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Passage 11 Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there 's a big difference between "being a writer, and writing. In most cases these individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a typewriter. "You've got to want to write ,"I say to them ,"not want to be a writer." The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U. S. Coast Guard to become a freelance writer , I had no prospects at all: What I did have was a friend who found me my r Tm in a New York apartment building. It didn't even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer. After a year or so, however, I still hadn't gotten a break and began to doubt myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I knew I wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn't going to be one of those people who die wondering, What if I would keep putting my dream to the test-even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. 1. The passage is meant to A)warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience B)advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer C)show young people it, s unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame D)encourage young people to pursue a writing career 2. What can be concluded from the passage A)Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding. B)A writer's success depends on luck rather than on effort. C)Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation- D)The chances for a writer to become successful are small- 3. Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing career A) He wasn't able to produce a single book. B)He hadn't seen a change for the better. c)He wasn't able to have a rest for a whole year. D)He found his dream would never come true. 4."...people who die wondering ,What if "(Line 3, Para. 3) refers to "those ______". A)who think too much of the dark side of life B)who regret giving up their career halfway C)who think a lot without making a decision D)who are full of imagination even upon death 5. "Shadowland" in the last sentence refers to A)the wonderland one often dreams about B)the bright future that one is looking forward to C)the state of uncertainty before one's final goal is reached D)a world that exists only in one's imagination Passage 11:ADBBC

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Passage 12 In what now seems like the prehistoric times of computer history, the earth 's postwar era, there was quite a wide-spread classroom that computers would take over the world from man one day. Already today, less than forty years later, as computers are relieving us of more and more of the routine tasks in business and in our personal lives, we are faced with a less dramatic but aim less foreseen problem. People tend to be over-trusting of computers and are reluctant to challenge their authority. Indeed, they behave as if they were hardly aware that wrong buttons may be pushed, or that a computer may simply malfunction . Obviously, there would be no point in investing in a computer if you had to check all its answers, but people should also rely on their own internal computers and check the machine when they have the feeling that something has gone wrong. Questioning and routine double-checks must continue to be as much a part of good business as they were in pre-computer days. Maybe each computer should come with the warning: for all the help this computer may provide, it should not be seen as a substitute for fundamental thinking and reasoning skills. 1. What is the main purpose of this passage A) To look back to the early days of computers. B) To explain what technical problems may occur with computers. C) To discourage unnecessary investment in computers. D) To warn against a mentally lazy attitude towards computers. 2. According to the passage, the initial concern about computers was that they might A) change our personal lives B) create unforeseen problems C) take control of the world D)affect our businesses 3. The passage recommends those dealing with computers to A) be reasonably doubtful about them B) check all their answers C)substitute them for basic thinking D)use them for business purposes only 4. The passage suggests that the present-day problem with regard to computers is A) challenging B) dramatic C) psychological D)fundamental 5. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would disapprove of _____ A)investment in computers B)the use of one's internal computer C) double-check on computers D)complete dependence on computers for decision-making Passage 12:DBABD

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Passage 13 A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement spread ever farther west-ward. The early trains were impractical curiosities, and for a long time the railroad companies met with troublesome mechanical problems. The most serious ones were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the development of a safe, effective stopping system. Once these were solved, the railroad was established as the best means of land transportation. By 1860 there were thousands of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward to the Mississippi. There were also regional southern and western lines. The high point in railroad building came with the construction of the first transcontinental system. In 1862 Congress authorized two western railroad companies to build lines from Nebraska westward and from California eastward to a meeting point, so as to complete a transcontinental crossing linking the Atlantic seaboard with the Pacific. The Government helped the railroads generously with money and land. Actual work on this project began four years later. The Central Pacific Company, starting from California, used Chinese labor, while the Union Pacific employed crews of Irish labourers. The two groups worked at remarkable speed, each trying to cover a greater distance than the other. In 1869 they met at a place called Promontory in what is now the state of Utah. Many visitors came there for the great occasion. There were joyous celebrations all over the country, with parades and the ringing of church bells to honor the great achievement. The railroad was very important in encouraging westward movement. It aim helped build up industry and farming by moving raw materials and by distributing products rapidly to distant markets. In linking towns and people to one another it helped unify the United States. 1. The major problems with America 's railroad system in the mid 19th century lay in A)poor quality rails and unreliable stopping systems B)lack of financial support for development C)limited railroad lines D)lack of a transcontinental railroad 2. The building of the first transcontinental system A)brought about a rapid growth of industry and farming in the west B)attracted many visitors to the construction sites C)attracted labourers from Europe D) encouraged people to travel all over the country 3. The best title for this passage would be A)Settlements Spread Westward B)The Coast-to-Coast Railroad: A Vital Link C)American Railroad History D)The Importance of Railroads in the American Economy 4. The construction of the transcontinental railroad took A)9years B)7years C)4years D)3yeras 5. What most likely made people think about a transcontinental railroad A)The possibility of government support for such a task. B)The need to explore Utah. C)The need to connect the east coast with the west. D)The need to develop the railroad industry in the west. Passage 13:AABDC

