New Zealand fishermen caught what may prove to be a world-record-breaking colossal squid (巨大的鱿鱼).
In the cold, dark waters of the Antarctic hides a creature with eight arms, two super long tentacles (触须) and eyes as big as dinner plates. Sound like something out of a science fiction movie? Think again.
On February 21, New Zealand fishermen landed a colossal squid the length of a school bus. They had been fishing with long lines for Chilean sea bass (黑鲈) in the waters off the coast of New Zealand when they caught the rare squid. With two hours of hard work, the crew skillfully pulled the creature into a net and dragged it aboard their ship.
Scientists estimate (估计) that the animal weighs about a half ton and is about 40 feet long. That would make this colossal squid the biggest on record.
First identified in 1925 after two tentacles were found in a whale’s stomach, the colossal squid has long been a mystery. The animals are not easy to observe because they can go down to ocean depths of 6,500 feet. What scientists do know from studying the bodies of a half dozen colossal squids is that they are fierce hunters.
The recently captured colossal squid has been frozen to keep it for scientific study. It will be transported to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, in the capital city of Wellington. Experts believe it to be the first adult male ever caught undamaged. Scientists hope to learn more about the colossal squid’s diet, behavior and reproductive (繁殖) patterns.
“Scientists will be very interested in this amazing creature,” said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton. “It adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment.”

1. 1.

   Why is it usually difficult for experts to observe the squid?

   1. A.
      Because it moves too fast
   2. B.
      Because it is too large
   3. C.
      Because it is very dangerous
   4. D.
      Because it can go down to deep ocean
2. 2.

   What can be inferred from the passage?

   1. A.
      The squid is from a science fiction story
   2. B.
      The fishermen often meet colossal squids
   3. C.
      Scientists know much about the colossal squid
   4. D.
      The fishermen had some difficulty catching the large squid
3. 3.

   What’s the purpose of catching such a huge squid?

   1. A.
      To make it into food
   2. B.
      To set a world record
   3. C.
      To do research on it
   4. D.
      To display it for visitors
4. 4.

   What would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      The biggest squid ever found
   2. B.
      Scientific research on squid
   3. C.
      The lifestyle of the colossal squid
   4. D.
      How the fishermen caught the squid

.

II. Close test30%:

       Not long ago, the only time you could see a robot was when you were reading a novel or watching a movie such as Star Wars. Today, 36 a lot of things in science stories have been science facts. Robots are starting to _37_ in our everyday lives. These robots have different sizes, shapes and colors. But they all have the same _38_ of man-made “_39_”. Leading the robot revolution(革命) are industrial robots that work in factories. Industrial robots can do different kinds of jobs that are often _40_ and sometimes dangerous. Robots are also coming to American homes, though not as quickly as

they are entering _41_. These robots aren’t as friendly and _42_ as those you saw in Star Wars. But, their makers say, today’s home robots “walk” and sense objects in their own way. They even _43_ objects though they may sometimes drop. Well, nobody is _44_.

We may _45_ home robots today, but some day they may see and hear _46_ than humans do. We _47_

can only see certain wave lengths of light and hear certain _48_. That’s because the _49_ of our eyes and ears are _50_.

Robots, however, need not have the same limits _51_ we have. Robots may also be _52_ wit devices(装置) that  _53_ information humans can’t. However, to understand _54_ their sensing devices pick up is a hard job.

Remember, man-made brains _55_ information, including all kinds of data, as zeroes and ones.

Imagine the difficulty in trying to explain to a robot what a football looks like---using only zeroes and ones.

36. A. however             B. whenever                 C. on the other hand                    D. in other words

37. A. come                  B. appear                      C. enter                                      D. raise

38. A. variety                B. dozen                       C. score                                      D. type

39. A. muscle                B. body                        C. brain                                      D. appearance

40. A. surprising           B. boring                      C. pleasant                                  D. exciting

41. A. homes                B. factories                   C. schools                                   D. offices

42. A. certain                B. pleasing                   C. bright                                    D. foolish

43. A. carry                  B. forget                      C. remember                               D. choose

44. A. wonderful           B. excellent                  C. happy                                    D. perfect

45. A. play jokes on           B. make fun of                     C. laugh at                                  D. have fun with

46. A. worse                 B. faster                       C. better                                     D. sooner

47. A. fellows               B. humans                    C. beings                                    D. friends

48. A. noise                  B. voice                       C. sounds                                          D. speeches

