1、阅读理解-练习十二及答案解析(总分：40.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Test 19(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、TEXT A(总题数：1，分数：5.00)The third BRICS summit concluded on April 14 with the signing of the Sanya Declaration, highlighting the strengthening of the five-nation bloc and promoting common prosperity.The meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China
2、 and newly admitted South Africa (BRICS) in Sanya, Hainan province, drew worldwide attention because the five countries together account for about 40 percent of the world population and about 18 percent: of GDP.The BRICS economies have become increasingly important for the world economy not only bec
3、ause they overcame the impact of the global financial crisis earlier than the rest of the world, but also because they have maintained relatively rapid economic growth. Compared with the world average of 3 percent, the bloc achieved 6 percent growth last year, accounting for 60 percent of the global
4、 economic growth.The rise of the BRICS economies is an important reason why the world economy did not go into deeper recession-akin to the Great Depression-after the global financial crisis. No wonder, the international community has hinged its hopes on the sustained and fast recovery of BRICS to pr
5、opel the global economy. The high economic complementariness of the BRICS economies shows that they have huge growth potential and can be the engine of growth for the world economy.But BRICS is still a fledging bloc, and has to strengthen its intrinsic cooperative mechanisms to play the role it dese
6、rves on the world stage. In the Sanya Declaration, the bloc has expressed its determination to transform its hopes of strengthened political cooperation into reality. To do that, the five countries have vowed to take a series of measures to strengthen mutual cooperation on a wide range of issues.But
7、 to play a bigger role on the world stage, the BRICS economies also have to consolidate their economic relationship. For example, China is the largest trading partner of India, Brazil and South Africa, but its bilateral trade volume with the three countries is only dozens of billions of dollars. The
8、 bilateral trade volumes of India, Brazil, South Mrica and Russia are even smaller. This shows that the BRICS economies have a lot of room to increase and expand mutual trade.Besides, the five countries need to further strengthen mutual coordination on some international issues to boost the blocs in
9、fluence in the international arena. Since all the five countries are members of the United Nations Security Council this year, with China and Russia being permanent members, they have promised to closely cooperate on world peace and security initiatives, strengthen multilateralism, and promote democ
10、ratization of international relations.Since all the BRICS economies are developing countries, it is imperative that they work together to develop their bloc into a viable channel for greater South-South cooperation. The entry of South Africa into the bloc is expected to push BRICS in that direction.
11、Because of historical factors, many of the developing countries, including the least industrialized ones, are in Africa, which is the focus of the UN Millennium Development Goals poverty reduction efforts. Again, South Africas entry into the bloc is expected to build a bridge of cooperation between
12、the blocs other members and African countries. This is important because, according to the Sanya Declaration, the bloc is committed to helping African countries eradicate poverty and hunger, and meet the UN Millennium Development Goals target by 2015.The BRICS economies have thrown their weight behi
13、nd G20 to achieve that goal. Since the G20 membership is evenly distributed between developed and developing countries, both from the North and South, the BRICS economies want to turn it into the main platform for promoting international economic cooperation and more intensely pursuing better global
14、 governance, as the Sanya Declaration says.（分数：5.00）(1).Which of the following statements is TRUE?（分数：1.00）A.BRICS are all deemed to be at a similar stage of newly advanced economic development.B.All the five members of BRICS attended the past three summits.C.The Great Depression was avoided because
