Since the beginning of the year, smog has covered parts of North China. In January, Beijing saw only five days without smog. The rising PM 2.5 readings terrified many people, and some health experts said that whenever the smog gets serious, hospitals receive more patients suffering acute respiratory（呼吸系統(tǒng)）and heart diseases.
Later, news of polluted underground water in some provinces scared people who wondered whether the water they drink is safe.
So the need to emphasize environmental protection while developing the economy is heard everywhere.
Smog especially is a common concern. Like a popular online post said, air may be the only thing that is equal for everyone, despite your income or vocation. People with higher incomes are able to drink only bottled spring water and eat only organic food by paying higher prices, but they breathe the same air as everyone else.
At a meeting on Monday, many Representatives have expressed their concerns about the air quality, too. One talked about his experience in Beijing. “After taking a taxi from the capital airport to my hotel, which took about an hour, I washed my nose and found the inside of my nose was black. We should ask ourselves this question: Why do we want to develop? It's for living a better life. Dirty air is definitely not a better life," he said.
China needs to develop its economy and invest(投資) in high-tech. Every Chinese wants a strong country. But without blue sky, clean water and safe food, the achievements in the economy will become meaningless. Space technologies are not to be developed for building a base on Mars so that one day all human beings can migrate to the red planet because they have destroyed Earth.
What the public wants is a strong and beautiful China. Former president Hu Jintao spoke at the 18th Party Congress last November saying that great efforts must be made to promote ecological progress and build a beautiful China. The words have shown the central government's resolution to address the environment issue.
小題1:The effect of smog doesn’t include.

A．the rising of PM 2.5 readings

B．more people suffering diseases

C．the increase of people’s income

D．patients increased in hospital

小題2:Why smog has become a common concern?

A．Because people have to pay higher prices.

B．Because nobody can avoid it.

C．Because we have to develop industry.

D．Because a popular online-post discussed it.

小題3:The underlined word “they” in paragraph 6 refers to.

A．human beings	B．other plants
C．space technologies	D．industrial development

小題4:From the last two paragraphs we can infer that.

A．high-tech can completely solve the problem of pollution

B．space technologies should be developed in a large scale

C．we can move to the Mars after the earth has been destroyed

D．we must protect the environment while developing economy

Bicycle Safety

Operation　Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus. Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention　Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack—even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
Equipment
Brakes　Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
Helmet　A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly.
Lights　Always have a front headlight—visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus　As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking　
Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such spots can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:
×No bicycle registration…$25      ×Bicycle parking banned…$30
×Blocking path with bicycle…$40   ×Violation of bicycle equipment requirement…$35
小題1:Registration of your bicycle may help you 　　　.

A．find your stolen bicycle	B．get your serial number
C．receive free repair services	D．settle conflicts with walkers

小題2:According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?

A．Brakes.

B．A helmet.

C．A headlight.

D．A taillight.

小題3:If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined 　　　.

A．$25

B．$30

C．$35

D．$40

小題4: What is the passage mainly about?

A．A guide for safe bicycling on campus

B．Directions for bicycle tour on campus

C．Regulations of bicycle race on campus

D．Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus

Based on new analysis, we are rapidly approaching major climate change and the effects on society and the environment could be quite severe. Geographers predict that within the next eighty years, current world climate zones could shift and some could completely disappear. Polar regions will get colder while tropical regions will get even hotter, forcing animals to migrate  (遷徙) north.
Climate changes like these could lead to the spread of diseases. Tropical storms and hurricanes will not only increase but may also become more intense. If the changes come too quickly, animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.
According to Science Daily, a new study predicts that by the year 2100, many of today’s familiar climates will be replaced by climates unknown in today’s world. It is urgent that we reduce the risks of these far-reaching consequences for the whole world. The planet itself has been showing signs of change. In 2004, a serious tsunami created by a major earthquake killed thousands in Sumatra and in 2008, thousands died in China because of another severe earthquake. Egypt was hit in 2009 with a major earthquake and Haiti was devastated in 2010 by yet another massive earthquake.
Within just the last few months, new reports from around the world have been coming in and most agree that our climate situation is much worse than previously thought. At this point, it doesn’t matter what is causing it, but rather, what can be done about it. What’s more, our world is getting more and more unstable every year. There is war and threat of war everywhere. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.
However, other planets are experiencing global warming as well as our own and some scientists believe there may be some connection between this. No one knows anything for sure at this point because there is simply not enough data.
小題1: Which of the following would be the best title for the Passage ?

