The latest research suggests that the key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success. Instead, it’s purposeful practice. Top performers spend more hours practising their craft. It you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you’d take a girl who possessed a slightly above average language ability. It wouldn’t have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar qualities. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same family background, or shared the same birthday.
This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self. It would hive her some idea of a fascinating circle who might someday join. It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, giving her a strong sense of insecurity and fuelling a desperate need for success. Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and life stories of writers without end. This would give her a primary knowledge of her field. She’s be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings.
Then she would practise writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and error-focused. By practising in this way, he delays the automatizing process. Her mind wants to turn conscious, newly learned skills into unconscious. Automatically performed skills. By practising slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, she forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance. Then she would find an adviser who would provide a constant stream of feedback, viewing her performance form the outside, correcting the smallest errors, pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems—how do I get characters into a room—dozens and dozens of times. She is establishing habits of thought she can call upon in order to understand or solve future problems.
The primary quality our young writer possesses is not some mysterious genius. It’s the ability to develop a purposeful, laborious and boring practice routine; the latest research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neglected. Public discussion is affected by genetics and what we’re “hard-wired” to do. And it’s true that genes play a role in our capabilities. But the brain is also very plastic. We construct ourselves through behaviour.
小題1:The passage mainly deals with________.

A．the function of I.Q. in cultivating a writer

B．the relationship between genius and success

C．the decisive factor in making a genius

D．the way of gaining some sense of distinction

小題2:By reading novels and writers’ stories, the girl could________.

A．come to understand the inner structure of writing

B．join a fascinating circle of writers someday

C．share with a novelist her likes and dislikes

D．learn from the living examples to establish a sense of security

小題3:In the girl’s long painstaking training process, ________.

A．her adviser forms a primary challenging force to her success.

B．her writing turns into an automatic pattern of performance

C．she acquires the magic of some great achievement

D．she comes to realize she is “hard-wired” to write

小題4:What can be concluded from the passage?

A．A fuelling ambition plays a leading role in one’s success

B．A responsible adviser is more important than the knowledge of writing.

C．As to the growth of a genius, I.Q. Doesn’t matter, but just his|her effort.

D．What really matters is what you do rather then who you are.

本文介紹了美國著名的生物學(xué)家Edward Wilson 的著作The Future of Life中的一些有關(guān)如何開發(fā)、利用和保護自然資源的情況。
Edward Wilson is America’s, if not the world’s, leading naturalist. In The Future of Life, he takes us on a tour of the world’s natural resources(資源). How are they used? What has been lost? What remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use? Wilson also points out the need to understand fully the biodiversity(生物多樣性)of our earth.
Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment (環(huán)境) protection, Henry David Thoreau. He compares today’s Walden Pond with that of Thoreau’s day. Wilson will use such comparisons for the rest of the book. The problem is clear: man has done great damage to his home over the years. Van the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to support us in the future?
Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today. Even our agricultural crops can gain advantages from it. A mere hundred species(物種) are the basis of our food supply, of which but twenty carry the load. Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas.
At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the environment. If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may well read and act on the ideas in this book.
小題1: We learn from the text that Wilson cares most about ______

A．the environment for plants

B．the biodiversity of our earth

C．the wastes of natural resources

D．the importance of human values

小題2:How many species are most important to our present food supply?

A．Twenty.

B．Eighty.

C．One hundred

D．Ten thousand.

小題3:Wilson suggests that one way to keep biodiversity is to _______.

A．learn how to farm scientifically

B．build homes for some dying species

C．make it clear what to eat

D．use more species for food

小題4: We can infer that the text is _______

A．a(chǎn) description of natural resources

B．a(chǎn) research report

C．a(chǎn) book review

D．a(chǎn)n introduction to a scientist.

