高考英语阅读理解·附详解(09)

A

Toyota Motor Corp, Japan’s biggest carmaker, said on Friday it will recall 1,489 Lexus sedans (高级轿车) sold in China. "It will take us some time to ship the fuel tanks and vent pipes to China to change those in these Lexus sedans for customers free of charge, if problems are found," said Yang Hongjian, a spokes- woman of Toyota’s China representative office.

The expected recall will affect Lexus LS430 sedans made in Japan from July 29, 2003 to January 14, 2004, the repre­sentative office said in a statement. Toyota has not received complaints from Chinese customers, according to the state­ment. The move will be part of Toyota’s global recall of 18,200 Lexus LS430s. It will be the third car recall in China in two weeks. Although automobile recall is a common prac­tice in developed markets, it remains new to Chinese customers. The Chinese government published long-awaited automo­bile recall rules on March 15, which will be officially carried out at the beginning of October.

China’s auto market is forecast to reach 10 million units by 2010. Automakers, especially Chinese producers, will face greater pressure from automobile recalls, which could be very costly sometimes, and should be in full preparations, accord­ing to the expert. The Japanese carmaker sold 1, 549 Lexus vehicles on the Chinese mainland during the first five months of this year, according to Yang. Lexus sales on the mainland reached 4,000 units last year, up from 1,600 units in 2002. (China Daily July 3, 2004)

1. What can we learn from the text?

A. Chinese customers are not satisfied with Toyota Lexus LS430 sedans.

B. Chinese car market has seen car recalls three times so far.

C. Toyota will have a worldwide recall of Lexus LS430 sedans.

D. Toyota Motor start to recall Lexus Sedans due to the problems with fuel tanks.

2. The carmakers were unwilling to recall their cars in the past mainly because ______.

A. they were not fully prepared

B. they couldn’t afford the cost for their car recalls

C. their products could not meet the required standard

D. there were no related rules and little pressure

3. It is implied in the passage that ______.

A. sales of homemade automobiles will grow even faster

B. automobile recalls will take place in China more fre­quently

C. China’s car market is forecast to be the biggest by 2010 in the world

D. Toyota is likely to sell the most Lexus Sedans in China in the future

4. Which of the following is the best tide of this passage?

A. Toyota to Recall Its Lexus Sedans Sold in China

B. China Prepares to Recall Cars

C. The Problems in China’s Car Market

D. Costly Japanese Car Recalls

B

The A-level question Have 22 continuous years of rises in A-level pass rate made the exam worthless? David Miliband, the minister for School Standards, insists the answer is a firm " no". And he said it was wrong that " more will mean worse and more educa­tion for more people will mean lower standards". Figures show that — despite the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent — only 22,000 out of 600,000 18-year-olds gain three A-grade pas­ses. Put another way, that means — in a primary class of 30 pupils — only one will get three A-grades. The center right Bow Group, in a pamphlet published today, however, says nine out of ten scholars believe A-grades have been devalued over the past ten years.

Two inquiries (调查) — both set up by the Government’s exams watchdogs — one of which included in­dependent teaching experts, refused to accept that there had been any " dumping down" of A-level standards. But while they conclude that the exam questions have not become easier, changes in examining methods have almost certainly made it easier to gain top-grade passes.

As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000, students sit six different types of exams to make up an A-level during the course of their two years of study. Only 20 per cent of the marks are set for the end-of-term exam. This makes it easier for teachers to help their pupils with the right answers.

Mr Miliband said yesterday, " My argument is not that to­day ‘s generation of pupils are cleverer than their parents; it is that schools and teachers are getting better at getting the best out of them. "

5. From the writer’s point of view, the rise in A-grades to 21. 6 per cent shows ______.

A. it is generally thought more education means lower standards

B. the rise in the A-level pass rate has made the exam worthless

C. the quality of the 18-year-olds has become lower

D. it is still hard for the general pupils to get three A-grade passes

7. The underlined word " they" in the second paragraph refers to ______.

A. the exams watchdogs                        B. the independent teaching experts

C. the A-level standards                         D. the two inquiries

7. As a result of the exams shake-up introduced in 2000 ______.

A. the pass rate for A-levels was set to rise continuously

B. the exam became easier than it had been before 2000

C. pupils could have many more choices of test after 2000

D. it soon became popular with teachers and pupils

8. What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. How reliable and effective the A-level grading system is.

B. How the A-level system helps universities select pupils.

C. How the pass rate has been increased in recent years.

D. How the A-level grading system has changed over the years.

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