ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains
buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise (偽裝)?
    A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say
they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.
If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and
the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting.
      "We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says
Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept,
they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the
leader of the group, said that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the said
burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.
      Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the
king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial
place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains
that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.
      "The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the
director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the
tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of
his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle
turned him down.
     The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and
Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said
Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.
     Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it
drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for
centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother.
     That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has
interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and
riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that
the painting hid an androgynous lover.
     If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm
the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume (挖掘) the remains and attempt to date the
bones with carbon testing.
     At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually
Leonardo's, including with DNA testing.
     Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants (后代) of
Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives.
     Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found
elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb,
possibly using saliva (唾液), meaning DNA might be found on his paintings.
     Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether
the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old.
Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa." 
     Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's
features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated (共鳴) with Leonardo.
     Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa"
could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either
a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of
a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes
from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda."  

1. Where is this passage most probably taken from?

A. A magazine.  
B. A newspaper.  
C. A textbook.  
D. A research report.

2. Why does the author ask a couple of questions in the beginning?

A. To arouse the interest of readers.  
B. To puzzle Italian scientists.
C. To answer the questions himself.  
D. To make fun of French officials.

3. The best title of this story might be "_____".

A. What Is the Purpose of an Investigation? 
B. How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die in France?
C. Are the Remains Really Those of the Master?
D. Did Leonardo Paint Himself as 'Mona Lisa'?

4. The sentence "he plans to press his case with the French officials" (underlined in Paragraph 4)  
suggests that Vinceti intends to _____.

A. press the French officials to participate in their project
B. urge the French officials to open the tomb early next week
C. persuade the French officials to allow opening the tomb
D. record events in a person's life with the French officials

5. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Scholars have the same opinion on DNA testing.
B. Scientists doubt if the remains are those of da Vinci.
C. The identity of "Mona Lisa" has already been proved.
D. Alessandro Vezzosi got permission to open the tomb.

6. We can infer from the last two paragraphs that _____?

A. "Mona Lisa" is the name of the wife of a silk merchant
B. the "Mona Lisa" is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci
C. experts divided the committee into several groups 
D. opinions differ of the identity of the "Mona Lisa"

     Brave Frenchman Found Halfway Around the World
     (NEW YORK)A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a twoyearold girl in Manhattan said he
didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
     Tuesday's Daily News said 29yearold Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly
after the rescue last Saturday.
     He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum.
He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him.
     "I didn't think at all,"Duret told the Daily News. "It happened very fast. I reacted very fast."
     Duret,an engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pier (碼頭)when he saw
something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached
the river. In an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
     When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water,
she opened her eyes.
     Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance
came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his
girlfriend shortly after.
     The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of
heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.
      "I don't really think I'm a hero," said  Duret."Anyone would do the same thing."

1.Why was Duret in New York?

A. To meet his girlfriend.
B. To work as an engineer.
C. To spend his holiday.
D. To visit the Andersons.

2.What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?

A. He was interviewed by a newspaper.
B. He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes.
C. He went to the hospital in the ambulance.
D. He disappeared from the spot quickly.

3.Who dived after Duret into the river to save the little girl?

A. David Anderson.  
B. A passerby.
C. His girlfriend. 
D. A taxi driver.

4.When was Duret most probably found to be the very hero?

A. The day when he was leaving for home.
B. A couple of days after the girl was rescued.
C. The first day when he was in New York.
D. The same day when he was interviewed.

