When an ant dies, other ants move the dead insect out. Sometimes, the dead ant get moved away very
soon-within an hour of dying. This behavior is interesting to scientists, who wonder how ants know for
sure-and so soon-that another ant is dead.
     One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist.
Choe found that Argentine ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, "I'm
dead-take me away."
     But there's a twist to Choe's discovery. Choe says that the living ants-not just the dead ones-have this
death chemical. In other words, while an ant crawls around, perhaps in a picnic or home, it's telling other
ants that it's dead.
     What keeps ants from dragging away the living ants? Choe found that Argentine ants have two additional
chemicals on their bodies, and these tell nearby ants something like, "Wait-I'm not dead yet." So Choe's
research turned up two sets of chemical signals in ants: one says, "I'm dead," and the other set says, "I'm
not dead yet."
     Other scientists have tried to figure out how ants know when another ant is dead. If an ant is knocked
unconscious, for example, other ants leave it alone until it wakes up. That means ants know that unmoving
ants can still be alive.
     Choe suspects that when an Argentine ant dies, the chemical that says "Wait-I'm not dead yet" quickly
goes away. Once that chemical is gone, only the one that says "I'm dead" is left. "It's because the dead ant
no longer smells like a living ant that it gets carried to the graveyard, not because its body releases (释放)
new unique chemicals after death," said Choe. When other ants detect the"dead" chemical without the "not
dead yet" chemical, they drag away the body.
     Understanding this behavior may help scientists figure out how to stop Argentine ants from invading new
places and causing problems. Choe would like to find a way to use the newly discovered chemicals to spread
ant killer to Argentine ant nests.
     The ants' removal behavior is important to the overall health of the nest. "Being able to quickly remove
dead individuals and other possible sources of disease is extremely important to all animals living in societies,
including us," says Choe. "Think about all the effort and money that we invest daily in waste management."

1. The underlined word "twist" in Paragraph 3 means _____.

A. an unexpected change
B. a clear mistake
C. an important key
D. a shocking conclusion

2. Ants judge whether another one is dead or not depending on _____.

A. the sense of taste
B. the sense of smell
C. the sense of touch
D. the sense of sight

3. The result of the research can be used to _____.

A. kill troublesome pests
B. solve the problem of endangered species
C. prevent further expansion of the ants' territory
D. keep the balance of nature

4. Why is it important to remove dead individuals?

A. Because it is easier to manage the living.
B. Because it can save money to deal with the waste.
C. Because it can provide more space for the living.
D. Because it can keep the living from suffering disease.

5. What might be the best title of the text?

A. Dead or living? It is easy to judge
B. Pulling away the dead ants is a difficult task.
C. Ant nests have great undertaking capacity.
D. Leaving it alone or taking it away? Ants feel puzzled.

     About 40 percent of the top students in college entrance examinations have chosen overseas universities
for their postgraduate studies, according to a survey.
     Most of them have stayed overseas after finishing their intended courses, showed a survey that tracked
130 top performers in college entrance exams from 1977 to 1998.
     The survey, released on the China Alumni Association website, found it worrying that many of the top
students would not _____ despite the country's rapid development in the past few decades.
     The government should find better ways to hold back talented students, said Cai Yanhou, a professor
with Central South University in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province.
     UNESCO figures show Chinese students consist of 14 percent of international students, the highest in
the world. Their favorite destinations for higher studies are the US, Britain and Japan. Some experts said
handsome scholarships, better job prospects and more opportunities to pursue further studies are the main
attractions of foreign universities.
     But Cai, who also led the survey team, said "top in exams" does not necessarily mean "top in career"
because the study found none of the top students at college entrance exams had become a top Chinese
expert or academic. Some of them are just more adaptable to exam-oriented education (应试教育) than
their peers, experts said.
     The media fill pages and time slots(逢) with their "success" stories to gain wider readership and
viewership. High schools promote their former students proudly to attract new ones, and universities
want to show their superior status by recruiting (吸收) them, they said.
     Wang hoped future reforms would do away with the score-oriented method so that students can be
judged from all aspects.

1. What is the best title of the passage? (Please answer within 10 words)
     _____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one? The top students "success" stories
    are widely announced by the media to attract the readers' and the viewers' interest.
     _____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Please fill in the blank in the second paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence.
    (Please answer within 10 words) 
     _____________________________________________________________________________________
4. If you are one of the top students in college entrance examinations, will you choose to study abroad?
    Why or why not? (Please answer within 30 words)
     _____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
     _____________________________________________________________________________________

