英语阅读(二)2010年10月真题试题及答案解析（00596）

Judging from countless media reports in newspapers from coast to coast, it would surely seem that we have finally got a handle on the Nation’s crime problem. The most recent FBI release of crime statistics for 1995 revealed a welcome drop in violent crime, including an 8 per cent decline in homicide. (46. After four straight years of lower crime levels, some crime experts and law enforcement officials have even dared boldly to suggest that we’re winning the war against crime.)

Though recent trends are encouraging, at least superficially, there is little time to celebrate these successes. It is doubtful that today’s improving crime picture will last for very long. Most likely, this is the calm before the crime storm. (47. While many police officials can legitimately feel gratified about the arrested crime rate — better that it be down than up — there is much more to the great crime drop story.) Hidden beneath the overall drop in homicide and other violent crime is a soaring rate of mayhem among teenagers.

(48. There are actually two crime trends ongoing in America — one for the young and one for the mature, which are moving in opposite directions.) Since 1990, for example, the rate of homicide committed by adults, ages 25 and older, has declined 18 per cent as the baby boomers matured well past their crime prime years. At the same time, however, the homicide rate by teenagers, ages 14 to 17, has increased 22 per cent. Even more alarming and tragic is that over the past decade, the homicide rate at the hands of teenagers has nearly tripled, increasing 172 percent from 1985 to 1994.

Therefore, while the overall U.S. homicide rate has indeed declined in recent years, the rate of juvenile murder continues to grow, unabated by the spread of community policing, increased incarceration, and a variety of other popular crime-fighting strategies. (49. In the overall crime mix, the sharp decline in crime among the large adult population has eclipsed the rising crime rate among the relatively small population of teens.)

Trends in age-specific violent arrest rates for homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault confirm the patterns found in homicide statistics. Teenagers now exceed all age groups, even young adults, in their absolute rate of arrest for violent crime overall. Conventional wisdom in criminology — that young adults generally represent the most violence-prone group—apparently needs to be modified in light of these disturbing changes.

The causes of the surge in youth violence since the mid-1980s reach, of course, well beyond demographics. (50. There have been tremendous changes in the social context of crime over the past decade, which explain why this generation of youth—the young and the ruthless—is more violent than others before it.) Our youngsters have more dangerous drugs in their bodies, more deadly weapons in their hands, and a seemingly more casual attitude about violence. It is clear that too many teenagers in this country, particularly those in urban areas, are plagued with idleness and even hopelessness.

Paragraph Ten

Visitors to Britain are often surprised to find that the weather is an almost endless topic of conversation. This is not because the British are not bright enough to think of anything else to talk about, but because there is always a feature of surprise in the British climate.We never know what is in store for us the next day.

The climatic v______ in Britain.

Paragraph Nine

For thousands of years, people around the world have added special meanings to flowers and plants. In the 1800s flower language reached its height of popularity during the rule of Queen Victoria in England. In the 19th century explorers were bringing back plants from all over the world. A beautiful garden was one way to show a person’s social position and good taste.

Flowers e______ different feelings and emotions.

Paragraph Eight

There’s no easy way to admit this. For years, helpful letter writers told us to stick to science. They pointed out that science and politics don’t mix. They said we should be more balanced in our presentation of such issues as creationism, missile defense and global warming. We resisted their advice and pretended not to be stung by the accusations that the magazine should be renamed Unscientific American, or Scientific Unamerican, or even Unscientific Unamerican.

Readers’ criticism has long been i____ by Scientific American.

Paragraph Five

Some people worry about the violence in TV programs and their effect on young people. Others consider that these same programs are an opportunity for us to release our stronger emotion, our feelings of anger or anxiety. Most people would agree though, that extreme violence should be kept away from children.

Though interpreted differently, most people still agree that children be kept away from v___.

Paragraph Seven

New climate simulations from NASA show that under the warmer global temperatures of the 20th century, water vapor in the atmosphere took longer than normal to fall out of the sky as rain, snow and other precipitation. Generally speaking, the amount decreased over land but increased over oceans.

Warmer weather p____ less rain on land but more at sea.

Paragraph Six

Painters and sculptors create images of the human form; writers tell stories or compose poems about human experience; historians and philosophers ponder the essential qualities of human civilization and nature. And in our own lives, we spend a great deal of our energy and attention on observing our fellow creatures with curiosity and interest.

One of the main preoccupations of the arts and humanities is the o______ of human beings.

Paragraph Three

As we all know, in this rapidly changing world，competition is here and there，especially for high positions.For that reason，it is crucial for those who operate the company or manage the city, town and so on to make decisions，so the work itself needs high quality people to make things better and better.

