III. Reading Comprehension (30 points, 2 points for each)
从下列每篇短文的问题后所给的四个选择项中选出一个最佳答案。
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
For a clearer picture of what the student knows, most teachers use another kind of examination in addition to objective tests. They use "essay" tests, which require students to write long answers to broad, general questions such as the following: "Mention several ways in which Benjamin Franklin has influenced the thinking of people in his own country and in other parts of the world."
One advantage of the essay test is that it reduces the element of luck. The student cannot get a high score just by making a lucky guess. Another advantage is that it shows the examiner more about the student's ability to put facts together into a meaningful whole. It should show how deeply he has thought about the subject. Sometimes, though, essay tests gave disadvantages, too. Some students are able to write rather good answers without really knowing much about the subject, while other students who actually know the material have trouble expressing their ideas in the essay form.
Besides, in an essay test the student's score may depend upon the examiner's feelings at the time of reading the answer. If he is feeling tired or bored, the student may receive a lower score than he should. Another examiner reading the same answer might give it a much higher mark. Because of this, the objective test gives each student a fairer chance, and of course it is easier and quicker to score.
Whether an objective test or an essay test is used, problems arise. When some objective questions are used along with some essay questions, however, a fairly clear picture of the student's knowledge can usually be obtained.
21. What may have been discussed in the previous paragraphs?
[A]The essay test. [B]How teachers test their students.
[C]How students write their essays. [D]The objective test.
22. The essay test is preferred because .
[A] it shows more about the student's understanding of the subject
[B] it tests the student's knowledge of the material as well as his expression of ideas
[C] It gives each student a fairer chance
[D] Its scoring may be influenced by the examiner's feelings
23. The word 'this' (Line 4, Para. 3) refers to the fact that .
[A] students may receive a lower score in an essay test
[B] another examiner usually gives the answer a higher mark
[C] different examiners may give the same essay different scores
[D] the objective test gives each student a fairer chance
24. According to the passage, which of the following statements about the objective test is NOT true?
[A] It is more objective than the essay test in terms of scoring.
[B] It allows the student to guess the correct answer without really knowing the material.
[C] It shows the student's ability to think about difficult problems.
[D] It is easy and quick to score.
25. According to the author, an ideal test should be .
[A]an objective test [B]an essay test
[C]a combination of the two [D]something new
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Around the world two thirds of the people are farmers. Most of them engage in subsistence farming. This means that they raise plants and animals to furnish their families with food and other supplies. They consume their varied output and have little to sell or to trade for other goods. Subsistence farms were common in the United States at one time, but there are few such farms today.
Two thirds of American farmers practice commercial farming. Commercial farms produce about 97 per cent of the country's agricultural goods. These farms are operated much like other industries. The members of the farm family produce the commodities (商品) that will be sent to the market. They sell their products and buy the things they need.
Some commercial farms are big factories in the field. They may be owned by a company or by an individual as an investment. Most American farms, however, are still operated by families. A farmer may own or rent his land.
In a country as large as the United States, farms vary widely in climate, land surface, soil, water supply, convenience to market, and other characteristics. Different regions may have different kinds of specialized farms. Specialized farmers concentrate on the kind of farming best suited to the land and climate, to their technical skills, and to the money they invest in the farm.
However, no region is limited to a single type of farm. Indeed few farms are limited to one crop or commodity. Where output is varied and no one kind of crop or commodity produces more than half of a farm's income, it is classified as a general farm. The general farmer grows varied crops to use the different kinds of soils or surfaces on his land and to employ his time and machinery most efficiently.
26. Subsistence farmers .
[A] grow crops for their families' own use [B] sell a lot of their products for money
[C] trade their varied output for other goods [D] use their agricultural products as commodities
27. Subsistence farms .
[A] are very popular in the United States now
[B] are still common in many parts of the world
[C] consist of two thirds of the total number of the farms in the world today
[D] used to be the major form of farming in the world
28. American commercial farms .
[A] furnish the country with two thirds of the food its people need
[B] are run in much the same way as other industries
[C] are all owned by different companies
[D] never rent their land for farming
29. A specialized farm is characterized by .
[A] its especially large size [B] its independence of the market
[C] its concentration on a single type of farming [D] its special way of operation
30. A farm is classified as general if .
[A] more than half of its income comes from varied crops
[B] it is limited to a single type of farm
[C] it employs different kinds of machines
[D] the soils or surfaces of its land are used most efficiently
Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.
No one knows for sure why birds migrate (定期迁徙). One theory of migration says that ancient birds of the northern part of the earth were forced southward during the Ice Age, when ice covered large parts of Europe, Asia and North America. As the ice melted, the birds came back to their homelands, spent the summer, and then went south again in winter. Gradually, these comings and goings became habits, and birds now migrate though much of the ice has gone.
Another theory proposes that the ancient home of all modern birds was the tropic areas. There lived so well that the region became overcrowded. Many species had to move northward. During the summer, these birds found plenty of room and food. In winter, however, food became scarce and they had to return to the south.
A newer theory is that increasing daylight stimulates certain glands (腺) in the bird's body and prepares it for migration. One scientist is able to make birds migrate in midwinter by exposing them for two months to artificial daylight. Recoveries of marked birds indicate that they fly north as soon as they are set free. The conclusion is that the urge to migrate is determined by changes in the bird's body which take place under seasonal changes in the length of daylight.
This theory would account for the fact that not all birds migrate at the same time. Each species seems to have its own schedule. The theory would also account for the regular time and routes of migration. Birds arrive at a given place year after year.
Unfavorable weather delays them only a few days. Total hours of daylight, rather than weather, start them on the way.
How birds find their way to the same place year after year and why they follow their own particular route are still mysteries. They evidently do not follow known landmarks (地面标志), for many young birds migrate alone without the help of experienced adults.
31. We can conclude from the first paragraph that .
[A] during the Ice Age, the whole Europe was covered with ice
[B] the south used to be the homelands of all birds
[C] scientists can confidently explain why birds migrate now
[D] migration of birds can be explained by the change of ice on earth
32. The birds mentioned in the third paragraph fly north in midwinter because .
[A] they are specially trained by a scientist [B] they are affected by seasonal changes
[C] there is a change in their body temperature [D] they are exposed to extra daylight
33. The phrase "account for" (line2, Para. 4) most probably means .
[A]indicate [B]explain [C]prove [D]provide
34. Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the passage?
[A] Birds do not migrate at the same time.
[B] Birds usually follow regular routes of migration.
[C] Each species has a special reason for migration.
[D] Birds migrate to their own particular places every year.
35.The best title for the passage is .
[A]Different Accounts of Migration [B]Migration and Weather
[C]New Discovery of Bird Migration [D]Routes of Bird Migration
