第4部分：閱讀理解(第31?45題，每題3分，共45分)

下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道題。請根據(jù)短文內容，為每題確定1個最佳選項。

第一篇 What’s killing the Bats

First it was bees. Now it is bats. Biologists in America are working hard to discover the cause of the mysterious deaths of tens of thousands of bats in the northeastern part of the country. Most of the bats affected are the common little brown bats (Myotis lucifiigus，)but other species, such as the long-eared bat, the small-footed bat，the eastern pipistrelle, and the Indiana bat have also been affected. In some caves, more than 90 percent of the bat populations have died.

One possibility is disease. A white fungus (真菌)known as fusarium has been found on the noses of both living and dead bats. However, scientists don’t know if the fungus is the primary cause of death, a secondary cause of death，or not a cause at all, but the result of some other conditions.

Another possible cause is a lack of food. For example, bats typically eat a large number of moths (蛾)，and in some states such as New York, the number of moths has been declining in recent years. If bats can’t eat enough food, they starve to death.

Still other scientists believe that global wanning is to blame. Warmer temperatures in recent years have been walking up hibernating (冬目民)bats earlier than usual. If bats break their hibernation at the wrong time, they might not find their expected food sources. The weather might also turn cold again and weaken or kill the bats.

Scientists might not agree on the causes of the bat die-off，but they do agree on the consequences. Bats are an important predator of mosquitoes; a single brown bat can eat 1,000 or more insects in an hour. They also eat beetles and other insects that damage plant crops. If there aren’t enough bats, damage will be great from the insects they eat while bats live a long time for their size---the little brown bat can live for more than 30 years---a female bat has only one baby per year, so bat populations grow slowly. Many bat species in the United States are already protected or endangered.

How can you help? Do not disturb sleeping or nesting bats. If you discover bats that seem to be sick or that are dead, contact your lock Fish&Wildlife Department with the details. However, be careful not to touch the animals.

29. what is the main idea of this passage?

A. All species of bats in North America are dying.

B. Scientists already know the cause of the deaths of bats

C. The bat deaths are a serious problem

D. There are many possible causes of the deaths of bats.

30. What does the first sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?

A. Bees have been dying mysteriously

B. The first article on the website is about bees.

C. Bees usually die before bats

D. It was bees that caused the deaths of bats.

31. The word “pipistrelle” in Paragraph I refers to

A. a kind of ftmgus

B. an area in the U.S.

C. a special cave

D. a kind of bat

32. The “moths” in Paragraph 3 are taken as an example of

A. disease that kill bats

B. insects that bats eat

C. animals that have diseases

D. bat species that are starving to death

33. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A. to get people to stop killing bats

B. to hire workers for the Fish&Wildlife Department

C. to ask people not to touch dead bats

D. to tell the public how to help bats.

第二篇 Is There a Way to Keep Britain’s Economy Growing?

In today’s knowledge economy，nations survive on the things they do best. Japanese design electronics while Germens export engineering techniques. The French serve the best food and Americans make computers.

Britain specializes in the gift of talking. The nation doesn't manufacture much of anything. But it has lawyers, stylists and business consultants who earn their living from talk, talk and more talk. The World Foundation think tank1 says the UKfs four iconic jobs today are not scientists, engineers, teachers and nurses. Instead, they're hairdressers, celebrities, management consultants and managers. But can all this talking keep the British economy going? The British government thinks it can.

Although the country’s trade deficit was more than ￡ 60 billion in 2006，UK's largest in the postwar period, officials say the country has nothing to worry about. In fact, Britain does have a world-class pharmaceutical industry, and it still makes a small sum from selling arms abroad. It also trades services — accountancy, insurance, banking and advertising. The government believes Britain is on the cutting edge2 of the knowledge economy. After all, the country of Shakespeare and Wordsworth has a literary tradition of which to be proud. Rock “n” roll3 is an English language medium, and there are billions to be made by their cutting-edge bands. In other words, the creative economy has plenty of strength to carry the British economy.

However, creative industries account for only about 4 percent of UICs exports of goods and services. The industries are finding it hard to make a profit，according to a report of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. The report shows only 38 percent of British companies were engaged in "innovation activities' 3 percentage points below the EU average and well below Germany (61 percent) and Sweden (47 percent).

