Far from the land of Antarctica (南極洲), a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod.
For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secret. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer.
Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish’s blood and measured its freezing point.
The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of -1.88℃ and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to -2.05℃. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice-salt mixture.
The scientists’ next research job was clear: Find out what in the fish’s blood kept it from freezing. Their search led to some really strange thing made up of a protein (蛋白質) never before seen in the blood of a fish. When it was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point.
Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules (分子) held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein, or AFGP.
【小題1】What is the text mainly about?

A．The terrible conditions in the Antarctic.

B．A special fish living in freezing waters.

C．The ice shelf around Antarctica.

D．Protection of the Antarctic cod.

【小題2】Why can the Antarctic cod live at the freezing temperature?

A．The seawater has a temperature of - l.88℃

B．It loves to live in the ice-salt mixture.

C．A special protein keeps it from freezing.

D．Its blood has a temperature lower than -2.05℃

【小題3】What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．A type of ice-salt mixture.	B．A newly found protein
C．Fish blood.	D．Sugar molecule.

【小題4】What does “glyco-” in the underlined word “glycoprotein” in the last paragraph mean?

A．sugar

B．ice

C．blood

D．molecule

In Wiltshire, England, volunteers are being sought to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields. The project is promoted by all environmental protection organization, which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals. Recently, the organization has issued an appeal to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment.
In the area, the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organization, aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies. The project officer Sarah Marshall says,“It will be a suitable habitat (棲息地) for butterflies. They are great‘indicator species’ as they are easily affected by climate changes so they make a brilliant early-warning system for the environment.” She also points out that volunteers are needed to record the number or species of butterflies, and based on the change happening to the butterflies, the hidden environmental problems in the area can be found out in time.
The organization is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September. They will walk a fixed route and record the different butterflies they encounter along the way. Each visit should take no more than two hours, and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife. “Staff will provide back up, so if the weather is poor on the day you are to visit (butterflies don’t like to fly in the rain, wind or if it’s too cloudy) we can have someone else do your job,” Sarah points out.
No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided, but a keen interest is essential. If you are interested please contact Sarah on (01380) 725670, ext 278, email—sarahm @ wiltshirewildlife. org.
【小題1】 According to Paragraph 1, what is the purpose of the Project?

A．To appeal to more visitors

B．To protect the environment

C．To control butterfly population

D．To expand the area for wildlife

【小題2】Butterflies are called “indicator species” because _______.

A．they can provide support for visitors

B．they can give information to other species

C．they are not easily found out in their habitats

D．they are very sensitive to environmental changes

【小題3】Volunteers are required to do the things EXCEPT __________.

A．having some special previous experience

B．being interested in protecting the environment

C．walking a regular route and do some recordings

D．visiting the nature protection area once a month

【小題4】What is the text mainly about?

A．Visitors are being trained to identify butterflies.

B．Wildlife areas are being protected by butterflies.

C．Volunteers are being needed to count butterflies.

D．Organizations are being put up to protect butterflies.

Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost certainly mention recycling. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more material than we need. We are dealing with the results of that over-consumption in the greenest way possible, but it would be far better if we did not need to bring so much material home in the first place.
The total amount of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a typical household’s waste in the UK. In many supermarkets nowadays food items are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard.
Too much packaging is doing serious damage to the environment. The UK, for example, is running out of it for carrying this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect. Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The solution is not to produce such items in the first place. Food waste is a serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers to buy more than they need. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue, encouraging customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example.
But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us. We have learned to associate packaging with quality. We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. This is especially true of food. But is also applies to a wide range of consumer products, which often have far more packaging than necessary.
There are signs of hope. As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize just how much unnecessary materials are collecting. We need to face the wastefulness of our consumer culture, but we have a mountain to climb.
【小題1】What does the underlined phrase “over-consumption” refer to?

A．Using too much packaging.

B．Recycling too many wastes.

C．Making more products than necessary.

D．Having more material than is needed.

【小題2】The author uses figures in Paragraph 2 to show _______.

A．the tendency of cutting household waste

B．the increase of packaging recycling

C．the rapid growth of super markets

D．the fact of packaging overuse

【小題3】According to the text, recycling ______.

A．helps control the greenhouse effect

B．means burning packaging for energy

C．is the solution to gas shortage

D．leads to a waste of land

【小題4】What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Fighting wastefulness is difficult.

B．Needless material is mostly recycled.

C．People like collecting recyclable waste.

D．The author is proud of their consumer culture.

