Space is where our future is — trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most people would think that aside from comets(彗星) and stars, there is little else out there. But, since our space journey started we have left so much trash（垃圾） there that scientists are now concerned that if we don't clean it up, we may all be in mortal （致命的）danger.
The first piece of space junk was created in 1964, when the American satellite Vanguard I stopped operating and lost its connection with the ground center. However, since it kept orbiting around the Earth without any consequences, scientists became increasingly comfortable abandoning（抛弃） things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.
It is estimated （估计）that there are now over 500,000 pieces of man-made trash orbiting the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour. The junk varies from tiny pieces of paint chipped off rockets to cameras, huge fuel tanks, and even odd items like the million-dollar tool kit that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper lost during a spacewalk.
The major problem with the space trash is that it may hit working satellites and damage traveling spacecraft(飞船). Moreover, pieces of junk may collide（碰撞） with each other and break into pieces which fall back to the Earth. To avoid this, scientists have invented several ways for clearing the sky. Ground stations have been built to monitor larger pieces of space trash to prevent them from crashing into working satellites or space shuttles. Future plans include a cooperative effort among many nations to stop littering in space and to clean up the trash already there.What was the first piece of man-made space trash?
| A．A camera. | B．A tool kit. |
| C．A fuel tank. | D．A broken satellite. |
Why were scientists NOT concerned about space trash in the beginning?
| A．It no longer served any useful purpose. |
| B．It was millions of miles away from the Earth. |
| C．It did not cause any problems. |
| D．It was regarded as similar to comets and stars. |
Which of the following statements is true about space junk?
| A．It is huge, heavy machines. |
| B．It never changes position. |
| C．It floats slowly around the Earth. |
| D．It may cause problems for space shuttles. |
What has been done about the space trash problem?
| A．Scientists have cleaned up most of the trash. |
| B．Large pieces of space trash are being closely watched. |
| C．Many nations have worked together to stop polluting space. |
| D．Ground stations are built to help store the trash properly in space. |
For the people living in the Nile Basin, the river is their life. This 6, 825 km waterway, whose watershed (流域) covers three million square kilometers, flows through mountains, woodlands, lakes and deserts. Its potential for fishing, tourism and shipping is great—but so are its challenges.
Water shortage, already serious in Egypt andSudan, will soon influence several other countries in the watershed as well. Today, about 160 million people depend on the Nile River for their living. Within the next 25 years, the district's population is expected to double, adding to the demand brought about by growth in industry and agriculture. The frequent drought (干旱) adds to the urgency.
Water quality is also a problem. Precious soil is washed out to sea. Wastes from industry and agriculture create pollution. Higher concentrations of salt influence irrigated soils. Water-borne diseases continue unchecked. In areas where it's hot and damp, water hyacinths choke off lakes, dams and other sections of the river, making it difficult for fishing and other businesses to move forward.
Native people along the narrow area of farmland have watched the sand move closer day by day. They've seen the river change course, and their only source (来源) of water thickened with mud. They're very poor and have few choices.
But a new program, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), is offering very practical assistance. The program is more than just a water-management project. It's a plan for the social and economic development of a vast district: it concentrates on the needs of the poorest of the poor and the environment that supports them.
These are whole ecosystem problems, calling for united solutions (解决办法). Half the Nile Basin's countries are among the world's poorest nations; yet, somehow, they must find the resources, skills and political will to overcome these challenges.What are the great challenges the Nile Basin faces?
| A．The development of shipping industry. |
| B．Overfishing of native people. |
| C．Water shortage and water quality. |
| D．Increasing population and tourism. |
The underlined word "hyacinths" in Paragraph 3 refers to "__________"
| A．animals |
| B．plants |
| C．rocks |
| D．salts |
The program NBI is mainly aimed at __________.
| A．preventing water pollution |
| B．changing the river course |
| C．improving living conditions of the poor |
| D．preventing land from becoming desert |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．People's Life in Egypt and Sudan |
| B．Frequent Drought in Egypt and Sudan |
| C．The Poorest Countries in the Nile Basin |
| D．The Ecosystem Problems in the Nile Basin |
More and more people are annoyed at the continually rising house prices. They want to know who is to blame for it. Local governments, developers and speculators share a vested interest in it. People who are really in need of homes are most likely to suffer heavy losses.
Many local governments depend on selling land to keep its normal operation. The higher land prices, the more money. Therefore, developers back the local governments by buying land at high prices. In return, the governments make favorable policies to help the developers. For example, drive all the possible home buyers to this nasty market. They even encourage large numbers of speculators to catch more people.
