The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem (生态系统). Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big planteater, it largely shapes the forestandsavanna (稀树草原) surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat.
It is the elephant's great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches of big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas. In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other planteaters.
Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofed planteaters to move around and for small planteaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Disappearance of African elephants. |
| B．Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants. |
| C．The effect of African elephants' search for food. |
| D．The eating habit of African elephants. |
What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?
| A．Fixing the time. | B．Worsening the state. |
| C．Improving the quality. | D．Deciding the conditions. |
What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?
| A．They result from the destruction of rain forests. |
| B．They provide food mainly for African elephants. |
| C．They are home to many endangered animals. |
| D．They are attractive to planteating animals of different kinds. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The African elephant is the largest animal on earth. |
| B．African elephants have 300 pounds of plants every day, including small trees and under bushes. |
| C．The African elephant is in a way the builder of the environment like other land animals. |
| D．If the African elephant disappears, the whole ecosystem won't be affected. |
The passage is developed mainly by ________.
| A．showing the effect and then explaining the causes |
| B．pointing out similarities and differences |
| C．describing the changes in space order |
| D．giving examples |
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean? People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
1．Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
A．Places where people lived. B．People’s characters.
C．Talents that people possessed. D．People’s occupations.
2．According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.
A．owned or drove a cart B．made things with metals
C．made kitchen tools or contains D．built houses and furniture
3．Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.
A．Beatrice Smith B．Leonard Carter
C．George Longstreet D．Donald Greenwood
4．The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____
A．later generations B．friends and relatives
C．colleagues and partners D．later sponsors
Below is a housing guide for students going to London.
University accommodation office
Many university accommodation offices have their own list of registered landlords (房东). Others also provide information on accommodation agencies and other housing organizations. The advantage of using your university accommodation office is that you can get some support if you have 'a problem. The disadvantage is that they are unlikely to have enough registered landlords to house all their students.
Property papers: Loot and Renting
Loot is an important source (来源) of information about private housing for co-renters. The offers are from private landlords, agencies and individuals looking for other co-renters. They also have a website: www. loot. com. The advantage of using Loot is that there are some excellent bargains. The disadvantage is that there is no quality control over the offers.
Renting is another useful paper. The offers in this paper are mainly from accommodation agencies. Their website is at www. Renting.co. uk.
Accommodation agencies
The majority of rented accommodation in London is probably advertised through accommodation agencies. The advantage of using accommodation agencies is that you will have access to a large number of accommodations. A good agent will listen to your requirements and can save you time in looking for the right accommodation. The disadvantage is that they will make a range of charges to potential renters.
Noticeboards
Around the universities you will find a number of noticeboards where offers of accommodation will be posted. These will either be from landlords or from students. Some universities will also have online noticeboards where students can advertise to other students. Advertisements from students can be an excellent way to find accommodation. However, advertisements from landlords can be problematic.
Word of mouth
Some of the best housing in London is never advertised but is passed on from one group of students to another by word of mouth. It might be that you can find out about good offers from final year students. However, don't suppose that just because you have found out about housing from a friend it is necessarily, going to be better than that found through any other source.
Family
Faced with the very high rents charged in London, some students and their parents will consider buying as an alternative. In some cases this might be a good choice
1．What is the advantage of using Loot?
A．It has more offers from accommodation agencies than Renting.
B．It gives you personal information about other co-renters.
C．Their website is designed mainly for students.
D．There are some good bargains.
2．A good agent can help you .
A．know more people
B．find cheap accommodation
C．get the right accommodation quickly
D．get free information about mos t accommodations
3．The information passed on by word of mouth is important because .
A．it is better than that found through any other source
B．it helps you find some of the best housing never advertised
C．the final year students always offer better information
D．the landlords have little valuable information
4．For students going to London for the first time, which of the following provides the most reliable information?
A．University accommodation offices.
B．Loot and Renting.
C．Noticeboards.
D．Family.
第三部分：阅读
第一节：阅读理解（共12小题；每小题2分，满分24分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems. While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices（装置）themselves. University of Missouri（MU） researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient.
“To provide enough power, we need certain methods with high energy density（密度）”，said Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at MU. “The radioisotope（放射性同位素） battery can provide power density that is much higher than chemical batteries.”
Kwon and his research team have been working on building a small nuclear battery, presently the size and thickness of a penny, intended to power various micro / nanoelectromechanical systems （M/NEMS）. Although nuclear batteries can cause concerns, Kwon said they are safe.
“People hear the word ‘nuclear’ and think of something very dangerous,” he said, “However, nuclear power sources have already been safely powering a variety of devices, such as pace-makers, space satellites and underwater systems.”
His new idea is not only in the battery’s size, but also in its semiconductor（半导体）. Kwon’s battery uses a liquid semiconductor rather than a solid semiconductor.
“The key part of using a radioactive battery is that when you harvest the energy, part of the radiation energy can damage the lattice structure（晶体结构）of the solid semiconductor,” Kwon said, “By using a liquid semiconductor, we believe we can minimize that problem.”
Together with J. David Robertson, chemistry professor and associate director of the MU Research Reactor, Kwon is working to build and test the battery. In the future, they hope to increase the battery’s power, shrink its size and try with various other materials. Kwon said that battery could be thinner than the thickness of human hair.
1．Which of the following is true of Jae Kwon?
A．He teaches chemistry at MU.
B．He developed a chemical battery.
C．He is working on a nuclear energy source.
D．He made a breakthrough in computer engineering.
