In Singapore，most of us love window-shopping while some others enjoy having a picnic at East Coast Park or Changi Beach on sunny days．Singaporeans are never bothered by the occasional thunderstorm．However，we know that if it rains for long continuous periods，there will be more serious effects．Just recently the main shopping street of Orchard Road was flooded and some part of Bukit Timah was impassable(不能通行的)to traffic．People reacted by writing in to the newspaper to complain about this! We forget that other countries suffer much worse effects.
Elsewhere，heavy tropical(熱帶的)storms often result in floods that ruin crops especially in Thailand and Malaysia．This in turn usually means that the price of rice and vegetables here in Singapore will rise because we import these products from them．If there is a typhoon or tsunami，thousands of lives are lost too．This happened in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand in 2004 and It serves to remind us of how Mother Nature can cause great damage．
Weather patterns in general have changed dramatically in recent years．Scientists believe that global warming and the resulting melting of the polar ice-cap has caused the level of the ocean to rise．This in turn causes flooding of low-lying areas in countries where the land is rather flat and some parts of which is below water level．It is believed that human activities have caused Mother Nature to show her extreme anger，so it is now important that we really work together to cut down on harmful activities，for example，illegal logging(伐木)or irresponsible forest-burning to clear land for farming．
小題1:From Paragraph 1，we can see that most Singaporeans love ．

A．making complaints

B．going out for picnics

C．doing window-shopping

D．traveling along the coast

小題2:What will happen in Singapore if there are floods in its neighboring countries?

A．Heavy tropical storms will follow shortly．

B．The price of rice and vegetables will go up．

C．Many people will write in to the newspaper．

D．More rice and vegetables will be imported．

小題3:The underlined word“it”in Paragraph 2 refers to ．

A．the arrival of heavy tropical storms

B．the import of rice and vegetables

C．the rising price of rice and vegetables

D．the loss of lives in natural disasters

小題4:What’s the right order of the following events?
a．global warming    b．the rise in ocean level
c．harmful human activities d．the flooding of low-lying areas
e．the melting of the polar ice-cap

A．c→a→e→b→d	B．a(chǎn)→c→e→b→d
C．c→a→b→e→d	D．d→a→c→b→e

小題5:What should we do in order not to make Mother Nature angry?

A．Clear more land for farming．

B．Reduce harmful human activities．

C．Bring down the price of food．

D．Improve the quality of weather．

Researchers have developed new software using smart phones’GPS and imaging abilities that determine the exact location of distant objects as well as monitor the speed and direction of moving objects．The software could eventually allow smart phone-armed soldiers to target the location of their enemies．On the home front，the software could be used by everyone，including golfers judging distance to the green and biologists documenting the location of a rare animal without disturbing it．
“The great advantage of a Smartphone is that it provides so many tools in a single，readily available，relatively inexpensive package，”said Qia Wang，a doctoral student who led the development of the software．“For example，on the battlefield，a soldier needs a rangefinder，compass，GPS and other tools to get information before calling in an air strike．With our software，the soldier can have all those instruments in one device that can be purchased off the shelf．When that soldier returns from War，she can use the same Software to protect her family by clocking a speeder near her children’s school and catching the criminal on video．”
Wang and his colleagues developed their software to locate and track：
Targets of known size—when the size of the target is known．a(chǎn) single image is enough to pinpoint the target’s location．
Targets of unknown size—If the exact size of a target is unknown，the software uses two images to triangulate the location of the target·
Moving targets—By taking a short video of a moving target，the smartphone software can calculate how fast the target is moving and in what direction it is going.
“Currently，our software is limited by the physical abilities of smartphone hardware，but the devices are improving rapidly，”Wang said．“We expect that improvements in GPS accuracy，battery  life  and  camera  resolution  will  allow  our  software to  make  even  more  accurate observations．”
小題1:From Paragraph 1 we can know that the new software can.

A．determine the speed of moving objects

B．1ocate objects in the distance exactly

C．defend soldiers against their enemies

D．help biologists protect rare animal

小題2:The example given by Qia Wang is meant to .

A．make an advertisement

B．describe the software briefly

C．show the benefits of the software

D．present the functions of smartphones

小題3:How does the software calculate the speed of a moving object?

A．By taking a short video．

B．By locating its position.

C．By taking a single image．

D．By measuring real-life size.

小題4:What’s Qia Wang’s attitude towards the future of the software?

