one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
Rugby looks like a mixture of soccer and American football. In Rugby, players carry the ball, kick the ball and tackle (拦截抢球) one another. Men, women and children play it in more than 120 countries.
Legend says rugby was invented in 1823 at a school in the town of Rugby, England. One of the school’s students, a young man named William Webb Ellis, was playing in a soccer match. But he got bored with just kicking the ball, so he picked it up and ran with it. Before long, this new way of playing soccer became popular at the school. When the school’s students finished their studies, they moved to other parts of Britain, taking the new game, which they called rugby, with them. Before long, they and others established rugby clubs throughout Britain and in British colonies around the world.
By the 1870s, there were many rugby clubs in Britain and elsewhere, but they weren’t all playing rugby the same way. To solve this problem, representatives from twenty-two teams met and agreed on official rugby regulations. They also founded an association of rugby teams, called the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Today,Rugby Union World Cup tournaments are held every four years. The first one occurred in 1987 with Australia and New Zealand hosting. The next World Cup will happen in 2015 and will be hosted by England. Thousands of fans will travel to attend the matches and cheer on their favorite teams. Believe it or not, not one team who’s won the Rugby World Cup has managed to win the next World Cup! But players and fans don’t mind. They just enjoy the game. 66. What is this article mainly about?
A. An institution for disabled youngsters. B. An activity which provides recreation. C. A yearly competition with huge prizes. D. A community with an interesting history.
67. What did William Webb Ellis do differently? A. He kicked the ball repeatedly. B. He beat balls after matches. C. He held the ball in his hands. D. He threw the ball really well. 68. What did the clubs finally confirm in the 1870s? A. A united legal defense B. Plans for new stadiums C. Standard rules of play D. Backing for other sports
69. What does this article tell us about the Rugby Union World Cup? A. How frequently it takes place B. How mechanical it’s become C. How officials plan to change it D. How well journalists cover it
(B)
The Internet of Things (IoT) aims to get everything and everyone talking. Attaching sensors to “things”, such as cows, cars and refrigerator, and then assigning them unique IP addresses allow
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them to “talk” to the Internet. Of course, the IoT will involve much more than a handful of sensors. Networking company Cisco estimates that 50 billion Internet-connected devices and objects will be sending over data by 2020.
Specific Benefits The IoT will allow people to track things and processes like never before. Airplane manufacturers will be able to continuously track the condition of airplane parts, allowing them to do preventive maintenance and avoid costly downtime. Consumers could install smart meters in their homes to monitor energy usage and observe energy price changes in real time. That would allow people to adjust their habits and use electrical appliances during lower-priced hours. Some Fears Some critics fear that the IoT could end up being a fashion that people lose interest in over time. Having Twitter feeds on refrigerator doors may sound cool at first, but the attraction could fade as quickly as the excitement over last year’s smartphone! Other critics are doubtful that companies making Internet-connected appliances will provide long-term software updates. If that happens, a refrigerator or washing machine that should last 10 years or more could last two or three due to software that’s outdated. A Positive Example Early this year, owners of the Tesla Model S electric car received a recall notice alerting them to a charger plug needing to be fixed. Amazingly, owners of the Model S sat back while the company performed an “over the air” wireless update. Customers confirmed the update by tapping on the car’s touchscreen console to see that the Model S was running the latest software version. No trip to the dealer was required! Perhaps Tesla’s remote fix is a sign of things to come. Someday soon, people’s lives might become a lot more efficient and convenient thanks to the IoT. 70. How do researchers get everything and everyone talking? A. By establishing the IoT and launching a handful of sensors.
B. By connecting sensors with them and appointing them unique IP addresses. C. By communicating with them all the time through the IoT.
D. By sending people to track them day and night and collect useful data.
71. According to the article, which of the following is NOT TRUE? A. IoT can help people do preventive maintenance and save money.
B. IoT can help people monitor energy usage and observe price changes timely. C. IoT can help people adjust their habits and use electrical appliances more smartly. D. IoT can help people investigate things and update a lot of important data.
72. What else do critics worry about the IoT besides its probably ending up being a fashion? A. People will lose interest in it as quickly as the thrill over last year’s smartphone.
B. Refrigerators and washing machines will be replaced by other devices in a few years. C. Whether related companies will provide long-term software updates or not. D. The software provided by companies will be outdated easily and quickly.
73. According to the passage, when owners of the Tesla Model S electric received a recall notice, they ______.
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A. just waited in the car while the maintenance is being done through wireless update B. were required to go to the nearest 4s store to make some adjustments or repairs C. could definitely depend on the IoT to send them the charger plug to be fixed
D. had to confirm the update with the help of the equipment provided by the company
( C )
The $19 billion that Facebook Inc. is paying for a smartphone application made jaws drop, even in Silicon Valley.
But analysts say the purchase of WhatsApp could pay off for Facebook as it takes on Google Inc. and other technology giants in the race to be the next big thing in mobile.
The battle for mobile
Technology giants are fighting for their future as consumers switch their loyalties from personal computers to mobile devices. By 2015, 5 billion people are expected to be carrying around the tiny computers in their pockets.
As a result, quick startups that have outpaced their grown-up rivals in building popular mobile services have become takeover targets.
Just last year Facebook offered $3 billion for Los Angeles-based messaging company Snapchat, but was turned down. WhatsApp, a tiny California company, was a far bigger prize.
With 450 million users, WhatsApp is the market leader in mobile messaging. Chief Executive Jan Koum says his company’s goal from the start was “to be on every single smartphone in the world.”
Facebook is betting WhatsApp can help it go beyond competitors in messaging, the new communication medium of choice.
Survival at stake (在紧急关头)
The stakes could not be higher for Facebook. More people are communicating on their mobile devices rather than sending information to hundreds of friends on social networks. Its very survival depends on its ability to obtain the new ways people are connecting and sharing.
