Nowadays, there’s a lot of debate about single sex education since it has begun to regain its popularity recently. According to long term studies of children from around the world, students achieve more and learn better in single sex schools.
An Australian study of 270,000 students found that both boys and girls performed much higher on standardized(标准化) tests when they attended separate schools. During an experiment in Virginia in 1995, 100 eighth graders were separated just for math and science courses. Almost immediately, the girls began to achieve more, become more confident and take part more often in class activities.
In 2001, a British study concluded that nearly every girl regardless of (不论) her ability or socio-economic status performed better in single sex classrooms than co-ed ones. The study of 2,954 high schools and 979 primary schools showed that while boys at the lowest levels in study improved the most in single sex schools, single sex education was particularly beneficial (有益的) to girls. Every one of the top 50 private elementary schools and top 20 private high schools in Britain are single sex schools.
Girls became more confident in themselves as students and earned higher scores on their College Board and Advanced Placement examinations. A quarter of the female members of the US Congress and one-third of all female members of Fortune 100 boards graduated from all-women’s colleges.
While the statistics are not as dramatic for boys, however, boys tend to soften their competitive edge and become more cooperative in a single sex setting. They can just be boys and not worry about what the girls might think.
Single sex education has a pleasant way of encouraging children to be fearless, to be curious, to be enthusiastic --- in short, to just be themselves. Children are subjected (屈从于) to pressures from every quarter to become adults before they are ready to do so. They grow up too quickly. Why not let them be children for a few more years? Single sex education with its gentler, more controlled social atmosphere is just the right answer for many children. With the experiment in Virginia in 1995, the writer wants to show that .
| A．single sex education has become popular in recent years |
| B．the effect of single sex education on girls is immediate |
| C．students at separate schools are better prepared for standardized tests |
| D．both boy and girl students achieve more and learn better in single sex schools |
According to the article, which of the following statements about single sex education is TRUE?
| A．Girls’ performances in single sex classrooms are determined by their ability and socioeconomic status. |
| B．In all-boys schools boys with the worst academic performances improved the most. |
| C．Single sex education was particularly helpful for boys. |
| D．There are more single sex schools than co-ed schools in Britain. |
In the article, the underlined phrase “soften their competitive edge” probably means .
| A．act in a kindly manner | B．become less competitive |
| C．lose interest in something | D．take advantage of something |
What is the main point of the article?
| A．Ways to reduce pressure and help children grow. |
| B．The reason why girls perform better than boys at school. |
| C．The advantage of single sex education. |
| D．The development of single sex education in different countries. |
When his wife died，the baby was two．They had six other children--three boys and three girls，ranging in age from 4 to 16． A few days later he became a widower, the man’s parents and his wife’s parents came to visit the family．“We’ve been talking，”they said，“about how to take care of all these children and work to make a living．So，we’ve arranged for each child to be placed with a different uncle and aunt．We’re making sure that al1of your children will be living right here in the neighborhood，so you can see them anytime…”
The man appreciated their thoughtfulness but refused their kindness. Over the next few weeks the man worked with his children，assigning them chores(杂务)and giving them responsibilities ．
But then another misfortune happened．The man developed arthritis (关节炎)．His hands swelled，and he was unable to hold the handles of his farm tools. He would not be able to continue the work on his farm. He sold his farming equipment, moved the family to a small town and opened a small business．
The family was welcomed into the new neighborhood．Word of his pleasant personality and excellent customer service began to spread in the town．People came from far and wide to do business with him．And the children helped both at home 
and at work．Their father’s pleasure in his work brought satisfaction to them，and he drew pleasure from their successes ．
The children grew up and got married. Five of the seven went to college and they were married. The children’s successes were a source of pride to the father．Then came grandchildren. No one enjoyed grandchildren more than this man. As they became older, he invited them to his workplace and his small home. They brought each other great joy. Finally, the youngest daughter, the baby, who had been two years old at her moth
er death, got married. Finally，the man，with his life’s work completed ，died．
This man’s work had been the lonely but joyful task of raising his family．This man was my father．
I was the 1 6-year—old，the oldest of seven．
1. How old was the writer when his mother died?
A. 4 B. 2 C. 16 D. not mentioned
2. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. There were six children in the family.
