题目内容

Scientists today are making greater effort to study ocean currents （洋流） ．Most do it using satellites and other high-tech equipment．However, ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way --- by studying movements of random floating garbage．A scientist with many years’ experience, he started this type of research in the early 1990s when he heard about hundreds of athletic shoes washing up on the shores of the northwest coast of the United States．There were so many shoes that people were setting up swap meets to try and match left and right shoes to sell or wear．

Ebbesmeyer found out in his researches that the shoes — about 60,000 in total — fell into the ocean in a shipping accident．He phoned the shoe company and asked if they wanted the shoes back．As expected, the company told him that they didn't．Ebbesmeyer realized this could be a great experiment．If he learned when and where the shoes went into the water and tracked where they landed, he could learn a lot about the patterns of ocean currents．

The Pacific Northwest is one of the world's best areas for beachcombing（海滩搜寻） because winds and currents join here, and as a result, there is a group of serious beachcombers in the area．Ebbesmeyer got to know a lot of them and asked for their help in collecting information about where the shoes landed．In a year he collected reliable information on 1, 600 shoes．With this data, he and a colleague were able to test and improve a computer program designed to model ocean currents, and publish the findings of their study．

As the result of his work, Ebbesmeyer has become known as the scientist to call with questions about any unusual objects found floating in the ocean．He has even started an association of beachcombers and ocean experts, with 500 subscribers from West Africa to New Zealand．They have recorded all lost objects ranging from potatoes to golf gloves．

1.The underlined phrase swap meets in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ___________．

A．fitting rooms B．trading fairs

C．business talks D．group meetings

2.Ebbesmeyer phoned the shoe company to find out ___________．

A．what caused the shipping accident

B．when and where the shoes went missing

C．whether it was all right to use their shoes

D．how much they lost in the shipping accident

3.How did Ebbesmeyer prove his assumption?

A．By collecting information from beachcombers．

B．By studying the shoes found by beachcomber．

C．By searching the web for ocean currents models．

D．By researching ocean currents data in the library．

4.Ebbesmeyer is most famous for _________________．

A．traveling widely the coastal cities of the world

B．making records for any lost objects on the sea

C．running a global currents research association

D．phoning about any doubtful objects on the sea

5.What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?

A．To call people's attention to ocean pollution．

B．To warn people of shipping safety in the ocean．

C．To explain a unique way of studying ocean currents．

D．To give tips on how to search for lost objects on the beach．

1.B

2.C

3.A

4.D

5.C

【解析】

试题分析:文中介绍了海洋科学家Curtis Ebbesmeyer的一种独特研究洋流的方法——根据海上的漂浮物来研究洋流。他通过寻问海洋搜寻，请他们帮忙来收集漂浮物的信息，用这些信息资料他做实验和研究，不断完善洋流模型的电脑程序设计，然后出版他的研究结果。

1. 词义猜测题。根据try and match left and right shoes to sell or wear.可知人们要试穿或卖这些鞋，故推测这是在进行一个交易会。故选B。

2. 推理判断题。根据第二段As expected, the company told him that they didn't. Ebbesmeyer realized this could be a great experiment. If he learned when and where the shoes went into the water and tracked where they landed, he could learn a lot about the patterns of ocean currents.可知他打电话问公司要不要这些鞋，公司说不要。他觉得这可能是一个巨大的实验。如果他能知道这些鞋是何时下水的，何时登陆的，那他就可以推断洋流的形式。这样，打电话最根本的目的是确定“能用你们的鞋子吗？能用我就用来实验了。”故选C。

3. 细节理解题。根据第三段Ebbesmeyer got to know a lot of them and asked for their help in collecting information about where the shoes landed. 可知Ebbesmeyer通过寻问海洋搜寻，请他们帮忙来收集信息，证明他的假设。故选A.

4. 细节理解题。由第四段第一句Ebbesmeyer has become known as the scientist to call with questions about any unusual objects found floating in the ocean可知Ebbesmeyer是个著名的科学家，专门打电话寻问罕见的海上漂流物。故选D.

5. 推理判断题。根据第一段However, ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way -- by studying movements of random floating garbage. 可知本文介绍了一种独特的研究洋流的方法——通过研究海洋上的漂流物。故选C.

