Everyone has those nights-you lie in your bed for hours, tossing and turning, totally unable to fall asleep. You wish you could just turn your brain off as if it were a light. That would make things much easier, wouldn’t it?
Now it looks like you are one step closer to this wild dream of yours-scientists from Oxford University, UK have just discovered the “switch” that tells the brain to go to sleep, reported Forbes.
To understand the study, you first need to know that there are two mechanisms(机能) that regulate sleep. There’s one that we’re already familiar with —our body clock, which works in a 24-hour cycle based on the light changes throughout the day.
The other one is what scientists call the sleep “homeostat(动态平衡系统)”. This mechanism has nothing to do with daylight. Instead, it keeps track of the brain’s waking hours and urges it to rest if it has been awake for a long time. “It is similar to the thermostat(自动调温器) in your home. A thermostat measures temperature and switches on the heating if it’s too cold,” Professor Gero Miesenbock, who led the study, told The Telegraph.
Our bodies use both of the mechanisms to regulate sleep. “The body clock says it’s the right time, and the sleep thermostat has built up pressure during a long waking day,” explained Miesenbock.
There is no way that scientists can trick the body clock. But with the sleep homeostat, there might be something they can do.
The researchers found that the sleep homeostat works by activating a specific group of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. They tested their theory on fruit flies by removing the neurons from the insects’ brains. And as expected, they found that the flies without the homeostat neurons did not keep a regular sleep pattern anymore.
Now that scientists have pinpointed the exact place in the brain— or, the “switch”—that regulates sleep, they can begin investigating how to activate these cells at any given time so that people can be sent to sleep instantly.
More importantly, figuring out how sleep mechanisms work may also help us to one day unravel one of the oldest mysteries of all: why do we need to sleep in the first place?
What is the article mainly about?
| A．A new way to treat sleep disorders. |
| B．The discovery of the sleep “homeostat” |
| C．Advice on what to do when you fail to fall asleep. |
| D．A comparison of the two mechanisms that regulate sleep. |
How does the author explain the function of the sleep homeostat?
| A．Through examples. |
| B．With comparisons. |
| C．Through cause and effect analysis. |
| D．By presenting research findings. |
What can we conclude from the article?
| A．Generally, the sleep homeostat has less effect on people during the day than at night. |
| B．There is little scientists can do to affect the way the sleep homeostat works. |
| C．What makes us go to sleep at night is probably a combination of the two mechanisms. |
| D．The more homeostat neurons there are in one’s brain, the more easily one can fall asleep. |
The underlined word “unravel” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to .
| A．put up with | B．figure out |
| C．keep track of | D．take notice of |
Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to electronic products that are no longer usable. This can include TVs, cell phones and computers and other office electronics, electronic toys and videos machines. Today, the average turnover（更换）rate for a computer in the United States is every two years, according to the environmental group, Greenpeace.
The group's Dai Yun says e-waste is a global problem. "The electronic industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The high speed of growth in this industry means more and more electronic products are being wasted and thrown away. If no one decides to retrieve the old products and process them properly, the electronic waste will sweep over the earth like the huge wave behind me and pollute the Earth seriously."
Greenpeace works out that 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste are produced globally each year. The components（部件）in many electronic products contain harmful chemicals that pollute ground water and the environment.
At present , the U.S. has no federal law for the disposal (处理) of e-waste although a few states have e-waste recycling programs in place, but there is no law. The U.S. exports much of its e-waste to third world countries, such as India and China, where workers took apart computers for valuable parts, hoping to sell them for money. But harmful wastes expert, Dr. Bakul Rao, says that's a dangerous practice. "From now on, the recyclers are not very educated. All they know is they can retrieve copper or gold out of it. So, the easiest way to do that is leach (过滤) it out in an acid or burn it off to retrieve it. So, that's where they don't know how to deal with it, neither do they have any health systems in place. So, their exposure is more."
57. What does the underlined word "retrieve" (paragraph 2) probably mean?
A. look into B. take apart C. get back D. throw away
58. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？
A. The U.S. has strict national laws for dealing with e-waste.
B. Third world countries import e-waste to get valuable parts, which is a safe and easy way to make money.
C. The way uneducated workers deal with old computers does great harm to the environment as well as to their own health.
D. More and more electronic waste is being wasted and thrown away mainly because of
people's bad habits.
59. What is the purpose of writing the passage?
A. To attract more people's attention to e-waste.
B. To call on people not to throw away e-waste anywhere.
C. To tell people what e-waste is and how to deal with it well.
D. To warn people to break away from the electronic industry.
60. The next paragraph probably concerns_______.
A. how to deal with e-waste properly
B. how to protect ourselves from harm by e-waste
C. How to slow down the development in the electronic industry
D. how to make full use of e-waste
There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend(hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing(批评) and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation(模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
