2015年1月新SAT样题(阅读部分)
2015SAT阅读练习及答案解析
2015年SAT阅读真题question 11-12 are based on the following passagesome critics believe that the frequent use of repetition in native American ceremonial texts was a result of their oral nature and helped make the works easy to remember. native American scholar paula gunn allen argues that this factor must be peripheral, however, because people in societies without writing traditionally have had more finely developed memories than do people who use writing. native American children learned early to remember complicated instructions and long stories by heart. for a person who couldn't run to a bookshelf to look up information, reliance on memory became very important in everyday life. such a highly developed everyday memory is not likely to fail on ceremonial occasions.1. the primary purpose of the passage is to(a) refute a claim(b) describe a process(c) analyze a discovery(d) advocate a practice(e) reveal a problem2. in context, what does the final sentence suggest about native american ceremonial texts?(a) understanding them requires a highly developed memory.(b) their inclusion of complicated and detailed material is traditional.(c) they are not always oral in nature, nor are they always repetitive.(d) they are important in the everyday lives of many native americans.(e) their use of repetition cannot be explained as an aid to memorization.(1)题答案：a简析：这道题目要求你说出这篇短文的目的，那就不是只看一两句话就可以解决问题的了，这是一道主旨性题目，需要我们从宏观上做全面的把握。
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读：阅读第二篇
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读：阅读第二篇北京新东方美本本地项目刘琼歌新SAT考试中，五篇文章中有一篇是双篇对比(paired passages)，重点考察学生分析多篇文本的能力（Analyzing multiple texts）。
这篇文章题材属于Science这一类，考察重点是“动物是否拥有类似人类的思维能力”这一老生常谈的话题，北京新东方美本本地项目刘琼歌老师发现在旧SAT中也有类似的文章（2008年1月短双“是否应该以人类动机解读黑猩猩的行为”）。
在题目设计上，五个题目依次考察了文章结构（text structure）,隐含语义（implicit meanings：draw reasonable inferences and logical conclusions from text）, 双篇对比求同（Analyzing multiple texts: synthesize information and ideas from paired texts），双篇对比求异（Analyzing multiple texts: synthesize information and ideas from paired texts）和双篇逻辑关系（Analyzing multiple texts: analyzing claims and counterclaims）这五个考点。
刘琼歌老师经过对比分析发现，这五个题目在考点设计上与旧SAT类似，只是选项由旧SAT的五个减为四个，且答错不再倒扣分数。
整体上说，新SAT的文章复杂度和题目难度并没有显著增强。
【文章大意】这两篇文章通过观察和实验研究鸟类是否拥有与人类类似的认知能力。
Passage 1第一段心理学家Morgan提出一条原则“如果有更加简单的解释，就不应该认为动物行为体现了类似人类的思维过程。
”第二段则指出，人类似乎很“想”证明动物跟人一样“聪明”。
2015年SAT阅读理解练习题
在备考SAT阅读的过程中，要进行大量的练习题，这样才能积累更对的考试经验。
为了考生更好的备考SAT阅读考试，今天小马过河的小编为大家推荐2015年SAT阅读理解练习题，希望考生认真备考。
具体内容如下：The extract is taken from a book written sixty years ago by a British scientist in which heconsiders the relationship between science and society.The pioneers of the teaching of science imagined that itsintroduction into education would remove the conventionality,artificiality, and backward-lookingness which were characteristic;of classical studies, but they were gravely disappointed. So, too, in5 their time had the humanists thought that the study of the classical authors in the original would banish at once the dull pedantry and superstition of mediaeval scholasticism.The professional schoolmaster was a match for both of them, and has almost managed to make the understanding of chemical reactions as dull 10 and as dogmatic an affair as the reading of Virgil's Aeneid.The chief claim for the use of science in education is that it teaches a child something about the actual universe in which he is living, in making him acquainted with the results of scientific 15 discovery, and at the same time teaches him how to think logically and inductively by studying scientific method.A certain limited success has been reached in the first of these aims, but practically none at all in the second. Those privileged members of the community who have been through a secondary or public school 20 education may be expected to know something about the elementary physics and chemistry of a hundred years ago, but they probably know hardly more than any bright boy can pick up from an interest in wireless or scientific hobbies out of school hours.As to the learning of scientific method, the whole thing is palpably 25 a farce. Actually, for the convenience of teachers and the requirements of the examination system, it is necessary that the pupils not only do not learn scientific method but learn precisely the reverse, that is, to believe exactly what they are told and to reproduce it when asked, whether it seems nonsense to them or 30 not.The way in which educated people respond to such quackeries as spiritualism or astrology, not to say more dangerous ones such as racial theories or currency myths, shows that fifty years of education in the method of science in Britain or Germany has produced no visible effect whatever. The only way of learning the 35 method of science is the long and bitter way of personal experience, and, until the educational or social systems are altered to make this possible, the best we can expect is the production of a minority of people who are able to acquire some of the techniques of science and a still smaller minority who are able to use and 40 develop them.1. The author implies that the 'professional schoolmaster' (line 7) hasA. no interest in teaching scienceB. thwarted attempts to enliven educationC. aided true learningD. supported the humanistsE. been a pioneer in both science and humanities.2. The author’s attitude to secondary and public school education in the scie nces isA. ambivalentB. neutralC. supportiveD. satiricalE. contemptuous3. The word ‘palpably’ (line 24) most nearly meansA. empiricallyB. obviouslyC. tentativelyD. markedlyE. ridiculously4. The author blames all of the following for the failure to impart scientific method through the education system exceptA. poor teachingB. examination methodsC. lack of direct experienceD. the social and education systemsE. lack of interest on the part of students5. If the author were to study current education in science to see how things have changed since he wrote the piece, he would probably be most interested in the answer to which of the following questions?A. Do students know more about the world about them?B. Do students spend more time in laboratories?C. Can students apply their knowledge logically?D. Have textbooks improved?E. Do they respect their teachers?6. Astrology (line 31) is mentioned as an example ofA. a science that needs to be better understoodB. a belief which no educated people holdC. something unsupportable to those who have absorbed the methods of scienceD. the gravest danger to societyE. an acknowledged failure of science7. All of the following can be inferred from the text exceptA. at the time of writing, not all children received a secondary school educationB. the author finds chemical reactions interestingC. science teaching has imparted some knowledge of facts to some childrenD. the author believes that many teachers are authoritarianE. it is relatively easy to learn scientific method.2015年SAT阅读理解练习题答案解析1.Correct Answer: BExplanation:When we look back to line 7, we read, "The professional schoolmaster was a match for both of them, and has almost managed to make the understanding of chemical reactions as dull and as dogmatic an affair as the reading of Virgil's Aeneid."This tells us that the schoolmaster has made learning dull. And so we eliminate answers C and Ewhich imply he has done something good.But to be sure of the answer we should also read the previous sentences. We learn that, "The pioneers of the teaching of science imagined that its introduction into education would remove the conventionality, artificiality, and backward-lookingness which were characteristic of classicalstudies......" This section tells us that other people tried to alter the nature of education, but the"professional schoolmaster was a match for both of them". He therefore prevented (thwarted) these attempts, and the answer is B.2.Correct Answer: EExplanation:To find the attitude, try asking yourself whether the author is positive, negative or neutral to the subject. Then look for the evidence. Here, it is obvious that he thinks that nothing very valuable is learned in school about science and scientific method. He is therefore negative. Eliminate the neutral (A and B) words, and the positive (C), and then decide between D and E. He seems to be expressing contempt rather than mocking. And so E is the best choice.3.Correct Answer: BExplanation:Go back to the text and find a word of your own to replace ‘palpably’ before you even look at the choices. We read, "As to the learning of scientific method, the whole thing is palpably a farce."Here, I could substitute‘obviously’ or ‘clearly’. As it happens, one of the words is there in the choices. (B). If it had not been there, there would have been something sufficiently similar to make a choice.4.Correct Answer: EExplanation:Be caref ul on ‘except’ questions. You are looking for something the author does not do.He does blame poor teaching, (lines 7-10), exams (line 26), social and education systems (line 36),lack of direct experience (lines34-38), but he never blames the students. Hence answer E.5.Correct Answer: CExplanation:This is an ‘inference’ question. We need to find out what the author’s main complaint is. This concern of the author will tells us what he would like to see. From lines 11 to 18 in particular we learn that he is especially interested in whether a student can apply his or her knowledge. So, we conclude that answer C is best.6.Correct Answer: CExplanation:Astrology is mentioned as a ‘quackery’. Quackery is something that claims to be true but is act ually based on falsity. He implies that people are fooled by astrology, but he also implies that there are other more ‘dangerous’ideas. So we eliminate A, B and D. It is not likely that astrology is a ‘failure of science’, but it is something that scientists would not approve of. Hence answer C.7.Correct Answer: EExplanation:This is an ‘except’ question. Be careful! You are looking for something that cannot be inferred from the text. We can find evidence that the author finds reactions interesting (line 9), and that children have learnt some facts (beginning of the second paragraph), and that he thinks teachers are strict (line 10 and part of paragraph 2). We can also infer from the use of the phrase ‘privileged members’ (line 18) that he believes that not all received secondary education. But we find that he thinks it is hard to learn scientific method- ‘The only way of learning the method of science is the long and bitter way of personal experience". And so we choose E.。
sat-practice-test-1-answers
