The ozone layer(臭氧层) is a thin layer of gas around the earth. It forms a special “blanket” around the planet. This “blanket” protects the earth from dangerous rays produced by the sun. Without the ozone layer, the earth’s climate could warm to dangerous levels. This increase in temperature would threaten our survival. Scientists recently have discovered a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctica. Now there is great concern that this warning has started, endangering all life on the earth.
What has destroyed part of the ozone layer? Scientists do not know for sure. They suspect that our popular spray cans (喷漆罐) have played a part in the damage. Many spray cans contain dangerous gases. These gases might have destroyed the ozone layer fifteen miles above the earth’s surface, The chemicals used in refrigerators (冰箱) and air conditioners may contribute to the problem, too.
Many scientists believe that the destruction of the ozone layer is a serious problem for people everywhere. Global warming could change weather patterns around the world. Farmers and ranchers(牧场主) could find it more and more difficult to produce enough food for the earth’s people. If more of the sun’s dangerous rays reached the earth, there also could be an increase in skin cancers. Some skin cancers might cause people to die. Although some scientists do not believe there is a serious danger, obviously no one wants to take any chance on such a possibility.
Can scientists repair the hole in the ozone layer? They really don’t know the answer to that question. Can people do anything to save the ozone layer that the earth still has? Scientists stress the need to limit the use of spray cans and other items that contain the dangerous gases. This will not be an easy task. People all over the world use these items. Solving the problem certainly will require commitment and cooperation from everyone. The ozone layer exists to _____.
| A．warm the earth to a proper level for life |
| B．protect the earth from dangerous sun rays |
| C．make all life on the earth in a dangerous situation |
| D．prevent human beings from being harmed from the earth |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scientists aren’t sure what has destroyed part of the ozone layer. |
| B．Scientists recently have discovered a hole in the Antarctica. |
| C．Scientists prove that spray cans have destroyed part of the ozone layer. |
| D．Global warming doesn’t affect weather patterns around the world. |
The following may do harm to the ozone layer EXCEPT ______.
| A．spray cans | B．refrigerators | C．ranchers | D．air conditioners |
Saving the ozone layer needs everyone’s effort because _____.
| A．scientists are badly in need of others’ help |
| B．items containing dangerous gases should be forbidden |
| C．scientists can’t afford so much money to take measures |
| D．people all over the world use items containing dangerous gases |
【原创】1 was having a great morning until I sat down in front of my office computer.’’Your password has expired，’’a server message flashed on my screen, with instructions for changing it.Coming up with a new code doesn't seem like a big deal, unless you work at my company, where we have to change it monthly, using at least one upper-case letter(太写字母)，one symbol and one number, and the whole thing can't be fewer than eight characters. And I can't use any of the same passwords I've used in the past three months.
Suddenly a strong emotion grew in me. What didn't make it any better was that l was deeply depressed after my recent divorce. Disbelief over what she had done to me was all I thought about every day.
That didn't work and I had to type a password that I'd have to reenter many times for the next 30 days. I remembered a tip I’d heard from my former boss. He'd said, "I'm going to use a password to change my life.“
I couldn't focus on getting things done in my current mood. There were clear indicators of what I needed to do to regain control of my life. My password reminded me that I shouldn't let myself be a victim of my recent breakup and that I was strong enough to do something about it.
I made my password Forgive@ h3r.
I had to type this statement several times a day. The simple action changed the way I looked at her. That constant reminder led me to accept the way things had happened at the end of my marriage and embrace a new way of dealing with my depression. As the month wore on,I felt a slow healing begin to take place. By the time my server prompted me to reset my password the following month, felt free.
One month later, my dear Exchange server asked me yet again to reset my password.I thought about the next thing that i had to get done.
My password became Quit@ smoking4ever
This password was a painful one to type during that month,but doing it helped me to yell at myself in my mind as i typed that statement.it motivated me to follow my monthly goal.
Seeing how these reminders helped to materialize my goals kept me motivated and excited.While it is sometimes difficult to come up with your next goal, keeping at it brings great results.Which of the following is closest to the underlined word “expired" in Para.1 ?
| A．Been updated. | B．Been out of date. |
| C．Remained very cool. | D．Been replaced. |
What changes happened one month after the author set the password Forgive@ h3r?
| A．He became calm and accepted the fact. |
| B．He felt he was the victim of the failed marriage. |
| C．He loved his former wife more than before. |
| D．He felt relieved that he had divorced. |
What is the lesson the author has learned through the experience?
| A．Computers are the best friend of us humans. |
| B．Many a hand makes light work. |
| C．Don't be discouraged by difficulties. |
| D．Keeping oneself reminded of his goal will work. |
Which of the following might be one of the passwords the author set?
| A．eattwice@day. | B．save4triptoChina. |
| C．Date@her | D．Save4@ring. |
Hightech glasses developed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may help surgeons visualize cancer cells, which glow blue when viewed through the eyewear. Cancer cells are notoriously difficult to see, even under highpowered magnification. The glasses are designed to make it easier for surgeons to distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells, helping to ensure that no tumor cells are left behind during surgery.
