2006年Text1①Inspiteof“endlesstalkofdifference,”Americansocietyisanamazingmachineforhomogenizingpeople.②Thereis“thedemocratizinguniformityofdressanddiscourse,andthecasualnessandabsenceofdeference”characteristicofpopularculture.③Peopleareabsorbedinto“acultureofconsumption”launchedbythe19thcenturydepartmentstoresthatoffered“vastarraysofgoodsinanelegantatmosphere.④Insteadofintimateshopscateringtoaknowledgeableelite”thesewerestores“anyonecouldenter,regardlessofclassorbackground.⑤Thisturnedshoppingintoapublicanddemocraticact.”⑥Themassmedia,advertisingandsportsareotherforcesforhomogenization.①Immigrantsarequicklyfittingintothiscommonculture,whichmaynotbealtogetherelevatingbutishardlypoisonous.②WritingfortheNationalImmigrationForum,GregoryRodriguezreportsthattoday'simmigrationisneitheratunprecedentedlevelsnorresistanttoassimilation.③In1998immigrantswere9.8percentofthepopulation;in1900,13.6percent.④Inthe10yearspriorto1990,3.1immigrantsarrivedforevery1,000residents;inthe10yearspriorto1890,9.2forevery1,000.⑤Now,considerthreeindicesofassimilation—language,homeownershipandintermarriage.①The1990Censusrevealedthat“amajorityofimmigrantsfromeachofthefifteenmostcommoncountriesoforiginspokeEnglish‘well’or‘verywell’aftertenyearsofresidence.”②ThechildrenofimmigrantstendtobebilingualandproficientinEnglish.③“Bythethirdgeneration,theoriginallanguageislostinthemajorityofimmigrantfamilies.”④HencethedescriptionofAmericaasa“graveyard”forlanguages.⑤By1996foreign-bornimmigrantswhohadarrivedbefore1970hadahomeownershiprateof75.6percent,higherthanthe69.8percentrateamongnative-bornAmericans.①Foreign-bornAsiansandHispanics“havehigherratesofintermarriagethandoU.S.-bornwhitesandblacks.”②Bythethirdgeneration,onethirdofHispanicwomenaremarriedtonon-Hispanics,and41percentofAsian-Americanwomenaremarriedtonon-Asians.①RodrigueznotesthatchildreninremotevillagesaroundtheworldarefansofsuperstarslikeArnoldSchwarzeneggerandGarthBrooks,yet“someAmericansfearthatimmigrantlivingwithintheUnitedStatesremainsomehowimmunetothenation'sassimilativepower.”①AretheredivisiveissuesandpocketsofseethingangerinAmerica?②Indeed.③Itisbigenoughtohaveabitofeverything.④ButparticularlywhenviewedagainstAmerica'sturbulentpast,today'ssocialindiceshardlysuggestadarkanddeterioratingsocialenvironment.

21.Theword“homogenizing”(Line1,Paragraph1)mostprobablymeans________.[A]identifying[B]associating[C]assimilating[D]monopolizing22.Accordingtotheauthor,thedepartmentstoresofthe19thcentury_________.[A]playedaroleinthespreadofpopularculture[B]becameintimateshopsforcommonconsumers[C]satisfiedtheneedsofaknowledgeableelite[D]oweditsemergencetothecultureofconsumption23.ThetextsuggeststhatimmigrantsnowintheU.S._________.[A]areresistanttohomogenization[B]exertagreatinfluenceonAmericanculture[C]arehardlyathreattothecommonculture[D]constitutethemajorityofthepopulation24.WhyareArnoldSchwarzeneggerandGarthBrooksmentionedinParagraph5?[A]Toprovetheirpopularityaroundtheworld.[B]Torevealthepublic'sfearofimmigrants.[C]Togiveexamplesofsuccessfulimmigrants.[D]ToshowthepowerfulinfluenceofAmericanculture.25.Intheauthor'sopinion,theabsorptionofimmigrantsintoAmericansocietyis_________.[A]rewarding[B]successful[C]fruitless[D]harmful

