We would probably all be amazed if we watched a videotape of ourselves performing basically unconscious acts as we go about the business of the day. These unconscious acts consist of all the little personal habits that we don’t even think about, but definitely should. These are some of the things that present an image of who we are to others, and if we are careless in performing them, this image may well be other than we would like it to be.
Parents who insist that their children practice good manners and habits at home are doing them a great service, for these habits then become lifelong and the natural way they do things. It proves true that their unconscious actions will reflect a well-mannered person.
People who, for example, eat with both arms on the table at home will likely do so when out. Those who are lazy and slow in private will certainly be so in public. Children who are permitted to be disrespectful to their parents will follow suit with other adults, and will, most likely, become adults who are disrespectful of others. This is an area where the saying “practice makes perfect” may be applied.
There is an article about the actress, Audrey Hepburn, known for her beautiful carriage and posture. According to her biographer, her grandmother tied her neck to the back of her chair, at table, so that she would not drop down suddenly over her food, but rather would learn to put only small amounts of food on her spoon or fork and bring them to her mouth. This is a rather extreme “at home” method for the development of erect (直立的) posture, but it does illustrate the effectiveness of practicing good habits so that, when in public, they are instinctive.
【小題1】Which of the following expresses the main idea of the passage?

A．Parents should be responsible for their children’s good habits.

B．The actress is well known for her beautiful posture.

C．We should always be aware of our manners.

D．Without good manners, one can never be perfect.

【小題2】Those who eat with both arms on the table at home ______.

A．will probably change the habit when eating out with their relatives

B．will probably have the same habit when they have meals in the restaurant

C．will feel embarrassed when having meals with so many strangers in public

D．will always put their arms on the table no matter where they eat

【小題3】The meaning of “practice makes perfect” in the third paragraph is ______.

A．the more practice one has, the better job he will do

B．the more perfect one is, the more practice he needs

C．if one has enough practice, he will become perfect

D．perfect makes a person practice more

【小題4】Which of the following are NOT true?

A．If we are not careful about our unconscious acts, the images of ourselves presented to others will be quite undesirable.

B．The good habits formed in one’s childhood will benefit him throughout his life.

C．If parents do not care about the disrespectful attitude adopted by their children towards themselves, their children might be disrespectful to others.

D．It is unlikely that a well-mannered person will not embarrass himself in public.

People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word “mouth.”
For example, if you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say “Do not bad mouth me.”  Sometimes, people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person’s feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.” If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words, he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing.
Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest: “I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth.”
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person, “was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life, like food.
Parents might sometimes withhold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example, if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off.
But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough.
【小題1】In what kind of situation will a person say “Do not bad mouth me.” ?       

A．When he feels down.

B．When he feels regretful.

C．When he is spoken ill of.

D．When he feels innocent.

【小題2】If a person feels sorry for what he has said, he might say “          .”  

A．Do not bad mouth me

B．I really put my foot in my mouth this time

C．Do not put words in my mouth

D．Stop mouthing off

【小題3】If a person lives from hand to mouth, it implies           .         

A．he is badly – off

B．he is hard – working

C．he is well – off

D．he has enough to eat

【小題4】By saying, “I have been running my mouth long enough”, the speaker means “            ”. 

A．I have run a long way

B．I have been a mouthy person

C．I have learned a lot

D．I have talked too much

The Human Genome(基因組) Project, a great $3 billion, 15-year task aimed at drawing the genetic map of humans, is now more than 90 percent completed. The scientific and medical communities are very excited about the chances genetic research provides for getting rid of diseases and prolonging(延長)human life. But those communities and policy makers are also careful about the scientific door they are opening as the project uncovers the mysteries of life.
For the last few years, the genetic advances in the fast developing field of biotechnology have provided material for all kinds of work, but the developments of modern science in unlocking the secrets of human genetic code have opened a world of possibilities for human health, as well as for the population imagination.
While European and Japanese researchers are making rapid progress in decoding human DNA, the leading organization for genetic research in the Untied States, which began in 1990, is “unlocking the code” of the human body to learn how to defeat fatal diseases. Already, the Human Genome Project has become widely known and praised for finding the genes connected with as yet terrible diseases, and making progress toward separating the genes that show a sign of breast cancer(乳腺癌)or AIDS.
Once these genes are found and studied, researchers can develop new ways to attack infections, and genetic diseases. Medical companies are very interested in mapping the human genome, as they expect to develop a lot of new drugs for these illnesses.
【小題1】Why did the scientists work so hard at mapping the human genome?

