1、雅思（阅读）模拟试卷 43及答案与解析 一、 Reading Module (60 minutes) 0 The Development of the Modern Hot Air Balloon The modern hot air balloon is constructed by suspending a wicker basket underneath a large bag of nylon fabric, known as an envelope. The wicker basket carries the balloons pilot, any other passengers,
2、 and the propane tanks that provide the balloon with a source of fuel The propane tanks are connected by hose to a pair of burners, which are Located between the basket and the envelope. When the burners ignite, their heat passes through the balloons skirta circular sheath of fire-resistant material
3、 at the mouth of the envelopeand finally into the envelope itself. Located at the top of the envelope is a parachute vent, a mechanism that allows the pilot to release hot air and increase the balloons rate of descent when required. This is controlled by a parachute valve cord that extends through t
4、he balloon, and into the basket. The use of hot air balloons can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history (220-280 AD). Huge Lang used these early incarnations, known as Congaing lanterns, as military signals. The first manned flight on record took place in France on October 15th,
5、 1783. In a balloon constructed by Jacques-Etienne Mongolia, a Frenchman named Pitter de Rosier was elevated eighty feet off the ground. Modern hot air balloons, with their capacity to ascend or descend and occasionally steer at the pilots will, were first developed by Ed Yost in the 1950s. The Bris
6、tol Belle is generally regarded as the first modern hot air balloon, and had its inaugural flight in 1967. Since then, balloon technology has become extremely sophisticated. Some hot air balloons have reached altitudes of 21,000 meters, traveled over 7,500 kilometers, and reached speeds of up to 400
7、 kilometers per hour. Hot-air balloonin8 is generally a safe activity, and serious accidents are rare. In the event that something does 8o wrong, several items of safety gear are useful to have on board. In case the pi to light and the auxiliary pies ignition fail, it is a good idea to have a weldin
8、g torch flint sparker available for the pilots use. Given the propane combustion used to propel the hot air balloon, a fire extinguisher is an absolute necessity. Flame-resistant gauntlets made out of either leather or name are required for the pilot so that a gas valve can be disabled even if an op
9、en flame is present. While name is a specially-manufactured synthetic form of fire-retardant material, synthetic clothing is generally a hindrance to fire safety, and clothing made of natural fiber is a superior option for pilots. Finaly, a handling linea long rope that can be thrown overboardis a v
10、ital precautionary measure that allows people on the ground to steer the balloon away from trouble. To ensure baton longevity and safety in operation, it is vital that hot air batowns be maintained and repaired while not in use. Keeping the envelope dean and dehumidified is an important step that pr
11、events mould from forming on the fabric. This is especialy important if the balloon has landed in a wet or muddy environment. The burner and rue system also requires regular maintenance. This can involve the replacement or repair of damaged hoses and any sticking or leaky valves. The wicker basket h
12、as skids on its bottom to help it gain traction upon landing; over time these are worn down, and will need to be replaced. International regutations stipulate that balloons must be given a full inspection every one hundred flight hours, or twelve months. This ensures that any problems can be rectifi
13、ed before they become hazardous.Questions 1-5 Complete the diagram below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from Reading Passage 1 for each answer. Write your answers in boxes -5 on your answer sheet. 6 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write your answer in box 6 on your answer sheet. Who was the
14、 first person to ascend in a hot air balloon? （ A） Zhuge Liang （ B） Jacques-Etienne Mongolia （ C） Pilatre de Rozier （ D） Ed Yost 6 Choose THREE letters, A-G. Write your answers in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet. Which THREE of the following seven pieces of safety equipment are suggested for use with
15、 a hot air balloon? A Drop line B Gas valve C Piezo ignition D Synthetic clothing E Fire-proof gloves F Flint spark lighter G Propane combustion 10 A dry envelope helps to stop the growth of _ on the material. 11 Frequent _ is important: fixing or changing faulty parts of the propulsion system when
16、necessary. 12 _ help the basket grip the ground when it sets down. 13 Balloons must be checked annually according to _. 13 Which Voting System is Better? Voting is often portrayed as a very simple activityall that is required being a list of names, boxes and a pen with which to tick the preferred op
17、tionbut it is actually an intricate process that can take many different forms on which everyone from mathematicians to political scholars, interest groups, politicians and voters often have divergent opinions. Two of the most popular of these voting systems are known as First-Past-the-Post (FPP) an
