cet6_newitems_st
六级强化训练
Part One Listening
Short Conversations (2005/12) V01
1.
M: The dean just announced that Dr. Holden?s going to take over as Chairman of the History Department.
W: I knew it all along! He?s the obvious choice. All the other candidates are no match for him!
Q: What does the woman mean?
2.
W: Hey, let me know how your summer?s going! I?ll miss you guys while I?m working here in the library.
M: I?ll be working, too! But I?ll send you an email or call you once in a while. When we all get back to sch ool, we can have a party or something.
Q: What do we learn about the two speakers?
3.
W: I know it?s the end of the season, but those peaches were such a bargain that I couldn?t help buying them! Have one please!
M: Thank you! Actually, they seem past their prime.
Q: What doe we learn from the conversation? pear
4.
M: That assignment on physics is a real challenge. I don?t think I can finish it on time all by myself.
W: Why don?t we join our efforts together? It may be easier then.
Q: What does the woman suggest?
5.
M: Jean really lost her temper in Dr. Brown?s class this morning.
W: Oh? Did she? But I think her frankness is really something to be appreciated.
Q: What does the woman mean?
6.
W: We heard that when you were a kid, you submitted a story to Reader?s Digest.
M: Well, I don?t remember the story exactly, but my idea of a great time then was a pad of lined paper and a new blue pen. I thought myself as a Reader?s Digest staff member at the age of six.
Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?
7.
M: Your son certainly shows a lot of enthusiasm on the tennis court.
W: I only wish he?d show as much for his studies.
Q: What does the woman imply about her son?
8.
W: We supposed to meet John here at the railway station.
M: That?s like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Q: What does that man imply?
9.
M: Profession Stevenson, as an economist, how do you look upon the surging Chinese economy? Does it constitute a threat to the rest of the world?
W: I believe China?s e conomic success should be seen more as an opportunity than a threat. Those who looked upon it as a threat overlooked the benefit of China?s growth to the world?s economy. They also lack the
understanding of elementary economics.
Q: What does Professor Ste venson think of China?s economy?
10.
W: Our school just built some new apartments near campus, but one bedroom runs for 500 dollars a month. M: That?s a bit beyond the reach of most students!
Q: What does the man mean?
1．
A) The dean should have consulted her on the appointment.
B) Dr. Holden should have taken over the position earlier.
C) She doesn?t think Dr. Holden has made a wise choice.
D) Dr. Holden is the best person for the chairmanship.
2 .
A) They?ll keep in touch during the summer vacat ion
B) They?ll hold a party before the summer vacation
C) They?ll do odd jobs together at the school library
D) They?ll get back to their school once in a while
3.
A) Peaches are in season now.
B) Peaches are not at their best now.
C) The woman didn?t know how to bargain.
D) The woman helped the man choose the fruit.
4.
A) They join the physics club.
B) They ask for an extension of the deadline.
C) They work on the assignment together.
D) They choose an easier assignment.
5.
A) She admires Jean?s straightforwardness
B) She thinks Dr. Brown deserves the praise
C) She will talk to Jean about what happened
D) She believes Jean was rude to Dr. Brown
6.
A) He liked writing when he was a child
B) He enjoyed reading stories in Reader?s Digest
C) He used to be an editor of Reader?s Digest
D) He became well known at the age of six
7.
A) He shows great enthusiasm for his studies
B) He is a very versatile person
C) He has no talent for tennis
D) He does not study hard enough
8
A) John has lost something at the railway station
B) There are several railway stations in the city
C) It will be very difficult for them to find John
D) The train that John is taking will arrive soon
9.
A) Its rapid growth is beneficial to the world
B) It can be seen as a model by the rest of the world
C) Its success can?t be explained by elementary economics
D) It will continue to surge forward
10.
A) It takes only 5 minutes to reach the campus from the apartments
B) Most students can?t afford to live in the new apartments
C) The new apartments are not available until next month
D) The new apartments can accommodate 500 students
规律：____________________________________________________
Long conversations (sample) V02
Conversation One
M: Morning, Brenda.
W: Good morning. Mr. Browning.
M: Er, did you, did you put that ad in yesterday?
W: Yea, yesterday afternoon.
M: That ad for a junior sales manager, I mean.
W: Yes, it went into the Standard and the Evening News.
M: That's good. Erm, well...
W: What kind of person have you got in mind for this job?
M: Oh, well, somebody fairly young, you know, twenty something, like 21 . or 25. A Man, I think.
W: A man?
M: We really need a man for the position. Yes, I mean. It's really too demanding. The sort of situations they get into are much too difficult for a young woman to deal with, enu..
W: Erm, what sort of a young man have you got in mind?
M: Oh, you know, a good education, polite, responsible, and easy to get along with. What I don't want is one of those young men just out of university, with exaggerated ideas of his own importance.
W: Yes, erm, what sort of education are you actually looking for?
M: Well, you know, a couple of A levels. Must have English, of course.
W: Yes, I think you're asking quite a lot. I mean you're not really prepared to pay all...
M: No, I'm not prepared to give him a big salary to start with. Nevertheless, I want someone with plenty of ambition, plenty of drive. You know, not looking at the clock all the time.
W: Well sir, I wish you the best of luck and hope you have some very successful interviews.
M: Well, yes?
W: Because personally I think you're asking an awful lot.
19. What did Mr. Browning ask Brenda to do?
20. What kind of person meets the job requirements?
21. What does Brenda think of the qualifications Mr. Browning insists on?
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. A) To interview a few job applicants.
B) To fill a vacancy in the company.
C) To advertise for a junior sales manager.
D) To apply for a job in a major newspaper.
20. A) A hardworking ambitious young man.
B) A young man good at managing his time.
C) A college graduate with practical working experience.
D) A young man with his own idea of what is important.
21. A) Not clearly specified.C) Reasonable enough.
B) Not likely to be met.D) Apparently sexist.
Conversation Two
W: We now interrupt our regular scheduled news program to bring you live up to date coverage on the civil unrest in the newly formed country of Karnack, where our man Stan Fielding is stationed. Stan...
M: This is Stan Fielding reporting live from the suburbs of the capital city. Just 20 minutes ago, rebel forces launched the biggest offensive against the ruling government in the 18-month conflict here in this country. W: Now Stan, is this a sign that the peace process has been totally abandoned?