49. A. sight                   B. length                      C. distance                                  D. ability

50. A. enough               B. endless                     C. limited                                   D. hopeful

51. A. as                       B. since                        C. for                                         D. while

52. A. given                  B. equipped                  C. sent                                       D. applied

53. A. pick out                     B. pick up                    C. send up                                  D. send out

54. A. how                   B. where                      C. what                                      D. which

55. A. deal                    B. handle                      C. seek                                      D. provide

第二部分：阅读理解（20小题, 每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中, 选出最佳选项
A New Zealand fishermen caught what may prove to be a world-record-breaking colossal squid(鱿鱼).
In the cold, dark waters of the Antarctic hides a creature with eight arms, two super long tentacles(触须) and eyes as big as dinner plates. Sound like something out of a science fiction movie? Think again.
On February 21, New Zealand fishermen landed a colossal squid the length of a school bus. They had been fishing with long lines for Chilean sea bass in the waters off the coast of New Zealand when they caught the rare squid. With two hours of hard work, the crew skillfully pulled the creature into a net and dragged in aboard their ship.
Scientists evaluate that the animal weighs about a half ton and is about 40 feet long. That would make this colossal squid the biggest on record.
First identified in 1925 after two tentacles were found in a whale’s stomach, the colossal squid has long been a mystery. The animals are not easy to observe because they can go down to ocean depths of 6,500 feet. What scientists do know from studying the bodies of a half dozen colossal squids is that they are fierce hunters.
The recently captured colossal squid has been frozen to keep it for scientific study. It will be transported to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, in the capital city of Wellington. Experts believe it to be the first adult male ever caught undamaged. Scientists hope to learn more about the colossal squid’s diet, behavior and reproductive(繁殖)patterns.
“Scientists will be very interested in this amazing creature, ”said New Zealand Fisheries Minister Jim Anderson. “It adds immeasurably to our understanding of the marine environment. ”
1. Why is it usually difficult for experts to observe the squid?
A. Because it moves too fast                       B. Because it is too large.
C. Because it is dangerous.                      D. Because it can go down to deep ocean.
2. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. The squid is from a science fiction story 
B. The fishermen often meet colossal squids
C. Scientists know much about the colossal squid. 
D. The fishermen had some difficulty catching the large squid.
3. What’s the purpose of catching such a huge squid?
A. To make it into food  B. To set a world record 
C. To do research on it  D. To display it for visitors
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The biggest squid ever found                      B. Scientific research on squid
C. The lifestyle of the colossal squid         D. How the fishermen caught the squid

You probably know you should say “please” and “thank you” at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?
Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can’t hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. No one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears. So even if you are alone when listening to our MP3 players, you shouldn’t turn it up too high.
Take Them Off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 off and put it away. Libraries, and schools don’t allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don’t have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to listen on your MP3 player at event. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.
Take One Out! Once in a while it’s okay just to take out one earphone and not other. Imagine you are listening on your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it’s not for you.
It’s Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. For example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.
【小题1】The underlined word “volume” in Paragraph Two probably means “_________.”

“Image is everything.” An entire industry has been built upon the precondition that image is everything, but when it comes down to it, an appealing image is not enough. If there is no substance behind the image, the product, service or person will fail at length.

First of all, one should consider how important image is in the selling of products and services. Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection. Public concept of that product or service is certainly managed by the images created by the advertising agencies. But if the product or service does not live up to the image that was created, the customer will be very dissatisfied and possibly ask for their money back. For example, the Arthur Andersen accounting firm had spent decades building up an image of trustworthiness. But the recent scandal (丑闻) showed that behind that image, it had dishonest business practices. Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions and it will probably not survive as a business unit. Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to the downfall of the world famous accounting firm.

       Similarly, personal consultants can build up a public image for politicians and movie stars. Putting out positive news releases, making sure that only the best photographs are published, and ensuring that the person is seen in all the right places can build up a very positive image in the view of the general commons. But once again, history is filled with examples of both politicians and movie stars that fell from grace (体面) like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune. With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind the image, failure is close.

       To summarize, it is clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the "selling" of a person. But image is only half of the equation. What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself ― the person or product must deliver on that image or there is little chance for long-term success.

72．The downfall of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm is due to ______.

     A．its bad management                                         B．its previous images

     C．its dishonesty in business                                 D．its poor service

73．Why did some famous people fall from grace?

    A．Their images were not well built up.

    B．They failed to live up to their images.

    C．They felt much pressure from the public.

    D．They paid little attention to fame and fortune.

74． The structure of the passage is             .

       A: Argument                 P: Point                 C: Conclusion

75．The author tries to argue that______.

    A．image creates everything

    B．image is the key to success

    C．truth goes hand in hand with image

    D．truth and image are equally important