一、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1、Question 1 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、The number of male nurses has gone down.
B、There is discrimination against male nurses.
C、There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.
D、The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.
解析：
News Report One
听力原文
(1) The British government has called for more men to consider a career in nursing. Figures show the number of male nurses has fallen in the last three years. Now the number of men working in the nursing sector has reached a seven-year low. Numbers of male nurses increased between 2011 and 2014 and reached a peak of 7,168. This figure has dropped to only 6,924 in 2017. (2) The UK Health Secretary said, “This is clearly a cultural problem, and probably one that exists in many parts of the world. But we can make efforts to change that now. We want to persuade males to think about career options of going into nursing. There was absolutely no reason why men can’t go into this profession.” The Health Secretary said that the government already has plans to attract a “more varied workforce” into nursing. She stated, “We are leading the way on workforce planning. We will become the first nation in Europe to publish a national health and care workforce plan.”
1. What problem is Britain facing?
解析：A。录音开头指出，英国政府呼吁更多男性考虑从事护理工作。数据显示，男性护士的数量在过去三年间有所下滑。A项的The number of male nurses has gone down与原文表述一致，故正确。文中只提到男性护士数量下降，并未说明其他医护人员的情况，故C不正确。B和D两项在原文中没有依据，故均排除。
2、Question 2 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Working conditions.
B、Educational system.
C、Inadequate pay.
D、Cultural bias.
解析：
News Report One
听力原文
(1) The British government has called for more men to consider a career in nursing. Figures show the number of male nurses has fallen in the last three years. Now the number of men working in the nursing sector has reached a seven-year low. Numbers of male nurses increased between 2011 and 2014 and reached a peak of 7,168. This figure has dropped to only 6,924 in 2017. (2) The UK Health Secretary said, “This is clearly a cultural problem, and probably one that exists in many parts of the world. But we can make efforts to change that now. We want to persuade males to think about career options of going into nursing. There was absolutely no reason why men can’t go into this profession.” The Health Secretary said that the government already has plans to attract a “more varied workforce” into nursing. She stated, “We are leading the way on workforce planning. We will become the first nation in Europe to publish a national health and care workforce plan.”
2. What is the cause of the problem according to the UK Health Secretary?
解析：D。录音中间指出，英国卫生部长称，这明显是文化问题，而且很可能在世界上很多地方都存在。由此可知，男性护士数量减少是文化原因所导致的，主要是出于对男性护士的偏见，故选D。其余选项在原文中均未提及，故排除。
3、Question 3 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、He fell out of a lifeboat.
B、He was almost drowned.
C、He lost his way on a beach.
D、He enjoyed swimming in the sea.
解析：
News Report Two
听力原文
A man from Libya was enjoying a walk along the sands at Southport Beach. When he was about half a mile out from the dock, he felt a bit tired. So he lay down and fell asleep, but the tide swept in quickly at the beach. And the man was shocked to wake up and find the tide had come in and completely surrounded him, cutting him off from the shore. (3) Fortunately for him, the beach lifeguards were quickly on the scene to stop him from drowning. They acted professionally to ensure the man was comfortable until an ambulance arrived. He was then taken to hospital. He is now in a stable condition. When interviewed, Keith Porter of the Southport Beach said, “Our beach is so flat that it’s very common for the tide to come around the back of people and cut them off from the beach. (4) Thankfully the emergency services have again worked well together to ensure a positive outcome and we wish the gentleman a speedy recovery.”
3. What does the news report say about the Libyan man?
解析：B。录音中间指出，这名利比亚男子醒来后发现潮水已经淹没了沙滩，好在海滩救生员很快到达现场施救，才使他免于溺亡。由此可知该男子差点溺亡。B项中的drowned与原文中的drowning属于同义复现，故选B。其余选项在原文中均未提及，故排除。
4、Question 4 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.
B、The beach is a good place to watch the tide.
C、The emergency services are efficient.
D、The beach is a popular tourist resort.
解析：
News Report Two
听力原文
A man from Libya was enjoying a walk along the sands at Southport Beach. When he was about half a mile out from the dock, he felt a bit tired. So he lay down and fell asleep, but the tide swept in quickly at the beach. And the man was shocked to wake up and find the tide had come in and completely surrounded him, cutting him off from the shore. (3) Fortunately for him, the beach lifeguards were quickly on the scene to stop him from drowning. They acted professionally to ensure the man was comfortable until an ambulance arrived. He was then taken to hospital. He is now in a stable condition. When interviewed, Keith Porter of the Southport Beach said, “Our beach is so flat that it’s very common for the tide to come around the back of people and cut them off from the beach. (4) Thankfully the emergency services have again worked well together to ensure a positive outcome and we wish the gentleman a speedy recovery.”
4. What did Keith Porter say at an interview?
解析：C。录音最后说道，幸运的是，应急救助服务各方再次通力合作，才确保了结果是好的。C项中efficient对应录音中的worked well together，所以C项正确。其余选项均无原文依据，故排除。
5、Question 5 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、It climbed 25 storeys at one go.
B、It broke into an office room.
C、It escaped from a local zoo.
D、It became an online star.
解析：
News Report Three
听力原文
(5) A raccoon, a small catlike animal, climbed to the top of a 25-storey skyscraper early on Wednesday. It was captured after becoming an online star across the world. At a little before 3 a.m., the animal made it to the roof of the building, after it took a long break on a 17th floor window edge. At the top of the building, animal control officers put cat food in traps and captured the raccoon. (6) A private wildlife management company will release the animal into the wild. The raccoon’s upward journey began on Monday. The brown animal was spotted stuck on a narrow window edge of the office tower. On Tuesday, the raccoon slowly climbed the building. It reached the 23rd floor, and its legend continued to grow on social media with every floor it climbed. As it went up, people gathered on the sidewalk below to take photos and cheer for its safety. On line, office workers posted photos and videos of the raccoon resting on window edges and climbing up the building’s concrete exterior. (7) One online post said that the raccoon has succeeded in uniting the country the way no politician could.
