Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil.It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste.Farmers may keep the remains of maize or other crops on top of the soil.This creates mulch on the soil surface.The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage.Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants.It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants.It also limits temperature changes in the soil.And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds，from growing.
Organic mulch improves the condition of soil.As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard.This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil.It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants.It also provides a good environment for earthworms and other helpful organisms in the soil.
It is easy to find organic mulch materials.Cutup leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used.Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from newspapers works well in controlling weeds.
The best time to add mulch depends on your goal.Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air.This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result，mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer.In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil.The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives.Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter.Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem.The animals will probably find another place to live.
【小題1】The author tells us the following EXCEPT________.
| A．what mulch is and its benefits |
| B．the best time to add mulch |
| C．what can be mulched on the soil surface |
| D．the bad effects of mulch |
| A．tree barks | B．cutup leaves |
| C．grass cuttings | D．plastic |
| A．Protecting the soil against wind and water damage. |
| B．Keeping the soil wet and reducing the need for watering plants. |
| C．Reducing temperature changes in the soil and stopping unwanted weeds growing. |
| D．All of the above. |
| A．improve the condition of soil |
| B．improve the ability of the soil to hold water |
| C．provide a good environment for earthworms |
| D．improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the |
| A．the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer |
| B．the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives |
| C．the best time to add mulch depends on weather |
| D．choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals |
科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Space is where our future is — trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most people would think that aside from comets(彗星) and stars, there is little else out there. But, since our space journey started we have left so much trash（垃圾） there that scientists are now concerned that if we don't clean it up, we may all be in mortal （致命的）danger.
The first piece of space junk was created in 1964, when the American satellite Vanguard I stopped operating and lost its connection with the ground center. However, since it kept orbiting around the Earth without any consequences, scientists became increasingly comfortable abandoning（拋棄） things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.
It is estimated （估計）that there are now over 500,000 pieces of man-made trash orbiting the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour. The junk varies from tiny pieces of paint chipped off rockets to cameras, huge fuel tanks, and even odd items like the million-dollar tool kit that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper lost during a spacewalk.
The major problem with the space trash is that it may hit working satellites and damage traveling spacecraft(飛船). Moreover, pieces of junk may collide（碰撞） with each other and break into pieces which fall back to the Earth. To avoid this, scientists have invented several ways for clearing the sky. Ground stations have been built to monitor larger pieces of space trash to prevent them from crashing into working satellites or space shuttles. Future plans include a cooperative effort among many nations to stop littering in space and to clean up the trash already there.
【小題1】What was the first piece of man-made space trash?
| A．A camera. | B．A tool kit. |
| C．A fuel tank. | D．A broken satellite. |
| A．It no longer served any useful purpose. |
| B．It was millions of miles away from the Earth. |
| C．It did not cause any problems. |
| D．It was regarded as similar to comets and stars. |
| A．It is huge, heavy machines. |
| B．It never changes position. |
| C．It floats slowly around the Earth. |
| D．It may cause problems for space shuttles. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today. The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate（碳酸鹽）minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite（隕石）that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.
The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have proved the information.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."
【小題1】The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “___________”.
| A．to set up |
| B．to make people accept a belief |
| C．to discover or prove |
| D．to start having a relationship with others |
| A．By studying Allan Hills meteorite. |
| B．By using spacecraft orbiting Mars. |
| C．By studying minerals gathered on Mars. |
| D．By studying a meteorite on the Martian surface. |
| A．Measuring the temperature of Mars. |
| B．Taking photos of the surface of Mars. |
| C．Finding that there is water flowing on Mars. |
| D．Proving where human beings will probably land on Mars. |
| A．In a biography of scientists. | B．In a geography magazine. |
| C．In an environment report. | D．In a science report. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
You have some great ideas. But they don’t come out because of what your friends say or because you think that only a few people can be creative geniuses(天才). And, you, of course, think that you couldn’t be one of them. But actually, this is not true at all.
