A farm planted levels or floors is called a vertical(垂直的)farm. A skyscraper type building can house a vertical farm. Since the garden is built upwards，rather than outwards，it requires much less space than a conventional farm.
The world is quickly running out of room for conventional farming. Vertical farms could be a key to this situation. An 18­story vertical farm could feed as many as 50,000 people，all in an area which is the size of the average city block. Vertical farms in the city could cut down on transportation costs as well. Think about the amount of fuel it takes to transport food from farmland to city. The resources saved would be surprising. Besides saving travel time，food would be delivered in fresher condition and with less damage.
There is a growing concern about the use of pesticides(殺蟲劑) in agriculture today. But the vertical farm would be a greenhouse type environment, avoiding the need for a large number of pesticides. Vertical farms can be built in a contained space，therefore they are an excellent solution for living well in an environment far different from our own. Hydroponics(水耕法) could be a big part of vertical gardening. This would reduce the amount of soil needed to grow food. Of course，not all food does well with this type of planting，but there are many crops that actually seem to do better.
In some climates，a lack of sunlight creates a short growing season. The solar power option may not work as well here. The addition of grow lights would make it possible to grow crops in vertical gardens in these areas .In other words，we could grow crops in areas where we never could before.
Vertical farms may just be a concept for now，but they are a concept that will solve many of our problems in the future.
小題1:According to the passage, a vertical farm ________.

A．is mainly built outwards

B．is dependent on solar power

C．is planted on levels upwards

D．is only an environmental friendly farm

小題2:Compared to the conventional farm, the vertical farm can ________.

A．depend far less on sunlight

B．greatly increase the use of soil

C．help to protect the limited gardens

D．reduce the harmful effect of pesticides

小題3: It can be learned from the passage that vertical farms ________.

A．have already been put into use

B．only use hydroponics to grow food

C．need less room than conventional farms

D．may increase the transportation costs

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

A．Vertical farms for our future

B．Ways to deal with future problems

C．Vertical farms and green skyscrapers

D．Making full use of our limited land

The National Park Service in the United States will mark its one hundredth anniversary in 2016. As it nears its second century, the Park Service plans to increase its educational programs for students and teachers.
The plans include transportation support for one hundred thousand students each year to visit national parks to learn about nature and history. Yellowstone is believed to have been the world's first national park when it was established in 1872. Other students will get a chance to see parks in faraway places through Skype and other online programs.
The National Park Service also works with partners to provide education. One of its partners is a nonprofit organization called NatureBridge. NatureBridge is celebrating its fortieth anniversary and says one million young people have taken part in its programs. The organization works with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade and uses national parks as its classrooms. It provides field science programs at Yosemite National Park and four other locations in California and the northwestern state of Washington.
Now, NatureBridge is launching an East Coast center with a four-million-dollar grant from Google. The program will begin in April at the Prince William Forest Park in Virginia. Students stay for three to five days in NatureBridge programs. The activities are aimed at developing their science skills. For example, they learn about different soils and study water quality under a microscope.
Jason Morris is executive vice president of NatureBridge. He says when they are not sleeping, eating or in a laboratory, the students spend their time outdoors. Julia Washburn is associate director of education and interpretation for the National Park Service. She says in a time of budget cuts, the agency has to find ways to still meet its goals. Ms. Washburn says one of the most important services that the Park Service provides every day is nature interpretation. Park rangers (公園管理員) try to make visiting the outdoors more meaningful. Interpretation is a form of informal education. Essentially, it is a word that we use for the people in parks that explain the park or help orient(確定方向)you. So park rangers are interpreters. They orient you to the place you are in and help you make connections, emotional and intellectual connections, with the place.
小題1:Which of the following descriptions about NatureBridge is NOT correct?

A．It’s an organization working together with National Park Service to provide education.

B．Some of the activities held by NatureBridge are financially supported by Google.

C．Students from kindergarten to college can sign up for the organization’s activities.

D．It’s going to cut down budget for the activities because of economic hard times.

小題2:In which national park will the program by East Coast centre start?

