B
The teaching of physics in schools is in danger of dying out unless urgent action is taken to deal with a serious lack of teachers, the government is warned today.
The number of students taking physics at A-level has fallen 38% since 1990, according to a research. At the same time the number of new physics teachers has dropped sharply while the shortage is likely to worsen as older teachers retire.
Britain’s leading scientists and engineers expressed alarm over the findings, which they say are part of the problems in science education generally. Lord May of Oxford, president of the Royal Society, the UK’s National Academy of Science, said, “The problems facing science at A-level are well beyond physics. We have over and over again noted the general downward trend of students studying the sciences besides biology and math at A-level. If we fail to deal with this then we may lose the ability to train the next generation of scientists, technologists and engineers.”
Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson, who did the research in 432 schools and colleges in England and Wales, said that since 1990, the number of physics students had fallen by 38%, from 45,334 to 28,119. Nearly 10% of state schools now do not offer A-level physics, and of those that do 39.5% had five students or fewer taking it this year.
Over the same period, the research discovered, the number of people who are allowed to become physics teachers dropped from about a third of the science total to 12.8%. The supply of physics teachers is not renewing itself, with nearly twice as many aged over 50 as 30 or younger. Another danger is the redefinition of science subjects to “general science”.
Professor Smithers and Dr Robinson warn that the subject is in danger of dying out in schools.” Physics in schools and colleges is at risk through redefinition and lack of teachers with expertise in the subject,” they said. “If physics is to survive in schools, both as basic education and as a platform for higher level study and research, there is a need for immediate action.”
60. From what Lord May of Oxford said, we can learn that____________.
A. he worries about the future of science education.
B. the top scientists have not noticed the problem until recently.
C. the UK has lost the ability to train scientists and engineers
D. biology and math do not face the same problems as physics.
61. The underlined word “renewing” is closest to _______in meaning.
A. continuing B. offering C. saving D. replacing
62. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Lack of Physics Teachers Causes Trouble. B. How Important the Physics Is!
C. Physics Is Dying Out in Schools. D. Why Do We Study Physics?
三、阅读理解
Everyone should learn to apologize. Apology language do work. Have you ever tried to apologize, only to be refused? It may be that you were offering partial apology in a “language” that was foreign to your listener. The five languages of apology include:
Apology Language 1: “I am sorry.”
List the hurtful effects of your action. NOT “I am sorry if…”, but “I am sorry that…”. You might ask if they want to add any points that you have not recognized.
Apology Language 2: “I was wrong.”
Name your mistake and accept fault. Note that it is easier to say “You are right ” than “ I am wrong”, but the latter carries more weight.
Apology Language 3: “What can I do to make it right ?”
How are you now? How shall I make amends to you? How can I RESTORE YOUR CONFIDENC that I love you even I was so hurtful to you?
Apology Language 4: “I WILL TRY NOT TO DO THAT AGAIN.”
Engage in problem-solving. Do not make excuses for yourself such as: “Well my day just so …” Instead, offer what you will change to prevent yourself putting them in the same bad situation again.
Apology Language 5: “Will you please forgive me?”
Be patient in seeking forgiveness. They may need some time or greater clarification of your input from Apology Languages 1-4.
Finally, your apology may not be accepted, but at least you know that you have been faithful in offering a sincere olive branch of peace.
1. When offerring an apology, which of the following dose the author prefer?
A. “You are right .” B. “I am sorry if …”
C. “I am wrong.” D. “Well , my day was just so…”
2. In the last paragraph ,the author tells us even if your apology may not be accepted , at least __________ .
A .It is not your fault any more. B. Your mind will be at peace.
C. your friend will make peace with you.D. your apology is true to your heart.
3 .What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. Five tips for apology that work.B. Five ways of refusing apology.
C. The function (功能) of apology language.D. The importance of apology language
Earthquakes are the shaking, rolling or sudden shock of the earth’s surface. Earthquakes happen along "fault lines" in the earth’s crust. Earthquakes can be felt over large areas although they usually last less than one minute. Earthquakes cannot be predicted -- although scientists are working on it!
Most of the time, you will notice an earthquake by the gentle shaking of the ground. You may notice hanging plants swaying or objects wobbling on shelves. Sometimes you may hear a low rumbling noise or feel a sharp jolt. A survivor of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco said the sensation was like riding a bicycle down a long flight of stairs.
The intensity of an earthquake can be measured. One measurement is called the Richter scale. Earthquakes below 4.0 on the Richter scale usually do not cause damage, and earthquakes below 2.0 usually can’t be felt. Earthquakes over 5.0 on the scale can cause damage. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake is considered strong and a magnitude 7.0 is a major earthquake. The Northridge Earthquake, which hit Southern California in 1994, was magnitude 6.7.
Earthquakes are sometimes called temblors, quakes, shakers or seismic activity. The most important thing to remember during an earthquake is to DROP, COVER and HOLD ON. So remember to DROP to the floor and get under something for COVER and HOLD ON during the shaking.