A rainforest is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading quite equally through the year and the temperature rarely dipping below l6℃. Rainforests have a great effect on the world environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate. Without the forest cover，these areas would reflect more heat into the atmosphere，warming the rest of the world. Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns，potentially causing certain natural disasters all over the world.
In the past hundred years，humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major resources（資源）：land for crops，wood for paper and other products，land for raising farm animals. This action affects the environment as a whole. For example，a lot of carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）in the air comes from burning the rainforests. People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit.There are two main reasons for this. Firstly，when people cut down trees，generally they can only use the land for a year or two. Secondly，cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of wood right now，but in the long run it actually reduces the world’s wood supply.
Rainforests are often called the world’s drug store. More than 25％ of the medicines we use today come from plants in rainforests. However，fewer than l％of rainforest plants have been examined for their medical value. It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the world’s shrinking rainforests.
小題1:Rainforests can help to adjust the climate because they      

A．reflect more heat into the atmosphere

B．bring about high rainfall throughout the world

C．rarely cause the temperature to drop lower than l6℃

D．reduce the effect of heat from the sun on the earth

小題2:What does the word “this” underlined in the third paragraph refer to?

A．We will lose much more than we can gain.

B．Humans have begun destroying rainforests.

C．People have a strong desire for resources.

D．Much carbon dioxide comes from burning rainforests.

小題3:It can be inferred from the text that

A．we can get enough resources without rainforests

B．there is great medicine potential in rainforests

C．we will grow fewer kinds of crops in the gained land

D．the level of annual rainfall affects wind patterns

小題4:What might be the best title for the text?

A．How to Save Rainforests

B．How to Protect Nature

C．Rainforests and the Environment

D．Rainforests and Medical Development

請閱讀下列文章和相關(guān)信息，并按要求匹配信息。請在答題卡上將對應(yīng)題號的相應(yīng)選項字母涂黑。
下面是幾則寓言小故事：
小題1:An ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of drowning. A dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream close to her. The ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a birdcatcher came and stood under the tree, aiming at the dove. The ant, perceiving his design, stung him in the foot. In pain the birdcatcher shouted, and the noise made the dove take wing.
小題2:Two men were travelling together, when a bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and hid himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and pretended to be dead as much as he could. The bear soon left him, for he will not touch a dead body. When he disappeared, the other traveller descended from the tree, and asked his friend what it was the bear had whispered in his ear. “He gave me this advice,” his companion replied. “Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.”
小題3:A prince had some monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally good at learning, they showed themselves excellent pupils, and in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any of the courtiers. Their performance was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a courtier, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and threw them upon the stage. The monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) monkeys instead of actors. Pulling off their masks and tearing their robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancing spectacle thus came to an end in the laughter and ridicule of the audience.
小題4:A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the hens when suddenly he noticed something shining in the straw. "Ho! ho!" said he, "that’s for me," and soon rooted it out from beneath the straw. It turned out to be a pearl that by some chance had been lost in the yard. “You may be a treasure,” signed the cock, “to man, but for me I would rather have a single barley-corn.”
小題5:An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a bunch of sticks, and said to his eldest son: "Break it." The son tried hard, but with all his efforts was unable to break the bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. “Untie it,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: “Now, break,” and each stick was easily broken.
請閱讀下面的故事寓意，然后匹配與之對應(yīng)的小故事。

A．Not everything you see is what it appears to be.

B．One man’s pleasure may be another’s pain. / One man’s meat is another’s poison,

C．Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends.

D．One good turn deserves another.

E. Union gives strength.
F. Precious things are for those that can prize them.

完形填空(共20小題；每小題1.5分，共30分)
閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
Ban the Band(樂隊)？
Every year,our school has a dance for all the students.It’s a little funny seeing friends in clean shoes and trousers or colorful    36  ,instead of the usual school uniform.
Most of us think the dance is great   37 —even the teachers enjoy being there. 38 ,two weeks ago someone said that there would be no    39   band this year—only CDs.
“I don’t    40   it!”Amy cried out during the lunch break.
“Someone said the school couldn’t    41   a band,and they think it’s too noisy anyway,”added Daniel.
“Well,I don’t think it’s    42   enough without a band!”declared Angela,“and I’m going to see what can be done.”
Angela was as good as her    43  .In the afternoon she went to see the school headmaster who agreed to give the   44  some more thought.And he suggested that one   45  for having a band was to increase the price of each ticket from $5 to $10.Angela had to   46   out whether the students would like to do that.
“I need all of you to help me,”she  47  to our group before school the next day.“Mr.Berry gave me a list of all the names,and suggested we ask each one their   48   about the band and the extra cost.”
   49   the day we asked around as Angela suggested,and wrote down people’s feelings about the band and the cost.We were amazed how much    50   there was for the band and everyone agreed to pay the extra $5.
“I’m surprised,”smiled Mr. Berry,when we gave him the    51  .“I really thought that only a few people     52   their band and that the cost would be too high.OK,Angela,your next    53   is to find a good band and line them up for the dance.”
Angela was all smiles and    54   the news to Amy and Daniel.“You’re    55  ,”smiled Daniel to Angela as he thought how close they came to having a less than perfect dance.

