一、Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
1、Question 1 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He would feel insulted.
B、He would feel very sad.
C、He would be embarrassed.
D、He would be disappointed.
解析：
Conversation One
W: Mr. Ishiguro, have you ever found one of your books at a secondhand bookstore?
M: Yes. That kind of thing is difficult. If they’ve got my book there, I think, “Well, this is an insult! Somebody didn’t want to keep my book!” But if it’s not there, I feel it’s an insult too. I think, “Why aren’t people exchanging my book? Why isn’t it in this store?”
W: Does being a writer require a thick skin?M: Yes, for example, my wife can be very harsh. I began working on my latest book, The Buried Giant, in 2004, but I stopped after I showed my wife a little section. She thought it was rubbish.
W: Even after you won a Booker Prize?M: She’s not intimidated at all and she criticizes me in exactly the same way she did when I was first unpublished and I was starting.
W: But you would never compromise on your vision.
M: No, I wouldn’t ever compromise on the essential, the ideas or the themes. This isn’t really what my wife is trying to criticize me about. It’s always about execution.
W: So why did you put your book, The Buried Giant, aside for so long? Apparently you started working on it over 10 years ago.
M: I’ve often stopped writing a book and left it for a few years. And by the time I come back to it, it may have changed. Usually my imagination has moved on and I can think of different contexts or a different way to do it.
W: What does it feel like when you finally finish a book?
M: It’s funny you ask that because I never have this moment when I feel, “Ah, I’ve finished!” I watch footballers at the end of the match, you know, the whistle goes and they’ve won or lost. Until then they’ve been giving everything they have and at that moment they know it’s over. It’s funny for an author. There’s never a finishing whistle.
1. How would the man feel if he found his book in a secondhand bookstore?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：如果发现自己的书在二手书店出现，这位男士会有什么样的感觉？原文所在句：If they’ve got my book there, I think, “Well, this is an insult!” 可见，他如果在二手书店发现自己的书，会觉得这是一种侮辱。故正确答案为A）He would feel insulted。
2、Question 2 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They are worthy of a prize.
B、They are of little value.
C、They make good reading.
D、They need improvement.
解析：
Conversation One
W: Mr. Ishiguro, have you ever found one of your books at a secondhand bookstore?
M: Yes. That kind of thing is difficult. If they’ve got my book there, I think, “Well, this is an insult! Somebody didn’t want to keep my book!” But if it’s not there, I feel it’s an insult too. I think, “Why aren’t people exchanging my book? Why isn’t it in this store?”
W: Does being a writer require a thick skin?
M: Yes, for example, my wife can be very harsh. I began working on my latest book, The Buried Giant, in 2004, but I stopped after I showed my wife a little section. She thought it was rubbish.
W: Even after you won a Booker Prize?
M: She’s not intimidated at all and she criticizes me in exactly the same way she did when I was first unpublished and I was starting.
W: But you would never compromise on your vision.
M: No, I wouldn’t ever compromise on the essential, the ideas or the themes. This isn’t really what my wife is trying to criticize me about. It’s always about execution.
W: So why did you put your book, The Buried Giant, aside for so long? Apparently you started working on it over 10 years ago.
M: I’ve often stopped writing a book and left it for a few years. And by the time I come back to it, it may have changed. Usually my imagination has moved on and I can think of different contexts or a different way to do it.
W: What does it feel like when you finally finish a book?
M: It’s funny you ask that because I never have this moment when I feel, “Ah, I’ve finished!” I watch footballers at the end of the match, you know, the whistle goes and they’ve won or lost. Until then they’ve been giving everything they have and at that moment they know it’s over. It’s funny for an author. There’s never a finishing whistle.
2. What does the man’s wife think of his books?
解析：B。本题目为推理题。问题为：男士的妻子认为他的书怎么样？原文所在句：I began working on my latest book, The Buried Giant, in 2004, but I stopped after I showed my wife a little section. She thought it was rubbish. 在2004年，男士开始写他最新的一本书《被掩埋的巨人》，但是在他给妻子看过小说的一小部分后，他停笔了，因为妻子觉得他写得很垃圾。故正确答案为B）They are of little value。此题目需要理解rubbish的含义，正确选项中的of little value（没有价值）与之对应。
3、Question 3 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、He seldom writes a book straight through.
B、He writes several books simultaneously.
C、He draws on his real-life experiences.
D、He often turns to his wife for help.
解析：
Conversation One
W: Mr. Ishiguro, have you ever found one of your books at a secondhand bookstore?
M: Yes. That kind of thing is difficult. If they’ve got my book there, I think, “Well, this is an insult! Somebody didn’t want to keep my book!” But if it’s not there, I feel it’s an insult too. I think, “Why aren’t people exchanging my book? Why isn’t it in this store?”
W: Does being a writer require a thick skin?M: Yes, for example, my wife can be very harsh. I began working on my latest book, The Buried Giant, in 2004, but I stopped after I showed my wife a little section. She thought it was rubbish.
W: Even after you won a Booker Prize?M: She’s not intimidated at all and she criticizes me in exactly the same way she did when I was first unpublished and I was starting.
W: But you would never compromise on your vision.
M: No, I wouldn’t ever compromise on the essential, the ideas or the themes. This isn’t really what my wife is trying to criticize me about. It’s always about execution.
W: So why did you put your book, The Buried Giant, aside for so long? Apparently you started working on it over 10 years ago.
M: I’ve often stopped writing a book and left it for a few years. And by the time I come back to it, it may have changed. Usually my imagination has moved on and I can think of different contexts or a different way to do it.
W: What does it feel like when you finally finish a book?
M: It’s funny you ask that because I never have this moment when I feel, “Ah, I’ve finished!” I watch footballers at the end of the match, you know, the whistle goes and they’ve won or lost. Until then they’ve been giving everything they have and at that moment they know it’s over. It’s funny for an author. There’s never a finishing whistle.
3. What does the man do when he engages in writing?
解析：A。本题目为推理题。问题为：在男士投身于写作的时候，他做了什么？原文所在句：I’ve often stopped writing a book and left it for a few years. And by the time I come back to it, it may have changed.他常常在写某一本书的时候中断写作，会放个几年。当他重新写的时候，这本书好像变了。故正确答案为A）He seldom writes a book straight through.（他很少直接写完）。此题目需要基于理解解答，难度较大。
4、Question 4 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Writing a book is just like watching a football match.
B、Writers actually work every bit as hard as footballers.
C、He likes watching a football match after finishing a book.
D、Unlike a football match, there is no end to writing a book.
解析：
Conversation One
W: Mr. Ishiguro, have you ever found one of your books at a secondhand bookstore?
M: Yes. That kind of thing is difficult. If they’ve got my book there, I think, “Well, this is an insult! Somebody didn’t want to keep my book!” But if it’s not there, I feel it’s an insult too. I think, “Why aren’t people exchanging my book? Why isn’t it in this store?”
