Nearly two thousand years have passed since a census decreed by Caesar Augustus become part of the greatest story ever told. Many things have changed in the intervening years. The hotel industry worries more about overbuilding than overcrowding, and if they had to meet an unexpected influx, few inns would have a manager to accommodate the weary guests. Now it is the census taker that does the traveling in the fond hope that a highly mobile population will stay long enough to get a good sampling. Methods of gathering, recording, and evaluating information have presumably been improved a great deal. And where then it was the modest purpose of Rome to obtain a simple head count as an adequate basis for levying taxes, now batteries of complicated statistical series furnished by governmental agencies and private organizations are eagerly scanned and interpreted by sages and seers to get a clue to future events. The Bible does not tell us how the Roman census takers made out, and as regards our more immediate concern, the reliability of present day economic forecasting, there are considerable differences of opinion. They were aired at the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the American Statistical Association. There was the thought that business forecasting might well be on its way from an art to a science, and some speakers talked about newfangled computers and high-falutin mathematical system in terms of excitement and endearment which we, at least in our younger years when these things mattered, would have associated more readily with the description of a fair maiden. But others pointed to the deplorable record of highly esteemed forecasts and forecasters with a batting average below that of the Mets, and the President-elect of the Association cautioned that “high powered statistical methods are usually in order where the facts are crude and inadequate, the exact contrary of what crude and inadequate statisticians assume.” We left his birthday party somewhere between hope and despair and with the conviction, not really newly acquired, that proper statistical methods applied to ascertainable facts have their merits in economic forecasting as long as neither forecaster nor public is deluded into mistaking the delineation of probabilities and trends for a prediction of certainties of mathematical exactitude.
Taxation in Roman days apparently was based on
[A]. wealth. [B]. mobility. [C]. population. [D]. census takers.
The American Statistical Association
[A]. is converting statistical study from an art to a science.
[B]. has an excellent record in business forecasting.
[C]. is neither hopeful nor pessimistic.
[D]. speaks with mathematical exactitude.
The message the author wishes the reader to get is
[A]. statisticians have not advanced since the days of the Roman.
[B]. statistics is not as yet a science.
[C]. statisticians love their machine.
[D].computer is hopeful.
The “greatest story ever told” referred to in the passage is the story of
[A]. Christmas. [B]. The Mets.
[C]. Moses. [D]. Roman Census Takers.
【小題1】C
【小題2】A
【小題3】B
【小題4】A
【小題1】C. 人口。答案在第六句，“那時羅馬計算人頭作為征稅的適當基礎，目的很簡單�！�
A. 財富。 B. 流動性。 C. 人口調查員。
【小題2】 A. 正把統(tǒng)計研究從文科轉變成理科。這是從第六句開始講的一種觀點�！艾F在，政府機構和私人組織的一系列復雜的統(tǒng)計數字，由智者和先知人物殷切地瀏覽和解釋以取得預先外未來事件的線索。圣經并沒有告訴我們羅馬的人口調查員是怎么調查統(tǒng)計的。至于我們當前更加關心的問題：目前經濟預測的可靠性，意見分歧很大。美國統(tǒng)計協(xié)會125周年慶�；顒由希藗冊诖笏列麚P這些不同觀點。有一種說法是經濟預測可能正從文科轉向科學（理科）發(fā)展。有些人興高采烈大談新型計算機和非常高級數學系統(tǒng)�！弊髡唠m然沒有明說，明眼人一看便知，藝術向科學轉變正是美國統(tǒng)計協(xié)會在把統(tǒng)計學從文科轉向理科。所以A. 對。
B. 在商業(yè)預測方面具有杰出的記錄。不對。實際上“平均成功率還低于the Mets”
C. 既沒有希望也不樂觀。文內沒有提及。只提作者他們半喜半憂離開協(xié)會。
