With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone (克隆) the animal
and save the endangered species(物种). That's a move similar to what a Texas A & M University
researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called "Noah's Ark".
     Noah's Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and
storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor
in Texas A & M's College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building
blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.
     It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds reptiles will become extinct in over
100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.
     This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda
into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.
The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.
     "The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available
panda eggs could be a major problem," Kraemer believes. "They will probably have to do several
hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it's difficult, but this
could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it
is worth the effort," adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A & M, the
first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.
     "They are trying to do something that's never been done, and this is very similar to our work in
Noah's Ark. We're both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and
there's a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It's a research that is very much needed."

1. The aim of "Noah's Ark" project is to _______.

A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas
B. save endangered animals from dying out
C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study
D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another

2. According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _______.

A. available panda eggs        
B. host animals
C. qualified researchers    
D. enough money

3. Which of the following should be the best title for the passage?

A. China's Success in Pandas Cloning  
B. The First Cloned Panda in the World
C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas
D. China -the Native Place of Pandas Forever

4. From the passage we know that _______.

A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog
B. scientists try to implant a panda's egg into a rabbit
C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches
D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century

     Algae(水藻) are very simple plants. They grow in fresh water or salty water. Seaweed is algae that
grow in salty water. Seaweed is red or brown in color. The Japanese people use these plants from the
sea in many ways. From it, they make a food called Kombu. Kombu is seaweed that has been dried,
cooked and pressed together. Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces. The Japanese eat a lot of
Kombu and like it very much.  
     Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer. It makes their plants grow better. Many farmers
also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals.  
     From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine(碘), which they sell to other countries. Iodine is used
in many ways all over the world. It is used in making medicine. It is added to the salt we use at the table.
Scientists even use one form of iodine to “ seed clouds” when they want rain to fall.

1. Kombu is a kind of ____ according to the text.   

A. plant        
B. medicine          
C. food       
D. fertilizer

2. In the last sentence of the text, “seed clouds” means ____.

A.clouds spreading like seeds
B.the seeds like clouds
C.to make rain fall with human power
D.dropping seeds by clouds

3. The main idea of the story is that ____.

A.The Japanese eat seaweed when they want rain to fall.
B.Kombu is made into medicine for farmers.
C.The Japanese use seaweed in many ways.
D.The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu.

      ARLANDA, Sweden (Reuters Life!)-Many people hate the idea of having to sleep on a plane. But Swedish
entrepreneur Oscar Dios thinks they can be persuaded otherwise and he has created a new kind of hostel to
prove it. 
      Dios says it is the world's first jumbo (unusually large) jet hostel, an actual jet-plane at Sweden's main
airport outside Stockholm which has been changed into a 25-room guesthouse that sleeps as many as 72
people.
      "I learned about this plane that was standing deserted at Arlanda airport and I've been trying the concept
of hostels in many different houses and buildings," he told Reuters ."I thought, 'Why not a plane?'"
      Jumbo Hostels opened for business on Thursday, giving customers the chance to check in and sleep in a
room that can best be described as comfortable."
      "The most challenging part with this project is trying to build something inside a metal hull (壳)-it's just
really, really tight."
      The jet, which was originally produced for Singapore Airlines, was taken out of service in 2002. It is held
on a concrete foundation with the landing gear secured in steel cradles.
      One feature of the hostel is its price-a room starts at 350 Swedish crowns (about $ 41), which is a lot less
than hotel rooms outside of major airports.
      Another feature is that customers can get married on the wing of the plane and stay in the plane's more
luxurious honeymoon suite (套房).
      Instead of walking down the aisle in the church, lovebirds can take what Jumbo Hostels calls the "wing
walk," where they can be joined in great happiness at the wing tip. The hostel has someone ready to perform
the ceremony.
      But in some respects this hostel remains a plane-most customers have to share the jet's nine bathrooms
and the staff only wear air host and hostess outfits. The only room that has its own bathroom is the
honeymoon suite.

