When you think about math, you probably don’t think about breaking the law, solving mysteries or finding criminals. But a mathematician in Maryland does, and he has come up with mathematical tools to help police find criminals.
People who solve crimes look for patterns that might reveal (揭示) the identity of the criminal. It’s long been believed, for example, that criminals will break the law closer to where they live, simply because it’s easier to get around in their own neighborhood. If police see a pattern of robberies in a certain area, they may look for a suspect who lives near the crime scenes. So, the farther away from the area a crime takes place, the less likely it is that the same criminal did it.
But Mike O’Leary, a mathematician at Towson University in Maryland, says that this kind of approach may be too simple. He says that police may get better clues to the location of a criminal’s home base by combining these patterns with a city’s layout (布局) and historical crime records.
The records of past crimes contain geographical information and can reveal easy targets — that is, the kind of stores that might be less difficult to rob. Because these stores are along roads, the locations of past crimes contain information about where major streets and intersections are. O’Leary is writing a new computer program that will quickly provide this kind of information for a given city. His program also includes information about the people who live in the city, and information about how a criminal’s patterns change with age. It’s been shown, for example, that the younger the criminal, the closer to home the crime.
Other computer programmers have worked on similar software, but O’Leary’s uses more math. The mathematician plans to make his computer program available, free of charge, to police departments around the country.
The program is just one way to use math to fight crime. O’Leary says that criminology — the study of crime and criminals — contains a lot of good math problems. “I’m the only one who knows what gold looks like,” he says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
49. To find criminals, police usually _________.
A. check who are on the crime scene
B. seek help from local people
C. depend on new mathematical tools
D. focus on where crimes take place
50. O’Leary is writing a computer program that _________.
A. uses math to increase the speed of calculation
B. tells the identity of a criminal in a certain area
C. provides the crime records of a given city
D. shows changes in criminals’ patterns
51. By “I’m the only one who knows what gold looks like”, O’Leary means that he _________.
A. is better at finding gold than others
B. is the only one who uses math to make money
C. knows best how to use math to help solve crimes
D. has more knowledge of gold than other mathematicians
52. What is the main idea of the text?
A. Math could help police find criminals.
B. Criminals live near where crimes occur.
C. Crime records could be used to fight crime.
D. Computer software works in preventing crimes.
For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of these searches have been done over the radio. The hope is that someone in outer space may be trying to get in touch with us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages on spaceships traveling through space, on the chance that someone may be receptive （善于接受的） to such messages.
Scientists are using powerful radio telescope to listen to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years of earth. In addition, they will scan (扫视) the entire sky to “listen” for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight channels at one time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy （银河星系）, scientists find that five percent are like our sun. Perhaps half of them have a planet like earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the star for temperatures to be right for the evolution of life. Based on the inhabitable (that can be lived in) planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets support some life.
However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent （有智力的） life exists on other planets. Some believe that twenty years of searching without any intelligible （可理解的） messages shows that no one is out there. They say that the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely.
Other scientists believe that our search hasn’t been long enough to rule out the possibility that intelligent life exists in our galaxy. Although our sun family in only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billions years old. In that time, some scientists think it is likely that civilizations are much more advanced than ours. Perhaps these civilizations （文明） send us no signals; perhaps we have not recognized the signals they have sent us. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep looking.According to the passage, how many planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable?
| A．5 billion | B．10 billion | C．15 billion | D．200 billion |
The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about ______.
| A．how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| B．why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| C．where scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| D．when scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
The underlined word “monitor” in the passage means “______”.
| A．find | B．follow | C．check | D．form |
Which of the statements is TRUE based on the information in the passage?
| A．The earth is one of the oldest planets in our galaxy. |
| B．Most scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planet. |
| C．Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planet. |
| D．Scientists don’t believe that there might be life on other planets. |
People celebrate birthdays in almost every country on earth. And they celebrate them in many different ways.
In China and in Japan, for example, the arrival of New Year is more important than a person’s birthday. So everyone adds a year to celebrate their ages on New Year’s Day, instead of on their birthdays,
In Brazil, the special birthday food isn’t cake, but special candles. In China, it’s long noodles—for long life. In Iceland, people have pancakes with candies rolled inside them on birthdays.