M: Well, so far, peace negotiations have failed, and any resolution to end the civil war appears bleak at this moment. As you can see...Whoa.
W: Start, Stan, are you there?
M: Uh, yes, Shelly. As you can probably hear behind me, rebel forces are also using heavy artillery to pound the positions of government forces around the city center. Rebel forces are closing in, and it's feared that they will be able to take the capital building before daybreak where, it is believed, many government officials are holding out.
W: Now, besides the heavy fighting, what other pressing concerns are there for the citizens of the city?
M: Well, since the beginning of the conflict, starvation, and lack of clean water and adequate shelter have been the biggest daily obstacles facing the citizens of this war-torn country. It is believed that over 40,000 people, mostly children, have starved to death. Fortunately, no epidemics have broken out, but that is always a concern if this war lingers on.
W: Okay, that was Stan Fielding reporting. And we will keep you up-to-date as this story continues to unfold.
22. What is the news coverage mainly about?
23. What does the reporter Stan Fielding say about the situation in Karnack?
24. At what time of the day do you think this news report is being made?
25. What is the pressing concern of the citizens in Karnack?
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
22. A) The latest developments of an armed rebellion in Karnak.
B)The fall of Kaniak's capital city into the hands of the rebel forces.
C) The epidemic that has just broken out in the country of Karnak.
D) The peace talks between the rebels and the government in Karnak.
23. A) The epidemic has been brought under control.
B) There are signs of progress in the peace process.
C) Great improvements arc being made in its capital.
D) There's little hope of bringing the conflict to an end.
24. A) Late in the morning.C) Sometime before dawn.
B) Early in the afternoon.D) Shortly after sunrise.
25. A) Inadequate medical care.C) Lack of food, water and shelter.
B) Continuing social unrest. D) Rapid spreading of the epidemic.
规律：_________________________________________________________
Short Passages (2005/12) V03
Passage One
I had flown from San Francisco to Virginia to attend a conference on multiculturalism. Hundreds of educators form across the country were meeting to discuss the need for greater cultural diversity in the school curriculum. I took the need for great cultural diversity in the school curriculum. I took a taxi to my hotel. On the way, my driver and I chatted about the weather and the tourists. The driver was a white man in his forties. “How long have you been in this country?” he asked. “All my life!” I replied, “I was born in the United States.” With a strong southern accent, he remarked, “I was wondering because your English is excellent.” Then I explained as I had many times before. “My grandfather came here from China in the 1880s. My family has been here in America for over a hundred years. He glanced at me in the mirror. Somehow, I didn?t look American to him. My appearance looked foreign. Questions like the one my taxi driver asked make me feel uncomfortable. But I can understand why he could not see me as an American. He had a narrow but widely shared sense of the past: a history that has viewed Americans as descendants of Europeans. Race has functioned as something necessary to the construction of American character and quality in the creation of our national identity—American has been defined as white. But America has been racially diverse since our very beginning on the Virginian shore, where the first group of Englishmen and Africans arrived in the 17th century. And this reality is increasingly becoming visible everywhere.
Q11. What was the theme of the conference the speaker was to attend?
A) The role of immigrants in the construction of American society
B) The importance of offering diverse courses in European history
C) The need for greater cultural diversity in the school curriculum
D) The historic landing of Europeans on the Virginia shore
Q12. Why did the taxi driver ask the speaker how long he had been in the U.S.?
A) He was wondering if the speaker was used to living in America
B) He was trying to show friendliness to the speaker
C) He wanted to keep their conversation going
D) He believed the speaker was a foreigner
Q13. What message does the speaker wish to convey?
A) The US population doesn?t consist of white European descendants only
B) Asian tourists can speak English as well as native speakers of the language
C) Colored people are not welcome in the United States
D) Americans are in need of education in their history
Passage Two
Laws have been written to govern the use of the American National Flag, and to ensure proper respect for the flag. Custom has also governed the common practice in regard to its use. All the armed services have precise regulations on how to display the national flag. This may vary somewhat from the general rules. The national flag
should be raised and lowered by hand. Do not raise the flag while it is folded. Unfold the flag first, and then hoist it quickly to the top of the flagpole. Lower it slowly and with dignity. Place no objects on or over the flag. Do not use the flag as part of a costume or athletic uniform. Do not print it upon cushions, handkerchiefs, paper napkins or boxes. A federal law provides that a trademark cannot be registered if it comprises the flag, coat of arms or badges of the United States. When the flag is used in unveiling a statue or monument, it shouldn't serve as a covering of the object to be unveiled. If it is displayed on such occasions, do not allow the flag to fall to the ground, but let it be carried high up in the air to form a feature of the ceremony. Take every precaution to prevent the flag from becoming soiled. It should not be allowed to touch the ground or floor, nor to brush against objects.
Q14. How do Americans ensure proper respect for the national flag?
A) By making laws
B) By enforcing discipline
C) By educating the public
D) By holding ceremonies
Q15. What is the regulation regarding the raising of the American national flag?
A) It should be raised by soldiers
B) It should be raised quickly by hand
C) It should be raised only by Americans
D) It should be raised by mechanical means
Q16. How should the American national flag be displayed at an unveiling ceremony?
A) It should be attached to the status
B) It should be hung from the top of the monument
C) It should be spread over the object to be unveiled
D) It should be carried high up in the air
Q17. What do we learn about the use of the American national flag?
A) There has been a lot of controversy over the use of flag
B) The best athletes can wear uniforms with the design of the flag
C) There are precise regulations and customs to be followed
D) Americans can print the flag on their cushions or handkerchiefs
Passage Three
In some large American city schools, as many as 20-40% of the students are absent each day. There are two major reasons for such absences: one is sickness, and the other is truancy, i.e., staying away from school without permission. Since school official s can?t do much about illness, they are concentrating on reducing the number of truants. One of the most promising schemes has been tried in Florida. The pupils there with good attendance have been given free hamburgers, toys and T-shirts. Classes are told if they show improved rates of attendance, they can win additional gifts. At the same time, teachers are being encouraged to inspire their students to come to school regularly. When those teachers are successful, they are also rewarded. “We?ve been punish ing truants for years, but that hasn?t brought them back to school,” one school principal said. “Now we are trying the positive approach. Not only do you learn by showing up every day, but you earn.” In San Francisco, the Board of Education has had a somewhat similar idea. Schools that show a decrease in deliberate destruction of property can receive the amount of money that would have been spent on repairs and replacements. For example, 12,000 dollars had been set aside for a school?s property damages ever y year. Since repair expenses of damaged property
required only 4,000 dollars, the remaining 8,000 dollars was turned over to the Student Activities? Fund. “Our democracy operates on hope and encouragement,” said a school board member. “Why not provide som e positive goals for students and teachers to aim at?”
