Apple has entered the textbook market. The tech giant（科技巨頭） introduced iBooks textbooks a couple of weeks ago when it announced its iBooks 2 platform. They are digital books in many subjects taking in science, maths, history and geography.
Apple developed its iPad-based textbooks in conjunction with（連接）major textbook publishers. The company offers a collection of textbooks for high school students.
Apple says it offers a “new textbook experience” and suggests its iBooks textbooks are “the next chapter in learning”. It sounds like good news for pupils and students. Think of it. No more carrying heavy backpacks full of textbooks. Every textbook you require can be stored on your iPad. No more having to buy expensive textbooks which you will only use for a year or two and then sell or give away.
Of course there’s a catch. You need to own an iPad and as you know, it is not cheap. You also need to buy digital textbooks, mostly priced each at $14.99 (94.74 yuan) or less. Textbook publishing was worth $ 8.7 billion in the US alone last year. And the rest, as they say, is history. Will Apple revolutionize learning? Will digital books take over completely in education? That remains to be seen.
【小題1】What is the best title of the text?

A．Apple Enters New Market

B．A Different Way of Learning

C．Experience Digital Texbooks

D．Say Good-bye to Tradition

【小題2】iBooks textbooks will do good to pupils and students because ________.

A．they are free to get	B．they are easy to carry
C．they are ipad-based	D．they are favorite gifts

【小題3】The underlined words “a catch” in Paragraph 4 are closest in meaning to “________.”

A．a(chǎn)n advantage	B．a(chǎn) surprise
C．a(chǎn) problem	D．a(chǎn)n order

【小題4】What can we know from that last paragraph?

A．iPad-based textbooks have changed our learning.

B．Traditional textbooks will be replaced sooner or later.

C．Apple has earned a lot from the textbook market.

D．Digital books have disadvantages and advantages.

FRANCE has destroyed the hopes of those who had planned to take refuge（避難）in one of the few places on Earth which some believe will be spared when the world ends on December 21 ．Local officials banned access to the Pic de Bugarach，a mountain in the southwest where rumor has it that the hilltop will open on the last day and aliens will appear with spaceships to save nearby humans.
Eric Freysselinard，the state’s top representative in the area，said he was blocking access to the mountain for public safety reasons to avoid a rush of New Age fanatics(盲信者），sight-seers and media crews. Believers say the world will end on December 21，2012，the end date of the ancient Mayan calendar，and they see Bugarach as one of a few sacred mountains sheltered from the cataclysm(大災(zāi)難）．
Mr Freysselinard said the 100 police and firefighters will also control approaches to the tiny village of the same name at the foot of the mountain，and if too many people turn up，they will block access there too.“We are expecting a few people who believe in this end of the world，but in extremely limited numbers，” he said in the. nearby city of Carcassonne.“We are expecting greater numbers of people who are just curious，but in numbers we cannot determine. Above all，we are expecting lots of journalists，”he said.
Films，documentaries and websites have promoted the idea that the ancient Mayan calendar predicts that doomsday is on December 21．The culture ministry in Guatemala-where half the population are of Mayan descent-is hosting a massive event in the capital just in case the world actually does end，while tour groups are promoting doomsday-themed getaways.
【小題1】Many people plan to go to Pic de Bugarach mainly because      ．

A．they want to take refuge on December 21，2012

B．they want to meet aliens with spaceships to save humans

C．they want to visit the scenery of the mountain

D．they want to make profits by attracting tourists

【小題2】Eric Freysselinard was blocking access to the mountain for      ．

A．forbidding the rumour spreading	B．improving environmental protection
C．protecting public safety	D．a(chǎn)voiding destroying natural sources

【小題3】What kinds of people would come to Pic de Bugarach？
a. Tourists. b. Journalists. c. Local officials. d. Visionaries. e. The Mayans.

A．a(chǎn). b. e.

B．a(chǎn). b. c.

C．a(chǎn). b. d.

D．b. d. e.

【小題4】Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．The World Ends on December 21	B．The Ancient Mayan Calendar Ends
C．A Massive Event in The Capital	D．French Say‘No’to The Refugee

Do you still get free plastic bags（塑料袋） from the supermarket（超市）? Things will change soon.
To protect(保護(hù)) the environment, supermarkets in China will stop providing (提供) free plastic bags after June 1st. If you don't want to pay money to buy them, you'll have to bring your own shopping bag.
What kind of bags will be the best to bring? Students in Kunming Xinying Middle School have some good ideas.
Recently 54 students of the school held an activity in which they made their own environmentally-friendly shopping bags.
Most students used old clothes to make their bags. They painted pictures like the Olympic rings on them.
But Wang Shuncheng, a Junior 2 boy, chose a different material (材料). He made his bag with old newspaper. Is a newspaper bag strong enough to hold shopping? Wang says it is, "No problem. I put six bottles of water in the bag," he said. "It's strong enough!"
Chen Lisi, a girl, had a more traditional way to make her bag – she weaved (編織) a bamboo basket. It was not an easy job. With her grandfather's help, Chen spent a whole afternoon making it. She also weaved wool (毛線) flowers on the basket.
Making bags was not all the students did. They had another job: to persuade their parents and relatives to use environmentally-friendly shopping bags instead of plastic ones. The school will show the bags so that shops and stores can get inspiration (靈感) from the students' work.
【小題1】On June 2nd, if you don’t bring a shopping bag, ________ in the market.

