Part Ⅰ Reading Comprehension Directions: There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET by blackening the corresponding letter in the brackets. One phase of the business cycle is the expansion phase. This phase is a two-fold one, including recovery and prosperity. During the recovery period there is ever-growing expansion of existing facilities, and new facilities for production are created. More businesses are created and older ones expanded. Improvements of various kinds are made. There is an ever increasing optimism about the future of economic growth. Much capital is invested in machinery or "heavy" industry. More labor is employed. More raw materials are required. As one part of the economy develops, other parts are affected. For example, a great expansion in automobiles results in an expansion of the steel, glass, and rubber industries. Roads are required. Thus the cement and machinery industries are stimulated. Demand for labor and materials results in greater prosperity for workers and suppliers of raw materials, including farmers. This increases purchasing power and the volume of goods bought and sold. Thus prosperity is diffused among the various segments of the population. This prosperity period may continue to rise and rise without an apparent end. However, a time comes when this phase reaches a peak and stops spiraling upwards. This is the end of the expansion phase.
1. We may assume that in the next paragraph the writer will discuss ______.
5. During the period of prosperity, people regard the future ______.
A.cautiously
B.in a confident manner
C.opportunely
D.indifferently
A B C D
B
在繁荣时期人们非常自信地考虑未来。答案的依据是:There is an ever increasing optimism about the future of economic growth。
Yeats was beginning to use a vocabulary freshly minted from the treasury of Gaelic literature, and many of the shorter poems in The Countess Kathleen and Various Legends and Lyrics (1892) deal with a mythology Ireland had well nigh forgotten and England never known. For Arthur and his Round Table Yeats substituted the very different Conchubar and his Red Branch Warriors, and Finn and his Fenians. The Red Branch cycle of legends included Fergus, whom Ness had tricked out of his kingdom so that her son Conchubar could rule over Ulster in his stead, and in Fergus and the Druid Yeats makes him avid for dreaming wisdom. Fergus was the unwitting agent of the doom of the Sons of Usna, Naoise the lover of Deirdre and his brothers Ardan and Ainle, who had accompanied the lovers to Scotland when they fled from Conchubar's wrath, for Deirdre was Conchubar's intended bride. Fergus had persuaded them to return against the wishes of Deirdre and had been tricked out of acting as their safe conduct. He joined with Maeve, Queen of Connaught, after this, in her raid on Ulster, in which Cuchulain achieved his great fame as Ulster's champion. Cuchulain is the Achilles of the Irish Saga, and he appears throughout Yeats's plays and poems, as warrior, as husband of Emer, as lover of Eithne Inguba, and of Aoife, as the unknowing killer of his own son and finally as victim of the sea.
6. Yeats differed from other poets in that he used ______.
The beginning of what was to become the United States was characterized by inconsistencies in the values and behavior of its population, inconsistencies that were reflected by population, inconsistencies that were reflected by its spokesmen, who took conflicting stances in many areas, but on the subject of race, the conflicts were particularly vivid. The idea that the Caucasian race and European civilization were superior was well entrenched in the culture of the colonists at the very time that the "egalitarian" republic was founded. Voluminous historical evidence indicates that, in the mind of the average colonist, the African was a heathen, he was black, and he was different in crucial philosophical ways. As time progressed, he was also increasingly captive, adding to the conception of deviance. The African, therefore, could be justifiaby (and even philanthropically) treated as property according to the reasoning of slavetraders and slaveholders. Although slaves were treated as objects, bountiful evidence suggests that they did not view themselves similarly. There are many published autobiographies of slaves. AfricanAmerican scholars are beginning to know enough about West African culture to appreciate the existential climate in which the early captives were raised and which therefore could not be totally destroyed by the enslavement experience. This was a climate that defined individuality in collective terms. Individuals were members of a tribe, within which they had prescribed roles determined by the history of their family within the tribe. Individuals were inherently a part of the natural elements on which they depended, and they were actively related to those tribal members who once lived and to those not yet born. The colonial plantation system which was established and into which Africans were thrust did virtually eliminate tribal affiliations. Individuals were separated from kin. Interrelationships among kin kept together were often transient because of sales. A new identification with those slaves working and living together in a given place could satisfy what was undoubtedly a natural tendency to be a member of a group. New family units became the most important attachments of individual slaves. Thus, as the system of slavery was gradually institutionalized, West African affiliation tendencies adapted to it. This exceedingly complex dual influence is still reflected in black community life, and the double consciousness of black Americans is the major characteristic of African-American mentality. Du Bois articulated this divided consciousness as follows. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife--this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging, he wishes neither of the older selves to be best. Several black political movements have looked upon this duality as destructively conflictual and have variously urged its reconciliation. Thus, the integrationists and the black nationalists, to be crudely general, have both been concerned with resolving the conflict, but in opposite directions.
11. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the passage?
A.The History of Black People in the United States.
B.West African Tribal Relations.
C.The Origin of Modern African-American Consciousness.
D.Slavery: A Democratic Anomaly.
A B C D
C
现代美国黑人意识的源流。A(The History of Black People in the United States)的题目太大或者说太宽泛。因为本文只是着重讨论美国较早的一个历史时期的情况,不可能反映美国黑人史的全貌。所以A应该排除。B(West African Tribal Relations西非的部落关系)之所以不能选,是因为尽管对西非种族关系的讨论是本文的一个重要组成部分,但它不是本文的主题。C正确,因为本文将白人对黑奴的态度同黑人对自己的态度进行对比,然后表明这种文化史对当代美国黑人造成的影响。D(Slavery: A Democratic Anomoly,奴隶制度:民主社会的一个特例)不对,因为本文并未涉及奴隶和民主之间的关系。
12. Which of the following can be inferred about the viewpoint expressed in the second paragraph of the passage?
A.It is a reinterpretation of slave life based on new research done by African-American scholars.
B.It is based entirely on recently published descriptions of slave life written by slaves themselves.
C.It is biased and overly sympathetic to the views of white, colonial slaveholders.
D.It is highly speculative and supported by little actual historical evidence.
15. It can be inferred that which of the following pairs are the two elements of the "dual influence" mentioned at the beginning of the last paragraph?
A.Slavery and West African culture.
B.Tribal affiliations in West Africa and family affiliations in West Africa.
C.A sense of individuality and a sense of tribal identification.
D.The history of West Africa and modern black political movements.
In the summer of 999, Leif Erikson voyaged to Norway and spent the following winter with King Olaf Tryggvason. Substantially the same account is given by both the Saga of Eric the Red and the Flat Island Book. The latter says nothing about Leif's return voyage to Greenland, but according to the former it was during this return voyage that Leif discovered America. The Flat Island Book, however, tells of another and earlier landfall by Biarni, the son of a prominent man named Heriulf, and makes that the inspiration for the voyage to the new land by Leif. In brief, like Leif, Biarni and his companion sight three countries in succession before reaching Greenland, and to come upon each new land takes 1 "doegr" more than the last until Biarni comes to land directly in front of his father's house in the lastmentioned country. This narrative has been rejected by most later writers, and they may be justified. Possibly, Biarni was a companion of Leif when he voyaged from Norway to Greenland via America, or it may be that the entire tale is but a garbled account of that voyage and Biarni another name for Leif. It should be noted, however, that the stories of Leif's visit to King Olaf and Biarni's to that king's predecessor are in the same narrative in the Flat Island Book, so there is less likelihood of duplication than if they were from different sources. Also, Biarni landed on none of the lands he passed, but Leif apparently landed on one, for he brought back specimens of wheat, vines, and timber. Nor is there any good reason to believe that the first land visited by Biarni was Wineland. The first land was "level and covered with woods", and "there were small hillocks upon it". Of forests, later writers do not emphasize them particularly in connection with Wineland, though they are often noted incidentally. And of hills, the Saga says of Wineland only that "wherever there was hilly ground, there were vines". Additionally, if the two narratives were taken from the same source we should expect a closer resemblance of Helluland. The Saga says of it. "They found there hellus (large flat stones)." According to the Biarni narrative, however, "this land was high and mountainous." The intervals of 1, 2, 3, and 4 "doegr" in both narratives are suggestive, but mythic formulas of this kind may be introduced into narratives without altogether destroying their historicity. It is also held against the Biarni narrative that its hero is made to come upon the coast of Greenland exactly in front of his father's home. But it should be recalled that Heriufsness lay below two high mountains which served as landmarks for navigators. I would give up Biarni more readily were it not that the story of Leif's voyage contained in the supposedly more reliable Saga is almost as amazing. But Leif's voyage across the entire width of the North Atlantic is said to be "probable" because it is incorporated into the narrative of a preferred authority, while Biarni's is "improbable" or even "impossible" because the document containing it has been condemned.
