More than 200 scientists have completed a two­year study to identify the most natural and undeveloped areas on Earth. Their findings are reported in a new book called Wilderness：Earth’s Last Wild Places. The book describes 37 wilderness areas around the world. Each has an area greater than 10,000 square kilometers. The study considered only areas where at least 70% of all plants are native.
North and South America are home to the largest number of wilderness areas. There are 16 such areas, from southern Argentina to Alaska and northern Canada. Africa has 8 wilderness areas, including the thick forests and the grasslands. Australia and New Guinea (幾內(nèi)亞) share 6 areas. Europe has 3 areas and Asia has 2.The Arabian Desert and Antarctica also are considered wilderness areas.
The largest wilderness area is the Boreal Forest (北方森林)．It extends for 16­million square kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The Boreal Forest extends across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe and Russia. The smallest of the 37 wilderness areas is the Sundarbans. It is the world’s largest tidal mangrove forest (紅樹林)．It covers 10,000 square kilometers of land at the mouth of the Ganges River in India and Bangladesh (孟加拉國)．
The study found that wilderness areas cover about 46% of the Earth’s land surface. However, they are home to less than 2.5% of the world’s population. Nineteen of the wilderness areas have only about one person for each square kilometer. Native people usually live in these areas.
Wilderness areas help to influence the world’s weather systems and rainfall. They are also home to many plants and animals. Population growth and the spread of agriculture and mining operations threaten wilderness areas. But just 7% of all such areas have some form of official protection.
【小題1】What does the author think of the wilderness areas around the world in the book?

A．Unwanted.

B．Long-lasting.

C．Valuable

D．Perfect.

【小題2】The writer describes the wilderness areas to show that they ________.

A．a(chǎn)re worth the public support	B．can attract readers’ attention
C．need to be stressed as resources	D．a(chǎn)re seen on every continent

【小題3】According to the 4th paragraph, we can draw a conclusion that the 37 wilderness areas are ________.

A．deserted

B．crowded

C．uncontrolled

D．undeveloped

【小題4】As the result of the effect on nature, the wilderness areas on Earth should be ________.

A．thought more of by the governments	B．explored as natural habitats very soon
C．further made full use of at present	D．discovered for their advantages of nature

【小題5】The purpose of writing this text is to tell us ________of the wilderness areas around the world.

A．the importance

B．the situation

C．the development

D．the environment

Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked．
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup（基因構(gòu)成）as human beings．What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival．Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible．
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for．Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger．With knowledge, we can lessen its effects．
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential （潛在的）resources to be found．Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later．Resources may be more than physical possessions．Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration．The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives．We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems．Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products （副產(chǎn)品）of technological developments in the space industry!
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us．While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers．The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive．Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist．
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets．It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future．
【小題1】Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph1?

A．To express his doubts．	B．To compare different ideas．
C．To introduce points for discussion．	D．To describe the conditions on Earth．

【小題2】What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?

A．Humans are nature-born to do so．	B．Humans have the tendency to fight．
C．Humans may find new sources of food．	D．Humans don't like to stay in the same place．

【小題3】The underlined word "spin-offs" in Paragraph 4 probably refers to______．

A．survival chances

B．potential resources

C．unexpected benefits

D．physical possessions

【小題4】What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?

A．Our genetic makeup．	B．Resources on the earth．
C．The adaptive ability of humans．	D．By-products in space exploration．

【小題5】Which of the statements can best sum up the passage?

A．Space exploration has created many wonders．

B．Space exploration provided the best value for money．

C．Space exploration can benefit science and technology.

D．Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth.

