Anyone for rocket salad? The Chinese are now growing huge vegetables from seeds they sent into space.

If you are the type who worries about the air miles travelled by fruits and vegetables, these beauties aren’t for you. It's because they have travelled a little further than most.

The seeds from which they grew were fired into space, where they orbited the earth for two weeks. Once they returned they were grown in hothouses, producing the monster kinds seen here.

China, which is behind these space fruits and vegetables, says they could be the answer to the world's food crisis.

The 21-pound tomatoes, nine-inch chillies, 15-stone pumpkins and large watermelons growing at the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ hothouses can feed many more than their smaller cousins, and may have more nutrients, the scientists say.

Researcher Lo Zhigang said, "Traditional agricultural development has taken us as far as we can go and demand for food from a growing population is endless. Space seeds offer the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables bigger and faster. "

He admitted he and his colleagues could not explain why time in orbit caused the seeds to change genetic structure. But they guessed exposure to the cosmic（宇宙的）radiation that attacked the spacecraft in orbit, as well as the near zero gravity conditions, microgravity, could play apart.

"We don't think there's any threat to human health because the genes themselves do not change; just their order changes," he said. "With genetically-modified（GM）crops you have seen environmental problems because they have added genes that can damage other organisms. But with space seeds they don't gain genes; they can only lose them. "

He also claimed the Vitamin C content in some space vegetables was nearly three times higher than in common vegetables, while levels of zinc are also increased.

Western scientists are doubtful. NASA researchers who have experimented with seeds in space say there is not enough benefit to show the cost is reasonable.

56. What do the underlined words "these beauties" in Paragraph 2 probably refer to ______?

A. Beautiful views along the air routes.

B. Travelling experiences in space.

C. Seeds fired into space.

D. Giant vegetables.

57. We can infer from Lo’s words in Paragraph 6 that _______.

A. our conventional agriculture has developed too slowly.

B. we are asking too much from nature

C. space seeds may help meet our demand for food

D. we'll grow crops in space in the future

58. Why the seeds changed their genetic structure _______.

A. remains to be proved

B. is discovered by Lo Zhigang

C. has something to do with the conditions in hothouses

D. is due to the radiation that attacked them directly

59. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A. Western scientists’ doubt is unreasonable.

B. Westem scientists don’t believe that Chinese scientists have succeeded in the experiment.

C. Western scientists have proved space seeds to be of no benefit.

D. Western scientists think the cost of space seeds outweighs the benefits.

Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in order to cut the greenhouse gases they send out, which is thought to be responsible for global warming.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence（腸胃氣脹）contains no methane（甲烷）and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who produce large quantities of the harmful gas.

While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack（煙囪）pushing out carbon dioxide, farm animals’ passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions（排放物）in some countries.

“Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep,” said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government.

“And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they’re actually up around 50 percent,” he said.

Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers.

But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate（分離）the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep.

Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. And about 20 percent of health-conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already.

“It’s low in fat, it’s got high protein levels and it’s very clean in the sense that basically it’s the free-range（放養(yǎng)的）animal,” said Peter Ampt of the University of New South Wales’s institute of environmental studies.

67. Scientists intend to put bacteria into cattle and sheep ________.

A. to prevent them from sending out harmful gases

B. to help Australian farmers to earn more money

C. so that they can protect Australian ecosystem

D. so that they can make full use of special bacteria

68. Athol Klieve seems to believe that ________.

A. cattle and sheep produce more carbon dioxide

B. less cattle and sheep are raised in New Zealand

C. farm animals are to blame for greenhouse gases

D. New Zealand has the most animals in the world

69. The main idea of the text is to ________.

A. discuss a better way to protect the each

B. warn farmers of the danger of animal waste

C. illustrate the possible solutions to pollution

D. present a recent study on global warming

70. The advantages Peter Ampt lists about kangaroos don’t include ________.

A. it is rich in protein                                 B. is low in fat

C. it is cheaper than beef                                   D. it is cleaner than sheep

Some experts feel that cars are certain to fall into disuse. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all cars will be deserted and made useless. Other experts however think the car is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of city travel in the foreseeable future.

The car will undoubtedly change greatly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller safer and more practical and should not be powered by the gas engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.

