2015年职称英语小抄理工完型填空（全）本文PDF百度云网盘下载地址：链接: http://pan.baidu.com/s/1gd3rt6r 密码: q5ut
完形填空: 理工C级第一篇： Captain Cook Arrow Legend第二篇： Avalanche and Its Safety第三篇： Giant Structures第四篇： Animal’s “Sixth Sense”第五篇： Singing Alarms Could Save the Blind
完形填空: 理工B级*第六篇： Car Thieves Could Be Stopped Remotely*第七篇： An Intelligent Car*第八篇： Why India Needs Its Dying Vultures*第九篇： Wonder Webs*第十篇： Chicken Soup for the Soul：Comfort Food Fights Loneliness
完形填空: 理工A级+第十一篇： Climate Change Poses Major Risks for Unprepared Cities+第十二篇： Free Statins With Fast Food Could Neutralize Heart Risk+第十三篇： Better Solar Energy Systems: More Heat, More Light+第十四篇： Sharks Perform a Service for Earth’s Waters +第十五篇： "Liquefaction" Key to Much of Japanese Earthquake Damage
注： +表示A级文章；*表示B级文章；其他为C级文章
第一部分：全文
第一篇： Captain Cook Arrow Legend（C级）
It was a great legend while it lasted, but DNA testing has finally ended a two-century-old story of the Hawaiian arrow carved from the bone of British explorer Captain James Cook who died in the Sandwich Islands1 in 1779.“There is no Cook2 in the Australian Museum,” museum collection manager Jude Philip said not long ago in announcing the DNA evidence that the arrow was not made of Cook’s bone. But that will not stop the museum from continuing to display the arrow in its exhibition, “Uncovered: Treasures of the Australian Museum3,” which does include a feather cape presented to Cook by Hawaiian King Kalani’opu’u in 1778.Cook was one of Britain’s great explorers and is credited with discovering the “Great South Land,” now Australia, in 1770. He was clubbed to death in the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii. The legend of Cook’s arrow began in 1824 when Hawaiian King Kamehameha on his deathbed gave the arrow to William Adams, a London surgeon and relative of Cook’s wife, saying it was made of Cook’s bone after the fatal fight with islanders.In the 1890s the arrow was given to the Australian Museum and the legend continued until it came face-to-face with science.DNA testing by laboratories in Australia and New Zealand revealed the arrow was not made of Cook’s bone but was more likely made of animal bone, said Philp.However, Cook’s fans refuse to give up hope that one Cook legend will prove true and that part of his remains will still be uncovered, as they say there is evidence not all of Cook’s body was buried at sea in 1779. “On this occasion technology has won,4” said Cliff Thornton, president of the Captain Cook Society, in a statement from Britain. “But I am sure that one of these days…one of the Cook legends will prove to be true and it will happen one day.”
第二篇： Avalanche and Its Safety (C级)
An avalanche is a sudden and rapid flow of snow, often mixed with air and water, down a mountainside. Avalanches are among the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and property.All avalanches are caused by an over-burden of material, typically snowpack, that is too massive and unstable for the slope that supports it. Determining the critical load, the amount of over-burden which is likely to cause an avalanche, is a complex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors.Terrain slopes flatter than 25 degrees or steeper than 60 degrees typically have a low risk of avalanche. Snow does not gather significantly on steep slopes; also, snow does not flow easily on flat slopes. Human-triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snow’s angle of rest is between 35 and 45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest, is 38 degree. The rule of thumb is : A slope that is flat enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an avalanche, regardless of the angle. Additionally, avalanche risk increases with use; that is, the more a slope is disturbed by skiers, the more likely it is that an avalanche will occur.Due to the complexity of the subject, winter traveling in the backcountry is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safety is a continuous process, including route selection and examination of the snowpack, weather conditions, and human factors. Several well-known good habits can also reduce the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid attention to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own evaluations; snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where plants are missing or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche.
第三篇： Giant Structures (C级)
It is an impossible task to select the most amazing wonders of the modem world since every year more wonderful constructions appear. Here are three giant structures which are worthy of our admiration although they may have been surpassed by some more recent wonders.
The Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world when they were completed in 1999. With a height of 452 metres, the tall twin towers, like two thin pencils, dominate the city of Kuala Lumpur. At the 41st floor, the towers are linked by a bridge, symbolizing a gateway to the city. The American architect Cesar Pelli designed the skyscrapers.
Constructed of high-strength concrete, the building provides around 1,800 square metres of office space on every floor. And it has a shopping centre and a concert hall at the base. Other features of this impressive building include double-decker lifts, and glass and steel sunshades.
The Millau Bridge
The Millau Bridge was opened in 2004 in the Tam Valley, in southern France. At the time it was built, it was the world’s highest bridge, reaching over 340m at the highest point. The bridge is described as one of the most amazingly beautiful bridges in the world. It was built to relieve Millau's congestion problems. The congestion was then caused by traffic passing from Paris to Barcelona in Spain. The bridge was built to withstand the most extreme seismic and climatic conditions. Besides, it is guaranteed for 120 years!
The Itaipu DamThe Itaipu hydroelectric power plant is one of the largest constructions of its kind in the world. It consists of a series of dams across the River Parana, which forms a natural border between Brazil and Paraguay. Started in 1975 and taking 16 years to complete, the construction was carried out as a joint project between the two countries. The dam is well-known for both its electricity output and its size. In 1995 it produced 78% of Paraguay’s and 25% of Brazil’s energy needs. In its construction, the amount of iron and steel used was equivalent to over 300 Eiffel Towers. It is a truly amazing wonder of engineering.
第四篇： Animal’s “Sixth Sense”（C级）
A tsunami was triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean in December, 2004. It killed tens of thousands of people in Asia and East Africa. Wild animals, however, seem to have escaped that terrible tsunami. This phenomenon adds weight to notions that they possess a “sixth sense” for disasters , experts said.Sri Lankan wildlife officials have said the giant waves that killed over 24,000 people along the Indian Ocean island’s coast clearly missed wild beasts, with no dead animals found. “No elephants are dead, not even a dead rabbit. I think animals can sense disaster. They have a sixth sense. They know when things are happening.” H.D. Ratnayake, deputy director of Sri Lanka’s Wildlife Department, said about one month after the tsunami attack. The waves washed floodwaters up to 2 miles inland at Yala National Park in the ravaged southeast, Sri Lanka’s biggest wildlife reserve and home to hundreds of wild elephants and several leopards.“There has been a lot of apparent evidence about dogs barking or birds migrating before volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. But it has not been proven,” said Matthew van Lierop, an animal behavior specialist at Johannesburg Zoo.“There have been no specific studies because you can’t really test it in a lab or field setting2,” he told Reuters. Other authorities concurred with this assessment.“Wildlife seem to be able to pick up certain phenomenon, especially birds… there are many reports of birds detecting impending disasters,” said Clive Walker, who has written several books on African wildlife.Animals certainly rely on the known senses such as smell or hearing to avoid danger such as predators.The notion of an animal “sixth sense” — or some other mythical power — is an enduring one3 which the evidence on Sri Lanka’s ravaged coast is likely to add to.The Romans saw owls as omens of impending disaster and many ancient cultures viewed elephants as sacred animals endowed with special powers or attributes.
第五篇： Singing Alarms Could Save the Blind（C级）
If you cannot see, you may not be able to1 find your way out of a burning building—and that could be fatal. A company in Leeds could change all that2 with directional sound alarms capable of guiding you to the exit.Sound Alert, a company run by the University of Leeds, is installing the alarms in a residential home for blind people in Sommerset and a resource center for the blind in Cumbria. The alarms produce a wide range of frequencies that enable the brain to determine where the sound is coming from.Deborah Withington of Sound Alert says that the alarms use most of the frequencies that can be heard by humans. “It is a burst of white noise that people say sounds like static on the radio,” she says. “Its life-saving potential is great.”She conducted an experiment in which people were filmed by thermal-imaging cameras trying to find their way out of3 a large smoke-filled room. It took them nearly four minutes to find the door without a sound alarm, but only 15 seconds with one.Withington studies how the brain processes sounds at the university. She says that the source of a wide band of frequencies can be pinpointed more easily than the source of a narrow band. Alarms based on the same concept have already been installed on emergency vehicles.The alarms will also include rising or falling frequencies to indicate whether people should go up or down stairs. They were developed with the aid of a large grant from British Nuclear Fuels.
第六篇： Car Thieves Could Be Stopped Remotely（B级）
Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch2. But he is in a nasty3 surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer, and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.For now, such devices are only available for fleets of trucks4 and specialist vehicles used on construction sites. But remote immobilization technology could soon start to trickle down to ordinary cars,5 and should be available to ordinary cars in the UK in two months. The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car incorporates6 a miniature cellphone, a microprocessor and memory, and a GPS7 satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the unit to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.There are even plans for immobilizers that shut down vehicles on the move8, though there are fears over the safety implications of such a system.In the UK, an array of9 technical fixes10 is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicles crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall of Thatcham, a security research organization based in Berkshire11 that is funded in part by the motor insurance industry.He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a novice how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools12. But only if the car is more than 10 years old.Modern cars are a far tougher proposition：13, as their engine management computer will not allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out 14 by the ignition key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31 per cent drop in vehicle-related crime15 since 1997.But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars. Often by getting hold of the owner’s keys in a burglary. In 2000, 12 per cent of vehicles stolen in the UK were taken by using the owner’s keys, which doubles the previous year’s figure.Remote-controlled immobilization system would put a major new obstacle in the criminal’s way by making such thefts pointless. A group that includes Thatcham, the police, insurance companies and security technology firms have developed standards for a system that could go on the market sooner than the customer expects.
第七篇： An Intelligent Car（B级）
Driving needs sharp eyes, keen ears, quick brain, and coordination between hands and the brain. Many human drivers have all these and can control a fast-moving car. But how does an intelligent car control itself?There is a virtual drive1 in the smart car. This virtual driver1 has “eyes,” “brains,” “hands” and “feet,” too. The minicameras on each side of the car are his “eyes,” which observe the road conditions ahead of it. They watch the traffic to the car’s left and right. There is also a highly automatic driving system in the car. It is the built-in computer, which is the virtual driver’s “brain.” His “brain” calculates the speeds of other moving cars near it and analyzes their positions. Basing on this information2, it chooses the right path for the intelligent car, and gives instructions to the “hands” and “feet” to act accordingly. In this way, the virtual driver controls his car.What is the virtual driver’s best advantage3? He reacts quickly. The minicameras are sending images continuously to the “brain.” It completes the processing of the images within 100 milliseconds. However, the world’s best driver at least needs one second to react. Besides, when he takes action, he needs one more second.The virtual driver is really wonderful. He can reduce the accident rate considerably on expressways. In this case, can we let him have the wheel4 at any time and in any place? Experts warn that we cannot do that5 just yet6. His ability to recognize things is still limited. He can now only drive an intelligent car on expressways.
第八篇： Why India Needs Its Dying Vultures（B级）
The vultures in question may look ugly and threatening, but the sudden sharp decline in three species of India’s vultures is producing alarm rather than celebration, and it presents the world with a new kind of environmental problem. The dramatic decline in vulture numbers is causing widespread disruption to people living in the same areas as the birds. It is also causing serious public health problems across the Indian sub-continent.
While their reputation and appearance may be unpleasant to many Indians，vultures have long played a very important role in keeping towns and villages all over India clean. It is because they feed on dead cows. In India, cows are sacred animals and are traditionally left in the open when they die in their thousands upon thousands every year.
The disappearance of the vultures has led to an explosion in the numbers of wild dogs feeding on the remains of these dead animals. There are fears that rabies may increase as a result. And this terrifying disease may ultimately affect humans in the region, since wild dogs are its main carriers. Rabies could also spread to other animal species, causing an even greater problem in the future.
The need for action is urgent, so an emergency project has been launched to find a solution to this serious vulture problem. Scientists are trying to identify the disease causing the birds’ deaths and, if possible, develop a cure.
Large-scale vulture deaths were first noticed at the end of the 1980s in India. A population survey at that time showed that the three species of vultures had declined by over 90 per cent. All three species are now listed as “critically endangered”. As most vultures lay only single eggs and take about five years to reach maturity, reversing their population decline will be a long and difficult exercise.