15、 of the rise of the BRICS economies.D.The five countries of BRICS are the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council this year.(2).The five countries of BRICS share all the common points EXCEPT that _.（分数：1.00）A.they are all developing countriesB.they are the members of G20C.they lie i
16、n the southern hemisphereD.they are now members of the UN Security Council(3).The BRICS economies have become increasingly important for the world economy NOT because _.（分数：1.00）A.they overcame the impact of the global financial crisis earlier than the rest of the worldB.they have maintained relativ
17、ely rapid economic growthC.they meet the UN Millennium Development Goals targetD.they have huge growth potential and can be the engine of growth for the world economy(4).The word “eradicate“ in Paragraph 8 means _.（分数：1.00）A.eliminateB.improveC.relieveD.worsen(5).Which is NOT the reason for the opin
18、ion that BRICS is still a fledging bloc?（分数：1.00）A.They need to strengthen the political cooperation.B.The mutual trade between the members is not active enough.C.They havent eliminated poverty and hunger in their countries.D.The blocs influence in the international arena is not strong enoug三、TEXT B
19、(总题数：1，分数：5.00)The results of the U.S. midterm elections are that the Democrats have suffered heavy losses and the Republicans have recaptured the House of Representatives. Its not much of a surprise-opinion polls have been predicting a humiliating defeat for President Barack Obama for many weeks.Bu
20、t if you look back at Obamas sweeping victory in 2008, it seems incredible that he could suffer such a crushing setback after less than two years in office. His approval ratings have also dropped and now hover below the 45 percent mark.Where did it all go wrong for the President? Of course, theres t
21、he economy. Although its generally accepted that Obama inherited, not caused, the economic downturn, its widely believed that he hasnt done enough to mitigate its effects.The unemployment rate, which currently stands at 9.6 percent, hasnt gone down in a year. Economic growth has also remained disapp
22、ointing despite a stimulus package worth trillions of dollars.Last week, the U. S. Federal Reserve announced that another $ 600 billion would be pumped into the ailing economy over the next eight months. This highlights the failure of the quantitative easing measures so far.Yet according to a poll c
23、onducted by New York Times and CBS News at the end of October, nearly 70 percent of Americans believed that the economic slump was only temporary. Half of respondents said they believed the economy was where they expected it to be at this point and less than 10 percent believed the current administr
24、ation was to blame for the state of the economy.So if the financial crisis isnt the sole cause of Obamas slump in popularity, which other factors come into play?First, troops in Iraq and Mghanistan are still serving and dying. Second, health care reform has proved widely unpopular. Millions ale stil
25、l not covered by health insurance and millions more are worried about the higher tax rates introduced to pay for the reform. Increased government involvement in health care is also resented.Young people, who turned out in droves to help him win in 2008, appear particularly disillusioned with Obama.
26、“It was my first time voting,“ a student outside a Colorado senatorial debate told the Guardian in October.“I was campaigning for Obama and helping him get the vote out. I grew up under Bush. During my entire conscious life politics sucked. Finally something really exciting happened. But it didnt de
27、liver as much as I expected it to.“Despite appearances on MTV and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as well as an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Obama seemed unable to drum up enthusiasm among young voters as the election approached.According to a Harvard University poll, last November 36 per
28、cent of those aged 18 29 said they would vote in the midterms, but by October of this year that figure had dropped to 27 percent.However, Obama supporters can take comfort from the 1982 midterm elections that saw the Republicans, under Ronald Reagan, lose 26 House seats in the midst of a deep recess
29、ion. Two years later, with the help of an economic recovery, Reagan was re-elected in a landslide.（分数：5.00）(1).Which of the following is TRUE?（分数：1.00）A.The loss of the Democrats in the midterm election is beyond the public expectation.B.Obama won an overwhelming victory in the president election.C.
