What is the nature of the scientifi c attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, chemistry, geology, engineering, medical or any other science? We all know that science plays an important role in the societies in which we live. Many people believe, however, that our progress depends on two different aspects of science. The fi rst of these is the application of the machines and products that scientists and technologists develop. New drugs, faster and safer means of transport, new systems of applied knowledge are some examples of this aspect of science.
The second aspect is the application of the special methods of thought and action that scientists use in their work. What are these special methods of thinking and acting? First of all, it seems that a successful scientist is full of curiosity — he wants to fi nd out how and why the universe works. He usually directs his attention towards problems which he notices have no satisfactory explanation, and his curiosity makes him look for underlying relationships even if the data available seem to be unconnected. Moreover, he thinks he can improve the existing conditions, whether of pure or applied knowledge, and enjoys trying to solve the problems which this involves.
He is a good observer, accurate, patient and objective and applies persistent and logical thought to the observations he makes. He utilizes the facts he observes to the full extent. For example, trained observers obtain a very large amount of information about a star mainly from the accurate analysis of the simple lines that appear in a spectrum.
He is skeptical — he does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available — and therefore rejects authority as the sole basis for truth.
Furthermore, he is not only critical of the work of others, but also of his own. Since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientifi c instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation.
Lastly, he is highly imaginative since he often has to look for relationships in data, which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete. Furthermore, he needs imagination if he wants to make hypotheses of how processes work and how events take place.
These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts. 81. Many people believe that science helps society to progress through . A. applied knowledge B. more than one aspect C. technology only D. the use of machines
82. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about curiosity? A. It gives the scientist confi dence and pleasure in work. B. It gives rise to interest in problem that are unexplained. C. It leads to efforts to investigate potential connections.
D. It encourages the scientists to look for new ways of acting. 83. According to the passage, a successful scientist would not . A. easily believe in unchecked statements B. easily criticize others’ research work C. always use his imagination in work D. always use evidence from observation
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84. What does the passage mainly discuss? A. Application of technology. B. Progress in modern society.
C. Scientists’ way of thinking and acting. D. How to become a successful scientist.
85. What is the author’s attitude towards the topic? A. Critical. B. Objective. C. Biased. D. Unclear. Text B
Over the past several decades, the U.S., Canada, and Europe have received a great deal of media and even research attention over unusual phenomena and unsolved mysteries. These include UFOs as well as sightings and encounters with “nonhuman creatures” such as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster. Only recently has Latin America begun to receive some attention as well. Although the mysteries of the Aztec, Mayan, and Inca civilizations have been known for centuries, now the public is also becoming aware of unusual, paranormal phenomena in countries such as Peru. The Nazca “lines” of Peru were discovered in the 1930s. These lines are deeply carved into a flat, stony plain, and form about 300 intricate pictures of animals such as birds, a monkey, and a lizard. Seen at ground level, the designs are a jumbled senseless mess. The images are so large that they can only be viewed at a height of 1,000 feet — meaning from an aircraft. Yet there were no aircraft in 300 B.C., when it is judged the designs were made. Nor were there then, or are there now, any nearby mountain ranges from which to view them. So how and why did the native people of Nazca create these marvelous designs? One answer appeared in 1969, when the German researcher and writer Erich von Daniken proposed that the lines were drawn by extraterrestrials as runways for their aircraft. The scientifi c community did not take long to scoff at and abandon von Daniken’s theory. Over the years several other theories have been put forth, but none has been accepted by the scientifi c community.
Today there is a new and heightened interest in the Nazca lines. It is a direct result of the creation of the Internet. Currently there are over 60 sites dedicated to this mystery from Latin America’s past, and even respected scientists have joined the discussion through e-mail and chat rooms.
Will the Internet help explain these unsolved mysteries? Perhaps it is a step in the right direction. 86. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
A. Latin America has long received attention for unusual phenomena. B. Public attention is now directed towards countries like Peru. C. Public interest usually focuses on North America and Europe. D. Some ancient civilizations have unsolved mysteries. 87. According to the passage, the Nazca lines were found . A. in mountains B. in stones C. on animals D. on a plain
88. We can infer from the passage that the higher the lines are seen, the the images they present. A. smaller B. larger C. clearer D. brighter
89. There has been increasing interest in the Nazca lines mainly because of ______. A. the participation of scientists B. the emergence of the Internet C. the birth of new theories D. the interest in the Internet
90. The author is about the role of the Internet in solving mysteries. A. cautious B. pessimistic C. uncertain D. optimistic
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Text C
Graduation speeches are a bit like wedding toasts. A few are memorable. The rest tend to trigger such thoughts as, “Why did I wear such uncomfortable shoes?”
But graduation speeches are less about the message than the messenger. Every year a few colleges and universities in the US attract attention because they’ve managed to book high-profile speakers. And, every year, the media report some of these speakers’ wise remarks. Last month, the following words of wisdom were spread:
“You really haven’t completed the circle of success unless you can help somebody else move forward.” (Oprah Winfrey, Duke University).
“There is no way to stop change; change will come. Go out and give us a future worthy of the world we all wish to create together.” (Hillary Clinton, New York University).
“This really is your moment. History is yours to bend.” (Joe Biden, Wake Forest University). Of course, the real “get” of the graduation season was first lady Michelle Obama’s appearance at the University of California, Merced. “Remember that you are blessed,” she told the class of 2009, “Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something
back... As advocate and activist Marian Wright Edelman says, ’Service is the rent we pay for living ... it is the true measure, the only measure of success’.”
Calls to service have a long, rich tradition in these speeches. However, it is possible for a graduation speech to go beyond cliche and say something truly compelling. The late writer David Foster Wallace’s 2005 graduation speech at Kenyon College in Ohio talked about how to truly care about other people. It gained something of a cult after it was widely circulated on the Internet. Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs’ address at Stanford University that year, in which he talked about death, is also considered one of the best in recent memory.
But when you’re sitting in the hot sun, fi dgety and freaked out, do you really want to be lectured about the big stuff ? Isn’t that like trying to maintain a smile at your wedding reception while some relative gives a toast that amounts to “marriage is hard work”? You know he’s right; you just don’t want to think about it at that particular moment. In fact, as is the case in many major life moments, you can’t really manage to think beyond the blisters your new shoes are causing. That may seem anticlimactic. But it also gets to the heart of one of life’s greatest, saddest truths: that our most “memorable” occasions may elicit the fewest memories. It’s probably not something most graduation speakers would say, but it’s one of the fi rst lessons of growing up.
