Why would things weigh only a quarter as much as they do at the surface of the earth if we took them 4 000 miles out into space? The reason is this: all objects have a natural gravity(引力)for all other objects; this is called gravitational attraction(万有引力). But this power of attraction between two objects gets weaker as they are farther apart. When the butter was at the surface of the earth, it was 4 000 miles from the center. When we took the butter 4 000 miles out, it was 8 000 miles from the center, which is twice the distance.

If you double the distance between two objects, their gravitational attraction decreases “two times two”. If you make the distance three times far away, it gets nine times weaker (three times three). If you make it four times far away, it gets sixteen times weaker (four times four) and so on.

So this is one of the first things we need to remember: the weight of an object in space is not the same as its weight on the surface of the earth.

1.Which of the following is right?

A.A thing has the same weight everywhere in space.

B.“Weight” is a fixed quality in an object.

C.“Weight” is not a quality in an object.

D.A thing’s weight changes with its place in space.

2.There is 　　   between 　　  .

A. gravity; objects?　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    B.power; all objects

C.gravity; the two objects only?　　　　　　　　　　  D.power; two things

3.A 400 pound man-made satellite is sent to the place 2 000 miles out from the earth. Its weight is about 　　  .

A.200 pounds　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  B.a half pounds

C.100 pounds 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.300 pounds

4.If we make the distance between objects five times as far away, 　　  .

A. it gets twenty-five times weaker

B.their weight gets twenty-five times weaker

C.their gravity gets twenty-five times weaker

D.their gravity gets twenty-five times stronger

5.After reading this passage, we should remember that we know the usual weight of a thing 　　  .

A. because it is on the surface of the earth

B.because it is weighed

C.because it is in space

D.because it is not far away from the earth

On May 4th ,1879, after searching for half a month in the western part of Baoxing, Sichuan the hunters hired (雇用) by David succeeded in bringing him a “black-and-white bear”. “The bear is extremely lovely”, he wrote in his diary excitedly. Meanwhile, he felt it might be a new species (物种)never discovered by scientists.

He then decided to send it to Paris for a further study. Unfortunately the poor “black-and white” bear died of Jolts (颠簸) of the mountain roads and the climatic (气候) change. He had to send its pelt (皮毛)to the National Museum in Paris for display (展览). In fact, the so-called “black-and white” bear was neither a bear nor a cat. After a complete study, Milla Edwards, head of the museum, judged that it was a new species. He gave the “giant panda”.

The discovery made the world excited and Baoxing was also made famous for “home of the giant panda”

1．From the passage we can see that David mainly came to China to　　   .

A. learn Chinese science and history

B. look for a panda for church

C. do something on religion (宗教)

D. study the wild animals and plants in China

2．The word “rare” in this passage means　　   .

A. very hard to find

B. worth no money

C. easy to find

D. running very fast

3．The first giant panda was caught　　   .

A. by David, a French priest

B. quite by accident

C. with a lot of difficulty

D. after the hunters followed it for half a month

4. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A. The giant panda died when it was on display.

B. David had never seen a giant panda before.

C. Milla was sure the animal was neither a bear nor a cat.

D. The discovery made the world excited with interest

A visit to a doctor’s office costs from fifteen to fifty dollars. It is almost impossible for people to pay for medical care they need. Many people in the United States think that doctors are overpaid. Most doctors, however, disagree. They say that they were required to study medicine for a long time. Tuition(学费)for many years of medical education costs lots of money. Doctors say that it is necessary for most medical students to borrow money from a bank to pay their tuition. Because this money must be repaid to the bank, young doctors need to receive a lot of money for their work. So they charge(收费)people high prices for medical care.

Therefore, it’s possible that the high cost of medical care in America is unnecessary. Because high tuition is one cause of high costs, one way to lower costs would be to have medical schools that are free or have lower tuition.

1．Some people don’t have their medical care they need because　　   .

A. they are not willing to pay the doctors high tuition

B. they don’t think it necessary to have medical care

C. they don’t want to spend much money on it

D. they haven’t got enough money to pay for it

2．The reason for the high medical cost mentioned(提到)in the article is　　   .