1. One of the features of the plane hostel is that _____.

A. customers can sleep in comfortable rooms
B. air hostesses can offer good service
C. a wedding ceremony can be held on the wing
D. the staff can have a"wing walk"

2. We can learn from the text that _____.

A. the hostel lies at Arlanda airport in Stockholm
B. the jet plane was out of use for over six years
C. the hostel provides nine bathrooms for customers
D. every hostel room is $ 41 per night

3. The underlined word "tight" means _____.

A. crowded
B. tense
C. small
D. full

4. The purpose of the passage is to _____.

A. introduce a new kind of hostel
B. describe a wonderful place for weddings
C. prove people can sleep on a plane
D. call on people to make use of the deserted things

                                                      The Seven Cs of a Good Letter
     What is the secret of writing a good letter? Here are two main points. Don't try to be fancy (花哨).
Don't try to impress your reader. You will be successful if you follow these seven Cs.
     Clear. Use short, direct sentences. 1_____ Long and difficult sentences won't help express yourself
clearly. Write the letter as if the reader were right there with you. Above all, don't use an introduction.
     Correct. 2_____. Don't guess, even for spelling. Refer to your dictionary. If you need to, check a
reference (参考) book too. Use them as much as you need to.
     Complete. Don't scatter (分散) your points. 3_____. This is good organization too.
     Courteous. Be polite and friendly rather than overly casual. Give your information nicely even if you
are complaining about something. In all letters, treat others as you want them to treat you.
     Concise. Make each point as clearly and briefly as you can.
     Conversational. This informal style of conversation is really the secret of good writing. 4_____. Such
a letter has a natural, friendly tone (语气). Let your personality come through naturally.
     Considerate. 5_____ Write about what the reader needs or wants to know. Try to be helpful. This will
build good feeling to you.
     The seven Cs are about writing letters. But how about school papers? Use the seven Cs too. Write as
if you were talking to your teacher or professor. You'll be surprised. You'll almost immediately become a
good writer. And you might even enjoy writing from now on.

A. Just "talk" to the person.
B. Think of the reader's point of view.
C. Make them easy to understand.
D. Include long sentences in your letter.
E. Make sure what you say is correct.
F. Writing shouldn't be taken too seriously.
G. Finish one point completely before going on to the next.

     Researchers in Britain are driving the environmental movement to a new level. A team from the University
of Warwick has built what it calls the world's first completely environmentally friendly Formula Three racing
car.
     The car is made mainly of renewable materials, like plants and vegetables. The structure around the car is
made from natural plant fibers and potatoes. The steering wheel (方向盘) is made from root vegetables like
carrots. The engine uses bio-fuel made from vegetable oil and waste chocolate.
     The new racing car is extremely fast. The car has a top speed of two hundred fifteen kilometers an hour.
And it can go from zero to ninety-five kilometers an hour in just two and a half seconds. The racing car meets
all of the Formula Three racing requirements except for its biodiesel (生物柴油) engine.
     Automobile racing is one of the most widely watched sports in the world. But it is also considered one of
the least friendly sports to the environment. Racing cars burn a lot of fuel, and create a lot of air pollution. In
recent years, the racing industry has taken steps to protect the environment. More racing companies are now
producing cars that use less energy. These cars produce less pollution than cars that depend on traditional fuel,
like gasoline.
     Last month, the new racing car was set to run in its first competitive race at the Formula Three
Championship Final at Brands Hatch. It would have been the first biodiesel-powered car to race at Formula
Three. Current Formula Three rules let only gasoline-powered car to compete. Officials needed permission
from all of the Formula Three racers for the biodiesel-powered car to compete. They were unable to contact
one of the drivers, so the new racing car didn't appear in the event. In test runs, the new racing car was the
fifth fastest among the Formula Three race cars. Supporters are hoping to have the fuel problem solved in time
to compete in the next season.

1. What's the second paragraph mainly about?

A. What materials the new racing car is made of.
B. Why researchers built the new racing car.
C. The characteristics of the new racing car.
D. The process of the new racing car being designed.

