Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by
human beings.
     The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities.It is caused mainly by
industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines.Such noises are added to natural sounds.These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
     Decibels (分贝) measured in water are different from those measured on land.A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears.In water, a decibel level of one hundred and
ninetyfive would have the same effect.
     Some scientists have proposed setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans.They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales.
     A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some
animals.
    The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose
their hearing.This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way.Some
of the whales even died.The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected.
     Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds object to a limit of one hundred and twenty
decibels.They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
    Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals.However,
many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed.They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?

A. The sound of a car.
B. The sound of voices.
C. Manmade noise pollution.
D. The sound of steps.

2. According to the passage, natural sounds include all of the following EXCEPT________.

A. sounds made by animals themselves
B. ocean drilling
C. underwater earthquakes
C. the breaking of ice fields

3. Which of the following is discussed in the third paragraph?

A. The same noise level produces a different effect on land and in the ocean.
B. Different places may have different types of noises.
C. The decibel is not a suitable unit for measuring underwater noise.
D. Different ocean animals may have different reactions to noises.

4. According to the passage, what will scientists most probably do in the future?

A. They will work hard to reduce ocean noise pollution.
B. They will protect animals from harmful noises.
C. They will try to set a limit of 120 decibels.
D. They will study the effect of ocean noise pollution.

     Quickly, the picture comes alive with hyperlinks (超链接), offering the names of the buildings, towers
and street features that appear in the photo.The hyperlinks lead to information about the history, services
and context of all the features in the photo.You have just hyperlinked your reality.
     That might be a little unbelievable, but the technology exists and is no fevered imagination.This is not a
cool small machine invented for the next James Bond movie; this is a working technology just developed
by European researchers.It could be coming to a phone near you, and soon.
     This, as the marketing types say, is a game changer.It develops a completely new interface (界面)
that combines webtechnology with the real world.It is big and fresh, but it goes much further and has
much greater influence.
     The development of the system is most outstanding because image recognition technology has long
been pregnant with promise, but seemed to suffer from an unending labour.
     Now MOBVIS has not only developed image recognition; it has also developed more applications for
the technology; and it has adapted it to the world's most popular technology: the mobile phone.
     The MOBVIS system completely rewrites the rules for exploration and interaction with your physical
environment.The system begins with panoramas (一连串景象). These panoramas form the basis of a
city database.It can match buildings, towers, banners and even logos that appear in the panoramas. A
user simply takes a picture of the street feature, MOBVIS compares the user's photograph to the
panoramas and then identifies the buildings from the picture you take and the relevant links are returned.
     Then you simply click on the links, using a touchscreen phone, and the MOBVIS system will provide
information on the history, art, architecture or even the menu, if it is a restaurant, of the building in question.

1. Which is introduced in the passage?

A. A new game software.
B. A popular mobile phone.
C. A cool small machine.
D. An image recognition system.

2. What can we learn about the new technology?

A. It can only be put into use on mobile phones.
B. It is a little unbelievable and just a fevered imagination.
C. It has taken an unending labour to bring the technology into our lives.
D. It will encourage the users to take more pictures of the street features.

3. What is the right order of the operation of MOBVIS?

a. A city database forms in the system.
b. MOBVIS recognizes the picture and links are returned.
c. A user touches the links on the phone screen.
d. A user takes a picture of the street feature.
e. MOBVIS provides information in question.
A. a; e; c; d; b  
B. a; d; b; c; e
C. d; c; e; a; b  
D. c; a; e; b; d

4. From the passage, we can infer that________.

A. MOBVIS has already been widely used all over the world
B. the writer is trying to promote the sales of the MOBVIS system
C. this new technology will soon be very popular in our lives
D. the sales of mobile phones will decrease as MOBVIS comes on market

     What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been
paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in biotechnology (生物技术).  With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time.Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and
war.Today's leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
      In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days.But the
change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times.How long can humans live? Human
brains were known to decide the final death.Cells are the basic units of all living things, and until recently,
scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials
of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever.But the upper limits will be broken by new
medicine.Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every
10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs.The medicine, made up of the
basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on-in much the same way our
bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
     It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of
human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.

