The Internet will open up new vistas (前景), create the global village——you can make new friends all around the world. That, at least, is what it promised us. The difficulty is that it did not take the human mind into account. The reality is that we cannot keep relationships with more than a limited number of people. No matter how hard the Internet tries to put you in communication, its best efforts will be defeated by your mind.
The problem is twofold（雙重的）. First, there is a limit on the number of people we can hold in mind and have a meaningful relationship with. That number is about 150 and is set by the size of our brain. Second, the quality of your relationships depends on the amount of time you invest in then. We invest a lot in a small number of people and then distribute what’s left among as many others as we can. The problem is that if we invest little time in a person, our engagement with that person will decline until eventually it dies into “someone I once knew”.
This is not, of course, to say that the Internet doesn’t serve a socially valuable function. Of course it does. But the question is not that it allows you to increase the size of your social circle to include the rest of the world, but that you can keep your relationships with your existing friends going even though you have to move to the other side of the world.
In one sense, that’s a good thing. But it also has a disadvantage. If you continue to invest in your old friends even though you can no longer see them, then certainly you aren’t using your time to make new friends where you now live. And I suspect that probably isn’t the best use of your time. Meaningful relationships are about being able to communicate with each other, face to face. The Internet will slow down the rate with which relationships end, but it won’t stop that happening eventually.
小題1:The number of friends we can keep relationships with is decided by__________.

A．the Internet

B．the time we have

C．the place we live

D．the mind

小題2:The underlined word “engagement” in the second paragraph probably means “__________”.

A．a(chǎn)ppointment

B．connection

C．interview

D．a(chǎn)greement

小題3:The author holds the view that___________.

A．the Internet helps to keep in touch with friends far away

B．the Internet determines the quality of social relationships

C．the Internet greatly increases the size of social circles

D．the Internet is of no value in social communication

小題4:What will the author encourage us to do?

A．To keep in touch with old friends when we have moved away.

B．To chat with friends often on the Internet.

C．To make more new friends face to face.

D．To stop using the Internet to make new friends.

小題5:What is the author’s attitude towards the use of the Internet to strengthen relationships?

A．He thinks it useless	B．He is hopeful of it.
C．He approves of it.	D．He doubts it.

Phys ed (physical education) is making a comeback as a part of the school core curriculum(核心課程)，but with a difference. While group sports are still part of the curriculum, the new way is to teach skills that are useful beyond gym class. Instead of learning how to climb a rope, children are taught to lift weights, balance their diets and build physical endurance(忍耐力). In this way，kids are given the tools and skills and experiences so they can lead a physically active life for the rest of their life.
Considering that 15 percent of American children aged 6 to 18 are overweight, supporters say more money and thought must be put into phys ed curriculum. In many cases, that may mean not just replacing the old gym-class model with fitness programs but also starting up phys ed programs because school boards often "put P.E. on the chopping block (砧板), cutting it entirely or decreasing its teachers or the days it is offered," says Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, the executive director of Action for Health Kids. The difference in phys ed programs is partly due to the lack of a national standard. "Physical education needs to be part of the core curriculum," she added.
The wisdom of the new approach has some scientific support. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have showed how effective the fit-for-life model of gym class can be. They observed how 50 overweight children lost more weight when they cycled and skied cross-country (越野)than when they played sports. The researchers also found that teaching sports like football resulted in less overall movement, partly because some reluctant（不情愿的）students were able to sit on the bench.
Another problem with simply teaching group sports in gym class is that only a small percentage of students continue playing them after graduating from high school. The new method teaches skills that translate to adulthood.
小題1:According to the passage, what is usually taught in the old gym class?

A．Lift weights

B．Climb a rope

C．Cycle

D．Have a balanced diet

小題2:What does Alicia Moag-Stahlberg mean by saying “some school boards put P. E. on the chopping block”?

A．Schools do not pay enough attention to P. E..

B．Schools welcome P. E. but do not have time for it.

C．Schools put P.E. in the first place.

D．Schools cut down other subjects’ time for P. E..

小題3:Which is NOT the reason to carry out phys ed programs according to the passage?

A．More teenagers are overweight.

B．Traditional group sports teaching is not effective.

C．Students need to learn some skills to help them lead a physically active life.

D．Phys ed programs need less money to support.

小題4:How many problems are mentioned in the passage with simply teaching group sports?

