Tragedy at the Circus
In yesterday’s circus（馬戲團(tuán)）show, a tiger suddenly attacked its trainer and had to be shot dead. As the circus packed up and left, circus officials said the show would go on, even without tigers.
However, the officials can’t simply turn a blind eye to the ethical problems left behind. Even before this tragedy(悲劇), animal rights activists protested against keeping wild animals in unnatural conditions and forcing them to suffer for the profit(利潤) of circus organizers.
It is now time for us to take effective steps to make sure that circus animals are treated properly.
Circus Safe for Animals
Our circus recently suffered a most tragic event in its history. While we are thankful for the pity from the public, we are also astonished by the opinion expressed in “Tragedy at the Circus.”
First, our performing animals are not taken from the wild. As to the ethical problems. we always believe humans and animals can—and should—live together nicely. To us, the performing animals are representatives of their species(物種), and our circus is one of the only places left willing to support this special role of performing animals in the existence of the species. Those who argue that circus life is harmful to animals show little knowledge of these facts. Life in the “wild” is unsafe, but a continuous struggle for existence. To overlook these realities is the greatest fault against the animal kingdom.
This circus has proven that animals are stronger and smarter than we could imagine. Within the circus is a joyful atmosphere for both animals and humans: people are educated, and species saved.
1.What is the main purpose of the first passage?
A.To show pity for the performing animals. 
B.To express worries about animal trainers' safety. 
C.To deal with the difficult situations of the circus
D.To call for action to protect circus animals.
2.What will the circus most probably do?
A.Take no notice of the tragedy.
B.Continue its performances.
C.Use fewer wild animals.
D.Limit its profit.
3.What does the circus think of its performing animals?
A.They are as clever as human beings.
B.They struggle continuously with human beings for existence.
C.They are helpful in saving their species.
D.They have equally natural living conditions as wild animals.
4.What is the most probable relationship between the two passages?
A.A public request and a newspaper report.
B.A newspaper article and a reply to it.
C.Two parts of a newspaper article.
D.Two newspaper reports.

Together. 35 years.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
They make you sway. With a dance form all their own. Originating as an intimate, innovative dance company, it has evolved into an international force. Taking the spirit of African—American culture and translating it into dance and community programs for more than 35 years. A heritage of bringing together a repertoire of Ailey classics and great dance masterpieces along with exciting new works by emerging artists. Modern Vibrant. Athletic. Colorful. Involving. Because it is dance in step with the people. Part of the neighborhood, their pulse beats—beats—beats of life. Lifting spirits. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Pirouetting the globe. Soaring, moving as one, moving dance into the future. Join Philip Morris in its 12th year of supporting Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. And celebrate the achievement of the Ailey past as they boldly step forward.
9. What does the advertisement ask people to do?
A. To see a play.                   B. To watch a match.
C. To ball there.                   D. To see Philip Morris.
10. How is the company?
A. Modern and involving.    B. Intimate and innovative.
C. Athletic and colorful.        D. Vibrant and innovative.
11. What does Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater hold this activity for?
A. To develop the spirit of African—American culture.
B. To leap tall buildings in a single bound.
C. To pirouette the globe.
D. To celebrate the achievement of the Ailey past.

For some people, the sight of a mouse can be reason to scream. For other mice, the same sight can be reason to sing.
Mice will probably   1  sing their way to any concert, but researchers in the United States have found   2  that mice do,   3 , sing.
Scientists already knew that mice make ultrasonic(超聲波) sounds—noises that are too high-pitched(高音的) for people to hear   4  special equipment.
To find out whether mice put such sounds together in song-like   5 , the researchers recorded the sounds of 1 mice. Using computer   6 , they were able to separate the sounds into specific types of syllables(音節(jié)), and found the mice produced about 10 syllables per second.
The results showed that nearly all of the mice repeated sequences(順序) of syllables in different patterns. That’s enough to meet the definition of what scientists   7  song. But not all scientists are   8 _ that what the mice are doing is   9  singing. To prove it, the researchers must show that there’s learning involved. And, they need to __  10  why the mice sing.

