西南财经大学网络教育高起点英语入学考试模拟题及答案(阅读理解)

阅读理解

Passage One

All the housewives who went to the new supermarket had one great ambition: to be the lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping. For this was what the notice just inside the entrance promised. It said: “Remember, once a week, one of our customers gets free goods. This May Be Your Lucky Day!”

For several weeks Mrs. Edwards hoped, like many of her friends, to be the lucky customer. Unlike her friends, she never gave up hoping. The cupboards in kitchen were full of things which she did not need. Her husband tried to advise her against buying things but failed. She dreamed of the day when the manager of the supermarket would approach her and say: “Madam, this is Your Lucky Day. Everything in your basket is free.”

One Friday morning, after she had finished her shopping and had taken it to her car, she found that she had forgotten to buy any tea. She dashed back to the supermarket, got the tea and went towards the cash-desk. As she did so, she saw the manager of the supermarket approach her. “Madam,” he said, holding out his hand, “I want to congratulate you! You are our lucky customer and everything you have in your basket is free!”

1. The housewives learnt about the of free goods _______.

A. on TV B. from the manager

答案:C

C. at the supermarket D. from the newspaper

2. Mrs. Edwards ________.

A. is always very lucky B. had no friends

C. hoped to get free shopping D. gets disappointed easily

答案:C

3. Mrs. Edwards’s husband tried to ________.

A. make her unhappy B. cheer her up

C. buy things with her D. stop her buying things

答案:D

4. Mrs. Edwards went back to the supermarket quickly because she had to _______.

A. buy another thing B. talk to the manager

C. pay for her shopping D. find her shopping

答案:A

5. Mrs. Edwards must have been ________.

A. pleased B. delighted C. proud D. disappointed

答案:D

Passage Two

Deep inside a mountain near Sweetwater in East. Tennessee is a body of water known as the Lost Sea. It is listed by the Guinness Book of Would Records as the world’s largest underground lake. The Lost Sea is part of an extensive and historic cave system called Craighead Caverns.

The caverns have been known and used since the days of the Cherokee Indian nation. The cave expands into a series of huge rooms from a small opening on the side of the mountain. Approximately one mile from the entrance, in a room called “The Council Room,” many Indian artisfacts have been found. Some of the items discovered include pottery, arrowheads, weapons, and jewelry.

For many years there were persistent rumors of a large underground lake somewhere in a cave, but it was not discovered until 1905. In that year, a thirteen-year-old boy named Ben Sands crawled through a small opening three hundred feet underground. He found himself in a large cave half filled with water.

Today tourists visit the Lost Sea and ride far out onto it in glass-bottomed boats powered by electric motors. More than thirteen acres of water have been mapped out so far and still no end to the lake has been found. Even though teams of divers have tried to explore the Lost Sea, the full extent of it is still unknown.

1. The Lost Sea is unique because it is ________.

A. part of a historical cave system

B.the biggest underground lake in the world

C.listed in the Guinness Book of World Records

D.the largest body of water in Tennessee

答案:B

2. The Craighead Caverns have been known ________.

A. through history B. since the time of the Indian nations

C. since 1905 D. since divers explored them

答案:B

3. Who located the Lost Sea in recent times?

A. The Cherokee Indians. B. Tourists.

C. Ben Sands. D. Scientists.

答案:C

4. What was found in “The Council Room”?

A. A small natural opening. B. A large cave.

C. Another series of rooms. D. Many old Indian objects.

答案:D

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the Craighead Caverns presently serve as ____.

A. an underground testing site B. an Indian meeting ground

C. a tourist attraction D. a motor boat race course

答案:C

Passage Three

Generations of Americans have been brought up to believe that a good breakfast is one life’s essentials. Eating breakfast at the start of the day, we have all been told, and told again, is as necessary as putting gasoline in the family car before starting a trip.

But for many people the thought of food first thing in the morning is by no means a pleasure. So despite all the efforts, they still take no breakfast. Between 1977 and 1983, the latest year for which figures are available, the number of people who didn’t have breakfast, increased by 33 percent.

For those who feel pain of guilt about not eating breakfast, however, there is some good news. Several studies in the last few years indicate that, for adults especially, there may be nothing wrong with omitting breakfast. “Going without breakfast does not affect performance,” said Arrold E. Bender, former professor of the nutrition at Queen Elizabeth College in London, “nor does giving people breakfast improve performance.”

