The word “conservation” has a thrifty meaning. To conserve is to save and protect, to leave what we ourselves enjoy in such a good condition that others may also share the enjoyment. Our forefathers had no idea that human population would increase faster than the supplies of raw materials: most of them, even until very recently, had the foolish idea that the treasures were “limitless” and could “last forever”. Most of the citizens of earlier generations knew little or nothing about the complicated and delicate system that runs all through nature, and which means that, as in a living body, an unhealthy condition of one part will sooner or later be harmful to all the others.

Fifty years ago, nature study was not part of school work; scientific forestry was a new idea; wood was still cheap because it could be brought in any quantity from distant woodlands; soil destruction and river floods were not national problems; nobody had yet studied long-term climatic cycles in relation to proper land use; even the word “conservation” had nothing of the meaning that it has for us today.

For the sake of ourselves and those who will come after us, we must now set about correcting the mistakes of our forefathers. Conservation should be made part of everybody's daily life. To know about the water table (水位) in ground is just as important to us as a knowledge of the basic math formulas. We need to know why all watersheds (上游集水区) need the protection of plant life and why the running current of streams and rivers must be made to give their full benefit to the soil before they finally escape to the sea. We need to be taught the duty of planting trees as well as of cutting them. We need to know the importance of big, grown trees, because living space for most of man's fellow creatures on this planet is figured not only in square measure of surface but also in cubic（立方体的） volume above the earth. In a word, it should be our goal to restore as much of the original beauty of nature as we can.

1.The author's attitude towards the use of natural resources is_________.

A. positive         B. uninterested         C. optimistic        D. critical

2.According to the author, the greatest mistake of our forefathers was that________.

A. they had no idea about scientific forestry

B. they had little or no sense of environmental protection

C. they were not aware of the importance of nature study

D. they had no idea of how to make good use of raw materials

3.To avoid repeating the mistakes of our forefathers, the author suggests that ________.

A. we plant more trees

B. natural sciences be taught to everybody

C. environmental education be given to everybody

D. we return to nature

4.How can you understand the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?

A. Our living space on the earth is getting smaller and smaller.

B. Our living space should be measured in cubic volume.

C. We need to take some measures to protect space.

D. We must preserve good living condition for both birds and animals.

D
Anyone for rocket salad? The Chinese are now growing huge vegetables from seeds they sent into space.
If you are the type who worries about the air miles travelled by fruits and vegetables, these beauties aren’t for you. It's because they have travelled a little further than most.
The seeds from which they grew were fired into space, where they orbited the earth for two weeks. Once they returned they were grown in hothouses, producing the monster kinds seen here.
China, which is behind these space fruits and vegetables, says they could be the answer to the world's food crisis.
The 21-pound tomatoes, nine-inch chillies, 15-stone pumpkins and large watermelons growing at the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences’ hothouses can feed many more than their smaller cousins, and may have more nutrients, the scientists say.
Researcher Lo Zhigang said, "Traditional agricultural development has taken us as far as we can go and demand for food from a growing population is endless. Space seeds offer the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables bigger and faster. "
He admitted he and his colleagues could not explain why time in orbit caused the seeds to change genetic structure. But they guessed exposure to the cosmic（宇宙的）radiation that attacked the spacecraft in orbit, as well as the near zero gravity conditions, microgravity, could play a part.
"We don't think there's any threat to human health because the genes themselves do not change; just their order changes," he said. "With genetically-modified（GM）crops you have seen environmental problems because they have added genes that can damage other organisms. But with space seeds they don't gain genes; they can only lose them. "
He also claimed the Vitamin C content in some space vegetables was nearly three times higher than in common vegetables, while levels of zinc are also increased.
Western scientists are doubtful. NASA researchers who have experimented with seeds in space say there is not enough benefit to show the cost is reasonable.
63. What do the underlined words "these beauties" in Paragraph 2 probably refer to ______?
A. Beautiful views along the air routes.          B. Travelling experiences in space.
C. Seeds fired into space.                     D. Giant vegetables.
64. We can infer from Lo’s words in Paragraph 6 that _______.
A. our conventional agriculture has developed too slowly.
B. we are asking too much from nature
C. space seeds may help meet our demand for food
D. we'll grow crops in space in the future
65. Why the seeds changed their genetic structure _______.
A. remains to be proved
B. is discovered by Lo Zhigang
C. has something to do with the conditions in hothouses
D. is due to the radiation that attacked them directly
66. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. Western scientists’ doubt is unreasonable.
B. Western scientists don’t believe that Chinese scientists have succeeded in the experiment.
C. Western scientists have proved space seeds to be of no benefit.
D. Western scientists think the cost of space seeds outweighs the benefits

