The word “conservation” has a thrifty meaning. To conserve is to save and protect, to leave what we ourselves enjoy in such a good condition that others may also share the enjoyment. Our forefathers had no idea that human population would increase faster than the supplies of raw materials: most of them, even until very recently, had the foolish idea that the treasures were “l(fā)imitless” and could “l(fā)ast forever”. Most of the citizens of earlier generations knew little or nothing about the complicated and delicate system that runs all through nature, and which means that, as in a living body, an unhealthy condition of one part will sooner or later be harmful to all the others.
　　Fifty years ago, nature study was not part of the school work; scientific forestry was a new idea; wood was still cheap because it could be brought in any quantity from distant woodlands; soil destruction and river floods were not national problems; nobody had yet studied long-term climatic cycles in relation to proper land use; even the word “conservation” had nothing of the meaning that it has for us today.
　　For the sake of ourselves and those who will come after us, we must now set about correcting the mistakes of our forefathers. Conservation should be made part of everybody’s daily life. To know about the water table in ground is just as important to us as a knowledge of the basic math formulas. We need to know why all watersheds (上游集水區(qū)) need the protection of plant life and why the running current of streams and rivers must be made to give their full benefit to the soil before they finally escape to the sea. We need to be taught the duty of planting trees as well as of cutting them. We need to know the importance of big, grown trees, because living space for most of man’s fellow creatures on this planet is figured not only in square measure of surface but also in cubic (立方體的) volume above the earth. In a word, it should be our goal to restore as much of the original beauty of nature as we can.
小題1:The author’s attitude towards the use of natural resources is _________.

A．positive

B．uninterested

C．optimistic

D．critical

小題2:According to the author, the greatest mistake of our forefathers was that _________.

A．they had no idea about scientific forestry

B．they had little or no sense of environmental protection

C．they were not aware of the importance of nature study

D．they had no idea of how to make good use of raw materials

小題3:To avoid repeating the mistakes of our forefathers, the author suggests that _________.

A．we plant more trees

B．natural sciences be taught to everybody

C．environmental education be directed toward everyone

D．we return to nature

小題4:How can you understand the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?

A．Our living space on the earth is getting smaller and smaller.

B．Our living space should be measured in cubic volume.

C．We need to take some measures to protect space.

D．We must preserve good living conditions for both birds and animals.

Three years ago I listened to a lecture on cognition (認(rèn)知) that changed the way I think about intelligence. There are two types of cognition. The first is normal cognition: the ability to regain knowledge from memory. The second type of cognition is metacognition: the ability to know whether or not you know.
Does this affect intelligence? In traditional education, intelligence is measured by cognitive ability. Some people can easily produce everything they know on a test. But others are awarded with poor grades and considered inferior. But does this inability make them any less intelligent? If the question came up on a task, they could refer to a book or a quick Google search. In reality they’re just as effective as the people that ace a test. They just can’t prove it as easily.
Metacognition is more important to success than cognition. A person with poor cognitive ability, but great metacognitive ability might do poorly in school, but when faced with a challenge, they understand their abilities and take the best course of action. For example, when faced with a question, a person with strong metacognitive ability will deal with it like this. If he knows the answer, but can’t come up with it, he can always do a bit of research. If he knows for sure that he doesn’t know, then he can start educating himself. Because he’s aware of his ignorance, he doesn’t act with foolish confidence. These people might not seem intelligent at first glance, but because they know what they know, they make better decisions and learn the most important things.
However, people with great cognitive ability but poor metacognitive ability may be considered excellent at a young age for acing every test and getting great SAT scores. Unfortunately, they’ve been ruined by poor metacognition: they think they know everything but they really don’t. They are overconfident, fail to learn from mistakes, and don’t understand the slight differences of personal relationships, showing disregard for persons with lower cognitive ability. They may make the worst decisions.
The most important mental power is the ability to know what you don’t know. The recognition of a fault is the first step to improvement. Don’t try to hide a lack of knowledge. For intelligent people this is the toughest lesson to learn.
小題1:People with great cognitive ability tend to _________.

