As a boy, Charles Robert Darwin collected anything that caught his interest: insects, coins and interesting stones. He was not very clever, but Darwin was good at doing the things that interested him.
His father was a doctor, so Darwin was sent to Edinburgh to study medicine, and was planned to follow a medical career. But Charles found the lectures boring. Then his father sent him to Cambridge University to study to be a priest. While at Cambridge, Darwin’s interest in zoology and geography grew. Later he got a letter from Robert FitzRoy who was planning to make a voyage around the world on a ship, the Beagle. He wanted a naturalist to join the ship, and Darwin was recommended(推荐). That voyage was the start of Darwin’s great life.
As the Beagle sailed around the world, Darwin began to wonder how life had developed on earth. He began to observe everything. After he was home, he set to work, getting his collection in order. His first great work The Zoology of the Beagle was well received, but he was slow to make public his ideas on the origin of life.
Later Darwin and Wallace, another naturalist who had the same opinions as Darwin, produced a paper together. Darwin’s great book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (《物种起源》) appeared. It attracted a storm. People thought that Darwin was saying they were descended from monkeys. What a shameful idea! Although most scientists agreed that Darwin was right, the Church was still so strong that Darwin never received any honors for his work.
Afterwards, he published another great work, The Descent of Man. His health grew worse, but he still worked. “When I have to give up observation, I shall die,” he said. He was still working on 17, April, 1882. He was dead two days later.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Charles Darwin’s ideas |
| B．Charles Darwin’s works |
| C．Father of modern biology: Charles Darwin |
| D．The greatest scientist: Charles Darwin |
Darwin’s father sent him to Edinburgh to _____.
| A．make him like natural history |
| B．make him become a doctor |
| C．let him change his hobbies |
| D．have him give up his collection |
According to the passage, Charles Darwin’s whole life was changed by _____.
| A．his study at Cambridge University |
| B．his collection of coins |
| C．the naturalists at Cambridge |
| D．the voyage of the Beagle |
The underlined part “they were descended from monkeys” probably means “_____”.
| A．they gave monkeys life |
| B．they were different from monkeys |
| C．they were developed from monkeys |
| D．they had to live with monkeys |
Which is the right order about Charles Darwin according to the passage?
a. He published another great work, The Descent of Man.
b. His father sent him to Cambridge University to study to be a priest.
c. His first great work The Zoology of the Beagle was well received,
d. He got a letter from Robert FitzRoy who was planning to make a voyage around the world on a ship.
| A．acbd | B．bdca | C．bcda | D．abdc |
Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient custom which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always evil and usually foolish, but in the past the human race managed to live with it. Modern skill has changed this. Either man will stop war, or war will stop man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons that cause the greatest danger, but bacteriological( 细菌的 ) or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in stopping war, there would be no danger for us. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look upon international questions in a new way, not by contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in massacre (大屠杀 ),but by arbitration (仲裁）in accordance with agreed principles of law. It is not easy to change old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted.
There are those who say that the adoption of this or that ideology (意识形态)would prevent war. I believe this to be a complete error. All ideologies are based upon beliefs without proof which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Those people who believe them are willing to go to war in support of them.
The movement of world opinion during the past two years has changed very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common belief that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course, very difficult problems remain in the international world, but the spirit in which they are being approached is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that agreements should be reached even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important conflict (冲突) nowadays is not between East and West, but between Man and the Hbomb.From the first paragraph we can know that ____.
| A．we may face greater threat from weapons |
| B．bacteriological or chemical weapons are less dangerous than nuclear weapons |
| C．man’s idea of victory has changed |
| D．dangerous weapons are forbidden in modern society |
According to the author,______.
| A．it is impossible to live without war |
| B．the difference between East and West will lead to war |
| C．war must be stopped if man wants to survive |
| D．war will be stopped by modern skill |
The author believes that the only way to stop war is to____.
| A．stop nuclear weapons |
| B．settle international issues through agreements |
| C．destroy bacteriological and chemical weapons |
| D．let the stronger side take over the world |
The last paragraph suggests that______.
| A．nuclear war will definitely not take place |
| B．real agreements have been now reached |
| C．world opinion is still divided on nuclear war |
| D．man is beginning to realize that nuclear war is his greatest enemy |
Which of the following words can best describe the author’s feeling in writing this passage?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Doubtful. | C．Worried. | D．Hopeful. |
The storage of classified (分类的) research at all 24 labs run by the US Department of Energy was shut down this week after officials decided that the security (安全) problems recently found at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico might also exist elsewhere.
