NASA’s Mars detector (探測器), Opportunity, succeeded in finding signs that water once existed on the planet. Opportunity landed on Mars in January. Scientists now believe that the planet could once have supported life.
This discovery was chosen by Science, one of the world’s leading magazines, as the most important scientific achievement of 2004 last Friday.
“This little, wheeled, one-armed box went around another planet and has done something no human has ever managed,” according to Science. “It has discovered another place in the universe where life could once have existed.”
“Although we still can’t say that life could have existed in this environment, it is now certain that there was water on Mars,” said Steve Squyres, one of the scientists working on the Mars mission. The evidence comes from pictures and chemical readings taken by Opportunity. It includes marks on rocks like those caused by flowing water on Earth and salty chemicals like those found in dried-out sea-beds. Scientists said the new evidence proved beyond doubt that water has been existed on Mars. But it is still unknown whether the water on Mars was like an ocean or just ice.
While Opportunity has not found any signs of life, the presence of water means life is possible. “In everything we know about life on Earth, there is no example without liquid water,” Squyres said. “So water is important for the search for life on Mars.”
Researchers agree that a future mission (任務(wù)) should bring back physical samples (樣品). But some scientists worry about the risk that this could introduce dangerous foreign creatures to Earth. “The problem here is how to get the samples back,” Squyres replied. “I think it is our responsibility to limit any risk.”
1. ________ prove that water existed on Mars.
A. The physical samples with salty chemicals      B. The marks on rocks and salty chemicals
C. Scientific achievements of 2004              D. Creatures from Mars
2. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. It is now certain that there was water on Mars.
B. The water on Mars was like an ocean.
C. Evidence of life on Mars has been found.
D. Search for life on Mars is a great risk to humans.
3. How did scientists draw the conclusion that there was water on Mars?
A. The world’s leading magazine has announced the fact.
B. Scientists have taken many pictures and chemical readings on the Mars.
C. Astronauts have got some rocks from Mars.
D. Scientists have made a study of the pictures and readings sent back by Mars detector.
4. It can be inferred that, if the creatures from Mars came to Earth, ________.
A. they would be kind to humans    B. they would be cruel to humans
C. they would be a great danger to Earth
D. it would be hard to say whether it would be a good news or bad news
1-4 BADD
1.   事實細節(jié)題。根據(jù)短文第五段“It includes marks on rocks like those caused by flowing water on Earth and salty chemicals like those found in dried-out sea-beds”一句可知：巖石上有類似地球上水流的痕跡和化學(xué)物。
2.   事實細節(jié)題。根據(jù)第二段“succeeded in finding signs that water once existed on the planet”一句可判斷，火星上有水。
3.   事實歸納題。人們對火星的研究是通過探測器“機遇號”發(fā)回的圖片和數(shù)據(jù)進行分析得出的，人類還沒有登上火星，所以B、C兩項不符文意。A項“雜志上報道的”更不能作為結(jié)論的根據(jù)(from www.nmet168.com)。
4.   推測題。根據(jù)短文最后一段“some scientists worry about the risk that this could introduce dangerous foreign creatures to Earth”的意義，科學(xué)家有這種擔(dān)心外星人是否會對人類造成危害。由此可推測：如果外星人來地球，是好是壞不得而知。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Reading to oneself is a modern activity which was almost unknown to the learned in the early days of the history, while during the fifteenth century the term “reading” undoubtedly meant reading aloud. Only during the nineteenth century did silent reading become popular.
One should be careful, however, of supposing that silent reading came about simply because reading aloud is distraction（分散注意力）to others. Examination of reasons connected with the historical development of silent reading shows that it became the usual mode of reading for most adult reading tasks mainly because the tasks themselves changed in character.
The last century saw a gradual increase in literacy（讀寫能力）and thus in the number of readers. As readers increased, so the number of listeners dropped, and thus there was some reduction in the need to read aloud. As reading for the benefit of listeners grew less common, so came the popularity of reading as a private activity in such public places as libraries, trains and offices, where reading aloud would disturb other readers in a way.  
