Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences.

Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase the effect of painful memories.

In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.

The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldier’ troubling memories after war.

They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories. “Some memories can ruin people’s lives. They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry（精神病學(xué)）at Harvard Medical School. “This could relieve a lot of that suffering.”

But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity（特性）. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past. “All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I’m not sure we’d want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist（倫理學(xué)家）.

Some people fear that although the drug would first be used in only very serious cases, it would become more and more common. “People always have the ability to misuse science,” said Joseph Le Doux, a New York University memory researcher. “All we want to do is to help people have better control of memories.”

What’s the main idea of this passage?

       A．People often suffer from bad memories.

       B．American researchers are trying to develop a pill.

       C．Forget bad memories, and be happy.

       D．The research has caused a heated argument.

The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to “               ”.

       A．the new drug           B．the research into the drug

       C．the bad memory             D．the chemical in the drug

Which of the following is NOT the opinion of the supporters?

       A．The pill can erase all the memories in the past.

       B．Some memories can ruin people’s lives. The pill can relieve emotional suffering.

       C．The pill can also help many other types of people who suffer from terrible memories.

       D．The pill can prevent or treat troubling memories in soldiers after war.

Which of the following is NOT the opinion of the opponents（反對者）？

       A．Our memories give us our identity.

       B．The memories help human avoid mistakes of the past.

       C．The drug should be used in only very serious cases.

       D．People may not be sure whether they want to wipe the memories out.

Le Trung, 33，has spent ￡14,000 creating Aiko，who he describes as“in her 20s”with a 32,23,33 figure，shiny hair and delicate features.

She can speak English and Japanese and is so good at mathematics that she can do Mr.Trung's accounts.

Mr.Trung，from Brampton in Ontario，Canada，said he has never had time to find a real partner，so he designed and created his ideal woman using the latest technology.

The former software programmer has taken out credit cards and loans，sold his car and spent his life savings on perfecting his“fem­bot”.

Now he is desperate to find a corporate sponsor(資助者)to help him complete and perfect Aiko.

He said，“Aiko is what happens when science meets beauty.”

 "I want to make her look，feel and act as human as possible so she can be the perfect companion."

    "I talk to her a lot，and hope to improve her knowledge."

"So far she can understand and speak 13,000 different sentences in English and Japanese，so she's already fairly intelligent."

"Aiko recognize faces and says hello when any of my family come around to visit. She helps me pick what to have for dinner and knows what drinks I like."

"She even helps me with directions when we're going somewhere."

"When I need to do my accounts，Aiko does all the maths. She is very patient and never complains."

"She doesn't need holidays，food or rest and she will work almost 24­hours a day. She is the perfect woman."

Mr.Trung has designed Aiko with a touch­sensitive face and body so she reacts in a natural way if she is shown affection or hurt.

 He said，"She has all senses except for smell."

1.Why did Le Trung spend much money creating Aiko?

A. Because he prefers Aiko to a real person.

B. Because he is too busy to find a partner.

C. Because he thinks Aiko is very beautiful.

D. Because he thinks Aiko is worth much money.

2. According to the passage，what is Aiko?

A. Aiko is a female person.

B. Aiko is Mr.Trung's girl friend.

C. Aiko is a robot that looks like a beautiful woman.

D. Aiko is a perfect woman.

3. Aiko can do the following things EXCEPT ________.

A. that she can understand and speak English and Japanese

B. that she can do maths questions very well

C. that she can smell the strange smell

D. that she can help to receive some familiar guests

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The reason for Le Trung creating Aiko.

B. The introduction to a new scientific product－Aiko.

C. Aiko's ability or functions.

D. The process of making Aiko.

 

 

I hated dinner parties .But I decided to give them another shot because I’m  in London. And my friend Mallery invited me . And because dinner parties in London are very different from those  in New York,  “I’m having a dinner party ” means : “I’m booking a table for 12 at a restaurant  you can’t afford ang we’ll be sharing the cheque evenly , no matter what you eat.” Wors , in  Manhattan there  is  always someone who  leaves before  the  bill arrives  .They’ll throw  down cash, half of what  they owe, and then people like me, who don’t  drink, end  up paying even  more . But if try to use the same  trick  , the hostess will shout; “Where are you going ?” And it’s not like I can  say I have somewhere to go : everyone knows I have  nowhere to go.

But in London, dinner patise are in people’s homes . Not only that, the guests  are an interesting  mix .The last time I went to one , the guests were from France , India ,Denmark and  Nigeria; it was like a gathering  at the United Nations . In New York ,the mix is less striking . It’s  like a gathering at Bloomingdat="le’s" , a well-known de partment  store.

