After scientists had discovered how to send messages along electrified wires and, later,答案解析

Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A – F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

76._________________

Astronomers estimate that there are about l,100 asteroids--or space rocks--with the potential to cause a planet-wide disaster in a collision with Earth．And since large asteroids have collided with Earth many times in the past，scientists say it is certain that Earth will be hit again．It is only a question of when． 

77. _________________

The asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs hit the Earth 65 million years ago．It was at least six miles(10 kilometers)wide．But smaller asteroids can also devastate （毁坏）the earth．Scientists estimate that a collision with an asteroid even one—tenth this size would kill at least 25 per cent of Earth’s population．Less than a hundred years ago，for example，an asteroid only 330 feet(100 meters)wide exploded in Siberia．It completely destroyed half a million acres of forest．

78．_________________

Asteroids come from a belt of tens of thousands of space rocks in orbit around the sun．They normally travel between Mars and Jupiter，but some smaller rocks are affected by the gravitational pull of Mars，Jupiter or Saturn and their orbits are stretched．Sometimes this change puts them on a path that crosses Earth’s orbit．This sets up the possibility of collision with Earth．

79．_________________

In l986，a potentially dangerous asteroid missed Earth by only six hours．Scientists only found out about the danger after it had passed．Many more asteroids have collided with Earth over the years．We can still see their marks today — large craters in the ground．

80．_________________

NOW there is a new--found seriousness about asteroid strikes．Astronomers are engaged in a painstaking search for all asteroids that threaten Earth．And the United States has a project called NEAR that involves orbiting and studying the asteroid Eros，the second largest asteroid near Earth．Studying the composition of the asteroid provides important information hat may allow an asteroid to be exploded or knocked of course to prevent it from colliding with Earth．

Babies born in summer are more likely to become short-sighted in late life, a study has shown.
As many as a quarter of all cases of short-sightedness are caused by too great an exposure to sunlight in the first weeks of life, say eye experts.
They are advising all parents to put sunglasses on their babies during the first weeks.
Scientists had already established that over-exposure to sunlight caused shortsightedness in animals.
Researchers who compared the months in which babies were born with whether they needed glasses later on say the principle also applies to humans.
A study of almost 300,000 young adults-the largest of its kind-showed that those born in June and July had a 25 per cent greater chance of becoming severely short-sighted than those born in December or January.
Research leader Professor Michael Belkin, of Tel Aviv University, said it was because prolonged illumination(光照) causes the eyeball to lengthen-causing short-sightedness.
Hence the more light a newborn is exposed to, the more the eyeball lengthens and the worse the short-sightedness will be.
The mechanism which lengthens the eyeball is associated with levels of melatonin(褪黑激素), a pigment (色素) which protects the skin against harmful rays of the sun.
In young babies not enough melatonin is released as protection, meaning they are more vulnerable to sunburn and changes to eyeball shape.
Sight expert Professor Daniel O’Leary, of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said “At the moment we don’t know the precise cause of why light exposure affects sight, but the evidence seems to prove that it is one of the reasons for people becoming shortsighted.”
67. Babies born in summer are more likely to be shortsighted ____________.
A. because the summer sun is too strong for babies
B. because babies born in summer have lengthened eyeballs
C. if they are exposed to much sunlight in the first weeks after they are born
D. if parents don’t know a proper way to protect their babies’ eyes
68. Melatonin is a kind of material to ___________.
A. prevent the eyes from becoming near-sighted
B. protect the skin from harmful sun rays
C. make our body strong
D. protect babies’ eyes from summer sun
69.From what Professor Daniel O’Leary says we can conclude that ___________.
A. there is no evidence that shortsightedness is related to exposure to sunlight
B. whether light exposure affects sight still needs to be further proved
C. he believes that light exposure can cause shortsightedness
D. he tries to give the cause of why light exposure affects sight
70.The underlined word “vulnerable” in the passage probably means __________.
A. easy to be harmed                         B. resistant
C. protective                               D. changeable

Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour’s flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, “Look here for probable metal. ” Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain area, sent a message to other scientists on the ground, “Gold possible. ” Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported, “This ground should be searched for metal. ” From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word, “Uranium. ”

None of the scientists had X-ray eyes:  They had no magic power of looking down below the earth’s surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of locating minerals in the ground. . . trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.

