C
Have you noticed that the majority of human beings seem to focus on the negative? Bad news is often seen in the newspapers, television shows and magazines, but good news are often overlooked.
I saw a woman I was not very familiar with. She is a beautiful woman; every time I see her, I am struck by the smile on her face that can light up a whole room. So at one time I walked up to her and said, “You know, you are like liquid sunshine! Every time I see you, you give me so much joy.” I was not quite prepared for her reaction. She was blown away. Her eyes seemed about to shed tears, and she said, “That is so sweet! That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!” It was as if nobody had ever told her how beautiful her appearance was. I was extremely moved by the moment I had shared with this woman.
Why not take notice of the positive and spread a little sunshine? When you are looking for beauty, you will begin to see it more and more. When you discover it, don’t be afraid to appreciate it. Not only will it make them feel good, it will make you feel good as well. I truly believe the saying, “What goes around, comes around.” When you show kindness and sincerity, you will receive it back. You may even discover — much to your surprise — that you become the friend of someone you would never have expected to get along with.
65. The woman had tears in her eyes because __________.
A. the man’s behavior was so rude
B. she was nervous about the man’s words
C. the man told her the fact she didn’t know
D. she was so excited at the man’s praise
66. Which of the following can take the place of the underlined sentence in the third paragraph?
A. The wise appreciate one another.
B. Respect yourself, or no one else will respect you.
C. There is kindness to be found everywhere.
D. Everybody should learn to praise others.
67. The best title for the passage probably is _____.
A. Pay attention to the positive B. Everyone likes to be praised
C. Spread a little sunshine D. Each of us has good points
It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has a different effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others it is a catastrophe (灾难).
There are countries between these two extremes that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one such country, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfall, however light, roads are blocked, trains and buses stop in the middle of traffic. Normal communications are affected as well, telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. Almost within hours, there are also shortages(缺乏) –bread, vegetables and other things – not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened, and go out to store up these commodities, “just for fear that something bad should happen.”
Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough plan and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow ploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy some ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospital education or helping the old.
According to the writer, Britain is a country____.
A.which has regular snow | B.which is not well prepared for snow |
C.for which snow is not a catastrophe | D.for which snow is a wonder |
The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following except____
A.traffic | B.communication | C.food supplies | D.service quality |
After a few hours’ snowing there are often shortages of food because______
A.shops have closed down | B.people buy as much as they can |
C.farmers can’t produce any more | D.people eat more vegetables in winter |
The first reason why the British don’t buy snow ploughs is that______
A.spreading salt is good enough | B.old people need more money |
C.snow ploughs are not used often | D.the hospital is more important |
Signs in Chinese will be set up in public areas such as airports, to benefit Chinese travelers, the Italian Government announced in late February. Now many European countries are expected to follow this example.
Despite the different languages, travel across Europe has never been so simple. Just five years ago, if you wanted to visit Germany in the north and Spain in the south in one trip, you had to wait for weeks to apply for different visas from the two countries. You also needed a calculator because both countries had different money.
Today, with a Schengen Visa issued by any member country, you can travel across 15 European countries without stopping. Since 2002, within most of the EU, there is now just one type of money called the Euro. The Euro was designed to be the only money in the EU, and already makes it easier to shop around. If you drive, your driving license and car insurance policy are valid(有效的)in the other European countries. And you can use your mobile phone everywhere.
All the countries in the continent are melting into a united Europe under the EU. For Europeans and visitors, the result is that is more convenient to travel back and forth between the different countries.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To encourage us to travel across Europe.
B. To suggest that the whole world is melting into one like the EU.
C. To praise the tourism policy of the EU.
D. To introduce tourism conditions in the EU.
2. By saying the underlined sentence “Now many European countries are expected to follow this example”, the writer means that ________.
