要求考生能读懂书、报、杂志中关于一般性话题的简短文段以及公告、说明、广告等，并能从中获取相关信息。考生应能：
①理解主旨和要义；
②理解文中具体信息；
③根据上下文推断生词的词义；
④作出判断和推理；
⑤理解文章的基本结构；
⑥理解作者的意图、观点和态度。
一、选题特征
分析近几年的高考阅读试题，可以看出高考选题具有以下四个特征：
1．时代新颖性
每年的高考试卷中都有一定的文章，讲某一领域的新知识或介绍一些新观念、新方法或新事物，如：浙江卷介绍具有触摸屏导购装置的超市购物车。
2．人文实用性
每年的高考试卷中都有一定的资讯和广告方面的应用文，注重人文与学生生活、社会生活的结合，尽可能体现语言的实用性与工具性。如：全国卷的(英国)路透社对于美加边界居民跨国界做礼拜的报道。
3．体裁多样性
高考阅读的体裁包括人物传记、叙述文、说明文、应用文和议论文。如：江苏卷的A篇是人物传记，介绍英国作家Jane Austen；B篇是应用文，书店导购；C篇是叙述文，讲述the Sahara Festival庆祝活动相关内容；D篇是说明文，介绍植物自我保护功能；E篇是议论文，论述了20世纪科学上的
进步给人类带来的影响。可以说，如果语言输入量没有一定的广度，是不能适应这种选材上的多样化的。
4．考查综合性
为了能够考查学生较高层面上的阅读技能，所选语篇在结构上都较复杂。作者在时间顺序、空间顺序或逻辑推理上，运用了较高的组篇手段。这些语篇内容一般有逻辑、有层次、有深度，因而，试题的命制也有相应的层次。另外，每年都有一定比例的试题是考语言以外的背景知识，会涉及到人文、地理、历史、政治、自然科学等方面。
二、题干设计
总体来说，其干扰项目的设置具有一定的科学理论模糊性，正确答案项与干扰项差异不明显，因而干扰项具有很大的迷惑性。供选项少则每项为一个词，多则每项为一个长句，多数是每项为一个短语。
阅读理解题设计从题干到选项都具有灵活、巧妙、含蓄、迂回、曲折等特点，干扰性体现在：脱离原文、以偏概全、扩缩范围、偷换概念、正误并存。因此，必须在明确题意、排除干扰、找出文章依据的前提下，经过深刻思考才能确定答案。
考点1、科普常识类
例1、(2016·浙江，B)Below is a selection from a popular science book.
If blood is red，why are veins(静脉) blue?
Actually，veins are not blue at all.They are more of a clear，yellowish colour.Although blood looks red when it's outside the body，when it's sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin，it's more of a dark reddish purple colour.At the right depth，these blood－filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin，making them look blue by comparison.
Which works harder，your heart or your brain?
That kind of depends on whether you're busy thinking or busy exercising.Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise，and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker.But，in the long run，your brain probably tips it，because even when you're sitting still your brain is using twice as much energy as your heart，and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it.
Why do teeth fall out，and why don't they grow back in grown－ups?
Baby (or “milk”) teeth do not last long；they fall out to make room for bigger，stronger adult teeth later on.Adult teeth fall out when they become damaged，decayed and infected by bacteria.Once this second set of teeth has grown in，you're done.When they're gone，they're gone.This is because nature figures you're set for life，and what controls regrowth of your teeth switches off.
Do old people shrink as they age?
Yes and no.Many people do get shorter as they age.But，when they do，it isn't because they're shrinking all over.They simply lose height as their spine(脊柱) becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effects of gravity(重力)．Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older.Men lose an average of 3－4 cm in height as they age，while women may lose 5 cm or more.If you live to be 200 years old，would you keep shrinking till you were，like 60 cm tall，like a little boy again？No，because old people don't really shrink！It is not that they are growing backwards—their legs，arms and backbones getting shorter.When they do get shorter，it's because the spine has shortened a little.Or，more often，become more bent and curved.
Why does spinning make you dizzy(眩晕的)?
Because your brain gets confused between what you're seeing and what you're feeling.The brain senses that you're spinning using special gravity－and－motion－sensing organs in your inner ear，which work together with your eyes to keep your vision and balance stable.But，when you suddenly stop spinning the system goes out of control，and your brain thinks you're moving while you're not!
Where do feelings and emotions come from?
Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system.All mammals have this brain area—from mice to dogs，cats，and humans.So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear，pain and pleasure.But since human feelings also involve other，newer bits of the brain，we feel more complex emotions than any other animal on the planet.
If exercise wears you out，how can it be good for you?
Because our bodies adapt to everything we do to them.And as far as your body is concerned，it's “use it，or lose it”！It's not that exercise makes you healthy；it's more that a lack of exercise leaves your body weak and easily affected by disease.
1．What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?
A．Blue.
B．Light yellow.
C．Red.
D．Dark reddish purple.
2．Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?
A．Because their spine is in active use.
B．Because they are more easily affected by gravity.
C．Because they keep growing backwards.