小題1:	A．a(chǎn)lmost B．even C．never D．usually

小題2:	A．coincidence B．evidence C．guidance D．instance

小題3:	A．a(chǎn)t once B．by means C．for example D．in fact

小題4:	A．during B．inside C．through D．without

小題5:	A．fashions B．instructions C．patterns D．styles

小題6:	A．a(chǎn)ccess B．printer C．screen D．software

小題7:	A．call B．hear C．sing D．write

小題8:	A．a(chǎn)ccustomed B．convinced C．involved D．qualified

小題9:	A．a(chǎn)ctually B．obviously C．simply D．unlikely

小題10:

A．figure out B．get about C．run across D．talk over

◆200 dead as Brazilian plane crashes in Sao Paulo
Up to 200 people were dead after a passenger plane with 176 people aboard slid off the runway on landing and hit a fuel storage tank at Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport on Tuesday.
Brazilian airline TAM said that 170 passengers and 6 crew were aboard the Airbus A320 flying from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil to Sao Paulo when it lost control on landing and slid off the wet runway.
Brazilian news agency Folha reported up to 200 people were dead, including some victims on the ground.
◆_______________________________________
Two people were killed Saturday in two separate plane crashes in the United States, media reports said.
In Dayton, Ohio, a plane crashed on a runway of the Dayton International Airport while performing during the Vectren Dayton Air Show. The pilot, Jim LeRoy, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital and was announced dead. The air show was canceled .
Also on the same day, two single-engine war planes at an experimental air show collided(相撞) in Wisconsin while landing, killing one of the pilots and injuring the other.
◆All 114 aboard Kenya plane killed  
A Kenya Airways plane that crashed after takeoff in Cameroon with 114 people on board is largely submerged (淹沒) in a swamp(沼澤地) and there is no chance of survivors, Cameroon 's civil protection service said on Monday  
The Boeing 737-800 had taken off from Douala and its wreckag (殘骸)was found just 12 miles from the town. The plane fell head first. But the cause of the crash remained unclear.
Among the passengers were Associated Press reporter Anthony Mitchella and an executive from the South African cell phone giant MTN. Five Chinese passengers were also killed in the crash .
小題1: The Brazilian plane crash caused extra deaths mainly because______

A．it skidded off the wet runway.	B．the runway. was very short
C．it hit a fuel storage tank	D．its pilot was inexperienced

小題2:The proper title for News 2 would be _________.

A．Two pilots killed in plane crashes in US	B．The tragedies of the air show
C．Who is to blame for the plane crashes?	D．Big losses can result from small things

小題3:Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE as for the Kenya plane crash?

A．The plane crashed after the plane took off.

B．The cause of the crash was under examination

C．114 passengers on board were killed including an African

D．The place where the plane crashed led to many more deaths

小題4:The Brazilian plane crash killed about _____people in all on the ground.

A．170

B．30

C．24

D．6

小題5:It can be inferred from the three news that_________

A．when the Airbus A320 landed, it was likely to be raining heavily

B．during the Vectren Dayton Air Show , the pilot, Jim LeRoy died on the scene

C．The place where the Boeing 737-800 crashed was just 12 miles from the town

D．Five Chinese passengers were victims of the Kenya plane crash

Far from the land of Antarctica(南極洲), a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod.
For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secret. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer.
Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish’s blood and measured its freezing point.
The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of -1.88℃ and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to -2.05℃. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice-salt mixture.
The scientists’ next research job was clear: Find out what in the fish’s blood kept it from freezing. Their search led to some really strange thing made up of a protein(蛋白質(zhì)) never before seen in the blood of a fish. When it was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point.
Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules(分子) held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content. It is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein. Or AFGP.
小題1:What is the text mainly about?

A．The terrible conditions in the Antarctic.

B．A special fish living in freezing waters.

C．The ice shelf around Antarctica.

D．Protection of the Antarctic cod.

小題2:Why can the Antarctic cod live at the freezing temperature?

A．The seawater has a temperature of -1.88℃.

B．It loves to live in the ice-salt mixture.

C．A special protein keeps it from freezing.

D．Its blood has a temperature lower than -2.05℃.

小題3:What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．A type of ice-salt mixture.	B．A newly found protein.
C．Fish blood.	D．Sugar molecule.

小題4:What does “glycol-” in the underlined word “glycoprotein” in the last paragraph mean?

A．sugar

B．ice

C．blood

D．molecule

If you boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now. That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.
Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment(娛樂).
A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger(漢堡包) is a steal at $4.80.
London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates(估算) London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days. Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.
Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities. But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15^th, down from 10^th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42^nd from 29^th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier.
Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82^nd place worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No. 21 worldwide.
小題1:What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．a(chǎn)n act of stealing	B．something delicious
C．something very cheap	D．a(chǎn)n act of buying

小題2:London has become the second most expensive city because of ______.