A. more signs will be set up in Chinese in European countries
B. more and more Europeans have a desire to know more about China
C. more and more Chinese people will go to travel across Europe
D. Chinese is now an important language in Europe
3. Compared to five years ago, traveling in Europe has become easier because ______.
A. you needn’t drive a car
B. you can use a calculator to exchange money
C. applying for different visas is much simpler
D. one visa is good enough for traveling in a number of countries
4. It can be inferred from the passage that _________
A. an increasing number of Chinese tend to travel to Europe
B. Chinese has become an important language in Europe
C. the Euro is the only money used in the EU now
D. it is always necessary to unite many countries into one
I stepped into my hotel room to a pleasant surprise. Lots of room surrounded an inviting king-size bed, with armchairs nearby resting against sliding glass doors that opened onto a private yard. A small dining table sat next to a kitchen with a refrigerator and coffee machine. "Wow," I thought to myself. "Nice place."
I love hotels. I love to enter a clean room, hang my clothes and gaze out the window, walk out in the morning and when I return, someone else will have made the bed. I like in-room dining and the way they greet you so professionally. "Nice to have you with us again, Mr. Goldsborough." Very cool.
The problem is that unless Alison travels with me, I never sleep well in hotels. I miss my family, even though Linus and Camille, at ages 4 and almost 2, find a way to interrupt even the best night's sleep at home.
I'm deeply troubled by the number of parents who wake up too late with the realization:
"My children grew up too fast. In the busy career and corporate rat race(剧烈竞争), I missed their childhood.” What they fail to say but too often think causes me even more pain: "...and I barely even know them."
A hundred years from now, no one will remember the size of your bank account, the car you drove or the size of your house. The world might differ greatly however, based on your impact in the life of a small child. If you pay attention to your significant others, make the choice to put them first.
Think of one specific action that you can take, and take it. Then think of another one and take that, too. Challenge yourself to find new ways to express your appreciation and love on a daily basis. It will pay off ten-fold(十倍)at home.
We can infer from the passage that the author ____.
A.often goes out on business | B.didn’t get along well with his/her family |
C.has not grown into an adult | D.comes from a rich family |
According to the author, what is the most important for us is that ____.
A.we should often miss our family | B.we should do what we can to benefit our family |
C.we should often stay with our family | D.we must always be ready to face the rat race |
Through para.4 and para.5 what the author really means is that ____.
A.he hates his parents’ constantly blaming him/her |
B.his parents don’t care much about his/her growth |
C.many parents worry about their children’s future |
D.many parents can’t realize their children not preparing for the fierce social rat race |
Which of the fowling is the best title for this passage?
A.East, west, home is the best | B.Different generations, different views |
C.Value of a person at home | D.Nothing Beats Family |
To err is human. To blame the other guy is even more human.
Common sense is not all that common.
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse?
These three popular misquotes(戏谑的引语)are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature .To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don’t want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do .The original quote about human nature went like this:” To err is human, to forgive, divine(神圣的).”This saying mirrors an deal people should be forgiving of others’ mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite –find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity.
Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Commonsense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine.Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company,”the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people. get the idea that it’s okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary(直接推论)to that: if good excuse is “good”even if it isn’t honest, then where is the place of the truth?
1. According to tile passage, which of following seems the most human?
A. To search for truth. B. To achieve one’s ideal
C. To make fun of others’mistakes. D. To criticize others for one’s own error.
2.According to the author, what is a sign of a man’s maturity?
A.Doing things his own way.
B.Bearing responsibility for his mistakes.
C.Making as few mistakes as possible.
D.Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing.
3.Which of the following is N0T based on common sense?
A.A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company.
B.A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather.
C.A company’s next move follows a good plan.
D.A lawyer acts on fine judgments.
4. What is the author’s opinion about a good excuse?
A. Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy.
B. Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas.
C. A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty.
D. Bitter truth is better than a good excuse.
5. What would be the best title for his passage?
A. A Mirror of Human Nature B. To Blame or to Forgive
C. A Mark of Maturity D. Truth or Excuse
On the night of November 14, 1978, a six-year-old Korean boy was flying to the United States. All he knew was that he was on a plane heading for somewhere. The plane landed at Kennedy International Airport, where he was greeted by a family. This young boy was me.
