PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A,B,C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
Building after building under water．Refugees in shelters．Thousands of others unsure where to go．Bodies in streets．This is what one of America's historic cities was reduced to this week by a powerful storm, Katrina．The mayor of New Orleans says thousands may be dead．Hurricane Katrina also caused death and destruction in parts of Mississippi and Alabama along the Gulf of Mexico．
New Orleans is famous for its wild Mardi Gras celebrations．New Orleans is also a major port for foreign oil and other shipping trade．Yet the city of nearly five hundred thousand people was built below sea level．New Orleans has depended on levees to control floods from the Mississippi River．Katrina struck on Monday．New Orleans avoided a direct hit．But two of the levees failed the next day．Most of the city was flooded．Helicopters dropped huge sandbags to fill the breaks．But the water had no place to go．Pumping stations had no power．
America faces one of the worst natural events in its history．President Bush says the recovery will take years．People were told to leave the path of the storm．But some would not or could not．Many of those worst affected by Katrina are poor and black．African-American leaders and others were angry that government aid did not arrive faster．President Bush visited some of the damaged areas on Friday．He said the way officials reacted to the crisis was unacceptable．
56．Which is true of the following details about New Orleans?
A．New Orleans is a newly-built city of America
B．There were no black people in New Orleans．
C．This is the first time that hurricane has stricken it．
D．It’s a port for foreign oil and other shipping trade．
57．What does the underlined word “levees” (in the second paragraph) mean?
A．dams B． trees C．ports D．ships
58．Which is right about the Hurricane Katrina?
A．It also caused the destruction in parts of Mississippi．
B．A lot of people died in this disaster．
C．It cut off the electricity supply of the city．
D．All of the above is right．
59．What can we learn from the text?
A．President Bush was not concerned about this disaster．
B．The recovery of the city will take a few days．
C． In this city there were no pump stations．
D． In this disaster the government aid didn’t arrive in time．
60. What kind of attitude does the author have toward the government ?
A. appreciative B. optimistic C. depreciative D. humorous
Recently I spoke to some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had.
Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised to find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without “outside help”. “What kind of help is that?” I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a relative or family friend to help them out.
“Surgery(外科手术)”, one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job. One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. “They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it regrows, you can get at least 5cm taller!”
At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can’t deny that, but I don’t think I would put myself through months of agony(痛苦) just to be a few centimeters taller. I don’t even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I’m not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall!
It seems to me that there is a trend toward wanting “perfection”, and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality.
No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that “perfection” is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his chosen career.We can know from the passage that the author works as ______.
| A．a doctor | B．a model | C．a teacher | D．a reporter |
Many graduates today turn to cosmetic surgery to______.
| A．marry a better man or woman |
| B．become a model |
| C．get an advantage over others in job-hunt |
| D．attract more admirers |
According to the passage, the author believes that ______.
| A．everyone should pursue perfection, whatever the cost is |
| B．it’s right for graduates to ask for others to help them out in hunting for jobs |
| C．media are to blame for misleading young people in their seeking for surgery |
| D．it is one’s appearance instead of skills that really matters in one’s career |
What does the author think of his height?
| A．He hates to be called a short man. |
| B．He tries to increase his height through surgery. |
| C．He always wears shoes with thick soles to hide the fact. |
| D．He just accepts it as it is |
Long ago in a small town, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.
When he arrived, he bounced(跳) happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “ This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit often.”
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, “This is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again.”
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see on the faces of the people you meet? Why was the first dog surprised when he entered the house?
| A．Because he didn’t expect to see so many happy dogs. |
| B．Because he didn’t know there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| C．Because he was always in a mixed mood. |
| D．Because he saw so many dogs smiling at him. |
Why did the first dog like the house?
| A．Because there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| B．Because he thought he could keep himself warm in the house. |
| C．Because he liked everything presented to him. |
| D．Because he felt he was welcome here. |
The underlined word “ growled” probably means ______.
| A．make an unfriendly noise | B．smile | C．say hello | D．stare |
Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．A Small Happy Little Dog | B．The House of 1,000 Mirrors |
| C．The Wonderful Place and the Horrible Place. | D．Two Little Dogs |
It’s really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.
But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo – Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.
On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby’s father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.
The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. “A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it’s entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology,” said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is “marketing at the cost of lives” and “extremely despicable.”
Worse was the post on Hyundai’s official Weibo account that advertised the anti – theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.
Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.
