Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relieve these experiences in nightmare(梦魇).

   Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase(抹去) the effect of painful memories.

   In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.

   The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.

   Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers’ troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.

   “Some memories can ruin people’s lives. They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman, a professor of Psychiatry(精神病学) at Harvard Medical School. “This could relieve a lot of that suffering.”

But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity(特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

“All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I’m not sure we want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist(伦理学家).

57. 1.The passage is mainly about_____.

A. a new medical invention            

B. a new research on the pill

C. a way of erasing painful memories    

D. an argument about the research on the pill

58. 2. The drug tested on people can_____.

   A. cause the brain to fix memories

   B. stop people remembering bad experiences

   C. prevent body producing certain chemicals

   D. wipe out the emotional effects of memories

59. 3.We can infer from the passage that_____.

   A. people doubt the effects of the pills

   B. the pill will stop people’s bad experiences

   C. taking the pill will do harm to people’s health

   D. the pill has been produced in America

60. 4. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?

   A. Some memories can ruin people’s lives

   B. People want to get rid of bad memories.

   C. Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.

   D. The pill will reduce people’s sufferings from bad memories.

 

First the ground shook in Haiti, then Chile and Turkey. The earthquakes keep coming hard and fast this year, causing people to wonder if something evil (邪恶的) is happening underfoot. It’s not.

While it may seem as if there are more earthquakes occurring, there really aren’t. The problem is what’s happening above ground, not underground, experts say. More people are moving into big cities that happen to be built in quake zones, and they’re rapidly putting up buildings that can’t withstand (经受) earthquakes, scientists believe. And around-the-clock news coverage (报道) and better earthquake monitoring(监测) make it seem as if earthquakes are ever-present.

“I can definitely tell you that the world is not coming to an end,” said Bob Holdsworth, an expert in tectonics (筑造学) at Durharn University in the UK.

A 7.0 magnitude quake in January killed more than 230,000 people in Haiti. Last month, an 8.8 magnitude quake--- the fifth-strongest since 1900—killed more than 900 people in Chile. And two weeks ago, a 6.0 magnitude quake struck rural eastern Turkey, killing at least 57 people.

On average, there are 134 earthquakes a year that have a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9, according to the US Geological Survey. This year is off to a fast start with 40 so far—more than in most years for that time period.

But that’s because the 8.8 quake in Chile generated a large number of strong aftershocks, and so many quakes early this year skews (扭曲) the picture, said Paul Earle, a US seismologist (地震学家).

Also, it’s not the number of quakes, but their devastating impacts(破坏性的影响) that gain attention, with the death tolls (死亡人数) largely due to construction standards (building standard) and crowding, Earle added. “The standard mantra (咒语) is earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do, ” he said.

There have been more deaths over the past decades from earthquakes, said University of Colorado geologist Roger Bilham. In an opinion column last month in the journal Nature, Bilham called for better construction standards in the world’s big cities.

Of the 130 cities worldwide with populations of more than 1 million, more than half are prone (倾向于) to earthquakes, Bilham said.

Developing nations, where populations are growing, don’t pay attention to earthquake preparedness, Bilham said.” If you have a problem feeding yourself, you’re not really going to worry about earthquakes.”

Another reason quakes seem worse is that we’re paying attention more. The Haiti earthquake quickly followed by the 8.8 in Chile made everyone start to think.

But it won’t last, said US disaster researcher Deniis Mileti. “People are paying attention to the violent planet we’ve always lived on,” Mileti said.” Come back in another six months if there has been no earthquakes, most people will have forgotten it again. ”

1. What is the main idea of the article?

A. The number of earthquakes is increasing this year.     

B. The reasons why earthquakes are so devastating.

C. The reasons why recent earthquakes have struck large cities.

D. Why earthquakes seem to be more serious this year.

2. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the seeming increase in earthquakes this year，

according to the article?

A. Greater underground activity.      

B. A larger number of buildings prone to damage during earthquakes.

C. Around-the-clock news coverage.   

D. Better earthquake monitoring.

3. According to the article, it is safe to say that ______.

A. there is an evil force beneath the world’s surface

B. large cities are always built in quake zones

C. enough attention has been paid to reducing the impact of earthquakes

D. the earthquake in Chili caused many aftershocks.

4.According to the article, the greater damage of earthquakes this year can be mainly caused by ______.

A. the occurrence of larger earthquakes

B. not enough warnings about earthquakes

C. poor construction standards and overcrowding

D. an increase in large cities

 

 

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

         Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process．The instructor asked us to list __16__ in our past that we felt __17__ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud．

         This seemed like a very __18__ process, but there' s always some __19__soul in the crowd who will volunteer．The instructor then __20__ that we find ways to __21__ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings．I was seriously wondering how this could ever __22__ my communication．

         Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my __23__, I remembered an incident from high school．1 grew up in a small town．There was a Sheriff __24__ of us kids liked．One night, my two buddies and 1 decided to play a __25__ on him．

         After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a s．o．b．（畜生）．The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious __26__．Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office．My friends told the truth but I lied．No one __27__ found out．"

         Nearly 20 years later．Sheriff Brown's name __28__ on my list．I didn't even know if he was still    29__．Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Roger Brown still listed．I tried his number．After a few __30__, 1 heard, "Hello?" I said, "Sheriff BroW?" Paused．"Yes．" "Well, this is Jimmy Calkins．"

