If there is no difference in general intelligence(智力)between boys and girls,what can explain girls' poor performance in science and mathematics?
It seems to be that their treatment at school is a direct cause.Mathematics and science are seen as subjects mainly for boys,and therefore ,as girls become tee
nagers,they are less likely to take them.Interestingly,both boys and girls often
regard the subjects for boys as more difficult.Yet it has been suggested that girls do not take mathematics courses ,not because they are difficult,but for social reasons.Girls do not want to be in open competition with boys because they are afraid to appear less feminine(女性的)and attractive.
However,if we examine the performance of boys and girls who have taken mathematics courses,there are still more highachieving boys than there are girls.This difference appears to be worldwide.Biological explanations have been offered for this,but there are other explanations too.
Perhaps the difference which comes out during the teenage years has its roots in much earlier experiences.From their first days in kindergarten,boys are encouraged to work on their own and to complete tasks.Facts show that outstanding(杰出的)mathematicians and scientists have not had teachers who supplied answers.
Besides,there can be little doubt that teachers of mathematics and science expect their boy students to do better at these subjects than their girl students.They even appear to encourage the difference between boys and girls.They spend more time with the boy students ,giving them more time to answer questions and working harder to get correct answers from them.They are more likely to call on boys for answers and to allow them to take the lead in classroom discussion.They also praise boys more frequently.All of this seems to encourage boys to work harder in science and mathematics and to give them confidence(信心)that they are able to succeed.
Such a way of teaching is not likely to encourage girls to take many mathematics
and science courses,nor is it likely to support girls who do.When it comes to these subjects it seems certain that school widens the difference between boys and girls.
1.Girls are likely to think that____________.
A.science courses are for both boys and girls
B.science courses make them more popular
C.science courses make them successful
D.science courses are difficult for them
2.The text mainly discusses_____________reasons for the difference between boys and girls in scientific achievements.
A.biological B.historical C.social D.personal
3.What are boys usually encouraged to do at school?
A.To get help with their homework.
B.To play the leading role in class.
C.To work with girl students in class.
D.To learn to take care of others.
4.What does the passage say about great mathematicians?
A.Their teachers did not supply answers to them.
B.They started learning mathematics at an earlier age.
C.They showed mathematical abilities in their teenage years.
D.Their success resulted from their strong interest in mathematics.
5.The author would probably agree that_____________.
A.boys and girls learn in the same way
B.boys and girls are equal in general intelligence
C.girls are more confident in themselves than before
D.girls should take fewer science courses than boys
You either have it, or you don’t— a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we’ll lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around,” says Jim Martland, Research director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:
If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree-- something easy to recognize. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
Simplify the way for finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.
Now you will never get lost again!
68. Scientists believe that _________.
A. some babies are born with a sense of direction
B. people learn a sense of direction as they grow older
C. people never lose their sense of direction
D. everybody has a sense of direction from birth
69. What is true of 7-year-old children according to the passage?
A. They never have a sense of direction without maps.
B. They should never be allowed out alone if they lack (缺乏) a sense of direction.
C. They have a sense of direction and can find their way around.
D. They can develop a good sense of direction if they are driven around in a car.
70. If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should ________.
A. tie it to a tree so as to prevent it from being stolen
B. draw a map of the route to help remember where it is
C. avoid taking the same route when you come back to it
D. remember something easily recognizable on the route
71. According to the passage, the best way to find your way around is to _________.
A. ask policemen for directions
B. use walls, streams, and streets to guide yourself
C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs
D. count the number of landmarks that you see
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Adventure Life
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website: www.adventure-life.com
phone: 1-800-344-6118
Destinations: Antarctica, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Central America, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama
Activities: Kayaking, Rafting, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Multisport, Cultural, Archaeological, Historical, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Rainforest, Wildlife, Eco-focused, Culture-focused, Expedition Cruising
Adventure Spirit / Travel Network
Adventure tour operator + Travel agency
website: www.worldadventures.travel
phone: 800-492-0257
Destinations: Asia, Europe, South Pacific, Antarctica, Africa, South America, North America
Activities: Bicycling, Paddlesport, Snowsport, Hiking & Trekking, Caving, Family, Multisport, Cultural, Beach & Watersport, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Photography, Safari, Geotourism, Fishing & Fishing Lodges, Sailing & Cruise, Other, Expedition Cruising, Space, Educational, Walking, Horseback/Dude Ranch, Self-Drive, Around the World Tours
65. Which of the following are NOT country names?
A. Argentina & Costa Rica B. Bolivia & Chile
C. Peru & New Zealand D. Safari & Scuba
66. Which of the following statements is true according to the three advertisements?
A. If your are interested in history, you can click www.adventure-life.com for more information.
B. Both Travel Network and Adventure Life can take you to Africa.
C. If your want to enjoy Beach & Watersport, you can call 1-800-661-9073.
D. Active New Zealand can provide you adventure tours in New Zealand and Antarctica
67. If Jackson wants to travel around the world, he can call ___________.
A. 1-800-661-9073 B. 1-800-344-6118 C. 800-492-0257 D. none of the above
Most sharks are dangerous. The largest kind of sharks—the whale shark—has small teeth and is quite harmless to people. However, blue sharks, tiger sharks, white sharks and hammerheads are enemies of man.
