Today our lives are changing faster than at any time in history. Here we report on three important changes that will have a big impact on our everyday lives in the future．
The cashless society
Cash and bank-notes will disappear almost completely. They will be replaced by smart cards, namely plastic cards: microchip（微芯片）processors（处理器）loaded with some money. When we pay for goods，the shop assistant will put our smart card into a payment terminal（终端）and money will come into his card from our card. When all the money is used up，we will be able to reloadit by putting it into a telephone，dialing our bank account and money will be put into the card from the account.
Interactive telephones
Talking computers will play an important part. They will recognize speech, ask us what information we need, look through a database，and put the information into speech．If we want to book a flight or pay a bill by phone, we will interact with a talking computer to do so. Human telephone operators will be used only for more complex operations such as dealing with complaints or solving special problems.
Traffic jams in cities will be reduced because drivers will use electronic route maps to find the quickest route to their destination. Electronic systems will start changing motorists for driving in cities．As soon as motorists have to pay to drive in cities, they will stop using their cars and use public transport instead. Speed control systems will be built into cars. These systems will automatically（自动地）regulate the speed of the car to take account of traffic and weather conditions and prevent accidents. It will be many years before these changes bring results but when they do，there will be a titanic improvement in road safety.
With the development of science and technology, more and more advanced things will be invented or created. Life in the future is undoubtedly different from that at the present. Cash and bank-note will disappear because .
| A．they will be out of use sooner or later |
| B．they will be replaced by plastic cards convenient to use |
| C．we can load money from the bank |
| D．they will be rejected by payment terminals |
What will you do if the money in your card is used up?
| A．Go to the bank to deposit some money. |
| B．Put the card into a telephone and dial the bank account. |
| C．Buy a new card. |
| D．We don’t know. |
Which of the following would be the best subtitle for the fourth paragraph?
| A．Future cars | B．Speed control systems | C．Intelligent cars | D．Traffic jams |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．When we buy tickets for flying somewhere else, we can have a talk with the computer. |
| B．If you make a complaint, you can use human telephone operation. |
| C．Drivers will stop using their cars and use public transport in order to prevent accidents. |
| D．The help of electronic route maps will decrease traffic jams. |
The underlined word “titanic” in Paragraph 4 means .
| A．huge and great | B．the name of a ship | C．slight | D．increasing |
NEW YORK - People who keep doing some work in their field after they retire may enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop work completely or switch to another area of work, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers from the University of Maryland said the findings suggest that prospective retirees should consider moving into so-called "bridge employment" as a transition to full retirement.
"In essence, if someone is in a field where part-time work or self-employment is possible, he or she should consider it as they plan for retirement," researcher Dr. Mo Wang, an assistant professor of psychology, told Reuters Health.
For their study, Wang and his colleagues used data on more than 12,000 workers in a U.S. health study begun in 1992. Participants, who were between the ages of 51 and 61 at the outset, were surveyed every two years over a six-year period.
Overall, Wang's team found, people who went into some form of bridge employment reported lower rates of major diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis during the study period than their counterparts who went straight into full retirement.
The findings were not explained by older age or worse initial health among people who opted for full retirement, the investigators report in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
On top of their better physical health, "bridge" workers also tended to report fewer mental health problems, such as depression.
The same mental health benefits were not seen, however, when retirees took part-time work in other fields -- possibly, Wang said, because many of these people may have taken those jobs out of financial need rather than choice.
He noted that the lack of benefit could also stem from the fact that these retirees had to adjust to an unfamiliar job position or had to make lifestyle changes.
Bridge work, particularly in one's accustomed field, may benefit physical and mental health for a number of reasons, according to Wang.
In general, he explained, such work may help older adults maintain the active lifestyles they had during their careers and decrease any stress they might feel from the transition into retirement. wwwWang said when it comes to mental health, for instance, bridge work may help by allowing people to keep some of the "role identity" that they have formed over their careers.
Staying active in general, not only through work, can also benefit retirees' physical health, Wang noted. He added, however, that any mental health benefits are likely to depend on the type of activity -- whether it is something that the person truly enjoys, and that helps ease any stress of moving into retirement.