     The unquestioned role of a student is to learn as much as possible through whatever means it takes to
acquire knowledge. Teachers and professors are human beings and are therefore not perfect. No one knows
the correct answer to every question even when you limit the questions to a certain field of study. Having
certain skepticism (质疑) about what they are being taught can help students to make the teachers even better
by correcting mistakes and misinformation.
     Students certainly have a huge role in their own abilities to learn. Teachers should act more as guides
along the way rather than try to force each student to learn. The best teachers in the world cannot teach an
unmotivated student. If the teacher, for whatever reason, cannot motivate the student, then the student must
somehow find a way to motivate himself or herself.
     One method of doing this is by becoming an active rather than a passive student. The more the student
involves himself or herself in the act of studying, the better he or she can learn. One of the best ways to
become more active is simply to ask the teacher or professor questions. Students who passively sit in a
classroom and take everything that the teacher says for granted are not fully using their mental capacities
to learn.
     Better education comes from teachers who are able to get their students to think about a subject rather
than merely absorb a certain amount of information. Having a healthy skepticism can improve a student's
ability to both think and absorb knowledge in a learning situation.
     Teachers are human beings and no one is one hundred percent right all of the time, even in a classroom
situation. Perhaps a teacher would simply unconsciously say the wrong word or pass on some misinformation
that the teacher truly believed was correct. A student's question could prevent an entire classroom from
becoming confused or misinformed.
     There is of course a fine balance between a student having a healthy skepticism, and just being a downright
skeptic. But with the proper attitude toward learning and a little skepticism, both the students and teachers
can improve upon the learning process and maximize learning efficiency.

1. Which of the following is the author's main argument?

A. Passive learning results from passive teaching in class.
B. A student's ability plays a huge role in the learning process.
C. A healthy skepticism fully depends on students' motivation and ability.
D. A healthy skepticism and proper attitude contribute to effective learning.

2. Being passive learners, the students _____.

A. use little of their mental ability while studying
B. seldom involve themselves completely in learning
C. can hardly tell the right from the wrong in class
D. simply ask their teachers questions without thinking

3. According to the passage, a good teacher should _____.

A. help the unmotivated students patiently
B. instruct students in the learning process
C. make no mistakes in the teaching process
D. answer all the questions raised by students

     Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the
purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life.
     In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all-one
can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for
all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree; they refuse
to do what they think “low” work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such
countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer
is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food.
If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our
towns.
     In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in
such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that
we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that is very bad to be ashamed of one's work. Only
such a type of education can be considered valuable to society.

1. The writer of the passage thinks that _____.

A. education can settle most of the world's problems
B. free education for all probably leads to a perfect world
C. free education won't help to solve problems
D. all the social problems can't be solved by education

2. The writer wants to prove that _____.

A. our society needs all kinds of jobs
B. our society needs free education for all
C. a farmer is more important than a professor
D. work with hands is the most important

3. The purpose of education is _____.

A. to choose officials for the country
B. to prepare children mainly for their future work
C. to let everyone receive education fit for him
D. to build a perfect world

     When skateboarding started in the 1960s, skateboards were made of wood and had clay wheels. Since
the wheels did not grip concrete well, riders could do very few tricks with them. Soon people lost interest
in the sport.
     In 1973, though, a new wheel was invented in California. It was made of a plastic called urethane (氨基
甲酸酯). A skateboard with these wheels moved very quickly and it also gripped the concrete well. During
the next few years skateboards were further improved. The urethane was perfected, and because the boards
were shaped better, riders liked them better. These skateboards gave new life to skateboarding.
    The streets were not safe for skateboarding, although it was easy to ride on the streets. As a result,
skateboard parks sprang up. The first parks appeared in California and Florida. At first there were only outdoor
parks that had concrete slopes with small curves (曲线). Then more exciting parks appeared which had steep
downward slopes, banked curves, and vertical walls. Today, there are both indoor and outdoor parks.
     In most of these parks riders must wear helmets (头盔) as well as knee and elbow pads (护肘). This gear
can prevent a fall from causing serious injury.
     Whenever they ride, people should always use this safety equipment, and they should learn how to fall
safely. Many accidents happen during the first week of riding, so it is very important that riders be taught well.

1. Why were the new skateboards more popular?

A. They were safer than the older ones.
B. The older models were expensive.
C. They were stronger than the older ones.
D. People could do more tricks with them.

2. The underlined word "grip" in the first paragraph means "_____".

A. move over a surface without slipping
B. stick to
C. replace
D. break down

3. Skateboard parks developed because _____.

A. parents decided it would be a good idea
B. too many accidents happened on the streets
C. many streets did not allow skateboarding
D. most city parks did not allow skateboarding

4. Which of the following statements about skateboard parks is TRUE?

A. The first parks appeared in Scotland and Florida.
B. The earlier parks had steep slopes.
C. In the parks people don't have to wear helmets.
D. At first there weren't any indoor parks.