A．Casual．

B．Optimistic．

C．Cautious．

D．Flexible

小題5:What is the best title of the text?

A．Qia Wang，a Talented Doctoral Student

B．Use Smartphones to Their Full Potential

C．Targeting and Tracking With Smartphones

D．Smartphone-armed Soldiers on the Battlefield

Eating different colored foods can keep you healthy, as well as change your mood and behavior. Here is a list of colors, which can change your life.
Blue/Purple
Blue is considered to be peaceful and calming and it has the same effect on our health. The blue / purple color in food is due primarily to their anthocyanins which are antioxidants (抗氧化劑) that are particularly heart healthy and may help support healthy blood pressure. Out of all the blue and purple foods available, blueberries are considered to have the highest antioxidant level. An analysis of the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study found that people who eat purple and blue fruits and vegetables are at a reduced risk for high blood pressure and are less likely to be overweight.
A food and health expert says that blue and purple color foods can prevent blood mass formation, and they also lower the risk of cancer.
Foods that contain blue and purple colors are: reddish eggplant (especially the skin), blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, etc.
Green
We all know that we should eat green as green symbolizes nature. The green foods are rich in isothiocyanates, which help resist cancer.
Dr. Ashok Agarwal, a food and nutrition specialist, explains, "They are excellent sources of folic acid, vitamin K, as well as carotene （胡蘿卜素）. Diets high in those above are associated with lowered blood pressure."
Foods that contain the green color are: broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, etc. 
Red
Lycopene (番茄紅素) in reddish fruits and vegetables is a powerful antioxidant that has been associated with a reduced risk of some cancers, and also provides protection against heart attacks.    
Dr. Smiths says, "Cooked tomato sauces are associated with greater health benefits as compared with the uncooked version as the heating process allows lycopene to be more easily absorbed by the body. Obtaining the most benefit from food depends on proper selection, storage and cooking of the produce."
Foods that contain red color are: Tomatoes and tomato products, watermelon, guava, red onions, red chili, red apples, red grapes, cherries, etc.
Orange
The orange foods are also rich in carotene, which are particularly good antioxidants. These foods are commonly considered eyesight foods because they contain vitamin A.
"Orange fruits and vegetables also play a part in preventing cancer, particularly of the lungs and stomach. Foods that contain the color orange are: Carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, etc.
小題1:The passage tries to tell us that ______.

A．colors mean a lot to people and their health

B．foods of different colors will have different benefits

C．eating foods with a color must prevent diseases

D．what people should eat in their daily lives

小題2:All the colors mentioned in the passage have the function of ______.

A．lowering blood pressure	B．improving eyesight
C．preventing cancer	D．reducing the risk of heart disease

小題3:Which color can help keep us thin according to the passage?

A．Purple.

B．Green.

C．Red.

D．Orange.

小題4:The green and orange foods are both rich in _______.

A．vitamin A

B．folic acid

C．carotene

D．vitamin K

小題5:It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．a(chǎn)ll grapes help lower the risk of high blood pressure and cancer

B．lung cancer can be prevented by eating red-colored foods

C．green-colored foods contain a lot of vitamin A which is good for eye health

D．tomatoes should be eaten cooked so that we can benefit the most

The biggest danger facing airlines nowadays may not be a terrorist with a gun, but the man with portable computer in business class. In the last 16 years, pilots have reported well  over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference  (電磁干擾).  The source of this interference remains not proved, but increasingly, experts are pointing the  blame at portable electronic devices such as portable computers, radio and cassette players  and mobile telephones.
RTC.A. an organization which advises the aviation  (航空 )industry, has suggested that all  airlines ban such devices from being used during "critical" stages of flight  particularly take-  off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights .Cur- rently , rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some air- lines prevent passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are un- willing to carry out a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flight.
The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft's computers. Experts know that portable devices send out radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory. they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be. dangerous or not.
The fact that aircraft may be fragile to interference raises the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying, though, is the passenger who can 't hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music's too loud.
小題1:What is said about the over 100 aircraft incidents in the past 16 years?

A．They may have been caused by the damage to-the radio systems.

B．They may have taken place during take-off and landing.

C．They were proved to have been caused by the passengers portable computers.

D．They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference.

小題2:Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an airplane 's computers?

A．Because it is extremely dangerous to conduct such research on an airplane.