"These findings," Wang said, "suggest that for retirees and prospective retirees, carefully considering whether to engage in bridge employment -- and if so, what types of bridge employment -- is quite important." What does the underlined phrase “at the outset” mean?__________
| A．at least | B．at least | C．at the beginning | D．at last |
People who went into some form of bridge employment have less chances to get the following diseases, EXCEPT___________.
| A．arthritis | B．heart disease | C．diabetes | D．low blood pressure |
Which of the following statement is WRONG?_________
| A．As long as retirees move into “bridge employment”, they must be healthier than those who do not. |
| B．The participants in the study were between 51 and 61 years old. |
| C．The bridge workers are also less likely to get depression. |
| D．Staying active is beneficial to the retirees’ physical health. |
What can we infer from the passage?________
| A．The study was begun in 1992 and lasts for two 6-year periods |
| B．If a bridge worker is older than 61 years old, it does not mean that he will get a better health than others who enjoy full retirement. |
| C．Only by moving into “bridge employment” can the retirees enjoy better health both physically and psychologically. |
| D．Any activity can benefit the retirees’ mental health. |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．A US study |
| B．Bridge Work |
| C．Working after retiring can be good for your health |
| D．Stay active |
阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
On the snowy Tibet plateau, traditional elements have been mingled with modern life -- youths dressed in the latest fashion dancing "Guozhuang," office-ladies playing conventional Tibetan music while driving to work and Tibetan girls wearing superb folk costume displaying their nice figures.
"I used to go shopping or bar-hopping with my friends after work. But now I don't think it is advisable to continue following that living style," said Pasang, a young Tibetan girl who practices Yoga everyday at a fitness club in the eastern suburbs of Lhasa city.
Today, the conception to live in a healthy way has become more popular in Tibet's general public.
When the night falls, crowds of aged citizens dancing "Guozhuang," a traditional Tibetan group dance, to vigorous folk music can be seen in many residential communities. Among them, Pasang's mother Tseden Wangmo, 63, is undoubtedly one of the enthusiasts in such an outdoor team activity: "I like dancing Guozhuang very much, for it can make my body strong, bring me good mood and carry forward Tibetan ethnic culture as well."
Different from their elder generations, a swarm of teenagers play skateboard or roller-skating shuttle among groups of strollers on the squares in front of the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's permanent residence.
The stylish dress, colored hairs, an earring on a single ear or an obscure tattoo -- all these signals have highlighted Tibet's younger generation's personality and their view on fashion.
Lhakpa Tashi, 16, will become a high-school student in the second half year. This adolescent is a typical fan at various kinds of modern novelties, such as surfing the net, online shopping and foreign Rap music.Which activity is not mentioned in the passage?.
| A．shopping | B．dancing “Guozhuang” |
| C．playing skateboard | D．singing |
Which of the following phrase has the same meaning as the underlined phrase “mingled with”?
| A．along with | B．mixed with | C．together with | D．connected with |
After reading the whole passage, do you think which of the following is NOT TRUE?
| A．Young people in Tibet like going shopping or bar-hopping after work |
| B．Aged citizens like dancing “Guozhuang” to folk music at night in Tibet |
| C．Teenagers are keen on playing skateboard and roller-skating shuttle in Tibet |
| D．Young people in Tibet are interested in the factional dress |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A successful combination of traditional and modern Tibet
B. People in Tibet today are trying to break away from the tradition
C. Young people in Tibet today are trying to break away from the tradition
D. Young people in Tibet today are having a more colorful life than the old According to your understanding, what is the author’s attitude towards the changes in Tibet?
| A．Positive. |
| B．Negative |
| C．The passage does not tell us |
| D．The author does not care about the changes at all |
Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad makes people less gullible (轻信), improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were 
told.
"Although positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger (引发) more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world," Forgas wrote.
"Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations."
For the study, Forgas and his team conducted several experiments that started with inducing happy or sad moods in their subjects through watching films and recalling positive or negative events.
In one of the experiments, happy and sad participants were asked to judge the truth of urban myths and rumors and found that people in a negative mood were less likely to believe these statements.
People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed.
The study also found that sad people were better at stating their case through written arguments, which Forgas said showed that a "mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodati
ve and ultimately more successful communication style."
"Positive mood is not universally desirable: people in negative mood are less prone to judgmental errors, are more resistant to eyewitness distortions（扭曲）and are better at producing high-quality, effective persuasive messages," Forgas wrote.
