英语阅读(二)试题

英语阅读(二)自考题-2(总分100,考试时间90分钟)PART ONEⅠ.Reading ComprehensionDirections: In this part of the test, there are five passages. Following each passage, there are five questions with four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best answer and then write the corresponding letter on your Answer Sheet.Passage OnePeople take to alcohol for one reason or another. But what are the effects of it? It is well-known that alcohol makes people fat and leads to heart and breathing problems which fatness makes worse. It can interfere with normal eating patterns and cause painful stomach disorders. But the part of tile body which is in most danger from alcohol is the liver. Too much drinking can lead to diseases like hepatitis (肝炎) and cirrhosis (肝硬化) of the liver which, in turn, lead to death. But it isn't just the physical working of the body which is affected; the mental function is also damaged. In the short term, this usually involves loss of memory. The long-term consequences involve more serious brain damage.Then there are the psychological problems, those which arise from what is happening in the mind. Alcohol can change an individual's personality. We have seen how, without alcohol, the alcoholic (饮酒过度的人) becomes more nervous, more worded about his problems which may appear much more important than they actually are. His moods may change rapidly and violently. He often feels guilty and sorry for what he has done, but because he has lost control of himself, he continues to behave in a harmful way. In the end, he is unable to cope with even the simplest of his daily responsibilities which, of course, leads to all kinds of social problems.Often the ones who suffer most in such circumstances are not those who have the alcohol problem, but those closest to them—husband, wives and children. They are the family which may be very loving and sympathetic; the stress of having to cope with strain is too much and leads to the break-up of marriages or the abuse of children, which create further psychological and social pressures. The drinker suffers, too, as he watches his normal world fall down around him.1. It can be concluded from the first paragraph that ______.A. every person drinks alcohol for many reasons B. the death of the alcoholic is mostly caused by drinking C. alcohol not only causes heart and breathing problems but makes fatness worse D. taking to alcohol does damage to people both physically and mentally2. Which of the following statements is correct?______A. Alcohol always causes stomach problems. B. Alcohol can't influence people's normal eating patterns. C. All liver problems arise by drinking alcohol. D. Painful stomach disorders are sometimes caused by alcohol.3. The word "them" (Line 2, Para. 3) refers to ______.A. husbands, wives and children B. the ones C. those who have the alcohol problem D. such circumstances4. The sentence "as he watches his normal world fall down around him"(Line 5, Para. 3) means ______.A. he realizes that his life is collapsing but cannot do anything about them B. he is aware of the problems in his life but is unable to do anything about them C. he is far removed from his place in the normal world, which is from distance D. the drinker gets ill and many **e around him5. The best title of the passage is ______.A. Alcohol and Alcoholics B. Alcohol and Its Bad Effects C. Alcoholics and Their Families D. Alcoholics and Their LivesPassage TwoExcept for the Indians, the earliest backpackers in America were frontiersmen, who roamed the wilderness looking either for necessities such as food and water or for sources of wealth such as fur and gold. For them backpacking was a way of survival or a means of achieving what one day would be called the "American Dream".Today, however, many people enjoy backpacking as a recreational activity. Shouldering a pack and leaving behind the world of telephone, television, and traffic promise an exciting experience. Testing one's stamina (耐力) and skills is challenging, and recapturing a sense of one'splace in the natural world can be rewarding. Moreover, backpacking is an activity that can last any length for time and can be enjoyed alone or with friends. Then too, a backpacking trip may be organized within a day or two. The backpacker and his friends have only to decide on their destination and then organize the all-important kit, whose contents they must depend on throughout their trip. A map, compass, a flashlight, along with first aid equipment, food, and extra clothing can be rounded up without much difficulty. Once the backpackers have left word about where they go in a note on the refrigerator door or in a message on an answering machine, they can look forward to an adventure that will lift the spirit and nourish the soul. Their outing will enable them to return in a short time to the age of technology with the courage and independence of Natty Bumppo, who did indeed belong to the age of the frontier.1. The earliest backpackers were ______.A. native Americans B. Indians C. fur traders D. gold miners2. Early backpackers who roamed about in wilderness wanted to ______.A. find the American dream B. find a recreation in life C. relieve the stress of everyday life D. find daily necessities3. One of the advantages of backpacking is that ______.A. it can help people to know the naturebetter B. it is a group activity and can cure a person's loneliness C. it is not so challenging as other activities D. it does not require people to decide on a destination4. What does the word "whose" (Line 7, Para. 2) refer to?