The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space showed it as a solid ball covered by brown land masses and blue-green oceans. We had never seen the Earth from that distance before. To us, it appeared as though the Earth had always looked that way and always would. Scientists now know, however, that the surface of the Earth is not as permanent as we had thought.

Scientists explain that the surface of our planet is always moving. Continents moves about the Earth like huge ships at sea. They float on pieces of the Earth’s outer skin. New outer skin is created as melted rock pushed up from below the ocean floor. Old outer skin is destroyed as it rolls down into the hot area and melts again.

Only since the 1960s have scientists really began to understand that the planet Earth is a great living machine. Some experts have said this new understanding is one of the most important revolutions in scientific thought. The revolution is based on the work of scientists who study the movement of the continents—a science called plate tectonics.

The modern story of plate tectonics begins with the German scientist Alfred Wegener. Before World War One, Wegener argued that the continents had moved and were still moving. He said the idea first occurred to him when he observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. He proposed that the two continents might have been one and then split apart.

Wegener was not the first person to wonder about the shape of the continents. About 500 years ago, explorers thought about it when they made the first maps of Americas. The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and south Africa. What the explorers did not do, but Wegener did, was to investigate the idea that the continents move.

What does the writer mainly tell us in the passage?

A. The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space.

B. Human’s recognition of the earth’s surface.

C. The German scientist Alfred Wegener.

D. The early explorers’ discovery.

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. We didn’t see the Earth from far away until we saw the picture taken in the space.

B. Our ancient thought that the surface of the earth is still.

C. Alfred Wegener was not the first person to investigate the idea that the continents move.

D. The coastline of India and Africa fit together.

The last word of the third paragraph “tectonics” mean “________”.

A. study of construction

B. study of architecture

C. earth surface

D. structural geology

What did the explorers find?

A. The coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together.

B. The coastlines of North America and Africa could fit together.

C. The east coastlines of North America and the west coast of Europe could fit together.

D.The coastlines of North America and India could fit together.

CANBERRA (Reuters Life!) - Think twice before eating those dropped crumbs off your computer keyboard -- you might as well be eating off a toilet seat, according to a new study on the amount of germs on keyboards.

A study by British "Which? Computing" asked a microbiologist to examine for bugs on 33 keyboards in a typical London office, a toilet seat and a toilet door handle.

Four keyboards were judged potential health hazards and the microbiologist recommended the removal of one keyboard as it had 150 times the pass limit of bacteria -- five times filthier than the swabbed toilet seat.

"Most people don't give much thought to the grime that builds up on their PC, but if you don't clean your computer, you might as well eat your lunch off the toilet," said Sarah Kidner, the consumer magazine editor of "Which? Computing" in a statement.

The study found that eating lunch at desks is the main cause of a bug-infested keyboard. Dropped crumbs and food encourages the growth of millions of bacteria.

Poor personal hygiene, such as not washing hands after going to the toilet, may also add to the dirtiness of keyboards.

But despite the health hazard of a dirty keyboard, a survey of 4,000 people by the magazine found one in 10 people ever cleaned their keyboard while another two in 10 never cleaned their mouse.

Almost half -- or 46 per cent -- cleaned their keyboard less than once a month.

To clear out bugs, the magazine recommends users unplug keyboards, turn them upside down and shake them.

The purpose of the passage is             .

A. tell us something about the keyboards.

B. warn people to clean the keyboards often.

C. tell us how to clean the keyboard

D. tell us the germs on keyboards

What do you think the expression “Think twice before eating those dropped crumbs off your computer keyboard” stands for?

A. Think several times before eating beside your computer

B. Don’t drop foods onto the computer keyboard.

C. Don’t eat foods dropped onto the computer keyboard.

D. Be careful when you are eating by the computer.

What are the main causes of a bug-infested keyboard?

A. Dropped crumbs and food encourages the growth of millions of bacteria.

B. Poor personal hygiene

C. Much dirt on the computer keyboard.

D. Dropped crumbs and food and Poor personal hygiene

"Which? Computing" is probably a name of            .