小題1:	A．shapes B．dresses C．flowers D．pictures

小題2:	A．fun B．work C．effort D．progress

小題3:	A．Besides B．Otherwise C．However D．Therefore

小題4:	A．new B．live C．foreign D．marching

小題5:	A．mean B．need C．a(chǎn)ccept D．believe

小題6:	A．lead B．serve C．a(chǎn)fford D．form

小題7:	A．good B．clear C．useful D．easy

小題8:	A．look B．behavior C．mind D．word

小題9:	A．schedule B．situation C．view D．a(chǎn)ction

小題10:

A．possibility B．concern C．decision D．chance

小題11:

A．call B．find C．carry D．point

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)dmitted B．replied C．a(chǎn)pologized D．a(chǎn)nnounced

小題13:

A．knowledge B．instruction C．opinion D．information

小題14:

A．On B．For C．By D．During

小題15:

A．trust B．money C．support D．care

小題16:

A．results B．notices C．questions D．examples

小題17:

A．welcomed B．wanted C．defended D．invited

小題18:

A．task B．business C．exercise D．duty

小題19:

A．showed B．wrote C．broke D．read

小題20:

A．a(chǎn)musing B．interesting C．exciting D．a(chǎn)mazing

Today about 70 countries use Daylight Saving Time (DST). Daylight Saving was first introduced during World War I in Australia. During the world wars, DST was used for the late summers beginning January 1917 and 1942, and the full summers beginning September 1942 and 1943.  
In 1967, Tasmania experienced a drought（干旱）. The State Government introduced one hour of daylight saving that summer as a way of saving power and water. Tasmanians liked the idea of daylight saving and the Tasmanian Government has declared daylight saving each summer since 1968. Persuaded by the Tasmanian Government, all states except two passed a law in 1971, for a test use of daylight saving. In 1972, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria joined Tasmania for regular daylight saving, but Queensland did not do so until 1989.
Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia have had irregular plans, often changing their dates due to politics or festivals（節(jié)日）. For example, in 1992, Tasmania extended（延長）daylight saving by an extra month while South Australia began extending daylight saving by two weeks for the Adelaide Festival. Special daylight saving plans were made during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The differences in daylight saving in Australia continue to cause serious problems in transport and many other social activities. It also reduces the number of hours in the working day that are common to all centers in the country. In particular, time differences along the east coast cause major differences, especially for the broadcasters of national radio and television.
小題1:Daylight Saving Time was introduced in Tasmania _______________.

A．to stop the drought in 1967	B．to support government officials
C．to pass a special law in the state	D．to save water and electricity

小題2: According to the text, which state was the last to use DST?

A．Victoria.	B．Queensland.
C．South Australia.	D．New South Wales.

小題3: What can we learn about DST in some Australian states?

A．It doesn’t have fixed dates.	B．It is not used in festivals.
C．Its plan was changed in 2000.	D．It lasts for two weeks.

小題4: What do we know about the use of DST from the last paragraph?

A．There exist some undesirable effects.	B．It helps little to save energy.
C．It brings about longer working days.	D．Radio and TV programs become different.