A．do well in tests	B．be considered inferior
C．be more effective than others	D．do research when faced with a task

小題2:The underlined phrase “take the best course of action” probably means _________.

A．starting educating himself	B．taking action during the course
C．making the right decision	D．coming up with many ideas

小題3:People with poor metacognition may not succeed because they_________.

A．lack basic moral values	B．have improper self-evaluation
C．fail to communicate with others	D．show little respect for others

小題4:The author probably supports the idea that _________.

A．intelligence is measured by cognitive ability

B．cognition is the most important mental power

C．the toughest lesson is to distinguish the two types of cognition

D．the awareness of one’s ignorance contributes to one’s improvement

Harry’s father bought a magazine which gave its readers information about all kinds of products and helped them make the best choice while buying.
Harry borrowed his father’s magazine when he needed a new computer. “I’ll read it and choose the best one.” He said.
The magazine described these computers.

The DGT PC450	The BNK 975XF: AT $3,200	The CGP 8PT
This computer comes with lots of good software. However it does not have much memory and is rather slow. At $2,850 it’s not very good value for money.	This is the most expensive computer we tested. However it is also the most reliable (可靠的). It is very fast and has lots of memory. It is worth the extra money if you can afford it.	At only $1,900. It has lots of memory and is quite fast. However it broke down twice while we were testing it and we cannot recommend (建議) it for reliability.

     Harry chose the BNK 975XF. “I know it’s expensive,” he said, “but it will be with me for a long time and do everything I want it to do.”
小題1: Harry wants to buy a computer, so he borrowed ___________ from his father.

A．a(chǎn) magazine about all kinds of products	B．a(chǎn) computer magazine
C．a(chǎn) shopping book	D．a(chǎn) book about all kinds of computers

小題2: ____________ doesn’t have much memory and is rather slow.

A．The BNK 975XF	B．The DGT PC450
C．The CGP 8PT	D．Harry’s computer

小題3: The CGP 8PT is _____________ among the three kinds of computers.

A．the fastest

B．the most expensive

C．the cheapest

D．the slowest

小題4:Harry chose the BNK 975XF because _________.

A．it is the most expensive	B．it has lots of good software
C．it has much memory	D．it would work for him for a long time

What is red but green, open but closed and old but new?
The answer is: London’s new double-decker（雙層）buses.
Red double-deckers are a symbol of the city. Their status was sealed (確定) in 2008 when one bus made the longer-than-usual trip to Beijing to collect a special passenger: the Olympic Flame.
On November 11, a life-size model of the new bus was shown to the media. The Guardian reported that the new design shares some of the features of the much-missed double-decker Routemaster bus. The original Routemaster was introduced in 1956 but December 2005 saw the end of the old bus’s general service. It was because the bus was difficult for some passengers to use and not environmentally friendly. But it can still be seen on two heritage routes in the city.
Its replacements —boxy, modern double—deckers—have failed to win Londoners’ affection.
London mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC that the new buses were “a combination of nostalgia（懷舊）and the latest technology”. “Standing on the back platform of this bus brings a sense of nostalgia but also shows the best part of the latest technology and design, making this bus fit for the 21st Century,” he said.
The new bus also returns to the driver—and—conductor model—a key feature of the original version. It will be quieter than the old type and have a platform offering passengers the traditional hop—on hop—off service.
The first five new buses will be seen on the roads by early 2012.
小題1:Which of the following shows that red double—deckers are a symbol of London?

A．They have a long history and are seen everywhere in London.

B．They have nothing in common with the traditional Routemaster bus.

C．One such bus went from London to Beijing to collect the Olympic Flame.

D．They carried British athletes from London to attend the Beijing Olympics.

小題2:Which of the following is true of the original Routemaster?

A．The bus came into use in the 1960s.

