The announcements by the NASA，in the form of several Web site postings and a video posted on YouTube，were in response to worries that the world will end on Dec．21，2012．
The doomsday(末日) rumour reached a high point with the release of the new movie “2012”，directed by Roland Emmerich．In th
e movie，Yellowstone blows up, showering the continent with black ash．Tidal waves wash over the Himalayas，where the governments of the planet have secretly built a ship which a select 400，000 people can ride out the storm．There are hundreds of hooks devoted to 2012，and millions of Web sites，depending on what combination of“2012”and“doomsday”you type into Google．All of it，astronomers say, is nonsense．“Most of what's claimed for 2012 relies on wishful thinking and ignorance of astronomy．”Ed Krupp， an expert on ancient astronomy，wrote in an article in the November issue of Sky＆Telescope．
“I get angry at the way people are being influenced and frightened to make money,” Morrison said．“There is no right to frighten children to make a buck．”suggested David Morrison，an astronomer at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field，Calif．He said he had been getting about 20 letters and e—mail messages a day from people as far away as India scared out of their wits．Morrison said he did n
ot blame the movie for all this，as much as many other supporters of the Mayan prediction．But then，he said，“my doctorate is in astronomy，not psychology．”
In an e—mail exchange, Krupp said：“We are always uncertain about the future，and we always consume representations of it．We are always attracted by the romance of the ancient past．”A NASA spokesman，D
wayne Brown，said the agency did not comment on movies，leaving that to movie critics．But when it comes to science, Brown said, “we felt it was careful to provide a resource．”
If you want to worry，most scientists say，you should think about global climate change or nuclear war．But if ancient prophecies(预言)get you going，here are some things Morrison and the others think you should know．
64．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Dr．Morrison blamed the Movie“2011”for the panic it aroused in the public around the world．
B．People who watched the movie were seared and firmly believed that the end of the world was coming．
C．In terms of science it was better to provide evidence and theory at the same time．
D．Dr．Morrison thought it was not right to make money by frightening people．
65．It can be inferred from the text that 
．
A．astronomers think that doomsday is likely to happen in the near future
B．the reason why the NASA posted web site postings was to make people interested in astronomy
C．scientists think we shouldn't worry about doomsday but show concern about environment protection
D．most astronomers agree that the world is not ending—at least anytime soon
66．Which of the following would be the best title?
A．A New Movie“2012” B．Is Doomsday Coming?
C．End-of-the-World Stories D．Astronomers Comment on Movies
67．What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A．Evidence that the Mayans thought something special would happen in 2012．
B．What will really happen in 2012．
C．The reason why there is no need to worry about doomsday．
D．Ancient stories about the end of the world．
The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1. How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?
Finding：A full 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.
Step：Remove the 300 types of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush.
Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.
2. How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?
Finding：Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day----half of the number doctors recommend.
Step：We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs(病菌)to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds.
3. How often do you think about fighting germs?
Finding：Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.
Step：Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge(海绵)that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.What is found out American seniors?
| A．Most of then have good habits. |
| B．Nearly 30% of then bathe three days a week. |
| C．About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day |
| D．All of then are fighting germs better than expected.. |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands.
| A．eight times a day | B．three times a day |
| C．four times a day | D．twice a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．We should keep from touching our faces. |
| B．There are less than 300 types of bacteria in the mouth. |
| C．A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
| D．We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |
The text probably comes from .
| A．a guide book | B．a popular magazine |
| C．a book review | D．an official document |
What time of day can you think most quickly? Are you a morning person? Or does it take you a few hours to get your brain going? A lot of recent research suggests that we should pay attention to our body clock. It can tell us what time of day we can perform best at.
Many people work best later in the morning. This is because the body’s temperature takes time to rise through the day. Taking a warm shower when you wake up can help your body’s temperature rise quickly.
But everyone’s body clock is different and some are special. Morning people will get up early and
work better early in the day. Evening people will work later but work better towards the end of the day. Research shows that we’re better at some activities at certain times of the day. Physical performance is at its best between 3 pm and 6 pm, so it’s better to exercise later in the day.
Between noon and 4 pm, people begin to pay less attention. This is because we think less quickly
after a big meal. Research also shows we become sleepy around 2 pm. This is why people in Spain take a short sleep in early afternoon. Finally, it is best to eat when we’re active. This allows our body
to burn calories better and stops our blood sugar levels from getting too high.__________ can tell us what time of day we can perform best at.
| A．Morning people | B．A warm shower |
| C．Our body temperature. | D．Our body clock |
A morning people will ________.
| A．get later but work better |
| B．work better early in the day. |
| C．only work in the morning |
| D．go to bed late every night. |
What is the best time for physical performance?
| A．Between 3 pm and 6 pm | B．Between 7 pm and 10 pm. |
| C．Between noon and 4 pm | D．Between 5 pm and 8 pm. |
Why is it best to eat when we’re active?
| A．Because eating makes the brain unable to think quickly. |
| B．Because it makes our blood sugar levels higher. |
| C．Because our body can burn more calories. |
| D．Because we are allowed to eat then. |
What is the best title for this article?
| A．How can we work better |
| B．The best time to exercise |
| C．How can we keep healthy |
| D．The perfect time to do something |
“Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Do you agree with this old saying? Joanne Gordon does. She is the author of Be Happy at work and other books about careers(职业). Gordon believes that about 30% of employees(雇员) in North America do not like their jobs, and she thinks that is terrible. She wants to help people who do not feel satisfied with their jobs find work that is good for them. Joanne says, “There are no happy jobs, only happy workers.” She believes that happy workers share three main characteristics.
