Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the best. For example, to absorb heat from the sun to heat water, you need large, flat, black surfaces. One way to do that is to build those surfaces specially, on the roofs of buildings. But why go to all that trouble when cities are rub of black surfaces already, in the form of asphalt （柏油） roads?
Ten years ago, this thought came into the mind of Arian de Bondt, a Dutch engineer. He finally persuaded his boss to follow it up. The result is that their building is now heated in winter and cooled in summer by a system that relies on the surface of the road outside.
The heat-collector is a system of connected water pipes. Most of them ran from one side of the street to the other, just under the asphalt road. Some, however, dive deep into the ground.
When the street surface gets hot in summer, water pumped through the pipes picks up this heat and takes it underground through one of the diving pipes. At a depth of 100 metres lies a natural aquifer （蓄水层） into which several heat exchangers （交换器） have been built. The hot water from the street runs through these exchangers, warning the ground-water, before returning to the surface through another pipe. The aquifer is thus used as a heat store.
In winter, the working system is changed slightly. Water is pumped through the heat exchangers to pick up the heat stored during summer. This water goes into the building and is used to warm the place up. After performing that task, it is pumped under the asphalt and its remaining heat keeps the road free of snow and ice.
【小题1】Which of the following is true according to the first two paragraphs?

Watching some children trying to catch butterflies one hot August afternoon, I was reminded of an incident in my own childhood. When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.
We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the tree and sing. There isn’t a musical instrument made by man that can produce a more beautiful sound than the song of the mockingbird.
I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and that way have my own private musician.
I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, in its fright at being captured, the bird fluttered about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home, I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.
I had left the cage out on our back porch（门廊）, and on the second day of the bird’s captivity my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth . The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.
The following morning when I went to see how my captive was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened? I had taken excellent care of my little bird, or so I thought.
Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time and, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred: “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in captivity.”
Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.
【小题1】The boy caught a mockingbird because___________.

Can you imagine exchanging the pleasure of city life for a quiet life in the countryside?
Many people want to move from the country to the city because they think that life in the city is more exciting and better than that in countryside,especially young people who like new,modern things.People like popular things and feel that they can only find the latest styles in the city.
However,it is possible to enjoy the higher quality of country life and still enjoy some of the advantages of living in the city.
Nowadays,traveling is fast and easy,and information can be found on the Internet,so many people are able to do their work in home offices.Because they have e-mail and personal computers,they don’t have to be in big cities to manage their businesses.It is not important where they actually work because the results of their work can be sent everywhere with e-mails.Therefore,there is no need to put up with all of the disadvantages of the city.Now they can escape busy city life to enjoy the quiet country life and still be able to have successful jobs.
Other people are interested in technological things and high-tech jobs and think they can only find them in big cities.If they want to find a job,especially a good position in a company,they think that they have to live in a city.For these jobs,they are willing to put up with many of the disadvantages of city life,such as crime,heavy traffic,and pollution.
【小题1】The main idea of this passage is that         .

A．life in the city is different from life in the countryside

B．people prefer living in the city to living in the countryside

C．cities have more disadvantages than the countryside

D．more and more people like living in the city

A．He is for it.

B．He is against it.

C．He likes neither.

D．He shows no opinion.

Have you ever noticed the colour of the water in a river or stream after a heavy rainfall? What do you think caused this change in colour? It is soil that has been washed into the river from the riverbank or from t}le nearby fields．
Components of Soft
Soil is made up of a number of layers（层），each having its own distinctive colour and texture．The upper layer is known as the litter．It acts like a blanket．limiting temperature changes and reducing water loss．The topsoil layer is made up of small particles of rock mixed with rotten plant and animal matter called humus（腐殖质），which is black and gives the topsoil its dark colour．This layer is usually rich in nutrients，oxygen，and water．Below the topsoil is the subsoil，a layer that contains more stones mixed with only small amounts of organic matter．This layer is lighter in colour because of the lack of humus．Beneath the soil lies a layer of bedrock．
Soil forms from the bottom up．Over time bedrock is attacked by rain, wind，frost, and snow．It is gradually broken down into smaller particles in a process called weathering．Plants begin to grow，and rotten materials enrich the topsoil．Most of the soil in Eastern Canada．for example．Was formed from weathered rock that was exposed when the ice disappeared l2．000 years ag0．
Water Beneath the Soil
Surface water collects and flows above the ground in lakes．ponds．and rivers．Once in the soil or rock，it is called groundwater．Gravity pulls groundwater through the soil in a process called percolation（渗透）．Eventually the water reaches a layer called the water table．Under this is bedrock through which water cannot percolate．
As water percolates downward，it dissolves organic matter and minerals from the soil and carries them to deeper layers．This causes a serious problem because plants require these nutrients for growth.
Soil pH
Soil can be acidic．neutral．or basic．The pH of the soil is determined by the nature of the rock
from which it was formed．and by the nature of t}le plants that grow and rot in it．
The acidity of rain and snow can lower the pH of the groundwater that enters the soil．By burning fossil fuels such as coal，oil and gasoline，humans have been contributing to higher levels of acidity in many soils．When fossil fuels are burned．gases are released into the air and then fall back to earth as acid rain．Acid soil increases出e problem of carrying nutrients to lower soil levels．As nutrients are removed，soil is less fertile．Plants grow more slowly in acidic soil，and also become easily attacked by diseases．
【小题1】The layer of soil that provides necessary nutrients for plant growth is called．

D
Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity. Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven-year-olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me “textbook questions” about schooling, salary and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in silence. Finally I said, “Now that we’ve finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?”
After a long pause, a boy raised his hand, “Have you ever seen what a grassshopper（蚱蜢）eats? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?”
This began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours.
Secondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers.
Thirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good.” These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior. But in talking about science, quick going by saying “That’s interesting” or “I’d never thought of it that way before,” or coming up with more questions or ideas.
Never push a child to “think”. It doesn’t make sense, children are always thinking, without your telling him what to do. What’s more, this can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a smaller target for your disagreement.
Lastly, show, don’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lessons children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass（放大镜）, and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates（蒸发）, set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.
68.According to the passage, children are natural scientists, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is ___________.
A.to let them see the world around
B.to share the children’s curiosity
C.to explain difficult phrases about science
D.to supply the children with lab equipment
69.Children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adults _______.
A.ask them to answer quickly
B.wait for one or two seconds after a question
C.tell them to answer the next day
D.wait at least three seconds after a question
70.The author mentioned all of the following techniques for adults to share with their children’s curiosity EXCEPT that adults should _______________.
A.tell their children stories instead of reciting facts
B.offer their children chances to see things for themselves
C.be patient enough when their children answer questions
D.encourage their children to ask questions of their own