You may have heard the popular saying, "there are always more fish in the sea". But as many new
studies show, fish populations are changing, and not necessarily for the better.
     Consider the case of big, predatory (食肉动物) fish. These giants, like sharks and cod (鳕鱼), eat
other smaller fish. Big fish are an important part of the marine ecosystem (海洋生态系统) because they
keep down the numbers of smaller fish. Without fish that eat other fish, populations of smaller swimmers
would increase, eating more plants, and leaving less vegetation for other creatures, including future fish.
     As fierce as predators can be, they're no match for fishing technology. Many people love to catch
predatory fish like sharks, cod and tuna, and new studies suggest that over-fishing is threatening these
creatures near the top of the marine food chain.
     In one study, Villy Christensen and his colleagues looked at 200 past studies of marine life to learn
how fish populations have changed over time. Christensen reported that between 1910 and 1970, the
numbers of big predators decreased slowly, and that in 1970 their populations really started to drop.
Around that time, fishing ships began using new tools that led to more fish being caught. The numbers
have been falling quickly ever since.
     Reg Watson looked at the problem from the perspective of the fishermen. In the middle of the 20th
century, Watson reported, fishing boats didn't go far from home, and most fish were caught near the
shore. That was no longer true by the 1980s. By then, fishing had moved farther from shore, into the
open oceans, and was helped by the development of new technologies. But since the 1990s, something
has changed. Despite new technologies and more efforts, fishing operations have not continued to
develop.
     Scientists study historical data to understand the present, and this research is needed to forecast the
future of fish and fishing. And the forecast doesn't look good: large predator fish are becoming harder to
find, and soon may disappear.

1. From Paragraph 2 we can learn that           . 

A. more big fish are breeding in the ocean
B. the fewer smaller fish, the more big fish
C. big fish are less important than smaller fish
D. the numbers of smaller fish are controlled by big fish

2. Why did the number of big predators begin to fall quickly in 1970?

A. Fishing ships began using new tools with which they could catch more fish.
B. There were fewer smaller fish than before.
C. There were more people catching big predators.
D. Their environment was being polluted by fishing ships.

3. Which of the following would scientists most probably agree with?

A. It may soon be difficult to find large predator fish.
B. It will cost much more in the future to catch big fish.
C. Smaller fish still give the fishing industry a bright future.
D. It is tough for researchers to forecast the future of fish.

4. What can we conclude from the passage?

A. The decrease of the number of smaller fish has changed the marine food chain.
B. Big fish have to live in the deep sea to avoid being caught.
C. Over-fishing with new technology accounts for the decrease of the number of big fish.
D. The decreasing populations of small fish lead to fewer big fish.

     Each year about a quarter of a million Americans study abroad. For many of them, a summer or a
semester in a foreign country now involves more than just sitting in classrooms and hanging out with other American students. Instead, they are encouraged and sometimes required to be involved in the local
communities they are studying in.
     "It's absolutely important that they know something about how people in other parts of the world live
and think, and how they behave," says William Finlay, head of the sociology department at the University
of Georgia. In 2008, he co-founded a study abroad program with South Africa's Stellenbosch University.
It combines traditional academic in-class learning with community involvement.
     "We've been working with a non-government organization in the township. Our students typically
either work with little children in day care centers or work in the library and teach very basic computer
skills to young children," says Finlay.
     The three-week program proved to be an unforgettable experience for Hillary Kinsey. She says, "It
was interesting to learn the history of the area and then talk to these people and see what the social
dynamics were, and how certain groups felt about other groups."
     When Hillary Kinsey returned home from South Africa, she and other students in the program
established a non-profit group. Kinsey says the group wants to contribute to advancing education and
development in South Africa. "One of the purposes of the group is that we hope to raise money and
awareness about the situation where those people live and help to promote any sort of educational
development that we can, " Kinsey added.
     While many study abroad programs focus on helping Americans to learn foreign languages, others
take a more intensive approach. "In all of our locations, we place students with local roommates," says
Mark Lenhart, director of CEF Academic Programs, which sends more than a thousand students to China, Korea and other countries each year.
     He says American students benefit from such one-on-one interactions, in spite of the challenges they
face. Lenhart says, "They have to adjust to the local life. This will enable students to become more employable when they graduate."

1. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. How non-profit groups work in South Africa.
B. How to take part in study abroad programs.
C. Americans studying abroad pay more attention to working with local children.
D. Americans combine community involvement with study while studying abroad.

2. The purposes of Hillary Kinsey's non-profit group include all of the following, EXCEPT           .

A. learning more about South Africa
B. raising money for local people  
C. helping to develop education in South Africa  
D. raising people's awareness of the local situation

3. Which of the following CANNOT be used to describe Hillary Kinsey's feelings about studying abroad?

A. Interested.  
B. Surprised.  
C. Impressed.  
D. Unforgettable.

4. The advantages of studying abroad mentioned in this passage include           .
① making more friends
② being qualified for more jobs
③ learning a foreign language
④ having the ability to adjust to a new environment

A. ①②③        
B. ②③④          
C. ①③④        
D. ①②④

     For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of
these searches have been done over the radio. The hope is that someone in outer space may be trying to
get in touch with us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages on spaceships traveling through space, on the chance that someone may answer such messages.
    Scientists are using powerful radio telescopes to listen to signals from about 1, 000 stars, all within 100
light years of the earth. In addition, they will scan the entire sky to "listen" for radio messages from more
distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight channels at one time.
Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
     Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy(银河星系), scientists find that 5% are like our sun.
Perhaps half of them have a planet like the earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the
star for temperatures to be right for the evolution(进化) of life. Based on the inhabitable (适于居住的)
planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets
support some life.
     However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent life exists on other planets. Some believe that
twenty years of searching without any intelligible messages shows that no one is out there. They say that
the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely.
     Other scientists believe that our search hasn't been long enough to rule out the possibility that intelligent
life exists in our galaxy. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep
looking.

1. According to the passage, how many planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable?

A. 5 billion.
B. 10 billion.
C. 15 billion.
D. 200 billion

2. The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about ________ .  

A. how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
B. why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
C. where scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
D. when scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets

3. The underlined word "monitor" in the 2nd paragraph means " ________ ".

A. find  
B. block
C. check  
D. form

4. Which of these statements is True based on the information in the passage?

A. The earth is one of the oldest planets in our galaxy.
B. Most scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planets.
C. Scientists don't believe that there might be life on other planets.
D. Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planets.

     Without most people realizing it, there has been a revolution in office work over the last ten years.
Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that could afford the
investment. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come into the market, which
are capable of doing the work that used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now
most smaller companies can use them.
     The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors (处理器) , or
WPS as they are often called. 40% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and
this percentage is growing fast.
     There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary
is freed from a lot of daily work, such as re-typing letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time
to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager's point of view, secretarial time is being
made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours.
     But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that
fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with
visual display units (显示器). The case of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors
seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn
child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few
companies in England bother to buy them.                                                                                  
     Whatever the arguments for and against word processors are, they are a key feature of this revolution
in office practice.

1. Ten years ago, smaller companies did not use large computers because ________.

A. these companies had not enough money to buy such expensive computers
B. these computers could not do the work that small computers can do today
C. these computers did not come into the market
D. these companies did not need to use this new technology

2. According to the writer, the main feature of the revolution in office work over the last ten years is_____.

A. the saving of time and money
B. the use of computers in small companies
C. the wide use of word processors
D. the decreasing number of secretaries

3. It is implied but not directly stated in the passage that with the use of word processors ________.

A. some secretaries will lose their jobs  
B. daily jobs can be done automatically outside office hours
C. medical problems related to work with a VDU have increased greatly
D. the British companies will make less money

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor.
B. The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors.
C. The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over  the last ten years.
D. Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more  interesting work for their bosses.

