Any list of the world's top ten most famous paintings will surely include da Vinci's Mona Lisa．Part of the painting's attraction is its mystery（神秘）．
Those lucky enough to have a view of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre often stare in awe（敬畏）, surprised by the smile that seems to flicker（忽隐忽现）．Staring at a reproduction of the work produces the same effect．Now she's smiling, then she's not．
What's the deal with Mona Lisa's smile?
Harvard scientist Margaret Livingstone is pretty sure she's solved the puzzle．After careful studies on human brains, Livingstone reasoned that the famous painting's flickering smile is caused by the way human beings see．
Our eyes use two separate regions（部位） to see．One is central vision（视力；视觉）, used to see colors and pick out details such as fine print．The other is the vision around, used to observe lights, shadows, black and white contrasts．
When we look at a person's face, according to Livingstone, we usually focus centrally on the eyes．Staring at Mona Lisa's eyes, our less accurate vision notices the mouth, picking up shadows from the cheekbones．The shadows play tricks, looking like a smile．But when we look directly at the mouth, our central vision doesn't see the shadows, and so the smile suddenly disappears．As our eyes observe different parts of the painting, Mona's smile seems to show up or disappear．
Did da Vinci intend to create this flickering smile effect? Perhaps．In any case, he was talented enough to paint shadows so good as to puzzle viewers for centuries．Meanwhile, Mona Lisa will keep smiling．And not．Staring at Mona Lisa, people are amazed because _____．
| A．it is one of the world's top ten most famous paintings |
| B．Mona Lisa's smile seems to disappear sometimes |
| C．they are lucky enough to have a view at the Louvre |
| D．the reproduction of the work produces the same effect |
The central vision is used to see ______．
| A．colors and pick out details | B．black and white contrasts |
| C．lights and shadows | D．fine paintings |
While looking at a person's face, the first we focus on is ____．
| A．eyes | B．brains | C．mouth | D．cheekbone |
What can you infer from the passage?
| A．Da Vinci created the flickering smile effect by design． |
| B．The flickering smile effect is caused by the shadows． |
| C．Our eyes use many separate regions to see paintings． |
| D．Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world． |
Walking around the corner and into the hall at three in the morning, lost in thought and dragging a mop bucket, I raised my eyes to the front counter in indifference. A man, looking to be in his mid 40’s,stood in a pink dress. A wide-edged hat stuck out over his massive frame resembling an umbrella that was a little too shabby and worn-out, making him look like a woman. The shock at seeing such a strong proud man in a cheap disgusting dress broke my heart, as well as frightened me.
Dropping my mop on the floor in surprise and picking up my face that had temporarily fallen off, I 
confidently walked over to the desk.
“I’m sorry,” I began to say but was confused on whether sir or madam was appropriate. “Can I help you?”
“I need a room,” he said in a gruff (粗哑的) powerful voice.
“Sure thing,” I said bringing up the registry. “Can I get your last name?”
“Hurgan,” he said briefly.
“And your first name?”
“Amanda.”
Suddenly I had to direct all of my concentration on holding back a smile. A ten second pause of silence passed while I tried to stay calm.
“Okay,” I said getting back to the job, “can I get your phone number, Amanda?”
All of the information was acquired and stored and Amanda received her room key for the night. All was well as I returned to the neglected mop bucket. Suddenly a low throaty cough drew me out of my temporary mental disorder. Looking over at the desk where Amanda stood touching her thick biceps (二头肌) I once again dropped the mop in shock.
“I’m sorry about that,” I said coming around to the desk. Amanda stared with unease twisting her sleeve with her right index finger.
“I have a cat,” she said in a low voice.
“I’m sorry you what?” I asked leaning in closer. She drew back a bit as if I was some kind of threat.
“I have a cat.”
Looking up into her tall frame, I replied, “That’s fine. We just need to add an extra $10 fee.” She handed me her credit card once again. I swiped it, returned it, and grabbed the printing receipt.
“You just need to sign here,” I said handing over the pen. She hesitantly grabbed it from my hand and signed. As she began to return it, my hand came a bit too close to connecting with hers. Scared and possibly a little disgusted she dropped the pen, causing it to bounce off the counter and onto the floor.
“Sorry,” she said, looking down. “I have to go get my cat.”
