It’s not easy growing up. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren’t allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel sad, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don’t understand why we can’t stay young forever. But we should take a look back on all the hardships (苦难) in life with a positive attitude and learn from them. We should realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!
Throughout our lives we are going to face many challenges and pains, but we should never let these obstacles keep us from following our dreams. We must overcome every obstacle one small step at a time.
As a young girl, my parents forced me to do so many things that I didn’t like. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music and I also hated them. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched (丰富) my life in so many ways. I now realize that my parents and teachers wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.
We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just part of our life. Think about how we would feel if we had no challenges and lived a life like that. Life would be really boring and meaningless. The future is ours! A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps (碰撞) on our road to success, we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!
1. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. No pains, no gains
B. Growing pains and gains
C. Growing up is a pain
D. Growing up is easy
2. The underlined word “obstacles” (in Paragraph 2) refers to things that _____.
A. make it easy for you to do sth
B. make it difficult for you to do sth
C. make you happy
D. make you full of energy
3. What does the author now think about what her parents did for her in the past?
A. She is angry with them.
B. She is dissatisfied with them.
C. She is thankful to them.
D. She couldn’t forgive them.
4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Growing pains are part of our life.
B. Our growing pains will finally turn into growing gains.
C. We should stop when facing many challenges.
D. Life without challenges is boring and meaningless.
Dogs have long been used to find explosives and drugs．Now，a new study shows that man’s best friend can also help to find lung and breast cancer，researchers report in integrative Cancer Therapies．The findings show that trained ordinary household dogs can detect early—stage lung and breast cancers by smelling the breath samples of patients．
Researchers have found that cancer cells send out molecules different from those of healthy ones，and that might be sensed by smell by the highly sensitive dog’s nose．
For the study，five dogs were trained by a professional instructor to respond differently to breath samples of healthy and cancer patients．“The dogs learned to sit or lie down in front of cancer patient samples and to ignore control samples through the method of food reward，” McCulloch explained．
After a period of training，researchers tested the animals’ability to distinguish cancer patients from controls．The animals were given breath samples from 55 patients with lung cancer，3 1 with breast cancer and 83 healthy controls who were not included in the original training period．
McCulloch’s group found that the dogs were able to correctly distinguish the breath samples of cancer patients from those of the control subjects in about 90 percent of the cases．The dogs were also able to detecting early-stage lung and breast cancers．
“These results show that there is hope for early detection，”McCulloch said．The re-searches are planning to conduct further studies on the breath composition of cancer patients to possibly design an electronic device that can do the dogs’job．“A dog’s nose is so powerful it can detect odors（气味）10 000 to 100 000 times better than a human nose can．I hope people will be interested in doing this research，”McCulloch added，“It shows that there is definitely something out there．”
65．McCulloch and his group used in their research．
A．10 dogs and 55 people B．5 dogs and 86 people
C．10 dogs and 83 people D．5 dogs and 169 people
66．The underlined work “distinguish” means
A．to make somebody feel better B．to recognize differences of
C．to remember somebody forever D．to discomfort somebody
67．We can infer from the passage that ．
A．dogs can smell signs of other cancers except the above two kinds
B．the final goal of the researchers is to design an electronic dog to detect cancer
C．dogs can detect odors 10 000 to 100 000 times better than humans can
D．dogs will soon be widely used to smell signs of cancers in hospitals
68．Which of the following would be the best title？
A．Special Noses of Dogs B．Dogs and Cancer
C．Dogs Smell Signs of Cancer D．McCulloch’S New Discovery
Teeth are important．Strong，healthy teeth help you chew foods that help you grow．They help you speak clearly．And，they help you look your best．Here are some tips for you to take care of your teeth．
1．Brush your teeth on the right way．
Brush your teeth at 1east twice a day—after breakfast and lunch or after sweet snacks，too．
Brush all of your teeth，not just the front ones，Spend time brushing teeth along the sides and back of your mouth．Brush away from your gums，too．
Spend at least three minutes each time you brush．Play a song you like to help pass the time．Get a new toothbrush every three months．When you buy your toothbrush，be sure it has soft bristles（毛）．
2．Learn how to floss your teeth．