B．The bus was banned because it was harmful to the environment.

C．Passengers didn’t like the bus because it was slow.

D．Visitors to London cannot see such buses on the roads any more.

小題3:According to London mayor Boris Johnson, the new Routemaster          .

A．has not been as well received as was expected

B．will be widely used in London in 2012

C．is the most environmentally friendly bus in the UK

D．combines the latest technology with key traditional features

小題4:What is the characteristic of the new red double – deckers?

A．The buses will make no noises.

B．The buses will have no conductors.

C．They will be equipped with air – conditioning.

D．The bus platform will offer passengers a traditional service.

THIS was the year the Earth struck back.
Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, snow storms, landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter of a million people in 2010 – the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined.
"It just seemed like it was back-to-back and it came in waves," said Craig Fugate, who heads the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency. It handled a record number of disasters in 2010.
And we have ourselves to blame most of the time, scientists and disaster experts say.
Even though many catastrophes have the ring of random chance, the hand of man made this a particularly deadly, costly, extreme and weird（古怪的） year for everything from wild weather to earthquakes.
Poor construction and development practices conspire to make earthquakes more deadly than they need be. More people live in poverty in vulnerable（脆弱的） buildings in crowded cities. That means that when the ground shakes, the river breaches, or the tropical cyclone hits, more people die.
Disasters from the Earth, such as earthquakes and volcanoes "are pretty much constant," said Andreas Schraft, vice president of catastrophic perils for the Geneva-based insurance giant Swiss Re. "All the change that's made is man-made."
The January earthquake that killed well more than 220,000 people in Haiti is a perfect example. Port-au-Prince has nearly three times as many people - many of them living in poverty - and more poorly built shanties than it did 25 years ago. So had the same quake hit in 1985 instead of 2010, total deaths would have probably been in the 80,000 range, said Richard Olson, director of disaster risk reduction at Florida International University.
In February, an earthquake that was more than 500 times stronger than the one that struck Haiti hit an area of Chile that was less populated, better constructed, and not as poor. Chile's bigger quake caused fewer than 1,000 deaths.
Climate scientists say Earth's climate also is changing, bringing extreme weather, such as heat waves and flooding.
In the summer, one weather system caused oppressive heat in Russia, while farther south it caused flooding in Pakistan that inundated 161,200 square kilometers, about the size of Wisconsin. That single heat-and-storm system killed almost 17,000 people, more people than all the worldwide airplane crashes in the past 15 years.
Scientists have calculated that the killer Russian heat wave—setting a national record of 43.9℃—would happen once every 100,000 years without global warming.
小題1:What is responsible for the most human deaths in 2010?

A．Natrual disasters.	B．Terrorist attacks.
C．Poor buildings.	D．Too rapid developrnent.

小題2:According to Andreas Schraft,             .

A．earthquakes are happening more often because of human beings

B．earthquakes are causing more damage because of human beings

C．stronger houses should be built to limit storm damage

D．Port—au—Prince is now overpopulated

小題3:The main point of the article is to           

A．list the natural disasters that occurred in 2010

B．give the details of some natural disasters of 2010

C．warn that more natural disasters are to strike

D．blame humanity for not helping those affected by the disasters

Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (腫大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消過(guò)毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (藥膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly.
小題1:The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
Ｂ. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properly
小題2:Burns are divided into different degrees according to _______.

A．what kind of treatment they need

B．what kind of tissue of the body is damaged

C．whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is

D．which layer of skin is burned

小題3:From the passage we learn that _______.

A．if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment

B．first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment

C．burns without pains can be treated at home

D．the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is

小題4: It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe

B．you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid

C．you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken

D．you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area

小題5:where do you probably find the passage?

