单选题 Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying 'A man's best friends are his ten fingers.' You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of personal struggle. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.

单选题 Questions9-12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

单选题 Now listen to the following recording and answer questions17-19.

单选题 Countries Rush for Upper Hand in Antarctica A. On a glacier-filled island with fjords (峡湾)and elephant seals, Russia has built Antarctica's first Orthodox church on a hill overlooking its research base. Less than an hour away by snowmobile, Chinese labourers have updated the Great Wall Station, a vital part of China's plan to operate five bases on Antarctica, complete with an indoor badminton court and sleeping quarters for 150 people. Not to be outdone. India's futuristic new Bharathi base, built on stilts (桩子) using 134 interlocking shipping containers, resembles a spaceship. Turkey and Iran have announced plans to build bases, too. B. More than a century has passed since explorers raced to plant their flags at the bottom of the world, and for decades to come this continent is supposed to be protected as a scientific preserve, shielded from intrusions like military activities and mining. But an array of countries are rushing to assert greater influence here, with an eye not just towards the day those protective treaties expire, but also for the strategic and commercial opportunities that already exist. C. The newer players are stepping into what they view as a treasure house of resources. Some of the ventures focus on the Antarctic resources that are already up for grabs, like abundant sea life. South Korea, which operates state-of-the-art bases here, is increasing its fishing of krill (磷虾), found in abundance in the Southern Ocean, while Russia recently frustrated efforts to create one of the world's largest ocean sanctuaries here. D. Some scientists are examining the potential for harvesting icebergs from Antarctica, which is estimated to have the biggest reserves of fresh water on the planet. Nations are also pressing ahead with space research and satellite projects to expand their global navigation abilities. E. Building on a Soviet-era foothold, Russia is expanding its monitoring stations for Glonass, its version of the Global Positioning System (GPS). At least three Russian stations are already operating in Antarctica, part of its effort to challenge the dominance of the American GPS, and new stations are planned for sites like the Russian base, in the shadow of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity. F. Elsewhere in Antarctica, Russian researchers boast of their recent discovery of a freshwater reserve the size of Lake Ontario after drilling through miles of solid ice. 'You can see that we're here to stay,' said Vladimir Cheberdak, 57, chief of the Bellingshausen Station, as he sipped tea under a portrait of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Russian Navy who explored the Antarctic coast in 1820. G. Antarctica's mineral, oil and gas wealth are a longer-term prize. The treaty banning mining here, shielding coveted (令人垂诞的) reserves of iron ore, coal and chromium, comes up for review in 2048. Researchers recently found kimberlite (金伯利岩) deposits hinting at the existence of diamonds. And while assessments vary widely, geologists estimate that Antarctica holds at least 36 billion barrels of oil and natural gas. H. Beyond the Antarctic treaties, huge obstacles persist to tapping these resources, like drifting icebergs that could jeopardise offshore platforms. Then there is Antarctica's remoteness, with some mineral deposits found in windswept locations on a continent that is larger than Europe and where winter temperatures hover around minus 55 degrees Celsius. I. But advances in technology might make Antarctica a lot more accessible three decades from now. And even before then, scholars warn, the demand for resources in an energy-hungry world could raise pressure to renegotiate Antarctica's treaties, possibly allowing more commercial endeavours here well before the prohibitions against them expire. The research stations on King George Island offer a glimpse into the long game on this ice-blanketed continent as nations assert themselves, eroding the sway long held by countries like the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. J. Being stationed in Antarctica involves adapting to life on the planet's driest, windiest and coldest continent, yet each nation manages to make itself at home. Bearded Russian priests offer regular services at the Orthodox church for the 16 or so Russian speakers who spend the winter at the base, largely polar scientists in fields like glaciology and meteorology. Their number climbs to about 40 in the warmer summer months. China has arguably the fastest-growing operations in Antarctica. It opened its fourth station last year and is pressing ahead with plans to build a fifth. It is building its second ice-breaking ship and setting up research drilling operations on an ice dome 13,422 feet above sea level that is one of the planet's coldest places. Chinese officials say the expansion in Antarctica prioritises scientific research, but they also acknowledge that concerns about 'resource security' influence their moves. K. China's newly renovated Great Wall Station on King George Island makes the Russian and Chilean bases here seem outdated. 'We do weather monitoring here and other research,' Ning Xu, 53, the chief of the Chinese base, said over tea during a fierce blizzard (暴风雪) in late November. The large base he leads resembles a snowed-in college campus on holiday break, with the capacity to sleep more than 10 times the 13 people who were staying on through the Antarctic winter. Yong Yu, a Chinese microbiologist, showed off the spacious building, with empty desks under an illustrated timeline detailing the rapid growth of China's Antarctic operations since the 1980s. 'We now feel equipped to grow,' he said. L. As some countries expand operations in Antarctica, the United States maintains three year-round stations on the continent with more than 1,000 people during the southern hemisphere's summer, including those at the Amundsen-Scott station, built in 1956 at an elevation of 9,301 feet on a plateau at the South Pole. But US researchers quietly complain about budget restraints and having far fewer icebreakers than Russia, limiting the reach of the United States in Antarctica. M. Scholars warn that Antarctica's political drift could blur the distinction between military and civilian activities long before the continent's treaties come up for renegotiation, especially in parts of Antarctica that are ideal for intercepting (拦截) signals from satellites or retasking satellite systems, potentially enhancing global electronic intelligence operations. N. Some countries have had a hard time here. Brazil opened a research station in 1984, but it was largely destroyed by a fire that killed two members of the navy in 2012, the same year that a diesel-laden Brazilian barge sank near the base. As if that were not enough, a Brazilian C-130 Hercules military transport plane has remained stranded near the runway of Chile's air base here since it crash-landed in 2014. O. However, Brazil's stretch of misfortune has created opportunities for China, with a Chinese company winning the $100 million contract in 2015 to rebuild the Brazilian station. P. Amid all the changes, Antarctica maintains its allure. South Korea opened its second Antarctic research base in 2014, describing it as a way to test robots developed by Korean researchers for use in extreme conditions. With Russia's help, Belarus is preparing to build its first Antarctic base. Colombia said this year that it planned to join other South American nations with bases in Antarctica. Q. 'The old days of the Antarctic being dominated by the interests and wishes of white men from European, Australasian and North American states are over,' said Klaus Dodds, a politics scholar at the University of London who specialises in Antarctica 'The reality is that Antarctica is geopolitically contested.'

