Have you seen a yellow-and-black salamander (火蜥蜴)? How about a scarlet frog? Scientists haven’t spotted either species in more than 20 years. What happened to them? Are the creatures still out there, or are they extinct?
Those are questions that scientists hope to answer. They recently set out around the world in search of those and other long-missing amphibians. An amphibian is an animal that spends part of its life in water and part on land. Frog, toads(蟾蜍), and salamanders are amphibians.
The experts are looking for about 100 species. They are searching at least 14 countries on five continents. They will look for the salamander in North America. They hope to find the scarlet frog in South America. They’re also looking for species in Africa, Asia and Australia.
Scientists are hopeful that they’ll find the amphibians—and soon! If the creatures are out there, they may need help. Many amphibians are endangered. The animals face many dangers including pollution and diseases. People cut down the forests where they live.
“If researchers can find the missing creatures, they might be able to figure out how to save them,” explains expert Robin Moore. He began searching for the amphibians earlier this month.
“This search will tell us a lot about how amphibians are doing,” Moore told WR News. “I don’t know what we will find, but that makes the search even more exciting.”
Lost in the Wild
Scientists’ hunt for missing amphibians is under way. Read about some of the species they hope to find.
Turkestanian salamander
This salamander is a mystery to scientists. Experts found a few of them more than 100 years ago, but none have been seen ever since.
Gastric brooding frog
Experts first discovered this frog in 1914 in eastern Australia. It may be extinct because of disease and habitat loss.
Rio Pescado stubfoot toad
Last sighting: 1995, in South America
Scientists hope to find this spotted toad in rivers and rainforests in Ecuador. The animal faces threats including pollution and disease.
小題1: Which of the following animals hasn’t been seen for over a century?

A．Rio Pescado stubfoot toad.

B．Gastric brooding frog.

C．Turkestanian salamander.

D．Scarlet frog.

小題2:It can be learned from the passage that _____.

A．the scarlet frog used to live in Africa

B．researchers have no way to save amphibians

C．the scientists will search 14 countries at most

D．Robin Moore has begun his search for amphibians

小題3: Why do the scientists want to find the missing amphibians?

A．Because they want to rescue the missing amphibians.

B．Because they want to set up a scientific program.

C．Because they want to do a scientific research on the missing amphibians.

D．Because they want to publish a report about the missing amphibians on WR News.

小題4: What does Moore think of the search for endangered amphibians?

A．It’s hopeful.	B．It’s interesting.
C．It’s tiring.	D．It’s dangerous.

One of India’s top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students' performance, making them lonely and even suicidal.
Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. “Now, a student doesn’t even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet,” said Prakash Gopalan, dean of student affairs. “The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion.”
IIT-Mumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional(不正常的) lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming.
Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. at IIT-Mumbai’s 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their “shells”, Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. “Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby(搖籃曲) to go to sleep,” said Rajiv, an electronics student.
小題1: What measure has been taken in IIT- Mumbai?

A．Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories.

B．Students are forbidden to surf the Internet.

C．Internet access is unavailable in deep night.

D．Students must go to bed before 11 p.m.

小題2: In the passage the students are told to _____.

A．sleep through their lessons

B．break away from the Internet

C．go to sleep along with music

D．stop surfing, make friends

小題3: We may infer from the last paragraph that _____.

A．the banning order causes some complaints among the students

B．a(chǎn)ll electronics students hate the banning order

C．more students prefer listening to music to surf- ing the Internet

D．there is no Internet access on the IIT campus even

New findings from Queen’s University biologists show that in the plant world, bigger isn’t necessarily better.
“Until now most of the thinking has suggested that to be a good competitor in the forest, you have to be a big plant,” says Queen’s Biology professor Lonnie Aarssen. “But our research shows it’s virtually the other way around.”
Previous studies showed that larger plant species monopolize(壟斷) sunlight, water and other resources, limiting the number of smaller plant species that can exist around them. But the research has proved that this is not generally the case in natural vegetation.
In the Queen’s project, PhD student Laura Keating targeted the largest “host plants” of 16 woody plant species growing in the Okanogan Valley, British Columbia. The research team calculated the number and variety of plants that neighbored each large host plant. They then randomly selected plots without host plants and calculated the plant species there as well. The research showed that the massive trees have no effect on the number of species with which they coexist.
Smaller plants have many advantages over their overbearing neighbors, Professor Aarssen notes. Larger species generate physical space niches under their shelters where smaller species grow well. Smaller plants are much more effective than large trees at using available resources. They also produce seeds at a much younger age and higher rate than their bigger counterparts, and settle down much more quickly—thuscompeting with the newly-born plants of larger species.
小題1: What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Smaller plants may have many advantages over their neighbors.

