Immediately after the shooting at Virginia Tech University, Americans gathered to mourn the dead. The president and the state governor both hurried there to share the 1 . But the majority of Americans still cling to their right to 2 weapons.
Strictly speaking, the US is not the only country 3 gun violence has destroyed lives, families and communities in everyday circumstance. But the US is one of the 4 countries that seems unwilling and politically incapable of doing anything serious to stop it.
In countries like Britain and Canada, the government adopted stricter 5 control soon after serious gun violence incidents. US leaders, however, are held 6 by the gun lobby and the electoral system.
The powerful National Rifle Association, the major supporter of gun 7 in the US, is too strong for any party to take on. Most Republicans oppose gun controls anyway. 8 the years; the Democrats have found that they can either campaign for gun control or win power, not 9 ; they prefer power.
According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, firearm incidents accounted 10 nine percent of the 4.7 million violent crimes in 2005. So, although opinion polls show most Americans want stricter gun laws, many don't want to give up their arms they 11 to protect themselves.
Dave Hancock, a Virginia gun lover, is one example. In an interview he said. "If one professor in Virginia incident had been carrying a legal weapon they might have been able to 12 all this." In his opinion, the massacre is an argument for more people to carry weapons, not fewer.
But at the root of Americans' clinging to the fight to bear arms is not just a fear of crime, but a mistrust of 13 , commented UK's Guardian newspaper.
One Virginia resident, who had a permit to carry a concealed firearm, told the Guardian that it was 14 American's responsibility to have a gun.
"Each person," he said, "should not rely solely 15 the government for protection."
词汇：
mourn v.致哀
lobby n.院外活动集团
electoral adj.选举的
firearm n.火器
massacre n./v.大屠杀
练习：
1. A) ceremony B) funeral C) tears D) grief
2. A) make B) own C) destroy D) trade
3. A) while B) which C) where D) that
4. A) few B) some C) much D) little
5. A) rifle B) knife C) bullet D) gun
6. A) prisoner B) hostage C) person D) home
7. A) fire B) attacks C) rights D) violence
8. A) Over B) Since C) Till D) Until
9. A) both B) either C) each D) one
10. A) of B) off C) for D) out
11. A) hide B) buy C) sell D) keep
12. A) control B) stop C) handle D)treat
13. A) government B) guards C) students D) professors
14. A) many B) few C) every D) all
15. A) on B) in C) at D) from
答案与题解：
1.D “share the grief”是“同悲”。share是“跟他人拥有同样的情感”的意思。整个句子说的是，总统和州长两人都赶到那里跟大家一样悲痛。
2.B 这四个选项填入后，四个句子在句法和语义上都是成立的。但是，从整个文章来考察，只有“0wn”是合适的选择，全文主要讨论美国公民是否有权拥有枪支。
3.C 该句子的从句本身是一个完整的事件，如果还要附加一些东西的话，只能是事件发生的地点，因此用“where”。整个句子说的是：严格说来，美国是唯一一个每天都会发生枪支暴力摧毁生命、家庭和社区的国家。
4.A “But”引入的命题跟上一个句子表达的命题构成反比，因此需用“few”。
5.D 本文讨论枪支，因此“knife”和“bullet”可以排除。“rilfe”是来复枪，即步枪“gun”是枪支，比“rifle”的覆盖面大，因此用“gun”是对的。
6.B “to be held hostage”是“扣为人质”。整个句子说的是：然而，美国领导人受制于枪支院外活动集团和选举制度。
7.C 本文讨论的就是“枪支拥有权”，因此填入“rights”是对的。这个句子有点难。“take Oil”是“斗争”。整个句子说的是：强大的国家来复枪协会，是美国枪支拥有权的主要支持者，它太强大了，没有一个政党敢于跟它斗争的。
8.A “the years”是一段时间。“0ver”表示“跨越”，因此在语义上是协调的。合起就是“在过去的一些年里”。“since”起始的时间状语也是一个段时间状语，但是它要求出现的是一个时间点，如2001年，指从2001年到现在。因此“0ver”是对的。
9.A 特别提请注意的是：对于“(either)…or…”的意义语言学家是有争议的，一种意见认为“0r”是不兼容的，另一种意见认为“0r”是兼容的。所谓不兼容，就是说，要么是“gun control”，要么是“win power”，而不可能是“gun control and win power”;所谓兼容，就是，“gun control”、“win power”和“gun control and win power”这三种情况都可以。可以看出，在本文作者看来，“0r”是兼容的，所以才有后一句话：not both(不是二者兼有)。
10.C “account”作动词时，后面跟“for”。
11.D 此处应该用一个状态动词，只有“keep”是状态动词。
12.B “stop”在这里是最合适的词。整个句子说的是：在一次专访中他说，如果弗吉尼亚事件中有位教授带了一支合法的枪支的话，他们就有可能阻止所有这一切的发生。
13.A “mistrust”是“不信任”。
14.C “very”和“all”意思相近，但“every”是对的，因为“American”用的是单数。
15.A “rely”和“on”是固定搭配。
Freezing to Death for Beauty
People in Beijing wear a lot of clothing during winter to fend off the cold. In the United States, however, people wear 1 , partly because the car is the primary mode of transportation. Cars take 2 straight to their workplaces, which are heated well. The American diet is full of calories, so their 3 can afford to burn heat more quickly.