B. The father wanted to give his children to his relatives.
C. The father didn’t farm any longer because of his illness.
D. The father’s life work was lonely and sadly.
3. The underlined word “widower” means ________.
A. a worker B. a farmer C. a man with many children D. a man without wife
4. The main idea of the passage is ________.
A. The father’s life work: raising his family
B. Why the father wanted to raised his family
C. How the children grew up after their mother died
D. the father’s sadness and happiness in his life
5. what is the writer’s attitude to his father?.
A. unconcerned B. critical C. doubtful D. respectful
There are many ways to find a job. Local stores often have areas where people can put small signs telling what kind of service they need or can provide. Such services include caring for children or cleaning houses.
Or, job searchers can look in the newspaper. Local newspapers have employment announcements placed by companies seeking workers.
Another popular tool for finding jobs is the Internet. For example, people in four hundred and fifty cities around the world can use the Craigslist Web site 
to buy objects, meet people or find a job. Craigslist says that it receives two million new job listings each month.
Another useful way to find a job is through a college or university. For example, students at the University of Texas can go to the Career Exploration Center to get help in finding a job. Of course, looking for a job requires knowing what kind of work you want to do. For example, there is a book called “What Color is Your Parachute (降落伞)?” by Richard Bolles. This book has been helping people choose a career (职业) since it was first published in nineteen seventy.
Some experts also help people find jobs. Susan W. Miller owns a company called Califo
rnia Career Services in Los Angeles. She says her company helps people find jobs by first helping them understand their advantages, goals and interests. Then she provides them with methods and resources to help them find the right job.
1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Finding a job. B. Colle
ge students’ part-time jobs.
C. Craigslist Web site. D. The relation between study and work
.
2. By logging on the Craigslist Web site, you can ______.
A. sell your old things B. do some shopping online
C. create your own announcement board D. get useful information about 450 cities3. “What Color is Your Parachute?” is a book which gives tips to those who want to _____.
A. work on the
airplane B. buy a parachute C. publish a book D. find a suitable job
4. It can be learned from the passage that ______.
A. companies often put job information in local shops
B. the Internet is the most popular tool for job hunters in the USA
C. Susan W. Miller’s company is helping people choose careers
D. California Career Services mainly serves university students
5. How many ways of finding a job are mentioned in the passage?
A. Three. B. Four. C. Five. D. Six.
第二部分：（共两节，满分45分）：
第一节：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people the nation and especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation, it will tell you the potential（潜势）
of that nation.
If today in America, you ask the high school students to 
l
ist their heroes, their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars —the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model (推举…为榜样). The rock stars too often are involved with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However, one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes.
A second type of hero for the American youth
is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area — SPORTS. However, too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of a mess. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of life of the sports star.
A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However, the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model for young people.
Today, the rock star, the athlete and the actor all have become the models of the youth in America. Really, do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist? These people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However, they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone.
What is really sad is that the young try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American youngsters are only rock stars, athletes and actors, the future does not look too bright.
1. The hero discussed in this article means a
person ______.
A. who has done something brave B. who plays an important role in a play
C. whom people greatly admire D. who rides the waves and moves with the tides
2. What is true of the groups mentioned in this article?
A. They are not fright but are good-looking.
B. They are rich but are strict with themselves.
C. They are talented in some area but lead an indecent life.
D. They are perfect in every way.
3. American young people will not admire ______.
A. a university professor B. a popular singer C. a football player D. a film actress
4. According to the writer, people should hold up as their model those______.
A. who are rich and wear the latest fashion clothes B. whose personal life is good
C. who can express people’s feelings D. who work in the interests (利益) of the people
5. What is the writer’s attitude towards American youth’s admiration for their heroes?
A. He is understanding. B. He is critical. C. He is angry. D. He is uninterested.
Have you seen Jurassic Park? In this film, scientists use DNA kept for tens of millions of years to clone dinosaurs. They find trouble, however, when they realize that the cloned creatures are smarter and more dangerous than expected. That’s nothing more than a fiction.
But could we really clone endangered animals?
To date, the most successful att
empt to do so was the cloning of a gaur, a rare ox-like animal from southeast Asia. Scientists used a cow to bring the cloned baby gaur, named Noah. Two days after birth, however, Noah died from a common bacterial infection. Other endangered species that may be cloned include the African bongo antelope (邦戈羚羊), the Sumatran tiger, the cheetah (猎豹), and the giant panda. Next, could we really clone extinct animals?
