Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (55 minutes, 40 points)
Directions: There are four passages in this part. Each of the passage is followed by five questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best one and mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET with a single line through the center.
Passage One
The worst thing about television and radio is that they entertain us, saving us the trouble of entertaining ourselves.
A hundred years ago, before all these devices were invented, if a person wanted to entertain himself with a song or a piece of music, he would have to do the singing himself or pick up a violin and play it. Now, all he has to do is turn on the radio or TV. As a result, singing and music have declined.
Italians used to sing all the time. Now, they only do it in Hollywood movies. Indian movies are mostly a series of songs and dances trapped around silly stories. As a result, they don’t do much singing in Indian villages anymore. Indeed, ever since radio first came to life, there has been a terrible decline in amateur (业余的) singing throughout the world.
There are two reasons for this sad decline: One, human beings are astonishingly lazy. Put a lift in a building, and people would rather take it than climb even two flights of steps. Similarly, invent a machine that sings, and people would rather let the machine sing than sing themselves. The other reason is that people are easily embarrassed. When there is a famous, talented musician readily available by pushing a button, which amateur violinist or pianist would want to try to entertain family or family or friends by himself ?
These earnest reflections came to me recently when two CDs arrived in the mail. They are historic recordings of famous writers reading their own works. It was thrilling to hear the voices from a long dead past in the late 19th century. But today, reading out loud anything is no longer common. Today, we sing songs to our children until they are about two, we read simple books to them till they are about five, and once they have learnt to read themselves, we become deaf. We’re alive only to the sound of the TV and the stereo (立体声音响).
I count myself extremely lucky to have been born before TV became so common. I was about six before TV appeared. To keep us entertained my mother had to do a good deal of singing and tell us endless tales. It was the same in many other homes. People spoke a language; they sang it, they recited it; it was something they could feel.
Professional actors’ performance is extraordinarily revealing. But I still prefer my own reading, because it’s mine. For the same reason, people find karaoke (卡拉OK) liberating. It is almost the only electronic thing that gives them bake their own voice. Even if their voices are hopelessly out of tune, at least it is meaningful self entertainment.
36. The main idea of this passage is that .
A. TV and radio can amuse us with beautiful songs and music
B. TV and radio prevent us from self-entertainment
C. people should sing songs and read books aloud themselves
D. parents should sing songs and read books aloud to their children
37. According to the passage, Italians
.
A. only sing songs in Hollywood B. are no longer fond of music
C. only sing and dance in villages D. don’t sing much nowadays
38. Which of the following is NOT the reason for the decline in amateur singing?
A. It is easier for people to please themselves with songs through TV and radio.
B. Amateurs feel embarrassed for they cannot sing as well as the professionals.
C. People don’t want to take the trouble to sing songs themselves.
D. Famous and talented musicians can easily be met.
39. When hearing the voices from the famous writers of a long dead past, the author .
A. was very excited
B. was very frightened
C. thought that writers shouldn’t read their own books
D. thought the past recording was not of good quality
40. The author’s attitude toward karaoke is
A. negative B. positive C. neutral D. indifferent
Passage Two If those“mad moments”—when you can’t remember what your friend has told you or where you left your keys—are becoming more frequent, mental exercises and a healthy brain diet may help.
Just as bodies require more maintenance with the passing years, so do brains, which scientists now know show signs of aging as early as the 20s and 30s.“Brain aging starts at a very young age, younger than any of us had imagined and these processes continue gradually over the years,”said Dr. Gary Small, the director of the Center on Aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.“I’m convinced that it is never too early to get started on a mental or brain-fitness program,” he added.
In his book, The Memory Bible, the 51-year-old neuroscientist (神经学家) lists what he refers to as the 10 suggestions for keeping the brain young. They include training memory, building skills, reducing stress, mental exercises, brain food and a healthy lifestyle. It’s a game plan for keeping brain cells sparking and neural networks in perfect shape.
“Misplacing your keys a couple of times don’t mean you should start labeling your cabinets. Memory loss is not an inevitable consequence of aging .Our brains can fight back,”he said.
Small provides the weapons for a full-scale attack.
Simple memory tests give an indication of what you are up against and tools such as“look”and“connect”are designed to make sure that important things such as names and dates are never forgotten.“So if you wanted to learn names and faces, for example, you meet Mrs. Beatty and you notice a distinguishing facial feature, maybe a high eyebrow,”said Small.“You associate the first thing that comes to mind. I think of the actor Warren Beatty so I create a mental picture of Warren Beatty kissing her brow.”
Small admits it may sound a bit strange but he says it works.“Mental exercises could be anything from doing crossword puzzles and writing with your left hand if you are right handed or learning a langrage. It could be anything that is fun that people enjoy doing,”he added.
He also recommends physical exercise, a low-fat diet and eating foods rich in fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants (抗氧化剂) including blueberries and onions in addition to reducing stress.
41. The“mad moment”in the first paragraph refers to the time when we .
A. don’t listen to our friends B. have lost our important things
C. have some mental problems D. have a bad memory
42. In this passage, the author mainly tells us .
A. everyone has bad memories sometimes no matter how old he is
B. we can prevent our mind from aging with various methods
C. brain aging starts at the time when we are in the 20s and 30s
D. memory lost is not the sign that we are getting old
43. By giving the example“you meet Mrs. Beatty and you notice a distinguishing...eyebrow”, Dr. Small is trying to explain the memory tool of .
A. look B. physical exercises
C. connect D. mental exercises
44. By saying“I think of the actor Warren BEATTY so I create...her brow”, Dr. Small is trying to explain the memory tool of
.
A. remembering facial features B. reducing stress
C. connecting related things D. observing carefully
45. Mental exercises do NOT include .
A. writing with one’s left hand B. learning a foreign language
C. doing crossword puzzles D. taking pictures
责任编辑:小草