Encouraging pupils to keep noise to a minimum should be a valuable component of all children's
education, according to new research.
    Dr. Helen Lees, from Stirling University's school of education, says that "enforced (强制的) silence
" is seen as a punishment and often acts to suppress children's natural ability. But she says that teaching
children about the benefits of "enforced silence",-deliberate stillness that gives them the opportunity to
focus and reflect in a stress-free environment--- can have a significant effect on pupils' concentration and
behavior.
    It is the latest in a string of researches to establish a link between the classroom environment and
pupils' academic ability.
    A study almost a decade ago in London found that children's exam results were cut by as much as a
third if they were taught in noisy classrooms. Teaching unions have also called for a limit of 26℃ to be
put on classroom temperatures because teachers and pupils struggle to work in hot conditions, and some
educationalists claim that too much clutter (杂乱的东西) on classroom walls can prevent children from
concentrating.
    Dr. Lees said, "When we take some research on school settings and put it all together, what we see is
that education without silence does not make much sense. In areas of better learning outcomes, better
self- confidence and well-being measures, enforced silence in a person's life and an individual's education
is shown throughout the relevant research to be a benefit."
    Dozens of schools across Britain have already introduced periods of "reflective silence" into the
timetable.
    Kevin Hogston, head of Sheringdale Primary, south London, has just introduced a minute's silence at
the start of twice-weekly meetings in which children are taught breathing techniques and encouraged to
reflect. The school plans to introduce it into classrooms every day.

1. According to Dr. Helen Lees, "enforced silence" _____.

A. is an effective way of punishment    
B. does not make much sense in class
C. can improve pupils' confidence      
D. makes pupils more creative

2. The underlined word, "suppress", in the second paragraph probably means "_____".

A. prevent        
B. improve          
C. apply                
D. reveal

3. What can be inferred from the research on school settings?   

A. Students are more active if taught in noisy classrooms.
B. Silence makes a great difference to pupils.
C. Clutter on the walls can help students concentrate.
D. Most schools are not satisfactory in terms of classroom temperatures.

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

A. Arranging classroom settings benefits studies    
B. Achieving silence is beneficial for people
C. Using enforced silence is effective punishment        
D. Keeping quiet in class improves academic performance

     The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from
the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you
followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity
is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial (冰川的)activity of
the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered
above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and
they sank into the sea.
     As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land. And the
highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Marine fossils found
here are 225 feet above sea level indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier.
     The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of Maine keeps watch over nearly 2,000 islands.
Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to blooming communities. Mt. Desert
Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands left behind by the glacier. Measuring
16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half
by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long.
     For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, has afforded summer
homes for the wealthy. Recently, though, Bar Harbor has become a new arts community as well. But the
best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits
on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both
zones. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds.
     The establishment of Acadia National park in 1916 means that this natural monument will be
preserved and that it will be available to all people, not just the wealthy. Visitors to Acadia may receive
nature instruction from the park naturalists as well as enjoy camping, hiking, cycling, and boating. Or
they may choose to spend time at the museum learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island.

1. The large number of small islands along the coast of Maine is the result of _______.

A. the drowning of the Maine coastline
B. glacier's forcing mountains into the sea
C. the irregularity of the Maine coastline
D. ocean water's flooding the mountain range

2. From the passage, we learn that _______. 

A. the coastline of Maine is ten times longer after the Ice Age
B. there are more than 2500 islands along the Maine coastline  
C. Mt. Desert Island has been broken apart by a 7-mile-long water stretch
D. an arts community gave way to the summer homes on Mt. Desert Island      

3. What CANNOT be inferred about the Acadia Nation Park?

A. It welcomes all the people, rich or poor.
B. It has much appeal for bird-watching lovers.
C. It offers visitors both entertainment and education.
D. It is a border between the two geographical zones.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A. The past and the present of Maine
B. The formation of Maine coastline
C. Efforts for preserving national parks
D. Tourist attractions on Mt. Desert Island

     Planting trees around poultry (家禽) farms can improve air and water quality - and relations with
neighbors. Research has shown that just three rows of trees near poultry houses can reduce the release
of dust and ammonia (氨). They can also reduce the strong smell of ammonia gas.
     The trees capture dust, ammonia and smells in their leaves. They can also reduce energy use. They
also provide shade from the sun, so they reduce cooling costs in summer. And they act as a windbreak,
so they reduce heating costs in winter. Trees can also improve water quality around farms by removing
pollutions from soil and groundwater.
     Several years ago, people were objecting to the smell of poultry farms on the Delmarva Peninsula in
the eastern United States. Delmarva is where the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia come
together. Two thousand farms there can each house an average of seventy-five thousand chickens.
     Traditionally the farms used windows to provide fresh air in the chicken houses. Farmers rarely
planted trees or tall crops around the buildings, so there would be no barrier to the airflow.
     But then in the 60s, farms began to use mechanical ventilation (通风) systems. Instead of windows,
the mechanical systems used tunnel fans to circulate (使…循环) air. The fans directed airflow from the
poultry houses toward the homes of neighbors.
     Researchers began dealing with the problem in 2000. They found that over a period of six years,
planting three rows of trees reduced total dust and ammonia by more than half. And they found that
smells were reduced by 18%.
     Farmers may think trees will take too long to grow and be effective. But some trees can grow quickly. At least one-third of the Delmarva farms have planted trees, technically known as vegetative
environmental buffers. The idea offers a way to cut pollution, save money and energy, and make the
neighbors happy.

