1

  All of us rely on what we see. We say to ourselves, "I know, I was there; I saw it happen" and that seems to settle the matter. Or does it? Can we really trust the evidence of our eyes?
  Take competitive sports. Fans who see the same game will not agree with each other and will disagree with the referee. "He was out of bounds when he caught the pass," says one fan. Says another, "You're crazy. I saw it with my own eyes. He was five feet in bounds. You must be blind." The referee rules that the receiver did step out of bounds. But thousands of fans are still not convinced - because they were there!
  It's the same story in the courtroom. Trial procedure depends on witnesses giving sworn testimony(证词). But just how reliable is the testimony of a person who reports what he has seen? In a recent study, ten thousand witnesses were asked to describe the man they saw commit a crime. The study reveals that, on the average, the witnesses overestimated the man's height by five inches, his age by eight years, and gave the wrong hair color in 83 percent of the cases. These witnesses didn't play tricks on them!
  What can we do to keep error to minimum? First of all, don't let your emotions interfere with your vision. Don't see something because you want to see it. Secondly, try to stay relaxed. If you are tense, you are liable to see red when the color is blue. And finally, it helps to make notes of what you see. Don't rely on your memory alone. Take pictures, make recordings, and use any other aid to reduce distortion.

1. The best statement of the main idea of this passage is that _________.
A. all of us rely on what we see
B. sworn witnesses and sports fans rarely give accurate descriptions of what they see
C. we can't completely trust the evidence of our eyes
D. eyewitnesses are unreliable

2. The passage suggests that fans at sports events _________.
A. are swayed(支配) by emotion
B. don't trust the referee
C. lie about what they see
D. have no respect for the truth

3. Statistical studies show that _________.
A. courtroom testimony only confuses the jury
B. in 83 percent of the cases, witnesses overestimate age by eight years
C. witnesses are remarkably accurate
D. testimony of people reporting what they see is often unreliable

4. The word "them" in the last line of paragraph 3 refers to _________.
A. the eyes of the witnesses
B. the sworn testimony given by the witnesses
C. the members of the jury
D. the height, age and hair color of the criminal

5. To keep visual error to a minimum, all of the following are necessary EXCEPT _________.
A. to stay calm
B. to get close for a better look
C. not to let your emotions interfere
D. to make notes of what you see

2

  In order to learn a foreign language well, it is necessary to overcome the fear of making mistakes. If the primary goal of language use is communication, the mistakes are secondary considerations that may be dealt with gradually as awareness of those mistakes increases. On the other hand, students should not ignore their mistakes. The language learner may observe how native speakers express themselves, and how native expressions differ from the way the learner might say them. For example, a Spanish speaker who has been saying " I do it" to express willingness to do something in the immediate future, could, by interacting with native speakers of English, observe that native speakers actually say "I'll do it." The resulting discrepancy(差异) can serve as a basis for the student to modify his way of using the present tense in English. But a student who is unwilling to interact in the first place would lose this opportunity to learn by trial and error.

6. According to the passage, foreign language students should not worry too much about making mistakes because ___________.
A. native speakers will ignore their mistakes
B. everyone makes mistakes when trying to communicate in a strange language
C. communication is the primary goal of language learning
D. native speakers like foreign students who try to learn their language

7. According to the passage, the present tense in English is ___________.
A. not used to express a desire to do something in the immediate future
B. used with some verbs but not with others to express future intention
C. basically the same in English as it is in Spanish
D. not the most difficult problem for foreign students

8. The author thinks that language learners can reduce the number of their mistakes by ___________.
A. asking native speakers for explanations
B. reading good books in the foreign language
C. comparing their speech with that of native speakers
D. speaking without regard to native speakers

9. The passage implies that foreign students who do not interact with native speakers will not ___________.
A. learn very much about the foreign culture
B. learn about the history of the foreign language
C. have to worry about making mistakes
D. take advantage of available language models

10. The author's major conclusion about the function of mistakes in foreign language learning is that ___________.
A. mistake are not important in the process of learning a language
B. making mistakes can help the learner discover the rules of the language
C. learners are often very afraid of making mistakes
D. mistakes do not interfere with communication

3

  Data form the pioneer spacecraft of the Nation Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) apparently prove theory that the searing 900-degree Fahrenheit surface temperature of Venus is due to an atmospheric greenhouse effect caused mainly by a blanket of carbon dioxide. Such a greenhouse effect is created when energy in the form of sunlight easily passes through a planet's atmosphere, warms its surface, and is converted to heat radiation that is then held in by the atmosphere from top to bottom, enabling NASA's scientists to establish the exact amount of sunlight absorbed at various  places in the planet's atmosphere and on its surface. Measurements of atmosphere composition, temperature profiles(变化曲线), and radiative heating predicted Venus' surface temperature very accurately. The planet is closer to the Sun than is Earth, and it has a relatively thin atmosphere like Earth's, but Venus' atmosphere consists of more than ninety percent carbon dioxide, compared to less than four percent in that of Earth. Because of its higher percentage of carbon dioxide, Venus'  atmosphere traps much more heat radiation than does Earth's. Thus, the Venus studies are believed to be important to the understanding of possible adverse(不利的) effects on Earth's agriculture and sea levels that could result from the long-term use of fossil fuels, which add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

11. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. A New Theory
B. Measuring Planetary Temperatures
C. The Voyage of Pioneer Spacecraft
D. The Greenhouse Effect on Venus

12. According to the passage, what happens to heat radiation on Venus?
A. It is neutralized at the planet's surface.
B. It is trapped by the atmosphere
C. It creates energy
D. It circulate evenly.

