Is it art or is it just vandalism (野蛮行为)? Well, it's still a crime, but graffiti (涂鸦) has changed since the days of spraying your name on a wall to mark your territory. Street art has become much more sophisticated since a 17-year-old called Demetrius started spraying his "tag", all over the New York underground in 1971, and hip-hop culture was born. Hip-hop is a mixture of art, music and dancing, poetry, language and fashion. It came from young inner-city people who fell left out by their richer classmates and who were desperate to express themselves in any way they could. An experiment to control the spread of graffiti in Rochdale, greater Manchester, has been so successful that plans have been made by local street artists for an international convention in June. "We're planning to get people together from different countries like France and Cermany for a week," says Liam, one of the organizers. The scheme started in 2000, and has attracted people of all age groups and both sexes. "We all share a commen interest and get on really well with each other." The first site to be chosen was a subway. "Before we began, people were afraid to use the subway. We had it cleaned up and now, with all the artists hanging out down there, people are using it again. People can relate to graffiti much more now." By providing places to display their talents legally, there has been a fall in the amount of "tagging" on people's private property. Street artists Temper developed his drawing skills at a young age. In art classes at school he was really frustrated because the art teacher didn't spend time with him. They thought he was already very good at art and so spend more time with other students. So, at 12 years old, Temper started painting with all these guys he'd hooked up with who were about 22 years old. He looked up to them and loved what they were doing on the streets of Wolvehampicn, England. "The whole hip-hop scene was built up of different things and I did a bit of everything. But it was always the graffiti I was best at." he says.
1. Traffic congestion (拥堵) affects people throughout the world. Traffic jams cause smog in dozens of cities across both the developed and developing world. In the U.S., commuters (通勤人员) spend an average of a full working week each year sitting in traffic jams, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. While alternative ways of getting around are available, most people still choose their cars because they are looking for convenience, comfort and privacy. 2. The most promising technique for reducing city traffic is called congestion pricing, whereby cities charge a toll to enter certain parts of town at certain times of day. In theory, if the toll is high enough, some drivers will cancel their trips or go by bus or train. And in practice it seems to work: Singapore, London and Stockholm have reduced traffic and pollution in city centres thanks to congestion pricing. 3. Another way to reduce rush-hour traffic is for employers to implement flextime, which lets employees travel to and from work at off-peak traffic times to avoid the rush hour. Those who have to travel during busy times can do their part by sharing cars. Employers can also allow more staff to telecommute (work from home) so as to keep more cars off the road altogether. 4. Some urban planners still believe that the best way to ease traffic congestion is to build more roads, especially roads that can take drivers around or over crowded city streets. But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only accommodate more of them. 5. Other, more forward-thinking, planners know that more and more drivers and cars are taking to the roads every day, and they are unwilling to encourage more private automobiles when public transport is so much better both for people and the environment. For this reason, the American government has decided to spend some $7 billion on helping to increase capacity on public-transport systems and upgrade them with more efficient technologies. But environmentalists complain that such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges. A. Not doing enough B. A global problem C. Changing work practice D. A solution which is no solution E. Paying to get in F. Closing city centres to traffic
5. A. go by bus B. encourage more private cars C. drive around D. spend more money E. reduce traffic jams F. travel regularly Most American drivers think it convenient to ______.
6. If charged high enough, some drivers may ______ to enter certain parts of town.
A
[解析] 根据第二段内容“if the toll is high enough, some drivers will cancel their trips or go by bus or train”可知，如果收费过高，一些司机可能会乘公交进入市区。所以本题选A。
7. Building more roads is not an effective way to ______.
E
[解析] 根据第四段内容“But such techniques do not rely keep cars off the road; they only accommodate more of them.”可知，修建更多的公路不是缓解交通拥堵的有效措施，所以本题选E。
8. The U.S. government has planned to ______ updating public-transport systems.
D
[解析] 根据最后一段第二句话“For this reason, the American government has decided to spend some $7 billion on helping to increase capacity on public—transport systems and upgrade them with more efficient technologies”可知，美国政府计划花更多的钱更新公共交通系统，所以本题选D。
第4部分：阅读理解 下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题。请根据短文内容，为每题确定1个最佳选项。
第一篇
Immigration and Problems
Hundreds of thousands of people supporting immigration rights in the US filled streets all over America in early 2006. Many held signs and American flags and asked to be treated as citizens not criminals. Many of these supported legislation from Senator John McCain that would open a path to citizenship to immigrants who were already in the country illegally. Proposed legislation from other politicians called for stricter measures-including rounding up undocumented immigrants and sending them back to their home countries. Canadian officials say that immigration applications continue to rise. Some want to keep the doors open. They need the labor. About 400,000 immigrants were allowed into the country in 2005, according to the Canadian Government statistics. However, all this growth means that cities need to adapt. New comers don't always make a smooth transition into jobs for which they are skilled. So industries are using mentoring (辅导) programs to help new immigrants find proper jobs. With the large numbers of undocumented African immigrants arriving in the Canary Islands and showing no sign of abating (减少), the Spanish Government has decided to get tough. There will be no more mass amnesties (特赦) for illegal, and anyone coming to Spain without permission will be sent back, the government has announced. About 23,000 migrants (移民) landed on the islands in 2006, and riots have erupted in some crowded reception centers. This has promoted local authorities to appeal to the United Nations for help. France's new immigration and integration law gives the government new powers to encourage high-skilled migration. It takes effect in 2007. The new law authorizes the government will help these identified employers find immigrant workers with needed skills or qualifications. The selected foreign employees will be granted "skills and talents" visas valid for three years. But some peoples show the concern that it'll cause brain drain in developing countries.
