China’s Tianhe-1 has a computing speed of 2,507 trillion（萬億）calculations a second, making it the fastest computer in the world. It is also 40 percent faster than the world’s second fastest supercomputer, Cray XT5 Jaguar, in the US, kept at a national laboratory in Tennessee, according to the New York Times. Jack Dongarra, a University of Tennessee computer scientist, told NYT that the Chinese supercomputer is faster than the existing Number One machine.

Building the fastest supercomputer has become a source of national pride, as these machines are valued for their ability to solve problems in areas like defense, energy and science. These problems are related to national interests. Supercomputing technology is also found in business. Oil and gas companies use supercomputers to find oil and gas.

Obviously, research centers with large supercomputers attract top scientific talents. This adds extra importance to the machines—they’re more than just huge computers.

China’s new supercomputer will be used to speed up greatly scientific calculations, such as hurricane and tsunami modeling, cancer research, car design and even studying stars.

In 2008, two US scientists put together a step-by-step guide on how to build a supercomputer using PlayStation 3 video-game consoles（控制臺）. Modern supercomputers are built by combining thousands of small computer servers（服務器）and using software to turn them into one large computer. Really, any organization with enough material and technology can create a fast machine.

The Chinese system follows that model by linking thousands upon thousands of computer servers. But the secret behind the system—and the technological achievement—is China’s own networking technology. “That technology was built by them,” Dongarra said. “They are taking supercomputing very seriously and using a lot of time and money.”

“China is still a developing country,” said Sha Chaoqun, manager at Dawning Company which is the leading supercomputer maker in China. “Maybe one day, China’s total computing power can be greater than that of the US, but there is still a long way to go before we get there.”

The college entrance exam is not only a big challenge (挑戰(zhàn)) for Chinese high school students, but also a very important exam in the lives of South Korean students.
Although the long, cold winter has already started in South Korea, the annual (一年一度的) national exams have made the atmosphere very heated.
More than 675,000 South Korean high school graduates took the college entrance exam last Wednesday. They usually take exams in Korean, maths, sociology (社會學), history and foreign languages.
Officially there is one college place for every 1.33 students. But because all the students want to go to the top universities in the country, the competition can reach one place for 10 students. The students want to attend these colleges for both their famous names and better job opportunities.
Because students face fierce competition, they have to study very hard to realize their dreams. Park Seung said he and his classmates often go to school before 7:30 a.m. After school has finished at 6:30 p.m., most of them go to the library to continue their study instead of returning home. Since many libraries in South Korea are open 24 hours a day, they often stay long into the night. Many of the Senior 3 students only sleep for three to four hours a day. “I feel a lot of pressure, but I have to study very hard in order to make my dream come true. This is my lifetime goal and it will be a turning point in my life which could decide my future,” Park said.
The exam day is a very serious day for the whole of South Korea. Vehicles are not allowed within a 200-metre radius (范圍) of all the test sites to make sure the students have quiet surroundings. Tooting (吹奏) of horns is forbidden, even airplanes are ordered to avoid landing and take-off near the test sites during listening comprehension test hours.
Students are told their scores in December before they apply for college. This is followed by face-to-face oral tests. There are public and private universities in South Korea. Many private universities are well-known, but their fees can be 18, 000 yuan each term. This has made a lot of students think again.
【小題1】What do we know about South Korean annual national exams?

