Phantom vibrations-the phenomenon where you think your phone is vibrating but it's not-have been around since the mobile age. Today, they’re so common that researchers have devoted studies to them．
For Valerie Kusler, who works on a cattle farm, the feeling is complicated by the cows“The cows’moo is very muffled, it kinda sounds like…errrr,”she says.“So that's very similar to what my phone sounds like when it vibrates on my desk or in my purse.”
Other people may not confuse cows for their phones, but research shows phantom vibration symptom is a near-universal experience for people with smartphones.
Nearly 90 percent of college undergraduates in a 2012 study said they felt phantom vibrations. The number was just as high for a survey of hospital workers, who reported feeling phantom vibrations on either a weekly or monthly basis．
“Something in your brain is being triggered（触发）that's different than what was triggered just a few short years ago,” says Dr Larry Rosen, a research psychologist who studies how technology affects our minds.
“If you'd asked me 10 years ago, or maybe even five years ago if I- felt an itch beneath where my pocket of my jeans was, and asked me what I would do, I'd reach down and scratch it because it was probably a little itch caused by the neurons firing（神经元刺激），”he says. Now, of course, the itch triggers him to reach for his phone. Rosen says it's an example of how our devices are changing how our brains process information．
“we’re seeing a lot of what looks like obsessive behavior. People who are constantly picking up their phone look like they have an obsession. They don't look much different from someone who's constantly washing their hands. I’m not saying that it is an obsession, but I’m saying that it could turn into one, very easily," Rosen says.
While 9 out of 10 participants in the study of college students said the vibration feeling bothered them only a little or not at all, Rosen still recommends backing away from our phones every once in a while to keep our anxiety levels down.
“One of the things I’m really adamant about in spite of being very pro-technology, is just away from the technology for short periods," Rosen says．"And by short periods. I mean; maybe just 30 minutes or an hour.”According to the article, phantom vibrations_____．
| A．are mainly caused by neurons firing |
| B．affect people mostly working on farms |
| C．help our brains better process information |
| D．started troubling people in recent years |
The underlined word "adamant" in the last paragraph probably means_____.
| A．curious | B．determined | C．satisfied | D．cautious |
It can be concluded from Larry Rosen's research that_____.
| A．phantom vibrations could probably result in obsessive behavior |
| B．the use of smart phones has completely changed the way our minds work |
| C．most people feel uncomfortable when they experience phantom vibrations |
| D．hospital workers are more likely to suffer from phantom vibrations than students |
According to Larry Rosen, the most effective measure against phantom vibrations is to_____．
| A．move to a quieter neighborhood |
| B．stop using smartphones in poor condition |
| C．take a break from using smartphones occasionally |
| D．keep a close watch on your anxiety levels |
During recent years, floods and flash floods have caused billions of dollars in damage each year. They are among the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Even more importantly, they’re No.1 weather-related killer. A flood can happen anywhere along the Mississippi, in New England, even in the desert.
The following are some fascinating facts about floods and flash floods.
A flood（commonly called river flood）is high flow of water from a river or similar body of water, happening over a period of time too long to be considered a flash flood. Flooding is caused in many ways. Winter or spring rains, together with melting snows, can fill rivers too quickly. Heavy rains from hurricanes or other tropical（热带的）systems can also produce river flooding. The Mississippi River Flood of 1993 was caused by repeated heavy rain from thunderstorms over a period of weeks.
Flash floods are quickly-rising floods which are usually the result of heavy rains over a short period of time, often only several hours or even less. They can also be caused by ice jams（冰塞）on rivers related to a winter or spring melting, or occasionally even a dam break. The constant influx（汇集） of water finally caused a great overflow to begin, powerful enough to sweep vehicles away, roll big stones into roadways, uproot trees, level（夷平） buildings, and knock bridges down. The speed of the rising of water is the most frightening.
Do remember: Move to higher ground and stay away from low areas during heavy rain. Stay out of flooded areas. Never allow children especially to play or walk in flowing water. Never drive your car into water of unknown depths.
43. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The power of floodsB. The damage of floods
C. The occurrence of floods D. The facts about floods
44. The last paragraph is mainly about ______ .
A. flood safety tips B. the reasons for floods
C. the waste water systems D. the swift flood waters
45. According to the passage, people are afraid of _____ most during flash floods.
A. the constant influx of water
B. the sudden occurrence of flash floods
C. the quick rising water
D. the great damage of flash floods
46. According to the passage, flash floods are ______.
A. great floods resulted from heavy rains in a short time
B. floods rising quickly from heavy rains in a short time
C. quickly-rising floods in a long time
D. floods happening over a long time
The winter holidays are a special time at the White House. Each year, about 44,000 people come to see the holiday decorations or to attend holiday parties at the President’s home in Washington, D.C.
I was able to attend a press preview of the holiday decorations recently, which was hosted by First Lady Laura Bush. This year’s theme for the decorations is “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” The decorations are all made of fresh flowers, garlands(花环), and fruits. The flowers will have to be changed every few days to keep the look fresh.
The main Christmas tree is in the Blue Room. It’s an 18-foot fir tree—tall enough that the chan-delier(吊灯) had to be removed to make room for it. Fresh white lilies(百合), crystal garlands, and white lights decorate the White House Christmas tree. The room smells of pine and lilies.
Mrs. Bush was asked whether she called the tree a holiday tree or a Christmas tree. “We know that Americans celebrate the season in a lot of different ways,” she said. “We’ll have a party and a reception here at the White House later during the month. But I think we’ve always called this the White House Christmas tree.”
Another centerpiece of the decorations each year is the gingerbread house(姜饼屋), made by chief Thaddeus Dubois.“This is his second gingerbread house,” Mrs. Bush said. “And this year Dubois painstakingly(辛苦地，辛勤地) made it special.” The gingerbread house was made with 100 pounds of gingerbread, 150 pounds of white and dark chocolate, and clear, poured sugar windows. A strand of white lights inside the Gingerbread White House made it glow.
40. Mrs. Bush chose “All Things Bright and Beautiful”as the theme for the decorations to ______. .
A. highlight nature’s beauty B. show the great wealth of the family
C. express her love of the country D. differ from other people’s ideas
41. Which of the following can probably be used to describe the White House after the decorations?
A. New and clean. B. Elegant(高贵的) and beautiful.
C. Smelly and shaky. D. Luxurious(豪华的) and serious.
42. The passage is mainly about ______. .
A. how Americans observe Christmas
B. decorating the White House for holidays
C. the differences between a holiday tree and a Christmas tree
D. how to select a present for the White House
第二部分：阅读理解
Shanghai—Shanghai officials are welcoming a new national-water law that they say will help them protect the upper reaches of the Huangpu River and other water ways in Shanghai.
The new law, which came into effect yesterday, updates a law enacted（颁布） in 1988 that focused on supplying water to needy areas, but didn’t pay a great deal of attention to environmental protection.
The previous law, for example, gave local authorities power over waterways in these areas, but didn’t pay attention to the sources of those rivers and lakes. So, Shanghai was responsible for cleaning and protecting the lower reaches of the Chang Jiang River but had no say in how the river’s upper reaches, which feed into Shanghai, are maintained.
The new law will make it easier to control the amount of waste that ends up in local rivers and reduce inefficient use of waterways, said Zhang Jia-yi, director of the Shanghai Water Affairs Bureau, on the bureau’s website commenting on law yesterday.
Zhang said the new law focuses on the efficient use of water sources and emphasizes the harmonious development of China’s population, its economy and environment.
Zhang also emphasizes the city will crack down on companies and individuals that pollute the city’s water sources. The bureau sets up a special force to investigate(调查) water pollution in March.
So far this year, the bureau has published more than 3 million in fines on various polluters, Zhang said.
36. The best title for the news report should be ______.
A. A new Law Is Born
B. A New Water Law to Protect Rivers
C. Is it Necessary to Protect the Rivers
D. Make Full Use of Water Sources
37. The underlined phrase “crack down on” means _____.
A. bring up carefullyB. speak highly of
C. deal with seriously D. destroy completely
38. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The law in 1988 is suitable for the new requirements.
