Almost every machine with moving parts has wheels，yet no one knows exactly when
题型：不详难度：来源：
Almost every machine with moving parts has wheels，yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for.We do know，however，that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.
The oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia.It is over 5,100 years old.Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn’t become popular for a while，though.This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.
But it could also be because of a difficult situation.While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces，roads with smooth surfaces weren’t going to be constructed until there was plenty of demand for them.Eventually，road surfaces did become smoother，but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later.There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of modern road design.
In the mid1700s，a Frenchman came up with a new design of road—a base layer(层) of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones.A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong，lasting road surface became a reality.At around the same time，metal hubs (the central part of a wheel)came into being，followed by the pneumatic tyre(充气轮胎) in 1846.Alloy wheels were invented in 1967，sixty years after the appearance of tarmacked roads(柏油路)．As wheel design took off，vehicles got faster and faster. (2013·重庆，C)
小题1:What might explain why transport wheels didn’t become popular for some time?| A．Few knew how to use transport wheels. | | B．Humans carried farming tools just as well. | | C．Animals were a good means of transport. | | D．The existence of transport wheels was not known. |
小题2:What do we know about road design from the passage?| A．It was easier than wheel design. | | B．It improved after big changes in vehicle design. | | C．It was promoted by fastmoving vehicles. | | D．It provided conditions for wheel design to develop. |
小题3:How is the last paragraph mainly developed?| A．By giving examples. | | B．By making comparisons. | | C．By following time order. | | D．By making classifications. |
小题4:What is the passage mainly about?| A．The beginning of road design. | | B．The development of transport wheels. | | C．The history of public transport. | | D．The invention of fastmoving vehicles. |
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答案
小题1:C
小题2:D
小题3:C
小题4:B |
解析
小题1: C
解析 细节理解题。从第二段中的“This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.”可知，正确答案为C项。
小题2: D
解析 推理判断题。从第三、四段的描述我们可知，道路的设计为轮子的发展提供了条件。
小题3: C
解析 组织结构题。从最后一段中的In the mid1700s；in the 1820s；At around the same time；in 1967等可看出该段是按时间顺序组织起来的。
小题4: B
解析 主旨大意题。全文主要向我们介绍了车轮的发展历程。 |
举一反三
When you consider what subject to study in college, chances are that you and your parents will think about what you can make out of it after graduation. You will likely ask the question: “Can I find a well-paid job or simply a job with a degree in this in the future?”
This consideration also influences students when they come to choose between studying science or humanities (人文学科) at college. People generally believe that the humanities, which include literature , history, cultural studies and philosophy, do not prepare students for a specific vocation (职业). Science subjects, however, are considered vocational courses that produce scientists, engineers and economists (经济学家).
“I"ve decided to take finance as my college major. My parents and I think this subject will help me get a good job or start a business,” said Huachen Yueru, 17, a science student at Wuxi No. 1 High School.
Even those who choose a liberal arts (文科) education often pick the humanities subject which they think will best help them later find a job.
“I"m going to study Spanish in college, which I believe will open doors to a high-paying job for me,” said Liu Chao, 18, a Senior 2 student at Dalian No 20 High School. He said few of his classmates show interest in subjects like philosophy and history, which are seen as “less promising” in job markets.
The popularity of liberal arts subjects among college students has also been decreasing in the United States. American scholars (学者) and universities are concerned that in the ongoing economic crisis (经济危机) liberal arts subjects will be hit hardest. As money tightens (紧缩), they worry that the humanities may become “a great luxury (奢侈品) that many cannot afford”, according to the New York Times.
小题1: When you consider what to study in college, what does you and your parents usually think about ? | A．whether you are interested in the subject. | | B．if you can lead a happy life. | | C．what you can make out of it after graduation. | | D．How much you can learn in the college. |
小题2:Why do students show little interest in the subjects, like philosophy or history ? | A．Because they are not interested in them. | | B．Because they think these subjects are useless. | | C．Because they see these subjects as less-promising in job market. | | D．Because they like the science subjects. |
小题3: What can we infer from the passage ?| A．Humanities are becoming less and less popular with the students. | | B．Studying science subjects is sure to find a well-paid job. | | C．The humanities in college should be cancelled. | | D．The writer thinks those who choose the liberal arts education will choose their favorite subjects. |
小题4: What does the underlined word “it” refer to in the first paragraph ?| A．the subject you study in college | B．science | C．humanities | D．liberal arts |
体裁：说明文 词数：326 难度系数：☆☆☆☆ 建议用时：8分钟
类别：细节理解+推理判断题+词义猜测题 本文标题 ：…Arts in crisis… |
Disposing(处理)of waste has been a problem since humans started producing it.As more and more people choose to live close together in cities,the waste-disposal problem becomes Increasingly difficult.
During the eighteenth century,it was usual for several neighboring towns to get together to select a faraway spot as a dump site.Residents or trash haulers(垃圾拖运者)would transport household rubbish,rotted wood,and old possessions to the site.Periodically(定期的)some of the trash was burned and the rest was buried.The unpleasant sights and smells caused no problem because nobody lived close by.
