Although websites such as Facebook and MySpace experienced rapid growth during the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, some users remain unaware of the fact that the information they post online can come back to haunt them. First, employers can monitor employees who maintain a blog, photo diary, or website. Employers can look for controversial(引起爭議的) employee opinions, sensitive information disclosures, or wildly inappropriate conduct. For example, a North Carolina newspaper fired one of its features writers after she created a blog on which she wrote about the strange things of her job and coworkers without signing her real name.
The second unintended use of information from social networking websites is employers who check on prospective employees. A June 11, 2006 New York Times article reported that many companies use search engines and social networking websites such as MySpace, Xanga, and Facebook to conduct background checks on college campuses. Although the use of MySpace or Google to check a student’s background is somewhat unsettling to many undergraduates, the Times noted that the use of Facebook is especially shocking to students who believe that Facebook is limited to current students and recent alum(校友).
Corporate employers are not the only people interested in college students’ lives. The third unintended use of social networking websites is college administrators who monitor the Internet — especially Facebook — for student bad behavior. For example, a college in Boston’s Back Bay expelled (除名) its student Government Association President for joining a Facebook group highly critical of a campus police sergeant. In addition, fifteen students at a state university in North Carolina faced charges in court for underage drinking because of photos that appeared on Facebook.
Although more users of websites such as Facebook are becoming aware of the potential dangers of online identities, many regular users still fail to take there basic security precautions(警惕). First, only make your information available to a specific list of individuals whom you approve. Second , regularly search for potentially harmful information about yourself that may have been posted by mistake or by a disgruntled
(不滿的)former associate. Thrid, never post obviously offensive material will likely make its way to the wider world. By taking these simple steps, members of the digital world can realize the many benefits of e-community without experiencing some of the damaging unintended consequences.
小題1:The main purpose of the passage is to _____.

A．explain the growth of the digital world from the view of privacy

B．discuss the risks of the digital world and suggest ways to protect yourself

C．propose steps Facebook, MySpace and Google can take to protect user privacy

D．illustrate(說明) potential unintended uses of private information

小題2:The writer implies that users should take all of the following actions to protect their online privacy EXCEPT _____.

A．know to whom you make your online information available

B．a(chǎn)ctively hunt for damaging information posted about you or under your name

C．speak with employers to inform them of any misinformation published about you

D．a(chǎn)void uploading information that would be extremely damaging if it were discovered

小題3:According to the passage, which of the following does the author imply?

A．Information obtained unwillingly from the Internet is permitted in court.

B．It is impossible to protect yourself from unintended uses of information online.

C．Even if you restrict who can view your data, the government may still access it.

D．Done properly, posting offensive information about oneself brings no risk.

小題4:In the last paragraph the author mainly _____.

A．offers detailed examples to support previous viewpoints

B．further explores the ill-effects of the Internet on the protection of privacy

C．summarizes the points of the above paragraphs

D．provides suggestions to overcome the previously mentioned problems

It is generally believed that we are getting cleaned when we step under a shower. We are, but we’re also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn’t even know about. A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria called Mycobacterium．These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness (身體不舒服). When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.
This is a finding of Norman R. Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US. The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers．Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities. They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.
But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health．Only those with a weak immune system might need to worry．He told the New York Times that the bacteria are not as unpleasant as might be thought．He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning．
But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms (微生物), he had some advice. Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower. Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than that when the water is just turned on. If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.
However, Pace had good news too. He has also been testing the air in US subways. Apart from iron particles (粒子), which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh. The reason is that a train’s movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels.
Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial environments of public places. This kind of knowledge might help discover the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist (生物恐怖分子) attack.
小題1:From the finding of Norman R. Pace, after taking a shower, we might cough or feel tired because      .

A．it’s easy to get a cold when taking a bath

B．the showerhead carries many bacteria causing illness

C．we don’t get cleaned while showering

D．we don’t get a weak immune system

小題2:According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．Hot water could kill most of bacteria in showerheads.

B．Of 45 showerheads surveyed in nine cities, 30 carried large amounts of Mycobacterium.

C．Changing showerheads is the only way to avoid microorganisms.

D．Shower water contains much less bacteria after being left to run for 30 seconds.

小題3:We can learn from the third paragraph that       .

A．having a shower in the morning is more dangerous than at other time

B．the bacteria always threat people’s health

C．there is no reason to fear microorganisms for people with strong immune system

D．it is better to do some exercise in the morning than have a shower

小題4:The underlined word “pose” in the third paragraph probably means “______”．

A．cause

B．a(chǎn)void

C．describe

D．promise

小題5:What contributes to fresh air in US subways?

