Passage 1
Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.
One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.
Then, in the country one can really get away from the noise and hurry of busy working lives. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes garden, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has got the reward together with those who have shared the secret of Nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night.
1. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. People who love Nature prefer to live outside the city.
B. All the people who work in London prefer to live in the country.
C. Some people enjoying city life prefer to work and live inside London. D. Many nature lovers, though working in London, prefer to live outside.
2. With the same money needed for ________, one can buy a little house with a garden in the country.
A. getting a small flat with a garden B. having a small flat with a garden C. renting a small flat without a garden D. buying a small flat without a garden
3. When the garden is in blossom, the one ________ has been rewarded. A. living in the country
B. having spent time working in the garden. C. having a garden of his own.
D. having been digging, planting and watering
4. People who think happiness lies in the city life would feel that ________ if they had to live outside London.
A. their life was meaningless B. their life was invaluable
C. they didn’t deserve a happy life D. they were not worthy of their happy life 5. The underlined phrase “get away from” in the 3rd paragraph refers to ________.
A. deal with B. do away with C. escape from D. prevent from
很多在伦敦工作的人喜欢住在伦敦郊外,然后每天乘火车、汽车和公交车去上班或上学。这也就意味着他们不得不早出晚归。
住在伦敦郊外的一个好处就是房子便宜。在伦敦即使是没有花园的小公寓也需要一笔不菲的租金,用同样的钱,你可以在郊区买一个带花园的小房子了
然后,他在乡村就可以远离喧嚣和忙碌的工作生活。即使他不得不起得更早,花更多的时间乘火车或公交车,但他晚上可以睡得更好。在周末和夏季的夜晚,他可以享受乡村清新干净的空气。要是他喜欢花园,在花园里干一些想挖土、种植、浇水等许多园艺的活,那么当鲜花和蔬菜生长起来的时候,他就与其他分享大自然秘密的人们一样得到奖赏。
然而有些人对乡村并不感兴趣。对他们来说,幸福就在市区里,那里有电影院、剧院、漂亮的商店、繁忙的街道、舞厅和饭店。如果不得不住在伦敦郊外的话,这些人就觉得生活没意义了。(对于那些热爱都市生活的人来说)他们所需要的乡村生活,就是偶尔去公园散步,每个夏天去海边过上两个星期,其他跟乡村有关的东西,让那些每天晚上都急于离开伦敦的人们(住在郊外的人们)去享受吧。
【答案与解析】 本文介绍在伦敦工作的人对是在市里居住还是在乡下居住所持的不同看法和态度。
1. B。推断题。根据文章内容:虽然有很多喜欢乡村生活,但文章最后讲也有些人喜欢城市生活,从而可推知此题答案为B。
2. C。细节题。根据文章第2段第二、三句可推知此题答案为C。
3. B。推断题。根据文章第3段最后两句可知:要是他喜欢花园,在花园里挖土、种植、浇水等等,那么当鲜花和蔬菜生长起来的时候,他就得到了与大自然分享秘密的奖赏,所以选B。
4. A。推断题。根据文章最后一段第2句Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London可推知此题答案为A。
5. C。推断题。根据其上文:这些人偶尔去公园散散步后去海边度两周假;本句接着说:其余的就留给那些每天晚上喜欢离开伦敦的人,那么,“其余的”显然指“其余的乡村”。从而可推知题答案为C。
Passage 2
By definition, heroes and heroines are men and women distinguished by uncommon courage, achievements, and self-sacrifice made most for the benefits of others-they are people against whom we measure others. They are men and women recognized for shaping our nation’s consciousness and development as well as the lives of those who admire them. Yet, some people say that ours is an age where true heroes and heroines are hard to come by, where the very idea of heroism is something beyond us-an artifact of the past. Some maintain, that because the Cold War is over and because America is at peace, our age is essentially an unheroic one. Furthermore, the overall crime rate is down, poverty has been eased by a strong and growing economy, and advances continue to be made in medical science.
Cultural icons are hard to define, but we know them when we see them. They are people who manage to go beyond celebrity, who are legendary, who somehow manage to become mythic,. But what makes some figures icons and others mere celebrities? That’s hard to answer. In part, their lives have the quality of a story to tell. For instance, the beautiful young Diana Spencer who at 19 married a prince, renounced marriage and the throne, and died at the moment she found true love. Good looks certainly help. So does a special indefinable charm, with the help of the media. But nothing confirms an icon more than a tragic death—such as Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Princess Diana.