5. It can be concluded from the passage that ________.

A. safety screens are of poor quality      
B. working at a VDU for a long time is good for one's health
C. more and more British offices will use word processors
D. British companies will need fewer and fewer managers

     _1  Scientists and experts have proved the uniqueness of finger-prints and discovered that no exactly
similar pattern is passed on from parents to children, though nobody knows why this is the case.
    The ridge (隆起) structure on a person's fingers does not change with growth and is not affected by
surface injuries. Burns, cuts and other damage to the outer part of the skin will be replaced in time by
new one, which bears a reproduction of the original pattern. _2   Some criminals make use of this fact to
remove their own finger-prints but this is a dangerous and rare step to take.
     Finger-prints can be made very easily with printer's ink. They can be recorded easily.  _3  Because of
the simplicity and economy of this system, finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving
criminal case. A suspected man may deny a charge but this may be in vain.    4  When a suspect leaves
finger-prints behind at the scene of a crime, they are difficult to detect with the naked eye.
     _5   Some of the marks found are incomplete but identification is possible if a print of a quarter of an
inch square can be obtained.
A. Special techniques are used to "develop" them.
B. A fingerprint is an impression of the friction ridges of all part of the finger.
C. It is only when the inner skin is injured that the arrangement will be destroyed.
D. With special methods, identification can be achieved successfully within a short time.
E. This is called a latent print.
F. His finger-prints can prove who he is even if his appearance has been changed by age or accident.
G. Every human being has a unique arrangement of the skin on his fingers and this arrangement
    is unchangeable.

     Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined
that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
     Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what
previous studies have shown, infants (婴儿)are able to quantify substances (物质)-like sand or water-as
early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will
choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
     With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by
presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger
amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
     "Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how
many objects they see; however, infants don't seem to count things like water or sand," vanMarle said.
"What we're saying is that they can quantify substances; it's just much harder. The infants can see how
much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger,
and they almost always select the larger one."
     This information further refutes (驳斥) the long-held idea that babies "know nothing of the world,"
vanMarle said.
     "Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we've discovered a lot of
early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there's somebody in there that has
some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,"
vanMarle said.
     In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child's progress in math-related
skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as "Baby Einstein," still have mixed
reviews when it comes to academic study.

1. The quantifying ability refers to the ability to     ___.

A. choose between different substances
B. get much knowledge of the world
C. describe the quantity of something
D. obtain math-related skill

2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?

A. The process of doing research.
B. The scientific findings.
C. The final choice of infants.
D. The observation of infants' behavior.

3. We can learn from the text that     .

A. some parents don't care about their kids
B. people used to think the world is known to babies
C. little research has been done on infants
D. some scholars disagree on baby-training programs

4. What's the best title of the text?

A. Breakthrough in Baby Studies
B. Amazing Baby-training Ideas
C. Early Human Abilities
D. Unique Quantifying Methods

     If a noisy neighbor is blasting music at all hours of the day and night, drowning out your phone
conversations and interrupting your sleep, you can call the police. But what is a whale to do?
    Natural noise from waves, wind, rain and even earthquakes is common in oceans. Unfortunately,
man-made noise from oil and gas drilling, sonar, and ships is also present.
    Low frequency noise has doubled off the California coast every decade since the nineteen sixties.
The main reasons are ships' propellers (螺旋桨). They not only generate continuous low frequency
sound, some propellers cavitate (形成气穴), which means they create air bubbles that collapse,
creating loud popping sounds.
    Whales use low frequency calls to communicate across thousands of miles of ocean. They are
threatened by noise pollution because it can prevent them from contacting each other and from locating
their foods. Endangered humpback and right whales, which use fibrous baleen to strain food from the
water, are the most at risk.
     Scientists studying right whales off Canada's east coast have discovered that whales are sending
louder calls through the water to make themselves heard. Because they invest more energy in making
calls, they have less energy available for finding food and mating. Other scientists measuring whale calls
against background noise pollution have discovered that right whales have lost about eighty percent of
their normal communication area. This could seriously affect survival of this already threatened species.
     Scientists don't have badges and guns, but they are trying to correct the noise pollution problem. By
tracking ships and marine mammals and understanding how noise travels, they are creating sound maps.
They hope to get shipping lanes moved so that the noise pollution ships create will not overlap with areas
most important to the whales.

1. What does the passage mainly talk about?  

A. Whales are in danger because of the noise.B. Noise pollution is affecting whales.
C. Natural noise is good for whales.D. How to protect whales endangered.