91. According to the passage, most graduation speeches tend to recall ______ memories. A. great B. trivial C. unforgettable D. unimaginative
92. “But graduation speeches are less about the message than the messenger” is explained ______. A. in the fi nal paragraph. B. in the last but one paragraph. C. in the fi rst paragraph. D. in the same paragraph.
93. The graduation speeches mentioned in the passage are related to the following themes EXCEPT ______.
A. death. B. success. C. service. D. generosity.
94. It is implied in the passage that at great moments people fail to ______. A. remain clear-headed. B. keep good manners. C. remember others’ words. D. recollect specifi c details. 95. What is “one of the first lessons of growing up”? A. Attending a graduation ceremony.
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B. Listening to graduation speeches.
C. Forgetting details of memorable events. D. Meeting high-profile graduation speakers. Text D
Cultural rules determine every aspect of food consumption. Who eats together defi nes social units. For example, in some societies, the nuclear family is the unit that regularly eats together.
The anthropologist Mary Douglas has pointed out that, for the English, the kind of meal and the kind of food that is served relate to the kinds of social links between people who are eating together. She distinguishes between regular meals, Sunday meals when relatives may come, and cocktail parties for acquaintances. The food served symbolizes the occasion and reflects who is present. For example, only snacks are served at a cocktail party. It would be inappropriate to serve a steak or hamburgers. The distinctions among cocktails, regular meals, and special dinners mark the social boundaries between those guests who are invited for drinks, those who are invited to dinner, and those who come to a family meal. In this example, the type of food symbolizes the category of guest and with whom it is eaten.
In some New Guinea societies, the nuclear family is not the unit that eats together. The men take their meals in a men’s house, separately from their wives and children. Women prepare and eat their food in their own houses and take the husband’s portion to the men’s house. The women eat with their children in their own houses. This pattern is also widespread among Near Eastern societies.
Eating is a metaphor that is sometimes used to signify marriage. In many New Guinea societies, like that of the Lesu on the island of New Ireland in the Pacific and that of the Trobriand Islanders, marriage is symbolized by the couple’s eating together for the first time.
Eating symbolizes their new status as a married couple. In U.S. society, it is just the reverse. A couple may go out to dinner on a first date.
Other cultural rules have to do with taboos against eating certain things. In some societies, members of a clan, a type of kin (family) group, are not allowed to eat the animal or bird that is their totemic ancestor. Since they believe themselves to be descended from that ancestor, it would be like eating that ancestor or eating themselves.
There is also an association between food prohibitions and rank, which is found in its most extreme form in the caste system of India. A caste system consists of ranked groups, each with a different economic specialization. In India, there is an association between caste and the idea of pollution. Members of highly ranked groups can be polluted by coming into contact with the bodily secretions, particularly saliva, of individuals of lower-ranked castes. Because of the fear of pollution, Brahmans and other high-ranked individuals will not share food with, not eat from the same plate as, not even accept food from an individual from a low-ranking caste. 96. According to the passage, the English make clear distinctions between ______. A. people who eat together. B. the kinds of food served. C. snacks and hamburgers. D. family members and guests. 97. According to the passage, who will NOT eat together? A. The English.
B. Americans on their fi rst date.
C. Men and women in Near Eastern societies. D. Newly-weds on the island of New Ireland.
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98. According to the passage, eating together indicates all the following EXCEPT ______. A. the type of food. B. social relations. C. marital status. D. family ties.
99. The last paragraph suggests that in India ______ decides how people eat. A. pollution B. food C. culture D. social status
100. Which of the following can best serve as the topic of the passage? A. Different kinds of food in the world. B. Relations between food and social units. C. Symbolic meanings of food consumption. D. Culture and manners of eating. 答案与解析： 81. B。细节类。第一段第四行：“Many people believe, however, that our progress depends on two different aspects of science.”，社会的进步依靠于科学的两个不同方面。所以选B。 82. A。细节类。第三段作者阐述了什么是科学家必须具备的好奇心，可用排除法。
83. A。细节类。第五段“He is skeptical — he does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available.”，科学家常常对于没有建立在充分证据上的论断持怀疑态度。
84. C。主旨类。文章第三段“What are these special methods of thinking and acting?”是全文的主题句。文章解释了科学家的思考和行为方式。
85. B。态度类。文章客观描述了科学家的思考和行为方式，没有加入个人的主观评价。 86. A。细节类。第一段第四行“Only recently has Latin America begun to receive some attention as well.”，直到最近，拉美文化引起了人们的关注。
87. D。细节类。第二段“These lines are deeply carved into a flat, stony plain.”。 88. C。推理类。“Seen at ground level, the designs are a jumbled senseless mess. The images are so large that they can only be viewed at a height of 1,000 feet — meaning from an aircraft.”，从平地上看，这些图案看上去乱糟糟，没有任何意义，图形太大了，所以越高看得越清楚。
89. B。细节类。第三段“Today there is a new and heightened interest in the Nazca lines. It is a direct result of the creation of the Internet.”，人们对于纳斯卡线条越来越感兴趣是因为因特网的传播。
90. D。态度类。最后一段“Will the Internet help explain these unsolved mysteries? Perhaps it is a step in the right direction.”，作者对于因特网解决疑难问题是充满信心的。
91. B。推理类。第一段“Graduation speeches are a bit like wedding toasts. A few are memorable. The rest tend to trigger such thoughts as, ‘Why did I wear such uncomfortable shoes?’”，毕业演讲有点像婚礼上的致辞，有些片段是难忘的，但是其余的时刻总让我们回想起当时的细节，比如我为什么要穿这双不舒服的鞋呢。
92. D。推理类。“Every year a few colleges and universities in the US attract attention because they’ve managed to book high-profile speakers. And, every year, the media report some of these speakers’ wise remarks.”，在毕业演讲上，演讲者比演讲内容还要重要。每年都有些大学请来高调的演讲者。
93. D。细节类。文章中举了几个有名的毕业演讲，关于死亡、成功、为社会服务。可用排除法。
94. C。推理类。倒数第二段“You know he’s right; you just don’t want to think about it at that particular moment.”，在重要的时刻，当大人物演讲时，你知道他说的是正确的，但往往记不住他到底说了些什么。
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95. C。细节类。最后一段“our most‘memorable’occasions may elicit the fewest memories.”，成长中的第一课包括，我们往往会遗忘重要时刻的细节。 96. D。推理类。第一段“for the English, the kind of meal and the kind of food that is served relate to the kinds of social links between people who are eating together.”，对于英国人来说，食物的品种和内容是由一起吃饭的人的关系来决定的。
97. C。细节类。第二段作者描述了在近东国家的吃饭习俗，丈夫和妻儿分开来吃饭。
98. A。推理类。可用排除法。在一起进餐可反映出进餐者的社会关系、婚姻状况和家庭关系。
99. D。推理类。最后一段作者讲述了印度人的饮食文化和社会阶层紧密相关。 100. D。主旨类。文章讨论了中西方国家饮食习俗和文化之间的关系。
2011 TEM4 READING COMPREHENSION TEXT A
We have a crisis on our hands. You mean global warming? The world economy? No, the decline of reading. People are just not doing it anymore, especially the young. Who’s responsible? Actually, it’s more like, what is responsible? The Internet, of course, and everything that comes with it—Facebook, Twitter(微博). You can write your own list.
