Strange stones of Costa Rica
One of the strangest mysteries in archacology was discovered in the Diquis River Delta, in southern Costa Rica. Since the 1930s, hundreds of stone balls have been found. They range in size from a few centimeters to over two metres in diameter.
Who made these perfect spheres(球体) and how they made them remains a mystery. Some researchers believe the stones were made by extreme heating followed by cooling. People could have polished the spheres with sand or leather. The ancient Costa Ricans had no written language so there is no written record of just how they made the spheres.
Almost all are made of granite (花岗岩), a hard stone created by volcanoes. The granite quarries(采石场) were 25 to 30 miles away from the largest stones, which weigh more than 10 tons each. Nobody knows how people moved them..
Many of the stones have been found near the remains of houses or graves. Some believed that the stones contained hidden treasures and a few have been smashed but nothing has been found inside. Despite these losses, the National Museum of Costa Rica has recorded 130 spheres. However, many stones are not included because they have been removed from their original sites and used as ornaments(装饰) in homes, gardens and churches. Clearly, there are also many stones that lie undiscovered.The stones were discovered ___ .
| A．near the volcanoes |
| B．in southern Costa Rica |
| C．in a grave |
| D．in churches |
The writer ___ in the passage.
| A．admires the spheres very much |
| B．doesn’ t believe the spheres were once made by humans |
| C．tells us a discovery |
| D．thinks highly of the spheres |
The underlined word ”polished” refers to “___”.
| A．buried |
| B．wrapped |
| C．made shining |
| D．made big |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．The stone balls found in the Diquis River Delta are all very huge. |
| B．The stone balls were unearthed from the graves. |
| C．The local people show great interest in the stone balls. |
| D．There are a lot of treasures in the stone balls. |
The passage mainly tells us ___ .
| A．the stones are of great value. |
| B．the stones proved to be made by non-humans. |
| C．the stones are mystery. |
| D．the stone are ornaments. |
After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches (划痕) on their cars, Japan’s Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing--a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days.
The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin (弹性树脂) that is able to heal minor (较小的) marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris (石头碎片) or even on-purpose destruction.
The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works.
Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they’re gone, there is no trace (痕迹) that they were ever there.
The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period.
Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents.
But the complete auto-healing won’t come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $ 100 US to the price of a car.
It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its X-Trail SUVs in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven’t been made yet, if it’s a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores, as well.
53. From the article, we can find that .
A. the paint has already been used on cars by now
B. it beats other products of its kind in its lengthy effect
C. car damage is mainly caused by scratches and scrapes
D. marketing this paint in Europe is not under way
54. The paint used on cars can .
A. last 3 years before it is re-applied again
B. fade only in a few days
C. help to protect cars from minor paint damage
D. reduce car scrape incidents to 20 percent
55. What does the underlined part refer to?
A. Certain models of Nissan.
B. Name for one kind of paint.
C. Somewhere in Japan.
D. A word standing for a car-dealer store.
56. What can be inferr
ed from the article?
A. The paint was developed by Nissan Motor Company.
B. The paint might work better in summer than in winter.
C. The mark on the car could disappear as soon as the paint is applied.
D. The paint is very popular in Japan.
We often focus on building relationships with others so that we forget the essential first step: being friends of ourselves. That is the crucial first step if we are to have good relationships with others. How can we have good relationships with others if we don’t even have good relationship with ourselves? The problem might be worse than we expect. Maybe we don’t like ourselves without realizing it.
For example, maybe you have made mistakes in the past which you feel bad about. You might be disappointed with yourself on why you could make such mistakes. Even if that happened in distant past, your subconscious (潜意识) mind still has a reason not to like yourself.
You might wish that you were born in different family, or that you have different background. Maybe you could not accept the fact that you are not as lucky as others, who seem to get whatever they want effortlessly because of their background.
You might have some personal traits that you don’t like. For example, you may be an introvert (内向的人) and you don’t like it; you wish you are an extrovert (外向的人).
Your achievements relate to others. They might have better achievements than you, and no matter how hard you tried, it might seem impossible for you to match them. You might then think that it’s because you are not smart enough or don’t have enough talents.
Is there anything that resonates (产生共鸣) with you? All these give reasons to you not to like yourself. That in turn makes it difficult for you to be a good friend to yourself.
Fortunately, there are always things you can do to fix the situation. Here are some tips:
1. Forgive yourself.
2. Accept things you can’t change.
3. Focus on your strengths.
4. Write your success stories.
5. Stop comparing yourself with others.
6. Always be true to yourself.
49. The underlined word “traits” in the fourth paragraph probably means
A. particular qualities B. some disadvantages
C. special abilities D. training courses
50. One can’t be friends with himself because
A. he won’t forgive others’ mistakes
B. he dislikes his backgroun
d
C. he accepts some of his personal traits
D. he is proud of himself
51. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Resonating is very important for making friends.
B. How to make friends with ourselves is very difficult.
C. Writing your success contributes to stopping comparing with others.
D. Realizing your own advantages and good is good to you.
52. Which of the following is NOT mentioned according to the passage?
A. It’s normal to make mistakes, so do yourself a favor by giving yourself forgiveness.
B. You will feel much relaxed if you treat things you can’t change the way they are.
C. It’s useless to compare yourself with others.
D. If you have a good family, you’ll make friends with yourself.
Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch can be found in Arches National Park in Utah, USA. The arch stands alone at a height of 52 feet and is considered one of Utah’s most important landmarks. In 2002, the Olympic torch passed through this arch to mark the beginning of the winter games.
