Can a Language Become Extinct?
A language can become extinct when the last person who can speak it passes away. Or more likely when the secondlast person who speaks it dies because then there is no one left to talk to. According to linguists (语言学家) there is nothing unusual about a single language dying out. But what is happening today is quite remarkable. According to the recent statistics, there are approximately 6,000 languages in the world as we speak. Of these, about half are going to die out in the next century.
There are several reasons as to why a language can eventually die out. These range from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, to sociological factors, like cultural assimilation, in which the culture of a minority group is gradually replaced by a stronger one. The former can cause tribes to leave their natural habitat(栖息地) and therefore become fewer and fewer in number. However, it doesn't happen very frequently. In fact, the latter is a much bigger threat and it is responsible for the extinction of a lot of languages in countries like the USA and Australia. For instance, Chemehuevi is one of the languages which is really close to dying out since its sole speaker is an old, yet healthy, man named Johnny Hill, Jr.
It is very important for as many languages as possible to be preserved. Scientists have been trying to raise people's awareness on how certain tribes have specific words which cannot be expressed in let's say English simply because there is no equal meaning. Namely, the Yupik of Alaska have 99 names to describe different layers of ice formation, or how the Tofa of Siberia classify reindeer (驯鹿). In other words, when languages die out, mankind's wisdom reduces.
On a happier note, there are many famous cases which show what can be done to preserve languages in danger of extinction. In particular, the Maori in New Zealand have created socalled “language nests”： organizations which help children under five learn the language. They provide them with a setting where they are exposed to the language intensively so that they get to realise that communicating in Maori is as natural as communicating in English. There is always, of course, the risk that the children won't keep the language alive after they have left their “nests”. Nevertheless, hope dies hard.What most probably caused the death of languages in the USA and Australia?
| A．Habitats were lost. |
| B．Natural disasters struck. |
| C．Native cultures disappeared. |
| D．Foreign languages were spoken. |
In Paragraph 3, the author states his opinion by ________
| A．listing definitions |
| B．providing examples |
| C．presenting causes and effects |
| D．comparing with other opinions |
What does the author really intends to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．Attempts may not produce the desired effect. |
| B．Environment is important in language protection. |
| C．People can do little about a language's extinction. |
| D．Measures should be taken in spite of difficulties. |
The author believes that ________.
| A．all languages are finally going to die out |
| B．human wisdom can be reflected in languages |
| C．the protective approaches have proved ineffective |
| D．the current situation of languages hardly requires attention |
Burn Calories in Your Sleep?
The weight-loss world is full of assertions（断言）, rarely proved, that some pill can help you “burn calories while you sleep.” But a recent Dutch study reports that it can be done – simply by eating more lean protein（无脂肪蛋白质）.
Researchers report for the first time that consuming nearly a third of daily calories as lean protein – for example, lean meats without the skin – speeds up a person’s metabolism（新陈代谢） during sleep and that higher protein intake increases the burning of calories and fat during the day. Plus, when the study’s participants, who were all women of healthy weight, ate more protein, they felt fuller, more satisfied and less hungry than when they consumed a diet with the amount of protein, about 10 percent of calories.
The findings suggest that adding lean protein to your daily food “enables you to reach the same level of satiety（过饱）that you are used to with about 80 percent of your normal energy intake,” notes Margriet Westerterp-Plantenga. “That means you can eat about 20 percent less and still have the same satiety.”
What gives protein its caloric edge? It’s more difficult for the body to metabolize protein than either fat or carbohydrates（糖类）. The body also doesn’t store protein as efficiently as it does carbohydrates or fat. So protein is more likely to be burned and that in turn requires more oxygen and helps you feel satisfied in the hours after eating.
But the latest findings don’t mean it’s time to dust off those high-protein diet books. The current study limited fat to about 30 percent of daily calories, and included 40 percent of calories as healthy carbohydrates, including fruit and vegetables. For example, lunch included bread, soy milk, fruit yogurt, tuna in water, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and salad dressing.
