But, curiously, one of the rarest coins in the world is not made of gold, but of the relatively cheaper silver. In 1840, the United States mint struck 19, 570 silver dollars. That is what its records show. Today only six of this original number remain and these are unlikely ever to the auction market. So what happened to some 19, 564 large silver coins, not the easiest sort of things to lose? One of the more romantic theories is that they were part of the payment to Napoleon for the American territory then known as Louisiana. But they never reached France. Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship transporting them was sunk, either by a storm or by pirates. The probable answer to the mystery is that they were melted down—since the silver value was greater than the actual value of the coin. What really happened to the rest will probably always remain a mystery. What .is known is that whoever can come up with one will find himself instantly rich.

　　 1. It can be inferred from the passage that——.

　　　　  A. money buys as much as it did before

　　    B. money does not buy as much as it did before

　　　　  C. paper money buys more than metal money

　　　　  D. metal money buys more than paper money

　　 2. Which of the following is true of a coin?

　　　　  A. The longer it is held, the less valuable it becomes.

　　　　  B. The more it wears out, the more valuable it becomes.

　　　　  C. The less it gets scratched, the less it values.

　　　　  D. The longer it lasts, the more it values.

　　 3. Coins becomes more valuable because

  　　　　A. they make purses and pockets untidy

　　　　  B. the price of metal goes up

　　　　  C. they fall more readily into a category for collections due to their duration

　　　　  D. both B and C

　　 4. What really happened to some 19, 564 large silver coins?

　　　　  A. They were melted down.　　　　 B. They were sunk in the Gulf of Mexico.

　　　　  C. It is still mystery.　　 　　    　　  D. They were stolen by pirates.

    The brain blood flow studies show that reciting the days of the week and months of the year increases blood flow in appreciate areas, whereas problem solving which demands intense concentration of a reasoning type produces much larger changes in the distribution of blood in the brain.

    Between these basic studies of brain function and real life situations there is still a considerable gap, but reasonable deduction seems possible to try and understand what happens to the brain. Life consists of a series of events which may be related to work or to our so-called leisure time. Work may be relatively automatic—as with typing, for instance. It requires intense concentration and repetition during the learning phase to establish a pattern in the brain. Then the typist's fingers automatically move to hit the appropriate keys as she reads the words on the copy.

    However, when she gets tired she makes mistakes much more frequently. To overcome this she has to raise her level of arousal and concentration but beyond a certain point the automaticity is lost and thinking about hitting the keys leads to more mistakes.

    Other jobs involve intense concentration such as holding bottles of wine up to a strong light and turning them upside down to look for particles of dirt falling down. This sounds quite easy but experience teaches that workers can do this for only about thirty minutes before they start making a mistake. This is partly because the number of occasions with dirt in the bottle is low and the arousal level, therefore, falls. Scientists have shown that devices to raise arousal level will increase the accuracy of looking for relatively rare events. A recent study of the effect of loss of sleep in young doctors showed that in tests involving a challenge to their medical judgment when short of sleep they raised their arousal level and became better at tests of grammatical reasoning as well.

　　  1. Problem solving——according to the brain blood flow studies.

　　　　   A. is based on the ability to recite the time

　　　　   B. causes changes in the distribution of blood in the brain

　　　　   C. increases blood flow in some areas of the brain

　　　　   D. demands intense concentration of blood in certain areas

　　  2. The writer suggests that——.

　　　　    A. the difference between the laboratory studies and real-life situations will be reduced

　　　　    B. the gap between the laboratory studies and real-life situations is too large to fill up

　　　　    C. the gap between the laboratory studies and real-life situations can be closed by proper reasoning

　　　　    D. the results obtained in the laboratory exactly reflects the real-life situations

　　  3. Why does say the examining bottles of wine is a hard work?

　　　　    A. Because it requires high level of automaticity.

　　　　    B. Because the bottles must be held upside down.

　　　　    C. Because it is difficult to see the particles of dirt.

　　　　    D. Because most bottles are all fight.

　　  4. A key factor is the ability to reason in——according to the passage.

　　　　    A. the amount of sleep the subject has had

　　　　    B. the extent to which the subject has been taught to reason

　　　　    C. the subject's knowledge of grammar

　　　　    D. the level of arousal of the subject

    The link between environment and poverty is central to that great race for sustainability. It is a pity, then, that several powerful fallacies (谬论) keep getting in the way of sensible debate. One popular myth is that trade and economic growth make poor countries' environmental problems worse: Growth, it is said, brings with it urbanization, higher energy consumption and industrialization —all factors that contribute to pollution and pose health risks.

