1、考博英语（阅读理解）模拟试卷 48及答案与解析 一、 Reading Comprehension 0 Emerging from the 1980 census is the picture of a nation developing more and more regional competition, as population growth in the Northeast and Midwest reaches a near standstill. This development-and its strong implications for U.S.politics and ec
2、onomy in years ahead-has enthroned the South as Americas most densely populated region for the first time in the history of the nations head counting. Altogether, the U.S.population rose in the 1970s by 23.2 million people-numerically the third largest growth ever recorded in a single decade.Even so
3、, that gain adds up to only 11.4 percent, lowest in American annual records except for the Depression years. Americans have been migrating south and west in larger number since World War II, and the pattern still prevails. Three sun belt states Florida, Texas and California together had nearly 10 mi
4、llion more people in 1980 than a decade earlier.Among large cities, San Diego moved from 14th to 8th and San Antonio from 15th to 10th with Cleveland and Washington .D.C, dropping out of the top 10. Not all that shift can be attributed to the movement out of the snow belt, census officials say, Nons
5、top waves of immigrants played a role, too-and so did bigger crops of babies as yesterdays “baby boom“ generation reached its child bearing years. Moreover, demographers see the continuing shift south and west as joined by a related but newer phenomenon: More and more, Americans apparently are looki
6、ng not just for places with more jobs but with fewer people, too.Some instances: Regionally, the Rocky Mountain states reported the most rapid growth rate 37.1 percent since 1970 in a vast area with only 5 percent of the U.S.population. Among states, Nevada and Arizona grew fastest of all: 63.5 and
7、53.1 percent respectively.Except for Florida and Texas, the top 10 in rate of growth is composed of Western states with 7.5 million people-about 9 per square mile. The flight from over crowdedness affects the migration from snow belt to more bearable climates. Nowhere do 1980 census statistics drama
8、tize more the American search for spacious living than in the Far West.There, California added 3.7 million to its population in the 1970s, more than any other state. In that decade, however, large numbers also migrated from California, mostly to other parts of the West.Often they chose-and still are
9、 choosing-somewhat colder climates such as Oregon, Idaho and Alaska in order to escape smog, crime and other plagues of urbanization in the Golden State. As a result, Californias growth rate dropped during the 1970s, to 18.5 percent little more than two thirds the 1960s growth figure and considerabl
10、y below that of other Western states. 1 Discerned from the perplexing picture of population growth the 1980 census provided, America in 1970s_. （ A） enjoyed the lowest net growth of population in history （ B） witnessed a southwestern shift of population （ C） underwent an unparalleled period of popul
11、ation growth （ D） brought to a standstill its pattern of migration since World War II 2 The census distinguished itself from previous studies on population movement in that_. （ A） it stresses the climatic influence on population distribution （ B） it highlights the contribution of continuous waves of
12、 immigrants （ C） it reveals the Americans new pursuit of spacious living （ D） it elaborates the delayed effects of yesterdays “baby boom“ 3 We can see from the available statistics that_. （ A） California was once the most thinly populated area in the whole U.S. （ B） the top 10 states in growth rate
13、of population were all located in the West （ C） cities with better climates benefited unanimously from migration （ D） Arizona ranked second of all states in its growth rate of population 4 The word “demographers“ (Line 1, Para.7) most probably means_. （ A） people in favor of the trend of democracy （
14、 B） advocates of migration between states （ C） scientists engaged in the study of population （ D） conservatives clinging to old patterns of life 4 Scattered around the globe are more than 100 small regions of isolated volcanic activity known to geologists as hot spots.Unlike most of the worlds volca
15、noes, they are not always found at the boundaries of the great drifting plates that make up the earths surface; on the contrary, many of them lie deep in the interior of a plate.Most of the hot spots move only slowly, and in some cases the movement of the plates past them has left trails of dead vol
16、canoes.The hot spots and their volcanic trails are milestones that mark the passage of the plates. That the plates are moving is not beyond dispute.Africa and South America, for example, are moving away from eath other as new material is injected into the sea floor between them.The complementary coa
17、stlines and certain geological features that seem to span the ocean are reminders of where the two continents were once joined.The relative motion of the plates carrying these continents has been constructed in detail, but the motion of one plate with respect to another cannot readily be translated
18、into motion with respect to the earths interior.It is not possible to determine whether both continents are moving in opposite directions or whether one continent is stationary and the other is drifting away from it.Hot spots, anchored in the deeper layers of the earth, provide the measuring instrum
19、ents needed to resolve the question.From an analysis of the hot spot population it appears that the African plate is stationary and that it has not moved during the past 30 million years. The significance of hot spots is not confined to their role as a frame of reference.It now appears that they als
20、o have an important influence on the geophysical processes that propel the plates across the globe.When a continental plate come to rest over a hot spot, the material rising from deeper layer creates a broad dome. As the dome grows, it develops seed fissures (cracks); in at least a few cases the con
21、tinent may break entirely along some of these fissures, so that the hot spot initiates the formation of a new ocean.Thus just as earlier theories have explained the mobility of the continents, so hot spots may explain their mutability (inconstant). 5 The author believes that_. （ A） the motion of the
22、 plates corresponds to that of the earths interior （ B） the geological theory about drifting plates has been proved to be true （ C） the hot spots and the plates move slowly in opposite directions （ D） the movement of hot spots proves the continents are moving apart 6 That Africa and South America we
23、re once joined can be deduced from the fact that_. （ A） the two continents are still moving in opposite directions （ B） they have been found to share certain geological features （ C） the African plates has been stable for 30 million years （ D） over 100 hot spots are scattered all around the globe 7
