高中英语阅读理解

Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said that they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.

How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.

"More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone," says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers' bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.

Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.

25. What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?

A．	American kids' sleeping habits.	B．	Teenagers' sleep-related diseases.
C．	Activities to prevent sleeplessness.	D．	Learning problems and lack of sleep.

26. How many hours of sleep do 11-year-olds need every day?

A．

7 hours.

B．

8 hours.

C．

10 hours.

D．

18 hours.

27. Why do teenagers go to sleep late according to Carskadon?

A．	They are affected by certain body chemicals.
B．	They tend to do things that excite them.
C．	They follow their parents' examples.
D．	They don't need to go to school early.

Benjamin West,the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In those days ,a brush was made from camel's hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.

The brush did nott last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the catbegan to look ragged （蓬乱）. His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.

The cat ' s lot was about to improve.That year, one of Benjamin's cousins, Mr.Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin's drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings （版画）by an artist. These were the forst pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen.In 1747，when Benjamin was nine years old，Mr.Pennington retured for another visit .He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift.He asked Benjamin's parents if he might take the boy to Philadelphia for a visit.

In the city, Mr.Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings.The boy began a landscape (风景) painting.Wiliams ,a well-known painter,came to see him work . Wiliams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home .The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little,having been a poor student.But he later said,"Those two books were my companions by day,and under my pillow at night."While it is likely that he understood very little of the books,they were his introduction to classical paintings.The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.

21. What is the text mainly about?

A．	Benjamin's visit to Philadelphia.
B．	Williams' influence on Benjamin.
C．	The beginning of Benjamin's life as an artist.
D．	The friendship between Benjamin and Pennington.

22. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 3 suggest?

A．	The cat would be closely watched.
B．	The cat would get some medical care.
C．	Benjamin would leave his home shortly.
D．	Benjamin would have real brushes soon.

23. What did Pennington do to help Benjamin develop his talent?

A．	He took him to see painting exhibitions.
B．	He provided him with painting materials.
C．	He sent him to a school in Philadelphia.
D．	He taught him how to make engravings.

24. Williams' two books helped Benjamin to ________.

A．	master the use of paints
B．	appreciate landscape paintings
C．	get to know other painters
D．	make up his mind to be a painter

In the years of my growing up, Dad was strict with me. He made sure I made my bed and did my homework. He would call in advance to make sure there was no alcohol at the party. I got so angry with him for laying down the law. I would scream, " I hate you!" Dad would yell back, "Good! I don't care!" Deep down I knew he did.

One time at a party, I drank too much alcohol and got so sick. I said, " Call my dad." Next thing, Dad was carrying me to the car. I woke up the next morning, thinking I would definitely be criticized. As expected, I got a roasting, but I now understand why I need discipline.

Dad was 29 when he got his big roles in films. I had an early start at the age of nine with a role in a 1990s TV series, but it wasn't until I finished film studies that I pursued my career as an actress. Like those early days for Dad, I faced lots of rejections.Working in such a competitive industry, I've sometimes thought, " I can't do this any more."

Once, after a trip to Hollywood, I returned to Australia so depressed and spent months in my bedroom painting, listening to Eckhart Tolle's music and trying to find myself again. Dad sat me down and said,"Alice, I know it's hard, but it's all about persistence(坚持不懈)."

Now I get to work with Dad a lot, which I love. We both passionate about acting, which comes from us being so interested in people. If it weren't for Dad, I wouldn't be where I am today. He's my biggest fan, and when you have that in your life you can go a long way.

56. What rules did Alice's father set for her when she was growing up?(no more than 15 words)

57. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?(no more than 5 words)

58. What did Alice's father do when she felt depressed?(no more than 5 words)

59. According to the last paragraph, what do Alice and her father have in common?(no more than 10 words)

60. What do you think of Alice's father? Please explain.(no more than 20 words)

I read somewhere that we spend a full third of our lives waiting. But where are we doing all of this waiting, and what does it mean to an impatient society like ours? To understand the issue, let's take a look at three types of "waits".

