One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation（毀林） is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"
The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.
Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks, disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.
Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.
Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realise the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.
Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.
小題1:The underlined word "synthetics" probably means_________.

A．natural rubber	B．tropical materials
C．man-made material	D．commercial rubber

小題2:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．The forests are losing their function in turning carbon dioxide into oxygen.

B．Many of our daily uses are related to the tropical forests.

C．Tropical plants can be used to make industrial products.

D．High carbon dioxide levels will make the earth warmer.

小題3:The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is _________ .

A．puzzling

B．cold

C．supporting

D．opposed

小題4:Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．Tropical Forests	B．The Value of Tropical Forests
C．Tropical Forests and Our Life	D．The Greenhouse Effects

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

A．an expression of happiness	B．a way of warning
C．an expression of anger	D．a way of greeting

小題2:What is a bird’s “territory”?

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

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

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

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

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

A．Because they want to invite more friends．

B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away．

C．Because they want to find outsiders around．

D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears．

小題4:How does the writer explain birds’ singing?

A．By comparing birds with human beings．

B．By reporting experiment results．

C．By describing birds’ daily life．

D．By telling a bird’s story．

Another thing an astronaut has to learn about is eating in space．Food is weightless, just as men are．
Food for space has to be packed in special ways．Some of it goes into tubes that a man can squeeze into his mouth．Bite-sized cookies are packed in plastic．
There is a good reason for covering each bite．The plastic keeps pieces of food from traveling in the spaceship．On the earth very small pieces of food would simply fall to the floor．But gravity doesn’t pull them to the floor when they are out of the plastic in a spaceship．They move here and there and can get into a man’s eyes or into the spaceship’s instruments． If any of the instruments is blocked, the astronauts may have trouble getting safely home．
As astronauts travel on longer space trips, they must take time to sleep． An astronaut can fit himself to his seat with a kind of seat belt. Or, if he wants to, he can sleep in a sleeping bag which is fixed in place under his seat．But be careful he must put his hands under the belt when he goes to sleep．This is because he is really afraid that he might touch one of controls that isn’t supposed to be touched until later．
小題1:Why would astronauts cover each bite of food in space？____

A．Because small pieces of food would fall down to the floor．

B．Because weightless pieces of food might make trouble when they travel around．

C．Because they haven’t enough food for longer trips．

D．Because astronauts don’t want to waste food．

小題2:In a spaceship, astronauts can ____．

A．walk just as they do on the earth．

B．not eat anything because it’s dangerous．

C．control the spaceship when they are sleeping．

D．not litter small things or it will make trouble．

小題3:Why does an astronaut put his hand under his belt when he sleeps？____

A．Because he thinks it is comfortable to sleep in that way in space．

B．Because he doesn’t want to touch any controls when he sleeps．

C．Because the instruments of the spaceship are easily broken．

D．Because he is afraid that the seat will move．

小題4:The best title of this article is ____．

A．Eating and Sleeping in Space

B．How Astronauts Eat in Space

C．Food for Space

D．How Astronauts Sleep in Space

Did you know that the position you choose to sleep in says something about what kind of person you are?
A study of 1,000British people has been done by Chris,a British professor and director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in the UK.It looked at the six most common sleeping positions and which personalities tend to match them.Have a look.
1. Fetus (胎兒) position – This is the most common sleeping position. About 41 percent of the participants said they sleep in this position. These sleepers may appear to be strong but they are usually sensitive (敏感的) and shy. The more they curl (蜷縮) up, the more worried they are.
2. Log position (樹干睡姿) – This is the second most common position. People who sleep like a log are usually stubborn.
3. Yearner position (向往型睡姿) – This position says that you are open-minded and eager (急切的) to face challenges.
4. Soldier position – These sleepers lie on their backs with their arms down and close to the body. They are usually reserved and quiet.
5. Freefall position – People who sleep in this position are outgoing (外向的) but feel a lack of control in their lives. This is the least comfortable position.
6. Starfish position – People who sleep like this are good listeners, helpful, and uncomfortable being the center of attention.
小題1:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Sleeping position decides personality.

B．Sleeping position reflects personality.

C．What the six different sleeping positions are like.

D．Different people have different sleeping positions.

小題2:Which of the following pictures shows “soldier position”?

