Mobile phones are an important business tool for farmers in rural areas. But they also put a valuable
educational tool in their hands.
     The University of Illinois in the United States has a project called SAWBO-Scientific Animations
Without Borders. It produces educational videos that can be downloaded to cell phones. The goal is to
help people in developing countries improve their lives.
      One video shows farmers how to make a natural insecticide from neem seeds to prevent insect
damage to crops. The process starts with sorting and drying the neem fruits. Then let the fruit dry in the
sun for about three or four days, until they become brown. Using a mortar(碾槌) and stick, the fruits are
slightly pounded to remove the shells from the fruits without breaking the seed inside.
      The videos use computer animation(動(dòng)畫). Some of the animated characters are a little funny
looking-like a farmer with a long nose. But the subjects are serious, including a health video on preventing cholera(霍亂). Team member Francisco Seufferheld says the information in the videos is meant to be
quickly understood. He says, "The information is digested in such a way that in two minutes, we can
transmit a complex idea."
     The researchers tested the seven-minute video on seven mobile phones. They wanted to see if
people would share the video using Bluetooth wireless technology. With Bluetooth, files can be passed
to a nearby phone even if neither phone is connected to the Internet. As a result, in one month, the video
had spread to one hundred eighteen people in fifty different villages. "This is just incredible impact," said
Francisco Seufferheld.
     The team has made a few videos so far. These are available in a total of eighty languages, dialects and
accents. Professor Barry Pittendrigh says there are plans for more videos later this year.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A. A best-selling mobile phone                  
B. A valuable educational project for farmers
C. United States support for developing countries    
D. A new type of scientist -farmer relationship

2. The SAWBO program is introduced in order to ____.

A. raise farmers' standard of living                
B. do some research on mobile phones
C. develop farmers' practical skills                
D. help farmers prevent insect damage to corps

3. The biggest advantage of the program is that it______.

A. includes health video on preventing cholera      
B. can be passed to farmers using Bluetooth technology
C. can be used to sort and dry the neem fruits      
D. is easy for farmers to understand

4. Which of the following words can best take the place of the word " pound" in the 3rd paragraph?

A. moved            
B. beat            
C. picked            
D. cut

                                                        The Cost of Higher Education
     Individuals(個(gè)人) should pay for their higher education.
     A university education is of huge and direct benefit to the individual. Graduates eam more than
non-graduates.Meanwhile,social mobility is ever more dependent on having a degree. However,only
some people have it. So the imli-
vidual,not the taxpayers,should pay for it. There are pressing calls on the resources(資源) of the
government.  Using taxpayers' money to help a small number of people to earn high incomes in the future
is not one of them.
     Full govemment funding(資助) is not very good for universities. Adam Smith worked in a Scottish
university whose teachers lived off student fees.  He knew and looked down upon 18th-century Oxford,
where the academics lived comfortably off the income received from the govemment.  Guaranteed salaries,Smith argued,were the enemy of hard work;and when the academics were lazy and incompetent,the
students were similarly lazy.
      If students have to pay for their education,they not only work harder,but also demand more from their
teachers. And their teachers have to keep them satisfied.  If that means taking teachjng seriously,and giving less time to their own research interests,that is surely something to celebrate.
         Many people believe that higher education should be free because it is good for the economy (經(jīng)濟(jì)) .  Many graduates clearly do contribute to national wealth,but so do all the businesses that invest (投資) and create jobs.  If you believe that the government should pay for higher education because
graduates are economically productive,you should also believe that the government should pay part of
business costs. Anyone promising to create jobs should receive a gift of capital from the govemment to
invest. Therefore,it is the individual,not the govemment,who should pay for their university education.

1. The underlined word "them" in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.

A. taxpayers                                  
B. pressing calls
C. college graduates                          
D. govemment resources

2. The author thinks that with full govemment funding _____.

A. teachers are less satisfied                  
B. students are more demanding
C. students will become more competent  
D. teachers will spend less time on teaching

3. The author mentions businesses in Paragraph 5 in order to____.

A. argue against free university education    
B. call on them to finance students' studies
C. encourage graduates to go into business        
D. show their contribution to higher education

                                            Autumn blues? Let the sunshine in.
     Falling leaves, whithering flowers, sold winds, faint sunshine.   1  Spirits can be low.
     People who suffer from " the autumn blues" often are extremely exhausted , lack energy, need more
sleep, feel increased appetite and gain weight.
     " The exact cause of this condition, often called seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), is not known yet," says Chen Jue, associate professor at Shanghai Mental Health Center. " But
recent studies indicate that weather change is influential and strongly suggest that this condition is caused
by changes in the availability of sunlight."
     One theory is that with decreased exposure to sunlight, the biological clock that regulates mood,
sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter.   2  Another theory is that brain chemicals
that transmit information between nerves may be altered(改變) in individuals with SAD. It is believed
that exposure to light can correct these imbalances.
      "      3   Remember, spring always lives in your heart," Chen says.
      Here are some tips to deal with autumn depression.
1.Go outdoors and get some sunlight. More around. Fresh air and exercise improve the respiratory( 呼
吸) system and blood circulation and regulate the nerves system. Thus , exercise is calming and relieves
one's mood.
2.Relax at work. Stretch, breathe deeply. Take a tea break. Think of your next vacation.
3.   4  Chocolate and sugar raise the spirits.
4. Look at bright colors, such as red and orange.
5.  5   Blooming plants are cheering
6.Call friends or family when you feel lonely or depressed. Recall some happy memories.