1. Many immigrants in the US took to the streets in early 2006, demanding that ______.
A.John McCain be removed.
B.they be sent back home
C.they be treated as citizens
D.their culture be protected
A B C D
C
[解析] 根据第一段第二句话“Many held signs and American flags and asked to be treated as citizens—not criminals”可知，许多移民举着标语和美国国旗，要求按公民而不是罪犯对待。
2. The expression "rounding up" in paragraph 1 could be best replaced by ______.
A.encircling
B.separating
C.arresting
D.frightening
A B C D
C
[解析] 根据第一段最后一句话“including rounding up undocumented immigrants and sending them back to their home countries”可知，包括围捕无正式文件的移民，并把他们遣送回自己的国家，四个选项：encircle“包围，环绕”；separate“分开，隔离”；arrest“逮捕，拘捕”；frighten“使惊恐，使惊吓”。
3. Canada is not very strict with immigration applications because ______.
4. To solve the immigration problem, the Spanish Government has decided ______.
A.to take tough measures against illegal immigration
B.to let immigrants freely enter the country
C.to integrate immigrants into the Spanish culture
D.to help immigrants find proper jobs
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据第三段第一句话“With the large numbers of undocumented African immigrants arriving in the Canary Islands and showing no sign of abating (减少), the Spanish Government has decided to get tough”可知，随着大批无证的非洲移民来到加那利群岛，并且没有减少的迹象，所以西班牙政府决定采取严厉的措施。
5. After France's new immigration and integration law takes effect, it will ______.
A.encourage overseas students to return home
B.bring damage to the unity of the country
C.arouse anger among French workers
D.make it hard for developing countries to keep talents
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据最后一段最后一句话“But some people show the concern that it'll cause brain drain in developing countries”可知，但是有些人担心，它会导致发展中国家的人才流失。
第二篇
Gross National Happiness
In the last century, new technology improved the lives of many people in many countries. However, one country resisted these changes. High in the Himalayan mountains of Asia, the kingdom of Bhutan remained separate. Its people and Buddhist (佛教) culture had not been affected for almost a thousand years. Bhutan, however, was a poor country. People died at a young age. Most of its people could not read, and they did not know much about the outside world. Then, in 1972, a new ruler named King Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to help Bhutan to become modern, but without losing its traditions. King Wangchuck looked at other countries for ideas. He saw that most countries measured their progress by their Gross Natonal Product (GNP). The GNP measures products and money. When the number of products sold increases, people say the country is making progress. King Wangchuck had a different idea for Bhutan. He wanted to measure his country's progress by people's happiness. If the people's happiness increased, the king could say that Bhutan was making progress. To decide if people were happier, he created a measure called Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH is based on certain principles that create happiness. People are happier if they have health care, education, and jobs. They are happier when they live in a healthy, protected environment. They are happier when they can keep their traditional culture and customs. Finally, people are happier when they have a good, stable government. Now these is some evidence of increased GNH in Bhutan. People are healthier and are living longer. More people are educated and employed. Teenty-five percent of the land has become national parks, and the country has almost no pollution. The Bhutanese continue to wear their traditional clothing and follow their ancient Buddhist customs. Bhutan has also become a democracy. In 2008, King Wangchuck gave his power to his son. Although the country still had a king, it held its first democratic elections that year. Bhutan had political parties and political candidates for the first time. Finally, Bhutan has connected to the rest of the world through television and internet. Bhutan is a symbol for social progress. Many countries are now interested in Bhutan's GNH. These countries are investigating their own ways to measure happiness. They want to create new policies that take care of their people, cultures, and land. Brazil may be the nest country to use the principles of GNH. Brazilian leaders see the principles of GNH as a source of inspiration. Brazil is a large country with a diverse population. If happiness works as a measure of progress in Brazil, perhaps the rest of the world will follow.
1. Who was Jigme Singye Wangchuck?
A.A president.
