2012届高考考前英语最后一讲：阅读理解
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文档简介
Part Four: 阅读部分
答题应试技巧：
题型：主旨大意题 事实细节题 猜测词义题 推理判断 观点态度类 文章脉络结构题 作者写作手法
1.关注文章脉络结构；
2.关注每一小节的主题句，也就是说读完每小节就要弄清它的Main idea;
3. 采取Skimming,关注主题句，其余Supporting information扫视即可；
4.如题目是细节题则通过Scanning有针对性地对读过的某小节仔细辨别具体信息；
5.通过上下文保证猜词题不失分；
6.文章the best title或main idea,即文章主旨题，不能以偏概全也不能范围太大；
7. 关注题目题干（即要求）与选项的匹配。如题目为推理题，而如果选了事实题，那就不对了。
8.对一些推测作者接下来要写的段落内容或第一节前面所写的内容可通过文章承上启下的特点关注文章最后一节或第一节的内容。
★关于涂卡：最好在做完一卷后先涂卡，以防做完II卷后时间紧张。
●阅读经典习题：
A
When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild animals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was a low budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life. But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten.
The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I’d owned was sold to pay debts that I didn’t even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who had refused to accept a divorce in the family. I’d lost everything except my four teenage children. I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right．
I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange lava(火山岩) pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. It was time to live my imagination!
The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I loved. I hadn’t painted a picture in 15 years. I wondered if I could still paint. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas(画布) in front of me. And as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $ 1500.
The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins, watched whales and hiked around the crater rim (火山口边缘) of the volcano. We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now a reality. I’m living freely and happily ever after.
1. Why did the writer go to Hawaii
A. To free herself from trouble. B. To spend her holiday.
C. To make a living. D. To realize her childhood dream.
2. Which of the following is the writer’s dream
A. Live a free and happy life. B. Live in nature with animals.
C. Get close to wildlife. D. Become a successful painter.
3. We can infer from the passage that _____.
A. the writer wasn’t sure whether she could survive in Hawaii at first
B. the writer’s parents encouraged her to divorce
C. the writer’s husband took away most of her money
D. the writer had never done painting before
B
New technology comes to the aid of the disabled in many forms that will knock your socks off！
A mobility robot is a robot that is designed to help disabled people move around．It might have wheels, but most often it will have legs so it can climb stairs and uneven ground．It might also take the form of a mobility suit, which is a kind of robot that surrounds your body, arms and legs．Here are some examples．
Toyota Partner RobotThis mobility robot can not only transport you around, you can also make it follow you around and use it transport all the things you have bought when you are shopping．Even though it has wheels, it can still climb stairs since each wheel can move independently up and down．
Twenty OneThe other amazing mobility robots in the top 10 can only help you movearound．Twenty One is different．It can help you move around and helpyou do almost all your household chores．Thanks to Twenty One's ability to understand human instructions, it can help you toast bread, prepare your dinner and find all kinds of stuff for you．
EL-E Fetch Bot The EL-E might not be a true mobility robot．It can not help you move around, but it can fetch things for you so you don't need to move anyway．All you need to do is to point a laser pointer at something and EL-E will race to get it for you．You can also point at another location to make EL-E move the item instead of giving it to you.
Bonus BEARDisabled people aren't the only ones who need to be transported around．Wounded soldiers might also need a lift back to the base, so say hello to BEAR Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot．The BEAR'S two legs are designed so they can go anywhere a human can and two arms can lift more than 250 pounds enough to carry a wounded soldier．
4．Toyota Partner Robot with wheels can climb, that's because____
A．it can understand human instructions．
B．its wheels can move up and down independently．
C．it is one of the top ten mobility robots．
D．it is designed to have two long arms and legs．
5．What Twenty One is different from the other robots is ___．
A．to move around B．to fetch something
C．to climb stairs D．to do housework
6．What does the underlined part “knock your socks off” means in Paragraph 1
A．Influence you a lot． B．Accompany you everywhere．
C．Protect you in many ways． D．Surprise you greatly．
C
Homeownership has let us down. For generations, Americans believed that owning a home was undoubtedly good. Our political leaders hammered home the point. Franklin Roosevelt held that a country of homeowners was “unconquerable.” Homeownership could even save babies, save children, save families and save America. A house with a lawn and a fence wasn’t just a nice place to live in or a risk-free investment; it was a way to transform a nation. No wonder leaders of all political types wanted to spend more than $100 billion a year on subsidies and tax breaks to encourage people to buy.