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Passage 14 The fridge is considered a necessity. It has been so since the 1960s when packaged food first appeared with the label: "store in the refrigerator." In my fridgeless fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. The milkman came daily, the grocer, the butcher , the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered two or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted, and we were never troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh vegetables are almost unobtainable in the country. The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food preservation. A vast way of well-tried techniques already existed-natural cooling, drying, smoking, salting, sugaring, bottling -What refrigeration did promote was marketing-marketing hardware and electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing dead bodies of animals around the globe in search of a good price. Consequently, most of the world 's fridges are to be found, not in the tropics where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mild temperatures where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of fridges hum away continuously, and at vast expense, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled space inside an artificially-heated house-while outside, nature provides the desired temperature free of charge. The fridge's effect upon the environment has been evident, while its contribution to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don 't believe me, try it yourself, invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss the hamburger , but at least you'll get rid of that terrible hum. 1. The Statement "In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily." (Line 1, Para. 2) suggests that ______. A) the author was well-fed and healthy even without a fridge in his fifties B) the author was not accustomed to use fridges even in his fifties C) the fridge was in its early stage of development in the 1950s D) there was no fridge in the author's home in the 1950s 2.why does the author say that nothing was wasted before the invention of fridges 。 A) People would not buy more food than was necessary. B) Food was delivered to people two or three times a week. C) People had effective ways to preserve their food. D) Food was sold fresh and did not get rotten easily. 3.Who benefited the least from fridges according to the author A) Inventors. B) Manufacturers C) Consumers. D) Traveling salesmen 4.Which of the following phrases in the fifth paragraph indicates the fridge's negative effect on the environment A) "With mild temperatures" B) "Climatically almost unnecessary" C) "Artificially-cooled space". D) "Hum away continuously". 5.What is the author's overall attitude toward fridges A) Critical. C) Objective. B) Neutral. D)Compromising Passage 14: D C C D A

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Passage 15 Britain almost more than any other country in the world must seriously face the problem of building upwards, that is to say, of accommodating a considerable proportion of its population in high blocks of flats. It is said that the Englishman objects to this type of existence, but if the case is such, he does in fact differ from the inhabitants of most countries of the world today. In the past our own blocks of flats have been associated with the lower-income groups and they have lacked the obvious provisions, such as central heating, constant hot water supply, electrically operated lifts from top to bottom, and so on, as well as such details important notwithstanding ,as easy facilities for disposal of dust and rubbish and storage places for baby carriages the ground floor, playgrounds for children on the top of the buildings, and drying grounds for washing. It is likely that the dispute regarding flats versus individual houses will continue to rage on for a long time as far as Britain is concerned. And it is unfortunate that there should be hot feelings on both sides whenever this subject is raised. Those who oppose the building of flats base their case primarily on the assumption that everyone prefers an individual home and garden and on the high cost per unit of accommodation. The latter ignores the higher cost of providing full services to a scattered community and the cost in both money and time of the journeys to work for the suburban resident. 1. We can infer from the passage that______. A) people in most countries of the world today are not opposed to living in flats B) English people, like most people in other countries, dislike living in flats C) people in Britain are forced to move into high blocks of flats D) modern flats still fail to provide the necessary facilities for living 2. What is mid about the blocks of flats built in the past in Britain A) They were sold to people before necessary facilities were installed. B) They were usually not large enough to accommodate big families. C) They were mostly inhabited by people who did not earn much. D) They provided playgrounds for children on the top of the buildings. 3. The word "rage"(Line 11)means "_____." A) be ignored B) be in fashion C) encourage people greatly D)develop with great force 4. Some people oppose the building of fiats because ______. A) the living expenses for each individual family are higher B) they believe people like to live in houses with gardens C) it involves higher cost compared with the building of houses D) the disposal of rubbish remains a problem for those living in flats 5. The author mentions that people who live in suburban houses ______. A) do not have access to easy facilities because they live away from the day B) have to pay a lot of money to employ people to do service work C) have to spend more money and time travelling to work every day D) take longer time to know each other because they are a scattered community Passage 15: A C D B C

