2012年职称英语综合类新增文章详解汇总

2012年职称英语综合类新增文章详解汇总

阅读判断新增文章详解1

Moderate Earthquake Strikes England

A moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007，toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power1 in Kent County. One woman suffered minor head and neck injuries.

"lt felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride,3" said the woman.

The British Geological Survey said the 4.3-magnitude quake4 struck at 8:19 a.m. and was centered under the English Channel5，about 8.5 miles south of Dover6 and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel7.

Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county. Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds.

"I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me." said Hendrick van Eck，27，of Canterbury8 about 60 miles southeast of London."I then heard the sound of cracking，and it was getting heavier and heavier9.It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."

There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year，but they are rare in Britain. The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4.8-magnitude quake struck the central England city of Birmingham10.

The country's strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 1931，measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale11. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest erthquakes ever to strike Britain，including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France.12 Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time13 before another earthquake struck this part of England. However，people should not be scared too much by this prediction，Musson said，as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place. This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum.

词汇:

moderate adj. 中等的magnitude /'m?gnitju:d/ n. 值，强度量

topple v. 倾倒，震倒rouse /ravz/ v. 唤醒

tremor n.震动hop v. 齐足跳起

fun-fair n. 公共露天游乐场scale /skeil/ n. 震级

forthcoming adj. 即将来临的evacuate /i'v?kjveit / v. 疏散

geological adj. 地质的

注释:

1. power:电力

2. Kent County:肯特郡[位于英格兰东南部]

3.It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride. 它(地震)给人的感觉是

整幢房子就像游乐场的滑行机一样在滑动.ride是游乐场供人玩乐的乘坐式的活动装置。as if 是"好像……一样；仿佛"，例如:He treated me as if I were his son. 他待我如同待他的儿子一样。

4. the.4.3-magnitude quake:里氏4.3级地震

5. English Channel:英吉利海峡

6. Dover:多佛尔[英格兰东南部港口城市]

7. Channel Tunnel:海峡隧道。Channel Tunnel (常简称为Chunnel)是连接英法两国的海峡隧道。

8. Canterbury:坎特伯雷[英格兰东南部城市，中世纪时曾是宗教朝圣圣地]

9. it was getting heavier and heavier:爆裂声越来越响

10. Birmingham:伯明翰[英格兰中部城市]

11. the Richter scale:里氏震级表。美国地震学家Charles Francis Richter (1900-1985)于1935年制定了地震震级表。

12. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever to strike Britain，including one in1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France.英国地质勘测所的科学家Roger Musson 说，4月28日发生地震的地区曾经遭受过几起英国最大的地震，其中的一次发生在1580年，那次地震蹂躏了伦敦，并波及法国。

13. a matter of time:时间问题。又如: It's not a matter of money. 这个不是钱的问题。

练习:

1. During the April 28 earthquake，the whole England was left without power.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

2. The Channel Tunnel was closed for 10 hours after the earthquake occurred.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

3. It was reported that one lady had got her head and neck injured，but not seriously.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

4. France and several other European countries sent their medical teams to work side by side with the British doctors.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

5. The country's strongest earthquake took place in London in 1580.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

6. Musson predicted that another earthquake would occur in southeast England sooner or later.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

7. It can be inferred from the passage that England is rarely hit by high magnitude earthquakes.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

答案与题解:

1. B 题句说2007年4月28日的地震致使全英格兰都停电，与短文第一段第一句表达的内容不符。短文说地震殃及英格兰东南部的肯特郡部分地区，电力中断，几千名居民无电可用。所以，题句是错误的，答案为B。

2. C 本题所说的意思是:地震发生后，海峡隧道关闭了10小时。题句表达的内容短文中找不到，故答案为C。

3. A 题句的意思是:地震中一个妇女的头部和颈部受了点轻伤。题句表达的意思与第一段最后一句表达的内容相符。所以选项A是答案。

4. C 题句表达的意思是:法国和其他几个欧洲国家派遣他们的医疗队去英国与当地的医生并肩工作。这一内容短文中找不到，故答案为C。

5. B 题句所说的英国最强烈的地震于1580年发生在伦敦，这与短文表述的事实不符。短文第七段第一句明白无误地说，英国最强烈的地震于1931年发生在北海。题句表达的信息是错误的，故答案为B。

6. A 题句说Masson预言在英格兰东南部迟早将发生另一次地震。这一说法与短文最后一段第三句所表达的意思相符。所以答案是A。

7. A 短文第六段第一句说，全球每年发生强度为里氏4级左右的地震有几千次，但是这种中等强度的地震在英格兰很少发生。据此，读者可以容易地推断出，高震级的地震在英格兰就更少见了。

阅读判断新增文章详解2

*第十一篇

Computer Mouse

The basic computer mouse is an amazingly clever invention with a relatively simple design that allows us to point at things on the computer and it is very productive. Think of all the things you can do with a mouse like selecting text for copying and pasting1，drawing，and even scrolling on the page with the newer mice with the wheel. Most of us use the computer mouse daily without stopping to think2 how it works until it gets dirty and we have to learn how to clean it. We learn to point at things before we learn to speak，so the mouse is a very natural pointing device. Qther computer pointing devices include light pens，graphics tablets and touch screens，but the mouse is still our workhorse.