But the dark side of homeownership is now all too apparent: Indeed, easy lending stimulated by the cult of homeownership may have triggered the financial crisis. Housing remains a drag on the economy. Existing-home sales in April dropped 27% from the prior month, worsening fears of a double-dip. And all that is just the obvious tale of a housing bubble and what happened when it popped. The real story is deeper and darker still.
For the better part of a century, politics, industry and culture lined up to create a fetish of the idea of buying a house. Homeownership has done plenty of good over the decades; it has provided stability to tens of millions of families. Yet by idealizing the act of buying a home, we have ignored the downsides. In the bubble years, lending standards slipped dramatically, allowing many Americans to put far too much of their income into paying for their housing. And we ignored longer-term phenomena too. Homeownership contributed to the hollowing out of cities and kept renters out of the best neighborhoods. It fed America’s overuse of energy and oil. It made it more difficult for those who had lost a job to find another. Perhaps worst of all, it helped us become casually self-deceiving: By telling ourselves that homeownership was a pathway to wealth and stable communities and better test scores, we avoided dealing with these frightening issues head-on.
Now, as the U.S. recovers from the biggest housing bust（破产）since the Great Depression, it is time to rethink how realistic our expectations of homeownership are—and how much money we want to spend chasing them. Many argue that homeownership should not be a goal pursued at all costs.
7. Political leaders wanted to spend money encouraging people to buy houses because________.
A. owning a home was undoubtedly good
B. homeownership was unconquerable
C. houses could save families and America
D. homeownership could shape a country
8. The underlined sentence in Para. 2 means ______.
A. homeownership has quite a lot of bad effects
B. there might be another housing breakdown in the U.S.
C. the existing-home sales will keep decreasing in the U.S.
D. the result of homeownership is much worse than it appears
9. It can be inferred from Para. 3 that ______.
A. it is hard for Americans to get a home loan
B. it is the way to wealth to have one’s own house
C. many Americans choose to live out of urban areas
D. homeownership has made many people out of work
10. What is the author’s attitude towards homeownership
A. Favorable. B. Ambiguous. C. Cautious. D. Optimistic.
D
If cars had wings，they could fly and that just might happen, beginning in 2012.The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its car plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2012.
“It’s the next ‘wow’ vehicle，”said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh. “Anybody can buy a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don’t fly.”
The car plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving. A runway is still required to take off and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.
The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient and cheaper way to fly. They say it saves you the trouble of trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you’re good to go. When you land, you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive parking fees because you don’t have to store it at an airport—you park it in the garage at home.
The car plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal(临界)conditions.
The Transition’s price tag: $194,000. But there may be additional charges for options like a radio, transponder or GPS. Another option is a full plane parachute.
“If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option，” Gersh said.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders with deposits. “We’re working very closely with them, but there are still some remaining steps，” Brown said.
11.We can learn from the first paragraph that________.
A．car planes will be popular in 2012
B．people might drive a car plane in 2012
C．both Transition and Ferrari can take off and land
D．Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts
12.It takes the car plane one minute to________.
A．fold and unfold its wings B．unfold wings for flying
C．land in the airport D．meet flying safety regulations
13.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true
A．The car plane needs a runway to take off and land.
B．To meet aircraft regulations, the company has been working with FAA.
C．The car plane may fly as high as normal planes.
D．People can park the car plane in the garage at their home.
14.The underlined word “it” in the last but one paragraph refers to________.