Answer Explanations SAT® Practice Test #1© 2015 The College Board. College Board, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. 5KSA09Answer ExplanationsSAT Practice Test #1Section 1: Reading T estQUESTION 1.Choice B is the best answer. In the passage, a young man (Akira) asks amother (Chie) for permission to marry her daughter (Naomi). The requestwas certainly surprising to the mother, as can be seen from line 47, whichstates that prior to Akira’s question Chie “had no idea” the request was coming.Choice A is incorrect because the passage depicts two characters engagedin a civil conversation, with Chie being impressed with Akira’s “sincerity”and finding herself “starting to like him.” Choice C is incorrect becausethe passage is focused on the idea of Akira’s and Naomi’s present lives andpossible futures. Choice D is incorrect because the interactions betweenChie and Akira are polite, not critical; for example, Chie views Akira with“amusement,” not animosity.QUESTION 2.Choice B is the best answer. The passage centers on a night when a youngman tries to get approval to marry a woman’s daughter. The passage includesdetailed descriptions of setting (a “winter’s eve” and a “cold rain,” lines 5-6);character (Akira’s “soft, refined” voice, line 33; Akira’s eyes “sh[ining] withsincerity,” line 35); and plot (“Naomi was silent. She stood a full half minutelooking straight into Chie’s eyes. Finally, she spoke,” lines 88-89).Choice A is incorrect because the passage focuses on a nontraditional mar-riage proposal. Choice C is incorrect because the passage concludes withoutresolution to the question of whether Akira and Naomi will receive permis-sion to marry. Choice D is incorrect because the passage repeatedly makesclear that for Chie, her encounter with Akira is momentous and unsettling,as when Akira acknowledges in line 73 that he has “startled” her.1QUESTION 3.Choice C is the best answer. Akira “came directly, breaking all tradition,”(line 1) when he approached Chie and asked to marry her daughter, and he“ask[ed] directly,” without “a go-between” (line 65) or “mediation,” becausedoing otherwise would have taken too much time.Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because in these contexts, “directly” doesnot mean in a frank, confident, or precise manner.QUESTION 4.Choice A is the best answer. Akira is very concerned Chie will find his mar-riage proposal inappropriate because he did not follow traditional protocol anduse a “go-between” (line 65). This is clear in lines 63-64, when Akira says toChie “Please don’t judge my candidacy by the unseemliness of this proposal.”Choice B is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that Akiraworries that Chie will mistake his earnestness for immaturity. Choice C is incor-rect because while Akira recognizes that his unscheduled visit is a nuisance, hislarger concern is that Chie will reject him due to the inappropriateness of hisproposal. Choice D is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage thatAkira worries Chie will underestimate the sincerity of his emotions.QUESTION 5.Choice C is the best answer. In lines 63-64, Akira says to Chie, “Pleasedon’t judge my candidacy by the unseemliness of this proposal.” This revealsAkira’s concern that Chie may say no to the proposal simply because Akiradid not follow traditional practices.Choices A, B, and D do not provide the best evidence for the answer to theprevious question. Choice A is incorrect because line 33 merely describesAkira’s voice as “soft, refined.” Choice B is incorrect because lines 49-51reflect Chie’s perspective, not Akira’s. Choice D is incorrect because lines71-72 indicate only that Akira was speaking in an eager and forthright matter.QUESTION 6.Choice D is the best answer because Akira clearly treats Chie with respect,including “bow[ing]” (line 26) to her, calling her “Madame” (line 31), andlooking at her with “a deferential peek” (line 34). Akira does not offer Chieutter deference, though, as he asks to marry Naomi after he concedes that heis not following protocol and admits to being a “disruption” (line 31).Choice A is incorrect because while Akira conveys respect to Chie, there isno evidence in the passage that he feels affection for her. Choice B is incor-rect because neither objectivity nor impartiality accurately describes howAkira addresses Chie. Choice C is incorrect because Akira conveys respectto Chie and takes the conversation seriously.2QUESTION 7.Choice D is the best answer. The first paragraph (lines 1-4) reflects on howAkira approached Chie to ask for her daughter’s hand in marriage. In theselines, the narrator is wondering whether Chie would have been more likelyto say yes to Akira’s proposal if Akira had followed tradition: “Akira camedirectly, breaking all tradition. Was that it? Had he followed form—had heasked his mother to speak to his father to approach a go-between—wouldChie have been more receptive?” Thus, the main purpose of the first para-graph is to examine why Chie reacted a certain way to Akira’s proposal.Choice A is incorrect because the first paragraph describes only one aspect ofJapanese culture (marriage proposals) but not the culture as a whole. Choice Bis incorrect because the first paragraph implies a criticism of Akira’s individualmarriage proposal but not the entire tradition of Japanese marriage proposals.Choice C is incorrect because the narrator does not question a suggestion.QUESTION 8.Choice B is the best answer. In line 1, the narrator suggests that Akira’sdirect approach broke “all tradition.” The narrator then wonders if Akira had“followed form,” or the tradition expected of him, would Chie have beenmore receptive to his proposal. In this context, following “form” thus meansfollowing a certain tradition or custom.Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because in this context “form” does notmean the way something looks (appearance), the way it is built (structure),or its essence (nature).QUESTION 9.Choice C is the best answer. Akira states that his unexpected meeting withChie occurred only because of a “matter of urgency,” which he explains as “anopportunity to go to America, as dentist for Seattle’s Japanese community”(lines 41-42). Akira decides to directly speak to Chie because Chie’s responseto his marriage proposal affects whether Akira accepts the job offer.Choice A is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that Akira isworried his parents will not approve of Naomi. Choice B is incorrect becauseAkira has “an understanding” with Naomi (line 63). Choice D is incorrect;while Akira may know that Chie is unaware of his feelings for Naomi, this isnot what he is referring to when he mentions “a matter of urgency.”QUESTION 10.Choice B is the best answer. In lines 39-42, Akira clarifies that the “mat-ter of urgency” is that he has “an opportunity to go to America, as dentistfor Seattle’s Japanese community.” Akira needs Chie’s answer to his marriageproposal so he can decide whether to accept the job in Seattle.3Choices A, C, and D do not provide the best evidence for the answer to theprevious question. Choice A is incorrect because in line 39 Akira apologizesfor interrupting Chie’s quiet evening. Choice C is incorrect because lines58-59 address the seriousness of Akira’s request, not its urgency. Choice Dis incorrect because line 73 shows only that Akira’s proposal has “startled”Chie and does not explain why his request is time-sensitive.QUESTION 11.Choice A is the best answer. Lines 1-9 include examples of how manypeople shop (“millions of shoppers”), how much money they spend (“over$30 billion at retail stores in the month of December alone”), and the manyoccasions that lead to shopping for gifts (“including weddings, birthdays,anniversaries, graduations, and baby showers.”). Combined, these examplesshow how frequently people in the US shop for gifts.Choice B is incorrect because even though the authors mention that“$30 billion” had been spent in retail stores in one month, that figure isnever discussed as an increase (or a decrease). Choice C is incorrect becauselines 1-9 provide a context for the amount of shopping that occurs in the US,but the anxiety (or “dread”) it might cause is not introduced until later in thepassage. Choice D is incorrect because lines 1-9 do more than highlight thenumber of different occasions that lead to gift-giving.QUESTION 12.Choice B is the best answer. Lines 9-10 state “This frequent experienceof gift-giving can engender ambivalent feelings in gift-givers.” In the sub-sequent sentences, those “ambivalent” feelings are further exemplified asconflicted feelings, as shopping is said to be something that “[m]any relish”(lines 10-11) and “many dread” (line 14).Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because in this context, “ambivalent” doesnot mean feelings that are unrealistic, apprehensive, or supportive.QUESTION 13.Choice D is the best answer. In lines 10-13, the authors clearly state thatsome people believe gift-giving can help a relationship because it “offers apowerful means to build stronger bonds with one’s closest peers.”Choice A is incorrect because even though the authors state that someshoppers make their choices based on “egocentrism,” (line 33) there isno evidence in the passage that people view shopping as a form of self-expression. Choice B is incorrect because the passage implies that shoppingis an expensive habit. Choice C is incorrect because the passage states thatmost people have purchased and received gifts, but it never implies that peo-ple are required to reciprocate the gift-giving process.4QUESTION 14.Choice A is the best answer. In lines 10-13, the authors suggest that peoplevalue gift-giving because it may strengthen their relationships with others:“Many relish the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers apowerful means to build stronger bonds with one’s closest peers.”Choices B, C, and D do not provide the best evidence for the answer to theprevious question. Choice B is incorrect because lines 22-23 discuss howpeople often buy gifts that the recipients would not purchase. Choice C isincorrect because lines 31-32 explain how gift-givers often fail to considerthe recipients’ preferences. Choice D is incorrect because lines 44-47 suggestthat the cost of a gift may not correlate to a recipient’s appreciation of it.QUESTION 15.Choice A is the best answer. The “deadweight loss” mentioned in the secondparagraph is the significant monetary difference between what a gift-giverwould pay for something and what a gift-recipient would pay for