八级阅读练习.docx

1、八级阅读练习In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences, that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by settin

2、g fire to cities and by looting and pillaging. Important people on both sides, who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is

3、 the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instincts remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absol

4、utely nothing. We have still not learnt that violence never solves a problem but makes it more acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us. The truly reason

5、able men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and herder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good

6、 use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a w

7、ell-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework o

8、f the law. Before we can even begin to contemplate peaceful co-existence between the races, we must appreciate each others problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is a simple exercise in communication, in exchanging information. Talk, talk, talk, the advocates of violence say, all you

9、 ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser. Its rather like the story of the famous barrister who painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser. Possible, my lord, the barrister replied, none

10、 the wiser, but surely far better informed. Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom: the knowledge that violence creates the evils it pretends to solve. 1. What is the best title for this passage?A Advocating Violence. B Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice. C Important Peopl

11、e on Both Sides See Violence As a Legitimate Solution. D The Instincts of Human Race Are Thirsty for Violence. 2. Recorded history has taught usA violence never solves anything. B nothing. C the bloodshed means nothing. D everything. 3. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men A cant get a heari

12、ng. B are looked down upon. C are persecuted. D Have difficulty in advocating law enforcement. 4. He was none the wiser means A he was not at all wise in listening. B He was not at all wiser than nothing before. C He gains nothing after listening. D He makes no sense of the argument. 5. According th

13、e author the best way to solve race prejudice is A law enforcement. B knowledge. C nonviolence. D Mopping up the violent mess. TEXT AWe had been wanting to expand our childrens horizons by taking them to a place that was unlike anything wed been exposed to during our travels in Europe and the United

14、 States. In thinking about what was possible from Geneva, where we are based, we decided on a trip to Istanbul, a two-hour plane ride from Zurich.We envisioned the trip as a prelude to more exotic ones, perhaps to New Delhi or Bangkok later this year, but thought our 11- and 13-year-olds needed a fi

15、rst step away from manicured boulevards and pristine monuments.What we didnt foresee was the reaction of friends, who warned that we were putting our children in danger, referring vaguely, and most incorrectly, to disease, terrorism or just the unknown. To help us get acquainted with the peculiariti

16、es of Istanbul and to give our children a chance to choose what they were particularly interested in seeing, we bought an excellent guidebook and read it thoroughly before leaving. Friendly warnings didnt change our planning, although we might have more prudently checked with the U.S. State Departme

17、nts list of trouble spots. We didnt see a lot of children among the foreign visitors during our six-day stay in Istanbul, but we found the tourist areas quite safe, very interesting and varied enough even to suit our son, whose oft-repeated request is that we not see every single church and museum i

18、n a given city.Vaccinations werent needed for the city, but we were concemed about adapting to the water for a short stay. So we used bottled water for drinking and brushing our teeth, a precaution that may seem excessive, but we all stayed healthy. Taking the advice of a friend, we booked a hotel a

19、 20-minute walk from most of Istanbuls major tourist sites. This not only got us some morning exercise, strolling over the Karakoy Bridge, but took us past a colorful assortment of fishermen, vendors and shoe shiners. From a teenager and pre-teens view, Istanbul street life is fascinating since almo

20、st everything can be bought outdoors. They were at a good age to spend time wandering the labyrinth of the Spice Bazaar, where shops display mounds of pungent herbs in sacks. Doing this with younger children would be harder simply because the streets are so packed with people; it would be easy to ge

21、t lost.For our two, whose buying experience consisted of department stores and shopping mall boutiques（13题答案D的出处）, it was amazing to discover that you could bargain over price and perhaps end up with two of something for the price of one. They also learned to figure out the relative value of the Tur

22、kish lira, not a small matter with its many zeros.Being exposed to Islam was an important part of our trip. Visiting the mosques, especially the enormous Blue Mosque, was our first glimpse into how this major religion is practiced. Our childrens curiosity already had been piqued by the five daily ca

23、lls to prayer over loudspeakers in every corner of the city, and the scarves covering the heads of many women. Navigating meals can be troublesome with children, but a kebab, bought on the street or in restaurants, was unfailingly popular. Since we had decided this trip was not for gourmets, kebabs

24、spared us the agony of trying to find a restaurant each day that would suit the adults desire to try something new amid childrens insistence that the food be served immediately. Gradually, we branched out to try some other Turkish specialties. Although our son had studied Islam briefly, it is imposs

25、ible to be prepared for every awkward question that might come up, such as during our visits to the Topkapi Sarayi, the Ottoman Sultans palace. No guides were available so it was do-it-yourself, using our guidebook, which cheated us of a lot of interesting history and anecdotes that a professional g

26、uide could provide. Next time, we resolved to make such arrangements in advance.On this trip, we wandered through the magnificent complex, with its imperial treasures, its courtyards and its harem. The last required a bit of explanation that we would have happily lef to a learned third party.11. The

27、 couple chose Istanbul as their holiday destination mainly becauseA. the city is not too far away from where they lived.B. the city is not on the list of the U.S. State Department.C. the city is between the familiar and the exotic.D. the city is more familiar than exotic.12. Which of the following s

28、tatements is INCORRECT?A. The family found the city was exactly what they had expected.B. Their friends were opposed to their holiday plan.C. They could have been more cautious about bringing kids along.D. They were a bit cautious about the quality of water in the city.13. We learn from the couples

29、shopping experience back home thatA. they were used to bargaining over price.B. they preferred to buy things outdoors.C. street markets were their favourite.D. they preferred fashion and brand names.14. The last two paragraphs suggest that to visit places of interest in IstanbulA. guidebooks are ver

30、y useful.B. a professional guide is a must.C. one has to be prepared for questions.D. one has to make arrangements in advance.15. The family have seen or visited all the following in Istanbul EXCEPTA. religious prayers.B. historical buildings.C. local-style markets.D. shopping mall boutiques. TEXT B

31、 Last month the first baby-boomers turned 60. The bulky generation born between 1946 and 1964 is heading towards retirement. The looming demographic cliff will see vast numbers of skilled workers dispatched from the labour force.The workforce is ageing across the rich world. Within the EU the number

32、 of workers aged between 50 and 64 will increase by 25% over the next two decades, while those aged 20-29 will decrease by 20%. In Japan almost 20% of the population is already over 65, the highest share in the world. And in the United States the number of workers aged 55-64 will have increased by more than half in this decade, at the same time as the 35- to 44-year-olds decline by 10%.Given that most societies are geared to retirement at around 65, companies have a looming problem of know