Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, now held by most experts, can be supported in a number of ways.
It is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligence. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random from population, it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be completely different. If, on the other hand, we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth.
Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.
51. The writer is in favor of the view that man’s intelligence is given to him____________.
A. at birth B. through education
C. both at birth and through education D. neither at birth nor through education
52. If a child is born with low intelligence, he can_____________________.
A. become a genius B. still become a genius if he should be given special education
C. reach his intelligence limits in rich surroundings
D. not reach his intelligence in his life.
53. In the second paragraph, the underlined sentence means if we_______________.
A．pick any two persons
B. take out two different persons
C. choose two persons who are relative
D. choose two persons with different intelligence
54. The example of the twins going to a university and to a factory separately shows___________.
A. the importance of their intelligence B. the role of environment on intelligence
C. the importance of their positions D. the part that birth plays
55. The best title of the passage can be _______________.
A. Surroundings B. Intelligence
C. Dependence on Environment D. Effect of education
Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans．Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people's depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction．“No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated（刺激）,” Edwards points out．“The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help．A robotic dog could be a solution．”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone．Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks．These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO．Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner．
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady．“When I'm watching TV, he'll stay in my arms until he wants down．He has a mind of his own．”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders．The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people．Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it．A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns．
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog because it was metal and not furry,” Beck says．“But it's amazing how quickly we have given up that belief．”
“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper．They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms．AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people's minds．”The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to______．
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
| C．make lonely old people’s life better |
| D．promote the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to______．
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．analyze the collected information |
| D．record their feelings and activities |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It can watch TV with its owner |
| B．It can help the disabled people |
| C．It responds to all the human orders |
| D．It is easier to keep at home |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may______．
| A．keep old people active |
| B．cure certain diseases |
| C．change people's beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |
The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list．Thus, St．Stephen's Cathedral, the Imperial Palace and many other historic buildings are now recognized as being among the 700 outstanding cultural and natural monuments of mankind - others include the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, the historic center of Rome, the Kremlin with the Red Square, the Chinese Wall, the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon．
Vienna's historic center, in its unity, is considered one of the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe．Three eras left their mark on the former residence of the Habsburgs: the Middle Ages with Gothic St．Stephen's Cathedral whose spire points toward heaven, one of Vienna's landmarks; the Baroque whose most important achievement is the Imperial Palace with its sumptuous cupolas（奢华的圆顶）．And the Ring Boulevard era of the late nineteenth century, when such splendid buildings as the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts were built to replace the former city walls．
The imperial flair of the center of Vienna is enhanced (加强) by numerous churches, mansions and parks, as well as by rich art collections gathered by wealthy rulers．And the centuries-old musical tradition ranges from the Court Chapel of the Imperial Palace to Mozart's immortal（不朽的）music and the waltzes of Johann Strauss．Also inseperably linked to the center of the city are the delights of Viennese cuisine, the gemütlichkeit of Viennese coffeehouses and nostalgic shopping at former purveyors（伙食承办商）to the imperial court．Which of the following is not mentioned as cultural and natural monuments of man-kind?
| A．the Taj Mahal |
| B．the Pyramid Fields |
| C．the Kremlin with the Red Square |
| D．the Court Chapel |
The second paragraph is developed mainly by ____．
| A．following the order of place |
| B．providing examples |
| C．making comparisons |
| D．analyzing causes |
What does the underlined words “imperial flair” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．culture atmosphere |
| B．art style |
| C．royal style |
| D．royal palace |
What is the passage mainly about ?
| A．The universal value of the world heritage in Vienna |
| B．Vienna’s becoming one of the cultural and natural monuments of mankind |
| C．The introduction of the historic center of Vienna |
| D．The special culture atmosphere of the historic center of Vienna |
Experience the newly opened Grand Canyon（大峡谷）West Skywalk in Colorado．Departing from Grand Canyon's South Rim by Airplane to Grand Canyon's West Rim, you will land and take a ground tour to the Skywalk! Walk on air for 70 feet over the edge of Grand Canyon West．
This Skywalk has been open since March 28, 2007．Daily visitorship to the Skywalk has been over 4,000 people．Please be patient to enjoy your moment on the Skywalk．
After you have experienced the one and only Grand Canyon Skywalk Glass Bridge, you will return to the Grand Canyon West Airport and take your Airplane for a flight back to the South Rim of the Canyon．This is a tour never to be forgotten as you will have walked on air over the Grand Canyon．
Tour Itinerary（行程）
This advertisement is for ____．
| A．Grand Canyon West |
| B．the Skywalk |
| C．Grand Canyon |
| D．Grand Canyon South |
The package fee does NOT cover the cost of ____．
A． |
B． |
C． |
D． |
The Grand Canyon Skywalk Bridge is made of glass because ____．
| A．it looks stranger |
| B．it is cheaper to build |
| C．it gives you a better view |
| D．it looks more beautiful |
According to the Tour Itinerary, the route is ____．
| A．South Rim→West Airport→Guano Point→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| B．South Rim→Guano Point→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| C．South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→Guano Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| D．South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→Guano Point→South Rim |
“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhooD．
One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1．25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door．
Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work．As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year．Bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later．It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant．A big mistake．
Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes．The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush．The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves．
Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is two fold（方面）：First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won．Second, I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June, but they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light．
Here I am faced with a painful small decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses．Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow．What are the requirements for the healthy growth of roses?
