第二部分：阅读理解（共两节，40分）

第一节 （共15小题；每小题2分，共30分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A

I never thought I would have a life-changing experience at Wal-Mart.

Although my thoughts were only on speed, the checkout line I was standing in wasn’t moving as quickly as I wanted, and I glanced toward the cashier.

There stood a man in his seventies, wearing glasses and a nice smile. I thought, well, he’s an old guy!

For the next few minutes I watched him. He greeted every customer before scanning the items. Sure, his words were the usual, “How’s it going?” But he did something different----he actually listened to people. Then he would respond to what they had said and engage them in brief conversation.

I thought it was odd. I have grown accustomed to people asking me how I was doing simply out of robotic conversational habit. After a while, you don’t give any thought to the question and just mumble something back. I could say, “I just found out I have six months to live,” and someone would reply, “Have a great day!”

But that wasn’t the end.

He gave them the change, walked around the counter, and extended his right hand in an act of friendship. He looked the customers in the eyes. “I sure want to thank you for shopping here today,” he told them. “You have a great day. Bye-bye.”

The looks on the faces of the customers were priceless. There were smiles and some sheepish grins. All had been touched by his simple gesture and in a place they never expected. They would gather their things and walk out, smiling.

Of course, he did the same to me and I got to know his name. Marty.

I had never walked away from that shop feeling like that.

21. According to the writer, when common people ask you “How’s it going?” .

A. they don’t really care what you may answer

B. they are just practicing their conversation ability

C. they are inquiring about your private information

D. they don’t expect to hear any negative answers

22. What was most customers’ reaction to Marty’s behaviors?

A. They thought it worthless. B. They were in some way moved.

C. They thought it awful and odd. D. They felt somewhat offended.

23. What does the writer intend to express through the text?

A. Our everyday life is always full of surprises.

B. Most customers enjoy being treated this way.

C. Being different is a good way of doing business.

D. A little positive action can make a big difference.

B

Jumping across cities

Forget about expensive gyms; the new sport in cities is free-running. Since it started in a Paris suburb around 1995, free-running has attracted lots of fans in cities around the world. Instead of walking normally, free-runners jump over or around anything ― cars, buildings, trees, or streetlights ― in their way.

One of the sport’s inventors told our reporter how free-running started.

It was boring where we lived. There was nothing for us to do after school. We had done playground games like football and basketball when we were kids but we wanted something new and exciting. We started learning how to jump and run between buildings ― and we loved it. Walking is a waste of time. Free-runners have to use their imaginations. Everything ― a tree, a streetlight ―is part of our outdoor gym. We’re like children because we have never stopped playing in the street.

The sport’s website has lots of rules, for example, don’t break people’s windows, don’t jump on flowerbeds and don’t be rude to people who want you to stop. Safety is also very important. You must start with the easy moves ― you have to do thousands of small practice jumps before you try anything difficult. If you made only one mistake, you might hurt yourself badly.

A local person said, “It’s good that young people have something to do. But when they jump off buildings like cats, they sometimes frighten other people.”

Don’t try this at home: the basics of free-running

Blind Jump: a jump where you can’t see the landing spot.

Tic-tac: run and put your foot on a small step, go forward and jump over the next thing.

Basic Jump: run and jump, land on two feet while bending your knees. To finish roll into head-over-heels.

Cat Jump: run towards a wall, put both hands on the top of the wall and jump through your arms.

24. Free-running started __________.

A. about twenty years ago B. with the help of schools

C. in big cities of America D. among famous sportsmen

25. Free-runners shouldn’t ____________.

A. use their imaginations B. start with the easy moves

C. jump on flowerbeds D. run between buildings

26. According to the passage, free-running is a(n)__________sport.

A. ancient B. expensive C. safe D. exciting

27. The purpose of this passage is to ___________.

A. explain the importance of outdoor activities

B. introduce some information about free-running

C. warn children not to join in dangerous sports

D. advise people to do more exercise at home first

C

Shopping is not as simple as you may think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand of product on the shelf. Coloring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packaged in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive goods, like chocolates, are gold or silver. When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that the colors turned the customers off because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package—blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm. The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn’t contain as much as it appears to. It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 percent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging! The most successful producers know that it’s not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote (推销) their goods, came to the conclusion: “Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius to sell it.”28. Which of the following may trick a shopper into buying a product according to the text? A. The cost of its package.???????????? ?? B. The price of the product. C. The color of its package.?????????? ?? D. The brand name of the product.29. The underlined part “the colors turned the customers off” (in Para.3) means that the colors _________. A. attracted the customers strongly???? B. caused the customers to lose interest  C. tricked the customers into shopping? D. had weak effects on the customers30. Which of the following is the key to the success in product sales? A. The way to promote goods. B. The discovery of a genius. C. The team to produce a good product.? D. The brand name used by successful producers.31. Which of the following would be the best title for this text? A. Choice of Good Products??????????? ? B. Disadvantages of Products C. Effect of Packaging on Shopping??? ?? D. Brand Names and Shopping Tricks

D

Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.

After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity — or extreme overweight — among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.

32. In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?

A. They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

B. They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

C. They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.

D. They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

33. This text is mainly the relationship between _________.

A. Americans and the French B. life style and obesity

C. children and adults D. fast food and overweight

34. The text is mainly developed __________.

A. by contrast B. by space C. by time D. by importance

35. Where does this text probably come from?

A. A TV interview B. A food advertisement C. A health report D. A book review

第二节 (共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分)

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

“Why is life worth living?” If you ask this question, you will get different answers.36 But we have put together a few reason