B．In the plant world, the bigger is better than the smaller one.

C．To be a good competitor in the forest, you have to be a small plant.

D．Queen’s University’s students made a new research.

小題2: The underlined word “this” in Para. 3 refers to the view that _____.

A．large and small plants can grow together in harmony

B．larger plant species limit their smaller neighbors’ growth

C．small plant species have their own advantages

D．large and small plant species can never coexist

小題3:What can we learn according to the text?

A．Larger plant species limit the number of smaller ones around them.

B．Smaller plants can limit the number of plant species around them.

C．Smaller plants produce seeds at a higher rate than their bigger counterparts.

D．Larger trees are more effective than small plants at using available resources.

小題4:Which is the CORRECT order in the Queen’s project?
a. Randomly selected plots without host plants and-calculated the plant species.
b. Calculated the number and variety of plants that neighbored each large host plant.
c. Selected the largest individuals or "host plants" of 16 woody plant species.

A．a(chǎn), b, c	B．c, b, a
C．b, c, a	D．a(chǎn), c, b

As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us. Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem.
Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days. Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool.
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction(滅絕)—up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu.
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations.
Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins.
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products. These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life.
Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury(奢侈的)goods has become a full­scale war. The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming. Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high­end products that rely on killing animals.
小題1:The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.

A．show	B．keep
C．follow	D．change

小題2:From the passage, we know ________.

A．Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular

B．a(chǎn) lot of wild animals have been killed for products

C．Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks

D．the number of African elephants has been increased

小題3:．What can we infer from the passage?

A．More animals for high­end products will be saved.

B．People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup.

C．Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants.

D．Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals.

(London)­If it really is what's on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble.
Some doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding important organs like the heart or liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily.
“Being thin doesn't surely mean you are not fat，” said Dr Jimmy Bell at Imperial College. Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create “fat maps” showing where people store fat.
According to the result, people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are slim.
Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside. Of the women, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had too high levels of internal fat. Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent.
According to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat. They eat too many fatty and sugary foods, but they are not eating enough to be fat. Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.
Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes. They want to prove that internal fat damages the body's communication systems.
The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. “If you want to be healthy, there is no short cut. Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle，” Bell said.
小題1:What is this piece of news mainly about?

A．Thin people also have troubles.

B．Internal fat is of no importance.

C．Internal fat leads to many diseases.

D．Thin people may be fat inside.

小題2:Doctors have found ________.

A．being slim doesn't mean you are not fat inside

B．internal fat is the cause of heart disease and diabetes

C．being slim is not dangerous at all

D．the exact dangers of internal fat

小題3:According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG?

A．People with heart disease all have internal fat.

B．People can get rid of internal fat by improving diet.

C．Men are more likely to have too much internal fat.

D．Exercise can help to reduce the internal fat.

Pupils remember more and behave better when 3D images areused in lessons，research suggests.They are quicker to learn andabsorb new concepts，and display higher levels of concentration.
Professor Anne Bamford，of the University of the Arts，London，studied the effectiveness of 3D content in 15 schools across seven countries，including the UK.Pupils in 3D classes can remember more than those in the 2D classes after four weeks，improving test scores by an average of 1 7 percent compared with eight percent for 2D lessons.They gave more detailed answer to the tasks and were more likely to think in 3D, using hand gestures and mime(模仿動(dòng)作) to answer the test questions successfully.
The teachers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding，increased attention span, more motivation and higher engagement in the lessons.
Children are used to 3D with the rise of computer games that use the technology­90 percent of those in the study had seen a 3D film.Schools would need 3D­enabled projectors(投影儀)，laptops with good picture capabilities,3D software and glasses for children to introduce animations(動(dòng)作) into classrooms.
But Danny Nicholson，an educationist，said the technology would be impractical to use inschools and could be costly.He said，“While I think the idea of 3D technology is very interesting，I worry that 3D is a bit of an expensive gimmick(小玩意兒)．There are a few cases where a true3D image might help，but most of the time，good 2D models that can be moved would be just aseffective.”
In the US，one school district in Colorado is already in the process of having 1,000 3Dprojectors fixed in classrooms.And the University of Caledonia, which carries out scientific research into the Lake Tabon Basin, has used 3D presentations with Grade Six pupils.Those who watched the 3D presentations were more engrossed and reported a general increase in their interest in science compared with students who watched the 2D version.
小題1:What is the main idea of the first three paragraphs?

A．There are slight differences between 3D and 2D images.

B．Pupils perform better when 3D images are used in classes.

C．Schools have difficulties in making full use of 3D technology.