Flossing is a very important way to keep your teeth healthy．Food may hide in places where a toothbrush cannot get to，like the space between two teeth．Flossing can help get rid of it．Carefully move floss between two teeth．Up and down．You’11 need to floss your teeth at least once a day．
3．Have good eating habits．
You need to be careful about what you eat and drink。Eating sugar is a major of tooth decay（腐败）．Eating sugar before you go to bed can make things even worse，eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink water instead of soda．
60．The passage is mainly about ．
A．how to take care of your teeth
B．how to brush your teeth
C．how to form good eating habits
D．how to floss your teeth
61．The underlined word “tips” in this passage means ．
A．money given to the waiter for personal services
B．piece of advice on how to do something
C．light blow，tape
D．thin end of something
62．When you brush your teeth．at least minute（s）is necessary．
A．1 B．2 C．3 D．4
63．Which is NOT mentioned in this passage？
A．Flossing your teeth． B．Having good eating habits．
C．Brushing your teeth． D．Going to see the dentist．
64．Which of the following statements is NOT true according to this article？
A．We should brush our teeth at least twice a day．
B．Flossing can help to get rid of the food hidden between two teeth．
C．One of the major causes of tooth decay is eating sugar．
D．We don’t have to brush our teeth if we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables．
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
During my elementary school years，I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany’s mom．
Tiffany’s mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food．Her morn allowed her to do anything she liked．I really admired Tiffany．My mom didn’t give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave my self．1 was annoyed with her．
Whenever I didn’t get what 1 wanted，1 would complain to my mom，Tiffany’s mom would give her that!1 wish she were my mom．”Every time，my mom would calmly say “Poor Tiffany”．
I couldn’t understand her．“She shouldn’t be feeling sorry for Tiffany!”I thought．“She should be feeling sorry for me．”
One day，I couldn’t help saying to Morn，”Poor Tiffany？Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her？”I burst into tears．
My mom sat down next to me and said softly , “Yes，I do feel sorry for her．I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught．”
I looked up at her．“What are you talking about？”
Mom said with care，“One day she will really want something．Maybe she’11 find out that she can’t have it．Her mother won’t always be around to give her money，and what’s more，money can’t buy everything．”
She continued，“I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want．You’11 know how to look for bargains and save money，but she won’t．You’11 under stand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won’t．When Tiffany is a grown woman，she’11 wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you’ve got．Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food．’’
It took some time，but I eventually understood my mom’s words．Now I am a happy and successful woman．
56．During the author’s elementary school years，she ．
A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany’s
B．went to school with Tiffany every day
C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany’s
D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany
57．Why did the author’s mom always say “Poor Tiffany”？
A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor．
B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author．
C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother．
D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany．
58．What do we learn about the author’s mother？
A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent．
B．She cared for other people’s children more than her own．
C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money．
D．She was so poor that she couldn’t give the author much money．
59．What can we infer from the passage？
A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past．
B．The author’s mother felt sorry for Tiffany．
C．Tiffany’s mother took the author’s mother’s advice．
D．The author is thankful to her mother now．
Fish contains lost of omega-3 fatty acids．These fatty acids have been shown to help prevent heart disease，lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of strokes．Researchers suggest that these benefits of eating fish far outweigh the risks of getting sick from contaminated fish．
Ongoing studies find that omega-3 fatty acids work magic on the brain too．Pregnant? Go out and eat fish! One study tracked a group of expectant women who ate more than 340 grams of fish per week．It turns out they gave birth to children who，years later，scored really high on IQ tests．
How can you add fish to your diet? One way to begin is by replacing meat with fish in one meal a week．Instead of frying，which retains more fat，try boiling your fish in an oven or grilling it outdoors．And don’t be afraid to spice up your fish．Garlic，herbs other spices can add wonderful flavors to fish．
For lighter meals，keep a few cans of tuna or other fish on hand at all times．They’re great for making tasty sandwiches or fish burgers．If you get hungry in the middle of the morning or afternoon，try tuna on crackers．It’s hard to find a better snack．And parents，be sure to introduce fish to your children．It’s important for them to get used to eating it at a young age·
67．What does the writer discuss in this passage?
