Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded
actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze(分析) their embarrassing errors , he was
surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups .
     One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet
dog her ear-rings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. " The explanation for this is that the
brain is like a computer, " explains the professor, " People programme themselves to do certain
activities regularly. It was the woman's custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and
then put on her ear-rings. But somehow the action got reversed(顛倒) in the programme ." About
one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these " programme assembly failures."
     Twenty per cent of all errors were " test failures "-primarily due to not verifying the progress of
what the body was doing . A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back
yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept , put them on -much to his surprise . A woman
victim reported : " I got into the bath with my socks on ."
    The commonest problem was information " storage failures". People forgot the names of people
whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or
smoked a cigarette without realizing it.
    The research so far suggests that while the " central processor" of the brain is liberated from
second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention
at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity
may be " captured " by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing
errors.

1. The purpose of Professor Reason's research is          .

A. to show the difference between men and women in their reasoning
B. to classify and explain some errors in human actions
C. to find the causes which lead to computer failures 
D. to compare computer functions with brain workings .

2. Which of the following might be grouped under " programme assembly failures "?

A. A woman went into a shop and forgot what to buy.
B. A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.
C. A lady fell as she was concentrating on each step her feet were taking.
D. An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.

3. The word " verifying " in paragraph 3 can be replaced by         .

A. improving    
B. changing  
C. checking  
D. stopping

4. According to the passage, the information " storage failures " refer to        . 

A. the destruction of information collecting system
B. the elimination of one's total memory 
C. the temporary loss of part of one's memory 
D. the separation of one's action from consciousness

     Animals can move from place to place, but plants cannot. When an animal is under attack, it can run
away or fight back. Plants certainly cannot run away, and they lack teeth and claws. But plants can
defend (保護(hù)) themselves by using both physical and chemical means.
     Some plants have their own ways to keep animals away. For example, the leaves of the holly plant
have sharp spines (刺) that discourage grass-eating animals. Holly leaves on lower branches have more
spines than leaves on upper branches. This is because the lower leaves are easier for most animals to
reach.
Some plants, such as the oak tree, have thick and hard leaves that are difficult for animals to eat. Some
grasses may contain a sandy material; eating such grasses wears down the animal's teeth.
     Many plants also have chemical defenses. Some plants produce chemicals that taste bitter or cause an
unpleasant reaction. Some plants may fight against an attack by increasing the production of these chemicals. When a caterpillar (毛蟲(chóng)) bites a tobacco leaf, the leaf produces a chemical messenger. This messenger sends to the roots the information to produce more nicotine. The higher levels of nicotine discourage the
caterpillar.
    Many plants depend on both physical and chemical defenses. A certain plant in China, for instance,
has prickly (多刺的) leaves, and each prickle contains poisonous venom (毒液) A single experience with
this kind of plant will teach an animal to stay away from it in the future.  

1. To defend themselves, oak trees use________.

A. chemical means
B. physical means
C. bitter chemicals
D. sandy materials

2. How does tobacco protect itself against an attack from a caterpillar?

A. Its leaves fight against the attack by physical means.
B. Its roots send a messenger to discourage the caterpillar.
C. Its roots increase the production of nicotine when it is attacked.
D. Its leaves produce poisonous sand to drive the caterpillar away.

3. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Plants and Animals    
B. How Plants Defend Themselves
C. Attacks and Defenses    
D. How Animals Eat Plant Leaves

     Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and
researching something with so few obvious benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather
than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.
    Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup (基因構(gòu)成) as human beings. What drove our
ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The
wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring
space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
   Nearly every successful civilization(文明) has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in
surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely
destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
    Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潛在的) resources to be found. Even if we have
no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical
possessions(物質(zhì)財(cái)產(chǎn)). Knowledge or techniques have been gained through exploration. The
techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have
already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for
weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are
by-products (副產(chǎn)品) of technological developments in the space industry!.
    While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows
creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While
space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also
holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive. Without the ability to
reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
   While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive(適應(yīng)的) ability of humans
would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and
cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

1. Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph1?

A. To express his doubts.          
B. To compare different ideas.
C. To introduce points for discussion.  
D. To describe the conditions on Earth.

62. What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?

A. Humans are nature-born to do so.
B. Humans have the tendency to fight.
C.  Humans may find new sources of food.
D. Humans don't like to stay in the same place.

3. The underlined word "spin-offs" in Paragraph 4 probably refers to______.

A. survival chances        
B. potential resources
C. unexpected benefits    
D. physical possessions

4. What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?  

A. Our genetic makeup.        
B. Resources on the earth.
C. The adaptive ability of humans.
D. By-products in space exploration.