18、d Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP), and they have quite different features. FPP is one of the simplest voting systems. Voters select one person from a list of candidates in their electorate, and the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected to represent them. While this might sound simple
19、 and fair, it can have several undesirable effects. Firstly, because of the all or nothing result, FPP produces a large number of wasted votesvotes which do not affect the outcome of the election. This is the case in the majority of electorates, which are safe or relatively safe. Consequently, the p
20、arty that gains the highest number of seats in Parliament may not actually gain the most votesin the 2005 UK elections, for example, the Labor party governed alone with only 35 percent of the vote. Because of the pressure on voters not to waste their vote, FPP tends to foster tactical voting for a r
21、ival but less popular candidate, thus sidelining minority voices and third party candidacies in favor of a race between two, often similar, contestants. MMP attempts to create a parliament that represents a national consensus, rather than combining the results from dozens of local mini-elections. Vo
22、ters select their electorate candidate, as in FPP, but they also select a party, which will gain seats in Parliament proportionate to the party vote. This opens the door for representation amongst parties that may have broad support nationally, but not enough support in any single geographical area
23、to win an electorate seat. While Parliament as a whole may be more representative, however, the ability to affect change within parliament can often accrue to a centrist, smaller party that has the ability to essentially choose the government, by selecting between the major parties as coalition part
24、ners. This phenomenon is known as the tail wagging the dog. Finally, the party vote tends to bring in Members of Parliament (MPs) in an order that is chosen, not by the electorate, but by the party itself. This is one of MMPs undemocratic moves that favors party establishment and hierarchy over the
25、will of the public. New Zealands transition from FPP to MMP demonstrates the benefits and drawbacks of each system. In the 1970s, many New Zealanders grew disillusioned with the two-party system. FPP did not provide voters with another viable option; however, the leading third party received a consi
26、derable 16 percent of the vote in 1978 but gained only one of the 92 seats in parliamentthree years later their vote share was up to 21 percent, but they gained only two seats. A Royal Commission subsequently recommended a shift to MMP, and in 1993 a state-wide referendum was held that passed in fav
27、or of the reform. The 1996 elections wore away much public enthusiasm for MMP, however. The result was indecisive, and with neither major party able to govern alone, the power to form a coalition rested upon a third party, New Zealand First. Instead of forming a coalition with Labora party that many
28、 voters considered to be its natural allythe New Zealand First party sided with the National party. This was followed by a subsequent rise in party-hoppingMembers of Parliament (MPs) leaving the parties from which they were elected. Eventually, the coalition disbanded with Prime Minister Jenny Shipl
29、ey sacking New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, from Cabinet. Nevertheless, after these initial teething problems, New Zealand voters and politicians have grown accustomed to MMP and learnt to focus on its possibilities rather than its hindrances. One of the most notable benefits is that Parlia
30、ment has become far more representative of the diversity in modern New Zealand society. MMP introduced a number of MPs who had previously been marginalized from mainstream politics: women, people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and community activists. Relationships between major and minor parties
31、have also grown more stable, and in many ways minor parties now function as auditors keeping a check on the major parties. MMP is not without its flaws, but the transition has generally been a positive experience. Questions 14-19 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Readin
32、g Passage 2? 14 Under FPP the voter always selects the candidate that the voter likes best. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 15 Many votes have no role in determining the electoral result in the FPP system. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 16 FPP uses geographically-determined electorates as a basis for electin
33、g MPs. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 17 MMP may give minor parties disproportionate influence. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 18 A change in the electoral system was rejected by New Zealand voters in the early 1990s. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 19 In both FPP and MMP systems government may not be formed bas