The computer mouse was invented in 1964 by Douglas Englehart of Stanford University. As computer screens became more popular and arrow keys were used to move around a body of text，it became clear that a pointing device that allowed easier motion through the text and even selection of text would be very useful. The introduction of the mouse，with the Apple Lisa computer in 1983，really started the computer public on the road to relying on the mouse for routine computer tasks.3

How does the mouse work? We have to start at the bottom，so think upside down for now. It all starts with the mouse ball. As the mouse ball in the bottom of the mouse rolls over the mouse pad，it presses against and turns two shafts. The shafts are connected to wheels with several small holes in them. The wheels have a pair of small electronic light-emitting devices called light-emitting diodes (LED) mounted on either side4. One LED sends a light beam to the LED on the other side. As the wheels spin and a hole rotates by，the light beam gets through to the LED on the other side. But a moment later the light beam is blocked

until the next hole is in place. The LED detects a changing pattern of light，converts the pattern into an electronic signal，and sends the signal to the computer through wires in a cable that goes out of the mouse body. This cable is the tail that helps give the mouse its name. The computer interprets the signal to tell it where to position the cursor on the computer screen.

So far we have only discussed the basic computer mouse that most of you probably have or have used.5One problem with this design is that the mouse gets dirty as the ball rolls over the surface and picks up dirt. Eventually you have to clean your mouse. The newer optical mice avoid this problem by having no moving parts.

词汇:

scroll / skr?ul/ v. (在显示屏上)上下移动文本pad /p?d/ n. 垫板

mouse pad 鼠标垫板graphics /'gr?fiks/ n. 图形，图表

tablet /'t?blit/ n. 书写板graphics tablet 图形书写板

workhorse /'w?:kh?:s/ n. 重负荷工作部件shaft /?a:ft / n. 轴，杆状物

emit /i'mit/v. 射出diode /'dai?ud/ n. 二极管

cursor /'k?:S?r/ n. 光标optical /'?ptikl / adj. 光学的

注释:

1. copying and pasting: 复制和粘贴

2. without stopping to think: 没有停下来想一下。"stop+动词不定式"是"停下来去做某件事"，"stop+动名词"是"停止做某件事"。例如: We stopped to rest for a while. 我们停下来休息一会儿。He stopped smoking. 他停止抽烟。

3. ...started the computer public on the road to relying on the mouse for routine computer tasks. 使广大计算机用户开始踏上一条依赖鼠标完成常规计算机工作的道路。computer public: 广

大计算机用户。road to 中的to是介词，所以后接动名词relying。

4. mounted on either side = mounted on both sides

5. So far we have only discussed the basic computer mouse that most of you probably have or have used. 到目前为止，我们只限于讨论大多数人应该拥有或用过的基本型的计算机鼠标。

练习:

1. Most computer users want to know how the computer mouse works.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

2. According to the author，general computer users need not to know how the computer mouse was invented.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

3. The computer mouse derives its name from the cable that goes out its body，which looks like the tail of a mouse.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

4. The key components of a computer mouse are the two LEDs.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

5. When an ordinary computer mouse gefs dirty，it has to be replaced with a new one.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

6. The most durable computer mice on sale are the IBM ones.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

7. The optical mouse is superior to the basic one in that the former has no moving parts.

A Right

B Wrong

C Not mentioned

答案与题解:

1. B 题句的意思是大多数计算机使用者都想了解鼠标的工作原理。这与短文的介绍不符。短文第一段第三句说，大多数计算机使用者天天用计算机，却没有想到要了解一下鼠标的工作原理。题句的信息是错误的，故答案为B。

2. C 题句表达的意思是，短文作者认为一般计算机使用者无须了解鼠标是如何发明的。题句表达的内容短文中找不到，故答案为C。

3. A 题句说鼠标的名称源自鼠标主体拖出的一根看上去像鼠尾巴的电线，这与短文第三段倒数第二句、第三句所介绍的信息相符，所以，本题选项A是正确答案。

4. A短文的第三段说到，鼠标的部件有滚动部件如滚球，还有光电装置如二极管等。二极管将光信号转换为电信号，传送到计算机，计算机根据收到的电信号作出相应的反应，因此，二极管是鼠标的主要部件，而滚轮等只是辅助性的机械部件。题句对短文信息的推断是正确的，故答案为A。

5. B 题句说鼠标脏了，就得更换新的。这一说法与短文包含的信息不符。第一段第三句和末段倒数第二句都提到，鼠标脏了，可以擦干净再用。题句的信息是错误的，故答案为B。

6. C题句说，当前市场上出售的最耐用的鼠标是IBM生产的鼠标。这一说法短文中找不到，故答案为C。

7. A末段说到光电鼠标因为没有普通鼠标使用的滚动部件，所以不会吸附灰尘，用不着擦拭，这是一种新型的鼠标。题句是对短文信息的一种合理推断，所以选项A是正确的。

概括大意新增文章详解1

第六篇

How We Form First lmpression

1 We all have first impression Of someone we just met. But why? Why do we form an opinion about Someone without really knowing anything about him or her -aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits.

