When an ant dies, other ants take it out of the nest, often within an hour after its death. This behavior interests scientists and they wonder how ants know for sure—and so soon—that another ant is dead.
One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behaviour. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I'm dead—take me away” when it is dead.
But there's a question to answer: As we know, if an ant is dead, it stops moving. But when an ant is sleeping or knocked unconscious, it is also not moving. However, other ants don't move the living ant out of the nest. How do they know this ant is not dead? Choe found that ants have another chemical on their bodies, which tells nearby ants something like, “Wait—I'm not dead yet” when it is not dead. Choe suspects that when an ant dies, the chemical that says, “Wait I'm not dead yet” quickly goes away. When other ants detect the “dead” chemical without the “not dead yet” chemical, they move away the body.
To test his theory , Choe and his team put different chemicals on ants. When the scientists used the “I'm dead” chemical, other ants quickly moved the treated ant away. When the scientists used the “Wait—I'm not dead yet” chemical, other ants left the treated ant alone. Choe believes this behavior shows that the “not dead yet” chemical overrides the “dead” chemical when picked up by other ants. And that when an ant dies, the “not dead yet” chemical fades away. Other nearby ants then detect the remaining “dead” chemical and remove the body from the nest.
Understanding this behavior can help scientists figure out how to stop ants from invading new places and causing problems.What is the function of the first paragraph?
| A．Leading the following paragraphs. |
| B．Showing the main idea of the passage. |
| C．Introducing the background of the passage. |
| D．Giving a summary of the passage. |
Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “overrides” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．is weaker than | B．is stronger than |
| C．is better than | D．is worse than |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Living ants can also be taken away when they are not moving. |
| B．When an ant dies, it can tell others using a certain chemical. |
| C．A living ant can pretend to be dead using a special chemical. |
| D．Ants often use chemicals to communicate with each other. |
Which of the following descriptions about Dong-Hwan Choe is right?
| A．Choe did this study in order to stop ants from invading new places. |
| B．Choe is a biologist who is only interested in animals, especially in ants. |
| C．Choe first came up with an idea to explain this ant behavior，and then did some tests to prove his theory. |
| D．Choe did the research on this ant behavior on his own |
“It was all his own idea, ” says Pat Peters, the 38-year-old wife of Palo Alto, California high school football coach Bob Peters, 39. Bob had just drawn up a “motherhood contract” --a document stating that for 70 days th
is summer he would take over the care and feeding of the couple’s four children, plus all household chores. Although he didn’t even know how to make coffee when he signed, he was quite confident.(He thought the experience would make a nice book.)
After 40 of the 70 days, he was ready to give up. “I was beaten down, pletely humbled（挫败的）,” admits Peters. Three weeks later he spoke to the local press, stating, “Not only is motherhood a difficult task, not only is it never-ending, it is an impossible job for any normal human being.”
Bob and Pat were high school sweethearts. After they were married in 1960, she worked as a secretary to help put him through university. Since then Bob has been the football and wrestling coach at Palo Alto’s Cubberley High while Pat raised the kids. Then two years ago Pat went back to work
as a secretary at Cubberley. “I had been around children so much,” she sighs, “I couldn’t talk to a grown-up.” She continued to run the household, however----until Bob signed the contract, therefore, she decided to relax and enjoy it.
Although Peters had consulted(咨询) with his school’s home economics teachers and the head of the cafeteria, his meals were sometimes a disaster. “I tried to slip the butter I’d forgotten under the eggs after they were frying, ” he says. For the last three weeks, the family ate out a lot—sometimes having Macdonald’s hamburgers for lunch and dinner.
As for housekeeping, a home economics teacher had told Bob that a room always looks clean if the bed is made. “
I found an easier way-I shut the doors, ” he says. Soon the kids were wearing the same clothes for a week. “I made them wear their shirts inside out, and when we went to pick up Pat at work they turned them right side out so they would look clean.”
