enthusiasm, he talked about how he finds issues (问题), approaches them, and writes about them, which tells me he is one of your best. I'm sure you would hate to lose him. Surprisingly, your reporter is not unhappy. In fact, he told me he really likes his job. He has a great assignment (分工), and said you run a great paper. It would be easy for you to keep him, he said. He knows that the paper values him. He appreciates the responsibility you've given him, takes ownership of his profession, and enjoys his freedom. So why is he looking for a way out? He talked to me because he wants his editors to demand so much more of him. He wants to be pushed, challenged, coached to new heights. The reporter believes that good stories spring from good questions, but his editors usually ask how long the story will be, when it will be in, where it can play, and what the budget is. He longs for conversations with an editor who will help him turn his good ideas into great ones. He wants someone to get excited about what he's doing and to help him turn his story idea upside down and inside out, exploring the best ways to report it. He wants to be more valuable for your paper. That's what you want for him, too, isn't it? So your reporter has set me thinking. Our best hope in keeping our best reporters, copy editors, photographers, artists---everyone--is to work harder to make sure they get the help they are demanding to reach 6 their potential. If we can't do it, they'll find someone who can. 60. What does the writer think of the reporter? A. Optimistic. B. Imaginative. C. Ambitious. D. Proud. 61. What does the reporter want most from his editors in their talks? A. Finding the news value of his stories. B. Giving him financial support. C. Helping him to find issues. D. Improving his good ideas. 62. Who probably wrote the letter? A. An editor. B. An artist. C. A reporter. D. A reader. 63. The letter aims to remind editors that they should __ A. keep their best reporters at all costs B. give more freedom to their reporters C. be aware of their reporters' professional development D. appreciate their reporters' working styles and attitudes Passage 7 Pacing and Pausing Sara tried to befriend her old friend Steve's new wife, but Betty never seemed to have anything to say. While Sara felt Betty didn't hold up her end of the conversation, Betty complained to Steve that Sara never gave her a chance to talk. The problem had to do with expectations about pacing and pausing. Conversation is a turn-taking game. When our habits are similar, there's no problem. But if our habits are different, you may start to talk before I'm finished or fail to take your turn when I'm finished. That's what was happening with Betty and Sara. It may not be coincidental that Betty, who expected relatively longer pauses between turns, is British, and Sara, who expected relatively shorter pauses, is American. Betty often felt interrupted by Sara. But Betty herself became an interrupter and found herself doing most of the talking when she met a visitor from Finland. And Sara had a hard time cutting in on some speakers from Latin America or Israel. The general phenomenon, then, is that the small conversation techniques, like pacing and pausing, lead people to draw conclusions not about conversational style but about personality and abilities. These habitual differences are often the basis for dangerous stereotyping (思维定式). And these social phenomena can have very personal consequences. For example, a woman from the southwestern part of the US went to live in an eastern city to take up a job in personnel. When the Personnel Department got together for meetings, she kept searching for the right time to break in--and never found it. Although back home she was considered outgoing and confident, in Washington she was viewed as shy and retiring. When she was evaluated at the end of the year, she was told to take a training course because of her inability to speak up. That's why slight differences in conversational style--tiny little things like microseconds of pause-can have a great effect on one's life. The result in this case was a judgment of psychological problems---even in the mind of the woman herself, who really wondered what was wrong with her and registered for assertiveness training. 64. What did Sara think of Betty when talking with her? A. Betty was talkative. B. Betty was an interrupter. 7 C. Betty did not take her turn. D. Betty paid no attention to Sara. 65. According to the passage, who are likely to expect the shortest pauses between turns? A. Americans. B. Israelis. C. The British. D. The Finns. 66. We can learn from the passage that __ A. communication breakdown results from short pauses and fast pacing B. women are unfavorably stereotyped in eastern cities of the US C. one's inability to speak up is culturally determined sometimes D. one should receive training to build up one's confidence 67. The underlined word "assertiveness" in the last paragraph probably means __ A. being willing to speak one's mind B. being able to increase one's power C. being ready to make one's own judgment D. being quick to express one's ideas confidently Passage 8 Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him. He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him. With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough road. As the bees came closer, his panic increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it.” On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.” Andy raced towards the Nelson house, but the bees were gaining ground. Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden. Off his bike and into the cool water he lived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother. “You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover,” laughed his mother with relief. “Thank goodness you didn’t panic!” But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he 8 would catch tomorrow. 56. Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier? A. He was riding to school. B. He was listening to a strange sound. C. He was going fishing with his father. D. He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip. 57. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage? A. They crowded like a black cloud. B. They shocked and terrified Andy. C. They tried to attack Andy in a mass. D. They made Andy stay in hospital for two days. 58. How did Andy avoid the bees in the end? A. He asked Mr. Nelson for help. B. He did himself under the water. C. He rushed into the Nelson house. D. He rode off in the opposite direction. 59. Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees? A. No pains, no gains. B. Once bitten, twice shy. C. Where there is a will, there is a way. D. In time of danger, one’s mind works fast. Passage 9 On May 23,1989, Stefania Follini came out from a cave at Carlsbad, New Mexico. She hadn’t seen the sun for eighteen and a half weeks. Stefania was in a research program, and the scientists in the program were studying body rhythms (节奏)。In this experiment Stefania had 9 spent 130 days in a cave, 30 feet in depth. During her time in the cave, Stefania had been completely alone except for two white mice. Her living place had been very comfortable, but there had been nothing to fell her the time. She’d had no clock or watches, no television or radio. There had been no natural light and the temperature had always been kept at 21?. The results were very interesting. Stefania had been in the cave for over four months, but she thought she had been there for only two. Her body clock had changed. She hadn't kept to a 24-hour day. She had stayed awake for 20-25 hours and then had slept for 10 hours. She had eaten fewer meals and had lost 17lbs in weight as a result! She had also become rather depressed (抑郁). How had she spent her time in the cave? As part of the experiment she'd done some physical and mental tests. She'd recorded her daily activities and the results of the tests on a computer. This computer had been specially programmed for the project. Whenever she was free, she'd played cards, read books and listened to music. She'd also learned French from tapes. The experiment showed that our body clocks are affected by light and temperature, For example, the pattern of day and night makes us wake up and go to sleep. However, People are affected in different ways. Some people wake up naturally at 5:00 am, but others don't start to wake up till 9:00 or 10;00 am. This affects the whole daily rhythm. As a result, the early risers are at their best in the late morning. The late risers, on the other hand, are tired during the day and only come to life in the afternoon or evening! 68. Stefania stayed in the cave for a long time because___________. A. she was asked to do research on mice B. she wanted to experience loneliness C. she was the subject of a study D. she needed to record her life 69. What is a cause for the change of Stefania’s body clock? A. Eating fewer meals. B. Having more hours of sleep C. Lacking physical exercise. D. Getting no natural light. 70. Where does the text probably come from? A. A novel. B. A news story. C. A pet magazine. D. A travel guide Passage 10 When I was six, Dad brought home a dog one day, who was called “Brownie”. My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. Ore of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games, Brownie, in return. loved each and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them we always felt better when she was around. One day, as I was getting her food, she chewed up(咬破)one of Dad’s shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew Dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, ”Bad girl,” she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes. Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet, she went everywhere with us .People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she’d let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we’d be out walking and a small child would come over and pull pm her hair. she never barked(吠) or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her 10 teeth. Far from the truth, she lovely everyone. Now many years have passed since Brownie died of old age. I still miss days when she was with us. 41. What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family? A. Look at them sadly. B. Keep them company. C. Play games with them. D. Touch them gently. 42. We can infer from Paragraph 2 that Brownie__________. A. world eat anything when hungry B. felt sorry for her mistake C. loved playing hide-and-seek D. disliked the author’s dad 43.Why does the author say that Brownie was more than just a family pet? A. She was treated as a member of the family. B. She played games with anyone she liked. C. She was loved by everybody she met. D. She went everywhere with the family. 