Fewer layers of clothing give people the opportunity to stay 4 .Lots of Yale girls wear skirts 5 when it's 10 degrees Centigrade outside. Some of them at least wear boots, tights, and leg-warmers1. Some, however, really just go for the look 6 the risk of health2. These girls have nothing to prevent their legs 7 the wind, and no socks to protect their feet. A mini skirt and a pair of stilettos are all that they wear.
Typically, the ones pursuing fashion are 8 , with little body fat. Just by the nature of their bodies, they are already at a disadvantage compared with normal people in 9 weather. I have always 10 , whenever I pass these girls, how they manage to refrain from shivering and just smile like spring had arrived3.
And then there are the guys. The girls can be said to 11 health for beauty. But why do guys 12 so little? It is not like, once they shed some layers, they suddenly become better-looking. They are not exactly being fashionable when they 13 wear sporty shorts and shower slippers in the midst of winter. It's not cute.
Of course, people have the freedom to look whatever 14 hey want. I am just surprised that, given the vast difference between winter and summer temperatures in Connecticut, they can still 15 like they are partying on the beach in the middle of February.
词汇：
fend v.抵御
mode n.方式
Centigrade adj.摄氏温度的
tights n.裤袜
stiletto n.细高跟鞋
shed v.脱掉
sporty adj.花哨的
cute adj.喜人的
注释：
1.1eg-warmers暖腿套。
2.Some，however, really just go for the look at the risk of heath.然而，有些真是只是为了漂亮而牺牲健康。注意：“go for”是“选择”的意思，因此“go for the look”是“选择漂亮”。
3.I have always wondered，whenever I pass these girls，how they manage to refrain from shivering and just smile like spring had arrived.每当我走过这些女孩的时候，我总是想，她们怎么能做得到不哆嗦，并且还能带着似乎春天已经来临的微笑。“like spring had arrived”是反事实条件句。
练习：
1. A) scarce B) less C) little D) least
2. A) people B) students C) shoppers D) them
3. A) arms B) heads C) legs D) bodies
4. A) bony B) thin C) fashionable D) hungry
5. A) even B) sometimes C) frequently D) occasionally
6. A) in B) for C) at D) on
7. A) with B) against C) above D) under
8. A) fat B) ugly C) short D) skinny
9. A) warm B) cold C) cool D) hot
10. A) dreamed B) stated C) claimed D) wondered
11. A) sacrifice B) devote C) suffer D) endure
12. A) bear B) carry C) wear D) put on
13. A) only B) seldom C) rarely D) hardly
14. A) method B) road C) way D) avenue
15. A) see B) resemble C) show D) look
答案与题解：
1.B 上一个句子说北京人冬天要穿许多衣服以抵御寒冷。这后一个句子是跟上一个句子做比较，因此要用“little”的比较级形式“less”。
2.D 把“people”填入后生成的句子同样是正确的，但是跟前一个句子放在一起时是不连贯的。这是因为在前一个句子中已经有了一个“people”。“them”是一个代词，代词的作用就是照应，这也就是为什么语言中需要代词。在这个句子中“them”就是照应前面的“people”。
3.D “body”是“身体”，指人的物质结构。是“身体”产生热。
4.C “stay”是系动词，跟形容词连用，说明某种状态的存在。四个选项都是形容词，但只有“fashionable”是最佳选择。如果“穿得少”是一种时尚的话，那么只穿几件衣服当然是很时髦的。填入“bony”、“thin”、“hungry”在语义上句子都是不成立的，因为一种“瘦(bony/thin)的状态”是营养差、节食或疾病造成的，跟穿多少衣服没有关系。“保持饥饿状态”跟穿衣服也没有关系。