This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow in the surface.

At Watson Bar Greek, a brook(小溪) six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees. Roots were dug out and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested. Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

Study of the roots, branches, and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunks had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

71. Scientists were flying over a desert or a hilly wasteland or a mountain area in order to search for_______in the ground.

A. gold                                              B. silver

C. metals                                           D. minerals

72. The scientists were searching for minerals by using_______ .

A. X-ray                                            B. magic power

C. a special instrument                 D. trained eyes

73. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of a tree that can help find minerals?

A. Leaves.                                        B. Roots.

C. Branches.                                      D. Seeds.

74. The study of trees, branches and roots shows that_______ .

A. there were larger amounts of gold in the branches than in the seeds

B. there were smaller amounts of gold in the roots than in the branches

C. there were less amounts of gold in the seeds growing on the ends of branches than seeds growing nearest to the tree trunks

D. there was more gold in the branches than in the roots

75. Which is the best title suggested below?

A. Scientists Searching for Metals with Special Power

B. New Methods of Searching for Minerals

C. Gold Could Be Found by Trees and Plants

D. A New Method of Searching for Minerals—Using Trees and Plants

Babies born in summer are more likely to become short-sighted in late life, a study has shown.

As many as a quarter of all cases of short-sightedness are caused by too great an exposure to sunlight in the first weeks of life, say eye experts.

They are advising all parents to put sunglasses on their babies during the first weeks.

Scientists had already established that over-exposure to sunlight caused short-sightedness in animals.

Researchers who compared the months in which babies were born with whether they needed glasses later on say the principle also applies to humans.

A study of almost 300,000 young adults─the largest of its kind─showed that those born in June and July had a 25 per cent greater chance of becoming severely short-sighted than those born in December or January. Research leader Professor Michael Belkin, of Tel Aviv University, said it was because prolonged illumination(光照) causes the eyeball to lengthen, causing short-sightedness.

Hence the more light a newborn is exposed to, the more the eyeball lengthens and the worse the short-sightedness will be.

The mechanism which lengthens the eyeball is associated with levels of melatonin(褪黑激素), a pigment (色素) which protects the skin against harmful rays of the sun.

In young babies not enough melatonin is released as protection, meaning they are more vulnerable to sunburn and changes to eyeball shape.

Sight expert Professor Daniel O’Leary, of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said “At the moment we don’t know the precise cause of why light exposure affects sight, but the evidence seems to prove that it is one of the reasons for people becoming short-sighted.”

1.    Babies born in summer are more likely to be short-sighted ____________.

       A. because the summer sun is too strong for babies

       B. because babies born in summer have lengthened eyeballs

       C. if they are exposed to much sunlight in the first weeks after they are born

       D. if parents don’t know a proper way to protect their babies’ eyes

2.    Melatonin is a kind of material to ___________.

       A. prevent the eyes from becoming near-sighted

        B. protect the skin from harmful sun rays

       C. make our body strong

       D. protect babies’ eyes from summer sun

3.      From what Professor Daniel O’Leary says we can conclude that ___________.

       A. there is no evidence that short-sightedness is related to exposure to sunlight

       B. whether light exposure affects sight still needs to be further proved

       C. he believes that light exposure can cause short-sightedness

       D. he tries to give the cause of why light exposure affects sight

4.      The underlined word “vulnerable” in the passage probably means __________.

       A. easy to be harmed                               B. resistant

       C. protective                                             D. changeable

Babies born in summer are more likely to become short-sighted in late life, a study has shown.



