People have long debated the essence（本質）of human nature．Some people think humans are

born good．In San Zi Jing（Three Chara~er Classic），a Chinese children’s educational book from

the 13th century, we read：“Men at birth are naturally good．Their natures are similar, their habits

become different．’’

  Yet some philosophers disagree with this．They think men are born selfish and vicious（惡的）．

For example，Thomas Hobbes，the 1 7th century English philosopher argued that men are born self-

interested and with a liking for war．

Over the centuries，different philosophers have argued their cases．Now the results of a new

study，which contrasts the behavior of very young children and young chimpanzees（黑猩猩）

suggests that human beings are born sociable and helpful to others，according to a New York Times

 report．

“Of course every animal must to some extent be selfish to survive．But the biologists also see

in humans a natural willingness to help．”The New York Times science reporter Nicholas Wade writes．

Wade quotes a book published in October by American psychologist Michael Tomasello．

Tomasello writes：“When infants（嬰兒）18 months old see an unrelated adult whose hands are

full and who needs help opening a door or picking up a dropped clothespin，they will immediately

help．The helping behavior seems to be innate because it appears so early and before many parents

start teaching children the rules of polite behavior．’’

Tomasello finds that this behavior is not the result of an incentive（動機）of a

reward，suggesting training does not influence it．And it seems to happen across cultures，with their different timetables for teaching social rules．For these reasons，Tomamsello concluded that helping is natural，not something taught by parents or culture．

And it seems that infants cannot only help in practical ways，it can also help with information，

Tomasello writes．From the age of 1 2 months they will point at objects thin all adult pretends to

have lost．Chimpanzees，by contrast，never point at things for each other, and when they point for

people．it seems to be as a command to go fetch something rather than to share information．

49．What is the article mainly about?

      A．The behavior of young children．

      B．Former philosophies about human nature.

      C．The difference between babies and baby chimpanzees.

      D．A new study of human nature．

50．According to Michael Tomasello, human beings are born           .

       A．similar to chimpanzees in nature        B．selfish and Vicious

       C．sociable and helpful       D．with a liking for war

51．Of all the following，      has a negative attitude towards human nature.

      A．Three Character           B．Thomas Hobbes

      C．Nicholas Wade    D．Michael Tomasello

52．According to the study，it's safe to say that          .

       A．human beings are not selfish

       B．children like to help others when they get a reward

       C．different countries teach social rules at different times

       D．children tend to be helpful if they are taught early

Wouldn't it be great if you could just look up at the sky and read the weather forecast right away?

Well, you CAN. The forecast is written in clouds. If you can read that writing, you can tell something about the atmosphere. With some practice, you can become a pretty good weather forecaster. Who knows, you might even do as well as meteorologists (氣象學家).

Meteorologists use much more information than just the appearance of the clouds to make their forecast. They collect data from all over the world. Then they put it into powerful, high-speed computers.

This does give meteorologists an advantage, because they can track weather patterns as they move from west to east across the country.

But you have an advantage, too. You have your brains. You can look at the sky and get your data directly. A meteorologist uses a computer forecast that’s several hours old to make a local forecast.

What are you seeing when you look at a cloud? “A picture of what moisture (水氣) is doing in the atmosphere,”says meteorologist Peter Leavit. There’s moisture throughout the atmosphere. Most of the time you don't see it, because it's in the form of an invisible gas called water vapor.
    Sometimes, the temperature of the air gets cold enough to cause the water vapor to change to liquid water. That’s called condensation, and we see it happen all the time, for example, when humid air from the shower hits the cold glass of a mirror. When enough water vapor condenses, droplets form in the air. These droplets scatter light. A cloud is seen.

Watching clouds over a day or two tells you a lot more than a single cloud about the weather to come. Changes in clouds show changes in the atmosphere.

You should begin to notice patterns. Certain clouds, fol1owing each other in order, can signal an approaching storm. But don’t take our word for it; see for yourself.

53. According to the passage, ordinary people can tell the weather because __________.

54. Your advantage in weather forecast is that __________.

55. A cloud is formed when __________.

56. This passage mainly tells us about how__________.

Special trees that grow faster, fight pollution, produce better wood, and even sense chemical attacks are being planted by scientists in the US.

When 40 per cent of Hawaii's US$14 million-a-year papaya (木瓜)industry was destroyed by a virus five years ago, work began on creating genetically engineered (轉基因的) trees.

Researchers successfully introduced seeds that were designed to resist the virus. Since then, more and more people have been testing genetically engineered trees.