     PITTSBURGH, Sept. 7-At 26, many people haven't even decided on a career. Luke Ravenstahl, cashing
in on his family's political tradition, is already the mayor of Pittsburgh, the youngest mayor of any major city
in the country. Although mayors elsewhere have been younger, Jeff Dunkel was 18 in 2001 when he was
elected mayor of Mount Carbon, small towns in New York, and elsewhere have also elected teenagers as
mayors. But, Tallahassee, is the only other city with a population over 100 000 that has had a mayor as young
as Mr. Ravenstahl. A supporter of Mr. Ravenstahl said concerns about Mr. Ravenstahl's age would dissipate
once the city saw his work ethic.
     But now comes the hard part. As he strives to be taken seriously and take charge of a city only recently
back from the edge of bankruptcy (破產(chǎn)), the baby-faced mayor said that even the smallest decisions felt
weighty, even what to wear in the Steelers game matters.
     And another pressing issue is to strengthen the city's economy. Pittsburgh has lost all its mills, nearly half
its population and much of its downtown commercial district in the last several decades. "But Pittsburgh has
50 000 college students, and our challenge is to figure out how to retain them and to increase downtown
development." He said.
     But one of the biggest uncertainties is how long he will remain in office. According to the city charter,
Mayor Ravenstahl's term will not expire until November 2009. Some city lawyers, however, have argued that
he must face the electorate next year. And residents in Pittsburgh are still keeping judgment on him Deli,
Jimmy Cvetic, a sandwich shop owner, said "I call him Cool Hand Luke. He'll be all right, but he's going to
need a cool hand to get through this." 
     Mayor Ravenstahl said he was still trying to deal with the challenge he faced.

1. About Luke Ravenstahl, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. He is the youngest mayor in the U.S.A.
B. His family background has contributed to his successful political career.
C. His young age has won support from media and young voters.
D. He will be mayor of Pittsburgh at least until 2009.

2. The underlined word "dissipate" in the first paragraph probably means _____.

A. disappear
B. appear
C. spread
D. reduce

3. What can you infer from the article about Pittsburgh?

A. It is a small town in New York famous for steel mills.
B. It has always enjoyed prosperous economic success.
C. Many young college students there are the new hope of the district.
D. It is a major city in the U.S.A with a population slightly smaller than 100 000.

4. Where can you find this article?

A. A magazine.
B. A brochure about politicians.
C. A newspaper.
D. An advertisement about some mayor candidates.

5. What kind of challenges will not Luke Ravenstahl cope with?

A. distrust from his citizens.
B. pressure from other outstanding young mayors.
C. economical standstill of his city.
D. decreasing population in his city.

     COLUMBUS, Ohio-The heart operation taking place in the pale-green operating room at the Ohio State
University Medical Center was unusual. The patient, a 62-year-old man, was made to sleep, tied with blue
drapes (消毒帷簾) and lying face up on a narrow table. But no one was touching him.
     Instead, the operation was being performed by a robot, whose three metal arms went through pencil-sized
holes in the man's chest. At the ends of the robot's arms were tiny metal fingers, with turning wrists, which
held tiny instruments, a light and a camera. The robot's arms and fingers were controlled by Dr. Randall K.
Wolf, sitting at a computer in a corner of the operating room about 20 feet away.
     This sort of operation, heart surgeons say, is the start of what may be the biggest change in their profession
since heart bypass surgery (心臟搭橋手術(shù)) began nearly 30 years ago. "The reason we make cuts is that we
have big hands," said Dr. Wolf, the director of the surgery at Ohio State. The robot's dainty fingers, no longer
than a nail on the small finger, at the end of the long sticks could work better.
     Eventually, surgeons believe, most heart surgery will be done by robots whose arms are put in through
pencil-sized holes punched in patients' chests. Instead of directly staring into a patient's body, surgeons will
view magnified images of the operation on computer screens. In theory, the doctor would not have to be in the
same room, or even the same country, as the patient.

1. In this passage, the underlined word "dainty" means ____.

A. small
B. weak
C. fat
D. quick

2. According to the passage, the reason that most operations require large cuts is that ____.

A. patients have large organs
B. surgeons have large hands
C. large cuts take less time
D. large cuts cost less money

3. The main idea of this passage is that heart surgery by robots ____.

A. is quicker than surgery done by doctors
B. was developed at Ohio State University
C. is a new and risky procedure
D. may replace surgery done by doctors

4. Based on the information in this passage, all of the following conclusions are true EXCEPT ____.

A. all doctors at Ohio State develop new surgical techniques
B. robot surgery is. being developed at Ohio State
C. robot surgery will be used on many patients in the near future
D. many hospitals will eventually offer robot surgery to patients

     The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2,1666. In four days it destroyed
more than three quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. One
hundred thousand people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
     The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King' s baker (面包師) in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from
the bakery(面包房)into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the
beginning.

