Amelia Earhart's (1897-1937) childhood was not the typical girl's. She liked nothing better than to explore
the banks of the Missouri River, where she climbed trees and hunted rats with her rifle (步枪). She also built
her own roller coaster (过山车).
     The exciting life of the American aviation (航空) pioneer is dramatized in the movie Amelia, which is due
to come out on October 23.
     After Earhart paid a pilot $1 to take her up for a short fly in his plane, aviation became her love and career. 
     As she later explained, "Never do things others can do and will do, if there are things others cannot do or
will not do."
     Earhart found herself a flying teacher and started to 1earn to fly. She took all sorts of jobs to pay for the
lessons and to buy a second-hand plane on her 24th birthday.
     In 1932, Earhart flew solo (单人的) across the Atlantic. She became the first woman to make the solo
crossing. She also made a flying suit for women and went on to design other clothes for women who led
active lives. "Now and then women should do for themselves what men have already done-occasionally what
rnen have not done-thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward
greater independence of thought and action," she said．
     When she was nearly 40, Earhart was ready for a final challenge-to be the first woman to fly around the
world. However, in mid-night, she and her navigator (导航员) disappeared in bad weather. 
     Earhart will be forever remembered as a brave pioneer for both aviation and for women.

1. According to the passage, which of the f0110wlng statements is true?

A. A movie about Earhart's exciting life has come out.
B. Earhart never did things others could and would do.
C. Earhart's love for aviation carne after she new a plane for a short time.
D. In Earhart's opinion, women should think and act more independently.

2. The underlined word in paragraph 2 means _____.

A. presented
B. adopted
C. published
D. created

3. From the passage we can know that _____.

A. Earhart showed rnost interest in adventure trips to the Missouri River during her childhood
B. Earhart's ambition was to fly across the Atlantic
C. Earhart challenged herself constantly
D. Besides flying, Earhart also designed planes and clothes

4. You can probably find this article in _____.

A. a booklet
B. a newspaper
C. a guide book
D. an advertisement

     Barack Obama makes his first trip to Asia as president this week, leaving behind a host of domestic
problems with the visit that recognizes the region's economic and diplomatic importance. "Obama's trip
includes stops in Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea, and his message will be simple," says Nicolas
Lardy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, "Well, I think his broadest objective is to
convince Asians that the United States is fully committed to the region that we have an agenda that's much
broader than they saw over the past eight years of the very heavy focus on counter terrorism."
     Obama's first stop is Japan, where he meets with the new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama who has
promised to steer a diplomatic course more independent of Washington. While Japan is seen as a getting-to-
know-you stop, when Obama heads to the Singapore for the APEC meeting, he will likely face pressure on
trade. "Many Asians are concerned about what US trade policy will be, and they've been somewhat alarmed
by the fact that the president really hasn't set out very much revision for what US trade policy is in his
administration."
     But the critical leg of the trip will come in China, his third stop where Obama will have to navigate the
complex relationship with the country that is the largest holder of US debt. "As you say, you know, if you
owe the bank one dollar, it's your problem, if you owe the bank, you know, 3 million dollars, it's the bank's
problem, so it's similar with China. I mean they have no interest in trying to use the influence with us, because
eventually, they're the one that they own all those dollars."
     Also on the table will be North Korea and Iran's nuclear ambitions as well as cooperation on Afghanistan.
     With Obama enjoying sky high popularity ratings in the countries he is visiting, concrete results may be
beside the point, given that Obama is still in his firs office, analysts say this trip is mostly about laying the
ground work for the future. 

1. From the second paragraph, we can infer that _____.

A. Japan and Singapore will give America some pressure on trade
B. Japan has not been the closest friend of America
C. Japan decides not to rely on America too much
D. Japan is concerned about what US trade policy will be

2. The word "leg" in the third paragraph probably means _____.

A. the two long parts of your body that your feet are joined to
B. one of the parts of a football match that is played in two halves
C. a part of a long journey or process that is done one part at a time
D. one of the upright parts that supports a piece of furniture

3. What can you infer about China's relation with America in the third paragraph?

A. It will hurt China if the value of the dollar falls.
B. China will sell all its shares in US national debt.
C. China is US's overseas bank where US can borrow money.
D. China will not be the largest debt holder of US.

