|
|
Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions: There are 4 reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A),B) C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
Oceanography has been defined as “The application of all sciences to the study of the sea”.
Before the nineteen century, scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctantto go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that question “What is at the bottom of the oceans?” had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile(起伏形状)of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned, in 1853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings(测身) were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
Within a few years oceanography was under way. In 1872 Thomson led a scientific expedition(考察), which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea. Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report, the last volume being published in 1895.
21. The proposal to lay a telegraph cable from Europe to America made oceanographic studies take on ______.
A) an academic aspect C) a business aspect
B) a military aspect D) an international aspect
22. It was ______ that asked Maury for help in oceanographic studies.
A) the American Navy
B) some early intercontinental travelers
C) those who earned a living from the sea
D) the company which proposed to lay an undersea cable
23. The aim of the voyages Maury was responsible for in the 1840s was ______.
A) to make some sounding experiments in the oceans
B) to collect samples of sea plants and animals
C) to estimate the length of cable that was needed
D) to measure the depths of the two oceans
24. “Defied” in the 5th paragraph probably means “______”.
A) doubted C) challenged
B) gave proof to D) agreed to
25. This passage is mainly about ______.
A) the beginnings of oceanography
B) the laying of the first undersea cable
C) the investigation of ocean depths
D) the early intercontinental communications
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:
Normally a student must attend a certain number of courses in order to graduate, and each course which he attends gives him a credit which he may count towards a degree. In many American universities the total work for a degree consists of thirty-six courses each lasting for one semester. A typical course consists of three classes per week for fifteen weeks; while attending a university a student will probably attend four or five courses during each semester. Normally a student would expect to take four years attending two semesters each year. It is possible to spread the period of work for the degree over a longer period. It is also possible for a student to move between one university and another during his degree course, though this is not in fact done as a regular practice.
For every course that he follows a student is given a grade, which is recorded, and the record is available for the student to show to prospective employers. All this imposes a constant pressure and strain of work, but in spite of this some students still find time for great activity in student affairs. Elections to positions in student organizations arouse much enthusiasm. The effective word of maintaining discipline is usually performed by students who advise the academic authorities. Any student who is thought to have broken the rules, for example, by cheating has to appear before a student court. With the enormous numbers of students, the operation of the system does involve a certain amount of activity. A student who has held one of these positions of authority is much respected and it will be of benefit to him later in his career.
26. Normally a student would at least attend _____ classes each week.
A) 36 B) 20
C) 12 D) 15
27. According to the first paragraph an American student is allowed _______.
A) to live in a different university
B) to take a particular course in a different university
C) to live at home and drive to classes
D) to get two degrees from two different universities
28. American university students are usually under pressure of work because _______.
A) their academic performance will affect their future careers
B) they are heavily involved in student affairs
C) they have to observe university discipline
D) they want to run for positions of authority
29. Some students are enthusiastic for positions in student organizations probably because ______.
A) they hate the constant pressure strain of their study
B) they will then be able to stay longer in the university
C) such positions help them get better jobs
D) such positions are usually well paid
30. The student organizations seem, to be effective in ______.
A) dealing with the academic affairs of the university
B) ensuring that the students observe university regulations
C) evaluating students’ performance by bringing them before a court
D) keeping up the students’ enthusiasm for social activities
Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:
Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult that it’s painful? This might be called laziness, but Dr. Kleitman has a new explanation. He has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle.
During the hours when you labor through your work you may say that you’re “hot”. That’s true. The time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak, For some people the peak comes during the forenoon. For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so, but it leads to such familiar monologues (自言自语)as: “ Get up, John! You’ll be late for work again!” The possible explanation to the trouble is that John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening. Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what these energy cycles mean, and which cycle each member of the family has. You can’t change your energy cycle, but you can learn to make your life fit it better. Habit can help, Dr. Kleitman believes. Maybe you’re sleepy in the evening but feel you must stay up late anyway. Counteract(对抗) your cycle to some extent by habitually staying up later than you want to. If our energy is low in the morning but you have an important job to do early in the day, rise before your usual hour. This won’t change your cycle, but you’ll get up steam(鼓起干劲)and work better at your low point.
|
|
发表于 2016-7-28 21:45:07