From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations, human beings have been putting great effort into space research. And so far, we have achieved many successes. But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress.
The international space station (ISS) is an important step we should take in space exploration. It is not only helpful but also essential. It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time. It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe. It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars. In a word, if we want to explore space more, the first thing we should do is to set up a space station.
As the space station costs a lot of money, it is hard for one country alone to establish one. The USA seems to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone，and it has tried to do so, but not very successful. So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together. Though it is still extremely expensive, it is much cheaper than doing it alone. It is really a job that needs everyone’s effort and will benefit everyone.
Led by the U.S. and Russia, the ISS is a joint project between six space agencies involving 16 countries. Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation, the ISS has come to the end of a ten-year’s hard work in construction. China has applied for participation in (taking part in) the project many times. Unfortunately all the applications were rejected, which drove China onto the path of independent development. As the Long March Ⅱ-F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off (leave the ground) and successfully carried the Tiangong-1 into space on September 29, 2011, China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era.
Some West media suggested that the successful launch of Tiangong-1 would disturb the balance of global space power, raising concerns (關(guān)注) about “China threat”. China’s space project is not designed for military (軍事的) purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankind’s well-being.
【小題1】From Paragraph 2 we learn that ________.

A．the necessity of building the international space station is not realized now

B．many experiments have been done in the international space station

C．the international space station is necessary for people to explore space more

D．people have traveled to Mars from the international space station

【小題2】Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries’ cooperation in building the international space station?

A．That it requires a lot of money.

B．That it needs everyone’s effort.

C．That it will benefit every participating country.

D．That it is too far away from the earth.

【小題3】The underlined word “aggregated” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by “________”．

A．united

B．scolded

C．a(chǎn)llowed

D．forbade

【小題4】China wants to build its space station in order to __________.

A．break the balance of global space power

B．show that China can build space station alone

C．raise international concerns about “China threat”

D．make use of space peacefully for mankind’s well-being

Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives.
This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy(幻想) literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe(虛假). But have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us?
Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated(隔離的) lives. In a study of British schoolchildren, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than with common wildlife. Without modern technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction(交互) with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen。
The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad. But when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet(出路) for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough, we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense, are really part of our own.
【小題1】The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves       .

A．the close connection between man and the fantasy world

B．the wonderful achievements of fantasy literature

C．the general existence of the sense of curiosity

D．the fine taste of moviegoers around the world

【小題2】What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?

A．The world around us could serve as a source of wonder.

B．People are far less familiar with the world of fantasy.

C．The world of fantasy can be mirrored by a small and lively pond.

D．Modern technology prevents us from developing our sense of wonder.

【小題3】If our sense of wonder relies totally on the world of make-believe, we will       

A．be confused by the world of make-believe

B．fail to appreciate the joy in our lives

C．miss the chance to recognize the fantasy world

D．be trapped by other worlds existing all around us

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

A．To show us the hidden beauty in our world.

B．To discuss the influence of the world of make-believe.

C．To argue against the misuse of the sense of wonder.

D．To warn us not to get lost in the fantasy world.

Everyone is at it, even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn’t done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction (網(wǎng)上拍賣(mài)).
Buying for beginners: Sign up on www. ebay. co. uk. Most items（e.g. tables, computers, and books）ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with “ Buy It Now ” and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.
If the item is being auctioned, you offer the highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids（出價(jià)）for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.
How to pay: Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before placing a bid as you might not want to post a check or postal orders. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card (信用卡).
Selling made simple: If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I followed my friends’ advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starting on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.
The big things in life: It’s easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this has to be collected or sent by delivery men. Check the ways of delivery before you bid.
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to make payment online.

B．Ways of using delivery online.

C．Advantages of an online-auction system.

D．How to use an online-auction system.

【小題2】After bidding for an item, a buyer __________.

