We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it.
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils. The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect — but to have no tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards. There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in examinations or in any controls in schools or on teachers. This would mean that everything would depend on luck since every pupil would depend on the efficiency, the values and the purpose of each teacher.
Without examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them--- a form of favoritism will replace equality. At the moment, the bright child from ill-respected school can show certificates to prove he or she is suitable for the job, while the lack of certificate indicates the unsuitability of a dull child attending a well-respected school. This defence of excellence and opportunity would disappear if examinations were taken away, and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school’s reputation, unable to compete with the child from the favored school.
The opponents of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils. According to these people, there must be no special, different, academic class. They have even suggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area: all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection. The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computer. The underlined word “favoritism” in paragraph three is used to describe the phenomenon that _______.
| A．bright children also need certificate to get satisfying jobs. |
| B．children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs. |
| C．poor children with certificates are favored in job markets. |
| D．children attending ordinary schools achieve great success. |
What would happen if examinations were taken away according to the author?
| A．Schools for bright children would lose their reputation. |
| B．There would be more opportunities and excellence. |
| C．Children from poor families would be able to change their schools. |
| D．Children’s job opportunity would be affected by their school reputation. |
The opponents of the examination system will agree that _______.
| A．jobs should not be assigned by systematic selection. |
| B．computers should be selected to take over many jobs. |
| C．special classes are necessary to keep the school standards. |
| D．schools that win academic subjects should be done away with. |
The passage mainly focuses on __________.
| A．schools and certificates. | B．examination and equality. |
| C．opportunity and employment. | D．standards and reputation. |
While only about 200 astronauts have had the excitement of looking down at Earth and commanding systems on the International Space Station, actually thousands of everyday middleschool students have experienced by Middle School Students, or EarthKAM, a camera system.
EarthKAM is an educational activity and outreach(扩展)investigation that also results in remote Earth sensing and observation. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera fixed aboard the space station, enabling them to photograph the Earth's coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique advantage point of space.
While EarthKAM offers a powerful way for students to investigate Earth from the unique perspective of space, it is also inspiring the next generation of flight controllers for space programs—involving university students to control and operate the camera system and related activities from the ground.
In the interview, Brion Au, one of the investigation developers at NASA's Johnson Space Centre, said，“EarthKAM is a payload(有效载荷)by students, for students. They are in charge. This system provides a viewpoint that the astronauts have...it's just aweinspiring！”So far, students have captured more than 40,000 photos of the Earth from the space station as it orbited the Earth once every 90 minutes, traveling at 17,500 miles an hour. The team at EarthKAM posts these photographs online for the public and participating classrooms around the world to view.
Au explains that this education investigation is inspiring students to explore the world by examining Earth, while promoting social studies, art, geography, science, technology, and math, among other important lessons involving research and teamwork. EarthKAM was started by Dr. Sally Ride, originally flying on the shuttles. The camera is located in the window Observational Research Facility, also known as the WORF, one of many the station's research facilities.How have thousands of students experienced similar excitement as astronauts?
| A．In the space station. | B．In the spaceship. |
| C．Using a camera system. | D．Teaming up with astronauts. |
What equipment should the students need for the research?
| A．Computer. | B．Recorder. | C．Telephone. | D．Radios. |
What doesn't belong to the next generation of flight controllers for space programs?
| A．University students' controlling the camera system. |
| B．University students' operating the camera system. |
| C．University students' related activities from the ground. |
| D．University students' investigating Earth from space. |
Who are responsible for EarthKAM?
| A．The astronauts. | B．The students. |
| C．The investigation developers. | D．The teachers. |
What's the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．DR.Sally Ride explains the details of EarthKAM |
| B．Why the team at EarthKAM posts these photographs online. |
| C．EarthKAM provides a viewpoint that the astronauts have. |
| D．Brion Au explains the details of EarthKAM. |
Jockeys(职业赛马骑师) are the smallest athletes. They are rarely over five feet six, or 120 pounds. The lighter the weight on the horse, the faster it can go.
Riding fast horses on the track is tough on the small jockeys. The jockey doesn’t“sit”on the horse. He leans forward on his legs. The strain is on his thighs(大腿) and calf(小腿) muscles. As jockeys age, their legs“go”first. Jockeys also need arm strength. It’s a strain holding a 1000-pound racehorse.
On muddy days, jockeys get a pounding of mud. The mud comes flying off the hooves(蹄) of the horses in front. “It feels like someone is punching you all over,”says one rider.
And a jockey can be hurt. A jockey can have a leg jammed between two horses. Or it can get caught between horse and the rail. The worst accidents are from falls. A horse may fall on his rider. Or horses behind may trample if he hits the track. In one year about 240 riders are hurt badly. That’s one out of six jockeys.
But the jockeys are well-paid. A jockey keeps about ten percent of the money his horses win. Jacinto Vasquez, a five-foot-three comer, has ridden horses to ＄7,000,000 in wins in the last eight years, which means he does almost ＄100,000 a year.
Why do some jockeys do better than others? “It isn’t the way a boy sits on a horse or uses the reins or the whip,”says Conn McCreary. McCreary was a top jockey of the 1950’s. He rode two Kentucky Derby winners. “Most jockeys do this the same. It’s the ‘feel’ he has for the horses.”
“When you come right down to it, it just seems that horses run better for some riders,” McCreary says. “A real good jockey doesn’t lose with the best horse. And sometimes he’ll win with the second or third best.”