First, happy workers enjoy the daily activities of their jobs, and they look forward to the workday. Take Tony Hawk, for example. At age 14, he became a professional skateboarder. Now he is a businessman working on projects related to skateboarding—films and video games, but he still skates every day. He once said, “My youngest son’s pre-school was recently asked what their dads do for work. My son said, ‘I’ve never seen my dad do work.’” Tony agrees that his job doesn’t look like work. He has found a way to spend each day doing a job he enjoys.
Second, happy workers like the people they work with. Sally Ayote says, “I work with the coolest people in the world.” She and her group cook for almost 1,200 people in Antarctica. Most of these people are scientists who are doing research. Sally loves to sit and talk with them. She says, “There is no television here, no radio, so I get to know the scientists and what they’re studying.” Sally thinks she has a great job, and the best part about it is the people.
Third, happy workers know that their work helps others. Caroline Baron’s work helps people who have had to leave their home countries because of war or other dangers. She is a filmmaker who started an organization called FilmAid, which shows movies in refugee(难民) camps around the world. Caroline believes that movies can be very helpful in these camps. For one thing, entertaining movies let refugees forget their troubles for a little while. Movies can also teach important subjects like health and safety. For example, in one camp, thousands of refugees saw a movie about how to get clean water. Caroline knows that is helping other people, and this makes her feel proud and happy about her work.
Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron all get great satisfaction from their work. Tony Hawk says, “Find the thing you love. If you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous.” Joanne Gordon would agree. She encourages people to find something they enjoy doing, find people they like to work with, and find ways to help others. Then they can be proud of what they do, and they will probably be happy at work.Who is the book, Be Happy at Work, written for?
| A．Joanne Gordon herself. |
| B．Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron. |
| C．People who do not feel satisfied with their jobs. |
| D．The workers who agree with the author’s ideas. |
Why did Tony Hawk’s son say, “I’ve never seen my dad do work.”?
| A．Because Tony Hawk’s job doesn’t look like work. |
| B．Because Tony Hawk always finds something enjoyable in his job. |
| C．Because Tony helps people forget their troubles while skating. |
| D．Because the best part about his job is to spend each day skating. |
Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron are good examples that show us ____________.
| A．how to be a successful businessman |
| B．how to help people in difficulties |
| C．how to get along with the coolest people |
| D．how to become a happy worker |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Some people believe that only a few kinds of jobs can really make people feel happy. |
| B．The writer of the passage tells us that many different kinds of work can be enjoyable. |
| C．The author of Be Happy at Work thinks that happiness at work is really important. |
| D．Joanne Gordon believes that people will probably be happy at work when they are proud of what they do. |
An old man lived with his family. The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, dropping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily(笨拙地) at the tablecloth.
With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became annoyed with the mess.
“We must do something about grandfather,” said the son.
“I’ve had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor,” the daughter-in-law agreed.
So the couple set a small table at the corner.
There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family looked in grandfather’s direction, he had tears in his eyes as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp warnings when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood pieces on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy replied, “Oh, I’m making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. Eating was difficult for the grandfather because ________.
| A．his son and daughter-in-law didn’t like him |
| B．there wasn’t enough food for him |
| C．life was hard for the poor family |
| D．he was old and weak |
The couple served the old man’s food in wooden bowls to ________.
| A．show how sick they felt of the old man |
| B．make the old man’s food more enjoyable |
| C．prevent the old man from breaking more dishes |
| D．encourage their son to make more wooden bowls |
What would the end of the story be like?
| A．The couple gave their son a good beating. |
| B．No more milk was spilled by the old man. |
| C．The old man had every meal with the family. |
| D．The whole family started to use wooden bowls. |
What’s the difference between the British Isles, Britain, the United Kingdom and England?
The British Isles is made up of two large islands: One is called Ireland and the other Britain. Britain, or Great Britain, is the larger of these two islands and it is divided into three parts: Scotland, Wales and England.
The United Kingdom (UK) is short for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is made up of Scotland, Wales, and England (i.e. the whole of Britain), and also about one-sixth of Ireland, the Northern part. The rest of Ireland is self-governing(自治的).
England is the largest, most populous (人口众多的), and generally speaking, the richest section. English people often use the words “England” and “English” when they mean “Britain” and “British”. This sometimes makes the Scots and the Welsh angry. The Scots are very proud of their separate nationality. The Welsh too do not consider themselves as England, and have a culture and even a language of their own. Ireland became part of the United Kingdom in 1801, but is soon grew discontented (不满的), and for forty years the “Irish Question” was the greatest headache of British Parliament(国会). At last, Ireland divided itself into two: Northern Ireland remained loyal(忠诚于) to the Crown(英国王室), and in 1922 the rest of the country broke away to form Irish Free State, now the Republic of Ireland.Which is the largest in area?
| A．The British Iles | B．Great Britain |
| C．England | D．The United Kingdom |
Which is the largest island of the British Isles?.
| A．Ireland | B．Britain |
| C．England | D．Northern Ireland |
The United Kingdom is mainly made up of .
| A．3 parts: Scotland, Wales, and England |
| B．4 parts: Scotland, Wales, England and Ireland |
| C．2 parts: the whole of Britain and Ireland |
| D．2 parts: the whole of Britain and Northern Ireland |
Strictly speaking(严格地说), which is wrong?
| A．“English” refers(指) to people of England. |
| B．“The Scots” refers to people of Scotland. |
| C．“England” refers to all the people to the UK. |
| D．Only one-sixth of Ireland belongs to the UK. |
Who will be happy if we use “England” when we mean Britain?
| A．The British | B．People of England |
| C．People of the Republic of Ireland | D．The welsh |