16. The author's primary concern is to demonstrate that ______.
A.Leif Erikson did not visit America
B.Biarni might have visited America before Leif Erikson
Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension Read the following passages, decide on the best one of the choices marked A, B, C and D for each question or unfinished statement and then mark the corresponding letter with a single bar across the square bracket. Sustainable development is applied to just about everything from energy to clean water and economic growth, and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use. This is especially true in agriculture, where sustainable development is often taken as the sole measure of progress without a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives. To start with, it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history, and will continue to do so. Medieval agriculture in northern Europe fed, clothed and sheltered a predominantly rural society with a much lower population density than it is today. It had minimal effect on biodiversity, and any pollution it caused was typically localised. In terms of energy use and the nutrients(营养成分) captured in the product it was relatively inefficient. Contrast this with farming since the start of the industrial revolution. Competition from overseas led farmers to specialise and increase yields. Throughout this period food became cheaper, safer and more reliable. However, these changes have also led to habitat(栖息地) loss and to diminishing biodiversity. What's more demand for animal products in developing countries is growing so fast that meeting it will require an extra 300 million tons of grain a year by 2050. Yet the growth of cities and industry is reducing the amount of water available for agriculture in many regions. All this means that agriculture in the 21st century will have to be very different from how it was in the 20th. This will require radical thinking. For example, we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices are inevitably more sustainable than new ones. We also need to abandon the notion that agriculture can be "zero impact". The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static measures of sustainability, which centre on the need to maintain production without increasing damage. Instead we need a more dynamic interpretation, one that looks at the pros and cons (正反两方面)of all the various ways land is used. There are many different ways to measure agricultural performance besides food yield: energy use, environmental (costs, water purity, carbon footprint and biodiversity. It is clear, for example, that the carbon cost of transposing tomatoes from Spain to the UK is less than that of producing them in the UK with additional heating and lighting. But we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will always be better for biodiversity. What is crucial is recognising that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.
1. How do people often measure progress in agriculture?
A.By its productivity.
C.By its impact on the environment.
B.By its sustainability.
D.By its contribution to economic growth.
A B C D
B
[解析]本题问“人们通常怎样评估农业中的进步”。本文首段第二句提到“This is especially true in agriculture,where sustainable development is often taken as the sole measure of progress with out a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives.即农业中可持续发展被视为唯一发展举措,故B“通过可持续性”正确。
2. Specialisation and the effort to increase yields have resulted in ______ .
A.localised pollution
C.competition from overseas
B.the shrinking of farmland
D.the decrease of biodiversity
A B C D
D
[解析]本题问“专业化耕作和产量提高导致了什么结果”。第三段第二、三、四句提到“Competition from overseas led farmers to specialise and increase yields.Throughout this period food became cheaper, safer and more reliable.However,these changes have also led to habitat(栖息地)loss and to diminishing biodiversity.”即海外竞争致使农民进行专业化耕作,提高了产量,但这些变化是以动物栖息地范围的缩小和生物多样性的减少为代价的,故D“生物多样性的减少”正确。
3. What does the author think of traditional farming practices?
A.They have remained the same over the centuries.
B.They have not kept pace with population growth.
C.They are not necessarily sustainable.
D.They are environmentally friendly.
A B C D
C
[解析]本题问“作者如何看待传统的农业方法”。第五段第三句提到“For example,we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices ate inevitably more sustainable than new ones.”即作者认为要摒弃认为传统农业方法要比新方式更具持续性的观念,故C“它们不一定是可持续性的”正确。
4. What will agriculture be like in the 21st century?
A.It will go through radical changes.
B.It will supply mort animal products.
C.It will abandon traditional farming practices.
D.It will cause zero damage to the environment.
A B C D
A
[解析]本题问“21世纪农业可能全是怎样的”。第二段第一句提到“To start with,it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history,and will continue to do so.”即农业的本质在历史上历经了巨大的变迁,并将不断变更下去,故A“它会经历根本性的变化”正确。
5. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?
A.To remind people of the need of sustainable development.
B.To suggest ways of ensuring sustainable food production.
C.To advance new criteria for measuring farming progress.
D.To urge people to rethink what sustainable agriculture is.
