After too long on the Net, even a phone call can be a shock. My boyfriend’s Liverpudlian accent suddenly becomes too difficult to understand after his clear words on screen; a secretary’s tone seems more rejecting than I’d imagined it would be. Time itself becomes fluid—hours become minutes, and alternately seconds stretch into days. Weekends, once a highlight of my week, are now just two ordinary days.
For the last three years, since I stopped working as a producer for Charlie Rose, I have done much of my work as a tele-commuter. I submit（提交） articles and edit them by E-mail and communicate with colleagues on Internet mailing lists. My boyfriend lives in England; so much of our relationship is computer-mediated.
If I desired, I could stay inside for weeks without wanting anything. I can order food, and manage my money, love and work. In fact, at times I have spent as long as three weeks alone at home, going out only to get mail and buy newspapers and groceries. I watched most of the blizzard(暴风雪) of ’96 on TV.
But after a while, life itself begins to feel unreal. I start to feel as though I’ve merged（融合） with my machines, taking data in, spitting them back out, just another node（波节） on the Net. Others on line report the same symptoms. We start to strongly dislike the outside forms of socializing. It’s like attending an A. A. meeting in a bar with everyone holding a half-sipped drink. We have become the Net opponents’ worst nightmare.
What first seemed like a luxury, crawling from bed to computer, not worrying about hair, and clothes and face, has become an avoidance（逃避），a lack of discipline. And once you start replacing real human contact with cyber interaction, coming back out of the cave can be quite difficult.
At times, I turn on the television and just leave it to chatter in the background, something that I’d never done previously. The voices of the programs relax me, but then I’m jarred by the commercials. I find myself sucked in by soap operas, or needing to keep up with the latest news and the weather. “Dateline”, “Frontline” , “Nightline,” CNN, every possible angle of every story over and over and over, even when they are of no possible use to me. Work moves from foreground to background.Compared to the clear words of her boyfriend on screen, his accent becomes______.
| A．unreal | B．unbearable |
| C．misleading | D．not understandable |
The passage implies that the author and her boyfriend live in______.
| A．the same city | B．the same country |
| C．different countries | D．different cities in England |
What does the last paragraph mean?
| A．Having worked on the computer for too long, she became a bit strange. |
| B．Sometimes TV programs give her comfort and even makes her forget her work. |
| C．She watches TV a lot in order to keep up with the latest news and the weather. |
| D．She turns on TV now and then in order to get some valuable information. |
What is the author’s attitude to the computer?
| A．At first she likes it but later becomes tired of it. |
| B．She likes it because it is very convenient. |
| C．She dislikes it because TV is more attractive. |
| D．She likes it because it provides an imaginary world. |
The underlined phrase “coming back out of the cave” probably means______.
| A．going back to the dreaming world |
| B．coming back home from the outside world |
| C．bringing back direct human contact |
| D．getting away from living a strange life |
C
Nowadays, people in China are increasingly interested in celebrating foreign festivals, especially those western festivals.
A survey conducted recently by sina. com. showed that among the 18,222 people surveyed 63.90% said celebrating Christmas is just another way of recreation, nothing serious while 17.85% surveyed considered the festival as a fashion act, showing they were not "out". These two parts clearly indicate the general opinion of the young. 10.45% people involved said the celebration of a religious western festival with so much enthusiasm is absolutely ridiculous pursuit of foreign goodness. Only 7.80% of people define Christmas as a kind of festival colonization(殖民）.
The arising of celebrating foreign festivals clearly has something to do with the advancement of China's economy. In my point of view, Christmas and other festivals celebrated in China have difference from the origin. They have lost their religious background and turned into a big occasion to have fun and enjoy life. Shop owners' pockets are filled, the public's hunger for happiness is filled, and that is enough. Foreign festivals in China are more like carnivals giving people pleasure and enjoyment.
The crisis(危机)of traditional Chinese festivals that are losing their attraction may be linked to the culture tradition and background of the festivals. Most Chinese festival culture is related more or less with real life. "The country is based on its people while the people are relied on their food".
But the western culture shows much of romance. Some festivals have their religious background while others have much to do with culture and people. At this point, food seems to be too plain. Flowers and chocolates are more welcomed.
Foreign festivals in China today are celebrated for fun.They give people opportunities to relax and celebrate,to show appreciation and gratefulness.The acceptance of foreign festivals generally depends on the openness of the public, the familiarity with the western culture, and most importantly,on people's economic status.