As many as a quarter of all cases of short-sightedness are caused by too great an exposure to sunlight in the first weeks of life, say eye experts.
They are advising all parents to put sunglasses on their babies during the first weeks.
Scientists had already established that over-exposure to sunlight caused short-sightedness in animals.
Researchers who compared the months in which babies were born with whether they needed glasses later on say the principle also applies to humans.
A study of almost 300,000 young adults─the largest of its kind─showed that those born in June and July had a 25 per cent greater chance of becoming severely short-sighted than those born in December or January. Research leader Professor Michael Belkin, of Tel Aviv University, said it was because prolonged illumination(光照) causes the eyeball to lengthen, causing short-sightedness.
Hence the more light a newborn is exposed to, the more the eyeball lengthens and the worse the short-sightedness will be.
The mechanism which lengthens the eyeball is associated with levels of melatonin(褪黑激素), a pigment (色素) which protects the skin against harmful rays of the sun.
In young babies not enough melatonin is released as protection, meaning they are more vulnerable to sunburn and changes to eyeball shape.
Sight expert Professor Daniel O’Leary, of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said “At the moment we don’t know the precise cause of why light exposure affects sight, but the evidence seems to prove that it is one of the reasons for people becoming short-sighted.”
55. Babies born in summer are more likely to be short-sighted ____________.
A. because the summer sun is too strong for babies
B. because babies born in summer have lengthened eyeballs
C. if they are exposed to much sunlight in the first weeks after they are born
D. if parents don’t know a proper way to protect their babies’ eyes
56. Melatonin is a kind of material to ___________.
A. prevent the eyes from becoming near-sighted
B. protect the skin from harmful sun rays
C. make our body strong
D. protect babies’ eyes from summer sun
57.   From what Professor Daniel O’Leary says we can conclude that ___________.
A. there is no evidence that short-sightedness is related to exposure to sunlight
B. whether light exposure affects sight still needs to be further proved
C. he believes that light exposure can cause short-sightedness
D. he tries to give the cause of why light exposure affects sight
58.   The underlined word “vulnerable” in the passage probably means __________.
A. easy to be harmed                          B. resistant
C. protective                                     D. changeable

Flying over a desert in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his notebook, "Look here for probable metal." Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported, "This ground should be searched for metals." From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word "Uranium".

    None of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of locating minerals in the ground -- using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie under the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.

    This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.

    At Watson Bar Creek, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes andtested. Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

    Study of the roots, branches and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amount of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

    If the trees indicated that there was no gold in the ground, the scientists wouldn't spare money to pay for digging into the ground.

Scientists were flying over a desert or a hilly wasteland or a mountain region to ________.

A. train their eyes B. study the trees   C. look for gold         D. search for minerals

The study of trees, branches and roots indicated that __________.

A. there were larger amounts of gold in the branches far from the tree trunk than in the seeds

B. there were smaller amounts of gold in the tree roots deep in the ground than in the branches

C. there were larger amounts of gold in the seeds growing closer to the tree trunk than in the seeds farther from it

D. there were larger amounts of gold in the branches than in the leaves on the ends of the branches

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of a tree that can help the searchers?

A. Leaves.          B. Roots.            C. Branches.           D. Seeds.

Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?

A. Scientists searching for treasure with special equipment.

  B. New methods of doing geological study.

C. Gold could be found in trees and plants.

D. A new method of searching for minerals.

第三部分阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

　　Many people will remember the flight of the space shuttle（航天飞机）challenger，in June，1983. The achievement of Sally Ride，America’s first woman astronaut to fly into space，made this flight especially memorable. Students from two Camden, New Jersey, high schools, however, are probably to remember Norma rather than Sally whenever they think about the flight.

　　Norma didn’t travel alone. She brought about 100 companions along with her. Norma was an ant，a queen ant who，with her subject，made up the first ant colony（群体）to travel into space. The ants were part of a science experiment designed by students to test the effects of weightlessness on insects.

　　The equipment designed by the students for their colony functioned perfectly throughout the long space trip. The young scientists and their teachers were very sad to find that their insect astronauts had all died at some point before the container was returned to the school and opened. The problem didn’t occur in space，but on the ground after challenger had landed. The container remained in the desert for nearly a week before the ant colony was moved. The hot，dry desert air dried out the colony’s container and the ants died from lack of moisture（水分）.

