大学英语六级阅读理解模拟题1

大学英语六级阅读理解模拟题（1）

There was on shop in the town of Mufulira， which was notorious for its color bar. It was a drugstore. While Europeans were served at the counter， a long line of Africans queued at the window and often not only were kept waiting but， when their turn came to be served， were rudely treated by the shop assistants. One day I was determined to make a public protest against this kind of thing， and many of the schoolboys in my class followed me to the store and waited outside to see what would happen when I went in.

I simply went into the shop and asked the manager politely for some medicine. As soon as he saw me standing in the place where only European customers were allowed to stand he shouted at me in a bastard language that is only used by an employed when speaking to his servants. I stood at the counter and politely requested in English that I should be served. The manager became exasperated and said to me in English， ―If you stand there till Christmas I will never serve you.‖ I went to the District commissioner's office. Fortunately the District Commissioner was out， for he was one of the old school； however， I saw a young District Officer who was a friend of mine. He was very concerned to hear my story and told me that if ever I wanted anything more from the drugstore all I had to do was come to him personally and he would buy my medicine for me. I protested that that was not good enough. I asked him to accompany me back to the store and to make a protest to the manager. This he did， and I well remember him saying to the manager， ―Here is Mr. Kaunda who is a responsible member of the Urban Advisory Council， and you treat him like a common servant.‖ The manager of the drugstore apologized and said， ―If only he had introduced himself and explained who he was， then， of course I should have given him proper service.‖

I had to explain once again that he had missed my point. Why should I have to introduce myself every time I went into a store…any more than I should have to buy my medicine by going to a European friend？ I want to prove that any man of any color， whatever his position， should have the right to go into any shop and buy what he wanted.

1.―Color bar‖ in the first paragraph comes closest in meaning to ___. A.a bar which is painted in different colors.

B.the fact that white and black customers are served separately. C.a bar of chocolate having different colors.

D.a counter where people of different colors are served with beer. 2.The writer was， at the time of the story， ___. A.a black school teacher B.an African servant

C.a black， but a friend of Europeans D.a rich black

3.The manager of the drugstore shouted at the writer in a bastard language because ___. A.he hadn't learned to speak polite English. B.he thought the writer wouldn't understand English.

C.that was the usual language used by Europeans when speaking to Africans. D.that was the only language he could speak when he was angry. 4.In the third paragraph，―he was one of the old school‖ means ___. A.he believed in the age-old practice of racial discrimination. B.he was a very old man.

C.he graduated from an old，conservative school. D.he was in charge of an old school.

5.Why didn't the writer wait at the window of the drugstore like other black African？ A.Because he thought he was educated and should be treated differently.

B.Because he thought，being an important person，he should not be kept waiting. C.Because he thought his white friends would help him out. D.Because he wanted to protest against racial discrimination. 答案：ＢＡＣＡＤ 第一篇 (Unit one Passage 1)

I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year-round sun. You may think people in such a glamorous, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.

Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abiding emotion.

Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities

that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.

I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells ―happiness‖. But in memoir after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.

Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.

Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children.

Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those rich and glamorous people we were so sure are happy because they are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all. 1.Which of the following is true? A.Fun creates long-lasting satisfaction.

B.Fun provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness. C.Happiness is enduring whereas fun is short-lived. D.Fun that is long-standing may lead to happiness.

2.To the author, Hollywood stars all have an important role to play that is to __. A.rite memoir after memoir about their happiness. B.tell the public that happiness has nothing to do with fun. C.teach people how to enjoy their lives.

D.bring happiness to the public instead of going to glamorous parties. 3.In the author’s opinion, marriage___. A.affords greater fun. B.leads to raising children. C.indicates commitment. D.ends in pain.

4.Couples having infant children___.

A.are lucky since they can have a whole night’s sleep. B.find fun in tucking them into bed at night. C.find more time to play and joke with them. D.derive happiness from their endeavor.

5.If one get the meaning of the true sense of happiness, he will__. A.stop playing games and joking with others. B.make the best use of his time increasing happiness. C.give a free hand to money. D.keep himself with his family. 参考答案:CBCDB

第二篇（Unit one Passage 2）

Once it was possible to define male and female roles easily by the division of labor. Men worked outside the home and earned the income to support their families, while women cooked the meals and took care of the home and the children. These roles were firmly fixed for most people, and there was not much opportunity for women to exchange their roles. But by the middle of this century, men’s and women’s roles were becoming less firmly fixed.

In the 1950s, economic and social success was the goal of the typical American. But in the 1960s a new force developed called the counterculture. The people involved in this movement did not value the middle-class American goals. The counterculture presented men and women with new role choices. Taking more interest in childcare, men began to share child-raising tasks with their wives. In fact, some young men and women moved to communal homes or farms where the economic and childcare responsibilities were shared equally by both sexes. In addition, many Americans did not value the traditional male role of soldier. Some young men refused to be

drafted as soldiers to fight in the war in Vietnam.

In terms of numbers, the counterculture was not a very large group of people. But its influence spread to many parts of American society. Working men of all classes began to change their economic and social patterns. Industrial workers and business executives alike cut down on ―overtime‖ work so that they could spend more leisure time with their families. Some doctors, lawyers, and teachers turned away from high paying situations to practice their professions in poorer neighborhoods.

In the 1970s, the feminist movement, or women’s liberation, produced additional economic and social changes. Women of all ages and at all levels of society were entering the work force in greater numbers. Most of them still took traditional women’s jobs as public school teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. But some women began to enter traditionally male occupations: police work, banking, dentistry, and construction work. Women were asking for equal work, and equal opportunities for promotion.

Today the experts generally agree that important changes are taking place in the roles of men and women. Naturally, there are difficulties in adjusting to these transformations. 1.Which of the following best express the main idea of Paragraph 1? A.Women usually worked outside the home for wages. B.Men and women’s roles were easily exchanged in the past. C.Men’s roles at home were more firmly fixed than women’s. D.Men and women’s roles were usually quite separated in the past. 2.Which sentence best expresses the main idea of Paragraph 2? A.The first sentence.

B.The second and the third sentences. C.The fourth sentence. D.The last sentence.

3.In the passage the author proposes that the counterculture___. A.destroyed the United States. B.transformed some American values. C.was not important in the United States.

