Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision-making, but in fact they are a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional centre is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasia, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasia thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choice, which we use to help the present decision-making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems that anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation，so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there is one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
1. What does the underlined word “central” mean?
A. in the middle    B. easy to reach          C. important      D. having power
2. Damasia’s study suggests that ________.
A. emotions are the enemy of decision-making.
B. our brain has nothing to do with decision-making.
C. people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds.
D. our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions.
3. According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
A. To think about happy times.                  
B. To make many decisions at a time.
C. To stop feeling regretful about the past.
D. To learn about the process of decision-making.
4. Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
A. They often forget their past choices.         B. They make decisions without much thinking.
C. They tend to save time when shopping.  D. They are too angry to bargain.
5. What do we learn from the text?
A. Emotions are a part of decision-making.
B. Sad people always make worse choices.
C. No emotion seems to help us make good choices.
D. Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation.

小題1:C
小題2:D
小題3:D
小題4:B
小題5:A
         
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Diamonds may be forever. But what’s a girl to do when she gets dumped (失戀) or divorced (離婚) and those rings, necklace and love gifts lose their emotional (情感) sense?
Help is just a click away on new Web sites that provide an outlet for selling jewelry(珠寶) from past relationships, sharing break-up stories and helping broken hearts heal (愈合).
“You go through a divorce. What do you do with that ring? Maybe you have a child you can pass it on to. Maybe you don’t. It just sits there, ” said Megahn Perry, who with her stepmother (繼母) Marie Perry runs www.exboyfriendjewelry.com.
Three months after its start with the slogan(口號) “You Don’t Want It. He Can’t Have It Back,” the web site has 3,000 registered users and more than 600 postings of rings, bracelets and earrings for sale—all with a personal tale attached.
As one woman posting a diamond ring for $3,500 wrote:
“Beautiful ring came with a wrong man. Decided to sell to regain the money that I spent finishing payments on the ring that my ex didn’t.”
The idea was born when Megahn Perry, a Los Angeles actress and writer, was looking for a safe place to sell a wedding set after a divorce and realized others might have former boyfriends’ jewelry with memories(記憶) that make them too painful to wear.
The local pawn shop(當(dāng)鋪) proved an unattractive choice. So she teamed up with her stepmother Marie, researched the market and found a gap in it.
小題1: The passage is mainly about _____.
A．how a web site is set upB．how sad the love stories are
C．How much a website can makeD．How many people like the web site
小題2:How long is it since the start of this website?
A．Less than three months.B．At least three months.
C．Less than one month.D．Not known.
小題3:How many people have registered on this website within three months?
A．About 600.B．About 3,000.C．About 3,500.D．Not know.
小題4:Who set up this website?
A．Megahn herself alone.B．Megahn and her best friend.
C．Megahn and her stepmother.D．Megahn and her exboyfriend.
小題5:What’s the meaning of the underlined word “gap” in the last sentence?
A．Gulf between two people.B．Misunderstandings among each other.
C．Differences from a pawn shop.D．A market worth developing.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Bedazzling (眼花繚亂) with their bright colors and eye-catching displays, fireworks light up our night skies during the holidays. However, these crowd-pleasers can have some damaging side effects.
Once a firework is set off, it only takes a couple of seconds before smoke, dust and harmful chemicals are let out into the atmosphere. The loud booming noises are caused by gunpowder. While the sounds may excite some people, they can be frightening to domestic and wild animals — as well as some humans.
The pretty colors you see are a result of more chemicals. Barium, added to make green, is known for its poisonous and radioactive qualities. Blue comes from copper compounds. Cadmium, lithium and lead — all found in fireworks — have been linked to diseases, such as allergies and skin rashes in both humans and animals. Acid rain has been linked to gases given off by fireworks, which sometimes go beyond the toxin(毒素) limits of the United States Clean Air Act.
Once all those chemicals come back down to the ground, they can cause problems too. Debris (碎片) from the fireworks falls to the ground, where animals can burn their paws or noses on piping hot pieces. Humans also are at risk of stepping on or picking up something sharp or hot. Meanwhile, debris that finds its way into waterways can damage animal habitats and water supply sources.                              
Instead of setting off fireworks, try to come up with some new ways for fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:
? Sky lanterns — a tradition that originated long ago in the most-populated Asian country.
?  Party crackers — a favorite in the United Kingdom — give you noise and surprises without the mess of fireworks. You can make your own or buy eco-friendly crackers.
? Want noise excitement with less volume? Consider a fireworks sound recording beforehand or break out the party horns (號角) and blow up a storm! 
46. The advantages of fireworks can be seen below EXCEPT that _____.
A. the special sounds of fireworks excite people
B. debris from fireworks can even find its way into water
C. the pretty and bright colors add to the beauty of night skies
D. fireworks are enjoyed as one of the crowd-pleasers
47. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Copper compounds are needed to make green in fireworks.
B. Chemicals in fireworks are both poisonous and dangerous.
C. Too much gases from fireworks can result in acid rain.
D. Chemicals in fireworks are harmful in the air and on the ground.
48. All the underlined words are probably _____________.
A. mineral materials                             B. tiny solids
C. chemical elements                                   D. broken pieces
49. What is implied from the passage?
A. Gunpowder in fireworks makes loud booming noises.
B. It must be Indians who first started to hang sky lanterns.
C. Fireworks does less harm in the air than on the ground.
D. Fireworks can even break the balance of nature.
50. What can be concluded as the writer’s attitude towards fireworks?
A. It is not allowed to set off fireworks except during the holidays.
B. Fireworks should be banned and replaced by some other means.
C. Night is the best time to set off fireworks and see the pretty colors.
D. You cannot set off fireworks unless you come up with new ways.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