The rapid growth of cities worldwide over the next two decades will cause significant risks to people and the global environment, according to analysis.
Researches from Yale and Stanford predict that by 2030 urban areas will expand by 590,000 square miles—nearly the size of Mongolia—to meet the needs of 1.47 billion more people living in urban areas.
“It is likely that these cities are going to be developed in places that are the most biologically diverse,” said Karen Seto, a famous scientist at Yale University. “They are going to be growing and expanding into forests, biological hotspots, savannas(熱帶稀缺大草原), coastlines—sensitive and vulnerable places.”
Urban areas, they found, have been expanding more rapidly along coasts. “Of all the places for cities to grow, coasts are the most sensitive. People and buildings along the coast are at risk of flooding and other environmental disasters,” said Seto.
The study provides the first estimate of how fast urban areas globally are growing and how fast they may grow in the future. “We know a lot about global patterns of urban population growth, but we know significantly less about how urban areas are changing,” she said. “Changes in land cover associated with urbanization lead to many environmental changes, from habitats loss and agricultural land conversion(轉(zhuǎn)化) to changes in local and regional climate.”
The researchers examined studies that used satellite data to map urban growth and found that from 1970 to 2000 the world’s urban footprint had grown by at least 22,400 square miles—half the size of Ohio.
“This number is numerous, but, in actuality, urban land expansion has been far greater than what our analysis shows because we only looked at the published studies that used satellite data,” said Seto. “We found that 48 of the most populated urban areas have been studied using satellite data, with findings in journals. This means that we’re not tracking the physical expansion of more than half of the world’s largest cities.”
Half of urban land expansion in China is driven by a rising middle class, whereas the size of cities in India and Africa is driven primarily by population growth. “Rising incomes translate into rising demand for bigger homes and more land for urban development, which has a great effect on biodiversity conservations, loss of carbon sinks and energy use.”
【小題1】According to the passage, the most dangerous place for city expansion is the _____.

A．forest

B．desert

C．savannas

D．coastline

【小題2】The underlined word “vulnerable” (in Para. 3) probably means “____”.

A．diverse in plants	B．beautiful in scenery
C．easily damaged	D．very productive

【小題3】From Para. 5, we can infer that ____.

A．urbanization is a good way to improve people’s standards of living

B．cities develop very fast and more and more people come to live in cities

C．more and more agricultural farmlands are used to make room for local animals

D．in the past, researchers focused their attention on the expanding urban areas

【小題4】Cities in Africa become bigger and bigger mainly because of their ____.

A．growing population	B．rising middle class
C．unique living patterns	D．economic development

Still waiting for little green men to make contact? Don't hold your breath.
A leading astronomer has concluded there probably aren't any aliens out there – meaning we are absolutely alone in the universe.
Even though there may be tens of thousands of other distant planets similar in size to Earth, the conditions on them are likely to be too hard to support life-forms such as ET.
Dr Howard Smith, a senior astrophysicist at Harvard University, believes there is very little hope of discovering aliens and, even if we did, it would be almost impossible to make contact.
So far astronomers have discovered a total of 500 planets in distant solar systems – known as extrasolar systems – although they believe billions of others exist.
But Dr Smith points out that many of these planets are either too close to the sun or too far away, meaning their surface temperatures are so bad that they could not support life. Others have unusual orbits which cause vast temperature variations, making it impossible for water to exist – the most important thing for life.
Dr Smith said, "We have found that most other planets and solar systems are wildly different from our own. It means it is highly unlikely there are any planets with intelligent life close enough for us to make contact." But his suggestions contradict other leading scientists who have claimed aliens almost certainly exist.
Only last month Professor Stephen Hawking said the fact that there are billions of galaxies out there made it reasonable to think there were other life-forms in the universe.
Researchers from the University of London have recently suggested that aliens could be living on as many as 40,000 other planets. But Dr Smith said: "Any hope of contact has to be limited to a relatively tiny space around the Earth, reaching maybe 1,250 light years out from our planet, where aliens might be able to pick up our signals or send us their own. But communicating would still take decades or centuries."
【小題1】By saying ＂don’t hold your breath＂, the author advised the reader not to _____.

A．keep silent

B．give up

C．expect so

D．be afraid

【小題2】Dr Smith concludes there probably aren’t any aliens because other planets _____.

A．a(chǎn)re too far away from the earth

B．a(chǎn)re different from the Earth in size

C．don’t have rich natural resources

D．don’t have a suitable living environment

【小題3】Researchers from the University of London are mentioned to show that ______.

A．they have better explanations about aliens

B．a(chǎn)liens certainly exist on many planets

C．they disagree with Dr Smith’s suggestion

D．a(chǎn)liens can pick up signals from the earth

【小題4】What’s the main idea of the text?

A．There must be other life forms in the universe.

B．We can communicate with aliens in decades.

C．The chances of finding aliens are slight.

D．Many other planets are quite different from the Earth.