5.A “Fewer layers of clothing give people the opportunity to stay fashionable.”是主题句。跟在主题句后面的句子是对这一命题的证明，这就需要有具体的事实。“even”诱发的是一组可能性，而它引入的词语所指的可能性是在这一组可能性中最最不容易发生的。尽管如此，它还是发生了。这样的证据是非常有力的。因此“even”是最佳选择。
6.C “at the risk of health”是“有损健康的危险”。什么词跟什么介词连用有时候是没有道理的，所有需要死记硬背。
7.B “prevent”是“防止”，跟“against”连用。
8.D 该问题问：典型的追求时髦的人是什么样的人?“丑”(ugly)和“矮个”(short)显然跟追求时髦没有关系。有关系的是“fat”(胖)和“skinny”(瘦/皮包骨)。“fat”可以排除，因为它跟后面的“with little body fat”相矛盾。因此只有“skinny”是正确的选择。
9.B 四个选项都是有关不同温度的天气。由于本文讨论的主题是“为了漂亮冻得要死”，因此合适的选项是“cold”。
10.D 这四个动词后面都可以跟从句，但只有“wondered”可以跟疑问从句。
11.A “sacrifice health for beauty”是“为了漂亮而牺牲健康”。中英语表达差不多。
12.C “wear”和“put on”翻成中文都是“穿”的意思。前者是状态动词;后者由于其动作能瞬间完成而不具备延续性，因此不可能表达某种状态。而这个句子表达的完全是一种状态，因此“wear”是合适的选择。
13.A 前面句子讲到男人脱掉几层衣服并不突然显得更好看，那么下面的句子应该进一步具体化，因此用“only”是对的。填入该词后，句子说的是“当他们仅仅穿着花哨的短裤和洗澡用的拖鞋时在确切意义上并不显得更时髦”。
14.C “way”有多种意思，包括“道路”、“途经”、“方向”、“方法”、“方式”、“样子”等。整个句子说的是：当然，人们有选择自己外表样子的自由。
15.D just like是“好像是”。整个句子说的是：我只是觉得惊讶，在康涅狄格州冬夏温度相差很大的情况下，他们仍然看上去像似在二月中旬的海滩上聚会。
13.B must：必须;might：可能have to：必须;should：应该。女人根据男人的特征选择伴侣这只是一个因素，因此下结论应该留有余地，用might是比较合适的。
14.A show：显出;tell：告诉;state：陈述;say：说。除shown之外，told、stated或said填入后生成的句子都是错的。
15.B spouse：配偶;fan：狂热仰慕者;partner：配偶;mate：伴侣。我们的世界知识告诉我们，任何人都不可能有数百万的配偶，所以只有fans是合适的选择。
New Ideas
Iceland's President Olafur Grimsson is trying to drive carbon dioxide1 underground to 1 its release into the air.
Over the next two years, a team of scientists will try to 2 carbon dioxide-charged water2 into the rock underground. Scientist theory says this should work3. The CO2 will react with the rock to form a stable mineral that remains in the 3 for millions of years.
If the experiment succeeds, Iceland could give the world a new 4 to reduce CO2 emissions.
Sigurdur Gislason, a university professor in Iceland, says his country has an 5 over other countries: "We have enormous amounts of clean 6 and a small society. You can do experiments here that you can't do anywhere else."
In an attempt to cut back on the use of air conditioners during summer, the Japanese government in 2005 7 a campaign to keep office temperatures at 28°C degrees in summer. Men were also encouraged to change business suits for 8 wear. In other words, no more ties.
"The 9 is meant to show the government's resolve to achieve Japan's target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda. The 10 has cut an estimated 79,000 tons of carbon dioxide gas emissions each year.
As the country's 2005 Energy Policy Act 11 into force this year, more
Americans will be encouraged to use 12 cars and energy sources.
According to the new law, those who buy hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius can earn tax credits; or rebates, of 13 to $2,600 a year. Homemakers can also save when they renovate, claiming tax rebates 14 up to $500 simply by fitting their homes with energy-saving insulation. If they. 15 in solar water heating, the payoff at tax time is equal to 30 percent of the appliance's cost or a maximum of $2,000.
