Fahad Azad, an engineer in India, invented a robot named DuctBot．The toy-car sized DuctBot measured 23 centimeters in length, 19 centimeters in width and 9 centimeters in height and weighs just two kilograms．
The robot is designed to snake through dark, narrow air conditioning ducts （管道） and clean them．A pair of LEDs fitted on the robot light up the dirty scenery, so it can be captured （抓拍） by a camera．
In order to control it more easily, Mr. Azad chooses to fix DuctBot on wheels．The robot can clean off lots of dirt, as well as dead pigeons and insects．Keeping indoor air in good quality and monitoring carbon-dioxide levels in buildings with central air conditioning is a challenge．It is important in some places where clean air can mean a difference between life and death, such as hospitals．Dirty air has a bad influence on people's health．
EPSCO, a Dubai-based company which specializes in improving indoor air quality, read about Mr. Azad's invention in a national newspaper after he had won an international robotics competition．EPSCO had cleaning equipment, but it needed someone to get into those ducts to do the dirty, dangerous work．Across India, for example, the task still falls to children．They are small enough to go through those ducts．
In 2005, Mr. Azad who was still at university decided to do something about it．Six years later his own company, Robosoft Systems, has Bluestar, EPSCO and the Indian Navy, some leading air condition makers, as partners．
Mr. Azad and his ten employees are currently exploring robot designs to examine oil tanks or sewage （污水）pipes．Their biggest challenge is to make the robots user-friendly enough．Mr. Azad hopes that the robot could eventually be operated not by engineers but by workers．There will be lots of difficulties they need to overcome in the future．
小題1:What can we learn about Ductbot?

A．It is a toy car and popular with children．

B．It is designed to move like a snake in the ducts．

C．many LEDs are fitted on it to tell its location．

D．It is actually a camera to capture dirty scenery．

小題2:The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 2 refers to "____"．

A．the camera	B．the conditioning duct
C．the LED light	D．the dirty scenery

小題3:What can the Ductbot do for us?

A．Clean off the dirt in the ducts．

B．Control the central conditioning．

C．Reduce carbon-dioxide in buildings．

D．Protect more animals in city．

小題4:According to the text, EPSCO____．

A．has won an international robotics competition

B．hired children to clean the dirty ducts in the past

C．is the only partner of Robosoft Systems

D．specializes in improving people's health

小題5:What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Only engineers can operate the Ductbot now．

B．New ways have been found to examine oil tanks．

C．Azad's difficulties are impossible to overcome．

D．Azad's team are working to improve their robot designs．

Dear Dean,
It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to improve the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the lab. I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers.
We have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can research in their field using the best tools provided by technology?
As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future, since many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work.
While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. They are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and research many topics on the Internet. Being able to do projects using the computer also gives students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage.
If there are more new and faster computers accessible, students will be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands.
The more computers are used in society, the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more accessible to students facilitates their learning process by making it much easier and more engaging(專注), and eventually improves their quality of life.
小題1:The purpose of the author in writing the passage is________.

A．to explain why students are in great need of computers

B．to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers

C．to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers

D．to describe the problems caused by lack of computers

小題2:The author mainly wants to tell us in paragraph four that ________.

A．computers are beneficial to students’ academic success

B．computers are the only access to good grades for students

C．students find it convenient to do homework by computers

D．students wish to use more money to buy more computers

小題3:The underlined word “facilitates” can be replaced by________.

A．furthers

B．equips

C．predicts

D．troubles

小題4:Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?

A.	B.
C.	D.

CP: Central point    P: Point    SP: Sub-point(次要點)    C: Conclusion

In the new book The Education of Millionaires，Michael Ellsberg suggests that although“there are many wonderful things you can learn in college，”few of them are applied to real life ．So Ellsberg has written the book to tell“the capabilities and attitudes that will get you improved outside the classroom．”
I welcome the kind of debate about the value of higher education.It is necessary to remember， however，that Ellsberg also tells how important it is to make money．He mentions a number of college dropouts一such as Bill Gates and Michael Dell一to show how successful they have become without the benefit of a college degree．While Ellsberg stresses the achievements of dropouts，he includes degree holders who have become wealthy and famous．For example，of the current Fortune 500 CEOs，some 99％have a college degree．Similarly，of the Forbes 400 richest people in America，81％hold postseconda.ry（高等）degrees.
But in the discussion，what is forgotten about the value is that the purpose of education is not simply to enable one to earn a living but to prepare one for living over the course of life ．What is also left out of the debate about higher education is that its purpose is not just to provide a pathway covered with gold for the nation’s elites（精英）．If we have the discussion that way，we may look down upon the people who devote themselves to other ordinary jobs that form the basic structures（結(jié)構(gòu)）of our society，Though these individuals may not be reaching for the kind of stars that Michael Ellsberg and others would have them grasp，most are doing something even more important：they are involved in the useful tasks of good citizens and contributing to the common welfare，including providing for their families．
小題1:In the book The Education of Millionaires，Michael Ellsberg＿＿＿．

