As a result of pollution, Lake Erie, on the borders of the USA and Canada, is now without many living things.
Pollution in water is not simply a matter of “poisons” killing large numbers of fish overnight. Very often the effects of pollution are not noticed for many months or years because the first organisms (生物體) to be affected are either plants or plankton (浮游生物). These organisms are the food of fish, birds, and other creatures. When this food disappears, the fish and birds die too. In this way a whole food chain can be wiped out, and it is not until dead fish and water birds are seen at the river’s edge or on the sea shore that people realize what is happening.
Where do the substances which pollute water come from? There are two main sources, sewage(污水) and industrial waste. As more detergent (洗滌劑)is used in homes, more of it is finally put into our rivers, lakes and seas.  Detergents harm water birds by breaking down the natural substances which keep their feathers waterproof. Sewage itself, if not properly treated, makes the water dirty and prevents all forms of life in rivers and the sea from receiving the oxygen they need. Industrial waste is even more harmful since there are many highly poisonous materials in it, such as copper and lead.
So if we want to stop this pollution, the answer is simple. Sewage and industrial waste must be made clean before flowing into the water reservoirs. It may already be too late to save some rivers and lakes, but others can still be saved if the correct action is taken at once.
小題1:Pollution in water is noticed ________.

A．when the first organisms are affected

B．when many fish and birds die

C．when poisons are poured into water

D．As soon as the balance of nature is destroyed

小題2:Living things die in a lake or river because there is no ________.

A．water

B．fish

C．Poison

D．oxygen

小題3:The underlined word “waterproof” in the third paragraph means “         ”.

A．full of water	B．not allowing water to go through
C．covered with water	D．cleaned by water

小題4:Which of the following things is /are harmful according to the passage？

A．Industrial waste and chemicals	B．Water in the river
C．Coal and wood	D．plastic

Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day.
Lead researcher Bob Stickgold at the Harvard Medical School said, "Sleep helps us draw rules from our experiences. It's like knowing the difference between dogs and cats even if it's hard to explain."
The US research team studied how well students remembered connections between words and symbols (象征) , reports New Scientist. They compared how the students performed if they had had a sleep between seeing the words and having the test, and if they had not slept. They found that people were better able to remember lists of related words after a night's sleep than after the same time spent awake during the day. They also found it easier to remember themes (主題) that the words had in common. But they forgot around one in four more themes if they had been awake. Prof. John Groeger, of Surrey University's Sleep Research Centre, said, "People have been trying for years to find out what the purpose of sleep is, as we know that only certain parts of it have a restorative (有助恢復(fù)的) value. " "We form and store huge numbers of experiences in the head every day, and sleep seems to be the way the brain deals with it all."
小題1:The phrase" to sleep on a problem" in Paragraph 1 most likely means to______.

A．pay full attention to a problem	B．wait until later for a decision
C．sleep to forget a problem	D．have difficulty sleeping

小題2:In the study by the US research team, students were asked to______.

A．put together words of similar meanings

B．remember words and their meanings

C．show their knowledge of words

D．make up lists of related words

小題3:Which of the following may be easier to remember?

A．Themes learned right before the test

B．Rules from personal experience

C．Words learnt before a good sleep

D．Ideas stored together in the brain

小題4:What may be the importance of the research?