For New Yorkers, talking ,talking  about  other  parts  of the world  means Brooklyn  and Queens in New Yorkers.But at Mallery’s ,when I side that I had been to Myanmar recently, peo ple knew where it was , In New Yorkers people would think it was a usual culb.

1.What does the word “shot” in Paragraph I pro baly mean?

A.  Choice B. Try   C. Style   D.Goal

2. What does  the writer  dislike most about  dinner  parties  in New Yorkers

A. There  is a stange mix of people.

B. The restaurants are expensive.

C. The bill is not fairly shared.

D. People  have  to  pay cash 

3.What does the author think of the parties in London?

A. A bit unusual   B. Full of tricks  C.Less costly  D. More interesting

4.What  is the author’s opininon of some New Yorkers from her experience?

A.Easy-going B. Self-centred.   C.Generous D.Conservative

 

 Complete the passage by choosing the proper words in the box.

Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A．political

B．supported

C．gossip

D．set E. contemporary

F. literary     G. alive          H. significance    I. enterprises    J. figures

It is impossible to imagine Paris without its cafés. The city has some 12,000 cafés varying in size, grandeur, and  41  . The cafés are like an extension of the French living room, a place to start and end the day, to  __42_   and debate.

When did the cafés in France start? The oldest café in Paris is Le Procope. It was opened in 1686 by Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, the man who turned France into a coffee-drinking society. Le Procope attracted Paris’s political and  43  elite, and in this way played an important part among the upper class. By the end of the 18th century, all of Paris was intoxicated with （沉醉在）coffee and the city   44    some 700 cafés. These were like all-male clubs, with many functioning as centers of  45   life and discussion. By the 1840s the number of cafés had grown to 3,000. The men who gathered in these cafés and  46   the theme of the times included journalists, playwrights and writers. Around the turn of the 20th century, the sidewalk cafés became the meeting halls for artists and literary   47  .

Nowadays in Paris cafés still play the role of picture windows for observing   48 life. The artists gathered at the café may not be as great as those of the past, but faces worth watching are just the same. Linger a bit and you will see that the Parisian stereotypes are still_49    and well. You’ll see the old men in navy berets; ultra-thin, bronzed women with hair dyed bright orange; and schoolchildren sharing an afternoon chocolate with their mothers. The café in Paris has always been a place for seeing and being seen.

 

Le Trung,33，has spent ￡14,000 creating Aiko，who he describes as“in her 20s”with a 32,23,33 figure，shiny hair and delicate features.

　　 She can speak English and Japanese and is so good at mathematics that she can do Mr.Trung's accounts.

　　 Mr.Trung，from Brampton in Ontario，Canada，said he has never had time to find a real partner，so he designed and created his ideal woman using the latest technology.

　　 The former software programmer has taken out credit cards and loans，sold his car and spent his life savings on perfecting his“fem?bot”．

　　 Now he is desperate to find a corporate sponsor(資助者)to help him complete and perfect Aiko.

　　 He said，“Aiko is what happens when science meets beauty.”

　 “I want to make her look，feel and act as human as possible so she can be the perfect companion.”

　 “I talk to her a lot，and hope to improve her knowledge.”

　 “So far she can understand and speak 13,000 different sentences in English and Japanese，so she's already fairly intelligent.”

　 “Aiko recognize faces and says hello when any of my family come around to visit.She helps me pick what to have for dinner and knows what drinks I like.”

　 “She even helps me with directions when we're going somewhere.”

　 “When I need to do my accounts，Aiko does all the maths.She is very patient and never complains.”

　 “She doesn't need holidays，food or rest and she will work almost 24?hours a day.She is the perfect woman.”

　　 Mr.Trung has designed Aiko with a touch?sensitive face and body so she reacts in a natural way if she is shown affection or hurt.

　　 He said，“She has all senses except for smell.”

1．Why did Le Trung spend much money creating Aiko?

A．Because he prefers Aiko to a real person.

B．Because he is too busy to find a partner.

C．Because he thinks Aiko is very beautiful.

D．Because he thinks Aiko is worth much money.

2．According to the passage，what is Aiko?

A．Aiko is a female person.

B．Aiko is Mr.Trung's girl friend.

C．Aiko is a robot that looks like a beautiful woman.

D．Aiko is a perfect woman.

3．Aiko can do the following things EXCEPT ________.

A．that she can understand and speak English and Japanese

B．that she can do maths questions very well

C．that she can smell the strange smell

D．that she can help to receive some familiar guests

4．What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The reason for Le Trung creating Aiko.

B．The introduction to a new scientific product－Aiko.

C．Aiko's ability or functions.

D．The process of making Aiko.