大学英语三级阅读模拟试题集
Model Test 1
Passage One
Suppose you set your mind to work on the problem of how you would use your own eyes if you had
3 more days to see. If with the oncoming darkness of the 3rd night you knew that the sun would never
rise for you again, how would you spend those 3 precious days? What would you most want to let your gaze rest upon?
I, naturally, should want most to see the things which have become dear to me through my years
of darkness. You, too, would want to let your eyes rest long on the things that have become dear
to you so that you could take the memory of them with you in the night that loomed (降临) before you.
I should want to see the people whose kindness and gentleness and companionship have made my life worth living. First I should like to gaze long upon the face of my teacher, Mrs. Anne Sullivan Macy, who came to me when I was a child and opened the outer world to me. I should want not merely
the outline of her face, so that I could cherish it in my memory, but to study that face and find
in it the living evidence of the sympathetic tenderness and patience with which she accomplished
the difficult task of my education. I should like to see in her eyes that strength of character which has enabled her to stand firm in the face of difficulties, and that compassion for all humanity which she has revealed to me so often.
Oh, the things that I should see if I had the power of sight for just 3 days!
1.What can be inferred from the 2nd paragraph?
A. the author is a deaf
B. the author is a blind person
C. Mrs. Anne Sullivan is a deaf
D. Mrs. Anne Sullivan is a blind person
2.According to the passage, Mrs. Anne Sullivan Macy _____.
A. failed to make the author’s life meaningful
B. was quite successful in educating the author
C. showed much impatience with the author
D. didn’t believe that the author was able to learn
a lot
3.The following have made the author’s life worth living EXCEPT _____ according to the passage.
A. kindness
B. gentleness
C. companionship
D. ambition
4.The word “compassion” is closest in meaning to _____.
A. companion
B. affection
C. strength
D. determination
5.What does the author want to convey to us in the passage?
A. there are only 3 days for her to see the world
B. she is longing for many things which are dear to her
C. Mrs. Anne Sullivan plays a very important role in her life
D. she lives quite a different life from others
Passage Two
British university entrants (新学员) expect to be provided with washing machines and dryers in their rooms, and even car parking spaces, a survey has found. Students are also less prepared to tolerate poor quality living conditions than their predecessors, says the survey by British polling organization Mori.
More than 1,000 full-time undergraduates and postgraduates from 21 universities across the UK were surveyed for the research. It shows that location is the key factor in choosing accommodation for
students ----- nearly half of those interviewed said that being close to their place of study was
the most important factor in their choice. Cost came second, with evidence that many parents foot
the bills for their children’s rent. The survey also shows that students are no longer prepared
to carry bags of washing to the nearest launderette (自动洗衣店). These newcomers expect washers and dryers to be provided with their accommodation. The study also highlights those things today’s students expect as standard ----- communal (公共的) areas to cleaned regularly, utility bills to
be included, even private car parking space to be included.
Separate finding from the UK’s National Union of Students published earlier this year show more than half of students in private rented accommodation are living in unsatisfactory conditions.
6.Who are the subjects of the survey?
A. some oversea students in UK
B. some undergraduates and postgraduates in UK universities
C. some graduates in UK universities
D. some British students in other countries
7.What kind of accommodation is the most attractive to students according to the survey by British
polling organization Mori?
A. an apartment near their universities
B. a cheap house far way from their universities
C.
an apartment with car parking space D. an apartment with washing machines
8.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the survey described in the passage is conducted by UK’s National Union of Students
B. most of the subjects are from universities in London
C. most college students pay the rent
by themselves D. students think that communal areas should be cleaned regularly by cleaners rather than themselves
9.According to the passage, the choice of accommodation is influenced by the following factors
EXCEPT _____.
A. convenience
B. comfort
C. low rents
D. weather
10.What does the survey indicate?
A. UK university students are increasingly satisfied with their living conditions
B. UK university students are less and less energetic
C. UK university students demand higher qualities of their living conditions
D. UK university students pay less and less attention
to their studies
Passage Three
Voters in California will decide Tuesday whether to remove Governor Gray Davis from office. If
he is recalled (罢免), public opinion studies show the leading candidate to replace him is actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Yet the two men are not really opponents on the ballot (投票选举) Tuesday. Mister Davis is the only name on the first question. Voters are asked to decide if the governor should stay in office
or be recalled. He needs fifty-percent of the votes plus one to stay.
The second question asks voters who support the recall to choose a replacement. 135 candidates
are lists. One of them is Mister Schwarzenegger. Another is Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
He is considered the leading Democratic candidate. If Mister Davis is recalled, the candidate with
the most votes will become governor.
Republicans worry that another Republican on the ballot, state Senator Tom McClintock, could take votes away from Mister Schwarzenegger. Mister McClintock, however, was refusing to withdraw. Republican Congressman Darryl Issa financed the recall effort. He said he would urge people to vote “no” on the recall unless one of the Republicans withdrew to avoid splitting the vote.
Opinion studies show that a majority of Californians want to recall Governor Davis. Many people
say they are unhappy with the way he has dealt with a budget crisis.
Critics of the recall effort say it is an undemocratic way to try to remove an elected governor from office. Mister Davis is in his second term. He says the recall is a Republican effort to seize power in California and possibly other states.
18 of the 50 states permit special elections to recall the governor. 6 of those states say the governor must be guilty of some wrongdoing. California is not one of them. It has some of the easiest rules for recall elections.
11.According to public opinion studies, who is most likely to replace Governor Gray Davis as the
new governor?
A. Arnold Schwarzenegger
B. Cruz Bustamante
C. Tom McClintock
D. Darryl Issa
12.What is the main reason for removing Governor Gray Davis from office according to the passage?
A. he is not good at getting along with others
B. he is not very politically influential
C.
he is unable to cope with the budget crisis satisfactorily D. the Republican wants to seize power in California
13.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. if Mister Davis is recalled, the candidate needs fifty-percent of the votes plus one to be the governor
B. Darryl Issa argues the Governor Gray Davis should stay in office
C. Gray Davis
has been the governor of California for less than 3 years D. any Republican candidate to replace Gray Davis may split votes from Arnold Schwarzenegger
14.What may be inferred from the passage?
A. most US states permit special elections to recall the governor
B. in California, special elections to recall the governor is permitted only when the governor is guilty of some wrongdoing
C. Arnold Schwarzenegger is sure to win the election
D. the election to recall the governor
is actively supported by the Republican
15.What is the author’s attitude in talking about the election to replace the governor?
