阅读考试
阅读考试题库答案及解析

阅读考试题库答案及解析一、选择题1. 根据文本内容,下列哪项不是作者的主要观点?A. 作者支持环境保护。
B. 作者认为经济发展与环境保护可以并行不悖。
C. 作者反对过度消费。
D. 作者主张减少使用化石燃料。
答案:D解析:在文本中,作者明确表达了对环境保护的支持(选项A),认为经济发展与环境保护可以并行不悖(选项B),并反对过度消费(选项C)。
然而,文中并未提及作者主张减少使用化石燃料,因此选项D是正确答案。
2. 文本中提到的“可持续发展”是指什么?A. 只关注经济增长而忽略环境保护。
B. 经济增长与环境保护的平衡。
C. 完全停止使用自然资源。
D. 仅关注环境保护而忽略经济增长。
答案:B解析:文本中强调了可持续发展的概念,即在追求经济增长的同时,也要考虑到环境保护,确保资源的可持续利用。
因此,选项B正确。
二、填空题3. 文本中提到的“绿色能源”包括______、______和______。
答案:太阳能、风能、水能解析:文本中提到了绿色能源的几种形式,包括太阳能、风能和水能,这些都是可再生能源,对环境影响较小。
4. 作者认为,为了实现可持续发展,我们需要采取的措施包括______、______和______。
答案:提高能源效率、推广绿色能源、加强环境保护法规解析:文本中作者提出了实现可持续发展的几项措施,包括提高能源效率以减少资源浪费,推广绿色能源以减少对化石燃料的依赖,以及加强环境保护法规以确保环境得到有效保护。
三、简答题5. 根据文本内容,简述作者对当前环境问题的看法。
答案:作者认为当前环境问题严重,主要是由于过度消费和资源浪费造成的。
作者强调了环境保护的重要性,并提倡采取可持续发展的策略,以实现经济增长与环境保护的平衡。
解析:文本中作者对环境问题的担忧贯穿始终,指出了环境问题的根源,并提出了相应的解决策略。
简答题要求考生能够概括作者的观点,并用自己的话进行表述。
四、论述题6. 论述如何在日常生活中实践可持续发展的理念。
阅读二级考试试题及答案

阅读二级考试试题及答案一、选择题(每题2分,共20分)1. 文章中提到的“绿色出行”指的是什么?A. 使用私家车出行B. 乘坐公共交通工具C. 骑自行车或步行D. 乘坐飞机出行答案:C2. 根据文中所述,哪种能源被认为是最清洁的?A. 煤炭B. 石油C. 太阳能D. 核能答案:C3. 文章提到了哪些措施可以减少空气污染?A. 限制工业排放B. 增加绿化面积C. 减少汽车使用D. 所有上述措施答案:D4. 作者对于未来城市发展的看法是什么?A. 悲观的B. 乐观的C. 既不乐观也不悲观D. 文章中没有提及答案:B5. 文章中提到的“智慧城市”概念主要涉及哪些方面?A. 智能交通系统B. 智能能源管理C. 智能安防系统D. 所有上述方面答案:D二、填空题(每题2分,共10分)6. 文章中提到的“______”是指通过技术手段提高城市运行效率和居民生活质量的一种城市发展模式。
答案:智慧城市7. 为了减少城市交通拥堵,文章建议采取的措施之一是______。
答案:发展公共交通8. 文章中提到的“______”是指通过减少能源消耗和废物产生来实现环境的可持续发展。
答案:绿色出行9. 文章指出,通过______可以有效地减少城市的能源消耗。
答案:智能能源管理10. 文章认为,未来城市的发展需要______和______的结合。
答案:技术创新/科技环境保护三、简答题(每题10分,共20分)11. 请简述文章中提到的城市发展面临的主要挑战。
答案:城市发展面临的主要挑战包括环境污染、交通拥堵、能源消耗过大等。
12. 文章是如何描述“智慧城市”对城市发展的影响的?答案:文章描述“智慧城市”通过智能交通系统、智能能源管理、智能安防系统等方面的应用,提高了城市运行效率,改善了居民生活质量,对城市发展产生了积极影响。
结束语:通过本次阅读二级考试试题及答案的练习,希望同学们能够对城市发展中的问题和解决方案有更深入的了解,并在实际生活中积极参与到环境保护和智慧城市建设中来。
大学阅读鉴赏考试题及答案

大学阅读鉴赏考试题及答案一、阅读理解(每题2分,共20分)1. 阅读以下段落,回答问题:“在一个遥远的国度里,有一片美丽的森林,森林里住着各种各样的动物。
它们和谐相处,共同维护着这片森林的和平。
有一天,一只狡猾的狐狸来到了森林,它利用自己的机智,欺骗了其他动物,让它们相互猜疑,森林的和平被打破了。
”问题:狐狸来到森林后,发生了什么变化?答案:森林的和平被打破了。
2. 阅读以下段落,回答问题:“玛丽是一个勤奋的学生,她每天都会花很多时间在学习上。
她的努力得到了回报,成绩一直名列前茅。
然而,她的同学们却开始嫉妒她,甚至有些人开始散布关于她的不实谣言。
”问题:玛丽的同学们为什么会对她产生嫉妒?答案:因为玛丽的成绩一直名列前茅。
3. 阅读以下段落,回答问题:“科学家们经过多年的研究,终于发现了一种新的能源。
这种能源不仅环保,而且几乎无穷无尽。
这一发现有望彻底改变人类的能源使用方式,减少对化石燃料的依赖。
”问题:这种新发现的能源有什么特点?答案:环保且几乎无穷无尽。
4. 阅读以下段落,回答问题:“随着互联网的普及,人们的生活方式发生了巨大的变化。
现在,人们可以足不出户,就能买到世界各地的商品。
这种便利性让许多人越来越依赖网络购物。
”问题:互联网的普及给人们的生活方式带来了哪些变化?答案:人们可以足不出户购买世界各地的商品。
5. 阅读以下段落,回答问题:“在一次重要的会议上,公司的CEO宣布了一项新的计划。
这个计划旨在通过技术创新,提高公司的竞争力。
CEO强调,创新是公司未来发展的关键。
”问题:CEO宣布的新计划的目的是什么?答案:通过技术创新提高公司的竞争力。
二、鉴赏分析(每题5分,共30分)1. 阅读以下诗句,回答问题:“明月几时有?把酒问青天。
不知天上宫阙,今夕是何年。
”问题:诗人通过这些诗句表达了怎样的情感?答案:诗人表达了对时间流逝和宇宙浩瀚的感慨,以及对人生无常的哲思。
2. 阅读以下小说片段,回答问题:“他站在窗前,望着外面纷飞的大雪,心中涌起一股莫名的悲伤。
关于阅读的考试题及答案

关于阅读的考试题及答案一、选择题(每题2分,共20分)1. 阅读时,以下哪个因素对理解文章内容最为重要?A. 文章的字数B. 阅读的速度C. 阅读的目的D. 文章的难度答案:C2. 阅读时,遇到生词,以下哪种方法是最有效的?A. 跳过生词B. 查阅字典C. 猜测词义D. 忽略生词答案:C3. 阅读时,以下哪种策略有助于提高理解力?A. 逐字阅读B. 快速浏览C. 做笔记D. 反复阅读答案:C4. 阅读时,以下哪种方法可以提高记忆效果?A. 只读一遍B. 边读边写C. 只读标题D. 只读结尾答案:B5. 阅读时,以下哪种方式有助于提高阅读速度?A. 逐字阅读B. 跳读C. 朗读D. 默读答案:B6. 阅读时,以下哪种方法可以帮助我们更好地理解作者的观点?A. 忽略作者的论据B. 只关注作者的结论C. 思考作者的论据和结论之间的关系D. 只关注文章的开头和结尾答案:C7. 阅读时,以下哪种方法有助于提高对文章结构的理解?A. 忽略段落标题B. 忽略文章的开头和结尾C. 注意文章的段落标题和开头结尾D. 只关注文章的细节答案:C8. 阅读时,以下哪种方法可以帮助我们更好地记住信息?A. 阅读时不思考B. 阅读时做标记C. 阅读时听音乐D. 阅读时睡觉答案:B9. 阅读时,以下哪种方式有助于提高我们对文章内容的批判性思考?A. 接受作者的所有观点B. 只关注文章的细节C. 思考文章的论据是否充分D. 忽略文章的论据答案:C10. 阅读时,以下哪种方法有助于我们更好地理解作者的写作风格?A. 忽略作者的用词B. 忽略文章的修辞C. 注意作者的用词和修辞D. 忽略文章的结构答案:C二、填空题(每题2分,共20分)1. 在阅读时,我们应该根据______来选择阅读策略。
答案:阅读目的2. 阅读时,我们应该关注文章的______和______,以理解文章的结构。
答案:段落标题;开头结尾3. 阅读时,我们应该通过______来提高对文章内容的理解。
关于阅读的考试题及答案

关于阅读的考试题及答案阅读考试题一、选择题1. 阅读下列文本,选出最符合作者意图的选项:- 文本:在现代社会,阅读不仅仅是获取信息的手段,更是一种精神的享受。
- A. 阅读是获取信息的唯一方式。
- B. 阅读是精神享受的一种方式。
- C. 现代社会中阅读不再重要。
- D. 阅读只存在于现代社会。
2. 根据文本内容,以下哪项不是阅读的好处?- 文本:阅读能够开阔视野,提高思维能力,丰富情感体验。
- A. 开阔视野- B. 提高思维能力- C. 减少社交活动- D. 丰富情感体验二、填空题3. 阅读可以提高个人的________,________和________。
(答案:知识水平,文化素养,审美能力)4. 根据文本描述,阅读是一种________和________的结合。
(答案:获取信息,精神享受)三、简答题5. 阅读在个人成长中扮演了哪些角色?四、论述题6. 论述阅读与个人发展之间的关系,并举例说明。
五、阅读理解题7. 阅读以下段落,回答以下问题:- 段落:书籍是人类进步的阶梯。
它们不仅能够传递知识,还能够激发我们的想象力和创造力。
- 问题:根据段落,书籍对人类进步有哪些贡献?参考答案一、选择题1. 答案:B2. 答案:C二、填空题3. 答案:知识水平,文化素养,审美能力4. 答案:获取信息,精神享受三、简答题5. 答案:阅读在个人成长中扮演了多种角色,包括但不限于:提供知识,培养思维,激发创造力,提高语言能力,以及提供情感慰藉。
四、论述题6. 答案:阅读与个人发展之间关系密切。
阅读能够丰富个人的知识储备,提高理解力和分析力,促进批判性思维的发展。
例如,通过阅读文学作品,人们可以了解不同的文化背景和价值观,从而拓宽视野,增进对世界的理解和同情。
此外,阅读科学书籍可以增进对自然世界的认识,激发探索未知的热情。
五、阅读理解题7. 答案:根据段落,书籍对人类进步的贡献包括传递知识、激发想象力和创造力。