______A. The backpacker's. B. His friends'. C. The kit's. D. The backpacker's and his friends'.5. The passage mainly discusses ______.A. the early backpackers B. backpacking as a perfect form of recreation C. how backpacking started D. why people of today are interested in backpackingPassage ThreeThere are two basic differences between the large and the small enterprises. In the small enterprise you operate primarily through personal contacts. In the large enterprise you have established "policies", "channels" of organization, and fairly rigid procedures. In the small enterprise you have, moreover, immediate effectiveness in a very small area. You can see the effect of your work and of your decisions right away, once you are a little above the ground floor. In the large enterprise even the man at the top is only a tiny part in a big machine. To be sure, his actions affect a much greater area than the actions and decisions of the man in the small organization, but his effectiveness is remote, indirect, and difficult to see at first sight. In a small and even in a middle-sized business you are normally exposed to all kinds of experiences, and expected to do a great many things without too much help or guidance. In the large organization you are normally taught one thing thoroughly. In the small one the danger is of becoming a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. In the large one it is of becoming the man who knows more and more about less and less.There is another important thing to consider: do you derive a deep sense of satisfaction from being a member of a well-known organization-General Motors, the Bell Telephone System, the government? Or is it more important to you to be a well-known and important figure within your own small pond? There is basic difference between the satisfaction **es from being a member of a large, powerful, and generally known organization, and the one **es from being a member of a family; between impersonal greatness and personal—often much too personal—intimacy; between life in a small office on the top floor of a skyscraper and life in a crossroads gas station.1. In a small enterprise ______.A. one gets more help from others in doing things than one in a big enterprise B. one usually has more chances of doing different things mostly single-handed C. all the people work secretly D. one can easily get his pay increased2. In a large enterprise ______.A. one's effectiveness is felt slowly B. one becomes famous easily C. the relationships between people are **plicated D. all the people are in high spirits in working3. The expression "a jack-of-all-trades and master of none" (Line 11, Para. 1) probably means ______.A. a person who is expert at everything B. a person who knows nothing about business C. a person who is competent of doing business D. a person who can do manydifferent kinds of work but not necessarily well4. What does the author mean by saying "once you are a little above the ground floor (Line 5, Para.1)"?______A. Once you stand up on the first floor. B. Once you are a little taller than others. C. Once you make some achievements. D. You keep a little high above the ground only one time.5. The second paragraph mainly discusses ______.A. a sense of satisfaction one wants to get from his work B. two basic differences between the large and the small enterprises C. how one becomes a member of a famous organization D. what family life isPassage FourPackaging is an important form of advertising. A package can sometimes motivate someone to buy a product. For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food **es in a box with a picture of a TV character. The child is more interested in the picture than in the breakfast food. Pictures for children to color or cut out, games printed on a package, or small gifts inside a box also motivate many children to buy products or to ask their parents for them.Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing. Food products sold in reusable containers are examples of this. Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free. However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product.The size of a package also motivates a buyer. Maybe the package has "Economy Size" printed on it. This suggests that the large size has the most product for the least money. But that is not always true. To find out, a buyer has to know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit.The information on the package should provide some answers. But the important thing for any buyer to remember is that a package is often an advertisement. The words and pictures do not tell the whole story. Only the product inside can do that.1. Which of the following statements could best summarize the main idea of the passage?______A. Children are interested in some packages of products. B. Package is one of the important ways of advertising. C. People prefer to buy the products in plain containers. D. The size of a package usually motivates a buyer.2. The phrase "a buyer will get something for nothing" (Line 1, Para. 2) probably means ______.A.a buyer will get something free of charge B. a buyer will get something useless C. a buyer will get something useful D. nothing is worth buying3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?______A. Sometimes people are easily motivated by packages. B. Small children sometimes are more interested in games printed on a package than the product itself. C. A product in a reusable container must be cheaper than a similar product in a plain container. D. "Economy Size" doesn't always suggest that people can buy the most product for the least money.4. What does the word "them" (Line 5, Para. 1) refer to?