It’s 8:30, time for John to start work. So he turns on his radio. Then he eats breakfast. As he eats, he reads his e-mail and reviews his to-do list. Then he sits on the sofa and thinks about an article he needs to write ... Wait a minute! Radio? Breakfast? Sofa? What kind of workplace is this? Well, actually it is John’s house, and he is a telecommuter —  he works at home, communicating with the workplace through the Internet.
Like John, millions of people — and their employers — are finding that telecommuting is a great way to work. Telecommuters can follow their own timetables. They work in the comfort of homes, where they can also look after young children or elderly parents. They save time and money by not traveling to work. Their employers save, too, because they need less office space and furniture. Studies show that telecommuters change jobs less often. This saves employers even more money. Telecommuting helps society, too, by reducing pollution and traffic problems.
Jobs that are suited to telecommuting include writing, design work, computer programming and accounting. If a job is related to working with information, a telecommuter can probably do it.
【小題1】From the passage we can learn that John does his job           .

A．by telephon B．through the Internet
C．in his office D．a(chǎn)way from home
【小題2】One of the advantages of telecommuting is that you can        .
A．work for several employers B．enjoy a lot of traveling
C．get along well with other workers D．work on your own schedule
【小題3】Telecommuters change jobs less often, so         .
A．their employers can save money
B．their employers will give them a higher pay
C．they can get more work experience
D．they will have a longer paid holiday
【小題4】The underlined phrase “suited to” in the third paragraph probably means “       ”.
A．a(chǎn)cceptable for B．bad for C．difficult for D．fit for


【小題1】B
【小題2】D
【小題3】A
【小題4】D

解析試題分析：文章介紹了通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)工作的遠(yuǎn)距離工作者，例舉遠(yuǎn)距離工作的好處，和時(shí)候做遠(yuǎn)距離的工作。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第一段的句子：actually it is John’s house, and he is a telecommuter —  he works at home, communicating with the workplace through the Internet.可知約翰是通過網(wǎng)絡(luò)工作的，選B
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第二段的句子：Telecommuters can follow their own timetables. 可知遠(yuǎn)距離工作者可以有自己的時(shí)間安排，選D
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第二段的句子：Studies show that telecommuters change jobs less often. This saves employers even more money.可知遠(yuǎn)距離工作者不會(huì)經(jīng)常換工作，所以老板也會(huì)省下很多錢，選A
【小題4】猜詞題：從后面的舉例：include writing, design work, computer programming and accounting.可知這些是適合做遠(yuǎn)距離的工作，選D
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

“Get your hands off me, I have been stolen,” the laptop, a portable（便攜式的）computer, shouted. That is a new solution to laptop computer theft: a program that lets owners give their property a voice when it has been taken.
The program allows users to display alerts（警報(bào)）on the missing computer’s screen and even to set a spoken message. Tracking software for stolen laptops has been on the market for some time, but this is thought to be the first that allows owners to give the thief a piece of their mind.
Owners must report their laptop missing by visiting to a website, which sends a message to the model: a red and yellow “l(fā)ost or stolen” sign appears on its screen when it is started. Under the latest version(版本) of the software, users can also send a spoken message.
The message can be set to reappear every 30 seconds, no matter how many times the thief closes it. “One customer sent a message saying, ‘You are being tracked. I am right at your door’,” said Carrie Hafeman, chief executive (主管) of the company which produces the program, Retriever.
In the latest version, people can add a spoken message. For example, the laptop’s speakers will say: “Help, this laptop is reported lost or stolen. If you are not my owner, please report me now.”
The Retriever software package(軟件包), which costs $29.95 (￡21) but has a free trial period, has the functions of many security software programs. Owners can remotely switch to an alternative password if they fear that the thief has also got hold of the access details.
If a thief accesses the internet with the stolen laptop, Retriever will collect information on the internet service provider in use, so that the police can be alerted to its location.
Thousands of laptops are stolen every year from homes and offices, but with the use of laptops increasing, the number stolen while their owners are out and about has been rising sharply.
Other security software allows users to erase（刪除）data remotely or lock down the computer.
【小題1】The expression “to give the thief a piece of their mind” can be understood as “_______”.

