第二部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
There have been many great inventions, things that changed the way we live. The first great invention was one that is still very important today－the wheel. This made it easier to carry heavy things and to travel long distances.
For hundreds of years after that there were few inventions that had as much influence as the wheel. Then in the early 1800’s the world started to change. There was little unknown land left in the world. People didn't have to explore much any more. They began to work instead to make life better. In the second half of the 19th century many great inventions were made. Among them were the camera, the electric light and the radio. These all became a big part of our life today. The first part of the 20th century saw more great inventions: the helicopter in 1909, movies with sound in 1926, the computer in 1928, and jet planes in 1930. This was also a time when a new material was first made. Nylon came out in 1935. It changed the kind of clothes people wear.
The middle part of the 20th century brought new ways to help people get over diseases. They worked very well. They made people healthier and let them live longer lives. By the 1960’s most people could expect to live to be at least 60. By this time most people had a very good life. Of course new inventions went on to be made. But man now had a desire to explore again. The world was known to man but the stars were not. Man began looking for ways to go into space. Russia made the first step. Then the USA took a step. And then China has made her steps into space.
In 1969 man took his biggest step away from earth. Americans first walked on the moon. This is certainly just a beginning though. New inventions will some day allow us to do things we have never dreamed of.
36. This passage talks mainly about _________.
A. why cars were very important B. when electric light was invented
C. which country made the first step into space D. how inventions influence people’s life
37. In 1800’s, people began to work to make_________.
A. explorations B. life better C. discoveries D. a trip to space
38. Nylon came out nearly at the same time as _________.
A. radios B. cameras C. jet planes D. movies
39. People can live longer lives because _________ to help people cure diseases have worked very well.
A. doctors B. new ways C. medicines D. new hospitals
40. Man didn’t have a desire to explore a lot _________.
A. at the beginning of the 1800’s B. in the 1960’s
C. since the 1900’s D. from the 1800’s to the 1960’s
Apparently everyone knows that global warming only makes climate more extreme. A hot, dry summer has caused another flood of such claims. And one of the players that benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of “extreme” climate simply makes for more exciting news.
Consider Paul Krugman writing breathlessly in The New York Times about the “rising incidence of extreme events.” He claims that global warming caused the current drought in America’s Midwest, and that supposedly record-high corn prices could cause a global food crisis(危机)。
But the United Nations’s latest assessment tells us precisely the opposite—there has an overall slight tendency toward less dryness in North America. Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified this drought as being caused by global warming without a time machine since climate models estimate that such detection will be possible by 2048, at the earliest.
And, fortunately, this year’s drought appears unlikely to cause a food crisis, as global rice and wheat supplies are plentiful. Moreover, Krugman overlooks inflation(通货膨胀)：Prices have increased six-fold since 1969.So, the inflation-adjusted price of corn was higher throughout most of the 1970s.
Finally, Krugman forgets that concerns about global warming are the main reason that corn prices have skyrocketed since 2005.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol(乙醇)，which raises the price of corn –at the expense of many of the world’s poorest people.
Bill Mickbben similarly worries in The Guardian About the Midwest drought and corn prices.He confidently tells us that fierce wildfires from New Mexico and Colorado to Siberia are “exactly” what the early stages of global warming look like.
In fact, the latest study on global wildfire suggests that fire incidence has declined over the past 70 years and is now close to its preindustrial level.
When well—meaning campaigners want us to pay attention to global warming, they often end up making overstatements. And exaggerated(夸张的) claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.In what way do the media benefit from extreme weather?
| A．They can give voice to different views. |
| B．They can make themselves better known. |
| C．They can choose from a greater variety of topics. |
| D．They can attract people’s attention to their reports. |
What is the author’s comment on Krugman’s claim about the current drought in America’s Midwest?
| A．It will eventually get proof in 2048. |
| B．It is based on an erroneous climate model. |
| C．So far there is no way to prove its validity. |
| D．A time machine is needed to tell if it is true. |
What is the chief reason for the rise in corn prices according to the author?
| A．Inflation rates have been skyrocketing since the 1970s. |
| B．A considerable part of corn is used to produce green fuel. |
| C．Climate change has caused corn supply to drop markedly. |
| D．Demand for food has been rising in the developing countries. |
What does the author think of the exaggerated claims in the media about global warming?
| A．They lead to public distrust about science. |
| B．They create confusion about climate change, |
| C．They are strategies to raise public awareness. |
| D．They do a disservice to addressing the problem. |
Do You Want To Change the Future of Education?
Our goal is to give a world-class education to everyone, everywhere, regardless of gender, income or social status.
Today, edx.org, a not-for-profit website, provides hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe with access to free education .We offer amazing quality classes by the best professors from the best schools. We enable our members to find out a new passion that will transform their lives and their communities.
Around the world from coast to coast, in over 192 countries, people are making the decision to take one or several of our courses. As we continue to grow our operations, we are looking for talented passionate people with great ideas to join the edX team. We aim to create an environment that is supportive ,diverse, and as fun as our brand.If you’re hardworking and ready to contribute to an unparalleled member experience for our community, we really want you to apply.
As part of the edX team, you’ll receive:
·Competitive compensation
·Generous benefits package
·Free lunch every day
·A great workplace where everyone cares and wants to change the world
While we appreciate every applicant’s interest, only those under consideration will be contacted .We regret that phone calls will not be accepted. We promise that every applicant will be treated fairly.