Rising house prices have already become the fence which divides the Chinese society. It has caused widespread dissatisfaction. The government will lose the support of the common people if leaving house prices out of control. Besides, rising house prices willstop us building the new country side as the present policy actually forbid people to flow freely from cities to the countryside.
Collecting taxes on houses can fundamentally solve this problem. On one hand, it will discourage the speculators. On the other hand, it will offer a stable tax resource apart from reducing the sales cost of the developers. Secondly, stop the developers selling the houses before completion. If so, the developers will certainly try their best to sell all their houses once completed. And this will also lower speculators' expectation of price rising, which will decrease speculations.The only victims of rising house prices are __________.
| A．governments |
| B．real home buyers |
| C．developers |
| D．speculators |
The local governments reward the developers by __________.
| A．offering enough land |
| B．allowing sales in advance |
| C．providing enough buyers |
| D．making favorable policies |
We can infer from the passage that continually rising house. prices will __________.
| A．benefit the government |
| B．draw more home buyers |
| C．help the housing industry develop soundly |
| D．affect the sound development of the Chinese society |
Collecting taxes on houses has all the following effects except __________.
| A．making the developers do their best to sell their houses |
| B．cutting down speculations |
| C．supplying a stable tax resource for the government |
| D．decreasing the sales cost |
In my profession as an educator and health care provider, I have worked with numerous children infected with the virus that causes AIDS. The relationships that I have had with these special kids have been gifts in my life. They have taught me so many things, but I have especially learned that great courage can be found in the smallest of packages. Let me tell you about Tyler.
Tyler was born infected with HIV: his mother was also infected. From the very beginning of his life, he was dependent on medications to enable him to survive. When he was five, he had a tube surgically inserted in a vein in his chest. This tube was connected to a pump, which he carried in a small backpack on his back. Medications were hooked up to this pump and were continuously supplied through this tube to his bloodstream. At times, he also needed supplemented oxygen to support his breathing.
Tyler wasn't willing to give up one single moment of his childhood to this deadly disease. It was not unusual to find him playing and racing around his backyard, wearing his medicine-laden backpack and dragging his tank of oxygen behind him in his little wagon. All of us who knew Tyler marveled at his pure joy in being alive and the energy it gave him. Tyler's mom often teased him by telling him that he moved so fast that she needed to dress him in red. That way, when she peered through the window to check on him playing in the yard, she could quickly spot him.
This dreaded disease eventually wore down even the likes of a little dynamo like Tyler. He grew quite ill and, unfortunately, so did his HIV-infected mother. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to survive, Tyler's mom talked to him about death. She comforted him by telling Tyler that she was dying too, and that she would be with him soon in heaven.
A few days before his death, Tyler beckoned me over to his hospital bed and whispered, "l might die soon. I'm not scared. When I die, please dress me in red. Mom promised she's coming to heaven, too. I'll be playing when she gets there, and I want to make sure she can find me."What is the boy Tyler's attitude towards death?
| A．Pessimistic. |
| B．Optimistic. |
| C．Sorrowful. |
| D．Fearful. |
Tyler requested the writer to dress him in red when he died simply because __________.
| A．red is a lucky color |
| B．red might help to cure him |
| C．his mom could spot him easily |
| D．he could find more mates by wearing red |
Which of the following might serve as a possible title for this passage?
| A．My Unusual Profession |
| B．A Caring Mother |
| C．Mother and Son |
| D．Dying in Red |
The underlined word "dynamo" in the fourth paragraph here means "__________".
| A．a promising and helpful youth |
| B．an extremely energetic person |
| C．a rare and beautiful flower |
| D．a magic and understanding superstar |
Students are being forced to take additional exams to get into leading universities because good A-levels do not always indicate the brightest candidates. Sixth formers applying to courses such as medicine and law are being asked to sit American-style aptitude (智能) tests, which are designed to assess (评价) thinking skills, among fears that too many A-level candidates are getting top grades. Last year, almost one in six students applying to universities such as Oxford and Cambridge from independent schools had to sit additional tests to secure a place.
Head teachers criticized the move, which they said would pile more pressure on schools and students. But universities insisted that the reforms were unavoidable, because A-level exams were no longer an accurate barometer (标准) of ability.