A．the radio B．the transponder C．the GPS D．the full plane parachute
15.What’s the best title for the passage
A．Cars With Wings May Be Just Around The Corner
B．Which To Choose: A Ferrari Or A Car Plane
C．A More Convenient And Cheaper Way To Fly
D．Cars With Wings Can Fly As Fast As Plane
E
Why texting harms your IQ？
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social panies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
16. We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
A. has a positive influence on one’s IQ
B. results in the change of part of the brain
C. lies in the problem of lack of concentration
D. is caused by too much use of modern technology
17. The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
A. the important function of advanced technology
B. the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits
C. the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology
D. the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness
18. The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
A. examined carefully B. copied patiently C. corrected quickly D. admitted freely
19. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage
A． B.
C． D．
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
F
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last " Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
"But it is," returned she, "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
"Do you not want to know who has taken it " cried his wife impatiently.
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
This was invitation enough.
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."
"What is his name "
"Bingley."
"Is he married or single "
"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls! "
"How so How can it affect them "
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
"Is that his design in settling here "
"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party."
20. The sentence "... a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" means that
A. a single man who is financially stable needs a wife.
B. a single man without money needn't a wife.
C. women want to get married to financial stable men.
D. once man becomes rich, he must want to get a wife.
21. From the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, we can conclude that Mrs. Bennet
A. wanted to tell her husband something about their new neighbor.
B. wanted to get acquainted with their new neighbor.
C. wanted to persuade her husband to see the young man.
D. asked for her husband's permission to visit the new neighbor.
22. At the end of the passage, Mr. Bennet sounded ______ toward his wife's proposal.
A. hostile（敌意的，不友好的）B. indifferent C. delighted D. annoyed
23. What is the tone of the passage
A. Satirical(讽刺的) B. Humorous. C. Critical. D. Unclear.
阅读解析：
1. C 第二段倒数第三行I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive.可知她是 去Hawaii谋生。
2.A 由最后一段最后两句 The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now a reality. I’m living freely and happily ever after.可知她的梦想。
3. A 由文章第二段中I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right．尤其是这里的最后一句可知作者一开始自己也不太确信是否能生存下来。
4.B 由对Toyota Partner Robot的介绍Even though it has wheels, it can still climb stairs since each wheel can move independently up and down．可知。
5. D 由这一段中It can help you move around and help you do almost all your household chores这句话可知。
6.D 本题为猜测句子意思。文章开头就告知新技术推出几种帮助残疾人的移动机器人会让你大吃一惊。其它选项均不合意思。
7. D 从文章第一段第三行开始Franklin Roosevelt held that a country of homeowners was “unconquerable.” Homeownership could even save babies, save children, save families and save America. A house with a lawn and a fence wasn’t just a nice place to live in or a risk-free investment; it was a way to transform a nation.可知，这里的transform相当于shape. 而A中的观点应是Americans的观点，B中主语应为a country of homeowners而非Political leaders, C 中的主语应为homeownership而非political leaders.
8. D 本题为猜测句子意思。由第二段的主题句But the dark side of homeownership is now all too apparent可知这段都是在讲homeownership不好的一面，所以最后一句The real story is deeper and darker still.表明实际情况比前面讲到的要糟糕得多。
9. C本题为推理题。 由第三段第六行Homeownership contributed to the hollowing out of cities and kept renters out of the best neighborhoods. It fed America’s overuse of energy and oil.可知 “大家都买房子导致都搬离了城市（去郊区买房），过度地消耗了能源和燃油”，可知人们都 选择live out of the urban areas.
