单选题
The fact that most Americans live in urban areas does not mean that they reside in the center of large cities. In fact, more Americans live in the suburbs of large metropolitan areas than in the cities themselves. The Bureau of the Census regards any area with more than 2,500 people as an urban area, and does not consider boundaries of cities and suburbs. According to the Bureau, the political boundaries are less significant than the social and economic relationships and the transportation and communication systems that integrate a locale. The term used by the Bureau for an integrated metropolis is an MSA, which stands for Metropolitan Statistical Area. In general, an MSA is any area that contains a city and its surrounding suburbs and has a total population of 50,000 or more. At the present time, the Bureau reports more than 280 MSAs, which together account for 75 percent of the US population. In addition, the Bureau recognizes 18 megapolises, that is, continuous adjacent metropolitan areas. One of the most obvious megapolises includes a chain of hundreds of cities and suburbs across 10 states on the East Coast from Massachusetts to Virginia, including Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. In the Eastern Corridor, as it is called, a population of 45 million inhabitants is concentrated. Another megapolis that is growing rapidly is the California coast from San Francisco through Los Angeles to San Diego.
单选题
Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Metropolitan Statistical Areas B. Types of Population Centers C. The Bureau of the Census D. Megapolises
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 主旨题型。 A和D都是文章叙述的一部分，C是进行统计的机构，因而应选B。
单选题
According to the passage, where do most Americans live? A. In the center of cities. B. In the suburbs surrounding large cities. C. In rural areas. D. In small towns.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题型。 答案出自第一段的第二句话...more Americans live in the suburbs of large metropolitan areas than in the cities themselves. metropolitan的意思是“大城市的”。
单选题
The underlined word "reside" in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______. A. fill B. decide C. occupy D. live
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 词义题型。 reside居住：reside abroad定居国外。
单选题
According to the Bureau of the Census, what is an urban area? A. A chain of adjacent cities. B. An area with at least 50,000 people. C. The 18 largest cities. D. An area with 2,500 people or more.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题型。 答案出自第二段The Bureau of the Census regards any area with more than 2,500 people as an urban area, and does not consider boundaries of cities and suburbs。
单选题
Which of the following are NOT considered important in defining an urban area? A. Political boundaries. B. Transportation networks. C. Social relationships. D. Economic systems.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题型。 根据第三段第一句话According to the Bureau, the political boundaries are less significant than the social and economic relationships and the transportation and communication systems that integrate a locale. less significant不太重要。
单选题
The underlined word "integrate" in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______. A. benefit B. define C. unite D. restrict
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 词义题型。 integrate使成整体，使一体化：The building and the landscape are well integrated．这些建筑物和周围的自然景物相融合，浑然一体。unite联合，团结：We should unite in fighting poverty and disease．我们应该团结起来为消除贫困和疾病而斗争。
单选题
Which of the following is NOT true? A. An integrated metropolis is an MSA． B. MSA stands for Metropolitan Statistical Area. C. A metropolis includes at least a metropolitan. D. An MSA refers to city and its suburbs, with over 50,000 people.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 是非题型。 根据第三段第二、三句The term used by the Bureau for an integrated metropolis is an MSA,... In general, an MSA is...得知，A、B、D三项在文中一一提到，因此，只有C项是不正确的。
单选题
The underlined word "adjacent" in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ______. A. beside each other B. growing very fast C. the same size D. densely populated
单选题
According to the passage, what is a megapolis? A. One of the 10 largest cities in the United States. B. One of the 18 largest cities in the United States. C. One of thel00 cities between Boston and Washington. D. Any number of continuous adjacent cities and suburbs.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题型。 答案出自第四段第二句In addition, the Bureau recognizes 18 megapolises, that is, continuous adjacent metropolitan areas．
单选题
Why does the author mention the Eastern Corridor and the California coast in Paragraph 4? A. As examples of megapolises. B. Because 75 percent of the population lives there. C. To conclude the passage. D. The Bureau of the Census is located there.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题型。 根据第四段的the Bureau reports more than 280 MSAs， which together account for 75 percent of the US population，即75%的人住在MSA，但不单是the Eastern Corridor，California coast地区，因而排除B。第四段是对megapolis的介绍，不是对文章的总结，排除C。选项D的内容没有在文中提到。