阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。

　　During the twentieth century there has been a great change in the lives of women. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman's youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty－five years and is likely to take paid work until sixty.”

　　This important change in women's life has only recently begun to have its full effect(影响)on women's economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school and took a full－time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school－leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Many more afterwards(后来)return to full－time or part－time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship(关系)in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share(份额)of the duties and satisfactions(满意)of family life.

1．We are told that in a family about 1900 ________.

[　　]

A．few children died before they were five

B．seven or eight children lived to be more than five

C．the youngest child would be fifteen

D．four or five children died when they were five

2．One reason with the woman of today may take a job is that she ________.

[　　]

A．is younger when her children are old enough to look after themselves

B．does not like children herself

C．needn't worry, about food for her children

D．can be free from family duties when she reaches sixty

3．Many girls are now likely to ________.

[　　]

A．give up their jobs after they are married

B．leave school as soon as they can

C．marry so that they can get a job

D．continue working until they are going to have a baby

4．According to the passage, it is now quite common for women to ________.

[　　]

A．stay at home after leaving school

B. marry men younger than themselves

C．start working again late in life

D．marry while still at school

阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。

　　The opinion of many engineers is that the architects that designed the New York World Trade Center Twin Towers did a good job in designing the buildings. The buildings were safe from the hazards envisioned(点燃) at the time. Indeed, they were designed to withstand the force of aircraft that might crash into them. They were not however, designed to withstand the effects of the very high temperatures generated by the ignition(点燃)of aviation fuel carried by the aircraft.

　　Steel lightly covered with concrete is the main structural component of the towers and steel loses a lot of structural strength when heated to 1100 degrees Centigrade and beyond, as it was. To shield the steel the towers beams were coated with a few centimeters of concrete. That insulation was to provide structural integrity for at least 1 hour of fire. The towers met that test. The south tower lasted 62 minutes. The north, 103 minutes. Tragedy followed when not all could escape prior to the collapse.

　　Most experts said that the Twin Towers were very well designed. Many also agree that the people planning the attacks were very knowledgeable and aimed the aircraft at a height that would effect the most damage. The aircraft crash and the resulting fuel fed fires were aimed at about the 90th floor. That was just high enough to insure that the upper floors would weaken with the heat and crack down, dropping into the remaining part of the building.

　　The mass of the falling top floors created such a falling load that some experts estimate it exceeded by 5 to 10 times normal bearing loads. The effect was like a giant hammer, each floor contributing more weight to be born by the next floor down.

　　Were the Trade Towers well designed? Engineers say yes. But the public refers to the belief that architects will never again design a tall building without considering the effects of terrorist attacks of all potential kinds. That not only includes the ability of the structure to withstand attack but the means to allow the buildings occupants to escape in time to survive.

1．Many engineers believe that the Twin Tower was well－designed after September 11 because ________.

[　　]

A．it could withstand aircraft crashing into it at the moment

B．it could withstand any natural hazards such as earthquake or fire

C．it had an appealing and elegant appearance until they were destroyed

D．they had the miserable honor of being selected as the target of terrorist attack

2．According to the article, those who designed the tower could have done better if ________.

[　　]

A．the tower lasted longer after being attacked

B．the tower hold stable until all of the people therein managed to escape

C. the tower can be immune to such attacks

D．they considered more about the effects of the very high temperatures and make duel changes in the structure

3．As we know from the 3rd paragraph, many people believe that ________.

A. the attack was led by Bin Laden

B．those who directed the attack was better engineers than those who built the towers

C．those we directed the attack know quite a lot about the towers

D．the attack was made spontaneously

4．The part of the building below 90th floor ________.

[　　]

A．remained where they were

B．cracked down because of the burning

C．was hammered down by the falling upper part

D．was safe after the attack

阅读理解

　　阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。

　　Although term “global warming” has become increasingly familiar to the general public, a recent survey carried out by the Chinchilla Institute for Environmental Studies clearly demonstrates(体现)that the full implications of the term are far from understood. As long as public awareness remains so low. the political measures required to deal with the potentially disastrous(损失惨重的)consequences are unlikely to come about.