A．Chemicals in popular drinks B．The best way to lose weight
C．Famous fast food restaurants D．Reasons for having seafood
68．What does the writer point out about the women in the study group?
A．They cooked for their husbands． B．They were going to have babies．
C．They grew their own vegetables． D．They lived with elderly parents．
69．What does the author imply about omega-3 fatty acids?
A．They can make kids smarter． B．They are found in most foods．
C．They last for just a few days． D．They create significant risks．
70．Why is grilling better than frying?
A．It’s fancier． B．It’s quicker． C．It’s cheaper． D．It’s healthier．
71．According to the author，when is a good time to have tuna on crackers?
A．At lunchtime． B．During a party．
C．Between meals． D．After midnight．
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow，orange，red? If you do，you must be an optimist，a leader，an active person who enjoys life，people and excitement．Do you prefer grey and blues? Then you are probably quiet，shy and you would rather follow than lead．If you love green，you are strong-minded and determined．You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful．At least this is what psychologists（心理学家）tell us，and they should know，because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference，and the effect that colors have on human beings．They tell us that we don’t choose our favorite color as we grow up．If you happen to love brown，you did so as soon as you opened your eyes，or at least as soon as you could see clearly．
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one，and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day．On the other hand，black is depressing（压抑）．Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active．It is a fact that factory workers work better，harder，and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray．
Remember，then，that if you feel low，you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things．Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike．And don’t forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief．
60．According to this passage， ．
A．one can choose his color preference
B．one is born with his color preference
C．one’s color preference is changeable
D．one has to choose his favorite color as soon as he can see clearly
61．We would pay attention to colors because ．
A．colors do have effect on our moods（情绪）
B．colors may have effect on our work and study
C．light and bright colors make people happy
D．you can know your friends better by the colors they like or dislike
62．The main idea of this passage is ．
A．one’s color preference shows one’s character
B．you can brighten your lire with wonderful colors
C．psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference
D．one’s color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on
human beings
63．The writer believes that in realizing the four modernizations of our country，we need more
people who love ．
A．yellow B．red C．black D．green
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
What if you arrived home to find a delicious hot meal waiting for you，prepared by your very own kitchen robot? It might sound like science fiction，but professors at the university of Tokyo have taken the first steps toward making that scenario a reality．The team recently introduced a humanoid kitchen robot that can pour tea and other drinks into cups and serve them to guests．When teatime is over，the robot can also wash the dishes and put them away．
In California，another interesting kitchen robot has been developed．Called the Ready-bot，it can pick up objects and either store them in cabinets or put them in the trash．It also carries a separate floor-cleaning robot that can operate by itself．Unlike the Japanese robot，Readybot is not humanoid．Instead，it looks more like a large box with arms and wheels．
Readybot was created by engineers and designers who established a club called the Readybot Challenge．They believe that in the future millions of robots will be needed in homes to perform ordinary household tasks．Readybot is just the first step in their plan to create a robot that can tackle jobs not only in kitchens but in other rooms of homes and in offices as well．
Clearly there are technological hurdles to overcome before robots can cook a complete dinner，and there are also many safety concerns．Not everyone（especially parents）would be comfortable with the idea of robots in their house，manipulating hot pans and sharp knives．The European Commission recently funded a project to study these concerns．
56．What does the writer imply about the Japanese robot?
A．It performs fewer functions than readybot can．
B．it looks more like a person than Readybot does．
C．It speaks more languages than Readybot does．
D．It costs 1ess to manufacture than Readybot does．
57．Where do the engineers and designers hope that Readybot will operate in the future?
A．On spacecraft B．In automobiles
C．On playgrounds D．At companies
58．What does the writer imply about parents?
