Special trees that grow faster, fight pollution, produce better wood, and even sense chemical attacks are being planted by scientists in the US．
When 40 per cent of Hawaii's US$14 million-a-year papaya （木瓜）industry was destroyed by a virus five years ago, work began on creating genetically engineered（转基因的）trees．
Researchers successfully introduced seeds that were designed to resist the virus．Since then, more and more people have been testing genetically engineered trees．Some researchers put special bacteria into trees to help them grow faster and produce better wood．Others are trying to create trees that can clean polluted soil．Meanwhile fruit farmers are looking for trees that are strong enough to resist worms, and paper companies want trees that produce more wood and therefore more paper．
The Pentagon （五角大楼） even gave the researchers US$500,000 this year after they developed a pine tree that changes its colours if it senses a chemical attack．So far, the poplar, eucalyptus （杨树与桉树）, apple and coffee trees are among those being engineered．All this can be done today because we have a better understanding of tree genomes （基因组）．
However, some people fear that the genetically engineered trees will cause dangerous results．They are worried that the new trees will breed with natural species and change the balance of the forest environment．
“It could be destructive,” said Jim Diamond, an environmentalist. “Trees are what is left of our natural environment and home to many endangered species.”
But researchers insist that science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers．They hope to answer the critics by stopping the new trees from breeding, so their effect on the environment can be controlled．Which kind of tree is not the ones that scientists are planting in the US?
| A．Trees that worms can't hurt． |
| B．Genetically engineered trees． |
| C．Trees that can resist wind better． |
| D．Trees that can protect themselves at a chemical attack． |
What caused the American scientists to work on special trees?
| A．Tree genomes are mapped out so scientists know how to improve trees． |
| B．Great numbers of trees have been lost due to attacks by viruses． |
| C．Researchers successfully introduced seeds designed to resist the virus． |
| D．They think science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers． |
Which of the following was probably the first kind of trees being engineered?
| A．Papaya． | B．Pine． | C．Apple． | D．Poplar． |
Why did critics think engineered trees dangerous? Because ________．
| A．these trees can destroy the balance of nature |
| B．everything except trees has been genetically engineered |
| C．trees are home to many endangered species |
| D．these trees may affect normal trees |
Everywhere you will always find “the white—haired boy”, sometimes called “the fair-haired boy” He gets special treatment, as if he were above everybody else. You will find him in school, in college, at home, or where you work.
In school, he is the teacher’s pet, her darling who can do nothing wrong. Sometimes she lets him do little jobs for her. He comes to class in the morning, all shiny and clean, He is always raising his hand, ready with an answer to the teacher’s questions. And he knows all the answers. He “gets into your hair”, especially if you are at the bottom of the class and the teacher thinks you are stupid. How you hate the white-haired boy!
In college, he walks—more often strides—across the school grounds as if he owned them. Sometimes he wears a colorful football or basketball shirt or sweater, with a bright red, or green or yellow college letter proudly worn on the front of it—as a big B, for Bullfinch University. What broad shoulders, what muscles he has! He makes the girls happy by just smiling at them. He has the mark of success on him.
At home, “the fair-haired boy” is mother’s choice, her favorite. Sometimes, he is the oldest son—at times, the youngest. If you are in between, you are out of luck.
On the job, you might meet another of these “white-haired boys”; you cannot escape him. For some strange reason, he is the man who always moves ahead. He gets better and better jobs, with more and more money. But you stand still, wondering why, and trying to explain to your-self why you hate him so much.
Then, you discover that there are others who share your feelings, ready to “let their hair down” —to tell you their private thoughts. One of them asks: “What does he have that I haven’t got?” You ask yourself the same question.
Finally, there comes a day when you decide to stop hating him. Is it perhaps because he has been made boss and you find yourself working for him?From the passage we can know that “the white-haired boy” refers to
| A．a child who is mother’s favorite | B．a student who is hated by everybody |
| C．a pet who is hated by everybody | D．a person who is lucky all the time |
What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．He sets a shining example to you | B．He makes you a little angry. |
| C．He cuts your hair too short. | D．He does up your hair. |
In the author’s opinion, the reason why you finally stop hating the white-haired boy is that
| A．you have no choice but to face the facts | B．you decide to try your best to be better than him |
| C．you have been made boss by him | D．you are beginning to admire him |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Try to Be Attractive | B．Let Your Hair Down |
| C．The White-haired Boy | D．The Top Student |
What’s the purpose of the advertisement?
| A．To introduce some wild animals to visitors. |
| B．To invite visitors to walk in the wildlife park. |
| C．To attract visitors to get close to the sea animals. |
| D．To provide seafood for visitors to feed the sea animals. |
If a parent who is the member of the Aquarium is going to have the Trainer Tour with her child of ten, how much does she have to pay?
| A．$ 175 | B．$ 140 | C．$ 35 | D．$ 31 |
Which of the following is true according to the advertisement?
| A．The programs are changeable. |
| B．There is no danger to a small child. |
| C．You can phone 604—659—FISH to book the programs. |
| D．Bigger groups of visitors are encouraged to save money. |
The food we eat seems to have a great effect on our health. Although science has made big steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of human illness is related to food and forty percent of cancer is related to food as well. That food is related to illness is not a new discovery. In 1945, some researchers realized that things commonly used to keep colour in meats and other food additives（添加剂）caused cancer.
