高中英语阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

The problem of robocalls has gotten so bad that many people now refuse to pick up calls from numbers they don't know. By next year, half of the calls we receive will be scams (欺诈).We are finally waking up to the severity of the problem by supporting and developing a group of tools, apps and approaches intended to prevent scammers from getting through. Unfortunately, it's too little, too late. By the time these "solutions" (解决方案) become widely available, scammers will have moved onto cleverer means. In the near future, it's not just going to be the number you see on your screen that will be in doubt. Soon you will also question whether the voice you're hearing is actually real.

That's because there are a number of powerful voice manipulation (处理) and automation technologies that are about to become widely available for anyone to use .At this year's I/O Conference ,a company showed a new voice technology able to produce such a convincing human-sounding voice that it was able to speak to a receptionist and book a reservation without detection.

These developments are likely to make our current problems with robocalls much worse. The reason that robocalls are a headache has less to do with amount than precision A decade of data breaches (数据侵入) of personal information has led to a situation where scammers can easily learn your mother's name, and far more. Armed with this knowledge, they're able to carry out individually targeted campaigns to cheat people. This means, for example, that a scammer could call you from what looks to be a familiar number and talk to you using a voice that sounds exactly like your bank teller's, ricking you into "confirming" your address, mother's name, and card number. Scammers follow money, so companies will be the worst hit. A lot of business is still done over the phone, and much of it is based on trust and existing relationships. Voice manipulation technologies may weaken that gradually.

We need to deal with the insecure nature of our telecom networks. Phone carriers and consumers need to work together to find ways of determining and communicating what is real. That might mean either developing a uniform way to mark videos and images, showing when and who they were made by, or abandoning phone calls altogether and moving towards data-based communications-using apps like Face Time or WhatsApp, which can be tied to your identity.

Credibility is hard to earn but easy to lose, and the problem is only going to harder from here on out.

（1）How does the author feel about the solutions to problem of robocalls?            

A．	Panicked
B．	Confused
C．	Embarrassed
D．	Disappointed

（2）taking advantage of the new technologies, scammer can ________.            

A．	aim at victims precisely
B．	damage databases easily
C．	start campaigns rapidly
D．	spread information widely

（3）What does the passage imply?            

A．	Honesty is the best policy.
B．	Technologies can be double-edited.
C．	There are more solutions than problems.
D．	Credibility holds the key to development.

（4）Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?            

A．	Where the Problem of Robocalls Is Rooted
B．	Who Is to Blame for the Problem of Robocalls
C．	Why Robocalls Are About to Get More Dangerous
D．	How Robocalls Are Affecting the World of Technology

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Alice Moore is a teenager entrepreneur (创业者), who in May 2015 set up her business AilieCandy. By the time she was 13, her company was worth millions of dollars with the invention of a super-sweet treat that could save kids' teeth, instead of destroying them.

It all began when Moore visited a bank with her dad. On the outing, she was offered a candy bar. However, her dad reminded her that sugary treats were bad for her teeth. But Moore was sick of missing out on candies. So she desired to get round the warning, "Why can't I make a healthy candy that's good for my teeth so that my parents can't say no to it?" With that in mind, Moore asked her dad if she could start her own candy company. He recommended that she do some research and talk to dentists about what a healthier candy would contain.

With her dad's permission, she spent the next two years researching online and conducting trials to get a recipe that was both tasty and tooth-friendly. She also approached dentists to learn more about teeth cleaning. Consequently, she succeeded in making a kind of candy only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria.

Moore then used her savings to get her business of the ground. Afterwards, she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner, who finally agreed to sell Moore's product-Cancandy.

As CanCandy's success grows, so does Moore's credibility as a young entrepreneur. Moore is enthusiastic about the candy she created, and she's also positive about what the future might bring. She hopes that every kid can have a clean mouth and a broad smile.

Meanwhile, with her parents' help, Moore is generally able to live a normal teenage life. Although she founded her company early on in life, she wasn't driven primarily by profit. Moore wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles. She donates 10% of AilicCandy's profits to Big Smiles. With her talent and determination, it appears that the sky could be the limit for Alice Moore.

（1）How did Moore react to her dad's warning?            

A．	She argued with him.
B．	She tried to find a way out.
C．	She paid no attention.
D．	She chose to consult dentists.

（2）What is special about CanCandy?            

