Boredom and Creativity
Most of us think of being bored at work as a negative experience, but a new study suggests it can have positive results including an increase in creativity because it gives us time to daydream.
That is the finding of Dr. Sandi Mann from the University of Central Lancashire. Dr. Mann conducted two studies. In the first experiment, 40 people were asked to carry out a boring task. They were told to copy numbers out of a telephone directory for 15 minutes. After that they were asked to complete another task. A pair of cups were given to each of them. Everyone tried to come up with different uses of the cups, and was given a chance to display their creativity. Meanwhile, another group of 40 people were just asked to come up with uses for the cups without doing any boring tasks before. It turned out that the 40 people who had first copied out the telephone numbers were more creative than the control group(对照组).
To see if daydreaming was a factor in this effect, a second boring task was introduced that allowed even more daydreaming than the boring writing task. This second study saw 30 people copying out the numbers as before, but also included a second group of 30 reading rather than writing them.
Again the researchers found that the people in the control group were least creative, but the people who had just read the names were more creative than those who had to write them out. This suggests that more passive boring activities, like reading or perhaps attending meetings, can lead to more creativity. Compared with reading, writing reduced the scope（范围） for daydreaming. As a result, it reduces the effects of boredom on creativity.
Dr. Mann says: “Boredom at work has always been seen as something to be avoided, but perhaps we should accept it in order to promote our creativity. What we want to do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are. Do people who are bored at work become more creative in other areas of their work -- or do they go home and write novels?” Who proved to be the most creative in the two studies?
| A．The people who attended meetings. |
| B．The people who did the reading task. |
| C．The people who invented uses for cups. |
| D．The people who copied telephone numbers. |
The studies conducted by Dr. Mann indicate that creativity results from _______.
| A．creative tasks |
| B．controlled activities |
| C．the range of daydreaming |
| D．reading and writing ability |
What is Dr. Mann’s attitude towards boredom at work?
| A．Positive. |
| B．Skeptical. |
| C．Subjective. |
| D．Disapproving. |
What will Dr. Mann probably continue to research in their study?
| A．The real causes of creativity. |
| B．The actual use of boredom. |
| C．The practical reasons of boredom. |
| D．The writing ability improved by boredom. |
D
"In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight. "
"Two full inches in the first three days!"
These are the kinds of statements used in magazine, newspaper, radio and television ads, promising new shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine 
or the device. The promoters of products say they can shape the legs, slim the face, smooth wrinkles, or in some other way to add to beauty or desirability.
Often such products are nothing more than money-making things for their promoters. The results they produce are questionable and some are dangerous to health.
To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public, it is necessary to understand something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug, FDA(Food and Drug Administration )can require proof (证明) under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that is safe and effective before it is put on the market. But if the product is a device, FDA has no authority to require premarketing proof of safety or effectiveness. If a product already on the market is a danger to health. FDA can request the producer or distributor to remove it from the market voluntarily, or it can take legal action, including seizure (查封) of the product.
One notable case a few years ago involved an electrical device called the Relaxacisor, which had been sold for reducing the waistline. The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the body through contact pads. FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the device on the grounds that it was dangerous to health and life.
Obviously, most of the devices on the market have never been the subject of court proceedings (法律诉讼),and new devices appear continually. Before buying, it is up to the consumer to judge the safety or effectiveness of such items.
71. It can be inferred that the ads mentioned in the text are .
A. objectiveB. costly C. unreliableD. illegal
72. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. The court is in charge of removing dangerous products.
B. New products are more likely to be questionable.
C. The production of a device must be approved by FDA.
D. The promoters usually just care about profits.
73. FDA can ask for the proof of safety and effectiveness of a product .
A. if it is a drug
B. if it is a device
C. if its consumers make complaints
D. if its distributors challenge FDA's authority
74. The Relaxacisor is mentioned as .
A. a product which was designed to produce electricity
B. a product whose distributor was involved in a legal case
C. a successful advertisement of a beauty product
D. an example of a quality beauty product
75. The author intends to .
A. make consumers aware of the promoters' false promises
B. show the weakness of the law on product safety
C. give advice on how to keep young and beautiful
D. introduce the organization of FDA
C
The unknown world's mystery
The sea is the biggest unknown part of our world. It covers seventy-one percent of the earth. There is still much to be discovered about this vast blanket of water. If the waters of the ocean could be removed, the sea floor with its wide valleys, irregular, mountains and rivers in the sea. would be an unbelievable sight.
