DAY47
Reading comprehension：
Direction： In this part， there are four passages followed by questions or unfinished statements， each with four suggested answers marked A， B， C and D. Choose the one that you think is the correct answer.
Passage 1Internet radio sounds like a great idea， especially for those of us whose musical heroes dont march in the Top 40 hit parade. I love the idea of being able to log on to the Web and choose from 10000 sites “broadcasting”niche music through my computer speakers in every conceivable genre， from Big Band jazz to island reggae.
But there are some problems. The one that hit the news last week is the fee structure. Many of these “stations” are geeky momandpop operations that dont charge for their music and dont pay for it either， and arrangement the record labels are trying to rectify by imposing a royalty of fourteenhundredths of a cent per song per listener. That may not sound like much， but its enough to drive the small guys out of business. On the 1st of May a few hundred of them tried to draw attention to their plight by going silent for a day.
A bigger problem with internet radio is that it often doesnt work. Even if you can find the music you want and the software you need to play it， its a rare song that makes it to the end without pausing a few times to rebuffer the stream， whatever that means.
But an idea as good as this one is worth fighting for. So for those of you who care enough about music to put up with some fearsome technological hurdles， heres a primer on how to find your favourite tunes on the Internet and how to play them.
First， get yourself a computer with a decent sound card （builtin on all Macs and most new PCs） and a fast Internet connection. Cable or DSL is best. In a pinch you can use modems as slow as 56K or even 28.8K.
Then make sure you have a working media player. The two most popular programs， Real Networks Real Player and Microsofts Windows Media Player， are free， but you have to keep checking their websites for updates， Apples I Tunes， also free， comes with a builtin internet radio player （preloaded with more than 250 stations）， but its strictly for Macs.
Finally， you have to find the music. The media players usually come with selected links preset， but theyre not always current or complete. If you are feeling adventurous or starved for the latest Zingy Marley and the Melody Makers — head for one of the big web cast directories. My favourites： radiotower.com. When you find the station you want， the music should launch automatically on the media player you have already loaded.
Unfortunately， things rarely run that smoothly. Even if the stations are set up properly，many things from site overcrowd and peak hour congestion are general Web flakiness.
1. The passage is most probably from
A. newspaper. B. magazine.
C. students book. D. science book.
2. What does 'momandpop' operations mean？
A. a couple are in charge of operation. B. two people cooperate in business.
C. a group of people cooperate in business. D. pop stars operate their own business.
3. What is authors attitude towards this new idea？
A. approval B. disapproval
C. neutral D. indifferent
4. Which of the following is NOT true？
A. On the first of May， a few hundred of them have stopped running for one day in order to protest charging royalty.
B. Most of the songs will pause a few times during playing.
C. Mac is a kind of media player.
D. Both Real networks Realplayer and Microsofts windows media player are free.
5. What does“a big if”mean？
A. the most important prerequisite.B. necessary condition.
C. possible condition.D. unnecessary condition.
Passage 2 The commercial relations between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China has enormous potential， and support within both nations for continued trade growth is strong. Trade relations have accelerated and strengthened new political bonds； indeed they have reinforced each other.
Yet SinoAmerican trade ties remain largely in their infancy. Formal diplomat relations were established only late within the last decade， and trade relations began shortly after initial diplomatic contracts. Trade volume is much more limited between the United States and China than between the United States and many other countries which are significantly smaller in size and commercial potential.
The SinoAmerican political and economic relationship has developed at a time of enormous global economic change， witnessed by the rise of the OPEC states and the recent dramatic oil price fluctuations. Many of these changes have placed great stress on the international trading system， and have an impact on our bilateral economic and political relationships. Key assumptions about trade policy and the commercial role of nations， such as the role of the United States with respect to both its industrialized and developing nation trading partners， are being revalued in light of changes in the world economy. This revaluation and questioning of the future direction of world trade continues at a time when Chinas own internal economic policies are being significantly altered.
Especially in the face of a volatile world trade environment， the key to continued growth of U.S. — China trade and investment is the institutionalization of a commercial relationship which would continue to develop regardless of pressure and complications created by global economic changes， or competing economic and political priorities within either the United States or the PRC. We are only now at the first stage of this institutionalization process.
If U.S. — China trade ties are to develop and expand beyond this first stage， the United States Congress will have an enormously important role to play. In the United States， both Congress and the Executive Branch have substantial responsibilities with respect to foreign policy and to foreign trade policy. Trade policy， like foreign policy， frequently results from political dialogue and political maneuvering between Congress and the Executive. But in the making of trade policy， the American Constitution has laid the basic framework upon which the political dialogue must be built. The Constitution granted to Congress substantial control over the regulation of foreign trade， including tariff and nontariff barriers to imports， and Congress is given explicit authority to authorize and approve executive agreements and to make all laws “necessarily and proper” to carry out its mandate in the area of foreign commerce.
Because of the importance of Congress in foreign policymaking， and in particular in the formulation of trade and commercial policies， domestic legislation， whether it be Chinaspecific， tradespecific， or regarding a matter with a seemingly tangential bearing on China， can have changes can greatly affect Washingtons China policy.