The very purest form of waiting is the Watched-Pot Wait. It is without doubt the most annoying of all. Take filling up the kitchen sink(洗碗池) as an example. There is absolutely nothing you can do while this is going on but keep both eyes fixed on the sink until it's full. During these waits, the brain slips away from the body and wanders about until the water runs over the edge of the counter and onto your socks. This kind of wait makes the waiter helpless and mindless.

A cousin to the Watched-Pot Wait is the Forced Wait. This one requires a bit of discipline. Properly preparing packaged noodle soup required a Forced Wait. Directions are very specific. "Bring three cups of water to boil, add mix, simmer three minutes, remove from heat, let stand five minutes."I have my doubts that anyone has actually followed the procedures strictly. After all, Forced Waiting requires patience.

Perhaps the most powerful type of waiting is the Lucky-Break Wait. This type of wait is unusual in that it is for the most part voluntary. Unlike the Forced Wait, which is also voluntary, waiting for your lucky break does not necessarily mean that it will happen.

Turning one's life into a waiting game requires faith and hope, and is strictly for the optimists among us. On the surface it seems as ridiculous as following the directions on soup mixes, but the Lucky-Break Wait well serves those who are willing to do it. As long as one doesn't come to rely on it, wishing for a few good things to happen never hurts anybody.

We certainly do spend a good deal of our time waiting. The next time you're standing at the sink waiting for it to fill while cooking noodle soup that you'll have to eat until a large bag of cash falls out of the sky, don't be desperate. You're probably just as busy as the next guy.

51. While doing a Watched-Pot Wait, we tend to ___________.

A．	keep ourselves busy
B．	get absent-minded
C．	grow anxious
D．	stay focused

52. What is the difference between the Forced Wait and the Watched-Pot Wait?

A．	The Forced Wait requires some self-control.
B．	The Forced Wait makes people passive.
C．	The Watched-Pot Wait needs directions.
D．	The Watched-Pot Wait engages body and brain.

53. What can we learn about the Lucky-Break Wait?

A．	It is less voluntary than the Forced Wait.
B．	It doesn't always bring the desired result.
C．	It is more fruitful than the Forced Wait.
D．	It doesn't give people faith and hope.

54. What does the author advise us to do the next time we are waiting?

A．	Take it seriously.
B．	Don't rely on others.
C．	Do something else.
D．	Don't lose heart.

55. The author supports his view by _________.

A．	exploring various causes of "waits".
B．	describing detailed processes of "waits".
C．	analyzing different categories of "waits"
D．	revealing frustrating consequences of "waits"

This month, Germany's transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, proposed the first set of rules for autonomous vehicles(自主驾驶车辆). They would define the driver's role in such cars and govern how such cars perform in crashes where lives might be lost.

The proposal attempts to deal with what some call the "death valley" of autonomous vehicles: the grey area between semi-autonomous and fully driverless cars that could delay the driverless future.

Dobrindt wants three things: that a car always chooses property(财产) damage over personal injury; that it never distinguishes between humans based on age or race; and that if a human removes his or her hands from the driving wheel - to check email, say - the car's maker is responsible if there is a crash.

"The change to the road traffic law will permit fully automatic driving," says Dobrindt. It will put fully driverless cars on an equal legal footing to human drivers, he says.

Who is responsible for the operation of such vehicles is not clear among car makers, consumers and lawyers. "The liability(法律责任) issue is the biggest one of them all," says Natasha Merat at the University of Leeds, UK.

An assumption behind UK insurance for driverless cars, introduces earlier this year, insists that a human " be watchful and monitoring the road" at every moment.

But that is not what many people have in mind when thinking of driverless cars. "When you say 'driverless cars', people expect driverless cars."Merat says. "You know - no driver."

Because of the confusion, Merat thinks some car makers will wait until vehicles can be fully automated without operation.

Driverless cars may end up being a form of public transport rather than vehicles you own, says Ryan Calo at Stanford University, California. That is happening in the UK and Singapore, where government-provided driverless vehicles are being launched.

That would go down poorly in the US, however. "The idea that the government would take over driverless cars and treat them as a public good would get absolutely nowhere here," says Calo.