5. What does the news report say about the raccoon, a small catlike animal?
解析：D。录音开头说到，一只浣熊（一种像猫的小型动物）在周三早晨爬上了一座25层高的大楼。在成为国际网络明星之后，这只浣熊被成功抓住。由此可知，浣熊成为了网络明星，故D项正确。录音中提到，该浣熊在爬到25层之前在17和23层均停留过，因此A项一口气爬25层是错误的。其余选项均无原文信息来源，故排除。
6、Question 6 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、Release it into the wild.
B、Return it to its owner.
C、Send it back to the zoo.
D、Give it a physical checkup.
解析：
News Report Three
听力原文
(5) A raccoon, a small catlike animal, climbed to the top of a 25-storey skyscraper early on Wednesday. It was captured after becoming an online star across the world. At a little before 3 a.m., the animal made it to the roof of the building, after it took a long break on a 17th floor window edge. At the top of the building, animal control officers put cat food in traps and captured the raccoon. (6) A private wildlife management company will release the animal into the wild. The raccoon’s upward journey began on Monday. The brown animal was spotted stuck on a narrow window edge of the office tower. On Tuesday, the raccoon slowly climbed the building. It reached the 23rd floor, and its legend continued to grow on social media with every floor it climbed. As it went up, people gathered on the sidewalk below to take photos and cheer for its safety. On line, office workers posted photos and videos of the raccoon resting on window edges and climbing up the building’s concrete exterior. (7) One online post said that the raccoon has succeeded in uniting the country the way no politician could.
6. What will the wildlife management company do with the captured raccoon?
解析：A。录音中间说到，一家私人野生动物管理公司将会把浣熊放归田野。其他三项在文中没有提及，故A项为正确答案。
7、Question 7 is based on the news report you have just heard.
A、A raccoon can perform acts no human can.
B、A raccoon can climb much higher than a cat.
C、The raccoon did something no politician could.
D、The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.
解析：
News Report Three
听力原文
(5) A raccoon, a small catlike animal, climbed to the top of a 25-storey skyscraper early on Wednesday. It was captured after becoming an online star across the world. At a little before 3 a.m., the animal made it to the roof of the building, after it took a long break on a 17th floor window edge. At the top of the building, animal control officers put cat food in traps and captured the raccoon. (6) A private wildlife management company will release the animal into the wild. The raccoon’s upward journey began on Monday. The brown animal was spotted stuck on a narrow window edge of the office tower. On Tuesday, the raccoon slowly climbed the building. It reached the 23rd floor, and its legend continued to grow on social media with every floor it climbed. As it went up, people gathered on the sidewalk below to take photos and cheer for its safety. On line, office workers posted photos and videos of the raccoon resting on window edges and climbing up the building’s concrete exterior. (7) One online post said that the raccoon has succeeded in uniting the country the way no politician could.
7. What did one online post say?
解析：C。录音最后一句说，网上有一篇帖子说，这只浣熊以这种方式把全国的人都团结起来，而这可是任何一位政治家都未能做到的，故C项正确。原文中说该浣熊做到了政治家所不能做的事，而A项说的是做到人类做不到的事，将范围扩大化，故错误。B项在原文中没有提及，只是说浣熊像猫，并未比较谁爬得高，故排除。D项也出现了politicians，但原文并没有把浣熊和政治家的知名度进行比对，故排除D项。
8、Question 8 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、She received a bonus unexpectedly.
B、She got a well-paying job in a bank.
C、She received her first monthly salary.
D、She got a pay raise for her performance.
解析：
Conversation One
听力原文
W: (8) I have really amazing news. I just got a text message from my bank, saying my salary has been deposited in my account.
M: Getting paid is good. But I don’t understand why you’re so excited. It happens every month.
W: Well, I’ve been working for a few years. In fact, I worked all through university, but I only had part-time jobs then. (8) So this is the first time I’ve ever been paid for a month of full-time work.
M: Wow, then you must feel great. I mean (9) it’s been two decades, but I can still remember when I got my first real salary. I was happy for days and I felt like it was a small fortune, even though it wasn’t.
W: Yeah, I’ve never earned so much money before. And there’re so many things I’d like to do with it. What did you do with your first pay?
M: (10) I bought a new suit for work and took my parents to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Maybe you could do the same.
W: I have enough professional clothes. And my parents are across the country, so seeing them is impossible. But some people from the office are members of a gym I want to join. And my university classmates are arranging a trip to visit our old campus, and I’d love to go with them, but I can’t afford both.
M: (11) If I were you, I’d join the gym because it’s a good way to stay healthy, and it might help you build a stronger relationship with your colleagues. And good relationships are key to a successful career.
W: (11) Hmm, you’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’m taking it.
8. Why did the woman feel excited?
解析：C。录音开头女士说，她虽然从上大学以来就一直在工作，但这次是她第一次领到全职工作的月薪。故C项正确。其余选项均与女士所述不符，故均排除。
9、Question 9 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Two decades ago.
B、Several years ago.
C、Just last month.
D、Right after graduation.
解析：
Conversation One
听力原文
W: (8) I have really amazing news. I just got a text message from my bank, saying my salary has been deposited in my account.
M: Getting paid is good. But I don’t understand why you’re so excited. It happens every month.
W: Well, I’ve been working for a few years. In fact, I worked all through university, but I only had part-time jobs then. (8) So this is the first time I’ve ever been paid for a month of full-time work.
M: Wow, then you must feel great. I mean (9) it’s been two decades, but I can still remember when I got my first real salary. I was happy for days and I felt like it was a small fortune, even though it wasn’t.
W: Yeah, I’ve never earned so much money before. And there’re so many things I’d like to do with it. What did you do with your first pay?
M: (10) I bought a new suit for work and took my parents to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Maybe you could do the same.
W: I have enough professional clothes. And my parents are across the country, so seeing them is impossible. But some people from the office are members of a gym I want to join. And my university classmates are arranging a trip to visit our old campus, and I’d love to go with them, but I can’t afford both.
M: (11) If I were you, I’d join the gym because it’s a good way to stay healthy, and it might help you build a stronger relationship with your colleagues. And good relationships are key to a successful career.
W: (11) Hmm, you’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’m taking it.
