Just as the world’s most respected scientific bodies have confirmed that the world is getting hotter, they have also stated that there is strong evidence that humans are driving the warming. Countless recent reports from the world’s leading scientific bodies have said the same thing. For example, a 2010 summary of climate science by the Royal Society stated that: “There is strong evidence that the warming of the Earth over the last half-century has been caused largely by human activity.”
The idea that humans could change the planet’s climate may be counter-intuitive, but the basic science is well understood. Each year, human activity causes billions of tons of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere. As scientists have known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible blanket.
Of course, the planet’s climate has always been changing thanks to “natural” factors such as changes in solar or volcanic activity, or cycles relating the Earth’s going around the sun. According to the scientific literature, however, the warming recorded to date matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere – not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming observed so far, that would beg a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it in The Rough Guide to Climate Change, “If some newly discovered factor can account for the climate change, then why aren’t carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?”
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two identical Earths – one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn’t possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an absolute certainty. In most scientists’ opinion, the global warming is mainly caused by ________.
| A．human activity |
| B．volcanic activity |
| C．the Earth’s going around the sun |
| D．solar activity |
The text is developed by ________.
| A．giving typical examples |
| B．following the order of space |
| C．comparing and finding differences |
| D．analyzing a theory and arguing it |
The underline word “identical” means ________.
| A．totally different |
| B．exactly the same |
| C．extremely important |
| D．relatively independent |
Which of the following can be the best title?
| A．Are All the Scientists Really Scientific? |
| B．Where Is Global Warming Leading Us to? |
| C．Are Humans Definitely Causing Global Warming? |
| D．What’s Relation of Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases? |
By choosing to let go of the past, we sweep out all the ashes that weigh us down and affect every aspect of our health, and our peace of mind.
My friend Jean was divorced after a thirty-year marriage that produced three daughters, one son and eight grandchildren. Because she actually raised them single-handedly, Jean was hurt and angry that the children didn't take her part after the divorce. For months she refused to attend any family celebration to which her former husband Jim was invited. When I reasoned that her children’s understanding of the relationship with and between the parents was probably altogether different from hers, she stuck to the belief that she was right.
One day Jean called in tears. “Saturday is my granddaughter
's birthday, and I want to be with her, but I can’t bring myself to face my former husband.” “Jim isn't the problem,” I said gently, “it's false pride. Instead of holding on to the painful past, which is over and done, let the feelings go and get on with your life. You're depriving yourself of the joy of sharing in these important occasions, while Jim feels free to experience them. Tell me, would you rather be right, or be happy?”
That must have done the trick because when Saturday arrived, Jean appeared at her daughter's home carrying her famous chocolate-chip cookies and a beautiful birthday
cake.
How great it feels to let go! And the more we practice the art of letting go of all negativity, the better able we become to devote our thoughts, our time, and our energy to living joyfully in the present, what ever age we happen to be. It can be inferred that ____.
| A．Jim did very little to bring up the children during their marriage. |
| B．The writer thought Jean and Jim shouldn't have divorced. |
| C．The children were on their father's side and didn't invite Jean to any family celebration. |
| D．Jean had been too tough on Jim before they divorced. |
The underlined phrase “depriving yourself of” is closest in meaning to ____ .
| A．persuading yourself to get | B．taking away from yourself |
| C．taking false pride of yourself | D．talking yourself into showing |
In the writer's opinion, ____.
| A．Jean and Jim should be remarried |
| B．a broken family could live together in peace |
| C．to be happy is more meaningful than to be right |
| D．everyone should look into the future |
For computer users, there is no bigger excitement than tossing out your old PC and upgrading to a newer, faster and cleaner machine. With hardware designers like Intel, pushing newer, faster products every year, and new software requiring even more powerful machines, companies and consumers have little choice but to go along.
But this rapid turnover is having a serious effect on the planet. Producing a personal computer consumes large quantities of natural resources. A recent study by the United Nations estimates the energy required to produce a single new computer is equivalent to nearly two barrels of oil. And that doesn't include the 22 kg of chemicals or the 1,500 kg of water used in the manufacturing process.
In fact, pound for poun
d（均等地）, the 
process for making a car is about 500% more efficient than that for making a computer. That doesn't matter so much 20 years ago when personal computers were few and far between, but times have changed. These days, computers are found nearly everywhere and sales continue to grow. The number of PCs in use topped one billion in 2002.
Waste in production is only half the problem. Old computers, especially the monitors, are full of dangerous substances, which need to be carefully recycled. The problem is sure to expand over the coming years as users replace their boxy CRT monitors with LCD flat displays.
Europe now requires that 70% of parts from old computers be recycled, but the study’s authors say that’s also part of the problem. The solution, they insist, is for governments and companies to encourage people to use their computers longer, and upgrade rather than replace. But considering that much of the world’s recent economic growth has come from spending on computers and information technology, that advice may sound like wishful thinking.What do computer users have to do every few years according to the passage?
A. Push newer, faster products.
B. Produce more powerful machines.
C
. Consume large quantities of natural resources.
