My house is made out of wood, glass and stone. It is also made out of software.
If you come to visit, you’ll probably be surprised when you come in. Someone will give you an electronic PIN （个人身份号码）to wear. This PIN tells the house who and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it’s dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.
Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something. There is a home control console (控制台), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.
The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you my car keys, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the keys. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.
I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I’ve put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I’ve put in today.
I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, “How will I live without them?”What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．How to develop a new system. | B．The function of the PIN. |
| C．A home for the future. | D．Easy life in the future. |
What’s the purpose when the writer wrote the fourth paragraph?
| A．To let readers know why his ideas are new. |
| B．To let readers know how special his house is. |
| C．To explain the importance of the PIN and the console. |
| D．To explain more easily what the functions of the PIN and the console are. |
The writer’s new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _____.
| A．it has been controlled by computers |
| B．you can make a telephone call anywhere |
| C．it has your favorite music following you |
| D．the writer is able to change his new idea into practice |
What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?
| A．An IT expert. | B．A famous doctor. |
| C．An idealist | D．An experienced teacher. |
What can’t be done in the writer’s new house?
| A．turns on the lights |
| B．play music |
| C．get a telephone call |
| D．go swimming |
Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil.It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste.Farmers may keep the remains of maize or other crops on top of the soil.This creates mulch on the soil surface.The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage.Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants.It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants.It also limits temperature changes in the soil.And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds，from growing.
Organic mulch improves the condition of soil.As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard.This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil.It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants.It also provides a good environment for earthworms and other helpful organisms in the soil.
It is easy to find organic mulch materials.Cutup leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used.Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from newspapers works well in controlling weeds.
The best time to add mulch depends on your goal.Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air.This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result，mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer.In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil.The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives.Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter.Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem.The animals will probably find another place to live.The author tells us the following EXCEPT________.
| A．what mulch is and its benefits |
| B．the best time to add mulch |
| C．what can be mulched on the soil surface |
| D．the bad effects of mulch |
The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT________.
| A．tree barks | B．cutup leaves |
| C．grass cuttings | D．plastic |
Which of the following is the benefit of mulch?
| A．Protecting the soil against wind and water damage. |
| B．Keeping the soil wet and reducing the need for watering plants. |
| C．Reducing temperature changes in the soil and stopping unwanted weeds growing. |
| D．All of the above. |
The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can________.
| A．improve the condition of soil |
| B．improve the ability of the soil to hold water |
| C．provide a good environment for earthworms |
| D．improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the |
soilFrom the last paragraph, we know ________.
| A．the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer |
| B．the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives |
| C．the best time to add mulch depends on weather |
| D．choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals |
Steven Jobs was born on February 24,1955，in San Francisco，California，and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.In 1961 the family moved to Mountain View, California.At that time people started to refer to the area as “Silicon Valley”．
As a child, Jobs preferred doing things by himself, not interested in team sports or other group activities.He enrolled in the HewlettPackard Explorer Club. There he saw his first computer at the age of twelve. He was very impressed, and knew right away that he wanted to work with computers.
At that time almost all computers were so large that one could fill a room, and so costly that individuals could not afford to buy them.Advances in electronics, however, meant that the parts of a computer were getting smaller and the power of the computer was increasing.
By 1980 the personal computer era was well underway.Apple was continually forced to improve its products to remain ahead, as more competitors entered the marketplace. Apple introduced the Apple Ⅲ， but the new model suffered technical and marketing problems.It was removed from the market.
Early in 1983 Jobs unveiled the Lisa.It did not sell well，however, because it was more expensive than personal computers sold by competitors.Apple's biggest competitor was International Business Machines (IBM). By 1983 it was estimated that Apple had lost half of its market share ( part of an industry's sales that a specific company has) to IBM.
In 1984 Apple introduced a revolutionary new model, the Macintosh.The Macintosh did not sell well to businesses，however.It lacked features other personal computers had, such as a corresponding high quality printer. The failure of the Macintosh signaled the beginning of Jobs's downfall at Apple.