Text2①Stratford-on-Avon,asweallknow,hasonlyoneindustry—WilliamShakespeare—buttherearetwodistinctlyseparateandincreasinglyhostilebranches.②ThereistheRoyalShakespeareCompany(RSC),whichpresentssuperbproductionsoftheplaysattheShakespeareMemorialTheatreontheAvon.③Andtherearethetownsfolkwholargelyliveoffthetouristswhocome,nottoseetheplays,buttolookatAnneHathaway'sCottage,Shakespeare'sbirthplaceandtheothersights.①TheworthyresidentsofStratforddoubtthatthetheatreaddsapennytotheirrevenue.②TheyfranklydisliketheRSC'sactors,themwiththeirlonghairandbeardsandsandalsandnoisiness.③It'salldeliciouslyironicwhenyouconsiderthatShakespeare,whoearnstheirliving,washimselfanactor(withabeard)anddidhisshareofnoise-making.①Thetouriststreamsarenotentirelyseparate.②Thesightseerswhocomebybus—andoftentakeinWarwickCastleandBlenheimPalaceontheside—don'tusuallyseetheplays,andsomeofthemareevensurprisedtofindatheatreinStratford.③However,theplaygoersdomanagealittlesight-seeingalongwiththeirplaygoing.④Itistheplaygoers,theRSCcontends,whobringinmuchofthetown'srevenuebecausetheyspendthenight(someofthemfourorfivenights)pouringcashintothehotelsandrestaurants.⑤Thesightseerscantakeineverythingandgetoutoftownbynightfall.①Thetownsfolkdon'tseeitthiswayandthelocalcouncildoesnotcontributedirectlytothesubsidyoftheRoyalShakespeareCompany.②Stratfordcriespoortraditionally.③Neverthelesseveryhotelintownseemstobeaddinganewwingorcocktaillounge.④Hiltonisbuildingitsownhotelthere,whichyoumaybesurewillbedecoratedwithHamletHamburgerBars,theLearLounge,theBanquoBanquetingRoom,andsoforth,andwillbeveryexpensive.①Anyway,thetownsfolkcan'tunderstandwhytheRoyalShakespeareCompanyneedsasubsidy.②(Thetheatrehasbrokenattendancerecordsforthreeyearsinarow.Lastyearits1,431seatswere94percentoccupiedallyearlongandthisyearthey'lldobetter.)③Thereason,ofcourse,isthatcostshaverocketedandticketpriceshavestayedlow.①ItwouldbeashametoraisepricestoomuchbecauseitwoulddriveawaytheyoungpeoplewhoareStratford'smostattractiveclientele.②Theycomeentirelyfortheplays,notthesights.③Theyallseemtolookalike(thoughtheycomefromallover)—lean,pointed,dedicatedfaces,wearingjeansandsandals,eatingtheirbunsandbeddingdownforthenightontheflagstonesoutsidethetheatretobuythe20seatsand80standing-roomticketsheldforthesleepersandsoldtothemwhentheboxofficeopensat10:30a.m.

26.Fromthefirsttwoparagraphs,welearnthat__________.[A]thetownsfolkdenytheRSC'scontributiontothetown'srevenue[B]theactorsoftheRSCimitateShakespeareonandoffstage[C]thetwobranchesoftheRSCarenotongoodterms[D]thetownsfolkearnlittlefromtourism27.ItcanbeinferredfromParagraph3that__________.[A]thesightseerscannotvisittheCastleandthePalaceseparately[B]theplaygoersspendmoremoneythanthesightseers[C]thesightseersdomoreshoppingthantheplaygoers[D]theplaygoersgotonootherplacesintownthanthetheater28.Bysaying“Stratfordcriespoortraditionally”(Line2,Paragraph4),theauthorimpliesthat__________.[A]Stratfordcannotaffordtheexpansionprojects[B]Stratfordhaslongbeeninfinancialdifficulties[C]thetownisnotreallyshortofmoney[D]thetownsfolkusedtobepoorlypaid29.Accordingtothetownsfolk,theRSCdeservesnosubsidybecause__________.[A]ticketpricescanberaisedtocoverthespending[B]thecompanyisfinanciallyill-managed[C]thebehavioroftheactorsisnotsociallyacceptable[D]thetheatreattendanceisontherise30.Fromthetextwecanconcludethattheauthor__________.[A]issupportiveofbothsides[B]favorsthetownsfolk'sview[C]takesadetachedattitude[D]issympathetictotheRSC

Text3①Whenprehistoricmanarrivedinnewpartsoftheworld,somethingstrangehappenedtothelargeanimals:theysuddenlybecameextinct.②Smallerspeciessurvived.③Thelarge,slow-growinganimalswereeasygame,andwerequicklyhuntedtoextinction.④Nowsomethingsimilarcouldbehappeningintheoceans.①Thattheseasarebeingoverfishedhasbeenknownforyears.②WhatresearcherssuchasRansomMyersandBorisWormhaveshownisjusthowfastthingsarechanging.③Theyhavelookedathalfacenturyofdatafromfisheriesaroundtheworld.④Theirmethodsdonotattempttoestimatetheactualbiomass(theamountoflivingbiologicalmatter)offishspeciesinparticularpartsoftheocean,butratherchangesinthatbiomassovertime.⑤AccordingtotheirlatestpaperpublishedinNature,thebiomassoflargepredators(animalsthatkillandeatotheranimals)inanewfisheryisreducedonaverageby80%within15yearsofthestartofexploitation.⑥Insomelong-fishedareas,ithashalvedagainsincethen.①Dr.Wormacknowledgesthatthesefiguresareconservative.②Onereasonforthisisthatfishingtechnologyhasimproved.③Today'svesselscanfindtheirpreyusingsatellitesandsonar,whichwerenotavailable50yearsago.④Thatmeansahigherproportionofwhatisintheseaisbeingcaught,sotherealdifferencebetweenpresentandpastislikelytobeworsethantheonerecordedbychangesincatchsizes.⑤Intheearlydays,too,longlineswouldhavebeenmoresaturatedwithfish.⑥Someindividualswouldthereforenothavebeencaught,sincenobaitedhookswouldhavebeenavailabletotrapthem,leadingtoanunderestimateoffishstocksinthepast.⑦Furthermore,intheearlydaysoflonglinefishing,alotoffishwerelosttosharksaftertheyhadbeenhooked.⑧Thatisnolongeraproblem,becausetherearefewersharksaroundnow.①Dr.MyersandDr.Wormarguethattheirworkgivesacorrectbaseline,whichfuturemanagementeffortsmusttakeintoaccount.②Theybelievethedatasupportanideacurrentamongmarinebiologists,thatofthe“shiftingbaseline”.③Thenotionisthatpeoplehavefailedtodetectthemassivechangeswhichhavehappenedintheoceanbecausetheyhavebeenlookingbackonlyarelativelyshorttimeintothepast.④Thatmattersbecausetheorysuggeststhatthemaximumsustainableyieldthatcanbecroppedfromafisherycomeswhenthebiomassofatargetspeciesisabout50%ofitsoriginallevels.⑤Mostfisheriesarewellbelowthat,whichisabadwaytodobusiness.

