My mother is the only living person who has never communicated via email or text. She has never turned on a computer, registered an email account, used data storage media or searched the Internet. Since 1955, she has settled in Silicon Valley, married to an extremely technical specialist in applied physics and engineering, designing photometric systems for NASA. Only when Dad suffered from cancer could we convince her she needed a cell phone. Mom’s being separated from the information age is voluntary and deliberate.
Mom is still that farm girl, and she takes the most pride in it. She sees her neighbor and her community “real”. She shows no interest in the digital and virtual life. My mother saw Depression, World War II and the beginning of the Cold War before reaching voting age. She enjoyed country music on “The Sons of the Pioneers”, a Canadian broadcast. The battery was so precious a resource that radio was limited to the barn because Grandma thought it helped cows produce milk. In the age when Churchill moved millions for the first time with radio broadcasts, she only experienced live media monthly, if at all.
In her early twenties, Mom completed nurses’ training and worked in that field before marriage, family and church became her life’s concerns. She never really warmed up to television, though I think she appreciated a few of the series we watched, comedies like All in the Family. Computers, the Internet and mobile apps are simply not part of her experience.
Mom disagrees with the opinion that technology simplifies life. In her life, she sees online records, email and paperless systems as mysteries in which no written reference can assist her.
However, I can partly understand: I like such kind of experience and relationship one has with physical books. I am a child of television who only recently switched to online viewing. I’ve written down my awkward, love-hate relationship with my devices. Mom’s technophobia surely played a role here, but it works for her. She’s happiest as she is.The author’s mother began to use mobile phone when .
| A．she found it hard to contact with her husband |
| B．she settled in Silicon Valley for fifty years |
| C．she got marred to a technical specialist |
| D．her husband suffered from cancer |
What is the author’s mother most proud of according to the passage?
| A．Having so many close neighbors. |
| B．Experiencing too much all her life. |
| C．Living simply and in her own style. |
| D．Being involved in modern technology. |
What is the author’s attitude towards his mother’s such kind of experience?
| A．Critical. | B．Positive. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Negative. |
It is implied in the underlined sentence that .
| A．the author should make efforts to learn from his mother |
| B．the author prefers watching movies online to watching TV |
| C．Mom’s attitude towards technology has an effect on the author |
| D．Mom should also set down the relationship with physical books |
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Food is life. It gives us the nourishment we need to stay alive and be healthy. Usually, we eat because we are hungry or need energy. Brian Wansink, a professor at the University of Illinois, says we also eat certain foods because they make us feel good, and remind us of happy memories. Wansink calls this kind of food comfort food. For some people, ice cream is a comfort food. For others, a bowl of noodle soup makes them feel good.
How does a food become comfort food? Professor Wansink believes that we connect food with important times, feelings, and people in our lives. “ When I was a child, my mother made a delicious soup ; I loved it. Now, I often eat this soup when I am tired or worried, and it helps me feel better, ” says one of Wansink’s coworkers.
Do men and women choose different comfort foods? Wansink’s research at the University of Illinois says “yes.” In his study, the favorite comfort food for both men and women was ice cream. After this, men usually preferred hot, savory foods like soup or noodles. Women liked sweet things such as chocolate and cookies. Men and women like to eat comfort foods when they are happy, but women eat these foods more when they are sad or worried.
Not all comfort food is junk (垃圾) food. About 40 percent of the comfort foods in Wansink’s study were healthy main dishes or soups and vegetables. It shows, says Wansink, that a comfort food can taste good and be good for you.
54．The best title for the passage would be .
A．How to Feel Good B．How to Keep Healthy
C．Healthy Foods Make You Feel Good D．Comfort Foods Make You Feel Good
55．Which of the following is the favorite comfort food for men?
A．soup B．ice cream C．noodles D．cookies
56．We can infer from the passage that .
A．your feeling is connected with what you eat
B．your feeling has nothing to do with what you eat
C．you will feel good if you have noodles
D．you will feel good if you have chocolate
57．The research done by Brian Wansink shows that .
A．all comfort foods are good for health
B．all comfort foods have bad effects on health
C．women choose the same comfort foods as men
D．women eat more comfort foods when unhappy
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When Cathleen Gardiner’s twins were born 17 years ago, doctors told her that they were a pair in a million. One had Down syndrome(低能综合症), while the other did not. Here, Cathleen tells their touching story.
Since Sean was born 17 years ago, I have always thought that he is just as wonderful as his brother and sister. Though he had a disability(残疾), we have never viewed him as a burden. He has always been a blessing. The doctors explained that though they were twins, they came from two different eggs. Lisa could walk at 11 months old, while Sean didn’t take his first steps till he was three. By two, Lisa was talking a lot, but Sean wasn’t able to speak until he was nearly four.
For the first five years of his life, Sean needed a great deal of care. Looking after him was my full-time job, though I also worked as a technical adviser in a computing company. We never treated them differently. We gave them the same toys and spoke to them in the same way. We encouraged Sean to keep up with Lisa, even though he never could, and we would help him develop his abilities. We sent them to the same primary school even after doctors advised us that Sean should go to a school for the disabled.
We had to explain to Lisa that he wouldn’t learn as quickly as she would. She told us that she’d help him with his school work. Having a non-disabled twin has really helped Sean develop. The love they share has given him a great deal of support. Now Sean and Lisa are both about to finish high school. I don’t think he would have done nearly as well today without Lisa’s help.