A．	It is beneficial to dental health.
B．	It is free of sweeteners.
C．	It is sweeter than other candies.
D．	It is produced to a dentists' recipe.

（3）What does Moore expect from her business?            

A．	To earn more money.
B．	To help others find smiles.
C．	To make herself stand out.
D．	To beat other candy companies.

（4）What can we learn from Alice Moore's story?            

A．	Fame is a great thirst of the young.
B．	A youth is to be regarded with respect.
C．	Positive thinking and action result in success.
D．	Success means getting personal desires satisfied.

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Want to explore new cultures, meet new people and do something worthwhile at the same time? You can do all the three with Global Development Association (GDA).Whatever stage of life you're at, wherever you go and whatever project you do in GDA, you'll create positive changes in a poor and remote community (社区).

We work with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Most of our volunteers are aged 17-24. Now we need volunteer managers aged 25-75.They are extremely important in the safe and effective running of our programmes. We have such roles as project managers, mountain leaders, and communication officers.

Depending on which role you choose, you could help to increase a community's access to safe drinking water, or help to protect valuable local cultures. You might also design an adventure challenge to train young volunteers.

Not only will you help our young volunteers to develop personally, you'll also learn new skills and increase your cultural awareness. You may have chances to meet new people who'll become your lifelong friends.

This summer we have both 4-week and 7-week programmes:

Country	Schedule
	4-week programmes	7-week programmes
Algeria	5 Jul.- 1Aug.	20Jun. -7Aug.
Egypt	24 Jul-20 Aug.	19Jun.-6 Aug.
Kenya	20 Jul.-16Aug.	18 Jun.-5 Aug.
South Africa	2Aug.-29 Aug.	15 Jun.-2Aug.

GDA ensures that volunteers work with community members and local project partners where our help is needed. All our projects aim to promote the development of poor and remote communities.

There is no other chance like a GDA programme. Join us as a volunteer manager to develop your own skills while bringing benefits to the communities.

Find out more about joining a GDA programme:

Website: www.glodeve.org

Email: [e-mail]

（1）What is the main responsibility of volunteer managers?            

A．	To seek local partners
B．	To take in young volunteers
C．	To carry out programmes
D．	To foster cultural awareness

（2）The programme beginning in August will operate in ________.            

A．	Egypt
B．	Algeria
C．	Kenya
D．	South Afria

（3）The shared goal of GDA's projects to ________.            

A．	explore new cultures
B．	protect the environment
C．	gain corporate benefit
D．	help communities in need

请认真阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。

The Cost of Thinking

Despite their many differences, all human beings share several defining characteristics, such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.

The first unique human characteristic is that humans have extraordinarily large brains compared with other animals. It seems obvious that evolution should select for larger brains. Mammals (哺乳动物) weighing sixty kilograms have an average brain size of 200 cm ². Modern man has a brain averaging 1200-1400 cm ². We are so fond of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to brain power, more must be better. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The fact is that a huge brain is a huge drain-consumption of energy-on the body. I's not easy to carry around, especially when boxed inside a massive skull (倾骨). It's even harder to provides energy. In modern man, the brain accounts for about 2-3%of total body weight but it consumes 25% of the body's energy when the body is at rest. By comparison, the brains of apes (类人猿) require only 8%of rest-time energy. Early humans pad for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search food. Secondly, their muscles grew smaller and weaker. It's hardly an obvious conclusion that this is a good way to survive. A chimpanzee (黑猩猩) can't win an argument with a modern man, but it can tear the man apart like a rag doll.

Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it's easier to find food or enemies. In addition, their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands.

Yet walking upright has its disadvantage. The bone structure of our ancestors developed for millions of years to support a creature that walked on all fours and has a relatively small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the bones had to support an extra-large skull. Humankind paid for its broad vision and skillful hands backaches and painful necks.

We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages. It seems obvious that these have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth. But humans enjoyed all of these advantages for a full 2 million years during which they remained weak and marginal creature. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat-eating animals.

The   Cost of Thinking
Introduction	•Large   brains for their bodies and the ability to walk upright are two ________ of human beings.
The  ________ of large human brains	•The larger brains may not be better because of the cost. •The big brains make it harder for the body to move around and consume more  energy. •The animal brain requires less ________when  the body is at rest. •Large human brains consume more food, and weaken muscles.
The  ________ of  walking upright	•Walking  upright makes it easy to find food or ________against enemies. •Freed  hands can serve some ________   purpose and perform complex tasks.
	•Walking  upright challenges the human bone structure, and ________ the size of brains. •Walking  upright results in ________   sufferings.
Conclusion	•With a large brain, human beings ________ other beings in terms of intelligence. •Weak and marginal, human beings remained ________ of meat-eating animals.

