题目
题型：不详难度：来源：
It may not feel like it, but 2012 has been the greatest year in the history of the world. Never has there been less hunger, less disease or more prosperity (繁荣). The West remains in the economic depression, but most developing countries are charging ahead, and people are being lifted out of poverty at the fastest rate ever recorded. The number of deaths caused by war and natural disasters is also mercifully low. We are living in a golden age.
Take global poverty as an example. In 1990, the UN announced Millennium Development Goals, the first of which was to halve the number of people in extreme poverty by 2015. It turned out this year that the target was met in 2008.
The doom-mongers (末世论者) will tell you that we cannot maintain worldwide economic growth without ruining our environment. But while the rich world’s economies grew by 6 per cent over the last seven years, fossil fuel (矿物燃料) consumption in those countries fell by 4 per cent. This remarkable achievement has nothing to do with green taxes or wind-farms. It is down to consumer demand for more efficient cars.
Advances in medicine and technology mean that people across the world are living longer. The average life span in Africa reached 55 this year. Ten years ago, it was 50. The number of people dying from Aids has been in decline for the last eight years. Deaths from malaria have fallen by a fifth in half a decade.
War has historically been human’s biggest killer. But in most of the world today, a generation is growing up that knows little of it. The Peace Research Institute in Oslo says there have been fewer war deaths in the last decade than any time in the last century.
Fifty years ago, the world was breathing a sigh of relief after the Cuban missile crisis. Young couples would discuss whether it was responsible to have children when the future seemed so dark. But now, it’s worth remembering that, in spite of all our problems, the forces of peace, progress and prosperity are prevailing (占优势).
小题1:What has caused the decrease in the fossil fuel consumption?
| A．People have to pay heavier taxes on fossil fuel. |
| B．There are more and more renewable resources now. |
| C．There is a sharp decline in the number of cars. |
| D．People are purchasing more energy-saving cars. |
| A．People don’t suffer from malaria any more. |
| B．There were many more war deaths in the last century. |
| C．The young generation shows little interest in war. |
| D．The number of Aids-affected people is declining. |
| A．Fewer natural disasters occurred. | B．Global poverty relieved. |
| C．Cuban missile crisis ended. | D．Technology and medicine advanced. |
| A．2012 witnessed more advances in developed countries |
| B．2012 brought us less starvation and more prosperity |
| C．2012 saw economic growth as well as environmental destruction |
| D．2012 provided us with a peaceful world free from conflicts |
答案
小题1:D
小题2:B
小题3:C
小题4:B
解析
试题分析：本文叙述了2012年是非常好的一年，并不是世界末日，在这一年里，世界上挨饿的人少了，有了更少的疾病，却有了经济的繁荣，并且由于医学的进步，人们的平均寿命长了。小题1:细节理解题。根据It is down to consumer demand for more efficient cars. 人们都愿意买节能的车，故选D。
小题2:细节理解题。根据The Peace Research Institute in Oslo says there have been fewer war deaths in the last decade than any time in the last century. 在上个世纪有更多的人死于战争，故选B。
小题3:细节理解题。根据Never has there been less hunger, less disease or more prosperity (繁荣). Advances in medicine and technology mean that people across the world are living longer. 2012年饥饿少了，有更少的疾病还有医学的进步，这些都表明在2012年是最好的一年，选项C短文中没有提到，故选C。
小题4:作者意图题。根据2012 has been the greatest year in the history of the world. Never has there been less hunger, less disease or more prosperity (繁荣).2012年是有很少饥饿并且很繁荣的一年，故选B。
考点：核心考点
试题【Why 2012 was the best year everIt may not feel like it, but 2012 has been the gr】；主要考察你对题材分类等知识点的理解。[详细]
举一反三
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees．To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose． But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may softer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs．
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual．This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement．This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years．This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor．
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly．This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions．Furthermore, some institution should be created for senior daises, which can help provide a comfortable life for them．Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer．The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young．
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages．Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations．
小题1:What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The problems faced by the old in society． |
| B．Why we should take responsibility for the old． |
| C．How we can improve the lives of the old． |
| D．Where the old can go to get their pensions． |
| A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire． |
| B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years． |
| C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old． |
| D．Make available pensions for those who have retired． |
| A．impossible | B．practical | C．useful | D．successful |
| A．Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money． |
| B．Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age． |
| C．Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people． |
| D．There is no single solution to the problems of the old． |
| A．To point out the need for government support for old people． |
| B．To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people． |
| C．To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem． |
| D．To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life． |
I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.
I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.
The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re O.K.”
I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?