D．Because their spine becomes more bent.
3．Which of the following statements about our brain is true?
A．In the long run，our brain probably works harder than our heart.
B．When our brain senses the spinning，we will feel dizzy.
C．The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.
D．Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.
4．What is the main purpose of the selection?
A．To give advice on how to stay healthy.
B．To provide information about our body.
C．To challenge new findings in medical research.
D．To report the latest discoveries in medical science.
考点2、社会现象类
例2、(2016·湖北，D)A German study suggests that people who were too optimistic about their future actually faced greater risk of disability or death within 10 years than those pessimists who expected their future to be worse.
The paper, published this March in Psychology and Aging, examined health and welfare surveys from roughly 40,000 Germans between ages 18 and 96.The surveys were conducted every year from 1993 to 2003.
Survey respondents (受访者) were asked to estimate their present and future life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10, among other questions.
The researchers found that young adults (age 18 to 39) routinely overestimated their future life satisfaction, while middle－aged adults (age 40 to 64) more accurately predicted how they would feel in the future.Adults of 65 and older, however, were far more likely to underestimate their future life satisfaction.Not only did they feel more satisfied than they thought they would, the older pessimists seemed to suffer a lower ratio (比率) of disability and death for the study period.
“We observed that being too optimistic in predicting a better future than actually observed was associated with a greater risk of disability and a greater risk of death within the following decade，” wrote Frieder R．Lang, a professor at the University of Erlangen－Nuremberg.
Lang and his colleagues believed that people who were pessimistic about their future may be more careful about their actions than people who expected a rosy future.
“Seeing a dark future may encourage positive evaluations of the actual self and may contribute to taking improved precautions(预防措施)，”the authors wrote.
Surprisingly, compared with those in poor health or who had low incomes, respondents who enjoyed good health or income were associated with expecting a greater decline.Also, the researchers said that higher income was related to a greater risk of disability.
The authors of the study noted that there were limitations to their conclusions.Illness, medical treatment and personal loss could also have driven health outcomes.
However, the researchers said a pattern was clear.“We found that from early to late adulthood, individuals adapt their expectations of future life satisfaction from optimistic, to accurate, to pessimistic，” the authors concluded.
5．According to the study, who made the most accurate prediction of their future life satisfaction?
A．Optimistic adults.
B．Middle－aged adults.
C．Adults in poor health.
D．Adults of lower income.
6．Pessimism may be positive in some way because it causes people________.
A．to fully enjoy their present life
B．to estimate their contribution accurately
C．to take measures against potential risks
D．to value health more highly than wealth
7．How do people of higher income see their future?
A．They will earn less money.
B．They will become pessimistic.
C．They will suffer mental illness.
D．They will have less time to enjoy life.
8．What is the clear conclusion of the study?
A．Pessimism guarantees chances of survival.
B．Good financial condition leads to good health.
C．Medical treatment determines health outcomes.
D．Expectations of future life satisfaction decline with age.
考点3、人文地理类
例3、(2016·重庆，D)Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean，an S－shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles.The Atlantic has，in a sense，replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization.Unlike real inland seas，which seem strangely still，the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness.It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.
“Storm at Sea”，a short poem written around 700，is generally regarded as one of mankind's earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun
Is rooted in the ocean's breast.
As the poem suggests，the Atlantic is never dead and dull.It is an ocean that moves，impressively and endlessly.It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering，boiling，crashing，and whistling.
It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath－perhaps not so noticeably out in mid－ocean，but where it meets land，its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach.It mimics(模仿)nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature.It is filled with symbiotic existences，too：unimaginable quantities of creatures，little and large alike，mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony，giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat，a kind of sub－ocean vitality.And it has a psychology.It has personalities：sometimes peaceful and pleasant，on rare occasions rough and wild；always it is strong and striking.
9．Unlike real inland seas，the Atlantic Ocean is ________.
A．always energetic
B．lacking in liveliness
C．shaped like a square
D．favored by ancient poets
10．What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?
A．To describe the movement of the waves.
B．To show the strength of the storm.
C．To represent the power of the ocean.
D．To prove the vastness of the sea.
11．What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?
A．Living together.
B．Growing fast.
C．Moving harmoniously.
D．Breathing peacefully.
12．In the last paragraph，the Atlantic is compared to ________.
A．a beautiful and poetic place
B．a flesh and blood person
C．a wonderful world
D．a lovely animal
考点4、人物传记类
例4、(2016·山东，B)George Gershwin，born in 1898，was one of America's greatest composers.He published his first song when he was eighteen years old.During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.
Many of Gershwin's songs were first written for musical plays performed in theatres in New York City.These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s.Many of his songs have remained popular as ever.Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way—from jazz to country.
In the 1920s there was a debate in the United States about jazz music.Could jazz，some people asked，be considered serious music? In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music.Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it.And in that short time，he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue.Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert.The audience were thrilled when they heard his music.It made him world－famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.
