Most American students go to traditional public schools. There are about 88 000 public schools all over
the US. Some students attend about 3 000 independent public schools called charter schools.
     Charter schools are self-governing. Private companies operate some charter schools. They are similar in
some ways to traditional public schools. They receive tax money just as other public schools do. Charter
schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning. These governments provide
the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate.
     Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public
schools. Local, state or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach. Each school can choose its own
goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them. Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools.
     The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are
failing to educate students. But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools. One teachers'
union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional
schools and charter schools.
     The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study,
which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Union education experts say the study shows
that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools. 
     Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more
problems than students in traditional schools. Other education experts say the study results should make charter
school officials demand improved student progress.

1. If a private company wants to operate a charter school, it must _____.

A. try new methods of teaching
B. prove its management ability
C. obey the local and state laws
D. get the government's permission

2. Charter schools are independent because _____.

A. they make greater progress
B. their class size is smaller
C. they enjoy more freedom
D. they oppose traditional ways

3. What's the government's attitude toward charter Schools?

A. Doubtful.
B. Supportive.
C. Subjective.
D. Optimistic.

4. What can we learn from the text?

A. More students choose to attend charter schools.
B. Charter schools are better than traditional schools.
C. Students in charter schools are well educated.
D. People have different opinions about charter schools.

5. It can be inferred from the text that _____.

A. charter schools are part of the public education system
B. one-on-one attention should be paid to students
C. the number of charter schools will be limited
D. charter schools are all privately financed

     A 17-year-old boy, caught sending text messages in class, was recently sent to the vice principal's office
at Millwood High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The vice principal, Steve Gallagher, told the boy he needed
to focus on the teacher, not his cell phone. The boy listened politely and nodded, and that's when Mr. Gallagher
noticed the student's fingers moving on his lap. He was texting while being scolded for texting."It was a
subconscious act," says Mr. Gallagher, who took the phone away."Young people today are connected socially
from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until they close their eyes at night. It's compulsive."
     A study this year by psychology students at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, found that the more
time young people spend on Facebook, the more likely they are to have lower grades and weaker study habits.
Heavy Facebook users show signs of being more socialable, but they are also more likely to be anxious, hostile
or depressed. (Doctors, meanwhile, are now blaming addictions to 'night texting' for disturbing the sleep
patterns of teens.)
     Almost a quarter of today's teens check Facebook more than 10 times a day, according to a 2009 survey
by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit.group that monitors media's impact on families. Will these young people
get rid of this habit once they enter the work force, or will employers come to see texting and social-network
checking' as accepted parts of the workday?
     Think back. When today's older workers were in their 20s, they might have taken a break on the job to call
friends and make after-work plans. In those earlier eras, companies discouraged non-business-related calls, and
someone who made personal calls all day risked being fired. It was impossible to imagine the constant back-and-
forth texting that defines interactions among young people today.
     Educators are also being asked by parents, students and educational strategists to reconsider their rules. "In
past generations, students got in trouble for passing notes in class. Now students are adept at texting with their
phones still in their pockets," says 40-year-old Mr. Gallagher, the vice principal, "and they're able to
communicate with someone one floor down and three rows over. Students are just fun-damentally different
today. They will take suspensions rather than give up their phones."

1. The underlined word "a subconscious act" refers to an act _____.

A. on purpose
B. without realization
C. in secret
D. with care

2. Young people addicted to the use of Facebook _____.

A. are good at dealing with the social relationships and concentrate on their study
B. have high spirits and positive attitudes towards their life and work
C. have been influenced mentally in the aspects of behaviors and habits
D. are always in bad mood and have poor performance in every respect

3. Through the situation of today's older workers in their 20s, it can be inferred that _____.

A. the employers will not accept young people's sending text messages
B. a cell phone is a must for today's older workers instead of young people
C. the employers prefer older workers to young people
D. the employers will find it hard to control the interaction among young people

4. Mr. Gallagher reminds us that the students in the past and those today _____.

A. like to break rules and have the same means of sending messages
B. are always the big problem for the educators and their parents
C. like sending text messages but those today do it in a more secret and skillful way
D. cannot live without a cell phone

