近三年高考（2017-2016）英语试题分项版解析：专题15 社会生活、说理议论类（原卷版）

　　2016年高考题

　　1.【2016·全国新课标I】B

　　Grandparents Answer a Call

　　As a third generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never pleased move away,. Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help their children, she politely refused . Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms Gaf finally say yes. That was four years ago. Today all three generations regard the move to a success, giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities.

　　No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to the children and grandchildren. Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing. Even President Obama’s mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and into the White House to help care for her granddaughters. According to a study grandparents com. 83 percent of the people said Mrs. Robinson ‘s decision will influence the grandparents in the American family. Two-thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obama’s family.

　　“in the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn’t get away from home far enough fast enough to prove we could do it on our own,” says Christine Crosby, publisher of grate magazine for grandparents .We now realize how important family is and how important”” to be near them, especially when you’re raining children.”

　　Moving is not for everyone. Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead. Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder.

　　25. Why was Garza’s move a success?

　　A．It strengthened her family ties.

　　B．It improved her living conditions.

　　C．It enabled her make more friends.

　　D．It helped her know more new places.

　　26.What was the reaction of the public to Mrs. Robinson’s decision?

　　A．17% expressed their support for it.

　　B．Few people responded sympathetically.

　　C．83% believed it had a bad influence.

　　D．The majority thought it was a trend.

　　27. What did Crosby say about people in the 1960s?

　　A．They were unsure of raise more children.

　　B．They were eager to raise more children.

　　C．They wanted to live away from their parents.

　　D．They bad little respect for their grandparent.

　　28.What does the author suggest the grandparents do in the lasr paragraph?

　　A. Make decisions in the best interests' of their own

　　B. Ask their children to pay more visits to them

　　C. Sacrifice for their struggling children

　　D. Get to know themselves better

　　2.【2016·全国新课标I】D The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups. Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness, or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap(间隙)with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a 

　　person's needs. Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some 

　　traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and 

　　suddenlystops, what maybe implied(暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing. In these cultures, silence is a call for reflection.

　　Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.

　　Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing(治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.

　　What does the author say about silence in conversations?

　　It implies anger.

　　It promotes friendship.

　　It is culture-specific.

　　It is content-based.

　　Which of the following people might regard silence as a call for careful thought?

　　The Chinese.

　　The French.

　　The Mexicans.

　　The Russians.

　　What does the author advise nurses to do about silence?

　　Let it continue as the patient pleases.

　　Break it while treating patients.

　　Evaluate its harm to patients.

　　Make use of its healing effects.

　　What may be the best title for the text?

　　Sound and Silence

　　What It Means to Be Silent

　　Silence to Native Americans

　　Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold

　　3.【2016·全国新课标II】D

　　A new collection of photos brings an unsuccessful Antarctic voyage back to life.

　　Frank Hurley’s pictures would be outstanding----undoubtedly first-rate photo-journalism---if they had been made last week. In fact, they were shot from 1914 through 1916, most of them after a disastrous shipwreck(海滩), by a cameraman who had no reasonable expectation of survival. Many of the images were stored in an ice chest, under freezing water, in the damaged wooden ship.

　　The ship was the Endurance, a small, tight, Norwegian-built three-master that was intended to take Sir Ernest Shackleton and a small crew of seamen and scientists, 27 men in all, to the southernmost shore of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. From that point Shackleton wanted to force a passage by dog sled(雪橇) across the continent. The journey was intended to achieve more than what Captain Robert Falcon Scott had done. Captain Scott had reached the South Pole early in 1912 but had died with his four companions on the march back.

　　As writer Caroline Alexander makes clear in her forceful and well-researched story The Endurance, adventuring was even then a thoroughly commercial effort. Scott’s last journey, completed as be lay in a tent dying of cold and hunger, caught the world’s imagination, and a film made in his honor drew crowds. Shackleton, a onetime British merchant-navy officer who had got to within 100 miles of the South Pole in 1908, started a business before his 1914 voyage to make money from movie and still photography. Frank Hurley, a confident and gifted Australian photographer who knew the Antarctic, was hired to make the images, most of which have never before been published.

　　13. What do we know about the photos taken by Hurley?

　　A. They were made last week

　　B. They showed undersea sceneries

　　C. They were found by a cameraman

　　D. They recorded a disastrous adventure

　　14. Who reached the South Pole first according to the text?

　　A. Frank Hurley

　　B. Ernest Shackleton

　　C. Robert Falcon Scott

　　D. Caroline Alexander

　　15. What does Alexander think was the purpose of the 1914 voyage?

　　A. Artistic creation

　　B. Scientific research

　　C. Money making

　　D. Treasure hunting

　　4.【2016·全国新课标III】B

　　On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table.

　　“Hey, aren’t you from Mississippi?” the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger. “I’m from Mississippi too.”

　　Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair.

　　“They began telling me all the news of Mississippi,” Welty said. “I didn’t know what my New York friends were thinking.”

　　Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty’s new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi.

　　“My friends said: ‘Now we believe your stories,’” Welty added. “And I said: ‘Now you know. These are the people that make me write them.’”

　　Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation.

　　“I don’t make them up,” she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years. “I don’t have to.”

　　Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty’s people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus. It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment(片段) of a particularly interesting story.

　　5.What happened when Welty was with her friends at the cafe?

　　A. Two strangers joined her.

　　B. Her childhood friends came in.

　　C. A heavy rain ruined the dinner.

　　D. Some

　　people held a party there.

　　6.The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 6 refers to Welty’s.

　　A. readers

　　B. parties

　　C. friends

　　D. stories

　　7.What can we learn about the characters in Welty’s fiction?

　　A. They live in big cities.

　　B. They are mostly women.

　　C. They come from real life.

　　D. They are pleasure seekers.

　　5.【2016·全国新课标III】C

　　If you are a fruit grower—or would like to become one—take advantage of Apple Day to see what’s around.

　　It’s called Apple Day but in practice it’s more like Apple Month. The day itself is on October 21, but sinceit has

　　caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain.

　　Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples. To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans. Although it doesn’t taste of anything special, it’s still worth a try, as is the knobbly(多疙瘩的) Cat’s Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else.

　　There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions. One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you’ll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it’s a pipe dream for most apple lovers who fall for it.

　　At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games.

　　Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit, including stately gardens and commercial orchards(果园).If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, near Faversham in Kent.

　　8.What can people do at the apple events?

　　A. Attend experts’ lectures.

　　B. Visit fruit-loving families.

　　C. Plant fruit trees in an orchard.

　　D. Taste many kinds of apples.

　　9.What can we learn about Decio?

　　A. It is a new variety.

　　B. It has a strange look.

　　C. It is rarely seen now.

　　D. It has a special taste.

　　10.What does the underlined phrase “a pipe dream” in Paragraph 3mean?

　　A. A practical idea.

　　B. A vain hope.

　　C.A brilliant plan.

　　D. A selfish desire.

　　11.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

　　A. To show how to grow apples.

　　B .To introduce an apple festival.

　　C. To help people select apples.

　　D. To promote apple research.

　　6.【2016·全国新课标III】D

　　Bad news sells. If it bleeds, it leads. No news is good news, and good news is no news. Those are the classic rules for the evening broadcasts and the morning papers.But now that information is being spread and monitored(监控) in different ways, researchers are discovering new rules. By tracking people’s e-mails and online posts, scientists have found that good news can spread faster and farther than disasters and sob stories.

　　“The ‘if it bleeds’ rule works for mass media,” says Jonah Berger, a scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. “They want your eyeballs and don’t care how you’re feeling. But when you share a story with your friends, you care a lot more how they react. You don’t want them to think of you as a Debbie Downer.”

　　Researchers analyzing word-of-mouth communication—e-mails, Web posts and reviews, face-to-face conversations—found that it tended to be more positive than negative(消极的), but that didn’t necessarily mean people preferred positive news. Was positive news shared more often simply because people experienced more good things than bad things? To test for that possibility, Dr. Berger looked at how people spread a particular set of news stories: thousands of articles on The New York Times’ website. He and a Penn colleague analyzed the “most e-mailed” list for six months. One of his first findings was that articles in the science section were much more likely to make the list than non-science articles. He found that science amazed Times’ readers and made them want to share this positive feeling with others.

　　Readers also tended to share articles that were exciting or funny, or that inspired negative feelings like anger or anxiety, but not articles that left them merely sad. They needed to be aroused(激发) one way or the other, and they preferred good news to bad. The more positive an article, the more likely it was to be shared, as Dr. Berger explains in his new book, “Contagious: Why Things Catch On.”

　　12 .What do the classic rules mentioned in the text apply to?

　　A. News reports.

　　B. Research papers.

　　C.Private e-mails.

　　D. Daily conversations．

　　13.What can we infer about people like Debbie Downer?

　　A. They’re socially inactive.

　　B. They’re good at telling stories.

　　C. They’re inconsiderate of others.

　　D. They’re careful with their words.

　　14.Which tended to be the most e-mailed according to Dr. Berger’s research?

　　A . Sports new.

　　B. Science articles.

　　C. Personal accounts.

　　D. Financial reviews.

　　15 .What can be a suitable title for the text?

　　A. Sad Stories Travel Far and Wide

　　B .Online News Attracts More People

　　C. Reading Habits Change with the Times

　　D. Good News Beats Bad on Social Networks

　　7.【2016·北京】A

　　Dear Alfred,

　　I want to tell you how important your help is to my life.

　　Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150 at 17, I’m anything but stupid. The fact was that I was found to have ADIID(注意力缺陷多动障碍). Anxious all the time, I was unable to keep focused for more than an hour at a time.

　　However, when something did interest me, I could become absorbed. In high school, I became curious about the computer, and built my first website. Moreover, I completed the senior course of Computer Basics, plus five relevant pre-college courses.

　　While I was exploring my curiosity, my disease got worse. I wanted to go to college after high school, but couldn抰 . So, I was killing my time at home until June 2017 when I disdcovered the online computer courses of your training center.

　　Since then, I have taken courses like Data Science and Advanced Mathematics. Currently, I抦 learning your Probability course. I have hundreds of printer paper, covered in self-written notes from syour video. This has given me a purpose.

　　Last year, I spent all my time looking for a job where, without dealing with the public , I could work alone, but still have a team to talk to. Luckily, I discovered the job桪ata Analyst梩his month and have been goim ng full steam ahead. I want to prove that I can teach myself a respectful profession, without going to college, and be just as good as, if not better than, my competitors.

　　Thank you. You抳e given me hope that I can follow my heart. For the first time, I femel good about myself because I抦 doing something, not because someone told me I was doing good. I feel whole.

　　This is why you抮e saving my life.

　　Yours,

　　Tanis

　　56.why did抰 Tanis go to college after high school?

　　A.She had learned enough about computer scienc fee

　　B. She had more difficulty keeping foucesed

　　C.She preferred taking online courses

　　D.She was too slow to learn

　　57.AS for the working environment,Tains prefers____.

　　A .working by herself

　　B.dealing with the public

　　C.competing against others

　　D.staying with ADHD students

　　58.Tanis wrote this letter in order to_____.

　　A.explain why she was interested in the computer

　　B.share the ideas she had for her profession

　　C .show how grateful she was to the center

　　D.describe the courses she had taken so far

　　8.【2016·北京】D

　　Why College Is Not Home

　　The college years are supposed to be a time for important growth in autonomy(自主性) and the development of adult identity. However, now they are becoming an extended period of adolescence, during which many of today’s students and are not shouldered with adult responsibilities.

　　For previous generations, college was decisive break from parental control; guidance and support needed help from people of the same age and from within. In the past two decades, however, continued connection with and dependence on family, thanks to cellphones, email and social media, have increased significantly. Some parents go so far as to help with coursework. Instead of promoting the idea of college as a passagefrom the shelter of the family to autonomy and adult responsibility, universities have given in to the idea that they should provide the same environment as that of the home.

　　To prepare for increased autonomy and responsibility, college needs to be a time of exploration and experimentation. This process involves 搕rying on ?new ways of thinking about oneself both intellectually( p在思维方面) and personally. While we should provide “safe spaces” within colleges, we must also make it safe to express opinions and challenge majority views. Intellectual growth and flexibility are fostered on debate and questioning.

　　Learning to deal with the social world is equally important. Because a college community(群体) differs from the family, many students will struggle to find a sense of belonging. If students rely on administrators to regulate their social behavior and thinking pattern, they are not facing the challenge of finding an identity within a larger and complex community.

　　Moreover, the tendency for universities to monitor and shape student behavior runs up against another characteristic of young adults: the response to being controlled by their elders. If acceptable social behavior is too strictly defined(规定) and controlled, the insensitive or aggressive behavior that administrators are seeking to minimize may actually be encouraged.

　　It is not surprising that young people are likely to burst out, particularly when there are reasons to do so. Our generation once joined hands and stood firm at times of national emergency. What is lacking today is the conflict between adolescent抯 desire for autonomy and their understanding of an unsafe world. Therefore, there is the desire for their dorms to be replacement homeso and not places to experience intellectual growth.

　　Every college discussion about community values, social climate and behavior should include recognition of the developmental importance of student autonomy and self-regulation, of the necessary tension between safety and self-discovery.