9. When did the man get his first full-time job?
解析：A。录音中间男士说，距离他第一次领到工资已经过去了20年，但他还记得当时的感觉。故A项正确。其余选项在原文中均未出现，故排除。
10、Question 10 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He sent a small check to his parents.
B、He treated his parents to a nice meal.
C、He took a few of his friends to a gym.
D、He immediately deposited it in a bank.
解析：
Conversation One
听力原文
W: (8) I have really amazing news. I just got a text message from my bank, saying my salary has been deposited in my account.
M: Getting paid is good. But I don’t understand why you’re so excited. It happens every month.
W: Well, I’ve been working for a few years. In fact, I worked all through university, but I only had part-time jobs then. (8) So this is the first time I’ve ever been paid for a month of full-time work.
M: Wow, then you must feel great. I mean (9) it’s been two decades, but I can still remember when I got my first real salary. I was happy for days and I felt like it was a small fortune, even though it wasn’t.
W: Yeah, I’ve never earned so much money before. And there’re so many things I’d like to do with it. What did you do with your first pay?
M: (10) I bought a new suit for work and took my parents to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Maybe you could do the same.
W: I have enough professional clothes. And my parents are across the country, so seeing them is impossible. But some people from the office are members of a gym I want to join. And my university classmates are arranging a trip to visit our old campus, and I’d love to go with them, but I can’t afford both.
M: (11) If I were you, I’d join the gym because it’s a good way to stay healthy, and it might help you build a stronger relationship with your colleagues. And good relationships are key to a successful career.
W: (11) Hmm, you’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’m taking it.
10. What did the man do when he got his first pay?
解析：B。录音接着说道，男士用第一笔工资买了一套新西装，并请父母去了一家很好的餐厅庆祝。故B项正确。D项利用女士提到的，薪水已经打入她的银行账户作干扰，男士未提及存钱的事情，故错误。其余选项在原文中均未提及。
11、Question 11 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Join her colleagues for gym exercise.
B、Visit her former university campus.
C、Buy some professional clothes.
D、Budget her salary carefully.
解析：
Conversation One
听力原文
W: (8) I have really amazing news. I just got a text message from my bank, saying my salary has been deposited in my account.
M: Getting paid is good. But I don’t understand why you’re so excited. It happens every month.
W: Well, I’ve been working for a few years. In fact, I worked all through university, but I only had part-time jobs then. (8) So this is the first time I’ve ever been paid for a month of full-time work.
M: Wow, then you must feel great. I mean (9) it’s been two decades, but I can still remember when I got my first real salary. I was happy for days and I felt like it was a small fortune, even though it wasn’t.
W: Yeah, I’ve never earned so much money before. And there’re so many things I’d like to do with it. What did you do with your first pay?
M: (10) I bought a new suit for work and took my parents to a nice restaurant to celebrate. Maybe you could do the same.
W: I have enough professional clothes. And my parents are across the country, so seeing them is impossible. But some people from the office are members of a gym I want to join. And my university classmates are arranging a trip to visit our old campus, and I’d love to go with them, but I can’t afford both.
M: (11) If I were you, I’d join the gym because it’s a good way to stay healthy, and it might help you build a stronger relationship with your colleagues. And good relationships are key to a successful career.
W: (11) Hmm, you’re right. Thanks for the advice. I’m taking it.
11. What does the woman say she is going to do?
解析：A。录音最后，女士表示会听取男士的建议，与同事们一起去健身。故A项正确。B项是女士提出的选择之一，但她的钱只能负担起一件事，所以女士放弃了回母校的计划，故排除。女士表示自己的职业装已经够多了，因此不需要再买，故排除C项。D选项在文中未提及。
12、Question 12 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He has just too many things to attend to.
B、He has been overworked recently.
C、He has a difficult decision to make.
D、He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.
解析：
Conversation Two
听力原文
W: What’s going on with you lately? You seem so distracted, like you aren’t really listening to anything I say.
M: I know. I’m sorry. (12) I can’t seem to focus on anything, because I still haven’t decided if I should accept the offer for that PhD program in London, or if I should take the job offer in New York.
W: (12) Look, it’s a tough decision, but you’re running out of time, aren’t you? I thought you said the company expected an answer by the end of the month.
M: Actually, it’s the beginning of next month for the job, but the university needs a decision by the end of the week. So I have to act quickly.
W: You definitely need advice for an important decision like this. (13) So who have you talked to about it? What does your family think? And your advisor for your Master’s program?
M: (14) I’ve asked for their advice and that’s part of the problem. My parents want me to get the degree, but my advisor thinks it’s time for me to get more work experience.
W: What do you mean by “part of the problem”? Oh, wait, it’s your girlfriend, isn’t it? You’ve been dating since your first year of university, so that’s six years now. She must have an opinion about all this. I mean isn’t it time for you to think about getting married?
M: Well, I do want to get married, (15) but she thinks we need to wait until we’ve launched our careers. Plus, she’s not sure what she’ll be doing next year. She’s considering a job in England and one in Australia. And her parents are pushing for the latter.
12. Why does the man seem to be distracted?
解析：C。录音开头，男士解释了自己心不在焉的原因：他需要在伦敦的博士项目和纽约的工作邀请之间做出选择。下文中，女士补充说这是一个艰难的决定，故C项正确。男士是需要在两个选择中做出决定，并非有太多事需要顾及，故排除A项。其余选项在原文中均未提及，故排除。
13、Question 13 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.
B、Give priority to things more urgent.
C、Think twice before making the decision.
D、Seek advice from his family and advisor.
解析：
Conversation Two
听力原文
W: What’s going on with you lately? You seem so distracted, like you aren’t really listening to anything I say.
M: I know. I’m sorry. (12) I can’t seem to focus on anything, because I still haven’t decided if I should accept the offer for that PhD program in London, or if I should take the job offer in New York.
W: (12) Look, it’s a tough decision, but you’re running out of time, aren’t you? I thought you said the company expected an answer by the end of the month.
M: Actually, it’s the beginning of next month for the job, but the university needs a decision by the end of the week. So I have to act quickly.
W: You definitely need advice for an important decision like this. (13) So who have you talked to about it? What does your family think? And your advisor for your Master’s program?
