Boys need friends, suffer when they don't believe they have any, and worry over the ups and downs
of relationships. Many adults believe that somehow boys need friends less than girls do, in truth, though,
no boy is an island; boys value their friends throughout childhood and adolescence and are happier and
healthier when they have solid relationships with peers(同齡人)．
     Despite the common belief that girls are better at relationships, most boys consider their friends a very
important part of their lives, and boys may actually be better at keeping friendships than girls are. A recent study of 10 to 15yearold boys and girls found that girls' friendships are actually more fragile. Girls tend to
say and do hurtful things to each other more frequently than boys, and girls are more hurt by the end of a
friendship.
     Boys are the living definition of the phrase "peer group";they love games with rules, competition, and doing things together. Boys seem to enjoy, even need the opportunity to test themselves against others, and
many lasting friendships begin in karate(空手道) class or on the basketball court. Competence and skill
are widely respected; being picked last for a team or left out altogether is an experience that can haunt(縈繞心頭) a boy for years.
     As boys mature, the friendship becomes even more important, and it frequently widens to include girls. During the teen years, friends can become the most important part of a boy's life-and a part in which his
parents are not included. The confusion of being a teenager leads boys to form close bonds with friends.
There is the sense for many boys that a friend is someone who is "always there for me", someone he can
trust. They may be partners in crime or partners in study, but the friendship of adolescent boys can run
surprisingly deep.

1．The common belief of adults is that boys________.

A．don't care about others as much as girls
B．don't value friendship as much as girls
C．have the same friendship as girls
D．have healthier friendship than girls

2．According to the text, boys' friendship________.

A．is usually built around active play
B．tends to be in small groups
C．can bear mutual hurt between friends
D．doesn't suffer from failure

3．The author mentions the study in the second paragraph to prove ________.

A．many people believe girls are better at relationships
B．most boys consider their friends very important
C．boys may be better at keeping friendships than girls
D．boys may be more active in a friendship

4．As a boy gets older, he tends to________.

A．widen his circle of friends to include different kinds of people
B．shift his focus from his friends to himself
C．leave his parents out of his friendship
D．be confused about what a friendship is

     When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But
there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These
people are willing to risk(冒……危險) being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the
excitement of watching the storm close up.
     "Storm  chasing (追逐 )"  is  becoming  an increasingly popular hobby (喜好) , especially in the
Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser
begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1 000
kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
   Although anyone can do it, storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw
a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents
caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm- chasing
vacations during the storm season.
     Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. "Storm chasing is 95% driving, " says
Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm- chasing. "sSometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers. "
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. "When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight
you will ever see in your life, " says Jasper Morley. "Every storm is an example of the power of nature. It
is the greatest show on Earth. "

1. For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do  is to       .
A. head straight for the center of the storm
B. get into the car for safety    
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop
D. collect information about a coming storm

2. Beginners of storm chasing are advised         .
A not to drive in a heavy rain
B. to do it in an organized way
C. not to get too close to a storm
D. to spend more time on it in summer

3. By saying "it is all worth it" in the last paragraph, the author means that         .
A. storm chasing costs a lot of money
B. storm chasing is worth hours of waiting
C. efforts in storm chasing are well paid
D. a storm presents the greatest show on earth

4. What can we leam from the text?
A. Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment.
B. Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.
C. Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.
D. Storm chasing is only fit for young people.

     There are several explanations for why the circle is divided into 360 parts. Probably the best
explanation is connected with the Babylonians.
     Many,many centuries ago,large distances were measured in the Babylonian mile. The Babylonian
mile equaled about seven of our miles. Because of its length, the time needed to travel the Babylonian
mile became a measure of time. One day was said to be twelve Babylonian time-miles.
     About one thousand years before Christ, the Babylonians began keeping records of star movements.
They needed a way to record how much time passed between the moment they first saw a star and
then observed it again. They used the Babylonian time-mile as their measure of time.
     In order to have small units of time, the Babylonians divided their time-mile into thirty parts. The
Babylonians believed that each trip around the sky was a circle. One complete trip around the sky,
they reasoned,took one day.
      You already know that one day was the same as twelve Babylonian time-mile. Since each time-mile
was divided into thirty parts,the circular trip around the sky was 12 x 30,or 360 parts long. That is how
there came to be 360 degrees in a circle.