1. The prospects of the commercial relationship between the U.S. and China are
A. as good as they were in the past.B. turning from bad to worse.
C. promising for potential development.D. beyond ones knowledge.
2. Whats true about the SinoAmerican trade ties？
A. It serves as a typical example about trade relations between an industrialized country and a developing country.
B. There has been a significant growth after the normalization of the SinoAmerican diplomatic relation.
C. The trade volume between the two countries has reached a satisfactory level.
D. Washington is the biggest trade partner of Beijing.
3. One could infer from the passage that
A. SinoAmerican political and economic relationship is bound to be influenced by the world.
B. International trade remains detached from changes in the world.
C. The U.S. is not wiling to revaluate its trade policy.
D. There is no need for adjustment of SinoAmerican trade relations.
4. The United States Congress
A. is not able to play an important role in developing foreign trade.
B. always has controversy with the Executive Branch.
C. has substantial responsibilities with respect to foreign policy and foreign trade policy.
D. is not granted the authority by the Constitution for controlling American foreign trade.
5. What could be a suitable title for the passage？
A. the American Congress and Foreign Trade.B. a corner of World Trade
C. SinoAmerican trade relationsD. American foreign policy
Passage 3 The crisis in rural England has come to a head with several longterm problems erupting simultaneously， but how its to be resolved is far from clear.
Farming is in enormous upheaval， especially in the more remote areas. Amalgamations will mean that in 50 years there are fewer traditional farmers and even fewer farms than there are now； ranchstyle farming with a much reduced labor input will be evident， and intensive farming will have an even sharper focus. Against this， there will be more “hobby farmers”， wealthy people who farm for aesthetic and environmental reasons， and parttime farmers who combine farming with employment such as IT consultancy. By then GM crops will be accepted， and， contrary to current public perceptions， could well be benefiting wildlife as they will require far fewer chemical sprays.
Its difficult to predict the impact animal right will have on farming. Since we already have better animal welfare standards than most countries， many British farmers might simply stop rearing animals if the animal rights lobby becomes too powerful； we would then be exposed to cheaper imports from countries with much lower welfare standards. Generally speaking， the farmers who stay in business will be the smart farmers who diversify， and those who find innovative ways of selling their products — like the farmer in the Welsh Marshes who sold his beef herd and is now selling frozen sheeps milk by mail order.
Crime in the country is still lower than in the towns but it is rising at a faster rate， a result of increased mobility and the perception of relatively easy pickings. It is more straightforward to police cities than the countryside and the village bobby will remain a memory. Instead the solutions will be hightech： electronic alarm system， fenced armed with sensors， automatic gates. The social divide between the rich and the poor in rural areas will become more marked， butas with crimedealing with poverty in the countryside is going to be more problematic than in the towns because it is so dispersed.
Transport is a big issue： while its desirable to reduce dependency on cars， there is still no real alternative in the countryside — the railways are at capacity and the network is truncated anyway. I see daily communicating diminishing， though， because of the cost in both time and money. The next 50 years could see many urban problems being solved， and that could mean the countryside benefits as people rediscover the convenience of cities. The English ideal of invincible green suburbs and the garden citied of Ebenezer Howard looks set to be replaced by the continental way of life — or rather the British way of life in towns like Buxton， Bath and York in Georgian times， when the countryside was the playground visited by towndwellers at weekends and for holidays. People who live permanently in the country will do so because the countryside is their passion， and because they like the way working with animals dictates a different timetable and priorities.
1. What does “come to a head” in the first passage mean？
A. come to the first in a series of sequencesB. be in the first of a space
C. become the most critical problemD. need careful thought in head
2. What will be the scene of country in half a century？
A. Farmers wont raise animals anymore.
B. Large number of wealthy people will regard farming in the distant country as an entertainment.
C. People will realize the side effect of GM crops.
D. Country will be transformed into a place without vehicle.
3. Crime rates in the country will soar because
A. Country bears large space which makes thieves hide easily.
B. Thieves consider it a comparatively easier place to get money and it bears greater mobility.
C. Country people are kind and mild.
D. Wealthy people live more in country than in city.
4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage？
A. If farmers wish to survive in farming， they have to get new ways of selling their agricultural products.
B. Crime in country will be gotten rid of by village police.
C. More railways could be added in countryside to reduce transport pressure.
D. English ideal suburb life is due to be consistent forever.
5. Whats the best title for this passage？
A. Farming in England.B. British Agricultural Revolution
C. Crisis in EnglandD. British Country
Passage 4 Medieval noblewomen swallowed arsenic and dabbed on bats blood to improve their complexions； 18th century Americans prized the warm urine of young boys to erase their freckles； Victorian ladies removed their ribs to give themselves a wasp waist. The desire to be beautiful is as old as civilization， as is the pain that it can cause.