第九篇： Wonder Webs（B级）
Spider webs are more than homes, and they are ingenious traps. And the world’s best web spinner may be the Golden Orb Weaver spider. The female Orb Weaver spins a web of fibers thin enough to be invisible to insect prêt, yet tough enough to snare a flying bird without breaking. The secret of the web’s strength? A type of super-resilient silk called dragline. When the female spider is ready to weave the web’s spokes and frame, she uses her legs to draw the airy thread out through a hollow nozzle in her belly. Dragline is not sticky, so the spider can race back and forth along it to spin the web’s trademark spiral.Unlike some spiders that weave a new web every day, a Golden Orb Weaver reuses her handiwork until it falls apart, sometimes not for two years1. The silky thread is five times stronger than steel by weight and absorbs the force of an impact three times better than Kevlar, a high-strength human-made material used in bullet-proof vests. And thanks to its high tensile strength, or the ability to resist breaking under the pulling force called tension, a single strand can stretch up to 40 percent longer than its original length and snap back as well as new. No human-made fiber even comes close.It is no wonder manufacturers are clamoring for spider silk. In the consumer pipeline: high-performance fabrics for athletes and stockings that never run2. Think parachute cords and suspension bridge cables. A steady supply of spider silk would be worth billions of dollars — but how to produce it? Harvesting silk on spider farms does not work because the territorial arthropods have a tendency to devour their neighbors.Now, scientists at the biotechnology company Nexia are spinning artificial silk modeled after Golden Orb dragline. The first step: extract silk-making genes from the spiders. Next, implant the genes into goat egg cells. The nanny goats that grow from the eggs secrete dragline silk proteins in their milk. “The young goats pass on the silk-making gene without any help from us,” says Nexia president Jeffrey Turner. Nexia is still perfecting the spinning process, but they hope artificial spider silk will soon be snagging customers as fast as the real thing snags bugs.
第十篇： Chicken Soup for the Soul：Comfort Food Fights Loneliness（B级）
Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, may be bad for your arteries, but according to a study in Psychological Science, they’re good for your heart and emotions．The study focuses on “comfort food” and how it makes people feel． "For me personally, food has always played a big role in my family,” says Jordan Troisi, a graduate student at the University of Buffalo, and lead author on the study. The study came out of the research program of his co-author Shira Gabriel. It has looked at non-human things that may affect human emotions．Some people reduce loneliness by bonding with their favorite TV show, building virtual relationships with a pop song singer or looking at pictures of loved ones．Troisi and Gabriel wondered if comfort food could have the same effect by making people think of their nearest and dearest. In one experiment, in order to make participants feel lonely, the researchers had them write for six minutes about a fight with someone close to them．Others were given an emotionally neutral writing assignment. Then, some people in each group wrote about the experience of eating a comfort food and others wrote about eating a new food．Finally, the researchers had participants complete questions about their levels of loneliness．Writing about a fight with a close person made people feel lonely．But people who were generally secure in their relationships would feel less lonely by writing about a comfort food．" We have found that comfort foods are consistently associated with those close to us．" says Troisi．"Thinking about or consuming these foods later then serves as a reminder of those close others．" In their essays on comfort food, many people wrote about the experience of eating food with family and friends. In another experiment, eating chicken soup in the lab made people think more about relationships, but only if they considered chicken soup to be a comfort food．This was a question they had been asked long before the experiment, along with many other questions, so they wouldn’t remember it. Throughout everyone’s daily lives they experience stress, often associated with our connections with others," Troisi says．"Comfort food Can be an easy remedy for loneliness．
第十一篇： Climate Change Poses Major Risks for Unprepared Cities（A级） A new examination of urban policies has been carried out recently by Patricia Romero Lankao. She is a sociologist specializing in climate change and urban development．She warns that many of the world’s fast-growing urban areas，especially in developing countries, will likely suffer from the impacts of changing climate．Her work also concludes that most cities are failing to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases．These gases are known to affect the atmosphere．“Climate change is a deeply local issue and poses profound threats to the growing cities of the world,” says Romero Lankao.“But too few cities are developing effective strategies to protect their residents." Cities are major sources of greenhouse gases．And urban populations are likely to be among those most severely affected by future climate change. Lankao’s findings highlight ways in which city-residents are particularly vulnerable, and suggest policy interventions that could offer immediate and longer-term benefits ． The locations and dense construction patterns of cities often place their populations at greater risk for natural disasters. Potential threats associated with climate include storm surges and prolonged hot weather. Storm surges can flood coastal areas and prolonged hot weather can heat heavily paved cities more than surrounding areas．The impacts of such natural events can be more serious in an urban environment．For example，a prolonged heat wave can increase existing levels of air pollution，causing widespread health problems．Poorer neighborhoods that may lack basic facilities such as drinking water or a dependable network of roads，are especially vulnerable to natural disasters．Many residents in poorer countries live in substandard housing without access to reliable drinking water，roads and basic services. Local governments, therefore, should take measures to protect their residents. “Unfortunately, they tend to move towards rhetoric rather than meaningful responses, ” Romero Lankao writes, “They don’t impose construction standards that could reduce heating and air conditioning needs. They don't emphasize mass transit and reduce automobile use. In fact, many local governments are taking a hands- off approach.” Thus, she urges them to change their idle policies and to take strong steps to prevent the harmful effects of climate change on cities. 第十二篇: Free Statins With Fast Food Could Neutralize Heart Risk（A级） Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs free of charge so that customers can reduce the heart disease dangers of fatty food, researchers at Imperial College London suggest in a new study． Statins reduce the amount of unhealthy“LDL” cholesterol in the blood. A wealth of trial data has proven them to be highly effective at lowering a person’s heart attack risk. In a paper published in the American Journal of Cardiology，Dr Darrel Francis and colleagues calculate that the reduction in heart attack risk offered by a statin is enough to offset the increase in heart attack risk from eating a cheeseburger and drinking a milkshake． Dr Francis，from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London，who is the senior author of the study, said:“Statins don’t cut out all of the unhealthy effects of cheeseburgers and French fries．It’s better to avoid fatty food altogether．But we’ve worked out that in terms of your possibility of having a heart attack，taking a statin can reduce your risk to more or less the same degree as a fast food meal increases it.” “It’s ironic that people are free to take as many unhealthy condiments in fast food outlets as they like, but statins, which are beneficial to heart health, have to be prescribed. It makes sense to make risk-reducing statins available just as easily as the unhealthy condiments that are provided free of charge. It would cost less than 5 pence per customer — not much different to a sachet of sugar.” Dr Francis said． When people engage in risky behaviours like driving or smoking, they’re encouraged to take measures that lower their risk, 1ike wearing a seatbelt or choosing cigarettes with filters. Taking a statin is a rational way of lowering some of the risks of eating a fatty meal． 第十三篇： Better Solar Energy Systems：More Heat，More Light（A级） Solar photovoltaic thermal energy systems or PVTs, generate both heat and electricity, but until now they haven't been very good at the heat-generating part compared to a stand-alone solar thermal collector. That's because they operate at low temperatures to cool crystalline silicon solar cells, which lets the silicon generate more electricity but isn't a very efficient way to gather heat. That's a problem of economics. Good solar hot-water systems can harvest much more energy than a solar-electric system at a substantially lower cost. And it's also a space problem: photovoltaic cells can take up all the space on the roof, leaving little rooms for thermal applications. In a pair of studies, Joshua Pearce, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, has devised a solution in the form of a better PVT made with a different kind of silicon. His research collaborators are Kunal Girotra from ThinSilicon in California and Michael Pathak and Stephen Harrison from Queen's University, Canada. Most solar panels are made with crystalline silicon, but you can also make solar cells out of amorphous silicon, commonly known as thin-film silicon. They don't create as much electricity, but they are lighter, flexible, and cheaper. And, because they require much less silicon, they have a greener footprint. Unfortunately, thin-film silicon solar cells are vulnerable to some bad-news physics in the form of the Staebler-Wronski effect. "That means that their efficiency drops when you expose them to light — pretty much the worst possible effect for a solar cell," Pearce explains, which is one of the reasons thin-film solar panels make up only small fraction of the market. However, Pearce and his team found a way to engineer around the Stacbler-Wronski effect by incorporating thin-film silicon in a new type of PVT. You don't have to cool down thin-film silicon to make it work. In fact, Pearce's group discovered that by heating it to solar-thermal operating temperatures, near the boiling point of water, they could make thicker cells that largely overcame the Staebler-Wronski effect. When they applied the thin-film silicon directly to a solar thermal energy collector, they also found that by baking the cell once a day, they boosted the solar cell's electrical efficiency by over 10 percent. 第十四篇： Sharks Perform a Service for Earth’s Waters（A级） It is hard to get people to think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy. They are thought to attack people frequently. But these fish perform a valuable service for earth's waters and for human beings. Yet business and sport fishing are threatening their existence. Some sharks are at risk of disappearing from earth. Warm weather may influence both fish and shark activity. Many fish swim near coastal areas because of their warm waters. Experts say sharks may follow the fish into the same areas, where people also swim. In fact, most sharks do not purposely charge at or bite humans. They are thought to mistake a person for a sea animal, such as a seal or sea lion. That is why people should not swim in the ocean when the sun goes down or comes up. Those are the times when sharks are looking for food. Experts also say that bright colors and shiny jewelry may cause sharks to attack. A shark has an extremely good sense of smell. It can find small amounts of substances in water, such as blood, body liquids and chemicals produced by animals. These powerful senses help sharks find their food. Sharks eat fish, any other sharks, and plants that live in the ocean.Medical researchers want to learn more about the shark’s body defense and immune systems against disease. Researchers know that sharks recover quickly from injuries. They study the shark in hopes of finding a way to fight human disease. Sharks are important for the world’s oceans. They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too great. This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans. 第十五篇：“Liquefaction” Key to Much of Japanese Earthquake Damage（A级） The massive subduction zone1 earthquake in Japan caused a significant level of soil "liquefaction"2 that has surprised researchers with its widespread severity, a new analysis shows."We've seen localized3 examples of soil liquefaction as extreme as this before, but the distance and extent of damage in Japan were unusually severe," said Scott Ashford, a professor of geotechnical engineering4 at Oregon State University5. "Entire structures were tilted and sinking into the sediments," Ashford said. "The shifts in soil destroyed water, drain and gas pipelines6, crippling the utilities and infrastructure these communities need to function. We saw some places that sank as much as four feet."Some degree of soil liquefaction7 is common in almost any major earthquake. It's a phenomenon in which soils soaked with water, particularly recent sediments or sand, can lose much of their strength and flow during an earthquake. This can allow structures to shift or sink or collapse.