　　Over 80 percent of the people interviewed in the Chinchilla Survey were unable to indicate any of the effects of a worldwide rise in temperature. Even more disturbing was the very small proportion of people interviewed(7.4 percent)who felt that their lives would be directly affected by global warming during the next 20 years.

　　This indifference is in sharp contrast to the concerns voiced by the team of professional who conducted the survey. Team leader Professor Ernest Wong stated that we should all expect to experience significant lifestyle changes as a result of the effects of global warming. In detailing the likely effects. Professor Wong emphasized that the climatic changes caused by rise in global temperature of only 1 degree Centigrade would result in enormous changes.

　　Primary among these changes would be the rise in sea level as a result of the melting of the polar icecaps. The consequent 30－centimetre rise in sea levels would have disastrous consequences for low－coastal cities would entirely escape severe flooding an damage. Although considerable debate surrounds the accuracy of Professor Wong's predictions, those who share his pessimistic(悲观的)prediction insist that governments must respond to the challenge by investing in coastal defence.

　　Even inland areas will not be able to avoid the consequences of global warming. Changes in the rainfall pattern are likely to result in flooding and desertification, both of which will influence agriculture throughout the world.

　　In a recent interview. Professor Wong illustrated these points with dramatic effect. Chinchilla itself, a medium－sized provincial city at the center of one of the country's ricegrowing areas, would, he claimed, be profoundly affected. Although, given its height and inland location, the city would not suffer from coastal flooding, the possible reduction in the rainfall would endanger the region's economy.

　　In concluding his interview, professor Wong left his audience in no doubt the urgency of the problem. “Unless we plan for the future, we will not at the necessary mobilization of forces at local, regional, national, and international level that are essential to face this issue－the issue of the 21st century.”

1．Who is well aware of the consequences of global warming?

[　　]

2．Global warming would affect ________.

[　　]

3．Professor Wong called for ________.

[　　]

A．awareness at all levels to effectively face global warming

B．people's efforts to stop global warming

C．dams being built along the coasts

D．people to change their lifestyle right away

4．This article is probable a(n)________.

[　　]

A．newspaper report or magazine article

B．forward for a research book

C．financial report of a certain department

D．abridged(改写的)novel

阅读理解

　　In 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers(探险者)landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. They expressed their surprise to the “moon people” they met. In turn, the “moon people” expressed their surprise. “Why, ” they asked, “are you traveling to outer space when you don't even use your inner space?”

　　H. G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human being really did land on the moon. People today know that there are no underground. cities on the moon. However, the question that the “moon people” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.

　　Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The “Channel”, a tunnel (隧道)connecting England and Frarice, is now complete.

　　But what about underground cities? Japan's Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called “Alice Cities”. The designers imaging using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome(太阳能穹顶)would cover the whole city.

　　Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth's space. The surface, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H. G. Wells “moon people” would agree. Would you?

1．The explorers in H. G. Wells' story were surprised to find that the “moon people” ________.

[　　]

A．knew so much about the earth

B．understood their language

C．lived in so many underground cities

D．were ahead of them in space technology

2．What does the underlined word “it” (paragraph 2)refer to?

[　　]

A．Discovering the moon's inner space.

B．Using the earth's inner space.

C．Meeting the “moon people.”

D．Traveling to outer space.

3．What sort of underground systems are already here with us?

[　　]

A．Offices, shopping areas, power stations.

B．Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas.

C．Gardeners, car parks, power stations.

D．Tunnels, gardens, offices.

4．What would be the best title for the text?

[　　]

A．Alice Cities－Cities of the future.

B．Space travel with H. G. Wells.

C．Enjoy living underground.

D．Building down, not up.

阅读理解

　　Not only farmers but scientists have studied weather forecasting. People, for many centuries and in all countries, have studied the weather and tried to make weather forecasts. Sometimes distant objects such as hills and tall trees seem to be very clear and near. This is a sign of much water－vapour in the air, and therefore a rain will probably come.

　　When distant sounds(such as the noise from a train, birds singing, or people shouting)are very clearly heard, then wet and stormy weather is on the way. Rings round the sun are a sign of coming rain.