A. critical
B. objective
C. approving
D. arbitrary
Model Test 2
Passage One
The International Monetary Fund has agreed to help Argentina refinance some of its debt. Argentine President Nestor Kirchner announced the deal Wednesday in Buenos Aires. The agreement is designed
to help the country recover from its worst economic crisis.
The three-year agreement will refinance 21,000 million dollars of debt owed to international lenders. This includes more than 12,000 million dollars owed to the IMF. Most of the rest is owed to the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The agreement needs official approval by the IMF board which meets in Dubai on September 19th.
Officials had criticized the IMF’s demands in return for the aid program. The IMF had demanded that Argentina pay private banks for money lost during the economic crisis at the end of 2001. The crisis led the government to devalue (贬值) the peso (比索). The IMF had also demanded that Argentina permit private utility companies to increase their rates. The agreement does not include either of these demands.
IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler said the agreement is designed to help Argentina meet goals
for growth, employment and social equity (平等). He said it also would help the country’s banking system and increase lending needed to support recovery.
The country’s economic troubles were largely caused by too much spending by the government. The crisis in December of 2001 deepened a recession.
Argentines are still dealing with the crisis. Half of the country’s 36 million people are poor. And there are few jobs. Many Argentines blame dishonest government officials for the problems.
1.Among the 21,000 million dollars of debt that the three-year agreement will refinance, whom
most of them are owed to?
A. the United States
B. the International Monetary Fund
C. the World Bank
D. the
Inter-American Development Bank
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. all the debt Argentina owes is 21,000,000,000 dollars
B. IMF’s original demand s are included in the agreement
C. this agreement will take effect at least after September 19th
D.
the money IMF lends to Argentina is mainly used for government spending
3.Why had the IMF demanded that Argentina pay private banks for money according to the passage?
A. the devaluation of the peso during the economic crisis brought a great loss to the private banks
B. the Argentina government owed the private banks a lot of money
C. these private banks are subsidiaries of the IMF
D. the gain in the value of peso caused a lot of trouble to the private banks
4.What led to Argentina’s economic crisis according to the passage?
A. the bankruptcy of some private banks in the country
B. the sharp increase of unemployment
C. the lack of help from the IMF before
D. too much government spending
5.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. the Argentina government has overcome the economic crisis
B. half of the country’s citizen
are unemployed C. government officials are not responsible for the economic crisis D. the Argentina’s banking system is greatly influenced during the economic crisis
Passage Two
The former first lady and now New York Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton, has written a book about
her 8 years in the White House. It is being released with a great deal of public fanfare (虚张
声势的宣传). The book reveals details about the notorious Monica Lewinsky scandal (丑闻) involving
her husband, President Clinton.
In Living History, the wife of former President Clinton recounts (叙述) the moment when Mr. Clinton informed her that he had, in fact, had what he called “a relationship that was not appropriate”
with Miss Lewinsky, then a White House intern (实习生). She writes, “I could hardly breathe. Gulping
for air, I started crying and yelling at him. What do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you
lie to me? I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea, referring to their daughter.”
Mrs. Clinton says she hopes that people will read the book for more than intimate details of her troubled marriage. “It’s a pretty long book, and it’s about my life, and it’s about all of
the issues that I’ve worked on, particularly on behalf of women and children, and things that
I’ve cared about literally since I was a little girl,” she said. “I think it will give people more insight and, perhaps, answer questions. It’s also my story.”
Publisher Simon & Schuster paid Senator Clinton $8 million for the 560-page book, and has ordered
an unusually large first printing of one-million copies. Publishing rights to the book already have been sold in 16 countries.
6.What appeals to the readers most in the book Living History according to the passage?
A. Hillary’s 8 years in the White House
B. Hillary’s troubled marriage
C. the issues
that Hillary have worked on D. Hillary’s life as a senator
7.The word “notorious” is closest in meaning to _____.
A. well-known
B. unheard-of
C. surprising
D. amusing
8.Which of the following can best describe Hillary’s reaction when Mr. Clinton told her his
inappropriate relationship with Miss Lewinsky?
A. indifferent
B. calm
C. angry
D. astonished
9.What is Hillary’s comment on her own book?
A. it is more than interesting
B. it can meet the need of people to know about other’s intimacy
C. it is an academic book
D. the language of the book is beautiful
10.What CANNOT be inferred from the passage?
A. Living History is expected to sell well
B. Living History will be published beyond America
C. Mrs. Clinton is well paid for the book Living History
D. Mr. Clinton is a responsible husband Passage Three
The Library of Congress is America’s national library. It has millions of books and other objects.
It has newspapers, popular publications and letters of historical interest. It also has maps, photographs, art prints, movies, sound recordings and musical instruments. Altogether, it has more than 100 million objects.
The Library of Congress is open to the public Monday through Saturday, except for government holidays. Anyone may go there and read anything in the collection. But no one is permitted to take books
out of the building.
The Library of Congress was established in 1800. It started with 11 boxes of books in one room
of the Capitol building. By 1814, the collection had increased to about 3,000 books. They were
all destroyed that year when the Capitol was burned during America’s war with Britain. To help rebuild the library, Congress bought the books of President Thomas Jefferson. Mister Jefferson’s collection included 7,000 books in 7 languages. In 1897, the Library moved into its own building, across the street from the Capitol. Today, 3 buildings hold the library’s collection.
The Library of Congress provides books and materials to the United States Congress. It also lends book to other American libraries, government agencies and foreign libraries. It buys some of its books and gets others as gifts. It also gets materials through its copyright office. Anyone who wants copyright protection fro a publication in the United States must send 2 copies to the library. This means the Library of Congress receives almost everything that is published in the United States.
11.According to the passage, what was the Library of Congress in the very beginning?
A. a private library
B. a reading room in the Capitol building
C. a school library
D.
a library with 3 buildings to hold its collection
12.When did America’s war with Britain probably break out?
A. around 1800
B. around 1814
C. around 1897
D. around 1901
13.Which of the following statements about the Library of Congress is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the Library of Congress has more than 100 million books
B. as other libraries, readers can borrow books out from the Library of Congress
C. the Library of Congress is open to the public only except for government holidays
D. the Library of Congress was once destroyed in a fire
14.According to the passage, the Library of Congress can get its materials in the following way
EXCEPT _____.