A. Exposure to light  may reset the biological clock.
B. Decorate your room and work space with flowers
C. It is a sad season, but you can try to make it happy.
D.That is the way you can use to lighten yourself.
E. Keep a chocolate bar in your pocket.
F. For many people ,late autumn can be a season of gloom and depression. Autumn always gives
    us a beautiful scene.

     Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but
have never practiced ever since. A man who has not had a chance to go swimming for years can still
swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years and still
ride away. He can play catch and hit a ball as well as his son. A mother who has not thought about the
words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" or remember
the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
     One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: Once we have learned
something, additional learning trials increase the length of time we will Remember it
      In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, bicycle riding, and
playing baseball long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind
ourselves of words such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as
     Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not only learn but overlearn.
    The multiplication tables(乘法口訣表)are an exception to the general rule. that we
forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things
we overlearn in childhood.
     The law of overleatning explains why crammingJ(突擊學(xué)習(xí))for an examination, though
it may result in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By
cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is
likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning, on the other hand, is
really necessary for one's future development.

1.What'the main idea of Paragraph 1?

A. People remember well what they learned in childhood.
B. Children have a better memory than grown-ups.
C. Poem reading is a good way to learn words."
D. Stories for children are easy to remember.

2. The author explains the law of overlearning by

A. presenting research findings
B. setting down general rules
C. making a comparison
D. using examples

3. According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is

A. a result of overlearning
B. a special case of cramming
C. a skill to deal with math problems
D. a basic step towards advanced studies

4.What is the author's opinion on cramming?

A. It leads to failure in college exams.
B. It's helpful only in a limited way.
C. It's possible to result in poor memory.
D. It increases students' learning interest.

                                           The Basics of Math-Made Clear
     Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of
more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of
arithmetic and to prepare them for Algebra(代數(shù)) and beyond.
     The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents(指數(shù)), the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various
mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical
topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically.
     Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more
troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The
lectures offer students the chance to "make sense" of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so
frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about
this amazing-and completely understandable-field of study.
     By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They
will be able to clear away the mystery(神秘性) of mathematics and face their studies with more
confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and
exciting mathematical challenges.
     Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as "the best math teacher in
America," is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make
them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is master
in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary.
     With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics
at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for
future primary school teachers.
     If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other
course that we offer. Or you can get your money back.

1. What does the course Basic Math mainly cover?

A. Algebra.                    
B. College Mathematics.
C. Arithmetic.                  
D. Mathematics Education.

2. What benefits can students expect from Basic Math? 

A. Stronger imaginative ability.
B. Additional presentation skills.
C. More mathematical confidence.
D. Greater chances of becoming teachers.

3. What can we learn about Professor H. Siegel?

A. He is a guest lecturer at Kentucky Educational Television.
B. He is to deliver 30 lectures in Basic Math.
C. He works in Georgia State University.
D. He specializes in training teachers.

4. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from? 

A. A news report.              
B. A book review
C. A lesson plan.              
D. An advertisement

                                                    Decision-making under Stress
     A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the
advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative (負(fù)面的)
consequences of a decision.
     The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.
     "Stress affects how people learn," says Professor Mara Mather. "People learn better about positive
than negative outcomes under stress."
     For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像) with either
rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give
a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by
having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the
rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn't gone
through the stress.
     This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking
a cigarette while under stress -at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes
to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are
rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.
     The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women.
While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their
responses to risk turn out to be different.
     Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment
while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big,
men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win.
     This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help
explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the
risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.

1. We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.

A. keep rewards better in their memory
B. recall consequences more effortlessly
C. make risky decisions more frequently
D. learn a subject more effectively

2. According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their ______.

A. ways of making choices
B. preference for pleasure
C. tolerance of punishments
D. responses to suggestions

3.The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ______.

A. women find it easier to fall into certain habits
B. men have a greater tendency to slow down
C. women focus more on outcomes
D. men are more likely to take risks

     根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容,從短文后的七個(gè)選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。
                                                               Empathy
      Last year, researchers from the University of Michigan reported that empathy, the ability to
understand other people, among college students had dropped sharply over the past 10 years. __1__
Today, people spend more time alone and are less likely to join groups and clubs.
Jennifer Freed, a co-director of a teen program, has another explanation. Turn on the TV, and you're
showered with news and reality shows full of people fighting, competing, and generally treating one
another with no respect. __2__
     There are good reasons not to follow those bad examples. Humans are socially related by nature.
__3__ Researchers have also found that empathetic teenagers are more likely to have high self-respect.
Besides, empathy can be a cure for loneliness, sadness, anxiety, and fear.
Empathy is also an indication of a good leader. In fact, Freed says, many top companies report that
empathy is one of the most important things they look for in new managers. __4__ "Academics are
important.    But if you don't have emotional (情感的) intelligence, you won't be as successful in work
or in your love life," she says.
      What's the best way to up your EQ (情商)? For starters, let down your guard and really listen to
others. __5__
     To really develop empathy, you'd better volunteer at a nursing home or a hospital, join a club or a
team that has a diverse membership, have a "sharing circle" with your family, or spend time caring for
pets at an animal shelter.