　　Many people feel the coming of wet weather in their bones. Their joint aches. Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming, but they fly very near the ground if rainy weather or a storm is on the way. This is probably because the insects, which they are hunting, fly low at that time. If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, this is a sign that the weather will clear up and become fine. Such rainbows come in the evening. If the stars twinkle clearly at night, fine weather will continue. If a mist appears in the early morning, just about sunrise, the day will be warm.

　　If the sunset is mostly red in color, the following day will be fine. When big cumulous clouds(积云)appear at sunset, the bad weather will follow the next day.

　　If cirrus clouds(卷云)remain quite still, fine weather will come. If a rainbow appears in the morning, then rainy weather will probably come. Most of the above sayings have been made up by people who have used their eyes and their brains to forecast the weather.

1．Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming, because ________.

[　　]

A．they like fine weather

B．they can fly high when fine weather is coming

C．they fly high to catch insects

D．they feel very happy

2．When big cumulous clouds appear at sunset, then the weather will ________ the next day.

[　　]

3．Weather will be fine if ________.

[　　]

A．you see rings round the sun

B．you see the distant objects very clear and near

C．you feel pain in your bones

D．the stars twinkle clearly at night

4．If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, it shows that the weather will clear up and become fine. This is because ________.

[　　]

A．there is much water－vapour in the air

B．there is not much water－vapour in the air

C．there is not any water－vapour in the air

D．there are all kinds of water－vapour in the air

5．In this passage “wet weather” means ________ weather.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　It was during a weekend, Mum gave me two tickets for a film and told me she was too busy with the endless housework to go with me. She told me to keep the money if I could sell the extra ticket. I was very happy, of course. At that time, a ticket only cost 20 fen. But to me, a little girl of 12', 20 fen seemed quite a lot.

　　I reached the cinema in a great hurry. Holding the ticket in my hand, I began to look for a buyer. A handsome young man noticed me and the ticket in my hand. He came towards me with a big smile, “You've got an extra ticket?”

　　“Yes,” I nodded.

　　“That's great. Say, how much?”

　　“Twenty fen.”

　　“Oh,” he thought for a while and then took out a ten－yuan note from his wallet.

　　“I'm very sorry, but I've only got, this note.” Seeing I was confused(迷惑), he added, “Then, how about waiting for a while and I'll give you the money after I have changed it in the cinema's store?” Without much thinking, I agreed. Then we went to the cinema together. He walked fast. I could hardy keep up with him. By and by, he left me farther and farther behind. Soon he disappeared in the Gents(男厕). I stood there without knowing what to do. Suddenly I seemed to realize the handsome young fellow had cheated me. He had saved twenty fen, but lost his honour.

　　It seemed to be a funny or even ridiculous(可笑的)experience. But it did cast a dark shadow on my young mind.

1．When. do you think the story probably happened?

[　　]

2．The sentence “20 fen seemed quite a lot to me” suggests that ________.

[　　]

A．the writer did not have much pocket money

B．the writer cared much for the money

C．20 fen could buy a lot of things

D．the writer had never had as much money as that

3．The man took out a ten－yuan note from his wallet for ________.

[　　]

A．he thought the writer would be happy at the sight of the note

B．he really had nothing but the ten－yuan note

C．he was not sure if the writer would sell him the ticket

D．he knew the writer was not able to give him back the change

4．How did the writer realize that she was cheated?

[　　]

A．The man walked too fast for her to keep up with.

B．The man went to the Gents and was not seen again.

C．The man asked her to wait for a while.

D．The man said that he only had a ten yuan note.

阅读理解

　　Machines in the home have a short story. Sewing machines, washing machines and tumble driers are common enough today, but a hundred years ago few people could imagine such things. However, inventors have designed and built a wide range of household machines since then. In most cases the inventor tried to patent(申请专利)his machine to stop anyone copying it. Then he tried to produce a lot of them. If the machine became popular, the inventor could make a lot of money.

　　In 1790 the first sewing machine was patented. The inventor was an Englishman called Thomas Saint. There was nothing to match his machine for forty years, and then someone built a similar device. He was a Frenchman, Bartelemy Thimonier. Neither of these early machines worked very well, however. It wasn't until 1846 that an inventor came up with a really efficient(高效的)sewing machine. He was an American. Elias Howe and his machine was good enough to beat five skilled sewing women. He didn't make much, money from it, however. The first commercially successful sewing machine was patented by Isaac Singer five years later.

