"Yes, but what did we use to do before there was television?" How often we hear statements like this! Television hasn't been with us all that long, but we are already beginning to forget what the world was like without it. Before we admit the one-eyed monster into our homes,  we never found it difficult to occupy our spare time. We used to enjoy civilized pleasures. For instance, we used to have hobbies, we used to entertain our friends and be entertained by them, we used to go outside for our amusements to theaters, cinemas, restaurants and sporting events. We even used to read books and listen to music and broadcast talk occasionally. All that belongs to the past. Now all our free time is regulated by the "goggle-box". We rush home or gulp down（吞咽）our meals to be in time for this or that program. We have even given up sitting at table and having a leisurely evening meal, exchanging the news of the day. A sandwich and a glass of beer will do-anything providing it doesn't interfere with the program. The monster demands and obtains absolute silence and attention. If any member of the family dares to open his mouth during a program, he is quickly silenced.

The whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly (television). Food is left uneaten, homework undone and sleep is lost. The telly is universal pacifier（抚慰者）．It is now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by putting them in the living-room and turning on the set.It doesn’t matter that the children will watch rubbishy commercials or violence－so long as they are quiet.

There is little limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world. Television consumes vast quantities of creative work. That is why most of programs are bad:  it is impossible to keep pace with the demand and maintain high standards as well. When millions watch the same programs,  the whole world becomes a village, and society is reduced to the conditions which obtain in preliterate（无文字的）communities. We become completely dependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spoken word.

Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with secondhand experiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We got so lazy; we choose to spend a fine day in semi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be a splendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend a holiday by the sea or in the mountain, far away from civilization. In quiet, natural surroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the repetitive oppression of King Telly.

1.According to this passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

2. The main idea of the second paragraph is to show that_____.

3.Which is the best title for this passage?

4.This passage is an article of_____.

第四部分：任务型阅读(共10小题；每小题l分，满分10分)

请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。

Experts debunk Maya doomsday（末日） predictions -- But that hasn't stopped books, movies from cashing in.

If the ancient Maya and filmmaker Roland Emmerich are correct, the apocalypse（大灾变） will happen very fast, maybe quicker than his new 2½-hour movie.

Predictions of global ruination are rippling around the globe with seismic（地震的） force, all loosely based on a 5,000-year Maya calendar that ends Dec. 21, 2012. Countless Web sites and blogs anticipate(预料) the end of days, as do various New Age groups and would-be prophets(预言者) offering guidance and how-to tips. On Amazon.com , you can read hundreds of book titles combining the year 2012 with terms such as “apocalypse,” “catastrophe” and “end of the world.”

As always, doomsday sells — and a lot of people are buying it.

“There's the psychobabble(心理呓语) aspect,” said Robert Epstein, former editor of Psychology Today magazine and a lecturer at the University of California San Diego. “It's the Sigmund Freud/death wish idea: People glom onto（对…感兴趣） doomsday predictions because there's some small part of them that wants to die, and die spectacularly（壮观的）. I don't believe it, but it's one way to look at this.”

It's Emmerich's way. The German director specializes in wreaking havoc on an epic scale, from climatic cataclysm in 2004's “The Day After Tomorrow” to angry aliens and reptiles in “Independence Day” and “Godzilla.”  In “2012,” he finishes the job.

The digitized disasters of “2012” are oversized, overwrought and sometimes literally over the top, as when a humongous tsunami washes over the Himalayan mountains, whose average height exceeds 20,000 feet. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, a 10.5-magnitude earthquake — a temblor at least 30 times more powerful than any real quake ever recorded — yanks the city apart like a giant zipper, sending chunks sliding into the Pacific Ocean.

That's not physically possible, of course. Nor is a 10.5-magnitude quake, said Thomas Rockwell, a geologist at San Diego State University. To generate that much energy, “you'd need a rupture that extends all around the planet.”

All of that other stuff “is pure Hollywood bunk,” said Bernard Jackson at the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences.

Entertaining, though, unless you happen to believe the Maya really predicted the end of the world. They didn't, said Geoff Braswell, a UCSD anthropologist. The long-count calendar doesn't signal the end of anything except the end of that particular calendar. “It's just like a car odometer. Unfortunately, hardly anybody reads ancient Mayan. Modern media hype（骗局）, on the other hand, is almost inescapable.

