新闻类阅读理解模拟训练(51976)-高三英语阅读(360)-21英语网

A

You can call her CutoutDissection.com, Cutout for short, but just don't call her Jennifer. Wanting to do something to speak out against animal dissections (解剖) in schools, the previously named Jennifer Thornburg changed her name. Her driver's license now reads CutoutDissection.com.

The 19-year-old's new name is also the Web address for an anti-dissection site. It is linked to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the organization she is interning (实习) at.

“I normally do have to repeat my name several times when I am introducing myself to someone new,” she told a newspaper. “Once they find out what my name is, they want to know more about the website.”

Now working in the US state of Virginia, Cutout said she began opposing dissections in middle school after a class assignment, which involved cutting up a chicken wing, made her uncomfortable. She helped form a policy at her high school in North Carolina allowing students who object to dissections to complete an alternative assignment.

Despite legally changing the name, she said most of her family members still call her Jennifer.

“It will take me a while,” said her dad, Duane Thornburg. “She's still Jennifer to me. I understand why she's done it. I totally respect it.”

A CD showing the treatment of animals before they are dissected finally convinced him to support his daughter's cause, he said.

1. Why did the girl change her name?

A. Because she thought it was a sign of changing her lifestyle.

B. Because she wanted to get people to care more for animals.

C. Because she didn't like her old name “Jennifer”.

D. Because she liked the name of the website.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Jennifer created a website and named it after herself.

B. Her father was not used to her new name for the moment.

C. Most people get attracted by her new name and wanted to know her family.

D. People had no trouble with her new name when she introduced herself.

3. What first made her object to animal dissections?

A. Changing her name.

B. A policy formed at her school.

C. A class assignment in her middle school.

D. A CD showing the treatment of animals.

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. It is a few years since Cutout began to take part in the anti-dissection

activities.

B. She asked her father for advice before forming a policy at her middle

school.

C. Her parents failed to understand and support her adopting a new name.

D. Students at her high school in North Carolina could choose their own

homework freely.

B

“Colour” and “color”, “favourite” and “favorite”… Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a “u”? Is it because they are lazy?

Of course not. In fact, the difference in spelling was created by Noah Webster (1758-1843). He is a teacher who reformed English to make American identity stronger. Linguists (语言学家) celebrated his 250th birthday on October 16.

After the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary, rather than rely on British versions (版本).

He dropped the British “u” in some words. And he changed “centre” into “center” for children to learn English by spelling words more like they sounded.

Webster wasn't shy about expressing his opinions. In defining (定义) preposterous (unreasonable), he wrote: “A Republican government in the hands of females is preposterous.”

Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary in 1828 with his American-style spellings. He also added local words.

His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new nation achieve unity and cultural independence at a time when most were focused on political freedom.

“He was the shaper of our language and the shaper of American identity,” said Joshua Kendall, who is working on a biography (传记) about Webster. “He at last bonded (联合) us through our language.”

1. According to the passage, when he worked on his dictionary，Noah Webster did all of the following EXCEPT _____.

A. dropping “u” in all the British words

B. changing “centre” into “center”

C. adding local words

D. voicing his ideas

2. When did Noah Webster probably begin his project of the dictionary?

A. In 1758. B. In 1783.

C. In 1800. D. In 1828.

3. Why did Noah Webster create these differences in his dictionary?

A. Because he wanted to make English simple and easy.

B. Because he wanted American English to have its own characteristics.

C. Because he wanted to achieve political freedom.

D. Because he wanted to show that the USA is stronger than the UK.

4. Which of the following would probably be the best title for the passage?

A. Webster's dictionary

B. American identity

C. The shaper of American English

D. Spelling differences between American and British English

C

As the financial crisis (危机) worsens, book publishers are reporting that Communist father Karl Marx is back in fashion. One German publisher, Karl-Dietz, has sold over 1,500 copies of Capital (《资本论》) already this year, far more than the 200 it usually sells.

“It's definitely in vogue right now,” the publisher's director, Joern Schuetrumpf, told the BBC. “The financial crisis brought us a huge increase in sales.”

But does this mean that young Westerners are starting to be drawn back to the thinking of a man many considered to have gone out of fashion many years ago? While many young people may claim to support Marxist ideals, or wear T-shirts bearing his image, few are familiar with the man.

This could be a result of the way Marx is taught at high schools and universities. Most people learn about Marx in school through history lessons. He is associated with the fall of the Soviet Union, and many consider his ideas out of date.

To understand Marx can be difficult as he is viewed differently by different people.

“For a long time few thought of Marx as anything other than an economic writer,” says John Callow, director of the Marx Memorial Library in London. “Mainly because little of his work was translated into English.”

Marx's masterpiece, Capital, was traditionally all that was studied of Marx. But today The Communist Manifesto (宣言) is more widely read, mainly because it is far more accessible.

This has led young people to associate him with revolution. His long beard has made him a symbol of the classic philosopher.

Marx is more likely to be quoted than studied in-depth. Plenty of people know the famous lines, notably The Communist Manifesto's climax: “Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains.”

In today's Western countries, Marx has become a cool fashion statement for younger generations.

“It is not unusual to see people wearing T-shirts with a hammer and sickle on them these days,” says James. “But then how many of these people actually go out and vote for the Communist party?”

1. What does the underlined phrase in vogue in the second paragraph probably mean?

A. available B. popular

C. traditional C. unfashionable

2. What is the general idea of the third paragraph?

A. Young westerners are starting to study Marx's thinking.

B. The thinking of Marx has been in fashion for many years.

C. Those who wear T-shirts bearing Marx's images have little idea of him.

D. Many young people have bought Marx's Capital.

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Many westerners learn about Mark through their history textbooks.

