Passage 1 Postage stamps are labels affixed to letters or parcels to indicate that a specified amount of postage has been prepaid for delivery. Stamps are usually issued by a government or an agency representing a government, such as a national post office. The collecting and study of postage stamps and related items such as postcards is known as philately, a word derived from Greek meaning, literally, "love of what is free of further tax." Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. From the earliest years of the hobby, most philatelists have preferred to collect stamps by country, specializing in the issues of one or more nations. Since about the mid-1950s, however, many philatelists have become interested in topical collecting, acquiring stamps illustrating certain themes or subjects. Among the wide range of pictorials are stamps devoted to sports, art and music, aviation, birds and flowers, and telecommunications. One of the attractions of stamp collecting is the ease of starting a collection. With access to enough incoming mail, especially from abroad, a person can build a collection without any expense. Literally tens of thousands of stamps, however, including many of the older issues, are priced very cheaply. Little special equipment is required. A collector needs only an album to house the collection and a pair of stamp tongs with which to handle them. Stamps and accessories can be purchased easily. Nearly every city has one or more professional stamp dealers. Thousands of other dealers operate exclusively by mail or on the Internet. When collectors have accumulated a number of valuable stamps, they must take precautions for safe storage, preferably in a bank safety deposit box. If the stamps are in mint (崭新的) condition, they should not be overlapped; through changes in humidity, overlapping stamps may stick together and become seriously damaged. Collectors also should keep accurate written inventories of all their philatelic material.
1. In the 1st paragraph, "philately" is a term dealing with ______.
A.postage delivery
B.postage taxing and pricing
C.a study of postage items
D.a study of postcard collecting
A B C D
C
[解析] 词义题。根据...study of postage stamps and related items...is known as philately可得出答案。
2. According to the passage, stamps can be classified ______.
A.by face value
B.by issue
C.chronologically
D.thematically
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。根据...acquiring stamps illustrating certain themes or subjects可得知答案,即thematically主题地。
3. One of the charms of stamp collecting is that it can be started ______.
A.without any technical means
B.without too much time spent
C.without too much space needed
D.without necessarily big investment
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。根据one of the attraction...without any expense可知,对收藏邮票的投入很小,不需要花太多钱。
4. According to the passage, the new stamps should avoid ______.
A.humidity
B.burglary
C.being duplicated
D.being catalogued
A B C D
A
[解析] 本题考查对文章的理解。由if the stamps are in mint condition...可知,新邮票若叠放在一起,则会因潮湿而粘在一起,受到严重损坏,所以应该避免潮湿。
5. The writer's suggestion made in the last paragraph is basically ______.
Passage 2 Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero? Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people. A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people. The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant? Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (实行种族隔离) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
1. Heroes may come from different cultures, but they ______.
A.generally share some inspiring characteristics
B.probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C.are often influenced by their previous generations
D.are often pursued by a large number of fans
A B C D
A
[解析] 不同文化中英雄的共同点在第二段...generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people,他们具有许多指导性的,鼓舞人心的品质。选项D为famous men的特点。答案为A。
2. According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that ______.
A.they have a vision from the mountaintop
B.they have warm feelings and emotions
C.they can serve as concrete examples of noble strengths
D.they can make people feel stronger and more enthusiastic
A B C D
C
[解析] 题干问文中把英雄比作高压变压器的原因。文章第三段中说,But a hero goes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high voltage transformers,...英雄因为选项C,they can serve as concrete examples of noble strengths,因而产生选项D的结果,所以C项符合题意。答案为C。
3. Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because ______.
A.they do not improve their fans morally
B.they are popular only with certain groups of people
C.their primary concern is their own financial interests
D.they are not clear about what principles they should follow
A B C D
A
[解析] 题干问,为什么迈克尔·杰克逊和麦当娜不被认为是英雄?文中说,Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?这句反问句说他们没有使歌迷的生活更丰富多彩,即他们没有从精神上使歌迷得到提高。答案为A。
4. Gandhi and Martin Luther King are examples of outstanding leaders who ______.
A.are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B.are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