Everybody may have seen the film “Death on the Nile (n. 尼罗河)”, but nobody can imagine that the writer of the story, Agatha Christie, saved a baby in a most unusual way.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Deleville. Doctors there were unable to find out the cause of her illness, so she was sent to a famous hospital in London, where there were many excellent doctors. The baby was so seriously ill that a team of doctors hurried to examine the baby without delay. The doctors, too, were puzzled by the baby’s illness and they also became discouraged. Just then a nurse asked to speak to them.
“I think the baby is suffering from thallium (n. 铊) poisoning. ” said the nurse. “A few days ago, I read a story ‘A Pale Horse’ written by Agatha Christie. Someone uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are written in the book. They are exactly the same as the baby’s.”
“You’re very good at observing things,” said a doctor, “and you may be right. We’ll carry out some tests and find out whether the cause is thallium poisoning or not.”
The tests proved that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium. Once they knew the cause, the doctors were able to give her correct treatment. The baby soon got well and was sent back to Deleville A week later, it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (n. 杀虫剂) used in Deleville.
【小题1】The baby was sent to a hospital in London because __________.

We’ll look into the case as soon as we can. Just be ________, please.

You’re rushing to work and a man ahead of you collapses on the sidewalk. Do you stop to help? In a study of by-standers, it was found that some people avert their gaze and keep on  walking rather than stop and get involved.

“There is a tendency to decide that no action is needed.” says a psychologist. “The first thoughts that pop into your mind often keep you from offering help. In order to take action, you have to work against them.” Here are some common thoughts that might prevent you from helping.

● Why should I be the one? I’m probably not the most competent person in this crowd. You might think someone older or with more medical knowledge should offer assistance.

● What if he doesn’t really need my help? The fear of embarrassment is powerful; no one wants to risk looking foolish in front of others.

● No one else looks concerned- this must not be a problem. We can follow the people around us, but most people tend to hold back their emotions in public.

“If you spot trouble and find yourself explaining inaction, force yourself to stop and evaluate the situation instead of walking on,” says the psychologist. “Then retry to involve other people; you don’t have to take on the entire responsibility of being helpful. Sometimes it’s just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying, ‘It looks like we should do something.’ Or asking someone if an ambulance has been called and, if not, to call for one. Once you take action, most people will follow you.”

56. Which is NOT the common thought that stops you from helping others?

A.I’m not the very person capable of setting the problenu.

B.It looks like we should do something.

C.It must not be a problem as no one else is concerned.

D.He doesn’t really need my help.

57. According to a study of by-standers, what will some people do when a man ahead falls down on the sidewalk?

A.They will call for help and then walk away.

B. They will stop and offer help.

C. They will turn away their eyes and go on walking.

D.They will laugh at him.

58. We learn from the last paragraph that if we spot ttouble,           ．

A. we sbould call the ambulance as soon as we can.

B. we should take on the whole responsibility and do something alone.

C. we should stop and evaluate the situation and try to make other people follow.

D.we should turn to other people and ask them to take on the responsibility

59. In order to offer others your timely help, you need to        ．

A. ask others for help and call the police

B.get along well with the passers-by who spot the trouble

C. go directly to the police station

D.work against the rirst thoughts that prevent you offering help

60. The main purpose of the text is to tell readers        ．

A.to give others a hand                       B. to be more competent

C.not to risk looking foolish                D.to stop and evaluate the situation