A．Two

B．Three

C．Four

D．One

小題5:What’s the difference between the come-back phys ed and the ordinary gym-class model?

A．The Phys ed teaches group sports.

B．The Phys ed provides more fitness programs.

C．The Phys ed teaches tools and skills which could be used in the future life.

D．The Phys ed has more support from the government.

In today's world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function." Many young adults agree ─ and use their cell phones to tell time. Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted(自夸) about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory(附件，配件) business. And for many today, the image(外形) a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
"Complications" ─ features that go beyond simple timekeeping ─ are an important part of a watch's image. Today's watches offer a host of features that suit almost any personality. These features include altitude trackers(追蹤器), compasses(指南針), lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity is also a key element in today's watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don't even look like watches. The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like a futuristic bracelet(手鐲) than a watch. Another Japanese watchmaker, EleeNo, makes a "handless" watch. Using a ring of circles to keep time, this watch makes an excellent conversation piece.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what's on their wrists(手腕). Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
小題1:Why aren’t watches popular with young people as before?

A．Because watches cannot keep good time as cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players.

B．Because watches are featured by the disadvantages of simple function

C．Because watches are too expensive to afford.

D．Because watches don’t have beautiful appearance as other modern time telling tools.

小題2: What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Watching-making is facing a survival crisis challenge.

B．Watching-making is faced with the developing opportunity.

C．Watching-making becomes the sun rising industry.

D．Watching-making has a specific development target.

小題3: It can be implied that ____________________.

A．people will gradually lose interest in watches as they grow older

B．watchmakers hardly change the development strategy for watches

C．today’s watches are better than those in the past in quality

D．customers used to be more concerned with the quality of a watch than with its image.

小題4:The following qualities can make a watch popular EXCEPT _________.

A．multifunction

B．a(chǎn)ccuracy

C．nice design

D．low price

小題5:What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Watches and Teenagers	B．The History of Watches
C．The Accuracy of Watches	D．Watches Tell More Than Time

Howling is a behaviour commonly observed among a wolf pack. As pack animals, wolves work together to hunt and rely on howling as an important means of communication among each other. There are different explanations of a wolf’s howl and it appears that there may be more to discover.
One theory is that wolves howl to bond better together. It’s almost as if howling together helps the pack stay together. Perhaps something similar to people feeling a sense of involvement with each other when singing a song together. But this theory may be wrong, explains Fred H. Harrington, a professor who studies wolf behaviour.
Indeed, there have been times when wolves have been seen one moment howling in a chorus, and the next, quarreling among each other. It appears that usually the lowest-ranking members of the pack may actually be “punished” for joining in the chorus at times. So is howling a way to strengthen a social bond or just a way to reconfirm status among its members? —Why do wolves howl for sure?
What is clear, however, is that howling is often used among packmates to locate each other. Hunting grounds are distant and it happens that wolves may separate from one another at times. When this happens, howling appears to be an excellent means of gathering.
Howling, interestingly, is a contagious behaviour. When one wolf starts to howl, very likely others will follow. This is often seen to occur in the morning, as if wolves were doing some sort of “roll call” where wolves all howl together to report their presence.
小題1:What is the possible similarity between wolves’ howling together and humans’ singing in chorus?

A．The act of calling each other.	B．The sense of accomplishment.
C．The act of hunting for something.	D．The sense of belonging to a group.

小題2:Why does Harrington think the “social bond” theory may be wrong?

A．Wolves separate from each other after howling.

B．Wolves tend to protect their hunting grounds.

C．Wolves sometimes have quarrels after howling together.

D．Wolves of low rank are encouraged to join in the chorus.

小題3:Researchers are sure that wolves often howl to ______.

A．show their ranks	B．find their companions
C．report the missing ones	D．express their loneliness

小題4:“Howling… is a contagious behaviour” (in the last paragraph) means _______.