A．a(chǎn)pproves of the value of education

B．explains the reasons for dropping out

C．tells the way of getting out of college

D．discusses the practical value of college degrees

小題2:The second paragraph suggests a fact that＿＿＿＿

A．the value of higher education is never challenged

B．higher education ensures people making more money

C．most of the richest people received college education

D．success of dropouts proves the value of higher education

小題3:From the last paragraph we can learn that the author＿＿＿

A．is keen on society charity work	B．calls for the equality of all man
C．speaks highly of the nation’s elites	D．shows respect to common people

小題4:The passage is written mainly to．＿＿＿

A．persuade people to go to university

B．make a comment on a new book

C．complain about the college education

D．praise Michael Ellsberg for his hard work

Science Daily—Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom.
“We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help,” Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said. “In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.”
Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves. Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child’s father, grandparent, or other familiar persons.
“The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer,” she said. “Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations. We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child’s explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on.
小題1:According to the passage, a mom had better ________.

A．give a kid some help when he is explaining his problem

B．just listen while a kid is explaining his problem

C．work together with a kid toward the solution to a problem

D．leave a kid alone when he meets a problem at school

小題2: If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom ________.

A．should know the answer to a problem first

B．should pay attention to the child’s feedback.

C．may not know the answer herself

D．should not interrupt the child

小題3:Who will be the least help to a kid when he is explaining, according to Rittle-Johnson?

A．The kid’s mom.

B．The kid’s grandmother.

C．A peer.

D．A relative the kid doesn’t know.

小題4:Which of the following best gives the main idea of the passage?

A．Children learn better when their mom is hearing their explaining.

B．Children learn better if they find the solution to a problem themselves.

C．Parents should not provide any assistance to their children’s schoolwork.

D．A mom should listen more to their children when they have problems at school.

American researchers found females are the more talkative sex because of a special “l(fā)anguage protein(蛋白質(zhì))” in the brain.
The study, conducted by neuroscientists (神經(jīng)學家)and psychologist from the University of Maryland, concluded that women talked more because they had more of the Foxp2 protein. The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that higher levels were found among humans that were women but in rats that were males. Their findings came after it was previously claimed that ladies speak about 20,000 words a day – over 13,000 more than men. “This study is one of the first to report a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals,” said Prof Margaret McCarthy, who led the study. In their study, the researchers attempted to determine what might make male rats more vocal than their female friends.
They separated four-day-old rats from their mothers and then counted the number of times they cried out in the “ultrasonic range”, the frequencies higher than humans can hear, over five minutes. While both sexes called out hundreds of cries, the males called out twice as often, they found. But when the pups were returned to their mother’s cage, she fussed over her sons first. Tests conducted on the parts of the brain known to be associated with vocalcalls showed the male pups have up to twice as much Foxp2 protein as the females. The researchers then increased the production in the brains of female pups and reduced it in males. This led to the female rats crying out more often and their mothers showing more interest to them. In contrast, males became less “talkative”.
The researchers then tested samples from ten children, aged between three and five, which showed that females had up to 30 per cent more of the Foxp2 protein than males, in a brain area key to language in humans.
“Based on our observations, we assume higher levels of Foxp2 in girls and higher levels of Foxp2 in male rats is an indication that Foxp2 protein levels are associated with the more communicative sex,” said Prof McCarthy. “Our results imply Foxp2 as a component of the neurobiological basis of sex differences in vocal communication in mammals. “
小題1:From the second paragraph, we can learn that ________.

A．women always speak more words than men

B．men and male rats have low levels of language protein

C．women and male rats have similar levels of Foxp2

D．McCarthy isn’t the first to find females more talkative

小題2:The underlined phrase “fussed over” in the third paragraph probably means______.

A．paid attention to

B．related to

C．put pressure on

D．counted on

小題3:The researchers carried out the experiments on rats in order to _______.

A．test which part of the brain is key to language in rats and humans

B．prove the levels of Foxp2 protein in humans and rats are different

C．determine the reason why female rats are more talkative than male rats

D．discover the association between Foxp2 protein and vocal communication

小題4:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage ?

