There was one thought that air pollution affected only the area immediately around large cities with factories and heavy traffic．At present, we realize that although these are the areas with the worst air pollution, the problem is really worldwide．On several occasions over the past decade，a heavy cloud of air pollution has covered the east of the United States and brought health warnings in distant areas away from any industrial cities．In fact，the very climate of the entire earth may be infected by air pollution．Some scientists consider that the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the air resulting from the burning of fossil fuels(coal and oil)is creating a “greenhouse effect”—— keeping heat reflected from the earth and raising the world’s average temperature．If this view is correct and the world's temperature is raised only a few degrees, much of the polar ice cap will melt and cities such as New York，Boston，Miami，and New Orleans will be in water．
Another view, less widely held, is that increasing particular matter in the atmosphere is blocking sunlight and lowering the earth’s temperature—a result that would be equally disastrous．A drop of just a few degrees could create something close to a new ice age，and would make agriculture difficult or impossible in many of our top farming areas．Today we do not know for sure that either of these conditions will happen．Perhaps，if we are lucky enough，the two tendencies will offset each other and the world's temperature will stay about the same as it is now．Driven by economic profits, people ignore the damage on our environment caused by the “advanced civilization”．Maybe the air pollution is the price the human beings have to pay for their development．But is it really worth-while?
小題1:People used to think that air pollution_________ .

A．caused widespread damage in the countryside

B．a(chǎn)ffected the entire eastern half of the United States

C．had a very bad effect on health

D．existed merely in urban and industrial areas

小題2:As to the greenhouse effect, the author_________.

A．shares the same view with the scientists．

B．is uncertain of its occurrence

C．rejects it as being ungrounded

D．thinks that it will destroy the world soon

小題3:The underlined word “offset” in the second paragraph could be replaced by_______.

A．counter-act

B．break from

C．get along

D．communicate

小題4:This passage is primarily about________ .

A．the greenhouse effect

B．the burning of fossil fuels

C．the potential effect of air pollution

D．the possibility of a new ice age

Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
小題1:Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?

A．Places where people lived.

B．People’s characters.

C．Talents that people possessed.

D．People’s occupations.

小題2:According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.

A．owned or drove a cart

B．made things with metals

C．made kitchen tools or contains

D．built houses and furniture

小題3:Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.

A．Beatrice Smith	B．Leonard Carter
C．George Longstreet	D．Donald Greenwood

小題4:The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____.

A．later generations	B．friends and relatives
C．colleagues and partners	D．later sponsors

Have you heard of the saying, “If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well”? The proverb is a piece of advice to make effects towards perfection in whichever job one does. It could be a small task like folding up your clothes, or a major one like organizing a business meeting in your later life.
Perfection just needs paying attention to details. If it is your job to dust the furniture at home, dust it so that not a single spot of dirt shows from any direction. If your task is to make the beds, make them so that not a single crease（皺紋）shows on the bed-covers.
There are only two ways to do a job: either sloppily, or well. If you choose the latter, you need to realize that any job that qualifies as (取得…的資格)“your” work deserves your best. Perfection is an attitude that can be developed with just a little effect. It is a habit that is helpful to a person in later life. Let us prove with an example: you may be asked to turn in an essay on, for example, wildlife, for a school project. Instead of writing carelessly a few facts that you already know, you could make the project more effective by looking up a reference books, encyclopedias（百科全書）or websites for additional information. You could then go over the finished essay for slips（疏漏）and errors, and provide pictures where necessary. If you make it a habit to put in extra effort in your school homework, will it not help you to handle more difficult projects at the college or university level?
As Michelangelo, the famous 16th century sculptor and painter, once put it: Trifles（瑣事）go to make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.
小題1:According to the passage, to achieve perfection is _______.

A．to realize the quality of the work

B．to pay attention to details of one’s work

C．to do as many jobs as possible

D．to form the habit of doing things ahead of time

小題2:The underlined word “sloppily” in paragraph 3 may mean _______

A．badly

B．patiently

C．carefully

D．slowly

小題3:What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

A．It is necessary to provide pictures for your essay.

B．Websites are the sources of information you want.

C．Perfection is a habit that promises a good future.

D．You should make much effort to develop perfection.

小題4:The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.