the sameitem. That difference would be predictable to social psychologists, whoseresearch “has found that people often struggle to take account of others’perspectives—their insights are subject to egocentrism, social projection,and multiple attribution errors” (lines 31-34).Choices B, C, and D are all incorrect because lines 31-34 make clear thatsocial psychologists would expect a disconnect between gift-givers and gift-recipients, not that they would question it, be disturbed by it, or find it sur-prising or unprecedented.QUESTION 16.Choice C is the best answer. Lines 41-44 suggest that gift-givers assumea correlation between the cost of a gift and how well-received it will be:“. . . gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much recipients willappreciate the gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger a gift-recipient’sfeelings of appreciation).” However, the authors suggest this assumption maybe incorrect or “unfounded” (line 47), as gift-recipients “may not construesmaller and larger gifts as representing smaller and larger signals of thought-fulness and consideration” (lines 63-65).Choices A, B, and D are all incorrect because the passage neither statesnor implies that the gift-givers’ assumption is insincere, unreasonable, orsubstantiated.QUESTION 17.Choice C is the best answer. Lines 63-65 suggest that the assumption madeby gift-givers in lines 41-44 may be incorrect. The gift-givers assume thatrecipients will have a greater appreciation for costly gifts than for less costly5gifts, but the authors suggest this relationship may be incorrect, as gift-recipients “may not construe smaller and larger gifts as representing smallerand larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration” (lines 63-65).Choices A and D are incorrect because lines 53-55 and 75-78 address thequestion of “why” gift-givers make specific assumptions rather than address-ing the validity of these assumptions. Choice B is incorrect because lines55-60 focus on the reasons people give gifts to others.QUESTION 18.Choice D is the best answer. Lines 53-55 state that “Perhaps givers believethat bigger (i.e., more expensive) gifts convey stronger signals of thought-fulness and consideration.” In this context, saying that more expensive gifts“convey” stronger signals means the gifts send, or communicate, strongersignals to the recipients.Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because in this context, to “convey” some-thing does not mean to transport it (physically move something), coun-teract it (act in opposition to something), or exchange it (trade one thingfor another).QUESTION 19.Choice A is the best answer. The paragraph examines how gift-giversbelieve expensive gifts are more thoughtful than less expensive gifts andwill be more valued by recipients. The work of Camerer and others offersan explanation for the gift-givers’ reasoning: “gift-givers attempt to signaltheir positive attitudes toward the intended recipient and their willingness toinvest resources in a future relationship” (lines 57-60).Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the theory articulated by Camererand others is used to explain an idea put forward by the authors (“giversbelieve that bigger . . . gifts convey stronger signals”), not to introduce anargument, question a motive, or support a conclusion.QUESTION 20.Choice B is the best answer. The graph clearly shows that gift-givers believethat a “more valuable” gift will be more appreciated than a “less valuablegift.” According to the graph, gift-givers believe the monetary value of a giftwill determine whether that gift is well received or not.Choice A is incorrect because the graph does not suggest that gift-givers areaware of gift-recipients’ appreciation levels. Choices C and D are incorrectbecause neither the gift-givers’ desire for the gifts they purchase nor the gift-givers’ relationship with the gift-recipients is addressed in the graph.6QUESTION 21.Choice A is the best answer. Lines 69-75 explain that while people are oftenboth gift-givers and gift-receivers, they struggle to apply information theylearned as a gift-giver to a time when they were a gift-receiver: “Y et, despite theextensive experience that people have as both givers and receivers, they oftenstruggle to transfer information gained from one role (e.g., as a giver) andapply it in another, complementary role (e.g., as a receiver).” The authors sug-gest that the disconnect between how much appreciation a gift-giver thinks agift merits and how much appreciation a gift-recipient displays for the gift maybe caused by both individuals’ inability to comprehend the other’s perspective.Choices B and C are incorrect because neither the passage nor the graphaddresses the idea that society has become more materialistic or that there isa growing opposition to gift-giving. Choice D is incorrect because the pas-sage emphasizes that gift-givers and gift-recipients fail to understand eachother’s perspective, but it offers no evidence that the disconnect results onlyfrom a failure to understand the other’s intentions.QUESTION 22.Choice B is the best answer. Lines 2-4 of the passage describe DNA as“a very long chain, the backbone of which consists of a regular alternation ofsugar and phosphate groups.” The backbone of DNA, in other words, is themain structure of a chain made up of repeating units of sugar and phosphate.Choice A is incorrect because the passage describes DNA on the molecularlevel only and never mentions the spinal column of organisms. Choice C isincorrect because the passage describes the backbone of the molecule ashaving “a regular alternation” of sugar and phosphate, not one or the other.Choice D is incorrect because the nitrogenous bases are not the main struc-tural unit of DNA; rather, they are attached only to the repeating units of sugar.QUESTION 23.Choice D is the best answer. The authors explain that hydrogen bonds jointogether pairs of nitrogenous bases, and that these bases have a specificstructure that leads to the pairing: “One member of a pair must be a purineand the other a pyrimidine in order to bridge between the two chains” (lines27-29). Given the specific chemical properties of a nitrogenous base, itwould be inaccurate to call the process random.Choice A is incorrect because lines 5-6 describe how nitrogenous basesattach to sugar but not how those bases pair with one another. Choice B isincorrect because lines 9-10 do not contradict the student’s claim. Choice Cis incorrect because lines 23-25 describe how the two molecules’ chains arelinked, not what the specific pairing between nitrogenous bases is.7QUESTION 24.Choice D is the best answer. In lines 12-14 the authors state: “the first fea-ture of our structure which is of biological interest is that it consists not ofone chain, but of two.”Choices A and B are incorrect because lines 12-14 explicitly state that it isthe two chains of DNA that are of “biological interest,” not the chemicalformula of DNA, nor the common fiber axis those two chains are wrappedaround. Choice C is incorrect because, while the X-ray evidence did helpWatson and Crick to discover that DNA consists of two chains, it was notclaimed to be the feature of biological interest.QUESTION 25.Choice C is the best answer. In lines 12-14 the authors claim that DNA mol-ecules appear to be comprised of two chains, even though “it has often beenassumed . . . there would be only one” (lines 15-17). The authors support thisclaim with evidence compiled from an X-ray: “the density, taken with the X-rayevidence, suggests very strongly that there are two [chains]” (lines 18-19).Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the authors mention density andX-ray evidence to support a claim, not to establish that DNA carries geneticinformation, present a hypothesis about the composition of a nucleotide, orconfirm a relationship between the density and chemical formula of DNA.QUESTION 26.Choice B is the best answer. The authors explain that “only certain pairs ofbases will fit into the structure” (lines 25-26) of the DNA molecule. Thesepairs must contain “a purine and the other a pyrimidine in order to bridgebetween the two chains” (lines 27-29), which implies that any other pairingwould not “fit into the structure” of the DNA molecule. Therefore, a pairof purines would be larger than the required purine/pyrimidine pair andwould not fit into the structure of the DNA molecule.Choice A is incorrect because this section is not discussing the distancebetween a sugar and phosphate group. Choice C is incorrect because thepassage never makes clear the size of the pyrimidines or purines in relationto each other, only in relation to the space needed to bond the chains ofthe DNA molecule. Choice D is incorrect because the lines do not make animplication about the size of a pair of pyrimidines in relation to the size of apair consisting of a purine and a pyrimidine.QUESTION 27.Choice D is the best answer. The authors explain how the DNA moleculecontains a “precise sequence of bases” (lines 43-44), and that the authors canuse the order of bases on one chain to determine the order of bases on theother chain: “If the actual order of the bases on one of the pair of chains were8given, one could write down the exact order of the bases on the other one,because of the specific pairing. Thus one chain is, as it were, the comple-ment of the other, and it is this feature which suggests how the deoxyribo-nucleic acid molecule might duplicate itself” (lines 45-51). The authors usethe words “exact,” “specific,” and “complement” in these lines to suggest thatthe base pairings along a DNA chain is understood and predictable, and mayexplain how DNA “duplicate[s] itself” (line 51).Choice A is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that most nucle-otide sequences are known. Choice B is incorrect because these lines are notdiscussing the random nature of the base sequence along one chain of DNA.Choice C is incorrect because the authors are describing the bases attachedonly to the sugar, not to the sugar-phosphate backbone.QUESTION 28.Choice C is the best answer. Lines 6-7 state that “Two of the possible bases—adenine and guanine—are purines,” and on the table the percentages of ade-nine and guanine in yeast DNA are listed as 31.3% and 18.7% respectively.Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not state the percentagesof both purines, adenine and guanine, in yeast DNA.QUESTION 29.Choice A is the best answer. The authors state: “We believe that the baseswill be present almost entirely in their most probable forms. If this is true,the conditions for forming hydrogen bonds are more restrictive, and the onlypairs of bases possible are: adenine with thymine, and guanine with cytosine”(lines 31-35). The table shows that the pairs adenine/thymine and guanine/cytosine have notably similar percentages in DNA for all organisms listed.Choice B is incorrect. Although the choice of “Yes” is correct, the explana-tion for that choice misrepresents the data in the table. Choices C and D areincorrect because the table does support the authors’ proposed pairing ofnitrogenous bases in DNA molecules.QUESTION 30.Choice A is the best answer because it gives the percentage of cytosine(17.3%) in sea urchin DNA and the percentage of guanine (17.7%) in seaurchin DNA. Their near similar pairing supports the authors’ proposal thatpossible pairings of nitrogenous bases are “adenine with thymine, and gua-nine with cytosine” (line 35).Choices B, C, and D do not provide the best evidence for the answer to theprevious question. Choice B (cytosine and thymine), Choice C (cytosine andadenine), and Choice D (guanine and adenine) are incorrect because theyshow pairings of nitrogenous bases that do not compose a similar percent-age of the bases in sea urchin DNA.9QUESTION 31.Choice D is the best answer. The table clearly shows that the percentage of ade-nine in each organism’s DNA is different, ranging from 24.7% in E.coli to 33.2%in the octopus. That such a variability would exist is predicted in lines 41-43,which states that “in a long molecule many different permutations are possible.”Choices A and B are incorrect because the table shows that the percentage ofadenine varies between 24.7% and 33.2% in different organisms. Choice C isincorrect because lines 36-38 state that adenine pairs with thymine but doesnot mention the variability of the base composition of DNA.QUESTION 32.Choice B is the best answer. In this passage, Woolf asks women a series ofquestions. Woolf wants women to consider joining “the procession of edu-cated men” (lines 56-57) by becoming members of the workforce. Woolfstresses that this issue is urgent, as women “have very little time in which toanswer [these questions]” (lines 48-49).Choice A is incorrect because Woolf argues against the tradition of only“the sons of educated men” (lines 82-83) joining the workforce. Choice C isincorrect because Woolf is not highlighting the severity of social divisionsas much as she is explaining how those divisions might be reduced (withwomen joining the workforce). Choice D is incorrect because Woolf doesnot question the feasibility of changing the workforce dynamic.QUESTION 33.Choice A is the best answer. Throughout the passage, Woolf advocates formore women to engage with existing institutions by joining the workforce:“We too can leave the house, can mount those steps [to an office], pass inand out of those doors, . . . make money, administer justice . . .” (lines 30-32).Woolf tells educated women that they are at a “moment of transition” (line 51)where they must consider their future role in the workforce.Choice B is incorrect because even though Woolf mentions women’s tradi-tional roles (lines 68-69: “while they stirred the pot, while they rocked thecradle”), she does not suggest that women will have to give up these traditionalroles to gain positions of influence. Choice C is incorrect because thoughWoolf wonders how “the procession of the sons of educated men” impactswomen’s roles, she does not argue that this male-dominated society has hadgrave and continuing effects. Choice D is incorrect because while Woolf sug-gests educated women can hold positions currently held by men, she does notsuggest that women’s entry into positions of power will change those positions.QUESTION 34.Choice C is the best answer. Woolf uses the word “we” to refer to herselfand educated women in English society, the “daughters of educated men”10(line 64). Woolf wants these women to consider participating in a chang-ing workforce: “For there, trapesing along at the tail end of the procession[to and from work], we go ourselves” (lines 23-24). In using the word “we”throughout the passage, Woolf establishes a sense of solidarity among edu-cated women.Choice A is incorrect because Woolf does not use “we” to reflect on whetherpeople in a group are friendly to one another; she is concerned with generat-ing solidarity among women. Choice B is incorrect because though Woolfadmits women have predominantly “done their thinking” within traditionalfemale roles (lines 64-69), she does not use “we” to advocate for more can-dor among women. Choice D is incorrect because Woolf does not use “we”to emphasize a need for people in a group to respect one other; rather, shewants to establish a sense of solidarity among women.QUESTION 35.Choice B is the best answer. Woolf argues that the “bridge over the RiverThames, [has] an admirable vantage ground for us to make a survey” (lines 1-3).The phrase “make a survey” means to carefully examine an event or activity.Woolf wants educated women to “fix [their] eyes upon the procession—theprocession of the sons of educated men” (lines 9-11) walking to work.Choice A is incorrect because while Woolf states the bridge “is a place tostand on by the hour dreaming,” she states that she is using the bridge “toconsider the facts” (lines 6-9). Woolf is not using the bridge for fancifulreflection; she is analyzing “the procession of the sons of educated men”(lines 10-11). Choice C is incorrect because Woolf does not compare thebridge to historic episodes. Choice D is incorrect because Woolf does notsuggest that the bridge is a symbol of a male-dominated past, but rather thatit serves as a good place to watch men proceed to work.QUESTION 36.Choice D is the best answer. Woolf writes that the men who conduct theaffairs of the nation (lines 15-17: “ascending those pulpits, preaching, teach-ing, administering justice, practising medicine, transacting business, mak-ing money”) are the same men who go to and from work in a “procession”(line 10). Woolf notes that women are joining this procession, an act thatsuggests the workforce has become less exclusionary: “For there, trapesingalong at the tail end of the procession, we go ourselves” (lines 23-24).Choice A is incorrect because the procession is described as “a solemn sightalways” (lines 17-18), which indicates that it has always been influential.Choice B is incorrect because the passage does not indicate that this proces-sion has become a celebrated feature of English life. Choice C is incorrectbecause the passage states only that the procession is made up of “the sons ofeducated men” (lines 10-11).11。
2015年1月24日SAT真题回忆
2015年1月24日SAT真题回忆
2015年1月24日SAT真题回忆下载：
/SAT/SATyufa/20150126/344733.html?seo=wenku1260 2015年1月24日的SAT考试已经结束了，考生是否考的理想呢？小马过河老师第一时间给大家搜集整理的2015年1月24日SAT真题回忆已经发布，考生快来下载查看吧。
2015年1月24日SAT写作真题回忆：
2015年1月24日亚太(香港、新加坡等)地区考题
Can people have too much enthusiasm?(2012年10月亚洲、2010年11月北美)
2015年1月24日亚太(台湾、新西兰等)地区考题
Are simple joys as valuable as complex experiences?(2014年6月亚洲、2013年6月北美）
5. The most frustrating periods of any diet are the inevitable_________, when weight loss_________ if not stops.
(A) moods. .accelerates
(B) feasts. .halts
(C) holidays. .contracts
(D) plateaus. .slows
(E) meals. Ceases
2015年1月24日SAT真题回忆下载：
/SAT/SATyufa/20150126/344733.html?seo=wenku1260。
2015年高考英语真题 阅读新题型
专题十七阅读理解之阅读新题型1.【2015·北京卷】第二节（共5 小题；每小题2 分。
共10 分）根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出正确的填入空白处。
选项中有两项为多余选项。
This Way to DreamlandDaydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers hav e a bad reputation for being unaware of what’s happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy._71__They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history. __72__ Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.__73_ And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you’re daydreaming, try to do it whil e you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.It’s also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. “Mindfulness”, bei ng focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid fallingasleep.__74__Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.____75_Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn’t have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.G. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you’re in thedaydream zone.【解析】【考点定位】生活类短文阅读【名师点睛】本文是七选五常考的建议类说明文，第1、2自然段为概念的提出及导入，第3段明确了下文的内容：如何在“白日做梦”中趋利避害。
2015英语一阅读2
2015英语一阅读22015年考研英语一阅读理解真题第二篇：In Cambodia the choice of a spouse is a complex one for the young male. It may involve surveying a potential wife's family background to ensure that they are suitably matched to his own, and even均衡地分配家中 workload——just to ensure that an equitable balance is maintained, young men take to courting mothers first, to make sure that they and the families are of the same mind, and it is only after much consultation that a young man will choose his own mate, often with the组队 approval of his parents. This top-down approach may seem odd to those who prize individual freedom in matters of love. But in Cambodia, it is an acceptable practice that feels right.The practice of choosing a mate and seeking the family's approval is not confined to Cambodia. In the highlands of New Guinea the father of the prospective groom takes his son on a hunt, and if they kill a pig, it is considered a good omen. However, if they fail to bag one, it is seen as an inauspicious sign and the marriage is called off. Among the Arapesh people of New Guinea a young man must go tohis prospective mother-in-law's house to propose and present her with a pig. If she accepts him, he then has to provide her with firewood for six months，after which he may expect his proposal to be accepted.In primitive cultures, the young men often have to do "preliminary" work——proving their worthiness by performing some task, such as building a house or killing game——before they are allowed to marry the girl of their choice. The Aché of Paraguay are known as the most hardworking people in the Amazon Basin. A young Aché man has to work for several years as a hunter to be allowed to marry——and his wife is not his first sexual partner.The Aché, like many primitive cultures, have a str ong cultural message: "You must not have sex outside marriage." This message is so strong that even after years of promiscuity in their late teens and early twenties, the Aché men will still adhere to it when they are older. In fact, this pattern of behavi or is not unique to the Aché. Among the Gebusi of New Guinea, it is taken for granted that a man has lost status if he has sex with a woman before marriage.The Gebusi men are expected to choose their own wife——and they will choose a woman who is already pregnant. This custom also exists in parts of Melanesia and among the Ibibio people of Nigeria. The Ibibio believe that a pregnant woman brings with her a dowry——a sort of insurance that she will produce male offspring. This is not considered exploitation——it is accepted practice.In Melanesia, if a man wants to marry a girl, it is customary for him to ask her father for her hand in marriage. The father will ask for a substantial sum of money as a dowry for his daughter. If the man agrees, he then has to provide pigs and shells as a further dowry. The man who marries without paying this "bride price" is considered an outcast and will be shunned by other members of the community.In many primitive cultures, marriage is not seen as a romantic union between a man and a woman who love each other. Marriage is about securing the future of the clan or tribe and ensuring that the sexual needs of each member are met. It is only in modern society that people are free to choose their own spouse without any consideration of the wider effects on society or the future of their children.这是一篇关于不同文化中择偶和婚姻习俗的文章。