2 The answer is related to how your brain allows you to be aware of the world. Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits，even very minor difference in how a person's eyes，ears，nose，or mouth are placed in relation to each other makes you see him or her as differene1.In fact，your brain continuously process incoming sensory information- the sights and sounds of your world. These incoming "signals" are

compared against2 a host of "memories" stored in the brain areas called the cortex system to determine what these new signals " mean" .

3 If you see someone you know and like at school3，your brain says "familiar and safe. " If you see someone new，it says，"new-potentially，threatening". Then your brain starts to match features of this stranger with other " known" memories. The height ，weight，dress ，ethnicity ，gestures ，and tone of voice are all matched up. The more unfamiliar the characteristics ，the more your brain may say，This is new.

I don't like this person". Or else，"I'm intrigued" . Or your

brain may perceive a new face but familiar clothes，ethnicity，gestures-like your other friends;

so your brain says: "I like this person" . But these preliminary "impressions" can be dead wrong4

4 When we stereotype people，we use a less mature form of thinking (not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child) that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others. Rather than learn about the depth and breadth of people-their history，interest，values，

strengths，and true character - we categorize them as jocks，geeks，or freaks.

5 However，if we resist initial stereotypical impressions，we have a chance to be aware of what a person is truly like. If we spend time with a person，hear about his or her life，hopes，dreams，and become aware of the person's character，we use a different，more mature style of thinking- and the most complex areas of our cortex，which allow us to be humane.

词汇:

trait /trei，treit/n. 特点，特征，特性host/h?ust/ n. 一大群，许多

simplistic /sim'plistik/ adj. 过分单纯化的sensory/'sens?ri/ adj. 感官的，感觉的

categorical /k?ti'g?rikl/ adj. 绝对的cortex /'k?:teks/ n. 脑皮层

jock /d??k/ n. 骗子ethnicity /eθ'nis?ti/ n. 种族特点

geek /gi:k / n. 反常的人intrigue /in'tri:g/ v. 激起兴趣

stereotype /'steri?taip/ v. 对……产生成见freak /fri:k/ n. 怪人

humane /hju:'mein，hju-/ adj. 有人情味的，人文的

注释:

1. Your ?rain，is so sensitive in picking up facial traits，even very minor difference in how a person's eyes ，ears ，nose ，or mouth are placed in relation to each other makes you see him or her as different. 从even 开始到as different 是个结果状语从句，相当于that even very minor ... ，而that 是与主句中的so 呼应的。

2. against:和……对比

3. If you see someone you know，and like school ... :如果你在学校里看到某个你认识而且喜欢的人……，like在这里是动词。

4. dead wrong: 相当于completely wrong dead wrong是口语表达用语。

练习:

1. Paragraph 2_____

2. Paragraph 3_____

3. Paragraph 4_____

4. Paragraph 5_____

A Ways Of Departure from Immature and Simplistic Impressions

B Comment on First Impression

C Illustration Of First Impression

D Comparing Incoming Sensory Information Against Memories

E Threatening Aspect of First Impressions

F Differences Among Jocks，Geeks and Freaks

5. Sensory information is one that is perceived through_____.

6. You interpret _____ by comparing it against the memories already stored in your brain.

7. The way we stereotype people is a less mature form of thinking，which is similar to_____.

8. We can use our more mature style of thinking thanks to_____.

A a stranger's less mature type of thinking

B the most complex areas of our cortex

C the immature form of thinking of a very young child

D the meaning of incoming sensory information

E the sights and sounds of the world

F an opportunity to analyze different forms of thinking

答案与题解:

1. D 本段叙述的是人脑解读感官信息的过程。

2. C 本段举例说明第一印象解读的过程，将第二段叙述的内容具体化。

3. B 本段对第一印象进行了评论，说第一印象不成熟，simplistic and categorical。

4. A 本段说如果我们与某个人多接触，了解他的生活、希望、梦想和性格特征，我们对该人的认识就不会停留在第一印象的阶段，而是进入一个更深的层次。

5. E 选E 的依据在第二段的第三句。

6. D 选D 的依据在第二段的最后两句。sensory information 的意思就是information perceived through sensory organs (视觉、听觉、味觉、触觉、嗅觉等)。

7. C 选C 的依据在第四段的第一句，该句是:When we stereotype people，we use a less mature form of thinking (not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child) that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others.

8. B 选B 的依据在第五段第二句。

概括大意新增文章详解2

第十篇

Washoe Learned American Sign Language

1 An animal that influenced scientific thought has died. A chimpanzee named Washoe and born in Africa died of natural causes late last month at the age of 4

2 at a research center in the American state of Washington. Washoe had become known in the scientific community1 and around the world for her ability to use American Sign Language2 . She was said to be the first non-human to learn a human language. Her skills also led to debate

3 about primates and their ability to understand language.

