The brain is the most complex organ in human body. It produces our every thought, action, memory, feeling and experience of the world. It weighs in at around 1.4 kilograms, contains one hundred billion neurons（中子）.

　　Each neuron can make contact with thousands or even tens of thousands of others. Our brains form a million new connections every second of our lives. The pattern and strength of the connections are constantly changing and no two brains are alike.

　　While people often speak of their “grey matter”, the brain also contains white matter. The grey matter is the cell bodies of the neurons, while the white matter is the branching network of thread-like tendrils（卷须）that spread out from the cell bodies to connect to other neurons.

　　Brain structure is shaped partly by genes, but largely by experience. The brain has bursts（突发）of growth and then periods of consolidation（巩固）when many connections are reduced. The most notable bursts are in the first two or three years of life, during puberty（青春期）, and also a final burst in young adulthood.

　　How a brain ages also depends on genes and lifestyle too. Exercising the brain and giving it the right diet can be just as important as it is for the rest of the body.

　　The neurons in our brains communicate in a variety of ways. Signals pass between them by the release and capture of neurochemicals.

　　It is often said that the right part of the brain is more creative and emotional while the left deals with logic（逻辑）, but the reality is not so simple. However, they do have some specialisations, with the left dealing with speech and language, the right with spatial（空间）and body awareness.

　　The vast majority of the brain activity is subconscious, but our conscious thoughts, feelings and awareness--what define us as humans--cannot yet be explained in terms of brain activity.

(1)What is the passage mainly about?

[　　]

(2)If you feel cold, what part of the brain is playing a role?

[　　]

(3)Why are no brains alike?

[　　]

A．They have different weight.

B．The numbers of neurons are different.

C．Some brains only contain grey matter.

D．The connections of neurons are changing.

(4)What can be inferred from the passage?

[　　]

A．The brain doesn’t need to be trained.

B．Brains grow faster when you get older.

C．Brain activity cannot explain all human behaviours.

D．The neurons communicate only through neurochemicals.

　　ARIZONA

　　Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly

　　The Deal: A one-night stay at the historic lodge（小旅店）starts at $59 for a single room, $65 for a double room, and the lodge offers half-day tours of Canyon de Chelly ($41 for adults and $32 for children under 12).

　　Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 17.1 percent.

　　Time: Nov. 1,2006-Mar. 31,2007

　　Contact: 800/679-2473, tbirdlodge. com

　　CALIFORNIA

　　Zephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe

　　The Deal: The Fall Getaway package includes a three-night stay in a lakeside cabin for two people, an Emerald Bay sightseeing for two, free breakfast and lunch. Rates are $299 per couple--savings of up to $400.

　　Details: Hotel taxes are included.

　　Time: Through Dec. 15,2006

　　Contact: 800/23-TAHOE, zephyrcove. com

　　NEVADA

　　Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas

　　The Deal: A one-night stay at the Mediterrancean-style MonteLago Village, 17 miles from Las Vegas, and coupon tickets（优惠票）for ice-skating and skate rentals

　　Rates start at $65 per person.

　　Time: Nov. 17,2006-Jan. 15,2007

　　Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 12 percent.

　　Contact: 866/399-2753, montelagovillage. com

　　YELLOWSTONE

　　Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

　　The Deal: A two-night stay, breakfast daily, full-day ski rental, unlimited ice-skating and skates, and a book of Yellowstone photos

　　Rates start at $119 per person.

　　Time: Jan. 1-Mar. 2,2007

　　Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 8 percent.

　　Contact: 866/439-7375. travelyellowstone. com

(1)A couple, with their 13-year-old son, had a half-day tour of Canyon de Chelly without stay on Nov. 13,2006. They should pay _______.

[　　]

(2)If a couple wants to have a cheap 3-day trip, they had better contact _______.

[　　]

(3)If you are interested in ice-skating, you may find more information in _______.

[　　]

A．montelagovillage. com & tbirdlodge. com

B．tbirdlodge. com & zephyrcove. com

C．travelyellowstone. com & montelagovillage. com

D．zephyrcove. com & travelyellowstone. com

(4)If you have a holiday in December, and intend to stay in a European-style hotel, you may go to _______.

[　　]

A．Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

B．Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly

C．Zephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe

D．MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas

　　MADRID (AFP)--Some 40000 Spaniards were gathering in the eastern town of Bunol ready to create a “human gazpacho（西班牙凉菜汤）”, hurling（投掷）some 100000 kilograms (220000 pounds) of tomatoes at one another to mark La Tomatina, surely one of the world’s messiest festivals.

