When you watch TV programs about wild animals, it is surprising to see how an antelope can escape a lion’s attack. In the wilderness, everyone has a stunt. Even plants have their own ways of fighting off enemies.
Over millions of years of evolution, plants have developed a unique defence system. Chemicals are wildly used for survival. By making their leaves, flowers, roots and fruits distasteful or poisonous(有毒的) to enemies, plants can fight back.
One such plant is the Golden Wattle tree. The British scientist David Cameron has found when an animal eats the tree’s leaves, the amount of poison increases in the other leaves. “It’s like the damaged leaves telephoning the others telling them to fight together against the enemy, ” he said.
The tree also sends defence messages to neighboring plants by giving out a special smell. Golden Wattle trees in the surrounding 45 meters will get the message and produce more poison within 10 minutes. Now, if an enemy eats too many of the trees’ leaves, it will die.
Every species of plant or tree is good at the production of a particular set of chemicals. A herbivore that can safely eat the leaves of one tree may be poisoned by its neighbor.
In this way, plants have developed not only individual defence system, but also shared it with others. This makes it impossible for a single animal to destroy even a small area of forest.
【小题1】 Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Plants Fight back with Poisons

B．Plants Can Kill Animals

C．Animals and Plants

D．Lions and Antelopes

【小题2】According to the study, if one Golden Wattle tree is attacked by animals, it can________.

A．tell other trees to protect it

B．produce more poison within 10 minutes

C．send defence messages to the neighboring plants

D．kill the animals with its leaves

【小题3】 In this passage the underlined word “herbivore” probably means animals which ________.

A．live on both animals and plants	B．feed on smaller animals
C．live on trees	D．feed on plants or grass

【小题4】The last paragraph of the passage suggests that this kind of defence system________.

A．does great harm to the animals	B．does good to the forests
C．is helpful to some animals	D．harms the forests

Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure (血压) and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.
Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress (紧张) levels and blood pressure in people— half of them pet owners —while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic (算术) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did it best. Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates. With pets in the room, people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more relaxed (放松)around pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don't judge.
A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs on diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program. On average, people lost about 11 pounds, or 5% of their body weight. Their dogs did even better, losing an average of 12 pounds, more than 15% of their body weight. Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but, say researchers, got more exercise overall-mostly with their dogs - and found it worth doing.
【小题1】What does the text mainly discuss?

A．What pets bring to their owners.	B．How pets help people calm down.
C．People's opinions of keeping pets.	D．Pet's value in medical research.

【小题2】We learn from the text that a person with heart disease has a better chance of getting well if_________ .

A．he has a pet companion	B．he has less stress of work
C．he often does mental arithmetic	D．he is taken care of by his family

【小题3】According to Allen, why did the people do better with pets around when facing stressful tasks?

A．They have lower blood pressure.	B．They become more patient.
C．They are less nervous.	D．They are in higher spirits.

【小题4】The research mentioned in the last paragraph reports that________ .

A．people with dogs did more exercise

B．dogs lost the same weight as people did

C．dogs liked exercise much more than people did

D．people without dogs found the program unhelpful

If your mother wants to tell you something, she uses words. Birds can not talk as we do. But some birds can make sounds to warn their young of danger. They have their own ways to make the young birds do certain things.
The jackdaw is a kind of blackbirds that lives in Europe. Jackdaws live together in flocks(群). Young jackdaws do not know their enemies.When an older jackdaw see a dog, it makes a loud tattling(格格响的) sound. The young birds know this sound means an enemy is nearby.The sounds warn them to know their enemy.
If a young jackdaw is in a dangerous place, a jackdaw parent flies over him from behind. The parent bird flies low over the young bird’s back, the parents’ tail feathers move quickly from side to side. It is trying to say, “Follow me.”
At the same time,the parent calls out, “Key-aw, Key-aw.” The parent means, “Fly home with me.” The young bird then follows the older one home.
Young jackdaws do not have to learn what certain sounds mean. They know the meaning of these sounds from the time they hatch.
【小题1】The jackdaw lives in ______.

A．Europe

B．Australia

C．America

D．Africa

【小题2】When an old jackdaw sees a dog, it ______.

A．calls out “Follow me.”	B．makes a loud sound
C．flies away	D．fights the dog

【小题3】parent jackdaw can use their tail feathers to ______.