　　The project was termed success because it did provide useful information. Students will continue their efforts to pinpoint（精确找到）what went wrong. They will try to prevent the same difficulties from reoccurring on future missions. They don’t want to be discouraged either by the demise of the ants or by the $ 10,000 shuttle fare they will have to pay to send the next colony of ants into space.

51．What does the passage mainly tell us？

A．Sally Ride，America’s first woman astronaut.

B．How to keep ants alive in space.

C．How to make equipment for insects in space.

D．An experiment with ants in space.

52．According to the passage, we know that the underlined word“demise”is another word for“_____”.

A．death 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B．colony

C．insect　　　　　　　　　　　　　　D．moisture

53．We don’t think the project was a failure. This is because_____.

A．everything went as smoothly as expected

B．the students had pinpointed exactly the reason

C．something important had been learned

D．the students had succeeded in the experiment

54．We can conclude that ants _____ on the next space trip.

A．will have to be kept alive in a container full of water

B．will have to be sent into space with the first woman astronaut

C．should be put into a container where there is enough food

D．should be put into a container which is not too dry

On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.

My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.

I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.

I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.

Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.

My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.

In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.

This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.

And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.

1. The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.

A．telling a story                          B．giving an example

C．offering an explanation                   D．describing a scene

2.Why did the writer hurry home to finish the essay for the contest NASA held?

A．She had just gathered enough information from Time for Kids

B．She wanted to write down what flashed through her mind in time.

C．She knew from Mrs. Estevez the deadline for the contest was approaching.

D．She was afraid she might miss the chance to compete with the former winner.

3. The writer mentions her grandfather in order to show that ______.

A．she missed him very much.

B．he knew a great deal about space

C．he influenced her to love the stars

D．she treasured their happy moments

4.Which of the following serves as a summary of Paragraph 11?

A．The writer was inspired to be a volunteer by the people she met.

B．The writer owed her success to her team members’ encouragement.

C．The writer met many difficulties in her four-year life with Curiosity.

D．The writer has benefited a lot from her experience tied to Curiosity.

5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A．Sharp.            B．Proud.            C．Aggressive.        D．Enthusiastic.

6.What is conveyed in the passage?

A．Curiosity is important to human beings.

B．A thirst for knowledge helps one grow up.

C．Entering a contest is a way to achieve success.

D．Curiosity changes people’s attitude towards science.

Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.

The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon(大峡谷).

Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers(冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.

Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.

Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.

Over 60 people –campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers—were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.

Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt(爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.

But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.

But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.

1.Choose the best title for this passage.

2.After the eruption of volcano, what makes the sky turn dark?

3.The underlined word “it” means______.

4.We can infer from this article that ______.

The Kingdome in Seattle was destroyed on March 26, 2000. It was taken down to make room for a new stadium. The blast(爆破) from the falling building caused the earth to shake as if an earthquake had happened.
Scientists placed more than 200 earthquake recorders in the earth to measure the movement. They found which parts of the city shook the most. This information helped them know which parts of the city would be damaged in a real earthquake at an early time.
A real earthquake happened on February 28, 2001 in Seattle. The Nisqually earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale(里氏6.8级). It damaged the same parts of Seattle that scientists had predicted(预测) from the pulling down of the Kingdome. It was a plate quake. It started deep in the earth, 37 miles below the surface on the Juan de Fuca Plate. Sometimes, huge plates under the earth cause earthquakes when the plates move against each other suddenly.
Scientists have learned that deep earthquakes have very few aftershocks(余震). The Nisqually earthquake had only 4 ones. Another earthquake in California that was close to the surface had over 120 aftershocks. Scientists do not know why the deep earthquakes have fewer aftershocks.
Scientists plan to blast in the ground near Seattle with the purpose of testing the plate. The shockwaves from the blast will jump off the plate and give them an idea of where the plate is and how it is moving. This will give them more information in case another real earthquake hits the area.
72． According to the passage, ______ have the most aftershocks.
A．shockwave earthquakes     B．shallow earthquakes
C．deep earthquakes          D．earthquakes more than 6.8 Richter scale
73．What do scientists hope to learn from the blast above the Juan de Fuca Plate? 
A．They hope to learn where the plate is and how it is moving.
B．They want to destroy the Kingdome.
C．They want to know which places are likely to have the most damage.
D．They hope to find out how many plates there are in the ground there.
74．Why were the scientists interested in the pulling down of the Seattle Kingdome? 
A．They wanted to see which areas near the Kingdome would shake the hardest.
B．They wanted to predict what might happen in a real earthquake.
C．They wanted to measure the movement of the Earth with earthquake recorders.
D．All of the above.
75．What will happen after a deep earthquake according to the scientists? 
A．There will be many aftershocks.
B．There will be very few aftershocks.
C．The Richter scale of the quakes will be a 6.8 or more.
D．There will be little damage.