But most earthquakes are much shorter than the recent event in Japan, Ashford said. The length of the Japanese earthquake, as much as five minutes, may force researchers to reconsider the extent of liquefaction damage possibly occurring in situations such as this8."With such a long-lasting earthquake, we saw how structures that might have been okay after 30 seconds just continued to sink and tilt as the shaking continued for several more minutes," he said. "And it was clear that younger sediments, and especially areas built on recently filled ground, are much more vulnerable."The data provided by analyzing the Japanese earthquake, researchers said, should make it possible to improve the understanding of this soil phenomenon and better prepare for it in the future. Ashford said it was critical for the team to collect the information quickly, before damage was removed in the recovery efforts9."There's no doubt that we'll learn things from what happened in Japan10 that11 will help us to reduce risks in other similar events," Ashford said. "Future construction in some places may make more use of techniques known to reduce liquefaction, such as better compaction to make soils dense, or use of reinforcing stone columns."Ashford pointed out that northern California have younger soils vulnerable to liquefaction — on the coast, near river deposits or in areas with filled ground. The "young" sediments, in geologic terms, may be those deposited within the past 10,000 years or more. In Oregon, for instance, that describes much of downtown Portland, the Portland International Airport and other cities.Anything near a river and old flood plains is a suspect12, and the Oregon Department of Transportation has already concluded that 1,100 bridges in the state are at risk from an earthquake. Fewer than 15 percent of them have been reinforced to prevent collapse. Japan has suffered tremendous losses in the March 11 earthquake, but Japanese construction standards helped prevent many buildings from collapse — even as they tilted and sank into the ground. 第二部分：答案与讲解 第一篇： Captain Cook Arrow Legend (C级) It was a great legend while it lasted, but DNA testing has ___1___ ended a two-century-old story of the Hawaiian arrow carved from the bone of British explorer Captain James Cook ___2___ died in the Sandwich Islands1 in 1779.“There is ___3___ Cook2 in the Australian Museum,” museum collection manager Jude Philip said not long ago in announcing the DNA evidence that the arrow was not made of Cook’s bone. But that will not stop the museum from continuing to display the arrow in its ___4___, “Uncovered: Treasures of the Australian Museum3,” which ___5___include a feather cape presented to Cook by Hawaiian King Kalani’ opu’u in 1778.Cook was one of Britain’s great explorers and is credited with ___6___ the “Great South Land,” ___7___ Australia, in 1770. He was clubbed to death in the Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii. The legend of Cook’s arrow began in 1824 ___8___ Hawaiian King Kamehameha on his deathbed gave the arrow to William Adams, a London surgeon and relative of Cook’s wife, saying it was made of Cook’s bone after the fatal __9__ with islanders.In the 1890s the arrow was given to the Australian Museum and the legend continued __10__ it came face-to-face with science.DNA testing by laboratories in Australia and New Zealand revealed the arrow was not made of Cook’s bone but was more ___11___ made of animal bone, said Philp.However, Cook’s fans ___12___ to give up hope that one Cook legend will prove true and that part of his remains will still be uncovered, as they say there is evidence not all of Cook’s body was___13___ at sea in 1779. “On this occasion technology has won,4” said Cliff Thornton, president of the Captain Cook Society, in a ___14___ from Britain. “But I am ____15___ that one of these days…one of the Cook legends will prove to be true and it will happen one day.” 练习：1. A) finally B) firstly C) lately D) usually2. A) whose B) who C) which D) what3. A) some B) none C) neither D) no4. A) cinema B) exhibition C) shop D) market5. A) must B) did C) has to D) does6. A) discovering B) visiting C) traveling D) using7. A) then B) now C) past D) previously8. A) how B) where C) when D) that 9. A) conversation B) fight C) meal D) dance10. A) however B) until C) after D) whenever11. A) helpfully B) usefully C) likely D) readily12. A) refuse B) return C) regain D) reply13. A) collected B) washed C) stored D) buried14. A) statement B) suggestion C) proposal D) guess15. A) safe B) weak C) sure D) lucky 答案：1. A) finally B) firstly C) lately D) usually2. A) whose B) who C) which D) what3. A) some B) none C) neither D) no4. A) cinema B) exhibition C) shop D) market5. A) must B) did C) has to D) does6. A) discovering B) visiting C) traveling D) using7. A) then B) now C) past D) previously8. A) how B) where C) when D) that 9. A) conversation B) fight C) meal D) dance10. A) however B) until C) after D) whenever11. A) helpfully B) usefully C) likely D) readily12. A) refuse B) return C) regain D) reply13. A) collected B) washed C) stored D) buried14. A) statement B) suggestion C) proposal D) guess15. A) safe B) weak C) sure D) lucky 第二篇： Avalanche and Its Safety (C级) An avalanche is a sudden and rapid flow of snow, often mixed with air and water, down a mountainside. Avalanches are___1___ the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and property.All avalanches are caused by an over-burden of material, typically snowpack, that is too massive and unstable for the slope___2___ supports it. Determining the critical load, the amount of over-burden which is___3___ to cause an avalanche, ___4___ a complex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors.Terrain slopes flatter than 25 degrees or steeper than 60 degrees typically have a low___5___ of avalanche. Snow does not ___6___ significantly on steep slopes; also, snow does not ___7___ easily on flat slopes. Human-triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snow’s angle of rest is___8___35 and 45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest, is 38 degree. The rule of thumb is : A slope that is___9___ enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an avalanche, regardless of the angle. Additionally, avalanche risk increases with___10___; that is, the more a slope is disturbed by skiers, the more likely it is that an avalanche will occur.Due to the complexity of the subject, winter traveling in the backcountry is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safety is a continuous___11___, including route selection and examination of the snowpack, weather___12___, and human factors. Several well-known good habits can also___13___ the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid___14___ to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own evaluations; snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where plants are ___15___ or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche. 练习：1. A among B of C to D in 2. A when B that C who D whose3. A mostly B likely C clearly D surely4. A are B will be C is D was5. A weight B form C risk D work 6. A fall B flow C roll D gather7. A fall B flow C roll D gather8. A among B between C with D for9. A thick B thin C flat D rocky10. A use B time C snow D rain11. A journey B trip C fact D process12. A conditions B reports C forecast D event13. A increase B reduce C improve D remove14. A price B effort C attention D money15. A missing B grown C big D fresh 答案：1. A among B of C to D in 2. A when B that C who D whose3. A mostly B likely C clearly D surely4. A are B will be C is D was5. A weight B form C risk D work 6. A fall B flow C roll D gather7. A fall B flow C roll D gather8. A among B between C with D for9. A thick B thin C flat D rocky10. A use B time C snow D rain11. A journey B trip C fact D process12. A conditions B reports C forecast D event13. A increase B reduce C improve D remove14. A price B effort C attention D money15. A missing B grown C big D fresh 第三篇： Giant Structures (C级) It is an impossible task to select the most amazing wonders of the modem world since every year more __1__ constructions appear. Here are three giant structures which are worthy of our __2__ although they may have been surpassed by some more recent wonders.The Petronas Twin Towers The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world when they were completed in 1999. With a __3__ of 452 metres, the tall twin towers, like two thin pencils, dominate the city of Kuala Lumpur. At the 41st floor, the towers are linked by a bridge, symbolizing a gateway to the city. The American __4__ Cesar Pelli designed the skyscrapers.
Constructed of high-strength concrete, the building provides around 1，800 square metres of office space __5__ every floor. And it has a shopping centre and a concert hall at the base. Other __6__ of this impressive building include double-decker lifts, and glass and steel sunshades.The MiUau Bridge The Millau Bridge was opened in 2004 in the Tam Valley，in southern France.__7__ the time it was built，it was the world’s highest bridge, __8__ over 340m at the highest point. The bridge is described as one of the most amazingly beautiful bridges in the world. It was built to __9__ Millau's congestion problems. The congestion was then caused by traffic passing from Paris to Barcelona in Spain. The bridge was built to withstand the __10__ extreme seismic and climatic conditions. Besides, it is guaranteed for 120 years!The Itaipu DamThe Itaipu hydroelectric power plant is one of the largest constructions of its kind in the world. It consists of a series of dams across the River Parana,__11__ forms a natural border between Brazil and Paraguay. Started in 1975 and taking 16 years to complete, the construction was carried out as a joint project between the two __12__. The dam is well-known for both its electricity output and its size. In 1995 it produced 78% of Paraguay’s and 25% of Brazil’s __13__ needs. In its construction, the __14__ of iron and steel used was equivalent to over 300 Eiffel Towers. It is a __15__ amazing wonder of engineering.
词汇：
worthy adj.值得的 withstand v. 经受住
surpass v.超过，胜过 seismic 地震的
symbolize v.象征 dam n. 堤，坝
congestion n.拥挤 hydroelectric adj. 水电的
注释：
1. The Petronas Twin Towers: 国油双峰塔，又称吉隆坡双子塔。建于1997年，共有88层，高达452公尺，曾是世界上最高的摩天楼。国油双峰塔由两幢大楼组成，两幢楼的第41层由58公尺长的天桥连接。这座设计新颖的、大量使用了木锈钢与玻璃等建材的双峰塔是吉隆坡市的象征。不论你在吉隆坡的哪一个角落都可以看到这座十分现代化的建筑物。
2. Kuala Lumpur:吉隆坡（马来西亚首都)
3. The Millau Bridge: 米约高架桥。位于法国西南部的米约市，横跨在塔恩河仙境般的河谷之上，是通住法国南部地中海地区75号高速公路段上的枢纽工程。建造这座斜拉索式桥梁共花费了3年多的时间，总耗资3.94亿欧元。这座大桥全长2.46公里，总重29万吨，大桥距地面270米，大桥斜拉索的最高点距离地面343米，髙出埃菲尔铁塔23米，是当时世界上最高的桥梁。
4. The Itaipu Dam: 伊泰普水电站。伊泰普水电站是目前世界上最大的水电站之一，由巴西和巴拉圭斥资共建，两国电力公司分别拥有水电站的一半产权。整个坝长7 853米，水位落差118.4米。水库面积1 350平方公里(其中巴西侧750平方公里，巴拉圭侧600平方公里），容量290亿立方米。自1991年起，伊泰普水电站每年发电收益约23亿美元。
5. the River Parana: 巴拉那河。南美洲第二大河。
6. Brazil: 巴西(南美洲一国名）
7. Paraguay: 巴拉圭(南美洲一国名）
8. Eiffel Towers: 埃菲尔铁塔。埃菲尔铁塔是法国巴黎著名建筑，也是巴黎的象征。塔高985 英尺，于1889年为世界博览会而建造，其塔身几乎完全由开放晶格的熟铁制成。
练习：
A. delightful B. useful C. wonderful D. careful
A. admiration B. passion C. expression D. detection
A. length B. width C. height D. volume
A. inventor B. architect C. scientist D. merchant
A. below B. in C. above D. on
A. types B. parts C. roles D. features
A. At B. within C. from D. upon
A. developing B. expanding C. stretching D. reaching
A. restrict B. reserve C. relieve D. relax
A. most B. much C. more D. less
A. what B. which C. who D. that
A. countries B. provinces C. areas D. regions
A. water B. oil C. energy D. food
A. amount B. number C. quality D. ratio
A. mainly B. totally C. rarely D. truly 答案：
A. delightful B. useful C. wonderful D. careful
A. admiration B. passion C. expression D. detection
A. length B. width C. height D. volume
A. inventor B. architect C. scientist D. merchant
A. below B. in C. above D. on
A. types B. parts C. roles D. features
A. At B. within C. from D. upon
A. developing B. expanding C. stretching D. reaching
A. restrict B. reserve C. relieve D. relax
A. most B. much C. more D. less
A. what B. which C. who D. that
A. countries B. provinces C. areas D. regions
A. water B. oil C. energy D. food
A. amount B. number C. quality D. ratio
A. mainly B. totally C. rarely D. truly
题解：
1. C第二句的前半句说的是“要选定当世最令人叹为观止的奇迹是一个无法完成的差事”，后半句解释“做不到”的原因在于每年都有新的更令人叹为观止的建筑出现。本题要选的词应该是与描述constructions极好性状有关的形容词。四个选项中wonderful符合这个要求，而delightful, useful和careful均与constructions极好性状无关，因此不可能是答案。
2. A be worthy of 意为“值得”。Three giant, structures 值得什么呢？值得我们 passion (热情）、expression(表达)或detection(发现）？这三个选项显然不会是答案。Admiration(赞叹)才是答案。
3. C “the tall twin towers”给出了寻找答案的线索。tall towers意为“高楼”，所以452米指的是高度。
4. B本段叙述马来西亚吉隆坡的国油双峰塔。四个选项中只有architect(建筑师)与设计国油双峰塔最相关。其他三个选项与architect相比，相关性就差多了。
5. D floor之前搭配的介词是on。
6. D本段前面的句子描述了国油双峰塔的建筑特色，本句进而介绍塔的其他两个特色，即double-decker lifts (双层电梯）和glass and steel sunshades(建材为玻璃和钢的遮阳篷）。根据上下文判断，features是答案。
7. A at the time(在那时，那时候)是固定搭配，后接从句。
8. D从词组搭配和上下文意思上判断，reaching over 340m at the highest point是最合适的。 reach a height意为“达到某个高度”，而develop a height(发展某个高度），expand a height (扩展某个髙度）和stretch a height(延伸某个高度)都不合理。
