Until recently, the “science of the future” was supposed to be electronics and artificial intelligence. Today it seems more and more likely that the next great breakthroughs in technology will be brought through a combination of those two sciences with organic chemistry and genetic engineering. This combination is the science of biotechnology.

   Organic chemistry enables us to produce marvelous synthetic(合成的) materials. However, it is still difficult to manufacture anything that has the capacity of wool to conserve heat and also to absorb moisture. Nothing that we have been able to produce so far comes anywhere near the combination of strength, lightness and flexibility that we find in the bodies of ordinary insects.

   Nevertheless, scientists in the laboratory have already succeeded in “growing” a material that has many of the characteristics of human skin. The next step may well be “biotech hearts and eyes” which can replace diseased organs in human beings. These will not be rejected by the body, as is the case with organs from humans.

   The application of biotechnology to energy production seems even more promising. In 1996 the famous science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke, many of whose previous predictions have come true, said that we may soon be able to develop remarkably cheap and renewable sources of energy. Some of these power sources will be biological. Clarke and others have warned us repeatedly that sooner or later we will have to give up our dependence on non-renewable power sources. Coal, oil and gas are indeed convenient. However, using them also means creating dangerously high levels of pollution. It will be impossible to meet the growing demand for energy without increasing that pollution to catastrophic(災(zāi)難性的) levels unless we develop power sources that are both cheaper and cleaner.

   It is attempting to think that biotechnology or some other “science of the future” can solve our problems. Before we surrender to that temptation we should remember nuclear power. Only a few generations ago it seemed to promise limitless, cheap and safe energy. Today those promises lie buried in a concrete grave in a place called Chernobyl(切爾諾貝利), in the Ukraine. Biotechnology is unlikely, however, to break its promises in quite the same or such a dangerous way.

68.According to the passage, the science of the future is likely to be __________.

   A. electronics    B. biotechnology    C. genetic engineering   D. nuclear technology

69. Organic chemistry helps to produce materials that are __________.

   A. as good as wool                            B. as good as an insect’s body 

   C. not as good as natural materials       D. better than natural materials.

70. According to the passage, it may soon be possible__________.

   A. to make something as good as human skin   B. to produce drugs without side effects

   C. to transplant human organs                        D. to make artificial hearts and eyes

71. In 1996, Arthur C. Clarke predicted that ___________.

   A. biological power sources would be put into use soon

   B. oil, gas and coal could be repeatedly used in the future

   C. dependence on non-renewable power sources would be reduced soon

   D. the Chernobyl disaster would happen in two years

72. What do we learn from the last paragraph?

   A. Biotechnology can solve all our future energy problems.

   B. Biological power is cheaper than nuclear power.

   C. Biological power may not be as dangerous as nuclear power.

   D. Biological power will keep all its promises.

There’s a dark little joke: Rip Van Winkle awakens in the 21st century after a hundred-year sleep. Men and women dash about, talking to small metal devices. Young people sit on sofas, moving miniature athletes around on electronic screens. Airports, hospitals, shopping malls― every place Rip goes just puzzles him. But when he finally walks into a schoolroom, the old man knows exactly where he is. "This is a school," he declares. "We used to have these black in 1906. Only now the blackboards are green."

American schools aren’t exactly frozen in time, but considering the pace of change in other areas of life, our public schools tend to feel like throwbacks. Kids spend much of the day as their great-grandparents once did: sitting in rows, listening to teachers lecture, scribbling notes by hand, reading textbooks that are out of date. A yawning chasm separates the world inside the schoolhouse from the world outside.

The national conversation on education has long focused on reading scores, math tests and closing the "achievement gap". This is not a story about that conversation. This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education, the one that will ultimately determine whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can’t think their way through abstract problems, work in teams or speak a language other than English.

This week the conversation will burst onto the front page, when the NCSAW releases a blueprint for rethinking American education from pre-K to 12 and beyond to better prepare students to thrive in the global economy. While that report includes some debatable proposals, there is a remarkable agreement among educators and business and policy leaders on one key conclusion: we need to bring what we teach and how we teach into the 21st century. Today’s economy demands not only a high-level competence in the traditional academic disciplines but also what might be called 21st-century skills.

64. What is the writer’s purpose to use a dark little joke in the first paragraph?

   A. To serve as an introduction to Rip Van Winkle.

   B. To draw readers’ attention to the present situations in American schools.

   C. To remind people that American literature plays an important role in economy.

   D. To let its readers enjoy the article from the very beginning.

65. What is the writer’s general impression of American school children?

   A. They look much like their great-grandparents.

   B. They can do everything as they like.

   C. They are well developed on all sides.

   D. They are almost separated from the outside world.

66. From the third paragraph, we know the writer ________. 

   A. has focused on reading scores and math tests

   B. tells a story about the national conversation

   C. tends to care much about the big public conversation

   D. promises to help kids with their grade in the global economy

67. The underlined part “to thrive” in the last paragraph most probably means ________.

   A. to become and continue to be successful and strong.

   B. to enjoy something especially other people would not like.

   C. to compete with other people for better positions

   D. to work in teams with any other people.

　　Experience the newly opened Grand Canyon (大峽谷) West Skywalk in Colorado. Departing from Grand Canyon’s South Rim by Airplane to Grand Canyon’s West Rim, you will land and take a ground tour to the Skywalk! Walk on air for 70 feet over the edge of Grand Canyon West.

