There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers.This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of skill, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their insistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the US, China,Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys reflect their surroundings.Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been affected by technological quick development that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the ox-cart to the automobile is a direct line of ahievement. The progress from a rattle(拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by a baby today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of times and subject to the limtations of available materials.. The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that_________.
| A．their social roles are strictly determined |
| B．most boys would like to follow their fathers’ professions |
| C．boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers |
| D．they like challenging activities |
. Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys？
| A．The making skills in toys has remained essentially unchanged. |
| B．Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. |
| C．The toy industry has witnessed great improvement in technology in recent years. |
| D．Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child’s character. |
. Regarded as a kind of art form, toys________.
| A．follow a direct line of achievement |
| B．also appeal greatly to adults |
| C．are not characterized by technological progress |
| D．reflect the pace of social progress |
. The author uses the example of a rattle to show that________.
| A．in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials |
| B．even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology |
| C．it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making |
| D．even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time |
Researchers have found more evidence that suggests a relationship between races and rates(率) of lung cancer among smokers. A new study shows that black people and Native Hawaiians are more likely to develop lung cancer from smoking. It compared their risk to whites, Japanese-Americans and Latinos.
Researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii did the new study. The New England Journal of Medicine published the findings. The eight-year research studied more than 180,000 people. They included present and former smokers and people who never smoked. Almost 2.000 people in the study developed lung cancer.
Researchers say genetics(遗传学) might help explain the racial and ethnic（种族的） differences. There could be differences in how people's bodies react to smoke. But environmental influences, including the way people smoke, could also make a difference.
African-Americans and Latinos in the study are reported smoking the fewest cigarettes per day. Whites are the heaviest smokers. But the scientists point out that blacks have been reported to breathe cigarette smoke more deeply than white smokers. This could fill their lungs with more of the chemicals in tobacco that cause cancer.
Scientists know that some diseases effect different groups differently. And some drug companies have begun to develop racially targeted(针对) medicines. Last June, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a drug designed to treat heart failure in black patients. The name is BiDil. The agency called it "a step toward the promise of personalized medicine." Which of the following orders is from higher to lower risk of having lung cancer?
| A．Whites—Native Hawaiians | B．Africans—Americans—Latinos |
| C．Asians—Native Hawaiians | D．Africans—Americans—Native Hawaiians |
Researchers agree that it is that may probably determine black people’s risk of lung cancer.
| A．the larger amount of smoking than white people |
| B．the living style or habit of the blacks |
| C．the depth of cigarette smoke into their lungs |
| D．the physical strength to react to cigarette smoke |
People in the new study are made up of .
| A．heavy smokers in America | B．the black and white people |
| C．the Asians and Hawaiians | D．smokers and non-smokers |
The production of BiDil referred to in the last paragraph is to .
| A．explain different races react to some diseases differently |
| B．tell the readers that racial differences exist in smokers |
| C．show a big step people have taken in the medicine area |
| D．support the idea that it is easy for blacks to have cancers |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the author?
| A．The way of smoking may increase the risk of lung cancer. |
| B．Race has nothing to do with the risk of having a lung cancer. |
| C．The research was started by the New England Journal of Medicine. |
| D．The risk of lung cancer lies I how much a person smokes. |
As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them. Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.
One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. “I always wanted to have a farm then,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It’s taken some getting used to, but it’s been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.
Liz, however, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”The passage tells us that .
| A．people seldom work long hours to make money |
| B．people hardly buy more things than necessary |
| C．people are sure everything they own is in the right place |
| D．people realize there is more to life than just making money |
When Daniel was a reporter he ___.
| A．lived in central London | B．disliked his job |
| C．missed his children | D．was well paid |
Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farm ____.
| A．was easy to organize | B．has improved family life |
| C．was extremely expensive | D．has been a total success |
What does the author mean by saying“the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives” in the second paragraph ?
| A．People work long hours to earn their living. |
| B．To make more money through hard work is the aim of people’s life. |
| C．Long hours of hard work occupy too much of people’s life. |
| D．People spent too much time and money eating meals. |
The underlined word “downshifting” in the second paragraph refers to _________.
| A．repairing your car by yourself |
| B．spending money carefully |
| C．moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life |
| D．living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week |
阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was supper time, I walked back home.
“How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickle(五分镍币). It was the first nickle I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.Why did the boy start his job young?
| A．He wanted to be famous in the future | B．The job was quite easy for him. |
| C．His mother had high hopes for him. | D．The competition for the job was fierce. |
From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.
| A．excited | B．interested | C．ashamed | D．disappointed |
What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?
| A．She forced him to continue. | B．She punished him. |
| C．She gave him some money. | D．She changed her plan. |
The phrase “this battle”in the last paragraph refers to .
| A．the war between the boy’s parents |
| B．the arguing between the boy and his mother |
| C．the quarrel between the boy and his customers |
| D．the fight between the boy and his father |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The early life of a journalist. |
| B．The early success of a journalist. |
| C．The happy childhood of the writer. |
| D．The important role of the writer in his family. |
"The world's oceans are slowly getting more acidic．”say scientists．The researchers from California report that the change is taking place in response to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The lowering of the waters’pH value is not great at the moment but could cause a serious threat to current ocean life if it continues, they warn. Ken Caldeira and Michael Wickett, from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, report their concerns in the journal Nature.
Increasing use of oil fuels means more carbon dioxide is going into the air, and most of it will eventually be absorbed by seawater. Once in the water, it reacts to form carbonic acid. Scientists believe that the oceans have already become slightly more acidic over the last century.