A. An organization        B. a newspaper

C. a report               D. a magazine

I played a racquetball game against my cousin Ed last week. It was one of the most __1__ and tiring games I’ve ever had. When Ed first phoned and ___2___ we play, I laughed quietly, figuring on an ___3___ victory. After all, Ed’s idea of ___4___ has always been nothing more ___5___ than lifting a fork to his mouth. ___6___ I can remember, Ed’s been the least physically fit member in the family, and ___7___ proud of himself. His big stomach has always ballooned out between his T-shirt and trousers. Although the family often ___8___ about that, Ed refused to buy a ___9___ T-shirt or to lose weight. So when Ed ___10___ for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly ___11___, I was so surprised that I was ___12___. My cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape. ___13___, at the point in our game when I’d have predicted(預(yù)計(jì)) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor, it was ___14___ 7 to 9 — and Ed was ___15___. The sudden realization was painful. We ___16___ to play like two mad men. When the score was 16 up, I was having serious ___17___ about staying alive until 21 years old, let alone ___18___ that many points. When the game finally ended, both of us were lying flat on our backs, too tired to ___19___. In a way, I think we both won: I the game, but cousin Ed my ___20___.

1. A. encouraging   B. hopeless     C. surprising   D. regular

2. A. declared B. mentioned  C. persuaded   D. suggested

3. A. unforgettable B. unexpected C. easy    D. early

4. A. exercise  B. preparation C. joy     D. fitness

5. A. time-saving    B. comfortable       C. suitable      D. effort-making

6. A. As soon as     B. As long as  C. When  D. Since

7. A. strangely       B. personally  C. reasonably  D. eagerly

8. A. cared      B. forgot C. quarreled    D. joked

9. A. clean      B. larger  C. straight      D. darker

10. A. set out  B. got ready    C. arrived       D. returned

11. A. notice   B. admire       C. believe       D. measure

12. A. nervous       B. curious       C. careless      D. speechless

13. A. After all       B. As a result  C. Above all   D. At last

14. A. mistakenly   B. then    C. instead       D. naturally

15. A. leading B. coming      C. waiting      D. counting

16. A. pretended     B. stopped      C. continued   D. decided

17. A. thoughts      B. doubts C. situations    D. problems

18. A. scoring B. completing C. receiving    D. keeping

19. A. play     B. start    C. sleep   D. move

20. A. friendship    B. respect       C. support      D. favor

  People use money to buy food, furniture, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they need or want. Most of the money today is made of metal or paper. But people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells. Shells were not the only things used as money. In China, cloth and knives were used. In the Philippine Islands, rice was used as money for a long time. Elephant tusks, monkey tails, and salt were used as money in parts of Africa.

    Some animals were used as money too. The first metal coins were made in China. They were round and had a square hole in the center. People strung them together and carried them from place to place. The first coins in England were made of tin (錫). Sweden and Russia used copper (銅) to make their money. Later countries began to make coins of gold and silver.

    Later the Chinese thought of a way to improve money. They began to use paper money. Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money until today.

People used different kinds of things as          .

A. gold      B. metal     C. money      D. silver

Tin was first made as money in         .

A. China      B. Philippine Islands     C. England      D. Russia

The word "strung" in the passage probably means         ."

A. came    B. tied    C. put    D. made

The best topic of the article is”         .”

A. How Many Kinds of Money Are There in the World    B. The History of Money

C. Money in Different Countries                      D. The Use of Money

The Beijing government has set out to recruit thousands of university graduates to work as junior officials in rural areas to both improve rural administration and ease the city's employment problems.

    The government plans to recruit 3,000 university graduates this year, 1,000 more than last year, to work as assistants to village heads or Party secretaries in suburban areas.

    People interested in jobs in Beijing's rural villages and townships can submit applications to the Beijing Municipal Personnel Bureau or online at www. bjbys, com from February 1 through March 15.

    "We hope university graduates will seize this opportunity to use their knowledge in rural villages and to start their careers," Sun Zhenyu, deputy director of Beijing Personnel Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency.

    The government has promised successful candidates a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan( $ 250) in the first year, 2,500 yuan ($ 320) the second year and 3,000 yuan ($ 385) the third year, provided their performance is up to the required standards, Sun said.

    Wang Lina, who graduated from Beijing Union University last year, was one of the first graduates to find work in the city's countryside. After majoring in industrial and commercial administration, Wang served as the assistant to the village head of Ertiaojie Village in suburban Beijing’s Pinggu District. For one project, Wang contacted people at the Beijing Academy of Agricultural Sciences and arranged for the local farmers to receive training in strawberry planting. Her efforts paid off. The village had a plentiful harvest of organic strawberries earlier this year.

    Nationwide, about 150,000 university graduates found employment in rural areas last year, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Education.

    The ministry predicts that 4. 95 million students will graduate from universities across the country this year, 820,000 more than last year. About 1.4 million of them are unlikely to find jobs when they graduate.

    In Beijing, a record 200,000 people are expected to graduate from university this year. Less than half of them are expected to be offered jobs, according to the personnel bureau.