考试英语阅读试题及答案

考试英语阅读试题及答案考试英语阅读试题及答案考试英语阅读试题及答案篇1For all the fevered work being done, however, science is still far away from the Brave New World vision of engineering a perfect human—or even a perfect tomato. Much more research is needed before gene therapy bees monplace, and many diseases will take decades to conquer, if they can be conquered at all.In the short run, the most practical way to use the new technology will be in geic screening. Doctors will be able to detect all sorts of flaws in DNA long before they can be fixed. In some cases the knowledge may lead to treatments that delay the attack of the disease or soften its effects. Someone with a geic heart disease, for exle, could follow a low-fat diet. And if scientists determine that a vital protein is missing because the gene that was supposed to make itis defective, they might be able to give the patient an artificial version of the protein. But in other instances, almost nothing can be done to stop the damages brought on by geic mutations. 〔176 words〕1. The 1st passage implies thatA. science is still far away from perfectionB. it’s difficult to engineer a perfect humanC. it’s difficult to create a perfect tomatoD. many diseases will take decades to conquer参考答案:A2. According to the author, many human diseasesA. may be conquered.B. will be surely conquered.C. may not be conquered.D. may never be conquered.参考答案:A3. What does “in the short run” mean?A. to run in a short timeB. for the near futureC. for the time beingD. after enough time参考答案:B4. The use of the new technology in geic screening includes all the following EXCEPTA. detecting all sorts of flaws in DNAB. fixing all sorts of flaws in DNAC. treatments that delay the attack of the diseaseD. artificial version of the protein参考答案:B5. Which of the foollowing is the best title of the passage?A. geic engineeringB. geic screeningC. a new technologyD. Application of geic engineering参考答案:D考试英语阅读试题及答案篇2Dr. King worked 26 equality in other cities. He knew that the 27 way people could win their rights was to remain peaceful, 28 in face of danger. Dr. Kingwon the Nobel Peace Prize in for his achievements and 29 。
本学期期末考试阅读测试题(后测)

根据语言材料内容选择最佳答案。
()31.Which magazine will you buy for a one-year-old child?A.American Girl magazine.B.Baby Bug magazine.C.Creative Kids magazine.()32.How many kinds of magazines can you buy for Alice aged9?A.One.B.Two.C.Three.()33.Which topic is mentioned in National Geographic Kids?A.Wildlife.B.Activity ideas.C.Games.()34.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?A.American Girl magazine is the most popular magazine in America.B.Baby Bug magazine is perfect for children aged from half a year to2years old.C.You will find it fun to read National Geographic Kids.()35.Creative Kids magazine is________magazine for kids.A.the most beautifulB.the most expensiveC.the nation’s largest(B)As a student,how do you encourage yourself to get up and do school work every week?A pair of students who call themselves Dangerdust choose a special way---they turn to chalk art to cheer up themselves and their classmates.Dangerdust are two students in the fourth year of Columbus College of Art and Design. Because of their love for chalk,they decided to create a chalkboard every week.So one Sunday night,the pair went into an empty classroom at their college and designed a blackboard with a famous saying and creative picture in chalk.The next morning,the other students were very surprised to see the amazing new board when they came into the classroom.Thanks to encouragement from their classmates and teachers,Dangerdust decided to keep on creating something fun every week.So every Sunday night,the pair go into an empty classroom,choose an inspirational saying,and get down to ually after hours of work,a new board appears every Monday and they never let their classmates and teachers down.They also put their creations on the Internet,and they have got thousands of fans.Some of Dangerdust’s pieces of art work are created in white chalk while others are in colored chalk.And the inspirational sayings come from famous artists,musicians,writers, leaders and scientists.Isn’t it amazing that Dangerdust are making the blackboard so colorful with a box of chalk and a lot of creativity?