Almost everyone is afraid of something --- snakes, heights, public speaking and so on.
It is normal and can even be helpful to experience fear sometimes. In dangerous situations, fear can keep our bodies alert (警醒的) so that we can act quickly to protect ourselves.
But for some people, fear develops into a “phobia”, which is a strong and unreasonable fear of something. For example, the majority of us feel a little scared when looking down from a tall building. But people with height phobia may have trouble breathing, feel dizzy or turn down a great job just because the company is on the 20th floor.
Phobias can prevent you from living a normal life. “People with spider phobia would stay out of their home or dormitory room for days if they thought a spider was present,” Katherina Hauner, a researcher at Northwestern University, US, told ABC news. This is why scientists have been trying to find a cure for this disease.
Since fear comes from experience --- from what we are told, what we see others experience and what happens to us --- some scientists think if they can “rewrite” these unpleasant memories, they might be able to help people overcome their phobias.
In a study by Hauner and other scientists, participants with spider phobia were asked to first touch a spider with a paintbrush. Seeing that it was not actually dangerous, they then tried touching it while wearing a glove. Finally, they could hold it with their hands.
Certain medicine has also been found to be helpful. Back in 2010, researchers at the University of Hiroshima, Japan, injected (注射) a special medicine into a fish --- who was afraid of light --- to turn off the fear center in its brain. From then on, the fish no longer feared light.
While the search for solutions to phobias is making great progress, it’s an open question whether getting rid of fear is good. Some people want to use these methods to make soldiers fight harder in wars by taking away their sense of fear. Dave Smithson of the charity Anxiety UK thinks that’s a bad idea. “It’s fear that prevents us from doing crazy things,” he says. “There’s a name for people who don’t have fear of consequences: psychopaths (精神变态者).The main point of the article is to ___________.
| A．show us what kind of role fear plays in our lives |
| B．discuss if it is good to try to get rid of fear |
| C．inform us of fear and phobia |
| D．discuss scientific studies related to fear |
How does the writer make the meaning of “phobia” clear?
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By giving data in numbers. | D．By giving descriptions. |
Which of the following shows the progress scientists have made in finding solutions to phobia?
| A．New medicine can shut off fear centers in animal brains whenever needed. |
| B．They can use phobias to keep our bodies alert so that we can protect ourselves. |
| C．They can now reduce the pain which is connected with phobia. |
| D．They have succeeded in helping some people ignore memories related to phobia. |
Which of the following would Dave Smithson probably agree with?
| A．There is nothing to fear except fear itself. |
| B．We should not let fear affect our decisions. |
| C．Fear is not a completely bad thing. |
| D．Without fear, everyone would be brave. |
In spite of the uncertainty of the economy, the movie industry has been stricken by a box-office outburst. Suddenly it seems as if everyone is going to the movies, with ticket sales this year up 17.5 percent, to $1.7 billion.
And it is not just because ticket prices are higher. Attendance has also jumped, by nearly 16 percent. If that pace continues through the year, it would amount to the biggest box-office increase in at least two decades.
Americans, for the moment, just want to hide in a very dark place. People want to forget their troubles, and they want to be with other people. Helping feed the outburst is the mix of movies, which have been more audience-friendly in recent months as the studios have tried to adjust after the discouraging sales of more serious films.
As she stood in line at the 18-screen Bridge theater complex here on Thursday to buy weekend tickets for “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience,” Angel Hernandez was not thinking much about escaping reality. Instead, Ms. Hernandez, a Los Angeles parking lot attendant and mother of four young girls, was focused on one very specific reality: her wallet.
“Spending hundreds of dollars to take them to Disneyland is ridiculous right now,” she said. “For $60 and some candy money I can still be a good mom and give them a little fun.”
A lot of parents may have been thinking the same thing Friday, as “Jonas Brothers” sold out more than 800 theaters, and was expected to sell a powerful $25 million or more in tickets.
