When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: “We have to go to work now,” you’re left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.
　　Stage schools often act as agencies（代理機構）to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.
　　A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?
　Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days.
　The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don’t make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.
　小題1:People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they’re talking to________.
　　 

A．a(chǎn)ttend a stage school

B．a(chǎn)re going to the theatre

C．have got some work to do

D．love singing and dancing

　　小題2: In the writer’s opinion, a good stage school should ________.
　　 

A．produce star performers

B．help pupils improve their study skills

C．train pupils in language and performing arts

D．provide a general education and stage training.

　小題3:“Professional work” as used in the text means ________.
　　 

A．ordinary school work

B．money-making performances

C．stage training at school

D．a(chǎn)cting, singing or dancing after class

　小題4: Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?
　　 

A．He thinks highly of what they have to offer.

B．He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

C．He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

D．He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached.

We do not know exactly how many whales there are in the sea because we can’t count them. But we believe at the beginning of the eighteenth century there were 105,000 humpback whales and 120,000 right whales. At the beginning of the twentieth century there were 75,000 humpbacks and 80,000 rights.
Since 1900 their numbers have fallen very quickly. Between 1935 and 1950 the number of humpbacks fell from 20,000 to 10,000 and since 1950 the number has fallen to only 6,000. The number of right whales has fallen even faster. In 1935 there were 25,000. The number fell to 6,000 in 1950 and since 1950 the number has fallen to 4,000. Men have always been hunters. Thousands of whales have become victims(犧牲品). It’s time to do something to protect whales.
小題1:Which of the following is true?

A．We know the exact number of whales in the sea.

B．It’s easy for us to count whales in the sea.

C．We find it impossible to count whales in the sea.

D．We don’t want to know how many whales there are in the sea.

小題2:The number of right whales has fallen _______.

A．more slowly than that of humpback whales

B．faster than that of humpback whales

C．a(chǎn)s slowly as that of humpback whales

D．a(chǎn)s fast as that of humpback whales

小題3:The passage is mainly about _______.

A．the number of humpback whales

B．the number of right whales

C．hunting whales

D．the necessity of protecting whales

Before the early 1960’s people interested in the differing roles of the left and right hemispheres(半球) of the brain depended almost entirely on facts drawn from animal research, form studies of patients with one-sided brain damage. But it was possible to find out which brain hemisphere was most involved in speech and other functions in normal people by having them listen to two different words coming to the two ears at the same time. This became known as the “dichotic listening” procedure. When several word pairs are given in a row, people are unable to report them all, and most right-handers prefer to report, and report more correctly, words given to their right ears. This seems to be related to the fact that signals from the right ear, although sent to both hemispheres, are better sent to the left hemisphere which controls speech. People who have speech represented(回憶) in the right hemisphere, a very unusual occurrence even in left-handed people, more correctly report what their left ears hear.
In contrast to the right-ear advantage for speech, there is generally a left-ear advantage for another type of auditory(聽覺的) signal: music. When right-handed people listen to melodic patterns they report them better from the left ear.
小題1:Which of the following would be the most proper title for the passage?

A．An Introduction to Speech Damage in Patients with Brain Damage.

B．An Investigation into the Role of the Brain’s Hemispheres.

C．An Analysis of Left and Right-handed People.

D．An Examination of “Dichotic Listening”.

小題2:The “dichotic listening” procedure could best be described as hearing _______.

A．two different words in the same ear twice

B．the same word twice in the same ear

C．two different words in different ears

D．two different words twice in two ears

小題3:according to the passage, right-handed people normally _______.

A．have better hearing in their both ears

B．have little difficulty in reporting words given to their right ears

C．a(chǎn)re unable to report word pairs given to their left ears

D．correctly report word pairs given in a row

小題4:according to the passage, music is best appreciated when heard by _______.