A．Ways to protect our planet.	B．Solutions to climate change.
C．Be prepared for climate change.	D．Climate change and its effects.

小題2: What is the author’s purpose in using the examples of earthquakes?

A．To show the damage earthquakes caused.

B．To remind people to prevent future earthquakes.

C．To show major changes are taking place on the planet.

D．To tell us more earthquakes will happen in the future.

小題3: What does the underlined word “devastated” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Separated.

B．Destroyed.

C．Removed.

D．Affected.

小題4: What can be inferred from the Passage?

A．Animals and plants won’t die out as long as climate changes slowly.

B．There’s enough data for us to predict the future of climate change.

C．The world is getting more unstable because of animal migration.

D．The earth is not the only planet that is experiencing climate change.

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic (流行病) sweeping across Americas farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country's farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. National agricultural census (普查) figures show that the fastest-growing group of farmers is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.
Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture. Aside from trying to stop the graying of America's farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No.1 on a list of "useless" college degrees. Top federal agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.
“There couldn't be anything that's more incorrect," Merrigan said. "We know that there aren't enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.
In addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050, she said.
“I truly believe we're at a golden age of agriculture. Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows," said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau. "Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture”.
The Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food. The National Young Farmers' Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new fermers.
Ryan Best, president of Future Fanners of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture. The 21 -year-old Best hopes his message-that this is a new time in agriculture-will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics.“Never before have we had the innovations (創(chuàng)新）in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been” he said. “There’s really a place for everybody to fit in”
小題1:What is the new challenge to American agriculture?

A．Fewer and older farmers.	B．Higher fuel prices.
C．More natural disasters.	D．Lower agricultural output.

小題2:Why is Merrigan visiting universities across the country?

A．To draw federal agriculture officials' attention

B．To select qualified agriculture graduates.

C．To clarify a recent blog posting.

D．To talk more students into farming careers

小題3:According to Matt Rush, American agriculture will provide opportunities for younger people because__________.

A．the government will cover production costs

B．global food supplies will be even lower

C．investment in agriculture will be profitable

D．America will increase its food export

小題4:What do the underlined words "to turn around the statistics" in the last paragraph mean?

A．To re-analyze the result of the national census.

B．To increase production.

C．To bring down the average age of farmers.

D．To invest more in agriculture.

Below is a selection from a popular science book.

If blood is red, why are veins (靜脈) blue? Actually, veins are not blue at all. They are more of a clear, yellowish color. Although blood looks red when it’s outside the body, when it’s sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin, it’s more of a dark reddish purple color. At the right depth, these blood-filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin, making them look blue by comparison. Which works harder, your heart or your brain? That kind of depends on whether you’re busy thinking or busy exercising. Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise, and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker（超級(jí)油輪）. But, in the long run, your brain probably tips it, because even when you’re sitting still your brain is using twice as much energy as your heart, and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it. Why do teeth fall out, and why don’t they grow back in grown-ups? Baby (or “milk”) teeth do not last long; they fall out to make bigger room for bigger, stronger adult teeth later on. Adult teeth fall out when they become damaged, decayed（腐爛）and infected by bacteria. Once this second set of teeth has grown in, you’re done. When they’re gone, they are gone. This is because nature figures you’re set for life, and what controls regrowth of your teeth switches off. Do old people shrink（收縮）as they age? Yes and no. Many people do get shorter as they age. But, when they do, it isn’t because they’re shrinking all over. They simply lose height as their spine (脊柱) becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effect of gravity (重力). Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older. Men lose an average of 3-4 cm in height as they age, while women may lose 5 cm or more. If you live to be 200 years old, would you keep shrinking till you were, like 60 cm tall, like a little boy again? No, because old people don’t really shrink! It is not that they are growing backwards—their legs, arms and backbones getting shorter. When they do get shorter, it’s because the spine has shortened a little. Or, more often, become more bent and curved. Why does spinning make you dizzy)? Because your brain gets confused between what you’re seeing and what you’re feeling. The brain senses that you’re spinning using special gravity-and-motion-sensing organs in your inner ear, which work together with your eyes to keep your vision balance stable. But when you suddenly stop spinning the system goes out of control, and your brain thinks you’re moving while you’re not. Where do feelings and emotions come from? Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system（邊緣系統(tǒng)）. All mammals have this brain area — from mice to dogs, cats, and humans. So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear, pain and pleasure. But since human feelings also involve other, newer bits of the brain, we feel more complex emotions than any other animal on this planet. If exercise wears you out, how can it be good for you? Because our bodies adapt to everything we do to them. And as far as your body is concerned, it’s “use it, or lose it”! It’s not that exercise makes you healthy, it’s more that a lack of exercise leaves your body weak and easily affected by disease.