2015年英语(一)真题阅读理解text 3详解
2015年英语（一）真题阅读理解text 3详解阅读理解的第三篇属于非理科专业学生不太熟悉的话题——统计数据检查和同行评审，但是好在生词量不大，虽然有专有名词，也可以忽略。
难点体现在考察得比较细，同学们需要细心看才能做正确。
第31题，It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that______.(从第一段可以看出什么)。
还是问的主要内容，那么根据西方人的思维和写作习惯，主要的和重要的都在前面，因此，重点是读第一句话。
The journal Science is adding an extra round of statistical checks to…(科学杂志在…基础上增加了另外一轮统计数据检查)。
对比答案，只有B选项journals are strengthening their statistical checks.提到了加强统计数据检查。
但是答案中说的journals,(许多期刊杂志)，文中第一句是The journal Science,可能一些同学会心存疑惑，文中第二句就提到了The policy follows similar efforts from other journals,(这个做法是效仿其他杂志的做法)，说明很多杂志都这样做了。
第32题，The phrase “flagged up ”(Para.2)is the closest in meaning to _____.(文中第二段的flagged up是什么意思)。
要推断be flagged up的含义需要结合上下文，原文是Manuscript will be flagged up for additional scrutiny(附加的详细审阅) by…(某团体), or by…(某些人),or by…(某群人).句子的意思是手稿要被...或…或…进行附加的详细审阅。
表示“要”怎么样。
Be marked for 字面意思为“被标记为”，其实含义就是“以…为特征，要…样”。
15年英一阅读text1
15年英一阅读text1Gambling—once a pastime at fairs and casinos—has becomeincreasingly accessible and, as such, socially more accepted in recent decades. The unfortunate consequence of this is an escalation in gambling addiction, a disease that is constantly evolving and impacting people from all walks of life.Gambling addiction is an impulse-control disorder that affects an individual's ability to resist placing a bet. This phenomenon is rooted in biochemical changes in the brain, notably, the production of dopamine, which is associated with pleasure. When complex thought is eliminated or suspended, as is inherent of certain types of decision-making, the urge to gamble is less inhibited, leading to the potential of out of control behaviour.Gambling addiction has a wide range of impacts, with the most noticeable being financial hardship. This can come about through an individual staking more money than he can afford to lose, leading to mounting debts. In extreme cases, illegal activities such as fraud or theft may be committed in order to finance gambling. This harms not only the individual concerned, but also those around him/her, whom willlikely suffer from the ripple effects of his/her actions.There are various strategies employed to assist those with gambling addiction, such as therapy and lifestyle changes. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is particularly useful, since it is designed to change negative patterns of thought, allowing those affected to become better equipped to protect themselves from the impulse to gamble.Nevertheless, the long-term solution to this problem is through prevention and education. Government institutions, gambling sites and industry bodies should work together to create resources that target potential problem gamblers and, most importantly, raise awareness of the risks of gambling addiction. With increased support, prevention and a shift in attitudes, it is possible to reduce the number people affectedby gambling addiction, helping them to regain control of their lives and restore wellbeing.。
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读阅读第一篇
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读：第一篇北京新东方美本本地项目刘琼歌新SAT阅读包括三种题材5篇文章，其中Literature有1篇，Science有2篇，Social & historical study有2篇。
这篇文章属于Literature这一类，考察重点是人物描写和人物关系，老SAT也有类似的文章（2009年5月Sunday卷真题“an escaped governess”）。
在题目设计上，这篇文章的五个题目依次考察了文章结构（text structure）, 措辞与态度（use of specific words and phrases to shape meaning and tone）, 人物观点（point of view or perspective），文本依据（citing textual evidence）和隐含语义（implicit meanings）这五个考点。
对照老SAT相关题型和考点发现，北京新东方美本本地项目刘琼歌老师发现，这五个题目中只有第四题是新题型，考查的是文本依据（citing textual evidence），这种题目要求在文中找出支持上一题答案的依据，目的是引导学生有理有据地解读原文，非常符合新SAT阅读改革的大方向：Evidence-based reading.其余四个题目在考点设计上与旧SAT类似，只是选项由旧SAT的五个减为四个，且答错不再倒扣分数。
【文章大意】Mattie Silver是Ethan家的年轻女佣，这篇文章讲述了男主人Ethan对这位女佣的感情。
在第一段里，Ethan初见Mattie时就喜欢上了她，觉得她给自己原本冷清的生活带来了活力（But it was not only that the coming to his house of a bit of hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth. The girl was more than the bright serviceable creature he had thought her.）。
2015年1月24日SAT真题答案
2015年1月24日SAT真题答案2015年1月24日SAT真题答案下载：/SAT/SAT2/20150126/344746.html?seo=wenku1261 2015年1月24日SAT真题答案小马过河已经率先发布了，供考生们免费下载使用，考生赶快点击下载使用吧。
p(t)=120+25sin(2pi*t) [pi stands for 圆周率] the function p shows the blood pressure of a patient in rest for tseconds. If one heartbeat occurs in one period of the function p, how manyheartbeats would occur in a minute?题目的难点不仅在于涉及的三角函数周期问题，还在于英文句子的理解。
函数p表示的是一个静养的病人在t秒钟的时候的血压。
(可以感觉到他的血压是周期性地上下波动的，所以才有一个正弦在表达式里)。
如果函数p的一个周期内(病人)心脏跳动一次，那么一分钟(病人)心脏跳动几次?要知道病人心脏一分钟跳动几次，我们得知道函数p的一个周期是多长。
y=sinx函数的周期为2pi，而y=sin ax的周期为2pi/a，所以题目的函数的周期应该是1(秒),所以一分钟跳动60下。
有人在两个fairdice(就是六面都一样大的正方体骰子)上分别画上(1,1,2,2,2,2)和(1,2,2,2,2,2)的点数。
If someone throws the two dices, what is thepossibility of getting a 1 and a 2, with either order? [正好获得1个1点和一个2点的概率是多大]答案应该选14/367.thearea enclosed by x+y=5,y=2x-4 and y axis is ?(A)20(B)15(C)14.5(D)12.5(E)13.5答案：E8.iff(x+1)=xf(x), and f(1)=1，thenf(5)=?(A)5(B)10(C)15(D)24(E)28答案：D2015年1月24日SAT真题答案下载：/SAT/SAT2/20150126/344746.html?seo=wenku1261。
2015SAT阅读练习及答案解析
SAT阅读真题及答案（一）The number of women directors appointed to corporate boards in the United States has increased dramatically, but the ratio of female to male directors remains low. Although pressure to recruit women directors,(5) unlike that to employ women in the general work force, does not derive from legislation, it is nevertheless real. Although small companies were the first to have women directors, large corporations currently have a higher percentage of women on their boards. When the (10)chairs of these large corporations began recruiting women to serve on boards, they initially sought women who were chief executive officers (CEO’s) of large corporations. However, such women CEO’s ar e still rare. In addition, the ideal of six CEO’s (female or male ) serving (15) on the board of each of the largest corporations is realizable only if every CEO serves on six boards. This raises the specter of director over commitment and the resultant dilution of contribution. Consequently, the chairs next sought women in business who had the equivalent of (20) CEO experience. However, since it is only recently that large numbers of women have begun to rise in management, the chairs began to recruit women of high achievement outside the business world. Many such women are well known for their contributions in government, (25) education, and the nonprofit sector. The fact that the women from these sectors who were appointed were often acquaintances of the b oards’ chairs seems quite reasonable: chairs have always considered it important for directors to interact comfortably in the boardroom.30) Although many successful women from outside the business world are unknown to corporate leaders, these women are particularly qualified to serve on boards because of the changing nature of corporations. Today a company’s ability to be responsive to the concerns of the 35) community and the environment can influence that company’s growth and survival. Women are unique ly positioned to be responsive to some of these concerns. Although conditions have changed, it should be remembered that most directors of both sexes are over fifty (40) years old. Women of that generation were often encouraged to direct their attention toward efforts to improve the community. This fact is reflected in the career development of most of the outstandingly successful women of the generation now in their fifties, who currently serve (45) on corporate boards: 25 percent are in education and 22 percent are in government, law, and the nonprofit sector. One organization of women directors is helping business become more responsive to the changing needs of (50) society by raising the level of corporate awareness about social issues, such as problems with the economy, government regulation, the aging population, and the environment. This organization also serves as a resource center of information on accomplished women who are (55) potential candidates for corporate boards.1. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about achievement of the “ideal” mentioned in line 14?(A) It has only recently become a possibility.(B) It would be easier to meet if more CEO’s were women(C) It is very close to being a reality for most corporate boards.(D) It might affect the quality of directors’ service to corporations.(E) It would be more realizable if CEO’s had a more extensive range of business experience.2. According to the passage, the pressure to appoint women to corporate boards differs from the pressure to employ women in the work force in which of the following ways?(A) Corporate boards are under less pressure because they have such a small number of openings.(B) Corporate boards have received less pressure from stockholders, consumers, and workers within companies to include women on their boards.(C) Corporate boards have received less pressure from the media and the public to include women on their boards.(D) Corporations have only recently been pressured to include women on their boards.