Polyester (聚酯 ) is now being used for bottles. ICI, the chemicals and plastics company, believes
that it is now beginning to break the control of glass on the bottle business and thus take advantage of
this huge market.
    All the plastics manufacturers have been experiencing hard times as their traditional products have
been doing badly worldwide for the last few years. Between 1982 and 1984 the Plastics Division of
ICI had lost a hundred and twenty million dollars, and they felt that the most hopeful new market was
in packaging, bottles and cans.
     Since 1982 it has opened three new factories producing "Melinar", the raw material from which
high quality polyester bottles are made.
     The polyester bottle was born in the 1970s, when soft drinks companies like Coca Cola started
selling their drinks in giant two-liter containers. Because of the build-up of the pressure of gas in these
large containers, glass was unsuitable. Nor was PVC, the plastic which had been used for bottles since
the 1960s, suitable for drinks with gas in them. A new plastic had to be made.
     Glass is still cheaper for the smaller bottles, and will continue to be so unless oil and plastic become
much cheaper, but plastic does well for the larger sizes.
    Polyester bottles are virtually unbreakable. The manufacturers claim they are also lighter, less noisy
when being handled, and can be reused. Shopkeepers and other business people are unlikely to object
to a change from glass to polyester, since these bottles mean few breakages, which are costly and
time-consuming. The public, though, have been more difficult to persuade. ICI's commercial department
is developing different bottles with interesting shapes, to try and make them visually more attractive to
the public.
     The next step could be to develop a plastic which could replace tins for food. The problem here is
the high temperatures necessary for cooking the food in the container.

1. Plastics of various kinds have been used for making bottles__________.
A. since 1982
B. since the 1970s but only for large bottles
C. since the 1960s but not for liquids with gas in them
D. since companies like Coca Cola first tried them

2. Why is ICI's Plastics Division interested in polyester for bottles?
A. The other things they make are not selling well.
B. Glass manufacturers cannot make enough new bottles.
C. They have factories which could be adapted to make it.
D. The price of oil keeps changing.

3. Manufacturers think polyester bottles are better than glass bottles because they ______.
A. are cheaper                
B. are more suited to small sizes
C. are more exciting to look at    
D. do not break easily

4. Plastic containers for holding food in the same way as cans______.
A. have been used for many years
B. are an idea that interests the plastics companies
C. are possible, but only for hot food
D. are the first things being made in the new factories

     The iPhone, the iPad, each of Apple's products sounds cool and has become a fad (一時(shí)的風(fēng)尚).
Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter "i" - and many other brands are following
suit. The BBC's iPlayer - which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet -adopted the
title in 2008. A lovely bear - popular in the US and UK - that plays music and video is called "iTeddy".
A slimmed-down version of London's Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name
"i".
      In general, single-letter prefixes (前綴) have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as
e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
      Most "i" products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent's
"i", it's no surprise that they've selected this fashionable name.
     But it's hard to see what's so special about the letter "i". Why not use "a", "b", or "c" instead?
According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King's College, London, "i" works because
its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses "i", no one knows whether it means Internet,
information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. "Even when Apple created the iPod,
it seems it didn't have one clear definition," he says.
     "However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (輕便) ."adds Thorne.
     Clearly the letter "i" also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual.
Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
     Along with "Google" and "blog", readers of BBC Magazines voted "i" as one of the top 20 words
that have come to define the last decade.
     But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with "2000" in
their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern.
However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably disappeared.

1. People use iPlayer to __________.

A. listen to music      
B. make a call
C. watch TV programs online      
D. read newspapers

2. We can infer that the Independent's "i" is aimed at __________.

A. young readers
B. old readers
C. fashionable women
D. engineers

3. The underlined word "ambiguous" means "__________".

A. popular    
B. uncertain    
C. definite    
D. unique

4. Nowadays, the "i" term often reminds people of the products which are __________.

A. portable
B. environmentally friendly    
C. advanced    
D. recyclable

5. The writer suggests that __________.

A. "i" products are often of high quality
B. iTeddy is alive bear
C. the letter "b" replaces letter "i" to name the products
D. the popularity of "i" products may not last long

