When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he would go onto the roof outside his window to see the wonders of the sky.
“What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist,” he says. “I decided to try to find planets orbiting other stars like our Sun.”
And he did. “My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995,” Dr. Marcy says. “We worked for ten years without finding anything! But we stuck with it and our patience paid off.”
Since then, the two scientists have discovered 65 of the more than 100 planets found orbiting other stars. Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler also spotted the first “family” of three planets. In June 2002 they announced another discovery: a Jupiter-like planet orbiting star 55Cancri.
At first, the two researchers found only planets that orbit close to stars. Recently, the scientists found planets farther out. The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.
Why is this important ? Scientists think that life on Earth may exist because of two special features in our solar system. The first is Jupiter.
“Because it’s so big, Jupiter pulls comets and asteroids(小行星), or they all come and hit the Earth.” Dr. Marcy explains. “Without Jupiter , life on Earth would likely have been destroyed.”
A second feature is that Earth is a rocky planet where liquid water, which is necessary for life , can exist. Unlike gas planets, rocky planets like Earth have surfaces where water can gather in pools and seas, which may support life. A huge space exists between the Jupiter-like planet and two other planets that lie close to 55Cancri. Is there an Earth-like planet in the space, too small for us to notice? If so, says Dr. Marcy, “We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!”
【小题1】What can we learn about Dr. Marcy from the passage?
| A．He is fond of watching Jupiter. |
| B．He is from a scientist family. |
| C．He dislikes working with Paul Butler. |
| D．He is interested in finding life in outer space. |
| A．The planet is not as protective as Jupiter. |
| B．The planet is close to star 55Cancri. |
| C．The planet proves to be a gas planet. |
| D．The planet is as large as Jupiter. |
| A．1995 | B．1985 | C．2002 | D．1981 |
| A．he has found the system similar to the solar system. |
| B．he has discovered an Earth-like planet there. |
| C．he has discovered a rocky planet there. |
| D．he has found signs of life in the system |
| A．they felt discouraged | B．they carried on with it |
| C．they failed in their attempt | D．they made some progress |
【小题1】D
【小题2】C
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
【小题5】B
解析试题分析：文章介绍Geoff Marcy从小就对探索太空中的生命感兴趣，他和同事Paul Butler一起努力探索，发现了66个新的行星而且还发现两个和太阳系很相似的星系，从而证明太空有可能有生命的存在。
【小题1】推理判断题。根据第二段的首句“What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist,”可知他对探索太空中的生命感兴趣。选D
【小题2】细节题：根据第五段的最后一句The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.可知这个行星是一个气状体的行星。选C
【小题3】细节题：从第三段的句子：And he did. “My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995,” Dr. Marcy says. “We worked for ten years without finding anything!可知他们是在1995年发现新的行星的，但是他们努力了10年了，所以是1985年开始寻找新行星的，选B
【小题4】推理判断题。根据最后一段的We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!”可推出在太空中可能存在两个类似于太阳系的星系，可能会有生命存在。选A
【小题5】词义理解题：从第三段的句子：“We worked for ten years without finding anything! 可知“But we stuck with it”是“继续”的意思，选B
考点： 考查科普类短文
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Swimming is one of those activities that can be learned early in life. Little children can learn to swim as soon as they walk. In fact, you need the same skills in walking as in swimming. However, I believe that five is the best age to learn. By five or six, a child knows fear of water, a very important thing to know. It's wise to be afraid to recognize true danger. Young ones understand that the water can sometimes be very dangerous.
To really benefit from swimming, every swimmer should learn as soon as possible, these four basic strokes; butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and crawl. I feel that one of these-the breaststroke-is different from the others, since some young swimmers use this stroke naturally, without any training.
In swimming there are certain rules every swimmer should follow:
1. Never swim alone! No matter how good you are in the water, don't risk drowning(溺死) by swimming alone. If you swim by yourself, with no life guards or friends with you, you may get into trouble.
2. Don’t go beyond your abilities. Most swimmers know enough not to swim too far from the bank or the beach. Showing off by doing dangerous tricks is not good.