People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.
The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.
Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me – “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”
All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.
And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.
小题1:When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ______.
| A．she felt very annoyed | B．she lost consciousness |
| C．she felt very much nervous | D．she lost the power of thinking |
| A．Jeremy’s fighting | B．The author’s screaming |
| C．Their neighbour’s brave action | D．The police’s arrival |
| A．they were much too frightened |
| B．they were busy preparing dinners |
| C．they needed time to find baseball bats |
| D．they thought someone was playing a trick |
| A．she hated to listen to their empty talk |
| B．she did not want to become an object of pity |
| C．she was angered by their being late to come to her help |
| D．she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock |
| A．the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm |
| B．they thought it was a case of little importance |
| C．the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything |
| D．the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene |
| A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty |
| B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble |
| C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns |
| D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice |
In 1998 the Smoking Kills White Paper set out a national strategy (策略) to reduce smoking prevalence (流行) and passive smoking, including in public places. The measures were voluntary and poorly carried out. After a public conference in England in 2004, the Government decided to choose for lawmaking. Scotland went first, with a ban in 2006, followed by the other nations a year later.
What is the current law?
Any person who smokes in enclosed (封闭的) public places, including pubs, offices, on public transport and work vehicles, is breaking the law. It does not extend to private houses. It is also an offence for people in charge of premises (营业场所) to permit others to smoke in them.
How was it received?
It was welcomed by most organizations except for some pub owners and restaurateurs. Many workplaces in the UK had already introduced smoke-free policies consistent with the legislation (法律，法规) before it was carried out, while others have gone beyond its basic requirements.
All railway facilities, including platforms, footbridges and other areas--whether or not fitting the definition of an enclosed public space--are covered, as are all football grounds and some cricket and athletics stadiums. School grounds are not required to be smoke-free under the legislation, but the majority now are.
How has it been forced?
Compliance (服从) in public premises has been high, with inspections suggesting that 99 per cent of places were sticking to the rules. The number of people charged for smoking in cars has been very low, which was due to the problems defining and identifying "work" vehicles. They said that a total ban on smoking in vehicles would end this confusion.
Has it improved health?
Studies in early adopters of the law, including in Scotland, suggest a reduction in hospital admissions for heart disease, which has been shown to be linked to passive smoking. There is also strong evidence of improved rates of smoking end and a drop in the number of cigarettes consumed by those who continue to smoke.
小题1:When did the first law come out to ban smoking in public places?
| A．1987 | B．1998 | C．2004 | D．2006 |
| A．Jack often smokes in the office when he is alone. |
| B．A taxi driver is smoking with a lady in his car. |
| C．Tom smokes while thinking of his future at home. |
| D．Max smokes for relaxation during time-out in the stadium. |
| A．A restaurant owner. | B．A company manager. |
| C．A car owner. | D．A policy maker. |
| A．Most heart diseases have been proved to be linked to passive smoking. |
| B．A new law will soon come out with a total ban on smoking in vehicles |
| C．Cigarette-making factories will disappear soon. |
| D．Most of the school grounds are not smoke-free, as it is not banned in the law. |
Asians are immigrating to Canada and the United States in larger numbers than ever before．Most Asians immigrate because they believe that they can give their children a better education in the West．In Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea, it is difficult to go to university．Students must first pass the strict national examination．However, in Canada and the United States, it is easy to go to university, and anyone who wants to go can go．As a result, Asian parents decide to leave their countries so that their children can go to university．
The problem is that when Asians arrive, they discover that finding a job and making money are more difficult in the West than in the East．Also, they find that they are very lonely, and that they miss their homes．Because of these two reasons, most Asian parents decide to go back to work while their children study in the West．Therefore, these children become “satellite kids”, and most of their parents do not know how sad it is to be a “satellite kid”．
Only until now are Canadians and Americans discovering the “satellite kid” problem．Because these children do not speak English and because their parents are not there to take care of them, they are often absent from school．To be a “satellite kid” means to grow up in a country where you know you are different and where you cannot make friends because you do not speak English well．Also, it means to grow up lonely, because your parents are elsewhere．What these “satellite kids” will probably say to their parents is that it’s better to have parents around than to have a university education．
小题1:Some Asian parents send their kids abroad because ________．
| A．they hope their children may easily find a job there |
| B．the kids may not be accepted by universities in their own countries |
| C．all foreign universities are better than the ones in their own countries |
| D．the kids want to improve their English and make foreign friends |
| A．without patents |
| B．living abroad alone |
| C．with university education |
| D．speaking no English |
| A．want to leave their own country |
| B．want them to go to university |
| C．return to their countries to work |
| D．want them to be independent |
| A．Parents want better education for their kids． |
| B．Parents feel lonely and miss their families． |
| C．Canadians and Americans begin to notice the “satellite kids” problem． |
| D．Kids in foreign countries alone are badly in need of care from family． |
Shades of that spirit spread over today’s conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, ”Oh boy, bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it’s going to rain.”I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report, for his smile.