单选题One of our expectations about education is that it will pay off in terms of upward mobility. Historically, the correlation between education and income has been strong. But in the early 1970s, a contradiction 26 between education and the economy. Our value of education and our average educational attainment outstripped the capacity of the economy to 27 the graduates. Experts have argued that this contradiction is at the heart of the problem of public education today. It is not, as business leaders claim, that the schools are failing to 28 educate students. The real problem is a dearth (缺乏) of economic 29 for students who are not continuing on to college. College graduates also are having difficulty finding jobs. Even when they do, the jobs may not be commensurate (相称的) with their 30 and expectations. Part of the problem is that too many young Americans aspire to have professional jobs, making disappointment and frustration 31 for some. Another part of the problem is the assumption that greater educational attainment guarantees career 32 . In fact, employers do not routinely reward educational attainment; 33 , they reward it only when they believe it will contribute to the employee's productivity. We should not overlook the fact that there is still a strong correlation between education, occupation, and income. College graduates have a strong advantage over those with less education. Despite the fact that the payoff is neither as large nor as 34 as it once was, we could still argue that all or at least the majority of Americans would 35 by some degree because higher education can enable them to think more deeply, explore more widely, and enjoy a greater range of experiences. A. absorb B. advancement C. benefit D. certain E. created F. developed G. failure H. gain I. inevitable J. opportunities K. properly L. rather M. thus N. timely O. training

单选题 Questions13-15 are based on the passage you have just heard.