While Amanda was getting her cat, an unpleasant thought was circling around my head. Here I was just doing my job a
nd this, this WO-MAN was acting as if I was the monster! He was wearing a pink dress! And I was the monster? Was he even still a man? The sliding doors opened and in came Amanda passing the front desk without even giving me a polite nod. The story most probably happened at a ________.
| A．pub | B．hotel | C．hospital | D．shop |
We can conclude that the author’s attitude towards the man is _______.
| A．objective | B．indifferent | C．critical | D．considerate |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The author was on the edge of smiling when he heard the man’s first name. |
| B．When the man checked in, he tipped the author $10. |
| C．After signing, the man grasped the author’s hand and thanked him. |
| D．The man gave the author a friendly nod while going toward his room. |
What might be the best title of this passage?
| A．A disgusting cat | B．A considerate waiter |
| C．A fierce monster | D．A strange-looking WO-MAN |
Recently,university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged.It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos，a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University.During the experiment，Dr Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers.He said：“They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms，overeating，feeling nervous，isolated and disconnected.”
During their 24-hour test，three of the experiment’s participants were followed around by a BBC reporter plus cameraman.They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline，but of course，they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops.
Elliot Day wrote：“Today,my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air.Despite being aware of the social importance of the media,I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.”
From Caroline Scott，we read：“I didn’t expect it，but being deprived of the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual…I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to，but It’s not something l would like to do again！”
And Charlotte Gay wrote：“I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile；not only is it a social device，it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year,a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media,often plugged into several things at once.So,with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate,how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?What can we learn about the volunteers?
| A．Volunteers didn’t write down about their day offline. |
| B．Volunteers weren’t allowed to use any media for 24 hours. |
| C．Volunteers were followed around by Dr Roman Gerodimos. |
| D．Only volunteers in the UK took part in Unplugged experiment. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the participants’feelings？
| A．Anxious. | B．Lonely | C．Bored. | D．Despaired. |
Which of the following is true of Caroline Scott？
| A．The media ban affected his temperature. |
| B．His work went on smoothly without the media. |
| C．His work was carried on hard without the media. |
| D．His life was empty without the radio or newspapers. |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．People should use the media devices reasonably. |
| B．People can easily survive the media devices addict. |
| C．People can spend more time sleeping in the future. |
| D．People spend about half the time using the media devices. |
The text is most probably a .
| A．newspaper ad | B．book review |
| C．news report | D．science fiction story |
London has become a cycle friendly zone after the launch of a new bike hire 
scheme.It has been designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London.
So how does it work？First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key.The key will unlock one of the bikes，which are kept at docking stations in and around central London.You have to pay an access fee for the key and then you pay as you go，for he length of time you use the bike.
Transport for London， which runs the scheme，are hoping to have 6，000 bikes and 400 docking stations in place by the end of the year.The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion in London and is expected to generate up to 40，000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre.London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London had been “filled with thousands of gleaming machines that will transform the look and feel of our streets and become as commonplace on our roads as black cabs and red buses”.
However，there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday.On the first day some people found they couldn’t dock their bike properly and their usage of the bike had not registered.Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few “teething problems”and have said they wouldn’t charge for the first day as a“gesture of goodwill”.Some other people have criticized the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the bicycles.
Despite the comments，the green-thinking London Mayor still seems very positive about things，saying，“My campaign for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken a gigantic pedal-powered push forwards.”A new bike scheme has started in London to.
| A．earn more money for the government |
| B．encourage the citizens to take exercises |
| C．deal with the city’s traffic problems |
| D．increase employment opportunities |
Which is the correct order of a bike hire？
a.pay a usage charge according to the time b.pay for the key
c.cycle in and around central London d.sign up as a member to get a key
| A．b-d-c-a | B．b-c-a-d | C．d-c-b-a | D．d-b-c-a |
According to he passage，the scheme .
| A．is started by volunteers in London |
| B．has prepared cnough cycles available |
| C．is expected to improve the environment |
| D．has become as popular as cabs and buses |
Which of the following is NOT the“teething problems” of the scheme？
| A．People were unable to lock properly. |
| B．People could not dock the bikes properly. |
| C．People had no enthusiasm about the scheme. |
| D．It’s too expensive for some people to hire a bike. |
From the passage we know .
| A．the‘cycling revolution’failed once started |
| B．the scheme will be put off due to the problems |
| C．all the citizens in London are in favor of the scheme |
| D．the London Mayor has great confidence in the scheme |
From a very early age，some children exhibit better 
self-control than others.Now，a new study that began with about 1，000 children in New Zealand has tracked how a child’s low self-control can predict poor health，money troubles and even a criminal record in their adult years.