 
小題1:What is the color of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?

A．Blue	B．Light yellow
C．Red	D．Dark reddish purple

小題2:Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?

A．Because their spine is in active use.

B．Because they are more easily affected by gravity.

C．Because they keep growing backwards.

D．Because their spine becomes more bent.

小題3:Which of the following statements about our brain is true?

A．In the long run, our brain probably works harder than our heart.

B．When our brain senses the spinning, we will feel dizzy.

C．The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.

D．Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.

小題4:What is the main purpose of the selection?

A．To give advice on how to stay healthy.

B．To provide information about our body.

C．To challenge new findings in medical research.

D．To report the latest discoveries in medical science.

When Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it was a revolution in communication． For the first time, people could talk to each other over great distances almost as clearly as if they were in the same room． Nowadays, though, we increasingly use Bell' s invention for taking photographs, accessing the internet, or watching video clips, rather than talking． Over the last two decades a new means of spoken communication has appeared: the mobile phone．
The first real mobile telephone call was made in 1973 by Dr Martin Cooper, the scientist who invented the modem mobile handset． Within a decade, mobile phones became available to the public． The streets of modem cities began to feature sharp-suited characters shouting into giant plastic bricks． In Britain the mobile phone quickly became the same with the "yuppie" , the new type of young urban professionals who carried the expensive handsets as status symbols． Around this time many of us said that we would never own a mobile phone．
But in the mid-90s, something happened． Cheaper handsets and cheaper calling rates meant that, almost overnight, it seemed that everyone had a mobile phone． And the giant plastic bricks of the 80s had changed into smooth little objects that fitted nicely into pockets and bags．
Moreover, people' s timekeeping changed． Younger readers will be amazed to know that, not long ago, people made spoken arrangements to meet at a certain place at a certain time． But later Meeting times became approximate under the new order of communication: the Short Message Service （SMS） or text message． Going to be late? Send a text message! It takes much less effort than arriving on time, and it' s much less awkward than explaining your lateness face to face and the text message has changed the way we write in English． Traditional rules of grammar and spelling are much less important when you' re sitting on the bus, hurriedly typing "Will B 15mm late - C U @ the bar． Sorry! - ）"．
Alexander Graham Bell would be amazed if he could see how far the science of telephony has progressed in less than 150 years．If he were around today, he might say "That' s gr8! But I' m v busy rite now．Will call U 2nite．"
小題1:What does the underlined part in Para． 2 refer to?

A．Houses of modern cities．	B．Sharp-suited characters．
C．New type of professionals．	D．Mobile phones．

小題2:According to Paragraph 4, why did Meeting times become approximate?

A．People were more likely to be late for their meeting．

B．SMS made it easier to inform each other．

C．Young people don' t like unchanging things．

D．Traditional customs were dying out．

小題3:If you want to meet your friend at the school gate this evening, which of the following message can you send him?

A．Call U@ SKUg8 2nite．	B．IM2BZ2CU 2nite．
C．CU@ the bar g8 2nite．	D．W84U@ SKUg8 2nite．

小題4:What does the passage mainly tell us about?