A．It shows sleep may help us manage information

B．It helps find out the common themes of word

C．It tells us that more sleep can improve health

D．It proves the value of old-fashioned advice

Dan Bebber is a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter in Britain. He says research has shown that wild plants and animals are moving toward Earth's North and South poles as the planet warms.
Mr Bebber wanted to know if the same thing was happening with organisms that attack agricultural crops. He examined reports of first sightings of new insects and diseases around the world. The records came from CABI - the Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International. He says the group began collecting information from developing and industrialized countries years ago.
Dan Bebber and his research team studied 612 different organisms - from viruses and bacteria to insects like beetles and butterflies. They found that since 1960, crop pests and diseases have been moving toward the poles at an average rate of about 3 kilometers each year. Mr Bebber says this puts the most productive farmland in the world in danger.
"As new species of pests and diseases evolve and potentially the environment for them becomes more amenable at higher latitudes, the pressure on the breadbaskets of the world is going to increase."
Farmers face other threats. Invasive species passed through trade are also causing problems. Gene Kritsky is an Entomologist at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio. He specialises in the study of insects. He says climate change may improve conditions for some invasive species.
“It means that species in other parts of the world that might do well in warmer temperatures can now do well in the breadbasket of America.”
Another Entomologist Christian Krupke of Purdue University says the effects of these changes will depend very much on the crop, the insect and the disease. But he says the research is a warning sign that people should care about climate change and do something about it.
小題1:The purpose of Dan Bebber’s research was to find ______.

A．if farmland could be moved to colder places thanks to global warming

B．if diseases and insects harmful to crops were going towards colder areas

C．if organisms were moving to the north and south poles

D．if the number of crop pests was increasing

小題2:According to Dan Bebber, if crop pests keep moving towards the poles, ______.

A．it will be hard for farmers to kill them

B．the most productive farmland will produce more crops

C．the earth will not produce enough food to support the world

D．the conditions for some crops may be improved

小題3:Which of the following is not a threat that farmers have to face?

A．Climate change helps crop pests to adapt to new environment.

B．Foreign species are brought in by trade.

C．Invasive species doing well in warmer places might do well in America.

D．The impacts of the climate and species changes on crops are not easy to determine.

小題4:The underlined word “amenable” in the fourth paragraph most probably means ______.

A．a(chǎn)greeable

B．terrible

C．unfriendly

D．changeable

Encouraging early reading skills can build a path to a lifelong love of reading and can help your child get a head start in school. While reading to your child is still the most important thing you can do to build reading skills, there are many techniques that can help.
Make reading fun. Play games with your child as you read. Many traditional children's games can be adapted to encourage reading skills.
While reading or during play, tell your child, "I spy with my little eye, something that begins with the letter "b". Help the child find something on the page or in the room that begins with that letter. For example, “I see a barn.” This can also be used to teach beginning letter sounds.Ｉspy with my little eye something that begins with the sound “s”. Help the child find a word that begins with the "s" sound.
In this variation on the popular game, instruct the child that, "Simon says, point to something that starts with the letter "n". The child can then find an object in the room or a body part, such as the nose, that starts with the letter presented. This can also be used to teach beginning sounds.
Make a game out of rhyming (押韻) words by making up silly words to rhyme with the child's name or favorite toys. This sets the stage for rhyming real words by showing the child the similarities of sounds. As the child masters making up the words, begin rhyming real words to one another.
Tips to raise a successful reader:
Put books in places where the child plays. If books are easily accessible, children are more likely to pick them up.
Let children "read to you" by looking at pictures. Making up stories to go along with illustrations helps children discover how words relate to pictures.
Take books along on trips or even short visits to the doctor's office or grocery store.
Have children help you shop. Reading grocery lists and looking for specific items helps build vocabulary.
小題1: Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．A good reading habit can benefit your child at school.

B．Computer games help children develop reading skills.

C．You should be careful as for what books to read.

D．Children enjoy reading poems to their parents.

小題2:What does the underlined word “accessible” most probably mean?

A．a(chǎn)vailable

B．beneficial

C．readable

D．worthwhile

小題3:What can we conclude from the text?

A．The most important thing is to make reading funny.

B．Children have a preference for stories with pictures.

C．Rhyming games should begin only with real words.

D．Children tend to read more if books are at hand.

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

A．Interest is the best teacher

B．Practice makes perfect

C．Good methods are half done

D．Failure teaches success

小題5:What are the intended readers of the text?

A．Parents.

B．Adolescents.

C．Educators.

D．People in general.

