Marlin Perkins’ keen interest in animals, especially snakes, brought him a lot of trouble when he was young. His landlady never excused him for keeping snakes in his closet. After two years of college, he left school and found a job in a zoo, sweeping the sidewalks for $3.50 a day. He was very happy about it because he could now watch animals and study them all day long. He soon became an official in charge of reptiles (爬行动物)and then director of the Buffalo Zoo.
Through his snake-hunting expeditions, Perkins won his fame as a snake expert. His love for snakes is such that he thinks of them in terms of (根据) personalities. However, snakes do not have the universal appeal as he wishes. Even Perkins’ most favorite animal Bushman, the 550-pound toughest African ape, was frightened by snakes. Bushman once escaped from his cage. Nothing could draw him back. Finally a keeper went to the reptile house, got three little snakes, and dangled (摇晃) them toward Bushman. The great ape nearly tore the place apart getting back to the safety of his cage.
Perkins likes all animals and takes more interest in them than many parents take in their own children. He keeps daily records on all the baby animals, takes their temperature and watches their diet strictly. Speaking about his success, Perkins sums up his philosophy of life as follows: “My life has taught me that the surest path to success is to find out what you most enjoy doing, then set out to do it.”
40.Perkins’ first zoo job was __________.
A. collecting snakes B. sweeping sidewalks
C. looking after an ape D. taking notes on animals
41.Bushman’s reaction (反映) suggests that ___________.
A. he was easy to be nervous B. most people dislike animals
even animals dislike snakes D. he was a tough animal to manage
42.Perkins believes the best way to success is to __________.
A. do what you like most B.work hard at it
C.do what people don’t like D.be brave enough
43. According to the passage, Marlin Perkins entered his life work through ______.
A. help B.chance C.choice D.necessity
44.A good title for the passage would be ________.
A.Lovely Snakes B.A Good Expert
C.Marlin Perkins’ world D.Human’s Friend---Animal
A popular saying goes， “Sticks and stones may break my bones， but words will never hurt me.” However， that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves—the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it， though. In fact， we really shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “selftalk” helps us motivate ourselves， remember things， solve problems， and calm ourselves down. Be aware， though， that as much as 77% of selftalk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive， we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project， do well in a test， or finally clean your room， join me in saying “Good job！”
Often， words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example， when returning an item to a store， we might use warm， friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh (刻薄的) and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us！ Before speaking， we should always ask ourselves： Is it true？ Is it loving？ Is it needed？ If what we want to say doesn't pass this test， then it's better left unsaid.
Words possess power： both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope， build selfesteem(自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal？ The choice is ours.
72.The main idea of the first paragraph is that .
A.words have a lasting effect on us
B.inspiring words give us confidence
C.negative words may let us down
D.not sticks and stones but words will hurt us
73.There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because .
A.almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves
B.talking to ourselves always gives us courage
C.we can benefit from talking to ourselves
D.it does no harm to have “selftalk” when we are alone.
74.The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely .
A.remind ourselves B.praise ourselves
C.make ourselves relaxed D.give ourselves amusement
75.The author would probably hold the view that .
A.encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers
B.negative words may motivate us to make more progress
C.people tend to remember friendly words
D.it is better to think twice before talking to others
NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget
bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce ,or possibly erase(抹去),the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
“Some memories can ruin people's lives . They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
47. The passage is mainly about _________.
A. a new medical invention
B. a new research on the pill
C. a way of erasing painful memories
D. an argument about the research on the pill
48. The drug tested on people can __________.
A. cause the brain to fix memories
B. stop people remembering bad experiences
C. prevent body producing certain chemicals
D. Wipe out the emotional effects of memories
49. We can infer from the passage that ___________.
A. people doubt the effects of the pills
B. the pill will stop people's bad experiences
C. taking the pill will do harm to people's health
D. the pill has probably been produced in America
50. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?
