Life gets noisier every day and very few people can be free from noise of some sort or another. It doesn't matter where you live--in the middle of a modern city, or a faraway village--the chances are that you' ll be disturbed by jet planes, radios, oil - powered engines, etc. We seem to be getting used to noise, too. Some people feel quite lonely without background music while they' re working.

Scientific tests have shown that total silence can be a very frightening experience for a human being. However, some people enjoy listening to pop music which is very loud, and this can do harm to their eardrums(耳鼓). The noise level in some discos is far above the usual safety level for heavy industrial areas.

One recent report about noise and concentration(專心) suggested that although a lot of people say that any noise disturbs their concentration, what really influences their ability to concentrate is a change in the level of noise. It goes on to say that a background noise which doesn't change too much(music, for example) may even help people to concentrate.

1.According to this passage, the noise pollution         .

 A. has become the worst in the countryside     B. has become better in big cities

 C. has spread from cities to villages         D. has been controlled in modern cities

2.Some people have their hearing harmed        .

 A. while listening to pop music            B. in complete silence

 C. when speaking loudly                   D. while watching TV

3.Scientists have discovered that what prevents people from concentrating on something is        .

A. all kinds of noise                       B. changes in the level of noise

C. background noise                         D. popular music

 

In a little-known part of the counter-terrorism（反恐怖主義） world, one of the most effective detection systems is a 600-pound animal that works for about 20 pounds of fish a day.

Since the 1960s, the United States and a handful of other countries have trained dolphins and sea lions to detect sea mines and swimmers, to recover inert torpedoes（魚雷）and to test objects used in Naval exercises.

Program officials estimate that the sea lions in the Marine Mammal Program have recovered millions of dollars of U.S. Naval torpedoes and instrumentation dropped on the sea floor.

The U.S. Navy kept its Marine Mammal Program a secret until the 1990s, and this spring CNN became one of only a handful of media outlets to see firsthand how the program works.

The program has trained about 75 Pacific bottlenose dolphins, with natural biosonar (生物聲納) that tracks better than any manmade device; and 35 California sea lions, with superb underwater eyesight.

Not only do these trained marine mammals track and retrieve millions of dollars in U. S. military equipment, they are also helping to save lives.

The Navy won't disclose whether the dolphins and sea lions have effectively intercepted （阻攔）terrorists attempting to do harm to any U.S. facilities.

"Either way, it serves as a deterrent（阻礙） effect." says Christian Harris, operations supervisor for the program. The mammals can be deployed（調(diào)動） via C-130 cargo aircraft to perform their missions anywhere in the world within 72 hours. They have been used in exercises from Alaska to Hawaii, operating in great temperature and environmental ranges. They also have the capability to operate off vessels.

Dolphins most recently were deployed in the Iraq war, performing mine detection and clearance operations in the Persian Gulf to ensure safe passage for humanitarian ships delivering aid. Some of these Iraq war "veterans" are now back home, tasked with a new mission: guarding nuclear submarines in their homeports of Bremerton, Washington, and Groton, Connecticut.

1.The underlined word "retrieve" in Paragraph 6 can be replaced by ________.

A．find out           B．recover           C．save             D．detect

2.Which is NOT the purpose of the Marine Mammal Program?

A．To detect sea mines and swimmers.

B．To save lives of people.

C．To recover inert torpedoes.

D．To help the U.S. Naval test equipment.

3.What can be inferred according to the text?

A．These trained marine mammals eat pounds of fish a day.

B．The U.S. Navy performed the Marine Mammal Program for about 30 years secretly.

C．These mammals can carry out a task everywhere.

D．A lot of countries will train dolphins and sea lions for anti-terrorism.

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

A．The Special Skills of Marine Mammals        B．The U.S. Anti-terrorism Program

C．Exceptional Anti-terrorism Member         D．Trained Marine Mammals

 

In a little-known part of the counter-terrorism（反恐怖主義） world, one of the most effective detection systems is a 600-pound animal that works for about 20 pounds of fish a day.
Since the 1960s, the United States and a handful of other countries have trained dolphins and sea lions to detect sea mines and swimmers, to recover inert torpedoes（魚雷）and to test objects used in Naval exercises.
Program officials estimate that the sea lions in the Marine Mammal Program have recovered millions of dollars of U.S. Naval torpedoes and instrumentation dropped on the sea floor.
The U.S. Navy kept its Marine Mammal Program a secret until the 1990s, and this spring CNN became one of only a handful of media outlets to see firsthand how the program works.
The program has trained about 75 Pacific bottlenose dolphins, with natural biosonar (生物聲納) that tracks better than any manmade device; and 35 California sea lions, with superb underwater eyesight.
Not only do these trained marine mammals track and retrieve millions of dollars in U. S. military equipment, they are also helping to save lives.
The Navy won't disclose whether the dolphins and sea lions have effectively intercepted （阻攔）terrorists attempting to do harm to any U.S. facilities.
"Either way, it serves as a deterrent（阻礙） effect." says Christian Harris, operations supervisor for the program. The mammals can be deployed（調(diào)動） via C-130 cargo aircraft to perform their missions anywhere in the world within 72 hours. They have been used in exercises from Alaska to Hawaii, operating in great temperature and environmental ranges. They also have the capability to operate off vessels.
Dolphins most recently were deployed in the Iraq war, performing mine detection and clearance operations in the Persian Gulf to ensure safe passage for humanitarian ships delivering aid. Some of these Iraq war "veterans" are now back home, tasked with a new mission: guarding nuclear submarines in their homeports of Bremerton, Washington, and Groton, Connecticut.
【小題1】The underlined word "retrieve" in Paragraph 6 can be replaced by ________.