A．will get what he wants in ten days

B．should make payment immediately

C．has chances to make higher bids

D．may check its picture and description

【小題3】The easiest way of making payment mentioned in the passage is __________.

A．through an online payment system

B．through a local banking system

C．by sending the money to the seller

D．by paying the deliveryman directly

Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high—speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan—to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.
China is negotiating to extend its own high·-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with  Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Berlin in under two days.
The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.
China’s bullet train(高速客車(chē)),the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the   World’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(軌距),maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital  investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’11 trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.
【小題1】China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because     .

A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions

B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways

C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries

D．the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism

【小題2】According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is     .

A．technical issues

B．safety of the system

C．financial problems

D．maintenance of railway tracks

【小題3】Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed railway plan?

A．Critical.

B．Reserved.

C．Doubtful

D．Positive.

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

A．New Railway Standards

B．Big Railway Dreams

C．High-speed Bullet Trains

D．International Railway Network

American beekeeping operations have been hit hard by what scientists call colony collapse disorder(C.C.D.). Almost half of their worker bees have disappeared during the past season. C.C.D. has also been reported in Israel, Europe and South America. Bees fly away from the hive and never return. Sometimes they are found dead; other times they are never found. Many crops and trees depend on pollination （授粉） by bees to help them grow.
A new report says virus may be at least partly responsible for the disorder in honey bee colonies in the United States. This virus is called Israeli acute paralysis virus. It was first identified in Israel in 2004. Ian Lipkin at Columbia University in New York and a team reported the new findings in Science magazine. Doctor Lipkin says the virus may not be the only cause. He says it may work with other causes to produce the collapse disorder.
The team found the virus in colonies with the help of a map of honey bee genes that was published last year. They examined thirty colonies affected by the disorder. They found evidence of the virus in twenty–five of them, and in one healthy colony. The next step is further testing of healthy hives.
The researchers suggested that the United States may have imported the disorder in bees from Australia. They say the bees may carry the virus but not be affected.
The idea is that unlike many American bees, the ability of Australian bees to fight disease has not been hurt by the varroa mite（全球性的蜂虱）. This insect attacks honey bees, which could make the disorder more likely to affect a hive. Australian bee producers reject these suspicions.
And some researchers suspect that bee production in the United States is down mainly because of the weather. Honey bees gather nectar（花蜜） from flowers and trees. The sweet liquid gives them food and material to make honey. But cold weather this spring in the Midwest reduced the flow of nectar in many flowers. Many bees may have starved. Dry weather in areas of the country could also be playing a part.
Wayne Esaias is a NASA space agency scientist who keeps bees in his free time. He lives in central Maryland, where he has found that flowers are blooming a month earlier than they did in 1970, which may be partly responsible for the disorder. Wayne Esaias is organizing a group of beekeepers to document nectar flow around the country.
【小題1】The researchers found the virus ______.

A．with the help of colony collapse disorder

B．by researching the causes of bee death

C．with the help of a map of honey bee genes

D．with the help of a scientist of NASA

【小題2】What is the passage mainly about?

A．American beekeeping industry has been strongly influenced by the bee disorder.

B．Studies are being carried out on the causes of the bee disorder, but questions remain.

C．How the causes of the bee disorder in U.S have been found.

D．The bee production in U.S is down because of Israeli acute paralysis virus.

【小題3】How many possibilities may be involved in the bee disorder according to the passage?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

【小題4】We can infer from the passage that ______.

A．Israeli acute paralysis virus should be responsible for the disorder

B．the solution to the bee disorder will be found eventually

C．American bees are more likely to defend themselves than Australian bees

D．the crop and plant production in U.S may be influenced by the bee disorder

Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided— some countries are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down.
After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it “continues to support the expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan.”
Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power doesn’t create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain’s chief scientific adviser (John Beddington) supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy.
Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power may be clean, but they’re expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher cost of using “green energy” is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. This is of particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape.
The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn’t safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands.
The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn’t look like it’ll be resolved anytime soon. As a Japanese commentator recently said, “it’s been a bad year for the ‘nuclear village’, but I don’t think they’re down and out yet.” The battle continues.
【小題1】Which of the following may NOT be the advantage of nuclear energy over other energy sources?