Some researchers put special bacteria into trees to help them grow faster and produce better wood. Others are trying to create trees that can clean polluted soil.

Meanwhile fruit farmers are looking for trees that are strong enough to resist worms, and paper companies want trees that produce more wood and therefore more paper.

The Pentagon (五角大樓) even gave the researchers US$500,000 this year after they developed a pine tree that changes its colours if it senses a chemical attack.

So far, the poplar, eucalyptus (楊樹與桉樹), apple and coffee trees are among those being engineered. All this can be done today because we have a better understanding of tree genomes (基因組).

However, some people fear that the genetically engineered trees will cause dangerous results. They are worried that the new trees will breed with natural species and change the balance of the forest environment. 

"It could be destructive," said Jim Diamond, an environmentalist. "Trees are what is left of our natural environment and home to many endangered species."

But researchers insist that science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.

They hope to answer the critics by stopping the new trees from breeding, so their effect on the environment can be controlled.

57. Which kind of tree is not the ones that scientists are planting in the US?

A. Trees that worms can't hurt.

B. Trees that can protect themselves at a chemical attack.

C. Trees that can resist wind better.

D. Genetically engineered trees.

58. What caused the American scientists to work on special trees?

A. They think science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and        man-made dangers.

B. Great numbers of trees have been lost due to attacks by viruses.

C. Researchers successfully introduced seeds designed to resist the virus.

D. Tree genomes are mapped out so scientists know how to improve trees.

59. Which of the following was probably the first kind of trees being engineered?

A. Papaya.                    B. Pine.                 C. Apple.                      D. Poplar.

60. Why did critics think engineered trees dangerous? Because _______.

A. these trees can destroy the balance of nature

B. everything except trees has been genetically engineered

C. trees are home to many endangered species

D. these trees may affect normal trees

British and American scientists are raising genetically modified(轉基因的) pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant(移植) to humans, the project leader wrote in a newspaper Sunday.

Scientists in London and California have begun conducting the genetic experiments to find a solution to record–long waiting lists for organ transplants, Robert Winston said in an opinion piece written for Britain's Sunday Times.

In Britain alone, around 8,000 patients are waiting for a transplant.

"People needing a new heart or liver are waiting for someone else to die – usually a violent death in a traffic accident," Winston wrote in the newspaper. He said his team was "trying to modify pigs so their organs might save the lives of humans."

The scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to reduce the chances of the organs being rejected by patients, as has been common in previous attempts to use animal tissues, said Winston, who heads the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at London's Hammersmith Hospital.

Working with Dr. Carol Redhead of the California Institute of Technology, Winston's team has injected human genes directly into male piglets(豬仔), adding them to the animal's sperm(精子).

He said that pigs involved in experiments had successfully produced transgenic sperm, but acknowledged that British and European laws had prevented the team from using the pigs to mate.

The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the experiments would be moved to the United States following difficulties with funding and regulations in Britain. It said the pigs would be bred in Missouri.

"Our U.S. friends will benefit from our technology and the income we might have produced for Britain will be lost," Winston wrote.

Some scientists have previously blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant, saying the technique risks spreading animal viruses to humans. Winston said his research project is attempting to breed virus-free pigs.

49. Scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to ____________.

50. Some scientists have blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant because ____________.

51. According to Winston, it seems ___________ to Britain to move the experiments to the United States.            

52. It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.

 Each time a city building is set up, the grass in that spot and trees that once reached up to the sky are replaced by a tar (柏油) roof. In addition to that, roads, parking lots, and yet more buildings are being constructed. The total lost green space can have a very real effect on a city’s air temperature, air quality and energy costs. On a summer day in most American cities, a tar roof can feel like the inside of an oven. But what if we could replace the hot roof of each skyscraper or building in a city with grass or a garden?
    Whether it holds vegetable gardens, wildflowers, or meadow grasses, a green roof can lower the temperature above a building by 60 degrees, which can reduce the building’s energy costs. If used more widely, green roofs could decrease a city’s total energy costs, reduce polluted air from power plant , and improve air quality and public health. But that’s not all — green roofs are a great way to deal with water management in urban areas with overwhelmed sewerage (排污) systems, and actually extend the life time of the roof itself. And green roofs do something else: They beautify the city — whether you’re on the 3rd floor or the 30th. Now that’s a great achievement.
    The environmental nonprofit group Earth Pledge is promoting a Green Roofs progamme. To learn more about how to create a green roof — and the benefits it will provide — visit its website at EarthPledge.com.