A. tuition in medical schools is high

B. the price of medicine is high

C. doctors are overpaid

D. doctors must pay money to banks

3．One way to lower the cost of medical care would be　　   .

A. not to see a doctor

B. to pay doctors less money

C. to let medical students have free or partly free medical education

D: To forbid(禁止)doctors to ask their patients for too much money

4．The main idea of the article is that __________.

A. a visit to a doctor’s office may cost as much as $15 to $50 in US

B. the cost of medical care is the main reason for the high costs in US

C. medical care in the United States costs a lot of money because doctors want to be rich

D. the high cost of tuition in medical schools is one reason for the high cost of medical care in America

5． The cost of medical care in the United States is very high. What does the writer think about it?

A. He agrees that doctors are overpaid.

B. He thinks it a big problem and suggests a way to settle it.

C. He doesn’t think medical students should borrow money from banks.

D. He doesn’t think it necessary for medical students to study for a long time.

One day, Kerry promised marriage to Alice. Surprised and pleased by the offer, the girl was not sure whether she would spend her future as a wife or a painter. After a moment she replied as follows, “Each of us must paint a picture. If yours is superior to mine, you can make me your wife. If not, please drop the question.” Then it was decided to give it the following day.

The next morning, Alice hung her picture on the gate. It showed a bunch of flowers and won high praise from everyone who passed by. In fact, a crowd collected in front of her masterpiece and fixed eyes on it.

Several hours passed. Then Kerry was seen coming along to the gate with what appeared to be a beautiful leather suitcase in his hand. When he finally stopped before Alice, the girl artist brushed like a rose and agreed to marry him without any hesitation. Why?

1．What did Alice think Kerry’s offer?

A.　　  She liked Kerry, but she didn’t expect him to promise marriage to her.

B.　　  She didn’t want to marry anybody.

C.　　  She didn’t like it at all.

D.　　 She thought the offer wasn’t polite.

2．In the sentence “If yours is superior to mine, you can make me your wife”。 “superior to” here means　　   .

A. not so better than　　　　　　　　 B. better than

C. so good as　　　　　　　　　　  D. as good as

3．  Which of the following is true?

A.　　  Kerry didn’t accept Alice’s suggestion.

B.　　  Kerry wasn’t sure of his painting so he dropped his offer.

C.　　  Kerry did go the next day, but he failed to take a picture

D.　　 Kerry agreed to Alice’s suggestion.

4．Alice’s picture won high praise because　　   .

A. it was true to nature

B .the flowers were red

C. it showed so large a bunch of flowers

D. people felt it strange to hang it on the gate

5．The “leather suitcase” was in fact　　   .

A. a real one

B. a painting drawn by Kerry

C. a box with a picture in it

D. made up of leather

One woman who showed that women should have the same chance was Marie, a scientist.

In the 1800s scientists knew that a metal, uranium, gave off radiation. They also knew how much radiation came from this element. But they didn’t know what this radiation was like; they wondered why and how uranium gave off radiation. Marie Curie set out to answer these questions. In one of her experiments she was studying a certain material which, she knew, contained uranium, but it gave off 4 times as much radiation as it usually does. What could explain this fact? Marie Curie thought that there must be another source of radiation in this material.

In 1898 Marie Curie set out to find out this new source of radiation, which she named “radium”. Her husband, who was also a scientist, helped her. They set up a laboratory in an old building behind a school. For four years Curies searched, doing many experiments, and one morning in 1902 Marie found the source of the radiation.

Marie Curie proved to the world that there was element that gave off radiation. And she also proved to the world that, if women are given truly equal chance, they can really help society.

1．The scientists of Marie Curie’s day knew　　   .

A. that uranium gave off radiation

B. that radium gave off radiation

C. that there was some radium in uranium

D .that uranium and radium both gave off radiation

2．The Curies found the element radium　　   .

A. with other scientists’ help

B. by asking some famous scientists

C. by doing many experiments

D .with their teachers’ help

3．In the past many people thought　　   .

A. that women must get the same chance as men in education and jobs

B. that women should receive much education

C. that women should get good jobs

D. that women could not do the work well

4．Marie Curie proved to people　　   .

