I give two examples as to why intelligent life may not actually exist, though I admit that for me, or even for a physicist who devoted his or her entire life to researching and studying the universe, it's shocking to claim that completely no life exists elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I'd just like to consider conditions elsewhere in the known universe. You really only need to look at our own solar system or the Earth at certain periods in its own history to appreciate that most places are much worse and much less suitable for life than our mild, watery globe.

So far, space scientists have discovered about seventy planets outside the solar. But it appears that if you wish to have a planet suitable for life, you just have to be very lucky, and the more advanced the life is, the luckier you'll have to be. I'm by no means a space observer, but I can recognize some particularly fortunate breaks we've had on the Earth. For example:

We are, to a degree, at the right distance from the perfect type of star, the one that is big enough to radiate a huge amount of energy, but not so big as to bum itself out quickly. Had our sun been ten times as huge, it would have burnt out completely after only ten million years, instead of ten billion and surely we would not exist. Too near, everything on the Earth would have boiled and withered away; any further, everything would have frozen over.

The universe is a surprising place, and our existence within it is a wonder. If a long and unimaginably complex sequence of events dating back 4.6 billion years or so hadn't happened in a particular manner at a particular time --if, to take just one example, the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out by a meteor(流星)--we might still be a few centimeters long, with whisker(胡须) and a tail, and you'll be reading this in a cave somewhere.

1.What's the best title for this passage?

A. No Life Exists out of the Earth

B. Seventy Planets Discovered

C. A Place Full of Wonders

D. Perfect Conditions for Life

2.What makes the Earth more suitable for life than other planets in the solar system?

A. The Earth is the only planet that can receive energy from the sun.

B. The sun is at the right distance from us and in proper size.

C. The distance between the planets was neither too long nor too near.

D. The dinosaurs were no longer a threat to the Earth.

3.What does the underlined phrase "withered away" in the 4th paragraph mean?

A. Exploded.    B. Expanded.  C. Floated away.       D. Dried and died.

4.Where does the text probably come from?

A. A history book.     B. A magazine.  C. A science fiction.          D. A famous novel.

 

Passage four(preface)

  Science is a dominant theme in our culture. Since it touches almost every facet of our life, educated people need at least some acquaintance with its structure and operation. They should also have an understanding of the subculture in which scientists live and the kinds of people they are. An understanding of general characteristics of science as well as specific scientific concepts is easier to attain if one knows something about the things that excite and frustrate the scientist.

  This book is written for the intelligent student or lay person whose acquaintance with science is superficial; for the person who has been presented with science as a musty storehouse of dried facts; for the person who sees the chief objective of science as the production of gadgets; and for the person who views the scientists as some sort of magician. The book can be used to supplement a course in any science, to accompany any course that attempts to give an understanding of the modern world, or – independently of any course – simply to provide a better understanding of science. We hope this book will lead readers to a broader perspective on scientific attitudes and a more realistic view of what science is, who scientists are, and what they do. It will give them an awareness and understanding of the relationship between science and our culture and an appreciation of the roles science may play in our culture. In addition, readers may learn to appreciate the relationship between scientific views and some of the values and philosophies that are pervasive in our culture.

  We have tried to present in this book an accurate and up-to-date picture of the scientific community and the people who populate it. That population has in recent years come to comprise more and more women. This increasing role of women in the scientific subculture is not an unique incident but, rather, part of the trend evident in all segments of society as more women enter traditionally male-dominated fields and make significant contributions. In discussing these changes and contribution, however, we are faced with a language that is implicitly sexist, one that uses male nouns or pronouns in referring to unspecified individuals. To offset this built-in bias, we have adopted the policy of using plural nouns and pronouns whenever possible and, when absolutely necessary, alternating he and she. This policy is far form being ideal, but it is at least an acknowledgment of the inadequacy of our language in treating half of the human race equally.

  We have also tried to make the book entertaining as well as informative. Our approach is usually informal. We feel, as do many other scientists, that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. As the reader may observe, we see science as a delightful pastime rather than as a grim and dreary way to earn a living.

1.According to the passage, ‘scientific subculture’ means

A.cultural groups that are formed by scientists.

B.people whose knowledge of science is very limited.

C.the scientific community.

D.people who make good contribution to science.

2.We need to know something about the structure and operation of science because

A.it is not easy to understand the things that excite and frustrate scientists.

B.Science affects almost every aspect of our life.

C.Scientists live in a specific subculture.

D.It is easier to understand general characteristics of science.

3.The book mentioned in this passage is written for readers who

A.are intelligent college students and lay person who do not know much about science.

B.are good at producing various gadgets.

C.work in a storehouse of dried facts.

D.want to have a superficial understanding of science.

4.According to this passage,

A.English is a sexist language.

B.only in the scientific world is the role of women increasing rapidly.

C.women are making significant contributions to eliminating the inadequacy of our language.

D.male nouns or pronouns should not be used to refer to scientists.

5.This passage most probably is

A.a book review.

B.the preface of a book.

C.the postscript of a book.

D.the concluding part of a book.

He is the man who for many people has been a role model. Now your biggest hero deserves a special day when you can express your thanks and let him know ____1.___ important he is to you.

The third Sunday of June – which ___2.__(fall) on June 19 this year – is Father’s Day.

The idea of Father’s Day came from ___3.___ American woman called Sonora Smart Dodd in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day ___4.____( honor )her father. He raised six children by ____5.__after his wife died. Dodd thought there needed to be a day to honor loving dads.

The first Father’s Day ___6.___(celebrate) on June 19, 1910. In 1924, US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a _____7.____(nation) Father’s Day. Finally, in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared（宣布） the third Sunday of June __8.____ Father’s Day.

Here are some ways to show your love and respect:

*Send him a greeting card. Fathers prefer cards __9.___are not too emotional. So choose one that will make him laugh.

*If he has a computer, cover his desktop ___10.__ words like “I love you Dad”.

*A small present, such as a framed photo of your family, can make him feel like a king.

 

Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors — or doesn’t it?

　　While such vigilant(警觉的)tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it’s important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing.

　　In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients’ remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. 

　　It’s hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy(预期寿命).

　　A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population.

　　It’s not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, “Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care.”

　　That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better.

1.Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?

A. It is believed to contribute to long life.

B. It is part of their health care package.

C. The elderly are more sensitive about their health.

D. The elderly are in greater danger of tumor growth.

2.How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly?

A. It adds too much to their medical bills.

B. It helps increase their life expectancy.

C. They are doubtful about necessity.

D. They think it does more than good.

3.What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer?

A. It applies to women over 50.

B. It is a must for adult women.

C. It is optional for young women.

D. It doesn’t apply to women over 74.

4.Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer?

A. They want to protect themselves against medical disputes.

B. They want to take advantage of the medical care system.

C. They want data for medical research.

D. They want their patients to suffer less.

5.What does the author say is the general view about health care?

A. The more, the better.

B. Prevention is better than cure.

C. Better early than late.

D. Better care, longer life.