单选题 Electricity plays an essential part in our life. No one can deny that electric light is necessary for people's life. However, can you imagine such a world where there is no (22) of electric light? As darkness falls over, children read in the light given by oil lamps and candles. Youths (23) time only by talking instead of watching TV. Everything is surrounded by (24) shadows. (25) , we have a man named Edison. He created bulb that (26) for two days before burning out. He also developed successfully a system for (27) electricity from a central powerhouse. It is he that gives us electric light, gramophone, moving pictures--all those we take (28) granted.
After the invention of electricity, manufacturers increasingly applied the findings of invention to their businesses, (29) generating new industrial growth. Development of electricity leads to the (30) creations of new products and materials. In the past century and a half, electricity has steadily (31) . At first, it is scientific curiosity, then to a luxurious part of the (32) , and then to being necessary in every one's life. Electricity has been common in the latest fifty years. Simple tasks, such as setting alarm clock to wake up at a (33) time or enjoying a piece of music, are accomplished via electronic means.
We live with the benefits of electricity every day. As a result, we always think that whenever we (34) our gadgets into the wall socket, the power will be there. For most modern people, the loss of power means the complete loss of (35) . Their lifestyle is so dependent upon the grid's constancy (36) they do not know how to live without it. How do you cook a meal without electricity if your gas stove has an electric ignition? Please imagine the life without electricity further. What do you do with a freezer full of food in a hot day? How do you find out what is happening in your area with the TV and radio off? These are questions which should be seriously considered. Let us imagine the (37) of a short power outage together. Factories close down; phones and computers go dead; food (38) in refrigerators. What a disordered life that would be!
All the convenience which electricity has brought to our life should owe to Edison. When Edison died at his home in New Jersey in 1931, the whole United States were switched off to mark his passing, and in (39) of the man whose discoveries had so changed and improved the life of people everywhere. For a moment, all was (40) -- as the world had always been before, until Edison (41) on the light.

单选题 [A] power [B] strength [C] force [D] vigor

单选题 [A] kill [B] waste [C] expend [D] take

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查短语辨析和对上下义的理解。
[解题要点] kill time意为“消磨时间”，如：He likes killing time by reading novels. waste time意为“浪费时间”，如：Do not waste time in this way. expend time意为“花费，使用时间”，如：expend time on a project；take your time意为“不慌不忙，从容进行”，如：There is no rush take your time．根据句子后半部分“by talking instead of watching TV” 可见此处想表达的意思是“打发时间”，故正确答案为A选项。

单选题 [A] bouncing [B] flicking [C] running [D] flying

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查近义词辨析和对文章内容的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“弹跳的，活跃的”，如：The dog was bouncing with health and vitality. ；B项意为“左右摇摆”，如：He is staring at the flickering candle-light in the wind. C项意为“奔跑的；连续的；流动的”，如：The tour guide gave a running commentary from the front of the coach. D 项意为“飞行中的；会飞的”如：a flying bird, flying insects. 结合前面内容提到的“如果没有电灯，孩子们晚上只能依靠油灯或者蜡烛读书”，可以推断出此处想表达的意思为“世界被摇曳的影子包围”，故正确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] But [B] Therefore [C] However [D] Therefore

单选题 [A] fired [B] glowed [C] manipulated [D] bestowed

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对文章内容的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“开火；射击”，如：He ordered his men to fire. B 项意为“发光”，如：A cigarette glowed in the dark. 根据“bulb”一词和后文burning out可以推断出此处想表达的意思为“可以持续发光两天才熄灭的灯泡”，故B选项符合文意；C项意为“熟练控制或操作” 如：Primitive mall quickly learned how to manipulate tools．D项意为“赠给；授予”，如：Many books were bestowed on her．这两项均不符合文意。故止确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] diffusing [B] transmitting [C] transiting [D] delivering

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查近义词辨析和对文章内容的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“(使)扩散，(使)弥漫，(使)传播”，如：A drop of milk is diffusing in the water．B项意为“传导，传播”如：Glass could transmit light．从后文powerhouse可以看出，此处表示从中央发电站传导电，B项符合文意。C项意为“搬运；载运”如：His luggage was lost during transiting．D项意为“交付，送”如：He delivered the goods to them．这两项均不符合文意。故正确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] for [B] on [C] with [D] to

单选题 [A] otherwise [B] nevertheless [C] thus [D] since

单选题 [A] numerous [B] monstrous [C] tremendous [D] industrious

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“大量的”，B项意为“似怪物的；丑恶而可怕的”，如：the monstrous form of a fire-breathing dragon，C项意为“极大的；巨大的”，如：a tremendous explosion，D项意为“勤勉的，勤奋的”，根据原文可知，此处要表达的意思是电的发展导致了大量的新产品和新材料的发明，A项符合文意，其他三项均小符合文意，故正确答案为A选项。

