题目内容
Unlike the widely attended Summer Olympics, the Winter Games are almost a collection of wealthy athletes and nations. In fact, I’d suggest that the name of the Winter Games be changed. They could be more accurately branded the “The European and North American Expensive Sports Festival.”
Until as recently as 1994, fewer than a third of the planet’s countries took part. This year, in Turin, Italy, only 43 percent of the world’s total countries. Ethiopia, a nation of 73 million, will send its first “team” to a Winter Olympics this year – a single skier.
As always, the biggest teams, and the big winners, will come from a familiar pool. In the history of the winter competition, dating from its beginning in 1924, competitors from only six countries—including Norway, the United States, Austria and Finland, have won almost two-thirds of all the medals awarded. By contrast, the all-time list of summer winners is long and deep, extending to athletes from 143 countries.
It’s not just the presence or absence of snow and ice that determines Winter Olympics success, or even participation(参与). If it were, some of America’s best ice skaters and speedskaters wouldn’t live and train in Southern California or Florida. If it were, athletes from countries like Peru, Chile, Nepal, Morocco, Afghanistan and Ethiopia – all with snow-covered mountains—would be fighting for the medals.
Instead, the more telling factors are economic. Would-be Winter Olympians need years of training, coaching and competition. Most nations, even those with plenty of snow and cold, simply can’t afford the equipment.
Unlike the Winter Games, the Summer Olympics level many of the advantages of national wealth, as well as favorable geography and climate. Athletes from the poorest African and Caribbean nations have developed into some of the world’s greatest athletes with little cost.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the fonder of the modern Olympics, recognized some of the global sporting unfairness more than a century ago. De Coubertin objected to the creation of a separate Winter Olympics for many years, dismissing winter sports in 1921 as “the play of the rich.”
66.We can infer that athletes in the Winter Olympics mainly come from ____________.
A.South America and North Europe B.Norway and America
C.Norway, Finland and Australia D.Europe and North America
67.The underlined word “extending” is close in meaning to _________.
A.to spread B.to conclude C.to offer D.to award
68.Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
A.The participation rate of the Winter Olympics is far less than 50%.
B.The host country of the recent Winter Olympic Games is Turin.
C.The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924.
D.Winners of the Summer Olympics come from almost everywhere.
69.We can infer that____________
A.Some athletes of the Winter Olympics from USA are trained in warm states.
B.It doesn’t snow in Peru, Chile, Nepal, Morocco, Afghanistan or Ethiopia.
C.Games in the Summer Olympics cost the participants a lot of money.
D.Baron Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the Winter Olympics.
70.The best title for the passage would be _________.
A.The Unfair Winter Olympic Games
B.Where Have the Gold Medals Gone?
C.The Winter Olympics -- the Rich Meet to Compete
D.Do We Need So Many Olympics?
DABAC
Throughout seafaring history, ships and sailors have been lost to storms, accidents and war. Until recently, most of these ships were weak wooden sailing vessel (船只), their skeletons(骨架) quickly eaten away by sea creatures. Now, large vessels made of steel float on the seas. Thousands of these huge ships have been lost in times of war and in times of peace.
The bones of great metal ships, unlike the wooden vessels of old, survive the destruction of the sea long enough to become home and harbor for underwater life of all kinds. Shipwrecks(残骸) often provide the only hard surface and structure at the sandy bottom of the sea, something many sea creatures need.
The ship has been underwater for only five days. Its surface is still clean. Six weeks later, the wreck is covered with a slimy layer of algae(海藻), but it is still recognizable as a ship. Soon, animals that need to attach themselves to a hard surface, like the feather duster worms, make the wreck their home.
In warm waters, coral polyps(珊瑚虫) settle on the wreck and begin the process of building a rock-like crust on the ship. Small fish are attracted on all of these creatures. Larger fish come to feed on these small fish that hide in the wreckage. Eventually, the largest animals are attracted to the rich life on the shipwreck.
Shipwrecks give us valuable information about how sea plants and animals develop. We know exactly how long this wreck has been under water and how long sea life has been growing on it. Yet even the strongest steel shipwreck will finally be destroyed by the flows of water. But long after this wreck has been broken apart, it will still act as a reef (礁石). Layer upon layer of sea life has formed a structure that is now more natural than artificial, and will remain an island of life under the sea.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT TRUE about shipwrecks?
| A.Most ships in ancient times sank easily and become shipwrecks. |
| B.Shipwrecks, for scientists, are worth researching to get valuable information. |
| C.The skeletons of old wooden shipwrecks will exist for quite a long time. |
| D.Some sea animals tend to seek food on the shipwrecks. |
| A.the differences between the ancient vessels and the modern ones |
| B.how the ships become shipwrecks at sea |
| C.how coral polyps live on the wreck in warm waters |
| D.the value of studying shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea |
| A.a hard outer covering | B.the skin of a rock |
| C.a hole in a ship | D.a small house |
| A.They will be pulled out of the sea for research. |
| B.They are likely to disappear and form reefs. |
| C.They will become an island under the sea. |
| D.They will be like works of art. |
Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China’s higher education reform? It’s too early to answer.But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education.Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies(奇才), to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education-unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.
The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions.Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.
The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away.On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.
Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation.Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.
The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for educa
tion reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive.To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out.The ministry should have applauded the independence the school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.
Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage.Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.
【小题1】Over 1,000 students and parents visited the school because .
| A.they believe that the school will have a bright future |
| B.they believe the government is sure to approve the school |
| C.the school models itself on Hong Kong University successfully |
| D.they will never do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions |
| A.the government will have no voice in the school |
| B.they won’t receive any diploma when graduating from the school |
| C.other schools are unlikely to accept their diploma from the school |
| D.they will not learn how to be competitive |
| A.It is another kind of diploma mill. |
| B.It’s impossible for the school to be competitive. |
| C.It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education. |
| D.Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform. |
| A.University of New Style. | B.China’s Education Reform. |
| C.Modeling Hong Kong University. | D.Authorized or Not? |