Several computer disks went missing at Los Alamos earlier this month, forcing Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to stop all work at the lab until the problems are found out. As of 26 July, two missing disks had still not been found, and 15 employees had been suspended in connection with the disappearance.
Now all energy labs will stop doing classified research that involves(需要) removable storage devices --- such as computer disks --- until all the devices are given explanation for and new procedures are in place for monitoring their handling by laboratory employees.
"While we have no evidence that the problems being investigated are present elsewhere, we have a responsibility to take all necessary action to prevent such problems, "Abraham said on 23 July.
The shut-down isn't quite as dramatic（惊人的）as it sounds, experts say. Only two labs will be seriously affected: Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Together with Los Alamos, these two labs conduct the most part of the country's nuclear weapon programmes. At Livermore, 876 employees will be suspended during the storage of some 12,000 items of classified removable material.
At other labs, far fewer people will be affected. "The impact (影响) should be the smallest," says Martha Krebs, former director of the energy department's science office.Why was the storage of classified research at all 24 labs shut down?
| A．Because the security problems might be present elsewhere. |
| B．Because the security problems existed elsewhere. |
| C．Because two missing computer disks had still not be found. |
| D．Because officials decided to stop doing such research. |
How many labs conduct the country's nuclear weapon programmes according to the text?
| A．About 24. | B．Only 2. | C．More than 2. | D．Over 15. |
The underlined word "suspended"in the second paragraph probably means "______”.
| A．hung from above | B．stopped from holding a position | C．doubted | D．fired |
It can be inferred from the text that _____.
| A．the computer disks must have been stolen by terrorists |
| B．the people living in the United States have little security |
| C．the United States is a country whose security is very bad |
| D．the missing of the computer disks caused great fear among Americans |
It’s summer movie time again. And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen. Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audiences.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanRelease Date: June 4Story: It’s the summer before Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A shadow is hanging over Hogwarts. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped the Wizards’ Prison. And he broke out to fulfill one task to kill Harry Potter. |
Around the World in 80 DaysRelease Date: June 16Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout (Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial arts skills to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days to win a bet. |
Spider-Man 2Release Date: June 30Story: Peter Parker is still coming to terms with his dual identity as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane, meanwhile, his Aunt May has fallen on hard times. A new villain①, Dr Otto Octavius, has appeared to cause more troubles. |
King ArthurRelease Date: July 7,Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights② in Britain after the fall of the Roman Empire. Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams. |
Notes:
①villain n. 坏人
②knight n. 骑士，武士According to the passage, if you want to see a film whose leading actor is Jackie Chan, you will see the film on ______.
| A．June 4 | B．June 16 | C．June 30 | D．July 7 |
In Spider-Man 2, Aunt May’s trouble is caused by ______.
| A．Peter Parker | B．Mary Jane | C．Dr Otto Octavius | D．Spider- Man |
Which of the following films is set in ancient Britain?
| A．Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban |
| B．Around the World in 80 Days |
| C．Spider-Man 2 |
| D．King Arthur |
There are good Santas and there are bad Santas. The good Santas all realize one thing: In the mind of a child, Santa Claus is perfect.
That’s difficult. And so they come from around the world to attend the Charles W. Howard School in Midland, Mich. The school offers a three-day, 40-hour course for Santas hoping to be excellent. There’s a real range to what Santas earn, from big bucks for large events to no pay for charities①. One thing for them all is a pure love for children.