______A. Small gifts. B. Pictures. C. Games. D. Products.5. What does the author imply in the last paragraph?______A. Package is just an advertisement. B. Buyers shouldn't believe the information on the package too much. C. The package has nothing to do at all with the product. D. Buyers can always find answers in the information on the package.Passage FiveSometimes teens need to have some time away from their families. They may want to move out of the family home for a while.Many parents will say no to this demand. But experts say it might be a good idea to let your teens live with a friend or relative."It was the break I needed at the time," said Richard Lerner. He is talking about the time he spent living with his grandmother when he was 15."It allowed me to be a different person than I was with my parents." Lerner said. He now heads the Institute for Children, Youth and Families at Michigan State University.Experts say teens living away from their families can test new ways of thinking and getting along with people. They may see new solutions to problems.This is different from running away, the experts stress. Runaways are often fleeing serious problems.Some teens who want some time away from family attend a structured summer program. Others live for a while with a relative or with the family of a friend.If there is conflict at home, having a teen live elsewhere can benefit other family members. It gives everyone space redevelop better relationships.Joseph Kett teaches history at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He says living at home until the late teen years has become the norm only in recent times."In the 17th century, children were often sent to live in other people's homes when they were about 10 or 11." he said.Peter Sheras teaches education at the University of Virginia. He said parents should listen when a child wants to move out. They should try to find out why the child wants some time away.Often, parents can help the child find a safe place to stay during that time. In other cases, they can meet the child's needs at home.1. According to this passage, many parents think it ______ for their children to live away from them.A. right B. happy C. unsafe D. reasonable2. When children seriously disagree with their parents, experts suggest that parents should ______.A. punish them B. let them live away from their families C. send for a teacher D. keep them in the house3. The underlined word "structured" means ______.A. built B. stuck C. organized D. drunk4. In history, ______.A. teens never left their families B. teens often left their parents C. teens never went to school D. teens never make friends with each other5. Nowadays living away and running away from home ______.A. never happen B. often worry parents and teachers C. are very popular D. are accepted by peoplePART TWOⅡ.V ocabularyDirections: Scan the following passage and find the words which have roughly the same meanings as those given below. The number in the brackets after each word definition refers to the number of paragraph in which the target word is. Write the word you choose on the Answer Sheet.Animals perform many useful and entertaining jobs. Dogs are particularly valuable in guiding the blind, protecting property, finding lost people, and hunting down criminals. Horses are used in guarding herds; carrying men in lands where there are no roads, and helping farmers work their land. Pigeons have long been used to carry messages. Wild animals from the jungles, forests and seas are very popular performers in circuses and movies. People realize that, although animals may not have the same intelligence as human beings, they are smart enough to learn certain things.Pigeons have a natural instinct to return home, even if they are very far away and the trip is hard of dangerous. Men utilize this homing instinct to send messages on small pieces of paper that are fastened to the pigeon's back or legs. In wartime, pigeons have been known to fly as fast as 75 miles an hour and to cover distances of 500 to 600 miles. These homing pigeons begin their training when they are about four weeks old. After a few weeks they can begin flying and carrying messages. If all goes well, their flying career lasts about four years.1. worthy of notice, unusual (Para. 1)2. things that are owned (Para. 1)3. a man who has broken the law (Para. 1)4. group of animals together (Para. 1)5. a tropical forest too thick to walk through easily (Para. 1)6. ability to learn and understand (Para. 1)7. clever, bright (Para. 2)8. tendency without training (Para. 2)9. to make use of (Para. 2)10. to travel a distance (Para. 2)Ⅲ.SummarizationDirections: In this section of the test, there are ten paragraphs. Each of the paragraphs is followed by an incomplete phrase or sentence which summarizes the main idea of the paragraph. Spell out the missing letters of the word on your Answer Sheet.1. When Tom felt out of sorts, he would rave and stamp, or sink into suicidal gloom and talk darkly of going to the East to end his days as Buddhist monk. Ten minutes later, when something pleased him, he would rush out of doors and run around the garden, or jump up and down on the sofa. Tom had some emotional p______.2. Yale embarked on a steady expansion, establishing the Medical Institution (1810), Divinity School (1822), Law School (1843), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1847), the School of Fine Arts (1869), and School of Music (1894). In 