                                                          Well-done on an Exam
     Do not underestimate the power of revision in the days and hours before an examination. The closer you
are to the exam, the more chance you have of storing and attaining key information. But do not overdo it. 
1______ An effective daily routine can help you through an exam period, so in the days leading up to your
first exam, get into the habit of being up and read to work. It can be a shock to the system after months of
working to your own timetable to be mentally alert at that time if you have not prepared for it.
     On the day of the exam, have a good breakfast, pack everything you need ( pens, pencils, erasers, etc),
then make your way to the examination hall in good time. 2______ 
     Once in your seat, simply pause for a few seconds and collect your thoughts. Close your eyes and take
in a few slow, deep breaths to help you relax. When you turn over the test paper, spend a short period reading
through all the instructions and questions, paying particular attention to key verbs such as "discuss", "compare"
and "evaluate". 3______ It is always wise to allow 10 minutes at the end of the exam to give yourself time to
go back over your answers. Once you have selected the questions you wish to tackle, begin by attempting the
one you think is your strongest. It will give you more confidence when you see a well-answered question down
on paper. Also remember to write clearly, and do not be afraid to express the unexpected: after all, examiners
can get very bored marking stereotypical (模式化的) answers.
     4______ If you need something else to focus on to help you collect your thoughts, choose a fixture in the
room, such as the ceiling or anything else that will not allow you to be distracted.
     Finally, once you have finished, never hang around outside afterwards to attend the discussion by other
students. 5______ 

A. Try not to look at those around you, or at the clock.
B. When you get home, read the examination paper through and look up the other words you didn't understand. C. Sleep, exercise and relaxation are all just as important.
D. Map out a quick plan of points you wish to make and how much time you should spend on each question.
E. Go and have a well-earned rest---then prepare the next exam.
F. Do not arrive too early, though, as other people's anxiety can be contagious (传染性的), and you may suffer
    from undue panic.
G. If possible, you can arrive early and communicate with those worried students and help them overcome their
    anxiety.

     Most people think of racing when they see greyhounds (灰狗) and believe they need lots of exercise.
They can actually be quite lazy! Greyhounds are good at fast races but not long-distance running. They
do need regular exercise but they like to run for a short burst and then get back on the bed or a comfortable
seat. Another misunderstanding is that greyhounds must be aggressive (好斗的) because they are big in size.
In fact greyhounds love people and are gentle with children.
     Greyhounds can live for 12-14 years but usually only race for two or three years, and after that they
make great pets. They don't need a lot of space, don't make a lot of noise, and don't eat a lot for their size.
     Normally, greyhounds can be as tall as 90 cm. There is, however, a small-sized greyhound, which stands
only 33 cm. Greyhounds come in a variety of colors. Grey and yellowish-brown are the most common.
Others include black, white, blue, red and brown or a mix of these.
     Greyhounds have smooth body coats, low body fat and are very healthy. Because they're slim (苗条的)
they don't have the leg problems like other dogs the same height. But they do feel the cold, especially since
they would much rather be at home in bed than walking around outside.

1. The text is written mainly _____.

A. to tell people how to raise greyhounds
B. to let people know more about greyhounds
C. to explain why greyhounds are aggressive
D. to describe greyhounds of different colors

2. It can be inferred that greyhounds _____.

A. love big doghouses
B. like staying in bed all day
C. make the best guard dogs
D. need some exercise outdoors

3. If you keep a pet greyhound, it is important _____.

A. to keep it slim
B. to keep it warm
C. to take special care of its legs
D. to take it to animal doctors regularly

     The tomato is the world's most popular fruit. Unlike the cabbage, the tomato is a real fruit, not a vegetable.
More than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced per year, 16 million tons more than the second most
popular fruit, the banana. Apples are the third most popular (36 million tons), then oranges (34 million tons)
and watermelons (22 million tons).
     Tomatoes were first cultivated in 700 by Aztecs and Incas. People returning from Mexico introduced the
tomato into Europe, where it was first mentioned in 1556.The French called it "the apple of love", the Germans
"the apple of paradise".
     Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C. Furthermore, new medical research suggests that the consumption
of tomatoes may prevent cancer. And it's low in cholesterol (胆固醇). An average tomato (148 gram, or 5 oz)
contains only 35 calories (卡路里).
     The scientific term for the common tomato is lycopersicon, which means "wolf peach". It is a cousin of
the eggplant, red pepper, ground cherry, potato. There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes.
      Tomatoes are used in many food products, including, of course, tomato sauce (ketchup), pasta and pizza.
According to a Steel Packing Council survey of 1997, 68% of chefs use canned tomatoes for convenience,
quality and flavouring. It hasn't changed much since.

1. According to the passage, the ________ is a vegetable. (No more than one word)
2. In which country was the tomato most likely cultivated first? (No more than two words)
    ________________________________________________________________________
3. Please mention one of tomatoes' advantages. (No more than ten words)
    ________________________________________________________________________
4. Lycopersicon, which means "wolf peach", is ________. (No more than ten words)