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Passage 16 The human brain contains 10 thousand million cells and each of these may have a thousand connections. Such enormous num-bers used to discourage us and cause us to dismiss the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability, but now that we have grown used to moving forward at such a pace we can be less sure. Quite soon, in only 10or 20years perhaps, we will be able to assemble a machine as complex as the human brain, and if we can we will-It may then take us a long time to render it intelligent by loading in the right software or by altering the architecture but that too will happen. I think it certain that in decades, not centuries, machines of silicon will arise first to rival and then exceed their human ancestors. Once they exceed us they will be capable of their own design. In a real sense they will be able to reproduce themselves. Silicon will have ended carbon's long control. And we will no longer be able to claim ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe. As the intelligence of robots increases to match that of humans and as their cost declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers, first on earth through their ability to withstand environments, harmful to ourselves. Thus, deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined. Further ahead, by a combination of the great wealth this new age will bring and the technology it will provide, the construction of a vast, man-created world in space, home to thousands or minions of people, will be within our power. 1.in what way can we make a machine intelligent A) By making it work in such environments as deserts, oceans or space. B) By either properly programming it or changing its structure. C) By working hard for 10 or 20 years. D) By reproducing it. 2.What does the writer think about ma-chines with human-like ability A) He believes they will be useful to human beings. B) He believes that they will control us in the future. C) He is not quite sure in what way they may influence us. D) He doesn't consider the construction of such machines possible. 3. The word "carbon"(Line 4,Para.2) stands for______. A) intelligent robots B) a chemical element C) human beings D) an organic substance 4. A robot can be used to expand our frontiers when ______ A) it is able to bear the rough environment B) its intelligence and cost are beyond question C) it is made as complex as the human brain D) its architecture is different from that d the present ones 5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______ A) after the installation of a great number of cells and connections, robots will be capable of self-reproduction. B) robots will have control of the vast, man-made world in space C) once we make a machine as complex as the human brain, it will possess intelligence D) with the rapid development of technology, people have come to realize the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability. Passage 16: B A C B D

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Passage 17 Statuses are marvelous human inventions that enable us to get along with one another and to determine where we "fit" in society. As we go about our everyday lives, we mentally attempt to place people in terms of their statuses. For example, we must judge whether the person in the library is a reader or a librarian, whether the telephone caller is a friend or a salesman, whether the unfamiliar person on our property is a thief or a meter reader, and so on. The statuses we assume often vary with the people we encounter, and change throughout life. Most of us can, at very high speed, assume the statuses that various situations require. Much of social interaction consists of identifying and selecting among appropriate statuses and allowing other people to assume their statuses in relation to us. This means that we fit our actions to those of other people based on a constant mental process of appraisal and interpretation. Although some of us find the task more difficult than others, most of us perform it rather effortlessly. A status has been compared to ready-made clothes. Within certain limits, the buyer can choose style and fabric. But an American is not free to choose the costume of a Chinese peasant or that of a Hindu prince. We must choose from among the clothing presented by our society. Furthermore, our choice is limited to a size that will fit ,as well as by our pocketbook . Having made a choice within these limits we can have certain alterations made, but apart from minor adjustments, we tend to be limited to what the stores have on their racks. Statues too come ready made, and the range of choice among them is limited. 1.In the first paragraph, the writer tells us that statuses can help us _______.。 A) determine whether a person is fit for a certain job B) behave appropriately in relation to other people C) protect ourselves in unfamiliar situations D) make friends with other people 2.According to the writer, people often assume different statuses ________. A) in order to identify themselves with others B) in order to better identify others C) as their mental processes change D) as the situation changes 3.The word "appraisal"(Line5,Para.2) most probably means "________" A) involvement B) appreciation C) assessment D) presentation 4.In the last sentence of the second paragraph, the pronoun "it" refers to "________". A) fitting our actions to those of other people appropriately B) identification of other people's statuses C) selecting one's own statuses D) constant mental process 5.By saying that "an American is not free to choose the costume of a Chinese peasant or that of a Hindu prince" (Lines 23,Para.3), the writer means ________. A) different people have different styles of clothes B) ready--made clothes may need alterations C) statuses come ready made just like clothes D) our choice of statuses is limited Passage 17: B D C A D

