[1]Medical research is leading American education officials to consider having high school classes start
later in the morning. The research says that teenagers are more awake later at night than adults are. When
staying up late at night, the teenagers have problems learning early in the morning.
     [2]Researchers in the state of Rhode Island measured the amount of the hormone (荷爾蒙) melatonin
(降黑素) in people's mouths at different times of the day. Melatonin causes people to feel sleepy.
     [3]They found that melatonin levels rise later at night in teenagers than they do in children and adults. It
remains at higher levels in teenagers later in the morning. They said this shows that teenagers have difficulty
learning early in the morning. Yet most school systems in the United States begin high school classes at about
seven o'clock.
     [4]A few school districts have made some changes. In 1996, school officials in Edina, Minnesota, changed
the start of classes from seven thirty to eight thirty. Two years later, the nearby city of Minneapolis did the
same. Teachers there reported that students were no longer sleepy in class and were happier. Staying in school
later in the day did not seem to be a problem for students who had jobs after school either.
     [5]Health experts say that teenagers need between eight and nine hours of sleep a night. Students _____ are
likely to be late for school, fail to do their homework, fall asleep in class and have trouble taking part in class
discussions.
     [6]Some people, however, don't support a later start time because they say that it would limit the time for
practicing sports after school. However, the Minnesota schools found that this did not hurt school sports
competitions.
     [7]More American school districts are discussing the possibility of changing high school start times.
Researchers and teenagers say that they cannot make the change quickly enough.

1. What is the best title of the passage? (Please answer within 8 words.)
    _______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Please fill in the blank in the fifth paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence. (Please
    answer within 8 words.) 
    _______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Complete the following statement with proper words. (Please answer within 5 words.) 
    If they go to bed very late at night, teenagers _____ early in the morning. 
    _______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Do you think the change is necessary? Why? (Please answer within 15 words.) 
    _______________________________________________________________________________________
5. What does the word "this"(line 3, paragraph 6) probably refer to? (No more than 4 words.) 
    _______________________________________________________________________________________

     If you dream of going someplace warm to escape the cold winter weather, a trip to a recently discovered
planet would certainly warm you right up, The planet, named OCLE-TR-56b, has temperatures of more than
3,000 °F. "This is the hottest planet we know about," says Dr. Dimitar Sasselov, a scientist who led the
discovery team, "It is hot enough to have an iron fog and to rain hot iron droplets (細(xì)沫)"
     The new planet is 30 times farther away than any planet discovered by scientists before. It is in the Milky
Way (銀河) but it is not in our solar (太陽(yáng)的) system The new planet moves around a star much like our sun,
however. Seientists discovered the planet by using a new planet-searching method, called "transit technique"
They were able to catch sight of the planet when it moved in front of its star, causing the star's light to dim
(變暗). Scientists compare the method to discovering the shadow of a bee flying in front of a searchlight 200
miles away. "We believe the door has heen opened wide to go and discover planets like Earth," says Sasedlov.

1. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. there is iron on the new planet
B. we could go to the new planet in winter
C. the star could block our view of the new planet
D. scientists are studying the weather on the new planet

2. The "transit technique" can _____. 

A. help dim the light of a star.
B. help scientists with a searchlight
C. help discover a bee on a planet
D. help find a planet moving before its star

3. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. New Planet-searching Technique
B. New Distant Discovery
C. Space Searching
D. Dream Planet

      In 1901, H.G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers
(探險(xiǎn)者) landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. They expressed
their surprise to the "moon people" they met. In turn, the "moon people" expressed their surprise. "Why," they
asked, "are you traveling to outer space when you don't even use your inner space?"
      H.G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really did land on the moon.
People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the "moon
people" asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.
      Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such
as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The "Chunnel"-a tunnel (隧道)
connecting England and France, is now complete.
      But what about underground cities? Japan's Taisei Corporation is designed a network of underground
systems, called "Alice Cities." The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using
underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome (太陽(yáng)能穹頂) would cover the
whole city.
      Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to
use the earth's space. The surface, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H.G.
Wells' "moon people" would agree. Would you?

1. The explorers in H. G. Wells' story were surprised to find that the "moon people" ____.

A. knew so much about the earth
B. understand their language
C. lived in so many underground cities
D. were ahead of them in space technology

2. What does the underlined word "it" (paragraph 2) refer to?

A. Discovering the moon's inner space.
B. Using the earth's inner space.
C. meeting the "moon people" again.
D. Traveling to outer space.