1.  According to the passage, human death is now mainly caused by ________.

A.  diseases and aging  
B.  accidents and war
C.  accidents and aging  
D.  heart disease and war

2.  In the author's opinion, today's most important advance in technology lies in ________.

A.  medicine   
B.  the Internet
C.  brain cells   
D.  human organ

3.  Humans may live longer in the future because ________.

A.  heart disease will be far away from us
B.  human brains can decide the final death
C.  the basic materials of cells will last forever
D.  human organs can be repaired by new medicine

4.  How long can humans live in the future according to the passage?

A.  Over 100 years.
B.  More than 120 years.
C.  About 150 years.
D.  The passage doesn't tell us.

5.  We can learn from the passage that ________.

A.  human life will not last more than 120 years in the future
B.  humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now
C.  much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life
D.  we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells

     Why should mankind explore space?Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and
researching something with so few apparent benefits?Why should resources be spent on space rather
than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.
    Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup (基因构成) as human beings.What drove our
ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The
wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival.Perhaps the best reason for exploring
space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas
can be identified and prepared for.Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger.
With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
    Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的) resources to be found.Even if we have
no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later.Resources may be more than physical
possessions.Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration.The techniques may have
medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives.We have already benefited from
other spinoffs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in
communications systems.Even nonstick pans and mirrored sunglasses are byproducts (副产品) of
technological developments in the space.
     While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows
creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us.While
space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also
holds dangers.The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive.Without the ability to
reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
    While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow
us to live on other planets.It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have
adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

1.  Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?

A.To express his doubts.
B.  To compare different ideas.
C.To introduce points for discussion.
D.  To describe the conditions on Earth.

2.  What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph 2?

A.Humans are natureborn to do so.
B.Humans have the tendency to fight.
C.Humans may find new sources of food.
D.Humans don't like to stay in the same place.

3.  The underlined word "spinoffs" in Paragraph 4 probably refers to ________.

A.survival chances
B.  unexpected benefits
C.potential resources
D.physical possessions

4.  What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?

A.The adaptive ability of humans.
B.Resources on the earth.
C.Our genetic makeup.
D.Byproducts in space exploration.

5.  Which of the statements can best sum up the passage?

A.Space exploration has created many wonders.
B.Space exploration provided the best value for money.
C.Space exploration can benefit science and technology.
D.Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth.

     Is early childhood education really necessary?Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning
through playing to develop the child's physical, sensory, communicational and social development.Early
childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally
trained before they are old enough for kindergarten.
     There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education.Studies have shown
that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed
causing failure in school, and even in life.Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head
Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in Special Education classes, and are
less likely to receive public help or go to prison.
     There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early.Time Magazine online explains that "the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with firstgrade work." I have
personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become
frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school.Yet parents have been sure that the
earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier.
     Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary
years, studies also show that this head start is really a "false start", as the gains are lost in middle and high
school years.It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life's success than early education.Head Start
programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school
children.Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap.

1. The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________.

A. to develop the children's communication
B. to give orphaned children good care and education
C. to get the children prepared for the kindergarten
D. to train the children formally and regularly

2. According to the studies, which of the following is TRUE?

A. Children with good early education may have a rich life.
B. The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life.
C. Children without early education can do well at school.
D. Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children.

3. "the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with firstgrade work." suggests that ______.

A. the early childhood education is helpless to the child's grade
B. it is good for the young children to receive early education
C. the early education can help the children follow the grade
D. the younger the children are, the cleverer they will be

4. The author's attitude toward the early childhood education is ________.

A. puzzling        
B. negative
C. indifferent  
D. proving

5. The main idea of the last passage is that ________.

A. the early childhood education is very necessary
B. Head Start programs have helped the children a lot
C. environment is the most important to life's success
D. better ways should be found to help the poor children

