1、Part III Reading Comprehension ( 40 minutes)Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the correspondin
2、g letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.2018 年 12 月第一套Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.California has been facing a drought for many years now, with certain areas even having to pump freshwater hundreds of miles to their distribution system. T
3、he problem is growing as the population of the state continues to expand. New research has found deep water reserves under the state which could help solve their drought crisis. Previous drilling of wells could only reach depths of 1,000 feet, but due to new pumping practices, water deeper than this
4、 can now be extracted (抽取). The team at Stanford investigated the aquifers(地下蓄水层 )below this depth and found that reserves may be triple what was previously thought.It is profitable to drill to depths more than 1,000 feet for oil and gas extraction, but only recently in California has it become prof
5、itable to pump water from this depth. The aquifers range from 1,000 to 3,000 feet below the ground, which means that pumping will be expensive and there are other concerns. The biggest concern of pumping out water from this deep in the gradual settling down of the land surface. As the water is pumpe
6、d out, the vacant space left is compacted by the weight of the earth above.Even though pumping from these depths is expensive, it is still cheaper than desalinating(脱盐)the ocean water in the largely coastal state. Some desalination plants exist where feasible, but they are costly to run and can need
7、 constant repairs. Wells are much more reliable sources of freshwater, and California is hoping that these deep wells may be the answer to their severe water shortage.One problem with these sources is that the deep water also has a higher level of salt than shallower aquifers. This means that some w
8、ells may even need to undergo desalination after extraction, thus increasing the cost. Research from the exhaustive study of groundwater from over 950 drilling logs has just been published. New estimates of the water reserves now go up to 2,700 billion cubic meters of freshwater.46.How could Califor
9、nias drought crisis be solved according to some researchers?A) By building more reserves of groundwater.B) By drawing water from the depths of the earth.C) By developing more advanced drilling devices.D) By upgrading its water distribution system.47.What can be inferred about extracting water from d
10、eep aquifers?A) It was deemed vital to solving the water problem.B) It was not considered worth the expense.C) It may not provide quality freshwater.D) It is bound to gain support from the local people.48. What is mentioned as a consequence of extracting water from deep underground?A) The sinking of
11、 land surface. C) The damage to aquifers.B) The harm to the ecosystem. D) The change of the climate.49. What does the author say about deep wells?A) They run without any need for repairs.B) They are entirely free from pollutants.C) They are the ultimate solution to droughts.D) They provide a steady
12、supply of freshwater.50. What may happen when deep aquifers are used as water sources?A) Peoples health may improve with cleaner water.B) Peoples water bills may be lowered considerably.C) The cost may go up due to desalination.D) They may be exhausted sooner or later.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 a
13、re based on the following passage.The AlphaGo programs victory is an example of how smart computers have become.But can artificial intelligence (AI) machines act ethically, meaning can they be honest and fair?One example of AI is driverless cars. They are already on California roads, so it is not to
14、o soon to ask whether we can program a machine to act ethically. As driverless cars improve, they will save lives. They will make fewer mistakes than human drivers do. Sometimes, however, they will face a choice between lives. Should the cars be programmed to avoid hitting a child running across the
15、 road, even if that will put their passengers at risk? What about making a sudden turn to avoid a dog? What if the only risk is damage to the car itself, not to the passengers?Perhaps there will be lessons to learn from driverless cars, but they are not super-intelligent beings. Teaching ethics to a
16、 machine even more intelligent than we are will be the bigger challenge.About the same time as AlphaGos triumph, Microsofts chatbot took a bad turn. The software, named Taylor, was designed to answer messages from people aged 18-24. Taylor was supposed to be able to learn from the messages she recei
17、ved. She was designed to slowly improve her ability to handle conversations, but some people were teaching Taylor racist ideas. When she started saying nice things about Hitler, Microsoft turned her off and deleted her ugliest messages.AlphaGos victory and Taylors defeat happened at about the same t