The underlined word "recruit "in the first paragraph probably means_____________.

    A. employ         B. force         C. encourage       D. train

We can see from the passage that_______________.

    A. once you are hired as a junior official, you can get an endlessly rising salary

    B. the government guarantee a relatively high salary for the successful candidates

    C. working as junior officials is easy but very meaningful

    D. the competition for the job as junior officials is very fierce

From the story of Wang Lina we can learn that________________.

    A. the sooner you go to the countryside, the sooner you will be successful.

    B. local farmers can get big harvests if they learn more knowledge.

    C. university graduates can also realize their value in rural areas.

D. Wang had great difficulty in helping villagers planting organic strawberries.

The last two paragraphs aim to tell us that________________.

    A. more and more graduates will work as junior officials

    B. the universities should not have so many students

    C. there are more and more graduates in recent years

    D. it is not easy for graduates to find jobs nowadays

Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?

    A. Go to the countryside.

    B. Job hunting for university graduates.

    C. What is the best career?

    D. A good choice for university graduates.

After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.

Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated—no trading disks, no on-line communication—or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.

In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.

The much-feared M-day was ________.

A. Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike

B. Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated

C. the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike

D. the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday

Computer viruses are ________.

A. diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks

B. viruses hidden in a computer’s instructions by the designers

C. little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered

D. just those computer programs created by malevolent designers

Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?

A. A burnt child dreads the fire.        B. The bug’s bark was worse than its bite.

C. A barking dog seldom bites.         D. Once bitten, twice shy.

The author implies that in days to come the viruses might be used ________.

A. to destroy data                            B. to commit crimes

C. to commit mischief                      D. to create confusion

I made a fire ____up the room as soon as my father came in．

         A．warm          B．warmed    C．to warm     D．warming

When your pet meets your infant(嬰兒)，it might not be love at first sniff. When Jennifer brought her baby home from the hospital, her cherished dogs had very different reactions. Her Boxer, Sonya, was immediately gentle and protective. But Tiger, the Pomeranian, was less welcoming. “If any diapers(尿布)or toys were on the floor, he peed on them,” says the Greenbrier, mom. In the eyes of a pet, there’s a new star in home who’s stealing his spotlight. Even the gentlest animal will probably act up if he doesn’t get his usual attention. These simple steps will help your pet adjust and keep your baby safe.

     Introduce Them with Care

Your newborn and per’s first encounter can set the tone for their relationship. To make it as smooth as possible, try this trick from Caryn Ruiz：“Before we left the hospital, my husband took blankets home to our dog, Daisy, so she’d know our newborn Devon’s smell.” When you get home, have your husband carry the baby so you can greet your pet without worrying about her jumping on you. A cat will likely walk away at first, while a dog probably wants to investigate right away.

To introduce your baby, get down on your pet’s level and let her have a hello sniff. Don’t panic and pull your baby away unless your pet is barking or hissing, because it’ll send the message that the baby is a threat.

    Learn the Safety Basics

No matter how smoothly the introduction goes, there are certain safety rules you should follow. Never leave your baby alone with the pet. Even the gentlest animal can react unpredictably. Your baby’s crying could frighten your cat, or your dog could suddenly become territorial. Consider setting up baby gates to limit your pet’s access. To keep your cat from jumping into the bassinet(有篷蓋的搖籃), try putting mosquito netting over the top. Cats hate sticky paws, so keep the crib(有欄桿的嬰兒床)and changing table off-limits by lining the edges with sticky strips made for furniture. You can also train your dog to sleep in a crate(大木箱).

At the beginning of the passage, the author uses the stories to_____.

A．illustrate possible reactions when pets meet a newborn baby

B．show that pets don’t like a newborn baby

C．prove how friendly a pet is when it meets a newborn baby

D．introduce how terrible the pets are when a mother gets a baby home

Who is Sonya mentioned in the 1 st paragraph?

A．Jennifer’s dog.                        B．Jennifer’s baby.

C．Jennifer’s husband.                    D．A pet expert.

What can we infer from the passage?

A．Cats are more welcoming than dogs when they meet a newborn baby.

B．You must show your baby to your pet dog when it is barking.

C．You should never keep a baby together with your pet.

D．The first introduction of your newborn baby to your pet is important.

According to the passage, to keep your baby safe, you should do the following things EXCEPT_____.