W: Does being a writer require a thick skin?M: Yes, for example, my wife can be very harsh. I began working on my latest book, The Buried Giant, in 2004, but I stopped after I showed my wife a little section. She thought it was rubbish.
W: Even after you won a Booker Prize?M: She’s not intimidated at all and she criticizes me in exactly the same way she did when I was first unpublished and I was starting.
W: But you would never compromise on your vision.
M: No, I wouldn’t ever compromise on the essential, the ideas or the themes. This isn’t really what my wife is trying to criticize me about. It’s always about execution.
W: So why did you put your book, The Buried Giant, aside for so long? Apparently you started working on it over 10 years ago.
M: I’ve often stopped writing a book and left it for a few years. And by the time I come back to it, it may have changed. Usually my imagination has moved on and I can think of different contexts or a different way to do it.
W: What does it feel like when you finally finish a book?
M: It’s funny you ask that because I never have this moment when I feel, “Ah, I’ve finished!” I watch footballers at the end of the match, you know, the whistle goes and they’ve won or lost. Until then they’ve been giving everything they have and at that moment they know it’s over. It’s funny for an author. There’s never a finishing whistle.
4. What does the man want to say by mentioning the football match?
解析：D。本题目为推理题。问题为：男士提足球比赛是想说什么？原文所在句：I watch footballers at the end of the match, you know, the whistle goes and they’ve won or lost… It’s funny for an author. There’s never a finishing whistle.男士会观察比赛结束时的球员，哨声响起比赛结束，尘埃落定……对于作家就有意思了，写作从来没有结束的哨声。故正确答案为D）Unlike a football match, there is no end to writing a book.（不像足球比赛有终点，写书没有终点）。此题目需要将文中的finishing与选项中的end进行替换，较有难度。
5、Question 5 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Achievements of black male athletes in college.
B、Financial assistance to black athletes in college.
C、High college dropout rates among black athletes.
D、Undergraduate enrollments of black athletes.
解析：
Conversation Two
W: According to a study of race and equity in education, black athletes are dropping out of college across the country at alarming rates. With us to talk about the findings in the study is The Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone. Good morning.
M: Good morning, how are you?
W: Fine, thank you. What is new that you found in this study?
M: Well, this is Shaun Harper’s study, and he points out that on major college campuses across the country, black males make up less than 3 percent of undergraduate enrollments. Yet, when you look at their numbers or percentages on the revenue-generating sports teams of football and basketball, they make up well into 50 to 60 percent of those teams. So the idea is that they are really there to be part of the revenue-generating working class of athletes on campus and not necessarily there to be part of the educating class as most students in other groups are.
W: Compared with other groups, I think the numbers in this group, at those 65 schools, are something like just barely more than half of the black male athletes graduate at all.
M: Exactly. And what’s really bad about this is these athletes are supposedly promised at least one thing as reward for all their blood and sweat. And that is a college degree, which can be a transformative tool in our society when you talk about upward mobility. And that’s really the troubling part about this.
W: Well, this has been talked about so much, really, in recent years. Why hasn’t it changed?
M: Well, I think one of the reasons it hasn’t changed is that there’s really no economic pressure to change this. All of the incentive is really on winning and not losing on the field or on the court. Coaches do not necessarily have the incentive to graduate players.
5. What are the speakers talking about?
解析：C。本题目为主旨题。问题为：对话者说了什么？原文所在句：According to a study of race and equity in education, black athletes are dropping out of college across the country at alarming rates.根据对种族和教育的公平研究，全国黑人运动员以惊人的速度从大学中辍学。故正确答案为C）High college dropout rates among black athletes（黑人运动员较高的大学辍学率）。
6、Question 6 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、They display great talent in every kind of game.
B、They are better at sports than at academic work.
C、They have difficulty finding money to complete their studies.
D、They make money for the college but often fail to earn a degree.
解析：
Conversation Two
W: According to a study of race and equity in education, black athletes are dropping out of college across the country at alarming rates. With us to talk about the findings in the study is The Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone. Good morning.
M: Good morning, how are you?
W: Fine, thank you. What is new that you found in this study?
M: Well, this is Shaun Harper’s study, and he points out that on major college campuses across the country, black males make up less than 3 percent of undergraduate enrollments. Yet, when you look at their numbers or percentages on the revenue-generating sports teams of football and basketball, they make up well into 50 to 60 percent of those teams. So the idea is that they are really there to be part of the revenue-generating working class of athletes on campus and not necessarily there to be part of the educating class as most students in other groups are.
W: Compared with other groups, I think the numbers in this group, at those 65 schools, are something like just barely more than half of the black male athletes graduate at all.
M: Exactly. And what’s really bad about this is these athletes are supposedly promised at least one thing as reward for all their blood and sweat. And that is a college degree, which can be a transformative tool in our society when you talk about upward mobility. And that’s really the troubling part about this.
W: Well, this has been talked about so much, really, in recent years. Why hasn’t it changed?
M: Well, I think one of the reasons it hasn’t changed is that there’s really no economic pressure to change this. All of the incentive is really on winning and not losing on the field or on the court. Coaches do not necessarily have the incentive to graduate players.
6. What is the new finding about black male athletes in this study?
解析：D。本题目为推理题。问题为：关于黑人男性运动员，最新研究发现了什么？原文所在句：Well, this is Shaun Harper’s study, and he points out that on major college campuses across the country, black males make up less than 3 percent of undergraduate enrollments. Yet, when you look at their numbers or percentages on the revenue-generating sports teams of football and basketball, they make up well into 50 to 60 percent of those teams. Shaun Harper的研究指出，全国主要大学中，黑人男性的大学毕业率不到3%，但是他们在足球和篮球运动队中，收入百分比和数字却占到了队里创收的50%到60%。故正确答案为D）They make money for the college but often fail to earn a degree（他们可以为大学赚钱但是常常难以获得学位）。此题目较难，需要理解原文，同时读懂选项。原文提到了黑人男性的低毕业率和高比赛创收比，选项D所表达的“可以赚到钱，但是学业上得不到学位”与之相一致。
7、Question 7 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、About 15%.
B、Around 40%.
C、Slightly over 50%.
D、Approximately 70%.
解析：
Conversation Two
W: According to a study of race and equity in education, black athletes are dropping out of college across the country at alarming rates. With us to talk about the findings in the study is The Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone. Good morning.
M: Good morning, how are you?
W: Fine, thank you. What is new that you found in this study?
M: Well, this is Shaun Harper’s study, and he points out that on major college campuses across the country, black males make up less than 3 percent of undergraduate enrollments. Yet, when you look at their numbers or percentages on the revenue-generating sports teams of football and basketball, they make up well into 50 to 60 percent of those teams. So the idea is that they are really there to be part of the revenue-generating working class of athletes on campus and not necessarily there to be part of the educating class as most students in other groups are.