In 1986, 40 percent of students starting at Oxford achieved straight As at A-level. Mike Nicholson, its admissions director, said that this year almost every candidate offered a place would get perfect grades. It meant the university had to stage additional tests to identify the most able candidates. "The ability to achieve three A grades is no longer the end-point in the admissions process," he said. "The potential to achieve three A grades will allow them to enter the race for a place."
Oxford is not the only university turning to aptitude tests. At Cambridge, the number of students taking the university's Thinking Skills Assessment shot up 26 percent to more than 3, 000. A survey of 16, 830 sixth formers applying to higher education from private schools last year showed that 2, 860 had to sit at least one exam.
Earlier this year, the National Foundation for Educational Research recommended that most sixth formers should sit SAT tests —a standard reasoning exam widely used in American colleges—to make iteasier to pick out the best candidates.What is the attitude of head teachers to the reform?
| A．Approving. |
| B．Doubtful. |
| C．Opposed. |
| D．Neutral (中立的) |
Which British university first started to use aptitude tests to pick out the best candidates?
| A．Harvard. |
| B．Oxford. |
| C．Cambridge. |
| D．Washington |
What can we know about the A-level system?
| A．It can indicate the brightest candidates. |
| B．It was designed to assess students' thinking abilities. |
| C．It is longer an accurate way to assess students' abilities. |
| D．It was recommended by the National Foundation for Educational Research. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The reform is more popular in American colleges than in British ones. |
| B．The reform will be applied by all universities in the future. |
| C．Universities used to depend on the A-level system to choose the best students. |
| D．Passing additional tests will allow the student to enter Oxford, regardless of whether he or she gets As. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to get into leading universities. |
| B．The disadvantages of the A-level system. |
| C．Different ways to identify students' abilities. |
| D．Universities using extra exams to choose students. |
Choose Your Virginia
Rock House Museum
Rock House Museum. Take a journey through history with a visit to the exciting museum and historic sites of Wytheville. The Rock House Museum offers glimpses into daily life in the 19th century. The museum is part of the 50 structures featured in Wytheville's Historic Walking Tour. 540/223-3330.
Natural Bridge of Virginia
Natural Bridge of Virginia, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Caverns of Natural Bridge, guided tours of underground wonders; Natural Bridge Inn & Conference Center, Indoor Heated Pool, largest Gift & Souvenir Shop in the East. Information 800/533-1410.
Grand Caverns
Grand Caverns is America's oldest showcave. Beautiful and massive formations. Union troops visited the caverns. Thomas Jefferson visited—you should too! Open weekends in March, daily April～October, 9 am～5 pm. Hour tours leave every 30 minutes. 703/249-5705.
The News Museum
The News Museum in Arlington, the world's only interactive (互动) museum of news. Visitors can be reporters or television newscasters, see today's news as it happens on a block-long video news wall, and be takenbehind the scenes to see how news is made. The news museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am～5 pm. 888/NEWSEUM.www.Newsmuseum. Org
Kenmore Plantation & Gardens
Kenmore Plantation & Gardens, visit over two hundred years of history from the Revolutionary War, Civil War and into the 21st century. Home of Betty Washington, George Washington's only sister, and Patriot Col, Fielding Lewis. Explore this historic building and city block of restored gardens. Tea and ginger cookies served.540/373-3381.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach offers 11，000 hotel/motel rooms, plus cottages and campgrounds. Enjoy miles of clean beaches and a variety of family attractions. Fine restaurants, various shopping areas, exciting nightlife, and special events are offered throughout the year. 800/ 822-3224.What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?
| A．To attract tourists to Virginia. |
| B．To encourage people to settle in Virginia. |
| C．To introduce historic sites in Virginia. |
| D．To give people a general description of Virginia. |
What way is the News Museum different from Rock House Museum?
| A．It is larger. |
| B．It is more exciting. |
| C．Visitors can act in it. |
| D．Visitors can see more in it. |
If you want to enjoy yourself in the evening, you may go to __________.
| A．The News Museum |
| B．Kenmore Plantation & Gardens |
| C．Grand Caverns |
| D．Virginia Beach |
Which of the following places is not open in the winter months?
| A．Natural Bridge of Virginia. |
| B．Grand Caverns. |
| C．Virginia Beach. |
| D．Kenmore Plantation & Gardens. |
Which of the following is NOT true about Virginia Beach?
| A．Tourists can camp in the open air. |
| B．Tourists can enjoy some special events there. |
| C．Tourists can not go there in their own cars. |
| D．Tourists can enjoy themselves on the clean beach. |
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