From good reading we．can get pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction．A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity．Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life．It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad．Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction．
With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely．Whether the characters portrayed are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends．In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times．The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances．Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never weary us with their company．By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings．When human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement．                                              
One of the most valuable gifts bestowed by books is experience．Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books．Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of everyday life or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can．To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter me land of our heart's desire．
Through books we may get the thrill of risky adventure without danger．We can climb lofty mountains, brave the danger of an Antarctic winter, or cross the hot sands of the desert, all without hardship．In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may walk among the gay crowds of the Paris wide streets; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island．Indeed, through books the whole world is ours for the asking．The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited．The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the miracles of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read．
67．Why do we sometimes forget our surroundings and even our identity while reading?
A．No one has come to disturb you．
B．Everything is so quiet and calm around you．
C．The book you are reading is so interesting and attractive．
D．Your book is overdue; you are finishing it at a very fast speed．
68．What can we leam from this passage?
A．Your wish to visit some far-off place can be realized through the pages of the books．
B．To escape from the dull realities of everyday life you should take up reading．
C．Books can always help you to live a colorful life．
D．You may obtain valuable experience from reading good books．
69．The underlined word "weary" means ____．
A．to attract someone's attention  B．to distract someone's attention
C．to make someone very tired  D．to make someone interested
70．The last paragraph of the passage implies that through books ____．
A．the whole world is more accessible to us
B．we can ask to go anywhere in the world
C．it is possible for us to make a round-the-world trip free of charge
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Summer camps provide boys and girls with a great summer experience. Whether you are seeking a traditional camp or an adventurous camp, there is a summer camp for you!
1. Camp Voyageur
Adventure Camp: Canoeing, Wilderness
Boys’ camp, operated since 1951 by the Erdmann family. Full in-camp program of land and water sports but 4 weeks or so will be spent paddling, hiking & camping at the nearby BWCA Wilderness. One trip leader stays with four campers. American Camping Associated Accredited. Address:
PO Box 420
Ely, Minnesota 55731
USA
(800) 950-7291
2. Rockbrook Camp for Girls
Girls Only — Overnight Camp
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4000 Greenville Highway
Brevard, North Carolina 28712
USA
(828) 884-6151
3. Glen Helen EcoCamp
Coed — Day and Overnight Camp
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Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387
USA
(800) 538-4893
4. Backyard History Day Camp
Coed — Day Camp
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11 Old Slys Rd
Smiths Falls, Ontario K7A 4T6
Canada
(613) 283-8560
60. How long will Camp Voyageur last?
A. Five days.                                                  B. At most seven weeks.
C. Two weeks.                                                 D. At least four weeks.
61. Sixteen-year old Mary loves adventures in nature. Which number could she dial?
A. (800) 950-7291.                                     B. (800) 538-4893.
C. (828) 884-6151.                                      D. (613) 283-8560.
62. Susan always dreams of becoming another Charles Darwin when she grows up. Which camp would interest her most?
A. Camp Voyageur.                                          B. Glen Helen EcoCamp.
C. Rockbrook Camp for Girls.                           D. Backyard History Day Camp.
63. How is Backyard History Day Camp different from other camps?
A. It is in Canada.                                            B. It offers a 5% discount.
C. It is for both boys and girls.                          D. Campers gather on Sundays.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