69. From the survey we know that among the people surveyed ______.
A. most think celebrating foreign festivals is ridiculous
B. many fear that traditional Chinese festivals will disappear soon
C. some think that celebrating foreign festivals is a sign of foreign goodness chasing
D. half think celebrating foreign festivals make people not go out of fashion
70. The writer thinks that foreign festivals celebrated in China ______.
A. have lost their religious background
B. are the same as those celebrated in the West
C. can give more fun than traditional Chinese festivals
D. may reduce the hunger of public people
81. What is the main difference between foreign festivals and traditional Chinese ones?
A. Foreign festivals can make Chinese shop owners' pockets full quickly.
B. The food at foreign festivals is too simple.
C. Chinese festivals always have something to do with culture.
D. Foreign festivals are romantic while traditional Chinese ones are connected with reality.
72. Which of the following may NOT be the reason why so many people accept foreign festivals?
A. People can relax themselves.
B. People can show their thanks to others.
C. Foreign festivals have longer histories than Chinese ones.
D. People have known more about the western culture.
B
If you want to take the whole family on holiday, and keep everybody happy, then I have found just the place for you. I recently went with a group of friends to stay at the Greenwood Holiday Village, which is open from May until October.
Built in the centre of a forest, Greenwood is a great place to stay whatever the weather is like. Its main attraction for families is the indoor World of Water, where young and old can have fun in the different pools. Some of these, however, are for serious swimmers only.
For sporty people, the Country Club offers tennis, squash and badminton. If your children are too young to join in these sports, there are activity clubs. Greenwood is a good place for families as it is traffic-free-you explore on foot or by bike. Some people complained that this was inconvenient, but I was pleased to be out in the fresh air. For evening entertainment, there are shows and cinemas.
Accommodation is in a variety of apartments of different sizes. These have up to four bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom, as well as a dining area. Before going, I thought the apartments might not be big enough for all of us, but I was pleasantly surprised ― it was not too crowded at all.
I'll definitely go back to Greenwood next year. Why don't you give it a try? Visit their website for further information now!
65. From the text, the reader can find out ______.
A. the best way to get to the holiday village
B. the best time of year to visit the holiday village
C. what activities are available at the holiday village
D. how to reserve accommodation at the holiday village
66. What does the writer think about the holiday village?
A. The apartments there are not big enough.
B. It is not convenient because you cannot use your car.
C. It can only be enjoyed in good weather.
D. There is something there for all ages.
67. Which of the following statements about the apartments is TRUE?
A. There is not much space between them. B. Each one has its own bathroom.
C. They all have four bedrooms. D. Not all of them have dining areas.
68. Which postcard would somebody send from the holiday village?
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分,满分40分）
阅读下列短文,从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
On November 8,all flags in Finland were flown at half-mast(半旗). People were showing their respect to the victims of a high school tragedy. The day before, an 18-year-old boy opened fire at his high school, killing seven other students and the principal before ending his own life.
The first school shooting in Finland since 1989 stunned the nation where gun crime is rare and people enjoy a high standard of living. While the police are busy searching for the killer's motives, another issue is creating debate in the North European country - the right to carry a gun.
Finland is one of a few developed Western countries that allow private possession of guns. The right to bear arms is deeply rooted in Finnish culture. Anyone older than 15 can buy a gun from certain shops, and gun clubs are popular places to hang out. The high school shooter was a member of the Helsinki Shooting Club, which has 1,500 members.
Descendants (子孙) of hunters, Finns have survived by hunting and fishing for thousands of years. But today hunting is just done for entertainment. And its land, half of which is covered by forest, provides an ideal site for hunting.
In Finland, there are about 56 guns for every 100 people. That figure is higher than any other country in the world except for the United States and Yemen. In comparison with those two nations, however, Finland has largely avoided bloodshed caused by firearms, at least until last week. However, the recent event proved the need for stricter gun laws.
Petri Oinonen, a gun dealer, said the shooting did not surprise him. "It was only a question of when this was going to happen, not if it was going to happen."
61. The underlined word "stunned " in paragraph 2 probably means ______.
A. shocked B. excited C. announced D. stopped
62. Which of the following statements is NOT true about Finland?
A. There was a school shooting in Finland in 1989.
B. Finland has much bloodshed caused by firearms.
C. The ancestors of Finnish people are mainly hunters.
D. Finland has the world's third rate of gun ownership.
63. According to Petri Oinonen, we can learn _______.
A. the school shooting was really an unexpected event to him
B. Finnish people were asking the question when this would happen again
C. a disaster like this was sure to happen because of loose gun laws
D. nobody knew whether this was going to happen again
64. What would be the best title for the text?
A. School shooting: A disaster! B. Finns, think again about gun possession!
C. Finland, a danger to the world! D. Finns, protect yourselves!
E
Doctors say anger can be an extremely damaging emotion, unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that anger can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer. Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time. Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, and scream and yell. But other people keep their anger inside. They can not or will not express it. This is called repressing anger.