Tourism under the deep blue sea
Tourists an now explore the world beneath the waves without ever getting wet. From tourist submarines to underwater dining, undersea tourism is making a big splash.
Tourist submarines(潜艇）
The popularity of submarine tours has grown rapidly in the last decade. Now, tourist submarines operate in more than 20 locations worldwide, including the waters around Okinawa and Taiwan' s Green Island. The submarines carry nearly 2 million tourists each year. Large windows offer passengers spectacular views as the submarines explore colorful coral reefs and sunken ships. Most one-hour tours cost about US $ 80.
Underwater dining
For a more upscale experience, tourists can enjoy fine dining under the sea. Last summer the Hilton Maldives Resort opened the world's first underwater restaurant, Ithaa. Diners walk down a staircase into the restaurant, which rests 35 feet beneath the waves of the Indian Ocean. Transparent walls surround the dining area, and you can treat guests to a panoramic(全景)ocean view.
But this excellent view doesn't come cheap. The tasting menu costs US $ 200 per person. Be sure to make reservations early, too. The restaurant seats only 14 people.
66. What does the author want to tell us in Paragraph 1?
A. The sea is the biggest unknown part of our world.
B. The sea covers seventy-one percent of the earth.
C. Some information about the sea floor.
D. The reasons for researching undersea tourism.
67. What does the author really mean by saying "undersea tourism is making a big splash" in Paragraph 2?
A. Undersea tourism is a new fashion in travelling.
B. Your clothes will be made wet by the water splash.
C. Undersea tourism is dangerous.
D. There is still a long way for undersea tourism to go.
68. Which of the following statements about tourist submarines is RIGHT?
A. Tourist submarines only have a history of about 10 years.
B. There are tourist submarines in every part of the world now.
C. Tourist submarines' have carried about 2 million tourists so far.
D. People can enjoy tourist submarines in the waters around Okinawa.
69. The walls of the restaurant Ithaa are most probably made of .
A. stone B. brick C. glassD. steel
70. From the passage,, we can infer that the author . .
A. doesn't think underwater tourism is a good idea
B. shows great interest in underwater tourism
C. is worried about underwater tourism
D. is probably a scientist who studies the sea
B
I always felt sorry for the people in wheelchairs. Some people, old and weak, can not get around by themselves. Others seem perfectly healthy, dressed in business suits. But whenever I saw someone in a wheelchair, I only saw a disability, not a person.
Then I fainted (晕倒) at Euro Disney due to low blood pressure. This was the first time I had ever fainted, and my parents said that I must rest for a while after First Aid, I agreed to take it easy but, as I stepped towards the door, I saw my dad pushing a wheelchair in my direction. Feeling color burn my cheeks, I asked him to wheel that thing right back to where he found it.
I could not believe this was happening to me. Wheelchairs were fine for other people but not for me, as my father wheeled me out into the main street, people immediately began to treat me differently.
Little kids ran in front of me, forcing my father to stop the wheelchair suddenly. Bitterness set in as I was thrown back and, forth. "Stupid kids… they have perfectly good legs. Why can't they watch where they are going?" I thought. People stared down at me, with pity in their eyes. Then they would look away, maybe be
cause they thought the sooner they forgot me the better.
"I'm just like you!" I wanted to scream. "The only difference is you've got legs. and I have wheels. "
People in wheelchairs are not stupid. They see every look and hear each word. Looking out at the faces, I finally understood; I was once just like them. I treated people in wheelchairs exactly the way they did not want to be 
treated. I realized it is some of us with two healthy legs who are truly disabled.
61. The author once______when she was healthy.
A. showed respect to disabled people
B. looked down upon disabled people
C. imagined herself sitting in a wheelchair
D. saw some healthy
people moving around in wheelchair
62. Facing the wheelchair for the first time, the author .
A. felt curious about it
B. got ready to move around in it right away
C. refused to accept it right away
D. thought it was ready for her father
63.The experience of the author tells us that "______".
A. life is the best teacher
B. people often eat their bitter fruit
C. life is so changeable that nobody can foretell
D. one never does to others what he would not like others do to him
64.Which is the best title for this passage?