         "And I want you to know that I did it? "Paused．"I knew it!" he yelled back．We had a good laugh and a __31__ discussion．His closing words were: "Jimmy, I always felt bad for you __32__ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it __33__ all these years．I want to thank you for calling me for your sake．"

         Jimmy inspired me to __34__ all the items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It's never too late to __35   the past wrongdoings．

16．A．something      B．anything            C．somebody           D．anybody

17．A．ashamed       B．afraid            C．sure                D．proud

18．A．private           B．secret           C．interesting          D．funny

19．A．foolish            B．polite            C．simple              D．brave

20．A．expected       B．suggested      C．ordered            D．demanded

21．A．connect with    B．depend on        C．apologize to          D．get along with

22．A．improve          B．continue          C．realize              D．keep

23．A．notes          B．list             C．plan                D．stories

24．A．any             B．most             C．none               D．all

25．A．part           B．game            C．trick                 D．record

26．A．view             B．sign           C．attention            D．remark

27．A．also           B．even            C．still                D．ever

28．A．appears'          B．considers          C．presents           D．remembers

29．A．angry            B．happy             C．doubtful            D．alive

30．A．words           B．rings            C．repeats            D．calls

31．A．cold           B．plain            C．nervous             D．lively[来源:Z*xx*k.Com]

32．A．in case         B．so long as        C．unless               D．because

33．A．around           B．out              C．on                 D．away

34．A．build up           B．make up         C．clear up             D．give up

35．A．regret           B．forgive           C．right                   D．punish

 

你的加拿大网友Roger想了解中国的传统节日，请你给他写一封电子邮件，向他介绍中国的元宵节(the Lantern Festival)。内容如下：

1．时间：正月十五；

2．历史：起源于汉，兴盛于唐，宋朝时成为时间最长的灯节，清朝时规模空前；

3．习俗：赏灯、猜灯谜、吃元宵、耍龙灯、耍狮子、踩高跷(stilt)、划旱船(1and boat)、扭秧歌、打太平鼓等等；

4．意义：正月十五是一年中第一个月圆之夜，也是一年复始，大地回春的夜晚，人们对此加以庆祝，也是庆贺新春的延续。

 

根据所读内容在文章后图表中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。注意：每空1个单词。

                          Unique Tradition from UK

Boxing Day

    This holiday, which is observed on December 26, is a unique part of the Christmas season in Great Britain, as well as other Commonwealth nations. Boxing Day comes from a tradition that began in the Middle Ages more than 800 years ago. On this day, English churches would open their ‘alms box’ and distribute its contents to needy members of the community. It was also a day for servants to celebrate the holidays with their families, having usually worked the day before. Today, Boxing Day is one of the twenty-two paid holidays received by most working Brits. Most people now spend Christmas Day with their family and reserve Boxing Day for exchanging gifts with friends. Although the government shuts down for the day, cinemas and theatres are open.

Queen’s Telegram

    In the United States, if you make it to the ripe old age of 101 or 102, Willard Scott will wish you happy birthday on national television. In England, the queen herself will send her congratulations. This fairly new custom is known as "the Queen’s Telegram" and assures centenarians (people at least 100 years old) that they will receive a birthday telegram from the queen on their one-hundredth birthday. The telegram is so longed for by some Brits that one 98-year-old woman was recently proven to have faked her age by two years just to receive the telegram.

High Tea

    High tea was first enjoyed by the English working class during the 1700s. This ritual (仪式) began as a practical attempt to hold off hunger pains between breakfast and supper, as eating just two daily meals was common at the time. It was called “high” tea because it was usually taken sitting on top stools in a tea shop or standing at a counter or buffet table. Today, high tea has become a more elegant and popular tradition that is practiced in fine hotels and restaurants around the world.

Public Houses

    Visiting a pub is one of Britain’s oldest forms of entertainment. The idea for the first public houses was brought to Britain thousands of years ago by conquering Roman army. The first pubs served only wine, but after the discovery of hops（啤酒花） in the fourteenth century, pubs began to serve mainly beer and ale（麦芽酒）, as they do today.

   British pubs operate between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they must close at 10:30 p.m. The drinking age in Britain is eighteen, but fourteen-year-olds may enter a pub unaccompanied if they order a meal.

Unique Tradition from UK

Traditions	Time	Main Activities
Boxing Day	Observed on Dc.26 during the (71)______ season.	In the past, churches would open their “alms box”, with its contents (72)_______ to needy people. Today it is reserved to (73)_____gifts with friends.
Queen’s Telegram	(74)______by the Queen when one has his or her 100th birthday.	People over 100 years will receive a birthday telegram from the queen herself on her birthday, enjoying the Queen’s (75)_____ to them.
High Tea	Enjoyed and practiced between breakfast and supper.	It (76)______to be taken sitting in a tea shop, or standing at a corner. Today it’s becoming a tradition (77)_____ in the hotels and restaurants worldwide.
Public Houses	Visited between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day (78)______Sunday.	At the (79)______, only wine was served, but today they mainly serve beer and ale, but people (80)_____than eighteen are not allowed to drink.