A．Yellowstone National Park.	B．Prince William Forest Park.
C．Yosemite National Park.	D．Not mentioned in the passage.

小題3:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．National parks are used as outdoor classrooms for students.

B．Students are called on to be members of NatureBridge.

C．Some famous national parks in US are attractive to students.

D．Park rangers make visiting parks much more interesting.

小題4: Which of the following is the correct structure of the whole passage? (Para=paragraph)

A．

B．

C．

D．

Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a pleasant companion（伙伴） to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog，you will have a lot of troubles.
Families should sit down and thoroughly discuss the possible problems before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for. If you don’t know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a young dog. In reading about the different breeds(種類)you should know that a dog described(描述)as very alert(機敏靈活的)may be too active. When a book describes a dog as an excellent hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won’t be happy living in a small house. Dog breeds vary(變化)in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd（牧羊犬）. This is because it provides protection as well as companionship（陪伴）. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to control. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don’t need to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the home.
小題1:According to the passage, one can get information about different kinds of dogs      .

A．by going to the library

B．by asking someone who has enough experience about different kinds of dogs

C．by buying a dog and training it

D．by reading books about dogs

小題2:The German shepherd is a popular dog      .

A．because it is easy to train

B．because it is big and strong

C．because it is powerful and friendly

D．because it is alert and active

小題3:Which is the best topic of the passage?

A．The care and proper selection of dogs for families.

B．Different breeds of dogs.

C．Responsibility for seeing that dogs are properly cared for.

D．Different kinds of books about dogs.

It should be very clear that we live in a most spectacular（壯觀的）time. It’s a time when information is of primary importance. It’s a time when new information technologies are fundamentally transforming the world in every aspect. Among the changes, which have come upon modern society, the ones in education are probably the most obvious and influential. New information technologies are accelerating changes in education, at the same time presenting revolutionary tools with the potential to make education more efficient and more effective than ever.
The application of new information technologies has remarkably promoted the process of education. Online learning is probably the best case in point. As is often the case with “technology”, online learning may appear to be horrible; it can sound like alphabet soup sometimes. Now let’s see whether you can understand all this. You can participate in CBT at a CLC via the convenience of IDL. What does it all mean? Let me translate: GBT—Computer-Based Training; CLC—Computer Learning Center; IDL—Interactive Distance Learning. Sound complicated? Not really. Online learning is much less complicated than it seems. Students can learn at any time, anywhere, at any speed. They can make their own learning schedules and follow their own paths to suit their lifestyles. In my university, every semester there’re several online courses available, which need no class meetings or paper materials. The only thing I have to do is just to get online regularly as I wish, and download necessary learning materials. Then everything I need to know about the course is only a click away.
But online learning is not perfect; it’s like the microwave oven: it does some things better, but it is not a complete replacement for the traditional model. The traditional classroom model for education and learning is hard to leave behind. Because humans are social creatures, there’re times when we need to see each other face-to-face for interactive learning. A social and personal connection often builds effective teams, solves problems, and inspires confidence. So one possible solution is to combine online learning with the old traditional classroom learning , which not only makes the learning process faster and cheaper, but also highlights the interactions between teachers and students.
The bottom line: the Internet is the most important educational tool in the information age and online learning will become a main part of every individual’s learning experience in the future. That’s exactly how we will move knowledge from the ones who have it to the ones who need it faster and cheaper, and that’s how we’re going to survive in the information age.
小題1:The most suitable title for the passage should be “___________.”

A．Education in the information age

B．Advantages and disadvantages of online learning

C．Online learning vs classroom learning

D．How to survive in the information age

小題2:In Paragraph 3 the microwave oven is mentioned as an example to indicate that_________.

A．online learning needs improving

B．online learning doesn’t suit everyone

C．online learning will exist alongside the traditional model

D．online learning is more advanced than the traditional model

小題3:Which of the following descriptions about online learning is NOT true according to the passage?

A．It is more efficient and effective.

B．It is convenient to both teachers and students.

C．It stresses interactions between teachers and students.

D．It is a cheaper way of learning.

