(NEW YORK)---Scientists have discovered small signs of awareness in some vegetative(植物人的) brain injury patients and have even communicated with one of them---findings that are beneficial to how to assess and care for such people.
The new research suggests that standard tests may ignore patients who have some consciousness, and that someday some kind of communication may be possible.
In the strongest example, a 29-year-old patient was able to answer yes-or-no questions by picturing specific scenes the doctors asked him to imagine.
“We were stunned when this happened,” said one study author, Martin Monti of the Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. “I find it really amazing. This was a patient who was believed to be vegetative for five years.”
Ever since a research paper four years ago described obvious signs of awareness in a vegetative patient, families of patients have been demanding brain scans, said Dr. James Bernat, a spokesman for the American Academy for Neurology.
But experts said more study is needed before the specialized brain scans could be used in medical treatment. “It’s still a research tool,” Bernat said.
Experts also pointed out that only a few tested patients showed evidence of awareness. And they said it is not clear what degree of consciousness and mental abilities the signs imply.
They also noted that the positive signals appeared only in people with traumatic(外傷的) brain injury---not in patients whose brains had been lacking in oxygen, as can happen when the heart stops.
The new study used brain scanning called functional MRI, for 23 patients in a vegetative state and 31 that are minimally(極微地) conscious.
Patients are said to be in a vegetative state if they are tested and found unable to do such things as move on command or follow a moving object with their eyes. Minimally conscious patients show signs of awareness, but they are minimal and discontinuous.
【小題1】 What is the practical use of the research?

A．It leads to studying how to cure vegetative patients.

B．It attracts society to pay more attention to vegetative patients.

C．It helps doctors know whether patients are vegetative or not.

D．It drives the government to care about vegetative patients.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “stunned” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Relaxed

B．Amazed

C．Excited

D．Worried

【小題3】One is considered vegetative if _______________.

A．his eyes can’t follow a moving thing	B．his brain only has a little oxygen
C．he has a traumatic brain injury	D．his heart stops beating

【小題4】The passage mainly deals with ________________.

A．how to recognize a vegetative patient	B．the significance of a new scientific finding
C．how family members look after a vegetative patient
D．the latest findings on awareness in some vegetative patients

This is a dangerous world we live in．The number of murders goes up every year, people are dying of cancer, more people contract HIV, more teens are using drugs, etc．You know this because you have heard all the statistics on the news and in the paper． But do you really have an accurate idea what they mean? The numbers are growing up, but how do they compare to the growth in population? Are more cases of these diseases being reported because of better testing techniques, or are the diseases more common? The fact is that without knowing the background statistics mean very little．
This growing trend of reporting only part of the information is becoming dangerous．For example, several years ago a high school student reported the dangers of the chemical known as dihydrogen monoxide．This chemical, found in most cancerous tumors（腫瘤）, is often found in the blood of people drunk on alcohol, and causes complete physical and mental dependence for those who take the chemical even once．After reading his report, more than 75% of his Advanced Placement Chemistry class voted to forbid this dangerous chemical! Every one of the above statements is true, yet this chemical is necessary to all life on earth．The students made the mistake because they voted knowing only a few statements and statistics, rather than the chemical’s full background．
The point of this article is that one should be aware of what is and is not being said．When one finds a new fact or number, one should try to consider other important information before forming an opinion with only half-truths．Always remember that the author is trying to convince you of his or her own view, and will leave out information that is different to his view．For example, look again at the statistics that suggest skiing is safe．Only 32 people may die each year when skiing, while 897 die from lightning strikes, but which is really the most dangerous? If you think about it, you realize far fewer people go skiing each year than the number of people who are in danger of a lightning strike．When you think about it, skiing is more dangerous than you might at first think when looking at statistics．If we teenagers are to be left in this world, we had better be able to think critically, and form our own views, rather than be easily persuaded by another’s．To be warned is to be prepared．
【小題1】In the first paragraph, what problem does the writer want to warn us?

A．We are now living in a dangerous world．

B．We get a lot of false statistics from the media．

C．Statistics alone without full background doesn’t give us an accurate pictures of things．

D．There are around us more and more murders, diseases, etc．

【小題2】Why does the writer use the example in the second paragraph?