There’s been a warning about the imminent death of literate civilization for a long time. In the 20th century, first it was the movie, then radio, then television that seemed to spell doom for the written world. None did. Reading survived; in fact it not only survived, it has flourished. The world is more than literate than ever before — there are more and more readers, and more and more books.
The fact that we often get our reading material online today is not something we should worry over. The electronic and digital revolution of the last two decades has arguably shown the way forward for reading and for writing. Take the arrival of e-book readers as an example. Devices like Kindle make reading more convenient and are a lot more environmentally friendly than the traditional paper book.
As technology makes new ways of writing possible, new ways of reading are possible. Interconnectivity allows for the possibility of reading experience that was barely imaginable before. Where traditional books had to make do with photographs and illustrations, an e-book can provide readers with an unlimited number of links: to texts, pictures, and videos. In the future, the way people write novels, history, and philosophy will resemble nothing seen in the past.
On the other hand, there is the danger of trivialization. One Titter group is offering its follows single-sentence-long “digests” of the great novels. War and Peace in a sentence? You must be joking. We should fear the fragmentation of reading. There is the danger that the high-speed connectivity of the Internet will reduce our attention span — that we will be incapable of reading anything of length or which requires deep concentration.
In such a fast-changing world, in which really seems to be remade each day, we need the ability to focus and understand what is happening to us. This has always been the function of literature and we should be careful not to let it disappear. Our society needs to be able to imagine the possibility of someone utterly in tone with modern technology but able to make sense of a dynamic, confusing world.
In the 15th century, Johannes Guttenberg’s invention of the printing press in Europe had a huge impact on civilization. Once upon a time the physical book was a challenging thing.
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We should remember this before we assume that technology is out to destroy traditionally culture.
1. Which of the following paragraph briefly reviews the historical challenges for reading?
A. Paragraph One B. Paragraph Two C. Paragraph Three D. Paragraph Four
2. The following are all cited as advantages of e-books EXCEPT?
A. multimodal content
B. environmental friendliness C. conveniences for readers D. imaginative design
3. Which of the following can best describe how the author feels toward
single-sentence-long novels? A. Ironic B. Worried C. Sarcastic D. Doubtful
4. According to the passage, people need knowledge of modern technology and ______to
survive in the fast-changing society. A. good judgment B. high sensitivity C. good imagination D. the ability to focus
5. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Technology pushes the way forward for reading and writing. B. Interconnectivity is a feature of new reading experience
C. Technology is an opportunity and a challenge for traditional reading D. Technology offers a greater variety of reading practice.
TEXT B
I know when the snow melts and the first robins(知更鸟) come to call , when the laughter of children returns to the parks and playgrounds, something wonderful is about to happen. Spring cleaning.
I’ll admit spring cleaning is a difficult notion for modern families to grasp. Today‘s busy families hardly have time to load the dishwasher, much less clean the doormat. Asking the family to spend the weekend collecting winter dog piles from the melting snow in the backyard is like announcing there will no more Wi-Fi. It interrupts the natural order.
“Honey, what say we spend the weekend beating the rugs, sorting through the boxes in the basement and painting our bedroom a nice lemony yellow?” I say.
“Can we at least wait until the NBA matches are over?” my husband answers.
But I tell my family, spring cleaning can’t wait. The temperature has risen just enough to melt snow but not enough for Little League practice to start. Some flowers are peeking out of
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the thawing ground, but there is no lawn to seed, nor garden to tend, newly wakened from our winter’s hibernation(冬眠), yet still needing extra blankets at night, we open our window to the first fresh air floating on the breeze and all of the natural world demanding “Awake and be clean!”
Biologists offer a theory about this primal impulse to clean out every drawer and closer in the house at spring’s first light, which has to do with melatonin, the sleepytime hormone(激素) our bodies produce when it’s dark. When spring’s light comes, the melatonin diminishes, and suddenly we are awakened to the dusty, virus-filled house we’ve been hibernating in for four months.
I tell my family about the science and psychology of a good healthy cleaning at spring’s arrival. I speak to them about life’s greatest rewards waiting in the removal of soap scum from the bathtub, which hasn’t been properly cleaned since the first snowfall.
“I’ll do it,” says the eldest child, a 21-year old college student who lives at home. “You will? Wow!” I exclaim.
Maybe after all these years, he’s finally grasped the concept. Maybe he’s expressing his rightful position as eldest child and role model. Or maybe he’s going to Florida for a break in a couple of weeks and he’s being nice to me who is the financial-aid officer.
No matter. Seeing my adult son willingly cleaning that dirty bathtub gives me hope for the future of his 12-year-old brother who, instead of working, is found to be sleeping in the seat of the window he is supposed to be cleaning. “Awake and be clean!” I say.