A．introduce the famous painter Michelangelo

B．a(chǎn)dvise us to do the things that are worth doing

C．explain to us the meaning of the perfection

D．expect us to give our best to our work

The art of public speaking began in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago. Now, twitter, e-mail, blogs and QQ chat offer approaches to communication— but none can replace the role of a great speech.
The spoken word can handle various important functions: persuading or inspiring, informing, paying tribute (致敬), entertaining, or simply introducing someone.
Persuading is used in dealing with or reconciling different points of view. When the leaders met in Copenhagen in December, 2009, persuasive words from activities encouraged them to take former action.
Inspirational speeches deal with emotions. They focus on topics and matters that are close to people’ s hearts. Last year, during the fighting in Iraq, generals used inspiring speeches to prepare the troops for battle.
Some speeches spread knowledge and deepen understanding. When the H1N1 flu was announced, the disease scared many people. Informtive speechs from World Health Organization (WTO) officials helped people to keep their panic under control so they could take necessary preventive measures.
Sad events are never easy to deal with but a speech that pays tribute to the loss of a loved one and gives praise for their contribution can be comforting. Madonna’s speech about Michael Jackson after his death showed the fact that he will continue to live on through his music.
It’s not only in world forums where public speaking plays an important role. It can also be helpful in the course of our own life. You may be asked to do a presentation at college or work to inform others about an area of great importance. On a more personal level, a friend may be upset and need comforting. Or you might be asked to introduce a speaker at a family gathering or to speak at a wedding, where your language will be needed to move people or make them laugh.
Great speaking ability is not something we’re born with. Even Barack Obama works hard to perfect every speech.
小題1:The underlined word “recociling” in paragraph 3 can best be replaced by “________”

A．considering

B．questioning

C．a(chǎn)ccepting

D．settling

小題2:The passage mentions the H1N1 flu to show the function of _______

A．persuasive speeches	B．informative speeches
C．inspirational speeches	D．introductive speech

小題3:The 7^th paragraph mainly tells us that public speaking ______.

A．is important in world forums

B．can help us make more friends

C．matters more in one’s life

D．is helpful in our daily life

小題4:What would the writer probably talk about following the last paragraph?

A．How the speech came into being

B．Why the public speaking is imporatant.

C．How you can perfect your speech

D．Why Obama often makes speeches

小題5:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Tips of great speeches	B．The history of the speech
C．Functions of the speech	D．The language of the speech

The hole in the earth's protective ozone layer（臭氧層）won't repair itself until about two decades later than had been expected, scientists announced.
The ozone layer blocks more than 90 percent of the sun's ultraviolet radiation（紫外線輻射）, helping to make life on Earth possible. For many dacades, ozone was depleted（削減） by chlorine and bromine gas in the air. A hole in the ozone layer formed over the Southern Hemisphere.
Computer models had forecast that the hole would fill back in by 2050. An improved computer model forecasts the recovery won't occur until 2068. The model, fed with fresh data from statellites and airplanes, was supported by the fact that it accurately reproduced ozone levels in the Antarctic stratosphere（平流層）over the past 27 years.
The ozone hole is actually more of a broad region with less ozone than ought to occur naturally. It is not limited to Antarctica, as is often believed.
Over areas that are farther from the poles like Africa or the US, the levels of ozone are only three to six percent below natural levels. Over Antarctica, ozone levels are 70 percent lower in the spring. This new method allows us to more accurately estimate（估計(jì)）ozone-depleting gases over Antarctica, and how they will decrease over time, reducing the ozone hole area.
Paul Newman, a scientist,said that the ozone hole has not started to become smaller as quickly as expected. They figure it will not become much smaller until 2018, after which time the recovery should proceed more quickly. And the hole will not be filled in again until 2065.
小題1:According to the passage, the ozone layer _______