B．Because it remains a mystery what wavelengths are liable to be interfered with.

C．Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs.

D．Because experts lack adequate equipment to do such research.

小題3:Few airlines want to perform a total ban on their passengers using electronic devices because_______

A．they don't believe there is such a danger as radio interference

B．the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved

C．most passengers refused to take a plane ,which bans the use of radio and cassette players

D．they have other effective safety measures to fall back on

小題4:The passage is mainly about_________.

A．a(chǎn) new rule for all airlines

B．the disadvantages of electronic devices

C．a(chǎn) possible cause of aircraft incidents

D．effective safety measures for air flight

Harvard student Julie Zauzmer turned 20 on January 22, and her birthday couldn’t have been better: She got to working the overnight shift at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.
That might seem an extraordinary act of selflessness for someone turning 20. But there’s increasing evidence that commitment to community service is becoming much more ordinary to today’s young adults.
“Young adults are doing more volunteer service than in any point in history,’’ said Scott Seider, an assistant professor of education at Boston University who studies the civic development of young adults.
At Harvard, the Winthrop Street Homeless Shelter is one of 86 social service programs associated with the Phillips Brooks House Association, which is a student-run nonprofit organization. Students can work with deaf children, bring pets to nursing homes, and prepare Chinese students to become US citizens, and so on.
Volunteerism develops well outside of colleges, too. Applications to AmeriCorps have risen to a very high level, jumping from 91,399 in 2008 to 258,829 in 2010. City Year, which puts young people in high-poverty schools as tutors and mentors for at-risk students, has had a 140 percent increase in applications since its 2007-2008 service year. Citizen Schools, which uses volunteers to work with students in middle schools, has had a 28 percent jump in applicants between 2008 and 2009.
“Most of my friends know it’s their duty to give back before they settle down,’’ said Samantha Wolf, a 23-year-old Boston University graduate serving with City Year in a Mattapan school.
City Year corps member Antonio Gutierrez, 22, graduated last year from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and is applying for admission to law schools, but this year he is tutoring and mentoring students at the Blackstone Elementary School in the South End.
“I grew up in similar circumstances,’’ said Gutierrez, who said he was a weak student until enrichment programs changed his academic trajectory (軌跡). Raised by a single mother in low-income housing across the street from City Year’s South End Headquarters, he used to watch the red-jacketed corps members come and go, and decided to become one someday.
小題1:We learn from what Scott Seider says in Paragraph 3 that young people today       .

A．study harder than before

B．do more volunteering than ever before

C．don’t care much about others

D．like to find jobs in their communities

小題2:What’s the goal of the program of City Year?

A．It helps to find jobs for college students.

B．It offers shelters to the homeless people.

C．It helps to build schools for poor students.

D．It engages young people to teach at high-poverty schools.

小題3:What do we know about Antonio Gutierrez?

A．He wants to give back as a volunteer.

B．He has always been an excellent student.

C．He never expected to become a volunteer.

D．He now works as a teacher.

小題4:What would be the best title for the text?

A．Volunteering spirit has disappeared

B．How to become a college student

C．College students learn to give back

D．The real life of young adults today

There are many things that go into making a successful school, and success can be measured in many ways. Often, the teachers are praised for a school’s success and blamed for its failure. Yet, in order for a school to be effective, it must be a place where teaching and learning can easily take place, and that requires the hard work of more than just educators. Students must take learning into their own hands and feel as if what they are doing is as important as it actually is. This can only be done with the cooperation of every adult that is involved in the students’ life. Some of these individuals often go unnoticed, yet the role they play in the students’ lives is immeasurable.
Administrative assistants welcome students at the beginning of the day and answer a large number of questions. When an assistant remembers a student’s name or even something special about that student, it communicates to him that he is cared for. The assistant can also give that extra encouragement for a student to make better choices, especially when they are visiting the principal’s office.
Cafeteria workers have a short period of time to interact with students, but can make a big difference as well. Beyond meeting nutritional needs, cafeteria workers may also on occasion meet the emotional needs of the students they serve. Students benefit from positive interaction with adults, and cafeteria workers may give that extra bit of encouragement that a child needs.
Custodians (管理人員) are often underappreciated for all that they give to schools. They have to be knowledgeable about everything from cleaning to fixing the most intricate (復(fù)雜的) tools. They get to school early in the morning before teachers arrive and lock up late at night after the last student has left from the after-school event. They also make sure teachers are equipped with the necessary items and prepare the rooms so that they are ready for learning. A great custodian also gives that kind word or extra smile to that student who needs it most.
小題1:If an assistant remembers a student’s name, the student will feel that       .