     The traditional teaching and learning process in China is constantly being challenged by educational
reformists trying to create something better. One such effort has been happening since the beginning of
this term at Cuiyuan Middle School. They have implemented so-called research type learning, an
obligatory (義務(wù)的) course added by the Ministry of Education.
     As a pilot of the new course, all 600 Senior One students chose the 152 research topics. The
research type learning, which is based on students independent thinking and creation, targets the
students overall (全面的) development and forging application ability.
     The results of the research is not that important, said Ma Yuxuan of the school, adding that it is the
participation and the process that really matter. Ma and her other group member finally decided to
investigate students ideal professions as their research topic after an hour long discussion. The research
topics of class five are closely related with reality. Their investigations cover juveniles weight and health,
air pollution and environmental protection, Hakka culture, and drug prevention.
     One student called Zhang Ked said that the research type learning developed students' ability,
strengthened their competitiveness for the future, and shared the same objective as the annual college
entrance examination. An investigation by Beijing Normal University's research institute on students
creativity indicated that Senior Two students in China showed a low creativity. A comparative study
showed that Chinese students' creativity is far below that of their counterparts in Britain. The reason, as
Hu Weiping, who is responsible for the investigation, was the great differences in teaching methods
between the two countries.

1.What's the possible meaning of the underlined "implemented "in the first paragraph?

A. met with
B. carried on
C. done with
D. tested out

2. Form the passage we know the new course will_____.

A. choose the 152 research topics to make a study
B. consider completely students' developments
C. study students'growth and ideal professions
D. need an investigation to prove right

3. According to the students named Hu Weiping, we can conclude that ______.

A. Chinese students are worse than British ones
B. Chinese teachers are worse than British ones
C. Chinese teaching methods are worse than British ones
D. Chinese students' creativity are as good as British student'

     Animals are more like us than we ever imagined . They feel pain, they experience stress, they show
affection, excitement and love . All these findings have been made by scientists in recent years-and such
results are beginning to change how we view animals.
     Strangely enough, some of this research was sponsored by fast food companies like McDonald's and KFC . Pressured by animal rights groups , these companies felt they had to fund scientists researching the emotional and mental states of animals.
     McDonald's, for instance, funded studies on pig behavior at Purdue University, Indiana . This research
found that pigs seek affection and easily become depressed if left alone or prevented from playing with
each other . If they become depressed, they soon become physically ill . Because of this, and other similar studies, the European Union has banned the use of isolating pig stalls from 2010 . In Germany, the government is encouraging pig farmers to give each pig 20 seconds of human contact a day, and to provide them with toys to prevent them from fighting
     Other scientists have shown that animals think and behave like humans . Koko, the 300-pound gorilla
at the Gorilla Foundation in Northern California, for instance, has been taught sign language . Koko can
now understand several thousand English words, more than many humans who speak English as a second
language . On human IQ tests, she scores between 70 and 95.
     Before such experiments, humans thought language skills were absent from the animal kingdom . Other myths are also being overturned, like the belief that animals lack self-awareness . Studies have also shown
that animals mourn their dead, and that they play for pleasure.
      These striking similarities between animal and human behavior have led some to ask a question: "If
you believe in evolution, how can't you believe that animals have feelings that human  beings have?"
     Until recently, scientists believed that animals behaved by instinct and that what appeared to be learned behavior was merely genetically-programmed activity . But as Koko the Gorilla shows, this is not the case . In fact, learning is passed from parent to offspring far more often than not in the animal kingdom.
     So what implications does this knowledge have for humans? Because of this, should we ban hunting
and animal testing? Should we close zoos? Such questions are being raised by many academics and
politicians . Harvard and 25 other American law schools have introduced courses on animal rights .
Germany meanwhile, recently guaranteed animal rights in its constitution-the first country to do so.

1 . McDonald's and KFC give money to support scientist to do research on animals, because_____
A . they are international big companies.
B . they love animals.
C . they are pressured by animal right groups.
D . they earn a large amount of money and want to do some good deeds.

2 . The research on pigs at Purdue University shows that______
A . pigs love being alone.
B . pigs easily become physically ill.
C . pigs need affection.
D . pigs don't like to play with each other.

3 . Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A . Animals behave by instinct.
B . Animals have self-awareness.
C . Animals have feelings and love.
D . Animals do not have language skills.

4 . Should we ban hunting and animal testing?
A . Yes.
B . No
C . Not certain
D . Not mentioned