A．Nuclear energy doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases.

B．Nuclear energy can help prevent the climate damage.

C．Nuclear energy is more environmental-friendly than other green energy sources.

D．Nuclear energy can save the consumers some money, compared to other renewable energies.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “this” refer to in paragraph 4?

A．The fact that many people prefer to use the green energy sources while unwilling to pay higher bill.

B．The cost of using renewable sources

C．The fact that the nuclear power is cheaper.

D．The investment of renewable energy sources

【小題3】We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.

A．the Japanese commentator is positive about the future of nuclear energy

B．the nuclear energy issue will be soon settled

C．a(chǎn) battle will break out in the future

D．Japan is considering to build a nuclear village in the future

【小題4】What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To highlight the danger of using nuclear energy.

B．To introduce some serious nuclear disasters.

C．To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters.

D．To give some advice on how to use nuclear energy safely.

Cities alarmed by deaths and injuries of pedestrians are taking efforts to make crosswalks safer for people on foot, especially seniors and children who need more time to cross streets.
A pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident in the USA every 110 minutes; one is injured every nine minutes, according to official data. Crosswalks can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Among people 70 and older, 36% of pedestrian deaths in 2006 occurred in crosswalks, compared   with 21% of those younger than 70, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) advise that next year states increase by nearly 15% the amount of  time traffic lights provide for pedestrians to cross the street after the flashing orange hand appears.
FHWA spokesman Doug Hecox says reasons for the change include an aging population that needs more time to cross, health-conscious Americans walking more, children encouraged to walk to prevent getting overweight and high gas prices pushing people to walk instead of drive.
Pedestrian deaths went down by 12% from 5,449 in 1996 to 4,784 in 2006, Bur among those in 2006, 471 were killed in crosswalks, down slightly from 488 ten years earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) says.
【小題1】Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Among 100 pedestrian deaths there were 21 people younger than 70

B．Old people are more likely to meet with accidents happened per hour.

C．Traffic accidents killed more old people than young people

D．About seven traffic accidents happened per hour.

【小題2】What is FHWA’s suggestion to states?

A．Fixing more traffic lights

B．Providing more crosswalks

C．Giving pedestrians more time to cross streets.

D．Drivers don’t give way

【小題3】What’s the cause of the crosswalk safety problem according to the test?

A．There’re many cars and buses on the road.

B．Pedestrians are careless.

C．Crosswalks are crowded.

D．Drivers don’t give way.

【小題4】The report from NHTSA suggests that

A．fewer people were injured in crosswalks

B．crosswalk safety has been greatly improved

C．much has been done to reduce traffic accidents

D．pedestrian deaths in crosswalks remain a serious problem

The cheetah(獵豹)is best known for being the world’s fastest land animal, reaching speeds of just over 110kph for short period of time. However, many people know little else about this wonderful animal. The word cheetah probably comes from a Hindi word spotted animal. It is very similar to other cats but also has some obvious differences. Its body is much leaner than most cats and it has much longer legs.
People sometimes make a cheetah a leopard(美洲豹)because they both have spots, but in fact they are very different. A leopard is far heavier and more powerful, but also much slower. The cheetah’s spots cover most of its body except for its stomach and throat. The cheetah’s tail has spots and these become rings at the end of the tail.
An adult cheetah weighs between 35-65 kilograms and is about 80 centimeters high at the shoulder. The cheetah’s head is quite small and the eyes are quite high up. A black line runs from each eye down to its mouth and makes it look a little sad. It has high shoulders that help it to walk so gracefully.
Cheetahs are very fast but they are not very strong. They are not good fighters and will run away rather than fight another animal to protect their food. If they make a kill, it is sometimes taken away from them by stronger animals such as lions and leopard. These animals will kill their young if they get the chance. The cheetah is not a threat to humans at all. It will not attack humans and prefers to stay away from occupied areas.
【小題1】Many people know that the cheetah________

