Half a century ago, during the Sino-Japanese War, I was a student at National Southwest Associated University at Kunming in southern China, Lectures were often accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain on the tin roofs of the classrooms; that mud floors were full of holes; and wind blew through paneless windows. As for the library, it was a bare skeleton. A good reference book was used for years and journals usually arrived after a couple of years’ delay.
But despite such hardship, I had the best of my student days in Kunming. Although we were short of research materials, we were uncompromising（坚定的）in our pursue of knowledge and truth. I spent six years at Southwest and obtained my first and second degrees in physics here. I still value those days fervently. In fact it was at Southwest that I first came across Reader’s Digest. To me, the magazine’s insistence on perfection both in style and accuracy—as well as its celebration of life even in the face of hardship—is similar to the values I learned at Southwest.
Later, I went to the United States to study under Enrich Ferimi, the famous physicist who directed the world’s first nuclear chain reaction. One of the first things Ferimi emphasized to me was that physics shouldn’t be so overwhelming（压倒性的）that it is beyond the average man. Physics research, he said, should be connected with our daily lives and physicists should devote most of their efforts to solving practical problems. I couldn’t agree more. Indeed, I think this simple, close-to-life.
Approach applies other attempts too. Reader’s Digest is highly informative, but it is easy to read, and easy to understand, never exaggerating or mystifying. This truthful, down-to earth quality is what I treasure now.
1.What is the author?
A．A soldier B．A teacher C．An editor D． A physicist
2. Which of the following is NOT true of the National Southwest Associated University?
A．The mud floors of the classrooms were uneven. B．Its classroom windows had no glass.
C．The only thing its library had was a skeleton.
D．It was short of research materials.
3. What was the first thing Ferimi emphasized to the author?
A．Physics research should be related to daily lives.
B．Physics should not be considered as the most important course.
C. Theoretical problems need solving first.
D．The results of physics research could be used in the national defense.
4. What does the author think of Reader’s Digest?
A．It is far from perfect in style or accuracy.
B．It devotes its efforts to solving practical problems.
C．It gives much information.
D．Its language is simple, but beautifully written.
完型填空（共20 小题；每小题1．5分；满分30分）
阅读下面短文，然后从下列各题所给的A、 B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
We often talk about ourselves as if we have permanent genetic defects (缺陷) that can never be changed. “I’m impatient.” “I’m always behind.” “I always put things 36 !” You’ve surely heard them. Maybe you’ve used them to describe 37 .
These comments may come from stories about us that have been 38 for years—often from 39 childhood. These stories may have no 40 in fact. But they can set low expectations for us. As a child, my mother said to me, “Marshall, you have no mechanical (操作机械的) skills, and you will never have any mechanical skills for the rest of your life.” How did these expectations 41 my development? I was never 42 to work on cars or be around 43 . When I was 18, I took the US Army’s Mechanical Aptitude Test. My scores were in the bottom for the entire nation!
Six years later, 44 , I was at California University, working on my doctor’s degree. One of my professors, Dr. Bob Tannbaum, asked me to write down things I did well and things I couldn’t do. On the positive side, I 45 down, “research, writing, analysis, and speaking.” On the 46 side, I wrote, “I have no mechanical skills.”
Bob asked me how I knew I had no mechanical skills. I explained my life 47 and told him about my 48 performance on the Army test. Bob then asked, “ 49 is it that you can solve 50 mathematical problems, but you can’t solve simple mechanical problems?”
Suddenly I realized that I didn’t 51 from some sort of genetic defect. I was just living out expectations that I had chosen to 52 . At that point, it wasn’t just my family and friends who had been 53 my belief that I was mechanically hopeless. And it wasn’t just the Army test, either. I was the one who kept telling myself, “You can’t do this!” I realized that as long as I kept saying that, it was going to remain true. 54 , if we don’t treat ourselves as if we have incurable genetic defects, we can do well in almost 55 we choose.
1. A. away B. down C. up D. off
2. A. yourself B. myself C. them D. others
3. A. said B. repeated C. spread D. spoken
4. A. as long as B. as much as C. as well as D. as far back as
5.A. cause B. plot C. basis D. meaning
6. A. affect B. improve C. lead D. change
7.A. hoped B. demanded C. encouraged D. agreed
8.A. means B. hammers C. facilities D. tools
9.A. therefore B. however C. instead D. somehow
10.A. took B. turned C. settled D. got
11.A. negative B. active C. passive D. subjective
12. A. roads B. trips C. experiences D. paths
13. A. unexpected B. average C. excellent D. poor
14.A. When B. Why C. How D. What
15.A. common B. advanced C. complex D. primary
16.A. suffer B. separate C. arise D. come
17.A. adopt B. suspect C. believe D. receive
18. A. weakening B. accepting C. abandoning D. strengthening
19. A. As a result B. On the contrary
C. In addition D. At the same time
20. A. nothing B. something C. anything D. all
If not _______, you’re allowed to return everything within 10 days for a full refund and no further duties.
A. to satisfy B. being satisfied C. satisfied D. satisfying
, the forest fire would have been discovered much earlier.
A. But for their care B. Had they been more careful
C. Without their care D. If they were careful
Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Grand Hotel? I thought it was on this corner, but I seem to a mistake.
A. make B. be making C. having made D. have made
Though there are some differences in American education and Chinese education, both systems are
excellent graduates.
A. turning out B. turning away C. turning off D. turning in
