国家开放大学2025年春季学期期末统一考试 英语阅读(2)试题

试卷代号:22156

2025年7月

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Part I Questions 1-10 are based on Passage 1.(30 points, 3 points each)

Passage 1 Chasing storms

At age six, Tim Samaras watched the movie The Wizard of Oz. In the movie, a tornado takes a farmhouse high up into the sky. Tim was amazed. He said to himself, "I'm going to see that tornado one day. " From that time on, tornadoes were the focus of Samaras' s life, and he became a storm chaser. Samaras never got a college degree but he became a tornado researcher and a brilliant engineer.

The United States has the most tornadoes in the world - about 1, 200 every year. These are also the strongest tornadoes in the world. They happen in the central area of the United States known as Tornado Alley. There are a lot of tornadoes in this area because the land is flat and air conditions create powerful thunderstorms that develop into tornadoes

Tornadoes are dangerous, sometimes very dangerous. The powerful winds in a tornado turn and twist. They can reach over 300 mph (480 km/h). Because they are so strong, they can tear up trees and pick up people and objects, like cars, and throw them hundreds of feet away. A powerful tornado can destroy thousands of homes and kill many people in its path. But we do not know enough about tornadoes. If we knew more, we could make better forecasts and give people more time to get away from tornadoes. We could save lives.

To try to help save lives, Samaras wanted to better understand tornadoes. He wanted to get more information about tornadoes for two reasons. The first reason was that scientists don't know much about tornadoes and how they are created. For this reason, Samaras designed special probes with cameras on them. Scientists are able to put these probes in the path of a tornado and look inside the tornado as it passes by. While scientists still don't have all the answers about tornadoes, these probes continue to give useful information.

The second reason that Samaras wanted to understand tornadoes was that he wanted to find out how powerful the winds are near the surface of a tornado. Samaras designed another piece of equipment, this time to measure a tornado's wind speed near the ground. Information about wind speed can help people build stronger homes in areas where there are tornadoes. For example, if people know they are living in an area with many tornadoes, they can build homes with stronger walls.

For 30 years, Samaras put himself in danger following more than 125 tornadoes. The people who worked with him thought he was one of the best and most careful storm chasers. On May 31, 2013, in Oklahoma, there was a huge tornado. It was the widest tornado ever seen. Tim, his son Paul, and Carl Young, a meteorologist, were chasing this tornado for research. Suddenly, the tornado changed its direction. Tim, Paul, Carl, and eight other people were killed when this happened. It was the first time a storm chaser and a meteorologist both died in a storm.

Tim Samaras died that day, but his inventions and equipment continue to be used by scientists. Even after death, Tim's life's work continues to increase our understanding of how tornadoes work.

Directions:

Complete these sentences with the words or phrases in the box. Note that three of the words from the box will not be used.

1. Tornadoes are powerful enough to ______ homes and throw parts of them everywhere.

1. 标准答案：destroy

2. Meteorologists want to make better ______ of when tornadoes will hit the area.

1. 标准答案：forecasts

3. Samaras was a ______ engineer who designed equipment to measure wind speed.

1. 标准答案：brilliant

4. The winds of a tornado ______ around and make a huge funnel in the sky that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.

1. 标准答案：twist

5. Tornadoes were all that Samaras thought about. They were the ______ of his life and work.

1. 标准答案：focus

Directions:

Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

6. Samaras was interested in tornadoes from the time he was a child.

1. 标准答案：T

7. Tornado Alley is in the southern area of the United States.

1. 标准答案：F

8. Tornado winds are powerful enough to pick up trees and cars.

1. 标准答案：T

9. Samaras designed equipment that allows scientists to look inside a tornado.

1. 标准答案：T

10. Samaras designed equipment to measure how high up in the air the winds go.

1. 标准答案：F

Part II Questions 11-20 are based on Passage 2. (30 points, 3 points each)

Passage 2 Flowers, Dishes, and Dresses

Wedding traditions are different from culture to culture. Most people follow the traditions of their culture but usually do not know what the traditions mean. In the past, friends and relatives of the newlyweds wanted them to be happy and to have good fortune or good luck. This was the start of traditions to bring good luck to the couple. It was also the start of using charms and symbols for good luck. Many of these traditions still continue today.