The study was published in the November/December edition of the Australian Science journal. _ The study suggests that when someone is in a bad mood, he ________ .
| A．is particular about everything | B．shows less concern about others |
| C．is willing to believe what he hears | D．cares more about his surroundings |
_Which of the following is connected with positive mood?
| A．New ideas. | B．Being stubborn. | C．Being careful. | D．Concentration. |
_ How did researcher put the subjects in good or bad moods?
| A．By watching sports programs. | B．By listening to happy or sad stories. |
| C．By dealing with demanding situations. | D．By thinking back on their past exp erience. |
_ Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Positive mood leads to better judgement. |
B．Sad people rem embered what they saw precisely. |
| C．Cheerful people were less likely to believe rumors. |
| D．People in bad mood tend to make quick decisions. |
_The author intends to convince(说服) us that __________ .
| A．Joseph Forgas made a great discovery | B．bad moods can actually be good for us |
| C．we should think positively and negatively | D．the Australian study is of practical value |
The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my hus
band of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu(菜谱) which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time , I started on it as soon as Doug
left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozens would be better, so I doubled（加倍）everything. As Doug loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work. I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home , we sat down to eat Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up
and went outside , saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had cau
sed the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母)made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. It looked like some unknown being from outer space. I could see why Doug was so shaken. I had to admit what the “living thing” was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed(尴尬)by the whole thing -- Doug or me._The writer's purpose in writing this story is ___________
| A．to tell an interesting experience |
| B．to show the easiest way out of a difficulty |
| C．to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman |
| D．to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books |
_ Why did the woman's attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?
| A．The canned orange had gone bad. | B．She didn't use the right kind of flour. |
| C．The cookbook was hard to understand. | D．She d id not follow the directions closely. |
_ Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?
| A．She didn't see the use of keeping it | B．She meant to joke with her husband. |
| C．She didn't want her husband to see it . | D．She hoped it would soon dry in the sun. |
_ What made the dough in the rubbish bin look frightening?
| A．The rising and falling movement. | B．The strange-looking marks. |
| C．Its shape. | D．Its size. |
_When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was ____.
| A．surprised at his being interested in the bin | B．afraid that he would discover her secret |
C．unhap py that he didn't enjoy the meal |
D．curious to know what disturbed him |
In 1883, an imaginative engineer named John Roebling decided to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was a pipe dream. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
But Roebling refused to listen to them. He thought about the bridge day and night and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. After much discussion and persuasion he convinced his son Washington, who was a promising engineer himself, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished. With great excitement, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but several months
after it began, a tragic accid
ent on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was so seriously injured that he was never able to walk, talk or even move again.
"We told them so", "Crazy men and their crazy dreams", "It's foolish to chase wild visions", the critics said and most thought the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
Washington's wife tried to inspire and pass on
her husband's enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay in his hospital room, an idea suddenly hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this finger and tapping it on his wife's arm, he slowly developed a code to communicate with her. Then he used this method to tell his wife what the engineers should do. It seemed crazy but the project was
under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed.
Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's spirit and hi
s determination not to be defeated by circumstances._ What did most people think about Roebling's idea to build the bridge?
| A．It would never become a reality. | B．Washington was not experienced enough. |
| C．It would take a lot of time. | D．Finding the money would be impossible. |
_The underlined word `daunted' (para. 6) is closest in meaning to '______'.
| A．unpleasant | B．scared | C．amazed | D．determined |
_ Which of the following shows the correct order of the events that happened in the story?
a. Roebling convinced his son.
b. Washington found a new way to communicate.
c. They hired the crew.
d. The bridge was completed.
e. Roebling wanted to build a bridge.
f. There was a tragic accident.
A．e, a, c, f, d, b |
B．e, a, f, b, c, d | C．e, f, a, b, c, d | D．e, a, c, f, b, d |
_ What can we learn about Washington's wife?
| A．She knew sign language very well. |
| B．She was devoted to her husband. |
| C．She developed a code to communicate with her husband. |
| D．She helped her husband design the plan. |
_ What does the story tell us?
| A．Success will come with the passing of time. |
B．Struggle s are exactly what we need in our lives. |
| C．Even the most distant dream can be realised with a never-say-die attitude. |
| D．The people who make a difference in our life should be remembered forever. |
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