A．to give the thief an alert mind
B．to express the owners’ anger to the thief
C．to remind the thief of his conscience
D．to make the thief give up his mind
【小題2】Different from other security software, Retriever can ______.
A．record the stealing process
B．help recognize the lost laptop
C．lock down the computer remotely
D．send a spoken message
【小題3】One function of the program is that it allows the owner to ______ at a distance.
A．change some access details for switching on the laptop
B．turn on the laptop by using the original password
C．operate the laptop by means of an alternative password
D．erase the information kept in the stolen laptop
【小題4】Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A．With no Retriever, thousands of laptops are stolen every year.
B．A new software provides a means to reduce laptop theft.
C．Retriever has helped to find thieves and lost computers.
D．A new program offers a communication platform with the thief.

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

BEIJING (AP) — Sandstorms whipping across China shrouded(遮蔽) cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand Monday, with winds carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl(無計(jì)劃地?cái)U(kuò)展) and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west. The shifting sands have gradually moved onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring.
Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's east. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 1600 miles (2600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated.
The sandstorm in Taiwan, an island 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from the mainland, forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the grit(砂礫) that can cause chest discomfort and respiratory problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes.
In Hong Kong, environmental protection officials said pollution levels were climbing as the sandstorm moved south. Twenty elderly people sought medical assistance for shortness of breath, Hong Kong's radio RTHK reported.
The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea on Tuesday, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The sandstorm that raked(掠過) across China over the weekend caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory.
Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the western United States.
China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted Monday on its Web site.
State television's noon newscast showed the tourist city of Hangzhou on the eastern coast, where graceful bridges and waterside pagodas were hidden in a mix of sand and other pollution. In Beijing, residents and tourists with faces covered scurried along sidewalks to minimize exposure to the pollution.
A massive sandstorm hit Beijing in 2006, when winds dumped about 300,000 tons of sand on the capital.
【小題1】We can learn from the text that           .

A．the sandstorms were purposely made by China.
B．the writer thinks that China government should be responsible for the pollution.
C．the sandstorms badly affected the air in US.
D．China's Central Meteorological Station will be closed.
【小題2】The passage tells us that the sandstorms mainly came from      .
A．XinjiangB．HangzhouC．BeijingD．Inner Mongolia
【小題3】The underlined word, “respiratory” (in Para.4) means         .
A．breathingB．digestingC．hearingD．walking
【小題4】Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A．South Korea seldom issues nationwide dust advisories.
B．Taiwan is 1,600 miles from Beijing.
C．Sandstorms have hit Beijing more than once.
D．In Hong Kong some old people need help for shortness of breath caused by sandstorms.

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly wipe out, the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are wiped out. They are not sure to what degree people’s memories are affected.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war.
They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that maybe the pills can change people’s memories and changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were terrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
【小題1】The passage is mainly about              .

A．a(chǎn) new medical invention
B．a(chǎn) new research on the pill
C．a(chǎn) way of wiping out painful memories
D．a(chǎn)n argument about the research on the pill
【小題2】The drug tested on people can           .
A．cause the brain to fix memories
B．stop people remembering bad experiences
C．prevent body producing certain chemicals
D．wipe out the emotional effects of memories
【小題3】We can infer from the passage that           .
A．people doubt the effects of the pills
B．the pill will certainly stop people's emotional memories
C．taking the pill will do harm to people's physical health
D．the pill has already been produced and used by the public in America
【小題4】Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with in the last paragraph ?
A．some memories can ruin people's lives.
B．people want to get rid of bad memories.
C．experiencing bad events makes us different from others.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely made. In my early 20s, I hardly went to bed before midnight, and I would always get up late the next morning.
But after a while I couldn’t ignore the high relationship between success and rising early. On those rare occasions where I did get up early, I noticed that my productivity (效率) was always higher. So I set out to become a habitual early riser. But whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that noise and go back to sleep. Eventually some sleep research showed that my strategy was wrong.
The most common wrong strategy is this: supposing you’re going to get up earlier, you’d better go to bed earlier. It sounds very reasonable, but will usually fail.
There are two main schools (流派) of thought on sleep patterns. One is that you should go to bed and get up at the same time every day. The second school says you should go to bed when you’re tired and get up when you naturally wake up. However, I have found both are wrong if you care about productivity. If you sleep at fixed hours, you’ll sometimes go to bed when you aren’t sleepy enough. You’re wasting time lying in bed awake.
My solution is to combine both methods. I go to bed when I’m sleepy and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time. So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5 a.m.), but I go to bed at different times every night.
However, going to bed only when I’m sleepy, and getting up at a fixed time every morning are my ways. If you want to become an early riser, you can try your own.
【小題1】According to the passage, the underlined phrase refers to ________.

