Sometimes life gets a little dull. What used to be fun and different becomes boring. That is the time to look for something new. It is the time for a big idea to get your mind off everyday life. So why not search for extraterrestrial (地球外的) intelligence? Or even better, why not get your computer to do it for you?

Over two million people have joined the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence（SETI）project. Based in California, the SETI project analyzes information taken from a giant radio telescope based in South America. Its task is to look for signals from outer space that might prove that life exists on other planets.

Processing this information is far too big a job for one computer. So the SETI project workers divide the work among volunteers who visit their website. Each computer gets some information to work out from the SETI network through the Internet. This process is often known as “meta-computing”.

It is a wonderful thought. You are sleeping, eating a meal or going out with friends. All this time, your computer is searching the stars for signs that might show something is out there trying to get in touch. Volunteers are proud of being involved in the SETI project. It shows that they understand the potential (潜能) of computing. They know that it is more than just a way of working or playing games.

Meta-computing may also be creating intelligence as well as looking for it. This idea is based on the theory that human intelligence is created by the way in which different parts of the brain communicate with each other. As the saying goes, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” People who join the SETI project sometimes wonder whether their computer will become part of a huge network that has learned to think for itself.

1.According to the writer, meta-computing may be creating intelligence    .

2. Which of the following shows the order in which the SETI network works?

3. The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to _____ .

4.The passage mainly tells us about _____.      

Sometimes life gets a little dull. What used to be fun and different becomes boring. That is the time to look for something new. It is the time for a big idea to get your mind off everyday life. So why not search for extraterrestrial (地球外的) intelligence? Or even better, why not get your computer to do it for you?

       Over two million people have joined the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence（SETI）project. Based in California, the SETI project analyzes information taken from a giant radio telescope based in South America. Its task is to look for signals from outer space that might prove that life exists on other planets.

       Processing this information is far too big a job for one computer. So the SETI project workers divide the work among volunteers who visit their website. Each computer gets some information to work out from the SETI network through the Internet. This process is often known as “meta-computing”.

       It is a wonderful thought. You are sleeping, eating a meal or going out with friends. All this time, your computer is searching the stars for signs that might show something is out there trying to get in touch. Volunteers are proud of being involved in the SETI project. It shows that they understand the potential (潜能) of computing. They know that it is more than just a way of working or playing games.

       Meta-computing may also be creating intelligence as well as looking for it. This idea is based on the theory that human intelligence is created by the way in which different parts of the brain communicate with each other. As the saying goes, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” People who join the SETI project sometimes wonder whether their computer will become part of a huge network that has learned to think for itself.

1.According to the writer, meta-computing may be creating intelligence        .

A. because human beings are intelligent    B. because a computer works as the brain does

C. because of a network of many computers  D. because of the number of computers

2.Which of the following shows the order in which the SETI network works?

A. Radio telescope→SETI website→Volunteers’ computer→SETI base

B. Radio telescope→SETI base→SETI website→Volunteers’ computer

C. SETI base→SETI website→Volunteers’ computers→Radio telescope

D. SETI base→Radio telescope→SETI website→Volunteers’ computers

3.The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to        .

A. extra-terrestrial intelligence     B. human intelligence 

C. the SETI projectD. meta-computing

4.The passage mainly tells us about        .

A. a new way to work on the computer

B. a new way to work and play games

C. a new way to search for life outside the earth   

D. a new way to make life interesting and different

A few years ago my sister moved from her home in Alabama to Buffalo, New York. Since moving to Buffalo she’s become a big hockey fan and has encouraged me to start watching it. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find hockey on television here in Alabama. Since hockey games don’t air very much on television I’ve had to look for different ways to watch hockey games.

I often see websites that claim if you go to their website you can watch television on your computer. I try out many of these websites hoping that one of the television stations is a northern station that airs hockey games. Unfortunately, most of them don’t work. Either the site doesn’t really give you what they advertise or their video player doesn’t work properly. But finally I’ve found one website that actually works.

Free Tube is a site that you can go to and watch Television online for free. You don’t have to download any kind of special software or pay money or even sign up for anything. All you have to do is go to Free Tube, choose your channel and start watching. 

The different channels to choose from are separated into different categories like news, business, entertainment, music and sports. You’re not going to find channels like NBC or ABC so you can watch the latest episode of Heroes or Grey’s Anatomy but it does include some popular channels like Cartoon Network and ESPN.