    Another common view is that poor countries should pollute now and clean up later. Certainly poor countries should not be made to adopt American or European environmental standards. But there is evidence to suggest that poor countries can and should try to tackle some environmental problems now, rather than wait till they have become richer.

    One powerful—and until recently ignored—weapon in the fight for a better environment is local people. Much academic research has shown that the poor are often victims of resource depletion (损耗) : it tends to be rich locals or outsiders who are  responsible for the worst exploitation (开发). Local people usually have a better knowledge of local ecological conditions than experts in faraway capitals, as well as a direct interest in improving the quality of life in their village.

　　  1. From the first paragraph we can learn that——.

　　　　  A. in developing countries 6 million people die from environmental factors each year

　　　　  B. in developing countries 3 million people lose their lives each year because of water shortage

　　　　  C. in developing countries environmental factors are the biggest cause for abnormal death

　　　　  D. in developing countries more people die from malnutrition

　　  2. According to the author, which of the following contributes most to environmental problems in poor countries?

　　　　    A. poverty　　　　　　　　 B. urban air pollution

　　 C. water-related diseases　　  D. rich locals and outsiders

　　  3. The main idea of Para. 3 is

　　　　    A. poor countries should pollute now and clean up later

　　　　    B. poor countries should take environmental problems seriously as early as possible

　　　　    C. poor countries should follow American or European environmental standards

　　　　    D. some poor countries hold a false guideline in tackling environmental problems

　　  4. According to the author, people who can play an important role in tackling environmental problems are ——.

　　　　    A. rich locals　　　　　　  B outsiders

　　　　    C. local residents　　　　   D environmental experts

    Another bad habit that many people tolerate in their pets is allowing them to bite and hold on to clothing. Don't let your dog do this to you. When he does something you want him to do, praise him and tell him he's a good dog. You can also give him a treat at the same time he performs the good behavior. Eventually he will learn which kind of behavior is acceptable and which is not. Remember that reward is more effective than punishment. If you reward your dog when he does what you want him to, he will become very well behaved. Also remember that puppies need to chew on something. So give him a sock with a knot tied in it or an old shoe. If he chews the wrong thing, take it away while saying “No” and give him something he can chew. If dogs are trained well, they will truly be your friends for a lifetime.

　　  1. This passage is written to __

　　　　  A. show dog owner how to behave　　　　  B. teach people how to train dogs

　　　　  C. explain why a dog chew on something　　　　 D. show good dog behaviors

　　  2. According to this passage, many people tend to __

　　　　  A. think puppies should be properly trained

B. be too rough towards their dogs

　　　　  C. give their dogs treats infrequently

　　　　  D. allow their dogs to behave badly

　　  3. Based on this passage, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?

　　　　  A. Our behavior influences our dog’s behavior.

　　　　  B. Dogs enjoy being rewarded by their owners.

　　　　  C. Saying nothing when your dog has bitten.

　　　　  D. Training a dog takes patience and time.

　　  4. The author thinks that a better way to train a dog is to

　　　　  A. punish him for any mistake he has made

　　　　  B. reinforce (加强) his good behavior with a treat

　　　　  C. tolerate him no matter what he does

　　　　  D. be kind to him and not to scold him

　　 For the last few years, the genetic advances in the fast developing field of biotechnology (生物技术) have provides material for all kinds of work, but the developments of modern science in unlocking the secrets of the human genetic code have opened a world of possibilities for human health, as well as for the popular imagination.

    While European and Japanese researchers are making rapid progress in decoding (解码) human DNA, the leading organization for genetic research is in the United States, which began in 1990, “unlocking the code” of the human body to learn how to defeat fatal diseases. Already, the Human Genome Project has become widely known and praised for finding the genes connected with as yet terrible diseases, and making progress toward separating the genes that show a sign of breast cancer of AIDS.