2 Research scientists Allen and Beatrix Gardner began teaching Washoe sign language in 1966. In 1969，the Gardners described Washoe's progress in a scientific report. The people who experimented with Washoe said she grew to understand4 about 250 words. For example，Washoe made signs to communicate when it was time to eat. She could request foods like apples and bananas. She also asked questions like，"Who is coming to play?" Once5 the news about Washoe spread，many language scientists began studies of their own6 into this new and exciting area of research. The whole direction of primate research changed.

3 However，critics argued Washoe only learned to repeat sign language movements from watching her teachers. They said she had never developed true language skills. Even now there are some researchers who suggest that primates learn sign language only by memory，and perform the signs only for prizes. Yet Washoe's keepers disagree. Roger Fouts is a former student of the Gardners7 . He took Washoe to a research center in Ellensburg，Washington. There，Washoe taught sign language to three younger chimpanzees，which are still alive.

4 Scientists like private researcher Jane Goodall believe8 Washoe provided new information about the mental workings of chimpanzees. Today，there are not as many scientists studying language skills with chimps. Part of the reason is that this kind of research takes a very long time.

5 Debate continues about chimps' understanding of human communication. Yet，one thing is sure - Washoe changed popular ideas about the possibilities of animal intelligence.

词汇：

chimpanzee /t?imp?n'zi: / n. 黑猩猩critic /'kritik/ n. 评论家，批评家

community /ka'mju:niti/ n. 社区，圈子workings n. 活动，运行

primate / 'praimeit / n. 灵长类动物chimp /t?imp/n. = chimpanzee 黑猩猩

注释:

1. in the scientific community:在科学界，在科学家的圈子里

2. American Sign Language ( ASL) :美国手语。利用手、脸部表情、身体姿势表达思想的美聋哑人语言。在加拿大、墨西哥等地也使用ASL。ASL与British Sign Language (BSL，英国手语)不同，两者不能相互理解。

3. led to debate:引起辩论。lead to意为"导致" ，to为介词，debate为名词。

4，…she grew to understand about 250 words:…她逐渐掌握了约250 个单词。grow to 是"渐渐"的意思。

5. once:一旦。once是连接词。例如:Children like to cycle once they have learned how. 小孩一旦学会了如何骑自行车，就会喜欢上它。

6. of their own:属于自己的。of their own 的含义与on their own 不同，on their own 是"独自"的意思。

7. the Gardners: Gardner夫妇

8. Scientists like private researcher Jane Goodall believe ... :像个体研究者Jane Goodall这样的科学家相信......，like，(像，跟……一样)是介词，本句的谓语是believe。句子中的private

researcher意为"不受雇于任何单位，自己独立工作的科研人员"。

练习:

1. Paragraph 1_____

2. Paragraph 2_____

3. Paragraph 3_____

4. Paragraph 4_____

A Reason Why Not Many Scientists Carry out This Research Nowdays

B Report about Washoe'.s Progress in Learning Sign Language

C Genera1 Information about Washoe

D The Gardeners' Contributions Recognized

E Debate on Chimps' Intelligence

F Washoe's Love for Three Young Chimps

5. Washoe could make signs to communicate_____.

6. Some scientists doubted_____.

7. Washoe taught three younger chimps sign language_____.

8. The experimenters thought Washoe was intelligent_____.

A if the Gardeners'argument was sound

B because she was cleverer than other chimps

C when she wanted to eat

D while she was at a research center in Ellensburg

E because she could use sign language to ask for fruits

F while Washoe was learning sign language

答案与题解:

1. C 第一段主要介绍黑猩猩Washoe 的出生地、死亡年龄、被带到美国学习美式手语等一般情况。用General Information about Washoe 来概括是很准确的。

2. B 第二段的关键句是: In 1969 ，the Gardners described Washoe's progress in a scientific report。随后的句子简略介绍了Washoe 的学习情况和结果，如已学会250 个单词，并能用手语表达"该吃饭了"等概念。所以，Report about Washoe's progress in learning sign language (选项B) 是答案。

3. E 第三段介绍了对Gardener 夫妇发表的报告有两种不同的解读。一派认为Washoe 的手语能力只是机械重复、死记硬背、物质激励的结果，不是智能的表现。另一派认为这是智能的表现，其证据是Washoe 还能教三个小猩猩学习手语。争论的焦点是黑猩猩有没有智能。选项 E 用debate 来概括上述争论，所以是答案。

4. A 第四段解释了为什么现在从事这项研究的科学家人数不多。部分原因是研究周期太长。

5. C 选C 的依据是第二段第四句: Washoe made signs to communicate when it was time to eat。

6. A 第三段的上半段说了一些科学家对Gardener 夫妇的实验的解读所持怀疑态度。题干中出现的doubted 引导我们选A。

7. D 选D 的依据是第三段的最后一句，即"He took Washoe to a research center in Ellensburg，Washington. There，Washoe taught sign language to three younger chimpanzees，which are still alive.