A．is a fast runner

B．runs faster than any other animal on land

C．runs as fast as it can

D．is very fast for periods of time

【小題2】The cheetah ________

A．has spots all over its body including its tail

B．has spots on its stomach and throat

C．does not have spots on its stomach and throat

D．has spots everywhere except for its stomach and throat

【小題3】Cheetahs will not fight another animal to protect their food because _______

A．they can quickly run away

B．they are very fast runners

C．They want to protect their young

D．They are poor fighters

When Emily Beardmore first heard that a trip was being planned by the biology class at Windsor High School, she thought about how much fun it would be.
“I thought it would be a really good experience to go with other friends and teachers to another country in an environment other than a vacation environment,” the 17-year-old girl said.
A few months later, Emily got her chance when she and 14 of her classmates, along with biology teacher Tamara Pennington went to Costa Rica for eight days in late May.
“It was not just a tour,” said Pennington, who organized the trip. “You can go any place in the world on just a tour. This one was really working with the sea turtles (海龜) and practicing conservation(保護(hù)). It just seemed like the perfect science field trip for kids who think they want to get into science to see what it's really like to be out in the field and enjoy themselves.”
Emily said her time on the turtle program, which was the focus of the trip, was “crazy.” “We were walking on the beach at night and you can’t see anything—just see a big black dot.” She said with a laugh. “I was not expecting the turtles to be that big.” The turtles are leatherback turtles, which are becoming extinct (滅絕) because their eggs are used as food.
“When they would move their legs while laying their eggs they were really hard to control because they were a lot more powerful than you would imagine,” Emily said.
Once the eggs were collected, the students took them back to a hatchery(孵化場(chǎng)) and dug holes to copy the hole the mother turtle had made and then buried the eggs for the 60 days needed to hatch.
“The experience was so cool,” Emily said. “You go to another country to see what their culture is like and learn what their everyday lives are like. It made me really want to help out my mom a lot more than I do, and value what I have.”
【小題1】What did Pennington consider the trip to be?

A．It was a common tour to a foreign country.

B．It was a journey to practice what students learned.

C．It was to attract students’ interest in science.

D．It was a trip to do practical science activities.

【小題2】From what Emily said on her turtle program, we know that     .

A．she was afraid of walking on the beach at night

B．she didn’t dare to catch the powerful turtles

C．she had thought turtles were small animals

D．she got crazy at the sight of turtles at night

【小題3】What did Emily learn from her experience?

A．She learned to be grateful to her teachers.

B．She understood the importance of what she had.

C．She realized the beauty of foreign culture.

D．She knew the importance of everyday life

【小題4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Teens Help Fight Turtle Extinction.

B．Teens Take a tour to Costa Rica.

C．Teens Have a Research on Turtles.

D．Teens Learn to be Independent.

Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry — it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my laptop computer，as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices（設(shè)備）and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas. Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule — no laptop, iPads, phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy.
Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. Some students assume that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas. I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion.
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.
【小題1】Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with _______.

A．the course material

B．others’ misuse of technology

C．discussion topics

D．the author’s class regulations

【小題2】The underlined word “engage ”in paragraph 4 probably means _______.

A．explore

B．a(chǎn)ccept

C．change

D．reject

【小題3】According to the author, the use of technology in the classroom may _______.

A．keep students from doing independent thinking

B．encourage students to have in-depth conversations

C．help students to better understand complex themes

D．a(chǎn)ffect students’ concentration on course evaluation

【小題4】It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author _______.

A．is quite stubborn

B．will give up teaching history

C．will change his teaching plan soon

D．values technology-free dialogues in his class