A. Everyone is different, and levels of empathy differ from person to person.
B. That could be because so many people have replaced face time with screen time, the researchers said.
C. "One doesn't develop empathy by having a lot of opinions and doing a lot of talking," Freed says.
D. Humans learn by example-and most of the examples on it are anything but empathetic.
E. Empathy is a matter of learning how to understand someone else-both what they think and how they
    feel.
F. Good social skills-including empathy-are a kind of "emotional intelligence" that will help you succeed
     in many areas of life.
G. Having relationships with other people is an important part of being human-and having empathy is
    decisive to those relationships.

     I'm usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or
unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these
statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by
a report which concluded that today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s.
In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than
children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
     Why are America's kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical
isolation-brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things-and
a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
     Given that we can't turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.
     At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child
is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
     To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers.
Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will
get more sleep.
     Limit the amount of virtual (虛擬的) violence your children are exposed to. It's not just video games
and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
     Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended
Harvard or Yale.
     Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide
a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn't have to ruin your life.

1. What does the author mean when he says, "we can't turn the clock back" (Line 1, Para. 3)?

A. It's impossible to slow down the pace of change.
B. The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.
C. Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.
D. It's impossible to forget the past.

2. According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally
    ill 50 years ago ________.

A. were less isolated physically
B. were probably less self-centered
C. probably suffered less from anxiety
D. were considered less individualistic

3. The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ________.

A. to provide them with a safer environment
B. to lower their expectations for them
C. to get them more involved socially
D. to set a good model for them to follow

4. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?

A. Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.
B. Children's anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.(夸大)
C. Children's anxiety can be eliminated(排除) with more parental care.
D. Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.

     LOS ANGELES ----Disney's "The Lion King", one of the most successful animated (動(dòng)畫的) films
ever, will roar (咆哮) again this weekend with a 3D version that could put it back at the top of the box
office (票房) with a very proud $12million. The 1994 version was the second highest box-office earning
film of that year and ranks fourth on the all-time animated list with over $784 million.
     Hot on the heels of the box office success of "The Lion King 3D", Disney and Pixar are remaking
four of their classic animated films in 3D versions for movie theaters. Encouraged by the success of "The
Lion King 3D", the movie studio said it would release a 3D version of 1991 animated film. "Beauty and
the Beast" in January 2012 for a limited run in movie theaters.
     It will be followed by Pixar's sea-adventure "Finding Nemo" in September 2012, the classic 1989
Disney romance "The Little Mermaid" in September 2013, following "Monsters, Inc." In January 2013.
"Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we're lucky to have a treasure(財(cái)富) of
both," said Alan Bergman, president of the Walt Disney Studios. "We're excited to give audiences of all
ages the chance to experience these beloved stories in an exciting new way with 3D----and in the case of
younger people, for the first time on the big screen," Bergman said in a statement.
     Since 1994, "The Lion King " has earned some $883 million at the worldwide box office, including
recent sales from the 3D version of the beloved story of the African animal kingdom. Disney's "Beauty
and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid" have so far earned $380 million and $228 million worldwide.
Pixar's 2001 hit "Monsters, Inc." made $526 million worldwide and the 2003 Oscar winning film
"Finding Nemo" made more than $867million

1. By saying "Disney's 'The Lion King'…will roar again this weekend with a 3D version that…" ,
    the author means the film____.

A. will be popular with young people
B. will win success this weekend again
C. will be awarded a big prize this weekend 
D. will shock the people for the huge production cost

2. Which of the following is the right time order of these 3Dfilms to be released? 

A. The Lion King---Beauty and the Beast ---Finding Nemo--- The Little Mermaid--- Monsters, Inc.
B. Beauty and the Beast--- The Lion King---Finding Nemo--- The Little Mermaid--- Monsters, Inc.
C. The Lion King---Beauty and the Beast---Finding Nem--- Monsters, Inc. --- The Little Mermaid
D. Beauty and the Beast--- The Lion King---Finding Nem--- Monsters, Inc. --- The Little Mermaid

3. What advantage does The Walt Disney Studio have over the others?    

A. They have better recreation sources.
B. The first released 3D films in the world.
C. They earned the largest box office and worldwide.
D. They have a lot of money and rich experience.

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?  

A. The Lion King 3D is a larger box-office success than The Lion King in 1994.
B. The animated film The Lion King has ever won the Oscar film prize.
C. The five animated films mentioned will be or have been remade.
D. Most of the animated film audiences are young people