Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided— some countries are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down.
After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it “continues to support the expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan.”
Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power doesn’t create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain’s chief scientific adviser (John Beddington) supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy.
Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power may be clean, but they’re expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher cost of using “green energy” is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. This is of particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape.
The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn’t safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands.
The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn’t look like it’ll be resolved anytime soon. As a Japanese commentator recently said, “it’s been a bad year for the ‘nuclear village’, but I don’t think they’re down and out yet.” The battle continues.
小題1:Which of the following may NOT be the advantage of nuclear energy over other energy sources?

A．Nuclear energy doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases.

B．Nuclear energy can help prevent the climate damage.

C．Nuclear energy is more environmental-friendly than other green energy sources.

D．Nuclear energy can save the consumers some money, compared to other renewable energies.

小題2:What does the underlined word “this” refer to in paragraph 4?

A．The fact that many people prefer to use the green energy sources while unwilling to pay higher bill.

B．The cost of using renewable sources

C．The fact that the nuclear power is cheaper.

D．The investment of renewable energy sources

小題3:We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.

A．the Japanese commentator is positive about the future of nuclear energy

B．the nuclear energy issue will be soon settled

C．a(chǎn) battle will break out in the future

D．Japan is considering to build a nuclear village in the future

小題4:What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To highlight the danger of using nuclear energy.

B．To introduce some serious nuclear disasters.

C．To show the argument between nuclear supporters and protesters.

D．To give some advice on how to use nuclear energy safely.

American beekeeping operations have been hit hard by what scientists call colony collapse disorder(C.C.D.). Almost half of their worker bees have disappeared during the past season. C.C.D. has also been reported in Israel, Europe and South America. Bees fly away from the hive and never return. Sometimes they are found dead; other times they are never found. Many crops and trees depend on pollination （授粉） by bees to help them grow.
A new report says virus may be at least partly responsible for the disorder in honey bee colonies in the United States. This virus is called Israeli acute paralysis virus. It was first identified in Israel in 2004. Ian Lipkin at Columbia University in New York and a team reported the new findings in Science magazine. Doctor Lipkin says the virus may not be the only cause. He says it may work with other causes to produce the collapse disorder.
The team found the virus in colonies with the help of a map of honey bee genes that was published last year. They examined thirty colonies affected by the disorder. They found evidence of the virus in twenty–five of them, and in one healthy colony. The next step is further testing of healthy hives.
The researchers suggested that the United States may have imported the disorder in bees from Australia. They say the bees may carry the virus but not be affected.
The idea is that unlike many American bees, the ability of Australian bees to fight disease has not been hurt by the varroa mite（全球性的蜂虱）. This insect attacks honey bees, which could make the disorder more likely to affect a hive. Australian bee producers reject these suspicions.
And some researchers suspect that bee production in the United States is down mainly because of the weather. Honey bees gather nectar（花蜜） from flowers and trees. The sweet liquid gives them food and material to make honey. But cold weather this spring in the Midwest reduced the flow of nectar in many flowers. Many bees may have starved. Dry weather in areas of the country could also be playing a part.
Wayne Esaias is a NASA space agency scientist who keeps bees in his free time. He lives in central Maryland, where he has found that flowers are blooming a month earlier than they did in 1970, which may be partly responsible for the disorder. Wayne Esaias is organizing a group of beekeepers to document nectar flow around the country.
小題1:The researchers found the virus ______.

A．with the help of colony collapse disorder

B．by researching the causes of bee death

C．with the help of a map of honey bee genes

D．with the help of a scientist of NASA

小題2:What is the passage mainly about?

A．American beekeeping industry has been strongly influenced by the bee disorder.

B．Studies are being carried out on the causes of the bee disorder, but questions remain.

C．How the causes of the bee disorder in U.S have been found.

D．The bee production in U.S is down because of Israeli acute paralysis virus.

小題3:How many possibilities may be involved in the bee disorder according to the passage?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

小題4:We can infer from the passage that ______.

A．Israeli acute paralysis virus should be responsible for the disorder

B．the solution to the bee disorder will be found eventually

C．American bees are more likely to defend themselves than Australian bees

D．the crop and plant production in U.S may be influenced by the bee disorder

Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high—speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan—to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.
China is negotiating to extend its own high·-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with  Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Berlin in under two days.
The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.
China’s bullet train(高速客車),the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the   World’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(軌距),maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital  investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’11 trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.
小題1:China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because     .