词汇：
dioxide n.二氧化物
greenhouse n.温室
hybrid adj.混合
homemaker n.主妇
rebate n.退款
insulation n.绝缘
注释：
1. carbon dioxide二氧化碳
2.carbon dioxide.charged water充满了二氧化碳的水
3.Scientist theory says this should work.科学家的理论说这样做应该行得通。work是“行得通”或“有效的”意思。
练习：
1 A) reduce B) narrow C) interrupt D) interfere
2 A) spread B) splash C) inject D) flow
3 A) air B) rock C) water D) soil
4 A) era B) period C) page D) way
5 A) merit B) benefit C) profit D) advantage
6 A) oil B) energy C) gas D) solar-power
7 A) mounted B) called C) opened D) held
8 A) decent B) formal C) casual D) fashionable
9 A) pledge B) move C) promise D) statement
l0 A) campaign B) war C) activity D) move
ll A) makes B) takes C) bring D) comes
12 A) fast B) cheap C) expensive D) environment-friendly
13 A) under B) up C) on D) from
14 A) putting B) worth C) building D) buying
15 A) spend B) give C) invest D) donate
答案与题解：
1.A “reduce its release”是“减排”。整个句子说的是：冰岛总统Olafur Grimsson为了减少二氧化氮排放到大气中正试图把它们注入地下。
2.C 整个句子说的是：在未来的两年里，一组科学家将尝试把充满了二氧化氮的水注入到岩石层。“inject…into…”是“把……注入到……”。
3.B 前面出现了“the rock ground”，因此填“rock”。整个句子说的是：二氧化氮跟岩石相互作用会形成一种稳定的矿物质，在岩石中可以呆上几百万年。
4.D 选项“era”、“period”和“page”很有迷惑性，但它们要求的动词是不一样的。如可以说“usher in anew era”(开创了一个新纪元)等。
5.D 由于不定冠词“an”发音的关系要求后面的名词的起始音是元音。
6.B“energy”是“oil”、“gas”和“solar-power”的上位词，因此是最佳的选择。
7.C 本段讲为了在夏天减少使用空调日本政府在2005年发起了一场夏天办公室的温度保持在摄氏28度的运动。“mounted a campaign”是“发动了一场运动”的意思，也可说“launched a campaign”。
8.C “business suites”是“公务服”。“公务服”比较正式，往往指“西服”。穿西服当然会很热。因此“decent”(像样的)和“formal” (正式的)不可能是合适的选择。“fashionable”(时髦的)衣服本身并没有说清楚是否凉快。因此正确地选择是“casual”(随便的)。
9.B 日本政府已经发起了一场运动，因此这不是一种“保证”(pledge)、“许诺”(promise) 或“声明”(statement)。所以唯一合适的选择是“行动”(move)。整个句子说的是：所采取的行动是表明政府为了达到日本减排6%的温室气体的目标的决心。
10.A “campaign”和“move”前面都出现过，似乎都可以。这两个词在前面出现时的语境是“a campaign”和“the move”。注意：用不定冠词说明是新信息，用定冠词或代词说明是旧信息。一种信息第二次出现时就是旧信息，因此“campaign”第二次出现时可以说“the campaign”，也可以用“it”：由于“move”本来就是指“campaign”的，本来就是信息，再次出现时，应用“it”比“the move”跟好些。
11.D “come into force”是“生效”的意思，是固定的说法。词是需要一个个记的。一种固定的说法，它的意义就相当于一个词的意义，因此也需要死记硬背。
12.D “environment.friendly”是“对环境不造成太多问题的”意思。整个句子说的是：随着国家的2005年的能源政策法令在今年生效，这必将鼓励更多的美国人使用对环境不会造成太多影响的车和能源。
13.B “up to$2，600 a year”是“一年最多可达到2，600美元”。
14.B “worth up to$500”是“最多值500美元。
15.C “spend”需要有宾语，所以不合适。
Improve Computer-research Skills
Like many college students, Jose Juarez carries around a pocket-sized computer that lets him watch movies, surf the Interact and text-message his friends1.
He's part of "Generation M" - those born after 1985 who 1 up connected to everything from video game to cellphones.
"For us, it's everyday life," said Juarez, 18, a freshman 2 California State University at Sacramento (CSUS).
3 ,educators are now saying that not all Generation M-ers can synthesize the piles of information they're accessing.
"They're geeky2, but they don't know what to 4 with their geekdom," said
Barbara O'Connor, a Sacramento State communications studies professor who has been involved in a nationwide 5 to improve students' computer-research skills.
In a recent nationwide test to 6 their technological "literacy" their ability to use the Interact to complete class assignments - only 49 percent correctly evaluated a set of Web sites for objectivity, authority and timeliness. Only 35 per cent could correctly narrow an overly 7 Internet search.
About 130 Sacramento State students, including Juarez, participated in the experimental test, 8 to 6,300 college students across the country.
The hour-long assessment test is conducted by Educational Testing Service. It is a web-based scavenger hunt3(拾荒游戏) 9 simulated Interact search engines and academic databases that spit out purposely misleading information.