Most rain forests lie close to the equator(赤道),where the climate is often mild and there are long hours of sunshine.The warmth of the land heats the air above,causing it to rise and tiny drops of water to fall as rain.The rainfall can reach at least 98 inches a year.This wet,warm world with plenty of sunlight is perfect for plants to grow,so the trees grow fast with green leaves all the year round.The trees themselves also have an effect on the climate.They gather water from the soil and pass it out into the air through their leaves.The wet air then forms clouds,which hang over the treetops like smoke.These clouds protect the forest from the daytime heat and night-time cold of nearby deserts,keeping temperatures fit for plant growth.
Rain forests slightly farther away from the equator remain just as warm,but they have a dry season of three months or more when little rain falls.Tree leaves fall during this dry season and new leaves grow when the wet season or monsoon(雨季) begins.Thus these areas are known as the “monsoon forest”.
Another type of rain forest grows on tropical mountains.It is often called the “cloud forest” because clouds often hang over the trees like fog.
The rain forest is the ideal place for the growth of many different trees.Most of them depend on animals to eat their fruits and spread their seeds.When the fruits are eaten,the seeds inside them go undamaged through animals’ stomachs and are passed out in their droppings.The seeds lying on the forest floor then grow into new trees.
小題1:The climate of the rain forests near the equator is _______.

A．mild,wet and windy	B．hot,rainy and foggy
C．hot,wet and cloudy	D．warm,wet and sunny

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

A．tree leaves are green all the time in the monsoon forest

B．there is a dry season in the cloud forest on tropical mountains

C．clouds help the plants in the rain forest near the deserts to grow

D．the formation of climate in the rain forest has little to do with the trees

小題3:According to the passage,_______ play the most important role in the spreading of seeds.

A．a(chǎn)nimals

B．droppings

C．fruits

D．winds

小題4:This passage is most likely to be found in _______.

A．a(chǎn) travel guide	B．a(chǎn) story book
C．a(chǎn) technical report	D．a(chǎn) geography book

Diane Arbus is known for creating intense black and white photographs of very unusual people. She used a special camera that produced square shaped images. One art expert said Diane Arbus turned photography inside out. Instead of looking at her subjects, she made them look at her.
Diane Arbus was born in 1923 to a wealthy family in New York City. After finishing high school at the age of 18, Diane married Allan Arbus. Mr. Arbus worked in the advertising department of her father’s store.
It was Mr. Arbus who gave Diane her first camera. Diane soon decided to take a class with the famous photographer Berenice Abbott. The Arbuses eventually started taking photographs of clothing. These images were used as advertisements for Diane’s father’s store. After the birth of their daughter, Doon, the Arbuses started a business together. Their purpose was to photograph clothing fashions. Diane Arbus was the stylist. She would prepare the hair and faces of the fashion models who wore the clothing being photographed. Allan Arbus took the pictures.
The couple soon had jobs from important fashion magazines such as “Vogue” and “Harper’s Bazaar”. Their work was very successful during the 1950s. They became part of a group of artists that were helping to redefine visual culture. They were breaking with past traditions to create a new look for a new decade, the sixties.
But Diane was not satisfied with her secondary role. She wanted a more active part in making photographs. She wanted to explore her own artistic expression and freedom. To do this, she stopped working with her husband. Then she started taking photography classes at the New School in New York City.
Arbus’ teacher, Lisette Model, influenced her in many ways. She showed Diane how to use a camera like an expert. She also taught Diane to use her art to face her doubts and fears. Miss Model once said that Diane soon started “not listening to me but suddenly listening to herself.”
小題1:Diane Arbus got her first camera ______.

A．from her father	B．from her husband
C．in a shop	D．in the advertising department

小題2:Why did the Arbuses start a business together?

A．To film clothing fashions.	B．To make their daughter happy.
C．To prove themselves.	D．To make friends with more people.

小題3:The Arbuses ______ in the 1950s according to the passage.

A．were in charge of “Vogue”	B．earned more than other artists
C．were recognized as great artists	D．were proud of their achievements

小題4:We can learn from the last two paragraphs that ______.