A．

B．

C．

D．

小題3:According to the passage, which of the following statements is correct?

A．Those sleeping in fetus position are always strong.

B．Those sleeping in log position changes their ideas easily.

C．Those sleeping in freefall position usually feel uncomfortable in their lives.

D．Those sleeping in starfish position may feel uneasy when focused on.

小題4:What does the underlined word “participants” in paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Fetus

B．British people

C．People surveyed

D．Sleepers

What makes a person a scientist？Does he have ways or tools of learning that are different from those of others？The answer is “no”. It isn’t the tools a scientist uses but how he uses these tools which make him a scientist. You will probably agree that knowing how to use a power is important to a carpenter(木匠).You will probably agree，too，that knowing how to investigate(調查)，how to discover information，is important to everyone. The scientist，however，goes one step further；he must be sure that he has a reasonable answer to his questions and that his answer he gets to many questions is into a large set of ideas about how the world works.?
The scientist’s knowledge must be exact. There’s no room for half right or right just half the time. He must be as nearly right as the conditions permit. What works under one set of conditions at one time must work under the same conditions at other times. If the conditions are different，any changes the scientist observes in a demonstration(實證)must be explained by the changes in the conditions. This is one reason why investigations are important in science. Albert Einstein，who developed the Theory of Relativity，arrived at this theory through mathematics. The accuracy(正確性)of his mathematics was later tested through investigation. Einstein’s ideas were proved to be correct. A scientist uses many tools for measurements. Then the measurements are used to make mathematical calculations(計算)that may test his investigations.
小題1:What makes a scientist according to the passage？

A．The tools he uses.	B．His ways of learning.
C．The way he uses his tools.	D．The various tools he uses.

小題2:“...knowing how to investigate，how to discover information，is important to everyone.” The writer says this to show_______.

A．the importance of information

B．the difference between scientists and ordinary people

C．the importance of thinking

D．the difference between carpenters and ordinary people

小題3: A sound（合理的） scientific theory should be one that_______.

A．works under one set of conditions at one time and also works under the same conditions at other times

B．doesn’t allow any change even under different conditions

C．leave no room for improvement.

D．can be used for many purposes

小題4:What is the main idea of the passage？

A．Scientists are different from ordinary people.

B．The Theory of Relativity?.

C．Exactness is the core(核心)of science.

D．Exactness and way of using tools are the keys to making of a scientist.

When the lazy days of summer arrive and the schedule is filled with swimming，camp，and family vacations，it can be a challenge to find time for learning. But kids’ reading skills don’t have to grow cold once school’s out. Here are some ways to make reading a natural part of their summer fun：
Explore your library. Visit your local library to borrow books and magazines that your kids haven’t seen before. Many libraries have summer reading programs, book clubs, and reading contests(比賽) for even the youngest borrowers. With a new library card，a child will feel extra grown­up by borrowing books.
Read on the road. Going on a long car trip？Make sure there are some books at the back seat. When you stop driving，read the books aloud. Get some audio books in libraries and listen to them together during driving time.
Make your own books. Pick one of your family’s favorite parts of summer—whether it’s baseball，ice cream, or the pool—and have your child draw pictures of it or cut out pictures from magazines. Stick(粘貼) the pictures onto paper to make a booklet(小冊子)and write text for it. When you’re done，read the book together. Reread it whenever you like!
Keep in touch. Kids don’t have to go away to write about summer vacation. Even if your family stays home，they can send postcards to tell friends and relatives about their adventures(冒險經歷). Ask a relative to be your child’s pen pal and encourage them to write each week.
Keep up the reading habits. Even if everything else changes during the summer，keep up the reading habits around your house. Read with your kids every day—whether it’s just before bedtime or under a shady tree on a lazy afternoon. And don’t forget to take a book to the beach！Just brush the sand off the pages — it’s no sweat!
小題1: The purpose of the passage is to________.

A．encourage parents to read

B．give advice on raising kids

C．raise a good summer reader

D．suggest places for vacations

小題2:If you drive on a long trip in summer，you can________.

A．visit the local library and join book clubs

B．borrow some audio books to listen to

C．keep in touch with friends by sending postcards

D．read your own picture books with your son

小題3:By saying “Just brush the sand off the pages—it’s no sweat”，the author means________.