1. How did the mechanical ventilation system work?
_____________________________________________________
2. The number of chickens raised on the poultry farms in Delmarva is up to ____________________.
3. The benefits of planting trees around poultry farms are _________________.
4. What is the main topic of the passage?
_____________________________________________________

     Imagine that the genome (基因组) is a book. The book consists of 23 chapters with thousands of
stories made up of paragraphs, words and letters on different levels. There are one billion words in the
book, as long as 800 Bibles; if I read the genome out to you at the rate of one word per second for
eight hours a day, it would take me centuries; if I wrote out the human genome, one letter per millimeter,
my text would be as long as the River Danube. This is a huge volume, a book of great length, but it all fits
inside an extremely small cell nuclear(细胞核) that fits easily upon the head of a pin.
     The idea of the genome as a book is not, strictly speaking, even a metaphor. It is true to a great extent. A book is a piece of digital information, written in one-directional form and defined by a code that
translates a small alphabet of signs into a large dictionary of meanings through the order of their groupings. So is a genome. The only difference is that all English books read from left to right, while some parts of
the genome read from left to right while some from right to left, but never both at the same time.
     While English books are written in words of different lengthens using twenty-six letters, genomes are
written entirely in words of three-letter length, using only four letters, and instead of being written on flat
pages, they are written on long chains of DNA molecules (分子).
     The genome is a very clever book, because in the right condition it can both photocopy itself and read
itself.

1. How do human genomes read according to the passage?

A. Only from left to right.
B. Only from right to left.
C. From both directions at the same time.
D. From one direction at a time.

2. We can learn from the passage that the human genome ________.

A. is as long as the River Danube
B. can be easily placed on the head of a pin
C. is coded with an alphabet of four letters 
D. is smart enough to read and take photos of itself

3. It can be concluded that the passage is mainly written for ______.

A. specialists in the field
B. general readers
C. natural scientists
D. readers with professional knowledge

4. The real purpose of the author's comparison of the genome to a book is _____.

A. to focus on the differences between the two
B. to lay emphasis on the similarities between the two
C. to simplify the concept of the human genome
D. to give an exact description of the human genome

     Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers.
Brain-computer interface (界面) (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 hand.
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

      Most students do an IQ text early in their school career. Even if they never see their results, they feel
that their IQ is   1  determines how well they are going to do in life. When they see other students doing    2       (good) than them, they usually believe that those students have   3    higher IQ and   4    there
is nothing they can do to change facts. However, new research   5    EQ suggests that success is not
simply the result of a high IQ.
    While your IQ tells you how   6   (intelligence) you are, your EQ tells you how well you use your
intelligence. Professor Salovery,   7    invented the term EQ, gives the following description: At work, it
is IQ that   8    (get) you promoted. Supported by his academic research, Professor Salovery suggests
that when someone's future success    9    (predict), their character,   10     measured by EQ tests, might
actually matter more than their IQ.

     Guandong province all together chose universities in Hong Kong; when the very best student of
Beijing picked up HK University while giving up the nearby Peking or Tsinghua University; when the
highest enrollment (录取) rate of Hong Kong Science and Industry University reached 48:1, it's the high
time to ask where the real education heaven for students in China is.
     Years ago, the answer certainly would be "Peking or Tsinghua University". But now no one could give
the exact reaction without hesitation. The only sure thing is that HK universities have gradually showed an
unusual attraction to a great many mainland students.
     It's no doubt to call this HK craz e(狂热), which is even out of the expectation of those HK
universities themselves.
     How can HK universities shake the steady foundations of Peking and Tsinghua and attract so many
mainland students?
     First, Hong Kong universities offer large-amount scholarship, especially for the top students who can
receive the sum of scholarship as much as 400,000 HK dollars. Since higher education has become a
kind of heavy burden of many families, it's easy to understand why the reaction to the generous offering
of HK universities is great.
     Second, most HK universities receive professors and students from all over the world and carry out
bilingual (双语) education. This kind of excellent language atmosphere is another attraction for mainland
students.
     Further more, university students in Hong Kong have a better chance to study abroad as exchange
students.
     Can mainland top universities like Peking or Tsinghua University calm as before when facing the
unexpected competition from HK? Will they take relevant measures to win back the top students who
once help them set the worldwide reputation? Time will explain it.
     The fierce competition brought by HK universities can be a good thing for an entire improvement of
education in China. After the awakening and action taking of mainland universities, they can perform
better together with HK universities.
     At least, it reminded the mainland universities the tuition fees(学费)are among students' top concern
when they are choosing universities. It's time to move.

1. What is the passage mainly talking about?

A. Some thought brought by the enrollment of HK universities.
B. Higher education in Hong Kong.
C. The competition between HK University and Peking University.
D. The fall of mainland universities.

2. Top students from mainland apply for HK universities because ________.

A. many students now would love to study aboard to get a better experience
B. they concern only about the tuition fees when choosing universities
C. HK universities offer higher scholarship, better environment and more opportunities for
     their further study
D. Peking university has lost its worldwide reputation

3. What is the author's attitude toward the competition brought by HK universities?

A. The government should take relevant measures to stop this unfair competition.
B. Mainland universities had better lower their tuition fees and win back the top students.
C. Universities both in mainland and in HK would get an entire improvement during the competition.
D. It may probably cause a complete loss both sides in the end.

4. From the passage we can see HK universities __________.

A. didn't mean to enroll top students from mainland
B. didn't expect their enrollment of mainland students would be so popular
C. have strict enrollment rules and only 1 out of 48 students can get the chance to study there
D. are proud of their teaching staff and facilities

5. What does the author mean by saying "It's time to move" in the last paragraph?

A. Mainland universities should take measures as soon as possible to attract students.
B. The opportunities come for top students to study abroad.
C. Mainland universities should make full preparations to challenge mainland universities.
D. Top students should be offered further education free of charge.