考点：考查说明类短文阅读

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It was time to break free．

I needed to run away and the Bloomsburg Fair was the best place to go．

I don’t know if you can call it running away when it was only an hour away from my home．But once I entered the fair grounds, I crossed over into another world．The loudspeaker offered background music over the sounds of people talking, bargaining and food sellers yelling for your attention．

I belonged here．I didn’t know if I had it in my blood or not, but I always wanted to have a small food stand and travel in my off season from fair to fair selling goodies．Perhaps one day．It certainly wasn’t a priority(优先考虑的事)in my life , Perhaps it should be．

After I was there a while, I needed to get away to a quiet spot．Most of the time, I could find that anywhere the farm animals were kept． They needed the quiet．So I went there to find peace with the cows, goats, horses, pigs and yes, the turkeys．You'd think being this close to "Thanksgiving", they'd be a little scared, but they were not．

It was in the dairy barn（仓库）where I found peace this time．I so admired the young folks who tended to farm animals．I thought they had a greater appreciation for life．They participated in it firsthand．I once watched a young farmer help bring a baby cow into the world．

My favorite scene was to come across a young cowboy lying in the hay asleep among the cows that had settled down for a rest．There, with his heads in a small soft spot alongside his favorite cow, I had seen him in a much deserved sleep．Perhaps better at rest there than in his own bed．

I had the pleasure of speaking with a young teenage farm girl that day．

"You look so comfortable," I said to her．

"Oh I am," she said．"Life makes it comfortable for me．"

“You mean being a farm girl?"

"No, Life! That's the name of my cow," she said, smiling as she gently patted the cow's side．

"I thought they called cows Betsy and Elsie．Why did you call her Life?"

“I discovered life again here．It was the only meaningful name that came to mind．I had been raised in the big city and really hated it．Then we moved to the country, running away from it．I think my parents called it a mid-life crisis," she said, laughing．

"Oh, I can understand that．I've been in one since birth," I said．

"It was on the farm that I learned to love life again．I was there when Life was born．It was so exciting．My whole outlook on the world changed．So I named her Life．Now, I can say I really love 'Life'," she said．

"How amazing! I write stories and J am always trying to get people to enjoy life, to wake up each day expecting the best from it．But they all too often go to bed with so much bad stuff in their soul, and on their mind, that they wake up feeling bad and expect it to only get worse from there． All too often it does, just because that's all they choose to see in that otherwise perfectly beautiful day," I told her．

"That's too bad．They need to see a cow born, a chicken hatch．I guess they need to wake up early and hug Life!" she said, laughing．

"When was the last time you hugged Life" she asked me．

"I am sorry to say even I have had trouble doing that lately," I said．

"Come here!" she said．

Then standing up and stepping aside, she said, "Go ahead…hug Life!"

I paused for a moment and dropping all thoughts of looking silly, I did．I hugged a cow．

1.The writer went to the Bloomsburg Fair probably in order to ．

A．have fun B．get ideas for writing

C．do shopping D．escape something he disliked

2.The following things happened in the Bloomsbury Fair except ．

A．food sellers' shouting

B．the writer's selling goodies

C．people's bargaining and talking

D．the loudspeaker's broadcasting music

3.What can we learn from Paragraphs 5, 6 and 7?

A．The writer tended to farm animals firsthand．

B．The cowboy was lazy and fell asleep among the cows．

C．The writer found peace where farm animals were kept．

D．The turkeys got into panic with "Thanksgiving" approaching

4.The underlined word "it" refers to ．

A．the city B．the country

C．the barn D．the fair

5.The writer was surprised at the farm girl's words and he thought people often______

A．expected to get the best things

B．enjoyed perfectly beautiful days

C．ignored the bright side of each day

D．felt really bad due to poor sleep at night

6.What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Farm Life and Happiness B．Hugging Life

C．A Farm Girl and Her Cow D．Enjoying Freedom

American cities are similar to other cities around the world．In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture．American cities are changing，just as American society is changing．

After World War II，the population of most large American cities decreased；however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased．In the late 1940s and early 1950s，city residents became wealthier．They had more children so they needed more space．They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes．They bought houses in the suburbs（郊区）．

Now things are changing，the children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults．Many, unlike their parents，want to live in the cities．They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest．Many young professionals are moving back into the city．They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there；or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers．

This population shift（迁移）is bringing problems as well as benefits．Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent．In the 1950s，many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs；now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities．

Only a few years ago，people thought that the older American cities were dying．Some city residents now see a bright，new future．Others see only problems and conflicts．One thing is sure：many dying cities in America are alive again．

1.What does the author think of cities all over the world?