46. What does the phrase "death valley" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．	A place where cars often break down.
B．	A case where passing a law is impossible.
C．	An area where no driving is permitted.
D．	A situation where drivers' role is not clear.

47. The proposal put forward by Dobrindt aims to __________.

A．	stop people from breaking traffic rules
B．	help promote fully automatic driving
C．	protect drivers of all ages and races
D．	prevent serious property damage

48. What do consumers think of the operation of driverless cars?

A．	It should get the attention of insurance companies.
B．	It should be the main concern of law makers.
C．	It should not cause deadly traffic accidents.
D．	It should involve no human responsibility.

49. Driverless vehicles in public transport see no bright future in __________.

A．	Singapore
B．	the UK
C．	the US
D．	Germany

50. What could be the best title for passage?

A．	Autonomous Driving: Whose Liability?
B．	Fully Automatic Cars: A New Breakthrough
C．	Autonomous Vehicles: Driver Removed
D．	Driverless Cars: Root of Road Accidents

Fifteen years ago, I took a summer vacation in Lecce in southern Italy. After climbing up a hill for a panoramic(全景的) view of the blue sea, white buildings and green olive trees, I paused to catch my breath and then positioned myself to take the best photo of this panorama.

Unfortunately, just as I took out my camera, a woman approached from behind, and planted herself right in front of my view. Like me, this woman was here to stop, sigh and appreciate the view.

Patient as I was, after about 15 minutes, my camera scanning the sun and reviewing the shot I would eventually take, I grew frustrated. Was it too much to ask her to move so I could take just one picture of the landscape? Sure, I could have asked her, but something prevented me from doing so. She seemed so content in her observation. I didn't want to mess with that.

Another 15 minutes passed and I grew bored. The woman was still there. I decided to take the photo anyway. And now when I look at it, I think her presence in the photo is what makes the image interesting. The landscape, beautiful on its own, somehow coms to life and breathes because this woman is engaging with it.

This photo, with the unique beauty that unfolded before me and that woman who "ruined" it, now hangs on a wall in my bedroom. What would she think if she knew that her figure is captured(捕捉) and frozen on some stranger's bedroom wall? A bedroom, after all, is a very private space, in which some woman I don't even know has been immortalized(使……永存). In some ways, she lives in my house.

Perhaps we all live in each other's space. Perhaps this is what photos are for: to remind us that we all appreciate beauty, that we all share a common desire for pleasure, for connection, for something that is greater than us.

That photo is a reminder, a captured moment, an unspoken conversation between two women, separated only by a thin square of glass.

41. What happened when the author was about to take a photo?

A．	Her camera stopped working.
B．	A woman blocked her view.
C．	Someone asked her to leave
D．	A friend approached from behind.

42. According to the author, the woman was probably_______.

A．	enjoying herself
B．	losing her patience
C．	waiting for the sunset
D．	thinking about her past

43. In the author's opinion, what makes the photo so alive?

A．	The rich color of the landscape.
B．	The perfect positioning of the camera.
C．	The woman's existence in the photo.
D．	The soft sunlight that summer day.

44. The photo on the bedroom wall enables the author to better understand ________.

A．	the need to be close to nature
B．	the importance of private space
C．	the joy of the vacation in Italy
D．	the shared passion for beauty

45. The passage can be seen as the author's reflections upon _______.

A．	a particular life experience
B．	the pleasure of traveling
C．	the art of photography
D．	a lost friendship

Suppose you're in a rush, feeling tired, not paying attention to your screen, and you send an email that could get you in trouble.

Realisation will probably set in seconds after you've clicked "send". You freeze in horrors and burn with shame.

What to do? Here are four common email accidents, and how to recover.

Clicking " send " too soon

Don't waste your time trying to find out if the receivers has read it yet. Write another email as swiftly as you can and send it with a brief explaining that this is the correct version and the previous version should be ignored.

Writing the wrong time

The sooner you notice, the better. Respond quickly and briefly, apologizing for your mistake. Keep the tone measured: don't handle it too lightly, as people can be offered, especially if your error suggests a misunderstanding of their culture(I.e. incorrect ordering of Chinese names).