Q18. Which reason for students? absences is discussed in great detail?
A) Punishment by teachers
B) Poor academic performance
C) Truancy
D) Illness
Q19. Who will benefit from the scheme being tried in Florida?
A) The Board of Education
B) Principals of city schools
C) Students with good academic records
D) Students with good attendance records
Q20 What measure has been taken in San Francisco to reduce destruction of school property?
A) Punishing students who damage school property
B) Rewarding schools that have decreased the destruction
C) Promoting teachers who can prevent the destruction
D) Cutting the budget for repairs and replacements
规律：_________________________________________________________
Compound Dictation (2005/6) V04
Certain phrases one commonly hears among Americans capture their devotion to individualism: “Do you own thing.” ”I did it my way.” ”You?ll have to decided that for yourself.” “You made your bed, now (S1)__________ in it.” “if you don?t look out for yourself, no one else will.” “Look out for number one.”
Closely (S2) __________ with the value they place on indi8vidualism is the importance Americans (S3) __________ to privacy. Americans assume that people need some time to themselves or some time alone to think about things or recover their (S4) __________ psychological energy. Americans have great (S5) __________ understanding foreigners who always want to be with another person who dislike being alone.
If the parents can (S6) __________ it, each child will have his or her own bedroom. Having one?s own bedroom, even as an (S7) __________ fixes in a person the notion that (S8) ____________________________ ___________________________ ___________ ______ _____ _____________________________ __________ ___ She will have her clothes, her toys, her books and so on. These things will be hers and no one else?s. Americans assumer that (S9) _____________________________________ _____ __ __ _________ ______ _______ __________________________________ ____ _____ ________ . Doctors, lawyers, psychologists, and others have rules governing confidentiality that are intended to prevent information about their clients? personal situations form becoming known to others.
American?s attitude about privacy can be hard for foreigners to understand. (10) ___________________________ ____________________________________________ _______________________________________________. When those boundar ies are crossed, an American?s body will visibly stiffen and his manner will become cool and aloof.
规律：_________________________________________________________
Practice One（2004/6）V05
Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)
1.
A) Dick?s trousers don?t match his jacket.
B) Dick looks funny in that yellow jacket.
C) The color of Dick?s jacket is too dark.
D) Dick has bad taste in clothes.
2.
A) Call the police station.
B) Get the wallet for the man.
C) Show the man her family pictures.
D) Ask to see the man?s driver?s license.
3.
A) The temperature is not as high as the man claims.
B) The room will get cool if the man opens the windows.
C) She is following instructions not to use the air-conditioning.
D) She is afraid the new epidemic SARS will soon spread all over town.
4.
A) She lost a lot of weight in two years.
B) She stopped exercising two years ago.
C) She had a unique way of staying healthy.
D) She was never persistent in anything she did.
5.
A) The man is not suitable for the position,
B) The job has been given to someone else.
C) She had received only one application letter.
D) The application arrived a week earlier than expected.
6.
A) He?s unwilling to fetch the laundry.
B) He has already picked up the laundry.
C) He will go before the laundry is closed.
D) He thinks his mother should get the clothes back.
7.
A) At a shopping center.
B) At an electronics company.
C) At an international trade fair.
D) At a DVD counter in a music store.
8.
A) The woman hated the man talking throughout the movie.
B) The woman saw a comedy instead of a horror movie.
C) The woman prefers light movies before sleep.
D) The woman regrets going to the movie.
9.
A) He is the fight man to get the job done.
B) He is a man with professional expertise.
C) He is not easy to get along with.
D) He is not likely to get the job.
10.
A) It is being forced out of the entertainment industry.
B) It should change its concept of operation.
C) It should revolutionize its technology.
D) It is a very good place to relax.
Practice Two (0701) V09
11. A) Dr. Smith's waiting room isn't tidy.
B) Dr. Smith enjoys reading magazines.
C) Dr. Smith has left a good impression on her.
D) Dr. Smith may not be a good choice.
12. A) The man will rent the apartment when it is available.
B) The man made a bargain with the landlady over the rent.
C) The man insists on having a look at the apartment first.
D) The man is not fully satisfied with the apartment.
13. A) Packing up to go abroad.
B) Brushing up on her English.
C) Drawing up a plan for her English course.
D) Applying for a visa to the United States.
14. A) He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.
B) He doesn't think high blood pressure is a problem for him.
C) He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.
D) He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.
15. A) To investigate the causes of AIDS.
B) To raise money for AIDS patients.
C) To rally support for AIDS victims in Africa.
D) To draw attention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.
16. A) It has a very long history.
B) It is a private institution.
C) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson.
D) It stresses the comprehensive study of nature.
17. A) They can't fit into the machine.
B) They have not been delivered yet.
C) They were sent to the wrong address.
D) They were found to be of the wrong type.
18. A) The food served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.
B) The cafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.
C) The students find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.
D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students' needs. Practice Long conversations (0701) V10
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19 . A) He picked up some apples in his yard.
B) He cut some branches off the apple tree.
C) He quarreled with his neighbor over the fence.
D) He cleaned up all the garbage in the woman's yard.
20. A) Trim the apple trees in her yard. B) Pick up the apples that fell in her yard.
C) Take the garbage to the curb for her. D) Remove the branches from her yard.
21. A) File a lawsuit against the man. B) Ask the man for compensation.
C) Have the man's apple tree cut down. D) Throw garbage into the man's yard.
22. A) He was ready to make a concession. B) He was not intimidated.
C) He was not prepared to go to court. D) He was a bit concerned.
Questions 23 to 25are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) Bad weather. B) Human error.
C) Breakdown of the engines.
D) Failure of the communications system.
24. A) Two thousand feet. B) Twelve thousand feet.
C) Twenty thousand feet. D) Twenty-two thousand feet.
25. A) Accurate communication is of utmost importance.
B) pilots should be able to speak several foreign languages.
C) Air controllers should keep a close watch on the weather.
D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers is essential.
New Items
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)
Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.