A．They are dying． B．They are hopeless．

C．They are similar． D．They are different．

2.Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War II?

A．Because older American cities were dying．

B．Because they were richer and needed more space．

C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society．

D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city．

3.According to the 4th paragraph，a great many poor people in American cities____．

A．are faced with housing problems

B．are forced to move back to the suburbs

C．want to sell their buildings

D．need more money for daily expenses

4.We can conclude from the text that_________________．

A．American cities are changing for the worse

B．people have different views on American cities

C．older people prefer the city to the suburbs in America

D．the population is decreasing in older American cities

Some young people these days, especially the homebodies, just _____go out of their homes to experience the real world．

A．mustn’t B．won’t

C．mightn’t D．shouldn’t

--I want some information on _______ package tour to Thailand ．

--OK , it costs 400 dollars ,including _____ accommodation．

A．/ ; the B．a ; an C．the ;an D．the ; /

Grandma pointed to the hospital and said, “That’s ______ I was born．”

A．when B．how C．why D．where

You can use a large plastic bottle, _____ cut off, as a pot to grow young plants in．

A．the top is B．the top of which

C．whose top D．with its top

Most young people enjoy some forms of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some forms—football, basketball, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.

Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.

Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as others, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kinds which would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.

If we compare mountaineering with other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.

The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.

A mountain climber continues to improve in skills year by year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skills and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

1.What sports are popular among people in winter in the passage?

A. Soccer and golf. B. Skiing and skating.

C. Cycling and hockey. D. Mountaineering.

2.The underlined word “passion” in Paragraph 2 could best be replaced by _ _____.

A. strong emotion B. good way

C. better feeling D. enough affection

3.Mountaineering is a sport, not a game because_______.

A. it has man-made rules

B. it is too dangerous for climbers

C. it is free for climbers to use their own methods

D. it can’t bring people joy or leisure

4.We know from the passage that _______.

A. mountaineering has no appeal for people

B. physical quality is more important than mental one for climbers

C. a mountain climber passes his best by the age of thirty

D. it is possible for an old man of fifty or sixty to climb the Alps

5.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Sports in winter B. Team work in climbing

C. Mountaineering D. The quality for mountaineering

The girl was hanging by her hands from the railings of a balcony(阳台的栏杆). The balcony was on the twelfth floor of the high-rise block next to his. His flat was on the ninth floor and he had to look up to see her. It was half-past six in the morning. He had been awakened by the sound of an aircraft flying dangerously low overhead, and had got out of bed to look. His sleepy eyes, moved from the blue sky which was empty of cloud, empty of anything but the bright disappearing arrow of the aircraft, and then rested on the hanging figure.

He really thought he must be dreaming, for this sunrise time was the hour for dreams. Then, when he knew he wasn’t, he decided it must be a scene in a film. There were cameramen down there, a whole film unit, and all the correct safety precautions had been taken. Probably the girl wasn’t even a real girl, but a dummy(假人). He opened the window and looked down. The car park, paved courts, grass spaces between the blocks, all were deserted. On the balcony rail one of the dummy’s hands moved, desperately. He had to believe then what was obviously happening. The girl was trying to kill herself. She had lost her courage and now was trying to stay alive. All these thoughts and conclusions of his occupied about thirty seconds. Then he acted. He picked up the phone and dialed the emergency number for the police.

The arrival of the police cars and the rescue of the girl became the focus of talk for the people of the two blocks. Someone found out that it was he who had called the police and he became an unwilling hero. He was a modest, quiet young man, and was in relief when the talk began to die away. Again he was able to enter and leave his flat without being pointed at as a kind of St George and sometimes even congratulated.

About a fortnight after that morning, he was getting ready to go to the theatre, just putting on his overcoat, when the doorbell rang. He didn’t recognize the girl who stood outside. He had never seen her face. She said, “I’m Lydia Simpson. You saved my life. I’ve come to thank you.”

1.What did the man do first after he got up?

A. He looked down from the window.

B. He went to see the noisy aircraft.

C. He called the police to save the girl.

D. He hurried to check who was outside.

2.The moment the man saw the girl hanging there, he felt it was _________.

A. scaring B. desperate

C. unbelievable D. dangerous

3.We can learn from the passage that __________.

A. the man disliked to be talked about

B. the girl was unwilling to be rescued

C. the police arrived quickly on the scene

D. the girl was actually an actress in a film

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