Scientific evidence linking breakfast to better health or better performance is surprisingly inadequate, and most of the recent work involves children, not adults, “The literature”, says one researcher, Dr. Erresto at the University of Texas, “is poor”.

1. The latest year for which figures could be obtained is _______.

A. the year the author wrote the article B. 1977

C. any year between 1997 and 1983 D. 1983

答案:D

2. For those who do not take breakfast, the good news is that _______.

A.several studies have been done in the past few years

B.the omission of breakfast does no harm to one’s health

C.adults have especially made studies in this field

D.eating little in the morning is good for health

答案:B

3. “…nor does giving people breakfast improve performance” means ______.

A.anyone without breakfast does improve his performance

B.not giving people breakfast improve performance

C.having breakfast does not improve performance, either

D.people having breakfast do improve their performance

答案:C

4. The word “literature” in the last sentence refers to _______.

A. stories, poems, plays, etc. B. written works on a particular subject

C. any printed material D. the modern literature of America

答案:B

5. What is implied but NOT stated by the author is that _______.

A.breakfast does not affect performance

B.Dr. Erresto is engaged in research work at an institution of higher learning

C.not eating breakfast might affect the health of children

D.Professor Bender once taught college courses in nutrition in London

答案:C

Passage Four

About 35% of all high school graduates in America continue their education in an institution of higher learning. The word college is used to refer to either a college or a university. These institutions offer four-year programs that lead to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor Science (B.S.) degree. Some students attend a junior college (providing only a two-year program) for one to two years before entering a four-year college as a sophomore (二年级生) or junior (三年级生).

It is generally easier to be accepted at a state university than at a private one. Most private schools require strict entrance examinations and a high grade point average (GPA), as well as specific college prep classes in high school. Private schools cost considerably more than state colleges and famous private schools are very expensive. Poorer students can sometimes attend, however, by earning scholarships. Some college graduates go on to earn advanced masters or doctoral degrees in grad (graduate) school. Occupations in certain fields such as law or medicine require such advanced studies.

Since college costs are very high, most students work at part-time jobs. Some have full-time jobs and go to school part-time. Often some will take five or more years to complete a four-year program because of money / job demands on their time.

While the college and work demands take up the great part of a student’s time, most still enjoy social activities. Sports, dances, clubs, movies, and plays are all very popular. However, gathering together for long, philosophical talks at a favorite meeting place on or near the university is probably the most popular activity.

1. College education is _______ in America.

A. quite common B. very rare

C. something difficult D. almost impossible

答案:A

2. Which of the following is NOT required for entering most private schools.

A. entrance examinations B. taking part in many activities

C. GPA D. college prep classes

答案:B

3. How can poor students attend private schools?

A. Only by working at part-time jobs. B. Only by working at full-time jobs.

C. Only by earning scholarships. D. All of above.

答案:D

4. The American college students like to _______ most of all.

A. discuss problems on philosophy B. play balls

C. earn enough money D. go to the cinemas or theatres

答案:A

5. The best title for this passage is _______.

A. Part-time jobs B. American college

C. Popular activity D. A new system

答案:B

Passage Five

What would it be like to take a walk on the surface of Mars? If you could design the tallest building in the world, what would it look like? Do you dream of being the next J.K.Rowling? This summer, you can experience all of these things, and more. All you need is an Internet connection and your imagination.

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that kids spend an average of 1 hour and 29 minutes online each day. Many kids like to use that time to chat with friends, play games or check e-mails. But next time you get on the Web, try exploring the world instead. “With the Internet, you can go back 11,000 years in time, or go 11,000 kilometers across the planet,” said Russell, Web search expert of Google. “The whole scope of history and the world is open to you.”

There is a wealth of information to be found online. For example, if your family is going on vacation somewhere, do a quick online search on the area before you even get in the car. “What’s the background of the place; what’s the history?” says Russell. “I like to tell my kids, ‘Whenever you have a question, whenever you have a doubt, search it out.’”

Ready to launch a virtual journey of your own? Here are a few starting points to get you think ing and to help you on your way. You can invite your parents along for the ride, too. Always ask for permission before downloading programs and software into your computer. And, check with a parent or adult before visiting any new website.

