第4部分：閱讀理解

　　下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道題。請根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，為每題確定1個最佳選項。

　　第一篇

Exercise Lowers Employers' Health Costs

　　Companies can save millions in health-care costs simply by encouraging their employees to exercise a little bit, researchers reported on Friday.

　　They said obese （肥胖的） employees had higher health-care costs, but lowered those expenses by exercising just a couple of times a week M without even losing any weight.

　　Feifei Wang and colleagues at the University of Michigan studied 23,500.workers at General Motors.

　　They estimated that getting the most sedentary （慣于久坐的） obese workers to exercise would have saved about $790,000 a year, or about 1.5 percent of health-care costs for the whole group.

　　Company-wide, the potential savings could reach $7.1 million per year, they reported in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

　　Of the whole group of workers, about 30 percent were of normal weight, 45 percent were overweight （超重的）, and 25 percent were obese. Annual health-care costs averaged $2,200 for normal weight, $2,400 for the overweight, and $2,700 for obese employees.

　　But among workers who did no exercise, health-care costs went up by at least $100 a year, and were $3,000 a year for obese employees who were sedentary.

　　But adding two or more days of light exercise —— at least 20 minutes of exercise or work hard enough to increase heart rate and breathing —— lowered costs by on average $500 per employee a year, the researchers found.

　　"This indicates that physical activity behavior could reduce at least some of the harmful effects of excess body fat, and in consequence, help lower the health-care costs," Wang and colleagues wrote.

　　1 How can employees help lower the health-care costs?

　　A By taking more rest.

　　B By eating less.

　　C By exercising a little bit.

　　D By saving more money.

　　2 By encouraging its employees to exercise General Motors could save

　　A $790,000 per year.

　　B $7.1 million per year.

　　C $3,000 per year

　　D $7,30r） per year,

　　3 How many workers in General Motors were NOT of normal weight?

　　A Seventy percent.

　　B Thirty percent.

　　C Forty-five percent.

　　D Twenty-five percent.

　　4 For which group of the workers were the health-care costs the highest?

　　A The employees of normal weight.

　　B The overweight employees.

　　C The obese employees.

　　D The sedentary obese employees.

　　5 How often should the employees exercise to help lower the health-care costs?

　　A At least seven days a week.

　　B At least twenty minutes a week.

　　C At least twice a week.

　　D At least once a week.

　　第二篇

Medical Education

　　In 18th-century colonial America, those who wanted to become physicians either learned as personal students from established professionals or went abroad to study in the traditional schools of London, Paris, and Edinburgh. Medicine was first taught formally by specialists at the University of Pennsylvania, beginning in 1765, and in 1767 at King's College （now Columbia University）, the first institution in the colonies to give the degree of doctor of medicine. Following the American Revolution, the Columbia medical faculty （formerly of King's College） was combined with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, chartered in 1809, which survives as a division of Columbia University.

　　In 1893 the Johns Hopkins Medical School required all applicants to have a college degree and was the first to afford its students the opportunity to further their training in an attached teaching hospital. The growth of medical schools attached with established institutions Of learning went together with the development of proprietary （私營的） schools of medicine run for personal profit, most of which had low standards and poor facilities. In 1910 Abraham Flexner, the American education reformer, wrote Medical Education in the United States and Canada, exposing the poor conditions of most proprietary schools. Subsequently, the American Medical Association （AMA） and the Association of American Medical Colleges （AAMC） laid. down standards for course content, qualifications of teachers, laboratory facilities, connection with teaching hospitals and licensing of medical practitioners （開業(yè)醫(yī)師） that survive to this day.

　　By the late 1980s the U.S. and Canada had 142 4-year medical colleges recognized by the Liaison （聯(lián)絡(luò)） Committee on Medical Education to offer the M.D. degree; during the 1987-88 academic year, 47,262 men and 25,686 women entered these colleges and an estimated 11,752 men and 5,958 women were graduated. Graduates, after a year of internship （實習(xí)期）, receive licenses to practice if they pass an examination given either by a state board or by the National Board of Medical Examiners.

