For a writer, there is hardly any greater honor than winning the Nobel Prize for literature.
And for a woman writer, claiming the prize is even harder, for only eight women once won it. Austria’s Elfriede Jelinek is the ninth and the first since 1996.
The Stockholm-based Swedish Academy announced last Thursday that Jelinek won this year’s Nobel Prize in literature. She is recognized for her socially critical(批判的) novels and plays.
Jelinek, 57, made her literary debut (初次露面) in 1967. She has written plays, novels and poetry. She is best known for her autobiographical 1983 novel “The Piano Teacher”, made into a movie in 2001.
The basic theme of her work is the inability of women to live as people beyond the roles and personalities traditionally expected of them. Her characters struggle to lead lives not normally acceptable in society. “The nature of Jelinek’s texts is often hard to define. They shift between prose(散文) and poetry and songs, they contain theatrical scenes and film script,” said the academy.
The Nobel Prize was founded by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Nobel died in 1896 and left his fortune of about US $920 million to a fund to honor people who have helped other human beings. This year each prize is worth US $13 million.
【小題1】 The underlined word “them” in the last second paragraph refers to _______.

A．roles

B．people

C．texts

D．women

【小題2】Elfrede Jelinek won the Nobel Prize just because _______.

A．she was an Austrian woman writer

B．she wrote socially critical novels and plays

C．her novel “The Piano Teacher” was made into a movie

D．the nature of her texts is hard to define.

【小題3】 Which of the following about the Nobel Prize is TRUE?

A．It is harder for a woman writer to win than a man writer.

B．The total prize every year was $920 million.

C．Women writers were not awarded until 1996.

D．Only eight women writers won the prize since 1996.

【小題4】This passage is most likely taken from _______.

A．a(chǎn) travel magazine

B．a(chǎn) history book

C．a(chǎn) newspaper

D．a(chǎn)n advertisement

Ants have a reputation for strength,organization and teamwork.But researchers have now discovered that a key secret to the success of ants is their ability to identify the importance of age in the work place.
A study of Gentral American leaf-cutter ants has shown that the younger and stronger members are give the toughest job of cutting therough the leaves they harvest.Their sharp youn teeth do this job effectively,but as they get older their teeth become relatively worn and blunt.
But rather than being retired or abandoned by the group,the ageing ants are given a new role more suyted to their physical abilities.They become carriers and teansport the leaves back to the kingdom where they are harvested for food.
The findings by researchers from the University of Oregon and the Oregong State University support previous research showin the survival of a leaf-cutter kingdom depends on the efficiency(效率）of is workers.
“Cuting leaves is hard work,”said Dr.Robert Schofield,who led the research team.“Much of the cutting is done with a V-shaped blade(刀片）between teeth on their jaws.This blade starts out as sharp as the sharpest razor blade that humans have developed.”But over rime the teeth become blunter and the cutting job slows down.The team estimated that,because of this age-related wear,a colony(蟻群)spent twice the energy cutting leaves than it would if all the ants had sharp blades.Its findings support the idea that wear and break can be significant problems for insects as well as largre animals.
Like humans,leaf-cuttre ant recognize that older members of the group can still make a worhwhile contribution to society.“This study shows an advantage of social living that we are familiar with,”said Dr.Schofield.
【小題1】The younger and stronger ants do the toughest job because      .

A．they can teansport the leaves effectively

B．they have a sharp blade to cut leaves

C．other members are busy with other work

D．they can finish the job in a better organized way

【小題2】The undrelined word“blunt”in the second paragraph can be replaced by      .

A．quite loose	B．less sharp
C．quite fragile	D．more dirty

【小題3】What happens to the ants when they become old?

A．They no longer hve work to do.

B．They keep doing the same work.

C．They have to leave and live on themselves.

D．They are given a new worthwhile job.

【小題4】It can be learned from the passage that       .