The pain has not stopped the passion from creating a $160 billionayear global industry， encompassing makeup， skin and hair care， fragrance， cosmetic surgery， health clubs and diet pills. Americans spend more each year on beauty than they do on education. Such spending is not mere vanity. Being pretty — or just not ugly — confers enormous genetic and social advantages. Attractive people （both men and women） are judged to be more intelligent and sexy； they earn more， and they are more likely to marry.
Beauty matters most， though， for reproductive success. A study by an American scientist， logged the mating preferences of more than 10，000 people across 37 cultures. It found that a psychologist and author of “Survival of the Prettiest”， argues that “good looks are a womans most fungible asset， exchangeable for social position， money， even love”。
Beauty is something that we recognize instinctively. A baby of three months will smile longer at a face judged by adults to be “attractive”。 Such beauty signals health and fertility. Long lustrous hair has always been a sign of good health； mascara makes eyes look bigger and younger； blusher and red lipstick mimic signs of sexual arousal. Whatever the culture， relatively light and flawless skin is seen as a testament to both youth and health.
Then again， a curvy body， with big breasts and a waisttohip ratio of less than 0.8 — Barbies is 0.54shows an ideal stage of readiness for conception. Plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks serves to make a woman look as though she was in her late teens or early 20s.
Basic instinct keeps the beauty industry powerful. In medieval times， recipes for homemade cosmetics were kept in the kitchen right beside those used to feed the family. But it was not until the start of the 20th century， when mass production coincided with mass exposure to an idealized standard of beauty （through photography， magazines and movies） that the industry first took off.
In 1909， Eugene Schuler founded the French Harmless Hair Coloring Co.， which later became LOrealtodays industry leader. Two years later， Paul Beiersdorf， a Hamburg pharmacist， developed the first cream to bind oil and water. Today， it sells in 150 countries as Novae， the biggest personalcare brand in the world.
But it was the great rivalry between two women in America that made the industry what it is today. Elizabeth Arden opened the first modern beauty salon in 1910， followed a few years later by Helena Rubinstein， a Polish immigrant. The two took cosmetics out of household pots and pans and into the modern era. Both thought beauty and health were interlinked. They combined facials with diets and exercise classes in a holistic approach that the industry is now returning to.
The emerging beauty industry played on the fear of looking ugly as much as on the pleasure of looking beautiful， drawing on the new science of psychology to convince women that an inferiority complex could be cured by a dab of lipstick. On launching her famous eighthour cream， developed for her horses， Arden quipped： “I judge a woman and a horse by the same criteria： legs， head and rear end”。
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage to improve womens beauty？
A. use mascaraB. remove womens ribs
C. dab arsenic on faceD. make use of warm urine of young boys
2. What can be inferred from the instance of babys longer smile at beautiful face？
A. Every one of us can appreciate beautiful picture without learning about it.
B. Beauty signals health and fertility.
C. Beauty can offer more superior care to babies.
D. Beautiful faces can exchange social position， money， even love by their beauty.
3. According to the passage， women get plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks in order to
A. appear more intelligent and sexy.B. look younger.
C. earn more money.D. get more likely married.
4. What resulted in the first beauty industry prosperity？
A. peoples instinct to beauty
B. convenience caused by attractive appearance
C. the splendid match of mass production of cosmetics and mass exposure to standard beauty
D. great rivalry between two women in American beauty industry
5. With which tone did Arden remark on women？
A. witticism B. criticism
C. idealismD. egotism
Keys and notes for the passage reading：Passage 1
這篇文章主要介紹網絡廣播的優(yōu)點和缺點， 以及作者對收聽廣播音樂所給的幾點建議。
The one that hit the news last week is the fee structure. Many of these “stations” are geeky momandpop operations that dont charge for their music and dont pay for it either， and arrangement the record labels are trying to rectify by imposing a royalty of fourteenhundredths of a cent per song per listener. 許多這樣的電臺是由沉迷于計算機的夫妻共同經營的，這種經營既不對他們播放的音樂收費，也不對他們播放的音樂付費。而唱片公司正試圖通過對每個聽眾每首歌征收0.14美分的版稅來改變這種現(xiàn)狀。
1. 「B」這篇文章主要在介紹一種新的創(chuàng)意，故選B.
2. 「A」“momandpop operation”是美國的一個習慣用法，意思是夫妻合作經營。
3. 「A」從文中第四段第一句“But an idea as good as this one is worth fighting for”，可知作者的態(tài)度是同意的。
4. 「C」從文中第六段后一句可知Mac是用來配置調制解調器的，它不是一種調制解調器，故選答案C.
5. 「A」聯(lián)系上下文可知電臺設置是一個重要的前提條件，故選 A.