D. 以數學的精確性來說話。見下道題解釋。協(xié)會部分人卻有此看法“數學精確性�！�
【小題3】B. 統(tǒng)計學（到現在為止）還不是一門科學（理科）。文章最后幾句話。“連統(tǒng)計協(xié)會的主席也告戒說高能統(tǒng)計法在實際材料原始和不允許的地方一般發(fā)揮正常。這跟低級的，不合適的統(tǒng)計員所假定的正好相反。我們懷著憂“希”摻半的心情離開周年慶祝宴會，懷著確實不是新近才有的信念，相信應用于確切材料上恰當的統(tǒng)計法在經濟預測中有它的貢獻，只要預測人員和公眾不受蒙蔽，誤呆板所述概率和趨勢當作數學精確無比的預測就行。”
A. 統(tǒng)計員從羅馬時代起就沒向前進步過。 C. 統(tǒng)計員愛計算機。這兩項文內沒有提到。 D. 計算機前程遠大。文內只講了有些人懷著興高采烈的心情大講新型計算機和非常高級數學“系統(tǒng)”，暗示了計算機大有希望。但不是所有人都這樣認為的。最重要的計算機的應用并不能改變這個事實：統(tǒng)計學不是立刻，而是文科。所以B. 對。
【小題4】 A. 基督，圣誕節(jié)，指基督的誕生。圣經中的一個故事。
B. the Mets. 圣經中率領希伯萊人出埃及的領袖，也作放債的猶太人講。 C. 摩西。 D. 羅馬人口調查員。
科目：高中英語 來源：2012-2013學年福建省南安一中高一下學期期中考試英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：單選題
— Can we see your manager now?
— I’m afraid not. He ______ a meeting for nearly two hours and I’ve no idea when it will be over.
| A．is having | B．has had |
| C．has been having | D．will have |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2011年上海全國普通高等學校招生統(tǒng)一考試英語試卷 題型：閱讀理解
Humpback whales
| Humpback whales are sometimes called performers of the ocean. This is because they can make impressive movements when they dive. The name “humpback”, which is the common name for this whale, refers to the typical curve shape the whale’s back forms as it dives. Sometimes the humpback will dive with a fantastic movement, known as a breach. During breaching the whale uses its powerful tail flukes to lift nearly two-thirds of its body out of the water in a giant leap. A breach might also include a sideways twist with fins stretched out like wings, as the whale reaches the height of the breach. A humpback whale breathes air at the surface of the water through two blowholes which are located near the top of the head. It blows a double stream of water that can rise up to 4 meters above the water. The humpback has a small dorsal fin located towards the tail flukes about two-thirds of the way down its back. Other distinguishing features include large pectoral fins, which may be up to a third of the body length, and unique black, and white spots on the underside of the tail flukes. These markings are like fingerprints: no two are the same. Humpback whales live in large groups. They communicate with each other through complex “songs”. | Quick Facts | |
| Size: | 14m~18m in length 30~50 tons in weight | |
| Living environment: | Open ocean and shallow coastline waters | |
| Migration: | From warm tropical (熱帶的) waters, where they breed, to cold polar waters, where they eat. | |
| Diet: | Shellfish, plants and fish of small size | |
| Hunting: | Sometimes in groups, in which several whales form a circle under the water, blowing bubbles that form a “net” around a school of fish. The fish are then forced up to the surface in a concentrated mass. | |
| Current state: | Endangered: it is estimated that there are about 5000~7000 humpback whales worldwide. | |
| A．cannot survive in waters near the shore | B．doesn’t live in the same waters all the time |
| C．lives mainly on underwater plants | D．prefers to work alone when hunting food |
| A．use its tail flukes to leap out of the water | B．twist its body sideways to jump high. |
| C．blow two streams of water | D．communicate with a group of humpbacks. |
| A．has its unique markings on it tail flukes | B．has black and white fingerprints |
| C．gets its name from the way it hunts | D．is a great performer due to its songs |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2012屆浙江省臺州中學高三上學期第一次統(tǒng)練英語試卷 題型：閱讀理解
Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor（走廊）. In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship.
