Searching for life on other planets
For more than thirty 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, as well as messages on spaceships traveling through space, on the chance that someone may receive such messages.
Scientists are using powerful radio telescopes to “listen” to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years of Earth. In addition, they will scan the entire sky to listen for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight million channels at a time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, 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 life. Based on the planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that one or more of these planets may support some life.
However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent life exists on other planets. Some believe that thirty years of searching without any intelligible messages shows that no one is out there. They say that 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 is only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billion years old. In that time some scientists think it is likely that civilizations much more advanced than ours have developed. Perhaps these civilizations 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.To look for signals from distant stars, scientists _____.
| A．have sent up spaceships to other planets |
| B．have sent radio and television messages to outer space |
| C．are listening to the radio messages all the year round |
| D．will use computers to pick up background noise |
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. |
Some scientists believe no other planet has life because ______.
| A．most of the researches have been done over the radio |
| B．thirty years of searching doesn’t have any result |
| C．we didn’t send messages on spaceships |
| D．none of the other stars is right for life |
Some scientists think there might be more advanced civilizations on other planets because _____.
| A．some planets support more advanced civilizations |
| B．some civilizations have sent us signals we can’t recognize |
| C．the evolution of intelligence on other planets is unlike ours |
| D．some planets in our galaxy are much older than the earth |
Which of these 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 planets. |
| C．Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planets. |
| D．More advanced civilization than ours have developed on other planets. |
Animals are considered to be endangered if the species is close to extinction throughout all or most of its environment. Animals become endangered for a variety of reasons.
Some animals become endangered when their habitats contain resources for humans. For example, commercial forest cutting in the Amazon Rainforest has seriously reduced the population of many animal species and lead to the extinction of other groups. Land itself is an important resource to humans since it provides us with living space, and when people replace animal habitats with human habitats, it can lead to larger loss of natural species.
Commercial and industrial operations may reduce land or water for animals and pollute their environment. Due to water pollution, the baiji, a fresh water dolphin native to China, was declared extinct, meaning it’s unlikely the population can recover. Even noise pollution from human activities can lead to the disorder of animal behavior.
Another cause that makes animals become endangered is over-fishing or over-hunting. Over-hunting whales led to near extinction of many species of whales.
The introduction of a non-native species to a habitat may make animals become endangered. The native species may not defend against a new one, and the effects can be dangerous. In Australia, the introduction of the common house cat led to the extinction of the red-fronted parakeet and has seriously damaged the populations of several small animals.
Introduced species can also bring new diseases with them. As a result, animals become endangered. Native animals may not have the power to fight against non-native diseases, and population levels can suffer. Another cause of disease is human-introduced chemicals. The use of DDT is believed to be one of the leading causes in driving the California Condor to near extinction.
When animals become endangered, the entire food chain can be affected. For example, in 2008 disease seriously harmed the honeybee, which is largely responsible for pollinating(授花粉) plants, including many fruits and vegetables. Without their pollination, a very large part of the human diet could be reduced. In fact, if the honeybee should become extinct, our life would be affected and billions of dollars would be lost. Therefore, many people argue that when animals become endangered it is in man’s own self-interest to protect them.The passage is mainly about ______.
| A．ways of protecting animals’ habitats |
| B．effects caused by species endangerment |
| C．dangers of bringing in non-native species |
| D．reasons why animals become endangered |
Which of the following examples shows that environmental pollution may cause species endangerment?
| A．The extinction of the whales. |
| B．The extinction of the red-fronted parakeet. |
| C．The decreasing population of the dolphin. |
| D．The effect of the honeybee on the human diet. |
Why is it dangerous to introduce a non-native species to a habitat?
| A．Native species are likely to die from the new diseases. |
| B．It’s hard for non-native species to survive. |
| C．Non-native species will take up more space. |
| D．Native species are so powerful for non-native species. |
The California Condor is in danger of dying out because of ______.
| A．loss of habitat | B．harmful chemicals |
| C．forest cutting | D．unfamiliar diseases |
We can infer from the last paragraph that ______.