A．They have shown tremendous interest in kitchen robots．
B．They don’t have strong opinions about kitchen robots．
C．They might think that kitchen robots could be dangerous．
D．They can’t wait to buy kitchen robots for their homes．
59．According to the writer，what has the European Commission done for the project?
A．It has built factories B．It has printed manuals
C．It has hired workers D．It has provided money
Why should you learn Sign Language? Do you want to improve your communication with a family member or friend who is deaf? Do you want to be able to communicate with deaf people in general? Would you like to advance in your career by being able to communicate in ASL? Do you want to be a Sign Language interpreter?
Sign language is not just a random (随意的) collection of gestures but a full-blown (完全成熟的) language in its own right, complete with its own grammatical rules. Each country or region has its own sign language, as different from each other as English is from Spanish. Each version of sign language is somewhat linked to the spoken language in its region. For example, American sign language does share similarities with English, even though it is its own language.
The advantages of knowing sign language in addition to a spoken language are many. Communication becomes possible on many levels with the deaf community, with other people either hearing or not in any of the above situations, as well as many more.
While other languages take years to learn, American Sign Language can be taught in a much shorter time period. It is one of the easiest languages to learn because most of the signs were developed to mimic the actual word or phrase it is representing. Even the alphabet signs look like the letters of the English alphabet.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is the third most used language in the United States. Used by the deaf community, interpreters, and friends and family of the deaf. There are a lot of sites on the internet that not only shows you the sign with video, but will help you practice reading signs as well.
Teaching even hearing babies sign language seems to be the fashion in recent years and for good reason. Communicating in sign language is fun and natural as babies naturally use body gestures in early communication. Teaching baby sign language actually appears to enhance the learning of verbal skills and brain development of the children involved.Which two regions share similarities in their sign language?
A. Spain and Britain.
B. Mexico and USA.
C. Australia and Canada.
D. Japan and Korea.Sign language ________.
| A．is a collection of gestures |
| B．is easier to learn than English |
| C．is not very popular in USA |
| D．has no link to the spoken language |
One of the reasons for learning sign language is that it ________.
| A．increase self-confidence |
| B．provides more choices of career |
| C．trains brains |
| D．is interesting |
Babies’ learning sign language cannot ________.
| A．help them talk sooner |
| B．help them walk sooner |
| C．increase communication at a very early age |
| D．enrich relationship with parents and the people who take care of them |
Which of the following topics is not discussed in the passage?
| A．What is sign language? |
| B．The advantages of knowing sign language. |
| C．The relation of American sign language and English. |
| D．Ways of learning sign language. |
Do you like to eat out? Do you like to eat quickly? Do you like inexpensive food? Some people go to fast-food restaurants for these reasons. In the past, people usually went to diners（小餐馆）for these reasons. In fact, many people in the States still go to diners today for the same reasons.
A man named Walter Scott had the first “diner” in 1872. It wasn’t a real diner. It was only a food cart. People on the street walked up to the cart to buy food. These carts served late-night workers who wanted a cup of coffee and a late-night meal. The meal was a sandwich or boiled eggs. In 1887, Samuel Jones built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside. However, they did not sit down. Later, people built diners with counters and stools, and people sat down while they ate.
Before long, many diners stayed open around the clock. In other words, people were able to eat in diner at any time. Diners changed in other ways, too. The original menu of sandwiches and coffee became bigger. It included soup, favorite dishes, and a breakfast menu. In addition, diners soon became permanent buildings. They were no longer carts on wheels.
Diners today look similar to the diners of the early 1900s. They are usually buildings with large windows. Inside, the diners have shining counters with stools, booths, and tables and chairs. People can eat all three meals in a modern diner.
Today, many people eat in fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s and Burger King. However, the diner remains an American tradition, and thousands of people still enjoy eating there. It was popular a century ago, and it is still popular today.
1.A man named Walter Scott had the first “diner” in 1872. Why is the word “diner” in quotation marks(引号)？
A.Because it is spelled differently from “ dinner”
B.Because the first diner was not what it is now
C.Because diner was a new word
D.Because it is a special kind of restaurant
2.What meals did the first diners serve?