8. E 本文第二段谈到实验的成果时有这一个句子: "She could request foods like apples and bananas.根据全段意思和上述句子，选择E 是正确的。

阅读理解新增文章详解1

第一篇

Telling Tales about People

One of the most common types of nonfiction, and one that many people enjoy reading, is stories about people's lives. These stories fall into three general categories: autobiography, memoir, and biography.

An autobiography is the story of a person's life written by himself or herself. Often it begins with the person's earliest recollections and ends in the present. Autobiography writers may not be entirely objective in the way they present themselves. However, they offer the reader a good look at the way they are and what makes them that way. People as diverse as Benjarmin Franklin and Helen Keller have written autobiographies. 1Other writers, such as James Joyce，have written thinly fictionalized accounts of their lives. These are not autobiographies，but they are very close to it.

Memoirs, strictly speaking, are autobiographical accounts that focus as much on the events of the times as on the life of the author. 2Memoir writers typically use these events as backdrops for their lives. They describe them in detail and discuss their importance. Recently，though，the term memoir seems to be becoming interchangeab1e with autobiography. A memoir nowadays may or may not deal with the outside world.

Biographies are factual accounts of someone else's life. In many senses，these may be the hardest of the three types to write. Autobiography writers know the events they write about because they lived them. But biography writers have to gather information from as many different sources as possible. Then they have to decide which facts to include. Their goal is to present a balanced picture of a person，not one that is overly positive or too critical. A fair well-presented biography may take years to research and write.

词汇：

backdrop /'b?k,dr?p/ n. 背景interchangeable /int? 't?end??bl/ adj. 可转换的

注释：

1. People as diverse as Benjamin Franklin and Helen Keller have written autobiographies. 就像本杰明?富兰克林和海伦?凯勒一样，各种各样的人们已经写了自传。

2. Memoirs，strictly speaking，are autobiographical accounts that focus as much on the events of the times as on the life of the author. 严格意义上来讲，回忆录是既注重作者本身的生活经历，也注重其所处的时代所发生的事件的自传性的描述。

练习：

1. This passage is mostly about _______.

A. the characteristics of autobiographies，memoirs，and biographies

B. famous autobiographies

C. why biography can be difficult to write

D. differences between autobiographies and memoirs

2. Helen Keller wrote________.

A. a memoir

B. an autobiography

C. a work of fiction

D. a biography

3. Autobiography writers are not always objective because they________.

A. feel they have to make up details to make their books sell

B. constantly compete with biography writers

C. want to present themselves in a good light

D. have trouble remembering the good times

4. The writer introduces each category in the passage by________.

A. defining it

B. giving an example

C. explaining why it is hard to write

D. telling when people first began writing it

5. Diverse means________.

A. able to swim in deep water

B. similar or alike

C. varied or different

D. enjoying poetry

答案与题解：

1. A 本题问的是：这篇文章主要是关于？文章第一句说到最普遍的非小说类文学作品类型之一就是一些来描述人们生活的故事，这些故事大致分为三类：自传

回忆录和传记。然后通篇对这三种类型进行了介绍，因此A是正确答案。

2. B 本题问的是：海伦?凯勒谢了什么？第二段第5句话写到：就像本明杰?富兰克林和海伦?凯勒一样，各种各样的人们已经写了自传。因此B是正确答案。

3. C本题问的是：自传作者通常不太客观，因为他们？第二段提到：他们给读者提供了一个途径来了解自己比较好的行事风格……，因此答案是C，他们想展示自己好的一面。

4. A本题问的是：本文的作者通过何种方式介绍每种类型的非小说文学作品？答案是A，通过给每个类型进行定义。

5. C本题问的是：diverse 的意思是？其汉语意思为―多种多样的‖，因此C正确。

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第八篇

The Changing Middle Class

The United States perceives itself to be a middle-class nation. However，middle class is not a real designation，nor does it carry privileges.1 It is more of a perception，which probably was as true as it ever could be right after World War II. The economy was growing，more and more people owned their own homes，workers had solid contracts with the companies that employed them，and nearly everyone who wanted a higher education could have one. Successful people enjoyed upward social mobility. They may have started out poor，but they could become rich. Successful people also found that they had greater geographic mobility. In other words，they found themselves moving to and living in a variety of places.

The middle class collectively holds several values and principles. One strong value is the need to earn enough money to feel that one can determine one's own economic fate. In addition，middle class morality embraces principles of individual responsibility，importance of family, obligations to others，and believing in something outside oneself. 2

But in the 1990s those in the middle class found that there was a price for success. A U. S.News & World Report survey in 1994 indicated that 75 percent of Americans believed that middle class families could no longer make ends meet 3. Both spouses now worked，as did some of the children; long commutes became routine; the need for child care put strains on4 the family; and public schools were not as good as they once were. Members of the middle cIass were no longer financing their lifestyles through earnings but were using credit to stay afloat. The understanding of just what middle class meant was changing.