B.A Buddhist priest.
C.A general.
D.A king.
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据第一段最后一句话“Then, in 1972, a new ruler named King Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to help Bhutan to become modern, but without losing its traditions.”可知，吉格梅·辛格·旺楚克是不丹新的统治者，是不丹的国王，所以正确答案为D。
2. Apart from modernizing Bhutan, what else did Wangchuck want to do for Bhutan?
A.To make its population grow.
B.To keep it separate from the world.
C.To encourage its people to get rich.
D.To keep its tradition and customs.
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据第一段最后一句话“Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to help Bhutan to become modern, but without losing its traditions.”可知，一位新统治者——吉格梅·辛格·旺楚克国王决定帮助不丹变得现代化，但是不丢失其传统，所以正确答案为D。
3. A country shows its progress with GNP by ______.
A.selling more products
B.spending more money
C.spending less money
D.providing more jobs
A B C D
A
[解析] 根据第二段第三句和第四句内容“The GNP measures products and money. When the number of products sold increases, people say the country is making progress.”可知，国民生产总值用产品和金钱来衡量，当产品的销量增加，人们就说国家进步了，所以正确答案为A。
4. According to GNH, people are happier if they ______.
A.have new technology
B.can change their religion
C.have a good, stable government
D.have more money
A B C D
C
[解析] 根据第三段最后一句话“Finally, people are happier when they have a good, stable government.”可知，如果人们有一个好的稳定的政府，人们就会更幸福，所以正确答案为C。
5. Today, many countries are ______.
A.using the principles of GNH to measure their progress
B.working together to develop a common scale to measure GNH
C.taking both Bhutan and Brazil as symbols for social progress
D.trying to find their own ways to measure happiness
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据第五段第二句话“These countries are investigating their own ways to measure happiness.”可知，这些国家正在研究衡量幸福的方法，所以正确答案为D。
第三篇
Making a Loss is the Height of Fashion
Given that a good year in the haute couture (高级定制女装) business is one where you lose even more money than usual, the prevailing mood in Paris last week was sensational. The big-name designers were falling over themselves to boast of how many outfits they had sold at below cost price, and how this proved that the fashion business was healthier than ever. Jean-Paul Gaultier reported record sales, "but we don't make any money out of it," the designer assured journalists backstage. "No matter how successful you are, you can't make a profit from couture," explained Jean-Jacques Picart, a veteran fashion PR man, and co-founder of the now-bankrupt Lacroix house. Almost 20 years have passed since the unusual economics of the couture business were first exposed. Outraged that he was losing money on evening dresses costing tens of thousands of pounds, the couturier Jean-Louis Scherrer published a detailed summary of his costs. One outfit he described curtained over half a mile of gold thread, 18,000 sequins (亮片), and had required hundreds of hours of hand-stitching in an atelier (制作室). A fair price would have been ￡50,000, but the couturier could only get ￡35,000 for it. Rather than riding high on the follies of the super-rich, he and his team could barely feed their hungry families. The result was an outcry and the first of a series of government—and industry—sponsored inquiries into the surreal (超现实的) world of ultimate fashion. The trade continues to insist that couture offers you more than you pay for, but it's not as simple as that. When such a temple of old wealth starts talking about value for money, it isn't to convice anyone that dresses coating as much as houses are bargain. Rather, it is to preserve the peculiar mystique (神秘), lucrative (利润丰厚的) associations and threatened interests that couture represents. Essentially, the arguments couldn't be simpler. On one side are those who say that the business will die if it doesn't change. On the other are those who say it will die if it is highly dated. Huge in its costs, tiny in its clientele and questionable in its influence, it still remains one of the great themes of Parisian life. In his book, The Fashion Conspiracy, Nicholas Coleridge estimates that the entire couture industry rests on the whims (一时兴起) of less than 30 immensely wealthy women, and although the number may have grown in recent years with the new prosperity of Asia, the number of couture customers worldwide is no more than 4,000. To qualify as couture, a garment must be entirely handmade by one of the 11 Paris couture houses registered to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Each house must employ at least 20 people, and show a minimum of 75 new designs a year. So far, so traditional, but the Big Four operators—Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Gaultier—increasingly use couture as a marketing device for their far more profitable ready-to-wear, fragrance and accessory lines.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.The haute couture business is expanding quickly.
B.The haute couture designers make much profit in their sales.
C.The haute couture businessmen are happy with their profit.
D.The haute couture designers claim losses in their sales.
