第三部分：阅读理解(共两节，满分40分)

第一节(共15小题;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、D)中，选出最佳选项。

A

They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon(科罗拉多大峡谷): on foot,

on mules (骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early, my husband and I and our three children

couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.

As we set out, I was shocked at h ow narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that

the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we

were dressed. As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast (烘烤) us. There was no

shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far

behind. By the time we finally got back, we were weak.

The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view

of the Canyon by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.

We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the

smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed (翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going

to hit the ground. I shouted, "STOP, TAKE US BACK!" When we finally arrived back on land, once

again our legs were like jelly(果冻). We hardly spoke as we drove back.

As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but

personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way,

you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.

51. How many ways did the author and her family try to experience the Grand Canyon?

A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D.4

52. How did the author and her family feel before they first experienced the Grand Canyon on foot?

A. Excited. B. Tired C. Bored D. Relaxed.

53.Which of the following is NOT the reason why the author and her family gave up their first trip?

A. They didn’t prepare well before the trip.

B. It was too hot in Arizona.

C. There were no shade and their legs wore out.

D. They wanted to make a trip by air.

54. What did the author think of the trip by air?

A. Comfortable B. Relaxing. C. Frightening D. Interesting.

B

Modern computer technology has made online friendship possib le. Online friends are people who have known each other through the Internet. Are online friendships as beneficial as face-to-face friendships? Can people form strong relationships online?

When you use social networking websites and chat rooms, you can easily find people with interests and hobbies similar to yours. Making friends on the Internet is especially good for shy people who feel uncomfortable in social situations. It’s often easier to share thoughts and feelings online. What’s more, online friends can make people feel less lonely and help them solve problems.

Although the Internet can encourage friendship, it has a major disadvantage. It’s much easier for some people to deceive others because they are not face to face. Online friends only tell you what they want you to know. They sometimes exaggerate(夸大) their good qualities and hide the less positive ones, so you can’t be sure of what they really like.

There are different answers to the second question. Researchers surveyed 2,000 families in the US. The results showed that over 40% of participants(参与者) feel as strongly about their online friends as they do about their offline friends. Researchers also found that it’s not unusual for online friends to become face-to-face friends. However, there are many people who believe that it’s not pos sible for people to have deep relationships with online friends.

People continue to express different opinions about online friendship. However, most of them would agree that face-to-face friendship cannot be replaced by online friendship. As one life coach says, “A social networking site should only be the ‘add on’ in any relationship.”