5. What's the best title of the passage?

A. Teenagers and Cell Phones
B. Teenagers' Texting Addiction
C. Employers and Teenagers
D. Teenagers' Education

     As demand for power and fuel grows steadily in the coming decades, we must consider every possible
energy source (來源) at hand if we're to meet the world's needs. And because clean natural gas is found in
great plenty, there is little doubt that it will play a major role on the world energy stage in this century, much
like oil did in the last. But, like oil, gas reserves are concentrated in just a few places in the world, usually
far from where they're needed most. And that's only part of the challenge. The world has had well over 100
years to search for oil and to build the necessary facilities (設施) to bring it to market; the natural gas facilities,
particularly when it comes to liquefied (液化) natural gas (LNG), is not nearly as developed.
     So what needs to be done? On the supply side, producing nations need policies that allow for better
development of their natural gas in an open, stable business environment, not one in which the rules of
the game change without warning. The governments of consuming nations, on the other hand, must make
policies for sustainable (可持續(xù)的) development to ensure they'll have enough supplies in the future. That
means building the related facilities, including LNG stations. This, in turn, will require coastal areas to allow
these necessary, but not necessarily pretty, facilities to be built in their backyards. And energy companies
have a responsibility to be good neighbors in those areas by operating these facilities responsibly and safely.
They must also continue to put in the billions of dollars needed to build the complex transport and storage
facilities required to bring more gas to market.
     Expanding and diversifying (使多樣化) energy sources by using more natural gas could lead to lower
fuel prices and to greater energy security. We've taken some of the steps to get started, but we need your
help to get the rest of the way.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Gas played a major part in the 20th century.
B. Natural gas facilities are far from satisfactory.
C. Gas reserves are widely spread around the world.
D. Necessary facilities are ready to bring gas to market.

2. The underlined word "one" (in Paragraph 2) refers to _____.

A. the gas supply side
B. the business environment
C. the gas consuming nation
D. the policy for gas development

3. Consuming nations of natural gas need to _____.

A. change the rules of the game
B. open markets in their backyards
C. build pretty facilities along the coast
D. have long-term policies for gas supply

4. The main purpose of the passage is to _____.

A. warn people of the lack of power and fuel
B. discuss the importance of oil and natural gas
C. call for better use and development of natural gas
D. instruct people how to make use of energy sources

5. The passage might be followed by a paragraph about _____.

A. what kind of help you can offer
B. where energy sources are concentrated
C. which countries are in great need of gas
D. what problems of energy sources we may face

     Last weekend, 20 000 people gathered in the state of Georgia to watch students from 28 countries
compete with robots they built. More than ten thousand students and more than five hundred robots took
part in the competition.
     The students and their robots competed at the FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
FIRST is the short way of saying the organization's complete name: For Inspiration and Recognition of
Science and Technology.
     Almost 1 700 high school teams entered a level of competition called LUNACY.
     In January, the organization sent supplies for robots to each team. The teams had six weeks to build
robots that could compete in the LUNACY game. The playing area had six robots, three on each team.
Each robot had another vehicle, or trailer (拖車), connected to it. The robots had to pick up large balls
and throw them into the trailers of opposing robots. The robots were moving on a surface where they
could slide. An alliance (聯(lián)盟) of teams from California, Illinois and Michigan won the LUNACY
competition.
     A second competition involved building a robot that could travel on uneven surfaces, move objects
with unusual shapes and resist physical stress. Another competition was for younger students, aged 9
to 14. They had to design, build and program robots to explore the Earth's climate.
     American inventor Dean Kamen started FIRST in 1989. The organization holds robotics competitions
around the world. It offers programs that help young people learn more about science, technology,
engineering and mathematics, while building life skills. Many companies provide support to the organization.
     Mister Kamen says the goal is about more than building robots. He says the student competitors showed
they could deal with difficult technological problems. And, he says that is good news because the world
needs creative thinkers to help with increasingly complex (復雜) problems in the future.

