EThere’s talk today about how as a society we’ve become separated by colors, inc
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E There’s talk today about how as a society we’ve become separated by colors, income, city vs suburb, red state vs blue. But we also divide ourselves with unseen dotted lines. I’m talking about the property lines that isolate us from the people we are physically closest to: our neighbors. It was a disaster on my street, in a middle-class suburb of Rochester Town, several years ago that got me thinking about this. One night, a neighbor shot and killed his wife and then himself; their two middle-school children ran screaming into the night. Though the couple had lived on our street for seven years, my wife and I hardly knew them. We’d see them jogging together. Sometimes our children would share cars to school with theirs. Some of the neighbors attended the funeral(葬礼)and called on relatives. Someone laid a single bunch of yellow flowers at the family’s front door, but nothing else was done to mark the loss. Within weeks, the children had moved with their grandparents to another part of the town. The only indication that anything had changed was the “For Sale” sign in front of their house. A family had disappeared, yet the impact on our neighborhood was slight. How could that be? Did I live in a community or just in a house on a street surrounded by people whose lives were entirely separate? Few of my neighbors, I later learned, knew others on the street more than casually; many didn’t know even the names of those a few doors down. Why is it that in an age of low long-distance expenses, discount airlines and the Internet, when we can create community anywhere, we often don’t know the people who live next door? Maybe my neighbors didn’t mind living this way, but I did. I wanted to get to know the people whose houses I passed each day – not just what they do for a living and how many children they have, but the depth of their experience and what kind of people they are. What would it take, I wondered, to break through the barriers between us? I thought about childhood sleepovers(在外过夜), and the familiar feeling and deep understanding I used to get from waking up inside a friend’s home. Would my neighbors let me sleep over and write about their lives from inside their own houses? 72. The underlined word “this” in the second paragraph probably refers to the talk about ____. A. how a society is divided by dotted lines B. the property lines separating us from our neighbors C. the couple’s death D. understanding each other between neighbors 73. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author’s description? A. The husband killed himself. B. The couple had the habit of jogging together. C. Their children moved to live with grandparents after the couple’s death. D. The author never knew the couple until they died seven years later. 74. From the last paragraph, we can infer that the author _____ in his childhood. A. had once slept in the open air outside B. had slept in his friend’s home more than once C. had slept at home but woke up to find himself inside his friend’s home D. used to live in his friend’s home 75. Following the last paragraph, the author will perhaps _____. A. leave his home and began his writing career B. sleep in the open air and write about his experiences C. sleep in his neighbors’ homes and write about their family lives D. interview his neighbors and write about their houses |
答案
72—75 BDBC |
解析
略 |
举一反三
D “Pay has little to do with motivation in the workplace”.That’s the argument put forward by best-selling author Daniel Pink in his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.“Pay for performance is supposed to be a folk tale,” he says. Daniel argues that, if employees receive a basic level of payment, three other factors matter more than money: a sense of independence, of mastery over one’s labor, and of serving a purpose larger than oneself.For example, in 2008 at the offices of Best Buy’s Richfield, salaried workers there were allowed to organize their own work day, putting in only as many hours as they felt necessary to get their jobs done.Productivity increased by 35% according to The Harvard Business Review. But the managers at Goldman Sachs aren’t exactly making some efforts to adjust.Like others on Wall Street, the banking giant argues that fat bonuses (extra rewards) are essential to make its numbers.“That’s exactly the attitude that leads to the recent financial crisis in the United States,” responds Daniel, “as managers always focus on short-term rewards that encourage cheating, shortcuts, and dishonest behavior.” Moreover, the 45-year-old author and former Al Gore speechwriter refers to social-science experiments and experiences at such workplaces as Google and 3M.In one 2005 experiment he describes, economists working for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston tested the power of incentives (激励) by offering cash rewards to those who did well in games that included reciting a series of numbers and throwing tennis balls at a target.The researchers’ finding: Over and over, higher incentives led to worse performance --- and those given the highest incentives did the poorest job. From this and other cases, Daniel draws a conclusion that monetary incentives remove the element of play and creativity, transforming “an interesting task into a dull one.” It’s even possible, he adds, for oversized rewards to have dangerous side effects, like those of a drug dependency in which an addicted requires ever larger amounts.He refers to scientific testing that shows the promise of cash rewards increase a chemical in the brain similar to that brought on by cocaine or nicotine. Daniel, however, is also aware that his company examples --- no GE, no IBM, no Microsoft --- hardly represent the commanding heights of the economy.But he thinks his approach will catch on, even in the biggest companies.“Managers tend to be realistic, and in time they will respond,” he says. 53.In his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel Pink is promoting the idea that _____. A.it is a money-driven society B.all workers are not driven by money C.money plays a key role in management D.pay has nothing to do with workplaces 54.In Daniel’s point of view, many Wall Street managers are _______. A.dishonest B.considerate C.short-sighted D.ridiculous 55.In paragraph 5, the example of drug-taking is given to show _______. A.money is as addictive as cocaine or nicotine B.big rewards bring about dangerous side effect C.nicotine and money bring the same chemical D.workers do not need the incentives of money at all 56.We can learn from the last paragraph that _______. A.Daniel’s approach will be popular in a wider field B.realistic managers will first consider Daniel’s approach C.Daniel’s approach meets the demand of economic crisis D.GE, IBM and Microsoft will join in Daniel’s approach next |
