英语阅读理解

英语阅读理解 Passage One A couple of years ago I spent the day at an elementary school in New Jersey. It was a nice average school, a square and solid building, full of reasonably well-behaved kids from middle-class families. I handled three classes, and by the time I staggered out the door I wanted to lie down for the rest of the day. Teaching's the toughest job there is. In his new memoir, "Teacher Man," Frank McCourt recalls telling his students, "Teaching is harder than working on docks and warehouses." Not to mention writing a column. I can stare off into the middle distance with my chin (下巴) in my hand any time. But you go mentally south for five minutes in front of a class of fifth graders, and you are sunk. The average new teacher today makes just under $30,000 a year, which may not look too bad for a twenty-something with no mortgage (抵押贷款) and no kids. But soon enough the new teachers realize that they can make more money and not work anywhere near as hard elsewhere. After a lifetime of hearing the old legends about cushy (舒适安逸的) hours and summer vacations, they figure out that early mornings are for students who need extra help, evenings are for test corrections and lesson plans, and weekends and summers are for second and even third jobs to try to pay the bills. According to the Department of Education, one in every five teachers leaves after the first year, and almost twice as many leave within three. If any business had that rate of turnover, someone would do something smart and strategic to fix it. This isn't any business. It's the most important business around, the gardeners of the landscape of the human race. Unfortunately, the current way of dealing with problems in education is taken directly from business practice, and it's a terrible fit. Instead of simply acknowledging that starting salaries are woefully low and committing to increasing them and finding the money for reasonable recurring raises, politicians have wasted decades talking about something called merit pay (奖励工资). It's a concept that works fine if you're making toys, but kids aren't toys, and good teaching isn't an assembly line. 26. What can we infer from the first paragraph about teachers?(D) A">They have to teach three classes at a time. B">They have a very rewarding job. C">They prefer to teach children from middle-class families. D">They have a very hard job to do. 27. Why does the author say teaching is tougher than writing a column?(B) A">Teaching is like working on docks and warehouses. B">Teaching demands full attention. C">Teachers have to work with children. D">Teachers have no chance to go traveling. 28. What do new teachers find out after some practice?(B) A">Their starting salary is lower than offered by other occupations. B">They have to work during vacations to make ends meet. C">They have to plan their time well to get everything done. D">They can take a second or even a third job besides teaching. 29. We can infer from the fourth paragraph that the author thinks _A_________. A">measures should be taken to keep teachers in their jobs B">the rate of turnover in teaching is low compared to other occupations C">it's natural for a number of teachers to quit in three to five years D">it's fair to call teachers the gardeners of the landscape of the human race 30. What does the author think of merit pay?(D) A">It will make up for teachers' low starting salaries. B">It will bring down the turnover rate of teachers. C">It is a good fix for current educational problems. D">It is not suitable for the teaching profession. Passage Two Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage: I was born with a disability that affects my sense of balance, causing me to walk with a limp. Not only does it affect the function of the legs, but it also has an impact on the kidneys. The disability has had its ups and downs. As a young child, I can remember the way other children would stare at me because of the way that I walked. There were many times that my schoolmates would laugh at me and call me names simply because of their lack of understanding, especially back in the mid 70s and early 80s. Children then were just unwilling to take the time to learn why one of their classmates might walk, speak or seem noticeably different from themselves. Now that I am an adult, I have noticed that the stares and names have begun to fade, and judgments that once were negative have begun to turn toward acceptance. The signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has played a great part in breaking down some of those barriers (障碍) that, as a child, left me to fight a war that seemed to have no end. Now I look beyond what I can't do and focus on what I can. I have learned that limitations open doors that have been closed, showing other ways to meet our needs. I have always looked at life as a challenge, grasping each obstacle with open arms. There is nothing in this world that comes easy. I must stand tall and look forward, to be ever so ready for what still lies ahead. People often feel sorry for those who were born with some type of disability. But their compassion (怜悯) is misplaced. Yes, I may not be able to run as fast or perform certain tasks, but my disability gives me a better look at life and all that's around me. I want to be seen not as a disability but as a person who has, and will continue to, bloom (成长). So I decided to become an advocate (倡导者)on behalf of disabled Americans, to fight for our rights that for so long have been ignored. I feel that it only takes one powerful voice to change the minds of many nations, and as long as I have a mouth to use and a mind to think I will continue to work to bring peace upon the disabled community. 