34、ed on a majority voter mandate. （ A）真 （ B）假 （ C） NOT GIVEN 19 Complete the summary below with words taken from Reading Passage 2. Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 20-26 on your answer sheet. Public dissatisfaction with elections came about as a result of the (2
35、0) in New Zealand, and many people voted for a (21) instead. However, the parliamentary representation was disproportionate to the number of votes received and, after investigation, this situation eventually led to a national (22) which asked the people to express their preference for a particular e
36、lectoral system. The first experience was messy, however: (23) ensued after the New Zealand First party decided to go into (24) with National instead of the Labor party. New Zealanders have since become used to MMP, and its advantages are now clearer. People once (25) from affairs of state have gain
37、ed access to Parliament, and major and minor parties now get along betterthe latter taking on the role of (26) . 26 Neurologists tend to divide the experience of love into three distinct categories: attraction, lust and attachment. The combination of all three can make for an intoxicating and lastin
38、g bond, but they are not always experienced together. Frequently, for example, we lust after those with whom we have no desire of having a long-term relationship; at other times, we feel attached to people in the sense of being drawn to them emotionally or spiritually, but not drawn to them physical
39、ly. It is accurate to describe these as stages of lovelust tends to come first, then attraction, which lasts for months or years, and finally attachment, which can keep people together for decades. These are separate chemical substrates, so they can overlap; however, evidence suggests that attractio
40、n has a limited lifespan. Lust is typically experienced soon after puberty. This is when estrogen and testosteronethe underlying chemical substrates for lust in women and men respectively-activate themselves in our bodies for the first time. The primary purpose of lust is believed to be procreation,
41、 and the experience is one of feeling physically drawn, or even pulled towards another person. Pheromones, physical attractiveness and our socialized predispositions for what we seek in a mate are the factors that activate the sensation of lust. Despite the strength it can have over our psyche, lust
42、 on its own is a very fleeting experience. It can firmly steer people together for their initial encounters, but it has no power to keep them there. If the relationship is to last, something called attraction must take place. Attraction is the intoxicating sensation experienced in the initial period
43、 of knowing someone. The symptoms include dizziness, flushed skin, and a loss of appetite and sleep. These are a result of a chemical cocktail of dopamine and nor epinephrine that PEAa transmitter chemicalunleashes into the bloodstream when attraction takes place. Dopamine is responsible for the bli
44、ssful feelings of self-confidence, joy and motivation that new love brings about; nor epinephrine, similar to adrenaline, brings about palpitations and anxiety. Attraction has more staying power than lust; while its intensity fades after a few weeks, the effect of the PEA transmission can continue f
45、or some time between eighteen months and four years. After that, our bodies build up a natural tolerance. At this stage, a transition to a phase called attachment can occur. The rush of attraction is replaced by endorphins like oxytocin and vasopressin that feel like a gentle, warm sort of pleasantn
46、essa safe feeling that calms the mind, numbs pain and soothes anxiety. This is a much more pleasant feeling in which to spend an extended period of time-potentially, forty, fifty or more years, depending on when you meet your partner. It allows you to live your life with someone, without their being
47、 the central obsession of your life. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that PEA transmission will evolve into the endorphin stagein many instances, it will be replaced by a feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction. It is not a coincidence that peak divorce rates occur at between four and seven ye
48、ars, as PEA transmission wears away and attachment does not materialize in many peoples brains. Even neurologists agree that chemistry isnt everything. There are numerous other factors such as culture and personality, for which science may never have an explanation. While dopamine is bliss, however,
49、 ignorance is notneurology has much to contribute to satisfaction in our personal lives. It may not be a good idea to commit to marriage or spending the rest of your life with someone if you still feel the blissful rush of PEA transmission, for example. Once your brain has succumbed to the warming opiates of oxytocin and vasopressin, this will be a safer commitment. Attachment brings other needs to the foreground, however; while people enjoy the security that attachment brings about, they do
