1. Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay entitled On Adversity by commenting on the saying "Misfortune rather than prosperity helps people to gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them." You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
On Adversity
The saying "Misfortune rather than prosperity helps people to gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them." indicates that people can benefit from hardship and misfortune. In my opinion, the saying holds true in many circumstances. For one thing, adversity helps us get a better understanding of ourselves. Without hardship and misfortune, we may never discover what we are truly capable of; without pains and traumas, we may never make adjustments to our values. For another, adversity helps us gain a better understanding of the world around us. I remember clearly a Chinese movie entitled A World Without Thieves, in which a naive migrant worker carries sixty thousand of cash with him traveling in a train because he simply doesn't believe there are thieves around him. In today's world, if we are never exposed to the harsh reality that evils lurk in every corner, our childish fantasy about the world will one day ruin us. Thus, adversity will help us discover who we are and what the world is like.
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension
Section A Comparisons were drawn between the development of television in the 20th century and the diffusion of printing in the 15th and 16th centuries. Yet much had happened between. As was discussed before, it was not until the 19th century that the newspaper became the dominant pre-electronic 1 , following in the wake of the pamphlet and the book and in the company of the periodical. It was during the same time that the communications revolution 2 up, beginning with transport, the railway, and 3 on through the telegraph, the telephone, radio, and motion pictures into the 20th-century world of the motor car and the airplane. Not everyone sees that process in 4 . It is important to do so. It is generally recognized, however, that the introduction of the computer in the early 20th century, followed by the invention of the integrated circuit during the 1960s, 5 changed the process, although its impact on the media was not immediately 6 . As time went by, computers became smaller and more powerful, and they became "personal" too, as well as institutional, with display becoming sharper and storage 7 increasing. They were thought of, like people, in terms of generations, with the distance between generations much smaller. It was within the computer age that the term "information society" began to be widely used to describe the context within which we now live. The communications revolution has 8 both work and leisure and how we think and feel both about place and time, but there have been 9 views about its economic, political, social and cultural implications. "Benefits" have been weighed against "harmful" 10 . And generalizations have proved difficult. A. speeded B. universal C. leading D. impressed E. influenced F. territory G. capacity H. radically I. controversial J. presumably K. perspective L. outcomes M. apparent N. distracting O. medium
[解析] 空格处填入动词作谓语,表示主语revolution如何作用于宾语。上文主要讲述了计算机作为媒介所带来的变化;这里则延伸到了通讯革命。有变革,就必然带来影响,下文的economic、political、social and cultural implication也印证了此处讲的是一种影响,故选influenced“影响”。
A. In the first incident on May 29, the pilot of a commercial airliner descending toward LaGuardia Airport saw what appeared to be a black drone (无人驾驶飞机) with a 10 to 15-foot wingspan about 5,500 feet above Lower Manhattan, according to a previously undisclosed report filed with the Federal Aviation Administration. In the second, two airliners separately approaching Los Angeles International Airport soared past what they described as a drone or remote-controlled aircraft the size of a trash can at an altitude of 6,300 feet, FAA records show. B. The records do not name the airlines involved or say how close the aircraft came to the drones when they flew past. FAA officials said their inspectors could not track down the unregistered drones or determine who was flying them. "In many cases, radar data is not available and the operators cannot be identified," the agency said in a statement. C. The close calls were the latest in a rash of dangerous encounters between civilian airplanes and drones flown in contravention of FAA rules intended to safeguard U.S. airspace. Hazardous occurrences are becoming more frequent as more drones—legal and illegal—take to the skies, according to a year-long investigation by The Washington Post. D. In 15 cases over the past two years, drones flew dangerously close to airports or passenger aircraft, including the incidents in New York and Los Angeles, according to reports submitted to the FAA. On May 3, the pilot of a commercial airliner preparing to land in Atlanta reported a small drone with four legs and bright lights very close to his plane, according to the FAA records. The agency recently disclosed that the pilot of a US Airways plane reported a near collision with a drone or remotely controlled model aircraft over Tallahassee Regional Airport on March 22 in Florida. E. Civilian drones flown with the FAA's permission and under its scrutiny are also susceptible to crashes. Since November 2009, law enforcement agencies, universities and other registered drone users have reported 23 accidents and 236 unsafe incidents, according to FAA