M: (14) I’ve asked for their advice and that’s part of the problem. My parents want me to get the degree, but my advisor thinks it’s time for me to get more work experience.
W: What do you mean by “part of the problem”? Oh, wait, it’s your girlfriend, isn’t it? You’ve been dating since your first year of university, so that’s six years now. She must have an opinion about all this. I mean isn’t it time for you to think about getting married?
M: Well, I do want to get married, (15) but she thinks we need to wait until we’ve launched our careers. Plus, she’s not sure what she’ll be doing next year. She’s considering a job in England and one in Australia. And her parents are pushing for the latter.
13. What does the woman say the man should do?
解析：D。录音中间，女士说男士肯定需要询问别人的建议，并问男士是否与自己的家人和导师商量过这个问题。言下之意是，女士认为男士应该向他的家人和导师寻求建议，故选D。其余选项均与女士所说不符，故排除。
14、Question 14 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、His girlfriend does not support his decision.
B、He is not particularly keen on the job offered.
C、He lacks the money for his doctoral program.
D、His parents and advisor have different opinions.
解析：
Conversation Two
听力原文
W: What’s going on with you lately? You seem so distracted, like you aren’t really listening to anything I say.
M: I know. I’m sorry. (12) I can’t seem to focus on anything, because I still haven’t decided if I should accept the offer for that PhD program in London, or if I should take the job offer in New York.
W: (12) Look, it’s a tough decision, but you’re running out of time, aren’t you? I thought you said the company expected an answer by the end of the month.
M: Actually, it’s the beginning of next month for the job, but the university needs a decision by the end of the week. So I have to act quickly.
W: You definitely need advice for an important decision like this. (13) So who have you talked to about it? What does your family think? And your advisor for your Master’s program?
M: (14) I’ve asked for their advice and that’s part of the problem. My parents want me to get the degree, but my advisor thinks it’s time for me to get more work experience.
W: What do you mean by “part of the problem”? Oh, wait, it’s your girlfriend, isn’t it? You’ve been dating since your first year of university, so that’s six years now. She must have an opinion about all this. I mean isn’t it time for you to think about getting married?
M: Well, I do want to get married, (15) but she thinks we need to wait until we’ve launched our careers. Plus, she’s not sure what she’ll be doing next year. She’s considering a job in England and one in Australia. And her parents are pushing for the latter.
14. What does the man say is part of his problem?
解析：D。录音接着提到，男士的父母认为他应该去读博士学位，而他的导师认为他应该积累工作经验。由此可知，他父母和导师的意见不一致，故D项正确。其余选项均无原文依据，故排除。
15、Question 15 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They need time to make preparations.
B、They haven’t started their careers yet.
C、They need to save enough money for it.
D、They haven’t won their parents’ approval.
解析：
Conversation Two
听力原文
W: What’s going on with you lately? You seem so distracted, like you aren’t really listening to anything I say.
M: I know. I’m sorry. (12) I can’t seem to focus on anything, because I still haven’t decided if I should accept the offer for that PhD program in London, or if I should take the job offer in New York.
W: (12) Look, it’s a tough decision, but you’re running out of time, aren’t you? I thought you said the company expected an answer by the end of the month.
M: Actually, it’s the beginning of next month for the job, but the university needs a decision by the end of the week. So I have to act quickly.
W: You definitely need advice for an important decision like this. (13) So who have you talked to about it? What does your family think? And your advisor for your Master’s program?
M: (14) I’ve asked for their advice and that’s part of the problem. My parents want me to get the degree, but my advisor thinks it’s time for me to get more work experience.
W: What do you mean by “part of the problem”? Oh, wait, it’s your girlfriend, isn’t it? You’ve been dating since your first year of university, so that’s six years now. She must have an opinion about all this. I mean isn’t it time for you to think about getting married?
M: Well, I do want to get married, (15) but she thinks we need to wait until we’ve launched our careers. Plus, she’s not sure what she’ll be doing next year. She’s considering a job in England and one in Australia. And her parents are pushing for the latter.
15. Why doesn’t the man’s girlfriend agree to get married right now?
解析：B。录音最后提到，男士的女朋友认为他们应该等到两人事业都起步之后再考虑结婚。结合前面提到的男士在犹豫要不要接受工作邀请以及他女朋友在两份工作邀请之间犹豫可知，两人目前的工作还没有确定，故B项正确。其余选项均未在原文提到，故排除。
16、Question 16 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Expressing ideas and opinions freely.
B、Enriching social and intellectual lives.
C、Acquiring information and professional knowledge.
D、Using information to understand and solve problems.
解析：
Passage One
听力原文
(16) Analytical skills are our ability to understand and solve problems using information we have available. These skills are extremely important for our professional, social, and intellectual lives. What are the best ways to improve them? One way is to expand your worldview. Unfortunately, this takes time. Ultimately, it will help you better evaluate information and analyze different ideas and outcomes. Traveling is a great way to expand your worldview, although it can be expensive. (17) An entertaining way of enhancing your analytical skills is to engage them by playing brain games. These are games that challenge you to think deeply and to develop your analytical skills. These games will get you used to thinking in a certain way. As a result, they will help improve your ability to think. However, opinions vary on whether video games are effective. The general consensus is that the best ones avoid mindless violence, and instead focus on strategy and challenge us to solve problems and achieve broad goals. (18) Joining a debate or reading club or group is also a good idea. These provide people with the opportunity to come together and discuss ideas, literature and problems. Groups like these will help you refine your analytical skills and enable you to express yourself better. Any social group that encourages free exchange of ideas and pursuit of knowledge is beneficial. It helps you to actively develop your analytical skills.
16. What kind of ability do analytical skills refer to in the passage?
解析：D。录音开头指出，分析能力是我们利用可获取到的信息来理解和解决问题的能力。D项表述与听力原文一致，故正确。A项利用原文中的free exchange of ideas作干扰，但录音中未表明这是分析技巧的含义，只是说自由表达想法的社团对我们有益，故排除。B项是分析技巧的重要性之一，故不符合题意。C项在录音中未提及，故排除。
17、Question 17 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Traveling to different places in the world.
B、Playing games that challenge one’s mind.
C、Improving mind-reading strategies.
