Sometimes life gets a little dull. What used to be fun and different becomes boring. That is the time to look for something new. It is the time for a big idea to get your mind off everyday life. So why not search for extraterrestrial (地球外的) intelligence? Or even better, why not get your computer to do it for you?
Over two million people have joined the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence（SETI）project. Based in California, the SETI project analyzes information taken from a giant radio telescope based in South America. Its task is to look for signals from outer space that might prove that life exists on other planets.
Processing this information is far too big a job for one computer. So the SETI project workers divide the work among volunteers who visit their website. Each computer gets some information to work out from the SETI network through the Internet. This process is often known as “meta-computing”.
It is a wonderful thought. You are sleeping, eating a meal or going out with friends. All this time, your computer is searching the stars for signs that might show something is out there trying to get in touch. Volunteers are proud of being involved in the SETI project. It shows that they understand the potential (潜能) of computing. They know that it is more than just a way of working or playing games.
Meta-computing may also be creating intelligence as well as looking for it. This idea is based on the theory that human intelligence is created by the way in which different parts of the brain communicate with each other. As the saying goes, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” People who join the SETI project sometimes wonder whether their computer will become part of a huge network that has learned to think for itself.According to the writer, meta-computing may be creating intelligence .
| A．because human beings are intelligent | B．because a computer works as the brain does |
| C．because of a network of many computers | D．because of the number of computers |
Which of the following shows the order in which the SETI network works?
| A．Radio telescope→SETI website→Volunteers’ computer→SETI base |
| B．Radio telescope→SETI base→SETI website→Volunteers’ computer |
| C．SETI base→SETI website→Volunteers’ computers→Radio telescope |
| D．SETI base→Radio telescope→SETI website→Volunteers’ computers |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to _____ .
| A．extra-terrestrial intelligence | B．human intelligence |
| C．the SETI project | D．meta-computing |
The passage mainly tells us about _____.
| A．a new way to work on the computer |
| B．a new way to work and play games |
| C．a new way to search for life outside the earth |
| D．a new way to make computers learn to think for itself |
Commuters (上下班往返的人) who drive to work will face a parking charge of up to ￡350 a year.Ministers are backing a workplace parking charge which will come into force in Nottingham in 2013 and is likely to be adopted across the country.The scheme will see firms with more than ten parking places for staff charged ￡350 a year for each space in two years.
Employers would be free to pass on the charge to their staff—meaning it would effectively be a tax on driving to work.The scheme aims to reduce traffic by preventing unnecessary car journeys and raise funds to improve public transport，but critics say it is just an excuse for councils to fill their coffers (金库)．
Some ten million Britons drive to work each day，and the British Chambers of Commerce says the new charge could total ￡3.4 billion a year if rolled out nationwide.
Already some firms in Nottingham have threatened to leave the city，where 40,000 commuters use their cars to get to work.A spokesman said the scheme was nothing more than a tax on jobs.“It is very unfair to discriminate against those employers who have parking spaces，which get vehicles off the streets，” he said.“And these charges apply around the clock，which is especially unfair on shift workers who rely on their cars because public transport is not available.This is more about increasing the government’s income than reducing traffic.”
However，Transport Minister Sadiq Khan gave the plan an official approval during a visit to Nottingham. The council says the tax will raise as much as ￡100 million over ten years—one fifth of the cost of a new transport system for the city.
Another transport spokesman Theresa Villiers said the tax would have a devastating impact on businesses struggling to cope with the economic decline.
But Richard Hebditch of the Campaign for Better Transport said the tax would raise money to invest in better transport.“We put forward the idea of workplace parking taxes as a fairer way to raise money to invest in the future local transport services.We are pleased that the people of Nottingham will be the first to benefit.”Supporters argue that the scheme________.
| A．can help improve the parking conditions for the staff |
| B．should be applied to ail commuters driving to work |
| C．is certain to be carried out despite the objections |
| D．will relieve traffic pressure and improve public transport |
According to the objectors，the scheme is unfair for________.
| A．the firms with parking lots |
| B．the workforce without cars |
| C．the employees parking their cars on the streets |
| D．the staff driving to work in the daytime |
Which word can best describe Theresa Villiers’s attitude towards the scheme?
| A．Neutral. | B．Negative. |
| C．Understanding. | D．Positive. |
It can be inferred from the passage that________.
| A．many firms are willing to pay the charges for their staff |
| B．the public transport in Nottingham is in great need of improvement |
| C．the author believes Britons will benefit from the scheme |
| D．those firms with more commuters will leave Nottingham |
In 1943, when I was 4, my parents moved from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Fairbanks, Alaska, where adventure was never very far away.
We arrived in the summer, just in time to enjoy the midnight sun. All that sunlight was fantastic for Mom's vegetable garden. Working in the garden at midnight tended to throw her timing off, so she didn't care much about my bedtime.
Dad was a Railway Express agent and Mom was his clerk. That left me in a mess. I usually managed to find some trouble to get into. Once I had a little Are going in the dirt basement of a hotel. I had tried to light a barrel（桶） of paint but couldn't really get a good fire going. The smoke got pretty bad, though, and when 1 made my exit, a crowd and the police were there to greet me. The policemen took my matches and drove me
Mom and Dad were occupied in the garden and Dad told the police to keep me, and they did! I had a tour of the prison before Mom rescued me. 1 hadn't turned 5 yet.
As I entered kindergarten, the serious cold began to set in. Would it surprise you to know that I soon left part of my tongue on a metal handrail at school?
