Forget chip fat, sugar cane or rapeseed oil — the latest source of biofuel could be watermelons. Scientists have discovered that the fruit is a great source of sugar that can be readily distilled (蒸馏) into alcohol to power cars and farm machinery.
And sellers reject 360,000 tons of “substandard” fruit every year in America alone which could be used as an economical way to make fuel. The waste from US growers could produce nearly two million gallons (nine million litres) of biofuel per year.
In the study, researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture set out to determine the biofuel potential of juice from rejected watermelons —those not sold due to cosmetic imperfections, and currently ploughed back into the field. About a fifth of each yearly watermelon crop is left in the field because of surface blemishes (瑕疵) or because they are misshapen.
Dr. Wayne Fish, who led the team, found that 50 percent of the fruit was fermentable (可发酵的) into alcohol which could provide valuable fuel.
“We’ve shown that the juice of these watermelons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing an unexploited raw material for alcohol biofuel production,” he said.
The study, published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels, discovered that watermelons could produce around 20 gallons of fuel per acre from fruit that otherwise would go to waste.
Production of biofuels has been targeted by Western governments as a way to support renewable energy targets.
The European Union has a target for 2010 that 5.75 percent of transport fuels should come from biological sources, but the target is unlikely to be met.
The British government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation requires five percent of the fuel sold at the pump by 2010 to be biofuel.The passage mainly tells us ______.
| A．watermelon juice will be the largest source of renewable energy |
| B．the advantages of fuel made from watermelons |
| C．Western countries aim at producing biofuels |
| D．watermelons could be used to make fuel |
It can be learned from the text that ______.
| A．about two gallons of fuel could be made from rejected fruit per acre |
| B．sellers in the world throw away 360,000 tons of watermelons every year |
| C．half of the watermelons were fermentable into alcohol to provide energy |
| D．five percent of fuel is required to be biofuel from watermelons by 2010 in Britain |
The underlined word “cosmetic” in Paragraph 3 probably means ______.
| A．fresh | B．sweet | C．surface | D．inside |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．it will cost a lot to make biofuel from watermelons |
| B．Western countries are engaged in biofuel study but still have a long way to go |
| C．watermelon juice has been used as a source of sugars to produce alcohol biofuel |
| D．the European Union is likely to meet its target of transport fuels from biological sources |
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension (30 marks)
Directions： Read the following three passages. Each passages is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked with A， B， C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
As we all know， the Dragon Boat Festival is our country’s traditional festival， but do you know there is also a Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea， which also falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar(阴历)？ It has been reported that South Korea will apply to United Nations Educational， Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO 联合国教科文组织) to make the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival its own intangible cultural heritage (非物质的文化遗产). If successful， people from other countries may see the Dragon Festival as a Korean creation.
As the birthplace of the yearly event more than 2,000 years ago， China is not happy with the situation. “It would be a shame if another country successfully made a traditional Chinese festival part of its own cultural heritage ahead of China，” said Zhou Heping， deputy(副) culture minister. The Chinese Ministry of Culture is even thinking of making its own application(申请) to UNESCO， covering all traditional Chinese festivals， including the Dragon Boat event. It is thought that the festival is held in memory of the great poet Qu Yuan (340－278 BC)， who lived in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu was known to be a patriot (爱国者) and admired by ordinary people.
He is said to have jumped into Miluo River， because he had lost hope in his country’s future. When people heard about Qu’s death， they sailed up and down the river searching for his body. They also beat the drums to frighten away the fish and threw Zongzi into the water to stop the fish touching Qu. Dragon boat racing is said to come from this search for the poet’s body.
Over the years， the Dragon Boat Festival has spread throughout the world. In Japan and Vietnam， as well as South Korea， the festival has mixed with and become part of the local culture.