小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．not all the people are in favor of online learning

B．it is not easy to combine online learning with classroom learning

C．in the future all the courses will be available online

D．in a sense our survival in the world depends on online learning

With the Tesla Roadster and other plug­in (插入式) electric vehicles hitting the road，demand is growing for accessible refueling points to recharge(充電) them. Carbon Day Automotive, a Chicago­based company，has now demonstrated（演示）a solar­powered recharging point, known as the Solar Plug­In Station，which lets motorists easily charge their cars using electricity that has been produced without any environmental damage.
The Solar Plug­In Station has gone on show in Chicago as part of the city’s bid（競標）to host the 2016 Olympic Games. According to Carbon Day Automotive，the Solar Plug­In Station on show in Chicago is part of the vital infrastructure(基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施) required for electric vehicles in Chicago and was the focus of a recent visit by the International Olympic Committee.
These solar­powered electricity points will be used daily to fuel the city’s electric vehicles with power from the sun. By producing the electricity from pollution­free solar cell, the CO2 emissions are reduced to zero.
“Solar energy and electric vehicles are a partnership that is one more step to reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” says Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies.Coulomb Technologies recently developed the components (部件) required for individual recharging stations，marketed as ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations.Carbon Day Automotive is the Midwest distributor for the ChargePoint stations. The Solar Plug­In Station consists of giant solar panels (電池板) that shade the tiny ChargePoint Networked Charging Station.The solar panel is connected to an underground battery pack，ready for everyday refueling.
“Without these stations it would be like driving around in a traditional car without the availability of gas stations，” says Scott Emalfarb，CEO at Carbon Day.“The day of true plug­in electric vehicles will be here sooner than most people realize and the world needs to be ready to accommodate（為……提供場地）them.”
小題1:The Solar Plug­In Station is used as part of the bid to host the Olympics mainly because ________.

A．it’s environmentally friendly

B．it makes up for the lack of electricity

C．it’s a new idea and attracts people’s attention

D．it brings convenience to electric vehicle users

小題2:We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．to recharge the electric vehicles takes a long time

B．the Solar Plug­In Station will come into use in 2016

C．the Solar Plug­In Station has gone on show internationally

D．Chicago is promoting the use of electric vehicles

小題3:According to the passage，how many of the following statements are TRUE?
a. Tesla Roadster is a kind of plug­in electric vehicle.
b. The Solar Plug­In Station uses solar power to charge all of the cars.
c. Chicago is a city，which is rich in oil.
d. The Solar Plug­In Station consists of underground battery packs.
e. Scott Emalfarb is optimistic about the future of plug­in electric vehicles.

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

小題4:The passage implies that when the Solar Plug­In Station becomes popular，________.

A．more visitors will come to Chicago

B．the citizens of Chicago will be able to go to work faster

C．more space for electric vehicles will be needed

D．the cost of electric vehicles will be lower than traditional cars

小題5:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Chicago Will Soon Be Full of Electric Vehicles

B．Chicago Calls on People to Buy Electric Vehicles

C．Chicago Fights for Its Bid to Host the 2016 Olympics

D．Chicago Shows Its Solar­powered Recharging Stations

If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they will become weak; and when you start using them again, they will slowly become strong again.       knows this, but nobody would think of     the fact.
Yet there are many people who        to know that the memory works in the same way. When someone says that       has a good memory, he       means that he keeps his memory in practice     exercising it very     , either consciously or unconsciously. When someone else says that his memory is     , he means that he does not give it enough      to become strong. The position is exactly the same as that of       people, one of      exercises his arms and legs by playing ball, while the other       in a chair or a car all day. If a friend of yours says that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own      , But if he tells us that he has a poor memory,      of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just     , and few of us realize that it is just as it was his arms or legs that were weak. Not all of us can become very strong in body or very clever in mind,       all of us can improve our strength and our memory by the same means that      .
Have you ever       that people who cannot read or write usually have      memories than those who can? Why is this? Of course, because they cannot write down something in a little notebook or something else. They have to remember names, places, songs and stories; so their memory is always being exercised.
In a word, if you want to have a good memory, do practice       things。