A B C D
D
[解析]本题问“作者的写作目的是什么”。文章最后一段提到“what is crucial is recognising that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.”即可持续性农业并非是单纯的可持续性农作物生产,故D“敦促人们重新思考什么是可持续农业发展”正确。
The percentage of immigrants(including those unlawfully present)in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12. 6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid 1920s. We are not about to go hack to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did. We now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and, contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success. Although children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks--that large parts of the community may become mired (陷入) in a, seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans. Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to(降入) segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country. We have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of ethnic/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader questions about assimilation, about bow to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores. That is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.
6. How were immigrants viewed by U. S. Congress in the early days?
A.They were of inferior races.
B.They were a source of political corruption.
C.They were a threat to the nation's security.
D.They were part of the nation's bloodstream.
A B C D
A
[解析]本题问“美国国会早期是如何看待移民的”。短文第二段的第一句为“We are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream.”即国会认为他们是劣等民族,败坏了美国血统,故A“他们是劣等民族”正确。
7. What does the author think of the new immigrants?
A.They will be a dynamic workforce in the U. S.
B.They can do just as well as their predecessors.
C.They will be very disappointed on the new land.
D.They may find it hard to fit into the mainstream.
A B C D
B
[解析]本题问“作者是如何看待新移民的”。第三段第三句提到“There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.”即新移民没有理由不获得先贤那样的成功,故B.“他们可以和前辈做得一样好”正确。
8. What does Edward Telles' research say about Mexican--Americans?
A.They may slowly improve from generation to generation.
B.They will do better in terms of educational attainment
C.They will melt into the African-American community.
D.They may forever remain poor and underachieving.
A B C D
D
[解析]本题问“Edward Telles关于美籍墨西哥人的研究说明了什么”。第四段第三句提到“Telles fears that Mexican—Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks—that large parts of the community may because mired(陷入)in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement.”即美籍墨西哥人可能会步美国黑人的后尘,大量后裔将陷入貌似永远都摆脱不掉的贫穷和窘迫当中,故D“他们可能会永远陷于贫穷和窘迫”正确。
9. What should be done to help the new immigrants?
A.Rid them of their inferiority complex.
B.Urge them to adopt American customs.
C.Prevent them from being marginalized.
D.Teach them standard American English.
A B C D
C
[解析]第五段第四句提到“…we also ought to ask some broader questions about assimilation,about how to ensure that people,once outsiders,don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.”即应该思考如何保证那些一度是局外人的人群不会永远在境内边缘化。故C“防止他们边缘化”正确。
10. According to the author, the burning issue concerning immigration is ______ .
A.how to deal with people entering the U. S. without documents
B.how to help immigrants to better fit into American society
C.how to stop illegal immigrants from crossing the border
D.how to limit the number of immigrants to enter the U. S.
A B C D
B
[解析]本题问“作者认为美国移民问题要解决的燃眉之急是什么”。第五段最后一句以及第六段提到“…also ought to ask some broader questions about assimilation,about how to ensure that people, once outsiders,don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.That is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers,or how best to secure the border…”(我们还是应该更广泛地问一些关于同化的问题,以及如何保证那些一度是局外人的人群不会永远在境内边缘化。这个问题比怎样处理非法劳工或如何保障边界安全更值得关注),也就是说同化是最迫切要解决的问题。故B“如何帮助移民更好的融入美国社会”正确。A“如何处理在美没有合法身份的人”、C“如何制止非法移民越过边界”、D“如何限制美国移民的数量”都不是急需解决的问题。
They may be one of Britain's most successful exports and among the world's most popular TV shows, ranking alongside the World Cup Final and the Olympic Games opening ceremony in terms of audience. But, in Britain, beauty competitions are unfashionable. To most people, beauty contests seem as out-dated as bowing. Nicolas Barker, a lawyer in London, said that" As much as I think it's fine for women to do it I don't think it's interesting and in fact. I think they're irrelevant to today". Last year, Miss World was broadcast to 142 countries, but it wasn't even shown in this country where it started in 1951. It wasn't always this way in Britain. once, beauty queens dated footballers, traveled the world and were guaranteed fame, fortune and fun. Now, they open new supermarkets, are sponsored by dry-cleaning companies and, if they're lucky, they get free clothes from supermarkets. When Francesca Merchant was crowned Miss Sussex in 1969, it was something to be extremely proud of. "I came from a small town, and all my friends were green with envy when they found out I'd won. My boyfriends at the time thought it was terrific and boasted to everyone that he was going out with a beauty queen." But the good times couldn't last The feminist movement gathered momentum. Some women were determined to bring an end to these" cattle shows". Nowadays, saying that you were a beauty queen just doesn't sound good. Miss World organizers claim that contestants are judged on qualities other than just their physical appearance. But, Jacqueline Gold, England's representative at this year's contest, was not chosen because of her academic record. The Miss World Website states that she "left school having gained many computer qualifications, and certificates in First Aid and Life Saving", meaning, not much of an education. The only time the contests attract attraction now is because of the protesters. At the 1999 Miss World in Britain, around 60 demonstrators hurled flour bombs and fought with the police. They denounced the beauty contest as a "sexist cattle market". They waved banners saying "fat girls are cool" and "women's bodies are not for sale".