A．you can get free plastic bags

B．you’ll have to pay for the plastic bags

C．you can’t buy anything

D．you can’t use plastic bags

【小題2】From the passage, we can infer(推測) that ___________.

A．Plastic bags will not come into our life any more.

B．When you go shopping after June 2nd, you have to bring a shopping bag.

C．Plastic bags are bad for the environment.

D．No one will use plastic bags after June 2nd.

【小題3】What does “persuade” in the last paragraph mean?

A．勸說

B．阻止

C．保證

D．反對

【小題4】Supermarkets in China stop providing plastic bags because _________.

A．they want to save money

B．markets want to make more money

C．plastic bags are very expensive

D．they want to protect the environment

【小題5】Which of the following is not right from the passage?

A．People may use other material to make shopping bags.

B．The students’ work may bring inspiration to the supermarkets.

C．You can’t use plastic bags in supermarkets any more after June 1st.

D．The newspaper bag made by Wang Shuncheng seems strong.

Some people have very good memory（記憶力） and they can easily remember quite long texts. There are other people who can only remember things when they have said them again and again. The famous English writer Charles Dickens said that he could walk down any long street in London and then tell you the name of every shop he had passed. Many great men of the world have a wonderful memory.
A good memory is greatly helpful in learning a language. Everybody learns his own language by remembering what he hears when he is a small child, and some children, like the boys and girls who live abroad(國外) with their parents, seem to learn two languages almost as easily as one. In school it is not so easy to learn a second language because the students have so little time for it, and they are very busy with other subjects too.
A man’s mind is like a camera, but it takes photos not only of what we see but also of what we feel, hear, smell and taste. When we take a real photo with a camera, Some people have very good memory（記憶力） and they can easily remember quite long texts.In the same way, there is much work to be done before we can keep a picture forever(永遠(yuǎn)) in our minds.
Memory is a diary, and we all carry it about us. We keep things we have experienced (經(jīng)歷)in this diary.
【小題1】Which of the following is true?

A．Charles Dickens had a good memory because he was a famous writer.

B．People without a good memory cannot be great men of the world.

C．People became great because they have a good memory.

D．Many people may never become great though they have a good memory.

【小題2】To learn a language well, one must ________.

A．live abroad	B．write it every day
C．often hear it	D．go to school

【小題3】The writer thinks a camera in one’s mind can take photos of ______.

A．what we see

B．what we feel and hear

C．what we smell and taste

D．what we see, feel, hear, smell and taste

【小題4】If you have a good memory, ________.

A．you can learn a second language easily

B．you can remember things for ever easily

C．you can learn your own language easily

D．you can remember things better

【小題5】Which of the following is true?

A．We all keep a diary in our mind.

B．One has to do a lot of work before he can keep a picture in his mind forever.

C．A person with a good memory can remember things forever.

D．A good memory helps to remember everything forever.

Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. “Houses” have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented(專利的)and have trade mark licenses(許可). The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing(安裝)the dirt drain(排水管)at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.
【小題1】The first paragraph tells us the importance of _________.

A．the particular changes in houses

B．human beings’ role in making inventions

C．the advantages of modern lifestyle

D．the difference between human beings and animals Zxxk

【小題2】What plays the most important role in causing people to invent new things?

A．To earn more money and gain awards.

B．To be recorded by some special companies.

C．To improve the present living conditions.

D．To meet the new demands of new science.

【小題3】It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to _________.

A．prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured

B．keep your shoulder safe and sound when you are in an accident or an operation

C．help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains

D．cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike

【小題4】Common people can also make good inventions because __________.

A．wisdom and inspiration sometimes come from everyday life

B．some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by common people

C．common people have a strong desire to do something for science research

D．success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people

【小題5】The passage is mainly talking about _________.