　　67.What抯 the author抯 attitude toward continued parental guidance to college students?

　　A.Sympathetic

　　B.Disapproving

　　C.Supportive

　　D.Neutral

　　68.The underlined word 損assage?n bein Paragraph 2 means.

　　A.change

　　B.choice

　　C.text

　　D.extension

　　69.According to the author,what role should college play?

　　A.to develop a shared identity among students

　　B.to define and regulate students’ social behavior

　　C.To provide a safe world without tension for students

　　D.To foster students’ intellectual and personal development

　　70.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?

　　9.【2016·天津】C

　　When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden, carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier. Far happier.

　　These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence (能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society,” said George Vaillant, the psychologist (心理学家) who made the discovery. “And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.”

　　Vaillant’s study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men’s mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.

　　The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out. Working----at any age----is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence---the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this. Yet work isn’t everything. As Tolstoy once said, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.”

　　46. What do we know about John?

　　A. He enjoyed his career and marriage.

　　B. He had few childhood playmates.

　　C. He received little love from his family.

　　D. He was envied by others in his childhood.

　　47. Vaillant’s words in Paragraph 2 serve as _____.

　　A. a description of personal values and social values

　　B. an analysis of how work was related to competence

　　C. an example for parents’ expectations of their children

　　D. an explanation why some boys grew into happy men

　　48. Vaillant’s team obtained their findings by _____.

　　A. recording the boys’ effort in school

　　B. evaluating the men’s mental health

　　C. comparing different sets of scores

　　D. measuring the men’s problem solving ability

　　49. What does the underlined word “sharp” probably mean in Paragraph 4?

　　A. Quick to react

　　B. Having a thin edge

　　C. Clear and definite

　　D. sudden and rapid

　　50. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

　　A. competent adults know more about love than work.

　　B. Emotional health is essential to a wonderful adult life.

　　C. Love brings more joy to people than work does.

　　D. Independence is the key to one’s success.

　　10.【2016·天津】D

　　Failure is probably the most exhausting experience a person ever has. There is nothing more tiring than not succeeding.

　　We experience this tiredness in two ways: as start-up fatigue(疲惫) and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task because it has either too boring or too difficult. And the longer we delay it, the more tired we feel.

　　Such start-up fatigue is very real, even if not actually physical, not something in our muscles and bones. The solution is obvious though perhaps not easy to apply: always handle the most difficult job first.

　　Years ago, I was asked to write 102 essays on the great ideas of some famous authors. Applying my own rule, I determined to write them in alphabetical(按字母顺序), never letting myself leave out a tough idea. And I always started the day’s work with the difficult task of essay-writing. Experience proved that the rule works.

　　Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Though willing to get started, we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear so great that, however hard we work, we fail again and again. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can-then let the unconscious take over.

　　When planning Encyclopaedia Britannica (《大英百科全书》), I had to create a table of contents based on the topics of its articles. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and day after dat I kept coming up with solutions, but none of them worked. My fatigue became almost unbearable.

　　One day, mentally exhausted, I wrote down all the reasons why this problem could not be solved. I tried to convince myself that the trouble was with the problem itself, not with me. Relived, I sat back in an easy chair and fell asleep.

　　An hour later, I woke up suddenly with the solution clearly in mind. In the weeks that followed, the solution which had come up in my unconscious mind provided correct at every step. Though I worked as hard as before, I felt no fatigue. Success was now as exciting as failure had been depressing.

　　Human beings, I believe must try to succeed. Success, then, means never feeling tired.

　　51. People with start-up fatigue are most likely to

　　.

　　A. delay tasks

　　B. work hard

　　C. seek help

　　D. accept failure

　　52. What does the author recommend doing to prevent start-up fatigue?

　　A. Writing essays in strict order.

　　B. Building up physical strength.

　　C. Leaving out the toughest ideas.

　　D. Dealing with the hardest task first.

　　53. On what occasion does a person probably suffer from performance fatigue?

　　A. Before starting a difficult task.

　　B. When all the solutions fail.

　　C. If the job is rather boring.

　　D. After finding a way out.

　　54. According to the author, the unconscious mind may help us

　　.

　　A. ignore mental problems

　　B. get some nice sleep

　　C. gain complete relief

　　D. find the right solution

　　55. What could be the best title for the passage?

　　A. Success Is Built upon Failure

　　B. How to Handle Performance Fatigue

　　C. Getting over Fatigue: A Way to Success

　　D. Fatigue: An Early Sign of Health Problems

　　11.【2016·四川】B

　　If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

　　Dreaming about whether you would want to read minds, see through walls, or have superhuman strength may sound silly, but it actually gets to the heart of what really matters in your life.

　　Every day in our work, we are inspired by the people we meet doing extraordinary things to improve the world.

　　They have a different kind of superpower that all of us possess: the power to make a difference in the lives of others.

　　We’re not saying that everyone needs to contribute their lives to the poor. Your lives are busy enough doing homework, playing sports, making friends, seeking after your dreams. But we do think that you can live a more powerful life when you devote some of your time and energy to something much larger than yourself. Find an issue you are interested in and learn more. Volunteer or, if you can, contribute a little money to a cause. Whatever you do, don’t be a bystander. Get involved. You may have the opportunity to make your biggest difference when you’re older. But why not start now?

　　Our own experience working together on health, development, and energy the last twenty years has been one of the most rewarding parts of our lives. It has changed who we are and continues to fuel our optimism about how much the lives of the poorest people will improve in the years ahead.

　　4. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 refer to?

　　A. Your life style.

　　B. Your life value.

　　C. Your trouble in life.

　　D. Your life experience.

　　5. Why does the author say they are inspired every day?

　　A. They possess different kinds of superpowers.

　　B. They have got the power to change the world.

　　C. Some people around them are making the world better.

　　D. There are many powerful people in their life and work.

　　6. What does the author stress in Paragraph 5?

　　A. Learning more and contributing more to a cause.

　　B. Rising above self and acting to help others.

　　C. Working hard to get a bigger opportunity.

　　D. Trying your best to help the poor.

　　7. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

　　A. The author believes the lives of the poorest will get better.

　　B. Much more progress will be made in the near future.

　　C. The work on health is the most valuable experience.

　　D. People’s efforts have been materially rewarded.

　　12.【2016·四川】C

　　In the depths of the French Guianese rainforest, there still remain unusual groups of indigenous(土著的) people. Surprisingly, these people live largely by their own laws and their own social customs. And yet, people in this area are in fact French citizens because it has been a colony(殖民地) of the French Republic since 1946. In theory, they should live by the French law is often ignored or unknown, thus making them into an interesting area of “lawlessness” in the world.

　　The lives of these people have finally been recorded thanks to the effects of a Frenchman form Paris called Gin. Gin spent five months in early 2015 exploring the most remote corners of this area, which sits on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, with half its population of only 250,000 living in its capital, Cayenne.

　　“I have a special love for the French Guianese people. I have worked there on and off for almost ten years,” says Gin. “I’ve been able to keep firm friendships with them. Thus I have been allowed to gain access to their living environment. I don’t see it as a lawless land. But rather I see it as an area of freedom.”

　　“I wanted to show the audience a photographic record touching upon the uncivilized life,” continues Gin. “I prefer to work in black and white, which allows me to show different specific worlds more clearly.”

　　His black-and-white pictures present a world almost lost in time. These pictures show people seemingly pushed into a world that they were unprepared for. These local citizens now have to balance their traditional self-supporting hunting lifestyle with the lifestyle offered by the modern French Republic, which brings with it not only necessary state welfare, but also alcoholism, betrayal and even suicide.

　　8. Why does the author feel surprised about the indigenous people in French Guiana?

　　A. They seldom follow the French law.

　　B. They often ignore the Guianese law.

　　C. They are separated from the modern world.

　　D. They are both Guianese and French citizens.

　　9.Gin introduced the special world of the indigenous Guianese as _________.

　　A. a tour guide

　　B. a geographer

　　C. a film director

　　D. a photographer

　　10. What is Gin’s attitude towards the lives of the indigenous Guianese?

　　A. Cautious.

　　B. Doubtful.

　　C. Uninterested.

　　D. Appreciative.

　　11.What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

　　A. The modern French lifestyle.

　　B. The self-supporting hunting.

　　C. The uncivilized hunting.

　　D. The French Republic.

　　13.【2016·四川】D

　　A warm drink of milk before bed has long been the best choice for those wanting a good night’s sleep. But now a study has found it really does help people nod off—if it is milked from a cow at night.

　　Researchers have discovered that “night milk” contains more melatonin(褪黑激素), which has been proven to help people feel sleepy and reduce anxiety.

　　The study, by researchers from Seoul, South Korea, involved mice being fed with dried milk powder made from cows milked both during the day and at night.

　　Those given night milk, which contained 10 times the amount of melatonin, were less active and less anxious than those fed with the milk collected during daytime, according to the study published in The Journal of Medicinal Food.

　　Night milk quickened the start of sleep and caused the mice to sleep longer.

　　While the effect of cows milk harvested at different time has not been tested on humans up to now, taking melatonin drugs has been suggested to those who are struggling to fall asleep at night.

　　Previous studies have also indicated that milk can be excellent for helping sleep because of the calcium content, which helps people to relax.

　　Milk is also sugar-free and additive-free with nutritionists recommending skimmed milk as the best choice before bed as it is the least fattening. The more fat you take in before bedtime, the greater burden you will put on your body at night.

　　12. According to the text, the mice fed with daytime milk_______.

　　A. started sleep more easily

　　B. were more anxious

　　C. were less active

　　D. woke up later

　　13. Which of the following is true of melatonin according to the text?

　　A. It’s been tested on mice for ten years

　　B. It can make people more energetic

　　C. It exists in milk in great amount

　　D. It’s used in sleeping drugs

　　14. What can be a suitable title for the text?

　　A. Night Milk and Sleep

　　B. Fat Sugar and Health

　　C. An Experiment on Mice

　　D. Milk Drinking and Health

　　15.How does the author support the theme of the text?

　　A. By giving examples.

　　B. By stating arguments.

　　C. By explaining statistical data.

　　D. By providing research results.

　　14.【2016·浙江】A

　　“Did you hear what happened to Adam Last Friday?”Lindsey whipers to Tori.

　　With her eyes shining,tori brags，“You bet I did,Sean told me two days ago.”

　　Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about?It just happened to be yours truly,Adam Freedmam,I can tell you that what that what they are saying is (a) not nice and (b) not even true.Still,Lindsey and Tori aren’t very different from most students here at Linton Higt School,including me.Many of our conversations are gossip(闲话)。I have noticed three effects of gossip:it can hurt people,it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction,and it can cause social pressures in a group.

　　An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about.Usually,gossip spreads information about a topic-breakups,trouble at home,even dropping out-that a person would rather keep secret.The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is,the juicier the gossip it makes.Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie.People ofen think of gossipers as harmless,but cruel lies can cause pain.

　　If we know that gossip can be harmful,then why do so many of us do it?Tht answer lies in another effect of gossip:the satisfaction it gives us.Sharing the latest rumor(传言)can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don’t.Similarly,hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the “in group.”In other words,gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority(优越感).

　　Gossip also can have a third effect:it strengthens unwritten,unspoken rules about how people should act.Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group.Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said,then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention.The do’s and don’ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.

　　The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation.The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news,thing about why you want to gossip and what effects your “juicy story”might have.

　　41.The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to .

　　A.introduce a topic

　　B.present an argument

　　C.describe the characters

　　D.clarify his writing purpose

　　42.An important negative effects of gossip is that it.

　　A.breaks up relationships

　　B.embarrasses the listener

　　C.spreads information around

　　D.causes unpleasant experiences

　　43.In the auther’s opinion,many people like to gossip because it.

　　A.gives them a feeling of pleasure

　　B.help them to make more friends

　　C.makes them better at telling stories

　　D.enables them to meet important people

　　44.Professor David Wilson think that gossip can .

　　A.provide students with written rules

　　B.help people watch their own behaviors

　　C.force school to impove student handbooks

　　D.attract the police’s attention to group behaviors

　　45.What advice does the author give in the passage?

　　A.Never become a gossiper

　　B.Stay away from gossipers

　　C.Don’t let gossip turn into lies

　　D.Think twice before you gossip.

　　2015社会生活类

　　1.【2015·湖北卷】A

　　“I see you’ve got a bit of water on your coat,” said the man at the petrol station. “Is it raining out there?” “No, it’s pretty nice,” I replied, checking my sleeve. “Oh, right. A pony(马驹) bit me earlier.”

　　As it happened, the bite was virtually painless: more the kind of small bite you might get from a naughty child. The pony responsible was queuing up for some ice cream in the car park near Haytor, and perhaps thought I’d jumped in ahead of him.

　　The reason why the ponies here are naughty is that Haytor is a tourist-heavy area and tourists are constantly feeding the ponies foods, despite sighs asking them not to. By feeding the ponies, tourists increase the risk of them getting hit by a car, and make them harder to gather during the area’s annual pony drift(迁移).

　　The purpose of a pony drift is to gather them up so their health can be checked, the baby ones can be stooped from feeding on their mother’s milk, and those who’ve gone beyond their limited area can be returned to their correct area. Some of them are also later sold, in order to limit the number of ponies according to the rules set by Natural England.

