The very wealthy English Baron Fitzgerald had only one child,a son,who understandably was the apple of his eye.His wife died when the child was in his early teens.So Fitzgerald devoted himself to fathering the kid.Unfortunately the son died in his late teens.
Meanwhile,Fitzgerald’s wealth greatly increased.He spent a lot on art works of the masters.Later Fitzgerald himself because seriously ill.Before his death,he had carefully prepared his will as to how his wealth would be settled—to sell his entire collection at an auction(拍卖).
Because of the large quantity and high quality of his collection,a huge crowd of possible buyers gathered for the auction.Many of them were museum directors and private collectors eager to bid(出价).Before the auction,the art works were shown,among which was a painting of Fitzgerald’s son by an unknown artist.Because of its poor quality,it received little attention.
When it was time for the auction,the auctioneer gaveled(敲槌) the crowd to attention.First the lawyer read from Fitzgerald’s will that the first art work to be auctioned was the painting of his son.
The poor-quality painting didn’t receive and bidders...except one—the old servant who had served the son and loved him,and who for emotional reasons offered the only bid.
As soon as the servant bought the painting for less than one English pound,the auctioneer stopped the bidding and asked the lawyer to read again from the will.The crowd became quiet,and the lawyer read from the will:“Whoever buys the painting of my son gets all my collection.”Then the auction was over.
【小题1】The English Baron Fitzgerald was______.

A．a museum director	B．a master of art
C．an art collector	D．an art dealer

【小题2】Why did the old servant bid for the painting of Fitzgerald’s son?

A．He was devoted to the family.

B．He saw that no one bid for it.

C．He knew the content of the will.

D．He found it cheap for him to buy.

【小题3】Fitzgerald’s will showed______.

A．his desire to fool the bidders

B．his invaluable love for his son

C．his sadness at the death of his son

D．his regret of having no children to take over his wealth

Planting trees around poultry farms can improve air and water quality -- and relations with neighbors. Research has shown that just three rows of trees near poultry houses can reduce the release of dust and ammonia(氨). They can also reduce the strong smell of ammonia gas.
The trees take dust, ammonia and odors in their leaves. They also provide shade from the sun, so they reduce cooling costs in summer. And they act as a windbreak, so they reduce heating costs in winter. Trees can also improve water quality around farms by removing pollutions from soil and groundwater.
Several years ago, people were objecting to the odor of poultry farms on the Delmarva Peninsula in the eastern United State s. Delmarva is where the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia come together. Two thousand farms there can each house an average of seventy-five thousand chickens.
Traditionally the farms used windows to provide fresh air in the chicken houses. Farmers rarely planted trees or tall crops around the buildings, so there would be no barrier to the airflow. But then farms began to use new ventilation systems. Instead of windows, the new systems used tunnel fans to circulate air. The fans directed airflow from the poultry houses toward the homes of neighbors.
Researchers began dealing with the problem in two thousand. They found that over a period of six years, planting three rows of trees reduced total dust and ammonia by more than half. And they found that smells were reduced by eighteen percent.
Farmers may think trees will take too long to grow and be effective. But some trees can grow quickly. At least one-third of the Delmarva farms have planted trees, technically known as vegetative environmental buffers. The idea offers a way to cut pollution, save money and energy, and make the neighbors happy.
【小题1】The second paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A．planting trees as much as possible

B．the advantages of trees

C．how to reduce heating costs

D．why trees are received

【小题2】The word “odor” in paragraph 3 means ______.

A．plant

B．smell

C．height

D．water

【小题3】The farms on the Delmarva Peninsula used to use ______ in chicken houses to provide fresh air.

A．trees

B．tunnel fans

C．windows

D．poles

【小题4】It can be learned from the last two paragraphs that ______.