Anyone who is a creative genius will tell you that creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be developed. If you don’t learn how to develop creative thinking, this skill, just like a muscle, will become poor and useless. On the other hand, keep working at it, and this skill will soon be ready for action whenever you need it. So how do you develop your own personal style of creative thinking?
You should realize that your brain has a greater capacity (容量) and a higher speed than the world’s biggest and fastest computer. So it’s important to get as much information as you can every day. Read, watch and listen to everything around you —good and bad. The more you know, the more you’ll want to know, and the more your brain will be exercised.
Try something new every day and let your experiences show you more about the world and people around you. You need to step out of your comfort zone (舒適地帶) more and more each day.
Follow these suggestions, and begin thinking beyond your "limits" from today. You’ll soon have a life full of interesting and exciting adventures. Who knows, your idea might be the next great idea to change the world.
【小題1】Most people can’t be creative geniuses because they _______.
| A．don’t have great ideas |
| B．don’t want to develop their ideas |
| C．a(chǎn)re too shy to talk about their ideas |
| D．don’t believe they can be |
| A．creative thinking | B．the muscle | C．personal style | D．great capacity |
| A．No computer can store as much information as human’s brain. |
| B．It is not necessary to remember everything around you. |
| C．Try something new, as long as you are comfortable with it. |
| D．It is harder to exercise the brain than the muscles |
| A．how they can learn from creative geniuses |
| B．a(chǎn)bout ways to develop their creative thinking |
| C．a(chǎn)bout the importance of exercising the muscles |
| D．the reasons why they can’t be creative geniuses |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
German study suggests that people who were too optimistic about their future actually faced greater risk of disability or death within 10 years than those pessimists who expected their future to be worse.
The paper，published this March in Psychology and Aging，examined health and welfare surveys from roughly 40,000 Germans between ages 18 and 96.The surveys were conducted every year from 1993 to 2003.
Survey respondents (受訪者) were asked to estimate their present and future life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10，among other questions.
The researchers found that young adults (age 18 to 39) routinely overestimated their future life satisfaction，while middleaged adults (age 40 to 64) more accurately predicted how they would feel in the future.Adults of 65 and older，however，were far more likely to underestimate their future life satisfaction.Not only did they feel more satisfied than they thought they would，the older pessimists seemed to suffer a lower ratio (比率) of disability and death for the study period.
“We observed that being too optimistic in predicting a better future than actually observed was associated with a greater risk of disability and a greater risk of death within the following decade，”wrote Frieder R．Lang，a professor at the University of ErlangenNuremberg.
Lang and his colleagues believed that people who were pessimistic about their future may be more careful about their actions than people who expected a rosy future.
“Seeing a dark future may encourage positive evaluations of the actual self and may contribute to taking improved precautions (預防措施)，”the authors wrote.
Surprisingly，compared with those in poor health or who had low incomes，respondents who enjoyed good health or income were associated with expecting a greater decline.Also，the researchers said that higher income was related to a greater risk of disability.
The authors of the study noted that there were limitations to their conclusions.Illness，medical treatment and personal loss could also have driven health outcomes.
However，the researchers said a pattern was clear.“We found that from early to late adulthood，individuals adapt their expectations of future life satisfaction from optimistic，to accurate，to pessimistic，”the authors concluded.
【小題1】According to the study，who made the most accurate prediction of their future life satisfaction?