44. Some people got frightened by Brownie when she__________. A. smiled B. barked C. rushed to them D. tried to be funny 45.Which of the following best describes Brownie? A. Shy B. Polite C. Brave D. Caring Passage 11 Brave Frenchman Found Half-way Around the World (NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River. Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday. He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dive in after him. “I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.” Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头)when he saw something falling into the water .He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant ,he took off his coat and jumped into the water. When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said . Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes. Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from cookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after. The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism he was leaving the next morning . “I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same ting.” 50. Why was Duret in New York? A. To meet his girlfriend B. To work as an engineer C. To spend his holiday D. To visit the Andersons. 51. What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came? A. He was interviewed by a newspaper 11 B. He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes C. He went to the hospital in the ambulance D. He disappeared from the spot quickly 52. Who divide after Duret into the river to save the little girl? A. David Anderson B. A passer-by C. His girlfriend D. a taxi driver. 53. When was duet most probably found to be the very hero? A. The day when he was leaving for home. B. A couple of days after the girl was rescued C. The first day when he was in New York D. The same day when he was interviewed. Passage 12 The 1900 house The bowler family was one of more than 400 families who applied to 1900 house, a reality TV shout which took a typical family back a hundred years to se how people lived in the days before the internet, computer games and even electricity. The bowler family spent three months in a London home without a telephone, computers, TV, or fast food. The bowlers wore clothes from 1900, are only food available in English at that time, and cooked their meals on a single stove. Paul bowler still went to work every day in a then uniform. The children changed their clothes on the way to and from school and their classmates didn’t know about then unusual home life. Joyce stayed at home, cooking and cleaning like a typical housewife of the time, though everything took three times as long. So does Joyce think that people’s lives were better in the old days? “I think people in the old days had just ad many troubles and worries,” Joyce said. And I don’t think their life was better or worse, there were lots of things back then that I’m happy I don’t have to deal with nowadays, but on the other hand life was simpler.” “We had a lot more time with our family, and it was hard being nice to each other all the time,” eleven-year-old Hilary said. So what did the Bowler family miss most about modern life while living in the 1900 house? Paul, 39:” telephone and a hot shower” Joyce, 44:” a quick cup of tea from a kettle you could just turn on” Hilary, 11:” rock CD” Joseph, 9:” hamburger and computer games” 54. While the Bowler family was living in 1900 house, _____. A the mother spent more time on housework B the two children wore the then clothes for school C they prepared their meals together on a stove D they ate simple foods they had never seen 55. According to Paragraph 4, what’s Joyce’s opinion about life in 1900? A There were fewer problems for the family B Life was simpler but worse than it is now C There were things she liked and disliked D The family had more time to stay together 56. What would Hilary expect most from modern life in the three months? 12 A To play computer games B. To make phone calls C To listen to music D. To chat on the Internet Passage 13 The elephant was lying heavily on its side, fast asleep. A few dogs started barking at it. The elephant woke up in a terrible anger: it chased the dogs into the village where they ran for safety. That didn't stop the elephant. It destroyed a dozen houses and injured several people. The villagers were scared and angry. Then someone suggested calling Parbati, the elephant princess. Parbati Barua's father was a hunter of tigers and an elephant tamer. He taught Parbati to ride an elephant before she could even walk. He also taught her the dangerous art of the elephant round-up -- how to catch wild elephants. Parbati hasn't always lived in the jungle. After a happy childhood hunting with her father, she was sent to boarding school in the city. But Parbati never got used to being there and many years later she went back to her old fife. "Life in the city is too dull. Catching elephants is an adventure and the excitement lasts for days after the chase," she says. But Parbati doesn't catch elephants just for fun. "My work," she says, "is to rescue man from the elephants, and to keep the elephants safe from man." And this is exactly what Parbati has been doing for many years. Increasingly, the Indian elephant is angry: for many years, illegal hunters have attacked it and its home in the jungle has been reduced to small pieces of land. It is now fighting back. Whenever wild elephants enter a tea garden or a village, Parbati is called to guide the animals back to the jungle before they can kill. The work of an elephant tamer also involves love and devotion. A good elephant tamer will spend hours a day singing love songs to a newly captured elephant. "Eventually they grow to love their tamers and never forget them. They are also more loyal than humans," she said, as she climbed up one of her elephants and sat on the giant, happy animal. An elephant princess indeed! 