1. The passage mainly deals with ________.
A. life and death B. heroes and heroines C. heroes and icons D. icons and celebrities 2. Heroes and heroines are usually ________.
A. courageous B. good examples to follow C. self-sacrificing D. all of the above 3. Which of the following statements is wrong?
A. Poverty in America has been eased with the economic growth B. Superstars are famous for being famous C. One’s look can contribute to being famous
D. Heroes and heroines can only emerge in war times
4. Beautiful young Diana Spencer found her genuine love ________. A. when she was 19 B. when she became a princess C. just before her death D. after she gave birth to a prince 5. What is more likely to set an icon’s status?
A. Good looks. B. Tragic and early death. C. Personal attraction. D. The quality of one’s story.
就定义而言,英雄之所以与众不同是因为他们有非凡的勇气、取得了卓著的成就、常常为他人的利益而做出牺牲——他们是我们评价别人的标准。他们是大家公认的对我们国家意识的形成和我们国家的发展,还有对他们的崇拜者的一生起了重大作用的人。可是,有人说,我们的时代是很难出现真正英雄的时代,英雄主义这一概念本身我们就难以理解——它已经成为历史。有些人坚持说,由于冷战的结束和美国对外的和睦,我们的时代本质上不是一个英勇豪壮的时代。更进一步地说,总体犯罪率正在降低,经济的发展与增长已经缓解了贫困,医疗科学也在不断的进步。
给文化偶像下定义就更难了,但是我们看到他们就认识了他们。他们超越了名流,成为传奇式人物,甚至在某种程度上已是神话式的人物。但究竟是哪些因素使有些人成为偶像,
另一些人仅成了名流呢?这就太难说了。部分原因是他们的生平带有传奇故事的色彩。比如说,年轻貌美的戴安娜·史宾塞,19岁时嫁给了王子,放弃了婚姻与王权,却在找到真爱的那一刻死去了。漂亮的长相当然有用,另外,在媒体的炒作下某种难以描述的、特殊的个人魅力也起作用。然而悲剧性地过早离开这个世界,却是造成偶像最重要的因素——例如:小马丁·路德·金、约翰·F·肯尼迪和戴安娜。
Passage 3
Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self-conscious; that is, they are excessively concerned with their won appearance and actions. Worrisome thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds: what kind of impression am I making?Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes?
It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must negatively affect people. A person’s conception of himself or herself is reflected in the way he or she behaves, and the way a person behaves affects other people’s reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a profound effect on all areas of their lives.’
Shy people, having low self-esteem, are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need reassurance that they are doing “the right thing.” Shy people are very sensitive to criticism; they feel it confirms their feelings of inferiority. They also find it difficult to be pleased by compliment with a statement like this one, “You’re just saying that to make me feel good. I know it’s not true.” It is clear that while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is harmful.
Can shyness be completely eliminated, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determined and patient efforts in building self-confidence. Since shyness goes hand in hand with a lack of self-esteem, it is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths.
Each one of us is a unique, worthwhile individual, interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to our full potential. Let’s not allow shyness to block our chances for a rich and fulfilling life.
1. What does the author try to prove by citing “what kind of impression am I making?” A. Shy people benefit from their caring about their appearance.
B. People’s shyness made them care too much about their appearance and actions. C. It’s natural that shy people don’t believe other’s compliments. D. Shy people think they are different from others. 2. According to the writer, self-awareness is ________.
A. a good quality B. the cause of unhappiness C. harmful to people D. a weak point of shy people 3. When being praised, shy people feel that it is ________.
A. good B. unreal C. very reasonable D. harmful 4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. Shyness helps us to develop our potential
B. Shyness enables us to understand ourselves better C. Shyness can block our chances for a rich life
D. Shyness has nothing to do with lack of self-esteem
5. It can be inferred from the passage that shy people ________. A. should find more of their weakness
B. should understand themselves in the right way C. had better ignore their weakness
D. can get rid of their shyness while maintaining low self-esteem 参考译文:
害羞是由于在众人面前感觉不自在而引发的。害羞的人容易焦虑,自我意识强,他们过