Unless changes take place in the power system, the car in the future will still be the main problem in city traffic jams. One suggested solution to this essential problem is the automated（自動的）system which seems to hold water.

When the car enters the highway system, a small arm will drop from the car and connect with a rail which is similar to hose powering subway trains electrically. Once joined to the rail, the car will become electrically powered form the system and control of the car will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of the car’s movements.

The driver will use the telephone to dial instructions about his position and the place he heads for into the system .The computer will find the best way and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will be free to relax and wait for the call that will warn him of his coming exit. It is believed that an automated highway will be able to deal with 10.000 cars per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 cars can be carried by a present – day highway

72. What is the main concern of the author of the passage?

A. How to make cars pollution-free

B. How to make cars smaller and safer

C. How to solve the problem of traffic jam

D. How to develop an automated subway system

73. We can infer from this passage that ________

A. the car connected to the rail on the highway will be powered by electricity

B. the lack of oil is forcing people to find new means to power automobiles

C. the driver under the system will be told where to get out of the highway

D. the future car will become larger faster prettier and less expensive

74. What provides cars with electric power in an automated highway system?

A. An engine　　　　　　　　　　 B. A rail

C. A computer controller　　 　　　 D. A small arm

75. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. The driver puts his information in the system by e—mail

B. The new system can deal with 10 times as many cars as the present one

C. After entering the automated system the driver needs to do nothing but relax himself

D. Some experts are not confident of the future while the author is in favor of the opposite view

The earth’s most rich resource—water has become one of the most precious resources in the United States as rivers, lakes, and freshwater reservoirs are increasingly exploited for human use. Consequently, using precise farming techniques to refine “irrigation scheduling” is a research area of particular interest to Susan Moran, a researcher with the US department of Agriculture. She explains that in the southwest, irrigation is both difficult and expensive. There, she says, farmers have a tendency to over irrigate, spending both more time and money than is necessary.

“I’m trying to provide new information that could be used by farmers to schedule irrigations to improve their profitability and use less water,” Moran says. “Farmers often look at weather changes and then schedule irrigation based on that information. But if they had better information, they could use scientific models to compute more precisely how much water their crop is using. ”

Rather than guessing their crop’s potential need for water based upon weather changes, farmers can use remote sensors to measure how much water their crop is actually using. This would give them a more accurate measure of how much more water it needs.

Moran believes that if farmers are getting good and timely measurements of plant and air temperature, then they can program when and how much water to give each crop through an irrigation system. No more water would be used than needed, thus saving cost and conserving water.

Moran introduces one study she conducted in Arizona to investigate the use of remote sensing data for scheduling cotton irrigations. Typically, those farmers irrigate ten times per growing season, but evidence showed that some of those farmers could achieve basically the same harvest with only nine irrigations.

“In those cases, one less irrigation saved more than all the cost of remote sensing data,” she states. “Both irrigation and satellite remote sensing data are expensive. But then again many farmers are used to wording together as a group. They are used to sharing. I’m hoping they could do the same with remote sensing data—purchase one scene over a large area to cover many farms, which would further reduce the cost. ”

46. What does Moran think is the problem with farmers?

A. Over-used reservoirs.                          B. Precision farming.

C. Irrigation researches.                           D. Over-irrigation.

47. How can farmers get the new information about their crop?

A. To reschedule irrigation as required.

B. To watch weather changes regularly.

C. To use remote sensors as researchers suggest.

D. To use scientific models since computing is more reliable.

48. What do farmers check upon when they decide how much water each crop needs?

A. Profitability.       B. Remote sensors.     C. The cost.            D. Air temperature.

49. What’s the purpose of Moran introducing the study she carried out in Arizona?

A. To investigate the use of remote sensing data.

B. To support her viewpoint in the previous paragraph.

C. To show how farmers can reap a harvest.

D. To criticize those farmers who used too much water.

50. What is among the best possible ways to help save farmers’ money?

A. Changing irrigation.                             B. Sharing sensing data.

C. Buying one computer.                          D. Extending the farms.

Melissa Poe was 9 years old when she began a campaign for a cleaner environment by writing a letter to the then President Bush. Through her on efforts, her letter was reproduced on over 250 donated billboards (廣告牌)across the country.

The response to her request for help was so huge that Poe established Kids For A Cleaner Environment (Kids F.A.C.E.) in 1989. There are now 300,000 members of Kids F.A.C.E. worldwide and it is the world’s largest youth environmental organization.