D.brought people more leisure time with their families.

4.It could be inferred from the passage that___. A.men and women will never share the same goals.

B.some men will be willing to exchange their traditional male roles.

C.most men will be happy to share some of the household responsibilities with their wives. D.more American households are headed by women than ever before. 5.The best title for the passage may be ___. A.Results of Feminist Movements B.New influence in American Life C.Counterculture and Its consequence

D.Traditional Division of Male and Female Roles. 第二篇答案 DCBCB 第三篇（Unit one Passage 3）

Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people’s physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds such as the Mistral, Hamsin or Sharav are blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing made of man-made fibres, or from TV sets, duplicators or computer display screens.

When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and some particularly sensitive people suffer nausea or even mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been observed to come out of hibernation, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California.

Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably

accounts for the beneficial effect of a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with tumbling streams or waterfalls.

To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers: small portable machines, which generate negative ions. They claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own minds by observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is debatable whether depending on seismic readings to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching the cat.

1.What effect does exceeding positive ionization have on some people? A.They think they are insane.

B.They feel rather bad-tempered and short-fussed. C.They become violently sick. D.They are too tired to do anything.

2.In accordance with the passage, static electricity can be caused by___. A.using home-made electrical goods. B.wearing clothes made of natural materials. C.walking on artificial floor coverings. D.copying TV programs on a computer.

3.A high negative ion count is likely to be found___. A.near a pound with a water pump. B.close to a slow-flowing river. C.high in some barren mountains. D.by a rotating water sprinkler.

4.What kind of machine can generate negative ions indoors? A.Ionisers. B.Air-conditioners. C.Exhaust-fans D.Vacuum pumps.

5.Some scientists believe that___.

A.watching animals to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than depending on seismography. B.the unusual behavior of animals cannot be trusted. C.neither watching nor using seismographs is reliable. D.earthquake 第三篇答案BCDAA 第四篇（Unit one Passage 4）

A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and war. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors—or of people very different from our own—can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offer us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books.

In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented; that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly ―political‖ artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros—as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martines—depicted these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems.

In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic belief that statues are unholy.

1.More can be learned about a culture from a study of art history than general history because art

history__.

A.show us the religious and emotions of a people in addition to political values. B.provide us with information about the daily activities of people in the past. C.give us an insight into the essential qualities of a time and a place. D.all of the above. 2.Art is subjective in that__.

A.a personal and emotional view of history is presented through it. B.it can easily rouse our anger or sadness about social problems. C.it will find a ready echo in our hearts. D.both B and C.

3.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.Unlike Francisco Goya, Pablo and several Mexican artists expressed their political opinions in their paintings.

B.History books often reveal the compilers’ political views.

C.Religious art remained in Europe for centuries the only type of art because most people regarded the Bible as the Holy Book. D.All the above mentioned.

4.The passage is mainly discussing__.

A.the difference between general history and art history. B.The making of art history. C.What can we learn from art. D.The influence of artists on art history. 5.In may be concluded from this passage that__.

A.Islamic artists have had to create architectural decorations with images of flowers or geometric forms.

B.History teachers are more objective than general history. C.It is more difficult to study art history than general history.

D.People and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the Bible.

第四篇答案：D D D C A

第五篇（Unit 2 Passage 1）

If the old maxim that the customer is always right still has meaning, then the airlines that ply the world’s busiest air route between London and Paris have a flight on their hands.

The Eurostar train service linking the UK and French capitals via the Channel Tunnel is winning customers in increasing numbers. In late May, it carried its one millionth passenger, having run only a limited service between London, Paris and Brussels since November 1994, starting with two trains a day in each direction to Paris and Brussels. By 1997, the company believes that it will be carrying ten million passengers a year, and continue to grow from there.

From July, Eurostar steps its service to nine trains each way between London and Paris, and five between London and Brussels. Each train carries almost 800 passengers, 210 of them in first class. The airlines estimate that they will initially lose around 15%-20% of their London-Paris traffic to the railways once Eurostar starts a full service later this year (1995), with 15 trains a day each way. A similar service will start to Brussels. The damage will be limited, however, the airlines believe, with passenger numbers returning to previous levels within two to three years.

In the short term, the damage caused by the 1 million people-levels traveling between London and Paris and Brussels on Eurostar trains means that some air services are already suffering. Some of the major carriers say that their passenger numbers are down by less than 5% and point to their rivals-Particularly Air France-as having suffered the problems. On the Brussels route, the railway company had less success, and the airlines report anything from around a 5% drop to no visible decline in traffic.

The airlines’ optimism on returning traffic levels is based on historical precedent. British Midland, for example, points to its experience on Heathrow Leeds Bradford service which saw passenger numbers fold by 15% when British Rail electrified and modernized the railway line between London and Yorkshire. Two years later, travel had risen between the two destinations to the point where the airline was carrying record numbers of passengers. 1.British airlines confide in the fact that__.

A.they are more powerful than other European airlines. B.their total loss won’t go beyond a drop of 5% passengers. C.their traffic levels will return in 2-3 years.

D.traveling by rail can never catch up with traveling by air.

2.The author’s attitude towards the drop of passengers may be described as__. A.worried.B.delightedC.puzzled.D.unrivaled.

3.In the passage, British Rail (Para 6) is mentioned to__. A.provide a comparison with Eurostar. B.support the airlines’ optimism.

C.prove the inevitable drop of air passengers.

D.call for electrification and modernization of the railway. 4.The railway’s Brussels route is brought forth to show that__. A.the Eurostar train service is not doing good business. B.the airlines can well compete with the railway. C.the Eurostar train service only caused little damage. D.only some airlines, such as Air France, are suffering.

5.The passage is taken from the first of an essay, from which we may well predict that in the following part the author is going to__. A.praise the airlines’ clear-mindedness. B.warn the airlines of high-speed rail services. C.propose a reduction of London/Paris flights.