A．The train’s movement.	B．Iron particles．
C．Train wheels.	D．Air conditioners on the trains．

Although cats may be one of the most popular pets today, little is known about how and when humans and cats set up their close relationship.
The earliest evidence for human–cat interaction dates back to prehistoric Cyprus（史前塞浦路斯）, where the remains of a wild cat and a human — dated 9,500 years old — were found buried together.
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has confirmed the first direct evidence of a human–domestic cat relationship among Chinese farmers 5,300 years ago. Researchers studied the bones of cats, dogs, deer and other animals unearthed in an excavation (挖掘) near a village in Central China. By using some ways, scientists showed that the cats were living on a mostly millet(黍)–based diet, just like the domesticated dogs and pigs from the site.
"The most reasonable explanation for a high consumption of millet–based food is that the cats had formed a stable and mutual relationship with humans and could easily feed on rodents (嚙齒動物) around human villages, find leftover food or even have been fed by people intentionally," said Hu Yaowu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, whose research focuses on the relationship between humans and domesticated animals.
"It is very interesting for us to find the consumption of millet-based foods by the cats, since this kind of evidence had long been missing.” Hu explains. Since cats usually eat meat, such a diet would be unexpected, unless the cats were being fed by people, the study argues. The researchers also found that one of the cats survived to reach old age, implying that it had a safe place to live and enough to eat.
Why the farmers wanted to keep cats nearby or make them "pets" could be answered by other evidence. Chinese archaeologists found some storage containers were specifically designed to keep out rodents — a vermin (害獸) that cats could certainly have helped with.
The simplified theory is that rats were attracted to the food of farmers, and so were harmful to farmers. Cats were attracted to the rats, and so farmers formed a mutually beneficial relationship with cats, taking care of them in return for pest control.
小題1:The evidence found in the remains dating back to prehistoric Cyprus means         .

A．human made cats pets as early as 9,500 years ago

B．human interacted with cats very early

C．cats didn’t appear until prehistoric Cyprus

D．when cats became domesticated

小題2:Apart from cats, Hu Yaowu and his teams may also study         .

A．the preventions of pests from grains

B．the history of Chinese farming

C．the dogs and pigs

D．the ways to keep pets

小題3:Which of the following is NOT the evidence of Chinese farms’ keeping cats?

A．Cats didn’t feed on meat.

B．The cats consumed large amounts of millet–based foods.

C．One of the cats survived to reach old age.

D．Some storage containers were specifically designed to keep out rodents.

小題4:What are the reasons for farmers to keep cats?

A．Helping keep other domesticated animals.

B．Not letting cats eat food.

C．Supplying meat for human.

D．Helping reduce the amount of pests.

小題5:In which part of a newspaper would be the passage most probably appear         .

A．Entertainment	B．Environment
C．Human and Science	D．Life and fashion

When your parents advise you to “get an education” in order to raise your income, they tell you only half the truth. What they really mean is to get just enough education to provide manpower（人力資源） for your society, but not so much that you prove an embarrassment to your society.
Get a high school diploma, at least. Without that, you will be occupationally dead unless your name happens to be George Bernard Shaw or Thomas Alva Edison, and you can successfully dropout in grade school.
Get a college degree, if possible. With a B. A., you are on the launching pad. But now you have to start to put on the brakes. If you go for a master’s degree, make sure it is an M.B.A., and the famous law of diminishing(逐漸減少的) returns begins to take effect.
Do you know, for instance, that long-haul truck drivers earn more per year than full professors? Yes, the average salary for those truckers was $24000 while the full professors managed to earn just $23030.
A doctorate is the highest degree you can get. Except for a few specialized fields such as physics or chemistry where the degree can quickly be turned to industrial or commercial purposes, if you pursue such a degree in any other field, you will face a future which is not bright. There are more doctors unemployed or underemployed in this country than any other part of the world.
If you become a doctor in English or history or anthropology or political science or languages or—worst of all—in philosophy, you run the risk of becoming overeducated for our national demands. Not for our needs, mind you, but for our demands.
Thousands of doctors are selling shoes, driving cars, waiting on table, and endlessly filling out applications month after month. They may also take a job in some high school or backwater(閉塞) college that pays much less than the doorkeeper earns.
You can equate the level of income with the level of education only so far. Far enough, that is, to make you useful to the gross national product, but not so far that nobody can turn much of a profit on you.
小題1:According to the writer, what the society expects of education is to turn out people who ______.

A．will not be a disgrace to society

B．will become loyal citizens

C．can take care of themselves

D．can meet the nation’s demand as a source of manpower

小題2:Many doctors are out of job because ______.