Now that Bob has publicly admitted he was wrong, he is routinely sharing the child-raising
and household tasks with Pat. The tentative（暂时的） title of his book about the summer is taken from something he shouted at the kids one day. The couple signed the contract because _______.
| A．Pat plained a lot about her doing the housework all by herself |
| B．Bob loved taking care of children and wanted his wife to have a good rest |
| C．they agreed that husband and wife should share household tasks |
| D．Bob thought it easy to take care of the family and wanted the experience for a book |
It was agreed that if Bob failed to keep to the contract, he would have to _______.
| A．pay a certain amount of money |
| B．admit publicly he was wrong about motherhood |
| C．say sorry to his wife |
| D．do all the housework for years |
What can we learn about Pat Peters?
| A．She was hard-working and selfless. |
| B．She was pretty and kind-hearted. |
| C．She was tired of the child-raising and household tasks. |
| D．She did not love Bob any longer. |
Which of the following can best end the news story?
| A．“Wait till your mother gets home!” |
| B．“My experience of being a mother.” |
| C．“I’m proud of you all, my dear!” |
| D．“Motherhood: an impossible job for anyone.” |
According to some talk, the younger generation in Smith
ville is the most antisocial in hist
ory. This seems far from the truth. Young people today as a whole are better, more informed, more ambitious, healthier, and more smart than ever before. Why then, it may be asked, do we see such restlessness and such antisocial behavior among our young people?
For the answer the citizens of this community must look at themselves. What have they done to the grounds that have been built in the last fifteen years? How many swimming pools are there? How many vocational training projects have been started? How many community – organized youth parties and picnics have been held?
The average citizen will answer that the responsibility for these activities belongs to the schools. But the schools cannot be held responsible for all the free – time activities of all the young people of this community. The job of the schools is formal education, not free – time recreation（娱乐）.
This community needs a youth center suitable for such activities as picnics, camping, sports, music, art and so on. There should be social and recreational activities to meet the needs and interests 
of every member of our school age youth.
Mayor Elmo D. Greely has proposed the formation of a Youth Club as the first step in the direction of a Youth Center. Mayor Greely has called a meeting at the City Hall on Friday, August 15, at noon.
Giving up a lunch hour is a very little sacrifice for a project that can be of great importance to this community.
This newspaper urges every adult and young person of Smithville to attend this important meeting. We believe our industrial, business, and professional leaders have an especially strong duty to be present.
This newspaper will be present and intends to support this project with vigor.The underlined word “antisocial” probably means “ ”.
| A．opposed to an orderly society or way of life | B．promising |
| C．suitable to present society | D．having a lot of social experience |
What does the writer think of the sentence “The younger generation in Smithville is the most
antisocial in history.”?
| A．He thinks it is true. | B．He thinks it is not true. |
| C．He thinks it is partially true. | D．He thinks it is nonsense. |
The main idea of Paragraphs 2 and 3 is .
| A．to give us lots of questions to show that problem is serious. |
B．that school should hold the responsibility for education rather than free – time recr eation. |
| C．to analyze the reasons why the youth are antisocial. |
| D．that we should take more activities or start many vocational projects. |
Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives tryi
ng to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional s
cars. Often they relive these experiences.
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 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 soldier’ 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（精神病学）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（特性）. 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’d want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist（伦理学家）.
Some people fear that although the drug would first be used in only very serious cases, it would become more and more common. “People always have the ability to misuse science,” said Joseph Le Doux, a New York University memory researcher. “All we want to do is to help people have better control of memories.”What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．People often suffer from bad memories. |
| B．American researchers are trying to develop a pill. |
| C．Forget bad memories, and be happy. |
| D．The research has caused a heated argument. |
The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to “ ”.
| A．the new drug | B．the research into the drug |
| C．the bad memory | D．the chemical in the drug |
Which of the following is NOT the opinion of the supporters?