Factories,mills,and other industrial sites also had waste to be disposed of.Those located on rivers often just dumped the unwanted remains into the water.Others built huge burners with chimneys to deal with the problem.
Several facts make these choices unacceptable to modern society.The first problem is space Dumps,which are now called landfills,are most needed in heavily populated areas.Such areas rarely have empty land suitable for this purpose.Property is either too expensive or too close to residential(住宅区的) neighborhoods.Long-distance trash hauling has been a common practice but once farm areas are refusing to accept rubbish from elsewhere,cheap land within trucking distance of major city areas is almost nonexistent.
Awareness(意识) of pollution dangers has resulted in more strict rules of waste disposal. Pollution of rivers,ground water,land and air is a price people can no longer pay to get rid of waste. The amount of waste,however,continues to grow.
Recycling efforts have become commonplace,and many towns require their people to take part.Even he most efficient recycling programs,however,can hope to deal with only about 50 Percent of a city’s reusable waste.
小题1:The most suitable title for this passage would be _______.| A．Places for Disposing Waste | B．Waste Pollution Dangers | | C．Ways of Getting Rid of Waste | D．Waste Disposal Problem |
小题2:During the 18th century,people disposed their waste in many ways EXCEPT for _______.| A．burying it | B．recycling it | | C．burning it | D．throwing it into rivers |
小题3:What can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?| A．Farm areas accept waste from the city in modern society. | | B．There is cheap land to bury waste in modern society. | | C．It is difficult to find space to bury waste in modern society. | | D．Ways to deal with waste in modern society stay the same. |
小题4:The main purpose of writing this article is to _______.| A．draw people’s attention to waste management | | B．warn people of the pollution dangers we are facing | | C．call on people to take part in recycling programs | | D．tell people a better way to get rid of the waste |
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EDGEWOOD—Every morning at Dixie Heights High school, customers pour into a special experiment :the district’s first coffee shop run mostly by students with special learning needs.
Well before classes start, students and teachers order Lattes, Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates. Then, during the first period, teachers call in orders on their room phones, and students make deliveries.
By closing time at 9.20 a.m. , the shop usually sells 90drinks.
“whoever made the chi tea, Ms. Schwartzman says it was good, ”Christy McKinley , a second year student , announced recently, after hanging up with the teacher.
The shop is called the Dixie PIT, which stands for Power in Transition. Although some of the students are not disabled, many are, and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school.
They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs. They keep a timecard and receive paychecks, which they keep in check registers.
Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia.
Not that it was easy. Chevalier’s first problem to overcome was product-related. Should schools be selling coffee? What about sugar content?
Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped. She made sure all the drinks, which use non-fat milk, fell within nutrition（营养）guidelines.
The whole school has joined in to help.
Teachers agreed to give up their lounge(休息室)in the morning. Art students painted the name of the shop on the wall. Business students designed the paychecks. The basketball team helped pay for cups.
小题1:.What is the text mainly about？| A．A best-selling coffee. | | B．A special educational program. | | C．Government support for schools. | | D．A new type of teacher-student relationship. |
小题2:The Dixie PIT program was introduced in order to .| A．raise money for school affairs | | B．do some research on nutrition | | C．develop students’ practical skills | | D．supply teachers with drinks |
小题3:How did Christy McKinley know Ms. Schwartzman’s opinion of the chi tea？| A．She met her in the shop. | | B．She heard her telling others. | | C．She talked to her on the phone. | | D．She went to her office to deliver the tea. |
小题4:We know from the text that Ginger Gray .| A．manages the Dixie PIT program in Kenton County | | B．sees that the drinks meet health standards | | C．teaches at Dixie Heights High School | | D．owns the school’s coffee shop |
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Educators are seriously concerned about the high rate of dropouts among the doctor of philosophy candidates and the consequent loss of talent to a nation in need of Ph. D. s. Some have placed the dropouts loss as high as 50 percent. The extent of the loss was, however, largely a matter of expert guessing. Last week a well-rounded study was published. It was published. It was based on 22,000 questionnaires sent to former graduate students who were enrolled in 24 universities and it seemed to show many past fears to be groundless.
The dropouts rate was found to be 31 per cent, and in most cases the dropouts, while not completing the Ph. D. requirement, went on to productive work. They are not only doing well financially, but, according to the report, are not far below the income levels of those who went on to complete their doctorates.
Discussing the study last week, Dr. Tucker said the project was initiated ‘because of the concern frequently expressed by graduate faculties and administrators that some of the individuals who dropped out of Ph. D. programs were capable of competing the requirement for the degree. Attrition at the Ph. D. level is also thought to be a waste of precious faculty time and a drain on university resources already being used to capacity. Some people expressed the opinion that the shortage of highly trained specialists and college teachers could be reduced by persuading the dropouts to return to graduate schools to complete the Ph. D.’
“The results of our research” Dr. Tucker concluded, “did not support these opinions.”
Lack of motivation was the principal reason for dropping out.
Most dropouts went as far in their doctoral program as was consistent with their levels of ability or their specialities.