5. What does the writer want to tell us in the passage? 

A. Space exploration has created many wonders.
B. Space exploration provided the best value for money.
C. Space exploration can benefit science and technology.
D. The Exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth.

     Many plants and animals live together, and they depend on each other. They are usually very
different from their sharing partner, and yet all live easier lives because of each other. It is nature's
idea of sharing.
     An example of this is the shark and pilot fish. The pilot fish is a little guy and he would be
helpless if he hung around by himself in the great ocean. But his smartness makes up for his size.
He cleverly swims along beside the shark and when the shark eats, the pilot fish gets the leftovers.
The shark also benefits from this relationship. The pilot fish cleans food scraps (碎屑) and insects
from the shark's skin.
     Another example is the sea anemone (�？�) and striped clown fish. The sea anemone looks
like a flower but contains poisonous cells. When small fish swim into it, the anemone traps and
paralyzes (使麻痹) them. However, the striped clown fish is able to swim into the poisonous
anemone without being harmed. To pay for his safety, the clown fish brings food to the anemone.
He also guides other fish into the anemone's deadly trap.
     Large mammals such as the ox, antelope and African buffalo form such a relationship with the
oxpecker. They provide daily meals to the bird that eats insects. The various large mammals act
as a restaurant with a varied menu for the oxpecker. What do they get in return from the bird?
Free beauty treatments!
     Some plants live together in a beneficial relationship. Fungus (菌類(lèi)) does not have chlorophyll
(葉綠素) that plants need to make food. However, the green alga (海藻) does contain chlorophyll.
It is, therefore, able to feed the fungus along with itself. But nothing is free! The fungus repays it
by protecting the alga. Since it takes in and stores water, it can provide the alga with an unending
water supply.

1. Why does the pilot fish swim along beside the shark?  

A. To do the cleaning for the shark.
B. To help the shark to get food.
C. To get food and protection.  
D. To find some insects.

2. In order to repay the sea anemone, the striped clown fish _____.

A. paralyzes animals for the sea anemone
B. leads other fish into the anemone
C. harms other fish with poison
D. protects the anemone's cells

3. What do we know about oxpeckers?

A. They are particular about what they eat.
B. They are mostly seen near restaurants.
C. They stay away from large mammals.
D. They feed on small insects.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Nature's examples of sharing.
B. Places where sharing exists.
C. The relationship of living things.
D. Animals that depend on each other.

     For many blind people, computers are inaccessible. It can cost $1,000 to purchase "screen
reader" software, but two blind computer programmers from Australia have solved this problem.
     Queensland University of Technology (QUT) graduate James Teh and business partner
Michael Curran developed a free, open-source program, called NVDA, which provides a voice
to read the words on a computer screen as the cursor moves over them. NVDA won the blind
inventors an award in the grand final program of the ABC's New Inventors, which aired on
September 23. They took home the award for an invention that "might make a real difference
to people's lives or the environment."
     "A sighted person takes for granted that they can sit down at any computer and use it," Mr
Teh said. "We really are in the information age - everything is online these days. So access to
computers for the blind is very important, which is why we wanted our software to be free."
     Mr Teh, who majored in software engineering at QUT, said blind students typically didn't
have the money to purchase "screen reader" technology, at the time in their life when they most
needed it. Now NVDA could be downloaded on to anyone's personal computer free of charge.
     "It can also be copied to a USB stick, which can be used on any PC at school or university,
with no installation required," he said.
     Mr Teh and Mr Curran have drawn on their own experience as blind computer users to
develop a product which has some unique features. For example, as the mouse moves up and
down the screen, a sound becomes higher and lower to let you know where the cursor is located.
     NVDA has been translated into 27 languages, thanks to volunteer translators. To date, there
have been over 50,000 downloads.
     Mr Teh and Mr Curran have been working on the project since 2006. They worked on their
product without any pay for two years. When Mozilla offered some funding in 2008, Mr Teh
was able to quit his day job and work full-time developing NVDA.

1. NVDA won an award in the program of the ABC's New Inventors because it _____.

A. causes no harm to the environment  
B. influences people' s lives
C. is aiming at blind people  
D. is easy to use

2. Why did James Teh and Michael Curran want their software to be free?

A. They got funding from Mozilla.        
B. They belonged to a volunteer group.     
C. They wanted to help the blind.
D. They wanted people to give up "screen reader" software.

3. What do we know about Teh and Curran?

A. They are studying at QUT.
B. They are good at translating.
C. They know how the blind feel.
D. They began to develop NVDA in 2008.