records. F. The problem is worsening just as the federal government is preparing to lift barriers that could flood the country's already congested skies with thousands of remotely controlled aircraft. Under a law passed two years ago, Congress ordered the FAA to issue rules legalizing drones for commercial purposes by September 2015—the first step in a new era of aviation that will eventually allow drones of all sizes to fly freely in the national airspace, sharing the same airports as regular planes. G. Congress imposed dual orders on the FAA that the agency has struggled to reconcile. Under the law, the agency must draft rules for drones as soon as possible so businesses can use their economic potential. The FAA must also ensure that safety standards are not compromised and passenger aircraft are not imperilled. H. The FAA is facing pressure to move faster from drone manufacturers, the military, members of Congress and many companies that see remotely controlled airplanes as a breakthrough technology. The drone industry complains that it is losing $27 million in economic benefits a day while the FAA prepares regulations for certifying drones and licensing pilots. I. The FAA says it is moving as quickly as it can. "I completely understand that there is significant potential, there's significant benefit, there's great things that unmanned aircraft can do. We need to be convinced that they can do so safely," Michael P. Huerta, the FAA's administrator, said in an interview. "Every day in America people are getting on airplanes. Every day people are seeing airplanes in the sky," Huerta added. "But they're not really worried a lot about whether it's safe. It's their expectation that these things, that unmanned aircraft flying around in our airspace, will meet that same level of safety. And we owe that to them." J. Thanks to rapid advances in technology, small satellite-guided drones with powerful miniature cameras can be bought online for less than $500. Flying drones as a hobby is permitted as long as operators keep them below 400 feet, away from populated areas and at least three miles from an airport, according to the FAA. But those restrictions are being violated and ignored. On May 5, a quad-copter—a drone with four rotors—crashed into the 30th floor of St. Louis's Metropolitan Square building, the city's tallest. In March, the FAA fined a Brooklyn man $2,200 for striking two Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers with his quad-copter before it nearly hit a man. In August, a small drone crashed into the grandstand at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie County, injuring three spectators. K. Even drone advocates worry that the skies are becoming a free-for-all. "We have to understand that the industry is at risk because of illegal drone usage," Krista M. Ochs, a General Dynamics executive, said last month at a drone-industry conference in Orlando. "If we have a major catastrophe that involves some type of midair collision, it could set us back years." L. In 2012, Congress passed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act, legislation that ordered the federal government to "safely accelerate" the integration of civilian drones into the busiest airspace in the world. M. At the time, the military had been flying drones overseas for more than a decade, revolutionizing warfare by keeping pilots on the ground and out of harm's way. Defence contractors who invented the technology saw even bigger potential to sell drones to private businesses and other government agencies. Industry groups projected a market with $8 billion in annual revenue. N. Until then, the FAA had been moving slowly and cautiously, issuing a handful of permits for the military, law enforcement agencies and universities to fly drones under restrictive conditions. The new law ordered the FAA to hurry it up. Lawmakers set a deadline of Sept. 30, 2015, for the FAA to develop a comprehensive plan and allow civilian drones to begin flying on a more regular basis. The FAA has approved six sites across the country to test drones and produce data that will shape safety standards. Officials said they will first propose rules for drones weighing 55 pounds or less. Regulations for larger aircraft will take significantly longer. Both sets of rules could take years to finalize. In an interim step, FAA officials say they may grant permits to filmmakers, farmers, and the oil and gas industry to use small drones under limited circumstances. O. Manufacturers of drones and businesses that want to buy them are losing patience. They warn that foreign companies will steal the market if the FAA does not act swiftly. "We have got to be able to understand what the standards must be, and we have got to start fielding this technology," Michael Toscano, president and chief executive of the drone industry's trade association, said in a May 30 speech to the Aero Club in Washington.
1. Even drone advocates worry that the sky is becoming accessible for all drones, especially illegal drone usage.
K
[解析] 此句意为:就连无人机的支持者也担心任何人都可以在天上飞无人机的状况,特别是一些无人机的非法使用。根据题干中的illegal drone usage可以定位到K段中的Even drone advocates worry that the skies are becoming a free-for-all. "We have to understand that the industry is at risk because of illegal drone usage",其中accessible for all是对free-for-all的同义转换。
2. The new FAA Modernization and Reform Act requires the federal government to safely speed up the integration of civilian drones into the busiest airspace in the world.