6. According to the passage, “spring cleaning is a difficult notion for modern families to
grasp” means that spring cleaning
A. is no longer an easy practice to understand. B. is no longer part of modern family in life. C. requires more family members to be involved. D. calls for more complicated skills and knowledge.
7. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be included in family spring cleaning?
A. Beating the rugs. B. Cleaning the window. C. Restoring Wi-Fi services. D. Cleaning the backyard.
8. Why does the author say “spring cleaning can’t wait”?
A. Because there will be more activities when it gets warmer. B. Because the air is fresher and the breeze is lighter.
C. Because the whole family is full of energy at spring time. D. Because the snow is melting and the ground is thawing.
9. Which of the following interpretations of the biologists’ theory about melatonin is
INCORRECT?
A. The production of melatonin in our bodies varies at different times. B. Melatonin is more likely to cause sleepiness in our bodies.
C. The reduction of melatonin will cause wakefulness in our bodies. D. The amount of melatonin remains constant in out bodies.
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10. Which of the following can best sum up the author’s overall reaction to her adult son’s
positive response to spring cleaning? A. Surprised and skeptical. B. Elated and hesitant. C. Relieved and optimistic. D. Optimistic and hesitant.
TEXT C
These days lots of young Japanese do omiai, literally, “meet and look.” Many of them do so willingly. In today’s prosperous and increasingly conservative Japan, the traditional omiai kekkon, or arranged marriage, is thriving.
But there is a difference. In the original omiai, the young Japanese couldn’t reject the partner chosen by his parents and their middleman. After World War II, many Japanese abandoned the arranged marriage as part of their rush to adopt the more democratic ways of their American conquerors. The Western ren’ai kekkon, or love marriage, became popular, Japanese began picking their own mates by dating and falling in love.
But the Western way was often wanting in an important respect: it didn’t necessarily produce a partner of the right economics, social, and educational qualifications. “Today’s young people are quite calculating,” says Chicko Akiyama, a social commentator.
What seems to be happening now is a repetition of a familiar process in the country’s history, the “Japanization” of an adopted foreign practice. The Western ideal of marrying for love is accommodated in a new omiai in which both parties are free to reject the match. “Omiai is evolving into a sort of stylized introduction,” Mrs. Akiyama says.
Many young Japanese now date in their early twenties, but with no thought of marriage. When they reach the age—in the middle twenties for woman, the late twenties for men—they increasingly turn to omiai. Some studies suggest that as many as 40% of marriages each year are omiai kekkon. It’s hard to be sure, say those who study the matter, because many Japanese couples, when polled, described their marriage as a love match even if it was arranged.
These days, doing omiai often means going to a computer matching service rather than to a nakodo. The nakodo of tradition was an old woman who knew all the kids in the neighborhood and went around trying to pair them off by speaking to their parents; a successful match would bring her a wedding invitation and a gift of money. But Japanese today find it’s less awkward to reject a proposal partner if the nokodo is a computer.
Japan has about five hundred computer matching services. Some big companies, including Mitsubishi, run one of for their employees. At a typical commercial service, an applicant pays $80 to $125 to have his or her personal data stored in the computer for two years and $200 or so more if a marriage results. The stored information includes some obvious items, like education and hobbies, and some no-so-obvious ones, like whether a person is the oldest child. (First sons, and to some extent first daughters, face an obligation of caring for elderly parents.)
11. According to the passage, today’s young Japanese prefer
A. a traditional arranged marriage. B. a new type of arranged marriage.
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C. a Western love marriage
D. a more Westernized love marriage.
12. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
A. A Western love marriage tends to miss some Japanese values.
B. Less attention is paid to the partner’s qualification in arranged marriages. C. Young Japanese would often calculate their partner’s wealth. D. A new arranged marriage is a repetition of the older type.
13. According to the passage, the figure 40% (Paragraph Five) is uncertain because
A. There has been a big increase in the number of arranged marriages. B. Western love marriage still remains popular among young Japanese. C. Young Japanese start dating very early in their life in a Western tradition. D. The tendency for arranged marriages could be stronger than is indicated.
14. One of the big difference between a traditional nakodo and its contemporary version
lies in the way
A. Wedding gifts are presented. B. A proposed partner is refused. C. Formalities are arranged.
D. The middleman/woman is chosen. 15. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?
A. to tell the differences between an old and modern nakodo. B. to provide some examples for the traditional nakodo. C. to offer more details of the computerized nakodo. D. to sum up the main ideas and provide a conclusion. TEXT D
Cordia Harrington was tired of standing up all day and smelling like French fries at night. She owned and operated three McDonald’s shops in Illinois, but as a divorced mother of three boys, she yearned for a business that would provide for her children and let her spend more time with them.
Her lucky moment came, strangely enough, after she was nominated in 1992 to on the McDonald’s bun committee. “The company picked me up in a corporate jet to see bakeries around the world,” she recalls, “Every time I went to a meeting I loved it. This was global!” The experience opened her eyes to business possibilities. When McDonald’s decided it wanted a new bun supplier, Harrington became determined to win the contract, even though she had no experience running a bakery.
Harrington studied the bakery business and made sure she was never off executives’ radar, “If you have a dream, you can’t wait for people to call you,” she says. “So I’d visit a mill and send them photos of myself in a baker’s hat and jacket, holding a sign that says ‘I want to be your baker.’” After four years and 32 interviews, her persistence paid off.
Harrington sealed the deal with a handshake, sold her shops, and borrowed $13.5 million. She was ready to build the fastest, most automated bakery in the world.
The Tennessee Bun Company opened ahead of schedule in 1997, in time for a slump in U.S. fast-food sales for MacDonald’s. Before Harrington knew it, she was down to her last $20,000,
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not enough to cover payroll. And her agreement with MacDonald’s required that she sell exclusively to the company, “I cried myself to sleep many nights,” she recalls, “I really did think, I am going to go bankrupt.”
But Harrington worked out an agreement to supply Pepperidge Farm as well. “MacDonald’s could see a benefit if our production went up and prices went down, and no benefit if we went out of business,” she says, “That deal saved us.”
Over the next eight years, Harrington branched out even more: She started her own trucking business, added a cold-storage company, and now has three bakeries producing fresh buns and frozen dough — all now known as the Bun Companies. Speed is still a priority: It takes 11 people at the main bakery to turn out 60,000 buns an hour for clients across 40 states, South American, and the Caribbean.