　　6 In 18th-century America, higher institutions of learning that taught medicine

　　A did not exist.

　　B were few in number.

　　C were better than those in Europe.

　　D were known for their teaching hospitals.

　　7 Initially most proprietary schools of medicine in America

　　A had established professionals.

　　B had good facilities.

　　C had high standards.

　　D were in poor conditions.

　　8 The AMA and AAMC established standards so as to

　　A recruit more students.

　　B set up more schools of medicine.

　　C ensure the quality of medical teaching and practice.

　　D prevent medical schools from making huge profits.

　　9 After a year of internship medical graduates can start to practice

　　A if they have worked in a laboratory.

　　B if they have studied abroad for some time.

　　C if they have obtained an M.D. degree.

　　D if they have passed an examination.

　　10 This passage is mainly about

　　A how medicine is taught in America.

　　B how medical education has developed in America

　　C how the American educational system works.

　　D how one can become a good doctor.

　　第三篇

More Than a Ride to School

　　The National Education Association claims, "The school bus is a mirror of the community." They further add that, unfortunately, what appears on the exterior does not always reflect the reality of a chosen community. They are right —— sometimes it reflects more! Just ask Liesl Denson. Riding the school bus has been more than a ride to school for Liesl.

　　Bruce Hardy, school bus driver for Althouse Bus Company has been Liesl's bus driver, since kindergarten. Last year when Liesl's family moved to Parkesburg, knowing her bus went by her new residence, she requested to ride the same bus.

　　This year Liesl is a senior and will enjoy her last year riding the bus. She says, "It's been a great ride so far! My bus driver is so cool and has always been a good friend and a good listener. Sometimes when you're a child adults do not think that what you have to say is important. Mr. Hardy always listens to what you have to say and makes you feel important." Her friends Ashley Batista and Amanda Wolfe agree.

　　Bruce Hardy has been making Octorara students feel special since 1975. This year he will celebrate 30 years working for Althouse Bus Company. Larry AIthouse, president of the company, acknowledges Bruce Hardy's outstanding record: "You do not come by employees like Bruce these days. He has never missed a day of work and has a perfect driving record. He was recognized in 2000 by the Pennsylvania School Bus Association for driving 350,000 accident free miles. Hardy's reputation is made further evident through the relationships he has made with the students that ride his bus."

　　Althouse further adds, "Althouse Bus Company was established 70 years ago and has been providing quality transportation ever since. My grandfather started the business with one bus. Althouse Bus Company is delighted to have the opportunity to bring distinctive and safe service to our local school and community and looks forward to continuing to provide quality service for many more years to come."

　　Three generations of business is not all the company has enjoyed. Thanks to drivers like Bruce Hardy, they have been building relationships through generations. Liesl's mother Carol also enjoys fond memories of riding Bruce Hardy's bus to the Octorara School District.

　　11 The word "mirror" in the first line could be best replaced by

　　A "vehicle".

　　B "device".

　　C "need".

　　D "reflection".

　　12 Bruce Hardy has been working with Althouse Bus Company

　　A for 30 years.

　　B for 70 years.

　　C since last year.

　　D since 2000.

　　13 Which of the following statements is NOT true of Bruce Hardy?

　　A He is popular with his passengers.

　　B He has never missed a day of work.

　　C He is an impatient person.

　　D He has driven 350,000 accident free miles.

　　14 Althouse Bus Company was founded by

　　A Larry Althouse.

　　B Althouse's grandfather.

　　C Liesl's mother.

　　D Ashley Batista.

　　15 AIthouse Bus Company pays much attention to

　　A employing young drivers.

　　B running quality schools.

　　C providing free driving lessons.

　　D building sound relationships.

　　【參考答案】

　　1. C 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. C

　　6. B 7. D 8. C 9. D 10. B

　　11. D 12. A 13. C 14. B 15. D