People have always been dreaming of going to the moon. As long as the year 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book vividly describing a trip to the moon. On landing there, the explorers discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. Words failed to express their surprise when they spotted so many “moon people”. The “moon people” felt even more surprised. “Why,” they asked, “are you traveling to outer space when you don’t even use your inner space?”
H. G. Wells could only imagine a travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really left their footsteps on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the “moon people” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.
Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The “Channel”, a tunnel connecting England and France, is now complete.
But what about underground cities? Japan’s Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called “Alice Cities”. The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome (太陽能穹頂) would cover the whole city.
Supporters of underground development argue that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth’s space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H. G. Wells’ “moon people” would second it. Would you?
小題1:The explorers in H. G. Well’s story were surprised to find that the “moon people”     .

A．knew so much about the earth

B．understood their language

C．lived in underground cities

D．were advanced in technology

小題2:What does the underlined word “it” (paragraph 2) refer to?

A．Discovering the moon’s inner space

B．Using the earth’s inner space

C．Meeting the “moon people” again

D．Traveling to outer space

小題3:What sort of underground systems are already in place?

A．Offices, shopping areas, power stations.

B．Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas.

C．Gardens, car parks, power stations.

D．Tunnels, gardens, offices.

小題4: We can learn from the text that     .

A．H. G. Wells once went to moon himself.

B．Underground cities are more comfortable.

C．The solar dome is a necessary part of underground cities.

D．More underground systems will be in place in 2013.

小題5:What would be the best title of the text?

A．Alice Cities — cities of the future

B．Space travel with H. G. Wells

C．Enjoy living underground

D．Building down, not up

Back in old times, people had little knowledge about the universe and nature. Things we now consider to be common sense were mysteries to our ancestors.
Over the years, major breakthroughs have been made in science and many phenomena have been explained. But still, there are always questions we can't yet answer, and The Guardian has listed some of them.
1. What makes us human?
Just looking at your DNA won't tell you - human DNA is 99 percent identical to that of the chimpanzee and, believe it or not, 50 percent identical to a banana's! A lot of the things we once thought were unique about us - language and tool use, recognizing ourselves in the mirror and so on – have since been seen in other animals. Perhaps it's our culture that makes the difference or maybe our ability to use fire. It's also possible that our capacity (能力) for co-operation and our trading skills are what make us unique.
2. Why do we dream?
Given the fact that we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we know everything about it? Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for a complete explanation of what happens when we sleep and why we dream.
Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud believed dreams were the expressions of wishes that we can't fulfill in our real lives. Others have wondered whether dreams are just random "noise" coming from a sleeping brain.
3. Could we someday live forever?
Apart from accidents, most people die because of diseases that can be treated and aging. And since many diseases, such as diabetes（糖尿�。� and cancer, are diseases of aging, treating aging itself could be the key to extending our lives.
Our knowledge of what causes us to age - and what allows some animals to live longer than others - is expanding rapidly. And though we haven't quite worked out all the details, we've worked out some pieces of the puzzles such as DNA damage and metabolism (新陳代謝), which are all leading to the invention of drugs that can slow down the aging process.
If we're lucky enough to lengthen our lives, we might even get to see the day when all of these questions are answered.
小題1:The main point of the passage is ______.

A．to inform people of the knowledge about the universe and nature

B．to introduce major breakthroughs that have been made in science

C．to present some questions we can't yet answer

D．to explain what were once mysteries to our ancestors

小題2:Chimpanzees and bananas are mentioned as examples to prove that ______.

A．human beings are actually not different from other animals

B．a(chǎn)nimals have completely different DNA from that of plants

C．both animals and plants share the same amount of DNA

D．DNA alone is not good enough to make humans different

小題3:The underlined word "identical" is closest in meaning to ______.

A．mysterious

B．unique

C．a(chǎn)dvanced

D．same

小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．What were mysteries to our ancestors are considered to be common sense now.

B．Now we know much more about dreams than our ancestors did in the past.

C．With the invention of new drugs people can possibly live even longer.

D．If all the diseases can be treated people can theoretically live forever.