E If you don’t have a college degree, you’re at greater risk of developing memory problems or even Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆).Education plays a key role in lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder, and it"s well documented that those with a college degree possess a cognitive(认知的) advantage over their less educated counterparts in middle and old age. Now, a large national study from Brandeis University published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry shows that those with less schooling can significantly make up for poorer education by frequently engaging in mental exercises such as word games, puzzles, reading, and lectures. “The lifelong benefits of higher education for memory in later life are quite impressive, but we do not clearly understand how and why these effects last so long,” said lead author Margie Lachman, a psychologist.She suggested that higher education may encourage lifelong interest in cognitive efforts, while those with less education may not engage as frequently in mental exercises that help keep the memory agile (敏捷地). But education early in adulthood does not appear to be the only route to maintain your memory.The study found that intellectual activities undertaken regularly made a difference.“Among individuals with low education, those who are engaged in reading, writing, attending lectures, doing word games or puzzles once a week or more had memory scores similar to people with more education,” said Lachman. The study, called Midlife in the United States, assessed 3,343 men and women between the ages of 32 and 84 with a mean age of 56 years.Almost 40 percent of the participants had at least a 4-year college degree.The researchers evaluated how the participants performed in two cognitive areas, verbal memory and executive function --- brain processes involved in planning, abstract thinking and cognitive flexibility.Participants were given a battery of tests, including tests of verbal fluency, word recall, and backward counting. As expected, those with higher education said they engaged in cognitive activities more often and also did better on the memory tests, but some with lower education also did well, explained Lachman. “The findings are promising because they suggest there may be ways to level the playing field for those with lower educational achievement, and protect those at greatest risk for memory declines,” said Lachman.“Although we can not rule out the possibility that those who have better memories are the ones who take on more activities, the evidence is consistent with cognitive plasticity (可塑性), and suggests some degree of personal control over cognitive functioning in adulthood by adopting an intellectually active lifestyle.” 57.What is the text mainly about? A.Higher education has a better cognitive advantage. B.Better memories result from college degree. C.Cognitive activity does a mind good. D.Poor education has more risk of memory declines. 58.According to the result of Margie Lachman’s study, we can conclude that ________. A.education is responsible for the lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder B.education early in adulthood can be the only route to maintain your memory C.those with higher education did better on the memory tests than those with lower education D.an intellectually active lifestyle does help to maintain your memory 59.What do we know about the study called Midlife? A.Participants each were given a battery to test their memory. B.The average age of the participants are 56 years old. C.Participants had to perform in one of the two cognitive areas. D.One in four of the participants had a 4-year college degree. 60.Why are the findings of the Lachman’s study promising? A.The lower educated may have the same opportunities to keep up memory. B.We may have ways to cure the people who have memory declines. C.Adopting a different lifestyle can control over cognitive functioning. D.We can find out the possibility to have better memories. |
C Driving in a foreign country is always different in at least some ways from driving in your own country. Here are some general points regarding driving in New Zealand. ● Visitors wishing to drive in New Zealand do not require an international driver"s licenses but are required to carry their local driver"s license whenever driving. ● Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road as they do in Britain, Australia, and Japan. Most rental vehicles will have a sticker reminding you of this important fact. ● When the traffic light is red, you must stop. There is no left turn rule as in North America. ● New Zealand road rules follow international standards but please note that in New Zealand vehicles turning left must give way to traffic turning right. ● In general, if you are turning left (where there are give-way signs or no signs), give way to vehicles that not turning. In all other situations, give way to vehicles crossing or coming from your right. ● Scat belts must be worn at all times while driving in New Zealand. This stands for the driver and passengers. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers are wearing their seatbelts. ● Do not drink alcohol before driving in New Zealand-drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced. ● Speed limits are in kilometers per hour (kph), not miles per hour (mph). Speed conversion: 1 kph equals 0.621mph; 1 mph equals 1.61 kph. ● The speed limit on the open road is 100km/h. In towns and cities the speed limit is 50km/h. Be sure to obey all school crossing speed reductions as speed cameras operate regularlythroughout New Zealand. For further information and up to date road conditions visit: http://www. transit. govt. nz 49.What can be learned from the passage? A.A passenger"s not wearing the seat belt has little to do with the driver. B.There will be a reminder for driver to remember to drive on the left side. C.Cars passing a school in towns should drive at a speed of less than 31 mph. D.A foreign driver is expected to have a driving license issued by New Zealand. 50.Which of the following statements correctly explains road rules in New Zealand? A.In Figure 1, Car B must give way to Car A. B.In Figure 2, Car B must give way to Car A. C.In Figure 3, Car B must give way to Car A. D.In Figure 4, Car B must give way to Car A.