A．introducing your baby to your pet with care

B．leaving your baby alone with your pet at the first day when they meet

C．setting up baby gates to limit your baby

D．keeping your pet away from your baby

My husband, Tom, is a born shopper. He loves to look at things and to touch them. He likes to compare prices between the same things in different stores. He would never think of buying anything without looking around in several stores. I, on the other hand, am not a shopper. I regard shopping as boring and unpleasant. If I like something and can afford it, I buy it immediately. I never take a time to look around for a good sale or a better deal (交易). Of course my husband and I never go shopping together. Doing shopping together would be too painful for both of us . When it comes to shopping, we go our separate ways.

    Sometimes I ask my son Jimmy to buy some food in the shop not far from our home. But he is always absentminded. This was his story.

    One day I said to him , “ I hope you won’t forget what I have told you to buy.” “No,” said Jimmy. “ I won’t forget . You want three organs, six eggs and a pound of meet.”

    He went running down the street to the shop. As he ran , he said to himself over and over again , “ Three organs , six eggs and a pound of meat.”

    In the beginning he remembered everything but he stopped several times. Once he saw two men fighting outside a clothes shop until a policeman stopped them. One of them was badly hurt. Then he stopped to give ten cents to a beggar. Then he met some of his friends and he played with them for a while. When he reached the shop, he had forgotten everything except six eggs.

    As he walked home, his face became sadder and sadder. When he saw me he said, “ I’m sorry , mum . I have forgotten to buy oranges and the meat . I only remembered to buy six eggs , but I’ve dropped three of them.”

The husband loves shopping necause_________________.

A. he has much money                     

B. he likes the shops

C. he likes to compare the prices between the same items

D. he has nothing to do but do shopping

The wife doesn’t like shopping because___________________.

   A. she has no money

   B. she has no tome

   C. she doesn’t love her husband

   D. she feels it boring to go shopping

They never go shopping together because_____________________.

   A. their ways of shopping are quite different

   B. they hate each other

   C. they needn’t buy anything for the family

   D. they don’t have time for it

Jimmy didn’t buy what his mother wanted because_____________________.

   A. the shop was closed that day

   B. the policeman stopped him

   C. he forgot some of them

   D. he gave all the money to the beggar

Asian athletes have had a spare time in the first two days of the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England. But Chinese hurdler(跨欄運(yùn)動(dòng)員) Liu Xiang surprised everyone by taking the bronze medal in the men's 60-meter hurdles.

Liu became the first Chinese male athlete to get a world indoor medal in the 18-year history of the championship and was the only Asian medallist this time. 

"Karaoke (卡拉OK)! That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to get a big group of my friends together and sing. I love both Western and Chinese music but especially Michael Jackson," said Liu after clocking 7.52 seconds in the final to take his place on the podium (領(lǐng)獎(jiǎng)臺(tái)).

"Frankly speaking, I didn't think I was in the shape to win a medal," Liu said. "On my arrival here, my aim was just to fight my way into the final. After I did that, I thought I might just get into the top six. I knew British hurdler Colin Jackson was going to be here and he's the world record holder indoors and out."

"There was also Cuba's reigning (統(tǒng)治的) Olympic champion Anier Garcia and Allen Johnson, from the United States." It was Johnson, the reigning world outdoor champion, who was successful in 7.47 seconds with Garcia second and Jackson finished back in fifth. 

Now Liu will never underestimate his chances again and is aiming for glory in Paris later this year.

"There is the World Championship outdoors in the summer and I have now got to think that I can get a medal. I can never again think that I can't get a medal," he said. Liu's success here marks his rapid transition into the senior ranks.

"The university gives me a lot of flexibility. My courses are very easy and the teachers are very helpful," said Liu.

They might have to be even more accommodating(樂于助人的) now if Liu starts taking on celebrity status, although an invite to his homecoming karaoke party may help.

The first sentence "Asian athletes have had a spare time in the first two days…" means "________".

A. Asian athletes can do things at their will in the first two days

B. Asian athletes haven't any achievements in the first two days

C. Asian athletes could match athletes from other continents

D. Asian athletes are tired of competing in the first two days

The underlined sentence means "________".

A. I was not satisfied with my performances

B. winning a medal can't show what I have done

C. I didn't think I was able to win a medal

D. I haven't told anyone about my achievements in the hurdles

Liu ________ the World Championship outdoors in Paris later this year.

A. is busy preparing for

B. has great pressure on

C. is more confident of his ability in

D. pays little attention to

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Liu Xiang was the youngest athlete to take part in the competition in England.

B. Liu Xiang was the first Asian medallist to get a world indoor medal.

C. Liu Xiang is not only a good athlete but a music-lover.

D. Liu Xiang finds it hard to get along with teachers in university.