What if we could replace oil with a fuel which produced no pollution and which everybody had equal access to?The good news is that we can, In fact, we are swimming in it—literally.
Hydrogen is one of the building blocks of the universe ,Our own sun is basically ,a big ,dense cloud of the stuff ,And hydrogen can be used to create electricity for power ,heat and light.
The problem is that hydrogen is everywhere and nowhere at the same time , It does not exist as a material on its own ,but is always part of something else, So it has to be separated before it can be used.
Most commercial hydrogen in use now is created from natural gas , As oil will start to run out in around the year 2030.,it makes sense to produce as much hydrogen as possible as soon as we can ,But natural gas supplies will also begin to run out soon after, Another source is needed.
Researchers are now using electricity to make water into hydrogen ,Companies are working on the problem in their own areas ,The first commercial hydrogen ,”fuel cells”for computers and mobile phones have already come on to the market ,Auto companies have also invested over US ＄2billion in the production of hydrogen fuelled cars
Thd nations of a hydrogen fuelled planet would not fight over evergy recourses, There would be a great reduction in pollution ,The only by-product of creating hydrogen is pure drinking water—something that is very scarce in many parts of the world ,But that is not where the good news ends, Once the costs of producing hydrogen have been brought down ,it will possibly provide power for a third of the Earth ‘s population that has no electricity.
And electricity creates wealth, In South A frica over the last decade there has been a large programme of electrification, Thanks to the programme , people do not have to spend their days looking firewood to burn for heat, And with electric light , they can work long into the night.
Some scientists see radical changes in the way the human race co-operates, Hydrogen creates clectricity, and is also created by it. With dual use fuel cells, everyone who consumes energy could also produce it ,Late at night, a man drives home in London and connects his car into the “world-wide hydrogen web”, which it supplies with electricity ,A few hours later, a man in Beijing uses that electricity to power the hydrogen cell in his car, Hydrogen could be the first democratic energy source.
Like all dreams of the future, it seems very far away, But the threat of war and terrorism in the Middle East has made governments and businesses more aware of the need to edn oil dependency and spend more time and money on hydrogen resource, So maybe the threat of war is not a completely bad thing for the future of the human race.What does the underlined word “it”in the last but one paragraph refer to?
| A．wealth | B．hydrogen | C．electricity | D．fuel |
What is the problem with using hydrogen as energy?
| A．It has by-products |
| B．It has to be separated from other materials |
| C．It will make energy too cheap |
| D．It is too far away from us |
Why does the author give the example in the last but one paragraph?
| A．To tell us that we produce energy while using hydrogen power |
| B．To tell us that hydrogen power does not produce pollution |
| C．To show hydrogen power can stop war |
| D．To show hydrogen power is cheap |
What is the author’s attitude about the future?
| A．skeptical | B．negative | C．indifferent | D．positive |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．war and energy |
| B．the future of hydrogen as an energy resource |
| C．the disadvantages of oil |
| D．How to end war |
During the twentieth century, cars, electric lights, space travel and amazing advances in medicine changed people’s lives. So what might this new century bring? There are hundreds of predictions flying around — let’s have a light-hearted look at some of them.
In a recent UK survey, teenagers were asked to make predictions about the year 2020. One of the most common predictions was that school uniforms won’t be around. They also predicted that both girls and boys will wear make-up more often, and
more than 75% of men will wear skirts regularly. My dad is 65 next Saturday — I think I’ll buy him a skirt as a birthday present and tell him he’ll soon be in fashion!
Other predictions involve changing roles of men and women. By 2017, some people say that single men of working age will form more than 10% of all families. It is also predicted that washing powder advertisements will include more men because more of them will do housework. I’ll tell that to my husband when he gets home and see how keen he is to wash the dishes!
Many predictions are about crime and safety problems. Some people think that crime will improve and the world will become a more peaceful place. Others believe that crime is going to worsen and that people will stay at home becoming completely dependent on the Internet for shopping and work. It is also predicted that you will need an electronic card to get into parks as parents demand safe play areas for their children. This is old news for me --- our local government is going to introduce one this summer.
Technology is predicted to play an even more important role in our lives in the future. Some parents might have cameras at home so they can keep an eye on their children while they are out. Quick, kids, turn off the TV and do your homework!
Here’s another prediction. Researchers have concluded that cultural activity may add years to your life. The cinema, theatre and concerts may give us a longer life because they encourage stro
ng feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?