1887 Yale College became Yale University. It continued to add to its academic offerings with the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (1900), School of Nursing (1923), School of Drama (1955), School of Architecture (1972), and School of Management (1974). The e______ of Yale.3. Every culture has specific rules of courtesy and certain words for special situation. What are considered polite manners in one culture might he terribly rude in another. Using language p______ within its culture.4. High salaries in the electricity, **munications and other monopoly industries have drawn strong criticism in China, where the Gini coefficient, now stands at 0.46, exceeding the internationally recognized alarm level of 0.45. So China is considering cutting wages in monopoly industries to reduce the country's widening income gap. A draft directive document has been worked out for this purpose. The need to n______ the income gap.5. Living in the city, people can participate in the political and cultural activities and see the latest films. There are good schools for children to study in the city. And there are big department stores for residents to buy a great variety of goods produced in every part of the world. It's good to L______ in the city.6. His audience is surprised to hear that only 22 percent of eighth graders read for fun daily, while 65 percent watch three hours or more of television each day. Research also indicates that average reading proficiency drops when TV viewing reaches about three hours a day. Their parents' habits are no better: a recent survey shows a decline in newspaper readership among U. S. adults. I______ of television to reading.7. Consumers of electricity usually accept the fact that power cuts frequently occur during thunder-storms. If outages (电力中断) occur on a sunny day, consumers will blame the **pany. However, most outages occur due to circumstances beyond the **pany's control. Animals with the ability to reach the top of power poles can knock out power of many houses. There are many c______ for power failure.8. Love plays a very important part in this world today. It is difficult to imagine what they would be like if there were no love for each other. To live without l______ is miserable.9. Watching just one hour of television a day can make a person more violent towards others, according to a 25-year study. In some circumstances, TV watching increases the risk of violence by five times. The new research indicates the effect is seen not just in children, as has been suggested before, but in adults as well. L______ of TV viewing to adult violence.10. Education teaches a child to realize that he is not thrown into the world by chance, he has his part to play. He will learn what is useful to him and society at large. Education imparts a great deal of knowledge to his mind and encourages a child to work hard. The p______ of education.Ⅳ.TranslationDirections: In the following passage, there are five groups of underlined sentences. Read the passage carefully and translate these sentences into Chinese. Write the Chinese version on your Answer Sheet.1 Therefore, while the overall U. S. homicide rate has indeed declined in recent years, the rate of juvenile murder continues to grow, unabated by the spread of community policing, increased incarceration, and a variety of other popular crime-fighting strategies. In the overall crime mix, the sharp decline in crime among the large adult population has eclipsed the rising crime rate among the relatively small population of teens.2 The problem of kids with guns cannot be overstated in view of recent trends in gun-related killings among youth. Since the mid1980s, the number of gun-homicides—particularly with handguns-perpetrated by juveniles has quadrupled, while the prevalence of juvenile homicide involving all other **bined has remained virtually constant.While the negative socializing forces of drugs, guns, gangs, and the media have become more threatening, the positive socializing forces of family, school, religion, and neighborhood have grown relatively weak and ineffective. 3 Increasingly, children are being raised in homes disrupted by divorce and economic stress; too many children emerge undersocialized and undersupervised.4 The problem of unsupervised youth does not end nor the solution necessarily begin with the breakdown of the traditional family. Because of deep funding cuts in support programs for youth—from after-school care to recreation, from mentoring to education—as a society we are missing the fleeting opportunity to compensate for the diminished role of the family. As a consequence, children spend too little time engaged in structured activity with positive role models and too much time "hanging out" or watching a few savage killings on television as after-school entertainment. Bored and idle, our children have just too much time to kill—perhaps literally.As if the situation with youth violence was not bad enough already, future demographics are expected to make matters even worse. 5 Not only are today's violent teens maturing into more violent young adults, but they are being succeeded by a new and large group of teenagers. The same massive baby-boom cohort that as teenagers produced a crime wave in the 1970s has since grown up and had children of their own. There are now 39 million children in this country under the age of 10, more young children than at any time since the 1950s when the original baby boomers were in grade school. The newest group of youngsters will soon reach their adolescence.1.2.3.4.5.。