31. Why did children stare at the author when he was young?(A) A">He walked in an uneven way. B">He often lost his balance and fell to the ground. C">He had an appearance quite different from others. D">He spoke in a different way from others. 32. It can be inferred from the passage that in the 1970s, disabled children ___A_____. A">were not accepted by their peers B">received different treatment at school C">had frequent fights with their classmates D">had ups and downs in their life 33. Being disabled, the author ______B__. A">has lost many a battle in his life B">looks at life as a challenge C">focuses on the limitations he has to suffer D">is angry for the many opportunities he has lost 34. According to the author, his disability ______A__. A">has given him a better understanding of life B">aroused sympathy from people around him C">is a constant barrier between him and the community D">has prevented him from growing up to a full person 35. Why did the author decide to become an advocate for the disabled?(D) A">He still has a mouth to use and a mind to think. B">He has got a powerful voice to change people's minds. C">The signing of the ADA has failed to change a thing in their life. D">Their rights are still being ignored. Passage Three Questions 36-40 are based on the following passage: I'm coming off this plane, and landing at London airport. I'm looking around for a middle-aged woman, my Aunt Penn, who I've seen in pictures. The photographs are out of date, but she looked like the type who would wear a big necklace (项链) and flat shoes, and maybe some kind of narrow dress in black or gray. But I'm just guessing since the pictures only showed her face. Anyway, I'm looking and looking and everyone's leaving and there's no signal on my phone and I'm thinking, "Oh great, I'm going to be abandoned at the airport so that's two countries they don't want me in," when I notice everyone's gone except this kid who comes up to me and says, "You must be Daisy." And when I look relieved he does too and says, "I'm Edmond." "Hello Edmond," I say, "nice to meet you." I look at him hard to try to get a feel for what my new life with my cousins might be like. Now let me tell you what he looks like before I forget because it's not exactly what you'd expect from your average fourteen-year-old what with the cigarette and hair that looked like he cut it himself with a knife in the dead of night, but aside from that he's exactly like some kind of mutt, you know the ones you see at the dog shelter who are kind of hopeful and sweet and put their nose straight into your hand when they meet you with a certain kind of dignity and you know from that second that you're going to take him home? Well that's him. Only he took me home. I'll take your bag, he said, and even though he's about half a mile shorter than me and has arms about as thick as a dog leg, he grabs my bag, and I grab it back and say "Where's your mom, is she in the car?" And he smiles and takes a drag on his cigarette, which, even though I know smoking kills and all that, I think is a little bit cool, but maybe all the kids in England smoke cigarettes? I don't say anything in case it's a well-known fact that the smoking age in England is something like twelve and by making a big thing about it I'll end up looking like an idiot when I've barely been here five minutes. Anyway, he says," Mum couldn't come to the airport because she's working, and everyone else seemed to be somewhere else, so I drove here myself." 36. Daisy flew to London to _____B___. A">see England B">live with her aunt C">meet Edmond D">visit a friend 37. Before Edmond greeted her, Daisy felt ______A__. A">anxious B">curious C">relieved D">excited 38. Edmond waited till everyone was gone before greeting Daisy because ___C____. A">he did not want to talk to a girl before others B">he did not get Daisy's phone call C">he had never seen Daisy before D">he was looking for a middle-aged woman 39. What did Edmond look like in Daisy's eyes?(B) A">An average 14-year-old. B">A lost dog. C">An old friend. D">A man with dignity. 40. Daisy did not make any comment about Edmond smoking because ______D_. A">she knew all children in England smoke cigarettes B">she thought smoking did harm to one's health C">the smoking age in England is about twelve D">she did not want to make a fool of herself