A．the correct use of household facilities

B．different ideas about household inventions

C．the history of household inventions

D．household inventions and their influence

The home of the future won’t be completely different and we will be living in houses and flats just as we do today．But people will want to shape their homes to match their dreams．No two homes will be the same．People will be able to buy “house kits” containing a basic house structure, with movable walls, doors and windows．They will put together the different parts to create the home they want．
Many jobs that we do today will disappear, others will still exist but will change and new jobs will be created. Skilled workers such as builders, gardeners and electricians won’t disappear because machines can’t replace them. Teachers will still exist because students need human contact. But they will be using modern technology in class more and students will be working more from home. The medical technology revolution and space travel will create new jobs which we can only imagine today．
Space holidays will develop in the future, but these holidays won’t be for everyone because they won’t be cheap. Short space trips will develop first, then space hotels will orbit the earth where it will be possible to have a longer vacation. By the end of the next century, there will be holiday centres on the moon with leisure facilities for families．
Paper won’t exist in the future. Instead, there will be e-paper which people will be able to use over and over again. This will develop in order to save natural resources. E-newspapers and e-magazines will replace traditional newspapers and magazines and we will download information and news articles from the Internet every day onto our reuseable paper．
The laws of physics tell us that the earth is going to disappear some time in the future．This isn’t going to happen tomorrow but scientists predict that it will happen in five billion years when our sun explodes (爆炸)．We will have to explore the universe and find another home. At some point in the distant future, either we stay on the earth and die with it, or we leave and move to another planet. There won’t be any other choice.
【小題1】Homes of the future will ________．

A．be completely different from those of today

B．be very similar to our homes

C．a(chǎn)ll be different from one another

D．be movable as you want

【小題2】Space trips and staying in space hotels will ________．

A．become a very common way to spend a holiday

B．be the best holiday option for families

C．a(chǎn)ttract a lot of people

D．still only be for very rich people

【小題3】E-paper will replace traditional paper because ________．

A．we will use it again

B．it won’t waste natural resource

C．it will be cheaper to produce

D．it will be convenient to carry

【小題4】We will have move to another planet ________．

A．if we want to save the human race

B．when the sun explodes

C．when the earth disappears

D．when the earth is too crowded to fill people on

Michael Fish may soon be replaced as a weather forecaster by the shark (鯊魚).
Research by a British biology student suggests that sharks could be used to predict storms. Lauren Smith, 24, is close to completing her study on shark’s ability to sense pressure. If her studies prove the theory, scientists may be able to monitor the behavior of sharks to predict bad weather.
Miss Smith had previously studied the behavior of lemon sharks in the Bahamas.
She then used their close relatives, lesser spotted dogfish, for further research at Aberdeen University.
Her work---thought to be the first of its kind to test the pressure theory ---- resulted from the observation that juvenile blacktip sharks off Florida moved into deeper water ahead of a violent storm in 2001.
Miss Smith said: “I’ve always been crazy about traveling and diving and this led me to an interest in sharks.”
“I was delighted to have been able to research in the area for my degree. I know there’s so much more we need to understand ---- but it certainly opens the way to more research.”
It has been discovered that a shark senses pressure using hair cells in its balance system.
At the Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas, Miss Smith fixed hi-tech sensors to sharks to record pressure and temperature, while also tracking them using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology.
In Aberdeen, she was able to study the effects of tidal (潮汐的) and temperature changes on dogfish----none of which were harmed. She also used a special lab which can mimic (模擬) oceanic pressure changes caused by weather fronts.
She is due to complete her study and graduate later this year. She says she will be looking for a job which will give her the chance to enrich her experience of shark research.
【小題1】The passage is most probably taken from _______.

A．a(chǎn) short-story collection

B．a(chǎn) popular science magazine

C．a(chǎn) research paper

D．a(chǎn) personal diary

【小題2】What do we learn from the first four paragraphs of the passage?

A．Sharks may be used to predict bad weather.

B．Sharks’ behavior can be controlled.

C．Michael Fish is not fit for his job.

D．Lauren Smith will become a weather forecaster.

【小題3】Lauren Smith conducted her research by _______.

A．removing hair cells from a shark’s balance system

B．measuring the air pressure of weather fronts

C．recording sharks’ body temperature

D．monitoring sharks’ reaction to weather changes

【小題4】What is the passage mainly about?

A．A popular way of forecasting weather.

B．A new research effort in predicting storms.

C．Biologists’ interest in the secrets of sharks.

D．Lauren Smith’s devotion to scientific research.