3. What sort of underground systems are already here with us?

A. Offices, shopping areas, power stations.
B. Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas.
C. Gardens, car parks, power stations.
D. Tunnels, gardens, offices.

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

A. Alice Cities-cities of the future
B. Space travel with H.G. Wells
C. Enjoy living underground
D. Building down, not up

     The definition of the standard kilogram is almost entirely wrong. Getting that definition right is a challenge
that has tried the patience and intelligence of scientists for decades.
     Scientists use just seven basic units to define all the other quantities we use-quantities such as speed or
electric power. All of those basic units except the kilogram are themselves defined according to natural
properties (屬性) that are beyond human control.
     For example, the standard second (time) is defined as a specific number of vibration (振動(dòng)) of a type of
radiation sent out by atoms of a special metal. The standard metre (length), in turn, is defined as the length of
the path light travels under certain conditions.
     Not so the kilogram. This orphan of the basic unit family is simply the mass of a small platinum-iridium
alloy cylinder (鉑一銥合金筒) locked away in a container maintained by the International Bureau of Weights
& Measures in Sevres, France, near Paris. Official bodies around the world have copies of the cylinder.
     Embarrassingly, the last time the copies were brought to Sevres for a checkup in the 1980s, officials found
that some copies had gained about 20 parts per billion in weight compared to the master cylinder since the
previous checkup in the 1940s. This implies that the master cylinder itself may be an inconstant standard.
     Several efforts in several different countries are under way to redefine the kilogram according to basic
physical quantities such as counting the actual number of atoms of a specific substance in a kilogram or the
electromagnetic (電磁的) force that balances a kilogram mass against gravity. A project of the latter type at the
laboratories in Gaithersburg, Md., hopes eventually to define mass by means of electrical units.
     So far, none of these redefinition projects has borne fruit. They require the very accuracy of measurement
and control of experimental conditions. The slightest influence-even a tiny change in weather-can ruin results.
You've got to hand it to scientists who are willing to devote many years to such painstaking-but extremely
important-research.

1. Compared with other basic units, the kilogram is _____.

A. as accurate as other basic units
B. not universally accepted in the world
C. not defined according to natural properties
D. defined in the same way as other basic units

2. The author introduced the examination of copies of a platinum-iridium alloy cylinder in the 1980s to indicate that _____. 

A. the causes of weight changes had been found
B. such kind of checks had been carried out regularly
C. the changes in weight challenged the definition of the kilogram
D. the consequences of such changes were great in research

3. According to the passage, to define the weight of mass by means of electrical units _____.

A. is the only way to redefine the kilogram scientifically
B. has been accepted as the only possible redefinition project
C. is not as complicated as people understand
D. has been considered by some scientists as a better approach

4. Which of the following cannot be concluded from the passage?

A. Scientists will achieve success in redefining the kilogram in the near future.
B. Some scientists are trying to redefine the kilogram according to basic physical quantities.
C. The redefining of the standard kilogram is quite complicated and can be affected by a number of factors.
D. A number of experiments are being carried out to redefine the kilogram.

     There's worrying news for any parent who's struggled with a headstrong young child. Some scientists
recently claim that children who have low levels of self-control, which is the earliest demands that society
places on children, at the age of three are more likely to have health and money problems and a criminal
record by the age of 32, regardless of background and IQ. That is to say, willpower as a child really does
influence your chances of a healthy and wealthy adulthood.
     They found that children with low self-control were more likely to have health problems in later life
including high blood pressure, being overweight, breathing problems and sexually transmitted infections.
They were also more addicted to substances such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs, more likely to be single
parents, have difficulty managing money and have criminal records.
     Researchers from Britain, the US and New Zealand analyzed data from two large studies in which
children completed a range of physical tests and interviews to assess genetic and environmental factors
that can shape their lives.
     The participants' self-control was assessed by teachers, parents, observers and the children themselves
and included things like having low frustration tolerance, lacking persistence in reaching goals, being over-
active and acting before thinking.
     Researchers then found that when the participants reached their early 30s, this impulsivity and relative
inability to think about the long-term gave them more problems with finances, including savings, owning a
home and credit card debt.
     The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS.)
1. What are the findings of a recent research according to the passage?
    ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. The phrase "more addicted to" (Line 3, Para. 2) probably means "____________".
3. Besides poor anti-frustration ability, over-activeness and fore-acting, children with low self-control may
    also suffer ____________.
4. What may primarily cause the financial problems of the children with low self-control in their later years?
    ____________________________________________________________________________________