51.This passage is most likely______. A.a travel brochure for locals B.a website travel introduction C.an advertisement of travel D.a travel column in a geographical magazine |
D When American students graduate from college, they must find jobs for themselves. But often they get help from their college and university. Every college has a career counseling office. The people who work there help students learn about different kinds of jobs and the chances for employment. Students can discuss their first year of college. Some use the information a counselor gives them when deciding what subjects to study. For example, a girl student wants to be an engineer, but she does not know what kind. The counselor can tell the girl that, when she graduates in four years, there will be more jobs for structural engineers than for chemical engineers. Therefore, the student may study structural engineering. The career counseling office also communicates with local and national companies. Company officials often visit the university to talk to students who want to work for them. The career counseling offices arrange these meetings for the company and the students. They also have classes for students. They teach the students how to find a job such as what to say to company officials and how to write letters telling about themselves. Experts say that American students who are employed when they finish college usually find jobs in their own field of study. Those who must search for months after graduation usually take lower paid jobs, and their jobs are not connected to what they studied in college. The experts foretell that in coming years there will be more jobs for healthy workers, financial experts, teachers and computer scientists. 52.According to the passage, a career counselor______. A.helps students pass the examinations successfully B.helps student find well-paid jobs C.provides students with information about various opportunities D.helps students find full-time jobs 53.A career counseling office does all the following jobs except______. A.providing jobs information for college graduates B.communicating with local and national companies C.arranging meetings between companies and universities D.teaching students special skills 54.Those who spend months hunting jobs after graduation usually______. A.can find well-paid jobs B.have to take part-time jobs C.find lower-paid jobs in the fields not connected to his own D.can find jobs in their own fields of study 55.What"s the best title for this passage? A.American University Graduates. B.Finding Jobs after Graduation. C.Well-paid Jobs for University Graduates. D.Future Jobs. |
B When the population of the port town began to suffer from poisoning, the police came to find the cause of the poison.They thought someone was poisoning the people on purpose but no one knew how it was possible.Soon people took the position that the pork was poisoned.It was a popular food everyone ate and it could have possibly made everyone sick.Anyone who had possession of pork would throw it out.Even the poorest of the poor wouldn’t eat pork.Signs were posted on poles and letters were sent to everyone to warn people of the pork.Shortly afterwards, even policemen in high positions were also getting sick. Soon it became political and popular.Politicians rushed to the town to talk about politics and promised how they would find the solution if they were elected.Everyone was so sick that they didn’t care about politics.Everyone was in a position where he or she didn’t know what to do anymore.They went to the post office to mail posts out asking for help.The poor town didn’t know how to deal with the situation. One day, a well-known scientist from New York came to the town with a huge box containing many instruments and his possessions.He went to pools and the port and made measurements.He was quiet and polite.Then one day he made a speech at a newspaper meeting-room to announce his findings. “I am sorry to say your water supply is so heavily polluted; it is poisoned.I know who has been poisoning you all for such a long time.It is you who have been poisoning yourselves with pollution.A great deal of rubbish has been thrown into the water day after day.No one here has taken good care of the environment.It is no wonder all of you have been sick.” Shocked at the news, the people present were lost in thought. 59.Which is the correct order of the facts described in the story? a. People suffered from poisoning. b.Politicians came to make promises. c. People began to realize the real cause. d.Pork was thrown away. e. The water there was polluted. f.A scientist came to check the water. A. e, a, d, b, f, c B.e, a, d, c, f, b C. a, e, b, d, c, f D.f, c, d, b, e, a 60.Which of the following statements is correct? A.Everyone was so sick of politics that they didn’t care about those politicians. B.According to the scientist from New York, not all the population in the town have taken good care of the environment. C.The reason why the people in the town got sick was that they ate the pork poisoned by the heavily polluted water. D.if the people in the town hadn’t polluted the water supply, they would not have suffered from poisoning or sickness. 61.After reading the passage, we can infer that ________ A.politicians took every chance to make themselves elected B.pork was the main food of the people in the town C.people in the town were not well-educated D.even some police officers were getting ill |
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