A. only breakfast B. Only lunch C. Only night-meals D. All of the above
3.According to paragraph 3, diners changed in __________
A. Two ways B. three ways C. four ways D. five ways
4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Diners existed before a fast-food restaurant
B．The menu included more food than sandwiches and coffee
C．Burger King is a fast-food restaurant
D．Sandwiches became bigger
5.The main idea of the passage is that ______________.
A. The diner is a traditional , popular place to eat in the United States
B.Samuel Johns built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside
C.American diners serve many types of food 24 hours a day to their customers
D.Diners are different from fast-food restaurants in many ways
第三部分阅读理解 （共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分）
阅读下列短文,从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present．On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin （顽童） was walking around the shining car．“Is this your car, Paul?” he asked.
Paul answered, “Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised．“You mean your brother gave it to you and it cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” He hesitated.
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for．He wished he had a brother like that．But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in surprise, and then he said again, “Would you like to take a ride in my car?”
“Oh yes, I’d love that.”
After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said, “Paul, would you mind driving in front of my house?”
Paul smiled a little．He thought he knew what the boy wanted．He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car．But Paul was wrong again．“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked.
He ran up to the steps．Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast．He was carrying his little crippled （残疾） brother． He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs．His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent．And some day I’m going to give you one just like it… Then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas window that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car．The shining-eyed older brother climbed in and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.
56．The street urchin was very surprised when __________．
A．he saw the shining car B．Paul told him about the car
C．he was walking around the car D．Paul received an expensive car
57．From the story we know that the urchin __________．
A．wished to give his brother a car
B．wished Paul’s brother to give him a car
C．wished Paul could be a brother like that
D．wished he could have a brother like Paul’s
58．The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ______.
A．to show he had a rich friend B．to show his neighbors the car
C．to let his brother ride in the car D．to tell his brother about his wish
59．We can infer from the story that __________.
A．Paul couldn’t understand the urchin
B．the urchin’s wish came true in the end
C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother
D．the urchin had a deep love for his brother
60．The best title for the story probably is __________．
A．A Christmas Present B．A Street Urchin
C．A Brother Like That D．An Unforgettable Ride
Bring the Family?
Port Regisis well situated for exploring the beautiful South and West of England and Wales．
The school has excellent hotels and guest houses nearby for parents who are dropping off or collecting their children from the school．
Please note：
All students at
tending English Country Schools must live in the appointed place．
We do not recommend that parents live locally while their child is at school．Experience suggests that this often upsets the child and disturbs progress．
Howard’s．House Country Hotel ＆Restaurant
About l5 minutes from Port Regis School，Howard's House is set in large gardens hidden in
the quietness of the lovely Nadder Valley．
Plumber Manor
Plumer Manor is a comfortable manor house built of local stones，situated about 20 minutes
from Port Regis School．The 17th century house is mounded by lawns and is set in quiet Dorset
countryside．The stream tuns through the grounds．
Woodville Farm Bed＆ Serf-catering
Woodville Farm is a family-runfarm set in the Dorset countryside about 5 minutes from
Port Regis School．Bed and breakfast accommodation：one double bedroom & one twin bedroom
both with bathrooms，tea & coffee making facilities，color television & hairdrye.There is also a
self-catering 2-bedroom bungalow(平房)nearby．
Stock Hill Country House Hotel ＆ Restaurant
Stock Hill Country House Hotel ＆ Restaurant is a late Victorian building set in eleven
acres of mature，beautifully planned grounds on the borders of Dorset，Somerset and Wiltshire．
About 10 minutes from Port Regis School．
60．The passage is main
ly writen for
A．students B．general readers
C．paints D．overseas trayelers
61．Parents are advised not to live locally when children are having classes because ．
A．children are not too excited to be with their parents
B．parents stay with their children for too long
C．their visit makes children uneasy about themselves
D．their stay there affects children’s studies
62．If you prefer to live in a stone house，which hotel would you choose?