Wave Rock
This 15-meter high and 110-meter long impressive natural rock formation is located in Western Australia. It looks like a large, smooth wave ready to break. Algae(海藻) grow on the surface of Wave Rock.
The Wave
The Wave is located on the slopes of the Coyote Buttes, Arizona, USA. This incredible formation can be reached by hiking approximately 4.8 kilometers, making the round trip to and from The Wave a nearly 9.7-kilometer hike that climbs about 107 meters in altitude.
James Bond Island
James Bond Island can be found in Aohang-Nga National Park in Thailand. The needle-shaped rock formation was named James Bond Island because it was featured in a 1974 Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.
Devil’s Tower
The formation known as Devil’s Tower can be found in Wyom
ing, USA. Also known as Bear Tower, the rock formation is actually the neck of a volcano. It rises 386 meters above the surrounding land and the top of it is 1.558 meters above sea level.
The Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is located in Northern Ireland and has a series of over 40,000 columns made of basalt(玄武岩). Each column is connected and the formation is believed to be a result of volcanic ash. Believe it or not, when this formation was first discovered, scientists argued as to how it was formed. Some thought it was natural, others thought it was manmade, and some thought that perhaps it had been created by a giant!
Bryce Canyon National Park
One of the most impressive rock formations in the world is the Bryce Canyon in Utah, USA. It is a national park and despite its name, it is not actually a canyon, but rather a giant natural amphitheater(圆形竞技场) created by erosion.
Pierce Rock
This rock formation is one of the largest natural arches in the world. This natural arch named Pierce Rock is an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Canada. It is 433 meters long, 90 meters wide, and 88 meters at its highest point.
45. Which of the following rock formations is located in Asia?
A. Wave Rock. B. James Bond Island
C. The Giant’s Causeway. D. Pierce Rock.
46. Which of the following rock formations is related to a volcano?
A. The Wave B. Devil’s Tower.
C. Bryce Canyon National park. D. Pierce Rock.
47. Which of the following words can best describe the rock formations?
A. Impressive. B. Unexpected. C. Surprising. D. Unexceptional.
48. According to the passage, the scientists once argued with regard to at first.
A. why Pierce Rock was so featured
B. when Bry
ce Canyon National park came into being
C. what on earth these formations are connected with
D. how the Giant’s Causeway was formed
第二部分阅读理解(共25小题；每一节每一小题2分，第二节每小题1分；满分45分)
第一节阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experiences? Strangely enough, the answer to both these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, but whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, now held by most experts can be supported in a number of ways.
It is easy to say that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random from the population, it is likely that their degrees of intelligence will be completely different. If on the other hand we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth.
Imagine that now we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all, are likely to have similar degrees of intelligence.
41. By using the example that two people closer in blood relationship are closer in intelligence that writer wants to prove .
A. intelligence is given at birth
B. intelligence can be developed by environment
C. intelligence can be developed by experience
D. education plays an important part in the development of education
42. A child who lives in rich and varied surroundings turns out higher in intelligence because .
A. his family is rich and therefore can afford to develop his intelligence
B. he can break the limits of intelligence fixed at birth
C. his family is rich and provides him with various healthy food
D. these surroundings are likely to help him reach the limits of his intelligence
43. The writer of this article believes that .
A. the development of one’s intelligence is determined by many factors working together
B. environment plays the most important role in the development of intelligence
C. education plays the most important role in the development of intelligence
D. birth plays the most important role in the development of intelligence
44. The best title for this passage might be .
A. Intelligence B. Birth and Environment
C. The Answer to a Question D. Why Are Some People Born Clever
With many college graduates struggling to find jobs, one of the most important for you to understand is that you’re in school all your life. In fact, your real education is just beginning.
I’d like to pass on a few lessons that you didn’t necessarily get in school. If you’ve been out of school for a few years or a lot of years, they could still teach you something.
·Develop relationships and keep networking. If I had to name a single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture (培育) networks of contacts. Start strengthening your relationships now, so that they’ll be in place when you really need them later. In
the classroom it was mostly about individual performance. Success in real life requires relationships.
·Set goals. Ask any winner what the key to his or her success was, and you’ll hear four consistent messages: vision, determination, persistence, and setting goals. If you don’t set goals and determine where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive (激励)to keep you going all day.
·Sense of humor. I’m a firm believer in using humor, though not necessarily jokes. A good sense of humor helps one understand the unconventional( 非传统的 ), tolerate the unpleasant, and overcome the unexpected. There are plenty of times to be serious, but I believe that keeping things light and comfortable encourages better teamwork.
·Volunteer. It might be hard to do a lot of volunteer work at first, but people who help others on a regular basis have a healthier outlook on life.
72. By saying “your real education is just beginning”, the author wants to .
A. explain why it’s difficult for college graduates to find jobs
B. show the importance of social experience, besides schooling, in education
C. advise students to value their time at school, and to study hard
D. advise college graduates to face bravely the problems they may encounter(遭遇)
73. You should start to strengthen your relationships now because .
A. it will take you time to develop them before you need them
B. you may have gotten used to being judged as an individual, and need to change
C. successful people have no time to develop relationships with you
D. you need to spend a lot of time learning the importance of good relationships
74. The author believes that being humorous means that you .
A. should prepare jokes to be used in various situations
B. can deal with difficult situations in an easy and comfortable way
C. can show your difference from others and be able to succeed
D. should smile all the time and avoid being serious on any occasion
75. The target readers of this passage are probably .
A. educational experts
B. people who want to change jobs
C. college graduates who have just left school
D. high school students who are still at school
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