9. C congestion是解题的关键词。建造髙架大桥的目的是为了缓解交通拥挤，所以选择relieve是理所当然的。
10. A本句是说米约高架桥的坚固程度，它能经受住最极端的地震和气候条件而不会倒塌。本题的答案是most。the most extreme是形容词extreme的最高级形式。
11. B很明显，the River Parana之后是个非限制性定语从句，连接词只能用which。what不能指代the River Parana。that用于限制性定语从句。Who不能指代非生命的the River Parana.
12. A the Itaipu Dam由巴西和巴拉圭两国斥资共建，所以答案不可能是provinces(省）,areas (区域)或regions(地区）。countries是理所当然的选择。
13. C建造水电站的目的是利用水能发电，获得电能。Energy是答案。本句的下半句 breaking previous records for energy production 中的“energy”也为答案的选择提供了依据。
14. A iron和steel是物质名词，是不可数的，用the amount of iron and steel是对的。
15. D mainly amazing(主要叹为观止的），totally amazing(全部叹为观止的）或 rarely amazing (很少叹为观止的)都与句子的意思接不上。只有truly amazing (真正叹为观止的）才符合上下文的意思。 第四篇： Animal’s “Sixth Sense” (C级) A tsunami was triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean in December, 2004. It killed tens of thousands of people in Asia and East Africa. Wild animals, ___1___, seem to have escaped that terrible tsunami. This phenomenon adds weight to notions that I they possess a “sixth sense” for ___2___, experts said.Sri Lankan wildlife officials have said the giant waves that killed over 24,000 people along the Indian Ocean island’s coast clearly ___3___ wild beasts, with no dead animals found. “No elephants are dead, not ___4___ a dead rabbit. I think animals can ___5___ disaster. They have a sixth sense. They know when things are happening.” H.D. Ratnayake, deputy director of Sri Lanka’s Wildlife Department, said about one month after the tsunami attack. The ___6___ washed floodwaters up to 2 miles inland at Yala National Park in the ravaged southeast, Sri Lanka’s biggest wildlife ___7___ and home to hundreds of wild elephants and several leopards.“There has been a lot of ___8___ evidence about dogs barking or birds migrating before volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. But it has not been proven,” said Matthew van Lierop an animal behavior___9___ at Johannesburg Zoo.“There have been no ___10___ studies because you can’t really test it in a lab or field setting2,” he told Reuters. Other authorities concurred with this ___11___.“Wildlife seem to be able to pick up certain ___12___, especially birds… there are many reports of birds detecting impending disasters,” said Clive Walker, who has written several books on African wildlife.Animals ___13___ rely on the known senses such as smell or hearing to avoid danger such as predators.The notion of an animal “sixth sense”-or ___14___ other mythical power-is an enduring one3 which the evidence on Sri Lanka’s ravaged coast is likely to add to.The Romans saw owls ___15___ omens of impending disaster and many ancient cultures viewed elephants as sacred animals endowed with special powers or attributes. 练习：1. A) therefore B) however C) although D) whatever2. A) shelters B) foods C) disasters D) water3. A) missed B) protected C) raised D) caught4. A) such B) too C) so D) even5. A) feel B) see C) hear D) sense6. A) waves B) tides C) winds D) rivers7. A) birthplaces B) playground C) reserve D) storage8. A) experimental B) apparent C) scientific D) chemical 9. A) specialist B) assistant C) supporter D) sponsor10. A) additional B) specific C) especial D) exceptional11. A) modification B) detection C) assessment D) value12 A) route B) behavior C) principle D) phenomenon13. A) unwillingly B) occasionally C) doubtfully D) certainly14. A) some B) much C) many D) few15. B) on B) as C) for D) in 答案：1. A) therefore B) however C) although D) whatever2. A) shelters B) foods C) disasters D) water3. A) missed B) protected C) raised D) caught4. A) such B) too C) so D) even5. A) feel B) see C) hear D) sense6. A) waves B) tides C) winds D) rivers7. A) birthplaces B) playground C) reserve D) storage8. A) experimental B) apparent C) scientific D) chemical 9. A) specialist B) assistant C) supporter D) sponsor10. A) additional B) specific C) especial D) exceptional11. A) modification B) detection C) assessment D) value12 A) route B) behavior C) principle D) phenomenon13. A) unwillingly B) occasionally C) doubtfully D) certainly14. A) some B) much C) many D) few15. B) on B) as C) for D) in 第五篇： Singing Alarms Could Save the Blind (C级) If you cannot see, you may not be able to1 find your way out of a burning building—and that could be fatal. A company in Leeds could change all that2___1___ directional sound alarms capable of guiding you to the exit.Sound Alert, a company___2___ the University of Leeds, is installing the alarms in a residential home for ___3___ people in Sommerset and a resource center for the blind in Cumbria.___4___ produce a wide range of frequencies that enable the brain to determine where the ___5___ is coming from.Deborah Withington of Sound Alert says that the alarms use most of the frequencies that can be___6___ by humans. “It is a burst of white noise___7____ people say sounds like static on the radio,” she says. “Its life-saving potential is great.”She conducted an experiment in which people were filmed by thermal-imaging cameras trying to find their way out of3 a large ___8___ room. It ___9___them nearly four minutes to find the door ___10___ a sound alarm, but only 15 seconds with one.Withington studies how the brain ___11___ sounds at the university. She says that the ___12___ of a wide band of frequencies can be pinpointed more easily than the source of a narrow band. Alarms ___13___ the same concept have already been installed on emergency vehicles.The alarms will also include rising or falling frequencies to indicate whether people should go up ___14___ down stairs. They were ___15___ with the aid of a large grant from British Nuclear Fuels. 练习：1. A) without B) with C) having D) selling2. A) run by B) changed by C) decorated by D) criticized by3. A) slow B) deaf C) blind D) lame4. A) Alarms B) Alarm C) The alarm D) The alarms5. A) noise B) sound C) music D) bell6. A) watched B) produced C) learnt D) heard7. A) where B) what C) that D) how8. A) smoked B) smoke-filled C) filled with smoke D) smoke-filling9. A) has taken B) takes C) took D) will take10. A) on B) near C) without D) from11. A) processes B) produces C) possesses D) proceeds12. A) feature B) quality C) diagram D) source13. A) basis on B) base on C) basing on D) based on14. A) or B) and C) but D) otherwise15. A) developed B) determined C) discovered D) delivered 答案：1. A) without B) with C) having D) selling2. A) run by B) changed by C) decorated by D) criticized by3. A) slow B) deaf C) blind D) lame4. A) Alarms B) Alarm C) The alarm D) The alarms5. A) noise B) sound C) music D) bell6. A) watched B) produced C) learnt D) heard7. A) where B) what C) that D) how8. A) smoked B) smoke-filled C) filled with smoke D) smoke-filling9. A) has taken B) takes C) took D) will take10. A) on B) near C) without D) from11. A) processes B) produces C) possesses D) proceeds12. A) feature B) quality C) diagram D) source13. A) basis on B) base on C) basing on D) based on14. A) or B) and C) but D) otherwise15. A) developed B) determined C) discovered D) delivered 第六篇： Car Thieves Could Be Stopped Remotely (B级) Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch2. But he is in a nasty3 surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer, and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine ___1___, he will not be able to start it again.For now, such devices ___2___ only available for fleets of trucks4 and specialist vehicles used on construction sites. But remote immobilization technology could soon start to trickle down to ordinary cars,5 and ___3___ be available to ordinary cars in the UK___4___ two months. The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car incorporates6 ___5___ miniature cellphone, a microprocessor and memory, and a GPS7 satellite positioning receiver. ___6___ the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the unit to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine ___7___ restarted.There are even plans for immobilizers ___8___ shut down vehicles on the move8, though there are fears over the safety implications of such a system.In the UK, an array of9 technical fixes10 is already making ___9___ harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicles crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall of Thatcham, a security research organization based in Berkshire11 that is funded in part ___10___ the motor insurance industry.He says it would only take him a few minutes to ___11___ a novice, how to steal a car using a bare minimum of tools12. But only if the car is more than 10 years old.Modern cars are a far tougher proposition：13, as their engine management computer will not ___12___ them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out 14 by the ignition key. In the UK, technologies like this ___13____ achieve a 31 per cent drop in vehicle-related crime15 since 1997.But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars. Often by getting hold of the owner’s keys in a burglary. In 2000, 12 per cent of vehicles stolen in the UK were taken by using the owner’s keys, which doubles the previous year’s figure.Remote-controlled immobilization system would ___14___ a major new obstacle in the criminal’s way by making such thefts pointless. A group that includes Thatcham, the police, insurance companies and security technology firms have developed standards for a system that could go on the market sooner than the ___15___expects. 练习：1. A) off B) on C) at D) of2. A) is B) was C) were D) are3. A) can B) have to C) need to D) should4. A) after B) for C) in D) at 5. A) the B) / C) a D) an6. A) With B) If C) But D) And7. A) helping B) being C) get D) be8. A) whose B) who C) that D) when9. A) life B) cars C) warning D) problem10. A) about B) to C) by D) on11. A) use B) inform C) ask D) teach12. A) let B) allow C) make D) give13. A) have helped B) helped C) had helped D) was helped14. A) speak B) have C) link D) put15. A) lawyer B) doctor C) customer D) specialist 答案：1. A) off B) on C) at D) of2. A) is B) was C) were D) are3. A) can B) have to C) need to D) should4. A) after B) for C) in D) at 5. A) the B) / C) a D) an6. A) With B) If C) But D) And7. A) helping B) being C) get D) be8. A) whose B) who C) that D) when9. A) life B) cars C) warning D) problem10. A) about B) to C) by D) on11. A) use B) inform C) ask D) teach12. A) let B) allow C) make D) give13. A) have helped B) helped C) had helped D) was helped14. A) speak B) have C) link D) put15. A) lawyer B) doctor C) customer D) specialist 第七篇： An Intelligent Car (B级) Driving needs sharp eyes, keen ears, quick brain, and coordination between hands and the brain. Many human drivers have all ___1___ and can control a fast-moving car. But how does an intelligent car control itself?There is a virtual drive1 in the smart car. This virtual driver1 has “eyes,” “brains,” “hands” and “feet,” too. The minicameras ___2___ each side of the car are his “eyes,” which observe the road conditions ahead of it. They watch the ___3___ to the car’s left and right. There is also a highly ___4___ driving system in the car. It is the built-in computer, which is the virtual driver’s “brain.” His “brain” calculates the speeds of ___5___ moving cars near it and analyzes their positions. Basing on this information2, it chooses the right ___6___ for the intelligent car, and gives ___7___ to the “hands” and “feet” to act accordingly. In this way, the virtual driver controls his car.What is the virtual driver’s best advantage3? He reacts ___8___. The minicameras are ___9___ images continuously to the “brain.” It ___10___ the processing of the images within 100 milliseconds. However, the world’s best driver ___11___ needs one second to react. ___12___, when he takes action, he needs one more second.The virtual driver is really wonderful. He can reduce the accident ___13___ considerably on expressways. In this case, can we let him have the wheel4 at any time and in any place? Experts ___14___ that we cannot do that5 just yet6. His ability to recognize things is still ___15___. He can now only drive an intelligent car on expressways. 练习：1. A) these B) them C) this D) that2. A) within B) above C) to D) on3. A) police B) traffic C) trucks D) buses4. A) mechanical B) movable C) automatic D) electronic5. A) another B) other C) each other D) one another6. A) line B) lane C) track D) path7. A) space B) locations C) instructions D) time8. A) quickly B) cleverly C) virtually D) safely9. A) bringing B) taking C) sending D) carrying10. A) selects B) completes C) uses D) tests11. A) at least B) at most C) at last D) at best12. A) So B) However C) Besides D) Therefore13. A) count B) amount C) digit D) rate14. A) warn B) suggest C) invite D) check15. A) unknown B) few C) untested D) limited 答案：1. A) these B) them C) this D) that2. A) within B) above C) to D) on3. A) police B) traffic C) trucks D) buses4. A) mechanical B) movable C) automatic D) electronic5. A) another B) other C) each other D) one another6. A) line B) lane C) track D) path7. A) space B) locations C) instructions D) time8. A) quickly B) cleverly C) virtually D) safely9. A) bringing B) taking C) sending D) carrying10. A) selects B) completes C) uses D) tests11. A) at least B) at most C) at last D) at best12. A) So B) However C) Besides D) Therefore13. A) count B) amount C) digit D) rate14. A) warn B) suggest C) invite D) check15 unknown B) few C) untested D) limited 第八篇： Why India Needs Its Dying Vultures (B级) The vultures in question may look ugly and threatening, but the sudden sharp __1__in three species of India’s vultures is producing alarm rather than celebration, and it presents the world with a new kind of environmental __2__. The dramatic decline in vulture numbers is causing widespread disruption to people living in the same areas as the __3__. It is also causing serious public health problems __4__ the Indian sub-continent.
While their reputation and appearance may be unpleasant to many Indians，vultures have__5__played a very important role in keeping towns and villages all over India clean. It is__6__they feed on dead cows. In India, cows are sacred animals and are __7__left in the open when they die in their thousands upon thousands every year.
The disappearance of the vultures has __8__ an explosion in the numbers of wild dogs feeding on the remains of these dead animals. There are fears that rabies may__9__ as a result. And this terrifying disease may ultimately affect humans in the region, since wild dogs are its main carriers. Rabies could also spread to other animal species, causing an even greater problem in the __10__.
The need for action is __11__, so an emergency project has been launched to__12__ a solution to this serious vulture problem. Scientists are trying to identify the disease causing the birds’ deaths and, if possible, develop a cure.
Large-scale vulture __13__ were first noticed at the end of the 1980s in India. A population survey at that time showed that the three species of vultures had declined __14__ over 90 per cent. All three species are now listed as “critically endangered”. As most vultures lay only single eggs and __15__ about five years to reach maturity, reversing their population decline will be a long and difficult exercise.