小題1:	A．Everybody B．Somebody C．Nobody D．Each one

小題2:	A．proving B．questioning C．describing D．indicating

小題3:	A．want B．have C．seem D．need

小題4:	A．she B．he C．it D．one

小題5:	A．a(chǎn)lways B．nearly C．really D．a(chǎn)lmost

小題6:	A．with B．in C．to D．by

小題7:	A．often B．fast C．quickly D．soon

小題8:	A．bad B．useless C．helpless D．poor

小題9:	A．time B．chance C．space D．places

小題10:

A．two B．four C．three D．five

小題11:

A．them B．that C．whom D．which

小題12:

A．lies B．sits C．hides D．stands

小題13:

A．business B．interest C．story D．fault

小題14:

A．few B．some C．many D．several

小題15:

A．unfortunate B．unhappy C．unthinkable D．miserable

小題16:

A．because B．but C．for D．since

小題17:

A．study B．rest C．play D．work

小題18:

A．noticed B．thought C．believed D．realized

小題19:

A．stranger B．poorer C．worse D．better

小題20:

A．remember B．remembering. C．to remember D．remembered

Can dogs and cats live in peace in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cat are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new way for success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two­thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn't all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while attacking and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals are just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals attack, while a dog doing the same signals admitting defeat.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other's language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk “dog”, and dogs can learn how to talk “cat”.
What's interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn to read each other's body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was previously thought. Once familiar with each other's presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The advantage of this research on cats and dogs may not only about pets — to people who don't get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
小題1:The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to       .

A．early	B．sweetly
C．quickly	D．suprisingly

小題2:Some cats and dogs may fight when       .

A．they are cold to each other

B．they look away from each other

C．they understand each other's signals in a wrong way

D．they are introduced at an early age

小題3:What is found surprising about cats and dogs?

A．They eat and sleep together.

B．They observe each other's behaviors.

C．They learn to speak each other's language.

D．They know something from each other's voices.

小題4:What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?

A．We should learn to live in peace.

B．We should know more about animals.

C．We should live in peace with animals.

D．We should learn more body languages.

[1] More than 40 million Americans move each year, but not always by choice. Whether you relocate because of a new job or school for you or your spouse, for a lower cost of living, or for better opportunities, adjusting to life in a new place can be scary and difficult--especially when you’re not in love with your new city. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your relocation and find happiness in your new home.
[2] Treat it as an adventure
Living in a new place is a great opportunity to experience new things and to grow as a person. So stay positive, and get out there and explore! Sample the local cuisine. Visit landmarks and museums. Try local activities that weren’t available or popular in your former city, such as skiing if you came from a beach town or surfing if you lived in the mountains. You may discover a talent or interest you never knew you had.
[3] Get involved
Attend local events that interest you. Visit the weekly farmer’s market or the neighborhood yard sale. Volunteer. Take a class. Join a sports league. All of these things will help you meet people and feel connected to your new town.
[4] Locate the necessities
Driving, riding, or walking around your new neighborhood is the best way to learn where everything is. So head out and take note of the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, post office, library, etc.
[5] Keep pieces of your old home
To keep from getting too homesick, subscribe to your former city magazine or newspaper. Display photos of or souvenirs from your favorite places in your old town. Hang decorations from your former home. Just don’t go overboard—hanging on to too much from your past will keep you from moving forward and really enjoying your new home.
[6] _________
It takes time to get to know a new place, so don’t expect to feel comfortable right away. Give yourself time to adjust. To help the process and to meet new people, find a support group near you at Just Moved.org.
小題1:What does the passage mainly talk about? (within 15 words.)
                                                                                  
小題2:What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to? (within 7 words)
                                                                                  
小題3:According to the passage, what can you do to learn where everything is?( within 5 words)
                                                                                  
小題4:Fill the blank with proper words. (within 5 words)
                                                                                  
小題5:If you are a new comer, where to find a support group near you based on this passage? (within 3 words)
                                                                               