For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person's health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain releases the same hormones (荷尔蒙).They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood, etc．In general the person feels excited and ready to act.
Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep their anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.
Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger. They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, then decide if the cause is serious enough to get angry about. If it is, they say, “Do not express your anger while angry. Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably.”
Doctors say that a good way to deal with anger is to find humor in the situation that has made you angry. They said that laughter is much healthier than anger.
72． “Damaging emotion” means that _________. A．the emotion is harmless B．the emotion is harmful C．the feeling is very strong D．the feeling is hard
73. What statement is right?
A．Were you angry, you would be cancered (得癌症).
B．Once you are angry, you must be cancered.
C．Angry as you are often, you can't be cancered,
D．Anger may cause you a cancer.
74. Expressing anger violently _________ repressing it according to some scientists.
A．is just the same as B．is more harmful than
C．is no better than D．is much better than
75．According to the author, you'd better _________.
A．never be angry
B．cool it down before you express it
C．laugh and laugh when you get angry
D．admit you are wrong when you are angry
D
Eight-year-old Bethany and seven-year-old Eliza are having a great time jumping around in the orchard of their home in a village near Penrith. They can play any time they like because they don't go to school. Instead, they are educated at home by their parents, Paul and Veronika Robinson. But they don't have lessons, have never used a timetable and learn only what and when they want to learn.
"I want my kids to have freedom in their childhood, not spend it in an institution," says 37-year-old Veronika, "School is all about control and following the rules." Veronika and her 56-year-old husband Paul have never experienced the daily rush to get dressed and out of the door that is common in most households with school-aged children. "We get up at our leisure - usually around 8:30," says Veronika. "We might visit a friend, or go to the library, and on Tuesdays we shop at the market. In summer, we spend most of our time outside and the girls entertain themselves a lot."
New research due to be published this spring reveals a very different picture of Britain's home educators. "Out of 297 families, 184 said that they never use a timetable," says Mike Fortune-Wood of Home Education UK. "Ninety per cent never or rarely use textbooks, and nearly all said that happiness, contentment and self-fulfillment were more important than academic achievement. Only 15% felt that planning what to learn was crucial."
So far, so good. But what, you might ask, are the children actually learning?
"It wasn't important to me that the girls could read by a certain age, but they both picked it up for themselves at around seven," says Robinson. "Weighing cooking ingredients uses maths, and making a shopping list teaches them to write. Observing five hens has taught the girls about survival of the fittest. "
But what about when the children grow up? Can they go to university? The home educators' answer is they can if they want to. There are a variety of routes into higher education, but probably the most common is to join a local college. This is what Gus Harris-Reid has done. "I was educated at home all my life. I'd never had a lesson or been inside a classroom until I started GCSEs," says the 18-year-old. "I'm now studying for 4 A-levels at Exeter College. I've had no problem with the work or with fitting in." When asked to reflect on his experience of home education, his considered response is, "Like a permanent holiday, really!" Not a bad start for someone who plans to take a mechanical engineering degree next year.
67. What is the topic of this article?
A. New ways of learning to read and write B. Problems with UK schools
C. Home education in the UK D. Wild, undisciplined children
68. Why do the Robinsons not send their children to school?
A. They think schools control children too much.
B. They do not like the courses taught in schools.
C. They want to teach their children farming skills.
D. They live in a remote area where there are no schools.
69. According to the article, in homes with school-going children, ______.
A. mornings are rushed and stressful.
B. the children hardly ever go outside.
C. the family wakes up around 8:30am.
D. the children must ask permission to go to the toilet.
70. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Most home educators believe that happiness is more important than good grades.
B. Most home educators believe that planning is important.
C. Most home educators do not follow a timetable or use textbooks.
D. Most home educators are not worried about when their children learn to read and write.
71. What does the article say about home-educated children getting into university?
A. They learn so many useful skills at home that universities are happy to accept them.
B. They can get into university if they have 4 A-levels.
C. They can go to school later and get the qualifications they need in order to enter university.
D. Home education is so relaxed that they are likely to experience problems when faced with the pressures of a degree course.
粤公网安备 44130202000953号