WELLINGTON, September 19 (Xinhua) -- If your teenage son won't get out of bed in the morning, then take comfort from the fact that he might be sleeping his way to a healthier future, according to a new research from New Zealand.
Researchers in human nutrition at the University of Otago have found that teenage boys who sleep less have more body fat when compared to girls, for whom lack of sleep has no noticeable effect on their body fat ratios.
The study of 386 boys and 299 girls aged 15 to 18 found that average-sized 16-year-old boy weighing 69.5 kg and 176 cm tall, who slept for eight hours a day, had a waist size l.8 cm bigger and l.6 kg, or 9 percent, more body fat than the average-sized boy who slept 10 hours a day.
"The boys who slept eight hours a day would also have l.8 kg more lean (bone and muscle) mass compared to the boys who slept 10 hours, but that's only a 1.4-percent increase, compared to the 9- percent increase seen in body fat," said lead researcher from the Department of Human Nutrition, Dr. Paula Skidmore.
"Our results suggest that for older teenage boys, making sure that they get enough sleep may help to maintain a healthier body. It seems to be that, within reason, the more sleep the better for boys," Skidmore said in a statement Thursday.
"It was unexpected that we did not find the same result in girls, who may actually be more aware of their diet and more in tune with a healthier lifestyle."
The researchers ruled out the effects of food choice and number of screens, such as televisions, games and consoles, which the teenagers had in their bedrooms.
小題1:What's the research really about?

A．Boys and girls.

B．Food and weight.

C．Sleep and health.

D．Screens and fat.

小題2:What's the result of less sleep for teenage boys?

A．Bigger waist and more fat in the body.

B．An increase in weight and height.

C．More concerned with their diet.

D．A decrease in bone and muscle.

小題3:From the sixth paragraph we can infer that ______.

A．girls usually sleep less and have healthier lifestyles than boys

B．the researchers expected to see the same result in girls

C．peoples' diet has a great effect on their health

D．boys are usually lazier than girls

小題4:Who would be the most pleased to hear the news?

A．Teachers.

B．Girls.

C．Parents. .

D．Boys.

I give two examples as to why intelligent life may not actually exist, though I admit that for me, or even for a physicist who devoted his or her entire life to researching and studying the universe, it's shocking to claim that completely no life exists elsewhere.
Keeping that in mind, I'd just like to consider conditions elsewhere in the known universe. You really only need to look at our own solar system or the Earth at certain periods in its own history to appreciate that most places are much worse and much less suitable for life than our mild, watery globe.
So far, space scientists have discovered about seventy planets outside the solar. But it appears that if you wish to have a planet suitable for life, you just have to be very lucky, and the more advanced the life is, the luckier you'll have to be. I'm by no means a space observer, but I can recognize some particularly fortunate breaks we've had on the Earth. For example:
We are, to a degree, at the right distance from the perfect type of star, the one that is big enough to radiate a huge amount of energy, but not so big as to bum itself out quickly. Had our sun been ten times as huge, it would have burnt out completely after only ten million years, instead of ten billion and surely we would not exist. Too near, everything on the Earth would have boiled and withered away; any further, everything would have frozen over.
The universe is a surprising place, and our existence within it is a wonder. If a long and unimaginably complex sequence of events dating back 4.6 billion years or so hadn't happened in a particular manner at a particular time --if, to take just one example, the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out by a meteor(流星)--we might still be a few centimeters long, with whisker(胡須) and a tail, and you'll be reading this in a cave somewhere.
小題1:What's the best title for this passage?

A．No Life Exists out of the Earth

B．Seventy Planets Discovered

C．A Place Full of Wonders

D．Perfect Conditions for Life

小題2:What makes the Earth more suitable for life than other planets in the solar system?

A．The Earth is the only planet that can receive energy from the sun.

B．The sun is at the right distance from us and in proper size.

C．The distance between the planets was neither too long nor too near.

D．The dinosaurs were no longer a threat to the Earth.

小題3:What does the underlined phrase "withered away" in the 4th paragraph mean?

A．Exploded.

B．Expanded.

C．Floated away.

D．Dried and died.

小題4:Where does the text probably come from?

A．A history book.

B．A magazine.

C．A science fiction.

