Further education is officially described as the“post-secondary stage of education， comprising all vocational(職業(yè)的) and non-vocational provision made for young people who have left school， or for adults”. Further education thus embraces the vast range of university， technical， commercial， and art education and the wide field of adult education. It is this sector of education， which is concerned with education beyond the normal school-leaving ages of 16 or 18， that has experienced the most astonishing growth in the number of students.
In the 19th century the dominance(統治地位) of Oxford and Cambridge was challenged by the rise of the civic(城市的) universities， such as London， Manchester， and Birmingham. Following the lead of the 18th century German universities and responding to a public demand for increased opportunity for higher education， Britain’s new civic universities quickly acquired recognition—not only in technological fields but also in the fine and liberal arts.
Many new post-school technical colleges were founded in the early 20th century. The Fisher Act of 1918 empowered the local authorities to levy(征收) a rate (tax) to finance such colleges. The universities， on the other hand， received funds from the central government through the University Grants Committee， established in 1911 and recognized in 1920， after World War I.
A new type of technical college was established in the 1960s—the polytechnic， which provides mainly technological courses of university level as well as courses of a general kind in the arts and sciences. Polytechnics are chartered to award degrees validated(使有效) by a Council for National Academic Awards.
Thus， the third level in the United Kingdom is made up of colleges of further education， technical colleges， polytechnics， and universities. The colleges offer full-time and part-time courses beyond compulsory-school level. Polytechnics and universities are mainly responsible for degrees and research. The innovative Open University， with its flexible admission policy and study arrangements， opened in 1971. It uses various media to provide highly accessible and flexible higher education for working adults and other part-time students. It serves as an organizational model and provides course-materials for similar institutions in other countries.
Changes in British education in the second half of the 20th century have， without changing the basic values in the system， extended education by population， level， and content. New areas for expansion include immigrant cultural groups and multicultural content， the accommodation of special needs， and the development of tools and content in the expanding fields of microelectronics.
小題1:The first paragraph is written to explain 　　　　 of further education.

A．the development	B．the history
C．the definition	D．the prospects(前景)

小題2:The new civic universities in Britain 　　　　.

A．replaced the dominance of Oxford and Cambridge

B．provided further education for all the people who need it

C．met the increased demand of the public for higher education

D．immediately followed the establishment of polytechnic colleges

小題3:Post-school technical colleges 　　　　.

A．were completely free of charge

B．were usually financed by local taxes

C．depended mainly on students’ tuition(學費)

D．received funds from the central government

小題4: Further education is 　　　　.

A．only for adult students

B．part-time rather than full-time

C．non-vocational rather than vocational

D．created for both young people and adults

小題5:The proper title for this passage should be “　　　　”.

A．British Further Education

B．Changes in British Education

C．Polytechnics and Universities in Britain

D．Less Opportunity for Higher Education

To wash yourself, you take a bath(洗澡) or a shower. Animals need to keep clean, too. How do animals clean themselves?
Cats lick（舔）themselves to keep their fur clean. Have you ever watched a pet cat clean itself?
Elephants take baths much as you do. But instead of jumping into the tub（浴缸）, they walk into a river or lake.
Pigs also like to roll around in water. This keeps them clean and cool. If there is no clean water, they will roll in mud（泥）on a hot day. They do this to cool off. Pigs do not really like mud. They are happier in a nice, clean pond(水池).
Bats have a funny way to keep clean. They lick their thumbs to clean their ears!
Guess how polar bears clean themselves. They use snow, of course!
Some animals take baths in dust instead of water! The wombat(毛鼻袋熊) is an Australian animal with lots of fur. To get clean, it lies down. Then it covers itself with sand!
Birds clean themselves in many ways. Sometimes they wash in water. That’s why some people put birdbaths in their yard. At other times birds take dust baths, just like wombats. Birds also use their beaks（喙）to keep their feathers clean. They use their beaks the way you use a comb.
Sometimes a bird has itchy bugs（發(fā)癢的蟲子）in its feathers. Birds may use ants to help them clean off the bugs. A bird will lie down on an ant nest. Then the ants will crawl on the bird. The ants make a kind of bug spray（噴霧）on the feathers;. Then the itchy bugs die!
Birds take baths in something else besides dust and ants! Some birds take “smoke baths” They sit on chimneys. They wave their wings in the smoke!
小題1:This passage mainly tells us       .