A．three rows of trees are really good to the environment

B．researches began to realize the problem in 2000

C．most farmers show interest in planting trees

D．the trees growing quickly can be cut off in a few years

Plants can’t communicate by moving or making sounds, as most animals do. Instead, plants Produce volatile compounds, chemicals that easily change from a liquid to a gas. A flower’s sweet smell, for example, comes from volatile compounds that the plant produces to attract insects such as Bugs and bees.
Plants can also detect volatile compounds produced by other plants. A tree under attack by Hungry insets, for instance, may give off volatile compounds that let other trees know about the Attack. In response, the other trees may send off chemicals to keep the bugs away ——or even  Chemicals that attract the bugs’ natural enemies.
Now scientists have created a quick way to understand what plants are saying: a chemical Sensor（传感器）called an electronic nose. The “e-nose” can tell compounds that crop plants make When they’re attacked Scientists say the e-nose could help quickly detect whether plants are being Eaten by insects. But today the only way to detect such insects is to visually inspect individual Plants. This is a challenging task for managers of greenhouses, enclosed gardens than can house Thousands of plants.
The research team worked with an e-nose than recognizes volatile compounds. Inside the device, 13 sensors chemically react with volatile compounds Based on these interactions, the e-nose gives off electronic signals that the scientists analyze using computer software.
To test the nose, the team presented it with healthy leaves from cucumber, pepper and tomato plants, all common greenhouse crops. Then scientists collected samples of air around damaged leaves from each type of crop, These plants had been damaged by insects, or by scientists who made holes in the leaves with a hole punch（打孔器）. The e-nose, it turns out, could identify healthy cucumber, pepper and tomato plants based on The volatile compounds they produce, It could also identify tomato leaves that had been damaged. But even more impressive, the device could tell which type of damage ---- by insects or with a hole Punch ---- had been done to the tomato leaves.
With some fine-tuning, a device like the e-nose could one day be used in greenhouses to quickly spot harmful bugs, the researchers say. A device like this could also be used to identify fruits that are perfectly ripe and ready to pick and eat, says Natalia Dudareva, a biochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. who studies smells of flowers and plants. Hopefully, scientists believe, the device could bring large benefits to greenhouse managers in the near future.
【小题1】We learn from the text that plants communicate with each other by____.

A．making some sounds	B．waving their leaves
C．producing some chemicals	D．sending out electronic signals

【小题2】What did the scientists do to find out if the e-nose worked?

A．They presented it with all common crops.

B．They fixed 13 sensors inside the device.

C．They collected different damaged leaves.

D．They made tests on damaged and healthy leaves.

【小题3】According to the writer, the most amazing thing about the e-nose is that it can___.

A．pick out ripe fruits

B．spot the insects quickly

C．distinguish different damages to the leaves

D．recognize unhealthy tomato leaves

【小题4】We can infer from the last paragraph that the e-nose_____.

A．is unable to tell the smell of flowers

B．is not yet used in greenhouses

C．is designed by scientists at Purdue

D．is helpful in killing harmful insects

A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.  
Grirmsvom is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvom different is that it lies under a huge glacier（冰川） of ice up to 12 maters thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer（层）of water between the glacier and the volcano This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable, As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava（岩浆） from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what happened today.  
Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM. one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.  
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp. Glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from eating ash- covered grass to the sharp object.  
【小题1】What makes Grimsvom different from other volcanoes? 

A．It is below ice.

B．It lies under the sea

C．It is the largest volcano

D．It is lava affects the airlines

【小题2】What keeps Grimsvotn still? 

A．The slow flow of water

B．The low water temperature

C．The thick glacier

D．The water pressure

【小题3】Which of the following is the result of the volcanic eruption? 

A．People stop traveling in Europe

B．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes

C．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside

D．Farmers have lost many of their animals

【小题4】This text is most probably taken from_ 

A．a research paper

B．a newspaper report

C．a class presentation

D．a geography textbook.

Brian arrived at the San Francisco airport two hours before the flight to Paris. He was wearing three shirts, a jacket, two pairs of socks, a pair of shorts, and two pairs of jeans. He was carrying one small backpack, which was very full, but he didn’t have any other luggage. Brian needed to meet a man named Tony before he checked in for his flight. He found Tony near the Air France counter. Tony gave him a round-trip ticket and a small package. 
“Give this package to Jean-Paul at the airport in Paris. He will have a sign with your name on it. I think you can find him easily, “Tony said.” You don’t have any luggage, right?”
“Only this backpack,” Brian answered. “You said I could bring one carry-on bag.”
“That’s right, one carry-on bag is fine. Have a good trip.”
“Thanks.”
Is Brian a criminal（犯罪）? Not at all. He is an air courier. And he paid only $110 for the round-trip ticket to Paris. Air couriers get cheap airline tickets because they take important packages and papers to foreign countries. Businesses sometimes need to get packages and papers to people in foreign countries by the next day. Often, the only way they can do this is to use an air-courier company. It is not cheap for a business to send a package with an air courier, but it is quick. 
Every year about 80, 000 people worldwide travel as air couriers. The number of tickets for courier travel is growing by about 10 percent a year. However, air-courier travel isn’t for everyone, But if you have very little money, can be flexible（灵活的）about your travel plans, and don’t mind wearing the same clothes for a week, it can be a great way to take a vacation!
【小题1】Why was Brian wearing so many clothes for his travel?