Nicholas Christenfeld, a professor of psychology at UCSD, suggests a more elemental human need. Being swallowed by the Earth or incinerated in a giant fireball “fits neatly with the idea that people want to believe there's a plan, that existence isn't random and pointless,” Christenfeld said.

“We all missed creation, but if we can bear witness at the other end, be part of some grand cosmic destruction, that gives life meaning,” he said. 

It helps, too, not to think very hard about the facts, said Lou Manza, a professor of psychology at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa. “These claims have been around forever, and they have all been false, 100 percent wrong,” Manza said.

Of course, prognosticators（预言者, 占卜者） usually have an explanation for that, Christenfeld said.

“They might say it was a misinterpretation,” he said. “They got the date wrong. They might claim humanity acted in time to prevent the destruction. Or faith came to the rescue because people believed something bad was going to happen, it didn't have to happen.”

Since many of you are planning to study at a college or university in this country, you may be curious to know what you usually do in a typical week, how you can get along with your fellow students, and so on. These are the questions I want to discuss with you today.

First, let’s talk about what your weekly schedule will look like. No matter what your major may be, you can expect to spend between four and six hours a week for each class attending lectures. Lectures are usually in very large rooms because some courses such as introduction to sociology or economics often have as many as two or three hundred students, especially at large universities. In lectures, it’s very important for you to take notes on what the professor says because the information in a lecture is often different from the information in your textbooks. Also, you can expect to have exam questions based on the lectures. So it isn’t enough to just read your textbooks; you have to attend lectures as well. In a typical week you will also have a couple of hours of discussion for every class you take. The discussion section is a small group meeting usually with fewer than thirty students where you can ask questions about the lectures, the reading, and the homework. In large universities, graduate students, called teaching assistants, usually direct discussion sections.

If your major is chemistry, or physics, or another science, you’ll also have to spend several hours a week in the labor laboratory, doing experiments. This means that science majors spend more time in the classroom than non-science majors do. On the other hand, people who major in subjects like literature or history usually have to read and write more than science majors do.

1.The main purpose of this text is__________.

A.to help the students to learn about university life

B.to persuade the students to attend lectures

C.to encourage the students to take part in discussions

D.to advise the students to choose proper majors

2.We can learn from the passage that university professors__________.

A.spend about 5 hours on lectures each week

B.must join the students in the discussion sections

C.prefer to use textbooks in their lectures

D.require the students to read beyond the textbooks

3.A discussion section does NOT include__________.

A.working under the guidance of university professors

B.talking over what the students have read about the courses

C.discussing the problems related to the students’ homework

D.raising questions about what a professor has said in a lecture

4.According to the author, science majors__________.

A.have to work harder than non-science majors

B.spend less time on their studies than non science majors

C.consider experiments more important than discussions

D.read and write less than non-science majors

I fell in love with England because it was quaint （古雅）—all those little houses, looking terri­bly old-fashioned but nice, like dolls’ houses．I loved the countryside and the pubs, and I loved London．I’ve slightly changed my mind after seventeen years because I think it’s an ugly town now．

Things have changed. For everybody, England meant gentlemen, fair play, and good man­ners．The fair play is going, unfortunately, and so are the gentlemanly attitudes and good man­ners—people shut doors heavily in your face and politeness is disappearing．

I regret that there are so few comfortable meeting places．You’re forced to live indoors．In Paris I go out much more, to restaurants and nightclubs．To meet friends here it usually has to be in a pub, and it can be difficult to go there alone as a woman．The cafes are not terribly nice．

As a woman, I feel unsafe here．I spend a bomb on taxis because I will not take public trans­port after 10 p．m．I used to use it, but now I’m afraid．

The idea of family seems to be more or less non-existent in England. My family is well united and that’s typically French．In Middlesex I had a neighbour who is 82 now．His family only lived two miles away, but I took him to France for Christmas once because he was always alone．

1.The writer doesn’t like London because she ______．

       A．is not used to the life there now

       B．has lived there for seventeen years

       C．prefers to live in an old-fashioned house

       D．has to be polite to everyone she meets there

2.Where do people usually meet their friends in England?