A．the left ear of right-handers

B．people with a left-ear advantage

C．left-handers in their right ears

D．right-handed people who understand melodic patterns

"Reduce, reuse and recycle, this familiar environmentalist slogan tells us how to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills and waterways.
The concept is being used to deal with one possibly dangerous form of waste – electronic junk (電子垃圾), such as old computers, cell-phones, and televisions. But this process for managing e-waste may be used in an unscrupulous way more often than not used, a recent report suggests.
“A lot of these materials are being sent to developing nations under the excuse of reuse – to bridge the digital divide,” said Richard Gutierrez, a policy researcher.
One of the problems is that no one proves whether these old machines work before they hit the seaways. Because of this, the report says, e-waste is a growing problem in Lagos, Nigeria, and elsewhere in the developing world. Much of the waste ends up being thrown away along rivers and roads. Often it’s picked apart by poor people, who may face dangerous exposure to poisonous chemicals in the equipment.
Businessmen also pay workers a little money to get back materials such as gold and copper. This low-tech recovery process could expose workers and the local environment to many dangerous materials used to build electronics. According to Gutierrez, this shadow economy exists because the excuse of recycling and reusing electronics gives businessmen “a green passport” to ship waste around the globe. “Developing nations must take upon some of the responsibility themselves,” Gutierrez said. But, he added, “A greater portion of this responsibility should fall on the exporting state.”
China, for example, has become a dumping place for large amounts of e-waste. The nation is beginning to take action to stop the flow of dangerous materials across its borders. The Chinese government, after many years of denial, is finally beginning to take the lead.
小題1:The underlined word “unscrupulous” in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.

A．unsafe

B．tricky

C．wrong

D．immoral

小題2:What does the fourth paragraph mainly discuss?

A．Old computers and TVs still work before they are sent abroad.

B．Poor people break up e-waste to collect some valuable materials.

C．A lot of e-waste is dumped in developing countries.

D．The problem of e-waste is growing in developing countries.

小題3:From what Gutierrez said we can learn that ________.

A．exporting countries should mainly be responsible for this problem.

B．neither rich nor poor countries should be blamed for this problem

C．developing countries should be responsible for this problem

D．poor countries should blamed for this problem

小題4:It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _______.

A．China has hidden a large amount of e-waste in many secret places

B．China has greatly changed hre idea about the problem of e-waste

C．China has prevented poisonous materials from entering China for a long time

D．China is falling behind other countries in dealing with e-wast

小題5:The passage mainly tells us that _______.

A．developing countries are facing serious environmental problems

B．e-waste is a growing problem in developed countries

C．e-waste is sent to developing countries under the excuse of reuse

D．developing countries are making full use of e-waste

Few people would defend the Victorian attitude on children, but if you were a parent in those days, at least you knew where you stood: children were to be seen and not heard. Freud and his colleagues did away with all that and parents have been puzzled ever since. The child’s happiness is all- important, they say, but what about the parents’ happiness? Modern child-rearing manuals（撫養(yǎng)孩子手冊）would never permit cruelty to children .The trouble is you are not allowed even to shout. Who knows what deep psychological(心理的)wounds you might cause? The poor child may never recover from the dreadful experience. So it is the parents that bend over backwards to avoid giving their children complex which a hundred years ago hadn’t even been heard of. Certainly, a child needs love, and a lot of it. But the excessive permissive(縱容) of modern parents is surely doing more harm than good.
Psychologists(心理學家) have succeeded in weakening parents confidence in their own authority. And it hasn’t taken children long to get wind of the fact. In addition to the great modern classics on child care, there are countless articles in magazines and newspapers. With so much advice flying about, mum and dad just don’t know what to do any more. In the end, they do nothing at all. So, from early childhood, the kids are in charge and parents’ lives are regulated according to the needs of their kids. When the little dears develop into teenagers, they take complete control. Lack of authority over the years makes teenagers rebellion against parents all the more violent. If the young people are going to have a party, for example, parents are asked to leave the house. Their presence merely spoils the fun. What else can the poor parents do but obey?
小題1:The author says that today’s parents _______.

A．a(chǎn)re bombarded with excessive amounts of child-care literature.

B．draw a distinction between permissiveness and carelessness.

C．a(chǎn)re only towards children from happy home backgrounds.

D．weigh their children’s knowledge rather than intelligence.

小題2:The phrase “get wind of” (Para.2) most likely means _______ .

A．become used to	B．try to avoid
C．realize	D．become puzzled of

小題3:Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?

A．Victorian child rearing is a model for parents to follow.

B．Psychologists have much to answer for today’s problems on child care.

C．With the help of so much advice, raising children is easier than ever.

D．Parents like to enjoy the freedom when there is a party in the house.

小題4:What’s the main idea of this passage?

A．The excessive permissiveness of today’s parents is harmful to children.

