Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it, do you know? The Internet is a network. It uses the telephone to join millions of computers together around the world.
Maybe that doesn’t sound very interesting. But when you’ve joined to the Internet, there are lots and lots of things you can do. You can do with all kinds of information on the World Wide Web (WWW). You can use QQ to chat with your friends, and they will make responses in a few seconds. You can send E-mails to your friends, and they can get them in a few seconds. You can also go shopping by the Internet without going out.
There are many different kinds of computers now. They all can be joined to the Internet. Most of them are small machines sitting on people’s desks at home, but there are still many others in schools, offices or large companies. These computers are owned by people and companies, but no one really owns the Internet itself.
There are lots of places for you to go into the Internet. For example, your school may have the Internet. You can use it during lessons or free time. Libraries often have computers joined to the Internet. You are welcome to use it at your spare time.
Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. It is possible for you to work at home with a computer in front, getting and sending the information you need. It is also possible for you to discuss some projects or assign the work on the Internet instead of at a meeting. In addition, you can buy or sell whatever you want by the Internet. But do you know 98% of the information on the Internet is in English? So what will English be like tomorrow?
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Internet.

B．Information.

C．Computers.

D．E-mails.

【小題2】What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．Doing with information on the Internet.

B．Using the Internet to communicate with friends.

C．Going shopping by the Internet.

D．Things we can do by the Internet.

【小題3】Who is the owner of the Internet?

A．The headmaster.

B．The officer.

C．The manager.

D．No one.

【小題4】Which may be the most possible place for people to work in the future?

A．In the office.	B．At school.
C．At home.	D．In the company.

【小題5】What does the writer try to tell us with the last two sentences?

A．English is important in using the Internet.

B．The Internet is more and more popular.

C．Most of the information is in English.

D．Every computer must have the Internet.

Some years ago industries had more freedom than they have now, and they did not need to be as careful as they must today. They did not need to worry a lot about the safety of the new products that they developed. They did not have to pay much attention to the health and safety of the people who worked for them. Often new products were dangerous for the people who used them; often conditions in the work place had very bad effects on the health of the workers.
Of course sometimes there were real disasters which attracted the attention of governments and which showed the need for changes. Also scientists who were doing research into the health of workers sometimes produced information which governments could not ignore. At such times, they inquire into the causes of the disasters or the problems. New safety rules were often introduced as a result of these inquiries; however. the new rules came too late to protect the people who died or who became seriously ill.
Today many governments have special departments which protect customers and workers．In the U.S, for example, there is a department which tests new airplanes and gives warnings about possible problems. It also makes the rules that aircraft producers must follow. Another department controls the foods and drugs that companies sell. A third department looks at the places where people work. and then reports any companies that are breaking the laws which protect the health and safety of workers. Of course, new government departments and new laws cannot prevent every accident or illness. but they are having some good results. Our work places are safer and cleaner than before. The planes and cars which we use for travel are better. Producers are thinking more about the safety and health of the people who buy and use their products.
【小題1】The main topic of the passage is ___________________________________________.

A．conditions in the work place	B．the freedom of industries in the past
C．changes in industrial production	D．the safety and health of workers and customers

【小題2】It can be inferred from the passage that in the past __________________________.

A．workers often got ill because of the poor working conditions

B．companies were free to put out any products they wanted to

C．many people were killed by dangerous products

D．industries were as careful in management as they are today

【小題3】It is implied (暗示) in the passage that ________________________________________.

A．governments and companies had different opinions about the safety of products

B．governments paid little attention to the safety of products

C．government officials often did not listen to scientists

D．in the past no safety laws were introduced by governments

Gauri Nanda sees a wearable computer as a handbag — one that’s built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fiber, with tiny computer chips embedded (嵌入) in it. It looks, feels and weighs like your typical leather purse.
That’s where similarities end: This bag can wirelessly keep track of your belongings and remind you, just as you’re about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you grab an umbrella. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf.
Sure, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. DuPont created new super strong fibers that can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And the chipmaker developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty cycle.
As a result, these new wearable devices are different from the heavy and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires and type on their stomachs. Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $150, which is the price of an average leather purse.
Here’s how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip on to your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you’ve forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse’s handles will notify the computer that you’ve picked up the purse and are ready to go.
Already, these new kinds of wearable devices are being adopted for use in markets like auto repair, emergency services, medical monitoring — and even, increasingly, for consumers at large. Indeed, more people will want to cross that bridge in the coming years — making for a booming market for wearable computers that don’t like something out of science fiction.
【小題1】Which of the following describes a wearable computer?