A．he is cared for

B．he is special

C．he has done something wrong

D．he has made progress in study

小題2:Which of the following is TRUE about cafeteria workers?

A．It’s enough for them to cook for the students.

B．It’s hard for them to interact with the students.

C．They can also meet the emotional needs of the students.

D．They have the most interaction with students at school.

小題3:We learn from the fourth paragraph that       .

A．custodians play the least important role in a school

B．the work of custodians often goes unnoticed

C．custodians should be more serious with students

D．custodians’ work is always appreciated at school

小題4:How does the author feel about the staff mentioned in the text?

A．Disappointed.	B．Appreciative.
C．Dissatisfied.	D．Doubtful.

Smart home applications can share all kinds of helpful information with homeowners. There appears a new housing platform which can detect the stress on electricity — and the stress on the heart.
“There is a growing population of elderly people, and there are statistics to show that more and more of them are going to live alone in the home,” said Johann Siau, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., who was leading the InterHome project.
The system was originally designed to provide remote access (遠(yuǎn)程訪問) to a house so owners could be more energy-efficient. In a small type of the system, set-in controller devices connect securely to the Internet. The owner can then monitor them with a cell phone or computer. User feedback helps the system adapt to routines, saving on electricity.
While thinking about responding to user behavior and an increasingly elderly population, the researchers decided to add wristband (手腕帶) technology that senses important organs of the body such as body temperature and pulse, Siau said. “If someone were to fall, it would detect the fall and it would immediately start the monitor of the pulse to see if the person has gone into shock (休克),” he said.
The wristband communicates with the home system wirelessly. Data from the band can be securely transmitted to the home network and accessed by authorized users. “We’re working on trying to reduce it to a level where it could potentially be a wrist-sized product,” Siau said. 
But he warned that the technology presented new challenges. “When you start using that on a larger scale, you have issues of privacy or security,” he said. Siau said the InterHome home system isn’t intended to invade privacy. “We’re thinking about the elderly people who are living alone with no one looking after them,” he said. “Hopefully this will be able to decrease some concerns and possibly save a few lives.”
小題1:The system was first designed for a house owner to       .

A．keep watch on his house

B．keep his house safe

C．monitor the elderly people inside

D．save electricity

小題2:The wristband technology is used in the system to       .

A．sense important organs of a person

B．keep an old man from falling

C．get the medical information of a sick person

D．record a person’s daily activities

小題3:The researchers are now trying to make the wristband       .

A．more sensitive

B．be connected with the Internet

C．a(chǎn)vailable for common people

D．suitable to wear on the wrist

小題4:What challenges will the new technology bring according to Siau?

A．The wristband can be large and expensive.

B．The wristband will get false information of a person.

C．It will not be used in the proper way.

D．It will bring inconvenience to the old people.

Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence. Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music. Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors. However, a child’s friends are the No. 1 influence.
Before you think your children’s friends could never lead one another astray (誤入歧途的), think again. A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior. Negative influences of a child’s friends can come without warning.
“Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children’s friends and the friends’ parents have already taken the first step,” says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.
Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to keep tabs on her children. “My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven’t met before, I have to speak with that friend’s parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both,” she says. “I don’t interrogate (質(zhì)問) them by asking about their private life. I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do. I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son.”
When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with “the wrong crowd”, the last thing on their mind should be discipline. Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child’s choice to keep company with these types of friends.
小題1:We can infer from the second paragraph that       .

A．two children usually go astray together

B．a(chǎn) child can be negatively influenced only when he meets problems

C．a(chǎn) child can easily go astray under the influence of a friend

D．parents know exactly when a child is negatively influenced

小題2:Mara Berkley probably agrees that you        when your child is going out with his friends.

A．should track him secretly	B．should not ask him
C．can stop him going out	D．do something to interfere

小題3:How does Lynn Rexroat protect her son according to the text?

A．She questions his son directly.

B．She meets his son’s friends herself.

C．She makes arrangements with the parents of his son’s friends.

D．She communicates with the parents of his son’s friends.

小題4:The underlined part “keep tabs on” in the fourth paragraph probably means “       ”.