Several months ago I was racing to catch a him As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Grey hound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile ,”Oh that bus left five minutes ago.”Dreams of head-cutting!
It’s not the news that makes someone angry. It’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s delivered. Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way. A boss informing an employee he didn’t get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver.
Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you’re tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn’t ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter mainly told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.
Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warming .Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, ” Oh, that’s all right I’ll catch the next one.” Big winners, when they bear bad news ,deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded（被轰炸的）person is sure to have.
小题1:In Paragraph 1,the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to ____.
| A．make a comparison | B．describe a scene |
| C．introduce a topic | D．offer an argument |
| A．was mad at the sales agent |
| B．was reminded of the cruel pharaoh |
| C．wished that the sales agent would have had dreams |
| D．dreamed of cutting the sales agent’s head that night. |
| A．Learning ancient traditions can be useful. |
| B．Receiving bad news requires great courage. |
| C．Helping others sincerely is the key to business success. |
| D．Delivering bad news properly is important in communication. |
最新试题
- 1下列关于电解质溶液的叙述正确的是( )A．常温下，在pH＝7的醋酸钠和醋酸混合溶液中：c(CH3COO－)＞c(Na＋
- 21977年，我国恢复高考制度。这（ ）A．标志着十年动乱的结束B．宣告了改革开放的开始C．体现了社会公正的重建D．
- 3维新变法时期，维新派主张的“断发易服”“废止缠足 ( )A．受到西方民主思想影响B．带有反清革命的色彩C．在一些大城市普
- 4如图为人体消化系统组成示意图．请据图回答：（1）细嚼米饭一会儿，感觉有点甜，这是因为[______]______中有__
- 5— What about reading English newspapers while learning Engli
- 6一个x核与一个氚核结合成一个氦核时放出一个粒子Y，由于质量亏损放出的能量为△E，核反应方程是X+H→He+Y；Y可以通过
- 7解决水资源时间分布不均最有效的方法是[ ]A、跨流域调水 B、修建水库 C、打井 D、节约用水
- 8请仔细阅读短文，回答下列问题。 汽车的尾气 汽车为人类文明作出了巨大的贡献，同时对自然生态环境的恶化
- 9某校八年级计划组织学生观看爱国主义教育影片，包场费1500元．后来该校七年级的200名师生也一同去观看了影片，并商定包场
- 10甲乙两车以相同的速度同向行驶在江北大道上，以乙车为参照物，甲车是 ，以大道两旁的树木、房屋为参照物，甲乙两车都
热门考点
- 1根据汉语提示完成句子1. 你已经失败两次了，为什么不试试其他的办法呢? You have failed twice.
- 2用如图所示滑轮组将重6×102N的物体匀速提高2m，拉力所做的功为2×103J，所用的时间为20s．求：（1）有用功；（
- 3将10g质量分数为20%的氢氧化钠溶液与20g质量分数为10%的硫酸溶液混合后，所得溶液不能与下列物质发生反应的是 [
- 4你熟悉互联网，但你了解物联网吗？下面，让我们一起来认识和感受奇妙的物联网世界吧。（1）如图所示，在互联网基础上诞生的物联
- 5用高倍显微镜观察一个正常生活的细胞，发现没有叶绿体，关于该细胞的下列叙述正确的是[ ]A．一定不是植物细胞B．一
- 6读图甲、图乙并结合材料，回答下列问题。(14分)材料1：2011年3月14日，国务院正式批复了国家发改委上报的《海峡西岸
- 7国家承认土地私有，允许自由买卖的社会变革是[ ]A．商鞅变法B．吴起变法C．李悝变法D．管仲改革
- 8针对金融风暴带来的负面影响，发展中国家审时度势，纷纷寻找应对政策；提高利率，防止资金外流；调整对外贸易策略，寻找出口新市
- 9长度为0.2m的轻质细杆OA，A端有一质量为1kg的小球，以O点为圆心，在竖直平面内做圆周运动，如图所示，小球通过最高点
- 10下列各组词语中加粗的字读音全都不同的一项是[ ]A. 女红 躬亲 供销 股肱之臣 觥筹交错 B. 悲怆 寒伧 创