A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions

B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways

C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries

D．the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism

小題2:According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is     .

A．technical issues

B．safety of the system

C．financial problems

D．maintenance of railway tracks

小題3:Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed railway plan?

A．Critical.

B．Reserved.

C．Doubtful

D．Positive.

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

A．New Railway Standards

B．Big Railway Dreams

C．High-speed Bullet Trains

D．International Railway Network

Everyone is at it, even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn’t done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction (網(wǎng)上拍賣).
Buying for beginners: Sign up on www. ebay. co. uk. Most items（e.g. tables, computers, and books）ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with “ Buy It Now ” and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.
If the item is being auctioned, you offer the highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids（出價）for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.
How to pay: Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before placing a bid as you might not want to post a check or postal orders. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card (信用卡).
Selling made simple: If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I followed my friends’ advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starting on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.
The big things in life: It’s easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this has to be collected or sent by delivery men. Check the ways of delivery before you bid.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to make payment online.

B．Ways of using delivery online.

C．Advantages of an online-auction system.

D．How to use an online-auction system.

小題2:After bidding for an item, a buyer __________.

A．will get what he wants in ten days

B．should make payment immediately

C．has chances to make higher bids

D．may check its picture and description

小題3:The easiest way of making payment mentioned in the passage is __________.

A．through an online payment system

B．through a local banking system

C．by sending the money to the seller

D．by paying the deliveryman directly

United States and Canada are multicultural countries with many national, religious and cultural differences, where people attach great importance to individualism—the uniqueness among people. Teachers value the qualities that make each student special and different. You can see such values through their educational systems. For example, students needn’t memorize lots of information. Instead, they work independently and find answers on their own. There are discussions for children to show their own ideas and opinions.
By contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture in most Asian societies. As a result, Asia’s educational system reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea learn to work together and help one another in assignments. And the teaching methods are often very formal and serious. In class, teachers give lectures while students listen and take notes. Discussion is replaced by reciting rules of information that have been memorized.
These two systems both have advantages and disadvantages. One advantage in Japan is that there is much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. In addition, students study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The difficult system also prepares students for a society that place emphasis on discipline and self-control. However, while memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students admit forgetting much of the information that they have memorized after exams.
On the other hand, the educational system in North American has an advantage that students learn to think for themselves, which prepares them for a society that values creativity. The disadvantage is that when they graduate from high school, they haven’t recited as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.
小題1:People in multicultural countries such as the US or Canada lay more stress on __________.

A．team work

B．self-control

C．discipline

D．individualism

小題2:What is the advantage of the educational system in North America？

A．There is not much discussion.

B．Learning to think for themselves

C．Learning much less math and science

D．They haven’t memorized basic rules and facts.

小題3:Which words is most suitable to describe the author's attitude in writing this passage?

A．Supportive

B．Opposite

C．Objective

D．Subjective

小題4:The main idea of this passage is___________.

A．cultural differences in countries such as the United States or Canada

B．comparisons of educational system between North America and Asia

C．there are more advantages of Asian education system of than that of North American

D．there are more disadvantages of Asian education system than that of North American

The teacher thought hobbies were very important for every child. She  36  all her pupils to have one, and sometimes  37  for their parents to come and see the work they had done as a result.
One Friday  38  the teacher told the class that those who had a hobby could have a  39  that afternoon to get the things they had made as parts of their hobbies ready for their  40  to see the following afternoon.
So in the afternoon, while those of the pupils who had nothing to  41  did their usual lessons, the lucky ones who had made something  42  to go home, on condition that they  43 before five o'clock to bring what they were going to show and to arrange it.
When the afternoon lesson began, the teacher was  44  to see Tommy was not there. He was the  45  boy in the class, and the teacher found it  46  to believe he had a hobby. However, at 4:45, Tommy arrived with a(n)  47  collection of butterflies in glass cases. After his  48  had admired them and helped him to arrange them on a table in the classroom, she was surprised to see Tommy  49  them up again and begin to leave.
"What are you doing, Tommy?" she asked. "Those things must  50  here until tomorrow afternoon. That's when the parents are coming to see them."
"I know  51 ," answered Tommy, "and I will bring them back tomorrow; but my  52  doesn't want them to be out of our house at night in case they are  53 ."
"But what has it got to do with your brother?" asked the teacher. "Aren't the butterflies yours?"
"No," answered Tommy. "They belong to him."
"But Tommy, you are  54  to show your own hobby here, not somebody else's!" said the teacher.
"I know that," answered Tommy. "My hobby is  55  my brother collecting butterflies."