A．Plumber Manor．
B．Woodville Farm Bed＆Self-catering
C．Heward House Country Hotel & Restaurant．
D．Stock Hill Country House Hotel & Restaurant．
63．Woodville farm is different from other hotels in that ．
A it is hidden in a large garden B．guests can cook their own food
C．it dates back to Victorian times D．it has a very beautiful country scenery
Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision-making, but in fact they are a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional centre is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasia, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasia thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choice, which we use to help the present decision-making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems that anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation，so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there is one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
1. What does the underlined word “central” mean?
A. in the middle B. easy to reach C. important D. having power
2. Damasia’s study suggests that ________.
A. emotions are the enemy of decision-making.
B. our brain has nothing to do with decision-making.
C. people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds.
D. our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions.
3. According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
A. To think about happy times.
B. To make many decisions at a time.
C. To stop feeling regretful about the past.
D. To learn about the process of decision-making.
4. Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
A. They often forget their past choices. B. They make decisions without much thinking.
C. They tend to save time when shopping. D. They are too angry to bargain.
5. What do we learn from the text?
A. Emotions are a part of decision-making.
B. Sad people always make worse choices.
C. No emotion seems to help us make good choices.
D. Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation.
A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in a garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.
A biodegradable (生物所能分解的) mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle.
Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other plastic and can be hard or soft, and is able to change shape. Over time it can also break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals. British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this new type of cover turns into waste, it forms fertilizers. These feed the seed and help the flower grow.
Engineers have designed a small transparent (透明的) window to hold the seed. They have made sure it only grows when the phone is thrown away. “We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the covers so far. But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time,” said one scientist.
As phone technology is developing so quickly, people are constantly throwing their mobiles away. This means manufacturers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them. Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year. Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment. A biodegradable cover can offer some relief (缓解) for nature , according to the scientists.
“The seed comes out and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it,” said Kerry Kirwan. She leads the research team, which is based at the University of Warwick in Britain.
What is the purpose of this passage?
A. To tell the popularity of biodegradable cell phones.
B. To persuade the reader to buy the biodegradable cell phone.
C. To discuss the development of phone technology.
D. To introduce an environmentally-friendly cell phone to readers.
People throw away their cell phones most probably because _______.
A．there is something wrong with them
B．no sunflowers can grow out of them
C．they are out of fashion
D．they are becoming cheaper and cheaper
It could be learned from the passage that _________.
A．developing the new type of phone is mainly to protect the environment
B．phone-makers will benefit much more from the new type of phone
C．the new type of phone will certainly be popular with users all over the world
D．the phones that can be recycled are available only in Britain now
What might be the best title for this passage?
A．Sunflower and Phone. B．Plant Your Phone.
C．Protect Our Environment. D．No Worry about Phone.
Where can we probably find the passage above?
A. In a novel. B. In a magazine. C. In a textbook. D. In a diary
When nature is left alone, a balance is reached among the animals and plants living in one area. But when man starts his work in nature, the balance is likely to be destroyed. He grows a crop and takes it away to eat; then there are no dead leaves to fall on the ground, holding water while it sinks into the surface, or decaying (腐烂) and adding humus (腐殖质) to the soil. Unless a farmer acts with knowledge and skill, he is therefore most likely to make the land poorer. To take the place of the useful matter in the crops that he removes, he uses some kind of fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are of great help, but the waste products of animals and decaying remains of plants should also be put on the land. In some places, it is a habit to burn waste material lying about, but such burning destroys the useful matter in the dead plants. Although the ashes that are left are valuable when put on the land, a better practice is to bury the waste so that it decays and increases the humus in the soil.
In the past, when the world population was much lower than it is now, a man had little difficulty in ordinary times in growing the food that was needed. When a field had been used some years and had become tired, the farmer could move to another place. The tired land then slowly recovered. Gradually grasses and other plants would appear on it and its productive power would slowly return to normal through their decay. But nature, left alone, would take a long time to bring back the land to its former state; the length of time required would depend on local conditions, but it might well be ten years.
