Among all the fast growing science and technology, the research of human genes, or biological engineering as people call it, is drawing more and more attention now. Sometimes it is a hot topic discussed by people.
The greatest thing that gene technology can do is to cure serious diseases that doctors at present can almost do nothing with, such as cancer and heart disease. Every year, millions of people are murdered by these two killers. And to date, doctors have not found an effective way to cure them. But if the gene technology is applied, not only these two diseases can be cured completely, bringing happiness and more living days to the patients, but also the great amount of money people spend on curing their diseases can be saved, therefore it benefits the economy as well. In addition, human life span(壽命) can be prolonged.
Gene technology can help people to give birth to healthy and clever children. Some families, with the English imperial family being a good example, have hereditary(遺傳的) diseases. This means their children will for sure have the family disease, which is a great trouble for these families. In the past, doctors could do nothing about hereditary diseases. But gene technology can solve this problem perfectly. The scientist just need to find the wrong gene and correct it, and a healthy child will be born.
Some people are worrying that the gene research can be used to manufacture human beings in large quantities. In the past few years, scientists have succeeded in cloning a sheep, therefore these people predict that human babies would soon be cloned. But I believe cloned babies will not come out in large quantities, for most couples in the world can have babies in very normal way. Of course, the government must take care to control gene technology.
小題1:What does “these two killers” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．Gene technology and another treatment of the two diseases.

B．The two murderers who killed the cloned baby.

C．The two diseases of cancer and heart disease.

D．Hereditary diseases and cancer.

小題2:What’s the main idea of the third paragraph?

A．How gene technology can be applied in the field of treating hereditary diseases.

B．Gene technology can be used to clone human babies.

C．Gene technology can help people to give birth to a baby.

D．Gene technology can help the English imperial family out.

小題3:In what way gene technology can help to treat hereditary diseases?

A．Using gene technology, people with hereditary diseases can have more living days.

B．Using gene technology, the scientist finds the wrong gene and corrects it.

C．Using gene technology, human babies can be cloned.

D．Doctors can cure cancer and heart disease with the help of gene technology.

小題4:What is the main purpose of writing this passage?

A．Expressing the writer’s idea that gene technology will benefit people.

B．Telling people the disadvantages of gene technology.

C．Telling the readers that gene technology will not benefit people.

D．Explaining that gene technology will also do harm to the humanity.

We probably all know people, either at work or in our personal lives, who are really good listeners. No matter what kind of situation we’re in, they always seem to know just what to say and how to say it so that we’re not offended(被冒犯) or upset. We probably also know people who are masters at managing their emotions(情緒). They don’t get angry in stressful situations. Instead, they have the ability to calmly look at a problem and find a solution. They take criticism(批評(píng)) well, and they know when to use it to improve their performance.
People like these who have a high degree of emotional intelligence, or EI(情商). They know themselves very well, and they’re also able to sense the emotional needs of others.
As more and more people accept that emotional intelligence is just as important to professional success as technical(專業(yè)的) ability, companies are increasingly using EI when they hire and promote(提拔) someone. For example, one large cosmetics (化妝品) company recently changed their hiring process for salespeople to choose candidates(被選的人) based on emotional intelligence. The result? Salespeople hired with the new system have sold, on average, $91,000 more than salespeople selected under the old system.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand what they are telling you, and realize how your emotions affect people around you. Emotional intelligence also involves your perception (洞察力) of others: when you understand how they feel, this allows you to manage relationships more effectively.
People with high emotional intelligence are usually successful in most things they do. Why? Because they are the ones that others want on their team. When people with high EI send an email, it get answered. When they need help, they get it. Because they make others feel good, they go through life much more easily than people who are easily angered or upset.
The good news is that emotional intelligence can be taught and developed. Many books and tests are available to help you determine your current EI, and identify where you may need to do some work.
小題1:According to the passage, we’re all probably impressed by people who _____.

A．a(chǎn)re ready to help others

B．a(chǎn)re very successful in their lives

C．have high emotional intelligence

D．know how to control their temper

小題2:By mentioning the cosmetics company, the author tries to _____.