(E) Corporations are not subject to statutory penalty for failing to include women on their boards.3. All of the following are examples of issues that the organization described in the last paragraph would be likely to advise corporations on EXCEPT(A) long-term inflation(B) health and safety regulations(C) retirement and pension programs(D) the energy shortage(E) how to develop new markets4. It can be inferred from the passage that, when seeking to appoint new members to a corporation’s board, the chair traditionally looked for candidates who(A) had legal and governmental experience(B) had experience dealing with community affairs(C) could work easily with other members of the board(D) were already involved in establishing policy for that corporation(E) had influential connections outside the business world5. According to the passage, which of the following is true about women outside the business world who are currently serving on corporate boards?(A) Most do not serve on more than one board.(B) A large percentage will eventually work on the staff of corporations.(C) Most were already known to the chairs of the board to which they were appointed.(D) A larger percentage are from government and law than are from the nonprofit sector.(E) Most are less than fifty years old.6. The passage suggests that corporations of the past differ from modern corporations in which of the following ways?(A) Corporations had greater input on government policies affecting the business community.(B) Corporations were less responsive to the financial needs of their employees.(C) The ability of a corporation to keep up with changing markets was not a crucial factor in its success.(D) A corporation’s effectiveness in coping with community needs was less likely to affect its growth and prosperity.(E) Corporations were subject to more stringent government regulations.7. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?(A) A problem is described, and then reasons why various proposed solutions succeeded or failed are discussed.(B) A problem is described, and then an advantage of resolving it is offered.(C) A problem is described, and then reasons for its continuing existence are summarized.(D) The historical origins of a problem are described, and then various measures that have successfully resolved it are discussed.(E) The causes of a problem are described, and then its effects are discussed.8. It can be inferred from the passage that factors making women uniquely valuable members of modern corporate boards would include which of the following?Ⅰ. The nature of modern corporationsⅡ. The increased number of women CEO’sⅢ. The careers pursued by women currently available to serve on corporate boards(A) Ⅰonly(B) Ⅱonly(C) Ⅲonly(D) Ⅰand Ⅲonly(E) Ⅰ,Ⅱ, and ⅢCorrect Answers：DEECCDBD。
英语全国卷15年一卷阅读翻译
2015年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试（全国I卷）A伦敦运河博物馆的每月讲座我们每月讲座的开始时间是每个月（除了八月）的第一个周四的晚上19:30。
入场费是正常的标准，并且无需预订。
结束时间大概是晚上21:00。
11月7日《运河先锋》，主讲人克里斯·刘易斯。
詹姆斯·布林德利被认为是早期重要的运河工程师之一。
他也是运河设计和建造艺术的主要培训人员。
克里斯会讲解詹姆斯是如何对早期的“土木工程师”群体的培养做出积极贡献的。
12月5日《供应大都市的冰》，主讲人马尔科姆·塔克。
在冰箱发明之前，人们需要用冰来保证食物的保鲜和供应。
马尔科姆会解释进口天然冰的历史、建造冰窖的技术和伦敦冰贸易的发展。
2月6日《关于科茨沃尔德运河的最新消息》，主讲人丽兹·佩恩。
斯特劳德运河即将重新开放。
泰晤士河和赛文运河会将会晚些开放。
我们会对当前的进展情况进行报道。
3月6日《河之洲——泰晤士河诸岛》，主讲人米兰达·维克斯。
泰晤士河有很多岛屿。
米兰达对所有这些岛进行了仔细研究。
她会告诉我们有关最有趣的那些岛的一些事。
网上预订：/book更多信息：/whatson伦敦运河博物馆伦敦新九龙仓道12-13号 www.canalmuseum.mobi电话************B这个冬天，寒冷的东北并不是一个打发时间的非常有趣的地方。
因此，当我有机会去佛罗里达的萨拉索塔度过周末时，不等你把“阳光”说出口，我的行李就已经打包好了。
我出发去了这个温暖和维生素C充足的地方，脑子里想的是沙滩和橘子树。
当我们下飞机，感受到蔚蓝的天空和暖洋洋的空气时，我做了个小的感恩祷告。
游泳池、葡萄酒品尝、粉红色的夕阳（一般在傍晚的时候，不是在下午的四点）填满着这个周末，但是最棒的部分——十分合我那被数月寒天里的块根类蔬菜弄得麻木的胃口——就是早上七点去萨拉索塔的农贸市场的奇妙之旅，事实证明为其早起非常值得。
这个市场建于1979年，沿着北柠檬和州街，每周六从早上7点到下午1点营业，无论是雨天还是晴天。
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读：新SAT阅读备考指导
2015年1月新SAT官方新样题第一时间解读——新SAT阅读备考指导北京新东方美本本地项目王秋生通过目前College Board 最新公布的5篇新SAT阅读样题，北京新东方发现新题目的改变主要集中在以下几个方面：1、文章背景知识变难2、增加寻证题3、增加图表信息4、增加较为专业的学科文章5、行号定位弱化除此以外，在题目的考察角度和难易程度方面新SAT阅读并没有明显变化。
针对以上改变，北京新东方为考生们提出以下备考指导：1、针对背景知识变难，考生应补充美国的基本政治和历史常识，阅读重要的建国纲领和著名政治演说，比如“独立宣言”或林肯的“葛底斯堡演说”等演讲；2、针对寻证题，考生在做老SAT阅读题目时，切不可凭感觉解题，而应该养成寻找解题依据的习惯。
关于这一点，也是我们老师在课堂上一再强调以前的考生在做老SAT阅读时要做到的。
其实新SAT阅读的寻证题，对于原本就凭依据解题的同学，几乎没有任何影响，反而增加了他们的得分机会。
因为寻证题都是与上一个题目紧密关联的，只要解决上一个题目时有依据，寻证题相当于是自然得分。
因此考生在做老SAT阅读题目时，每一道题都应该仔细分析，找到具体依据。
通过坚持这种练习，培养解题思路和解题习惯，这样在面对新SAT阅读的寻证题时，就不会有任何生疏感；3、针对图表信息和较为专业的学科文章，考生应增加学科类文章的阅读。
比如阅读一些图文并茂的百科全书或入门级的专业书籍，培养综合处理文字和图表的能力；4、针对行号定位弱化，考生在备考过程中应培养关注、提取文章关键字的能力。
因为没有行号定位的题目所考察的内容一定是文章的关键内容。
如果考生能够把握关键信息，就可以根据关键信息快速定位到文章的解题点；5、老SAT阅读真题有很高的备考价值。
考生可以充分利用老SAT阅读题目，体验文章的难度，分析文章的结构，了解不同题目的考察要点。
比如这5篇新样题中的第1篇就是小说的节选。
其难度与老SAT阅读中的小说一致，并且文章内容甚至与2009年Sunday卷第6个section的小说有些类似。
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2015年1月新SAT样题（阅读部分）一、文章来源：1.本样题由CB于2015年1月10日发布，北京明志教育整理；2.本样题共分为4部分，分别为：（1）数学部分（2）阅读部分（3）文法部分（4）写作部分本文档是阅读部分；3.更多信息，请登录明志教育官网新SAT资讯版块查看链接地址：/news.html4.北京明志教育将于1月底发布样题详细解析，敬请期待；二、使用说明1.此次发布的样题共5篇文章，主题如下:(1)与女仆的情感关系（文学小类）(2)交通阻塞（社会科学类）(3)海龟的磁场定位（自然科学类）(4)弹劾尼克松总统（政治类）(5)动物的智商（对比阅读-自然科学类）2.文档最后一页(第15页)附有题目的正确答案3.为排版美观，本文档文章行号与原机考行号不一致，行号定位题在文中用蓝色加下划线标注，寻证题用括号（）标注。
4.分析本样题可得出新SAT阅读趋势（1）背景知识变难（2）增加寻证题（3）增加图表信息（4）增加较为专业的学科文章（5）行号定位被弱化第一篇文章主题：与女仆的情感关系（文学小说）Questions1-5are based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Edith Wharton,Ethan Frome,originally published in1911.Mattie Silver is Ethan’s household employee.（Mattie Silver had lived under Ethan’s roof for a year,and from early morning till they met at supper he had frequent chances of seeing her;but no moments in her company were comparable to those when,her arm in his,and her light step flying to keep time with his long stride,they walked back through the night to the farm.）（He had taken to the girl from the first day,when he had driven over to the Flats to meet her,and she had smiled and waved to him from the train,crying out,“You must be Ethan!”as she jumped down with her bundles,houseworkwhile he reflected, looking over her slight person:“She don’t look much on housework,but she ain’t a fretter, anyhow.”）（But it was not only that the coming to his house of a bit of hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth.）The girl was more than the bright serviceable creature he had thought her.（She had an eye to see and an ear to hear:he could show her things and tell her things,and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will.）It was during their night walks back to the farm that he felt most intensely the sweetness of this communion.He had always been more sensitive than the people about him to the appeal of natural beauty.His unfinished studies had given form to this sensibility and even in his unhappiest moments field and sky spoke to him with a deep and powerful persuasion.But hitherto the emotion had remained in him as a silent ache,veiling with sadness the beauty that evoked it.He did not even know whether any one else in the world felt as he did,or whether he was the sole victim of this mournful privilege.Then he learned that one other spirit had trembled with the same touch of wonder:that at his side,living under his roof and eating his bread,was a creature to whom he could say:“That’s Orion down yonder;the big fellow to the right is Aldebaran,and the bunch of little ones—like bees swarming—they’re the Pleiades...”or whom he could hold entranced before a ledge of granite thrusting up through the fern while he unrolled the huge panorama of the ice age,and the long dim stretches of succeeding time.The fact that admiration for his learning mingled with Mattie’s wonder at what he taught was not the least part of his pleasure.And there were other sensations,less definable but more exquisite,which drew them together with a shock of silent joy:the cold red of sunset behind winter hills,the flight of cloud-flocks over slopes of golden stubble,or the intensely blue shadows of hemlocks on sunlit snow.When she said to him once:“It looks just as if it was painted!”it seemed to Ethan that the art of definition could go no farther,and that words had at last been found to utter his secret soul....As he stood in the darkness outside the church these memories came back with the poignancy of vanished things.Watching Mattie whirl down the floor from hand to hand he wondered how he could ever have thought that his dull talk interested her.To him,who was never gay but in her presence,her gaiety seemed plain proof of indifference.The face she lifted to her dancers was thesame which,when she saw him,always looked like a window that has caught the sunset.He even noticed two or three gestures which,in his fatuity,he had thought she kept for him:a way of throwing her head back when she was amused,as if to taste her laugh before she let it out,and a trick of sinking her lids slowly when anything charmed or moved her.1.Over the course of the passage,the main focus of the narrative shifts from the(A)reservations a character has about a person he has just met to a growing appreciation that character has of the person’s worth.(B)ambivalence a character feels about his sensitive nature to the character’s recognition of the advantages of having profound emotions.(C)intensity of feeling a character has for another person to the character’s concern that that intensity is not reciprocated.(D)value a character attaches to the wonders of the natural world to a rejection of that sort of beauty in favor of human artistry.2.In the context of the passage,the author’s use of the phrase“her light step flying to keep time with his long stride”(line4)is primarily meant to convey the idea that(A)Ethan and Mattie share a powerful enthusiasm.(B)Mattie strives to match the speed at which Ethan works.(C)Mattie and Ethan playfully compete with each other.(D)Ethan walks at a pace that frustrates Mattie.3.The description in the first paragraph indicates that what Ethan values most about Mattie is her(A)fitness for farm labor.(B)vivacious youth.(C)receptive nature.(D)freedom from worry.4.Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?(A)Lines1–5(“Mattie...farm”)(B)Lines5–10(“He had...anyhow”)(C)Lines10–11(“But it...hearth”)(D)Lines12–15(“She had...will”)5.The author includes the descriptions of the sunset,the clouds,and the hemlock shadows(lines 34–36)primarily to(A)suggest the peacefulness of the natural world.(B)emphasize the acuteness of two characters’sensations.(C)foreshadow the declining fortunes of two characters.(D)offer a sense of how fleeting time can be.第二篇文章主题：交通阻塞（社会科学类）Questions6–8are based on the following passage and supplementary material.This passage is adapted from Richard Florida,The Great Reset.