16-25 Read the following passage carefully. Choose...

Passage 1 Directions: Read the following passages carefully. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished sentences. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the best answer to each question. For many people today, reading is no longer relaxation. To keep up their work they must read letters, reports, trade publications, interoffice communications, not to mention newspapers and magazines: a never-ending flood of words. In getting a job or advancing in one, the ability to read and comprehend quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. Yet the unfortunate fact is that most of us are poor readers. Most of us develop poor reading habits at an early age, and never get over them. The main problem lies in language itself – words. Single words have little meaning until they are combined into phrases, sentences and paragraphs. Unfortunately, however, the untrained reader does not read groups of words. He reads one word at a time, often regressing to reread words or passages. Regression, or looking back over what you have just read, is a common bad habit in reading. Another habit which slows down the speed of reading is vocalization – sounding each word either orally or mentally as one reads. To overcome these bad habits, some reading clinics use a device called accelerator (加速器), which moves a bar down the page at a predetermined speed. The bar is set at a slightly faster rate than the reader finds comfortable, in order to "stretch" him. The accelerator forces the reader to read fast, making word-by-word reading, regression and vocalization virtually impossible. At first, comprehension is sacrificed for speed. But when you learn to read ideas, you will not only read faster, but your comprehension will improve. Many people have found their reading skills improved a lot after some training. 1. According to the passage, today many people no longer read for ________.

A、news

B、their work

C、information

D、entertainment

The following passage contains TEN errors, one in each numbered line. Underline the errors and put the corrections in the blanks.(标红句子为无错误句，大家把改好的词写在答案区就可以了，忽略具体哪个行哪个词。) Last week I had a disagreement in a matter of principle with a man at work. When I got home, I gave my daughter a blow-by-blow account of the bust-up, expected her loyal support. Instead she rolled her eyes. “Poor X,” she said, sided with my adversary. “You can be very difficult,” she explained, “I don’t think you realize it.” She is right about the second point. I do not see myself as difficult—I am perfectly reasonable. To check this was the consensus view, the following morning I conducted a survey. I bearded first colleague I saw and demanded: “Am I difficult?” He looked uncomfortable at be put on the spot when he had barely put his coat off. “Yes,” he said. I asked three more people. All gave the same answer. To be difficult at work is not generally thought to be a good thing. On Amazon there are 1,387 titles on how to deal with difficult people with titles such as Since Strangling Isn’t an Option. I failed finding a single volume called What to Do When the Difficult Person Is Me or How to Be Difficult and Influence People. As a columnist, being difficult is part of the job—if you do not enjoy sometimes get up the noses of readers, you are too bland to be any good. Indeed, as a journalist, be personally difficult can serve you rather well.

Section C Reading in depth Read the following passages carefully and then finish the tasks below. Money may not buy you love, but it turns out that the green stuff can bring happiness, to a point: New research finds that there’s a limit to how beneficial a lofty income is to an individual’s well-being. “That might be surprising, as what we see on TV and what advertisers tell us we need would indicate that there is no ceiling when it comes to how much money is needed for happiness, but we now see there are some thresholds,” lead study author Andrew Jebb, a doctoral student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University, said in a statement. Jebb and his colleagues used survey data from the Gallup World Poll collected from more than 1.7 million adults ages 15 and older from 164 countries. Participants answered questions related to life satisfaction and well-being, as well as purchasing power. Whereas emotional well-being refers to a person’s day-to-day feelings of happiness, excitement, sadness and anger, overall satisfaction in life is largely influenced by higher goals and a comparison of one’s belongings with others’ stuff. On average, the research revealed the ideal income point, or “satiation income,” is $95,000 for overall life satisfaction and $60,000 to $75,000 for emotional well-being. The highest satiation income related to one’s overall life evaluation was found in Australia and New Zealand, where happiness increased up until about $125,000. By contrast, the satiation income in Latin America and the Caribbean, was $35,000. In North America, however, the threshold for happiness was reached with an income of $105,000. This data suggests that income matters more to individuals living in wealthier nations, according to the study. “Again, this amount is for individuals and would likely be higher for families,” Jebb said in the statement. “And there was substantial variation across world regions, with satiation — the point beyond which no more happiness is gained and, in fact, satisfaction goes down — occurring later in wealthier regions for life satisfaction. This could be because evaluations tend to be more influenced by the standards by which individuals compare themselves to other people.” However, once an individual reached that threshold of happiness, additional increases in income resulted in reduced life satisfaction and a lower level of emotional well-being, according to the study. The researchers said this is likely because money fulfills basic needs, such as purchasing necessities and paying bills, but after people’s needs are met, they are driven by material gains and social comparisons that may ultimately lower their well-being. “At this point, they are asking themselves, ‘Overall, how am I doing?’ and ‘How do I compare to other people?’” Jebb said in the statement. “The small decline puts one’s level of well-being closer to that of individuals who make slightly lower incomes, perhaps due to the costs that come with the highest incomes.” The researchers also examined the influence of gender and education on an individual’s optimal income. Overall, there was no significant evidence suggesting the link between income and happiness was stronger for men or women. However, income satiation did vary based on an individual’s level of education. Specifically, individuals with a higher education reported a more positive life evaluation and emotional well-being in relation to a higher income. This is likely due to income aspirations and social comparisons with different groups of people, the researchers said. The study builds on previous findings that suggest people with higher incomes devote more time to working, commuting and/or child care and, as a result, feel more stress and tension in their daily lives than those in lower income brackets. 16. What is the passage mainly about?