词汇：

designation /dezig'nei??n/ n. 称号commute /k?'mju:t/ n. 上下班路程

mobility /m?u'bil?ti/ n. 流动性

注释：

1. However，middle c1ass is not a real designation，nor does it carry privileges. 然而，中产阶级既不是一个真实的称号，也不会带来特别待遇。

2. In addition，middle-c1ass morality embraces principles of individual responsibility，importance of family，obligations to others，and believing in something outside onesèlf. 另外，中产阶级的道德观包括个人的责任感、家庭的重要性、对他人的使命感以及相信自我以外的事物。

3. make ends meet：收支相抵，维持生活

4. put strains on：带来压力

练习：

1. The information in this passage deals with_______.

A) an individual

B) a social and economic group

C) a political organization

D) government

2. A common middle class value is that________.

A) people should always have fun

B) children should be seen and not heard

C) debt is nothing to worry about

D) the family is very important

3. ln the years after World War II，the middle class could be defined as_______.

A) overburdened and in debt

B) hard working and suspicious

C) prosperous and optimistic

D) young and foolish

4. The phrase ―In other words" in the first paragraph means th at the following statement is_____.

A) an exception to the previous idea

B) a denial of the previous idea

C) a restatement of the previous idea

D) a contrasting idea

5. The word collectively means______.

A) as a group

B) hesitatingly

C) unknowingly

D) weakly

答案与题解：

1. B 本题的问题是：本文的信息是关于？本文通篇讲述美国的中产阶级，指的是社会和经济群体，因此选择B。

2. D本题的问题是：一个普遍的中产阶级价值观是？本篇第二段最后一句话讲到，―中产阶级的道德观包括个人的责任感、家庭的重要性、对他人的使命感以及相信自我以外的事物‖。A、B、C三个选项不包括在内，因此正确答案是D。

3. C 本题的问题是：在二战之后的几年，中产阶级可以被定义为，本篇第一段提到了当时美国经济不断增长并且人们生活水平有了提高，因此选择C选项，繁荣并且乐观。

4. C 本题的问题是：第一段中的"ln other words"这个短语与下列说法一致的是，"In other words"汉语意思是换句话来说，因此正确答案是C。

5. A 本题的问题是：单词"collectively"的汉语意思是―相同地‖，选择A。

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第十篇

A Letter from Alan

I have learnt of a plan to build three hundred houses on the land called Parson's Place by the football ground. Few people know about this new plan to increase the size of our town. For me，Parson's Place is special because it is a beautiful natural area where local people can relax - the small wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen and bird-watchers. It's very quiet because there are few houses or roads nearby. I think that losing this area will be terrible because we have no other similar facilities in the neighbourhood.

I am also against this plan because it will cause traffic problems. How will the people from the new houses travel to work? The motorway and the railway station are on the other side of town.

Therefore，these people will have to drive through the town centre every time they go anywhere.

The roads will always be full of traffic，there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who come to see our lovely old buildings will leave. Shops and hotels will lose business. If the town really needs more homes，the empty ground beside the railway station is a more suitable place.

No doubt the builders will make a lot of money by selling these houses. But，in my opinion，the average person will quickly be made poorer by this plan. As well as this，we will lose a very

special place and our town will be much less pleasant.

I am going to the local government offices on Monday morning to protest about this plan and I hope that your readers will join me there. We must make them stop this plan before it is too late.

词汇:

facility /f?‘sil?ti/ n. 场所，设施protest /pr?u‘test/ v. 抗议

motorway / ?m?ut?wei / n. 高速公路

注释:

1. For me，Parson's Place is special because it is a beautiful natural area where local people can

relax—the small wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen and bird-watchers. 对我来说，帕森场是非常特别的，因为它是一个美丽的天然场地并且当地人可以在此放松休息。这片小树林里有许多独特的树木并且这里的小溪受到了渔夫和野鸟观察者的欢迎。

2. The roads will always be full of traffic，there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who come to see our lovely old buildings will leave. 公路上将总是有很多车辆，却没有地方停车，并且来参观我们这儿可爱的老式建筑物的观光者将会离开这里。

3. As well as this，we will lose a very special place and our town will be much less pleasant.不但

如此，我们将失去一个非常特别的地方并且我们的城镇将会失去很多快乐。

练习:

1. Why has Alan written this letter?

A) To persuade the government to build new houses.

B) To protest about a new motorway near the town.

C) To encourage more people in the town to use Parson's Place.

D) To inform other people about the builders' plans.

2. Why is Parson's Place particularly important，in Alan's opinion?

A) Because it is near the football ground.

B) Because lots of people live near it.

C) Because it is a place near the town where people can enjoy nature.

D) Because local people can get there easily by car from the town.

3. What will cause traffic jams?

A) A building on Parson's Place.

B) Building near the railway station.

C) Tourists in the narrow streets.

D) People going to the shops and hotels.