All positions are located in our Cambridge offices.What’s the aim of the text?
| A．To give an introduction to edX. |
| B．To encourage people to join edX. |
| C．To predict the future of education. |
| D．To advise us to choose quality education. |
What does edX mainly do?
| A．Providing free courses. |
| B．Studying people’s learning habits. |
| C．Discovering people’s new passion. |
| D．Researching the trend of education . |
According to the text, edX____?
| A．aims to change the world |
| B．tries to build more schools |
| C．has schools in nearly 200 countries |
| D．teaches people how to choose their courses |
Nothing evokes(唤起)Alaska like a whale exploding out of the water or an eagle pulling a silver fish from the river .Combine these images with high mountains，brilliant icebergs and wonderful meals and you really do have the Best of Alaska! Join us for an unforgettable 7-day excursion(远足)to the last frontier!
Highlights：
JUNEAU：Juneau, the state capital，is rich in culture and scenic beauty．It is here that we start and end our trip．
HAINES：Haines is a small community located along the fjords(海湾)．The natural beauty and expansive wilderness found here have made Haines a premier center for adventure in Alaska. ALASKA INDIAN ARTS：Alaska Indian Arts is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Native Tribes．We spend a few hours learning carving, native beading(玻璃珠)and culture from these master artists．
SKAGWAY：Skagway is a lively town，which still reflects its gold rush roots and contains colorful shops．In Skagway, we stop by the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitor's Center and ride the White Pass Yukon Route Railway．
GUSTAVUS：Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park．We’II stay at a comfortable lodge here for two nights．This will be the base for both the whale-watching excursion and a full day cruise in Glacier Bay．
DATES／PRICES：
May 15，June 17，July 16，August 14．
7 days—＄3500，including lodging，all meals，excursions，guides，park fees，sales taxes，and transportation between Juneau，Skagway, Haines，and Gustavus．Not included：Alcohol，personal items，airfare to and from Juneau．
Contact：
E-mail：info@alaskamountainguides．com
Call：800—766—3396
Write：Alaska Mountain Guides &Climbing School
P.O．Box 1081，Haines AK 99827According to the advertisement, the participants of the excursion_________．
| A．will spend one day experiencing the local culture at Alaska Indian Arts |
| B．can contact Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School by email or fax |
| C．are able to experience some adventurous activities in Haines |
| D．can get lots of traditional native artworks free of charge |
You can feel the history of the local place at______．
| A．Juneau | B．Skagway | C．Haines | D．Gustavus |
You can watch a whale exploding out of the water at______．
| A．Glacier Bay National Park |
| B．the Klondike Gold Rush National Park |
| C．the White Pass Yukon |
| D．the Northwest Native Tribes |
Which of the following is a participant required to pay additional fees?
| A．Going from Gustavus to Juneau by train． |
| B．A full day cruise in Glacier Bay． |
| C．Having the last supper at Juneau． |
| D．Flying from Juneau to his hometown． |
Humans aren’t the only ones getting a buzz from coffee．Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination(授粉)．According to a recent study published in the journal Science．
The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom．They found that the nectar(花蜜)of some flowers，such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants，as well as certain coffee flowers，contains low doses of caffeine．To get bees to feed on these flowers，the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers．They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine．After 24 hours，the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants．
Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers．“Remembering floral traits(花部特征)is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are，”Wright said in a statement．
Improved memory led to the better pollination．That’s because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate．This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees’ability to search for food．
Researchers found that caffeine’s effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals．“The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons(神经元)associated with learning and memory in the rat brain，”Wright said．
Bee populations have declining since 2007．The dramatic drop in the insects’numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry．Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species．Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers．Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
| A．Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain． |
| B． Bee population has been increasing． |
| C．The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine． |
| D．Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers． |
After reading the passage，John，who works in the farming industry, will probably feel________.
| A．annoyed | B．angry | C．nervous | D．excited |
Which of the following relationship is correct according to the passage?
| A．improved memory—caffeine nectar—better pollination |
| B．caffeine nectar—improved memory—better pollination |
| C．improved memory—better pollination—caffeine nectar |
| D．caffeine nectar—better pollination—improved memory |
What section of a newspaper may this passage be taken from?
| A．Science | B．Education |
| C．Culture | D．Sports |
Robots that can chat，find misplaced glasses，draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society．
Robots，such as the sound．sensitive Chapit，answer simple questions and even joke with people to help them fight loneliness and stay alert in old age．
Japan has one of the world’s fastest-ageing societies and the government predicts that by 2050 the proportion of people over 65 will reach 40 percent．”Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to，”said Kazuya Kitamura representative of the expo organizer．“Communication robots accompany people and don’t mind listening to the same stories over and over again．”
Matsumoto’s“Personal Mobility Robot，”equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user's centre of gravity, is designed to help elderly move around without pressing buttons．using joysticks(操纵杆)or rotating wheels as in traditional wheelchairs．
The robot can also help find misplaced glasses by identifying them with a sensor．
Other robots，such as the award-winning“DiGRO”can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children．The robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures，keeping children company while parents work．
While Chapit，a relatively simple robot，managed to attract a corporate partner many researchers，such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto，a professor at the University of Tokyo，struggle to attract sponsors for more expensive projects．
“We have developed a robot that can assist many people，but we still haven’t found a sponsor,”said Matsumoto，who added that the cost of the machine，if mass-produced，would be comparable to that of a car．”In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest in such a costly project，”he said．It can be inferred from the text that_______．
| A．many children lack love from parents |
| B．robots helpful to the old will be in great demand |
| C．robots are the most useful to children |
| D．robots do better than people in healthcare |
It is difficult to find sponsors for robots because______.
| A．Japan is suffering economy depression |
| B．the robots are of poor design |
| C．the production of robots costs a lot |
| D．the future market is worrying |
What is the author’s attitude towards the robots referred to?
| A．Unsatisfied． | B．Doubtful． |
| C．Favorable． | D．Regretful． |
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