| A．Optimistic adults. |
| B．Middleaged adults. |
| C．Adults in poor health. |
| D．Adults of lower income. |
| A．to fully enjoy their present life |
| B．to estimate their contribution accurately |
| C．to take measures against potential risks |
| D．to value health more highly than wealth |
| A．They will earn less money. |
| B．They will become pessimistic. |
| C．They will suffer mental illness. |
| D．They will have less time to enjoy life. |
| A．Pessimism guarantees chances of survival. |
| B．Good financial condition leads to good health. |
| C．Medical treatment determines health outcomes. |
| D．Expectations of future life satisfaction decline with age. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Hu Li's heart sank due to the color of the air.Driving 140 kilometers from Tianjin City to Beijing last week，she held her breath as the air became a charcoal grey haze(炭灰色的陰霾)．The 39yearold businesswoman has lived in Beijing for a decade，and this past month，she said，brought the worst air pollution she has ever seen.It gave her husband a cough and left her sevenyearold daughter housebound(足不出戶)．“My husband as well as I is working here，so we have no choice，” she said.“But if we had a choice，we'd like to escape from Beijing.”
The extended heavy pollution over the last month，which caused punishment in return for a day last week－called the “airpocalypse” by internet users－ has largely changed the way that Chinese think about the country's air.On one day，pollution levels were 30 times higher than levels considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO)．Flights were cancelled.Roads were closed.One hospital in east Beijing reported they had treated more than 900 children for breathing issues.Bloomberg found that for most of January，Beijing's air was worse than that of an airport smoking area.
The smog's(煙霧) most threatening aspect is its high concentration(濃度) of PM 2.5 － particulate matter that is small enough to breathe deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream，causing breathing infections，lung cancer and possibly damaging children's development.The WHO has estimated that outdoor air pollution accounts for two million deaths per year，65% of them in Asia.
【小題1】Which conclusion can we draw from the first paragraph?
| A．Hu Li is living in Beijing. |
| B．Hu Li traveled to Tianjin for business. |
| C．The haze is harmful to people. |
| D．The pollution is the worst in Beijing's history. |
| A．the way they traveled |
| B．the opinion about national air |
| C．the way they lived their life |
| D．the life style of internet |
| A．can lead to choke |
| B．can cause heart cancer |
| C．will damage children's development |
| D．will damage people's organ |
| A．Hu Li's attitudes to Beijing's haze |
| B．The damages of Beijing's haze |
| C．WHO suggests improving Beijing's air |
| D．What caused air pollution in Beijing |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
(2013·高考四川卷，E)Fear may be felt in the heart as well as in the head，according to a study that has found a link between the cycles of a beating heart and the chance of someone feeling fear.
Tests on healthy volunteers found that they were more likely to feel a sense of fear at the moment when their hearts are contracting(收縮) and pumping blood around their bodies，compared with the point when the heartbeat is relaxed.Scientists say the results suggest that the heart is able to influence how the brain responds to a fearful event，depending on which point it is at in its regular cycle of contraction and relaxation.
Sarah Garfinkel at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School said：“Our study shows for the first time that the way in which we deal with fear is different depending on when we see fearful pictures in relation to our heart.”
The study tested 20 healthy volunteers on their reactions to fear as they were shown pictures of fearful faces.Dr Garfinkel said，“The study showed that fearful faces are better noticed when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxed.Thus our hearts can also affect what we see and what we don’t see－and guide whether we see fear.”
To further understand this relationship，the scientists also used a brain scanner(掃描儀) to show how the brain influences the way the heart changes a person’s feeling of fear.
“We have found an important mechanism by which the heart and brain ‘speak’to each other to change our feelings and reduce fear，”Dr Garfinkel said.
“We hope that by increasing our understanding about how fear is dealt with and ways that it could be reduced，we may be able to develop more successful treatments for anxiety disorders，and also for those who may be suffering from serious stress disorder.”
【小題1】What is the finding of the study?
| A．One’s heart affects how he feels fear. |
| B．Fear is a result of one’s relaxed heartbeat. |
| C．Fear has something to do with one’s health. |
| D．One’s fast heartbeats are likely to cause fear. |
| A．volunteers’ heartbeats when they saw terrible pictures |
| B．the time volunteers saw fearful pictures and their health conditions |
| C．volunteers’ reactions to horrible pictures and data from their brain scans |
| D．different pictures shown to volunteers and their heartbrain communication |
| A．Order. | B．System. |
| C．Machine. | D．Treatment. |
| A．treating anxiety and stress better |
| B．explaining the cycle of fear and anxiety |
| C．finding the key to the heartbrain communication |
| D．understanding different fears in our hearts and heads |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
Because no light can get out, people can’t see black holes. Space telescopes with special tools can help find black holes. The special tools can see how stars that are very close to black holes act differently from other ones.