It is a bad practice to grow the same crop in a field year after year. If the crop is changed, the land will suffer less because it is treated and used in a different way. Different plants have different effects on the soil. Therefore, a change of crop will do less harm than the growing of the same crop year after year and a regular change to grass will do good to the soil. Much will therefore be gained if different crops are grown one after another, a method known as the rotation (轮作) of crops.
72. According to the passage, the land will become poorer________.
A. if all the dead leaves are cleared away
B. if the humus is increased after the harvest
C. if dead leaves decay in the soil by themselves
D. if waste plant material lying about is buried
73. We can learn from the passage that the tired land has gradually recovered_______.
A. when grasses and other plants appear again
B. when the treatment is given by nature alone
C. after new grasses and other plants have decayed again
D. after nature has been left alone for several months
74. A modern farmer can hardly move to another place as he did before because_______.
A. the productive power of a new field isn't higher than that of an old one
B. there are few free fields left for him to do farming
C. it takes a farmer more than ten years to start farming in a new field
D. there will be too many grasses in a new field to grow crops
75. It is most likely that the author will go on to ______ in the paragraph following the passage above.
A. introduce other methods of planting crops
B. deal with how to prevent land getting tired
C. start another topic of how to make use of land
D. explain what the rotation of crops is
Farmer Ed Rawlings smiles as he looks at his orange trees. The young oranges are growing well in Florida's weather. Warm sunshine and gentle rains, along with Ed Rawlings' expert care, will produce a good crop of oranges this year.
But Ed has to fight against Florida's changeable winter weather. In January and February, temperatures can destroy Ed's entire orange, crop. Having farmed in Florida for the past 35 years, Ed Rawlings is prepared for the frosts(霜). When temperatures drop below freezing， Ed tries to save his crop by watering his orange trees. The water freezes and forms a thin layer (层)of ice on the trees. Strange as it may sound, this thin layer of ice actually keeps the fruit warm.
What happens is simple. When the trees are watered, the water loses heat and becomes ice. The warmth of the heat it loses is sucked in by the fruit and keeps its temperature at a safe level. Ed Rawlings has effectively used this method(方法)to save many orange crops.
But Ed still faces some difficulties. The trees should be watered at the exact moment the temperature drops to the freezing point. Also, just the right quantity of water must be used. Too much water can form a thick layer of ice that will break the trees' branches. Another difficulty is that wind blows away the heat. So Ed has to worry about not only when but also how often his trees should be watered, and how much water should be used.
Computer technology may help Ed Rawlings with some of these worries. With equipment, air and soil temperatures and wind speed can be measured. The information is fed into a computer which can tell when temperatures drop to freezing. The computer can correctly decide the quantity of water to be used and how frequently the trees should be watered. Ed Rawlings will find looking after his orange trees a lot easier with the help of a computer, and we'll all have the benefits(or advantages)of computer-age oranges.
1. The passage is mainly about _____ .
A.a farmer's expert care for his orange trees
B. the different uses of computers
C. growing oranges in Florida's changeable weather
D. different ways of frost protection
2. Ed tried to protect his crop by _____ .
A. using a wind machine to drive away the cold air
B. equipping his orange trees with a computer
C. watering it at the proper time
D. picking his fruit at the first sign of frost
3. In the writer's eyes, computers _____ .
A.are too expensive for small farmers
B. can be a valuable tool for the farmer
C. can be used to help oranges grow bigger
D. cannot take the place of the farmer's experience and judgement
4. Which of the following is NOT NECESSARY for Ed Rawlings to do?
A. He should water the orange trees as soon as the temperature drops to the
freezing point.
B. He should decide the quantity of water for the orange trees.
C. He has to water the orange trees more often in January and February.
D. He has to judge how often he should water the orange trees.
5. According to the passage, the computer technology can _____ .
A.get rid of the need for frost protection
B. help the farmer get a better harvest
C. tell the farmer why outdoor temperature changes
D. prevent the temperature from dropping to the freezing point
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