A．they are improperly educated

B．they are of little commercial value to their society

C．there are fewer jobs in high schools

D．they prefer easier jobs that make more money

小題3:The nation is only interested in people ______.

A．with diplomas

B．who specialize in physics and chemistry

C．who are valuable to the gross national product

D．who receive little education

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Bernard Shaw didn’t finish high school, nor did Edison.

B．One must think carefully before pursuing a master’s degree.

C．The higher your education level, the more money you will earn.

D．If you are too well-educated, you’ll be overeducated for society’s demands.

小題5:The writer sees education as ______.

A．a(chǎn) means of providing job security and financial security and a means of meeting a country’s demands for technical workers

B．a(chǎn) way to broaden one’s horizons

C．more important than finding a job

D．a(chǎn)n opportunity that everyone should have

Sooner or later, most students are to take some form of English examinations. Often the more successful students are better prepared. However, sometimes students who do well have better test taking skills. These abilities really have nothing to do with understanding English better. They are skills that make taking the test easier, and therefore provide better results.
Here are some very important—and often ignored—guidelines to taking a test successfully.
Do not insist on completing each question before going to the next. This is extremely important. Remember one question may only be worth one point! You will become nervous when you fail to find out its answer, making you lose your concentration and leading to worse results. However, answering the questions you are sure you know results in your being more relaxed and feeling more confident.
Go through the test a second time working out the answers to more difficult questions. Sometimes questions asked are answered in later questions asking for different things.
Usually(but not always) a strong first impulse(沖動) means we know the answer and we don’t really have to think about it too much. Going back to think about it usually makes you unsure and often causes a mistake. This is very common, so be very careful!
If you don’t know the answer, write something. If you are answering a 4 possibility multiple choice question you will still have a 25% chance of being correct!
Taking a test is as much for you as is for your teacher, so never cheat. If you cheat, you don’t help yourself in the long run.
小題1:In the first paragraph, the writer stresses the importance of ______.

A．better preparations for exams.

B．better understanding of English.

C．better skills at taking exams.

D．better results of taking exams.

小題2:When taking an exam, you are advised ______.

A．to first answer the questions which are easier to you.

B．to depend on your first impulse to answer the questions.

C．to search the test paper for all the answers to the questions.

D．to give up the questions whose answers you don’t know.

小題3:It is common that many students______.

A．pay much attention to their testing skills.

B．often give up a difficult test halfway.

C．often get higher results by cheating.

D．don’t believe in their first impulse.

小題4:What would be the best title of the passage?

A．Effective Studying Methods.	B．Effective Test Taking Skills.
C．Getting Better Exam Results.	D．Being Successful Students.

With 10, 600 bicycles in circulation，Paris city officials are hoping the program will provide people with more environmentally friendly transportation．

It seems both Parisians and tourists are taking advantage of the program．Since its launch a little over two weeks ago，Vélib has already seen almost half a million rentals．And，with the addition of 10，000 more bikes and 700 more stations in the next 12 months，city officials expect at least 200，000 regular users by year end．
Parisian Olivier Bioret has already gone for a spin on one of Vélib’s vehicles and plans to make use of them more often．
“It’s a real pleasure—when，like me，you don’t have space enough in your flat to have your
own bike—to be able to discover．to cross Paris and not have to take the subway，”he said．
As a socialist and longtime green activist，Mayor Bertrand Delanoe regards Vélib as just a part of his plan to reduce car traffic and，thus，lower pollution by 2020．
Apart from its environmental benefits，Vélib is also being praised as a way of collecting money for the city，for all the money from rentals goes to the city government．
Paris is not alone in its attempt to profit from the power of the bicycles．
Across the globe，cities such as Barcelona，which stated its bike-share program in March with 1,500 vehicles and 100 stations，and New York，which launched a five-day trial program last month，are using bicycles as a way to cut back on both traffic and pollution．
However，it remains to be seen whether people’s acceptance of these programs is simply a
passing fashion or whether this movement has the power to take root and transform the face of public transportation around the world．
小題1:The real purpose of Vélib is________．

A．to help people save money and space

B．to make some money for the city government

C．to provide convenience to both Parisians and tourists

D．to reduce traffic and pollution in the city

小題2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．There will be 700 stations in one year’s time．