18、ime. This should be a warning to us. It is one thing to use AI within a game with clear rules and clear goals. It is something very different to use AI in the real world. The unpredictability of the real world may bring to the surface a troubling software problem.Eric Schmidt is one of the bosses of
19、 Google, which own AlphoGo. He thinks AI will be positive for humans. He said people will be the winner, whatever the outcome. Advances in AI will make human beings smarter, more able and “just better human beings.”51.What does the author want to show with the example of AlphaGos victory?A)Computers
20、 will prevail over human beings.B)Computers have unmatched potential.C)Computers are mans potential rivals.D)Computers can become highly intelligent.52.What does the author mean by AI machines acting ethically?A)They are capable of predicting possible risks.B)They weigh the gains and losses before r
21、eaching a decision.C)They make sensible decisions when facing moral dilemmas.D)They sacrifice everything to save human lives.53.What is said to be the bigger challenge facing humans in the AI age?A)How to make super-intelligent AI machines share human feelings.B)How to ensure that super-intelligent
22、AI machines act ethically.C)How to prevent AI machines doing harm to humans.D)How to avoid being over-dependent on AI machines.54.What do we learn about Microsofts chatbot Taylor?A)She could not distinguish good from bad.B)She could turn herself off when necessary.C)She was not made to handle novel
23、situations.D)She was good at performing routine tasks.55. What does Eric Schmidt think of artificial intelligence?A) It will be far superior to human beings.B) It will keep improving as time goes by.C) It will prove to be an asset to human beings.D) It will be here to stay whatever the outcome.2018
24、年 12 月第二套Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Roughly the size of a soda can, sitting on a bookshelf, a relatively harmless gadget may be turning friends away from your home. The elephant in your living room is your Internet-connected security camera, a device people are
25、increasingly using for peace of mind in their homes. But few stop to think about the effect these devices may have on house guests. Should you tell your friends, for instance, that theyre being recorded while you all watch the big game together?“Its certainly new territory, especially as home securi
26、ty cameras become easier to install,” says Lizzie Post, president of the Emily Post Institute, Americas foremost manners advisors. “I think it will be very interesting to see what etiquette （礼仪）emerges in terms of whether you tell people you have a camera or not, and whether guests have a right to a
27、sk that it be turned off, if its not a security issue.”Post wants to make clear that shes not talking about legal rights, but rather personal preferences. She also wants to explain that there are no right or wrong answers regarding manners on this front yet, because the technology is just now becomi
28、ng mainstream. Besides, the Emily Post Institute doesnt dictate manners.When it comes to security cameras, Post says its a hosts responsibility to make sure guests feel comfortable within their home. “Im always a fan of being open and honest.” For instance, if the host casually acknowledges that the
29、re is a camera in the room by telling a story about it, that may be enough to provide an opening for a guest to say if they are uncomfortable.However, if a contractor is working in your home, you dont need to tell them that there are cameras watching. Then again, the air of accountability that the c
30、amera generates can also work in contractors* favor. “If anything does go wrong while theyre in the house, they dont want to be blamed for it,” she says. “In fact, the camera could be the thing that proves that they didnt steal the $20, or knock the vase off the table.”46.For what reason may your fr
31、iends feel reluctant to visit your home?A) The security camera installed may intrude into their privacy.B) They dont want their photos to be circulated on the Internet.C) The security camera may turn out to be harmful to their health.D) They may not be willing to interact with your family members.47
32、. What does Lizzie Post say is new territory?A) The effect of manners advice on the public.B) Cost of applying new technologies at home.C) The increasing use of home security devices.D) Etiquette around home security cameras.48. What is Lizzie Post mainly discussing with regard to the use of home se
33、curity cameras?A) Legal rights. B) Moral issues.C) Likes and dislikes of individuals. D) The possible impact on manners.49. What is a hosts responsibility regarding security cameras, according to Lizzie Post?A) Making their guests feel at ease. B) Indicating where they are.C) Turning them off in tim
