1、每小题2分,满分30分)阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。(A)We dont always get a second chance to achieve our dreams.But some people are lucky,like Matthew McConaughey.Once almost unknown,the actor has recently found himself back on the list of the best actors in Hollywood.His new movie Interstellar is just a
2、nother sign that his career reinvention has been an incredible success.“The film relies on McConaugheys performance to hold together the emotional story of a father and his daughter against the background of space travel and the end of the world,” Forbes commented.But only years ago,the Texas native
3、 was often the butt of jokes (笑柄) about being too handsome.In 1993,after meeting with director Richard Linklater,McConaughey starred in Dazed and Confused.And a Hollywood career was born,mostly in romantic comedies.For a long time,the whole world believed McConaughey was just a handsome guy with com
4、ic talent.But McConaughey stopped starring in that type of movie,and began to use his looks differently.Slowly he built up his reputation as a serious actor.In 2013,McConaughey was offered to play an AIDS activist in Dallas Buyers Club.The role saw the normally muscular actor losing 50 pounds in ord
5、er to appear sick.His performance won him an Oscar for Best Actor.The actor gave thanks to someone he has always looked up to as a hero during his Oscar acceptance speech.When he was 15,the actor said,he decided that his hero would be himself in 10 years.But 10 years later,he pushed the deadline ahe
6、ad another decade.Then 10 years later,another decade.“My heros always 10 years away,”he said.“Im never going to attain that.That keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing.” Or perhaps constantly chasing the chance to be his own hero has given him a second chance to follow his dreams.21.Why was McCon
7、aughey often the butt of jokes in his early career?()A.He was limited to handsome roles. B.He was unknown to the audience.C.He played in romantic comedies. D.He was handsome and emotional.22.What role won McConaughey an Oscar for Best Actor?A.A caring father. B.An AIDS activist. C.A serious buyer. D
8、.A strong hero.23.What can we learn about McConaughey?A.He was born in Hollywood.B.He has become a hero of his own.C.He wasnt famous until recently.D.He isnt content with his achievements.24.Which of the following can be the best title?A.McConaughey,a Romantic ComedianB.McConaughey,a Man Making a Hi
9、tC.McConaughey,a Man Daring to changeD.McConaughey,Handsome and Talented(B)Dear Amanda,As the Dean of Yale College,I am writing to congratulate you on your academic success and to introduce you to Yales diverse opportunities.As you consider your college options,I hope that Yale remains among your to
10、p choices.This is part of an e-mail I received this fall.I admit it made me feel pretty special to have Yale,one of the best universities in the world,approach me,a fairly average high school senior from New Jersey.But why me?My grades are nothing to brag about.I didnt qualify for the National Merit
11、 Scholarship Competition.I havent led a team sport or conducted scientific research.Later,I learned that each year,Yale sends mailings to roughly 80,000 potential students for its freshman class of 1,300.For the class of 2018,Yale rejected 93.7 percent of its applicants.And,according to the College
12、Board,95 percent of Yales enrolled(注册入学)students were in the top 10 percent of their high school classes.Colleges want a top ranking by U.S.News & World Report.One way to get it?Low acceptance rates,which come from attracting lots and lots of applicantsand then rejecting almost all of them.So school
13、s mail fancy brochures and send sincere e-mails to many more students than theyll accept.Top schools defend their marketing,arguing that theyre reaching students who otherwise might not applybecause they dont think they could get in,or dont realize that most top schools offer lots of need-based fina
14、ncial aid.As William Fitzsimmons,dean of Harvard admissions,said:“There are so many students out there in the world who might not automatically think about Harvard as a place to go.The chances of reaching the top of anything are not good,but is that a reason not to try?”But most of the students Fitz
15、simmons is talking about dont consider Harvard because theyre not academically qualified.Kids like me dont need false hope.Approaching students with a slim chance of getting in just creates more confusion and disappointment.So Yale(and Brown and Columbia),stop selling me on impossible dreams.25.Why
16、did Yale send the author an e-mail?A.To show its a top college.B.To persuade her to apply to it.C.To introduce its diverse courses.D.To send its congratulations to her.26.The underlined part “brag about” in Paragraph 3 probably means .A.worry about B.think aboutC.be proud of D.be ashamed of27.We can