D.advise the airlines to follow British Midland as their model. 第五篇答案：CABCB 第六篇（Unit 2 Passage 2）

Without regular supplies of some hormones our capacity to behave would be seriously impaired; without others we would soon die. Tiny amounts of some hormones can modify moods and actions, our inclination to eat or drink, our aggressiveness or submissiveness, and our reproductive and parental behavior. And hormones do more than influence adult behavior; early in life they help to determine the development of bodily form and may even determine an individual’s behavioral capacities. Later in life the changing outputs of some endocrine glands and the body’s changing sensitivity to some hormones are essential aspects of the phenomena of aging.

Communication within the body and the consequent integration of behavior were considered the exclusive province of the nervous system up to the beginning of the present century. The emergence of endocrinology as a separate discipline can probably be traced to the experiments of

Bayliss and Starling on the hormone secretion. This substance is secreted from cells in the intestinal walls when food enters the stomach; it travels through the bloodstream and stimulates the pancreas to liberate pancreatic juice, which aids in digestion. By showing that special cells secret chemical agents that are conveyed by the bloodstream and regulate distant target organs or tissues. Bayliss and starling demonstrated that chemical integration could occur without participation of the nervous system.

The term ―hormone‖ was first used with reference to secretion. Starling derived the term from the Greek hormone, meaning ―to excite or set in motion. The term ―endocrine‖ was introduced shortly thereafter ―Endocrine‖ is used to refer to glands that secret products into the bloodstream. The term ―endocrine‖ contrasts with ―exocrine‖, which is applied to glands that secret their products though ducts to the site of action. Examples of exocrine glands are the tear glands, the sweat glands, and the pancreas, which secrets pancreatic juice through a duct into the intestine. Exocrine glands are also called duct glands, while endocrine glands are called ductless. 1.What is the author’s main purpose in the passage? A.To explain the specific functions of various hormones. B.To provide general information about hormones. C.To explain how the term ―hormone‖ evolved. D.To report on experiments in endocrinology.

2.The passage supports which of the following conclusions? A.The human body requires large amounts of most hormones.

B.Synthetic hormones can replace a person’s natural supply of hormones if necessary.

C.The quantity of hormones produced and their effects on the body are related to a person’s age. D.The short child of tall parents very likely had a hormone deficiency early in life.

3.It can be inferred from the passage that before the Bayliss and Starling experiments, most people believed that chemical integration occurred only___. A.during sleep.

B.in the endocrine glands.

C.under control of the nervous system. D.during strenuous exercise.

4.The word ―liberate‖ could best be replaced by which of the following?

A.Emancipate B.Discharge C.Surrender D.Save

5.According to the passage another term for exocrine glands is___. A.duct glands B.endocrine glands C.ductless glands D.intestinal glands. 第六篇答案：BDCBA 第七篇（Unit 2 Passage 3）

The discovery of the Antarctic not only proved one of the most interesting of all geographical adventures, but created what might be called ―the heroic age of Antarctic exploration‖. By their tremendous heroism, men such as Shakleton, Scott, and Amundsen caused a new continent to emerge from the shadows, and yet that heroic age, little more than a century old, is already passing. Modern science and inventions are revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into these icy wastes will probably depend on motor vehicles equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on the dogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and hardly comparable.

Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost equal in size to South America, and enormous field of work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of this continent remain to be accurately charted, and the maping of the whole of the interior presents a formidable task to the cartographers who undertake the work. Once their labors are completed, it will be possible to prospect the vast natural resources which scientists believe will furnish one of the largest treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has yet known, and almost inexhaustible sources of copper, coal, uranium, and many other ores will become available to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era of practical exploitation of the Antarctic wastes.

The polar darkness which hides this continent for the six winter months will be defeated by huge batteries of light, and make possible the establishing of air-fields for the future inter-continental air services by making these areas as light as day. Present flying routes will be completely changed, for the Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from Australia to South America comparatively easy over the 5,000 miles journey.

The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd has shown that the climate is possible even for men completely untrained for expeditions into those frozen

wastes. Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow before, and yet he records that they survived the rigors of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so that, provided that the appropriate installations are made, we may assume that human beings from all countries could live there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the most healthy climate in the world, for the intense cold of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and rendered it absolutely germfree, with the consequences that ordinary and extraordinary sickness and diseases from which man suffers in other zones with different climates are here utterly unknown. There exist no problems of conservation and preservation of food supplies, for the latter keep indefinitely without any signs of deterioration; it may even be that later generations will come to regard the Antarctic as the natural storehouse for the whole world.

Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on the shores of this continent, and what so few years ago was regarded as a ―dead continent‖ now promises to be a most active center of human life and endeavor.

1.When did man begin to explore the Antarctic? A.About 100years ago. B.In this century.

C.At the beginning of the 19th century. D.In 1798.

2.What must the explorers be, even though they have modern equipment and techniques? A.Brave and tough B.Stubborn and arrogant. C.Well-liked and humorous. D.Stout and smart.

3.The most healthy climate in the world is___. A.in South America. B.in the Arctic Region. C.in the Antarctic Continent. D.in the Atlantic Ocean.

4.What kind of metals and minerals can we find in the Antarctic? A.Magnetite, coal and ores.

B.Copper, coal and uranium. C.Silver, natural gas and uranium. D.Aluminum, copper and natural gas. 5.What is planned for the continent? A.Building dams along the coasts.

B.Setting up several summer resorts along the coasts. C.Mapping the coast and whole territory. D.Setting up permanent bases on the coasts. 第七篇答案：AACBD 第8篇（Unit 3 Passage 3）

Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time; if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the languages he uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people. In the same way, when children learn to do all the other things they learn to do without being taught-to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle-compare those performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his own mistakes for himself, let alone correct them. We do it all for him. We act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. Soon he becomes dependent on the teacher. Let him do it himself. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says, what answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not.

If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells us that he can’t find the way to get the right answer. Let’s end this nonsense of grades, exams, marks, Let us throw them all out, and let the children learn what all educated persons must some day learn, how to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.

Let them get on with this job in the way that seems sensible to them. With our help as school teachers if they ask for it. The idea that there is a body of knowledge to be learnt at school and

used for the rest of one’s life is nonsense in a world as complicated and rapidly changing as ours. Anxious parents and teachers say, ―But suppose they fail to learn something essential they will need to get in the world?‖ Don’t worry! If it is essential, they will go out into the world and learn it.