Clicking " reply all " unintentionally

You accidentally reveal(透露)to entire company what menu choices you would prefer at the staff Christmas dinner, or what holiday you'd like to take. In this instance, the best solution is to send a quick, light-hearted apology to explain your awkwardness. But it can quickly rise to something worse, when everyone starts hitting "reply all" to join in a long and unpleasant conversation. In this instance, step away from your keyboard to allow everyone to calm down.

Sending an offensive message to it ' s subject

The most awkward email mistake is usually committed in anger. You write an unkind message about someone, intending to send it to a friend, but accidentally send it to the person you're discussing. In that case, ask to speak in person as soon as possible and say sorry. Explain your frustrations calmly and sensibly-see it as an opportunity tic hear up any difficulties you may have with this person.

36. After realizing an email accident, you are likely to feel _______.

A．

curious

B．

tired

C．

awful

D．

funny

37. If you have written the wrong name in an email, it is best to ________.

A．	apologise in a serious manner
B．	tell the receiver to ignore the error
C．	learn to write the name correctly
D．	send a short notice to everyone

38. What should you do when an unpleasant conversation is started by your "reply all" email?

A．	Try offering other choices.
B．	Avoid further involvement.
C．	Meet other staff members.
D．	Make a light-hearted apology.

39. How should you deal with the problem caused by an offensive email?

A．	By promising not to offend the receiver again.
B．	By seeking support from the receiver's friends.
C．	By asking the receiver to control his anger.
D．	By talking to the receiver face to face.

40. What is the passage mainly about?

A．	Defining email errors.
B．	Reducing email mistakes.
C．	Handling email accidents.
D．	Improving email writing.

Old Problem, New Approaches

While clean energy is increasingly used in our daily life, global warning will continue for some decades after CO ₂emissions（排放）peak. So even if emission were to begin decrease today, we would still face the challenge of adapting to climate. Here I will stress some smarter and more creative examples of climate adaptation.

When it comes to adaptation，it is important to understand that climate change is a process. We are therefore not talking about adapting to a new standard, but to a constantly shifting set of conditions. This is why in part at least, the US National Climate Assessment says that: " there is no 'one-size fit all' adaptation." Nevertheless, there are some actions that offer much and carry little risk or cost.

Around the world people are adapting in surprising ways, especially in some poor countries, Floods have some more damaging in Bangladesh in recent decades. Mohammed Rezwan saw opportunity where others saw only disaster. His not-for-profit organization runs 100 river boats that server as floating libraries, schools, and health clinics, and are equipment with solar panels and other communication facilities. Rezwan is creating floating connecticity（连体） to replace flooded roads and highways. But he is also working at a far more fundamental level: his staff people how to make floating gardens fish ponds prevent starvation during the wet season.

Around the world, people are adapting in surprising ways, especially in some poor countries, Fllods have become more damaging in Bangladesh in recent decades. Mobammed Rezwan saw opportunity where others saw only disaster. His not-for-profit organization runs 100 river boats that serve as floating libraries, schoods, and health clinics, and are equipped with solar panels and other communicating facilities. Rezwan is creating floating conmetivity（连接） to replace flooded roads and highways. But he is also working at a far more fundamental level: his staff show people how to make floating gardens and fish ponds to prevent starvation during the wet season.

Elsewhere in Asia even more astonishing actions are being taken. Chewang. Nophel lives in a mountainous region in India, where he is known as the Ice Man. The loss of glaciers(冰川) there due to global warming represents an enormous threat to agriculture. Without the glaciers, water will arrive in the rivers at times when it can damage crops. Norphel's inspiration come from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. His fields of ice supply perfectly timed irrigation(灌溉) water. Having created nine such ice reserves. Nophel calculates that he has stored about 200, 000m ³ of water. Climate change is a continuing process, so Norhel's ice reserves will not last forever. Warming will overtake them. But he is providing a few years during which the farmers will, perhaps, be able to find other means of adapting.

Increasing Earth's reflectiveness can cool the planet. In southern Spain the sudden increase of greenhouses (which reflect light back to space) has changed the warming trend locally, and actually cooled the region. While Spain as a whole is heating up quickly, temperatures near the greenhouses have decreased. This example should act as an inspiration for all cities. By painting buildings white, cities may slow down the warming process.