W: Compared with other groups, I think the numbers in this group, at those 65 schools, are something like just barely more than half of the black male athletes graduate at all.
M: Exactly. And what’s really bad about this is these athletes are supposedly promised at least one thing as reward for all their blood and sweat. And that is a college degree, which can be a transformative tool in our society when you talk about upward mobility. And that’s really the troubling part about this.
W: Well, this has been talked about so much, really, in recent years. Why hasn’t it changed?
M: Well, I think one of the reasons it hasn’t changed is that there’s really no economic pressure to change this. All of the incentive is really on winning and not losing on the field or on the court. Coaches do not necessarily have the incentive to graduate players.
7. What is the graduation rate of black male athletes?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：黑人男性运动员的毕业率是多少？原文所在句：Compared with other groups, I think the numbers in this group, at those 65 schools, are something like just barely more than half of the black male athletes graduate at all.在接受调查的65所大学中，与其他团体相比，黑人男性运动员毕业率勉强超过50%。故正确答案为C）Slightly over 50%。
8、Question 8 is based on the conversation you have just heard.
A、Coaches lack the incentive to graduate them.
B、College degrees do not count much to them.
C、They have little interest in academic work.
D、Schools do not deem it a serious problem.
解析：
Conversation Two
W: According to a study of race and equity in education, black athletes are dropping out of college across the country at alarming rates. With us to talk about the findings in the study is The Washington Post columnist Kevin Blackistone. Good morning.
M: Good morning, how are you?
W: Fine, thank you. What is new that you found in this study?
M: Well, this is Shaun Harper’s study, and he points out that on major college campuses across the country, black males make up less than 3 percent of undergraduate enrollments. Yet, when you look at their numbers or percentages on the revenue-generating sports teams of football and basketball, they make up well into 50 to 60 percent of those teams. So the idea is that they are really there to be part of the revenue-generating working class of athletes on campus and not necessarily there to be part of the educating class as most students in other groups are.
W: Compared with other groups, I think the numbers in this group, at those 65 schools, are something like just barely more than half of the black male athletes graduate at all.
M: Exactly. And what’s really bad about this is these athletes are supposedly promised at least one thing as reward for all their blood and sweat. And that is a college degree, which can be a transformative tool in our society when you talk about upward mobility. And that’s really the troubling part about this.
W: Well, this has been talked about so much, really, in recent years. Why hasn’t it changed?
M: Well, I think one of the reasons it hasn’t changed is that there’s really no economic pressure to change this. All of the incentive is really on winning and not losing on the field or on the court. Coaches do not necessarily have the incentive to graduate players.
8. What accounts for black athletes’ failure to obtain a college degree, according to the man?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：根据男士的观点，黑人运动员为什么难以获得大学学位？原文所在句：Coaches do not necessarily have the incentive to graduate players.教练没必要鼓励运动员获得学位证书。故正确答案为A）Coaches lack the incentive to graduate them。
9、Question 9 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Marketing strategies.
B、Holiday shopping.
C、Shopping malls.
D、Online stores.
解析：
Passage One
America’s holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest shopping day of the year. Retailers make the most money this time of year, about 20 to 30 percent of annual revenue. About 136 million people will shop during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. More and more will shop online. In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals. About 183.8 million people will shop on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving. More than half of all holiday purchases will be made online. One-in-five Americans will use a tablet or smartphone. Online spending on Black Friday will rise 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year. Cyber Monday spending will increase 12 percent to $3 billion. For many, shopping online was “a more comfortable alternative” than crowded malls. The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on traditional shopping malls. Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and an additional 60 are struggling. However, Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again. The International Council of Shopping Centers said 94.2 percent of malls were full, or occupied, with shops by the end of 2014. That is the highest level in 27 years. Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend. The average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts. That’s about $630.5 billion between November and December—an increase of 3.7 percent from last year.
9. What is the speaker mainly talking about?
解析：B。本题目为主旨题。问题为：讲话人主要说了什么？原文所在句：America’s holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest shopping day of the year.美国假期购物季开始于“黑色星期五”，即感恩节的后一天，这天是一年当中最忙的购物日。正确答案为B）Holiday shopping。
10、Question 10 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、About 50% of holiday shoppers.
B、About 20%–30% of holiday shoppers.
C、About 136 million.
D、About 183.8 million.
解析：
Passage One
America’s holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest shopping day of the year. Retailers make the most money this time of year, about 20 to 30 percent of annual revenue. About 136 million people will shop during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. More and more will shop online. In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals. About 183.8 million people will shop on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving. More than half of all holiday purchases will be made online. One-in-five Americans will use a tablet or smartphone. Online spending on Black Friday will rise 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year. Cyber Monday spending will increase 12 percent to $3 billion. For many, shopping online was “a more comfortable alternative” than crowded malls. The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on traditional shopping malls. Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and an additional 60 are struggling. However, Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again. The International Council of Shopping Centers said 94.2 percent of malls were full, or occupied, with shops by the end of 2014. That is the highest level in 27 years. Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend. The average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts. That’s about $630.5 billion between November and December—an increase of 3.7 percent from last year.
10. How many people will shop on Cyber Monday?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：多少人会在“网购星期一”这天购物？原文所在句：About 183.8 million people will shop on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving.大约1.838亿人会在“网购星期一”这天购物，即感恩节后的第一个星期一。正确答案为D）About 183.8 million。
11、Question 11 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They have fewer customers.
B、They find it hard to survive.
C、They are thriving once more.
D、They appeal to elderly customers.
解析：
Passage One
America’s holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest shopping day of the year. Retailers make the most money this time of year, about 20 to 30 percent of annual revenue. About 136 million people will shop during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. More and more will shop online. In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals. About 183.8 million people will shop on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving. More than half of all holiday purchases will be made online. One-in-five Americans will use a tablet or smartphone. Online spending on Black Friday will rise 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year. Cyber Monday spending will increase 12 percent to $3 billion. For many, shopping online was “a more comfortable alternative” than crowded malls. The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on traditional shopping malls. Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and an additional 60 are struggling. However, Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again. The International Council of Shopping Centers said 94.2 percent of malls were full, or occupied, with shops by the end of 2014. That is the highest level in 27 years. Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend. The average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts. That’s about $630.5 billion between November and December—an increase of 3.7 percent from last year.
11. What does Fortune say about traditional shopping malls?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于传统的购物街，《财富》杂志说了什么？原文所在句：Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again.可见，《财富》杂志称，传统的购物街又重新振兴了。正确答案为C）They are thriving once more。thriving为原文再现，此题目较简单。
12、Question 12 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Better quality of consumer goods.
B、Higher employment and wages.
