Ⅲ .阅读理解

A
One of Britain's most popular reality TV programmes has returned to our screens for a fifth series. The Apprentice sees 16 ambitious individuals competing for a job with electronics tycoon(巨头) Sir Alan Sugar.

The Apprentice is a BAFTA award winning British reality television series in which a group of aspiring young businessmen and women compete for the chance to win a ￡100 000－a－year job as “apprentice” to the British business tycoon Alan Sugar, The Baron Sugar. Winners have gone on to work at Amstrad, an electronics manufacturing company founded by Sir Alan (but since sold to BSkyB), or one of Sugar's other companies, Viglen, Amsprop of Amshold. The Apprentice, billed as a “job interview from hell”， is similar in format to the American series of the same name, which stars the entrepreneur Donald Trump.

With endless talk of financial crisis, redundancies(过剩) and cut backs, it may come as no surprise that thousands of brave hopefuls applied for the show. The chosen 16 will compete in a series of business tasks and do their best to escape elimination. Not one of them wants to hear the fateful words: you're fired.

It should also be noted that this year's apprentices are not going to be allowed to forget the terrible economic climate quite so easily. At the launch of this year's TV show, Sir Alan announced that some episodes have been “specifically made towards recognition of what difficult times we are in”．

The tasks will as usual be tough tests of business wisdom, team－working and leadership skill. They will also make for some funny viewing. British viewers will be shaking their heads in disbelief at the crazy decisions of the wannabe apprentices. But perhaps the most entertaining feature of the show will be watching the hopefuls squirm(局促不安) and quarrel in the boardroom. It is here they will have to explain just why they have failed each task so badly.

What drives people to take part in the show is difficult to say. Some are clearly motivated by the promise of a six－figure salary and some claim they want the experience of working with a successful businessman such as Sir Alan. One thing is for sure, the contestants will all gain some level of celebrity. The show is a regular ratings winner.

To date, there has been one big winner and that is the show's creator, Mark Burnett. Originating in the US, The Apprentice's winning format has been copied all over the world and with the hype(炒作) surrounding this latest series, it looks as though the show will have success for many years to come.

1．What's the aim of contestants' taking part in The Apprentice?

A．To acquire a good job.

B．To meet famous people.

C．To win some prize money.

D．To obtain some experience.

2．What is special about this year's The Apprentice?

A．There will be more contestants.

B．There will be more famous people.

C．It is affected by the financial crisis.

D．It is supported by Sir Alan Sugar.

3．The tasks in The Apprentice lay emphasis on the following EXCEPT ______.

A．a good knowledge of business

B．an ability to organize and manage

C．being willing to work with other people

D．being good at dealing with exam questions

答案及解析：

1.A. 细节题。本文主要介绍了The Apprentice这一英国的电视选秀(选择人才)节目。根据第一段可知，The Apprentice sees 16 ambitious individuals competing for a job，因此A项正确。

2.C.推断题。根据第四段内容，可以判断今年的节目笼罩在金融危机的阴影之下。

3.D.细节题。根据第五段可知，The Apprentice这一节目中的任务，主要包括商业才智、团队精神及领导能力(即组织管理能力)，未涉及考试解题能力，因此D项正确。

B

It's time to be water efficient!

As populations increase across Australia and the rest of the world, demand for water will also increase. If we don't reduce each individual's demand for water (both directly and through embodied water) the water situation will become dire.

It is obvious that we cannot increase demands for water much more without detrimental(有害的) effects to the environment, society and the economy.
It's all too easy to blame someone else for the water situation－“if 70% of water is used for agriculture then that's what we should target”—but it's not that easy. We all depend on the food and resources that agriculture provides, and while there are definitely opportunities to increase water efficiency on the farm, the solution will take more than that.

We each share responsibility for the sustainable management of our water resources, which means using less water at home, in the workplace, at school, on holidays, on the farm, ...everyone, everywhere, every time.

It's time to become water efficient! This involves reassessing our relationship with water, and learning to use it more sparingly. On the most basic level, it requires a behavioural change, and assigning a value to water that truly reflects its worth.

We can also unlock economic benefits of being water efficient. There are many real world examples given in the case studies on this site.
Everybody has a responsibility to save water, if future generations are to enjoy a similar standard of living to the one we enjoy now. In fact, many of the impacts associated with water use are likely to have an effect on our own lives!

has been designed to help you respond to the challenge to become water efficient. It acts as a central repository for relevant information and further advice, so that you can actually achieve significant savings. It also showcases those companies with products that will assist you in your goal.

5. Can you infer where this passage is from?

A. A Newspaper. B. TV programme. C. Radio broadcast. D. The Internet.

6. What can we do to save water?

A. Find more water resources.

B. Use less water everywhere, every time.

C. Realize the importance of saving water.

D. Unlock economic benefits of being water efficient.

7. What is not the reason to save water?

A. There are more and more people in the world.

B. The water resources are limited.

C. Agriculture needs more water.

D. The water is very important for us.

8. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Water is very important for the human.

B. Everybody has a responsibility to save water.

C. It's time to be water efficient.

D. Let's save water for our future generations.

答案及解析：

5.D.文章倒数第三段提到“在这个网站上有许多真实的世界研究案例”。

6.B.文章中间说到我们每个人都有责任节约用水，无论何时何地，要减少用水。

7.C.文章说到农业用水量大，没有办法减少，我们的食物要靠农业来提供；但并没有说农业用水在不断增加。

8.C.文章中两次提到It's time to be water efficient,也分析了节水的原因和重要性，又提供了可供参考的有价值的网站。