2. The following statements are true EXCEPT ________.  

A. You can call the police if you are disturbed by a noise neighbor
B. Low frequency noise has doubled off the Canadian coast every decade since 1960s.
C. Noise pollution can prevent whales from contacting each other and from locating prey.
D. Endangered humpback and right whales are the most at risk.

3. We can infer from the last paragraph that ________.

A. Some areas important to whales are overlapped with the ship lanes.
B. Scientists are creating the sound maps by tracking ships and marine mammals.
C. If scientists have guns, they can correct the noise pollution.
D. Scientists have worked out a plan to protect the whales.

4. According to scientists, ________. 

A. Right whales off the Californian coast have been in danger because of the loss of the energy.
B. Right whales cannot find food and mate for they lose a lot of living area.
C. There are about 20% of the normal communication areas still available for the right whales.
D. The right whales always invest most of their energy for making calls.

5. According to the description of whales, we can know that ________.

A. The noise made by the ships has a bad effect on the area where whales live.
B. Whales can communicate with each other by diving into the deep water.
C. Whales cannot find mates because they don't have enough energy.
D. The communication between whales is through low frequency calls

      Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in
Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided- some countries
are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down.
     After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy
are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of
atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France's electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest
percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it "continues to support the
expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan."
     Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power
doesn't create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to
generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain's chief scientific adviser (John Beddington)
supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn't have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy.
     Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind
power may be clean, but they're expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher
cost of using "green energy" is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their
energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. This is of
particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape.
     The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn't safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult
to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there
were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in
the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands.
     The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn't look like it'll be resolved anytime soon. As a
Japanese commentator recently said, "it's been a bad year for the 'nuclear village', but I don't think they're down and out yet." The battle continues.

1. What does the underlined word "this " refer to in paragraph 4?  

A. The fact that many people prefer to use the green energy sources while unwilling to pay higher bill.
B. The cost of using renewable sources
C. The fact that the nuclear power is cheaper.
D. The investment of renewable energy sources

2. In the 5th paragraph, the author takes the case of Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine to _______.

A. convince the reader that nuclear waste is difficult to get rid of.
B. explain that nuclear waste may remain harmful to humans for thousands of years.
C. persuade the world not to use nuclear energy.
D. support the idea that nuclear energy is not safe.

3.We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.  

A. the Japanese commentator is positive about the future of nuclear energy.
B. the nuclear energy issue will be soon settled.
C. a battle will break out in the future.
D. Japan is considering to build a nuclear village in the future.

4. What is the author's purpose of writing the passage? 

A. To highlight the danger of using nuclear energy.
B. To introduce some serious nuclear disasters.
C. To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters.
D. To give some advice on how to use nuclear energy safely.

     Each child has his individual (个人的) pattern of social, as well as physical, development. Some of it
depends on his home life and his relationships with the people who love him. Children in large families
learn how to get along with others through normal brother- sister play and tussles (打斗). An only child,
on the other hand , may have to learn his lessons in social living through hard experiences on the
playground or in the classroom. Twins who always have one another to lean on may be slow in
responding to others because they do not need anyone else.
     A child who is constantly scolded and made to feel he does everything wrong may have a difficult
time developing socially. He may be so afraid of displeasing the adults around him that he keeps to
himself (where he can't get into trouble)or he may take the opposite route and go out of his way to create
trouble. Like the deserted child, he too may return to infantile (幼稚的) pleasures, developing habits that
will satisfy him, but create barriers (障碍) toward social contact.

1. Which of the following may have effect on children's paten of social development?

A. Age.  
B. Education  
C. Home life.  
D. Gender (性别)

2. Which of the following is implied by the passage?

A. Too much scolding of children may make their social development difficult.
B. All children developed in the same ways.
C. Children who are constantly scolded may learn to get along with others quickly.
D. Deserted children often exhibit quicker social development.

3. We can inferred from the passage that________.

A. continual scolding is not harmful to the child.
B. continual scolding holds back healthy social development.
C. continual scolding has no effect on obeying orders.
D. continual scolding has no effect on physical development

4.Where does the passage say the only child learns his social lessons?

A. School and home      
B. Home and playground
C. Classroom and playground  
D. All of the above