A．howling is a signal for hunting

B．howling is a way of communication

C．howling often occurs in the morning

D．howling spreads from one to another

Why should I teach my children history? That sounds like a stupid question to even ask．But, as I hear different home schooling teachers discuss history, I get the idea that there may be different reasons for teaching history．Let me briefly explain the three good reasons for studying history and two bad reasons for studying history．
The major reason I see for studying history is that we can learn from the past．I am convinced that the world would be a much better place if more people understood the successes and failures of the past and the things that made these successes and failures．However, as the unfortunately true statement goes "the one thing we seem to learn from history is that we don't seem to learn from history". Perhaps at least in teaching history, to my children I can do a small part in changing this．
A second major reason for studying history is that it is hard to understand the current political climate in the absence of an understanding of its historical context．We can’t even understand why we are and where we are without history, much less （更不必說） try to figure out where we are going or how we should get where we want to be．
I teach my children history, for one more reason．I purchased a set of historical audio （錄音機） tapes for our children．My seven-year-old son listened to them over and over．It was my hope that he would become inspired by the accomplishments of people like the Wright brothers to accomplish things by himself．I think that it is good that we celebrate the accomplishments of people like Martin Luther King Jr．if, in doing so, young people are called on to stand for the principles that he stood for and accomplish what he accomplished．I also think that by studying people like Adolph Hitler, people can learn to stand against the things that he stood for．
小題1:What message can we get from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 ?

A．Many people aren't clever enough to learn well from the past．

B．Many people fail to make good use of history and make the same mistakes．

C．Many people feel it hard to understand history．

D．Many people have no interest in studying history．

小題2:In Paragraph 3, the author shows that history is useful because _______________．

A．It makes the current political situation go smoothly

B．It helps us realize the importance of historical events

C．It helps us understand why things are the way they are

D．It helps people accept the present situation where they live

小題3:Some historical figures are mentioned in the last paragraph to show ______________．

A．People can be inspired to do good, while also learning to fight against evil

B．People may also learn from bad historical figures

C．More celebrations should be held to honor their achievements

D．Today’s people can also achieve what they achieved

小題4:What would be talked about in the following paragraph?

A．How to teach history effectively．

B．Some negative reasons for studying history．

C．How to get more people to study history．

D．Some bad historical figures．

小題5:The main purpose of this passage is to ____________．

A．inspire the parents to teach their children history

B．show the importance of history in politics

C．explain the reasons why children study history

D．introduce the writer' s own way of teaching history

Do you think it is ever a good idea for a teenager to have a credit card?
My kids watch closely as I swipe the card through the register．They’ve seen me do it hundreds, thousands of times．Cool．They are itching to swipe it through the machine themselves． When we walk out of the store with our groceries or pet food, or whatever, it’s almost as though money has not changed hands, painless, easy．
So it shouldn’t be shocking to discover that teenagers are becoming card carrying consumers in their own right．The question is, should they?
While some argue it’s best to teach kids how to use a credit card while still living under the family roof, not everyone agrees． Dave Ramsey, financial expert says getting a credit card for your teenager is actually, “an excellent way to teach him or her to be financially irresponsible．”
Now parents are required to co-sign on credit cards for children under 21．“If their name is on the credit card, then the parent may say, ‘Hey, my name is on this．Don’t get me into trouble,” says Mary Beth Pinto, a marketing professor．“When parents were the co-obligors（共同借貸人），the children caused less debt．If the parents are the co-obligors, the tendency is that the parents were explaining how to use the cards．” Still, Pinto believes parents should start the process much earlier．“Yes, there has to be teaching going on and it has to start when they’re younger． You’re not going to get rid of credit cards．They are here to stay． You have to have them． You can’t fight progress,” Pinto said．
Ramsey, however, disagrees．“Throwing teens into a pool of （credit）sharks is a sure way to guarantee a life-time of heartache,” he said．“You can make online purchases and rent a car with a credit card．Of course, you must have money in your bank account before you can make a purchase with a credit card．But paying for things with money is what you are supposed to do．”
小題1:The author mentioned her experience in Para 2 mainly to______．

A．prove the convenience of using credit cards

B．tell what impression credit cards leave on kids

C．give advice on using credit cards wisely

D．explain the pleasure credit cards bring to customers

小題2:The underlined word in Para 2 can be replaced by __________．

A．eager

B．a(chǎn)fraid

C．embarrassed

D．thankful

小題3:What’s Ramsey’s attitude towards teens’ using credit cards?