A．Diane was hard to dealt with

B．Diane care more for freedom

C．Diane was tired of working with husband

D．Diane learned more from Lisette Model

完形填空(共20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分)
請閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，然后從36~55各題所給的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該選項的標(biāo)號涂黑。
In the clinic,I asked if Michael could be retested,so the specialist tested him again.To my
   36  ,it was the same score.
Later that evening,I    37   told Frank what I had learned that day.After talking it over,we agreed that we knew our    38  much better than an IQ(智商) test.We    39   that Michael’s score must have been a      40     and we should treat him    41   as usual.
We moved to Indiana in 1962,and Michael studied at Concordia High School in the same year.He got      42     grades in the school,especially      43     biology and chemistry,which was a great comfort.
Michael    44   Indiana University in 1965 as a pre-medical student.Soon afterwards,his teacher permitted him to take more courses than    45  .In 1968,he was accepted by the School of Medicine,Yale University.
On graduation day in 1972,Frank and I    46   the ceremony(典禮) at Yale.After the ceremony,we told Michael about the    47   IQ score he got when he was six.Since that day,Michael sometimes would look at us and say    48  .“My dear mom and dad never told me that I couldn’t be a doctor,not until after I graduated from medical school!”It is his special way of thanking us for the    49   we had in him.
Interestingly,Michael then    50   another IQ test.We went to the same clinic where he had    51   the test eighteen years before.This time Michael scored 126,an increase of 36 points.A result like that was supposed to be    52  .
Children often do as    53  as what adults,particularly parents and teachers,   54   of them.That is,tell a child he is “   55  ,”and he may play the role of a foolish child.
36.A.joy                       B.surprise              C.dislike                       D.disappointment
37.A.tearfully               B.fearfully             C.cheerfully                  D.hopefully
38.A.student                 B.son                    C.friend                       D.doctor
39.A.argued                  B.realized              C.decided                     D.understood
40.A.joke                            B.mistake              C.warning                    D.wonder
41.A.specially               B.strictly               C.naturally                  D.carefully
42.A.poor                     B.good                  C.average                     D.standard
43.A.in                        B.about                 C.of                             D.for
44.A.visited                  B.chose                 C.passed                       D.entered
45.A.allowed                B.described            C.required                    D.offered
46.A.missed                  B.held                   C.delayed                     D.attended
47.A.high                     B.same                  C.low                           D.different
48.A.curiously                     B.eagerly               C.calmly                      D.jokingly
49.A.faith                     B.interest               C.pride                         D.delight
50.A.looked for            B.asked for            C.waited for                 D.prepared for
51.A.received               B.accepted             C.organized                  D.discussed
52.A.imperfect              B.impossible          C.uncertain                   D.unsatisfactory
53.A.honestly               B.much                 C.well                          D.bravely
54.A.hear                            B.learn                  C.expect                       D.speak
55.A.wise                     B.rude                   C.shy                           D.stupid

Teens don’t understand the big fuss(小題大做).As the first generation to grow up in a wired world,they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around,and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online,chatting with friends.So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated(孤寂),less skillful at person-to-person relationships,and perhaps numb(麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world.“And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,”said Sherry Turkle.
Another researcher,Robert Kraut,said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs”(機會成本) of so much online time for youths.He found that teens who used computers,even just a few hours a week,showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation.“Chatting online may be better than watching television,but it’s worse than hanging out(閑逛) with real friends,”he said.
Today’s teens,however,don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives.“School is busy and full of pressure.There’s almost no time to just hang out,”said Parker Rice,17.“Talking online is just catch-up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply.Some teens admit that asking someone for a date,or breaking up,can be easier in message form,though they don’t want to do so.But they insist there’s no harm.
小題1:The researchers argue that______.

A．teens may develop a different sense of values

B．nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online

C．teens can manage their social connections

D．spending hours online does much good to teens

小題2:Teens think that talking online can help them______.

A．use computers properly

B．improve their school work

C．develop an interest in social skills

D．reduce their mental pressures

小題3:The text mainly deals with______.

A．teens’ pleasant online experience

B．teens’ computer skills and school work

C．the effects of the computer world on teens

D．different opinions on teens’ chatting online

小題4:The purpose of the text is to______.

A．describe computer research results

B．draw attention to teens’ computer habits

C．suggest ways to deal with problem teens

D．discuss problems teens have at school