A. by buying some of its books
B. by getting some books as gifts from others
C. through its copyright office
D. by borrowing books from other agencies
15.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. the History of the Library of Congress
B. the Function of the Library of Congress
C. an Introduction to the Library of Congress
D. the Significance of the Library of Congress Model Test 3
Passage One
Scientists say the corona (冠状物) virus, now identified as the cause of SARS, is part of the same family of viruses that causes the common cold. But they say it is part of a distinct sub-group of corona viruses that do not have the same properties as the ordinary cold.
World Health Organization virologist (病毒学家) Klaus Stohr said that with the identification of this corona virus, it could now be possible to develop more specific diagnostic tests for the disease.
“Now the research can be focused on this virus. The research will help us to develop new drugs,”he said. “Now we can focus on one pathogen (病原体) which ahs been sequenced, which provides additional information for the development of tests. Now, one can perhaps think about a vaccine (疫苗) if need be. We are still, I think, optimistic that we can control the disease with the measures which have been implemented.”
SARS is spread by droplets through close personal contact. Symptoms include high fever, a dry cough and shortness of breath. About 4% of its victims die. The scientists say this virus has long existed in nature, but it has never been seen in humans before.
They say a new genetic sequencing of the SARS virus proves conclusively that it came from animals.
A scientist at the US Center for Disease Control, James Le Duc, says this is the first experience scientists have with this virus. “Therefore,” he says, “a lot remains unknown. So, I think it would be premature to suggest we are near the end of this outbreak.”
1.What is now identified as the cause of SARS according to the passage?
A. the virus that causes the common cold
B. the virus that is completely different from the virus that causes ordinary colds
C. the virus that has never been tested in humans before
D. the virus that has never existed before
2.Which of the following in NOT the significance of the successful identification of the cause
of SARS?
A. more specific diagnostic tests for the disease are likely to be developed
B. the control of SARS becomes very easy
C. it will help us to develop new medicines
D. the research of
a vaccine for SARS can be started
3.What backs up the conclusion that the SARS virus came from animals?
A. the genetic analysis of the SARS virus
B. the account of SARS patients
C. the fact that some animals are found to have died of SARS
D. the fact that all of the diseases human beings suffer are spread through animals
4.Which of the following statements about SARS is TRUE according to the passage?
A. a person who suffers from high fever, dry cough and shortness of breath is sure to be infected with SARS
B. scientists have a lot of experience in dealing with the SARS virus
C. most of the SARS patients will die within 5 weeks
D. the SARS virus is still a little mysterious to the scientists
5.The word “symptom” can be best replaced by _____.
A. disease
B. sign
C. test
D. trouble
Passage Two
Sweden, Britain and Denmark are the only members of the 15 nation European Union that do not use the euro (欧元). Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the result of the Swedish vote will have no effect on his plans to decide by early next year on whether to call a new referendum (公民投票) on the euro. Denmark voted no in 2000.
British Labor Party member Chris Bryant, who is chairman of the Labor Movement for Europe, says that more than half of Britain’s trade is with Europe, and he hopes Britain will be joining the euro as soon as possible. British Prime Minister Tony Blair had said previously his government is committed in principle to joining the euro, provided that economic conditions are right.
In Sweden, meanwhile, euro opponents have hail ed the defeat of the single currency. The leader of the Left Party, Ulla Hoffman, said the people have made it clear democracy comes from the bottom, not from above. The Left Party, along with the environmentalist Greens, fought against the euro. But Prime Mimister Goran Persson, who led the movement for the euro, said Sweden would have worse opportunities without the common currency in the long term.
Euro supporters say it would have improved trade with the 12-nation zone that uses the euro, and that a no vote would leave Sweden without a voice in EU economic decisions. Critics said the euro would mean higher prices and less money for Sweden’s cradle-to-grave welfare state.
6.Among the following persons, who is a euro opponent according to the passage?
A. Chris Bryant
B. Tony Blair
C. Ulla Hoffman
D. Goran Persson
7.What does a yes vote of common currency mean in the opponents’ eyes?
A. Sweden will have worse opportunities
B. Sweden will have a strong voice in EU economic decisions
C. it is a democracy
D. it will endanger Sweden’s cradle-to-grave welfare state
8.Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?
A. Environmentalist Greens opposes to common currency
B. Denmark has decided to call a new referendum on the euro
C. UK is very likely to join the euro if her economic conditions are good
D. most members of the European Union use the euro
9.The word “hail” is closest in meaning to _____.
A. cheer for
B. feel uncomfortable for
C. feel worried about
D. analyze
10.What is the author’s tone in the passage?
A. ironic
B. objective
C. indifferent
D. disapproving
Passage Three
A United Nations report is sounding an alarm on the state of the earth’s natural resources, in advance of this month’s UN-sponsored sustainable development summit in Johannesburg.
The report says sea levels rose and forests were destroyed at unprecedented (前所未有的) rates during the last decade. It notes that more than 40 percent of the world’s population ----- 2 billion people ----- now face water shortages. And it predicts that with the global population expected to increase from 6 billion to 8 billion people over the next 25 years, further environmental stress is expected. UN Under-secretary General Nitin Desai says the most important message in the report is that the world’s environmental crises are interrelated. As an example. He cites the “Asian Brown Cloud”, a “poisonous cocktail” of particulate (微粒的) matter, chemicals, and various aerosols (浮质), currently hanging over a vast area of southeast Asia.
“Here you have a situation which arises because of the unsustainable way energy is used in this region, which is leading to these problems which impact on agriculture, on water, on health,”
said Mr. Desai. “If you really want to address water, agriculture and health, you have to address energy. You can’t reduce poverty unless you also address land and water. You can’t improve children’s health without addressing water and sanitation (卫生) and air quality.”
Mr. Desai, who will lead the Earth Summit, says that governments must form specific partnerships
to reduce threats in 5 areas: water, energy, agriculture, biodiversity and health.
11.When is the UN report mentioned in the passage released?
A. at the sustainable development summit
B. before the Earth Summit
C. after the sustainable development summit
D. last year
12.“Asian Brown Cloud” is used as an example to show that _____.
A. environmental protection needs cooperation
B. Asia is the most polluted area in the world
C. air pollution in Asia is very serious
D. travelers are warned not to visit Asia
13.What results in the problems concerning agriculture, water and health according to the passage?
A. the rising sea level
B. the conflicts around the world
C. the improved living standard
D. the unsustainable way energy is used
14.What does the word “address” mean?