B．Psychologists shouldn’t interfere so much with child care.

C．Parents should hold the Victorian attitudes towards children.

D．Children are too sensitive to be hurt.

For thousands of years, man has enjoyed the taste of apples. Apples, which are about 85 percent water, grow almost everywhere in the world but the hottest and coldest areas (地區(qū)). Among the leading countries in apple production are China, France and the United States.
There are various kinds of apples, but a very few make up the majority of those grown for sale. The three most common kinds grown in the United States are Delicious, golden Delicious, and McIntosh.
　Apples are different in colour, size, and taste. The colour of the skin may be red, green, or yellow. They have various sizes, with Delicious apples being among the largest. The taste may be sweet or tart (酸的). Generally, sweet apples are eaten fresh while tart apples are used to make applesauce (蘋果醬).
　Apple trees may grow as tall as twelve metres. They do best in areas that have very cold winters. Although no fruit is yielded during the winter, this cold period is good for the tree.
小題1:It can be learned from the text that Delicious apples are _______________

A．grown in France.	B．sold everywhere.
C．very big.	D．quite sweet.

小題2:Cold winter weather is good for _______________

A．the growth of apple trees.

B．producing large apples.

C．improving the taste of apples.

D．the increase of water in apples.

小題3:China, France and the United States are considered to _______________

A．be large producers of apples.

B．be large producers of applesauce.

C．have the longest history in apple production.

D．have the coldest winter among apple producing countries.

小題4:The word yielded in the last sentence means _______________

A．improved.	B．increased.
C．produced.	D．sold.

American’s genius with high technology may have put men on the moon, but there is growing doubt about its ability to solve human problems closer to home.
In fact, a slight but significant change from purely technological solutions is already under way as scientists insist that answers to the world’s problems will not come from an attractive exhibition of electronics and machines. Instead, as they see it, solutions must develop from a better understanding of the humans that drive the system and from a fuller appreciation of the limits and potential(潛能) of the earth’s resources.
What this means is an increased emphasis on the life and earth sciences, on sociology, psychology, economics and even philosophy.
More and more of the best minds in science, particularly young researchers, are being drawn into these developing fields.
All this is not to say that technological creativity will not play a critical role in solving energy and food shortages, or that answers to environmental difficulties will not come from further advances in the same technologies that may have helped cause the problems.
Where the real challenge lies, in the view of the new generation of scientists, is in finding ways to produce goods and meet the world’s needs, using less of the raw materials that are becoming short.
小題1:Which of the following would the author probably agree with?

A．The environment crisis will not be solved unless we stop using virgin（原始）materials.

B．In scientific research, a higher priority（優(yōu)先）should be given to understanding all living systems.

C．Exploration of outer space will finally lead to an improvement on human living conditions.

D．U. S. high-technology companies are welcoming this new change in scientific research.

小題2:Which of the following best expresses the main idea?

A．a(chǎn) growing number of Americans are doubtful about what high technology can do in solving the world’s problems.

B．Many scientists are beginning to believe that the better understanding of human beings will play a more decisive role in solving the world’s problems.

C．More and more young scientists are trying their best to find new ways to solve the world’s problems.

D．Technological creativity will still play a very important part in solving the world’s problems.

小題3:Young scientists demand that in order to satisfy human needs ________.

A．existing products be improved.

B．more complex machines and electronic equipment be designed.

C．ways be found to produce better goods using fewer raw materials.

D．a(chǎn)ny new invention and innovation be encouraged in technology

小題4:In the passage “Human problems” or “world problems” refers mainly to ______.

A．global food shortage	B．resources depletion（耗盡）
C．environmental pollution	D．a(chǎn)ll of the above

小題5:The author states all the following CXCEPT that _______.

A．the development of present techniques cannot provide any answers to today’s problems.

B．a(chǎn)n increasing number of young scientists are taking a great interest in biological and social sciences.

C．many scientists have come to understand the limits of natural resources.

D．many scientists argue that high technology is something but not everything.

Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a ＄10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to “speak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. however, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees—anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “ Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”
小題1:The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to _______.

A．use for their schoolwork	B．a(chǎn)ccess the Internet
C．work at home	D．connect them to libraries

小題2:Why is the word “speak” in the second paragraph in quotation marks(引號)?

A．They don’t really talk.	B．They use the computer language.
C．Laptops have speakers.	D．None of the above reasons is correct.