2. According to the passage, the of the new racing car doesn't meet the Formula Three racing requirements.

A. speed
B. appearance
C. weight
D. engine

3. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. the new racing car is the first environmentally friendly car
B. automobile racing could be forbidden in the near future
C. many people like to watch automobile racing
D. the new racing car will be allowed to compete in the next season of Formula Three racing

4. In recent years, racing companies are producing cars that _____.

A. burn more fuel
B. go more quickly
C. produce less pollution
D. cost less money

5. Why didn't the new racing car compete at the Formula Three Championship Final last month?

A. Because the new racing car still needs testing.
B. Because officials needed each racer's permission but failed to contact one.
C. Because there're some technical problems to be solved.
D. Because few drivers think it is fast enough.

     No one can fail to stand in awed (令人敬畏的) admiration of the great discoveries of history-Newton's
laws of motion, Kepler's principles of planetary movement, Einstein's general theory of relativity. Equally
awe-inspiring are artistic creations in painting, theatre, music, and literature, which have also been brought
about by discovery through personal efforts. What do these extraordinary achievements of well-known
scientists and artists have to do with problem solving?
     A great scientific discovery or a great work of art is surely the result of problem-solving activity. The
solution to a problem, we are told, often comes to thinkers in a "flash of insight (顿悟)", although they may
have been turning the problem over in their minds for some time. As a particular form of problem solving,
these creative acts are based on the broad knowledge gained in the past, whether this be of the " public" sort
known to science, or of the "private" sort known to the artist.
     Many creative thinkers state that they have completely devoted themselves to the subject matter of the
problem, often over fairly long periods of time. Indeed, it would be strange if they had not done this.
Nothing in such statements supports the idea that there is anything very different about the problem solving
that leads to discoveries of the great contributions to the society. The act of discovery, even in the relatively
predictable (可以预见的) sense that it occurs in everyday learning, involves (涉及) a " sudden insight"
which changes the problem situation into a solution situation. As we have seen, everyday discovery also
0requires that the learner have the knowledge of the rules gained in the past, which is involved in the solution.

1. Newton, Kepler and Einstein are mentioned in the first paragraph to _____.

A. bring about the subject of the discussion
B. explain that scientists are more creative
C. show the difference between science and arts
D. prove that arts require more personal efforts

2. While knowledge from the past plays an important role in their achievements, thinkers
sometimes also depend on their _____.

A. artistic tastes
B. sudden insight
C. admiration of discoveries
D. scientific experiments

3. What does the underlined word " this" refer to?

A. Great contributions to the society.
B. Long-time study of the subject matter.
C. Various statements about problem solving.
D. Complete devotion to artistic creation.

4. We may conclude from the passage that _____.

A. it is more likely to make scientific and artistic discoveries in everyday learning
B. a sudden insight and knowledge from the past are required in making discoveries
C. scientific discoveries or artistic creations are usually unpredictable in nature
D. knowledge of the rules in the past is often developed in the changes of situation

     The debate over children from other European countries in Britain's school was refired after the country's
leading teachers told The Observer that rising numbers of foreign pupils are putting some of schools near the
breaking point.
     Members of the National Association of Head Teachers will this week tell the government that the problem
is starting to change the culture of some schools. Some heads said the situation was out of control.
     Though head teachers think the new pupils have great ability and they should be welcomed into schools,
they are worried that they don't have enough money to deal with the situation.
     "There is a feeling among some of our members that this is out of control and no one knows the final
solution," said Mick Brookes, general secretary of the NAHT. Brookes who will give evidence this week to
the government added,"some schools just don't know how many immigrant children they will have to admit."
He said that while schools could take in one or two foreign pupils, some were struggling with the sudden large
increase in the number of children overseas.
      Clarissa Williams, head of Tolworth Girls School in Kingston upon Thames, south London, said she
received &1,300 a year from the government to cover the costs of teaching English to foreign pupils but was
having to spend &30,000 of her own budget to keep pace.
     On Tuesday, the association will tell the House of Lords that education budgets have not kept pace with
the increase in the number of pupils for whom English is a second language, or not spoken at all, who have
entered Britain since the European Union expanded (扩大)