A．Tests on humans and rats

B．Why women are the talkative sex

C．Sex differences in Foxp2 protein

D．Foxp2 protein determines oral ability

A good teacher is many things to many people. In my own experience, the people I respect the most and think about the most are the teachers who demanded (要求) the most discipline (紀律) from their students.
I miss one teacher in particular that I had in high school. I think she was a good teacher because she was a very strict person. I remember very vividly (清晰地) a sign over her classroom door. It was a simple sign that said, “Laboratory—in this room the first five letters of the word was emphasized (強調(diào)), not the last seven.” In other words, I guess, labor for her was more important than oratory, which means making speeches.
She prepared her work very carefully and demanded us to do the same. We got lots of homework from her. Once she had broken her arm, and everybody in the class thought that maybe the homework load would be reduced, but it continued just the same. She checked our work by stamping her name at the bottom of the papers to show that she had read them.
I think sometimes teachers who demand the most are liked the least. But as time goes by, this discipline really seems to benefit (有益于) the students.
小題1:Which of the following is considered a good teacher by the writer?

A．A patient teacher.	B．An honest teacher.
C．A strict teacher.	D．A hard-working teacher.

小題2:The teacher put up the sign over her classroom door ___.

A．to remind the students that this room was a laboratory

B．to advise the students to follow the disciplines

C．to warn the students not to be careless

D．to tell the students to work hard in the classroom

小題3:When the teacher’s arm was broken, she ___.

A．gave her students the usual amount of homework

B．gave her students less homework

C．a(chǎn)sked her students to check the homework themselves

D．gave her students more homework

小題4:What’s the writer’s opinion of discipline?

A．It makes the students dislike their teachers.

B．It does good to the students in the long run.

C．It’s too much for young children.

D．It does more harm than good to the students.

BEIJING - By the end of 2011 China-made supercomputers will say goodbye to foreign microchips（微芯片） and start using their own "Chinese core(核心)", according to one of the country's leading scientists, Hu Weiwu.
Hu told reporters on Saturday that the "Dawning 6000" supercomputer, developed by the Institute of Computing Technology of CAS and the Dawning Information Industry Company (DIIC), will adopt Loongson microchips for the first time as its core parts. It will have a computing speed of more than 1,000 trillion operations a second.
Making supercomputers with Chinese microchips is one of the nation's major science and technology projects. Three organizations - the Institute of Computing Technology of CAS, Jiangnan Institute of Computing Technology and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) - have their own supercomputer projects.
According to their schedules, all three institutions will need to meet the target of using domestically（國內(nèi)的） developed microchips by the end of this year. Hu said the new supercomputer will use fewer than 10,000 Loongson microchips, and will also be more energy-efficient.
Tianhe-1A, developed by NUDT in Hunan's provincial capital Changsha, is the fastest supercomputer in the world. However, Tianhe-1A largely runs on 14,336 CPUs made by Intel, and 7,186 GPUs (processing units) from Nvidia, two US chip-makers.
Hu said there will be difficulties ahead as there is little affiliated equipment specially developed for these supercomputers. "We have enough supercomputers in China but still can't make full use of them," He said.
Hu added that although the China-made CPUs have improved since they were first produced in 2002, they have a long way to go to compete with US chip-makers such as Intel.
小題1:What’s the best title for this passage?

A．The Arrival of Chinese Supercomputers

B．Homemade CPUs with a Long Way to Go

C．The Supercomputers of Three Organizations in China

D．Homemade CPUs on the Way for Local Supercomputers

小題2:What will raise the speed to more than 1,000 trillion operations a second.?

A．Dawning 6000	B．Loongson microchips
C．DIIC	D．Tianhe-1A

小題3:What do we know about Tianhe-1A?
A. Not all the parts of Tianhe-1A are made by China.
B. Tianhe-1A is developed by CAS and DIIC.
C. Tianhe-1A will use fewer than 10,000 Loongson microchips.
D. NUDT has produced a most powerful supercomputer in China.
小題4:The underlined word “affiliated” can be replaced by_______.

A．cheap

B．suitable

C．expensive

D．modern

During adolescence(青春期), peers（同齡人） play a large part in a young person's life and typically replace family as the center of a teen's social activities. Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" may influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind. 
As children grow, develop, and move into early adolescence, contacts with one's peers and the attraction of peer identification (認同)increases. As pre-adolescents begin rapid physical, emotional and social changes, they begin to question adult standards and the need for parental guidance. They find it good to turn for advice to friends who understand— friends who are in the same position themselves. By trying new things and testing their ideas with their peers, there is less fear of being laughed at.
There are two levels of peer pressure. The first is in the large group: for most teens a school or a youth group are examples. This is the situation that gets the most attention. The second is in the close relationship with one or several best friends. This is the situation that is sometimes disregarded. The large group puts a general pressure on its members. It sets the standard for clothing, music, entertainment, and "political correctness". The pressure can be avoided by keeping quiet or by putting on the appearance of agreement.
小題1:Why can’t some children follow their common sense?

A．Because they want to be liked by everybody.

B．Because they don’t want to make fun of others.

C．Because they are curious about their new friends.

D．Because they think all the children will do the same.

