Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth’s surface, but earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much.
The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set (堅立架), it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir was not strong, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result.
There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic (地震的) sea waves, or tsunamis (海嘯). These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They had nothing to do with tides. In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them “tsunamis” meaning “harbor waves”, because they reach a sizable (相當大的) height only in harbors.
Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An earthquake warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground: There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.
小題1:Which of the following can NOT be concluded from the passage?

A．The number of earthquakes is closely related to the depth.

B．Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each year.

C．Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles.

D．Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the surface.

小題2:The destruction of Agadir is an example of       .

A．faulty building construction

B．a(chǎn)n earthquake’s strength

C．widespread panic in earthquakes

D．ineffective instruments

小題3:According to the passage, the waves caused by submarine earthquakes are not noticeable out at sea because of       .

A．their high speed

B．the wide shores

C．their silent movements

D．their long wave length

小題4:The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may      .

A．help reduce fear

B．find ways to stop them

C．be warned early enough

D．develop warning systems

小題5:According to the passage, the number of factors that may determine the extent of the disaster in an earthquake is      .

A．two

B．five

C．four

D．three

Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未來學家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.
First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息圖）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.
Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.
In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.
In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 
Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard.
小題1:What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

A．We can use a computer to turn off the TV set.

B．We can talk with the characters appearing on TV.

C．We can choose whatever we like to see on TV.

D．We can touch the things we see on TV.

小題2:What isn’t mentioned about the future in 2050 in the passage?

A．Technology.

B．Medicine.

C．Movies.

D．Agriculture.

小題3:What will be more likely to cause the war in the future?

A．The lack of water.	B．The less farmland.
C．The shortage of robots.	D．The more space planes.

小題4:From the passage we can infer that by 2050 ____.

A．people will spend less time in studying

B．more and more people needn’t go to school

C．people will have more time to relax or rest

D．no patients will be found in the world

Artistic Skates
Artistic roller skates are made up of a leather boot, very strong sole plate, and a jump bar that adds extra force. The boot sits a few inches above the ankle, providing more support for the foot.
Jam Skates
Jam skates are the most different roller skates because of their special low-cut design and lack of toe stop. That’s right: there is no brake. But the original jam skate design was different, resembling an artistic skate. Jam skating is more about personal expression rather than speed skating. The free-flowing movements of jam skating have been given many names. But regardless of its name, jam skating has always been about expression and passion.
Speed Skates
A speed skate resembles a shoe. The cut of the boot is lower. Speed skates typically offer lightweight plates to reduce exhaustion for skating long distances. Jam skates have preferred speed skates because they offer a similar design and freedom of movement. The most obvious difference is that a speed skate features a toe stop, unlike a jam skate that uses a toe plug.
Rhythm Skates
Rhythm skates are similar to jam skates. The difference between them lies in the boot design. In fact, the boot design looks very similar to an artistic skate, essentially providing you with the ankle support benefits of an artistic skate, but the freedom of movement of a jam skate. If you want a skate that allows you to move to the beat, which added ankle support, the rhythm skate is the ideal choice.
小題1:Which of the following is NOT a feature of jam skates?

A．They have no brake

B．They lack a toe stop

C．They have no toe plug.

D．They have a unique, low-cut design.

小題2:If you want to skate to music, which of the following is the best choice?

A．Rhythm skates

B．Jam skates

C．Speed skates

D．Artistic skates

小題3:Speed skates are popular with jam skates because _____.

A．they have a high boot cut

B．they allow free-flowing movement.

C．they are able to stabilize the foot

D．they can help jam skates reduce tiredness.

小題4:What is a common feature of rhythm and jam skates?

A．They both offer some support for the ankles.

B．They both have a similar boot design.

C．They are both suitable for free-flowing movement.

D．They are both about personal expression and passion.

小題5:What can you learn from the passage about jam skates?

A．The original jam skate design has hardly changed.

B．The original jam skate design was similar to an artistic skate.

C．Jam skates have gradually become a type of speed skate.

D．Jam skating has many names because it’s about expression and passion.

