五.任务型阅读（10分）
Could your cellphone give you cancer? Whether it could or not, some people are worrying about the possibility that phones, powerlines and wi-fi (路由器) could be responsible for a range of illnesses, from rashes to brain tumours.
For example, Camilla Rees, 48, a former investment banker in the US, moved out of her apartment in San Francisco because of the radiation coming from next door. Rees told the Los Angeles Times that when her neighbors moved in and installed a wi-fi router she lost her ability to think clearly. “I would wake up dizzy in the morning. I’d fall to the floor. I had to leave to escape that nightmare,” she said. Since then, she’s been on a campaign against low-level electromagnetic fields, or EMFs（低频电磁场）.
And she’s not alone. Millions of people say they suffer from headaches, depression, nausea and rashes when they’re too close to cellphones or other sources of EMFs.
Although the World Health Organization has officially declared that EMFs seem to pose little threat, governments are still concerned. In fact, last April, the European Parliament called for countries to take steps to reduce exposure to EMFs. The city of San Francisco and the state of Maine are currently considering requiring cancer-warning labels on cellphones.
If these fears are reasonable, then perhaps we should all be worried about the amount of time we spend talking on our phones or plugging into wi-fi hotpots.
Some say there is evidence to support the growing anxieties. David Carpenter, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University at Albany, in New York, thinks there’s a greater than 95% chance that power lines can cause childhood leukemia. Also there’s a greater than 90% chance that cellphones can cause brain tumours.
But others believe these concerns are unreasonable paranoia (猜疑). Dr Martha Linet, the head of radiation epidemiology at the US National Cancer Institute, has looked at the same research as Carpenter but has reached a different conclusion. “I don’t support warning labels for cellphones,” said Linet. “We don't have the evidence that there’s much danger.”
Studies so far suggest a weak connection between EMFs and illness — so weak that it might not exist at all. A multinational investigation of cellphones and brain cancer, in 13 countries outside the US, has been underway for several years. It’s funded in part by the European Union, in part by a cellphone industry group.
According to Robert Park, a professor of physics at the University of Maryland in the US, the magnetic waves aren’t nearly powerful enough to break apart DNA, which is how known threats, such as UV rays and X-rays, cause cancer.
Perhaps it’s just psychological. Some experts find that the electro-sensitivity syndrome seems to be similar to chemical sensitivity syndrome, which is a condition that’s considered to be psychological.
Whether EMFs are harmful or not, a break in the countryside, without the cellphone, would probably be good for all of us.
|
Title: Could cellphones give you cancer? |
|
|
Key points |
Supporting details |
|
Cellphones are (71)______ to use |
● Some people think it (72)______ for cellphones to cause cancer. ● Camilla Rees got ill after his neighbor installed a wi-fi router. ● Millions of people have the (73) _______ problems as Camilla. ● Some evidence supports people’s anxieties. |
|
Cellphones are safe to use |
● Some believe that these concerns are just paranoia. ● So far, studies show that there isn’t much (74)______ between EMFs and illness. ● Robert Park thinks that the magnetic waves aren’t （75)_______ enough to destroy DNA. ● It’s just for (76)_______ reasons that people feel ill when they use cellphones. |
|
Attitudes and (77)______ |
● Some governments are (78)_______ about the safety of cellphones or EMFs. ● The author thinks that we should（79)_______ the chance of talking on the phone or spend more time in the（80)_____ areas without cellphones. |
B
A new college guide in the United States compares educational requirements in seven subjects. These include math, science, writing and United States history or government. The other subjects are economics, foreign language and literature.
The free online guide is from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. The council is a nonprofit group that supports liberal arts education.
Its president, Anne Neal, says these areas of knowledge are needed to succeed in a twenty-first century society and an increasingly connected world. Yet she told VOA’s Faiza Elmasry it was surprising how many students can graduate with, in her words, a “thin education.”
Forty-two of the one hundred colleges and universities surveyed received the lowest marks. This meant they required two or fewer of the seven subjects. Five schools received a top grade for requiring six subjects. These were Brooklyn College in New York City, Texas A&M, the University of Texas-Austin, West Point and the University of Arkansas.
Robert Costrell is a professor of education reform and economics at the University of Arkansas. He says many, if not all, of the top American colleges once had a core curriculum —a set of courses required for all students.
But over the years, many have dropped these requirements. Or they have watered them down, Professor Costrell says, into what became known as distribution requirements. This system lets a student choose from a number of different courses to satisfy a requirement.
ROBERT COSTRELL: “And in many cases these courses went too far, I would say, towards the fluffy treatment of serious material, and students could satisfy their requirement by taking such courses.”
Professor Costrell says schools should not only re-examine what they teach. They should also measure what students have learned — for example, through some form of examinations or papers.
A new report this week from the College Board showed that college prices continue to rise. But Anne Neal from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni says higher prices. do not guarantee a better general education. In fact, the group found that the higher the tuition, the more likely that students have to develop their own general education.
The college guide is on the Web at whatwilltheylearn.com. Anne Neal says her group is surveying more colleges. The hope, she says, is to discover what college graduates have really learned, and how ready they are to compete in the global marketplace.
61. Where does the passage probably come from?
A. A scientific fiction. B. A research newspaper.
C. A fashion magazine. D. An entertainment newspaper.
62. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni does all the following EXCEPT _________.
