D. The burning of fossil fuels is one of the largest sources of air pollution.

46. According to the passage, the word "hybrid" refers to ______.

A. a high-tech discovery B. energy saving

C. a new invention D. a combination of two things

47. "Regenerative breaking" is an important process of the hybrid car because ______.

A. it allows the car to come to a quick stop

B. it gives the driver a smoother ride

C. it produces energy to charge the battery

D. it can control the speed of the car

48. Which of the following is right about the EPA?

A. They have designed hybrid cars to reduce air pollution.

B. They have declared the burning of fossil fuels to be illegal.

C. They set important guidelines that help control pollution.

D. Their main purpose is to protect endangered plants and animals.

C

"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief ,and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn't attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately, most attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours," and "Everyone has the right to express his opinion, " are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another's opinion is likely to be branded intolerant (不容异己的，偏执的).

Is that label accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another's opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend "What do you think of the new Ford cars?" And he may reply, "In my opinion, they're ugly." In this case ，it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. For it's obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, "It's pointless to argue about matters of taste."

But consider this very different use of the term. A newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversial (有争议的)case. Obviously the justices did not share their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their considered judgment ,carefully arrived at after thorough investigation and consideration.

Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence.

Is everyone free to express his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed .We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others.

49. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the author?

A. Everyone has a right to hold his own opinion.

B. Free expression of opinions often leads to confusion.

C. Most people tend to form their opinions carelessly.

D. Casual use of the word "opinion" often causes quarrels.

50. According to the author, who of the following would be regarded as intolerant?

A. Someone who turns a deaf ear to others' opinions.

B. Someone who can't put up with others' tastes.

C. Someone who values only their own opinions.

D. Someone whose opinion harms other people.

51. The new Ford cars are quoted as an example to show that ______.

A. it is foolish to criticize a famous brand

B. one should not always agree to others' opinions

C. personal tastes are not something to be challenged

D. it is unwise to express one's likes and dislikes in public

52. Considered judgment is different from personal preference in that ______.

A. it is stated by judges in the court

B. it reflects public like and dislikes

C. it is a result of a lot of argument

D. it is based on careful thought

D

It is pretty much a one-way street. While it may be common for university researchers to try their luck in the commercial world, there is very little traffic in the opposite direction. Pay has always been the biggest deterrent as people with families often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university job. For some industrial scientists, however, the attractions of academia (学术界)outweigh any financial considerations.

Helen Lee took a 70% cut in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical department at the University of Cambridge. Her main reason for returning to academia mid-career was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose research questions .Some areas of inquiry have few prospects of a commercial return, and Lee's is one of them.

The influence of a salary cut is probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of a career. Guy Grant, now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the University of Cambridge, spent two years working for a pharmaceutical company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher. He took a 30% salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual opportunities.

Higher up the ladder, where a pay cut is usually more significant, the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in industry is forcing universities to make the transition (转换)to academia more attractive, according to Lee. Industrial scientists tend to receive training that academics do not, such as how to build a multidisciplinary team, manage budgets and negotiate(谈判)contracts. They are also well placed to bring something extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job when they graduate, says Lee, perhaps experiencein manufacturing practice or product development. "Only a small number of undergraduates will continue in an academic career. So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than someone who has spent all their time on a narrow research project."

53. By "a one-way street" in Paragraph One, the author means. ______

A. university researchers know little about the commercial world

B. there is little exchange between industry and academia

C. few industrial scientists would quit to work in a university

D. few university professors are willing to do industrial research

54. The underlined word "deterrent" most probably refers to something that ______

A. keeps someone from taking action B. helps to move the traffic

C. attracts people's attention D. brings someone a financial burden

55. Guy Grant chose to work as a researcher at Cambridge in order to ______

A. do more financially rewarding work

B. raise his position in the academic world

C. enrich his experience in medical research

D. exploit better intellectual opportunities

56. What contribution can industrial scientists make when they come to teach in a university?

A. Increase its graduates' competitiveness in the job market.

B. Develop its students' potential in the research work.