1.What does the author think is the best way for children to learn things? A.by copying what other people do.

B.by making mistakes and having them corrected. C.by listening to explanations from skilled people. D.by asking a great many questions.

2.What does the author think teachers do which they should not do? A.They give children correct answers. B.They point out children’s mistakes to them. C.They allow children to mark their own work.

D.They encourage children to mark to copy from one another.

3.The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning to ride a bicycle are___. A.not really important skills. B.more important than other skills.

C.basically different from learning adult skills. D.basically the same as learning other skills.

4.Exams, grades, and marks should be abolished because children’s progress should only be estimated by___. A.educated persons. B.the children themselves. C.teachers. D.parents.

5.The author fears that children will grow up into adults while being___. A.too independent of others. B.too critical of themselves. C.incapable to think for themselves. D.incapable to use basic skills.

第8篇答案：ABDBC 第9篇（Unit 3 Passage 4）

We can begin our discussion of ―population as global issue‖ with what most persons mean when they discuss ―the population problem‖: too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to ―a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.‖

To understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.

This pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.

Demographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world’s population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.

1.Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy?

A.A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population. B.A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid, dramatic increase. C.Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year.

D.A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality.

2.During the first period of demographic history, societies were often in danger of extinction because___.

A.only one in ten persons could live past 40.

B.there was higher mortality than fertility in most places. C.it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions. D.our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children. 3.Which statement is true about population increase?

A.There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000. B.About 50,000 babies are born every six hours at present.

C.Between 8000 BC and the present, the population increase is about 80,000,000 persons each year.

D.The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present. 4.The author of the passage intends to___.

A.warn people against the population explosion in the near future. B.compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650. C.find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years. D.present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth. 5.The word ―demographic‖ in the first paragraph means___. A.statistics of human. B.surroundings study. C.accumulation of human. D.development of human. 第9篇答案：ABADA

第10篇（Unit4 Passage1）

Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is said—the words. Words do provide us with some information, but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are used to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of those associations if we listen for more than words. We don’t always say what we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words don’t mean anything except ― I’m letting off some steam. I don’t really want you to pay close attention to what I’m saying. Just pay attention to what I’m feeling.‖ Mostly we mean several things at once. A person wanting to purchase a house says to the current owner, ―This step has to be fixed before I’ll buy.‖ The owner says, ― It’s been like that for years.‖ Actually, the step hasn’t been like that for years, but the unspoken message is: ― I don’t want to fix it. We put up with it. Why can’t you?‖ The search for a more expansive view of meaning can be developed of examining a message in terms of who said it, when it occurred, the related conditions or situation, and how it was said.

When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kisses after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friend’s unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness. Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic. For example, a person who says ―No!‖ to a serials of charges like ―You’re dumb,‖ ―You’re lazy,‖ and ―You’re dishonest,‖ may also say ―No!‖ and try to justify his or her response if the next statement is ―And you’re good looking.‖

We would do well to listen for how messages are presented. The words, ―If sure has been nice to have you over,‖ can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phrase can be said once or repeated several times. And the meanings we associate with the phrase will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance; sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes.

1.Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners, if ___. A.they use proper words to carry their ideas.

B.they both speak truly of their own feelings.

C.they try to understand each other’s ideas beyond words. D.they are capable of associating meaning with their words. 2.―I’m letting off some steam‖ in paragraph 1 means___. A.I’m just calling your attention. B.I’m just kidding.

C.I’m just saying the opposite. D.I’m just giving off some sound.

3.The house-owner’s example shows that he actually means___. A.the step has been like that for years. B.he doesn’t think it necessary to fix the step. C.the condition of the step is only a minor fault. D.the cost involved in the fixing should be shared.

4.Some responses and behaviors may appear very illogical, but are justifiable if___. A.linked to an abnormal amount of assertiveness. B.seen as one’s habitual pattern of behavior. C.taken as part of an ordering sequence. D.expressed to a series of charges.

5.The word ―ritualistically‖ in the last paragraph equals something done___. A.without true intention. B.light-heartedly. C.in a way of ceremony. D.with less emphasis. 第10篇答案：DBABC 第11篇（Unit Four,Passage 2）

Which is safer-staying at home, traveling to work on public transport, or working in the office? Surprisingly, each of these carries the same risk, which is very low. However, what about flying compared to working in the chemical industry? Unfortunately, the former is 65 times riskier than the latter! In fact, the accident rate of workers in the chemical industry is less than that of almost any of human activity, and almost as safe as staying at home.

The trouble with the chemical industry is that when things go wrong they often cause death to those living nearby. It is this which makes chemical accidents so newsworthy. Fortunately, they are extremely rare. The most famous ones happened at Texas City (1947),Flixborough (1974), Seveso (1976), Pemex (1984) and Bhopal (1984).

Some of these are always in the minds of the people even though the loss of life was small. No one died at Seveso, and only 28 workers at Flixborough. The worst accident of all was Bhopal, where up to 3,000 were killed. The Texas City explosion of fertilizer killed 552. The Pemex fire at a storage plant for natural gas in the suburbs of Mexico City took 542 lives, just a month before the unfortunate event at Bhopal.

Some experts have discussed these accidents and used each accident to illustrate a particular danger. Thus the Texas City explosion was caused by tons of ammonium nitrate(硝酸铵),which is safe unless stored in great quantity. The Flixborough fireball was the fault of management, which took risks to keep production going during essential repairs. The Seveso accident shows what happens if the local authorities lack knowledge of the danger on their doorstep. When the poisonous gas drifted over the town, local leaders were incapable of taking effective action. The Pemex fire was made worse by an overloaded site in an overcrowded suburb. The fire set off a chain reaction os exploding storage tanks. Yet, by a miracle, the two largest tanks did not explode. Had these caught fire, then 3,000 strong rescue team and fire fighters would all have died. 1.Which of the following statements is true? A.Working at the office is safer than staying at home.

B.Traverlling to work on public transport is safer than working at the office. C.Staying at home is safer than working in the chemical industry. D.Working in the chemical industry is safer than traveling by air.

2.Chemical accidents are usually important enough to be reported as news because ____. A.they are very rare B.they often cause loss of life C.they always occur in big cities

D.they arouse the interest of all the readers

3.According to passage, the chemical accident that caused by the fault of management happened at ____.

