For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of these searches have been done over the radio. The hope is that someone in outer space may be trying to get in touch with us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages on spaceships traveling through space, on the chance that someone may be receptive to such messages.
Scientists are using powerful radio telescopes to listen to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years of earth. In addition, they will scan the entire sky to “listen” for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight channels at one time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy (银河星系), scientists find that 5% are like our sun. Perhaps half of them have a planet like earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the star for temperatures to be right for the evolution (进化) of life. Based on the inhabitable (that can be lived in) planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets support some life.
However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent (智能的) life exists on other planets. Some believe that twenty years of searching without any intelligible messages shows that no one is out there. They say that the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely.
Other scientists believe that our search hasn’t been long enough to rule out the possibility that intelligent life exists in our galaxy. Although our sun family is only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billion years old. In that time, some scientists think it is likely that civilization much more advanced than ours have developed. Perhaps these civilizations send us no signals; perhaps we have not recognized the signals they have sent us. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep looking. According to the passage, how many planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable?
| A．5 billion． | B．10 billion. | C．15 billion. | D．200 billion |
The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about ________ .
| A．how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| B．why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| C．where scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| D．when scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
Which of these statements is True based on the information in the passage?
| A．The earth is one of the oldest planets in our galaxy. |
| B．Most scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planets. |
| C．Scientists don’t believe that there might be life on other planets. |
| D．Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planets. |
The olinguito（小尖吻浣熊）is new to science. Although lt has been living in the cloud forests of South Amcrica for some time.
Scientists say the olinguito is the first new carnivore（食肉动物）discovered In the Americas in more than 30 years. It is a hairy orange-brown creature with a sweet face and big eyes The animal has small. rounded ears and lives in the trees An adult weighs one kilogram and measures about 75 centimeters. with half of those centimeters taken up by its ringed tail Most of the time. it likes to eat fruit, although it also eats meat. Active at night, the animal has lived in Colombia and Ecuador for a long time. But the olinguito did not exist in science books before now.
Kristofer Helgen, director at the National Museum in Washington, led the research team that confirmed the existence of the olinguito. It had been mistaken more than a century ago for a look-alike animal -- a similar but larger olingo(尖吻浣熊). Mr. Helgen had been studying olingos in a museum for ten years. At that time. he observed a difference in the size and shape of the heads and teeth. That led him on an effort to prove he was looking at an animal never before described by science. He got lucky when he communicated with a zoologist in Ecuador. The animal expert there made a short video that shows an olinguito in the trees. The video confirms that the oiinguito is different from the olingo Mr. Helgen says tens of thousands of olinguitos live in the wild and are not in danger of disappearing forever. Human beings, however, are moving closer to the olinguito habitat in the Andean cloud forests. The research team estimates that 42 percent of historic olinguiio habitat has been removedComparcd with most carnivores. the olinguito may seem more _____.
| A．terrble | B．fierce | C．clever | D．lovely |
The onlinguito was unknown to people in the past because ____
| A．it was mistaken for another species |
| B．it was active in the eveing |
| C．it was too small to be seen clearly |
| D．it covered itself by its long tail |
What does the underlined word "That" in Paragraph 3 refer to?
| A．Having been studying olingos for ten years. |
| B．The short video the animal expert made. |
| C．His communication with an expert in Ecuador. |
| D．Differences between olingos and olinguitos. |
We can infer from the text that ______.
| A．the olinguito could be made full use of |
| B．the number of olinguitos is in the conutrol |
| C．the clinguito is a completely new species up to now |
| D．people know more and more about animals |
Seek books that interest you. Reasonable prices. Best sellers for this season.
Which author tells you the way to do things with children?
| A．Chris Barnardo. | B．David Peace. | C．Rachel Carson. | D．David Kynaston |
Which book would an environmentalist probably be more concemed about?
| A．Red or Dead. | B．Dadcando. | C．Silent Spring | D． Family Britain. |
What is the purpose of the writer?
| A．To share newly-published books. |
| B．To summarize books for this season. |
| C．To find some interesting books. |
| D．To advertise popular books on sale. |
Parents are not only looking for a unique name for their baby, but they also want a name that has a special meaning. American Indians usually have pretty interesting names. These names are given to them through various methods and usually by an elder. American Indians feel very strongly abouL naming their child, and it is almost treated like a ritual. In some American Indian cultures. they even hold a ceremony when they are to name a child
Amcrican Indian children are usually named by an elder who could be eheir grandmother, grandfather. mother or father. The name given by the elder comes to them in many different forms such as charactcnstics of the person, dreams that the elder may have. or the name of a family member who has died It is also true that some Amerlcan Indians arc named after some sort of animal while others are named after nature Some tribes (部落) name their children after events that happen before thiir birth.