A．a(chǎn) fashion magazine	B．a(chǎn) guide book
C．a(chǎn) book on first aid	D．a(chǎn) section about culture in the newspaper

One of the most difficult things for children to deal with when moving to a new town is leaving their friends and making new ones.
We once moved and one of our new neighbors told us about a summer camp at the Recreation Center all the kids went to. My husband and I looked into it and we found it was unbelievably cheap. I had the kids sign up (報(bào)名) the next day so that they could know more kids there.
Another thing we did was to have them sign up for sports when school started. They were happy to be on teams with new friends they made. This also gave me a chance to meet new people and from them I sometimes got some useful ideas for my new books.
If you’re just moving to a new house in the same city you live in now, it won’t really be a problem unless your kids are changing schools. If they are, it is a great idea to have them take the address book to school. Thus, your children won’t feel “l(fā)ost” without their old friends.
If you’re able to, over the summer vacation, try inviting the friend your child misses most to come and visit your new home for a week, or even a few weeks. I know this can be difficult if that child has to fly, but maybe you can work out a plan with the child’s parents. Think how happy the kids will be when they meet!
小題1:The author had her kids sign up for the summer camp mainly because _____.

A．she could afford the cost	B．she was asked to do so by her kids
C．it could give her kids a chance to meet more kids
D．it could make the summer holiday not so boring

小題2:What is probably the author?

A．A housewife.

B．A business woman.

C．A teacher.

D．A writer.

小題3:What we can’t learn from the passage is that ____. 

A．a(chǎn) summer camp at the Recreation Center was very cheap

B．having the kids take part in sports is good for both the author and her kids

C．parents should ask their children not to think of their old friends

D．parents should create more chances for children to make new friends

小題4:The purpose of the passage is to teach parents how to ______ when they move to a new place. 

A．get used to the new life in a short time

B．help their children make new friends and keep the old ones

C．get along with their new neighbors

D．help their children get used to the new school life

The rise of the so-called “boomerang generation” is revealed in official figures showing that almost one in five graduates in their late 20s now live with their parents.
By contrast, only one in eight university graduates had failed to fly the nest by the same age 20 years ago. It also found that grown-up sons are twice as likely as their sisters to still be living with their parents in their late 20s. With nearly a quarter of men approaching 30 still living at home, the findings are bound to lead to claims of a “generation of mummy’s boys”.
Young professionals in their late 20s or early 30s have been nicknamed the “boomerang generation” because of the trend toward returning to the family home having initially left to study. Recent research has suggested that young people in Britain are twice as likely to choose to live with their parents in their late 20s than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.
Rising property prices, mounting student debts and the effects of recession on the job market have forced a wave of young people to move back into the family home at an age when they would normally be moving out. But commentators warned that the phenomenon may have more to do with young people facing “dire” prospects than simply a desire to save money.
While the proportion of those of university or college age moving out from the family home has continued to rise in the last 20 years, among those in their mid and late 20s the trend has been reversed. Overall 1.7 million people aged from 22 to 29 now share a roof with their parents, including more than 760,000 in their late 20s. In 1988, 22.7 per cent of men aged 25 to 29 were still living with their parents but last year the proportion was 24.5 per cent.
小題1: What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The economic crisis has shown its effect on the young generation.

B．More young professionals are returning home to live.

C．British parents are suffering more loads from their grown-up children.

D．Britain is suffering more than any other country in Europe.

小題2: Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Male children seem to more independent than females.

B．Eighty percent of university graduates were able to live independently two decades ago.

C．The grown-up children choose to live with their parents only to save money.

D．More and more children are moving out at university age.

小題3: What does the underlined word “dire” probably mean?

A．promising.

B．inconvenient.

C．very bad.

D．hopeful

小題4: The following factors may account for the phenomenon except _____.

A．that living prices have risen a lot.

B．that it’s difficult to land a job.