1. The Robot Competition was organized by _____.

A. the State of Georgia
B. an organization named FIRST
C. American inventor Dean Kamen
D. some companies from California

2. The robots in the LUNACY game are able to _____.

A. travel on uneven surfaces
B. explore the Earth's climate
C. throw balls into the trailers
D. move objects with different shapes

3. The main purpose of FIRST is to _____.

A. attract more companies to support them
B. help students under 8 to be interested in science
C. teach students how to build the robots on the spot
D. help young people learn science as well as life skills

4. The underlined word "that" in the last paragraph refers to _____.

A. the goal of building robots
B. the students' ability to deal with problems
C. the goal of the student competitors
D. something about technological problems

     When learning a second language it is important to study the culture of the language you're learning.
Anyone can learn another language's grammar from a textbook, but what good is this learning if you don't
understand the culture of the person you're speaking to? Only in learning another language and its culture
will you be able to proficiently communicate with a person in that language. There are many ways to enhance
your language studies by studying the country's culture; this can include reading literature, watching movies,
or listening to popular music.
     Many schools in the United States emphasize the importance of cultural understanding in language classes.
Instead of memorizing only vocabulary words and grammar patterns, classes from elementary schools to
universities are teaching literature, pop songs, and films in their classes. From these various mediums students
can learn a great deal about the culture of a language they study, These different forms of media can teach
various characteristics about the language, culture, and history of a society.
     Literature can allow you to understand the history and current debates confronting a culture. For example,
if you read John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath you can understand the history and problems of ordinary
American farmers in the Great Depression. In watching films one can learn about what is popular in a society,
and also slang phrases one definitely won't find in a textbook. In pop songs one can understand what the
current fad in a culture is; what kind of music people like to listen to, what that culture finds romantic, and
even what the contemporary "cool" viewpoint in that society is.
     If you truly are interested in learning a language, don't underestimate the importance of learning about the
language's home culture. Of course one must learn a language's grammar and vocabulary, but this will only
get you so far in actually being able to communicate effectively. So if you are learning a language, take the
time to also study the culture.

1. The best title for this passage would be _____.

A. Important Factors in Learning a Second Language
B. The Importance of Culture in Learning a Language
C. Effectively Communicating in a Second Language
D. Why You Should Watch Films and Listen to Music When Learning a Foreign Language

2. In the above passage literature is described as an important way to learn _____ about a culture.

A. history
B. history and political issues
C. history and social issues
D. all of the above

3. According to this passage, if one wanted to learn about what is popular in a society where should they look?

A. Pop songs and movies.
B. Pop songs.
C. Movies.
D. Literature.

4. What is the definition for "mediums" according to the passage?

A. The methods of conveying information.
B. Different genres of culture.
C. Books, songs, and films.
D. All of the above.

5. Which of the following opinions was NOT expressed in the passage above?

A. That language learning needs to be supplemented by cultural learning.
B. That cultural learning can give key insights into a society's history, language, and current trends.
C. That a majority of time should be given to cultural learning while learning a second language.
D. The key to effective communication is language and cultural proficiency.

     When students all over the world finish high school, it is a very important time in their lives. After years
of full-time schooling they must decide what next step to take as they enter adulthood, and young people
from different countries often face different options for what that next step will be.
     For many students, the obvious choice is to enter college or university to continue their education. Some
know what they want to study, and enter specialized programs like law school or medical school. Other
students choose to study something more general, like English or history, and spend many more years in
school before entering the job market. Going to graduate school can be very expensive, but for many people
education is an essential step to earning a high-paying job.
     Another option is to begin working right away. After high school, many students in America choose to
find a job or enter a "trade school" to learn special skills to help them find work. This way, young people can
learn skills that can help them make a career, and they can even start their own business to make more money.
     Many young people from European countries choose to take a "gap year," meaning they travel around the
world before going to university or getting a job. During this time they can get life experience and think about
what career or education to pursue, but it may be very expensive to travel for such a long time.
     Finally, another option for students is to serve their country or community through military or volunteer
service. In some countries, like Israel, most young people spend time in the military after finishing high school.
Sometimes students can get money for university by spending time in the military or by serving their
communities through volunteer work.