A．Dr.Schofield is the first to research leaf-cuttre ants

B．older ants are more powerful in carrying leaves

C．large animals can also suffer from some kind of wear

D．leaf-cutter ants are the most lever ants in the world

【小題5】What can be the best title for the passage?

A．The key secret to the success of ants

B．The developed structure of ant colony

C．The most challenging job for leaf-cutter ants

D．No V-shaped blade,no success of ants

When it comes to protecting the privacy of their children, U.S. parents give social networks a failing grade. According to a recent survey, three out of four parents believe social networks are not doing a good job of protecting kids’ online privacy.
The survey was conducted for Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping families find the right way to deal withthe world of media and technology.
Ninety-two percent of parents said they are concerned that children share too much information online, and 85 percent said they are more concerned about online privacy than they were five years ago. In other findings, Common Sense Media found that 68% of parents are not at all confident in search engines keeping their private information safe and secure and 71% of parents said the same about social networking sites.
The survey found a great deal of concern about the online geo-location services which find and show the exact position of somebody through the net. Ninety-one percent of parents said search engines and social networking sites should not be able to share the physical location of children with other companies unless the parents approve.
“The survey results present a clear divide between the industry’s view of privacy and the opinion of parents and kids,” Common Sense Media CEO and founder James Steyer said.
“American families are deeply worried about how their personal information is being used by technology and online companies, yet the companies appear to be keeping their heads deep in the sand,” Steyer said.
IT companies need to step up but parents, children, schools and government also need to do more, he said.
“Parents and kids have to educate themselves about how to protect their information,” he said. “Schools should teach all students and their parents about privacy protection.”
“And finally, policymakers have to update privacy policies for the 21st century,” he said. According to the survey, more than 60 percent of parents want the US Congress to update online privacy laws for children and teenagers.
【小題1】 What does the underlined part in Paragraph 6 mean?

A．Refusing to admit the problem.	B．Refusing to work with others.
C．Trying to find a solution to the problem	D．Trying to look deep into the problem.

【小題2】 According to James Steyer, the following organizations should make more contributions to protecting    
children’s online privacy except __________.

A．IT companies

B．Government

C．Schools

D．Nonprofit Organizations

【小題3】What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Parents are worried about social networks because they lead to the children’s failing grades.

B．Most US parents agree that the online geo-location services should be forbidden.

C．Most USparents will support a law that limits IT companies to using personal information.

D．US Congress has not yet passed any online privacy law for children and teenagers.

【小題4】 Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?

A．US Congress to Update Privacy Policies for 21st Century

B．Common Sense Media Warns Against Social Networks

C．US Parents Want Better Online Privacy Protection for Kids

D．Worry Grows for Problems Caused by Social Networks

If cars had wings，they could fly and that just might happen, beginning in 2011.The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its car-plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2011.
“It’s the next ‘wow’ vehicle，”said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh .“Anybody can buy a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don’t fly.”
The car plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving. A runway is still required to take off and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.
The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient and cheaper way to fly. They say it saves you the trouble from trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you’re good to go. When you land, you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive parking fees because you don’t have to store it at an airport—you park it in the garage at home.
The car-plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal(臨界)conditions.
The Transition’s price tag: $194,000, But there may be additional charges for options like a radio, transponder or GPS. Another option is a full-plane parachute.
“If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option,” Gersh said.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders with deposits.“We’re working very closely with them, but there are still some remaining steps,” Brown said.
【小題1】
We can learn from the first paragraph that     .

A．car-planes will be popular in 2011

B．people might drive a car-plane in 2011

C．both Transition and Ferrari can take off and land

D．Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts

【小題2】
lt takes the car-plane one minute to     .

A．fold and unfold its wings	B．unfold wings for flying
C．land in the airport	D．meet flying safety regulations

【小題3】
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The car-plane needs a runway to take off and land.
B. To meet aircraft regulations, the company has been working with FAA.
C. The car-plane may fly as high as normal planes.
D. People can park the car-plane in the garage at their home.
【小題4】
The underlined word “it” in the last but one paragraph refers to     .