When we say older people shrink, we don’t mean they become tiny enough to fit in your pocket! We just mean that it’s common for older people to become a little shorter over time. This kind of shrinking can’t be reversed, although people can slow or stop this process. But why does shrinking happen at all?
Because of gravity (that force that keeps your feet on the ground) , cushions between the bones in the spine (脊骨), get compressed (壓縮), which makes a person lose a little height and become shorter.
Another reason why some older people shrink is because of osteoporosis (骨質疏松). Osteoporosis occurs when bone is broken down and not enough new bone material is made. Over time, bone is said to be lost because it’s not being replaced. Bones become smaller and weaker and can easily break if someone with osteoporosis is injured.
Older people — especially women, who generally have smaller and lighter bones to begin with — are more likely to develop osteoporosis. As years go by, a person with osteoporosis can get small breaks in bones that are called compression fractures. These breaks cause collapse of the spine and over time the person with osteoporosis can become hunched over (駝背).
Did you know that every day you shrink a little, too? You aren’t as tall at the end of the day as you are at the beginning. That’s because as the day goes on, water in the disks of the spine gets compressed due to gravity, making you just a tiny bit shorter. Don’t worry, though. Once you get a good night’s rest, your body recovers, and the next morning, you’re standing tall again!
Smoking and drinking alcohol can make this problem worse. Want to do something right now to build strong bones? I believe what I say will help you.
【小題1】Which of the following statements is true?

A．For shrinking, people can do nothing about it.

B．If someone is injured, he will become shorter.

C．Women have smaller and lighter bones than men.

D．We aren’t as tall at the end of the day as we are at the beginning.

【小題2】What should we do if we don’t want to shrink faster?

A．We should try to reduce gravity.

B．We should be careful not to be hurt by others.

C．We should sleep as long as possible.

D．We should keep away from smoking and drinking alcohol.

【小題3】What is the topic of the passage?

A．How can we stop shrinking?

B．Why do we shrink?

C．Some tips on how to keep tall.

D．How to live a healthy life.

【小題4】About osteoporosis we know that _______.

A．gravity is one of the causes of osteoporosis

B．once our bone is broken down, osteoporosis will occur

C．women are more likely to develop osteoporosis

D．if we develop osteoporosis, we are more likely to be shorter

【小題5】What will the author talk about in the paragraph to be followed?

A．Tell us how to grow taller.

B．Tell us how to become healthier.

C．Tell us how to avoid being shrinking.

D．Tell us what to do to have strong bones.

The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet （彗星）is heading towards the earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the earth.
On 17 July, a piece of 4 kilometers wide comet enters the Earth’s atmosphere with a massive explosion（爆炸）. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the seabed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards form the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned（淹死）.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes ash set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?
【小題1】What is mainly described in the passage?

A．A historic discovery.

B．An event in imagination.

C．A research on space.

D．A scientific adventure.

【小題2】When the first piece hits the South Atlantic, it causes________.

A．a(chǎn)n earthquake	B．hunger
C．a(chǎn)n Earth explosion	D．huge waves

【小題3】Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?

A．Because the land is covered with water.

B．Because the light and heat form the sun cannot reach the earth.

C．Because people there cannot live at the temperature of zero.

D．Because wars break out among countries.

【小題4】By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove_________.

A．a(chǎn)nimals could not live in the cold climate

B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story

C．the human beings will die out in 2094

D．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space

Astronauts on shorter shuttle missions（使命）often work very long days.  Tasks are scheduled so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day’s work.  This type of schedule is far too demanding for long missions on the International  Space Station（ISS）. ISS crewmembers usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to mimic the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework. They can communicate with family and friends by email , internet phone and through private video conferences.
While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in orbit, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy . Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crewmember put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading material for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth. During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters . And as from early 2010, the internet became available on the ISS , giving astronauts the chance to do some “web surfing（沖浪）”in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space.
Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out the window and stare at the universe and the Earth’s vast land mass and oceans.
【小題1】What does the word “mimic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．find

B．lose

C．change

D．copy

【小題2】Which of the following best describes the families of the astronauts on the ISS ?

A．They are caring and thoughtful.

B．They are worried and upset.

C．They are impatient and annoyed.

D．They are excited and curious.

【小題3】In the final paragraph, the author shows that astronauts          .

A．get more pleasure in space than on the Earth

B．love to see the Earth from space

C．regard space life as common

D．find living in space a bit boring and tiring

【小題4】The passage mainly discusses how astronauts          .

A．work for longer missions in space

B．connect with people on the Earth

C．spend their free time in space

D．observe the Earth from space

For years scientists have been worried about the effects of air pollution on the earth’s natural conditions. Some believe the air inside many houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may be one hundred times worse.
Indoor air pollution can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Some pollutants can cause breathing disorders, diseases of blood and even cancer. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution.
People have paid more attention to the problem now. It is true that when builders began making houses and offices they did not waste energy. To do this they build buildings that limited the flow of air between inside and outside. They also began using man-made building materials. These materials are now known to let out harmful gases.
As the problem became more serious, scientists began searching for a way to deal with it. They discovered a natural pollution control system for building—green plants. Scientists do not really know how plants control air pollution. They believe that a plant’s leaves absorb or take in the pollutants. In exchange the plant lets out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Scientists suggest that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Studies of different plants show that each absorbs different chemicals. So the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. Having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and more healthy place.
【小題1】Generally speaking, indoor air pollution may be more harmful than the air outside because ______.

