Part I Reading Comprehension (30%)
Directions: There are three passages In this part Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.
Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:
People say that money cannot buy happiness. This was true for Howard Hughes. (76) He was one of the richest and most powerful men of his time. He bad everything: good look success, power, and a lot of money. But he didn’t have lave or friendship because he couldn’t buy them. All his life he used his money to control everything and everyone around him. In the end, he lost control of everything, even himself.
Howard Hughes was born in 1905 in Houston, Texas. His father started the Hughes Tool Company. He was a workaholic(工作狂)and made a lot of money. He bought everything he wanted. He even gave money to schools so Howard could get into them. From his father, Howard learned to be a successful but merciless businessman. Hughes’s mother, Allene also had a big influence on his life. Howard was her only child. She protected him and gave him everything. Unfortunately Allene had mental problems. (77)She was afraid of germs and diseases. She was obsessed with Howard's health，and he became obsessed win it too.
Allene died when Howard was 16 years old. Two years later his father died. Hughes inherited the Hughes Tool Company. Then he married Ella Rice. He and Ella moved to Los Angeles, California. It was there that Howard Hughes began to become a legend (传奇人物). Hughes began to invest his money in movies. He became an important producer soon after he moved to California. He worked hard, but he also played hard. He became obsessed with power and control. When he couldn’t get something legally, he gave money politicians and businessmen so they would help him. He owned a lot of businesses, including airplane companies, a movie studio(制片厂), Las Vegas hotels, gold and silver mines, and radio and television stations. Once he bought a television studio so he could watch movies all night He also bought a hotel because he wanted to stay in his favorite room for one weekend.
1.Accordign to the passage ,Howard Hughes was hot _____.
A. good-looking B. wealthy
C. friendly D. powerful
2. Which of the following about Hughes' father is NOT TRUE?
A.He started the Hughes Tool Company.
B.He liked to spend money.
C.He worked hard.
D.He drank alcohol a lot.
3. Howard Hughes' parents died _____.
A. when he was 16 years old
B. before he was 19 years old
C. after he got married
D. after he moved to California
4.The word obsessed in Paragraph 2 probably means .
A. troubled B. reduced C. related D. informed
5.From the passage, we learn what Mr. Hughes lacked in his life was _____.
A. education B. love C. money D. good looks
Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:
Half of the world's coral reefs (珊瑚礁)have died in the last 30 years. Now scientists are racing to ensure that the rest survive. Even if global warning were to right now, scientists predict that more than 90% of corals will die by 2050. If no major steps are taken to address the problem, the reefs may be headed for total extinction(灭绝).
(78) The planet’s health depends on the survival of coral reefs. They described as “the rainforests of the sea", because they provide shelter for a wide variety of sea life. In addition, the reefs serve as barriers that protect coastlines from the full force of powerful storms.
Coral are used in medical research for cures to diseases. They are key to local economies as well, since the reefs attract tourists, the fishing industry, and other businesses, bringing in billions of dolllars.
(79)Corals are particular sensitive to changes in temperature. A rise of just 1 to 2 degrees can force the corals to drive out the algae(水藻). Then the corals turn white in a process called “bleaching”. Corals can recover from short-term bleaching, but long-term bleaching can cause permanent damage. In 1998, when sea surface temperatures were the highest in recorded history, coral reefs around the world suffered the most severe bleaching. It is estimated that even under the best of conditions, many of these coral reefs will need decades to recover.
Although reefs face other threats from pollution, industrial activities, and overfishing, it is global climate change that most concerns scientists. Scientists remain hopeful that it’s not too late to save the reefs, and some are moving ahead on experiments to accomplish that goal.
6. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.Rising Global Temperatures
B.Rainforests Are in Danger
C.Coral Reefs Face Extinction
D.Global Climate Change
7.The word address in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _____.
A.break down
B.stick to
C.go over
D.deal with
8.Why are coral reefs called "the rainforests of the sea"?
A.Because they are home to a wide variety of sea life.
B.Because they can protect our coasts from storms.
C.Because they might supply natural medicines.
D.Because they look like rainforests.
9.The corals turn _____ in the process of “bleaching”.
A.red
B.black
C.green
D.white
10.According to the passage, _____ is the biggest threat to coral reefs.
A.pollution
B.overfishing
C.industrial activity
D.dimate change