Poe has also asked the National Park Service to carry out a “Children’s Forest” project in every national park. In 1992, she was invited one of only six children in the world to speak at the Earth Summit in Brazil as part of the Voices of the future Program. In 1993, she was given a Caring Award for her efforts by the Caring Institute.

Since the organization started, Kids F.A.C.E. members have distributed and planted over 1 million trees! Ongoing tree-planting projects include Kids’ Yards — the creation of backyard wildlife habitats (棲息地) and now Kids F.A.C.E. is involved in the exciting Odyssey, which is a great way to start helping.

 “We try to tell kids that it’s not OK to be lazy,” she explains, “You need to start being a response, environmentally friendly person now, right now, before you become a resource-sucking adult.”

72. Kids F.A.C.E. is __________.

A. a program to help students with writing

B. a project of litter recycling

C. a campaign launched by President Bush

D. a club of environmental protection

73. What can we learn about Poe?

A. She was awarded a prize in Brazil.

B. She donated billboards across the country.

C. She got positive responses for her efforts.

D. She joined the National Park Service.

74. Kid’s Yards is ____________.

A. established in national park

B. started to protect wildlife

C. a wildlife-raising project

D. an environment park for kids

75. Which of the following can be inferred from the text?

A. Adults are resources –sucking people.

B. Poe sought help from a youth organization

C. Kids F.A.C.E. members are from the U.S.

D. Kids are urged to save natural resources.

On Friday, May 4, millions of kids throughout the world will celebrate Space Day. Space Day recognizes achievements in space exploration and promotes（促進）education in the fields of science, math, and technology.

This year’s theme is “50 years in space…and still having a blast（強勁）!” It commemorates the 1957 launch of the Sputnik satellite by the former Soviet Union. Sputnik was the world’s first man-made satellite; it marked the start of space exploration.

Events will be held throughout the US to celebrate Space Day. One major event is the Space Day Design Challenge competition. Winning teams will attend a ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.

For the competition, students in grades 4-8 had to come up with creative ways of solving space problems. The competition is sponsored（贊助）by Lockheed Martin. Schools and communities are also organizing space programs locally. You can visit the Space Day website and list your school or community event.

Space Day first got its start in 1997. Lockheed Martin started the day as part of an education program. Their goal is to use kids’ love for space to encourage student involvement in technology, math, and science. In 1997, Lockheed Martin also launched the Student Signatures（簽名）in space program as a part of Space Day. This program allows elementary and middle school kids to send their signatures to space on a NASA（美國航天局）shuttle（航天飛機）mission. Since 1997, over 2. 5 million students from North America and in 32 other countries have participated!

“In l0 years, there will be a major work force gap in technical industries, if we do not strengthen the interest today’s young people have in math, science, technology and engineering,” said Bob Stevens, chairman of Lockheed Martin.

69. The underlined word “commemorates” in paragraph 2 could be replaced by ________.

A. controls           B. designs         C. educates           D. honors

70. It can be inferred from the passage that Lockheed Martin is ________.

A. a man-made satellite launched to space in 1997

B. a program strengthening the interest of the kids in science

C. a company involved in space research and development

D. a company designing space shuttles for NASA

71. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The launch of the Sputnik satellite marked the start of Space Day.

B. Space Day has a history of 50 years of the celebration.

C. The Student Signatures is one of the events to be held in this year’s Space Day.

D. Space Day is celebrated in many countries as well as America.

72. The purpose of promoting space education in kids is ________.

A. to reserve（儲備）strength for future space exploration

B. to attract their attention to the space exploration

C. to make them realize the importance of launching satellites

D. to ask them for creative ways of solving space problems

Last August, Joe and Mary Mahoney began looking at colleges for their 17-year-old daughter, Maureen. With a checklist of criteria in hand, the Dallas family looked around the country visiting half a dozen schools. They sought a university that offered the teenager’s intended major, one located near a large city, and a campus where their daughter would be safe.

“The safety issue is a big one,” says Joe Mahoney, who quickly discovered he wasn’t alone in his worries. On campus tours other parents voiced similar concerns, and the same question was always asked: what about crime? But when college officials always gave the same answer — “That’s not a problem here.” — Mahoney began to feel uneasy.