根据短文内容判断正误,正确的涂(A),错误的涂(B)()36.Dangerdust are two students from University of Art and Design.()37.They create a chalkboard due to the fact that they are fond of blackboard.()38.Dangerdust decided to create a chalkboard on Sunday night every week.()39.The inspirational sayings chosen by Dangerdust come from famous artists, magicians,writers,leaders and scientists.()40.Some of Dangerdust’s pieces of art work are created in colored chalk.(C)You’re rushing to school and a man ahead of you suddenly falls down.Do you stop to help?In a study,it was found that some people kept on walking rather than stop and give a hand.“People often think there’s no need to offer help.”says Ervin Staub,an expert at the University of Massachusetts.“The first thoughts that come into your mind often keep you from offering help.”Time and again,good and caring people fail to come to help others.They know they should act and yet,for reasons they themselves don’t understand,people sometimes don’trespond.(回应)“Why?”One thing we do know is that the more ambiguous a situation is,the less possible people are to help.Let’s say you see vapors(水汽)coming out of a building.You ask yourself,“Is it steam(蒸汽)or smoke?”If you are not sure,you look to other people.If you see other people doing nothing,you think,“Of course,that’s just steam.”You don’t want it to be smoke,because then you would have to do something about it.Another one is known as“the bystander effect(旁观者效应)”.This says that the more people there are watching accidental events,the less responsible each one of them feels.For example,if you are the only person in the world who can save someone out of danger,you are more possible to act.However,if you are one of100,000people who could do something to help,you would be happier if one of the other99,999people did it!“If you notice trouble,it’s better to stop instead of walking on,”says Ervin Staub.“Then try to affect(影响)other people.You don’t have to take on all the responsibility of being helpful.”According to Staub,it is sometimes just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying,“It looks like we should do something.”Once you take action,most people will follow you and also offer help.根据短文内容选择最佳答案。
阅读考试题目及答案解析

阅读考试题目及答案解析一、选择题1. 根据文本内容,以下哪项描述是正确的?A. 作者喜欢阅读科幻小说。
B. 文本中提到了作者对科幻小说的态度。
C. 作者认为科幻小说是浪费时间。
D. 文本中没有提到作者对科幻小说的看法。
答案:B2. 文本中提到的“时间旅行”概念,作者持什么态度?A. 作者认为时间旅行是可能的。
B. 作者对时间旅行持怀疑态度。
C. 作者认为时间旅行是科幻小说的常见主题。
D. 文本中没有讨论时间旅行的可能性。
答案:C二、填空题1. 文本中提到,科幻小说通常探讨_________。
答案:未来科技的发展及其对社会的影响2. 作者认为科幻小说能够_________。
答案:激发读者的想象力和创造力三、简答题1. 请简述文本中提到的科幻小说的特点。
答案:文本中提到的科幻小说特点包括对未来科技的想象,对人类社会可能的变化的预测,以及对科学原理的探讨。
2. 作者为什么认为科幻小说对青少年读者有益?答案:作者认为科幻小说对青少年读者有益,因为它能够激发他们的好奇心,培养他们的科学素养,同时通过故事中的科学原理,帮助他们更好地理解现实世界的科学现象。
四、论述题1. 论述科幻小说在当代社会中的作用和意义。
答案:科幻小说在当代社会中的作用和意义主要体现在以下几个方面:首先,它能够预见科技发展趋势,为科技创新提供灵感;其次,它通过对未来社会的设想,引发人们对于伦理、社会结构等问题的思考;最后,科幻小说作为一种文化产品,丰富了人们的文化生活,提高了公众的科学素养。
五、翻译题1. 请将以下句子翻译成英文:“科幻小说不仅仅是一种娱乐形式,它还具有启发思考和教育的功能。
”答案:"Science fiction is not just a form of entertainment, but also has the function of inspiring thinking and education."六、综合分析题1. 根据文本内容,分析科幻小说与现实世界之间的关系。
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READING P ASSAGE 1Y ou should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1—13 which are based onReading Passage 1 below.How Much Higher? How Much Faster?—Limits to human sporting performance are not yet in sight —Since the early years of the twentieth century, when the International Athletic Federation began keeping records, there has been a steady improvement in how fast athletes run, how high they jump and how far they are able to hurl massive objects, themselves included, through space. For the so-called power events —that require a relatively brief, explosive release of energy, like the 100-metre sprint and the long jump —times and distances have improved ten to twenty percent. In the endurance events the results have been more dramatic. At the 1908 Olympics, John Hayes of the U.S. team ran a marathon in a time of 2:55:18. In 1999, Morocco's Khalid Khannouchi set a new world record of 2:05:42, almost thirty percent faster.No one theory can explain improvements in performance, but the most important factor has been genetics. ‘The athlete must choose his parents carefully,’ says Jesus Dapena, a sports scientist at Indiana University, invoking an oft-cited adage. Over the past century, the composition of the human gene pool has not changed appreciably, but with increasing global participation in athletics —and greater rewards to tempt athletes —it is more likely that individuals possessing the unique complement of genes for athletic performance can be identified early. ‘Was there someone like [sprinter] Michael Johnson in the 1920s?’ Dapena asks. ‘I’m sure that there was, but his talent was probably never realized.’Identifying genetically talented individuals is only the first step. Michael Yessis, an emeritus professor of Sports Science at California State University at Fullerton, maintains that ‘g enetics only determines about one third of what an athlete can do. But with the right training we can go much further with that one third than we’v e been going.’Yessis believes that U.S. runners, despite their impressive achievements, are ‘running on their genetic s’. By applying more scientific methods, ‘the y’r e going to go much faste r’. These methods include strength training that duplicates what they are doing in their running events as well as plyometrics, a technique pioneered in the former SovietUnion.Whereas most exercises are designed to build up strength or endurance, plyometrics focuses on increasing power —the rate at which an athlete can expend energy. When a sprinter runs, Yessis explains, her foot stays in contact with the ground for just under a tenth of a second, half of which is devoted to landing and the other half to pushing off. Plyometric exercises help athletes make the best use of this brief interval.Nutrition is another area that sports trainers have failed to address adequately. ‘Many athletes are not getting the best nutrition, even through supplements,’ Yessis insists. Each activity has its own nutritional needs. Few coaches, for instance, understand how deficiencies in trace mineral can lead to injuries.Focused training will also play a role in enabling records to be broken. ‘I f we applied the Russian training model to some of the outstanding runners we have in this country,’ Y essis asserts, ‘t hey would be breaking records left and righ t.’He will not predict by how much, however: ‘Ex actly what the limits are it’s hard to say, but there will be increase even if only by hundredths of a second, as long as our training continues to improve.’One of the most important new methodologies is biomechanics, the study of the body in motion.A biomechanics films an athlete in action and then digitizes her performance, recording the motion of every joint and limb in three dimensions. By applying New ton’s laws to these motions, ‘we can say that this athlete’s run is not fast enough; that this one is not using his arms strongly enough during take-off,’ says Dapena, who uses these methods to help high jumpers. To date, however, biomechanics has made only a small difference to athletic performance.Revolutionary ideas still come from the athletes themselves. For example, during the1968 Olympics in Mexico City, a relatively unknown high jumper named Dick Fosbury won the gold by going over the bar backwards, in complete contradiction of all the received high-jumping wisdom, a move instantly dubbed the Fosbury flop. Fosbury him- self did not know what he was doing. That understanding took the later analysis of bio- mechanics, who put their minds to comprehending something that was too complex and unorthodox ever to have been invented through their own mathematical simulations. Fosbury also required another element that lies behind manyimprovements in athletic performance: an innovation in athletic equipment. In Fosbury’s case, it was the cushions that jumpers land on. Traditionally, high jumpers would land in pits filled with sawdust.But by Fosbur y’s time, sawdust pits had been replaced by soft foam cushions, ideal for flopping.In the end, most people who examination human performance are humbled by the resourcefulness of athletes and the powers of the human body. ‘Once you study athletics, you learn that it’s a vexingly complex issue,’ says John S.Raglin, a sports psychologist at Indiana University.‘C ore performance is not a simple of mundane thing of higher, faster, longer. So many variables enter into the equation, and our understanding in many cases is fundamental. We’v e got a long wayto go.’ For the foreseeable future, records will be made to be broken.Questions 1—6Do the following statements agree with the information given in ReadingPassage 1?In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet writeTRUE if the statement agrees with the informationF ALSE if the statement contradicts the information\NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this1 Modern official athletic records date from about 1900.2 There was little improvement in athletic performance before the twentieth century.3 Performance has improved most greatly in events requiring an intensive burst of energy.4 Improvements in athletic performance can be fully explained by genetics.5 The parents of top athletes have often been successful athletes themselves6 The growing international importance of athletics means that gifted athletes can be recognized at a younger age.Questions 7—10Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 1. Use ONE WORD foreach answer.W rite your answers in boxes 7—10 on your answer sheet.7 According to Professor Y essis, American runners are relying for their current success on_.8 Y essis describes a training approach from the former Soviet Union that aims to develop anathlete’s _.9 Y essis links an inadequate diet to .10 Y essis claims that the key to setting new records is better _. Questions 11—13Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.W rite your answers in boxes 11—13 on your answer sheet.11 Biomechanics films are proving particularly useful because they enable trainers toA highlight areas for improvement in athletes.B assess the fitness levels of athletes.C select top athletes.D predict the success of athletes.12 Biomechanics specialists used theoretical models toA soften the Fosbury flop.B create the Fosbury flop.C correct the Fosbury flop.D explain the Fosbury flop.13 John S.Raglin believes our current knowledge of athletics isA mistaken.B basic.C diverse.D theoretical.READING P ASSAGE 2Y ou should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14—27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.The Nature and Aims of ArchaeologyArchaeology is partly the discovery of the treasures of the past, partly the careful work of the scientific analyst, partly the exercise of the creative imagination. It is toiling in the sun on an excavation in the Middle-East, it is working with living Inuit in the snows of Alaska, and it is investigating the sewers of Roman Britain. But it is also the painstaking task of interpretation, so that we come to understand what these things mean for the human story. And it is the conservation of the world's cultural heritage against looting and careless harm.Archaeology, then, is both a physical activity out in the field, and an intellectual pursuit in the study or laboratory. That is part of its great attraction. The rich mixture of danger and detective work has also made it the perfect vehicle for fiction writers and film- makers, from Agatha Christie with Murder in Mesopotamia to Stephen Spielberg with Indiana Jones. However far from reality such portrayals are, they capture the essential truth that archaeology is an exciting quest —the quest for knowledge about ourselves and our past.But how does archaeology relate to disciplines such as anthropology and history, that are also concerned with the human story? Is archaeology itself a science? And what are the responsibilities of the archaeologist in today's world?Anthropology, at its broadest, is the study of humanity —our physical characteristic as animals and our unique non-biological characteristics that we call culture. Culture in this sense includes what the anthropologist, Edward Tylor, summarized in 1871 as ‘kno wledge, belief, art, morals, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of societ y’. Anthropologists also use the term ‘culture’ in a more restricted sense when they refer to the ‘culture’ of a particular society, meaning the non- biological characteristics unique to that society, which distinguish it from other societies. Anthropology is thus a broad discipline —so broad that it is generally broken down into three smaller disciplines: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology and archaeology.Physical anthropology, or biological anthropology as it is also called, concerns the study of human biological or physical characteristics and how they evolved. Cultural anthropology —or social anthropology —analyses human culture and society. Two of its branches are ethnography (the study at first hand of individual living cultures) and ethnology (which sets out to compare cultures using ethnographic evidence to derive general principles about human society).Archaeology is the ‘p ast tense of culture anthropolo gy’. Whereas cultural anthropologists will often base their conclusions on the experience of living within contemporary communities, archaeologists study past societies primarily through their material remains —the buildings, tools and other artefacts that constitutes what is known as the material culture left over from former societies.Nevertheless, one of the most important tasks for the archaeologist today is to know how to interpret material culture in human terms. How were those pots used? Why are some dwellings round and others square? Here the methods of archaeology and ethno- graphy overlap. Archaeologists in recent decades have developed ‘ethnogra phy’, where, like ethnographers, they live among contemporary communities, but with the specific purpose of learning how such societies use material culture —how they make their tools and weapons, why they build their settlements where they do, and so on. Moreover, archaeology has an active role to play in the field of conservation. Heritage studies constitutes a developing field, where it is realized that the worl d’s cultural heritage is a diminishing resource which holds different meanings for different people.If, then archaeology deals with the past, in what way does it differ from history? In the broadest sense, just as archaeology is an aspect of anthropology, so too is it a part of history —where wemean the whole history of humankind from its beginnings over three million years ago. Indeed, for more than ninety-nine percent of that huge span of time, archaeology —the study of past material culture —is the only significant source of information. Conventional historical sources begin only with the introduction of written records around 3000 BC in western Asia, and much later in most other parts of the world.A commonly drawn distinction is between pre-history, i.e. the period before written records —and history in the narrow sense, meaning the study of the past using written evidence. To archaeology, which studies all cultures and periods, whether with or without writing, the distinction between history and pre-history is a convenient dividing line that recognizes the importance of the written word, but in no way lessens the importance of the useful information contained in oral histories.Since the aim of archaeology is the understanding of humankind, it is a humanistic study, and since it deals with the human past, it is a historical discipline. But it differs from the study of written history in a fundamental way. The material the archaeologist finds does not tell us directly what to think. Historical records make statements, offer opinions and pass judgments. The objects the archaeologists discover, on the other hand, tell us nothing directly in themselves. In this respect, the practice of the archaeologist is rather like that of the scientist, who collects data, conducts experiments, formulates a hypothesis, tests the hypothesis against more data, and then, in conclusion, devises a model that seems best to summarize the pattern observed in the data. The archaeologist has to develop a picture of the past, just as the scientist has to develop a coherent view of the natural world.Questions 14—19Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 2?In boxes 14—19 on your answer sheet writeYES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writerNO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writerNOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this14 Archaeology involves creativity as well as careful investigative work.15 Archaeologists must be able to translate texts from ancient languages.16 Movies give a realistic picture of the work of archaeologists.17 Anthropologists define culture in more than one way.18 