A．the high cost of clothing	B．the stronger pound against the dollar
C．its expensive transportation	D．the high prices of fast food meals

小題3:Which city is the third most expensive on the list?

A．Tokyo.

B．Hong Kong.

C．Moscow.

D．Sydney.

小題4:Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?

A．New York.

B．Los Angeles.

C．San Francisco.

D．Toronto.

BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- A recent sudden temperature drop in most areas of China has set off fears of a possible return of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the country has mobilized to prepare for another outbreak.  
North China's Tianjin Port resumed a temperature reporting system on Sunday. Any passengers through the port with a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius would be provided medical observation and reported to relevant authorities. 
Zhong Nanshan, a well-known anti-SARS scientist during the last outbreak, said it was unlikely the SARS virus would die out naturally and it would definitely come back, but predicted no widespread epidemic outbreak and the epidemic would not cause serious damage again.
Caught unprepared this spring, Chinese authorities have learned to act quickly before the epidemic can take a hold.
Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi Thursday urged strictly implementing the daily SARS epidemic reporting system and warned that people delaying reporting or hiding the true situation would be severely punished.
In Beijing, the disease control center in Dongcheng District has recovered a 24 hour schedule for possible epidemic breakout. Every afternoon before 3:00 o'clock, the center receives SARS reports from every hospital in the district and then reports to the Beijing municipal disease control center and health bureau.
In Beijing Xiehe Hospital, plans are ready for fever patients to receive treatment in a special section. Doctors in that ward, wearing protective clothing, will observe patients for any possible respiratory diseases. Patients with high fever and symptoms of respiratory diseases are required to be observed for one or two weeks.
North China's Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the two other hardest-hit areas in the last SARS crisis, have both set up an emergency response mechanism and mobilized all concerned departments. The system has also been set up in rural Inner Mongolia.
People are urged to pick up again the healthy habits they formed during the last SARS outbreak. Zhong Nanshan said the most important way to prevent SARS was to play more sports and maintain good ventilation. Spitting in public and eating wild animals were very dangerous, said Zhong.  
小題1:This passage is mainly about_______.

A．Zhong Nanshan, a well-known anti-SARS scientist

B．What happened during the first outbreak of SARS

C．How well China is prepared for another likely outbreak of SARS

D．What hospitals in Beijing have done

小題2:Which isn’t included in the measures taken by the Chinese?

A．A temperature reporting system.	B．The daily SARS epidemic reporting system.
C．A 24-hour schedule for possible epidemic breakout.
D．An emergency response mechanism all over the country.

小題3:Which doesn’t belong to Beijing’s reaction to the possible epidemic?

A．SARS reports must be given to the disease control center and health bureau.

B．Fever patients receiving special sections are ready.

C．High fever patients are to be observed for 3 weeks.

D．Doctors treating high fever patients will wear protection clothes.

●●●                          
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is likely to visit China at an “ appropriate” time this year, a senior Chinese military official said on Monday. Colonel Tu Qiming, director of the American and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Affairs Office at the National Defence Ministry, made the remark during Sino -US defence talks this week. This is the first ever “special defence policy dialogue” between the two defence ministries, according to the Chinese military.
●●●
FRANCES Agriculture Ministry has confirmed (證實(shí)) the first case of mad cow disease detected in a goat last Friday. The goat killed in 2002 tested positive for mad cow disease. It is the first case in the world of the fatal disease being found in an animal other than a bovine. The human form of mad cow disease causes brain - wasting, personality change, loss of body function, and ends in death. The European Commission has not advised any change in farming and consuming goats, said the French Ministry in a statement published last Friday.
●●●
MOBILE phone sales hit a new record in 2004, with some 684 million units sold around the world, the US research institute Strategy Analytics said on Thursday. The number represents an increase of 32 per cent over 2003, when 571 million units were sold. Strategy Analytics predicts a more modest rise of 8 per cent for this year, to 735 million. Finnish cellphone provider Nokia stayed out in front in 2004, with sales of 207.6 million units, giving it a market share of 30.4 per cent. Motorola moved to No 2, just ahead of the South Korean company Samsung.
●●●
SIX male penguins (雄企鵝) at a German zoo are proving stubbornly resistant to females brought in from Sweden to make them into breeding (繁殖). Of the ten male penguins at the zoo, six have formed into " homosexual" couples and have shown no interest in the females, making breeding an impossibility. So the zoo imported the four female penguins from Sweden last month, full of hope that the new arrivals could “turn” the males. But so far, the boys are remaining strictly with the boys.
小題1:How many countries are mentioned in the pieces of news?

