Reading Comprehension 閱讀理解

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。

（一）

A

Each country and culture has its own set of public holidays and festivals. While some of these holidays and festivals like Christmas and New Year are common across the world， there are many more holidays that are unknown outside of national borders.

Blessed Rainy Day

Life in a country where it rains a lot can be hard. In Bhutan， Blessed Rainy Day is the holiday marking the end of the monsoon season （雨季）. On this day， everyone is encouraged to enjoy a bath out of the house to wash away bad luck.

Melon Day

Turkmenistans Melon Day is a celebration of their national fruit. It takes place on the second Sunday in August. Thousands of mouth-watering melons were given away in the heat of the Turkmen capital Ashgabat on Sunday to celebrate Melon Day.

“Punch Your Neighbor” Festival

The cities of Potosi and Macha in Bolivia hold the festival in the Bolivian Andes Mountains in May every year. Its celebrated by thousands of people and its based on the Quechua word “Tinku” that means “meeting”. The meaning of the word has become worse as it now is celebrated with beatings that can actually really hurt people.

Haxey Hood

The Haxey Hood game in England has a big group of people trying to push a small leather tube towards one of the four pubs in town， where it will stay until the following years game. Once a person has the tube， he cannot run with it or throw it. He has to pass it on to people on his team. The game usually lasts a few hours.

1. How do people celebrate Blessed Rainy Day？

A. By taking a shower in the bathroom.

B. By playing outdoors in the rain.

C. By throwing water on others.

D. By taking a bath outdoors.

2. What can we learn about the festival held in Potosi and Macha？

A. It attracts few people in the two cities.

B. It is the most interesting festival in that country.

C. It can be dangerous for those who take part in it.

D. It is meant to encourage neighbors to love each other.

3. What should people do in the Haxey Hood game？

A. Run with a leather tube.

B. Push each other forward.

C. Try to win a drink at a pub.

D. Pass a leather tube towards a pub.、、

B

Sixteen years ago I learned a lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Heres what happened. I hopped in （跳上） a taxi， and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when， all of a sudden， a black car rushed out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes （猛地剎車）， skidded， and missed the other cars back end by just inches！

The driver of the other car， who almost caused a big accident， started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I said， “Why did you just do that？ This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital！” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call “The Law of the Garbage Truck”.

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage， full of frustration， full of anger， and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up， they need a place to dump it. And if you let them， theyll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you， dont take it personally. You just smile， wave， wish them well， and move on. Youll be happy with what you did.

I started thinking， how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me？ And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work， at home， or on the streets？ It was that day I said， “Im not going to do that anymore.”

Successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. What about you？ If you let more garbage trucks pass you by， youll be happier. Lifes too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So， love the people who treat you right; forget about the ones who dont.

4. What happened when the author was taking a taxi？

A. The taxi driver was injured.

B. The taxi almost hit another car.

C. The author got angry with the taxi driver.

D. The author learned a lesson from the driver of the black car.

5. How did the taxi driver respond to the behavior of the driver in the black car？

A. He yelled back at the driver.

B. He sent the driver to the hospital.

C. He was friendly towards the driver.

D. He dumped some garbage in front of his car.

6. According to Paragraph 3， the author thinks many people ___ .

A. tend to be very sad

B. like to drive garbage trucks

C. dump garbage wherever they like

D. are warm-hearted to make others happy

7. What does the author advise us to do if people “dump garbage” on you？

A. Try to persuade them not to do that again.

B. Ignore them and go on with our own work.

C. Tell them to dump the garbage in the right place.

D. Take over their work and carry the garbage to somewhere else.

C

If you ask most people what water tastes like， theyll probably tell you that water has no taste and they may give you a funny look. But if you were a fruit fly， asking another fruit fly， that question might have a different answer.

To a fruit fly， water has a taste. Scientists want to know how the fruit fly knows water because this information may help in learning how other animals—or even individual cells—manage to use water in the right way. Water is vital to life， but too much or too little can be deadly to a living creature. So by understanding how the fruit fly tastes water， researchers may learn more about other living things.