In Peni, local farmers around a mountain with a glacier that has already fallen victim to climate change have begun painting the entire mountain peak white in the hope that the added reflectiveness will restore the life-giving ice. The outcome is still far from clear, But the World Bank has included the project on its of '100 ideas to save the planet".

More ordinary forms of adaptation are happening everywhere. A friend of mine owns an area of land in western Victoria. Over five generations the land has been too wet for cropping. But during the past decade declining rainfall has allows him to plant highly profitable crops. Farmers in many countries are also adapting like this-either by growing new produce, or by growing the same things differently. This is common sense, But some suggestions for adapting are not. When the polluting industries argue that we've lost the battle to control carbon pollution and have no choice but to adapt, it's a nonsense designed to make the case for business as usual.

Human beings will continue to adapt to the changing climate in both ordinary and astonishing ways. But the most sensible form of adaptation is surely to adapt our energy systems to emit less carbon pollution. After all, if we adapt in the way, we may avoid the need to change in so many others.

65. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 implies       .

A．	adaptation is an ever-changing process
B．	the cost of adaptation varies with time
C．	global warming affects adaptation forms
D．	adaptation to climate change is challenging

66. What is special with regard to Rezwan's project?

A．	The project receives government support.
B．	Different organizations work with each other.
C．	His organization makes the best of a bad situation.
D．	The project connects flooded roads and highways.

67. What did the Ice Man do to reduce the effect of global warming?

A．	Storing ice for future use.
B．	Protecting the glaciers from melting.
C．	Changing the irrigation time.
D．	Postponing the melting of the glaciers.

68. What do we learn from the Peru example?

A．	White paint is usually safe for buildings.
B．	The global warming tread cannot be stopped.
C．	This country is heating up too quickly.
D．	Sunlight reflection may relieve global warming.

69. According to the author, polluting industries should      .

A．	adapt to carbon pollution
B．	plant highly profitable crops
C．	leave carbon emission alone
D．	fight against carbon pollution

70. What's the author's preferred solution to global warming?

A．	setting up a new standard.
B．	Reducing carbon emission.
C．	Adapting to climate change.
D．	Monitoring polluting industries.

A new commodity brings about a highly profitable,fast-growing industry, urging antitrust（反垄断）regulators to step in to check those who control its flow. A century ago ,the resource in question was oil. Now similar concerns ares being raised by the giants（巨头）that deal in data, the oil of the digital age. The most valuable firms are Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft. All look unstoppable.

Such situations have led to calls for the tech giants to be broken up. But size alone is not a crime. The giants' success has benefited consumers. Few want to live without search engines or a quick delivery, Far from charging consumers high prices, many of these services are free (users pay, in effect, by handing over yet more data). And the appearance of new-born giants suggests that newcomers can make waves, too.

But there is cause for concern. The internet has made data abundant, all-present and far more valuable, changing the nature of data and competition. Google initially used the data collected from users to target advertising better. But recently it has discovered that data can be turned into new services: translation and visual recognition, to be sold to other companies. Internet companies' control of data gives them enormous power. So they have a "God's eye view" of activities in their own markets and beyond.

This nature of data makes the antitrust measures of the past less useful. Breaking up firms like Google into five small ones would not stop remaking themselves: in time, one of them would become great again. A rethink is required-and as a new approach starts to become apparent, two ideas stand out.

The first is that antitrust authorities need to move form the industrial age into the 21st century. When considering a merger(兼并), for example, they have traditionally used size to determine when to step in. They now need to take into account the extent of firms' data assets(资产) when assessing the impact of deals. The purchase price could also be a signal that an established company is buying a new-born threat. When this takes place, especially when a new-born company has no revenue to speak of, the regulators should raise red flags.

The second principle is to loosen the control that providers of on-line services have over data and give more to those who supply them.Companies could be forced to consumers what information they hold and how much money they make from it. Governments could order the sharing of certain kinds of data, with users' consent.

Restarting antitrust for the information age will not be easy But if governments don't wants a data economy by a few giants, they must act soon.