A．ask their young to follow them	B．play a game with the young
C．tell the meal time	D．give a warning of a fire

【小题4】The story tells much about ______

A．the danger of jackdaws

B．in which mother can talk to their children

C．the way jackdaws warn their young of danger

D．how the jackdaws are living

Runners in a relay race pass a stick in one direction．However，merchants(商人) passed silk，gold, fruit，and g1ass along the Silk Road in more than one direction．They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road.
The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B.C. to about A.D.1300, when sea travel offered new routes (路线). It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from centre Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接) different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.
The People along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared    their beliefs．The silk Road provided pathways for learning，diplomacy(外交)，and religion.·
【小题1】It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed__________.

A．to remember the entire trade route

B．to deal with a lot of difficulties

C．to receive certain special training

D．to know the making of products

【小题2】The Silk Road became less important because___________.

A．sea travel provided easier routes

B．silk trading became less popular

C．it was made up of different routes

D．people needed fewer foreign goods

【小题3】New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people_________·

A．traded goods along the route	B．shared each other’s beliefs
C．1earned from one another	D．earned their living by traveling

【小题4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．The Silk Road: Pathways for Learning

B．The Silk Road：Past and Present

C．The Silk Road: Routes Full of Dangers

D．The Silk Road：East Meets West

Morocco is located at the northwest of Africa and is bordered in the north by the strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean keeps the west and the north of the country more temperate(温和的). The country also offers the broadest plains some of which run along the Atlantic Ocean and the highest mountains in North Africa including the Atlas Mountains.
Starting with the symbol of Morocco, Marrakech is a beautiful city that has remained unspoiled by the volume of tourists that flock there each year. One of the finest monuments in Morocco is greatly benefited by this amount of tourism. Actually their high volume contributes in a positive way to preserve one of the greatest monuments of Morocco.
Fes is the third largest city in Morocco and is the capital of the Fes-Boulemane Region. It is separated into three parts, Fes el Bali more commonly known as the old walled city, now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fes-Jdid and the Ville Nouvelle. Fes el Bali is believed to be the largest car-free urban area in the world. Fes is a splendid place to visit to heighten the senses with the colours, smells and sounds.
Casablanca is an enormous city which is near the capital of Morocco and a place where any European would feel at home. Casablanca was made famous by the movie and gives the impression of being a romantic place. Unfortunately like many other popular cities around the world, it is crowded, noisy, and polluted, a far cry from the romantic ideal of the film. Because it has the biggest port, Casablanca being the important city of Morocco, has everything that the tourists need.
Asilah is a city situated on the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the most stunning(出色的) old cities of Morocco. The city is set along the cliffs which make it beautifully presented and an ideal place to continue adding to its economy by the fishermen. The economy is also reliant on the trading of cattle, sheep and cereal. If you are having a holiday in Morocco during August then you will be fortunate enough to experience one of Asilah’s cultural festivals where you can enjoy the lively music and wonderful paintings.
【小题1】How many cities in Morocco are introduced in the passage?

A．4.

B．5.

C．6.

D．7.

【小题2】If you want to live conveniently while you are on vacation, which city in Morocco could you choose?

A．Marrakech.

B．Fes.

C．Casablanca.

D．Asilah.

【小题3】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．If you want to enjoy music and paintings, you can visit Asilah at any time.

B．Casablanca is as romantic as what is shown in the movie.

C．Fes is the capital of Morocco.

D．Marrakech is the symbol of Morocco.

【小题4】The passage most probably appears      .

A．in a geography book	B．in a magazine
C．in a history book	D．in an atlas（地图册）

Dogs wag(摇摆) their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back, a study has found.
Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behaviour of 30 dogs, catching their responses to a range of stimuli(刺激物) with video cameras. To conduct the study they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years. The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Bari University. The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli. They were tested one at a time.
The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners—a positive experience—their tails wagged energetically to the right side. When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right, but with somewhat less enthusiasm. The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag, although with less intensity again. The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog, similar to a German shepherd, changed the direction of tail wagging to the left. Researchers supposed the dog was thinking of moving back. When the dogs were not shown any stimuli they tended to wag their tails to the left, suggesting they preferred company. While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video, it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood (心情) of dogs. Computer and video systems, for example, could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that they were required to approach.
【小题1】The video cameras were used to catch the dogs ’responses because     .