请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

The 65-year-old Steve Goodwin was found suffering from early Alzheimer's (阿尔楚海默症). He was losing his memory.

A software engineer by profession, Steve was a keen lover of the piano, and the only musician in his family. Music was his true passion, though he had never performed outside the family.

Melissa, his daughter, felt it more than worthwhile to save his music, to which she fell asleep catch night when she was young. She thought about hiring a professional pianist to work with her father.

Naomi, Melissa's best friend and a talented pianist, got to know about this and showed willingness to help.

"Why do this?" Steve wondered.

"Because she cares." Melissa said.

Steve nodded, tears in eye.

Naomi drove to the Goodwin home. She told Steve she'd love to hear him play. Steve moved to the piano and sat at the bench, hands trembling as he gently placed his fingers on the keys.

Naomi put a small recorder near the piano, Starts and stops and mistakes. Long pauses, heart sinking. But Steve pressed on, playing for the first time in his life for a stranger.

"It was beautiful." Naomi said after listening to the recording. "The music was worth saving."

Her responsibility, her privilege, would be to rescue it. The music was sill in Steve Goodwin. It was bidden in rooms with doors about to be locked.

Naomi and Steve met every other week and spent hours together. He'd move his fingers clumsily on the piano, and then she'd take his place. He struggled to explain what he heard in his head. He stood by the piano, eyes closed, listening for the first time to his own work being played by someone else.

Steve and Naomi spoke in musical code lines, beats, intervals, moving from the root to end a song in a new key. Steve heard it. All of it. He just couldn't play it.

Working with Naomi did wonders for Steve. It had excited within him the belief he could write one last song. One day, Naomi received an email. Attached was a recording, a recording of loss and love, of the fight. Steve called it "Melancholy Flower".

Naomi heard multiple stops and starts, Steve struggling, searching while his wife Joni called him "honey" and encouraged him. The task was so hard, and Steve, angry and upset, said he was quitting. Joni praised him, telling her husband this could be his signature piece.

Naomi managed to figure out 16 of Steve's favorite, and most personal songs. With Naomi's help, the Goodwin family found a sound engineer to record Naomi playing Steve's songs. Joni thought that would be the end. But it wasn't.

In the months leading up to the 2016 Oregon Repertory Singers Christmas concert, Naomi told the director she had a special one in mind: "Melancholy Flower"

She told the director about her project with Steve. The director agreed to add it to the playing list. But Naomi would have to ask Steve's permission. He considered it an honor.

After the concert, Naomi told the family that Steve's music was beautiful and professional. It needed to be shared in public.

The family rented a former church in downtown Portland and scheduled a concert. By the day of the show, more than 300 people had said they would attend.

By then, Steve was having a hard time remembering the names of some of his friends. He knew the path his life was now taking. He told his family he was at peace.

Steve arrived and sat in the front row, surrounded by his family. The house lights faded. Naomi took the stage. Her fingers. His heart.

（1）Why did Melissa want to save her father's music?            

A．	His music could stop his disease from worsening.
B．	She wanted to please her dying old father.
C．	His music deserved to be preserved in the family.
D．	She wanted to make her father a professional.

（2）After hearing Steve's playing, Naomi ________.            

A．	refused to make a comment on it
B．	was deeply impressed by his music
C．	decided to free Steve from suffering
D．	regretted offering help to her friend

（3）How can the process of Steve's recording be described?            

A．	It was slow but productive.
B．	It was beneficial to his health.
C．	It was tiresome for Naomi.
D．	It was vital for Naomi's career.

（4）Before Steve finished "Melancholy Flower," his wife Joni ________.            

A．	thought the music talent of Steve was exhausted
B．	didn't expect the damage the disease brought about
C．	didn't fully realize the value of her husband's music
D．	brought her husband's music career to perfection

（5）How did Steve feel at the concert held in downtown Portland?            

A．	He felt concerned about his illness.
B．	He sensed a responsibility for music.
C．	He regained his faith in music.
D．	He got into a state of quiet.

（6）What can be a suitable title for the passage?            