1. What will I need to take a Test?
     You need a photo ID, your instructor's name, a pencil or pen, a calculator, etc.
2. How will I know about time limits?
     Students will be informed of any testing time limits, and notified when time is up.
3. If I have my books or backpack, does the Test Center have a place to store them while I'm
testing?
     Yes. Students will be asked to leave all books, backpacks, purses and any other personal items in a
lockable storage room.
4. The only time I can take a test is during lunch. Can I eat my lunch while I am testing?
     No food or drink are allowed in the Test Center.
5. I conduct business via a pager(尋呼機(jī)) or cell phone. Will I be allowed to use them in the
Test Center?
     No. all pagers and cell phones must be turned off before entering the Test Center. There are other
students testing who may be distracted by these devices.
6. If I need to borrow more scratch paper(草稿紙) am I allowed to borrow from another student
in the Test Center?
     Ask the teacher and more material will be given. Talking is not permitted in the Test Center. You will
give all scratch paper to the teacher at the end of the test.
7. If I start a test but don't finish it, can I come back the next day to finish it?
     If you have prior(在先的) arrangements with your instructor you may continue a test the next day.
Students are expected to complete their test before closing time of the Test Center. Depending on the
test, most tests will not be given within one hour of closing time.

1. When you take a test in the Test Center, all of the following are forbidden EXCEPT _____.

A. to eat and drink                       
B. to use your cell phone
C. to leave your purse on the desk            
D. to ask for more scratch paper

2. If you don't finish the test you ______.

A. must turn in the paper on time  
B. should get help from your instructor
C. can continue it the next day by prior arrangement
D. can take the paper out of the center

3. What would be the best title for the passage? 

A. Frequently asked questions about the Test Center
B. Useful suggestions on different kinds of tests
C. General requirements for students to have tests
D. Brief introduction to the Test Center

     You're sitting on the train home and the person opposite you yawns (打哈欠). Suddenly, you're
yawning with him, though you're not tired.
     This phenomenon confused scientists for years until a recent study found that people tend to
sympathize with fellow humans. Supporting this claim was the discovery that those children who were
unable to form normal emotional ties with others did not experience contagions (有感染力的) yawning,
which showed that humans communicate regularly without words.
     Hogo Critchley, a neuroscientist, has conducted an experiment recently, which will prove that
happiness and sadness can spread like the common cold. According to Critchley, our mind and body
are in constant exchange about how we're feeling. "Emotions are closely linked with states of internal (內(nèi)
部的)responses, "he explained. "There are also more visible changes in our gesture and facial expressions. When we're in a group, these signals can spread to another person. For example, there's the obvious
tendency to smile when smiled at and there are less obvious changes that reflect emotions of surprise,
anger or sadness such as a change in our heart rate and blood pressure. "
     Hugo Critchley further explained, "Our bodies synchronize and when we like the other person, we
even copy his behivour. Next time you chat with a friend, take note of how you're sitting-it's pretty likely
that you will be the same. Scientists believe it's our way of telling each other that we're partners. Through
body language, humans give each other very subtle (微妙的) but clear signals that show emotions. "
So, what lessons can we learn from this? "Spend time with happy people-otherwise your health could
suffer, " said Critchley. "When we're sad, our body goes into fight or flight mode. But when we're happy,
our body works normally and we feel relaxed and positive. So we look bright, our skin glows, we feel
healthy and it affects everyone around us. "

1. According to Hogo Critchley, _________.

A. emotions are as visible as facial expressions
B. we yawn more frequently when we have a cold
C. emotions are connected with states of internal responses
D. the change of blood pressure is not linked with the change of emotions

2. The underlined word "synchronize" in paragraph 4 means "_________".

A. move slowly    
B. change rapidly  
C. relax temporarily  
D. respond accordingly

3. From the passage we can learn ______.

A. sadness is as contagious as happiness
B. anger is less contagious than friendliness
C. surprise is more contagious than smile
D. surprise is the most contagious among emotions

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

A. Emotions have delicate influence on fellow humans.
B. Children like copying the actions of the fellow humans.
C. Scientists are still confused about contagious yawning.
D. People tend to communicate more with body language.

     When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the arts are
unavoidably at the bottom of the list Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. Too often it is
viewed as mere entertainment, but certainly notan education priority (優(yōu)先). This view is shortsighted. In
fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.
     Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it reflects their
thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from. Rock music represents a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazzinfluence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced
into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity as a society.
     Music provides a kind of perception (感知) that can not be acquired any other way. Science can
explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotive (情感的) meaning of the same
phenomenon.We need every possible way to discover and respond to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.
     The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific
symbols. They are ways we human beings "talk" to each other. They are the language of civilization through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be shared with others. When we do not give
children access to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we take away from them themeanings that music expresses.
     Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The arts do. Music is an important
way we express human suffering, celebration, the meaning and value of peace and love. So music
education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.

