"What’s in a name?”According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet，there is not too much.“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. "But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures，names matter a great deal.

Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives，not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a “Jennifer” more attractive than a“Bertha"，for example. The last name，or，surname，must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic，but odd. Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like. On the other hand，people might name their children after a respected elderly relative or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common，like Fanny or Elmer，sound old-fashioned today. But other names—like John and David，Mary and Sarah—have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.

People in Ameica don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names. Instead，they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance，a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa，Beth or Betsy. As children grow up，they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called.

Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names，like B. J, or R. C. And of course，people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a “sweet” flavor，like Honey or Sugar. What’s in a name? A world of significance. So if you’re choosing an English name for yourself，take care to choose a good one. A made—up name could sound strange to native English speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name，either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression.  As an American politician once said，“In real life，unlike in Shakespeare，the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears.”

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. People change names in order to be popular with the new generanon.

B. Names will change by themselves in order to be popular.

C. Some names may no longer be popular among the new generation.

D. No names can stand the test of time.

When choosing names，you should stick to the following principles EXCEPT that

A. the impression a name gives is more important than its meaning

B. you can name after a well-known person

C.surname should be paid attention to

D.you can create a name that is special

The author will name a newly born baby girl________.

A． Bertha         B. Fanny            C. Yunyun       D.Elizabeth

What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Names have great significance to Americans.

B.Names change when time goes by.

C. Chinese people should be careful when choosing their English names.

D.Roses smell sweet by any other name.

For computer users, there is no bigger excitement than tossing out your old PC and upgrading to a newer, faster and cleaner machine. With hardware designers like Intel, pushing newer, faster products every year, and new software requiring even more powerful machines, companies and consumers have little choice but to go along.

But this rapid turnover is having a serious effect on the planet. Producing a personal computer consumes large quantities of natural resources. A recent study by the United Nations estimates the energy required to produce a single new computer is equivalent to nearly two barrels of oil. And that doesn't include the 22 kg of chemicals or the 1,500 kg of water used in the manufacturing process.

  In fact, pound for pound（均等地）, the process for making a car is about 500% more efficient than that for making a computer. That doesn't matter so much 20 years ago when personal computers were few and far between, but times have changed. These days, computers are found nearly everywhere and sales continue to grow. The number of PCs in use topped one billion in 2002.

Waste in production is only half the problem. Old computers, especially the monitors, are full of dangerous substances, which need to be carefully recycled. The problem is sure to expand over the coming years as users replace their boxy CRT monitors with LCD flat displays.

  Europe now requires that 70% of parts from old computers be recycled, but the study’s authors say that’s also part of the problem. The solution, they insist, is for governments and companies to encourage people to use their computers longer, and upgrade rather than replace. But considering that much of the world’s recent economic growth has come from spending on computers and information technology, that advice may sound like wishful thinking. 

What do computer users have to do every few years according to the passage?

   A. Push newer, faster products.

   B. Produce more powerful machines.

   C. Consume large quantities of natural resources.

   D. Upgrade to a newer, faster computer.

What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A. The pound.                                   B. The process.

    C. The car.                                     D. The computer.

We can infer from the last paragraph that ____.

A. governments and companies will surely encourage people to use their computers longer

B. governments and companies will probably encourage people to replace their personal computers

C. the world's economic has been growing without people's spending on computers and information technology

D. all parts from old computers are now recycled in Europe

The purpose of writing this passage is ____

A. to encourage companies to push newer, faster personal computers

B. to encourage people to design more new software

C. to encourage people to save their personal computers

D. to encourage people to spend more money on computers and information technology

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．

67．The layer of soil that provides necessary nutrients for plant growth is called．

    A．1itter    B．topsoil    C．humus D．subsoil

68．According to the text．which of the following is NOT true?

    A．Soil forms from weathered rock on the earth surface．

  B．The deeper layer of soil is darker in colour than t}le surface soil．

  C．Air pollution is partially responsible for acid soil．

    D．Groundwater tends to carry away nutrients for plant growth．

69．We can infer from the passage that the water table lies       ．

A．between the topsoil layer and the subsoil layer

B．in the subsoil layer above bedrock

       C．between the subsoil layer and bedrock

       D．in the bedrock layer beneath the subsoil

70．The underlined word “dissolve” is used to express the idea that organic matter and minerals from soil are          ． 

    A．rushed away into the river

    B．cleaned and purified by water

    C．destroyed and carried away by water

    D．mixed with water and become part of it

Many of the world’s pollution problems have been caused by the crowding of large groups of people into the cities. Supply for the needs of the people leads to further pollution by industry. If the rapid increase of world population in countries continues at the present rate, there may be much greater harm to human beings. Some scientists speak of the increase in numbers of people as “population pollution.”