These researchers have tried to predict what will happen in the future by combining what we know about the history of the oceans with computer models of climate change．"This level of acidity will get much more extreme in the future if we continue releasing COZ into the atmosphere," said Dr Caldeira. "And we predict the amount of future acidity will exceed（超过）anything we have seen over the last several hundred million years, let alone perhaps after rare disastrous events such as asteroid（小1j-%+.'_) impacts．”
However, it is not absolutely clear what that means for ocean life．Most organisms live near the surface, where the greatest pH change would be expected to occur, but deep-ocean life forms may be more sensitive to pH changes．Coral reefs and other organisms whose shells contain calcium carbonate（小行星) may be particularly affected if the water's acidity levels keep going up, the team predict. They could find it much more difficult to build these structures in water with a lower pH.
In recent years some people have suggested storing carbon dioxide from power stations in the deep ocean as a way of dealing with global warming．But Dr Caldeira said that such a strategy should now be re-considered. "Previously, most experts had looked at ocean absorption of carbon dioxide as a good thing一because in releasing CO2 into the atmosphere we warm the planet, and when CO2, is absorbed by the ocean, it reduces the amount of greenhouse warming.”The ocean is becoming more acidic due to＿．
A，the lower water pH valueB．the warming atmosphere
C ．the higher level of COZ in the air D．the increasing use of oil fuelsAccording to Dr Caldeira,＿．
| A．ocean absorption of carbon dioxide is a good thing |
| B．more oil fuels will be used in the near future |
| C．scientists may predict climate changes with computer models |
| D．the future situation of the amount of acidity is extremely serious |
If the water's acidity level keeps rising,＿．
| A．ocean life whose structures contain calcium carbonate may be affected |
| B．the waters’pH value will become higher and higher |
| C．organisms living near the surface are more sensitive to pH changes |
| D．some disastrous events will occur more often than before |
Most experts once believed storing carbon dioxide in the ocean would reduce＿．
| A．the COZ absorbed by the ocean |
| B．the amount of greenhouse warming |
| C．the acidity of the ocean |
| D．the gradul release Of CO2 |
The purpose of this passage is to＿．
| A．show people the findings of a research team |
| B．inform people of how acid the ocean is now |
| C．introduce Dr Caldeira and his team's research |
| D．warn people of the higher level of COZ |
Maybe you have ever seen a cross. A cross can be a piece of jewelry or an image in
a painting. But do 
you know the cross is a very popular symbol for Christmas？
It came from the story of Jesus’ death on the cross two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. Jesus was Jewish，and at that time Jewish people were under Roman rule. Jesus was badly punished because he declared to be the Son of God and the King of Jews. Surely，the Son of God could have saved himself from the deat
h！But the Bible says that Jesus had a reason to die that day. It was in God’s purpose that it would happen.
Christians call the day that Jesus died “Good Friday”.At first，it is hard to understand how a terrible day could ever be called good. Well，the story does not end there. Jesus died and he was buried. But three days later，Jesus was alive，and the whole world was changed.
Today，Christians everywhere remember this important time. They celebrate Easter. Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the dead. After his death on the cross，Jesus’ body was placed in a tomb. On the third day from then，God raised him from the dead. Jesus stayed on earth physically for several weeks. Many people saw him. Easter is the happiest time of year for Christians because they believe that Jesus had victory over death and evil and that now he lives with God the Father in heaven. But before celebrating Easter， Good Friday should be remembered. Jesus died a horrible and painful death. He suffered, though he did noting wrong. Christian believe that Jesus was God’s substitute(代表) for humans， because humans all do wrong. He died because of humans and he died for humans.
Christians often wear crossed around their necks of hang them in their homes because they believe it is a very important sign. The cross helps them rem
ember how much God loves them. It helps them remember how much his Son had to suffer. Seeing a cross always makes them think of Jesus’
death， and what it means.According to the bible， why Jesus could not save himself from death that day？
| A．Jesus was not afraid of death | B．God arrange Jesus’ death for certain purpose |
| C．Jesus should die without a reason | D．Jesus was not God’s Son at all |
Which is the right order of the events given in the passage？
a. Jesus was sentenced to death on the cross by the Romans
b Christians began to celebrate Easter
c Jesus declared himself the Son of God and the King of the Jews
d Three days later，Jesus came to life
e. “Good Friday” came into being
| A．a—e—c—d—b | B．a--e—b—d—c | C．c—a—b—d—e | D．c—a—e—d—b |
In Christians’ belief， for what reason did God want Jesus to die？
A．Go d loved humans despite human’s wrong—doing，so he asked his beloved Son to die in human’s place |
| B．Jesus did something wrong by acclaiming himself the Son of God |
| C．God wanted His Son Jesus to live with him in heaven |
| D．God wanted “Good Friday” and “Easter”mainly to be remembered by humans |
．It can be inferred from the passage that____________
| A．a cross is a piece of jewelry or an image in a painting for Christians |
| B．Christians call the day that Jesus died “Good Friday”mainly to reduce their pain for the loss of Jesus |
| C．if Jesus hadn’t returned to life， people would often wear crosses around their necks or hang them in their homes |
| D．Christians like crosses because crosses always remind them of God’s love and Jesus’ death |
The purpose of the author in writing this passage is to___________
A．introduce a  symbol for Christian---- the cross |
| B．tell an interesting Christian story |
| C．describe the rebirth of Jesus |
| D．inform the origin of two Christian festiva |