A．it was easier to catch the dogs’ response changes in the tail wagging

B．the dogs were put in the wooden boxes and tested one at a time.

C．they enabled the dogs’ owners to know about their dogs’ habit

D．the dogs wagged their tails in different directions when they were in different moods

【小题2】The underlined word“intensity” in the passage means         .

A．surprise

B．worry

C．excitement

D．interest

【小题3】When there are no stimuli, a dog will            .

A．wag to the left	B．wag to the right
C．not wag at all	D．wag to the left and then to the right

【小题4】The underlined word “they”in the last paragraph refers to             .

A．the dogs

B．the trainers

C．the systems

D．the researchers

【小题5】The purpose of doing the experiment is           .

A．to train dogs for their owners

B．to help people judge the mood of dogs

C．to help dogs find company

D．to help people choose their pet dogs

People should be warned against using mobile phones outdoors in stormy weather because they may“be struck by lightning”，according to doctors．
Three experts have described how a teenage girl was struck by lightning while using her phone in a large London park．The girl，aged 15，recovered，but a year later was still wheelchair-bound and found to be suffering complex physical and emotional problems.
The girl also had a perforate eardrum(打孔耳膜)on the side where she had been holding the mobile phone．She was having general recovery in Northwick Park Hospital，Middlesex．
Swinda Esprit，a senior house officer, said that while the brain and muscle damage was similar to that of many lightning victims—who can experience heart attacks on being struck—the ear problems were not．
She said that the damages were particularly relevant for people who might be involved in less serious lightning incidents，who might otherwise recover, but would never get their full hearing back if struck while on the phone．
“We were shocked by the damage，which is why we wanted to draw attention to it，”Dr Esprit said．“A year on and she still was suffering these difficult hearing．”
They added that three other cases had been reported in newspapers in China，South Korea，and Malaysia．In the Malaysian case，a sales executive was killed by lightning while talking on his phone during a thunderstorm near Kuala Lumpur．
“All these events resulted in death，”the doctors wrote．“This rare phenomenon is a public health issue，and education is necessary to stress the risk．”
The Australian Lightning Protection Standard recommends that metallic objects，including cordless or mobile phones，should not be carried outdoors during thunderstorms．However, “the United States National Weather Service says on its website that both are safe to use “because there is no direct path between you and the lightening”．
Paul Taylor, of “the Met Office'’，said the ear injuries were a consequence of mobile phones being metal，and not related to radio waves．
Mr. Taylor said that mobile phones should be treated as another piece of metal，similar to carrying coins or wearing rings，and people need to be warned against the possible danger．
【小题1】What do we know about the teenage girl?

A．She was struck by lightning at schoo1．

B．She completely recovered from being struck．

C．She still suffered from mental problems．

D．She had to press her ear all day．

【小题2】It can be inferred that damage done by lightening while using mobile phones      .

A．is more serious than that when one is not using a mobile phone

B．can be healed quickly except for heart attacks

C．is less serious because the victims can usually recover

D．is mainly in the brain and muscle of the victims

【小题3】Why did doctors stress the risk about using phones outside in lightening?

A．Because more people are faced with it．

B．Because some deaths have been caused．

C．Because lightning is harmful for the brain．

D．Because a teenage girl got killed．

【小题4】We can infer from the last three paragraphs that        .

A．both cordless and mobile phones are safe to use outside in lightning

B．there is no direct connection between lightning and ear injuries at all

C．opinions differ as to whether it is safe to use mobiles phones in lightning

D．ear injuries are the result of carrying coins or wearing rings in lightning

【小题5】The purpose in writing this passage is       .

