On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.

My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.

I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.

I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.

Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.

My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.

In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.

This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.

And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.

1. The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.

A．telling a story                          B．giving an example

C．offering an explanation                   D．describing a scene

2.Why did the writer hurry home to finish the essay for the contest NASA held?

A．She had just gathered enough information from Time for Kids

B．She wanted to write down what flashed through her mind in time.

C．She knew from Mrs. Estevez the deadline for the contest was approaching.

D．She was afraid she might miss the chance to compete with the former winner.

3. The writer mentions her grandfather in order to show that ______.

A．she missed him very much.

B．he knew a great deal about space

C．he influenced her to love the stars

D．she treasured their happy moments

4.Which of the following serves as a summary of Paragraph 11?

A．The writer was inspired to be a volunteer by the people she met.

B．The writer owed her success to her team members’ encouragement.

C．The writer met many difficulties in her four-year life with Curiosity.

D．The writer has benefited a lot from her experience tied to Curiosity.

5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A．Sharp.            B．Proud.            C．Aggressive.        D．Enthusiastic.

6.What is conveyed in the passage?

A．Curiosity is important to human beings.

B．A thirst for knowledge helps one grow up.

C．Entering a contest is a way to achieve success.

D．Curiosity changes people’s attitude towards science.

　　Daphne asked Jim, a friend of Walter's, for some extra help on her political science homework. On Friday, they agreed to meet at his dormitory study room at 8 Sunday night. It was 8∶05 when Jim arrived. He wasn't on time as he usually is, because he had been out enjoying the spring weather after eating at McDonald's. But he wasn't worried, because he knew from Walter that Daphne was usually late. When Daphne hadn't arrived by 8∶25, Jim was a little surprised. He decided to go to the dorm lounge(休息室) and watch his favorite Sunday night TV show. It started at 8∶30, so he had to hurry. When he got to the lounge, Walter was just leaving. “Hey, Jim, your favorite TV show just finished. Where were you? It was fantastic!”

　　“What do you mean, Walter? It's 8∶30, so I'm just in time to watch it!” Jim replied, looking a little confused.

　　 “Didn't you change your watch last night?” Walter asked. Then he explained, “Last night you were supposed to move your watch ahead one hour. We do this every year on the last Sunday in April. Then, on the last Sunday in October, everyone moves clock back an hour. We say‘spring ahead, fall back ’to help us remember which way to change our clocks.” Walter stopped to see if Jim had understood his explanation. “You don't do that in Indiana, I guess.”

　　“No, we don't,” Jim said, shaking his head. “In that case, I was over an hour late for my appointment with Daphne, not only five minutes late. Wow! She'll never let me forget this!”

1．What is the important idea of this story?

[　　]

A．Daphne is usually late.

B．there are no time changes in Indiana.

C．Jim likes his favorite Sunday night TV show.

D．Jim was late because he didn't know about the time changes.

2．Why did Jim look confused when he learned the TV show had just finished?

[　　]

A．Because he missed the fantastic TV show.

B．Because he thought he was just in time to watch his favorite TV show.

C．Because he was late for the show.

D．Because he forgot the time of the show.

3． All the citizens in the United States are supposed to move their watches ahead in spring and back in fall.

[　　]

A．Certainly they are.

B．No, they are not.

C．No, those who live in Indiana do not do that.

D．Certainly they are besides those living in Indiana.

4． How did Jim feel after Walter told him about the time changes?

[　　]

A．He felt very upset that he hadn't kept his appointment with Daphne.

B．He looked confused about the time changes.

C．He was surprised that Daphne was over an hour late.

D．He felt very glad that he didn't miss his favorite TV show.

5．Imagine you are going to a party at 2 p.m. of the last Sunday in April. If you forget about the time change, what time will you arrive?