For questions 1-4, mark
Y (for YES)if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;
N (for NO)if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;
NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.
For questions 5-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.
Passage One
Rainforests
Tropical rainforests are the most diverse ecosystem (生态系统)on Earth, and also the oldest. Today, tropical rainforests cover only 6 percent of the Earth's ground surface, but they are home to over half of the planet's plant and animal species.
What Is a Rainforest?
Generally speaking, a rainforest is an environment that receives high rainfall and is dominated by tall trees. A wide range of ecosystems fall into this category, of course. But most of the time when people talk about rainforests, they mean the tropical rainforests located near the equator.
These forests receive between 160 and 400 inches of rain per year. The total annual rainfall is spread pretty evenly throughout the year, and the temperature rarely dips below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
This steady climate is due to the position of rainforests on the globe. Because of the orientation of the Earth's axis, the Northern and Southern hemispheres each spend part of the year tilted away from the sun. Since rainforests are at the middle of the globe, located near the equator, they are not especially affected by this change. They receive nearly the same amount of sunlight, and therefore heat, all year. Consequently, the weather in these regions remains fairly constant.
The consistently wet, warm weather and ample sunlight give plant life everything it needs to thrive. Trees have the resources to grow to tremendous heights, and they live for hundreds, even thousands, of years. These giants, which reach 60 to 150 ft in the air, form the basic structure of the rainforest. Their top branches spread wide in order to capture maximum sunlight. This creates a thick canopy (树冠) level at the top of the forest, with thinner greenery levels underneath. Some large trees grow so tall that they even tower over the canopy layer.
As you go lower, down into the rainforest, you find less and less greenery. The forest floor is made up of moss, fungi, and decaying plant matter that has fallen from the upper layers. The reason for this decrease in greenery is very simple: The overabundance of plants gathering sunlight at the top of the forest blocks most sunlight from reaching the bottom of the forest, making it difficult for robust plants to thrive.
The Forest for the Trees
The ample sunlight and extremely wet climate of many tropical areas encourage the growth of towering trees with wide canopies. This thick top layer of the rainforest dictates the lives of all other plants in the forest. New tree seedlings rarely survive to make it to the top unless some older trees die, creating a "hole" in the canopy. When this happens, all of the seedlings on the ground level compete intensely to reach the sunlight.
Many plant species reach the top of the forest by climbing the tall trees. It is much easier to ascend this way, because the plant doesn't have to form its own supporting structure.
Some plant species, called epiphytes, grow directly on the surface of the giant trees. These plants, which include a variety of orchids and ferns, make up much of the understory, the layer of the rainforest right below the canopy. Epiphytes are close enough to the top to receive adequate light, and the runoff from the canopy layer provides all the water and nutrients(养分)they need, which is important since they don't have access to the nutrients in the ground.
Stranglers and Buttresses
Some epiphytes eventually develop into stranglers. They grow long, thick roots that extend down the tree trunk into the ground. As they continue to grow, the roots form a sort of web structure all around the tree. At the same time, the strangler plant's branches extend upward, spreading out into the canopy. Eventually, the strangler may block so much light from above, and absorb such a high percentage of nutrients from the ground below, that the host tree dies.
Competition over nutrients is almost as intense as competition for light. The excessive rainfall rapidly dissolves nutrients in the soil, making it relatively infertile except at the top layers. For this reason, rainforest tree roots grow outward to cover a wider area, rather than downward to lower levels. This makes rainforest trees somewhat unstable, since they don't have very strong anchors in the ground. Some trees compensate for this by growing natural buttresses. These buttresses are basically tree trunks that extend out from the side of the tree and down to the ground, giving the tree additional support.
Rainforest trees are dependent on bacteria that are continually producing nutrients in the ground. Rainforest bacteria and trees have a very close, symbiotic(共生的)relationship. The trees provide the bacteria with food, in the form of fallen leaves and other material, and the bacteria break this material down into the nutrients that the trees need to survive.
One of the most remarkable things about rainforest plant life is its diversity. The temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest are mainly composed of a dozen or so tree species. A tropical rainforest, on the other hand, might have 300 distinct tree species.
All Creatures, Great and Small
Rainforests are home to the majority of animal species in the world. And a great number of species who now live in other environments, including humans, originally inhabited the rainforests. Researchers estimate that in a large rainforest area, there may be more than 10 million different animal species.
Most of these species have adapted for life in the upper levels of the rainforest, where food is most plentiful. Insects, which can easily climb or fly from tree to tree, make up the largest group (ants are the most abundant
animal in the rainforest). Insect species have a highly symbiotic relationship with the plant life in a rainforest. The insects move from plant to plant, enjoying the wealth of food provided there. As they travel, the insects may pick up the plants' seeds, dropping them some distance away. This helps to disperse the population of the plant species over a larger area.
The numerous birds of the rainforest also play a major part in seed dispersal. When they eat fruit from a plant, the seeds pass through their digestive system. By the time they excrete (排泄)the seeds, the birds may have flown many miles away from the fruit-bearing tree.
There are also a large number of reptiles and mammals in the rainforest. Since the weather is so hot and humid during the day, most rainforest mammals are active only at night, dusk or dawn. The many rainforest bat species are especially well adapted for this lifestyle. Using their sonar, bats navigate easily through the mass of trees in the rainforest, feeding on insects and fruit.
While most rainforest species spend their lives in the trees, there is also a lot of life on the forest floor. Great apes, wild pigs, big cats and even elephants can all be found in rainforests. There are a number of people who live in the rainforests, as well. These tribes--which, up until recently, numbered in the thousands --are being forced out of the rainforests at an alarming rate because of deforestation.
Deforestation
In the past hundred years, humans have begun destroying rainforests at an alarming rate. Today, roughly 1.5 acres of rainforest are destroyed every second. People are cutting down the rainforests in pursuit of three major resources:
●Land for crops
●Lumber for paper and other wood products
●Land for livestock pastures
In the current economy, people obviously have a need for all of these resources. But almost all experts agree that, over time, we will suffer much more from the destruction of the rainforests than we will benefit.
