Part I Reading Comprehension (30%)
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 that 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 mastered1,116.
(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 20thnew results were announced from a study of 9tol1yearolds 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 __
正确答案：D
答案解析：
题目:在美国以外的富裕国家，幼儿园通常从孩子的年龄开始
A:八
B:七个
C:六个
D:四个
2、According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
正确答案：C
答案解析：
题目:根据短文，下列哪个选项是正确的?
A:贫困学龄前儿童的词汇量比富裕儿童大。
B:奥巴马总统相信早期教育可以解决所有的经济和社会问题。
C:富裕的学龄前儿童比贫困儿童拥有更丰富的词汇。
D:
3、Which of the following about the New Jersey study is TRUE?
正确答案：D
答案解析：
题目:关于新泽西州的研究，下列哪项是正确的?
A:没有证据支持新泽西州的这项研究。
B:新泽西州开创了一个帮助弱势儿童的新开端。
C:在孩子四岁的时候送他们上学是没有帮助的。
D:两年的学前教育比一年好。
4、The phrase "single out" in the last paragraph means __ .
正确答案：A
答案解析：
题目:最后一段中“single out”一词的意思是。
A:选择
B:思考
C:数
D:取决于
5、Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage?
正确答案：B
答案解析：
题目:下面哪个是适合这篇文章的标题?
A:中等教育
B:学前教育
C:
D:
Part I Reading Comprehension (30%)
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 roadblock 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 experiences 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 addition 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.
正确答案：B
答案解析：
题目:根据“火星一号”计划，人类可以在未来几年内将四个人送上火星。
A:七个
B:八
C:十
D:六个
7、According to Bas Lansdorp, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
正确答案：B
答案解析：
题目:根据巴斯·兰斯多普的说法，下列哪项是不正确的?
A:对于单程火星之旅，所有的技术都是存在的。
B:他无法为火星一号筹集资金。
C:我们人类有火箭把人送到火星。
D:我们人类拥有登陆火星的设备。
8、According to the passage, all the following statements are TRUEEXCEPT that __ .
正确答案：D
答案解析：
题目:根据这篇文章，下列所有的陈述都是正确的，除了那一点。
A:将举行一场选拔四名宇航员的竞赛
B:火星一号的造价可能高达60亿美元
C:
D:
9、The word "colossal” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to _______.
正确答案：A
10、Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage?
正确答案：C
答案解析：
题目:下面哪个是适合这篇文章的标题?
A:准备好火星之旅了
B:准备好对火星进行短暂的访问
C:准备好去火星的单程旅行
D:准备在火星上漫步
Part I Reading Comprehension (30%)
Passage 3
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:
When the United States Congress created Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the goal was to set aside a place where Americans could enjoy the beauty of nature for years to come. Now, 142 years later, there are hundreds of national parks across the country, and technology is changing the way people experience them. Should park visitors be able to use cell phones, or should their use be restricted?
"Connectivity presents a real challenge to all of us." Al Nash says. He is a public affairs officer at Yellowstone National Park. He says cell phone service at Yellowstone is available in parts of the park with stores and campgrounds. This makes it easy for visitors to share photos of their trip on social networking sites and to stay in touch with friends and family members. (80) If a park visitor is hurt or in danger, cell phones make it easier to get help. Some say the ability to download applications that provide information about plants and animals in the park can enrich a visitor’s experience.
Others say cell phones disturb people’s enjoyment of our national parks. In their view, cell phone towers are an eyesore, and they’d rather hear the sound of birds than the ring of an incoming call. Can you imagine looking out a peaceful lake or field of grass only to be disturbed by a person shouting into their phone, "Can you hear me now?"
Nash says Yellowstone tries to strike a balance. "Ultimately, our job is to let visitors understand and enjoy nature better while protecting what people find special about Yellowstone, and one of those things that’s special is the ability to get away from the hustle and bustle (喧嚣) of one’s daily life."
11、Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
正确答案：B
答案解析：
题目:下面哪个是这篇文章的最佳标题?
A:哪个美国国家公园的游客最多?
B:国家公园应该允许使用手机吗?
C:
D:科技能改变人们体验自然的方式吗?
12、National parks were established __ .
正确答案：C
答案解析：
题目:建立了国家公园。
A:向前任总统表示敬意
B:提高公众对气候变化的认识
C:保护自然美景
D:创造就业机会
13、According to the passage, which of the following statements about the cell phone service at Yellowstone is TRUE?
正确答案：A
答案解析：
题目:根据短文，下列关于黄石国家公园的手机服务的陈述哪一项是正确的?
A:它被限制在公园的某些区域。
B:它在公园里随处可见。
C:公园里没有。
D:游客可以付费使用。
14、The word "eyesore “in the third paragraph probably means _______.
正确答案：A
15、What’s the position of Yellowstone on cell phone use?
正确答案：B
喵呜刷题：让学习像火箭一样快速，快来微信扫码，体验免费刷题服务，开启你的学习加速器！