In 1928，Gershwin went to Paris.He applied to study composition (作曲)with the well－known musician Nadia Boulanger，but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz－influenced style.While there，Gershwin wrote An American in Paris.When it was first performed，critics (评论家)were divided over the music.Some called it happy and full of life，to others it was stilly and boring.But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States.It still remains one of his most famous works.
George Gershwin died in 1937，just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer.He was only thirty－nine years old.Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages.People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.
【语篇解读】 本文讲述了George Gershwin 一位伟大的音乐家的一生，对音乐界及世界的影响。
13．Many of Gershwin's musical works were________.
A．written about New Yorkers
B．composed for Paul Whiteman
C．played mainly in the countryside
D．performed in various ways
14．What do we know about the concert organized by Whiteman?
A．It attracted more people to theatres.
B．It proved jazz could be serious music.
C．It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra.
D．It caused a debate among jazz musicians.
15．What did Gershwin do during his stay in Paris?
A．He created one of his best works.
B．He studied with Nadia Boulanger.
C．He argued with French critics.
D．He changed his music style.
16．What do we learn from the last paragraph?
A．Many of Gershwin's works were lost.
B．The death of Gershwin was widely reported.
C．A concert was held in memory of Gershwin.
D．Brain cancer research started after Gershwin's death.
17．Which of the following best describes Gershwin?
A．Talented and productive.
B．Serious and boring.
C．Popular and unhappy.
D．Friendly and honest.
考点5、文学赏析类
例5、(2016·江西，D)Mark Twain has been called the inventor of the American novel.And he surely deserves additional praise：the man who popularized the clever literary attack on racism.
I say clever because anti－slavery fiction had been the important part of the literature in the years before the Civil War.H.B.Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin is only the most famous example.These early stories dealt directly with slavery.With minor exceptions，Twain planted his attacks on slavery and prejudice into tales that were on the surface about something else entirely.He drew his readers into the argument by drawing them into the story.
Again and again，in the postwar years，Twain seemed forced to deal with the challenge of race.Consider the most controversial，at least today，of Twain's novels，Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.Only a few books have been kicked off the shelves as often as Huckleberry Finn，Twain's most widely read tale.Once upon a time，people hated the book because it struck them as rude.Twain himself wrote that those who banned the book considered the novel “trash and suitable only for the slums(贫民窟)．”More recently the book has been attacked because of the character Jim，the escaped slave，and many occurences of the word nigger.(The term Nigger Jim，for which the novel is often severely criticized，never appears in it.)
But the attacks were and are silly—and miss the point.The novel is strongly anti－slavery.Jim's search through the slave states for the family from whom he has been forcibly parted is heroic.As J．Chadwick has pointed out，the character of Jim was a first in American fiction—a recognition that the slave had two personalities，“the voice of survival within a white slave culture and the voice of the individual：Jim，the father and the man.”
There is much more.Twain's mystery novel Pudd'nhead Wilson stood as a challenge to the racial beliefs of even many of the liberals of his day.Written at a time when the accepted wisdom held Negroes to be inferior(低等的)to whites，especially in intelligence，Twain's tale centered in part around two babies switched at birth.A slave gave birth to her master's baby and，for fear that the child should be sold South，switched him for the master's baby by his wife.The slave's lightskinned child was taken to be white and grew up with both the attitudes and the education of the slave－holding class.The master's wife's baby was taken for black and grew up with the attitudes and intonations of the slave.
The point was difficult to miss：nurture(养育)，not nature，was the key to social status.The features of the black man that provided the stuff of prejudice—manner of speech，for example—were，to Twain，indicative of nothing other than the conditioning that slavery forced on its victims.
Twain's racial tone was not perfect.One is left uneasy，for example，by the lengthy passage in his autobiography(自传)about how much he loved what were called“nigger shows”in his youth—mostly with white men performing in black－face—and his delight in getting his mother to laugh at them.Yet there is no reason to think Twain saw the shows as representing reality.His frequent attacks on slavery and prejudice suggest his keen awareness that they did not.
Was Twain a racist？Asking the question in the 21st century is as wise as asking the same of Lincoln.If we read the words and attitudes of the past through the“wisdom”of the considered moral judgments of the present，we will find nothing but error.Lincoln，who believed the black man the inferior of the white，fought and won a war to free him.And Twain，raised in a slave state，briefly a soldier，and inventor of Jim，may have done more to anger the nation over racial injustice and awaken its collective conscience than any other novelist in the past century.
【语篇解读】 通过研究马克·吐温的作品，来判定他是否是一名种族主义者。作者列举了大量事实，说明了马克·吐温是名反对种族主义的斗士，反驳了别人那些错误的观点。
18．How do Twain's novels on slavery differ from Stowe's?
A．Twain was more willng to deal with racism.
B．Twain's attack on racism was much less open.
C．Twain's themes seemed to agree with plots.
D．Twain was openly concerned with racism.
19．Recent criticism of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn arose partly from its________.
A．target readers at the bottom
B．anti－slavery attitude
C．rather impolite language
D．frequent use of “nigger”
20．What best proves Twain's anti－slavery stand according to the author?
A．Jim's search for his family was described in detail.
B．The slave's voice was first heard in American novels.
