Even plant can run a fever, especially when they’re under attack by insects or disease. But unlike human, plants can have their temperature taken from 3, 000 feet away straight up. A decade ago, adopting the infrared （红外线）scanning technology developed for military purposes and other satellites, physicist Stephen Paley came up with a quick way to take the temperature of crops to determine which ones are under stress. The goal was to let farmers precisely （明确地，确切地）target pesticide （杀虫剂）spraying rather than rain poison on a whole field, which invariably includes plants that don’t have pest （害虫）problems.
Even better, Paley’s Remote Scanning Services Company could detect crop problems before they became visible to the eye. Mounted on a plane flown at 3, 000 feet at night, an infrared scanner measured the heat emitted （排放，散发，发出）by crops. The data were transformed into a color-coded map showing where plants were running“fevers”. Farmers could then spot-spray（现场喷洒）, using 50 to 70 percent less pesticide than they otherwise would.
The bad news is that Paley’s company closed down in 1984, after only three years. Farmers resisted the new technology and long - term backers were hard to find. But with the renewed concern about pesticides on produce, and refinements（改良，改进） in infrared scanning, Paley hopes to get back into operation. Agriculture experts have no doubt the technology works. “This technique can be used on 75 percent of agricultural land in the United States, ” says George Oerther of Texas A & M. Ray Jackson , who recently retired from the Department of Agriculture, thinks remote infrared crop scanning could be adopted by the end of the decade. But only if Paley finds the financial backing which he failed to obtain 10 years ago.Plants will emit an increased amount of heat when they are______________.
| A．sprayed with pesticides |
| B．facing an infrared scanner |
| C．in poor physical condition |
| D．exposed to excessive sun rays |
In order to apply pesticide spraying precisely, we can use infrared scanning to____________.
| A．estimate the damage to the crops |
| B．measure the size of the affected area |
| C．draw a color-coded map |
| D．locate the problem area |
Farmers can save a considerable amount of pesticide by______________.
| A．resorting to spot-spraying |
| B．consulting infrared scanning experts |
| C．transforming poisoned rain |
| D．detecting crop problems at an early stage |
The application of infrared scanning technology to agriculture met with some difficulties------ .
| A．the lack of official support |
| B．its high cost |
| C．the lack of financial support |
| D．its failure to help increase production |
Infrared scanning technology may be brought back into operation because of_____________.
| A．the desire of farmers to improve the quality of their produce |
| B．growing concern about the excessive use of pesticides on crops |
| C．the forceful promotion by the Department of Agriculture |
| D．full support from agricultural experts |
阅读短文，选出最佳答案。
Nick Petrels is a doctor in Montreal. He works 60 hours a week. He takes care of 159 patients a week in the hospital and at his office. He’s been a doctor for ten years.
Dr. Petrels gives his patients good medical advice. But he doesn’t just tell his patients what to do. He also sings to them on television! Dr. Petrels has his own TV show. The show is in Italian, English and French. The doctor starts the show with a song and then gives medical advice. He explains a medical problem or disease in simple language. After that, he sings another song.
Dr. Petrels produces and performs in his own show every week. The program is very popular with his patients and with people who enjoy his singing. His dream is to perform(表演) in Las Vegas. His favorite songs are love songs, and he has a compact disk of love songs that he wrote. Dr. Petrels says, 
“I always loved to sing. All my problems are gone when I sing.” But when Dr. Petrels was young, his father didn’t want him to be a singer, so he went to medical school.
Some people tell Dr. Petrels he can help people more as a doctor. But Dr. Petrels says he helps people when he sings, too. “I like to make people smile. Sometimes it’s difficult to make a sick person smile. Medicine and entertainment(娱乐) both try to do the same thing. They try to make people feel good.”
1. Dr. Petrels works 60 hours a week, because he _______.
A. gives his patients medical advice B. takes care of 159 patients a week
C. sings on television D. has his own TV show
2. Dr. Petrels _______, so he is called a singing doctor.
A. has been a doctor for ten years B. always loved to sing
C. is popular with his patients D. also sings to his patients on TV
3. In his TV show, Dr. Petrel _______.
A. sings and gives medical advice B. sings about different diseases
C. starts to explain diseases with a song D. sings love songs he wrote
4. Dr. Petrels’ show is popular _______.
A. in Las Vegas. B. at medical school
C. with people who like his singing D. with patients in Montreal
5. Dr. Petrels says he likes to _______.
A. help people sing B. make people feel better
C. do the same thing D. make difficult people smile
阅读短文，选出最佳答案。
I Don’t Think I Wrote Wrong
Lao Yang was born in a small town. He liked reading when he studied at school. He thought the writers were respected(尊敬) and could get a lot of money. He wrote a lot of stories and posted them to the editorial departments (编辑部) but didn’t receive any answers.