I have grown up in a town where there were few Asians, so I stuck out in the crowd. I made friends quickly and they treated me just like anyone else. You may ask if anyone made fun of my appearance. Well, of course, I met that kind of person. I just shrugged it off.
As an adopted child, I have something that others don't have. I have had the benefit of two families. I'm lucky to have got a chance to start a new life. But we must try never to forget our past. Someday I will go back to Korea to find out what kind of culture I left behind.
There is only one thing that I regret about being adopted. When I argue with my parents and they realize they are losing the argument, they sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I were back in Korea. I don't understand this because I thought the purpose of adopting someone was to give them a better chance of growing up in a family. Some day when I am older, I want to adopt a girl and raise her the way my parents have raised me, but I would do it better, for I know what went well and what did not.
We learn that when the writer was on the way to his new family,______.
A.he was with his own parents |
B.he was very happy and excited |
C.he was about ten years old then |
D.he didn't know he was going to be adopted |
If someone sticks out in the crowd, it means that he/she_______.
A.is very good-looking |
B.is very kind-hearted |
C.is easily noticed by others |
D.is disliked by others |
When the writer was made fun of by others, he _______.
A.was deeply hurt |
B.wanted to go back to Korea |
C.didnt care about it that much |
D.tried to make friends with them |
What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A.The writer wants to forget his past. |
B.The writer isn't sad about being adopted. |
C.The writer isn't interested in Korean culture. |
D.The writer doesnt know anything about Korea. |
What does the writer want to do when he is older?
A.Go back to live with his parents in Korea. |
B.Tell his parents what they have done wrong. |
C.Find out how to raise children in a better way. |
D.Adopt a girl and raise her in a good way. |
The film stars out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school-shooting and killing people.
This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives.
Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or (金棕奖) for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival.
The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999.
The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house.
The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone---fun and friendly, or hard and lonely.
In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano.
But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied (欺负) at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens.
"I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director.
The lines of the film were ________.
A.given by the director |
B.created by student actors |
C.thought out by the director during the acting |
D.carefully designed by professional people |
The film doesn't tell why school shootings happen________.
A.so as to leave room for the audience to think and judge |
B.because life itself is the problem maker |
C.because the mental problems of students are hard to explain |
D.but there are some hints of the reasons |
The film is named Elephant because ________.
A.an elephant is always gentle and never causes trouble |
B.an elephant is a symbol of big problems in American schools |
C.elephant is used to suggest that the school crime is a big problem |
D.the two boys liked elephants when alive |
What’s the passage mainly about?
A.It shows American school life. |
B.It introduces the film Elephant. |
C.It tells people to be careful while in peace. |
D.It reports a school killing in a US school. |
As you grow older,you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions--like whether to cut class or try cigarettes.Making decisions on your own is hard enough,but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder.People who are your age,like your classmates,are called peers.When they try to influence how you act,to get you to do something,it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other.Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system.Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book,and now everyone’s reading it.These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways.For example,a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure,but you can do it.Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this.If you choose friends who don’t cut class,smoke cigarettes,or lie to their parents,then you probably won’t do these things either,even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle,talk to someone you trust.Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.
For whom is the passage most probably written?
A.Students |
B.Parents |
C.Teachers |
D.Doctors |
In the last three paragraphs,the author mainly_____.
A.explains why friendship is so important |
B.gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
C.discusses how peers influence us |
D.shows how to make more good friends |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
A.Spending more time with classmates. |
B.Taking up more relaxing hobbies. |
C.Choosing friends with no bad habits. |
D.Helping others who are in trouble. |
What is the topic of the passage?