A. support liberal arts education
B. concern itself with education in America
C. devote time to helping improve college education
D. make money by helping with college education
63. The words “watered them down” underlined in Paragraph 6 most likely mean “_______.”
A. reduced required courses B. improved required courses
C. increased required courses D. developed required courses
64. In this passage, the new college guide mainly tells its readers that American colleges should _____.
A. meet the requirements of the new century B. reduce the number of required courses
C. have different standards on required courses D. cut down on their tuitions
四.阅读理解（30分）
A
United Nations Climate Change Conference
The U.N. Climate Change conference opened in Copenhagen, Denmark on Dec.7th with some 15,000 delegates and observers from nearly 200 countries attending what is called the last best chance for an agreement to combat(与……战斗) global warming.
Their aim is to find common ground, including on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, promotion and transfer of new more eco-friendly technology and the necessary funding to make this possible, especially for the less developed and poorer nations. It also means coming up with long term vision and cooperation for the future.
Most scientists believe the warming trend is mainly caused by human activity, especially the use of fossil fuels(矿物燃料) and the cutting down of forests. Skeptics(怀疑论者) say global warming is part of a natural cycle of climate change.
In Copenhagen, experts and officials alike are putting the emphasis on what people and governments can do to cut the emission of greenhouse gases.
Scientists say a 25 to 40 percent cut in carbon-dioxide emissions is needed to control global warming. The European Union, China, and India have already pledged(保证) reductions. The United States is waiting for Congressional(国会的) approval for a proposal put forward by the Obama administration.
Barack Obama, President of the United States said, “Each of us must do what we can when we can to grow our economies without endangering our planet -- and we must all do it together. We must seize the opportunity to make Copenhagen a significant step forward in the global fight against climate change..”
Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of South Africa said, “Worldwide, we have the chance to start turning the tide of climate change, but only if all governments commit themselves to a fair, binding(有约束力的) and sustainable climate agreement in Copenhagen.”
56. From the first paragraph we can infer that___________.
people think that this conference is of no use
this conference is the last one to be held about the climate change
before this conference some countries fight against each other.
people expect a final agreement will be achieved
57. Which is NOT included in the aim of this conference?
A. To reduce the emission of the greenhouse gases.
B. To develop the agriculture and industry of the developed countries.
C. To cooperate with each other for the future.
D. To transfer new more eco-friendly technology.
58. Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The United States refuses to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
B. The European Union is waiting for a proposal put forward by Obama.
C. China and India have already agreed to cut carbon-dioxide emissions.
D. South Africa doesn’t think much of this conference.
59. What is Obama’s attitude according to his words?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Regretful.
60. _________is the reason of global warming according to the skeptics.
A. Human activity B. Fossil fuels
C. The cutting down of trees D. Natural climate change
三..完形填空（２０分）
The town of Pressure and the town of Pleasure were neighbors but they had nothing in common. Residents built walls to 36 influence from the other town.
In Pressure, everyone struggled to be the very 37 . When women gave birth, they would compete to have the baby with the loudest 38 . There was violent competition in every aspect of life. Because 39 was the symbol of success, people were always busy making money, with no time for relaxation. Some young people couldn’t 40 the intensity(紧张) and chose to drink to escape.
In Pleasure, the motto was: 41 you like it, do it. People grew up without pressure and 42 do anything they liked. Children played computer games day 43 night. At school, teachers didn’t care 44 students came or not. Workers might sit around the office all day long drinking coffee and doing 45 .Thanks to the lack of regulations，nobody worried about 46 their jobs. It was pleasure that 47 . The computers they used were old 48 from the town of Pressure.
Some of the young were addicted to drugs 49 the emptiness(空虚) of their lives.Then, people in the two towns began asking themselves, “What is life 50 ?” But, just before life in the two towns completely 51 , there came a great person---Mr Reason. He went from door to door, talking with people and 52 advice. People in Pressure learnt to be content with what they had 53 people in Pleasure began to make plans. They 54 the walls between them and built a road to connect the two. The town’s people came to 55 the truth---there is no gap between Pressure and Pleasure if they don’t go to extremes(极端;两极端).
36. A. pick out B. put out C. leave out D. keep out
37. A. best B. richest C. worst D. least
38. A. smile B. laugh C. cry D. sign
39. A. wealth B. health C. happiness D. pleasure
40. A. catch B. bear C. make D. live
41. A. Even though B. Unless C. As long as D. While
42. A. should B. might C. had D. could
43. A. and B. after C. or D. by
44. A. what B. who C. where D. whether
45. A. nothing B. something C. anything D. everything
46. A. finding B. asking C. doing D. losing
47. A. mattered B. cared C. considered D. minded
48. A. ones B. those C. that D. one
49. A. compared to B. thanks to C. as a result D. because of
50. A. for B. at C. in D. to
51. A. gave B. failed C. lost D. saved
52. A. following B. taking C. seeking D. giving
53. A. when B. as C. while D. since
54. A. pulled off B. pulled down C. pulled out D. pulled up
55. A. tell B. realize C. perform D. doubt
It was too noisy outside. Not until ____at the top of my voice _____his head.
|
A．I shouted; had he turned |
B．did I shout ;did he turn |
|
C．had I shouted; he turned |
D．I shouted ;did he turn |
-----Did your father come back early last night?
-----Yes ,It was not yet eight o’clock _____he arrived home.
|
A．before |
B．when |
C．that |
D．until |