　　Three weeks ago, I witnessed a small near-disaster a few mils west of here. While walking, I noticed a pony roll over on his back. “Hello!” I said to him, assuming he was just rolling for fun, but he was very still and, as I got closer, I saw him kicking his legs in the air and breathing heavily. I began to properly worry about him. Fortunately, I managed to get in touch with a Dartmoor’s Livestock Protection officer and send her a photo. The officer immediately sent a local farmer out to check on the pony. The pony had actually been trapped between two rocks. The farmer freed him, and he began to run happily around again.

　　Dartmoor has 1,000 or so ponies, who play a critical role in creating the diversity of species in this area. Many people are working hard to preserve these ponies, and trying to come up with plans to find a sustainable(可持续的) future for one of Dartmoor’s most financially-troubled elements.

　　51.Why are tourists asked not to feed the ponies?

　　A. To protect the tourists from being bitten

　　B. To keep the ponies off the petrol station

　　C. To avoid putting the ponies in danger

　　D. To prevent the ponies from fighting

　　52.One of the purposes of the annual pony drift is ______________.

　　A. to feed baby ponies on milk

　　B. to control the number of ponies

　　C. to expand the habitat for ponies

　　D. to sell the ponies at a good price

　　53.What as the author’s first reaction when he saw a pony roll on its back?

　　A. He freed it from the trap

　　B. He called a protection officer

　　C. He worried about it very much

　　D. He thought of it as being naughty

　　54.What does the author imply about the preservation of Dartmoor’s ponies?

　　A. It lacks people’s involvement.

　　B. It costs a large amount of money

　　C. It will affect tourism in Dartmoor.

　　D. It has caused an imbalance of species

　　2.【2015·湖北卷】C

　　Hilversum is a medium-sized city between the major cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht in the Gooi area of North Holland, the Netherlands. Unlike most of the Netherlands, Hilversum is actually in a hilly area with the soil mostly consisting of sand. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, it still attracts travelers to come over to cycle and walk through the surrounding forests. They visit it for a relaxing day off from the urban madness. For Dutch people, Hilversum is all about textile (纺织) and media industries, and modern architecture.

　　In history, Hilversum was largely an agricultural area. Daily life was marked by farming, sheep raising and wool production. A railway link to Amsterdam in 1874 attracted rich traders from Amsterdam to Hilversum. They build themselves large villas (别墅) in the wooded surroundings of the town. One of the families moving in was the Brenninkmeijers, currently the wealthiest family of the Netherlands. They moved in after big success in the textile industry and aided a substantial textile industry in Hilversum. But the textile boom lasted only several decades. The last factory closed in the 1960s.

　　The change to a media economy started in 1920, when the Nederlandse Seintoestedllen Fabriek (NSF) established a radio factory in Hiversum. Most radio stations called in the large villas in the leafy areas of the town. Television gave another push to the local economy. Hilversum became the media capital of the Netherlands, and Dutch television stars moved into the leafy neighborhoods surrounding the town.

　　In the early 1900s, modern architcts W.M. Dudok and J. Duiker placed hundreds of remarkable buildings in Hilversum. These modern architectural masterpieces (杰作) are so many that Hilversum almost feels like an open air museum. Dudok alone shaped most 20th century Hilversum and approximately 75 buildings in 1928-1931. It has wide international fame and is included in many architecture textbooks. The building has a remarkable shape and looks like a combination of “blocks”. Actually, one may start his journey of modern architecture by walking or biking the W.M. Dudok Architectural Route in Hilversum.

　　59.Hilversum is different from most of the Netherlands in that ______.

　　A. it has a large population

　　B. it is cut off from big cities

　　C. it has many beautiful gardens

　　D. it is in a hilly area with sandy soil

　　60.What was the greatest contribution of the Brenninkmeijers to Hilversum?

　　A. Building a railway link to Amsterdam

　　B. Helping its textile industry to develop

　　 C. Constructing large villas for the poor

　　D. Assisting its agricultural industry

　　61.The beginning of the media industry in Hilversum was marked by the establishment of ______.

　　A. a radio factory

　　B. the medial capital

　　C. a radio station

　　D. a TV station

　　62.What is known about W.M. Dudok’s Hilversum Town Hall?

　　A. It consists of approximately 75 buildings

　　B. It looks like an open air museum in the city

　　C. It is a classic example in architecture textbooks

　　D. It has shaped most of 20th century Hilvesum.

　　3.【2015·江苏】D

　　Freedom and Responsibility

　　Freedom’s challenge in the Digital Age is a serious topic. We are facing today a strange new world and we are all wondering what we are going to do with it.

　　Some 2,500 years ago Greece discovered freedom. Before that there was no freedom. There were great civilizations, splendid empires, but no freedom anywhere. Egypt and Babylon were both tyrannies, one very powerful man ruling over helpless masses.

　　In Greece, in Athens (雅典), a little city in a little country, there were no helpless masses. And Athenians willingly obeyed the written laws which they themselves passed, and the unwritten, which must be obeyed if free men live together. They must show each other kindness and pity and the many qualities without which life would be very painful unless one chose to live alone in the desert.The Athenians never thought that a man was free if he could do what he wanted. A man was free if he was self-controlled. To make yourself obey what you approved was freedom. They were saved from looking at their lives as their own private affair. Each one felt responsible for the welfare of Athens, not because it was forced on him from the outside, but because the city was his pride and his safety. The essential belief of the first free government in the world was liberty for all men who could control themselves and would take responsibility for the state.

　　But discovering freedom is not like discovering computers. It cannot be discovered once for all. If people do not prize it, and work for it, it will go. Constant watch is its price. Athens changed. It was a change that took place without being noticed though it was of the extreme importance, a spiritual change which affected the whole state. It had been the Athenian’ s pride and joy to give to their city. That they could get material benefits from her never entered their minds. There had to be a complete change of attitude before they could look at the city as an employer who paid her citizens for doing her work. Now instead of men giving to the state, the state was to give to them. What the people wanted was a government which would provide a comfortable life for them; and with this as the primary object, ideas of freedom and self-reliance and responsibility were neglected to the point of disappearing. Athens was more and more looked on as a cooperative business possessed of great wealth in which all citizens had a right to share.

　　Athens reached the point when the freedom she really wanted was freedom from responsibility. There could be only one result. If men insisted on being free from the burden of self-dependence and responsibility for the common good, they would cease to be free. Responsibility is the price every man must pay for freedom. It is to be had on no other terms. Athens, the Athens of Ancient Greece, refused responsibility; she reached the end of freedom and was never to have it again.

　　But, “the excellent becomes the permanent”, Aristotle said. Athens lost freedom forever, but freedom was not lost forever for the world. A great American, James Madison, referred to: “The capacity (能力) of mankind for self-government.” No doubt he had not an idea that he was speaking Greek. Athens was not in the farthest background of his mind, but once man has a great and good idea, it is never completely lost. The Digital Age cannot destroy it. Somehow in this or that man’s thought such an idea lives though unconsidered by the world of action. One can never be sure that it is not on the point of breaking out into action only sure that it will do so sometime.

　　65. What does the underlined word “tyrannies” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

　　A. Countries where their people need help.

　　B. Powerful states with higher civilization.

　　C. Splendid empires where people enjoy freedom.

　　D. Governments ruled with absolute power.

　　66.People believing in freedom are those who________ .

　　A. regard their life as their own business

　　B. seek gains as their primary object

　　C. behave within the laws and value systems

　　D. treat others with kindness and pity

　　67.What change in attitude took place in Athens?

　　A. The Athenians refused to take their responsibility.

　　B. The Athenians no longer took pride in the city.

　　C. The Athenians benefited spiritually from the government.

　　D. The Athenians looked on the government as a business.

　　68.What does the sentence “There could be only one result.” in Paragraph 5 mean?

　　A. Athens would continue to be free.

　　B. Athens would cease to have freedom.

　　C. Freedom would come from responsibility.

　　D. Freedom would stop Athens from self-dependence.

　　69.Why does the author refer to Aristotle and Madison?

　　A. The author is hopeful about freedom.

　　B. The author is cautious about self-government.

　　C. The author is skeptical of Greek civilization.

　　D. The author is proud of man’s capacity.

　　70. What is the author’s understanding of freedom?

　　A. Freedom can be more popular in the digital age.

　　B. Freedom may come to an end in the digital age.

　　C. Freedom should have priority over responsibility.

　　D. Freedom needs to be guaranteed by responsibility.

　　4.【2015·广东】D

　　It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class distinction. Each class had unique characteristics.

　　In recent years, many writers have begun to speak the 'decline of class' and 'classless society' in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class.

　　But pronouncing the death of class is too early. A recent wide-ranging society of public opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in particular class; 73 percent agreed that class was still a vital part of British society; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an important part of British society. Britain seems to have a love of stratification.

　　One unchanging aspect of a British person's class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice, Most people said this accent sounded 'educated' and 'soft'. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional（地区的）city accents. These accents were seen as 'common' and 'ugly'. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice.

　　In recent years, however, young upper middle-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song 'Common People' puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may 'want to live like common people' they can never appreciate the reality of a working-class life.

　　41. A recent study of public opinion shows that in modern Britain ________.

　　A. it is time to end class distinction

　　B. most people belong to middle class

　　C. it is easy to recognize a person’s class

　　D. people regard themselves socially different

　　42. The word stratification in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.

　　A. variety

　　B. most people belong to middle class

　　C. authority

　　D. qualification

　　43. The study in the US showed that BBC English was regarded as _________.

　　A. regional

　　B. educated

　　C. prejudiced

　　D. unattractive

　　44.

　　British attitudes towards accent _________.

　　A. have a long tradition

　　B. are based on regional status

　　C. are shared by the Americans

　　D. have changed in recent years

　　45. What is the main idea of the passage?

　　A. The middle class is expanding

　　B. A person’s accent reflects his class

　　C. Class is a key part of British society

　　D. Each class has unique characteristics.

　　5.【2015·四川】C

　　Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers, But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.

　　Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as＄172,000 a year.

　　The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income ￡30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.

　　By analysing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week,40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18,it found that ,on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm.

　　To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at ￡48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”,with psychologist（心理学家）a close second.

　　It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 percent making emotional（情感的） demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.

　　Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.

　　The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother’s Day. The emotional ,physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing（投入）in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.

　　38.How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister?

　　A.￡30,000.

　　B.￡142,000.

　　C.￡172,000.

　　D.￡202,000.

　　39.The biggest challenge for most mothers is from.

　　A. emotional demand

　　B. low pay for work

　　C. heavy workload

　　D. lack of training

　　40.What is stressed in the last paragraph?

　　A. Mothers’ importance shows in family all year long.

　　B. The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile.

　　C. Mothers’ devotion to children can hardly be calculated.

　　D. Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return.

　　41.What can we conclude from the study?

　　A. Mothers’ working hours should be largely reduced.

　　B. Mothers should balance their time for work and rest.

　　C. Mothers’ labour is of a higher value than it is realised.

　　D .Mothers should be freed from housework for social life.

　　6.【2015·天津】D

　　Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I’ve ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty (强大的) forces will come to your aid.

　　Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.

　　Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.

　　Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet（子弹） — and stopped him cold.”

　　Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.

　　So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities—and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.

　　51. Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past?

　　A. He faced huge risks.

　　B. He lacked mighty forces.

　　C. Fear prevented him from trying.

　　D. Failure blocked his way to success.

　　52.What is the implied meaning of the underlined part?

　　A. Swallow more than you can digest.

　　B. Act slightly above your abilities.

　　C. Develop more mysterious powers.

　　D. Learn to make creative decisions.

　　53. What was especially important for Tim’s successful defense in the football game?

　　A. His physical strength.

　　B. His basic skill.

　　C. His real fear.

　　D. His spiritual force.

　　54. What can be learned from Paragraph 5?

　　A. Confidence grows more rapidly in adults.

　　B. Trying without success is meaningless.

　　C. Repeated failure creates a better life.

　　D. Boldness can be gained little by little.

　　55. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

　　A. To encourage people to be courageous.

　　B. To advise people to build up physical power.

　　C. To tell people the ways to guarantee success.

　　D. To recommend people to develop more abilities.

　　7.【2015·浙江】A

　　From the very beginning of school we make books and reading a constant source of possible failure and public humiliation. When children are little we make them read aloud, before the teacher and other children, so that we can be sure they “know” all the words they are reading. This means that when they don’t know a word, they are going to make a mistake, right in front of everyone. After having taught fifth-grade classes for four years, I decided to try at all costs to rid them of their fear and dislike of books, and to get them to read oftener and more adventurously.

　　One day soon after school had started, I said to them, “Now I’m going to say something about reading that you have probably never heard a teacher say before. I would like you to read a lot of

　　books this year, but I want you to read them only for pleasure. I am not going to ask you questions to find out whether you understand the books or not. If you understand enough of a book to enjoy it and want to go on reading it, that’s enough for me. Also I’m not going to ask you what words mean. The children sat stunned and silent. Was this a teacher talking? One girl, who had just come to us from a school where she had had a very hard time, looked at me steadily for a long time after I had finished. Then, still looking at me, she said slowly and seriously, Mr Holt, do you really mean that?” I said just as seriously, “I mean every word of it.