A long time ago, before human beings lived on the earth, little coral polyps（水螅）settled around tropical （熱帶的）coastlines and constructed corals. Over a long period they created lots of reefs. Yet, pollution, climate change and commercial fisheries are limiting the chance of future generations knowing or seeing many of the reefs and sea creatures that exist. Hence, take action to dive now and you can explore the underwater world.
Commercial underwater diving began in ancient Greece. Diving in general means that the whole body is completely in water. On that account there are lots of exciting and quite adventurous ways to dive, like shark cage diving, scuba diving（戴水肺潛水）and reef diving.
There are great coral reefs all over the world, but usually they are situated in warm, clear water such as the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, where they grow best. This is why there are no coral reefs on the west coast of South Africa. However, South Africa’s east coast offers much brightly coloured sea life.
In South Africa more than 100,000 dives a year are made just in coral reefs, which are one of the natural wonders of the world. To see the whole beauty of the reef the right diving gear（設(shè)備） is an essential requirement. This means a perfect fitting diving mask and fins, as well as a snorkel（呼吸管）and a friend. Diving alone is dangerous because there may be strong currents you are not aware of, and it’s a lot more fun to share the experience with someone. However, before you can explore the deeper sea, a certificated and checked scuba, a wetsuit and of course a license will be needed. Whether you choose the snorkel or the scuba to spot the colourful underwater world, try to touch as little as possible, be careful with the corals and don’t strike the fishes, because the complex ecosystem is very sensitive.
【小題1】The following factors probably affect coral reefs EXCEPT ________.

A．sea creatures

B．pollution

C．fishing

D．climate change

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

A．Human beings appeared before corals were created.

B．One needs a license to dive into the deeper sea.

C．Diving alone has many advantages.

D．The origin of diving is in modern Greece.

【小題3】There are no coral reefs on the west coast of South Africa probably because of a lack of ________.

A．large waters and soft sand

B．warm currents and delicious food

C．friendly creatures and flat seabed

D．clear water and suitable temperature

【小題4】The last paragraph mainly tells us ________.

A．diving alone under the sea is rather dangerous

B．some matters we need pay attention to when diving

C．South Africa is a popular place for diving

D．what we should wear when diving

International experts meeting in Australia say global carbon emissions (排放) can be reduced by more than 50 percent through simple energy saving measures. People at a conference in Australia, which increasingly relies on coal for power, say that reducing power consumption is an affordable way to both cut energy costs and reduce pollution.
While many nations turn to cheap and dirty energy sources, such as coal, to meet their increasing energy needs, analysts in Australia say the best way to meet those needs is to improve energy efficiency.
A range of simple solutions include using energy-efficient homes, household appliances and lighting, and driving electric cars. Encouraging homeowners and office workers to switch off their televisions and computers at the end of the day is also seen as an effective way to save electricity.
Grayson Heffner, from the Paris-based International Energy Agency, says reducing consumption could greatly cut global carbon emissions. He calls efficiency strategies (策略) the “soft giant” of clean energy.
“We forecast that energy efficiency will deliver something like three-quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the next 20 years. So in the short term energy efficiency is the main way that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions but oftentimes it is not so importantly stressed in the discussions,” said Heffner.
Energy experts working in China say the government is making significant cuts in power usage.
Wan Xingwang, a Beijing-based representative of the Energy Foundation, a U.S. non-government organization, says the results have been impressive.
“In the past five years China achieved about 19.1 percent of energy reduction of its GDP. That translates to something like more than 600 million tons of coal savings,” said Wan Xingwang.
While most nations have some sort of government-sponsored energy efficiency programs, energy analysts say initiatives (主動(dòng)性) by individuals and companies can also help cut demand.
Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, a non-profit group based in Washington, says other developing nations are recognizing the benefits of cutting power consumption and taking action.
【小題1】To increase their energy supplies, many nations _____________________.

A．turn to new energy	B．turn to cheap energy
C．develop solar energy	D．introduce clean energy

【小題2】Which of the following cannot help to reduce energy consumption effectively?

A．Using electronic products in small size.

B．Using more electric cars.

C．Turning off computers after work.

D．Building energy-efficient houses.

【小題3】What can we learn from what Grayson Heffner said?

A．75% of the greenhouse gas emissions can easily be cut in the next 20 years.

B．Ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be discussed.

C．Using clean energy is the strategy to cut global carbon emissions.

D．The key to reducing greenhouse gases in the short term is to improve energy efficiency.

【小題4】According to the last two paragraphs, which of the following statements is true?

A．The programs reducing energy consumption shouldn’t be sponsored by individuals and companies.

B．All nations have government-sponsored energy efficiency programs.

C．It is time that all nations should combine their efforts to save energy.

D．Some developing nations are taking action to cut power consumption.