    Once these genes are found and studied, researchers can develop new ways to attack infections, and genetic diseases. Medical companies are very interested in mapping the human genome, as they expect to develop a lot of new drugs for this illness.

　　  1. Why did the scientists work hard at mapping the Human Genome?

　　　　  A. Because it can destroy many illnesses.

　　　　  B. Because its completion can help them get rid of many diseases.

　　　　  C. Because they wanted to be better known than others.

　　　　  D. Because it can provide a lot of chances of work.

　　  2. Which of the following is NOT true?

　　　　  A. If the genes can be found, scientists can study many new ways to cure illnesses.

　　　　  B. The United States began the Genes Study early in the 19th century.

　　　　  C. Many medical companies show great interest in drawing the human genome map.

　　　　  D. The scientists have made great progress in connecting the genes with the cancers.

　　  3. The writer suggests that the Human Genome Project can cause——.

　　　　  A. The policy makers to feet very worried and careful.

　　　　  B. The scientists to work harder.

　　　　  C. Many people to find work easily.

　　　　  D. A lot of companies to produce many new drugs.

  　　4. What's this passage mainly about? It's about——.

　　　　  A. The great human genome　　　　　　  B. the genes, discovery

　　　　  C. Unlocking genetic code　　　　　　   D. the genes and the scientists

Tales From Animals Hospital

David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital. Here Dr Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated, including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess, the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity Diamond．He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day, from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery (外科手术). Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the program and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet, whether it be cat, dog, or snake!

￡14.99 Hardback 272pp Simon Schuster

ISBN 0751304417

Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer

Michael White

From the author of Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science comes this colorful description of the life of the world’s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact, Michael White’s learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic (魔术) ended and science began.

￡18.99 Hardback 320pp Fourth Estate

ISBN 1857024168

Fermat’s Last Theorem

Simon Singh

In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world’s greatest mathematical problem: Fermat’s Last Theorem (定理). First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seven tenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Poly-technique. Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1955. An unusual story of human effort over three centuries, Fermat’s Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers a like.

￡12.99 Hardback 384pp Forth Estate

ISBN 1857025210

1. What is Animal Hospital?

A．A news story.

B．A popular book.

C．A research report.

D．A TV program.

2. In Michael White’s book, Newton is described as _____.

A．a person who did not look the same as in many pictures

B．a person who lived a colorful and meaningful life

C．a great but not perfect man

D．an old-time magician

3. Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle” as it is used in the text?

A．To encourage people to raise questions.

B．To cause difficulty in understanding.

C．To provide a person with an explanation.

D．To limit people’s imagination.

4. The person who finally proved Fermat’s Last Theorem is ______.

A．Simon Singh

B．Andrew Wiles

C．Pierre de Fermat

D．a French woman scientist

5. What is the purpose of writing these three texts?

A．To make the books easier to read.

B．To show the importance of science.

C．To introduce new authors.

D．To sell the books.

    “I think we are knocking at the door of immortality (永生).” said Miehael Zey, a Mentclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that’s a conservative estimate(保守的估计).”

    At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology (纳米技术) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said．“Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to200 or 300 or 500 years.”

    However, many scientists who specialize in ageing are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyle and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.

    Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live.  “It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know, could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?” said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. “At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”

    1. By saying “we are knocking at the door of immortality”, Michael Zey means

A．they believe that there is no limit of living

B．they are sure to find the truth about long living

C．they have got some ideas about living forever

D．they are able to make people live past the present life span

    2. Donald Louria’s attitude toward long living is that

A．people can live from 120 to 180

B．it is still doubtful how long humans can live

C．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years

D．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future

    3. The underlined “it” (Paragraph 4) refers to _____.

A．a great push

B．the idea of living beyond the present life span

C．the idea of living from 200 to 300 years

D．the conservative estimate

    4. What would be the best title for this text?

A．Living Longer or Not

B．Science, Technology and Long laving

C．No Limit for Human Life

D．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living

    Well, in fact it isn’t quite as simple as that. Yes, it is true that being the boss has its satisfactions and that you can arrange your working hours freely if you own your own small business. But in those early years of starting your own business, you shouldn’t think of a free day, not to mention flying off for a month’s vacation. It is not unusual for new business owners to work seventy or eighty hours a week, and if there is a day off, that day might need to be devoted to accounting(算账).