61.Why is there a call to break up giants?

A．	They have controlled the data market
B．	They collect enormous private data
C．	They no longer provide free services
D．	They dismissed some new-born giants

62.What does the technological innovation in Paragraph 3 indicate?

A．	Data giants' technology is very expensive
B．	Google's idea is popular among data firms
C．	Data can strengthen giants' controlling position
D．	Data can be turned into new services or products

63.By paying attention to firms' data assets, antitrust regulators could        .

A．	kill a new threat
B．	avoid the size trap
C．	favour bigger firms
D．	charge higher prices

64.What is the purpose of loosening the giants' control of data?

A．	Big companies could relieve data security pressure.
B．	Governments could relieve their financial pressure.
C．	Consumers could better protect their privacy.
D．	Small companies could get more opportunities.

Before birth, babies can tell the difference between loud sounds and voices. They can even distinguish their mother's voice from that of a female stranger. But when it comes to embryonic learning（胎教）, birds could rule the roost. As recently reported in The Auk: Ornithological Adrances, some mother birds may teach their young to sing even before they hatch(孵化). New-born chicks can then imitate their mom's call within a few days of entering the world.

This educational method was first z observed in 2012 by Sonia Kieindorfer,a biologist at Flinders University in South Australia,and her colleagues. Femake Australian superb fairy wrens were found to repeat one sound over and over again while hatching their errs, when the errs were hatched, the baby birds made the similar chirp to their mothers-around that served as their regular "feed me!" call.

To find out if the special quality was more widespread in birds, the researchers sought the red-backed fairy wren, another species of Australian songbird. First they collected sound data from 67 nests in four sites in Queensland before and after hatching. Then they identified begging calls by analyzing the order and number of notes. A computer analysis blindly compared calls produced by mothers and chicks, ranking them by similarity.

It turns out that baby red-backed fairy wrens also emerge chirping like their moms. And the more frequently mothers had called to their errs, the more similar were the babies' begging calls. In addition, the team set up a separate experiment that suggested that the baby birds that most closely imitated their mom's voice were rewarded with the most food.

This observation hints that effective embryonic learning could signal neurological(神经系统的) strengths of children to parents. An evolutionary inference can then be drawn." As a parent, do you invest in quality children, or do you invest in children that are in need?" Kleindorfer asks." Our results suggest that they might be going for quality."

58.The underlined phrase in Paragraph 1 means"     ".

A．	be the worst	B．	be the best
C．	be the as bad	D．	be just as good

59.What are Kleindorfer's findings based on?

A．	Similarities between the calls moms and chicks.
B．	The observation of fairy wrens across Australia.
C．	The data collected from Queensland's locals.
D．	Controlled experiments on wrens and other birds.

60.Embryonic learning helps mother birds to identify the baby birds which      .

A．	can receive quality signals	B．	are in need of training
C．	fit the environment better	D．	make the loudest call

CHRONOLOGICA

--The Unbelievable Years that Defined History

DID YOU KNOW…

•  In 105AD paper was invented in China?

When Columbus discovered the New World?

The British Museum opened in 1759?

CHRONOLOGICA is a fascinating journey through time, from the foundation of Rome to the creation of the internet. Along the way are tales of kings and queens, hot air balloons…and monkeys in space.

Travel through 100 of the most unbelievable years in world history and learn why being a Roman Emperor wasn't always as good as it sounds, how the Hundred Years' War didn't actually last for 100 years and why Spencer Perceval holds a rather unfortunate record.

    

CHRONOLOGICA is an informative and entertaining tour into history, beautifully illustrated and full of unbelievable facts. While CHRONOLOGICA tells the stories of famous people in history such as Thomas Edison and Alexander the Great, this book also gives ab account of the lives of lesser-known individuals including the explorer Mungo Park and sculptor Gutzon Borglum.

This complete but brief historical collection is certain to entertain readers young and old,and guaranteed to present even the biggest history lover with something new!

56.What is CHRONOLOGICA according to the next?

A．	A biography.	B．	A travel guide.
C．	A history book.	D．	A science fiction.

57.How does the writer recommend CHRONOLOGICA to readers?

