specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者) listed ―to give children a good start academically‖ as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The vast majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.
In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.
Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children‘s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.
16. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.
A) Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents B) Japan‘s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements C) Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction D) Japan‘s higher education is superior to theirs
17. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to ________. A) problem solving B) group experience C) parental guidance
D) individually-oriented development
18. In Japan‘s preschool education, the focus is on ________. A) preparing children academically
B) developing children‘s artistic interests C) tapping children‘s potential D) shaping children‘s character
19. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to ________. A) broaden children‘s horizon B) cultivate children‘s creativity C) lighten children‘s study load D) enrich children‘s knowledge
20. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens? A) They can do better in their future studies.
B) They can accumulate more group experience there. C) They can be individually oriented when they grow up.
D) They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.
16. C 17. B 18. D 19. C 20. D
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
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Lead deposits, which accumulated in soil and snow during the 1960‘s and 70‘s, were primarily the result of leaded gasoline emissions originating in the United States. In the twenty years that the Clean Air Act has mandated unleaded gas use in the United States, the lead accumulation worldwide has decreased significantly.
A study published recently in the journal Nature shows that air-borne leaded gas emissions from the United States were the leading contributor to the high concentration of lead in the snow in Greenland. The new study is a result of the continued research led by Dr. Charles Boutron, an expert on the impact of heavy metals on the environment at the National Center for Scientific Research in France. A study by Dr. Boutron published in 1991 showed that lead levels in arctic (北极的) snow were declining.
In his new study, Dr. Boutron found the ratios of the different forms of lead in the leaded gasoline used in the United States were different from the ratios of European, Asian and Canadian gasolines and thus enabled scientists to differentiate (区分) the lead sources. The dominant lead ratio found in Greenland snow matched that found in gasoline from the United States. In a study published in the journal Ambio, scientists found that lead levels in soil in the Northeastern United States had decreased markedly since the introduction of unleaded gasoline.
Many scientists had believed that the lead would stay in soil and snow for a longer period.
The authors of the Ambio study examined samples of the upper layers of soil taken from the same sites of 30 forest floors in New England, New York and Pennsylvania in 1980 and in 1990. The forest environment processed and redistributed the lead faster than the scientists had expected.
Scientists say both studies demonstrate that certain parts of the ecosystem (生态系统) respond rapidly to reductions in atmospheric pollution, but that these findings should not be used as a license to pollute. 21. The study published in the journal Nature indicates that ________. A) the Clean Air Act has not produced the desired results B) lead deposits in arctic snow are on the increase C) lead will stay in soil and snow longer than expected
D) the US is the major source of lead pollution in arctic snow
22. Lead accumulation worldwide decreased significantly after the use of unleaded gas in the US ________. A) was discouraged B) was enforced by law C) was prohibited by law D) was introduced
23. How did scientists discover the source of lead pollution in Greenland? A) By analyzing the data published in journals like Nature and Ambio. B) By observing the lead accumulations in different parts of the arctic area.
C) By studying the chemical elements of soil and snow in Northeastern America.
D) By comparing the chemical compositions of leaded gasoline used in various countries. 24. The authors of the Ambio study have found that ________. A) forests get rid of lead pollution faster than expected
B) lead accumulations in forests are more difficult to deal with C) lead deposits are widely distributed in the forests of the US
D) the upper layers of soil in forests are easily polluted by lead emissions 25. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that scientists ________. A) are puzzled by the mystery of forest pollution B) feel relieved by the use of unleaded gasoline C) still consider lead pollution a problem
D) lack sufficient means to combat lead pollution
21. D 22. D 23. D 24. A 25. C
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Passage Four
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive role in long-term maintenance of body weight. Unfortunately, that message has not gotten through to the average American, who would rather try switching to ―light‖ beer and low-calorie bread than increase physical exertion. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults who were trying to shed pounds said they were combining exercise with their diet.