完形填空 (共10小題，每小題2分，滿分20分)
Before the 29th century the horse provided day to day transportation in the United States. Trains were used only for long-distance transportation.
Today the car is the most popular sort of transportation in all of the United States. It has completely    41   the horse as a means of everyday transportation. Americans use their cars for nearly 90 percent of all personal    42  .
Most Americans are able to buy cars. The average price of a    43   made car was $ 2,500 in 1950, $ 2,740 in 1960 and up to $ 4,750 in 1975. During this period American car manufacturers set about    44   their products. As a result, the yearly income of the average family increased from 1950 to 1975   45   than the price of cars. For this reason purchasing a new car takes a smaller    46   of a family’s total earnings today.
In 1951 proportionally it took 8.1 months of an average family’s    47   to buy a new car. By 1975 it only took 4.75    48    income. In addition, the 1975 cars were technically superior to models from previous years.
The    49   of the automobile extends throughout the economy as the car is so important to Americans. Americans spend more money    50   their cars running than on any other item.
41. A. denied        B. reproduced           C. replaced                  D. repeated
42. A. trip             B. works                 C. business                  D. travel
43. A. quickly        B. regularly                C. rapidly                      D. recently
44. A. raising        B. making                   C. reducing                  D. improving
45. A. slower        B. equal                     C. faster                     D. less
46. A. part             B. half                       C. number                  D. side
47. A. income        B. work                      C. plan                       D. debts
48. A. months’             B. dollar’s                  C. family                 D. year
49. A. running             B. notice                 C. influence                D. discussion
50. A. starting        B. leaving                   C. keeping                  D. repairing

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Dogs have long been used to find explosives and drugs．Now，a new study shows that man’s best friend can also help to find lung and breast cancer，researchers report in integrative Cancer Therapies．The findings show that trained ordinary household dogs can detect early—stage lung and breast cancers by smelling the breath samples of patients．
Researchers have found that cancer cells send out molecules different from those of healthy ones，and that might be sensed by smell by the highly sensitive dog’s nose．
For the study，five dogs were trained by a professional instructor to respond differently to breath samples of healthy and cancer patients．“The dogs learned to sit or lie down in front of cancer patient samples and to ignore control samples through the method of food reward，” McCulloch explained．
After a period of training，researchers tested the animals’ability to distinguish cancer patients from controls．The animals were given breath samples from 55 patients with lung cancer，3 1 with breast cancer and 83 healthy controls who were not included in the original training period．
McCulloch’s group found that the dogs were able to correctly distinguish the breath samples of cancer patients from those of the control subjects in about 90 percent of the cases．The dogs were also able to detecting early-stage lung and breast cancers．
“These results show that there is hope for early detection，”McCulloch said．The re-searches are planning to conduct further studies on the breath composition of cancer patients to possibly design an electronic device that can do the dogs’job．“A dog’s nose is so powerful it can detect odors（氣味）10 000 to 100 000 times better than a human nose can．I hope people will be interested in doing this research，”McCulloch added，“It shows that there is definitely something out there．”
65．McCulloch and his group used           in their research．
A．10 dogs and 55 people                                B．5 dogs and 86 people
C．10 dogs and 83 people                                 D．5 dogs and 169 people
66．The underlined work “distinguish” means
A．to make somebody feel better                      B．to recognize differences of
C．to remember somebody forever                    D．to discomfort somebody
67．We can infer from the passage that         ．
A．dogs can smell signs of other cancers except the above two kinds
B．the final goal of the researchers is to design an electronic dog to detect cancer
C．dogs can detect odors 10 000 to 100 000 times better than humans can
D．dogs will soon be widely used to smell signs of cancers in hospitals
68．Which of the following would be the best title？
A．Special Noses of Dogs                                B．Dogs and Cancer
C．Dogs Smell Signs of Cancer                        D．McCulloch’S New Discovery