10. C 本题为作者观点态度题。最后一段是作者的看法，由第二行最后it is time to rethink how realistic our expectations of homeownership are—and how much money we want to spend chasing them. Many argue that homeownership should not be a goal pursued at all costs.可知他很谨慎小心。
11．B 细节理解题。根据第一段The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its car plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2012.可知选B。
12．B 细节理解题。根据第三段The car plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving.可判断选B。
13．C 细节理解题。C项不符合The car plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers.可判断选C。
14．D 词义猜测题。根据Another option is a full plane parachute.和“If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option，” Gersh said.的过渡关系，再结合句中的“a very awful situation”可推断it应指降落伞，故选D。
15．A 主旨大意题。综合全文可知，全文主要介绍2012年末即将上市的汽车飞机的性能、特点与价格等，由此判断选A。
16. D 细节判断题
根据第一段第三句可以判断选项A错误。根据第二段第一句，可以判断B错误，D正确。
根据第二段第三句，可以看出选项C与原文表述不符。
17. C细节判断题根据第一段可以判断。
18. A词义猜测题
根据第三段第三句可知，超过62%的人对检查电子邮件和短信是如此地着迷，以至于不上班在家或度假时也会认真地检查和工作有关的电子邮件和短信。
19. B 文章脉络题。第一段是主题段，提出“频繁使用电子邮件和短信影响智商”的中心论点。
第二段、第三段是supporting paragraph。 第二段的主题句是It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. 第二段中有两个次要点：（1）It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. （2）The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. 通过这两个次要点来说明本段的主题。第三段的主题句是Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship.第二段和第三段是两个并列的论据，用于说明中心论点。第四段是结论。
20. A句意理解题。文章首句提到，一个有钱的单身汉，总需要一位妻子。
21.C细节判断题。文中Mrs. Bennet 与Mr. Bennet 谈话目的就是希望丈夫能去拜访新的邻居从而为她的某个女儿创造机会。
22. B 观点态度题。根据文章最后一段可知，Mr. Bennet对太太的提议无动于衷并打趣说让她自己带着女儿去，或许Mr. Bingley在她们几个中最喜欢她。
23. A 全文基调问题。本文的作者用讽刺的语言，向我们描绘了一幅母亲试图为自己女儿创造一段姻缘的场景。
P 2
Sp 2
Sp 1
C
P 1
CP
P 1
CP
Sp 1
Sp 2
C
P 2
P 1
CP
C
P 2
P 3
P 1
CP
Sp 2
C
Sp 1
Sp 2
P 2
Sp 1
答题应试技巧：
题型：主旨大意题 事实细节题 猜测词义题 推理判断 观点态度类 文章脉络结构题 作者写作手法
1.关注文章脉络结构；
2.关注每一小节的主题句，也就是说读完每小节就要弄清它的Main idea;
3. 采取Skimming,关注主题句，其余Supporting information扫视即可；
4.如题目是细节题则通过Scanning有针对性地对读过的某小节仔细辨别具体信息；
5.通过上下文保证猜词题不失分；
6.文章the best title或main idea,即文章主旨题，不能以偏概全也不能范围太大；
7. 关注题目题干（即要求）与选项的匹配。如题目为推理题，而如果选了事实题，那就不对了。
8.对一些推测作者接下来要写的段落内容或第一节前面所写的内容可通过文章承上启下的特点关注文章最后一节或第一节的内容。
★关于涂卡：最好在做完一卷后先涂卡，以防做完II卷后时间紧张。
●阅读经典习题：
A
When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild animals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was a low budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life. But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten.
The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I’d owned was sold to pay debts that I didn’t even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who had refused to accept a divorce in the family. I’d lost everything except my four teenage children. I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right．
I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange lava(火山岩) pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. It was time to live my imagination!
The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I loved. I hadn’t painted a picture in 15 years. I wondered if I could still paint. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas(画布) in front of me. And as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $ 1500.
The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins, watched whales and hiked around the crater rim (火山口边缘) of the volcano. We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now a reality. I’m living freely and happily ever after.