A．Alexander Graham' s invention．

B．SMS @ a new way of communication．

C．New functions of the mobile telephone．

D．The development of the mobile phone．

Restoring the quake­hit ecosystems is a question of balancing the interests of the local people and the environment. Rural methane (沼氣) projects can reduce the number of locals taking firewood from the mountainsides. The use of straw as food for animals will ensure that vegetation(草木) can grow. In Sihai township and Dazhuangke village, in Beijing, they now have a forestry coverage of 85% or more, compared to the 30% they had 15 years ago. Back then, land was used very inefficiently: one person would use 20 mu of forest just for firewood. With those pressures on the ecosystem, no amount of spending on reforestation will succeed. Then the government relocated the population and paid those who remained to tend the forest and provide coal. This reduced the pressures on the ecosystem and it was able to recover naturally.
When an ecosystem has not been pushed past certain limits, it is able to recover on its own. Human involvement should only play a minor role, including after an earthquake. This is particularly the case for sandy grasslands, grasslands deserts, the mountains of the south and the northern sides of mountains in the north. In these areas soil remains and the water, light, heat and nutrients needed are available. Less human involvement is even more appropriate in areas with a small population, where it can avoid money being wasted on ineffective efforts, such as creating forests in dry areas.
The creation of nature reserves should be a model to allow damaged ecosystems to recover. Funding can start at the national level; centrally­funded nature reserves can enforce environmental protection laws and help to promote the local economy. This will solve the problems of reserves being run to make money. When national reserves are funded, local governments will be able to adopt the same model and provide the funds for nature reserves from their own budgets. The first project should be established in nature reserves hit by the quake; these can then become models for other areas.
小題1:To restore the quake­hit ecosystem, government should ________.

A．forbid locals from taking firewood from the mountainsides

B．encourage local people to feed their animals just with straw

C．spend large amounts of money relocating the population

D．protect the environment without harming locals' interests

小題2:The forestry coverage in rural Beijing has increased greatly because ________.

A．pressures on land were reduced	B．a(chǎn) large amount of coal is provided
C．no people live in that area	D．locals take good care of the forest

小題3:According to the passage ________ play(s) a major role in ecosystem recovery.

A．local people	B．nature itself
C．human involvement	D．government's effort

小題4:According to the last paragraph, which of the following is NOT true?

A．Nature reserves could be helpful to recover the damaged ecosystems.

B．Centrally­funded nature reserves are beneficial to local economy.

C．Some nature reserves are created for the purpose of making money.

D．The first projects on nature reserves should be set up in quake­hit areas.

 

Pupils remember more and behave better when 3D images are used in lessons, research suggests. They are quicker to learn and absorb new concepts, and display higher levels of concentration.
Professor Anne Bamford, of the University of the Arts, London, studied the effectiveness of 3D content in 15 schools across seven countries, including the UK. Pupils in 3D classes could remember more than those in the 2D classes after four weeks, improving test scores by an average 17 percent compared with eight percent for 2D lessons. They gave more detailed answers to the tasks and were more likely to think in 3D, using hand gestures and mime (模仿動(dòng)作) to answer the test questions successfully.

The teachers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation and higher engagement in the lessons
Children are used to 3D with the rise of computer games that use the technology—90 percent of those in the study had seen a 3D film. Schools would need 3D-enabled projectors（投影儀）, laptops with good picture capabilities, 3D software and glasses for children to introduce animations (動(dòng)作) into classrooms.
But Danny Nicholson, an educationist, said the technology would be impractical to use in schools and could be too expensive. He said,“While I think the idea of 3D technology is very interesting, I worry that 3D is a bit of an expensive gimmick (小玩意兒). There are a few cases where a true 3D image might help, but most of the time, good 2D models that can be moved , would be just so effective.”
In Colorado, the US, one school district is already in the process of having 1,000 3D projectors fixed in classrooms. And the University of Caledonia, which carries out scientific research into the Lake Tabon Basin, has used 3D presentations with Grade Six pupils. Those who watched the 3D presentations were more engaged and reported a general increase in their interest in science compared with students who watched the 2D version.
小題1:Teachers think pupils in 3D classes      .

A．a(chǎn)re naughtier than those in 2D classes	B．have less motivation
C．find it hard to concentrate	D．have deeper understanding

小題2:Danny Nicholson tends to think that      .

A．many pupils prefer 2D models

B．3D is a bit expensive for some schools

C．true 3D images would not help in classes

D．3D technology has a bright future in classes

小題3:What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．3D classes will soon be given in one school district in Colorado.

B．Teachers will use the 3D technology through specific training.

C．Many pupils are now more interested in science than before.

D．3D technology will replace 2D models in the future.

小題4:What is the text mainly about?

A．2D models are always more effective than 3D images.

B．The differences between 3D and 2D images.

C．How schools can make full use of 3D technology.

D．Pupils behave better when 3D images are used in classes.

小題5:Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A history book.	B．A news story
C．A science magazine.	D．A school report.

