1、Part II READING COMPREHENSION(70POINTS)Section AIn this section,there are five reading passages followed by a total of 25multiple-choice questions.Read the passages and finish the multiple choices.Text AOne of the key challenges in urban architecture over the next 50 years will be figuringout how to
2、 squeeze vast numbers of additional people into urban areas that are alreadyextremely crowded.London,for example,will somehow have to deal with a projected100,000 extra inhabitants every year until 2016.The current plan of building newsatellite townsof the city causes a lot of problems,but architect
3、ure think tanks areworking on ambitious solutions that go vertical instead of horizontal in search of space.In terms of population density,London is one of the least crowded major cities in theworld-four times fewer people per square kilometer than Paris,for example,six timesfewer than New York and
4、eight times fewer than Cairo.But the fact remains that thecitys population is growing at a rapid rate,and horizontal expansion into thesurrounding areas is eating up increasingly important agricultural land,as well asworsening ali the transport problems that come with urban growth.Popular Architectu
5、re would propose a radically different solution.The proposal is to goupwards,with vertical towers of considerable size,each representing an entire newtown by the time its completed.Each tower would be 1500 meters high.Beyond mereaccommodation,each tower would function as an entire town unit,with its
6、 own schools,hospitals,parks and gardens,sports facilities,business areas and community spaces.The population density of such a tower could help lower the individual energyrequirements of each inhabitant,reducing the ecological impact of the population as awhole.The village towers are considered as
7、hollow tubes,with large holes to allow light andair through the entire construction.Occasional floor discs spread throughout the heightof the building will give inhabitants large central areas in the middle of the tube to useas gathering spaces.While the building itself is unlikely ever to be seriou
8、sly considered forconstruction-imagine the number of elevators it would need,let alone the safetyimplications of open areas at such heights and with such wind exposure-the concept第2页共19页can serve as a conversation-starter for urban planners looking to face the challenges ofthe current and coming cen
9、turies.1.One key challenging task for urban architects in future is toA.build new satellite townsB.work out ambitious plansC.design less crowded citiesD.accommodate more inhabitants2.Which of the following cities has the largest population density?A.Cairo.B.Paris.C.London.D.New York.3.Horizontal exp
10、ansion not only wastes land,but makes it hard for London toA.handle its safety problemsB.resolve its transport issuesC.control its population growthD.measure its population density4.The vertical tower would represent an entire new town in itself becauseA.it is energy-savingB.it is cost-effectiveC.it
11、 is self-sufficientD.it is comfort-oriented5.For city planners today,the idea of building a vertical tower can becomeA.a topic for funB.a shocking realityC.a modest proposalD.a source of inspirationText BMost publishing is now electronicin the sense that books,magazines,andnewspapers are prepared on
12、 computers,and exist as computer files before they areprinted on paper.Often there are advantages to giving readers access to the electronicversions of publications as well as-or even instead of-the printed versions.Print publications have lots of advantages.Paper is pleasant to handle,ready to read
13、,and very portable:You can read it almost anywhere.On the other hand,print has itsweaknesses.Paper is expensive,and articles are often cut to fit the space available.Printing and distributing paper is expensive and takes time.Printed materials areexpensive to store and almost impossible to search.El
14、ectronic publishing offers第3页共19页solutions to all these problems.Suppose a publisher makes the electronic copy of a newspaper or magazine availablefrom the net,perhaps on the Internets World Wide Web.No paper is used and discspace is cheap,so Internet publishing costs very little.Articles dont have
15、to be cut.Internet publishing is fast,and readers can access material as soon as it becomesavailable:Within minutes,instead of the next day,next week or next month.Internetpublishing goes beyond geographical boundaries:The humblest local paper can be readeverywhere from New York to London to Delhi t
16、o Tokyo.Delivery costs are lowbecause there are no newsagents to pay,and no postal charges:Readers pick up the billsfor their on-line sessions.Also,computer based publications are simple to store andevery word can be searched electronically.At the moment,newspapers and magazines,TV and radio station
17、s,news agencies andbook publishers are making content freely available on the Web because they arecompeting for mindshare.Perhaps they want to find out if they can attract and holdan audience on line,or perhaps theyre afraid of missing out because everyone else isdoing it.But dont count on things st
18、aying that way.Publishers are not in business tolose money.6.What does the author probably foresee?A.Readers will have more accesses.B.Books and newspapers will be kept as computer files.C.It will not make any sense to keep the printed versions.D.Electronic publications will replace printed ones.7.W
19、hich of the following situations is among the troubles print has?A.It is dear to find printed materials.B.Frequent editing is needed for better layout.C.Paper is passed around quickly.D.The space to restore articles is not enough.8.The electronic version of newspapers has all the following advantage
20、s except thatA.it can be carried aroundB.it can be read in many placesC.it can be immediately accessedD.it requires little delivery cost9.Why are publishers making their books freely available?A.They want to make money.B.They dont like to lose their audience.C.They are competing for fun.D.They try t
21、o win more freedom.10.What method does the author mainly use in the passage to achieve better effects?第4页共19页B.ranks among the best at languageC.has some trouble with her handwritingD.needs to improve in math and computer skills12.We can learn that the girls school tries to deliver the reportA.in a
22、positive wayB.in a scientific wayC.in an attractive wayD.in an enthusiastic way13.Sue Ferguson seems dissatisfied with the grade system for its focus onA.the process of getting the knowledgeB.the capability of memorizing for the testC.the procedure of measuring learningD.the standard of comparing sc
23、hools14.The writer would agree that cutting children off from competition isA.fit for human developmentB.fit for their age and experienceC.against a key part of human natureD.out of consideration for children15.It can be learned that todays educators supporting the no-grades approach insist thatA.ki
24、ds be allowed to challenge the negative evaluationsB.the traditional teacher-student relationship be changedC.the evaluation system for kids be similar to that for adultsD.strict rules be set up in evaluating school childrenText DInvestment in the public sector,such as electricity,irrigation,public
25、services andtransport(excluding vehicles,ships and planes)increased by about 10%,although theemphasis moved to the transport and away from the other sectors mentioned.Trade andservices recorded a 16%17%investment growth,including a 30%increase ininvestment in business premises.Industrial investment
26、is estimated to have risen by 8%.Although the share of agriculture in total gross investment in the economy continued todecline,investment grew by 9%in absolute equipment.Housing construction had 12%more invested in it in 1964,not so much owing to increased demand,as to fears of newtaxes and limitat
27、ion of building.Total consumption in real terms rose by close on 11%during 1964,and per capitapersonal consumption by under 7%,as in 1963.The undesirable trend towards a rapidrise in consumption,evident in previous years,remained unaltered.Since at currentprices consumption rose by 16%and disposable income by 13%,there was evidently afall in the rate of saving in the private sector of the economy.Once again consumption第6页共19页