A．stress the importance of emotional intelligence

B．speak highly of its new salespeople

C．show its effective hiring system

D．explain what improvements it has made

小題3:The underlined word “they” in the fourth paragraph refers to “_____”.

A．your emotions	B．people around you
C．effective relationships	D．your opinions of others

小題4:Which statement is TRUE about people with high EI?

A．They are usually good speakers.

B．They are born to be sensitive and intelligent.

C．They don’t get angry in any situation.

D．They can understand others’ feelings well.

小題5:What’s most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A．What emotional intelligence is.

B．How emotional intelligence can be improved.

C．Many books on emotional intelligence.

D．More people with high emotional intelligence.

A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism ,a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use email and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannotstop, and it affects their lives.
Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This obsessional behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites.
They become hooked on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation.They spend all free time surfing and don't concentrate on homework,so this addiction influences their grades and success at school. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life. They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends.The relation with their friends changes.The virtual life becomes more important than their real life.They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.
Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate themselves from the society  and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect all the world.
小題1:The main idea of the passage is about ____________．

A．the cause of weboholism	B．the advantage of weboholism
C．the popularity of weboholism	D．the influence of weboholism

小題2:The underlined word “obsessional” in the second paragraph most probably means _______．

A．a(chǎn)ttractive

B．a(chǎn)ddictive

C．professional

D．potential

小題3:We can infer from the passage that __________．

A．weboholism has the greatest effect on teenagers

B．students can hardly balance real and virtual life

C．people are addicted to games on the Internet

D．virtual life is more vivid and attractive anyway

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true of weboholism?

A．It contributes to the development of the web．

B．The chat room language may change social culture．

C．The problem will be getting more and more serious later．

D．People addicted to the web often become inactive in real life．

小題5:The author's attitude towards weboholism is that of being________.

A．optimistic

B．positive

C．negative

D．a(chǎn)cceptable

Every time you go to the supermarket you come away with your purchases packed in plastic bags. But wouldn’t it be kinder to the environment if you asked for paper bags instead?
The answer is not as easy as it might seem. Environmentalists say there are drawbacks to using both plastic bags and paper bags.
80 percent of groceries in the US are packed in plastic bags and the numbers are becoming huge. Consumers use between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags per year worldwide.
Some experts believe that all these bags harm the environment. Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down and, as it does so, poisonous materials are released into the water and soil.
Further damage is caused if plastic bags enter the sea. For example, endangered sea turtles cannot tell the bags from jellyfish, their main source of food, and often choke on them.
However, this kind of bag does have its advantages.
Paper bags use more energy and create more waste than plastic bags. Plastic bags require 40 percent less energy to produce and cause 70 percent less air pollution. They also release as much as 94 percent less waste into the water than paper ones do.
But paper bags do break down more quickly than plastic bags. They don’t endanger wildlife, either.
So what should we do? One possible solution would be to use biodegradable plastic bags. “Biodegradable” means that the bags break down naturally just like a piece of banana peel when it is left outside.
But until biodegradable technology improves, it might be easier to pack things you buy in reusable cloth bags.
小題1:Compared to paper bags, plastic bags ______.

A．produce 6 percent more waste

B．can be made biodegradable more easily

C．can be used as a source of food

D．save 40 percent of the energy

小題2:By saying “The answer is not as easy as it might seem,” (in paragraph 2) the writer means _____.
A. biodegradable plastic bags can compete with paper
B. paper bags seem to be kind to environment
C. it’s difficult to say whether plastic or paper bags are better for the environment
小題3:What does the author suggest people use at the present time?

A．Paper bags	B．Plastic bags
C．Biodegradable plastic bags.	D．Cloth bags.

