【2015·湖北卷】E
Science has a lot of uses. It can uncover laws of nature, cure diseases, make bombs, and help bridges to stand up. Indeed science is so good at what it does that there’s always a temptation(诱惑) to drag it into problems where it may not be helpful. David Brooks, author of The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character,and Achievement, appears to be the latest in a long line of writers who have failed to resist the temptation.
Brooks gained fame for several books. His latest book The Social Animal, however, is more ambitious and serious than his earlier books. It is an attempt to deal with a set of weighty topics. The book focuses on big questions: What has science revealed about human nature? What are the sources of character? And why are some people happy and successful while others aren’t?
To answer these questions, Brooks surveys a wide range of disciplines（学科）. Considering this, you might expect the book to be a dry recitation of facts. But Brooks has structured his book in an unorthodox(非常规的), and perhaps unfortunate, way. Instead of introducing scientific theories, he tells a story, within which he tries to make his points, perhaps in order to keep the reader’s attention.So as Harold and Erica, the hero and heroine in his story, live through childhood, we hear about the science of child development and as they begin to date we hear about the theory of sexual attraction. Brooks carries this through to the death of one of his characters. On the whole,Brooks’s story is acceptable if uninspired. As one would expect, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed, for instance, the chapter in which Harold discovers how to think on his own. While Harold and Erica are certainly not strong or memorable characters, the more serious problems with The Social Animal lie elsewhere. These problems partly involve Brooks’s attempt to translate his tale into science.The author mentions the functions of science at the beginning of the passage to__________.
| A．illustrate where science can be applied |
| B．demonstrate the value of Brooks’s new book |
| C．remind the reader of the importance of science |
| D．explain why many writers use science in their works |
According to the author, which of the following could be a strength of the book?
| A．Its strong basis. |
| B．Its convincing points. |
| C．Its clear writing. |
| D．Its memorable characters. |
What is the author’s general attitude towards the book?
| A．Contradictory. |
| B．Supportive. |
| C．Cautious. |
| D．Critical. |
What is the author likely to write about after the last paragraph?
| A．Problems with the book. |
| B．Brooks’s life experience. |
| C．Death of the characters. |
| D．Brooks’s translation skills. |
April 11, 2003 12:44 a. m. PST, Associated Press
The respiratory(呼吸系统) virus known as SARS has appeared to spread in the United States only to family members of health workers with close contact to a sick person.
On Thursday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there might be a case of severe acute respiratory syndrome（综合症） spreading through the workplace.
Dr. Julie Gerberding said a suspected SARS virus patient who became ill after traveling to Asia might have infected a co-worker in Florida, which made her “very worried”.
So far, a dozen people—nine family members and three health workers—were infected after coming into close contact with the person with SARS. The rest of the 166 suspected American cases have something to do with people who were infected while traveling in Asia.
In the Gainesville, Fla. area, a 47-year-old woman was believed to have been infected at work by a 60-year-old woman who was the nation’s first suspected SARS case, said Tom Belcuore, director of the Alachua County health department.
Since the World Health Organization announced a worldwide warning last month about SARS, the United States has started infection control in hospitals and among families of suspected cases.
Florida officials said a school in Okaloosa County went through a cleaning after a 6-year-old boy suspected of having SARS appeared at school with slight symptoms. “Health officials are watching the boys’ contacts at school to make sure no one else is infected,” said Rob Hayes, health department spokesman, “The boy may have been infected from a family member,” Hayes said, “We immediately became aware of it and had the child sent home. He’s staying at home with his family until 10 days after symptoms disappear.”
The researchers guessed that the virus might have come from animals. However, the scientists have not ruled out the possibility that some other microbe might also help make SARS more serious or easier to catch.The best title for this text is _______.
| A．A Worldwide Warning |
| B．Suspected SARS Cases |
| C．What Is SARS |
| D．Possible Spread of SARS in the USA |
The writer wrote this text mainly to _______.
| A．discuss the danger of SARS |
| B．report research result about SARS |
| C．inform people of the spread of SARS |
| D．explain to the readers what SARS is |
How many cases of suspected SARS are there in the U.S.A. according to the text?
