第4部分：阅读理解（第31～45题，每题3分，共45分）

　　下面有3篇短文，每篇幅短文后有5道题，每题材后面有4个选项。请仔细阅读短文并根据短文回答其后面的问题，从4个选项中选择一个最佳答案涂在答题卡相应的位置上。

　　第一篇

Denny

　　His nickname is Denny. He weighs 400 pounds； he is fearless and he never goes to sleep on the job. An ideal security guard？ For many situations he may be. And if he's so good that you wish you had a dozen like him， just place your order. Denny is a robot guard.

　　Denny can detect， within a 150-foot radius， the presence of anything or anybody that shouldn't be there. Its swiveling （旋转） head contains microwave and infrared sensors that can detect people as well as smoke. In future editions the head will also contain sensors that can smell the weak smell of a human body.

　　A high-resolution TV camera in Denny's head is on at all time. When something unexpected comes into view， the TV transmitter switches on. Thus the human overseer （看管人） in the control center sees the sudden appearance of a picture on the monitor screen. At the same time the picture is automatically videotaped.

　　Normal speed of the robot guards is about one mile an hour， and they can even talk： 'you have been detected，' warns the voice from the clever guard. Denny is designed to patrol corridors and other areas after lock-down hours （of course， he can work round the clock when necessary）， not to move among people. If， say， a prisoner does get near the corridor where he should not be， it'll immediately tell its base station by radio.

　　Denny has understandable limitations. He can't open doors or watch stairs， for example， or distinguish friend from enemy. Thus he will have to go about unarmed. And he won't be able to replace human security guards where people move about freely.

　　31 Denny is a robot guard， who

　　A has mechanical anus and legs.

　　B has microwave and infrared sensors.

　　C has a built-in computer.

　　D depends on his built-in radio for distinguishing a friend from an enemy.

　　32 Which of the following pieces of equipment is NOT mentioned as part of the robot according to the passages？

　　A The TV camera.

　　B The radio transmitter，

　　C The infrared sensor，

　　D The audio tape-recorder.

　　33 Which of the following statements is true？

　　A Only strong smell can be detected by Denny.

　　B Denny is able to replace human security guards where people move about freely.

　　C A high-resolution IV camera in Denny's head is on and off automatically.

　　D Denny cannot open doors or watch stairs.

　　34 Why does Denny have to go unarmed？

　　A He cannot tell an enemy from a friend.

　　B The price would be very high if it were armed，

　　C He does not know how to use a weapon.

　　D It is unlikely that he will be attacked by a human enemy.

　　35 After reading this passages you probably have got the impression that

　　A Denny moves quite fast.

　　B Denny moves both in corridors and up and down stairs.

　　C Denny's voice warns at regular intervals while patrolling.

　　D Denny moves quite slowly.

　　第二篇

Stone Hill Mall

　　Stone Hill Mall has fewer large department stores than most malls but， instead， features more than 100 small specialty shops， while the few that are not used yet will be filled as soon as the mall's owners find proprietors （业主） who fit the mall's image.

　　One thing that makes Stone Hill Mall popular was that all of the stores remain open from 9 a.m. until 10 p. m.， Monday through Friday. This favourable start has certainly been advantageous thanks to such features as its being the only shopping centre in the area to provide free baby-sitting for children from two to eight yeas old and its offering restaurants to suit every pocket， with the possible exception of the highly budget-conscious. Furthermore， as far as movie entertainment is concerned， Stone Hill Mall tops Westgate Mall， which looked very impressive when it opened last year， with three separate cinemas.

　　Besides， the air-conditioning system makes sure a comfortable inside temperature of 25 degrees centigrade no matter what the weather is like outside， and in addition to its three beautiful fountains， the mall has a quiet garden area with comfortable benches and chairs for shoppers who have become tired.

　　One complaint about Stone Hill Mall is that it is located outside the city， but there is a regular bus service between the mall， and the city centre. A further complaint might he that， although the mall is surrounded by trees to ma it with the scenery， it will be some years before these can effectively make the main buildings and the vast parking lot a part of the area around.

　　36 Stone Hill Mall is different from other malls because it has

　　A more large department stores.

　　B more empty space to rent.

　　C many shops selling special goods.