The scientists observed that the more junk food the rats ate, the more they wanted to eat – a behavior very similar to that of rats addicted(上了癮的) to heroin, a dangerous drug. Johnson said the experiment shows that the brain chemistry of obesity(肥胖) and drug addiction may be quite similar.
In their experiment, Johnson and his team studied the “pleasure center” of rats’ brains. The pleasure center is a complicated network of nerve cells. If the animal exercises or eats, the cells reward the animal by releasing chemicals into the body that make it feel good. And when the body feels good, the animal – or person – will want to do the behavior again.
For the experiment, Johnson fed foods like cheesecake to one group of rats. Food like this is high in calories and fat. Another group of rats got a regular diet. The rats that ate junk food started to eat more and more.
“They’re taking in twice the amount of calories as the control rats,” says Paul Kenny, one of Johnson’s colleagues.
Kenny and Johnson wanted to know what was going on in the brains of these rats. They first designed a way to deliver a small electrical charge to the rats’ brains. This electrical charge would stimulate the pleasure centers to release pleasure-causing chemicals. The rats could control how much stimulation – and how much pleasure – they received by running on a wheel. The more the rat ran, the more pleasure it received.
The rats that had been eating junk food started running more and more. This behavior suggested that the junk-food-eating rats needed more brain stimulation to feel good compared with rats on a normal diet. In other words, their pleasure centers were becoming less sensitive and the junk food didn’t make them feel good unless they ate more and more.
Experiments like this one could help scientists understand how chemicals in the brain contribute to obesity. With that information, they may be able to help people avoid obesity in the first place.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS.)
小題1: The scientists suggested it was actually ___________________ that made the rats feel good.
小題2: How did the scientist know what was happening in the brains of the junk-food-eating rats?
小題3:What was the purpose of the experiment mentioned in the article?

Astronomers have captured(捕獲) the first direct image of a planet being born.
Adam Kraus, of the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, said the planet is being formed out of dust and gas circling a 2-million-yea-old star about 450 light years from Earth.
The planet itself, based on scientific models of how planets form, is believed to have started taking shape about 50,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Called LkCa 15b, it’s the youngest planet ever observed. The previous record holder was about five times older.
Kraus and his colleague, Michael Ireland from Macquarie University and the Australian Astronomical Observatory, used Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea(a volcano on the island of Hawaii, US) to find the planet. Kraus presented the discovery Wednesday at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
Observing planets while they’re forming can help scientists answer questions like weather planets form early in the life of a star or later, and whether they form relatively close to stars or father away.
Planets can change orbits(軌道) after forming, so it’s difficult to answer such questions by studying older planets.
“These very basic questions of when and where are best answered when you can actually see the planet forming, as the process is happening right now,” Kraus said.
Scientists hadn’t been able to see such young planets before because the stars they’re circling around outshine(光亮強(qiáng)過(guò)) them. Kraus and Ireland used two techniques to overcome this problem.
One method, which is also used by other astronomers, was to change the shape of the telescope mirrors to remove light distortion(扭曲) created by the Earth’s atmosphere. The other method they used, which was unique, was to put masks with several holes over most of the telescope mirrors. The combination of these techniques allowed the astronomers to obtain high-quality images that let them see the planet next to the bright star.
The star LkCa 15—the planet is named after its star—was the team’s second target. They immediately knew they were seeing something new, so they plan to gather more data on the star.
小題1:The research on younger planets helps scientists _____________.

A．study why planets change orbits after forming

B．understand how planets move around their stars

C．a(chǎn)nswer questions about the age of stars and planets

D．know the relationship between planets and their stars

小題2:Why are young planets like LkCa 15b hard to discover?

A．Their stars are brighter than them..	B．They are very far from the earth.
C．They are generally too small.	D．They rarely form.

小題3:According to the text, Kraus and Ireland _____________.

A．have been working in the same university

B．observed the planet on a volcano in Hawaii

C．used two new methods in the observation

D．cut holes in the mirrors when observing

小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．Youngest planet seen as it’s forming.

B．Planet 450 light years away discovered.

C．World’s first direct image of a planet taken.

D．New technique helps discover young planets.