A．To argue that high school students are easily persuaded．

B．To show the danger of reporting only part of the information．

C．To prove what is necessary to us might be dangerous．

D．To warn us of the harmful substance around us．

【小題3】Relative information is often left out because__________．

A．Relative information is not that important．

B．too much information will make readers feel confused．

C．the author is trying to show what he or she says is true．

D．readers are not able to analyze so much information at once．

【小題4】What can we learn from the passage?

A．We should learn to think critically and look at problems from all sides．

B．Some measures must be taken to protect our dangerous world．

C．The growing trend of reporting only half-truths is getting out of control．

D．Teenagers ought to improve their ability of telling right from wrong．

Scientific discoveries have changed man’s life a great deal during the past century. First of all, they have greatly improved material well-being in several areas of life. In the field of medicine, cures for life threatening diseases have enabled people to live longer. In communication, the telephone and e-mail have made it possible for us to communicate with anyone in the world without leaving our homes or offices. Advances in transportation allow businessmen to fly across the ocean in the morning and return home the same evening. Space technology has put men on the moon. More efficient ways of using available resources, such as coal and solar power, have been explored.
Scientific discoveries have also changed man’s moral atmosphere. Ethical (倫理的) issues are raised by these discoveries. Should we keep a terminally ill person alive through drugs and machines or should we allow him to die in dignity? With advances in transportation had come the problem of pollution for nearly every major city in the world. If cities become uninhabitable, then such technical advances may come with too great a price to pay. Many people also question the wisdom of sending men to the moon when there are urgent problems that have not been solved on earth. During future years, increasing attention must be given to the moral as well as the practical applications of science.
【小題1】Scientific discoveries have improved man’s life in several fields. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?

A．medicine	B．communication and transportation
C．education	D．space technology

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

A．Scientific discoveries have only changed man’s moral atmosphere.

B．Scientific discoveries have only changed man’s material well-being.

C．Scientific discoveries have helped people find efficient ways of using available resources.

D．Men are sent to the moon because there are urgent problems that have not been solved on earth.

【小題3】At the end of the passage the author says that increasing attention must be given to _________.

A．the moral applications of science	B．the practical applications of science
C．urgent problems on the earth	D．both A and B

【小題4】The best title for the passage is __________.

A．Science discoveries	B．Science and daily life
C．Advances in transportation	D．City pollution

Singapore Flyer was launched in 2008 and states to hold the current title for the world’s biggest observation wheel, full 30 meters taller than the London Eye observation wheel in London! Soaring 165 meters, Singapore Flyer offers a whole view of Singapore’s important tourist attractions including the scenic Marina Bay.
Singapore Flyer is also popular for providing an attractive range of shopping and dining choices. Among its greatest dining choices is the Singapore Flyer Sky Dining, one of the most exciting dining experiences you will ever come across.
Singapore Flyer Sky Dining is the first ever in the world to offer a full service in the sky. To top it all you are presented with best menus created by award-winning cooks from all over the world.
The sky dining doesn’t stop from there. You will gain fast boarding flights, in other words, no more waiting in line to board an observation capsule (機(jī)艙). You can enjoy the service of an in-flight host along with a nice three-course fine dining menu.
Be ready to enjoy yourself in the air-conditioned glass capsule where you will be served a welcome drink, an appetizer (開胃品) along with the main course. From the capsule you will see the night skyline of Marina Bay, Merlion Park, Raffles Place, Empress Place and Padang, bathed in exciting colors. And not just once but you will get to see these very interesting sights twice, during your almost one hour long special dining experience.
Up to five couples can book a small room and there are even choices to book an entire room for you and your partner. The sky dining experience begins from the VIP waiting room where you will be served with tasty desserts and drinks of your choice. You can see the Singapore Flyer conveniently from one of the top hotels in Singapore like M Hotel Singapore.

【小題1】At Singapore Flyer, tourists can ___________.

A．do some shopping and have dinner

B．enjoy some interesting sights just once

C．enjoy a wonderful 30-minute dining experience

D．get a whole view of all the Singapore’s tourist attractions

【小題2】Which of the following statements is TRUE about Singapore Flyer?

A．It is the second biggest observation wheel in the world.

B．The menus are created by native cooks.

C．It provides fast boarding service.

D．There are no special rooms for couples.

【小題3】The underlined phrase in the third paragraph probably means “___________”.

A．What’s more	B．At the top of it
C．What’s worse	D．From top to bottom

【小題4】The three-course dining menu at Singapore Flyer usually includes the following EXCEPT___________.

A．a(chǎn) welcome drink	B．the main course
C．a(chǎn)n appetizer	D．tasty desserts

【小題5】Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?

