第三部分 阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A
Fifty years from now the world’s population will be declining, with no end in sight. Unless people’s values change greatly, several centuries from now there could be fewer people living in the entire world than live in the United States today. The big surprise of the past twenty years is that in not one country did fertility (生育能力) stop falling when it reached the replacement rate（出生率）—2.1 children per woman. In Italy, for example, the rate has fallen to 1.2. In Western Europe as a whole and in Japan it is down to 1.5. The evidence now indicates that within fifty years or so world population will peak at about eight billion before starting a fairly rapid decline.
Because in the past two centuries world population has increased from one billion to nearly six billion, many people still fear that it will keep “exploding” until there are too many people for the earth to support. But that is like fearing that your baby will grow to 1,000 pounds because its weight doubles three times in its first seven years. World population was growing by two percent a year in the 1960s; the rate is now down to one percent a year, and if the patterns of the past century don’t change completely, it will head into negative numbers. This view is coming to be widely accepted among population experts, even as the public continues to focus on the threat of uncontrolled population growth.
As long ago as September of 1974 Scientific American published a special issue on population that described what demographers (人口统计学家) had begun calling the “demographic transition” from traditional high rates of birth and death to the low ones of modern society. The experts believed that birth and death rates would be more or less equal in the future, as they had been in the past, keeping total population stable after a level of 10-12 billion people was reached during the transition.
56. Which of the following statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The world’s population in the future will be reducing endlessly.
B. When the earth population reaches 8 billion, it will see a rapid decrease.
C. In modern society the birth and death rates will be more or less equal in the future.
D. The public now pay little attention to the threat of uncontrolled population growth.
57. What’s reason for the sharp increase of world population in the past two centuries?
A. Because people fear that the world will explode.
B. Because the world’s replacement rate keeps falling.
C. Because people’s values has greatly changed.
D. The passage doesn't mention it.
58. The expression “demographic transition” (Paragraph 3) probably means _______.
A. high death rate to the low one
B. high birth rate to the low one
C. high rates of birth and death to the low ones
D. low rates of birth and death to the high ones
59. We can learn from the passage that _______.
A. in the near future there will be a rapid decline of the world population
B. the birth and death rates of modern society will be unequal in the future
C. there would be the same population living in the world than it in the US today
D. in Western Europe the replacement rate has declined to a negative number

D
Work is a very important part of life in the United States. Americans spend most of their lives working. For most Americans, their work defines them. They are what they do. What happens, then, when a person can no longer work?
Most Americans stop working at the age of sixty-five or seventy and retire. Because work is such an important part of life in this culture, retirement can be very difficult. Retirees often feel that they are useless and unproductive. Of course, some people are happy to retire, but leaving one’s job, whatever it is, is a difficult change, even for those who look forward to retiring. Retirement can also bring financial problems. Many people depend on Social Security checks every month. During their working years, employees contribute a certain percentage of their salaries to the government. When people retire, they receive this money as income. These checks do not provide enough money to live on, however, because prices are increasing very rapidly. Senior citizens, those over sixty-five have to have savings in the ban or other retirement plans to make ends meet. The rate of inflation is forcing prices higher each year. Social Security checks alone can not cover these growing expenses. The government offers some assistance, but many senior citizens have to change their life styles after retirement. They have to spend carefully to be sure that they can afford to buy food, fuel and other necessities.
Of course, many senior citizens are happy with their retirement. They have time to spend with their families or to enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do volunteer work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executive Association, even help old people to get started in new businesses. Many retired citizens also belong to “Golden Age” groups. These organizations plan trips and social events there are many other opportunities for retirees.
68．Which of the following could be the title of the passage?
A．“Golden Age” groups       　     B．The American Opinion of Work
C．The Importance of Work in America     D．The Problems in Retirement in America
69．Which of the following is NOT true about the retirees?
A．Some retirees feel happy as they can have more time to enjoy themselves.
B．Some retirees have to be careful with their money because of the rising prices.
C．Some retirees like to work without being paid.
D．Some retirees find work in new businesses.
70．It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A．the Americans show their value through their work
B．the American government pays little attention to the life of the retirees
C．the retirees’ former employers offer some assistance to the retirees
D．the Americans can not find much time to travel before their retirement
71．What does the paragraph following the passage most likely discuss?
A．An explanation of why the retirees feel lost.
B．The difficult situation the retirees have.
C．A different opinion of the physical and emotional needs of the retirees.
D．A description of other activities the retirees can have.