C.can bring about social changes in their nations
D.can change the whole world with their skills and charms
A B C D
C
[解析] 甘地和马丁·路德·金是那些给社会带来巨大变化的杰出领袖的代表。答案为C。
5. The author concludes that historical changes would ______.
A.be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B.not occur without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C.take place if there were heroes to lead the people
D.produce leaders with attractive personalities
A B C D
A
[解析] 文中说,It may be possible for large scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but...be slow, slow与delay意义相关。答案为A。
Passage 3 If culture is learned, there must be channels of transmission. This is the task of agents of socialization people and organizations charged with conveying the rules. Chief among these are parents, peers, teachers, the media, and religious authorities. The first and most important agent of socialization is those who care for infants. In the earliest months, messages from nurturers constitute the child's basic understanding of the world around it. This is the infant's first introduction to the language that shapes perception and elicits emotions. What the child learns is the culture as mediated through others. A desire for continued interaction with the nurturers, combined with a fear of losing these sources of pleasure, motivates the infant to become sensitive to the cues of those entrusted with its care. Another powerful source of information and socialization is the friendship group of age peers. Peers are equals, whereas parents are superiors in relation to the child. The greater power of parents makes some kinds of learning difficult. A distance and formality must be ob served even in the most indulgent homes. Peers, on the other hand, are those one can deal with on the same level as oneself: tease, insult, let imagination loose upon, share dreadful mistakes with, and so on, but without the heavy emotional overlay of family relationship. Much formal socialization is placed in the hands of professionals. Teachers from kindergarten are specifically designated agents of socialization, and are paid for the task. Ideally, a teacher is one who has both knowledge and the skills to present it. In an earlier time, parents, friends, and teachers would comprise the list of primary childhood socializers. Children's books, comics, and magazines might also have been mentioned as sources of information on norms and role models. Today one must add four powerful indirect socialization agents: radio, movie, television and computer. Many people learn about politics, form a vision of the good life, and develop attitudes toward others from what they see on the screen and hear through loudspeakers.
A.the first and most important agents of socialization
B.the less powerful agents of socialization than teachers
C.the least important agents of socialization
D.formal agents of socialization
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节理解题。文中第二段的第一行中说道:The first and most important agent of socialization is those who care for infants.父母是照顾婴儿第一位最重要的社会中间人。答案为A。
3. Some kind of knowledge cannot be learned from parents because ______.
A.there is the heavy emotional overlay of family relationships
B.children are not regarded as equals
C.children are not allowed to make mistakes
D.they have too many age peers
A B C D
B
[解析] 因果关系题。文章第三段的第二行中说道:Peers are equals, whereas parents are superiors in relation to the child. The greater power of parents makes some kinds of learning difficult.伙伴之间是平等的,而父母通常会凌驾于孩子之上。父母的这种权威性会成为孩子学习的阻碍。答案为B。
4. Which of the following is not mentioned as a source of information on norms and models?______
A.Games.
B.Radio.
C.Books.
D.Television.
A B C D
A
[解析] 判断题。注意,题干问的是成为行为标准的信息源头,下面哪个没有提到。最后一段第四行中说道:Today one must add four powerful indirect socialization agents: radio, movie, television and computer.现如今,最重要的一些社会媒介有:无线电、电影、电视以及计算机。唯独Game没有提到。答案为A。
5. The term "socializers" in the last paragraph refers to ______.
Passage 4 A number of different aspects of life can influence mental health. In a mid1970s study of people living in the United States, researchers identified critical areas that influence one's mental health. These areas are working life, family life, and the social role that one occupies in the community. Negative experiences in these areas, such as an unreasonable boss or a turbulent family life, can reduce one's overall sense of well-being. Another important influence on mental health is stress. In general, people experience stress when the demands placed on them exceed the resources they have available to meet those demands. Significant sources of stress include major life events, such as divorce, death of a spouse, loss of a job, and illness in the family. These events can overwhelm a person's ability to cope and function effectively. In addition, one source of stress may lead to another, as when financial hardship follows job loss. People who experience unusually traumatic events, such as rape and natural disasters, may develop post-traumatic stress disorder. People may experience chronic stress when confronted with a continuing set of demands that reduce their ability to function. Examples of such demands include working long hours under difficult circumstances and caring for a chronically ill relative. Economic hardship, unemployment, and poverty can also produce chronic stress and undermine mental health. Some studies suggest that genetic factors may partly determine one's level of happiness and mental health. People seem to display a characteristic level of well-being, with some people usually feeling happy and others typically feeling sad or unhappy. Researchers have found that although people's moods change in response to both positive and negative events, the effect wears off over time. For example, people who win the lottery or receive an unexpected promotion may feel happier at first, but over time they return to their former characteristic level of mental health. Research suggests that one's genetic background——that is, the genes inherited from one's parents——explains more than half of the differences in people's characteristic mood levels. Genes may also partly determine the range of ups and downs that people feel, including whether people have large mood swings or remain stable from day to day.