11. Beauty contests in Britain are now ______ .
A.bringing huge benefits for the country
B.as popular as the World Cup Final
C.no longer popular in the country
D.widely protested in the country
A B C D
C
[解析]从第一段第三行可以推知。
12. The attitude of Nicolas Baker towards beauty contests is that ______ .
A.women shouldn't attend the contests
B.the contests are fine but he doesn't like them
C.the contests are insults to women
D.the contests are behind the times
A B C D
D
[解析]从第一段倒数第三行可以推知。
13. In the 1960s and 1970s, beauty queens ______ .
A.were sponsored by dry-cleaning companies
B.were admired by most people
C.did not have a good reputation
D.got free clothes from supermarkets
A B C D
B
[解析]从第三段第一句“when Francesca merchant was crowned miss Sussex in 1969,was something to be extremely proud of”可以推知。
14. The author used Jacqueline Gold as an example to show that ______ .
A.her academic record was very strong
B.she had gained many qualifications and certificates
C.contestants are judged on their physical appearance
D.contestants are judged on their education
A B C D
C
[解析]从第五段可以推出,Jacqueline Gole是凭借其美丽的外表获胜的。
15. The best title for the passage might be ______ .
A.Beauty Contests: Insults to Women
B.Beauty Contests: Sexist Cattle Market
C.Beauty Contests: A Headache for British people
D.Beauty Contests: Started in Britain but Unpopular Now
A B C D
D
[解析]从整体上把握全文知本文的题目是:选美比赛开始于英国,但是现在不受欢迎和流行了。
A particular area in which assumptions and values differ between cultures is that of friendship. Friendships among Americans tend to be shorter and less intense than those among people from many other cultures. At least many observers from abroad have this impression. Because Americans are taught to be self-reliant, because they live in a very mobile society, and for many other reasons as well, they tend to avoid deep involvement with other people. Furthermore, Americans tend to" compartmentalize" their friendships, having their" friends at work" , " friends at school", a" tennis friend", and so on. Americans often seem very friendly, even when you first meet them. This friendliness does not usually mean that the American is looking for a deeper relationship. The result of these attitudes and behaviors is sometimes viewed by foreigner as an "inability to be friends". Other times it is seen as a normal way to retain personal happiness in a mobile, ever-changing society. People normally have in their minds stereotypes about people who are different from themselves. Stereotypes are based on limited and incomplete experience and information, but they shape people's thoughts and expectations. Americans have many stereotypes about foreign students in general (for example, that they are very hard working, intelligent, and rich; that they do not speak English well) and about particular categories of foreign students (Chinese are polite Own stereotypes of Americans, for example, that they are arrogant, rude, and generous). There are two stereotypes that often effect male-female relationships involving U. S. and foreign students. The first is the idea, held by some foreign males, that American females are American females, is that male foreign students have no interest in American females other than having sex with them. The existence of these and other stereotypes can give rise to considerable misunderstanding and can block the development of a mutually satisfactory human mind seeks to categorize and classify information, so it is not realistic to suppose people can "forget their stereotypes". But they can be aware of their stereotypes, and be ready to find exceptions to them.