4. The author develops the passage mainly _____.

A. by cause and effect
B. by examples
C. by order in time
D. by comparison

     A new weapon is on the way in the fight against smoking in Europe. Soon when smokers buy cigarettes,
they might see a shocking photo of a blackened lung or a cancer patient staring back at them from the packet.
     Some boys may think of smoking as cool and sexy. Their friends won't agree when they see their packets
of cigarettes lying on the table.
     The European Union announced on October 22, that it had chosen 42 photos that showed the damage
cigarettes could do to the body. It called on member nations to put these pictures on packets to discourage
young smokers.
     To catch the attention of teenagers, the special packets warn of long-term medical dangers, like cancer.
Short-term effects, like bad skin, are also on the list.
     "The true fact of smoking is disease, death and horror. That is the message we should send to the young,"
said David Byrne, an EU health official. "Hopefully these pictures will shock students out of their love for
cigarettes."
     The EU head office hoped the pictures would work better than current written warnings on packs of
cigarettes. The warning included "smoking kills" and "smoking can lead to a slow and painful death".
     So far, Ireland and Belgium have shown interest in the photos. Canada has used similar pictures and
warnings on cigarette packs since 2000. The country has recently seen a fall in the number of smokers.
     According to studies, smoking is the single biggest cause of avoidable death in EU. Every year more
than 650,000 smokers die, more than one person a minute.

1. What would be the best title for the text?

A. New Ways to Stop Smoking.
B. Pictures to Shock Smokers.
C. New Packets of Cigarettes.
D. Dangers of Smoking.

2. Which of the following is NOT the true fact of smoking?

A. Disease.
B. Death.
C. Horror.
D. Happiness.

3. We can learn from the text that _____.

A. the EU countries have put the new warning method into practice
B. only a small number of the EU countries have used the new warning method
C. the new warning method has worked in some EU countries
D. countries in the EU still use the old warning method

4. Which country is most successful in stopping smoking?

A. Ireland.
B. Belgium.
C. Canada.
D. EU.

5. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggests that _____.

A. it's hard to stop smoking in EU
B. deaths caused by smoking could have been avoided
C. smoking is the biggest cause of deaths in EU
D. EU has the largest number of deaths caused by smoking

     Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer
interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
     Recently, two researchers, Jose Milan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic school in Lausanne,
Switzerland, demonstrated (展示) a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.
     In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right band. He
could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
     "Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to
give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals
from reaching the muscles," Tavella says. "Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external
world and also to control devices."
     The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp (头
皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized
wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react
to commands from the brain.
     Prof. Milan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain
signals and turns them into simple commands. "The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled
people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this
wheelchair." 
     He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology
they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.

1. BCI is a technology that can _____.

A. help to update computer systems
B. link the human brain with computers
C. help the disabled to recover
D. control a person's thoughts

2. How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?

A. By controlling his muscles.
B. By talking to the machine.
C. By moving his hand.
D. By using his mind.

3. Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?

A. scalp→computer→cap→wheelchair
B. computer→cap→scalp→wheelchair
C. scalp→cap→computer→wheelchair
D. cap→computer→scalp→wheelchair

4. The team will test with real patients to _____.

A. make profits from them
B. prove the technology useful to them
C. make them live longer
D. learn about their physical condition

5. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A. Switzerland, the BCI Research Center
B. New Findings About How the Human Brain Works
C. BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled
D. Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries

     GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)-A fish that lives in mangrove swamps (红树沼泽) across the Americas
can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted (适应) to land millions of years
ago, a new study shows.
     The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty
nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living
place dries up, they live on the land in logs (圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered
Lands Program in Florida.
     The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group
together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.
     The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.
     "We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out," Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala
by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early
next year.
     In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
     Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast
Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can
live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the
Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada's University of
Guelph.
     Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
     "These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began
making the transition (过渡) form water onto land," Wright said.