Lead（铅） deposits, which accumulated（增加） in soil and snow during the 1960's and 70's, were primarily the result of leaded gasoline emissions originating in the United States. In the twenty years that the Clean Air Act has mandated（托管） unleaded gas use in the United States, the lead accumulation world-wide has decreased greatly.
A study published recently in the journal Nature shows that air-borne leaded gas emissions from the United States were the leading contributor to the high concentration of lead in the snow in Greenland. The new study is a result of the continued research led by Dr. Charles Boutron, an expert on the impact of heavy metals on the environment at the National Center for Scientific Research in France. A study by Dr. Boutron published in 1991 showed that lead levels in arctic (北极的) snow were declining（减少）.
In his new study, Dr. Boutron found the ratios of the different forms of lead in the leaded gasoline used in the United States were different from the ratios of European, Asian and Canadian gasoline and thus enabled scientists to differentiate (分区) the lead sources. The dominant lead ratio found in Greenland snow matched that found in gasoline from the United States.
In a study published in the journal Ambio, scientists found that lead levels in soil in the North-eastern United States had decreased markedly since the introduction of unleaded gasoline. Many scientists had believed that the lead would stay in soil and snow for a longer period.
The authors of the Ambio study examined samples of the upper layers of soil taken from the same sites of 30 forest floors in New England, New York and Pennsylvania in 1980 and in 1990. The forest environment processed and redistributed (再分配)the lead faster than the scientists had expected. Scientists say both studies show that certain parts of the ecosystem (生态系统 ) respond rapidly to reductions in atmospheric pollution, but that these findings should not be used as a license to pollute.
1. The study published in the journal Nature indicates that ________.
A. the Clean Air Act has not produced the desired results
B. lead deposits in arctic snow are on the increase
C. lead will stay in soil and snow longer than expected
D. the US is the major source of lead pollution in arctic snow
2. Lead accumulation worldwide decreased significantly after the use of unleaded gas in the US ________.
A. was discouraged               B. was carried out by law
C. was forbidden by law           D. was introduced
3. How did scientists discover the source of lead pollution in Greenland?
A. By analyzing the data published in journals like Nature and Ambio.
B. By observing the lead accumulations in different parts of the arctic area.
C. By studying the chemical elements of soil and snow in Northeastern America.
D. By comparing the chemical compositions of leaded gasoline used in various countries.
4. The authors of the Ambio study have found that ________.
A forests get rid of lead pollution faster than expected
B. lead accumulations in forests are more difficult to deal with
C. lead deposits are widely distributed in the forests of the US
D. the upper layers of soil in forests are easily polluted by lead emissions
5. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that scientists ________.
A. are puzzled by the mystery of forest pollution
B. feel ease by the use of unleaded gasoline
C. still consider lead pollution a problem
D. lack enough means to combat lead pollution

The Kingdome in Seattle was destroyed on March 26，2000．It was taken down to make room for a new stadium．The blast(爆破)from the failing building caused the earth to shake as if an earthquake had happened．