2．Jae Kwon gave examples in Paragraph 4_________.
A．to show chemical batteries are widely applied.
B．to introduce nuclear batteries can be safely used.
C．to describe a nuclear-powered system.
D．to introduce various energy sources.
3．Liquid semiconductor is used to _________.
A．get rid of the radioactive waste
B．test the power of nuclear batteries.
C．decrease the size of nuclear batteries
D．reduce the damage to lattice structure.
4．According to Jae Kwon, his nuclear battery _______.
A．uses a solid semiconductor.
B．will soon replace the present ones.
C．could be extremely thin.
D．has passed the final test.
第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Recently, I flew to Las Vegas to attend a meeting. As we were about to arrive, the pilot announced with apology that there would be a slight 36 before setting down. High desert winds had 37 the airport to close all but one runway. He said that we would be 38 the city for a few minutes waiting to 39 . We were also told to remain in our seats meanwhile with our seat belts fastened 40 there might be a few bumps．We11，that few minutes turned into about four—five minutes，including a ride that would make a roller coaster by comparison.
The movement was so fierce that several passengers felt 42 and had to use airsickness bags（呕吐袋）. As you might guess，that’s not good thing to have happen in a（n） 43 space because it only 44 to increase the discomfort of the situation.
About twenty minutes into the adventure，the entire airplane became very 45 There was now a sense of anxiety and fear that could be 46 noticed．Every passenger simply held on for dear life …except one. A 47 was having a good time! With each bump of the 48 !he would let out a giggle（咯咯的笑）of delight As I observed this，I 49 that he didn’t know he was supposed to be afraid and worried about his 50 He neither thought about the past nor about the future Those are what we grown—ups have learned from 51 .He was 52 the ride because had not yet been taught to fear it. Having understood this，I took a deep breath and 53 back into my seat，pretending I was 54 on a roller coaster. I smiled for the rest of the flight. I even 55 to giggle once or twice ,much to the chagrin（随恼）of the man sitting next to me holding the airsicknessbag.
36．A．mistake B．delay C．change D．wind
37．A．forced B．warned C．swept D．reminded
38．A．watching B．visiting C．circling D．crossing
39．A．arrive B．enter C．stop D．land
40．A．if B．though C．because D．while
41．A．light B．pale C．easy D．quick
42．A．sick B．nervous C．angry D．afraid
43．A．empty B．narrow C．secret D．open
44．A．happens B．continues C．fails D．serves
45．A．quiet B．hot C．dirty D．crowded
46．A．partly B．gradually C．shortly D．clearly
47．A．pilot B．baby C．guard D．man
48．A．seats B．passengers C．flight D．airplane
49．A．realized B．hoped C．agreed D．insisted
50．A．health B．safety C．joy D．future
51．A．teachers B．books C．experience D．practice
52．A．learning B．taking C．missing D．enjoying
53．A．sat B．lay C．went D．rode
54．A．nearly B．finally C．really D．suddenly
55．A．attempted B．managed C．wanted D．decided
Malaria, the world's most widespread parasitic（寄生虫引起的）disease, kills as many as three million people every year—almost all of whom are under five, very poor, and African. In most years, more than five hundred million cases of illness result from the disease, although exact numbers are difficult to assess because many people don't （or can't） seek care. It is not unusual for a family earning less than two hundred dollars a year to spend a quarter of its income on malaria treatment, and what they often get no longer works. In countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, and the 
Gambia, no family, village, hospital, or workplace can remain unaffected for long.
Malaria starts suddenly, with violent chills, which are soon followed by an intense fever and, often, headaches. As the parasites multiply, they take over the entire body. Malaria parasites live by eating the red blood cells they infect （感染）. They can also attach themselves to blood vessels in the brain. If it doesn't kill you, malaria can happen again and again for years. The disease passed on to humans by female mosquitoes infected with one of four species of parasite. Together, the mosquito and the parasite are the most deadly couple in the history of the earth—and one of the most successful. Malaria has five thousand genes, and its ability to change rapidly to defend itself and resist new drugs has made it nearly impossible to control. Studies show that mosquitoes are passing on the virus more frequently, and there are more outbreaks in cities with large populations. Some of the disease's spread is due to global warming.
For decades, the first-choice treatment for malaria parasites in Africa has been chloroquine, a chemical which is very cheap and easy to make. Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, malaria parasites have become resistant to it. Successful alternatives that help prevent resistance are already available, but they have been in short supply and are very expensive. If these drugs should fail, nobody knows what would come next.
76. According to paragraph 1, many people don't seek care because _______.
A. they are too poor
B. it is unusual to seek care
C. they can remain unaffected for long
D. there are too many people suffering from the disease
77. People suffering from malaria _______.
A. have to kill female mosquitoes B. have ability to defend parasites
C. have their red blood cells infected D. have sudden fever, followed by chills
78. Which of the following may be the reason for the wide spread of the disease?
A. Its resistance to global warming.
B. Its ability to pass on the virus frequently.
C. Its outbreaks in cities with large populations.
D. Its ability to defend itself and resist new drugs.
79. It can be inferred from the passage that _______. .
A. no drugs have been found to treat the disease
B. the alternative treatment is not easily available to most people
C. malaria has developed its ability to resist parasites
D. nobody knows what will be the drug to treat the disease
80. Which of the following questions has NOT been discussed in the passage?
A. How can we know one is suffering from malaria?
B. How many people are killed by malaria each year?
C. Why are there so many people suffering from malaria?
D. What has been done to keep people unaffected for long?
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