Towards the end of the century there was still heated argument over whether books should be used for information or treated respectfully, and over whether the reading of material such as newspapers was in some way mentally weakening. Indeed this argument remains with us still in education. However, whatever its advantages are, the old shared literacy culture had gone and was replaced by the printed mass media on the one hand and by books and magazines for a specialized readership on the other.
By the end of t he century students were being advised to have some new ideas of books and to use skills in reading them which were not proper, if not impossible, for the oral reader. The social, cultural, and technological developments in the century had greatly changed what the term “reading” referred to.
小題1:Why was reading aloud common before the nineteenth century?
A．Because silent reading had not been discovered.
B．Because there were few places for private reading.
C．Because few people could read for themselves.
D．Because people depended on reading for enjoyment.
小題2:The development of silent reading during the nineteenth century showed_______.
A．a(chǎn) change in the position of literate people
B．a(chǎn) change in the nature of reading
C．a(chǎn)n increase in the number of books
D．a(chǎn)n increase in the average age of readers
小題3: Educationalists are still arguing about__________.
A．the importance of silent reading
B．the amount of information provided by books and newspapers
C．the effects of reading on health
D．the value of different types of reading material
小題4:What is the writer of this passage attempting to do?
A．To explain how present day reading habits developed.
B．To change people’s way to read.
C．To show how reading methods have improved.
D．To encourage the growth of reading.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Have you ever dreamed of visiting a planet in the Milk Way? While the trip sounds exciting, it would take years and years to reach your destination. So in the future, bedtime for astronauts may be more than a few hours of regular shut-eye. They would have to sleep for years.
European researchers are now conducting hibernation experiments. The study may help them understand whether humans could ever sleep through the years it would take for a space flight to distant planets. "If there was an effective technology, it could make deep-space travel a reality," said Mark Ayre of the European Space Agency last month.
What seems like science fiction is not completely unlikely. Researchers have been able to use chemicals to put living cells into a sleep-like state where they don't age. They have now moved on to small, non-hibernating mammals like rats. The results will be out by the end of 2004.
A major challenge is the fact that cells can be very simple systems, whereas body organs are far more complex.
"It's like moving from a simple Apple computer to a supercomputer," said Marco Biggiogera, a hibernation researcher at Italy's University of Pavia.
Just like bears and frogs, the hibernation of human beings would cause a person's metabolism (新陳代謝) to lower so they would need less energy.
Medical research, however, is just half of a space flight hibernation system.
There is the challenge of designing a suitable protective shelter. Such a shelter would provide the proper environment for hibernation, such as the proper temperature. It would also have to monitor (監(jiān)控) life functions and serve the physiological needs of the hibernator.
According to Ayre, the six-person Human Outer Planets Exploration Mission to Jupiter's moon (木星的衛(wèi)星) Callisto, could be an opportunity to use human hibernation. The mission aims to send six humans on a five-year flight to Callisto, where they will spend 30 days, in 2045.
9. European researchers are conducting hibernation experiments to ________.
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C. make preparations for the journey to Jupiter’s moon Callisto
D. know if man can sleep for years
10. The sentence “What seems like science fiction is not completely unlikely” means ________.
A. Science fiction is people’s imagination.
B. Science fiction is imaginative, but it can be realized.
C. Things seem impossible may come true.
D. Things described in science fiction are sure to become true.
11. The passage is implied but doesn’t states that ________.
A. putting living cells into a sleep-like state is full of failure
B. Biggiogera is confident with the experiment
C. human’s hibernation needs no energy
D. medical research is the key to space flight hibernation system
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A. have a good hibernation        B. lessen the pressure of traveling in space
C. feed themselves in spaceship    D. moinitor their body changes
13. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Six humans to fly to Callisto  B. Human hibernation improves health
C. Space travel attracts people   D. Deep sleep for deep space travel