    Camp memories last forever! We make sure they are unforgettable!
     Shadow Ridge Summer Camps offer so many exciting things for campers to do.Unlike other camp
programs that include horses as a small part of their program, at Shadow Ridge horses are the program! We are 100% horse from stable (马厩) management, nature walks, and track rides to bedroom furnishings.
     Horses help us achieve many of our aims.Girls can learn to develop responsibility, selfconfidence and
personal connections in their lives while having fun.Using horses as a wonderful tool for education, our
camps offer an interesting place for growth and learning.
     Imagine each girl having her very own horse to spend time with and a best friend to love and take
care of.Each camper is responsible for a horse for the week.Our riding program provides a lot of riding
and lesson time.Campers will learn how to take care of the horse and the tack (马具), as well as how to
ride.Days are filled with horserelated activities to strengthen the connection between each girl and horse,
as the girls learn to work safely around the horses.
    At Shadow Ridge we try to create a loving, caring family atmosphere for our campers.We have "The
Bunkhouse"(4 girls), "The Wranglers Roost"(4 girls), and "The Hideout"(2 girls) in our comfortable 177
yearold farm house.All meals are home cooked, offering delicious and healthy food for the hungry rider.
    Our excellent activities create personalized memories of your child's vacation.Each child will receive a
camp Tshirt and a photo album (usually 300－500 pictures) of their stay at camp.
    Our camps are offered during June, July and August 2011, for small groups of girls aged 13－16
years, not only from Canada but also other parts of the world.
    We will send you full program descriptions at your request.

1.  What is the main purpose of the passage?
              
A. To attract people to the camps.
B. To talk about camping experiences.
C. To describe the programs of the camps.
D. To explain the aims of the camps.

2. What do we know about the camp programs at Shadow Ridge?

A. Campers are required to wear camp Tshirts.
B. Horses play a central role in the activities.
C. Campers learn to cook food for themselves.
D. Horse lessons are offered all the year round.

3. The programs at Shadow Ridge mainly aim to help people ________.

A. understand horses better
B. enjoy a family atmosphere
C. have fun above other things
D. achieve an educational purpose

4. Which one of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. The time of the camping.
B. The cost of the camping.
C. The advantages of the camping.
D. The effect of the camping.

5. The passage is written mainly for ________.

A. horse riders  
B. teenage girls
C. Canadian parents  
D. international travelers

    Teens don't understand the big fuss (小题大做). As the first generation to grow up in a wired world,
they hardly know a time when computers weren't around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend
hours online, chatting with friends, so what?
    But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated, less skillful at
persontoperson relationships, and perhaps numb to the cheatings that are so much a part of the email
world."And a teen's sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can
be limitless," said Shetty Turkle.
     Another researcher, Robert Kraut, said he's worried about the "opportunity costs" of so much online
time for youths.He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed
increased signs of loneliness and social isolation."Chatting online may be better than watching television,
but it's worse than hanging out with real friends," he said.
    Today's teens, however, don't see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a centra
l place in their social lives."School is busy and full of pressure.There's almost no time to just hang out,"
said Parker Rice, 17."Talking online is just to catch up time."
     Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply.Some
teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they
don't want to do so.But they insist there's no harm.

1. The researchers argue that ________.

A. teens may develop a different sense of values
B. nothing is wrong with teens' chatting online
C. teens can manage their social connections
D. spending hours online does much good to teens

2. Teens think that talking online can help them ________.

A. use computers properly
B. improve their school work
C. develop an interest in social skills
D. reduce their mental pressures

3. The text mainly deals with ________.

A. teens' pleasant online experience
B. teens' computer skills and school work
C. the effects of the computer world on teens
D. different opinions on teens' chatting online

4. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Teens are more skillful at persontoperson relationships.
B. Teens showed decreasing signs of loneliness and social isolation.
C. Chatting online is worse than hanging out with real friends.

D. Asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be more difficult in message form.

5. The purpose of the text is to ________.
A. describe computer research results
B. draw attention to teens' computer habits
C. suggest ways to deal with problem teens
D. discuss problems teens have at school

     BRISBANE-Australian Olympic chief John Coates has said Greek athlete Katerina Thanou should
not be awarded the Sydney Olympics 100 metres gold medal handed back by Marion Jones.
     Jones, who this week admitted to steroid(类固醇)use in the build up to the Sydney Games, has
returned the three gold medals and two bronzes she won in 2000.
    But Thanou, the silver medalist in Sydney, was herself banned for two years after she failed to appear
for a drug test at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
     "I'd like to think that Katerina Thanou would not be awarded the gold medal," Coates told the
Australian Associated Press on Tuesday, "but there may be some legal difficulties for the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) to overcome in order to reach that conclusion."
     Jamaica's Tayna Lawrence won the 100m bronze medal in Sydney behind Jones and Thanou.
Coates also said he expected the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to hand back the medals
won by the women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
     Two of Jones's team mates in the 4x100m team which finished third in Sydney, Torri Edwards and
Chryste Gaines, have also served doping(兴奋剂)bans.
     The U.S. women's 4x100m relay team won the gold medal ahead of Jamaica and Russia.
     "On the relays, it's my expectation that the United States Olympic Committee will be required to also
hand back the medals won by the other ladies who competed with Jones in the two relays," Coates said.
     "That is normal practice."
     The United States Olympic Committee (USCO) has publicly apologized to the organizers and
competitors of the 2000 Sydney Games and the Australian public for Jones's actions.
    As part of the USOC's apology, president Peter Ueberroth promised that the U.S. would send a clean
team to next year's Beijing Olympics.

1. Thanou get the Sydney gold medal because________.

A. she didn't pass the drug test.  
B. she served doping ban at Sydney Olympics.
C. she didn't take the drug test at Sydney Olympics.
D. she ran the first at Sydney Olympics.

2. Which of the following statements is True?

A. Jones has got five gold medals at Sydney Olympics.
B. The USCO has returned medals in the two relays.
C. Jones also took part in the women's 4x100m relay race.
D. Thanou should receive Sydney gold medal.

3. Why did Coates expect the USOC to hand back the medals won in the relay races?

A. Because the IOC required them to do so.
B. Because some of the runners of the U.S served doping bans. 
C. Because they didn't take the first place in the relay races.
D Because they felt sorry for Jones's actions.

4. What would probably happen next according to the passage?

A. Thanou would receive Sydney gold.
B. Fewer or no American athletes will serve doping drugs in Beijing Olympics.
C. Jamaica's Tayna Lawrence would receive Sydney gold.
D. Thanou wouldn't be allowed to take part in the Beijing Olympics.

5. What is the best title of the passage?

A. Thanou should not receive Sydney gold
B. Jones has returned the Sydney medals
C. Beijing Olympics
D. The U.S would send a clean team to Beijing Olympics.

                               How Room Designs Affect Our Work and Feelings
      Architects have long had the feeling that the places we live in can affect our thoughts, feelings and
behaviors.But now scientists are giving this feeling an empirical (经验的,实证的) basis.They are
discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused, and lead to relaxation.
     Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity.In 2007, Joan
MeyersLevy at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room's ceiling affects how
people think.Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may
lead them to make more abstract connections.Low ceilings, on the other hand, may inspire a more detailed outlook.
     In addition to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building may influence an occupant's ability to concentrate.Nancy Wells and her colleagues at Cornell University found in their study that kids who experienced the greatest increase in greenness as a result of a family move made the most gains on a standard test of
attention.
     Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory at the University of Georgia.Tanner and his team found that students in classrooms with unblocked views of at least 50 feet
outside the window had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students
whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
     Recent study on room lighting design suggests that dim (暗淡的) light helps people to loosen up.If that
is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner or at parties could increase relaxation.Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
     So far scientists have focused mainly on public buildings."We have a very limited number of studies,
so we're_almost_looking_ at_the_problem_through_a_straw_(吸管),"architect David Allison says."How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad, generalized use of them? That's what
we're all struggling with."

1. What does Joan MeyersLevy focus on in her research?

A. Light.  
B. Ceilings.
C. Windows.  
D. Furniture.

2. The passage tells us that ________.

A. the shape of furniture may affect people's feelings
B. lower ceilings may help improve students' creativity
C. children in a dim classroom may improve their grades
D. students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxed

3. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that ________.

A. the problem is not approached step by step
B. the researches so far have faults in themselves
C. the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect
D. research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns

4. Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?


CP:Central PointP:PointSp:Subpoint (次要点)C:Conclusion