B．There will be over 20, 000 bikes in use in a year．

C．In the first two weeks there were nearly a million rentals．

D．There will be 200, 000 regular rentals each day by year end．

小題3:We can know from the passage that_________．

A．other cities also have such programs

B．Parisians can use the bicycles free of charge

C．Paris sets an example to many other cities

D．Paris is the first city to start such a program

小題4:As to the future of the program，the author is_________．

A．critical

B．optimistic

C．uncertain

D．negative

Televisions were among the most talked about items at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some employed the most advanced technology ever.
Some of the TVs used a new technology called Organic Light Emitting Diodes, or OLED. They were thinner, lighter, offered better color and were brighter than traditional LEDs. Smart TVs this year were smarter. Many offered technology that let users have a more personalized experience. One such TV from the electronics company TCL uses sensors and voice recognition to determine who is watching. It then offers programming based on the specific user. Another TV from Panasonic offers a similar personalized user experience.
In addition to television technology, size also played a major part in CES 2013. Televisions varied in size from big to bigger, with at least two companies — Samsung and HiSense — exhibiting TVs measuring 110 inches.
The yearly Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest technology trade show in North America and one of the biggest in the world.
Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, the group that organizes CES. He gave one of the keynote speeches on opening day.
“Now you know that CES is more than a trade show. It’s a gathering of the brightest minds and the top leaders from many industries and those seeking a glimpse into the future.”
That glimpse into the future included a look at digital health and fitness devices, which were also big at CES 2013. There were devices that track your activity and others that measure blood pressure, heart rate and weight. There was even a fork that tells you when you are eating too fast.
Cars, smart-phones, tablet computers and PCs also made news. And a 27-inch table computer drew quite a bit of attention.
CEA President Gary Shapiro says there was much to see but not nearly enough time to see it all. “You cannot see the show in the four days that you have. We have over 3200 different industries showing over 20,000 new products. It’s absolutely incredible.”
小題1:At the 2013 CES, which item drew the most attention?

A．Cars.

B．Smart-phones.

C．Computers.

D．Televisions.

小題2:From the text, we can know that the TV from Panasonic _________.

A．is bigger than the others	B．uses the technology of OLED
C．offers a personalized experience	D．can track your activity

小題3:What can we know from Gary Shapiro?

A．CES is only a big trade show.

B．CES offers a glimpse into the future.

C．CES lasts only four days in all.

D．He thinks little of the new products’ quality.

小題4:At the CES, the biggest TV in size might be from ______.

A．HiSense

B．Panasonic

C．TCL

D．CEA

小題5:From the passage we can infer that__________.

A．the CES is held every 4 years

B．a(chǎn)t the 2013 CES, the TV section was crowded

C．if you watch TV every day, you needn’t see a doctor

D．tablet computers drew more attention at the 2013 CES

Redwood trees are the tallest plants on the earth，reaching heights of up to 100 meters．They are also known for their longevity，typically 500 to 1000 years，but sometimes more than 2000 years．A hundred million years ago，in the age of dinosaurs，redwoods were common in the forests of a much more moist and tropical North America．As the climate became drier and colder，they declined to a narrow strip along the Pacific coast of Northern Califomia．
The trunk of redwood trees is very strong and usually forms a single straight column．It is covered with a soft bark．This bark can be pretty thick，well over two feet in the more mature trees．It gives the older trees a certain kind of protection from insects，but the main benefit is that it keeps the center of the tree harmless from moderate forest fires because of its thickness．This fire resistant quality explains why the giant redwood grows to live that long．While most other types of trees are destroyed by forest fires，the giant redwood actually prospers because of them．
Moderate fires will clear the ground of competing plant life，and the rising heat dries and opens the ripe fruit of the redwood，releasing many thousands of seeds onto the ground below．
New trees are often produced from shoots，little baby trees，which form at the base of the trunk．These shoots grow slowly，fed by the root system of the “mother’’ tree．When the main tree dies，the shoots are then free to grow as full trees，forming a “fairy ring” of trees around the original tree．These trees，in turn，may give rise to more shoots，and the cycle continues．
小題1:Why were redwood trees easier to find in the forests of North America millions of years ago?

A．The trees were taller and stronger．

B．The soil was softer for seeds to develop．

C．The climate there was warmer and wetter．

D．The temperature was lower along the Pacific coast．

小題2:Which of the following is a function of the tree bark as mentioned in the passage?

A．It allows redwood trees to bear seeds．

B．It prevents redwood trees from attack by insects．

C．It helps redwood trees absorb water in the air．

D．It makes redwood trees more beautiful and appealing．

小題3:Why do redwood trees grow to live that long according to the passage?

A．They have heavy and straight tree trunks．

B．They are properly watered and catered to．

C．They are more resistant to fire damage than other trees．

D．They produce many young trees to maintain their life cycle．

小題4:How does a “fairy ring’’ form according to the passage?