小題1:	A．stopped B．ordered C．encouraged D．a(chǎn)greed

小題2:	A．a(chǎn)rranged B．a(chǎn)sked C．looked D．waited

小題3:	A．a(chǎn)fternoon B．evening C．night D．morning

小題4:	A．test B．lesson C．competition D．holiday

小題5:	A．teachers B．parents C．friends D．classmates

小題6:	A．present B．do C．see D．eat

小題7:	A．had B．used C．were made D．were allowed

小題8:	A．turned out B．returned C．left D．finished

小題9:	A．sad B．happy C．frightened D．surprised

小題10:

A．laziest B．most curious C．cleverest D．youngest

小題11:

A．difficult B．easy C．reliable D．disable

小題12:

A．ugly B．small C．beautiful D．obvious

小題13:

A．classmates B．brother C．father D．teacher

小題14:

A．throw B．pick C．switch D．use

小題15:

A．remain B．leave C．observe D．undertake

小題16:

A．them B．him C．that D．this

小題17:

A．sister B．friend C．brother D．mother

小題18:

A．stolen B．shown C．completed D．matched

小題19:

A．fired B．supposed C．related D．ignored

小題20:

A．helping B．concerning C．watching D．Seeking

From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations, human beings have been putting great effort into space research. And so far, we have achieved many successes. But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress.
The international space station (ISS) is an important step we should take in space exploration. It is not only helpful but also essential. It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time. It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe. It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars. In a word, if we want to explore space more, the first thing we should do is to set up a space station.
As the space station costs a lot of money, it is hard for one country alone to establish one. The USA seems to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone，and it has tried to do so, but not very successful. So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together. Though it is still extremely expensive, it is much cheaper than doing it alone. It is really a job that needs everyone’s effort and will benefit everyone.
Led by the U.S. and Russia, the ISS is a joint project between six space agencies involving 16 countries. Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation, the ISS has come to the end of a ten-year’s hard work in construction. China has applied for participation in (taking part in) the project many times. Unfortunately all the applications were rejected, which drove China onto the path of independent development. As the Long March Ⅱ-F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off (leave the ground) and successfully carried the Tiangong-1 into space on September 29, 2011, China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era.
Some West media suggested that the successful launch of Tiangong-1 would disturb the balance of global space power, raising concerns (關(guān)注) about “China threat”. China’s space project is not designed for military (軍事的) purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankind’s well-being.
小題1:From Paragraph 2 we learn that ________.

A．the necessity of building the international space station is not realized now

B．many experiments have been done in the international space station

C．the international space station is necessary for people to explore space more

D．people have traveled to Mars from the international space station

小題2:Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries’ cooperation in building the international space station?

A．That it requires a lot of money.

B．That it needs everyone’s effort.

C．That it will benefit every participating country.

D．That it is too far away from the earth.

小題3:The underlined word “aggregated” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by “________”．

A．united

B．scolded

C．a(chǎn)llowed

D．forbade

小題4:China wants to build its space station in order to __________.

A．break the balance of global space power

B．show that China can build space station alone

C．raise international concerns about “China threat”