Archaeology is a more demanding field of study than anthropology.19 The history of Europe has been documented since 3,000 BC.Questions 20 and 21Choose TWO letters A—E.W rite your answers in boxes 20 and 21 on your answer sheet. The list below gives some statements about anthropology. Which TWO statements are mentioned by the writer of the text?A It is important for government planners.B It is a continually growing field of study.C It often involves long periods of fieldwork.D It is subdivided for study purposes.E It studies human evolutionary patterns.Questions 22 and 23Choose TWO letters A—E.W rite your answers in boxes 22 and 23 on your answer sheet. The list belowgives some of the tasks of an archaeologist. Which TWO of these tasks arementioned by the writer of the text?A examining ancient waste sites to investigate dietB studying cave art to determine its significanceC deducing reasons for the shape of domestic buildingsD investigating the way different cultures make and use objects.E examining evidence for past climate changesQuestions 24—27Complete the summary of the last two paragraphs of Reading Passage 2. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. W rite your answers in boxes 24—27 on your answer sheet.Much of the work of archaeologists can be done using written records but they find 24 equally valuable. The writer describes archaeology as both a 25 and a 26 . However, as archaeologists do not try to influence human behavior, the writer compares their style of working to that of a 27 .READING P ASSAGE 3Y ou should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28—40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 on the following pages.The Problem of Scarce ResourcesSection AThe problem of how health-care resources should be allocated or apportioned, so that they are distributed in both the most just and most efficient way, is not a new one. Every health system in an economically developed society is faced with the need to decide (either formally or informally) what proportion of the community’s total resources should be spent on health-care; how resources are to be apportioned; what diseases and disabilities and which forms of treatment are to be given priority; which members of the community are to be given special consideration in respect of their health needs; and which forms of treatment are the most cost-effective.Section BWhat is new is that, from the 1950s onwards, there have been certain general changes in outlook about the finitude of resources as a whole and of health-care resources in particular, as well as more specific changes regarding the clientele of health-care resources and the cost to the community of those resources. Thus, in the 1950s and 1960s, there emerged an awareness in W estern societies that resources for the provision of fossil11fuel energy were finite and exhaustible and that the capacity of nature or the environment to sustain economic development and population was also finite. In other words, we became aware of the obvious fact that there were ‘limits to growt h’. The new consciousness that there were also severe limits to health-care resources was part of this general revelation of the obvious. Looking back, it now seems quite incredible that in the national health systems that emerged in many counties in the years immediately after the 1939—45 W orld W ar, it was assumed without question that all the basic health needs of any community could be satisfied, at least in principle; the ‘inv isible hand ’ of economic progress would provide.Section CHowever, at exactly the same time as this new realization of the finite character of health-care resources was sinking in, an awareness of a contrary kind was developing in W estern societies: that people have a basic right to health-care as a necessary condition of a proper human life. Like education, political and legal processes and institutions, public order, communication, transport and money supply , health-care came to be seen as one of the fundamental social facilities necessary for people to exercise their other rights as autonomous human beings. People are not in a position to exercise personal liberty and to be self-determining if they are poverty-stricken, or deprived of basic education, or do