A、How can money bring happiness?

B、How much money can make people happy?

C、Why can’t money many buy happiness?

D、Why do people associate money with happiness?

Section B Reading in Context Read the following passage and fill in the blanks using the correct conjunctive adverbs in the crackets for sentences 6)-10) according to above explanations. (Be careful of useless blank spaces./请勿输入多余的空格。) Reliability and validity are key concepts in any form of enquiry. Reliability is a measure of consistency. 6) (Furthermore/For example), if a clock is sometimes fast and sometimes slow, it is unreliable. If a questionnaire produces different results for the same group of people each time it is used, then the questionnaire is unreliable. Validity is a measure of truth. It is possible for a questionnaire to be highly reliable yet invalid, like a clock which is always ten minutes slow. 7) (In contrast/In other words), a clock which is always right provides a valid and reliable measure of time. Similarly, a questionnaire which really measures what it claims to measure is a valid questionnaire. We can assess how valid our questionnaire is by comparing its results with an independent measure. 8) (In addition/For instance), if we ask people how often they visit their local theatre and then check the results against ticket sales, we will know how valid our questionnaire is. 9) (However/Because) independent measures are themselves often unreliable and of low validity. 10) (Furthermore/Consequently), in many cases there are no independent measures. In other words, a “true” answer does not exist. 6

Directions: Read the following text about how to improve self-confidence. Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the best sentence from the list A-F on the next page to fill in each of the gaps (25-29). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 下面的短文有5处空白，短文后有6个句子，其中5个取自短文，请根据短文内容将其分别放回原有位置，以恢复文章原貌。本题填入正确选项的大写字母即可。 How to Improve Self-Confidence Improving your self-confidence can be a difficult task. Most people associate having a high level of confidence with being successful. In some way this is true, since most successful people have high levels of self-confidence and are able to take on any challenges in their path. (25) _______________. It can take a long time to develop, but it certainly can have a massive positive impact on the rest of your life. Self-confidence can be the route to achieving many of your other goals, whether it be asking certain person out to dinner, becoming successful in business or even with your weight loss goals. (26) _______________. Face what you fear. Most of the time, what you fear will not really be as bad as it seems. Whether it is being too embarrassed to go to a new fitness class since you think you will stick out like a sore thumb, or going for that promotion at work, you will find in time that everyone is fearful or has insecurities about something. (27) _______________. They just deal with them in a different and positive way. Improve your self-confidence by finding out what you really want from life. (28)_______________. Don’t be afraid of failing, since life is one big learning curve. I bet the most successful people you've met failed over and over again before they hit it big. (29) _______________. By utilizing the techniques used in hypnosis (催眠), you can gain access to your sub-conscious mind, allowing you to plant positive thoughts that can greatly help you with your progress of becoming a more self-confident person. A. There are a few basic tips to help make you into a self-confident human being. B. One method that can help to improve self-confidence is through the use of Hypnosis. C. Try new things that excite you. D. Even the most self-confident people have certain issues. E. We aim to help people become more self-confident in life. F. Developing self-confidence can be hard, especially if you are starting with little or no confidence. 25. __________

Section B Directions: Read the following article about the most famous doll in the world and choose “True” or “False” for sentences 26-35. Barbie at 50 - The Most Famous Doll in the World 50 years ago, Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared in the world of toys. Barbie, as everyone called her, has become the most successful toy doll in history. According to Barbie’s parents, the Mattel Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home. In today’s world, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals on the market. Bratz dolls, for example, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today’s pop stars with lots of makeup and miniskirts. Today Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, as the company offers a wide variety of clothing too. It seems that Barbie has lost her appeal to older girls. “For younger girls playing with a Barbie is much fun, but when you get older you want something more modern,” says a shop assistant in a New York toy store. Indeed, sales have been going down over the past year, partly because of the world’s economic crisis. Barbie still has a lot going for her. More and more doll lovers all over the globe have become collectors. They trade Barbies or buy them on eBay. Others look for special and rare Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind”. On the international scene, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling fewer Barbies in the USA over the past year, sales in other countries have been going up. In January Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion designer. Barbie has changed her image many times over the past decades. Originally she wore blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the 80s she changed to a more colourful neon look. For her 50th birthday, Mattel is planning some big events. Fashion designers from all over the world have been called to make new clothes for Barbie. She is also scheduled to be a big star during a New York fashion week. 26. Half a decade ago, Barbie was firstly made by the Mattel Company in America.