In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too much by caloric-expenditure charts: for example, one would have to briskly walk three miles just to work off the 275 calories in one delicious Danish pastry (小甜饼). Even exercise professionals concede half a point here. ―Exercise by itself is a very tough way to lose weight,‖ says York Onnen, program director of the President‘s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Still, exercise‘s supporting role in weight reduction is vital. A study at the Boston University Medical Center of overweight police officers and other public employees confirmed that those who dieted without exercise regained almost all their old weight, while those who worked exercise into their daily routine maintained their new weight.
If you have been sedentary (极少活动的) and decide to start walking one mile a day, the added exercise could burn an extra 100 calories daily. In a year‘s time, assuming no increase in food intake, you could lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance of your walks gradually and making other dietary adjustments, you may lose even more weight. 26. What is said about the average American in the passage? A) They tend to exaggerate the healthful effect of ―light‖ beer. B) They usually ignore the effect of exercise on losing weight.
C) They prefer ―light‖ beer and low-calorie bread to other drinks and food.
D) They know the factors that play a positive role in keeping down body weight. 27. Some people dislike exercise because ________. A) they think it is physically exhausting
B) they find it hard to exercise while on a diet
C) they don‘t think it possible to walk 3 miles every day
D) they find consulting caloric-expenditure charts troublesome
28. ―Even exercise professionals concede half a point here‖ (Line 3, Para. 2) means ―They ________‖. A) agree that the calories in a small piece of pastry can be difficult to work off by exercise B) partially believe diet plays a supporting role in weight reduction
C) are not fully convinced that dieting can help maintain one‘s new weight D) are not sufficiently informed of the positive role of exercise in losing weight 29. What was confirmed by the Boston University Medical Center‘s study? A) Controlling one‘s calorie intake is more important than doing exercise. B) Even occasional exercise can help reduce weight. C) Weight reduction is impossible without exercise.
D) One could lose ten pounds in a year‘s time if there‘s no increase in food intake. 30. What is the author‘s purpose in writing this article?
A) To justify the study of the Boston University Medical Center. B) To stress the importance of maintaining proper weight. C) To support the statement made by York Onnen. D) To show the most effective way to lose weight.
26. B 27. B 28. A 29. C 30. D
2005.6 Passage 1
Is there enough oil beneath the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (保护区) (ANWR) to help secure America‘s energy future?
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President Bush certainly thinks so. He has argued that tapping ANWR‘s oil would help ease California‘s electricity crisis and provide a major boost to the country‘s energy independence. But no one knows for sure how much crude oil lies buried beneath the frozen earth with the last government survey, conducted in 1998, projecting output anywhere from 3 billion to 16 billion barrels.
The oil industry goes with the high end of the range, which could equal as much as 10% of U.S. consumption for as long as six years. By pumping more than 1 million barrels a day from the reserve for the next two three decades, lobbyists claim, the nation could cut back on imports equivalent to all shipments to the U.S. from Saudi Arabia. Sounds good. An oil boom would also mean a multibillion-dollar windfall (意外之财) in tax revenues, royalties (开采权使用费) and leasing fees for Alaska and the Federal Government. Best of all, advocates of drilling say, damage to the environment would be insignificant. ―We‘ve never had a document case of oil rig chasing deer out onto the pack ice.‖ says Alaska State Representative Scott Ogan.
Not so far, say environmentalists. Sticking to the low end of government estimates, the National Resources Defense Council says there may be no more than 3.2 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil in the coastal plain of ANWR, a drop in the bucket that would do virtually nothing to ease America‘s energy problems. And consumers would wait up to a decade to gain any benefits, because drilling could begin only after much bargaining over leases, environmental permits and regulatory review. As for ANWR‘s impact on the California power crisis, environmentalists point out that oil is responsible for only 1% of the Golden State‘s electricity output—and just 3% of the nation‘s. 21. What does President Bush think of tapping oil in ANWR? A) It will exhaust the nation‘s oil reserves. B) It will help secure the future of ANWR. C) It will help reduce the nation‘s oil imports.
D) It will increase America‘s energy consumption.