34、e. D) Ensuring their guests, privacy.50.In what way can the home security camera benefit visitors to your home?A) It can satisfy their curiosity. B)It can prove their innocence.C) It can help them learn new technology. D) It can make their visit more enjoyable.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based
35、 on the following passage.PepsiCo is to spend billions of dollars to develop drinks and snacks and reformulate existing ones with lower sugar, salt and fat, as consumers demand healthier options and regulatory pressure intensifies amid an obesity epidemic（流行病）.The maker of Mountain Dew and Gatorade
36、has been one of the earlier movers in the industry to offer products with reduced levels of unhealthy ingredientsPepsiCo claims a packet of its chips now contains less salt than a slice of white bread. However, its new 10-year plan makes clear it believes it still has a long way to go.Shifting eatin
37、g habits, including a sharp drop in consumption of sparkling drinks, have forced radical change on the industry. But those shifts have yet to be reflected in record obesity levels, which stand at 36.5% overall in the US.Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo chairman, said the plan to make its products healthier was
38、important for the companys growth. But on the subject of obesity, she pointed out that consumers lifestyles have changed significantly, with many people being more sedentary（久坐不动的）not least because more time is spent in front of computers. She said PepsiCos contribution was to produce healthier snac
39、ks that still tasted good.“Society has to change its habits,” she added. “We cant do much to alter sedentary lifestyles, but we can provide consumers with great-tasting products, low in salt, sugar and fat. In the past we had to have a taste trade-off. But were breaking that trade-off.”PepsiCos plan
40、 for its foods and drinks is based on guidelines from the World Health Organisation, which last week backed using taxes on sparkling drinks to reduce sugar consumption. Initiatives also include efforts to reduce its environmental impact, water consumption and materials used in packaging by 2025.Peps
41、iCo did not say exactly how much it planned to invest to reach its goals. However, Dr Mehmood Khan, chief scientific officer, said the company had doubled research and development spending in the past five years and was “committed to sustaining investment”，adding that companies cannot cost-cut their
42、 way to increasing sales. PepsiCos research and development budget in 2015 was $754 million.51.Why is PepsiCo making a policy change?A) To win support from the federal government.B) To be more competitive in the global market.C) To satisfy the growing needs for healthy foods.D) To invest more wisely
43、 in the soft drink industry.52.What does PepsiCo think it will have to do in the future?A) Invest more to develop new snacks.B) Reduce levels of obesity in the US.C) Change consumers eating habits.D)Keep on improving its products.53.Why does PepsiCo plan to alter its products, according to Indra Noo
44、yi?A)To ensure the companys future development.B) To adapt to its customers changed taste.C) To help improve its consumers lifestyles.D) To break the trade-off in its product design.54. What does Indra Nooyi say about the obesity epidemic?A) It is mainly caused by overconsumption of snacks.B) It res
45、ults from high sugar and salt consumption.C) It is attributable to peoples changed lifestyles.D) It has a lot to do with longer working hours.55.What has PepsiCo been doing to achieve its objective?A)Studying WHO，s guidelines.B)Increasing its research funding.C)Expanding its market overseas.D)Cuttin
46、g its production costs.2018 年 12 月第三套Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.The latest in cat research reveals that the lovely animal seems to have a basic grasp on both the laws of physics and the ins and outs of cause and effect.According to a newly published study, cats
47、seem to be able to predict the location of hiding prey（猎物） using both their ears and an inborn（天生的）understanding of how the physical world works.In a recent experiment, Japanese researchers taped 30 domestic cats reacting to a container that a team member shook. Some containers rattled（发出响声） ；others
48、 did not. When the container was tipped over, sometimes an object fell out and sometimes it didnt.It turns out that the cats were remarkably smart about what would happen when a container was tipped over. When an object did not drop out of the bottom of a rattling container, they looked at it for a
49、longer time than they did when the container behaved as expected.“Cats use a causal-logical understanding of noise or sounds to predict the appearance of invisible objects,” lead researcher Saho Takagi says in a press release. The researchers conclude that cats hunting style may have developed based on their common-sense abilities to infer where prey is, using their hearing.Scientists have explored this idea with other endearing creatures: babies. Like cats, babies appear to engage in whats called “preferential looking” looking longer at thi