1. The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that ______.

A. likes eating nuts
B. prefers living in dry places
C. is the longest living fish on earth
D. can stay alive for two months out of water

2. Who will write up a report on mangrove Rivulus?

A. Patricia Wright.
B. Researchers in Guatemala.
C. Scientists from Belize.
D. Scott Taylor.

3. According to the text, lungfish can ______.

A. breathe through its skin
B. move freely on dry land
C. remain alive out of water
D. be as active on land as in water

4. What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?

A. It was made quite by accident.
B. It was based on a lab test of sea life.
C. It was supported by an American magazine.
D. It was helped by Patricia Wright.

     Thousands of people living in the Chinese capital will celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year by
heading for the ski resorts (滑雪场). Never mind that Beijing's dry weather seldom produces. Now it is
cold enough in winter for snow-making machines to make a covering for the hills north to the capital.
And the rapid growth of a pleasure-seeking middle class has formed the basis for this new craze (热潮).
     Since Beijing's first ski resort was opened ten years ago, the sport has enjoyed an astonishing increase.
There are now more than a dozen resorts. Clothes markets in the city have added bright colored ski suits
to their winter collections. Mr. Wei, a manager of a newly-opened ski resort in Beijing, sees the growth
of an industry that could soon lead Chinese to head for the ski resorts of Europe. In recent years ski resorts
offering natural snow have opened in China. But many are in faraway areas of the country and can't really
match the equipment and services of some ski resorts in Europe.
     Beijing's skiing craze is partly a result of the recent increase in private (私有的) cars. This has led to
the growth of a leisure industry in the capital's suburbs (郊区), which until the late-1990s were unreachable
to ordinary people. According to Mr. Wei, about 40％ of the visitors go to his resort. Some in their own
cars, the rest are bused in by schools, businesses or government offices.
     The problem is making money. Starting ski resort requires quite a lot of money: hiring land from the local
government, preparing the hills, buying snow machines, making sure there are enough water and electricity
to run them, and buying ski equipment for hiring out to customers. The ski resort where Mr. Wei works
cost nearly $4m to set up. And, as so often in China when someone comes up with a good idea, many others
rush in and price wars break out. Beijing now offers some of the cheapest ski training classes in the world,
though with most people rather new to the sport, expecting a few more doing the same job.

1. What does this text mainly talk about?

A. Convenience for skiers brought about by private cars
B. Skiing as a new way of enjoying one's spare time
C. Things to be considered when starting a ski resort
D. A sudden increase of ski training classes in Beijing

2. Why are some Chinese likely to go skiing in Europe?

A. To visit more ski areas
B. To ski on natural snow
C. For a large collection of ski suits
D. For better services and equipment

3. The underlined words "leisure industry" in Paragraph 3 refer to _____.

A. transport to ski resorts
B. production of family cars
C. business of providing spare time enjoyments
D. part-time work for people living in the suburbs