A. 166. B.178. C. 12. D. 181.
Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest city in the country.
The Centre Block is the main building on Parliament Hill (国会山). It is also the location of several ceremonial spaces, such as the Hall of Honor and the Memorial Chamber. The present Centre Block is the second iteration of the building，after the first was destroyed by fire in
1916，and it is one of the most recognizable buildings in Canada.
Downtown Ottawa is the commercial and economic centre of the city. Most of the buildings are office towers. While most of Ottawa’s high tech industry is based elsewhere, it has a significant presence in the downtown core. The downtown also contains a number of apartments, hotels, and the older single family homes and townhouses along its edges.
The National Gallery of Canada is one of Canada’s premier art galleries. The Gallery has a large and varied collection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and photographs. Although its focus is on Canadian art, it also holds works by some noted American and European artists.
The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. At the very beginning，the purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communication route between Montreal and the British naval base in Kingston. It remains in use today primarily for pleasure boating, with most of its original structures undamaged. The locks on the system open for navigation in mid-May and close in mid-October. What does "iteration" probably mean in the 2nd paragraph? _____.
| A．repair | B．copy | C．design | D．landmark |
In the core of Downtown Ottawa, we could see _____.
| A．a large number of tall towers |
| B．a number of apartments and hotels |
| C．head offices of Ottawa’s high tech industry |
| D．the older single family homes and townhouses |
Collections in the National Gallery of Canada are mainly _____.
| A．paintings and drawings |
| B．sculpture and photographs |
| C．artwork by Americans and European |
| D．works by Canadian artists |
Which of the following is true about the Rideau Canal? _____.
| A．It was originally for the military purpose |
| B．It is the oldest canal system in North America |
| C．The original structures remain never changed |
| D．People can only go boating from May to October |
An Israeli law banning too skinny models went into effect with the start of 2013. The law, approved last March in Israel, requires models to prove they have maintained a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 18.5 for three months before a fashion show. That means a woman who is 5'8'' tall can weigh no less than 119 pounds.
“This law is another step in the war against eating disorders,” said physician Adatto. “Underweight models,” he explained, “can no longer serve as role models for innocent young people who copy their false image of being skinny.”
But some critics in this country say it is misguided, focusing on weight instead of health. They also say the Israeli ban is bound to fail because of the strong power of the fashion industry. “I think it’s an approach that isn’t going to work.” Said eating disorder expert Susan Ice, who worked with an organization which creates a healthy working environment for models.
But Adatto told the reporter that he began to concern the issue after meeting an ambitious model who looked like she needed to be hospitalized. He said. “I realized that only legislation can change the situation. There was no time to waste, so many girls were dieting to death.”
However, the efforts to regulate models’ weight in Spain and Italy have not resulted in significant changes in part because of difficulties in determining reliable methods of measuring weight and health.
Still, folks including Ice say there’s no denying that images from Hollywood and the fashion industry can be difficult for young women to deal with. “Certainly I don't believe the modeling industry has caused the rise in eating disorders, but it makes it harder,” she says. “It’s a difficult recovery environment, worshiping thinness as the beauty ideal.”What does BMI in the first paragraph refer to?
| A．A new show held by those skinny models. |
| B．A worldwide prize for the healthiest model. |
| C．A measure of body health based on height and weight. |
| D．A kind of medicine to cure eating disorders. |
One benefit the new Israeli law may bring is ________.
| A．to change the working conditions of models |
| B．to prevent models from suffering from eating disorders |
| C．to lower the chance of skinny models’ death |
| D．to provide guidance for women worshiping thinness |
In the opinion of the critics, the law won’t succeed because .
| A．the fashion industry is much too influential |
| B．it misleads young women to form a bad eating habit |
| C．it doesn’t provide a proper approach that can work well |
| D．it doesn’t create a healthy working environment for models |
According to the passage, the new Israeli law banning skinny models is .