A．the radio

B．the transponder

C．the GPS

D．the full-plane parachute

【小題5】
What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Cars With Wings May Be Just Around The Corner

B．Which to Choose: A Ferrari or a Car Plane?

C．A more Convenient and Cheaper Way to Fly

D．Cars With Wings Can Fly as Fast as Planes

What makes a person a scientist? Does he have ways or tools of learning that are different from those of others? The answer is “no”. It isn’t the tools a scientist uses but how he uses these tools which make him a scientist. You will probably agree that knowing how to use a power is important to a carpenter. You will probably agree, too, that knowing how to investigation, how to discover information, is important to everyone. The scientist, however, goes one step further; he must be sure that he has a reasonable answer to his questions and that his answer he gets to many questions is into a large set of ideas about how the world works.
The scientist’s knowledge must be exact. There’s no room for half right or right just half the time. He must be as nearly right as the conditions permit. What works under one set of conditions at one time must work under the same conditions at other times. If the conditions are different, any changes the scientist observes in a demonstration(實證) must be explained by the changes in the conditions. This is one reason why investigations are important in science. Albert Einstein, who developed the Theory of Relativity, arrived at the theory through mathematics. The accuracy(正確性) of his mathematics was later tested through investigation. Einstein’s ideas were proved to be correct. A scientist uses many tools for measurements. Then the measurements are used to make mathematical calculations(計算) that may test his investigations
【小題1】 What makes a scientist according to the passage?

A．The tools he uses.	B．His ways of learning
C．The way he uses his tools	D．The various tools he uses

【小題2】 “…knowing how to investigation, how to discover information, is important to everyone.”
The writer says this to show ___________.

A．the importance of information

B．the difference between scientists and ordinary people.

C．the importance of thinking

D．the difference between carpenters and ordinary people

【小題3】 A sound scientific theory should be one that _________.

A．works under one set of conditions at one time and also works under the same conditions at other times

B．doesn’t allow any change even under different conditions

C．Can be used many times under different conditions

D．Can be used for many purposes

【小題4】 What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Scientists are different from ordinary people.

B．The Theory of Relativity.

C．Exactness is the core (核心) of science.

D．Exactness and way of using tools are the keys to making of a scientist.

Research shows that humans switch from selfish to unselfish behavior when they are watched. Do you?
A picture of a set of eyes on a computer screen can cause a change in the way people act. Even images of eyes on a charity donation, collection box encourage people to be unselfish, because people put more money in a
collection box that has a picture of eyes on it than they do when a flower symbol is on the box.
Manfred Milinski from the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Germany and Bettina Rockenbach of the University of Berlin, the authors of a new study, found that people act better when they are being watched because they feel they will be rewarded for good behavior. Their report also referred to other research showing that this response of behaving well when watched is somehow coded into humans and people respond this way unconsciously, or without realizing it.
It is not just humans that act unselfishly when they are being watched. A fish called the grooming fish cleans other fish. When other fish are around, it is gentler. When no other fish are around, however, the grooming fish bites chunks from the fish it is supposed to be cleaning.
The researchers suggest that the best way to get people to behave in the correct way is to make them feel watched. This could be the reason for the success of a famous American army poster. On it was a picture of an elderly man staring fiercely and pointing, it appeared, to the person who was looking at the poster. Under the picture was the caption 'I Want You' It encouraged hundreds of thousands of young American men to join the army during the Second World War to fight the Germans and Japanese.
【小題1】.
According to the report, why does a person behave better when he feels he is being watched?
   

A．He does not want to be shamed by others.

B．He needs to show he is a good person.

C．He desires others to like him more.

D．He feels he will receive some social reward.

【小題2】.
．What is the text mainly about?

A．It describes changed behavior when observed.

B．It details ways to control people's behavior.

C．It tells how to make people work harder.

D．It discusses different advertising methods.

【小題3】.
According to the text, which of the following statements is true?