C、Greater varieties of commodities.
D、People having more leisure time.
解析：
Passage One
America’s holiday shopping season starts on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest shopping day of the year. Retailers make the most money this time of year, about 20 to 30 percent of annual revenue. About 136 million people will shop during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. More and more will shop online. In an era of instant information, shoppers can use their mobile phones to find deals. About 183.8 million people will shop on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving. More than half of all holiday purchases will be made online. One-in-five Americans will use a tablet or smartphone. Online spending on Black Friday will rise 15 percent to hit $2.7 billion this year. Cyber Monday spending will increase 12 percent to $3 billion. For many, shopping online was “a more comfortable alternative” than crowded malls. The shift to online shopping has had a big impact on traditional shopping malls. Since 2010, more than 24 shopping malls have closed and an additional 60 are struggling. However, Fortune says the weakest of the malls have closed. The sector is thriving again. The International Council of Shopping Centers said 94.2 percent of malls were full, or occupied, with shops by the end of 2014. That is the highest level in 27 years. Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend. The average American consumer will spend about $805 on gifts. That’s about $630.5 billion between November and December—an increase of 3.7 percent from last year.
12. What is said to account for the increased number of shoppers?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：什么因素导致了购物者数量的上升？原文所在句：Economist Gus Faucher said lower unemployment and rising wages could give Americans more money to spend.经济学家Gus Faucher说低失业率和工资的提高使得美国人有更多的钱用于消费。故正确答案为B）Higher employment and wages。此题目考查信息在选项中的再现，难度较低。
13、Question 13 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、They are new species of big insects.
B、They are overprescribed antibiotics.
C、They are life-threatening diseases.
D、They are antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
解析：
Passage Two
For years, many of us have relied on antibiotic use to treat various infections. And the reality is that antibiotics have been responsible for saving millions of lives since penicillin, one of the earliest antibiotics, was first used on a clinical basis 70 years ago. However, today is a new era in which taking antibiotics can cause some very dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations. In fact, you may have heard about the new “superbugs”, which are antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have developed as a result of overprescribed antibiotics. In the past, health experts warned us that the day would come in which it would become very difficult to provide medical care for even common problems such as lung infection or severe sore throat. And, apparently, that day has come because seemingly routine operations such as knee replacements are now much more hazardous due to the looming threat of these infections.
The problem has grown into such epidemic proportions that this severe strain of resistant bacteria is being blamed for nearly 700,000 deaths each year throughout the world; and, unfortunately, health experts worry that the number will rise to 10 million or more on a yearly basis by 2050. With such a large life-threatening epidemic, it is sad to say that only 1.2 percent of budgetary money for the National Institutes of Health is currently being spent on research to tackle this problem. This is a far cry from the funds necessary for a problem of such magnitude.
13. What do we learn about the “superbugs”?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于超级细菌，我们可以知道什么？原文所在句：In fact, you may have heard about the new “superbugs”, which are antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have developed as a result of overprescribed antibiotics.超级细菌是一种具有抗药性的细菌，是由于滥用抗生素产生的。正确答案为D）They are antibiotic-resistant bacteria。此题目的正确选项再现原文关键词antibiotic-resistant bacteria，因此难度较低。
14、Question 14 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Antibiotics are now in short supply.
B、Many infections are no longer curable.
C、Large amounts of tax money are wasted.
D、Routine operations have become complex.
解析：
Passage Two
For years, many of us have relied on antibiotic use to treat various infections. And the reality is that antibiotics have been responsible for saving millions of lives since penicillin, one of the earliest antibiotics, was first used on a clinical basis 70 years ago. However, today is a new era in which taking antibiotics can cause some very dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations. In fact, you may have heard about the new “superbugs”, which are antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have developed as a result of overprescribed antibiotics. In the past, health experts warned us that the day would come in which it would become very difficult to provide medical care for even common problems such as lung infection or severe sore throat. And, apparently, that day has come because seemingly routine operations such as knee replacements are now much more hazardous due to the looming threat of these infections.
The problem has grown into such epidemic proportions that this severe strain of resistant bacteria is being blamed for nearly 700,000 deaths each year throughout the world; and, unfortunately, health experts worry that the number will rise to 10 million or more on a yearly basis by 2050. With such a large life-threatening epidemic, it is sad to say that only 1.2 percent of budgetary money for the National Institutes of Health is currently being spent on research to tackle this problem. This is a far cry from the funds necessary for a problem of such magnitude.
14. What is the result of the overuse of antibiotics?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：滥用抗生素的结果是什么？原文所在句：And, apparently, that day has come because seemingly routine operations such as knee replacements are now much more hazardous due to the looming threat of these infections.看似常规的手术，像全膝关节置换术，现在危险性更高，因为有潜在的感染的威胁。故正确答案为D）Routine operations have become complex（常规手术变得复杂）。选项中的complex与原文中more hazardous（更危险）相一致。
15、Question 15 is based on the passage you have just heard.
A、Facilities.
B、Expertise.
C、Money.
D、Publicity.
解析：
Passage Two
For years, many of us have relied on antibiotic use to treat various infections. And the reality is that antibiotics have been responsible for saving millions of lives since penicillin, one of the earliest antibiotics, was first used on a clinical basis 70 years ago. However, today is a new era in which taking antibiotics can cause some very dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations. In fact, you may have heard about the new “superbugs”, which are antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have developed as a result of overprescribed antibiotics. In the past, health experts warned us that the day would come in which it would become very difficult to provide medical care for even common problems such as lung infection or severe sore throat. And, apparently, that day has come because seemingly routine operations such as knee replacements are now much more hazardous due to the looming threat of these infections.
The problem has grown into such epidemic proportions that this severe strain of resistant bacteria is being blamed for nearly 700,000 deaths each year throughout the world; and, unfortunately, health experts worry that the number will rise to 10 million or more on a yearly basis by 2050. With such a large life-threatening epidemic, it is sad to say that only 1.2 percent of budgetary money for the National Institutes of Health is currently being spent on research to tackle this problem. This is a far cry from the funds necessary for a problem of such magnitude.
15. What is most urgently needed for tackling the large life-threatening epidemic, according to the speaker?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于攻克威胁生命的传染病，什么事是最要紧的？原文所在句：With such a large life-threatening epidemic, it is sad to say that only 1.2 percent of budgetary money for the National Institutes of Health is currently being spent on research to tackle this problem. 很遗憾的是，面对威胁到生命的传染病，国家健康研究院只有1.2%的预算资金花费在攻克这个问题的研究上。故正确答案为C）Money。原文中的budgetary money在选项中再现。
16、Question 16 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、It is accessible only to the talented.
B、It improves students’ ability to think.
C、It starts a lifelong learning process.
D、It gives birth to many eminent scholars.