A．	The Kindness of Friends
B．	The Power of Music
C．	The Making of a Musician
D．	The Value of Determination

请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Who cares if people think wrongly that the Internet has had more important influences than the washing machine? Why does it matter that people are more impressed by the most recent changes?

It would not matter if these misjudgments were just a matter of people's opinions. However, they have real impacts, as they result in misguided use of scarce resources.

The fascination with the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) revolution, represented by the Internet, has made some rich countries wrongly conclude that making things is so "yesterday" that they should try to live on ideas. This belief in "post-industrial society" has led those countries to neglect their manufacturing sector (制造业) with negative consequences for their economies.

Even more worryingly, the fascination with the Internet by people in rich countries has moved the international community to worry about the "digital divide" between the rich countries and the poor countries. This has led companies and individuals to donate money to developing countries to buy computer equipment and Internet facilities. The question, however, is whether this is what the developing countries need the most. Perhaps giving money for those less fashionable things such as digging wells, extending electricity networks and making more affordable washing machines would have improved people's lives more than giving every child a laptop computer or setting up Internet centres in rural villages, I am not saying that those things are necessarily more important, but many donators have rushed into fancy programmes without carefully assessing the relative long-term costs and benefits of alternative uses of their money.

In yet another example, a fascination with the new has led people to believe that the recent changes in the technologies of communications and transportation are so revolutionary that now we live in a "borderless world". As a result, in the last twenty years or so, many people have come to believe that whatever change is happening today is the result of great technological progress, going against which will be like trying to turn the clock back. Believing in such a world, many governments have put an end to some of the very necessary regulations on cross-border flows of capital, labour and goods, with poor results.

Understanding technological trends is very important for correctly designing economic policies, both at the national and the international levels, and for making the right career choices at the individual level. However, our fascination with the latest, and our under valuation of what has already become common, can, and has, led us in all sorts of wrong directions.

（1）Misjudgments on the influences of new technology can lead to ________.            

A．	a lack of confidence in technology
B．	a slow progress in technology
C．	a conflict of public opinions
D．	a waste of limited resources

（2）The example in Paragraph 4 suggests that donators should ________.            

A．	take people's essential needs into account
B．	make their programmes attractive to people
C．	ensure that each child gets financial support
D．	provide more affordable internet facilities

（3）What has led many governments to remove necessary regulations?            

A．	Neglecting the impacts of technological advances.
B．	Believing that the world has become borderless.
C．	Ignoring the power of economic development.
D．	Over-emphasizing the role of international communication.

（4）What can we learn from the passage?            

A．	People should be encouraged to make more donations.
B．	Traditional technology still has a place nowadays.
C．	Making right career choices is crucial to personal success.
D．	Economic policies should follow technological trends.

请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

In the 1960s, while studying the volcanic history of Yellowstone National Park, Bob Christiansen became puzzled about something that, oddly, had not troubled anyone before: he couldn't find the park's volcano. It had been known for a long time that Yellowstone was volcanic in nature-that's what accounted for all its hot springs and other steamy features. But Christiansen couldn't find the Yellowstone volcano anywhere.

Most of us, when we talk about volcanoes, think of the classic cone (圆锥体) shapes of a Fuji or Kilimanjaro, which are created when erupting magma (岩浆) piles up. These can form remarkably quickly. In 1943, a Mexican farmer was surprised to see smoke rising from a small part of his land. In one week he was the confused owner of a cone five hundred feet high. Within two years it had topped out at almost fourteen hundred feet and was more than half a mile across. Altogether there are some ten thousand of these volcanoes on Earth, all but a few hundred of them extinct. There is, however, a second les known type of volcano that doesn't involve mountain building. These are volcanoes so explosive that they burst open in a single big crack, leaving behind a vast hole, the caldera. Yellowstone obviously was of this second type, but Christiansen couldn't find the caldera anywhere.

Just at this time NASA decided to test some new high-altitude cameras by taking photographs of Yellowstone. A thoughtful official passed on some of the copies to the park authorities on the assumption that they might make a nice blow-up for one of the visitors' centers. As soon as Christiansen saw the photos, he realized why he had failed to spot the caldera; almost the whole park-2.2 million acres-was caldera. The explosion had left a hole more than forty miles across-much too huge to be seen from anywhere at ground level. At some time in the past Yellowstone must have blown up with a violence far beyond the scale of anything known to humans.

（1）What puzzled Christiansen when he was studying Yellowstone?            