Now he works in a factory. He’s busy at work. When he’s free, he always reads something. He always remembers he hoped to be a writer when he was young. One day, Xiao Ping, his ten-year-old daughter, came back. She looked worried and didn’t eat anything. She said Miss GAO, her Chinese teacher, told them to write a solicit article(征文) “My Father” that evening. But she did not kn
ow what to write.
“That’s easy,” said Lao Yang. “Let me help you.”
Then he sat down to write the solicit article at once. He easily finished it on time. He was sure Miss GAO would like it. But one afternoon he asked his daughter if the article had been chosen to post to the editorial department.
“My teacher said your article digressed from the subject(离题),” said the girl.
“I don’t think so,” Lao Yang shouted angrily. “I described(描写) just my father!”
1. Lao Yang wrote a lot of stories because _______.
A. he likes reading B. he learned much at school
C. he wanted to be a writer D. he wanted to help others
2. Lao Yang posted the stories to the editorial departments, _______.
A. and he got a lot of money B. and he became a famous man
C. and he was respected D. but he failed
3. As _______, Lao Yang decided to help his daughter.
A. he was a writer B. he was free
C. he wanted to realize his ideal D. he wanted to make his daughter happy
4. Lao Yang hoped _______.
A. his article could surprise the teacher B. his article could be chosen
C. the children could like his article D. everyone could soon know him
60. Lao Yang’s solicit article digressed from the subject _______.
A. because he couldn’t write it at all B. because he didn’t know his father well
C. because it was too bad to be chosen D. just because he described his father
A new study has found no evidence that sunscreen, commonly used to reduce the risk of skin cancer, actually increase the risk.
Researchers from the University of Iowa based their findings on a review of 18 earlier studies that looked at the association between sunscreen use and melanoma (黑素瘤). They said that they found flaws in studies that had reported associations between sunscreen use and higher risk of melanoma
Most health experts believe that by protecting the skin from the harmful effects of the sun, sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer, which is increasing in incidence (发生率) faster than any other cancer in the United States.
But questions has been raised about sunscreen and whether it may has opposite effect, perhaps by allowing people to remain exposed to the sun longer without burning.
The researchers said that among the problems with some earlier studies is that they often failed to take into account that those people most at risk for skin cancer--- people with fair skin and freckles (雀斑), for example--- are more likely to use sunscreen. As a result, it may appear that sunscreen users get cancer more often.
The studies, which generally relied on volunteers to recall their sunscreen use, were also unable to prove how well the products had been applied, said the new study.72. The underlined word “flaws” in the 2nd paragraph most probably means ______.
| A．evidence | B．facts | C．faults | D．failures |
73. People with fair skin and freckles .
| A．seldom use sunscreen | B．are more in danger of skin cancer |
| C．can be free from the harm of the sun | D．often expose themselves to the sun |
74. We can learn from the passage that ______.
| A．sunscreen users get skin cancer more often |
| B．the volunteers have proved the effect of sunscreen |
| C．the new study was based on the experiences of volunteers |
| D．the number of skin cancer patients is increasing in America |
75. Which of the following can be the title for this passage?
| A．Sunscreen to Prevent Skin Cancer | B．Sunscreen to Increase Skin Cancer |
| C．Skin Cancer Caused by Sunscreen | D．Skin Cancer Caused by Freckles |
The global energy crisis is approaching. What can we do? Here are some steps you can take.
Cooling puts the greatest stress on your summer energy bill and the power grid(电网). Just as t tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. Clean or replaces filters monthly or as needed.
For central air conditioning systems and room air conditioners, look for the ENERGY STAR, the federal government’s symbol for energy efficiency. For central air, purchase the system with the highest possible Seasonal Energy Efficiency Raton. (SEER)
Use energy-efficient ceiling fans either alone or with air conditioning. Ceiling fans do a great job of circulating air. When used with air conditioning, fans allow you to raise the thermostat(恒温器) and cut costs. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so before you leave; turn off the ceiling fan.
