C
A villa (别墅) designed to resist earthquakes with “self-healing” cracks in its walls, thanks to nanotechnology (纳米技术) applications with self-healing polymers (聚合物), is to be built on a Greek mountainside. The villa’s walls will include special particles that turn into a liquid when squeezed (压榨) under pressure, flow into cracks, and then harden to form a solid material.
The NanoManufacturing Institute (NMI), based in Leeds University, will play a key role in an EU project to construct the home by December 2010. The project, called “Intelligent Safe and Secure Buildings” (ISSB) is funded under the EU’s Sixth Framework program. This potentially life-saving scheme is led by German building manufacturer Knauf. The villa will be built in Amphilochia, in western Greece, where Knauf currently runs a manufacturing plant. If the experiment is successful, more tremor-resistant（防震）homes could be built in earthquake zones across the globe. NMI chief executive Professor Terry Wilkins said, “What we’re trying to achieve here is very exciting. We’re looking to use polymers in much tougher situations than ever before on a larger scale.” Monitors contained in the villa’s walls will be able to collect vast amounts of data about the building over time. Wireless sensors will record any stresses and vibrations, as well as temperature, humidity and gas levels.
The walls are to be built from new load-bearing steel frames and high-strength gypsum（石膏）board. Prof Wilkins said, “If there are any problems, the intelligent sensor network will be able to alert residents immediately so they have time to escape.” If whole groups of houses are so constructed, we could use a larger network of sensors to get even more information. “If the house falls down, we have got hand-held devices that can be used over the rubble to pick out where the embedded（嵌入的）sensors are hidden to get some information about how the villa collapsed.” Also, we can get information about anyone who may be around, so it potentially becomes a tool for rescue.
66. The aim of the passage is to ________.
A. report a piece of interesting news                   B. promote tremor-resistant homes
C. inform us of the nanotechnology development D. tell us about a tremor-resistant home
67. The villa can resist earthquakes because _______.
A. it will be built on a special place
B. the cracks in its walls can be healed by the polymers
C. the special particles can make its walls stronger
D. the intelligent sensor network can tell people where there is a crack
68. If the tremor-resistant home falls down, _______.
A. rescue work can be done more quickly and accurately
B. the intelligent sensor network will stop working
C. no one can be hurt in the earthquake
D. a warning signal will be given to other residents
69. What Prof Wilkins said suggests that _______.
A. he is doubtful about the project
B. he thinks the tremor-resistant home is perfectly designed
C. he is confident in the tremor-resistant home
D. the tremor-resistant home still needs to be tested in a real situation
70. It can be inferred from the passage that tremor-resistant home _______.
A. is still being tried out                                          B. is already under construction
C. has been in wide use                                     D. will be put into wide use soon

C
A new age is coming. Call it what you will: the service economy, the information age, the knowledge society. It all translates to a fundamental change in the way we work. Already we’re partly there, the percentage of people who earn their living by making things has fallen dramatically in the Western World. Today the majority of jobs in America, Europe and Japan are in the service industry, and the number is on the rise. More women are in the work force than ever before. There are more part-time jobs. More people are self-employed. But the range of the economic transformation can’t be measured by numbers alone, because it also is giving rise to important new way of thinking about the nature of work itself. Long-held ideas about jobs and careers, the skills needed to succeed, even the relation between individuals and employers — all these are being challenged.
We have only to look behind us to get some sense of what may lie ahead. No one looking ahead 20 years possibly could have foreseen the ways in which a single invention, the chip, would transform our world thanks to its applications in personal computers, digital communications and factory robots. Tomorrow’s achievements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence or even some still unimagined technology could produce a similar wave of dramatic changes. But one thing is certain: information and knowledge will become even more valid, and the people who possess it, whether they work in manufacturing or services, will have the advantage and produce the wealth. Computer knowledge will become as basic a requirement as the ability to read and write. The ability to solve problems by applying information instead of performing routine tasks will be valued above all else. If you cast your mind ahead 10 years, information service will be superior. It will be the way you do your job.
66. A characteristic of the new age mentioned in the passage is that        .
A. the service industry mainly relies on females
B. manufacturing industries are steadily increasing
C. more people are in the service industry than before
D. the work in the service industry is more comfortable than that in manufacturing industry
67. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. People’s traditional concepts about jobs need changing.
B. The relation between employees and employers is becoming tense.
C. More women than men are in the work force.
D. Part-time jobs are more welcome than full-time jobs.
68. By mentioning the invention of “the chip”, the author means to say that       .
A. we haven’t paid enough attention to the importance of high technology
B. the chip is the most important invention today
C. the power of science and technology is beyond our imagination
D. it’s a great challenge to apply new inventions to our life
69. We may draw a conclusion from the passage that        .
A. information will play a greater role in people’s work and daily life in the future
B. we can foresee the future if technology develops fast enough
C. the ability of performing routine tasks gives you an advantage in work
D. robots will replace people to do all the work both in manufacturing and service industries
70. The author’s attitude to the coming age is        .
A. doubtful         B. enthusiastic           C. satisfied        D. Uncertain

Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call Amer­ica" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States，have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in Ameri­ca is - more often a kind of “ side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools，business，and sports一but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This “ side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ’ dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper.

More than 250 million people call America ”home" because       .

they have their houses there

they settle there now

they want to make their home there

they like that land very much

1.Side - by - side living style means     .

2.According to the passage, people in the USA    .

A share American customs and cultures

B live in a kind of side - by - side society

C keep their own customs and habits firmly

D make no choice to accept American customs

3.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A They always stick to their own customs and habits.

B Side - by - side living style is not suitable.

C They face the society they are not familiar with.

D The advantages coming from the variety of cultures make life in America colorful.

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A  Advantages and Disadvantages

B  Different Customs and Habits

C  Home for the People

D  Side - by - Side Living Style in America

Who are these people rushing by you on the street? More than 250 million people now call Amer­ica" home" , but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world. If you, look at the names on shop windows, you will see that Americans come from many different lands. The idea that these people, who once were strangers to the United States，have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become "Americans"is really not true. In fact, what exists in Ameri­ca is - more often a kind of “ side - by - side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their own customs and habits. They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives such as in schools，business，and sports一but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home. This “ side - by - side" living has both advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another. However, there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands. There is great freedom of choice among ideas ’ dress, food, and social customs in America. Everyone can find some part of his or her own familiar world in the United States, in churches, music, food, national groups, or newspaper.
【小题1】More than 250 million people call America ”home" because    .

C
A. You and Me, Baby