Global Positioning Systems are now a part of everyday driving in many countries. These satellite-based systems provide turn-by-turn directions to help people get to where they want to go. But, they can also cause a lot of problems, send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost. Many times, the driver is to blame. Sometimes a GPS error is responsible. Most often, says Barry Brown, it is a combination of the two.
We spoke to Mr. Brown by Skype. He told us about an incident involving a friend who had flown to an airport in the eastern United States. There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use during his stay. Barry Brown: “And they just plugged in an address and then set off to their destination. And, then it wasn’t until they were driving for thirty minutes that they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived. They actually put their home address in. So again, the GPS is kind of 'garbage in garbage out'.”
Mister Brown says this is a common human error. But, he says, what makes the problem worse has to do with some of the shortcomings, or failures, of GPS equipment. Barry Brown: “One problem with a lot of the GPS units is they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn. Because they just give you the next turn, sometimes that means that it is not really giving you the overview that you would need to know that it’s going to the wrong place.”
Barry Brown formerly served as a professor with the University of California, San Diego. While there, he worked on a project with Eric Laurier from the University of Edinburgh. The two men studied the effects of GPS devices on driving by placing cameras in people’s cars. They wrote a paper based on their research. It is called “The Normal, Natural Troubles of Driving with GPS.” It lists several areas where GPS systems can cause confusion for drivers. These include maps that are outdated, incorrect or difficult to understand. They also include timing issues related to when GPS commands are given.
Barry Brown says to make GPS systems better we need a better understanding of how drivers, passengers and GPS systems work together.
小題1:In Paragraph 2, Mr. Brown mentioned his friend in the conversation to _____________.

A．build up his own reputation

B．laugh at his stupid friend

C．prove the GPS system is only garbage

D．describe an example of human error

小題2:With which of the following statement would Barry Brown most likely agree?

A．GPS units are to blame for the most GPS service failures.

B．We should introduce higher standard for the driving license.

C．Cameras are urgently needed to help improve GPS systems.

D．Drivers, GPS systems and passengers should unite to improve GPS systems.

小題3:What is Mr. Brown’s attitude towards GPS?

A．Unconcerned

B．Prejudiced

C．Objective

D．Critical

小題4:What would be the best title for the text?

A．driving with GPS can be difficult

B．driving confusions can be caused by small screen

C．driving without GPS should be much more convenient

D．GPS equipment in driving: to be deserted or improved?

“In wilderness(荒野) is the preservation of the world.” This is a famous saying from a writer regarded as one of the fathers of environmentalism. The frequency with which it is borrowed mirrors a heated debate on environmental protection: whether to place wilderness at the heart of what is to be preserved.  
As John Sauven of Greenpeace UK points out, there is a strong appeal in images of the wild, the untouched; more than anything else, they speak of the nature that many people value most dearly. The urge to leave the subject of such images untouched is strong, and the danger exploitation(開發(fā)) brings to such landscapes(景觀) is real. Some of these wildernesses also perform functions that humans need—the rainforests, for example, store carbon in vast quantities. To Mr. Sauven, these “ecosystem services” far outweigh the gains from exploitation.
Lee Lane, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute, takes the opposing view. He acknowledges that wildernesses do provide useful services, such as water conservation. But that is not, he argues, a reason to avoid all human presence, or indeed commercial and industrial exploitation. There are ever more people on the Earth, and they reasonably and rightfully want to have better lives, rather than merely struggle for survival. While the ways of using resources have improved, there is still a growing need for raw materials, and some wildernesses contain them in abundance. If they can be tapped without reducing the services those wildernesses provide, the argument goes, there is no further reason not to do so. Being untouched is not, in itself, a characteristic worth valuing above all others.
I look forward to seeing these views taken further, and to their being challenged by the other participants. One challenge that suggests itself to me is that both cases need to take on the question of spiritual value a little more directly. And there is a practical question as to whether wildernesses can be exploited without harm.
This is a topic that calls for not only free expression of feelings, but also the guidance of reason. What position wilderness should enjoy in the preservation of the world obviously deserves much more serious thinking.
小題1:John Sauven holds that________________.