2022年自考专业(英语)英语阅读（二）考试真题及答案一、单项选择题 Reading Comprehension.(50 points, 2 points for each)Directions: In this part of the test, there are five passages. Following each passage, there are five questions with four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best answer and then write the corresponding letter on your Answer Sheet.1、Passage OneIts early August and the countryside appears peaceful. Planting has long been finished and the fields are alive with strong, healthy crops. Soybeans and wheat are flourishing under the hot summer sun, and the corn, which was knee-high by the fourth of July, is now well over six feet tall. Herds of dairy and beef cattle are grazing peacefully in rolling pastures which surround big, ted barns and neat, white farmhouses. [Everything as far as the eye can see radiates a sense of prosperity.]Welcome to the Midwest-one of the most fertile agricultural regions of the world.The tranquility of the above scene is misleading. Farmers in the Midwest put in some of the longest workdays of any profession in the United States. In addition caring for their crops and livestock, theyhave to keep up with new farming techniques, such as those for combining soil erosion and increasing livestock production. It is essential that farmers adopt these advances in technology if they, want to continue to meet the growing demands of a hungry world.Agriculture is the number one industry in the United States and agricultural products are the countrys leading export. American farmers manage to feed not only the total population of the United States, but also millions of other people throughout the rest of the world. Corn and soybean exports alone account forapproximately 75 percent of the amount sold in world markets.This productivity, however, has its price. Intensive cultivation exposes the earth to the damaging forces of nature. Every year wind and water remove tons of rich soil from the nations croplands, with the result that soil erosion has become a national problem concerning everyone from the farmer to the consumer.Each field is covered by a limited amount of topsoil, the upper layer of earth which is richest in the nutrient and minerals necessary for growing crops. Eversince the first farmers arrived in the Midwest almost 200 years ago, cultivation and,consequently, erosion have been depleting the supply of topsoil. In the 1830s,nearly two feet of rich, black top soil covered the Midwest. Today the average depth is onlyeight inches, and every decade another inch is blown or washed away.This erosion is steadily decreasing the productivity of valuable cropland. A United States Agricultural Department survey states that if erosion continues at its present rate, corn and soybean yields in the Midwest may drop as much as 30 percent overthe next 50 years.Questions 1-5 are based on Passage One.The underlined sentence in Para. 1 implies that ____.A.the Midwest is the most prosperous in the USB.the Midwest is the most fertile in the worldC.the Midwest is expecting a good harvestD.the Midwest is within reach of prosperity2、What does the author say about the farmers in Para. 2?A.They live a tranquil but industrious lifeB.They work very hard and learn new skills.C.They work longer hours during week days.D.They have to compete with farmers in other countries.3、From Para. 3, we can learn that ____.A.American farmers feed almost three quarters of the world populationB.75 percent of corn and soybeans in the world market come from the USC.American agricultural exports have a share of 75% in the global marketD.corn and soybeans take up about three quarters of American agricultural exports4、According to Para. 4, ______.A.soil deterioration is becoming a serious problemB.climate change reduces the area of the croplandsC.customers have to pay more for agricultural productsD.high productivity comes along with damaging forces of nature5、The purpose of this passage is _______.A.to show the necessity to improve farming methodsB.to persuade farmers to adopt new farming techniquesC.to inform people of the side effect of intensive cultivationD.to intensify people's awareness of land erosion in the US6、Passage TwoLike many other small boys, I was fascinated by cars, not least because my oldest brother was a bit of a car guy and subscribed to cool magazines like Carand Driverand Motor Trend. Every so often, one of those magazines would run an article on the查看答案。