A.Texas city B.Flixborough C.Seveso D.Mexico City

4.From the passage we know that ammonium nitrate is a kind of ____. A.natural gas, which can easily catch fire

B.fertilizer, which can't be stored in a great quantity

C.poisonous substance, which can't be used in overcrowded areas D.fuel, which is stored in large tanks

5.From the discussion among some experts we may coclude that ____. A.to avoid any accidents we should not repair the facilities in chemical industry

B.the local authorities should not be concerned with the production of the chemical industry C.all these accidents could have been avoided or controlled if effective measure had been taken D.natural gas stored in very large tanks is always safe 第十一篇答案：DBABC 第十二篇（Unit 4,Passage 3）

What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry, art, or mathematics during pregnancy seem utterly impossible. How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child? There is no connection between their nervous systems. Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child, because it changes the activity of her glands and so the chemistry her blood. Any chemical change in the mother’s blood will affect the child for better or worse. But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child.

In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior. It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics. It may be, however, that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence. If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics, they will probably make a success of that study.

As for musical ability, it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that make it

comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute, and particularly vigorous emotions. If these factors are all organized around music, the child may become a musician. The same factors, in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest. The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry. The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery. It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited, then nor even the love of it, but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill. Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up. 1. Which of the following statements is not true?

A. Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects during their pregnancy.

B. It is utterly impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development. C. The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly.

D. There are no connection between mother’s nervous systems and her unborn child’s. 2. A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that ____. A. she is emotionally shocked

B. she has a good knowledge of inheritance C. she takes part in all kind of activities D. she sticks to studying

3. According to the passage, a child may inherit____. A. everything from his mother B. a knowledge of mathematics

C. a rather general ability that we call intelligence D. her mother’s musical ability

4. If a child inherits something from his mother, such as an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or of the vocal organs, he will ____. A. surely become musician B. mostly become a poet C. possibly become a teacher

D. become a musician on the condition that all these factors are organized around music

5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Role of Inheritance. B. An Unborn Child. C. Function of instincts. D. Inherited Talents. 第十二篇答案：BACDA 第13篇

The case for college has been accepted without question for more than a generation. All high school graduates ought to go, says conventional wisdom and statistical evidence, because college will help them earn more money, become ―better‖ people, and learn to be more responsible citizens than those who don’t go.

But college has never been able to work its magic for everyone. And now that close to half our high school graduates are attending, those who don’t fit the pattern are becoming more numerous, and more obvious. College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis; college students interfere with each other’s experiments and write false letters of recommendation in the intense competition for admission to graduate school. Other find no stimulation in their studies, and drop out—often encouraged by college administrators.

Some observers say the fault is with the young people themselves—they are spoiled and they are expecting too much. But that is a condemnation of the students as a whole, and doesn’t explain all campus unhappiness. Others blame the state of the world, and they are partly right. We have been told that young people have to go to college because our economy can’t absorb an army of untrained eighteen-year-olds. But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer absorb an army of trained twenty-two-year-olds, either.

Some adventuresome educators and watchers have openly begun to suggest that college may not be the best, the proper, the only place for every young person after the completion of high school. We may have been looking at all those surveys and statistics upside down, it seems, and through the rosy glow of our own remembered college experiences. Perhaps college doesn’t make people intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, or quick to learn things—may it is just the other way around, and intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, quick-learning people are merely the ones who have been attracted to college in the first place. And perhaps all those successful college graduates would have been successful whether they had gone to college or not. This is heresy to those of us who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good, more has to be much better.

But contrary evidence is beginning to mount up. 1.According to the author, ___.

A.people used to question the value of college education. B.people used to have full confidence in higher education. C.all high school graduates went to college.

D.very few high school graduates chose to go to college.

2.In the 2nd paragraph, ―those who don’t fit the pattern‖ refer to___. A.high school graduates who aren’t suitable for college education. B.college graduates who are selling shoes and driving taxis. C.college students who aren’t any better for their higher education. D.high school graduates who failed to be admitted to college. 3.The dropout rate of college students seems to go up because___.

A.young people are disappointed with the conventional way of teaching at college. B.many people are required to join the army.

C.young people have little motivation in pursuing a higher education.

D.young people don’t like the intense competition for admission to graduate school.

4.According to the passage, the problems of college education partly originate in the fact that___. A.society cannot provide enough jobs for properly trained graduates. B.High school graduates do not fit the pattern of college education. C.Too many students have to earn their own living. D.College administrators encourage students to drop out. 5.In this passage the author argues that___.

A.more and more evidence shows college education may not be the best thing for high school graduates.

B.College education is not enough if one wants to be successful.

C.College education benefits only the intelligent, ambitious, and quick-learning people. D.Intelligent people may learn quicker if they don’t go to college. 第十三篇答案：BCCAA 第十四篇：(Unit 5,Passage 1)

A controversy erupted in the scientific community in early 1998 over the use of DNA

(deoxyribonucleic acid ) fingerprinting in criminal investigations. DNA fingerprinting was introduced in 1987 as a method to identify individuals based on a pattern seen in their DNA, the molecule of which genes are made. DNA is present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. DNA fingerprinting has been used successfully in various ways, such as to determine paternity where it is not clear who the father of a particular child is. However, it is in the area of criminal investigations that DNA fingerprinting has potentially powerful and controversial uses.

DNA fingerprinting and other DNA analysis techniques have revolutionized criminal investigations by giving investigators powerful new tools in the attempt to trove guilt, not just establish innocence. When used in criminal investigations, a DNA fingerprint pattern from a suspect is compared with a DNA fingerprint pattern obtained from such material as hairs or blood found at the scene of a crime. A match between the two DNA samples can be used as evidence to convict a suspect.