The world's rainforests are an extremely valuable natural resource, to be sure, but not for their lumber or their land. They are the main cradle of life on Earth, and they hold millions of unique life forms that we have yet to discover. Destroying the rainforests is comparable to destroying an unknown planet--we have no idea what we're losing. If deforestation continues at its current rate, the world's tropical rainforests will be wiped out within 40 years. (1379 words)
1. Virtually all plant and animal species on Earth can be found in tropical rainforests.
2. There is not much change in the weather in the tropical rainforests all the year round.
3. The largest number of rainforests in the world are located on the African continent.
4. Below the canopy level of a tropical rainforest grows an overabundance of plants.
5. New tree seedlings will not survive to reach the canopy level unless______________
6. Epiphytes, which form much of the understory of the rainforest, get all their water and nutrients
from____________________.
7. Stranglers are so called because they ____________ by blocking the sunlight and competing for the nutrients.
8. Since rainforest bacteria and trees depend on each other for life, the relationship they form is
termed___________________________.
9. Plant species are dispersed over a large area with the help of___________________.
10. As we are still ignorant of millions of unique life forms in the rainforest, deforestation can be compared to the
destruction of_____________________________________.
Passage Two
GM Organisms
By far the most common genetically modified (GM) organisms are crop plants. But the technology has now been applied to almost all forms of life, from pets that glow under UV light to bacteria which form HIV-blocking "living condoms" and from pigs bearing spinach (菠菜) genes to goats that produce spider silk.
GM tomatoes first appeared on British supermarket shelves in 1996 (a different fresh GM tomato first appeared in the US in 1994), but that the consumers were in favor of GM technology did not erupt until February 1999. This was because a controversial study suggested that a few strains of GM potatoes might be toxic to laboratory rats. Those experiments, subsequently criticized by other experts, were carried out in Scotland by biochemist Arpad Pustzai.
What followed was a European anti-GM food campaign of near religious fervor. Spearheaded in the UK by environmental groups and some newspapers, the campaign would have far-reaching consequences. It culminated in an unofficial moratorium(延期付款) on the growth and import of GM crops in Europe and led to a trade dispute with the US.
GM crops are today very rare in Europe, strict labeling laws and regulations are in place for food (DNV = A bar codes), and public opinion towards the technology remains largely negative. Several UK government reports have offered qualified support for GM crops and produce, though they argue that the economic benefits of the technology are currently small. Some African nations have also opposed engineered crops, even to the point of rejecting international food aid containing them.
GM produce has been taken up with far less fuss in the US (where it does not have to be labeled), India, China, Canada, Argentina, Australia and elsewhere. However controversy over a type of GM corn--only approved for animal feed--which turned up in taco shells and other products stirred opinion in the US.
Biotech Revolution
The human race has methodically improved crop plants through selective breeding for many thousands of years, but genetic engineering allows that time-consuming process to be accelerated and exotic traits from unrelated species to be introduced. But not everyone agrees this represents progress.
The root of genetic engineering in crops lies in the 1977 discovery that soil bug Agrobacterium Tumefaciens can be used as a tool to inject potentially useful foreign genes into plants. With the help of that microbe, and other gene-implantation technologies such as gene guns, geneticists have developed a multitude of new crop types.
Most of these are modified to pest, disease or herbicide resistant, and include: soya, wheat, corn (maize), oilseed rape (canola), cotton, sugar beet, walnuts, potatoes, peanuts, squashes, tomatoes, tobacco, peas, sweet peppers, lettuce and onions, among others. The bacterial gene Bt is one of the most commonly inserted. It produces an insecticidal toxin that is harmless to people.
Supporters of GM technology argue that engineered crops--such as vitamin A--boosted golden rice or protein-enhanced potatoes--can improve nutrition, that drought-or salt-resistant varieties can flourish in poor conditions and prevent world hunger, and that insect-repelling crops protect the environment by minimizing pesticide use.
Other plants have been engineered to improve flavor, increase shelf life, increase hardiness and to be allergen-free. Geneticists have even created a no-tears onion to banish culinary(厨房的) crying, and novel caffeine-free coffee plants.
"Franken food" Fears
Critics fear that what they call "Frankenstein foods" could have unforeseen, adverse health effects on consumers, producing toxic proteins (and allergens) or transferring antibiotic-resistance and other genes to human gut bacteria to damaging effect. But there has been little evidence to back up such risks so far.
More plausible threats are that modified crops could become insidious (阴险的) superweeds, or that they could accidentally breed with wild plants or other crops-- genetically polluting the environment. This could be a potentially serious problem if "pharm" crops, engineered to produce pharmaceutical(药物的) drugs, accidentally cross breed with food varieties (or seeds become mixed up).
Large numbers of field trials, carried out by the UK government and others, reveal that gene transfer does occur. One 2002 study showed that transgenes had spread from US to traditional corn varieties in Mexico. A 2004 study revealed that conventional varieties of major US food crops have also been widely contaminated. Another study proved that pollen from GM plants can be carried on the wind for tens of kilometers.
Many experts agree that insect-repelling plants will also speed the evolution of insecticide-resistant pests. Normal crops are often grown alongside transgenic ones as refuges for the pests, in an attempt to prevent their accelerated evolution into "superpests".
Environmentalists also argue that growing GM crops affects farmland biodiversity. Field trials to test for this have produced mixed results--some suggesting that GM crops actually boost biodiversity.
Growing Globalization
Genetic modification of crops may offer the largest potential benefits to developing nations. However, the growing globalization of agriculture is a trend that worries some. Activists and resentful farmers worry that the agricultural biotech industry is encouraging reliance on their own-brand herbicide-resistant plants (Roundup Ready for example), which could create monopolies.
Companies such as Monsanto or Syngenta protect their GM seeds with patents. In one well-known legal case a Canadian farmer was successfully prosecuted for growing GM corn, though he claimed seed had accidentally blown on to his land.
Companies have also investigated technology protection systems. One type of TPS, dubbed the Terminator system by its critics, is a genetic trick that means GM crops fail to produce fertile seeds. This prevents the traditional practice of putting seeds aside from the crop to replant the following year, forcing farmers to buy new seed every year. However, some biotech companies have pledged not to use this technology, despite the fact it could be a useful tool in preventing genetic pollution.
A clever genetic variation on that theme, the Exorcist system, allows the production of fertile seeds, but with any foreign GM DNA spliced out and destroyed. The GM revolution has not been restricted to crops. A small number of farm and laboratory animals have also been modified.
