公共英语二级阅读理解训练：Famous People

　　Famous People

A

　　本文词数:213 参考时间:1'47''

　　Talent in Business—KenLewis

　　When he was still a child, Ken Lewis loved sports very much, and decided to become a great athlete. However, he hurt his back, so he had to change his attention to business. As the son of a nurse and an army official, Lewis went door-to-door selling Grit, a weekly newspaper, and later got a job selling shoes. He had a great ability to make money.

　　Lewis now manages Bank of America which holds more Americans’money than any other bank in America. The Bank of America is second to Citigroup in total assets1, but is the largest consumer bank in the U.S., holding about 591 billion dollars in deposits2 and serving about 55 million users. His bank got 21.1 billion dollars from them last year.

　　At 60 years old, Lewis is still widening his business field. Now his business has spread into wealth management and credit cards. Lewis is very successful. While Citigroup sent 17,000 workers away this spring, Lewis’s company received 28% earnings increase.

　　Lewis caused heated arguments this year. He planned for a credit card which would not need users to provide a Social Security number. Some people cheered for this plan. But other people were against it and worried it may help illegal immigration3.

　　Notes:
　　1. asset n.资产
　　2. deposit n.存款
　　3. illegal immigration 非法移民

　　词数:101 处理时间:2'12''

　　1. Which company has the most assets in the United States?

　　A. Citigroup. B. Bank of America.

　　C. Grit. D. MBNA.

　　2. It is described in the passage that Lewis’s bank is the largest consumer bank in America. What is an example of it?

　　A. It has about 55 million users.

　　B. It has brought in 21.1 billion dollars.

　　C. It has received 28% earnings increase.

　　D. Its credit cards are easier to use.

　　3. According to the passage, what field of business has Lewis NOT worked in?

　　A. Credit card industry.

　　B. Shoes industry.

　　C. Newspaper industry.

　　D. Immigration guide.

B

　　本文词数:300 参考时间:2'19''

　　Leonardo DiCaprio

　　In the early 1990s, my friend showed me a picture of a film —ThisBoy’sLife. He told me, "I worked with this kid. He’s really good. You’ve got to work with him someday."The "kid"was Leonardo Di-Caprio, born in November 11, 1974.

　　Then I saw Leonardo’s film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. It is hard for actors to play someone who has problems with their brain. Very often, no matter how good they are, you may find their acting is not natural. But surprisingly, I found Leonardo did play very well. In fact, he wasn’t "playing" the role. He had allowed the character to become a person and to live inside him. I was shocked but excited to find it.

　　Then I saw Leonardo in The Basketball Diaries as Jim Carroll, in Total Eclipse as Rimbaud, in Romeo+Juliet as Romeo, in Titanicas the young hero. I realized that these different roles were not a problem for him at all.中 华 考 试 网

　　We worked together for the first time in Gangs of NewYork, at his 27. He knows how to use his face, his eyes and his body; he knows how much to give and how much to hold back. I look at him, and I know he is a true actor. The camera knows it. And most importantly, the audience knows it.

　　Leonardo, now 33 years old, makes use of his fame very carefully. He tries to raise public attention, especially in young people, of the environmental danger facing the earth. And he is a good student —he never stops studying or learning. The "kid" has grown up to be a man and I feel lucky to have him as a partner. We’ve made three films now. I can’t wait until we work together again.

　　词数:90 处理时间:1'48''

　　1. According to the passage, when did the author work with Leonardo for the first time?

　　A. In 1997. B. In 2001. C. In 2006. D. In 2007.

　　2. The author states that _________.

　　A. he has liked Leonardo since the film This Boy’sLife

　　B. Leonardo plays himself in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

　　C. Leonardo is planning to enter a university

　　D. he likes working together with Leonardo

　　3. Besides an actor, Leonardo is also a(n) ______ as well.

　　A. environmental protector

　　B. university student

　　C. painter

　　D. cameraman

阅读新题型

　　本文词数:141 参考时间:1'53''

　　Winston Churchill (1874-1965), former prime minister of the United Kingdom, was considered as one of the greatest British leaders of the 20th century.

　　Churchill is famous for his leadership during the Second World War. His courage and wisdom enabled him to lead his country through the war —one of the most difficult and dangerous wars in British history.

　　Winston Churchill’s public life lasted from the late nineteenth century to the Cold War in the twentieth century. In his long political life, Churchill once held every important position in the British government, except foreign minister.

　　On the other hand, Churchill was also a writer. He was well known for many books on British history and politics he wrote throughout his lifetime. He mastered English, which not only made him a great speechmaker but earned him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1953.

　　Note:

　　prime minister总理, 首相

　　词数:55 处理时间:3'10''

　　Fill in the table with proper words.

　　参考答案阅读理解：

　　阅读理解A：

　　1-3 A A D

　　阅读理解B：

　　1-3 BDA

　　阅读新题型：

　　(1) Former prime minister
　　(2) wisdom
　　(3) wars
　　(4) foreign minister
　　(5) literature