C．Jim grew up into a man and a father in the white culture.
D．Twain suspected that the slaves were less intelligent.
21．The story of two babies switched mainly indicates that________.
A．slaves were forced to give up their babies to their masters
B．slaves' babies could pick up slave－holders' way of speaking
C．blacks' social position was shaped by how they were brought up
D．blacks were born with certain features of prejudice
22．What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 7 refer to?
A．The attacks.
B．Slavery and prejudice.
C．White men.
D．The shows.
23．What does the author mainly argue for?
A．Twain had done more than his contemporary writers to attack racism.
B．Twain was an admirable figure comparable to Abraham Lincoln.
C．Twain's works had been banned on unreasonable grounds.
D．Twain's works should be read from a historical point of view.
一、考向揭密
只有准确理解全部细节，才能深刻而又全面地领悟主题思想。因为段落中的细节都是用来阐明主旨大意的，辅助论据支撑或阐述主题思想。因此，属于细节类的理解题既可检测阅读者对主旨大意理解的深度，又可测定他们对每个细节准确领会的广度。
在阅读考核中，查找主要事实或特定细节常见的题型是：
1．Which of the following statements is (not) true (or correct)?
2．Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?
3．All of the following are true except ________.
4．The author (or the passage) states that ________.
5．According to the passage，when...?
总之，细节理解题的六大类型是：
1．直接信息题
在原文中可直接找到答案。常用who，what，when，where，why和how等提问。
2．语意转换题
有时需要将题目信息与原文相关信息进行语意上的转换，两者形式不同，但意义不变。
3．逻辑排序题
考生可以先找出最早和最后的一个事件发生的时间，并分别把它们作为事件发生的起点和终点，然后使用排除法将范围一一缩小。
4．数字计算题
解答此类试题的方法是先理解题意和文意，然后经过对比、分析、计算等得出正确答案。
5．图形理解题
在解答此类试题的时候，一定要把握图形中所暗含的信息，特别是有些事实是通过图片来描述的，考生可以按图索骥直至找出正确答案。
6．是非判断题
这类试题要求考生确定与原文信息一致或不一致的一项。考生应首先明确题干要求；其次，在原文中进行细节定位；最后，仔细推敲，锁定答案。
当然，针对某一具体的文章，还可以有各种各样，形形色色的设问方式。对于细节题，也可以说对于任何阅读理解题，考生必须根据文章提供的信息进行答题，而不能根据自己的主观判断或者一般常识来答题。
Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg，a distance of about eighty miles.It was late.Several times I got stuck behind a slow－moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left，and I became increasingly impatient.
At one point along an open road，I came to a crossing with a traffic light.I was alone on the road by now，but as I drove near the light，it turned red and I made a stop.I looked left，right and behind me.Nothing.Not a car，no suggestion of car lamps，but there I sat，waiting for the light to change，the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.
I started wondering why I refused to run the light.I was not afraid of being caught，because there was clearly no policeman around，and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.
Much later that night，the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me.I think I stopped because it's part of a contract(契约)we all have with each other.It's not only the law，but it's an agreement we have，and we trust each other to honor it：we don't go through red lights.
Trust is our first inclination(倾向)．Doubting others does not seem to be natural to us.The whole construction of our society depends on mutual(相互)trust，not distrust.We do what we say we'll do；we show up when we say we'll show up；and we pay when we say we'll pay.We trust each other in these matters，and we're angry or disappointed with the person or organization that breaks the trust we have in them.
I was so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.
【语篇解读】 本文为记叙文，题材属于人物故事类。作者在没有警察且没有其他车辆的情况下仍然遵守交通规则，因为这个社会需要彼此的信任。
1．Why did the author get impatient while driving?
A．He was lonely on the road.
B．He was slowed down by a truck.
C．He got tired of driving too long.
D．He came across too many traffic lights.
2．What was the author's immediate action when the traffic light turned red?
A．Stopping still.
B．Driving through it.
C．Looking around for other cars.
D．Checking out for traffic police.
3．The event made the author strongly believe that ________.
A．traffic rules may be unnecessary
B．doubting others is human nature
C．patience is important to drivers
D．a society needs mutual trust
4．Why was the author proud of himself?
A．He kept his promise.
B．He held back his anger.
C．He followed his inclination.
D．He made a right decision.