According to the new study， a protein （蛋白質(zhì)） called PPK28 makes it possible for a fruit fly to taste water. Proteins build cells and tissues， fight disease and carry messages between cells. Its not surprising that a protein is responsible for the fruit flys ability to taste water.

The PPK28 protein is part of a larger family of similar proteins. One of these related proteins is used by mammals （including humans） to taste salt. Scientists have not found a protein that enables humans to “taste” water.

In the experiment， Cameron and his team compared normal fruit flies with fruit flies whose taste cells had been disabled. The fruit flies were given a special chemical that would glow when the fly used the PPK28 protein. Then the scientists led the flies to water. When the normal flies tasted the water， the PPK28 protein lit up—showing that it was in use.

The fruit fly in particular is so interesting that some scientists are hard at work creating a complete map of the fruit fly brain. This map will show all of a flys neurons （神經(jīng)元） and help scientists understand how the neurons work together.

8. How do most people feel when asked about the taste of water？

A. Amused. B. Frightened.

C. Disappointed. D. Disgusted.

9. Why do scientists want to know how the fruit fly knows water？

A. To decrease the number of the fruit fly. B. To know more about other creatures.

C. To learn to use water correctly. D. To describe the taste of water.

10. What do we know about the PPK28 protein？

A. It can make humans taste salt. B. The fruit fly cant live without it.

C. It enables the fruit fly to taste water. D. The fruit fly uses it to avoid illnesses.

11. What will the scientists continue to work at？

A. Studying the fruit flys neuron systems. B. Telling more information about cells.

C. Creating maps of human brains. D. Making the PPK28 protein.

D

If you buy a washing machine， a fridge or a television in Europe， it comes with a sticker. Thanks to a 1992 EU rule， all appliances （電器） must be labelled （貼標(biāo)簽） with their energy efficiency. So why has our food system—which threatens 10，000 species with extinction， produces about 30% of greenhouse gases， and drives 800% of our air pollution—only ever had voluntary eco-labels？

The appliances ruling had a huge impact （沖擊力）; initially， 75% of fridges and freezers were rated G to D （low efficiency）， but today 98% are classed A++ or A+++. Worldwide， the energy efficiency of labelled appliances has increased three times faster than appliances without labels.? Introducing an equal system for food could have an even bigger impact.

Mandatory environmental labels would change how we produce and consume in far-reaching ways. First， producers would have to measure their impacts in a uniform way and be accountable for the results.? This would not be expensive： it is free to monitor environmental impacts using digital tools such as Fieldprint and the Cool Farm Tool. Second， they support sustainable consumption. Our research found that products that look， taste and cost the same can have dramatically different environmental impacts. High-impact beef producers use 5，7000% more land and create l，000% more greenhouse gases than low-impact producers. Labels would allow consumers to tell these products apart.

They would highlight both high-and low-impact producers， in the same way， across multiple products. This would encourage more people to think about their choices by exposing them to the facts every time they are in the shops. We can also use labels to turn smaller consumer changes into large environmental benefits： because a small number of producers create a large share of the impact， simply avoiding high-impact producers can make a huge contribution to pollution reductions.

12. Why does the author mention the appliances in Paragraph 1？

A. To applaud the 1992 EU rule. B. To bring up the topic of labelling food.

C. To point out the pollution they caused. D. To compare their energy consumption rates.

13. What do the figures in Paragraph 2 show？

A. The importance of saving energy. B. The debate about eco-labelled appliances.

C. The effectiveness of the appliances ruling. D. The problem caused by appliances of low efficiency.

14. What does the word “Mandatory” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Compulsory. B. Effective.

C. Different. D. Independent.

15. Why do people use eco-labels？

A. To increase the profits of low-impact producers. B. To show producers environmental impacts.

C. To guide consumers to buy healthier food. D. To expose consumers to more products.

（二）

A

Summer Camps for Teenagers

There are many types of summer camps for teenagers to attend. Theyre a great way for teens to make friends and learn valuable lessons about life. If youre seeking a good summer camp to attend， the first thing you should do is decide what type of camp would be most suitable to your interests and goals.

Traditional Camps

When you just want the sort of camp in classic films， a traditional overnight camp might be just what you need to grow， learn， and relax this coming summer. These sorts of camps offer more vigorous outdoor activities， yet often allow campers to customize their camping experiences.

