It was when I was attending high school that I first read Asimov’s stories. At the time, a few SF magazines began to introduce this author and translate a few pieces from his “Robot Series”. Of Asimov’s works, the one that left the deepest impression on me was Pebble in the Sky. This novel directly influenced my early SF writing.
Asimov was one of the leading writers of Western science fiction’s Golden Age, so although his writing may not have a direct influence on writers of today, his underlying （潜在的） influence on many levels is undeniable — the famous Three Laws of Robotics, and many classic writing techniques, for example. Of course, his influence is related to the atmosphere that existed in the Golden Age; a science fiction writer today has a hard time reaching that level no matter how outstanding he or she is. Asimov’s novels are marked by a fully integrated logical system, and his stories are a pleasure to read — this is the reason his novels still attract readers today. Naturally, Western science fiction has few people these days who follow Asimov’s creative methods; instead they are closely connected to mainstream artistic trends, employing large amounts of postmodern techniques. This type of science fiction has a hard time blossoming on Chinese soil. The majority of Chinese SF readers would rather read the classic works of Asimov. This is an important question that faces today’s Chinese science fiction writers.
Compared with the “Robot Series”, Asimov’s “Foundation Series” is a little less well-known in China. This is mostly due to the large influence of the Three Laws, and moreover, the Foundation novels have never been completely introduced here. In fact, the Foundation series creates an entire world, even grander than that of the “Robot Series”; this science fiction epic（史诗） had a direct influence on later Western science fiction, the most famous example being Star Wars.
61. We can know from the passage that the author is a _______ .
A. science fiction writer B. science fiction publisher
C. high school student D. novel translator
62. The Three Laws of Robotics are most probably .
A. stories written by Asimov B. writing techniques employed by Asimov
C. techniques to build robots D. characters in Asimov’s science fiction
63. The main purpose of the passage is to .
A. compare Asimov with other science fiction writers
B. attract people to read Asimov’s stories
C. introduce Asimov’s influence on SF writing
D. explain why Asimov is popular in China
64. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. “Foundation Series” were translated into Chinese earlier than “Robot Series”
B. Science fiction of postmodern style is not popular with Chinese readers
C. Asimov is the greatest science fiction writer in Western countries
D. The writing techniques by Asimov are better than the postmodern ones
65. In the writer’s opinion, Asimov’s “Foundation Series” .
A. were not as successful as his “Robot Series”
B. are better known to Chinese readers than his “Robot Series”
C. were more logically organized than his “Robot Series”
D. were written better than his “Robot Series” in some ways
PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
An Indian civil servant, SM Raju, has come up with a new way of providing employment for millions of poor people in Bihar. His campaign to encourage people to plant trees effectively addresses two burning issues of the world: global warming and shrinking job opportunities.
Mr Raju’s success could clearly be seen on 30 August, 2009 when he organized 300,000 villagers from over 7,500 villages in northern Bihar to engage in a mass tree planting ceremony.
Mr Raju has linked his “social forestry” program to the central government’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which is also designed to provide employment for poor people. Under NREGA — started in February 2006 as the government’s most ambitious employment generation scheme for poor people — the authorities are bound by law to provide a minimum of 100 days of employment a year for members of families living below the poverty line. About 44% of Bihar’s population fall into this category.
Mr Raju says that Bihar — being the poorest and most lawless state of India — hasn’t been able to spend the allocated (分配的) NREGA funds. “This is because of a lack of awareness among officials about the scheme,” he said. “So the idea struck to my mind: why not involve families below the poverty line in social forestry and give them employment under this scheme for 100 days? Under the scheme, each family can earn a minimum of 10,200 rupees ($210).”
The civil servant immediately made a plan of his idea. In June, Mr Raju published a booklet of “dos and don’ts” and distributed it to village heads. His plan meant that NREGA funds were fully used — in the past this hasn’t always been the case.
“I told the villagers they would get 100 days employment in a year simply by planting trees and protecting them. The old and disabled would be given preference,” he explained.
Every village council has now been given a target of planting 50,000 saplings — a group of four families have to plant 200 trees and they must protect them for three years till the plants grow stronger.
“They would get the full payment if they can ensure the survival of 90% of the plants under their care. For a 75-80% survival rate, they’ll be paid only half the wage. For less than 75%, the families in the group will be replaced,” the guidelines say.
Significantly, his scheme has even stopped the migration of poor labourers from the area in search of employment elsewhere.