1. Why did the writer go to Hawaii
A. To free herself from trouble. B. To spend her holiday.
C. To make a living. D. To realize her childhood dream.
2. Which of the following is the writer’s dream
A. Live a free and happy life. B. Live in nature with animals.
C. Get close to wildlife. D. Become a successful painter.
3. We can infer from the passage that _____.
A. the writer wasn’t sure whether she could survive in Hawaii at first
B. the writer’s parents encouraged her to divorce
C. the writer’s husband took away most of her money
D. the writer had never done painting before
B
New technology comes to the aid of the disabled in many forms that will knock your socks off！
A mobility robot is a robot that is designed to help disabled people move around．It might have wheels, but most often it will have legs so it can climb stairs and uneven ground．It might also take the form of a mobility suit, which is a kind of robot that surrounds your body, arms and legs．Here are some examples．
Toyota Partner RobotThis mobility robot can not only transport you around, you can also make it follow you around and use it transport all the things you have bought when you are shopping．Even though it has wheels, it can still climb stairs since each wheel can move independently up and down．
Twenty OneThe other amazing mobility robots in the top 10 can only help you movearound．Twenty One is different．It can help you move around and helpyou do almost all your household chores．Thanks to Twenty One's ability to understand human instructions, it can help you toast bread, prepare your dinner and find all kinds of stuff for you．
EL-E Fetch Bot The EL-E might not be a true mobility robot．It can not help you move around, but it can fetch things for you so you don't need to move anyway．All you need to do is to point a laser pointer at something and EL-E will race to get it for you．You can also point at another location to make EL-E move the item instead of giving it to you.
Bonus BEARDisabled people aren't the only ones who need to be transported around．Wounded soldiers might also need a lift back to the base, so say hello to BEAR Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot．The BEAR'S two legs are designed so they can go anywhere a human can and two arms can lift more than 250 pounds enough to carry a wounded soldier．
4．Toyota Partner Robot with wheels can climb, that's because____
A．it can understand human instructions．
B．its wheels can move up and down independently．
C．it is one of the top ten mobility robots．
D．it is designed to have two long arms and legs．
5．What Twenty One is different from the other robots is ___．
A．to move around B．to fetch something
C．to climb stairs D．to do housework
6．What does the underlined part “knock your socks off” means in Paragraph 1
A．Influence you a lot． B．Accompany you everywhere．
C．Protect you in many ways． D．Surprise you greatly．
C
Homeownership has let us down. For generations, Americans believed that owning a home was undoubtedly good. Our political leaders hammered home the point. Franklin Roosevelt held that a country of homeowners was “unconquerable.” Homeownership could even save babies, save children, save families and save America. A house with a lawn and a fence wasn’t just a nice place to live in or a risk-free investment; it was a way to transform a nation. No wonder leaders of all political types wanted to spend more than $100 billion a year on subsidies and tax breaks to encourage people to buy.
But the dark side of homeownership is now all too apparent: Indeed, easy lending stimulated by the cult of homeownership may have triggered the financial crisis. Housing remains a drag on the economy. Existing-home sales in April dropped 27% from the prior month, worsening fears of a double-dip. And all that is just the obvious tale of a housing bubble and what happened when it popped. The real story is deeper and darker still.
For the better part of a century, politics, industry and culture lined up to create a fetish of the idea of buying a house. Homeownership has done plenty of good over the decades; it has provided stability to tens of millions of families. Yet by idealizing the act of buying a home, we have ignored the downsides. In the bubble years, lending standards slipped dramatically, allowing many Americans to put far too much of their income into paying for their housing. And we ignored longer-term phenomena too. Homeownership contributed to the hollowing out of cities and kept renters out of the best neighborhoods. It fed America’s overuse of energy and oil. It made it more difficult for those who had lost a job to find another. Perhaps worst of all, it helped us become casually self-deceiving: By telling ourselves that homeownership was a pathway to wealth and stable communities and better test scores, we avoided dealing with these frightening issues head-on.
Now, as the U.S. recovers from the biggest housing bust（破产）since the Great Depression, it is time to rethink how realistic our expectations of homeownership are—and how much money we want to spend chasing them. Many argue that homeownership should not be a goal pursued at all costs.
