When I was twelve years old, my family were the first black people to move into an all white part of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Many of our new neighbors weren’t very welcoming. Some of them said angrily that we should return to where we came from. The children sometimes threw stones at me .
Most of my teachers simply took no notice of me, but not Dorothy Bean, my history teacher. Miss Bean was angry at how badly I was being treated, but she didn’t say this to me. Miss Bean showed her respect for me by teaching me just like anyone else. Instead of being unnoticed, I was given a chance to show that I was clever. Miss Bean was the first teacher who ever made me think for myself. She always wanted to know what I thought about different questions. She expected me to have my own idea. Miss Bean was teaching me that thinking for oneself was the real key to education.
One day, when I was not paying attention in class, Miss Bean suddenly threw an eraser(黑板擦) at me. The eraser hit me right on the hand and sent my pencil flying. The whole class were very surprised at first, then started laughing. This event became famous in the school and, because it happened to me, the students wanted to get to know me. So that’s the story of how Dorothy Bean made me her target(靶子). However, what I want to do is express my thanks to her.
56. The author and his family were not welcomed by the local people because ____________.
A. they returned from another country B. they have different skin color
C. they spoke a different language D. they moved to a wrong place
57. From the end of the first paragraph we know that _____________.
A. children were more friendly to strangers
B. American schools were not safe for kids
C. children often follow their parents’ behavior
D. fighting each other is part of children’s nature
58. Miss Bean respected the author by ____________.
A. giving him special attention.
B. hitting him with an eraser.
C. giving him extra lessons.
D. treating him as one of her students.
59. To Miss Bean the most important thing for a student is to _________.
A. pay close attention to what the teacher says.
B. learn to think and have one’s own idea.
C. keep silent and unnoticed in class.
D. get special attention from the teacher.
60. Which is the writer’s attitude to Miss Bean?
A. Grateful. B. Hateful. C. Negative. D. Supportive.
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 |
Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup (基因构成)as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的)resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品)of technological developments in the space industry!
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds clangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future. Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?
| A．To express his doubts. |
| B．To compare different ideas. |
| C．To introduce points for discussion. |
| D．To describe the conditions on Earth. |
What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph 2?
| A．Humans are nature-born to do so. |
| B．Humans have the tendency to fight. |
| C．Humans may find new sources of food. |
| D．Humans don’t like to stay in the same place. |
The underlined word “spin-offs" in Paragraph 4probably refers to ________ .
| A．survival chances |
| B．potential resources |
| C．unexpected benefits |
| D．physical possessions |
What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?
| A．Our genetic makeup. |
| B．Resources on the earth. |
| C．The adaptive ability of humans. |
| D．By-products in space exploration. |
On March 8,a big spelling mistake was made at the Selma Unified School District's Spelling Bee (拼字比赛)，in Selma, California. The mistake was made not by one of the competitors, but by the judges. Even though 12-year-old Sierra Shoemaker spelled her final word correctly, she was disqualified (淘汰)because the judges thought she had it wrong. "I didn't want to say anything because if the word master tells you you've got a wrong word, you don't really argue with him, "Sierra told local California news station KMPH.
The word Sierra was told to spell was "braille", referring to the written Language for people unable to see. Sierra spelled it out correctly, but the judges' master sheet had the word written down as "b-r-a-i-l-e", with one '1' missing. The audience immediately recognized the judges' mistake. So did Sierra. “I looked around at the audience, half of them were looking at each other, complaining quietly, "said Sierra, speaking to KMPH. She went home with a second place prize, but was frustrated, realizing that perhaps she could have won first place prize.
Determined to move on to the next level* Sierra appealed her disqualification. At first, the county rejected her appeal. Fortunately, the school community got behind her. Her school supported the appeal and won. Sierra will now advance to the Fresno County Spelling Bee. If she wins Fresno, she will then go on to represent her county in the California State Spelling Championships.
Beyond each state’s spelling bee is the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Winners from state championships move on to compete against each other, as well as against students from countries outside the United States. With her spirit of determination, we believe we will see Sierra on the stage of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. At the Selma Unified School District's Spelling Bee, Sierra ________ .
| A．was disqualified |
| B．made a big mistake |
| C．argued with the judges |
| D．had her final word wrong |
Why did some of the audience look at each other according to Paragraph 2?
| A．They felt sorry for Sierra's mistake. |
| B．They wanted to know how to spell the word. |
| C．They wanted to make friends with each other. |
| D．They thought that the judges had made a mistake. |
Sierra will advance to the Fresno County Spelling Bee because ________ .
| A．the county accepted the appeal finally |
| B．she asked the news station KMPH for help |
| C．she was given the first place prize after her appeal |
| D．the audience forced the judges into changing their decision |
Which of the following shows the author's attitude towards Sierra?
| A．She is tolerant. |
| B．She is hard-working. |
| C．She is open-minded. |
| D．She is strong-minded. |
Pierre de Coubertin was born on January 1，1863，in Paris, France. As a child of a noble family, he received a good education and developed a strong interest in literature and history. He refused the military career planned for him by his family, as well as giving up a political career in order to serve his people better.
Coubertin was a very active sportsman and practiced the sports of boxing, fencing (击剑)，horse-riding and rowing. He believed that sport was the tool for moral energy and he defended his idea with rare tenacity (坚初).
His study of history made him wish the Olympics could still be held. He thought it was the ideal that everyone should try to reach. He was sure that bringing athletes together would make friendly relations between the countries. It was this idea that led him to announce at the age of 31 that he wanted to revive the Olympics.
He made this announcement in a meeting at the Union of French Societies of Athletic Sports, for which he was Secretary General (秘书长). No one really believed him and his statement was greeted with little passion. Coubertin, however, was not discouraged and on 23 June, 1894 he founded the International Olympic Committee(IOC)in a ceremony held at the University of Sorbonne in Paris. Demetrius from Greece became the first president of the IOC.
Two years later, in 1896, the first Olympic Games of the modern era was held in Athens. On that occasion Coubertin was elected the second president of the IOC and he remained president until 1925. Due to the 1st World War, Coubertin requested permission to establish the headquarters of the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland, which was a neutral (中立的)country, Coubertin withdrew from the IOC in 1925 to devote himself to his pedagogical (教育学的)work, which he called his "unfinished symphony(交响乐)".
Coubertin suddenly died of a heart attack on September 2，1937, in a park in Geneva, and thus his "symphony" remained unfinished. The city of Lausanne had decided to award him honorary citizenship (荣誉市民)of the city, but he died just before the ceremony.
In accordance with Coubertin's last wish he was buried in Lausanne, although his heart was buried separately in a monument near the ruins of ancient Olympia. Pierre de Coubertin was not interested in ________ .
| A．literature |
| B．history |
| C．military |
| D．sports |
Coubertin wanted to revive the Olympic Games because ________ .
| A．he thought bringing athletes together would make friendly relationships between the countries |
| B．he knew he would be the 2nd president of the IOC |
| C．he loved history and sports so much |
| D．he thought everyone should try to reach the ideal that the Olympics could still be held |
"unfinished symphony(交响乐)" refers to ________ .
| A．the work Coubertin did for the IOC |
| B．the pedagogical work |
| C．the ceremony of awarding Coubertin honorary citizenship |
| D．the fact that Coubertin's heart attack never got well |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Coubertin was awarded honorary citizenship by the city of Lausanne before he died. |
| B．Coubertin worked as the president of the IOC for less than 20 years. |
| C．Coubertin devoted all his life to the sports career. |
| D．Coubertin's heart was buried in Greece. |