第四部分：阅读理解(第31～45题，每题3分，共45分)
下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题，每题后面有4个选项。请仔细阅读短文并根据短文回答其后面的问题，从4个选项中选择1个最佳答案涂在答题卡相应的位置上。
第一篇
Urban Rainforest
On the west side of the island of Manhattan in New York City, tree by tree, leaf by leaf, a 2,500 square foot sector of the Central African Republic's Dzanga Ndoki Rainforest has been transported to, or recreated at, the American Museum of Natural History's new half of biodiversity. When the hall opens this May, visitors will visit one of the world's biggest and most accurate reproduction of one of nature's most threatened creations.
To bring the rainforest to New York, a team of nearly two dozen scientists--the largest collecting expedition the museum has ever organised for an exhibit--spent five weeks in the African rainforest collecting soil, plants, and leaves; recording and documenting species; studying trees; shooting videotape and still photos; and interviewing local people. “This area has been explored very little,” says Hoel Cracraft who estimates that the museum will eventually collect 150 to 180 mammals, more than 300 species of birds, hundreds of butterflies, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of organisms. The exhibition may even have produced a special prize--scientists suspect they have uncovered several new species.
To give the forest a sense of realness, the back wall of the exhibit is an enormous video-screen, sounds will come out from hidden speakers, and plans even call or forest smells. Computer controls will vary the effects so that no two walkthroughs will ever be exactly the same.
After the team returned to New York, the forest was reproduced with the help of the computer. Computer modelling programmes plotted distances and special relationships. Artists studied photos and brought what they saw to life. Plaster trees were made. Recreated animals began to stand in the rainforest of the hall. Flying creatures will hang from the ceiling. The light in the forest-one of the exhibit's cleverest re-creations--will seem real. Long tube lights will have the correct colour and temperature to produce a natural effect. The plants and animals exhibited throughout the hall exist naturally in a perfect balance-remove one, and the whole is imperfect if not endangered. The exhibit is proof to the hope that the world's rain-forests will never exist solely as a carefully preserved artifact.
31 What is this passage mainly about? __________
A The history of the American Museum of Natural History.
B The reproduction of the rainforest at a New York museum.
C Visitors' interest in the rainforest reproduction at a New York museum.
D Saving rainforests in the Central African Republic.
32 How did the museum collect the data in the Central African Republic? _____
A It sent a large team of scientists there.
B It cooperated with many African scientists.
C It recruited local people to collect mammals, etc.
D It sent camerament to shoot videotapes.
33 To give the forest a sense of realness, all the following are used EXCEPT that __________.
A hidden loudspeakers are used to produce forest sound
B a huge videoscreen is put up on the back wall
C special equipment is employed to produce forest smells
D the forest is surrounded by front and back walls
34 What is the main theme of the last paragraph? __________
A The layout of the rainforest exhibition.
B The balance between animals and plants.
C The clever design of lighting.
D Preservation of the rainforest exhibition as an artifact.
35 What does the last sentence of the passage most probably mean? __________
A The rainforest in the Central African Republic will be preserved forever.
B The well-designed exhibit will be preserved as an artifact.
C The exhibit reflects the hope that natural rainforests will he well preserved.
D The exhibit of the rainforest in the museum is the sole one in the world.
第二篇
U.S. Blacks Hard-hit by Cancer
Death rates from cancer tare falling for all Americans, but black Americans are still more likely to died of cancer than whites, the American Cancer Society said Monday.
In a special report on cancer and blacks, the organization said blacks are usually diagnosed with cancer later than whites, and they are more likely to die of the disease.
This could be because of unequal access to medical care, because blacks are more likely to have other diseases like diabetes as well, and perhaps because of differences in the biology of the cancer itself, the report added.
“In general, African Americans have less likelihood of surviving five years after diagnosis than whites for all cancer sites and all stages of diagnosis,” the report said.
“In describing cancer statistics for African Americans, this report recognizes that socioeconomic disparities and unequal access to medical care may underlie many of the differences associated with race,” the cancer society said blacks should be encouraged to get check-ups earlier, when cancer is more treatable, and it said more research was needed to see if biological differences play a role.