A. that there was a new element uranium

B. that there was a new element radium

C. that women could do their work as well as men if they were really given the same conditions

D. both B and C

Check the listings in your neighborhood paper. Local colleges or schools often welcome the public to hear an interesting speaker or a good debate. The film or concert series at the local public library probably won’t cost you a penny. By sure to check commercial advertisements too. A flea market can provide hours of pleasant browsing. Perhaps you can find a free cooking or crafts demonstration in a department store.

Plan ahead for some activities. It is always more pleasant not to have people in front of you in a museum or at a zoo. You may have saved some money too, since these places often set aside one or two free admission days at slow times during the week. Pretend that you are a tourist from time to time, and get to know your city all over again including the indispensable sights that people travel miles to see. If you feel like taking an interesting walk, find a free walking tour, or plan one yourself. You will see your city in a new perspective once you know about its history or its architectural treasures. With imagination and a spirit of adventure you can quite easily find good entertainment at no cost at all.

1．Which of the follow statements is NOT true?

A. Local colleges often hold meetings to debate the issues people are interested in.

B. There are many kinds of amusements you can enjoy without spending much money.

C. You should be a tourist if you want to know more about the city you live in.

D. The film shown at the local public library is often free of charge.

2．In the sentence “you will certainly see people of every age, size, and shape…” “shape” refers to people being　　   .

A. old and young

B. fat and thin

C. tall and short

D. beautiful and ugly

3．The underlined part in Paragraph 3 means a time when　　   .

A. business is good

B. stroll is slow

C. people are slow in learning

D. business is bad

4．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. Amusement at No Cost.

B. The Most Enjoyable Street Musician.

C. Movies, Concerts and Shows.

D. The Cheapest Window-shopping.

  The president of Trinity College in Washington, D.C. said that by the end of the 1980s women began to recognize that studying at the same school with men did not mean women were having an equal chance to learn. The president of Smith College in Massachusetts says a women’s college permits women to choose classes and activities freely. For example, she says that in a women’s college a higher percentage of students study mathematics than in a college with both men and women.

  Educational experts say men students in the United States usually speak in class more than women students do. In a women’s college, women feel free to say what they think. Women’s schools also bring out leadership capabilities in many women. Women are represented everywhere. For example, at a women’s college every governing office is held by a woman. Recent studies reportedly show this leadership continues after college. The studies show that American women who went to women’s colleges are more likely to hold successful jobs later in life.

1．Most of women’s colleges are established　　   .

A. to give women the education they could not receive anywhere else

B. to separate women from men

C. to offer women special chances for work

D. to help women have more study opportunities

2．Some women’s colleges decided to accept men students because　　   .

A. teaching women is more difficult than teaching men

B. many young women chose to study at colleges with both men and women

C. study with men is more challenged

D. women and men can have equal chances of competition

3．From the passage we know that　　   .

A. more and more women’s colleges are being established now

B. more and more women like to study in colleges with both men and women

C. there are more women’s colleges than colleges with both men and women in the USA

D. both Trinity College and Smith College are women’s colleges

4．According to the passage, if a woman wants to hold successful jobs, she’d better　　   .

A. study in colleges with both men and women

C. study in Trinity College

B. learn from the president of Smith College

D. study in women’s colleges

  The United Nations is working to solve this problem. In December, it will hold a conference in Geneva, called the World Summit(峰会)on the Information Society. Political and business leaders will come together with delegates(代表)from nongovernmental organizations, educational groups and others. They will discuss the fast growing information technology industry and its effects on the world.

  UN organizers say they hope the gathering will lead to a political declaration and action plan. The goal is to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor nations. A second conference, to examine progress, will take place in Tunisia in 2005.

  UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recently spoke to business leaders at a meeting in New York. Mister Annan urged them to take part in the World Summit on the Information Society. He told them that industry can play an important part in limiting technological differences between countries. He noted that some companies already made efforts to improve Internet skills among poor Americans. The UN Secretary General urged businesses to also look for projects in developing countries.

  Cisco Systems in San Jose, California, is one company that already does that. In 1997, Cisco began a special program to teach Internet technology skills to people around the world. Today, the Cisco Networking Academy (学院)has spread to 145 nations.