54. According the first paragraph, we know that ______.
A. there’re few studies on weight-loss in the world
B. many studies on weight-loss only cheat customers
C. only few studies are useful for weight-loss
D. there’re few studies about lean protein
55. According to the passage, lean protein can help burn calories while you sleep because ______.
A.it can slow down a person’s metabolism
B. it’s difficult for the body to metabolize
C.it will not make you feel full
D. it’s easy to be stored in the body
56. The underlined phrase “dust off” in the last paragraph means ______.
A. get rid of B. put away
C. get ready to rewrite D. get ready to reuse
57. The passage is mainly to tell readers ______.
A. there is a good diet for weight-losers
B. you can burn your calories in your sleep
C. high-protein diet books will be popular
D. choosing right food is of great use
Many Going to College Are Not Ready
Only about half of this year’s high school graduates have the reading skills they need to succeed in college, and even fewer are prepared for college-level science and math courses, according to a yearly report from ACT, which produces one of the nation’s leading college admissions tests.
The report, based on scores of the 2005 high school graduates who took the exam, some 1.2 million students in all, also found that fewer than one in four met the college-readiness benchmarks （基准）in all four subjects tested: reading comprehension, English, math and science.
ACT sets its college-readiness benchmarks — including the reading comprehension benchmark, which is new this year—by correlating（联系）earlier students’ ACT scores with grades they actually received as college freshmen. Based on that data, the benchmarks indicate the skill level at which a student has a 70 percent likelihood（可能性）of earning a C or better, and a 50 percent chance of earning a B or better.
Among those who took the 2005 test, only 51 percent achieved the benchmark in reading, 26 percent in science, and 41 percent in math; the figure for English was 68 percent. Results from the new optional ACT writing test, which was not widely taken this year, were not included in the report.
About 40 percent of the nation’s 2005 high school graduates took the ACT, and the average overall score was unchanged from the year before. Minority students make up 27 percent of all ACT test takers. Besides, there are also other worrying trends in the ACT report as well, including a continuing decline in the percentage of students planning to major in engineering, computer science and education.
50. The report from ACT mainly tells readers the problem that ______.
A. few minority students graduates took ACT
B. many who intend to go to college are not ready
C. the college-readiness benchmarks is high this year
D. the tests for some subjects are too difficult
51. According to the benchmarks in 2005, about how many students will not earn C?
A. 30 percent. B. 70 percent. C. 50 percent. D. 26 percent.
52. Which of the following pictures can correctly show the numbers of the students who achieve the benchmark in different subjects?
A. 
B.
C.
D.
53. Which of the followings can be found in the report from ACT in 2005?
A. The report about the writing test is very objective.
B. More boy students are not good at science and math.
C. The percentage of students majoring science declined.
D. The average score of 2005 ACT participants changed greatly.
Tess still stood hesitating like a swimmer about to make his dive, hardly knowing whether to return or move forward, when a figure came out from the dark door of the tent. It was a tall young man, smoking.
He had an almost black face, though red and smooth. His moustache was black with curled points, though he could not be more than twenty three or—four. There was an unusual force in his face, and in his daring rolling eyes.
“Well, my beauty, what can I do for you?” said he, coming forward. And seeing that she was quite at a loss, “Never mind me. I am Mr. d’Urberville. Have you come to see me or my mother?”
This differed greatly from what Tess had expected. She had dreamed of an aged and nobled face. She tried to keep calm and answered— “I came to see your mother, sir.”
“I am afraid you cannot see her—she is ill in bed,” replied the representative of the house; for this was Mr. Alee, the only son of the noble family. “What is the business you wish to see her about?”
“It isn’t business—it is—I can hardly say what!”
“Pleasure?”
“Oh no. Why, sir, if I tell you, it will seem…”
Tess’s sense of a certain ridicule（嘲笑） was now so strong that, despite her general discomfort at being here, her rosy lips curved(弯曲) towards a smile, much to the attraction of the young man.
“It is so foolish”, she stammered(急急巴巴地说). “I fear I can’t tell you!”
“Never mind; I like foolish things. Try again, my dear,” said he kindly.
“Mother asked me to come,” Tess continued; “and, indeed, I was in the mind to do so myself. But I did not think it would be like this. I came, sir, to tell you that we are of the same family as you.”
“Ho! Poor relations?”
“Yes，but we have several proofs that we are close relations. So mother said we ought to make ourselves known to you, as we’ve lost our horse by a bad accident; we can hardly make a living.”
“Very kind of your mother, I’m sure.” Alec looked at Tess as he spoke, in a way that made her uneasy. “And so, my pretty girl, you’ve come on a friendly visit to us, as relations?”