The film industry appears to have had a hand in its recent good luck. Over the last year or two, studios have released movies that are happier, scarier or just less depressing than what came before. After poor results for a rush of serious dramas built around the Middle East, Hollywood got back to comedies(喜剧).
64．Which of the following is not a reason for the improvement of the movie industry?
A. A growing number of people are going to the cinema.
B. People are richer with the development of economy.
C. More comedies are made than serious films.
D. People have to pay more to watch a movie.
65．Ms. Hernandez purchased the movie tickets because ________.
A. she tried to escape reality B. she was a crazy movie fan
C. she was fond of Disneyland D. she wanted to please her kids
66．According to the text, which of the following number is not used to describe the shooting up of the movie industry?
A.17.5% B. $1.7 billion C. $60 D. $25 million
67．The passage is developed mainly by ________.
A. presenting the effect and analyzing the causes
B. following the order of time
C. describing problems and drawing a conclusion
D. making comparison of ideas
They’re WILD animals
By Ernst-Ulrich Franzen
March 11, 2010 (3) Comments
The story about the woman who lost some fingers while feeding a bear at a zoo in Manitowoc, after she ignored warnings and barriers(栅栏), reminded me of the story I heard about a couple who put their baby on the back of a wild horse in South Dakota to get a really cute picture. We all do silly things at times — no one is immune — but treating wild animals as lovely pets has to fall into a special category. Teddy bears and Disney movies aren’t actually representative of real bears.
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1. TosaLeft - Mar 11, 2010 10:46AM
Don’t you think that maybe, just maybe some alcohol was involved?
2. tk421 - Mar 11, 2010 11:09 AM
It was already approved that alcohol was involved. Stories that begin with a drunk person saying “Hey, I got an idea, watch this!” rarely end well.
3. Tristan Kloss - Mar 11, 2010 11:41 AM
Alcohol certainly isn’t involved when people decide to keep “pets” like chimpanzees, baby tigers, etc. Stupidity, definitely. Dogs are pets because of thousands of years of domestication. Even farm animals, which have been kept by humans for thousands of years as well, aren’t let in the house. So why keep animals that treat human contact with, at best, indifference(冷淡、不在乎) and, at worst, violence?
60．In Ernst-Ulrich Franzen’s opinion, the woman lost her fingers because ________.
A. the zoo keepers didn’t warn her of the danger
B. she didn’t know the bear was a wild animal
C. she was somehow influenced by cartoon characters
D. she climbed over the barriers and angered the bear
61．TosaLeft thinks the wounded woman ________.
A. may have been drunk B. may be a little stupid
C. was addicted to wine D. fed wine to the bear
62．tk421 means a drunk person ________.
A. should be forbidden to enter the zoo B. usually gets himself into trouble
C. is often fond of making up stories D. usually likes to show himself off
63．What does Tristan Kloss think of people treating wild animals as pets?
A. Kind. B. Illegal. C. Loving. D. Stupid.
三、阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
请阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
Going back to school is a very exciting event for my two boys. It means getting new school bags and books, and seeing friends again after the summer holiday.
My oldest son, 9-year-old Salem, asked me several times where we would go to buy a backpack, while my other son, 6-year-old Abdullah, asked what school would be like this year.
For the last three years, school was a nightmare for many children and their parents as violence increased and there were more attacks on schools and teachers. As a result, many parents prevented their children from going to school. One of six children in this country did not attend primary school in 2009. Many kids who did attend school were accompanied by a parent for the entire day to make sure nothing happened to their children.
For poor families or those with large families, back to school can be an expensive time. The government gives some help to those living in poor neighborhoods, and school bags, note books and other items(商品) are given for free.
Most of the merchants who sell notebooks and pens now sell their products out on the street instead of in stores. They sit on the ground and lay their items on the ground or they have a small table to sell their goods.
