GCT阅读理解真题

Part Two Reading ComprehensionDirections:In this part there passages and one weather forecast followed by questions or unfinished statements each with four suggested answers choose the one that you think is the best answer. Mark your answer on the Answer Sheet by drawing with a pencil a short bar across the corresponding letter in the brackets.2003Questions11-15are based on the following passage:Elephants who pant aren’t new. Paintings by Ruby, an Asian elephant who lived at the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona, sold for up to 5,000 in the late 1980s, said Dick George, a consultant with the zoo.“Ruby was about seven months old when the first came to the zoo,” said George. “She lived with a goat and some chickens, but she didn’t have an elephant companion for a number of years. She spent a lot of time drawing in the dirt with a stick to make her days more stimulating. Her keeper bought her some art supplies.”George said,”Ruby was excited about painting right from the beginning.”The elephants at the art academies in southeast Asia are taught to hold a paintbrush with the tip their trunks .Initially, the keeper guides theelephant? s trunk over the canvas (画布)and offers rewards for good performance.“It only takes a few hours to a day to teach them,” said Mia Fineman, an art historian whose book When Elephants Paint is an illustrated history of the Asian Elephant Art and Conservation Project.11. Ruby was an Asian elephant .A. who was sold for a price as high as 5,000B. who was famous for being the first painting elephantC. whose paintings sold for as high as 5,000D. who started painting in the late 1980s12. Why did Ruby start painting according to Dick George?A. Because she was seven years old.B. Because she was the first to come to the zoo.C. Because she learned a lot from the goat and the chickens.13. How did Ruby paint at the very beginning?A. She used a stick to draw in the dirt.B. She spent much time in the dirt.C. She stimulated herself every day.D. She painted with her keeper? s art supplies.14. To encourage the elephants to paint well, the keeper.A. bought them a lot of art suppliesB. made them excited at the beginningC. taught them to hold a paintbrush with their trunksD. reinforced the desired behaviors with rewards15. when Elephants Paint is a bookA. on the history of artsB. about the painting elephants in AsiaC. explaining how to teach elephants to paintD. chiefly theorizing about elephant artQuestions 16-20 are based on the following passage:While it is true that Americans believe climbing the educational ladder leads to success, they are less certain that intellectual achievement is the only important factor leading to success. A competitive personality is seen as important to success, especially in men. The developments of social and political skills are also considered to be very important.To help Americans develop these other important skills, schools have added a large number of extracurricular (课程外) activities to daily life at school . This is especially true of high schools and colleges and extends down into elementary schools as well.Athletics, frequently called “competitive sports,”are perhaps the most important in teaching students, particularly boys, the “winning spirit,”At times, athletic teams seem to become more important tosome students and their parents than the academic programs offered by the schools.16. Americans believe that education isA. the only way to successB. the main purpose of the schoolsC. just like climbing laddersD. important to success17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as important to success?A. intellectual achievementB. competitive personalityC. social backgroundsD. social and political skillsE. intellectual achievementF. competitive personalityG. social backgroundsH. social and political skills18. A variety of extracurricular activities are added in American schools _____.A. to help students climb the education ladderB. to enrich students? dull life at schoolC. to help students become more successful in later lifeD. to extend college education down into elementary schools19. Athletic activities are designed .A. to make boys strongerB. to teach students winning spiritC. to develop students? social and political skillsD. to improve the academic programs20. Which of the following can be the best title for this passage ?A. Education and SuccessB. Extracurricular Activities at SchoolC. Athletic SportsD. Intellectual AchievementQuestions 21-25 are based on the following passage:People once widely believed that intelligent life existed on Mars. The 19th-centruy discovery of what appeared to be geometric designs cut across the surface was taken as evidence. The lines were thought to have been a system of canals that had been built to irrigate the surface. It is now clear that the “canals” ---perhaps the most spectacular geologic features of Mars –are natural valleys where ancient rivers once flowed.Another fragmented idea concerns the planet? s seasonal changes in color. Once attributed to the rapid spread of some life-form, these shifts are now known to develop from the movement of fine dust in the atmosphere.By the close of the 20thcentury none of the many experiments conducted by spacecraft had ever found persuasive evidence of life. Nevertheless, speculation continued over the existence of some form of life ,in either the present of past. In 1996 scientists discovered organic compounds and minerals in a meteorite （陨石），consisting of Martian rock, that collided with Earth around 11,000 B.C. These compounds suggest that Mars may have been inhabited by organisms more than three billion years ago.21. Why did people in the 19th century believe the existence of intelligent life on mars?A. Because the surface of Mars seemed to be geometric.B. Because the lines were drawn across the surface of the planet.C. Because a system of canals was thought to be there.D. Because it was the Martians that built the canals.22. The “canals” on Mars have proved to be according to the passage.A. the minor geologic characteristics of MarsB. natural valleys on the surface of MarsC. rivers that have kept flowing since ancient timesD. a system that irrigates the whole surface23. What are the Mars seasonal changes in color believed to be?A. The natural changes on the planet.B. The seasonal cycles.28. Which of the following cities is closest to Miami in weather conditions?A. Boston.B. Atlanta.C. Washington.D. Houston.29. The difference between the afternoon high and the evening low is greatest in____.A. SeattleB. Los AngelesC. Las VegasD. Phoenix30. The differences between the afternoon high and the evening low are the same in.A．Chicago. Dallas, Kansas City, and St, LouisB．Atlanta, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Seattle.C．Cleveland, Dallas, St. Louis, and Washington.D．Pittsburgh, Miami, Houston, and Boston.2004Questions 11-15 are based on the following passage:These days a green building means more than just the color of the paint. Green buildings can also refer to environmentally friendly houses, factories, and offices.Buildings account for 65 percent of total U.S. electricity use. But green buildings can reduce energy and water use. Also, the buildings are often located near public transportation such as buses and subways, so that people can drive their cars less. That could be good for the environment, because cars use lots of natural resources such as gasoline,and give off pollution. Green buildings are often built on previously developed land, so that the buildings don? t destroy forests or other wild habitats (栖息地).Marty Dettling is project manager for a building that puts these ideas into action. The Solaire has been called the country’ s first green residential high-rise building. According to Dettling, “We’ ve reduced our energy consumption by one-third and our water by 50 percent.”Not everyone is leaping to move into a green building, however. Some people think that features such as solar panels cost more money than more traditional energy sources. Despite this, Dettling hopes that green buildings will become common in the future. “It’ s going to be big,” she said.11. What do green buildings refer to nowadays?A. Buildings painted by green hands.B. Buildings covered with green plants.C. Buildings that are environment-friendly.D. Buildings like houses, factories, and offices.12. The word “Also” (line 2, para. 2)is used to ___.A. continue the discussion of total U.S. electricity use.B. Expand the topic of the reduction of energy and water use.C. Include the discussion of public transportation.D. Shift the focus to the topic of the environment protection.13. In terms of land use, green buildings are constructed by ____.A. marking use of the developed land.B. Developing new land.C. Clearing the ground in a forest.D. Draining wild habitats.14. Why are some people NOT so enthusiastic about green buildings?A. Because the do not jump into a green building.B. Because the fail to move into a green building.C. Because the find it more costly to live in a green building.D. Because the think that solar panels still cost too much.15. What did Marty Dettling mean when she said “It? s going to be big”?A. Green buildings have a great potential.B. People expect bigger green buildings.C. Green buildings will be larger in size.D. People prefer to live in bigger buildings.Questions 16-20 are based on the following passage:Theme-park-bound bargain seekers would be wise to spend some time surfing online before they get in line at the parks this summer.A growing number of these attractions now allow customers to print e-tickets at home with large discounts off the gate price, in part to spur attendance that has declined in recent years.After boom times in the late 1990s, theme park attendance began to decrease, with an overall decline of about 4% over the past few years at North America’s 50 most-visited establishments, says James Zoltak, editor of Amusement Business.“The bloom was off the rose as we turned the corner in to 2000, so there? s more discounting now,” he says.Discounting isn’t new to an industry that has long partnered with other commercial enterprises, such as soft drink companies, to offer deals. But e-ticketing adds a new opportunity that not only brings savings but convenience as well, since it allows visitors to avoid the line at the gate.