       A．In a cafe．     B．In a restaurant．      C．In a nightclub.  D．In a pub．

3.The underlined part “it” （in Par      A．4） refers to______．

       A．a taxi                     B．the money        C．a bomb           D．public transport

4.The writer took her neighbour to France for Christmas because he ______．

       A．felt lonely in England                         B．had never been to France

       C．was from a typical French family         D．didn't like the British idea of family

阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑,选择项有一项是多余的。

首先阅读下列国外媒体上的插图及介绍性文字：

A. Cornwall

You can find that 'weekend feeling' every day of the year, in the country's favourite holiday destination. Some find it in a rock pool on a golden beach, others find it along a dramatic coastal path over-looking crashing waves, while for some it can only be discovered on wild moors and quiet woods. Art lovers are sure to find all the inspiration they could wish for in a lively arts scene, while gastronauts can savour the secret ingredients that make Cornwall a foodie's heaven.                                                    

Start planning, start discovering; get your free 2011 official Cornwall guide and visit the website.

B. Cornwall, paradise found

The gardens of Cornwall are the envy of the world. With its temperate climate Cornwall is the perfect home for a flourishing variety of plants, trees and shrubs. For seasoned horticulturists, keen amateurs or energetic families looking for a fun day out, there is always a surprise around the next corner - maybe a hidden vista or a startling splash of colour.

   With over 70 gardens to choose from you can walk amongst wild woodlands or stand and admire the formal splendour of a country estate. Kitchen gardens, perfumed gardens, and even Japanese gardens - you will discover something fresh, whatever the season.

Click the 'request brochure' button for your FREE guide or visit the website for more information.

C. Peak District

Come to the Peak District and get right to the heart of a great holiday - right at the heart of the UK. Our world-class destination is a stone's throw from everywhere. From Hollywood film locations to superb landscapes and quality accommodation to luscious local food, we've got it all. Add awesome attractions, historic houses, glorious gardens, fantastic theme parks, fabulous festivals and vibrant nightlife - and you have the perfect recipe for a brilliant break. Order your free copy of our 2011 Visitor Guide now!

D. Discover the stunning Channel Island of Guernsey in 2011

It doesn't take long to get to the stunning Channel Island of Guernsey, but once you're here, you'll feel a long way from home - Discover its unforgettable blend of stunning scenery, unique character and rich heritage for yourself in 2011.

Welcome to the islands of Guernsey. Lying close to the north coast of France and bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the islands are the perfect escape.

   Indulge in an unforgettable meal, explore the region's rich heritage or simply revel in the beauty of your surroundings, the islands of choice have it all. On this site, you'll find all the information you need to create a holiday filled with special memories - So take some time to look around and start planning your perfect break.

E. Visit the English Riviera - South Devon’s Beautiful Bay

   Torquay, Babbacombe, Paignton and Brixham boast stunning beaches and award-winning visitor attractions.

But it's not just palm trees and a famously mild climate, there is treasured literary and natural heritage just waiting to be discovered. The 22 miles of coastline has been endorsed by UNESCO as a Global Geopark. Explore Agatha Christie's place of birth and the inspiration behind fictional tales and her real life story.

Visit the website to request your free Accommodation Guide and prepare to explore South Devon's beautiful bay.

F. Pure Jersey

Whether you're looking for a short break or longer holiday, Jersey has it all! Discover breathtaking beaches, fabulous restaurants, cosmopolitan shopping, leafy country lanes, award-winning attractions and fascinating WWII history. Stay in family-friendly hotels or self-catering lodges, chic hotels or great-value guest houses.

    With over 30 departure points from the UK, you can fly in less than an hour or sail by fast ferry. What's more, with its lovely mild climate, Jersey is the warmest place in the British Isles.

以下是几位计划出行者的情况介绍。请将介绍与相关插图及说明性文字匹配起来。

1.Doris , an amateur photographer , is now learning English in the UK. She is planning for a short visit to a place where she can not only has inspiration but also enjoys good food. More importantly, she wish to make it flexible according to her schedule. Any season would be fine as long as there are colourful flowers and warm sun shine.

2. Rainy, a housewife, is taking a short break to relax herself from boring daily routine, but wishes to spend some days outdoors with her three young girls. She hates the cold winter and is ready to travel by any means of transportation so long as it won’t take a long time. She prefers street shopping to on line shopping.

3.Shirley, a professional column writer, is expecting to experience the UK in a special and unforgettable way. She writes about review on food, introduction to customs and lifestyle of the British.

4.Kathy, an artist, has great passion for nature. She is enthusiastic about exploring the unknown , learning from tradition, enjoying the amazing scenery and bathing the sun on the beach. She usually reads a lot about the persons she paints before she starts working on it.

5.King, a scholar, a nature lover, has written quite a few books on wars. On the other hand, he is particular about food. He is planning to spend one or two days simply enjoying the beauty of nature and quietness of the woods.