A. speak to
B. make a formal speech to
C. deal with
D. make use of
15.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. natural resource shortage will be a great problem in the future
B. poverty can be reduced
by increasing production C. sustainable development is impossible D. southeast Asia is
the most polluted area in the world
Model Test 4
Passage One
The human form of mad cow disease, an incurable, brain-wasting illness that’s killed more than
100 people in Britain, has claimed its first Canadian victim. Canadian health officials confirmed Thursday that the unidentified man died sometime this summer. The man, who lived in the western province of Saskatchewan, contracted the disease from eating contaminated (污染的) meat while traveling in Britain.
Dr. Antonio Giulivi, an official with the government agency Health Canada, quickly moved to calm fears by assuring the public the disease had not entered the Canadian food supply.
The variant of the cow-killing illness, known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, is believed to be caused when ground parts of diseased cattle are mixed into cattle feed and those cows are turned into processed meats for human consumption. Though the disease cannot be confirmed until an autopsy (尸体解剖) is performed on the dead brain, symptoms of human infection include uncontrolled shaking, dementia (痴呆) and finally paralysis (瘫痪).
But while government officials insisted safeguards are in place to keep the disease out of Canadian meat, warnings were issued to 71 patients at the hospital where the infected man was treated before
his illness was identified. Those patients had been treated with the same medical instruments used
on the diseased man. Though the instruments were cleaned and disinfected (消毒), officials said
a theoretical possibility remains that those people could have been infected.
News of the death initially sent Canadian restaurant stocks into a tailspin (直线下降), but most
of them recovered by the end of the trading session.
1.Where is the Canadian supposed to contact mad cow disease?
A. in Saskatchewan
B. in Britain
C. in Canada
D. not mentioned
2.Which part of the body does the mad cow disease mainly affect?
A. hands
B. legs
C. brain
D. liver
3.Why did the Canadian government issue warnings to 71 patients?
A. they ever used the same medical instruments with the first Canadian victim
B. they were intimate relatives of the first Canadian victim
C. they had ever traveled to Britain
D. they were supposed to have contacted mad cow disease
4.What did Health Canada do after the mad cow disease infected a Canadian?
A. Health Canada concealed the truth by all means
B. Health Canada tried to remove public fear
C. Health Canada succeeded in curing the victim
D. Health Canada tried to find ways to cure
the disease
5.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. the news of the mad cow disease death has no effect on Canadian economy
B. we can decide whether a person contract mad cow disease by the symptoms of uncontrolled shaking, dementia and paralysis
C. some cows in Canada contracted mad cow disease
D. the mad cow disease is not completely known to the scientists yet
Passage Two
The seventh-largest US airline, US Airways, Sunday sought protection from its creditors (债权
者) under the American bankruptcy (破产) law. The airline will continue operations while it seeks
a solution to its financial crisis.
Based in suburban Washington, US Airways is the first major American airline to declare bankruptcy since the September 11 attacks jolted (震撼、震摇) the airline industry. US Airways suffered from
a net loss of more than 2 billion dollars last year and has continued to lose money this year. The company employs 40,000 workers and operates 340 airplanes. Its routes are concentrated in the northeast of the United States.
Company management say US Airways has obtained emergency private sector financing, as well as government funds, to assure continuing operations. Not long after September 11, the company laid
off 11,000 workers and has been seeking salary concessions (让步) from its plots and mechanics.
This is the second major bankruptcy to impact the Washington DC area in the past month. In July,
the number-two US telecommunications company, WorldCom, declared bankruptcy. WorldCom’s MCI long distance subsidiary, like US Airways, is based in northern Virginia.
US Airways has long been regarded as the most financially vulnerable of the major US airlines. The company has high labor costs and operates in a very competitive market. A recent attempt to merge (与…合并) with United Airlines, which is also financially weak, was rejected as
anti-competitive by government regulators.
6.Which of the following is NOT the reason for the US Airways’ financial crisis according to
the passage?
A. high labor costs
B. fierce market competition
C. financial scandal
D. the impact
of September 11 terrorist attack
7.What has US Airways NOT done to assure continuing operation?
A. US Airways has reduced its staff
B. US Airways has expanded its business
C. US Airways
has sought financing and government funds D. US Airways has sought protection from its creditors under the American bankruptcy law
8.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. US Airway will not continue operations while it seeks protection from its creditors under the American bankruptcy law
B. US Airways is the first American airline to declare bankruptcy since
September 11 C. the pilots and mechanics of US Airways get lower salaries than before D. the bankruptcy of WorldCom is due to the impact of September 11
9.The attempt of US Airways to merge with United Airlines was rejected due to _____.
A. the strong opposition of the employees
B. the strong opposition of United Airlines
C. the fact that United Airlines was also financially weak
D. the doubt that the merge may be anti-competitive
10.What does the word “vulnerable” probably mean?
A. weak
B. strong
C. active
D. dangerous
Passage Three
The University of Chicago is a private, nondenominational (与宗教宗派无关的), co-educational institution of higher learning and research. It is located in the community of Hyde Park ----- South Kenwood, a culturally rich and ethnically diverse neighborhood, 7 miles south of downtown Chicago.
The University was founded by John D. Rockefeller. William Rainey Harper was its first president. Classes began on October 1, 1892, with an enrollment of 594 students and a faculty of 103, including 8 former college presidents. In 1930 the undergraduate College and the graduate divisions were created. Such cross-fertilization continues to characterize the University.
Candidates for admission to graduate programs in the divisions at the University of Chicago should address their inquiries, including requests for application forms, to the dean of students of the graduate division to which application is being made.
An applicant who holds a degree from an accredited (公认的) institution is considered for admission on the basis of (1) an undergraduate record, (2) a well-organized plan for graduate study, (3) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and TOEFL scores, where required, and (4) recommendations from 3 college faculty members acquainted with the character, ability, potential, qualifications, and motivation of the applicant. Persons who have been away from school for several years may submit recommendations from employers professional associates, or supervisors. Transcripts of all academic work should be submitted with the application if at all possible; the applicant should request each institution attended to provide an official transcript in a sealed envelope.
11.What can be concluded from the first paragraph?
A. only boys were admitted when the University of Chicago was founded
B. the University of Chicago is mainly financed by the government
C. the University of Chicago is located in the suburb of a city
D. the people of South Kenwood have similar cultural tradition
12.The University of Chicago has long been characterized by _____.