A．people who stay up until the next morning
B．people who get up early in the morning
C．people who feel sleepy in the morning
D．people whose productivity is the lowest in the morning
【小題2】Why did the author want to become a habitual early riser?
A．Because he / she wanted to have more sleep time.
B．Because he / she wanted to do morning exercise.
C．Because he / she wanted to test which school is better.
D．Because he / she found that the productivity was higher.
【小題3】The author experienced all the following EXCEPT ________.
A．going to bed after midnight
B．a(chǎn)sking scholars for advice on sleeping habits
C．getting up early occasionally
D．pressing off the alarm to go on sleeping
【小題4】What’s the author’s sleep pattern?
A．Going to bed early and getting up early.
B．Going to bed late and getting up late.
C．Going to bed when sleepy and getting up at a fixed early time.
D．Going to bed early and getting up late.
【小題5】The passage is mainly about ________.
A．main schools of thought on sleep patterns
B．how to have a good sleep
C．wrong strategies for getting up early
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Sometime early in the next century, human beings will move to Mars. They will live there for about a year, and then will be replaced with another group of pioneers. Building the base on Mars will advance our knowledge of the solar system and aid in our understanding of the earth.
We already know that Mars resembles the earth in many aspects: general size, presence of water, length of day, range of temperatures. These resemblances have caused many people to consider a centuries-long project: to terraform Mars. Terraforming means altering a planet’s surface so that Earth’s life forms can survive there. This concept, previously found only in science fiction is now being seriously considered by scientists.
Terraforming Mars is theoretically simple: add nitrogen and oxygen to the atmosphere; pump water to the surface; and add the earth’s plants and animals in the order in which they developed on Earth. But it will take at least 300 years.
Some people think that such a project is too huge for humans to undertake, but there are very good reasons to make the attempt. The earth now contains some 6 billion people, and no one has any idea of how many humans the earth can support. Our very existence and numbers are threatening many other species. We also have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: altering the landscape, the atmosphere and the climate. Currently terraforming earth has become a wiser activity as we try to control global warming, air and water pollution, and preserve some natural living places.
While the possibility of such a project is small, it is not impossible .Even if earth –bound societies come and go in the next 300 years, the project can continue through the work of the Mars settlers without the need for constant backing from the earth.
The future existence of all the people in our world may very well depend upon our ability to terraform Mars.
【小題1】What would be the best title for this passage?

A．Terraforming Mars. B．Saving the Earth 
C．Travelling to Mars. D．A Newly-found Place 
【小題2】What does the underlined word “altering” mean in the second paragraph?
A．Warming. B．Changing. C．Planting. D．Building 
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A．do some scientific research work 
B．find out its similarity to earth 
C．a(chǎn)void the dying away of many other species 
D．find on Mars living place for the increasing human beings 
【小題4】The main reason for causing many people to consider terraforming Mars is that _______.
A．there are some resemblances between Earth and Mars. 
B．terraforming Mars is theoretically simple 
C．we have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: Earth 
D．the development of science and technology is very rapid 
【小題5】What’s the author’s attitude towards the project?
A．Optimistic. B．Negative 
C．Sceptical（懷疑的） D．Objective. 

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Imagine living in a city made of glass. No, this isn’t a fairy tale. If you could grab your diving gear and swim down 650 feet into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington State, you would witness the secret world of glass reefs.
The reef you’d be looking at is made up of glass sponges(海綿). But how can animals be made of glass? Well, glass is formed from a substance called silica. The sponges use the silica found in ocean waters to build glass structures that will give them shape and support. Be careful! Some of the fragile creatures are up to 200 years old.
When sponges die, new ones grow on top of the pile of old ones. Over centuries, a massive and complex reef takes shape. Some sponges look like wrinkled trumpets, while others look like overgrown cauliflower or mushrooms.
Dr. Paul Johnson, who discovered the Washington reef in 2007, also found other surprises such as bubbles of methane(甲烷) gas flowing out of the seafloor nearby. The methane feeds bacteria, and the bacteria feed the glass sponges.
“It’s a new ecosystem we know nothing about,” said Dr. Johnson.
The reef of yellow and orange glass sponges is crowded with crabs, shrimp, starfish, worms, snails, and rockfish. The glass reef is also a nursery for the babies of many of these creatures and was called a “kindergarten” by scientists.
Many animals that live in the reef hang around for a long time, just like the sponges. Rockfish, for example, live for more than 100 years. Scientists are just beginning to study all the species that call the reef home.
The Washington coast isn’t the only place where a living glass reef has been found. The first was discovered in Hecate Strait off the coast of British Columbia in 1991. Scientists all over the world were stunned to see it.
【小題1】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Man-made cities under the sea B．The world under the sea 
C．Glass “cities” under the sea D．Creatures under the sea 
【小題2】It can be learned that the glass reef _______.
A．is made up of a kind of materials called sponges 
B．is a work of art made by some American scientists 
C．is a new ecosystem people are not familiar with 
D．was first discovered off the coast of Washington State 
【小題3】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The sponges must feel soft. 
B．Silica comes from animals’ body fluid. 
C．Methane is harmful to glass sponges. 
D．Glass sponges depend on the bacteria for a living. 
【小題4】Why did scientists call the glass reef a “kindergarten”?
A．Because the babies of many sea creatures grow well there. 
B．Because thousands of children visit it every year. 
C．Because it is crowded with snails and rockfish, etc. 
D．Because all the species call the reef home. 
【小題5】What does the underlined word “stunned” in the last paragraph mean?
A．Greatly surprised. B．Extremely scared. 
C．Highly satisfied. D．Very pleased. 

