2011一模各区英语阅读CD篇

1 阅读理解练习 （A） （燕山）A new TV play in England, Away from it all, has surprised everyone by becoming a success with young people across the country. Its success is surprising because the main character(主角) in the play is a sheep boy, and the play is about the relaxing lifestyles of people who live in the country. There is none of the action that we usually see on TV today. There are also no stressful（紧张） moments, busy offices or crowded cities. Away from it all is set in the English countryside and tells simple stories about people‟s kindness. The director（导演） of the TV play says that its success is a sign of teenagers suffering from stress. They say that watching Away from it all helps teenagers forget about the pressures（压力） of exams and homework, and the troubles that fill the world today. They also say that it‟s a good sign of today‟s young people turning to happier TV plays as it shows they would like a happier and healthier world. Although the play success might have a good side, many teachers and parents are worried, however. They say that some of their students and children are becoming couch（沙发） potatoes and are using Away from it all as an excuse for not doing homework. Some children have even refused to learn for exams because they say that they can be happy without exams. One mother, Lucy Linney, talks about her son Patrick. “Before he started watching Away from it all he loved working hard and did volunteer work every afternoon. But now he has become a couch potato. He turns on TV when he gets home from school and only turns it off when he goes to bed at midnight. His grades have dropped and he no longer volunteers but he says it doesn‟t matter as he wants his life to „get away from it all‟.” And what do the experts(专家) say? Paula Ray, a doctor of education, says that TV can influence children‟s lifestyles. But she says that if a child reacts as strongly as Patrick, it‟s likely that there are other reasons for his change in behavior（行为）. She says that there is nothing wrong with watching Away from it all but suggests that parents should make sure their children know TV is not the same as real life. ( ) 52. The success of the new TV play is surprising because ________. A. it has a good side B. it is the same as other TV plays C. it is about the English countryside D. it is not interesting ( ) 53. The success of the play shows that young people would like ________. A. a world with no exams and homework B. happier TV plays C. a happier and healthier world D. relaxing jobs like a sheep boy ( ) 54. Who are worried about the effects of the play? ________. A. Young people B. Teachers and experts C. Teachers and parents D. Young people and parents ( ) 55. What does “get away from it all” mean? _________. A. To get away from one‟s parents B. To move away from home C. To get away from everything that is stressful D. To stop doing your homework （B） ( 怀柔)It is sometimes said that the English are polite people. This can make life difficult for foreigners. Suppose a foreign boy asks an English girl to go out with him and she says, "If I finish my work, I‟ll meet you in the cafe at 7 o'clock." Is she saying "yes" or "no" to his invitation? In grammatical terms, she is using the conditional structure(表示条件的句式). By using the conditional, speakers of English can avoid giving a "yes" or "no" answer to a question. It enables people to be diplomatic(婉转的). If the girl doesn't want to go out with the boy, she won't appear at the cafe. She will let him understand she is still working. If she wants to go out with him, but doesn‟t want to appear too easy to catch, she has achieved (达到) that with her reply. Here she uses the first conditional which shows probability. It seems that she will go to the cafe. Being polite can make life very difficult! 2

The conditional is often used by people like politicians (政客), for example，who wish to avoid speaking out their ideas. This is very important if they are on their way to discuss an agreement. No one wants to give away his or her points before he or she starts. A government spokesman might say to a group of workers, "If we could pay you more, we would." The use of the conditional here makes room for argument although the speaker is using the second conditional form, which shows improbability. So it is unlikely the workers will get their rise. "If" is a small word, which often appears in the English language. It can show politeness, reported speech and conditionals such as the First--probability--if I can come to your party, I will; the Second--improbability--if I saw you tomorrow, I would give you the book; and the Third--impossibility (meaning it is too late to change something that has happened)--if you have told me, I would have helped you. ( ) 52. The using of the conditional can make a speech ______. A. clearer B. quicker C. more polite D. more exciting ( ) 53. According to the passage, “If it doesn‟t rain tomorrow, I will go with you” means ______. A. I will go with you tomorrow B. I won‟t go with you until it rains tomorrow C. I may go with you tomorrow D. I won‟t go with you tomorrow ( ) 54. In the passage, “If we could pay you more, we would.” probably means _______. A. the workers will make more money B. the spokesman doesn't give any promise C. the spokesman keeps his word （履行诺言） D. the workers' problems aren't difficult ( ) 55. This passage is mainly talking about ______. A. the conditional in communication B. how to invite a girl in Britain C. British people and their life D. some language points in daily English （C） （宣武）LONDON — A morning‟s train rides away, across the Channel, English kids talk about Liverpool‟s soccer team in a Paris pub. Some Parisians have even started to go to work in London. In the 19th century, Charles Dickens compared the two great rival cities, London and Paris, in “A Tale of Two Cities (双城记).” These days, it might be A Tale of One City. These days Parisians probably smile in sympathy at a visitor‟s broken French and reply in polite English. As it became harder to find jobs at home over recent years, perhaps 250,000 Frenchmen moved across the Channel. With an undersea tunnel, they could travel between cities in three hours. The European Union freed them from immigration and customs. Paris, rich in beauty, is more attractive. But London feels more full of life, and more fun until the pubs shut down. “For me, the difference is that London is real, alive,” said Trevor Wheeler, a banker. Chantal Jaouen, a professional designer, agrees. “I am French, but I‟ll stay in London,” she said. There is, of course, the other view. Julie Lenoux is a student who moved to London two years ago. “I think people laugh more in Paris,” she said. In fact, London and Paris, with their obvious new similarities, are beyond the old descriptions. As the European Union gave them more and more freedom, Londoners flocked into Paris to shop, eat and buy houses. “Both cities have changed beyond recognition.” said Larry Collins, a writer and sometimes a Londoner. Like most people who know both well, he finds the two now fit together comfortably. “I first fell in love with Paris in the 1950s, and it is still a wonderful place,” Collins said. “But if I had to choose, it would be London. Things are so much more ordered, and life is better.” But certainly not cheaper.