Grateful for the breaks she’s had, Harrington is passionate about providing opportunities to all 230 employees. “Financial success is the most fun when you can give it away,” She says. The current economy is challenging. Some of her clients’ sales have declined, but she’s found new clients and improved efficiencies to help sustain the company’s double-digit growth. Cordia Harrington doesn’t have to stand on her feet all day anymore. Two of her three sons now work for her. And she’s remarried —her husband, Tom, is now her CFO.
“This is more than a job,” says Harrington. “It’s a mission. I’m always thinking. How can we best serve our employees? If we support them, they’ll do their best to look after our clients. That’s how it works here.”
16. According to the passage, which of the following was most significant in her early career? A. Her nomination on the McDonald’s bun committee. B. Her travel and the visits to bakeries around the world. C. A business contract with local bun suppliers.
D. The interviews and experiences in running a bakery.
17. “Harrington…made sure she was never off executives’ radar” (Paragraph Four) means that she
A. herself wanted to be a company executive. B. meant to hire executives to run the business.
C. meant to keep her management knowledge and skills. D. focused on the management of the bakery business.
18. How did she survive the crisis at the start of her bakery business? A. By supplying buns for another company.
B. By opening her bun company ahead of schedule. C. By keeping supplies up for MacDonald’s.
D. By making a new agreement with McDonald’s.
19. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT in describing her current business? A. It is fast growing. B. It is diversified
C. Its clients are all local. D. It is more efficient.
20. According to the passage, which of the following is fundamental to Harrington’s success? A. efficiently and love for the family.
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B. perseverance and concern for employees. C. business expansion and family support. D. opportunities and speed.
1-5 BDBAC 6-10 ACADB 11-15BADDC 16-20 BCACB
2012 TEM4 TEXT A
Saying“thank you”is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign
language．After all，we’re brought up to be polite，and it is important to make a good impression upon other people—especially across national divides．
So．what exactly are you supposed to say when \"thank you\" is only the 20th most popular way to express gratitude? According to a recent survey,19 other ways of expressing appreciation finished ahead of \"thank you\" in a poll of 3,000 people．
Pollsters found almost half of those asked preferred the more informal“cheers”，while others liked to use such expressions as“ta”,“great\" and“nice one”．
So，just what is the appropriate form of words to express your thanks?
Fortunately, the clue is in the language itself．“Cheers”，despite its popularity，is considered an informal way to say thank you—and this is a definite clue as to when you can best use it．
For instance，when going for a drink with friends，a smile and a“cheers”by way of thanks is not only appropriate to the situation，it is also culturally accurate．
“Ta”，originated from the Danish word“tak”, was the second-most popular expression of thanks，and is also commonly used in informal situations，along with phrases such as“nice one”， and“brilliant”．Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was“thanks”．Thank you's shorter, more informal cousin． “Thanks”can be useful，as it is able to bridge the divide between the formality of “thank you\" and the downright relaxed“cheers”．
Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight．Again，the words themselves offer the clue as to when best to use them． For example，words like“awesome”，“brilliant\" and“you star\" featured highly in the new poll and they can hint at both your pleasure at someone's action，as well as serving to express your thanks．If you are on the receiving end of a“new”thank you，you can respond with a simple“no problem”, or“sure”．
Of course，in certain circumstances，a simple wave，nod or smile may be appropriate．For instance，if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road，simply raising your hand in acknowledgement is enough to show that you appreciate the driver's consideration．
Sometimes，formality is necessary, and“thank you”is still the best choice in such situations． But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions．
Many people in Western countries are worried that good manners are in decline．People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without comment．So don’t think that your
“thank you”was clumsy or awkwardly formal．The chances are，if you said “thank you”，you made someone’s day．You star．
81．We can tell from the results of the poll that
A．people are unconcerned about politeness nowadays．
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B．“thank you”remains the best expression of gratitude． C．there is a variety of expressions of appreciation．
D．there are more formal expressions than informal ones． 82．Which word/phrase does NOT appear in the top 20? A．Cheers． B．Thanks． C．Brilliant． D．You star．
83．According to the passage．which is an appropriate response to“awesome”or“brilliant”? A．Thanks． B．Cheers． C．Nice one． D．Sure．
84．According to the passage，the way in which we express our gratitude depends on all the following EXCEPT
A．gender． B．formality． C．culture． D．circumstance． 85．In the last paragraph the author encourages people to A．continue their acts of kindness． B．behave themselves well．
C．show their gratitude to others． D．stop worrying about bad manners． TEXT B
From 2007 to 2010，American households lost $l1 trillion in real estate，savings, and stocks More than half of all U．S．workers either lost their jobs or were forced to take cuts in hours or pay during the recession．The worst may be behind them now, but the shocking losses of the past few years have reshaped nearly every facet of their lives—how they live，work，and spend—even the way they think about the future．
For Cindy, the recession began when her husband was relocated to Rhinelander, Wisconsin．by his company forcing the family to move in a hurry．The couple bought a new house but were unable to sell their two-bedroom home in Big Lake，Minnesota．With two mortgages(抵押借款) and two young children to care for, Cindy couldn't imagine how to stretch her husband's paycheck to keep her family fed．
Then she stumbled upon an online community called Blotanical，a forum for gardeners，many with an interest in sustainability．“The more I read and discussed these practices，the more I realized this would help not only our budget but also our health，”she says．
Cindy admits that before the recession，she was a city girl with no interest in growing her own dinner．“I grew flowers mostly—I didn’t think about plants that weren’t visually interesting.\" But to stretch her budget，she began putting in vegetables and fruit—everything from strawberry beds to apple trees—and as her first seedlings grew，her spirits lifted．She no longer thinks of gardening and making her own jams as just a money saver；they’re a genuine pleasure．“It’s brought us closer together as a family, too，”she says．Her kids voluntarily pitch in with(主动帮助)the garden work，and the family cooks together instead of eating out．The food tastes better —it's fresher and organic —and the garden handily fulfills its original purpose：cost cutting．Now she spends about $200 to $300 a month on groceries．less than half of the $650 a month that she used to lay out．
After discovering how resourceful she can be in tough times，Cindy is no longer easily discouraged．“It makes me feel proud to be able to say I made it myself,”she says．“I feel
accomplished，and I'm more confident about attempting things I've never done before．\" Now she avoids convenience stores and has begun learning to knit，quilt，and make her own soap．\"I don't
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think I would have ever begun this journey if it weren’t for the recession，”she says．“I have a feeling that from now on，it will affect my family’s health and happiness for the better．\" 86．We learn from the first paragraph that the recession A．affected Americans in certain occupations． B．had great impact on Americans’work and life．
C．had only brought huge losses in savings and stocks． D．is over with some of the losses recovered.