A. its cross-fertilization
B. its long history
C. its excellent teaching staff
D. its beautiful campus
13.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the founder of the University of Chicago is also its first president
B. the University of Chicago began to enroll graduates since its foundation
C. some of its first graduates or teachers became the presidents of it several colleges
D. the University of Chicago has always been reluctant to enroll students from other universities in its graduate programs
14.To whom should the application form for the admission to the graduate programs of the University
of Chicago be addressed?
A. the dean of students of its graduate division
B. the president of the university
C. the concerning professor
D. any teachers in the university
15.What is NOT a requirement for a graduate who wants to be admitted in the graduate programs
in the University of Chicago?
A. an undergraduate record
B. GRE scores
C. a detailed plan for graduate study
D. a national examination
Model Test 5
Passage One
The latest data released by International Monetary Fund (IMF) show China’s GDP rank dropped from No. 6 to No. 7 whilst GDP per capita (按人口平均计算) jumped one place from No. 111 to No. 110. IMF measured with Atlas Methodology the GDPs and per capita GDPs of 179 countries and regions in 2003. The conclusion is that in 2003 the top ten GDPs were those of the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, China, Canada, Spain and Mexico. China’s Hong Kong had a GDP ranking No.
31 worldwide dropping three places. China’s Taiwan ranked No. 20 dropping three places.
In 2003 in spite of the SARS epidemic and the infliction of natural disaster the Chinese economy still kept a rapid growth. In that year China’s GDP was US $ billion, which has been one of the fastest increases since 1997. It accounted for % of total world GDP and increased percentages over the previous year. Dropping one place over the previous year it took the No. 7 place worldwide. It was learned that the reason China’s GDP dropped place in 2003 was primarily due to the appreciation of Euro against Dollar and RMB’s comparative stable exchange rate to Dollar.
The statistics also show that in 2003 China’s per capita GDP was US$1,087 ranking No. 110 worldwide. It jumped one place but was still among the mid/low-ranking countries. Though still small compared with those of developed countries China’s per capita GDP for the first time exceeded the US$ 1,000 pass. The countries whose GDP per capita ranked among the top ten were Luxemburg, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, the United States, Iceland, Japan, Sweden and Qatar.
1.What does IMF’s conclusion indicate?
A. China’s GDP per capita rank dropped in 2003
B. Mexico’s GDP is greater than Inida’s
C. China’s economic growth is slower than the previous years
D. China’s GDP took up % percent of total world GDP in 2003
2.According to the passage, China’s GDP rank dropped in 2003 because of _____.
A. the devaluation of dollars
B. the SARS epidemic
C. the natural disaster in China
D. the decrease of China’s population
3.What CANNOT be inferred from the passage?
A. in 2002, China’s GDP accounted for % of total world GDP
B. in 2002, China’s GDP ranked
6 worldwide C. when US dollar devalues, Chinese RMB generally gains in value D. Qatar is the richest country in Asia in terms of GDP per capita
4.What does the word “appreciation” most probably mean?
A. recognition
B. a rise in value
C. judgment
D. understanding
5.According to the passage, what is the author’s attitude to China’s economy?
A. disappointed
B. indifferent
C. doubtful
D. optimistic
Passage Two
Internet use appears to cause a decline in psychological well-being, according to research at Carnegie Mellon University. Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression and loneliness than those who logged on less frequently, the two-year study showed. And it wasn’t that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually appeared to cause the bad feelings.
Researchers are puzzling over the results, which were completely contrary to their expectations. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allow users to choose their information and to communicate with others. The fact that Internet use reduces time available for family and friends may account for the drop in well-being, researchers hypothesized. Faceless, bodiless “virtual” (虚拟的) communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversation, and the relationships formed through it may be shallower. Another possibility is that exposure to the wider world via the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives.
“But it’s important to remember this is not about the technology, per se (自身、本身); it’s about how it is used,” says psychologist Christine Riley of Intel, one of the study’s sponsors. “It really points to the need for considering social factors in terms of how you design application and services for technology.”
6.The word “well-being” is closest in meaning to _____.
A. trouble
B. health
C. depression
D. excitement
7.What is the intended conclusion of the research conducted by Carnegie?
A. Internet use may lead to mental dissatisfaction
B. Internet use is sure to cause a decline in mental well-being
C. people who spend just a few hours on the Internet will be happier
D. people who use TV are less socially healthier than those who use the Internet
8.Which of the following CANNOT explain the result of the research according to the passage?
A. Internet users may spend less time with their family and friends
B. the “virtual”communication may be less psychologically satisfying
C. Internet users may be less satisfied with their lives
D. Internet users make too many friends through the Internet
9.What lessons may be drawn from the result of the research?
A. we should not have developed the Internet technology
B. we should change the way we use the Internet
C. we need Internet technology very much
D. TV is more useful than the Internet
10.What is the best title for the passage?
A. the popularity of Internet use
B. the history of Internet use
C. the harm of Internet use
D. the fast development of Internet use
Passage Three
The computer virus is an outcome of the computer overgrowth in the 1980s. The cause of the term “computer virus”is the likeness between the biological virus and the evil program infected with computers. The origin of this term came from an American science fiction The Adolescence of P-1 written by Thomas J. Ryan, published in 1977. Human viruses invade (侵袭) a living cell and turn it into a factory for manufacturing viruses. However, computer viruses are small programs. They replicate (复制) by attaching a copy of themselves to another program.
Once attached to me host Program, the viruses then look for other programs to “infect”. In this way, the virus can spread quickly throughout a hard disk or an entire organization when it infects a LAN (局域网) or a multi-user system. At some point, determined by how the virus was programmed the virus attacks. The timing of the attack can be linked to a number of situations, including a certain time or date, the presence of a particular file, the security privilege level of the user, and the number of times a file is used. Likewise, the mode of attack varies. So-called “benign”viruses might simply display a message, like the one that infected IBM’s main computer system last Christmas with a season’s greeting. Malignant viruses are designed to damage the system. The attack is to wipe out data, to delete files, or to format the hard disk.
11.What results in the wide spread of computer viruses according to the passage?
A. the overgrowth of computer
B. the likeness between the biological virus and evil program
C. the American science fiction The Adolescence of P-1
D. the weak management of the government
12.What is computer virus in fact?
A. a kind of biological virus
B. a kind of evil program
C. a kind of biological worm
D. something that only exists in the fictions
13.What usually determines the variety of the virus attacks?