　　Madcap fans from around the world converge（集中）on the normally sleepy town on the last Wednesday of August, many clad（穿衣的）in waterproof capes（防水衣）to stave（抵挡）off the onslaught（冲击）of juice and pulp（果肉）in a manic（狂轰滥炸）free-for-all believed to have begun life as an argument between two carnival（狂欢节）participants in 1945.

　　In keeping with local tradition local people and tourists join the fun and games from midday, when five lorries（卡车）groaning under the weight of tomatoes move into place in the central plaza of the town.

　　That is the signal for participants to hurl fruit at anything that moves and everybody gets drenched（“落汤鸡”）in the process.

　　The rules say the tomatoes have to be squashed up（被压碎）a little before they are thrown to make them all the squishier（黏糊糊的）.

　　After pelting（大战）each other for an hour revelers（狂欢者）jump in a nearby river to clean themselves while the fire brigade hose（用水冲）down the streets.

(1)What is passage mainly about?

[　　]

A．People in Bunol celebrate Tomato Festival.

B．People in Bunol fight each other for stealing tomatoes.

C．People in Bunol use lorries to make tomatoes delicious.

D．People in Bunol love to waste tomatoes for fun.

(2)Why do the tomatoes have to be squashed up（被压碎）?

[　　]

A．Because people wear waterproof capes.

B．Because they won’t hurt people and people can easily get fun.

C．Because they are carried by lorry.

D．Because the fire brigade hose（用水冲）down the streets.

(3)What is the meaning of the word that is underlined in Paragraph 3?

[　　]

　　Joy Mangano was 33 and divorced（离婚）, had three kids under age 7, and was hardly keeping up payments on her small two-bedroom home by working extra weekend hours as a waitress.

　　“Sometimes I would lie in bed and think. I don’t know how I’m going to pay the bills,” Mangano said.

　　But she had a gift for seeing the obvious. She knew how hard it was to mop the floor. “I was tired of bending down, putting my hands in dirty water and wringing（拧）out a mop.” Mangano says. “So, I thought: There’s going to be a better way.”

　　How about a “self wringing” mop? She designed a special tool that could be twisted（转动）in two directions while not making hands wet and dirty. She set out to sell it, first only a few at flea markets（跳蚤市场）.

　　Then Mangano met with the media. But would couch potatoes（泡在电视机前的人）buy a mop? The experts on shopping TV were less than certain. They gave it a try, and it failed. Mangano was sure it would sell if they’d let her do the on-camera demonstration.

　　QVC took a chance on her. “I got onstage and the phones went crazy. We sold every mop in minutes.”

　　Today she’s the president of Ingenious Designs, a multimillion-dollar company, and one of the stars of the Home Shopping Network. Talking about her household inventions is “as natural for me as it is for parents to talk about their children”.

　　Today one of her favorite products is Huggable Hangers. The thin, space-saving inventions are the most successful gadget（器具）ever sold on HSN, with 100 million hanging out there in closets across the country. Of course, you couldn’t possibly sell hangers on TV.

(1)What would be the best title for the passage?

[　　]

A．There is going to be a better way

B．A woman invented the self-wringing mop

C．An ordinary woman sells her invention on TV

D．Women can all achieve remarkable success

(2)What does the underlined sentence “the phones went crazy” (in Paragraph 6) mean?

[　　]

A．Many people made calls to say they were mad.

B．There were lots of calls to order the new mop.

C．Many people were mad to see me on TV.

D．The telephone broke down at my home.

(3)Which is the correct order of the following events?

a．Mangano invented the most popular Huggable Hangers.

b．Mangano was tired of mopping the floor.

c．Mangano designed a self-wringing mop.

d．Mangano was ever worried about how to pay the bills.

e．Mangano did an on-camera demonstration to sell her mops.

[　　]

(4)What conclusion can be made from the story?

[　　]

A．Women can invent household tools because they often do housework.

B．Mangano treated her household inventions as she treated her children.

C．Mangano used to lie in bed and think of how to invent household tools.

D．One can make life better through work though it is sometimes hard.