The Dragon Boat Festival .
| A．is also kept by South Korea |
| B．comes from South Korea |
| C．was created by South Korea |
| D．is South Korea’s cultural heritage |
What is the reaction(反应) of the Chinese Ministry of Culture to South Korea’s planning to make the Dragon Boat Festival its own cultural heritage？
| A．Fighting against South Korea. |
| B．Telling South Korea it’s not right to do so. |
| C．Considering to do the similar thing. |
| D．Asking South Korea not to do so. |
What is the purpose of holding the Dragon Boat Festival？
| A．In memory of Qu Yuan. |
| B．In memory of all the patriots of China. |
| C．To frighten away the fish. |
| D．In honor of QuYuan’s birthday. |
After Qu Yuan’s death， Zongzi was thrown into the water to .
| A．feed him |
| B．protect his body from going bad |
| C．prevent the fish biting his body |
| D．attract his soul |
Now， the Dragon Boat Festival has become activity.
| A．a nationwide | B．a worldwide |
| C．an Asian | D．a foreign |
A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment.
By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation(诱惑) early were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible(顽固的)．
Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn't show up on an IQ test.
The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists' concerns. But brain theory can't explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain upbeat in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul.
Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people's success, brain ability measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as “character”．
EQ is not the opposite of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one's ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the ingredients (要素) for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck.
While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ causes misuse.The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that ________.
| A．the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment |
| B．emotional intelligence won't show up until adolescence |
| C．the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success |
| D．candy can be used to measure a person's emotional intelligence |
Which of the following is TRUE of EQ and IQ according to the text?
| A．There is no link between EQ and IQ. |
| B．The higher a person's IQ is, the higher his or her EQ is. |
| C．Some people can be blessed with lots of both, but some with little of either. |
| D．Scientists are trying to discover the way in which EQ and IQ work together. |
The underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
| A．kind | B．floating |
| C．excited | D．optimistic |
Why does the author mention the experiment at the beginning of the text?
| A．To amuse both the children and readers. |
| B．To prove the scientist’s wisdom. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| D．To show us how to do an IQ test. |
What is most likely to be written in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Information about famous people with high EQ. |
| B．Examples showing the opposite voice about EQ. |
| C．Some reasons why EQ is relatively new field. |
| D．Strong demands for basic emotional education. |
If you’re thinking about reaching for another biscuit to get you through the working day, think again. Eating unhealthy snacks at your desk makes you pile on almost half a stone a year, a survey has revealed. The waistlines of women suffer the most, with the average female putting on 6lb 3oz – the equivalent of a whole dress size – while men see their weight increase by 5lb 2oz.
The report into our eating habits found that, on average, we eat at least two snacks a day, with 30 per cent of us tucking into three or more. Women admit eating more than men, with a further 13 per cent of ladies scoffing four or more snacks a day. The research, by The Village Bakery, found biscuits are the most common vice, with 42 per cent regularly opening a pack, closely followed by chocolate (38 per cent), crisps (32 per cent) and cakes (13 per cent).
And office workers are worse than most. Cakes and biscuits brought into work by colleagues are one of the main temptations office staff give in to. In addition, 33 per cent admit reaching for nibbles to cope with stress and 22 per cent say they need a sugar rush to perk them up in the afternoon.
Simon Staddon, of The Village Bakery, said: “We were aware time-poor office workers can find it difficult to easily access a nutritional lunch. But we were really shocked by the extent to which ‘quick fix' lunches are affecting weight gain and general wellbeing. Popular mid-afternoon pick-me-ups such biscuits, chocolate and cakes are high in calories, fat and full of sugar, all of which affect your blood sugar levels and ultimately lead to weight gain.”
The survey of 2,000 British men and women suggests we are often ashamed of our unhealthy eating. Twenty-four per cent of Britons admit lying about how many snacks they eat with 33 per cent of women lying, compared to 20 per cent of men. Unfortunately, it's not as if we are likely to do anything positive to counteract the sweet treats.According to the passage, women usually put weight on first ________.
| A．on the face | B．on the legs |
| C．on the feet | D．in the middle |
What’s the main reason of eating snacks in office?
| A．Colleagues eat them to save money. |
| B．Staff use them to cope with their lunch. |
| C．Colleagues often bring them to office. |
| D．Bosses invite staff to eat them. |
Why do office workers eat a “quick fix” lunch?
| A．Because it has much of nutrition. |
| B．Because it has little effect on weight gain. |
| C．Because it has little effect on general wellbeing. |
| D．Because they have short time to have their lunches. |
It can be inferred that British women are ________.