  Mister Annan says more ideas like this are needed to close the digital divide. He says information technology is not a magic(有魔力的) answer for poor nations, but it can lead to peace and development. He says news and information provided through the Internet help build trade, employment, good government and democracy around the world.

1．According to the passage, the so-called “digital divide” here mainly refers to it that　　   .

A. people in poor countries don’t know how to use computers

B. the rich countries have more money then the poor countries

C. there’s no Internet system in poor countries

D. as a result of economic factor, poor nations cannot share information technology with rich nations equally

2.  According to Kofi Annan, we can know　　   .

A. without question information technology can provide a chance for the development of the world

B. all the business leaders will look for projects in developing countries

C. all the people in rich countries have mastered Internet skills

D. poor countries can have magic power on the Internet

3．Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. The World Summit on the Information Society will be good news for developing countries.

B. All the people with enough money can enjoy the Internet.

C. Perhaps there’s a long way to go for the development of poor nations.

D. The company Cisco has done a good job in teaching Internet technology skills to people around the world.

4．Which of the following can be the proper title for the passage?

A. The Poor Becomes Poorer, the Rich Richer.

B. Digital Divide in Developing Nations.

C. Meeting on Internet Technology.

D. Internet Technology in Developing Countries.

E-cards are available for free on the Internet. Most electronic greeting card sites give you a wide selection of choices and let you personalize your card.

Unlike with traditional printed cards, you don’t schlep(拖曳) to a card store to make your selection, you don’t fork out any money. Delivery is immediate; there’s no postage required and you are not using paper.

But the best thing about these card sites is that they animate and play music, which makes them very cool to kids.

Most electronic greeting card sites are similar in set-up. Upon entering the site, you select a category of card that interests you. The next screen shows you a series of possible card choices. By clicking on one that appeals(有感染力) to you, the card will enlarge and may animate. If there is music with the card, it will start to play.

Usually there is a place to click to see the second (inside) page of the card. The site then offers you ability to personalize the card you have selected; you may be able to change the proposal message or add to it. At some sites, you can even add voice, video or photos to the cards.

Once you have personalized the e-card, you enter the e-mail address for delivery. Your recipient(接受者)will get an e-mail telling them to go to a specific web address to view the card you have made. You may be able to send the same card to multiple recipients. The delivery can be immediate, or you can choose to have it delivered on a specific day.

Most electronic greeting card sites, like many other fields, have lots of advertising. Many make their money by enticing(诱惑) people to buy extra stuff like gift certificates to add to navigate through this commercialism(利润第一主义)and to hand in areas that are fun and appropriate for them.

1．All of the following are the advantages of electronic greeting cards except cards except that　　   .

A. you still have to pay a small sum of money to send e-cards

B. e-cards are available for free on the Internet

C. e-cards are very cool to kids because they have cartooned pictures and some music to go with it

D. the delivery of e-cards is immediate

2．What’s the main topic of the first four paragraphs?

A. The advantages of using personal computer.

B. The development of modern postal and telecommunication service.

C. The reasons why children love to send and receive e-cards.

D. The advantages and disadvantages of traditional printed cards.

3．The underlined word“available”(in Paragraph 2)means　　   .

A. Interesting　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. buyable

C. existing　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. able to be got or used

The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors, or WPS as they are often called.40% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and this percentage is growing fast.

There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of daily work, such as re-typing letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager’s point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours.

But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with visual display units(显示器). The case of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few companies in England bother to buy them.

Whatever the arguments for and against word processors, they are a key feature of this revolution in office practice.

1．Ten years ago, large computers were only used by large companies because       .

A. small companies did not have enough money to buy such expensive computers

B. large computers could not do the work that small companies can do today

C. large computers did not come onto the market

D. small companies did not need to use this new technology

2．According to the writer, the main progress made in office work over the last ten years is　　   .

A. the saving of time and money

B. the use of computers in big companies

C. the wide use of word processors

D. the decreasing number of secretaries

3．Which of the following statement is NOT true?

A. There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor.

B. The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors.

C. The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over the last ten years.

D. Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting work for their bosses.