These include: quick-to-mature GM salmon (大麻哈鱼), endowed with an early growth spurt, GM cows that produce casein-enriched milk ideal for cheese making, pigs bearing spinach genes that produce lower-fat bacon, goats engineered to churn(搅拌) out spider silk in their milk and mice that produce healthy fish oils.（1060 words）
1. GM technology is only used on crop plants.
2. When GM tomatoes first entered British supermarket, it caused a sensation to the whole world immediately.
3. Thanks to the European anti-GM food campaign, an official stopping of the growth and import of GM crops
was resulted in Europe.
4. Most Europeans would not choose to eat GM foods.
5. In order to prevent people from ___________ crying, the geneticists have invented the no-tears onion.
6. The opinion that "Frankenstein foods" have had adverse health effects on consumers lacks enough ________
____________.
7. A lot of experiments conducted by the UK government prove that the appearance of ___________________.
8. Study shows that the pollen from GM plants can be carried on ________________ .
9. Environmentalists hold the view that growing GM crops affect _______________
10. The type of technology protection system, which means the GM crops that fails to produce fertile seeds, is
called_______________________________________.
Passage Three
Deforestation
Deforestation has only recently been recognized as a global problem. Even today, governments and individuals believe that only the countries using up their forests will be affected by it. However, scientists are
convinced that the world's forests must be preserved. They base their conviction on scientific data that prove the importance of forests to people everywhere.
Deforestation is occurring most rapidly in tropical regions of the world. Most forests in other climatic areas have already been affected by human beings. They have been destroyed or preserved or systematically cut and replanted. There are two reasons why jungles are now in danger. One is the mechanization of the logging industry. The second is the world's hunger for forest products. These jungles are the world's largest and last reserve of timber. Because the world needs the wood that these forest supply, they will probably be cut. Scientists, however, want to convince countries with large stands of tropical trees to manage their forests so that they will continue to produce.
Why Should We Preserve Tropical Forests?
Tropical forests seem to have perfect conditions for producing life. The number and variety of plants give the illusion of endless fertility. In most cases, however, this fertility is dependent on a very delicate natural balance, an ecosystem (生态系统). Most of the soil nutrients that are necessary to support plant life come from decaying plants and animals. Keeping the soil rich and productive is the first reason for saving the world's tropical forests. Soil fertility is quickly exhausted when the cycle of death and decay is interfered with. This is a lesson that has been learned through experience in many parts of the world. In Brazil, for example, an area of the Amazon forest was cleared for agricultural use around 1890. By the 1940s, the soil in this area, called Brigantina, had been exhausted. Without enrichment from decaying plant and animal matter, the soil had lost its fertility; without the protective covering of trees, the soil had been baked into a hard, unproductive surface. Furthermore, the cost of adding nutrients to the soil in order to make it productive again was prohibitively (令人望而却步地) high. The fertilizers cost so much that no crop could be profitable. Therefore, Brigantina was officially abandoned; its settlers were moved to another place. Brigantina could have served the world as a valuable source of forest products, which in turn could have provided Brazil with a source of income. As it is, Brigantina is a wasteland, a reminder of the fragile balance within the tropical forest.
The second reason to preserve tropical forests is the abundance of plant and animal life that they support. Much of this plant and animal life has never been scientifically categorized. Furthermore, most scientists are convinced that tropical forest life forms have not been adequately studied. Scientists, therefore, view the loss of these forests as a loss of knowledge. To most scientists, the preservation of a source of information is a sufficient reason to preserve the forests. Even scientists preservation of a source of information is a sufficient reason to preserve the forests. Even scientists with a more practical outlook believe that it is important to explore and study the forests further to determine their usefulness before they are destroyed. For example, tropical forests produce the raw material from which important drugs are manufactured. Both quinine(奎宁), which is used in the treatment of malaria (疟疾) and other sicknesses, and Dioscorea (一种薯类), which supplies an essential ingredient in birth-control pills, are tropical forest products. Scientists are convinced that further study would uncover other valuable raw materials. For example, they want to study the natural substances in forest plants that repel insects and other plant-eating animals. These substances might provide a harmless substitute for the chemical pesticides that are widely used in agriculture and are harmful to all living beings.
A third argument for conserving tropical forest concerns their effect on worldwide climate patterns. All plants give off water vapor that becomes part of the atmosphere. The dense plant life in a tropical forest transpires (蒸发) large quantities of water vapor. This vapor condenses and falls as rain. If the tropical forests disappear, there, will be less water in the air. It is, therefore, highly probable that destruction of the rain forest will mean widespread drought.
The probability of drought is increased by the fact that tropical forests also provide the atmosphere with large quantities of oxygen. Like all forms of vegetation, forests lake in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen during daylight. If the forests, or even a large portion of them, are destroyed, the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will increase. Because carbon dioxide forms a protective blanket of warm air around the Earth, an
increase in this gas could cause a worldwide rise in temperature. A hotter Earth with less rainfall would mean, among other things, more deserts and less agricultural land and, therefore, less food to feed the people of the world.
Many Steps Could Be Taken to Stop Deforestation
In spite of the compelling reasons to save the tropical forests, they are disappearing with frightening speed. Unfortunately, this trend toward destruction is not likely to be reversed in the near future. Still, steps can be taken to move in a different direction and save the forests.
The logging industry could contribute much toward saving tropical forests from destruction by applying the principles of good forest management. Forests are a renewable resource. If the industry had to reforest areas where trees are cut, then there would always be new sources for forest products and income from them. Reforestation projects have been very successful in countries like Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey. In these countries reforestation is the first step toward satisfying both the demand for forest products and the need for forests.
Governments of countries with tropical forest must, of course, play an important part in reforestation projects. However, governments could take another important step toward the conservation of tropical forests by setting aside forest reserves. These areas of forest where trees could not be cut would preserve the natural environment and the abundance and variety of life that it supports. This step is particularly important in view of the fact that many varieties of tropical trees take several hundred years to reach maturity.
Just reforesting and setting aside forest reserves will not, however, stop deforestation. The reason is another important cause of deforestation, human poverty. People who need fuel and land on which to grow food cut a large percentage of the trees. The problem of poverty is extremely complex. However, the introduction of better agricultural practices and tree culture could increase the food and fuel supply, and steps are being taken to accomplish both of these goals.
Still, all people everywhere must take the most important step toward the solution of the problem of deforestation. Everyone must recognize deforestation as a global problem with global importance. Everyone will be affected if the forests are not preserved, not just countries in which they are found. Therefore, a global commitment to solving the problem is necessary.