©2010by Richard Florida.In today’s idea-driven economy,the cost of time is what really matters.With the constant pressure to innovate,it makes little sense to waste countless collective hours commuting.So,the most efficient and productive regions are those in which people are thinking and working—not sitting in traffic.The auto-dependent transportation system has reached its limit in most major cities and muting by car is among the least efficient of all our activities—not to mention among the least enjoyable,according to detailed research by the Nobel Prize–winning economist Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues.Though one might think that the economic crisis beginning in2007would have reduced traffic(high unemployment means fewer workers traveling to and from work),the opposite has been true.Average commutes have lengthened,and congestion has gotten worse,if anything.The average commute rose in2008to25.5minutes,“erasing years of decreases to stand at the level of2000,as people had to leave home earlier in the morning to pick up friends for their ride to work or to catch a bus or subway train,”according to the U.S.Census Bureau,which collects the figures.And those are average mutes are far longer in the big West Coast cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco and the East Coast cities of New York, Philadelphia,Baltimore,and Washington,D.C.In many of these cities,gridlock has become the norm,not just at rush hour but all day,every day.The costs are astounding.In Los Angeles,congestion eats up more than485million working hours a year;that’s seventy hours,or nearly two weeks,of full-time work per commuter.In D.C., the time cost of congestion is sixty-two hours per worker per year.In New York it’s forty-four hours.Average it out,and the time cost across America’s thirteen biggest city-regions is fifty-one hours per worker per year.Across the country,commuting wastes4.2billion hours of work time annually—nearly a full workweek for every commuter.The overall cost to the U.S.economy is nearly$90billion when lost productivity and wasted fuel are taken into account.At the Martin Prosperity Institute,we calculate that every minute shaved off America’s commuting time is worth$19.5billion in value added to the economy.The numbers add up fast:five minutes is worth$97.7 billion;ten minutes,$195billion;fifteen minutes,$292billion.It’s ironic that so many people still believe the main remedy for traffic congestion is to build more roads and highways,which of course only makes the problem worse.New roads generate higher levels of“induced traffic,”that is,new roads just invite drivers to drive more and lure people who take mass transit back to their cars.Eventually,we end up with more clogged roads rather than a long-term improvement in traffic flow.The coming decades will likely see more intense clustering of jobs,innovation,and productivity in a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions.Some regions could end up bloated beyond the capacity of their infrastructure,while others struggle,their promise stymied by inadequate human or other resources.Adapted from Adam Werbach,“The American Commuter Spends38Hours a Year Stuck in Traffic.”©2013by The Atlantic.6.The passage most strongly suggests that researchers at the Martin Prosperity Institute share which assumption?(A)Employees who work from home are more valuable to their employers than employees who commute.(B)Employees whose commutes are shortened will use the time saved to do additional productive work for their employers.(C)Employees can conduct business activities,such as composing memos or joining conference calls,while commuting.(D)Employees who have lengthy commutes tend to make more money than employees who have shorter commutes.7.As used in line42,“intense”most nearly means(A)emotional.(B)concentrated.(C)brilliant.(D)determined.8.Which claim about traffic congestion is supported by the graph?(A)New York City commuters spend less time annually delayed by traffic congestion than the average for very large cities.(B)Los Angeles commuters are delayed more hours annually by traffic congestion than are commuters in Washington,D.C.(C)Commuters in Washington,D.C.,face greater delays annually due to traffic congestion than do commuters in New York City.(D)Commuters in Detroit spend more time delayed annually by traffic congestion than do commuters in Houston,Atlanta,and Chicago.第三篇文章主题：海龟的磁场定位（自然科学类）Questions9–14are based on the following passage and supplementary material.This passage is adapted from Ed Yong,“Turtles Use the Earth’s Magnetic Field as Global GPS.”©2011by Kalmbach Publishing Co.（In1996,a loggerhead turtle called Adelita swam across9,000miles from Mexico to Japan, crossing the entire Pacific on her way.）Wallace J.Nicholstracked this epic journey with a satellite tag.But Adelita herself had no such technology at her disposal.How did she steer a route across two oceans to find her destination?Nathan Putman has the answer.By testing hatchling turtles in a special tank,he has found that they can use the Earth’s magnetic field as their own Global Positioning System(GPS).By sensing the field,they can work out both their latitude and longitude and head in the right direction. Putman works in the lab of Ken Lohmann,who has been studying the magnetic abilities of loggerheads for over20years.In his lab at the University of North Carolina,Lohmann places hatchlings in a large water tank surrounded by a large grid of electromagnetic coils.In1991,he found that the babies started in the opposite direction if he used the coils to reverse the direction of the magnetic field around them.They could use the field as a compass to get their bearing. Later,Lohmann showed that they can also use the magnetic field to work out their position.For them,this is literally a matter of life or death.Hatchlings born off the sea coast of Florida spend their early lives in the North Atlantic gyre,a warm current that circles between North America and Africa.If they’re swept towards the cold waters outside the gyre,they die.Their magnetic sense keeps them safe.（Using his coil-surrounded tank,Lohmann could mimic the magnetic field at different parts of the Earth’s surface.）If he simulated the field at the northern edge of the gyre,the hatchlings swam southwards.If he simulated the field at the gyre’s southern edge,the turtles swam west-northwest. These experiments showed that the turtles can use their magnetic sense to work out their latitude—their position on a north-south axis.Now,Putman has shown that they can also determine their longitude—their position on an east-west axis.He tweaked his magnetic tanks to simulate the fields in two positions with the same latitude at opposite ends of the Atlantic.If the field simulated the west Atlantic near Puerto Rico,the turtles swam northeast.If the field matched that on the east Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands,the turtles swam southwest.In the wild,both headings would keep them within the safe,warm embrace of the North Atlantic gyre.Before now,we knew that several animal migrants,from loggerheads to reed warblers to sparrows, had some way of working out longitude,but no one knew how.By keeping the turtles in the same conditions,with only the magnetic fields around them changing,Putman clearly showed that they can use these fields to find their way.（In the wild,they might well also use other landmarks like the position of the sea,sun and stars.）Putman thinks that the turtles work out their position using two features of the Earth’s magnetic field that change over its surface.They can sense the field’s inclination,or the angle at which it dips towards the surface.At the poles,this angle is roughly90degrees and at the equator,it’sroughly zero degrees.They can also sense its intensity,which is strongest near the poles and weakest near the Equator.Different parts of the world have unique combinations of these two variables.（Neither corresponds directly to either latitude or longitude,but together,they provide a “magnetic signature”that tells the turtle where it is.）Orientation of Hatchling Loggerheads Tested in Magnetic FieldsAdapted from Nathan Putman,Courtney Endres,Catherine Lohmann,and Kenneth Lohmann,“Longitude Perception and Bicoordinate Magnetic Maps in Sea Turtles.”©2011by Elsevier Inc. Orientation of hatchling loggerheads tested in a magnetic field that simulates a position at the west side of the Atlantic near Puerto Rico(left)and a position at the east side of the Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands(right).The arrow in each circle indicates the mean direction that the group ofhatchlings swam.Data are plotted relative to geographic north9.The passage most strongly suggests that Adelita used which of the following to navigate her 9,000-mile journey?(A)The current of the North Atlantic gyre(B)Cues from electromagnetic coils designed by Putman and Lohmann(C)The inclination and intensity of Earth’s magnetic field(D)A simulated“magnetic signature”configured by Lohmann10.Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?(A)Lines1–2(“In1996...way”)(B)Lines23–24(“Using...surface”)(C)Lines41–42(“In the wild...stars”)(D)Lines49–51(“Neither...it is”)11.As used in line3,“tracked”most nearly means(A)searched for.(B)traveled over.(C)followed.(D)hunted.12.Based on the passage,which choice best describes the relationship between Putman’s andLohmann’s research?(A)Putman’s research contradicts Lohmann’s.(B)Putman’s research builds on Lohmann’s.(C)Lohmann’s research confirms Putman’s.(D)Lohmann’s research corrects Putman’s.13.The author refers to reed warblers and sparrows(line37)primarily to(A)contrast the loggerhead turtle’s migration patterns with those of other species.(B)provide examples of species that share one of the loggerhead turtle’s abilities.(C)suggest that most animal species possess some ability to navigate long distances.(D)illustrate some ways in which the ability to navigate long distances can help a species.14.It can reasonably be inferred from the passage and graphic that if scientists adjusted the coils to reverse the magnetic field simulating that in the East Atlantic(Cape Verde Islands),the hatchlings would most likely swim in which direction?(A)Northwest(B)Northeast(C)Southeast(D)Southwest第四篇文章主题：弹劾尼克松总统（政治类）Questions15–19are based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from a speech delivered by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan of Texas on July25,1974,as a member of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives.In the passage,Jordan discusses how and when a United States president may be impeached,or charged with serious offenses,while in office.Jordan’s speech was delivered in the context of impeachment hearings against then president Richard M.Nixon.Today,I am an inquisitor.An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now.My faith in the Constitution is whole;it is complete;it is total.And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution,the subversion, the destruction,of the Constitution.