1. According to the passage, the main reason for the debate is _____.

A. Foreign pupils bring their cultures into Britain
B. Teachers work harder than before while getting paid less
C. The number of foreign pupils has increased too fast
D. The government doesn't listen to the head teachers

2. How much more does Clarissa Williams need to receive from the government to cover the costs
   of teaching English to foreign pupils each year?

A. &1,300
B.1,700
C. &30,000
D. &28,700

3. From the passage we know that _____.

A. pupils from other countries can not speak English
B. many schools have already reached the breaking points
C. British schools have profited from the expansion of the the European Union
D. the expansion of the the European Union has brought many foreign students to Britain

4. Which of the following actions may most probably be taken by the government to solve the problem?

A. Close down some school
B.  Drive away some foreign students
C. Hire more English teachers
D. Increase education budgets

     A pioneering headteacher is calling for all high schools to follow his lead and start classes at 11 am,
allowing teenagers two hours extra in bed.
     Dr Paul Kelley, head of Monkseaton Community High School in North Tyneside, said it would mean
the end of sleeping in lessons before lunch, after experiments showed teenagers could have different body
clocks from adults and younger children.
     Russell Foster, an Oxford professor of neuroscience (神经学), tested the memory of 200 Monkseaton
pupils at 9 am and 2 pm using pairs of words, and discovered a 9% improvement in the afternoon. Students
correctly identified 51% of word pairs in the later session, compared with 42 % in the morning. Tayler
MeCullough, 15, one of the test subjects, said the majority of students would welcome the extra hours in
bed. "I'm extremely hard to get up in the morning. One or two people like to get to school early, but most
of us would be up for going in later. I'm sure it would make a big difference to our learning ability."
     Kelley is adamant that a change of school timetable will have a meaningful effect on exam performance.
He wants his school's governors to approve his plan and put the new timetable in place before the opening
of Monkseaton's new school building, the most technologically advanced in the country, in September.
     Kelley hopes his latest idea will be just as successful. "We have to be practical. But this proves that, by
starting later, children's learning improves, as does their health." Foster said, "This is preliminary (初步的)
data, but what's exciting is that it matches more detailed studies carried out in Canada and the US. Teenagers
get up late not because they are lazy but because they are biologically programmed to do so."

1. How many professors are mentioned in the passage?

A. One.
B. Two.
C. Three.
D. Four.

2. According to Russell Foster's research, _____.

A. the students tested had very good memories
B. the students tested did better jobs in the afternoon
C. 42% of the students tested could do very good jobs
D. 51% of the students tested could master 9% of words

3. What does the underlined word "adamant" in the fourth paragraph mean?

A. Angry.
B. Absorbed.
C. Adaptable.
D. Determined.

4. Foster's opinion on teenagers' getting up late is that _____.

A. teenagers are practical
B. teenagers are lazy-bones
C. it's based on their body development
D. it's good for their learning and health

     Language learning begins with listening. Children are greatly different in the amount of listening they do
 before they start speaking, and later starters are often long listeners. Most children will "obey" spoken
 instructions some time before they can speak, though the word "obey" is hardly accurate as a 
description of the eager and delighted cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak,
 many children will also ask questions by gesture and by making questioning noises. Any attempt to study
 the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort
 themselves as particularly expressive as delight, pain, friendliness, and so on. But since these can't be
 said to show the baby's intention to communicate, they can hardly be regarded as early forms of
 language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that
 by six months they are able to add new words to their store. This self-imitation leads on to deliberate (有意的) imitation of sounds made or words spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises as to
 the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech. It is a problem we need
 to get out. The meaning of a word depends on what a particular person means by it in a particular 
situation and it is clear that what a child means by a word will change as he gains more experience of the
 world .Thus the use at seven months of "mama" as a greeting for his mother cannot be dismissed as a
 meaningless sound simply because he also uses it at other times for his father, his dog, or anything else he
 likes. Playful and meaningless imitation of what other people say continues after the child has begun to
 speak for himself, I doubt, however, whether anything is gained when parents take advantage of this
 ability in an attempt to teach new sounds.