“I suppose I have,” looking less confident and uncomfortable again.
“Well—there’s no harm in it. Where do you live? What are you?”
—-Tess of the d'Urbervilles By Thomas Hardy
57. How does Tess feel in the whole course of the meeting with Alec?
A. Excited and hopeful. B. Nervous and uncomfortable.
C. Surprised .D. Pleased
58. In the eyes of Tess, Alec is _______________.
A. forceful and daring B. unfriendly and talkative
C. a gentle and reliable man D. older than she had expected
59. Why does Tess pay the visit to the d'Urbervilles?
A. To see Alec himself. B. To see Alec’s mother.
C. To confirm that they are of the same family.
D. To make known their relationship and seek help.
60. Alec appears quite friendly to Tess mainly because __________.
A. Tess is his distant relation B. Tess looks polite to him
C. Tess is a pretty girl D. Tess looks nervous
China is working hard to deal with the contaminated(被污染的)milk products scandal（丑闻）, which has so far left four babies dead, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday.
Dr Shigeru Omi, director of the WHO Western Pacific regional office, told a press conference that China is taking the issue "seriously".
"After admitting the problems, the Chinese government is very serious about the matter and I hope the situation will be brought under control as soon as possible," Omi said.
The WHO is assisting China in looking into the scandal but will not conduct its own investigations(调查), Omi said.
Globalization means the scandal that started in China is a problem for people around the world, he said.
"Every country can be affected, so the international community should work together to solve the problem," he said.
Since the scandal over the contaminated dairy products broke, 6,244 infants have fallen ill, 150 have been diagnosed with acute kidney failure(肾衰竭), and four have died.
Investigations have shown the babies were made sick by the presence of melamine （三聚氰胺）in milk formula（配方奶粉）. Anothony Hazzard, a food safety specialist at the WHO's Western Pacific regional office, said the decision by some countries to recall milk products imported from China was "reasonable".
"I think many countries decided on the recall, I think under this kind of situation when the picture is not yet clear, it a very reasonable position that countries take."
52. How many babies have died since the scandal broke?A. NoneB. 150C. 6244D. Four
53. The underlined word “ infants” probably means____.
A. babiesB. adultsC. grown-upsD. teenagers
54. What is the best title of the passage?
WHO: China is taking milk scare “very seriously”.
WHO: A rumour is spreading about the contaminated diary products in China
WHO: China isn’t taking any measures about the scandal.
WHO: China is recalling as many contaminated diary products as possible.
55 According to Anothony Hazzard，the decision by some countries to recall milk products imported from China was _____.A. reasonable B. unreasonable C. wrong D. unwise
56. The passage is probably from _______.
A. a textbook B. a guidebook C. an advertisement D. a newspaper
The other day at the supermarket, I saw a naughty child of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed. A little smack(掌击) on his bottom would have done the job, I thought.
Teenagers also cause discipline(纪律)problems. As a teacher I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant. In fact, she had left home to stay with him. So we decided to put her in the school hostel. She refused. When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the hostel she turned round and said: “Why don’t you stay in the hostel if you like it so much?”
My palms were itching to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her, hoping that gentle persuasion would work wonders. It did not. I last heard that she had run away from home again.
The list goes on and on. Could it be that today’s parents are softer and believe that they must not rod (棍棒惩罚)their children for fear of the bad result? Or do they actually believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well naturally as they grow older? I beg to disagree. I believe it is the parents’ duty to discipline the children even at a young age.
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary. Later when they went abroad, they related to their British university friends on how they were disciplined. Their friends abroad were filled with horror and told my daughter that I could be charged for child abuse(虐待). However, my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline.
48. According to the passage, the author would probably_______.
A. beat the children every day B. punish the children when necessary
C. 1eave the children as they are D. treat the children in a softer way
49. The underlined word “cajole”(in Paragraph 3) probably means________.
A. persuade B. scold C. forgive D. punish
50. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The naughty boy’s mother hit him on the bottom at last．
B. The teenager’s mother lived together with her daughter in the school then．
C. The author was charged for child abuse by her daughter’s friends abroad．
D. The author’s daughter was very thankful for her parent’s strict discipline．
51. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. Respect Parents B. Spoil Kids C. Value Discipline D. Protect Kids