阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项。

　　WASHINGTON-Nearly 40 million children in developing countries stand to lose one or both parents to AIDS (艾滋病) over the next 13 years, and almost 3 million children under 15 have caught the disease worldwide, US experts said. “More than 40 million children in 23 developing nations will likely have lost one or both their parents by 2010. Most of these deaths will be the result of the HIV/AIDS and complicated illnesses, ”Brian Atwood, a US official said. Meanwhile, since the first report death of a child by AIDS Los Angeles 15 years ago, almost 3 million children under 15 are estimated (估计) to have caught the disease worldwide, and at least 1000 are dying each day. “In countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, HIV/AIDS is pulling years of progress in economic and social development,” he added. “Life expectancy (估计寿命) which has been steadily on the rise for last thirty years will drop to 40 years or less in nine African countries by the year 2020.” Atwood said serious work to help stop children from dying in developing countries was being wiped out “In all 23 countries included in this study, AIDS—related death will take away the gains made in child survival over the past 20 years. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, children's death rates will likely nearly double,” Atwood said.

1．AIDS is developing fast in ______.

[　　]

2．The first child who was reported death of AIDS lived in ______.

[　　]

3．AIDS is not only causing millions of death to human beings, but also ______.

[　　]

A．speeding the development of society

B．slowing down the development of society

C．polluting the air

D．breaking the balance of nature

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项。

　　Albert Selmer, a German business man who speaks good English, was pleasantly surprised during his latest trip to Beijing. When he got into a taxi on Chang'an Avenue , the driver greeted him and asked where he would like to go—in English! “This was inconceivable eight years ago when I first visited Beijing. ” said the amazed Selmer.

　　Eight years ago Beijing failed in its bid for the 2000 Games. One of the reasons was that foreigners found it hard to communicate with Beijing residents, most of whom speak only Chinese. This time, the city is working to improve communications. One notable change has occurred within the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee (BOGBICO) : When reporting to IOC federation on Beijing's preparations, BOGBICO officials are speaking directly in English instead of using interpreters they did eight years ago. “Most of our staff are above the level of college English Test Band Ⅵ ,and some have had the experience of studying in English—speaking countries,”said Lei Jun, human resources director of BOGBICO. “Talking in fluent English is a piece of cake to them. ”

　　In addition to BOGBICO officials, Beijing residents are looking forward to the 2008 Games by actively learning the foreign languages. Free English classes offered in a number of Beijing communities are enjoying high attendance. Residents are taught useful expressions, greetings, how to give directions and how to introduce themselves. Shop assistants , bus and taxi drivers and even policemen are learning English. In five years, the percentage of Beijing residents who can speak English will be raised to around 30 per cent from the present 15 percent.

1．The word “inconceivable means”______.

[　　]

A．not able to be compared

B．not able to be thought of

C．able to be imagined

D．surprised

2．According to the passage, the officials who bid for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games had better speak in _______ when they report to IOC federation at Lausanne.

[　　]

3．The best title of the passage is ______.

[　　]

A．English is the most important in the world

B．Every Beijing resident should learn English

C．Beijing goes bilingual(双语)

D．How to bid for the 2008 Olmpic Games

4．Why are Beijing residents learning English actively?

[　　]

A．To show they are likely to make friends.

B．To show they are expecting the 2008 Games.

C．To make money easily.

D．To win in the 2008 Games

阅读理解

　　There was quite a wide-spread worry that computers would take the world from man one day. Already today, less than 40 years later, as computers are taking more and more of the work in business and in our personal lives, we are faced with a less happy but also less foreseen (预见的) problem. People seem to be over-trusting computers and are unwilling to challenge (挑战) their authority (权威). Indeed, they act as if they hardly know that wrong buttons may be pushed or that a computer may simply make mistakes.

　　Obviously, there is no need for people to check all its answers and numbers, but people should also depend on their own and check the machine when they have the feeling that something has gone wrong.

　　Questioning and checking must continue to be as much a part of good business as they were in precomputer (无计算机的) days. Computers should not be seen as a substitute (替代) for thinking and reasoning (推理) skills.

1．The passage suggests those dealing with computers ________.

[　　]

A．be reasonably doubtful about them

B．check all their answers

C．fully depend on them

D．use them for business aims only

2．It can be inferred from the passage that the author would disagree about ________.

[　　]

A．investment (投资) in computers

B．the use of one's mind

C．checking computers often

D．complete dependence on computers for decision making

阅读理解

　　What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist (乐观主义者), a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You must be a pessimist. At least, this is what scientists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference (爱好), as well as the effect that colours have on human beings. They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as we grow up－we are born with our preference. If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

　　Colours do affect us. There is no doubt about it. A yellow room makes most people feel happier and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black can cause people sad. A black bridge over the Thames River, near London, used to be the place of more suicides (自杀) than any other bridge in the area－until it was repainted green. The number of suicides immediately fell sharply; perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or blue.

　　Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.

1．“You would rather follow than lead” means ________.