2020-2021《英语阅读》2期末课程考试试卷A1适用于考试日期：试卷所需时间：120分钟；闭卷； 总分：100分。

Part I True or False (10 points)Section ADirections: The following ten statements are details of plots adapted from the novels read during the semester. Read and decide whether they are true or false, and mark a T for a true statement and an F for a false one.1. ( ) In the novel Great Expectations , the story ends with the marriage of Pip andEstella.2. ( ) In the novel Great Expectations , the reason for Miss Havisham’s being mad andvengeful is the death of her husband on their wedding day. 3. ( ) O ’liver Twist is born in a workhouse in 1830s England.4. ( ) In the novel Far From the Madding Crowd , two major characteristic of theprotagonist Bathsheba Everdene is her vanity and spiritual independence on others. 5. ( ) In the novel Far From the Madding Crowd , Gabriel Oak loses his farm because ofa huge storm.6. ( ) The novel Wuthering Heights is a gothic novel, which is designated to both horrifyand fascinate readers with scenes of passion and cruelty; supernatural elements; and a dark, foreboding atmosphere.7. ( ) The narrator of the novel Wuthering Heights is Nally, the servant.8. ( ) A galaxy is a star system in which a great many stars gather in one group.9. ( ) Galileo made his first telescope, which is a radio telescope, for the study of stars. 10. ( ) In America, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in December in every twoyears is Election Day.Part II Vocabulary (20 points)Section ADirections: There are twenty sentences in this section. Beneath each sentence there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE word or phrase that best completes the sentence.1. With all its advantages, the computer is by no means without its ________. A. boundaries B. limitations C. confinements D. restraints2. While nuclear weapons present grave _______ dangers, the predominate crisis of overpopulation is with us today.A. inevitableB. constantC. overwhelmingD. potential 3. Many people lost their jobs during the business ________.A. despairB. decreaseC. desperationD. depression4. He was such a _________ speaker that he held our affection every minute of the three-hour lecture.A. specificB. dynamicC. heroicD. diplomatic 5. I had to stand in a ________ for hours to get tickets fro the film.A. rowB. processionC. tailD. queue 6. The clock works well; there is only ______ of a second per year.A. a faultB. a mistakeC. an errorD. flaw7. Professor Taylor’s talk has indicated that science has a very strong _______ on the everyday life of non-scientists as well as scientists.A. motivationB. perspectiveC. impressionD. impact 8. Floods cause billions of dollars worth of property damage ______.A. relativelyB. actuallyC. annuallyD. comparatively 9. Writing is a slow process, requiring _________ thought, time and effort. A. significant B. considerable C. enormous D. numerous 10. He was _______ with sorrow for his wife’s sudden death.A. overthrownB. overcomeC. overpoweredD. overtaken11. She _________ that it was a trick to get her involved in the matter, for she knew themtoo well.A. doubtedB. suspectedC. conceivedD. convinced 12. We have planned an exciting publicity _________ with our advertisers. A. battle B. struggle C. conflict D. campaign13. That problem is beyond the __________ of this article, so I’ll not discuss it here. A. scale B. extent C. scope D. range14. They took _________ measures to prevent poisonous gasses from escaping. A. fruitful B. beneficial C. valid D. effective 15. These seats are ________ for special guests.A. preservedB. reservedC. reversedD. occupied 16. His hands were _________ so violently that he almost split his tea.A. quiveringB. trembleC. shiveringD. shaking 17. The elderly Russians find it hard to live on their state __________. A. pensions B. earnings C. salaries D. donations.18. Many regional associations are _________ the government so that they may promotetheir common interests together.A. kept track ofB. combined withC. transferred toD. registered with19. All the guests were invited to attend the wedding _________ and had a very good time. A. feast B. congratulations C. festival D. recreation 20. The Pope is the _________ leader of the Roman Catholic Church. A. supreme B. superior C. ultimate D. utmostPart III Reading Comprehension (55 points)院系： 专业班级： 姓名： 学号装 ……… 订 线Section ADirections:In this section there are two passages followed by ten questions, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the ONE that you think is the best answer.Passage 1Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following passage:It is generally agreed that the first true cities appeared about 5000 years ago in the food-producing communities of the Middle East. The cities of Sumeria, Egypt and the Indus Valley possessed a number of characteristics which distinguished them a truly urban. The cities were very much larger and more densely populated than any previous settlement, and their function was clearly differentiated from that of the surrounding villages. In the cities the old patterns of kinship relations were replaced by a complex hierarchy of social classes based on the specialization of labor. Moreover, the need to keep records led to the development of writing and arithmetic, and the increased sophistication of urban society gave a new impetus to artistic expression of every kind.When the basis of city life was established in Europe the urban tradition was drawn from the ancient cities of the middle East, via the civilizations of Greece and Rome, we can trace three main phases in the growth of the West European city. The first of these is the medieval phase, which extends from the beginning of the 11th century A. D to about 1500. The second is the renaissance and Baroque phase, which can be traced from about 1 500 to the beginning of the 19th century. The third is the modern phase, extending from the early 19th century to the present day.Every medieval city began as a small settlement which grew up round a geographical or cultural focal point. This would often be a permanent structure such as a stronghold, a cathedral or a large church. In districts where travel and trade were well established, it might be a market, a river crossing, or a place where two or more trade routes met. In studies of urban geography other oldest part of a town is referred to as the nuclear settlement. There are many small towns in Europe where it is still possible to trace the outline of the original nuclear settlement. It is, of course, much more difficult to do this in the case if a large modern city which has grown to may times its original size. (358 words)1. The ancient cities were characterized by all the following EXCEPT _____A. larger populationsB. different locationsC. different rolesD. different social classes2. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. West European cities established their own urban tradition。