A．	Its complicated geographical features.
B．	Its ever-lasting influence on tourism.
C．	The mysterious history of the park.
D．	The exact location of the volcano.

（2）What does the second-paragraph mainly talk about?            

A．	The shapes of volcanoes.
B．	The impacts of volcanoes.
C．	The activities of volcanoes.
D．	The heights of volcanoes.

（3）What does the underlined word "blow-up" in the last paragraph most probably mean?            

A．	Hot-air balloon.
B．	Digital camera.
C．	Big photograph.
D．	Bird's view.

请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Whatever your age or interests, Buxton has something to see or do to make your visit truly memorable. High energy If you desire physical activities, you  can choose activities from swimming to horse riding. Explore the heights with  Go Ape, the high wire forest adventure course, or journey beneath the earth  at Poole's Cavern. And don't forget: we are surrounded by a natural  playground just perfect for walking, caving, climbing and cycling. High minded Buxton is justifiably proud of its cultural life and you'll find much to suit all tastes with art, music, opera   and the performing arts at Buxton Opera House & Pavilion Arts Centre and Green Man Gallery. There are plenty of opportunities for the creative person to become involved, including workshops and events. Keeping the kids happy Children love the small train and   playgrounds in the Pavilion Gardens and there's plenty more to explore at the Buxton Museum. There's a new indoor play centre, plus the special events and workshops, and others during school holiday periods

（1）If you want to take an undergounld journey, which place is the best choice?            

A．	Pole's Caven.
B．	Pavilion Gardens.
C．	Buxton Museum.
D．	Green Man Gallery.

（2）Buxton Open House & Pavilion Arts Centre is special because it offers ________.            

A．	rides in small trains
B．	courses in modcm arts
C．	artistic and cultural activities
D．	basic courses in horse riding

阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

Haze Mabry, who has worked as a school keeper for thirteen years, walks into the school building every day and empties garbage cans, wipes down bathrooms and mops wet messes in the hallways.

Last Friday, after he arrived at the school, instead of finding garbage to clean up, he found almost 800 students lining the hallways with handmade cards, blowing noisemakers and singing a full-throated happy birthday to him. It was his 80th. As he walked the long hallway, some popped out of lime to hug him. They handed him so many cards that they filled several large boxes. Touched by their enthusiastic expression of affection. Mabry thanked them all. "They're like my children," Mabry said.

On a regular day, students at the school sometimes come up to him to say they're not feeling well or other times to tell him about something that happened at break. He knows most of the kids at the school, but can't name each one. Some of them make him know them. Like Faith, who often forgets her backpack in the cafeteria, and Lucy, who just wants a hug.

"He won't brag（夸耀）on himself, but it doesn't matter what he's doing or where he is, he will always stop what he's doing to take care of a child if that child is having a bad day. If a child approaches him, he will pause to give that child his undivided attention. He's the most loved one in this building," said Lori Gilreath, a reading teacher.

Mabry works circles around all the students, cleaning up messes others don't want to touch. He doesn't expect a lot. Mabry said he hadn't planned to do much for his milestone birthday, so he was happy the students had prepared the surprise celebration.

Over the weekend, he worked through the piles of handmade cards at his house. One card from a student stood out to him. It read: "Mr. Haze, you are my sunshine."

   

（1）What is Mabry's daily work as a school keeper？（no more than 5 words）    

（2）How did the students celebrate Mabry's birthday？（no more than 15 words）    

（3）What does the underlined word in Paragraph 2 probably mean？（1 word）    

（4）Why is Mabry's presence at the school important？（no more than 10 words）    

（5）Who is the "sunshine" in your life？Please explain. （no more than 20 words）    

Would you BET on the future of this man？He is 53 years old. Most of his adult life has been a losing struggle against debt and misfortune. A war injury has made his left hand stop functioning, and he has often been in prison. Driven by heaven-knows-what motives, he determines to write a book.

The book turns out to be one that has appealed to the world for more than 350 years. That former prisoner was Cervantes, and the book was Don Quixote（《堂吉诃德》）. And the story poses an interesting question: why do some people discover new vitality and creativity to the end of their days, while others go to seed long before？

We've all known people who run out of steambefore they reach life's halfway mark. I'm not talking about those who fail to get to the top. We can't all get there. I'm talking about people who have stopped learning on growing because they have adopted the fixed attitudes and opinions that all too often come with passing years.