二、大题技巧
细节理解题针对不同的文章，不同的细枝末节，可以有不同的设问，这就让人觉得它是那么不可捉摸，犹如雾里看花，水中望月。其实，这种题型是阅读考项中最简单的了。我们只要记住一点：万变不离其宗。这种题型无论有什么千变万化，你只要能看懂文章和题干，答案都能在原文中找到明显的线索。下面，我们就来看看，对付这等“千变魔头”有何绝招？
我们读文章，无外乎是对两个方面的理解。一个是浅层理解，或表层理解。另一个是深层理解，或内涵理解。所谓表层理解，指要读懂文章的基本内容，包括主要事实和各个细节。主要事实指文章中对于主题主旨具有典型意义的重要事实，这是文章的基本构架。细节是构成主要事实的局部因素或充实事实的例子，数据等细枝末节。一篇文章一般都包括这些要素。所以阅读理解考核中要求寻找的主要事实和特定细节都可以在文章中找到。但是，要注意的是出题者不会很明白很直接地提问，而是很注意提问的技术性或艺术性。也就是说，他提问都是要设障碍的，要罩上一层迷雾的，使得你弄不清问题指的是哪一件事，哪一个细节，造成你寻找的困难，这就要求你仔细琢磨了。归纳起来，提问技巧一般有隐含提问法、真伪证实法、间接提问法三种。这一讲里我们先来看看前两种提问技巧。
1．隐含提问法
出题者使用同义词语、参照词、代词等，使考生对阅读内容和问题产生模糊感。例如：
The basketball team never lacked vociferous(大叫大喊的)young supporters，but they rarely responded to this show of enthusiasm.
Who seldom reacted to that enthusiastic show?
A．The young people.
B．The players.
C．Some people.
D．A lot of people.
2．真伪证实法
出题者要求考生确立文章中的事实，不让其问题直接与文章中的事实对号入座，而是提出似是而非，或完全错误的事实让考生去判断。对于这类题目，考生不要根据自己读文章的最初印象马上加以判断，而必须找到与问题相应的文章部分，找出正确肯定的事实，才可以据此判定否定的或错误的答案选择。例如：
One word that sums up(概括)our age better than any other－whether “our age”is“the technological age”of western countries or the “modernizing age”of China－is the word CHANGE.But has change not always been present？True，but never before at such a breakneck speed.Today it is more than just change.It is unprecedented change.In such a world，reading provides the best tool we have for keeping up and for avoiding future shock in a world continually being remade.
Which of the following is NOT true?
A．Western countries and China are being remade.
B．Reading will help understand our age.
C．The present age and future world are continually changing.
D．Reading is the best tool provided by our age.
3．迂回提问法
这又是一种设障提问技巧。问题不直接提出，而是绕着弯子提出。比如，涉及时间、距离及数据等时，你必须经过复杂的测算才能确定答案，有时，选择答案给你的数据与文章中的数据不符，只是一个近似数值，(其它选择答案完全不沾边，完全错误)，或者，提问者只给你一部分事实，让读者续出相应的事实使某事实更完整正确(这又叫做省略提问法)。
Too much TV－watching can harm children's ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree，new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third－graders.Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedroom TVs.
A second study，looking at nearly 1,000 grown－ups in New Zealand，found lower education levels among 26－year－olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood.But the results don't prove that TV is the cause and don't rule out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年轻人)may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26－year－olds between ages 5 and 15.Those with college degrees had watched an average of less than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood，compared with an average of more than 2 hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study，children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest，while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores，it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn't have TVs in their bedrooms.
1．According to the California study，the low－scoring group might ________.
A．have watched a lot of TV
B．not be interested in math
C．be unable to go to college
D．have had computers in their bedrooms
2．What is the researchers' understanding of the New Zealand study results?
C．TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15－year－olds.
D．The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain.
Let's face it.No one drinks diet sodas for the taste.People drink diet sodas in the hope that it will help them lose weight or at least keep them from gaining it.Yet it seems to have exactly the opposite effect，according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Texas said those who drank two or more diet sodas a day had waist size increases that were six times greater than those who didn't drink diet sodas.“What we saw was that the more diet sodas a person drank，the more weight they were likely to gain，”said Sharon Fowler.
The study was based on data from 474 participants in a large，ongoing research project，where the participants were followed for nearly 10 years.
While the findings are surprising，they also offer some explanations.
Nutrition expert，Melanie Rogers，who works with overweight patients in New York，has found that when patients are switched from regular to diet sodas，they don't lose weight at all.“We weren't seeing weight loss necessarily，and that was confusing to us，”said Rogers.
So why would diet soda cause weight gain？No one knows for sure yet，but it could be that people think they can eat more if they drink diet sodas，and so over－compensate for the missing calories.
A related study found some sweeteners(甜味剂)raised blood sugar levels in some mice.“Data from this and other potential studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners may be risky.”said Helen P．Hazuda，professor at the University of Texas's school of medicine.“They may be free of calories，but not of consequences.”
【语篇解读】 一项新的研究表明，喝低糖汽水非但不能减轻体重，反而会使体重增加。
1．People drink diet sodas to ________.
A．enjoy its taste
B．stay in fashion
C．achieve weight loss
D．gain more energy
2．The new study suggests that drinking diet sodas ________.
A．causes people to become heavier
B．helps people to be healthier
C．makes people much thinner
D．offers people more calories
3．We can learn from the passage that ________.
A．regular sodas make people lose more weight
B．diet soda drinkers tend to eat more food
C．diet sodas do help reduce calories
D．most blood diseases come from diet sodas
4．The underlined word“They”in the last paragraph probably refers to “________”．
A．sweeteners
B．diet sodas and artificial sweeteners
C．sodas
D．diet soda drinkers and sweetener takers
二、
An international business specialist group has announced that the move towards a green economy is becoming more urgent for emerging economies(新兴经济体)，especially South Africa.