87．What made the family's financial situation even worse was that they A．moved to Rhinelander in a hurry． B．had two children to raise．
C．didn't know anyone in Rhinelander． D．couldn't sell their home in Big Lake．
88．Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
A．Cindy had seen the benefits of gardening in a different way． B．Cindy had developed a hobby of gardening before the recession． C．Cindy had already had a keen interest in sustainability． D．Cindy had already planned to meet the gardeners．
89．In addition, Cindy views gardening as a genuine pleasure because gardening A．helped her cut living costs almost by half． B．enabled her to make her own jams．
C．built up family ties and kids’enthusiasm． D．enabled her to know more about plants．
90．What does Cindy think of the difficult times she has gone through? A．It gave the couple and their kids a tough lesson． B．It gave her confidence and optimism．
C．It would come again and affect the family．
D．It left a lasting psychological impact on the family． TEXT C
“I'm a little worried about my future，”said Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate．He should be so lucky．All he had to worry about was whether to have an affair with Mrs Robinson．In the sixties，that was the sum total of post-graduation anxiety syndrome． Hoffman's modern counterparts are not so fortunate．The Mrs Robinsons aren't sitting around at home any more，seducing graduates．They are out in the workplace，doing the high-powered jobs the graduates want，but cannot get．For those fresh out of university, desperate for work but unable to get it，there is a big imbalance between supply and demand．And there is no narrowing of the gap in sight．
The latest unemployment figures show that 746,000 of 18-24 year-olds are unemployed— a record rate of 18 per cent．Many of those will have graduated this summer．They are not panicking yet，but as the job rejections mount up，they are beginning to feel alarmed．
Of course，it is easy to blame the Government and，in particular, the target that Labour has long trumpeted---50 per cent of school-leavers in higher education．That was not too smart．The Government has not only failed to meet its target—the actual figure is still closer to 40 per cent— but it has raised expectations to unrealistic levels．
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Parents feel as badly let down as the young people themselves．Middle-class families see their graduate offspring on the dole(救济金)queue and wonder why they bothered paying school fees．Working-class families feel an even keener sense of disappointment．For many such families，getting a child into university was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream．It represented upward social and financial mobility．It was proof that they were living in a dynamic，economically successful country．That dream does not seem so rosy now． Graduate unemployment is not，ultimately, a political problem ready to be
solved．Job-creation schemes for graduates are very low down in ministerial in-trays．If David Cameron's Conservatives had a brilliant idea for guaranteeing every graduate a well-paid job，they would have unveiled it by now．It is a social problem，though a more deep-seated social problem than people perhaps realize．
91．The author begins with an episode from The Graduate in order to A．support the fact that more women are working now．
B．show that few graduates started working right after graduation． C．demonstrate that there were much fewer graduates than now． D．emphasize the sharp contrast between now and then．
92．With regard to job opportunities for young graduates，the author sounds A．pessimistic． B．hopeful． C．indifierent． D．furious．
93．The author is ____ the Labour Government's target：50% of school leavers in higher education．
A．in favour of B．doubtful about
C．strongly critical of D．mildly critical of
94．Which of the following statements about parents’feelings is CORRECT? A．Working—class parents feel just as disappointed． B．Parents and their children feel equally disappointed． C．Middle—class parents feel more disappointed． D．Parents feel more disappointed than their children． 95．Towards the end of the passage，the author implies that A．there will be job-creation schemes for graduates． B．graduate unemployment is more of a political issue．
C．graduate unemployment is both a political and a social issue． D．the Conservatives are doing far from enough to solve the issue． TEXT D
No matter how many times you have seen images of the golden mask of boyking
Tutankhamen，come face to face with it in Egypt's Cairo museum，and you will suck in your breath．
It was on Nov 4，1923，that British archaeologist Howard Carter stumbled on a stone at the base of the tomb of another pharaoh(法老)in Luxor that eventually led to a sealed doorway． Then，on Nov 23，Carter found a second door and when he stuck his head through it，what he saw was to stun the world．Inside lay the great stone coffin，enclosing three chests of gilded wood．
A few months later, when a crane lifted its granite cover and one coffin after another was removed, Carter found a solid block of gold weighing 110kg．In it was the mummy(木乃伊) of the
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19-year-old Tutankhamen，covered in gold with that splendid funeral mask．And all this lay buried for more than 3,000 years．
Months after my trip to Egypt, I can relive the rush of emotion I felt and sense the hush that descended on the crammed Cairo museum's Tutankhamen gallery．
Cairo，a dusty city of 20 million people，is a place where time seems to both stand still and rush into utter chaos．It is a place where the ancient and contemporary happily go along on parallel tracks．
Take the Great Pyramids of Giza，sitting on the western edge of the city．Even as the setting sun silhouettes these gigantic structures against the great desert expanse，a call for prayer floats over semi-finished apartment blocks filled with the activity of city life．
While careful planning for the afterlife may lie buried underground in Cairo，it is noise and confusion on the streets．Donkey carts battle for space with pedestrians and the only operative road rule is“might is right．”But it is a city that is full of life—from the small roadside restaurants to the coffee shops where men and women smoke the shisha(水烟壶)．
Donkey carts piled high with flat-breads magically find their way in and out the maddening traffic；young women in long skirts and headscarves hold hands with young men in open collar shirts，while conversations dwell on Kuwait's chances at the soccer World Cup．
96．According to the context,“suck in your breath”means“feel a sense of ____\"． A．awe B．horror C．doubt D．delight
97．Which of the following statements about the discovery of the mummy is INCORRECT? A．The mummy was first discovered by a British archaeologist． B．The discovery of the mummy came as a surprise．
C．The mummy was found lying right inside the stone coffin． D．The masked mummy was covered in gold．
98．Which word CANNOT be used to describe the city of Cairo? A．Crowdedness． B．Quiet． C．Noise． D．Confusion． 99．Which pair of words/phrases indicates contrast? A．Gigantic structure；great desert expanse
B．A call for prayer；men and women with the shisha C．Chaos；maddening
D．Coffee shops；pyramids
100．What is the author's attitude towards Cairo?