“If you can get in early before the lines fill up, you? re getting more for your money,” says Robert Niles of the website Theme Park Insider.16. The word “attractions” (line 1, para. 2) refers to ___.A. theme parksB. bargainsC. e-ticketsD. discounts17. Why do more and more theme parks offer large discounts off gate price?A. To get in line at the parks this summer.B. To encourage more people to come to the parks.C. To enable people to get e-tickets at home.D. To reduce the attendance figure.18. What does the sentence “The bloom was off the rose” mean?A. the rose in the theme park was out of bloom.B. the year 2000 was lucky for the 50 establishments.C. the theme park attendance was like the rose.D. the best time for the theme parks was gone.19. What is the new opportunity e-ticketing brings to the theme parks?A. The theme park industry will be more profitable.B. Soft drink companies will be better partners of the parks.C. The tour to the parks will be more convenient.D. Visitors to the parks will have more discounts.20. The last sentence of this passage is based on the idea that ____.A. it is wise to surf online.B. discounting isn’t everything.C. e-ticketing attracts more partners.D. time is money.Questions 21-25 are based on the following passage:One thing almost everyone is agreed on , including Americans, is that they place a very high valuation upon success. Success does not necessarily mean material rewards, but recognition of some sort—preferably measurable. If a boy turns out to be a preacher(传道者) instead of a businessman, that? s all right. But the bigger his church is, the more successful he is judged to be.A good many things contributed to this accent on success. There was the Puritan(清教徒的) belief in the virtue of work, both for its own sake and because the rewards it brought were regarded as signs of God? s love. There was the richness of opportunity in a land waiting to be settled. There was the lack of a settled society with fixed ranks and classes, so that a man was certain to rise through achievement.There was the determination of an immigrant to gain in the new world what had been denied to him in the old, and on the part of his children an urge to throw off the immigrant onus(负担) by still more success and still more rise in a fluid and classless society. Brothers did not compete within the family for the favor of the parents as in Europe, but worked hard for success in the outer world, along paths of their own choosing.21. According to the first paragraph, ______.A. success is highly valued in American society.B. success surely brings material rewards.C. success equals measurable recognition.D. people agree on what success means.22. In this passage, the author indicates that _____.A. preachers are not as successful as businessmen.B. businessmen are not as successful as preachers.C. boys are advised to become preachers instead of businessmen.D. measurable success can also be achieved by preachers.23. The word “accent” (line 1, para. 2) most probably means ____.A. dialectB. emphasisC. attentionD. recognition24. Which of the following does NOT account for people? s desire forsuccess?A. The Puritan belief in the virtue of work.B. Richness of opportunities in the new world.C. Lack of fixed social ranks and classes.D. Determination to deny the values of the new world.25. It is suggested in the last paragraph that _______ in the old world.A. children tended to compete for the favor of their parentsB. children were determined to throw off their immigrant identitiesC. children were urged to achieve success in the fluid and classless societyD. children worked hard for success along paths chosen by their parents.Questions 26-30 are based on the following two advertisements: Advertisement IJODRELL BANK VISITOR CENTREEXHIBITION OF MODERN ASTRONOMYPLANETARIUMOpen:Summer(March 12 – October 31)Daily (including SAT & SUN)10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ——Winter (November 1 – March 11)Weekends 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.(Winter weekday visits by prior arrangement)No extra charge forPlanetarium, Gardens, Arboretum or Car Park Children and Senior Citizens admitted at reduced rate Details: Ring Lower Withington (0477)71339Or write to R.G. Lascelles, Jodrell Bank Maccelesfield, Cheshire, SK119D1Advertisment ⅡSCONE PALACEPERTH SCOTLANDThe Home of the Earls of MansfieldSituated just outside Perth on the A93, Braemar Road 2004Good Friday 25TH Apirl to Monday 5TH October Monday to Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m Sunday July and August from 11:00 a.mBeautiful porcelain,superb French furniture,unique Vernis Martin collection,Lvories,clocks,needlework and objects D? art.Extensive Grounds.Woodland Gardens.Adventure Playgrounds.Old Kitchen Restaurant-Home Baking-Coffee Shop-Gift Shop_produce ShopEvening tours, Meetings, ConcertsCONTACT THE ADMINISTRATORPERTH(0738)52300Admission ChargesAdult:30 pChildren: 15 p26. The two advertisements are most likely about _____________.A. real estateB. auctionC. shoppingD. tourism27. You can call (0738)52300 to ____________ .A. arrange for a special activityB. book adventure film ticketsC. ask for reduced chargesD. seek more information on Arboretum28. Both advertisements show that _____________.A. children enjoy half of the admission chargesB. children need not pay as much as adultC. adults are required to pay full chargeD. old people are privileged to pay less29. Scone Palace is located _______Perth.A. inB. nearC. on the edge ofD. far away from30. You can go to the exhibition and the palace ____.A. every day from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m all year aroundB. on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from May to