Section B

　　Passage 1

　　A scientific team is studying the thinking ability of eleven and half month old children. The test is a simple one. The baby watches a sort of show on a small stage. In Act One of the show, a yellow cube is lifted from a blue box, and moved across the stage. Then it is returned to the box. This is repeated 6 times. Act Two is similar except that the yellow cube is smaller. Baby boys do not react at all to the difference and the size of the cube. But girls immediately become excited. The scientists interpret the girls’ excitement as meaning they are trying to understand what they have just seen. They are wondering why Act Two is odd and how it differs from Act One. In other words, the little girls are reasoning. This experiment certainly does not definitely prove that girls start to reason before boys, but it provides a clue that scientists would like to study more carefully. Already it is known that bones, muscles and nerves develop faster in baby girls. Perhaps it is early nerve development that makes some infant girls show more intelligence than infant boys. Scientists have also found that nature seems to give another boost to girls. Baby girls usually talk at an earlier age than boys do. Scientists think that there is a physical reason for this. They believe that the nerve endings in the left side of the brain develop faster in girls than in boys, and it is this side of the brain that strongly influences an individual’s ability to use language and remember things.

　　Q26. What is the difference between Act One and Act Two in the test?

　　答案：The size of the objects shown.

　　Q27. How do the scientists interpret their observation from the experiment?

　　答案： Girls seem to start reasoning earlier than boys.

　　Q28. What does the speaker say about the experiment?

　　答案： It may simulate scientists to make further studies.

　　Q29. According to scientists, what is another advantage given to girls by nature?

　　答案： They talk at an early age.

　　【點評】

　　本文是一篇關于幼兒思維能力的文章。… but it provides a clue that… 一句前都是具體的實驗過程，是一個例子，重點在實驗為科學研究提供的線索。實驗發現可能是早期的神經發育使女嬰比男嬰更聰明。科學家們還發現，自然可能還給了女孩另一大優勢，那就是女孩通常比男孩早開口說話，而這也是因為神經末梢發育快于男孩。

　　關鍵詞：interpret v. 解釋;翻譯boost n. 推動，幫助

　　Passage 2

　　A super attendant of the city municipal building, Dillia Adorno, was responsible for presenting its new security plan to the public. City employees, citizens and reporters gathered in the hall to hear her describe the plan. After outlining the main points she would cover, she assured the audience that she would be happy to answer questions at the end of her presentation. Dillia realized the plan was expensive and potentially controversial. So she was not surprised to see a number of hands go up as soon as she finished speaking. An employ asked, “Would the new system create long lines to get into the building like the line in the airport security checks?” Dillia had anticipated this question and had an answer ready. After repeating the question, she explained that the sufficient number of security guards would be working at peak hours to speed things along. The next question was more confrontational.”Where was the money come from to pay for all of this?”The journalists who ask the question seem hostile. But Dillia was careful not to adopt the defensive tone. She stated that the money would come from the city’s general budget. “I know these are tide times”, she added, “But everyone agrees on the importance of safe guarding our employees and members of the public who come into the building.” Near the end of the 25 minutes she has said, Dillia said she would take two more questions. When those were finished, she concluded the session with a brief restatement of how the new system will improve security and peace of mind in the municipal building.

　　Question 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　30. What is the focus of Dillia Adorno’s presentation?

　　答案：The new security plan for the municipal building.

　　31. What question had Dillia Adorno anticipated?

　　答案： Whether the security checks would create long queues at peak hours.

　　32. What did the speakers think of the question from the journalist?

　　答案： Confrontational

　　【點評】

　　本文描寫一位政府官員介紹了一項新的安保計劃，并回答了在場人員的提問，類似于一場新聞發布會。計劃成本較高，而且可能頗具爭議。本文詳細闡述了兩個提問。第一個問題是Dillia預見到的，但第二個記者的提問是有對抗性的，即使confrontational這個詞我們聽不懂也沒關系，可以從下文的其他詞匯中推斷，如hostile 有敵意的，而針對這個問題，Dillia讓自己盡可能不采取defensive的態度，既然要采取防衛的態度，那記者的提問一定是在政府的對立面的，因此從defensive一詞也可以判斷出記者的態度。

　　關鍵詞：attendant n. 隨員 confrontational adj. 對抗性的 hostile，defensive

　　Passage 3

　　Despite unemployment and the lost of her home, Andrea Clark considers herself a blessed and happy woman. Why the cheerful attitude? Her troubles have brought her closer to her family. Last year, Andrea’s husband, Rick, a miner in Nevada was laid off. Though Andrea kept her job as a school bus driver, she knew that they couldn’t pay their bill and support their youngest of five children, Zack, age nine, on one income. “At first their church helped out, but you can’t keep that up forever”, Andrea says. Then Michal, their eldest of her four adult children suggested they move in with his family. For almost three months, seven Clarks lived under one roof. Andrea, Rick and Zack stayed in the basement department, sharing laundry and single bathroom with Michal, his wife and their two children.

　　The change cut their expenditures in half, but the new living arrangement proved too challenging. When Andrea found a job with a school district closer to her mother’s home in west Jorden, Utah, the family decided to move on. Packing up again with no picnic, Zack had to switch schools for the second time and space is even tighter. Andrea says that the moves themselves are exhausting and Rick is still looking for a job.

　　The recession has certainly come with more problems than Andrea anticipated, but she remains unfailingly optimistic. She is excited to spend more time with her mother. Another plus, rents are lower in Utah than in Nevada. So Andrea thinks they’ll be able to save up and move out in less than 6 months.

　　Questions 33-35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　Q33 What do we learn about Andrea’s husband?

　　答案：He used to work as a miner in Nevada.

　　Q34 Why did Andrea move to live in her eldest son’s home?

　　答案：To cut their living expenses.

　　Q35 What is Andrea’s attitude toward the hardships brought by the economic recession?

　　答案：Optimistic.

　　【點評】

　　本文描寫了Andrea一家在經歷失業時依然樂觀向上的積極狀態。這從文章的首句Despite unemployment and the lost of her home, Andrea Clark considers herself a blessed and happy woman.和最后一段but she remains unfailingly optimistic.都能得到印證。Andrea的丈夫是內華達的礦工，去年失業，為了維持生計，他們先是和大兒子一家住在一起，后來又搬家到猶他州，她的丈夫還在繼續找工作。但是經濟衰退，并沒有讓Andrea消極，她覺得自己和家人的關系更緊密了并且相信自己能夠度過難關。

　　關鍵詞：lay off 解雇;expenditure n. 支出，花費;optimistic adj. 樂觀的