A．Positive． B．Objective． C．Negative． D. Not clear 81. CBDAC 86. B DACB 91. D ADBC 96. ACBAB.
2013 TEM4 TEXT A
The art of public speaking began in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago. Now, twitter, instant messaging, e-mail, blogs and chat forums offer rival approaches to communication—but none can replace the role of a great speech.
The spoken word can handle various vital functions: persuading or inspiring, informing, paying tribute, entertaining, or simply introducing someone or something or accepting something.
Over the past year, the human voice has helped guide us over the ups and downs of what was certainly a stormy time.
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Persuasion is used in dealing with or reconciling different points of view. When the leaders met in Copenhagen in December 2009, persuasive words from activists encouraged them to commit themselves to firmer action.
Inspirational speeches confront the emotions. They focus on topics and matters that are close to people's hearts. During wars, generals used inspiring speeches to prepare the troops for battle.
A speech that conveys knowledge and enhances understanding can inform us. The information must be clear, accurate, and expressed in a meaningful and interesting way. When the H1N1 pandemic（流行病）was announced, the idea of “swine flu”（猪流感）scared many people. Informative speeches from World Health Organization officials helped people to keep their panic under control so they could take sensible precautions.
Sad events are never easy to deal with but a speech that pays tribute to the loss of a loved one and gives praise for their contribution can be comforting. Madonna's speech about Michael Jackson, after his death, highlighted the fact that he will continue to live on through his music.
It's not only in world forums where public speaking plays an important role. It can also be surprisingly helpful in the course of our own lives.
If you’re taking part in a debate you need to persuade the listeners of the soundness of your argument. In sports, athletes know the importance of a pep talk（鼓舞士气的讲话）before a match to inspire teammates. You yourself may be asked to do a presentation at college or work to inform the others about an area of vital importance.
On a more personal level, a friend may be upset and need comforting. Or you might be asked to introduce a speaker at a family event or to speak at a wedding, where your language will be needed to move people or make them laugh.
Great speaking ability is not something we're born with. Even Barack Obama works hard to perfect every speech. For a brilliant speech, there are rules that you can put to good use. To learn those rules you have to practice and learn from some outstanding speeches in the past.
81. The author thinks the spoken word is still irreplaceable because
A. it has always been used to inspire or persuade people. B. it has a big role to play in the entertainment business. C. it plays important roles in human communication. D. it is of great use in everyday-life context.
82. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the role of public speaking?
A. Speeches at world forums can lead to effective solutions to world problems. B. Speeches from medical authorities can calm people down in times of pandemics. C. The morale of soldiers before a battle can be boosted by senior officers' speeches. D. Speeches paying tribute to the dead can comfort the mourners. 83. Public speaking can play all the following roles EXCEPT
A. to convince people in a debate. B. to inform people at a presentation. C. to advise people at work.
D. to entertain people at a wedding.
84. According to the passage, which of the following best explains the author's view on “great speaking ability”?
A. It comes from observing rules.
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B. It can be perfected with easy effort. C. It can be acquired from birth.
D. It comes from learning and practice. 85. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Public speaking in international forums. B. The many uses of public speaking. C. Public speaking in daily life context. D. The rules of public speaking.
TEXT B
Every business needs two things, says Skullcandy CEO Rick Alden: inspiration and desperation. In 2001, Alden had both. He'd sold two snowboarding businesses, and he was desperately bored. But he had an idea: He wanted to make a new kind of headphone.
“I kept seeing people missing their cell phone calls because they were listening to music,” he explains. Then I'm in a chairlift（索道）, I've got my headphones on, and I realize my phone is ringing. As 1 take my gloves off and reach for my phone, I think, “It can't be that tough to make headphones with two plugs, one for music and one for your cell phone.” Alden described what he wanted to a designer, perfected a prototype, and outsourced（外包）manufacturing overseas.
Alden then started designing headphones into helmets, backpacks - anywhere that would make it easy to listen to music while snowboarding. “Selling into board and skate shops wasn't a big research effort,” he explains. “Those were the only guys I knew!”
Alden didn’t want to be a manufacturer. And by outsourcing, he'd hoped he could get the business off the ground without debt. But he was wrong. So he asked his wife, “Can I put a mortgage（抵押贷款） on the house? She said, ‘What is the worst thing that can happen? We lose the house, we sell our cars, and we start all over again.’ I definitely married the right woman!”
For the next two years, Alden juggled mortgage payments and payments to his manufacturers. “Factories won't ship your product till they get paid,” he says. “But it takes four or five months to get a mortgage company so upset that they knock on your door. So we paid the factory first.”
Gradually, non-snowboarders began to notice the colorful headphones. In 2006, the company started selling them in 1,400 FYE (For Your Entertainment) stores. “We knew that nine out often people walking into that store would be learning about Skullcandy for the first time. Why would they look at brands they knew and take home a new brand instead? We had agreed to buy back anything we didn’t sell, but we were dealing with huge numbers. It’d kill us to take back all the products.”
Alden’s fears faded as Skullcandy became the No. 1 headphone seller in those stores and tripled its revenue to $120 million in one year. His key insight was that headphones weren’t gadgets; they were a fashion accessory. “In the beginning,” he says, “that little white wire that said you had an iPod—that was cool. But now wearing the white bud means you’re just like everyone else. Headphones occupy this critical piece of cranial real estate and are highly visible.”
Today, Skullcandy is America's second-largest headphone supplier, after Sony. With 79 employees, the company is bigger than Alden ever imagined.
86. Alden came up with the idea of a new kind of headphone because he
A. was no longer in snowboarding business.
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B. had no other business opportunities. C. was very fond of modern music.
D. saw an inconvenience among mobile users.
87. The new headphone was originally designed for
A. snowboarders. B. motorcyclists. C. mountain hikers. D. marathon runners.
88. Did Alden solve the money problem?
A. He sold his house and his cars.
B. Factories could ship products before being paid. C. He borrowed money from a mortgage company. D. He borrowed money from his wife's family.