小題3:Which of the following is true about Westlake College?

A．All teachers use computers.	B．1500 students have laptops.
C．It is an old college in America.	D．Students there can do everything.

小題4:A window on the world in the last paragraph means that students can _______.

A．a(chǎn)ttend lectures on information technology

B．travel around the world

C．get information from around the world

D．have free laptops

小題5:What can we infer from the passage?

A．The program is successful.	B．The program is not workable.
C．The program is too expensive.	D．We don’t know the result yet.

Climate change experts from the Tyndall Climate Research Centre in Britain have said urgent action is needed to curb the rapid growth in air travel if the government is to meet its commitments on tackling global warming. This report from Stephen Evans:
Falling ticket prices and rising incomes are leading to rapid growth in global air travel. According to the British government, the number of British air passengers, for example, will more than double in the next quarter of a century. Increases of such an order would mean much more aviation fuel being burned and aviation fuel may be more harmful to the environment than other fuels because the resulting smoke is emitted at high altitudes.
A group of scientists at the environmental research group, the Tyndall Centre, says that if Britain is to meet its overall target for cutting damaging emissions, other uses of fuel like for heating homes or driving cars would have to be cut dramatically.
The British government wants the use of aviation fuel covered by international agreement on the environment. The difficulty for any individual government is that taxing fuel used at its own airports might push airlines to move their operations to competing airports in other countries.
小題1:Which statement is TRUE?

A．A lot of people around the world have recently stopped flying because they have less money to spend and the price of plane tickets is going up

B．Half as many people as today will fly in the next 25 years.

C．Because more planes are suing more flight petrol and more pollution is being produced in the sky.

D．The British government would like all countries to agree not to tax airline fuel.

小題2:Which is the reason that leads to the rapid growth in global air travel?

A．The increase of incomes and the decrease of ticket prices.

B．The growth of the number of good planes.

C．The falling of the oil price.

D．The encouragement of the governments.

小題3:The Tyndall Centre says ________.

A．the number of British air passengers will more than double in the next quarter of a century.

B．Britain will have to use less energy at home and on the roads to meet the goal of cutting pollution.

C．If airports are taxed for using fuel by each country’s government, then airlines might use other airports with cheaper fuel taxes.

D．Only the use of aviation fuel needs to be cut down to meet the overall target for cutting damaging emissions.

小題4:What’s the best title of the text?

A．Falling Ticket Prices and Rising Incomes

B．Growth in Air Travel Harms Environment

C．Rapid Growth in Global Air Travel

D．More Flight Petrol, More smoke

A desert is a beautiful land of silence and space. The sun shines, the wind blows, and time and space seem endless. Nothing is soft. The sand and rocks are hard, and many of the plants even have hard needles instead of leaves.
The size and location(分布) of the world’s deserts are always changing. Over millions of years, as climates change and mountains rise, new dry and wet areas develop. But within the last 100 yeas, deserts have been growing at a frightening speed. This is partly because of natural changes, but the greatest makers are humans.
Humans can make deserts, but humans can also prevent their growth. Algeria Mauritania is planting a similar wall around Nouakchott, the capital. Iran puts a thin covering of petroleum(石油) on sandy areas and plants trees. The oil keeps the water and small trees in the land, and men on motorcycles(摩托車) keep the sheep and goats away. The USSR and India are building long canals to bring water to desert areas.
小題1:In this passage, “needles” refers to _______.

A．small, thin pieces of steel.

B．long, thin pieces of branches.

C．small pointed growth on the stem(莖) of a plant.

D．small, thin pieces of sticks.

小題2:Which of the following is NOT true?

A．The greatest desert makers are humans.

B．There aren’t any living things in the deserts.

C．Deserts have been growing quickly.

D．The size of the deserts is always changing.

小題3:People in some countries are fighting a battle against _______.

A．the growth of deserts	B．the disappearance of desert plants
C．natural changes	D．congenital climate

小題4:We can guess that Mauritania and Algeria belong to _______.

A．Asian countries	B．American countries
C．European counties	D．African countries

小題5:Choose the sentence which best gives the main idea of the passage.

A．The deserts of the world are always changing.

B．Man is to take measures to control the growth of the world’s deserts.

C．Deserts are lands of silence and space.

D．Deserts have grown at a fast pace in the past 10 years.