D、Reading classic scientific literature.
解析：
Passage One
听力原文
(16) Analytical skills are our ability to understand and solve problems using information we have available. These skills are extremely important for our professional, social, and intellectual lives. What are the best ways to improve them? One way is to expand your worldview. Unfortunately, this takes time. Ultimately, it will help you better evaluate information and analyze different ideas and outcomes. Traveling is a great way to expand your worldview, although it can be expensive. (17) An entertaining way of enhancing your analytical skills is to engage them by playing brain games. These are games that challenge you to think deeply and to develop your analytical skills. These games will get you used to thinking in a certain way. As a result, they will help improve your ability to think. However, opinions vary on whether video games are effective. The general consensus is that the best ones avoid mindless violence, and instead focus on strategy and challenge us to solve problems and achieve broad goals. (18) Joining a debate or reading club or group is also a good idea. These provide people with the opportunity to come together and discuss ideas, literature and problems. Groups like these will help you refine your analytical skills and enable you to express yourself better. Any social group that encourages free exchange of ideas and pursuit of knowledge is beneficial. It helps you to actively develop your analytical skills.
17. What does the passage say is an entertaining way of enhancing one’s analytical skills?
解析：B。录音中间指出，玩脑力游戏是一种有趣的提升分析能力的方法。这些游戏可以给你挑战，让你习惯于采用某种特定的方式思考，从而帮助你提升自己的思考能力。B项的games that challenge one’s mind对应录音中的These are game that challenge you to think...，故B项正确。A项是扩展世界观的方法，不符合提议。其余两项并未在原文提及，故排除。
18、Question 18 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Participate in debates or discussions.
B、Expose themselves to different cultures.
C、Discard personal biases and prejudices.
D、Give others freedom to express themselves.
解析：
Passage One
听力原文
(16) Analytical skills are our ability to understand and solve problems using information we have available. These skills are extremely important for our professional, social, and intellectual lives. What are the best ways to improve them? One way is to expand your worldview. Unfortunately, this takes time. Ultimately, it will help you better evaluate information and analyze different ideas and outcomes. Traveling is a great way to expand your worldview, although it can be expensive. (17) An entertaining way of enhancing your analytical skills is to engage them by playing brain games. These are games that challenge you to think deeply and to develop your analytical skills. These games will get you used to thinking in a certain way. As a result, they will help improve your ability to think. However, opinions vary on whether video games are effective. The general consensus is that the best ones avoid mindless violence, and instead focus on strategy and challenge us to solve problems and achieve broad goals. (18) Joining a debate or reading club or group is also a good idea. These provide people with the opportunity to come together and discuss ideas, literature and problems. Groups like these will help you refine your analytical skills and enable you to express yourself better. Any social group that encourages free exchange of ideas and pursuit of knowledge is beneficial. It helps you to actively develop your analytical skills.
18. What else does the speaker advise people to do to improve their analytical skills?
解析：A。录音最后指出，参加辩论、读书会或小组也是很好的办法。接着又指出这些场合给人讨论想法的机会，A项中的debates or discussions指代在辩论、读书会和小组等场合中开展的活动，故选A。原文中提到，参加鼓励自由交流想法的社团有益于提高我们的分析能力，但并不是说自由表达自我就能提升分析力，故D错误。另外两个选项在原文中均未提及，故排除。
19、Question 19 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.
B、The nature of relationships between dogs.
C、The reason a great many people love dogs.
D、How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.
解析：
Passage Two
听力原文
There’s an endless amount of scientific data proving that dogs can develop strong bonds with their owners. People aren’t kidding when they say they “love” their dog or their dog “loves” them. (19) But we’re rather ignorant about the nature of the relationships that form between dogs. In an effort to understand the matter further, I spoke with Dr. Marc Bekoff a researcher and former professor of animal behavior. (20) The doctor’s response to the question of whether or not dogs can fall in love like humans do was a straight “of course”. He went on to say that if love is defined as a long-term commitment—meaning dogs seek one another out when they’re apart, they’re happy when they’re reunited, they protect one another, they feed one another, they raise their children together—then, of course, dogs love each other. Now our furry friends don’t really experience “romantic” love, like in the movies, but they can form deep and lasting bonds with their fellow dogs as well as humans. (21) In fact, evidence shows that most dogs stay with one partner their whole lives. In actuality, love between dogs can be even more intimate than human relationships. When they interact, they aren’t afraid to smell each other and will express themselves clearly and honestly. Once again, it seems we have a lot to learn from dogs.
19. What does the passage say we don’t know much about?
解析：B。录音开头指出，人们很难意识到狗与狗之间关系的本质。题干中的don’t know much about与原文中的ignorant about属于同义替换，而B项中The nature of relationships between dogs与原文表述一致，因此B项正确。A项在原文中未提及，故排除。C项利用录音中People和“love” their dogs作干扰，但原文并非讨论人类爱狗的原因，故排除。D项利用录音中的bonds with作干扰，但同样并非是录音讨论的话题，故排除。
20、Question 20 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They behave like other animals in many ways.
B、They have an unusual sense of responsibility.
C、They can respond to humans’ questions.
D、They can fall in love just like humans.
解析：
Passage Two
听力原文
There’s an endless amount of scientific data proving that dogs can develop strong bonds with their owners. People aren’t kidding when they say they “love” their dog or their dog “loves” them. (19) But we’re rather ignorant about the nature of the relationships that form between dogs. In an effort to understand the matter further, I spoke with Dr. Marc Bekoff a researcher and former professor of animal behavior. (20) The doctor’s response to the question of whether or not dogs can fall in love like humans do was a straight “of course”. He went on to say that if love is defined as a long-term commitment—meaning dogs seek one another out when they’re apart, they’re happy when they’re reunited, they protect one another, they feed one another, they raise their children together—then, of course, dogs love each other. Now our furry friends don’t really experience “romantic” love, like in the movies, but they can form deep and lasting bonds with their fellow dogs as well as humans. (21) In fact, evidence shows that most dogs stay with one partner their whole lives. In actuality, love between dogs can be even more intimate than human relationships. When they interact, they aren’t afraid to smell each other and will express themselves clearly and honestly. Once again, it seems we have a lot to learn from dogs.