D．make use of space peacefully for mankind’s well-being

Researchers at the University of Bedforshire have developed a new technique for powering electronic device（裝置）. The system, developed by Professor Ben Allen at the Centre for Wireless Research, uses radio（無線電） waves as power.
Believed to be a world first, the team claims it could eventually eliminate (or get rid of )the need for conventional batteries. The university has now filed a patent application to secure the only rights to the technique.
Professor Allen and his team have created a system to use medium wave frequencies to replace batteries in small everyday devices like clocks and remote controls.
The new technique uses the “waste” energy of radio waves and has been developed as part of the university’s research into “power harvesting”. Professor Allen said that as radio waves have energy―like light waves, sound waves or wind waves―then, in theory, these waves could be used to create power.
“The emerging（新興的）area of power harvesting technology promises to reduce our reliance on conventional batteries,” he said. “It’s really exciting way of taking power from sources other than what we would normally think of.”
The team is now waiting for the results of the patent application to secure recognition of the technique. Professor Allen said that the team’s achievements had all been done in their “spare time”. “Our next stage is to try and raise some real funds so that we can take this work forward and make a working prototype（模型）and maybe partner up with the right people and take this to a full product in due course,” he said.
“Power harvesting has a really important part in our future, because, just in this country, we dispose of somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of batteries in landfill（垃圾填理）sites every single year－that is toxic chemicals going into the ground.”
He added that development of the product could also be “commercially beneficial”. “The market for this is several billion pounds. We’ve seen market predictions for 2020 which have these kinds of figures, so there’s a lot of commercial potential in this area,” he said.
Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire, Professor Carsten Maple, said, “This type of work is a reflection of the university’s growing reputation and experience in conducting innovative（創(chuàng)新的）research.”
小題1:From the text we know the new technique for powering electronic devices_____.

A．can be applied to all electronic devices.

B．uses radio waves to create power.

C．has replaced conventional batteries.

D．produces many toxic chemicals.

小題2:According to Professor Allen, power harvesting technology______.

A．makes every use of radio waves.

B．takes power from usual sources.

C．reduces our dependency on conventional batteries.

D．a(chǎn)ims at huge commercial benefits.

小題3:What can we learn about Professor Allen and his team from the text?

A．They have made use of radio waves in their daily life.

B．They have raised a big fund to support their research.

C．They have gained a patent for their new technology.

D．They mainly did their research in their spare time.

小題4:What is Professor Carsten Maple’s attitude toward the new technique?

A．Critical.

B．Favorable.

C．Conservative.

D．Negative.

小題5:What is the text mainly about?

A．A new technique to create power.

B．A crisis concerning conventional batteries.

C．Some special sources of power.

D．The development of power harvesting.

Testing has replaced teaching in most public schools. My own children's school week is framed by pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then skim the text for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to state proudly and openly that they teach to the mandated (國家指定的) state test.
Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon. Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some reasonable methods of assessment to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to reverse the process. First, one looks at a commercially available test. Then, one distills (提取) the skills needed not to master reading, say, or math, but to do well on the test. Finally, the test skills are taught.
The ability to read or write or calculate might infer the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparation for a test of a skill with the acquisition of that skill. Too many discussions of the basics of skills make this fundamental confusion because people are test-centered rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught.
Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple terms, the phenomenon of students with phonic and grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are capable of taking tests and filling in workbooks. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but can't see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grade that they have' no time or ease of mind to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary.
小題1:As is indicated in the second paragraph, the author finds it strange that __.

A．tests are used to assess students' skills

B．skills are determined before tests are set

C．teaching is aimed to prepare students for tests

D．teachers use some reasonable methods of assessment

小題2:The crisis of comprehension most probably results from __.

A．students' poor phonic and grammar skills

B．teaching that takes up much of students' free time

C．teaching that emphasizes details rather than the whole

D．students' lack of ability to think about what they read

小題3:According to the author, we can infer that __.

A．the basics of skills have been discussed too much

B．the nature and quality of what is taught are fully concerned

C．skills in general are not only useless but often mislead students

D．doing well in a test does not necessarily mean acquiring the skill

After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches on their cars, Japan's Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing---a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days.
The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin(彈性樹脂) that is able to heal minor marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris (石頭碎片) or even on-purpose destruction. The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works. Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they're gone, there is no trace that they were ever there. The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period.
Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents. But the complete auto-healing won't come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $ 100 U.S. to the price of a car. It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its X - Trail SUVs in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven't been made yet, if it's a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores, as well.
小題1:From the article, we can find that_______.

A．the paint has already been used on cars by now

B．it beats other products of its kind in its lengthy effect

C．car damage is mainly caused by scratches and scrapes

D．marketing this paint in Europe is not under way

小題2:The paint used on cars can______.

A．last 3 years before it is re-applied again

B．fade only in a few days

C．help to protect cars from minor paint damage

D．reduce car scrape incidents to 20 percent

小題3:What can be inferred from the article?

A．The paint was developed by Nissan Motor Company.

B．The paint might work better in summer than in winter.

C．The mark on the car could disappear as soon as the paint is applied.

D．The paint is very popular in Japan.