1. Before children start speaking, ________.

A. they need equal amount of listening      
B. they need different amounts of listening
C. they are all eager to cooperate with the adults by obeying spoken instructions
D. they can't understand and obey the adult's oral instructions

2. Children who start speaking late ________.

A. may have problems with their listening
B. probably do not hear enough language spoken around them
C. usually pay close attention to what they hear
D. often take a long time in learning to listen properly

3. A baby's first noises are ________.

A. an expression of his moods and feelings　　  
B. an early form of language
C. a sign that he means to tell you something　
D. an imitation of the speech of adults

4. The problem of deciding at what point a baby's imitations can be considered as speech _____.

A. is important because words have different meanings for different people
B. is one that should be properly understood because the meaning of words changes with age
C. is not especially important because the changeover takes place gradually 
D. is one that should be completely ignored (忽略) because children's use of words is often meaningless 

5. The author implies______.

A. parents can never hope to teach their children new sounds
B. even after they have learnt to speak, children still enjoy imitating 
C. children no longer imitate people after they begin to speak
D. children who are good at imitating learn new words more quickly

     Since the nineteen nineties, education has been required for all South Africans from age seven to
fifteen. Last December, the government announced that seventy percent of students passed their final
examination to finish high school. In 2008 the passage rate was about sixty-three percent. There have
been increases each year since then.
     Professor Shireen Motala at the University of Johannesburg says access to basic education is no
longer the problem in South Africa. She says most children stay in school until they are about sixteen.
The problem now, she says, is that large numbers of them leave without completing high school.
      Students take an examination known as the matric in grade twelve, their final or "matriculation" year.
Professor Motala notes that less than half the children who started school in 2000 sat for the matric last
year. He said, "Only around forty-five percent survived, which means that a large number of children are
falling by the wayside. And the concern is that where do those learners actually go to."
     Educational researchers also point to another problem. They say South African schools do not
produce enough students with the skills for higher education in math and science.
     One of those researchers is Graeme Bloch. He says many schools are not well-equipped. "Because
of poverty and limited resources, many children do not see laboratories and ninety-two percent of the
schools do not have libraries."
     Also, education specialists say in many cases, teachers and school principals do not have the skills or
training to do their jobs. In other cases, they are simply not doing their duty to provide an education.
     Professor Motala says a number of teachers were poorly trained during the system of apartheid, or
racial separation in South Africa. Apartheid ended in 1994. Secondly, she says, teachers have been
confused by the many educational reform efforts in the last fifteen years. And, finally, she thinks language
differences in the classroom have not gotten as much attention as they should. Subjects such as math and
science are taught in English starting at about age ten. But South Africa has eleven official languages and
many more unofficial ones.
     South Africa's minister of basic education promises a number of improvements. Angie Motshega says
teacher development efforts will focus on subject and content knowledge, and making sure the correct
teachers are in the correct jobs.

1. Which of the following statements is WRONG?

A. There is a high dropout rate of students under 16 in South Africa.
B. More students with the skills for higher education in math and science are needed.
C. Racial separation in South Africa once affected the training of many teachers.
D. South Africa has eleven official languages and many more unofficial ones.

2. South African schools cannot provide education of good quality for their students.
    Which of the followings is NOT the reason?

A. Many schools are not well-equipped.
B. Some teachers are poorly trained and have no sense of responsibility.
C. There is no educational reform efforts to guide teachers.
D Language differences in the classroom have not gotten enough attention.

3. What's the writer's attitude towards the future of education in South African?

A. pessimistic   
B. optimistic   
C. indifferent   
D. worried