Let’s finish up with my favourite prediction. In the future, elderly people are going to make up a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before. In Britain, an estimated 100,000 people now in their thirties may live to be 100. And that includes me! I’ll have a big, big party, I promise! The writer’s father ________ .
| A．has just turned sixty-five |
| B．wears skirts |
| C．is very fashionable |
| D．is about to turn sixty-five |
Why might more men do housework in the future?
| A．Washing powder advertisements suggest it. |
| B．Men won’t want to work in offices any more. |
| C．Traditional roles of men and women will change. |
| D．Women will refuse to wash the dishes. |
According to the passage, people might ________ , if crime worsens.
| A．need electronic cards to get into their homes |
| B．stay at home and depend on the Internet |
| C．help to make the world a more peaceful place |
| D．work harder and make more money |
Which of the following is NOT true？
| A．It’s likely that the writer is to live to be 100. |
| B．The writer promises that she is going to hold a big, big party soon. |
| C．Without an electronic card, you can’t get into a park freely in the future. |
| D．The writer holds a positive attitude towards the changes in the new century. |
From the passage, we may infer that the writer is probably ____ .
| A．a professional news reporter. |
| B．a young and attractive sales girl. |
| C．a middle-aged British housewife. |
| D．a responsible government official. |
“Everybody in this city wants a car, and I’m no exception. A car brings with it the freedom to travel”, said a friend of mine while reading a car magazine. I might not agree with him, but no doubt he was speaking for a rapidly growing number of middle-class Chinese. While it is true that all the waiting, walking, being part of a crowd, and sweating, are somewhat unpleasant, there are many problems which can arise when our lives rely too much on this invention.
First of all, in terms of polluting the environment, driving a car is the worst act an average person can commit. Beijing now finds itself at the top of the list of the most polluted capital cities in the world with Mexico City in the second place. Research also shows that by 2010 around 90% of total pollutants in Shanghai have come from cars. These pollutions are extremely dangerous to our health. They can damage the lungs, cause cancer, and damage the brain.
Apart from environmental problems, relying too much on cars also creates social problems such as traffic jams, road accidents, and noise pollution. The jeeps that proudly drive through the Hutongs in Beijing as if they are in a race often annoy me, and to make it worse, these drivers seldom respect cyclists.
Of course, we cannot forget the convenience that cars bring us when we need to travel far, but I often find it faster to cycle from one place to another within the city of Beijing, especially with the growing traffic jams.
Since people travel further and more frequently than before, cars will certainly be important in the future. At the same time, however, let us work hard to make sure that this invention brings us a more convenient lifestyle rather than trouble and disease. Let us make good use of cars.What is this passage mainly about?
| A．Environmental problems. |
| B．Traffic jams in Beijing. |
| C．Problems brought about by cars. |
| D．Benefits of using cars. |
The underlined word commit in Paragraph 2 has the close meaning as ____ .
| A．do something right or legal |
| B．do something wrong or illegal |
| C．do something good and meaningful |
| D．do something bad and meaningless |
What do we know about the author?
| A．The author doesn’t want a car. |
| B．The author agrees that a car offers freedom to travel. |
| C．The author suggests that we should rely on bicycles. |
| D．The author thinks that the invention of cars leads to many problems. |
In Paragraph 3, what does the author mean by saying “The jeeps… often annoy me”?
| A．The author is troubled by the way jeeps are driven in the Hutongs of Beijing. |
| B．The author thinks that Hutongs are too narrow for jeeps to drive through. |
| C．The author thinks that the jeeps are too noisy. |
| D．The author is worried that more accidents are caused by jeeps than any other cars. |
What is the author’s idea in Paragraphs 4 and 5 ?
| A．Cars are only convenient for people traveling far. |
| B．We should all give up cars and ride bicycles. |
| C．Cars have brought us more convenience than troubles. |
| D．We should choose between the car and the bicycle according to the situation. |
Barbie(芭比娃娃)，believe it or not，is 50 this year and she's still as popular as ever.A doll is a doll，but Barbie illustrates how，over the last five decades，women have become a standard for judging what freedom really means. How women are treated in different countries tells you a lot about the politics and culture of where they live.
The doll that every little girl wants enables young children to test their possibilities in role playing，giving them a glimpse of what they might be when they grow up，whether to be frivolous or serious (or both)．
But in many countries that's not an option. In Saudi Arabia，where woman can't drive or go out publicly unless covered，Barbie is banned. They think Barbie dolls are offensive to Islam(伊斯兰教) and a threat to morality.
In America，she represents the swiftly changing roles of women. Barbie is fun to tease 
but she's as American as miniskirts_and_pantsuits in her flexible identities and her “growth” from model to astronaut.
Barbie inspired a dollrevolution movement. When a Teen Talk Barbie was programmed electronically to say “Math class is tough”，she was criticized by a national women's group and was regarded as a bad stereotype. Some of her critics also say she's a bad influence because she's too thin and encourages anorexia，that she has run through too many stereotypes(固定模式)，and that she lends too much significance to the fantasy stages of child's play.
In some Muslim countries, substitute Barbie dolls have been developed that promote traditional values，with their modest clothing and profamily backgrounds. They are wi
dely seen as an effort to resist the American dolls that have flooded the market.
Toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi welcomed the dolls，saying Barbie was “foreign to Muslim culture” because some of the dolls have little clothing. She said young girls who play with Barbie，could grow into women who reject Muslim values. “I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile，”Ms. Rahimi said.The writer mentioned “miniskirts and pantsuits”(in Paragraph 4) to imply that ________.
| A．these are the only clothes a doll should wear |
| B．these are very traditional American clothes for women |
| C．there are a range of different life options available for women |
| D．readers should wear these clothes more often |
The underlined word “anorexia” (in Paragraph 5) most probably means“________”．
| A．an illness of refusing to eat |
| B．giving up math study |
| C．the wearing of inappropriate clothes |
| D．a decrease in people's imagination |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．children who like Barbie dolls won't be so serious when they grow up |
| B．Muslim Barbies are the same as American Barbies |
| C．Muslim societies are generally more conservative than western societies |
| D．Americans have no worry about Barbie's influence on children |
Is early childhood education really necessary? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child’s physical, sensory, communicational and social development．Early childhood education has become a concern of the government, who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for Kindergarten．
There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education．Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school, and even in life．Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school, less likely to end up in
Special Education classes, and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail．
There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early．Time Magazine online explains that “the younger the child the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work．” I have personally witnessed many c
hildren of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school．Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school, the better off he or she is, so they push to start children earlier．
Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years, studies also show that this head start is really a “false start”, as the gains are lost in middle and high school years．It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life’s success than early education．Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children．Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap．The purpose of the government valuing the early childhood education is ________．
A．to develop the children’s communication
A．to give orphaned children good care and education
C．to get the children prepared for the kindergarten
D．to train the children formally and regularlyAccording to the studies, which of the following is True?
| A．Children with good early education may have a rich life． |
| B．The orphaned children are usually unhappy in their life． |
| C．Children without early education can do well at school． |
| D．Head Start programs are helpful to the poor children． |
The author’s attitude toward the early childhood education is _________．
| A．puzzling | B．objective | C．indifferent | D．approving |
The main idea of the last passage is that __________．
| A．the early childhood education is very necessary |
| B．Head Start programs have helped the children a lot |
| C．environment is the most important to life’s success |
| D．better ways should be found to help the poor children |
“I grew up on Jackson’s music and I still have all his stuff on My iPod. I think that Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways，sad personal life.”
Michael Jackson was a singer，songwriter，dancer and celebrity icon with a vast catalog of hit records and countless awards to his credit. Beyond that，he had transfixed the world like few entertainers before or since. As a solo performer，he had enjoyed a level of superstardom previously known——Barack Obama
only to Elvis Presley，the Beatles and Frank Sinatra.
Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the 80s’，and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29,1958.The fifth and youngest son of steelworker Joe Jackson，Michael displayed a talent for music and dance from an extremely young age. His father began to organize a family musical group around his three eldest sons in 1962，and Michael joined them the following year，quickly establishing himself as a dynamic stage performer. Dubbed the Jackson 5，the group signed to Motown in 1968 and issued their debut single in October 1969，when Michael was just 11 years old. I Want You Back，ABC，The Love You Save and I’ll Be There all hit number one in 1970，making the Jackson 5 the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the charts. Later in 1972，Jackson had his first number one solo single，Ben. In 1977，he met producer/composer Quincy Jones for the first time. With Jones producing，Jackson recorded his first solo album as an adult，Off the Wall.
Released（发行） in 1982，the Quincy Jones produced Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall：the dance and rock tracks were more driving，the pop tunes and ballads softer and more soulful，and all of it was recognizably Michael. There was no surprise that Thriller was a hit；what was a surprise was its staying power .Jackson’s duet with McCartney，The Girl Is Mine，was a natural single choice，and it peaked at number two；then Billie Jean and the Van Halen track Beat It both hit number one，for seven and three weeks respectively.
Michael Jackson died from heart disease on June 25 at age 50.What does Barack Obama mean by saying “His brilliance as a performance also was
paired with a tragic and in many ways，sad personal life”？
| A．Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career as well as in life. |
| B．Michael Joseph Jackson was a success in his career. |
| C．Michael Joseph Jackson led a happy life. |
| D．Michael Joseph Jackson gained a lot in his career，but he also suffered a lot in his life. |
According to the passage，which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Barack Obama likes Michael Jackson’s song very much. |
| B．Barack Obama and Michael Jackson are good friends. |
| C．Michael is good at music as well as at dance. |
| D．Michael Jackson had his first number one solo single when he was 14 years old. |
Choose the right time order of the following events.
a．Barack Obama，President of the US，assessed the whole life of Michael Jackson.
b．The family musical group signed to Motown.
c．Michael joined the family musical group.
d．His father began to organize a family musical group.
e．Thriller became a hit.
| A．a－c－e－b－d | B．d－c－b－e－a |
| C．b－e－a－c－d | D．d－e－b－c－a |
W
hat does the first paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．Michael Jackson’s job. | B．How Michael Jackson performed. |
| C．Michael Jackson’s great achievements. | D．Michael Jackson’s life. |