　　During the spring she really astonished me. One day, she was reading at her desk, From a glimpse of the illustrations I thought I knew what the book was. I said to myself, “It can’t be,” and went to take a closer look. Sure enough, she was reading Moby Dick , in edition with woodcuts. I said, “Don’t you find parts of it rather heavy going?” She answered, Oh, sure, but I just skip over those parts and go on to the next good part. “

　　This is exactly what reading should be and in school so seldom is, an exciting, joyous adventure. Find something, dive into it, take the good parts, skip the bad parts, get what you can out of it, go on to something else. How different is our mean-spirited, picky insistence that every child get every last little scrap of “understanding” that can be dug out of a book.

　　41. According to the passage, children’s fear and dislike of books may result from________.

　　A. reading little and thinking little

　　B. reading often and adventurously

　　C. being made to read too much

　　D. being made to read aloud before others

　　42.

　　The teacher told his students to read______ .

　　A. for enjoyment

　　B. for knowledge

　　C. for a larger vocabulary

　　D. for higher scores in exams

　　43. Upon hearing the teacher’s talk, the children probably felt that________.

　　A. it sounded stupid

　　B. it was not surprising at all

　　C. it sounded too good to be true

　　D. it was no different from other teachers' talk

　　44. Which of the following statements about the girl is TRUE according to the passage?

　　A. She skipped over those easy parts while reading.

　　B. She had a hard time finishing the required reading tasks.

　　C. She learned to appreciate some parts of the difficult books.

　　D. She turned out to be a top student after coming to this school.

　　45. From the teacher's point of view,_________ .

　　A. children cannot tell good parts from bad parts while reading

　　B. children should be left to decide what to read and how to read

　　C. reading is never a pleasant and inspiring experience in school

　　D. reading involves understanding every little piece of information

　　8.【2015·浙江】D

　　In 2004 ,when my daughter Becky was ten , she and my husband ,Joe, were united in their desire for a dog . As for me , I shared none of their canine lust.

　　But why , they pleaded. “Because I don’t have time to take care of a dog.” But we’ll do it. ” Really? You’re going to walk the dog? Feed the dog? Bathe the dog?” Yes, yes , and yes .”I don’t believe you .” We will . We promise.

　　They didn’t . From day two (everyone wanted to walk the cute puppy that first day ) , neither thought to walk the dog . While I was slow to accept that I would be the one to keep track of her shots , to schedule her vet appointments , to feed and clean her , Misty knew this on day one . As she looked up at the three new humans in her life (small, medium, and large) , she calculated ,”The medium one is the sucker in the pack .”

　　Quickly, she and I developed something very similar to a Vulcan mind meld (心灵融合) . She’d look at me with those sad brown eyes of hers , beam her need , and then wait , trusting I would understand — which , strangely , I almost always did . In no time , she became my feet as I read , and splaying across my stomach as I watched television .

　　Even so , part of me continued to resent walking duty . Joe and Becky had promised. Not fair , I’d balk (不心甘情愿地做) silently as she and I walked . “Not fair , ” I’ d loudly remind anyone within earshot upon our return home .

　　Then one day — January 1, 2007 , to be exact — my husband ‘ s doctor uttered an unthinkable word : leukemia ( 白血病) .With that , I spent eight to ten hours a day with Joe in the hospital , doing anything and everything I could to ease his discomfort. During those six months of hospitalizations, Becky, 12 at the time, adjusted to other adults being in the house when she returned from school. My work colleagues adjusted to my taking off at a moment's notice for medical emergencies. Every part of my life changed; no part of my old routine remained.

　　Save one: Misty still needed walking. At the beginning, when friends offered to take her

　　through her paces, I declined because I knew they had their own households to deal with.

　　As the months went by，I began to realize that I actually wanted to walk Misty. The walk in the morning before I headed to the hospital was a quiet, peaceful time to gather my thoughts or to just be before the day's medical drama unfolded. The evening walk was a time to shake off the day's upsets and let the worry tracks in my head go to white noise.

　　When serious illness visits your household, it's , not just your daily routine and your assumptions about the future that are no longer familiar. Pretty much everyone you acts differently.

　　Not Misty. Take her for a walk, and she had no interest in Joe's blood counts or ’one marrow test results. On the street or in the park, she had only one thing on her mind: squirrels! She Was so joyous that even on the worst days, she could make me smile. On a daily basis she reminded me that life goes on.

　　After Joe died in 2009，Misty slept on his pillow.

　　I'm grateful一to a point. The truth is, after years of balking, I've come to enjoy m’ walks with Misty. As I watch her chase after a squirrel, throwing her whole being into the here-and-now of an exercise that has never once ended in victory, she reminds me, too, that no matter how harsh the present or unpredictable the future , there's almost always some measure of joy to be extracted from the moment.

　　55. why didn't the writer agree to raise a dog at the beginning of the story?

　　A. She was afraid the dog would get the family, into trouble.

　　B. It would be her business to take care of the dog

　　C. Her husband and daughter were united as one.

　　D. She didn't want to spoil he’ daughter.

　　56. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to "The medium one is “he sucker in the pack.” (Paragraph 3)?

　　A. "The middle-aged person loves me most.”

　　B. ”The medium-sized woman is the hostess.”

　　C. "The man in the middle is the one who has the final say.”

　　D. "The woman is the kind and trustworthy one in the family.”

　　57.

　　It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that_______.

　　A. Misty was quite clever

　　B. Misty could solve math problems

　　C. the writer was a slow learner

　　D. no one walked Misty the first day

　　58. The story came to its turning point when________.

　　A. Joe died in 2009

　　B. Joe fell ill in 2007

　　C. the writer began to walk the dog

　　D. the dog tired to please the writer

　　59. Why did the writer continue to walk Misty while Joe was in hospital?

　　A. Misty couldn’t live without her

　　B. Her friends didn’t offer any help

　　C. The walk provided her with spiritual comfort.

　　D. She didn't want Misty to ’others companion.

　　60. What is the message the writer wants to convey in the passage?

　　A. One should learn to enjoy hard times.

　　B .A disaster can change everything in life.

　　C. Moments of joy suggest that there is still hope ahead.

　　D. People will change their attitude toward you when you are in difficulty.

　　9.【2015·重庆】B

　　In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead,with more tactics（策略）.

　　One tactic involves where to display the goods. Foe example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food（垃圾食品）later in their trip. In department stores, section is generally next to the women’s cosmetics(化妆品) section：while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over cosmetics they might want to try later.

　　Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers’ senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wine went up.

　　When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decision in the first few second upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the poll through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.

　　40. Why do stores usually display fruits and vegetables in the first section?

　　A. To save customers times.

　　B. To show they are high quality foods.

　　C. To help sell junk food.

　　D. To sell them at discount prices.

　　41. According to Paragraph 3, which of the following encourages customers to buy?

　　A. Opening the store early in the morning.

　　B. Displaying British wines next to French ones.

　　C. Inviting customers to play music.

　　D. Filling the store with the smell of fresh bread.

　　42. What is the California builder’s story intended to prove?

　　A. The house structure is a key factor customers consider.

　　B. The more costly the house is, the better it sells.

　　C. An ocean view is much to the customers’ taste.

　　D. A good first impression increases sales.

　　43. What is the main purpose of the passage?

　　A. To explain how businesses turn people into their customers.

　　B. To introduces how businesses have grown from the past.

　　C. To report researches on customer behavior.

　　D. To show dishonest business practices.

　　10.【2015·重庆】C

　　LakeLander

　　·2 hours ago

　　Today, a man talked very loud on his phone on a train between Malvern and Reading, making many passengers upset. I wonder how he would react if I were to read my newspaperoutloudonthetrain, Ihave never had the courage to do it, though.

　　Pak50

　　···

　　·57 minutes ago

　　Why not give it a try? Perhaps you should take lessons on a

　　musical instrument. The late musician Dennis Brian is said to have

　　asked a fellow train passenger to turn off his radio. When his

　　request was refused, he took out his French horn(号) and started

　　to practice.

　　Angie O’Edema·42 minutes ago

　　I don’t see how musical instruments can help improve manners in public. Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t like to be done to yourself. Once, a passenger next to me talked out loud on his mobile phone. I left my seat quietly, giving him some privacy to finish his conversation. He realized this and apologised to me. When his phone rang again later, he left his seat to answer it. You see, a bit of respect and cooperation can do the job better.

　　Taodas

　　·29 minutes ago

　　I did read my newspaper out loud on a train, and it turned out well. The guy took it in good part, and we chatted happily all the way to Edinburgh.

　　Sophie 76

　　·13minutes ago

　　I have not tried reading my newspaper out loud on a train, but ,several years ago, I read some chapters from Harry Porter to my bored and noisy children. Several passengers seemed to appreciate what I did.

　　44. The passenger made an apology to Angie O’Edema because____.

　　A. he offered his seat to someone else

　　B. he spoke very loudly on his phone

　　C. he refused to talk with Angie

　　D. he ignored Angie’s request

　　45. Who once read a newspaper out loud on a train?

　　A. Pak50

　　B. Angie O’Edema

　　C. Taodas

　　D. Sophie76

　　46. What is the discussion mainly about?

　　A. How to react to bad behavior.

　　B. How to kill time on a train.

　　C. How to chat with strangers.

　　D. How to make a phone call.

　　47. Where is the passage most probably taken from?

　　A. A webpage.

　　B. A newspaper.

　　C. A novel.

　　D. A report.

　　11.【2015·重庆】E

　　The values of artistic works, according to cultural relativism(相对主义), are simply reflections of local social and economic conditions. Such a view, however, fails to explain the ability of some works of art to excite the human mind across cultures and through centuries.

　　History has witnessed the endless productions of Shakespearean plays in every major language of the world. It is never rare to find that Mozart packs Japanese concert halls, as Japanese painter Hiroshige does Paris galleries, Unique works of this kind are different from today’s popular art, even if they began as works of popular art. They have set themselves apart in their timeless appeal and will probably be enjoyed for centuries into the future.

　　In a 1757 essay, the philosopher David Hume argued that because“the general principles of taste are uniform(不变的) in human nature,”the value of some works of art might be essentially permanent. He observed that Homer was still admired after two thousand years. Works of this type, he believed, spoke to deep and unvarying features of human nature and could continue to exist over centuries.

　　Now researchers are applying scientific methods to the study of the universality of art. For example, evolutionary psychology is being used by literary scholars to explain the long-lasting themes and plot devices in fiction. The structures of musical pieces are now open to experimental analysis as never before. Research findings seem to indicate that the creation by a great artist is as permanent an achievement as the discovery by a great scientist.

　　52. According to the passage, what do we know about cultural relativism?

　　A. It introduces different cultural values.

　　B. It explains the history of artistic works.

　　C. It relates artistic values to local conditions.

　　D. It excites the human mind throughout the world.

　　53. In Paragraph 2, the artists are mentioned in order to show that _____

　　.

　　A. great works of art can go beyond national boundaries

　　B. history gives art works special appeal to set them apart

　　C. popular arts are hardly distinguishable from great arts

　　D. great artists are skilled at combining various cultures

　　54. According to Hume, some works of art can exist for centuries because_____

　　.

　　A .they are results of scientific study

　　B. they establish some general principles of art

　　C. they are created by the world’s greatest artists

　　D. they appeal to unchanging features of human nature

　　55. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

　　A. Are Artistic Values Universal?

　　B. Are Popular Arts Permanent?

　　C. Is Human Nature Uniform?

　　D. Is Cultural Relativism Scientific?

　　12.【2015·安徽】C

　　As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.

　　In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.

　　In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called "transactive memory (交互记忆)".

　　According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.

　　64. The passage begins with two questions to ______.

　　A. introduce the main topic

　　B. show the author's altitude

　　C. describe how to use the Interne.

　　D. explain how to store information

　　65. What can we learn about the first experiment?

　　A. Sparrow's team typed the information into a computer.

　　B. The two groups remembered the information equally well.

　　C. The first group did not try to remember the formation.

　　D. The second group did not understand the information.

　　66. In transactive memory, people ______.

　　A. keep the information in mind

　　B. change the quantity of information

　　C. organize information like a computer D. remember how to find the information

　　67. What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?

　　A. We are using memory differently.

　　B. We are becoming more intelligent.

　　C. We have poorer memories than before. D. We need a better way to access information.

　　13.【2015·安徽】E

　　Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (农村的) and urban areas within one country.

　　Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.

　　Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.

　　Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.

　　Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.

　　72. According to the passage, sharing bread______.

　　A. indicates a lack of food

　　B. can help to develop unity

　　C. is a custom unique to rural areas

　　D. has its roots in birthday celebrations

　　73. What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?

　　A. Trust.

　　B. Success.

　　C. Health.

　　D. Togetherness.

　　74. The author explains the role of food in celebrations by______.

　　A. using examples

　　B. making comparisons

　　C. analyzing causes

　　D. describing processes

　　75. What is the passage mainly about?

　　A. The custom of sharing food.

　　B. The specific meaning of food.

　　C. The role of food in ceremonies.

　　D. The importance of food in culture.

　　14.【2015·湖南】A

　　Forget Cyclists, Pedestrians are Real Danger

　　We are having a debate about this topic. Here are some letters from our readers.