　　Here are two cars that may some day take the place of today's big automobiles. If everyone drives such a car in the future, there will be less pollution in the air. There will be more parking room in cities, and the streets will be less crowded. Three such cars can fit in the space now needed for one car of the usual size. The little cars will cost much less to own and to drive. Driving will be safer too, as these little cars can go only 65 kilometres every hour.

　　The cars of the future will be fine for getting round a city, but they will not be useful for long trips. If the car is powered by electricity, it will have two batteries, one battery for the motor and one for the born signals, etc. Little cars which are powered by gas will go 450 kilometres before needing to stop for more gas.

　　If big cars are still used along with the small ones, two sets of roads will be needed in the future. Some roads will be used for the big, fast cars, and other roads will be needed for the small, slower ones.

(1)According to the passage, the small cars ________.

[　　]

A．will completely take the place of today's big cars

B．can't take the place of today's cars

C．will take the place of the buses

D．haven't taken the place of big cars

(2)If everyone drives such a small car, ________.

[　　]

A．there will be no parking place in cities

B．the streets will be more crowded

C．driving will be safer

D．the air won't be polluted

(3)The little cars can be powered by ________.

[　　]

(4)If you want to make a long trip, you'd better take ________.

[　　]

(5)Why will two sets of roads be needed in the future if big cars still used?

[　　]

A．Because the small cars are slower than the big ones.

B．Because the small cars are much smaller.

C．Because the small cars cost much less.

D．Because the big take up more space.

　　Cafe Hub

　　Next to the Castle lies The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival and one of the most talked about spots in town. Our cafe is open every day for mouth-watering lunches,snacks and fine dining. Come in and enjoy the atmosphere of The Hub or watch the world go by from our beautiful terrace.

　　The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh. Open every day from 9:30 a. m. till late. Tel: 0131-473-2067 www. thehub-edin-burgh. com

　　Farm World

　　Enjoy being “A Farmer for a Day”. Join in delivering and feeding our spring babies-bottle feeding sessions twice daily. Fun for all family. Horse Rides, BMX Bikes Cross Country Course, Tractor Ride through 600 acres, New Adventure Playground, Nature Trails. Full details on website.

　　Open: May-Oct Wednesdays to Saturdays and daily during school holidays 11 a. m. -5 p. m.

　　Tel: 01797-260256/260321 www. farmworld-rye. co. uk

　　Enter the Europe-wide student competi-tion!

　　Are you curious, creative and energetic?Are you interested in the new media? Are you between 9 and 12 years of age? Then Join Multimedia 2007 is for you!

　　Your challenge will be to build a team and develop a multimedia presentation in English-based on one of three different topics. You can register (报名) between May 1 and June 15, 2007 and will have to turn in your entry before September 15, 2007.

　　The rewards are wonderful: ￡50 000 in prize for schools and teams and the chance to attend a European student camp-plus new experiences, an opportunity to make friends throughout Europe!

　　For further information and registration forms go to: www. Siemens. com/join multimedia.

(1) You'll have to register first if you want ________.

[　　]

A．to enjoy delicious food

B．to try Tractor Ride through 600 acres

C．to enter the Europe-wide student compe-tition

D．to watch the world go by from the beauti-ful terrace

(2) According to the passage, there will be ________ rewards for the Europe-wide student competition.

[　　]

A．only one

B．two

C．three

D．four

(3) You can visit Farm World________.

[　　]

A．on Monday in May

B．any day in October

C．at 2 p. m. at Christmas

D．at 10:30 a. m. during school holidays

(4) From the advertisements above, we can learn that________.

[　　]

A．Cafe Hub is a popular place in the lo-cal area

B．families can enjoy Horse Rides on New Adventure Playground

C．Farm World provides lunches, snacks and fine dining

D．the Europe-wide student competition will be held on June 15, 2007

　　As skies are filled with millions of migrating (迁徙) birds, European scientists say the seasonal wonder appears to be strange: The fatter the bird, the better it flies.

　　The results of their study led to a theory opposite to a central one of aerodynamics (空气动力学), which says that the power needed to fly increases with weight.

　　For birds, obviously, the cost of flying with heavy fat is much smaller than we used to think. Researchers found that red knot wading birds double their normal body weight of 100 grams before making their twice-a-year nonstop flight between the British Isles and the Russian Arctic. Distance:5 000 kilometers.

　　Another study in the magazine Nature measured the advantage of flying in an aerodynamic group which allows birds to save energy by flying smoothly and quietly in the lead bird's air stream.