Navigate the world in 3-D with Google Earth. Begin in outer space and zoom into the streets of any city, from Hong Kong to San Francisco. Or, visit ancient monuments and watch the changing rainforests over time. With the moon in Google Earth tool, you can walk in Neil Armstrong’s famous footsteps. Take a guided tour of the moon’s surface with Armstron g’s fellow shuttle mate astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

1. According to Russell, the kids _________.

A. spend too much time on the Internetx_k_b_1

B. should never chat and play games online

C. can solve their problems through the Internet

D. should study hard instead of chatting online

答案：C

2. From the passage we know that _________.

A. we can find much information we need online

B. Neil Ar mstrong traveled to the moon alone

C. the kids can download programs onto the computer freely

D. the kids can visit the new website freely without parents’ guidance

答案：A

3. According to the passage, if you want to go to Tropical Rainforests, you can _________.

A. take the time shuttle B. go to the cinema to watch 3-D films

C. find a travel agency in Google D. use Google Earth

答案：D

4. The passage is mainly intended for _________.

A. parents B. kids C. teachers D. adults

答案：B

5. In which section of a website can we probably read this passage?

A. Culture. B. Health. C. Internet World. D. Tourism.

答案：C

Passage Six

ln the animal kingdom, weakness can bring about aggression in other animals.This sometimes happens with humans also.But I have found that my weakness brings out the kindness in people.I see it every day when people hold doors for me, pour cream into my coffee, or help me to put on my coat.And I have discovered that it makes them happy.

From my wheelchair experience, I see the best in people, but sometimes I feel sad because those who appear independent miss the kindness I see daily.They don’t get to see this soft side of others.Often, we try every way possible to avoid showing our weakness, which includes a lot of pretending.But only when we stop pretending we’re brave or strong do we allow people to show the kindness that’s in them.

Last month, when I was driving home on a busy highway, I began to feel unwell and drove more slowly than usual.People behind me began to get impatient and angry, with some speeding up alongside me, horning (按喇叭) or even shouting at me.At that moment，I decided to do something I had never done in twentyfour years of driving.I put on the car flashlights and drove on at a really low speed.、

o more angry shouts and no more horns!When I put on my flashlights, I was saying to the other drivers, “I have a problem here.I am weak and doing the best I can.” And everyone understood.Several times, I saw drivers who wanted to pas s.They couldn’t get aro und me because of the stream of passing traffic. But instead of getting impatient and angry, they waited, knowing the driver in front of them was in some way weak.

Sometimes situations call for us to act strong and brave even when we don’t feel that way.But those are few and far between.More often, it would be better if we don’t pretend we feel strong when we feel weak or pretend that we’re brave when we’re scared.

(　　)1.The author has discovered that people will feel happy when ________.

A.they offer their help

B.they receive others’ help

C.they feel others’ kindness

D.they show their weakness

答案：A

(　　)2.The author feels sad sometimes because ________.

A.he has a soft heart

B.he relies much on others

C.some people pretend to be kind

D.some people fail to see the kindness in others

答案：D

(　　)3.What did the other drivers do when they saw the flashlights?

A.They speeded up to pass.

B.They waited with patience.

C.They tried their best to help.

D.They put on their flashlights too.

答案：B

(　　)4.In this passage, the author advises us to ________.

A.handle problems by ourselves

B.accept help from others

C.admit our weakness

D.show our bravery

答案：C

(　　)5.Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A.A Wheelchair Experience.

B.Weakness and Kindness.

C.Weakness and Strength.

D.A Driving Experience.

答案：B

Passage Seven

Today Newton is a very clean place. Many years ago, however, there were millions of rats in it. They attacked the cats and dogs. Sometimes a great number of them knocked down a man or woman walking home at night. The rats were very large in size and they harmed many people.

The government ordered everybody to kill rats. Most people were lazy, so they didn't kill many. The government promised to pay some money for each dead rat. That made the people very happy. They killed thousands of rats everyday. A government officer put all the dead rats in a big pile. Sometimes a man brought hundreds in one day.

After two weeks there were not many rats in the city, but people still brought many rats to the government office. The government officer thought that people were stealing dad rats from the pile. He ordered his men to dig a deep hole and put the rats in it. Soon there were no more rats, and the government didn't pay any more money.