As for Leonhard Seppala, famous as a dog sledder (驾雪橇者), I think I knew him well because I was taken for a ride with his white dog team one Sunday. At the time I didn't realize what a superstar he was, but I do remember the ride well. I was wrapped (包裹) heavily and well sheltered from the freezing and blowing weather.
In 1950, we moved back to Coeur d'Alene, but we got one more Alaskan adventure when Leonhard invited us eight years later by paying a visit to Idaho to attend a gathering of former neighbors of Alaska.What can be inferred about the author's family?
| A．His father was a cruel man. | B．His parents didn't love him. |
| C．His parents used to be very busy. | D．His mother didn't have any jobs. |
What happened when the author was 4?
| A．He learned to smoke. | B．He was locked in a basement. |
| C．He was arrested by the poli | D．He nearly caused a fire accident. |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Leonhard was good at driving dog sleds. |
| B．The author spent his whole childhood in Alaska. |
| C．Leonhard often visited the author's family after 1950. |
| D．The author suffered a lot while taking the dog sled in Alaska. |
What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
| A．To look back on his childhood with adventures. |
| B．To describe the extreme weather of Alaska. |
| C．To express how much he misses Leonhard. |
| D．To show off his pride in making trouble. |
A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
Grirmsvom is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvom different is that it lies under a huge glacier（冰川） of ice up to 12 maters thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer（层）of water between the glacier and the volcano This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable, As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava（岩浆） from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what happened today.
Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM. one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp. Glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from eating ash- covered grass to the sharp object. What makes Grimsvom different from other volcanoes?
| A．It is below ice. |
| B．It lies under the sea |
| C．It is the largest volcano |
| D．It is lava affects the airlines |
What keeps Grimsvotn still?
| A．The slow flow of water |
| B．The low water temperature |
| C．The thick glacier |
| D．The water pressure |
Which of the following is the result of the volcanic eruption?
| A．People stop traveling in Europe |
| B．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes |
| C．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside |
| D．Farmers have lost many of their animals |
This text is most probably taken from_
| A．a research paper |
| B．a newspaper report |
| C．a class presentation |
| D．a geography textbook |
Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, “In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence”. Given that this is the case, why aren't students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult(侮辱). For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.
Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution(解决)：stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, namecalling, and accusations only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy(策略) for conflict resolution: listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask nonthreatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need to consider what they are bearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these：How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid of? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.
There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, “64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves”. Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.This article is mainly about ________.
| A．the lives of school children |
| B．the cause of arguments in schools |
| C．how to analyze youth violence |
| D．how to deal with school conflicts |
From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ________.
| A．violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime |
| B．a small conflict can lead to violence |
| C．students tend to lose their temper easily |
| D．the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight |
Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?
| A．To find out who is to blame. |
| B．To get ready to try new things. |
| C．To make clear what the real issue is. |
| D．To figure out how to stop the shouting match. |
After the conflict resolution program was started in Atlanta, it was found that ________.
| A．there was a decrease in classroom violence |
| B．there was less student cooperation in the classroom |
| C．more teachers felt better about themselves in schools |
| D．the teacherstudent relationship greatly improved |
The writer's purpose for writing this article is to ________.
| A．complain about problems in school education |
| B．teach students different strategies for school life |
| C．advocate teaching conflict management in schools |
| D．inform teachers of the latest studies on school violence |
Most people who move to a foreign country or culture may go through some form of culture shock，and its degree is determined by the differences between cultures，the anxiety to adapt to a new culture and the familiarity with a new culture，etc.If you go，for example，to a culture that is far different from your own，you’re likely to experience culture shock more sharply than those who move to a new culture knowing the language and the custom of it.
It is important to understand and learn how to deal with culture shock if you are to adapt successfully to your new home’s cultures.There are four general stages of cultural adjustment，and being aware of them helps you understand that culture shock won’t last long.It’s just a process you are going through rather than a constant situation.
The first stage is usually referred to as “the honeymoon stage”．Upon arriving in a new environment，you’ll be interested in the new culture.Everything will seem thrilling and everyone will seem friendly and helpful.During this stage you are merely taking in these impressions passively.
But it isn’t long before the honeymoon stage gives way to the second stage—“the withdrawal stage”．The excitement you felt before is gone and problems arise.The language is hard to learn，people are unusual and unpredictable，friends，are hard to make，and simple things like shopping and going to the bank are challenges.It is at this stage that you are likely to feel anxious and homesick，and you will probably find yourself complaining about the new culture or country.This is the stage called “culture shock”．
At some point，if you can manage it well，you’ll begin the transition into the next stage，“the recovery stage”，in which you’ll feel more confident functioning in the new culture.Customs and traditions are clearer and easier to understand.At this stage，you’ll deal with new challenges with humor rather than anxiety.According to the passage，culture shock can be________.
| A．dealt with more easily for some people |
| B．reduced by learning the language alone |
| C．avoided by knowing adjustment stages |
| D．got rid of by learning just the custom |
“The honeymoon stage” here refers to________.
| A．the first month after the wedding |
| B．the period of excitement |
| C．the stage of adaptation |
| D．the holiday for a newlymarried couple |
Which of the following doesn’t belong to the second stage?
| A．Becoming upset. | B．Missing family. |
| C．Feeling confident. | D．Making complaints. |
What would be probably discussed in the following paragraph?
| A．Consequences of culture shock. |
| B．Challenges in a new country. |
| C．Preparations for a new culture. |
| D．The 4th stage of cultural adjustment. |
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