词汇：
vulture n.秃鹰 ultimately adv.最终地
species n.物种，种类 endanger v.危及，濒危
disruption n.破坏，毁坏 maturity n.成熟期
rabies n.狂犬症
注释：
1. The vulture in question: 讨论中的秀鹰（问题)。in question意为“讨论中的，考虑中的”。
2. rather than：而不是。例:Your proposal is positive rather than negative. (你的提议是积极的，而不是消极的。）
3. the Indian sub-continent: 印度次大陆
4. while: 虽然。例:While he has published many papers, he is modest. (虽然他发表了多篇论文，他还是很谦虚。）
5. thousands upon thousands:成千上万的
6. in the open:在户外，在野外
7. as a result:结果
8. listed as “critically endangered”：被列为极度濒危动物
练习：
1. A. decline B. rise C. teeth D. eyes
2. A. benefit B. debate C. problem D. solution
3. A. plants B. birds C. humans D. cows
4. A. over B. with C. through D. across
5. A. sometimes B. long C. suddenly D. hardly
6. A. who B. when C. because D. where
7. A. traditionally B. occasionally C. possibly D. finally
8. A. came from B. adjusted to C. resulted from D. led to
9. A. drop B. increase C. disappear D. change
10. A. future B. past C. villages D. mountains
11. A. recent B. urgent C. frequent D. rare
12. A. neglect B. use C. remove D. find
13. A. cures B. arrivals C. deaths D. journeys
14. A. along B. on C. in D. by
15. A. take B. adopt C. consume D. waste
答案：
1. A. decline B. rise C. teeth D. eyes
2. A. benefit B. debate C. problem D. solution
3. A. plants B. birds C. humans D. cows
4. A. over B. with C. through D. across
5. A. sometimes B. long C. suddenly D. hardly
6. A. who B. when C. because D. where
7. A. traditionally B. occasionally C. possibly D. finally
8. A. came from B. adjusted to C. resulted from D. led to
9. A. drop B. increase C. disappear D. change
10. A. future B. past C. villages D. mountains
11. A. recent B. urgent C. frequent D. rare
12. A. neglect B. use C. remove D. find
13. A. cures B. arrivals C. deaths D. journeys
14. A. along B. on C. in D. by
15. A. take B. adopt C. consume D. waste
题解：
1. A通篇文章都在叙述秃鹰濒临灭种对印度环境的负面影响，而且文章的标题中的“dying vultures”也提供了线索。decline符合上下文的意思，是答案。rise与上下文的意思相反。sharp teeth和sharp eyes是秃鹰的特点，但文章并未提及。
2. C秃鹰濒临灭亡，给环境带来问题。上一句的“alarm rather than celebration”提供了解题的线索，秃鹰瀕临灭亡对我们是一种警告，而不是一件值得庆贺的事。选problem是合适的。至于debate和solution，文章并未涉及。
3. B秃鹰数量的减少对当地居民是一种灾难。此外，对谁也是一种灾难呢？as引出的对象是谁呢? 这个对象不会是humans, plants或cows。答案是birds。
4. D作者原来的用词一定是across the Indian sub-continent(整个印度次大陆），不可能是 over the Indian sub-continent(在印度次大陆上空)，with the Indian sub-continent(与印度次大陆一起)或 through the Indian sub-continent(穿越印度次大陆）。
5. B本段前面的句子描述了秃鹰在保护该地区的环境上作用很大，所以秃鹰不会是时有时无(sometimes)地起作用，或突然地(suddenly)起作用，或几乎不（hardly)起作用。只有选long(长期以来一直)起作用才合乎上下文的意思。
6. C为什么秃鹰会起保护环境的作用呢？本段的下半段说出了其中的原因。牛在印度被视为神物，死后露尸户外，任其腐烂。秃鹰以食牛的尸体为生，同时也清除了污染源，保护了城镇和乡村的环境。这些句子讲的是原因，所以选择because是对的。
7. A文章说每年有成千上万头牛死亡并露尸城镇和乡村。既然是这样，就不会是偶尔(occasionally)或可能(possibly)或最终(finally)露尸在城镇和乡村。露尸户外是印度的传统，所以traditionally是答案。
8. D 本段第一句表达的是因果关系。The disappearance of the vultures 是因，an explosion in the numbers of wild dogs feeding on the remains of these dead animals 是果。四个选项中只有led to (导致)能表达这种因果关系，所以led to是答案。
9. B野狗是狂犬病菌的主要携带者，野狗大量的出现当然会增加狂犬病扩散的危险性，而不是相反。所以选increase是正确的，而drop是increase的反义词，不会是答案。change或disappear都脱离了上下文的意思，所以不是答案。
10. A狂犬病从野狗传到人身上已经非常可怕，如果再传到其他动物身上问题就更严重了。 四个选项中，选future构成词组in the future(在未来)符合上下文的意思。
11. B从后面的“an emergency project has been launched(启动了应急项目）”可以推断出要选的形容词是urgent(紧迫的）。
12. D启动应急项目是为了找到一个解决的办法。neglect a solution, use a solution或remove a solution显然不符合上下文的意思。find是答案。
13. C本段说秃鹰的数量急剧减少，已被列为濒危物种。本题的选项cures(治疗法）、 arrivals(到达）或 journeys(旅程）与本段后面一句 “All three species are now listed as ‘critically endangered’”所表达的意思接不上。选deaths, 全段的意思就连贯了。因此， deaths是答案。
14. D在四个选项中，along, on，in明显不合适。by有“到（某事物）的程度”的意思。“...the three species of vultures had declined by over 90 per cent” 的意思是“三种秀鹰的数量减少了90%以上"。
15. A “花费或用多少时间”英语的常用的表达法是“take... days/months, etc. ”。选take是正确的。其他三个选项都不合适。
第九篇： Wonder Webs (B级) Spider webs are more than homes, and they are ingenious traps. And the world’s best web spinner may be the Goldern Orb Weaver spider. The female Orb Weaver spins a web of fibers thin enough to be invisible to insect prêt, yet ___1___ enough to snare a flying bird without breaking. The secret of the web’s strength? A type of super-resilient ___2___ called dragline. When the female spider is ready to ___3___ the web’s spokes and frame, she uses her legs to draw the airy thread out through a hollow nozzle in her belly. Dragline is not sticky, so the spider can race back and forth along ___4___ to spin the web’s trademark spiral.Unlike some spiders that weave a new web every day, a Golden Orb Weaver ___5___ her handiwork until it falls apart, sometimes not for two years1. The silky thread is five times stronger than steel by weight and absorbs the force of an impact three times better than Kevlar, a high-strength human-made ___6___ used in bullet-proof vests. And thanks to its high tensile strength, or the ability to resist breaking under the pulling force called tension, a single strand can stretch up to 40 percent longer than its original ___7___ and snap back as well as new. No human-made fiber even comes __8__.It is no ___9___ manufacturers are clamoring for spider silk. In the consumer pipeline: high-performance fabrics for athletes and stockings that never run2. Think parachute cords and suspension bridge cables. A steady ___10___ of spider silk would be worth billions of dollars—but how to produce it? Harvesting silk on spider farms does not ___11___ because the territorial arthropods have a tendency to devour their neighbors.Now, scientists at the biotechnology company Nexia are spinning artificial silk modeled after Golden Orb dragline. The __12__ step: extract silk-making genes from the spiders. Next, implant the genes into goat egg cells. The nanny goats that grow from the eggs secrete dragline silk proteins in their ___13___ . “The young goats pass on the silk-making gene without___14___ help from us,” says Nexia president Jeffrey Turner. Nexia is still perfecting the spinning process, but they hope artificial spider silk will soon be snagging customers ___15___ the real thing snags bugs. 练习：1. A) tough B) soft C) large D) smooth2. A) cloth B) silk C) nylon D) wool3. A) repair B) pull C) move D) weave4. A) him B) her C) it D) those5. A) refixes B) reproduces C) remakes D) reuses6. A) metal B) mass C) material D) model7. A) bredth B) length C) height D) strength8. A) close B) well C) open D) awake9. A) hurry B) worry C) wonder D) use10. A) shipment B) supply C) run D) exchange11. A) run B) go C) deal D) work12. A) previous B) foremost C) first D) front13. A) milk B) meat C) lungs D) muscle14. A) no B) any C) some D) many15. A) as fast as B) as gently as C) as fully as D) as little as 答案：1. A) tough B) soft C) large D) smooth2. A) cloth B) silk C) nylon D) wool3. A) repair B) pull C) move D) weave4. A) him B) her C) it D) those5. A) refixes B) reproduces C) remakes D) reuses6. A) metal B) mass C) material D) model7. A) bredth B) length C) height D) strength8. A) close B) well C) open D) awake9. A) hurry B) worry C) wonder D) use10. A) shipment B) supply C) run D) exchange11. A) run B) go C) deal D) work12. A) previous B) foremost C) first D) front13. A) milk B) meat C) lungs D) muscle14. A) no B) any C) some D) many15. A) as fast as B) as gently as C) as fully as D) as little as 第十篇： Chicken Soup for the Soul：Comfort Food Fights Loneliness（B级） Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, may be bad for your arteries, 1 according to a study in Psychological Science, they’re good for your heart and 2 ．The study focuses on “comfort food” and how it makes people feel． "For me 3 ,food has always played a big role in my family,” says Jordan Troisi, a graduate student at the University of Buffalo, and lead author on the study. The study came out of the research program of his co—author Shira Gabriel. It has 4 non-human things that may affect human emotions．Some people reduce loneliness by bonding with their 5 TV show, building virtual relationships with a pop song singer or looking at pictures of loved ones．Troisi and Gabriel wondered if comfort food could have the same effect 6 making people think of their nearest and dearest. In one experiment, in order to make 7 feel lonely, the researchers had them write for six minutes about a fight with someone close to them．Others were given an emotionally neutral writing assignment. Then, some people in each 8 wrote about the experience of eating a comfort food and others wrote about eating a new food． 9 ,the researchers had participants 10 questions about their levels of loneliness．Writing about a fight with a close person made people feel lonely．But people who were generally 11 in their relationships would feel less lonely by writing about a comfort food．"We have found that comfort foods are consistently associated with those close to us．"says Troisi．"Thinking about or consuming these foods later then serves as a reminder of those close others．"In 12 essays on comfort food, many people wrote about the 13 of eating food with family and friends. In another experiment, 14 chicken soup in the lab made people think more about relationships, but only if they considered chicken soup to be a comfort food．This was a question they had been asked long before the experiment, along with many other questions, so they wouldn’t remember it. Throughout everyone’s daily lives they experience stress, often associated with our 15 with others," Troisi says．"Comfort food Can be an easy remedy for loneliness． 词汇：mashed /mæʃt/ adj．被捣成糊浆的macaroni/ macaroni/ n．通心粉cheese / tʃi:z / n．奶酪artery/ artery / n．动脉assignment / ə'sainmənt / n．指定作业reminder / reminder/ n．起提醒作用的东西remedy /remedy/ n．治疗方法，药物virtual/'və:tʃuəl/ adj．虚拟的 注释：1.comfort food：爽心食品2. graduate student：研究生3. The University of Buffalo：布法罗大学，建校于1846 年，位于水牛城（ Buffalo City) ，属于纽约州立大学，因此称为纽约州立大学水牛城分校。4. lead author：首席作者5. their nearest and dearest：他们最接近和最亲爱的人6. levels of loneliness：孤独程度7. only if: 只有（在……情况下）8. Throughout everyone's daily lives：在每一个人的日常生活中。through 有“贯穿”的意思。 练习：1. A but B if C though D while2. A personality B movement C emotions D will3. A privately B usefully C awfully D personally4. A looked for B looked at C looked after D looked up5. A favorite B trustful C boring D annoying6. A with B on C by D at7. A professors B participants C assistants D scientists8. A group B class C section D part9. A Previously B Formally C Initially D Finally10.A remember B explain C rewrite D complete11.A sad B secure C shy D angry12.A your B our C his D their13.A accident B harm C experience D model14.A eating B exchanging C buying D keepingl 5.A expressions B estimation C cooperation D connections 答案：1. A but B if C though D while2. A personality B movement C emotions D will3. A privately B usefully C awfully D personally4. A looked for B looked at C looked after D looked up5. A favorite B trustful C boring D annoying6. A with B on C by D at7. A professors B participants C assistants D scientists8. A group B class C section D part9. A Previously B Formally C Initially D Finally10.A remember B explain C rewrite D complete11.A sad B secure C shy D angry12.A your B our C his D their13.A accident B harm C experience D model14.A eating B exchanging C buying D keepingl 5.A expressions B estimation C cooperation D connections 题解：l. A本句前半句说土豆泥、通心粉等对血管有害（ bad) ，后半句说这些食物对心脏有利(good) 。很明显，前半句与后半句意思相反，所以要选转折连接词but加以连接。