A．a(chǎn)bsorbs as much as sunlight as possible

B．protects man against ultraviolet radiation

C．controls the changes in temperature

D．prevents the production of carbon dioxide

小題2:The improved computer model is believable because _________

A．it was once proved by facts

B．it has been studied for 27 years

C．it was created by many scientists

D．it is related to satellites and airplanes

小題3:The underlined word “they” in the fifth paragraph refers to ________

A．the levels of ozone

B．ozone-depleting gases

C．the ozone holes

D．the areas far from the poles

We often talk about ourselves as if we have permanent genetic defects （缺陷） that can never be changed．“I’m impatient．” “I’m always behind．” “I always put things   21 !” You’ve surely heard them．Maybe you’ve used them to describe   22 ．
These comments may come from stories about us that have been   23  for years—often from   24  childhood．These stories may have no   25  in fact．But they can set low expectations for us．As a child, my mother said to me, “Marshall, you have no mechanical （操作機(jī)械的） skills, and you will never have any mechanical skills for the rest of your life．” How did these expectations   26  my development? I was never   27  to work on cars or be around   28 ．When I was 18, I took the US Army’s Mechanical Aptitude Test．My scores were in the bottom for the entire nation!
Six years later,   29 , I was at California University, working on my doctor’s degree．One of my professors, Dr．Bob Tannbaum, asked me to write down things I did well and things I couldn’t do．On the positive side, I   30   down, “research, writing, analysis, and speaking．” On the   31  side, I wrote, “I have no mechanical skills．”
Bob asked me how I knew I had no mechanical skills．I explained my life   32  and told him about my   33  performance on the Army test．Bob then asked, “  34  is it that you can solve   35  mathematical problems, but you can’t solve simple mechanical problems?”
Suddenly I realized that I didn’t   36  from some sort of genetic defect．I was just living out expectations that I had chosen to   37 ．At that point, it wasn’t just my family and friends who had been   38  my belief that I was mechanically hopeless．And it wasn’t just the Army test, either．I was the one who kept telling myself, “You can’t do this!” I realized that as long as I kept saying that, it was going to remain true．  39  , if we don’t treat ourselves as if we have incurable genetic defects, we can do well in almost   40  we choose．

小題1:	A．a(chǎn)way B．off C．up D．down

小題2:	A．them B．myself C．yourself D．others

小題3:	A．said B．spoken C．spread D．repeated

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)s long as B．a(chǎn)s far back as C．a(chǎn)s well as D．a(chǎn)s much as

小題5:	A．basis B．plot C．cause D．meaning

小題6:	A．lead B．improve C．a(chǎn)ffect D．change

小題7:	A．encouraged B．demanded C．hoped D．a(chǎn)greed

小題8:	A．means B．tools C．facilities D．hammers

小題9:	A．therefore B．somehow C．instead D．however

小題10:

A．settled B．turned C．took D．got

小題11:

A．passive B．a(chǎn)ctive C．negative D．subjective

小題12:

A．experiences B．trips C．roads D．paths

小題13:

A．unexpected B．poor C．excellent D．a(chǎn)verage

小題14:

A．When B．What C．How D．Why

小題15:

A．complex B．a(chǎn)dvanced C．common D．primary

小題16:

A．a(chǎn)rise B．separate C．suffer D．come

小題17:

A．believe B．suspect C．a(chǎn)dopt D．receive

小題18:

A．weakening B．strengthening C．a(chǎn)bandoning D．a(chǎn)ccepting

小題19:

A．As a result B．At the same time C．In addition D．On the contrary

小題20:

A．a(chǎn)nything B．something C．nothing D．a(chǎn)ll

Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia（癡呆） in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones（荷爾蒙） , U．S．researchers reported on Thursday．
Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s（早老癡呆癥）．University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans．“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy（懷孕） are protecting the brain, including estrogen（雌激素）, which we know has many neuroprotective （保護(hù)神經(jīng)的） effects,” Kinsley said．
“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals,” he added in a telephone interview．“They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes．” Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related brain decline．
“When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down,” said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida．
“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain．If you look at female animals that have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young．But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations（改變） to the brain．”
小題1:How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”?

A．Some researchers have told them．

B．Many women say so．

C．They know it by experimenting on rats．

D．They know it through their own experience．

小題2:What does the phrase “l(fā)itters of pups” mean in the second paragraph?

A．Baby rats．

B．Animals．

C．Old rats．

D．Grown-up rats．

小題3:What can protect the brain of a woman according to the passage?

A．Estrogen．

B．The hormones of pregnancy．

C．More exercise．

D．Taking care of children．

小題4:“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals．” What does the sentence suggest?

A．The experiments on the rats have nothing to do with humans．

B．The experiments on the rats are very important for animals．

C．The experiments on the rats are much the same on humans．

D．The experiments on the rats are much the same on other animals．

小題5:Which title is the best for this passage?

A．Do You Want to Be Smarter?