Passage 2
本文以中美貿易關系的發(fā)展、變化為主題，圍繞中美政治時局、世界經濟的變化及美國政府政策等多方面影響因素進行闡明。
1. Key assumptions about trade policy and the commercial role of nations， such as the role of the United States with respect to both its industrialized and developing nation trading partners， are being revalued in light of changes in the world economy. 隨著世界經濟的變化，對于各國的貿易政策及經濟地位的設想正由于世界經濟的變化發(fā)生著巨變，正如美國在其工業(yè)化和尋找貿易伙伴的過程中所扮演的角色一樣。
2. Especially in the face of a volatile world trade environment， the key to continued growth of U.S. — China trade and investment is the institutionalization of a commercial relationship which would continue to develop regardless of pressure and complications created by global economic changes， or competing economic and political priorities within either the United States or the PRC. 尤其當處于國際瞬息萬變的貿易環(huán)境中，保持中美貿易和投資持續(xù)增長的關鍵在于其穩(wěn)定，可增長的貿易關系的確立，不去考慮由全球經濟變化帶來的壓力和復雜性，或中美雙方的競爭性經濟及政治優(yōu)勝。
1. 「C」從文章第一段第一句話可知中美貿易發(fā)展?jié)摿薮?，故選擇C.
2. 「B」從文章第二段第二句的后半部分可知中美貿易在中美關系正?；痪煤箝_始，故選擇B.
3. 「A」從文中第三段第二句后半部分可知國際經濟變化對中美雙邊經濟、政治產生影響，故選擇A.
4. 文章第五段第二句表明美國國會對國外政策及國外貿易政策擔負巨大責任，故選擇C.
5. 「C」因文章通篇圍繞中美貿易關系展開，故選擇C.
Passage 3
英國農村正面臨種種危機，亟待改革發(fā)展，而巨變后的英國農村又將如何？本文從畜牧業(yè)、犯罪、交通等諸多方面對英國農村進行描寫。
1. Amalgamations will mean that in 50 years there are fewer traditional farmers and even fewer farms than there are now； ranchstyle farming with a much reduced labor input will be evident， and intensive farming will have an even sharper focus. 50年后傳統(tǒng)農場主和農場的數(shù)目都會減少，勞動力投入大大降低的大牧場式的農業(yè)將凸顯出來，集約農業(yè)將更加突出重點。
2. It is more straightforward to police cities than the countryside and the village bobby will remain a memory. 維持城市治安比維持農村治安簡單，村警將是記憶中的事物。
3. The railways are at capacity and the network is truncated anyway. 鐵路運力已經飽和，而且鐵路網正在壓縮。
4. People who live permanently in the country will do so because the countryside is their passion. And because they like the way working with animals dictates a different timetable and priorities.現(xiàn)在的人在農村定居是因為他們酷愛農村，還因為他們樂于因飼養(yǎng)動物而遵守不同的作息時間并決定不同事情的輕重緩急。
1. 「C」come to a head原意指使事物達到定點，在此即指關鍵。
2. 「B」從文章第二段可得出明確的答案，特別是從hobby farmers就可以看出。其余三項表述錯誤。
3. 「B」文章第四段第一句話有清楚說明。
4. 「B」B項表述太絕對， 而且解決鄉(xiāng)村犯罪問題比城市要麻煩困難。
5. 「D」整片文章講述的都是英國鄉(xiāng)村， 其他選項都片面。
Passage 4
女為悅己者容。只要地球上男人和女人還都存在，美容業(yè)就一定會生生不息。本文的主題即為從古至今，人們不斷追求的美容。繁衍生息才是至關重要的。
1. Plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks serves to make a woman look as though she was in her late teens or early 20s. 豐胸，提臀的整形手術是為了讓女人看起來仍像少女一般。
2. But it was not until the start of the 20th century， when mass production coincided with mass exposure to an idealized standard of beauty （through photography， magazines and movies） that the industry first took off. 直到20世紀初，一方面（美容品）實現(xiàn)了大規(guī)模生產，另一方面大眾（通過照片，雜志和電影）大量接觸到近乎理想化的美，兩者的結合才使美容業(yè)第飛躍發(fā)展。
3. They combined facials with diets and exercise classes in a holistic approach that the industry is now returning to. 她們把美容，節(jié)食和健身課程有機結合起來，這也正是目前美容業(yè)回歸的方向。
4. The emerging beauty industry played on the fear of looking ugly as much as on the pleasure of looking beautiful， drawing on the new science of psychology to convince women that an inferiority complex could be cured by a dab of lipstick. Arden quipped： “I judge a woman and a horse by the same criteria： legs， head and rear end.” 美容業(yè)的興起不僅有賴于人們對丑的恐懼，同樣也得益于人們對美貌的追求，并利用新的心理學知識讓女士相信一抹唇膏就可以讓自卑情節(jié)一掃而光。雅頓俏皮地說：“我評判一個女人和一匹馬的標準是一樣的：腿，頭和臀部?！?BR> 1. 「C」從文章第一句就可看出應是swallowed arsenic and dabbed on bats blood
2. 「A」第四段第一句說明了美是憑直覺就能感覺到的東西，由此可推斷出A.B不是推斷。C，D不符和題意。
3. 「B」第五段后一句話有說明。
4. 「C」第六段后一句指出： 一方面美容品實現(xiàn)了大規(guī)模生產， 另一方面大眾通過照片、雜志和電影大量接觸到近乎理想化的美， 兩者結合才使美容業(yè)第起飛。
5. 「A」文章后說道： Arden quipped，即妙語評論。
Reading comprehension：
Direction： In this part， there are four passages followed by questions or unfinished statements， each with four suggested answers marked A， B， C and D. Choose the one that you think is the correct answer.