1. The purpose of this passage is to explain         .

A. how the Babylonians measured the time of  star movements
B. why the circle is divided int0 360 degrees
C. the Babylonian mile and the Babylonian time-mile
D. the Babylonians' ideas about the sky

2. For what was the Babylonian time-mile divided into thirty parts?

A. To make a day into 360 parts.
B. To make a circle into 360 parts.
C. To measure more exact distances.
D. To measure more exact time.

3. We conclude the one Babylonian time-mile equals          .

A. two hours                
B. about seven miles
C. one day                  
D. twelve degrees

4. Suppose o on the following circle was the time the Babylonians first saw a star,and then it took 13. 5
    Babyloruan time-miles to see it again,where should the time be marked on the circle?

A. 45.                    
B. 90.
C. 135.                  
D. 315.

     I have been very lucky to have won the Noble Prize twice.  It is, of course, very exciting to have such
an important recognition of my work, but the real pleasure was in the work itself. Scientific research is like an exploration of a voyage of discovery. You are continually trying out new things that have not beendone before.  Many of them will lead nowhere and you have to try something different, but sometimes an
experiment does work and tells you something new and that is really exciting.  However small the new
finding may be, it is great to think "I am the only person who knows this" and then you will have the fun of
thinking what this finding will lead to and deciding what will be the next experiment. One of the best things about scientific research is that you are always doing something different and it is never boring. There are
good times when things  go well and bad times when they don't. Some people get discouraged at the
difficult times but when I have a failure, my policy has always been not to worry but to start planning the
nextexperiment, which is always fun.
     It is very exciting to make a new discovery. Some people will do the strangest things for this
excitement, such as going round the world in a balloon or walking to the North Pole. There are not many
new places to explore but there is a lot of new information to be discovered in science and a journey into
this unknown area can be much more worthwhile and just as exciting.
     I'm sometimes asked, "What do you have to do to win a Noble Prize?" My answer is, "I don't know.
I have never tried. " But I know of one way not to win. There are some people whose main reason for
doing science is to win prizes and they are always thinking about how to do it. Such people don't succeed. To do good science you must be interested in it and enjoy doing experiments and thinking out problems.
And, of course, you must be prepared to work hard and not to be too discouraged by failures.

1. In the writer's eyes his greatest pleasure in all his lifetime is        .

A. to win the Nobel Prize for the first time
B. to be awarded the Nobel Prize for the second time
C. in the work itself
D. to have a much more important recogniition of his work

2. Why did the writer think scientific research to be one of the best things?

A. You will be able to win the Nobel Prize through the scientific research.
B. You can make as much money as possible by doing the scientific research.
C. You may continue doing with something different and exciting, and so you can never be
      tired of doing the scientific research.
D. You can get much more chances of promotion(晉級) by making the scientific research.

3. What would the writer do when he had a failure?

A. He would forget this failure and start the next experiment.
B. He used to be womed about it for several days and never forget it.
C. He always gave up his study as the result of the failure.
D. He used to think out the reasons and then continue to do it again.

     In Europe, people make friends across the borders through town twinning.  Two towns in different
countries decide to become twin towns.
    Their citizens find pen-friends in the twin town.  They exchange newspapers and stamps.  The school
discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town.  Officials visit the twin town for celebrations.  Ordinary citizens travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away.
     Sometimes schools even exchange school classes for two or three weeks! For example, Cerman
middle school students study for a while at the school in Britain, staying with British families.  A few
months later,their British friends come to study in Germany.
     Some towns even arrange exchange visits for theatre groups,chorus (合唱隊 ) and  orchestras (管
弦樂隊) .  Others send lectures to the twin town who tell the people there all about their own town, and
show photos and slides.
    Some towns organize exhibitions to show works of art, for example paintings by artists from their own
town.
    Many British towns are so pleased with the result of the twinning that they set out to find more than one
twin town!
    Tonbridge, a medium-sized town in Kent, for example,has twin towns in Germany and in France.  
Richmond near London has links with Cermany,France and a town in former Yugoslavia.
It helps students to improve their language skills,and it contributes to international peace and
understanding.