A. the time the attack is made
B. the presence of a particular file
C. the security privilege level of the user
D. the different ways the virus was programmed
14.What is the harm of “benign” viruses according to the passage?
A. “benign” virus might wipe out data from the computer
B. “benign” virus might delete files
C. “benign” virus might display a message
D. “benign” virus might format the hard disk
15.Where does the term “computer virus” come from?
A. it comes from a play
B. it comes from a computer game
C. it comes from a science fiction
D. it comes from a news report
Model Test 6
Passage One
Fast food, a mainstay of American eating for decades, may have reached a high in the United States
as the maturing baby-boom generation looks for a more varied menu. Fast food still represents a $102 billion a year industry, but growth has turned sluggish (缓慢的) recently amid tough competition from retail food stores and a more affluent (富裕的) population willing to try new things and spend more, analysts say.
Signs of trouble in fast food include price-cutting by industry leaders, including efforts by McDonald’s to attract customers with a 55 cent hamburger, and major players pulling out or selling.
O’Pepsico, for example, is selling its fast-food restaurant division that includes Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC. “It’s becoming harder and harder for these firms to grow,” said Jim Brown,
a professor of marketing at Virginia Tech University. “I think in the United States fast food
has reached a saturation (饱和) point because of the number of competitors and the number of outlets.”
Fast-food restaurant revenues grew % in 1996, according to industry figures, the slowest since
the recession of 1991. That is a far cry from (大不相同于、很不相同于) the levels of the 1970s
and 1980s. According to the Food Marketing Institute, consumers are using supermarkets for 21%
of take-home food, nearly double the level of a year ago. While fast=food restaurants still lead, their share slipped significantly, from 48% in 1996 to 41% in 1997.
1.According to the passage, the following factors EXCEPT _____.
A. the tough competition
B. a richer population
C. the saturation of market
D. the lower quality of fast food
2.Which of the following signs does NOT show that fast food industry is experiencing a hard time?
A. price-cutting by industry leaders
B. the leading role of fast food in the market of take-home food
C. the selling of KFC
D. the pulling out of some fast food restaurant
3.Who is a strong competitor to fast-food restaurant in the market of take-home food according
to the passage?
A. supermarkets
B. Chinese restaurants
C. hotels
D. groceries
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. fast-food restaurant revenues are declining
B. fast food is very popular in the 1970s and the 1980s
C. the baby boom generation has never liked fast food
D. rich people like fast food more
5.What is the passage mainly concerned about?
A. the popularity of fast food
B. the disadvantage of fast food
C. the troubles of fast food
D. the advantage of fast food
Passage Two
Africa’s hunger is growing, dangerously. However quickly donors (捐赠者) respond to the disastrous food shortage in southern Africa, millions more people will need aid over the next nine months. Stocks from April’s awful harvest are nearly exhausted. The World Food Program (WFP) says that 7 million people already need help, and that the numbers will double before Christmas. In the worst-affected countries, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, maize harvests were miserable, but cassava (木薯) and potatoes partly filled the gap. Now these are almost gone, too. Within months, say aid agencies, chronic (慢性的、延续很长的) hunger could give way to starvation in the most remote areas. If donors are slow or obstructed, a vaster famine looms (迫近).
Rural people are vulnerable even in normal times. Malawi’s woes (悲哀) are typical: it has a shrinking economy and endemic (地方性的) poverty; half of its children are chronically malnourished. An acute land shortage has led to over-use, soil degradation (退化) and small yields. Imported fertilizer could make even tiny plots productive, but most small farmers cannot afford to buy it, and donors are sending less of it free. An internal report written in July by Britain’s Department for International Development admits that its own severe cut in “free inputs” for Malawi’s farmers in 2000 and 2001 was a “more important factor” leading to hunger than two years of bad weather.
6.How many people need food help before Christmas in Africa according to the WFP?
A. million
B. 7 million
C. 10 million
D. 14 million
7.What harvest is awful in April according to the passage?
A. maize
B. cassava
C. potatoes
D. tomatoes
8.Which of the following is NOT the factor leading to hunger according to the passage?
A. land shortage
B. less free imported fertilizer
C. the rising of sea level
D. bad weather
9.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. within months, millions of people will get free food from WFP
B. in 2000 and 2001, Malawi suffered from bad weather
C. less and less people suffered from food shortage
D. stocks from April’s harvest in Africa can last 9 months
10.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Africa today
B. Malawi’s woes
C. Africa’s hunger
D. April’s awful harvests Passage Three
It is commonly believed in the United States that school is where people go to get an education. Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school. The distinction between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.
Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows no bounds (限度、范围). It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or in the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole
universe of informal learning. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other religions. People are engaged in education from infancy on. Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term. It is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of school, and one that should be an integral part of one’s entire life.
Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at approximately the same time, take assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on. The slices of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the working of government, have usually been limited by the boundaries of the subject being taught. There are definite conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling.
11.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. education can take place anywhere
B. education has a certain predictability
C. education consists of formal learning and informal learning
D. education is a lifelong process
12.Which of the following words can replace the work “all-inclusive”?
A. beneficial
B. frequent
C. comprehensive
D. useful
13.According to the passage. Schooling usually takes place _____.
A. in a shower
B. in a kitchen
C. in a job
D. in a classroom
14.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. nearly everyone is getting education
B. nearly everyone is getting schooling
C. schooling is more important than education
D. there is little difference between schooling and education
15.What is the best title for the passage?
A. education in the United States
B. the importance of education
C. the importance of schooling
D. education and schooling
Model Test 7
Passage One
Prices determine how resources are to be used. They are also the means by which products and services that are in limited supply are rationed (分配) among buyers. The price system of the United States is a complex network composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a myriad of (大量、许多) services, including labor, professional, transportation, and public-utility services. The inter-relationships of all these prices make up the “system”of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to depend more or less upon everything else.
If one were to ask a group of randomly selected individuals to define “price”, many would reply that price is an amount of money paid by the buyer to the seller of a product or service or, in other words that price is the money values of a product or service as agreed upon in a market transaction. This definition is, of course, valid as far as it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular transaction, much more than the amount of money involved must be known. Both the buyer and the seller should be familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that apply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return
privileges, and other factors. In other words, both buyer and seller should be fully aware of all
the factors that comprise the total “package” being exchanged for the asked-for amount of money
in order that they may evaluate a given price.