Passage 1Internet radio sounds like a great idea， especially for those of us whose musical heroes dont march in the Top 40 hit parade. I love the idea of being able to log on to the Web and choose from 10000 sites “broadcasting”niche music through my computer speakers in every conceivable genre， from Big Band jazz to island reggae.
But there are some problems. The one that hit the news last week is the fee structure. Many of these “stations” are geeky momandpop operations that dont charge for their music and dont pay for it either， and arrangement the record labels are trying to rectify by imposing a royalty of fourteenhundredths of a cent per song per listener. That may not sound like much， but its enough to drive the small guys out of business. On the 1st of May a few hundred of them tried to draw attention to their plight by going silent for a day.
A bigger problem with internet radio is that it often doesnt work. Even if you can find the music you want and the software you need to play it， its a rare song that makes it to the end without pausing a few times to rebuffer the stream， whatever that means.
But an idea as good as this one is worth fighting for. So for those of you who care enough about music to put up with some fearsome technological hurdles， heres a primer on how to find your favourite tunes on the Internet and how to play them.
First， get yourself a computer with a decent sound card （builtin on all Macs and most new PCs） and a fast Internet connection. Cable or DSL is best. In a pinch you can use modems as slow as 56K or even 28.8K.
Then make sure you have a working media player. The two most popular programs， Real Networks Real Player and Microsofts Windows Media Player， are free， but you have to keep checking their websites for updates， Apples I Tunes， also free， comes with a builtin internet radio player （preloaded with more than 250 stations）， but its strictly for Macs.
Finally， you have to find the music. The media players usually come with selected links preset， but theyre not always current or complete. If you are feeling adventurous or starved for the latest Zingy Marley and the Melody Makers — head for one of the big web cast directories. My favourites： radiotower.com. When you find the station you want， the music should launch automatically on the media player you have already loaded.
Unfortunately， things rarely run that smoothly. Even if the stations are set up properly，many things from site overcrowd and peak hour congestion are general Web flakiness.
1. The passage is most probably from
A. newspaper. B. magazine.
C. students book. D. science book.
2. What does 'momandpop' operations mean？
A. a couple are in charge of operation. B. two people cooperate in business.
C. a group of people cooperate in business. D. pop stars operate their own business.
3. What is authors attitude towards this new idea？
A. approval B. disapproval
C. neutral D. indifferent
4. Which of the following is NOT true？
A. On the first of May， a few hundred of them have stopped running for one day in order to protest charging royalty.
B. Most of the songs will pause a few times during playing.
C. Mac is a kind of media player.
D. Both Real networks Realplayer and Microsofts windows media player are free.
5. What does“a big if”mean？
A. the most important prerequisite.B. necessary condition.
C. possible condition.D. unnecessary condition.
Passage 2 The commercial relations between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China has enormous potential， and support within both nations for continued trade growth is strong. Trade relations have accelerated and strengthened new political bonds； indeed they have reinforced each other.
Yet SinoAmerican trade ties remain largely in their infancy. Formal diplomat relations were established only late within the last decade， and trade relations began shortly after initial diplomatic contracts. Trade volume is much more limited between the United States and China than between the United States and many other countries which are significantly smaller in size and commercial potential.
The SinoAmerican political and economic relationship has developed at a time of enormous global economic change， witnessed by the rise of the OPEC states and the recent dramatic oil price fluctuations. Many of these changes have placed great stress on the international trading system， and have an impact on our bilateral economic and political relationships. Key assumptions about trade policy and the commercial role of nations， such as the role of the United States with respect to both its industrialized and developing nation trading partners， are being revalued in light of changes in the world economy. This revaluation and questioning of the future direction of world trade continues at a time when Chinas own internal economic policies are being significantly altered.
Especially in the face of a volatile world trade environment， the key to continued growth of U.S. — China trade and investment is the institutionalization of a commercial relationship which would continue to develop regardless of pressure and complications created by global economic changes， or competing economic and political priorities within either the United States or the PRC. We are only now at the first stage of this institutionalization process.
If U.S. — China trade ties are to develop and expand beyond this first stage， the United States Congress will have an enormously important role to play. In the United States， both Congress and the Executive Branch have substantial responsibilities with respect to foreign policy and to foreign trade policy. Trade policy， like foreign policy， frequently results from political dialogue and political maneuvering between Congress and the Executive. But in the making of trade policy， the American Constitution has laid the basic framework upon which the political dialogue must be built. The Constitution granted to Congress substantial control over the regulation of foreign trade， including tariff and nontariff barriers to imports， and Congress is given explicit authority to authorize and approve executive agreements and to make all laws “necessarily and proper” to carry out its mandate in the area of foreign commerce.
Because of the importance of Congress in foreign policymaking， and in particular in the formulation of trade and commercial policies， domestic legislation， whether it be Chinaspecific， tradespecific， or regarding a matter with a seemingly tangential bearing on China， can have changes can greatly affect Washingtons China policy.