C
What should I eat for breakfast? Who should I go out with on weekends? What should I do if I miss the bus to school? What colleges should I apply for? Again and again Chinese kids ask these questions to their teachers and parents. They can’t make their own choices.
Kids in America would be very surprised to hear how much Chinese children depend on adults. When they are ten years old, kids decide what clothes they want to wear and buy. By twelve they know what classes to take for middle school. Thirteen years old is the beginning of being what Americans call a “teenager”. Now the child is up to almost all his / her decisions. Finally at sixteen the kid usually gets a car from his / her parents.
Why should kids be independent? Think about it. After high school most of us will be by ourselves. Will our parents be able to tell us what to eat for breakfast in college? Can our teachers decide what we should do at work?
Making our own choices can be quite hard and scary. But we can start with making small choices, and then slowly make bigger and more important choices.
64. The first paragraph is written to tell the readers that Chinese kids ______.
A. don’t know what to do                B. always have many questions
C. believe in their teachers and parents     D. depend on adults too much
65. At what age can an American kid make most decisions by himself or herself?
A. Ten.                 B. Twelve.          C. Thirteen.           D. Sixteen.
66. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. American kids are more independent than Chinese kids.
B. American kids will more easily adapt themselves to society.
C. American parents don’t care for their children.
D. A sixteen American youngster can drive his / her own car.
67. In the writer’s eyes, ______.
A. dependence on adults is shameful in China
B. independence from adults is worth encouraging
C. kids have no ability to make a real choice
D. making decisions is rather easy

    People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days offer a chance to think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child-care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one stands for a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services(宗教仪式) to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit their graves(墓). On these days, families get together at home and in restaurants. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries（面包房）, telephones companies and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
45.Which is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
A Parents bring up children              
B Parents give love and care to children
C Parents educate children to be good persons.
D Parents pass away before children grow up
46.What do you know from the passage?
A Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.
B Fewer women worked outside the home in the past
C Not all the children respect their parents
D Fathers are not as important as mothers at home
47.Which do you think is right about “carnation”?
A It only has two kinds of color.
B It is a special kind of clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
C It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.
D People can wear carnations only on the third Sunday in June.
48.What do you think “florists” do?
A They sell flowers            B They made bread or pastry
C They offer enough room for having family parties.
D They sell special candy for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

B
The neglected baby is crying alone. The young man, suffering from a lack of sleep, threatens suicide. The marriage fails because of the husband’s crazy behavior.
Is this just another story of social breakdown in the modern age? Not really. But they are the effects of a real social problem—Internet Addiction(沉溺), or, Internet Addiction Disorder.
The addiction is obvious from the popularity of one game alone: “Halo 2”. It’s a first-person shooter developed by Bungie Studios for the Xbox video game console. By early 2005, 1 million players worldwide had clocked up an amazing 100 million hours on the game, among which are 360, 000 Chinese players.
China has about 94 million regular Internet users. Of these, a survey suggested, 4.4 million are teenagers who are so addicted to it that they neglect anything else.
Video gamers who have gone too far show symptoms similar to those of alcohol and drug abusers. “The real world meant nothing to me when I was fully involved in online games. I lost track of time, space, hunger, pain, and everything,” explained Liu Pinyi, a 19-year-old college dropout. She has had treatment in Beijing for her addiction.
What makes it similar to drugs is that online game addicts also develop a chemical imbalance in their brains. Gaming stimulates the production of a chemical compound that produces delighted or pleasant feelings. When they’re away from the screen, they suffer feelings of anxiety and headaches.
Experts say young people are attracted to video games partly because they are partly because they are pushed right into the center of the action. This allows them to overcome a lack of confidence which people at that age can often suffer from.
59. What’s the writer’s main purpose in writing the first paragraph?
A. To show his worries about Internet Addiction.
B. To show harm of Internet Addiction
C. To warn couples of the problem.
D. To introduce the topic of the passage.
60. How much time in total had Chinese game players spent on “Halo 2” by early 2005?
A. 1 million hours.                      B. 94 million hours                    
C. 100 million hours.                   D. 36 million hours
61. When video gamers get lost in a game, they do the following EXCEPT that _______.
A. They forget time, space, hunger and everything.
B. They drink a lot of alcohol and use drug.
C. They feel confident in the virtual games
D. Their brains produce a chemical which makes them delighted.
62. what is the passage mainly about?
A. Internet is bad for teenagers
B. Actions should be taken to deal with Internet Addiction
C. Web produces Internet Addiction Disorder
D. Teenagers should not play video games

IV. 阅读理解(共15小题;每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
The private automobile(私家车) has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.
For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.
Family life has been affected in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs—or is “showing off ” by speeding or breaking other traffic laws. Mothers of victims(受害者) of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD(Students Against Drunk Driving) and are  spreading the same message among their friends.
For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.
56.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
A. Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.
B. Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.
C. Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work.
D. Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools.
57.What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?
A. Parents have paid more attention to their children.
B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving.
C. Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol.
D. University students have asked the government to solve the problem.
58.We can infer from the text that __________ in America.
A. it will be more difficult for people to get new cars.
B. parents will not allow their children to have their own cars.
C. the government will encourage people to use public transportation.
D. cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems.

Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV ， radio and films all help us to know what is going on in the world and what people are thinking about.
Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows that you say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying “No”. You nod and people know you are saying “Yes”.
Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed there are a lot of signs around you and you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, seas and many other things.
66.Choose the best title for this passage.
A.Ways for Communication.
B.The Best Way for Communication.
C.The Only Way for Communication.
D.Words Can Carry Messages.
67.How can people communicate with each other?
A.With words only
B.Only without words.
C.Either with words or without words.
D.Just by using different kinds of signs.
68.Which of the following is NOT a way for communication without words?
A.A cry for help        B.A smile on your face
C.Making a face        D.Nodding your head
69.What does the road sign P tell people?
A.You can go into the park.
B.You can please everybody.
C.You can leave your car there.
D.You can cross the street there.
70.How can a musician (someone who writes music) communicate with people?
A.By saying something.
B.By playing some music.
C.By writhing letters.
D.All of the above are right.

   Many people cannot forget the beautiful thousand hand dance performed by disabled people during the 2005 CCTV Spring Gala(晚会). Many of these dancers cannot hear or speak, but their performances are wonderful.
The leading dancer is a beautiful young woman, Tai Lihua, who was born healthy but lose her hearing when she was two years old because of a fever. Not long after that, she also became mute and, from then on, her world was silent. She did not realize this at first, but when she was five, she played a game about sounds with her school friends and discovered she was different. She felt very sad. Her father went to many places looking for treatments for her disabilities, but nothing worked.
When she was seven years old, Tai Lihua went to a school for deaf and mute children,
where she did very well in her studies. Her teacher said she used her brain more than other children and was very good at expressing her feelings through movements.
Then when she was fifteen, she started learning to dance. At first, she found it difficult but she didn’t give up. She spent a lot of time practicing and became a brilliant dancer. In the last few years, she has performed in many countries and is much admired by foreign audience. Dancing has changed her life and brought her world wide success and fame.
56. Which of the following is expressed in the passage?
A. Where there is life, there is hope.
B. No one is too old to learn.
C. Where there is a will, there is a way. 
D. The early bird catches the worm.
57. Tai Lihua discovered that she was different from other children when she was _____.
A .two         B. five            C. seven         D. fifteen
58. We can learn from the passage that ______.
A. Tai Lihua was born healthy.
B. Tai Lihua isn’t successful now.
C. Tai Lihua’s parents didn’t take good care of her.
D. Tai Lihua had a natural ability to dance very well.
59. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. A disabled girl.      
B. A dancer in a silent world.
C. A beautiful dancer.    
D .Dance performance in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

B
America has long been considered the land of opportunity(机遇)by those from other countries. Americans, too, believe that the United States gives almost limitless opportunities for those who want to open business on their own.
Today, Americans are still fond of trying their hand at becoming small business people, even though only one out of two survives in the first two years. Many of these people start their business for the wrong reason; to get away from the paper work of their present jobs or to exchange the responsibility(责任) of their present jobs for freer life styles. But more, not less paper work and responsibility come with the ownership of a small business.
Not all small businesses succeed. Fifty percent of the 4 550 000 that start in the United States ever fail. Still ninety-five percent of businesses in the U.S. can be regarded as small, and these businesses altogether produce forty percent of America’s total national products.
60．According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A．People from other countries and Americans think there are a lot of opportunities in the U.S.
B．Only the Americans think the U.S. can give them many opportunities.
C．Both people from other countries and Americans believe they have many opportunities in the U.S so that they can do whatever they like.
D．People from other countries and Americans all think the U.S. the place where they can realize their dreams.
61．From this passage, we know that________.
A．many people from other countries think that in the past there were many opportunities in the U.S. but not now
B．now Americans don’t believe the U.S. can give them a lot of opportunities
C．people from other countries still think they have more opportunities in the U.S. than in their own countries
D．Americans think they have more opportunities to start their own business than those from other countries
62．According to this passage, many American people like to start their own business because___.
A．they want to become rich soon
B．they not only dislike their present jobs but also want a freer life style
C．they don’t want to do paper work
D．they want to have more chances
63．From this passage, we can get the idea that________.
A．it is easy to do business successfully in the U.S
B．it is easy to start a business but hard to make it successful
C．there are more big business than small business in the U.S
D．only big business can succeed in the U.S

In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by setting fire to cities. Important people on both sides, who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence--- as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch（关键时刻）, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instinct remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learned that violence never solves a problem but makes it even acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed（流血）, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us.
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and harder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persuaded by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement（执行）. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework of the law.
72. What is the best title for this passage?
A. Advocating Violence.            
B. Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice
C. Violence as a Legitimate Solution  
D. Violence: The Instinct of Human Race
73. Recorded history has taught us __________.
A. violence never solves anything   B. nothing
C. the bloodshed means nothing     D. everything
74. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men ________.
A. can’t get a hearing   B. are looked down upon 
C. are persecuted      D. have difficulty in advocating law enforcement
75. According to the author, the best way to solve race prejudice is ________.
A. law enforcement   B. knowledge  C. nonviolence   D. mopping up the violent mess