D. Upgrade to a newer, faster computer.What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 3 refer to?
| A．The pound. | B．The process. |
| C．The car. | D．The computer. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that ____.
| A．governments and companies will surely encourage people to use their computers longer |
| B．governments and companies will probably encourage people to replace their personal computers |
| C．the world's economic has been growing without people's spending on computers and information technology |
| D．all parts from old computers are now recycled in Europe |
The purpose of writing this passage is ____
| A．to encourage companies to push newer, faster personal computers |
| B．to encourage people to design more new software |
| C．to encourage people to save their personal computers |
| D．to encourage people to spend more money on computers and information technology |
Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: 15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: 12 When: May 8, May 15, May 22
Equipment to be needed:
Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
Wear good walking shoes--no high heels.
Wear a hat for day walks. 
Dress warmly for night walks.
Children must be with an adult. Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks. Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings: Bookings for the above trips can be made by telephone (893-4847) or on the Internet at www. blue-mountaintour.com. Where are these trips?
| A．In a large valley. | B．In a park in the mountains. |
| C．In a special kind of zoo. | D．In three different countries. |
On which trip might you see animals that sleep during the day?
| A．Black Bear Count. | B．Garland Valley. |
| C．Flashlight Adventure. | D．None of the trips. |
Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?
| A．Good walking shoes. | B．Plenty of batteries. |
| C．Food and water. | D．A sleeping bag. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A. Adventure travel in America.
B. Hunting around the Great Mountains.
C. Interesting trips in the East of the USA.
D. Discovery trips in the Blue Mountains.
How would you like an easy way to earn $2,500? All you have to do is to sit around and wait for your meals. There's a catch however. You have to stay in a chicken cage with a stranger for a whole week. There are no books or television or radio for amusement. You can't leave until the week is up. And a camera will be recording your every move.
Two people actually took the job. The idea came from Rob Thompson, a video artist. He wanted to make a film about the way animals are treated. His goal was to raise people's awareness of the living conditions of animals that are raised for food.
He decided to pay $5,000 out of his own savings to two people who were willing to live like chickens for a week.
To Rob’s surprise, quite a few people answered his advertisement. He had interviewed and selected Eric, a 24-year-old restaurant worker, and Para, a 24-year-old chemist. The plan was for t
hem to spend seven days together in a chicken cage that was six feet long and three feet wide. A camera would record their experiences, which would take place in an art museum.
The week was long and difficult. They slept on a hard wooden floor. They couldn't stand up without hanging their heads. They ate vegetables and drank water from a garden hosepipe. Their only privacy was a toilet surrounded by a curtain. There were no sinks, mirrors, or toothbrushes in the cage. Their only inspiration was the two framed checks that hung on the wall outside the cage. Visitors who came here were warned, “Do not feed the humans.”
Finally it was over, and Para and Eric appeared from their cage. They had survived the week, and they each had a $2,500 check in their hands. When Rob Thompson opened the cage, Eric came out, changed into clean clothes, and ate a chocolate bar right away. “It's great to be able to stand up,” he said. Para just changed her clothes and left. After a week of visitors and reporters watching her, she
didn't want to talk to anyone. What kind of person is Rob Thompson?
| A．He is curious about people's personal life. |
| B．He is kind-hearted to animals. |
| C．He hates people around. |
| D．He likes to help poor people. |
The underlined word “catch” probably means _____.
| A．unsolved problem | B．surprising wonder |
| C．unbelievable fact | D．hidden difficulty |
Rob offered the money because he wanted _____ .
| A．to see if there were any people who would like to live in a cage |
| B．to show the public how terrible animals' life could be |
| C．to make more money by publishing the recorded videotapes |
| D．to improve housing conditions of working people like Eric |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Easy Way to Earn $ 2,500. | B．Do Not Feed the Humans. |
C．Living Like a Chicken. |
D．Getting Along Well Anyway. |
WE NEED OFFICE CLEANERS!
Three people are required to work as cleaners in the CBD area. Working hours from 5:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. About five hours per shift (轮班). A good record is necessary. Experience preferred. Phone 6345-7843 now.
INTERESTED IN CHILDCARE?
Qualified person or preschool teacher needed for busy childcare centre, south of the river. Full-time work guaranteed. Immediate start necessary. The candidate must be able to work as a cooperative team member. Phone 6345-2345 for an interview and fax resume to 6345-2345.
WANT TO WORK AS A DENTAL NURSE?
This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified dental nurse with a confident and cheerful personality to work in the School Dental Health Schemas. You must be able to get along well with children because the work involves talking to groups about dental health practices. For further information, visit our website: schooldentalservices@gov.sg. And fax your resume to 6234-4567.
FLORIST WANTED!
Are you a creative and trained florist(花匠) with at least two years of experience? Then this may be just what you are seeking. The city’s leading Florist Artist Studio needs another part-time member on their wedding team. Please phone 6098-7888 now!You may most probably find the above advertisements ________.
| A．in a store window | B．in a school magazine |
| C．in a newspaper | D．on a company notice-board |
The position of a(n)_______is a part-time job.
| A．florist | B．artist | C．preschool teacher | D．dental nurse |
Which of the following is the most important for the childcare job?
| A．Cooking skills |
| B．Childcare experience |
| C．The ability to start work in two weeks. |
| D．The ability to work well with other members. |
The office cleaners will be required to work about ______hours a week.
| A．5 | B．10 | C．15 | D．20 |