65. For Parbati, catching elephants is mainly to . A. get long lasting excitement B. keep both man and elephants safe C. send them back to the jungle D. make the angry elephants tame 66. Before Parbati studied in a boarding school, . A. she spent her time hunting with her father B. she learned how to sing love songs C. she had already been called an elephant princess D. she was taught how to hunt tigers 67. Indian elephants are getting increasingly angry and they revenge because __________. A. they are caught and sent for heavy work B. illegal hunters capture them and kill them C. they are attacked and their land gets limited D. dogs often bark at them and chase them 68. The passage starts with an elephant story in order to explain that in India _________. A. people easily fall victim to elephants' attacks B. the man-elephant relationship is getting worse C. elephant tamers are in short supply D. dogs are as powerful as elephants Passage 14 13 I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part. in. and live in. With this unshakable belief, I, at. fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has. Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作 品)(As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime. 41. What can be inferred about the author as a child? A. He never watched TV. B. He read what he had to. C. He found reading unbelievable. D. He considered reading part of his life. 42. The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “ ”. A. an idea B. a sound quality C. a way of writing D. a world to write about 43. What effect does reading have on the author? A. It helps him to realize his dream. B. It opens up a wider world for him. C. It makes his college life more interesting. D. It increases his interest in worldwide travel. 44. Which of the following can be the best title of this text? A. Why do I read? B. How do I read? C. What do I read? D. When do I read? Passage 15 Fear plays no part in this latest problem(“I’m not afraid I'll lose my children(I won't lose my children. We live together, and nothing, nothing,” she repeats, her voice rising when speaking to John's lawyer, “will stop me from being with my children. A law? Year, right. Don't disturb me when it comes to my children. You are never going to win. If John wants to see them, I cannot stop 14 him. He's their father—I want them to see him! However, his visit in his present condition will disturb the children's stable (稳定的) life(” John, who has spent much of his time in California recently, has only hired a house for himself in Pennsylvania, according to his lawyer. "If he'd like to stick to a regular life, I'd be more than happy to do that，" Jane says. "The best thing for any child of a divorced (离婚的) parent is a stable life. I want nothing more than for him to set up a stable life for himself, so that he can be part of making our children's lives more stable. " While matters of money and care won't be settled for weeks, Jane hardly puts her life on hold. Last week the ABC network announced that Jane would return with her own show, Twist of Jane, in which she gives advice to other moms(Jane and her eight children will also return to ABC in a series of Jane Plus 8 specials showing them on various adventures(It’s a rest for Jane(who insists that she needs her new，busy life to provide for her family(“I have to lead such a life(and I’m thankful that I’ve built it to the top where now I can support my children(”she says( And whether a bellicose(好斗的)dance judge or a bellicose former wife，Jane plans to keep 0n facing attacks on her( “Some people try to knock me down—only to make me more fierce，more protective，more determined to do better，”she says(“Go ahead，take me on(This will just make me stronger(” 57. According to Jane in the first paragraph，the low A. can’t take her children away from her B. can’t do anything with the case C. will best settle the problem D. will disturb her children 58. What does “to do that” refer to in the second paragraph? A. To live with John( B(To hire a house for John( C(To allow John to see the children D(To ask John to set up a regular life. 59. What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean? A(Jane’s life is very difficult( B(Jane continues to live as usual( C(Jane almost can’t control her lire D(Jane works very hard to live a happy life( 60. Which word can best describe Jane? A. Proud( B(Fierce( C(Determined( D(Independent Passage 16 In the kitchen of my mother’s houses there has always been a wooden stand(木架)with a small notepad(记事本)and a hole for a pencil. I’m looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can’t be the same 15 pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one. “I’m just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these year.” I say to her, walking back into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. “You still use a pencil. Can’t you afford a pen?” My mother replies a little sharply. “It works perfectly well. I’ve always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in these days.” Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, “One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on.” This story—which happened before I was born—reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is also a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have traveled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible(看不到的)exhibits at every meal. 46(Why has the author’s mother always kept the notepad and pencil in the kitchen? To leave messages. B(To list her everyday tasks. A( C(To note down maths problems. D(To write down a flash of inspiration. 47. What is the author’s original opinion about the wooden stand? A. It has great value for the family. B. It needs to be replaced by a better one. C. It brings her back to her lonely childhood. D .It should be passed on to the next generation. 48. The author feels embarrassed for . A. blaming her mother wrongly. B. giving her mother a lot of trouble. C. not making good use of time as her mother did. D. not making any breakthrough in her field. 49. What can be inferred from the last paragraph? A .The mother is successful in her career. B. The family members like traveling. C. The author had little time to play when young. D. The marks on the breadboard have disappeared. 50. In the author’s mind ,her mother is . A. strange in behavior. B. keen on her research. C. fond of collecting old things. D. careless about her appearance. Passage 17 When you are little, the whole world feels like a big playground. I was living in Conyers, Georgia the summer it all happened. I was a second grader, but my best friend Stephanie was 16 only in the first grade. Both of our parents were at work and most of the time they let us go our own way. It was a hot afternoon and we decided to have an adventure in Stephanie’s basement. As I opened the basement door, before us lay the biggest room, full of amazing things like guns, dolls, and old clothes. I ran downstairs, and spotted red steel can. It was paint. I looked beyond it and there lay even more paint in bright colors like purple, orange, blue and green. “Stephanie, I just found us a project for the day. Get some paintbrushes. We are fixing to paint.” She screamed with excitement as I told her of my secret plans and immediately we got to work. We gathered all the brushes we could find and moved all of our materials to my yard. There on the road in front of my house, we painted bit stripes (条纹) of colors across the pavement (人行道). Stripe by stripe, our colors turned into a beautiful rainbow. It was fantastic! The sun was starting to sink. I saw a car in the distance and jumped up as I recognized the car. It was my mother. I couldn’t wait to show her my masterpiece. The car pulled slowly into the driveway and from the look on my mother’s face, I could tell that I was in deep trouble. My mother shut the car door and walked towards me. Her eyes glaring, she shouted, “What in the world were you thinking? I understood when you made castles out of leaves, and climbed the neighbors’ trees, but this! Come inside right now!” I stood there glaring hack at her for a minute, angry because she had insulted (侮辱) my art. “Now go clean it up!” Mother and I began cleaning the road. Tears ran down my cheeks as I saw my beautiful rainbow turn into black cement. Though years have now passed, I still wonder where my rainbow has gone. I wonder if, maybe when I get older, I can find my rainbow and never have to brush it away. I guess we all need sort of rainbow to brighten our lives from time to time and to keep our hopes and dreams colorful. 41. What did the writer want to do when his mother came home? A. To introduce Stephanie to her. B. To prevent her from seeing his painting. C. To put the materials back in the yard. D. To show his artwork to her. 42. In his mother’s eyes, the writer_______. A. was a born artist B. always caused trouble C. was a problem solver D. worked very hard 43. The underlined word “rainbow” in the last paragraph refers to ______. A. the rainbow in the sky B. the stripes on the pavement C. something imaginative and fun D. important lessons learned in childhood 44. It can be learned from the passage that parents should ________. A. encourage children to paint B. value friendship among children 17 C. discover the hidden talent in children D. protect rather than destroy children’s dreams Passage 18 I needed to buy a digital camera, one that was simply good at taking good snaps (快照), maybe occasionally for magazines. Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand. So I went on the net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store. There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked an assistant, “Can I have one of those?” He looked perturbed (不安). “Do you want to try it first?” he said. It didn’t quite sound like a question. “Do I need to?” I replied ,“There is nothing wrong with it,” This made him look a bit insulted and I started to feel bad. “No, no. But you should try it,” he said encouragingly. “Compare it with the others.” I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based around the same basic box. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model. But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice, the clever choice, the wise choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The assistant seemed a sincere man. So I let him take out of my chosen camera from pboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers… and when he started to cu introduce the special features, I interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well. Why do we think that new options(选择) still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine. 57.The shop assistant insisted that the writer should A. try the camera to see if there was anything wrong with it. B. compare the camera he had chosen with the others. C. get more information about different companies. D. trust him and stop asking questions. 58. What does the writer mean by “it would be worth half what I paid for it ”(paragraph 2) A. He should get a 50% discount. B. The price of the camera was unreasonably high. C. The quality of the camera was not good. D. The camera would soon fall in value. 59. The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he A. knew very little about it. B. didn’t trust the shop assistant. C. wanted to make sure the one he chose would be the best. 18 D. had a special interest in taking pictures of his fellow shoppers. 60. I t can be inferred from the passage that in the writer’s opinion, . A. people waste too much money on cameras B. cameras have become an important part of our daily life C. we don’t actually need so many choices when buying a product D. famous companies care more about profit than quality Passage 19 One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from the humblest(卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed an empty chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone. I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast. We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide rang of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concerned that he might have no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked, “My I get you something ?” “A coffee would be nice.” Then I bought him a cup of coffee, We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee, Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and headed for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked, “How did you get to know Mr. Galbreath?” “Who?” “The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs.” I could hardly believe it. I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men! My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and no matter another human being with kindness and sincerity. 56. What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean? A. Unfriendly. B. Untidy. C. Gentle. D. Kind. 57. The author bought coffee for the old man because A. he thought the old man was poor B. he wanted to start a conversation C. he intended to show his politeness D. he would like to thank the old man 58. How did the author probably feel after he talked with his friend? A. Proud. B. Pitiful. C. Surprised. D. Regretful 59. What is the message mainly expressed in the story? A. We should learn to be generous. B. It is honorable to help those in need. C. People in high positions are not like what we expect. D. We should avoid judging people by their appearances. Passage 20 19 Even at school there had been an unhealthy competition between George and Richard. “I’ll be the first millionaire in Coleford!” Richard used to boast. “And you’ll be sorry you knew me,” George would reply “because I’ll be the best lawyer in town!” George never did become a lawyer and Richard never made any money. Instead both men opened bookshops on opposite sides of Coleford High Street. It was hard to make money from books, which made the competition between them worse. Now with only one bookshop in town, business was better for George. But sometimes he sat in his narrow , old kitchen and gazed out of the dirty window , thinking about his former rival (竞 争对手)。Perhaps he missed him? George was very interested in old dictionaries, He’d recently found a collector in Australia who was selling a rare first edition. When the parcel arrived, the book was in perfect condition and George was delighted. But while he was having lunch, George glanced at the photo in the newspaper that the book had been wrapped in. He was astonished—the smiling face was older than he remembered but unmistakable! Trembling, George started reading. “Bookends have bought ten bookstores from their rivals Dylans. The company, owned by multi-millionaire Richard Pike, is now the largest bookseller in Australia. ” 65. George and Rivhard were at school. A. roommates B. good friends C. competitors D. booksellers 66. How did George feel about Richard after his disappearance? A. He envied Richard’s marriage. B. He thought of Richard from time to time. C. He felt lucky with no rival in town. D. He was guilty of Richard’s death. 67. George got information about Richard from . A. a dictionary collector in Australia B. the latter’s rivals Dylans C. a rare first edition of a dictionary D. the wrapping paper of a book 68. What happened to George and Richard in the end? A. Both George and Richard became millionaires. B. Both of them realized their original ambitions. C. George established a successful business white Richard was missing. D. Richard became a millionaire while George had no great success. 20