To make sure the wedding goes well and the couple will have good fortune, many people around the world follow the old traditions. In Germany, before the wedding day, friends and family of the bride and groom bring old dishes. They throw the dishes on the floor. The dishes break in front of the bride and groom, who then must clean them up. The people all have fun doing this and have an informal party. This tradition prepares the couple for married life and brings them good luck. Similarly, at an English wedding, church bells ring when the bride enters the church and walks up the aisle. Sometimes there are flower petals where the bride walks. Likewise, in some countries, there are flower petals on the marriage bed to wish the couple happiness in the future.

The date of the wedding can be important for a couple's good fortune, too. There are many traditions about wedding dates. In China, the couple may see a fortune-teller, who will find a favorable day based on the dates when the bride and groom were born. In the United States today, no special day or month is favorable for weddings. However, June is a popular month. The month of June is named after the Roman goddess Juno. She is the goddess of love and marriage. On the other hand, in some countries, the day of the week is important. For example, in Italy a wedding is usually on a Sunday, but in the United States it is usually on a Saturday.

Many countries around the world use good-luck charms or symbols for good fortune for the bride and to make bad spirits go away. On the wedding day in the United States, brides wear white dresses. Some brides follow the old tradition of wearing "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue". Each "something" has a special meaning. "Something old" symbolizes a connection to the bride's family and the past. "Something new" symbolizes the success and good fortune in the bride's new life. For "something borrowed", the bride borrows something from a friend or family member and then returns it after the wedding. This symbolizes love and support of family and friends. "Something blue" is because the color blue stands for faithfulness.

Likewise, in Norway, a bride wears a white dress. However, some brides may wear a traditional crown. The crown is silver and has charms hanging from it. When the bride walks, the charms make a beautiful sound. The sound is to tell bad spirits to go away. Similarly, in Sweden, there is an old tradition for good luck that some people still follow. The mother of the bride gives her daughter a gold coin for her right shoe. The father of the bride gives her a silver coin for her left shoe.The bride wears the coins in her shoes on her wedding day. In this way, the parents hope she will never be poor.

Brides usually wear white in the West; however, in some Asian countries, brides wear red. Red is the color of happiness, good luck and life. At a Chinese wedding, the bride usually wears a red dress, and sometimes all candles and decorations for the wedding are red too. Similarly, an Indian bride wears a red sari, which is a symbol of life and energy.

In conclusion, there are many different wedding traditions around the world. Most traditions come from long ago when people believed in the power of charms, symbols,and special ceremonies to bring good luck and keep bad luck away. Similarly, people today want to celebrate the newlyweds and wish them good fortune and happiness in their new lives.

Directions:

Fill in each blank of the text summary with an appropriate word from the box. Please note that five words from the list will not be used. Please write the corresponding letter on the answer sheet.

In people's minds, the wedding is a very important thing in one's life. Marriage means responsibility for love and establishment of a new family. There are many different wedding 11. ______ and ceremonies around the world.

标准答案：g

Wedding traditions vary greatly between 12. ______, religions, countries, and social classes.

标准答案：n

It serves the important purpose of bringing good luck or good fortune to the couple. On the wedding day in many countries 13. ______ wear white dresses.

标准答案：d

If you are invited to a German wedding ceremony, there are some customs and traditions of which you should be aware. 14. ______ the wedding day, the friends and family of the bride and groom bring old dishes to break in front of the latter.

标准答案：o

The 15. ______ and groom for married life.

标准答案：h

are then expected to clean them up together showing that they are 16. ______.

标准答案：k

It's also been said that this custom brings good luck to the couple. The wedding date is picked carefully in many countries to bring the couple's good fortune. In China, for example, a 17. ______ will find a favorable day according to the couple' s birthday.

标准答案：f

In the United States, most brides wear white wedding dresses to make bad spirits go away. Some brides wear "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue". Each something has a special 18. ______.

标准答案：b

In Norway, some brides wear a traditional silver crown with 19. ______ hanging from it.

标准答案：e

However, in some Asian countries like China and India,brides wear red 20. ______ happiness, good luck, and life.