Swim safely and you will continue to swim and alive.
3. Don’t smoke. Swimming depends on a healthy body; good lungs are part of it.
4. Work at any activity that builds muscles.
【小题1】 Little children can learn to swim as soon as _____.
| A．they can talk | B．they start walking |
| C．they have no fear of the water | D．they are five or six years old |
| A．good | B．sensible | C．dangerous | D．smart |
| A．the water is too cold |
| B．your parents would not be happy |
| C．something in the water might attack |
| D．you might drown |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love (早恋) may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression . The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr Marian Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesti ng school activities and spend enough time with family.
Parents should watch for signs of depression -- eating or mood changes -- and if they see signs from their daughters or sons, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity (成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
【小题1】Which of the following is more likely to have depression?
| A．Young people who have a strong sense of selfishness. |
| B．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions. |
| C．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior. |
| D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love. |
| A．The older a woman is，the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance. |
| B．Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly. |
| C．Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents. |
| D．Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression. |
| A．Confused. | B．Disinterested. |
| C．Scared. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Puppy love may bring young people depression. |
| B．Parents should forbid their children’s love. |
| C．Romance is a two edged sword for adults. |
| D．Romance is good for young people. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
While only about 200 astronauts have had the excitement of looking down at Earth and commanding systems on the International Space Station, actually thousands of everyday middleschool students have experienced by Middle School Students, or EarthKAM, a camera system.
EarthKAM is an educational activity and outreach(扩展)investigation that also results in remote Earth sensing and observation. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera fixed aboard the space station, enabling them to photograph the Earth's coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique advantage point of space.
While EarthKAM offers a powerful way for students to investigate Earth from the unique perspective of space, it is also inspiring the next generation of flight controllers for space programs—involving university students to control and operate the camera system and related activities from the ground.
In the interview, Brion Au, one of the investigation developers at NASA's Johnson Space Centre, said，“EarthKAM is a payload(有效载荷)by students, for students. They are in charge. This system provides a viewpoint that the astronauts have...it's just aweinspiring！”So far, students have captured more than 40,000 photos of the Earth from the space station as it orbited the Earth once every 90 minutes, traveling at 17,500 miles an hour. The team at EarthKAM posts these photographs online for the public and participating classrooms around the world to view.
Au explains that this education investigation is inspiring students to explore the world by examining Earth, while promoting social studies, art, geography, science, technology, and math, among other important lessons involving research and teamwork. EarthKAM was started by Dr. Sally Ride, originally flying on the shuttles. The camera is located in the window Observational Research Facility, also known as the WORF, one of many the station's research facilities.
【小题1】How have thousands of students experienced similar excitement as astronauts?
| A．In the space station. | B．In the spaceship. |
| C．Using a camera system. | D．Teaming up with astronauts. |
| A．Computer. | B．Recorder. | C．Telephone. | D．Radios. |
| A．University students' controlling the camera system. |
| B．University students' operating the camera system. |
| C．University students' related activities from the ground. |
| D．University students' investigating Earth from space. |
| A．The astronauts. | B．The students. |
| C．The investigation developers. | D．The teachers. |
| A．DR.Sally Ride explains the details of EarthKAM |
| B．Why the team at EarthKAM posts these photographs online. |
| C．EarthKAM provides a viewpoint that the astronauts have. |
| D．Brion Au explains the details of EarthKAM. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Pupils remember more and behave better when 3D images are used in lessons, research suggests. They are quicker to learn and absorb new concepts, and display higher levels of concentration.
Professor Anne Bamford, of the University of the Arts, London, studied the effectiveness of 3D content in 15 schools across seven countries, including the UK. Pupils in 3D classes could remember more than those in the 2D classes after four weeks, improving test scores by an average 17 percent compared with eight percent for 2D lessons. They gave more detailed answers to the tasks and were more likely to think in 3D, using hand gestures and mime (模仿动作) to answer the test questions successfully.
The teachers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation and higher engagement in the lessons.