A．People pretend to behave better when they are watched.
B．Fish bite other fish in a fish tank when they are alone.	C．People donate more money when they feel they are watched.
D．Soldiers fought better during World War II because of a poster.

【小題4】.
．Where would the study described in the text most likely be found?

A．In a newspaper.	B．In a scientific journal.
C．In an advertising magazine.	D．In a science textbook.

Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Booking necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: ￡15.       When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: ￡ 12       When: May 8, May 15, May 22
Equipment to the needed:
* Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
* Wear good walking shoes ---no high heels.
* Wear a hat for day walks.
* Dress warmly for night walks.
* Children must be with an adult.
* Make sure you flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
* Follow all instructions from guides during the walks.
The mountains is a dangerous place.
Bookings:
* Bookings for the above trips can be made by telephone (893－4847) or on the Internet at www.bluemountaintour.com.
【小題1】Where are these trips?

A．In a large valley	B．In a park in the mountains.
C．In a special kind of zoo.	D．In three different countries.

【小題2】On which trip might you see animals that sleep during the day?

A．Black Bear Count.	B．Garland Valley.
C．Flashlight Adventure.	D．None of the trips.

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?

A．Good walking shoes.	B．plenty of batteries.
C．Food and water.	D．A sleeping-bag.

【小題4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Adventure Travel in America

B．Hunting around the Great Mountains

C．Interesting Trips in the East of the USA

D．Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains

Any observant person has noticed that a wild animal will allow a man or other potential enemy to approach only up to a given distance before it flees. “Flight distance” is the term used for this interspecies spacing. As a general rule, there is a positive relationship between the size of an animal and its flight distance—the larger the animal, the greater the distance it must keep between itself and the enemy. An antelope will flee when the enemy is as much as five hundred yards away. The wall lizard’s(壁虎) flight distance, on the other hand, is about six feet. Flight is the basic means of survival for mobile creatures.
　 Critical distance apparently is present wherever and whenever there is a flight reaction. “Critical distance” includes the narrow zone separating flight distance from attack distance. A lion in a zoo will flee from an approaching man until it meets a barrier that it cannot overcome. If the man continues the approach, he soon penetrates(進入) the lion’s critical distance, at which point the cornered lion turns back and begins slowly to stalk (逼近) the man.
　 Social animals need to stay in touch with each other. Loss of contact with the group can be fatal(致命的) for a variety of reasons including exposure to enemies. Social distance is not simply the distance at which an animal will lose contact with his group—that is, the distance at which it can no longer see, hear, or smell the group—it is rather a psychological distance, one at which the animal apparently begins to feel anxious when it goes beyond its limits.
Social distance is not always rigidly(刻板的) fixed but is determined in part by the situation. When the young of apes and humans are mobile but not yet under control of the mother’s voice, social distance may be the length of her reach. When added control is needed because of danger, social distance shortens. To show this in man, one has only to watch a family with a number of small children holding hands as they cross a busy street.
【小題1】.
Which of the following is the correct explanation of “Flight Distance” in paragraph 1?

A．Distance between animals of the same species before fleeing.

B．Distance between large and small animals before fleeing.

C．Distance between an animal and its enemy before fleeing.

D．Distance between certain animal species before fleeing.

【小題2】.
If a lion’s critical distance is penetrated, it will __________.

A．begin to attack.

B．try to hide.

C．begin to jump.

D．run away.

【小題3】.
. The example of “children holding hands when crossing the street” in the last paragraph shows that ________.

A．social distance is not always needed.

B．there is no social distance among small children.

C．humans are different from animals in social distance.

D．social distance is sometimes determined by outside factors.

【小題4】.
. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Critical Distance

B．Social Distance

C．Relationship Between Animals

D．Spacing in Animals

We can all contribute to a greener world．Just follow these ten golden rules:
●Stop getting junk mail．Billions of junk mail can be sent every year．Half of it is never opened．Get-your name off mailing lists．If 100,000 people stopped getting junk mail today, it would save 150,000 trees a year．
●Stop reading newspapers．All over the world, millions of newspapers are thrown away every day, 44 million newspapers in the USA alone —that's half a million trees a week．Either recycle your newspapers or read the hews online．
●Buy clothes made from organic materials．Conventional cotton farming seriously pollutes the environment, most of which uses chemical pesticides （農(nóng)藥） and fertilizers． Organic is better!
●Switch to solar energy．In one day, the sun will provide enough energy to power the planet．Why aren't we using it?
●If you have to drive, share the ride．Most cars in the USA have only one occupant．Also, 25 percent of car rides are less than 1．5 kilometres．Get out and walk!
●Unplug your PC, TV and VCR．Simply turning them off isn't enough．Sets left on standby are still using 25 percent of their power．
●Hold on to your balloons．Helium-filled balloons which fly away usually end up in a lake or river, where they can choke aquatic (水生的) creatures．Save your balloons and use them again．Or better still, don't use them at all．
●Feed the birds．Wild birds need food, especially in v/inter when other sources can be scarce．The greater the range of foodstuffs you put out for them, the more types of birds you will attract．
●Plant a garden at your school．Learn the connection between the land and the table．Plant vegetables to eat, flowers to admire and trees to improve the air．
【小題1】.
What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To provide some health advice on how to work．

B．To suggest some ways how to make full use of solar energy．

C．To advise protecting environment and saving energy．

D．To advise on how to recycle waste and save energy．

【小題2】.
．The underlined expression "left on standby" in the sixth rule means__   __．

A．ready to start and use electricity	B．ready to be turned off
C．ready to be repaired	D．ready to be．put away

【小題3】.
．Which of the following will NOT protect trees from being cut down to make paper?

A．Not buying newspapers．	B．Don't accept junk mail．
C．Read your newspaper online．	D．Read only one newspaper．

A group of students in Japan have created a realistic robot baby to motivate young people to start planning a family so as to increase the country’s birth rate. The automated (自動化的)doll developed at the University of Tsukuba, called Yotara, laughs and “wakes up” when a rattle is shaken.
He can become angry and sleep like a real baby and he smiles when his stomach is pressed. The robot can also sneeze and have a runny nose, thanks to a heated water pump system. The students of the Graduate school of Comprehensive Human Science at the university created the robot last year with touch sensors. A projector sends the facial features onto a warm silicon balloon which makes up Yotara’s face. The robot’s facial expression and body movements change according to pressure applied to different parts of its body.
The information collected through touch sensors（傳感器）under the silicon skin is processed by a special programme. It then changes the baby’s expression projected onto the balloon-face from behind. There is a hat on the robot’s head and a colorful blanket covering the robot’s limbs which simulate wiggling(擺動) with the help of a geared motor. “We wanted to create a new type of robot that is soft, cuddly and cute,” said project leader Hiroki Kunimura.
“We’d like people to experience the innocent, joyful expressions typical of small babies. Through this experience, it would be great if some people started feeling that they wanted to have their own baby, if they started feeling that work is not everything.”
Japan’s birth rate is among the lowest in the developed world at 1.37%, compared to 2.12% in the United States and l.84%in Britain. Japan is facing serious economic consequences with over a quarter of its citizens expected to be aged over 65 by 20l5.The population is expected to reduce by a third within 50 years if the birth rate does not increase．
【小題1】. What is the students’ purpose of creating such a baby?

A．To help old people who live alone．	B．To give small children some pleasure
C．To comfort lonely young people．	D．To increase the population of Japan．

【小題2】What’s the new type of robot like in Hiroki Kunimura’s mind?

A．It can do everything for humans．	B．It is clever, humorous and loyal．
C．It is gentle, lovely and smart．	D．It makes humans unhappy．

【小題3】. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Many young people in Japan don’t want to get married．

B．There may be a lack of workers in Japan in the future．

C．The lifespan(壽命)of Japanese people will decrease in the future．

D．The birth rate in Japan will start to increase slowly soon．