B. The new law will stop waste being poured into the Chang Jiang River.
C. A lot of polluting units have been fined this year.
D. The new law and the old one are the same in protecting the environment.
39. We can infer from the passage that _____ .
A. the problem of protecting the water sources wasn’t paid much attention to
B. no laws were carried out to manage the water sources in Shanghai.
C. the new law mainly emphasizes how to make use of the water sources.
D. companies or individuals that polluted the water sources didn’t get fined.
第二部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
In today’s world, almost everyone knows that air pollution and water pollution are harmful to people’s health. However, not all the persons know that noise is also a kind of pollution, and that is harmful to human health, too.
People who work and live under noisy conditions usually become deaf. Today, however, scientists believe that 10 percent of workers in Britain are being deafened by the noise where they work. Many of the workers who print newspapers and books, and who weave（织） cloth become deaf. Quite a few people living near airports also become deaf. Recently it was discovered that many teenagers in America could hear no better than 65-year-old persons, for these young people like to listen to pop music and most of pop music is a kind of noise. Besides, noise produced by jet planes or machines will make people’s life difficult and unpleasant, or even make people ill or even drive them mad.
It is said that a continuous noise of over 85 decibels（分贝） can cause deafness. Now the governments in many countries have made laws to control noise and make it less than 85 decibels.
In China, the government is trying to solve not only air and water pollution problems but also noise pollution problems.
36. The passage is mainly about ______ .
A. air pollution B. water pollution C. noise pollutionD. world pollution
37. According to the passage, a continuous noise of _______decibels can make people deaf.
A. less than 85 B. less than 65 C. about 65 D. more than 85
38. 10 percent of the workers in Britain are being deafened because _______ .
A. they are working in noisy places
B. they often listen to pop music
C. they live near airports
D. they are too busy to listen to others’talk
39. The government of China is trying to reduce ______.
A. only the air pollution
B. only the air and water pollution
C. only the water pollution
D. the air, water and noise pollution
A San Francisco self-service laundry（自助洗衣店） may be one of the world’s most unusual places to surf the Internet but a fashionable club on Moscow’s Red Square is definitely the most fashionable, according to a Yahoo survey of the globe’s best cybercafés(网吧).
The winners of the first Yahoo Mail Internet Café Awards were published on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary(纪念日) of the world’s first cybercafé in London’s West End.
Among the top picks were the unusual Brain Wash in San Francisco, named as “the height of Internet café with self-service laundry” and Moscow’s Phlegmatic Dog, selected as Most Stylish with its “unique combination of comfort and hi-tech”. Taking the Best UK Internet Café award was Café Curve in Brighton, southern England—“a must for anyone who likes style, comfort, typing and keeping in touch”. And the title of the world’s Most Remote Internet Café went to an internationally funded centre in Timbuktu, Mali.
The winners were chosen by a team of judges who considered travelers’ more than 1,000 nominations(提名) of cybercafés in 111 countries. The results have been collected in a Rough Guides e-book.
In the decade since London’s Café Cyberia first opened its doors in 1994, approximately 20,000 Internet cafés have sprung up in 171 countries, according to Yahoo Mail.
“Despite the fact that home and work Internet access is now commonplace, Internet cafés fulfill the same role as they did 10 years ago,” Eva Pascoe, a co-founder of Café Cyberia, said in a statement. “They are the post offices of the wired generation.”
48. The purpose of Yahoo Mail Internet Café Awards is ______ .
A. to honor the 10th anniversary of Yahoo
B. to celebrate the rapid development of Internet cafés
C. to mark the 10th anniversary of London’s Café Cyberia
D. to promote the most fashionable club
49. Which is NOT the correct match of the following cybercafés?
A. Café Curve in Brighton—the Best UK Internet Café award
B. The internationally funded centre in Timbuktu — the world’s Most Remote Internet Café
C. Moscow’s Phlegmatic Dog—the most fashionable
D. Brain Wash in San Francisco—combination of comfort and hi-tech
50. What does the last sentence “They are the post offices of the wired generation.” imply?
A. Internet surfers communicate with each other on Internet rather than by posting letters.
B. Internet cafes start the same service as post offices.
C. Post offices and Internet cafes are of the same importance to surfers.
D. Post offices turn to be Internet cafes in e-mail times.