　　Flying in groups, their heart rates were 14. 5 percent lower than flying alone, according to Henri, a French scientist. The findings help explain how birds complete difficult migrations. Researchers had thought that thinner, stronger birds would have the best chance to survive.

　　The first study suggests that building up fat to be burnt as fuel during the migration is worth more than the energy it takes to carry the additional weight.

　　In the study, researchers said their team studied the birds flown at different body weights during 28 simulated (模拟的)flights. They forced a small amount of special water into the birds' bodies so that they could measure the amount of energy burnt during the flight.

(1) A red knot wading bird of 100 grams will probably weigh _______ before making its nonstop migrating flight.

[　　]

A．50 grams

B．100 grams

C．150 grams

D．200 grams

(2) During their migrating flight, red knot wading birds can save energy by flying________.

[　　]

A．separately

B．alone

C．in groups

D．in pairs

(3) A _______ red knot wading bird has a better chance to survive during its migrating flight.

[　　]

A．stronger

B．weaker

C．thinner

D．fatter

(4) The best title for this passage may probably be________.

[　　]

A．Birds Thin Down For Journey

B．Birds Fatten Up For Journey

C．How Birds Build Up Fat For Journey

D．How Birds Burn Energy For Journey

　　For those coming to Shanghai for a short stay, a nice way to remember the days in Shanghai is to buy various souvenirs. So here we list four Shanghai souvenir shops.

Younik

　　Younik is unique-a concept store serving as a showcase for the works of six local fashion and jewellery designers. Cashmere is cheap in China and Jenny Ji has made the most of its luxury with highly original designs such as a coat for 6 000 yuan. Dennis Yang specialises in hand-painted leather,while artist Jiang Qiong'er focuses on jewellery. The other artists are Lu Kun, Zheng Da and Chang Sifeng.

Location: 2nd floor, 18 The Bund

Tel: 021-63237066

Jooi Design

　　This is not easy to find. Go 50 metres up Lane 210, which leads off Taikang Road, until you see the entrance to what looks like an old factory building on the right. On the second floor you'll find Jooi. The company's embroidered (绣花的) silk bags, scarves and dresses have achieved such success that they are stocked by London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

Location: Studio 201 Taikang Road

Tel:021-64736193

Jin Zhi Yu Ye

　　Qipaos and Chinese silk jackets make good gifts. There are a lot of shops selling both, and Jin Zhi Yu Ye is one of the best. You might pay anything from 1 500 to 4 300 yuan for a chocolate-brown silk dress decorated with a hand-embroidered peacock motif(装饰图案). The two old ladies who run the shop can help you pick out matching shoes and bags.

Location: 72 South Maoming Rd

Tel: 021-62155031

Lilli's

　　Lilli's four shops stock pretty hand bags, silk-bound diaries and hand-crafted jewellery. Gifts for men include silver bookmarks, key rings and money clips decorated with traditional motifs. From the front, the main shop looks like an apartment block.

Location: 1D Mao Sheng Mansion, 1051 Xiazha Rd

Tel:021-62156253/1011

(1) We can learn from the passage that cash-mere is________.

[　　]

A．used by designer Dennis Yang

B．designed as the expensive souvenirs

C．a kind of cheap souvenirs sold in a unique shop

D．an expensive coat specially designed for the travelers

(2) If you want to buy a silk dress and are on South Maoming Rd now, the nearest shop you can go to is________.

[　　]

A．Younik

B．Jooi Design

C．Jin Zhi Yu Ye

D．Lilli's

(3) According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

[　　]

A The four souvenir shops are on the same street

B．Bags are sold in two of the shops.

C．Younik is not a shop but a showcase.

D．All of the shops are not easy to find.

(4) What is the passage mainly about?

[　　]

A．A nice way to remember the days in Shanghai.

B．An introduction of some souvenir shops.

C．The various gifts to be on sale in Shanghai.

D．The location of souvenir shops in Shanghai.

　　The coyote (丛林狼), that clever animal of wide-open spaces, has come to the nation's capital. In fact, coyotes have spread to every corner of the United States, changing their behaviors to fit new environments and causing researchers to deal with a troublesome new kind of creature: the city coyote.