24、The hot spot theory may prove useful in explaining_. （ A） the structure of the African plates （ B） the revival of dead volcanoes （ C） the mobility of the continents （ D） the formation of new oceans 8 The passage is mainly about_. （ A） the features of volcanic activities （ B） the importance of the th
25、eory about drifting plates （ C） the significance of hot spots in geophysical studies （ D） the process of the formation of volcanoes 8 It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken.After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates, Australias Northern Territory
26、became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die.The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10.Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director o
27、f the Right to Die Society of Canada.He sent it on via the groups on line service, Death NET.Says Hofsess: “We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isnt just something that happened in Australia.Its world history.“ The full import may take a while to sink in.The NT Rights of the Ter
28、minally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications.Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage.But the
29、 tide is unlikely to turn back.In Australia-where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their partother states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia In the U.S.and Canada, where the right to die movement is gather
30、ing strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling. Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death probably by a deadly injection or pill to put an end to suffering.The patient must be diagnosed as terminally ill by two doctors.After a “cooling off“ perio
31、d of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request.After 48 hours the wish for death can be met.For Lloyd Nickson, a 54 year old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a t
32、errifying death from his breathing condition.“Im not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how Id go, because Ive watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks,“ he says. 9 From the second paragraph we learn that_. （ A） the o
33、bjection to euthanasia is slow to come in other countries （ B） physicians and citizens share the same view on euthanasia （ C） changing technology is chiefly responsible for the hasty passage of the law （ D） it takes time to realize the significance of the laws passage 10 When the author says that ob
34、servers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means_. （ A） observers are taking a wait and see attitude towards the future of euthanasia （ B） similar bills are likely to be passed in the U.S., Canada and other countries （ C） observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes
35、 （ D） the effect taking process of the passed bill may finally come to a stop 11 When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will_. （ A） face his death with calm characteristic of euthanasia （ B） experience the suffering of a lung cancer patient （ C） have an intense fear of terrible suffering （ D） undergo a cooling
36、 off period of seven days 12 The authors attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of_. （ A） opposition （ B） suspicion （ C） approval （ D） indifference 12 A report consistently brought back by visitors to the U.S.is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them.To be fair, this
37、observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American.There are, of course, exceptions.Small minded officials, rude waiters, and ill mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the U.SYet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves com
38、ment. For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence.Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another.Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and bro
39、ught news of the outside world. The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality.Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement.It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable
40、 impulse on the part of the settlers.It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didnt take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would, and someday, remember, you might be in the same situation. Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping
41、 the weary traveler.Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the U.S., especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails.“I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner amazing.“
42、 Such observations reported by visitors to the U.S.are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly.The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition. As is true of any de
43、veloped society, in America a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships.And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily meant that someone understands social and cultural patterns.Visitors who fail to “translate“ cultural meanings
44、properly often draw wrong conclusions.For example, when an American uses the word “friend“, the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitors language and culture.It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention an
45、d individual interest.Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many American value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers. 13 In the eyes of visitors from the outside world,_. （ A） rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the U.S. （ B） small minded officials deserve a serious comment （ C） Canad
46、ians are not so friendly as their neighbors （ D） most Americans are ready to offer help 14 It could be inferred from the last paragraph that_. （ A） culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship （ B） courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated （ C） various virtues man
47、ifest themselves exclusively among friends （ D） social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions 15 Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers_. （ A） to improve their hard life （ B） in view of their long distance travel （ C） to add some flavor to their own da
48、ily life （ D） out of a charitable impulse 16 The tradition of hospitality to strangers_. （ A） tends to be superficial and artificial （ B） is generally well kept up in the United States （ C） is always understood properly （ D） was something to do with the busy tourist trails 16 Technically, any substa
49、nce other than food that alters our bodily or mental functioning is a drug.Many people mistakenly believe the term drug refers only to some sort of medicine or an illegal chemical taken by drug addicts.They dont realize that familiar substances such as alcohol and tobacco are also drugs.This is why the more neutral term substance is now used by many physicians and psychologists.The phrase “substance abuse“ is often used instead of “drug abuse“ to make clear that substances