30、The Obama Administration did little to stimulate the economy after the financial crisis.D.Obama was removed from his position after the midterm election.(2)._ hasnt gone down from 2008 to 2010.（分数：1.00）A.Obamas approval ratingsB.The employment rate of the United StatesC.The popularity of Obama among
31、 young peopleD.The investment of the USA government to ease the ailing economy(3).Which of the following is NOT the reason for the unpopularity of Obamas health care reform?（分数：1.00）A.Many Americans are not benefited from the reform.B.The reform imposes more burdens on taxpayers.C.The government int
32、erfere health care intensively.D.The health reform is not innovativ(4).The setback that Obama is suffering is NOT caused by _.（分数：1.00）A.the economic downturnB.the stubbornly high unemployment rateC.his involvement in entertainmentD.Americas involvement in many foreign entanglements(5).We can infer
33、from this passage that _.（分数：1.00）A.Obama is a Republican Party memberB.the Obama Administration is facing a severe situationC.Obama wont continue to be the president for a second termD.Obamas supporters are now despaired四、TEXT C(总题数：1，分数：5.00)On the horizon dust rises. Theres a rumbling sound like
34、far-off thunder.Now you can see a dark, moving tide. The shapes become more distinct, the noise becomes a crescendo and the ground shakes beneath millions of drumming hooves.Its one of the most spectacular sights on earth, the Great Migration.Every spring two million wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and
35、other animals head north from Tanzania to Kenya in search of greener grasslands.Lions and hyenas run after the huge herds; vultures hover overhead.The migration across the Serengeti-Mara is one of the worlds natural wonders.American hunter Stewart Edward White was the first white man to discover the
36、 area.He set out from Nairobi in 1913. He recalls his journey as he pushed south. “We walked for miles over burnt-out country. Then I saw the green trees of the river, walked two miles (3.2 kilometers) more and found myself in paradise.“This paradise is now under threat.Tanzanias president Jakaya Ki
37、kwete made an election pledge to build a national highway through the Serengeti park. The road would divide the migration route.Its a classic dilemma, economic development versus conservation.The Serengeti highway will link Musoma, on the banks of Lake Victoria, to Arusha. Engineers will lay a road
38、across the migration rout of giant heards of wildebeest.Another politician has claimed environmentalists are more interested in animals than in human beings.He says the road will bring benefits to the Maasai people who live in poverty on the plains east of the Serengeti national park.However scienti
39、sts have claimed that politicians are hijacking a unique ecosystem.They warn humans would introduce domestic diseases and the new road would provide an escape route for poachers.Environmentalists have launched Internet and media campaigns and 27 scientists have co-signed an article in the Nature mag
40、azine objecting to the highway project.Maasai tribes: Maasai people gather at Oltukai, northern Tanzania, to show their support for the construction of the route through the Serengeti on account of its potential trade benefits. Poverty has marginalized the local communities.The Maasai are a semi-nom
41、adic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Due to their unique dress and customs, they are among the most well-known of Africas ethnic groups.Recently, the British 0xfam (Oxford Committee for Famine Relief) has claimed that the lifestyle of the Maasai should be embraced as a response to cli
42、mate change because of their ability to farm in deserts. But while the Maasai run cattle farms, they also invade the habitats of Kenyas endangered animals.（分数：5.00）(1).The first two paragraphs describe a scene of _.（分数：1.00）A.air pollutionB.noise pollutionC.animal migrationD.natural wonder(2).The he
43、rbivorous animals migrate northward mainly to _.（分数：1.00）A.look for foodB.escape from the predatorsC.produce their offspringD.move to a better environment(3).The construction of the national highway through the Serengeti Park worries the environmentalists EXCEPT that _.（分数：1.00）A.it will divide the
44、migration route of the animalsB.it might cause the spread of disease in this areaC.it might offer facilities for poaching in this areaD.it will initiate the climate change in this area(4)._ strongly oppose(s) the construction of the route through the Serengeti.（分数：1.00）A.Tanzanias president Jakaya K
45、ikweteB.The conservationistsC.The British OxfamD.The Maasai(5).The author of this article holds a/an _ attitude to the construction of the national highway through the Serengeti Park.（分数：1.00）A.negativeB.supportiveC.neutralD.indifferent五、TEXT D(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Thanks to closed doors and fierce gatekee
46、pers, bosses are tricky to observe in their natural habitat. Yet it might be useful to know what they do all day, and whether any of it benefits shareholders. A new Harvard Business School working paper sheds some light.Researchers asked the chief executives of 94 Italian firms to have their assista
47、nts record their activities for a week. You may take this with a grain of salt. Is the bosss assistant a neutral observer? If the boss spends his lunch hour boozing, or in a motel with his assistant, will she record this truthfully? Nonetheless, here are the results.The average Italian boss works fo
48、r 48 hours a week and spends 60% of that time in meetings. The most diligent put in another 20 hours. And the longer they work, the better the company does.Less diligent chief executives are more likely to have one-to-one meetings with people from outside the company. The authors speculate that such
49、 people are trying to raise their own profile, perhaps to secure a better job. Bosses who work longer hours, by contrast, spend more of them meeting their own employees.Bosses often complain that they get bogged down in day-to-day operations, says Rajesh Chandy, a professor at the London Business School. Regulations that make them legally responsible for their underlings wrongdoings are partly to blame. The prospect of jail is a powerful attention-grabber. Many bosses also feel they must dash around t
