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Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)
Directions:There are four reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A,B,C and D. You should choose the One best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the ANSWER SHEET with a pencil.
Passage 1
Mrs. Lester kept on asking her husband to take her to the ballet. Mr. Lester hates the ballet, but when his employer invited him and his wife, he could not get out of it. As they drove to the theatre that evening, the fog got worse and worse. The traffic slowed down to a walking pace and almost stopped. When they eventually got to the theatre, the ballet was over. Mrs. Lester could not work out how it had taken them so long to get there, even taking the fog into account. The theatre was within walking distance of their house. It took her a long time to get over the disappointment.
A month later, Mrs. Lester found out what had happened. Mr.Lester told a friend of his that he had taken wrong turning on purpose. This friend told his wife, and the wife immediately went around to tell Mrs. Lester. The two women began to plan a revenge. One day, when Mr. Lester was not in, they broke into his study, which he always locked. His hobby was collecting old coins. Mrs. Lester had already worked out how much his collection was worth:$850!They were taking some coins out of the case when they heard a car pull up outside the house. Mrs. Lester quickly switched the light off, and they waited, holding their breath. The front door opened and Mr. Lester came in. They heard him take hisc oat off. He walked towards the study door and opened it. There was no chance for the women to get away without being seen. Mr. Lester switched the light on and was astounded to see his wife standing there with a handful of valuable coins. It took both husband and wife a long time to get over this.
1. Which of the following is correct?
A. Mr. Lester likes to watch ballet.
B. Mrs. Lester likes to watch ballet.
C. Both of them like to watch ballet
D. Neither of them likes to watch ballet.
2. It was quite when they drove to the theatre..
A. rainy
B. stormy
C. cloudy
D. foggy
3. The theater is from Mr. and Mrs. Lester's.
A. an hour-driving
B. in the other side of the city
C. very near
D. half an hour of bicycle riding
4. The wife of Mr. Lester's friend is a .
A. social worker
B. house cleaner
C. baby sitter
D. gossip
5. How many persons are mentioned in this story?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six.
Passage 2
The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented. Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others. So the massacre on the road may be regarded as a social problem.
In fact, the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmless people just ordinary people acting carelessly, you might say. But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one's actions could bring death or damage to others. A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence.
Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 per cent of all automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychological condition of the driver. Emotional upsets can distort drivers' reactions, slow their judgement, and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident. The experts warn that it is vital for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one's emotions under control.
Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers. Street walkers regularly violate traffic regulations, they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents; and many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road.
Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years. Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture and through periodic road-worthiness inspections. In addition, speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures, the accident rate has decreased. But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave. The only real and lasting solution, say the experts, is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration. Those who fail to do all these things present a threat to those with whom they share the road.
6. What is the author's main purpose in writing the passage?
A. To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention.
B. To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers.
C. To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions.
D. To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving.
7. According to the passage, traffic accidents may be regarded as a social problem because .
A. autos have become most destructive to mankind
B. people usually pay little attention to law and morality
C. civilization brings much harm to people
D. the lack of virtue is becoming more severe
8. Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three?
A. To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents.
B. To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy.
C. To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers.
D. To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving.
9. Who are NOT mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents?
A. Careless bicycle-riders.
B. Mindless people walking in the street.
C. Irresponsible drivers.
D. Irresponsible manufactures of automobiles.
10. Which of the following best reflects the author's attitude toward a future without traffic accident problems?
A. Doubtful yet still longing for
B. Happy and rather confident
C. Surprised and very pleased
D. Disappointed and deeply worried
Passage 3
In the early days of nuclear power, the United States made money on it. But today opponents have so complicated its development that no nuclear plants have been ordered or built here in 12 years.
The greatest fear of nuclear power opponents has always been a reactor “meltdown”. Today, the chances of a meltdown that would threaten U.S. public health are testing new reactors that rely not on human judgment to shut them down but on the laws of nature. Now General Electric is already building two advanced reactors in Japan. But don't expect them even on U.S. shores unless things change in Washington.
The procedure for licensing nuclear power plants is a bad dream. Any time during, or even after, construction, an objection by any group or individual can bring everything to a halt while the matter is investigated or taken to court. Meanwhile, the builder must add nicebutnotnecessary improvements, some of which force him to knock down walls and start over. In every case when a plant has been opposed, the Nuclear Regulation Commission has ultimately granted a license to construct or operate. But the victory often costs so much that the utility ends up abandoning the plant anyway.
A case in point is the Shoreham plant on New York's Long Island. Shoreham was a virtual twin to the Millstone plant in Connecticut, both ordered in the mid60s'. Millstone, complete for $ 101 million, has been generating electricity for two decades. Shoreham, however, was singled out by antinuclear activists who, by sending in endless protests, drove the cost over $ 5 billion and delayed its use for many years.
Shoreham finally won its operation license. But the plant has never produced a watt power. Governor Mario Cuomo, an opponent of a Shoreharn startup, used his power to force New York's publicutilities commission to accept the following settlement: the power company could pass the cost of Shoreham along to its consumers only if it agreed not to operate the plant. Today, a perfectly good facility, capable of servicing hundreds of thousands of homes, sits rusting.
11. The author's attitude towards the development of nuclear power is .
A. negative
B. neutral
C. positive
D. questioning
12. What has made the procedure for licensing nuclear plants a bad dream?
A. The inefficiency of the Nuclear Regulation Commission.
B. The enormous cost of construction and operation.
C. The length of time it takes to make investigations.
D. The objection of the opponents of nuclear power.
13. It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that .
A. there are not enough safety measures in the U.S. for running new nuclear power plants
B. it is not technical difficulties that prevent the building of nuclear power plants in the U.S.
C. there are already more nuclear power plants than necessary in the U.S.
D. the American government will not allow Japanese nuclear reactors to be installed in the U.S.
14. Governor Mario Cuomo's chief intention in proposing the settlement was to .
A. stop the Shoreham plant from going into operation
B. urge the power company to further increase its power supply
C. permit the Shoreham plant to operate under certain conditions
D. help the power company to solve its financial problems
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