Scientists placed more than 200 earthquake recorders in the earth to measure the movement．They found which parts of the
city shook the most．This information helped them know which parts of the city would be damaged in a real earthquake at an early time．
A real earthquake happened on February 28, 2001 in Seattle．The Nisqually earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale(里氏6.8级)．It damaged the same parts of Seattle that scientists had predicted from the pulling down of the Kingdome．It was a plate quake．It started deep in the earth, 37 miles below the surface on the Juan de Fuca Plate．Sometimes，huge plates under the earth cause earthquakes when the plates move against each other suddenly．
Scientists have learned that deep earthquakes have very few aftershocks(余震)．The Nisqually earthquake had only 4 ones．Another earthquake in California that was close to the surface had over 120 aftershocks．Scientists do not know why the deep earthquakes have fewer aftershocks．
Scientists plan to blast in the ground near Seattle with the purpose of testing the plate．The shockwaves from the blast will jump off the plate and give them all idea of where the plate is and how it is moving．This will give them more information in case another real earthquake hits the area．
56．Why were the scientists interested in the pulling down of the Seattle Kingdome?
A．To predict what might happen in a real earthquake．
B．To see which areas near the Kingdome would shake the hardest．
C．To measure the movement of the Earth with earthquake recorders．
D．All of the above．
57．What will happen after a deep earthquake according to the scientists?
A．There will be little damage．       
B．There will be many aftershocks．
C．There will be very few aftershocks． 
D．The Richter scale of the quakes will be 6.8 or more．
58．According to the passage，      have the most aftershocks．
A．deep earthquakes        B．shockwave earthquakes
C．earthquakes close to the surface    D．earthquakes more than 6.8 Richter scale
59．By studying the blast in the ground near Seattle, scientists hope to        
A．destroy the Kingdome
B．learn where the plate is and how it is moving
C．find out how many plates there are in the ground there
D．know which places are likely to have the most damage            

Many people will remember the flight of the space shuttle （航天飞机）Challenger , in June, 1993．The achievement of Sally Ride, America’s first woman astronaut to fly into space, made this flight especially memorable．Students from two high schools in Camden, New Jersey, however, are likely to remember Norma rather than Sally whenever they think about the flight．
Norma didn’t travel alone．She brought about 100 companions along with her．Norma was an ant, a queen ant who, with her subjects, made up the first ant colony （群体） to travel into space．The ants were part of a science experiment designed by the students to test the effects of weightlessness on insects．
The equipment designed by the students for their colony functioned perfectly throughout the long space trip．The young scientists and their teachers were very sad to find that their insect astronauts had all died at some point before the container was returned to the school and opened．The problem did not occur in space, but on the ground after Challenger had landed．The container remained in the desert for nearly a week before the ant colony was removed．The hot, dry desert air dried out the colony’s container and the ants died from lack of moisture （水分）．
The project was termed a success because it did provide useful information．Students will continue their efforts to find out exactly what went wrong．They will try to prevent the same difficulties from recurring （再发生） on future missions ．They don’t want to be discouraged either by the death of the ants or by the $10,000 shuttle fare they will have to pay to send the next colony of ants into space．
【小题1】The story is mainly about       ．

After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthquake scientists had good news to report: The damage and death toll(死亡人数)could have been much worse.

More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity(强度)that shook America in 1988 claimed 25, 000 victims.

Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4：31 a．m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city's highways. In addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city's buildings and highways, making them more resistant to quakes(抗震)．

Despite the good news, civil engineers aren't resting on their successes. Pinned to their drawing boards are blueprints(蓝图)for improved quake－resistant buildings. The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.

In the past, making structures quake－resistant meant firm yet flexible materials, such as steel and wood, which bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports. Called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake's vibrations. When the ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.

The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.

6．One reason why the loss of lives in the Log Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that______.

A．new computers had been installed in the buildings

B．it occurred in the residential areas rather than on the highways

C．large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holiday

D．improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways

7．The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to______.

A. counterbalance(起平衡作用)an earthquake's action on the building

B. predict(预测)the coming of an earthquake with accuracy

C. help strengthen the foundation of the building

D. measure the impact of an earthquake's vibrations

8．The smart buildings discussed in the passage________.

A. would cause serious financial problems

B. would be worthwhile though expensive

C. would reduce the complexity of architectural design

D. can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes

9．It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing(使……最小)the damage caused by earthquakes, attention should be focused on________.

