When we think about giving help to developing countries, we often think about giving money so that these countries can build schools and hospitals, buy food and medicine, or find clean water supplies. These seem to be the most important basic needs of the people we are trying to help. However, it's far from enough. Ladies and gentlemen, we've got to come up with some better ideas to help them.

I was very surprised, then, when I read about a plan to make cheap laptop computers for children in developing countries. A man called Nicholas Negroponte invented a cheap laptop computer and he planed to produce a lot and sell them to the children in developing countries at a low price after he visited a school in Cambodia. The laptop will be covered in rubber so that it is very strong and won't be damaged easily. The idea is that these computers will help the children's education as they will be able to surf the Internet. By improving children's education they should help people to find their own solutions to their problems in the long term.

Another idea to help children in developing countries is to recycle old mobile phones so that they can be used again. In the UK, and probably in many other countries too, millions of mobile phones are thrown away every year. The waste created by throwing away these old phones is very bad for the environment, so it seems to be an excellent idea to recycle them. In this way we will be able to achieve two important goals at the same time. We will reduce the waste we produce and help others. In other words, we will be able to 'kill two birds with one stone’, and that is always a good thing.

1.

 It's an excellent idea to recycle old mobile phones because         .

A. it reduces waste and can help others

B. it prevents waste and can earn lots of money

C. it can send the waste produced by developed countries to other countries

D. it is good for the environment and very educative for phone users

2.

 The author gives the example of Mr. Negroponte’s cheap computers         .

A. to show what high technology can bring us

B. to show the kindness of people in the developed countries

C. to show how to find business opportunities in developing countries

D. to give an example of how to help developing countries

3.

Where does this passage probably come from?         .

A. A newspaper.              B. A magazine.  

C. A lecture.                 D. An advertisement.

C
Arthritis, stroke, osteoporosis(骨关节炎), heart disease and dementia are what we’ve got to look forward to in old age. But conditions like these don’t have to be impossible to avoid, says New Zealand cook Robyn Martin. She firmly believes that we are what we eat and we can choose to consume foods that can slow the aging process and even prevent certain illnesses. That’s why her latest cookbook is devoted to recipes that use ingredients with a large number of anti-aging benefits. Stop the Clock—the Anti-Aging cookbook looks at a variety of health problems—from brain decline and joint aches and pains to heart disease and high cholesterol(胆固醇)—then lists foods that can improve or prevent them and offers a selection of recipes using those ingredients. “I wrote this book so I can offer people lots of information about foods that can give them a better old age.”
Six foods that can help slow the aging process:
1. Lentils
The important substance included in lentils is the one that can help you avoid the unpleasant symptoms of menopause(更年期), like mood swings.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries slow and, in some cases, reverse damage in aging brains. They are also rich in some chemicals which keep your looking young and help relieve arthritic(关节炎的) pain.
3. Carrots
Carrots have high levels of beta-carotene, which changes to vitamin A in the body. So they may help with memory, do good to the skin and are also thought to lower cholesterol.
4. Oats
The protein, calcium and phosphorus in oats all help build strong bones and connective tissue. The fibre they contain helps lower cholesterol and high blood pressure.
5. Spinach
Spinach is a good source of two important substances involved in protecting the DNA in our cells from oxication(氧化). It not only helps to strengthen the memory and turn off genes that can step up aging, but also can help improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
6. Soy
Soy products help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and are rich in phytoestrogens, which can help prevent hormone-related cancers. Soy can also be helpful to the skin, making it firm and youthful.
Did you know? Tomatoes contain a powerful substance which is not only useful for preventing problems in the heart, and lungs, but also prevents diseases like cancer. To gain the most benefit, tomatoes should be cooked.
64. If memory often fails you, which of the following combination will be good to you?
A. soy and carrots                                            B. oats and soy
C. lentils and blueberries                                          D. carrots and spinach
65. This passage mainly deals with _____.
A. foods and ingredients  B. foods and health  C. foods and nutrition     D. foods and diseases
66. The passage is written _____.
A. to tell the readers recipes play an important role in keeping healthy
B. to advertise the foods mentioned in the passage
C. to tell the readers how to slow the aging process
D. to tell the readers how to cure some diseases by taking right foods

--- The party is so great!

   --- Yes, but Johnson, we’ve got to go home. ______

   --- Thank you. See you later.

   A. Enjoy yourself!             B. See you.   

   C. I’m very sorry.            D. What about you?

The Mysterious Universe

By Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop

How did the universe begin? How big is it? What is dark matter? Cosmologist（宇宙哲学家）and expert supernova（超新星）hunter Alex Filippenko hopes that supernovas can help us answer some of these questions. But first we’ve got to find them! Join Alex and his team as they go on the hunt with huge telescopes and banks of computers.

The Time and Space of Uncle Albert

By Russell Stannard

What would you say if your uncle asked you whether you would like to go into space? You’d say, “When do I leave?”, just like the girl in this story. Gedanken is speeding across the universe trying to help her uncle answer some questions, such as “How big is space?” and “Where does gravity come from?” Along the way she also discovers how to get heavier without getting fat, how to live forever without knowing it, and the strange things that can happen when you go really fast.

George’s Secret Key to the Universe

By Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking

When George chases his pet pig through a hole in the fence, little does he expect that he will soon be riding a comet（彗星）around Saturn（土星）. But just as he discovers the joys of space exploration with the computer Cosmos, which can open doors anywhere in the universe, everything starts to go wrong. When George’s lest-favorite teacher steals Cosmos and traps his friend’s dad in a black hole, can George set things right in time?

A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky

By Michael Driscoll

With a telescope or without one, this book can get you started exploring planets, stars and even strange stuff like time, space, and black holes. The universe is a big place, but this book comes with a handy star finder that you can take out with you at night to help you find your way around the stars. Look up and discover the universe!

1.According to the text, Alex Filippenko ______.

A. invented huge telescopes

B. is looking for supernovas

C. doesn’t need many computers

D. knows a lot about dark matter

2.What do we know about George’s Secret Key to the Universe？

A. It is a sad story

B. It is about a pet pig

C. It is a co-authored book

D. It is based on a real life story.

3.Which book would you read if you want to know about gravity?

A. The Mysterious Universe

B. The Time and Space of Uncle Albert

C. George’s Secret Key to the Universe

D. A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky.

4.What do the four books have in common?

A. They have the same topics?

B. They are intended for adults.

C. They have the same number of characters

D. They leave many questions to the readers

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Simon: Linda, do you know when the visitors from China are coming?

Linda: We offer them three? 1.? (choose): the end of March, the middle of April and the beginning of May, and they chose the earliest? 2.? ,which is good actually with exams ? 3.? (come)up in May.

Simon: Right. And how many are coming? Did you say about 8?

Linda: Yes, they said 8 at first, but? 4.? ( change) to 6 this morning.

Simon: Good, we have 5 weeks to prepare. Here are my suggestions. On the first day, a welcome party, then they can visit? 5.? schools in the district on the second and third days.

Linda: We’ve got to remember this group wants to look at how the Internet is being? 6.? (use)in the classroom. That’s ? 7.? they are coming for.

Simon: Exactly,? 8.? I want to ask Mr. Tod to give them a talk on this on the afternoon of the third day.

Linda: That will fit in very? 9.? (nice).

Simon: And on the last day, they would do some sightseeing. We could take them on the tour of London, but many of them? 10.? have been there already, and Scotland will be too far away.

Linda: Why not take them for a walk along the coast? It should be interesting.

Simon: Good idea! Linda. I’m sure they’ll like it.