IV. Reading Comprehension ( 60 points)

　　Directions:There are five reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by fourquestions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Chooseone best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

　　根據(jù)下面內容，回答題：

　　Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergency alert(警報)

　　system using text messages delivered to cell phones.

　　Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people.The wireless industry's trade association,CTIA,estimates( 估計 ) more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month.

　　The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that re-quires improvement to the nation's emergency alert system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission(FCC) with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies.

　　"The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during,disasters and other emergencies, "FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, said following approval of the plan.,

　　Participation in the alert system by carriers--telecommunications companies--is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry.

　　The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alerts.

　　There would be three different types of messages, according to the rules.

　　The first would be a national alert from the president, likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would involve" approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction(綁架)emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts.The service could be in place by 2012.

　　36What is the purpose of the approved plan?

　　A.To warn people of emergencies via messages.B.To popularize the use of cell phones.C.To estimate the monthly number of messages.D.To promote the wireless industry.

　　參考答案：A

　　參考解析：

　　由首段得知本文旨在介紹通過手機短信創(chuàng)造一種全民警報系統(tǒng)，緊接著介紹這一方案的操作辦法及范圍，B、c、D三項均與主題無關，故答案為A項。

　　37The improvement to the present system is in the charge of__________ .

　　A.CTIAB.the Warning Alert and Response Network ActC.FCCD.federal regulators

　　參考答案：C

　　參考解析：

　　由第二段第二句得知CTLA用于評估月短信數(shù)量，而非負責本方案，故A項不對;由第三段第一句得知the Warning Alert and ResponseNetwork Act為本方案的提出依據(jù)，故B項不對;由

　　文中第一句得知Federal regulators為本方案的審批通過單位，故排除D項;由第三段第二句得知方案由FcC主管，故答案為C項。

　　38The carriers' participation in the system is determined by__________ .

　　A.the US federal governmentB.mobile phone usersC.the carriers themselvesD.the law of the United States

　　參考答案：C

　　參考解析：

　　從倒數(shù)第五段得知參與本計劃的主體是自愿的，故答案為C項。

　　39Which 'of the following is TRUE of cell phone users?

　　A.They must accept the alert service.B.They may enjoy the alert service for free.C.They must send the alerts to others.D.They may choose the types of messages.

　　參考答案：B

　　參考解析：

　　由倒數(shù)第五段第一句和倒數(shù)第四段第一句得知手機客戶自愿參與本活動并非必須接受，可排除A、C兩項;D項文中未涉及;由倒數(shù)第四段第二句得知接收此類短信不需繳費，故B項正確。

　　根據(jù)下面內容，回答題：

　　When the TV viewer turns on his set,what sort of programs does he have to choose from? Youmight think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that'snot the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment.U. S. figures are high--34.8%, and the funlgving Canadians are even higher with 44%. ExceptCanada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information(news, documentaries and so on)or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcaststake place during peak viewing times. In Japan though, more than 60% of broadcasting time is takenup with education of one kind of another--just another example of the businesslike Japanese philoso-phy. In the U. K., the figure is 56.4%. The Italians have fewer educational programs than anyoneelse. They don't go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted todramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports, etc. You will find more news information programs onItalian TV than anything else. That's understandable in a country experiencing social and politicalchanges. Italians rely on TV to tell them what's going on--and events are happening almost too fast tofollow. The percentage of time the U. S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller.After education,most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown aroundthe world.

　　40Based on this passage, the percentage of TV broadcasting hours devoted to education is greatest in ___________

　　A.JapanB.ItalyC.CanadaD.the United States

　　參考答案：A

　　參考解析：

　　文中第七句提到，日本用于教育類節(jié)目的時間占60%。所以選A項。 ‘

　　41More news information programs are broadcast on Italian TV than anywhere else becausethe Italians

　　A.are interested in what is happening in the worldB.like to undergo social and political changesC.prefer to learn news information on TV rather than in newspapersD.expect TV to tell them the latest news about what is going on in their country

　　參考答案：D

　　參考解析：

　　文中倒數(shù)第四句提到意大利人依靠電視來告訴他們發(fā)生什么，正好與D項對應。

　　42So far as the broadcasting hours devoted to entertainment are concerned,

　　A.the Japanese figure is the highest in the worldB.the U. S. figure is smaller than the U. K. FigureC.the U. K. figure is second to the Japanese figureD.the Canadian figure is higher than that of any other country

　　參考答案：D

　　參考解析：

　　文中第四句提到加拿大的娛樂節(jié)目所占的比例是44%，是最高的。

　　43From this passage, we learn that most TV stations in the world devoted more broadcasting hours to

　　A.educational programsB.entertainment programsC.news information programsD.dramas, serials, music, sports and so on

　　參考答案：A

　　參考解析：

　　文中第五句提到除了加拿大和意大利之外，所有國家給予教育類節(jié)目的時間都比其他節(jié)目(信息或娛樂類)多。

　　根據(jù)下面內容，回答題：

　　Every year just after Christmas the Januarv Sales start. All the shops reduce their prices and for two weeks ,they are full of people looking for bargains: My husband and I do not normally go to the sales as we don't like crowds and in any case are short of money as we have to buy lots of Christmas presents.Last year, however, I took my husband with me to the sales at the large shop in the center ofLondon. We both needed some new clothes and were hoping to find a television set. When we got toOxford Street, it was so crowded that we decided to split up and meet again at the underground sta-tion. So I left my husband and started looking around the shops. Unfortunately all the clothes were invery large sizes and so were not suitable for me. But I did buy a television at a very cheap price, so Ifelt quite pleased with myself.

　　When I arrived at the station, my husband was not there. So I sat down in a nearby car6 to havea cup of tea. I quickly finished my tea when I saw my husband and went out to meet him. He lookedvery happy. Then I saw he was carrying a large and heavy cardboard box. "Oh, dear !" I thought.Yes, we had no new clothes but two televisions. We shall not be going to the sales again.

　　44In this passage, the word "bargain" could best be replaced by "something

　　A.given to peopleB.offered at a reduced priceC.offered, sold or bought which is expensiveD.sold for the purpose of reaching an agreement

　　參考答案：B

　　參考解析：

　　根據(jù)上下文推斷，以及文中提示的信息，bargain一詞正是指代了降價的商品。

　　45The husband and wife in the story ___________

　　A.wished to buy a TVB.went to the sales the year beforeC.often went to the sales to buy clothesD.were usually not short of money after Christmas

　　參考答案：A

　　參考解析：

　　根據(jù)文章第二段所提供的信息以及第一段最后一句話，可以得出結論，8、c、D三項均與文章不符，只有A項是正確的。

　　46The phrase "split up" in the second paragraph means

　　A.break apartB.cause to breakC.become piecesD.go in different directions

　　參考答案：D

　　參考解析：

　　“split up”一詞出現(xiàn)在文中第二段第三句，根據(jù)該短語所在句，我們可以得知，“splitup”與其后的“meet again”意思相反。

　　47After their day's shopping, they ___________

　　A.were happy with their bargainsB.had got everything they wantedC.got more than they had hoped forD.had to go back to the sales the next day參考答案：C

　　參考解析：