16. Concerning friendship, Americans ______ .
A.look for a deeper relationship in a close circle
B.avoid deep relationship with other people
C.are friendly ar first but do not remain so later on
D.do not make good friends
A B C D
B
[解析]从文章第一段倒数第五行可以推知。
17. The word" compartmentalize" in the first paragraph means" ______ ".
A.seperate in categories
B.treat differently
C.evaluate accordingly
D.judge fairly
A B C D
A
[解析]从文章第一段倒数第三行可以推出将朋友分为“工作中的朋友,学习上的朋友,简单的朋友等”。
18. The author's attitude toward the American type of friendship seems to be ______ .
19. According to the author, stereotypes concerning male-female relationships involving U. S.
A.helpful
B.meaning less
C.harmful
D.useless
A B C D
C
[解析]从最后一段第五行可以推知,这些行为可导致误解,因而是有害的。
20. According to the author, stereotypes seem unavoidable because ______ .
A.it is natural to have them
B.it is easy to find exceptions
C.they provide better understanding
D.they contribute to friendship
A B C D
A
[解析]文章的末尾处Stereotypes seem unavoidable—so it is not realistic to suppose people can“forget their stereotypes”可以推知。
When an invention is made, the inventor has three possible courses of action open to him: he can give the invention to the whole world by publishing it, keep the idea secret, or patent it. A granted patent is the result of a bargain struck between an inventor and the state, by which the inventor gets a limited period of monopoly and publishes full details of his invention to the public after that period terminates. only in the most exceptional circumstances is the life-span of a patent extended to alter this normal process of events. The longest extension ever granted was to Georges Valensi; his 1939 patent for color TV receiver circuitry was extended until 1971 because for most of the patent's normal life there was no colour TV to receive and thus no hope of reward for the invention. Because a patent remains permanently public after it has terminated, the shelves of the library attached to the patent office contain details of literally millions of ideas that are free for anyone to use and, if older than half a century, sometimes even re-patent. Indeed, patent experts often advise any other inventer's right is to plagiarize a dead patent likewise, because publication of an idea in any other form permanently invalidates further patents on that idea, it is traditionally safe to take ideas from other areas of print. Much modem technological advance is based on these presumptions of legal security. Anyone closely involved in patents and inventions soon learns that most "new" ideas are, in fact, as old as the hills. It is their reduction to commercial practice, either through necessity or dedication, or through the availability of new technology, that makes news and money. The basic patent for the theory of magnetic recording dates back to 1886. Many of the original ideas behind television originate from the late 19th and early 20th century. Even the Volkswagen rear engine car was anticipated by a 1904 patent for a cart with the horse at the rear.
21. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.It is necessary for an inventor to apply for a patent before he makes his invention public.
B.A patent holder must publicize the details of his invention when its legal period is over.
C.one can get all the details of a patented invention from a library attached to the patent.
D.When a patent becomes out of effect, it can be re-patented or extended if necessary.
A.an invention will not benefit the inventor unless it is reduced to commercial practice
B.it is much cheaper to buy an old patent than a new one
C.patent experts often recommend patents to others
D.products are actually inventions which were made a long time ago
A B C D
A
[解析]可从文中最后一段的第二句“It is their reduction to commercial practice,either through necessity or dedication,or through the availability of new technology,that makes news and money”推知,即科学发明只有转换成商业实践发明者才能从其中受益(获得钱财的回报)。
Before the mid-nineteenth century, people in the United State eat most foods only in season. Drying, smoking, and salting could preserve meat for a short time, but the availability of fresh meat, like that of fresh milk, was very limited. There was no way to prevent spoilage. But in 1810, a French inventor named Nicolas Appert developed the cooking-and-sealing process of canning. And in the 1850's an American named Gail Borden developed a means of condensing and preserving milk. Canned goods and condensed milk became more common during the 1860's, but supplies remained low because cans had to be made by hand. By 1880, however, inventors had fashioned stamping and soldering machines that mass-produced cans from tinplate. Suddenly all kinds of food could be preserved and bought at all times of the year. Other trends and inventions had also helped make it possible for Americans to vary their daily diets. Growing urban populations created demand that encouraged fruit and vegetable farmers to raise more produce. Railroad refrigerator car enabled growers and meat packers to ship perishables great distance and to preserve them for longer periods. Thus, by the 1890's, northern city dwellers could enjoy southern and western strawberries, grapes and tomatoes, previously available for a month at most, for up to six month of the year. In addition, increased use of iceboxes enabled families to store perishables. An easy means of producing ice commercially had been invented in the 1870's, and by 1900 the nation had more than two thousand commercial ice plants, most of which made home deliveries. The icebox became a fixture in most homes and remained so until the mechanized refrigerator replaced it in the 1920's and 1930's. Almost every one now had a more diversified diet. Some people continued to eat mainly foods that were heavy in starches or carbohydrates, and not everyone could afford meat. Nevertheless, many families could take advantage of previously unavailable fruits, vegetables, and dairy products to achieve more varied fare.