| A．practical | B．acceptable | C．reasonable | D．controversial |
For many businessmen online education has been a dream．Now it has come true．The investment （投资） in higher education, whether financial or in terms of time, has long been impossible for many of them．But well-known educational institutions have chosen to deliver an internet-based program, and these barriers(障碍) have been lifted．
That is good news for people eager to improve themselves and is more attractive to employers．It is also a benefit to industry with better qualified candidates（候选人） applying for jobs at every level．
Having the benefits of a higher qualification（资格） without going to the university campus is attractive to many students．Campus study means greater cost, while online programs are flexible and save time, whether at home or at work．Students can achieve their degrees without causing too much disruption to their career or home life．
In addition to affordable, flexible（灵活） classes and greater convenience, students also have access to the online learning resources of many of the world’s top educational institutions．They can also communicate with their tutors no matter what time it is or whether either party is away for any reason．
This has opened up the possibility of getting a qualification from a university or college that many students could only have dreamed of in the past．It also allows specialists to get the precise qualifications and focus on their studies．As well as seeing the increase of applicants from lower-incomes and housewives, studying online in the US is even becoming popular with younger people of college age．
Employers have become increasingly welcome and positive to online qualifications as more candidates earn them, especially if they’re properly approved by the US Department of Education．
US institutions have led the way in online education provision（供给）．Many top US colleges and universities offer a range of online programs that are highly respected and in every way perfectly fit for adults who need to combine their studies with a working life．According to Paragraph 1, many US colleges and universities ______．
| A．have begun to lift the barriers to financial investment |
| B．have begun to run an internet-based program |
| C．have had a dream of offering online education |
| D．have gained financial investment |
Why do people choose online education?
| A．They can find jobs more easily than on-campus graduates． |
| B．They can get qualifications from US Department of Education． |
| C．They can save money and arrange their time and courses freely． |
| D．They can invest money in different courses provided online． |
The underlined word “disruption” in the third paragraph probably mean ______．
| A．dissatisfaction | B．attention | C．attraction | D．interruption |
Which would be a good title for the passage?
| A．Adult Education Online |
| B．Online Education Taking the Place of Campus Education |
| C．Top US Universities Offering Online Education |
| D．The Best of USA’s Online Education |
Like any good mother,when Karen found out that another baby was on the way,she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son,Michael,prepare for a new baby.Day after day,night after night,Michael sang to his mommy’s tummy(肚子).
Finally,Michael’s little sister was born.But she was in serious condition.With sirens (警报) howling in the night,the ambulance rushed the baby to St.Mary’s Hospital.The days inched by.The little girl became worse.The pediatric(儿科的) specialist told the parents to prepare for the worst.
Michael kept begging about singing to his sister,but kids are not allowed in pediatric department at St.Mary’s Hospital.Karen made up her mind to take Michael to see his sister.She dressed him in an oversized suit and marched him into the hospital.He looked like a walking laundry basket,but the head nurse recognized him as a child and shouted,“Get that kid out of here now!”Karen rose up strong,and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed into the head nurse’s face.“He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!”
Karen towed （拖行）Michael to his sister’s bedside.He gazed at the tiny baby losing the battle to live.And he began to sing.In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old,Michael sang,“You are my sunshine,my only sunshine.You make me happy when skies are grey.”At once the baby girl responded.Her pulse(脉搏) rate became calm and steady.Her strained breathing became smoother.
“Keep on singing,Michael.”“The other night,dear,as I lay sleeping,I dreamed I help you in my arms…”Michael’s little sister relaxed as healing rest seemed to sweep over her.“Keep on singin,Michael.”Tears conquered the face of the nurse.“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.Please don’t take my sunshine away.”
The next day—the very next day—the little girl was well enough to go home!Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．It’s Hard to Raise a Baby | B．The Miracle of a Brother’s Song |
| C．Mother’s Love | D．An Unforgettable Day |
From Karen’s action in the first paragraph we know that .
| A．mothers often pay much attention to their newly-born babies |
| B．mothers often tell their children how to look after their younger brothers or sisters |
| C．it is good for children to learn to sing songs to babies |
| D．it often takes some time for a child to accept his/her newly-born brother or sister |
When did Michael’s sister go home?
A three days later B.after two weeks C.after one year D the very next day Which words can describe Michael?
| A．Naughty and annoying. | B．Strong and brave. |
| C．Active and careless. | D．Concerned and determined. |
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