1. The prospects of the commercial relationship between the U.S. and China are
A. as good as they were in the past.B. turning from bad to worse.
C. promising for potential development.D. beyond ones knowledge.
2. Whats true about the SinoAmerican trade ties？
A. It serves as a typical example about trade relations between an industrialized country and a developing country.
B. There has been a significant growth after the normalization of the SinoAmerican diplomatic relation.
C. The trade volume between the two countries has reached a satisfactory level.
D. Washington is the biggest trade partner of Beijing.
3. One could infer from the passage that
A. SinoAmerican political and economic relationship is bound to be influenced by the world.
B. International trade remains detached from changes in the world.
C. The U.S. is not wiling to revaluate its trade policy.
D. There is no need for adjustment of SinoAmerican trade relations.
4. The United States Congress
A. is not able to play an important role in developing foreign trade.
B. always has controversy with the Executive Branch.
C. has substantial responsibilities with respect to foreign policy and foreign trade policy.
D. is not granted the authority by the Constitution for controlling American foreign trade.
5. What could be a suitable title for the passage？
A. the American Congress and Foreign Trade.B. a corner of World Trade
C. SinoAmerican trade relationsD. American foreign policy
Passage 3 The crisis in rural England has come to a head with several longterm problems erupting simultaneously， but how its to be resolved is far from clear.
Farming is in enormous upheaval， especially in the more remote areas. Amalgamations will mean that in 50 years there are fewer traditional farmers and even fewer farms than there are now； ranchstyle farming with a much reduced labor input will be evident， and intensive farming will have an even sharper focus. Against this， there will be more “hobby farmers”， wealthy people who farm for aesthetic and environmental reasons， and parttime farmers who combine farming with employment such as IT consultancy. By then GM crops will be accepted， and， contrary to current public perceptions， could well be benefiting wildlife as they will require far fewer chemical sprays.
Its difficult to predict the impact animal right will have on farming. Since we already have better animal welfare standards than most countries， many British farmers might simply stop rearing animals if the animal rights lobby becomes too powerful； we would then be exposed to cheaper imports from countries with much lower welfare standards. Generally speaking， the farmers who stay in business will be the smart farmers who diversify， and those who find innovative ways of selling their products — like the farmer in the Welsh Marshes who sold his beef herd and is now selling frozen sheeps milk by mail order.
Crime in the country is still lower than in the towns but it is rising at a faster rate， a result of increased mobility and the perception of relatively easy pickings. It is more straightforward to police cities than the countryside and the village bobby will remain a memory. Instead the solutions will be hightech： electronic alarm system， fenced armed with sensors， automatic gates. The social divide between the rich and the poor in rural areas will become more marked， butas with crimedealing with poverty in the countryside is going to be more problematic than in the towns because it is so dispersed.
Transport is a big issue： while its desirable to reduce dependency on cars， there is still no real alternative in the countryside — the railways are at capacity and the network is truncated anyway. I see daily communicating diminishing， though， because of the cost in both time and money. The next 50 years could see many urban problems being solved， and that could mean the countryside benefits as people rediscover the convenience of cities. The English ideal of invincible green suburbs and the garden citied of Ebenezer Howard looks set to be replaced by the continental way of life — or rather the British way of life in towns like Buxton， Bath and York in Georgian times， when the countryside was the playground visited by towndwellers at weekends and for holidays. People who live permanently in the country will do so because the countryside is their passion， and because they like the way working with animals dictates a different timetable and priorities.
1. What does “come to a head” in the first passage mean？
A. come to the first in a series of sequencesB. be in the first of a space
C. become the most critical problemD. need careful thought in head
2. What will be the scene of country in half a century？
A. Farmers wont raise animals anymore.
B. Large number of wealthy people will regard farming in the distant country as an entertainment.
C. People will realize the side effect of GM crops.
D. Country will be transformed into a place without vehicle.
3. Crime rates in the country will soar because
A. Country bears large space which makes thieves hide easily.
B. Thieves consider it a comparatively easier place to get money and it bears greater mobility.
C. Country people are kind and mild.
D. Wealthy people live more in country than in city.
4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage？
A. If farmers wish to survive in farming， they have to get new ways of selling their agricultural products.
B. Crime in country will be gotten rid of by village police.
C. More railways could be added in countryside to reduce transport pressure.
D. English ideal suburb life is due to be consistent forever.
5. Whats the best title for this passage？
A. Farming in England.B. British Agricultural Revolution
C. Crisis in EnglandD. British Country
Passage 4 Medieval noblewomen swallowed arsenic and dabbed on bats blood to improve their complexions； 18th century Americans prized the warm urine of young boys to erase their freckles； Victorian ladies removed their ribs to give themselves a wasp waist. The desire to be beautiful is as old as civilization， as is the pain that it can cause.
The pain has not stopped the passion from creating a $160 billionayear global industry， encompassing makeup， skin and hair care， fragrance， cosmetic surgery， health clubs and diet pills. Americans spend more each year on beauty than they do on education. Such spending is not mere vanity. Being pretty — or just not ugly — confers enormous genetic and social advantages. Attractive people （both men and women） are judged to be more intelligent and sexy； they earn more， and they are more likely to marry.