Many Latin-American riders, like Jacinto, seem to have the knack. “Maybe it’s because we grew up with horses,”says Jacinto. “Maybe it’s because we like to ride. There was a strike at Aqueduct last year. We, Jorge Velasquez, and Angel Cordero (two other top Latin riders) went to a park. We rented horses, and rode around the bridle path(骑马专用道)!”The main idea of Paragraph 1 is about ______________.
| A．the size of jockeys. | B．the age of jockeys |
| C．the size of the horse | D．the speed of the horse |
When a jockey is riding a fast horse, he doesn’t __________.
| A．really sit on the horse | B．lean forward on his legs |
| C．use much arm strength | D．get any mud on wet track |
The most dangerous problem for a jockey arises __________________.
| A．when his leg is jammed between two horses |
| B．when his clothes are splashed over with mud. |
| C．when the jockey’s horse falls on the jockey |
| D．when the jockey is not well paid |
A really good jockey can often win a race ____________.
| A．only when he rides on the best horse |
| B．even when he rides the second best horse |
| C．when he rides on a rented horse |
| D．if the horse is just a Kentucky Herby |
The underlined word “Knack” in the last paragraph probably means__________________.
| A．special skill | B．dangerous hobby |
| C．riding culture | D．excellent horses. |
“Just take a deep breath.” “Don’t think about it.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app (application) in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear-of-flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations(感觉)they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.
| A．decrease their fear of flying |
| B．get rid of their doubt about plane |
| C．have a good time on their flight journey |
| D．use some medicine to cure their fear of flying |
According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.
| A．is a group focusing on psychology on the flight |
| B．was the first center to do research into fear of flying |
| C．organizes the world conferences on fear of flying annually |
| D．focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying |
Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.
| A．help passengers experience the fear of flying |
| B．help relax passengers before and during flights |
| C．treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying |
| D．teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight |
What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．Many adults are suffering from fear of flying |
| B．It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App |
| C．Many planes will be installed with the Flight App. |
| D．The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively |
In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
| A．Culture | B．Entertainment | C．Technology | D．Education |
Looking back on my childhood. I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them , I had no ear for music and languages, I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic.
Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door .but I do have a crystal-clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil, reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle，because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some might honor with the title of scientific research.
But curiosity, a keen eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist; one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack. A scientist can be made .A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.According to the author, a born naturalist should first of all be_____
| A．full of ambition | B．self-disciplined |
| C．full of enthusiasm | D．knowledgeable |
The first paragraph tells us that the author _____
| A．lost his hearing when he was a child |
| B．didn’t like his brothers and sisters |
| C．was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood |
| D．was born to a naturalist’s family |
The author says that he is a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he _____
| A．just reads about other people’s observations and discoveries |
| B．lacks some of the qualities required of scientist |
| C．has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic |
| D．comes up with solutions in most natural ways |
The author can’t remember his relatives clearly because_____.
| A．he was too young when he lived with them |
| B．he didn’t live very long with them |
| C．the family was extremely large |
| D．he was fully occupied with observing nature |
Which of the following statement is true?
| A．The author believes that a born naturalist cannot be a scientist. |
| B．The author read a lot of books about the natural world and the oil industry. |
| C．The author’s brothers and sisters were good at music and languages. |
| D．The author spent a lot of time working on riddles. |
If the eyes are the romantic’s window into the soul, then the teeth are an anthropologist’s ( 人类学家 ) door to the stomach.
In a study published last month in the journal Science, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas and his partner, Matt Sponheimer of the University of Colorado, US, examined the teeth of our early human ancestors to find out what they were really eating.
They already knew that different foods cause different marks on teeth. Some cause scratches, while others cause pits (坑).The carbon left on teeth by different foods is also different. Tropical grasses, for example, leave one kind of carbon, but trees leave another kind because they photosynthesized ( 光合作用 ) differently.
Traditionally, scientists had looked at the size and shape of teeth and skulls ( 头骨 ) to figure out what early humans ate. Big flat teeth were taken to be signs that they ate nuts and seeds, while hard and sharp teeth seemed good for cutting meat and leaves. But this was proven wrong.
The best example was the Paranthropus (傍人), one of our close cousins, some of which lived in eastern Africa. Scientists used to believe Paranthropus ate nuts and seeds because they had big crests(突起)on their skulls, suggesting they had large chewing muscles and big teeth. If this had been true, their teeth should have been covered with pits like the surface of the moon. They would also have had a particular type of carbon on their teeth that typically comes from tree products, such as nuts and seeds.
However, when the two scientists studied the Paranthroupus, it turned out to have none of these characteristics. The teeth had a different kind of carbon, and were covered with scratches, not pits. This suggests they probably ate grass, not nuts and fruit stones. It was the exact opposite of what people had expected to find.
Carbon “foodprints” give us a completely new and different insight into what different species ate and the different environments they lived in. If a certain species had the kind of carbon on its teeth that came from grasses, it probably lived in a tropical grassland, for example.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 probably means that _____.
| A．anthropologists can study the structure of human stomachs by studying their teeth. |
| B．anthropologists can study the diet of early humans by studying their teeth |
| C．anthropologists can learn whether humans were healthy by looking at their teeth |
| D．anthropologists can get the most useful information about humans from their teeth |
According to Paragraph 3 to 5, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Scratches on teeth are caused by eating nuts or seeds. |
| B．Pits on teeth are caused by eating grass or leaves. |
| C．Early humans with hard and sharp teeth ate meat and leaves. |
| D．Different foods leave different marks and carbon on teeth. |
The example of the Paranthropus was mentioned in the article in order to _____.
| A．tell readers that they are one of our close cousins living in eastern Africa |
| B．tell readers they had different eating habits from modern humans |
| C．prove that size and shape of skulls does not show accurately what early humans ate |
| D．tell readers that living environment makes a difference to skull structure |
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