“The new statistics emphasize the continuing importance of eliminating these social disparities through public policy and education efforts,” the organization said in a statement.
But it also noted a drop in cancer death rates.
“Cancer death rates in both sexes for all sites combined have declined substantially among African Americans since 1992, as have incidence rates,” says the report.
“Increased efforts to improve economic conditions in combination with education about the relationship of lifestyle choices to cancer could further reduce the burden of cancer among African Americans.”
About 36 million Americans describe themselves as black, representing about 12 percent of the population.
36 Black Americans are more likely to die of cancer than __________.
A white people all over the world
B white people in America
C all other Americans
D their ancestors
37 All the following are probably related to higher cancer death rates among black Americans EXCEPT __________.
A access to medical care.
B lifestyle choices.
C economic conditions. Percentage of the population.
D percentage of the population.
38 Cancer is more treatable if it is detected __________.
A in an early stage
B together with other diseases
C during checkups
D in elderly people
39 Amore research is needed to see if there is a link between biological differences and __________.
A cancer sites
B stages of diagnosis
C cancer death rates
D socioeconomic disparities
40 Since 1992, cancer incidence rates among black Americans __________.
A have been going up and down
B have remained stable
C have increased
D have fallen
第三篇
Cousteau Remembered
Jacques-Ives Cousteau died in Paris on 26 June, 1997 at the age of 87. His influence is great. Scientists respected his creative engineering; engineers praised his science. Cousteau, who claimed to be neither scientist nor engineer, contributed significantly to both disciplines—and to many more.
Throughout his adventure-filled life, Cousteau challenged definitions. Yes, he was a captain in the French Navy, and early on, a filmmaker and natural storyteller. Later, he became a famous ocean explorer, designer of underwater equipment, expedition leader, author, speaker, businessman, environmentalist, teacher and leader of an influential organization (the Cousteau Society).
All who care about the sea—and even those who don't think much about the ocean one way or another—owe Cousteau a tremendous debt. The knowledge gained as a consequence of his direct contributions, and the strong impact he had on others, have transformed the way the world thinks about the sea. His stories of encounters with sharks and other fish inspired many to go see themselves. Cousteau pioneered ventures in underwater living in the 1960's: sub-sea labs where scientists submerged for days or weeks-the underwater labs similar to Skylab or the space station. His films and television programmes won two Academy Rewards, three Emnies, and the hearts and minds of viewers worldwide for decades.
Showered with honours, Cousteau remarked recently that he thought his most important accomplishment was to make people aware of-and care about-the ocean: Thanks to him, we grew concerned about our growing population and the consequences of over fishing and ocean pollution that threaten the health of the sea, and we were inspired to do something to improve the way things are done.
We shared the sad feeling with Cousteau when Simone, his wife and partner for many years, died and when his son Phillippe was killed in a plane crash. We shared his joy when Jean-Michel, his eldest son, became an explorer and a spokesman for the sea in his own right. We were happy for Cousteau when he began a new family with his second wife, Fracine. And now that his voice of the ocean is silenced, we feel very sad.
41 According to the passage, Cousteau's influence is great because he __________.
A was both a scientist and an engineer
B invented Skylab
C made contributions to science and engineering
D was a captain in the French Navy
42 From the second paragraph, we know that __________.
A Cousteau did not like any scientific definitions
B Cousteau wrote many adventure-filled stories
C Cousteau's main job was protecting environment
D Cousteau's contributions were not limited to science and engineering
43 Of all the careers he followed, his main concern was concentrated on _________.
A building the sub-water labs
B ocean and ocean pollution
C making films and television programmes
D writing encounters with sea animals, such as sharks
44 What debt do we owe Cousteau according to Paragraphs 3 and 4? __________
A His work has made us realize we should improve the way things are done.
B His contributions have pushed science toward a higher stage of development.
C His invention of sub-sea labs has made ocean exploration easier.
D His adventures have made people go and see the sea.
45 Which of the following statement about Cousteau's family life is NOT true? _________
A His second wife died some time ago.
B His son Philippe was killed in a plane crash.
C His first wife died before Cousteau.
D His elder son became the spokesman for the sea.