1. Even countries which didn't use up their forests can be affected by deforestation.
2. The world's hunger for logs and forest products is attributed to the destruction of tropical forests.
3. The key to keep soil fertility of tropical forests lies in maintaining the ecosystem of the forest.
4. Brazil authorities officially prohibited deforestation after Brigantina transformed into deserts.
5. Scientists believe that a sound reason to preserve the forests is that it saves ______ ________________
_______________
6. Plants in the tropical forests give off _________________, which, when condensed, forms rain.
7. Deforestation results in an increase of _______________________in the air which causes a rise in the
earth's temperature.
8. In order to save tropical forests from destruction, the logging industry could apply the principles of _____
___________________.
9. To grow mature, many varieties of tropical trees will take______________________.
10. The passage suggests that in order to meet the demand for food and fuel without destroying forests, people
should learn___________________________________ .
Passage Four (0701)
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)
Space Tourism
Make your reservations now. The space tourism industry is officially open for business, and tickets are going for a mere $20 million for a one-week stay in space. Despite reluctance from National Air and Space Administration (NASA), Russia made American businessman Dennis Tito the world's first space tourist. Tito flew into space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket that arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on April 30,2001. The second space tourist, South African businessman Mark Shuttleworth, took off aboard the Russian Soyuz on April 25, 2002, also bound for the ISS.
Lance Bass of'N Sync was supposed to be the third to make the $20 million trip, but he did not join the three-man crew as they blasted off on October 30,2002, due to lack of payment. Probably the most incredible aspect of this proposed space tour was that NASA approved of it.
These trips are the beginning of what could be a profitable 21st century industry. There are already several space tourism companies planning to build suborbital vehicles and orbital cities within the next two decades. These companies have invested millions, believing that the space tourism industry is on the verge of taking off.
In 1997, NASA published a report concluding that selling trips into space to private citizens could be worth billions of dollars. A Japanese report supports these findings, and projects that space tourism could be a $10 billion per year industry within the next two decades. The only obstacles to opening up space to tourists are the space agencies, who are concerned with safety and the development of a reliable, reusable launch vehicle.
Space Accommodations
Russia's Mir space station was supposed to be the first destination for space tourists. But in March 2001, the Russian Agency brought Mir down into the Pacific Ocean. As it turned out, bringing down Mir only temporarily delayed the first tourist trip into space.
The Mir crash did cancel plans for a new reality-based game show from NBC, which was going to be called Destination Mir. The survivor-like TV show was scheduled to air in fall 2001. Participants on the show were to go through training at Russia's cosmonaut(宇航员) training center, Star City. Each week, one of the participants would be eliminated from the show, with the winner receiving a trip to the Mir space station. The Mir crash has ruled out NBC's space plants for now. NASA is against beginning space tourism until the International Space Station is completed in 2006.
Russia in not alone in its interest in space tourism. There are several projects underway to commercialize space travel. Here are a few of the groups that might take tourists to space:
* Space Island Group is going to build a ring-shaped, rotating "commercial space infrastructure(基础结构)."
that will resemble the Discovery spacecraft in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Space Island says it will build its space city out of empty NASA space-shuttle fuel tanks (to start, it should take around 12 or so), and place it about 400 miles above Earth. The space city will rotate once per minute to create a gravitational pull one-third as strong as Earth's.
* According to their vision statement, Space Adventures plans to "fly tens of thousands of people in space over the next 10-15 years and beyond, around the moon, and back, from spaceports both on Earth and in space, to and from private space stations, and aboard dozens of different vehicles..."
* Even Hilton Hotels has shown interest in the space tourism industry and the possibility of building or co-funding a space hotel. However, the company did say that it believes such a space hotel is 15 to 20 years away.
Initially, Space tourism will offer simple accommodations at best. For instance, if the International Space Station is used as a tourist attraction, guests won't find the luxurious surroundings of a hotel room on Earth. It has been designed for conducting research, not entertainment. However, the first generation of space hotels should offer tourists a much more comfortable experience.
In regard to a concept for a space hotel initially planned by Space Island, such a hotel could offer guests every convenience they might find at a hotel on Earth, and some they might not. The small gravitational pull created by the rotating space city would allow space-tourists and residents to walk around and function normally within the
structure. Everything from running water to a recycling plant to medical facilities would be possible. Additionally, space tourists would even be able to take spacewalks.
Many of these companies believe that they have to offer an extremely enjoyable experience in order for passengers to pay thousands, if not millions, of dollars to ride into space. So will space create another separation between the haves and have-nots?
The Most Expensive Vacation
Will space be an exotic retreat reserved for only the wealthy? Or will middle-class folks have a chance to take their families to space? Make no mistake about it, going to space will be the most expensive vacation you ever take. Prices right now are in the tens of millions of dollars. Currently, the only vehicles that can take you into space are the space shuttle and the Russian Soyuz, both of which are terribly inefficient. Each spacecraft requires millions of pounds of fuel to take off into space, which makes them expensive to launch. One pound of payload (有效栽载重) costs about $10,000 to put into Earth's orbit.
NASA and Lockheed Martin are currently developing a single-stage-to-orbit launch space plane, called the Venture Star, that could be launched for about a tenth of what the space shuttle costs to launch. If the Venture Star takes off, the number of people who could afford to take a trip into space would move into the millions.
In 1998, a joint report from NASA and the Space Transportation Association stated that improvements in technology could push fares for space travel as low as $50,000, and possibly down to $20,000 or $10,000 a decade later. The report concluded that at a ticket price of $50,000, there could be 500,000 passengers flying into space each year. While still leaving out many people, these prices would open up space to a tremendous amount of traffic.
Since the beginning of the space race, the general public has said, "Isn't that great-when do I get to go?" Well, our chance might be closer than ever. Within the next 20 Years, space planes could be taking off for the Moon at the same frequency as airplanes flying between New York and Los Angeles.
1．Lance Bass wasn't able to go on a tour of space because of health problems
2．Several tourism companies believe space travel is going to be a new profitable industry.
3．The space agencies are reluctant to open up space to tourists.
4．Two Australian billionaires have been placed on the waiting list for entering space as private passengers 5．The prize for the winner in the fall 2001 NBC TV game show would have been ________
6．Hilton Hotels believes it won't be long before it is possible to build a ______________.