20. What does Dr. Mark Bekoff say about dogs?
解析：D。录音中间提到，作者在问到狗是否可以像人类一样相爱的时候，博士直截了当地回答“当然”。由此可知，贝科夫博士认为狗可以像人类一样相爱，故D项正确。C项利用录音原词respond和questions作干扰，但录音中说的是Marc博士所作回应，并非狗对人类的回应，故错误。A和B两项在文中均未提及，故排除。
21、Question 21 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They stay with one partner for life.
B、They have their own joys and sorrows.
C、They experience true romantic love.
D、They help humans in various ways.
解析：
Passage Two
听力原文
There’s an endless amount of scientific data proving that dogs can develop strong bonds with their owners. People aren’t kidding when they say they “love” their dog or their dog “loves” them. (19) But we’re rather ignorant about the nature of the relationships that form between dogs. In an effort to understand the matter further, I spoke with Dr. Marc Bekoff a researcher and former professor of animal behavior. (20) The doctor’s response to the question of whether or not dogs can fall in love like humans do was a straight “of course”. He went on to say that if love is defined as a long-term commitment—meaning dogs seek one another out when they’re apart, they’re happy when they’re reunited, they protect one another, they feed one another, they raise their children together—then, of course, dogs love each other. Now our furry friends don’t really experience “romantic” love, like in the movies, but they can form deep and lasting bonds with their fellow dogs as well as humans. (21) In fact, evidence shows that most dogs stay with one partner their whole lives. In actuality, love between dogs can be even more intimate than human relationships. When they interact, they aren’t afraid to smell each other and will express themselves clearly and honestly. Once again, it seems we have a lot to learn from dogs.
21. What does the speaker say about most dogs?
解析：A。录音最后提到，实际上，有证据显示，大部分狗一生只与一个伴侣相伴。因此A项符合讲话者的表述，故A项正确。录音中也提到了romantic love，但说的是狗并不会感受到浪漫爱情，因此C项与录音原文相悖，故错误。其余两项在原文中均未提及，故排除。
22、Question 22 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、A rare animal.
B、A historical site.
C、A cow bone.
D、A precious stone.
解析：
Passage Three
听力原文
A piece of history has been found thanks to a boy tripping on a rare, 1.2 million-year-old animal fossil. In November 2016, Jude Sparks, now 10, was on an outing with his family near their New Mexico home (22) when he tripped over what he thought was a cow bone. (23) Now, researchers at New Mexico State University are preserving this discovery, which was identified as an ancient elephant-like animal. Kyle Sparks, father of Jude, said he let his son decide what to do with the fossil. So Jude reached out to Peter Houde, a professor at New Mexico State University, who had experience with the same type of fossil in the past. The next day, Houde came out to see the fossil for himself. Houde told ABC News that he was quite excited about the find. (24) “It was fortunate that the family didn’t try to dig up the fossil because that could destroy the specimen; they did the right thing by calling someone who would know what to do.” “It’s great for the community because now everybody can appreciate it,” he added. Houde and his fellow faculty members dug up the fossil in late May. (25) They hope to return to the site with geologists for an additional search as there could be more fossils near the site. Jude and his family had been invited by the researchers to see the fossil being preserved at the university.
22. What did the boy Jude Sparks think he had discovered?
解析：C。录音开头提到，裘德·斯巴克斯在郊游的时候在一样东西上绊了一跤，当时他还以为是块牛骨头（a cow bone）。因此C项正确。A项利用录音原词rare animal作干扰，但男孩在绊倒时并不知道这是稀有动物化石，故错误。其余两项在录音中均未提及，故排除。
23、Question 23 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Dating it.
B、Preserving it.
C、Measuring it.
D、Identifying it.
解析：
Passage Three
听力原文
A piece of history has been found thanks to a boy tripping on a rare, 1.2 million-year-old animal fossil. In November 2016, Jude Sparks, now 10, was on an outing with his family near their New Mexico home (22) when he tripped over what he thought was a cow bone. (23) Now, researchers at New Mexico State University are preserving this discovery, which was identified as an ancient elephant-like animal. Kyle Sparks, father of Jude, said he let his son decide what to do with the fossil. So Jude reached out to Peter Houde, a professor at New Mexico State University, who had experience with the same type of fossil in the past. The next day, Houde came out to see the fossil for himself. Houde told ABC News that he was quite excited about the find. (24) “It was fortunate that the family didn’t try to dig up the fossil because that could destroy the specimen; they did the right thing by calling someone who would know what to do.” “It’s great for the community because now everybody can appreciate it,” he added. Houde and his fellow faculty members dug up the fossil in late May. (25) They hope to return to the site with geologists for an additional search as there could be more fossils near the site. Jude and his family had been invited by the researchers to see the fossil being preserved at the university.
23. What are the researchers at New Mexico State University doing with the boy’s discovery?
解析：B。录音前半部分指出，而现在，新墨西哥州州立大学的研究员们正在保护这项发现，因为这块化石被鉴定为来自于一种形似大象的上古动物，故B项正确。D项中的identify属于干扰信息，需排除。其余两项在录音中均未提及，故排除。
24、Question 24 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、The channel needs to interview the boy.
B、The boy should have called an expert.
C、The boy’s family had acted correctly.
D、The site should have been protected.
解析：
Passage Three
听力原文
A piece of history has been found thanks to a boy tripping on a rare, 1.2 million-year-old animal fossil. In November 2016, Jude Sparks, now 10, was on an outing with his family near their New Mexico home (22) when he tripped over what he thought was a cow bone. (23) Now, researchers at New Mexico State University are preserving this discovery, which was identified as an ancient elephant-like animal. Kyle Sparks, father of Jude, said he let his son decide what to do with the fossil. So Jude reached out to Peter Houde, a professor at New Mexico State University, who had experience with the same type of fossil in the past. The next day, Houde came out to see the fossil for himself. Houde told ABC News that he was quite excited about the find. (24) “It was fortunate that the family didn’t try to dig up the fossil because that could destroy the specimen; they did the right thing by calling someone who would know what to do.” “It’s great for the community because now everybody can appreciate it,” he added. Houde and his fellow faculty members dug up the fossil in late May. (25) They hope to return to the site with geologists for an additional search as there could be more fossils near the site. Jude and his family had been invited by the researchers to see the fossil being preserved at the university.