A．find out

B．recover

C．save

D．detect

【小題2】Which is NOT the purpose of the Marine Mammal Program?

A．To detect sea mines and swimmers.

B．To save lives of people.

C．To recover inert torpedoes.

D．To help the U.S. Naval test equipment.

【小題3】What can be inferred according to the text?

A．These trained marine mammals eat pounds of fish a day.

B．The U.S. Navy performed the Marine Mammal Program for about 30 years secretly.

C．These mammals can carry out a task everywhere.

D．A lot of countries will train dolphins and sea lions for anti-terrorism.

【小題4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Special Skills of Marine Mammals	B．The U.S. Anti-terrorism Program
C．Exceptional Anti-terrorism Member	D．Trained Marine Mammals

Children are losing the ability to play properly because they are being given too many toys and games, according to new research.

    The studies show that children, especially those under five, are often overwhelmed and actually play less than those with fewer toys. It may even harm their development. The studies show that giving children too many toys or toys of the wrong type can actually be doing them harm. They get overwhelmed and cannot concentrate on anything long enough to learn from it.

    The conclusions have been backed up by British research looking at children with relatively fewer toys, whose parents spend more time reading, singing or playing with them. It showed such children surpass(勝過) youngsters from richer backgrounds, even those who could use computers.

    Some parents notice the ill effect early. Orhan Ismail, a researcher saw a change for the worse in Cameron, his 10-month-old son, after he was given a lot of toys last Christmas.

    Ismail said, “ If there are too many toys in front of him, he will just keep flitting around them and then end up going off and finding something like a slipper to play with. Now we just get out one or two toys and hide the rest in a box.”

    Alexander and her husband also decided to limit the toys their 6 daughters play with. She believed many toys restrict children’s imaginations. She said, “ A Barbie can only work as a Barbie. But a cardboard box can become anything. The only limitations are in the child’s mind.”

    Experts hesitate to put a figure on the number of toys children should have, but many believe two dozen is enough for children of preschool age.

In the writer’s opinion, a Barbie _____.

       A. can attract more attention from children than a cardboard box

       B. can work more than a Barbie

       C. may become anything else such as a cardboard

       D. may keep children from further imaginations

Which of the following is TRUE about toys given to children?

       A. too many toys will help children develop wide interests.

       B. One or two toys at a time will help children concentrate.

      C. Only wrong types of toys do harm to children.

      D. The proper number of toys given to the children depends on their ages.

It may NOT be a good idea to ____.

       A. spend more time reading or playing with children

       B. choose right types of toys for children

       C. ask experts for the exact number of necessary toys

       D. put out one or two toys and hide the rest

Recently, a  professor of philosophy in the United States has written a book called MoneyandtheMeaningofLife. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our day­to­day life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep a record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money, they can see what they really value in life.

He says that our relation with others often becomes clearly defined when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you have a very good friend. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money. If he does, it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn't. This person may say that he has a certain feeling, but if it is not carried out in the money world, there is something less real about it.

Since money is so important to us, we consider those who possess a lot of it to be very important. The author interviewed some millionaires in researching his book.

Question: What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich?

Answer: The most surprising thing is why people give me so much respect. I am nothing. I do not know much. All I am is rich.

People just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? In his book, the professor uncovered an important need in modern society: to bring back the idea that money is an instrument rather than the end. Money plays an important role in the material world, but expecting money to give happiness may be missing the meaning of life.

1.The author seems to believe that asking your friend to lend you some money ________.

A．is a good way to test your friendship

B．will do harm to your friendship

C．will strengthen your friendship

D．is a good way to break off your friendship

2.What can we learn about the millionaire from his answer in the interview?

A．He does not feel that he is well educated.

B．He does not think that he is a very important person.

C．He does not think that being rich is worth so much attention.

D．He does not consider himself to be very successful.

3.What does the American professor of philosophy want to explain in his book?

A．Money is an end.	B．Money is a means.
C．Money is everything.	D．Money is unimportant.

4.Which of the following might the author disagree with?

A．Money is important in modern society.

B．The meaning of life does not completely lie in money.

C．Wealth will surely bring the owner happiness

D．Happiness is not necessarily the result of wealth.