阅读专练
1.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
John Keynes, a famous economist, in his 1930 essay “Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren”, wrote that human needs fall into two classes: absolute needs, which are independent of what others have, and relative needs, which make us feel superior to our fellows. He thought that although relative needs may indeed be insatiable (无止境的) , this is not true of absolute needs.
Keynes was surely correct that only a small part of total spending is decided by the desire for superiority. He was greatly mistaken, however, in seeing this desire as the only source of insatiable demands.
Decisions to spend are also driven by ideas of quality which can influence the demand for almost all goods, including even basic goods like food. When a couple goes out for an anniversary dinner, for example, the thought of feeling superior to others probably never comes to them. Their goal is to share a special meal that stands out from other meals.
There are no obvious limits to the escalation of demands for quality. For example, Porsche, a famous car producer, has a model which was considered perhaps the best sport car on the market. Priced at over $120,000, it handles perfectly well and has great speed acceleration. But in 2004, the producer introduced some changes which made the model slightly better in handling and acceleration. People who really care about cars find these small improvements exciting. To get them, however, they must pay almost four times the price.
By placing the desire to be superior to other at the heart of his description of insatiable demands, Keynes actually reduced such demands. However, the desire for higher quality has no natural limits.
68. What do we know about the couple in Paragraph 3?
A. They want to show their superiority.
B. They find specialty important to meals.
C. Their demands for food are not easily satisfied.
D. Their choice of dinner is related to ideas of quality.
69. What does the underlined word “escalation” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Understanding.
B. Increase.
C. Difference.
D. Study.
70. The author of the passage argues that ________.
A. absolute needs have no limits
B. demands for quality are not insatiable
C. human desires influence ideas of quality
D. relative needs decide most of our spending
2.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people your age could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging(抗衰老的)?treatment. Now, all three of look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change clothes’ color or pattern.
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says,“ You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk , and it knows the milk is old . In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist Andrew Zolli ,”it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
64. We can learn from the text that in the future__________.
A .people will never get old
B. everyone will look the same
C. red will be the most popular color
D. clothes will be able to change their pattern
65. What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
A. Milk will be harmful to health.
B. More drinks will be available for sale.
C. Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information.
D. Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer.
66. Which of the following is mentioned in the text?
A. Nothing can replace the Internet.
B. Fridges will know what people need.
C. Jacked sleeves can be used as a guide.
D. Cars will be able to drive automatically.
67. What is the text mainly about?
A. Food and clothing in 2035.
B. Future technology in everyday?life.
C. Medical treatments of the future.
D. The reason for the success of new technology.
3.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
If Confucius (孔子) were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy (哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerner philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
60. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________.
A. provide some key facts about Confucius
B. attract the readers’ interest in the subject
C. show great respect for the ancient thinker
D. prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations
61. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students ________.
A. have a great interest in studying Chinese
B. take an active part in Chinese competitions
C. try to get high scores in Chinese exams
D. fight for a chance to learn Chinese
62. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Forgotten Wisdom in America
B. Huge Fans of the Chinese Language
C. Chinese Culture for Westerners
D. Old Thinker with a Big Future
63. The passage is likely to appear in ________.
A. a biography
B. a history paper
C. a newspaper
D. a philosophy textbook
4.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Have you heard of Australia? Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is in the south of the earth. Australia is big, but its population is not large. The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai.
The government has made enough laws to fight pollution. The cities in Australia have got little air or water pollution. The sky is blue and the water is clean. You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers. Plants grow very well.
Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in Western Australia, and went to a wild flowers’ exhibition. There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers. In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers’ exhibition. After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves. Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos(袋鼠). After a short drive from any town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep, sheep, everywhere are sheep.
56. Australia is _______.
A. the largest country in the world
B. as large as Shanghai
C. not as large as China
D. the largest island in the north of the earth 57. The government had made _______.
A. too enough laws to fight pollution
B. so many laws that it can fight pollution
C. enough laws that it can hardly fight pollution
D. enough laws because the pollution is very serious 58. Which of the following is NOT true？A. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers.