单选题 Questions2-5 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

单选题 The United States has a major problem on its hands. True, Britain is facing a similar problem, but for the time being it is in America that it is graver. The only way to solve it is through education. Negroes (黑人) should know about the contributions that black individuals and groups have made towards building America. This is of vital importance for their self-respect; and it is perhaps even more important for white people to know. For if you believe that a man has no history worth mentioning, it is easy to assume that he has no value as a man. Many people believe that, since the Negro's achievements do not appear in the history books, he did not have any. Most people are taken aback when they learn that Negroes sailed with Columbus, marched with the Spanish conquerors of South America and fought side by side with white Americans in all their wars. People are astonished when you tell them about Phillis Wheatley, who learned English as a salve in Boston and wrote first-class poetry. They have never heard of Benjamin Banneker, a mathematician and a surveyor, who helped to plan the city of Washington. There has been a tendency all along to treat the black man as if he were invisible. Little has been written about the 5,000 American Negroes who fought in the Revolution against the British, but they were in every important battle. In the Anglo-American War of 1812, at least one out of every six men in the U.S. Navy was a Negro. In the Civil War, more than 200,000 black troops fought in the Union forces. How, then, did the image of the Negro as a valiant fighting man disappear? To justify the hideous institution of slavery, slave-holders had to create the myth of the docile, slow-witted Negro, incapable of self-improvement, and even contented with his lot. Nothing could be further from the truth. The slave fought for his freedom at every chance he got, and there were numerous uprisings. Yet the myth of docility persisted. There are several other areas where the truth has been twisted or concealed. Most people have heard of the Negro, Carver, who invented scores of new uses for the lowly peanut. But whoever heard of Norbert Rillieux, who in 1846 invented a vacuum pan that revolutionized the sugar-refining industry? Or of Elijah McCoy, who in 1872 invented the drip cup that feeds oil to the moving parts of heavy machinery? How many people know that Negroes are credited with inventing such different items as ice creams, potato chips, the gas mask and the first traffic light? Not many. As for the winning of the West, the black cowboy and the black frontiersman have been almost ignored, though film producers are becoming more aware of their importance. Yet in the typical trail crew of eight men that drove cattle from Texas to Kansas, at least two would have been Negroes. The black troops of the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry formed one-fifth of all the mounted troops assigned to protect the frontier after the Civil War. 'What difference does it make?' you may ask. A lot. The cowboy is the American folk-hero. Youngsters identify with him instantly. The average cowboy film is really a kind of morality play, with good guys and bad guys and right finally triumphing over wrong. You should see the amazement and happiness on black youngsters' faces when they learn that their ancestors really had a part in all that.

单选题 The idea of public works projects as a device to prevent or control depression was designed as means of creating job opportunities for unemployed workers and as a 'pump priming' device to aid business to revive. It was conceived during the early year as of the New Deal Era (1933-1937). By 1933, the number of unemployed workers had reached about 13 million. This meant that about 50 million people—about one third of the nation—were without means of support. At first, direct relief in the form of cash or food was provided for these people. This made them recipients (接受者) of government charity. In order to remove this stigma (耻辱) and restore to the unemployed some measure of respectability and human dignity, a plan was devised to create governmentally sponsored work projects that private industry would not or could not provide. This would also stimulate production and revive business activity. The best way to explain how this procedure is expected to work is to explain how it actually worked when it was first tried. The first experiment with it was the creation of the Works Project Administration (WPA). This agency set up work projects in various fields in which there were many unemployed. For example, unemployed actors were organized into theater projects; orchestras were organized for unemployed musicians, teaching projects for unemployed teachers, and even writers' projects for unemployed writers. Unemployed laborers were put to building work or maintaining roads, parks, playgrounds, or public buildings. These were all temporary 'work relief' projects rather than permanent work opportunities. More substantial work projects of a permanent nature were organized by another agency, the Public Works Administration (PWA). This agency undertook the planning of construction of schools, houses, post offices, dams, and other public structures. It entered into contracts with private construction firms to erect them, or it loaned money to local or state governments which undertook their construction. This created many jobs in the factories producing the material as well as in the projects themselves, and greatly reduced the number of the unemployed. Still another agency which provided work projects for the unemployed was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This agency provided job opportunities for youths aged 16 to 20 to work in national parks or forests clearing land, guarding against fires, building roads, or doing other conservation work. In the event of a future depression, the federal government might revive any or all of the above methods to relieve unemployment and stimulate business.

单选题 Now listen to the following recording and answer questions21-24.

