VI. Reading Comprehension (38 points)
Passage 1
I am one of the many city people who are always saying that given the choice we would prefer to live in the country away from the dirt and noise of a large city. I have managed to convince myself that it weren’t for my job I would immediately head out for the open spaces and go back to nature in some sleepy village buried in the country. But how realistic is the dream?
Cities can be frightening places. The majority of the population live in massive tower blocks, noisy, dirty and impersonal. The sense of belonging to a community tends to disappear when you live fifteen floors up. All you can see from your window is sky, or other blocks of flats. Children become aggressive and nervous—cooped up at home all day, with nowhere to play; their mothers feel isolated from the rest of the world. Strangely enough whereas in the past the inhabitants of one street all knew each other, nowadays people on the same floor in tower blocks don’t even say hello to each other.
Country life, on the other hand, differs from this kind of isolated existence in that a sense of community generally binds the inhabitants of small villages together. People have the advantage of knowing that there is always someone to turn to when they need help. But country life has disadvantages too. While it is true that you may be among friends in a village, it is also true that you are cut off from the existing and important events that take place in cities. There’s little possibility of going to a new show or the latest movie. Shopping becomes a major problem, and for anything slightly out of the ordinary you have to go on and expedition to the nearest large town. The city-dweller who leaves for the country is often oppressed by a sense of unbearable stillness and quiet.
What, then, is the answer? The country has the advantage of peace and quiet, but suffers from the disadvantage of being cut off; the city breeds a feeling of isolation, and constant noise batters the senses. But one of its main advantages is that you are at the center of things, and that life doesn’t come to an end at half-past nine at night. Some people have found (or rather bought) a compromise between the two; they have expressed their preference for the “quiet life” by leaving the suburbs and moving to villages within commuting distance of large cities. They generally have about as much sensitivity as the plastic flowers they leave behind— they are polluted with strange ideas about change and improvement which they force on to the unwilling original inhabitants of the villages.
What then of my dreams of leaning on a cottage gate and murmuring “morning” to the locals as they pass by? I’m keen on the idea, but you see there’s my cat, Toby, I’m not at all sure that he would take to all that fresh air and exercise in the long grass, I mean, can you see him mixing with all those hearty males down the farm? No, he would rather have the electric imitation-coal fire any evening.
1. We get the impression from the first paragraph that the author
A used to live in the country B used to work in the city
C works in the city D lives in the country
2. In the author’s opinion, the following may cause city people to be unhappy EXCEPT
A a strong sense of fear B lack of communication
C housing conditions D a sense of isolation
3. The passage implies that it is easy to buy the following things in the country EXCEPT
A daily necessities B fresh fruits
C designer clothes D fresh vegetables
4. According to the passage, which of the following adjectives best describes those people who work in large cities and live in villages?
A Original B Quiet C Arrogant D Insensitive
5. Do you think the author will move to the country?
A Yes, he will do so B No, he will not do so
C It is difficult to tell D He is in two minds
Passage 2
Clearly if we are to participle in the society in which we live we must communicate with other people. A great deal of communicating is performed on a person-to-person basis by the simple means of speech. If we travel in buses, buy things in shops, or eat in restaurants, we are likely to have conversations where we give information or opinions, receive news or comment, and very likely have our views challenged by other members of society.
Face-to-face contact is by no means the only form of communication and during the last two hundred years the art of mass communication has become of one of the dominating factors of contemporary society. Two things, above others, have caused the enormous growth of the communication industry. Firstly, inventiveness has led to advances in printing, telecommunications, photography, radio and television. Secondly, speed has revolutionized the transmission and reception of communications so that local news often takes a back seat to national news, which itself is often almost eclipsed by international news.
No longer is the possession of information confined to a privileged minority. In the last century the wealthy man with his own library was indeed fortunate, but today there are public libraries. Forty years ago people used to flock to the cinema, but now far more people sit at home and turn on the TV to watch a programme that is being channeled into millions of homes.
Communication is no longer merely concerned with the transmission of information. The modern communication industry influences the way people live in society and broadens their horizons by allowing access to information, education and entertainment. The printing, broadcasting and advertising industries are all involved with informing,educating and entertaining.
Although a great deal of the material communicated by the mass media is very valuable to the individual and to the society of which he is a part, the vast modern network of communications is open to abuse. However, the mass media are with us for better, for worse, and there is no turning back.
