British scientists may have discovered the reason why red wine appears to protect the heart. They
say natural chemicals found in red wine appear to protect against blocked blood vessels(血管). The
chemical substances are called poly-phenols(多酚). They come from the outer covering of grapes. They
are not present in other alcoholic drinks.
     Researchers say their discovery explains why many people in southern Europe can eat fatty foods and
still have a low risk of heart disease. People in France, for example, have lower rates of heart disease
than Americans do. Yet the traditional French diet includes butter, cheese and other foods high in
cholesterol(胆固醇). This led the British scientists to examine another important part of the French
diet - red wine. Several earlier studies have suggested that people who drink proper amounts of alcohol
may reduce their risk of heart disease.
     The British team experimented with cells from the blood vessels of cows. The scientists studied the
effects of twenty-three kinds of red wine on the cow cells. They found that poly-phenols from all of the
red wines stopped production of a protein called endothelin(内皮素). This protein causes blood vessels
to become smaller. Scientists believe endothelin is linked to hardening of the blood vessels, which is a
cause of heart disease.
    The scientists found that the decrease in endothelin levels was linked to the amount of poly-phenols in
the wines. The British team performed similar experiments with two other kinds of wine, white and rose.
These wines contain little or no poly-phenols because the grape skins are removed before the wine is
made. White and rose wines had no effect on endothelin levels.
     The scientists also studied the effect of non-alcoholic juice made from red grapes. They found that
grape juice slowed the production of endothelin, but was much less effective than the red wines.

1. So far as grapes are concerned,           is more effective on reducing the risk of heart disease.
A. the outer part of grapes
B. the inner part of grapes
C. the seeds of grapes
D. the juice in grapes

2. What made the British scientists study another important part of the French diet?
A. Traditional French diet.
B. Lower risk of heart disease of the French.
C. The reason why people drink wine.
D. Poly-phenols not existing in other things.

3. From this passage, we may know people's health is linked to           .
A. diet habits  
B. their genes
C. their education
D. living surroundings

4. What's the best title for this passage?
A. A Healthy Diet
B. Protecting Your Heart
C. Red Wine and Health
D. A Study on Health

     Camels are large animals living in dry areas. There are two species of camels: the Arabian camel
with a single hump from the dry desert, and the Bactrian camel with two humps from Centraland East
Asia. Camels are over 7 feet tall and weigh over 1,600 pounds. They will live up to 40 to 50 years .
Most camels are domesticated(驯化)and fed by people. Camels are plant-eaters.
     Camels are very strong animals with wide, padded feet. They have thick leathery pads on their knees
and chest. Camels have nostrils(鼻孔)that can open and close, protecting them from the desert
environment. Bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes from sand. Their mouth
is extremely tough, allowing camels to eat thorny(带刺的)desert plants. Their widened feet help them
move without sinking into the sand. Their thick coats reflect sunlight, and also protect them from the
intense heat from desert sand. Their long legs help by keeping them further from the hot ground.
     Camels can go without food and water for 3 to 4 days. They do not store water in their humps as is
commonly believed. The humps are actually a container of fat. Camels are incredibly(难以置信)
well-adapted to their environment. When conditions heat up, camels can increase their own body
temperature, which prevents sweating and therefore water loss. They may not sweat at all during the day.
     Camels are sometimes called "ships of the desert" because people ride them around the hot, dry
deserts of the world. However, the number of camels is becoming smaller for various reasons.

1. According to the passage, camels usually live in           .
A. Asia
B. Africa
C. America
D. Australia

2. Paragraph 2 is mainly about           .
A. camels are useful animals
B. camels are clever animals
C. camels' body structure and function
D. camels' characteristics and habits

3. The reason why camels lose little water in deserts is that they           .
A. get water from green foods
B. can adjust their temperature
C. store enough water in the humps
D. can manage without water

4. What will the author probably talk about following the last paragraph?
A. Ways to protect camels.
B. Habitats of camels.
C. Reasons for raising camels.
D. Functions of camels.

