In 1961, scientist set up gigantic, sensitive instruments to collect radio waves from the far reaches of space, hoping to discover in them some mathematical pattern indicating that the waves were sent out by other intelligent beings. The first attempt failed, but someday the experiment may succeed.

　　What reason is there to think that we may actually detect intelligent life in outer space？To begin with, modern theories of the development of stars suggest that almost every star has some sort of family of planets. So any star like our own sun （and there are billions of such stars in the universe） is likely to have a planet situated at such a distance that it would receive about the same amount of radiation as the earth.

　　Furthermore, such a planet would probably have the same general composition as our planet; so, allowing a billion years or two or three, there would be a very good chance for life to develop, if current theories of the origin of life are correct.

　　But intelligent life？Life that has reached the stage of being able to send radio waves out into space in a deliberate pattern？Our own planet may have been in existence for five billion years and may have had life on it for two billion, but it is only in the last fifty years that intelligent life capable of sending radio waves into space has lived on earth. From this it might seem that even if there were no technical problems involved, the chance of receiving signals from any particular earth-type planet would be extremely small.

　　This does not mean that intelligent life at our level does not exist somewhere. There are such an unimaginable number of stars that, even at such miserable possibility, it seems certain that there are millions of intelligent life forms scattered through space. The only trouble is, none may be within easy distance of us. Perhaps none ever will be; perhaps the distances that separate us from our fellow “creatures” of this universe will forever remain too great to be conquered. And yet it is conceivable that someday we may come across one of them or, frighteningly, one of them may come across us. What would they be like, these outside-the-earth creatures？

1.What point is the author making by stating that almost every star has some sort of family of planets？

　　A. Sooner or later intelligent beings will be found on one of the stars.

　　B. There must be one or two of the planets on which there are no intelligent beings.

　　C. There are sufficient planets for there to be one that enjoys the same conditions as the earth does.

　　D. One or two billion years later intelligent beings will generate on those planets.

2.What is the main topic of the passage？

　　A. Some probable intelligent life forms on other planets.

　　B. Various stages undergone by the intelligent life on other planets.

　　C. Grounds for probable existence of intelligent life on other planets.

　　D. The possibility of intelligent life existing on our planet.

3.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage？

A. An encounter is probable between people from the earth and intelligent beings from another planet.

B. Though the first attempt failed, scientists did discover the radio waves sent out by other intelligent beings.

C. Other intelligent beings were able to send our radio waves into space well before the last fifty years.

D. It is certain that there are millions of intelligent beings scattered in space but only too far away.

4.According to the author, what is the difference between “we may come across one of them” and “one of them may come across us”？

A. The earth would be dangerously disadvantaged if it is sought after by possibly much more developed creatures.

B. It would prove that there are too many outside-the-earth creatures if “one of them comes across us”.

C. The history of the development of the earth would be proved to be shorter than that of “them” if “they” come across us.

D. it would prove that the distance in between is not so great as we think if “we come across one of them” someday.

第三部分  阅读理解（共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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Geena David knew she wanted to be a movie star when she was very young. She was not sure what gave her the idea, but she wanted to look like a movie star. “I have a lot of pictures from my childhood of me wearing sunglasses,” she says. “I used to wear them to watch TV.”

Early movie actors started wearing sunglasses not because they looked good, but because their eyes hurt. The lights used on movie sets were extremely bright and could cause a painful problem known as “Klieg eyes”. It was named after the Klieg brothers who invented the lights. Actors wore sunglasses to give their eyes a rest. But when movie stars began wearing their sunglasses in public, they quickly became a must.

Eventually actors started wearing sunglasses in their movies as well as on the street. Audrey Hephburn wore ultra-cool Ray-Ban sunglasses in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As a result, Ray-Ban sunglasses started to appear more and more in the movies. In 1979, Ray-Ban “Wayfarers” were worn by Jake and Elwood in The Blue Brothers. Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban “Aviator” sunglasses in the 1986 hit, Top Gun. Then in 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made Ray-Ban “Predator” sunglasses famous in Men in Black.

　  Of course sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement. The main reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes against UV radiation. UV radiation can damage our eyes, so people now choose their sunglasses carefully. But you don’t have to give up style for safety. The choice of frames and lenses available these days is huge. So you can protect your eyes and still be the coolest person on the beach.

1．What is mainly discussed in this passage?

     A．The use of sunglasses.                 B．The history of sunglasses.

     C．The sunglasses wearing.               D．Why movie stars like to wear sunglasses.

2．Why did Geena David like to wear sunglasses?

     A．She was a movie star.               

       B．She wanted to follow a movie star.

       C．Wearing sunglasses was good for her eyes.

     D．It was good to wear sunglasses when watching TV.

3．Early actors’ eyes hurt because ______.

