/ // / /¤ // // / ¤ / // / / 线 ¤ 订题 答： ¤号要 证考 装不准 内 ¤ 线 封封 ¤密 ： 名 密 姓 / // / /¤ // // / ¤ / // / / Passage 3

As a teenager in 1972, Bill Gates boasted that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 20. While he did not quite achieve that goal, only 15 years later he was a billionaire. And by 1992, as head of the Microsoft Company, he became the richest man in America with assets of approximately $6.3 billion.

Born in Seattle, Washington on 28, October 1956, Gates was named William Henry after his father and grandfather. From the beginning, he was an extremely energetic and intelligent child. He had read the entire world book encyclopedia（百科全书）by the age of nine. His favorite subjects at school were science and math and his favorite pastime was ?thinking.?

Gate first started to play with computer at the age of 13, when one was installed at his school. At the time, computers were large, awkward machines. Operators were required to learn complex computer languages before the machines could be used. Even then, a great deal of time and effort was needed to perform the simplest functions. Before long, Gates was an expert at working the school?s computer. After his graduation from secondary school, Gates was accepted by three top universities in the USA ─ Princeton, Harvard and Yale. He chose Harvard and began classes there the next autumn, majoring in math. But he was still obsessed（着迷）with computers and spent as much time in the computer laboratories as he did in the lecture halls.

By 1975, Gates and a partner, Paul Allen, had developed a software program called BASIC. This was not the first program ever created, but its inventors were the first to decide that people who wanted to use it should pay for it.

BASIC was a success because until it came along there had been no efficient way of getting computers to carry out instructions. Although he had not yet completed his degree, Gates left university and went to work full time for the new company he had formed called Microsoft.

His next project was the software program that made him very

第5页 共 15页

famous and rich. It was called DOS, short for Disk Operating System, and it was purchased by IBM in 1980. Today it is the operating system used in more than 14 million personal computers around the world.

As chief executive officer of Microsoft, Gates is known as a bright man, but one who is not easily satisfied. He is quick to criticize his staff and hates to be questioned about decisions he has made. He was regarded as a loner, an unfashionable boring computer nut until his marriage to Microsoft manager Melinda French on New Year?s Day 1994. Yet to most people now, Gates is a person who is, in spite of his great wealth, humble（谦卑的）and ordinary. He spends his money carefully. He eats in fast-food restaurants and flies economy class. And when praised for Microsoft?s great success, he has been heard to say, “All we do is put software in a box and if people see it in the stores and like it, they buy it”.

11. When he was a teenager, Bill Gates wanted to be a . A. teacher B. doctor C. businessman D. professor 12. When Gates went to Harvard, he ______. A. was only interested in math

B. spent most of his time in computer laboratories C. developed the first computer software program

D. divided his time between his math studies and the computer laboratories

13. Before the development of BASIC, ______. A. no one was interested in computer software

B. software programs were not considered commercial projects C. software programs were very expensive D. no one wanted to pay for computer software

14. When the writer says “He was regarded as a loner and unfashionable boring computer nut”, he means ______.

A. Bill was so strong-minded that no one could change his mind B. The only thing that could interest Bill in his life was computer C. Bill was such a boring young man that nobody would like to

第6页 共 15页

/ // / /¤ // // / ¤ / // / / 线 ¤ 订题 答： ¤号要 证考 装不准 内 ¤ 线 封封 ¤密 ： 名 密 姓 / // / /¤ // // / ¤ / // / / talk to him

D. Bill couldn?t work out the boring computer programs 15. Most people think that Bill Gates is ______. A. a crazy person

B. a person obsessed with making money C. someone who spends money freely D. a quite common, normal person

Passage 4

Glacier National Park in Montana shares boundaries with Canada, an American Indian reservation, and a national forest. Along the North Fork of the Flathead River, the park also borders about 17,000 acres of private lands that are currently used for ranching, timber, and agriculture. This land is an important part of the habitat and migratory routes for several endangered species that frequent the park. These private lands are essentially the only ones available for development in the region.

With encouragement from the park, local landowners initiated a land-use planning effort to guide the future of the North Fork. The park is a partner in an inter-local agreement that calls for resource managing agencies to work together and with the more than 400 private owners in the area. A draft plan has been prepared, with objective of maintaining traditional economic uses but limiting new development that would damage park resources. Voluntary action by landowners, in cooperation with the park and the county, is helping to restrict small lot subdivisions, maintain wildlife corridors, and minimize any harmful impact on the environment.

The willingness of local landowners to participate in this protection effort may have been stimulated by concerns that congress would impose a legislative solution. Nevertheless, many local residents want to retain the existing character of the area. Meetings between park officials and landowners have led to a dramatically improved understanding of all concerns. 16. The passage mainly discusses______.

第7页 共 15页

A. the endangered species in Glacier National Park B. the protection of lands surrounding Glacier National Park C. conservation laws imposed by the state of Montana D. conservation laws imposed by Congress

17. Why are the private lands surrounding Glacier National Park so important?

A. They function as a hunting preserve. B. They are restricted to government use. C. They are heavily populated.

D. They contain natural habitats of threatened species.

18. The word “initiated” in second paragraph line 1 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. started B. requested

C. purchased D. considered

19. The relationship between park officials and neighboring landowners may best be described as______.

A. indifferent B. intimate�� C. cooperative D. disappointing

20. It can be inferred from the passage that a major interest of the officials of Glacier National Park is to______. A. limit land development around the park B. establish a new park in Montana C. influence national legislation D. settle border disputes with Canada

II. Cloze (本大题共15个小题，每小题1分，共15分） 得分 评卷人

Directions: There are fifteen blanks in this passage. For each blank, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D at the bottom of the passage. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then, mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

第8页 共 15页