考研英语二阅读理解试题及答案英语二阅读原文及出处：Text 1In an essay, entitled “Making It in America,” in the latest issue of The Atlantic, the author Adam Davidson relates a joke from cotton country about just how much a modern textile mill has been automated: The average mill has only two employees today, “a man and a dog. The man is there to feed the dog, and the dog is there to keep the man away from the machines。

”Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and sagging middle-class incomes today is largely because of the big drop in demand because of the Great Recession, but it is also because of the quantum advances in both globalization and the information technology revolution, which are more rapidly than ever replacing labor with machines or foreign workers。

浙江自考英语二试题及答案一、阅读理解（共20分，每题4分）阅读下列短文，然后回答问题。

A篇In the past few years, the popularity of cycling has grown significantly in many cities around the world. This trend is not only due to the health benefits of cycling but also because it is an environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Many urban planners are now considering how to make cycling safer and more convenient for everyone.1. What is the main reason for the increase in cycling's popularity?A) Health benefits.B) Environmental concerns.C) Urban planning.D) Economic savings.2. What are urban planners focusing on?A) Reducing traffic congestion.B) Increasing the number of cars on the road.C) Making cycling safer and more convenient.D) Limiting the use of public transportation.B篇The concept of a "smart home" has become increasingly popular.A smart home is equipped with internet-connected devices that can be controlled remotely. This allows homeowners to manage their homes more efficiently, from adjusting the temperatureto turning off appliances that were left on accidentally.3. What is a "smart home"?A) A home that is decorated with smart devices.B) A home that uses internet-connected devices for control.C) A home that is inhabited by intelligent people.D) A home that is designed to be more spacious.4. What is the advantage of a smart home?A) It saves space.B) It saves energy.C) It provides better security.D) It offers convenience and efficiency.二、词汇与语法（共20分，每题2分）用括号中所给词的适当形式填空。

2009 Text 2（英语⼆）你⽗亲是谁？It is a wise father that knows his own child, but today a man can boost his paternal (fatherly) wisdom — or at least confirm that he's the kid's dad.All he needs to do is shell out $30 for paternity testing kit (PTK) at his local drugstore — and another $120 to get the results.More than 60,000 people have purchased the PTKs since they first become available without prescriptions last year, according to Doug Fog, of Identigene, which makes the over-the-counter kits.More than two dozen companies sell DNA tests directly to the public, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to more than $2500.Among the most popular: paternity and kinship testing, which adopted children can use to find their biological relatives and families can use to track down kids put up for adoption.DNA testing is also the latest rage among passionate genealogists and supports businesses that offer to search for a family's geographic roots.More tests require collecting cells by swabbing saliva in the mouth and sending it to the company for testing.All tests require a potential candidate with whom to compare DNA.俗话说，贤⽗知其⼦，但是如今男⼈可以提升⾃⼰做⽗亲的智慧，或者⾄少可以确认⾃⼰是孩⼦的⽗亲了。