Most of us, in fact, progressively narrow the variety of our lives. We succeed in our field of specialization and then become trapped in it. Nothing surprises us. We lose our sense of wonder. But, if we are willing to learn, the opportunities are everywhere.

The things we learn in maturity seldom involve information and skills. We learn to bear with the things we can't change. We learn to avoid self-pity. We learn that however much we try to please, some people are never going to love us-an idea that troubles at first but is eventually relaxing.

With high motivation and enthusiasm, we can keep on learning. Then we will know how important it is to have meaning in our life. However, we can achieve meaning only if we have made a commitment to something larger than our own little egos（自我）, whether to loved ones, to fellow humans, to work, or to some moral concept.

Many of us equate（视……等同于）"commitment" with such "caring" occupations as teaching and nursing. But doing any ordinary job as well as one can is in itself an admirable commitment. People who work toward such excellence whether they are driving a truck, or running a store-make the world better just by being the kind of people they are. They've learned life's most valuable lesson.

（1）The passage starts with the story of Cervantes to show that_________.            

A．	loss of freedom stimulates one's creativity
B．	age is not a barrier to achieving one's goal
C．	misery inspires a man to fight against his fate
D．	disability cannot stop a man's pursuit of success

（2）What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 probably mean？            

A．	End one's struggle for liberty.
B．	Waste one's energy taking risks.
C．	Miss the opportunity to succeed.
D．	Lose the interest to continue learning.

（3）What could be inferred from Paragraph 4?            

A．	Those who dare to try often get themselves trapped.
B．	Those who tend to think back can hardly go ahead.
C．	Opportunity favors those with a curious mind.
D．	Opportunity awaits those with a cautious mind.

（4）What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 5?            

A．	A tough man can tolerate suffering.
B．	A wise man can live without self-pity.
C．	A man should try to satisfy people around him.
D．	A man should learn suitable ways to deal with life.

（5）What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?            

A．	To provide guidance on leading a meaningful adult life.
B．	To stress the need of shouldering responsibilities at work.
C．	To state the importance of generating motivation for learning.
D．	To suggest a way of pursuing excellence in our lifelong career.

How does an ecosystem（生态系统）work? What makes the populations of different species the way they are? Why are there so many flies and so few wolves? To find an answer, scientists have built mathematical models of food webs, noting who eats whom and how much each one eats.

With such models, scientists have found out some key principles operating in food webs. Most food webs, for instance, consist of many weak links rather than a few strong ones. When a predator（掠食动物）always eats huge numbers of a single prey（猎物）, the two species are strongly linked; when a predator lives on various species, they are weakly linked. Food webs may be dominated by many weak links because that arrangement is more stable over the long term. If a predator can eat several species, it can survive the extinction（灭绝）of one of them. And if a predator can move on to another species that is easier to find when a prey species becomes rare, the switch allows the original prey to recover. The weak links may thus keep species from driving one another to extinction.

Mathematical models have also revealed that food webs may be unstable, where small changes of top predators can lead to big effects throughout entire ecosystems. In the 1960s, scientists proposed that predators at the top of a food web had a surprising amount of control over the size of populations of other species---including species they did not directly attack.

And unplanned human activities have proved the idea of top-down control by top predators to be true. In the ocean, we fished for top predators such as cod on an industrial scale, while on land, we killed off large predators such as wolves. These actions have greatly affected the ecological balance.

Scientists have built an early-warning system based on mathematical models. Ideally, the system would tell us when to adapt human activities that are pushing an ecosystem toward a breakdown or would even allow us to pull an ecosystem back from the borderline. Prevention is key, scientists says because once ecosystems pass their tipping point（临界点）, it is remarkably difficult for them to return.

（1）What have scientists discovered with the help of mathematical models of food webs？            

A．	The living habits of species in food webs.
B．	The rules governing food webs of the ecosystems.
C．	The approaches to studying the species in the ecosystems.
D．	The differences between weak and strong links in food webs.

（2）A strong link is found between two species when a predator______.            

A．	has a wide food choice
B．	can easily find new prey
C．	sticks to one prey species
D．	can quickly move to another place

（3）What will happen if the populations of top predators in a food web greatly decline？            

A．	The prey species they directly attack will die out.
B．	The species they indirectly attack will turn into top predators.
C．	The living environment of other species will remain unchanged.
D．	The populations of other species will experience unexpected changes.