About 2,000 years ago, the world population was probably about 250 million. It reached a billion in 1850. By 1930 the population was two billion. It is now three and a half billion. It is expected to double by the year 2,000. If the population continues to grow at the same rate, there will be 25 billion in the world a hundred years from now.

Man has been using the earth’s resources more and more rapidly over the past years. Some of them are almost used up. Now many people believe that man’s greatest problem is how to control the growth of the population. The material supplies in the world will be far from enough to support the human population in time to come, if the present rate of increase continues. Already there is overcrowding in many cities and starvation in some countries. Should man’s population keep on growing so rapidly as before? Many people believe that human survival in the future depends on the answer to this question.

The rapid increase in population is considered to be __________.

A. the increase of resources   B. population pollution

C. the development of mankind    D. the present rate

If the present rate of increase continue, ________________.

A. the world is going to end

B. the earth won’t be able to support the growing population in the future

C. pollution has nothing to do with the rapidly increasing population

D. there would be four billion in the world a hundred years from now

Which of the following is Wrong according to the passage?

A. In 1850 the world population reached a billion.

B. Man must fight a battle against population pollution.

C. The world’s population is increasing with years.

D. All of the earth’s resources are gone now.

Even if we have an extremely healthy diet and lifestyle, the human body is programmed to wear out at a maximum of about 120 years, and usually less. We all have a biological clock inside us which determines the moment when our organs cease to function properly. This is because our cells have stopped renewing themselves and our body can no longer repair itself. This is also the moment when we are more likely to begin to suffer from the diseases of old age such as arthritis and Alzheimer’s. However, rapid advances in DNA research are beginning to throw light on the secrets of the ageing process. By the end of this century we could literally have the power of life over death.

Although it has long been accepted that humans have a fixed lifespan, it is also a fact that certain other organisms, such as reptiles and amphibians, appear to live indefinitely. The only reason we do not see 500-year-old alligators is because in the wild their lives are always in danger, from man, from pollution and from other animals. When they are kept in zoos they do not seem to age at all after they are fully grown. The same is true of some species of fish, which grow indefinitely and show no signs of ageing. The existence of animals with no fixed lifespan seems to indicate that an age gene really does exist. It is this gene which scientists are searching for, which may delay or repair damage to the body caused by ageing.

Another new area of research involves the oxidation（氧化） theory, which says that ageing is caused by the same process that makes iron rust. In controlled experiments, the lifespans of certain animals were shown to be lengthened with anti-oxidants; for example, the lifespan of mice can be increased by 30%. Antioxidants are already being used in face creams and other cosmetics, and they are likely to play an important part in keeping people physically young.

Perhaps the most immediate advance we are likely to see in the battle to halt（停止）the ageing process will be organ replacement. By the year 2020 it is likely that we will be replacing injured bones or even organs like livers and kidneys with ones “grown” in laboratories. By 2050 perhaps every organ in the body, except the brain, will have become commercially available. Recent experiments also show that it may one day be possible to “grow” new organs inside our body to replace worn-out ones, something which lizards and alligators already do.

Suddenly immortality（不死，不朽） seems within reach. We can begin to imagine a future where we are born, we grow to maturity, but we never grow old and die. But do we really want to live forever?

1. When all humans reach a certain age,         .

A．they suffer the effects of their diet and lifestyle

B．the organs stop to perform appropriately

C．their cells continue to renew themselves

D．they develop arthritis and Alzheimer’s

2. The purpose of showing the case of alligators is to prove         .

A．alligators are in danger in the wild because of the threat from man, pollution and other animals

B．it is widely accepted that humans have a fixed lifespan

C．there exists an age gene which may control ageing

D．the age gene damages the body

3.The underlined phrase “live indefinitely” in Paragraph 2 probably mean         .

A．live for a period of time without a fixed end

B．live without a clear aim

C．live in an uncertain way

D．live without being fully grown

4.It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that         .

A．by 2050 we might have most of our worn-out organs replaced with new ones commercially

B．never can the ageing process be avoided

C．livers and kidneys are sure to be grown in laboratories by the year 2020

D．lizards and alligators grow new organs inside their body to replace worn-out ones

5. What is the main topic of this passage?

A．DNA researches show how our cells renew themselves.

B．Anti-oxidants are likely to play an important part in keeping people young.

C．How our biological clock works?

D．Eternal（永恒的） youth: new developments in anti-ageing research.

6.By saying “But do we really want to live forever”, the author may probably mean         .

A．a future where we are born, we grow to maturity, but we never grow old and die is on its way

B．he is uncertain whether we can live forever

C．it remains to be seen whether immortality is a blessing or a curse

D．immortality is no longer a dream