A．many people value nature too much

B．exploitation of wildernesses is harmful

C．wildernesses provide humans with necessities

D．the urge to develop the ecosystem services is strong

小題2:What is the main idea of Para. 3?

A．The exploitation is necessary for the poor people.

B．Wildernesses cannot guarantee better use of raw materials.

C．Useful services of wildernesses are not the reason for no exploitation.

D．All the characteristics concerning the exploitation should be treated equally.

小題3:What is the author’s attitude towards this debate?

A．Objective.

B．Disapproving.

C．Sceptical.

D．Optimistic.

小題4:Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

CP: Central Point   P: Point       Sp: Sub-point(次要點(diǎn))    C: Conclusion

Nowadays it is found that school students seldom pay much attention to sports. Is it because they have no  32   in sports? It may not be the fact. They often say they have   33  more important things to do.
   34  are these important things? Examinations! They have to   35    themselves for the most important School Certificates of Education Examination（畢業(yè)會(huì)考）, and also to    36    with the test and the exams in school. So many  of them tend to    37   bookworms.
In the summer holidays of the former years they could do   38    they liked, but in the summer holidays of the   39    years, they have to    40    all their time to the preparation. So studies have    41    them from going in sports.
Because of the pressure    42    their parents and teachers, they have to work harder and spend most of their time on books. Many parents    43    their children to pass this examination in order to get a stepping stone for higher studies or better jobs. As for the    44    themselves, they want to get good results so that they can    45    their studies in the universities. So it is necessary that they    46    up their school activities, especially sports.
Indeed, a complete education cannot go    47    physical training, for a quick mind seldom    48    along with a weak body. It is well said, “All work no play    49    Jack a dull（遲鈍的）boy.” In one word, without a strong body, you can never    50    anything, let alone a great success in   51  

小題1:	A．lesson B．time C．interest D．place

小題2:	A．very B．other C．few D．much

小題3:	A．Where B．How C．Which D．What

小題4:	A．prepare B．get C．make D．a(chǎn)sk

小題5:	A．a(chǎn)gree B．fight C．work D．deal

小題6:	A．have B．become C．change D．grow

小題7:	A．something B．change C．a(chǎn)nything D．which

小題8:	A．this B．that C．last D．present

小題9:	A．spend B．take C．cost D．give

小題10:

A．separated B．divided C．taken D．prevented

小題11:

A．from B．of C．in D．to

小題12:

A．force B．want C．make D．let

小題13:

A．students B．teachers C．parents D．examinations

小題14:

A．develop B．improve C．further D．stop

小題15:

A．keep B．put C．take D．give

小題16:

A．for B．a(chǎn)fter C．with D．without

小題17:

A．goes B．gets C．lives D．lies

小題18:

A．turns B．makes C．gets D．brings

小題19:

A．receive B．a(chǎn)chieve C．do D．a(chǎn)ccept

小題20:

A．sports B．exams C．training D．life

I come from a city on the United States’east coast. It’s a ten-hour flight for me to get home from Shanghai. When I got off the plane, I took photos of the blue sky and white clouds along the way. After two weeks, I returned to Shanghai. Much to my surprise, the blue sky in Shanghai that I liked before was not as blue as that in the US. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened.
A few days later, I went to tour Waitan (a famous tourist attraction in Shanghai) by the Huangpu River with some of my friends. There we saw five Ferrari sports cars by the side of the road. The red and yellow cars looked so nice that everyone was looking at them. However, when I turned my head, I noticed the sky over Waitan, I was shocked to find that the buildings in the Lujiazui area on the other side of Huangpu River could hardly be seen. It was then that I realized that Ferrari cars could be bought with money, but a blue sky couldn’t.
Shanghai is an important economic (經(jīng)濟(jì)的) and trade center in China. It has made great contributions (貢獻(xiàn)) to the whole nation’s economic development. However, we need to protect the environment during economic growth. Pollution is poisoning our air and our rivers. Without clean air and rivers, how will people be able to survive?
小題1:The author mentioned the Ferrari sports cars in order to _______.