1. According to the passage, the major factors that may reduce one's sense of psychological well-being include all the following EXCEPT ______.
A.unstable marriage
B.genetic heritage
C.bad-tempered managers
D.lower social status
A B C D
B
[解析] 本题考查对文章的理解。影响因素即these areas are working life,family life,and the social role...。A项不稳定的婚姻属于family life;C项坏脾气的经理属于working life;D项较低的社会身份属于the social role。
2. People experience stress when ______.
A.they have no accessible financial resources
B.they have no social resources at their disposal
C.they feel it hard to shirk family responsibility
D.they have to go beyond their ability to get a job done
A B C D
D
[解析] 细节题。...people experience stress when the demands placed on them exceed...意为当工作要求超出能力范围时,人们会感到压力。D项符合题意。
3. Chronic stress may result from ______.
A.death of a spouse
B.lottery purchases
C.long-time hard work
D.failure to be promoted
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。根据People may experience chronic stress when...Examples of such demands include working long hours under difficult circumstances...可以得知,压力来源于长期繁重的工作。
4. From the last paragraph, it can be inferred that ______.
A.people's moods are sometimes unstable
B.people cannot escape from negative events
C.Success may produce a long-term effect on people's mental health
D.parents are partly responsible for their children's distinctive moods
A B C D
D
[解析] 推断题。从最后一段...genes inherited from one's parents—explains...People's characteristic mood level,可推断出父母对孩子的特别情绪负有一定责任。
5. According to the passage, people's characteristic mood levels may be affected ______.
A.physically
B.biologically
C.gradually
D.abruptly
A B C D
C
[解析] 本题考查对文章的理解。从文章中the effect wears off over time可知,对人们性格水平的影响是需要一段时间的,是渐进的过程。
Ⅱ.SPEED READING
Passage 5 It is difficult to imagine what life would be like without memory. The meanings of thousands of everyday perceptions, the bases for the decisions we make, and the roots of our habits and skills are to be found in our past experiences, which are brought into the present by memory. Memory can be defined as the capacity to keep information available for later use. It includes not only "remembering" things like arithmetic or historical facts, but also involves any change in the way an animal typically behaves. Memory is involved when a rat gives up an eating grain because he has sniffed something suspicious in the grain pile. Memory is also involved when a six-year-old child learns to swing a baseball bat. Memory exists not only in humans and animals but also in some physical objects and machines. Computer, for example, contains devices for storing data for later use. It is interesting to compare the memory storage capacity of a computer with that of a human being. The instant-access memory of a large computer may hold up to 1,000,000 "words" ready for instant use. An average U.S. teenager probably recognizes the meaning of about 100,000 words of English. However, his is but a fraction of the total amount of information which the teenager has stored. Consider, for example, the number of faces and places that the teenager can recognize on sight. The use of words is the basis of the advanced problem solving intelligence of human beings. A large part of a person's memory is in terms of words and combinations of words.
1. According to the passage, memory is considered to be ______.
A.the basis for decision making and problem solving
B.an ability to store experiences for future use
C.an intelligence typically possessed by human beings
D.the data mainly consisting of words and combinations of words
A B C D
B
[解析] 细节题。“根据本文内容,记忆被认为是什么样的?”B选项“一种为将来储存经历的能力。”文章第二段说Memory can be defined as the capacity to keep information available for later use。A选项“决策制定和问题解决的基础”;C选项“通常为人类所具有的智力”;D选项“主要由单词和单词组合构成的数据”。答案为B。
2. The comparison made between the memory capacity of a large computer and that of a human being shows that ______.
A.the computer's memory has a little bigger capacity than a teenager's
B.the computer's memory capacity is much smaller than an adult human being's
C.the computer's memory capacity is much smaller even than a teenager's
D.the computer's memory capacity is the same as any teenager's
A B C D
C
[解析] 细节题。“将大型计算机的储存容量与人的记忆相比,表明了什么?”C选项正确,“计算机的记忆容量小于十几岁人的记忆容量”。文中第三段说“It is interesting to...that of a human being...Consider,...can recognize on sight”。答案为C。