　　The coyote originally lived in the middle of the continent. One of its most obvious characters is its smartness, which has made the animal a notorious (臭名昭著的) pest. Hunters trapped, shot and poisoned more than a million coyotes in the 1900s. It's still one of America's most hunted animals. Yet the coyote has survived. How has the coyote shown this extraordinary ability? “I guess if you wanted to use one word, it'd be 'plasticity', ”says Eric Gese, an expert at Utah State University. Coyotes can live alone, in pairs, or in large packs like wolves; hunt at night or during the day, occupy a small region or an area up to 40 square miles; and live on all sorts of food, from lizards (蜥蜴) and shoes,to ants and melons.

　　Unbelievably people helped coyotes increase when they killed most of the wolves in the United States. The spreading of coyotes into city areas, though, is recent. They travel at night, crossing sidewalks and bridges, running along roads and ducking into culverts(钻入涵洞) and underpasses. No one knows why coyotes are moving into cities, but experts explain that cleverer, more humantolerant (不怕人的) coyotes are teaching urban survival skills to new generations.

　　Occasionally, coyotes might attack human beings. There have been about 160 attacks on people in recent years. Therefore, people have been consistently told not to feed coyotes or leave pet food unsecured. That, plus a large trapping program in the neighborhood, has cut down on the coyote population.

(1) The underlined word “plasticity” in Paragraph 2 refers to________.

[　　]

A．the ability to fit the environment

B．notorious smartness

C．hunting ability

D．being human-tolerant

(2) The aim of the passage is to________.

[　　]

A．tell people how to fight against coyotes

B．tell us why the coyote is the most hunted animal

C．supply the reason why the coyote is a kind of notorious pest

D．explain how the coyote has spread to and survived in cities

(3) According to the passage, coyotes________.

[　　]

A．originally lived in the west of the continent

B．sleep during the day but look for food at night

C．are teaching survival skills to their younger generations

D．suffered a population decrease because people killed wolves

(4) According to the passage, to cut down on the coyote population, people are advised to________.

[　　]

A．leave pet food secured

B．keep coyotes in small regions

C．force coyotes to live alone

D．avoid using trapping programs

　　For years, Jon Wright considered commuting（往返于两地）the 10 miles to work by bicycle. But it wasn't until the terrorist bombings（恐怖轰炸）on London's subway and bus system on July 7 that he finally decided to make the leap. “It should have really taken less than the threat of being blown up to make me jump on a bike, but I'm now recommending it to everyone I see,” says Wright, 32, a hotel manager.

　　It's not quite Amsterdam or Copenhagen, where commuting by bike is common, but London is quickly becoming a major cycling city. Much of the change is a direct result of the bombings, which killed 52 people.

　　No hard figures are available on the number of cyclists in the city. A poll in 2003 found that 300 000 daily journeys are made by bicycle. The Transport for London office estimates（估计）cycling has increased 52% in the capital since 2000, based on the number of cyclists crossing bridges over the Thames River. Still, only 2% of Londoners cycle to work, compared with 20% in Copenhagen and 28% in Amsterdam. London Maybor Ken Livingstone, a bicycle enthusiast, wants to increase cycling 80% by 2010. “Cycling is the fastest, cheapest, most healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around London, and more and more people are taking it up,” Livingstone said. “The number of cyclists has doubled over the last five years, while those killed or seriously injured has fallen by 40%.”

　　Under the London Cycling Action Plan, London will be transformed into a world-class cycling city to reduce traffic jams and pollution. London now has 273 miles of bike routes, half built since 2000. The goal is 560 miles by 2010.

　　The sudden increase of cyclists after the July attacks took London by surprise. In July, the number of bike commuters was 26% higher than the same period last year, according to the transport office.

　　On the day of the bombings, which crippled（使瘫痪）the transportation system for weeks, bicycle shops sold out of their stock within hours.

(1)Which of the following is best supported in Paragraph 3?

[　　]

A．Cycling has been gaining its popularity in London.

B．Amsterdam or Copenhagen has more cyclists than London.

C．Cycling is the best way to travel in London.

D．London encourages its residents to cycle to work.

(2)The London government's attitude to cycling is that ________.

[　　]

A．all the residents should cycle to work

B．more bike routes will be built

C．bicycles should replace the subway and the bus system

D．more bicycle shops will be opened

(3)It can be learned from the passage that ________.

[　　]

A．most people in Amsterdam and Copenhagen cycle to work

B．no traffic jams and pollution will exist by the year 2010

C．the terrorist bombings gave cycling a big drive in London

D．bicycle shops are gaining more benefits than other ones