A．It can be washed in a washing machine.

B．It is much heavier than a leather purse.

C．It can download songs from the Internet.

D．It is made of clothes conducting electricity.

【小題2】According to the passage, these new wearable computers ________________________.

A．require users to operate on the stomach

B．pick up the signals through wires and chip

C．a(chǎn)re being applied in some different areas now

D．a(chǎn)re smarter but more expensive than the old ones

【小題3】What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?

A．These new wearable computers have become fashionable.

B．People would like to learn more about these new computers.

C．These new wearable computers promise to sell well in the future.

D．The idea of these purse-like computers comes from science fiction.

【小題4】The purpose of the passage is ________________________________________.

A．to introduce a new kind of computer	B．to explain the function of computers
C．to compare different types of computers	D．to show how high technology affects our life

For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the street or loading a cart in a shopping mall．Soon, that will change．Electronic commerce （trade） is growing fast and will soon bring people more choices．There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from being cheated will be harder．Many governments therefore want to apply street regulations to the electronic world．But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation．
Consumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything for the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs or their rights to refund when goods are faulty．But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence is on the screen．Even in a country where a clear right to compensation exists, the on-line customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to get a refund for a clothes purchase．
One answer is for government to cooperate more: to recognize each other’s  rules．But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules．And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober countries to accept．There is, however, another choice．Let the electronic businesses do the regulation themselves．They do, after all, have a self-interest in doing so．
In electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive asset．Governments, too, may compete to be trusted．For instance, customers ordering medicines on-line may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA’s rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead．
Customers will still need to use their judgment．But precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than customers of the normal sort．And the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain when a company lets them down．In this way, at least, the advent of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more．
【小題1】According to the author, what will be the best policy for electronic commerce?

A．Self-regulation by the business．	B．Strict consumer protection laws．
C．Close international cooperation．	D．Government protection．

【小題2】In case an electronic shopper bought faulty goods from a foreign country, what could he do?

A．Refuse to pay for the purchase．	B．Go to the seller and ask for a refund．
C．Appeal to consumer protection law．	D．Complain about it on the Internet．

【小題3】In the author’s view, businesses would place a high emphasis on honest dealing because in the electronic world _________________________________．

A．international cooperation would be much more frequent

B．consumers could easily seek government protection

C．a(chǎn) good reputation is a great advantage in competition

D．it would be easy for consumers to complain

【小題4】We can infer from the passage that in licensing new drugs the FDA in the United States is ____________________．

A．very quick

B．very cautious

C．very slow

D．rather careless

【小題5】If a customer buys something that does not meet his expectation, what is the advantage of dealing through electronic commerce over the present normal one?

A．It will be easier for him to return the goods he is not satisfied with．

B．It will be easier for him to attain the refund from the seller．

C．It will be easier for him to get his complaints heard by other consumers．

D．It will be easier for him to complain about this to the government．

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(rèn)) 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】Whichof 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

Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings. The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels(分貝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of 120 decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decible level of 195 would have the same effect.
Some scientists have suggested setting a noise limit of 120 decibles in oceans. They have observed that noises above that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that loud noises could seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing, which seriously affected the whales’ ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected(感染的).
Many researches whose work depends on ocean sounds disagree with a limit of 120 decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how many and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they previously believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.
【小題1】The second paragraph mainly tells us that the noises on land and in water       .

A．a(chǎn)re both from human activities.

B．both do harm to sea animals

C．a(chǎn)re measured differently

D．have the same effect on humans

【小題2】As to(依據(jù)) the effects of noises on whales, which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．They are deaf to noises.

B．Noises at a certain level may hurt them.

C．They are easily confused by noises.

D．Noises will limit their ability to reproduce.

【小題3】Many researchers think that the noise limit of 120 decibels would        .

A．protect whales from noises

B．benefit them a lot in their research work

C．do good to their health

D．increase industrial output

【小題4】What will scientists most probably do in the future?

A．Count the number of sea animals.

B．Stop their research on the ocean.

C．Study the effect of different noises.

D．Protect sea creatures from harmful noises.