53. People who are unhappy _______.
A. always consider things differently from others
B. usually are affected by the results of certain things
C. usually misunderstand what others think or say
D. always discover the unpleasant side of certain things
54. The phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means “_______”.
A. have a good taste with social life B. make others unhappy
C. tend to scold others openly D. enjoy the pleasure of life
55. If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should _______.
A. prevent any communication with them
B. show no respect and politeness to them
C. persuade them to recognize the bad effects
D. quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes
56. In this passage, the writer mainly _______.
A. describes two types of people
B. laughs at the unhappy people
C. suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habits of unhappiness
D. tells people how to be happy in life
After sunset on our last day at the farm I walked out into the desert. In this, the first pleasant moment for a walk after long hot hours, I thought I was the only thing out of doors. Suddenly I stopped. Before me a rattlesnake lay fixed, its head not yet drawn back to strike but only turned a little to watch what I would do. Many snakes will run away at the sight of a man but this rattlesnake felt no necessity to get out of any-body's way. He held his ground in calm watch-fullness waiting for me to show my intentions. My first aim was to take no notice of him; I had never killed an animal if I was not forced to kill. But I remembered that there were children, dogs and horses at the farm as well as men and women with thin clothes on; my duty was to kill the snake. I went back to the farm and returned with a stick. The rattlesnake had not moved; he lay like a wire but more quickly than I could stride he shot into a bush and set up his rattling, warning me by this that I had made an unreasonable attack and attempted to take his life and that if I insisted he would have no choice but to take mine if he could. For a moment I listened to this terrifying sound and then I struck into the bush with my stick and, chop-ping about, dragged him out of the bush with his back broken. w.wHe struck once more at the stick but a moment later his neck was broken and he was soon dead although when I picked him up by the tail his mouth opened, proving that a dead snake may still bite. There was blood in his mouth and poison was dropping; it was not only a dis-gusting(令人作呕的) sight but a pitiful one too. I dropped the body into a green bush and, as I did so, I saw him in my imagination, crawling over the sands as he might have done if I had let him go.
49. At the sight of the author, the rattlesnake .
A. shot into a bush
B. lay motionless but got ready to meet danger
C. drew itself up to strike
D. took no notice of his presence
50. The author had to kill the rattlesnake because .
A. it stood in his way
B. it attempted to take his life
C. it presented a disgusting sight
D. its presence was a danger to the people and animals at the farm
51. Which of the following best describes the rattlesnake?
A. It attacked man without any reason.
B. It would not attack unless it was attacked.
C. It ran away at the sight of man.
D. It exposed itself to danger.
52. It is implied at the end of the passage that the author____.
A. regretted having killed the snake
B. was glad that he had killed the snake
C. felt a little sorry for the snake
D. could not help thinking about the dead snake
European Work Experience Programme
European Work Experience Programme (E.W.E.P.) is an independent British organization which began in 1991 in the city of London. E.W.E.P. provides the opportunity for students from the 25 countries of the European Union and nationals（公民）from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to live in England, to gain work experience, to practise their English and to get a better insight into the British social and cultural life.
To apply you must fulfil（符合）the following requirements:
Preferred age: 18 to 28 years’ old
Be able to work in the UK for a period of at least two months.
Must have a good knowledge of English.
Due to work permit restrictions（限制）, European Work Experience Programme Ltd (E.W.E.P) will only select you if you are a European Union Member or national from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
European Work Experience Programme Ltd will find you a suitable job and an accommodation. A representative of E.W.E.P. will be available during your stay to help you and you will get a 24 hours help line service during your stay. The TOTAL fee（费用）for our services is £ 264.63 (394.35 Euros).
Should you require any further information, please contact us:
European Work Experience Programme Ltd
Unit 1, Red Lion Court, Alexandra Road
Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1JS
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 208 572 2993
Fax: 44 208 572 1114
E-mail: sales@ewep.com
45. What’s the purpose of writing the text?
A. To introduce a new programme in England
B. To attract more students to work in England
C. To describe the working conditions in England
D. To make clear the requirements for students working in England
46. Which of the followings is not the purpose of the progamme？
A. to get a lot of work experience
B. to improve their English rapidly
C. to have better understanding of the British culture
D. to make more money in Britain
47. You can get in touch with E. W. E. P. Ltd by the following ways EXCEPT by_____.
A. making a telephone callB. sending the organization a fax
C. writing an e-mail to the organizationD. going there in person by air
48. Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the text?
A. European Work Experience Programme was set up about twenty years ago.
B. You’ll work in the UK for at least two months if you attend the programme.
C. You can get a 24 hours help from a representative during your stay.
D. You don’t have to hand in 394.35 Euros after you have got a job in Britain.
第二部分：阅读理解（第一节20小题，第二节5小题；每小题2分，满分50分）
第一节：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。
Every afternoon hundreds of thousands of youth fill Internet cafes, switch on a game console (游戏机), or otherwise sit down to enter fantasy worlds. I’m talking about video games. These games can be fun and exciting, but we need to look out when this pastime becomes an addiction.
Games are often quite exciting and dramatic, but they generally aren’t very intellectual. We don’t learn as much from them as we would only reading a book. Spending too much time playing them can take away our study time. We need to remember that we are students first. Nothing should ever get in the way of proper studying.
Video games can also be a bad effect on younger children who may be watching. Many video games are violent and the object in most of them is to kill the other player(s). This does not send the right message to the children who need to be told that violence is not acceptable and need to be taught how to deal with situations maturely. Even if we do need to sit down and play a violent video game, we need to make sure that it does not affect the younger people around us.
Playing a computer game in our spare time is not a bad thing. Games can be a great way to relax after studying, to connect to our friends, or just to help our creativity. However, games should not become the focus of our life. We need to make sure that playing games never interferes with our studies and that we aren’t thinking about them all day. If we ever find ourselves playing them too much, we need to break the addiction. If that happens, we need to step away from the computer or television screen and learn to spend our time more productively.
41. The writer mainly tells the readers __________.
to play computer games every afternoon
not to play computer games too much
not to affect other people while playing games
to spend more time studying
42. The writer thinks about computer games all of the following except _________.
A. exciting B. dramatic C. intellectual D. violent
43. Computer games may have bad effect on younger children because __________.
these children often stay in Internet cafes all day long
children often forget to do their lessons
computer games are often violent
children don’t have enough money to play computer games
44. The writer advises computer game players ________.
not to affect younger people around
not to play violent games
never to enter Internet cafes
to teach younger children how to play computer games