解析：
Recording One
This is the reason you are here in a university. You are here to be educated. You are here to understand thinking better and to think better yourself. It’s not a chance you’re going to have throughout your lifetime. For the next few years, you have a chance to focus on thinking.
I think about some of the students who took advantage of their opportunities in a university. One of the stories I always like to tell is of a freshman seminar that I had a chance to teach at Harvard when I was president of the university. I taught a seminar on globalization and I assigned a reading that I had written about global capital flows. And as I did each week, I asked one of the students to introduce the readings. And this young man, in October of his freshman year, said something like the following. “The reading by President Summers on the flow of capital across countries, it was kind of interesting, but the data did not come close to supporting the conclusions.” And I thought to myself, “What a fantastic thing this was. How could somebody who had been there for five weeks tell the person who had the title ‘President’ that he didn’t really know what he was talking about?” And it was a special moment.
Now, I don’t want to be misunderstood. I explained to my student that I actually thought he was rather more confused than I was and I argued back, but what was really important about that was the universities stand out as places that really are about the authority of ideas. You see it in faculty members who are pleased when their students make a discovery that undermines a cherished theory that they had put forward.
I think of another student I had who came to me one morning, one evening actually, walked into my office and said that I had written a pretty good paper, but that it had five important mistakes and that he wanted a job. You could debate whether they actually were mistakes, but you couldn’t debate that young man’s hunger to learn. You could not debate that that young man was someone who wanted to make a difference in economics and he is today a professor of economics. And his works are more cited as an economist than any other economist in the world.
16. What does the speaker say about a university?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于大学，讲话人说了什么？原文所在句：You are here to understand thinking better and to think better yourself. It’s not a chance you’re going to have throughout your lifetime. For the next few years, you have a chance to focus on thinking.学生在大学里可以更好地理解思考，更好地想想自己。这不是一生中一直有的机会。在接下来的几年，学生有专注思考的机会。正确答案为B）It improves students’ ability to think（大学会提高学生的思考能力）。
17、Question 17 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、They encourage academic democracy.
B、They promote globalization.
C、They uphold the presidents’ authority.
D、They protect students’ rights.
解析：
Recording One
This is the reason you are here in a university. You are here to be educated. You are here to understand thinking better and to think better yourself. It’s not a chance you’re going to have throughout your lifetime. For the next few years, you have a chance to focus on thinking.
I think about some of the students who took advantage of their opportunities in a university. One of the stories I always like to tell is of a freshman seminar that I had a chance to teach at Harvard when I was president of the university. I taught a seminar on globalization and I assigned a reading that I had written about global capital flows. And as I did each week, I asked one of the students to introduce the readings. And this young man, in October of his freshman year, said something like the following. “The reading by President Summers on the flow of capital across countries, it was kind of interesting, but the data did not come close to supporting the conclusions.” And I thought to myself, “What a fantastic thing this was. How could somebody who had been there for five weeks tell the person who had the title ‘President’ that he didn’t really know what he was talking about?” And it was a special moment.
Now, I don’t want to be misunderstood. I explained to my student that I actually thought he was rather more confused than I was and I argued back, but what was really important about that was the universities stand out as places that really are about the authority of ideas. You see it in faculty members who are pleased when their students make a discovery that undermines a cherished theory that they had put forward.
I think of another student I had who came to me one morning, one evening actually, walked into my office and said that I had written a pretty good paper, but that it had five important mistakes and that he wanted a job. You could debate whether they actually were mistakes, but you couldn’t debate that young man’s hunger to learn. You could not debate that that young man was someone who wanted to make a difference in economics and he is today a professor of economics. And his works are more cited as an economist than any other economist in the world.
17. What do we learn from the speaker’s stories about universities?
解析：A。本题目为推理题。问题为：从讲话人有关大学的故事中，我们了解到什么？原文所在句：…but what was really important about that was the universities stand out as places that really are about the authority of ideas. You see it in faculty members who are pleased when their students make a discovery that undermines a cherished theory that they had put forward.大学之所以是个杰出的地方，在于这里有思想的权威性。你会看到，当学生们打破了他们提出的被奉为至宝的理论时，教学人员会感到很开心。正确答案为A）They encourage academic democracy（他们鼓励学术民主）。此题目难度很高，需要基于对多个句子的含义的理解，在讲座中，讲话人讲了两个反权威精神的事件，由此也可以推理出，大学是鼓励学术民主的。
18、Question 18 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、His thirst for knowledge.
B、His eagerness to find a job.
C、His contempt for authority.
D、His potential for leadership.
解析：
Recording One
This is the reason you are here in a university. You are here to be educated. You are here to understand thinking better and to think better yourself. It’s not a chance you’re going to have throughout your lifetime. For the next few years, you have a chance to focus on thinking.
I think about some of the students who took advantage of their opportunities in a university. One of the stories I always like to tell is of a freshman seminar that I had a chance to teach at Harvard when I was president of the university. I taught a seminar on globalization and I assigned a reading that I had written about global capital flows. And as I did each week, I asked one of the students to introduce the readings. And this young man, in October of his freshman year, said something like the following. “The reading by President Summers on the flow of capital across countries, it was kind of interesting, but the data did not come close to supporting the conclusions.” And I thought to myself, “What a fantastic thing this was. How could somebody who had been there for five weeks tell the person who had the title ‘President’ that he didn’t really know what he was talking about?” And it was a special moment.
Now, I don’t want to be misunderstood. I explained to my student that I actually thought he was rather more confused than I was and I argued back, but what was really important about that was the universities stand out as places that really are about the authority of ideas. You see it in faculty members who are pleased when their students make a discovery that undermines a cherished theory that they had put forward.
I think of another student I had who came to me one morning, one evening actually, walked into my office and said that I had written a pretty good paper, but that it had five important mistakes and that he wanted a job. You could debate whether they actually were mistakes, but you couldn’t debate that young man’s hunger to learn. You could not debate that that young man was someone who wanted to make a difference in economics and he is today a professor of economics. And his works are more cited as an economist than any other economist in the world.
18. What does the speaker see in the young man who challenged his paper?
解析：A。本题目为细节题。问题为：从质疑自己的论文的年轻大学生身上，讲话人（教授）看到了什么？原文所在句：You could debate whether they actually were mistakes, but you couldn’t debate that young man’s hunger to learn.你能够争论论文是否真的有错，但是不容争辩的是这位年轻的大学生有着强烈的求知欲。正确答案为A）His thirst for knowledge。选项中的thirst for knowledge（渴望学习）与原文中的hunger to learn表达含义一致。
19、Question 19 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Few people know how to retrieve information properly.
B、People can enhance their memory with a few tricks.
C、Most people have a rather poor long-term memory.
D、People tend to underestimate their mental powers.