A．watch over

B．win over

C．bring back

D．take control of

Technology and the present generation of kids go hand in hand. Taking advantage of this factor, Lim Hojoon, the designer from South Korea, has come up with an educational gadget (小裝置) especially for children. 
Kidget, as the name suggests, is a combination of two words – kid and gadget. This kid-friendly gadget has various uses. When your child is in a mood to read, it takes the form of a storybook. When the mood is to draw and color this wonder gadget turns into a perfect canvas (畫布). Your child can freely give color to all his/her imaginations. Should he or she wish to have some fun, see this device change into a musical instrument. You too would enjoy doing activities with your loved one using this gadget. This touch screen device will definitely prove to be an ideal friend.
As many parents agree, in this age of technological advancements it is much easier to introduce children to new gadgets than adults. While many adults refrain (克制) from trying out something new, kids are more than prepared to take the leap. Keeping this fact in mind, Kidget is the perfect gift for the child of the 21st century. You will be surprised to see how fast your little one gets acquainted with the device. You might even find yourself lagging (落后) behind at times.
Kidget has another hidden advantage. It helps take the load off young shoulders. With three things rolled into one, a child has much less books, stationary items and related goods to carry. It comes with a promise to make life simpler for kids. Not only is it simple to use but also easy to carry along. The stylish protective case comes with a belt attached to it. Children up to 14 years of age, the targeted audience, enjoy the freedom that comes with it.
小題1:The Kidget probably can’t serve as a ______.

A．storybook	B．perfect canvas
C．musical instrument	D．television

小題2:We learn from the second paragraph that Kidget ______.

A．has many functions

B．is only suitable for kids

C．can make kids addicted if not properly used

D．can change its shape and color

小題3:A hidden advantage of Kidget is that ______.

A．it can be put into a schoolbag

B．children can carry much less with it

C．it has a stylish protective case

D．it contains all the textbooks

小題4:We can infer from the text that Kidget ______.

A．has both advantages and disadvantages

B．hasn’t been put into use

C．needs to be further improved

D．is a perfect gift for kids

The £109 Nest Protect Smoke Alarm promises Internet alerts（警報(bào)）and an end to the low battery chirp（短而尖的叫聲）. Besides, it uses a voice to tell you where the fire is.
The alarm is the first UK product from Nest, which is run by iPod-inventor Tony Fadell. The company claims the device’s batteries will last for up to seven years. The device will offer a spoken warning before it sounds a major alarm. Also it will use text messages and apps on your phones to alert users to low-level risks.
The present smoke alarms constantly alert users to non-existent threats, which will make many users annoyed and finally remove their batteries altogether. “We’ve all experienced the smoke alarm going off while we’re cooking. Sometimes, we need to search for the source of that non-stop low-battery chirp at midnight,” said Fadell. “Therefore, every time a smoke alarm cries wolf, we trust it a little less, and then — in a moment of frustration — we take the batteries out to stop the beep（嘟嘟聲）. And that leaves us and our families at risk.”
If the Protect smoke alarms are used, they can be set up in up to ten zones, so that the clear warnings tell users where the risk has been detected.
“Safety shouldn’t be annoying,” said Matt Rogers, Nest founder and vice president of engineering. “It was unacceptable to us that one in eight houses in the UK has a non-functioning smoke alarm. These products are required by law and are supposed to keep us safe, yet people hate them. We wanted to change that.”
小題1:For what purpose did Nest create the Protect Smoke Alarm?

A．To predict low-level fire risks.	B．To experiment with a new battery.
C．To improve present smoke alarms.	D．To avoid the low-battery chirp.

小題2:What did Tony Fadell really want to tell us in Paragraph 3?

A．One of his cooking experiences.

B．Disadvantages of present smoke alarms.

C．His growing distrust of smoke alarms.

D．His source of annoyance to crying wolf.

小題3:Which of the following are the advantages of the Protect Smoke Alarm?
a. Rechargeable batteries         b. A talking smoke alarm
c. Longer battery life            d. Going off constantly
e. Internet connection

A．a(chǎn), b, c

B．c, d, e

C．a(chǎn), c, e

D．b, c, e

小題4:What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．In the UK people seldom set up smoke alarms.

B．Matt Rogers didn’t like the safety requirements.

C．Non-functioning smoke alarms make people annoyed.

D．The government should pay attention to safety issues.