Life on earth depends on water, and there is no substitute for it. The current a

题型：不详难度：来源：

Life on earth depends on water, and there is no substitute for it. The current assumption is that our basic needs for water—whether for drinking, agriculture, industry or the raising of fish—will always have to be met. Given this premise (前提), there are two basic routes we can go; more equal access to water or better engineering solutions.
Look at the engineering solutions first. A lot of my research concentrates on what happens to wetlands when you build dams in river basins, particularly in Africa. The ecology of such areas is almost entirely driven by the seasonal changes of the river—the pulse of the water. And the fact is that if you build a dam, you generally spoil the downstream ecology. In the past, such problems have been hidden by a lack of information. But in the near future, governments will have no excuses for their ignorance.
The engineers’ ability to control water flows has created new kinds of unpredictability, too. Dams in Africa have meant fewer fish, less grazing and less floodplain (洪泛区) agriculture, none of which were expected. And there average economic life is assumed to be thirty years. Dams don’t exist forever, but what will replace them is not clear.
The challenge for the future is to find new means of controlling water. Although GM technology(转基因) will allow us to breed better dry-land crops, there is no market for companies to develop crops suitable for the micro-climates of the Sahel and elsewhere in Africa. Who is going to pay for research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World?
小题1:What’s the main idea of this passage?

A．The engineering solutions to water resource and their limitation.

B．The challenge for the future.

C．The basic means of controlling water.

D．The challenge for developing crops.

小题2:The author suggests that governments will have no excuse for their careless ignorance in the future because _____.

A．The ecological destruction will be known to the public by researchers

B．The ecological destruction will no longer be a problem in the future

C．The future is an information age

D．Governments will face greater challenge in the future

小题3:Which of the following statements is NOT true for meeting our basic needs for water?

A．Water resource should be used more reasonably.

B．More dams should be built in river basins.

C．More wetlands should be protected from destruction.

D．More dry-land crops could be developed in Africa.

小题4:The last sentence probably implies that _____.

A．No one will invest in developing locally appropriate crops in Africa

B．Researchers have no interest in developing dry-land crops

C．Research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World may be profitable

D．There is less water resource in the Third World

答案

小题1:A
小题2:C
小题3:B
小题4:A

解析

试题分析：文章分析水资源局限的工程解决方案的做法和不利因素，并提出如何找出代替的方法。
小题1:主旨题：从第二段的第一句话：Look at the engineering solutions first. 可知这篇文章讲的是水资源局限的工程解决方案。选A
小题2:细节题：从第二段的句子：In the past, such problems have been hidden by a lack of information.可知过去这样的问题被隐藏起来，未来是信息时代，政府就没有借口了。选C
小题3:细节题：从第三段的句子：Dams don’t exist forever, but what will replace them is not clear.可知不会再多建大坝了。选B
小题4:句意理解题：最后一句话Who is going to pay for research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World?的意思是：谁会为研究适合第三世界的国家生长的作物买单呢？也就是没有人愿意为研究适合第三世界的国家生长的作物投资。选A
点评：本文考查细节题为主，细节题可以在文章中直接找到与答案有关的信息或是其变体。搜查信息在阅读中非常重要它包括理解作者在叙述某事时使用的具体事实、数据、图表等细节信息。在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都属于这类围绕主体展开的细节。做这类题一般采用寻读法即先读题，然后带着问题快速阅读短文，找出与问题有关的词语或句子，再对相关部分进行分析对比，找出答案。

举一反三

For some students, especially those from poor families, taking a job is not a matter of choice, but necessity. They need to work to save for college, or even to supplement family income. Counselors should help students who have a real need to work improve time management skills and seek employment that helps their educational goals.
“College costs are high, and young adults also want the amenities (便利设施) that extra money brings,” according to John B. Boshoven, counselor for continuing education at Community High School in Michigan. However, he warns, “School is my students’ full-time job.”
Studies show that students who work are more confident and possess better time management skills than students who are not employed. In addition to offering a paycheck, some independence, and satisfaction, a part-time job can provide teenagers with both training and experience. Working teaches students about responsibility and can also reinforce (充实) what they are learning in school. “Colleges want to find candidates who demonstrate maturity, responsibility, independence, and initiative, and good workers certainly demonstrate those important character traits,” Boshoven says. “Employers can write excellent recommendation letters for the students who have worked for them.”
On the other hand, experts agree that students who work more than 15 to 20 hours per week often experience lessened school success, which can lead to dropping out entirely. Working long hours can also limit opportunities to build friendships and explore interests that enhance a teenager’s intellectual and emotional development.
The major point that students should keep in mind is the importance of balance. Dan Crabtree, college and career counselor at Wheaton Academy in Illinois, explains, “We want our students to establish a healthy balance in life and work to maintain it throughout their lives.” If working will interfere with completing school work, participating in extracurricular activities, spending time with family and friends, or getting enough rest, it may not be a wise decision.
小题1:What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To show how students can find a part-time job.