7．In order for space tourists to walk around and function normally, it is necessary for the space city to create a ________________.
8．What makes going to space the most expensive vacation is the enormous cost involved in ______.
9．Each year 500,000 space tourists could be flying into space if ticket prices could be lowered to _________. 10. Within the next two decades, __________ could be as common as intercity air travel.
Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)
Section A
Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words on Answer Sheet 2. Passage One
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
America is a country that now sits atop the cherished myth that work provides rewards, that working people can support their families. It's a myth that has become so divorced from reality that it might as well begin with the words "Once upon a time." Today 1.6 million New Yorkers suffer from "food insecurity," which is a fancy way of saying they don't have enough to eat. Some are the people who come in at night and clean the skyscrapers that glitter along the river. Some pour coffee and take care of the aged parents of the people who live in those buildings. The American Dream for the well-to-do grows from the bowed backs of the working poor, who too often have to choose
between groceries and rent.
In a new book called "The Betrayal of Work", Beth Shulman says that even in the booming 1990s one out of every four American workers made less than $8.70 an hour, an income equal to the government's poverty level for a family of four. Many, if not most, of these workers had no health care, sick pay or retirement provisions.
We ease our consciences, Shulman writes, by describing these people as "low skilled," as though they're not important or intelligent enough to deserve more. But low-skilled workers today are better educated than ever before, and they constitute the linchpin (关键）of American industry. When politicians crow (得意洋洋地说）that happy days are here again because jobs are on the rise, it's these jobs they're really talking about. Five of the 10 occupations expected to grow big in the next decade are in the lowest-paying job groups. And before we sit back and decide that's just the way it is, it's instructive to consider the rest of the world. While the bottom 10 percent of American workers earn just 37 percent of our average wage, their counterparts in other industrialized countries earn upwards of 60 percent. And those are countries that provide health care and child care, which eases the economic pinch considerably.
Almost 40 years ago, when Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, a family with a car and a house in the suburbs felt prosperous. Today that same family may well feel poor, overwhelmed by credit-card debt, a second mortgage and the cost of the stuff that has become the backbone of American life. When the middle class feels poor, the poor have little chance for change, or even recognition.
47. By saying "it might as well begin with the words 'Once upon a time"' (Line 3, Para. 1). the author suggests that
the American myth is__________________________.
48. What is the American Dream of the well-to-do built upon?
__________________________________________________________________
49. Some Americans try to make themselves feel less guilty by attributing the poverty of the working people
to__________________________________________________.
50. We learn from the passage that the difference in pay between the lowest paid and the average worker in
America is __________ than that in other industrialized countries.
51. According to the author, how would an American family with a car and a house in the suburbs probably feel
about themselves today?
__________________________________________________________________
Passage Two
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
Many parents who welcome the idea of turning off the TV and spending more time with the family are still worried that without TV they would constantly be on call as entertainers for their children. They remember thinking up all sorts of things to do when they were kids. But their own kids seem different, less resourceful, somehow. When there's nothing to do, these parents observe regretfully, their kids seem unable to come up with any thing to do besides turning on the TV.
One father, for example, says. “When I was a kid, we were always thinking up things to do, projects and games. We certainly nev er complained in an annoying way to our parents, …I have nothing to do!?” He compares this with his own children today: “They're simply lazy. If someone doesn't entertain them, they'll happily sit there watching TV all day. ”
There is one word for this father's disappointment: unfair. It is as if he were disappointed in them for not reading Greek though they have never studied the language. He deplores(哀叹)his children's lack of inventiveness, as if the ability to play were something innate(天生的)that his children are missing. In fact, while the tendency to play is built into the human species, the actual ability to play-to imagine, to invent, to elaborate on reality in a playful way-and the ability to gain fulfillment from it, these are skills that have to learned and developed.
Such disappointment, however, is not only unjust, it is also destructive. Sensing their parents' disappointment, children come to believe that they are, indeed, lacking something, and that this makes them less worthy of admiration and respect. Giving children the opportunity to develop new resources, to enlarge their horizons and discover the pleasures of doing things on their own is, on the other hand, a way to help children develop a confident feeling about themselves as capable and interesting people.
47. According to many parents, without TV, their children would like them to______. _________ ___________
_____________ ___________________________________
48. Many parents think that, instead of watching a lot of TV, their children should _____. __________________
__ _______ _________________________________________
49. The father often blames his children for not being able to entertain themselves. This is unfair because they
__________________________________________________ .
50. When parents show constant disappointment in their children, the destructive effect is that the children will
__________________________________________________ .
51. Developing children's self-confidence helps bring them up to be ________________.
Passage Three
Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.
Joe Templar should have known better: after all, he works for a large auto insurance company. It won't hurt to leave the key in the truck this once, he thought, as he filled his gas tank at a self service gas station. But moments latter as he was paying the money he saw the truck being driven away.
In 1987,1.6 million motor vehicles were stolen in the United States-one every 20 seconds. If current trends continue, experts predict annual vehicle thefts could exceed two million by the end of the decade.
Vehicle theft is a common phenomenon, which has a direct impact on over four million victims a year. The cost is astonishing.
Many police officials blame professional thieves for the high volume of thefts. It is a major money maker for organized crime. Typically, stolen cars are taken to pieces and the parts sold to individuals. But as many as 200,000 cars a re smuggled out of the country every year. Most go to Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.
Only about 15 percent car thefts result in an arrest, because few police departments routinely conduct in depth auto investigations. When thieves are arrested, judges will often sentence them to probation(缓刑), not immediately put them in prison because the prisons are overcrowded with violent criminals.
One exception is a Michigan program that assigns 92 police officers to work full time on the state's 65,000 car theft cases a year. Since 1986, when the effort began, the state's auto theft rate has fallen from second in the nation to ninth.
How can you protect your car? If you live in a high theft area or drive an expensive model, consider a security system. It may cost anywhere from $25 to $1, 000. Some systems engage automatically simply removing the key disables the fuel pump and the starter. When cars are equipped with such systems, t hefts may drop by one third. In some states, you may be able to use a device that transmits radio signals, allowing stolen cars to be tracked by police.
47. What is the passage mainly about?
_______________________________________________.
48. According to the author, Joe Templar should be blamed for ____________________
_______________________________________________.
49. How serious did the author predict the annual vehicle theft could in the United States in 1989?
_______________________________________________.