One is never too old to learn. Life learning (sometimes called un-schooling or self-directed learning) is one of those concepts that are almost easier to explain by saying what it isn’t than what it is. And that’s probably because our own schooled backgrounds have convinced us that learning happens only in a fine building on certain days, between certain hours, and managed by a specially trained professional.
Within that schooling framestudy, no matter how hard teachers try and no matter how good their textbooks, many bright students get bored, many slower students struggle and give up or lose their self-respect, and most of them reach the end of the process unprepared to enter into society. They have memorized a certain body of knowledge long enough to rush back the information on tests, but they haven’t really learnt much, at least of the official curriculum.
Life learners, on the other hand, know that learning is not difficult, that people learn things quite easily if they’re not compelled and forced, if they see a need to learn something, and if they are trusted and respected enough to learn it on their own timetable, at their own speed, in their own way—no matter what age and no matter whether we’re at school or at home.
Life learning is independent of time, location or the presence of teacher. It does not require mom or dad to teach, or kids to work in workbooks at the table from 9 to noon. Life learning is learner-driven. It involves living and learning—in and from the real world. It is about exploring, questioning, experimenting, making messes, taking risks without fear of making mistakes, being laughed at and trying again.
Furthermore, life learning is about trusting kids to learn what they need to know and about helping them to learn and grow in their own ways. It is about providing positive experiences that enable children to understand the world and their culture and to interact with it.
小題1:It is implied in the text that it is hard to ______.

A．tell the nature of life learning	B．carry life learning through
C．learn without going to school	D．find a specially trained teacher

小題2:According to the author, the schooling framestudy often ______.

A．produces slow students with poor memories

B．ignores some parts of the official curriculum

C．fails to provide enough knowledge about life

D．gives little care to the quality of teaching materials

小題3:Life learners recognize that learning will not be difficult if they are ______.

A．a(chǎn)ble to respect other people	B．careful to make a time table
C．clear about why to learn	D．cautious about any mistakes

小題4:According to the author, life learning ______.

A．could prevent one from running risks

B．teaches a kid how to avoid being laughed at

C．makes a kid independent of his parents

D．could be a road full of trials and errors

小題5:Through life learning, children ______.

A．will grow without the assistance from parents

B．will be seperated from the negative side of society

C．will be driven to learn necessary life knowledge

D．will learn to communicate with the real society

Exceptional children are different in some ways from others of the same age. For these children to   31  their full adult potential, their   32  must suit those differences.
Although we focus on the needs of exceptional children, we   33  ourselves describing their environment as well. While the leading actor on the stage   34  our attention, we also see the importance of the   35  players and the scenery of the   36  itself. Both the family and the society in which exceptional children live are often the   37  to their growth and development. And it is in the public schools that we find the full   38  of society’s understanding—the knowledge, hopes, and fears that are   39  to the next generation.
Education in any society is a   40  of the society. We can see in it the strengths, the weaknesses, the hopes, the prejudices, and the  41  values of the culture itself. The great  42  in exceptional children shown in public education over the past thirty years   43  the strong feeling in our society that all   44 , whatever their special conditions, have a right to get the chance to fully develop their abilities.
“All man are created equal.” We’ve    45   it many times, but it still has an important meaning for education in a democratic society.   46  the phrase was used by this country’s founders to express equality before the   47 , it has also been explained to mean equality of education. That   48  educational chance for all children—the right of each child to  49  help in learning to the limit of his or her ability, whether that ability is small or great. Recent  50  decisions have made certain of the right of children—disabled or not—to a suitable education, and have ordered that public schools take the necessary steps to provide that education.

小題1:	A．see B．develop C．come D．expand

小題2:	A．education B．potential C．school D．family

小題3:	A．feel B．find C．leave D．prevent

小題4:	A．pays B．loses C．draws D．sees

小題5:	A．male B．female C．supporting D．performing

小題6:	A．play B．director C．theater D．a(chǎn)ctor

小題7:	A．place B．fact C．condition D．key

小題8:	A．system B．equipment C．expression D．support

小題9:	A．shown B．passed C．taken D．changed

小題10:

A．tool B．way C．science D．mirror

小題11:

A．central B．extra C．special D．ordinary

小題12:

A．interest B．joy C．surprise D．disappointment

小題13:

A．damages B．exists C．shows D．lacks

小題14:

A．kids B．a(chǎn)dults C．teachers D．citizens

小題15:

A．spoken B．heard C．known D．discussed

小題16:

A．When B．Although C．If D．Because

小題17:

A．society B．leader C．law D．money

小題18:

A．means B．needs C．damages D．changes

小題19:

A．refuse B．offer C．give D．receive

小題20:

A．school B．court C．society D．office