B．To discuss the issue of students’ part-time work.

C．To stress the importance of students’ part-time work.

D．To explain what is a part-time job.

小题2:In Boshoven’s opinion, students _____.
a. should take their studies as the first priority
b. can benefit from part-time work
c. can form healthy habits in their lives
d. shouldn’t depend on their families financially

A．bc

B．bd

C．ab

D．ac

小题3:According to the passage, we know that _____.

A．without counselors" help, few students can get employed

B．teenagers show strong interest in part-time work

C．experts encourage students do more part-time work

D．too much part-time work can lead to bad academic performance

小题4:What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Students should balance part-time work well with other things.

B．Part-time work is important for most students at college.

C．Experts’ advice is the key to finding a good part-time job.

D．All in all, students had better not spend time on part-time work

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Cats are very smart. They are one of the smartest animals. The brain of a cat is large. It is highly developed. This may be why cats have good memories. Cats remember kindness and cruelty. It is a good idea to treat a cat well. Cats can “speak” too. They meow for attention. Often they stand by a door. Then they meow. Then they look over their shoulders. They want to see if their owners are coming. Cats make other noises also. They purr(猫发出的咕噜声)when they are happy. They hiss when they are angry.
Cats have a lot of pride. They don’t usually do silly tricks. Almost all cats want to have their own way. They are mostly true to only one person. They don’t switch loyalty easily. Cats were free in the wild. They want to stay that way. They like to be their own masters. When a cat is left alone, it can go back to caring for itself. It can live in the wild again. This is different from dogs. Dogs will switch their loyalty. At one time dogs were loyal to the leaders of their packs. Now, they will transfer allegiance(忠诚)to their owner. They do not like to be alone.
With kindness, a cat can be trained. Cats can learn to do many things. Some cats can learn to open doors. Some can ring doorbells. Some can even turn on water tap. Then they take a drink. Cats are very smart. Before drinking, they put a paw in the water. They test whether the water is hot or cold.
小题1:What is the best title for this passage?

A．The Difference Between Dogs and Cats.	B．The Characteristics of Cats.
C． Loyal Animals.	D． How to Keep Cats?

小题2:It’s interesting to have cats around ourselves because ________.
A.they always switch their loyalty B. they like to do silly tricks
C. they will hiss when they are happy D they are smart and have good memories
小题3:The last paragraph mainly shows that ________.

A．cats can test whether the water is cold or not

B．cats know how to turn on the water tap

C．cats are smart

D．cats know how to open a door

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Although man has known asbestos （石棉） for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H.W.Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for the opening of that first mine．
Mr.Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy． He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands.How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all．You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials． However, because it was very expensive to transport them from Italy to the United States, Mr.Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein（岩脉）, in the province of Quebec in Canada．
Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen．When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be．When it is separated, a strange thing happens: the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres．
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads, but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”．
小题1:Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A．Asbestos mined in Canada	B．Fireproof matter
C．A “wonder” mineral	D．A new roofing material

小题2:Johns proved his ability as a salesman by_______．

A．going into roofing business	B．carrying asbestos from Italy
C．sending a trained scientist	D．showing the use of asbestos gloves

小题3:Which is the most important characteristic of asbestos that the author wants to show us?