解析：
Recording Two
Psychological research shows we consistently underestimate our mental powers. If you think this does not apply to you, then here is a simple test to show you are wrong. Write down the names of all the American states you can remember. Put the list away and then set yourself the same task a week later. Provided you have not cheated by consulting an atlas, you will notice something rather surprising. The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states, but they will not be identical. Some names will have slipped away, but others will have replaced them. This suggests that somewhere in your mind you may well have a record of virtually every state. So it is not really your memory letting you down, just your ability to retrieve information from it.
We would remember a lot more if we had more confidence in our memories and knew how to use them properly. One useful tip is that things are more likely to be remembered if you are in exactly the same state and place as you were when you learned them. So if you are a student who always reviews over black coffee, perhaps it would be sensible to prime yourself with a cup of coffee before the exam. If possible, you should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested. When you learn is also important. Lots of people swear they can absorb new information more efficiently at some times of the day than at others. Research shows this is not just imagination. There is a biological rhythm for learning, though it affects different people in different ways. For most of us, the best plan is to take in new information in the morning and then try to consolidate it into memory during the afternoon. But this does not apply to everyone, so it is essential to establish your own rhythm. You can do this by learning a set number of lines of poetry at different times of the day and seeing when most lines stick. When you have done this, try to organize your life so that the time set aside for learning coincides with the time when your memory is at its best.
Avoid learning marathons—they do not make the best use of your mind. Take plenty of breaks, because they offer a double bonus: the time off gives your mind a chance to do some preliminary consolidation and it also gives a memory boost to the learning.
19. What does the simple test suggest?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：简单的测试结果说明什么？原文所在句：Psychological research shows we consistently underestimate our mental powers. If you think this does not apply to you, then here is a simple test to show you are wrong.心理学研究表明我们常常会低估精神的力量。如果你觉着这个结果并不适用于你，有一个很简单的测试可以证明你是错的。正确答案为D）People tend to underestimate their mental powers。原文后一句使用了立论和转折的论证方式，印证前一句话：人们经常会低估自己的精神力量。
20、Question 20 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、They present the states in a surprisingly different order.
B、They include more or less the same number of states.
C、They are exactly the same as is shown in the atlas.
D、They contain names of the most familiar states.
解析：
Recording Two
Psychological research shows we consistently underestimate our mental powers. If you think this does not apply to you, then here is a simple test to show you are wrong. Write down the names of all the American states you can remember. Put the list away and then set yourself the same task a week later. Provided you have not cheated by consulting an atlas, you will notice something rather surprising. The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states, but they will not be identical. Some names will have slipped away, but others will have replaced them. This suggests that somewhere in your mind you may well have a record of virtually every state. So it is not really your memory letting you down, just your ability to retrieve information from it.
We would remember a lot more if we had more confidence in our memories and knew how to use them properly. One useful tip is that things are more likely to be remembered if you are in exactly the same state and place as you were when you learned them. So if you are a student who always reviews over black coffee, perhaps it would be sensible to prime yourself with a cup of coffee before the exam. If possible, you should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested. When you learn is also important. Lots of people swear they can absorb new information more efficiently at some times of the day than at others. Research shows this is not just imagination. There is a biological rhythm for learning, though it affects different people in different ways. For most of us, the best plan is to take in new information in the morning and then try to consolidate it into memory during the afternoon. But this does not apply to everyone, so it is essential to establish your own rhythm. You can do this by learning a set number of lines of poetry at different times of the day and seeing when most lines stick. When you have done this, try to organize your life so that the time set aside for learning coincides with the time when your memory is at its best.
Avoid learning marathons—they do not make the best use of your mind. Take plenty of breaks, because they offer a double bonus: the time off gives your mind a chance to do some preliminary consolidation and it also gives a memory boost to the learning.
20. What do we learn about the two lists in the test?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：从实验中的两组清单中，我们了解到什么？原文所在句：The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states, but they will not be identical.两组清单包含的州的数量大致相同，但是并不完全一致。正确答案为：B）They include more or less the same number of states。此题目对原文形容词部分做了替换，选项中的more or less 与原文中的roughly（粗略的）均表示一个大约值。
21、Question 21 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Focusing on what is likely to be tested.
B、Having a good sleep the night before.
C、Reviewing your lessons where the exam is to take place.
D、Making sensible decisions while choosing your answers.
解析：
Psychological research shows we consistently underestimate our mental powers. If you think this does not apply to you, then here is a simple test to show you are wrong. Write down the names of all the American states you can remember. Put the list away and then set yourself the same task a week later. Provided you have not cheated by consulting an atlas, you will notice something rather surprising. The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states, but they will not be identical. Some names will have slipped away, but others will have replaced them. This suggests that somewhere in your mind you may well have a record of virtually every state. So it is not really your memory letting you down, just your ability to retrieve information from it.
We would remember a lot more if we had more confidence in our memories and knew how to use them properly. One useful tip is that things are more likely to be remembered if you are in exactly the same state and place as you were when you learned them. So if you are a student who always reviews over black coffee, perhaps it would be sensible to prime yourself with a cup of coffee before the exam. If possible, you should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested. When you learn is also important. Lots of people swear they can absorb new information more efficiently at some times of the day than at others. Research shows this is not just imagination. There is a biological rhythm for learning, though it affects different people in different ways. For most of us, the best plan is to take in new information in the morning and then try to consolidate it into memory during the afternoon. But this does not apply to everyone, so it is essential to establish your own rhythm. You can do this by learning a set number of lines of poetry at different times of the day and seeing when most lines stick. When you have done this, try to organize your life so that the time set aside for learning coincides with the time when your memory is at its best.
Avoid learning marathons—they do not make the best use of your mind. Take plenty of breaks, because they offer a double bonus: the time off gives your mind a chance to do some preliminary consolidation and it also gives a memory boost to the learning.
21. What does the speaker suggest about preparing for and taking an exam?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于准备和参加考试，讲话人的建议是什么？原文所在句：If possible, you should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested.如果可能的话，你应该尝试一下在举行考试的教室学习。正确答案为C）Reviewing your lessons where the exam is to take place（在将来的考试场地中复习）。此题目选项虽然多处发生了替换，如选项中的review your lessons替换原文中的learn，选项中的exam替换原文中的tested，但是替换词的理解难度较低。
22、Question 22 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、Discover when you can learn best.
B、Change your time of study daily.
C、Give yourself a double bonus afterwards.
D、Follow the example of a marathon runner.
解析：
Recording Two
Psychological research shows we consistently underestimate our mental powers. If you think this does not apply to you, then here is a simple test to show you are wrong. Write down the names of all the American states you can remember. Put the list away and then set yourself the same task a week later. Provided you have not cheated by consulting an atlas, you will notice something rather surprising. The two lists will contain roughly the same number of states, but they will not be identical. Some names will have slipped away, but others will have replaced them. This suggests that somewhere in your mind you may well have a record of virtually every state. So it is not really your memory letting you down, just your ability to retrieve information from it.