Also in different tribes. two of the American Indians in the same tribe can't share the same name Once the person with the name has died. then the name may be used again. It is said that Amcrican Indians believe that they shoutd not address the baby by the name that they are given because if the name is too well-known. the child or baby may be called back to the spirit world; this is what causes many American Indians to be given nicknames(绰号). Many Amcrican Indians arc more commonly known by their nicknames instead of their names given at birth What does the underlined word "ritual" in Paragraph l probably mean?
| A．exciting moment | B．special event | C．good opportunity | D．great time |
Which is not the way Indians name their child?
| A．The name of a certain animal. |
| B．Onc of the child's ancestors. |
| C．The dreaius of the Indian child. |
| D．An event before the child's birth. |
Why are American Indians given nicknames?
| A．It is not convenient to use their formal names |
| B．They don't want to be famous in the tribes. |
| C．Parents are afraid cheir child would die young. |
| D．Nicknames are shortcr and easier to address. |
What doCS the text mainly talk about?
| A．Ongins of American Indians' names |
| B．Hisrory of American Indians' names |
| C．Importance of American Indians' names. |
| D．Customs in American Indians' names. |
My father got his first job at eleven years old. cleaning up the garbage outside of the bowlingalley（保龄球场）． Two years later his dad died. and my fatber worked odd jobs to help put food onthe table during the Depression. Ten years after that. Dad fell in love. married Mom and had ababy girl. Eight more children followed. During those years, Dad slipped into a routine he neverbroke He woke up before six. took the train to work and wouldn't get home until after five thirly.After supper, Dad spent the rest of the evening in the basement making dental parts for extra
Two years ago, at the age of sixty-four, Dad retired. When I was young, Mom and Dad did well to hide the fact that we were poor. All nine of us attended Catholic schools and we always had plenty of school supplies. We slept in wooden beds, shared one bathroom and watched television from a tiny black-and-white set in the living room. Mom and Dad never bought anything for themselves. They clipped coupons, wore the same pair of sneakers for twenty years and sewed wom clothing together every Saturday afternoon.
At his retirement party. I wanted to thank Dad for all his hard work and sacrifice by buying him the best present I could think of. As I shopped though. l realized there was nothing I could buy for Dad. Dad taught me through his own faith that the greatest gifis come from the heart Finally. I left my present on the kitchen table for Dad to find before he Ieft for his frnal day at work.How did Dad get extra money besides his daytime routine work?
| A．Collecting garbage outside the alley. |
| B．Making dental parts in the basement. |
| C．Putting food on the table in a hotel. |
| D．Working oddjobs on the train. |
What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
| A．Dad retired after sixty-four years of hard work. |
| B．Dad and Mom could afford their children good education. |
| C．Parents made every effort to save for chcir children |
| D．The family was once poor but became well off later. |
After reading the text. what would be the author's present for his Dad?
| A．A big-screen television. |
| B．A vacation schedule. |
| C．A letter of grateful words. |
| D．A great retirement party. |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Thank You. Dad. | B．Dad's Expenence. |
| C．A Hardworking Dad. | D．Dad. a Breadwinner. |
All around the world, shoppers flock to Wal-Mart to buy everything．In Texas, they come for another reason: to see the wind turbine(涡轮机) , which supplies 5% of the store's electricity．It along with other facilities, such as exterior walls coated with heat-reflective paint, makes this Wal-Mart a green giant．
The laws of economics suggest that Wal-Mart, with 5, 200 stores worldwide, influences everything including the price of all kinds of goods．It throws its weight behind environmental responsibility, and the impact could be amazing．"One little change in product packaging could save 1, 500 trees," says Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott．"If everybody saves 1, 500 trees or 50 barrels of oil, at the end of the day you have made a huge difference．"
Scott wants Wal-Mart to do its part too．He has promised to cut the existing greenhouse-gas emissions （排放） over the next few years and promised to construct new stores that are more efficient．He wants Wal-Mart's fleet (车队) of more than 7, 000 trucks to get twice as many miles per gallon by 2015．Factories that show Wal-Mart they're cutting air pollution will get preferential treatment in the supply chain. Wal-Mart says it's working with consumer-product manufacturers to reduce their packaging and will reward them if they do so．
Some people may doubt it is a bid to attract attention from Wal-Mart's controversial labor and health-insurance practices．But it's not just window dressing, because Wal-Mart sees profits in going green．Scott says, "This is a business philosophy, not a social philosophy．We don't go where we don't think there's a great interest in change．"
Like Bill Gates, who started his charitable foundation, Scott happens to be promoting Wal-Mart's image at a time when his company's reputation is declining．He acknowledges that he launched the plan partly to shield （保护，庇护） Wal-Mart from bad press about its contribution to global warming．" By doing what we're doing today, we avoid the headline risks that are going to come for people who did not do anything," he says．"At some point businesses will be held responsible for the actions they take．" Meanwhile, should Wal-Mart succeed at shrinking its environmental footprint and lowering prices for green products, both the planet and the company will profit．We can infer from the passage that ______．
| A．Lee Scott is Wal-Mart's CEO |
| B．there are 5, 200 stores in the world |
| C．Wal-Mart has a great influence on the world market |
| D．Wal-Mart has more than 7, 000 trucks all over the world |
What does the underlined sentence "This is a business philosophy, not a social philosophy．" mean in the fourth paragraph?
| A．Wal-Mart predicts huge profits in its green activity． |
| B．Wal-Mart's green activity is just window dressing． |
| C．Wal-Mart aims to solve its health-insurance practices． |
| D．Wal-Mart doesn't have any social responsibility at all． |
What will Wal-Mart probably do in the future?
| A．Reduce air pollution in its present stores． |
| B．Give favorable treatment to its consumers． |
| C．Ask the factories to reduce their packaging． |
| D．Demand the fleet of trucks to use more fuel than before． |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．Provide the background of the green plan． |
| B．Stress the purpose of Wal-Mart's green plan． |
| C．Present the risk that Wal-Mart is facing nowadays． |
| D．Analyze the similarity between Bill Gates and Scott. |