   As they migrate (迁徙), butterflies and moths choose the winds they want to fly with, and they change
their body positions if they start floating in the wrong direction. This new finding suggests that insects may
employ some of the same methods that birds use for traveling long distances. Scientists have long thought
that insects were simply at the mercy of the wind.
     Fascinating as their skills of flight are, migrating behavior has been difficult to study in insects because
many long distant trips happen thousands of feet above ground. Only recently have scientists developed
technologies that can detect such little creatures at such great heights.
     To their surprise, though, the insects weren't passive travelers in the winds. In autumn, for example,
most light winds blew from the east, but the insects somehow sought out ones that carried them south and
they positioned themselves to navigate directly to their wintering homes.
    Even in the spring, when most winds flowed northward, the insects didn't always go with the flow. If
breezes weren't blowing in the exact direction they wanted to go, the insects changed their body positions
to compensate. Many migrating birds do the same thing.
     The study also found, butterflies and moths actively flew within the air streams that pushed them along. By adding flight speeds to wind speeds, the scientists calculated that butterflies and moths can ravel as fast as 100 kilometers an hour. The findings may have real-world applications. With climate warming, migrating insects are growing in number. Knowing how and when these pests move could help farmers decide when to spray their crops.

1. What's the main idea of the text?
  A. Insects migrate with the seasons.
  B. The wind helps insects greatly in migrating.
  C. Windsurfing insects have real direction.
  D. Scientists have trouble in observing insects.

2. Scientists originally thought that _____________.
  A. insects always waited for their favorable winds
  B. insects chose the winds they wanted to ride
  C. insects were just blown about by the wind
  D. insects positioned themselves in the winds

3. It is not easy to study the migrating behavior of the insects because _____________.
  A. the little creatures can fly very fast      
  B. they have no regular migrating courses
  C. the wind's direction is hard to foresee  
  D. their flight is long and high above ground

4. We can learn form the text that _______________.
  A. insects fly in the way birds do
  B. insects travel more easily in autumn
  C. insects never position themselves when flying low
  D. insects rest a lot when the wind pushes them along

     Japanese Students Suffer from Pressure  
      Last April,15-year-old Rei Iwasaki stopped her piano and flute lessons  
and began to study every day of the week. Her parents paid to send her to a  
"cram school(灌输式教学模式的学校)."She wanted very much to pass her  
exams.  
       In February she did pass an all-day, five-subject examination and  
entered the high school she hoped to enter.  
       Thirteen-year-old Akio Yoshiwara wasn't so lucky. Unable to take the  
pressure of the exams, he hanged himself in February. He left a suicide note  
which said, "I did my best in this dear life, but it's no good."  
       Suicides are now a common part of life among students in Japan. The  
cause is the incredible pressure of the "examination hell."  
       Even a number of teachers are committing suicide each year. When  
some students broke windows in a school near Tokyo, the principal blamed  
himself and wrote the following note: "The incidents were due to the lack  
of appropriate measures by the principal and I apologize. I am very tired.
      The Japanese educational system is much different from the American  
system. It is perhaps the most regimented(严密组织的) school system in  
any of the industrialized nations.  
      Boys and girls wear uniforms and go to school six days a week --- 240  
days a year compared to 180 in the U.S. Ninety- five percent graduate from  
high school compared to seventy-five percent in the U.S.  
      Students don't ask questions in class but only listen respectfully to the  
teachers. And every few years students are tested to see which school they  
will enter next. There is stiff competition for the "best" schools.  
      The result is a well-informed, disciplined student, ideal for factory  
and company work and excellent at learning specialized skills. But there is  
little  fun  in  education,  little  creativity  and  the  incredible pressure  of  
"examination hell."  

1. It's because ______ that many Japanese students committed suicide.  
   A. they didn't do their best in their lives.  
   B. they were sent to a "cram school".  
   C. of the most regimented school.  
   D. they were unable to take the pressure of the exams.  