（4）What conclusion can be drawn from the examples in Paragraph 4？            

A．	Uncontrolled human activities greatly upset ecosystems.
B．	Rapid economic development threatens animal habitats.
C．	Species of commercial value dominate other species.
D．	Industrial activities help keep food webs stable.

（5）How does an early-warning system help us maintain the ecological balance？            

A．	By getting illegal practices under control.
B．	By stopping us from killing large predators.
C．	By bringing the broken-down ecosystems back to normal.
D．	By signaling the urgent need for taking preventive action.

I must have always known reading was very important because the first memories I have as a child deal with books. There was not one night that I don't remember mom reading me a storybook by my bedside. I was extremely inspired by the elegant way the words sounded.

I always wanted to know what my mom was reading. Hearing mom say," I can't believe what's printed in the newspaper this morning," made me want to grab it out of her hands and read it myself. I wanted to be like my mom and know all of the things she knew. So I carried around a book, and each night, just to be like her, I would pretend to be reading.

This is how everyone learned to read. We would start off with sentences, then paragraphs, and then stories. It seemed an unending journey, but even as a six-year-old girl I realized that knowing how to read could open many doors. When mom said," The C-A-N-D-Y is hidden on the top shelf," I knew where the candy was. My progress in reading raised my curiosity, and I wanted to know everything. I often found myself telling my mom to drive more slowly, so that I could read all of the road signs we passed.

Most of my reading through primary, middle and high school was factual reading. I read for knowledge, and to make A's on my tests. Occasionally, I would read a novel that was assigned, but I didn't enjoy this type of reading. I liked facts, things that are concrete. I thought anything abstract left too much room for argument.

Yet, now that I'm growing and the world I once knew as being so simple is becoming more complex, I find myself needing a way to escape. By opening a novel, I can leave behind my burdens and enter into a wonderful and mysterious world where I am now a new character. In these worlds I can become anyone. I don't have to write down what happened or what technique the author was using when he or she wrote this. I just read to relax.

We're taught to read because it's necessary for much of human understanding. Reading is a vital part of my life. Reading satisfies my desire to keep learning. And I've found that the possibilities that lie within books are limitless.

（1）Why did the author want to grab the newspaper out of mom's hands？            

A．	She wanted mom to read the news to her.
B．	She was anxious to know what had happened.
C．	She couldn't wait to tear the newspaper apart.
D．	She couldn't help but stop mom from reading.

（2）According to Paragraph 3, the author's reading of road signs indicates___________.            

A．	her unique way to locate herself
B．	her eagerness to develop her reading ability
C．	her effort to remind mom to obey traffic rules
D．	her growing desire to know the world around her.

（3）What was the author's view on factual reading?            

A．	It would help her update test-taking skills.
B．	It would allow much room for free thinking.
C．	It would provide true and objective information.
D．	It would help shape a realistic and serious attitude to life.

（4）The author takes novel reading as a way to___________.            

A．	explore a fantasy land
B．	develop a passion for leaning
C．	learn about the adult community
D．	get away from a confusing world

（5）What could be the best title for the passage？            

A．	The Magic of Reading
B．	The Pleasure of Reading
C．	Growing Up with Reading
D．	Reading Makes a Full Man

History Fair Competition

Understanding history is vital to understanding ourselves as a people and as a nation.

History is much more than the study of dusty old objects and events long past. It is an essential part of who we are today and who we will become. Thornton fiddle School History Fair Competition makes understanding history exciting, engaging, and fun！

This Year's Theme

All participants must address how communication or transportation technology has promoted the quality of life for Americans throughout history. To many people, technology means computers, hand-held devices, or vehicles that travel to distant planets. However, technology is also the application of scientific knowledge to solve a problem, touching lives in countless ways.

Individuals or groups may enter one of the following categories:

Performance

Documentary（纪实作品）

Essay Writing

Category Requirements

Performance: A dramatic presentation of the topic no more than 10 minutes long. If special clothes are used, they should truly represent a given period.

Documentary: A visual presentation（such as a video, slide show, or computer project）no more than 10 minutes long. A desktop computer, screen, projector, and loudspeakers will be available. Students must provide their presentations on CDs before Friday, March 23.

Essay Writing: An academic paper of 2, 000 to 2, 500 words. No illustrations（图解）are allowed. Please do not include covers. A list of references must be included.

Important Dates

January 5

Submit a topic proposal to your history teacher. The teacher may require a second proposal if the first is off-topic or unclear.

February 5

Submit a first draft of your essay, performance script（剧本）, or documentary highlights.