This Skywalk has been open since March 28, 2007. Daily visitorship to the Skywalk has been over 4,000 people. Please be patient to enjoy your moment on the Skywalk.

After you have experienced the one and only Grand Canyon Skywalk Glass Bridge, you will return to the Grand Canyon West Airport and take your Airplane for a flight back to the South Rim of the Canyon. This is a tour never to be forgotten as you will have walked on air over the Grand Canyon.

Tour Itinerary (行程)

60. This advertisement is for __________.

           A. Grand Canyon West                               B. Grand Canyon South

           C. Grand Canyon                                       D. the Skywalk

61. The package fee does NOT cover the cost of _______.

62. The Grand Canyon Skywalk Bridge is made of glass because ______.

           A. it looks stranger                                     B. it is cheaper to build

           C. it looks more beautiful                            D. it gives you a better view

63. According to the Tour Itinerary, the route is ______.

   A. South Rim→ Guano Point→ West Airport→ Eagle Point→ West Airport→ South Rim

   B. South Rim→ West Airport→ Guano Point→ Eagle Point→ West Airport→ South Rim

   C. South Rim→ West Airport→ Eagle Point→ Guano Point→ West Airport→ South Rim

   D. South Rim→ West Airport→ Eagle Point→ West Airport→ Guano Point→ South Rim

In the United States ,the biggest change in spending has been in the amount（數(shù)目）spent on food ,which has decreased（減少）from 46% of the total family budget（預(yù)算）in 1901 to 19% of present day totals .This is due to the fact that people are now able to buy more and better foods at lower prices. As a result of the growth in fast-food restaurants (for example, McDonad’s or KFC), more people are also eating out. Thus about 30% of today’s food budget goes on meals eaten outside the home while a hundred years ago it was only 3%.

          At the beginning of the 20th century, few people owned their homes (only around 19% of working families )and cars (at $ 1,000 per car this was well above the average family income of $ 650 per year) , as most people were unable to borrow money. But there was a rapid rise in both home and car ownership during the mid-1900s.

          Free time increased considerably following the shortening of the working week, i. e. from six days to five ,and from ten hours to eight hours a day. In fact, the working day couldn’t be too long, otherwise people wouldn’t have the time to spend their money. The amount of a family’s budget spent on outside entertainment ,such as parties, films and concerts has increased from just under 6% in Ford’s day to about 9% today. On the other hand, we spend only a quarter of what our great-grandparents paid for reading materials.

          It is difficult to see how our spending patterns may change in the future. We already know that our population is aging and this will have an effect on the amount of money we spend on medical care.

56. What is the subject discussed in the text?

   A. Changing patterns in spending.          B. Changes in family planning.

   C. Decrease in food demand.                D. Increase in family income.

57. What is the immediate cause for people to have more time to enjoy life?

A. The development of the fast food industry.  B. The improvement of living conditions.

C. The reduction in working time.                   D. The rapid rise in income.

58. On which of the following did people spend less money than before?

A. Shopping.   B. Reading.     C. Traveling.              D. Family gatherings.

59. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that people will       .

A. spend less money on entertainment   B. spend more money on the health of the old

C. spend less money eating out             D. spend more money on books

"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause   36   confusion if people didn’t attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately,    37   do attach great importance to it. “I have as much   38   to my opinion as you to yours,” and “  39   is entitled to his opinion,” are   40   expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another’s opinion is likely to be branded intolerant（不能忍受的）.

Is that label (標簽) accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another’s opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend “What do you think   41   the new Ford cars?” And he   42   reply, “In my opinion, they’re   43  .” In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but   44  . For it’s obvious that  45   opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of   46  . And as the old saying goes, “It’s   47   to argue about matters of taste.”

   But consider this very   48   use of the term, a newspaper reports that the Supreme Court (最高法院) has delivered its opinion in a controversial (有爭議的)   49  . Obviously the justices did not shake their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their  50   judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and deliberation (考慮).

Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere   51   these two extremes. It is

  52   an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of   53  . It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence.

Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but   54  . We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not   55   others.

I can’t help them understand the key point_______ they are not all ears in class.

  A. while          B. unless           C. when           D. though

The Iraqi journalist throwing shoes at Bush has been sentenced to three years in prison, but most people think he____ have been honored and not sent to prison.

A. must            B. could           C. should             D. need

Because I’ve an important meeting to attend, I can’t come to your party this evening, _____ I’d like to.

A. much as       B. as much        C. much so         D. so much

---I’d like a pen that ____ well.

---Will this black one _____?

   A. writes; help       B. writes; do     C. is written; work   D. is written; help

Chinese President Hu Jintao reviewed China’s and foreign vessels on April 23 in waters off Qingdao, ______the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy.

A. in celebration of    B. in terms of       C. in the name of           D. in case of