24. What did Professor Peter Houde say when interviewed by ABC News?
解析：C。录音中间指出，胡德告诉ABC新闻台，这家人去找懂得怎么处理化石的人的做法是正确的。因此胡德认为男孩的家庭做了正确的事，故C项正确。男孩在发现化石后并未自行挖出来，而是联系了懂得化石的人来处理，故B项不正确。其余选项在录音中均未提及，故排除。
25、Question 25 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Conduct a more detailed search.
B、Ask the university to reward Jude.
C、Search for similar fossils elsewhere.
D、Seek additional funds for the search.
解析：
Passage Three
听力原文
A piece of history has been found thanks to a boy tripping on a rare, 1.2 million-year-old animal fossil. In November 2016, Jude Sparks, now 10, was on an outing with his family near their New Mexico home (22) when he tripped over what he thought was a cow bone. (23) Now, researchers at New Mexico State University are preserving this discovery, which was identified as an ancient elephant-like animal. Kyle Sparks, father of Jude, said he let his son decide what to do with the fossil. So Jude reached out to Peter Houde, a professor at New Mexico State University, who had experience with the same type of fossil in the past. The next day, Houde came out to see the fossil for himself. Houde told ABC News that he was quite excited about the find. (24) “It was fortunate that the family didn’t try to dig up the fossil because that could destroy the specimen; they did the right thing by calling someone who would know what to do.” “It’s great for the community because now everybody can appreciate it,” he added. Houde and his fellow faculty members dug up the fossil in late May. (25) They hope to return to the site with geologists for an additional search as there could be more fossils near the site. Jude and his family had been invited by the researchers to see the fossil being preserved at the university.
25. What do the researchers plan to do?
解析：A。录音末尾指出，研究人员希望能与地质学家一起回到挖掘现场，进一步探索会不会在附近找到更多化石。A项的a more detailed search对应录音中的an additional search，故A项正确。录音只提到这些研究人员邀请裘德的家庭去观赏化石，这不等同于请求大学奖励裘德，故B项错误。录音中说到，研究人员要回到挖掘这块化石的现场，而不是别处，故C项排除。D项在文中未提及，故排除。
二、Part III Reading Comprehension
Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the (26)_____ of a new study that looked at how respiratory (呼吸道) viruses (27)_____ on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in the same row as a passenger with the flu, for example—or one row in front of or behind that individual—had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very (28)_____ chance of getting sick, according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented (29)_____ information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore, these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less (30)_____ to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.
Prior to the new study, little was known about the risks of getting (31)_____ infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to (32)_____ the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different (33)_____ in the U.S. during flu season. The researchers found that passengers sitting within two seats on (34)_____ side of a person infected with the flu, as well as those sitting one row in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 percent chance of getting sick. But other passengers were (35)_____ safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.
26、(1)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：
名词：
conclusion 结论；论断
explorations (-s) 探索；探险
flights (-s) 航班；飞行
spread 传播；扩散
summit 顶点；顶峰
动词：
evaluate 评估；评价
respond 回应；回答
spread 传播；扩展
形容词：
accurate 准确的；精确的
either 两者中任一的
nearby 附近的
slim 苗条的；微小的
vulnerable 脆弱的；易损伤的
副词：
directly 直接地；马上地
either 要么……要么……
largely 主要地；大部分地
nearby 在附近
vividly 生动地
26. conclusion
解析：名词辨析题。空格前为定冠词the，空格后为介词of，空格处应填入名词。文章开头说，终于有一条关于乘飞机旅行的好消息了：如果与一名患病的乘客同乘一架飞机，你因此而患病的可能性非常低。空格所在句的主语This指的是该好消息，根据后面的研究可知此消息就是研究的结论，因此选conclusion。
27. spread
解析：动词辨析题。空格所在句为looked at后面how引导的宾语从句，空格前为从句的主语viruses，空格后为介词短语，从句缺少谓语，因此空格处应填入动词。根据文意，病毒在飞机上的扩散形式是传播，因此选spread。
28. slim
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为副词very，空格后为名词chance，空格处应填入形容词修饰chance。根据上文可知，只有离患流感的乘客近的人被传染的几率才高，与之相对的是，其他乘客患病的几率很小。也就是说，只有很微小的几率会因此生病，可与chance搭配表达“很小概率的”的只有slim，因此选slim。
29. accurate
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为谓语动词presented，空格后为名词information，空格处应填入形容词修饰information。根据文意，媒体并没有提供关于被感染风险的____信息，所以新的发现对乘客是有帮助的，可知媒体提供的信息应该是用处不大或不精确的，形容词选项中只有accurate代入空格符合文意，表示“没有提供准确信息”，因此选accurate。
30. vulnerable
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为表示比较级的less，less前的谓语动词为感官系动词feel，因此空格处应填入形容词作其表语。根据文意，新发现让人们感到放心，不必过于担心在飞机上被传染，因此乘客应该感到不太会受到呼吸道感染的侵袭才合逻辑，形容词选项中只有vulnerable可与less搭配，表示“不太容易受影响的”，因此选vulnerable。
31. directly
解析：副词辨析题。空格前为getting，空格后为infected，空格所在句句子主干成分完整，因此应填入副词作状语。空格所在句意为：在这项新研究之前，关于____感染常见呼吸道疾病的风险，人们知之甚少。副词选项中只有directly代入空格符合逻辑，意为“直接感染”，因此选directly。
32. evaluate
解析：动词辨析题。空格所在句句子成分完整，空格前为to，空格后为the risk，所以空格所在部分为动词原形和to构成的不定式短语作状语。动词选项中只有evaluate与the risk搭配符合文意，填入空格意为“为了评估受到感染的风险”，故选evaluate。
33. flights
解析：名词辨析题。空格前为形容词different，空格后为介词短语in the U.S.，且different前有数词10，因此空格处应填入名词复数形式。名词选项中符合要求的只有explorations和flights，结合前文可知，文章一直在讲飞机上感染呼吸道疾病的几率，因此选flights，填入空格意为“研究小组美国的10趟不同的航班”。
34. either
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前为介词on，空格后为名词side，空格处应填入形容词修饰名词。空格所在句大意为：研究显示，坐在流感患者____侧两个座位上的乘客和那些坐在前后排的乘客患流感的几率为80%。形容词选项中只有either代入空格符合逻辑，表示流感患者两侧中的任意一侧，因此选either。
35. largely
解析：副词辨析题。空格所在句句子主干成分完整，因此应填入副词作状语修饰safe。句子大意为：但是，其他乘客____不会感染。副词选项中只有largely代入空格符合句意，表示其他乘客大多没有受到传染，因此选largely。
27、(2)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
28、(3)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
29、(4)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
30、(5)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
31、(6)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
32、(7)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
33、(8)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
34、(9)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
35、(10)
A、either
B、vividly
C、evaluate
D、explorations
E、directly
F、summit
G、nearby
H、accurate
I、flights
J、largely
K、respond
L、spread
M、conclusion
N、vulnerable
O、slim
解析：见上一题！
A South Korean city designed for the future takes on a life of its own
【A】Getting around a city is one thing—and then there’s the matter of getting from one city to another. One vision of the perfect city of the future is a place that offers easy access to air travel. In 2011, a University of North Carolina business professor named John Kasarda published a book called Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next. Kasarda says future cities should be built intentionally around or near airports. The idea, as he has put it, is to offer businesses “rapid, long-distance connectivity on a massive scale.”