A．taking away the sand on the book is very difficult

B．a special book is needed when you’re reading on the beach

C．one can remove the sand on the book with a brush easily

D．there’s no trouble reading even on the beach

小題4:Who are the possible readers of the passage?

A．Parents.

B．Students.

C．Teachers.

D．Editors.

小題5:Which statement(闡述) is true according to the text?

A．During summer vocation, kids’ reading skills must grow cold.

B．Kids have to go away to write about summer vacation.

C．With a library card，a child will feel extra grown­up by borrowing books.

D．Because everything else changes during the summer，it is hard to keep up the reading habits.

Do you know mulch? Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil. It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste. Farmers may keep the remains of corn or other crops on top of the soil. This creates mulch on the soil surface. The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage. Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants. It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants. It also limits temperature changes in the soil. And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds, from growing.
Organic mulch improves the condition of soil. As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard. This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil. It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants. It also provides good environment for earthworms and other helpful living things in the soil.
It is easy to find organic mulch materials. Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from news- papers works well in controlling weeds.
The best time to add mulch depends on your goal. Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air. This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result, mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer. In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil. The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives. Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem. The animals will probably find another place to live.
小題1:The author tells us the following EXCEPT ______.

A．what mulch is and its advantages

B．the best time to add mulch

C．the bad effects of mulch

D．what can be mulch on the soil surface

小題2: The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT ______.

A．tree barks

B．plastic

C．grass cuttings

D．cut-up leaves

小題3: The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can ______.

A．improve the condition of soil

B．improve the ability of the soil to hold water

C．provide a good environment for earthworms

D．improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the soil

小題4: From the last paragraph, we know ______.

A．the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer

B．the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives

C．the best time to add mulch is exactly the same time of each year

D．choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals

A regular drop in the sun’s radiation(輻射) can cause unusually cold winters in parts of North America and Europe, scientists say, a finding that could improve long-range forecasts and help countries prepare for snowstorms.
Scientists have known for a long time that the sun has an 11-year cycle during which radiation measured by sunspots on the surface reaches a peak then falls. But explaining a clear connection to weather is harder.
“Our research confirms the observed connection between solar change and regional winter climate,” lead author Sarah Ineson of the UK Met Office told the reporters in an email. The study was published in the magazine Nature Geoscience on Monday.
The researchers found that the reducing of ultraviolet(UV，紫外線) radiation from the sun can affect high-altitude wind patterns in the Northern Hemisphere(半球), causing cold winters.
“While UV levels won’t tell us what the day-to-day weather will do, they show us the bright future of improved forecasts for winter conditions for months and even years ahead. These forecasts play an important role in long-term possibility planning,” Ineson, a climate scientist, said.
Ineson and colleagues from Imperial College London and the University of Oxford used satellite data that more accurately(精確的) measures UV radiation from the sun and found a much greater change than previously thought.
They found that in years of low activity, unusually cold air forms high in the atmosphere over the tropics. This causes a redistribution(重新分配) of heat in the atmosphere, making easterly winds that bring freezing weather and snowstorms to northern Europe and the United States and milder weather to Canada and the Mediterranean.
When solar UV radiation is stronger, the opposite occurs.
More study was needed, though. A key uncertainty in the experiment lay in the satellite data used, because it covers only a few years. “So questions remain concerning both accuracy(精確) and also applicability to other solar cycles,” she said.
小題1:The new finding claims cold winters in the North Hemisphere can be caused by ______.

A．a sharp rise in the amount of sunspots

B．a drop in the sun’s UV radiation

C．a complex computer model simulation

D．a clear link between the sun and the earth

小題2: It has long been known by scientists that ______.

A．UV radiation can affect high-altitude wind patterns

B．there’s a clear connection between the sun’s activity and weather

C．the sun’s radiation reaches a peak every eleven years

D．they can predict day-to-day weather conditions from UV levels

小題3:What will happen if the sun turns into years of high activity according to the finding?

A．Canada and the Mediterranean will have milder weather.

B．The whole Northern Hemisphere will suffer from extreme winter days.

C．Freezing cold weather will appear in northern Europe.

D．Burning hot weather will appear in the United States.