    But this negative picture doesn’t destroy the beautiful hopes. The possibility of getting something wonderful in return—both material and mental—continues to drive that large number of people who start up small businesses each year in the United States.

    1. From the first paragraph, we know that everybody hopes _______.

A．to rule others

B．to be his or her own boss

C．to get a time clock

D．to be free from work

    2. Most new business owners have to _____.

A．work more than 10 hours a day

B．devote himself to accounting

C．fly to some places in the world

D．have a day off in a week

    3. The expression “negative picture” most probably means “_______”.

A．a terrible experience

B．a poor picture

C．limited freedom

D．unpleasant, situations

    4. The beautiful hopes will never be destroyed because _______.

A．people love beautiful things by nature

B．people have a strong desire to seek personal gains

C．small businesses make big money each year in the US

D．small businesses have advantages over big companies

Outlook

Outlook is back with a new series of reports to keep you up date with all that’s new in the world of entertainment. Stories go all the way from the technical to the romantic, from stage to screen. There will be reports of the stars of the moment, the stars of the future and the stars of the past. The director with his new film, the designer with the latest fashion, and the musician with the popular song are part of the new Outlook. The program is introduced by Fran Levine.

9：00 PM

Discovery

    When a 10-year-old boy gets a first class degree in mathematics or an 8-year-old plays chess like a future grand master, they are considered as geniuses. Where does the quality of genius come from? Is it all in the genes (基因) or can any child be turned into a genius? And if parents do have a child who might become a genius in the future, what should they do? In this 30-minute film, Barry Johnson, the professor at School of Medicine, New York University will help you discover the answer.

10:00 PM

Science/Health

    Is it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs? The answer is “yes”, according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers. After a study of800 persons with high blood pressure, they found that after 6 months, those devoted to weight loss—exercise and eating a low-salt, low-fat food—lost about 13 pounds and became fitter. Plus, 35% of them dropped into the “normal” category(范畴). This week, Dr. Alan Duckworth will tell you how these people reduce their blood pressure to a level similar to what’s achieved with Hypertension drugs.

   1. The main purpose of writing these three texts is

A．to invite people to see films

B．to invite people to topic discussions

C．to attract more students to attend lectures

D．to attract more people to watch TV programs

    2. From Outlook, you can get a great deal of information about

A．story tellers

B．famous stars

C．film companies

D．music fans

    3. Who will be most probably interested in Discovery?

A．Parents who want to send their children to a school of medicine.

B．Children who are good at mathematics.

C．Parents who want their child to become another Albert Einstein.

D．Children who are interested in playing chess.

    4. In Science / Health, “Johns Hopkins” is

A．a famous university

B．a medical center

C．a well-known doctor

D．a drug company

    5. According to the third text, which of the following has almost the same effect as Hypertension drug?

A．Exercise plus a healthy diet.

B．Loss of thirteen pounds in weight.

C．Six months of exercise without drugs.

D．Low-salt and low-fat food.

    There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. But a drug called ARI CEPT has been used by millions of people to help their symptoms (症状).

    In studies, ARICEPT has been proved to work for Alzheimer’s. It has helped people improve their memory over time. It has also helped them to keep doing everyday things on their own.

    Ask your doctor if ARICEPT is right for you or your loved one. It is the Number One drug for Alzheimer's in the world．The sooner you know it’s Alzheimer’s, the better ARICEPT can help.

    ARICEPT is good for many but may not be good for everyone. Some people may experience not sleeping well, feeling very tired, or not wanting to eat. In studies, these side effects weren’t serious at all and went away over time. Some people taking ARICEPT may feel light-headed．In this case you should tell your doctors because your condition may get worse.

   1. If one suffers from Alzheimer’s, _______.

A．he has trouble with his memory

B．he can’t do everyday things on his own

C．he often forgets things because he is old

D．he can't move about

    2. What is ARICEPT?

A．A medicine to cure Alzheimer’s.

B．A medicine to delay signs of aging.

C．A medicine to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

D．A medicine to cure brain damage.

    3. One who is taking ARICEPT should go to see a doctor if he _______.

A．can’t fall asleep

B．feels tired out

C．has no desire to eat

D．feels like a drunken man