4. Alan says that ordinary people who live in the town will probably soon _____.

A) open new shops and hotels

B) choose to live near the station

C) be able to buy new homes

D) have less money

5. Which of these posters has Alan made?

A) SAVE OUR SPORTS GROUND

B) SAY NO TO HOUSES ON PARSON' S PLACE

C) WE NEED HOMES NOT HOTELS

D) USE THE TRAIN NOT THE ROAD

答案与题解:

1. D 本题问的是:为什么Alan写这封信? A、B、C选项在文中没有提到，D选项的意思是让其他人了解建筑商的计划，因此D是正确答案。

2. C 本题问的是:在Alan看来，为什么帕森场非常重要?第一段中提到―因为它是一个美丽的天然场地并且当地人可以在此放松休息‖。因此 C 是正确答案。

3. A 本题问的是:什么将会引起交通堵塞?第二段提到了，如果按照建筑商的计划，那么―公路上将总是有很多车辆，却没有地方来停车‖。因此选择A。

4. D 本题问的是:Alan说住在城镇的人们将来可能会，本文第三段提到―每个人将会因这个计划的实施而快速地变穷"。因此选择D。

5. B 本题问的是:以下哪个是Alan制作的海报? Alan在本文中一直在说抵制建筑商在帕森场上建造房屋的计划，因此选择B，对帕森场上的房屋说不。

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第十一篇

The Development of Ballet

Ballet is a dance form that has a long history. The fact that it survives to this day shows that it has adjusted as times have changed.

Ballet began in the royal courts during the Renaissance. At that time it became common for

kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，

and dance. As these entertainments moved from the Italian courts to the French ones，court ladies began participating in them. Though their long dresses prevented much movement，they were able to perform elaborate walking patterns. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men.

It was also in the 1600s that professional ballet began. King Louis XIV of France，himself a devoted dancer，founded the Royal Academy of Dance. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. In the late 1700s another important change occurred. Ballet began to tell a story on its own. It was no longer simply dance to be performed between acts of plays. Elaborate wigs and costumes were eliminated. By the early 1800s dancers learned to rise on their toes to make it appear that they were floating.

Classical ballet as we know it today was influenced primarily by Russian dancing. The Russians remained interested in ballet when it declined in other European countries in the mid -1800s. One of the most influential figures of the early 20th century was Sergei Diaghilev. His

dance company，the Ballets Russes，brought a new energy and excitement to ballet. One of his

chief assistants，George Balanchine，went on to found the New York City Ballet in 1948 and to influence new generations of dancers.

词汇:

adjust / ?' d??st/v. 调整eliminate /i'limineit/ v. 淘汰

pageant / 'p?d? ?nt / n. 盛会influential / influ'en??l/adj. 有影响力的

注释:

1. At that time it became common for kings and queens，as well as other nobility，to participate in pageants that included music，poetry，and dance. 在那时，芭蕾舞在国王、王后以及贵族之间变得普遍，并且与音乐、诗歌以及舞蹈一起参与到盛会的表演。

2. It was not until the 1600s that women dancers shortened their skirts，changed to flat shoes，and began doing some of the leaps and turns performed by men. 直到17世纪女舞者缩短了她们的裙子，改穿平底鞋，并且通过男舞者的帮助开始做一些跳跃和转圈动作。

3. The five basic feet positions from which all ballet steps begin were finalized. 由此正式确定了脚的5个基本位置，这5个外开的位置成为发展芭蕾舞技术的基础。

练习:

1. This passage deals mainly with _____.

A) famous names in ballet

B) French versus Russian ballet

C) the way ballet developed

D) why ballet is no longer popular

2. An important influence in early ballet was_____.

A) Balanchine

B) Marie Antoinette

C) Diaghilev

D) Louis XIV

3. You can conclude from this passage that ballet_____.

A) is a dying art

B) will continue to change as new people and ideas influence it

C) is only currently performed in Russia and the United States

D) is often performed by dancers with little training

4. The information in this passage is presented_____.

A) through the story of one dancer

B) by describing various positions and steps

C) by listing reasons why ballet has succeeded

D) in chronological order

5. The word pageants means_____.

A) dances

B) instructors

C) kings

D) elaborate shows

答案与题解:

1. C 本题问的是:这篇文章主要讲述的是，A、B、D 选项都是文章的一部分，而本文主要讲的就是芭蕾舞的发展，因此 C 是正确答案。

2. D 本题问的是:对于早期芭蕾舞最重要的影响是，本文第三段提到―在17 世纪，专业的芭蕾舞蹈团应运而生‖―法国国王路易十四建立了皇家舞蹈学院‖，因此 D 是正确答案。

3. B 本题问的是:从这篇文章你可以总结出芭蕾，A 、C、D 选项在文中没有提到，结合本文最后一段可以看出 B 选项是正确的，芭蕾将随着新的人物和新的想法而改变。

4. D 本题问的是:本文的信息是通过何种方式介绍的。本文从芭蕾舞的起源开始一直介绍到芭蕾舞的现况，因此选择D，按照时间前后的顺序。

5. D 本题问的是:单词pageant 的汉语意思是什么，正确答案是D ，盛大的表演。

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第十六篇

The Sahara

The name Sahara derives from the Arabic word for "desert" or "steppe". At 3. 5 million square miles，an area roughly the size of the United States，the Sahara Desert in northern Africa is the largest desert in the world. lt spans the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Daytime temperatures can reach as high as 130°F. The humidity sometimes gets into the teens. But it can also be as low as 2. 5 percent，the lowest in the world. Most of the Sahara receives less than five inches of rain per year，while large areas sometimes have no rainfall at all for years.