7. Political leaders wanted to spend money encouraging people to buy houses because________.
A. owning a home was undoubtedly good
B. homeownership was unconquerable
C. houses could save families and America
D. homeownership could shape a country
8. The underlined sentence in Para. 2 means ______.
A. homeownership has quite a lot of bad effects
B. there might be another housing breakdown in the U.S.
C. the existing-home sales will keep decreasing in the U.S.
D. the result of homeownership is much worse than it appears
9. It can be inferred from Para. 3 that ______.
A. it is hard for Americans to get a home loan
B. it is the way to wealth to have one’s own house
C. many Americans choose to live out of urban areas
D. homeownership has made many people out of work
10. What is the author’s attitude towards homeownership
A. Favorable. B. Ambiguous. C. Cautious. D. Optimistic.
D
If cars had wings，they could fly and that just might happen, beginning in 2012.The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its car plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2012.
“It’s the next ‘wow’ vehicle，”said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh. “Anybody can buy a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don’t fly.”
The car plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving. A runway is still required to take off and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.
The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient and cheaper way to fly. They say it saves you the trouble of trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you’re good to go. When you land, you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive parking fees because you don’t have to store it at an airport—you park it in the garage at home.
The car plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal(临界)conditions.
The Transition’s price tag: $194,000. But there may be additional charges for options like a radio, transponder or GPS. Another option is a full plane parachute.
“If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option，” Gersh said.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders with deposits. “We’re working very closely with them, but there are still some remaining steps，” Brown said.
11.We can learn from the first paragraph that________.
A．car planes will be popular in 2012
B．people might drive a car plane in 2012
C．both Transition and Ferrari can take off and land
D．Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts
12.It takes the car plane one minute to________.
A．fold and unfold its wings B．unfold wings for flying
C．land in the airport D．meet flying safety regulations
13.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true
A．The car plane needs a runway to take off and land.
B．To meet aircraft regulations, the company has been working with FAA.
C．The car plane may fly as high as normal planes.
D．People can park the car plane in the garage at their home.
14.The underlined word “it” in the last but one paragraph refers to________.
A．the radio B．the transponder C．the GPS D．the full plane parachute
15.What’s the best title for the passage
A．Cars With Wings May Be Just Around The Corner
B．Which To Choose: A Ferrari Or A Car Plane
C．A More Convenient And Cheaper Way To Fly
D．Cars With Wings Can Fly As Fast As Plane
E
Why texting harms your IQ？
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social panies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
16. We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
A. has a positive influence on one’s IQ
B. results in the change of part of the brain
C. lies in the problem of lack of concentration
D. is caused by too much use of modern technology
17. The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
A. the important function of advanced technology
B. the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits
C. the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology
D. the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness
18. The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
A. examined carefully B. copied patiently C. corrected quickly D. admitted freely
19. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage
A． B.
C． D．
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
F
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last " Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
"But it is," returned she, "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
"Do you not want to know who has taken it " cried his wife impatiently.
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
This was invitation enough.
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."
"What is his name "
"Bingley."
"Is he married or single "
"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls! "
"How so How can it affect them "
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
"Is that his design in settling here "
"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party."