54. This passage is most likely to appear in “______” in a webpage.

A. City Environment       B. True Stories         C. Home and Garden   D. Family Health

55. The construction of more city buildings leads to ______.

A. fewer energy costs  B. increase of gardens C. poor quality of air  D. loss of parking space    

56. What en tar roofs are replaced with green ones, ______.

A. low temperature improves one’s health   B. everyone tends to plant vegetables in roof gardens

C. people need more sewerage systems      D. the greenness adds to the beauty of city environment

57. You can visit EarthPledge.com with the purpose of ______.

A. building a home garden                        B. offering money to the group

C. understanding green roofs better                 D. creating a website of Green Roofs

Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.

Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more concerned with how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.

Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads, the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Road kill.

"Ecopassages" may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. "These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid human conflicts," said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
     But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lion used the passage.

Builders of some ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.

The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!
51. The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that_________.
A．wild animals have become more dangerous
B．the driving conditions is bad in the United States
C．the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work
D．a great number of animals are killed in road accidents
52. From the news story, we know an ecopassage is_________.
A．an underground path for cars             B．a fence built for the safety of the area
C．a bridge for animals to get over a river   D．a pass for animals to cross the road
53. When the writer says that animals seem “to be catching on”, he means_________.
A．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road  
B．animals begin to learn to use ecopassages    
C．animals are crossing the road in groups         
D．animals are increasing in number
54. The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because_________.
A．people should protect wild animals by avoiding hitting them                     

B．wild animals may jam the road
C． wild animals may attack cars       D．they may see wild animals on ecopassages

Some experts feel that cars are certain to fall into disuse. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all cars will be deserted and made useless. Other experts, however, think the car is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of city travel in the foreseeable future.

    The car will undoubtedly change greatly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer, and more practical, and should not be powered by the gas engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.

    Unless changes take place in the power system, the car in the future will still be the main problem in city traffic jams. One suggested solution to this essential problem is the automated (自動的) system, which seems to hold water.

    When the car enters the highway system, a small arm will drop from the car and connect with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically. Once joined to the rail, the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the car will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all the car’s movements. The driver will use the telephone to dial instructions about his position and the place he heads for into the system. The computer will find the best way and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will be free to relax and wait for the call that will warm him of his coming exit. It is believed that an automated highway will be able to deal with 10,000 cars per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 cars that can be carried by a present-day highway.

48. What is the main concern of the author of the passage?

A. How to make cars pollution-free.                                 B. How to make cars smaller and safer.

C. How to solve the problem of train jam.                        D. How to develop an automated subway system.

49. We can infer from this passage that __________.

A. the car connected to the rail on the highway will be powered by electricity.

B. The lack of oil is forcing people to find new means to power automobiles.

C. The driver under the system will be told where to get out of the highway.

D. The future car will become larger, faster, prettier and less expensive.

50. What provides cars with electric power in an automated highway system?

A. An engine.                      B.A rail.                     C. A computer controller.            D. A small arm.

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

A. The driver puts his information in the system by email.

B. The new system can deal with 10 times as many cars as the present one.

C. After entering the automated system, the driver needs to do nothing but relax.

D. Some experts are not confident of the future, while the view of the author is hopeful.

Earthquakes are the shaking, rolling or sudden shock of the earth’s surface. Earthquakes happen along "fault lines" in the earth’s crust. Earthquakes can be felt over large areas although they usually last less than one minute. Earthquakes cannot be predicted -- although scientists are working on it!

Most of the time, you will notice an earthquake by the gentle shaking of the ground. You may notice hanging plants swaying or objects wobbling on shelves. Sometimes you may hear a low rumbling noise or feel a sharp jolt. A survivor of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco said the sensation was like riding a bicycle down a long flight of stairs.

The intensity of an earthquake can be measured. One measurement is called the Richter scale. Earthquakes below 4.0 on the Richter scale usually do not cause damage, and earthquakes below 2.0 usually can’t be felt. Earthquakes over 5.0 on the scale can cause damage. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake is considered strong and a magnitude 7.0 is a major earthquake. The Northridge Earthquake, which hit Southern California in 1994, was magnitude 6.7.

Earthquakes are sometimes called temblors, quakes, shakers or seismic activity. The most important thing to remember during an earthquake is to DROP, COVER and HOLD ON. So remember to DROP to the floor and get under something for COVER and HOLD ON during the shaking.