1. According to Paragraph 1, students _____.

A. regard music as a way of entertainment
B. disagree with their parents on education
C. view music as an overlooked subject
D. prefer the arts to science

2. In Paragraph 2, the author uses jazz as an example to _____.

A. compare it with rock music
B. show music identifies a society
C. introduce American musical traditions
D. prove music influences people's lifestyles

3. According to the passage,the arts and science _____.

A. approach the world from different angles
B. explore different phenomena of the world
C. express people’s feelings in different ways
D. explain what it means to be human differently

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Music education deserves more attention.
B. Music should be of top education priority.
C. Music is an effective communication tool.
D. Music education makes students more imaginative.

     Recently, many of America's biggest zoos have decided to close down their elephant exhibits.
A new study shows that elephants live better in the wild.
     Researchers studies 4,500 elephants in European zoos and compared them with elephants living
in wild. They found that wild elephants are healthier, live longer and reproduce(繁殖) more than those
kept in zoos.
     Many animals live longer in zoos than those who live in the wild. In zoos, they are not worried
about some animals that may attack them at any time when in the wild. There's always plenty to eat.
And they are cured when sickness strikes. But when it comes to elephants, the situation is different.
     The researchers said that zoos do not offer enough space for elephants to walk about as much as
30 miles a day. Too little exercise and too much food are causing zoo elephants to put on extra pounds.
The weight gain can lead to heart disease and other health problems. Even the baby elephants born in
zoos are heavier than those born in the wild.
     Bringing Asian and African elephants together in zoos has also caused problems. A disease that is
not dangerous for African elephants has spread to Asian elephants, and is harming them. " Zoos have
accidentally created this," says Mason. "It's killing Asian adult elephants."
    Exerts point out that keeping elephants in zoos isn't a problem for the animals only; it's also quite
costly for humans. In the last 10 years, zoos have spent about $500 million on caged space for about
250 animals.

1. Compared with wild elephants, elephants in zoos ______.

A. live longer  
B. are heavier  
C. are healthier  
D. reproduce more

2. The fourth paragraph mainly tells us that ______.

A. baby elephants are difficult to live in zoos
B. elephants walk as long as miles a day
C. little room to wander leads to problems for elephants
D. too much food in zoos leads to heart disease for elephants

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A. Asian elephants are more easily attacked by diseases than African elephants.
B. The diseases of zoo elephants are caused by being overweight.
C. Zoos free the elephants because of the cost of keeping them.
D. Elephants live better in the wild than in zoos.

4. The passage is probably taken from _____.

A. the zoo rules        
B. a guide book  
C. a healthy program    
D. a science magazine

     Sorry to say, our brains naturally start slowing down at the Cruelty young age of 30. It used
to be thought that this couldn't be helped, but new studies show that people of any age can train
their brains to work faster. "Your brain is a learning machine," says University of California scientist
Dr. Michael Merzenich. Given the right tools, we can train our brains to act like they did when we
were younger. All that's required is the practice designed just for the purpose: a few exercises for
the mind.
    Merzenich has developed a computer-based training method to speed up the process(過(guò)程)in
which the brain deals with information  ( positscience. com). Since much of the data we receive
comes through speech, the Brain Fitness Program works with language and hearing to better
speed and accuracy (準(zhǔn)確性).
     Over the course of training, the program starts asking you to distinguish (辨別) sounds (between
"dog" and "bog", for example) at an increasingly faster speed. It's a bit like tennis instructor, says
Merzenich, hitting balls at you-faster and faster to keep you challenged(受到挑戰(zhàn)).
You may start out slow, but before long you're pretty quick,
    The biggest finding in brain research in the last ten years is that the brain at any age is highly plastic.
If you ask your brain to learn, it will learn. And it may even speed up while in the process.
     To keep your brain young and plastic you can do one of a million new activities that challenge and
excite you: playing table tennis or bridge, doing crossword puzzles, learning a language. . . "When
it comes to preventing ageing, you really do ' use it or lose it' ,"says Barbara Sahakian, professor at
Cambridge University.

1. Dr. Merzenich's training method mainly depends on_________.    

A. speech training
B. computer languages
C. the activities one joins in
D. the information being dealt with

2. By saying"the brain at any age is highly plastic", the writer probably means the brain can be_____.  

A. used                          
B. mastered
C. developed                      
D. researched

3. What can we learn from the text?  

A. Practice makes a quick mind.
B. Brain research started ten years ago.
C. Dr. Merzenich is a scientist in computer.
D. People believed nothing could stop the brain slowing down.

4. Which of the following agrees with the writer's idea?

A. The training methods work better for the old.
B. People should use the brain to stop it from ageing.
C. The training of the brain should start at an early age.
D. It's necessary to take part in as many activities as possible.