OctoberC. on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from May to OctoberD. on weekdays from March 12 to October 31 in summer2005Questions 11—15 are based on the following passage:The first ancient Olympics were held in 776 B.C. The games got their name from Olympia, the Greek city where they took place. Like the summer Olympics of today, the ancient Olympics were held every four years.Thousands of people from all over the Greek world came to watch. The main stadium held about 45,000 people. “We have accounts of visi tors and pilgrims setting up tents all around the site.” Lisa Cerrato of Tufts University said.During the first Olympics, there was only one competition—a 200-meter race. But over time the games grew to include wrestling,chariot racing, boxing, and other sports. Women were not allowed to compete, but they had their own separate games.“The ancient athlete became celebrities(名人), just like today. They often lived the rest of their lives being treated to free dinners.” Cerrato said, “City-states even tried to steal away each other’s athletes by offering them various awards.”The ancient Olympics existed until A.D.393. But the modern Olympics are still going strong.11. Where did the ancient Greeks hold their first Olympics?A. In AthensB. In OlympicsC. In a townD. In a state12. How did researchers know that ancient Greeks rushed to watch the Olympics?A. Thousands of people came to watch.B. The main stadium is still not big enough.C. They have found the related record of events.D. Many of them were visitor and pilgrims.13. What did women do since they were not allowed to participate in the Olympics?A. They stayed at home doing nothing.B. They organized protests in the city.C. They had their own games.D. They set up tents around the site.14. The ancient athletes must have felt honored when they _____ .A. completed in a 200-meter race.B. wrestled with each otherC. read the accounts of the gamesD. received the treatment of free dinners15. It can be inferred from the fourth paragraph that __________ .A. the ancient athletes liked to celebrate their victoriesB. free dinners were offered during the competitionC. city-states competed with each other to win the OlympicsD. awards were often stolen to honor the athletesQuestions 16—20 are based on the following passage:Why are mobiles so popular? Because people love to talk to each other. And it is easier witha mobile phone. In countries like Russia and China, people use mobile phone in places wherethere is no ordinary telephone. Bu siness people use mobiles when they’re traveling. In some countries, like Japan, many people use their mobile phones to send e-mail message and access the Internet. They use a new kind of mobile phone called “i-mode”. You can even use a mobile phone listen to music.Mobile phones are very fashionable with teenagers. Parents buy mobile phones for their children. They can call home if they are in trouble and need help. So they feel safer. But teenagers mostly use them to keep in touch with their friends or pl ay simple computer games. It’s cool to be the owner of a small expensive mobile. Research shows that teenage owners of mobile phone smoke less. Parents and schools are happy that teenagers are safer and smoke less.But many people dislike them. They hate it when the businessman opposite them on the train has a loud conversation on his phone. Or when mobile phones ring in a caféor restaurant.But there is a much more serious problem. It’s possible that mobile phone can heat up the brain because we hold the phone so closed to our bead. Scientists fear that mobiles can perhaps be bad for your memory and even give you cancer.16. Mobile are popular among people because _______A. they think mobile are funB. they believe mobile are safeC. they love to listen to musicD. they feel it easier to talk to each other17. It is stated in the passage that Russia and China _______ .A. ordinary telephone service is available everywhereB. people prefer mobile phone to ordinary telephonesC. mobile are used in places without ordinary telephoneD. people use mobiles to send e-mail and access the Internet18. Parents buy mobile phone for their children because ________ .A. mobile phone are very fashionable with teenagersB. they can call home if they are in trouble and need helpC. they can use mobile to play simple computer gamesD. mobile phone enable teenagers to give up smoking19. Why can mobile phone be a much more serious problem?A. Because people hate the businessmen using mobile in public places.B. Because of use of mobile phones can be physically harmful.C. Because there is strong evidence for the problems of mobiles.D. Because people feel their privacy unprotected in a caféor restaurant.20. Which of the following can be the title of this passage?A. Why Are Mobile So Popular?B. Mobiles—Useful or UselessC. Mobile—A Danger to health?D. Why Do We Design Mobile?Questions 21—25 are based on the following passage:At the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Colorado on January 27, people willcarve the white stuff into art. Planning begins months before the first snow falls. Teams submitapplications and sketches of their sculptures in July. Then, a panel of judges choose 14 teams forthe championship.The rules are simple: Electric tools are not allowed. Teams carve snow with everything but there sults are not entirely in the sculptors’ hands,“if it is