L
[解析] 此句意为:新的联邦航空管理局现代化改革法案要求联邦政府安全地加速使民用无人机融入世界上最繁忙的领空之列。根据题干中的FAA Modernization and Reform Act可以定位到L段中的Congress passed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act, legislation that ordered the federal government to "safely accelerate" the integration of civilian drones into the busiest airspace in the world. 其中speed up是对文中accelerate的同义转述。
3. Due to advances in technologies many small drones are relatively cheap and many people flying them as a hobby but some of them frequently violate the restrictions.
J
[解析] 此句意为:由于科技的进步,小型无人机的价格相对低,因此很多人把飞行无人机当作爱好。可是一些人常常违反规定。根据题干中的advances in technologies可以定位到J段中的Thanks to rapid advances in technology, small satellite-guided drones with powerful miniature cameras can be bought online for less than $500...But those restrictions are being violated and ignored. 题干中的relatively cheap就是对文中can be bought online for less than $500的同义转述。
4. In many eases FAA cannot find any data about those unregistered drones and their operators are hard to be identified.
B
[解析] 此句意为:在很多情况下,联邦航空管理局很难收集到这些没有注册的无人机的数据,并且很难找出它们的操控者。根据题干中的unregistered drones可以定位到B段中的In many cases,radar data is not available and the operators cannot be identified,题干是对这句的转述。
5. Civilian drones flown with the FAA's permission and under its scrutiny are also not free from air crashes.
E
[解析] 此句意为:那些有联邦航空管理局特许,并在它监视下飞行的民用无人机也难以避免空难。根据题干中的air crashes可以定位到E段中的Civilian drones flown with the FAA's permission and under its scrutiny are also susceptible to crashes. 其中not free from air crashes是susceptible to crashes的另一种说法。
6. Producers of drones become impatient and worry that if the FAA do not act quickly foreign companies will steal the market.
O
[解析] 此句意为:无人机的制造商开始担心,如果联邦航空管理局还是动作那么慢,那么外国的公司会抢占无人机市场。根据题干中的steal the market可以定位到O段中的Manufacturers of drones and businesses that want to buy them are losing patience. They warn that foreign companies will steal the market if the FAA does not act swiftly. 题干是把两句话融合到了一句话中,意思不变。
7. Some contractors see the potential to sell drones to private business and other government agencies and they projected a very profitable market of drones.
M
[解析] 此句意为:一些承包商看到了把无人机卖给私营经济和其他政府部门的巨大潜力,并设想了一个利益巨大的无人机市场。根据题干可以定位到M段中的 Defence contractors who invented the technology saw even bigger potential to sell drones to private businesses and other government agencies. Industry groups projected a market with $8 billion in annual revenue. 其中$8 billion in annual revenue就是题干中的profitable market的具体表述。
8. Due to many drones flying in the sky, there are more and more dangerous occurrences in recent years.
C
[解析] 此句意为:由于越来越多的无人机在天上飞,近几年出现了越来越多的危险事件。根据题干可以定位到C段中的Hazardous occurrences are becoming more frequent as more drones—legal and illegal—take to the skies。其中Hazardous与dangerous的意思相近,都有危险的意思。
9. In the many cases reported over the last two years, there are many drones flying very close to airports or passenger planes which is very dangerous.
D
[解析] 此句意为:在过去两年报道的众多案例里,许多无人机飞得离飞机场和客机非常近,这种情况非常危险。根据题干中的flying very close to airports可以定位到D段中的In 15 cases over the past two years, drones flew dangerously close to airports or passenger aircraft。题干是对这句话的转述。
10. The FAA has a difficult time to reconcile the order imposed by the Congress because it must draft the rules quickly and at the same time it has to ensure the safety standards.