Chewonki Camp

As one of the best summer camps in the country by Boston magazine， this camp aims to help teens learn about natural history and ecology， and the campers get treats like sailing trips and hiking excursions， besides formal instruction in such things as kayaking， swimming， field sports， and photography.

Camp Wicosuta

As a top-rated， traditional four-week sleep away camp especially for young ladies， Camp Wicosuta has more than 30 different activities to help teens learn to cook and wash themselves， which aim to help young girls focus on building their self-confidence.

Academic Camps

Many teens like to advance their education during the summer months while also having fun. There are hundreds of academic camps for them to choose from that specialize in various academic subjects like journalism， language， law， computer， and science.

1. You should decide what camp to attend according to ___ .

A. items and activities

B. camping time and place

C. your values and customs

D. personal interests and goals

2. Which is the most suitable for sailing and hiking？

A. Traditional Camps. B. Chewonki Camp.

C. Camp Wicosuta. D. Academic Camps.

3. What is the purpose of Camp Wicosuta？

A. To make teens focus on science.

B. To let teens learn and get relaxed.

C. To help girls build self-confidence.

D. To help girls learn lessons about life.

B

A fellow speaker from California named Geri， in her favourite jeans and a casual jacket， flew to Japan to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later， four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low， they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand， Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them， glanced briefly at the cards， and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.

When the five of them arrived at the hotel， they invited Geri to tea in the lobby. While sipping tea， the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly， “Oh， its beautiful.”

At this point， the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and， bowing only very slightly， said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong？

Everything！ Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if youre coming off a bicycle in Japan， you do not meet clients casually dressed. The second mistake was Geris handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan， the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However， Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan， people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each others cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.

Then， the fourth mistake of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical， it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What was worse， Geri hadnt even given them a gift！

4. The Japanese gentlemen thought Geri took their cards ___ .

A. excitedly B. seriously C. politely D. disrespectfully

5. Why did the four Japanese gentlemen leave Geri suddenly？

A. They couldnt bear Geris behaviour any longer. B. They had finished their task.

C. They had something more important to do. D. They didnt want to embarrass Geri.

6. What does the underlined word “gaffe” in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Ignorance. B. Sadness. C. Mistake. D. Carelessness.

7. Which of the following sayings can best express the main idea of the passage？

A. Honesty is the best policy. B. Think twice before you take any action.

C. When in Rome， do as the Romans do. D. Dont pretend to know what you dont know.

C

Cosmetic surgery （整容手術(shù)） is not something to be entered into lightly. Unfortunately， in this modern world， we have become confused by very narrow standards of beauty. Images of celebrities who never seem to age are seen everywhere these days. We forget the fact that most of these images are the result of photo manipulation （處理）， driven by the incredibly powerful beauty industry. We are all different—why should we all look the same？ Isnt there more to life than undergoing surgery in order to have the same boring face that everybody else wants to have？

—Dr Elisabeth McKenna， Psychologist

Yes， its fake！ Thats what I told my friends when they started asking me about my nose job. Id always been sensitive to my nose， but it took me a long time before I decided to go for cosmetic surgery. I took advice from several doctors and after careful consultation I finally decided to have it done. In fact I wish Id had it done a few years ago. Im sure I wouldnt have been teased so much at school.

—Debbie Caron， Student

It makes me really angry to think of the millions of people who spend a fortune on cosmetic surgery. Surgery should be carried out for medical purposes， not vanity （虛榮心）. I would rather all the money spent on cosmetic surgery was available to treat people around the world who are in need but cant get proper medical treatment. Furthermore， there are thousands of under-qualified surgeons out there who only care about getting rich as quickly as possible. We should do something to ban it.