| A．Frequent pruning and fertilizing |
| B．Tomato plants grown alongside |
| C．Cages placed around the roots |
| D．A lot of care and the right soil |
The writer planted the tomato because_______．
| A．there was room for it in the garden |
| B．it cost only $1．25 |
| C．the soil was just right for it |
| D．the roses’ branches needed to be covered |
This year the writer’s roses were _______．
| A．removed from the rose bed |
| B．picked along with the tomatoes |
| C．largely hidden under the tomato plant |
| D．mostly damaged by too much sunlight |
By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to_______．
| A．show the hardship of growing the roses |
| B．show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes |
| C．express her liking for the roses |
| D．express her care for the tomatoes |
Essay is optional and no penalties(处罚) for wrong answers．These changes will take place in SAT college exam．The changes include the use of some words more commonly used in school and on the job instead of the words such as “prevaricator” and “sagacious”.
College Board officials said the change is needed to make the exam better representative of what students study in high school and the skills they need to succeed in college and afterward．The new exam will be rolled out in 2016, so this year’s ninth graders will be the first to take it, in their junior year．The new SAT will continue to test reading, writing and math skills, with an emphasis on analysis．Scoring will return to a 1,600-point scale last used in 2004, with a separate score for the optional essay．For the first time, students will have the option of taking the test on computers.
They also said many students who are terrified they will be tested on lots of SAT words currently can ask for help: practicing with flashcards．They know flashcards are not the best way to build real word knowledge that lasts, but when the SAT rolls around they become the royal road．Students stop reading and start flipping.
The essay will be changed in other ways, too．It will measure students’ ability to analyze and explain how an author builds an argument and it will also be up to colleges whether the essay will be required．Each exam will include a passage drawn from “founding documents”: such as the Declaration of Independence or from discussions they’ve inspired．Instead of testing a wide range of math concepts, the new exam will focus on a few areas, like algebra, thought to be most needed for college and life afterward．A calculator will be allowed only on certain math questions, instead of on the entire math portion(部分).
Jim Rawlins, the director of admissions at the University of Oregon, said the changes will potentially help the students but it will take a few years to know its influence, after the students go on to college．He said some colleges are still dealing with questions about the changes made in 2005, such as how to consider the essay portion．The criticism of the SAT is that students from wealthier families do better on the exam because they can afford expensive test preparation classes.
The SAT was taken last year by 1.7 million students．It has historically been more popular on the coasts, while the other main standardized college entrance exam, the ACT, dominated the central U.S．The ACT took over the SAT in total use in 2012, partly because it is taken by almost every junior in 13 states as part of those states’ testing scheme(方案).
ACT president Jon Erickson said when hearing of the SAT changes, his reaction was that they could’ve been talking about the ACT now．“I didn’t hear anything new and different, so I was a little left wanting, at least at the end of this first announcement,” Erickson said .
Bob Schaeffer, education director at the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, or FairTest, said it is laudable(值得称道的) that the SAT will provide free test preparation, but it is unlikely to make a dent in the market for such preparation．He also said the new test is unlikely to be better than the current one．His organization has a database with institutions that don't require ACT or SAT scores to make admissions decisions.We can learn from the third paragraph that flashcards_________.
| A．will become the only way to test words |
| B．can help students get ready for SAT words |
| C．can help students memorize the words forever |
| D．are the best way for the students to get high scores |
SAT exams will be less required in 2016 with the purpose of _________.
| A．getting more students interested in the entrance exam |
| B．making it easier for students to be admitted into colleges |
| C．offering chances for the students to be tested on every subject |
| D．testing the students better on the knowledge and skills they’ve learnt |
The change in the 2016’s SAT college entrance exam include the following EXCEPT that _________.
| A．students will use calculators if they get stuck in certain math questions |
| B．some words that are uncommonly used won’t appear in the exam |
| C．students will be given the chance to take the test on computers |
| D．students will be tested on a wide range of math concepts |
According to Jim Rawlins, _________.
| A．the changes are mainly aimed at students from the rich family |
| B．the changes will force students to give up writing essay |
| C．the changes will probably have some bad influence |
| D．the changes will be of no benefit to students |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the ACT ?
| A．It is more popular in the coastal cities. |
| B．More than 1.7 million students took it last year. |
| C．Jon Erickson felt worried about the SAT changes. |
| D．It has been the most popular college entrance exam so far. |