Let a programmable thermostat! “remember for you” to automatically adjust the indoor climate with your daily and weekend patterns to reduce cooling bills by up to 10 percent. You can come home to a comfortable house without wasting energy and cresting pollution all day while you are at work.
Try to make your home airtight enough to increase your comfort, make your home quieter and cleaner and reduce your cooling costs up to 20 percent.
Gut your air conditioning load, and reduce pollution by planting planting leafy trees around your home and fixing reflective bricks on your roof.
Close blinds or shades on south-and west-facing windows during the day, or fix shading equipment to avoid heat build-up.
Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers. And use fluorescent bulbs(荧光灯), which provide bright, warm light while using at least two-thirds less energy, producing 70 percent less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs(白炽灯).
Drive the car that gets better gas mileage whenever possible if you own more than one vehicle. If you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching 10 percent of your trips from a car that gets 20 mils per gallon to one that gets 30 mpg will save you more than ￡65 per year.
Carpool. The average U.S. commuter(乘车上班族) could save about ￡260 a year by sharing cars twice a week with two people in a car that gets 20.1 mpg---assuming the three passengers share the cost of gas.According to the passage, the thermostat is used to ______.
| A．make rooms quieter | B．control room temperature |
| C．turn off the air conditioner | D．reduce room air pollution |
We can conclude from the passage that the author probably discourages ______.
| A．planting leafy trees around your home |
| B．turning off the ceiling fan before you leave your house |
| C．keeping your south-facing windows open during the day |
| D．using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs |
According to the passage, you can save fuel by ______.
| A．using energy-efficient ceiling fans | B．sharing cars with others on workdays |
| C．turning off everything not in use | D．reducing 10% of your car trips every year |
This passage is mainly about ______.
| A．energy-saving tips | B．fuel-saving tips |
| C．do-it-yourself tips | D．environment-protecting tips |
We have designed all our bank cards to make your life easier.
How to use your NatWest Servicecard
As a Switch card, it lets you pay for all sorts of goods and services, whenever you see the Switch logo. The money comes straight out of your account, so you can spend as much as you like as long as you have enough money (or an agreed overdraft(透支) to cover it. It is also a cheque guarantee(担保) card for up to the amount shown on the card. And it gives you free access to your money from over 31,000 cash machines across the UK.
How to use your NatWest Chshcard
You can use your Cashcard as a Sulo card to pay for goods and services wherever you see the Solo logo. It can also give you access to your account and your cash from over 31,000 cash machines nationwide. You can spend or withdraw(提取) what you have in your account, or as much as your agreed overdraft limit.
Using your card abroad
You can also use your Servicecard and Cashcard when you’re abroad. You can withdraw cash at cash machines and pay for goods and services wherever you see the Cirrus or Maestro logo displayed.
We take a commission charge(手续费) of 2.25% of each cash withdrawal you make (up to ￡4) and a commission charge of 75 pence every time you use Maestro to pay for goods or services. We also apply a foreign-exchange transaction fee of 2.65%.
How to use your NatWest Credit Card
With your credit card you can do the following:
＊Pay for goods and services and enjoy up to 56 days’ interest-free credit.
＊Pay in over 24 million shops worldwide that display the Maestrocard or Visa logos.
＊Collect one AIR MILE for every ￡20 of spending that appears on your statement(结算单).
(This does not include foreign currency or traveler’s cheques bought, interest and other charges.)If you carry the Servicecard or the Cashcard, _______.
| A．you can use it to guarantee things as you wish |
| B．you can draw your money from cash machines conveniently |
| C．you can spend as much money as you like without a limit |
| D．you have to pay some extra money when you pay for services in the UK |
If you withdraw ￡200 from a cash machine abroad, you will be charged ______.
| A．￡4 | B．￡4.5 | C．￡5.25 | D．￡5.3 |
Which of the following is TRUE about using your NatWest Credit Card?
| A．You have to pay back with interest within 56 days. |
| B．You will be charged some interest beyond two months. |
| C．You can use the card in any shop across the world. |
| D．You will gain one air mile if you spend ￡20 on traveller’s cheques. |
The purpose of the passage is to show you how to ______.
| A．play your cards right | B．use your cards abroad |
| C．draw cash with your cards | D．pay for goods with your cards |