22. We learn from the second paragraph that the American oil industry ________. A) believes that drilling for oil in ANWR will produce high yields B) tends to exaggerate America‘s reliance on foreign oil C) shows little interest in tapping oil in ANWR D) expects to stop oil imports from Saudi Arabia
23. Those against oil drilling in ANWR argue that ________. A) it can cause serious damage to the environment B) it can do little to solve U.S. energy problems C) it will drain the oil reserves in the Alaskan region D) it will not have much commercial value
24. What do the environmentalists mean by saying ―Not so fast‖ (Line 1, Para. 3)? A) Oil exploitation takes a long time B) The oil drilling should be delayed C) Don‘t be too optimistic D) Don‘t expect fast returns
25. It can be learned from the passage that oil exploitation beneath ANWR‘s frozen earth ________. A) remains a controversial issue B) is expected to get under way soon
C) involves a lot of technological problems D) will enable the U.S. to be oil independent
21. C 22. A 23. B 24. C 25. A
Passage 2
―Tear ?em apart!‖ ―Kill the fool!‖ ―Murder the referee (裁判)!‖
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These are common remarks one may hear at various sporting events. At the time they are made, they may seem innocent enough. But let‘s not kid ourselves. They have been known to influence behavior in such a way as to lead to real bloodshed. Volumes have been written about the way words affect us. It has been shown that words having certain connotations (含义) may cause us to react in ways quite foreign to what we consider to be our usual humanistic behavior. I see the term ―opponent‖ as one of those words. Perhaps the time has come to delete it from sports terms.
The dictionary meaning of the term ―opponent ―is ―adversary ―: ―enemy ―; ―one who opposes your interests.‖ ―Thus, when a player meets an opponent, he or she may tend to treat that opponent as an enemy. At such times, winning may dominate one‘s intellect, and every action, no matter how gross, may be considered justifiable. I recall an incident in a handball game when a referee refused a player‘s request for a time out for a glove change because he did not considered then wet enough. The player proceeded to rub his gloves across his wet T-shirt and then exclaimed. ―Are they wet enough now?‖
In the heat of battle, players have been observed to throw themselves across the court without considering the consequences that such a move might have on anyone in their way. I have also witnessed a player reacting to his opponent‘s international and illegal blocking by deliberately hitting him with the ball as hard as he could during the course of play. Off the court, they are good friends. Does that make any sense? It certainly gives proof of a court attitude which departs from normal behavior.
Therefore, I believe it is time we elevated (提升) the game to the level where it belongs thereby setting an example to the rest of the sporting world. Replacing the term ―opponent‖ with ―associate‖ could be an ideal way to start.
The dictionary meaning of the term ―associate‖ is ―colleague‖; ―friend‖; ―companion.‖ Reflect a moment! You may soon see and possibly feel the difference in your reaction to the term ―associate‖ rather than ―opponent.‖ 26. Which of the following statements best expresses the author‘s view? A) Aggressive behavior in sports can have serious consequences. B) The words people use can influence their behavior.
C) Unpleasant words in sports are often used by foreign athletes.
D) Unfair judgments by referees will lead to violence on the sports field. 27. Harsh words are spoken during games because the players ________. A) are too eager to win
B) are usually short-tempered and easily offended C) cannot afford to be polite in fierce competition D) treat their rivals as enemies
28. What did the handball player do when he was not allowed a time out to change his gloves? A) He refused to continue the game. B) He angrily hit the referee with a ball. C) He claimed that the referee was unfair.
D) He wet his gloves by rubbing them across his T-shirt.
29. According to the passage, players, in a game, may ________. A) deliberately throw the ball at anyone illegally blocking their way B) keep on screaming and shouting throughout the game C) lie down on the ground as an act of protest D) kick the ball across the court with force
30. The author hopes to have the current situation in sports improved by ________. A) calling on players to use clean language on the court B) raising the referee‘s sense of responsibility
C) changing the attitude of players on the sports field
D) regulating the relationship between players and referees
26. B 27. D 28. D 29. A 30. C
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