C
We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively（被动地）．We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.
We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else．Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive．Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem．It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor（谣言）.
Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone．Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person．That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game．The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it．Then the two written statements are compared．Typically, the original message has changed.
That’s what happens in daily life．The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story．Then, too, most people listen imperfectly．And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping（打上标记）it with their own personal style．Yet those who hear it think they know.
This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.
49．According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _______.
A．doing a medical experiment        B．solving a math problem
C．visiting an exhibition          D．doing scientific reasoning
50．The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.
A．active learning     B．knowledge     C．communication    D．passive learning
51．The author mentions the game Rumor to show that _____.
A．a message may be changed when being passed on
B．a message should be delivered in different ways
C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing
D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor
52．What can we infer from the passage?
A．Active learning is less important.
B．Passive learning may not be reliable.
C．Active learning occurs more frequently.
D．Passive learning is not found among scholars.

A villa (别墅) designed to resist earthquakes with “self-healing” cracks in its walls, thanks to nanotechnology (纳米技术) applications with self-healing polymers (聚合物), is to be built on a Greek mountainside. The villa’s walls will include special particles that turn into a liquid when squeezed (压榨) under pressure, flow into cracks, and then harden to form a solid material.

The NanoManufacturing Institute (NMI), based in Leeds University, will play a key role in an EU project to construct the home by December 2010. The project, called “Intelligent Safe and Secure Buildings” (ISSB) is funded under the EU’s Sixth Framework program. This potentially life-saving scheme is led by German building manufacturer Knauf. The villa will be built in Amphilochia, in western Greece, where Knauf currently runs a manufacturing plant. If the experiment is successful, more tremor-resistant（防震）homes could be built in earthquake zones across the globe. NMI chief executive Professor Terry Wilkins said, “What we’re trying to achieve here is very exciting. We’re looking to use polymers in much tougher situations than ever before on a larger scale.” Monitors contained in the villa’s walls will be able to collect vast amounts of data about the building over time. Wireless sensors will record any stresses and vibrations, as well as temperature, humidity and gas levels.

The walls are to be built from new load-bearing steel frames and high-strength gypsum（石膏）board. Prof Wilkins said, “If there are any problems, the intelligent sensor network will be able to alert residents immediately so they have time to escape.” If whole groups of houses are so constructed, we could use a larger network of sensors to get even more information. “If the house falls down, we have got hand-held devices that can be used over the rubble to pick out where the embedded（嵌入的）sensors are hidden to get some information about how the villa collapsed.” Also, we can get information about anyone who may be around, so it potentially becomes a tool for rescue.

66. The aim of the passage is to ________.

A. report a piece of interesting news                   B. promote tremor-resistant homes

C. inform us of the nanotechnology development D. tell us about a tremor-resistant home

67. The villa can resist earthquakes because _______.

A. it will be built on a special place

B. the cracks in its walls can be healed by the polymers

C. the special particles can make its walls stronger

D. the intelligent sensor network can tell people where there is a crack

68. If the tremor-resistant home falls down, _______.

A. rescue work can be done more quickly and accurately

B. the intelligent sensor network will stop working

C. no one can be hurt in the earthquake

D. a warning signal will be given to other residents

69. What Prof Wilkins said suggests that _______.

A. he is doubtful about the project

B. he thinks the tremor-resistant home is perfectly designed

C. he is confident in the tremor-resistant home

D. the tremor-resistant home still needs to be tested in a real situation

70. It can be inferred from the passage that tremor-resistant home _______.

A. is still being tried out                                          B. is already under construction

C. has been in wide use                                     D. will be put into wide use soon

A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.

A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of difficulty. It always receives us with the same kindness, amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting us in old age.

Books possess an essence (本质) of immortality (不朽). They are by far the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues decay, but books survive. Time is of no account to great thoughts, which are fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds which are fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time has been to sift out (筛选) the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.

Books introduce us into the best society they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we sympathize with them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were in a measure actors with them in the scenes which they describe.

