III. Reading Comprehension

Section A 

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

When discussing the causes of animal endangerment, it is important to understand that individual species are not the only factors involved in this difficult situation. Endangerment is a broad __50___ , one that involves the habitats (栖息地) and environments where species live and interact with one another. Although some measures are being __51___ to help specific cases of endangerment, the universal problem cannot be solved until the __52___ environments where endangered species live are __53___ by humans. There are many reasons why a particular species may become endangered, but habitat destruction is on top.

Our planet is continually changing, causing habitats to be changed and modified. Natural changes tend to occur at a gradual pace, usually causing only a slight __54___ on individual species. However, when changes occur at a fast pace, there is little or no time for individual species to __55___ and adapt to new circumstances. This can create disastrous results, and for this reason, rapid habitat loss is the __56___ cause of species endangerment. The strongest forces in rapid habitat loss are human beings. Nearly every region of the earth has been affected by human __57___ , particularly during this past century. The loss of microbes (微生物) in soils that formerly supported tropical forests, the __58___ of fish and various aquatic (水族的) species in polluted habitats, and changes in global climate brought about by the __59___ greenhouse gases are all results of human activities.

It can be __60___ for an individual to recognize the effects that humans have had on specific species. It is also hard to identify or predict human effects on individual species and habitats, especially during a human lifetime. __61___ it is quite obvious that human activities have greatly contributed to species endangerment. __62___ , although tropical forests may look as though they are thick and healthy, they are actually highly susceptible (易受影响的) to destruction only because of the soils in which they grow __63___ nutrients (营养). It may take centuries to re-grow a forest that was cut down by humans or destroyed by fire, and many of the world’s severely threatened animals and plants live in these forests. If the present rate of forest __64___ continues, huge quantities of plant and animal species will disappear. 

50. A. theme B. project C. issue D. experiment

51. A. performed B. taken C. held D. made

52. A. social B. human C. residential D. natural

53. A. protected B. neglected C. damaged D. created

54. A. anxiety B. improvement C. impact D. burden

55. A. react B. move C. flee D. survive

56. A. effective B. practical C. normal D. primary

57. A. activities B. behaviors C. greed D. achievement

58. A. appreciation B. protection C. extinction D. existence

59. A. escaped B. leaked C. relieved D. released

60. A. reasonable B. difficult C. possible D. natural

61. A. Because B. And C. But D. So

62. A. In short B. By contrast C. As a result D. For example

63. A. lacking B. containing C. absorbing D. destroying

64. A. growth B. loss C. extension D. planting

Section B

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. 

(A)

Some say everyday miracles are predestined (注定的)---- All that’s necessary is readiness, the right circumstance for the appointed meeting. And it can happen anywhere.

In 1999, 11-year-old Kevin Stephan was a bat boy for his younger brother's Little League team in Lancaster, New York. It was an early evening in late July. Kevin was standing on the grass away from the plate, where another youngster was warming up for the next game. Swinging his bat back and forth, and giving it all the power an elementary school kid could give, the boy brought the bat back hard and hit Kevin in the chest. His heart stopped.

When Kevin fell to the ground, the mother of one of the players rushed out of the stands to his aid. Penny Brown hadn't planned to be there that day, but at the last minute, her shift (轮班) at the hospital had been changed, and she was given the night off. Penny bent over the senseless boy, his face already starting to turn blue, and giving CPR, breathing into his mouth and giving chest compressions (按压). And he came to life.

After his recovery, he became a volunteer junior firefighter, learning some of the emergency first-aid techniques that had saved his life. He studied hard in school and was saving money for college by working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his spare time.

Kevin, now 17, was working in the kitchen when he heard people screaming, customers in confusion, employees rushing toward a table. He hurried into the main room and saw a woman there, her face turning blue, her hands at her throat. She was choking (哽住).

Quickly Kevin stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her and clasped his hands. Then, using skills he'd first learned in Scouts, the food that was trapped in the woman's throat was freed. The color began to return to her face.

“The food was stuck. I couldn't breathe,” she said. She thought she was dying. “I was very frightened.”

Who was the woman?

Penny Brown. 

65. Kevin Stephan fell to the ground and fainted probably because ________.

A. he stood close to the boy who was swinging his bat

B. he suffered heart attack all of a sudden

C. he was too excited when watching the game

D. he swung the bat too hard to keep his balance

66. Which of the following statements is True of Kevin Stephan?

A. He was hit on the face by a boy and almost lost his life

B. He was a volunteer junior firefighter, teaching the players first-aid skills

C. He worked part-time in a local restaurant to save money for college

D. He saved Penny Brown though he didn’t really know how to deal with food choke

67. Why did Penny Brown change her shift and was given the night off that night?

A. She was there to give her son directions

B. She volunteered to give medical services

C. She was a little worried about his son’s safety

D. She came to watch her son’s game and cheered him

68. When Kevin knew the woman was Penny Brown, probably he first felt _____.

A. happy B. surprised C. sad D. worried 

(B)

After killing Osama Bin Laden and dropping his body into the ocean to avoid causing more hatred from the Muslims, the American government, shortly after that, released a video of Osama Bin Laden living in his safe house watching TV, which has been viewed millions of times. The following are comments made by Twitter viewers.

A.Yeah, Osama got what he deserved, Iraq got what they deserved, and Afghanistan got what they deserved. Saddam got what he deserved, Hitler got what he deserved. The list goes on & on.

B.I hate saying this but I believe America deserved 9/11 … They have screwed up so many governments ….
C.I’m American and I and my brother suspected the whole story about dropping him into the ocean. We feel if they really killed him they would keep his body for proof.

D.All you Islamic haters are ignorant fools. The terrorists don’t have anything to do with the religion. They say they are part of the Islamic Religion but they are not. Nuking (kill somebody with nuclear bombs) Pakistan will do nothing by the way.

E.Please give me the 2 minutes of my life back that I watched your pointless and fake video.

F.Man? Why is this video fake? Rather than shouting about how it’s obviously not Osama, why not provide the arguments for it instead of coming off as if you simply want to deny it for the sake of denial.

G.What a load of nonsense, an insult to any intelligent person, Bin Laden dead for ages … watch Benazir Bhutto say so on YouTube a week before she herself was murdered. The Muslims murdered her for being an American spy!

H.I honestly don’t know what to believe, but … why did the terrorists confirm his death if it didn’t happen.

69. What can we learn from Comment G?

A. Benazir Bhutto was murdered because she was working for Bin Laden.

B. Benazir Bhutto has been dead for a week since her murder.

C. Benazir Bhutto was killed because she collected information for American government.

D. Benazir Bhutto was a very intelligent woman working for You Tube.

70. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Comment B thinks America is to blame for all terrorist attacks in the world.

B. Comment C believes Bin Laden’s body is lying deep down in the ocean.

C. Comment E argues that the video is not worth watching at all.

D. Comment F is specially made upon Comment A.

71. It can be concluded from this passage that _____.

A. some people have some problems believing in the American government

B. Bin Laden had been dead for quite a long time before his body was found

C. the writer of Comment D is probably an Islamic believer

D. Bin Laden’s death is still a mystery because the terrorists have denied it