Beauty matters most， though， for reproductive success. A study by an American scientist， logged the mating preferences of more than 10，000 people across 37 cultures. It found that a psychologist and author of “Survival of the Prettiest”， argues that “good looks are a womans most fungible asset， exchangeable for social position， money， even love”。
Beauty is something that we recognize instinctively. A baby of three months will smile longer at a face judged by adults to be “attractive”。 Such beauty signals health and fertility. Long lustrous hair has always been a sign of good health； mascara makes eyes look bigger and younger； blusher and red lipstick mimic signs of sexual arousal. Whatever the culture， relatively light and flawless skin is seen as a testament to both youth and health.
Then again， a curvy body， with big breasts and a waisttohip ratio of less than 0.8 — Barbies is 0.54shows an ideal stage of readiness for conception. Plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks serves to make a woman look as though she was in her late teens or early 20s.
Basic instinct keeps the beauty industry powerful. In medieval times， recipes for homemade cosmetics were kept in the kitchen right beside those used to feed the family. But it was not until the start of the 20th century， when mass production coincided with mass exposure to an idealized standard of beauty （through photography， magazines and movies） that the industry first took off.
In 1909， Eugene Schuler founded the French Harmless Hair Coloring Co.， which later became LOrealtodays industry leader. Two years later， Paul Beiersdorf， a Hamburg pharmacist， developed the first cream to bind oil and water. Today， it sells in 150 countries as Novae， the biggest personalcare brand in the world.
But it was the great rivalry between two women in America that made the industry what it is today. Elizabeth Arden opened the first modern beauty salon in 1910， followed a few years later by Helena Rubinstein， a Polish immigrant. The two took cosmetics out of household pots and pans and into the modern era. Both thought beauty and health were interlinked. They combined facials with diets and exercise classes in a holistic approach that the industry is now returning to.
The emerging beauty industry played on the fear of looking ugly as much as on the pleasure of looking beautiful， drawing on the new science of psychology to convince women that an inferiority complex could be cured by a dab of lipstick. On launching her famous eighthour cream， developed for her horses， Arden quipped： “I judge a woman and a horse by the same criteria： legs， head and rear end”。
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage to improve womens beauty？
A. use mascaraB. remove womens ribs
C. dab arsenic on faceD. make use of warm urine of young boys
2. What can be inferred from the instance of babys longer smile at beautiful face？
A. Every one of us can appreciate beautiful picture without learning about it.
B. Beauty signals health and fertility.
C. Beauty can offer more superior care to babies.
D. Beautiful faces can exchange social position， money， even love by their beauty.
3. According to the passage， women get plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks in order to
A. appear more intelligent and sexy.B. look younger.
C. earn more money.D. get more likely married.
4. What resulted in the first beauty industry prosperity？
A. peoples instinct to beauty
B. convenience caused by attractive appearance
C. the splendid match of mass production of cosmetics and mass exposure to standard beauty
D. great rivalry between two women in American beauty industry
5. With which tone did Arden remark on women？
A. witticism B. criticism
C. idealismD. egotism
Keys and notes for the passage reading：Passage 1
這篇文章主要介紹網絡廣播的優(yōu)點和缺點， 以及作者對收聽廣播音樂所給的幾點建議。
The one that hit the news last week is the fee structure. Many of these “stations” are geeky momandpop operations that dont charge for their music and dont pay for it either， and arrangement the record labels are trying to rectify by imposing a royalty of fourteenhundredths of a cent per song per listener. 許多這樣的電臺是由沉迷于計算機的夫妻共同經營的，這種經營既不對他們播放的音樂收費，也不對他們播放的音樂付費。而唱片公司正試圖通過對每個聽眾每首歌征收0.14美分的版稅來改變這種現(xiàn)狀。
1. 「B」這篇文章主要在介紹一種新的創(chuàng)意，故選B.
2. 「A」“momandpop operation”是美國的一個習慣用法，意思是夫妻合作經營。
3. 「A」從文中第四段第一句“But an idea as good as this one is worth fighting for”，可知作者的態(tài)度是同意的。
4. 「C」從文中第六段后一句可知Mac是用來配置調制解調器的，它不是一種調制解調器，故選答案C.
5. 「A」聯(lián)系上下文可知電臺設置是一個重要的前提條件，故選 A.