A．He feels it is worth a try

B．He is very supportive

C．He is strongly against it

D．He considers it as a pleasant experience

小題4:Pinto will most likely agree that __________．

A．parents should let teens own their credit cards earlier

B．you shouldn’t be in control of credit cards

C．it is never good for anyone to get a credit card

D．learning to use credit cards is practical

When Harvard was founded in 1636, there were no other colleges in the American colonies, and it would become the model for many of those that followed. When it began requiring applicants to take a test known as the SAT in 1935, Harvard started another trend. Two years ago, after it announced an aggressive new financial-aid policy, it helped push social class to the center of the national debate over higher education and forced two of its main competitors, Stanford and Yale, to follow its lead.
Last week. Harvard began to make another effort to affect higher education in its image, its president, Derek Bok, announced that the college would abandon its early admissions program, which for decades has allowed high school seniors to apply in October and get an answer yes, no or maybe – in December, shortly before the regular deadline for applications.
Harvard officials argue that the program is beneficial to rich students who don't need to compare financial-aid offers from various colleges. After the announcement, many people within education urged other colleges to take a similar step.
"We're thrilled," said Laurie Kobick, a college counselor (顧問) at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va. "I think it's going to make admissions better in so many different ways. It will indeed go a small way toward leveling the field among applicants. Of course, it will also have an effect on colleges, and the biggest winner will almost certainly be Harvard. a fact that may prevent many other colleges – perhaps all of them – from       following Hazard this time. Because any college that does so will risk losing some of its best applicants."
小題1:From the first paragraph we can learn that Harvard ____.

A．was the first college in the American colonies

B．was best known for the SAT

C．was muck better than Stanford and Yale

D．refused to offer financial-aid to applicants

小題2:By abandoning early admissions program, Harvard wants ____.

A．to attract the public's attention

B．to influence higher education in its own way

C．to save money spent in attracting students

D．to allow its competitors to admit more students

小題3:Early admissions program is good for rich students because ____.

A．they have more chances to enter college

B．they can enter college with a lower score

C．they have special right to be admitted into college

D．they have no problem in supporting their studies

小題4:Why does Laurie Kobick think other colleges may not follow Harvard?

A．Because they think the action will harm high education.

B．Because they are afraid that the action is not practical.

C．Because they may attract fewer top students than he[ore,

D．Because they are afraid the action will damage their reputation.

Most people hate change, which is sad since we often go through intense changes in life. And for some of us, even the smallest changes can upset our day. So the question is: Why do most of us find making adjustments to our lives so hard?
Fear of change is nothing new. Over a century ago, the Parisians were unhappy over a particular addition to their city: the Eiffel Tower. In fact, the citizens were so angry about the plans for the tower that they protested its construction. As strange as it may seem, their anger was completely natural. They were given no choice about the huge change that was going to be made, so they became angry.
But we get upset over changes even when we do have a say in the matter and think about them carefully. Changes are brought about every day by the decisions we make: which school to attend, which job to take, whom to marry. Voluntary changes also make most of us uneasy because we don’t know how those changes will affect our future.
People have discovered that the key to overcoming the fear and anger associated with change is to be flexible. When they are flexible, people can adapt to new situations more easily. Being flexible is especially important in the 21st century as technology makes change occur faster than ever before. Those who oppose change, especially with technology in the workplace, may find themselves out of a job.
When change comes, and you have no choice but to face it, embrace it. A positive attitude helps a lot. In fact, the change may turn out to be the best thing for you. That new job you got may end up being much better than your old one. You may make the best friends of your life in the new city you moved to. Don’t merely focus on how you feel about change; instead decide to accept the change. The change is the reality, and it’s up to you whether the change will be a success or a failure. You never know – your next change may be your life’s Eiffel Tower!
小題1:Why did the building of the Eiffel Tower make the Parisians unhappy?

A．Because they didn’t like the design of the Eiffel Tower.

B．Because they couldn’t avoid accepting the Eiffel Tower.

C．Because it was no use building the Eiffel Tower.

D．Because the Eiffel Tower seemed strange.

小題2:According to the passage, it can be inferred that what won’t disturb us are _____________.

A．the changes that have agreement with one’s will

B．the small changes we meet in our daily life

C．the changes whose effect we can predict and control

D．the changes that we discuss or consider thoroughly

小題3:How should we overcome negative emotions that the changes bring?

A．We are not supposed to face the changes and let them alone.

B．We should actively accustom ourselves to the new circumstance.

C．We should not take the changes seriously and avoid them as much as possible.

D．We should know that the changes merely bring us bad influence.

小題4:What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?