Late in 1988 the NeXT computer was introduced, aimed at the educational market.The product was very userfriendly，and had a fast processing speed, excellent graphics displays，and an outstanding sound system.Despite the warm reception，however, the NeXT machine never caught on. It was too costly, had a blackandwhite screen, and could not be linked to other computers or run common software.When did Steven Jobs first get the chance to catch sight of a computer?
| A．In 1955. | B．In 1961. |
| C．In 1967. | D．In 1980. |
Which of the following statements is RIGHT?
| A．All the computes used to be large enough to fill a room. |
| B．Before 1980, Apple was not successful in the field of personal computers. |
| C．Steven Jobs was born in Silicon Valley. |
| D．Apple and IBM competed for sales of personal computers. |
According to the passage, the Apple Ⅲ________.
| A．was popular among the young people |
| B．turned out to be a failure |
| C．caused more competitors to come into the market |
| D．could be linked to a printer |
Which of the following leads to Jobs's downfall at Apple?
| A．The Apple Ⅲ. | B．The Macintosh |
| C．The NeXT. | D．The Lisa. |
One of the reasons why the NeXT computer didn't become popular is that ________.
| A．few people could afford it |
| B．it was not fast enough |
| C．it was not easy to use |
| D．it lacked super sound system |
It's hardly surprising that weather is a favorite topic for so many people around the world—it affects where we choose to live, what we wear, our moods, and perhaps even our national characteristics.Studies have shown that changeable weather can make it difficult to concentrate, cloudy skies slow down reaction, and hot，dry winds make many people badtempered.
If you live in a place like Britain, where the weather seems to change daily if not hourly，you could be forgiven for thinking that the weather is random.In fact the weather is controlled by systems which move around areas of the globe.In the UK the weather depends on depressions (低压气流), often called lows，and anticyclones(反气旋)，also known as highs.These systems start in the Atlantic Ocean, and make their way across the British Isles from the west to the east.Highs bring sunny weather, while lows bring rain and wind.In modern times, human activities seem to be altering weather patterns.Gases produced by heavy industry change the temperature of the earth's surface，and affect cloud formation.Some researchers say that factories in Europe and North America may have been one of the causes of the droughts in Africa in the 1980s.
The human race has always tried to guess the weather，especially in areas of the world where there are frequent changes.Traditional rhymes point to early attempts to identify weather patterns; popular poems include：
Red sky at night, shepherd's delight；red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning.
Flies will swarm before a storm.
Rain before 7，clear by 11.
While folk wisdom can provide a guide to help forecast weather, today's methods of prediction increasingly rely on technology.Satellites, balloons，ships, aircrafts and weather centers with sensitive monitoring equipment, send data to computers.The data is then processed, and the weather is predicted.However，even this system cannot predict weather for longer than about a week.When weather keeps changing，________.
| A．people become badtempered |
| B．people's reaction slows down |
| C．people find it hard to focus on their work |
| D．people find it easy to focus on their work |
The weather in Britain is________.
| A．random | B．moist |
| C．depressing | D．satisfying |
According to a traditional rhyme, if there is a red sky at night, the next day will be________.
| A．windy | B．rainy |
| C．fine | D．snowy |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Anticyclones often bring rain and wind. |
| B．Weather forecasting has been done for a long time. |
| C．Weather could never be predicted. |
| D．Modern methods of weather prediction are developed from folk wisdom. |
What is mainly talked about in the second paragraph?
| A．Changes in weather. |
| B．Weather in Britain. |
| C．African droughts. |
| D．Research on weather. |
The United States is not part of the Kyoto Protocol.But since 2005 more than 1,000 mayors across the country have agreed to sign their own version of the protocol.
It is called the United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.Local leaders have agreed to follow the suggestions of the Kyoto Protocol in their communities.They have also agreed to urge state and federal governments to follow these suggestions.One goal is to reduce air pollution to the 1990 levels by 2012.