小題4: It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．researchers have analyzed the data collected in eleven years

B．long-term weather conditions can be accurately predicted depending on UV levels

C．the research doesn’t seem correct and true enough due to limited satellite data used

D．climate scientists have just begun their research in severe weather forecast

Not long ago, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some people thought babies were not able to learn things until they were five or six months old.
Yet doctors in the United States say babies begin learning on their first day of life. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is a federal government agency. Its goal is to determine which experiences can influence healthy development in people.
Researchers at the institute note that babies are strongly influenced by their environment. They say a baby will smile if her mother does something the baby likes. A baby learns to get the best care possible by smiling to please her mother or other caregiver. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people.
The researchers say this ability to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn babies can recognize and understand sounds they heard while they were still developing inside their mothers.
Another study has suggested that low birth weight babies with no evidence of disability may be more likely than other children to have physical and mental problems.
American researchers studied almost five hundred boys and girls. They were born in, or admitted to, one of three hospitals in New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. At birth, each child weighed fewer than two thousand grams.
The boys and girls had an average age of sixteen at the time of the study. They were asked to complete intelligence and motor skill tests in their homes. Their test results were compared with those of other children their age.
小題1:According to the passage, some people used to think that babies began to learn _________.

A．on their first day of life	B．even before they were born
C．before five or six months old	D．at or after five or six months old

小題2:Babies learn to connect and communicate with other people through_____________.

A．smiles

B．cries

C．facial expressions

D．body language

小題3:The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development tries to find out ________.

A．what affects people’s healthy development

B．what influences babies’ learning ability

C．how to cure some children’s health problems

D．how to develop children’s learning ability

小題4:What will be mentioned in the following passage?

A．The evaluation method of the tests.

B．The cause of low birth weight babies.

C．The result of the intelligence and motor skill tests.

D．The evidence proving babies began to learn before birth.

Five Ways to Rock the Rest of the Semester
With exams around the corner, how can you possibly pack in one more English word, let alone the causes of the Cold War? Don’t worry. Here is our handy guide to help you
Power Down
So you stayed up too late last night reading Mockingjay for the fifth time. Oops! When you’re that fired, your schoolwork suffers. Instead of studying inefficiently while you are sleepy, allow yourself a 15-minute afterschool power nap. Studies show that even a few minutes of shut-eye can improve memory and concentration.
Take Notes
Not quite grasping that super complicated concept in your chemistry class? You may need to change the way you take notes. Instead of recording every word your teacher says, try using visual hints like pictures, symbols and word bubbles. You can even switch computer fonts or pen color for the important stuff.
Dream On
Your bed’s not just for zzz’s. Experts say it may be good to study in bed, too. Why? We’re able to absorb more right before bed because we’re less distracted and the new information stays in our minds as we sleep. So, slide into bed with a textbook or notes, read for 15 minutes, and then turn off the lights for some sweet and smart dreams.
Brain Food
You’re in the middle of a biology exam when your mind goes blank. You knew this stuff cold at home, but now you can’t tell a ribosome from a chloroplast. What’s going on? Your brain’s in need of some refueling. Have some snacks like apple slices or cheese before class, and have plenty of water, too. If your teacher doesn’t mind, pop in a piece of gum during an exam. Some scientists think the chewing increases the flow of oxygen to the brain.
Smart Move
Ugh! You’re taking an English test and you cannot remember the past participle of “understand”. What to do? Skip it. Test taking is all about timing, so don’t waste it on tricky questions. Move ahead and answer everything you know before returning to the ones you don’t. Chances are, once you get back to the toughies, you’ll recall the answer or at the very least, you’ll have a little more time to come up with one that works.
小題1:When taking notes, we can do all these except ______.

A．draw pictures

B．change the typeface

C．switch on the computer

D．colour the key points

小題2:According to the passage, _____.

A．it’s good to study under the covers for some time every day

B．you cannot skip the difficult questions and go on to the rest

C．you can have some snacks and drink enough water to refresh yourself in exams

D．when taking notes, you should record whatever the teacher says

小題3:What does the underlined phrase “knew this stuff cold” mean?

A．had no clue about it

B．were a cold fish

C．knew it was cold

D．were familiar with

小題4:You have been working on your essay for two hours and your eyes feel tired, you’d better

A．Power down

B．dream on

C．eat brain food

D．make a smart move