Man-eaters are always a danger to swimmers in shark waters. Sometimes, though, men have used strange methods when they’re suddenly faced with a shark.
During world War Ⅱ, soldiers and sailors whose boats or planes were destroyed drifted(漂流) helplessly on the ocean in small rafts(筏子). While waiting to be saved, the men had to struggle to stay alive and were often attacked by sharks. In some cases, they had few weapons to protect themselves with. They found that just splashing(溅水) water seemed to help keep the sharks away.
One sailor was swimming for his life in the Atlantic Ocean after his boat had been blown up. He saw a shark swimming towards him. He hit the shark with his bare fist, and that drove it off.
Once, in Australia, a fisherman was fishing after sunset. He hooked a big fish and drew it towards the shore. His line broke when the fish was only a few yards from the shore. The fisherman waded(涉水) into the water to try to catch it with his hands. In the dim light, it looked like the kind of fish that could be dealt with without danger.
He put his arms around the fish and wrestled with it. Dragging it to the beach turned out to be harder than he had expected, but at last he pulled it in. When he turned a light on it, he was amazed. He had caught a shark. It was small for a shark, but it was the man-eating type and was about as long as a tall man.In a word, the best way to deal with sharks is to keep far away from them.
60. The shark that is least dangerous to man is the ________.
A. white shark B. whale shark C. tiger shark D. hammerhead shark
61. This story tells you that sharks are usually ________.
A. friendly B. small C. afraid of people D. dangerous
62. After the Australian fisherman found he had caught a shark, he was _________.
A. surprised B. frightened C. unhappy D. angry
63. This story tells you that the best way to handle sharks is to ________.
A. hit them with your fist B. keep far away from them
C. splash water D. wrestle with them
64. The passage mainly tells us something ________.
A. about fishing sharks B. about sharks
C. how to eat sharks D. that sharks are man’s enemies
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的 (A、B、C和D) 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas．I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend．While I was standing in line at the cash register（收款台）, I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas．
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car．I stopped and wondered what I should do．A car pulled up behind me．It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station．They said they would take me to my friend’s．We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card．
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me．Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them．Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful．
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning．In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery was dead．Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership-a shop selling cars-was right next door．I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom．
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?” I asked and explained my trouble．They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it．They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks．I received a letter back from one of the salesmen．No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said．
“Thank you”-two powerful words．They’re easy to say and mean so much．
56．The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City ．
A．to visit a friend B．to see his parents
C．to pay or the cash register D．to have more gas for his car
57．What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
A．He had it pulled back to the gas station．
B．The couple sent him a business card．
C．The couple offered to help him．
D．He called his friend for help．
58．The battery of the author’s car was dead because ．
A．something went wrong with the lights B．the meeting lasted a whole day
C．he forgot to turn off the lights D．he drove too long a distance
59．By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show ．
A．how to write a thank-you letter B．how to deal with car problems
C．the kindness of older people D．the importance of expressing thanks
It seems that politicians around the world are thinking about the health of their countries. While in China, Chen Zhu has announced his plans for a universal health service and reform across health services. Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has also announced he is planning to make some changes in our health service.
The crux（问题的中心） of Mr. Brown's proposals are related to giving the NHS (National Health Service) a greater focus on prevention, rather than just curing patients.
He is planning to introduce increased screening for common diseases such as heart disease, strokes, and cancer, for example, breast cancer. In Britain there are 200,000 deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes, many of which might have been avoided if the condition had been known about.
Initially, the diagnostic (诊断的) tests will be available for those who are vulnerable, or most likely to have the disease. One example is a plan to offer all men over 65 an ultrasound（超声波） test to check for problems with the main artery (动脉), a condition which kills 3,000 men a year.
The opposition have criticized Mr. Brown's proposals, saying that they are just a trick, and claiming that there is no proper timetable for the changes. They also say that Mr. Brown is reducing the money available for the treatment of certain conditions while putti
ng more money towards testing for them.
The NHS was founded in 1948, and is paid for by taxation. The idea is that the rich pay more towards the health service than the poor. However in recent years there has been a great increase in the use of private healthcare, because it’s much quicker. NHS waiting lists for operations can be very long, so many people who can afford it choose to pay for medical care themselves.
87. The underlined word vulnerable in the fourth paragraph probably means ________.
A. sick B. weak C. wounded D. old
88. Which of the following is the reason for the increasing private healthcare?
A. People are paying more attention to their own hea
lth.
B. People are well off enough to pay their healthcare.
C. The NHS was not available for most of the people.
D
. It’s not so convenient for people to go to the NHS for th
eir healthcare.
89. According to the passage, the purpose of the health reform plan in the UK is to _______
A. encourage more private healthcare.
B. focus on the prevention rather than on curing the patient.
C. deal with the main artery problems.
D. fight against the opposition in the UK.
90. The author of this passage intends to tell us _________.
A. the NHS should be reformed right away.
B. more and more people are dying from diseases.
C. the plan to reform the NHS in the UK.
D. the criticism of Mr. Brown's proposals.
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