第二部分：閱讀理解

Part II  Reading Comprehension

Passage 1

The potential of closed-circuit television and other electronic teaching tools is so great that it is inspiring to imagine “the school of tomorrow”

Televised lessons will be given in a central building having perhaps four or five master studios. The lessons will be carried into classrooms all over a city, or even an entire country.

After a televised lesson has been given, the classroom teacher will take over for the all important “follow-up” period. The students will ask any troublesome questions, and difficult points will be cleared up through discussion.

The teacher in the classroom will have Additional electronic tools on the teacher’s desk; the traditional bright red apple will have been replaced by a multiple-control panel and magnetic tape players. The tape machines will run pre-recorded lessons which pupils will follow by head-phones. The lessons will be specifically connected closely to the student’s level of ability. For instance, while the class as a whole studies history, each student will receive an individual history lesson directed to his particular level of ability

Should questions arise, the students will be to talk directly to the teacher on individual “intercoms” without disturbing the rest of the class. In this way, the teacher will be able to conduct as many as three classes at the same time.

1. Closed- circuit television will probably carry lesson to   D     .

A) a single classroom    B) in school

C) all the classrooms in the world     D) all the classrooms in a city or a country

2.After the televised lesson   D     .

A) the students will go to their next class

B) the classroom teacher will take over

C) the students will ask questions

D) both B and C

3. In the schools of tomorrow, the teacher’s desk will    A    .

A) contain electronic equipment  

B) actually be a television set

C) no longer exist               

D) look like an isolation cabin

4. In the schools of tomorrow, students will    B    .

A) all study different subjects at the same time

B) study at different levels within a subject at the same time

C) not study

D) not have to read books

5. Electronic tools will enable the teacher    A    .

A) teach more than one class at the same time        

B) retire

C) teach only a small number of pupil     D) rely on TV stations only

Passage 2

In spite of the strong opposition to new and stricter environmental laws, however, it is still possible to attack the problem of chemical pollution; but we must attack it from three directions. First, we need more independent research into the effects of chemicals by scientists who are not paid by the government or by large industrial companies. Second, scientists need to educate the general public and inform them about the dangers of chemicals in the environment. If the public knows that a certain chemical threatens the health of their children, then it will put pressure on politicians in local and national governments. If the politicians want to remain in office, they will take action to correct the situation. Third, economists need to educate governments about the long-term economic costs of chemicals. It will be extremely expensive to clean areas of land which are contaminated(污染)by chemicals; it will be even more costly to give medical treatment to people who are suffering from serious illnesses after exposure to dangerous chemicals. If governments realize this, the short-term economic benefits of chemicals will seem much less attractive to them.

If we can put pressure on governments in these three ways, perhaps they will begin to behave more responsibly. They will perhaps pass new laws against pollution and enforce them strictly. Perhaps, then, the chemical producers will begin to behave more responsibly.

6. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?  D  

A) The Environment in Danger.          B) The Problem of Chemical Pollution.

C) New and Strict Environmental Laws.    D) Possible Solutions to Chemical Pollution.

7. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the passage?   

   C  

A) Two contrasting views of a problem are presented.

B) A procedure is explained and its importance is emphasized.

C) A general statement is given and possible ways are presented.

D) Recent scientific advancements are outlined in order of importance.

8. Which of the following is true of the governments mentioned in the passage?  C  

A) They are already behaving in an extremely responsible way.

B) They do not believe that it is possible to solve the chemical pollution.

C) They think chemicals do little harm to the health of humans.

D) They are unwilling to stop the use of certain chemicals.

9. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?   B  

 A) The economy is more important to governments than the people’s health is.

 B) Governments think chemicals bring them more economic benefits than economic costs.

 C) The public knows enough about the dangers of chemical pollution.

 D) The governments fully realize the long-term economic costs of chemical pollution.

10. According to the passage, what will happen if the governments stop the use of some chemicals?  A  

 A) The economy of the countries will suffer.              

 B) Unemployment in the countries will grow.

 C) Some people and scientists will criticize them.       

 D) The chemical producers will strongly protest.

Passage 3

The accuracy of scientific observations and calculations is always at the mercy of the scientist’s time-keeping methods. For this reason, scientists are interested in devices that give promise of more precise time-keeping.

In their search for precision, scientists have turned to atomic clocks that depend on various vibrating atoms or molecules to supply their “ticking”. This is possible because each kind of atom or molecule has its own characteristic rate of vibration. Atom on ammonia, for example, vibrates or “ticks” 24 billion times a second.