Black holes can be big or small. Scientists think the smallest black holes are as small as just one atom. These black holes are very tiny but have the mass of a large mountain. Mass is the amount of matter, or “staff”, in an object.
Another kind of black hole is called “stellar”(星球黑洞). Its mass can be up to 20 times more than the mass of the sun. There may be many stellar mass black holes in Earth’s galaxy. Earth’s galaxy is called the Milky Way.
The largest black holes are called “supermassive”(超大質(zhì)量黑洞). These black holes have masses that are more than one million suns together. Scientists have found proof that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its center. The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy has a mass equal to about four million suns and would fit inside a very large ball that could hold a few million Earths.
Scientists think the smallest black holes formed when the universe began. Stellar black holes are made when the center of a very big star falls in upon itself, or falls apart. When this happens, it exploded part of the star into space. Scientists think supermassive black holes were made at the same time as the galaxy they are in.
A black hole can not be seen because strong gravity pulls all of the light into the middle of the black hole. But scientists can see how the strong gravity affects the stars and gas around the black hole. Scientists can study stars to find out if they are flying around, or orbiting a black hole.
When a black hole and a star are close together, high-energy light is made. This kind of light cannot be seen with human eyes. Scientists use satellites and telescopes in space to see the high-energy light.
【小題1】The gravity of a black hole may become so strong that light cannot get out when ____________.
| A．the star is going to die |
| B．special tools are used on it |
| C．other stars come close to it |
| D．it is seen from the space telescopes |
| A．A black hole can be very tiny but extremely heavy. |
| B．The gravity of a black hole holds all light in its center. |
| C．Scientists observe high-energy light through their own eyes. |
| D．Some small black holes came into being as early as the universe. |
| A．a(chǎn) black hole | B．the Milky Way |
| C．a(chǎn) series of stars | D．a(chǎn) planet near the earth |
| A．Neither the sun nor the earth is as heavy as a black hole. |
| B．There is a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. |
| C．The supermassive black hole had existed before the Milky Way was formed. |
| D．There is a reason why the large black holes are called “supermassive”. |
| A．what a black hole is |
| B．how black holes form |
| C．how big black holes are |
| D．how scientists know about black holes |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Every year in late spring at Wild Friends, the wildlife health center, workers receive baby animals, including songbirds and rabbits. This is the busiest time when workers care for and raise all the little ones before sending them back into the wild.
There are many reasons for these little animals' coming to the center. First of all, street cats or dogs catch, injure or take away little birds from their nests. Sometimes people catch baby animals and keep them at home, giving them food that they are not used to. It would make them sick. Most people don't realize that it's against law to get live animals out of their nests.
As for songbirds, people often find them on the ground in their yards, thinking they have no other choice but to leave them on the ground to die. This is because many people wrongly believe that once a bird is touched by a person, its mother will not accept this child bird. But that's not true.
If a little bird falls out of the nest, you should check whether it is injured. If not, you should put the bird back in the nest. If the bird is injured, call your local wildlife center quickly.
As for the progress of protecting wild animals, people at Wild Friends devote all their energy to this work. Over the last weeks, they have been able to send many of the birds and rabbits that came here earlier this spring back to nature.
【小題1】Which is the busiest season for workers at Wild Friends?
| A．Spring | B．Summer. | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
| A．Giving them food they don't like. | B．Letting them play with children. |
| C．Leaving them on the ground. | D．Bringing them to the center. |
| A．wait for its mother | B．help it go back home |
| C．touch it with your hands | D．call workers at Wild Friends |
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