Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.

After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthquake scientists had good news to report; The damage and death toll (死亡人数) could have been much worse.

More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity that shook America in 1988 claimed 25,000 victims:

Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the citys highways. In addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the citys buildings and highways, making them more resistant to quakes.

Despite the good news, civil engineers arent resting on their successes. Pinned to their drawing boards are blueprints (蓝图的) for improved quake-resistant buildings. The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.

In the past, making structures quake resistant meant firm yet flexible materials, such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports, called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquakes vibrations. When the ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.

The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.

31. One reason why the loss of lives in the Los Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that _______?
A) new computers had been installed in the buildings
B) it occurred in the residential areas rather than on the highways
C) large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holiday
D) improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways

32. The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to _______.
A) counterbalance an earthquakes action on the building
B) predict the coming of an earthquake with accuracy
C) help strengthen the foundation of the building
D) measure the impact of an earthquakes vibrations

33. The smart buildings discussed in the passage _______.
A) would cause serious financial problems
B) would be worthwhile though costly
C) would increase the complexity of architectural design
D) can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes

34. It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing the damage caused by earthquakes attention should be focused on _______.
A) the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital construction
B) the development of flexible building materials
C) the reduction of the impact of ground vibrations
D) early forecasts of earthquakes

35. The authors main purpose in writing the passage is to _______.
A) compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the U. S.
B) encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computers.
C) outline the history of the development of quake-resistant building materials.
D) report new developments in constructing quake resistant building.

Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

Even plants can run a fever, especially when theyre under attack by insects or disease. But unlike humans, plants can have their temperature taken from 3,000 feet away straight up. A decade ago, adapting the infrared (红外线) scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites, physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress. The goal was to let farmers precisely target pesticide (杀虫剂) spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field, which invariably includes plants that dont have pest (害虫) problems.

Even better, Paleys Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye. Mounted on a plane flown at 3,000 feet at night, an infrared scanner measured the heat emitted by crops. The data were transformed into a color-coded map showing where plants were running fevers. Farmers could then spot-spray, using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide than they otherwise would.

The bad news is that Paleys company closed down in 1984, after only three years. Farmers resisted the new technology and long-term backers were hard to find. But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce, and refinements in infrared scanning, Paley hopes to get back into operation. Agriculture experts have no doubt the technology works. This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States, says George Oerther of Texas A&M. Ray Jackson, who recently retired from the Department of Agriculture. He thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade. But only if Paley finds the financial backing which he failed to obtain 10 years ago.

36. Plants will emit an increased amount of heat when they are _______.
A) sprayed with pesticides
B) facing an infrared scanner
C) in poor physical condition
D) exposed to excessive sun rays

37. In order to apply pesticide spraying precisely, we can use infrared scanning to _______.
A) estimate the damage to the crops
B) measure the size of the affected area
C) draw a color-coded map
D) locate the problem area

38. Farmers can save a considerable amount of pesticide by _______.
A) resorting to spot-spraying
B) consulting infrared scanning experts
C) transforming poisoned rain
D) detecting crop problems at an early stage

39. The application of infrared scanning technology to agriculture met with some difficulties -- _______.
A) the lack of official support
B) its high cost
C) the lack of financial backing
D) its failure to help increase production

40. Infrared scanning technology may be brought back into operation because of _______.
A) the desire of farmers to improve the quality of their produce.
B) growing concern about the excessive use of pesticides on crops
C) the forceful promotion by the Department of Agriculture
D) full support from agricultural experts

Part III Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)

Directions: There are 30 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the ONE answer that best completes the sentence.

41. The medicine is on sale everywhere. You can get it at _______ chemists.
A) each
B) some
C) certain
D) any

42. You cannot be _______ careful when you drive a car.
A) very
B) so
C) too
D) enough

43. In general, the _____ amount that a student spends for housing should be held to one-fifth of the total for living expenses.
A) acceptable
B) advisable
C) available
D) applicable

44. Every man in this country has the right to live where he wants to, _______the　color of his skin.
A) with the exception of
B) in the light of
C) by virtue of
D) regardless of

45. Housewives who do not go out to work often feel they are not working to their full_______.
A) capacity
B) strength
C) length
D) possibility

46. I hate people who _______ the end of film that you havent seen before.
A) reveal
B) rewrite
C) revise
D) reverse

47. Hes watching TV? Hes _______ to be cleaning his room.
A) known
B) supposed
C) regarded
D) considered

48. The old couple decided to ________ a boy and a girl though they had three children of their own.
A) adapt
B) bring
C) receive
D) adopt

49. The government is trying to do something to _______ better understanding between the two countries.
A) raise
B) promote
C) heighten
D) increase

50. The newspaper did not mention the _______ of the damage caused by the fire.
A) range
B) level
C) extent
D) quantity

51. The soldier was _____ of running away when the enemy attacked.
A) scolded
B) charged
C) accused
D) punished

52. Had he worked harder, he _______ the exams.
A) must have got through
B) would have got through
C) would get through
D) could get through

53. Only under special circumstances _______ to take make up tests.
A) are freshmen permitted
B) freshmen are permitted
C) permitted are freshmen
D) are permitted freshmen

54. I had just started back for the house to change my clothes _______ I heard voices.
A) as
B) when
C) after
D) while

55. It seems oil _______ from this pipe for some time. Well have to take the machine apart to put it right.
A) had leaked
B) is leaking
C) leaked
D) has been leaking

56. When he arrived, he found _______ the aged and the sick at home.
A) none but
B) none other than
C) nothing but
D) no other than

57. The pressure _______ causes Americans to be energetic, but it also puts them under a constant emotional strain.
A) to compete
B) competing
C) to be competed
D) having competed

58. Your hair wants _______. Youd better have it done tomorrow.
A) cut
B) to cut
C) cutting
D) being cut

59. As teachers we should concern ourselves with what is said, not what we think _____.
A) ought to be said
B) must say
C) have to be said