阅读理解

　　In the 1970s, with ever-increasing international travel and tourism, the United States Department of Transportation decided to design a set of symbols(符号)for airports, stations, and public facilities(设施). The aim was to design symbols that would be clear to people in a hurry and to those who can not read English. Therefore, the set of symbols shown below was designed. Then the designers planned an experiment with an international sample(抽样调查) of 8-year-old children from Sweden. Japan, France, Canada, and Britain. The purpose of the experiment was to determine how clear the symbols would be to the children, who were not experienced international travelers.

　　The children were shown the set of sample symbols, and were then asked to explain to the experimenters what the symbols meant. The researchers thought that if the international sample of children could understand them, the grown-up travelers would probably also recognize their meanings. The following graph(图表) shows the percentages of correctly explained symbols.

　　The experiments discovered that most of the children easily understand the telephone receiver and cigarette symbols. However, there were some interesting differences in their answers to the other four symbols. The Japanese children most easily understood the symbol standing for“coffee shop”. The experimenters thought that this fact showed children in Japan are more familiar with such shops than children in Sweden and Canada. The Japanese, French, and Canadian children all equally recognized the idea of“information”showed by the question mark.

　　Interestingly, the French and Canadian children understood the symbol referring to“campground(露营地)”better than the other children. Again, the researchers thought that recognition of a symbol shows how common the activity is in a country.

　　One particularly difficult symbol was that of the umbrella and glove used for“lost and found”, which was correctly explained by less than 50％ of the children in four of the five countries. On the basis(基础) of this finding, the experimenters decided to add a question mark to make this symbol easier to understand.

1．Which of the following shows the correct meaning of(X), (Y), and (Z) in the graph above?

[　　]

A．Campground, Coffee Shop, Lost and Found.

B．Lost and Found, Campground, Coffee Shop.

C．Coffee shop, Lost and Found, Campground.

D．Telephone, No smoking, Information.

2．If we compare the Japanese and French children's understanding of the question mark and cigarette symbols, then we can find a difference of _____ between these symbols.

[　　]

A．0％　　　B．10％

C．80％　　 D．90％

3．The _____ symbol was the most difficult for the Japanese children to understand.

[　　]

A．cup　　　B．question mark

C．tent　　　D．umbrella and glove

4．Which of the following statements is TRUE?

[　　]

A．The experimenters thought Japanese children drink coffee.

B．The most difficult symbol was changed to make it clearer.

C．The question mark symbol is the least difficult in all five countries.

D．The researchers thought children would know as much as grown-ups.

阅读理解

　　In the 1970s, with ever-increasing international travel and tourism, the United States Department of Transportation decided to design a set of symbols(符号)for airports, stations, and public facilities(设施). The aim was to design symbols that would be clear to people in a hurry and to those who can not read English. Therefore, the set of symbols shown below was designed. Then the designers planned an experiment with an international sample(抽样调查) of 8-year-old children from Sweden. Japan, France, Canada, and Britain. The purpose of the experiment was to determine how clear the symbols would be to the children, who were not experienced international travelers.

　　The children were shown the set of sample symbols, and were then asked to explain to the experimenters what the symbols meant. The researchers thought that if the international sample of children could understand them, the grown-up travelers would probably also recognize their meanings. The following graph(图表) shows the percentages of correctly explained symbols.

　　The experiments discovered that most of the children easily understand the telephone receiver and cigarette symbols. However, there were some interesting differences in their answers to the other four symbols. The Japanese children most easily understood the symbol standing for“coffee shop”. The experimenters thought that this fact showed children in Japan are more familiar with such shops than children in Sweden and Canada. The Japanese, French, and Canadian children all equally recognized the idea of“information”showed by the question mark.

　　Interestingly, the French and Canadian children understood the symbol referring to“campground(露营地)”better than the other children. Again, the researchers thought that recognition of a symbol shows how common the activity is in a country.

　　One particularly difficult symbol was that of the umbrella and glove used for“lost and found”, which was correctly explained by less than 50％ of the children in four of the five countries. On the basis(基础) of this finding, the experimenters decided to add a question mark to make this symbol easier to understand.

1．Which of the following shows the correct meaning of(X), (Y), and (Z) in the graph above?

[　　]

A．Campground, Coffee Shop, Lost and Found.

B．Lost and Found, Campground, Coffee Shop.

C．Coffee shop, Lost and Found, Campground.

D．Telephone, No smoking, Information.

2．If we compare the Japanese and French children's understanding of the question mark and cigarette symbols, then we can find a difference of _____ between these symbols.

[　　]

A．0％　　　B．10％

C．80％　　 D．90％

3．The _____ symbol was the most difficult for the Japanese children to understand.

[　　]

A．cup　　　B．question mark

C．tent　　　D．umbrella and glove

4．Which of the following statements is TRUE?

[　　]

A．The experimenters thought Japanese children drink coffee.

B．The most difficult symbol was changed to make it clearer.

C．The question mark symbol is the least difficult in all five countries.

D．The researchers thought children would know as much as grown-ups.

　　In the past, animals were often hurt, even killed, when films were made． Horses suffered most．

　　A favorite scene showed horses falling head over heels． A device called the Running W was sometimes used． Long, fine wires were fastened to bands on a horse's front legs and to a log buried in the ground． The horse was made to gallop． The wires tightened, pulling its front legs from under it． Sometimes a pit was dug． Plants hid the opening． The horse would lose its footing when it hit the trench． Such cruel practices are less used today． But still there are films in which animals have been mistreated． Humane societies list these films as unacceptable．

1．According to the article, films showed horses_______．

A．jumping off cliffs B． falling head over heels

C．overturning a coach carrying passengers D． being injured in battle

2．The wire device used in many such scenes was the_______．

A． Running W　　 B． Running Y

C． Running Z　　　　D． None of the above

3．Fine wires had to be used so that_______．

A．they would break easily　　B．film viewers would not see them

C．the horse could gallop some distance D．the cost of the wire would be low

4．The horse was tripped as soon as_______．

A．it began to gallop　　 B．the log was pulled out of the ground

C．the rider pulled the reins tight　　 D．the wires became tight

5．The second way of tripping a horse used a_______．

A．greased platform　　　　B．hidden net

C．hidden pit　　D．wire stretched between two posts

6．Humane societies list a film as unacceptable to let people know that_______．

A．animals in it have been mistreated B．there are too many battle scenes

C．the film has been approved　　　　D．Both A and B

The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city.

The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.

For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clinton’s Ditch(沟)”. Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful.

Clinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles.

1. We can see that the Erie Canal ________.

A. joined the Great Lakes together

B. crossed New York from north to south

C. played an important part in developing New York City

D. was the first waterway built in the US

2. It can be inferred that ________ into the Atlantic Ocean.

A. the Great Lakes flow　　　　　　　　B. the Hudson River flows

C. Lake Erie flows　　　　　　　　　　D. the Erie Canal flows

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.

B. It’s 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.

D. Many other states helped New York built the canal.

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.

B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.

C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.

D. Construction of the canal took eight years.