The two brands probably didn’t expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.
The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language – a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.
For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.
Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man.Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage________?
| A．The baby’s father | B．Buick and Hyundai dealership |
| C．Weibo | D．Not clear |
Which of the following statements is correct________?
| A．The missing infant was found alive in the stolen car. |
| B．Micro blog marketing of tragic infant death fuels firestorm of criticism. |
| C．People can’t see the two posts any more because they were deleted. |
| D．The two car brands mentioned in the passage spoiled their own reputation by selling the stolen car. |
What does the underlined word – “despicable” in paragraph 4 mean________?
| A．Immoral | B．Important | C．Distinguished | D．Considerable |
The reason why Hyundai’s post was worse than Buick’s is that _________.
| A．Hyundai dealership didn’t make an apology on Weibo |
| B．Buick dealership expressed its deeply sympathy and condolences |
| C．Hyundai’s post was made after people knew the infant had died |
| D．Buick’s car was more advanced on its GPS system |
In the last paragraph, the author encourages people __________.
| A．not to sink below the moral bottom line |
| B．not to sympathize our fellow man |
| C．to think twice before making decision |
| D．to magnify the mistakes people make |
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10∶30－16∶00.
Excellent pay.
Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level, we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 2445 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of ￡15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV (简历) to Mrs R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
| A．Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. | B．Mrs Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. |
| C．The Enterprise Shopping Centre. | D．Wealden District Council. |
We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who________.
| A．is aged between 24 and 40 | B．can work for about a month |
| C．should deal with general duties | D．may do some training work |
Which position is open to recent school graduates_______?
| A．Producer, London Kiss. | B．Father Christmas. |
| C．Accountants Assistant. | D．Software Trainer. |
What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited________?
| A．One with GCSE grade C level. |
| B．One with some office experience. |
| C．One having good computer knowledge. |
| D．One trained in producing music programmes. |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE________?
| A．You can apply for Software Trainer by calling Mrs. R Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. |
| B．To be a producer of London Kiss 100FM, you just need music production experience. |
| C．Revenue Administration Unit prefers school leavers to those who have office experience. |
| D．You will get good pay if you are employed as Father Christmas. |
American author Mark Twain once noted that “life would be surely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.” Twain’s words were only one of many complaints about aging. The ancient Greek poet Homer called old age “hateful”, and William Shakespeare termed it “terrible winter”.
Alexander the Great, who conquered most of the known world before he died around 323 B.C., may have been looking for a river that healed the ravages of age. During the 12th century A.D., a king called Prester John ruled a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth.
But the name linked most closely to the search for a fountain of youth is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. He thought it would be found in Florida. In St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S., there’s a tourist attraction. It is said to be the fountain of youth that Ponce de Leon discovered soon after he arrived in what is now Florida in 1513. However, elderly visitors who drink the spring’s water don’t turn into teenagers.
But the tale of the search for a fountain of youth is so appealing that it survives anyway, says Ryan K. Smith, a professor of history. “People are more attracted by the story of looking and not finding than they are by the idea that the fountain might be out there somewhere.”
Still, a few grains of truth have helped to support the story. Kathleen Deagan, a professor of archaeology, says a graveyard and the remains of a Spanish mission dating back to St. Augustine’s founding in 1565 have been discovered near the so-called fountain of youth. Michelle Reyna, a spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, says the fountain has been a tourist attraction since at least 1901 and may have been attracting visitors since 1860. According to the passage, who searched for a fountain of youth_________?
| A．Ponce de Leon | B．William Shakespeare. |
| C．Kathleen Deagan | D．Michelle Reyna |
What does the underlined word “ravages” in the second paragraph probably mean_______?
| A．Growth | B．Limits | C．Damages | D．Benefits |
What is the attitude of people towards the fountain of youth________?
| A．People find much pleasure in looking for it. |
| B．People believe the existence of it somewhere. |
| C．People have no interest in searching for it. |
| D．People consider the idea of the fountain of youth absurd. |
The passage mainly tells us ________.
| A．how the fountain of youth came into being |
| B．why some famous people hate becoming old |
| C．how to remain young forever |
| D．whether the fountain of youth exists |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage_________?
| A．The underlined words “the story” refers to Alexander the Great ruling a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth. |
| B．Augustine, which is the oldest city in the U.S, lies in Florida. |
| C．Some elderly visitors find themselves younger after drinking the water from the fountain of youth. |
| D．Kathleen Deagan is the spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. |
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