A．Because the human genome can destroy many illnesses.

B．Because the human genome’s completion can help to get rid of many diseases.

C．Because they wanted to be better known than others.

D．Because the Human Genome Project can provided a lot of chances of work.

【小題2】According to the passage, which of the following countries is the most advanced in genetic research?

A．Japan	B．Germany
C．The United States	D．China

【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．If the genes can be found, scientists can study many new ways to cure illnesses.

B．The United States began genetic research early in the 19th century.

C．Many medical companies show great interest in drawing the human genome map.

D．The scientists have made great progress in connecting some genes with the cancers.

【小題4】What is mainly talked about in this passage?

A．The great human genome.	B．The discovery of genes.
C．Unlocking the genetic code.	D．Genes and scientists.

Why don’t birds get lost on their long migratory (遷居的) flights? Scientists have puzzled over this question for many years. Now they’re beginning to fill in the blanks.
Not long ago, experiments showed that birds rely on the sun to guide them during daylight hours. But what about birds that fly mainly by night? Tests with artificial stars have proved conclusively that certain night-flying birds are able to follow the stars in their long-distance flights.
One such bird, a warbler(鳴禽) , had spent its lifetime in a cage and had never flown under a natural sky. Yet it showed an inborn ability to use the stars for guidance. The bird’s cage was placed under an artificial star-filled sky at migration time. The bird tried to fly in the same direction as that taken by his outdoor cousins. Any change in the direction of the make-be-live stars caused a change in the direction of his flight. Scientists think that warblers, when flying in daylight, use the sun for guidance. But the stars are apparently their main means of navigation (導航). What do they do when the stars are hidden by clouds? Apparently, they find their way by such landmarks as mountain ranges, coast lines, and river courses. But when it’s too dark to see these, the warblers circle helplessly, unable to get their direction.
【小題1】The reasons why birds don’t get lost on migratory flights__________.

A．have been known to scientists for many years

B．a(chǎn)re known by everyone

C．have only recently been discovered

D．will probably remain a mystery

【小題2】Warblers migrate__________.

A．from North America to South America

B．using what is apparently an inborn navigational ability

C．only once during their lifetime

D．when they are freed from their cages

【小題3】When the stars are hidden by clouds, warblers find their way by__________ .

A．a(chǎn)n artificial star	B．some landmarks
C．their inborn ability	D．A and B

【小題4】This article is a good example of the way scientists__________ .

A．discover workable answers to universal questions by studying particular cases(特別案例)

B．jump to conclusions

C．find a law and then investigate（調(diào)查）

D．a(chǎn)re disappointed by the habits of animals

Recently Dr. Cleiman has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle. During the hours when you labor (work) through your work, you may say that you are “hot”. That is true, the time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak (頂峰). For some people the peak comes during the forenoon (上午前). For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so.
Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what this energy cycle means and which cycle each member of the family has.
You cannot change your cycle, but you can learn to make your life fit it better. “Habits can help,” Dr. Cleiman believes. If your energy cycle is low in the morning but you have an important job early in the day, rise before your usual hour, and then you will work better at your low point.
Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. Get up with a lazy yawn(哈欠) and stretch(伸展). Sit on the edge of bed before putting your feet on the floor. Avoid the troublesome searching for clean clothes by laying them out the night before.
【小題1】Dr. Cleiman did not explain in the passage ___________.

A．how people can make their life fit their cycle

B．whether everyone has a daily cycle or not

C．why people have their energy cycle at different times

D．what will happen in the family if the couple fail to realize which cycle each member has

【小題2】For what reason may husbands and wives quarrel with each other?

A．Either of them gets up late in the morning.

B．Husbands and wives have different cycles of energy.

C．Either of them wants to change the cycle of the other’s.

D．They do not know which cycle they themselves have.

【小題3】According to the passage, ____________.