2. Why did the principal kill himself? Because__________  
   A. He thought it was his fault that some students broke the windows.  
   B. He was very tired.  
   C. He couldn't stand the pressure of the "examination hell".  
   D. He blamed himself and wrote a note.  

3. Which of the following ideas agrees with the title of the passage.  
   A. The Japanese students love to study under pressure.  
   B. The Japanese students do well under pressure.  
   C. The exams give the Japanese students much pressure.  
   D. The exams make the Japanese students commit suicide each year.  

4. Which of the following is Wrong?  
   A. The American educational system is much different from the Japanese  system.  
   B. To enter a high school, a student must pass an all-day, five-subject  examination.  
   C. The Japanese graduates from high school are much less than the  American graduates.  
   D. In Japanese education, there is little creativity as well as little fun.

     If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pro- nunciation, you
are wrong. Haven't you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
     According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase
in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the
area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
     The study also found the effect is greater, the younger people learn a second language.
     A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who
only spoke English. They were compared with a group of "early bilinguals" who had learnt a second
language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
     Scans showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people
without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller
the difference.
     "Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second
language," said the scientists.
     It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
     Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. "Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain
more flexible (灵活的),"he said. "You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas."
     The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second
language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The
results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. "Studying a language means you get an
entrance to another world," explained the scientists.

1. Tire main subject talked about in this passage is ______.
A. science on learning a second language
B. man's ability of learning a second language
C. 1anguage can help brain power
D. 1anguage learning and maths study

2. In the second paragraph, the writer mentions "exercise" in order to ______.
A. say language is also a kind of physical labor
B. prove that one needs more practice when he (she) is learning a language
C. to show the importance of using the language when you learn the language
D. make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well

3. We may know from the scientific findings that ______.
A. the earlier you start to learn a second language, the higher the grey matter density is
B. there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn't
     know a second language
C. the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people's brain
D. the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time

4. The underlined word "bilingual'' probably means ______.
A. a researcher on language learning
B. a person who is good at learning foreign languages
C. a person who can speak two languages
D. an active language learner

1. Owls are regarded as symbols of intelligence mainly because ______.

A. they can see very well
B. they are connected with Athena
C. they are able to deliver letters and parcels
D. they remind us what college graduates wear

2. According to Mark Cock, many TV dramas use owls because ______.

A. they scream with a frightful voice at night
B. British people are familiar with them
C. they create a feeling of mystery and danger
D. they awake the desire to take risks

3. The underlined word "the paper" in Paragraph 6 most probably refers to ______.

A. The Guardian                    
B. Harry Potter
C. Legend of the Guardians            
D. Athena

4. What is the writing purpose of this passage?

A. To explain why owls are so associated with evil or death.
B. To analyze why owls are so common in British culture.
C. To tell readers not to be afraid of owls.
D. To recommend some movies related to owls.

    In college , Spring Break (春假) is usually associated with the beach, parties and sleepless nights,
bringing about relaxation, free time and friends. Students who wish to spend their break doing
something productive and rewarding, however, may choose to participate in the Altemative Break
Program. It places college students in communities both at home and abroad.
      The Program allows students to take part in various projects dealing with  issues  such  as  
literacy  (识字 ) , homelessness  and  the environment. It includes helping kids with their lessons,
raising money for families in need and collecting data for environmental research.
     The hope is that, by getting themselves involved in different environments, students will have the
opportunity to learn about members of communities and broaden their view. In turn, they will
incorporate (融合) their experiences and lessons learned into their own communities. In a word ,
the Program aims to encourage students to be active citizens and engage themselves in making a
difference in society.
     In the spring of 2006, about 36, 000 students in the USA participated in the Altemative Break
Program.
     Samantha Giacobozzi, now director of the Program, has been on five alternative break trips herself,
including trips to New Orleans, India and Dominican Republic. "I was a student who went on alternative
break trips and had my life totally transformed by that experience , " she said. " Every year , we meet
many students who have attended the Program. You can see changes in their life that are connected
with their altemative break experiences. "
     The Program began in  1991. Today , it  has  become  increasingly popular with college students
in the United States.