In Britain, a birthday is an all-day celebration. At school, the birthday child is lifted up and “bumped” by his classmates. This means the child is lifted by the feet and arms and bumped to the ground, once for each year once for good growth. In Israel, the same custom is followed, except the birthday person is lifted and lowered while sitting in a chair.
In Holland, children not only get presents, but also give things out. They give cakes, cookies and candles to their classmates and teachers on their birthdays.
In Mexico, it’s good luck to give birthday greetings as early in the day as possible. So it’s usual for the birthday child to be woken up at midnight by fiends singing birthday songs.
In India, birthday celebrations also begin before dawn. Prayers and blessings must be said before morning comes.
In Thailand, two tall candles are lighted the night before the birthday. One is as tall as the birthday person. If it goes out early, it’s bad luck. Another customs of Thailand is that they buy live fish and birds for the birthday person and then the birthday person frees the animals, and it brings good luck.
In Nigeria, people in a certain age group celebrate their birthdays together, on a certain day.
In many countries birthday customs are changing. Old customs are giving way to western style of birthdays, with candle topped cakes. But one thing never changes—birthdays are special days for everyone!It’s a custom to lift and lower the birthday person in a chair in _____.
| A．Britain | B．Israel |
| C．Britain and Israel | D．Israel and Thailand |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．In Thailand people give fish and birds to the birthday person as presents. |
| B．In Holland people give presents to unbirthday persons on their birthdays. |
| C．In Nigeria people who were born in the same period may celebrate their birthdays on the same day. |
| D．In Thailand a candle will be lighted on the birthday night. |
What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．Different countries have different birthdays. |
| B．Celebrating birthdays is exciting. |
| C．Different ways of celebrating the birthday in different countries. |
| D．Everyone likes celebrating his or her birthday. |
Every day, about one-quarter of American adults eat at fast-food restaurants. Cheap, tasty, and convenient, fast food is rich in fat and calories, and it’s low in fiber and nutrients. Thanks in large part to fast food, half of America’s adults and one-quarter of its children are fat, double the rate of a generation ago. In the past two decades, eating habits have changed as people pay more attention to their health. However, many Americans continue to eat red meat (beef in particular) as well as pork, chicken and other foods. Although beer and wine are popular in most areas, many Americans abstain from alcohol, because they think they will become healthier without drinking it. Various kinds of mineral water are commonly available.
Eating styles and habits vary between people of different backgrounds, but Americans generally eat with the fork in the hand with which they write. A knife is used for cutting and spreading; otherwise, it is laid on the plate or table. Fast foods, such as chips, fried chicken, hamburgers, and pizza, tend to be eaten with the fingers. There is an obvious difference between what people may do at home or in a fast-food restaurant, and how they act in a more formal restaurant. Because both parents often work outside the home, some Americans are less likely to sit down as a family to eat once the children are older and able to prepare their own food or serve themselves.How many adults became fat after eating fast foods a generation ago?
| A．12.5% of them | B．25% of them |
| C．50% of them | D．75% of them |
American have changed their eating habits in the past twenty years because ______.
| A．they want to keep healthy |
| B．economy develops faster |
| C．they have different backgrounds |
| D．they have to work outside |
The underlined phrase “abstain from” in Para. 1 probably means ______.
| A．feel like | B．get close to | C．suffer from | D．get rid of |
We can infer from the passage ______.
| A．some fast foods aren’ t eaten with tools in America |
| B．Americans always eat fried chicken with a knife |
| C．Americans prefer to eat outside than at home |
| D．Americans always go home having meals as a family |
Which would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Fast foods in the US. |
| B．Various cultures of the US. |
| C．Diet and eating in America. |
| D．Changes about Americans eating. |
The Intel Science Talent Search is the top science competition for high school students in the US. The 40 finalists were honored in Washington last week. They met with scientists and politicians. President Obama welcomed them to the White House.
These 40 students were selected from almost 2,000 contestants nationwide. They had to present original research to be judged by professional scientists. The students showed their research projects on large posters. The winners were announced on March 15th, 2011.
Wendy Hawkins is executive director of the Intel Foundation, who says the 40 finalists represented excellence across many areas of science.