A former Macy’s Santa named Charles Howard founded the Michigan school in 1937. “Many people will think if you have a suit and you’re a Santa,” said Tom Valent, the school’s current dean. “It’s more than that.” So with a pet reindeer②, his properly named wife Holly and a workshop full of wonder.
The school teaches everything from breathing techniques for carol singing to the beard maintenance. There are lessons in child psychology, sign language and even media training for talk-show appearances and call-in shows. Santas also need to make sure they know all the names of the reindeer. What’s harder to deal with, however, is children who ask for Christmas gifts like bringing daddy home or making mommy happy again.
After spending time in the classroom, Weir went to the mall to test his training. However, at one point, his hat fell off, and he was unsure how to react. “You’re the real Santa,” Valent said. “Pick that hat up, slip it back on, keep smiling and do your job. You’ve got to stay on top of your game. Even the last one at night, when you’re tired, you’ve got to remember: This one’s forever, so do a good job.”
Notes:
①charity n. 慈善，慈善团体
②reindeer n. 驯鹿According to the passage, good Santas should be the ones that ________.
| A．can offer the children some gifts | B．help adults look after their children |
| C．have ability to make children happy | D．should be perfect in the mind of children |
The underlined words “big bucks” should refer to ________.
| A．lots of money | B．many gifts | C．loves for children | D．gifts from children |
The Michigan school was founded by Charles Howard with the purpose to ________.
| A．train the pet reindeer for the Santas | B．earned money from its students |
| C．train perfect Santas for the world | D．show the world’s concern to the poor |
According to Weir’s performance, we can conclude that ________.
| A．Weir was short of experience | B．Weir was not fit for the job as a Santa |
| C．Weir did very badly in the game | D．Weir was not a good student in school |
Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad has been retired. But he didn’t go quietly. In his final speech, he blamed the Jewish people for the problems between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The Jews have taken land of the Muslims,” he said. “What if part of America was given to the Jews as Israel? Would the Americans let it happen? Of course not.”
His words angered many western governments, but Mahathir doesn’t care. “I like to speak my mind,” the 77-year-old explained. “Sometimes people don’t like it. But that is what leadership is all about.”
Loved by some and disliked by others, his 22 years in power have seen great changes in Malaysia. He has taken it from being one of Asia’s poorest countries to the world’s 18th largest trading nation. It is also a peaceful country with native Malaysians living alongside minority groups. Chinese make up a quarter of the population, while a further 7.4 percent are of Indian origin. Teenage girls wearing Muslim① headscarves happily walk around large stores as ethnic Chinese play mah-jong② in nearby cafes.
But Mahathir has made enemies at home and abroad and some people will be glad he has gone. The US was unhappy when he often blamed it for globalization. Meanwhile, critics say that he has limited the freedom of the Malaysian people in order to stay in control of the country. Despite this, he is a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia as well as those in the Islamic③ world. “He marked out the path to success for developing nations in the region to follow,” said Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra.
Now he just wants to enjoy his retirement and insists that he will not take on a special role in government. “I’m a nobody,” he said. But many Malaysians do not agree with this.
Notes:
①Muslim adj. 穆斯林的
②mah-jong n. 麻将
③Islamic adj. 伊斯兰教的
Choose the best answers according to the above:What does Mahathir probably mean by saying “But that is what leadership is all about.”?
| A．The Jews have taken land of the Muslines by strong power of their leadership. |
| B．America should give part of its land to Israel though its leadership is powerful. |
| C．Leadership has the obligation to speak up what you think is right or wrong. |
| D．As a leader of a country, you have the right to teach those in other countries what to do and how. |
Which is NOT true about the following?
| A．Malaysia was no longer poor after Mahathir came into power. |
| B．Malaysia is a country with natives and other minorities like Jews living alongside peacefully. |
| C．Malaysia developed a lot within Mahathir’s power but freedom of Malaysians was limited. |
| D．Mahathir’s role in the world is both a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia but also a possible enemy of some countries. |
The best title of this passage would be _________.
| A．A Religion Enthusiast | B．Mahathir’s Political Policy |
| C．Mahathir Is Malaysia | D．Hero of the World |