1.Which of the following statements about prices is FALSE according to the passage?
A. prices affect the use of resources
B. prices are ways to assign resources in a proper way
C. the prices of all products constitute the price system of US
D. the prices of different products depend on each other
2.When it comes to “prices”, most people have in mind _____ first.
A. a sum of money
B. a number of products
C. the form of money to be used
D. the quality
of service
3.“Price” involves the following factors EXCEPT _____ according to the passage.
A. the time when a transition is made
B. the place when a transition is made
C. the guarantees involved in the transition
D. the credits a person earns in college
4.The word “discount” is closest in meaning to _____.
A. discovery
B. account
C. reduction in prices
D. increase in prices
5.Who are the most intended readers of the passage?
A. pupils
B. beginners of economics
C. economists
D. scientists
Passage Two
The modern age is an age of electricity. People are so used to electric lights, radio, televisions,
and telephones that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without them. When there is a power failure, people grope about in flickering (摇曳的) candlelight, cars hesitate in the streets because there are no traffic lights to guide them, and food spoils in silent refrigerators.
Yet, people began to understand how electricity works only a little more than two centuries ago. Nature has apparently been experimenting in this field for million of years. Scientists are discovering more and more that the living world may hold many interesting secrets of electricity
that could benefit humanity.
All living cell send out tiny pulses of electricity. As the heart beats, it sends out pulses of record; they form an electrocardiogram (心电图), which a doctor can study to determine how well
the heart is working. The brain, too, sends out brain waves of electricity, which can be recorded
in an electroencephalogram (脑电图). The electric currents generated by most living cells are extremely small ----- often so small that sensitive instruments are needed to record them. But
in some animals, certain muscle cells have become so specialized as electrical generators that they do not work as muscle cells at all. When large numbers of these cells are linked together,
the effects can be astonishing. The electric eel is an amazing storage battery. It can seed a jolt (颠簸、震动) of as much as 899 volts of electricity through the water in which it live.
6.The first paragraph mainly tells us _____.
A. the possibility of a power failure
B. the heavy dependence of people on electricity
C.
the wonders of electric lights, radio, TV and telephone D. the function of traffic lights
7.Which of the following animals can produce very strong electricity according to the passage?
A. human beings
B. any kind of fish
C. eagles
D. electric eel
8.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. people have understood how electricity works for a long time
B. one of the roles that scientist play is to discover secret in nature that may benefit human beings
C. most living
cells send out pulses of electricity D. most living cells can send out very strong pulses of electricity
9.Why do some animals can generate very strong pulses of electricity?
A. because there exist some certain cells in their bodies specialized to generate electricity
B. because there exists an amazing storage battery in their bodies
C. because they live in water
D. because they have received professional training
10.The passage deals with many elements EXCEPT _____.
A. the significance of electricity
B. the heavy dependence of people on electricity
C.
the danger of electricity D. some electric animals
Passage Three
Today Eilat’s corals are facing extinction and the colorful translucent (透明的) fish are disappearing because of what environmentalists say is a profitable fish-farm industry in the region’s waters. “It was one of the most beautiful reefs (珊瑚礁) in the world and believe me
I’ve seen them all. It was a pearl and it’s really very painful to see it dying,”said Professor Yossi Loya, an internationally renowned coral (珊瑚) ecologist. He and other experts say Eilat’s reefs will soon be wiped out unless the government swiftly closes companies that breed some five million fish a year in cages and are operating without permits. “We are in the eleventh hour,
the very last moment to save them,” said Loya, who has studied Eilat’s reefs for decades. The
fish firms deny any direct link with the coral decline.
The reefs had sustained damage for years as Eilat and the neighboring Jordanian Red Sea resort
of Aqaba grew from isolated desert outposts into tourist boom towns. Loya and other experts say
the most severe damage began in 1993 after fish companies started mass production. At the time,
the reefs should have regenerated as a sewage plant (污水处理厂) began to treat Eilat’s waste. Instead, coral degradation accelerated and new coral growth dropped to near zero.
“What happened between 1993 and 2000 is there was an exponential increase (指数倍增长) in the yield of fish cages from 300 tons per year to something like 2,000 tons per year,” Loya said. These fish excrete nitrates (硝酸钾) that develop plankton (浮游生物), the enemy of corals as they make the sea water murky and block sunlight which is an essential ingredient for coral survival.
11.What leads to the coral decline according to the environmentalists?
A. the warmer temperature
B. the expansion of fish-firm companies
C. the oil pollution
in the neighboring regions D. the less nitrogen
12.In Professor Yossi Loya’s opinion, the government should _____ to save Eilat’s reefs.
A. allow no tourism in the region
B. increase nitrogen in the waters
C. close fish companies
in the waters immediately D. build a sewage plant in the region
13.After a sewage plant was built, what happened to the reefs according to the passage?
A. coral degradation accelerated
B. reefs regenerated
C. the waters were cleaner
D. there were more fish firms
14.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. there is no way to save the beautiful reefs
B. the reefs began to suffer damage recently
C. the coral decline is due to the direct damage of human beings
D. the fish that fish companies breed are the enemy of the beautiful reefs
15.The passage mainly deals with _____.
A. the colorfulness of Red Sea corals
B. the beauty of Jordanian Red Sea
C. the condition
of Jordanian Red Sea D. the cause of coral decline
Model Test 8
Passage One
You don’t need millions to be happy. At the Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may do the trick. Since the institute opened its doors this year, men and women of all ages have been paying A $200 an hour (US$140) for lessons in how to feel great. Businesses are spending as much as A $6,000 on half-day happiness workshops for their staff.
“You can actually increase your happiness levels. Tha t’s what we teach,” said Timothy Sharp, founder of institute, which also offers group sessions (团体课程) from A $30 a head. “We take people from zero and try to put a positive in their happiness bank account. You don’t have to settle just for OKness. It’s no more OK than having a zero bank balance. You can have a lot more,”Sharp said.
Experts say only about 15% of happiness comes from income, assets and other financial factors.
As much as 90% comes from elements such as attitude, life control and relationships. “If you’re
not a natural (理想人员) in any of these areas you can learn to get a lot better at them,” Sharp said.
The Happiness Institute is part of what US economist Paul Zane Pilzer calls the Wellness Revolution.
In his book of the same name, Pilzer says the next trillion-dollar industry after cars and information technology will be in preventative businesses that help people find peace, health and happiness. While most of us are significantly better off (富裕的) financially than our parents
and grandparents, happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that. Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness.