2. According to the second paragraph, Jean-Louis Scherrer ______.
A.was in a worse financial position than other couturiers
B.was very angry as he was losing money
C.was one of the best-know couturiers
D.stopped producing haute couture dresses
A B C D
B
[解析] 根据第二段第二句话“Outraged that he was losing money on evening dresses costing tens of thousands of pounds, the couturier Jean-Louis Scherrer published a detailed summary of his costs.” 可知，Jean-Louis Scherrer因为晚礼服生意赔钱而很愤怒。
3. The writer says that the outfit Jean-Louis Scherrer described ______.
A.was worth the price that was paid for it
B.cost more to make than it should have
C.was never sold to anyone
D.should have cost the customer than it did
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据第二段第三、四句话“One outfit he described curtained over half a mile of gold thread, 18,000 sequins (亮片), and had required hundreds of hours of hand-stitching in an atelier (制作室). A fair price would have been ￡50,000, but the couturier could only get ￡35,000 for it.”可知，作者认为Jean-Louis Schemer的女装应比现在的价格高。
4. The writer says in Paragraph 4 that there is disagreement over ______.
A.the history of haute couture
B.the future of haute couture
C.the real costs of haute couture
D.the changes that need to be made in haute couture
A B C D
D
[解析] 根据第四段前三句话“Essentially, the arguments couldn't be simpler. On one side are those who say that the business will die if it doesn't change. On the other are those who say it will die if it is highly dated.”可知，围绕高级服装业的一个争论是其是否要做出转变。
5. What is the writer's tone toward haute couture business?
In the desert of Peru, 300 kilometers from Lima, one of the most unusual artworks in the world has mystified (迷惑) people for decades. 1 But from high above, these marks are huge images of birds, fish, seashells, all beautifully carved into the earth. The Nazca lines are so difficult to see from the ground that they weren't discovered until the 1930s, when pilots spotted them while flying over the area. In all, there are about 70 different human and animal figures on the plain, along with 900 triangles, circles, and lines. Researchers have figured out that the lines are at least 1,500 years old, but their purpose is still a mystery. 2 However, it would probably be very tricky to land a spaceship in the middle of pictures of dogs and monkeys. In the 1940s, an American explorer named Paul Kosok suggested that the drawings are a chronicle (记录) of the movement of the stars and planets. 3 later, an astronomer tested his theory with a computer, but he couldn't find any relation between the lines and movements in space. Another explanation is that the lines may have been made for religious reasons. British researcher Tony Morrison investigated the customs of people in the Andes Mountain and learned that they sometimes pray by the side of the road. It's possible that in the post, the lines of Nazca were created for a similar purpose. 4 But the local people have never constructed anything this big. Recently, two other scientists, David Johnson and Steve Mabee, have speculated that lines could have been related to water. Nazca is one of the driest places in the world and receives only 2cm of rain every year. While Johnson was searching for ancient water sources in the area, he noticed that some waterways built ancient people were connected with the lines. Johnson believes that the Nazca lines are a giant map of the underground water in the area. 5 A. A Swiss writer named Erich yon Daniken wrote that the Nazca lines were designed as a landing place for UFOs. B. Other scientists are now searching for evidence to prove this. C. Seen from the ground, it looks like lines scratched into the earth. D. He called Nazca "the largest astronomy book in the world". E. Scholars differ in interpreting the purpose of the designs. F. The largest picture may have been the sites for special ceremonies.
China is set to its first clinical guideline on sex-change Surgery, according to a notice put on the website of the Ministry of Health yesterday. The ministry is now soliciting public and professional 1 on the draft guideline. The coming guideline aims to regulate and standardize sex reassignment surgery, part of a treatment for gender identity disorder in transsexuals. Experts 2 nearly 2,000 Chinese have undergone sex-change surgery while 100,000 to 400,000 are still considering it. However, no official number is available. In the draft, the MOH sets minimum 3 for both surgical candidates and medical institutions. Candidates for the surgery must be older than 20 and single, the draft guideline said. They are also required to prove a persistent 4 for a sex change, to live for at least five consecutive years full-time in the new gender role, and to engage in mental therapy for at least one year. Before surgery can take place, a candidate must receive a recommendation for the operation from a 5 after an appropriate series of therapy sessions. Also, several legal requirements must be met 6 the procedure. The candidate must provide proof from police that he or she has does not have any criminal 7 in the past. Police must also agree to change the sex status on the identity card of the receiver before the 8 can take place. The advent of such a guideline is believed to show that the government is concerned 9 the needs of a relatively small number of people who want to change sex. But doctors also warn 10 all stakeholders, including the hospital and prospective receivers, should be highly cautious about this surgery. The operation is more than a medical 11 due to its-huge social and legal consequences. Doctors should make it clear to those 12 sex-change surgeries that the option always remains to continue to live in the original role. The guideline 13 surgeons to tell patients about other options such as hormone therapy, They are also required to explain the 14 involved, and underlying social barriers including discrimination, and administrative recognition and approval. For the candidates, the surgery itself is not the 15 issue in the long run. The real issue is the kind of life he or she will have to lead afterward.
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