【B】 “The 18th century really was a waterborne (水运的) century, the 19th century a rail century, the 20th century a highway, car, truck century—and the 21st century will increasingly be an aviation century, as the globe becomes increasingly connected by air,” Kasarda says. Songdo, a city built from scratch in South Korea, is one of Kasarda’s prime examples. It has existed for just a few years. “From the outset, it was designed on the basis of connectivity and competitiveness,” says Kasarda. “The government built the bridge directly from the airport to the Songdo International Business District. And the surface infrastructure was built at the same time as the new airport.”
【C】Songdo is a stone’s throw from South Korea’s Incheon Airport, its main international hub (枢纽). But it takes a lot more than a nearby airport to be a city of the future. Just building a place as an “international business district” doesn’t mean it will become one. Park Yeon Soo conceived (构想) this city of the future back in 1986. He considers Songdo his baby. Park sees himself as a visionary. Thirty years after he imagined the city, Park’s baby is close to 70 percent built, with 36,000 people living in the business district and 90,000 residents in greater Songdo. It’s about an hour outside Seoul, built on former tidal flats along the Yellow Sea. There’s a Coast Guard building and a tall trade tower, as well as a park, golf course and university.
【D】Chances are you’ve actually seen this place. Songdo appears in the most famous music video ever to come out of South Korea. “Gangnam Style” refers to the fashionable Gangnam district in Seoul. But some of the video was filmed in Songdo. “I don’t know if you remember, there was a scene in a subway station. That was not Gangnam. That was actually Songdo,” says Jung Won Son, a professor of urban development at London’s Bartlett School of Planning. “Part of the reason to shoot there is that it’s new and nice.”
【E】The city was supposed to be a hub for global companies, with employees from all over the world. But that’s not how it has turned out. Songdo’s reputation is as a futuristic ghost town. But the reality is more complicated. A bridge with big, light-blue loops leads into the business district. In the center of the main road, there’s a long line of flags of the world. On the corner, there’s a Starbucks and a 7-Eleven—all of the international brands that you see all over the world nowadays.
【F】The city is not empty. There are mothers pushing baby carriages, old women with walkers—even in the middle of the day, when it’s 90 degrees out. Byun Young-Jin chairs the Songdo real estate association and started selling property here when the first phase of the city opened in 2005. He says demand has boomed in the past couple of years. Most of his clients are Korean. In fact, the developer says, 99 percent of the homes here are sold to Koreans. Young families move here because the schools are great. And that’s the problem: Songdo has become a popular Korean city—more popular as a residential area than a business one. It’s not yet the futuristic international business hub that planners imagined. “It’s a great place to live. And it’s becoming a great place to work,” says Scott Summers, vice-president of Gale International, the developer of the city. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his company’s offices overlook Songdo Central Park, with a canal full of small boats and people fishing. Shimmering (闪烁的) glass towers line the canal’s edge.
【G】 “What’s happened is that our focus on creating that quality of life first has enabled the residents to live here,” Summers says. But there needs to be strong economic incentives for companies to locate here. The city is still unfinished, and it feels a bit like a theme park. It doesn’t feel all that futuristic. There’s a high-tech underground trash disposal system. Buildings are environmentally friendly. Everybody’s television set is connected to a system that streams personalized language or exercise classes.
【H】But this is not Star Trek. And to some of the residents, Songdo feels hollow. “I’m, like, in prison for weekdays. That’s what we call it in the workplace,” says a woman in her 20s. She doesn’t want to use her name for fear of being fired from her job. She goes back to Seoul every weekend. “I say I’m prison-breaking on Friday nights.” But she has to make the prison break in her own car. There’s no high-speed train connecting Songdo to Seoul, just over 20 miles away.
【I】Park Yeon Soo, the man who first imagined Songdo, feels frustrated, too. He says he built South Korea a luxury vehicle, “like Mercedes or BMW. It’s a good car now. But we’re waiting for a good driver to accelerate.” But there are lots of other good cars out there, too. The world is dotted with futuristic, high-tech cities trying to attract the biggest international companies.
【J】Songdo’s backers contend that it’s still early, and business space is filling up—about 70 percent of finished offices are now occupied. Brent Ryan, who teaches urban design at MIT, says Songdo proves a universal principle. “There have been a lot of utopian (乌托邦的) cities in history. And the reason we don’t know about a lot of them is that they have vanished entirely.” In other words, when it comes to cities—or anything else—it is hard to predict the future.
36、
36. Songdo’s popularity lies more in its quality of life than its business attraction.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
解析：36. 松岛受欢迎的程度更多取决于它的生活品质而不是商业吸引力。