56. According to the passage, the main purpose of SM Raju’s “social forestry” program is to _____.
A. promote the practice of NREGA
B. make efforts to prevent global warming
C. increase the employment of poor people
D. prevent poor people from migrating elsewhere
57 According to the passage, the poor people in Bihar don’t make full use of NREGA funds because _____.
A. the local officials don’t realize the importance of NREGA
B. the local government doesn’t get enough support from the central government
C. the local poor people know little about NREGA
D. Bihar is the most lawless state in India
58. We can infer from the passage that _____.
A. most people in Bihar will benefit from NREGA
B. the old and disabled people are not involved in tree planting
C. families who can’t ensure 75% survival rate of the trees will not be paid
D. Raju’s new plan will reduce Bihar’s population below the poverty line
59. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. There’s a good way to deal with global warming
B. Tree planting provides employment for the poor
C. Tree planting solves the problem of unemployment
D. Raju’s “social forestry” program wins the support of NREGA
60. How can villagers get more NREGA funds?
A. Thinking better ways to stop global warming
B. Working hard for one hundred days
C. Planting more trees and ensuring the survival of plants
D. Stopping moving from the area to search employment elsewhere
SECTION C
Directions: Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with one word that best fits the context.
Baby survives after train hits pram
The CCTV footage (片段）shows a baby’s pram (婴儿车)rolling off a train platform as the mother makes a mad rush to save her son, 48 she is too late and it falls 49 the rails in front of an incoming train. This heart-stopping scene happened yesterday at Ashburton station in Melbourne, Australia. But the story has a 50 ending: the six-month-old baby survived with just 51 cut on his forehead, although the pram was dragged about 35 meters by the braking train. The nurse Jon Wright said the boy just “needed a feed and a sleep”.
“Luckily, he was strapped (绑) into his pram at the time, which probably saved 52 life. I think the child is extremely 53 ,” Wright told the Herald Sun newspaper after the baby was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The footage shows the mother taking her hands off the three-wheeled pram, which begins to roll 54 the platform edge.
The driver put on the brakes 55 he saw the pram fall in front of him and fortunately the train was already slowing down to stop at the station. Rail firm Connex is to look into how the pram rolled off the platform. The accident came one day after Connex started a child safety awareness campaign warning parents to keep babies strapped into their prams at all times while on platforms.
SECTION B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young age. Not only did he understand that specific 36 can affect our mental pictures, but he understood that words are a 37 programming factor in lifelong success.
One particularly unforgettable event occurred when I was eight. As a child, I was always climbing trees, poles and 38 around upside down from the rafters(屋椽) of our lake house. 39 , it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree, swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old 40 didn’t realize that the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was enjoyable to be up so high. My older cousin, Tammy, was also hanging in the same tree. Her mother also 41 us at exactly the same time as my dad did. About that time, a huge gust(一阵) of wind blew through the tree. I could hear the leaves rustle(嘎嘎地响) and feel the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad’s 42 over the wind, “Bart, Hold on tightly!”So I did.
The next thing I heard was Tammy’s mother yelling, “Tammy, don’t fall!” Tammy did 43 . My dad later explained to me that the mind has a very 44 time processing a negative image. It takes seventeen positive statements to offset(抵消) one negative statement. That means it might 45 seventeen compliments(贺词/道贺) to offset the emotional 46 of one criticism.
These are concepts that are especially useful in developing yourself. How many compliments do you give yourself daily and how often do you criticize yourself? Try to 47 yourself a lifetime of positive programming by complimenting yourself, or at least think about the kind of programming you are doing to yourself on a daily basis. Remember: try to make positive self-talk a daily practice and you will succeed some day.
36. A. reactions B. behaviors C. words D. expressions
37. A. doubtful B. sensible C. strange D. powerful
38. A. sitting B. hanging C. standing D. lying
39. A. However B. Furthermore C. Moreover D. Therefore
40. A. brain B. memory C. experience D. knowledge
41. A. believed B. noticed C. protected D. persuaded
42. A. voice B. figure C. image D. anger
43. A. hold B. think C. fall D. regret
44. A. surprising B. relaxing C. difficult D. short
45. A. offer B. take C. give D. Keep
46. A. damage B. danger C. award D. relief
47. A. stop B. consult C. imagine D. give
During his first trip to China, President Obama discussed some key global issues such as economic recovery, climate change, _______ nuclear weapons in his talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
A. and stopping to spread B. to stop spreading
C. to stop to spread D. and stopping the spread of
——What do you think of Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone?
——Fantastic. Steven Kloves_______ each character in the movie impressive through lively dialogues and fascinating plots.
A. makes B. would make C. made D. had made