| A．humans are to blame for species extinction |
| B．small animals mean little to the whole food chain |
| C．protection of the honeybee has cost billions of dollars |
| D．humans protect animals for the benefit of themselves |
Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget. Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Snacks |
$20.00 |
| Money earned selling drinks |
$25.00 |
Music downloads |
$12.00 |
| Money earned babysitting |
$12.50 |
Movies |
$18.00 |
| Money earned delivering newspapers |
$30.00 |
Video rental |
$10.00 |
| Total |
$87.50 |
Total |
$66.00 |
Who is the passage written for?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Breadwinners. | D．Bank managers. |
The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.
| A．learn to be realistic | B．increase their saving |
| C．manage their money well | D．test their power-control |
What should people do when planning a budget?
| A．Fill in the expenses as they really are. |
| B．Avoid spending money on expensive things. |
| C．Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings. |
| D．List income and expenses on two pieces of paper. |
Which of the following budgets is effective?
A
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Money earned walking dogs |
$20.00 |
| Bus fares |
$40.00 |
Movies |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$60.00 |
Total |
$48.00 |
B
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Movies |
$30.00 |
| Money earned washing cars |
$10.00 |
Bus fares |
$10.00 |
| Total |
$30.00 |
Total |
$40.00 |
C
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$27.50 |
Money earned brushing shoes |
$22.00 |
| Money earned washing dishes |
$22.50 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
D
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$26.00 |
Video rental |
$22.00 |
| Money earned doing yard work |
$24.00 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
The passage mainly tells us ________.
| A．the importance of making a budget | B．how to make a budget |
| C．how to form good habits | D．how to spend money |
阅读下面短文，从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳答案。
As summer comes near, many children are really happy to forget about school for a few months. However, they might be taking that goal too seriously. Studies have found that children often forget between one and three months’ worth of school learning during the summer months. Spelling and math abilities drop off the most, while reading is not really influenced by the time off. The main reason for this is because most children sometimes read outside of the classroom, whether newspapers, magazines, books, or video game guides. However, their math and spelling skills only get exercised in the school setting.
The first purpose of summer holidays was to let farm children have time off to help work in the fields during the growing season, but this reason is no longer a good one since fewer kids actually work on farms today. Some cities in the United States, such as Los Angeles, have moved to a year-round school timetable, which may help reduce the loss of school skills that happens during the long summer holiday. To improve skills and to keep a good level of preparation, headmasters suggest trips to museums, summer camps, holidays with educational value, and visits to libraries to keep kids interested throughout the summer.
There are other educational systems that provide holidays while still keeping students’ skills up to date. For example, in Japan, students attend class for seven weeks in a row, followed by two weeks of holiday. This continues the whole year. In Italy, students attend class six days per week, but finish at 1: 30 pm each day, so that school does not run their life the way that it does in America, where students attend high school from 7: 45 am until 3: 00 pm each weekday. In areas where there are not enough classrooms—in Afghanistan or Somalia, for example—older students attend classes in the morning while the younger kids go to school in the afternoon.
Headmasters fear that the three-month summer holiday stops the flow of learning. Just as students become used to new math problems or new ideas in reading, writing, or thinking skills, they “shut down” during the summer holiday. When they go back to school after the long summer holiday, they take up to two months to return to their previous (先前的) level of skill. So the debate continues: whether to continue holidays or to make changes based on the Los Angeles or the Japanese models.Which skills suffer the most over the summer holidays?
| A．Math and reading. | B．Math and spelling. |
| C．Reading and writing. | D．Reading and thinking. |
What can we learn about the first purpose of summer holidays?
| A．It is still widely acceptable now. | B．It was popular in some cities. |
| C．It is not a good reason for city kids. | D．It was more for teachers than for students. |
The underlined phrase “shut down” in the last paragraph probably means __________.
| A．stop learning | B．get sick |
| C．go on reading | D．focus on studies |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Parents always read to their kids to keep reading skills. |
| B．Summer holidays lead to the loss of all the school skills. |
| C．Students love holidays and get their mind off learning in holidays. |
| D．In Italy students attend classes in the late afternoon six days a week. |
Bottled water has become the choice for people who are healthy and thirsty. Bottled water is all over the world. But some say the planet’s health, and people’s health may be suffering from it.