B．Motherhood Makes Women Smarter

C．Mysterious Hormones

D．An Important Study

Human wants seem endless, When a starving man gets a meal, he begins to think about an overcoat; when a manager gets a new sports car, he dreams of country clubs and pleasure boats dance into view.
The many wants of mankind might be regarded as making up several levels. When there is money enough to satisfy one level of wants, another level appears.
The first and most basic level of wants is food. Once this want is satisfied, a second level of wants appears: clothing and some sort of shelter. By the end of World War II these wants were satisfied for a great majority of Americans. Then a third level appeared. It included such items as cars and new houses.
By 1957 or 1958 this third level of wants was fairly well satisfied. Then in the late 1950s a fourth level of wants appeared: the “l(fā)ife-enriching” level. While the other levels mean physical satisfaction—the feeding, comfort, safety and transportation of the human body—this level means mental needs for recognition, achievement and happiness, It includes a variety of goods and  services many of which could be called “l(fā)uxury” items. Among them are vacation trips, the best medical care and entertainment. Also included here are fancy foods and the latest styles in clothing.
On the fourth level, a greater percentage of consumers spending goes to services, while on the first three levels more is spent on goods. Will consumers raise their sights to a fifth level of wants as their income increases, or will they continue to demand luxuries and personal services on the fourth level?
A fifth level probably would be wants that can be achieved by community action. Consumers may be spending more on taxes and crime. After filling our stomachs, our garages, and our minds, we now may seek to ensure the health and safety to enjoy more fully the good things on the first three levels.
小題1:According to the passage, man will begin to think about such needs as housing and clothing only when _______

A．he has saved up enough money

B．he has grown dissatisfied with his simple shelter

C．he has satisfied his hunger

D．he has learned to build houses

小題2:It can be inferred from the passage that by the end of World War II most Americans ______

A．were very rich

B．were very poor

C．Had the good things on the first three levels

D．didn’t own cars

小題3:Which of the following is NOT related to “physical satisfaction”?

A．A successful career	B．A comfortable house
C．A good service	D．A family car

小題4:Which is the main want of man on the fourth level?

A．The more goods, the better

B．The more mental satisfaction, the better

C．The more “l(fā)uxury” items, the better

D．The more earning, the better

小題5:The author thinks that a fifth level______

A．would be a little better than the fourth level

B．may be a lot more desirable than the first four

C．can be the last and most satisfying level

D．will come true if the government takes actions

Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students’ posture(姿勢(shì)) and attention improve.
Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. “The students love them”, she says. Pownall took a survey(調(diào)查) of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning.
The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. “Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico (波多黎各) and Japan,” says Witt, “ Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter（直的）. You can slouch(低頭垂肩地坐)on a ball,” says Witt, “but it feels bad.” Because the students are moving, their blood (血液) increases. That carries more oxygen( 氧氣) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer.
“Besides, they’re fun.” says Pownall.
小題1:What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will_________.

A．pay more attention to his lessons	B．be fun
C．like to move around	D．sit up straighter

小題2:How long has Dottie Pownall used the balls?

A．About four years.	B．Only one year.
C．In 2008.	D．Since he was a fifth-grade teacher.

小題3:In how many countries are the balls used as the students’ chairs?

A．Four.

B．Three.

C．Two.

D．One.

小題4:Teachers choose balls instead of chairs because sitting on balls helps the kids _________.

A．improve the students’ posture and attention

B．slouch on the chairs

C．have fun

D．Both A and C are correct answers

小題5:Which is better for kids to study in class, sitting on a chair or sitting on a ball?

A．Sitting on a chair.	B．Sitting on a ball.
C．They are the same.	D．We don’t know.

The world is not hungry, but it is thirsty. It seems strange that nearly 3/4 of the earth is covered with water while we say we are short of water. Why? Because about 97% of water on the earth is sea water which we can’t drink or use for watering plants directly. Man can only drink and use the 3% the water that comes from rivers and lakes. And we can’t even use all of that, because some of it has been polluted.
Now more water is needed. The problem is: can we avoid a serious water shortage later on? First, we should all learn how to save water. Secondly, we should find out the ways to reuse it. Scientists have always been making study in this field. Today, in most large cities water is used only once and then runs to the sea or rivers. But it can be used again. Even if every large city reused its water, still there would not be enough. What could people turn to next?
The sea seems to have the best answer. There is a lot of water in the sea. All that needs to be done is to get the salt out of the sea water. This is expensive, but it’s already in use in many parts of the world. Scientists are trying to find a cheaper way of doing it. So you see, if we can find a way out, we’ll be in no danger of drying up.
小題1:The world is thirsty because ___________.

A．3/4 of the earth is covered with water

B．we have enough sea water

C．we haven’t used all the water in rivers and lakes

D．a(chǎn)bout 97% of water on the earth can’t be drunk or used for watering plants directly

小題2:Which of the following is TRUE?

A．3% of drinkable water on the earth is from rivers and lakes.

B．75% of water on the earth is in the sea.

C．97% of the earth is covered with water.

D．3% of water on the earth is sea water.

小題3:From the passage we learn that __________.

A．if every city reuses its water, we’ll be in no danger of drying up

B．man can only drink and use about 25% of water on the earth

C．today in most large cities water is used only once

D．water can be used only once