G
[解析] 此句意为:联邦航空管理局正为协调国会的命令而头痛。因为,一方面要尽快制定规章制度,另一方面还要确保安全标准。根据题干中的reconcile the order可以定位到G段中的Congress imposed dual orders on the FAA that the agency has struggled to reconcile. Under the law, the agency must draft rules for drones as soon as possible so businesses can use their economic potential. The FAA must also ensure that safety standards are not compromised and passenger aircraft are not imperilled. 题干是对这三句话的简洁概括。
Section C
Passage One Birds that are literally half asleep—with one brain hemisphere alert and the other sleeping—control which side of the brain remains awake, according to a new study of sleeping ducks. Earlier studies have documented half brain sleep in a wide range of birds. The brain hemispheres take turns sinking into the sleep stage characterized by slow brain waves. The eye controlled by the sleeping hemisphere keeps shut, while the wakeful hemisphere's eye stays open and alert. Birds also can sleep with both hemispheres resting at once. Decades of studies of bird flocks led researchers to predict extra alertness in the more vulnerable, end-of-the-row sleepers. Sure enough, the end birds tended to watch carefully on the side away from their companions. Ducks in the inner spots showed no preference for gaze direction. Also, birds dozing at the end of the line resorted to single hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, more often than inner ducks did. Rotating 16 birds through the positions in a four duck row, the researchers found outer birds half asleep during some 32 percent of dozing time versus about 12 percent for birds in internal spots. "We believe this is the first evidence for an animal behaviorally controlling sleep and wakefulness simultaneously in different regions of the brain," the researchers say. The results provide the best evidence for a long standing supposition that single hemisphere sleep evolved as creatures scanned for enemies. The preference for opening an eye on the lookout side could be widespread, he predicts. He's seen it in a pair of birds dozing side by side in the zoo and in a single pet bird sleeping by a mirror. The mirror side eye closed as if the reflection were a companion and the other eye stayed open. Useful as half sleeping might be, it's only been found in birds and such water mammals (哺乳动物) as dolphins, whales, and seals. Perhaps keeping one side of the brain awake allows a sleeping animal to surface occasionally to avoid drowning. Studies of birds may offer unique insights into sleep. Jerome M. Siegel of the UCLA says he wonders if birds' half brain sleep "is just the tip of the iceberg (冰山)." He speculates that more examples may turn up when we take a closer look at other species.
1. A new study" on birds' sleep has revealed that ______.
A.half brain sleep is found in a wide variety of birds
B.half brain sleep is characterized by slow brain waves
C.birds can control their half brain sleep consciously
D.birds seldom sleep with the whole of their brain at rest
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。根据题干中的关键词a new study定位至文章第一段,对鸟类的新研究发现,鸟类能控制哪一侧的大脑保持清醒。选项A、B、D虽在文章第二段中也提到了,但那是文献记载的以前的研究情况。因此均不正确。故选C。
2. According to the passage, birds often half sleep because ______.
A.they have to watch out for possible attacks
B.their brain hemispheres take turns to rest
C.the two halves of their brain are differently structured
D.they have to constantly keep an eye on their companions
5. By "just the tip of the iceberg" ( Line 2, Para. 8), Siegel suggests that ______.
A.half brain sleep has something to do with icy weather
B.the mystery of half brain sleep is close to being solved
C.most birds living in cold regions tend to be half sleepers
D.half brain sleep is a phenomenon that could exist among other species
A B C D
D
[解析] 推理题。本题定位到最后一段:对鸟类的研究可以提供对睡眠的独特认识。他推测当我们对其他物种仔细观察时,就会发现更多的例证。因此选项D说“半脑睡眠这种现象可能存在于其他物种身上”正是“just the tip of iceberg”所表达的意思。故选D。
Passage Two "Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor," says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. "Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest." Predictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year—making forests the leading source of greenhouse, gases. Uncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the brink of collapse. Extreme weather and reckless development are plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El , the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage (预示) droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again. More than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect—sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases—that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.
1. We learn from the first paragraph that ______.
A.dead leaves and tree debris make the same sound
B.trees that are dying usually give out a soft moan
C.organic debris echoes the sounds in a rain forest
D.the sound of a forest signifies its health condition
Beyond doubt, all the people long for wealth. We acquire and accumulate wealth by hard work, which makes us happy and satisfied. There is no doubt that wealth brings happiness to some extent, especially in the modern society. Various up-to-date household appliances and electronic equipments for leisure and recreation alter from day to day. All these new things make our life more comfortable and colorful. Without money we may not experience all of these. However, if wealth separates itself from happiness, it will lead to various problems. On no account can we identify wealth with happiness and never reckon only on wealth to achieve happiness.