D．3D technology is always more effective than 2D technology.

小題2:Danny Nicholson holds the view that 3D ________.

A．is of no help in classes

B．has a bright future in classes

C．is more practical than 2D models

D．may not be affordable for schools

小題3:What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．3D technology will replace 2D models in the future.

B．Many pupils are now more Interested In science than before.

C．Teachers will use the 3D technology through specific training.

D．3D will soon be put into use in one school district in Colorado.

小題4:The underlined word “engrossed” in the last paragraph means ________.

A．a(chǎn)bsorbed	B．a(chǎn)nnoyed
C．relaxed	D．confused

Google has been collecting tons of data about smartphone usage around the world.  Here are some of the most surprising and interesting facts：
Android is most popular in Japan, with 55% of respondents(調(diào)查對(duì)象) using it, compared with 39% for iOS.Android is also number one in a few other countries, including New Zealand (41%), the US(40%), and China (38%)．
iOS is farthest ahead in Switzerland, with 52% usage vs 23% for Android.Other countries where iOS is far ahead include Australia (49% vs 25% Android), Canada (45% vs 23% Android and 23% Blackberry),  and France (43% vs 25% Android)．
In Egypt, Windows Mobile is far more popular than iOS.13% of survey respondents use the Microsoft smartphone platform, behind Symbian (19%) and Android (14%). iOS is very far down at 4%.
Mobile social networking is biggest in Mexico and Argentina, where 74% and 73% of users visit a social network daily.But mobile­social is weak in Japan where 34% of users never visit a social network on their phone, and this figure rises to 41% in Brazil.
Watching video is most popular in Saudi Arabia, with 59% of respondents doing it daily.Number two is Egypt, with 41%.
Chinese users shop from their phones.59% of Chinese users do this, compared with only 41% in second­place Egypt.Chinese users also love to write reviews.41% of them write a review of a local business after looking it up on their smartphone.Number two, Japan, is far behind, with only 24% of respondents doing this.
。
小題1:Which of the following best describes the usage of the smartphone operating systems in Egypt?

A．Windows Mobile＞iOS＞Symbian＞Android

B．Android＞W(wǎng)indows Mobile＞iOS＞Symbian

C．iOS＞Android＞Symbian＞W(wǎng)indows Mobile

D．Symbian＞Android＞W(wǎng)indows Mobile＞iOS

小題2:In which of the following countries is mobile social networking least popular?

A．Brazil.	B．Japan.
C．Mexico.	D．Argentina.

小題3:In which section of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?

A．Health.	B．Environment.
C．Technology.	D．Entertainment.

The first robot rover to land on the Moon in nearly 40 years, China's Jade Rabbit, has begun sending back photos, with shots of its lunar lander(登月飛行器). Jade Rabbit rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum at 04：35 Beijing time on Saturday (20：35 GMT)．It moved to a spot a few metres away, its historic short journey recorded by the lander. On Sunday evening the two machines began photographing each other. A Chinese flag is clearly visible on the Jade Rabbit as it stands deployed on the Moon's surface.

Ma Xingrui, chief mander of China's lunar programme, declared the mission (任務(wù))a “plete success”. The first soft landing on the Moon since 1976 is the latest step in China's ambitious space programme, says BBC science reporter Paul Rincon.
The lander will operate there for a year, while the rover is expected to work for some three months. The Chang'e­3 mission landed some 12 days after being launched atop a Chinese­developed Long March 3B rocket from Xichang in the country's south. The official Xinhua news service reported that the lander began its descent(下降)on Saturday just after 13：00 GMT, touching down in Sinus Iridum (the Bay of Rainbows) 11 minutes later. “I was lucky enough to see a prototype rover(原型月球車) in Shanghai a few years ago ­ it's a wonderful technological achievement to have landed，” Prof Andrew Coates, from UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory, told BBC News.
Chang'e­3 is the third unmanned rover mission to touch down on the lunar surface, and the first to go there in more than 40 years. The last was an 840kg (1,900lb) Soviet vehicle known as Lunokhod­2, which was kept warm by polonium(釙)­210. But the six­wheeled Chinese vehicle carries a more sophisticated payload(復(fù)雜的有效負(fù)荷), including ground­penetrating radar which will gather measurements of the lunar soil and crust.
小題1:What does the text mainly talk about?

A．China's space and aeronautics industry develops quickly.

B．The importance of China's space and aeronautics industry.

C．China's Jade Rabbit Moon rover sends back first photos.

D．Chang'e­3 is the third unmanned rover mission to touch down on the lunar surface.

小題2:After ________ years' hard and scientific work, the first soft landing on the Moon has made such great progress.