    Even facts "forgotten" by people during a busy day may be retrieved if this is followed by a good
night's sleep.
    Researchers from the University of Chicago asked volunteers to remember simple words . Many
found their memories letting them down towards the end of the day, but the following morning, those
who had slept well could recall much more.
    Researchers, writing in the journal Nature, said the brain could "rescue" lost memories during the
night.
    When the brain is first asked to remember something that memory is laid down in an "unstable" state,
meaning that it is possible that it could be lost . At some point, the brain consolidates those it deems
important into a "stable", more permanent state . However, the Chicago researchers suggested that it
was possible for a "stable" memory to be made "unstable" again . This would mean that memories
could be modified then filed away again in the face of new experiences.
    The 12 volunteers tested in the experiment were played words created through a speech synthesizer
which were purposely difficult to understand . Initially, the written version of the word  from the audio
version only . Tests revealed that the ability to recall the right word tended to tail off as the day ended.
    However, when the volunteers were retested after a good night's sleep, they were able to recall
some words that they had " forgotten" the previous evening.
    Dr Daniel, one of the study authors, said: "Sleep consolidates memories, protecting them against
subsequent interference or decay . Sleep also appears to "recover" or restore memories." He said: "If
performance is reduced by decay, sleep might actively recover what has been lost."
   Dr Karim Nader, from the Department of Psychology in McGill University in Montreal, said:
"Memory research is undergoing a transformation-no longer is memory thought to be a hard-writing
of the brain, instead it seems to be a process of storage and restorage."
    Sleep helps some memories "mature" and also prunes out unimportant memories.

1. What does the first paragraph implies?
A . A busy day makes people forget things easily.
B . People need a good night's sleep after a busy day.
C . A good night's sleep helps memories.
D . A good night's sleep helps people forget a busy day.

2 . The words the 12 volunteers played in the experiment were not ____
A . created through a speech synthesizer
B . hard to understand
C . available at the beginning
D . designed to test people's ability of understanding

3 . According to the passage, memory_____
A . is a hard-writing of the brain
B . is not a process of storage
C . is not a process of restorage
D . will be mature with the help of sleep

4 . Which of the following is NOT true?
A . When people first remember something, the memory is in an "unstable state".
B . The brain will change those important unstable memories into stable.
C . Once the memory become stable, it will never become unstable again.
D . Sleep can protect memories from being harmed.

     Scientists have found that human eyes are more likely to be damaged by UV rays (紫外線) while
skiing in the snow-covered areas than sitting on the beach, according to a report by the UK newspaper
The Telegraph.
     The researchers at Kanazawa Medical University, Japan and American company Johnson
     Johnson conducted the study together. They looked at the effects of light reflection on newly fallen
snow on a ski trail (a rough path) in Ishikawa District, northern Japan. They compared the results with the
levels of UV rays on a sand beach in southern Japan's Okinawa District.
     They found that on the beach, eyes are exposed to a daily 260 kilojoules (千焦耳) of UV a square
meter compared to 658 kilojoules in snow-covered areas.
     The findings are supported by the Japan Meteorological Agency. According to the agen- cy, the
reflection rate of UV light on beaches is often between 10 and 25 percent, compared to 80 percent in the
new snow areas. The amount of light increased 4 percent with a 300-meter rise in height.
     Most of us know that UV rays can harm the skin. That's why we wear sunscreen on our skin before we
get out in the sun. But many of us may not realize that UV rays are also harmful to the eyes.
     If your eyes are exposed to large amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time, you may
experience a kind of sunburn of the eye, which is harmful. Your eyes will become red and feel a strange
feeling. They may be sensitive to light. Fortunately, this is usually temporary (暫時(shí)的) and seldom causes
permanent damage to the eyes.
     Long-term exposure to UV radiation, however, can be more serious. Scientific studies and researches
have shown that exposure to small amounts of UV radiation over a period of many years increases the
chance of eye damage, which could lead to total blindness.

1. You would most likely find the article in

A. a doctor's diary                
B. a travel journal
C. a medical magazine              
D. a physics textbook

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Too much eye exposure to UV rays may cause total blindness.
B. Short-time exposure of the eyes to UV rays doesn't harm them at all.
C. Most people know that UV rays harm the eyes as well as the skin.
D. The study was conducted by researchers from Japan, the USA and the UK.

3. The underlined word "sunscreen" in Paragraph 5 most probably means ______.

A. sunglasses      
B. sunhat        
C. suncream        
D. sunburn

4. What will the passage most probably talk about next?

A. Never ski on newly fallen snow in Japan.
B. Go to hospital to have your eyes examined.
C. Wearing a hat can provide protection while skiing in new snow areas.
D. Take some measures to protect your eyes while skiing in new snow areas.