50. At least how many children does Mrs. Gardiner have?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. One.
51. Mrs. Gardiner and her husband regarded Sean as _______.
A. a boy making others touched
B. a normal child without disabilities
C. a special gift
D. a burden of their family
52. The third paragraph mainly tells us that _______.
A. the couple treated the twins equally
B. Cathleen did all she could to look after Sean
C. the couple didn’t follow the doctor’s advice
D. the couple encouraged Sean to grow up
53. This passage tells us that _________.
A. love can do wonders
B. nobody is foolish or clever
C. being stupid doesn’t matter
D. all men are born equal
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第二部分：阅读理解（共25小题，每题2分，满分50分）
第一节选择题（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Getting around in Canada is fairly easy. Most cities have urban transportation systems, including buses, streetcars, and trains, and some of the larger cities also have subways. You can board these systems at regular stops along their routes. Some let you pay with cash while others require tickets. If you don’t have a ticket for the bus, you must pay with the correct amount of money. This is because the driver does not carry any change. If you plan to stay in a city for a long time, you may want to buy a monthly pass or a package of tickets to save money. You can buy subway tickets at any subway station.
If you have to take several buses or subways for a single trip, you do not need to pay money each time. Simply ask the driver for a transfer (换乘) ticket, or take one from the machines on the subway platform.
If you are not sure where to board the bus or the streetcar, just ask someone or follow the crowd. People can usually only board at the front of the bus where you show your pass to the driver. When using public transportation, Canadians line up. First come, first serve, is a common approach to many activities in Canada, and it is considered to be extremely rude to cut in any line.
Maps of routes and schedules are usually available from the public transit (运输) company in your area, and there is also a telephone information line. You may ask someone for the name of the transit company in your area, and then look it up in the telephone book.
46. What is this passage mainly about?
A. How to use public transportation in Canada.
B. How to save money when traveling.
C. Where to find subways in larger cities.
D. How public transit companies work.
47. If you pay the bus fare in cash, _____.
A. you may be given some change
B. you can exchange money with the driver
C. it might cost you a little more
D. you must have the exact amount of money
48. By buying a monthly pass or a package of tickets, you can ______.
A. take a bus whenever you want B. go wherever you like
C. save money D. find comfortable seats
49. If you have to change subway lines on a single trip, _____.
A. you have to pay each time
B. you should buy another ticket from the machine
C. you must ask for the driver’s permission
D. you just need to pay once
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Compulsive（强迫的）shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their wild shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the “shop-till-you-drop” habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them distress (苦恼).
“It becomes a problem when you are out of control,” psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. “When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop.” Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.
Compulsive shopping was first discovered in 1915, although it was then known as monomania. Few studies have been done on the problem.
An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is “clearly not rare”. He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. “As psychologists we are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties,” Mr. Wilson said.
Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. “Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better,” he said. “You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problems and are very sensitive to short-term benefits,” he said.
The aim of the treatment was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.
“You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems connected with what’s making you feel that way,” Mr. Wilson said.
67. What is this article mostly about?
A. Signs of compulsive shopping. B. Studies of compulsive shopping.
C. comparison of compulsive shopping and compulsive eating.
D. An experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson.
68. The underlined word“it”in the first paragraph most probably refers to ______.
A. compulsive eating B. a new psychological excuse
C. the study done by Blampied D. the behavior of wild shopping
69. Which of the following is considered important in treating compulsive shoppers?
A. Teaching them to manage their money better.
B. Teaching them to understand their emotions.
C. Persuading them not to draw money from the bank.
D. Treating them with right drugs.
70. When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they ______.
A. feel distressed after their wild shopping
B. feel better after treatment from psychologists
C. are better able to deal with stress problems
D. have a feeling of excitement after shopping
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Suppose you want to bring home a new cat and are looking for a way to really make it feel at home. Actually, all you need to do is buy some nice cat furniture and have it in place by the time you bring it into your home.
The first thing that you should prepare is a cat house. Two to three feet off the ground is the best height. If you don’t have enough room for a cat house, a cat bed is also a nice choice.
Once you have a nice spot where your cat can go to feel safe, then it’s time to get cat furniture that offers your pet a nice place to play. One nice choice is cat trees. Scratching posts (猫抓板) are another great idea if you are short on space, but still want to give your cat a nice place where it can claw (抓) at instead of your own furniture.
If you’re looking for a great way to shop for cat furniture, simply turn on your computer and do some online shopping. In no time will you be able to browse (浏览) all the offerings from many online stores. What’s great is that you can easily compare products and their prices, so you can get what you want at the best possible price. And, probably the nicest thing about online shopping is that your purchases may be shipped right to you, so you don’t have to waste time making a trip to the store.
So, if you have brought a new cat into your home, make sure that home is an inviting one by buying some new cat furniture. Without it, your cat might feel lost and unsafe, which you definitely do not want to happen.
63. What should you do first before you bring a cat home?
A. Buy a cat house and some cat furniture.
B. Find a proper place for the cat to sleep.
C. Learn how to take care of the cat.
D. Know how to buy cat furniture online.
64. According to the author, the first concern for a cat house is __________.
A. its height B. its size C. its price D. safety
65. What is the best choice for your cat to play with if you have little room?
A. The cat bed. B. Scratching posts.
C. Your own furniture. D. Cat trees.
66. What is the author’s advice on shopping for cat furniture?
A. Compare products and their prices and get the cheapest ones.
B. Try to save time and money when you buy cat furniture.
C. Do some online shopping and get products with reasonable prices.
D. Buy furniture that can be shipped to you as quickly as possible.
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