| A．less likely to lie on snacks than men |
| B．more likely to lie on snacks than men |
| C．more ashamed of eating snacks than men |
| D．less ashamed of eating snacks than men |
What does the underlined word possibly mean?
| A．act against | B．appeal to |
| C．cope with | D．get in |
Part III Reading Comprehension （30 marks）
Directions: Read the following three passages, Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements．For each of them there are four choices marked A, B,C and D．Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
Humans aren’t the only ones getting a buzz from coffee. Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination(授粉). According to a recent study published in the journal Science.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. They found that the nectar(花蜜) of some flowers, such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants, as well as certain coffee flowers, contains low doses of caffeine. To get bees to feed on these flowers, the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers. They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine. After 24 hours, the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants.
Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers. “Remembering floral traits (花部特征) is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are,” Wright said in a statement.
Improved memory led to the better pollination. That’s because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate. This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees’ ability to search for food.
Researchers found that caffeine’s effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals. “The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons (神经元)”associated with learning and memory in the rat brain,” Wright said.
Bee populations have declining since 2007. The dramatic drop in the insects’ numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry. Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species. Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers.
Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
| A．Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain. |
| B．Bee population has been increasing. |
| C．The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine. |
| D．Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers. |
After reading the passage, John, who works in the farming industry, will probably feel ________.
| A．annoyed | B．angry | C．nervous | D．excited |
Which of the following relationship is correct according to the passage?
| A．improved memory — caffeine nectar — better pollination |
| B．caffeine nectar — improved memory — better pollination |
| C．improved memory — better pollination — caffeine nectar |
| D．caffeine nectar — better pollination — improved memory |
We can know from the passage that ________.
| A．the rat is a mammal |
| B．caffeine has nothing to do with memory |
| C．bees are good at remembering floral traits |
| D．Geraldine Wright did the research on his own |
What section of a newspaper may this passage be taken from?
| A．Science | B．Education |
| C．Culture | D．Sports |
You feel happiest when you create a healthy balance between giving and receiving. If you give and give without making time to fill your own needs, then it’s likely you will burn out, or feel upset .When you take and take without giving anything back ,you never feel fulfilled, so you are always searching for ways to fill the void in your life.
The way to create a healthy balance between giving and receiving is to know and then live by your values .I break values up into two groups which I call being and having values. Your being values are the character traits of the ideal person you would like to be. I suggest to my clients that they choose three being values that they are willing to make a commitment to live by. An example of some being values are: kind, loving, generous, inspirational, peaceful, wise and even powerful. By acting on these values you give to others through your actions and you inspire others by being a positive role model. Mastering being these character traits becomes your life purpose.
Your having values are the feelings you need to create in order to be happy. These could be companionship, achievement, support, being valued or financial security. This is what you receive. You take responsibility for filling your own needs by taking steps to create these feelings and conditions in your life.
When you make a commitment to live by your being values, it becomes easier to make conscious choices rather than reactionary ones. If your usual pattern is to talk about your problems, you could choose to think and act like a calm person. A calm person might go for a walk, meditate, or set a time limit before responding. If your usual pattern is to worry, you could choose to act like a responsible or wise person. In other words, you would act like the person you choose to be—this is the key to personal power.
When you choose to act on your values, you not only feel good about yourself, you reinforce your chosen beliefs. Over time acting in this way changes how you see the world, and in turn the way other people think of you.
The main purpose of this passage is to ___________.
| A．persuade the readers to make a commitment |
| B．inform the readers how to be truly happy |
| C．explain to the readers what personal values are |
| D．instruct the readers how to make wise choices |
According to the text, living by your being values ,you would ___________.
| A．gain a lot of power |
| B．fill your own needs |
| C．seek all human virtues |
| D．form positive personality |
The underlined word “void” in Paragraph 1 means ___________.
| A．a feeling of emptiness |
| B．an absence of one’s mind |
| C．a break of continuity |
| D．a state of confusion |
Which of the following does not belong to “your having values”?
| A．your success in the competition |
| B．the help from your friends |
| C．your own peaceful mind |
| D．the friendship |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Having values are better than being values. |
| B．The way other people think of you decides who you are. |
| C．A calm person does not choose to complain. |
| D．A responsible person does not care about financial security. |
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