People should improve themselves to qualify for key positions in politics and b______.

Paragraph Four

Working in more flexible and friendly environments can improve the balance between students，schoolwork and their lives.Not having to commute adds extra time to the day, as much as several hours a week for some students.Thus distance education can also reduce stress，allowing students extra time to study.

Distance education Can improve students’ l______，motivation and interactivity.

Paragraph Two

Quite a number of people believe that women’s abilities are not so good as men’s.As a result，most employers do not choose women to be in charge of important projects.But I think such view is ridiculous.Everyone is born equal and the ability is cultivated later through education，social action and communication.

The prevalent a______ towards working women should be changed.

Dogs are extremely useful as companions for blind people. When a dog has been properly trained, he will always lead his blind master .in the right direction and keep him out of danger. For example, seeing-eye dogs learn never to cross a busy road when cars are coming, even if their masters command them to do so.

Horses are also able to learn many things too. Horses that are used for guard or police duty must learn never to be frightened of noises, traffic, and other disturbance. Racing horses are able to run much faster than other horses, but they are also quite high strung. Therefore, it is necessary for people who train them to be very patient and understanding.

Pigeons have a natural instinct to return home, even if they are very far away and the trip is hard or dangerous. Men utilize this homing instinct to send messages on small pieces of paper that are fastened to the pigeon’s back or legs. In wartime, pigeons have been known to fly as fast as 75 miles an hour and to cover distances of 500 to 600 miles. These homing pigeons begin their training when they are about four weeks old. After a few weeks they can begin flying and carryingmessages. If all goes well, their flying career lasts about four years.

Animals can learn to do many things that, while not necessarily useful, are very amusing to watch. In circuses, animals are taught to do the tricks that are most compatible with their physical and temperamental make-up. Lions and tigers can be taught to spring gracefully when told to do so, or to stay in place on command. Elephants learn to walk in line, to stand on their hind legs, to lie on their sides, and to stand on their head. They can also learn to dance.

26. a person or animal accompanying someone (Para. 1)

27. give an authoritative order (Para. 1)

28. something that distracts one’s mind (Para. 2)

29. an innate behavior in response to certain stimuli (Para. 3)

30. make practical and effective use of(Para. 3)

31. to continue to function well (Para. 3)

32. entertaining (Para. 4)

33. suitable (Para. 4)

34. jump or make a sudden movement forward (Para. 4)

35. of the back part (Para. 4)

Paragraph One

When you have to explain how something is done，you usually follow a chronological sequence and give a step-by-step description.As the steps must occur one after another, the exact order in which they are carried out is most important.

In giving explanations，p ______ description is very important.

This passage is arranged in ______.

Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

Beethovan’s best piece of music was composed ______.

Passage Five

“How could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense ...” The word “infirmity” is closest in meaning to ______.

What does the research finding suggest?

Why does the author refer to chimpanzees and dogs in the last paragraph?

According to the researchers，jackdaws can notice human eye orientation probably because ______.

According to the 4th paragraph，jackdaws are good at interpreting all of the following cues EXCEPT ______.

Passage Four

We all know that people sometimes change their behavior when someone is looking their way. Now, a new study reported online on April 2nd in Current Biology shows that jackdaws —birds related to crows with eyes that appear similar to human eyes — can do the same.

“Jackdaws seem to recognize the eye’s role in visual perception, or at the very least they are extremely sensitive to the way that human eyes are oriented,” said Auguste von Bayern, formerly of the University of Cambridge and now at the University of Oxford.

When presented with a preferred food, hand-raised jackdaws took significantly longer to retrieve the reward when a person was directing his eyes towards the food than when he was looking away, according to the research team led by Nathan Emery of the University of Cambridge. The birds hesitated only when the person in question was unfamiliar and thus potentially threatening.

In addition, the birds were able to interpret human communicative gestures, such as gaze alternation and pointing to help them find hidden food, they found. The birds were unsuccessful in using static cues, including eye gaze or head orientation, in that context.

Unlike most birds, jackdaws’ eyes have a dark pupil surrounded by a silvery white iris. The researchers said they believe jackdaws are probably sensitive to human eyes because, as in humans, eyes are an important means of communication for them. The hand-raised birds examined in the study may be even better than wild jackdaws at attending to human gaze and responding to the gestures of the people who have raised them.

The findings are particularly notable given that most other species investigated so far, including our closest relatives the chimpanzee and “man’s best friend,” the dog, are not particularly sensitive to eye orientation and eye gaze, von Bayern said. Rather, she continued, chimps and dogs seem to rely on other cues such as head or body orientation in determining the looking direction of others and do not appear to appreciate the eyes as the visual organs. The results suggest that birds may deserve more respect for their mental abilities.