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


B
Most American kids love Halloween treats, but a bucket of Halloween candy can be a dentist’s nightmare. Some parents try to get rid of half of the candy after their children go to bed, but dentists say parents also need to separate the good kinds of treats from the bad.
It is not exactly what a child eats that truly matters, but how much time it stays in his mouth. According to pediatric dentist Dr. Kaneta Lott, the most damaging stuff is something that is sticky or very hard and thus stays in the mouth for a long time. This is because we all have bacteria in our mouths. When we eat, the bacteria take our food as their food and produce an acid that destroys the surface of the teeth, causing cavities to form. The longer the food stays in the mouth, the more likely cavities will develop. Therefore, potato chips are worse than candy because they get stuck between teeth. For the same reason, raisins and crackers are not the best choice. Hard candies take a long time to consume and are also a bad choice for Halloween treats
If children really love candy, dentists recommend that they eat chocolate instead. Unlike hard candies, chocolate dissolves quickly in the mouth. Besides, chocolate contains tannins, which help to kill some of the bacteria in the mouth. But no matter what a child eats, brushing after each meal is still the best way to fight cavities.
55．What is the main purpose of this passage?
A. To discuss how cavities can be treated.
B. To point out the problems with Halloween celebrations.
C. To tell parents what sweets are less damaging to their children’s teeth.
D. To teach parents the meaning of Halloween candies for their children.
56．Why are hard candies especially bad for teeth?
A. They may break the child’s teeth.
B. They contain too much sugar.
C. They help bacteria to produce tannins.
D. They stay in the mouth for a long time.
57．According to the passage, which of the following is a better choice for Halloween treats?
A. Chocolate.                     B. Crackers.                        C. raisins.                            D. Potato chips.
58．According to the passage, which of the following is true of tannins?
A. They are produced when the bacteria digest the food.
B. They help to get rid of some bacteria in the mouth.
C. They help chocolate to dissolve more quickly.
D. They destroy the surface of the teeth.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Here’s an amazing way to get a hard-boiled egg into a bottle, even though the mouth of the boiled is smaller than the egg! What’s more, you don’t even need to touch the egg to get it to go in!
For this experiment you will need:
·a hard-boiled egg
·a glass bottle with a mouth just slightly smaller than the egg (a fruit-drink bottle works well)
·a 8-cm by 8-cm(3-inch by 3-inch)piece of newspaper
·a match
Remove the shell from the egg. Set the egg on the mouth of the bottle to see that the egg does not fit through the mouth.
Light the paper. Remove the egg from the mouth of the bottle and drop the burning paper into the bottle. Before the fire goes out, set the egg back onto the mouth of the bottle. Within a few seconds the egg will squeeze(擠) through the mouth and into the bottle.
As it entered the bottle, the egg may have broken into pieces. This happens when the diameter(直徑) of the egg is more than about 0.5 cm(about 3/16 inch) larger than the diameter of the bottle’s opening.
Why does the egg slide into the bottle, even though no one is pushing it? Because the pressure of the air is pushing it. Before the burning paper is put into the bottle, the pressure of the air inside is the same as outside. The burning paper, however, heats the air inside. This causes the air inside to expand. When the egg is placed on top of the bottle, it seals(封住) the bottle. When the fire goes out, the air inside cools. As it cools, the air contracts(緊縮), and the pressure of the air inside becomes less than the pressure outside. Then, the higher outside pressure pushes the egg into the bottle!
小題1:The best title of this passage can be      .
A．An interesting storyB．The pressure of the air
C．Egg in a bottleD．Egg, bottle and match
小題2:What don’t you need in this experiment?
A．Eggs.B．Water.C．Bottles.D．Paper.
小題3:Why will the egg break into pieces while entering the bottle?
A．Because of the burning paper.
B．Because the diameter of the egg is too larger than that of the bottles opening.
C．Because it is cool inside the bottle.
D．Because the pressure of the air inside is larger.
小題4:What is the most important to get the egg into a bottle?
A．A match. B．A fruit-drink bottle.C．The pressure of the air.D．The burning paper.

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