The controversy in 1998 stemmed form a report published in December 1991 by population geneticists Richard C. Lewontin of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and Daniel L. Hartl called into question the methods to calculate how likely it is that a match between two DNA fingerprints might occur by chance alone. In particular, they argued that the current method cannot properly determine the likelihood that two DNA samples will match because they came from the same individual rather than simply from two different individuals who are members of the same ethnic group. Lewontin and Hartl called for better surveys of DNA patterns methods are adequate. In response to their criticisms, population geneticists Ranajit Chakraborty of the University of Texas in Dallas and Kenneth K.Kidd of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., argued that enough data are already available to show that the methods currently being used are adequate. In January 1998, however, the federal Bureau of Investigation and laboratories that conduct DNA tests announced that they would collect additional DNA samples form various ethnic groups in an attempt to resolve some of these questions. And, in April, a National Academy of Sciences called for strict standards and system of accreditation for DNA testing laboratories. 1.Before DNA fingerprinting is used, suspects____.

A.would have to leave their fingerprints for further investigations B.would have to submit evidence for their innocence C.could easily escape conviction of guilt

D.cold be convicted of guilt as well

2.DNA fingerprinting can be unreliable when ____.

A.the methods used for blood- cell calculation are not accurate

B.two different individuals of the same ethnic group may have the same DNA fingerprinting pattern

C.a match is by chance left with fingerprints that happen to belong to two different individuals D.two different individuals leave two DNA samples.

3.To geneticists like Lewontin and Hartl, the current method ____.

A.is not so convincing as to exclude the likelihood that two DNA samples can never come from two individuals

B.is arguable because two individuals of the same ethnic group are likely to have the same DNA pattern.

C.Is not based on adequate scientific theory of genetics D.Is theoretically contradictory to what they have been studying 4.The attitude of the Federal Bereau of Investigation shows that ____.

A.enough data are yet to be collected form various ethnic groups to confirm the unlikelihood of two DNA samples coming from two individual members

B.enough data of DNA samples should be collected to confirm that only DNA samples form the same person can match

C.enough data are yet to be collected from various ethnic groups to determine the likelihood of two different DNA samples coming form the same person

D.additional samples from various ethnic groups should be collected to determine that two DNA samples are unlikely to come from the same person 5.National Academy of Sciences holds the stance that ____. A.DNA testing should be systematized

B.Only authorized laboratories can conduct DNA testing

C.The academy only is authorized to work out standards for testing D.The academy has the right to accredit laboratories for DNA testing 第十四篇答案：CBABB 第十五篇：(Unit 5,Passage 2)

Racket, din clamor, noise, whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America’s most widespread nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger to people’s health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact, never closes and the body still responds—sometimes with extreme tension, as to a strange sound in the night.

The annoyance we feel when faced with noise is the most common outward symptom of the stress building up inside us. Indeed, because irritability is so apparent, legislators have made public annoyance the basis of many noise abatement programs. The more subtle and more serious health hazards associated with stress caused by noise traditionally have been given much less attention. Nevertheless, when we are annoyed or made irritable by noise, we should consider these symptoms fair warning that other thing may be happening to us, some of which may be damaging to our health.

Of many health hazards to noise, hearing loss is the most clearly observable and measurable by health professionals. The other hazards are harder to pin down. For many of us, there may be a risk that exposure to the stress of noise increases susceptibility to disease and infection. The more susceptible among us may experience noise as a complicating factor in heart problems and other diseases. Noise that causes annoyance and irritability in health persons may have serious consequences for these already ill in mind or body.

Noise affects us throughout our lives. For example, there are indications of effects on the unborn child when mothers are exposed to industrial and environmental noise. During infancy and childhood, youngsters exposed to high noise levels may have trouble falling asleep and obtaining necessary amounts of rest.

Why, then, is there not greater alarm about these dangers? Perhaps it is because the link between noise and many disabilities or diseases has not yet been conclusively demonstrated. Perhaps it is because we tend to dismiss annoyance as a price to pay for living in the modern world. It may also be because we still think of hearing loss as only an occupational hazard. 1.In Paragraph 1, the phrase ―immune to‖ are used to mean ___. A.unaffected by B.hurt by

C.unlikely to be seen by D.unknown by

2.The author’s attitude toward noise would best be described as ___. A.unrealistic B.traditional C.concerned D.hysterical

3.Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage? A.Noise is a major problem; most people recognize its importance. B.Although noise can be annoying, it is not a major problem. C.Noise is a major problem and has not yet been recognized as such. D.Noise is a major problem about which nothing can be done. 4.The author condemns noise essentially because it ___. A.is against the law

B.can make some people irritable C.is a nuisance

D.in a ganger to people’s health

5.The author would probably consider research about the effects noise has on people to be ___. A.unimportant B.impossible. C.a waste of money D.essential

第十五篇答案：ACCDD 第十六篇(Unit 5,Passage 3)

Is language, like food, like food, a basic human need without which a child at a critical period of life can be starved and damaged? Judging from the drastic experiment of Frederick I in the thirteenth century, it may be hoping to discover what language a child would speak if he heard no mother tongue, he told the nurses to keep silent.

All the infants died before the first year. But clearly there was more than lack of language here. What was missing was good mothering. Without good mothering, in the first year of life especially,

the capacity to survive is seriously affected.

Today no such severe lack exists as that ordered by Frederick. Nevertheless, some children are still backward in speaking. Most often the reason for this is that the mother is insensitive to the signals of the infant, whose brain is programmed to learn language rapidly. If these sensitive periods are neglected, the ideal time for acquiring skills passes and they might never be learned so easily again. A bird learns to sing and to fly rapidly at right time, but the process is slow and hard once the critical stage has passed.

Experts suggest that speech stages are reached in a fixed sequence and at a constant age, but there are cases where speech has started late in a child who eventually turns out to be of high IQ. At twelve weeks a baby smiles and makes bowel – like sounds; at twelve months he can speak simple words and understand simple commands; at eighteen months he has a vocabulary of three to fifty words. At three he knows about 1,000 words which he can put into sentences, and at four his language differs from that of his parents in born with the capacity to speak. What is special about man’s brain, compared with that of the monkey, is the complex system which enables a child to commect the sight and feel of, say, a toy – bear with the sound pattern ―toy – bear‖. And even more incredible is the young brain’s ability to pick out an order in language from the mixture of sound around him, to analyse, to combine and recombine the parts of a language in new ways. But speech has to be induced, and this depends on interaction between the mother and the child, where the mother recognizes the signals in the child’s babbling, grasping and smiling, and responds to them. Insensitivity of the mother to these signals dulls the interaction because the child gets discouraged and sends out only the obvious signals,. Sensitivity to the child’s non – verbal signals is essential to the growth and development of language. 1.The purpose of Frederick I’s experiment was ____. A.to prove that children are born with ability to speak

B.to discover what language a child would speak without hearing any human speak C.to find out what role careful nursing would play in teaching a child to speak D.to prove that a child could be damaged without learning a language

2.The reason that some children are backward in speaking is most likely that ____. A.they are incapable of learning language rapidly B.they are exposed to too much language at once

C.their mothers respond inadequately to their attempts to speak D.their mothers are not intelligent enough to help them 3.What is particularly remarkable about a child is that ____. A.he is born with the capacity to speak B.he has a brain more complex than an animal’s C.he can produce his own sentences D.he owes his speech ability to good nursing

4.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? A.The faculty of speech is inborn in man. B.The child’s brain is highly selective.