“We’re in the early stages of this technology, and more development and testing will be done, but we’re certainly encouraged by the potential benefits to patients，” said breast surgeon Julie Margenthaler, MD, an associate professor of surgery at Washington University. “Imagine what it would mean if these glasses got rid of the need for followup surgery and the associated pain, inconvenience and anxiety.”
Current standard of care requires surgeons to remove the tumor and some neighboring tissue that may or may not include cancer cells. The samples are sent to a pathology(病理) lab and viewed under a microscope. If cancer cells are found in neighboring tissue, a second surgery is often recommended to remove additional tissue that is also checked for the presence of cancer.
The glasses could reduce the need for additional surgical procedures and following stress on patients, as well as time and expense.
Margenthaler said about 20 to 25 percent of breast cancer patients who have lumps removed require a second surgery because current technology doesn’t adequately show the extent of the disease during the first operation.“Our hope is that this new technology will reduce or ideally eliminate the need for a second surgery，” she said.
In a study published in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, researchers noted that tumors as small as 1 mm in diameter (the thickness of about 10 sheets of paper) could be detected.
Ryan Fields, MD, a Washington University assistant professor of surgery and surgeon of Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, plans to wear the glasses later this month when he operates to remove a melanoma from a patient. He said he welcomes the new technology, which theoretically could be used to visualize any type or cancer.
“A limitation of surgery is that it’s not always clear to the naked eye the distinction between normal tissue and cancerous tissue，” Fields said.“With the glasses developed by Samuel Achilefu, PhD, professor of Washington University, we can better identify the tissue that must be removed.”【改编】what is the ultimate goal of developing the new technology ?________.
| A．to distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones |
| B．to encourage hope for life in cancer patients |
| C．to make sure no cancer cell is left behind |
| D．to cut down the risk of cancer surgery |
The underlined word “eliminate” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ________.
| A．meet | B．remove |
| C．feel | D．resist |
【改编】From the whole passage,what can be inferred ?_____
| A．The glasses are invented by Ryan Fields and Samuel Achilefu. |
| B．The glasses glow blue when finding tissues including cancer cells. |
| C．Tumors as small as 1 cm in diameter could be detected by the glasses. |
| D．Much remains to be done before the technology can be widely employed. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Special glasses help surgeons“see” cancer |
| B．A new technology has been used in surgery |
| C．Patients will benefit from a new technology |
| D．Cancer is no longer a threat to people |
Scientists in UK have grown a living human “brain”. The team at Aston University created tiny bunch of cells which act like a mini nervous system.
They believe it could help find a cure for worse mental conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Professor Michael Coleman is leading the research program. He explained，“We are aiming to be able to study the human brain at the most basic level, using an actual living human cell system. Cells have to be alive and operating efficiently to enable us to really understand how the brain works.” The experiment involves changing cells from a cancer tumor(肿瘤) and making them behave like brain cells.
Although far from finished, researchers hope the false brain cells will give them a greater understanding of how real brains work. This, in turn, could significantly further research into conditions which affect the brain. Neil Hunt, chief leader of the research group, said，“It is still very early days, but in the future the research could lead to a useful tool for looking into dementia (痴呆)．”
The technique could also provide a way to carry on animal test and is being supported by the Humane Research Trust (HRT). The scientists predict that over the next ten years a million people will develop dementia. Professor Coleman believes their findings could change this. He said，“We hope our research will provide scientists with a new and highly relational human experimental model to help them understand the brain better and develop new drugs to control the related disease. However, the biggest challenge at present is that we are greatly short of fund, which will slow our research.”【改编】UK scientists grow a living human “brain” so as to ________.
| A．research into the structure of human brain |
| B．take advantage of living human cell system |
| C．discover how human brain really functions |
| D．distinguish cells from a cancer tumor |
According to Neil Hunt, research into brain cells ________.
| A．will get finished as early as possible |
| B．will make people discover dementia |
| C．will affect the brain growth in many ways |
| D．will help to treat some diseases in nerve system |
【改编】What can we conclude from the last paragraph? ______.
| A．the technique provided by HRT is immature |
| B．animal tests are forbidden by law |
| C．a million people suffer from brain diseases |
| D．the research program lacks financial support |
【改编】what is the purpose of the text ?________.