In theory? Yes. To do this, you need a well-kept source of DNA from the extinct animals such as wool mammoth (毛象), Tasmanian tiger, or even dinosaur, and a closely related species, still living, which could serve as a surrogate mother.
In reality? Probably not. On the one hand, it’s not likely that extinct animals’ DNA could survive undamaged for such a long time. Cloning extinct animals as wool mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, or dinosaur is much more difficult due to the lack of properly well-preserved DNA. On the other hand, for example, a gaur can have a cow as a surrogate mother, definitely not a monkey. But what about an extinct animals as unique as the panda? What species could possibly serve as a surrogate mother?
Cloning presents many exciting possibilities. However, even if extinct animals are brought back, they could not survive in today’s world. Not only do most extinct animals have no habitat to love in, but the other plants and animals they depended on for food may also be gone as well.
1. It can be learned from the text that ________.
A. scientists have cloned the African bongo antelope
B. both the cheetah and the giant panda live in Asia
C. the gaur lives in Asia and is endangered
D. the gaur is an extinct species
2. The underlined words “a surrogate mother” probably refer to a female who -----
A. contributes its eggs to another female B. gives birth to a baby for another female
C. gives birth to a baby of its own D. cannot give birth to a baby
3. The difficulty in cloning an extinct species is the lack of ______.
A. both the well-preserved DNA and plants to live on
B. both the habitat to live in and the well-preserved DNA
C. both habitat to live in and plants to live on
D. both the well-preserved DNA and a surrogate mother
4. In the author’s opinion, it is possible that ______.
A. some extinct species may be cloned, but not survive
B. extinct species may be cloned and easily survive
C. a gaur can hav
e a monkey as a surrogate mother
D. all the extinct species may be cloned
5．Today , have scientists cloned dinosaus?
A .Yes B .No C .A lot D.Only one.
The Pathfinder
When we found him, he was a sorry sight. His clothes were torn, his hands bleeding. Before we reached him, we saw him fall. He lay a moment. Then he pulled himself to his feet, walked unsteadily a few yards through the woods and fell again.
After we got him out, we went back to find the gu
n that he had thrown down. His tracks showed that for two days he had circled in the forest, wit
hin 200 yards of the road. His senses were so dulled by fear and tiredness that he did not hear the cars going by or see the lights at night.
We found him just in time.
This man, like others before him, had simply been frightened when he knew he was lost. What had been a near disaster might have turned out as only a pleasant walk, had he made a few preparations before he stepped from the highway or off a known path.
Whatever sense of direction that a man may have, it’s still largely a question of obs
ervation. A skilled woodsman always keeps an eye on his 
surroundings. He notes that the shape of a mountain, the direction water flows through a swamp, and the way a tree leans across a path. With these in mind, he may be turned around many times, but he is seldom lost.
There are exceptions, of course, and once in a while a man does come across some strange problem that puts him into the “lost” situation. A rainstorm or sudden blizzard may catch him without a compass（指南针）in his pocket. Darkness may find him in a rough area, where travel is dangerous without a light.
When this happens, the normal first reaction（反应）is the fear of being laughed at as a result of his poor knowledge in the woods. He may also be concerned about the inconvenience that he will cause his friends when he doesn’t show up. This false pride may lead him to keep on the move in a false effort to find his way against all difficulties.
The person who thinks ahead is seldom in great danger. He’ll be safe if he observes carefully, thinks ahead, and remains calm.
1 The author suggested that if the man had not been found, he would have __________.
A. been shot by a gun B. become confused
C. been attacked by wild animals D. been in great danger
2. According to the passage, if a person gets lost
in the forest, at the very beginning, he would __________.
A. worry about being laughed at
B. push himself to find his way out
C. feel it is convenient to ask for help from his friends
D. be concerned about being frightened by wild animals
3. When a person tries to find his way in the woods, __________ is the most important
A. intelligence B. observation C. direction D. chance
4. The author tells the story of the lost man as an example of people who __________.
A. go into the woods by themselves
B. don’t know how to signal for help properly
C. are frightened when they think they are lost
D. notice everything when stepping from the highway
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