17、 infer from Fitzsimmons words that .A.a good beginning makes a good endingB.a brave attempt is a half successC.the older,the wiserD.no pains,no gains28.What does the author think of the approaches of top colleges?A.She finds them easy to understand.B.She seems satisfied with them.C.She considers the
18、m necessary.D.She finds them annoying.(C)If you are a first-time traveler,take a look at some places to visit in Louisiana.Baton RougeThe second largest city in the state,Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana.With the Mississippi river to the south,this is a major industrial and commercial center
19、in the southern area.The Louisiana State Capitol area also plays host for the famous“Mardi Gras” parades.Other places of interest around here are Perkins Rowe,Louisiana State Museum and the Baton Rouge Zoo.New Orleans Museum of ArtLocated in New Orleans,this museum includes some of the finest collec
20、tions of art.One can particularly see around 50 beautifully carved sculptures on the landscaped garden.The collection mainly includes artworks of French and American origin.This museum is open for students and teachers who can take a tour here or even conduct workshops.National World War MuseumThis
21、museum is located in New Orleans,Louisiana.It has an interesting array of exhibits,which are related to World War .On the 56th anniversary,this museum was opened to the public.It gives the visitors a glimpse into the political and social life of the days during World War .Avery IslandIt is actually
22、a salt dome,which is the home of a rock salt mine in use since the time of the Civil War.The name stands,because in the 1830s this place was the home of the Avery family.It was the American-Indians who discovered the presence of the salt dome here.Avery Island is also famous for the well-known Tabas
23、co pepper sauce.LafayettePopularly known as the Eden of Louisiana,this town is an interesting blend of Spanish,American,African and Indian cultures.This town resonates with “unity in diversity”.Some major attractions here include the Acadian village,Lafayette Natural History Museum & Planetarium,Aca
24、dian and Creole Folklore and Folklife Center,and the Summer Music Festival in August.People here really know how to enjoy themselves and celebrations,dance and music are a part of their lifestyle.29.You can enjoy the following places of interest in Baton Rouge EXCEPT .A.Perkins Rowe B.the Acadian vi
25、llageC.Louisiana State Museum D.the Baton Rouge Zoo30.Which museum specially welcomes teachers and students?A.Louisiana State Museum.B.New Orleans Museum of Art.C.National World War Museum.D.Lafayette Natural History Museum & Planetarium.31.Which place is known as the Eden of Louisiana?A.Baton Rouge
26、. B.New Orleans.C.Lafayette. D.Avery Island.(D)What exactly is intelligence?There arent any easy answers.Despite the progress that has been made in genetics and psychology,human intelligence has remained one of the most controversial areas of modern science,until now,that is,for the discovery of a g
27、ene(基因)linked to intelligence has made the experts think again.Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London and his colleagues in the US have been looking into genetic make-up.From their research,they have discovered that a slightly different gene is more common in those with a high IQ.Plo
28、min analyzed DNA from two groups of 51 children aged between 6 and 15.What he found was that the first group had an IQ of 136,putting them in the top 5% of the population,while the other group had an average IQ of 103.An analysis of their genes showed that 32% of children in the higher group had the
29、 gene in question,while only 16% in the second group did.However,there is a lot more research to be done,and Plomin himself is cautious at this early stage.He suggests that there are probably many genes that contribute to intelligence,rather than just one.Several studies have shown a strong link bet
30、ween IQ and career success,although some psychologists remain unconvinced about this.Professor Michael Rowe,who has written a book called Genius Explained,is one of these.“ The people with the highest IQs are not usually the ones who do best in their careers.”Many psychologists now believe that when
31、 it comes to intelligence,IQ isnt everything.Many alternative views have been put forward recently.One example is the idea of multiple intelligences,which was developed in the 1980s by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner.This offers a much broader view than the IQ theory,including creativity and communication skills as relevant factors in intelligence.Tony Buzan,brain expert and author of Master your Memory,is enthusiastic about this belief,arguing that true geniuses(天才)do indeed appear to combine high levels of each type of intelligence.He lists Alexander the Great,Pablo Pica
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