A．the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital construction

B．the development of flexible building materials

C．the reduction of the impact of ground vibrations

D．early forecasts of earthquakes

10．The author's main purpose in writing the passage is to________.

A．compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the US

B．encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computers

C．outline the history of the development of quake－resistant building materials

D．report new developments in constructing quake－resistant buildings

On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.
My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.
I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.
I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.
Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.
Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.
My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.
In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.
People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.
The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.
This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.
And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.
【小题1】 The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.

Flying over a desert in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes．After an hour's flight, one of the scientists wrote in his notebook, "Look here for probable metal." Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported, "This ground should be searched for metals." From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word "Uranium".

None of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface．They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of locating minerals in the ground -- using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie under the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.

This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.

At Watson Bar Creek, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds．Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees．Roots were dug and put into boxes．Each bag and box was carefully marked．In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested．Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

Study of the roots, branches and seeds showed no silver．But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds．The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

If the trees indicated that there was no gold in the ground, the scientists wouldn't spare money to pay for digging into the ground.

1.Scientists were flying over a desert or a hilly wasteland or a mountain region to _____.

2.The study of trees, branches and roots indicated that ______.

3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of a tree that can help the searchers?

4.Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?

Lead（铅） deposits, which accumulated（增加） in soil and snow during the 1960's and 70's, were primarily the result of leaded gasoline emissions originating in the United States. In the twenty years that the Clean Air Act has mandated（托管） unleaded gas use in the United States, the lead accumulation world-wide has decreased greatly.

A study published recently in the journal Nature shows that air-borne leaded gas emissions from the United States were the leading contributor to the high concentration of lead in the snow in Greenland. The new study is a result of the continued research led by Dr. Charles Boutron, an expert on the impact of heavy metals on the environment at the National Center for Scientific Research in France. A study by Dr. Boutron published in 1991 showed that lead levels in arctic (北极的) snow were declining（减少）.

In his new study, Dr. Boutron found the ratios of the different forms of lead in the leaded gasoline used in the United States were different from the ratios of European, Asian and Canadian gasoline and thus enabled scientists to differentiate (分区) the lead sources. The dominant lead ratio found in Greenland snow matched that found in gasoline from the United States.

In a study published in the journal Ambio, scientists found that lead levels in soil in the North-eastern United States had decreased markedly since the introduction of unleaded gasoline. Many scientists had believed that the lead would stay in soil and snow for a longer period.

The authors of the Ambio study examined samples of the upper layers of soil taken from the same sites of 30 forest floors in New England, New York and Pennsylvania in 1980 and in 1990. The forest environment processed and redistributed (再分配)the lead faster than the scientists had expected. Scientists say both studies show that certain parts of the ecosystem (生态系统 ) respond rapidly to reductions in atmospheric pollution, but that these findings should not be used as a license to pollute.

1. The study published in the journal Nature indicates that ________.

A. the Clean Air Act has not produced the desired results

B. lead deposits in arctic snow are on the increase

C. lead will stay in soil and snow longer than expected

D. the US is the major source of lead pollution in arctic snow

2. Lead accumulation worldwide decreased significantly after the use of unleaded gas in the US ________.

A. was discouraged               B. was carried out by law

C. was forbidden by law           D. was introduced

3. How did scientists discover the source of lead pollution in Greenland?

A. By analyzing the data published in journals like Nature and Ambio.

B. By observing the lead accumulations in different parts of the arctic area.

C. By studying the chemical elements of soil and snow in Northeastern America.

D. By comparing the chemical compositions of leaded gasoline used in various countries.

4. The authors of the Ambio study have found that ________.

A forests get rid of lead pollution faster than expected

B. lead accumulations in forests are more difficult to deal with

C. lead deposits are widely distributed in the forests of the US

D. the upper layers of soil in forests are easily polluted by lead emissions

5. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that scientists ________.