A．one works better at one’s peak energy point

B．if you know your cycle you can change it to fit your life.

C．whenever you feel hot, your energy cycle reaches the highest

D．your energy cycle must be in the morning if you can get up early

【小題4】Which of the following can save your energy in the morning?

A．Getting up late.

B．Jumping out of bed as quickly as possible.

C．Looking for clean clothes.

D．Sitting for a while before getting out of bed.

You can be proud of yourselves, even if you can only make one or two of these green changes. The goal here is to limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are closely associated to the big problem of global-warming.

Strategy 1:  Bring your own cup to Starbucks
You'll get a 10-cent discount, and it's one less paper cup to end up in a dustbin	The store won't create more waste when they throw away a cup
Strategy 2: Turn off your computer
When in standby mode, your PC is still using energy	Turning off a monitor for 40 hours a week may only save $ 5 a month, but it reduces CO2 by 750 pounds
Strategy 3:  Reuse plastic bags
Instead of throwing away 100 billion plastic bags a year, try and get a second, third, or tenth use out of them. Better yet, next time you shop, try a reusable bag	You're reducing pollution. The amount of oil it would take to make just 14 plastic bags would run your car for one mile
Strategy 4: Use recycled paper in the bathroom
Most of the toilet paper we use is made from  trees found in forests previously untouched by humans	If every household replaced one roll of toilet paper with a recycled one,424,000trees would still be standing. Look for eco paper towels too
Strategy 5: Buy energy-efficient appliances(電器)
Replace the old fridge with an Energy Star appliance and you'll use 15 percent less energy. It might be a little expensive to buy, but  you'll save money on your electricity bills and help the environment	If we all used one Energy Star appliance at home, it would be like planting 1.7 million acres of new trees
Strategy 6: Plant a tree
Adding green to your garden is beautiful and earth-pleasing	Just one tree will help make cleaner air and save the environment from 5, 000 pounds of hot carbon dioxide each year

【小題1】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Strategies to Save Money

B．Ways to be Earth-Friendly

C．Strategies to End Global-Warming

D．Ways to Limit Carbon Dioxide

【小題2】According to the writer, what will happen if our PC is switched off when not in use?

A．It will help to save a large amount of money.

B．It will help to reduce a great deal of CO2.

C．It will save the amount of oil that runs your car for a mile.

D．It will be like planting 1.7 million acres of new trees.

【小題3】Which strategies suggest recycling or reuse of things?

A．Strategies 1 & 3.	B．Strategies 2 & 5.
C．Strategies 3 & 6.	D．Strategies 4 & 5.

【小題4】What benefits do these strategies have in common?

A．They all help reduce the use of energy like electricity.

B．They all cut down the amount of the use of paper.

C．They all result in producing less greenhouse gases.

D．They all aid to preserve our trees and forest.

“If you talk to the plants, they will grow faster and the effect is even better if you’re a woman.” Researchers at Royal Horticultural Society carried out an experient to find that the voice of a woman gardener makes plants grow faster.
The experiment lasted a month and by the end of the study scientists managed to discover that tomato plants grew up two inches taller when women gardeners talked to them instead of male.
Sarah Darwin was the one making the plants registered the best growth. Her voice was the most “inspiring” for plants than those of nine other gardeners when reading a passage from The Origin of Species. The great-great-granddaughter of the famous botanist(植物學家) Charles Darwin found that her plant grew about two inches taller than the plant of the best male gardener.
Colin Crosbie, Garden Superintendent at RHS, said that the finding cannot yet be explained. He assumes that women have a greater range of pitch（音高） and tone（音調(diào)） which might have a certain effect on the sound waves that reach the plant. “Sound waves are an environmental effect just like rain or light ,”said Mr Grosbie.
The study began in April at RHS Garden Wisley in Survey. Scientists started with open auditions(聽力) for the people who were asked to record passages from John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer's Night Dream and Darwin's The Origin of Species.
Afterwards researchers selected a number of different voices and played them to 10 tomato plants during a period of a month. Each plant had headphones（耳機） connected to it. Through the headphones the sound waves could hit the plants. It was discovered that plants that “l(fā)istened” to female voices on average grew taller by an inch in comparison to plants that heard male voices.
Miss Darwin said, “I think it is an honor to have a voice that can make tomatoes grow, and especially fitting because for a number of years I have been studying wild tomatoes from the Galapagos Island at the Natural History Museum in London.”
【小題1】What does the passage talk about?