　　■Yes, many cyclists behave dangerously. Many drivers are disrespectful of cyclists. But pedestrians are probably the worse offenders.

　　People of all ages happily walk along the pavement with eyes and hands glued to the mobile phone, quite unaware of what is going on around them. They may even do the same thing while crossing a road at a pedestrian crossing or elsewhere. The rest of us have to evade (避让) them or just stand still to wait for the unavoidable collision.

　　The real problem is that some pedestrians seem to be, at least for the moment, in worlds of their own that are, to them, much more important than the welfare of others.

　　——Michael Horan

　　■I love the letter from Bob Brooks about cyclists (Viewpoints, May 29). I am afraid they seem to think they own the roads.

　　I was walking across Altrincham Road one morning when a cyclist went round me and on being asked what he was doing he shouted at me.

　　The government built a cycle lane on the road but it is hardly used.

　　The police do nothing. What a laugh they are!

　　The cyclists should all have to be made to use the cycle lanes and wear helmets, fluorescent (发荧光的) jacket and lights at night and in the morning they should pay some sort of tax and be fined for not wearing them.

　　——Carol Harvey

　　■Cyclists jump on and off pavements (which are meant for pedestrians), ride at speed along the pavements, and think they have a special right to go through traffic lights when they are on red.

　　I was almost knocked down recently by a cyclist riding on the pavement when there was a cycle lane right next to him.

　　Other road users, including horse riders, manage to obey the rules so why not cyclists?

　　It's about time they had to be registered and insured, so when they do hit a pedestrian or a vehicle, or cause an accident, at least they can be treated and there might be an opportunity to claim.

　　——JML

　　Write to Viewpoints of the newspaper.

　　56.Michael Horan wrote the letter mainly to show that _______.

　　A. drivers should be polite to cyclists

　　B. road accidents can actually be avoided

　　C. sine pedestrians are a threat to road safety

　　D. walking while using phones hurts one's eyes

　　57.Carol Harvey suggests that cyclists should _______.

　　A. be provided with enough roads

　　B. be asked to ride on their own lanes

　　C. be made to pay less tax for cycling

　　D. be fined for laughing at policemen

　　58.What is a complaint of JML?

　　A. Very few drivers are insured.

　　B. Cyclists ride fast on pavements.

　　C. Pedestrians go through red traffic lights.

　　D. Horse riders disrespect other road users.

　　59.The underlined word "they" in the third letter refers to ______.

　　A. accidents

　　B. vehicles

　　C. pedestrians

　　D. cyclists

　　60.The three letters present viewpoints on _______.

　　A. real source of road danger

　　B. ways to improve road facilities

　　C. measures to punish road offences

　　D. increased awareness of road rules

　　15.【2015·湖南】C

　　Have your parents ever inspected your room to see if you cleaned it properly? Imagine having your entire houses, garage, and yard inspected at any time -- with no warning. Inspections were a regular part of lighthouse (灯塔) living, and a keeper's reputation depended on results. A few times each year, an inspector arrived to look over the entire light station. The inspections were supposed to be a surprise, but keeper sometimes had advance notice.

　　Once lighthouses had telephones, keepers would call each other to warn that the inspector was approaching. After boats began flying special flags nothing the inspector aboard, the keeper's family made it a game to see who could notice the boat first. As soon as someone spotted the boat, everyone would do last-minute tidying and change into fancy clothes. The keeper then scurried to put on his dress uniform and cap. Children of keepers remember inspectors wearing white gloves to run their fingers over door frames and windowsills looking for dust.

　　Despite the serious nature of inspections, they resulted in some funny moments. Betty Byrnes remembered when her mother did not have time to wash all the dishes before an inspection. At the time, people did not have dishwashers in their homes. In an effort to clean up quickly, Mrs. Byrnes tossed all the dishes into a big bread pan, covered them with a cloth and stuck them in the oven. If the inspector opened the oven door, it would look like bread was baking. he never did.

　　One day, Glenn Furst's mother put oil on the kitchen floor just before the inspector entered their house. Like floor wax, the oil made the floors shiny and helped protect the wood. This time, though, she used a little too much oil. When the inspector extended his hand to greet Glenn's mother, he slipped on the freshly oiled surface. "He came across that floor waving his arms like a young bird attempting its first flight," Glenn late wrote. After he steadied himself, he shook Glenn's mother's hand, and the inspection continued as though nothing had happened.

　　66.What does Paragraph I tell us about the inspection at the light station?

　　A. It was carried out once a year.

　　B. It was often announced in advance.

　　C. It was important for the keeper's fame.

　　D. It was focused on the garage and yard.

　　67.The family began making preparations immediately after ______.

　　A. one of the members saw the boat

　　B. a warning call reached the lighthouse

　　C. the keeper put on the dress uniform and cap

　　D. the inspector flew special flags in the distance

　　68.Mrs. Byrnes put the dishes in the oven because this would ______.

　　A. result in some fun

　　B. speed up washing them

　　C. make her home look tidy

　　D. be a demand from the inspector

　　69.If the inspector had opened the oven door, he would have seen _______.

　　A. an empty pan

　　B. many clean dishes

　　C. pieces of baked bread

　　D. a cloth covering something

　　70.The inspector waved his arms ______.

　　A. to try his best to keep steady

　　B. to show his satisfaction with the floor

　　C. to extend a warm greeting to Glenn's mother

　　D. to express his intention to continue the inspection

　　16.【2015·新课标全国II】C

　　More students than ever before are taking a gap year(间隔年) before going to university. It used to be the “year off” between school and university. The gap-year phenomenon originated(起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.

　　This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).

　　That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. “Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible,” he said.

　　But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship – young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. “New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to￡15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree. NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacating periods,” he said.

　　29. What do we learn about the gap year from the text?

　　It is flexible in length.

　　It is a time for relaxation

　　It is increasingly popular

　　It is required by universities

　　30. According to Tony Higgins. students taking a gap year ____.

　　are better prepared for college studies

　　know a lot more about their future job

　　are more likely to leave university in debt

　　have a better chance to enter top universities

　　31. How does Owain James feel about the gap-year phenomenon?

　　He’s puzzled

　　He’s worried

　　He’s surprised

　　He’s annoyed

　　32.What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics?

　　Attend additional courses.

　　Make plans for the new term

　　Earn money for their education

　　Prepare for their graduate studies

　　17.【2015·福建】A

　　Food festivals around the world

　　Stilton Cheese Rolling

　　May Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include checsc rolling in their annual plans. Teams of four,dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes , roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course. On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors' lane. Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones). All the competitors arc served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese. Fiery Foods Festival—The Hottest Festival on Earth

　　Every year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction—food that is not just spicy ,but hot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water. Their destination is the Fiery Eood and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three clays every March. You might like to try a chocolate-covered habanero pepper—officially the hottest pepper in the world—or any one of the thousands of products that are on show. But one thing's for sure—if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn't for you! La Tomatina—The World's Biggest Food Fight

　　On the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts Ea Tomatina—the world's largest food fight. A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events. The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes—official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd.

　　The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back. Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again—and for a much-needed wash!

　　56. In the Stilton cheese rolling competition, competitors on each team must .

　　A. wear various formal clothes

　　B. roll a wooden cheese in their own lane

　　C. kick or throw their cheese

　　D. use a real cheese weighing about four kilos

　　57.Where is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival held?

　　A. In New Mexico.

　　B. In the Caribbean.

　　C. In Australia. D. In China.

　　58.The celebration of La Tomatina lasts .

　　A. three days

　　B. seven days

　　C. less than three days

　　D. more than seven days

　　59.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

　　A. The chief prize for the Stilton cheese rolling competition is beer or port wine.

　　B.More than 10,000 Chinese take pail in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival.

　　C. Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival. D. An exciting tomato battle takes place at the beginning of La Tomatina.

　　18.【2015·福建】D

　　Life can be so wonderful, full of adventure and joy. It can also be full of challenges, setbacks and heartbreaks. Whatever our circumstances, we generally still have dreams, hopes and desires—that little something more we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Yet knowing we can have more can also create a problem, because when we go to change the way we do things, up come the old patterns and pitfalls

　　that stopped us from seeking what we wanted in the first place.

　　This tension between what we feel we can have and "what wre're seemingly able to have is the niggling

　　suffering, the anxiety we feel. This is where we usually think it's easier to just give up. But we're never meant to let go of the part of us that knows we can have more. The intelligence behind that knowing is us—the real us. It's the part that believes in life and its possibilities. If you drop that, you begin to feel a little "dead" inside because you're dropping "you".

　　So, if we have this capability but somehow life seems to keep us stuck, how do we break these patterns?

　　Decide on a new course and make one decision at a time. This is good advice for a new adventure or just getting through today's challenges.

　　While, deep down, we know we can do it, our mind—or the minds of those close to us—usually says we can't.

　　That isn't a reason to stop, it's just the mind, that little man or woman on your shoulder, trying to talk you out of something again. It has done it many times before. It's all about starting simple and doing it now.

　　Decide and act before overthinking. When you do this you may feel a little, or large, release from the jail of your mind and you'll be on your way.

　　68.It can be inferred from the first two paragraphs that we should .

　　A.slow down and live a simple life

　　B.be careful when we choose to change

　　C.stick to our dreams under any circumstances

　　D.be content with what we already have

　　69.What is the key to breaking the old patterns? A. To focus on every detail.B. To decide and take immediate action. C. To listen to those close to us.

　　D. To think twice before we act.

　　70.Which of the following best explains the underlined part in the last paragraph? A. Escape from your punishmentB. Realization of your dreams. C. Freedom from your tension. D. Reduction of your expectations.

　　71.What does the author intend to tell us?

　　A.It's easier than we think to get what we want.

　　B. It's important to learn to accept sufferings in life.

　　C. It's impractical to change our way of thinking.

　　D. It's harder than we expect to follow a new course.

　　19.【2015·福建】E

　　(保持) a healthy lifestyle. Group exercise is challenging, yet fun and empowering! Of course everyone knows that exercise is good for the body. However, studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups, it's not only great for improving physical health but for psychological health. It's an opportunity to be social, release endorphins(内啡肽), and improve your strgroup exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal motivates participants to work hard. The instrumental support of taking on a fitness journey with others proves more effective than going to the gym alone.

　　Another beneficial aspect of group exercise is the informational support participants receive from the instructor. Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don't want to embarrass themselves. If you feel you can relate, then group training is an even better option for you. It's a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction and supervision(监管) of a fitness instructor. If you're tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored, you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that'll keep your workout on track. Don't let fitness frighten you!

　　If you're serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, it's extremely important to surround yourself with people who'll provide you with the proper emotional support. I wouldn't scold anyone for deciding to party on weekends and in turn I wouldn't expect anyone to give offence to me for focusing on my health. Surround yourself with people who uplift, encourage and understand you! Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class, with a friend. Plan to go for a jog together. Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar! Fitness can be both fun and social!

　　Surrounding yourself with people who'll provide you with respect support can be very beneficial while working towards reaching health and fitness goals. First, decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive. Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive. Don't let negativity ruin your motivation.（360） 72. The first paragraph focuses on .

　　A. the greatest challenge of group exercise

　　B. the most effective way to improve physical fitness

　　C. the contribution of group exercise to psychological health

　　D. the shared common goal in performing exercise in groups

　　73. The underlined word "upbeat" in the second paragraph probably means "

　　A. cheerful B. average C. serious D. temporal*)'

　　74.When it comes to emotional support, the author thinks it necessary

　　A. to sustain a colorful lifestyle

　　B. to party on weekends with positive people

　　C. to try a fun healthy restaurant regularly

　　D. to surround yourself with supportive people

　　75. What would be the best title for the passage?

　　A. Seeking Support B. Supporting Health

　　C. Improving Your Strength D. Building Up Fitness

　　20.【2015·新课标全国I】B

　　The freezing Northeast hasn’t been a terribly fun place to spend time this winter, so when the chance came for a weekend to Sarasota, Florida, my bags were packed before you could say “sunshine”. I left for the land of warmth and vitamin C(维生素C), thinking of beaches and orange trees. When we touched down to blue skies and warm air, I sent up a small prayer of gratefulness. Swimming pools, wine tasting, and pink sunsets(at normal evening hours, not 4 in the afternoon) filled the weekend, but the best part - particularly to my taste, dulled by months of cold- weather root vegetables- was a 7 a.m. adventure to the Sarasota farmers’ market that proved to be more than worth the early wake-up call.

　　The market, which was founded in 1979, sets up its tents every Saturday from 7:00 am to 1 p.m., rain or shine, along North Lemon and State streets. Baskets of perfect red strawberries; the red-painted sides of the Java Dawg coffee truck; and most of all, the tomatoes: amazing, large, soft and round red tomatoes.

　　Disappointed by many a broken, vine-ripened(蔓上成熟的) promise, I’ve refused to buy winter tomatoes for years. No matter how attractive they look in the store, once I get them home they’re unfailingly dry, hard, and tasteless. But I homed in, with uncertainty, on one particular table at the Brown’s Grove Farm’s stand, full of fresh and soft tomatoes the size of my fist. These were the real deal- and at that moment, I realized that the best part of Sarasota in winter was going to be eating things that back home in New York I wouldn’t be experiencing again for months.