任務型閱讀(共10小題,每題1分，滿分10分)
請認真閱讀下列短文，并根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文章后表格中的空格里填入最恰當?shù)膯卧~。
注意：每個空格填1個單詞。
China’s Tianhe-1 has a computing speed of 2,507 trillion（萬億）calculations a second, making it the fastest computer in the world. It is also 40 percent faster than the world’s second fastest supercomputer, Cray XT5 Jaguar, in the US, kept at a national laboratory in Tennessee, according to the New York Times. Jack Dongarra, a University of Tennessee computer scientist, told NYT that the Chinese supercomputer is faster than the existing Number One machine.
Building the fastest supercomputer has become a source of national pride, as these machines are valued for their ability to solve problems in areas like defense, energy and science. These problems are related to national interests. Supercomputing technology is also found in business. Oil and gas companies use supercomputers to find oil and gas.
Obviously, research centers with large supercomputers attract top scientific talents. This adds extra importance to the machines—they’re more than just huge computers.
China’s new supercomputer will be used to speed up greatly scientific calculations, such as hurricane and tsunami modeling, cancer research, car design and even studying stars.
In 2008, two US scientists put together a step-by-step guide on how to build a supercomputer using PlayStation 3 video-game consoles（控制臺）. Modern supercomputers are built by combining thousands of small computer servers（服務器）and using software to turn them into one large computer. Really, any organization with enough material and technology can create a fast machine.
The Chinese system follows that model by linking thousands upon thousands of computer servers. But the secret behind the system—and the technological achievement—is China’s own networking technology. “That technology was built by them,” Dongarra said. “They are taking supercomputing very seriously and using a lot of time and money.”
“China is still a developing country,” said Sha Chaoqun, manager at Dawning Company which is the leading supercomputer maker in China. “Maybe one day, China’s total computing power can be greater than that of the US, but there is still a long way to go before we get there.”

London is a huge city with more things to do than anywhere else. With the London Pass, you get free entry to over 50 specially selected places with one purchase. In the list you’ll find:

●19 historic buildings

●22 museums and art galleries

●8 tours, cruises and walks and leisure activities

●13 places of interest including ships and aquariums

●12 restaurants and services

The London Pass offers not only great value and convenience , but also enables you to beat the queues at selected attractions. There are also special offers such as discounts at restaurants and theaters , where the attraction is normally free to the public. The London Pass also gives you great offers such as a free guided tour. So whether you prefer museums or cinemas, galleries or ice skating or zoos, with the London Pass there really is something for everyone.

You can buy Adult or Child passes for 2, 3 or 6 days. See all ticket prices below and choose what you need.

You can contact us by sending emails or making calls.

Please call 1-888-254-0637

Outside the US please call 00-800-84468370 or +1 210 507 5997

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NOTE: If your reservation is made prior to Jan 15^th, 2013, email sales@previewhotels.com.

1.With the London Pass you can probably do all the following things for free EXCEPT_________ .

A．see famous buildings                     B．stay at hotels

C．go boating                             D．join in entertainment activities

2.According to Paragraph 2, with the London Pass, visitors ________ .

A．won’t have to pay for guided tours

B．can eat meals for free at some restaurants

C．will be fined unless they wait in line

D．won’t be allowed to travel alone

3.How much should Mr King pay for the London Pass 2 days if he goes with his wife and 7-year-old son?

A．$174             B．$236             C．$244             D．$270

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The London Pass has discounts for students.

B．16 year olds can enjoy the London Pass 2 days Child.

C．Children under 5 don’t need the London Pass.

D．The London Pass cannot be bought on weekends.

5.If you are a VIP customer, you can reserve by calling ______ .

A．1-888-254-0637                        B．00-800-84468370

C．+1 210 507 5997                       D．1-866-270-2849

London is a huge city with more things to do than anywhere else. With the London Pass, you get free entry to over 50 specially selected places with one purchase. In the list you’ll find:
●19 historic buildings
●22 museums and art galleries
●8 tours, cruises and walks and leisure activities
●13 places of interest including ships and aquariums
●12 restaurants and services
The London Pass offers not only great value and convenience , but also enables you to beat the queues at selected attractions. There are also special offers such as discounts at restaurants and theaters , where the attraction is normally free to the public. The London Pass also gives you great offers such as a free guided tour. So whether you prefer museums or cinemas, galleries or ice skating or zoos, with the London Pass there really is something for everyone.
You can buy Adult or Child passes for 2, 3 or 6 days. See all ticket prices below and choose what you need.