[　　]

A．you don't like to follow others

B．you would be a member rather than a leader

C．you would be afraid of following others

D．you would like to be a leader rather than a follower

2．If one enjoys life, one is sure to prefer ________.

[　　]

3．“They tell us, among other facts, that we don't choose our favourite colours as we grow up.” “Among other facts” means ________.

[　　]

4．Which of the following is true?

[　　]

A．People's preference of one colour to another is born with them.

B．People's preference of one colour to another is got as they grow up.

C．More people happen to love brown because they saw something brown when they were born.

D．Colours have little effect on us.

5．Those who killed themselves preferred the bridge over the Thames River near London to others because of ________.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　Early this year, Captain Startup was flying a plane over New Zealand. There; was a television camera crew on board. Suddenly, out in the night sky, a bright ball came into sight. Everyone on board saw it and everyone thought, “UFO”. The camera crew went into action and started filming. That week, people all over the world saw the film of this mysterious light on their television screens.

　　But what was it? Was it a spaceship full of visitors from another planet? The Captain and the film crew believed it was. Other observers had many different explanations. Some say it was Venus. Some say it was just a trick of light.

　　The people on the plane were not the only ones who saw the “UFO”. An air traffic controller also saw it on his radar (雷达) screen. When a reporter asked him if he believed in UFOs, he said, “I don't know what they are but I've got an open mind on them.”

　　Most astronomers (天文学家) now believe that what these people saw was almost certainly the planet Venus. At that time of the year it is very bright and easy to see. And from a moving plane it can appear to be moving fast. So far there is no proof that UFOs or spaceships from other planets do exist.

1．According to the passage who saw a “UFO” early this year?

[　　]

A．An air traffic controller, a film producer and some astronomers.

B．Captain Startup and some observers.

C．A film crew, a reporter and some astronomers.

D．A film crew, an air traffic controller and Captain Startup.

2．In the second paragraph, the phrase “a trick of light” means ________.

[　　]

A．a cheating appearance of light

B．a direct understanding of light

C．sending back of light

D．formation of light

3．What was the idea of an air traffic controller about UFOs?

[　　]

A．He thought there might exist UFOs.

B．He had no idea of UFOs.

C．He didn't believe UFOs to be existing.

D．He didn't mind if other people believed.

阅读理解

　　The horse of 50 million years ago, called the Dawn Horse, was a little animal the size of a fox terrier (一种小狗). It had four toes on each front foot and three toes on each hind foot. Its “toenails” were little hooves (蹄). When this animal lived, there were no grasslands. Its home was the forest, where it fed on tender shoots and leaves. There is proof that this little animal was an ancestor (祖先) of the horse of today. Scientists have discovered fossils (化石) of certain animals that lived a few million years later and found that, although they were bigger than the animal of the earlier times, they looked like it and the modern-day horse.

　　The horse family survived when many other animals died out because it had two advantages. The little horse ran fast, as we can guess from its thin body and long legs. It was also fairly clever; its skull (头盖骨) shows that its brain was large for its body.

1．It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

[　　]

A．three kinds of horse have existed

B．the horse of 50 million years ago has survived

C．it is uncertain that scientists have found fossils of the Dawn Horse

D．horses needed grasslands to survive

2．The Dawn Horse had a total of ________ toes.

[　　]

3．The horse family has survived because the Dawn Horse ________.

[　　]

A．looked like the fox terrier

B．ate tender shoots and leaves

C．was relatively clever

D．had little hooves for toenails

4．It can be inferred from the passage that the Dawn Horse was a fast runner because of its ________.

[　　]

A．brain size

B．similarity to the modern-day horse

C．thin body and long legs

D．number of toes

阅读理解

　　The speedboat was about two miles off when we first noticed it. We were directly in its path. There were two others besides myself in our canoe, which we had hired that morning to cross to the island.

　　Our first reaction (反应) was to begin paddling (划船) as hard as we could so as to get clear of the speedboat. “Even if they manage to miss us,” said John sadly, “the canoe will overturn as the speedboat goes past.”

　　I suppose I was more worried than my friends because I did not know how to swim. Some instinct(本能) to survive led me to tear off my shirt, put it on the end of my paddle and wave it high like a flag. But still the speedboat came straight towards us and I began to pray under my breath.

　　Almost at the last moment, however, the speedboat turned aside suddenly and roared past us at a distance of about a hundred yards. Someone in the boat waved to us cheerily, but we were too weak with fear to react. We sat waiting for our canoe to be overturned. But it never happened: the speedboat passed so lightly over the surface of the lake that the water was hardly troubled.

1．As the speedboat came near, the boys ________.

[　　]

2．The writer ________.

[　　]

A．could not swim

B．did not want to swim

C．swam badly

D．was worried about his friends

3．The boys did not wave back because they were ________.

[　　]

4．The surface of the lake ________.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　Without most people realising it, there has been a revolution in office work over the last ten years. Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that were able to buy them. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come onto the market which are able to do the work which used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now most smaller companies can use them.

　　The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processor, or WP's as they are often called. About 40% of British offices now have a word processor.

　　A word processor is good for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of work, such as retyping letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager's point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing jobs outside office hours.