A．tell us that Shanghai is a developed city

B．a(chǎn)sk us to stop driving sports cars

C．tell us how much people like cars

D．focus our attention on air pollution

小題2:What can we learn about the author?

A．He comes from Shanghai.

B．He likes to visit different places.

C．He wants to buy a Ferrari sports car.

D．He is socially responsible (責(zé)任).

小題3:Who might be interested in this passage?

A．Those who love Ferrari sports cars.

B．Those who care about the environment.

C．Those who want to travel in Shanghai.

D．Those who like to take photos.

小題4:What is the best title for this passage?

A．Money Can Buy Ferraris, But Not a Blue Sky

B．Where People Should Live

C．Different Opinions on Cars

D．Different Places Have Different Skies

You will spend hours at the gym training your body, but do you ever think about training your brain? Here are four ways to keep your brain mentally (腦力上地) active and healthy.
Play games
Your brain is a muscle just like the ones in the rest of your body. If you don’t use it, you will lose it. For example, doing a crossword puzzle (縱橫填字游戲) once a day is a good way to give the brain the exercise it needs. This kind of puzzle is good at training different areas of the brain. But remember that when doing this puzzle, you should gradually increase the complexity (復(fù)雜度); otherwise, it will become repetitive (重復(fù)乏味的) and stop being mentally challenging.
Talk aloud
Although it might sound strange to you, talking aloud is a great way to boost your memory. A good exercise to try is counting to 99 in threes as fast as you can.
Be a team leader
If you find you can do your work very easily, you should find a new task. It is important that your job should be mentally challenging. Complex jobs are often more challenging and make the brain work a little harder.
Learn a language
A study found that, compared with those who could speak only one language, the people who could speak two languages had a slower rate of cognitive (認(rèn)知能力) decrease. Learning a new language is very challenging and it makes sure that different areas of the brain have their lights on.
小題1:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Why you should train your brain.

B．How to be a good team leader.

C．Training the brain is more important than training the body.

D．How to make your brain healthy and work actively.

小題2:Which word can replace the word "boost" in the third paragraph?

A．Change.

B．Promote.

C．Decrease.

D．Lose.

小題3:We should gradually increase the complexity when doing crossword puzzles because ______.

A．if we don’t use our brain, we will lose it

B．we should make our brain face different challenges

C．our brain is a muscle like other parts in our bodies

D．these puzzles can work on different areas of the brain

小題4:Which group of people have a slower rate of cognitive decrease?

A．Those who don’t often do crossword puzzles.

B．Those who don’t often count to 99 in threes.

C．Those who do their work very easily.

D．Those who can speak more than one language.

Technology is making life easier for some dairy farmers．They use robotic systems to milk their cows．Cows are trained to follow a series of paths that lead to milking stations．Only one cow at a time can enter a station．
Once inside，the cow is rewarded with food．As the cow eats，a  robotic arm cleans and connects the animal to the milking machine．A few minutes later，milking is complete．The gate is opened，the cow is released and the next cow enters．
The robotic systems are designed to operate 24 hours a day．The cows get to decide when they want to be milked．Cows are milked an average of about three times a day．Some are milked four to six times a day．
The cows wear collars around their necks that identify them to the system．A computer keeps records on their eating and milking．A cow is released from the station if the computer decides it should not be milked．
The automated system also measures the temperature and color of freshly produced milk．Milk is thrown away if it does not pass the tests．
Professor Plaut believes the systems will appeal（吸引） especially to the next generation of farmers．She means young people who are more interested in technology and less interested in working all the time on the farm．Still，she says the price of robotic milking systems will continue to limit their use．
Doug and Tina Suhr have more than 100 cows on their family farm．Last year it became the fourth farm in southeast Minnesota to get a robotic milking system．A recent story in a local agricultural newspaper said the first robot cost 175 000 dollars．The second cost 150 000．
Doug told AgriNews that wages that would have been paid for one employee in five years will pay for one robot．He says the increase in milk production reaches a high of more than six kilograms per cow per day．
小題1:From the first paragraph，we can infer________．

A．the robotic system is designed to reduce labor

B．cows can be raised by robots in the future

C．robots direct cows into milking stations

D．cows are kept clean by robots on some farms

小題2:Besides milking cows，the robotic system also can______．

A．a(chǎn)djust the temperature of milking stations

B．judge the quality of fresh milk

C．improve the appetite of cows

D．keep fresh milk for two weeks

小題3:Why is the robotic system not popular now?