13. According to the passage, how does the atmosphere of Venus differ from that of Earth?
A. It contain much more carbon dioxide.
B. It hold significantly less moisture.
C. It is four percent thinner.
D. It traps less heat radiation.

14. From the passage it can be inferred that the burning of fossil fuel on Earth may cause ____________.
A. more carbon dioxide to enter sea water
B. more sunlight to reach the Earth's surface
C. the atmosphere to become thinner
D. the planet's temperature to change

15. According to the passage, data from the Venus study can be used to _________.
A. predict changes in the planet's orbit
B. predict future agricultural problems on Earth
C. test the efficiency of a spacecraft
D. test a theory about more efficient greenhouse

4

  About 70 million Americans are trying to lose weight. This is almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States. Some people go on diets. This means they eat less of certain foods, especially fats and sugars. Other people exercise with special equipment, take diet pills, or even have surgery. Losing weight is hard work, and it can also cost a lot of money. So why do so many people in the United States want to lose weight?
  Many people in the United States worry about not looking young and attractive. For many people, looking good also means being thin. Other people worry about their health. Many doctors say being overweight is not healthy. But are Americans really fat?
  Almost 30 million Americans weight at least 20 percent more than their ideal weight. In fact, the United States is the most overweight country in the world. "The stored fat of adult Americans weighs 2.3 trillion pounds," says University of Massachusetts anthropologist(人类学家) George Amelagos. He says burning off that stored energy would produce enough power for 900,000 cars to go 12,000 miles.
  Losing weight is hard work, but most people want to find a fast and easy way to take off fat. Bookstores sell lots of diet books. These books tell readers how to lose weight. Each year, dozens of new books like these are written. Each one promises to get rid of fat.

16. Which of following is not mentioned as a way of losing weight?
A. To eat less fats and sugars.
B. To take much exercise.
C. To have surgery.
D. To work hard.

17. Many Americans are trying to lose weight because ______________.
A. they want to look attractive
B. they want to keep fit
C. they are misled by doctors
D. both A and B

18. The figures given in the third paragraph suggest _____________.
A. Americans are dependent on cars
B. cars consume a lot of energy
C. Americans need losing weight
D. excess of fat can be a source of energy

19. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____________.
A. diet books are not always effective
B. diet books are usually helpful
C. there are lots of ways of losing promises
D. bookstores are keeping their promises

20. It can be concluded from the passage that __________.
A. people think too much of their appearance
B. there is not a sure way of losing weight as yet
C. surgery is the fastest way of losing weight
D. going on diet is a safe way of losing weight

5

  The income tax deadline approaches and some taxpayers' thoughts turn to it. Test time approaches and some students' thoughts turn to it.
  "You want something you can't get by behaving within the rules, and you want it badly enough you'll do it regardless of any guilt or deep regret, and you're willing to run the risk of being caught." That's how Ladd Wheeler, psychology professor at the University of Rochester in New York, defines cheating.
  Many experts believe cheating is on the rise. "We're suffering a moral breakdown." Pinkard says, "We're seeing more of the kind of person who regards the world as a series of things to be dealt whit. Whether to cheat depends on whether it's in the person's interest." He does, however, see less cheating among the youngest students.
  Richard Diensbier, psychology professor at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, believes that society's attitudes account for much of the upsurge(增长) in cheating.
  "Twenty years ago, if a person cheated in college, society said: That is extremely serious, you will be dropped for a semester if not kicked out permanently." he says. "Nowadays, at the University of Nebraska, for example, it is the stated policy of the College of Arts and Sciences that if a student cheats on an exam, the student must receive an "F" on what he cheated on. That's nothing. If you're going to flunk anyway, why not cheat?"
  "Cheating is most likely in situation where the vital interests are higher and the chances of getting caught are low," says social psychologist Lynn Kahle of the University of Oregon in Eugen.

21. The passage centers on ____________.
A. convincing the reader that cheating is immoral
B. discussing the reasons for cheating
C. describing how students cheat on exam
D. discussing how to control cheating

22. Cheating tends to occur when __________.
A. one wants something in a right way
B. one can't get something in a right way
C. it is not very likely to be revealed
D. a series of things have to be dealt with

23. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. It is forgivable to cheat unless money is involved.
B. These has been an increase in cheating.
C. Most cheaters are college students.
D. Cheaters do not feel guilty and regretful.

24. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Cheating is widespread because society is too tolerant.
B. Cheating is the result of intense pressure.
C. Cheating is cheating, whether on a test or on any other occasions.
D. Cheating comes together with civilization.

25. The word "flunk" could best be replaced by which of the  following?
A. Fear.
B. Success.
C. Be pleased.
D. Fail.

参考答案：

1. C  2. A  3. D  4. D  5. B
6. C  7. A  8. C  9. D  10. B
11. D  12. B  13. A  14. D  15. B
16. D  17. D  18. C  19. A  20. B
21. B  22. C  23. B  24. A  25. D