On Monday，Innovation Group announced that green economic policies were becoming increasingly important on the global landscape and for emerging economies.
According to Pule Mokoena，from Innovation Group，experts believe the adoption of these green policies will assist with“ailing(不景气的)economies”．“The move to a green economy，such as the adoption of alternative energy solutions，should be adopted by economies and countries.”
Mokoena's comments came as Greenpeace Africa called on the South African government to review its decision to include nuclear energy into the country's energy plan.
In order to avoid all energy crisis in the country，the_energy_mix_had_to_be_diversified，including broadening energy carriers to include gas，nuclear，biomass，renewable(wind，solar and hydro)，as well as the efficient use of the existing resources，such as coal.
For this reason，nuclear energy will account for 23 percent of South Africa's energy needs，followed by coal at 15 percent，hydro at six percent，gas six percent，turbines six percent and renewable energy 42 percent.
However，Pule said there are other options for South Africa's energy needs.
“Too many companies are focusing on the costs of green policies，rather than focusing on the long－term benefits，”explained Mokoena.
Nobel economics winner Joseph Stiglitz and the former World Bank chief economist agree with Mokoena and believe that the need to switch to green technology should be seen as an opportunity and not as a burden.
When in South Africa earlier this year，Stiglitz said a switch to green technology would stimulate demand for a range of goods and services，which would have a beneficial impact on the aftermath of the global recession.
He urged policymakers not to be held back by short－term perspectives.
Innovation Group has already developed a reliable alternate energy solution，which the company believes will change the landscape of this emerging market and other companies will follow suite and offer renewable energy solutions for emerging economies.
“We are quickly becoming an industry leader in this space thanks to our in－house expert knowledge on the various SWH technologies available and the application of our Business Process Outsourcing Solutions，which allow for the mass roll－out of these technologies on a national scale.We are proud to be an active part of the solution to the current energy crisis and plan to become a major force in the drive towards sustainability and good environmental practice，”Pule said.
【语篇解读】 像南非这样的新兴经济体经历了经济的快速发展之后会面临能源危机，而走绿色发展道路是唯一的出路。
5．Which of the following is the best title for this text?
A．Advantages of Green Energy
B．Green Policies Vital for Emerging Economies
C．Potential Energy Crisis for Emerging Economies
D．How to Develop Green Energy
6．The underlined part “the energy mix had to be diversified”in Paragraph 5 implies ________.
A．energy had to be classified
B．different kinds of energy had to be mixed
C．a variety of energy had to be developed and used
D．a mixture of various energy was essential
7．According to Pule Mokoena，________.
A．nuclear energy shouldn't be included into energy plans
B．focusing too much on the costs of green policies is shortsighted
C．green policies alone can solve the economic problems faced by South Africa
D．green polices have nothing to do with the use of the existing resources like coal
8．According to the text，the main reason for the adoption of green policies is that ________.
A．the existing resources are not efficiently used
B．green energy costs less to develop
C．green policies can solve the current energy crisis
D．green technology will stimulate demand for a range of goods and services
More than half of rich Americans have not shown their full wealth to their children，a new survey showed last Tuesday.
The survey，published by the Bank of America, studied the rich with $3 million or more in assets.It found that “surprisingly few of those surveyed have well－developed plans to preserve and pass on their assets to their children”．
The majority of the 457 people surveyed are selfmade，first－generation rich.Fifty－two percent of parents have chosen not to tell their children just how wealthy they are，and 15 percent have given away nothing about the family wealth.One in three parents said they had never thought to do it.
They are worried that their children would become lazy，spend money freely，make bad decisions and even become a target for gold diggers.
Only 34 percent strongly agreed that their children would be able to handle any inheritance(遗产)they plan to leave them.
“There is an expectation about the wealthy parents that they have a responsibility to pass down their fortune to the next generation，”said Sallie Krawcheck，president of the Global Wealth and Investment Management of the Bank of America.“Our research，however，uncovered changing views of what one generation owes the next.”
The trend is led by the world's richest man Bill Gates，who promised in 2008 that he would leave his $58 billion fortune to the charity started by him and his wife，the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(基金会)，and not to his children.
“We want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive impact，”he said.
Of his plans for his children，Gates said：“I will give the kids some money but not a meaningful percentage...they will need to work but they will feel reasonably taken care of.”
【语篇解读】 调查表明，大部分美国富人不愿向孩子炫富，甚至不打算将丰厚的资产传给后代。
9．We can learn from the passage that ________.
A．rich parents may not know how to manage their inheritance
B．rich parents don't equal rich kids，at least in the US
C．American children don't get to inherit their parents' wealth
D．poor children don't expect themselves to be as rich as their parents
10．According to the survey，most rich Americans ________.
A．think they owe their children nothing
B．think it best to give their money back to society
C．doubt their children's ability to handle wealth
D. are confident of their children's ability to handle wealth
11．The underlined word“they”in Paragraph 6 refers to ________.
