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At first, the earth's surface layer (层）was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks. Then slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebbles(砾石）and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remains mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil.
There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break up into smaller ones. Wind, water, heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and cracks (裂缝）in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces.
The moving water of streams and rivers also helps to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones. Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces.
The heat of the sun is also helpful in breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the cracks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and the cracks become wider, and finally break up into smaller pieces.
According to the passage, soil __________.

A．forms very slowly

B．is a mixture only of stones, pebbles and sand

C．makes up the layers of the earth

D．is becoming smaller and smaller

Which of the following speeds up the breaks of rocks most?

A．Hot weather.

B．Cold water.

C．Sharp changes in temperature.

D．More dead plants in the cracks.

Which of the following is NOT true?

A．The remains of many plants and animals can form soil.

B．If a large rock never moves, it will never break up.

C．Even if a large rock never moves, it will break up.

D．Ice in the cracks helps to break up rocks.

The best title for this passage should be __________

A．Soil from rock

B．Ways to break up rocks

C．Soil on the earth

D．Soil, outmost layer of the earth

Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September，1897，Irene Curie was the first of the Curies' two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sevigne in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities (设备）to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military's Medal by the French government.
In 1918，Irene became her mother's assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924，Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935.
Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity (辐射能）. Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17，1956.
Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military's Medal?

A．Because she received a degree in mathematics.

B．Because she contributed to saving the wounded.

C．Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic.

D．Because she worked as a helper to her mother.

Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?

A．At the Curie Institute.

B．At the University of Paris.

C．At a military hospital.

D．At the College of Sevigne.

When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?

A．In 1932.

B．In 1927.

C．In 1897.

D．In 1926.

In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?

A．Irene worked with radioactivity.

B．Irene combined family and career.

C．Irene won the Nobel Prize once.

D．Irene died from leukemia.

In 1901，H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers (探险者)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 (隊道)connecting England and France, is now complete.
But what about underground cities? Japan's Taisei Corporation is designed as a network of underground systems, called "Alice Cities". The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using under-ground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome (太阳能穹顶)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?
The explorers in H. G. Wells' story were surprised to find that the "moon people" ________ .

A．knew so much about the earth

B．understood their language

C．lived in so many underground cities

D．were ahead of them in space technology.

What does the underlined word "it" (in 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.

What sort of underground systems are already here with us?

A．Offices, shopping areas and power stations.

B．Tunnels car parks and shopping areas,

C．Gardens, car parks and power stations.

D．Tunnels, gardens and offices.

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

Scientists in the United States say plant life has increased on Earth in the past twenty years and that in every area of plant growth the increase is the result of weather conditions.
Eight scientists from across the United States did the study. The space agency NASA and the Department of Energy paid for it. The findings were published in the magazine Science.
The researchers spent one and a half years examining weather satellite information. The information was recorded from 1982 to 1999. That period was one of the warmest on record. Researchers found that rainfall generally increased during that time.
The satellites measured the number of leaves on plants and the amount of sunlight taken in. The scientists used that information to estimate what is called net primary production. This is the total amount of carbon stored in land plants.
The scientists report a 6% increase in stored carbon since 1982. They say gains were high in equatorial areas, especially around the Amazon River in South America. The area alone had a 1 % increase in the net primary production.
The study was led by Ramakrishna Nemani of the University of Montana in Missoula. He says reduced cloud cover led to the growth in Amazon area. He also says the lack of clouds allowed more sunlight to get through. More sunlight meant increases in photosynthesis(光合作用）. That is the process by which plants use energy from sunlight to produce the chemicals they need to grow.
Northern Canada, the north-central United States and northern Europe were second in increased plant growth. Ramakrishna Nemani says a rise in temperature helped plants there.
All together, the report says 25% of areas of plant life on Earth experienced increases. But the scientists also note the increase in the number of people on Earth and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Ranga Myneni of Boston University in Massachusetts, another study scientist says humans use about half the net primary production on Earth. And he notes that the world population grew by 36% during the period of time studied.
What's the main cause of the plant growth put forward by the study?

A．Growth in population.

B．Regional features.

C．Seasonal variation.

D．Weather conditions.

Which of the following is in charge of the study?

A．The space agency NASA of the US.

B．The Department of Energy of the US.

C．Ramakrishna Nemani in Missoula.

D．Ranga Myneni in Massachusetts.

Why do scientists believe that reduced cloud cover has led to the plant growth in the Amazon area?

A．Because plants could take in more sunlight.

B．Because plants could get more rainfall.

C．Because plants could enjoy cooler air.

D．Because plants suffer less from natural disasters.

Which of the following descriptions about the years from 1982 to 1999 is TRUE?

A．It was the warmest on record.

B．Rainfall decreased little by little.

C．World population grew by 25%.

D．Stored carbon increased by 6%.

Everything on Earth that scientists can see, measure or study is made of atoms and atoms are named by what types of elements (元素)they are. You probably know the name of many elements, such as oxygen or hydrogen. In any case, elements are everywhere: You, your -shoes, your desk, cars, water and air are all made of elements.
Now, there's a new kind on the block： copernicium.
This element was officially named on February 19，but the element itself isn't new. German scientists made and observed it in 1996. But in the 14 years since then, other scientists have been working to study and validate (证实)the original findings. Validation is an important part of the scientific process because it shows that a scientific discovery was not a mistake.
All that hard work finally paid off when the element finally received its name, copernicium, from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Copernicium is named in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus (哥白尼)，a 16th century Polish scholar who proposed that the earth moves around the sun and that the earth turns on its own axis.
Scientists organize all the elements on a chart called the Periodic Table. Each element gets a symbol and its own number, and copernicium gets the symbol Cn and the number 112. This number means that inside every atom of copernicium are 112 protons (质子). The lightest element hydrogen has only one proton inside each atom. Its 112 protons make copernicium the heaviest known element with a name. It was first observed by Sigurd Hofmann»a scientist in Germany. In 1996, Hofmann and his team had to figure out a way to get all the protons together and stick. They used a machine that can speed up atoms up to 10 percent the speed of light. After a week of working on these high-speed collisions(碰撞)，Hofmann's team found copernicium even though it quickly disappeared.
Now, 14 years after Hofmann's experiment, other scientists are able to make copernicium and validate Hofmann's original work. Scientists are excited about copernicium. If such a super heavy atom can be created, then even heavier elements might be waiting in the future. "One of the exciting things is, how far can we keep going?" says nuclear chemist Paul Karol.
What do we know about copernicium?

A．It is the heaviest element so far.

B．It was officially named in 1996.

C．It is a newly-discovered element.

D．It is the most difficult element to validate.

Why is copernicium named after Nicolaus Copernicus?

A．Because he proved the existence of the element.

B．It is named in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus.

C．Because he observed the element in the 16th century.

D．Because he designed the Periodic Table for all the elements.

By asking “how far can we keep going?” Karol means ________ .

A．how many elements people can find in the future

B．how soon people can find another new heavy element

C．how long people can walk carrying the heavy element

D．how long people can continue to research into copernicium

What is the best title for the passage?

A．A New Element Has Been Discovered

B．The Periodic Table Is Changed Again

C．The Heaviest Named Element Is Official

D．Superheavy Copernicium Needs Its Place