第二节: 完形填空(共20小题;每小题1.5分,满分30分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意。然后从36-55各题所给的选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The three youths leaned over the metal rails along the sea-wall and watched a few fishermen pull in their nets. About thirty metres away, a boat pulled alongside the slippery steps leading ___36___ to the sea.
“Hey, look!” exclaimed Rahim. “Those two men are ___37___ heavy rocks. I thought we no longer do muscle labour in this technological ___38___.”
“You don’t ___39___ a crane (起重机) to unload less than a dozen rocks, do you?” smiled Joshua.
“But those men don’t ___40___ to have muscles at all,” said Michael, rather surprised. Joshua smiled.
“They are ___41___ laborers who know how to spread the weight of the rocks they ___42___. See how the man positions the rock just at the slope of his ___43___. Some of the rock’s weight is set ___44___ his head, some on the right hand and some on the left hand. His body isn’t bent. His legs are well ___45___.”
“You’re right, Josh. He may have a small build. ___46___ he certainly well knows his job. Dear me! And to think we have been studying ___47___! ” Rahim thought about all that was happening. Suddenly, he said, “Technology won’t ___48___ the human being completely, it appears.”
“I don’t think it will. ” ___49___ Joshua. “You can harvest a crop of potatoes or wheat with one of those large, multi-purpose tractors, but you ___50___ use that equipment to harvest tea leaves and tomatoes, will you?”
“You can get a computer to ___51___ multiple-choice assessments, but you cannot get the computer to produce or assess essays, can you?” asked Michael.
“Well, the washing machine leaves my shirt collar quite as ___52___ as ever—that’s domestic technology for you! ” said Rahim.
“One day, perhaps, there won’t be anybody ___53___ who can carry a large rock the way those men do. It’s not going to be a very ___54___ world, I’m afraid.” Sighed Michael.
“You’re too much of a pessimist (悲观主义者), Mike.” Said Joshua. “___55___ will always be other things that will make the world exciting.”
36. A. through B. across
C. down D. up
37. A. loading B. unloading
C. covering D. uncovering
38. A. way B. revolution
C. process D. era
39. A. ask B. expect
C. attempt D. hope
40. A. happen B. fail
C. have D. seem
41. A. ambitious B. experienced
C. potential D. energetic
42. A. take B. fetch
C. carry D. bring
43. A. shoulder B. back
C. chest D. arms
44. A. on B. against
C. toward D. under
45. A. supported B. grasped
C. placed D. strengthened
46. A. but B. however
C. so D. therefore
47. A. chemistry B. physics
C. biology D. psychology
48. A. control B. affect
C. remove D. replace
49. A. agreed B. proposed
C. refused D. denied
50. A. can’t B. mustn’t
C. won’t D. needn’t
51. A. point out B. take out
C. hand out D. print out
52. A. dirty B. clean
C. old D. new
53. A. caught B. arranged
C. left D. convinced
54. A. exciting B. mysterious
C. technological D. modern
55. A. That B. This
C. They D. There