Section C Directions: Read the following text about analyzing a problem. Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the best sentence from the list A-F on the next page to fill in each of the gaps (36-40). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. Special Effects in Movies Have you ever seen a movie in which a building was burned down or a bridge was destroyed? Have you seen films in which a train crashed or a ship sank into the ocean? If so, you may have wondered how these things could happen without harming the people in the film. The man who knows the answer is the “special-effects” man. He has one of the most important jobs in the film industry. (36)_______________. And he may also be asked to create a special effect which is much less exciting, though just as important to the success of the film. In a scene for one movie there was a big glass box filled with water in which small fish were swimming. The director of the movie wanted the fish to stop swimming suddenly while they seemed to stare at an actor. Then the director wanted the fish to stop staring and swim away. (37)_______________. It was quite a problem. The special-effects man thought about this problem for a long time. (38)_______________. First he used electricity to he fish bowl, causing the fish to be completely still. Then he rapidly reduced the amount of electricity, allowing the fish to swim away. Thus he got the humorous effect that the director wanted. When explosives are used, as in battlefield scenes, “special-effects” men usually receive extra pay. For a large battlefield scene the “special-effects” man talks with the director and examines the area. (39)_______________. He finally places his “explosives”. This requires special training, skill, and experience. (40)_______________. It helps explain why so many movies are very expensive to make. A. Then occurred an idea for controlling the fish with a harmless use of electricity. B. But fish can’t be ordered to do anything. C. Most special effects are done by smaller special effects shops. D. He may be ordered to create a flood or to make a battlefield explode. E. Then he plans the effects several days before the filming is to begin. F. It adds a great deal to the expense of producing the film. 请填入正确答案相应的大写字母！ 36. __________

Section C Directions: Read the following text about analyzing a problem. Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the best sentence from the list A-F on the next page to fill in each of the gaps (36-40). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. Six Stages in Analyzing a Problem People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a similar problem. They often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. Other times they try to find a solution by trial and error. (36)_______________. First the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam’s bicycle is broken, and he cannot read it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle. Next the thinker must define the problem. (37)_______________. For instance, he must determine if the problem is with the gears (齿轮), the brakes, or the frame. He must make his problem more specific. Now the person must look for information that will make the problem clearer and lead to possible solutions. For instance, suppose Sam decided that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the gear wheels. (38)_______________. He can talk to his friends at the bike shop. He can look at his gears carefully. After studying the problem, the person should have several suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an illustration. His suggestions might be: put oil on the gear wheels; buy new gear wheels and replace the old ones; tighten or loosen the gear wheels. (39)_______________. Sometimes the final idea comes very suddenly because the thinker suddenly sees something new or sees something in a new way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees that there is a piece of chewing gum between the gear wheels. He immediately realizes the solution to his problem: he must clean the gear wheels. Finally the solution is tested. (40)_______________. In short, he has solved the problem. A. Eventually one suggestion seems to be the solution to the problem. B. At this time, he can look in his bicycle repair book. C. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must find out the reason why it does not work. D. Consequently one should test his own reasoning power against the problem. E. However, when all these methods fail, the person with a problem has to start analyzing. F. Sam cleans the gear wheels and finds that afterwards his bicycle works perfectly. 36. __________

Section D Directions: Read the following text about the young generation’s performance in their jobs. For questions 41-45, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. The Young Generation Performs Better Many younger people are better when it comes to getting the job done than older ones. At least that is what management expert Stephen Denning says in his book “The Leader’s Guide to Radical Management ”. The role of managers has changed in today’s world. While the manager of the 20th century had to supervise people and teach them how to do things, today’s managers have to motivate their workers and get them to like their job. Denning points out that there are some areas where younger people fulfill these requirements better. For one, they are able to find information faster than older workers, who are not that familiar with how the Internet works. They can download data faster and install software quicker than older colleagues. A Stanford study has shown that younger people can write and communicate better than older ones, simply because they have been doing it since they were children. The study says that texting messages and staying online most of the time improves your communication skills. The younger generation is more mobile and flexible when it comes to changing jobs. They can adapt more easily to the changing world and take on jobs that do not depend on experience alone. Many young people start their own businesses if they find out that they can’t find a job. They often do this with little or no money at all. They often choose part-time jobs, just for the sake of being employed. Younger people have found out that there is no such thing as a secure job. And being older and more experienced is no longer the key to success. Many young people don’t care so much about how much money they earn and how fast they can climb up the ladder of success. They care about their quality of life. 41. What information does Stephen Denning’s book convey to readers?

A、Young men can perform better in their jobs.

B、Young men are superior to older ones.

C、Young men get better jobs than older ones.

D、Young men always fail to complete their tasks.