26. During the 1860's canned food products were ______ .
A.shipped in refrigerator cars
B.a staple part of the American diet
C.available in limited quantities
D.unavailable in rural areas
A B C D
C
[解析]可从文中的“Canned goods and condensed milk became more common during the 1860's, but supplies remained low because cans had to be made by hand.”推知,即在19世纪60年代,因为需要手工生产,所以罐装食品的供应量很少。
27. It can be inferred that railroad refrigerator cars came into use ______ .
A.before 1860
B.after 1900
C.before 1890
D.after 1920
A B C D
C
[解析]可从文中的“Railroad refrigerator cars enabled growers and meat packers to ship perishables great distances and to preserve them for longer periods.Thus,by the 1890's,northern city dwellers could enjoy southern and western strawberries,grapes,and tomatoes,previously available for a month at most,for up to six months of the year.”推知,即1890年以前铁路冷藏车就开始使用了。
28. The author implies that in the 1920's and 1930's home deliveries of ice ______ .
A.were on an irregular schedule
B.decreased in number
C.increased in cost
D.occurred only in the summer
A B C D
B
[解析]可从文中的“The icebox became a fixture in most homes and remained so until the mechanized refrigerator replaced it in the 1920's and 1930's.”推知,即机械化的冰箱在20世纪20年代和30年代逐渐取代了原来的冰盒,从中暗示了家庭用冰量的减小。
29. What does the passage talk about mainly?
A.Commercial production of ice.
B.Inventions that led to changes in the American diet
C.Causes of food spoilage.
D.Population movements in the 19th century.
A B C D
B
[解析]可从文中的内容推知,即本文主要谈论的是各种发明导致了美国人饮食的变化。
30. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?
A.Tin cans and iceboxes helped to make many foods more widely available.
B.City people demanded home delivery of foods.
C.Most American farmers raised only fruits and vegetables.
D.Commercial ice factories were developed by railway owners.
A B C D
A
[解析]可从文中的“By 1880,however,inventors had fashioned stamping and soldering machines that mass-produced cans from tinplate.Suddenly all kinds of food could be preserved and bought at all times of the year.”和后面的“Other trends and inventions had also helped make it possible for Americans to vary their daily diets.”,“In addition,increased use of iceboxes enabled families to store perishables.”推知,即锡罐的使用加大了食品购买的范围。
Part Ⅲ Cloze Directions: For each numbered blank in the following passage, fill in a suitable word in each blank on the ANSWER SHEET. When travelers lack an awareness of 1 time is regulated in a foreign country, they can expect to feel somewhat disoriented. Since most people 2 time for granted, the effects of values, customs, and social etiquette on the use of time are seldom examined. A culture that values achievement and progress will discourage people 3 "wasting" time. Highly efficient business people from these cultures may feel frustrated in a country 4 work proceeds at a slow pace. In religious societies, customs specify times of the day, week, or year for prayer and religious celebrations. If an individual tries to 5 an appointment during a sacred holiday, he or she could unknowingly offend a religious person. Social etiquette determines appropriate times for visits, meetings, and even phone calls. Arriving two hours late for an 6 may be acceptable in one culture, whereas in 7 , keeping someone 8 fifteen minutes may be considered rude. Promptness is important in American business, academic, and social settings. The 9 of punctuality is taught to young children in school. Tardy slips and the use of bells signal to the child that punctuality and time itself are to be respected. An amusing report of a school child's experience with time 10 in a recent newspaper article: " 11 a child, my mother used to tell me 12 crucial it was to be at school 13 the first bell rang. Preparation for my 'on-time' appearance began the night before. I was directed to go to bed early so I could wake 14 wide-eyed at 7 a.m. with enough time to get ready. Although I usually managed to watch my share of TV cortoons, I knew that in one hour I had to get dressed, eat breakfast, 15 my teeth, 16 my hair, and be on my way to school or I would be violating an important rule of Mom's, the school's or of the world's. It was hard to tell which." People who keep appointments are 17 dependable. If people are late to job interviews, appointments, or classes, they are often viewed 18 unreliable and irresponsible. In the business world, "time is money" and companies may fine their executives for tardiness to business meetings. Of course, it is not always possible to be punctual. Social and business etiquette also provides rules for late arrivals. Calling on the telephone if one is going lo be more than a few minutes late for scheduled appointments is considered polite and is often expected. Keeping a date or a friend wailing beyond ten to twenty minutes is considered rude. On the other 19 ,arriving thirty minutes 20 to some parties is acceptable.