Koala bears as pets might be appealing to many of us. However, there are quite a few points to consider even before thinking of adopting one.
Koala bears are one of the most lovely Australian animals. In certain cases where the koala has been raised by hand, they have turned out to be quite affectionate pets. These people tied a piece of fur to a pillow and placed it beside a joey (a baby kola) as a substitute (替代物) for the mother koala. This trick seemed to work well with the baby koala. However, it is a known fact that human handling causes stress to koalas. In my personal opinion, this aspect clouds the fact that koala bears can be tamed (馴服).
In Australia the koala is a priority animal as far as conservation status assessment is concerned. It was hunted to near extinction (滅絕) for its fur. In fact the koala had been wiped out from South Australia in the 1920s. However, rehabilitation efforts have brought the animal back in the state. As for the Australia government, the koala is not a threatened animal, but the US government does list the koala as one.
Although they may live in 40 to 60 kinds of eucalyptus trees, they prefer only 10 to 14 specific kinds. Koalas sleep for most part of the day, which is about 16 to 18 hours, and for most of their waking hours all they do is eat. Koala bears eat the leaves of eucalyptus trees. A full-grown koala can eat almost 2 to 3 pounds of leaves in a day. Despite their slow movements and sweet look, koala bears can be vicious when hungry. Other than this, there are the stress caused to koalas due to human handling and the fights that start in koalas.
Almost everyone finds koalas lovely in the zoo. However, as far as having koala bears as pets is concerned, there are legal issues to consider. Other than that, being able to provide for its diet and habitat is another point that needs some attention before any law legalizing their adoption as pets is passed.
小題1:What’s the author’s attitude towards people raising the koala?

A．Optimistic.

B．Grateful.

C．Cautious.

D．Enthusiastic.

小題2:Why did Australians hunt the koala?

A．To get its fur.

B．To eat its meat.

C．To wipe it out.

D．To have it for fun.

小題3:The underlined word “vicious” in Paragraph 4 probably means __________.

A．fierce and dangerous	B．patient and friendly
C．a(chǎn)fraid and defensive	D．lovely and interesting

小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

A．koala bears tend to live in groups

B．koala bear care can be very demanding

C．koala bears are not particular about their food

D．koala bears are the No. 1 threatened animal in the US

When times get tough, we all look for ways to cut back. When we’re hungry, we eat at home instead of going out. We take buses instead of taxis. And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer. With college expenses at all-time highs, high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education.
One cost-cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four. Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient. But there’s a question: Would the quality of undergraduate(本科生)education suffer? Few US universities have formally approved a “three-year degree” model.
I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three-year curriculum(課程) any time soon. For one thing, most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits(學(xué)分). In addition, at famous universities, the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly “throw out” one quarter of the required credits. Professors will resist “diluting(稀釋)” the quality of the education they offer.
In my opinion, a quality four-year education is always superior to a quality three-year education. A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major. It is not a good idea to water down education, any more than it’s not a good idea to water down medicine. If we want to help students find their way through university, we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation. We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible. We should give them a chance to earn money as interns(實(shí)習(xí)生)in meaningful part-time jobs that relate to their university studies, such as the five-year co-op program at Northeastern University.
小題1:The first paragraph serves as a(n)________．

A．explanation

B．definition

C．introduction

D．comment

小題2:We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．most American universities are against the “three-year degree” model

B．many famous US universities are considering adopting the “three-year degree” model

C．professors are willing to accept the “three-year degree” model

D．the “three-year degree” model can make college learning more efficient

小題3:In most US universities，________.

A．college students are offered the co-op program

B．electives’ credits make up one quarter of the required credits

C．a(chǎn)ll students are required to finish four-year education before graduation

D．some excellent students can graduate ahead of time

小題4:We can infer that________.

A．the author is a college professor

B．the author thinks the cost of a university education is too high for people to afford

C．the author considers the university education quality very important

D．the author pays special attention to the all-round development of college students

小題5:Which of the following can be the best title?