A．Because they were the uniform for air couriers,

B．Because that made him easier to be recognized.

C．Because his backpack had no room for his clothes.

D．because he did not have any luggage with him.

【小题2】An air courier is a person who        

A．manages a business company in foreign countries

B．organizes international flights for tourists

C．travels around the world with cheap tickets

D．delivers papers and packages to foreign countries

【小题3】Businesses choose the air-courier service because      

A．it costs less

B．it is flexible

C．it saves time

D．it grows fast

【小题4】One of the disadvantages of traveling as an air courier is that he

A．cannot decide when and where to travel

B．cannot take any luggage with him

C．has to wear two pairs of jeans

D．saves little money from the travel

【小题5】The author of the text mainly

A．describes the activities of a law-breaker

B．suggests an ideal way to travel

C．argues against the air-courier travel

D．tells us about a developing business

When people hear a president speak, they seldom think about others helping to shape the presentation（报告）. Today, however, presidents depend on writers such as J. Terry Edmonds to help them communicate （交流） effectively. Edmonds is the first African American ever to work as a full-time speechwriter for a U. S. president; he is so the first African American to serve as director of speechwriting for White House. His is an all-American story of success. 
Edmonds grew up in Baltimore, Maryland; his father drove a truck, and his mother worked as a waitress. A. great reader, Edmonds showed a gift for writing at his high
School, Baltimore City College After graduating in 1967 Edmonds went on to Morgan State University
Edmonds began his career in business, with jobs in public relations and communications. He joined the world of politics as news secretary for his congressman （国会议员） from Baltimore During Bill Clinton’s presidency,  he wrote speeches for Health and Human Services  Secretary Donna Shalala and worked in a number of job in the White House and in governmental departments President Clinton then appointed （任命）him to the office of directory of speechwriting Following the 2000 elections Edmonds returned to Morgan State University as the school’s special assistant to the president for 2001-2002
【小题1】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A．Edmonds proved himself to be good at writing at high school

B．Edmonds graduated from Morgan State University in 1967.

C．Edmonds was the first full-time speechwriter.

D．Edmonds served the White House after 2000.

【小题2】Edmonds entered the world of politics first as____。         

A．news secretary for a Congressman

B．a speechwriter for President Clinton

C．news secretary in the White House

D．a speechwriter for Secretary Donna Shalala

【小题3】The text is most likely to be found in a book about____。       

A．popular science	B．historical events
C．successful people	D．Political systems

A recent study, while showing a generally positive attitude toward science, also suggests a widespread worry that it may be “running out of control”. This idea is dangerous.
Science can be a force for evil as well as for good. Its applications can be channeled either way, depending on our decisions. The decisions we make, personally or collectively, will determine the outcomes of science. But here is a real danger. Science is advancing so fast is so strongly influenced by businesses that we are likely to believe whatever decisions we come to will make little difference. And, rather than fighting for the best possible policies, we may step back and do nothing.
Some people go even further. They say that despite the moral and legal objections （反对）, whatever is scientifically possible will be done ——somewhere, sometime. They believe that science will get out of control in the end. This belief is dangerous too, because it a fuels sense of  hopelessness and discourages them from making efforts to build a safer world.
In our interconnected world, the lack of agreement in and of the world of science can lead to the failure to control the use of science. Without a common understanding, the challenges of “controlling” science in this century will be really tough. Take human cloning for example. Despite the general agreement among scientists on its possible huge impact （影响） on traditional moral values, some countries still go ahead with the research and development of its related techniques. The outcomes are hard to predict.
Therefore, discussions on how science is applied should be extended far beyond scientific societies. Only through the united efforts of people with hope, can we be fully safe against the misuse of science and can science best serve mankind in the future.
【小题1】What can we conclude from the recent study?

A．People think highly of science.

B．People hold mixed opinions about science.

C．Science is getting dangerously out of control.

D．Science is used for both good and bad purposes.

【小题2】According to the passage, what will happen if we hold that science is getting beyond control?

A．The development of science will hopelessly slow down.

B．Businesses will have even greater influence on science.

C．The public will lose faith in bringing about a bright future.

D．People will work more actively to put science under control.

【小题3】The discussion should reach beyond scientific societies because __________.

A．scientists have failed to predict the outcomes

B．the ties between different areas need strengthening

C．united efforts are necessary for the development of science

D．people need to work together to prevent the bad use of science

【小题4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Science and its applications bring us many dangers.

B．The development of science mostly lies in people’s attitudes.

C．Mankind can largely take control of science with their efforts.

D．The future of science will be influenced by the dangerous ideas.