3. The whole passage implies that ______.
A.only human beings have problem solving intelligence
B.a person's memory is different from a computer's in every respect
C.animals are able to solve only very simple problems
D.animals solve problems by instincts rather than intelligence
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“全文暗示了什么?”A选项“只有人能通过智力解决问题”正确。文中最后一段说“The use of words...of human beings”。B选项“人的记忆与计算机的记忆在各个方面都不同”;C选项“动物只能解决非常简单的问题”;D选项“动物解决问题靠本能而不是靠智力”,这三项内容在文中都没有提到。答案为A。
4. The phrase "in terms of" in the last sentence can best be replaced by ______.
5. What will be accounted for after the last paragraph of this passage?______
A.Life will also be happy even if there is no memory for people.
B.Both human beings and animals have the same memory.
C.People's memory is inferior to computers.
D.The way that people use words and combination of words to form memory.
A B C D
D
[解析] 推理题。“文章最后一段之后将会继续叙述什么?”从最后一段最后一句话A large part of a person's memory is in terms of words and combinations of words可知,若作者继续讨论的话,那么话题也将围绕这句话进行,故答案便显而易见了。答案为D。
Passage 6 When we accept the evidence of our unaided eyes and describe the Sun as a yellow star, we have summed up the most important single fact about it at this moment in time. It appears probable, however, that sunlight will be the color we know for only a negligibly small part of the Sun's history. Stars, like individuals, age and change. As we look out into space, we see around us stars at all stages of evolution. There are faint bloodred dwarfs so cool that their surface temperature is a mere 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, there are searing ghosts blazing at 100,000 degrees Fahrenheit and almost too hot to be seen, for the great part of their radiation is in the invisible ultraviolet range. Obviously, the "daylight" produced by any star depends on its temperature; today (and for ages to come) our Sun is at about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and this means that most of the Sun's light is concentrated in the yellow band of the spectrum, falling slowly in intensity toward both the longer and shorter light waves. That yellow "hump" will shift as the Sun evolves, and the light of day will change accordingly. It is natural to assume that as the Sun grows older, and uses up its hydrogen fuel—which it is now doing at the spanking rate of half a billion tons a second—it will become steadily colder and redder.
1. What is the passage mainly about?______
A.Faint dwarf stars.
B.The evolutionary cycle of the Sun.
C.The Sun's fuel problem.
D.The dangers of invisible radiation.
A B C D
B
[解析] 主旨题。“这篇文章主要讲述什么?”B选项“太阳的变化循环”。文章第一段...that sunlight will be...the Sun's history,整篇文章围绕太阳随时间变化的一些特征论述。A选项“暗淡的小行星”;C选项“太阳的燃料问题”;D选项“不可见的放射危险”。这几项均不是文章最主要的内容。答案为B。
2. What does the author say is especially important about the Sun at the present time?______
A.It appears yellow.
B.It always remains the same.
C.It has a short history.
D.It is too cold,
A B C D
A
[解析] 细节题。“作者认为目前太阳特别重要的一点是什么?”A选项“它显示为黄色”。文中说and this means that...band of the spectrum,可见这一项是正确答案。B选项“它总是保持不变”;C选项“它的历史较短”;D选项“它太冷了”。答案为A。
3. Why are very hot stars referred to as "ghosts"?______
A.They are short lived.
B.They are mysterious.
C.They are frightening.
D.They are nearly invisible.
A B C D
D
[解析] 推断题。“为什么很热的星星被称为‘鬼魂’?”D选项“因为它们几乎是不可视的”。文中说almost too hot to be seen,...in the invisible ultraviolet range,说明由于温度太高的缘故,这种放射线会不可见,所以被称为“鬼魂”。其他A选项“它们存在时间很短”;B选项“它们很神秘”;C选项“它们很吓人”。这几项与原文不符。答案为D。
4. According to the passage, which of the following descriptions are not true?______
A.Through our own unaided eyes, we will find that the yellow sunlight will change its color little by little.
B.The Sun, as a star, like an individual, always ages and changes.
C.Obviously, the "daylight" produced by any star doesn't depend on its temperature.
D.Now, the Sun is using its hydrogen fuel at a very rapid speed.