B
The Sieferts are the kind of environmentally conscious family who has solar panels atop their home. They use timers on their kids' showers and have planted drought-tolerant landscaping. But they feel kind of guilt. “I haven’t thought about the pool as much as I probably should,” said Annette Siefert.
As California's drought worsens, swimming pools have become a target for those who think the classic backyard greens waste water. Some water districts have banned new pools from being filled and have limited how much water existing pools can use.
But some of those agencies are walking back the rules as they make a surprising discovery: Pools aren't the water wasters some have made them out to be. Analyses by various water districts, along with scientific studies, conclude that pools and their surrounding landscapes use about the same amount of water as a lawn(草坪) of the same size. Over time, pools might even use less water. With pool covers, experts say water evaporation(蒸发)can be cut by almost half, making pools significantly less wasteful than grass and about as efficient as drought-tolerant landscaping.
Facing complaints over a recent ban on filling pools, the Santa Margarita Water District conducted its own water-use analysis. It found that pools require thousands of gallons of water to fill initially, but they use about 8,000 gallons less water than a traditional landscape after that. By the third year, the analysis found, the savings add up, and a pool's cumulative water use falls below that of a lawn.
Water agencies such as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have come to similar conclusions. Armed with new information, Santa Margarita Water District officials will reconsider their ban next week.
“We want to respect the people's rights to use their property. There are many families we know that have saved for pools,” said Jonathan Volzke, spokesman for the 155,000-customer district. “But at the same time, the reality around us is that we're in the third year of a serious drought, and we don't know if we're in the third year of a three-year drought or the third year of a 10-year drought.”Annette Siefert feels guilty mainly because of ______.
| A．being a typical water waster |
| B．the water-use of their swimming pool |
| C．her control over her kids' showers at home |
| D．the construction of the drought-tolerant landscaping |
According to analyses and scientific studies, a swimming pool ______.
| A．had belter be filled up in the beginning |
| B．becomes more efficient against drought |
| C．isn't what people think to be wasteful of water |
| D．consumes more water than a lawn of the same size |
What does Jonathan Volzke try to express in the last paragraph?
| A．He expects the serious drought to come to an end. |
| B．He thinks highly of those who have saved for pools. |
| C．He appeals for reasonable use of the swimming pools. |
| D．He tries to maintain the right to use the swimming pools. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Water Crisis In California |
| B．Strict Ban On Filling Pools |
| C．The Sieferts—Real Environmentalists? |
| D．Pools—A Big Factor During Drought? |
第三部分：阅读理解（共12小题；每小题2分, 满分24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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Every Christmas, we visit my parents who live nearly 400 miles away from us. It is always 9 to 10-hour drive, but we always try to make it because that’s the only time my parents get to see their grandchildren.
One year, I was the driver, my wife Adriana was in the passenger seat, my three kids----Jacob, Ethan and Caleb----sat in the back seat, and our 
dog Susie was placed by the kids’ feet.
That year, we traveled at night to avoid the heavy holiday traffic. We
left the house at about 9:00 in the evening, so we could get to my parents’ house by about 6:00 the next morning.
The first three hours was fine. My wife and kids were all fast asleep, including Susie who was lying on Jacob’s lap. But by around 1 am, I was very sleepy. So I stopped at a small convenience store and tried to wake myself up with a cup of coffee. The coffee helped for several miles. But soon I was drifting in and out of sleep. I closed my eyes for what felt like a very short moment. What I didn’t know was that I was slowly driving towards the other lane and that a truck was coming quickly towards us.
I had fallen asleep at the wheel when Susie roughly woke me up by jumping onto my lap. When I opened my eyes, I saw the glaring headlights of the truck heading towards our car. I quickly drove the car back to our lane. I had narrowly missed hitting the truck and getting my family into what could have been a very serious accident.
I checked everyone to see if they were OK, and they were still fast asleep. I drove the rest of the distance very alert and awake. As soon as we got there, I told my wife, my kids and my parents what Susie had done and we could not have been more proud of our dog.
56. Why does the author visit his parents with his family every Christmas?
A. Because Christmas is the only time he can relax every year.
B. Because his parents don’t like the 400-mile travel.
C. Because he missed his parents very much.
D. Because his parents can only see their grandchildren at that time.
57. What did the author do to wake himself up during the journey?
A. He got off the car to breathe the fresh air.
B. He stopped to have a cup of coffee.
C. He talked with his wife and children.
D. He stopped every few miles.
58. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. the author’s wife and kids had no idea about the narrow escape during the journey
B. the author was so frightened by the truck that he could hardly drive for the rest of the
journey
C. no one but Susie kept awake for the whole journey
D. the author had never experienced a car accident before
59. The passage tells us a story about ______.
A. a poor driver’s first driving experience
B. how the author’s family spent their Christmas
C. how a dog saved a whole family
D. the disadvantages of driving at night
"Friendship is one of the basic bonds between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them.
Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft. If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to express their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief。
“No man is an island.” In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Outgoing persons enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas shy persons are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships。
Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of closeness is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one’s life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of closeness, all friendships are based on reciprocity（互惠）, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection。
72 “No man is an island”(Line 1, Para. 3) implies that ______________。
A. everyone is a part of an island B. man cannot be an island
C. everyone is just a part of society D. society is an island
73. The degree of closeness of friendship mainly depends on_____________。
A. age B. belonging C. personality D. culture
74. The author thinks that close friends_____________________。
A. can be easily formed when one is young B. cannot be long-lasting
C. are not rare for everyone D. are rare for most people
75 .The word “irrespective”(Last sentence, Para. 5) means______________________。
A.not respecting B. dishonoring C. regardless. D. considering
CONGRATULATIONS
We’ve organized the following information to help you prepare for your arrival at Boston College. Please feel free to contact our Admissions Office at any time over the coming months with any questions.
Your First Steps…
Please return the Acknowledgment Form sent with your acceptance letter to Dean Robert Howe, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, McGuinn Hall 221,140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
■For Ph. D. Acceptances and Master’s Acceptances with funding, we ask you to reply by April 25, 2008.
■For Master’s Acceptances without funding and Non-degree Acceptances, we ask you to reply by May 31, 2008.
■You should also contact your department to receive any department information.
Over the Coming Months…
Get informed about services around campus. We have provided links for you to the following offices.
■Student Services
After you return your Acknowledgment Form, you should receive a letter containing your BC Username and Eagle ID number. With this information you can reach email and Agora. In Agora, BC’s online community, you can update your student information, check your student account, and register (登记) for classes.
The Office of Student Services issues (发行) your BC Eagle One Card. This ID card acts as your campus library card and meal card.
Student Services’ website offers a complete listing of courses for the school year, as well as student forms and other important student information. The Office of Student Services also handles billing.
■Housing
…
CLICK HERE for more information.
If we can be of any more help to you, just contact us. Congratulations again! We look forward to you joining our University!
68. The above page can most probably be read _________.
A. on the Boston College website B. in the Boston College newspaper
C. on BC Eagle One Card D. at Student Services
69. The information above is particularly useful for those ________.
A. who want to apply for Boston College
B. who want to know about Boston College
C. who’ve been admitted to Boston College
D. who’ve decided to pay a visit to Boston College
70. If you want to study for your master’s degree with funding, you will have to _______.
A. return your Acknowledgment Form by May 31, 2008
B. send back your Acknowledgment Form by April 25, 2008
C. email your Acknowledgment Form to Admissions Office by May 31, 2008
D. return your Acknowledgment Form to Student Services by April 25, 2008
71. If you want to decide what courses for the school year you’d better _________.
A. call up the Office of Student Services B. get in touch with the Admissions Office
C. read your acceptance letter D. visit Student Services’ website
With the theme "Cherishing the earth's resources, transforming the mode of development and living a low-carbon lifestyle," China's Ministry of Land and Resources held a ceremony this Thursday to mark the 41st World Earth Day, aims to generate new ideas of resource-saving, especially among the younger generation. In fact, Chinese young urbanities are turning to the seemingly trendy low-carbon lifestyle.
But for the country as a whole to achieve a low-carbon economy, it could mean ordinary people paying more for electricity, water, gas or simply every purchase. Of necessity, a low-carbon economy would be the basis of China's economic growth, yet it comes with a high price tag. Everybody longs for fresh air, clean water and healthy surroundings. But, who is going to pay for that?
For those who are still working hard for the basic necessities of life, sharing the cost of a greener environment can be taxing. For those who are already victimized by environmental pollution, additional expenditure for saving the environment is hard to bear. Behind all the lofty goals and loaded phrases of climate change negotiations, in everyday terms, the Chinese want to know whether companies will make them pay the cost of saving energy or whether government would come up with new levies.
They have reasons to worry. The recent hike in the charges of utilities, such as natural gas, water and electricity, have led to widespread public grievance(抱怨,牢骚), for the increases were imposed without proper public hearing. Besides the practice of monopoly State-owned enterprises raising prices at will does not seem to bode well for a low-carbon economy.
