Ⅲ.Reading Comprehension
Directions:Read the following three passages.Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements.For each of them mere are four choices marked A,B,C and D.Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
A
I believe that my country,Poland,is a perfect example for a place where food is particularly important.When we were little children,we began to understand how much a loaf of bread meant to our parents—to some it might sound silly but for me the custom of kissing bread before you started cutting it was simply amazing.It's not so common nowadays to treat food that way,since you hardly ever bake your own bread.Besides,everyone would call you crazy if you tried to kiss every bread roll before you ate them! But though we no longer make our food from scratch (起點),some customs have been kept—that's why I feel so sorry every time I have to throw any food away—even though I no longer live with my parents and nobody would blame me for this anymore!
Many people of our nation are still working as farmers,eating what they grow and harvest and therefore enjoying everything more.It's widely known that you value more anything that needs your effort in the first place.In most homes in Poland,especially those of farmers,the whole family would try and have their meals together—extremely difficult now,but so rewarding (值得)! You can share other members troubles and successes,give your children some attention,or just sit down for a moment instead of rushing through life aimlessly.Furthermore,your body,and stomach in particular will be very grateful (感激) for such a time!
In Poland,a wedding,Christmas or even a birthday is celebrated with a great meal.Women in the house get together and cook,sometimes for a few days before the event,and the extremely good or unusual food will be remembered and widely talked about.
You cannot over value the importance of food in the country.What's more,almost everyone in Poland will be as interested in the topic as I am.
( )1.When the writer was a child,he/she_________.
A.found people were crazy about bread
B.began to realize the importance of food
C.thought that cutting bread was amazing
D.learned people hardly baked their own bread
( )2.The writer feels very sorry when he/she has to throw away any food because_________.
A.he/she makes food from scratch
B.his/her parents would blame him/her
C.some customs still have effect on him/her
D.many people are still working hard as farmers
( )3.From the text,we can learn that,in Poland,_________.
A.most meals can be interesting topics for a long time
B.the whole family often have meals together nowadays
C.it’s common for women to get together to cook for a few days
D.family members can know more about each other by having meals together
B
The case for college has been accepted without question for more than a generation.All high school graduates ought to go,because college will help them earn more money,become“better people”,and learn to be more responsible citizens than those who don't go.
But college has never been able to work its magic for everyone.And now that close to half our high school graduates are attending,those who don't fit the pattern are becoming more and more,and more obvious.College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis;College students get in the way of each other's experiments and write false letters of recommendation(推薦)in the competition for admission to graduate school.Others find no interest in their studies,and drop out—often encouraged by college administrators(教導(dǎo)主任).
Some observers say the fault is with the young people themselves—they are spoiled and they are expecting too much.But that is a condemnation(譴責(zé))of the students as a whole,and does not explain all campus unhappiness.Others blame the state of the world,and they are partly right.We've been told that young people have to go to college because our economy cannot take in an army of untrained eighteen year old.But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer take in an army of trained twenty year old,either.
Some adventuresome educators and campus watchers have openly begun to suggest that college may not be the best,the proper,the only place for every young person after the completion of high school.We may have been looking at all those surveys(調(diào)查)upside down,it seems,and thinking of the rosy glow of our own remembered college experiences.Perhaps college does not make people intelligent,ambitious,happy,liberal,or quick to learn things—maybe it is just the other way round,and intelligent,ambitious,happy,liberal,or quick people are only the ones who have been attracted to college in the first place.And perhaps all those successful college graduates would have been successful whether they had gone to college or not.This is heresy(異端邪說)to those of us who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good,more has to be much better.But opposite evidence is beginning to mount up.
( )4.According to the passage all the following statements are true EXCEPT that.
A.about half of the high school graduates continue their studies in colleges
B.college graduates are believed to be able to earn more money
C.administrators often encourage college students to drop out
D.more and more young people are found unfit for college
( )5.Which of the following is one of some observers opinions?
A.The students expect so much that they are not satisfied with the hard college life.
B.The economic situation is so discouraging that the youth have to attend college.
C.Colleges should improve because of so much campus unhappiness.
D.Colleges provide more chances of good jobs than anywhere else.
( )6.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?
A.Our college experiences prove that those surveys are incorrect.
B.The surveys may remind us of our beautiful college experiences.
C.The surveys should all be reexamined according to our college experiences.
D.Our college experiences may make us misunderstand the results of the surveys.
( )7.What is the main purpose of this passage?
A.To value young people's further education in college.
B.To put forward an idea that college should not be the first choice.
C.To argue against the idea that college is the best place for all young people.
D.To persuade young people into working after the completion of high school.
C
It's 7:45 in the morning,and 26 year old Steve Clarkson is going to work.He puts on his jacket,and picks up his mobile phone and laptop.As he leaves the house,he turns on his MP3 player and puts on his headphone.He is ready to go.
Today,for millions of people,gadgets like Clarkson's are a normal part of life.“I'm a reporter for a magazine,and I'm usually not in the office.My mobile phone and laptop help me to do my work both on the road and at home,”says Clarkson.Today many people can check emails,send messages,or surf the Web,using their mobile phones.
Tina Fang is studying photography in New York City.“Some of these gadgets are expensive,but they can save your money in the long run.I have a digital camera.I can use it to take eighty pictures and shoot video (record an image onto video) at the same time.I listen to music on my MP3 player,and I can download and read books on it,too.I use the camera and MP3 for both learning and fun.”
It's now 9:45.Steve Clarkson gets an e-mail from his 17yearold sister.She has a gadget that lets her send e mails,play games and take notes.She is in class right now.“I've mailed her back.I told her to stop playing,and pay attention,” laughs Clarkson,“These gadgets are fun,but sometimes they can distract(分散注意力) people,too.”
( )8.What is Steve Clarkson?
A.A student
B.A reporter
C.A businessman
D.A computer programmer
( )9.Which of the following things is not a gadget?
A.A picture
B.A laptop
C.A MP3 player
D.A mobile phone