阅读理解题

　　第一篇

The Clock That Wakes You When You Are Ready

　　Are you a real grump （脾气坏的人） in the mornings? Do you wake up every day feeling tired, angry and upset, and all too ready to hit the snooze （瞌睡） button? If so, then a new alarm clock could be just for you.

　　The clock, celled SleepSmart, measures your sleep cycle, and waits for you to be in your lightest phase of sleep before waking you up. Its makers say that should ensure you wake up feeling refreshed （恢复精力） every morning.

　　As you sleep you pass through a sequence of sleep states - light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep （快速眼动睡眼） - that repeats approximately every 90 minutes. The points in that cycle at which you wake can affect how you feel later, and may even have a greater impact than how long or little you have slept. Being wakened during a light phase means you are more likely to wake up cheerful and full of life and interest.

　　SleepSmart records the distinct pattern of brain waves produced during each phase of sleep, via a headband equipped with electrodes （电极） and a microprocessor. This measures electric activity of the wearer's brain, and communicates wirelessly with a clock unit near the bed. You program the clock with the latest time at which you want to be wakened, and it then at the proper time wakes you during the last light sleep phase before that.

　　The concept was invented by a group of students at Brown University in Rhode Island after a friend complained of waking up tired and performing poorly on a test. "As sleep-deprived （剥夺） people ourselves, we started thinking of what to do about it," says Eric Shashoua, a recent college graduate and now chief executive officer of Axon Sleep Research Laboratories, a company created by the students to develop their idea. They have almost finished a prototype and plan to market the product by next year.

　　1 SleepSmart is a clock that

　　A enables you to go to sleep.

　　B enables you to sleep deeply.

　　C enables you to get up early.

　　D wakes you up during your last light sleep phase

　　2 As you sleep, the headband

　　A analyses your sleep cycle every 90 minutes.

　　B records the time when you fall into deep sleep.

　　C communicates wirelessly with a computer.

　　D measures the electric activity of your brain.

　　3 What should the sleeper do to make the device work?

　　A He should press the snooze button in time.

　　B He should turn on the microprocessor in the clock.

　　C He should set the latest time for waking up.

　　D He should adjust his headband.

　　4 The idea of making such a clock was developed by a group of

　　A students at Brown University.

　　B teachers at Brown University.

　　C sleep-deprived scientists.

　　D former engineers atAxon Sleep Research Laboratories.

　　5 The word "prototype" （paragraph 5） means

　　A "form".

　　B "model".

　　C "brand".

　　D "cycle".

　　第二篇

Too Late to Regret It

　　When I was a junior, I met a second-year student in my department. He wasn't tall or good-looking, but he was very nice, attractive and athletic. He had something that I admired very much. He was natural, warm, and sincere.

　　I disregarded （不顾） my parents' disapproval. We were very happy together. He picked me up from my dorm every morning, and after class we would sit alongside the stream that ran through campus, or sunbathe （晒太阳） on the lawn. At night he would walk me back to my dorm. He came from a poor family, but in order to make me happy, he borrowed money from his friend to buy presents and meals for me. Our fellow students looked up to him as a role model, and the girls envied （妒忌） me. He wasn't a local, but wanted to stay here after graduation. I thought we had a future together.

　　However, when I got a part-time job during the summer vacation, people began giving me a lot of pressure, saying that a pretty, intelligent girl like me should find a better guy to spend time with. This was also what my family thought. He spent the summer in his hometown, so I was all by myself. When he got back, I began finding fault with him. But his big heart and warmth soon drove all unpleasant thoughts away. However, I had no idea how badly I had hurt him and that things would get worse.

　　I had a good part-time job off campus that paid pretty well. With my good performance at school, I also got admission to graduate school at one of China's best universities. He, on the other hand, did not do so well at school or at work. I had to worry about his living expenses, job and scores.

　　Almost all my colleagues and friends advised me to break up with him. Then we had a quarrel last June. He was in great pain, and my cold words and bad moods started turning him away.

　　Graduation time was drawing near, and he said he wanted to go back to his hometown. He said that he couldn't put up with me anymore. I was shocked and looked at him in despair.

　　True love happens only once, but I found it out too late.

　　6 When did the author fall in love with the boy?

　　A After she had a quarrel with him.

　　B When she was a junior.

　　C When she was a second-year student.

　　D After she found a part-time job.

　　7 What did he do to make her happy?

　　A He studied much harder.

　　B He often took her for a ride.

　　C He always endured her insults.

　　D He often bought her presents and meals.

　　8 Who advised her to break up with him?

　　A His parents.

　　B Her teachers.

　　C Her colleagues and friends.

　　D Their fellow students.

　　9 Why did he leave her?

　　A Because he could no longer bear her.

　　B Because he hated her.

　　C Because his parents needed taking care of.

　　D Because he wasn't a local.

　　10 Upon learning that he would leave her, she was

　　A very happy.

　　B extremely joyful.

　　C quite relieved.

　　D in great pain.

　　第三篇

Recycling Around the World

　　Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. But we could do more. People must not see recycling as fashionable, but essential.

　　The Japanese are very good at recycling because they live in a crowded country. They do not have much space. They do not want to share their limited space with rubbish. But even so, Tokyo area alone is estimated to have three million tons of leftover rubbish at present.

　　In 1996, the United States recycled and composted （制成肥料） 57 million tons of waste （27% of the nation's solid waste）. This is 57 million tons of waste which did not go into landfills and incinerators （焚化炉）. In doing this, 7,000 rubbish collection programmes and recycling centres helped the authorities.

　　In Rockford, a city in Illinois, US, its officials choose one house each week and check its garbage （废物）. If the garbage does not contain any newspapers or aluminium （铝） cans, then the resident of the house gets a prize of at least $1,000.

　　In Japan, certain cities give children weekly supplies of tissue paper and toilet paper in exchange for a weekly collection of newspapers.

　　In one year Britain recycles:

　　● 1 out of every 3 newspapers.

　　● 1 out of every 4 glass bottles and jars （罐子）.

　　● 1 out of every 4 items of clothing.

　　● 1 out of every 3 aluminium drink cans.

　　In 1999, Hong Kong transported 1.3 million tons of waste to mainland China for recycling. Around 535,000 tons of waste were recycled in Hong Kong itself.

　　Over half the things we throw away could be recycled. That means we could recycle 10 times as much as we do now.

　　However, recycling needs a lot of organisation and special equipment. Also, there is not much use for some recycled material.

　　11 Which of the following is NOT true of the Japanese?

　　A They have recycled all their waste.

　　B They live in a crowded country.

　　C They are very good at recycling.

　　D They have to share their limited space with rubbish.

　　12 How much waste did the US recycle in 1996?

　　A 1.3 million tons.

　　B 27 million tons.

　　C 53 million tons.

　　D 57 million tons.

　　13 Where can people get a big prize for contributing to recycling?

　　A Tokyo.

　　B Rockford.

　　C Hong Kong.

　　D London.

　　14 In Japan, the newspapers collected by children

　　A are given to poor people.

　　B are used as reading materials.

　　C are recycled.

　　D are used as prizes.

　　15 Which of the following is NOT true of Britain?

　　A It recycles 1 out of every 3 newspapers each year.

　　B It recycles 1 out of every 4 glass bottles and jars each year.

　　C It recycles 1 out of every 4 items of clothing each year.

　　D It recycles 1 out of every 3 aluminium cans each year.

　　【参考答案】

　　1. D　　2. D　　3. C　　4. A　　5. B

　　6. B　　7. D　　8. C　　9. A　　10. D

　　11. A　 12. D　 13. B　 14. D　 15. D