How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes （糖尿病）. Believing my career （职业生涯）was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it----the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success—you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. “Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet ＆ Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological （心理的） tool.”
【小题1】What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?

A．Difficulties influenced his career.

B．Specialists offered him medical advice.

C．Training helped him defeat his disease.

D．He overcame the shadow of illness to win.

【小题2】What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?

A．Her training schedule.

B．Her daily happenings.

C．Her achievements.

D．Her sports career.

【小题3】What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?

A．Ways that help one to focus.

B．Words that help one to feel less tense.

C．Activities that turn one’s attention away.

D．Habits that make it hard for one to relax.

【小题4】According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?

A．Courage.

B．Devotion.

C．Hard work.

D．Self-confidence.

Sunday is more like Monday than it used to be. Places of business that used to keep daytime “business hours” are now open late into the night. And on the Internet, the hour of the day and the day of the week have become irrelevant （不相关的）. A half century ago in the United States, most people experienced strong and precise dividing lines between days of rest and days of work, school time and summer time. Today the boundaries still exist, but they seem not clear.
The law in almost all states used to require stores to close on Sunday; in most, it no longer does. It used to keep the schools open in all seasons except summer; in most, it still does. And whether the work week should strengthen its legal limits, or whether it should become more “flexible,” is often debated. How should we, as a society, organize our time? Should we go even further in relaxing the boundaries of  time until we live in a world in which every minute is much like every other?
These are not easy questions even to ask. Part of the difficulty is that we rarely recognize the “law of time” even when we meet it face to face. We know as children that we have to attend school a certain number of hours, a certain number of days, a certain number of years—but unless we meet the truant officer （学监）, we may well think that we should go to school due to social custom and parents’ demand rather than to the law. As adults we are familiar with “extra pay for overtime working,” but less familiar with the fact that what constitutes （构成）“overtime” is a matter of legal definition. When we turn the clock forward to start daylight-saving time, have we ever thought to ourselves: “Here is the law in action”? As we shall see, there is a lot of law that has great influence on how we organize and use time: compulsory education law, overtime law, and daylight-saving law — as well as law about Sunday closing, holidays, being late to work, time zones, and so on. Once we begin to look for it, we will have no trouble finding a law of time to examine and assess.
【小题1】By saying “Sunday is more like Monday than it used to be”, the writer means that_____ .

A．work time is equal to rest time

B．many people have a day off on Monday

C．it is hard for people to decide when to rest

D．the line between work time and rest time is unclear

【小题2】The author raises the questions in Paragraph 2 to introduce the fact that people

A．fail to make full use of their time	B．enjoy working overtime for extra pay
C．are unaware of the law of time	D．welcome flexible working hours

【小题3】According to the passage, most children tend to believe that they go to school because they ______.

A．need to acquire knowledge	B．have to obey their parents
C．need to find companions	D．have to observe the law

【小题4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Our life is governed by the law of time.

B．How to organize time is not worth debating.

C．New ways of using time change our society.

D．Our time schedule is decided by social customs.

A few years ago, Paul Gerner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas to ask them what it would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously improved student learning. “I think half of them fell off their chairs,” Gerner says.
Gerner manages school facilities （设施） for Clark County, Nevada, a district roughly the size of Massachusetts. By 2018, 143,000 additional students will enter the already crowded public-education system. Gerner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary school prototypes （样品）; they plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings.
Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County, which stands out for its vastness, such aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the realities of a desert climate. “One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation （朝向）,”Mark McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. “You have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be really expensive to cool.”
Surprisingly, the man responsible for one of the most progressive green-design competitions has doubts about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. “I don’t believe in the new green religion,” Gerner says. “Some of the building technologies that you get are impractical. I’m interested in those that work.” But he wouldn’t mind if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power. “You never know what’s going to start the interest of a child to study math and science,” he says.
【小题1】How did the architects react to Gerner’s design requirements?

A．They lost balance in excitement.	B．They showed strong disbelief.
C．They expressed little interest.	D．They burst into cheers.

【小题2】Which order of steps is followed in carrying out the project?

A．Assessment — Prototype — Design — Construction.

B．Assessment — Design — Prototype — Construction.

C．Design — Assessment — Prototype — Construction.

D．Design — Prototype — Assessment — Construction.

【小题3】What makes it difficult to build green schools in Clark County?

A．The large size.	B．Limited facilities.
C．The desert climate.	D．Poor natural resources.

【小题4】What does Gerner think of the ideas of green schools?

A．They are questionable.	B．They are out of date.
C．They are advanced.	D．They are practical.