A．It is like thread．	B．It feels soapy．
C．It burns easily．	D．It is unusually heavy．

小题4:The author’s main purpose in writing this passage was to _______．

A．show the need for more scientists

B．compare asbestos with other minerals

C．increase the sales of asbestos

D．present facts about asbestos

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

CORVALIJS. Ore.-- Engineers at Oregon Suite University have made a breakthrough in the performance of microbial (微生物的)fuel cells that can produce electricity directly from wastewater，opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves, but will sell extra electricity.
The new technology ,developed at OSU, can now produce 10 to 50 more times the electricity, per volume, than most oilier approaches using microbial fuel cells,and 100 times more electricity than some.
Researchers say this could eventually change the way that wastewater is treated all over the world, replacing the widely used “activated sludge (泥浆) ” process that has been in use for almost a century. The new approach would produce significant amounts of electricity while effectively cleaning the wastewater,
“If this technology works on a commercial scale the way we believe it will ,the treatment of wastewater could be a huge energy producer, not a huge energy cost.” said Hong Liu ，an associate professor in the OSU Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering. “This could have an impact around the world, save a great deal of money, provide better water treatment and promote energy sustainability.”
The biodegradable (能降解的）characteristics of wastewater, if developed to their full potential, could theoretically provide many times the energy that is now being used to process them, with no additional greenhouse emissions.
OSU researchers reported several years ago on the promise of this technology, but at that time the systems in use produced far less electrical power. With new concepts, the technology can now produce more than two kilowatts per cubic meter of liquid reactor volume.
The new system also works better than an alternative approach to creating electricity from wastewater, based on anacrobic (臭氧的）digestion that produces methane (甲烷）.It treats the wastewater more effectively, and doesn’t have any of the environmental drawbacks of that technology, such as production of possible release of methane, a significant greenhouse gas.
小题1:Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?

A．The treatment of wastewater is a huge energy cost.

B．Wastewater is being treated differently over the world.

C．Waste treatment plants have found a new way to power themselves.

D．Microbial fuel cells will produce more electricity from wastewater.

小题2:What can we learn about the new technology from the passage?

A．It can produce 100 times more electricity than any approach used today.

B．Through it more electricity can be created and water can be cleaned better.

C．It has already changed the way that wastewater is treated all over the world

D．It has opened the door to put microbial fuel cells to productive use.

小题3:What attitude does Professor Liu hold towards the new technology?
A. Supportive. B. Critical. C Unconcerned. D. Curious.
小题4:According to the last paragraph, why does the new system work better than the alternative approach?

A．Because it is co-friendly and treats wastewater more effectively.

B．Because it can make full use of anaerobic digestion producing methane.

C．Because it may produce less methane than the alternative approach.

D．Because it can produce 10 times the energy than the alternative approach.

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案

Since the beginning of history, man has been attracted by the idea of living forever, of winning the fight against death and disease. So far, this has only remained a dream. Many people have wondered whether it would be possible to find a way to preserve human bodies, and what would be the best way.
It has long been known that meat of fruit can be kept fresh for long periods by freezing; in ancient China, for example, food was stored with ice to keep it fresh. This method could also be useful for preserving humans.
However, most living beings that exist under warm conditions die when frozen. This is because of the harmful effects of freezing ice crystals(晶体), which not only are larger than the volume(体积) of the water originally in the cells, but also form sharp cutting shapes that harm the cells.
In the 1940s Dr B.J. Luyet and a group of scientists in England were working on the problem of freezing cells without damaging them. Since the harm caused by ice crystals was the main cause of damage, Luyet suggested removing some or all of the water from the cells before freezing them.
Using living cells form chicken, Luyet and his assistants discovered that they could partly dry the chicken cells, using a mixture of the white part of an egg and glycerin (丙三醇). Some success was obtained. The chicken cells were dried, frozen for a period of time, and then carefully unfrozen. Almost all the cells recovered when they reached normal temperatures.
Since then, the cooling of whole animals to a temperature far below freezing point for later unfreezing has become more of a possibility, and the glycerin method would probably be used to accomplish this. When this can be done completely and successfully, science will have moved much closer to its aim of freezing and storing incurable patients until the day they can be cured.
小题1:What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Easy but practical ways to remove water from living cells.

B．The possibility of preserving human bodies by freezing.

C．The practice of preserving food by freezing.

D．The harmful effects of freezing.

小题2:The idea of freezing human bodies to preserve them ______________.

A．has already been realized

B．was invented in ancient China

C．has its roots in the way of storing food

D．is widely accepted by the scientific world

小题3:According to the text, freezing _________________.

A．is harmful to living cells

B．is the best way of preserving food

C．reduces the volume of water in living cells

D．is a way of removing water from living cells

小题4:What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．It is impossible to have whole animals frozen.

B．It remains unknown how to unfreeze frozen animals.

C．Freezing incurable patients for later treatment is still an idea.

D．The glycerin method has already been adopted to treat patients.

题型：不详难度：| 查看答案