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

With alarming regularity, we read about oil tankers having accidents near land and the terrible consequences of the oil spills （泄露） on people, nature, and the environment．
Millions of dollars have been used in developing special chemicals to help dismiss the spills and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil．Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea．
Of all of today's environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious．Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material．In the end, it breaks down naturally．There are, of course, long-term effects, but it is usually more serious in the short term．
Nature by itself works better than chemical materials, but when there is a spill we demand that governments act immediately with as much hi-tech knowledge as possible．In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tones of oil into the ocean．If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened．
Governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage．Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run.
We should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil．Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power （太陽能） , electricity, hydrogen, and so on．Much of this research has, in the past, been held back by the oil, gas, and coal．
If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient （高效的）—and the industry could easily produce cars at least twice as efficient，we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year．If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too．
【小題1】What is the passage mainly talking about?

A．Oil spills pollution．　　　B．What oil pollution is
C．Oil tanker accidents.D．How to reduce oil pollution
【小題2】How does the author support the idea that oil spills are not as serious as people believe?
A．By giving a description．B．By making an argument
C．By giving an example．D．By drawing a diagram
【小題3】What does the underlined word "risk" in Paragraph 5 refer to?
A．Transportation depending more on oil
B．Poisonous oil breaking down naturally
C．Millions of tons of oil spilling into the sea
D．More environmental damage being caused
【小題4】Which suggestion, is made for reducing oil tank accidents according to the passage?
A．We should build safer tankers in the near future
B．We should develop new technologies to cut oil use
C．Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines
D．Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Astronomers (天文學(xué)家) say they are on the point of finding planets like Earth orbiting other stars, which is a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe.
A top NASA official and other leading scientists say that within four or five years they should discover the first Earth-like planet where life could develop, or may have already. A planet close to the size of Earth could even be found sometime this year.
At the annual American Astronomical Society conference this week, each discovery involving  so-called “exoplanets” —those outside our solar system — pointed to the same conclusion：Quiet planets like Earth where life could develop probably are plentiful.
NASA’s Dew Kepler telescope and a lot of new research from the suddenly hot and competitive exoplanet field caused noticeable buzz at the meeting．Scientists are talking about being at “an incredible special place in history” and closer to answering the question. “Are we alone? For the first time, there’s an optimism that sometime in our lifetimes we’re going to get to the bottom of that,” said Simon Worden，an astronomer who heads NASA’s Ames Research Center. “If I were a betting man, which I am, I would bet we’re not alone.”
“These are big questions that reflect upon the meaning of the human race in the universe,” the director of the Vatican Observatory, the Rev. Jose Funes, said Wednesday in an interview at this week’s conference.
Worden told The Associated Press: “I would certainly expect in the next four or five years we’d have an Earth-sized planet in the habitable (可居住的) zone.”
【小題1】What is very important in determining if we are alone in the universe?

A．Finding an Earth-like planet
B．Orbiting other stars.
C．Developing new telescopes
D．Finding more exoplanets.
【小題2】What’s an exoplanet?
A．It’s a planet like Earth
B．It’s a planet outside our solar system.
C．It’s a planet orbiting the sun
D．It’s a planet where life have developed.
【小題3】The underlined phrase “get to the bottom of” probably means “__________”.
A．understand fully B．make full use of
C．search for D．do more research on
【小題4】From the passage we can learn that __________.
A．a(chǎn)n Earth-like planet has been found
B．it’s been proved we are not alone in the universe
C．Jose Funes has found the meaning of the human race in the universe
D．the discovery of an Earth-like planet could happen in the near future

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