The bags cost between $10 and $20, while clothes and shoes cost between $20 and $30. I found all the things I needed for my sons and even bought something for myself. I spent about $50 on each of them, including school uniforms.
At the end of the day, we returned to our home carrying many shopping bags filled with items that made my children happy and excited to go back to school. I just hope this school year will be a peaceful one.
56．The author’s children are ________ to go to school.
A. eager B. afraid C. unwilling D. surprised
57．The underlined word “nightmare” is the closest in meaning to ________.
A. fantasy B. dream world C. prison D. terrible situation
58．Many children are not going to school mainly because of ________.
A. the terrible education system B. security problems and poverty
C. parents’ distrust in schools D. the government’s inability
59．As a parent, the author ________.
A. is unable to afford his kids’ schooling B. is unwilling to send his kids to school
C. hopes his kids have a happy school life D. complains school education costs too much
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take u
p today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
72. The author thinks the golf is resource-hungry because of the following EXCEPT that _____.
A. Golf wastes large areas of countryside
B. Golf runs out of much water
C. Keeping golf court in good condition needs too much energy
D. Golf is bad for people’s health
73. According to the passage, which of the following is an environment-friendly sport?
A. swimming in the pool B. hiking in the hills
C. playing basketball in the gym D. motor racing in the desert
74. The reason why the author uses power walking as an example mainly is that ______.
A. it improves our health B. it is an outdoor sport
C. it uses fewer resources D. it is recommended by experts
75. The passage is developed mainly by _____.
A. examples and explanation B. comparison and persuasion
C. fact
s and descriptions D. figures and conclusion
Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are a major cause of climate change, and now 
a new study has confirmed that atmospheric CO2 is also affecting the ocean chemistry and potentially harming sea life.
Montana State University scientist Robert Dore has been researching the water in the Pacific Ocean for almost two decades.
“We’ve been going to the same spot in the Pacific Ocean, and we try and characterize long-term change in the open ocean environment. And one of the key things that we measure is CO2 levels. And we’ve been able to record this increasing quantity of atmospheric CO2 into the ocean.”
Scientists expected that as atmospheric CO2 increased, more and more of the carbon dioxide would be absorbed into the ocean, affecting the chemical balance of the sea water, with a potentially harmful impact on shellfish and coral in particular.
“As carbon dioxide dissolves (溶解) in the water, or seawater in this case, it forms a weak acid (酸), carbonic acid, ” Dore explains. “And therefore, as the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere goes up and that exchanges with the surface seawater, it drives the pH down, and makes it more acidic.”
The seawater Dore and his colleagues have analyzed confirms what the theory predicts.
The effect was particular striking at about 250 meters down, and again at 500 meters. Dore and his colleagues came up with two possible explanations. It could be that surface water picked up CO2 and then moved to those depths. Or there could be a biological explanation.
“It’s important to realize t
hat the oceans are really becoming acidic. And it can have negative impacts on a whole variety of sea life from fish to coral. It’s potentially catastrophic.”
68. What can be the best title of the passage?
A. Sea Life Facing Danger B. Scientist Researching Seawater
C. Oceans Becoming More Acidic D. Climate Change Affecting Seawater
69. Which of the following shows the process of the impact of atmospheric CO2 on sea life?
a. Sea life is endangered.
b. CO2 goes into the surface water.
c. The ocean chemistry is affected.
d. CO2 decreases the pH and makes the seawater more acidic.
e. CO2 levels in the atmosphere go up.
A. a→b→c→d→e B. e→b→c→d→a
C. a→e→c→d→b D. e→d→c→b→a
70. Scientist Robert Dore came to the conclusion based on ________.
A. his research and analysis B. the expectation of other scientists
C. some former theory D. a major cause of climate change
71. What does the passage want to tell us most?
A. It takes time to make a scientific study.
B. Atmospheric CO2 is doing harm to sea life.
C. Robert Dore is a committed and serious scientist.
D. Measures should be taken to prevent the potential catastrophe.