The great and good do not die even in this world. Embalmed（保存） in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens. Hence we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old. The imperial intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ago.

1.A man may usually be known by         .

    A．the books he reads               B．the company he works in

    C．his way of reading books         D．how many old books he keeps

2.Which of the following is NOT a reason why a book may be among one’s best friends?

    A．It will never change.

    B．It is the most patient and cheerful of companions.

    C．It doesn’t turn its back upon us.

    D．It is only with us in times of happiness.

3.Why don’t the great and good ever die?

    A．Because they have a long lifespan.

    B．Because they like books.

    C．Because they are statures.

    D．Because their spirits are embalmed in books.

4.By writing the passage, the author wants to tell us          .

    A．how to make friends              B．books can also be our best friends

    C．the book is a living voice       D．how to read books

C

       We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively（被动地）．We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.

       We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else．Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive．Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.

       Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem．It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor（谣言）.

       Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone．Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person．That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game．The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it．Then the two written statements are compared．Typically, the original message has changed.

       That’s what happens in daily life．The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story．Then, too, most people listen imperfectly．And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping（打上标记）it with their own personal style．Yet those who hear it think they know.

       This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.

49．According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _______.

     A．doing a medical experiment         B．solving a math problem

     C．visiting an exhibition           D．doing scientific reasoning

50．The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.

     A．active learning      B．knowledge      C．communication     D．passive learning

51．The author mentions the game Rumor to show that _____.

     A．a message may be changed when being passed on

     B．a message should be delivered in different ways

     C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing

     D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor

52．What can we infer from the passage?

     A．Active learning is less important.

     B．Passive learning may not be reliable.

     C．Active learning occurs more frequently.

     D．Passive learning is not found among scholars.

B

The trend in everyday conversation is to use grandiose（夸大的）words. “Outstanding” is new “good,” “amazing” is the new “OK”, and “huge” is the new “big.”

I was in a restaurant in Washington D.C. last weekend and every question I asked was answered with exaggeration.

Me: How is the salmon?

Sever: Fantastic!

Me: Does it come with rice?

Sever: Absolutely!

Would a “good” and a “yes” have been enough? Of course!

My father is an average-sized man. He hasn’t gained weight or height for the past 30 years. Therefore, his size remains the same. However, in the same amount of time, his T-shirt size has gone from small to medium to large to extra large.

The reason for the exaggerated word is clear: we are bored with our lives. We want the next –next thing now. Immediately!

And we also want others to think that we still care, that we can still be delighted, that we know that everything is just great. Even when deep inside we know it can’t be. Everything can’t be great.

I’m not a scientist, so many methods of proof leave little to be desired, or a lot to be desired, or an immensity（无限）.

Listen to the voices around you. Listen to your own voices. There is nothing on the radio that is good or bad , weather is either beautiful or horrible.

Listen, the next time when someone asks you something and you agree, because when you could simply say “yes”, instead you will say “absolutely ” or “without doubt” or “Oh, yeah, unquestionably—absolutely without doubt.”

Have people forgotten what it is like to be OK? Simply OK with what they have and who they are? If everything is outstanding, if everything is the most amazing thing ever, is anything ever amazing at all?

45．By telling his experience in the restaurant, the author intends to_______.

       A．show his interest in exaggerated words

       B．prove that exaggerated words are widely used

       C．blame the restaurant for using exaggerated words

       D．tell us the food in the restaurant is extremely good

46．What do we know about the author’s father?

       A．He has gained height and is now a tall man.

       B．He likes following the fashin in clothing.

       C．His weight is getting greater and greater.

       D．The size of his T-shirt is described in exaggerated words.

47．So many people like using exaggerated words because________.

       A．they are not satisfied with being normal

       B．they don’t want to be looked down upon by others

       C．they want to be different from others

       D．they are brave in telling their true feelings

48．According to the passage, if you approve of something, you’d better say “ ______ ”.

       A．fantastic   B．perfect      C．OK   D．Absolutely