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

America is a country on the move. In unheard?of numbers, people of all ages are exercising  their way to better health. According to the latest figures, 4 percent of American adults exercise regularly-up 12 percent from just two years ago and more than double the figure of 25 years ago. Even non-exercisers believe they would be more attractive and confident if they were more active.
It is hard not to get the message. The virtues of physical fitness are shown on magazine covers, postage stamps, and television ads of everything from beauty soaps to travel books. Exercise as a part of daily life did not catch on until the late 195s when research by military doctors began to show the health benefits of doing regular physical exercises. Growing publicity (宣傳) for races held in American cities helped fuel a strong interest in the ancient sport of running. Although running has leveled off in recent years as Americans have discovered equally rewarding-and sometimes safer-forms of exercise, such as walking and swimming, running remains the most popular form of exercise.
As the popularity of exercise continues to mount, so does scientific evidence of its health benefits. The key to fitness is exercising the major muscle groups vigorously (強有力地) enough to approximately double the heart rate and keep it doubled for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Doing such physical exercises three times or more a week will produce considerable improvements in physical health in about three months.
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C.are yet to be proved                         D.are supported by scientific evidence
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A.an increasing number of races were held in American cities
B.research showed their health benefits
C.scientific evidence of health benefits was shown on TV ads
D.people got the message from magazine covers and postage stamps
7.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Exercise-The Road to Health                 B.Scientific Evidence of Health Benefits
C.Different Forms of Exercise                  D.Running-A Popular Form of Sport
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A.“reached its lowest level in popularity”         B.“stopped being popular”
C.“stopped increasing in popularity”             D.“become very popular”

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

"Time is a problem for children," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries" learn time slowly" because" they don’t wear watches" and " parents don’t really know how to teach them time. " The children grow up with this handicap and become adults (成人) —and then can’t get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? Of course — it’s the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
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The watch comes equipped with a standard battery (電池) and a nylon band (尼龍表帶). Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it " childproof if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing ma­chine. " The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing to tell time; it’s quite another for them to be on time.
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A. parents are patient when teaching children time
B. parents have little idea of how to teach children time
C. children are likely to learn time quickly
D. children enjoy wearing the Flik Flak watch
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A. children will be on time if they have learnt how to tell time
B. a Flik Flak can help parents teach their children how to tell time
C. the Flik Flak can take children’s imagination
D. children usually have trouble telling time if they don’t wear watches
3. The underlined word handicap in Para. 1 means
A. displeasure        B. discouragement        C. disappointment     D. disadvantage
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A. it is designed to teach children to be on time
B. it proves to be effective in teaching children time
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Probably you have seen photos of the Grand Canyon（峽谷）, the great valley in the desert country of Arizona. But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world
The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years. Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock. At the same time, the land was rising. Today the canyon is 1.5 kilometers and 445 kilometers long. The oldest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than 1 billion years old. The width varies from about 200 meters to 29 kilometers across. The rim or top of the canyon is about 2,300 meters above sea level on the South Rim, and about 3,000 meters on the other side. As a result, there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon. The South Rim is dry desert country. The North Rim has tall forests.
The canyon looks different at different times of day, and in different seasons and weather. At sunrise and sunset the red, gold, brown and orange colors of the rocks are especially clear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow.
The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best. Most visitors come here and stay in campgrounds or hotels. Every point along the canyon’s edge offers a different view.
The North rim of the Canyon is quieter. It takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River. On the way, you go through Navado Indian lands, and a colorful pink desert called “The Painted Desert”.
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A. see its photographs            B. listen to the report about it
C. watch its introduction on TV    D. go there yourself and visit it
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B. its size never changed in the history
C. the Grand Canyon was formed by the earthquake 
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various depending on different time and places
the same    
various depending on different time
various depending on different places
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can go there in many directions
won’t spend much time on the way
can visit The painted Desert on the way
needn’t go across any bridges
15. If you want to have a visit to the Grand Canyon, you’d better go to _______.
A. the North Rim                  B. the South Rim
C. the bottom                     D. Navado Indian Lands

