Ⅰ. Grammar and Vocabulary

Directions:

　　Read the following sentences and choose the BEST answer from A, B, C, and D to complete each sentence. Write the answer on the .

　　1.A student becomes a thinker only when he realizes that most so-called facts are merely ______ claims, each serving its purpose only temporarily.

　　A.pedantic

　　B.authoritative

　　C.dramatic

　　D.provisional

　　D

　　[解析] 句意：只有当学生认识到大多数所谓的事实只是暂时的断言，只是用于暂时达到其目的，他才会成为一名思想家。A项pedantic意为“学究气的，迂腐的”;B项authoritative意为“权威的，有权力的”;C项dramatic意为“戏剧性的，引人注目的”;D项provisional意为“暂时的，临时的”，因此本题的答案为D。

　　2.Granddad would spend hours talking to us youngsters a ……此处隐藏36355个字…… do chores after an exhausting day. The transportation facilities available these days are so versatile that they have reduced the travelling time to a great extent. At the same time, they have improved the connectivity between various destinations.

　　In short, the developments in the 21st century do improve the quality of life in all aspects. People living in past centuries may not live a high-quality life. However, there is no doubt that people who live in the present century are enjoying the benefits of better services in the health, transport and communication sectors.