　　Today, we take washing machines for granted, but there was none before 1869. The revolving drum (旋围桶)of that first machine set a pattern for the future, but it was crude by today's standards. The drum was turned by hand, and needed a lot of effort. Eight years passed before someone produced an electric washing machine. The world had to wait even longer for a machine to dry clothes. The first spin－drier was another American invention, patented in 1924 ; but it was 20 years before such machines were widely used.

　　It was yet another American, called Bissell, who introduced the carpet sweeper. He patented the original machine back in 1876. It didn't pick up dirt very well, but it was quicker than a dustpan and brush. Thirty－six years later even the carpet sweeper was oldfashioned：modern homes now had a vacuum cleaner (吸尘器)with an electric motor to suck up the dust.

1．Inveritors patent the inventions so as to ________.

[　　]

A．produce more machines

B．avoid being copied by others

C．made the inventions more popular

D．make more money

2．Whose sewing machine could do the work that was done by five skilled sewing women?

[　　]

3．According to the article, modern inventors

[　　]

A．follow the pattern of the first revolving drum but improve it much

B．only imitate the first washing machine

C．power the first ever－made washing machine by electricity

D．have to wait for the first spin－drier for a long time

4．The word “crude” in the sentence “but it was crude by today's standards” probably means ________.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　What are you going to do with your old computer after you buy a new one? You have paid high prices for the old computer, but how much do you think it is worth now? Few people want to buy an old computer. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is to throw it away.

　　What do many people do when they try to sell their old computers? Foolishly, they think about its original cost and then reduce the price according to the age of the computer－rather like a secondhand car. They are wrong. They forget that new computers are becoming cheaper every day, making old computers almost worthless. In 1985, for example, a good computer cost over U－S $ 4, 000. Ten years later its owner would be lucky to get 400.

　　You must be careful about buying a secondhand computer. The microchips in a computer may last a long time, but the hard disk will not. It will probably cost more to replace the hard disk with a new one than the computer itself is worth. So saying and repairing an old computer is like building a car from spare parts. It is cheaper to buy a new car.

　　One magazine recently listed some suggestions. One suggestion was to give it to charity. The final one was to store it somewhere and hope that it would become a collector's item in fifteen or twenty years. But in fifteen or twenty years there may be so many old computers that they will all be worthless.

　　Whatever you decide to do with an old computer will not change the fact that it will be useless soon. The world of computers is quickly changing and eventually all computers will not only be integrated with video telephones and run DVD ROM disks, but also be able to perform many tasks which as yet we cannot even imagine. All these uses will require much more advanced computers today to the garbage can of the next century.

1．The author believes that it will cost far more to repair an old computer than to ________.

[　　]

A．buy a new computer

B．buy a new car

C．repair an old car

D．build a car from spare parts

2．What does the author mean by the last sentence?

[　　]

A．Most advanced computers today will eventually be out－of－date.

B．Most computers are not yet advanced enough at all.

C．In the future advanced computers will be in garbage cans.

D．There are not enough garbage cans for old computers at present.

3．Which of the following is the best title for this text?

[　　]

A．Computers in the 21st Century

B．The Development of Computers

C．Old Computers and New Computers

D．What would Happen to Old Computers

阅读理解

　　In my opinion, the Indian struggle for freedom bears in its consequences(结果)not only upon India and England but upon the whole world. It contains one fifth of the human race. It represents one of the most ancient civilizations. It has traditions handed down from tens of thousands of years, some of which, to the astonishment of the world, remain intact. No doubt the ravages of time have affected the purity of that civilization as they have that of many other cultures and many institutions.

　　If India is to revive the glory of her ancient past, she can only do so when she attains(获得)her freedom. The reason for the struggle having drawn the attention of the world, I know, does not lie in the fact that we Indians are fighting for our liberty, but in the fact that the means adopted by us for attaining that liberty are unique and, as far as history shows us, have not been adopted by any other people of whom we have any record.