1.  Altogether            countries are mentioned in this passage.

A. 4    
B. 5    
C. 6    
D. 7

2.  Which of the following information can't you find in this passage?

A.  Newspapers and stamps are exchanged between twin towns.
B.  Business trade is developed in the town twinning.
C.  Teachers of the towns often discuss the scientific ways of teaching.
D.  Lectures are sent to the twin town who tell the people there about their own town.

3.  Twin town develops          .    
A.  between European countries and China
B.  in the English-speaking countries
C.  between countries not far away from each other
D.  between different countries

4.  " . . .  it contributes to international peace and  understanding" has the similar meaning to           . 

A.  it helps people between countries to know each other better and live peacefully
B.  it encourages people to do something for the peace of the world
C.  it makes people understand the intemational peace
D. it is good for students to leam the language better by understanding

5.  Which is the best title for this passage?

A.  Town Twinning
B.  Friendly Towns
C.  Exchange Teachers and Students
D. lnternational Peace and Understanding

     England is not a big country: from north to south and from east to west it is only about three hundred
miles across.   But for a small country it has a surprising range of climate.  People who have never visited
England, or who have visited only one part of it, often make the mistake of thinking that it is a cold and
wet country, except for the summer months of June to September.  This is probably true of the north of
England and the Midlands.  In the south, however, the climate is much more pleasant.   One result is that
when people retire from a job in the north they often prefer to move down to the milder south.
      Perhaps the warmest part of the country is thesouthwest, which consists of the countries of Devon and
Cornwall.  The warm Gulf Stream flows across the North Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico and
makes the coastal regions of the southwest quite warm.  Palm trees, bamboo and many semi-tropical
plants grow well in the southwest of England.  Flowers and vegetables ripen as much as a month earlier
than those elsewhere.  Farmers in the area obtain a higher price for their vegetables and flowers because
they are ready earlier.  In winter there may be several feet of snow in other parts of England but there
will probably be no snow at all in the southwest.  This may be one of the reasons why the southwest is
one of England's most popular holiday areas.

1.  The distance from the center of England to south coast is about        . 

A.  one hundred miles
B.  three hundred miles
C.  one hundred and fifty miles
D.  six hundred miles

2.  England is a country         .  

A.  with a cold and wet climate
B.  with a surprising climate
C.  with a pleasant climate
D.  with a variety of climates

3.  According to the passage        . 

A.  flowers and vegetables from Devon are on themarket one month earlier
B.  farmers in the southwest grow as many vegetables and flowers as farmers elsewhere
C.  people in the southwest have to pay a higher price for vegetables and flowers
D.  vegetables in Comwall ripen as much as a month earlier than flowers

4. In the north of England and the Midlands,       . 

A.  it is cold and wet all the year round
B.  the climate is pleasant as a whole
C.  it is warm most of the time in a year
D.  only the summer is not cold and not wet

     Researchers are placing robotic dogs(機器狗)  in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans.Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship and
Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of
robotic dogs on old people's depression, physical  activity, and life satisfaction. "No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated (刺激) ,"  Edwards points out. " The problem  is  how  we  promote (使……成為現(xiàn)實) that, especially for those without friends or help. A
robotic dog could be a solution. "
      In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who
live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These
old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO. Then, the
researchers will review the data to detemune if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
      "I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,"  says a seventy-year-old lady. "When I'm
watching TV, he'll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own. "
     The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
     "At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog because it was metal and not furry (毛茸茸的) ," Beck  says. "But  it's  amazing how quickly we have given up that belief. "
    "Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper. They will
record their masters' blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have
games that can help stimulate older people's minds. "

1.The purpose of Beck and Edwards' study is to      _.    

A. understand human-animal relationship
B. make lonely old people's life better
C. find the causes of old people's loneliness
D. promote the animal-assisted research

2.In the research, the old people are asked to       .    

A. note the activities of AIBOs
B. keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks
C. record their feelings and activities
D. analyze the collected information

3. What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?     

A. It is easier to keep at home.
B. It can help the disabled people.
C. It responds to all the human orders.
D.lt can watch TV with its owner.

4. The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may____.     

A. cure certain diseases
B. keep old people active
C. change people's beliefs
D.look more like real dogs