A．why some people put birdbaths in their yard	B．why birds allow ants to crawl on their body
C．how animals cool off on hot days	D．how some animals keep clean

小題2: What is a pig’s favorite way to get clean?

A．Licking itself.	B．Lying down on ants.
C．Rolling in nice, thick mud.	D．Taking a bath in clean water.

小題3:Which of the following animals use dust to clean themselves?

A．Cats.

B．Bats.

C．Wombats.

D．Ants.

Life on earth depends on water, and there is no substitute for it. The current assumption is that our basic needs for water — whether for drinking, agriculture, industry or the raising of fish will always have to be met . Given that premise (前提), there are two basic routes we can go: more equal access to water or better engineering solutions.
Looking at the engineering solution first, a lot of my research concentrates on what happens to wetlands when you build dams in river basins, particularly in Africa. The ecology of such areas is almost entirely driven by the seasonal changes of the river — the pulse of the water. And the fact is that if you build a dam, you generally spoil the downstream ecology. In the past, such problems have been hidden by a lack of information. But in the near future, governments will have no excuse for their ignorance.
The engineers’ ability to control water flows has created new kinds of unpredictability, too. Dams in Africa have meant fewer fish, less grazing and less floodplain (洪泛區(qū)) agriculture — none of which were expected. And their average economic life is assumed to be thirty years. Dams don’t exist forever, but what will replace them is not clear.
The challenge for the future is to find new means of controlling water. Although GM technology (轉基因) will allow us to breed better dry-land crops, there is no market for companies to develop crops suitable for the micro-climates of the Sahel and elsewhere in Africa. Who is going to pay for research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World?
小題1:What’s the main idea of this passage?

A．The engineering solutions to water resource and their limitation.

B．The challenge for the future.

C．The basic means of controlling water.

D．The challenge for developing crops.

小題2: Which of the following statements is NOT true for meeting our basic needs for water?

A．Water resource should be used more reasonably.

B．More dams should be built in river basins.

C．More wetlands should be protected from destruction.

D．More dry-land crops could be developed in Africa.

小題3: The author suggests that governments will have no excuse for their careless ignorance in the future because        .

A．The ecological destruction will be known to the public by researchers

B．The ecological destruction will no longer be a problem in the future

C．The future is an information age

D．Governments will face greater challenge in the future

小題4:The author mentions all the problems caused by dams EXCEPT          .

A．fewer fish	B．less grazing land
C．less floodplain agriculture	D．less farming land

小題5:The last sentence probably implies that          .

A．No one will invest in developing locally appropriate crops in Africa

B．Researchers have no interest in developing dry-land crops

C．Research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World may be profitable

D．There is less water resource in the Third World

One of the big challenges that students face in applying to universities abroad is writing the application essay．
The essay topics all have something in common. They attempt to get at what type of person you are, what motivates you，and what you feel passion for. In a single 500-word piece of writing，
admissions officers(招生負責人)attempt to gather all about you. So your task is of your personality on the essay and make yourself special. 
You can try and guess what the admissions officers like. But that won’t work．The essay will sound empty and become another dull piece of writing，which admissions officers get thousands of each year．
It is true that admissions officers aren’t exactly looking for anything. The answer is just as open-ended as the question itself. If they ask for someone who has inspired you, it could be anyone. It could be a grandmother, a teacher, or even a character from a movie. A lot of people will say their dad. But since you really feel it, you’ll have a lot to write about.
There are some important things to remember．These admissions officers want good writers. You don't have to be Ernest Hemingway, but you have to be able to form an interesting story．That means revision(校對)and editing，cutting out stupid grammar mistakes，reading it over several times，leaving it for a few days and looking at it again. Whatever you do, make sure the essay is as good as possible.
Also，you should use exciting language and really make the reader feel the same passion as you do. It also means finding something unique about your point of view, something that other people might not think of．For example，if you want to write about your dad, you can focus on a specific anecdote(趣聞)about him .Admissions officers love personal stories that ring true．
小題1:The purpose of the passage is to give advice on how to_________.
A. choose an essay topic                                   B. read the officers’ minds
C. be a good writer                                          D write an effective application
小題2:The underlined part of paragraph 2 suggests that you__________.