A．Virtual Tourism	B．A Guide to Singapore Flyer
C．Eating at Singapore Flyer	D．The future of Singapore Flyer

A growing number of students in the United States are studying Mandarin(普通話). It is the official language of China. More and more people speak Mandarin than those who speak other languages in the world.
Schools that teach Mandarin want to prepare students for a future in which they are likely to work with people from China. Business in China is booming(繁榮的), and that trend(趨勢(shì)) is expected to grow.
The US government is trying to encourage even more public schools to teach Mandarin. Officials are considering spending about $1 billion on Mandarin programs in schools. China is getting involved(參與) too. The Chinese government has donated Mandarin textbooks to US schools. Some schools are also taking part in teacher exchange programs with China.
“It is important for students to learn Mandarin and Chinese culture,” said Mary Patterson, a school principal(校長(zhǎng)) in Portland, Oregon. “Students who do so will have wider opportunities when they become adults.”
【小題1】Why are US schools teaching Mandarin?

A．To help students communicate with Chinese students.

B．To encourage students to move to China,

C．To prepare students for the future.

D．To get students interested in business.

【小題2】The underlined word “donated” (in Paragraph 4) can be replaced by “______”?

A．provided

B．kept

C．made

D．found

【小題3】 What is the best title for this passage?

A．Why US students learn Mandarin	B．Schools in China
C．How to speak Mandarin	D．China today

We use the Internet for many things: business, shopping, writing letters, talking to people, finding information and so on. In recent years, a new kind of English has grown on the Internet. There’s no real word for it yet, so we’ll call it e-talk. People don’t like typing too much. To save time, they turn phrases into a few letters (called acronyms). Acronyms are often used in chat rooms(聊天室). Some of them are:
BTW(by the way);  BRB(be right back);  LOL(laughing out loud);  IMO(in my opinion)
People also use many abbreviations. They are shortened forms of words. Some common abbreviations are:
info(information);   puter(computer);    pic(picture);     sec(second)
We ususally don’t see people when we communicate on the Internet, so people have new ways to show feelings. Most people use their keyboards to draw “feelings”, such as:
:-) (happy);     ;-)(joking);        :-((sad);       :-O(surprised)
These days, many forums(論壇)have picture feelings. For example:
           
(happy)              (sad)               (angry)               (cool)
There are even whole new words, like ”newbie’s” (someone who is new on a chat board or forum). When you write something bad about someone else, it’s called “flaming” the person.
It takes time for people to get used to e-talk. Also, different groups on the Net have their own special ways of communicating. Newbie’s sometimes have to ask other people what they mean. As the Internet grows, e-talk will continue to grow and change.
【小題1】Why do people type acronyms?

A．To show their feelings.	B．To make jokes.
C．To save time.	D．In this way newbie’s won’t understand them.

【小題2】What does “BTW, my computer is not working well, :-( ”mean?

A．The person is happy about getting a new computer.

B．The person has to go away from his/her computer.

C．The person is angry at somebody.

D．The person is sad that his computer is having problems.

【小題3】 If someone is angry, what may he type?

A．

B．BRB

C．LOL

D．

【小題4】E-talk will probably_______.

A．keep changing	B．stay the same
C．be used by people on the telephone	D．be easy for newbie’s to understand.

In recent years, especially during the l960s, there was much discussion about “the brain drain (排干, 流失),” which dealt with the problem of students and learned people who left their own countries for other countries that offered better chances for study, research, and employment．For example, according to a report from U．N., between 1962 and l966 more than 50 percent of all engineering graduates of Iran and 14 percent of Iranian scientists left their country for work abroad．Over 30 percent of Chilean engineers and 15 percent of Turkish physicians also went to work in other countries．Probably the greatest brain drain occurred among young scientists who had gone abroad to study．Many of them had planned to return to their countries to teach but chose to remain in more industrialized nations where they were able to continue their work and their research in fields in which there were no job possibilities at home．The countries that attracted most of these scientists were the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Canada, and Australia.
　　Recent studies show that the brain drain to the United States may be decreasing．Many foreign scientists are going home again, and in some cases American scientists are leaving the United States for employment in other countries．The main reasons are that good jobs are becoming fewer here, money for national research has been sharply cut, and university fellowships reduced too．However, in the field of medicine the drain to the United States still goes on．Today more than one of every five American doctors is foreign - born, and several thousand foreign doctors immigrate to the United States each year．Over eighty countries have asked the State Department to send students who are skilled in important fields such as medicine back home when their study programs are over.
【小題1】Which of the following is not the reason for “the brain drain”?