A．responsible children
B．Bill Gates and his wife
C．first－generation rich
D．rich parents
12．From the last paragraph，we can see that Bill Gates wants to show ________.
A．the trend of leaving no inheritance to children
B．the positive impact of charity on society
C．the way of giving back to society
D．the importance of independence for children
The multi－million pound new Library of Birmingham (LoB)will be the most visible sign of the way the city is accepting the digitalization(数字化)of everyday life.
Set to open in 2016，the￡188m LoB is already beginning to take shape next to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre，with which it will share some equipment.
As digital media(媒介)is important to its_idea，the project is already providing chances for some of the many small new local companies working at the new technologies.
Brian Gambles，the LoB project director，says it is about giving people the right tools for learning：“The aim is to mix the physical with the digital，providing 24－hour services which can be used through many different ways.It is important to enable us to reach more people，more effectively.”
The digital library will，he says，be as important as the physical one，allowing the distant use of the services, making sure that it is never closed to the public.
Even before the LoB is complete，the public has been able to go online to visit the Virtual(虚拟的)LoB，designed by Baden，the Birmingham virtual worlds specialists.Not only have the public been able to learn about the LoB，but the virtual one has also enabled those working on the LoB to understand the building and how it will work before it even opens.
Two other small Birmingham－based digital companies are also working on the LoB projects.Substrat，a digital design company，is developing what it calls an example of an “enlarged reality” project.It is about the use of an exciting smart phone，an important part of the LoB which is in the early stages of development.And The People's Archive is an online library of historical figures of the city being built up by a digital content company in Cahoots，in
which users will be encouraged to add to and comment on
the material.
Gambles says：“Technology will enable us to make the library's content and services open to citizens as never before”
【语篇解读】 本文是一则资讯报道。即将落成的Library of Birmingham(LoB)将是伯明翰市接受日常生活数字化的标志。
13．The underlined part“its idea”in Paragraph 3 refers to the idea of ________.
A．the equipment
B．the project
C．the digital media
D．the physical library
14．While visiting the Virtual LoB，the public can ________.
A．get a general idea of the LoB
B．meet many world－famous experts
C．learn how to put up a library building
D．understand how the specialists work on the project
答案 A
15．Which of the following is true of the LoB when it opens?
A．a，b，d
B．a，c，e
C．b，c，d
D．b，d，e
16．The text is most probably taken from ________.
A．a computer book
B．a library guide
C．a project handbook
D．a newspaper report
America's Top 4 Tourist Attractions
Below you'll find the most popular travel and vacation destinations in the US.
1．Times Square，New York City
This Manhattan crossroads of commerce is the top spot on our list，thanks to increasing visitors to the Big Apple in 2008 despite the economic turndown.According to statistics，“80% of visitors to NYC make it a point to visit Times Square.”Total NYC visits last year were 47 million，giving us an estimate of 37.6 million travelers through the“Crossroads of the World”．
2．The Las Vegas Strip，Nev.
The“Neon Trail”that makes up the heart of Sin City is also part of the federal government's National Scenic Byways Program，which designates roads based on “archeological，cultural，historic，natural，recreational and scenic qualities”．Hard to say which of these qualities best describes Vegas，but we can disqualify“natural”．Last year，total visitors to Las Vegas numbered 37.5 million；a poll by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority found that an average of 80% of visitors had either stayed overnight or gambled(赌博)on the Strip.
3．National Mall and Memorial Parks，Washington，D.C.
Many of the nation's iconic(图标的)public landmarks are found in the 1,000－plus acres of the National Mall and Memorial Parks，including the Washington Monument，the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials，and the Korean and Vietnam War Veterans memorials.The Smithsonian Institution's 19 museums are also close to the Mall；last year，the network of free museums drew more than 25 million visitors.
4．Faneuil Hall Marketplace，Boston
Built in 1742 by Peter Faneuil，a wealthy Boston merchant，Faneuil Hall served as a commercial center of the city for centuries and a site for famous orations(演说)，like Samuel Adams' independence－rallying speech to colonists.Faneuil also includes the restored 19th－century Quincy Market.Today，shoppers account for a large share of visitors.Faneuil's historic significance vaults it to the status of cultural attraction，attracting 20 million visitors every year.
【语篇解读】 本文介绍了美国最受欢迎的四个游览胜地——位于纽约市曼哈顿区的时代广场和赌博之城拉斯维加斯、华盛顿的国家广场和纪念公园以及波士顿的法尼尔厅市场。
17．How many visitors stayed overnight or gambled in Las Vegas last year?
A．47 million.
B．37.5 million.
C．30 million.
D．25 million.
18．We can infer that many tourists come to Washington，D.C.________.
A．to get free access to museums
B．to enjoy the view of its square
C．to shop in the famous market
D．to find pleasure in natural scenery
19．What do we know about Faneuil Hall Marketplace?
A．It is the oldest market in the world.
B．Its buildings date back to 150 years.
C．It is famous for the variety of goods.
D．It got its name from a rich businessman.