Have you heard of snake robots? Scientists and doctors are already using tiny snakes that coil through the human body armed with sharp surgical tools to perform operations on hearts, prostate cancer, and other diseased organs. The snake robots that carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps, and even more advanced sensors are being developed.
The next generation of the robots will be wireless, and will explore inside your body on their own--- not attached to any cables. For now, they are powered by cables that humans control. Experts say the day is coming when some robots will roam around the body on their own. But the experts in robotics say the new creations work best when they are designed for very specific tasks.
Howie Choset has been researching and building robots, particularly snake robots. He believes that his snake robot and others like it can help reduce medical costs by making complex surgery faster and easier. Choset says his new design is smaller and more flexible than earlier models.
The size of surgical robots allows surgeons to operate with far less damage to the body, helping the patient heal faster. Choset has also built larger snake robots designed for search and rescue, or just exploration. They can climb poles and trees and then look around through a camera in the head and slither through places that humans cannot reach.
“ We sent our snake robots into these caves in the Red Sea to look for evidence of ancient Egyptian ships,” he said. “ To me, archeology is like search and rescue, but everyone has been dead for 5,000 years.”
The doctors are very excited about the potential for surgical robots to do things that humans can’t do. The variety of sensors available for surgical robots keeps expanding. As they get smaller, maybe one day they will be able to test chemicals or blood in the body, or even the electrical connections in nerves.
小題1:What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The doctors carry out surgery using snake robots mainly for heart disease.

B．The doctors are very satisfied with the new snake robots during surgery.

C．Snake robots are completely free of human control today.

D．Other supplementary appliances will be added to snake robots.

小題2:Which of the following is true, according to the passage?

A．Snake robots are only used in the medical field.

B．Snake robots can reduce the patients’ medical costs.

C．Scientists are uncertain about the prospects for snake robots.

D．Scientists are forced to spend a lot of time researching snake robots.

小題3:How can snake robots work best, according to the passage?

A．When they carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps.

B．When they are operated by experienced doctors.

C．When they are given a wireless function.

D．When they are designed for particular tasks.

小題4:Why do we know about Howie Choset, according to the passage?

A．He thought snake robots of different sizes can be used for different types of surgery.

B．He thought patients’ pain had been slightly reduced with the help of snake robots.

C．He also made snake robots for search, rescue and exploration.

D．He is very interested in researching ancient Egyptian ships.

小題5:The writers attitude towards the new technology is ______.

A．optimistic

B．doubtful

C．objective

D．negative

No one wants to look silly or do the wrong thing at a new job. It’s important to make the right impression (印象) from the first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place. It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are seven tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job:
1. First impression is important. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code. If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what you wear, always be neat (整潔) and clean.
2. Get to work on time. Employers value workers who come to work on time. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to make sure you arrive on time.
3. Pay attention to introduction. One of the first things that your supervisor (主管) may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss isn’t around.
4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what your are expected to do. If he or she has not told you your job duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.
5. Don't make personal phone calls. You should never make personal phone calls to your friends and family unless it's an emergency.
6. Don’t take too long for lunch. What’s the lunch-hour policy at your new job? You can find out from your supervisor or your company’s personnel department(人事部門). For example, do people eat at their desks or does everyone take a full hour outside the workplace?
7. Never be the first one to leave. Observe how your co-workers behave around quitting (離開) time. It does no good for you to be eager to leave.
小題1:Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Tips On First Days At a New Job	B．How to Do a Job Well
C．Be the Last to Leave	D．Ways to Find a New Job

小題2:From the last two paragraphs, we can infer that the most important rule we should follow is ______.

A．to have lunch outside the workplace	B．to do as other people do
C．not to be the first to leave after work	D．to pay attention to introductions

小題3:The underlined phrase “a dress code” (Para. 2) means ______.

A．a(chǎn) beautiful dress	B．a(chǎn) place where a dress can be placed
C．a(chǎn) neat and clean dress	D．a(chǎn) rule about what you can wear to work

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．You should not make personal calls unless very necessary.

B．Co-workers will be important to you when the boss is out.

C．You shouldn’t ask any questions in case you trouble others.

D．Leave an extra 15 minutes earlier to make sure you won’t be late.