A．Plants enjoy men’s voices than women’s.

B．A botanical experiment in a museum.

C．Voice’s influence on plant growing.

D．Strange phenomenon（現(xiàn)象） at Royal Horticultural Society.

【小題2】What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Plants need sound as well as rain and light.

B．Sound is basic for the plant to grow.

C．Sound has a good effect as rain or light does.

D．Plants can’t live without sound, rain or light.

【小題3】Sarah Darwin is most likely a (an)_____.

A．botanist

B．gardener

C．a(chǎn)stronomer

D．environmentalist

【小題4】What can we learn from the passage?

A．The experiment ended in May.

B．Scientist can explain the findings clearly.

C．Plants enjoy listening to the passages from masterpieces.

D．The findings are of great importance to human beings.

Due to climate change, Arctic ice is breaking up earlier in the spring, and its area is decreasing. This is creating problems for polar bears that make their homes off northern Alaska and in Hudson Bay.
Polar bears off Alaska normally hunt and raise their young on ice sheets that float on the ocean. But as the ice has melted, the polar bears have been forced to spend more time on land. There, they have begun to frequent beaches, feeding on the remains of whales caught by native hunters. For polar bears, this food is less nutritious than seals that they normally catch on ice sheets. The shrinking（減少） ice has also forced more polar bears into the ocean. In the past, they only had to swim short distances between ice sheets. But as the ice has shrunk, polar bears have been forced to swim longer and longer distances in the open ocean. This poses a severe danger during rough weather, and an increasing number of drowned polar bears have been observed.
In Hudson Bay, the ice breaks up three weeks earlier in the spring now than it did 20 years ago. Polar bears on Hudson Bay fast（絕食） during the summer, waiting for ice to form in the fall to hunt. Every year, the summer gets longer, and the bears get skinnier. Over the past 25 years, the average weight of the female bears has dropped 68 kg. This loss affects their ability to reproduce, and already the number of births has dropped 15 percent. Unless the bears can learn to survive these climate changes, these giants of the ice may one day disappear.
【小題1】What is Arctic ice doing earlier each year?

A．It’s freezing.	B．It’s hardening.
C．It’s melting.	D．It’s expanding.

【小題2】What is true of polar bears that are spending more time on land in Alaska?

A．Their young are dying.

B．Their diet is changing.

C．Their health is improving.

D．Their families are growing.

【小題3】What do polar bears in Hudson Bay do during the summer?

A．They claim territory(地域).	B．They protect mates.
C．They hunt animals.	D．They stop feeding

【小題4】In which publication would you most likely find this passage?

A．Medical News

B．Society Today

C．Wildlife Journal

D．Design Magazine

They may be just passing your office, computer bag slung (懸掛) over one shoulder. Or they may be sitting in a car outside it, causally tapping away at a laptop. They look like innocent passers-by. In fact, they are stealing your corporate secrets.
Drive-by hacking is the trendy term given to the practice of breaking into wireless computer networks from outside the buildings that house them. A recent study in the UK, sponsored by RSA Data Security, found that two-thirds of organizations with wireless networks were risking their data in this way. Security experts patrolled (巡邏) several streets in the City of London seeking evidence of wireless networks in operation.
Of 124 that they identified, 83 were sending data without encrypting（加密）them. Such data could readily be picked up by a passer-by armed only with a portable computer, a wireless modem and a few pieces of software that can be freely downloaded from the Internet.
The data could include sensitive company documents containing valuable information. Or they could be e-mail identities and passwords that could be used by hackers to log into corporate networks as if they were legal users.
Most companies using wireless networking technology do not take even the simplest of measures to protect their data. Nearly all wireless network technology comes with some basic security features that need only to be activated (激活) in order to give a minimum level of security, for example, by encrypting the data being passed over the network.
Raymon Kruck, business development manager at Check Point Software, a security technology specialist, believes this could be partly a psychological problem. People see the solid walls of their building as safeguards and forget that wireless networks can extend up to 200 meters beyond physical walls.
Companies without any security at all on their wireless networks make it ridiculously easy for hackers to break in. Switching on the security that comes with the network technology should be automatic. Then there are other basic steps a company can take, says Mr. Kruck, such as changing the passwords on the network from the default (默認) setting.
Companies can also install firewalls, which form a barrier between the internal network and the public Internet. They should also check their computer records regularly to spot any abnormal activity, which might betray the presence of a hacker.
【小題1】According to the study sponsored by RSA Data Security, two thirds of the subjects _______.