　　But is it all good? If a lot of secretarial work can be done, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems connected with the work before screens. More and more people using word processors seems to lose their sight. It is also feared that if a woman works before a screen for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens have been invented but few companies in England buy them.

1．Ten years ago, smaller companies did not use large computers because ________.

[　　]

A．these companies had not enough money to buy such expensive computers

B．these computers could not do the work that small computers can do today

C．these computers did not come onto the market

D．these companies did not need to use this new technology

2．According to the writer, the revolution in office work over the last ten years is ________.

[　　]

A．the saving of time and money

B．the use of computers in small companies

C．the wide use of word processors

D．the decreasing (opposite of increasing) number of secretaries.

3．It is suggested in the passage that with the use of word processors ________.

[　　]

A．some secretaries will lose their jobs

B．a few jobs can be done outside office hours

C．medical problems connected with work before screens have increased

D．the British companies will make less money

4．Which of the following statements is NOT true?

[　　]

A．A word processor is both good and bad for people.

B．The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors.

C．The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over the last ten years.

D．Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting work for their bosses.

5．It can be concluded from the passage that ________.

[　　]

A．safety screens are not so good

B．working before a screen for a long time is good for one's health

C．more and more British offices will use word processors

D．British companies will need fewer and fewer managers

阅读理解

　　I have a warm spot in my heart for the Great Pig Food campaign because it was the first one I had ever taken part in. As a boy brought up in a city I had never really given much thought to garbage (食物残渣) except to carry it out for my mother. Neither do I know the eating habits of pigs, so when the cook told me to throw out the coffee grounds, I took them out, threw them into a rubbish can.

　　A few minutes later when I was cutting tomatoes, I heard the shouts of the head cook. He was standing by the rubbish can, waving the lid in one hand and pointing into the open can with the other. I supposed I must have done something wrong, so I went over to see what was going on. He asked me to read the sign posted over the can.

　　I read, “Edible (可以食用的) Garbage.” Then, pointing to the open can, he asked, “What is that?”

　　I replied, “Garbage,” to which he replied that “edible garbage” was pig food. Coffee grounds, eggshells and a few other things were “inedible garbage”.

　　That cleared up a point that had puzzled me on my first trip to the can earlier that morning when I had noticed the signs. I had always thought all garbage was inedible－that was what made it garbage. Now it was clear that the sign really referred to the food of pigs and not people. The head cook then told me to remove every last coffee ground from the pig food, and that if even one ground was left, I would be punished.

1．“I have a warm spot in my heart for this campaign.”The sentence means that ________.

[　　]

A．my heart is beating fast when the campaign is spoken of

B．I take a great interest in this campaign

C．I feel warmer in my heart

D．I suffered from heart disease

2．Shortly after he threw the coffee grounds into the rubbish can, ________.

[　　]

A．the man thought he must have done something wrong

B．the man heard the head cook shouting angry words at him

C．the man was told to remove every last coffee ground from the pig food

D．the man saw the head cook waving the lid with his hand

3．The head cook asked the man to read the sign because ________.

[　　]

A．the man did not notice the sign

B．the man failed to understand the sign

C．he was unable to read

D．he got angry

4．Which of the following adjectives best describes the head cook?

[　　]

5．Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?

[　　]

A．Edible garbage can be eaten by people.

B．Inedible garbage cannot feed pigs.

C．Coffee grounds are inedible garbage.

D．Garbage was thrown into a garbage can.

阅读理解

　　Ask three people to look out of the same window at a busy street corner and tell you what they see. Chances are you will receive three different answers. Each person sees the same scene, but each perceives something different about it.

　　Perceiving goes on in our minds. Of the three people who look out of the window, one may say that he sees a policeman giving a motorist a ticket. Another may say that he sees the rush-hour traffic. The third may tell you that he sees a woman trying to cross the street with four children in line. For perception is the mind's explanation of what the senses－our eyes－tell us.

　　Many scientists today are working to try to determine just how a person experiences or perceives the world around him. Using a scientific way, these scientists set up experiments in which they can control all of the factors (要素). By measuring and studying the results of many experiments, they are trying to find out what makes different people perceive totally different things about the same scene.

1．Seeing and perceiving are ________.

[　　]

A．two actions carried on entirely by eyes

B．two separate actions

C．several actions that take place at different times

D．the same action

2．Perceiving is an action that takes place ________.

[　　]

A．in our eyes

B．only when we think very hard about something

C．only under the direction of a scientist

D．in every person's mind

3．People perceive different things about the same scene because ________.

[　　]

A．they see different things

B．some have better eyesight

C．they cannot agree about things

D．none of these

4．Which of the following is implied but not stated in the passage?

[　　]

A．Scientists do not yet know how people see.

B．The experiments in which all factors are controlled are a better way.

C．The study of perception is going on now.

D．Perception does not contain psychological (心理) factors.

5．The best title for this selection is ________.

[　　]

A．How We See

B．Learning About Our Minds Through Science

C．What Psychologists Perceive

D．How to Become an Experimental Psychologist