A．to draw attention to the risk of using mobile phones in lightening

B．to focus on various damages done to lightning victims

C．to tell us the news that a teenage girl was struck by lightning

D．to stress the danger of making phone calls in lightning

Like distance runners on a measured course，all of us will move through time in a roughly predictable pattern．
In the first stage of our lives，we develop and grow, reaching toward the top of physical vitality(活力)．
After we grow up，however, the body begins a process of gradually wearing out．
A new awareness of physical fitness may help lengthen our years of health and vitality，yet nothing we do will work to stop the unavoidable force of aging．
Most of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body．The lungs become less able to take in oxygen．Powerful muscles gradually lose their strength．The heart loses power and pumps less blood．Bones grow easier to break．
Finally, we meet a stress，a stress that is greater than our physical resistance．Often，it is only a minor accident or chance infection(a disease caused by virus)，but this time，it brings life to an end．
In 1932，a classic experiment nearly doubled the lifetime of rats，simply by cutting back the calories in their diet The reason for the effect was then unknown．
Today, at the University of California at Berkley, Dr．Paul Seagle has also greatly lengthened the normal lifetime of rats．The result was achieved through a special protein limited diet，which had a great effect on the chemistry of the brain．Seagle showed that within the brain，specific chemicals control many of the signals that influence aging．By changing that chemical balance，the clock of aging can be reset．
For the first time, the mystery of why we age is being seriously challenged．Scientists in many fields are now making striking and far-reaching discoveries．
An average lifetime lasts 75 years，yet in each of us lies a potential for a longer life．If we could keep the vitality and resistance to disease that we have at age twenty, we would live for 800 years．
【小题1】What does the underlined word “it” refer to?

A．Physical vitality．

B．Stress．

C．Aging．

D．Physical resistance．

【小题2】Which of the following is not a change of aging?

A．People gradually lose their muscle strength．

B．Bones tend to break more easily．

C．The heart loses power and pumps less blood．

D．The lungs become unable to take in oxygen．

【小题3】The author believes the following except that     ．

A．human's life pattern is predictable

B．physical fitness can't stop the force of aging

C．human's lifetime will last longer than 75 years

D．all of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body

【小题4】How did Dr．Paul Seagle lengthen the lifetime of rats in his experiment?

A．By keeping their physical fitness．	B．By cutting the calories in their diet．
C．By resetting their clock of aging．	D．By limiting the protein in their diet．

【小题5】What is probably the best title for the article?

A．Two Great Experiments

B．The Mystery of Human Life

C．The Breakthrough in the Study of Aging

D．Ways to lengthen Human Life

Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers．Brain-computer interface（BCI） technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines．
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan 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．Millan, 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．
【小题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

【小题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．

【小题3】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

【小题4】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

Why do people drink too much, eat too much, smoke cigarettes or take drugs? What’s to blame for all the bad behavior? Most people would say that, while these self-destructive acts can have many root causes, they all have one obvious thing in common: they are all examples of failures of self-control, lacking the will power to resist them.
According to a recent study, however, if you really think about it, something about that simple answer doesn’t quite make sense. In fact, it turns out that sometimes it’s having will power that really gets you into trouble.
Think back to the time you took your very first sip (啜饮) of beer. Disgusting, wasn’t it? When my father gave me my first taste of beer as a teenager, I wondered why anyone would voluntarily drink it. And smoking? No one enjoys their first cigarette — it tastes awful. So even though smoking, and drinking alcohol or coffee, can become temptation (诱惑) you need will power to resist, they never, ever start out that way.
Just getting past those first horrible experiences actually requires a lot of self-control. Ironically (讽刺的是), only those who can control themselves well, rather than give in to them, can ever come to someday develop a “taste” for Budweiser beer, Marlboro cigarettes, or dark-roasted Starbucks coffee. We do it for social acceptance. We force ourselves to consume alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and even illegal drugs, in order to seem experienced, grown-up, and cool.
These bad habits aren’t self-control failures — far from it. They are voluntary choices, and they are in fact self-control successes. Self-control is simply a tool to be put to some use, helpful or harmful. To live happy and productive lives, we need to develop not only our self-control, but also the wisdom to make good decisions about when and where to apply it.
【小题1】What do most people think causes bad behavior?

A．Being forced by others.	B．Not having enough will power.
C．Enjoying their first experiences.	D．Following the examples of their friends.

【小题2】The author mentions his experience in the third paragraph to prove ____.

A．will power helps develop bad habits sometimes

B．drinking beer is harmful to the health of teenagers

C．self-control should be developed when one is young

D．everyone can be challenged by different temptations

【小题3】In the last paragraph, the author stresses that ____.

A．without self-control, no one can succeed

B．bad habits don’t always lead to bad results

C．applying self-control correctly is important

D．people can develop wisdom from bad behavior

【小题4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．My First Sip of Beer	B．Do You Have Will Power ?
C．Does Will Power Benefit Us?	D．Dark Side of Self-control