“No crime whatsoever?” comments Mahoney today. “I just don’t buy it. ” Nor should he: in 2008 the U. S. Department of Education had reports of nearly 600,000 serious crimes on or around our campuses. “Parents need to understand that times have changed since they went to colleges,” says David Nichols, author of Creating a Safe Campus. “Campus crime mirrors the rest of the nation.”

But getting accurate information isn’t easy. Colleges must report crime statistics（統(tǒng)計數字）by law, but some hold back for fear of bad publicity, leaving the honest ones looking dangerous. “The truth may not always be obvious,” warns S. Daniel Carter of Security on Campus, Inc. , the nation’s leading campus safety watchdog group.

To help concerned parents, Carter promised to visit campuses and talk to experts around the country to find out major crime issues and effective solutions.

64. The Mahoneys visited quite a few colleges last August ______.

A. to express the opinions of many parents

B. to choose a right one for their daughter

C. to check the cost of college education

D. to find a right one near a large city

65. It is often difficult to get correct information on campus crime because some colleges ______.

A. receive too many visitors                              B. mirror the rest of the nation

C. hide the truth of campus crime                      D. have too many watchdog groups

66. We learn from the text that “the honest ones” in the fourth paragraph most probably refers to colleges ______.

A. that are protected by campus security            B. that report campus crimes by law

C. that are free from campus crime                           D. the enjoy very good publicity

67. What is the text mainly about?

A. Exact campus crime statistics.                             B. Crimes on or around campuses.

C. Effective solutions to campus crime.             D. concerns about kids’ campus safety.

A historical change is taking place in middle-school education Teachers are being asked to answer as never before for how well they serve their students It has become as common in middle schools for students to grade teachers as for teachers to grade students In fact student ratings（評價）have become the most widely used and in many cases the only important in formation on teaching effectiveness In comparing three studies of the same 600 middle and high schools in more than thirty states it was found that the number of schools using student ratings to evaluate teachers had climbed from 29 percent to 68 percent to 86 percent No other method of evaluation got that degree of usage and other studies have found similar results

One reason that student evaluations of easy to put to wrong use If they are expected to throw meaningful light on teachers’ performance the ratings must be sured in a way that shows at least some of what we’ve learnt about them from research and from experience

Research and experience have shown us for example that student ratings should never be the only basis for evaluating effectiveness There is much more to teaching than what is evaluated on student rating forms. When ratings are used we know that students should not be expected to judge whether the materials used in a course up to date or how well the teacher knows the subject matter of the course There judgments that require professional background are best left to the teacher’s fellow workers On the other hand students should be asked to comment what they have learned in a course and to report in the classroom relationship with the students ability to develop interest in the subject and ways to encourage students to teach themselves

68. The central idea of the passage is that __________

A. student ratings are the only way to learn about teaching effectiveness

B. other methods are better than student ratings in evaluating teachers

C. it is quite right to make student ratings popular in the country

D. student ratings are very popular and should be properly used

69. In Paragraph 2，the underlined expression “throw meaningful light on teachers’ performance” means ___________

A. judging teachers’ teaching ability and understanding of the course

B. making teachers’ performance clear and understood to all

C. having a mean opinion of teachers’ performance

D. speaking highly of the teachers’ performance

70. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Students should not be asked questions that require professional background

B. Student evaluations are popular because they are extremely accurate

C. Student ratings can be used in all the schools in any case

D. Student ratings are already used in almost every school

71. In student ratings all the questions can be asked except “_________”

A. Can the teacher make himself easily understood？

B. How does the teacher deal with the students?

C. Are students interested in what is taught?

D. Is what is taught by the teacher new?

Madame de Stael says that only the people who can play with children are able to educate them. For success in training children, the first condition is to become a child oneself. It means to treat the child as really one’s equal, that is, to show him the same consideration, the same kind of confidence one shows to an adult. It means not to affect the child to be what we ourselves want him to become, but to be affected by the impression of what the child himself is; not to treat the child with cheating, or by force, but with the seriousness and true love suitable to his own character.

Not leaving the child in peace is the greatest problem of present methods of training children. Parents do not see that during the whole life, the need of peace is never greater than in the years of childhood, an inner peace under all outside liveliness.