1. Newton is a place which ________ .

A. used to be very clean B. is no longer a city

C. is very clean D. will be very clean

【答案】C。

2. When the government first ordered the people to kill rats, the people ________.

A. asked for some money for each dead rat B. stole dead rats from the pile

C. were too lazy to kill many rats D. killed nearly all the rats quickly

【答案】C。

3. The people killed rats _________ .

A. to get money from the government B. to help the government make the city clean

C. to make the government officer happy D. to protect (保护) their cats and dogs

【答案】A。

4. A deep hole was dug so that ________ .

A. the rats couldn't come out to attack people at night

B. people could take rats from it easily

C. people would kill more rats D. nobody could take any rats from the pile

【答案】D。

5. What is the best topic for this passage?

A. How to Kill Rats B. Newton-A City of Rats

C. How Newton Became a Very Clean Place D. How Newton Became a Famous City

【答案】C。

Passage Eight

Mr. Tom Forester lived by himself a long way from town. He hardly ever left his home, but one day he went into town to buy some things in the market. After he had bought them, he went into a restaurant and sat down at a table by himself. When he looked around, he saw several old people put glasses on before reading their newspapers, so after lunch he decided to go to a shop to buy himself some glasses too. He walked along the road, and soon found a shop.

The man in the shop made him try on a lot of glasses, but Tom always said," No, I can't read with these. "

The man became more and more puzzled (迷惑不解) , until finally he said, "Excuse me, but can you read at all?"

"No, of course I can’t!" Tom said angrily. "If I was already able to read, do you think I would have come here to buy glasses?"

1. Mr. Forester lived ________.

A. with his family in a city B. with his family in the countryside

C. alone in a city D. alone in the countryside

【答案】D。

2. Tom _________ went into town.

A. often B. always C. almost never D. everyday

【答案】C。

3. The old people in the restaurant read their newspapers __________.

A. with glasses on B. with glasses off

C. with glasses of beer in front of them D. with glass pipes in their mouths

【答案】A。

4. The shop Tom went into sold _________.

A. drinking glasses and cups B. glass for windows and doors

C. glasses for people who could not read D. glasses for people who could not see well

【答案】D。

5. What kind of mistake did Tom make?

A. He went to the wrong kind of shop. B. He didn't try on all the glasses in the shop.

C. He thought that a person who had not learned to read would be able to do so if he wore glasses.

D. He left his money in the restaurant

【答案】C。

Passage Nine

Morgan Rees has always been a good businessman. He used to own three petrol stations and was busy most of the time. When he was 65, the normal retirement age, he decided that he didn't want to stop, so he carried on working for another two years. Eventually, when he was nearly 68, his wife, Dolly, asked him to retire because she wanted to enjoy their old age together. Reluctantly, he handed over the business to his son.

But he was unhappy. He didn't know what to do with himself. Although he read a lot of books and he went on holiday to interesting places with his wife, he was bored and began to get depressed because he hated being retired.

Then one day he saw an advertisement in the newspaper and, without telling his wife, he bought a small crockery (陶器) factory. The next week he told his family. They were horrified and worried. They thought he was too old at 71 to start work again.

He is now 76 and he has expanded the company considerably. He has increased the number of staff from 6 to 24 and he has found many new customers for the products. He has developed the export market and has improved profits by 200%. He has opened a new design office and employed three young designers. They have been all over the world to get new ideas, and one of them has gone to France this week to a major trade fair. Most importantly, he hasn't been bored since he bought the factory.

1. The topic sentence of Para. 1 is _________ .

A. Morgan Rees has always been a good businessman

B. he used to own three petrol stations and was busy most of the time

C. when Morgan Rees was 65 , he got retired

D. reluctantly, he handed over the business to his son

【答案】A。

2. The topic sentence of Para. 2 is ____________.

A. he didn't know what to do with himself B. he went on holiday to interesting places with his wife

C. he was unhappy after he got retired D. none of them

【答案】C。

3. Which of the following statements can best express the main idea of Para. 3?

A. One day he saw an advertisement in the newspaper.

B. He bought a small crockery factory in secret and started work again.

C. He told his family he bought a small crockery factory.

D. His family was horrified and worried when they learned he bought the small factory.

【答案】B。

4. What is the central idea of the last paragraph?

A. Morgan Rees has worked until he is 76.

B. Morgan Rees has developed the export market and improved the profits by 200%.

C. Morgan Rees hasn’t been bored since he bought the factory.

D. Since he started working again, Morgan Rees has expanded the company considerably, which has enriched his retired life.

【答案】D。

5. The passage mainly deals with ________.

A. why Morgan Rees bought a small crockery factory

B. how Morgan Rees lived his retired life more happily by turning to work again

C. how Moran Rees became a good businessman

D. how Moran Rees expanded the company considerably

【答案】B。