A．Good housing.	B．Better research condition.
C．Good job possibility	D．Better chances of study..

【小題2】The brain drain to the United States may be decreasing mainly because __________.

A．many foreign scientists are ordered to return to their motherlands

B．they don’t need any foreign scientists now

C．there are fewer and fewer good jobs in the USA

D．the universities refuse to provide money for the foreign scientists

【小題3】How many American doctors are foreign - born?
A．About half of them.　 　 B More than 20 percent　
C．Several thousand.　　    D．About 15 percent.
【小題4】Which is the best title for this passage?
A．How to seek a job in the USA.　　  B．Doctors’ immigration to the USA.
C．A strange case.                  D．The brain drain. 

"Hey, little boy, will you support me when I’m getting old?" Wang Wenshan, 35, asked his newborn baby as he picked him up at home．
The Chinese tradition of raising sons to support parents in their old age has been weakened by the rapidly growing economy and improving standard of living．As is the case with more and more developed countries, China faces an aging society．People are living longer and having fewer children．Therefore, many Chinese families are falling into a 4-2-1 family pattern: a couple raises one child and supports four elderly parents．But few realize that a problem is likely to happen ahead．
The aging of the population is a trend that now affects a growing number of countries．Not long ago, the Information Office of the State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a white paper on measures China is taking to help its elderly population．The paper said China s population entered the aging period at the end of the 20th century as the proportion rote） of people aged 60 and above accounted for over 10 percent of the entire population, By the end of 2005, China had nearly 144 million people over 60, accounting for 11 percent of the population, according to the white paper．
An expanding aged population inevitably means that many issues must be settled, as the problem concerns every aspect of society．It puts more pressure on each family, causing disturbing economic consequences and serious social problems．It also challenges the labor force supply and the pension system．
"I used to think that it’s not an issue for me to provide, for the aged," said Wang, whose parents and parents-in-law all enjoy pensions and medical insurance．But last year Wang s father suffered a serious illness and afterward Wang began to feel the pressure on his shoulders．
After his father recovered, Wang opened bank accounts for each parent and deposited some money into the account every month to prepare for future uncertainties．In addition, he has to save money every month to provide for his son s future education．"I m now breaking my back working to support my family: saving pensions for the parents, my son s education funds, and living costs．"
Wang also bought some commercial old-age insurance for himself．"We have to take precautions before it is too late, and many of my colleagues share the same view," he said．
【小題1】Which of the following is not caused by an aging society?

A．Social problem．	B．The problem of the pension system．
C．More pressure on the family．	D．Unemployment．

【小題2】From the passage, we can infer___．

A．the aging people problem is one of the concerns for the Chinese government

B．China will encourage young couples to have more than one child

C．many people have realized the problem of aging society

D．children will not support their parents in an aging society

【小題3】Which of the following can be used to replace the underlined word inevitably?

A．Surprisingly．	B．Certainly．
C．Hopefully．	D．Unluckily

【小題4】From the text we can see that           .

A．China is the only country to face an aging society

B．most of the developing countries face an aging society

C．countries with a large population face an aging society

D．more and more developed countries face an aging society

Drunken driving –sometimes called America’s socially accepted form of murder—has become a national epidemic (流行病). Every hour of every day about three Americans on average are killed by drunken drivers, adding up to an incredible 250,000 over the past ten years. A drunken driver is usually referred to as one with 0.10-blood alcohol content or roughly three beer glasses of wine or shots of whisky drunk within two hours. Heavy drinking used to be an acceptable part of the American manly image and judges were lenient in most courts, but the drunken killing has recently caused so many well-publicized tragedies, especially concerning young children, that public opinion is no longer so tolerant.
Twenty states have raised the legal drinking age to 21, reversing a trend in the 1960s to reduce it to 18. After New Jersey lowered it to 18, the number of people killed by 18-20 years old drivers more than doubled, so the state recently upped it back to 21.
Reformers, however, fear raising the drinking age will have little effect unless accompanied by educational programs to help young people to develop “responsible attitudes” about drinking and teach them to resist peer pressure to drink.
Though new laws have led to increased arrests and tests in many areas already, to a marked drop in accidents, some states are also punishing bars for serving customers too many drinks. A bar in Massachusetts was fined for serving six or more double brandies to a customer who was “obviously drunk” and later drove off the road, killing a 9-year-old boy.
As the accidents continue to occur daily in every state, some Americans are even beginning to speak well of the 13 years national prohibition of alcohol that began in 1919, which President Hoover called the “noble experiment”. They forgot that legal prohibition didn’t stop drinking, but encouraged political corruption and organized crime. As with the booming drug trade generally, there is no easy solution.
【小題1】 From paragraph one, we can know that ____________.