2. C 根据常识判断，吃土豆泥不会对personality （性格） .movement （移动）或will （意志力）产生有利影响。随后的文章，多处提到吃爽心食品（ favorite food ）有助于排解孤独感。所以选emotions 是正确的。3.D本题的答案是personally0 For me personally （就我个人而言）与下文的意思很连贯。privately （私下地）、usefully （有用地）或awfully （可怕地）与下文的意思搭不上，所以不会是答案。4. B 本题的答案是looked at0。“looked at non-human things” 相当于“studied （研究） nonhuman things”，与上下文的意思很匹配。looked for（寻找）、looked after （照顾）和looked up（查找）与下文的意思搭配不上。5.A本句的意思是：人们为了排解孤独感，常常把自己和电视剧、流行歌曲歌手等等联系起来。选项中有四个形容词，应该选哪一个形容词去修饰TV shows 呢？应该选褒义的形容词： favorite （喜爱的）或trustful ( 可信任的）。但对电视剧来说谈不上信任的问题。favorite最合理，是本题答案。6. C 上一句说到，人们为了排解孤独感，常常把自己和喜爱的电视剧、流行歌曲歌手等等联系起来。于是Troisi 和Gabriel 想，通过吃爽心食品让他们想起亲近的人，是不是也能产生同样的排解孤独感的效果呢？四个介词中只有by的词义是“通过”。其余三个介词在含义上都不合适。7.B 选professors（教授）、assistants（助手）或scientists（科学家）不合常理，科学家选实验对象时不会选他们。participants ( 参与者）是本题的答案。8.A本题应该选group，指每一组的参与者。用class （班级）, section （部门）或part （部分）在意义上显然都不合适。9. D 本段叙述试验的几个步骤。第一步要一部分受试者描写与亲人的争斗，其他受试者写情感上中性的话题。第二步（文中用then 加以连接）将上述两组受试者中的每一组再一分为二，一些人描写吃爽心食品的经历，另一些人描写吃新食品的经历。接下来应该是第三步了。从四个选项中寻找，只有Finally 最合适，原来第三步就是最后一步了。1O.D 实验的最后一步是受试者被要求书面回答10个问题。complete 是答案。要求他们remember（记住）、delete （删除）或rewrite （重写） questions 都不合乎逻辑。11. B 与亲近的人争吵会引发孤独感，但是，一般说来，人们的关系若是通常处于什么状态，通过写出他们吃爽心食物的经历会降低他们的孤独感呢？一定不会是sad、shy或angry ，答案应该是secure （稳定的）。12.D 修饰essays 的所有格代词在人称与数上要与they 一致，所以their 是答案。13. C “eating food with family and friends” 是一种experience （经历），不会是一个accident （事故）、harm （危害）或model （样式）。很明显， experience 是本题的答案。14.A 文章中几次提到吃爽心食物有助于缓解孤独感。所以本题选eating 是很自然的。其他三个选项， exchanging （交换）、buying （买）或keeping （保留）若填入句子中，与后面的宾语chicken soup in the lab 连用，意思上说不通。15.D 本题的答案是connections。其他三个选项在意思上都不合适。 致力于一级建造师、二级建造师、造价工程师、职称英语、中级经济师等培训；需要视频课程、 绝密押题请联系 旺旺：孙老师100； QQ：1446444562 第十一篇： Climate Change Poses Major Risks for Unprepared Cities（A级） A new examination of urban policies has been 1 recently by Patricia Romero Lanka. She is a sociologist specializing in climate change and 2 development．She warns that many of the world’s fast-growing urban areas, especially in developing countries, will likely suffer from the impacts of changing climate. Her work also concludes that most cities are failing to 3 emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse 4 ．These gases are known to affect the atmosphere．“Climate change is a deeply local issue and poses profound threats to the growing cities of the world,” says Romero Lankao.“But too few cities are developing effective strategies to 5 their residents." Cities are 6 sources of greenhouse gases．And urban populations are likely to be among those most severely affected by future climate change. Lankao’s findings highlight ways in which city-residents are particularly vulnerable, and suggest policy interventions that could offer immediate and longer-term 7 ． The locations and dense construction patterns of cities often place their populations at greater risk for natural disasters. Potential 8 associated with climate include storm surges and prolonged hot weather. Storm surges can flood coastal areas and prolonged hot weather can heat 9 paved cities more than surrounding areas. The impacts of such natural events can be more serious in an urban environment．For example，a prolonged heat wave can increase existing levels of air pollution, causing widespread health problems. Poorer neighborhoods that may 10 basic facilities such as drinking water or a dependable network of roads，are especially vulnerable to natural disasters．Many residents in poorer countries live in substandard housing 11 access to reliable drinking water，roads and basic services. Local governments, 12 , should take measures to protect their residents.“Unfortunately，they tend to move towards rhetoric 13 meaningful responses, Romero Lankao writes, “They don’t impose construction standards that could reduce heating and air conditioning needs. They don't emphasize mass transit and reduce 14 use. In fact, many local governments are taking a hands—off approach.” Thus, she urges them to change their 15 policies and to take strong steps to prevent the harmful effects of climate change on cities. 词汇：vulnerable / 'vʌlnərəbl / adj ．易受伤害的infrastructure / 'infrə,strʌktʃə / n ．基础设施sociologist /,səusi'ɔlədʒist /n．社会学家substandard / ,sʌb'stændəd / adj．标准以下的dioxide / dai'ɔksaid / ．二氧化物floodplain /'flʌdplein / n ．泛滥平原 注释：1. likely：很可能，或许。在本句中用作副词。2. be likely to：很可能。likely 在本句中是形容词，用作表语。3. findings：调查结果4. storm surges：风暴潮5. paved cities：铺上沥青路面的城市6. spring up：涌现7. rhetoric . . . responses：修辞反应。这个词的意思是：（地方政府）话讲得很漂亮，但内容空洞。8. a hands-off approach：一种不插手的政策 练习：
1．A carry along B carried away C carried out D carried back 2．A economic B industrial C rural D urban 3．A reduce B increase C study D measure4．A crops B gases C fruits D plants 5．A educate B evaluate C protect D identify 6．A doubtful B possible C repeatable D major 7．A uses B chances C cures D benefits 8．A threats B interests C functions D differences 9．A locally B heavily C suddenly D mildly
l0．A provide B improve C lack D update11．A without B with C in D on12．A moreover B therefore C however D though13．A other than B more than C less than D rather than14．A train B automobile C bus D bike15．A idle B smart C busy D secure 答案：
1．A carry along B carried away C carried out D carried back 2．A economic B industrial C rural D urban 3．A reduce B increase C study D measure4．A crops B gases C fruits D plants 5．A educate B evaluate C protect D identify 6．A doubtful B possible C repeatable D major 7．A uses B chances C cures D benefits 8．A threats B interests C functions D differences 9．A locally B heavily C suddenly D mildly
l0．A provide B improve C lack D update11．A without B with C in D on12．A moreover B therefore C however D though13．A other than B more than C less than D rather than14．A train B automobile C bus D bike15．A idle B smart C busy D secure 第十二篇： Free Statins With Fast Food Could Neutralize Heart Risk （A级） Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs free of 1 so that customers can reduce the heart disease dangers of fatty food, researchers at Imperial College London 2 in a new study． Statins reduce the 3 of unhealthy“LDL” cholesterol in the blood. A wealth of trial data has proven them to be highly effective at lowering a person’s heart attack 4 . In a paper published in the American Journal of Cardiology，Dr Darrel Francis and colleagues calculate that the reduction in heart attack risk offered by a statin is 5 to offset the increase in heart attack risk from 6 a cheeseburger and drinking a milkshake． Dr Francis，from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London，who is the senior author of the study, said:“Statins don’t cut out all of the 7 effects of cheeseburgers and French fries．It’s better to avoid fatty food altogether．But we’ve worked out that in terms of your 8 of having a heart attack，taking a statin can reduce your risk to more or less the same 9 as a fast food meal increases it.” “It’s ironic that people are free to take as many unhealthy condiments in fast food outlets as they 10 , but statins, which are beneficial to heart health, have to be prescribed. It makes sense to make risk-reducing statins available just as easily as the unhealthy condiments that are 11 free of charge．It would cost less than 5 pence per 12 —not much different to a sachet of sugar.” Dr Francis said． When people engage in risky behaviours like driving or smoking, they’re encouraged to take 13 that lower their risk, 1ike 14 a seatbelt or choosing cigarettes with filters. Taking a statin is a rational way of 15 some of the risks of eating a fatty meal．
词汇：statin/'stæ tIn! n．降胆固醇药物outlet/'autlit/ n．销售点cholesterol/ kə'lestərɔl / n．胆固醇offset /,ɔf'set/ V. 抵消，补偿cheeseburger/ 'tʃi:z,bə:ɡə / n．芝士汉堡包milkshake! 'milkʃeik / n．奶昔condiment /'kɔndimənt]! n ．调味品sachet /'sætʃei / ii ．小袋，小包rational / 'ræʃənəl / adj．合理的 注释：1. Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs: 句中的could 是一种委婉表达建议的用词，意为“可以”。2. Imperial College London: 帝国理工学院。该学院于1907 年由城市和行会学校、皇家矿业学校以及皇家科学学院合并组成。学院于2007 年7月正式脱离伦敦大学成为一所独立大学。提供本科和研究生教育，共有四个学院，工程学院、医学院、自然科学院和生命科学院3. LDL cholesterol: 低密度脂蛋白胆固醇。LDL是low density lipoprotein（低密度脂蛋白）的缩写形式。4. a wealth of trial data: 大量的试验数据。a wealth of意为“大量的，许多”。5. American Journal of Cardiology: 美国心脏病学杂志6. French fries:炸薯条7.It makes sense...: make sense 意为“说得通，合情合理”。8. a sachet of sugar: 一小袋糖。快餐店一般备有袋糖，供饮咖啡或热奶的顾客免费取用。
练习：1．A change B charge C chain D chance2．A trust B decide C suggest D calculate3．A number B amount C volume D product4．A frequency B treatment C diagnosis D risk5．A severe B enough C weak D active6．A buying B preparing C eating D cooking7．A unhealthy B strong C different D doubtful8．A examination B suffering C determination D possibility9．A degree B dimension C angle D range10．A use B hate C reject D like11．A transported B provided C preserved D convened12．A cook B patient C customer D visitor13．A measures B care C advantages D turns14．A buying B wearing C cleaning D changing15．A increasing B finding C lowering D taking 答案：1．A change B charge C chain D chance2．A trust B decide C suggest D calculate3．A number B amount C volume D product4．A frequency B treatment C diagnosis D risk5．A severe B enough C weak D active6．A buying B preparing C eating D cooking7．A unhealthy B strong C different D doubtful8．A examination B suffering C determination D possibility9．A degree B dimension C angle D range10．A use B hate C reject D like11．A transported B provided C preserved D convened12．A cook B patient C customer D visitor13．A measures B care C advantages D turns14．A buying B wearing C cleaning D changing15．A increasing B finding C lowering D taking 题解：1. B本文介绍说，吃汉堡包等快餐食品容易引发心脏病，而服用statin能降低心脏病发作的风险，一正一负正好抵消。statin 价格便宜，文章建议快餐店像免费供应调味品那样免费供应statin0 free of charge 是固定搭配，意为“免费”。选择charge 是对的。2. C 本题要选suggest ，因为其他三个选项在意思上都不合适。此外，本句主句的谓语动词用了could (provide) ，委婉地含有“建议”的意思。所以suggest 是个不二的选择。3.B 与降低unhealthy "LDL" cholesterol 搭配的一定是amount（量），而不可能是number（数字）、volume（体积）或product （乘积）。4.D从上下文判断，要降低（lower）的当然是risk。lower frequency（降低频率）、lowertreatment（降低治疗）或lower diagnosis （降低诊断）与上下文的意思都不匹配。5. B 本句表达的意思是：Dr Darrel Francis 在他的论文中说，经过计算，一粒statin 降低心脏病发作的风险足以抵消吃一个奶酪汉堡包和喝一杯奶昔所增加的患心脏病的风险。所以本题的答案是enough。6. C 顾客不可能在快餐店里preparing cheeseburger 或cooking cheeseburger，而buyingcheeseburger不会增加心脏病风险。所以，只有eating cheeseburger 才合乎上下文的意思。7.A从上下文判断，被cut out（去除）的effects一定是unhealthy effects，所以，unhealthy是本题的答案。8.D本句中的in terms of 意为“就……而言”，要与后半句“一正一负相互抵消”的意思相匹配，所以只能是“就患心脏病的可能性而言”。possibility 是答案。9. A本句的意思与第五题的意思相同，即statin降低心脏病发作的风险与快餐增加的心脏病的风险在程度（degree）上大致相当。如果选择其他三个选项，意思变成了，“尺寸(dimension）上、角度（angle）上或范围（range）上大致相当”，就说不通了。1O.D 填词所在的句子的意思告诉我们，具有讽刺意味的一点是：顾客可以随心所欲地免费享用不健康的调味品。as one likes 是固定用法，意为“随某人所愿，随某人所喜欢”。所以，like 是答案。其余三个选项用在本句中都不合适。11.B transported （运输）、preserved （保存）或converted （转换）填人句子中，意思都不顺。只有填入provided （提供）符合句意。provided 是答案。12.C 到快餐店去就餐的人当然是customer。13.A 为了降低开车和吸烟的风险，人们被鼓励要采取一些安全措施。作者借此说明为了降低食用快餐的风险，我们也要采取措施。根据这层意思，选择measures是正确的。Take measure的意思是“采取措施”。其他三个选项都不合适：take care是“注意，小心”，take advantage 是“利用”，take turns 是“轮流，依次”。14.B 本题很明显要选wearing，因为上下文的意思是“系上安全带”。buying a seatbelt,cleaning a seatbelt和changing a seatbelt都与上下文的意思相去太远。15. C通篇文章都在阐述statin能降低患心脏病的风险。所以，lowering（降低）是答案。 