After inventing dynamites(炸药), Swedish-born Alfred Nobel became a very rich man.

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After inventing dynamites(炸药), Swedish-born Alfred Nobel became a very rich man. However, he foresaw its universally destructive powers too late. Nobel preferred not to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite, so in 1895, just two weeks before his death, he created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contributions to mankind. Originally there were five awards: literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and peace. Economics was added in 1968, just sixty-seven years after the first awards ceremony.
Nobel’s original legacy of nine million dollars was invested, and the interest on this sum is used for the awards which vary from $ 30,000 to $125,000.
Every year on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death, the awards (gold medal, illuminated diploma, and money) are presented to the winners. Sometimes politics plays an important role in the judges’ decision. Americans have won numerous science awards, but relatively few literature prizes.
No awards were presented from 1940 to 1942 at the beginning of World War II. Some people have won two prizes, but this is rare; others have shared their prizes.
1. What did the first award ceremony take place?
A. 1895.           B. 1901.             C. 1962.                 D. 1968.
2. The Nobel prize was established to ________.
A. honor the inventor of dynamite       B. recognize worthwhile contributions to humanity
C. resolve political differences        D. spend money
3. In which area have Americans received the most awards?
A. Literature.         B. Economics.          C. Peace.             D. Science.
4. Which of the following statement is NOT true?
A. Awards vary in money value.
B. Ceremonies are held on December 10 to commemorate Nobel’s invention.
C. Politics can be of importance in selecting the winners.
D. A few individuals have won two awards.

答案

1-4 BBDD

解析

1. B 计算题。根据文中第一段最后一句“Economics was added in 1968, just sixty-seven years after the first awards ceremony.”计算可得。
2. B 细节题。根

据短文第一段第二句“…for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contributions to mankind”可得(from www.nmet168.com)。
3. D 细节题。根据短文第三段“Americans have won numerous science awards”一句可得。
4. D 事实判断题。根据短文第四段“Some people have won two prizes, but this is rare”一句判断可得。

举一反三

Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were all brought up in the same way,my br others and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them,I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic.
Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents,aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a clear memory of the dogs, the farm animals, the local birds, and above all, the insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world and my enthusiasm had led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people"s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle, because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some might honor with the title of scientific research.
But curiosity,a keen eye,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist: one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is selfdiscipline, a quality I lack. A scientist, up to a certain point,can be made. A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two,you get the best of both worlds.
1.The first paragraph tells us the author .
A.was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood
B.lost his hearing when he was a child
C.didn’t like his brothers and sisters
D.was born to a naturalist’s family
2.The author can’t remember his relatives clearly because         .
A.he didn’t live very long with them
B.the family was extremely large
C.he was too young when he lived with them
D.he was fully occupied with observing nature
3.It can be inferred from the passage that the author was         .
A.a scientist as well as a naturalist
B.a naturalist but not a scientist
C.no more than a born naturalist
D.first of all a scientist
4.The author says that he is a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he         .
A.has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic
B.lacks some of the qualities required of a scientist
C.just reads about other people’s observations and discoveries
D.comes up with solutions in a most natural way

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Buckminster Fuller once said, “The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it’s a different kind of life.” If you want to live abundantly, decide what you really want and figure out a way to do it. Be clear and live with intent (意向).
You may have heard of Fred Lebow. He complained to his doctor that he lacked energy. His doctor advised him to take up running. He fell in love with it! He was 39 years old when he entered his first race.
Fred joined the New York Road Runners Club and organized New York City’s first marathon race. But what Fred truly wanted to do was to bring people together. He believes that anybody should be able to run — people of all ages and of any country.
Not everyone in New York was excited about people running through their neighborhood. A youth gang warned him that nobody had better run through their turf. “That’s great,” Fred said. “I need someone to protect the runners in your area, and you look like just the fellows to do it.”
He gave them each a hat, shirt and jacket and that year, when the marathon went through their neighborhood, these young men proudly guarded the runners along their way.
Fred decided what was truly important to him and he found a way to do it. He lived with intent. That single decision made his life remarkably different.
As one sports writer said, “Fate handed him a short race. With his goal, with his love of life, Fred turned it into a marathon.” Fred would say that it’s not about how long you live, but how you run the race of life.
小题1:The purpose that Fred Lebow organized New York City’s first marathon race was _____.

A．to be popular with people

B．to display his true love for sports development

C．to drive away his loneliness in the running

D．to get more people together

小题2:Which word in the passage is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “turf”?

A．Neighborhood.

B．Way.

C．Decision.

D．Race.

小题3:What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Determination guarantees you a success.

B．The race of life with intent.

C．Nothing is impossible in one’s life race.

D．The benefits of taking up running.