—Danny Glass， Student

8. What does Dr Elisabeth McKenna tell us？

A. Dont be fooled by “perfection”. B. Dont believe in beauty industry.

C. The beauty industry needs improving. D. Its unnecessary to set new standards of beauty.

9. What did Debbie Carons cosmetic surgery bring to her？

A. More friends. B. More worries.

C. More self-confidence. D. More job opportunities.

10. How does Danny Glass feel about those who have cosmetic surgery？

A. They should be treated as patients. B. They hurt themselves badly.

C. They can have a new start.? ? ? D. They waste money and medical resources.

11. What could be the best title for the text？

A. Hard Talk—Cosmetic Surgery B. The Future of Cosmetic Surgery

C. The Mystery of Cosmetic Surgery D. A New Fashion—Cosmetic Surgery

D

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. For 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 later in their trip. In department stores， the womens shoe section is generally next to the womens cosmetics （化妝品） section： while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe， bored customers are likely to wander over and find some 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， so 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 wines went up.

When it comes to the selling of houses， businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decisions in the first few seconds 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 pool through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.

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

A. To show they are high quality foods.

B. To sell them at discount prices.

C. To save customers time.

D. To help sell junk food.

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

A. Inviting customers to play music.

B. Opening the store early in the morning.

C. Displaying British wines next to French ones.

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

14. What does the California builders story imply？

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.

15. What is the main purpose of the passage？

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

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

C. To report researches on customer behavior.

D. To uncover some dishonest business practices.

（三）

A

Bicycle Safety

Operation： Always ride your bike in a safe， controlled manner on campus. Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists， and always use your lights in dark conditions.

Theft Prevention： Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack—even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. Its fast， easy， and free. Registration permanently records your serial number （編號(hào)）， which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.

Equipment

Brakes：? Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.

Helmet： Make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly.

Lights： Always have a front headlight—visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea as well.

Rules of the Road

Riding on Campus： As a bicycle rider， you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph， unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers. If you are involved in an accident， you are required to offer appropriate aid， call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.

Bicycle Parking： Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees， handrails， hallways， and sign posts are not for bicycle parking， and parking in such spots can result in a fine.

If Things Go Wrong

If you break the rules， you will be fined. Besides， violating rules while riding bicycles on campus， you could be fined for：

● No bicycle registration... $25

● Bicycle parking banned... $30

● Blocking the path with the bicycle... $40

● Violation of bicycle equipment requirement... $35

1. Registration of your bicycle may help you ___ .

A. find it when its stolen B. get your serial number

C. receive free repair services D. settle conflicts with walkers

2. What bike equipment is a free choice for riders？

A. Brakes. B. A helmet. C. A headlight. D. A taillight.

3. What should you do when you ride a bicycle on campus？

A. Give the way on the right to walkers. B. Cycle always at a speed of 15 mph.

C. Ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks. D. Call the police before leaving in case of an accident.

B

Two summers ago I was about to turn fifty and wanted to do something Id never done before. My daughter Bailey thought skydiving （跳傘） would be perfect for me. I can promise you that of all the things I was thinking of doing，? jumping out of an airplane never came close to making the list. As I age，? I seem to have developed a growing fear of heights.

After several requests from my daughter，? I finally said yes and she looked almost shocked. I told a friend what we were doing; then we set off. We had a 3-hour drive to the jump site. We drove through some beautiful countryside，? but then we passed a small cemetery （墓地）. Then we passed another cemetery and another one. I asked if so many people died jumping out of airplanes in this area that they needed to keep building more cemeteries to bury all the bodies！

As we squeezed into the little plane，? I tightly held the right hand of my partner Ronnie. The short ride to altitude was cruel for me. As Bailey stepped to the door，? she looked back at me and said，? “Dad，? Im sure you can do it！” I said yes as she rolled out. I immediately looked behind me and said， “Ronnie I am not feeling good！” He said， “Its going to be great. Besides，? its too late now anyway.” And we jumped out.

The next five minutes were some of the most amazing of my life. It was so beautiful and peaceful—except for the parts where I was screaming. I prayed to God for the parachute to open，? but mostly I told him how thankful I was for my life and being with me through good and bad.