     As in the field of space travel, new technologies continue to appear in undersea exploration. They share a number of similarities with each other - as well as some important differences.
     Manned submersibles (潛水器), like spaceships, must maintain living conditions in an unnatural
environment. While a spaceship must simply be sealed against the vacuum space, a submersible must be
able to bear extreme pressure if it is not to break up in deep water.
     In exploring space, unmanned vehicles were employed before astronauts. In undersea exploration, on
the other hand, men paved the way, and only recently have unmanned remote-operated vehicles (ROVs)
been put to use.
     One reason for this is that communicating with vehicles in orbit is much easier than talking to those
underwater. A vacuum is an ideal medium for radio communications, but underwater communications are
limited to much slower sound waves. Thus, most undersea vehicles - particularly ROVs - operate at the
end of long ropes.(電纜終端)
     For a similar reason, knowing where you are undersea is much more difficult than in space. A
spaceship's position can be located by following its radio signal, or by using telescopes and radar. For an
undersea vehicle, however, a special network of sonar (聲納系統(tǒng)) devices must be laid out in advance on the ocean floor in the area of a dive to locate the vehicle's position.
     Though undersea exploration is more challenging than outer space in a number of respects, it has a
distinct advantage: going to the ocean depths doesn't require the power necessary to escape Earth's
gravity. Thus, it remains far less expensive.

1. The purpose of the passage is _____.

A. to persuade you to explore the depths of the ocean
B. to stress the importance of the undersea exploration
C. to make you believe that the undersea exploration is better
D. to tell some differences between two kinds of explorations  

2. By saying "men paved the way" in Paragraph 2 the author means that in undersea exploration _____.

A. unmanned vehicles were used in the beginning
B. men covered the ocean floor with stones and bricks
C. manned vehicles were employed before unmanned ones      
D. men invented unmanned remote-operated vehicles in the past

3. The sonar devices must be placed _____.

A. from time to time                
B. after the undersea vehicles dive
C. before the undersea vehicles dive
D. when the undersea vehicles are diving

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A. Submersibles usually break up in deep water.
B. Undersea vehicles can receive signals immediately.
C. Going to space needs power to escape the gravity.
D. Radio communications are quite difficult in a vacuum.

    Birds that are half-asleep-with one brain hemisphere (半球) alert and the other sleeping-control which
side of the brain remains awake, according to a new study of sleeping ducks.
    Earlier studies have documented half-brain sleep in a wide range of birds. The brain hemispheres take
turns sinking into the sleep stage characterized by slow brain waves. The eye controlled by the sleeping
hemisphere keeps shut, while the wakeful hemisphere's eye stays open and alert. Birds also can sleep
with both hemispheres resting at once.
    Decades of studies of bird groups led researchers to predict extra alertness in the end-of-the-row
sleepers which tend to be attacked more easily. Sure enough, the end birds tended to watch carefully on
the side away from their companions. Ducks in the inner spots showed no preference for gaze direction.
    Also, birds napping at the end of the line depend on single-hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, more often than inner ducks did. Turning 16 birds through the positions in a four-duck row, the
 researchers found that compared with 12 percent for birds in internal spots, outer birds half-asleep during some 32 percent of napping time.
    "We believe this is the first evidence for an animal behaviorally controlling sleep and wakefulness at the
same time in different regions of the brain," the researchers say.
    The results provide the best evidence for a long-standing assumption that single-hemisphere sleep
evolved as creatures scanned for enemies. The preference for opening an eye on the lookout side could
be widespread, he predicts. He's seen it in a pair of birds napping side-by-side in the zoo and in a single
pet bird sleeping by a mirror. The mirror-side eye closed as if the reflection were a companion and the
other eye stayed open.
    Useful as half-sleeping might be, it's only been found in birds and such water animals as dolphins,
whales, and seals. Perhaps keeping one side of the brain awake allows a sleeping animal to surface
occasionally to avoid drowning.
    Studies of birds may offer unique insights into sleep. Jerome M. Siegel of the UCLA says he wonders
if birds' half-brain sleep "is just the tip of the iceberg." He supposes that more examples may turn up
when we take a closer look at other species.

1. According to the passage, birds often half sleep because ______.
A. they have to watch out for possible attacks
B. their brain hemispheres take turns to rest
C. the two halves of their brain are differently structured
D. they have to constantly keep an eye on their companions

2. What is implied about the example of a bird's sleeping in front of a mirror?
A. An imagined companion gives the bird a sense of security.
B. Birds prefer to sleep in pairs for the sake of their security.
C. The phenomenon of birds napping in pairs is widespread.
D. A single pet bird enjoys seeing its own reflection in the mirror.

3. While sleeping, some water animals tend to keep half awake in order to ______.
A. alert themselves to the approaching enemy
B. emerge from water now and then to breathe
C. be sensitive to the ever-changing environment
D. avoid being swept away by rapid currents

4. By saying "just the tip of the iceberg", Siegel suggests that ______.
A. half-brain sleep has something to do with icy weather
B. the mystery of half-brain sleep is close to being solved
C. most birds living in cold regions tend to be half sleepers
D. half-brain sleep may exist among other species