单选题 For London-based Michelle Brideau, 10 years in the travel industry felt like an eternity. What started as low pay and high stress—but great perks—had evolved into low pay, high stress, no perks and lots of competition from the internet. Brideau was ready for a change. She considered running a mobile coffee cart for commuters in her neighbourhood, but the idea of London winters spent outside quickly nixed those plans. She decided on a career in technology. The problem: no experience. At some point in almost everyone's career comes the desire to change fields and try something completely different. But one of the most common stumbling blocks to making a dramatic career change is a lack of experience in the new field. Gaining that experience often means taking what can be felt like a giant step backwards in your career, whether it's by re-entering the students' world or signing on for an internship. Choices like these can be financially draining in the short term, but the long-term hope is that they will pay off before too long. Brideau needed to learn to code if she was going to launch a career in technology. But she'd been under the impression it would take years of schoolwork to learn what she needed in order to make the switch, she said in an email. Then she heard about the Makers Academy, a highly selective coding program in London that teaches web development. The intensive 10-week program, (it now costs ￡7200 and is three months long) meant Brideau was studying code whenever she 'wasn't eating or sleeping.' With the coding experience under her belt, Brideau spent two months looking for the right job or internship. 'I made sure to get out into the developer community as much as possible: meet ups, events, conferences, job fairs and such,' she said. 'I also went to interviews, was invited to do code exercises as part of the job application process, and I continued to study at home.' Eventually, through the connections she made, Brideau landed a six-month paid code-writing internship at London-based Enternships, which placed students and recent graduates in positions with starts ups and small businesses. Once her internship is over, she hopes to find a position as a junior coder. 'The hardest part was taking the leap to doing something so completely different than I have ever done previously,' said Brideau. She likened it to the move she had made from Canada to the UK. 'You keep moving forward with a lot of unanswered questions not knowing how it will all turn out until one day you find yourself at home in your new surroundings.'

单选题 When global warming finally came, it stuck with a vengeance(报复). In some regions, temperatures rose several degrees in less than a century. Sea levels shot up nearly 400 feet, flooding coastal settlements and forcing people to migrate inland. Deserts spread throughout the world as vegetation shifted drastically in North America, Europe and Asia. After driving many of the animals around them to near extinction, people were forced to abandon their old way of life for a radically new survival strategy that resulted in widespread starvation and disease. The adaptation was farming: the global warming crisis that gave rise to it happened more than 10, 000 years ago. As environmentalists convene in Rio de Janeiro this week to ponder the global climate of the future, earth scientists are in the midst of a revolution in understanding how climate has changed in the past, and how those changes have transformed human existence. Researchers have begun to piece together an illuminating picture of the powerful geological and astronomical forces that have combined to change the planet's environment from hot to cold, wet to dry and back again over a time period stretching back hundreds of millions of years. Most important, scientists are beginning to realize that the climatic changes have had a major impact on the evolution of the human species. New research now suggests that climate shifts have played a key role in nearly every significant turning point in human evolution: from the dawn of primates (灵长目动物) some 65 million years ago to human ancestors rising up to walk on two legs, from the huge expansion of the human brain to the rise of agriculture. Indeed, the human history has not been merely touched by global climate change, some scientists argue, it has in some instances been driven by it. The new research has profound implications for the environmental summit in Rio. Among other things, the findings demonstrate that dramatic climate change is nothing new for planet Earth. The benign(宜人的) global environment that has existed over the past 10, 000 years—during which agriculture, writing, cities and most other features of civilization appeared—is a mere bright spot in a much larger pattern of widely varying climate over the ages. In fact, the pattern of climate change in the past reveals that Earth's climate will almost certainly go through dramatic changes in the future—even without the influence of human activity.

单选题 道家思想 道家思想(Taoism)是中国春秋时期(the Spring and Autumn Period)最重要的思想学派之一，创始人是老子。道家思想的核心是“道”(Tao)，老子用“道”来说明宇宙万物的产生和演变，认为人们在思想和行为上都要遵循“道”的规律，一切都要顺其自然。老子之后的另一位哲学家庄子继承和发展了道家思想。他强调自我提高，追求精神的自由。道家思想提倡追求自然、和谐的思想以及批判性思维的人文精神，是中国传统文化中宝贵而独特的精神财富。