A．stick enough stamps before posting your application essay

B．write something unique in an essay to impress the readers

C．take the task of showing off yourself seriously

D．pay attention to your personal essay

小題3: When admissions officers ask who has inspired you，they mean to________.

A．know about your family members	B．understand you better
C．find out what your father does	D．discover your personal affairs

小題4: According to the writer, it is wise to produce an essay with__________.

A．500 beautiful words

B．many funny things

C．truthful specific stories

D．indirect answers

Goats are amazing animals. They can survive just about anywhere. Altogether there are nine species of goats in the world.
Goats have more uses than you could ever imagine. Goat’s meat can be eaten and goat’s milk is becoming popular as a healthy choice to drink milk. Goat’s milk is easier to take in than cow’s milk and it is called universal milk as it can be used to bottle-feed most animals. In nutrition, it is also good. Goat’s skins are still used today to make gloves and other items of clothing. The initial reasons for domesticating (馴化) goats were to get goat’s hair, meat and milk. Goat’s skins were used up until the Middle Ages for making bottles to hold water and wine for people who were traveling or camping.
Just like sheep, goats are considered to be the first domesticated animal. The domestication process began over 10,000 years ago in a North Iranian town. A lot of people keep goats as pets nowadays.
Goats are easily trained and you can teach them to pull carts and walk on ropes. Goats are also known for escaping their pens(圈). If you have unsecured fencing, your goats will be interested in it and test it out and soon you will know where the openings are. Goats are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be at a slight angle(角度).
If goats are raised correctly and trained from an early age, they never develop any bad habits. Goats will attack each other. However, if they’re corrected from an early age they never attack humans or other animals.
小題1:The passage is written mainly 　   　.

A．to tell people how to raise goats	B．to let people know more about goats
C．to explain how goats are domesticated	D．to describe goats of different uses

小題2:Why is goat’s milk called universal milk?

A．It is rich in nutrition and easy to take in.	B．It is good for our health.
C．It is suitable to feed most animals.	D．It is easy to get.

小題3:If you want to keep a goat as a pet, it is important 　   　.

A．to get along well with it	B．to find a professional trainer
C．to develop its ability	D．to train it when young

小題4:Which of the following words can best describe goats?

A．Curious and clever.	B．Unfriendly and naughty.
C．Careful and lazy.	D．Stubborn and quiet.

Have you ever heard a news reporter talk about DNA? Reporters talk about DNA found at the scene of a crime. They talk about police finding DNA “fingerprints.” Police sometimes use DNA as a clue to find out who committed the crime.
DNA is a substance（物質） that makes up genes. Everything alive has genes. Plans have genes. Animals have genes. You have genes.
Genes are the basic units of heredity（遺傳）. Heredity means all the characteristics you inherit from your parents. You get your genes from your parents. You inherit half of your genes from your mother. You inherit half of your genes from your father.
Genes are a kind of code. A tree’s genes tell what shape its leaves will be. A cat’s genes tell what color its fur will be. Your genes tell what color your eyes will be. Your genes tell what color your hair will be. Everything about you comes from the code in your genes.
Genes line up on strands（鏈） called chromosomes（染色體） in cells. Everything alive is made up of cells. Chromosomes are in the center, or nucleus, of cells.
Different parts of you are made of different kinds of cells. Your muscles are made of muscle celIs. Your skin is made of skin cells. The code in your genes tells your body to make different kinds of cells. The genes in each cell tell the cell how to work. They tell the cell when to make new copies of itself.
An Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel first saw inherited patterns in pea plants. He experimented with pea plants in the 1860s. One of the things, or traits（特質）， Mendel studied was what makes some pea plants tall and some short. He said that the traits must come from units of heredity passed from the parent plants. These units were later called genes.
In the mid-1900s, scientists discovered that genes are made of DNA. In the 1970s, scientists learned how to change DNA with genetic engineering. Scientists also learned that problems with certain genes cause diseases. Muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and hemophilia are some genetic diseases-diseases caused by problems in genes. Today, scientists are looking for ways to cure genetic diseases by changing genes through a process called gene therapy.
小題1: What is DNA?