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

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Much of the energy that comes from the Sun never reaches the Earth’s surface. It is either reflected or absorbed by the gases in the upper atmosphere. Of the energy that reaches the lower atmosphere, 30% is reflected by clouds or the Earth’s surface. The remaining 70% warms the surface of the planet, causes water to evaporate, and provides energy for the water cycle and weather. Only a tiny part, approximately 0.023%, is actually used by green plants to produce food.
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59. According to the passage, the root cause for weather changes on the Earth is ______.
A. the atmosphere surrounding the Earth                         
B. water from oceans and lakes
C. energy from the Sun                   
D. greenhouse gases in the sky
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A. absorbed by the clouds in the lower atmosphere
B. reflected by the gases in the upper atmosphere
C. lost in the upper and lower atmosphere
D. used to evaporate water from the oceans and lakes
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A. all living things on the Earth depend on the Sun for their food
B. a forest looks dark in winter because it absorbs solar energy
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Think of London and you’re likely to think of the city’s famous bright red double-decker(雙層) buses．Think of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok，and  the noisy tuk-tuk(三輪摩托車) may  come to mind．Picture the American city of San Francisco   and   you  might see  the city’s cable cars(電車)． 
Imagining what these cities would look like without their red  buses，tuk-tuks  or cable cars is  difficult．They  are   symbols  of these cities  that make them different from  anywhere else in  the world．However,these city  symbols，which are so 1oved by tourists，are not  always so well  loved by their  city  1eaders． City  1eaders  want  what  is  best for their  city, which often means the most modern transport．
In Thailand，Bangkok city authorities have forbidden new tuk-tuks because they consider them noisy and polluting．However, the ban has largely been unsuccessful，as it has not changed Thai people’s preference for the inexpensive tuk-tuks over taxis．
In London，the city’s first ever mayor got rid of the red double-decker buses． which he thought were old—fashioned, by selling them to other countries．His plan worked．but Londoners were upset to lose the charming old buses that they believed represented the best of their city. They made their upset felt，  when the mayor came up for re-election 1ast year．Most Londoners voted for his competitor, who promised to bring the bus back．Now, an improved version(版本)of the double-decker  bus will hit London’s streets in 2012． 
AS for San Francisco,   several cable  cars remain in  use but mainly  as tourist attractions．They   are too slow to be  used  for anything other than  scenic trips．
City transport symbols may have palace in their city people’s hearts，but it seems they are increasingly out of step with the modern world．As Londoners have proved，their continued 1ife depends on people’s willingness to fight for their survival．
5．What’s the purpose of writing the first paragraph?
A．To show the cultural significance of several cities’unique transport systems．  
B．To introduce some old-fashioned means of transport, which are symbols of three tourist cities．
C．To use the old transport symbols to attract more tourists to visit the cities．    
D．To explain why those cities are popular with tourists around the world．
6．Bangkok’s ban on tuk-tuks is unsuccessful due to ________.
A．people’s unawareness of environmental protection
B．tourists’preference for tuk-tuks over taxis
C. the lack of severe punishment for violation
D．1ocals’willingness to take the tuk-tuks  
7．The London double Decker bus is returning mainly because______.
A．it is an improved version     B．The new mayor also loves it
C. it is popular with tourists     D．Londoners fought for it
8．Which example can prove old city transport symbols are not loved by city leaders?
A．Bangkok city authorities tried to get rid of the cheap tuk-tuks．
B．The mayor who sold double-decker buses lost the re-election．
C．The new mayor will bring back improved double-decker  buses．
D．Only a few cable cars remain in use by tourists in San  Francisco．
9．We can conclude from reading the passage that_______.
A．Tourist cities will lose their charm if their old transport symbols disappear
B．A modern city should get rid of inefficient old transport
C．Old city transport symbols now face the problem of survival
D．The writer is in favor of keeping the old city transport symbols

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

“You are going abroad and will live there? Oh, wonderful! You are so lucky.”
Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But is it true all the time? Is your life in the new country always wonderful and exciting?
Specialists say that it isn’t that easy to get used to life in a new culture. “Culture shock” (沖擊) is the term specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. “There are three stages of culture shock,” say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers adapt to their surroundings and finally enjoy their life there.
Culture shock arises from many obvious factors. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems such as the telephone, post office, or transportation may be difficult to work out. Even the simplest things become headaches. Still worse, the language may be difficult.
Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self­image.
Culture shock leads to a feeling of disorientation (迷惘). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create and escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience are the long term solutions to the problem of culture shock.
小題1:When people move to a new country, they ________.
A．find their new life always wonderful and exciting.
B．dislike the new surroundings from the beginning.
C．quickly get accustomed to the new culture there.
D．will get used to the new life with certain difficulty.
小題2:Based on the passage, which of the following results from culture shock?
A．weather conditions and customs
B．public service and transportation
C．feeling homesick and disoriented
D．language communication issues
小題3:According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, ________.
A．the fewer difficulties you will meet with abroad
B．the more problems you may have to face abroad
C．the greater success you are likely to make abroad
D．the less homesick you will eventually feel abroad
小題4:Which of the following statements is correct according to the passage?
A．Cultural shock affects and surprises those who live in a new culture.
B．A new culture makes everything difficult except the simplest things.
C．Since culture shock is painful, we can never get over it completely.
D．Escaping by staying inside does solve the problem of culture shock.

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