A. Some memories can ruin people's lives.
B. People want to get rid of bad memories.
C. Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.
D. The pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories.
Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer, and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.
The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS (全球定位系统) satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded (编码的) cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.
In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools，but if only the car is more than 10 years old.
Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won’t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code sent out by the ignition (点火) key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.
But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner’s keys. And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.
If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen. The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.
Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle’s movements via the car’s GPS unit.
43. The remote immobilizer is fitted to a car to ________.
A. prevent car theft by sending a radio signal to the car owner
B. help the police make a surprise attack on the car thief
C. prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops
D. allow the car to lock automatically when stolen
44. By saying “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed”, Martyn Randall suggests that ________.
A. it takes a longer time for the car thief to do the stealing
B. self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theft
C. the thief has to make use of computer technology
D. the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old
45. ________ is necessary in making a modern car tougher to steal.
A. A coded ignition key B.A unique ID card
C. A special cellphone signalD. A GPS satellite positioning receiver
46. The operations centre will first ________ after receiving an alarm
A. start the tracking systemB. contact the car owner
C. block the car engine D. locate the missing car
Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test?
Many students say that a lack of concentration (注意力) is their biggest problem. It seriously affects their ability to study, so do their test results.
If so, use these tips to help you.
Study Techniques
（1）You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
（2）Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.
（3）Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking Skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.
（2）Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also improve your concentration. Eat healthy food too.
（3）When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.
40. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored.
B. Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time.
C. Check the time during the exam at a certain time.
D. Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method.
41. What does the underlined word “it” refer to?
A. Your study desk or tableB. Your textbook.
C. Your dictionary D. The equipment you need.
42. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test.
B. You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet.
C. You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you.
D. If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes.
第二部分：阅读理解（共两节；满分35 分）
第一节：（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下面四篇短文，从每小题后的A，B，C，D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
WASHINGTON -Tofu（豆腐）and Soyaburgers (豆饼) may be coming to American school lunch menus. What will the kids say? “Terrible,” said Greg Dudzinski, 17, of Ripon High School in Wisconsin, as he toured the US capital.
“The regular hamburgers are bad enough, so soyaburgers would be a lot worse, offered Zach Richey, 13, of Scottsboro Junior High in Alabama, another tourist. But the United States government – hoping to reduce the amount of fat that children are eating –has approved the use of soy as a meat substitute in meals for schools and day-care centers.Not all kids dislike the change. Mariel Spano, 17, of sandy Greek High School in New York, also visiting the capital, said she likes soyaburgers：“There is less fat, and they are better for you… They taste the same, and they are just as good.”
The government tried to make soy a meat substitute nearly 20 years ago, but later dropped the idea．At the time, the plan was intended as a cost-cutting move. US Agriculture Department officials say that their purpose now is only to make meals healthier.Schools are likely to increase the amount of soy that is mixed with hamburgers and other foods already on their menus, and they will also be looking for food companies to develop new soy products that children will like. “I can’t see putting tofu on a student’s plate and having a good acceptance. I can see taking a product that is familiar to the students and adding a large amount of soy to it and having it to be acceptable,” said Jill Benza, director of food services for the Mesa, Arizona schools.
36．What is the newspaper report mainly about?
A．The difficulty in using soy products for US schools.
B．Various opinions on soy products for US schools.
C．The plan that is made by the US government for school lunch.
D．Healthy foods for students in US schools.
37．Where did the interviews most probably take place?
A．In food companies. B．In schools.
C．In Washington. D．In some other states.
38．We may learn from the text that _________________________.
A．soyaburgers taste better than hamburgers.
B．hamburgers are healthier than soyaburgers.
C．soyaburgers cost less than hamburgers.
D．hamburgers cost less than soyaburgers.
39． What Jill Benza said shows that ___________________________.
A．students have not yet been used to soy products.
B．it is hardly possible to make soy products popular.
C．he does not like the change in meals for students.
D．schools are unwilling to change the lunch menus.