A．had most of their company data stolen

B．depended on wireless computer networks

C．were exposed to drive-by hacking

D．were unaware of the risk of wireless hacking

【小題2】Which of the following is NOT considered in the study?

A．The number of computer hacking incidents.

B．The number of wireless computer networks identified.

C．The way in which data are sent and received.

D．The way in which data are hacked and stolen.

【小題3】Most wireless network technology has_________.

A．data encryption program

B．password security programs

C．illegal-user detection

D．firewall

【小題4】Raymond Kruck most probably agrees that wireless network security involves ________.

A．wireless signal administration

B．changes in user’s awareness

C．users’ psychological health

D．stronger physical walls

【小題5】The passage is most likely to be seen in a __________

A．book review

B．science fiction

C．textbook

D．computer magazine

With the Tesla Roadster and other plug­in (插入式) electric vehicles hitting the road，demand is growing for accessible refueling points to recharge them. Carbon Day Automotive, a Chicago­based company，has now demonstrated a solar­powered recharging point, known as the Solar Plug­In Station，which lets motorists easily charge their cars using electricity that has been produced without any environmental damage.
The Solar Plug­In Station has gone on show in Chicago as part of the city’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. According to Carbon Day Automotive，the Solar Plug­In Station on show in Chicago is part of the vital infrastructure(基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施) required for electric vehicles in Chicago and was the focus of a recent visit by the International Olympic Committee.
These solar­powered electricity points will be used daily to fuel the city’s electric vehicles with power from the sun. By producing the electricity from pollution­free solar cell, the CO2 emissions are reduced to zero.
“Solar energy and electric vehicles are a partnership that is one more step to reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” says Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies.Coulomb Technologies recently developed the components (部件) required for individual recharging stations，marketed as ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations.Carbon Day Automotive is the Midwest distributor for the ChargePoint stations. The Solar Plug­In Station consists of giant solar panels (電池板) that shade the tiny ChargePoint Networked Charging Station.The solar panel is connected to an underground battery pack，ready for everyday refueling.
“Without these stations it would be like driving around in a traditional car without the availability of gas stations，” says Scott Emalfarb，CEO at Carbon Day.“The day of true plug­in electric vehicles will be here sooner than most people realize and the world needs to be ready to accommodate them.”
【小題1】The Solar Plug­In Station is used as part of the bid to host the Olympics mainly because ________.

A．it’s environmentally friendly

B．it makes up for the lack of electricity

C．it’s a new idea and attracts people’s attention

D．it brings convenience to electric vehicle users

【小題2】We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．to recharge the electric vehicles takes a long time

B．the Solar Plug­In Station will come into use in 2016

C．the Solar Plug­In Station has gone on show internationally

D．Chicago is promoting the use of electric vehicles

【小題3】According to the passage，how many of the following statements are TRUE?
a. Tesla Roadster is a kind of plug­in electric vehicle.
b. The Solar Plug­In Station uses solar power to charge all of the cars.
c. Chicago is a city，which is rich in oil.
d. The Solar Plug­In Station consists of underground battery packs.
e. Scott Emalfarb is optimistic about the future of plug­in electric vehicles.

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

【小題4】The passage implies that when the Solar Plug­In Station becomes popular，________.

A．more visitors will come to Chicago

B．the citizens of Chicago will be able to go to work faster

C．more space for electric vehicles will be needed

D．the cost of electric vehicles will be lower than traditional cars

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

A．Chicago Will Soon Be Full of Electric Vehicles

B．Chicago Calls on People to Buy Electric Vehicles

C．Chicago Fights for Its Bid to Host the 2016 Olympics

D．Chicago Shows Its Solar­powered Recharging Stations