I have always really loved receiving my monthly pocket money form my dad. After getting the money I would be very excited and would rush off to my friend’s place where after much consideration we would decide what to do with it and where to spend it. Mostly it would go for the ice cream treats（請客；款待） or jam sessions with our favorite people around. Girls will manage to find some way of budgeting so the money we save can be used for other purposes.
I think that the best way to enjoy your pocket money would be to enjoy those treats that come occasionally. Since just mere pocket money would be not enough, many girls are doing a part time job of some form so that a larger amount of money can be collected. The best use of pocket money is to spend it in such a way that it involves lots of fun with your closest friends. Those treats are no fun if done alone. Company, especially good company can work wonders for providing you the best relaxation that you need. It is also best to spend your pocket money on things that otherwise parents end up refusing. When you use your pocket money to get this sense of achievement you will just feel so crazily happy.
I remember the time when a friend and I were just so tired of our everyday monotonous life that we decided to go out, have some great food and then head out to the beach and have those lovely grape and mango ice-creams. And we did exactly that. That day has just been one of the most refreshing days of my life. I think the true meaning of pocket money is to be able to maximize your fun at a minimal cost!
小題1:The writer thinks he can get greatest fun from pocket money by ________,.

A．spending it alone	B．treating good friends
C．travelling for fun	D．buying ice creams

小題2:We can tell from Paragraph 1 that ________.

A．the writer didn’t know where to spend his pocket money

B．girls used pocket money to buy ice creams

C．the writer got pocket money from his dad yearly

D．boys and girls may spend pocket money in different ways

小題3:What does the underlined phrase “monotonous” in the last paragraph mean?

A．exciting.

B．Boring.

C．Wonderful.

D．Colorful.

小題4:We can know from the passage that ________.

A．children can’t spend our pocket money wisely

B．there would be no fun without pocket money

C．childhood happiness mainly comes from pocket money

D．we can enjoy ourselves with a little pocket money

小題5:What is the best title of the passage?

A．How to get much pocket money

B．Save pocket money as much as possible

C．Pocket money brings great fun

D．Pocket money means everything

Michael Fish may soon be replaced as a weather forecaster by the shark (鯊魚).
Research by a British biology student suggests that sharks could be used to predict storms. Lauren Smith, 24, is close to completing her study on shark’s ability to sense pressure. If her studies prove the theory, scientists may be able to monitor the behavior of sharks to predict bad weather.
Miss Smith had previously studied the behavior of lemon sharks in the Bahamas.
She then used their close relatives, lesser spotted dogfish, for further research at Aberdeen University.
Her work---thought to be the first of its kind to test the pressure theory ---- resulted from the observation that juvenile blacktip sharks off Florida moved into deeper water ahead of a violent storm in 2001.
Miss Smith said: “I’ve always been crazy about traveling and diving and this led me to an interest in sharks.”
“I was delighted to have been able to research in the area for my degree. I know there’s so much more we need to understand ---- but it certainly opens the way to more research.”
It has been discovered that a shark senses pressure using hair cells in its balance system.
At the Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas, Miss Smith fixed hi-tech sensors to sharks to record pressure and temperature, while also tracking them using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology.
In Aberdeen, she was able to study the effects of tidal (潮汐的) and temperature changes on dogfish----none of which were harmed. She also used a special lab which can mimic (模擬) oceanic pressure changes caused by weather fronts.
She is due to complete her study and graduate later this year. She says she will be looking for a job which will give her the chance to enrich her experience of shark research.
小題1:The passage is most probably taken from _______.

A．a(chǎn) short-story collection

B．a(chǎn) popular science magazine

C．a(chǎn) research paper

D．a(chǎn) personal diary

小題2:What do we learn from the first four paragraphs of the passage?

A．Sharks may be used to predict bad weather.

B．Sharks’ behavior can be controlled.

C．Michael Fish is not fit for his job.

D．Lauren Smith will become a weather forecaster.

小題3:Lauren Smith conducted her research by _______.

A．removing hair cells from a shark’s balance system

B．measuring the air pressure of weather fronts

C．recording sharks’ body temperature

D．monitoring sharks’ reaction to weather changes

小題4:What is the passage mainly about?

A．A popular way of forecasting weather.

B．A new research effort in predicting storms.

C．Biologists’ interest in the secrets of sharks.

D．Lauren Smith’s devotion to scientific research.