With eco-tourism on the rise, eco-hotels are fast becoming the darling of the travel industry. These days, however, staying at an eco-hotel doesn’t necessarily mean vacationing in a tree house in the Costa Rican jungle, although that is certainly a choice.
The majority of eco-hotels fall into several categories: hotels and resorts that conserve ecologically important habitats; “green” hotels that reduce, recycle, minimize waste, and protect water; sustainable hotels that harvest food from gardens on the hotel property or get part or all of their power from renewable energy; hotels that encourage community involvement such as guests taking part in trail clearing; and hotels that offer some form of environmental education to their guests.
As such, eco-hotels are a various group. Stylish urban hotels like the Willard Inter-Continental Washington focus on energy conservation whereas the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island in Washington State offers a wildly popular “green” vacation package where guests can “take a hike, clear a trail”.
No matter what you call them, eco-hotel, eco-lodge, eco-resort, or green hotel, they’re all part of the “greening” of the tourism industry.
Part of what drives this greening of the hotel industry is no doubt competition. Going green is another way to distinguish a hotel from the mass of other excellent hotels that consumers have to choose from. But for many hotels, it’s also part of their philosophy. With the concept of “going green” firmly rooted in consumers’ minds, eco-hotels have taken it to the next level, and whether or not money is the driving factor behind the greening of the hotel industry doesn’t matter so much as it’s good for the planet.
【小題1】According to the passage, which of the following can match the idea of eco-hotel?

A．It is comfortable and fashionable.	B．It uses renewable energy.
C．It has walls of glass.	D．It is home to endangered species.

【小題2】From the passage, we know the Rosario Resort & Spa is a kind of hotel that _______.

A．encourages its guests to participate in its greening activities

B．harvests food from its own garden

C．has courses on the environment for its guests

D．protects important habitats

【小題3】From the last paragraph, we can infer that _______.

A．money is the driving force behind eco-hotels

B．the hotel industry cares more about money than the environment

C．eco-hotels teach their guests the philosophy of eco-hotels

D．eco-hotels have no advantages in competing for guests

As they migrate, butterflies and moths choose the winds they want to fly with, and they change their body positions if they start floating in the wrong direction. This new finding suggests that insects may use some of the same methods that birds use for traveling long distances. Scientists have long thought that insects were simply at the mercy of the wind.
Fascinating as their skills of flight are, migrating behavior has been difficult to study in insects because many long distant trips happen thousands of feet above ground. Only recently have scientists developed technologies that can detect such little creatures at such great heights.
To their surprise, though, the insects weren't passive travelers on the winds. In autumn, for example, most light winds blew from the east, but the insects somehow sought out ones that carried them south and they positioned themselves to navigate directly to their wintering homes.
Even in the spring, when most winds flowed northward, the insects didn't always go with the flow. If breezes weren't blowing in the exact direction they wanted to go, the insects changed their body positions to compensate(補(bǔ)償, 彌補(bǔ)). Many migrating birds do the same thing.
The study also found that butterflies and moths actively flew within the air streams that pushed them along. By adding flight speeds to wind speeds, the scientists calculated that butterflies and moths can travel as fast as 100 kilometers an hour. The findings may have real-world applications. With climate warming, migrating insects are growing in number. Knowing how and when these pests move could help farmers decide when to spray their crops.
【小題1】What's the main idea of the text?

A．Insects migrate with the seasons.

B．The wind helps insects greatly in migrating.

C．Windsurfing insects have real direction.

D．Scientists have trouble in observing insects.

【小題2】Scientists originally thought that _____.

A．insects always waited for their favorable winds

B．insects chose the winds they wanted to ride

C．insects were just blown about by the wind

D．insects positioned themselves in the winds

【小題3】It is not easy to study the migrating behavior of the insects because ______.