| A．The pill can erase all the memories in the past. |
| B．Some memories can ruin people’s lives. The pill can relieve emotional suffering. |
| C．The pill can also help many other types of people who suffer from terrible memories. |
| D．The pill can prevent or treat troubling memories in soldiers after war. |
Which of the following is NOT the opinion of the opponents（反对者）？
| A．Our memories give us our identity. |
B．The memories help human avoid mistakes of the past. |
| C．The drug should be used in only very serious cases. |
| D．People may not be sure whether they want to wipe the memories out. |
Bayfield Shopping Coupons（赠券）
| 1．Six Hours Free Parking If you spend $ 100 or more in our stores you will receive six hours of free parking. When you have spent $ 100 or  more, just take this coupon and your receipts to the customer service desk on level 4. They will stamp your parking ticket to allow 6 hours of free parking.Offer until November 14. |
| 2．Win a $ 1,000 CD Collection Win your choice of $ 1000 worth of CDs from JB Music Store. Just buy any two CDs and your name will go into the competition. Select your own prize from our wide variety of rock, pop, jazz, and classical music. Competition ends November 14. Prize drawn on November 21. Check store for more information. |
| 3．Buy One, Get One Free Buy one shirt or tie at Daniel’s Menswear, and get another shirt or tie of the same value free. Choose from any of our dress shirts and we will give you another one at no cost. Hurry! Offer ends November 14. Offer limited to one per customer. |
| 4．10% Off Present this coupon at The Book Store to get a 10% discount on any books you buy. We have lots of books to choose from, including children’s books, novels, travel guides, and science works. You are sure to find something that will enjoy. Shop now for Christmas, we have plenty of toys as gifts for you and avoid the rush. Offer here until November 14. |
| 5．Half – price Movie Tickets Buy any full – price movie ticket on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and you can buy a second ticket for a friend for only half price. The latest movies are here, showing in one of our five theaters at Bayfield Shopping Center. Offer good through December 1, Limit one per customer. |
| 6．Free Soft Drink Buy any meal for at least $ 6 at Mike’s Cafe, and receive a free soft drink. We serve the be  st fast food in the Shopping Centre. Come in and try our delicious meals and our excellent service.You won’t be disappointed! Free soft drink offer ends November 14. |
What are these ads for?
| A．Food you can order for delivery. | B．Places to go on vacation. |
| C．Special offers at a shopping center. | D．Things on sale in a big store. |
Which of the following is true according to the ads?
| A．Spending $ 50 means 3 hours of free parking. |
| B．One person can buy 4 tickets for the price of three. |
| C．After buying two CDs, you can get another two CDs for free. |
| D．At Mike’s Cafe, people can get a free drink after spending $ 6. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned at this mall?
| A．Clothes store. | B．Music store. | C．Restaurant. | D．Toy store. |
We can know from this passage .
| A．there are more than one theatre in the center |
| B．if you buy a book there, you may pay less than half the price |
C．you may get a free one if you buy a  shirt, or a tie, or a pair of shoes |
| D．you won’t get a free soft drink unless you spend more than 10 dollars on the meal |
Britain’s oldest man made his first visit to London yesterday at the age of 101. Mr John Evans had never found the time or money to make the trip from his home in Forest – fach, near Swansea. But, when British Rail offered him an all – expense – paid birthday treat to the capital he just could not refuse.
He arrived at Paddington Station and smartly turned out in his best suit, favorite Panama hat and a red rose in his buttonhole. “It’s very exciting. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.
Until yesterday he had never been far from home, except for one trip to Aberdeen. “But I’ve been on the seas to that faraway land called Ilfracombe 21 miles from home,” he joked.
Mr Evans, who spent 60 years working as a miner in South Wales, almost made the journey to London once before, at the turn of the century. “There was a trip to the White City but it was ten shillings return from Swansea – too much I thought. All my money went to the family then,” he said.
During the next two days Mr Evans will be taken on a short tour of London to see the sights. Top of his list is a visit to the House of Parliament organized by his MP, Mr Gareth Wardell.
The only arrangement he does not care for is the wheelchair provided for him if he gets tired. “I don’t like the chair – people will think I am getting old,” he said. His secret for a long and healthy life has been well publicized – no wine, no tobacco and no anger.
Before setting off from Swansea with his 76 – year – old son, Amwell, he said jokingly, “I’m glad to see they’ve given me a return ticket.”The very rea
son that Mr. Evans didn’t go to see the world is that .
| A．he had already been on the seas to Ilfracombe |
| B．he was too busy to go too far away from home |
| C．he couldn’t afford both the time and the money |
| D．he believed “East or west, home is the best” |
Mr Evans didn’t like the wheelchair simply because .
| A．he was not used to traveling in it |
| B．the wheelchair was of poor quality and not easy to operate |
| C．he actually preferred walking to sitting in it at home |
| D．he thought he was still young enough to manage the trip |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Mr Evans had to work hard to raise his family when young. |
| B．The trip to London excited Mr Evans very much. |
| C．Mr Evans could not really enjoy the trip because of his age. |
| D．Humor was one of Mr Evans’ characters. |
The probable explanation to Mr Evans’ long life lies in .
| A．his good living habits | B．his hard working for the family |
| C．his sticking to his hometown | D．his living conditions near the Swansea |