The government has a responsibility to strengthen regulation of utility charges and make the pricing mechanism more transparent. In the age of the low-carbon economy, the Chinese government needs to strike a new balance between public welfare and business competitiveness.
How far the initiatives toward a low-carbon economy succeed depends on whether they truly benefit ordinary people and is accepted by them. The majority cannot sacrifice their life to build a greener world for the few.
64.The author probably agrees to call on ____________.
A. more and more citizens to devote themselves to the “Low-carbon economy” for the sake of
our earth immediately
B. the rich to generally pay for the bill, which aims at saving our planet.
C. our government to take proper measures to make the “Low-carbon economy” benefit more
people
D. all the big enterprises to reduce their prices to build a greener world
65. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. Some people can’t afford their everyday expenses, let alone pay for a better environment.
B. Putting forward the “Low-carbon economy” costs much.
C. The balance between public welfare and business competitiveness in China now is not that
good for the “Low-carbon economy”.
D. Now that it’s hard for us to make the “Low-carbon economy” into practice, our government
should put it to an end.
66. The “Low-carbon economy” __________.
A. is beneficial only to the rich people
B. has led to widespread public grievance
C. can be realized when pigs fly in the sky
D. cannot be called success before it has been fully considered
67. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. China reaches out for younger generation to promote low-carbon lifestyle.
B. Low-carbon economy, acceptable or not?
C. Who will get the most benefit from the Low-carbon economy?
D. Put forward the new policy and save the world.
Bobby Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen, a tough working-class neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side. But Hell's Kitchen lies right next door to Broadway, and the bright lights attracted Bobby from the time he was a teen. Being stage-struck was hardly what a street kid could admit to his partners. Fearing their ridicule, he told no one, not even his girlfriend, when he started taking acting lessons at age 17. If you were a kid from the neighborhood, you became a cop, construction worker, longshoreman（码头搬运工人）or criminal. Not an actor.
Moresco struggled to make that long walk a few blocks east. He studied acting, turned out for all the cattle calls -- and during the decade of the 1970s made a total of $2,000. "I wasn't a good actor, but I had a driving need to do something different with my life," he says.
He moved to Hollywood, where he drove a cab and worked as a bartender（调酒师）. "My father said, 'Stop this craziness and get a job; you have a wife and daughter.' “But Moresco kept working at his chosen craft.
Then in 1983 his younger brother Thomas was murdered in a mob-linked killing. Moresco moved back to his old neighborhood and started writing as a way to explore the pain and the patrimony of Hell's Kitchen. Half-Deserted Streets, based on his brother's killing, opened at a small Off-Broadway theater in 1988. A Hollywood producer saw it and asked him to work on a screenplay.
His reputation grew, and he got enough assignments to move back to Hollywood. By 2003, he was again out of work and out of cash when he got a call from Paul Haggis, a director who had befriended him. Haggis wanted help writing a film about the country after September 11. The two worked on the writing, but every studio in town turned it down. They kept pitching it. Studio executives, however, thought no one wanted to see a severe, honest vision of race and fear and lives in collision in modern America.
Moresco believed so strongly in the script that he borrowed money, sold his house. He and Haggis kept pushing. At last the writers found an independent film producer who would take a chance, but the upfront money was too little, Moresco delayed his salary.
Crash slipped into the theaters in May 2005, and quietly became both a hit and a critical success. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three -- Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Paul Haggis and the kid from Hell's Kitchen.
At age 54, Bobby Moresco became an overnight success. "If you have something you want to do in life, don't think about the problems," he says, "think about other ways to get it done."
60. Why Bobby Moresco did not tell anyone that he started taking lessons at age 17?
A. He wnted to give his girlfriend a surprise.
B. His girlfriend did not allow him to do this.
C. He was afraid of being laughed at.
D. He had no talent for acting.
61. Which of the following sentences is NOT true?
A. His father did not support his work as a bartender.
B. Before he became an overnight success, his life experienced ups and downs.
C. His brother’s death inspired his writing Half-Deserted Streets.
D. Moresco grew up in New York's Hell's Kitchen which is a few blocks east of Broadway.
62. The Studio executives turned the script Crash down because ______________.
A. they thought the script would not be popular.
B. the script was not well written.
C. they had no money to make the film based on the script.
D. they thought Moresco was not famous.
63. What’s the best title of the article?
A. The Road to Success B. Try It a Different Way
C. A Talented man—Moresco D. Moresco’s Perseverance
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