The underlined word "family" in the second paragraph means _____.

A. home
B. children
C. wife and husband
D. wife and children

     He wasn't sick. He wasn't old. And he wasn't losing. He had a very good final season and won his
last game in 2008. And then he walked away.
     Lloyd Carr was 62. That's a few years earlier than retirement (退休) age in America and many years
earlier than some college football coaches say goodbye. How was Carr, who coached University of
Michigan, able to leave so easily?
    " It can be intoxicating," Carr admits. "The Saturday afternoons and the crowds. And when you win,
there's nothing like it."
     But the job needs hard work. The pressure to win. The endless training. The hours are so long that
sleeping at the office is a normal thing. I reported Carr's career at Michigan from 1995 to 2007. I saw
him run onto the field before 100,000 cheering fans, saw him enjoy a share of a national championship
with a 12-0 season.
     And when I visited him recently in retirement, the difference was noticeable. He seems much calmer,
relaxed, more at peace. He says, "As much fun as it is, there's a period when you have other things to
deal with."
     Carr knew he wanted to travel, see the world, read more, do other work. He is now connected with
a children's hospital, does some speaking, plays golf, and enjoys relaxing with his wife, Laurie, and their
many grandchildren.
     Several of today's big-name coaches are all about Carr's retirement age. Nick Saban turns 59 this
month. Jim Tressel is 57. Frank Beamer is already 63. None of them seems to be slowing down.
     So when, I ask Carr, is the right moment to leave such a great job?
     He thinks. Finally, he says, "When you love it and can still walk away from it. That's the right moment."

1.  Lloyd Carr stopped working as a coach because he _______.

A. was too old                
B. was injured seriously    
C. had other things to experience  
D. followed others' examples

2. The underlined word "intoxicating" in Paragraph 3 probably means ______.

A. exciting  
B. disappointing  
C. surprising  
D. puzzling

3. It can be inferred from the text that Lloyd Carr ________.

A. was always free after retirement
B. was a failure as a football coach
C. missed the time when he coached
D. enjoyed his retirement life very much

4. The author is most probably ________.

A. a football player        
B. Lloyd Carr's assistant
C. a retired coach          
D. a sports reporter

     Haikou: A shark was killed after being dragged to shore at Yalong Berth beach in Sanya, South
China's Hainan Province, on Sunday afternoon.
    It was the first time a shark had been caught in the beach area, a popular tourist site in Hainan.
     Local fishermen said they caught the 3-meter-long, l-ton shark by chance When they were fishing in
sea water 1,000 metres deep near the beach.
     Police temporarily protected the shark while oceanographers decided whether it was a species
belonging to State protection.
     Fishermen later killed and sold the shark after oceanographers confirmed that it was a whale shark
and therefore not under State protection.
     The shark was believed to have drifted into the area from the deep sea due to strong waves caused
last week by Typhoon Imbudo. It had no open injuries but experts said they believed it suffered from
internal (內(nèi)部的) bleeding.
     Local police officer Fu Chenggeng said beachgoers should not feel threatened by sharks because the
fish never attack human beings on their own initiative. Fu said he had never heard of any shark attacks at
the Sanya beach since he first started work there eight years ago.
     However, police said they will improve the security system to safeguard tourists' safety on the beach.

1. A possible title of the article should be      .

A. Tourists in Danger
B. Killing Whale Shark
C. Shark Caught in Beach Area
D. Whale Shark in Danger

2. From the article it can be learned      .

A. the shark was caught because of obvious injuries  
B. the number of the whale shark may be small
C. typhoon Imbudo may have brought the shark to the area
D. it's not unusual to see a shark on the beach