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You want something you can’t get by behaving within the rules, and you want it badly enough you’ll do it regardless of any guilt or deep regret, and you’re willing to run the risk of being caught. That’s how Ladd Wheeler, psychology professor at the University of Rochester in New York, defines cheating. Many experts believe cheating is on the rise. "We’re suffering a moral breakdown," Pinkard says. "We’re seeing more of the kind of person who regards the world as a series of things to be dealt with. Whether to cheat depends on whether it’s in the person’s interest." He does, however, see less cheating among the youngest students. Richard Dienstbier, psychology professor at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, believes that society’s attitudes explain much of the increase in cheating. "Twenty years ago if a person cheated in college, that is extremely serious, he will be dropped for a semester if not kicked out permanently," he says. "Nowadays, at the University of Nebraska, for example, it is the stated policy of the College of Arts and Science that if a student cheats in an exam, the student must receive an "F" on what he cheated in. That’s nothing. If you’re going to fail anyway, why not cheat? Cheating is most likely in situations where the interests are high and the chances of getting caught are low," says social psychologist Lynn Kahle of the University of Oregon in Eugene.
1. The passage focuses on ________.
A. making the reader believe that cheating is immoral
B. discussing the reasons for cheating

C. describing how students cheat in exams
D. suggesting how to control cheating
2. Cheating tends to occur in all the following situations except when ________.
A. one wants something badly             B. one can’t get something in a right way
C. it is not very likely to be found out       D. a series of things have to be dealt with
3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. It is forgivable to cheat unless money is involved.
B. There has been an increase in cheating.
C. Most cheaters are college students.
D. Cheaters do not feel guilty and regretful.
4. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Cheating is widespread because society is too understanding.
B. Cheating is the result of heavy pressure.
C. Cheating is cheating, whether in a test or on any other occasions.
D. Cheating comes together with civilization

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A traveler was passing through a desert on a hot day. He was tired, feeling thirsty and hungry. At least, he needed a shady spot to rest for a while. A big leafy tree came into view at some distance away. He felt glad and said to himself, “Had I water to drink, now.” Yes, he found a glass full of cold water on the ground right in front of him. Then, he wished, “Had I something to eat right here.” Immediately, a variety of dishes appeared before him. He was under the shade of Kalpa-Vriksha — a magical tree. Whoever was under it would have whatever he wished for!
The traveler enjoyed the delicious food. He felt drowsy. He wished for a nice bed. It was granted. He stretched himself comfortably on the soft mattress. He hoped that someone would massage (按摩) his feet. Yes, a young lady appeared. She started massaging his feet and legs.
He now started thinking differently. “How can things happen like this? Is it some kind of a trick played by a magical demon (魔鬼)?” he doubted. Oh, a true demon appeared in place of the nice lady! Within no time the demon started leaping at him, with his mouth wide open. The frightened traveler took to his heels and ran away.
小题1:What will happen if you sit under the magical tree?

A．You will get what you want.

B．You will marry a young girl.

C．You will meet a demon.

D．You will get rid of all your trouble.

小题2:The underlined word “drowsy” in the second paragraph means “_______”.

A．hungry

B．sleepy

C．thirsty

D．cold

小题3:How many wishes did the traveler make?

A．3

B．4

C．5

D．6.

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Think of some of your favorite singers. When you listen, they can make you happy or sad, peaceful or angry. They can make you relax or want to get up and dance. Gifted singers have the power to affect us in many ways — emotionally, physically and mentally.
But becoming a great singer isn’t as easy as listening to one. It takes practice, devotion and strong lungs! Just ask the well-known American opera（歌剧）star Carol Vaness.
At the Metropolitan Opera in New York City where she often sings, Carol’s voice must be loud enough to be heard by four thousand people. It must reach every person in the theater, without a microphone, even when she’s singing softly. The reason Carol can project her voice that far is the way she breathes.
“When you breathe, it’s like a swimmer taking a deep breath before going underwater, ” Carol explains. “You have to take a lot of air into your lungs.”
According to Carol, the main difference between pop singing and opera is “how you breathe, how much air you take in, and how you control it coming out. Regular singing is more like speaking, and it’s a lot softer. When I sing for children, they’re often surprised by how the vibrations strike their ears — like waves on a beach, ” Carol says. “In opera, the air doesn’t just go out of your mouth — it vibrates in your chest, the way a guitar vibrates when it’s played.”
Ever since she started piano lessons at the age of ten, Carol has loved music. As she got older, she decided to become a music teacher. When she went to college, she took singing lessons as part of her studies. Her voice teacher discovered that nineteen-year-old Carol had an exceptionally beautiful soprano voice – the highest singing voice for women.
Carol decided to make opera her goal, not only because she loved to sing but also because she loved the drama. Opera is a play in which the characters sing the words instead of speaking them. The stories of opera can be tragic or comical. They can be personal stories about two people falling in love or grand stories about kings and queens who lived long ago. As the characters in an opera sing, the emotions(情感) expressed by words and music come to life.
Today, Carol performs throughout the United States and Europe and she has song for almost twenty years. But she has never forgotten where she started singing in the first palace.
“Put your heart into your singing and enjoy it,” says Carol, “because singing is a great joy. That’s why I sing. In fact, that’s why everybody sings.”
小题1:According to the passage, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City _____.

A．is a five-story building	B．can seat 4,000 people
C．has no microphone in it	D．can project the singer’s voice

小题2:What is the best title for this passage?

A．Opera Singing and Pop Singing	B．The Way an Opera Star Sings
C．An Opera Star	D．Singing without a Microphone

小题3:Which statement is true?

A．A pop singer breathes more deeply than an opera singer when he or she sings.

B．Opera singing is more like speaking.

C．A pop singer takes in much more air than an opera singer when singing.

D．An opera singer breathes differently from a pop singer when singing.

小题4:From the passage you can conclude all the following EXCEPT that _____.

A．Carol once learned to play the piano

B．Carol worked as a music teacher

C．Carol has been singing opera for 20 years or so

D．Carol is popular with Americans and Europeans

小题5:The sentence “Put your heart into your singing” in the last paragraph means “_____”.

A．devoting yourself to singing	B．taking trouble to sing
C．singing happily	D．trying your best to sing

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