The idea that bottled water is safer for humans may not be true. The Natural Resources Defense Council of America said, “There is no promise that because water comes out of a bottle, it is cleaner or safer than water from the tap.” Another New York City-based action group added that some bottled water is “really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes more clean, sometimes not.”
It is not proven that bottled water is better than tap water. Nick Reeves from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management said, “The high mineral content (含量) of some bottled water makes them not good for feeding babies and young children.” Also, most bottled water doesn’t have fluoride (氟化物), which can make teeth stronger. Kids are drinking more bottled water and less fluoridated tap water, and some say that’s behind the recent rise in bad teeth.
Storing is another problem. Placed near heat, the plastic bottles can produce bad chemicals (化学物质) into the water.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used worldwide to bottle water each year. The plastic can take between 400 and 1,000 years to break down.
In terms of energy use, plastic bottles are also not cheap. One report said that if water and soft drink bottlers had used 10 percent recycled materials in their plastic bottles, they would have saved about 72 million gallons of gas.
So, if you are worried about the effect of bottled water on the Earth, you can take the following steps.
● Drink from your tap. Unless your government warns against this, it should be fine.
● Get a container (容器). Carry your tap water in a steel or a lined drinking container, and clean it between uses.
● Keep it cool. Don’t drink from a bottle that has been sitting in the sun, don’t store it near chemicals, and don’t reuse plastic bottles.
● Choose glass containers over plastic if possible. When finished, recycle!What is the main idea of the article?
| A．Drinking tap water is the only choice for people. |
| B．Glass containers are better than plastic bottles. |
| C．Plastic bottles are harmful to the environment. |
| D．Bottled water may not be as good as we think. |
What can we learn about plastic bottles from the article?
| A．They break down in less than 300 years. | B．They can be used for many other things. |
| C．They are a risk to the environment. | D．They are cheap to make. |
According to the article, we can know that bottled water is __________.
| A．no problem for the environment | B．more expensive than tap water |
| C．always safer than tap water | D．better for babies |
Which of the following about tap water is NOT mentioned in the article?
| A．There are a lot of problems storing tap water. |
| B．Bottled water can be just tap water in a bottle. |
| C．It may be better for your teeth. |
| D．It may contain fluoride. |
Most of the time, people wear hats to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions. Hats are also worn to show politeness and as signs of social position. But nowadays, hats, especially women’s hats, are much more than that. More exactly, hats have changed into fashion and style symbols by many movie stars. What’s more, people now consider many different features (特点)when choosing even a simple hat. Many designers point out that, when choosing the right hat, it’s important to consider the color of your skin as well as your hair, your height, and the shape of your face.
First of all, the color of the hat should match the color of your skin and hair. For instance, black hats should be avoided if you are dark skinned. If a purple hat is placed on top of red hair, one will look as attractive as a summer flower. Second, the height of the hat is also an important point. Tall women should not go for hats with tall crowns, just as short women should choose hats with upturned brims to give the look of height. Third, and most importantly, the shape of the face decides the kind of hat one should pick. A small, gentle hat that fits the head looks good on a small face. However, women with big, round faces should choose a different style.
As the saying goes, “Fine feathers make fine birds.” A good hat can not only help your dress but also support your features, so why not choose the best possible one next time you want to be in public?What does the underlined word “harsh” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
| A．good | B．strange | C．poor | D．different |
According to the article, which of the following women would look most attractive?
| A．A big-faced woman who wears a small, nice hat. |
| B．A short red-haired woman who wears a purple hat. |
| C．A tall woman who wears a hat with a huge upturned brim. |
| D．A small dark-skinned woman who wears a black hat with a tall crown. |
What does the last paragraph suggest?
| A．Hats are worn on the head to keep warm. |
| B．Hats can help you look better in public. |
| C．Hats are not as important as character. |
| D．Hats can make you look much taller. |
What is the best title for the article?
| A．How to Show Your Social Position | B．How to Improve Your Features |
| C．How to Choose a Proper Hat | D．How to Design a Nice Hat |
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