“Who can so properly be the inquisitors for the nation as the representatives of the nation themselves?”“The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men.”*And that’s what we’re talking about.In other words,[the jurisdiction comes]from the abuse or violation of some public trust.(It is wrong,I suggest,it is a misreading of the Constitution for any member here to assert that for a member to vote for an article of impeachment means that that member must be convinced that the President should be removed from office.)The Constitution doesn’t say that. The powers relating to impeachment are an essential check in the hands of the body of the legislature against and upon the encroachments of the executive.(The division between the two branches of the legislature,the House and the Senate,assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge—the framers of this Constitution were very astute.)They did not make the accusers and the judges...the same person.We know the nature of impeachment.We’ve been talking about it a while now.It is chiefly designed for the President and his high ministers to somehow be called into account.It is designed to“bridle”the executive if he engages in excesses.“It is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men.”*The framers confided in the Congress the power,if need be,to remove the President in order to strike a delicate balance between a President swollen with power and grown tyrannical,and preservation of the independence of the executive.The nature of impeachment:a narrowly channeled exception to the separation of powers maxim. The Federal Convention of1787said that.It limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors,and discounted and opposed the term“maladministration.”“It is to be used only for great misdemeanors,”so it was said in the North Carolina ratification convention.And in the Virginia ratification convention:“We do not trust our liberty to a particular branch.We need one branch to check the other.”...The North Carolina ratification convention:“No one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity.”“Prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community,”said Hamilton in the Federalist Papers,number65.“We divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused.”*I do not mean political parties in that sense.(The drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment;but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term“high crime[s]and misdemeanors.”)Of the impeachment process,it was Woodrow Wilson who said that“Nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness.Indignation so great as to overgrow party interest may secure a conviction;but nothing else can.”Common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons.(Congress has a lot to do:appropriations,tax reform,health insurance,campaign finance reform,housing,environmental protection,energy sufficiency,mass transportation.)Pettiness cannot be allowed to stand in the face of such overwhelming problems.So today we’re not being petty.We’re trying to be big,because the task we have before us is a big one.*Jordan quotes from Federalist No.65,an essay by Alexander Hamilton,published in1788,on the powers of the United States Senate,including the power to decide cases of impeachment against a president of the United States.15.The stance Jordan takes in the passage is best described as that of(A)an idealist setting forth principles.(B)an advocate seeking a compromise position.(C)an observer striving for neutrality.(D)a scholar researching a historical controversy.16.The main rhetorical effect of the series of three phrases beginning in line4(“the diminution, the subversion,the destruction”)is to(A)convey with increasing intensity the seriousness of the threat Jordan sees to the Constitution.(B)clarify that Jordan believes the Constitution was first weakened,then sabotaged,then broken.(C)indicate that Jordan thinks the Constitution is prone to failure in three distinct ways.(D)propose a three-part agenda for rescuing the Constitution from the current crisis.17.As used in line29,“channeled”most nearly means(A)Worn.(B)sent.(C)constrained.(D)siphoned.18.In lines37–41(“Prosecutions...sense”),what is the most likely reason Jordan draws a distinction between two types of“parties”?(A)To counter the suggestion that impeachment is or should be about partisan politics(B)To disagree with Hamilton’s claim that impeachment proceedings excite passions(C)To contend that Hamilton was too timid in his support for the concept of impeachment(D)To argue that impeachment cases are decided more on the basis of politics than on justice19.Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?(A)Lines11–14(“It...office”)(B)Lines16–19(“The division...astute”)(C)Lines42–44(“The drawing...misdemeanors”)(D)Lines50–52(“Congress...transportation”)第五篇文章：动物的智商（对比阅读——自然科学）Questions20–24are based on the following passages.Passage1is adapted from Susan Milius,“A Different Kind of Smart.”©2013by Science News. Passage2is adapted from Bernd Heinrich,Mind of the Raven:Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds.©2007by Bernd Heinrich.Passage1In1894,British psychologist C.Lloyd Morgan published what’s called Morgan’s canon,the principle that suggestions of humanlike mental processes behind an animal’s behavior should be rejected if a simpler explanation will do.Still,people seem to maintain certain expectations,especially when it comes to birds and mammals.“We somehow want to prove they are as‘smart’as people,”zoologist Sara Shettleworth says.We want a bird that masters a vexing problem to be employing human-style insight.New Caledonian crows face the high end of these expectations,as possibly the second-best toolmakers on the planet.Their tools are hooked sticks or strips made from spike-edged leaves,and they use them in the wild to winkle grubs out of crevices.Researcher Russell Gray first saw the process on a cold morning in a mountain forest in New Caledonia,an island chain east of Australia.Over the course of days,he and crow researcher Gavin Hunt had gotten wild crows used to finding meat tidbits in holes in a log.Once the birds were checking the log reliably,the researchers placed a spiky tropical pandanus plant beside the log andhid behind a blind.A crow arrived.It hopped onto the pandanus plant,grabbed the spiked edge of one of the long straplike leaves and began a series of ripping motions.Instead of just tearing away one long strip, the bird ripped and nipped in a sequence to create a slanting stair-step edge on a leaf segment with a narrow point and a wide base.The process took only seconds.Then the bird dipped the narrow end of its leaf strip into a hole in the log,fished up the meat with the leaf-edge spikes,swallowed its prize and flew off.That was my‘oh wow’moment,”Gray says.After the crow had vanished,he picked up the tool the bird had left behind.“I had a go,and I couldn’t do it,”he recalls.Fishing the meat out was tricky.It turned out that Gray was moving the leaf shard too forcefully instead of gently stroking the spines against the treat.The crow’s deft physical manipulation was what inspired Gray and Auckland colleague Alex Taylor to test other wild crows to see if they employed the seemingly insightful string-pulling solutions that some ravens,kea parrots and other brainiac birds are known to employ.Three of four crows passed that test on the first try.Passage2For one month after they left the nest,I led my four young ravens at least once and sometimes several times a day on thirty-minute walks.During these walks,I wrote down everything in their environment they pecked at.In the first sessions,I tried to be teacher.I touched specific objects—sticks,moss,rocks—and nothing that I touched remained untouched by them.They came to investigate what I had investigated,leading me to assume that young birds are aided in learning to identify food from the parents’example.They also,however,contacted almost everything else that lay directly in their own paths.They soon became more independent by taking their own routes near mine.Even while walking along on their own,they pulled at leaves,grass stems,flowers,bark,pine needles,seeds,cones,clods of earth,and other objects they encountered.I wrote all this down,converting it to numbers.After they were thoroughly familiar with the background objects in these woods and started to ignore them,I seeded the path we would later walk together with objects they had never before encountered.Some of these were conspicuous food items:raspberries,dead meal worm beetles,and cooked corn kernels.Others were conspicuous and inedible:pebbles,glass chips,red winterberries.Still others were such highly cryptic foods as encased caddisfly larvae and moth cocoons.The results were dramatic.The four young birds on our daily walks contacted all new objects preferentially. They picked them out at a rate of up to tens of thousands of times greater than background or previously contacted objects.The main initial criterion for pecking or picking anything up was its novelty.In subsequent trials,when the previously novel items were edible,they became preferred and the inedible objects became“background”items,just like the leaves,grass,and pebbles,even if they were highly conspicuous.These experiments showed that ravens’curiosity ensures exposure to all or almost all items in the environment.20.Within Passage1,the main purpose of the first two paragraphs(lines1–8)is to(A)offer historical background in order to question the uniqueness of two researchers’findings.(B)offer interpretive context in order to frame the discussion of an experiment and its results.(C)introduce a scientific principle in order to show how an experiment’s outcomes validated that principle.(D)present seemingly contradictory stances in order to show how they can be reconciled empirically.21.According to the experiment described in Passage2,whether the author’s ravens continued to show interest in a formerly new object was dictated primarily by whether that object was(A)edible.(B)plentiful.(C)conspicuous.(D)natural.22.The crows in Passage1and the ravens in Passage2shared which trait?(A)They modified their behavior in response to changes in their environment.(B)They formed a strong bond with the humans who were observing them.(C)They manufactured useful tools for finding and accessing food.(D)They mimicked the actions they saw performed around them.。