A．	By giving details of its collection.	B．	By introducing some of its contents.
C．	By telling stories at the beginning.	D．	By comparing it with other books.

Hollywood's theory that machines with evil(邪恶) minds will drive armies of killer robots is just silly. The real problem relates to the possibility that artificial intelligence(AI) may become extremely good at achieving something other than what we really want. In 1960 a well-known mathematician Norbert Wiener, who founded the field of cybernetics（控制论）, put it this way "If we use, to achieve our purposes, a mechanical agency with whose operation we cannot effectively interfere(干预), we had better be quite sure that the purpose which we really desire."

A machine with a specific purpose has another quality, one that we usually associate with living things a wish to preserve its own existence. For the machine, this quality is not in-born, nor is it something introduced by humans; it is a logical consequence of the simple fact that the machine cannot achieve its original purpose if it is dead. So if we send out a robot with the single instruction of fetching coffee, it will have a strong desire to secure success by disabling its own off switch or even killing anyone who might interfere with its task. If we are not careful, then, we could face a kind of global chess match against very determined, super intelligent machines whose objectives conflict with our own, with the real world as the chessboard.

The possibility of entering into and losing such a match should concentrating the minds of computer scientists. Some researchers argue that we can seal the machines inside a kind of firewall, using them to answer difficult questions but never allowing them to affect the real world. Unfortunately, that plan seems unlikely to work we have yet to invent a firewall that is secure against ordinary humans, let alone super intelligent machines.

Solving the safety problem well enough to move forward in AI seems to be possible but not easy. There are probably decades in which to plan for the arrival of super intelligent machines. But the problem should not be dismissed out of hand, as it has been by some AI researchers. Some argue that humans and machines can coexist as long as they work in teams-yet that is not possible unless machines share the goals of humans. Others say we can just "switch them off" as if super intelligent machines are too stupid to think of that possibility. Still others think that super intelligent AI will never happen. On September 11, 1933, famous physicist Ernest Rutherford stated, with confidence, "Anyone who expects a source of power in the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine." However, on September 12, 1933, physicist Leo Szilard invented the neutron-induced(中子诱导) nuclear chain reaction.

67.Paragraph 1 mainly tells us that artificial intelligence may        .

A．	run out of human control
B．	satisfy human's real desires
C．	command armies of killer robots
D．	work faster than a mathematician

68.Machines with specific purposes are associated with living things partly because they might be able to       .

A．	prevent themselves from being destroyed
B．	B achieve their original goals independently
C．	do anything successfully with given orders
D．	beat humans in international chess matches

69.According to some researchers, we can use firewalls to          .

A．	help super intelligent machines work better
B．	be secure against evil human beings
C．	keep machines from being harmed
D．	avoid robot's affecting the world

70.What does the author think of the safety problem of super intelligent machines?

A．It will disappear with the development of AI．

B．It will get worse with human interference.

C．It will be solved but with difficulty.

Measles(麻疹), which once killed 450 children each year and disabled even more, was nearly wiped out in the United States 14 years ago by the universal use of the MMR vaccine(疫苗). But the disease is making a comeback, caused by a growing anti-vaccine movement and misinformation that is spreading quickly. Already this year, 115 measles cases have been reported in the USA, compared with 189 for all of last year.

The numbers might sound small, but they are the leading edge of a dangerous trend. When vaccination rates are very high, as they still are in the nation as a whole, everyone is protected. This is called "herd immunity", which protects the people who get hurt easily, including those who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons, babies too young to get vaccinated and people on whom the vaccine doesn't work.

But herd immunity works only when nearly the whole herd joins in. When some refuse vaccination and seek a free ride, immunity breaks down and everyone is in even bigger danger.

That's exactly what is happening in small neighborhoods around the country from Orange County, California, where 22 measles cases were reported this month, to Brooklyn, N.Y., where a 17-year-old caused an outbreak last year.

The resistance to vaccine has continued for decades, and it is driven by a real but very small risk. Those who refuse to take that risk selfishly make others suffer.