Researchers have been studying this group of children for decades now.They observed the level of self-control the youngsters displayed.Parents，teachers，even the kids themselves，scored the youngsters on measures like“acting before thinking”and “Persistence in reaching goals.”
The study led by Moffitt of Duke University and colleagues followed 1，000 children from birth to age 32 in Dunedin,New Zealand.
“The children who had the lowest self-control when they were age three to ten，later on had the most health problems in their 30s，” Moffitt said， “and they had the worst financial situation.They were more likely to have a criminal record and to be raising a child as a single parent on a very low income.”Moffitt explained that self-control problems were widely observed，and weren’t just a feature of a small group of misbehaving kids.
Moffitt said it’s still unclear 
why some children have better self-control than others，though she said other researchers have found that it’s mostly a learned behavior,with relatively little genetic influence.But good self-control can be set to run in familles because children with good self-control are more likely to grow up to be healthy and prosperous parents.But the good news，Moffitt said，is that self-control can be taught by parents，and through school curricula that have been shown to be effective.From the first two paragraphs we learn that .
| A．the research has been carried out for five years |
| B．self-control in kids tends to determine their future |
| C．self-control was assessed by children’s intelligence |
| D．children’s self-control is almost the same at early age |
Children with low self-control are more likely to .
| A．become wealthy in later life | B．get good school performance |
| C．have better financial planning | D．adopt negative behaviors |
According to Moffitt，.
| A．only good genetic factors can shape their lives in the future |
| B．scientists know well why some children have better self-control |
| C．self-control in childhood has nothing to do with criminal activity |
| D．willpower as a child really influences people’s chances of adulthood |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Self-control cannot be taught in schools. |
| B．The study is restricted within few participants. |
| C．It’s never too late to deal with self-control problems. |
| D．Good parenting can improve self-control and life success. |
.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage？
| A．Child’s self control predicts future health，success |
| B．Kids are encouraged to take risks at an early age |
| C．Children’s development cannot be changed by teachers |
| D．How to teach the kids a bit of self-control in schools |
This is a story that happened 15 years ago but it has always stayed with me since then.On the way back from work every evening,more often than not there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway.He always waved at every car,he was always happy and smiling and sometimes almost dancing.Every day after work when I got there，I would quickly roll down my window and give him the coins.Occasionally the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day.His answer would always be the same，“I’m blessed！”.
It amazed me that even in his situation of being homeless he was so positive，and his answer would remind me of how blessed I was.A single mother of four amazing kids,with a place to call home and with a job to provide for my kids.Then one day I was called into my boss’s office and was told that I was being laid off due to the economy.Needless to say that on my was home that day I was very sad and upset.I didn’t remember to look for my spare change and keep it ready like I usually did.I wasn’t feeling the joy as I got off the ramp where the homeless man would be.Yet there he was as alway，as l turned the ramp.He set his eyes on me，while still smiling and waving at others.
While I was waiting for the red light to turn，he strolled over to my car.He had a big smile he looked me straight in the eyes and said “today I will give you a dollar”.He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill.I was blown away.I burst into tears.I wanted to jump out of my car and hug him！
You see that day he gave me more than a dollar bill，he taught me a valuable lesson.No matter what material things are taken from you，no one can take away your choice to be joyful.What is the passage mainly concerned？
| A．A dollar bill from a homeless person. |
| B．A blessing coming from a homeless person. |
| C．A woman who lost her job due to the economy. |
| D．A homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway. |
From the lst paragraph，we know the homeless man is .
| A．optimistic | B．brave | C．Iazy | D．kind-hearted |
After leaving the boss’s office，the author .
| A．felt relaxed to get rid of the tiring job |
| B．still felt joyful when coming off the ramp |
| C．took it for granted that she was fit for her job |
| D．didn’t put some change aside to give to the man |
The underlined phrase“blown away”in the 3rd paragraph most probably means
.
| A．completely defeated | B．wholly blown down |
| C．really amazed | D．murdered by gunfire |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．material things are the most important in life |
| B．people should be encouraged to beg by smiling |
| C．the author’s ride home that dog was smooth sailing |
| D．we should wait others’help when faced with challenges |