A. are puzzled by the mystery of forest pollution

B. feel ease by the use of unleaded gasoline

C. still consider lead pollution a problem

D. lack enough means to combat lead pollution

Many people will remember the flight of the space shuttle （航天飞机）Challenger , in June, 1993．The achievement of Sally Ride, America’s first woman astronaut to fly into space, made this flight especially memorable．Students from two high schools in Camden, New Jersey, however, are likely to remember Norma rather than Sally whenever they think about the flight．

       Norma didn’t travel alone．She brought about 100 companions along with her．Norma was an ant, a queen ant who, with her subjects, made up the first ant colony （群体） to travel into space．The ants were part of a science experiment designed by the students to test the effects of weightlessness on insects．

       The equipment designed by the students for their colony functioned perfectly throughout the long space trip．The young scientists and their teachers were very sad to find that their insect astronauts had all died at some point before the container was returned to the school and opened．The problem did not occur in space, but on the ground after Challenger had landed．The container remained in the desert for nearly a week before the ant colony was removed．The hot, dry desert air dried out the colony’s container and the ants died from lack of moisture （水分）．

       The project was termed a success because it did provide useful information．Students will continue their efforts to find out exactly what went wrong．They will try to prevent the same difficulties from recurring （再发生） on future missions ．They don’t want to be discouraged either by the death of the ants or by the $10,000 shuttle fare they will have to pay to send the next colony of ants into space．

The story is mainly about        ．

       A．Sally Ride’s first ride    

       B．space equipment for insects

       C．a space experiment with ants

       D．going to school in New Jersey

The project wasn’t a failure because        ．

       A．some important things were learned     

       B．dead ants are better

       C．everything went as expected  

       D．students wrote about it

The ants died because        ．

       A．weightlessness harmed them  

       B．space caused too much pain   

       C．no one fed them in space      

       D．they dried out in the desert

On the next space trip , ants        ．

       A．will be sent without people   

       B．should not be left in the desert too long

       C．will have to pay double fare  

       D．will escape the trip completely

第三部分阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
　　Many people will remember the flight of the space shuttle（航天飞机）challenger，in June，1983. The achievement of Sally Ride，America’s first woman astronaut to fly into space，made this flight especially memorable. Students from two Camden, New Jersey, high schools, however, are probably to remember Norma rather than Sally whenever they think about the flight.
　　Norma didn’t travel alone. She brought about 100 companions along with her. Norma was an ant，a queen ant who，with her subject，made up the first ant colony（群体）to travel into space. The ants were part of a science experiment designed by students to test the effects of weightlessness on insects.
　　The equipment designed by the students for their colony functioned perfectly throughout the long space trip. The young scientists and their teachers were very sad to find that their insect astronauts had all died at some point before the container was returned to the school and opened. The problem didn’t occur in space，but on the ground after challenger had landed. The container remained in the desert for nearly a week before the ant colony was moved. The hot，dry desert air dried out the colony’s container and the ants died from lack of moisture（水分）.
　　The project was termed success because it did provide useful information. Students will continue their efforts to pinpoint（精确找到）what went wrong. They will try to prevent the same difficulties from reoccurring on future missions. They don’t want to be discouraged either by the demise of the ants or by the $ 10,000 shuttle fare they will have to pay to send the next colony of ants into space.
51．What does the passage mainly tell us？
A．Sally Ride，America’s first woman astronaut.
B．How to keep ants alive in space.
C．How to make equipment for insects in space.
D．An experiment with ants in space.
52．According to the passage, we know that the underlined word“demise”is another word for“_____”.
A．death 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B．colony
C．insect　　　　　　　　　　　　　　D．moisture
53．We don’t think the project was a failure. This is because_____.
A．everything went as smoothly as expected
B．the students had pinpointed exactly the reason
C．something important had been learned
D．the students had succeeded in the experiment
54．We can conclude that ants _____ on the next space trip.
A．will have to be kept alive in a container full of water
B．will have to be sent into space with the first woman astronaut
C．should be put into a container where there is enough food
D．should be put into a container which is not too dry

Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.
The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon(大峡谷).
Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers(冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.
Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.
Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.
Over 60 people –campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers—were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.
Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt(爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.
But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.
But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.
【小题1】Choose the best title for this passage.