A．Because young people have no interest in it．

B．Because it is difficult to learn how to use it．

C．Because people can’t afford to buy it．

D．Because it usually causes the waste of milk．

小題4:According to Doug，what is the wage of an employee?

A．150 000～170 000．	B．750 000．
C．150 000～30 000．	D．30 000—32 000

小題5:The best title for the passage may be_________．

A．Letting robot milk your cow	B．Milking cows by hand
C．Improving the quality of milk	D．Drinking fresh milk every day

Old Computers Make for Unhappy Workers --- Survey
LONDON  (Reuters) ----- Dealing with the dissatisfaction of aging and unreliable office computers leads to workers' unhappiness and more sick leave, a survey showed on Wednesday.
A survey carried out by caro4free.net of over 2,700 European office workers from the UK, France and Germany found that workplace dissatisfaction increased greatly with the age of the computer equipment.
"We do know that job satisfaction is falling in Britain and most advanced nations," said Stephen White, a researcher from the Work Foundation. "The actual reasons for this are the subject of very heated discussion. It's certainly one interesting theory that technology may be the cause of this in some way," White added.
A quarter of these using outdated computers in Britain said they were "quite" or "very dissatisfied" with their everyday job compared to the percent of those who had enjoyed an advantage from up-to-date technology.
The survey also said that among workers dealing with outdated equipment, there was a 35 percent greater probability they would take six or more days of sick leave per year compared with the average worker. In France, where more workers use old computers, the probability jumped to 55 percent.
Results also showed that women in the three countries were more likely to be using outdated equipment. In the UK, where more workers have up-to-date computers than in the other countries surveyed, the number of women using old equipment doubled that of men.
White pointed out that there were two sides to this problem, saying that continuously having to deal with new technology and equipment can also be a source of worry. "Old and faulty equipment is a major cause of office dissatisfaction. There is no question about it; but you also have to say that the frequent change of equipment is also, or could be, a main cause of dissatisfaction."
小題1:The underlined word "this" (paragraph 3) refers to ______.

A．workplace dissatisfaction	B．computer use in most jobs
C．the aging off office computers	D．the survey by care4@ free. net

小題2:How many office workers use old computers in Britain expressed their dissatisfaction?

A．16%

B．25%

C． 35%

D．55%

小題3:According to White, why were the women surveyed more likely to use old computers?

A．Most office workers use old computers.

B．They do some of their work with computers.

C．Dealing with new equipment can cause anxiety.

D．They are easier to be satisfied with new technology.

小題4:What is the subject of the news story?

A．Poor working conditions in offices

B．Research work of the Work Foundation

C．Influence of technology in the workplace.

D．Different attitudes to old computers.

EAT YOUR VEGETABLES.　Wash your hands.　Always say "please"　and　"thank you　".We are full of advice for our children,　but when it comes to money,　we often have little to say.　As a result,　our children may grow up with clean hands and good manners,　but without any idea how to　manage their money.Here are some basics that will help guide them their entire lives：
Show them the future.　If your 13-year-old girl were to save $1.000,invest(投資)it at 8% and add $100 every month,　by the time she's 65,she would have $980,983!
Be careful of credit(信用).Credit cards can help you buy necessary things and build a credit history,　but they must be used responsibly,　which means paying off your debt in time.　Explain to your children that when you buy something using a credit card,　you can easily end up paying two or three times what you would have paid if you used cash.
Teach patience.　Suppose your child wants a new bicycle that costs $150.Rather than paying the cash,　give him some regular pocket money and explain that by putting aside,say,$15 each week,　he will be able to buy it for himself in only ten weeks.
Provide incentive.　Tell your children the importance of saving.　"For every dollar he or she agrees to save and invest rather than spend,　you agree to add another dollar to the pot,　"says Cathy Pareto,　expert in money planning.
Explain your values.　Values and money are deeply intertwined(纏結(jié)在一起),　says 　Eilleen 　Gallo,　co-author of The Financially Intelligent Parent.　When your child demands that you buy something,　explain why you really don't want to buy it.　"You might say, 'I'd rather save that money for your education,'"　advises Gallo.　Every time you spend or don't spend money,　you have a chance to share your values.
小題1:The writer gives some basics to help ____ in a proper way.