Old Computers Make for Unhappy Workers --- Survey
LONDON  (Reuters) ----- Dealing with the dissatisfaction of aging and unreliable office computers leads to workers' unhappiness and more sick leave, a survey showed on Wednesday.
A survey carried out by caro4free.net of over 2,700 European office workers from the UK, France and Germany found that workplace dissatisfaction increased greatly with the age of the computer equipment.
"We do know that job satisfaction is falling in Britain and most advanced nations," said Stephen White, a researcher from the Work Foundation. "The actual reasons for this are the subject of very heated discussion. It's certainly one interesting theory that technology may be the cause of this in some way," White added.
A quarter of these using outdated computers in Britain said they were "quite" or "very dissatisfied" with their everyday job compared to the percent of those who had enjoyed an advantage from up-to-date technology.
The survey also said that among workers dealing with outdated equipment, there was a 35 percent greater probability they would take six or more days of sick leave per year compared with the average worker. In France, where more workers use old computers, the probability jumped to 55 percent.
Results also showed that women in the three countries were more likely to be using outdated equipment. In the UK, where more workers have up-to-date computers than in the other countries surveyed, the number of women using old equipment doubled that of men.
White pointed out that there were two sides to this problem, saying that continuously having to deal with new technology and equipment can also be a source of worry. "Old and faulty equipment is a major cause of office dissatisfaction. There is no question about it; but you also have to say that the frequent change of equipment is also, or could be, a main cause of dissatisfaction."
【小題1】The underlined word "this" (paragraph 3) refers to ______.

A．workplace dissatisfaction	B．computer use in most jobs
C．the aging off office computers	D．the survey by care4@ free. net

【小題2】How many office workers use old computers in Britain expressed their dissatisfaction?

A．16%

B．25%

C． 35%

D．55%

【小題3】According to White, why were the women surveyed more likely to use old computers?

A．Most office workers use old computers.

B．They do some of their work with computers.

C．Dealing with new equipment can cause anxiety.

D．They are easier to be satisfied with new technology.

【小題4】What is the subject of the news story?

A．Poor working conditions in offices

B．Research work of the Work Foundation

C．Influence of technology in the workplace.

D．Different attitudes to old computers.

Technology is making life easier for some dairy farmers．They use robotic systems to milk their cows．Cows are trained to follow a series of paths that lead to milking stations．Only one cow at a time can enter a station．
Once inside，the cow is rewarded with food．As the cow eats，a  robotic arm cleans and connects the animal to the milking machine．A few minutes later，milking is complete．The gate is opened，the cow is released and the next cow enters．
The robotic systems are designed to operate 24 hours a day．The cows get to decide when they want to be milked．Cows are milked an average of about three times a day．Some are milked four to six times a day．
The cows wear collars around their necks that identify them to the system．A computer keeps records on their eating and milking．A cow is released from the station if the computer decides it should not be milked．
The automated system also measures the temperature and color of freshly produced milk．Milk is thrown away if it does not pass the tests．
Professor Plaut believes the systems will appeal（吸引） especially to the next generation of farmers．She means young people who are more interested in technology and less interested in working all the time on the farm．Still，she says the price of robotic milking systems will continue to limit their use．
Doug and Tina Suhr have more than 100 cows on their family farm．Last year it became the fourth farm in southeast Minnesota to get a robotic milking system．A recent story in a local agricultural newspaper said the first robot cost 175 000 dollars．The second cost 150 000．
Doug told AgriNews that wages that would have been paid for one employee in five years will pay for one robot．He says the increase in milk production reaches a high of more than six kilograms per cow per day．
【小題1】From the first paragraph，we can infer________．

A．the robotic system is designed to reduce labor

B．cows can be raised by robots in the future

C．robots direct cows into milking stations

D．cows are kept clean by robots on some farms

【小題2】Besides milking cows，the robotic system also can______．

A．a(chǎn)djust the temperature of milking stations

B．judge the quality of fresh milk

C．improve the appetite of cows

D．keep fresh milk for two weeks

【小題3】Why is the robotic system not popular now?

A．Because young people have no interest in it．

B．Because it is difficult to learn how to use it．

C．Because people can’t afford to buy it．

D．Because it usually causes the waste of milk．

【小題4】According to Doug，what is the wage of an employee?