B. Few people thought of Mark as an economic writer.

C. The Communist Manifesto is available at a low price.

D. Many of Mark's works have been translated into English.

4. What does James really mean by his words in the last paragraph?

A. Marx's ideas are really in fashion now.

B. Marx is viewed differently by differently people.

C. Marx is associated with Communist Party.

D. Not many young people really understand Marx's ideas.

D

Breaking news: Teens play video games. A lot.

But it might not always be so bad for them.

That's the conclusion of a new report examining teens' gaming habits. The study found that enthusiastic video gamers are no more socially awkward or less interested in civic (公民的) activities than non-video playing teenagers. It also discovered that games with civic elements to them, such as “Sim City” or “Civilization”, encouraged civic awareness.

“It matters what kind of game you play more than how long you play it,” says Amanda Lenhart, a senior research specialist at the Pew Internet & American Life Project and a co-author of the report.

Nearly all teens play video games, one-third of teens play games every day, and an additional 21 percent play games three to five days a week. But rather than promoting anti-social behaviour, the report discovered that in many instances video games are bringing teenagers together.

It found that three-quarters of all teens play games with others some of the time, and about half play with friends they know from their offline lives.

Parker Seagren, a sophomore in Barrington, Ill., says that about 80 percent of the time he plays games — usually Xbox games like “Halo 3,” or “Gears of War,” — with friends from school, either in person or connected online. “I don't think playing video games really affects kids that much,” he says.

Critics relate video games to a variety of teenage problems, from overweight and reduced attention to antisocial behavior and violence. Parents have shared similar concerns, finding it hard to accept gaming as an acceptable activity. “My first reaction was, ‘I don't understand it,' ” says Jeffrey Wiener, a father of 9- and 12-year old boys in New York and director of a company that helps develop educational games.

Mr. Wiener changed his mind when he appreciated the social-networking nature of some of the games his sons play. He noticed that his oldest son was playing with his cousin, whom he rarely got to see in real life. “They're doing actually exactly what I did as a boy,” he says. “The gaming world is now a natural part of their playtime.”

Joseph Kahne, dean of Mills College's School of Education in Oakland, Calif., and co-author of the report wants people to recognise the positive benefits video games offer.

“For as long as we get locked into a ‘games are good' or ‘games are bad' way of thinking, we're not going to be able to offer useful advice or guidance to parents,” he said.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. It talks about the different attitudes parents hold towards teens' playing video games.

B. It analyzes both the bad and good effects that playing video games has brought.

C. It reports on the findings of a research on playing video games

D. It recommends some good civic video games.

2. From the first 4 paragraphs, we know that _____.

A. how long children play a video game determines its effect on them

B. enthusiastic video gamers are usually loners

C. children can play any kind of video games

D. what kind of video games children play has more effect on them than the time they spend playing

3. According to the report, _____ of all teens play with others some of the

time.

A. 75% B. 1/3 C. 21% D. half

4. Mr. Wiener is mentioned as an example of parents _______.

A. who are against video gaming

B. who never understands video games

C. who change their opinions on video games

D. who call for educational games among teens

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

A. Say “No” to Video Games

B. Video Gamescan bring teens together

C. Teenage Problems related to video gaming

D. Parents' Views on Video Games

E

August is a busy month for Lori Tibbett. As director of placement services for the Center for Cultural Interchange in Chicago, she has to find host families for nearly 1,000 foreign exchange students by the end of the month.

Her task this year is particularly difficult.

“People are worried about the economy,” says Ms. Tibbett, who still needs 150 hosts. “Some say, ‘I'm not sure about my husband's job,' or ‘It's going to cost more for gas and food.'”

Despite host's concerns, more high school exchange students are coming to the US than ever before, says John Doty, president of Pacific Intercultural Exchange in San Diego. At the same time, exchange programs are undergoing changes. They're drawing students from more countries and finding hosts from a wider range of family types. Hosts now include single people, single-parent families, and retired couples.

Retired people offer the advantage of having time to devote to a student, Mr. Doty says. “Students from Asian countries are more respectful of older people. They may live with a grandparent at home, so living with a retired couple here is not a big step for them.”

Some families volunteer year after year. Mike and Kathleen Hindman of Watauga, Texas, parents of seven grown daughters, are awaiting the arrival of their sixth exchange student. All have been girls from North Vietnam.

“We started hosting about the time our girls started college,” Mr. Hindman says. “I had the empty-nest syndrome (综合症). It's a wonderful experience for us. I never felt they were visitors. They were our new kids. We stay in touch with all of them.”

Students come with their own spending money and health insurance. They pay for clothes and school fees, Tibbett says, adding, “They eat meals with the family, go to Grandma's for Thanksgiving, and do what the family does.”

Since 1960, American families who volunteer to host students through programs recognized by the US Department of State receive a $50 monthly tax cut for every month they host a student. “It's considered a contribution to a charitable organization, but it hasn't kept up with price rises,” Doty says.

The US Department of State is now considering increasing the tax cut to $200 a month. “It shows that this is a very important activity in this country,” says Doty. Most countries offer host families financial aid.

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the exchange programs?

A. Exchange programs are on the decrease due to lack of funding.

B. People's concern about the economy makes finding host families more difficult.

C. More exchange students from varied countries are coming to America this summer.

D. Single people are also allowed to host exchange students.

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “undergoing” in Paragraph 4?

A. expecting B. discouraging

C. experiencing D. resisting

3. From the passage, we can conclude that _______.

A. exchange students have to pay for their own meals

B. some host families establish lasting friendship with exchange students

C. exchange students have to follow their host families' schedule strictly

D. retired couples are good choices for European students

4. What's the main idea of the last two paragraphs?

A. Host families enjoy some aid from the government.

B. Other countries offer financial aid to host families.

C. The solution to the economy problem.

D. Introduction to the US Department of State.