3. The underlined word "confirmed" probably means      .

A. said
B. believed
C. thought
D. made sure

     HANGZHOU, China - Millions of Chinese basketball fans who were upset about the retirement of
Yao Ming, are excited to see another even more shining star, Jeremy Lin, rising from the N.B.A and
becoming a household name all across China.
     "We are amazed by Lin Shuhao's magic performance and should cheer him on," one Internet user
wrote.
"His sport shirts have sold out, even including the counterfeit(仿制品) ones," said Zheng Xiaojun, a
24-year-old clerk.
     Lin's amazing success over the last month has caught the imagination of the Chinese. He has been
particularly popular here in northern Zhejiang province, from which his grandmother went to Taiwan in
the late 1940s.
     Cai Qi, a well-known micro blogger, posted a message on micro blog over the weekend stating that
Lin's hometown is Jiaxing, a city near Hangzhou where Lin's grandmother grew up.
     Cai Qi's nephew Yu Guohua, a 56-year-old factory worker, is Lin's closest relative still living in
northern Zhejiang. He said in a telephone interview that Lin had come to play basketball with the Jiaxing
High School team last May and had been surrounded by admirers.
     Yu said he did not have a chance to meet Lin in the crowd, but managed to speak with his family.
"His father was very supportive of Lin's playing basketball, but his grandmother was not, for fear he
would be injured," Yu said.
     Lin may owe his height, 6 feet 3 inches, to his grandmother's family, Yu said. Chen Weiji, the father
of Lin's grandmother, was well over 6 feet and all of Chen's children were tall as well, he said.
     The N.B.A. believes that 300 million people in China play basketball. The retirement last year of
Yao Ming took its main Asian draw away from the N.B.A. But Lin's appearance has helped the league
remain a hot topic of Chinese online chatter.

1. Why does Lin Shuhao appeal especially to people in northern Zhejiang ?

A. He was born in Zhejiang.
B. His sports shirts are made in Zhejiang.
C. He once visited Zhejiang.
D. His grandmother grew up in Zhejiang.

2. We can learn from the text that ________.

A. Lin once played on Jiaxing High School team
B. All Lin's relatives moved to Taiwan 60 years ago
C. Lin's grandmother didn't expect him to be a player
D. Lin's father loved playing basketball

3. Lin's success in N.B.A has ______.

A. attracted more Chinese children to play basketball as a career
B. drawn Chinese people's attention back to the league
C. helped his hometown develop sports shirts business
D. helped his hometown attract more foreign visitors

4. Which is the best title of the report?

A. The Secret of Lin's Success
B. Lin, A New Focus in China
C. Lin and His Family
D. Chinese Players in N.B.A

     TAIBEI－Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island's "China rush", seeking
education on the Chinese mainland．
    According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and
postgraduate (研究生) programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.
Although no latest official numbers were available," Netbig. Com Said this number had risen between
30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last
year.
    The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information
on Chinese mainland college and universities. "Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more
knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job
market, Netbig. Com vice-president Ingrid Huang said. "I believe it will give me hands-on experience in
the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people,"
said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to
get a master's degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment
for such studies.
    A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to
study law on the Chinese mainland since "there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese
companies are going there". "They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations," said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A
Netbig. Com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and
Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular
studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.
    At present, Chinese Taibei doesn't recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with
any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form
to a policy accepting certificates (證書(shū)) from selected universities.

1. More Taiwanese students study on the Chinese mainland because _____.

A. Taiwan will reunite with the mainland sooner or later
B. the fees asked for are lower than those of Taiwan
C. what they have learned on the mainland will bring them a bright future
D. there are many famous universities for them to choose

2. Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that
    their children _______.

A. could receive better education 
B. could learn more about the policy there
C. could do well in the business operations  
D. could make more friends there

3. The underlined word "it" in the third paragraph refers to ________.

A. Netbig. Com                    
B. Chinese education on the mainland
C. the Chinese job market  
D. the university

4. The author wrote the article to tell us ______.

A. more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland
B. the number of Taiwanese students going to universities on the mainland had been increasing
     year after year
C. education on the mainland is more attractive compared with that of Taiwan
D. Taiwan and the mainland should cooperate with each other in every field.

5. Which is true according to the passage?

A. Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland
B. The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing
     in the next few years.
C. Chinese Taibei doesn't help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland
D. Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland.