Sometimes life gets a little dull. What used to be fun and different becomes boring. That is the time to look for something new. It is the time for a big idea to get your mind off everyday life. So why not search for extraterrestrial (地球外的) intelligence? Or even better, why not get your computer to do it for you?
Over two million people have joined the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence（SETI）project. Based in California, the SETI project analyzes information taken from a giant radio telescope based in South America. Its task is to look for signals from outer space that might prove that life exists on other planets.
Processing this information is far too big a job for one computer. So the SETI project workers divide the work among volunteers who visit their website. Each computer gets some information to work out from the SETI network through the Internet. This process is often known as “meta-computing”.
It is a wonderful thought. You are sleeping, eating a meal or going out with friends. All this time, your computer is searching the stars for signs that might show something is out there trying to get in touch. Volunteers are proud of being involved in the SETI project. It shows that they understand the potential (潜能) of computing. They know that it is more than just a way of working or playing games.
Meta-computing may also be creating intelligence as well as looking for it. This idea is based on the theory that human intelligence is created by the way in which different parts of the brain communicate with each other. As the saying goes, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” People who join the SETI project sometimes wonder whether their computer will become part of a huge network that has learned to think for itself.
【小题1】According to the writer, meta-computing may be creating intelligence    .

Sometimes life gets a little dull. What used to be fun and different becomes boring. That is the time to look for something new. It is the time for a big idea to get your mind off everyday life. So why not search for extraterrestrial (地球外的) intelligence? Or even better, why not get your computer to do it for you?

Over two million people have joined the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence（SETI）project. Based in California, the SETI project analyzes information taken from a giant radio telescope based in South America. Its task is to look for signals from outer space that might prove that life exists on other planets.

Processing this information is far too big a job for one computer. So the SETI project workers divide the work among volunteers who visit their website. Each computer gets some information to work out from the SETI network through the Internet. This process is often known as “meta-computing”.

It is a wonderful thought. You are sleeping, eating a meal or going out with friends. All this time, your computer is searching the stars for signs that might show something is out there trying to get in touch. Volunteers are proud of being involved in the SETI project. It shows that they understand the potential (潜能) of computing. They know that it is more than just a way of working or playing games.

Meta-computing may also be creating intelligence as well as looking for it. This idea is based on the theory that human intelligence is created by the way in which different parts of the brain communicate with each other. As the saying goes, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” People who join the SETI project sometimes wonder whether their computer will become part of a huge network that has learned to think for itself.

1.According to the writer, meta-computing may be creating intelligence    .

2. Which of the following shows the order in which the SETI network works?

3. The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to _____ .

4.The passage mainly tells us about _____.      

Find out the boxes which were ________ “With Care”.

1. A.
   marked
2. B.
   marking
3. C.
   read
4. D.
   written

Robert got up early ________ catch the early bus to Shanghai．

1. A.
   for
2. B.
   in order that
3. C.
   in order to
4. D.
   so that

A mother and daughter living in my neighborhood were the most unfriendly people I had ever come across in my life. They mixed with   1  . As they drove past neighbors they made no sign of acknowledgement. They   2   went to the local police station to report music played too   3  , dogs barking more than once a day and any other   4   things.

On moving into this   5  , I was warned about them but decided I would make up my own mind. This proved quite a （n）   6  to me as more than once either the mother or the daughter would knock on my door and   7 . however, I always answered politely and made sure I  8  as they went past my place and made an effort now and then to make a   9   remark about their garden or pets.

Time passed and I   10   the 29 – Day Giving Challenge （奉献挑战）. In October, as part of the kindness rock give （送爱心石头活动）, I decided to place a kindness rock on their property （房子）. Their   11   remained unchanged, however, and I continued to be as   12   as possible. During the Easter  13  give （复活节礼物奉送） to senior citizens, I decided to add these two days later they stopped at my  14  and jokingly said they were   15  hanging their Christmas stocking on their gate. I said I would try that too. I didn’t want them to   16   I had placed the kindness rock. The bigger  17   was that they brought me a bunch of flowers!

So, do not   18   your random （普普通通的） gifts of kindness! You may never know just what this   19   to others, nor how many broken or hard hearted people you may just   20   with a simple act of kindness.

1．A．everybody             B．nobody                C．somebody           D．anybody

2．A．nearly                   B．ever                    C．never                  D．often

3．A．sweetly                 B．slow                   C．loud                    D．impressively

4．A．little                      B．fantastic              C．good                   D．difficult

5．A．neighborhood        B．relationship          C．station                 D．family

6．A．agreement             B．challenge             C．favor                  D．trade

7．A．chat                      B．explain                C．complain             D．apologize

8．A．concluded             B．insisted                C．argued                D．waved

9．A．casual                   B．personal              C．kind                    D．bad

10．A．discovered           B．joined                  C．organized            D．fought

11．A．wealth                 B．attitude                C．location               D．status

12．A．friendly               B．cold                    C．calm                   D．selfish

13．A．enemies               B．relatives               C．friends                D．ladies

14．A．table                   B．floor                   C．gate                    D．roof

15．A．considering          B．avoiding              C．regretting            D．practicing

16．A．know                  B．remember            C．mention               D．forget

17．A．celebration           B．surprise               C．problem              D．difference

18．A．add up                B．hold on                C．hand out              D．give up

19．A．occurs                B．introduces           C．means                 D．advises

20．A．decorate              B．judge                   C．feed                    D．change