6. In the first paragraph the writer emphasizes the _________ of face-to-face contact in social settings.
A nature B limitation C usefulness D creativity
7. It is implied in the passage that_______
A local news used to be the only source of information
B local news still takes a significant place
C national news is becoming more popular
D international news is the fastest transmitted news
8. which of the following statement is INCORRECT?
A To possess information used to be a privilege
B Public libraries have replaced private libraries
C Communication means more than transmission
D Information influences ways of life and thinking
9. From the last paragraph we can infer that the writer is________.
A indifferent to the harmful influence of the mass media
B happy about the drastic changes in the mass media
C pessimistic about the future of the mass media
D concerned about the wrong use of the mass media
Passage 3
Human cloning technology could be used to reverse heart attacks. Scientists believe that they may be able to treat heart attack victims by cloning their healthy heart cells and injecting them into the areas of the heart that have been damaged, and other problems may be solved if human cloning and its technology are not forbidden.
With cloning, infertile couples could have children. Current treatments for infertility, in terms of percentages, are not very successfully. Couples go through physically and emotionally painful procedures for a small chance of having children. Many couples run out of time and money without successfully having children. Human cloning could make it possible for many more infertile couples to have children than ever before.
We should be able to clone the bone marrow for children and adults suffering from leukemia. This is expected to be one of the first benefits to come from cloning technology.
We may learn how to switch cells on and off through cloning and thus be able to cure cancer.
Cloning technology can be used to test for and perhaps cure gene-related diseases.
The above is just a few examples of what human cloning technology can do for mankind. This new technology promises unprecedented advancement in medicine if people will release their fears and let the benefits begin.
10.Heart attacks can be treated with human cloning technology by___________.
A removing the damaged part of the heart
B replacing the old heart with a cloned one
C repairing the heart with cells cloned from healthy ones
D giving the patients injections of various medicines
11. The word “infertile”(Line 1, Para.2) most probably means“____________”.
A unable to give birth to a child
B with physical and emotional problems
C short of time and money
D separated from each other for long
12. According to the passage, one of the first expected benefits from cloning technology may be in ____________.
A the treatment of heart attacks
B the bearing of babies
C the cure of blood diseases
D the detection of gene-related diseases
13. Cancer may be cured with the cloning technology by___________.
A attacking the diseased cells with healthy ones
B controlling the growth of the cells
C detecting disordered genes in the cancel cells
D activating cancer cells by switching them on
14. According to the writer, the main problem with the development of human cloning technology is that___________.
A it may be out of human control
B it has brought about few benefits so far
C people still know little about it
D people are afraid of such technology
Passage 4
Ideas about education are changing in the United States. Education today is not just a high school diploma or a college degree. Many adults are not interested in going to college. They are interested in other kinds of learning. For them, learning does not end with a diploma.
Continuing education gives these adults the opportunity to increase their knowledge about their own field or to learn about a new field. It also gives them a chance to improve their old skills or to learn new ones.
Scientists, mechanics and barbers can take classes to improve their work skills. If they know more or learn more, they can get a better job or earn more money.
Continuing education classes give more adults the chances to learn new skills. There is usually a large variety of classes to choose from: typing, foreign cooking, photography, auto repair, furniture repair, or swimming. These are only some of the classes available.
Some adults take classes for fun or because the class will be useful for them. Other adults take continuing education classes to improve their own lives because they want to feel better about themselves.
Almost any community college or public school system has a continuing education program. There are classes in schools, community buildings or churches. Most classes are in the evening, so working people can attend. The classes are usually small, and they are inexpensive.
15. The new idea about education in the U.S. is that__________.
A. everyone should get a college degree
B. It’s no use for adults to go to college
C. a high school diploma is the end of education
D. adults should go on learning after graduating from school
16. What’s the purpose for adults to continue their education?
A. Enlarge their knowledge and learn new skills.
B. Catch up the opportunity to get a higher degree.
C. Learn more basic knowledge to get a diploma.
D. Make themselves live a more comfortable life.
17. Which of the following statement is true?
A. There are only a few continuing education classes available for adults.
B. Only those who want to get more money should go on with their education.
C. People take continuing education can get a good job.
D. All the people getting continuing education can get a good job.
18. Usually, the continuing education program is given________.
A. in a small size and expensively
B. only for working people
C. only in community buildings or churches
D. by community colleges and public schools
19. The best title for the passage would be _________.
A. Continuing Education Classes
B. The Importance of a College Degree
C. A Good Way to Earn More Money
D. Difference Choices for Adults
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