By that logic, the price Facebook is paying for WhatsApp isn’t so bubbly (多泡的), said David Wessels, a finance professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
“As a stand-alone company, WhatsApp is clearly not worth $19 billion, period,” Wessels said. “But by no means would I consider this unreasonable. Would you give away 10 percent of your company to extend the life of your company?” A wise investment?
At first, Facebook investors did experience what analyst Arvind Bhatia called “sticker shock” after learning that Facebook planned to pay $19 billion for WhatsApp, a company that had declared it had no plans to make money any time soon.
But investors quickly neglected concerns. Shares of Facebook briefly hit a record high the day after the sale was announced.
Facebook is certainly not alone in placing sky-scraping evaluations on unproven startups, analysts say.
Blogging service Tumblr sold to Yahoo Inc. for more than $1 billion. Dozens more startups are valued at $1 billion or more.
Facebook is quick to point out that WhatsApp reached 450 million users faster than any company in history.
74. The phrase “take on” in the second paragraph most probably means ______. A. show off B. compete with C. cooperate with D. object to
[来源学科网ZXXK] 8
75. Why do the technology giants start the battle for mobile according to the passage? A. Because they all want to become number one in the field of technology. B. Because all of them wish every customer to use tiny computers. C. Because consumers prefer mobile devices to computers. D. Because mobile devices are the latest technology at present. 76. According to the passage, what does the author imply? A. Facebook’s decision is correct and reasonable. B. Facebook’s decision is incorrect and unreasonable. C. Facebook’s decision is acceptable but unreasonable. D. Facebook’s decision is bright but adventurous.
77. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Revolutionary about Mobile Devices B. Facebook Inc. and WhatsApp C. How Technology Giants Grow D. What’s Up with WhatsApp Section C
Directions: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.
For senior adviser Kathryn Cramer, author of Lead Positive: What Highly Effective Leaders See, Say, and Do, the best way to inspire followers is to focus on the positive. Cramer developed a methodology called Asset-Based Thinking (ABT) based on this message of positive thinking, and describes in her book how leaders:
? see the positive in the past, present and future;
? say the positive with communications with substance, enthusiasm and soul;
? do the positive by responding with intention (not reacting), using their qualities and driving
positive change over the long term.
The see-say-do framework is at the heart of Cramer’s Asset-Based Thinking methodology, which offers a comprehensive framework for leaders to respond to a wide variety of challenges and situations. In Lead Positive, Cramer describes a range of ABT techniques and guidelines for applying the framework.
The “force field analysis”, for example, is a technique used to learn from a past situation that successfully worked, and is built around four questions:
? “What forces were working for us?” With this question, you should identify five positive,
promoting forces, Cramer writes.
? “What forces were working against us?” This question should lead to one or two negative
forces.
? “What did we do to use the promoting forces and eliminate or sidestep the negative forces?” ? “What behavior do we want to repeat and knowledge do we want to carry forward? Which
situational assets do we want to recreate, and which situational traps must we avoid?”
These questions will give the leader and his or her team a clear memory of how they used positive “situational forces” and overcame negative ones to achieve success. Cramer’s force field analysis is both informational and inspiring.
One of the recurring (一再出现) approaches in Cramer’s ABT methodology is the
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Self-Other-Situation framework, in which leaders take into account themselves, others and the situation in question. For example, to help leaders “see” the positive in the present, Cramer writes that they need to consider what makes them feel strong and capable, how they develop meaningful connections with other people, and what gives them a sense of progress or achievement .
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS.) 78. What is the highlight of Cramer’s ABT technique?
79. The “force field analysis” can help leaders _________________________________________. 80. How does the author like Cramer’s force field analysis?
81. In Self-Others-Situation framework, leaders should __________________________________.
第II卷 （共47分）
I. Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 1. 你能告诉我你热衷于网络游戏的原因吗？(crazy)
2. 令大家满意的是政府采取的措施比预期更有效。(measure)
3. 谈到向别人表达感谢时，除了“谢谢”外，还有许多更有创意的方式。(come)
4. 对于一再挑战极限的人来说，冒险是一种生活方式。(challenge)
5. 任何人仅凭背单词是不可能考出好成绩的，更不用说具有和老外交流的能力了。(Only)
II. Guided Writing
Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
87. 目前，在网上购物的人越来越多，有人说在网上购物比在实体店购物优势多，有人说还是在实体店购物好。请写一篇文章阐明你的观点。你的文章必须包括：
? 简要介绍两种购物方式的不同之处 ? 你喜欢哪种购物方式？为什么？
参考答案：
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1-10 CABAC CDDCB 11-16 DBA BAA
17. Japanese 18. interesting 19. culture 20. business
21. Customs officer 22. a business conference 23. A week 24. open her bag
25. coming 26. was listening 27. before 28. who 29. when 30. memorized 31. nothing 32. ranging 33. the youngest
34. must 35. an 36. to improve 37. in 38. teaching 39. have been denied / are denied 40. that
41-45 FDJBH 46-50 IGCEA
51-55 BACDD 56-60 ACBAD 61-65 BCACD 66-69 BCCA 70-73 BDCA 74-77 BCAD 78. The see-say-do framework.
79. use positive forces and overcome negative ones to achieve success 80. Both informational and inspiring.
81. consider themselves, others and the situation in question
82. Can you tell me the reason why you are so crazy about online games?
83. To the satisfaction of all people, the measures taken by the government are more effective than expected.
84. When it comes to thanking people, there are many more creative ways besides “thank you”. 85. Risk-taking is a way of life for those who repeatedly challenge the limits.
86. Only by reciting words is it impossible for anyone to get a good grade in the exam, not to mention the ability to communicate with foreigners.
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