What will man be like in the future — in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make guesses, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly changing all the time.
Let us take an obvious example. Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on average, men are about three inches taller. Five hundred years is a relatively short period of time, so we may assume that man will continue to grow taller. Again in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity (容量). As time goes on, however, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and eventually we shall need larger ones! This is likely to bring about a physical change too: the head, in particular the forehead, will grow larger.
Nowadays our eyes are in constant use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear glasses. But over a very long period of time it is likely that man’s eyes will grow stronger.
On the other hand, we tend to make less use of our arms and legs. These, as a result, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life.
But what about hair? This will probably disappear from the body altogether in course of time because it does not serve a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald.
Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature to look at! This may well be true. All the same, in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with us. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and emotions similar to our own.
56. The size of man’s forehead will probably grow bigger because _______.
A. he will use his brain more and more as time goes on
B. he makes use only 20% of the brain’s capacity
C. his brain has grown larger over the past centuries
D. the other 80% of his brain will grow in due time    
57. What serves as the evidence that man is changing?
A. Man has got stronger eyes now than he ever had.
B. Man has been growing taller over the past 500 years.
C. Man’s hair is getting thinner and thinner.
D. Man’s arms and legs have become lighter and weaker.
58. What will be true about a human being in the future?
A. He will be hairless because hair is no longer useful.
B. He will have smaller eyes and will wear better glasses.
C. His fingers will grow weaker because he won’t have to make use of them.
D. He will think and feel in a different way.
59. It is implied that __________________.
A. human beings will become more attractive in the future
B. body organs will become poorer if they are not used often
C. human beings hope for a change in the future life
D. future life is always predictable
60. The passage mainly tells us that _______________.
A. man’s life will be different in the future  B. man is growing taller and uglier as time passes
C. future man will look quite different from us
D. human beings’ organs will function weaker

Scientists have tried to come up with biological explanations for the difference between boys and girls. However, none were believable enough to explain the general picture. As one scientist points out, “There are slight genetic（遗传的）differences between the sexes at birth which may affect the subjects boys and girls choose. But the difficulty is that by the time children reach school age, there are so many other effects that it is almost impossible to tell whether girls are worse at science and maths, or they’ve been brought up to think of these subjects as boys’ ‘territory’（领域）”.

Statistics（统计数据）show that in mathematics, at least, girls are equal to boys. A recent report suggests that girls only stop studying mathematics because of social attitudes. One of the reports’ authors says, “While it is socially unacceptable for people not to be able to read and write, it is sill acceptable for women to say that they are ‘hopeless’ at maths. Our research shows that, although girls get marks which are as good as the boys’ , they have not been encouraged to do so.”

The explanation for the difference, which is very clear during the teenage years, goes as far back as early childhood experiences. From their first days in nursery school, girls are not encouraged to work on their own or to complete tasks, although boys are. For example, boys and not girls, are often asked to ‘help’ with repair work. This encouragement leads to a way of learning how to solve problems later on in life. A further report on maths teaching shows that teachers seem to give more attention to boys than to girls. Most teachers who took part in the study admitted that they expect their male students to do better at mathematics and science subjects than their females students. All of this tends to encourage boys to work harder in these subjects, gives them confidence（信心）and makes them believe that they can succeed.

Interestingly, both boys and girls tend to regard such ‘male’ subjects like mathematics and science as difficult. Yet it has been suggested that girls avoid mathematics courses, not because they are difficult, but for social reasons. Mathematics and science are mainly male subjects, and therefore, as girls become teenagers, they are less likely to take them up. Girls do not seem to want to be in open competition with boys. Neither do they want to do better than boys because they are afraid to appear less female and less attractive.

41．According to scientific studies, girls             .

       A．are poorer at maths

       B．avoid maths because of social reasons   

       C．are afraid of maths because they are the weaker sex

       D．can’t learn maths as well as boys

42．Male students do better at mathematics and science subjects because             .

       A．they get more encouragement              

       B．they want to be attractive                     

       C．they are born good at maths and science                                  

       D．they work harder in these subjects

43．Which of the following is true according to the text?

       A．It seems socially acceptable for a girl not to be able to read and write.

       B．It is a social problem rather than a problem of brains that girls are poor at maths.     

       C．Mathematics and science are no easy subjects to women.       

       D．Male scientists have stronger ability in maths.

44．What would be the best title for the text?

       A．Who’s afraid of Maths at all?               

       B．Are Boys Cleverer than Girls?               

       C．Boys are Better at Maths than Girls by Birth                          

       D．Maths A Difficult Subject

45．What can probably be regarded as “female ” subjects by boys and girls?

       A．Maths                 B．Physics               C．Chemistry           D．English

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that fits the context.

Good news! Tiny robots designed by University of Nebraska researchers may   50     doctors on Earth to help perform surgery on patients in space.

   The tiny, wheeled robots, which are about 3 inches tall and as wide a lipstick case, can be slipped into small incisions ( 切口 ) and computer-controlled by surgeons in different    51   . Some robots are equipped with    52    and lights and can send images back to surgeons and others have surgical tools attached that can be controlled    53   .

   “ We think this is going to    54    open surgery.” Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov said at a news conference. Oleynikov is a    55    in computer-assisted surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

   Officials hope that NASA will teach    56    to use the robots soon enough    57   

surgeries could one day be performed in space.

   The camera-carrying robots can provide    58    of affected areas and the ones with surgical tools will be able to operate inside the body in ways surgeons’ hands can’t. The views from the camera-carrying robots are    59    than the naked eye, because they    60    back color images that are magnified. Because several robots can be inserted through one incision, they could reduce the amount and    61    of cuts needed for surgery, which would decrease recovery time. This is particularly    62    to those patients who have been weakened by long illness.