1. Who may choose to participate in the Altemative Break Program?
  ( No more than 10 words)
___________________________________________________________________
2. What is the aim of the Program?  ( No more than 15 words)
____________________________________________________________________
3. What is the meaning of the underlined word "transformed" in
  Paragraph 5? (1 word)
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What is Samantha's attitude toward the Program?  ( No more than
   10 words)
______________________________________________________________________
5. If you take part in the Program,which project are you interested
   in? And why?  ( No more than 25 words)
_______________________________________________________________________

1. According to the passage, why is the shape of sea cucumbers important?

A. It makes them attractive to fish.
B. It helps them to digest their food.
C. it helps them to protect themselves from danger.
D. it makes it easier for them to move through the mud.

2. The fourth paragraph of the passage mainly discusses ______.

A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers  
B. the food sources of sea cucumbers
C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers    
D. the danger to sea cucumbers' existence

3. What can he inferred about the defense system of the sea cucumber?

A. They are similar to those of most sea creatures,
B. They are very sensitive to the surroundings.
C. They require group cooperation.
D. They are almost useless.

4. What would be the best tithe for the text?  

A. The Variety of Sea Cucumbers      
B. The Sources of Sea Cucumbers
C. The Similarity of Sea
D. The Strange Creature — Sea Cucumbers

     Salvation Army Angel Program
     Angel Tree collects gifts for children and families in need. Participate by selecting an angel from
any Angel Tree at all Cyprus Credit Union location or any Utah Macy's Department store. Shop for
your angel, then return your new, unwrapped gift to the same Angel Tree. Gifts must be returned
before December 14. For more information, call (801) 988-5678 in the Salt Lake area,(801) 374
-2588 in the Provo area.  
     Utah Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities Holiday Gift Box Program
     The program serves primarily low-income adults with intellectual disabilities who don't qualify for
other programs because of age limits, said Joyce Whalen, the association's board president. To donate,
visit the association at 1326 S.2100 East from 9am to about 5:30 pm to choose an ornament(装饰物)
that provides information about an individual who will benefit from the program. Shop for new items
and return them by December 14. Donations of generic items, such as towels, socks and hygiene
products also accepted, as are monetary donations. For more information, call 801-440-1674.
     Utah Foster Care Foundation's Giving Tree Program
     The program seeks new gifts and cash donations to fulfill the holiday wishes of more than 1,000
children in state-licensed foster homes." Many of the children in care have been removed from their
biological homes because of neglect or abuse," said Nikki Mackay, the foundation's director. "
Christmas can be a difficult time for them." To learn how to support the program, call 877-505-5437.
     Utah State Hospital Forgotten Patient Program
     The program provides Christmas gifts for hundreds of patients with mental illness. In the history
of the program--which may go back as far as 60 years, organizer Shawna Peterson said, "we've never
had a forgotten patient." And she doesn't want this year to change that. To support the program,
contact Peterson at 801-344-6088.  

1.After you buy an angel, you should ________.

A..post it to where you bought
B. open its package to examine it
C. send it to families in need for yourself
D. bring it back in its original form

2.If you want to help adults with intellectual disabilities, you should call_____.

A. 801-440-1674
B.801-988-5678
C. 877-505-5437
D. 801-344-6088

3.The underlined phrases "biological homes" in the third program refers to ______.

A..homes where they are just brought up
B.homes where their natural parents live
C.homes where they learn biology
D.homes where are related to bacteria

4.From the last program, we can infer that ______.

A..the patients often forgot to come to the hospital
B.the patients are often forgotten to be looked after
C.the patients are being taken good care of
D.the patients had a poor memory in the hospital