A.Friendship |
B.Making decisions |
C.Self-confidence |
D.Peer pressure |
阅读下列短文,选出最佳选项。 Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was sleeping in his cowboy outfit (套装) yesterday at his family’s Fifth Ave.apartment when he shot up in bed screaming.A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake twisted around his left arm and had just bitten his little finger.
“The babysitter (a person taking care of children while their parents are away for a short time) was frightened to death,” said Teddy’s father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the snake appeared about 4:00 pm.
The horrified babysitter called 911 and the building’s doorman.The doorman and two cable TV workers helped take the snake off the boy’s arm and put it in a garbage bag.Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous.It wasn’t.Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where policemen took the snake, found out it was a non-poisonous California king snake.
But how did it end up in Teddy’s bed?
A little detective work determined that the snake had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys.The apologetic owner said his son’s pet snake likely traveled up the water pipes and into his neighbor’s apartment.“It’s a very gentle, very harmless snake,” he said.“It’s handled by our family all the time.”
David Lasry believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of wandering.Evelyn said her son seems to have overcome his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police car to the hospital.
“I told Teddy he’s a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage,” Evelyn said.“But he asked, ‘Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?’ And I said, ‘Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared.’”
What did the babysitter do after Teddy was bitten by a snake?
A.She ran out of the apartment. |
B.She called the TV company. |
C.She made an emergency call. |
D.She took the snake off Teddy’s arm. |
We can learn from the passage that the snake _______.
A.was poisonous |
B.was kept in a cage by its owner |
C.was deserted by its owner |
D.escaped to the apartment |
From the passage, we know _______.
A.Teddy needed a heart machine to stay alive for two hours |
B.Teddy was awake when the snake arrived |
C.Teddy’s mother was at home when the snake turned up |
D.the snake was used to being touched |
Teddy probably believed he was attacked because _______.
A.his parents weren’t at home |
B.he was asleep the snake |
C.was scared of him |
D.the snake was hungry |
B
Populations and Land (1987) |
||||
|
Area in |
Percent |
Population |
Percent |
|
Square miles |
Cultivated |
In millions |
forested |
United States |
3615104 |
20 |
243.8 |
28 |
Canada |
3851792 |
5 |
25.9 |
33 |
United Kingdom |
94525 |
29 |
56.8 |
9 |
Australia |
2967896 |
6 |
16.2 |
14 |
India |
1269340 |
51 |
800.3 |
21 |
China |
3705390 |
11 |
1062.0 |
14 |
Which two countries are the closest to each other in area?
A.The US and Canada | B.The US and China |
C.China and Canada | D.India and China |
_____ has the highest population density(密度), and _____ has the second highest.
A.China, India | B.India, China |
C.India, the US | D.China, the US |
Which two countries have the closest percentage of cultivated land?
A.The US and the United Kingdom. |
B.The US and China |
C.Australia and Canada. |
D.Australia and China |
There are _____ countries whose cultivated land percentage is larger than the forest percentage.
A.2 | B.3 | C.4 | D.5 |
For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.
What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
A.Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages. |
B.The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short. |
C.The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams. |
D.Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place. |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
A.By giving instructions. |
B.By analyzing cause and effect. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______.
A.they pay less for the tickets |
B.they feel safer during the travel |
C.they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
D.they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Air travel benefits people and industries. |
B.Train Travel has some advantages over air travel. |
C.Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
D.The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of travelling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising---and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens(十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
A.Staying on the farm |
B.Moving to the countryside |
C.Leaving home for the city |
D.Running away from the school |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
A.He is very old now. |
B.He is in good health. |
C.He prefers driving a car. |
D.He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _______.
A.express his opinions about way of life |
B.describe his life in the countryside |
C.show an interest in the outside world |
D.persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
A.By inferring | B.By comparing |
C.By listing examples | D.By giving explanations |
根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项. 选项中有两项为多余选项. 请将答案涂在答题卡上.
71 Because, from what I could see, it seemed that grown-ups often forgot. I never wanted to forget --- I wanted to be able to remind other adults and myself when the time came. I began consciously(有意识地) thinking this at quite an early age.