标准答案：l

Part III True or False Questions 21-30 are based on Passage 3.(20 points, 2 points each)

Passage 3

Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie? It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21, 000 acres. This protected land is called a preserve. The Florida Park Service manages the preserve.

The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone dissolved and the ground settled. It is covered by marsh and wet prairie vegetation. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it has flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.

Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10000 B. C. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest cattle ranch in Florida was on Paynes Prairie. Today, Paynes Prairie is preserved land. It is occupied by visitors and Florida Park Service employees.

Willam Bartram visited Paynes Prairie. Bartram was the first person who portrayed (described) nature through personal experience as well as scientific observation. He lived 200 years ago. He visited Paynes Prairie in 1774. At that time he described it. He called Paynes Prairie the"great Alachua Savannah."

Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of sand hill cranes, hawks and waterfowl are here in winter. The animal diversity is increased by the presence of pine flat woods, hammock, swamps and ponds.

The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is open year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for recreation. At the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horse trails. And you can see lots of nature and wildlife. You can see Florida as it was in the early days.

Paynes Prairie is a part of our Florida history. It is an example of our Florida natural resources. It is a place for recreation and an important experience of the Real Florida.

Directions:

Read passage 3 carefully and then decide whether statements 21 - 30 are true or false. Write T for true and F for false against the number of the item on your answer sheet.

21. The Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville in Florida. It is large, 20, 100 acres.

1. 标准答案：F

22. The Paynes Prairie basin was formed from dissolved limestone and the ground settling.

1. 标准答案：T

23. The Paynes Prairie is covered by wet prairie grasses.

1. 标准答案：T

24. The Paynes Prairie has changed little through time.

1. 标准答案：T

25. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole God.

1. 标准答案：F

26. There used to be a big cattle farm on Paynes Prairie.

1. 标准答案：T

27. William Bartram was the first person to visit Paynes Prairie.

1. 标准答案：F

28. The underlined word"diversity" means "variety".

1. 标准答案：T

29. The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is only open in summer.

1. 标准答案：F

30. The purpose of the passage is to call on people to protect wildlife.

1. 标准答案：F

Part IV Questions 31 -35 are based on Passage 4. (20 points, 4 points each)

Passage 4 The Loch Ness Monster

In the north of Scotland there is a lake called Loch Ness. It is the biggest lake in Britain. It is over thirty kilometers long and in some places nearly 3,000 meters deep. It is cold and dark and not many people went there until after 1930. Then a road was built around the lake. Visitors began to use the road, and this was when the stories began.

Someone said that he had seen a monster in the lake. He said it was twelve meters long. It had long neck and a small head. Others said the same thing and in 1933 a London doctor took a picture. It looked like a monster with a long neck and a thick body but the picture was not clear. The newspapers printed the picture and called it the Loch Ness monster.

Then the discussion began. Nobody had seen anything clearly and no one had any proof. Some people, however, were certain there was something living in the lake. Others said there was nothing there.

In 1961, a lot of people joined together to make a real effort to see and take pictures of the monster -if there was one! Several times people thought they saw something, but after ten years there was still no proof.

Later, underwater television cameras were used, and even a submarine! But no one found any real proof. However, the submarine did find something interesting, a huge underwater cave. It was big enough to be the home of a monster, but of course, that was no proof either.

In 1975,however, some American scientists formed a search team. They used an underwater camera. It took pictures every seventy seconds. Some of the pictures seemed to show a red-brown animal. Its body was about four meters long, and there was a very strange head at the end of its four-meter neck. Many people then began to believe that Loch Ness had a monster, but even today we cannot be certain.

Directions:

Read Passage 4 and then try to give short answers to Questions 31-35. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.

31. Where is Loch Ness?

1. 标准答案：It is in the north of Scotland.

32. How did people describe the monster?

1. 标准答案：The monster was twelve meters long. It had a long neck and a small head.

33. What did a London doctor do in 1933?

1. 标准答案：He took a picture which looked like a monster,but the picture was not clear.

34. In 1961 a lot of people joined together to try to take pictures of the monster. How long did they keep on trying?

1. 标准答案：They kept on trying for ten years.

35. What an interesting thing did the submarine find?

1. 标准答案：The submarine found a huge underwater cave which was big enough to be the home of a monster.