　　Delighted as I was by the tomatoes in sight, my happiness deepened when I learned that Brown’s Grove Farm is one of the suppliers for Jack Dusty, a newly opened restaurant at the Sarasota Ritz Carlton, where - luckily for me - I was planning to have dinner that very night. Without even seeing the menu, I knew I’d be ordering every tomato on it.

　　24. What did the author think of her winter life in New York?

　　A. Exciting.

　　B. Boring.

　　C. Relaxing.

　　D. Annoying.

　　25. What made the author’s getting up late early worthwhile?

　　A. Having a swim.

　　B. Breathing in fresh air.

　　C. Walking in the morning sun.

　　D. Visiting a local farmer’s market.

　　26. What can we learn about tomatoes sold in New York in winter?

　　A. They are soft.

　　B. They look nice.

　　C. They taste great.

　　D. They are juicy.

　　27. What was the author going to that evening?

　　A. Go to a farm.

　　B. Check into a hotel.

　　C. Eat in a restaurant.

　　D. Buy fresh vegetables

　　21.【2015·上海】A

　　Look to many of history’s cultural symbols, and there you’ll find an ancestor of Frosty, the snowman in the movie Frozen. It appeared on some of the first postcards, starred in some of the earliest silent movies, and was the subject of a couple of the earliest photos, dating all the way back to the 1800s. I discovered even more about one of humanity’s earliest forms of life art during several years of research around the world.

　　For example, snowmen were a phenomenon in the Middle Ages, built with great skill and thought. At a time of limited means of expression, snow was like free art supplies dropped from the sky. It was a popular activity for couples to leisurely walk through town to view the temporary works of chilly art. Some were created by famous artists, including a 19-year-old Michelangelo, who in 1494 was appointed by the ruler of Florence, Italy, to build a snowman in his mansion’s courtyard.

　　The Miracle of 1511 took place during six freezing works called the Winter of Death. The city of Brussels was covered in snowmen—an impressive scene that told stories on every street corner. Some were political in nature, criticizing the church and government. Some were a reflection of people’s imagination. For the people of Brussels, this was a defining moment of defining freedom. At least until spring arrived, by which time they were dealing with damaging floods.

　　If you fear the heyday of the snowman has passed, don’t worry: I’ve learned that some explosive snowman history is still being made today. Every year since 1818, the people of Zurich, Switzerland, celebrate the beginning of spring by blowing up a snowman. On the third Monday of April, the holiday Sechselauten is kicked off when a cotton snowman called the Boogg is stuffed with explosive and paraded through town by bakers and other tradesmen who throw bread to the crowds. The parade ends with the Boogg being placed on a 40-foot pile of firewood. After the bells of the Church of St. Peter have rung six times, representing the passing of winter, the pile is lit. When the snowman explodes, winter is considered officially over—the quicker it is burnt down, the longer summer is said to be.

　　66. According to the passage, why did snowmen become a phenomenon in the Middle Ages?

　　A. People thought of snow as holy art supplies.

　　B. People longed to see masterpieces of snow.

　　C. Building snowmen was a way for people to express themselves.

　　D. Building snowmen helped people develop their skill and thought.

　　67. “The heyday of the snowman” （paragraph 4） means the time when___________.

　　A. snowmen were made mainly by artists

　　B. snowmen enjoyed great popularity

　　C. snowmen were politically criticized

　　D. snowmen caused damaging floods

　　68. In Zurich, the blowing up of the Boogg symbolizes__________________.

　　A. the start of the parade

　　B. the coming of a longer summer

　　C. the passing of the winter

　　D. the success of tradesmen

　　69. What can be concluded about snowmen from the passage?

　　A. They were appreciated in history

　　B. They have lost their value

　　C. They were related to movies

　　D. They vary in shape and size

　　2017年高考试题

　　社会生活类

　　[2017·安徽卷]

　　C

　　You are the collector in

　　the gallery of your life. You collect. You might not mean to but you do. One out of three people collects tangible(有形的) things such as cats, photos and many toys.

　　These are among some 40 collections that are being shown at “The Museum Of”—the first of several new museums which, over the next two years, will exhibit the objects accumulated by unknown collectors. In doing so, they will promote a popular culture of museums, not what museums normally represent.

　　Some of the collections are fairly common—records, model houses. Others are strangely beautiful—branches that have fallen from trees, for example. But they all reveal(显露) a lot of things: ask someone what they collect and their answers will tell you who they are.

　　Others on the way include“The Museum of Collectors”and “The Museum of Me”. These new ones, it is hoped, will build on the success of “The Museum Of”. The thinkers behind the project want to explore why people collect, and what it means to do so. They hope that visitors who may not have considered themselves collectors will begin to see they, too, collect.

　　Some collectors say they started or stopped making collections at important points: the beginning or end of adolescence—“it's a growing­up things; you stop when you grow up，” says one. Other painful times are mentioned, such as the end of a relationship. For time and life can seem so uncontrollable that a steady serial(顺序排列的) arrangement is comforting.

　　64．How will the new museums promote a popular culture of museums?

　　A．By collecting more tangible things.

　　B．By showing what ordinary people have collected.

　　C．By correcting what museums normally represent.

　　D．By accumulating 40 collections two years from now.

　　65．What can be learned about collectors from their collections?

　　A．Who they are.

　　B．How old they are.

　　C．Where they were born.

　　D．Why they might not mean to collect.

　　66．Which of the following is an aim of the new museums?

　　A．To help people sell their collections.

　　B．To encourage more people to collect.

　　C．To study the significance of collecting.

　　D．To find out why people visit museums.

　　67．According to the last paragraph, people may stop collecting when they ________．

　　A．become adults

　　B．feel happy with life

　　C．are ready for a relationship

　　D．feel time to be uncontrollable

　　[2017·安徽卷]

　　D

　　Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic(经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?

　　In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own hometown of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate(影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.

　　It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt(破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的) and do not like change.

　　Although we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move_things_forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.

　　68．What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?

　　A．Some of them are not attractive.

　　B．Most of them are too expensive to preserve.

　　C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings.

　　D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area.

　　69．Which of the following is TRUE according to the author?

　　A．We should reproduce the same old buildings.

　　B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings.

　　C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in.

　　D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings.

　　70．By “move things forward” in the last paragraph, the author probably means “________”．

　　A．destroy old buildings

　　B．put things in a different place

　　C．choose new architectural style

　　D．respect people's feelings for historical buildings

　　71．What is the main purpose of the passage?

　　A．To explain why people dislike change.

　　B．To warn that we could end up living in caves.

　　C．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings.

　　D．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas.

　　[2017·安徽卷]

　　E

　　You may not have heard of Ashoka, but for the past 27 years,

　　this association，founded by Bill Drayton, has fought poverty(贫困) and sickness, promoted education and encouraged small businesses. To support these worthy causes, Ashoka provides money for the world's most promising“changemakers” seeking to solve(解决) urgent problems and would like to create a world in which every citizen is a changemaker.

　　Drayton believes that anyone can become an agent for change. The important thing is to simply give yourself permission. If you see a problem that you care about, you can help solve it. The young in particular are willing to accept this concept because at heart every child wants to grow into a happy, healthy contributing adult. In fact, it is many young people's ambition to set up programmes or businesses that improve social conditions. An excellent example is an Ashoka project started in 1995 in Dhaka，which handled the rubbish problem facing the city, helped local farmers and provided an income for poor people there.

　　When Masqsood and Iftekhar began to study the problem of all the uncollected rubbish that lay in Dhaka's streets, attracting rats and disease, they discovered that 80% of it was natural waste. So they educated the poor people in the city to compost(把……制成堆肥) this waste. They knew that they would have a market for the end product because local farmers were struggling with chemical fertilizers(化肥) which were expensive and had reduced the natural minerals in the soil over the years. At first, they were refused, but once they were able to persuade them that there was money to be made, the project took off. In 2009 sales were $14，000.

　　Drayton is optimistic that in ten years Ashoka will be making really serious, practical progress in bringing about social change by changing the way we look at economic development.

　　72．Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Changemakers

　　B．Businessmen

　　C．Social conditions

　　D．Rubbish problems

　　73．The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to “________”．

　　A．the local farmers

　　B．Masqsood and Iftekhar

　　C．Drayton and his team

　　D．the poor people in Dhaka

　　74．It can be concluded from the passage that anyone can become a changemaker if he________．

　　A．considers Drayton's concept

　　B．gets permission from Ashoka

　　C．tries to improve social conditions

　　D．is a young, happy and healthy adult

　　75．The author's attitude towards Ashoka's programme can be described as “________”．

　　A．changing

　　B．forgiving

　　C．cautious

　　D．positive

　　[2017·北京卷]

　　D

　　Store scent(香味)

　　What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed(展示) at the entrance? Or the soft background music?

　　But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no.But while a shop's scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is proving to be an increasingly powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.

　　A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers' intention to purchase increased by 80 per cent.

　　When it comes to the best shopping streets in Paris, scent is just as important to a brand's success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sale. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.

　　Some years ago, the focus for bread name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants' disproving attitude and don't­touch­what­you­can't­afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e­commerce)has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e­shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks­and­mortar stores(实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination．And scent is just one way to achieve this.

　　Now, a famous store uses complex man­made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut(椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store's windows to smell books，pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.

　　67. According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand stores?

　　A. Friendly assistants.

　　B. Unique scents.

　　C. Soft background music.

　　D. Attractive window display.

　　68. E­shops are mentioned in the passage to ________．

　　A. show the advantages of bricks­and­mortar stores

　　B. urge shop assistants to change their attitude

　　C. push stores to use sights and sounds

　　D. introduce the rise of e­commerce

　　69. The underlined word “destination” in Paragraph 5 means ________．

　　A. a platform that exhibits goods

　　B. a spot where travellers like to stay

　　C. a place where customers love to go

　　D. a target that a store expects to meet

　　70. The main purpose of the passage is to ________．

　　A. compare and evaluate

　　B. examine and assess

　　C. argue and discuss

　　D. inform and explain

　　[2017·福建卷]

　　E

　　As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe, few issues cause greater concern than energy policy. Many village communities feel their countryside is being ruined by the power­producing machines of wind farms; yet they never take “direct action”， even though the planning laws put them at a severe disadvantage. And the generous subsidies(财政补贴), which encourage the expansion of wind power, are not favourable to the village communities and set landowners in conflict with other residents(居民)．

　　Those who disagree with the rapid expansion of wind farms state that the damage they cause is out of proportion(比例) to the benefits they bring, because their energy output cannot match that of the carbon­based power stations they are supposed to replace. Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables, nuclear and carbon, and that the country is committed to meeting EU (European Union) targets for non­carbon energy generation.

　　Against this background, the fact that there is an argument within the government over whether to publish an official report on wind farms' impact on the countryside becomes even more extraordinary. The two parties in the coalition(联合) government are in disagreement over what it should say.

　　We have some advice for the two parties: publish the report, and let the country be the judge.

　　Even if it contains evidence that wind farms are harmful, it will hardly be a pleasant surprise to people who do not like them. Equally, supporters must argue their case by acknowledging the concerns and explaining why they are either misplaced or worthy of much attention.

　　The suggestion that further negotiations are to take place to produce an “acceptable” report suggests that the politics of coalition government are doing the country harm in a certain way. Given the sensitivities involved, all the information should be available so that people can reach their own conclusions, rather than being left with the suspicion(猜疑) that facts are being replaced by political beliefs.

　　72．We can learn from the first paragraph that________．

　　A．energy policy catches much attention of the public

　　B．the residents are in favour of the expansion of wind farms

　　C．many village communities are satisfied with the subsidies

　　D．the planning laws offer great benefits to the residents

　　73．Supporters think that the expansion of wind power ________．

　　A．is more rapid than that of carbon­based power

　　B．guarantees an increase in energy output

　　C．is expected to be much better than that of nuclear power

　　D．agrees with EU targets for non­carbon energy generation

　　74．It can be inferred from the passage that________．

　　A．an official report will settle the energy problem

　　B．the two parties are divided over the issue of wind farms

　　C．the two parties have agreed on a further negotiation

　　D．political beliefs concerning energy issue go against facts

　　75．Which of the following reflects the author's opinion?

　　A．Increase political impact on energy policy.

　　B．Release a statement of supporters on wind farms.

　　C．Let the nation judge the facts about wind power.

　　D．Leave the two parties to reach their own conclusions.

　　[2017·湖北卷]

　　E

　　For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles. Dr Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue, the elevator's role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk, the car and the elevator have been locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally(水平地), and elevators pushing them towards life in close groups of towering vertical(垂直的) columns.

　　If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience—one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we're hanging from a cable in a long passage.

　　In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. “After 150 years, we are still not used to it，” Bernard said. “We still have not exactly learnt to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.

　　Today, as the world's urban population explodes, and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America's total number of elevators—900，000 at last count, according to ElevatorWorld magazine's “2017 Vertical Transportation Industry”—are a force that's becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.