A．DNA is a kind of gene.

B．DNA is a substance that makes up genes.

C．DNA is the basic unit of heredity.

D．DNA is a measure to protect crime.

小題2: Which of the following about genes is correct according to the passage?

A．Plants, animals and human beings have the same genes.

B．Half people inherit all genes from their mother, others from their father.

C．Genes decide the trees shapes, the cats’ fur color and our eyes’ color as well.

D．Genes will give you a code when you need them.

小題3:Where are genes?

A．Genes lining up on strands called chromosomes are in the center of cells.

B．Genes hide in everything alive in your body.

C．Genes can be nowhere but in your mind, controlling all your actions.

D．Genes travel in your body and help cope skin, muscle, and eyes.

小題4:An Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel         .

A．first saw inherited patterns in people

B．was interested in why plants were different

C．first called the units of heredity from parents genes

D．was the first who discovered genes

小題5: We can conclude that         .

A．scientists were less intelligent than monks in 1900s

B．some genes are bad and can cause diseases

C．we don’t need to worry about genetic diseases any longer

D．the discovery of genes may be of great help in our daily life

SCIENTISTS have discovered that living to the age of 100 may have nothing to do with the lifestyle you lead and everything to do with the type of genes (基因) you have.
For the lucky carriers of “Methuselah” genes, worries over smoking, eating unhealthily and not getting enough exercise may not be as necessary as to those of us without the special gene pattern .
The “Methuselah” genes could give extra protection against the diseases of old age such as cancer and heart disease. They could also protect people against the effects of the unhealthy lifestyles that we believe will lead us to an early death, scientists say. However, the genes are very rare.
The genes include ADIPOQ, which is found in about 10 percent of young people but in nearly 30 percent of people living past 100. They also include the CETP and the ApoC3 genes, which are found in 10 percent of young people, but in about 20 percent of people over 100 years old.
Some of those genes were discovered by a research group at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, led by Professor Nir Barzilai. The team studied the genes of over 500 people over 100 years old, and their children.
The studies show that tiny mutations (變異) in the make-up of some genes can greatly increase a person’s lifespan. Barzilai told a Royal Society conference that the discovery of such genes gave scientists clear targets for developing drugs that could prevent age-related diseases, allow people to live longer and stay healthy.
David Gems, a researcher at University College London, believes that drugs to slow ageing will become widespread.
“If we know which genes control longevity (長壽) then we can … target them with drugs. That makes it possible to slow down ageing,” he told The Times.
“Much of the pain and suffering in the world are caused by ageing. If we can find a way to reduce that, then we are obliged to take it.”
小題1: According to the article, which of the following is the most important if a person is to live to the age of 100?

A．Eating healthy food every day.

B．Having the right types of genes.

C．Having a healthy lifestyle.

D．Taking drugs that prevent ageing.

小題2:According to the article, the ApoC3 gene is found in ______ of people over 100 years old.

A．10%

B．20%

C．30%

D．50%

小題3:Which of the following statements is TRUE of the research led by Professor Nir Barzilai?

A．The team studied the genes of over 100 people over 100 years of age.