20. The sentence "... a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" means that
A. a single man who is financially stable needs a wife.
B. a single man without money needn't a wife.
C. women want to get married to financial stable men.
D. once man becomes rich, he must want to get a wife.
21. From the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, we can conclude that Mrs. Bennet
A. wanted to tell her husband something about their new neighbor.
B. wanted to get acquainted with their new neighbor.
C. wanted to persuade her husband to see the young man.
D. asked for her husband's permission to visit the new neighbor.
22. At the end of the passage, Mr. Bennet sounded ______ toward his wife's proposal.
A. hostile（敌意的，不友好的）B. indifferent C. delighted D. annoyed
23. What is the tone of the passage
A. Satirical(讽刺的) B. Humorous. C. Critical. D. Unclear.
阅读解析：
1. C 第二段倒数第三行I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive.可知她是 去Hawaii谋生。
2.A 由最后一段最后两句 The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now a reality. I’m living freely and happily ever after.可知她的梦想。
3. A 由文章第二段中I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right．尤其是这里的最后一句可知作者一开始自己也不太确信是否能生存下来。
4.B 由对Toyota Partner Robot的介绍Even though it has wheels, it can still climb stairs since each wheel can move independently up and down．可知。
5. D 由这一段中It can help you move around and help you do almost all your household chores这句话可知。
6.D 本题为猜测句子意思。文章开头就告知新技术推出几种帮助残疾人的移动机器人会让你大吃一惊。其它选项均不合意思。
7. D 从文章第一段第三行开始Franklin Roosevelt held that a country of homeowners was “unconquerable.” Homeownership could even save babies, save children, save families and save America. A house with a lawn and a fence wasn’t just a nice place to live in or a risk-free investment; it was a way to transform a nation.可知，这里的transform相当于shape. 而A中的观点应是Americans的观点，B中主语应为a country of homeowners而非Political leaders, C 中的主语应为homeownership而非political leaders.
8. D 本题为猜测句子意思。由第二段的主题句But the dark side of homeownership is now all too apparent可知这段都是在讲homeownership不好的一面，所以最后一句The real story is deeper and darker still.表明实际情况比前面讲到的要糟糕得多。
9. C本题为推理题。 由第三段第六行Homeownership contributed to the hollowing out of cities and kept renters out of the best neighborhoods. It fed America’s overuse of energy and oil.可知 “大家都买房子导致都搬离了城市（去郊区买房），过度地消耗了能源和燃油”，可知人们都 选择live out of the urban areas.
10. C 本题为作者观点态度题。最后一段是作者的看法，由第二行最后it is time to rethink how realistic our expectations of homeownership are—and how much money we want to spend chasing them. Many argue that homeownership should not be a goal pursued at all costs.可知他很谨慎小心。
11．B 细节理解题。根据第一段The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its car plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2012.可知选B。
12．B 细节理解题。根据第三段The car plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving.可判断选B。
13．C 细节理解题。C项不符合The car plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers.可判断选C。
14．D 词义猜测题。根据Another option is a full plane parachute.和“If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option，” Gersh said.的过渡关系，再结合句中的“a very awful situation”可推断it应指降落伞，故选D。
15．A 主旨大意题。综合全文可知，全文主要介绍2012年末即将上市的汽车飞机的性能、特点与价格等，由此判断选A。
16. D 细节判断题
根据第一段第三句可以判断选项A错误。根据第二段第一句，可以判断B错误，D正确。
根据第二段第三句，可以看出选项C与原文表述不符。
17. C细节判断题根据第一段可以判断。
18. A词义猜测题
根据第三段第三句可知，超过62%的人对检查电子邮件和短信是如此地着迷，以至于不上班在家或度假时也会认真地检查和工作有关的电子邮件和短信。
19. B 文章脉络题。第一段是主题段，提出“频繁使用电子邮件和短信影响智商”的中心论点。
第二段、第三段是supporting paragraph。 第二段的主题句是It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. 第二段中有两个次要点：（1）It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. （2）The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. 通过这两个次要点来说明本段的主题。第三段的主题句是Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship.第二段和第三段是两个并列的论据，用于说明中心论点。第四段是结论。
20. A句意理解题。文章首句提到，一个有钱的单身汉，总需要一位妻子。
21.C细节判断题。文中Mrs. Bennet 与Mr. Bennet 谈话目的就是希望丈夫能去拜访新的邻居从而为她的某个女儿创造机会。
22. B 观点态度题。根据文章最后一段可知，Mr. Bennet对太太的提议无动于衷并打趣说让她自己带着女儿去，或许Mr. Bingley在她们几个中最喜欢她。
23. A 全文基调问题。本文的作者用讽刺的语言，向我们描绘了一幅母亲试图为自己女儿创造一段姻缘的场景。
P 2
Sp 2
Sp 1
C
P 1
CP
P 1
CP
Sp 1
Sp 2
C
P 2
P 1
CP
C
P 2
P 3
P 1
CP
Sp 2
C
Sp 1
Sp 2
P 2
Sp 1
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