　　D shops selling expensive goods.

　　37 Stone Hill Mall is popular with shoppers mainly because of its

　　A long business hours.

　　B attractive restaurants.

　　C children's stores.

　　D entertainment facilities.

　　38 What makes Stone Hill Mall a more favourable shopping place is

　　A the prices in the shops.

　　B the weather in the area.

　　C the childcare facilities，

　　D the conditions inside the mall.

　　39 It is implied in the passage that the writer takes a（n）attitude towards the mall.

　　A critical

　　B indifferent

　　C fair

　　D one-sided

　　40 The rnain purpose of the passage is to

　　A compare Stone Hill Mall with other shopping centres.

　　B introduce the unique features of the mall.

　　C discuss its strengths and weaknesses.

　　D draw attention to the inadequacies of shopping centres.

　　第三篇

World Flight

　　Pilot Linda Finch will take off on March 17， 1997 to repeat one of the most famous flights of all time－Amelia Earhart's 1937 round-the-world journey.

　　The original flight did not end well. In July 1937， near the end of her trip， Earhart's Lockheed 10E airplane suddenly disappeared over the Pacific Ocean.

　　Finch hopes that this time she will have a better chance. Though she is flying an exact copy of Ear， art's plane， she will have the latest navigation， communications， and weather-tracking tools.

　　'Amelia had to navigate by the stars，' an impossible task on a cloudy night， Finch says. Finch， in contrast， will be able to know her exact location－even while flying over the ocean－using the-Global Positioning system （GPS）。 This ring of orbiting satellites continuously transmits radio signals to Earth. To calculate her position， Finch's GPS receiver will measure how long it takes radio signals transmitted from various satellites to reach the plane. Knowing her location is especially important when flying around the equator， as Earhart did. In that region， thunderstorms are dangerous. 'I can't fly through thunderstorms，' says Finch， because， 'the winds 'moving up and down could break the plane.' And Finch will not be able to fly above the storms because her airplane Electra is not pressurized. That means the plane is not equipped to pump in outside air to make breathing easier at high altitudes. So Finch will fly around storms－or wait for them to pass. But unlike Earhart， Finch will know what weather is ahead. She will receive regular reports via radar from Naval stations around the globe.

　　Finch will also be in communication with lots of ordinary people——maybe even with you！ Through her computer and a satellite link， she will receive and transmit email messages. Finch hopes to touch down at her final stop in Honolulu， Hawaii， in May 1997.

　　41 What happened to Earhart？

　　A She was successful in her world flight.

　　B Her airplane was blown away by the strong winds over the equator.

　　C She lost her way after failing in communicating with the Naval station around the equator.

　　D Her airplane disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean.

　　42 What differences do you find between Finch's airplane and Earhart's？

　　A Finch's airplane is a jet plane while Earhart's was not.

　　B Finch's airplane is equipped with the modern navigation and weather-tracking systems.

　　C No differences have been found. Finch's airplane is an exact copy Of Earhart's in every aspect.

　　D Finch's airplane is an improved version of Earhart's in flying speed and altitude.

　　43 What would happen if Finch tried to fly through the storms over the equator？

　　A Her plane would lose its communication with the Naval stations.

　　B She could not stand the plane moving up and down strongly in the storms.

　　C The strong storms would tear her plane apart.

　　D She might not be able to control her plane.

　　44 How do you interpret the sentence 'her airplane Electra is not pressurized' （Para.4）？

　　A The plane exerts pressure on the pilot.

　　B The plane is not installed with a piece of equipment to pump in outside air.

　　C The plane cannot keep stable in the storms because the air pressure is not high enough.

　　D The pilot does not feel comfortable under pressure.

　　45 Which of the following statements is true？

　　A Finch can communicate with anyone anywhere in the world.

　　B Finch will be in communication with the Naval stations around the globe only.

　　C Besides the Naval stations， Finch will also be allowed to communicate with her family， but not her friends.

　　D Finch will be allowed to communicate with anyone while flying over the Pacific Ocean.

　　【参考答案】

　　31. B　　32. D　　33. D　　34. A　　35. D

　　36. C　　37. A　　38. D　　39. A　　40. C

　　41. D　　42. B　　43. C　　44. B　　45. A