In the second half of each year, many powerful storms are born in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean seas. Of these, only about a half a dozen generate (引起，導(dǎo)致) the strong, circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that give them hurricane status, and several usually make their way to the coast. There they cause millions of dollars of damage, and bring death to large numbers of people.
The great storms that hit the coast start as innocent circling disturbances hundreds--- even thousands--- of miles out to sea. As they travel aimlessly over water warmed by the summer sun, they are carried westward by the trade winds. When conditions are just right, warm, moist air flows in at the bottom of such a disturbance, moves upward through it and comes out at the top. In the process, the moisture in this warm air produces rain, and with it the heat that is converted to energy in the form of strong winds. As the heat increases, the young hurricane begins to swirl in a counter-clockwise (逆時針方向) motion.
The average life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but it contains almost more power than we can imagine. The energy in the heat released by a hurricane’s rainfall in a single day would satisfy the entire electrical needs of the United States for more than six months.
Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6 to 12 inch downpours resulting in sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea, the mountains of water moving toward the low-pressure hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore.
小題1:When is an ordinary tropical storm called a hurricane?

A．When it begins in the Atlantic and Caribbean seas.

B．When it hits he coastline.

C．When it is more than 75 mils wide.

D．When its winds reach 75 miles per hour.

小題2:What is the worst thing about hurricane?

A．The destructive effects of water.

B．The heat they release.

C．That they last about nine days on the average.

D．Their strong winds.

小題3:The counter-clockwise swirling of the hurricane is brought about by           .

A．the low-pressure area in the center of the storm

B．the force of waves of water.

C．the trade winds

D．the increasing heat

小題4:Apparently the word “downpour” in the fourth paragraph means           .

A．heavy rainfall

B．dangerous waves

C．the progress of water to the hurricane center

D．the increasing heat

The energy crisis has made people aware of how the careless use of the earth’s energy has brought the whole world to the edge of disaster. The over-development of motor transport, with its increase of more cars, more traveling, has contributed to the near-destruction of our cities and the pollution not only of local air but also of the earth’s atmosphere.
Our present situation is unlike natural disasters of the past. Worldwide energy use has brought us to a state where long-range planning is vital. What we need is not a continuation of our present serious state, which endangers the future of our country, our children, and our earth, but a movement forward in order to work rapidly and effectively on planetary problems.
This country has been failing back under the continuing exposures of loss of morality and the revelation(揭露) that lawbreaking has reached into the highest place in the land. There is a strong demand for morality to turn for the better and for some devotion that is vast enough and yet personal enough to enlist the devotion of all. In the past it has been only in a way in defense of their own country and their own benefits that people have been able to devote themselves wholeheartedly.
This is the first time that we have been asked to defend ourselves and what we hold dear in cooperation with all the other people of this planet, who share with us the same endangered air and the same endangered oceans. There is a common need to reassess our present course, to change that course and to employ new methods through which the world can survive. This is a priceless opportunity.
To grasp it, we need a widespread understanding of nature if the crisis we and the world are facing is no passing inconvenience, no byproduct of the ambitions of the oil-producing countries, no environmentalists’ only fears, no byproduct of any present system of government. What we face is the result of the invention of the last four hundred years. What we need is a transformed life style. This new life style can flow directly from science and technology, but its acceptance depends on a sincere devotion to finding a higher quality of life for the world’s children and future generation.
小題1:Which of the following has nearly destroyed our cities?

A．The loss of beliefs and ideas.

B．More of law-breaking.

C．Natural disasters in many areas.

D．The rapid growth of motors.

小題2:By comparing past problems with present ones, the author draws our attention to the        .

A．seriousness of this crisis

B．ineffectiveness of laws

C．similarity of the past to the present

D．hopelessness of the situation

小題3:Which of the following is used as an example to show the loss of morality?

A．Disregard for law.	B．Lack of devotion.
C．Lack of understanding.	D．Destruction of cities.

小題4:The author wrote the passage in order to        .

A．make a recommendation for a transformed life style

B．limit ambitions of the people of the whole world

C．demand devotion to nature and future generation

D．encourage awareness of the decline of morality