第十三篇： Better Solar Energy Systems：More Heat, More Light (A级) Solar photovoltaic thermal energy systems or PVTs, generate both heat and electricity, but 1 now they haven't been very good at the heat-generating part compared to a stand-alone solar thermal collector. That's because they operate at low temperatures to cool crystalline silicon solar cells, which lets the silicon generate more 2 but isn't a very efficient way to gather heat. That's a problem of 3 . Good solar hot-water systems can harvest much more energy than a solar-electric system at a substantially lower 4 . And it's also a space problem: photovoltaic cells can take up all the space on the roof, leaving little rooms for thermal applications. In a pair of studies, Joshua Pearce, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, has devised a 5 in the form of a better PVT made with a different kind of silicon. His research collaborators are Kunal Girotra from ThinSilicon in California and Michael Pathak and Stephen Harrison from Queen's University, Canada. Most solar panels are made with crystalline silicon, but you can also make solar cells out of amorphous silicon, 6 known as thin-film silicon, They don't create as much electricity, but they are lighter, flexible , and cheaper: And , because they 7 much less silicon, they have a greener footprint. Unfortunately, thin-film silicon solar cells are 8 to some bad-news physics in the form of the Staebler-Wronski effect. "That means that their efficiency 9 when you expose them to light - pretty much the worst possible effect for a solar cell," Pearce explains, which is one ofthe 10 thin-film solar panels make up only small fraction of the market. However, Pearce and his team found a way to engineer around the Stacbler-Wronski effect by incorporating thin-film silicon in a new 11 of PVT. You don't have to cool down thin-film silicon to make it work. In fact, Pearce's group discovered that by beating it to solar-thermal operating temperatures, near the boiling 12 of water, they could make thicker cells that largely 13 the Staebler-Wronski effect. When they applied the thin-film silicon directly to a solar thermal energy 14 , they also found that by baking the cell once a day, they 15 the solar cell's electrical efficiency by over 10 percent. 词汇：photovoltaic n. 光电的 silicon n. 硅thermal adj. 热的，热量的 amorphous adj. 非晶形的crystalline adj. 晶体的 footprint n. 足迹 注释：1.solar photovoltaic thermal energy systems ：太阳能光伏热能系统2.they ：指代solar photovoltaic thermal energy systems.3.stand-alone ：单机的4.crystalline silicon solar cells ：晶体硅太阳能电池5.whih：指前半句中的to cool crystalline silicon solar cells 这件事6.room：空间7.solar panels：太阳能电池板8.amorphous silicon ：非晶硅9.thin-film silicon ：薄膜硅10. Staebler-Wronski Erfect：SWE效应. 在光的照射下. 非晶硅氢的导电性短时间内显著衰退，这种特性被称为SWE 效应。11. pretty much ：几乎12. the worst possible effect ：最可能坏的效应13. engineer around ：精心地设计以克服或绕过14. solar-thermal operating temperatures ：太阳热能操作温度 练习：1. A unless B when C if D until2. A electricity B magnetism C ultraviolet D radioactivity3. A dynamics B geology C economics D biology4. A reward B cost C bill D pay5. A decision B solution C suggestion D qualification6. A roughly B probably C commonly D specially7. A retrieve B merge C exchange D require8. A vulnerable B necessary C important D renewable9. A works B counts C rises D drops10. A restrictions B advances C reasons D strengths11. A size B shape C type D brand12. A area B point C place D extent13. A overcame B promoted C improved D postponed14. A transformer B adaptor C transmitter D collector15. A boosted B defined C wasted D lower 答案：1. A unless B when C if D until2. A electricity B magnetism C ultraviolet D radioactivity3. A dynamics B geology C economics D biology4. A reward B cost C bill D pay5. A decision B solution C suggestion D qualification6. A roughly B probably C commonly D specially7. A retrieve B merge C exchange D require8. A vulnerable B necessary C important D renewable9. A works B counts C rises D drops10. A restrictions B advances C reasons D strengths11. A size B shape C type D brand12. A area B point C place D extent13. A overcame B promoted C improved D postponed14. A transformer B adaptor C transmitter D collector15. A boosted B defined C wasted D lower 题解： 1.D 文章介绍最近科学家已经完善了太阳能光伏热能系统,现在新型的太阳能系统能将太阳能转换为更多的电能和热能。第一段说明以往晶体硅太阳能电池在收集热能方面效率很低。四个选项中，只有选用until 才符合上下文的意思。“…until now they ( 太阳能光伏热能系统）haven't been very good at the heat-generating part compared to a stand-alone solar thermal collector.该句意为：与太阳热能单机集热器相比直到现在，传统太阳能光伏热能系统在转换热能方面效率一直不是很高。 2. A 本句说明了以往的太阳能光伏热能系统在转换热能方面效率低的原因, “to cool crystalline silicon solar cells( 冷却晶体硅太阳能电池) ” 能产生更多的电能，但不利于收集热能。electricity 是答案。 3. C 从上一段和本段的意思判断，收集热能效率低下不会是一个动力学(dynamics）问题，地质( geology) 问题或生物学( biology ) 问题。它是一个经济上的问题。答案是economics.4. B 本句说，good solar hot-water systems 在收获能量方面比solar-electric system 要好得多。从经济学的角度上分析，成本就降低了。所以，选cost 是对的。其他选项reward ，bill和pay均不符合句意. 5. B 上一段说光伏电池系统有两个问题. 即经济问题和空间问题。Joshua Pearce 采用另外一种硅制造PVT来解决上述问题。通过上述分析可以看出，他寻求的是一种解决问题的办法( solution ) ，而不是一个决定( decision) 、一个建议( suggestion ) 或一种资格( qualification）。 6.C amorphous silicon ( 非晶硅) 即为thin-fi1m silicon ( 薄膜硅) 。选择roughly/probably/wrongly ( known as thin-film silicon ) 表达的意思都不合逻辑。选commonly才合理。“amorphous silicon，commonly known as thin-film silicon”意为“非晶硅，通常被称为薄膜硅。 7. D 新型的太阳能电池采用薄膜硅制造，电能的转换量虽然不如晶体硅太阳能池，但薄膜硅太阳能电池用硅量小，比较环保。本题应选用require ，理由是：require much less silicon 与上下文的意思很连贯，而retrieve much less silicon ( 提取少得多的硅) merge much less silicon ( 混合少得多的硅) 或exchange much less silicon ( 交换少得多的硅) 都讲不通，意思离题太远。 8.A bad-news physics 是解题的关键词。既然是bad-news physics，所连用的形容词应该是负面意义的词。四个选项中只有vulnerable ( 易受攻击的) 符合这个条件， 所以是答案。 9.D 本段第一句说明vulnerable 的具体情况。既然是vulnerable ，efficiency 一定是drops，不会是rises。efficiency works(效率起作用)或efficiency counts（效率有重要意义)都离题太远。 10. C 薄膜硅太阳能电池效能低下，这是因。导致该产品市场占有份额很小，这是果。 选reasons 为答案很合理。 11. C 为了克服SWE. 效应Pearce 和他的团队悉心改进光伏太阳热能系统的结构。作者要写的应该是a new type of PVT( 一种新型PVT) ，不会是a new shape/size/brand PVT( 一种新形状的/新尺寸的/新品牌的PVT)。 12. B 从上下文判断，答案应该是point。将thin-film silicon 加热到solar-thermal operating temperatures 就是加热到near the boiling point of water ( 临近水的沸点) 。其他选项area，place 和extent 均不切题. 13. 从上下文判断，采用加热thin-film silicon 的方法，就能消除SWE 效应。四个选项中只有overcame 表达了这层意思。 14.D 答案是collector，因为solar thermal energy collector( 太阳能集热器) 与上下文的意思接得上，意为“当把薄膜硅直接应用于太阳能集热器时” 其他选项均与上下文不符。 15.A 文章最后一段介绍研究人员克服SWE 效应，提高了将太阳能转换为电能的效率。 所以，将最后一句的“by 10 percent”理解为“提高”而不是“降低”10%才合乎逻辑。答案是boosted。 第十四篇： Sharks Perform a Service for Earth's Waters（A级） It is hard to get people to think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy. They are thought to 1 people frequently. But these fish2 perform a 2 service for earth's waters and for human beings. Yet business and sport fishing3 are threatening their 3 Some sharks are at risk of disappearing from 4 . Warm weather may influence both fish and shark activity. Many fish swim near coastal areas 5 their warm waters. Experts say sharks may follow the fish into the same areas, 6 people also swim. In fact, most sharks do not purposely charge at or bite humans. They are thought to mistake a person 7 a sea animal, such as a seal or sea lion. That is why people should not swim in the ocean when the sun goes down or comes up. Those are the 8 when sharks are looking for food. Experts also say that bright colors and shiny jewelry may cause sharks to attack. A shark has an extremely good sense of smell4' It can find small amounts of substances in water, such as blood, body liquids and 9 produced by animals. These powerful 10 help sharks fred their food. Sharks eat fish, any 11 sharks, and plants that live in the ocean. Medical researchers want to learn more about the shark's body defense, and immune 12 against disease. Researchers know that sharks 13 quickly from injuries. They study the shark in hopes of finding a way to fight human disease. Sharks are important for the world's 14 They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too 15 This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans. 词汇:purposely adv.故意地，蓄意地 immune adj.免疫的charge v.（向……）冲（过去） jewelry n.珠宝seal n. 海豹 注释：1．It is hard to get people tO think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy：要让人们相信鲨鱼不是(人类的)死敌不是一件容易的事。anything but意为“决不，远非”，如：His performance in London is anything but a success．(她在伦敦的演出完全不成功。)2．these fish：这些鱼(指鲨鱼)。fish单复数同形，如：0ne fish，two fish，many fish(见第二段第一句)。3．sport fishin9：捕鱼运动。4．sense of smell：嗅觉 练习:1. A attack B meet C love D visit2. A terrible B eatable C valuable D possible3. A source B existence C friends D fish4. A Space B Sky C Land D Earth5. A because B since C because of D by reason that6. A whose B which C that D where7. A to B for C like D with8. A times B places C seas D oceans9. A sciences B mathematics C chemicals D physics10. A feelings B senses C touches D tastes11. A those B these C another D other12. A systems B processes C ideas D circles13. A recover B reform C return D rely14. A rivers B oceans C forests D mountains15. A weak B little C few D great 答案:1. A attack B meet C love D visit2. A terrible B eatable C valuable D possible3. A source B existence C friends D fish4. A Space B Sky C Land D Earth5. A because B since C because of D by reason that6. A whose B which C that D where7. A to B for C like D with8. A times B places C seas D oceans9. A sciences B mathematics C chemicals D physics10. A feelings B senses C touches D tastes11. A those B these C another D other12. A systems B processes C ideas D circles13. A recover B reform C return D rely14. A rivers B oceans C forests D mountains15. A weak B little C few D great 题解：1．A本题应选择attack，因为第一句说到：人们认为鲨鱼是a deadly enemy，也就是说鲨鱼会对人类造成伤害。第二句是对deadly enemy的具体说明。其他的三个选项meet，love，visit都不合适，love与上下文意思相反，meet和visit与上下文意思不符。2．C空格2所在的句子由but连接，所以该句子表达的意思一定与第二句相反。第二句对鲨鱼的评价是负面的，填入空格2的词应该是正面的。四个选项中只有valuable符合这一条件，所以是答案。3．B第三句说到鲨鱼有益于“waters and human beings”，第五句又说到鲨鱼濒临灭绝的危险。根据上下文的意思，threatening(威胁)到它们的应该是existence(生存)。其他的三个选项source，friends，fish都不合适，与上下文意思没有联系。4．D如果鲨鱼消失，从什么地方消失呢?当然从earth(地球)上消失。从space(宇宙空间)、sky(天空)中消失，或从land(陆地)上消失，都有悖常理。5．C四个选项的意思都是“因为“，但是从用法上分析，because、since和by reason that之后要接句子，because of之后接名词或名词短语。their warm waters是名词短语，所以要选用because of。6．D“…people also swim”明显是定语从句，其先行词是表示地点的名词area，所以要选关系副词where．。7．B从上下文判断，本句的意思是：鲨鱼将人错认为是海洋动物。而“将……错认为是”的英语表达是mistake…for，所以本题的答案是选项B。8．A本段的意思是：鲨鱼并非故意袭击人类。人们认为，由于鲨鱼将人错认为是海狮等海洋动物，在饥饿时才袭击人类。日出和日落时，正是鲨鱼饥肠辘辘的时候，人们不应该出海游泳。空格8填入的词应该与时间有关，所以times是答案，而与地点有关的选项(places seas和oceans)与上下文意思脱节。9．C本段第一、二句是说，鲨鱼的嗅觉特别灵敏，能嗅到海水中存在的极为微量的气味。作者举了三个物质：血、体液和化学品。空格9要填入表示物质的名词。四个选项中惟一表达物质的词是chemicals(化学品)。所以chemicals是答案，而其它三个选项与学科有关，脱离了上下文的意思，不是本题的答案。10．B在第一、二句意思的基础上，作者进一步说明，灵敏的嗅觉有助于鲨鱼找到食物。所以本题的答案是选项D的senses，因为feelings，touches和tastes都与smells无关。11．D 本句的中心词是复数的sharks，another所修饰的名词一般是单数，所以不会是答案。these和those是表特指的代词，指代前面出现过的名词。由于前面没有先行词，所以也不可能是答案。剩下的other是答案，any other sharks的说法也合乎英语的用法。12．A从上下文判断，医学研究人员想要更多了解的是“身体抗病system(系统)”，不会是“身体抗病idea(思想)”、“身体抗病工作(work)”或“身体抗病circle(周期)”。13．A本段最后一句的意思是：医学研究人员研究鲨鱼的目的是为了找到一种人类抗病的方法。所以空格l3所在句子的意思应该是recover(quickly from injuries)。科学家想要探索的应该是有关受伤鲨鱼recover quickly from injuries的秘密，而reform(改造)、return(回归)和rely(依靠)只是与答案recover词形上有点相似而已，其意思与上下文的意思风马牛不相及。14．B 从上下文判断，鲨鱼的存在能使0ceans得益。鲨鱼不生活在rivers、forests或mountains中，所以，这三个选项不会是答案。15．D本段的其余三句都是说明为什么鲨鱼有益于海洋。它们吃海洋动物，结果使得海洋中的动物数量不会过多。weak、little、few都与上面表达的意思相反，所以，只有great是答案。
第十五篇: “Liquefaction” Key to Much of Japanese Earthquake Damage(A级)
The massive subduction zone1 earthquake in Japan caused a significant level of soil "liquefaction"2 that has surprised researchers with its 1 severity, a new analysis shows.