February 19

A committee of teachers will evaluate materials and give opinions. Students then have an opportunity to improve their products.

March 9

Submit a final draft of your essay.

March 15

Performance and documentary committee preview

March 24

Thornton Middle School History Fair Competition

7:00A.M-9:00A.M Participants signing in at the gym

10:00A.M. -6:00PM. Competition and judges' review

7:00P.M. Awards ceremony and picnic

（1）According to Paragraph 1，what is the major goal of understanding history？            

A．	To preserve national traditions.
B．	To prepare for a history competition.
C．	To better know the present and future.
D．	To further explore historical mysteries.

（2）What is the theme of this year's competition?            

A．	Technology advances science.
B．	Science interacts with technology.
C．	Science has made the study of history easy.
D．	Technology has improved the life of Americans.

（3）Among the items provided by the school for a visual presentation are__________.            

A．	special clothes and a screen
B．	a desktop computer and a CD
C．	a projector and special clothes
D．	a desktop computer and loudspeakers

（4）What would a participant have to do with an essay of 1,500 words to meet the category requirement?            

A．	Include more information in the essay.
B．	Remove the references.
C．	Provide a cover for the essay.
D．	Explain the details with illustrations.

（5）What will the committee of teachers do on February 19?            

A．	Preview performances and documentaries.
B．	Make comments on the materials.
C．	Improve the participant's first draft.
D．	Collect a second proposal from the participant.

The Intelligent Transport team at Newcastle University have turned an electric car into a mobile laboratory named "DriveLAB" in order to understand the challenges faced by older drivers and to discover where the key stress points are.

Research shows that giving up driving is one of the key reasons for a fall in health and well-being among older people, leading to them becoming more isolated(隔绝) and inactive.

Led by Professor Phil Blythe, the Newcastle team are developing in-vehicle technologies for older drivers which they hope could help them to continue driving into later life.

These include custom-made navigation(导航) tools, night vision systems and intelligent speed adaptations. Phil Blythe explains: "For many older people, particularly those living alone or in the country, driving is important for preserving their independence, giving them the freedom to get out and about without having to rely on others."

"But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to."

Dr Amy Guo, the leading researcher on the older driver study, explains, "The DriveLAB is helping us to understand what the key points and difficulties are for older drivers and how we might use technology to address these problems.

"For example, most of us would expect older drivers always go slower than everyone else but surprisingly, we found that in 30mph zones they struggled to keep at a constant speed and so were more likely to break the speed limit and be at risk of getting fined. We're looking at the benefits of systems which control their speed as a way of preventing that.

"We hope that our work will help with technological solutions(解决方案) to ensure that older drivers stay safer behind the wheel."

32.What is the purpose of the Drivel LAB?

A．	To explore newmeans of transport.
B．	To design new types of cars.
C．	To find out older driver's problems.
D．	To teach people traffic rules.

33.Why is driving important for older people according to Phil Blythe?

A．	It keeps them independent.
B．	It helps them save time.
C．	It builds up their strength.
D．	It cures their mental illnesses.

34.What do researchers hope to do for older drivers?

A．	Improve their driving skills.
B．	Develop driver-assist technologles.
C．	Provide tips on repairing their cars.
D．	Organize regular physical checkups.

35.What is the best title for the text?

A．	A new Model Electric Car
B．	A Solution to Traffic Problem
C．	Driving Service for elders
D．	Keeping Older Drivers on the Road

After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.Ziyuanku.com

Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displacedby human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.

The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations - major food sources (来源) for the wolf - grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park' s red foxes, and completely drove away the park' s beavers.

As early as 1966,biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park.They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems.Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.

The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone.Today,the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone.Elk,deer,and coyote populations are down,while beavers and red fores have made a comeback.The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.

28.What is the text mainly about?

A．	Wildlife research in the United States.
B．	Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area.
C．	The conflict between farmers and gray wolves.
D．	The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park.

29.What does the underlined word "displaced" in paragraph 2 mean?

A．

Tested.

B．

Separated.

C．

Forced out.

D．

Tracked down.

30.What did the disappearance of gray wolves bring about？

A．	Damage to local ecology.	B．	A decline in the park's income.
C．	Preservation of vegetation.	D．	An increase in the variety of animals.

31.What is the author's attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project？

A．

Doubtful.

B．

Positive.

C．

Disapproving.

D．

Uncaring.