extremely sunny and warm.” DeWall, the competition’s director of public relations, explained, “we will erect old sail from sail boats into the air to blo ck the sun from melting the sculptures.” If it snows, she continued, teams have to work extra hard to scrape(刮掉) the new snow off their work..The judges look for creativity, technical skill, and overall impact on the viewer. The winnerdoes not receive an y money. “There is no cash prize because the event began with the concept ofglobal camaraderie(情谊).” DeWall explained. Instead of focusing on money, she continued,“winners revel(纵情) in the friendship, the art, and the hard work.”21. What does the phras e “white stuff” in the first paragraph refer to ?A. WoodB. SnowC. IceD. Rock22. What do people start to plan for the Championships?A. After the first snow fall in Colorado.B. Once they submit their applications.C. Before their sculptures are sketchedD. As soon as the judges have chosen the teams.23. The sculptors cannot control the result because ________ .A. it is extremely and warmB. it shine and/or snowsC. the sun melts their sculpturesD. old sails are raised into the air24. What is the viewer’s role in the championships?A. Sculptors like to work together with them.B. Judges consider their responses as choosing the winner.C. Viewers watch and help to product the sculptures.D. The organizers rate their involvement and enthusiasm.25. The winners enjoy all of the following EXCEPT ________ .A. the cash prizeB. the friendshipC. the artD. the hard workQuestions 26—30 are based on the following from New York Times’ electronic Classified Ads:JOB INFORMATIONJob Title : BankingEmployer : ConfidentialSource : NY Times Classified AdsLocation : New York, NYDate : 09-16-2005JOB DESCRIPTIONDescription: BANKING OPENING NEW BRANCHESWe are growing domestic bank who seek exp’d staff for our new branches. Branch managers 2+ yrs exp in Br Mgmt, knwlg in all bkg products and regs, excellent Mgmt skills a must, sales and mktg skills. Tellers (F/T, P/T) Banking experience preferred. Customer Serv Reps (F/T, P/T) Banking background a must. Qualified candidates should e-mail resume to hr@ or fax to 212-329-3745. Doral Bank is EOE. For more details visit26. Which of the following is NOT shown above?A. Job titleB. Annual paymentC. Ad sourceD. Job description27. Based on what you read, the ad is intended for the __________ .A. recruitmentB. product promotionC. banking serviceD. banking reform28. New staff are needed because of _______ .A. the opening of the new branchesB. the updating of the banking serviceC. the retirement of the experienced staffD. the lack of excellent management29. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the ad?A. Branch managersB. TellersC. Customer Service RepsD. Sale managers30. Qualified candidates are expected to _________ .A. e-mail their resumes to hr@B. visit Doral Bank in New York in personC. call 212-329-3745 for more informationD. visit for a interview2006Questions 11-15 are based on the following passage:Jessica Bucknam shouts “tiao!” (tee-ow) and her fourth-grade students jump.“Dun!” (doo-wen) she commands, and they crouch (蹲). They giggle (吃吃地笑) as the commands keep coming in Mandarin Chinese.Half of the 340 students at the K-5 school are enrolled in theprogram. They can continue studying Chinese in middle and high schools. The goal: to speak like natives.About 24,000 American students are currently learning Chinese. Most are in high schools. But the number of younger students is growing in response to China’s emergence as a global superpower.“China has become a strong partner of the United States,” says Mary Patterson, Woodstock’s principal. “Children who learn Chine se at a young age will have more opportunities for jobs in the future.”Isabel Weiss, 9, isn’t thinking about the future. She thinks learning Chinese is fun. “When you her people speaking in Chinese, you know what they’re saying,” she says. “And they don’t know that you know.”11. What do the fourth-grade students seem to be doing in the first paragraph?A. They are learning how to jump.B. They are learning how to crouch.C. They are learning how to giggle.D. They are learning Chinese.12. The purpose of the program for Jessica’s students is to ____.A. enable them to learn how to commandB. get them enrolled in the language programC. help them to speak how to commandD. continue enrolling more students to learn Chinese13. In response to the fact that ____, more American students are learning Chinese.A. the United States is the only superpower in the worldB. international trading is becoming globalizedC. partnership is encouraging business and tradeD. China is emerging as a new superpower in the world14. Why do more and more young students personally choose to learnChinese in the United States?A. They will have more job opportunities in the future.B. They are more interested in the international trade.C. They will visit China for further education.D. They are curious about the corporate partnership.15. Isabel Weiss has also chosen to learn Chinese because ____.A. she wants a brighter futureB. she finds it fun to learn the languageC. she likes to do business in ChinaD. she watches people speak the languageQuestions 16-20 are based on the following passage:The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced plans to return people to the moon by 2018. “And this time,”。