In fact，it might be better to call Britain a nservantM economy — there are at least 4 million people "in service". The majority of the population are employed by the rich to cook, clean, and take care of their children. Many graduates are even doing menial jobs for which they do not need a degree. Most employment growth has been, and will continue to be, at the low-skill end of the service sector 一 in shops, bars，hotels，domestic service and in nursing and care homes.

34. According to the World Foundation think tank, one of the iconic jobs in Britain today is

A. law makers

B. home servants

C. school teachers

D. business consultants.

35. The phrase “the cutting edge” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

A. the most popular

B. the mos丈 advanced

C. the most political

D. the proudest

36. The officials are not worried about the trade deficit in 2006，because they believe

A. Britain is on the cutting edge of the knowledge economy.

B. Britain is home to the largest pharmaceutical industry in the world.

C. the literary tradition of Britain will help make billions of pounds.

D. the world economy is strong enough to carry the British economy.

37. Which of the following is true about the creative industries in Britain?

A. They are not doing as well as those in other European nations.

B. They contribute a lot to the country’s trade deficit.

C. They can’t make a profit out of their innovative activities.

D. They make Britain on the cutting edge of the knowledge economy.

38. It can be inferred from the passage that

A. the gift of talking can keep the British economy growing.

B. the British economy is the least innovative one in the EU.

C. the British government is over-confident in its economy.

D. being a servant to the rich is one of the best jobs in Britain.

第三篇 The Sandwich Generation

Today people often look forward to their middle age as a time when they will be able to take things easier. After their children are grown，they expect to enjoy the life they have worked hard to create. However the reality is often very different. In middle age，many people discover that they have two ongoing responsibilities1: one is to look after their aging parents, and the other is to help their young adult children deal with the pressures of life. Around the world, there are millions of people who are “sandwiched” in between the older and the younger generations. Sometimes there may be two or three generations living in the same household — a situation that is common in many Asian countries and in some parts of Europe. In other cases, a couple may be taking care of parents and children, but they do not live with them.

There are two important reasons for the rise of the sandwich generation. First, people are living longer than they used to. In the early nineteenth century, the average life expectancy for adults in the United States，for example, was about 40，whereas today people live to an average age of 75. Therefore, children are taking care of their parents over a longer period of time. The second reason is that these days, young adults often live with their parents for a longer time than they did in the past. This is often for financial reasons. It’s also more common for today’s young adults to return home during or after college if they need financial or emotional support.

Young adults feel sandwiched between their financial responsibilities and their desire to enjoy life. They may have to cover expenses that their parents cannot. They may have to manage their parents’ financial and legal affairs. They may have to prepare for their parents’ future needs, such as special medical care or a move to a nursing home. This can be a traumatic experience for everyone.

Caring for adult children presents challenges as well, and caregivers have to resolve important questions; How can financial responsibilities be shared among members of the household? How can household chores be shared? What is the best way to ensure everyone’s privacy? Successfully coping with these issues can avoid a lot of stress for the whole family.

The financial and emotional pressures on the sandwich generation can be overwhelming. However, this time in life also has its rewards. It can be a time to rediscover the special qualities of one’s parents or children. It can also provide a valuable opportunity to spend more time with them. However，in order to survive this difficult period in their lives，the members of the sandwich generation must remember that they also need to pay attention to their own needs and look after the quality of their own lives. They can’t be totally selfless.

39. According to the first paragraph, many people in middle age

A. are able to take things easier when their children are grown.

B. can’t enjoy their life as they have expected

C. can’t enjoy their life because they haven’t worked hard enough.

D. are facing great pressure from their work.

40. Which is true about the sandwich generation?

A. Their parents are unable to take care of themselves.

B. Their parents are often facing the pressures of life.

C. They are tom between the responsibilities for their parents and children.

D. They all have to live with their parents and children.

41. Why do some young adults choose to live with their parents these days?

A. They are too young to be independent from their parents.

B. They want to help their parents to take care of their aging grandparents.

C. They need support from their parents to deal with their financial problems.

D. They are more emotional than the young adults in the past.

42. The sandwich generation face the following challenges EXCEPT

A. sharing household chores

B . ensuring everyone，s privacy

C. shouldering the financial responsibilities of the household

D. determining who is the caregiver of the family

43. To survive the difficult period in their lives，the sandwich generation need to

A. be totally selfless

B. consider their own wellbeing

C. rediscover the merits of their children

D. value the time spent with their parents.

（責任編輯：中大編輯）

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