A．It’s time to shorten the learning process

B．Best learning takes place over time

C．University education should be watered down

D．College education calls for reform

We all need a healthy environment. ____, we produce waste every day and it ____ harm to our environment. Though we are young, we can still do ____ to help. In fact, even the simplest everyday activities can make a real ____ to the environment. Here are some ideas for you to live a ____ life.
Remember these three _____: reduce, reuse and recycle.
Reduce means “use less”. Don't ____ things. This saves money and reduces pollution and waste going into the environment. Before we buy something new, think if it is really ____ or maybe the ____ one will be just as good! When we do buy things, choose local products if possible, and try not to buy too many things from a ____ country.
Reuse means “use again”. Use things for ____ possible. When we buy things, make sure that they ____ a long time. We should take care of them ____ they will last, and we should ____ them if we can instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. Don't use a paper cup or a paper bag. It’s better to use a china cup and a lunch box because you can use them ____.
Recycle means “change things into something else”. Although it ____ energy to change something into something else, it’s better than ____ things or burning them. Find out ____ can be recycled in your neighbourhood and take part in recycling programmes. We should also buy ____ made from recycled materials, such as recycled paper, to help save ____.

小題1:	A．Therefore B．However C．Otherwise D．Besides

小題2:	A．gives B．takes C．causes D．does

小題3:	A．something B．everything C．nothing D．everything

小題4:	A．difference B．mistake C．effect D．help

小題5:	A．busy B．hard C．green D．happy

小題6:	A．letters B．words C．sentences D．lessons

小題7:	A．buy B．produce C．save D．waste

小題8:	A．necessary B．important C．helpful D．useful

小題9:	A．cheap B．expensive C．new D．old

小題10:

A．rich B．developed C．foreign D．poor

小題11:

A．a(chǎn)s soon as B．a(chǎn)s long as C．a(chǎn)s much as D．a(chǎn)s well as

小題12:

A．use B．last C．keep D．live

小題13:

A．so that B．if C．because D．though

小題14:

A．sell B．lend C．throw D．repair

小題15:

A．less B．more C．a(chǎn)gain D．better

小題16:

A．costs B．spends C．takes D．pays

小題17:

A．throwing away B．putting away C．taking away D．giving away

小題18:

A．that B．which C．what D．how

小題19:

A．cups B．bags C．boxes D．products

小題20:

A．money B．trees C．paper D．time

There are various aspects that go into making a successful school, and success can be measured in various ways. Often, the teachers are praised for a school’s success and blamed for its failure. Yet, in order for a school to be effective, it must be a place where teaching and learning can easily take place, and that requires the hard work of more than just educators. Students must take learning into their own hands and feel as if what they are doing is as important as it actually is. This can only be done with the cooperation of every adult that is involved in the students’ life. Some of these individuals often go unnoticed, yet the role they play in the students’ lives is immeasurable.
In the school, administrative assistants greet students at the start of the day and answer a large quantity of questions. When an assistant remembers a student’s name or even something special about that student, it communicates to him that he is cared for. The assistant can also give that extra encouragement for a student to make better choices, especially when they are visiting the principal’s office.
Meanwhile, though cafeteria workers have a short space of time to interact with students, they can make a big difference as well. Beyond meeting nutritional needs, cafeteria workers may also on occasion meet the emotional needs of the students they serve. Students benefit from positive interaction with adults, and cafeteria workers may give that extra bit of encouragement that a child needs.
Custodians (管理員) are usually underappreciated for what they offer to schools. They have to be knowledgeable about everything from cleaning to fixing the most intricate (復(fù)雜的) tools. They get to school early in the morning before teachers arrive and lock up late at night after the last student has left from the after-school event. They also make sure teachers are equipped with the necessary items and prepare the rooms so that they are ready for learning. A great custodian also gives that kind word or extra smile to that student who needs it most.
小題1:The purpose of the passage is to _______.

A．emphasize the role teachers play in a school

B．highlight the contributions of other staff at school besides teachers.

C．tell us who make the greatest contributions to a school

D．explain what contributes to the success of a student

小題2:If an assistant remembers a student’s name, the student will feel that _________.

A．he is paid particular attention to	B．he is special
C．he has done something wrong	D．he has made progress in study

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE about cafeteria workers?

A．It’s enough for them to cook for the students.

B．It’s hard for them to interact with the students.

C．They have the most interaction with students at school.

D．They can also meet the emotional needs of the students.

小題4:How does the author feel about the staff mentioned in the text?

A．Disappointed.

B．Dissatisfied.

C．Appreciative.

D．Doubtful.