Most dropouts are now engaged in work consistent with their education and motivation.
Nearly 75 per cent of the dropouts said there was no academic reason for their decision, but those who mentioned academic reason cited failure to pass the qualifying examination, uncompleted research and failure to pass language exams. Among the single most important personal reasons identified by dropouts for non-completion of their Ph. D. program, lack of finances was marked by 19 per cent.
As an indication of how well the dropouts were doing, a chart showed 2% in humanities were receiving $ 20,000 and more annually while none of the Ph. D. ‘s with that background reached this figure. The Ph. D. ‘s shone in the $ 7,500 to $ 15,000 bracket with 78% at that level against 50% for the dropouts. This may also be an indication of the fact that top salaries in the academic fields, where Ph. D. ‘s tend to rise to the highest salaries, are still lagging behind other fields.
As to the possibility of getting dropouts back on campus, the outlook was glum. The main condition which would have to prevail for at least 25 % of the dropouts who might consider returning to graduate school would be to guarantee that they would retain their present level of income and in some cases their present job.
小题1:The author states that many educators feel that
[A] steps should be taken to get the dropouts back to campus.
the fropouts should return to a lower quality school to continue their study.
[C] the Ph. D. holder is generally a better adjusted person than the dropout.
[D] The high dropouts rate is largely attributable to the lack of stimulation on the part of faculty members.
小题2:Research has shown that
[A] Dropouts are substantially below Ph. D. ‘s in financial attainment.
the incentive factor is a minor one in regard to pursuing Ph. D. studies.
[C] The Ph. D. candidate is likely to change his field of specialization if he drops out.
[D] about one-third of those who start Ph. D. work do not complete the work to earn the degree.
小题3:Meeting foreign language requirements for the Ph. D.
[A] is the most frequent reason for dropping out.
is more difficult for the science candidate than for the humanities candidate.
[C] is an essential part of many Ph. D. programs.
[D] does not vary in difficulty among universities.
小题4:After reading the article, one would refrain from concluding that
[A] optimism reigns in regard to getting Ph. D. dropouts to return to their pursuit of the degree.
a Ph. D. dropout, by and large, does not have what it takes to learn the degree.
[C] colleges and universities employ a substantial number of Ph. D. dropouts.
[D] Ph. D. ‘s are not earning what they deserve in nonacademic positions.
小题5:It can be inferred that the high rate of dropouts lies in
[A] salary for Ph. D. too low.
academic requirement too high.
[C] salary for dropouts too high.
[D] 1000 positions.
Vocabulary
dropout 辍学者，中途退学
well-rounded 全面的
attrition 缩/减员，磨损
drain 枯竭
bracket 一类人，（尤指按收入分类的）阶层
lagging behind other fields 落后于其它领域
glum 阴郁的 |
How would you like to teach yourself, rather than have teachers? According to the UK’s Department of Education and Skills, students will teach themselves in the schools of the future. This means that there will be no more problems such as finding enough teachers.
Estelle Morris, the UK Education Secretary, opened the 2002 Education Technology Conference in London recently. To start the conference, she presented a video showing a computer—generated model of the school of tomorrow.
Greater use of computer technology and classroom assistants will help students develop their own way of learning, Morris said. She added that this is a more exciting as well as a more interesting way of learning.
At the same time, teachers will be “freed from their traditional role as the source of all knowledge”.
Children of all abilities will “form the curriculum(课程)around their individual needs.” They will “learn in their own time, at their own speed and in their own environment”.
At home or at school, they will follow their learning programmes by looking at online libraries and watching lessons by world-class teachers and subject experts.
Instead of going on field trips, students will use virtual reality. If they don’t understand something, they can ask other students—“take part in virtual communities with learners with similar needs”—or e-mail their teachers. They will hand in their work electronically to be “auto-marked”.
The classroom of the future is fast becoming a reality.
And the Department of Education will soon produce a guide to help schools adapt buildings for new technology, Morris said. These ideas are based on the UK government’s plan to create an education system that provides students with a strong grounding of knowledge and skills at primary school level. And provides the chance for students to develop their individual skills at secondary school level.
小题1:According to the UK’s Department of Education and Skills, the school of the future will ______.| A．cause more problems such as being able to find enough teachers | | B．set no homework and no tests for students | | C．make good use of the computer technology and classroom assistants | | D．enable students to learn by themselves without teachers |
小题2:Estelle Morris thinks that computer technology does good to teachers in ________.| A．helping students develop their own way of learning | | B．enabling students to experience interesting and exciting ways of learning | | C．providing students with knowledge of all sorts | | D．not being considered the source of various knowledge |
小题3: If the students do not understand something, they can _______.| A．go on a field trip | | B．go to ask their teachers to help them | | C．send e-mail to ask for a teacher’s help | | D．have a look at other learners’ homework |
小题4: If s a student is under the UK’s newly-developed education system,he will be ________.| A．provided with a basic knowledge from the beginning | | B．given more knowledge at primary school level | | C．helped to use computers better | | D．supplied chance to develop their basic skills |
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