31.Theextinctionoflargeprehistoricanimalsisnotedtosuggestthat____________.[A]largeanimalwerevulnerabletothechangingenvironment[B]smallspeciessurvivedaslargeanimalsdisappeared[C]largeseaanimalsmayfacethesamethreattoday[D]slow-growingfishoutlivefast-growingones32.WecaninferfromDr.MyersandDr.Worm'spaperthat____________.[A]thestockoflargepredatorsinsomeoldfisherieshasreducedby90%[B]thereareonlyhalfasmanyfisheriesastherewere15yearsago[C]thecatchsizesinnewfisheriesareonly20%oftheoriginalamount[D]thenumberoflargerpredatorsdroppedfasterinnewfisheriesthanintheold33.Bysaying“thesefiguresareconservative”(Line1,Paragraph3),Dr.Wormmeansthat__________.[A]fishingtechnologyhasimprovedrapidly[B]thecatchsizesareactuallysmallerthanrecorded[C]themarinebiomasshassufferedagreaterloss[D]thedatacollectedsofarareoutofdate34.Dr.Myersandotherresearchersholdthat__________.[A]peopleshouldlookforabaselinethatcanworkforalongertime[B]fisheriesshouldkeeptheyieldbelow50%ofthebiomass[C]theoceanbiomassshouldberestoreditsoriginallevel[D]peopleshouldadjustthefishingbaselinetothechangingsituation35.Theauthorseemstobemainlyconcernedwithmostfisheries'___________.[A]managementefficiency[B]biomasslevel[C]catch-sizelimits[D]technologicalapplication

Text4①Manythingsmakepeoplethinkartistsareweird.②Buttheweirdestmaybethis:artists'onlyjobistoexploreemotions,andyettheychoosetofocusontheonesthatfeelbad.①Thiswasn'talwaysso.②Theearliestformsofart,likepaintingandmusic,arethosebestsuitedforexpressingjoy.③Butsomewherefromthe19thcenturyonward,moreartistsbeganseeinghappinessasmeaningless,phonyor,worstofall,boring,aswewentfromWordsworth'sdaffodilstoBaudelaire'sflowersofevil.①Youcouldarguethatartbecamemoreskepticalofhappinessbecausemoderntimeshaveseensomuchmisery.②Butit'snotasifearliertimesdidn'tknowperpetualwar,disasterandthemassacreofinnocents.③Thereason,infact,maybejusttheopposite:thereistoomuchdamnhappinessintheworldtoday.①Afterall,whatistheonemodernformofexpressionalmostcompletelydedicatedtodepictinghappiness?②Advertising.③Theriseofanti-happyartalmostexactlytrackstheemergenceofmassmedia,andwithit,acommercialcultureinwhichhappinessisnotjustanidealbutanideology.①Peopleinearliererasweresurroundedbyremindersofmisery.②Theyworkeduntilexhausted,livedwithfewprotectionsanddiedyoung.③IntheWest,beforemasscommunicationandliteracy,themostpowerfulmassmediumwasthechurch,whichremindedworshippersthattheirsoulswereindangerandthattheywouldsomedaybemeatforworms.④Givenallthis,theydidnotexactlyneedtheirarttobeabummertoo.①TodaythemessagestheaverageWesternerissurroundedwitharenotreligiousbutcommercial,andforeverhappy.②Fast-foodeaters,newsanchors,textmessengers,allsmiling,smiling,smiling.③Ourmagazinesfeaturebeamingcelebritiesandhappyfamiliesinperfecthomes.④Andsincethesemessageshaveanagenda—tolureustoopenourwallets—theymaketheveryideaofhappinessseemunreliable.⑤“Celebrate!”commandedtheadsforthearthritisdrugCelebrex,beforewefoundoutitcouldincreasetheriskofheartattacks.①Butwhatweforget—whatoureconomydependsonusforgetting—isthathappinessismorethanpleasurewithoutpain.②Thethingsthatbringthegreatestjoycarrythegreatestpotentialforlossanddisappointment.③Today,surroundedbypromisesofe