When Debbie Macomber decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer，she rented a typewriter，put it on the kitchen table，and began typing each morning before the kids went to school.When the kids came home，she moved the typewriter and made them dinner.When they went to bed，she moved it back and typed some more.For two years，Debbie followed this routine.Supermom had become a struggling writer and she was loving every minute of it.
One night，however，her husband，said to her，“Honey，I'm sorry，but you're not bringing in any income.We can't do this anymore.We can't survive on just what I make.”
That night，her heart broken and her mind too busy to let her sleep.She stared at the ceiling in their darkened bedroom.Debbie knew—with all of the responsibilities of keeping up a house and looking after four kids—that working 40 hours a week would leave her no time to write.
Seeing her despair，her husband woke up and asked，“What's wrong？”
“I really think I could have made it as a writer，I really do.”
Wayne was silent for a long time，and then said，“All right，honey，go for it.”
So Debbie returned to her dream and her typewriter on the kitchen table，pounding out page after page for another two years.Her family went without vacations，pinched pennies，and wore hand－me－downs.
But the sacrifice and the persistence finally paid off.After five years of struggling，Debbie sold her first book.Then another.And another.Until finally，today，Debbie has published more than 100 books，three of which have been sold for movies.Over 60 million copies are in print，and she has millions of loyal fans.
And Wayne？All that sacrifice in support of his wife paid off handsomely.He got to retire at age 50 and now spends his time building an airplane in the basement of their 7,000 square－foot mansion.
Debbie's kids got a gift far more important than a few summer camps.As adults，they realize what Debbie gave them was far more important—permission and encouragement to pursue their own dreams.
【语篇解读】 本文主要讲述了Debbie Macomber坚持不懈地追逐自己的梦想，最后取得成功的故事。
20．Her husband asked her to give up writing because ________.
A．he wanted her to do more housework rather than just write
B．she couldn't earn any money and it was hard for
them to make ends meet
C．he wanted her to find a better－paid job that
interested her
D．he thought keeping up a house was a wife's responsibility
21．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Debbie spent 40 hours in writing a week before she succeeded as a writer.
B．Debbie's family often went out on vacations without her.
C．Debbie's husband gave up his own job to support her writing.
D．Debbie's success has brought her lots of money.
22．We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.
A．Wayne doesn't benefit from her wife's success
B．Debbie has great influence on her children's going after their dreams
C．Debbie's kids all realized their dreams as adults
D．Debbie is a failure as a mother while she is a success as a writer
23．What's probably the best title for the passage?
A．Go for it
B．A great mother
C．Union is strength
D．Writing pays more
七、
It's interesting to see how people make use of the time they spend on public transport in Indian cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
In crowded buses and trains people manage to take a short nap and some even reach the snoring stage.Or they spread out a newspaper over multiple knees and arms to read about the latest sport results or political crisis.
Then there are the experienced travellers who have been playing cards with the same group over the last decade or so.They even have their specific seats so well－worn that you can make out the shape of their backsides.
There is no doubt about it.Travelling by public transport is being in the thick of the seasons of life－a sweaty life in summer where people，blissfully unaware of the rivers of sweat running down their brows and inside their clothes.At the first smell of a perfumed man or woman boarding the stuffy bus or train，most people feel they are reborn.
During the rains you can't avoid getting wet or muddied.The windows，almost always，are not a perfect fit and if you're not drenched by a sudden，heavy rain shower then you are bound to catch a jet spray of muddy water caused by a fellow motorist driving fast through a puddle.
The rains are a perfect time for people to switch their old umbrellas for new ones.Since there are so many that look alike，it's impossible to tell whose is whose.
Winter is the time when it feels good－or at least warm—to be part of a crowd.It is amazing how much the collective breaths of a hundred or so people can raise the freezing temperature inside.Looking at the masses dressed in their bright red pullovers or green coats，it's fun to imagine what faces lie beneath their dark woolen hats.
The cold winter passes，making way for spring.It is impossible not to see every little flower by the wayside blooming proudly.And the warm sun manages to transmit some of their pleasantness to the inside of a bus or train.
Now，wouldn't it be perfect if we had public transport worth the name in all our cities?
【语篇解读】 普通的画面，平常的生活，变化的季节，永恒的旋律，印度的公共交通工具上每天都演绎着平凡人平淡的故事。
24．On Indian public transport，you can always expect to see people ________.
A．sleeping and reading newspapers
B．arguing and playing games
C．enjoying the view and playing cards
D．carrying umbrellas and whispering politely
25．According to the author what will make passengers feel refreshed when travelling in summer?
A．The cool evening breeze.
B．The rain pouring over their clothes.
C．The joy of a game of cards.
D．The sweet fragrance of a new passenger.
26．If you see people in colourful clothing and breathing heavily，you are probably travelling during the ________.
A．summer
B．rainy seasons
C．winter
D．spring
27．We can infer from the passage that ________.
A．Indian people don't mind switching umbrellas with others
B．almost everyone in India wears perfume when they go out
C．the buses and trains are old and in poor conditions
D．Indian transport is the most crowded in the world
28．What is the tune of language used in this passage?
A．Humourous.
B．Critical.
C．Frightening.
D．Concerned.