    A．they wore sunglasses

    B．they went out in the sun too much

    C．the lights on movie sets were too bright

    D．their scripts were written in very small writing

4．We may know from this passage that ______.

    A．Audrey Hephburn was a famous film star

    B．Ray-Ban is the name of sunglasses maker

    C．Sunglasses made Top Gun the hit in 1986

    D．Men in Black must be an advertisement of sunglasses

5．Now people wear sunglasses ______.

    A．just to protect their eyes

    B．for fashion and to protect their eyes

    C．because of bright lights

D．because movie stars wear them

　　In 1961, scientist set up gigantic, sensitive instruments to collect radio waves from the far reaches of space, hoping to discover in them some mathematical pattern indicating that the waves were sent out by other intelligent beings. The first attempt failed, but someday the experiment may succeed.
　　What reason is there to think that we may actually detect intelligent life in outer space？To begin with, modern theories of the development of stars suggest that almost every star has some sort of family of planets. So any star like our own sun （and there are billions of such stars in the universe） is likely to have a planet situated at such a distance that it would receive about the same amount of radiation as the earth.
　　Furthermore, such a planet would probably have the same general composition as our planet; so, allowing a billion years or two or three, there would be a very good chance for life to develop, if current theories of the origin of life are correct.
　　But intelligent life？Life that has reached the stage of being able to send radio waves out into space in a deliberate pattern？Our own planet may have been in existence for five billion years and may have had life on it for two billion, but it is only in the last fifty years that intelligent life capable of sending radio waves into space has lived on earth. From this it might seem that even if there were no technical problems involved, the chance of receiving signals from any particular earth-type planet would be extremely small.
　　This does not mean that intelligent life at our level does not exist somewhere. There are such an unimaginable number of stars that, even at such miserable possibility, it seems certain that there are millions of intelligent life forms scattered through space. The only trouble is, none may be within easy distance of us. Perhaps none ever will be; perhaps the distances that separate us from our fellow “creatures” of this universe will forever remain too great to be conquered. And yet it is conceivable that someday we may come across one of them or, frighteningly, one of them may come across us. What would they be like, these outside-the-earth creatures？
1.What point is the author making by stating that almost every star has some sort of family of planets？
　　A. Sooner or later intelligent beings will be found on one of the stars.
　　B. There must be one or two of the planets on which there are no intelligent beings.
　　C. There are sufficient planets for there to be one that enjoys the same conditions as the earth does.
　　D. One or two billion years later intelligent beings will generate on those planets.
2.What is the main topic of the passage？
　　A. Some probable intelligent life forms on other planets.
　　B. Various stages undergone by the intelligent life on other planets.
　　C. Grounds for probable existence of intelligent life on other planets.
　　D. The possibility of intelligent life existing on our planet.
3.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage？
A. An encounter is probable between people from the earth and intelligent beings from another planet.
B. Though the first attempt failed, scientists did discover the radio waves sent out by other intelligent beings.
C. Other intelligent beings were able to send our radio waves into space well before the last fifty years.
D. It is certain that there are millions of intelligent beings scattered in space but only too far away.
4.According to the author, what is the difference between “we may come across one of them” and “one of them may come across us”？
A. The earth would be dangerously disadvantaged if it is sought after by possibly much more developed creatures.
B. It would prove that there are too many outside-the-earth creatures if “one of them comes across us”.
C. The history of the development of the earth would be proved to be shorter than that of “them” if “they” come across us.
D. it would prove that the distance in between is not so great as we think if “we come across one of them” someday.

All children in the United States have to receive an education, but not all children go to school. A number of parents　　36　not to send their children to school. Such children are known　　37　　 “home-schoolers”. Some parents prefer teaching their children at home　　38 they do not believe schools teach the correct religious (宗教的)　　39 ; others believe they can provide a better educational　　40 for their children by doing so.　　41 , results show home-schooled children often do better than 　　42 on national tests in reading and math.
　　David teaches his three children at home. He 　　43　that his children learn very differently from children in school. Learning starts with the children’s　　44　and questions. For example, when there is snowfall on a winter day, it may　　45　a discussion about climate, snow removal 　　46 , Alaska, etc. Or a spring evening when the family is out　47　the stars is a good time to ask questions about the sky. If the Brazilian rain forests are on TV, it　48　　be a perfect time to talk about how rain forests influence the climate, how deserts are　49　　and how the polar ice caps　50 ocean levels.
　Home schooling is often more interesting than　　51　schools, but critics (批评家) say home-schoolers might be uncomfortable　　52　 with other people in adult life. Critics also say that most parents are not　53　to teach their children. However, most parents don’t have the time or the　　54　to teach their children at home, so schools will continue to be　　55　　most children get their formal education.