89. What did Alden do to promote sales in FYE stores?
A. He spent more money on product advertising. B. He promised to buy back products not sold. C. He agreed to sell products at a discount.
D. He improved the colour design of the product.
90. Alden sees headphones as
A. a sign of self-confidence. B. a symbol of status. C. part of fashion. D. a kind of device.
TEXT C
I was standing in my kitchen wondering what to have for lunch when my friend Taj called. “Sit down,” she said.
I thought she was going to tell me she had just gotten the haircut from hell. I laughed and said, “It can't be that bad.”
But it was. Before the phone call, I had 30 years of retirement saving in a “safe” fund with a brilliant financial guru（金融大亨）.When I put down the phone, my savings were gone. I felt as if I had died and, for some unknown reason, was still breathing.
Since Bernie Madoff’s arrest on charges of running a $65 million Ponzi scheme, I’ve read many articles about how we investors should have known what was going on. I wish I could say I had reservations about Madoff before “the Call”, but I did not.
On New Year’s Eve, three weeks after we lost our savings, six of us Madoff people gathered at Taj's house for dinner. As we were sitting around the table, someone asked, “If you could have your money back right now, but it would mean giving up what you have learned by losing it, would you take the money or would you take what losing the money has given you?”
My husband was still in financial shock. He said, “I just want the money back.” I wasn't
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certain where I stood. I knew that losing our money had cracked me wide open. I’d been walking around like what the Buddhists call a hungry ghost: always focused on the bite that was yet to come, not the one in my mouth. No matter how much I ate or had or experienced, it didn’t satisfy me, because I wasn’t really taking it in, wasn't absorbing it. Now I was forced to pay attention. Still, I couldn't honestly say that if someone had offered me the money back, I would turn it down.
But the other four all said that what they were seeing about themselves was incalculable, and they didn’t think it would have become apparent without the ground of financial stability being ripped out from underneath them.
My friend Michael said, “I’d started to get complacent. It’s as if the muscles of my heart started to atrophy（萎缩）. Now they’re awake, alive—and I don’t want to go back.”
These weren’t just empty words. Michael and his wife needed to take in boarders to meet their expenses. Taj was so broke that she was moving into someone’s garage apartment in three weeks. Three friends had declared bankruptcy and weren't sure where or how they were going to live.
91. What did the author learn from Taj’s call? A. had got an awful haircut.
B. They had lost their retirement savings. C. Taj had just retired from work. D. They were going to meet for lunch.
92. How did the author feel in the following weeks?
A. Angry.
B. Disappointed. C. Indifferent. D. Desperate.
93. According to the passage, to which was she “forced to pay attention”?
A. Her friends. B. Her husband. C. Her lost savings. D. Her experience.
94. Which of the following statements is CORRECT about her friends?
A. Her friends valued their experience more. B. Her friends felt the same as she did.
C. Her friends were in a better financial situation. D Her friends were more optimistic than she.
95. What is the message of the passage?
A. Desire for money is human nature. B. One has to be decisive during crises.
C. Understanding gained is more important than money lost.
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D. It is natural to see varied responses to financial crises.
TEXT D
In the 19th century, there used to be a model of how to be a good person. There are all these torrents of passion flowing through you. Your job, as captain of your soul, is to erect dams to keep these passions in check. Your job is to just say no to laziness, lust, greed, drug use and the other sins.
These days that model is out of fashion. You usually can’t change your behaviour by simply resolving to do something. Knowing what to do is not the same as being able to do it. Your willpower is not like a dam that can block the torrent of self-indulgence. It's more like a muscle, which tires easily. Moreover, you're a social being. If everybody around you is overeating, you’ll probably do so, too.
The 19th-century character model was based on an understanding of free will. Today, we know that free will is bounded. People can change their lives, but ordering change is not simple because many things, even within ourselves, are beyond our direct control.
Much of our behaviour, for example, is guided by unconscious habits. Researchers at Duke University calculated that more than 40 percent of the actions we take are governed by habit, not actual decisions. Researchers have also come to understand the structure of habits—cue, routine, reward.
You can change your own personal habits. If you leave running shorts on the floor at night, that'll be a cue to go running in the morning. Don’t try to ignore your afternoon snack craving. Every time you feel the cue for a snack, insert another routine. Take a walk.
Their research thus implies a different character model, which is supposed to manipulate the neural（神经系统的）networks inside.
To be an effective person, under this model, you are supposed to coolly examine your own unconscious habits, and the habits of those under your care. You are supposed to devise strategies to alter the cues and routines. Every relationship becomes slightly manipulative, including your relationship with yourself. You're trying to arouse certain responses by implanting certain cues.
This is a bit disturbing, because the important habitual neural networks are not formed by mere routine, nor can they be reversed by clever cues. They are burned in by emotion and strengthened by strong yearnings, like the yearnings for admiration and righteousness.
If you think you can change your life in a clever way, the way an advertiser can get you to buy an air freshener, you’re probably wrong. As the Victorians understood, if you want to change your life, don’t just look for a clever cue. Commit to some larger global belief.
96. Which of the following is a key element in the 19th-century character model?
A. Passion. B. Action. C. Capability. D. Determination.
97. The 19th-century model supposedly does not work because
A. there were many other factors beyond one's control. B. it has worked unsatisfactorily most of the time.
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C. the comparison of free will to a dam is groundless. D. what one wishes to do should be considered carefully.
98. What is the main implication of the research at Duke University?
A. Habit is key to one's behaviour.
B. One’s behaviour is difficult to change. C. Both habit and will power are important. D. Habit has an unidentified structure.
99. According to the new character model, personal behaviour could be altered through
A. cues to stop all the former unconscious habits. B. cues to manipulate the habitual neural responses. C. techniques to devise different physical cues. D. techniques to supplement old routines.
100. We learn from the passage that the new character model
A. stresses the neural and psychological aspects of habit change. B. can bring about changes in one's life like what advertisers do. C. has been used to change behaviour successfully. D. deals better with emotional aspects of behaviour. 81—85 CACDB 86—90 DACBC 91—95 BDDAC 96—100 DAACA
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