     Critical thinking is an important skill that can increase students' ability to learn in any situation. This can be
applied to traditional education, online education, or directly in a career related role. Many teachers find it such
a valuable skill that they give their students a critical thinking question every day. Developing this ability can
mean the difference between "just passing a course" and "understanding the material well enough" so that what
students learn from it will follow them throughout their life.
     Some characteristics of a critical thinker that teachers should encourage are:
     -asking questions as a reaction to something read or discussed;
     -determining the "deeper meaning" of a particular passage or topic;
     -providing input and opinions to topics as a direct result of analysis and research;
     -reasoning in an effort to develop an argument of your own opinion.
     It is important for a student to understand more than definition (定義). One way to truly understand an idea
is to have hands-on practice, and to apply concepts learned in a textbook. Such "mini-examples" will interest a
student and improve their understanding of a topic. This is how lifelong skills can be developed.
     Teachers that use critical thinking practices in the classroom can "go above and beyond" by asking questions
that promote a greater comprehension of the material. Instructors should be able to challenge students and
create an environment where they are analysing material and gaining a better understanding. This will make the
classroom move in a direction for learning. It can also help students to stay interested in the course material, as
they always have a new concept to consider.
     At the same time, students benefit greatly from developing critical thinking skills. When learned early on,
these skills can be used throughout their college education. Students can understand how to consider a topic,
analyse it, and discuss it from different points of view. These are skills that will benefit them when they are
part of the workforce as well.

1. Critical thinking can best be described as _____. 

A. a system to improve people's memory
B. a method to expand people's knowledge
C. a way to increase people's ability to understand
D. a process to make people more critical of others

2. The underlined word "it" in Paragraph l refers to _____.

A. the ability
B. the difference
C. the course
D. the material

3. According to the passage, a critical thinker should _____.

A. ask questions before reading the material
B. be able to develop their own opinions
C. predict the deeper meaning of a topic
D. do more analysis and research

4. The author thinks "mini-examples" are useful because they _____.

A. assist students to better remember definitions
B. give students hands-on practice
C. help to keep students interested
D. help students develop concepts

5. Who are the intended readers of the passage?

A. Teachers.
B. Parents.
C. Examiners.
D. Headmasters.

     He says the problem with teachers is, "What will a kid learn from someone who chose to become a
teacher?" He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Those who can,
do; those who can't, teach.
     I decide to bite my tongue instead of biting his and stop myself from reminding the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers-that they make money from the misfortune of others.
     "I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor'," he says to me. "Be honest. What do you make?"
     I wish he hadn't asked me to be honest, because now I have to teach him a lesson.

     You want to know what I make?
     I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
     I can make a C+ feel like a great achievement and an A-feel like a failure.
     How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best?
     I make parents tremble in fear when I call them:
     I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
     I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
     Billy said,"Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
     And it was the bravest act I have ever seen.
     I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be.

     You want to know what I make?
     I make kids wonder.
     I make them question.
     I make them criticize.
     I make them think.
     I make them apologise and mean it.

     I make them write, write, write.
     And then I make them read.
     I teach them to solve math problems that they once thought impossible.
     I make them understand that if you have brains then you follow your heart and if someone ever tries
to judge you by what you make, you teach them a lesson.

     Let me make this simple for you, so you know what I say is true:
     I make a great difference! What about you?

1. What do we know about the man that the author is speaking to?

A. He is respectful to teachers.
B. He is in the author's home.
C. He is actually a lawyer.
D. He dislikes lawyers.

2. The underlined phrase "bite my tongue" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.

A. say something which is wrong
B. speak out honestly but carelessly
C. keep silent about myself
D. stop myself saying what I really think

3. The author called Billy's parents to _____.

A. let them tremble in fear
B. ask why Billy cried that day
C. praise what Billy did that day
D. advise them to leave Billy alone

4. What is the tone of the passage?

A. Angry and proud.
B. Upset and disappointed.
C. Humourous and light-hearted.
D. Cheerful and positive.

5. What's the best title of this passage?

A. An Argument between Two Guests
B. What Teachers Make
C. Requirements of a Good Teacher
D. A Dinner Conversation