C.Most children learn their language in definite stages. D.All the above

5.If a child starts to speak later than others, he will ____in future. A.have a high IQ B.be less intelligent

C.be insensitive to verbal signals D.not necessarily be backward 第十六篇答案：B C C D D 第十七篇：(Unit 5,Passage 4)

Hong Kong, major commercial center for Asia, and with a population which has grown at an alarming rate to over 5 million, is a city highly dependent on mass transit of all sorts, both local and long distance. The average Hong Kong worker or businessman, going about his daily activities, simply must use public transportation at one time or another.

Because Hong Kong is in two parts, Kowloon, on the mainland side, and Hong Kong, the island, with Hong Kong’s harbor in between, Hong Kong’s mass transit systems, in addition to going over land must also cross water.

Going from home to work, or going shopping from one side of the harbor to the other, the Hong Kong resident has three choices. One way is to take a bus, which will cross the harbor through an underwater traffic tunnel moving slowly through bumper-to-bumper traffic. Another way is by ferryboat, a pleasant ride which crosses the harbor in from seven to fifteen minutes.

But by far the fastest way of crossing the harbor is the newly built underground electric railway, the Hong Kong Metro. If one boards the train in the Central District, the commercial area of Hong

Kong on the island side, he can speed across the harbor in an astonishing three minutes. On the other side of the harbor the railway continues, snaking back and forth through the outlying districts of Kowloon, allowing one to get off a short distance from his destination.

The story of the Metro is an encouraging one for supporters of mass transit. Although building the system was certainly a challenging task, the Japanese firm hired to construct it did so in record time. Construction got underway in 1979 and it was completed in 1980.

For the average commuter the system has only one disadvantages: it is more expensive than by bus or ferry. One can ride the bus across the harbor for half as much, or he can ride the ferry across for less than one-fifth as much. 1.Hong Kong ___.

A.can do without mass transit.

B.finds public transportation too expensive. C.needs public transportation.

D.has an insufficient mass transit system. 2.Hong Kong Public transportation extends ___. A.over hills and valleys. B.across land and water. C.through mountains.

D.throughout the Kowloon area.

3.The traffic in the underwater traffic tunnel is ___. A.heavy B.light C.fast D.dangerous 4.Crossing the harbor by train is ___. A.by far the most economical method. B.the most pleasant method. C.the least pleasant method. D.the fastest method.

5.The business area on the island side of Hong Kong is referred to be as ___. A.Kowloon B.the Central District C.the Hong Kong Metro

D.the Hong Kong’s harbor. 第十七篇答案：CBADB 第十八篇(Unit 6,Passage 1)

The Reader’s digest investigation asked Americans which was the biggest threat to the nation’s future—big business, big labor or big government. A whopping 67 percent replied ― big government‖

Opinion researchers rarely see such a vast change in public attitude. When put in historical perspective, from the time of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal to the present, the fallen status of government as a protector and benefactor is extraordinary. We’ve returned to the instinctive American wariness of Washington so common before the Great Depression.

In our poll, taken before the November elections, the overwhelming majority of our respondents wanted to stop or roll back the impact of government. In answer to another question posed by The Digest, 79 percent said they wanted either no more than the current level of government services and taxes, or less government and lower taxes.

―It seems to me that we in the middle class bear most of the burden,‖ says Jone Nell Norman, 61, a nurse in Dyersburg, Tenn., who often wonders about the government’s judgement in spending her money.

Of Americans in our sample, 62 percent believe that politician’s ethics and honesty have fallen. And what about Congress? Is it doing a good job? Or do members ― spend more time thinking about their political futures than passing good legislation?‖ Across generations, a thumping 89 percent thought the latter. ―Congress always seems to be screwing up,‖ says one young Xer. However, Americans are satisfied with their own lives and jobs. Four of five respondents were ―completely ― or ― somewhat ― satisfied. The figures held up across all ages – including Xer, whom many pundits have claimed are pessimistic about their future.

Looking deeper at jobs, we found 70 percent of Americans believe they are about where they should be, given their talents and effort. This is an issue where age always makes a difference, since older people, who are more established in their jobs tend to be more satisfied, while younger workers are still trying to find the right niche. Sure enough, Xers scored 65 percent, about five points below average.

1.The U.S. government status in the public mind before the Great Depression ____.

A.was regarded as quite normal B.used to be very low

C.remained a difficult problem for the federal government D.reminded people of the principles laid down by Washington 2.‖Xers‖ is repeated several times to refer to A.accusers B.younger respondents C.college students D.blue-collar workers

3.The 61-years-old nurse Norman is mentioned in the article to show that ____. A.the government has cheated her out of her money B.it is hard for her to earn a living

C.even a retired nurse has lost faith in the government

D.the more the government does the greater stake tax – payers’ money will be put at 4.‖Screwing up ― in paragraph 5 may be paraphrased as ____. A.indecisive in making decisions B.benefiting the nation in earnest C.making a mess of everything D.debating hotly

5.‖Political future ― in paragraph 5 may be paraphrased as ____. A.the future of the whole nation B.people’s well – being in the future C.a position of higher rank D.awareness of consistency in policies 第十八篇答案：B B D C C 第十九篇（Unit 6,Passage 2）

Everyone has a moment in history, which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and afterward when you say to this person ―the world today‖ or ―life‖ or ―reality‖ he will assume that you mean this moment, even if it is fifty years past. The world, through his unleashed（释放的）emotions, imprinted itself upon him, and he carries the stamp of that passing moment forever.