"We've seen localized3 examples of soil liquefaction as extreme as this before, but the distance and 2 of damage in Japan were unusually severe," said Scott Ashford, a professor of geotechnical engineering4 at Oregon State University5. "Entire structures were tilted and sinking into the sediments," Ashford said. "The shifts in soil destroyed water, drain and gas pipelines6, crippling the utilities and infrastructure these communities need to 3 . We saw some places that sank as much as four feet."
Some degree of soil liquefaction7 is common in almost any major earthquake. It's a phenomenon in which soils soaked with water, particularly recent sediments or sand, can lose much of their 4 and flow during an earthquake. This can allow structures to shift or sink or 5 .
But most earthquakes are much 6 than the recent event in Japan, Ashford said. The length of the Japanese earthquake, as much as five minutes, may force researchers to reconsider the extent of liquefaction damage possibly occurring in situations such as this8.
"With such a long-lasting earthquake, we saw 7 structures that might have been okay after 30 seconds just continued to sink and tilt as the shaking continued for several more minutes," he said. "And it was clear that younger sediments, and especially areas built on 8 filled ground, are much more vulnerable."
The data provided by analyzing the Japanese earthquake, researchers said, should make it possible to improve the understanding of this soil 9 and better prepare for it in the future. Ashford said it was critical for the team to collect the information quickly, 10 damage was removed in the recovery efforts9.
"There's no doubt that we'll learn things from what happened in Japan10 that11 will help us to reduce risks in other similar 11 ," Ashford said. "Future construction in some places may make more use of techniques known to reduce liquefaction, such as better compaction to make soils dense, or use of reinforcing stone columns."
Ashford pointed out that northern California have younger soils vulnerable to liquefaction ---on the coast, near river deposits or in areas with filled ground. The "young" sediments, in geologic terms, may be those 12 within the past 10,000 years or more. In Oregon, for instance, that describes much of downtown Portland, the Portland International Airport and other cities.
Anything 13 a river and old flood plains is a suspect12, and the Oregon Department of Transportation has already concluded that 1,100 bridges in the state are at risk from an earthquake. Fewer than 15 percent of them have been reinforced to 14 collapse. Japan has suffered tremendous losses in the March 11 earthquake, but Japanese construction 15 helped prevent many buildings from collapse ---even as they tilted and sank into the ground.
词汇：
subduction /sʌb'dʌkʃən/ n．俯冲 sediment /'sedimənt/ n．沉积；沉淀物
liquefaction /likwi'fækʃən/ n．液化 infrastructure /'Infrə,strʌktʃə/ n．基础设施
geotecnical /dʒiəu'teknikəl] adj．岩土技术compaction /kəm'pækʃən/ n．压紧的
vulnerable /'vʌlnərəbl/ ad]．易受伤害的
注释：
1. subduction zone：俯冲带。亦称下降带、潜没带、消亡带。板块构造说认为，当大洋板块移动并与大陆板块相遇时，由于大洋板块岩石密度较大，地位也低，便俯冲到大陆板块之下，这一俯冲部分叫做俯冲带。俯冲带两侧板块会聚边界称会聚边缘（convergent boundary)。俯冲带上面反映震源活动的地带称“贝尼奥夫地震带（Benioff seismic zone)"。
2. soil "liquefaction"：土壤液化。土壤液化现象是指由于孔隙水压力上升，有效应力减小所导致的土壤从固态到液态的变化，饱水的疏松的粉、细砂土在振动作用下突然破坏而呈现液
态的现象。
3. localized：小范围的
4. geotechnical engineering：岩土工程。
5. Oregon State University：俄勒冈州立大学，建校于1858年，位于美国俄勒冈州科瓦利斯，全校设11个学院，80多个专业，尤以农科和工程最为突出。2008年俄勒冈州立大学的核能工程专业在全美大学中排名第9名。
6. water, drain and gas pipelines：自来水管道、排水管道和煤气管道。"water, drain and gaspipelines” 即“water pipelines, drain pipelines and gas pipelines"。
7. some degree of soil liquefaction：某种程度的土壤液化
8. to reconsider the extent of liquefaction damage possibly occurring in situations such as this：本句的意思是：重新审视类似这次（持续时间长的）地震中因土壤液化而可能造成的毁坏的规模。
9. recovery efforts：重建工作
10. that we'll learn things from what happened in Japan：我们将从日本的地震中学到很多东西。该句是同位语从句，说出前半句no doubt的内容。
11. that：that引导的是定语从句，修辞前半句中的things。
12.suspect：被怀疑对象。文中指的是那些疑似危险的土壤。
练习：
1.A．internal B. different C. difficult D. widespread
2.A．volume B. length C. extent D. width
3.A．function B. repair C. build D. remove
4.A．durability B. strength C. ability D. property
5.A．ascend B. compact C. collapse D. recover
6.A．shorter B. longer C. simpler D. stranger
7.A．when B. what C. how D. which
8.A．occasionally B. frequently C. specially D. recently
9.A．development B. phenomenon C. formation D. composition
10.A．unless B. until C. after D. before
11.A．findings B. locations C. events D. sources
12.A．delivered B. deposited C. destroyed D. detached
13.A．near B. from C. inside D. over
14.A．prevent B. accelerate C. predict D. detect
15.A．styles B. sites C. costs D. standards
答案：
1.A．internal B. different C. difficult D. widespread
2.A．volume B. length C. extent D. width
3.A．function B. repair C. build D. remove
4.A．durability B. strength C. ability D. property
5.A．ascend B. compact C. collapse D. recover
6.A．shorter B. longer C. simpler D. stranger
7.A．when B. what C. how D. which
8.A．occasionally B. frequently C. specially D. recently
9.A．development B. phenomenon C. formation D. composition
10.A．unless B. until C. after D. before
11.A．findings B. locations C. events D. sources
12.A．delivered B. deposited C. destroyed D. detached
13.A．near B. from C. inside D. over
14.A．prevent B. accelerate C. predict D. detect
15.A．styles B. sites C. costs D. standards
题解：
1.D前文说到日本的俯冲带地震是massive（巨大的），而且砂土液化到达一个significant level。根据上述描述，选widespread（分布广泛的）修饰severity是正确的。其他三个选项与severity搭配后，意思接不上。
2.C 本句由but连接并列的两个分句组成。第一个分句说以前也发生过地震引发的砂土液化的现象，但涉及范围较小。第二个分句通过but语气一转，说这次地震造成的破坏是罕见的。很显然，选extent(程度)与distance（距离，范围）合用说明破坏的程度和范围是符合上下文的意思的。
3.A 在“The shifts in soil destroyed water, sewer and gas pipelines, crippling the utilities and infrastructure these communities need to…”中，"these communities need to...”是定语从句，指代utilities和infrastructure的关系代词which在定语从句中起宾语作用，被省略了。need后面的动词不定式的逻辑主语是which，也就是utilities and infrastructure。从意思上看，这些社区需要这些公用事业设备和基础设施起功能作用（function)。选function是对的。其他选项都不合适。
4.B 浸了水的砂土，特别是新近的沉积土、沙土等失去的不会是durability（耐用性）和ability（能力），也不会是泛泛的property（性质），而是strength（强度）。
5.C 浸了水的砂土强度降低或消失。砂土随水流动，就会引发建筑物移位（shift）或下沉(sink)。再发展下去，建筑物就会倒塌（collapse)。collapse是答案。若选择ascend（上升）、compact(压实)或recover（复原），意思与上文接不上。
6.A 地震持续的时间一般为数十秒。这次日本地震的时间长达5分钟。所以本题要填入的词应该是shorter，说明大多数地震的持续时间比它短。
7.C 从意思上看，选how是正确的。when structures、what structures或which structures意思明显不通。
8.D 第三段第二句出现“particularly recent sediment…"。recent sediment浸水后就失去了强度。这提示了本题要选recently，因为建立在新近填就的土壤上的建筑物是最易受到伤害的。
9.B 分析日本大地震得出的数据不会令科学家获得有关soil development（土壤发展）、soil formation（土壤形成）soil composition（土壤构成）这些方面的知识。若选phenomenon，意思就是科学家的研究分析有助于他们了解到土壤浸水后的这类现象，以便做好防备，对付未来可能发生的同类现象。上下文意思很连贯，因此phenomenon是正确的选项。
1O.D 选unless、until或after都不合逻辑。本题句子的意思是：重建工作首先要清理废墟，这样地震现场就被破坏了。所以科学家要赶在重建工作开始之前收集好地震资料。before是答案。
11.C 本句的意思是：科学家无疑会从日本大地震中学到不少东西，从而有助于减低今后发生类似的地震时的风险。四个选项中只有events合适。similar events指的是“类似的地震事件”。若选findings（调查结果）、locations（地点）或sources（来源），句子的意思就不对。
12.B 本句解释“young”这个词在地质学中的含义。句中的those指代sediments。"young" sediments指那些年代少于或略超过一万年的sediments。deposit是“沉积”，与句子意思匹配，是答案。其他三个选项，词义离题很远，只是词形与deposit有点相似，起干扰作用而已，它们不是答案。
13.A 上一段说，younger soils是非常脆弱的。本句的anything指的是soils。哪些地方的soils是疑似高危对象呢？如果指soils from/inside/over river and old flood plains是不合常理的。正确的选择应该是near，靠近河流和原洪泛区的土壤才是危险地区。因此near是答案。
14.A 加固危桥的目的是为了防止坍塌。选项prevent是答案。
15.D 在3月11日的日本大地震中，震区的建筑物倾斜、下沉，但没有倒塌。建筑上的什么因素起到了防塌的作用呢？当然不会是construction styles（建筑风格）、construction sites（建筑工地）或construction facilities（建筑设备）。日本的construction standards（建筑标准）才是防塌的关键因素。因此standards是答案。
发表于 2025-5-15 15:44:16