| A．The text is intended to tell us about a breakthrough in medical research |
| B．The text is intended to introduce a research program in human’s brain |
| C．The text is intended to introduce the progress of drugs for dementia |
| D．The text is intended to tell us about health problem in nerve system |
John was waiting for the girl whose heart he knew，but whose face he didn’t，the girl with the rose．Thirteen months ago，in a Florida library he took a book off the shell and found himself interested in the notes in the margin(页边)．The soft handwriting showed a thoughtful soul and insightful(有洞察力的)mind．
In front of the book，he discovered the name，Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he got her address．He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to keep in touch．
During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail．A romance started．John requested a photograph，but she refused．She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like．Later they agreed on their first meeting—7:00 pm at Grand Central Station in New York．
“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote，“by the red rose I’ll be wearing my coat.” So at 7：00 he was in the station looking for the girl with the red rose．
A girl in a green suit was coming toward him，her figure long and slim and her eyes were blue as flowers．Almost uncontrollably he came to her，and just at this moment he saw Hollis Maynell—a woman well past 40．The girl was walking quickly away．
He did not hesitate(犹豫)，saying，“I’m John，and you must be Miss Maynell．I am so glad you could meet me. May I take you to dinner?”
The woman smiled, “I don’t know what this is about，son，” she answered，“but the young lady in the green suit begged me to wear this rose on my coat．And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner，I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the restaurant across the street．She said it was some kind of test!”
It’s not difficult to admire Miss Maynell’s wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.【改编】John was attracted by Miss Hollis Maynell because ________.
| A．John considered her as one of her old friends |
| B．she took excellent notes with a soft handwriting |
| C．John held the opinion that she was a considerate and thinking lady |
| D．she was very charming with a slim figure and blue eyes |
【改编】The reason why John uncontrollably went up to the young girl in the green suit was that ___
| A．he knew it was Miss Hollis Maynell. |
| B．she was the very lady he was waiting for. |
| C．he was attracted by her beautiful appearance. |
| D．John didn’t want to run into Miss Hollis Maynell |
【改编】What’s the main idea of the story?
| A．The wisdom is shown in one’s action. |
| B．Love can be encountered by chance if you like. |
| C．You should never judge a book by its cover. |
| D．A unselfish heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. |
Here's a hotel worth writing something about: a company in Poland plans to build tourist accommodation under the sea. The structure can be dragged to a suitable location and placed on supports on the sea bed. The ‘Water Discus’ will be made up of an underwater disc containing 22 bedrooms with sea views, connected by lift and stairs to a disc above the surface containing other hotel facilities.
Project manager Robert Bursiewicz says: “Nowadays it's possible to build submarines ('潜艇) which go deeper than 500m below the sea surface, so building an underwater hotel is not a problem. ”
In fact, they don't plan to have the hotel very deep. Water acts like a filter (过滤器) for sunlight, and below 15m most colors, apart from blue, are washed out. And we all want to see colorful marine life, don't we?
But this isn't the first hotel to offer underwater views from the bedrooms. The two-bedroom Jules' Undersea Lodge, off the coast of Florida, has been taking in guests 10m beneath the surface since 1986.
The company that operates the hotel also runs a diving course for beginners to help get guests down and into the hotel. It is accessible only through an opening at the bottom.
And you'll find all the usual facilities in the room, according to Teresa McKirma, Jules's chief financial officer. It has a television, air conditioning and Wi-Fi. But for the staff, simple things like cleaning and making beds can be challenging, since the lodge is in sea water.
"It actually takes quite a lot of work to get anything down there," she says. "We have to put everything in waterproof boxes and attach weights to them to counter their buoyancy (浮力). "
The hotel has suitably sized waterproof boxes so that pizzas can be delivered by divers to guests who order them for their evening meal. And after a meal, if you can't sleep because of the excitement of the experience, you don't have to count sheep. You'll fall asleep quicker if you count fish.According to the passage, the new hotel will ______.
| A．contain three discs |
| B．come into use soon |
| C．have a movable structure |
| D．be built 500m beneath the surface |
【改编】Why won't they intend to have the hotel very deep in the water?
| A．They lack advanced technology. |
| B．They lack advanced technology. |
| C．They reject to enjoy colorful life. |
| D．Most colors are washed out below 15m. |
According to Teresa McKirma, ______.
| A．entertainment is impossible in the hotel |
| B．the staff's work is difficult to finish |
| C．it's easy to get things down there |
| D．the built hotel is badly equipped |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．Passengers can't enjoy their meals. |
| B．Passengers will feel fed up with the views. |
| C．Passengers have no choice but to count fish. |
| D．Passengers may get excited about the experience. |