4. What can we know about the author from Paragraph 1？

A. He skydived for the first time at the age of 48.

B. He wanted to do skydiving for his 50th birthday.

C. He is less fearful of heights as he gets older.

D. He had never considered attempting to do skydiving.

5. Why did the author mention the cemeteries in Paragraph 2？

A. To tell how determined he was.

B. To show how rough the trip was.

C. To express how scared he was then.

D. To prove how lonely the jump site was.

6. What did Bailey do for her father before she skydived？

A. She played a joke with him.

B. She gave him encouragement.

C. She comforted him constantly.

D. She offered him useful guidance.

7. How did the author behave after jumping out of the airplane？

A. He enjoyed himself.

B. He stayed quite calm.

C. He breathed out in relief.

D. He kept fearing for safety.

C

A new keyboard can tell whether you are its owner. The keyboard records information about the typing pattern and sends it to a computer program. The program then checks to see if the pattern matches the right user. If not， an alarm sounds， and the computer locks the typist out. It locks out anyone else， even if the person knows the password. Whats more， this device needs no batteries. It harvests all the energy it needs from the action of your typing. Besides， the keyboard is also self-cleaning and the keys are free of damage from water， oil and dirt.

The keys of the new keyboard are made of the same inexpensive plastic that might be found on any other standard keyboard. But instead of being smooth， the keys have millions of tiny plastic nanowires （納米線） on their surface area to every key， increasing the effective contact area between the plastics and fingers. This ensures that theres enough power to run the keyboard as someone types.

Liming Dai， a scientist， did not work on the new keyboard， but he thinks the design could be important in getting better performance from a variety of devices. “It could also be applied to a touch screen， for instance，” Dai says. “Then smartphones and notepads could harvest energy from the action of someone typing or drawing.”

“Future work might make the keyboard even more useful，” Dai adds. “A later design might build tiny capacitors （電容器） onto the nanowires，” he suggests. Capacitors are little devices that temporarily store electric charges. Those might then be LEDs to light a keyboard in the dark.

Zhonglin Wang is a co-designer of the new keyboard. His team has built a working model of the keyboard. “If a company decides to fund its production， this keyboard could be in stores in as little as two years，” says Wang.

8. How does the new keyboard tell whether you are its owner？

A. By checking the users passwords.

B. By sending alarms to a computer program.

C. By matching the typing pattern to the user.

D. By recording information about the typing pattern.

9. Why are many nanowires fixed on the surface of the keys？

A. To make the keys beautiful. B. To help produce power.

C. To make the keys smooth. D. To improve the speed of typing.

10. What is Dais attitude to the new keyboard？

A. Unconcerned. B. Positive. C. Doubtful. D. Conservative.

11. What is the best title for the text？

A. A Keyboards Future

B. A Keyboard Made of Nanowires

C. A Keyboard Powered by Typing

D. A Keyboard Entirely Owned by You

D

The meteor （流星） shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothschild， Emerald Valleys mayor， people gathered in the suburbs of the city， carrying heavy telescopes， expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the citys lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

“My family was so frustrated，” admitted town resident Duane Cosby. “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing， but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds， bats， frogs， snakes， etc. For example， outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association， “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

Countless animal casualties result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly， people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings， but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans， too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a persons chances of getting cancer.

Emerald Valley is the only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years， Flagstaff， Arizona， has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide， and a movement is under way to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them， so that other creatures can share the night.

12. Why were the people unsatisfied with the meteor watching？

A. It ended up a social outing. B. The citys lights affected it.

C. The meteors flew past before being noticed. D. The city light show attracted many people.

13. What do the astronomers complain about？

A. Meteor showers occur less often than before. B. Their eyesight is failing due to artifical lighting.

C. Light pollution has remained unsolved for years. D. The government forbids their observation.

14. What is the author concerned about according to Paragraph 4？

A. Birds may take other migration paths. B. Animals living habits may change suddenly.

C. Varieties of animals will become sharply reduced. D. Animals lives are threatened by outdoor lighting.

15. What does the author mainly want to tell us？

A. Saving wildlife is saving ourselves. B. Great efforts should be made to save energy.

C. Human activities should be environmentally friendly. D. New equipment should be introduced for space study.

（四）

A

If watching kids isnt quite the part-time job youd want to keep yourself busy with during the summer holidays， then here are some of the coolest jobs for teens.

Camp Counselor （輔導(dǎo)員）

Though its kind of a babysitting job， its much more fun as it exposes you to many skills such as team working and many other activities. Another advantage of this kind of job is that you are more likely to make new friends as you will be working with a number of people.