At the heart of the Sahara is the landlocked north African country of Niger. Here the sand

dunes can be 100 feet tall and several miles long. Here sand plains stretch over an area larger than Germany where there is neither water nor towns. Yet sitting in the midst of the surrounding desert is the town of Bilma. Suddenly there are pools of cIear water. Surprisingly，there are groves of date palms. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. Corn，cassava，tea，peanuts，hot peppers，and orange，lime，and grapefruit trees grow in these fields. Donkeys and goats graze on green grass.

The Sahara of Niger is still a region where you can see a camel caravan of 500 camels tied together in loose lines as long as a mile，traveling toward such oasis towns. There a caravan will collect life-sustaining

salt，which is mined from watery basins，and transport it up to 400 miles back to settlements on the edges of the desert. The round trip across the vast sands takes one month.

词汇:

Humidity /hju'mId ?t l/ n. 湿度irrigate / ' lrlgelt/ v. 灌溉

stretch / stret?/ v. 伸展camel /'k?m ?l/ n. 骆驼

date palms n. 椰枣树

注释:

1. Underground water resources，or oases，sufficient to support irrigated agriculture are found in dry stream beds and depressions. 在干河床和洼地处可找到充足的地下水资源或者绿洲来支持灌溉农业。

2. Irrigation ditches run off a creek to water fields. 灌溉沟渠通过一条小溪到达水田中。

3. Donkeys and goats graze on green grass. 青草上放养着驴和山羊。

练习:

1. This passage is mostly about _______.

A) life in the Sahara

B) the deserts of Africa

C) Bilma

D) how camels travel in the desert

2. Rainfall in most of the Sahara is_______.

A) less than five inches per year

B) less than ten inches per year

C) less than twenty inches per year

D) zero

3. The Sahara can be described as_______.

A) a place of contrasts

B) a place where no one Iives

C) an area where the winters are cold

D) an area that appeals to many tourists

4. The phrase "an area roughly the size of the United States" gives an indication of the size of_______.

A) northern Africa

B) Niger

C) the Sahara

D) all of Africa

5. In this passage caravan means _______.

A) traveling circus

B) group traveling together through difficult country

C) railroad train

D) a small，fast sailing ship

答案与题解:

1. A 本题问的是:这篇文章主要讲了什么?根据文段，本文主要介绍了撒哈拉沙漠的地理概况，城镇的农业，以及城镇之间的日常来往。B 选项范围过宽。C 选项不全面，文章不止介绍了比尔马的情况。D 选项文中没有具体介绍。所以 A 是对的。

2. A 本题问的是:在撒哈拉的绝大多数地区，降雨情况如何?根据第一段的最后一句话，撒哈拉的绝大多数地区每年降雨量低于 5 英寸。所以 A 正确。

3. A 本题问的是:撒哈拉沙漠可以被描述成什么? A 的意思是，一个具有强烈对比的地方。B 的意思是杳无人烟的地方。C 的意思是冬天很冷的地区。D 的意思是吸引很多游客的地方。B，C，D 均不符合文意，因此 A 正确。

4. C 本题问的是:句子―大约和美国大小相当的地区‖指明的是什么地方的大小?根据第一段的第二句话可知，本句的主语是撒哈拉沙漠。因此 C 正确。

5. B 本题问的是:文中―caravan‖的意思是什么? A 的意思是旅行马戏团。C 是火车。D 是又小又快的帆船。根据文中的介绍，穿过沙漠的驼队由上百只骆驼组成，来到绿洲城镇收集盐，因此 B 选项―一群人一起穿过条件恶劣的国家‖是正确的。

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*第十九篇

The Family

The structure of a family takes different forms around the world and even in the same society. The family's form changes as it adapts to changing social and economic influences. Until recently, the most common form in North America was the nuclear family，consisting of a married couple with their minor children. The nuclear family is an independent unit. It must be prepared to fend for itself. Individual family members strongly depend on one another. There is little help from outside the family in emergencies. Elderly relatives of a nuclear family are cared for only if it is possible for the family to do so. In North America，the elderly often do not live with the family ; they live in retirement communities and nursing homes.

There are many parallels between the nuclear family in industrial societies，such as North

America，and of families in societies such as that of the Inuits，who live in harsh environments. The nuclear family structure is well adapted to a life of mobility. In harsh conditions，mobility allows the family to hunt for food. For North Americans，the hunt for jobs and improved social status also requires mobility.

The nuclear family was not always the North American standard. In a more agrarian time，the small nuclear family was usually part of a larger extended family. This might have included grandparents，mother and father，brothers and sisters，uncles，aunts，and cousins. In North America today，there is a dramatic rise in the number of single-parent households. Twice as many households in the United States are headed by