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Passage 18 After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994,earthquake scientists had good news to report: The damage and death toll could have been much worse. More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity that shook America in 1988 claimed 25,000 victims. Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city's highways. In addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city's buildings and highways, making them more resistant to quakes. Despite the good news, civil engineers aren't resting on their successes. Pinned to their drawing boards are blue prints for improved quake-resistant buildings. The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place. In the past, making structures quake-resistant meant firm yet flexible materials, such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent 5 designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel support. Called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake's vibrations. When the ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction. The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, that would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes. 1.One reason why the loss of lives in the Los Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that _______. A) improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways B) it occurred in the residential areas rather than on the highways C) large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holiday D) new computers had been installed in the buildings 2.The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to _________. A) help strengthen the foundation of the building B) predict the coming of an earthquake with accuracy C) counterbalance an earthquake's action on the building D) measure the impact of an earthquake's vibrations 3.The smart buildings discussed in the passage ________. A) would cause serious financial problems B) would be worthwhile though costly C) would increase the complexity of architectural design D) can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes 4.It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing the damage caused by earthquakes attention should be focused on _________. A) the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital construction B) the reduction of the impact of ground vibrations C) the development of flexible building materials D) early forecasts of earthquakes 5.The author's main purpose in writing the passage is to _________. A) compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the U.S. B) encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computers C) outline the history of the development of quake-resistant building materials D) report new developments in constructing quake-resistant buildings Passage 18:A C C B D

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Passage 19 People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced their dreams are prophetic because a few have come true; they neglect or fail to notice the many that have not. Consider also the belief that "the phone always rings when I'm in the shower." If it does ring while you are in the shower, the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn't ring, that nonevent probably won't even register. People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths "happen in threes." Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time period. If three plane crashes occur in a month, then the period of time that counts as their "happening together" is one month; if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end points reinforce such beliefs. We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people think they are more intelligent, more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of an automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use criteria that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, "Everybody ranks himself high in qualities he values: careful drivers give weight to care, skilled drivers give weight to skill, and those who are polite give weight to courtesy," This way everyone ranks high on his own scale. Perhaps the most important mental habit we can learn is to be cautious in drawing conclusions. The "evidence" of everyday life is sometimes misleading. 1. In the first paragraph the author states that ________. A) dreams cannot be said to be prophetic even though a few have come true. B) dreams are prophetic because some of them did come true. C) dreams may come true if clearly remembered. D) dreams and reality are closely related. 2. By" things like..." "happen in threes"(Para.3, Line 2), the author indicates that people believe _______. A) personal misfortunes tend to happen every now and then. B) personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths usually happen together. C) misfortunes tend to occur according to certain patterns. D) misfortunes will never occur more than three times to a person in his lifetime. 3. The word "courtesy"(Para.4,Line 6) probably means A) good manners. B) appropriate speech C) friendly relations. D) satisfactory service. 4. What can be inferred from the passage A) Happenings that go unnoticed deserve more attention. B) In a series of misfortunes the third one is usually the most serious. C) People tend to make use of evidence that supports their own beliefs. D) Believers of misfortunes happening in threes are cautious in interpreting events. 5. It can be concluded from the passage that A) there is some truth even in the wildest dreams. B) one should take notice of other people's merits. C) there is no order or pattern in world events. D) we should not base our conclusions on accidental evidence. Passage 19:A C A A D

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Passage 20 Even plants can run a fever, especially when they're under attack by insects or disease. But unlike humans, plants can have their temperature taken from 3,000 feet away-- straight up. A decade ago, adapting the infrared scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites, physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress. The goal was to let farmers precisely target pesticide spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field, which invariably includes plants that don't have pest problems. Even better, Paley 's Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye. Mounted on a plane flown at 3,000 feet at night, an infrared scanner measured the heat emitted by crops. The data were transformed into a color-coded map showing where plants were running "fevers". Farmers could then spot-spray, using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide than they otherwise would. The bad news is that Paley's company closed down in 1984, after only three years. Farmers resisted the new technology and long-term backers were hard to find. But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce, and refinements in infrared scanning, Paley hopes to get back into operation. Agriculture experts have no doubt the technology works. "This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States," says George Oerther of Texas A&M. Ray Jackson, who recently retired form the Department of Agriculture, thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade. But only if Paley finds the financial backing which he failed to obtain 10 years ago. 1. Plants will emit an increased amount of heat when they are A) sprayed with pesticides B) in poor physical condition C) facing an infrared scanner D) exposed to excessive sun rays. 2. In order to apply pesticide spraying precisely ,we can use infrared scanning to A) locate the problem area B) draw a color-coded map C) measure the size of the affected arm D) estimate the damage to the crops 3. Farmers can save considerable amount of pesticide by _______. A) transforming poisoned rain B) consulting infrared scanning experts C) resorting to spot-spraying D) detecting crop problems at an early date 4. The application of infrared scanning technology to agriculture met with some difficulties due to _______. A) the lack of official support B) its high cost C) its failure to help increase production D) the lack of financial support 5. Infrared scanning technology may be brought back into operation because of ________. A) growing concern about the excessive use of pesticides on crops B) the desire of farmers to improve the quality of their produce C) the forceful promotion by the Department of Agriculture D) full support from agriculture experts Passage 20:B A C D A