There is also a movie section. Each movie channel airs different sorts of films like adventure, classics, comedy or horror and that channel will always air that kind of movies. The movie section also includes my favorite station called Maxx Trailers (预告片). Maxx Trailers airs nothing but movies trailers 24 hours a day. Some of the trailers are for movies coming out and some are for movies that have already been released but already released movies don’t go back farther than a couple of months.

So far I haven’t had any problems with Free Tube’s video player either. Whenever I choose a channel, the video almost always works and usually loads every quickly. The only problem I have with Free Tube is that there is currently a glitch if you’re using Firefox. Once you choose a channel you can’t select another channel to change to, your web browser will freeze up. So if you’re using Firefox, the only way to switch channels is to leave the site and re-enter the site, when choosing what channel you want to go to. However, Free Tube is aware of this glitch and is working with Mozilla to get it fixed right away.

If you’re missing some show everyone is talking about like Grey’s Anatomy or Heroes, this isn’t really a solution for that. But Free Tube is a good way to find channels that you weren’t aware of; there are several good stations to be found.

1.The author mainly ________ in this passage.

A. tells us his experience in using the Web

B. introduces Free Tube to the readers

C. shows us the disadvantages of Free Tube

D. shows us how to enjoy films online

2.The author got interested in watching hockey games ________

A. because he is a sports fan

B. due to his sister’s influence

C. since everyone enjoys the games

D. because he has nothing to do all day long

3.From the passage we can learn that ______________

A. the author is also very fond of movies           

B. Maxx Trailers airs to-be-released movies

C. ABC is a very famous TV station in America   

D. Firefox is the only software used to watch films online

4. The underlined word “glitch” probably means _________

A. cover                 B. change            C. note                  D. fault

A few years ago my sister moved from her home in Alabama to Buffalo, New York. Since moving to Buffalo she’s become a big hockey fan and has encouraged me to start watching it. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find hockey on television here in Alabama. Since hockey games don’t air very much on television I’ve had to look for different ways to watch hockey games.
I often see websites that claim if you go to their website you can watch television on your computer. I try out many of these websites hoping that one of the television stations is a northern station that airs hockey games. Unfortunately, most of them don’t work. Either the site doesn’t really give you what they advertise or their video player doesn’t work properly. But finally I’ve found one website that actually works.
Free Tube is a site that you can go to and watch Television online for free. You don’t have to download any kind of special software or pay money or even sign up for anything. All you have to do is go to Free Tube, choose your channel and start watching. 
The different channels to choose from are separated into different categories like news, business, entertainment, music and sports. You’re not going to find channels like NBC or ABC so you can watch the latest episode of Heroes or Grey’s Anatomy but it does include some popular channels like Cartoon Network and ESPN.
There is also a movie section. Each movie channel airs different sorts of films like adventure, classics, comedy or horror and that channel will always air that kind of movies. The movie section also includes my favorite station called Maxx Trailers (预告片). Maxx Trailers airs nothing but movies trailers 24 hours a day. Some of the trailers are for movies coming out and some are for movies that have already been released but already released movies don’t go back farther than a couple of months.
So far I haven’t had any problems with Free Tube’s video player either. Whenever I choose a channel, the video almost always works and usually loads every quickly. The only problem I have with Free Tube is that there is currently a glitch if you’re using Firefox. Once you choose a channel you can’t select another channel to change to, your web browser will freeze up. So if you’re using Firefox, the only way to switch channels is to leave the site and re-enter the site, when choosing what channel you want to go to. However, Free Tube is aware of this glitch and is working with Mozilla to get it fixed right away.
If you’re missing some show everyone is talking about like Grey’s Anatomy or Heroes, this isn’t really a solution for that. But Free Tube is a good way to find channels that you weren’t aware of; there are several good stations to be found

1. 1.

   The author mainly ________ in this passage

   1. A.
      tells us his experience in using the Web
   2. B.
      introduces Free Tube to the readers
   3. C.
      shows us the disadvantages of Free Tube
   4. D.
      shows us how to enjoy films online
2. 2.

   The author got interested in watching hockey games ________

   1. A.
      because he is a sports fan
   2. B.
      due to his sister’s influence
   3. C.
      since everyone enjoys the games
   4. D.
      because he has nothing to do all day long
3. 3.

   From the passage we can learn that ______________

   1. A.
      the author is also very fond of movies
   2. B.
      Maxx Trailers airs to-be-released movies
   3. C.
      ABC is a very famous TV station in America
   4. D.
      Firefox is the only software used to watch films online
4. 4.

   The underlined word “glitch” probably means _________

   1. A.
      cover
   2. B.
      change
   3. C.
      note
   4. D.
      fault