A. How to Get Used to Wheelchairs
B. Wheelchairs Are as Good as Two Legs
C. People with Two Legs Are Truly Health
D. The Difference between Healthy People and the Disabled
65.How did the author feel when the little kids forced her father to stop the wheelchair suddenly?
A. Stupid. B. Calm. C. Excited. D. Bitter.
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
A
Forests have always been useful and important to man who make use of them in many ways. Every day trees are serving man everywhere. Trees supply man with fruits and building materials in the form of wood, without trees it would be impossible to build houses, boats, bridges and so on. Furniture such as desks, chairs and beds is made of wood, trees can stop man from terrible heat. They're also useful in preventing good and rich top soil from being washed away during heavy rains.
If there were no trees, heavy rains would wash away the rich surface soil that is so important to plants. The result is that the land will become a desert. There are plenty of desert areas in the world. A long time ago these desert areas used to be very rich areas, but man in the past had no enough knowledge about science of nature, they cut down too many trees in the area where they lived and never planted new ones. By and by the rich surface soil was blown and washed away by strong winds and heavy rains. In the end the rich land changed into useless deserts where nothing could grow.
56 . According to the passage,__________.
A. a long time ago, man didn't know how to make use of wood
B. trees are not as useful as they were in the past
C. trees were more found in the past than they are today
D. people have always found trees useful
57. "Top soil" means____________and is .
A. useless soil; of no use for plants
B. soil on the surface of the earth; good for plants
C. soil found under the earth; found under the roots of trees
D. dry soil in the desert areas; bad for plants
58. Some deserts were once__________.
A. very good landsB. covered by ice C. very coldD. dry and useless
59. If there were no trees,______________.
A. the land would become better B. heavy rains would be very clean
C. the rich soil couldn't be kept D. there wouldn't any plants
60. From the passage, we know that man must__________.
A. do 
nothing to keep the balance of nature
B. take his best to keep the balance of nature
C. try his best to keep the balance of nature
D. do his best to stop the balance of nature
Quickly, the picture comes alive with hyperlinks (超链接), offering the names of the buildings, towers and street features that appear in the photo. The hyperlinks lead to information about the history, services and context of all the features in the photo. You have just hyperlinked your reality.
That might be a little unbelievable, but the technology exists and is no fevered imagination. This is not a cool small machine invented for the next James Bond movie; this is a working technology just developed by European researchers. It could be coming to a phone near you, and soon.
This, as the marketing types say, is a game changer. It develops a completely new interface (界面) that combines web-technology with the real world. It is big and fresh, but it goes much further and has much greater influence.
The development of the system is most outstanding because image recognition technology has long been pregnant with promise, but seemed to suffer from an unending labour.
Now MOBVIS has not only developed image recognition; it has also developed more applications for the technology; and it has adapted it to the world’s most popular technology: the mobile phone.
The MOBVIS system completely rewrites the rules for exploration and interaction with your physical environment. The system begins with panoramas (一连串景象). These panoramas form the basis of a city database. It can match buildings, towers, banners and even logos that appear in the panoramas.
A user simply takes a picture of the street feature, MOBVIS compares the user’s photograph to the panoramas and then identifies the buildings from the picture you take and the relevant links are returned.
Then you simply click on the links, using a touch-screen phone, and the MOBVIS system will provide information on the history, art, architecture or even the menu, if it is a restaurant, of the building in question.
67. Which is introduced in the passage?
A. A new game software. B. A popular mobile phone.
C. A cool small machine. D. An image recognition system.
68. What can we learn about the new technology?
A. It can only be put into use on mobile phones.
B. It is a little unbelievable and just a fevered imagination.
C. It has taken an unending labor to bring the technology into our lives.
D. It will encourage the users to take more pictures of the street features.
69. What is the right order of the operation of MOBVIS?
a. A city database forms in the system.
b. MOBVIS recognizes the picture and links are returned.
c. A user touches the links on the phone screen.
d. A user takes a picture of the street feature.
e. MOBVIS provides information in question.
A. a; e; c; d; b; B. a; d; b; c; e C. d; c; e; a; b D. c; a; e; b; d
70. From the passage, we can infer that _______.
A. MOBVIS has already been widely used all over the world
B. the writer is trying to promote the sales of the MOBVIS system
C. this new technology will soon be very popular in our lives
D. the sales of mobile phones will decrease as MOBVIS comes on market