　　67. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

　　A. The general view of elevators.

　　B. The particular interests of experts.

　　C. The desire for a remarkable machine.

　　D. The enthusiasm for transport vehicles.

　　68. The author's purpose in mentioning cars is ________．

　　A. to contrast their functions with elevators'

　　B. to emphasize the importance of elevators

　　C. to reveal their secret war against elevators

　　D. to explain people's preference for elevators

　　69. According to Prof Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences?

　　A. Vertical direction.

　　B. Lack of excitement.

　　C. Little physical space.

　　D. Uncomfortable conditions.

　　70. The author urges readers to consider ________．

　　A. the exact number of elevator lovers

　　B. the serious future situation of elevators

　　C. the role of elevators in city development

　　D. the relationship between cars and elevators

　　[2017·湖南卷]

　　C

　　The behaviour of a building's users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use, according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions(排放) by 80 per cent by 2050, part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zero­carbon by 2016. But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own—though extremely important—is not enough to achieve such reductions: the behaviour of the people using the building has to change too.

　　The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency(效率)，which instead focus on architectural and technological developments.

　　“Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything，” explains Katy Janda, a UKERC senior researcher，“consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design.”In other words，old habits die hard, even in the best­designed eco­home.

　　Another part of the problem is information. Households and bill­payers don't have the knowledge they need to change their energy­use habits. Without specific information，it's hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices. Feedback(反馈) facilities, like smart meters and energy monitors，could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use; some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15 per cent energy savings using smart meters.

　　Social science research has added a further dimension(方面)，suggesting that individuals' behaviour in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted—whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat(恒温器), for example.

　　Janda argues that education is the key. She calls for a focused programme to teach people about buildings and their own behaviour in them.

　　66. As to energy use, the new research from UKERC stresses the importance of ________．

　　A. zero­carbon homes

　　B. the behaviour of building users

　　C. sustainable building design

　　D. the reduction of carbon emissions

　　67. The underlined word “which” in Paragraph 2 refers to“________”．

　　A. the ways

　　B. their homes

　　C. developments

　　D. existing efforts

　　68. What are Katy Janda's words mainly about?

　　A. The importance of changing building users' habits.

　　B. The necessity of making a careful building design.

　　C. The variety of consumption patterns of building users.

　　D. The role of technology in improving energy efficiency.

　　69. The information gap in energy use ________．

　　A. can be bridged by feedback facilities

　　B. affects the study on energy monitors

　　C. brings about problems for smart meters

　　D. will be caused by building users' old habits

　　70. What does the dimension added by social science research suggest?

　　A. The social science research is to be furthered.

　　B. The education programme is under discussion.

　　C. The behaviour of building users is unpredictable.

　　D. The behaviour preference of building users is similar.

　　[2017·江苏卷]

　　B

　　However wealthy we may be, we can never find enough hours in the day to do everything we want. Economics deals with this problem through the concept of opportunity cost, which simply refers to whether someone's time or money could be better spent on something else.

　　Every hour of our time has a value. For every hour we work at one job we could quite easily be doing another, or be sleeping or watching a film. Each of these options has a different opportunity cost—namely, whattheycostusinmissedopportunities.

　　Say you intend to watch a football match but the tickets are expensive and it will take you a couple of hours to get to and from the stadium. Why not, you might reason, watch the game from home and use the leftover money and time to have dinner with friends？This—the alternative use of your cash and time—is the opportunity cost.

　　For economists, every decision is made by knowledge of what one must forgo—in terms of money and enjoyment—in order to take it up. By knowing precisely what you are receiving and what you are missing out on, you ought to be able to make better­informed, more reasonable decisions. Consider that most famous economic rule of all：there's no such thing as a free lunch. Even if someone offers to take you out to lunch for free, the time you will spend in the restaurant still costs you something in terms of forgone opportunities.

　　Some people find the idea of opportunity cost extremely discouraging: imagine spending your entire life calculating whether your time would be better spent elsewhere doing something more profitable or enjoyable. Yet, in a sense it's human nature to do precisely that—we assess the advantages and disadvantages of decisions all the time.

　　In the business world, a popular phrase is “value for money”．People want their cash to go as far as possible. However, another is fast obtaining an advantage：“value for time”. The biggest restriction on our resources is the number of hours we can devote to something, so we look to maximize the return we get on our investment of time. By reading this passage you are giving over a bit of your time which could be spent doing other activities, such as sleeping and eating. In return, however, this passage will help you to think like an economist, closely considering the opportunity cost of each of your decisions.

　　58．According to the passage, the concept of “opportunity cost” is applied to

　　________．

　　A．making more money

　　B．taking more opportunities

　　C．reducing missed opportunities

　　D．weighing the choice of opportunities

　　59．The “leftover…time” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to the time

　　________．

　　A．spared for watching the match at home

　　B．taken to have dinner with friends

　　C．spent on the way to and from the match

　　D．saved from not going to watch the match

　　60．What are forgone opportunities?

　　A．Opportunities you forget in decision­making.

　　B．Opportunities you give up for better ones.

　　C．Opportunities you miss accidentally.

　　D．Opportunities you make up for.

　　[2017·江西卷]

　　C

　　Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you had a hundred dollars less. Also imagine what it would be like spending the rest of your life with your eyes closed. Imagine having to read this page, not with your eyes but with your fingertips.

　　With existing medical knowledge and skills, two thirds of the world's 42 million blind should not have to suffer. Unfortunately, rich countries possess most of this knowledge, while developing countries do not.

　　ORBIS is an international non­profit organization which operates the world's only flying teaching eye hospital. ORBIS intends to help fight blindness worldwide. Inside a DC­8 aircraft, there is a fully­equipped teaching hospital with television studio and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest techniques of bringing sight back to people there. Project ORBIS also aims at promoting peaceful cooperation(合作) among countries.

　　ORBIS tries to help developing countries by providing training during three­week medical programmes. ORBIS has taught sight­saving techniques to over 35，000 doctors and nurses, who continue to cure tens of thousands of blind people every year. ORBIS has conducted 17 plane programmes in China so far. For the seven to ten million blind in China, ORBIS is planning to do more for them. At the moment an ORBIS team is working on a long­term plan to develop a training centre and to provide eye care services to Shanxi Province.ORBIS needs your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.

　　For just US$38, you can help one person see; for $380 you can bring sight to 10 people; $1，300 helps teach a doctor new skills; and for $13，000 you can provide a training programme for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again.Your money can open their eyes to the world.Please help ORBIS improve the quality of life for so many people less fortunate than ourselves.

　　65. The first paragraph is intended to ________．

　　A. introduce a new way of reading

　　B. advise the public to lead a simple life

　　C. direct the public's attention to the blind

　　D. encourage the public to use imagination

　　66. What do we learn about existing medical knowledge and skills in the world?

　　A. They are adequate.

　　B. They have not been updated.

　　C. They are not equally distributed.

　　D. They have benefited most of the blind.

　　67. ORBIS aims to help the blind by ________．

　　A. teaching medical students

　　B. training doctors and nurses

　　C. running flying hospitals globally

　　D. setting up non­profit organizations

　　68. What does the author try to do in the last paragraph?

　　A. Appeal for donations.

　　B. Make an advertisement.

　　C. Promote training programmes.

　　D. Show sympathy for the blind.

　　69. What can be the best title for the passage?

　　A. ORBIS in China

　　B. Fighting blindness

　　C. ORBIS flying hospital

　　D. Sight­saving techniques

　　[2017·新课标全国卷Ⅰ]

　　C

　　A typical lion tamer(驯兽师) in people's mind is an entertainer holding a whip(鞭) and a chair. The whip gets all of the attention, but it's mostly for show. In reality, it's the chair that does the important work. When a lion tamer holds a chair in front of the lion's face, the lion tries to focus on all four legs of the chair at the same time. With its focus divided, the lion becomes confused and is unsure about what to do next. When faced with so many options, the lion chooses to freeze and wait instead of attacking the man holding the chair.

　　How often do you find yourself in the same position as the lion? How often do you have something you want to achieve (e.g. lose weight, start a business, travel more)—only to end up confused by all of the options in front of you and never make progress?

　　This upsets me to no end because while all the experts are busy debating about which option is best, the people who want to improve their lives are left confused by all of the conflicting information. The end result is that we feel like we can't focus or that we're focused on the wrong things, and so we take less action, make less progress, and stay the same when we could be improving.

　　It doesn't have to be that way. Anytime you find the world waving a chair in your face, remember this: all you need to do is focus on one thing. You just need to get started. Starting before you feel ready is one of the habits of successful people. If you have somewhere you want to go, something you want to accomplish, someone you want to become…take immediate action. If you're clear about where you want to go, the rest of the world will either help you get there or get out of the way.

　　28. Why does the lion tamer use a chair?

　　A. To trick the lion.

　　B. To show off his skills.

　　C. To get ready for a fight.

　　D. To entertain

　　the audience.

　　29. In what sense are people similar to a lion facing a chair?

　　A. They feel puzzled over choices.

　　B. They hold on to the wrong things.

　　C. They find it hard to make changes.

　　D. They have to do something for show.

　　30. What is the author's attitude towards the experts mentioned in Paragraph 3?

　　A. Tolerant.

　　B. Doubtful.

　　C. Respectful.

　　D. Supportive.

　　31. When the world is “waving a chair in your face”， you're advised to ________．

　　A. wait for a better chance

　　B. break your old habits

　　C. make a quick decision

　　D. ask for clear guidance

　　[2017·新课标全国卷Ⅱ]

　　B

　　Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” towards the environment.“We didn't know at that time that there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it，” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.

　　But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement.Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass­roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many, many times，” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.

　　According to US government reports, emissions(排放) from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 million tons.The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9.Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place.A kind of “green thinking” has become part of practices.

　　Great improvement has been achieved.In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programmes; today in 1995 there are about 6，600.Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.

　　Twenty­five years ago, there were hardly any education programmes for environment.Today, it's hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of programme.“Until we do that, nothing else will change！” says Bruce Anderson.

　　25. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ________．

　　A. the social movement

　　B. recycling techniques

　　C. environmental problems

　　D. the importance of Earth Day

　　26. Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

　　A. The grass­roots level.

　　B. The business circle.

　　C. Government officials.

　　D. University professors.

　　27. What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?

　　A. They have cut car emissions to the lowest.

　　B. They have settled their environmental problems.

　　C. They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

　　D. They have reduced pollution through effective measures.

　　28. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

　　A. Education.

　　B. Planning.

　　C. Green living.

　　D. CO reduction.

　　[2017·四川卷]

　　D

　　With around 100 students scheduled to be in that 9 am Monday morning lecture, it is no surprise that almost 20 people actually make it to the class and only 10 of them are still awake after the first 15 minutes; it is not even a surprise that most of them are still in their pyjamas(睡衣). Obviously, students are terrible at adjusting their sleep cycles to their daily schedule.

　　All human beings possess a body clock. Along with other alerting(警报) systems, this governs the sleep/wake cycle and is therefore one of the main processes which govern sleep behaviour. Typically, the preferred sleep/wake cycle is delayed in adolescents, which leads to many students not feeling sleepy until much later in the evenings. This typical sleep pattern is usually referred to as the “night owl” schedule of sleep.

　　This is opposed to the “early bird” schedule, and is a kind of disorder where the individual tends to stay up much past midnight. Such a person has great difficulty in waking up in the mornings. Research suggests that night owls feel most alert and function best in the evenings and at night. Research findings have shown that about 20 per cent of people can be classified as “night owls” and only 10 per cent can be classified as “early birds”—the other 70 per cent are in the middle. Although this is clearly not true for all students, for the ones who are true night owls this gives them an excellent excuse for missing their lectures which unfortunately fall before midday.

　　43. What does the author stress in Paragraph 1?

　　A. Many students are absent from class.

　　B. Students are very tired on Monday mornings.

　　C. Students do not adjust their sleep patterns well.

　　D. Students are not well prepared for class on Mondays.

　　44. Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 2?

　　A. Most students prefer to get up late in the morning.

　　B. Students don't sleep well because of alerting systems.

　　C. One's body clock governs the sleep/wake cycle independently.

　　D. Adolescents' delayed sleep/wake cycle isn't the preferred pattern.

　　45. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “classified”？

　　A. Criticized.

　　B. Grouped.

　　C. Organized.

　　D. Named.

　　46. What does the text mainly talk about?

　　A. Functions of the body clock.

　　B. The “night owl” phenomenon.

　　C. Human beings' sleep behaviour.

　　D. The school schedule of “early birds”．

　　[2017·天津卷]

　　A

　　A guide to the university

　　Food

　　The TWU Cafeteria is open 7 am to 8 pm. It serves snacks(小吃), drinks, ice cream bars and meals. You can pay with cash or your ID cards. You can add meal money to your ID cards at the Front Desk. Even if you do not buy your food in the cafeteria, you can use the tables to eat your lunch, to have meetings and to study.

　　If you are on campus in the evening or late at night, you can buy snacks, fast food, and drinks in the Lower Café located in the bottom level of the Douglas Centre. This area is often used for entertainment such as concerts, games or TV watching.