Children are used to 3D with the rise of computer games that use the technology—90 percent of those in the study had seen a 3D film. Schools would need 3D-enabled projectors（投影仪）, laptops with good picture capabilities, 3D software and glasses for children to introduce animations (动作) into classrooms.
But Danny Nicholson, an educationist, said the technology would be impractical to use in schools and could be costly. He said, “While I think the idea of 3D technology is very interesting, I worry that 3D is a bit of an expensive gimmick (小玩意儿). There are a few cases where a true 3D image might help, but most of the time, good 2D models that can be moved , would be just so effective.”
In Colorado, the US, one school district is already in the process of having 1,000 3D projectors fixed in classrooms. And the University of Caledonia, which carries out scientific research into the Lake Tabon Basin, has used 3D presentations with Grade Six pupils. Those who watched the 3D presentations were more engaged and reported a general increase in their interest in science compared with students who watched the 2D version.
【小题1】Danny Nicholson tends to think that .
| A．many pupils prefer 2D models |
| B．3D is a bit expensive for some schools |
| C．true 3D images would not help in classes |
| D．3D technology has a bright future in classes |
| A．3D classes will soon be given in one school district in Colorado. |
| B．Teachers will use the 3D technology through specific training. |
| C．Many pupils are now more interested in science than before. |
| D．3D technology will replace 2D models in the future. |
| A．2D models are always more effective than 3D images. |
| B．The differences between 3D and 2D images. |
| C．How schools can make full use of 3D technology. |
| D．Pupils behave better when 3D images are used in classes. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphones, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic(怀旧的)skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching,many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful-----both in school and in life.
Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.
Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks----both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.
In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to how well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.
Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe (转换) “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot(发现) spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct them over time.
“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”
【小题1】What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?
| A．Theabsenceofblackboardsinclassrooms. |
| B．Theuseofnewtechnologiesinteaching. |
| C．Thelackofpracticeinhandwriting. |
| D．Thepopularuseofsmartphones. |
| A．focusedonthedifferencebetweenwritingbyhandandonacomputer. |
| B．indicatedthatstudentsprefertowritewithapenandpaper. |
| C．foundthatgoodessaysaremadeupoflongsentences. |
| D．discussedtheimportanceofwritingspeed. |
| A．Spellingimprovesone’smemoryofwords. |
| B．Spellingabilityiscloselyrelatedtowritingability. |
| C．Spellingbenefitsthetranslationfromwordsintoideas. |
| D．Spellingslowsdownfindingexactwordstoexpressideas. |
| A． Window. | B．Soul | C．Picture. | D．Imagination. |
| A．Computerscanhelppeoplewiththeirchoiceofwords. |
| B．Spellcheckscantaketheplaceofspellingteaching. |
| C．Handwritingstillhasaplaceintoday’sclassrooms. |
| D．Functionalspellingabilitydevelopsfastinthefifthgrade. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Three years ago I listened to a lecture on cognition that changed the way I think about intelligence. There are two types of cognition, and the first is normal cognition the ability to regain knowledge from memory. The second type of cognition is metacognition(元认知) the ability to know whether or not you know.
Does this affect intelligence? In traditional education, intelligence is measured by cognitive ability. Some people can easily produce everything they know on a test. But others are awarded with poor grades and considered inferior (not as good as). But does this inability make them any less intelligent? If the question came up on a task, they could refer to a book or a quick Google search. In reality they’re just as effective as the people that ace a test. They just can’t prove it as easily.
Metacognition is more important to success than cognition. A person with poor cognitive ability, but great metacognitive ability might do poorly in school, but when faced with a challenge, they understand their abilities and take the best course of action. For example, when faced with a question, a person with strong metacognitive ability will deal with it like this. If he knows the answer, but can’t come up with it, he can always do a bit of research. If he knows for sure that he doesn’t know, then he can start educating himself. Because he’s aware of his ignorance, he doesn’t act with foolish confidence. These people might not seem intelligent at first glance, but because they know what they know, they make better decisions and learn the most important things.