A．The change will probably make you fail like the Eiffel Tower.

B．The change is like the Eiffel Tower which is not good for our future life.

C．Your future life is never known just like the Eiffel Tower unknown to the Parisians.

D．Your future life is likely to be a great achievement due to the change.

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

A．The Psychology of Change	B．The ways to Overcome the Fear
C．Changes That Disturb Us	D．The Bad Effect of Changes

Most recently, it's very common in students who need a parent present for job interviews． Naturally, it's easy to blame the students in these situations, but the bigger problem is us． We—as parents—are so eager to shelter our kids that we fail to realize that this in itself is harming them．As the mother of two young sons, I have to remind myself constantly that the biggest responsibility I have as a parent is to help them develop the skills needed to live in, to live without me．So, I'll let them fail．
I'll let them fail because as long as they are safe and warm inside their comfort zones, they will never grow．And failure is along with loss, heartbreak, disappointment, etc．—will be part of growth for them．Call me the anti-tiger mom, but leaving them alone  is my way of helping them become equipped to fit in this world as we know it today．From terrorism and seemingly endless natural disasters, to our national debt and beyond, if we expect the next generation to stand up to the very real problems of our time, we need to stop feeding them and start teaching them how to fish．
My children now are becoming little masters of compromise, but they try to negotiate （協(xié)商） everything now．It's a small price to help them learn a skill they'll use for the rest of their lives, including when I don't accompany them on job interviews．
小題1:Why do parents accompany their kids on job interviews?

A．Because they want to protect their kids from difficulties．

B．Because they think they can help them on the questions．

C．Because their kids are too shy to attend interviews．

D．Because their kids strongly request them to do so．

小題2:According to the author, what is beneficial to kids' development?
A．Sheltering them．                      B．Keeping them safe．
C．Leaving them alone．                  C．Blaming them．
小題3:Why does the author stress failure in kids' life?

A．To make them stronger than other kids．	B．To help them grow in this tough world．
C．To help them develop all social skills．	D．To make them learn to compromise．

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

A．Never Shelter Your Kids	B．Let Your Kids Fail
C．Be Eager to Grow Up	D．Live Without Parents

US researchers have found traces of an ancient lake on Mars recently, increasing hopes of discovering evidence that billions of years ago the Red planet hosted life.
The lake, which dates back some 3.4 billion years, appears to have covered as much as 80 square miles and was up to 1,500 feet deep, said the team from the University of Colorado.
“This is the first clear evidence of shorelines on the surface of Mars,”said Boulder’ s research associate, Gaetano Di Achille, in a study published in the latest edition of Geophysical Research Letters.
“The identification of the shorelines and accompanying geological evidence allows us to calculate the size and volume of the lake, which appears to have formed about 3.4 billion years ago.”
Analysis of the images has shown the water carved out the canyon (溪谷) in which it was found, which then opened out into a valley depositing (使淤積) sediment (沉積) which formed a delta (三角洲).
“Finding shorelines is a great discovery to us,” said assistant professor Brian Hynek, adding it showed the lake existed at a time when Mars was thought to have been cold and dry.
Scientists believe the oldest surfaces on Mars formed during the wet and warm era known as the Noachan epoch, about 4.1 billion to 3.7 billion years ago.
The newly discovered lake is believed to date from the Hesperian era and postdates the end of the warm and wet period on Mars by 300 million years, according to the study.
Scientists believe deltas next to the lake may well hold secrets about past life on Mars as such places on Earth have become the natural deposits of organic carbon and other markers of life.
小題1:The size of the lake found on Mars is ______.

A．80 square miles	B．1,500 square miles
C．3.4 billion square miles	D．300 million square miles

小題2:When the lake existed, the weather on Mars was ____.

A．hot and wet

B．wet and warm

C．cold and dry

D．cold and wet

小題3:Why do scientists think deltas near the lake may hold secrets about past life on Mars?

A．Because similar places on Earth have become natural deposits of markers of life.

B．Because someone has put secrets about past life on Mars there.

C．Because past life has been found in other deltas on Mars.

D．Because some people are said to have already seen life marks there.

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

A．The Noachan epoch was a wet and warm era.

B．The lake might have existed 3.4 billion years.

C．The discovery can’ t fully prove that the Mars once hosted life.

D．The lake traces prove that there exists life on Mars now.