1. Why do some people choose to work instead of going to university? (No more than 12 words)
    ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is a benefit of traveling during a "gap year" after finishing high school? (No more than 15 words) 
    ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. How do some young people earn their own money for university? (No more than 7 words)
    ___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why do some people choose to go to university right away? (No more than 12 words) 
    ___________________________________________________________________________________

     The old belief that the universe never changes is quite wrong. Even before the invention of the telescope,
astronomers noticed that bright stars suddenly appeared in the sky and then later disappeared. These stars
were called "novae" because they were thought to be new. In fact we now know that they are really old stars
which are slowly dying.
     Novae are old stars which are slowly dying. As they do so they let out huge clouds of material, sometimes
as large as the earth, and these explode into space at a speed of about 8 000 000 kilometers per hour. When
this happens, the hotter parts of the star become visible, and this is why novae are so bright. Although the
explosions are so huge on a human scale, they only consume a small part of the dying star's energy. The death
is a slow one and the star may continue to explode for thousands of years. Indeed, there are even some stars
which explode once every two weeks.
     There are other old stars which do not die slowly, but are completely destroyed by one great explosion.
These are known as "supernovae". The explosion of a supernovae is equivalent to about a million, million,
million, million hydrogen bombs going off at the same time. Just before the explosion the star's density becomes
very great and it spins at a very high speed. A matchbox of materials taken from the star at that time would
weigh about 1 000 tons and the star would be turning at about 16 000 000 kilometers per hour. The explosion
itself occurs suddenly, in the interval of a minute, but the supernovae continues to shine long after the event.
One supernovae which Chinese astronomers observed in 1054 can still be seen by us today. It has been shining
for at least nine hundred years.

1. Novae were originally thought to be _____.

A. stars that disappear suddenly
B. stars that explode
C. new stars
D. dying stars

2. Supernovae are different from novae because _____.

A. they are dying stars
B. they die gradually
C. they can be seen from the earth
D. they explode suddenly

3. "As they do so" (line 1, Paragraph 2) means _____.

A. as they let out clouds of material
B. as they are slowing dying
C. as they explode into energy
D. as they consume the star's energy

4. The death of a novae is slow because _____.

A. each novae only explodes once every two weeks
B. the explosion may continue for thousands of years
C. each explosion only consumes a little energy of the star
D. the novae may continue to shine long after the explosion

5. A matchbox of material taken from a supernovae weigh 1 000 tons because _____.

A. the star spins at a very high speed
B. the density of the star is very great
C. the star explodes all of a sudden
D. the star gives off a lot of material

     A seventeen-year-old boy from the northeastern state of Massachusetts has won the top prize in the Intel
Science Talent Search. The competition is the oldest program in the United States that honors the science
projects of high school students. The Intel Science Talent Search is 63 years old this year.
     The winners receive a new computer and money for a college education. This year 1 652 students from
46 states entered projects for the competition. Their research involved nearly every area of science, including
chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, engineering, computer science and social science.
     Forty students were invited to Washington, D. C. for the final judging. A group of well-known scientists
judged them on their research abilities, critical thinking skills and creativity. The judges also questioned the
students about scientific problems before deciding on the winners.
     The top winner is Herbert Mason Hedberg of North Attleboro, Massachusetts. The second place winner
is Boris Alexeev of Athens, Georgia and the third place winner is Ryna Karnik of Aloha, Oregon. Herbert
received 100 000 dollars for his college education. He developed a faster, more effective method to tell if a
person has cancer. He explored a way to separate telomerase, an enzyme (酶) found in most cancer cells. His
findings have helped advance research into ways of stopping cancer cells from growing. Herbert said he started
the project after watching his grandmother struggle against cancer. He plans to be a doctor and continue doing,
medical research.
     Andrew Yeager of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center was chairman of the judges for the Intel
Science Talent Search this year. He said the competition was an excellent way to discover future leaders in
science and technology. Past competition winners have gone on to receive many of the world's highest honors
for science and mathematics.

1. Herbert's way is more effective because _____.

A. it can kill cancer cells faster
B. it helps to free humans from cancer
C. it can stop cancer cells from growing
D. it can tell faster if a person is a cancer sufferer

2. We can learn from the passage that _____.

A. the final judging of the competition took place in the state of Massachusetts
B. less than three percent of the competitors entered the final part of the competition
C. critical thinking and creativity are more important than research abilities
D. the scientists judging this year's competition all work for Intel Corporation

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

A. Intel Science Talent Search
B. How to Discover Future Scientists
C. Intel Science Talent Search Winners
D. A Very Famous Competition