A rainforest is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading quite equally through
the year and the temperature rarely dipping below 16℃. Rainforests have a great effect on the world
environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate.
     Without the forest cover, these areas would reflect more heat into the atmosphere, warming the rest
of the world. Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns, potentially causing
certain natural disasters all over the world.
     In the past hundred years, humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major
resources (資源):land forcrops, wood for paper and other products ,land for raising farm animals. This
action affects the environment as a whole. For example, a lot of carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) in the air
comes from burning the rainforests. People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting
trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit.
    There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, when people cut down trees , generally they can only use
the land for a year or two. Secondly, cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of
wood right now,but in the long run it actually reduces the world's wood supply.
     Rainforests are often called the world's drug store. More than 25% of the medicines we use today
come from plants in rainforests. However, fewer than l% of rainforest plants have been examined for
their medical value. It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the
world's shrinking rainforests.

1. Rainforests can help to adjust the climate because they_________.  

A.reflect more heat into the atmosphere
B. bring about high rainfall throughout the world
C. rarely cause the temperature to drop lower than 16℃
D. reduce the effect of heat from the sun on the earth

2. What  does  the  word "this" underlined in the third paragraph refer to?  

A. We will lose much more than we can gain.
B. Humans have begun destroying rainforests.
C. People have a strong desire for resources.
D. Much carbon dioxide comes from buming rainforests.

3. It can be inferred from the text that____________.   

A. we can get enough resources without rainforests
B. there is great medicine potential in rainforests
C. we will grow fewer kinds of crops in the gained land
D. the level of annual rainfall affects wind patterns

4. What might be the best title for the text?  

A. How to Save Rainforests
B. How to Protect Nature
C. Rainforests and the Environment
D. Rainforests and Medical Development

     A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or
changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
     Grimsvom is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvom
different is that it lies under a huge glacier(冰川) of ice up to 12 meters thick. The hot volcano
heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer(層)of water between the glacier and the volcano.
This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable. As the water flows out from under
the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava(巖漿) from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is
exactly what happened today.
     Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic
ash. According to KLM,one of Europe's biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over
it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane's engines, causing damage to
the plane.
     The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp
glasslike rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from
eating ashcovered grass or the sharp object.  

1．What makes Grimsvom different from other volcanoes?  

A．It is below ice.
B．It lies under the sea.
C．It is the largest volcano.
D．Its lava affects the airlines.  

2．What keeps Grimsvom still?  

A．The slow flow of water.
B．The low water temperature.  
C．The thick glacier.
D．The water pressure.  

3．Which of the following is the result of the volcanic eruption?

A．People stop traveling in Europe.
B．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes.  
C．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside.
D．Farmers have lost many of their animals.  

4．This text is most probably taken from________.

A．a(chǎn) research paper
B．a(chǎn) newspaper report
C．a(chǎn) class presentation
D．a(chǎn) geography textbook

     In only two decades Asian Americans have become the fastest- growing US minority. As their children
began moving up through the nation's schools, it became clear that a new kind of culture was coming out.
Their achievements are made in the nation's best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering
departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is
partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their education abroad arrived in the
US with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English. They are also influenced by
the promise of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics
and science because they will be judged more objectively (客觀). And the money spent on education is more
immediately returned in something like engineering than with an arts degree.
     Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their
children should take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure
of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents
do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian culture, such as family value, the
importance of education and so on that lead to their success.
     Both explanations for academic success worry Asian Americans because of fears that they could cause
the native Americans' unhappiness. Many can remember when Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants (移
民) were unequally treated because of social separation. Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down
giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.

1. Few Asian-American students major in human sciences mainly because _____.

A. they are afraid they might meet with unfair judgment in these areas
B. there is a wide difference between Asian and Western cultures
C. they know little about American cultures and Western cultures
D. their English is not good enough

2. Asian-Americans prefer something like engineering to an arts degree because _____.

A. people majoring in engineering are respected
B. people with an arts degree are looked down upon
C. they can't find a job with an arts degree
D. they can earn more money after graduation

3. While making great achievements at college, Asian-American students _____.

A. are afraid that their.academic successes take on a strong Asian character
B. still worry about unfair treatment in society
C. generally feel it a shame to have to depend on their parents
D. feel they are mistreated because of limited knowledge of English

4. According to the passage, the major factors determining the success of Asian-Americans are _____.

A. Asian culture and the American educational system
B. Asian culture and a solid base in basic mathematics
C. hard work and parental help
D. hard work and a limited knowledge of English

     Attractive fathers do not pass their looks onto their sons but they will hand their good looks down to their
daughters, research shows.
     In a study of family photographs, Professor David Perrett and Elisabeth Cornwell-now at the University of
Colorado have found that while both father and mother can influence the attractiveness of their daughters, the
couple's good looks do not necessarily contribute to the attractiveness of their son as an adult. Handsome men
with masculine (陽剛的) looks are likely to pass on masculine features, but not facial attractiveness.
     The theory suggests it is not unusual for attractive parents to produce a beautiful daughter while failing to
pass on the same good looks to a son.
     While many celebrity mothers produce beautiful daughters-such as Goldie Hawn and her daughter Kate
Hudson or Jerry Hall and her daughter Georgia-the same is not necessarily true of celebrity fathers. Sean
Stewart, the son of Rod Stewart and his first wife Alan, would probably be judged less attractive than his model
sister Kimberly. "We can't see a strong relationship between the parents' attractiveness and the sons. If the
parents are supermodels, their daughters will be lookers," Perrett said.
     Prof Perrett said it has previously been suggested that a woman could increase her own reproductivets (繁
殖的) success by choosing a good-looking man whose genes would be passed onto male children. But the new
study, published in the current edition of the journal Animal Behaviour, disagrees with the theory.
     He said:"When we looked at women's faces, we found clear evidence that attractiveness passed from both
father and mother to daughter. For the male line, we find that facial masculinity follows the rule 'like father like
son'. Masculine dads have masculine sons. But we did not find any evidence that facial attractiveness is passed
from father to son."

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

A. Father and mother can influence the attractiveness of their children.
B. Handsome fathers with masculine looks will not pass on masculine features.
C. There is a strong relationship between the parents' attractiveness and the daughters.
D. If the parents are supermodels, their sons will be good-looking.

2. What does the word "lookers" in the fourth paragraph most probably mean?

A. On-lookers.
B. Models.
C. Beauties.
D. Passers-by.

3. How many celebrity families are mentioned in the passage?

A. Three.
B. One.
C. Two.
D. Four.

4. The passage is most likely to be found in a book about _____.

A. popular science
B. historical events
C. successful people
D. political systems