小題2:When in pre-adolescence, who may children ask for suggestions?

A．Parents

B．Teachers

C．Friends

D．Classmates

小題3:Which word can replace the underlined word disregarded in the last paragraph?

A．unnoticed

B．mentioned

C．disagreed

D．a(chǎn)voided

小題4:What might be discussed in the following paragraph?

A．The reasons of peer pressure.

B．The advantages of peer pressure.

C．Peer pressure from close friends.

D．Peer pressure from a youth group.

Today, when a fire breaks out, you can be sure a citizen with a cell-phone camera has posted it to Facebook or Twitter, or sent it to the media. But up to now, that citizen has not been able to easily send images and details of what is happening to the people who need it most: police, firefighters and building-security people who must respond, and whose ability to help is often measured in minutes, if not seconds.
That's about to change. A one-year old company called Elerts has developed a system that's designed to mobile and social technologies to speed the flow of information between citizens and emergency workers in time of danger. The system involves free mobile applications—iPhone and iPad app（應(yīng)用軟件）is available now—that eyewitnesses can use to report incidents and get public-safety warnings. And Elerts is offering a management console（控制臺）for security firms and universities to receive the reports and distribute warnings and instructions, like a map with the best evacuation route（疏散路線）.
The service is the brainchild of Chris Russo, deputy fire chief in the coastal town of Hull, Mass. As mobile communications sped up, he grew increasingly frustrated by his inability to communicate effectively with colleagues and the public, particularly with people who are at the scene and might be able to provide help.
"Remembering situations when communications failed puts a pit in my stomach," Mr. Russo says. Last summer, he was in a search at a beach for a missing boy, who went into a bathhouse but didn't come out. First responders feared an abduction （綁架） on the beach or shark attack. The child's mother, who didn't speak English well, was so sad that she couldn't remember what color shorts he had on. Mr. Russo had no photo of the child, and no ability to turn to beachgoers.
Two long hours later, the boy was spotted by a low-flying helicopter lost and alone on the beach crying—a lucky break. "If 5 percent of beachgoers had an app to receive a message and send in sightings of a lost boy, the happy ending might have come much sooner," Mr. Russo said.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?

A．A moving story of Chris Russo．	B．An app for reporting emergency．
C．A cell-phone instant service．	D．An app for firm management．

小題2:What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?

A．Makes me feel frustrated．	B．Causes a stomachache．
C．Arouses my interest．	D．Leaves a hole in my stomach．

小題3:We can infer from the passage that emergency workers ____．

A．have to carry out rescue work in minutes

B．must send images and details immediately

C．need images and detailed information badly

D．have to turn to Facebook and Twitter for details

小題4:The author takes Chris Russo's experience as an example to ____．

A．a(chǎn)dvertise his creativity in communication

B．show readers the working principle of the new system

C．make the passage more interesting to read

D．inform readers how Russo got the idea of the service

A machine which makes water out of air could become the greatest household invention since the microwave． Using the same technology as a dehumidifier (除濕器)， the Water Mill is able to create a ready supply of drinking water by getting it from a limitless source－the air． The company behind the machine says not only does it offer all alterative to bottled water in developed countries，but it is a solution for the millions who face a daily water shortage．
The machine works by drawing in damp air through a filter(過濾器) and over a cooling element which changes it into water droplets．It can produce up to 12 liters a day．The Water Mill will also produce more water when storms pass over, as the humidity（濕度）in the air increases．In keeping with its ecodevelopment，the machine uses the same amount of electricity as three light bulbs．
Inventor Jonathan Ritchey said：“The demand for water is off the chart．People are looking for freedom from water distribution systems that are shaky and unreliable”．
The machine，which is about 3 feet wide，is likely to cost￡800 when it goes on sale here in the spring．Its maker, Canadian firm Element Four, estimates that a liter of water will cost around 20 pence to produce．
Environmentalists claim half the world’s population will face water shortage because of climate change by 2080．One in five humans is said to lack access to safe drinking water．
The Water Mill is not effective in areas with below about 30 percent relative humidity, but with average relative humidity in England of more than 70 percent that won’t be much of an issue here.
小題1:According to the author, the biggest advantage of the machine is its ______．

A．little power use

B．unlimited source

C．proper size

D．high production

小題2:We can conclude from the passage that the machine________．

A．can be used everywhere

B．has not been on sale

C．will replace the water distribution system

D．will solve the problem of water shortage

小題3:The underlined phrase “off the chart” in the passage means ________

A．record-breaking．

B．urgent．

C．unbelievable．

D．a(chǎn)mazing．

小題4:What would be the best title for this passage?________

A．Microwave for Household Use	B．Filter to Draw in Damp Air
C．Mode Dehumidifier on Sale	D．Machine to Make Water out of Air