A “green” city might work on several kinds of environmental goals and programs.These include air quality，reducing electricity use, green building, public health, the reuse of materials, water quality and clean transportation.
The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect the environment through action, law and science.One of its online projects is called Smarter Cities, which lists some cities that have made important environmental steps.
Washington，D.C.is also a leading city for green roofs，with over 92,000 square meters of green rooftops.The city also launched a program called “Skip the Bag，Save the River.”Stores charge people a fivecent tax for using plastic or paper shopping bags instead of reusable bags.Money from the tax will be used to clean up a local river.
New York City is using water as a renewable energy source.For several years, the city has experimented with water in the East River to create energy.Officials operating the program recently asked for permission to put into place 30 river turbine devices.
The people of Portland, Oregon are among the top recyclers in the nation.People living there recycle over half of the waste they throw out.The city has also worked to provide green transportation by providing safe bike paths and free parking spaces where electric cars can get recharged.
In Oakland, California, you can ride on one of several public hydrogenpowered(氢气作燃料的) buses.These buses release zero pollution into the air.However，they cost about five times more than common buses.The United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement is aimed at________.
| A．reducing energy use |
| B．reducing air pollution |
| C．improving public health |
| D．reusing waste materials |
Why are shoppers charged a fivecent tax for buying shopping bags?
| A．To clean a local lake that has been polluted. |
| B．To get enough money for the green roof project. |
| C．To prevent shoppers from using reusable bags. |
| D．To collect money for an environmental project. |
New York City is cited as an example of________.
| A．building green rooftops |
| B．making transportation clean |
| C．being good at recycling waste |
| D．using renewable energy source |
Which of the following cities encourage citizens to use bicycles?
A．Washington，D.C. B．New York.
C．Portland. D．Oakland.One obvious disadvantage of adopting hydrogenpowered buses is________.
| A．its high cost | B．side effect |
| C．zero pollution | D．large space |
In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and answers are interesting.
One morning, I got into three different taxis and announced，“Well，it's my first day back in New York in seven years.I've been in prison.”Not a single driver replied，so I tried again.“Yeah，I shot a man in Reno.”I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked.The only response came from a Ghanaian driver，“Reno? That is in Nevada？”
Taxi drivers were uniform sympathetic when I said I'd just been fired.“This is America，”a Haitian driver said.“One door is closed.Another is open.”He argued against my plan to burn down my boss' s house.A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope；he refused to take me to the middle of the George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip.“Why do you want to go there? Go home and relax.Don't worry.Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks.The driver picked me up every time.My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let's go across the park，” I said.“I just robbed the bank there.I got $25,000.”
“$25,000？” he asked.
“Yeah，you think it was wrong to take it？”
“No, man.I work 8 hours and I don't make almost $70.If I can do that，I will do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey，there is another bank，”I said，“Could you wait here a minute while I go inside？”
“No，I can't wait.Pay me now.” His unwillingness may have had something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can't expect unconditional support.From the Ghanaian driver's response, we can infer that________.
| A．he was afraid of the author |
| B．he thought the author was crazy |
| C．he looked down upon the author |
| D．he was indifferent to the killing |
Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
| A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job. |
| B．Because he wanted to go home and relax. |
| C．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide. |
| D．Because it was far away from his home. |
In the author's opinion, the driver's unwillingness to wait outside the Chemical Bank indicates________.
| A．the driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally |
| B．the driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible |
| C．the driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery |
| D．the driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about New York taxi drivers?
| A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to. |
| B．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work. |
| C．They refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves. |
| D．They work only for money. |
The passage mainly discusses________.
| A．the way to please taxi riders |
| B．the way to deal with taxi riders |
| C．taxi drivers' attitude to riders in personal trouble |
| D．taxi drivers' attitude to troublesome taxi riders |