1. Which statement about earthquakes is not correct?
A. Earthquakes are the result of the sudden shock of the earth’s surface.
B. Earthquakes usually can be felt because they can last for a long time.
C. There are usually some signs for people to notice an earthquake.
D. People can feel an earthquake over 6.0 because it is very strong.
2. According to the passage, when the earthquake happened, a survivor of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco_______.
A. was riding a bicycleB. was just climbing the stairs
C. heard a low rumbling noiseD. felt like riding a bicycle
3. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Most of the time, people can not feel or predict the earthquakes.
B. Earthquakes are sometimes called temblors, quakes shakers or seismic activity.
C. The Northridge Earthquake in Southern California in 1994 caused severe damage.
D. When an earthquake happens, it is important to drop on the floor immediately.
An 18-year-old student has won a local election to become mayor of his hometown
in the US state of Michigan. Michael Sessions won by the slenderest of margins - just two votes put him ahead of his only rival, the incumbent 51-year-old mayor. Mr. Sessions attributed his electoral success to the votes cast by his parents. He will now have to juggle schedules between attending school and fulfilling his civic duties. He will attend his school classes between 8am to 3pm and carry out his new job as the elected mayor of Hillsdale before dinner at 6pm. He aims to deliver on his campaign pledges of increasing the contingent (小分队) of full-time fire-fighters from three to four, revitalizing (使恢复元气) the local economy and enabling townsfolk to air their views and grievances on town life.
Mr. Sessions was too young to enter the election when it was first announced – he turned 18 only in September, which meant he had just four weeks of campaigning. Although he is the youngest elected official in America, he cannot celebrate his success with champagne because he would be arrested for underage drinking. He ran for office with a budget of $700, which he made from his summer job of selling toffee apples. His position is largely ceremonial and he will not get his own office. Instead, he will receive an annual stipend of $3,600 to cover basic expenses. He starts his four-year position on November 21. Mr. Sessions has become an overnight celebrity since his victory and has already done the circuit of television chat show interviews.
1. When did the election probably take place?
A. August. B. September. C. October. D. December.
2. How long will Mr. Sessions be the mayor of Michigan State?
A. One year.B. Two years.C. Four years. D. Not mentioned.
3. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Mr. Sessions won the election by two votes.
B. Mr. Sessions had many competitors during the election.
C. The new mayor will get an office after the election.
D. The new mayor doesn’t have to attend the school any more.
Years ago, a cigarette commercial asked if you were smoking more, but enjoying it less. That describes the way many of us live today. We are doing more, but enjoying it less. And when that doesn’t work, we compound the problem. In our frantic search for satisfaction, we try stuffing still more into our days, never realizing that we are taking the wrong approach.
The truth is simple; so simple it is hard to believe. Satisfaction lies with less, not with more. Yet, we pursue the myth that this thing, or that activity, will somehow provide the satisfaction we so desperately seek.
Arthur Lindman, in his devastating book, “The Harried Leisure Class,” described the futility of pursuing more. His research focused on what people did with their leisure time. He found that as income rose, people bought more things to occupy their leisure time. But, ironically, the more things they bought, the less they valued any one of them. Carried to an extreme, he predicted massive boredom in the midst of tremendous variety. That was more than twenty years ago, and his prediction seems more accurate every year.
Lindman, of course, is not the first to discover this. The writer of Ecclesiastes expressed the same thought thousands of years ago. It is better, he wrote, to have less, but enjoy it more.
If you would like to enjoy life more, I challenge you to experiment with me. How could you simplify your life? What could you drop? What could you do without? What could you stop pursuing? What few things could you concentrate on?
The more I learn, the more I realize that fullness of life does not depend on things. The more I give up, the more I seem to gain. But words will never convince you. You must try it for yourself.
1．Arthur Lindman predicted twenty years ago that ______.
A. more things brought more valueB. the more people had, the less they valued them
C. people didn’t like to pursue moreD. massive boredom came from less variety
2．What does the article suggest to make our life happier?
A. To enjoy more things. B. To buy more things.
C. To sell things we do not need.D. To get rid of useless things.
3．The passage is probably written to ___________.
A. introduce Arthur Lindman and his bookB. tell the readers what is satisfaction
C. introduce how to simplify people’s lifeD. persuade people to simplify their life
三、阅读理解（共20小题，满分40分）
As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.
Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a “Slow” sign, so he slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.
At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a noteb ook and pencil in his hand and said, “You didn’t stop at the crossing.” “But the sign there doesn’t say “Stop”,” answered Mr. Williams. “It just says “Slow”, and I did go slow.” The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, “Well, I’ll be blowed. I am in the wrong street!”
1. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Stop signs can be found at every crossroads.
B. At crossroads with a “Slow” sign, drivers never have to stop.
C. At crossroads with a “Slow” sign, drivers have to stop and then go slow.
D. At some crossroads, drivers needn’t stop or go slow.
2. What do you think the policeman would do in the end?
A. Fine Mr. Williams. B. Take him to the police station.
C. Apologize to Mr. Williams.D. Give Mr. Williams his notebook and pencil.
3. Which might be the best title for this passage?
A. Signs at the crossroads B. A careful driver
C. A policeman and a driverD. Policeman in the wrong street