　　The means adopted are not violence, not bloodshed, not diplomacy(外交)as one understands it nowadays, but they are purely and simply truth and non－violence. No wonder that the attention of the world is directed toward this attempt to lead a successful bloodless revolution. Hitherto, nations have fought in the manner of the brute. They have wreaked vengeance upon those whom they have considered to be their enemies.

　　We find in searching national anthems adopted by great nations that they contain imprecautions upon the so－called enemy. They have vowed destruction and have not hesitated to take the name of God and seek divine assistance for the destruction of the enemy. We in India have endeavored to reverse the process. We feel that the law that, governs brute creation is not the law that should guide the human race. That law is inconsistent with human dignity.

　　I, personally, would wait, if need be, for ages rather than seek to attain the freedom of my country through bloody means. I feel in the innermost of my heart, after a political extending over an unbroken period of close upon thirty－five years, that the world is sick into death of bloodspilling. The world is seeking a way out, and I flatter myself with the belief that perhaps it will be the privilege of the ancient land of India to show the way out to the hungering world. (Gandhi)

1．What is Gandhi's main purpose in the passage?

[　　]

A．To demonstrate that India represents one of the most ancient civilizations.

B．To demonstrate that India has to struggle for her freedom in order to revive the glory of her ancient past.

C．To demonstrate that the means to achieve freedom should nor be violent.

D．To demonstrate that the national anthems adopted by great nations contain imprecations upon the so－called enemy.

2．According to Gandhi, why India's struggle for freedom have drawn the attention of the world?

[　　]

A．India has traditions handed down from tens of thousands of years.

B．The means adopted by the Indians for attaining the liberty are non－violent.

C．The Indians are fighting for their liberty.

D．It is a struggle to revive the glory of India's ancient past.

3．According to the third paragraph, India is attempting to ________.

[　　]

A．lead a successful bloodshed revolution

B．achieve freedom by means of diplomacy

C．achieve freedom by means which are purely and simply truth and non－violence

D．wreaked vengeance upon those whom the Indians have considered to be their enemies

4．In the fourth paragraph, Gandhi uses the national anthems of great nations to demonstrate that ________.

[　　]

A．until then, nations have fought in the W anner of the brute

B．the Indians feel that the law that governs brute creation is not the law that should guide the human race

C．that the law that governs brute is inconsistent with human indignity

D．that Indians are endeavoring to reverse the process

5．Which of the following statements is FALSE?

[　　]

A．Gandhi would not seek to attain the freedom of his country through bloody means.

B．Gandhi feels that the world is sick into death of bloodspilling.

C．Gandhi believes that India will be able to solve the problem of famine in the world.

D．Gandhi believes that India will have the privilege to show the world the way out of bloodspilling.

阅读理解

　　If you dig down deep enough into the earth, you will find rock. Over the top of most of this rock there is a layer of soil, like icing on a cake. You may call it earth or dirt, but the real name is soil.

　　The top layer of this soil is not very deep, but it is one of the most important things in the world. To grow well, plants need good topsoil. First, topsoil is made of little pieces of rock. Wind and sun, ice and water and plants have slowly broken big rocks up into little pieces. Then, these little pieces of rock have become mixed with many other bits of things：crumbled(粉碎的)pieces of dead plants and dried leaves, even dead insects and other dead animals. So the topsoil is bits of rock mixed with humus that used to be living things.

　　In some places earthworms are helpful in making good soil. As they crawl through the earth getting their food, they. make little tunnels that air and water come through. And they turn the soil over in such a way that rock pieces are slowly pushed to the top. Besides, earthworms grind up the soil as they eat.

　　If you put some soil in a glass of water, the rock, which is heavier, falls to the bottom of the glass. The humus, which is made of lighter things, floats on top.

1．The layer which spreads over most of the rock is called ________.

[　　]

2．Soil－making mainly depends on ________.

[　　]

3．According to this passage, earthworms are helpful to the soil in ________ ways.

[　　]

4．Humus is made of ________ plants, leaves, insects, animals etc.

[　　]

5．What will happen if you put a handful of topsoil in a glass of water?

[　　]

A．The humus comes above the rock bits.

B．The humus sinks down to the bottom.

C．The rock pieces float on the top.

D．The rock bits and the humus become mixed.