A．the little creatures can fly very fast

B．their flight is long and high above ground

C．the wind's direction is hard to forecast

D．they have no regular migrating courses

【小題4】According to the passage, the findings can ____

A．increase insects in number

B．instruct farmers when to spray their crops

C．prevent climate warming

D．help protect insects

We live in a dangerous world. The figures for crime go up year by year. If you were attacked in the street, would you be able to defend yourself? Not very well probably, especially if someone was pointing a gun at you. We all see a lot of violence of films, but recently some programs on television showed how people can defend themselves without guns. For example, in one film a woman was attacked from behind. She threw the man, who was heavier and stronger than she was, over her head. Then she held him tightly on the ground. How? She knew Judo.
Jiu-jitsu, as judo is sometimes called, means "muscle science" in Japanese. The student of judo needs to learn a lot about the body, its bones and muscles. Judo uses a number of "falls", "holds" and "throws". Someone who does not know judo cannot defend himself against them. If you know judo you can defend yourself against a person who is stronger than you. You had better not practice judo on your friends unless they can fall without hurting themselves! Being strong is one thing, but using the body wisely is another. In judo, you use the other person's body to help you. You "throw" him to the ground and "hold" him there, so that he cannot move. Of course, it takes time and practice, but knowing judo is useful. In a violent world you ought to be able to defend yourself.
【小題1】According to passage, in fact "judo" is ______.

A．the same as "Jiu-jitsu"	B．a(chǎn) kind of fighting
C． a kind of muscle science	D．is helpful to a strong man

【小題2】Why does the writer say the world is dangerous?

A． The number of violence and crime is increasing every year.

B．Because many people carry guns.

C．Because there too many films.

D．Because people are not able to defend themselves.

【小題3】Which of the following statement is true about the woman in the passage?

A．The woman held the man over her head.

B．The woman was heavier than the man.

C．The woman was able to defend herself.

D．The woman attacked the man from behind.

【小題4】If a man knows judo, he ______.

A．will be good at muscle science.

B．will be able to avoid being attacked from his back.

C．may defeat any strong person.

D．can help himself by using the other person's body

【小題5】What's the best title for this short passage?

A．How to defend oneself	B．Violence in films
C．How to practise judo	D．Something about judo

One day, Mr. Arnold was teaching a lesson, and things were going as normally as ever. He was explaining the story of mankind to his pupils. He told them that, in the beginning, men were nomads; they never stayed in the same place for very long. Instead, they would travel about, here and there, in search of food, wherever it was to be found. And when the food ran out, they would move off somewhere else.
He taught them about the invention of farming and keeping animals. This was an important discovery, because by learning to cultivate(耕作)the land, and care for animals, mankind would always have food steadily available. It also meant that people could remain living in one place, and this made it easier to set about tasks that would take a long while to complete, like building towns, cities, and all that were in them. All the children were listening attracted by this story, until Lucy jumped up:
“And if that was so important and improved everything so much, why are we nomads all over again, Mr. Arnold?”
Mr. Arnold didn’t know what to say. Lucy was a very intelligent girl. He knew that she lived with her parents in a house, so she must know that her family were not nomads; so what did she mean?
“We have all become nomads again,” continued Lucy, “The other day, outside the city, they were cutting the forest down. A while ago a fisherman told me how they fish. It’s the same with everyone: when there’s no more forest left the foresters go elsewhere, and when the fish run out the fishermen move on. That’s what the nomads did, isn’t it ?
The teacher nodded, thoughtfully. Really, Lucy was right Mankind had turned into nomads. Instead of looking after the land in a way that we could be sure it would keep supplying our needs, we kept developing it until the land was bare. And then off we would go to the next place! The class spent the rest of the afternoon talking about what they could do to show how to be more civilized.
The next day everyone attended class wearing a green T-shirt, with a message that said “I am not a nomad!”
And , from then on, they set about showing that indeed they were not. Every time they knew they needed something, they made sure that they would get it using care and control. If they needed wood or paper, they would make sure that they got the recycled kind. They ordered their fish from fish farms, making sure that the fish they received were not too young and too small. They only used animals that were well cared for, and brought up on farms.
And so, from their little town, those children managed to give up being nomads again, just as prehistoric men had done, so many thousands of years ago.
【小題1】From Paragraph 2, we can know that______ .

A．people got tired of living in the same place

B．people gradually got used to living in cities

C．people tended to settle down after learning farming

D．people spent a long time in learning to keep animals

【小題2】In the teacher’s opinion, Lucy’s argument was______

A．shocking

B．ridiculous

C．puzzling

D．reasonable

【小題3】Which of the following agrees with the message “I am not a nomad” (Paragraph 7)?

A．People eat young fish for its delicious taste.

B．Foresters leave the place where wood is not available.

C．Fishermen move elsewhere when there is no fish left.

D．People use recycled materials as much as possible.

【小題4】The writer tries to make us believe that ______.

A．mankind has been progressing mainly through traveling about

B．it’s unwise for mankind to use the land in an uncontrolled way

C．it’s quite good for students to learn more about the history of mankind

D．in the beginning men were nomads.