B．The researchers found that mutations in certain genes lead to longer life.

C．The researchers found ways to develop drugs that could cure age-related diseases.

D．The study suggested that most people have genes that could lengthen their lives.

小題4: According to David Gems, ______.

A．drugs to slow ageing will be very expensive

B．modern science will be able to find more longevity genes

C．it is the duty of medical scientists to fight the problems of ageing

D．scientists can make new genes that will allow longer life

Ever thought you’d get to experience the smell of ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra’s hair, or the scent(氣味) of the sun? Visitors to the Reg Vardy Gallery will soon be able to do just that.
The gallery, at Sunderland University, England, is holding a new exhibition “If There Ever Was”. It focuses on scent rather than sight.
The innovative(創(chuàng)新的) idea is the brainchild of curator(館長) Robert Blackson. His inspiration came from reading the book Fast Food Nation. The book discussed the use of artificial chemicals to flavor things such as milkshakes, making them smell and taste like strawberries, when they’re not actually made from them.
A smell can often conjure up(召喚) memories such as school dinners or a childhood holiday by the sea, but the smells on display, will allow visitors to experience smells their noses won’t have been able to pick out before.
“There’s a whole variety of different smells, including some extinct flowers,” explains Blackson. “Some have been gone for hundreds of years.”
One extraordinary fragrance(香氣) is the aftermath(災難的后果) of the first atomic bomb, dropped on Japan on August 6,1945.
There is also the smell of Clepatra’s hair, based on incense(熏香) that was popular among ancient Egyptians.
The Soviet Mir space station, which burnt up in the atmosphere in 2001, smells of charred(燒焦的) material (the space station caught fire).
Among the stranger smells is the “surface of the sun”.
“It is hard to sum up. It is an atmospheric smell, like walking into a room when the sun has been pouring in” says Blackson. “It gives a freshness, a sun kissed feel with a bit of metal. If you can say something smells hot, this is it.”
A team of 11, including perfume designers, have been working on recreating the smells for the exhibition. James Wong, a botanist（植物學家）at Botanic Gardens Conservation International, UK, helped in the recreation of the smells of four extinct flowering plants.
He did this by closely linking the extinct flowers with the smells of existing ones. With the help of historical reports of how the extinct flowers smelled, he was able to remix the aromas(芳香).
The exhibition runs until June 6.Fourteen extinct and impossible smells are on display.
小題1:What might be the best title of the passage?

A．The Reg Vardy Gallery	B．Egyptian queen Cleopatra’s hair
C．A visit to a new exhibition	D．The scents of ancient Egypt

小題2:Visitors can enjoy all of the following scents at the Reg Vardy Gallery EXCEPT  .

A．the scent of ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra’s hair

B．the smells of charred material of the Soviet Mir space station

C．the scent of having a childhood vacation by the sea

D．the smell of the aftermath of the first atomic bomb dropped on Japan

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Visitors go to Reg Vardy Gallery to enjoy beautiful sights.

B．James Wong managed to remix the aromas by referring to some historical reports.

C．The exhibition will last until July 6.

D．The scents visitors will smell are found in the tomb (墳墓) of the ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra.

小題4:In which session are you likely to read the passage in a newspaper?

A．Science

B．Education

C．Entertainment

D．Economy

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D項中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
An independent college claimed to have become the first school in England to make Chinese a compulsory (強制的) subject for its pupils.
Richard Cairns, the headmaster of Brighton College, said the move aims to recognize the importance of China as the world’s fastest growing economy.
Chinese will become one of the core subjects at the 1,200-pupil college from September. At present the school has only a “handful” of native Chinese students, but it hopes to attract more in the future.
Mr Cairns, who made the announcement in his first week as head of the high-achieving college, said, “One of my key tasks is to make sure that the pupils at Brighton College are equipped for the realities of the 21st century, and one of those realities is that China has the fastest growing economy in the world.
“China has replaced Britain as the world’s fourth-largest economy. We in Britain need to face up to this challenge, see it for the trading opportunity that it is, and ensure that our nation’s children are well-placed to thrive (茁壯成長) in this new global reality.
“A better understanding of the language and culture of China will be hugely important to the advantage of the children of Brighton College.”
Mr Cairns said he hoped the Chinese children already at the college would help and encourage their fellow pupils to learn their language.
In order to lead the way, Mr Cairns, a historian from Oxford, plans to take part in the first Chinese class as a pupil. “I have agreed to join the first Chinese class as a pupil. I think it is the best way for me to show the pupils here how important I regard this new addition to our core subjects.”
小題1:The passage mainly tells us ________.