A．parents teach their children how to deal with money

B．children follow their parents　'instructions

C．children manage their money

D．parents save their money

小題2:The underlined word　"incentive"　in paragraph 6 means ____.

A．honor

B．praise

C．excitement

D．encouragement

小題3:What leads the writer to write this article?
A.　Parents want to know how to educate their children.
B.　He wants to share his good ideas about money matters.
C　.He thinks money management the most important for children.
D.　Parents care 　little 　about their children's management of money.

“The price of books for our students is just getting higher and higher and，combined with the rising cost of tuition，it’s killing these students，”said Peter Jason，a college professor．“Remember，students are one of the poorest groups of people in America．Almost half of them have at least one part-time job．In fact，one of my students has three jobs．And she still manages to have high scores and go to school full-time.”
Textbook prices are traditionally high．Adding to that problem，many college teachers change textbooks year after year；they either upgrade to a new edition or switch to an entirely different textbook．This further hurts students because if an instructor no longer uses a particular textbook，that book has no resale value．
Dr．Jason decided to make lire a little easier and a lot cheaper for his students by writing his own book on public speaking．“Many books have an increased price because of CD-ROMs，lots of color photographs and pictures．I talked to my students，and many of them，like me，prefer to keep things simple! So，a few years ago，I wrote my own textbook．Compared to most other public speaking books，mine is half the number of pages，and one-third the price．That is，$30 instead of $90．When I wrote a second edition last year，students only had to buy the 35 new pages, For only $7．00，they had almost a new book. Now my loose-leaf textbook enjoys great popularity among the students．Maybe in the future more writers and publishers will try it．”   
小題1:What did Dr. Jason say about students at college?

A．They are short of money．	B．They need better textbooks
C．They should do part-time jobs．	D．They are trying to get high scores．

小題2:What did Dr．Jason decide to do to help the students?

A．To choose cheaper textbooks．	B．To write a textbook himself．
C．To speak to his students.	D．To use old textbooks．

小題3:How much does a public speaking textbook usually cost?

A．About 7 dollars.	B．About 30 dollars.
C．About 37 dollars．	D．About 90 dollars．

小題4:Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A．Dr Jason's textbook has CD-ROMs and nice pictures.

B．More writers and publishers will write simpler textbooks．

C．Dr．Jason teaches public speaking at a college．

D．Dr-Jason’s textbook is not well received．

Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings. The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels(分貝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of 120 decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decible level of 195 would have the same effect.
Some scientists have suggested setting a noise limit of 120 decibles in oceans. They have observed that noises above that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that loud noises could seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing, which seriously affected the whales’ ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected(感染的).
Many researches whose work depends on ocean sounds disagree with a limit of 120 decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how many and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they previously believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.
小題1:The second paragraph mainly tells us that the noises on land and in water       .

A．a(chǎn)re both from human activities.

B．both do harm to sea animals

C．a(chǎn)re measured differently

D．have the same effect on humans

小題2:As to(依據(jù)) the effects of noises on whales, which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．They are deaf to noises.

B．Noises at a certain level may hurt them.

C．They are easily confused by noises.

D．Noises will limit their ability to reproduce.

小題3:Many researchers think that the noise limit of 120 decibels would        .

A．protect whales from noises

B．benefit them a lot in their research work

C．do good to their health

D．increase industrial output

小題4:What will scientists most probably do in the future?

A．Count the number of sea animals.

B．Stop their research on the ocean.

C．Study the effect of different noises.

D．Protect sea creatures from harmful noises.