第4部分：阅读理解(第31～45题，每题3分，共45分)
下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题，每道题后面有4个选项。请根据文章的内容从每题所给的4个选项中选择1个最佳答案，涂在答题卡相应的位置上。
第一篇
More Than a Ride to School
The National Education Association claims.The school bus is a mirror Of the community.They further add that，unfortunately，what appears on the exterior(外部)does not always reflect the reality of a chosen community.They are right.and sometimes it reflects more!Just ask Liesl Denson Riding the school bus has been more than a ride to school for Liesl.
Bruce Hardy.sch001 bus driver for Althouse Bus Company has been Liesls bus driver since kindergarten Last year when Liesls family moved to Parkesburg，knowing her bus went by her new residence，she requested to ride the same bus This year Liesl is a senior and will enjoy her last year riding the bus.She says.Its been a great ride so far!My bus driver is so c001 and has always been a good friend and a good listener.
Sometimes when youre a child adults do not think that what you have to say is important.Mr.Hardy always listens to what you have to say and makes you feel important.Her friends AshleyBatista and Amanda Wolfc agree.
Brace Hardy has been making Octorara students feel special since 1975.This year he will celebrate 30 years working for Althouse Bus Transportation.Company President.Larry A1thouse acknowledges Bruce Hardys outstanding record.You do not come by employees 1ike Bruce these days;he has never missed a day of work and has a perfect driving record.Recognized in 2000 by the Pennsylvania School Bus Association for driving 350，000 accident free miles，Hardys reputation is made further evident through the relationships he has made with the students that ride his busA1thouse further added.Althouse Bus Transportation was established 70 years ago and has been providing quality transportation ever since MY grandfather started the business with one bus.Althouse Bus Transportation is delighted to have the opportunity to bring distinctive and safe service to our local school and community and looks forward to continuing to provide quality service for many more years to come.
Three generations of business is not all the company has enjoyed.Thanks to出ivers like Bruce Hardy，they have been building relationships through generations.Liesls mother CaroI also enjoys fond memories of riding Bruce Hardys bus to the Octorara Sch001 District.
31 The wordmirrorin the first line could be best replaced by
A vehicle.
B device
C company.
D reflection
32 How long has Bruce Hardy been working for Althouse Bus Transportation?
A For 30 years.
B For 70 years
C Since last year.
D Since 2000.
33 Which of the following statements is NOT true of Bruce Hardy?
A Heisc001.
B He is a good friend
C He is impatient.
D He has driven 350，000 accident free miles
34 Who founded Althouse Bus Transportation?
A Larry Althouse.
B Althouses grandfather
C Liesls mother,
D Ashley Batista.
35 What has Althouse Bus Transportation been mainly aiming at?
A Making as much money as possible.
B Building up its fame
C Developing its business.
D Providing the local community with quality service
第二篇
Dont Count on Dung
Conservationists(自然保护主义者)may be miscalculating the numbers of the threatened animals such as elephants.say African and American researchers.The error occurs because of a flaw in the way they estimate animal numbers from the piles of dung(粪)the creatures leave behind.
The mistake could 1ead researchers to think that there are twice as many elephants as there really are in some regions according to Andrew Plumptre of the Wildlife Conservation Society(wcs) in New York
Biologist Katy Payne of Cornell University in Ithaca，New York，agrees.We really need to know elephant numbers and the evidence that we have is quite indirect，says Payne，who electronically tracks elephants Counting elephants from planes is impossible in the vast rainforests of Central Africa.So researchers often estimate elephant numbers by counting dung piles in a given area.They also need to know the rate at which dung decays Because its extremely difficult to determine these rates.however，researchers counting elephants in one region tend to rely on standard decay rates established elsewhere.
But researchers at the WCS have found that this decay rate varies from region to region
depending on the climate and environment Using the wrong values can lead the census astray
(离开正道)，says Plumptre
He and his colleague Anthony Chifu Nchanji studied decaying elephant dung in the forests of Cameroon They found that the dung decayed between 55 and 65 per cent more slowly than the dung in the rainforests of neighbouring Gabon.If researchers use decay rates from Gabon to count elephants in Cameroon，they would probably find more elephants than are actually around.