45. Which statement about earthquakes is not correct?

A. Earthquakes are the result of the sudden shock of the earth’s surface.

B. Earthquakes usually can be felt because they can last for a long time.

C. There are usually some signs for people to notice an earthquake.

D. People can feel an earthquake over 6.0 because it is very strong.

46. According to the passage, when the earthquake happened, a survivor of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco_______.

A. was riding a bicycle                 B. was just climbing the stairs

C. heard a low rumbling noise                  D. felt like riding a bicycle

47. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Most of the time, people can not feel or predict the earthquakes.  

B. Earthquakes are sometimes called temblors, quakes shakers or seismic activity.

C. The Northridge Earthquake in Southern California in 1994 caused severe damage.

D. When an earthquake happens, it is important to drop on the floor immediately. 

 We show an amazing tolerance for a form of pollution that is a growing problem: noise. Airplane traffic is increasing by five percent a year. Urban noise is doubling every ten years. By air, land and sea, we are facing an onslaught of noise that is threatening our ability to live in this world. We have granted ourselves the right to make noise. But what about our responsibilities? Have we developed a sense of acoustic responsibility?

The evidence suggests that we have not. Many people seem to believe they have an unlimited right to make noise with cars and motorbikes, and with loud music at home and in the street. In some countries measures have been taken to force people to make less noise. In Britain, for example, a law has been passed preventing people from disturbing their neighbors with music at night.

It is widely accepted that we should deal with our rubbish in a responsible way Noise is in reality a particularly insidious form of rubbish. It destroys community life, pursues us into our homes, keeps us from sleeping and is the cause of many stress-related illnesses, as well as hearing loss. Our acoustic environment belongs to all of us. Everyone has the right to use it, but no one has the right to abuse it. Let’s start using it responsibly.

48. The underlined word “acoustic” in the first paragraph probably means ________.

A. environment          B. pollution              C. sound             D. rubbish

49. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?

A. Nowadays everyone thinks it’s all right to make noise.

B. British law protects people from their neighbors’ music at night.

C. The level of noise produced in cities is twice as high now as ten years ago.

D. Noise can sometimes cause hearing loss.

50. The passage is probably written to _______.

A. introduce acoustic responsibility             B. call for people to make less noise

C. compare rubbish and noise                            D. describe people’s attitude to noise

When TV news programs report wars or disasters, the editors rarely use the most horrifying pictures of dead or wounded victims because they don’t want to upset their viewers. Even so, viewers are usually warned in advance that they may find some of these scenes disturbing, so they can look away if they choose. But the men and women whose job is to record those scenes－the TV cameramen－h(huán)ave no such choice. It is their duty to witness the horrors of the world and record them, no matter how terrible and unpleasant they may be. Consequently, it is one of the most dangerous, exposed and emotionally taxing jobs the world has to offer.

Today, the demand for their work is rising. The explosion of satellite broadcasting and 24-hour news in recent years has created an almost insatiable (貪得無厭的) demand for TV information. But major broadcasters and the TV news agencies—such as Reuters and WTN－h(huán)ave never had enough staff to meet the worldwide demand for up-to-date pictures, so increasingly they turn to “freelance” TV cameramen.

These freelance cameramen are independent operators tied to no particular organization. They will work for any company which hires them, be it for just a few hours or for several weeks in a war zone. But if the freelance cameraman is injured in the course of the job, the TV company is not responsible for him. The freelancer must survive on his own.

TV will always need hard, vivid moving pictures which are fresh, but these companies feel uncomfortable with large numbers of employees on their books, explains Nick Growing, once foreign editor for Britain Channel 4 News and now a BBC news presenter.

By hiring freelancers, they can buy in the skills they need only when they need them. It also enables them to contract out the risk, he says.

65. The freelance cameramen             .

  A. have better skills than other cameramen

  B. are tied to many TV news agencies

  C. have to take tremendous(巨大的) risks in the course of work

  D. need to contract out risks of work for TV companies

66. It is implied in the passage that          .

  A. TV cameramen have to witness disasters and killing whether they like them or not

  B. TV cameramen are a special group of people who enjoy horrifying pictures

  C. TV cameramen should be given greater choice of work

  D. the development of TV resulted in the growing demand for TV cameramen’s work

67. According to this passage, some major broadcasters and TV news agencies            .

A. have employed enough cameramen

  B. are not willing to employ many cameramen

  C. are very mean to freelancers

  D. are responsible for the freelancer if he is injured

68. The author of this passage shows his           the freelance cameramen.

A. respect for      B. sympathy to       C. anger to        D. admiration to