A．150 000～170 000．	B．750 000．
C．150 000～30 000．	D．30 000—32 000

【小題5】The best title for the passage may be_________．

A．Letting robot milk your cow	B．Milking cows by hand
C．Improving the quality of milk	D．Drinking fresh milk every day

I come from a city on the United States’east coast. It’s a ten-hour flight for me to get home from Shanghai. When I got off the plane, I took photos of the blue sky and white clouds along the way. After two weeks, I returned to Shanghai. Much to my surprise, the blue sky in Shanghai that I liked before was not as blue as that in the US. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened.
A few days later, I went to tour Waitan (a famous tourist attraction in Shanghai) by the Huangpu River with some of my friends. There we saw five Ferrari sports cars by the side of the road. The red and yellow cars looked so nice that everyone was looking at them. However, when I turned my head, I noticed the sky over Waitan, I was shocked to find that the buildings in the Lujiazui area on the other side of Huangpu River could hardly be seen. It was then that I realized that Ferrari cars could be bought with money, but a blue sky couldn’t.
Shanghai is an important economic (經(jīng)濟(jì)的) and trade center in China. It has made great contributions (貢獻(xiàn)) to the whole nation’s economic development. However, we need to protect the environment during economic growth. Pollution is poisoning our air and our rivers. Without clean air and rivers, how will people be able to survive?
【小題1】The author mentioned the Ferrari sports cars in order to _______.

A．tell us that Shanghai is a developed city

B．a(chǎn)sk us to stop driving sports cars

C．tell us how much people like cars

D．focus our attention on air pollution

【小題2】What can we learn about the author?

A．He comes from Shanghai.

B．He likes to visit different places.

C．He wants to buy a Ferrari sports car.

D．He is socially responsible (責(zé)任).

【小題3】Who might be interested in this passage?

A．Those who love Ferrari sports cars.

B．Those who care about the environment.

C．Those who want to travel in Shanghai.

D．Those who like to take photos.

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

A．Money Can Buy Ferraris, But Not a Blue Sky

B．Where People Should Live

C．Different Opinions on Cars

D．Different Places Have Different Skies

“In wilderness(荒野) is the preservation of the world.” This is a famous saying from a writer regarded as one of the fathers of environmentalism. The frequency with which it is borrowed mirrors a heated debate on environmental protection: whether to place wilderness at the heart of what is to be preserved.  
As John Sauven of Greenpeace UK points out, there is a strong appeal in images of the wild, the untouched; more than anything else, they speak of the nature that many people value most dearly. The urge to leave the subject of such images untouched is strong, and the danger exploitation(開(kāi)發(fā)) brings to such landscapes(景觀) is real. Some of these wildernesses also perform functions that humans need—the rainforests, for example, store carbon in vast quantities. To Mr. Sauven, these “ecosystem services” far outweigh the gains from exploitation.
Lee Lane, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute, takes the opposing view. He acknowledges that wildernesses do provide useful services, such as water conservation. But that is not, he argues, a reason to avoid all human presence, or indeed commercial and industrial exploitation. There are ever more people on the Earth, and they reasonably and rightfully want to have better lives, rather than merely struggle for survival. While the ways of using resources have improved, there is still a growing need for raw materials, and some wildernesses contain them in abundance. If they can be tapped without reducing the services those wildernesses provide, the argument goes, there is no further reason not to do so. Being untouched is not, in itself, a characteristic worth valuing above all others.
I look forward to seeing these views taken further, and to their being challenged by the other participants. One challenge that suggests itself to me is that both cases need to take on the question of spiritual value a little more directly. And there is a practical question as to whether wildernesses can be exploited without harm.
This is a topic that calls for not only free expression of feelings, but also the guidance of reason. What position wilderness should enjoy in the preservation of the world obviously deserves much more serious thinking.
【小題1】John Sauven holds that________________.

A．many people value nature too much

B．exploitation of wildernesses is harmful

C．wildernesses provide humans with necessities

D．the urge to develop the ecosystem services is strong

【小題2】What is the main idea of Para. 3?

A．The exploitation is necessary for the poor people.

B．Wildernesses cannot guarantee better use of raw materials.

C．Useful services of wildernesses are not the reason for no exploitation.

D．All the characteristics concerning the exploitation should be treated equally.

【小題3】What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?

A．Objective.

B．Disapproving.

C．Sceptical.

D．Optimistic.

【小題4】Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

CP: Central Point   P: Point       Sp: Sub-point(次要點(diǎn))    C: Conclusion