资料说明文汇总共34篇Word格式文档下载.docx

1、An out-of-work prospector named George Harrison launched South Africa into the gold age in 1886 when he discovered the metal on a farm near what is now Johannesburg. Harrison was given a 12 reward by the farmer. He then disappeared and reportedly was eaten by a lion.Historically, the desire to hoard

2、 gold at home has been primarily an occupation of the working and peasant classes, who have no faith in paper money. George Bernard Shaw defended their instincts eloquently: You have to choose between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability of the honesty and intelligence

3、 of the members of the government, he said, and with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you . to vote for gold.1. It can be inferred from the passage that during the days of the gold-rush in California _. （A） people had to mark out their gold claims with a rope （B） people carried ropes instead

4、 of guns （C） hanging was a common form of punishment （D） the rope was the symbol of law and order2. One of the problems with gold is that _. （A） it loses its shape too easily （B） it changes the human characters （C） it entails danger to the miners （D） it costs money to produce .3. According to the pa

5、ssage, gold has always been considered a precious metal mainly because _. （A） money is made of it （B） it is rare （C） a small quantity goes a long way （D） it has religious significance4. After the big gold discoveries in the late nineteenth century _. （A） the trading nations adopted the gold standard

6、 （B） the trading nations were unable to get enough gold （C） gold coins were used by most nations （D） gold was considered to be a kind of precious metal5. George Bernard Shaw thought that _. （A） the members of the government were honest and intelligent （B） the value of gold was likely to change unexp

7、ectedly （C） gold was more valuable than paper money （D） one could place more faith in gold than in politiciansPassage 2 （0809） EarthLet us take a brief look at the planet on which we live. As Earth hurtles through space at a speed of 70,000 miles an hour, it spins, as we all know, on its axis, which

8、 causes it to be flattened at the Poles. Thus if you were to stand at sea level at the North or South Pole you would be 13 miles nearer the centre of the earth than if you stood on the Equator.The earth is made up of three major layersa central core, probably metallic, some 4000 miles across, a surr

9、ounding layer of compressed rock, and to top it all a very thin skin of softer rock, only about 20 to 40 miles thick-thats about as thin as the skin of an apple, talking in relative terms.The pressure on the central core is unimaginable. It has been calculated that at the centre it is 60 million pou

10、nds to the square inch, and this at a temperature of perhaps 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The earths interior, therefore, would seem to be of liquid metaland evidence for this is given by the behaviour of earthquakes.When an earthquake occurs, shock waves radiate from the centre just as waves radiate

11、outwards from the point where a stone drops into a pond. And these waves pulsate through the earths various layers. Some waves descend vertically and pass right through the earth, providing evidence for the existence of the core and an indication that it is fluid rather than solid. Thus, with their

12、sensitive instruments, the scientists who study earthquakes, the seismologists, can in effect X-ray the earth.Iceland is one of the most active volcanic regions of the world. And it was to Iceland that Jules Verne sent the hero of his book A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. This intrepid explorer

13、 clambered down the opening of an extinct volcano and followed its windings until he reached the earths core. There he found great oceans, and continents with vegetation. This conception of a hollow earth we now know to be false. In the 100 years since Jules Verne published his book, the science of

14、vulcanology, as it is called, has made great strides. But even so the deepest man has yet penetrated is about 10,000 feet. This hole, the Robinson Deep mine in South Africa, barely scratches the surface; so great is the heat at 10,000 feet that were it not for an elaborate air-conditioning system, t

15、he miners working there would be roasted. Oil borings down to 20,000 feet have shown that the deeper they go, the hotter it becomes.The temperature of the earth at the centre is estimated to be anything between 3,000 and 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Some scientists believe that this tremendous heat is

16、 caused by the breaking-down of radio-active elements, which release large amounts of energy and compensate for the loss of heat from the earths surface. If this theory is correct, then we are all living on top of a natural atomic powerhouse.6. The outer layer of the earth is compared to the skin of

17、 an apple because _. （A） it is about 20 to 40 miles thick （B） it is thin in proportion to the earths mass （C） it is softer than the central core （D） it is thinner than the surrounding layer7. Which of the following cannot explain why the interior of the earth is fluid? （A） There is great pressure at

18、 the centre. （B） Earthquake waves can move vertically. （C） The outer layer is made of rock. （D） The heat at the centre is too great.8. The Robinson Deep mine in South Africa is _. （A） too deep to work in （B） too hot to work in （C） close to the centre （D） still in use9. Since the publication of Jules

19、 Vernes book it has been proved that _. （A） the centre of the earth is not hollow （B） oil borings cannot go deeper than 20,000 feet （C） there are active volcanic regions at the centre （D） the earth is not in danger of exploding10. What is the best title for the passage? （A） The Earthquake. （B） The U

20、nderworld. （C） The Volcanic Regions. （D） The Great Oceans.Passage 3 （0809） Alexander techniqueMany people will have heard of the Alexander technique but have only a vague idea what it is about. Until earlier this year, I didnt have the faintest idea about it. But, hunched over a computer screen one

21、day, I noticed that the neck- and backache I regularly suffered were more painful than usual. I consulted a doctor, who said: I can treat the symptoms by massaging your neck and upper back. But you actually have bad posture. That is what you need to get sorted out. Go off and learn the Alexander tec

22、hnique.I had regularly been told by friends and family that I tend to slouch in chairs but had thought bad posture was something one was born with and could do nothing about. That is not true. Dentists and car mechanics, among others, tend to develop bad posture from leaning over patients or engine

23、bays. Mothers often stress and strain their necks and backs lifting and carrying children, and those of us who sit in front of computers all day are almost certainly not doing our bodies any favours.A few clicks on the web and I found an Alexander technique teacher, Tanya Shoop, in my area of south

24、London and booked a first appointment. Three months later I am walking straighter and sitting better, while my neck and back pain are things of the past. I feel taller, too, which I may be imagining, but the technique can increase your height by up to five centimeters if you were badly slumped befor

25、ehand.The teaching centres on the neck, head and back. It trains you to use your body less harshly and to perform familiar movements and actions with less effort. There is very little effort in the lessons themselves, which sets apart the Alexander technique from pilates or yoga, which are exercise-

26、based.A typical lesson involves standing in front of a chair and learning to sit and stand with minimal effort. You spend some time lying on a bench with your knees bent to straighten the spine and relax your body while the teacher moves your arms and legs to train you to move them correctly.The key

27、 is learning to break the bad habits accumulated over years. Try, for example, folding your arms the opposite way to normal. It feels odd, doesnt it? This is an example of a habit the body has formed which can be hard to break. Many of us carry our heads too far back and tilted skyward. The technique teaches you to let go of the muscles holding the head back, allowing it to resume its natural place on the su