"They're very good at 10 in and using the Internet, but don't always understand what they get back," said Linda Goff, head of instructional services for the CSUS library.
"You see an open search box, you type in a few words and you 11 the button," said Goff, who is involved in the testing.
"They take at face value4 12 shows up at the top of the list as the best stuff."
Educators say that these sloppy research skills are troubling.
"We look at that as a foundational skill, in the same way we 13 math and English as a foundational skill," said Lorie Roth, assistant vice-chancellor for academic programmes in the CSU5 system.
Measuring how well students can "sort the good 14 the bad" on the Internet has become a higher priority for CSU, Roth said.
CSU is considering 15 a mandatory assessment test on technological literacy for all freshmen, much as it has required English and math placement tests since the 1980s.
Students in freshman seminars at Sacramento State were asked to take the test early in the semester and were expected to finish another round this week to measure their improvement.
词汇：
surf v.浏览
cellphone n.手机
geeky adj.与网络交往的
scavenger n.拾荒者
sloppy adj.马虎的
mandatory adj.强制性的
literacy n.文化水平
注释：
1.text—message his friends给朋友发信息。
2.geek是“极客”。这是音译。所谓“极客”是指跟网络交往的高手。Geekdom作为一个八极客。“-dom”是后者，有多种意思，此处表示“作为……的状况”。
3.scavenger hunt拾荒游戏。所谓“拾荒游戏”是指在规定的时间内搜索到难以搜索的东西，以先搜到者为胜。
4.take as face value是“断然接受一句话所说的(即字面意义)而不去考虑它是否还有其它的含义”。
5.CSU是California State University的缩写。
练习：
1. A) brought B) built C) stood D) grew
2. A) about B) near C) at D) near
3. A) Besides B) However C) In addition D) Of course
4. A) do B) work C) make D) deal
5. A) effort B) plot C) wish D) slogan
6. A) ask B) measure C) require D) demand
7. A) small B) little C) broad D) large
8. A) conducted B) held C) managed D) administered
9. A) between B) upon C) by D) with
10, A) writing B) copying C) typing D) moving
11. A) pull B) push C) beat D) strike
12. A) whatever B) whoever C) whichever D) however
13. A) look at B) take up C) cope with D) serve as
14. A) out B) from C) on D) off
15. A) added B) adds C) adding D) add
答案与题解：
1.D 这四个动词都可以跟“up”构成有意义的搭配。但是，只有“grew up”放入后是合适的。如果用“brought up”，前面需要一个“be”动词。整个句子说的是：他是“M代”的一个，“M代”就是那些l985年后生的，他们的成长跟从电子游戏到手机等各种玩意儿联系在一起的。
2.C “California State University at Sacramento”是一所大学。它前面的介词用“at”或“in”。
3.B 所在句子跟上面句子在意思上有转折，因此用“However”。上面主要讲Juarez是“M代”的一员，整天背着电脑，因为对他来说，电脑是生活的一部分。有鉴于此，他应该是电脑高手。紧接着的句子是这么说的：然而，教育工作者现在说，不是所有的M代人都能把他们正在找的一堆堆的信息综合起来。
4.A “what to do with their geekdom”是“他们的网络交往的熟练水平用来干什么”。
5.A “in an effort/in efforts to do...”是“致力于……”的意思。
6.B 考试是为了测量某方面的能力或水平，因此“measure”是对的。
7.C 所在句子中有“narrow”这个词，它的反义词是“broad”，这也可看作是一个提示。整个句子说的是：只有34%的人能够正确地缩小过宽的网上搜索。
8.D “administer”是“组织并监督”的意思。整个句子说的是：包括Juarez在内的大约130名Sacrament0州的学生参加了为全国6，300名大学生组织的实验性测试。
9.D 这个句子是讲“拾荒游戏”，用“with”可以表示它有什么性质。整个句子说的是：它是一种基于网络的拾荒游戏，它有模拟因特网搜索引擎和能不断输出有意引起误解的信息的数据库。
10.C 电脑是有键盘的，输入词时我们不是用笔写而是用键，“type in”就是“键入”。
11.B 电脑的键盘上由许多按钮，按“按钮”是“push the button”或“press the button”。
12.A 由于用电脑是为了获得信息，因此用一个比较宽泛的词比较合适，所以选择“whatever”是最佳的。整个句子说的是：他们断然把出现在单子上端的认为是最好的。
13.A 句子中的“in the same way”提示我们应该选择上半句中已经出现过的“look at”。
14.B “sort the good from the bad”是“把好的和坏的区分开来”。
15.C “consider”要求后面跟动名词。