C．that education has already cost them a lot

D．that parents can help them more

All sorts of items become litter(垃圾) but two of the most common and most dangerous are cigarette butts（煙頭) and plastic bags. Litter is a big problem for our environment but it is a problem that individuals can easily do something about. Not littering at all or cleaning up litter, such as  cigarette butts and plastic bags, greatly improves the quality of our environment.
Although cigarette butts, are small, they are bad for the environment. Over 1,600 billion cigarette are smoked each year in China and large quantities of the butts are thrown away. Worldwide, about 4. 5 trillion butts are littered every year. Apart from the fact that butts spoil the beauty of the environment, they contain some very toxic chemicals. These find their way into the water supply where they decrease the quality of the water and endanger plants and animals that live there. So, if people have to smoke, they shouldn't throw away the butts but put them in the rubbish bin instead.
Plastic bags are another common form of litter that is a danger to the environment. There areseveral reasons for this. They are made from oil and gas, which are non—renewable resources. If they are not recycled, these resources are lost to us. In China, 2 billion plastic bags are used every day. An enormous number of these become litter. This is a huge problem because they last from 20 to 1,000 years in the environment. They float easily in the air and water and travel long distances. They find their way to rivers, parks, beaches and oceans. Plastic bags kill up to one million seabirds, 100, 000 sea mammals and countless fish each year worldwide. It is up to people not to let plastic bags become litter. It would be better if they used fewer and recycled them.
Cleaning up your cigarette butts and plastic bags would improve the environment. And we would know that we were doing something to look after our planet. However, I believe the best solution would be not to smoke or use plastic bags at all.
小題1: Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage?
A           B.         C.          D.
( ①=" paragraph" 1; ②=" paragraph" 2; ③=" paragraph" 3; ④a paragraph 4 )
小題2:The word “toxic” in the paragraph 2 most probably mean “________”

A．precious

B．extra

C．poisonous

D．useless

小題3: From the text. we know the fact that_________

A．Chinese smokers litter up to 4. 5 trillion butts every year

B．people in the world use 2 billion plastic bags in a single day

C．plastic bags cause 1 million deaths of seabirds each year worldwide

D．the butts can last 20 to 1,000 years in the environment of China

小題4: What's probably the best title of the passage?. Clean Up Your

A．Say Goodbye to Smokin

B．Protect the Endangered Sea Animals .

C．Use Paper Bags Now

D．Clean Up Your Butts and Bags

We are all interested in equality，but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality，others，still in the name of equality，want only to destroy it．
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils．The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect--but to have no external(外部的)tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards．There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in external examinations or in any contr schools or on teachers.This would mean that everything would depend on luck every pupll would depend on the efficiency(效率)，the ideal and the purpose of teacher．
Without external examinations， employers will 1ook for employees from highly respected schools and from families known to them--a form of favoritism will  replace equality．At the moment，the bright child from an ill—respected schoo1 can show certificates(證書)to prove he or she is suitable for a job，while the lack of a certificate shows the unsuitability of a dull child attanding a well—respected schoo1.This defence of excellence and opportunity would disappear if external examinations were taken away，and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school’s fame(名譽(yù))，unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored schoo1．
The opponents(對(duì)手)of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils．According to these  people，there must be no special，different，academic class． They have even suggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area：all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection．The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computer．
小題1: The word “favoritism” in paragraph 3 is used to decribe the phenomenon that _____. 

A．bright children also need certificates to get satisfying jobs.

B．Pooor children with certificates are favored in job markets.

C．Children attending ordinary schools achieve great success.

D．children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs.

小題2:What would happen if examinations were taken away according to the author?    

A．Children’s job opportunity would be affected by their school reputation.

B．Schools for bright children would lose their reputation

C．There would be more opportunities and excellence.

D．Children from poor families would be able to change their schools.

小題3: The opponents of the examination system will agree that _____.

A．Computers should be selected to take over many jobs.

B．Special classed are necessary to keep the school standards.

C．Jobs should not be assigned by systematic selection.

D．Schools with academic subjects should be abolished.

小題4: The passage mainly focuses on ____.
A. schools and certificates   B opportunity and employment
C. examinations and equality  D. standards and reputation