2014.05.10
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 m the Answer Sheet.
Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:
The first year of school in America, known as kindergarten, usually begins between the ages of five and six. Among rich countries such a late start is very strange. President Obama believes it is an economic and social problem; his education secretary goes as far as to say t
hat it is "morally wrong". This statement has some support, as it is clear from research into vocabulary that youngsters from poor families enter kindergarten well behind those from rich families—a disadvantage that usually lasts a lifetime. Children from households on welfare knew 525 words by the age of three, while the children of professionals had mastered 1,116.
(76) Pre.school can help close this gap. So in a speech last month, Mr, Obama called for a partnership between the federal government and the states to expand it to every American child. It later became known that "every" meant those who come from families with incomes of up to 200% above the poverty line—equal to an income of $47,000 for a family of four.
(77) Some critics say that sending children to school at the age of four does not work. The evidence suggests otherwise. For example, on March 20th new results were announced from a study ar.olds in New Jersey. This report found that disadvantaged children who had attended pre.school had better literacy (读写能力), language, maths and science skills. And two years of pre.kindergarten were better than one.
Some studies also follow the effects of early learning over lifetimes, such as its effect on crime rates and other factors that may eventually burden society. Critics have singled out a government scheme called Head Start, created in 1965, which provides poor households with a range of services including school.based early education.
1.Kindergarten in rich countries other than America usually begins at the age of _______
A. eight B. seven C. six D. four
2.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Poor pre.school kids have a larger vocabulary than rich kids.
B. President Obama believes that early education can solve all economic and social problems.
C. Rich pre.school kids have a richer vocabulary than poor kids.
D. President Obama's education secretary thinks it is morally wrong to let kids start kinder
garten early.
3.Which of the following about the New Jersey study is TRUE?
A. There is no evidence to support the New Jersey study.
B. New Jersey has created a new Head Start to help disadvantaged kids.
C. Sending children to school at the age of four is not going to help.
D. Two years of pre.kindergarten were better than one.
4.The phrase "single out" in the last paragraph means _______.
A. choose B. think about C. count D. depend on
5.Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage?
A. Secondary Education B. Pre.school Education
C. Poor Kids’ Education D. Rich Kids' Education
∙ Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:
Humans may not have landed on Mars (火星) just yet, but that isn't shopping a European company from devising a plan to send four people to the Red Planet within the next few years. (78) This project, called Mars One, aims to send a small group of people to Mars in 2022 and eventually establish a permanent colony on the planet.
"Everything we need to go to Mars exists," said Mars One co.founder Bas Lansdorp in March 2014. "We have the rockets to send people to Mars, the equipment to land on Mars, the robots to prepare the settlement for humans. For a one.way mission, all the technology exists." Yet the four astronauts (宇航员) chosen for the trip will be stuck on Mars—forever. And despite Mars One's thorough planning, there are a number of challenges that may prevent the mission from ever taking place. (79) The biggest road block could be the mission's huge cost ($6 billion). However, Lansdorp is confident that Mars One will be able to fund the project by selling the broadcast rights for the mission and subsequent experienc
成人英语三级es living on the planet.
Those broadcast rights will also play a part in helping to select the people who will be sent to Mars. Lansdorp said the company will hold a selection process similar to a reality show. Lansdorp is expecting at least 1 million applications from people around the world. In additon to the cost, several other potential problems could inhibit (阻止) the mission to Mars.
“It’s even more challenging to send people there with life support, with food, with air, with all the other things like books, entertainment, means of communication and of providing for their own resources for a long stay on Mars," said Adam Baker. senior lecturer in space engineering at Kingston University in London. "The sheer size of the rockets you'd need to do this would be absolutely colossal.”
6. According to Project Mars One, humans could send four people to Mars within the next _______ years.
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