　　Relaxation

　　The Globe, located in the bottom level of McMillan Hall, is available for relaxing, studying, cooking, and eating. Monthly activities are held here for all international students. Hours are 10 am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.

　　Health

　　Located on the top floor of Douglas Hall, the Wellness Centre is committed to physical, emotional and social health. A doctor and nurse is available if you have health questions or need immediate medical help or personal advice. The cost of this is included in your medical insurance. Hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to noon and 1：00 to 4：30 pm.

　　Academic support

　　All students have access to the Writing Centre on the upper floor of Douglas Hall. Here, qualified volunteers will work with you on written work, grammar, vocabulary, and other academic skills. You can sign up for an appointment on the sign­up sheet outside the door two 30­minute appointments per week maximum. This service is free.

　　Transportation

　　The TWU Express is a shuttle(班车) service. The shuttle transports students between campus and the shopping centre, leaving from the Mattson Centre. Operation hours are between 8 am and 3 pm, Saturdays only. Round trip fare is $1.

　　36. What can you do in the TWU Cafeteria?

　　A. Do homework and watch TV.

　　B. Buy drinks and enjoy concerts.

　　C. Have meals and meet with friends.

　　D. Add money to your ID and play chess.

　　37. Where and when can you cook your own food?

　　A. The Globe, Friday.

　　B. The Lower Café， Sunday.

　　C. The TWU Cafeteria, Friday.

　　D. The McMillan Hall, Sunday.

　　38. The Guide tells us that the Wellness Centre

　　________．

　　A. is open six days a week

　　B. offers services free of charge

　　C. trains students in medical care

　　D. gives advice on mental health

　　39. How can you seek help from the Writing Centre?

　　A. By applying online.

　　B. By calling the centre.

　　C. By filling in a sign­up form.

　　D. By going to the centre directly.

　　40. What is the function of TWU Express?

　　A. To carry students to the lecture halls.

　　B. To provide students with campus tours

　　C. To take students to the Mattson Centre.

　　D. To transport students to and from the stores.

　　[2017·天津卷]

　　C

　　“Dad，” I say one day，“let's take a trip. Why don't you fly out and meet me？” My father had just retired after 27 years as a manager for IBM. His job filled his day, his thoughts, his life. While he woke up and took a warm shower, I screamed under a freezing waterfall in Peru. While he tied a tie and put on the same Swiss watch, I rowed a boat across Lake of the Ozarks.

　　My father sees me drifting aimlessly, nothing to show for my 33 years but a passport full of funny stamps. He wants me to settle down, but now I want him to find an adventure.

　　He agrees to travel with me through the national parks. We meet four weeks later in Rapid City.

　　“What's our first stop？” asks my father.

　　“What time is it？”

　　“Still don't have a watch？”

　　Less than an hour away is Mount Rushmore. As he stares up at the four Presidents carved in granite(花岗岩), his mouth and eyes open slowly, like those of a little boy.

　　“Unbelievable，” he says. “How was this done？”

　　A film in the information centre shows sculptor Gutzon Borglum devoted 14 years to the sculpture and then left the final touches to his son.

　　We stare up and I ask myself, “Would I ever devote my life to anything？”

　　No directions，no goals. I always used to hear those words in my father's voice. Now I hear them in my own.

　　The next day we're at Yellowstone National Park, where we have a picnic.

　　“Did you ever travel with your dad？” I ask.

　　“Only once，” he says. “I never spoke much with my father. We loved each other—but never said it. Whatever he could give me, he gave.”

　　That_last_sentence—it's_probably_the_same_thing_I'd_say_about_my_father._And_what_I'd_want_my_child_to_say_about_me.

　　In Glacier National Park, my father says, “I've never seen water so blue.” I have, in several places of the world, I can keep travelling, I realize—and maybe a regular job won't be as dull as I feared.

　　Weeks after our trip, I call my father.

　　“The photos from the trip are wonderful，” he says.“We've got to take another trip like that sometime.”

　　I tell him I've decided to settle down, and I'm wearing a watch.

　　46. We can learn from Paragraphs 2 and 3 that the father ________.

　　A. followed the fashion

　　B. got bored with his job

　　C. was unhappy with the author's lifestyle

　　D. liked the author's collection of stamps

　　47. What does the author realize at Mount Rushmore?

　　A. His father is interested in sculpture.

　　B. His father is as innocent as a little boy.

　　C. He should learn sculpture in the future.

　　D. He should pursue a specific aim in life.

　　48. From the underlined paragraph, we can see that the author ________．

　　A. wants his children to learn from their grandfather

　　B. comes to understand what parental love means

　　C. learns how to communicate with his father

　　D. hopes to give whatever he can to his father

　　49. What could be inferred about the author and his father from the end of the story?

　　A. The call solves their disagreements.

　　B. The Swiss watch has drawn them closer.

　　C. They decide to learn photography together.

　　D. They begin to change their attitudes to life.

　　50. What could be the best title for the passage?

　　A. Love nature, love life

　　B. A son lost in adventure

　　C. A journey with dad

　　D. The art of travel

　　[2017·天津卷]

　　D

　　People aren't walking any more—if they can figure out a way to avoid it.

　　I felt superior about this matter until

　　the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel. The journey is a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car. And I wasn't in any hurry, either. I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness: motorosis.

　　It is an illness to which I had thought myself immune(免疫的), for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time, we regarded 25 miles as good day's walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as a sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship. And the effect was lasting. When I was 45 years old I raced—and beat—a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Stature of Liberty.

　　Such enterprises today are regarded by many middle­aged persons as bad for the heart. But a well­known British physician, Sir Adolphe Abrhams, pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise. A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illnesses than one who exercises regularly. And walking is an ideal form of exercise—the most familiar and natural of all.

　　It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot. The man walking can learn the

　　trees, flowers, insects, birds and animals, the significance of seasons, the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world. He cannot learn in a car.

　　The car is a convenient means of transport, but we have made it our way of life. Many people don't dare to approach Nature any more; to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a_steel_river thundering on a concrete road. And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

　　I say that the green of forests is the mind's best light. And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.

　　51. What is the national sickness?

　　A. Walking too much.

　　B. Travelling too much.

　　C. Driving cars too much.

　　D. Climbing stairs too much.

　　52. What was life like when the author was young?

　　A. People usually went around on foot.

　　B. People often walked 25 miles a day.

　　C. People used to climb the Statue of Liberty.

　　D. People considered a ten­hour walk as a hardship.

　　53. The author mentions Henry Thoreau to prove that________.

　　A. middle­aged people like getting back to nature

　　B. walking in nature helps enrich one's mind

　　C. people need regular exercise to keep fit

　　D. going on foot prevents heart disease

　　54. What is compared to “a steel river” in Paragraph 6?

　　A.

　　A queue of cars.

　　B. A ray of traffic light.

　　C. A flash of lightning.

　　D. A stream of people.

　　55. What is the author's intention of writing this passage?

　　A. To tell people to reflect more on life.

　　B. To recommend people to give up driving.

　　C. To advise people to do outdoor activities.

　　D. To encourage people to return to walking.

　　[2017·浙江卷]

　　B

　　Hereissomemust­knowinformationfromahandbookonhowpeoplebehaveindoingbusinessinsomecountries.

　　In Brazil

　　Brazilians are warm and friendly.They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder.People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses.Schedules tend to be flexible，with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned.But to be safe, be on time.Meals can stretch for hours—there's no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil.Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon.Brazilians are social，preferring face­to­face communication over e­mails or phone calls.

　　In Singapore

　　Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small，polite bow.Business cards should be offered and received with two hands.Arriving late is considered disrespectful.So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast­paced.Singaporeans are direct in their discussions，even when the subject is about money.Rank is important and authority is respected.This determines how people interact in meetings.For example，people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank.

　　In the United Arab Emirates

　　In the

　　UAE，status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles.The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So do not pull away from the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress.Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees.People do not avoid entertaining in their homes，but they also hold business meals at restaurants.Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided.When meetings are one­to­one，if your host offers you coffee，you should refuse.It might seem odd，but it is a cultural tradition.Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented.

　　In Switzerland

　　The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name.They also are respectful of private lives.You should be careful not to ask about personal topics.Punctuality (守时) in vital，something that comes from a deep respect for others' time.Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe.They also have clear structure in their companies.Higher­ups make the final decisions，even if others might disagree.Neat，clean dress is expected.The Swiss follow formal table manners.They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table.It is polite to finish the food on your plate.

　　46．The passage is mainly about ________.

　　A．communication types

　　B．the workplace atmosphere

　　C．customs and social manners

　　D．living conditions and standards

　　47．Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with the boss?

　　A．They put efficiency in the first place.

　　B．They dislike face­to­face communication.

　　C．They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.

　　D．They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.

　　48．In the UAE，when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?

　　A．When greeting seniors.

　　B．When meeting the host alone.

　　C．When attending a presentation.

　　D．When dining with business partners.

　　49．In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?

　　A．In Brazil.

　　B．In Singapore.

　　C．In the United Arab Emirates.

　　D．In Switzerland.

　　[2017·重庆卷]

　　D

　　One moment it was quiet and calm in the forest, the next, the air was charged with tension. The elephant had heard the distant alarm calls of animals and her mood suddenly changed. I urged the elephant deeper into the forest. We sounded like a forest fire—crackling, snapping, trailblazing. But through all the noise came a sharp warning cry. The elephant stopped and we heard it again—the telltale call of a spotted deer.

　　I looked quickly around the shadows of the forest. Rays of sunlight shone through tree branches，beneath which the patchwork(交错) of green plants and shadow­within­shadows would make tiger stripes(条纹) look more attractive. Apart from an occasional noise from the elephant's stomach, the forest was silent.

　　Gradually, the tension slipped from our bodies. The elephant seized a nearby branch and put it into her mouth. I reached forward and gently moved my hand over the elephant's neck; there was a soft part, free of wrinkles and hairs, behind her ear.

　　This was my fourth time to_sense_the_aura of the forest in Corbett, although I saw no tigers in the end. Located at the foot of the Himalayan mountains, Corbett is home to about 135 Bengal tigers, but the forest seemed to be guarding their whereabouts(出没处), a silent reminder of their secrecy and rarity. Still, I was happy enough touching the elephant behind the ear. If I had so desperately wanted to see a tiger, I could have gone to a zoo. After all, spotting tigers merely confirms their beauty；tracking them can make you aware of something more.

　　48. Which of the following was a clear signal of alarm?

　　A. The elephant stopped.

　　B. A spotted deer called.

　　C. The elephant seized a branch.

　　D. The forest was silent for a while.

　　49. The author begins his account of the tour in the forest mainly by________

　　A. describing various sounds

　　B. comparing different animals

　　C. listing different activities

　　D. introducing various plants

　　50. What does the underlined part “to sense the aura” most probably mean?

　　A. To see the diversity.

　　B. To enjoy the scenery.

　　C. To feel the atmosphere.

　　D. To experience the freedom.

　　51. How does the author feel after several visits to Corbett?

　　A. Seeing a Bengal tiger is quite thrilling.

　　B. It is very time­consuming to travel in Corbett.

　　C. It is really worthwhile to study the animals in Corbett.

　　D. The process of finding Bengal tigers is most appealing.

　　[2017·重庆卷]

　　E

　　It's generally believed that people act the way they do because of their personalities and attitudes.They recycle their garbage because they care about the environment. They pay $5 for a caramel brulée latte because they like expensive coffee drinks.

　　It's undeniable that behaviour comes from our inner dispositions(性情), but in many instances we also draw inferences about who we are, as suggested by the social psychologist Daryl Bem, by observing our own behaviour. We can be strangers to ourselves. If we knew our own minds, why would we need to guess what our preferences are from our behaviour? If our minds were an open book, we would know exactly how much we care about the environment or like lattes. Actually, we often need to look to our behaviour to figure out who we are.

　　Moreover, we don't just use our behaviour to learn about our particular types of character—we infer characters that weren't there before. Our behaviour is often shaped by little pressures around us，which we fail to recognize. Maybe_we_recycle_because_our_wives_and_neighbours_would_disapprove_if_we_didn't. Maybe we buy lattes in order to impress the people around us. We should not mistakenly believe that we always behave as a result of some inner disposition.

　　Whatever pressures there can be or inferences one can make, people become what they do，though it may not be in compliance(符合) with their true desires. Therefore, we should all bear in mind Kurt Vonnegut's advice: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. ”

　　52. According to the passage, personalities and attitudes are commonly believed to ________．

　　A. determine one's behaviour

　　B. reflect one's taste

　　C. influence one's surroundings

　　D. result from one's habits

　　53. Which of the following would Daryl Bem most probably agree with?

　　A. The return of a wallet can indicate one's honesty.

　　B. A kind person will offer his seat to the old.

　　C. One recycles plastics to protect the environment.

　　D. One buys latte out of true love of coffee.

　　54. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in the passage?

　　A. We fail to realize our inner dispositions.

　　B. We can be influenced by outside pressures.

　　C. Our behaviour is the result of our true desires.

　　D. Our characters can shape our social relationships.

　　55. What does the author mainly discuss in the passage?

　　A. Personalities and attitudes.

　　B. Preferences and habits.

　　C. Behaviour and personalities.

　　D. Attitudes and preferences.

　　Join the discussion…