1.How much should a company spend if he wants his staff to accept the happiness education for
half a day?
A. A $30
B. A $200
C. A $140
D. A $6,000
2.Which of the following factors least affects one’s feeling of happiness according to the
passage?
A. income
B. attitude
C. life control
D. relationships
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. cars and information technology will be the next two trillion-dollar industries
B. Pilzer wrote the book Wellness Revolution
C. people in the past were better off financially than now
D. our parents are happier than us
4.Which of the following statements about the importance of money in making oneself feel happy
is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the more money you have, the more happiness you can obtain
B. money is by no means important
C. money is extremely important when one’s needs of shelter are not met
D. money is the most important factors when one is very rich
5.Which of the following titles is the best one for the passage?
A. factors of happiness
B. the importance of money
C. money is happiness
D. what happiness means
Passage Two
Researchers say most of us make instant judgments about a person on the basis of how they look. They say facial features can determine whether we like or trust someone. It may even influence how we vote
“Over the years, we have found that facial features affect the way many of us perceive others,”
says Elisabeth Cornwell, a psychology researcher at the university’s Perception Laboratory. Studies suggest that people are less likely to trust those with particularly masculine features, such as a square jaw, small eyes or big nose. “They are perceived as dominant and less trustworthy,”
says Ms Cornwell. “It doesn’t mean that men who look more masculine are less trustworthy -----
It’s just our first impressions.”Those with less masculine features ----- larger eyes, a smaller nose and thinner lips ----- are deemed to be more trustworthy. “We are very good at processing these features quickly,” says Ms Cornwell.
The researchers are putting their science to the test at the Royal Society’s annual summer exhibition in London. They have subtly manipulated (利用) the faces of Prime Minister Tony Blair, Conservative leader Michael Howard and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy accentuating (着
重) their dominant and trust worthy features respectively. “We have used a computer program to change the shape of their face and features. We hope it will help people to understand our work.”
So should we expect to see Tony Blair, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy at the exhibition getting tips? “I don’t think it’s something they will want to try,”says Ms Cornwell. “It’s not really possible with television. We all know what they look like. I think they would be na?ve to try it.”
6.Why are people less likely to trust those with particularly masculine features?
A. because they are bad-tempered
B. because they are perceived as dominant and less trustworthy
C. because they are perceived as tricky
D. because they are more stubborn
7.According to the passage, which of the following is perceived as a masculine feature?
A. larger eyes
B. a square jaw
C. a smaller nose
D. thinner lips
8.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. most of us tend to judge people by how they look
B. some studies show that people with particular masculine features are more dominant
C. a candidate with less masculine features
is more likely to win a vote D. most of us are with masculine features
9.Why will Tony Blair not want to change his facial features according to the passage?
A. because he is so popular that everyone knows what he looks like
B. because he does not want
to get tips C. because he has great confidence in his looks D. because he is very naive
10.What is the best title for the passage?
A. facial features
B. how people perceive others
C. facial features are everything
D. how facial features affect one’s first impression
Passage Three
A mixed state secondary school has banned skirts because its girls have been wearing them too short. The new uniform regulations at Keswick High School, near Ipswich, require girls to wear trousers
to school to stop them turning up for lessons in miniskirts. The decision was made after consultations with parents, pupils and teachers. The new rules will come into effect in September. Margaret Young, the chairman of the school governors, said: “Two years ago we sent out a letter
to parents asking them to make sure skirts were regulation length, which is just above the knee. The impact was short-lived and it wasn’t long before skirts were very short again.”George Thomas,
the school’s head teacher, said the ban was necessary because some girls’skirts were impractical
as well as immodest. Mrs. Young, whose 3 grandchildren go to the school, said that the school was simply trying to enforce (执行) a uniform code. She said: “Parents might see their daughter go
to school in one skirt but they change to another, shorter one, at school or they roll up the top
to make them look shorter. Some are practically pelmets (窗帘盒). Teachers waste a lot of time talking to pupils about uniform.”
Most parents have welcomed the uniform change. “Some have said they were concerned about the safety of their children walking home,” said Mrs. Young. The father of a 15-year-old girl at the school said: “It is an extreme measure but I can see their point. Yet surely they could enforce a regulation skirt rather than ban them.”
The Equal Opportunities Commission said that this was the first case they had heard of in which a school had banned skirts. A spokesman said: “There have been many cases of girls wanting to wear trousers at school but not the other way round. We are not sure whether the uniform is more restrictive for girls than boys from a legal point of view.”
11.The school is made to ban skirts because _____ according to the passage.
A. the temperature is too low
B. the school just conforms to the congress’ decision
C. many school girls wear too short skirts in the school
D. all the school boys demand that the girls wear trousers
12.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the school to ban skirts is a private school
B. the school has taken several measures to prevent girls wearing miniskirt
C. Margaret Young is the school’s head teacher
D. teachers of the school seldom talk to the pupils about the uniform
13.What is most parents’ reaction to the uniform change?
A. pleased
B. disapproving
C. indifferent
D. neutral
14.What is the attitude of the Equal Opportunities Commission to the measure of banning skirt
in school?
A. objective
B. unfavorable
C. arbitrary
D. further concerned
15.Which of the following words has the closest meaning with the word “point”?
A. meaning
B. hole
C. mark
D. spot
Model Test 9
Passage One
Scientists have shown that there is a degree of truth in the old adage (格言) that love is blind. They have found that feelings of love lead to a suppression of activity in the areas of the brain controlling critical thought. It seems that once we get close to a person, the brain decides the need to assess their character and personality is reduced.
The study, by University College London, is published in NeuroImage. The researchers found that both romantic love and maternal love (母爱) produce the same effect on the brain. They suppress neural (神经系统的) activity associated with critical social assessment of other people and negative emotions.
The UCL team scanned the brains of 20 young mothers while they viewed pictures of their own children, children they were acquainted with, and adult friends. The team found that the patterns of brain activity were very similar to those identified in an earlier study looking at the effects of romantic love. Both studies recorded increased activity in parts of the brain’s “reward system”. When these areas are stimulated ----- as they can be by food and drink, or even monetary gain ----- they produce feelings of euphoria (精神欢快).
But perhaps more surprisingly, both studies also showed reduced levels of activity in the systems necessary for making negative judgments. Lead researcher Dr. Andreas Bartels said it was crucial