We would remember a lot more if we had more confidence in our memories and knew how to use them properly. One useful tip is that things are more likely to be remembered if you are in exactly the same state and place as you were when you learned them. So if you are a student who always reviews over black coffee, perhaps it would be sensible to prime yourself with a cup of coffee before the exam. If possible, you should also try to learn information in the room where it is going to be tested. When you learn is also important. Lots of people swear they can absorb new information more efficiently at some times of the day than at others. Research shows this is not just imagination. There is a biological rhythm for learning, though it affects different people in different ways. For most of us, the best plan is to take in new information in the morning and then try to consolidate it into memory during the afternoon. But this does not apply to everyone, so it is essential to establish your own rhythm. You can do this by learning a set number of lines of poetry at different times of the day and seeing when most lines stick. When you have done this, try to organize your life so that the time set aside for learning coincides with the time when your memory is at its best.
Avoid learning marathons—they do not make the best use of your mind. Take plenty of breaks, because they offer a double bonus: the time off gives your mind a chance to do some preliminary consolidation and it also gives a memory boost to the learning.
22. What tip does the speaker give on learning?
解析：A。本题目为推理题。问题为：关于学习，讲话人给出了哪些建议？原文所在句：For most of us, the best plan is to take in new information in the morning and then try to consolidate it into memory during the afternoon. But this does not apply to everyone, so it is essential to establish your own rhythm.对于我们大多数人，最好的计划是早上学习新的信息，下午的时候尝试巩固记忆。但是这不一定适合每个人，所以一定要建立自己的节奏。正确答案为A）Discover when you can learn best（发现自己学习效率最高的时间）。
23、Question 23 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、He is a politician.
B、He is a businessman.
C、He is a sociologist.
D、He is an economist.
解析：
Recording Three
Hello! Today I am going to talk about poverty.
Poverty has become a critical issue in today’s world. It concerns not only us sociologists, but also economists, politicians and business people. Poverty has been understood in many different ways. One useful way is to distinguish between three degrees of poverty—extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty.
The first type of poverty is extreme poverty. It’s also called absolute poverty. In extreme poverty, households cannot meet basic needs for survival. People are chronically hungry. They are unable to access safe drinking water, let alone health care. They cannot afford education for their children. In short, people who live in extreme poverty do not have even the minimum resources to support themselves and their families. Where does extreme poverty occur? Well, you can find it only in developing countries.
Well, what about moderate poverty? Unlike extreme poverty, moderate poverty generally refers to conditions of life in which basic needs are met, but barely. People living in moderate poverty have the resources to keep themselves alive, but only at a very basic level. For example, they may have access to drinking water but not clean, safe drinking water. They may have a home to shelter themselves but it does not have power supply, a telephone or plumbing.
The third kind of poverty is relative poverty. Relative poverty is generally considered to be a household income level which is below a given proportion of average family income. The relatively poor live in high income countries but they do not have a high income themselves. The method of calculating the poverty line is different from country to country, but we can say that basically a family living in relative poverty has less than a percentage of the average family income. For example, in the United States, a family can be considered poor if their income is less than 50 percent of the national average family income. They can meet their basic needs but they lack access to cultural goods, entertainment, and recreation. They also do not have access to quality health care or other prerequisites for upward social mobility.
Well, I have briefly explained to you how poverty can be distinguished as extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty. We should keep these distinctions in mind when we research people’s living conditions either in the developing or the developed world.
23. What does the speaker do?
解析：C。本题目为细节题。问题为：讲话人是做什么的？原文所在句：It concerns not only us sociologists, but also economists, politicians and business people.这不仅引发了我们社会学家的关注，也引发了经济学家、政治家和商人的关注。正确答案为C）He is a sociologist。此题目较简单，原文再现了答案。
24、Question 24 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、In slums.
B、In Africa.
C、In pre-industrial societies.
D、In developing countries.
解析：
Recording Three
Hello! Today I am going to talk about poverty.
Poverty has become a critical issue in today’s world. It concerns not only us sociologists, but also economists, politicians and business people. Poverty has been understood in many different ways. One useful way is to distinguish between three degrees of poverty—extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty.
The first type of poverty is extreme poverty. It’s also called absolute poverty. In extreme poverty, households cannot meet basic needs for survival. People are chronically hungry. They are unable to access safe drinking water, let alone health care. They cannot afford education for their children. In short, people who live in extreme poverty do not have even the minimum resources to support themselves and their families. Where does extreme poverty occur? Well, you can find it only in developing countries.
Well, what about moderate poverty? Unlike extreme poverty, moderate poverty generally refers to conditions of life in which basic needs are met, but barely. People living in moderate poverty have the resources to keep themselves alive, but only at a very basic level. For example, they may have access to drinking water but not clean, safe drinking water. They may have a home to shelter themselves but it does not have power supply, a telephone or plumbing.
The third kind of poverty is relative poverty. Relative poverty is generally considered to be a household income level which is below a given proportion of average family income. The relatively poor live in high income countries but they do not have a high income themselves. The method of calculating the poverty line is different from country to country, but we can say that basically a family living in relative poverty has less than a percentage of the average family income. For example, in the United States, a family can be considered poor if their income is less than 50 percent of the national average family income. They can meet their basic needs but they lack access to cultural goods, entertainment, and recreation. They also do not have access to quality health care or other prerequisites for upward social mobility.
Well, I have briefly explained to you how poverty can be distinguished as extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty. We should keep these distinctions in mind when we research people’s living conditions either in the developing or the developed world.
24. Where does the speaker say we can find extreme poverty?
解析：D。本题目为细节题。问题为：根据讲话人所说，极度贫困发生在哪里？原文所在句：Where does extreme poverty occur? Well, you can find it only in developing countries.极度贫困发生在哪里呢？我们发现这只发生在发展中国家。正确答案为D）In developing countries。此题目较简单，答案再现了原文。
25、Question 25 is based on the recording you have just heard.
A、They have no access to health care, let alone entertainment or recreation.
B、Their income is less than 50% of the national average family income.
C、They work extra hours to have their basic needs met.
D、Their children cannot afford to go to private schools.
解析：
Recording Three
Hello! Today I am going to talk about poverty.
Poverty has become a critical issue in today’s world. It concerns not only us sociologists, but also economists, politicians and business people. Poverty has been understood in many different ways. One useful way is to distinguish between three degrees of poverty—extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty.
The first type of poverty is extreme poverty. It’s also called absolute poverty. In extreme poverty, households cannot meet basic needs for survival. People are chronically hungry. They are unable to access safe drinking water, let alone health care. They cannot afford education for their children. In short, people who live in extreme poverty do not have even the minimum resources to support themselves and their families. Where does extreme poverty occur? Well, you can find it only in developing countries.