B. Perth is bigger than any other city in Western Australia.
C. Perth lies in the west of Australia.
D. No other city is larger than Perth in Australia. 59. In Perth you may visit a wild flowers’ show in _______.
A. October ?B. January?C. May ??D. March
5.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
The following are some important sights in New York.
American Museum of Natural History
Four floors of exhibition halls here include the world-famous fossil halls with their skeletons of enormous dinosaurs and other creatures; the culture halls, representing a variety of indigenous peoples; and mammal, bird and reptile halls. The renovated Milstein hall of Ocean Life showcases the profusion of life in Earth’s “last frontier”. Also here: Rose Center for Earth and space, with Hayden Planetarium and exhibits on Earth and our universe.
Open: Sunday-Thursday, 10:00-17:45; Friday-Saturday: 10:00-20:45
Empire State Building
At 102 stories tall, the Empire State Building commands an inspiring view of Manhattan. Each year, over 3.5 million people come here for the view from the 86th-floor observatory, where they can take in the sights of the city from a glass-enclosed pavilion or the encircling open-air promenade.
Observatory Hours: 8:00am to midnight daily. Last elevators go up at 11:15pm. Open daily 365 days a year.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (One of the greatest museums in the world)
It is impossible to “do” the entire museum in one day or describe everything you can see here. Go to the museum & spend some time in the Great Hall where you will find all types of help in many languages for planning your visit. If you can, get a guide before your visit or look at their website where you can plan well & learn about their many special exhibitions & programs.
Fee: $12 adults, $7 students & seniors, under 12 with adult free.
Open: Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday. 9:30-17:15; Friday-Saturday, 9:30-20:45.
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
MoMA houses an outstanding collection of American & European paintings & sculptures from late 19th C. to present. Innovative in its definition of “art”, it was a pioneer in exhibiting film, photography, and industrial design. Its retrospectives can draw record-breaking attendance. A happy place to take small children, as strollers are allowed.
Open: Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10:30-17:45; Friday, 10:30-20:15.
68. Varieties of ocean life are exhibited in ________.
A. American Museum of Natural History
B. Empire State Building
C. Metropolitan Museum of Art
D. Statue of liberty
69. You can visit Museum of Modern Art at the following time EXCEPT ________.
A. at 14:30 on Monday
B. at 7:00 pm on Friday
C. at 10:40 on Wednesday
D. at 12:00 on Sunday
70. Suppose you are a high school student, who is going to visit Metropolitan Museum of Art with your parents, your 70-year-old Grandpa and your 6-year-old younger brother, how much will you have to pay in total?
A. $42
B. $38
C. $45
D. $50
6.阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches (划痕) on their cars, Japan’s Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing － a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days.
The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin (弹性树脂) that is able to heal minor (较小的) marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris (石头碎片) or even on-purpose destruction.
The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works.
Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they’re gone, there is no trace (痕迹) that they were ever there.
The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period.
Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents.
But the complete auto-healing won’t come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $100 US to the price of a car.
It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its X-Trail SUVs in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven’t been made yet, if it’s a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores, as well.
64．From the article, we can find that _________.
A. the paint has already been used on cars by now
B. it beats other products of its kind in its lengthy effect
C. car damage is mainly caused by scratches and scrapes
D. marketing this paint in Europe is not under way
65．The paint used on cars can _________.
A .last 3 years before it is re-applied againB .fade only in a few days
C. help to protect cars from minor paint damage
D. reduce car scrape incidents to 20 percent
66．What does the underlined part refer to?
A. certain models of Nissan
B. name for one kind of paintC. somewhere in Japan
D. a word standing for a car-dealer store[
67．What can be inferred from the article?
A. The paint was developed by Nissan Motor Company.B. The paint might work better in summer than in winter.
C. The mark on the car could disappear as soon as the paint is applied.
D. The paint is very popular in Japan.
试卷答案
1.DBA
2.DCDB
3.BADC
4.CBDA
5.ACB
6.DCAB