The home of the future won’t be completely different and we will be living in houses and flats just as we do today．But people will want to shape their homes to match their dreams．No two homes will be the same．People will be able to buy “house kits” containing a basic house structure, with movable walls, doors and windows．They will put together the different parts to create the home they want．
Many jobs that we do today will disappear, others will still exist but will change and new jobs will be created. Skilled workers such as builders, gardeners and electricians won’t disappear because machines can’t replace them. Teachers will still exist because students need human contact. But they will be using modern technology in class more and students will be working more from home. The medical technology revolution and space travel will create new jobs which we can only imagine today．
Space holidays will develop in the future, but these holidays won’t be for everyone because they won’t be cheap. Short space trips will develop first, then space hotels will orbit the earth where it will be possible to have a longer vacation. By the end of the next century, there will be holiday centres on the moon with leisure facilities for families．
Paper won’t exist in the future. Instead, there will be e-paper which people will be able to use over and over again. This will develop in order to save natural resources. E-newspapers and e-magazines will replace traditional newspapers and magazines and we will download information and news articles from the Internet every day onto our reuseable paper．
The laws of physics tell us that the earth is going to disappear some time in the future．This isn’t going to happen tomorrow but scientists predict that it will happen in five billion years when our sun explodes (爆炸)．We will have to explore the universe and find another home. At some point in the distant future, either we stay on the earth and die with it, or we leave and move to another planet. There won’t be any other choice.
小題1:Homes of the future will ________．

A．be completely different from those of today

B．be very similar to our homes

C．a(chǎn)ll be different from one another

D．be movable as you want

小題2:Space trips and staying in space hotels will ________．

A．become a very common way to spend a holiday

B．be the best holiday option for families

C．a(chǎn)ttract a lot of people

D．still only be for very rich people

小題3:E-paper will replace traditional paper because ________．

A．we will use it again

B．it won’t waste natural resource

C．it will be cheaper to produce

D．it will be convenient to carry

小題4:We will have move to another planet ________．

A．if we want to save the human race

B．when the sun explodes

C．when the earth disappears

D．when the earth is too crowded to fill people on

When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn’t do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library.
Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write “True” or “False”. While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Thenhe told me of his plan. “It’s very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I’ll just toss（擲）the coin to decide the answers. That way, I’m sure I’ll get half the questions right.”
The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us.
The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. “Oh, good,” he said to the teacher, “Have you got the result of the test?” The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it.
“I’m terribly sorry, Fred,” he said, “You failed!”
小題1:This story mainly wants to tell us          .

A．chemistry is really hard to learn

B．there are many questions for students to prepare.

C．good exam results really need studying hard

D．tossing a coin can not always decide the result

小題2:Fred Baines was one of those who          .

A．did just enough to pass an exam

B．didn’t work hard enough for their studies

C．had more important work to do than study

D．were quite good at passing exams

小題3:Fred came happily into the exam room because          .

A．he had got ready for the exam

B．he knew the answers already

C．one excellent student would help him

D．he had his special way to finish the exam

小題4:Which of the following about the chemistry exam is TRUE?

A．The chemisty exam was not very difficult at all.

B．It in fact took an hour to finish the chemisty exam

C．The chemisty exam had more than one hundred questions.

D．The chemisty exam needed to be done by tossing a coin.

小題5:The professor tossed a coin to tell Baines that          .

A．he was satisfied with Baines’ way for the exam

B．he wanted to make friends with Baines

C．Baines’ way for the exam would never work

D．the exam result depended on the coin

Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills （讀寫能力）With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence （自信心） , according to Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ).
The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache,” said Lisa Myron, manager of the children’s department.
Last November the two groups started “Dog Day Afternoon” in the children’s department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a “pawgraphed” book at the last class.
The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.
小題1:What is mainly discussed in the text?

A．Children’s reading difficulties.	B．Advantages of raising dogs.
C．Service in a public library.	D．A special reading program.

小題2:Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think _______.

A．dogs are young children’s best friends

B．children can play with dogs while reading

C．dogs can provide encouragement for shy children

D．children and dogs understand each other

小題3:By saying “The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea”, the writer means the library_______.

A．uses dogs to attract children

B．a(chǎn)ccepts the idea put forward by ITA

C．has opened a children's department

D．has decided to train some dogs

小題4:A “pawgraphed” book is most probably _______.

A．a(chǎn) book used in Saturday classes	B．a(chǎn) book written by the children
C．a(chǎn) prize for the children	D．a(chǎn) gift from parent