第二部分：阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）

第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在 答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A

Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.

My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him; as a school girl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A’s and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.

On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father’s friends for lunch at an outdoor cafe. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son’s funny facial expressions. Gone was my father’s critical (挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting be around? What had held him back before?

The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I’m at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing. I’m delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his mew home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.

21. Why did the author feel bitter about her father when she was a young adult?

A. He was silent most of the time. B. He was too proud of himself.

C. He did not love his children. D. He expected too much of her.

22. When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel ________.

A. nervous B. sorry C. tired D. safe

23. What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?

A. More critical. B. More talkative

C. Gentle and friendly. D. Strict and hard-working.

24. The underlined words “my new friend” in the last paragraph refer to ________.

A. the author’s son B. the author’s father

C. the friend of the author’s father D. the café owner

B

How cool can libraries be in an era（时代）of iPods and Kindles? More than you think．Only if you know where to go．

Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States

The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours．It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus．Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening．The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime

Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland

The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I．It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 0fthe library's oldest books．The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps（竖琴） in Ireland．Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland．

Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States

At first glance, it looks like a spaceship．Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970．It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels．The library hosts "Dinner in the Library," which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from distinguished authors．

TU Delft Library: The Netherlands

The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum．The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual Library．What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill．The roof covers 5,500 square meters．And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area．

25．Which of the four libraries has the longest history?

A．Central Library．

C．Geisel Library．

B．Trinity College Library．

D．TU Delft Library．

26．What makes Geisel Library different from the others is that

A．famous writers often deliver speeches there

B．it has a reoffer grassy hill

C．Queen Elizabeth I founded the library

D．it is the largest single library in the world

27．In Central Library, you can

A．buy souvenirs C．enjoy sci-fi films B．drink cocktails D．see the old harp

C

One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation（毁林） is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"

The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.

Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.

Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.

Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.

Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.

28．The underlined word "synthetics" probably means_________.

A. natural rubber B. tropical materials

C. man-made material D. commercial rubber

29．According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.

B. Many of our daily uses are related to the tropical forests.

C. Tropical plants can be used to make industrial products.

D. High carbon dioxide levels will make the earth warmer.

30．The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is _________ .

A. puzzling B. cold C. supporting D. opposed

31．Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Tropical Forests B. The Value of Tropical Forests

C. Tropical Forests and Our Life D. The Greenhouse Effects

D

Space is where our future is — trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most people would think that aside from comets(彗星) and stars, there is little else out there. But, since our space journey started we have left so much trash（垃圾） there that scientists are now concerned that if we don't clean it up, we may all be in mortal （致命的）danger.[

The first piece of space junk was created in 1964, when the American satellite Vanguard I stopped operating and lost its connection with the ground center. However, since it kept orbiting around the Earth without any consequences, scientists became increasingly comfortable abandoning（抛弃） things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.

It is estimated （估计）that there are now over 500,000 pieces of man-made trash orbiting the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour. The junk varies from tiny pieces of paint chipped off rockets to cameras, huge fuel tanks, and even odd items like the million-dollar tool kit that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper lost during a spacewalk.

The major problem with the space trash is that it may hit working satellites and damage traveling spacecraft(飞船). Moreover, pieces of junk may collide（碰撞） with each other and break into pieces which fall back to the Earth. To avoid this, scientists have invented several ways for clearing the sky. Ground stations have been built to monitor larger pieces of space trash to prevent them from crashing into working satellites or space shuttles. Future plans include a cooperative effort among many nations to stop littering in space and to clean up the trash already there.

32. What was the first piece of man-made space trash?

A. A camera. B. A tool kit.

C. A fuel tank. D. A broken satellite.

33. Why were scientists NOT concerned about space trash in the beginning?

A. It no longer served any useful purpose.

B. It was millions of miles away from the Earth.

C. It did not cause any problems.

D. It was regarded as similar to comets and stars.

34. Which of the following statements is true about space junk?

A. It is huge, heavy machines.

B. It never changes position.

C. It floats slowly around the Earth.

D. It may cause problems for space shuttles.

35. What has been done about the space trash problem?

A, Scientists have cleaned up most of the trash.

B. Large pieces of space trash are being closely watched.

C. Many nations have worked t