As soon as I was fully aware (意识到) of myself, I regarded me as a little person and liked adults who thought of and treated me the same way. I didn’t have a doll and I didn’t want one. I wanted animal toys, even a single animal. Why wouldn’t my parents give me the one thing I wanted? 72
Instead, my dad somehow managed to buy me a full set of encyclopedia(百科全书) and books with maps and color pictures long before I could read. Well, guess what? I learned to read without realizing it! Later, I found out when I started school and it all came so easy especially geography. 73 Because of all the books my father bought me, I knew a lot of words that other children didn’t know at my age.
I love words. They opened up new worlds for me. 74 Parents, please make sure your kids have a computer. Let them explore — as safely as possible— let them do their own things and discover the world.
Now, most kids lead a happy life. They can get what they want from their parents. But children should learn to be independent. 75 Be independent to do your own things.
A.Because of them, I read and thought, and today, I write. |
B.When I was a child, I promised myself to try to remember as much as I could. |
C.I listened and heard everything, even if I didn’t understand everything. |
D.I nearly knew every place on the map like the teacher. |
E. But more than anything, it made me feel uncomfortable and I knew it wasn’t nice.
F. Later, I knew we didn’t have much money, but how expensive could a toy be?
G. Be independent to learn some useful knowledge.
Why does night fall but never break and day break but never fall?
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?
In what other language do people drive in a parkway and park in a driveway?
In what other language do they call the third hand on the clock the second hand?
Let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.
And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.
According to the passage ______.
A.sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things |
B.there should be egg in an eggplant |
C.pineapples are the apples on the pine tree |
D.boxing rings should be round |
Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?
A.A wise man and a wise guy. |
B.Overlook and oversee. |
C.Quite a lot and quite a few. |
D.Hot as hell and cold as hell. |
The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably mean “______”.
A.blow | B.roll up | C.get hurt | D.finish |
Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ______.
A.clever | B.crazy | C.lazy | D.dull |
第三部分:阅读理解(共10小题;每小题2分,满分20分)
请认真阅读下列短文,从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
In meditation(冥想),people sit quietly and focus their attention on their breath. As they breathe in and out, they attend to their feelings. As thoughts go through their minds, they let them go. Breathe. Let go. Breathe. Let go.
According to a recent study at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, three months of training in this kind of meditation causes a marked change in how the brain allocates attention. It appears that the ability to let go thoughts that come into mind frees the brain to attend to more rapidly changing things and events in the outside world. Expert mediators are better than other people at catching such fast-changing stimuli, like facial expressions.
The study provides evidence for changes in the workings of the brain with mental training. People can learn and improve abilities of all sorts with practice, everything from driving to playing the piano. The study has shown that meditation is good for the brain. It appears to reduce pressure and promote a sense of well-being.
In an experiment, 17 volunteers with no meditation experience in the experimental group spent three months meditating 10 to 12 hours a day. A control group also with no meditation experience meditated for 20 minutes a day over the same period. Both groups were then given the tests with two numbers in a group of letters. As both group looked for the numbers, their brain activity was recorded.
Everyone could catch the first number. But the brain recordings showed that the less experienced mediators tended to grasp the first number and hang onto it, so they missed the second number. Those with more experience gave less attention to the first number as if letting it go, which led to an increased ability to grasp the second number. This shows that attention can change with practice.
Just ask Daniel Levision, who meditated for three months as part of the study.” I am a much better listener,” he said. “I do not get lost in my own personal reaction to what people are saying.”
56. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refers to ________.
A. feelings B. minds C. people D. thoughts
57. Meditations manage their daily tasks better because they ________.
A. are given less pressure B. allocate their attention better
C. have more stimuli for life D. practice them more frequently
58. The study proves that ________.
A. meditation improves one’s health B. brain activity can be recorded
C. human attention can be trained D. mediators have a good sense of hearing