08职称英语综合B级练习：阅读理解

第一篇ADebateontheEnglishLanguage

AmeasuredeclaringEnglishthenationallanguageisunderintensedebatein theUnitedStates.TheUSSenatepassedtwodeclarationslastweek.OnecallsEngl ishthenation’sofficiallanguageandtheothersaysitisthe“commonandunify ing(统一的)”tongue.ButAmericansfoundthemselvesdividedonthe issue.Sincepeoplew orldwideknowthatmostAmericansspeakonlyEnglish,manycan’tunderstandwhy theissueissocontroversial(有争议的).

“Thediscussionisrelatedtofearsofimmigrationissues,”saysDickTuck er,asocialscientistatPittsburgh’sCarnegieMellonUniversity.“It’srel atedtoaworryaboutthechangingdemography(人口统计)oftheUS.It’saworryaboutwhowillcontinuetohavepoliticalandeconomici nfluence.”

Infact,thenotionofprotectingthelanguagehasbeenkickedaroundalmosts incethenation’sfounding.JohnAdamslobbied(游说)in1780forthecreationofanationalacademytocorrectandimprovetheEnglis hlanguage.Buthisproposaldied,sincelawmakerssawitasaroyalist(保皇主义者)attempttodefinepersonalbehavior.

Sincethen,thecountryhasn’thadanationallanguage,buttheideaofrecog nizingthespecialstatusofEnglishlivedon.Theemotionssurroundinglanguage resurface(再次浮现)notbecausepeoplefeelcomfortablewithEnglish.Itismoreaboutthediscomf ortmanyAmericansfeelwiththenewlanguages,saysWaltWolfram,aprofessoratN orthCarolinaStateUniversity.“Languageisneveraboutlanguage,”hesays.

AccordingtotheXXXXUSCensusBureaureport,of209millionAmericansover1 8yearsold,172millionspeakonlyEnglishathome.About37millionspeaklanguag esotherthanEnglish.Amongthem,6.5millionspeakpoorEnglishand3.1milliond on’tspeakEnglishatall.31.Whatarethetwodeclarationsconcernedwith?A.Th estatusoftheEnglishlanguage.B.Theprotectionofnewlanguages.C.Therights tospeakone’smothertongue.D.TheimprovementoftheEnglishlanguage.32.Who suggestedinthe18thcenturythatEnglishshouldbeprotected?A.WaltWolfram.B .JohnAdams.C.Royalists.D.DickTucker.33.Whichofthefollowingisthecurren

tdebateNOTrelatedto?A.Theimmigrationissues.B.Thechangingdemography.C. Theworryaboutthenewlanguages.D.TheUS’smilitarystrength.34.Whichstate mentistrueaccordingtotheXXXXUSCensusBureaureport?A.172millionAmerican sspeakonlyEnglishintheirworkplaces.B.37millionAmericansspeakEnglish.C .209millionAmericansareabovetheageof18.D.6.5millionAmericansspeakgood English.35.Thephrase“kickedaround”(paragraph4)couldbebestreplacedby A.“invented”.B.“formed”.C.“shaped”.D.“discussed”.

第二篇KobeBryant

After10seasonswearingtheNo8onhisback,KobeBryantwillbecomeNo24next season.ThereasonforthesurprisingdecisionbytheLosAngelesLakerssupergua rdlastweekhasbecomeahottopicfordebate.BryantworeNo24whenhewasinearlyh ighschool,buthechangedtoNo33inhissenioryear.HeswitchedtoNo8whenhewass electedbytheLakersinXXXX,andhasnotbeenchangedsince.

Bryanthasrefusedtoexplainthedecisionuntiltheendoftheplay-offs(季后

赛).SoguessingBryant’smotivehasbecomeapopulargameamongNBAfansandnews papercolumnists(专栏作家).

Thereareallkindsofspeculations.ManysaythatBryantwantstoleavethepa stbehindandhaveafreshstart.Hehasoftenbeencriticizedforplayingtobenefi thimselfandnottheteamasawhole.Otherssaythathemaybetryingtocomparehims elftoMichaelJordan.JordanwasfamousforhisNo23jersey(运动衫).Some,suchasNBCSportcolumnistMichaelVentre,arguethatitis“allabout mo ney”.Bryantwillmakemoremoneybysellingnewjerseystohisfans.

Somespeculationsaremoreaboutfun.Forexample,thereisanopinionthatKo beisactuallyjustadiehard(非常执著的)fanofthepopularTVdrama“24”.

Allthistalkhasturnedthenumberchangeintoamajorissue.Itseemsthatthe reisalotoffuss(大惊小怪)oversomethingthatshouldbeprettysimple.

JerseynumbershavetheirownspecialsignificanceinAmericansports,espe ciallybasketball.Playerschoosetheirnumberwhentheyjoinateamandtheyusua llystickwiththatnumberfortherestoftheircareer.Whenagreatplayerretires ,histeamwillhonorhimbyretiringhisnumber.

Tosomeextent,thejerseyistheplayer,andtheplayeristhejersey.Thus,wh enyouseethefamousNo23fortheChicagoBulls,youimmediatelythinkaboutMicha elJordan.ANo32MiamiHeatsjerseyrecallstheimageofShaquilleO’Neal,andth