Questions 16-20 are based on Passage Four.

“... all I can do is to avoid his calls and hope I don’t run into him someplace.”(Para. 4) The expression “run into him” means ______.

Why did the writer phone the insurance agent?

After helping the writer fill out the application, the agent asked if ______.

What do you think about the secretary?

The word “enduring” in the last sentence probably means ______.

According to the last paragraph, people have now realized ______.

Passage Three

Several months ago I decided it would be wise to investigate the possibilities of buying a life insurance policy, if for no other reason than because I understood it might be a good investment. I got the name of an insurance agent from a friend and called the agent to get some information. From the kinds of questions I put to him, the agent would tell that I knew nothing about insurance so he kindly offered to explore the matter with me in more detail — to help me determine the kind of policy I ought to be considering.

That evening he appeared at my door promptly at 7:30; without wasting time on amenities, he spread his papers out on the kitchen table and launched into a lengthy explanation. I listened attentively as he talked about the difference between various types of policies, and he explained the kind of coverage he felt I ought to have because of my age bracket and financial objectives. Toward the end of the evening (after three or four hours of talking), he kindly helped me fill out an application for a 50,000 dollar policy, and then he asked if I could go to a Dr. Luther’s office on Friday for a physical examination.

I don’t know why, but it was not until the mention of the doctor’s appointment that I realized fully what was happening. I was about to sign a lifetime contract, yet I had not really made a decision about whether I wanted to buy the policy or not. As a matter of fact, the question of the need for a decision from me one way or the other had not even come up. Suddenly I felt sure that I definitely did not want to buy the policy. However, since he had spent so much time with me, I didn’t want to make him feel that he had wasted his time. So I invented an excuse about things I had to do on Friday, and I assured him I would call him in a few days. Actually, I had no intention of going to see Dr. Luther or of calling the agent again. I wanted to forget the whole thing.

It’s been over three months now since our meeting, and my friendly insurance agent still calls at my office faithfully two or three times a week. My secretary knows that I don’t want to talk to him, so when he calls she tells him that I’m in a meeting or that I’m out of the office or that I’m away on a business trip. I realize now that it was a mistake not to tell him outright that I’m not interested, and please not to bother me any more, all I can do is to avoid his calls and hope I don’t run into him someplace.

Questions 11-15 are based on Passage Three.

The writer got the name of the insurance agent from ______.

Passage Two

The establishment of Earth Day began with an idea proposed in October 1969 by John McConnell，a San Francisco resident.

McConnell approached the San Francisco Board of Supervisors with a resolution to devote one day a year to public awareness dedicated to nature and the fragile ecosystem that comprises it.The day’s events would emphasize the urgency of all inhabitants of the planet to take responsibility for building a healthy and ecologically sustainable planet.The board was impressed with McConnell’s idea and declared Earth Day an annual celebration to be held on March 21，the date of the vernal equinox.McConnell stated，“This is the moment when night and day are equal throughout the earth—reminding us of Earth’s beautiful systems of balance which humanity has partially upset and must restore.’’

Earth Day was established as a national day of celebration in the United States in 1 970 and was embraced by the United Nations in 1 97 1 when it declared an Earth Day ceremony to be held each year on the day of the March Equinox.In 1970，Senator Gaylord Nelson，proposed an Earth Week for the third week in April and together with Bruce Anderson，an architect of solar energy and environmental author, co-founded Earth Day USA.The first national Earth Day was celebrated in the United States on April 22，1 970.Twenty million participants nationwide took part in teach-ins，street demonstrations，and workshops in 2,000 communities and 12，000 college and high school campuses.The major public concern at that time was industrial pollution and its effect on the air we breathe，the water we drink，and the health of the planet we live on.Those celebrations led to overwhelming public outcries for legislation mandating ecologically sound environmental policies and rigid controls on industrial pollution.

Over the years, the issues of concern have expanded greatly into all aspects of air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Whether it comes from vehicles, factories, agriculture, housing, or private property, public concern and activism continue unabated with citizens from around the world involved in efforts to achieve a sustainable and enduring ecosystem.

Questions 6-10 are based on Passage Two.

This passage mainly discusses ______.

Earth Day was first proposed to ______.

The major concern of the first national Earth Day in the United States was _______.

Bounty hunters are those who ______·

“Animals that kill other game for food are called predators.”(Para.3)The word “game” means ______.

An endangered species is the one that ______.

Passage One

The major threats to wildlife in the modern world come from ______.