单选题 [A] improve [B] evolve [C] mount [D] ascend

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】四个选项应为过去分词形式
[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“改进，改善”；B项意为“发展，进化”，如：Language is constantly and gradually evolving．C项意为“增加，增长”，如："The price has been mounting．D项意为“上升，攀登”，如：The climbers slowly ascended the mountain．根据下文“scientific curiosity…to a luxurious part…”只是科学奇迹，后米发展到了富人奢侈享受的一个组成部分，再到现代人们生活的必须，可见，电是一个缓慢发展的过程，B项最符合文意。故正确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] affluent [B] producers [C] civilian [D] pauper

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的推断。
[解题要点] A项意为“富人”，B项意为“制造商”，C项意为“平民，大众”，D项意为“穷人”；从原文来看，电的普及和发展是一个过程，根据“scientific curiosity”和“a luxurious part”可见电最开始是科学上的奇迹，后成为富人的奢侈品，最后才成为大众的生活必需品，只有A项最符合文意。故正确答案为A选项。

单选题 [A] destined [B] reserved [C] designated [D] fixed

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“命中注定的”，B项意为“预定的，保留的”，如： The store has a ski slope reserved exclusively for her．C项意为“制定的；选定的”，如：He got married in the designated day of his parents．C 项意为“选定的”，D项意为“固定的”，如：A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape．根据前面“such as setting alarm clock to wake up”可以推断出此处想表达的意思是在一个选定的时间，故正确答案为C选项。

单选题 [A] cast [B] hustle [C] plug [D] dart

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“投，掷，扔”，如：This is a good place to cast．B 项意为“推搡；猛推”，如：He hustled the others unfriendly．C项意为“插上插头”，如：The girl let her mother plug in the TV set．D项意为“投掷；投射”，如：The sun darts its beams．根据后面“…into the wall socket, the power will be there．”可知，此处表示“将插头插入墙上插座”，故正确答案为C选项。

单选题 [A] normalcy [B] restriction [C] balance [D] regularity

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“常态”，根据前句“We live with the benefits of electricity every day．”可知人们的生活和电密切相连，后文又提出“Their lifestyle is so dependent upon the grid's constancy that they do not know how to function without it．How do you cook a meal…”可知，没有了电，人们的生活完全混乱，由此推断此句意思为“失去常态”，A项符合文意。B项意为“约束，限制”，如：All these restrictions were swept aside．C项意为“平衡”，D项意为“规律性”，如：Is there any regularity in English word stress?由此可知，A项最符合文意，故正确答案为A选项。

单选题 [A] which [B] much [C] that [D] as

单选题 [A] affection [B] consequence [C] causation [D] procedure

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对文章内容的推断。
[解题要点] A项意为“感情”，如：He has a deep affection for his old friend．B项意为“结果，后果”，C项意为“原因”；D项意为“程序，步骤”，如：There is a set procedure for making formal complaints．根据下文，“Factories close down；phones and computers…”可以推断出这些都是没有电导致的后果，故正确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] collapses [B] spoils [C] flusters [D] transmutes

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义辨析和对上下文的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“倒塌，塌下”，如：The bridge collapsed under the weight of the train．B 项意为“变质，变坏；腐败”，如：Some kinds of food soon spoil．C项意为 “使慌乱，使不安”，如：The honking of horns flustered the boy．D项意为“使变形，使变质，把……变成……”，如：Medieval alchemists attempted to transmute base metals into gold．原文意为没有电冰箱的食物会变质，故正确答案为B选项。

单选题 [A] place [B] favor [C] need [D] honor

单选题 [A] faint [B] vague [C] dark [D] pale

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查词义的辨析。
[解题要点] A项意为“微弱的”，如：I heard a faint sound in the distance．B项意为“含糊的”，如：She is so vague that I can never understand what she is trying to say．C项意为“黑暗的，深色的”D项意为“苍白的”根据原文“…the whole United States were switched off…”全美国都停电纪念爱迪生的离去。和“停电”照应，此处取“黑暗的”这个意思，所以选择C项。故正确答案为C选项。

单选题 [A] shift [B] switch [C] swirl [D] swipe

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[命题目的] 此题考查形近异义词辨析和对文章内容的理解。
[解题要点] A项意为“替换；转移；改变”，如：The shift began in England．B项意为“转变，切换”如：He is always switching jobs．C项意为 “使成漩涡”，如：Water behind the boat swirled．D项意为“猛击”，如：He swiped at the dog with his stick, but missed．根据上文“…the whole United States were switched off…”，和下文“…until Edison…on the light”可知，此处需要一个表示和“switch off”意思相反的词组，B项符合题意。故正确答案为B选项。