D．A famous novel.

U.S. Bottled Water Sales Are Booming Again Despite Opposition
Despite organized anti-bottled-water campaigns across the country and a noisy debate about bottled water’s environmental impact, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever.
Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other American’s choose to buy or do?
If they want to buy bottled water, let them.
If they want to eat fast food, let them.
If they want to smoke pot, let them.
— Barackalypse
People just get tired of paying for others’ bad behavior. If many people eat excessive fast food, you pay higher insurance premiums. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly.
It’s about personal responsibility, which really should be a cornerstone of libertarianism.
— Bdbr
So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a few bucks? What would you say when someone do the same to you?
— Norman619
Defend selfish pricks all you like; I’m just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good and decent thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome.
— Yoyo
What a waste of money! It’s fine when you’re on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy.
— Agmlauncher
I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the balance? Hope we can find better ways.
— Skipweis
小題1:What can we know about bottled water in America?

A．Americans are consuming more bottled water than tap.

B．US bottled water sales have increased for the first time.

C．Activists in several regions have been fighting against it.

D．Some people worry about its bad effect on the environment.

小題2:Who would agree with Barackalypse on this matter?

A．Bdbr.

B．Norman619.

C．Yoyo.

D．Agmlauncher.

小題3:According to the text, Agmlauncher is _____ bottled water.

A．partly supportive of	B．extremely against
C．strongly in favor of	D．not concerned about

小題4:Which of the following statements goes with Skipweis’ opinion?

A．The environment is emphasized too much.

B．It’s impossible for people to find a better way.

C．Business is not totally responsible for the problem.

D．At present we can’t benefit from bottled water at all.

Every English learner hopes to find a patient native speaker who will politely correct mistakes and teach him some useful new vocabulary. But native speakers can be hard to find. If you’re having trouble communicating in English, American situation comedies are one good way to help.
They can not only give you a lot of information about American culture, but also offer some useful daily expressions. Watching them will help you enlarge your vocabulary and teach you correct language usage in different situations. Best of all, situation comedies are a fun way to learn.
The Apprentice
The American reality (現(xiàn)實(shí)) TV show is hosted by the famous businessman Donald Trump. It’s based on the idea of the final job interview for the final job. The show picks 16 people to compete for a job with Trump’s business. Those who fail their weekly tasks have to meet with Trump. They have to explain why they should not be fired (解雇).
The Apprentice is useful for English students who want to learn how to make up a persuasive (令人信服的) argument. For example, rather than say “I think I did a good job”, one may also learn to throw off the possibility of uncertainty by saying, “I did a good job.”
Desperate Housewives (DH)
Desperate Housewives is set in an invented American town, Wisteria Lane. It follows a group of middle-aged women as they go through their daily family lives. But in fact, those women live a life of lies, secrets, criminal (犯罪的) acts, and mystery.
This program is good at expressing the funny life of American neighbors. And, it’s the perfect comedy series for foreign learners wanting to see how to hold a relaxed daily conversation.
Another reason for watching DH is to learn some expressions American families use that are not in your English language textbooks. For example, the mothers often use words such as “sport” and “you guys” to speak about their kids. 　　
小題1:According to the passage, The Apprentice and DH are introduced because _____.

A．they are now the most popular programs

B．they are helpful in English learning

C．they are advertised for English beginners

D．they are enjoyed by most young people

小題2:Through watching the two American comedy series, English learners can do the following EXCEPT _____.

A．communicate with native speakers

B．know about American culture

C．pick up English daily expressions

D．learn more English words

小題3:In the author’s opinion, learning English through TV series is _____.

A．common

B．difficult

C．enjoyable

D．possible

小題4:We can learn from the passage that The Apprentice _____.

A．tells a story of school life	B．is about real life
C．has 15 actors	D．is about some businessmen

小題5:Which of the following statements about DH can we get from the introduction?

A．The story happens in a village of America.

B．The housewives join in the same job interview.

C．The women in the American town lead a life full of sadness.

D．It does well in describing an interesting neighborhood in America.