However, people with great cognitive ability but poor metacognitive ability may be considered excellent at a young age for acing every test and getting great SAT scores. Unfortunately, they’ve been ruined by poor metacognition they think they know everything but they really don’t. They are arrogant (overconfident), fail to learn from mistakes, and don’t understand the slight differences of personal relationships, showing disregard for persons with lower cognitive ability. They may make the worst decisions.
The most important mental power is the ability to know what you don’t know .The recognition of a fault is the first step to improvement. Don’t try to hide a lack of knowledge. For intelligent people this is the toughest lesson to learn.
【小题1】People with great cognitive ability tend to ______________.
| A．do well in tests |
| B．be considered inferior |
| C．be more effective than others |
| D．do research when faced with a task |
| A．starting educating himself |
| B．taking action during the course |
| C．making the right decision |
| D．coming up with many ideas |
| A．lack basic moral values |
| B．have improper self evaluation |
| C．fail to communicate with others |
| D．show little respect for others |
| A．intelligence is measured by cognitive ability |
| B．cognition is the most important mental power |
| C．the toughest lesson is to distinguish the two types of cognition |
| D．the awareness of one’s ignorance contributes to one’s improvement |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
WASHINGTON(Reuters)?People who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer (胰腺癌), an unusual but deadly cancer, researchers reported on Monday.
People who drank mostly fruit juice instead of sodas did not have the same risk, the study of 60,000 people in Singapore found.
“Sugar may be to blame but people who drink sweetened sodas regularly often have other poor health habits,” said Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study.
“The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin(胰岛素) in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth,” President said in a statement.
Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Pereira and his colleagues said they followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore—Chinese Health Study for 14 years.
Over that time, 140 of the volunteers developed pancreatic cancer. Those who drank two or more sweetened soft drinks a week had an 87 percent higher risk of being among those who got pancreatic cancer.
Pereira said he believed the findings would apply elsewhere.
“Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent healthcare. Favorite pastimes(消遣) are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries.” he said.
But Susan Mayne of the Yale Cancer Center at Yale University in Connecticut was cautious.
“Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it was a causal(因果的) connection or not.” Said Mayne, who serves on thee board of the journal, which is published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest form of cancer, with 230,000 cases globally. In the United States, 37,680 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in a year and 34, 290 die of it.
【小题1】We can infer from Pereira’s word that_________
| A．the healthcare in Singapore should be greatly improved |
| B．2 soft drinks a day are considered harmful to health |
| C．87 out of 140 volunteers developed pancreatic cancer |
| D．sugar might not be the only cause of pancreatic cancer. |
| A．Satisfied | B．Doubtful | C．Worried | D．Hopeful |
| A．The Deadliest Forms of Cancer |
| B．Drink Fruit Juice Instead of Sodas |
| C．A Study in University of Minnesota |
| D．Sugary Soft Drinks Lead to Cancer |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic (流行病) sweeping across Americas farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country's farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. National agricultural census (普查) figures show that the fastest-growing group of farmers is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.
Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture. Aside from trying to stop the graying of America's farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No.1 on a list of "useless" college degrees. Top federal agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.
“There couldn't be anything that's more incorrect," Merrigan said. "We know that there aren't enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.
In addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050, she said.
“I truly believe we're at a golden age of agriculture. Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows," said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau. "Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture”.
The Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food. The National Young Farmers' Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new fermers.
Ryan Best, president of Future Fanners of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture. The 21 -year-old Best hopes his message-that this is a new time in agriculture-will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics.“Never before have we had the innovations (创新）in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been” he said. “There’s really a place for everybody to fit in”
【小题1】What is the new challenge to American agriculture?
| A．Fewer and older farmers. | B．Higher fuel prices. |
| C．More natural disasters. | D．Lower agricultural output. |
| A．To draw federal agriculture officials' attention |
| B．To select qualified agriculture graduates. |
| C．To clarify a recent blog posting. |
| D．To talk more students into farming careers |
| A．the government will cover production costs |
| B．global food supplies will be even lower |
| C．investment in agriculture will be profitable |
| D．America will increase its food export |
| A．To re-analyze the result of the national census. |
| B．To increase production. |
| C．To bring down the average age of farmers. |
| D．To invest more in agriculture. |
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