A．indoor air pollution can often make people seriously ill

B．man-made building materials give off dangerous gases

C．there may be more harmful gases outside the buildings

D．the air indoors is polluted, which is very harmful

【小題2】Some kind of indoor pollution can be found　in______．
Ａ．every modern house　         B．every old house
C．a(chǎn)ll kinds of houses           D．a(chǎn)ll kinds of offices
【小題3】The indoor air pollution is caused by ______.

A．the limit of the flow of air between inside and outside

B．the building way that the builders want to save energy

C．the building things that are made of man-made materials

D．the man-made building materials and the limit of air-flow

【小題4】The reason why we should use different kinds of plants to clean the air is that ______.

A．plants can let out all kinds of pollutants indoors

B．plants may take in more oxygen which people need

C．plants can absorb all kinds of harmful indoor chemicals

D．plants can make our houses prettier and more healthy

Have you ever suddenly felt that someone you know was in trouble ― and he was? Have you ever dreamed something that came true later? Maybe you have ESP.
ESP stands for Extra Sensory Perception. It may be called a sixth sense. It seems to let people know about events before they happen, or events that are happening some distance away.
Here is an example: A woman was doing washing. Suddenly she shouted, “My father is dead! I saw him sitting in the chair!” Just then, a telephone came. The woman’s father had died of a heart illness. He died sitting in a chair.
There are thousands of stories like this on record. Scientists are studying them to find out what is behind these strange mental messages. Here’s another example —— one of hundreds of dreams that have come true.
A man dreamed he was walking along a road when a horse and carriage came by. The driver said, “There’s room for one more.” The man felt the driver was Death, so he ran away. The next day the man was getting on a crowded bus. The bus driver said, “There’s room for one more”. Then the man saw the driver’s face was the same face he had seen in the dream. He wouldn’t get on the bus. As the bus drove off, it crashed and burst into fires. Everyone was killed!
Some people say stories like these are lies or coincidences. Others say that are ESP in true, from studies of ESP, we may some day learn more about the human mind.
【小題1】ESP lets people know about _________.

A．their dream	B．events after they happen
C．events before they happen	D．heart illness

【小題2】The example of the man shows the ability to _______.

A．a(chǎn)void traffic accidents

B．know the good and bad of a person

C．know about the events happening some distance away

D．sense a danger that will happen later on

【小題3】The best title of this passage is _________.

A．Sixth Sense	B．The Human Mind
C．A Big Lie	D．A Terrible Dream

It was your birthday, and you just opened your biggest gift — a smooth silver laptop. You can’t wait to instant-message your friends with the news, but first you have to get rid of your old desktop computer. Do you just throw away the monitor and keyboard in the trash? Not anymore!
Three states, that is, California, Maine, and Maryland, recently passed laws prohibiting people from throwing away electronic waste, or e-waste, includes televisions, computers, and cell phones. Although they don’t make you sick when you use them, they do when they are destroyed, for they contain heavy metals that can be harmful to human bodies. For example, cell phone batteries contain a kind of chemical causing damage to kidneys and deserted computer monitors can damage brains. And flat TV screens may cause injury to the nervous system. Those metals can leak into the ground or give off pollutants when burned.
It is required that e-waste be placed at special sites rather than usual landfills. Several other states are considering similar laws and California is also pushing for a law banning the application of such dangerous substances.
Government officials are not the only people taking aim at e-waste; environmentalists are also urging people to recycle their outdated equipment.
“It is just a waste … to not recycle,” Patrick, an associate professor of occupational and environmental health at university of Iowa, told The Daily Iowan, “Allowing dangerous chemicals to leak into the environment for decades seems irresponsible.”
What Can You Do?
Reduce. Be a responsible shopper, and take care of your electronics so they will last longer.
Re-use. Donate or sell your old high-tech equipment.
Recycle. To find a responsible recycler, contact a local or state environmental group.
【小題1】What’s the best title of this passage?

A．E-waste is being made good use of.

B．E-waste, a big threat to us.

C．E-waste is dangerous to us all the while.

D．Goodbye, e-waste.

【小題2】Why is e-waste harmful and dangerous to human beings?

A．Because they can go off at times and threaten us.

B．Because they can make people sick, as long as people use them.

C．Because they contain poisonous chemical substances.

D．Because they take too much space when placed in trashes.

【小題3】What can we know from Patrick’s words?

A．Waste can’t be recycled.

B．Waste can be made use of by recycling

C．We have to recycle e-waste to protect the environment.

D．Protecting the environment is important.

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT given as a piece of advice to help with e-wastes?

A．Taking care of your electronics so they will last longer.

B．Donating or selling your old high-tech equipment.

C．Contacting a local or state environmental group.

D．Asking fewer people to use electric products.

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a ‘territory’ is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting(筑巢) season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
【小題1】Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually _____________.

A．a(chǎn)n expression of happiness	B．a(chǎn) way of warning
C．a(chǎn)n expression of anger	D．a(chǎn) way of greeting

【小題2】What does the underlined word“territory”mean?

A．A place where families of other species are not accepted.

B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.

C．An area for which birds fight a against each other.

D．An area which a bird considers to be its own.

【小題3】Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

A．Because they want to invite more friends.

B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.

C．Because they want to find outsiders around.

D．Because they want to express their happiness.