One such atomic clock is so accurate that it will probably lose no more than a second in 3000years. It will be of great important in fields such as astronomical observation and long range navigation. The heart of this Atomichron is a cesium atom that vibrates 9.2billiontimes a second when heated to the temperature of boiling water.

An atomic clock that operates with an ammonia molecule may be used to check the accuracy of predictions based on Einstein’s relativity theories, according to which a clock in motion and a clock at rest should keep time differently. Placed in an orbiting satellite moving at a speed of 18,000 miles an hour, the clock could broadcast its time reading on a similar model. Whatever differences develop would be checked against the differences predict.

11. The selection says that the accuracy of scientific observation depends on   B   .

A) methods of measurement              

B) time keeping methods

C) basic assumptions                   D) earlier experiments

12. Atomic clocks difference according to   D   .

A) function                            B) the type of molecule or atom used             

C) the rate of vibration D) both b and c

13. The Atomichron will be used in   A   .

A) making astronomical observation      B) broadcasting

C) measuring vibration rates            D) all of the above

14. From the selection, we may assume that temperature changes   B   .

A) affect only ammonia molecules

B) may affect the vibration rate of atoms

C) affect the speed at which atoms travel

D) do not affect atoms in any way

15. An appropriate title for this selection would be  A    .

A) A Peacetime Use of the Atom           B) Atoms and Molecules

C) The Satellite Timekeeper              D) The Role of the Clock

Passage 4

The development of Jamestown in Virginia during the second half the seventeenth century was closely related to the making and the use of bricks. There are several practical reasons why bricks become important to the colony.

Although the forests could initially supply sufficient timber, the process of lumbering(采伐) was extremely difficult, particularly because of the lack of roads.

Later, when the timber on the peninsular (半島) had been depleted (耗盡)，wood had  to be brought from some distance. Building stone was also in short supply. However, as clay was plentiful. It was inevitable that the colonists should turn to brick—making.

In additional to practical reason for using brick as the principal construction material, there was also an ideological reason. Brick represented durability and permanence. The Virginia Company of London instructed the colonists to build hospitals and new residences out of brick.

In 1662, the Town Act of the Virginia Assembly provided for the construction of thirty-two brick buildings and prohibited the use of wood as a construction material. Had this law ever been successfully en forced, Jamestown would have been a model city. Instead, the residents failed to comply fully with the law; and by 1699 Jamestown had collapsed into a pile of rubble with only three or four habitable houses.

16. In the first half of 1600’s. most buildings in Jamestown were probably   C    .

A) earth  B) stone  C) wood  D) brick

17. which of the following was NOT a reason for using brick in construction?  D  

  A) Wood had to be brought from some distance.

  B) There was considerable clay available.

  C) The lumbering process depended on good roads.

  D) The timber was not of good quality.

18. It can be inferred from the passage hat settlers who built with bricks in the 1600’s were   B   .

  A) planning to return to England

  B) obeying the laws

  C) not concerned about durability

  D) interested in large residences

19. It can be inferred from the passage that prior to the action of the Virginia Company of London, Jamestown had an insufficient number of   B     .

A) colonists   B) medical facilities    C) clay sources     D) bricklayers

20. According to be passage, what eventually happened to Jamestown?  A  

A) It was practically destroyed.         B) It became a model city.

C) It remained the seat of government.   D) It was almost completed.

Passage 5

Let children learn to judge their own work. A child learning to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time: if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the language he uses and the language those around him use. Bit by bit, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people’s. In the same way, children learning to do all the other things they learn to do without being taught——to walk, run, climb, whistle, ride a bicycle compare their own performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his mistakes and correct them for himself. We do it all for him. We act as if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what his word says, what the answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not.

If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time on such routine work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells that he can’t find the way to get the right answer. Let the children learn what all educated persons must someday learn, how to measure their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.

21. According to the passage, the best way for children to learn things is by    C    .

A) asking older people many questions   

B) 1istening to skilled people’s advice

C) making mistakes and correcting them  

D) doing what other people do

22. Which of the following does the author think teachers should NOT do?   A    

A) Let children mark their own work.      B) Allow children to make mistakes.

C) Point out children’s mistakes to them. D) Give children correct answers.

23. According to the author, teachers in school should   C     .

  A) allow children to learn from each other

  B) point out children’s mistakes whenever found