[　　]

Computers and television have pushed a generation of children towards violent behaviour, and mental illness, a large-scale study said yesterday. Though the main reason for children’s violent behaviour comes from family, the study report also blamed computer games, the internet and television for breeding violence and increase mental illness.
The study report warned of the effects of long hours spent watching television, on the internet and playing computer games. 'There is much evidence that exposure to violent images encourages aggressive behaviour,” it said.
On television, violence is frequently shown as part of a normal human life. The violence is both physical and psychological, and violent argument appears as a standard response to disagreement. To be sure, there is plenty of violence in Shakespeare plays and in the cinema. But people used to go to the cinema once a week, whereas our children now watch television for an average of 17 hours a week.
According to the report, the harm caused by computer and television has been widely recognized, which is only second to family factors including family break-up and the lack of a father living at home.  No doubt, selfish behaviour by adults is mainly responsible for the misery of millions of children.
Many parents’ aggressive pursuit of personal success has pushed the needs of children aside and amounts children’s violent behavior. The belief among adults that the main duty of the individual is to make the most of their own life, rather than contribute to the good of others, is causing our young people a range of problems.
At the end, the report calls for measures to cut the impact of television on young people, including a ban on all advertising aimed at children under 12, set up watchdog equipment on every TV set to control what children watch and put an end to advertising of alcohol and unhealthy food before the 9pm watershed. And more importantly, it calls on all British parents to value the once-in-a-lifetime period of their children’s growth.  Or, according to the report, they will soon regret their absence in that special period when their kids have grown into the “bad guys.”
72. The study is mainly about ______.
A. the family and social reasons for the children’s negative behaviour
B. the importance of a complete family on the behaviour of children
C. the ways to reduce the influence of television on children
D. the relationship between parents and children
73. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. The major reason for children’s bad behaviour comes from family.
B. Watching too many violent images will cause violent behaviour.
C. Classical works are violence-free so people in the past were not that violent.
D. Many parents put personal success ahead of their children’s benefits.
74. According to the passage, what kind of TV program is more likely to be shown after 9 p.m.?
A. Cartoons for kindergarten children.
B. Gardening programs for housewives.
C. Action movies with violent scenes.
D. Political talk shows for adults.
75.   The passage mentions all the measures to reduce the TV influence EXCEPT ______.
A. advising parents to watch TV programs with children together
B. stopping commercials for little children
C. using a practical method to monitor what children watch on TV
D. forbiding ads for harmful products shown before 9 p.m.

It’s 10:30 p.m., and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. He blinks twice, and the message on the screen becomes clear: “R U awake?”

But the late-night text does not annoy Brandon. He gets frequent messages and calls, even after bedtime. And he can’t imagine life without them. “If I didn’t have a cell phone, I wouldn’t be able to talk to my friends or family as often,” he told the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Brandon’s use of technology doesn’t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles（控制台）in his room. With so many devices, it is no surprise that when he is not at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices. Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by TFK, kids aged 8 to 18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found. That’s about an hour more than just five years ago.

The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. “These devices have opened up many more opportunities for young people to use media, whether it’s on the bus, on the way to school or waiting in line at the pizza parlor,” says Rideout.

Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. “If you’ve got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?” Media expert Cheryl Olson says. Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. “It’s a matter of balance,” says Olson.

Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. “It’s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply,” says Rideout.

With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. “Kids should try,” adds Rideout. “But parents might have to step in sometimes.”

1.It can be learned from the text that _________.

A. many teenagers lack friends in their middle school

B. kids have too many electronic devices to choose from

C. Brandon feels annoyed about his late-night message

D. Olson is against teenagers’ using mobile phones

2.Which of the following is an example of multitasking?

A. Watching TV when using the computer.    

B. Talking on the phone when lying on the sofa.

C. Playing video games after having lunch.     

D. Listening to loud music while relaxing.

3.The underlined phrase “in check” in the last paragraph can be replaced by _________.

A. in order         B. in store         C. in control               D. in sight

4.According to the text, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that kids should ______.

A. do homework while watching TV           

B. have less homework

C. spend more time on homework             

D. do homework in a place without disturbance

单词(10分)：
1. A study shows the safe driving speed r __________ from 60km to 80 km per hour.
1. The building o________ the post office is a book store,which is open 24hs every day.
2. I think we have everything in the agreement, shall we s________ it?
3. An awful idea has just s__________ me .
4. The p__________ water is not fit to drink.
5. Well __________ (教育) when she was young,she is respected by everyone in the villiage.
6. From the __________ (位置)on the top of the TV Tower, we can have a better view of the whole city.
7. We need to buy some new __________ (家具).
8. Is there any ______________(可能) you could pick me up at the airport.
9. __________ (有希望)， I will get a pay raise next month.