A．By killing an old tree．	B．By connecting root systems．
C．By inserting holes into old trees．	D．By surrounding a mature tree．

Last year, over 206,000 students from the United States studied abroad. Does that number surprise you? These students already know the benefits of studying abroad. You may be wondering why you should study abroad. Here are some answers for you.
◆ Timing
The absolutely best time in your life to study abroad is when you are in college. If you miss this opportunity, it’s almost impossible for you to do it later in life.
◆ To gain cross-cultural experience
Life overseas makes you see your everyday world in a whole new light. You don’t even realize it, but our culture shapes the way we view the world and affects us every minute of the day. Differences in culture are more than just differences in language, food, clothing and art.
◆ To improve your communication skills and your self-confidence
People who study abroad tend to be willing to take risks, willing to put themselves in unusual situations, and able to solve problems.
◆ To become more fluent in a language or to learn a new language
The world market is becoming smaller, and many companies require a second language. Foreign languages are not only valuable in the job market but also valuable in the real world.
◆ For the adventure
Travel to other cities within your host country and around neighboring countries. As you get to know your new classmates, roommates, and host family, you will gain a unique view on the host culture. Discover the differences and, more importantly, the many similarities between your worlds. The friendships you make will last long after the program.
◆ To learn more about yourself
Find out who you really are. What are your limits? How do you overcome the difficulties you’ve never encountered before? How independent are you? These questions are hard to answer until you are removed from your usual surroundings. After solving difficult problems on your own overseas, you’ll find that almost nothing will confuse you at home. Students who study abroad commonly report that their study abroad experience actually changed their lives.
小題1:The passage mainly talks about _______.

A．the benefits of studying abroad

B．the time for studying abroad

C．the difficulty you come across when you're abroad

D．some tips on how to get used to a new environment

小題2:What is the best time in your life to study abroad according to the passage?

A．When you're at work.	B．When you are free.
C．At any time you like.	D．When you are in college.

小題3:What does the underlined word“encountered” here mean?

A．Opposed.

B．Experienced.

C．Solved.

D．Explained.

小題4:All of the following are mentioned in the passage as reasons for studying abroad EXCEPT _______.

A．getting cross-cultural experience

B．improving communication skills and self-confidence

C．improving your foreign language

D．learning how to get along with people

One Monday morning, Paul and his classmates were in science laboratory for their practical chemistry lesson. The students were going to work in pairs to do an experiment. Before they began, the teacher gave them this description of the different stages of the experiment.
Stage 1: Prepare the equipment: a test tube, a crucible, a Bunsen burner and tongs.
Stage 2: Weigh 5 grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and put it in a crucible.
Stage 3: Heat 10 ml of hydrochloric acid (鹽酸) in a test tube.
Stage 4: Pour the warm acid onto the baking soda and continue to heat the mixture.
Result: The acid reacts with the bicarbonate（碳酸氫鹽）to form water, carbon dioxide gas and salt. The hotter the mixture, the quicker the reaction. Continue to heat the mixture until the water evaporates, leaving the salt in the crucible.
Paul and his partner followed the instructions and set up their equipment. Paul went to the cupboard to get a bottle of hydrochloric acid. He found that there was only one bottle in the cupboard so he took that. There was no label on the bottle and Paul didn’t check with the teacher if it was the right solution.
He measured the liquid and poured it into a test tube. Using tongs to hold the test tube, he heated it over the Bunsen burner. That’s when things started to go wrong. The liquid in the test tube was not hydrochloric acid. When it was heated, it formed a thick cloud of white gas. Soon the room was full of this strong smelling white gas.
All the students started coughing and their eyes hurt. The teacher immediately opened the windows and ordered the students to leave the laboratory at once. She realized that the liquid was a crylamide (丙烯酰胺) and that it is poisonous.
Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident. However, it taught the students and the teacher a good lesson.
小題1:What lesson did the incident teach the students and the teacher?

A．Never have a bottle without a label in the chemistry lab!

B．Obey your teacher’s instructions in the Chemistry lab.

C．A crylamide can’t take the place of hydrochloric acid.

D．Finding something unusual happened, you have to leave the laboratory at once.

小題2:What substance were the students making in the experiment?

A．Water

B．Carbon dioxide gas

C．Salt

D．Poisonous gas

小題3:Why did Paul make the mistake?

A．He went to the cupboard to get the bottle by himself.

B．He found that there was only one bottle in the cupboard so he took that.

C．There was no label on the bottle.

D．Paul didn’t check with the teacher that it was the right solution.

小題4:Why did the teacher send the students out of the classroom?

A．Becausethe room was full of this strong smelling white gas.

B．Because all the students started coughing and their eyes hurt.

C．Becausethe liquid was a crylamide and that it is poisonous.

D．Because someone was injured in the incident.