Making things worse are state laws that make it too easy to opt out(决定不参加) of what are supposed to be required vaccines for all children entering kindergarten. Seventeen states allow parents to get an exemption（豁免), sometimes just by signing a paper saying they personally object to a vaccine.

Now, several states are moving to tighten laws by adding new regulations for opting out. But no one does enough to limit exemptions.

Parents ought to be able to opt out only for limited medical or religious reasons. But personal opinions? Not good enough. Everyone enjoys the life-saving benefits vaccines provide, but they'll exist only as long as everyone shares in the risks.

63．The first two paragraphs suggest that ____________.

A．	a small number of measles cases can start a dangerous trend
B．	the outbreak of measles attracts the public attention
C．	anti-vaccine movement has its medical reasons
D．	information about measles spreads quickly

64．Herd immunity works well when ____________.

A．	exemptions are allowed
B．	several vaccines are used together
C．	the whole neighborhood is involved in
D．	new regulations are added to the state laws

65．What is the main reason for the comeback of measles?

A．	The overuse of vaccine.
B．	The lack of medical care.
C．	The features of measles itself.
D．	The vaccine opt-outs of some people.

66．What is the purpose of the passage?

A．	To introduce the idea of exemption.
B．	To discuss methods to cure measles.
C．	To stress the importance of vaccination.
D．	To appeal for equal rights in medical treatment.

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59. Why is TOKNOW a special magazine?

A．	It entertains young parents.
B．	It provides serious sdvertisements.
C．	It publishes popular science fictions.
D．	It combines fun with complex concepts.

60. What does TOKNOW offer its readers?

A．	Online courses.
B．	Articles on new topics.
C．	Lectures on a balanced life.
D．	Reports on scientific discoveries.

61. How much should you pay if you make a 12-mouth subscription to TOKNOW with gift pack from China?

A．

£55.

B．

£60.

C．

£65.

D．

£70.

62. Subscribers of TOKNOW would get            .

A．	free birthday presents
B．	full refund within 28 days
C．	membership of the TOKNOW club
D．	chances to meet the experts in person

It was a cold March day in High Point, North Carolina. The girls on the Wesleyan Academy softball were waiting for their next turns at bat during practice, stamping their feet to stay warm, Eighth-grader Taylor Bisbee shivered(发抖) a little as she watched her teammate Paris White play. The two didn't know each other well -Taylor had just moved to town a month or so before.

Suddenly, Paris fell to the ground,"Paris's eye rolled back," Taylor says. "She started shaking . I knew it was an emergency."

It certainly was, Paris had suffered a sudden heart failure. Without immediate medical care, Paris would die. "Does anyone know CPR?"

CPR is a life-saving technique. To do CPR, you press on the sick person's chest so that blood moves through the body and takes oxygen to organs. Without oxygen the brain is damaging quickly.

Amazingly, Taylor had just taken a CPR course the day before. Still, she hesitated. She didn't think she knew it well enough. But when no one else came forward, Taylor ran to Paris and began doing CPR, "It was scary. I knew it was the difference between life and death," says Taylor.

Taylor's swift action helped her teammates calm down. One girl called 911. Two more ran to get the school nurse, who brought a defibrillator, an electronic devices(器械) that can shock the heart back into work. Luck stayed with them Paris' heartbeat returned.

"I know I was really lucky," Paris say now. "Most people don't survive this. My team saved my life"

Experts say Paris is right For a sudden heart failure, the single best chance for survival is having someone nearby step in and do CPR quickly.

Today, Paris is back on the softball team. Taylor will apply to college soon. She wants to be a nurse. "I feel more confident in my actions now," Taylor says."I know I can act under pressure in a scary situation."

56.What happened to Paris on a March day?

A．	She caught a bad cold.
B．	She had a sudden heart problem.
C．	She was knocked down by a ball.
D．	She shivered terribly during practice

57.Why does Paris say she was lucky?

A．	She made a worthy friend.
B．	She recovered from shock.
C．	She received immediate CPR.
D．	She came back on the softball team.

58.Which of the following words can best describe Taylor?

A．	Enthusiastic and kind.
B．	Courageous and calm.
C．	Cooperative and generous.
D．	Ambitious and professional.