Yet, these additives remain in our food, and it is difficult to know which things on the wrappings（包装）of foods are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to their animals, and because of this, penicillin has been found in the milk of cows. Sometimes similar tings are supplied to animals not for their health, but just to make a profit.
The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to get a higher price on the market. Although some countries have tried to control such things, the practice continues.
71. According to this passage, we can know___________. .
A. perhaps most of human illness is caused by what we eat
B. perhaps most kinds of cancer are related to what people eat
C. cancer was discovered in 1945
D. science has made food unfit to eat
72.Things that are used to keep colours in meats are________. .
A. harmful B. useless C. helpless D. dangerous
73. All the additives________. .
A. are bright and colourless
B. are not bright and colourful
C. have indirect effects on our health
D. have direct effects on our health
74. People use additives_________ .
A. to make food more unfit to eat
B. to improve the colour and taste of the food
C. to change colour of the food
D. to take off the diseases of the food
75. Which of the following is not true?
A. Some wrappings of food are harmful.
B. Farmers try to make more money on the market by fattening their animals.
C. “The practice continues” means “things are still going on like that”.
D. We needn’t take care of what we eat..
We already know the fastest, least expensive way to slow climate change: Use less energy. With a little effort, and not much money, most of us could reduce our energy diets by 25 percent or more—doing the Earth a favor while also helping our wallets.
Not long ago, My wife, PJ, and I tried a new diet—not to lose a little weight but to answer an annoying question about climate change. Scientists have reported recently that the world is bending up even faster than predicted only a few years ago, and that the consequences could be severe if we don’t keep reducing emissions（排放）of carbon dioxide（CO2）and other greenhouse gases that are trapping heat in our atmosphere.
We decided to try an experiment. For one month we recorded our personal emissions of CO2. . We wanted to see how much we could cut back, so we went on a strict diet. The average US household（家庭）produces about 150 pounds of CO2 a day by doing common-place things like turning on air-conditioning or driving cars. That’s more than twice the European average and almost five times the global average, mostly because Americans drive more and have bigger houses. But how much should we try to reduce?
For an answer, I checked with Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth. In his book, he had challenged readers to make deep cuts in personal emissions to keep the world from reaching extremely important tipping points, such as the melting（融化）of the ice sheets in Greenland or West Antarctica. “To stay below that point, we need to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent,” he said.
Good advice, I thought. I’d opened our bedroom windows to let in the wind. We’d gotten so used to keeping our air-conditioning going around the clock. I’d almost forgotten the windows even opened. We should not let this happen again. It’s time for us to change our habits if necessary.
67. Why did the author and his wife try a new diet?
A. To take special kinds of food B. To respond to climate change.
C. To lose weight D. To improve their health
68. The underlined words “tipping points” most probably refer to________.
A. freezing points B. burning points C. melting points D. boiling points
69. It can be inferred from the passage that_________
A. it is necessary to keep the air-conditioning on all the time
B. it seems possible for every household to cut emissions of CO2
C. the average US household produces about 3,000 pounds of CO2 a month
D. the average European household produces about 1,000 pounds of CO2 a month
70. Which of the following would be the title for this passage?
A. Saving Energy Starts at Home
B. Changing Our Habits Begins at Work
C. Changing Climate Sounds Reasonable
D. Reducing Emission of CO2 proves Difficult
When a close friend dies, it often forces you to consider your own death. The more you have in common with the friend, the more his death will make you wonder about your own. Sometimes you will naturally say to yourself, "It could just as easily have been me." Such a death has a way of reminding us how fragile life is, and it may cause you to reassess（重新评价） the direction of your own life.
Jack's story is a good example. A successful businessman making a lot of money, Jack didn't spend as much time with his family as he wanted. His job required him to work long hours. But three years ago one of his best friends, a man who worked in the same office, had a heart attack. He died while celebrating his daughter's eighteenth birthday in a restaurant. He was only fifty years old.
Not long after his friend's death, Jack started to have a chest pain. Finally he had a good physical check-up. He received a clean bill of health. But the chest pain continued. He kept thinking of the death of his friend. Jack thought about how much his friend missed in life and he saw how hard it was for his friend's family to manage after he passed away.
Jack realized that he didn't want to end up his life that way. He talked his feelings over with his wife and children, and decided to change his way of life. The family moved to a small town where he started a simple life. Now he is running a small art gallery（画廊）. He is relaxed, and says he has never been so happy in his life, and he has got no more chest pain.
63. Your close friend's death is __________________ to you.
A. a warning B. common C. a direction of life D. an example
64. The underlined sentence in the third paragraph means "________________".
A. The doctor didn't write a word on his bill
B. The doctor didn't want Jack to pay for the bill
C. The doctor didn't find anything wrong with him
D. The doctor didn't want to treat his pain
65. His friend's death made Jack ________________.
A. lose much interest in life
B. realize that he missed the friend very much
C. doubt his way of life
D. ill for some time
66. While living in the small town Jack ________________.
A. earns less money B. gets more time
C. has a happier life D. does all these mentioned above
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