A．most Americans like drinking

B．heavy drinking is hard to avoid

C．many Americans are killed by drunk drivers

D．Americans are not shocked by traffic accidents

【小題2】What can be inferred from the fact of the traffic accidents in New Jersey?

A．The legal drinking age should be raised.

B．Young drivers were usually bad.

C．Most drivers hoped to raise the legal drinking age.

D．Drivers should not be allowed to drink.

【小題3】The underlined word “lenient” in the first paragraph means “_________”.

A．serious

B．cruel

C．merciful

D．determined

【小題4】In America, public opinion about drunken driving has changed because __________.

A．judges are no longer lenient

B．new laws are introduced in some states

C．the problem has attracted public attention

D．drivers do not appreciate their manly image

【小題5】Which of the following best shows the writer’s opinion of drunken driving?

A．It may lead to organized crime.

B．It is difficult to solve this problem.

C．The new laws can stop heavy drinking.

D．There should be no bars to serve drinks.

The new studies show that fewer than half of the 9th graders in many of the nation’s largest cities, can ever graduate. The studies clearly show that the dropout rate isn’t dropping. And, in particular, the dropout rate isn’t dropping for poor and minority students.
Amazingly, though so many regret the rising dropout rate, our schools continue to lack formal plans--or any plans--to teach students motivation(動(dòng)機(jī)). Most schools have no game plan to ensure that students understand that school will be completely necessary. Schools expect youth and children to act as though school is important, but they never teach them to believe that.
Years ago, families ensured that the offspring recognized the value of school. But in many modern families, the children may fail to recognize the importance of school life just because these families may actually tell the child that school is not important. Since many families are not motivating their children to be interested students, youth professionals, like teachers may need to provide this training. Otherwise, it is likely the dropout rate will continue not to drop, but only worsen.
Here are some strategies to convince even the most apathetic (無(wú)動(dòng)于衷的) students that they must stay in school.
Ask students if they will ever need to work: The world has changed. 100 years ago, factory work was the booming job, and it required no education. Today, factories are increasingly automated. Most computer-related jobs require education and at least a high school diploma.
Ask students which century they will be prepared for: In 1900, the most common jobs were farm laborer and domestic servant—education not needed. Now, the most common jobs are office and sales worker—education and diploma usually needed. An amazing 6 out of 10 people today work in a store or office.
Ask students to devise a way that the employee could be replaced. For example, the coming trend in fast food is to use computers rather than people to run the restaurant. A prototype is apparently already being tested. The students should discover that most jobs that lack education and diploma requirements may be ripe for automation.
【小題1】 What does the underlined part mean in Paragraph1?

A．Few students can afford to go to school in large cities.

B．A large number of the 9th grades can graduate now.

C．There are still quite a few 9th graders leaving school early.

D．Most schools in large cities have fewer and fewer students.

【小題2】Without the help of youth professionals,_____.

A．more and more families will gradually recognize the value of school.

B．some parents will be more convinced of their children’s future.

C．it is likely that the dropout rate in schools won’t continue to drop.

D．the schools will make proper plans to solve the problems with dropout.

【小題3】The author takes factory work for example mainly to ______.

A．tell us that many jobs requires certain education in the past

B．show that there are more factory work and employment in modern society

C．show that employment in the computer field grows at a high rate

D．emphasize that modern jobs require education and schools are necessary

【小題4】It can be inferred that______.

A．both schools and families should answer for the high dropout rate

B．many new jobs don’t need children’s high school diploma

C．working in a store doesn’t require a high school diploma

D．most schools are ready to help students recognize the importance of study

【小題5】 If students play the “Replace Me” game, the result would be “______”.

A．They will know that they can ‘a(chǎn)lways’ do without a diploma

B．More of them will drop out early to go to work

C．They will discover that lack education is a disadvantage in choosing jobs

D．They will become better at using computers to hunt for a job