A．nearly 40	B．37
C．64	D．more than 40

小題3:The purpose that the Chinese moon rover has visited the moon is to ________.

A．do some research about the moon

B．be the first settler on the moon

C．to plant the Chinese flag onto the moon

D．send a lovely jade rabbit onto the moon

小題4:From the text, we know that the lander began its descent on Saturday just after ________ Beijing time.

A．13：00	B．20：00
C．22：00	D．21：00

For the first time, researchers have discovered that some plants can kill insects in order to get additional nutrients. New research shows that they catch and kill small insects with their own sticky hairs near the roots and then absorb nutrients through their roots when the insects are killed and fall to the ground.
Professor Mark Chase, of Kew and Queen Mary, University of London, said: “The cultivated (改良的) tomatoes and potatoes still have the hairs. Tomatoes in particular are covered with these sticky hairs. They do trap small insects on a regular basis. They do kill insects.”
The number of these carnivorous plants is thought to have came up to 50 percent and many of them have until now been wrongly regarded as among the most harmless plants. Among them are species of petunia(矮牽牛), some special tobacco plants and cabbages, some varieties of potatoes and tomatoes, etc. Researchers at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, which carried out the study, now believe there are hundreds more killer plants than previously realized.
It is thought that the technique was developed in the wild to get necessary nutrients in poor quality soil ­ and even various plants grown in your vegetable garden still have the ability.
The researchers, publishing their finding in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, said: “We may be surrounded by many more murderous plants than we think.” “We are accustomed to thinking of plants as being immobile and harmless, and there is something deeply frightening about the thought of meat­eating plants，” they added.
小題1:Tomatoes and potatoes kill insects to ________.

A．get more sticky hairs

B．make themselves grow better

C．make their roots stronger

D．a(chǎn)void falling down to the ground

小題2:The word “carnivorous” in Paragraph 3 most probably means ________.

A．fast­growing	B．harmless
C．insect­killing	D．nutritious

小題3:The insect­killing technique of vegetables is  developed most probably through ________.

A．evolution of species

B．helps from other garden plants

C．a(chǎn)rtificial cultivation

D．nutrients preserved in rich soil

小題4:The text is probably taken from ________.

A．a(chǎn) student book	B．a(chǎn) science fiction
C．a(chǎn) scientific repot	D．a(chǎn) bulletin board

Seven species of carp(鯉魚) native to Asia have been introduced into United States waters in recent decades, but it's four in particular－bighead, black, grass and silver－that worry ecologists, biologists, fishers and policymakers alike. Introduced in the southeast to help control weeds and parasites in aquaculture (水產(chǎn)養(yǎng)殖) operations, these fish soon spread up the Mississippi River system where they have been crowding out native fish populations not used to competing with such aggressive invaders. The carps' presence in such numbers is also harming water quality and killing off sensitive species.
Asian carp are strong to jump over barriers such as low dams. They lay hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time and spread into new habitat quickly and easily. Also, flooding has helped the fish expand into previously unattainable water bodies. And fishers using young carp as live bait have also helped the fish's spread, as they have boats going through locks up and down the Mississippi.
The federal government considers the Asian carps to be annoying species and encourages and supports “active control” by natural resources management agencies. Federal and state governments have spent millions in tax dollars to prevent the carp from making their way into the Great Lakes, but an underwater electric fence constructed to keep them out has not worked as well as hoped, and policymakers are reviewing other options now.
In the meantime, state and federal agencies are monitoring the Mississippi and its branches for Asian carp and testing various barrier technologies to prevent their further spread. For instance, the National Park Service is cooperating with the state of Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources to construct new dams that are high enough to prevent Asian carp from jumping over. The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee has funded DNA monitoring in potentially affected water bodies whereby researchers can determine whether the troublesome fish are present just by the biological footprints they leave behind. Individuals can do their part by not transporting fish, bait or even water from one water body to another, and by emptying and washing boats before moving them between different water bodies.
小題1:Asian carp have been introduced to the USA in order to ________.

A．improve water quality

B．help sensitive species

C．control the number of native fishes

D．control the ecosystem in aquaculture

小題2:The measure to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lake but proved not good is ________.

A．testing various barrier technologies

B．construction of an underwater electric fence

C．Emptying and washing boats before using them.

D．monitoring the Mississippi and its branches for Asian carp

小題3:It is suggested from the passage that ________.

A．a(chǎn)quaculture operations are dangerous to the water bodies

B．scientific technology is useless in preventing Asian carp spreading

C．both the state and the individuals can make efforts to keep out Asian carp

D．Asian carp have successfully invaded the Mississippi and the Great Lakes