2020年大学英语六级阅读理解试题及答案（卷二）Ifambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition—wealth,distinction, control over one's destiny—must be deemedworthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf. If the tradition ofambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially mustbe highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not leastamong them. In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to havegiven up on ambition as an ideal. What is odd is that they have perhaps mostbenefited from ambition—if not always their own then that of their parents and grandparents.There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn doorafter the horses have escaped―with the educated themselves riding on them。

Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and itssigns now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs—thelocations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seemless in demand today than a decade or two years ago. What has happened is thatpeople cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once theycould, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar. Instead, we aretreated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in amplesupply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; thepublisher of radical books who takes his meals in three-star restaurants; thejournalistadvocating participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own childrenare enrolled in private schools. For such people and many more perhaps not soexceptional, the proper formulation is," Succeed at all costs but avoidappearing ambitious."The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; itspublic defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremelyunattractive. As a result, the support for ambition as a healthy impulse, aquality to be admired and fixed in the mind of the young, is probably lowerthan it has ever been in the United States. This does not mean that ambition isat an end, that people no longer feel its stirrings and promptings, but onlythat, no longer openly honored, it is less openly professed. Consequencesfollow from this, of course, some of which are that ambition is drivenunderground, or made sly. Such, then, is the way things stand: on the leftangry critics, on the right stupid supporters, and in the middle, as usual, themajority of earnest people trying to get on in life。

初三英语阅读理解精选试题二阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中选出最佳选项。

6April 22 is Earth Day. Everyone on earth should care about and protect the earth！The earth has warmed by about 1 °F over the past 100 years，but why and how? Well, scientists are not quite sure。

Maybe the earth gets warmer and warmer on its own。

But many scientists say that people are doing many things which make the earth warmer.First, greenhouse effect (效应）is a very important reason for the change of the earth. People give out too much energy into the air every year。

It makes the earth warmer。

Climate change is another important reason. Sometimes it becomes too hot and sometimes too cold。

Sometimes there is too much rain and sometimes too little. The change of the climate makes the earth warmer. In turn, the warmth of the earth changes the climate，too.When the earth becomes warmer，there may be more rain and a rise in sea level。

自考英语2试题及答案详解一、阅读理解（共20分，每题4分）1. 阅读下面短文，然后回答问题。

A New Approach to EducationIn recent years, there has been a significant shift in the approach to education. Traditionally, education has focusedon the memorization of facts and figures. However, thismethod is being replaced by a more comprehensive approachthat emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. This new approach is designed to prepare students for the challenges of the modern world, where the ability to adapt and innovate is essential.Educational institutions are now incorporating moreinteractive and collaborative activities into their curricula. Group projects and discussions are encouraged to foster a sense of community and to help students learn from each other. The use of technology is also becoming more prevalent, with schools providing access to computers and the internet to enhance learning experiences.Question: What is the main focus of the new approach to education?Answer: The main focus of the new approach to education is on critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.2. ... （其他阅读理解题目及答案）二、词汇与语法（共30分，每题3分）1. The company has announced that it will ________ its employees with free health insurance.A) provideB) supplyC) furnishD) grantAnswer: A) provide2. ... （其他词汇与语法题目及答案）三、完形填空（共20分，每题2分）Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with the most suitable words from the options given.In a world where technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, it is crucial for individuals to continue learning and adapting. Lifelong learning has become a necessity rather than a luxury. It enables people to stay competitive in the job market and to keep up with the rapid changes in society.Many people believe that once they finish school, their education is complete. However, the truth is that learning should be a continuous process. With the internet and other resources available, there is no excuse for not expanding one's knowledge and skills.1. In the modern era, ________ is more important than ever before.A) technologyB) communicationC) learningD) educationAnswer: C) learning2. ... （其他完形填空题目及答案）四、翻译（共20分，每题10分）1. 将下列英文句子翻译成中文。