   Eventually, Oleynikov said, “ The tiny robots may enable surgeons to work without ever __63__their hands in patients’ bodies. That is the    64   . It is getting easier and easier. We can do even more with these devices.”

50.  A. use                         B. pay                          C. allow                       D. force

51.  A. locations                 B. directions                 C. fields                       D. ways

52.  A. operators           B. monitors            C. cameras               D. flashes

53.  A. automatically        B. remotely            C. manually               D. widely

54.  A. perform           B. undergo             C. follow                D. replace

55.  A. reporter            B. specialist             C. designer               D. director

56.  A. astronauts          B. nurse                C. teachers               D. trainers

57.  A. in order to         B. so that               C. thus                 D. in case

58.  A. answers          B. services               C. views                D. insights

59.  A. weaker            B. stronger                     C. poorer                D. better

60.  A. send              B. produce                     C. change                      D. create

61.  A. measure            B. size                  C. power               D. pressure

62.  A. relevant            B. true                 C. helpful              D. interesting

63.  A. touching           B. pressing              C. holding             D. placing

64.  A. ambition         B. goal                 C. achievement          D. victory

III. Reading Comprehension：31%

  Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that fits the context.

Good news! Tiny robots designed by University of Nebraska researchers may   50     doctors on Earth to help perform surgery on patients in space.

   The tiny, wheeled robots, which are about 3 inches tall and as wide a lipstick case, can be slipped into small incisions ( 切口 ) and computer-controlled by surgeons in different    51   . Some robots are equipped with    52    and lights and can send images back to surgeons and others have surgical tools attached that can be controlled    53   .

   “ We think this is going to    54    open surgery.” Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov said at a news conference. Oleynikov is a    55    in computer-assisted surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

   Officials hope that NASA will teach    56    to use the robots soon enough    57   

surgeries could one day be performed in space.

   The camera-carrying robots can provide    58    of affected areas and the ones with surgical tools will be able to operate inside the body in ways surgeons’ hands can’t. The views from the camera-carrying robots are    59    than the naked eye, because they    60    back color images that are magnified. Because several robots can be inserted through one incision, they could reduce the amount and    61    of cuts needed for surgery, which would decrease recovery time. This is particularly    62    to those patients who have been weakened by long illness.

   Eventually, Oleynikov said, “ The tiny robots may enable surgeons to work without ever __63__their hands in patients’ bodies. That is the    64   . It is getting easier and easier. We can do even more with these devices.”

50.  A. use                         B. pay                          C. allow                       D. force

51.  A. locations                 B. directions                 C. fields                       D. ways

52.  A. operators           B. monitors            C. cameras               D. flashes

53.  A. automatically        B. remotely            C. manually               D. widely

54.  A. perform           B. undergo             C. follow                D. replace

55.  A. reporter            B. specialist             C. designer               D. director

56.  A. astronauts          B. nurse                C. teachers               D. trainers

57.  A. in order to         B. so that               C. thus                 D. in case

58.  A. answers          B. services               C. views                D. insights

59.  A. weaker            B. stronger                     C. poorer                D. better

60.  A. send              B. produce                     C. change                      D. create

61.  A. measure            B. size                  C. power               D. pressure

62.  A. relevant            B. true                 C. helpful              D. interesting

63.  A. touching           B. pressing              C. holding             D. placing

64.  A. ambition         B. goal                 C. achievement          D. victory

III. Reading Comprehension：31%

  Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that fits the context.

Good news! Tiny robots designed by University of Nebraska researchers may   50     doctors on Earth to help perform surgery on patients in space.

   The tiny, wheeled robots, which are about 3 inches tall and as wide a lipstick case, can be slipped into small incisions ( 切口 ) and computer-controlled by surgeons in different    51   . Some robots are equipped with    52    and lights and can send images back to surgeons and others have surgical tools attached that can be controlled    53   .

   “ We think this is going to    54    open surgery.” Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov said at a news conference. Oleynikov is a    55    in computer-assisted surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

   Officials hope that NASA will teach    56    to use the robots soon enough    57   

surgeries could one day be performed in space.

   The camera-carrying robots can provide    58    of affected areas and the ones with surgical tools will be able to operate inside the body in ways surgeons’ hands can’t. The views from the camera-carrying robots are    59    than the naked eye, because they    60    back color images that are magnified. Because several robots can be inserted through one incision, they could reduce the amount and    61    of cuts needed for surgery, which would decrease recovery time. This is particularly    62    to those patients who have been weakened by long illness.

   Eventually, Oleynikov said, “ The tiny robots may enable surgeons to work without ever __63__their hands in patients’ bodies. That is the    64   . It is getting easier and easier. We can do even more with these devices.”

50.  A. use                         B. pay                          C. allow                       D. force

51.  A. locations                 B. directions                 C. fields                       D. ways

52.  A. operators           B. monitors            C. cameras               D. flashes

53.  A. automatically        B. remotely            C. manually               D. widely

54.  A. perform           B. undergo             C. follow                D. replace

55.  A. reporter            B. specialist             C. designer               D. director

56.  A. astronauts          B. nurse                C. teachers               D. trainers

57.  A. in order to         B. so that               C. thus                 D. in case

58.  A. answers          B. services               C. views                D. insights

59.  A. weaker            B. stronger                     C. poorer                D. better

60.  A. send              B. produce                     C. change                      D. create

61.  A. measure            B. size                  C. power               D. pressure

62.  A. relevant            B. true                 C. helpful              D. interesting

63.  A. touching           B. pressing              C. holding             D. placing

64.  A. ambition         B. goal                 C. achievement          D. victory