Selena Li is from Fair Oaks, California. She wanted to find a more effective treatment for liver cancer. She began her research four years ago. A scientist at the University of California, Davis, taught her how to design and do experimental work in the laboratory. Ms. Li placed 5th in the Intel Science Talent Search and was awarded 30,000 dollars.
Scott Boisvert lives near Phoenix, Arizona. He began using a laboratory at the University of Arizona at the age of 14. Over four years, he completed a project studying a fungus(真菌) linked to the decrease in amphibians（两栖动物）around the world. He was trying to find out if different chemicals and substances in the water could kill the fungus. He collected and tested water samples across Arizona. He says, “My results were able to identify a list of chemicals that were significant in the growth and in the movement of the fungus.” He placed10th in the Intel competition and was awarded 20,000 dollars.
Evan O’Dorney of Danville, California, won the top award of 100,000 dollars in this year’s Intel Science Talent Search. For his mathematical project, he compared two ways to estimate the square root of an integer (整数) , a number with no fractional parts.
Wendy Hawkins at the Intel Foundation says these young people represent the next generation of scientists who will help shape America’s future.According to the passage, if you want to win the Intel Science Talent Search, you must________.
| A．have high academic achievement |
| B．be excellent in all areas of science |
| C．offer original research |
| D．do many experiments in a university lab |
Who will be probably engaged in math study in the future and become a mathematician?
| A．Wendy Hawkins. | B．Selena Li. |
| C．Scott Boisvert. | D．Evan O’Dorney |
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scott Boisvert found a new fungus linked to the decease in amphibians. |
| B．The 1st, 5th and 10th students in the competition come from California. |
| C．Scott Boisvert is the youngest winner among the 40 students. |
| D．The Intel Science Talent Search is an intense competition. |
The Wendy Hawkins’s attitude to these 40 finalists is ______.
| A．critical | B．negative | C．positive | D．mixed |
Visitors can find a small, old house called the O. Henry Museum in central Austin, Texas. William Sydney Porter(1862-1910)----better known as O. Henry, was one of America’s best loved writers of short stories. Beginning in 1893, he lived here. It was saved from destruction, moved, and turned into a museum in 1934. The museum is a good way to learn about the interesting life of him.
William Porter rented this house and lived with his wife and daughter for about two years. Many objects in the museum belonged to the Porters. Others did not, but are in the house to recreate the way it looked during their lifetime.
Porter worked at a pharmacy, farm, land office and bank. He also loved words and writing. The museum has special proof of Porter’s love of language---his dictionary. It’s said that he read every word in it. Porter started a small publication called “The Rolling Stone”. He wasn’t being published early on, so he published himself. His funny stories, poems, and drawings were published in the magazine. But it was too costly to continue for long, so he closed the project after about one year.
Other troubles would lead the Porters to leave Austin. Porter was accused of financial wrongdoing at the bank and lost his job. Fearing a trial, he fled the country. But he returned because his wife was dying. After her death, he faced trial and was found guilty. He served three and a half years in a federal prison in Ohio.
Porter would keep his time in prison a secret. But there was one good thing about it. It provided him with time to write. By the time of his release, he had published 14 stories and was becoming well-known as O. Henry.
Porter would later move to New York City and find great success there. He published over 380 stories in the last eight years of his life.What is the author’s purpose of writing paragraph 3?
| A．To attract more visitors to the O. Henry Museum. |
| B．To show the jobs O. Henry once did. |
| C．To show O. Henry’s early love of words and writing. |
| D．To introduce O. Henry’s publication called “The Rolling Stone”. |
Which of the following shows the right order of O. Henry?
a. He was committed to prison.
b. He settled down in central Austin.
c. His wife died.
d. He started a small publication called “The Rolling Stone”.
e. He moved to New York City.
| A．bdcae | B．bcade | C．bdcea | D．bacde |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Most of O. Henry’s short stories were finished in prison. |
| B．O. Henry didn’t start his career as a successful writer when living in central Austin. |
| C．O. Henry was born in a small, old house which is called the O. Henry Museum now. |
| D．O. Henry spent his last life in the small, old house in Texas. |
What does the author want to tell us in the passage?
| A．O. Henry’s experience in prison. |
| B．The objects in the O. Henry’s Museum |
| C．O. Henry’s achievement in literature. |
| D．A brief account of O. Henry’s life |
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