Well, what about moderate poverty? Unlike extreme poverty, moderate poverty generally refers to conditions of life in which basic needs are met, but barely. People living in moderate poverty have the resources to keep themselves alive, but only at a very basic level. For example, they may have access to drinking water but not clean, safe drinking water. They may have a home to shelter themselves but it does not have power supply, a telephone or plumbing.
The third kind of poverty is relative poverty. Relative poverty is generally considered to be a household income level which is below a given proportion of average family income. The relatively poor live in high income countries but they do not have a high income themselves. The method of calculating the poverty line is different from country to country, but we can say that basically a family living in relative poverty has less than a percentage of the average family income. For example, in the United States, a family can be considered poor if their income is less than 50 percent of the national average family income. They can meet their basic needs but they lack access to cultural goods, entertainment, and recreation. They also do not have access to quality health care or other prerequisites for upward social mobility.
Well, I have briefly explained to you how poverty can be distinguished as extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty. We should keep these distinctions in mind when we research people’s living conditions either in the developing or the developed world.
25. What do we learn about American people living in relative poverty?
解析：B。本题目为细节题。问题为：关于生活相对贫困的美国人，我们可以了解到什么？原文所在句：For example, in the United States, a family can be considered poor if their income is less than 50 percent of the national average family income.在美国，如果家庭收入少于国民平均家庭收入的50%就是贫困的。正确答案为B）Their income is less than 50% of the national average family income。此题目答案再现了原文。
二、Part III Reading Comprehension
After becoming president of Purdue University in 2013, Mitch Daniels asked the faculty to prove that their students have actually achieved one of higher education’s most important goals: critical thinking skills. Two years before, a nationwide study of college graduates had shown that more than a third had made no 26_____ gains in such mental abilities during their school years. Mr. Daniels, needed to 27_____ the high cost of attending Purdue to its students and their families. After all, the percentage of Americans who say a college degree is “very important” has fallen 28_____ in the last 5-6 years.
Purdue now has a pilot test to assess the critical thinking skills of students as they progress. Yet like many college teachers around the United States, the faculty remain 29_____ that their work as educators can be measured by a “learning 30_____ such as a graduate’s ability to investigate and reason”. However the professors can use 31_____ metrics to measure how well students do in three key areas: critical thinking, written communication, and quantitative literacy.Despite the success of the experiment, the actual results are worrisome, and mostly 32_____ earlier studies. The organizers of the experiment concluded that far fewer students were “achieving at high levels on a critical thinking than they were doing for written communication or quantitative literacy”. And that conclusion is based only on students nearing graduation.
American universities, despite their global 33_____ for excellence in teaching, have only begun to demonstrate what they can produce in real-world learning. Knowledge-based degrees are still important. But employers are 34_____ advanced thinking skills from college graduate. If the intellectual worth of a college degree can be 35_____ measured, more people will seek higher education—and come out better thinkers.
26、(1)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：
26. significant
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是 no，空格后是名词gains，空格处应填入形容词。备选项有demanding（要求高的），doubtful（感到怀疑的），significant（重大的、重要的），standardized（标准的）。文章第1句话提出高等教育的一个重要目标：批判性思维技能。第2句提到但是大学毕业生调查表明多于三分之一的学生没有显著的收获，所以空格处应填significant。
27. justify
解析：动词辨析题。空格前是needed to，空格处应填动词原形。备选项有confirm（确认、证实），justify（证明……有道理），signify（表明、意味着）。再看原文，上文提到学生没有得到显著收获，那么进而就需要去证明一下上大学的高成本是否值得。故空白处应填justify。
28. drastically
解析：副词辨析题。空格前是has fallen，空格后是in，可知空格处应填入副词。备选项有accurately（精确地），drastically（急剧地），simultaneously（同步地）。原文提到了在美国认为大学学位很重要的人数在过去5~6年减少了，因此应填drastically。
29. doubtful
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是系动词remain，空格后是that从句，可知空格处应填入形容词。备选项有demanding（要求高的），doubtful（感到怀疑的），standardized（标准的）。再看原文，很多大学老师对他们的工作存有疑虑，因此应填入doubtful。
30. outcome
解析：名词辨析题。空格前是learning，空格后是such as a graduate’s ability，空格处应填入名词。备选项有outcome（结果、成果），predominance（优势），reputation（名誉、名望）。再看空格所在的句子，毕业生的能力应该是教育的成果，因此应填入outcome。
31. standardized
解析：形容词辨析题。空格前是use，空格后是metrics，因此空格处应填形容词。备选项有demanding（要求高的），standardized（标准的）。要求此处可以修饰名词metrics，因此应填入standardized。
32. confirm
解析：动词辨析题。空格位于mostly与earlier studies之间，可见此处应填入动词。备选项有confirm（确认、证实），demanding（要求），monopolized（垄断、独占），presuming（假设、设想），signify（表明、意味着）。再结合语义，尽管实验是成功的，但是实际的结果却令人担忧，而且大部分证实了之前的研究。故正确答案为confirm。
33. reputation
解析：名词辨析题。空格前global，空格后是for，空格处应填入名词。备选项有predominance（优势），reputation（名誉、名望）。再看句意，美国的大学，由于在教育方面的优秀卓越而在全球范围内享有盛名，因此应填reputation。
34. demanding
解析：动词辨析题。空格前是employers are，空格后是advanced thinking，空格处应填入doing。备选项有demanding（要求），presuming（假设、设想）。根据语义，雇主需要大学毕业生具有优秀的思维技能，此处应填demanding。
35. accurately
解析：副词辨析题。空格前是can be，空格后是more people，因此空格处应填入副词。备选项有accurately（精确地），simultaneously（同步地）。根据语义，如果大学学位的智力价值能得到准确衡量，更多人会接受高等教育，故应填 accurately。
27、(2)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
28、(3)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
29、(4)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
30、(5)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
31、(6)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
32、(7)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
33、(8)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
34、(9)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
35、(10)
A、outcome
B、signify
C、monopolized
D、reputation
E、drastically
F、predominance
G、significant
H、presuming
I、justify
J、demanding
K、confirm
L、standardized
M、doubtful
N、accurately
O、simultaneously
解析：见上一题！
Elite Math Competitions Struggle to Diversify Their Talent Pool
36、Middle school is a crucial period when students may become keenly interested in advanced mathematics.
A、A
B、B
C、C
D、D
E、E
F、F
G、G
H、H
I、I
J、J
K、K
L、L
M、M
解析：36. Middle school is a crucial period when students may become keenly interested in advanced mathematics.[F] “Middle school is an important age because students have enough math capability to solve advanced problems, but they haven’t really decided what they want to do with their lives,” said Loh. “They often get hooked then.”