【小題1】The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to __________.
| A．answer some questions | B．express some unusual feelings |
| C．arouse the readers’ curiosity | D．give some advice in advance |
| A．They talked with each other all night |
| B．They got angry about the window |
| C．The author didn’t understand the man’s words |
| D．The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions |
| A．he couldn’t find a seat by the window |
| B．he was angry with the man sitting next to him |
| C．there were too many people on the train |
| D．the window was kept shut all night |
| A．he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train |
| B．he would miss the ship that went where he worked |
| C．more people might crowd into the train |
| D．he would have to buy another ticket |
| A．the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices |
| B．the ship that was lying two miles away |
| C．the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor |
| D．the train itself telling people that something was wrong |
| A．A Bad Experience on the Train | B．A Train that Is Never Late |
| C．A Quick and Wise Decision | D．A Journey to Mendova |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2011年陜西普通高等學校招生全國統(tǒng)一考試英語試卷 題型：閱讀理解
Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, gentically mondified (GM, 轉基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the word,mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would ,is it the best solutiorr?
Despite what it promiises,GM technology actually has not increased the production potential of any corp. In fact
Studies show that the most crown GM croo.
GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on mojor GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.
Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companics tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（殺蟲劑）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “ The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But nether is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.
At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.
As a matter of fact ,scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.
【小題1】The author develops the second paragraph mainly .
| A．by classification | B．by comparison |
| C．by example | D．by process |
| A．Control. | B．Evaluate | C．Obtain. | D．Increase. |
| A．practicing “green” farming | B．use of less chemicals |
| C．fair distribution of their crops | D．using more crops for fuel |
| A．Optimistic | B．Defensive | C．Disapproving | D．Casual |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2011-2012學年四川省資陽市高三第二次高考模擬考試英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
Forget chip fat, sugar cane or rapeseed oil — the latest source of biofuel could be watermelons. Scientists have discovered that the fruit is a great source of sugar that can be readily distilled (蒸餾) into alcohol to power cars and farm machinery.
And sellers reject 360,000 tons of “substandard” fruit every year in America alone which could be used as an economical way to make fuel. The waste from US growers could produce nearly two million gallons (nine million litres) of biofuel per year.
In the study, researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture set out to determine the biofuel potential of juice from rejected watermelons —those not sold due to cosmetic imperfections, and currently ploughed back into the field. About a fifth of each yearly watermelon crop is left in the field because of surface blemishes (瑕疵) or because they are misshapen.
Dr. Wayne Fish, who led the team, found that 50 percent of the fruit was fermentable (可發(fā)酵的) into alcohol which could provide valuable fuel.
“We’ve shown that the juice of these watermelons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing an unexploited raw material for alcohol biofuel production,” he said.
The study, published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels, discovered that watermelons could produce around 20 gallons of fuel per acre from fruit that otherwise would go to waste.
Production of biofuels has been targeted by Western governments as a way to support renewable energy targets.
The European Union has a target for 2010 that 5.75 percent of transport fuels should come from biological sources, but the target is unlikely to be met.
The British government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation requires five percent of the fuel sold at the pump by 2010 to be biofuel.
1.The passage mainly tells us ______.
|
A．watermelon juice will be the largest source of renewable energy |
|
B．the advantages of fuel made from watermelons |
|
C．Western countries aim at producing biofuels |
|
D．watermelons could be used to make fuel |
2. It can be learned from the text that ______.
|
A．about two gallons of fuel could be made from rejected fruit per acre |
|
B．sellers in the world throw away 360,000 tons of watermelons every year |
|
C．half of the watermelons were fermentable into alcohol to provide energy |
|
D．five percent of fuel is required to be biofuel from watermelons by 2010 in Britain |
3.The underlined word “cosmetic” in Paragraph 3 probably means ______.
|
A．fresh |
B．sweet |
C．surface |
D．inside |
4.We can infer from the passage that ______.
|
A．it will cost a lot to make biofuel from watermelons |
|
B．Western countries are engaged in biofuel study but still have a long way to go |
|
C．watermelon juice has been used as a source of sugars to produce alcohol biofuel |
|
D．the European Union is likely to meet its target of transport fuels from biological sources |
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