not live within a context of law and order . In the same way , basic health-care is a condition of the exercise of autonomy .12Section DAlthough the language of ‘r ights ’ sometimes leads to confusion, by the late 1970s it was recognized in most societies that people have a right to health-care (though there has been considerable resistance in the United States to the idea that there is a formal right to health-care). It is also accepted that this right generates an obligation or duty for the state to ensure that adequate health-care resources are provided out of the public purse. The state has no obligation to provide a health-care system itself, but to ensure that such a system is provided. Put another way , basic health-care is now recognized as a ‘public good ’, rather than a ‘pr ivate goo d’ that one is expected to buy for oneself. As the 1976 declaration of the W orld Health Organization put it: ‘The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.’ As has just been remarked, in a liberal society basic health is seen as one of the indispensable conditions for the exercise of personal autonomy .Section EJust at the time when it became obvious that health-care resources could not possibly meet the demands being made upon them, people were demanding that their fundamental right to health-care be satisfied by the state. The second set of more specific changes that have led to the present concern about the distribution of health-care resources stems from the dramatic rise in health costs in most OECD ① countries, accompanied by large-scale demographic and social changes which havemeant, to take one example, that elderly people are now major (and relatively veryexpensive) consumers of health-care resources. Thus in OECD countries as a whole, health costs increased from 3.8% of GDP②in 1960 to 7% of GDP in 1980, and it has been predicted that the proportion of health costs to GDP will continue to increase. (In the US the current figure is about 12% of GDP, and in Australia about 7.8% of GDP.)As a consequence, during the 1980s a kind of doomsday scenario (analogous to similar doomsday extrapolations about energy needs and fossil fuels or about population increases) was projected by health administrators, economists and politicians. In this scenario, ever-rising health costs were matched against static ordeclining resources.1314Questions 28—31Reading Passage 3 has five sections A —E .Choose the correct heading for section A and C —E from the list of headings below . W rite the correct number i —viii in the boxes 28—31 on your answer sheet.i The connection between health-care and other human rightsii The development of market-based health systemsiii The role of the state in health-careiv A problem shared by every economically developed countryv The impact of recent changevi The views of the medical establishmentviiThe end of an illusion viiiSustainable economic development28 Section A29 Section C30 Section D31 Section E15 Questions 32-35Classify the following as first occurringA between 1945 and 1950B between 1950 and 1980C after 1980W rite the correct letter A, B or C in boxes 32—35 on your answer sheet.32 the realization that the resources of the national health systems were limited.33 a sharp rise in the cost of healthcare34 a belief that all the health-care resources the community needed would be produced by economic growth35 an acceptance of the role of the state in guaranteeing the provision of health-care Questions 36—40Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?In boxes 36—40 on your answer sheet writeYES if the statement agrees with the views of the writerNO if the statement contradicts the views of the writerNOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this36 Personal liberty and independence have never been regarded as directlylinked to health-care.37 Health-care came to be seen as a right at about the same time that the limitsof health-care resources became evident.38 In OECD countries population changes have had an impact on health-carecosts in recent years.39 OECD governments have consistently underestimated the level ofhealth-care provision needed.40 In most economically developed countries the elderly will have to makespecial provision for their health-care in the future.16。