Passage 2
本文以中美貿易關系的發(fā)展、變化為主題，圍繞中美政治時局、世界經濟的變化及美國政府政策等多方面影響因素進行闡明。
1. Key assumptions about trade policy and the commercial role of nations， such as the role of the United States with respect to both its industrialized and developing nation trading partners， are being revalued in light of changes in the world economy. 隨著世界經濟的變化，對于各國的貿易政策及經濟地位的設想正由于世界經濟的變化發(fā)生著巨變，正如美國在其工業(yè)化和尋找貿易伙伴的過程中所扮演的角色一樣。
2. Especially in the face of a volatile world trade environment， the key to continued growth of U.S. — China trade and investment is the institutionalization of a commercial relationship which would continue to develop regardless of pressure and complications created by global economic changes， or competing economic and political priorities within either the United States or the PRC. 尤其當處于國際瞬息萬變的貿易環(huán)境中，保持中美貿易和投資持續(xù)增長的關鍵在于其穩(wěn)定，可增長的貿易關系的確立，不去考慮由全球經濟變化帶來的壓力和復雜性，或中美雙方的競爭性經濟及政治優(yōu)勝。
1. 「C」從文章第一段第一句話可知中美貿易發(fā)展?jié)摿薮?，故選擇C.
2. 「B」從文章第二段第二句的后半部分可知中美貿易在中美關系正?；痪煤箝_始，故選擇B.
3. 「A」從文中第三段第二句后半部分可知國際經濟變化對中美雙邊經濟、政治產生影響，故選擇A.
4. 文章第五段第二句表明美國國會對國外政策及國外貿易政策擔負巨大責任，故選擇C.
5. 「C」因文章通篇圍繞中美貿易關系展開，故選擇C.
Passage 3
英國農村正面臨種種危機，亟待改革發(fā)展，而巨變后的英國農村又將如何？本文從畜牧業(yè)、犯罪、交通等諸多方面對英國農村進行描寫。
1. Amalgamations will mean that in 50 years there are fewer traditional farmers and even fewer farms than there are now； ranchstyle farming with a much reduced labor input will be evident， and intensive farming will have an even sharper focus. 50年后傳統(tǒng)農場主和農場的數(shù)目都會減少，勞動力投入大大降低的大牧場式的農業(yè)將凸顯出來，集約農業(yè)將更加突出重點。
2. It is more straightforward to police cities than the countryside and the village bobby will remain a memory. 維持城市治安比維持農村治安簡單，村警將是記憶中的事物。
3. The railways are at capacity and the network is truncated anyway. 鐵路運力已經飽和，而且鐵路網正在壓縮。
4. People who live permanently in the country will do so because the countryside is their passion. And because they like the way working with animals dictates a different timetable and priorities.現(xiàn)在的人在農村定居是因為他們酷愛農村，還因為他們樂于因飼養(yǎng)動物而遵守不同的作息時間并決定不同事情的輕重緩急。
1. 「C」come to a head原意指使事物達到定點，在此即指關鍵。
2. 「B」從文章第二段可得出明確的答案，特別是從hobby farmers就可以看出。其余三項表述錯誤。
3. 「B」文章第四段第一句話有清楚說明。
4. 「B」B項表述太絕對， 而且解決鄉(xiāng)村犯罪問題比城市要麻煩困難。
5. 「D」整片文章講述的都是英國鄉(xiāng)村， 其他選項都片面。
Passage 4
女為悅己者容。只要地球上男人和女人還都存在，美容業(yè)就一定會生生不息。本文的主題即為從古至今，人們不斷追求的美容。繁衍生息才是至關重要的。
1. Plastic surgery to pad breasts or lift buttocks serves to make a woman look as though she was in her late teens or early 20s. 豐胸，提臀的整形手術是為了讓女人看起來仍像少女一般。
2. But it was not until the start of the 20th century， when mass production coincided with mass exposure to an idealized standard of beauty （through photography， magazines and movies） that the industry first took off. 直到20世紀初，一方面（美容品）實現(xiàn)了大規(guī)模生產，另一方面大眾（通過照片，雜志和電影）大量接觸到近乎理想化的美，兩者的結合才使美容業(yè)第飛躍發(fā)展。
3. They combined facials with diets and exercise classes in a holistic approach that the industry is now returning to. 她們把美容，節(jié)食和健身課程有機結合起來，這也正是目前美容業(yè)回歸的方向。
4. The emerging beauty industry played on the fear of looking ugly as much as on the pleasure of looking beautiful， drawing on the new science of psychology to convince women that an inferiority complex could be cured by a dab of lipstick. Arden quipped： “I judge a woman and a horse by the same criteria： legs， head and rear end.” 美容業(yè)的興起不僅有賴于人們對丑的恐懼，同樣也得益于人們對美貌的追求，并利用新的心理學知識讓女士相信一抹唇膏就可以讓自卑情節(jié)一掃而光。雅頓俏皮地說：“我評判一個女人和一匹馬的標準是一樣的：腿，頭和臀部?！?BR> 1. 「C」從文章第一句就可看出應是swallowed arsenic and dabbed on bats blood
2. 「A」第四段第一句說明了美是憑直覺就能感覺到的東西，由此可推斷出A.B不是推斷。C，D不符和題意。
3. 「B」第五段后一句話有說明。
4. 「C」第六段后一句指出： 一方面美容品實現(xiàn)了大規(guī)模生產， 另一方面大眾通過照片、雜志和電影大量接觸到近乎理想化的美， 兩者結合才使美容業(yè)第起飛。
5. 「A」文章后說道： Arden quipped，即妙語評論。