This could mean estimates in Cameroon are at least twice as high as those derived from
decay rates calculated locally，says PlumptreHowever accurate your dung density estimate
might be.the decay rate can severely affect the result
Plumptre also says that the dung-pile census should be carried out over a region similar in size to an elephants natural range The usual technique of monitoring only small，protected areas distorts numbers because elephants move in and out of these regions，he saysIf the elephant population increases within the protected area，you can not determine whether 1t is a real increase or whether it is due to elephants moving in because they are being poached(入侵偷猎)outside.
Plumptre says that similar problems may also affect other animal census studies that rely on indirect evidence such as nests，tracks or burrows(地洞)
36 The wordthreatenedin the first sentence of the first paragraph could be best replaced by
A endangered
B frightened
C killed
D angered
37 Why do researchers estimate elephant numbers in an area by counting dung piles?
A Because elephants are difficult to catch
B Because it is not possible to count elephants from a plane.
C Because it is not possible to keep track of elephants.
D Because elephants are shy animals
38 Piles of dung cant be relied upon when it comes to estimating elephant numbers because
A they are different in size
B they scatter an over the region.
C they are different in decay rate.
D they are different in quality.
39 According to Plumptre，the region over which a dung-pile census is carried out should be
A small enough
B well protected.
C carefully monitored.
D large enough
40 The first wordHein paragraph 6 refers to
A Andrew Plumptre
B Katy Payne.
C Anthony Chifu Nchanji.
D the writer of the article.
第三篇
More Than Just Money
When Patricia Rochester decided to go back to school after ten years as a staff nurse at oronto Western Hospital.her employer not only cheered her on.but also Paid her tuition and gave her a day off with pay every week to study.Throughout her years at the hospital，Rochester has also taken workshops on everything from coaching peers to career development--courses that she believes have helped her advance at work.m now head of the mentoring(指导)program for new hires.students and staff nurses.she says.Theres a lot of room for personal improvement here.
Perhaps as important，Rochester says her employer supports and values her work.If you put in overtime.the nurse points Out.you get your meals-they11 order in pizza or Greek food or Chinese.And if staffers feel stiff and stressed from too many hours on the ward.they can call for a flee 15-minute shoulder-and-neck massage(按摩)or even sign up for an eight-week
evening course on meditation skills and stress-relief.If thats not enough，employees can take advantage of five family days a year that can be used if the kids come down with the flu or an aging parent needs ferrying to an important doctors appointment And they have access to a range of perks(好处)such as special rates on hotel rooms，drugstore purchases，and scholarships for employeeschildren.
You might wonder how an organization can provide such resources and still survive.But University Health Network is one of a number of progressive employers in Canada that have discovered that investing in staff is good business.
If such initiatives help companies cut down on turnover(人员更替)alone，theyre well worthwhile.says Prem Benimadhu，a vice-president at the Conference Board of Canada.It costs anywhere frmn$3.300 to rehire support staff，an average$13，300 for technical staff and a whopping(巨资)$43，000 for an executive position，according to one study of Conference Board members Innovative initiatives help companies attract talented employees，cut down on sick days (which cost Canadian businesses an estimated$17 billion a year，or an average of$3，550 perEmployee)and keep employees more interested in their work.With the substantial talent shortage that already exists in Canada and the prospect of mass retirement over the next five years-as many as 50 or 60 percent in some sectors-Benimadhu says that intelligent employers are putting a renewed focus on the people who work for them.
41 When Rochester decided to go to school，her employer
A persuaded her to change her mind
B fired her.
C cheered her on.
D discouraged her.
42Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to ease oneS stiffness and stress?
A To take an eight-week evening course on meditation skills and stress-relief.
B To call for a flee 15-minute shoulder-and-neck massage.
C To use five family days
D T0 ask for sick leave
43 Investment in staff has been motivated
A to attract the publicS attention
B to reduce staff turnover,
C to solve labor disputes.
D to show off financial resources
44 Canada has been short of
A talented people.
B timber.
C flesh water.
D money.
45 In paragraph 2，the phrasecome down withcould be best replaced by
A shake off
B get rid of.
C get.
D cure.