4. What is the main problem in running a ski resort?

A. Difficulty in hiring land
B. Lack of business experience
C. ski resorts.
D. Shortage of water and electricity

     VINCOUVER (Reuters)-South Korea's Kim Yuna can finally relax and doesn't need to think about the future
after she won the gold medal in the women's figure skating (花样滑冰) on Thursday.
     The 19-year-old was the overwhelming (压倒性的) favorite to finish top of the podium (颁奖台) but said
the pressure going into the event was large.
     "I feel now as if a huge burden has been lifted," the Games' highest-earning female athlete-she makes an
estimated $8 million a year-said after her near-perfect program where she nailed all of her 11 jumps.
     "I will enjoy this moment and think about things later. I was just thrilled on the podium and I feel so relieved.
I had been running toward this dream of the Olympics and was so happy to be here," she said.
     "Since I have achieved the most important goal in my life, I am going to enjoy this moment for a while and
then think about what I am going to do," a smiling Yuna said.
     Japanese rival Mao Asada took silver while Joannic Rochette of Canada grabbed the bronze medal four days
after her mother died.
     "I still cannot believe I did what I wanted to do at the Olympics. I have been dreaming about this moment
and I cannot believe it is not a dream anymore." said Yuna.
     South Korea was counting on her to grab their first gold medal in figure skating and the first Winter
Olympics gold medal outside short track and speed skating.
     "I was just happy to have skated a clean program. It was the first time I skated two clean programs. During
the program when I finished all elements I thought this is going to be yeah...this is it."

1. Kim Yuna felt relaxed because _____.

A. the competition was over
B. her dream finally came true
C. she won a large amount of money
D. she became well-known overnight

2. According to the passage, Kim Yuna _____.

A. had a strong sense of team spirit in the Games
B.won the first gold medal for South Korea in the Winter Olympics
C. had expected she would surely win the gold medal
D. joined in the competition with great pressure from her country

3. The underlined word "rival" in Paragraph 6 most probably means "_____".

A. competitor
B. coach
C. judge
D. hostess

4. It is known from the passage that _____.

A. Kim Yuna is a person of great confidence
B. Joannic Rochette joined in the games with great sorrow
C. Kim Yuna is the richest athlete in South Korea
D. Mao Asada took silver medal by accident

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
     The United States federal government had two young men in the state of Tennessee arrested on October
22 on unknown charges.
     In court documents published on Monday, it came to light that the men had discussed attacking an African-
American school and killing 14 of them.
     Another crime was about planning to murder Presidential candidate Barack Obama. According to their
affidavits (口供), the suspects' "final act of violence" would be when they attacked Obama while wearing
white suits and top hats and driving"their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from
the windows."
     The two suspects are Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, http://wx.jtyjy.com/ Arkansas and Daniel
Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tennessee. According to the court papers, they met last month over the Internet through
a friend. Schlesselman and Cowart are believed to share "very strong views" about White Power.
     Schlesselman listed "being racist" as his occupation on his MySpace page. He further wrote:"I'm white.
I'm proud. I get angry. I like guns."
     Cowart also had a MySpace page on which photos of guns were presented under a heading of "My Guns".
On his page he wrote, "Better to die quick fighting on your feet than to live forever begging on your knees."
     Some have questioned the pair's ability to carry out the charged plan, but authorities have been very
concerned about Obama as the first black presidential candidate from a major party.
     "We honestly don't know if they had the ability or the skill to carry out the kind of plan that they talked
about," said Malcolm Wiley, of the United States Secret Service in an interview with The New York Times.
"But we take any threat seriously no matter how big or how small it is."
     Cowart and Schlesselman are scheduled to appear before a judge on Thursday.

1. The passage is mainly about _____.

A. Americans' attitudes towards Barack Obama
B. two young men planning to commit violence
C. the violence in the United States
D. the disadvantages of the Internet

2. From the passage, we can know that the two young men _____.

A. shot 14 students in an African-American school
B. came from the state of Tennessee
C. were proud of Barack Obama
D. have not been sentenced yet

3. Which of the following shows the right order of the events?
    a. The two suspects were arrested.
    b. The two suspects will be tried in the court.
    c. Cowart set up his MySpace page on the Internet.
    d. Malcolm Wiley was interviewed by The New York Times.

A. a; b; c; d
B. d; c; b; a
C. c; a; d; b
D. c; a; b; d

4. What can we infer from the news?

A. The two young men strongly believed that the president should be a white man.
B. Most of the white people in the United States don't like Barack Obama.
C. The two young men planned to shoot President Barack Obama.
D. The two young men were innocent in fact.