For me, this moment—four years in a moment in history—was the war. The war was and is reality for me. I still instinctively live and think in its atmosphere. These are some of its characteristics: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the president of the United States, and he always has been. The other two eternal world leaders are Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. America is not, never has been, and never will be what the song and poems call it, a land of plenty. Nylon, meat, gasoline, and

steel are rare. There are too many jobs and not enough workers. Money is very easy to earn but rather hard to spend, because there isn’t very much to buy. Trains are always late and always crowded with ―service men‖. The war will always be fought very far from America, and it will never end. Nothing in America stands still for very long, including the people who are always either leaving or on leave. People in America cry often. Sixteen is the key and crucial and natural age for a human being to be, and people of all other ages are ranged in an orderly manner ahead of and behind you as a harmonious setting for the sixteen-year-olds of the world. When you are sixteen, adults are slightly impressed and almost intimidated by you. This is a puzzle finally solved by the realization that they foresee your military future: fighting for them. You do not foresee it. To waste anything in America is immoral. String and tinfoil are treasures. Newspapers are always crowed with strange maps and names of towns, and every few months the earth seems to lurch（突然倾斜）from its path when you see something in the newspapers, such as the time Mussolini, who almost seemed one of the eternal leaders, is photographed hanging upside down on a meat hook.

1.Which statement best depicts the main idea of the first paragraph? A.Reality is what you make of it. B.Time is like a river. C.Emotions are powerful.

D.Every person has a special moment.

2.Why does the author still clearly remember the war? A.Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President. B.It was his personal reality and part of his life. C.There was not much to buy. D.The war would never end.

3.Which statement best describes the author’s feelings about the war? A.It was ever real for him, yet he was not actively involved. B.It was real for him because he was a soldier at that time. C.It was very unreal to him.

D.The war was very disruptive to the people at home.

4.Why does the author think that adults are impressed with sixteen-year-olds?

A.Adults would like to be young. B.Sixteen-year-olds do not waste things. C.Sixteen-year-olds read newspapers. D.They will be fighting soon for adults.

5.Why does the author say that string and tinfoil are treasures? A.The war has made them scarce. B.They are useful to sixteen-year-olds. C.He liked them when he was sixteen. D.People are very wasteful. 第十九篇答案：D B A D A 第二十篇：(Unit 6,Passage 3)

In general, our society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic(官僚主义的) management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, Nell-ventilated factories and piped music, and by psychologists and ―human – relations‖ experts; yet all this oiling does not alter the fact that man has become powerless, that he is bored with it. In fact, the blue and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management. The worker and employee are anxious, not only because they might find themselves out of a job; they are anxious also because they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction of interesting life. They live an die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.

Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again – by the psychologists, for whom testing is a big business, and by their superiors, who judge their behavior, sociability, capacity to get along, etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one’s fellow – competitor creates constant anxiety and stress, the very causes of unhappiness and illness.

Am I suggesting that we should return to the preidustrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century ―free enterprise ― capitalism? Certainly not. Problems are never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming our social system form a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities – those of all love and of reason – are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve only as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man.

1.By ― a well-oiled cog in the machinery ― the author intends to deliver the idea that man is ____. A.a necessary part of the society though each individual’s function is negligible B.working in complete harmony with the rest of the society C.an unimportant part in comparison with the rest of the society D.a humble component of the society, especially when working smoothly 2.The real cause of the anxiety of the workers and employees is that ____. A.they are likely to lose their hobs

B.they have no genuine satisfaction or interest in life

C.they are faced with the fundamental realities of human existence D.they are deprived of their individuality and independence

3.From the passage we can conclude that real happiness of life belongs to those _____. A.who are at the bottom of the society B.who are higher up in their social status C.who prove better than their fellow – competitors D.who could dip far away from this competitive world

4.To solve the present social problems the author puts foruard a suggestion that we should ______.

A.resort to the production mode of our ancestors B.offer higher wages to the workers and employees C.enable man to fully develop his potentialities D.take the fundamental realities for granted

5.The author’s attitude towards industrialism might best be summarized as one of ______.

A.approval B.dissatisfaction C.suspicion D.susceptibility 第20篇答案：CDDCB 第21篇：(Unit 6,Passage 4)

Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient institution, which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always bad and usually foolish, but in the past human race managed to live with it. Modern ingenuity has changed this. Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the most serious danger, but bacteriological or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeed in abolishing nuclear weapons, our work will not be done. It will never be done until we have succeeded in abolishing war. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look upon international questions in a new way, not as contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in killing people, but by arbitration in accordance with agreed principles of law. It is not easy to change very old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted.

There are those who say that the adoption of this or that ideology would prevent war. I believe this to be a big error. All ideologies are based upon dogmatic statements that are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Their adherents believe in them so fanatically that they are willing to go to war in support of them.

The movement of world opinion during the past few years has been very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a commonplace that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course very difficult problems remain in the world, but the spirit in which they are being approached is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that negotiations should reach agreements even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important conflict nowadays is not between different countries, but between man and the atom bomb. 1.This passage implies that war is now ___. A.worse than in the past. B.as bad as in the past

C.not so dangerous as in the past D.as necessary as in the past

2.In the sentence ―To do this, we need to persuade mankind‖ (Para 1), ―this‖ refers to ___. A.abolish war B.improve weapons

C.solve international problems D.live a peaceful life

3.From Paragraph 2 we learn that the author of the passage ___. A.is an adherent of some modern ideologies.

B.does not think that adoption of any ideology could prevent war. C.believe that the adoption of some ideology could prevent war. D.does not doubt the truth of any ideologies. 4.According to the author, ___.

A.war is the only way to solve international disputes.

B.war will be less dangerous because of the improvement of weapons. C.it is impossible for the people to live without war. D.war must be abolished if man wants to survive. 5.The last paragraph suggests that ___.

A.international agreements can be reached more easily now. B.man begins to realize the danger of nuclear war. C.nuclear war will definitely not take place. D.world opinion welcomes nuclear war 第二十一篇答案：AABDB

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