But what does a child experience? Corrections, orders, interference（干涉）, the whole livelong day. The child is always required to leave something alone, or to do something different, to find something different, or want something different from what he does, or finds, or wants. He is always guided in another direction from the true inner will that is leading him. All of this is caused by our so-called enthusiasm in directing, advising, and helping the child to become the same model produced in one assembly line（流水線）. Understanding, the deepest characteristic of love, is almost always absent.

To bring up a child means carrying one’s soul in one’s hand; it means never placing ourselves in danger of meeting the cold look on the face of the child. It means the truth that the ways of injuring the child are limitless while the ways of being useful to him are few. How seldom does the educator remember that the child, even at four or five years of age, has already had a sharp feeling! The smallest mistrust and unkindness, the least act of injustice, leave wounds that last for life in the heart of the child. While, on the other hand, unexpected friendliness and kindness make quite as deep an impression on those soft senses.

72. The passage mainly talks about _______.

A. misleading zones and right ways in educating children

B. current problems in training children

C. what should be taught to children

D. the importance of educating children

73. Children, according to the passage, are experiencing _______.

A. corrections, orders and peace

B. orders, interference and peace

C. interference, orders and corrections

D. peace, guide and praise

74. If you were a parent, which of the following methods is TRUE according to the text?

A. You could treat your children not so seriously for they don’t understand many things.

B. You could train your children as you wish them to be since you are parents.

C. You should sometimes leave your children in peace as they wish in their childhood.

D. You should correct your children immediately if their behavior is not what you want.

75. We may conclude that the author believes people should _______.

A. play with the children with enthusiasm all day long just to please them

B. try to give an order, advice and suggestions to their children at any time

C. treat their children just as the way they treat an adult in their daily life

D. regard their children as an equal to them and have understanding of the inner peace of them

Hao Lisha may have waited for the coming of the new term more than anyone else in her class．

The 15-year-old girl from Seshufen Middle School in Beijing had，plastic surgery(整容手術)during her summer vacation．She had three moles(痣)removed from her face，each about the size of a piece of rice．

“Now I have the confidence to enjoy my new life，”she said．

Hao is one of hundreds of teenagers who entered a hospital aiming to make themselves look more beautiful．

According to He Xiaoming，director of the General Office in the Plastic Surgery Hospital Affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Medical Science，there were 4，558 operations in July alone．Surprisingly，at least 60 percent of these were teenagers．They were mostly girls who had plastic surgery on their noses or eyelids．

Most students believe what the Greek philosopher Aristotle said：personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of reference．They accept the idea that a more attractive appearance can give them more self-confidence and an advantage in everything from making friends to job hunting．

Hao’s mother agreed with her daughter．

“At first I disagreed when my daughter suggested the idea of plastic surgery．But as a laid-off worker，I know a good appearance really matters today．So I respect her decision．’’

Hao Lisha’s choice reflects the idea that some teenagers believe that appearance plays a decisive role in life．

According to Wang Feng，vice—director of the Psychological Health Centre at East China Normal University，good looks can help to improve one’s confidence in social situations，but the idea that beauty decides everything is misleading．

The misunderstanding may come from numerous advertisements，popular TV series and beauty contests which place too much importance on the role of appearance in one’s success in society．

“Teenagers may regard pop stars as their idols．Yet the media mainly their outer beauty, rather than describing their inner character, which drives some teenagers to look for something superficial，”Wang said．

Reflecting on what Aristotle said，Wang thinks that“ personal beauty’’ doesn’t only refer to good looks．It also includes one’s inner beauty，such as knowledge，courage，patience and a spirit of never giving up．

64．Hao Lisha was looking forward to the arrival of the new term because she　　　 ．

A．was interested in school

B．missed her classmates very much

C．was tired of the vacation

D．had her look improved through plastic surgery

65．The author believes that media focus too much on　　　 　 ．

A．stars’ plastic surgery　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．outer beauty of pop stars

C．beauty contests 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．inner beauty of pop stars

66．About　　　 teenagers had plastic surgery in July alone．

A．4，558　 　　　　　 B．1，800 　　　　　　　 C．2，700 　　　　　　　　 D．60

67．We can learn from the passage that Wang Feng holds the view that　　　　　

A．appearance plays a decisive role in life

B．plastic surgery does no good to teenagers

C．an attractive look will lead to a happy marriage

D．personal beauty means more than good looks