Have you heard of snake robots? Scientists and doctors are already using tiny snakes that coil through the human body armed with sharp surgical tools to perform operations on hearts, prostate cancer, and other diseased organs. The snake robots that carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps, and even more advanced sensors are being developed.
The next generation of the robots will be wireless, and will explore inside your body on their own--- not attached to any cables. For now, they are powered by cables that humans control. Experts say the day is coming when some robots will roam around the body on their own. But the experts in robotics say the new creations work best when they are designed for very specific tasks.
Howie Choset has been researching and building robots, particularly snake robots. He believes that his snake robot and others like it can help reduce medical costs by making complex surgery faster and easier. Choset says his new design is smaller and more flexible than earlier models.
The size of surgical robots allows surgeons to operate with far less damage to the body, helping the patient heal faster. Choset has also built larger snake robots designed for search and rescue, or just exploration. They can climb poles and trees and then look around through a camera in the head and slither through places that humans cannot reach.
“ We sent our snake robots into these caves in the Red Sea to look for evidence of ancient Egyptian ships,” he said. “ To me, archeology is like search and rescue, but everyone has been dead for 5,000 years.”
The doctors are very excited about the potential for surgical robots to do things that humans can’t do. The variety of sensors available for surgical robots keeps expanding. As they get smaller, maybe one day they will be able to test chemicals or blood in the body, or even the electrical connections in nerves.
【小題1】What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The doctors carry out surgery using snake robots mainly for heart disease.

B．The doctors are very satisfied with the new snake robots during surgery.

C．Snake robots are completely free of human control today.

D．Other supplementary appliances will be added to snake robots.

【小題2】Which of the following is true, according to the passage?

A．Snake robots are only used in the medical field.

B．Snake robots can reduce the patients’ medical costs.

C．Scientists are uncertain about the prospects for snake robots.

D．Scientists are forced to spend a lot of time researching snake robots.

【小題3】How can snake robots work best, according to the passage?

A．When they carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps.

B．When they are operated by experienced doctors.

C．When they are given a wireless function.

D．When they are designed for particular tasks.

【小題4】Why do we know about Howie Choset, according to the passage?

A．He thought snake robots of different sizes can be used for different types of surgery.

B．He thought patients’ pain had been slightly reduced with the help of snake robots.

C．He also made snake robots for search, rescue and exploration.

D．He is very interested in researching ancient Egyptian ships.

【小題5】The writers attitude towards the new technology is ______.

A．optimistic

B．doubtful

C．objective

D．negative

Artistic Skates
Artistic roller skates are made up of a leather boot, very strong sole plate, and a jump bar that adds extra force. The boot sits a few inches above the ankle, providing more support for the foot.
Jam Skates
Jam skates are the most different roller skates because of their special low-cut design and lack of toe stop. That’s right: there is no brake. But the original jam skate design was different, resembling an artistic skate. Jam skating is more about personal expression rather than speed skating. The free-flowing movements of jam skating have been given many names. But regardless of its name, jam skating has always been about expression and passion.
Speed Skates
A speed skate resembles a shoe. The cut of the boot is lower. Speed skates typically offer lightweight plates to reduce exhaustion for skating long distances. Jam skates have preferred speed skates because they offer a similar design and freedom of movement. The most obvious difference is that a speed skate features a toe stop, unlike a jam skate that uses a toe plug.
Rhythm Skates
Rhythm skates are similar to jam skates. The difference between them lies in the boot design. In fact, the boot design looks very similar to an artistic skate, essentially providing you with the ankle support benefits of an artistic skate, but the freedom of movement of a jam skate. If you want a skate that allows you to move to the beat, which added ankle support, the rhythm skate is the ideal choice.
【小題1】Which of the following is NOT a feature of jam skates?

A．They have no brake

B．They lack a toe stop

C．They have no toe plug.

D．They have a unique, low-cut design.

【小題2】If you want to skate to music, which of the following is the best choice?

A．Rhythm skates

B．Jam skates

C．Speed skates

D．Artistic skates

【小題3】Speed skates are popular with jam skates because _____.

A．they have a high boot cut

B．they allow free-flowing movement.

C．they are able to stabilize the foot

D．they can help jam skates reduce tiredness.

【小題4】What is a common feature of rhythm and jam skates?

A．They both offer some support for the ankles.

B．They both have a similar boot design.

C．They are both suitable for free-flowing movement.

D．They are both about personal expression and passion.

【小題5】What can you learn from the passage about jam skates?

A．The original jam skate design has hardly changed.

B．The original jam skate design was similar to an artistic skate.

C．Jam skates have gradually become a type of speed skate.

D．Jam skating has many names because it’s about expression and passion.

Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未來學(xué)家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.
First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息圖）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.
Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.
In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.
In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 
Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard.
【小題1】What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

A．We can use a computer to turn off the TV set.

B．We can talk with the characters appearing on TV.

C．We can choose whatever we like to see on TV.

D．We can touch the things we see on TV.

【小題2】What isn’t mentioned about the future in 2050 in the passage?

A．Technology.

B．Medicine.

C．Movies.

D．Agriculture.

【小題3】What will be more likely to cause the war in the future?

A．The lack of water.	B．The less farmland.
C．The shortage of robots.	D．The more space planes.

【小題4】From the passage we can infer that by 2050 ____.

A．people will spend less time in studying

B．more and more people needn’t go to school

C．people will have more time to relax or rest

D．no patients will be found in the world