A．how to face up to new challenges in the 21st century

B．the realities of the 21st century

C．the fastest growing economy in the world

D．about a school which will make all its pupils learn Chinese

小題2:The college makes its students learn Chinese mainly because ________.

A．Chinese is a language spoken by the largest population in the world

B．it realizes the importance of China as the world’s fastest growing economy

C．Chinese is the easiest language for the students

D．there are many native Chinese students at the college

小題3:What is Mr Cairns’ attitude towards the development of China?

A．He sees it to be a threat.	B．He thinks of it as a danger.
C．He considers it to be an opportunity.	D．He regards it as an encouragement.

小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The Chinese students at the college have already helped their fellow students to learn Chinese.

B．The school is the first in England to make Chinese a compulsory subject.

C．Mr Cairns has just been made head of this high-achieving college.

D．In Mr Cairns’ opinion, learning Chinese will be a great help to his students.

Boom boom!( I’m here, come to me!)
Krak krak!( Watch out, a leopard (豹)！)
Hok hok hok!( Hey, crowned eagle!)
Very good — you’ve already mastered half the basic vocabulary of the Campbell’s monkey, which lives in the forests of the Tai National Park in Ivory Coast. The adult males have six types of call, each with a specific meaning, but they can mix two or more calls together into a message with a different meaning.
Having spent months recording the monkeys’ calls in response to both natural and artificial stimuli (刺激物), a group led by Klaus Zuberbuhler of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland argues that the Campbell’s monkeys have a certain form of syntax(句法).
This is likely to be controversial because despite great effort to teach chimpanzees(大猩猩) language, they showed little or no ability to combine the sounds they learned into a sentence with a larger meaning. Syntax, basic to the structure of language, uniquely belongs to humans.
“Krak” is a call that warns of leopards in the neighborhood. The monkeys give it in response to real leopards and to leopard shouting broadcast by the researchers. The monkeys can vary the call by adding “-oo”: “Krak-oo” seems to be a general word for hunter, but one given in a special context – when monkeys hear but don’t see a hunter, or when they hear the alarm calls of another species.
The “boom-boom” call invites other monkeys to come toward the male making the sound. Two booms can be combined with a series of “krak-oos”, with a meaning entirely different to that of either of its single parts. “Boom boom krak-oo krak-oo krak-oo” is the monkey’s version of “Timber!” – it warns of falling trees.
If Zuberbuhler is correct, the Campbell’s monkeys can both vary the meaning of specific calls by adding something and combine calls to make a different meaning.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?

A．A group of scientists.	B．Calls of Campbell’s monkeys.
C．The lifestyle of monkeys.	D．The importance of language.

小題2:According to the passage, chimpanzees       .

A．don’t communicate by sounds

B．only understand simple sentences

C．fail to learn language from humans

D．are not related to the Campbell’s monkeys

小題3:If the Campbell’s monkeys hear a lion’s shouting, they will call “  ”.

A．Krak

B．Boom

C．Boom boom krak-oo krak-oo krak-oo

D．Krak-oo

小題4: According to the passage, it seems that        .

A．Zuberbuhler has spent years in the forests

B．the writer isn’t sure of Zuberbuhler’s opinions

C．the Campbell’s monkeys are cleverer than other animals

D．the Campbell’s monkeys can express six meanings by calls