A．Six.

B．Five.

C．Three.

D．Seven.

小題2:From the fourth piece of news we know that          ．

A．the scientists haven’t succeeded in doing their experiment

B．the scientists have successfully got six female penguins into breeding

C．the Sweden girls made the boys show interest in them

D．German boys don’t like Sweden boys

小題3:Which of the following are the suitable headlines for the pieces of news?

A．a(chǎn). US Defence Secretary Visit Likely	B．a(chǎn). US Defence Secretary Visit Likely b. France Confirms 'Mad Goat" Caseb. France Confirms ' Mad Goat" Case c. Nokia Stays on Topc. Mobile Phone Sales d. Male Penguins and Female Penguinsd. Birds of a Feather
C．a(chǎn). Defence Policy Dialogue	D．a(chǎn). Sino - US Talks

b. Mad Goat Disease                        b. Mad Goat Case
c. Mobile Phone Sales                       c. Motorola' s Sales Reduced
d. Importing Female Penguins                 d. Boys and Girls

                                    
The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan. which means Double Income Kids(小孩).
In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a ****** is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedrooms, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What’s more, if they want to have a child, the child’s education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5.000 a year. In such a situation, it’s difficult to afford children.
The number of married women who want to continue working because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to contimue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs.
In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible.
小題1:What is the main problem being discussed in the passage?

A．The small number of newborn babies.

B．The changing social situation of women.

C．The high prices of houses and education.

D．The necessary steps of Asian government.

小題2:According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A．It is easy for a couple to afford a child in Asia.

B．The prices of in Asia are quite low now.

C．Fewer and fewer married women wan to have a job.

D．The word “DINKS” appeared in an Asian country.

小題3:To buy a flat and send a child to kindergarten, how much will a couple pay each year?

A．85,000

B．85,900

C．$10.800

D．$15.800

小題4:The seems to believe that Asian governments should ________.

A．let women stay at home and have a baby

B．a(chǎn)llow one of the parents to go out to work

C．care for the growing needs of women for job.

D．the companies that permit women to leave.

Scientists are uncovering the secrets of two port cities lost under the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, a researcher said yesterday.
Herakleion and Menouthis were rich and proud cities until something reduced them to rubble (碎石) and buried them in the mud beneath 30 feet of sea water, French underwater explorer Franck Goddio said at the American Geophysical Union conference.
“This is a mystery that is ongoing,” said Goddio, a founder of the European Institute of Marine Archeology, a Paris-based underwater research organization backed by the wealthy Hilti Foundation of Liechtenstein(列支敦士登基金會).
The destruction of the twin port cities has haunted Goddio ever since he happened upon the site about 15 miles from Alexandria while exploring sunken ships from Napoleon’s fleet.
Goddio and his group of expert divers, marine archeologists(海洋考古學(xué)家) and others, are using high powered vacuums, satellite navigation systems and sophisticated sonar(聲納) to excavate(挖掘) the sunken cities from underneath a carpet of silt about one meter (three feet) high.
Walls of shops, remains of streets and gold artifacts have been found and recovered.
Some experts believe that the port cities were destroyed by a series of massive earthquakes, much like the quakes scientists believe felled Troy(特洛伊城), Jericho and other ancient cities. The uniform direction of the collapsed columns and walls suggest an earthquake, Goddio said, but no fault lines have been found nearby.
Other researchers believe a massive wave, caused by either an offshore earthquake or a distant underwater landslide, could explain the catastrophe. Still others think rising seas and a shift in the Nile River outlet doomed the cities.
“The argument, as you can see, continues,” Goddio said.
小題1:The reason why the two port cities disappeared under the waters of Mediterranean Sea is that ______.

A．the two port cities were destroyed by huge earthquakes

B．the disappearance of the two port cities was caused by underwater landslide

C．rising seas and a shift in the Nile River outlet doomed the cities

D．the story didn’t tell us at all

小題2: From the story we can draw a conclusion that _______.

A．the two port cities were famous for their wealth and the mystery

B．the two cities belonged to France

C．some mysterious creatures from other planets destroyed the two cities

D．the American Geophysical Union conference was once held in one of the two cities

小題3: This article is probably from _______.

A．a(chǎn) scientific magazine

B．a(chǎn) report to the government

C．a(chǎn) school text book

D．a(chǎn) scientific report in a newspaper