If you saw another kid ride her bike too fast around a corner and fall down, you might ride your bike more slowly on that turn. Yes, we humans are very sensitive to others' mistakes. And the same is true for other animals. Animals mess up all the time. They might eat poisonous leaves, fall off a tree or let their prey (猎物) slip away. By watching others fail, an animal can avoid making the same mistakes, thus improving its chance of survival.
Scientists suspected that one part of the brain helps animals process information about others' errors. Cells in that part appear to become more active when a person sees someone else making a mistake. But researchers didn't know whether individual cells in this part of the brain play different roles in detecting errors.
To investigate the brain's response to errors in more detail, the researchers taught a game to two macaques, a type of monkey. One monkey could press a yellow or green button while the other watched. If the first monkey pressed the right button, the team gave both animals a treat. Every couple of rounds, the two monkeys switched roles. Meanwhile, the scientists monitored individual cells in the animal's brains.
When the first monkey messed up the game by pressing the wrong button, a group of cells in the second monkey's brain fired. But if the second monkey also made the wrong choice during its turn, some of the cells in that group didn't respond. Those unresponsive cells reacted specifically to mistakes made by others, not to the monkey's own mistakes.
Scientists believe other parts of the brain also might help people process information about another's errors. "You start to think about this other person and see things from his angle. " Ellen de Bruijn, told Science News. She studies the brain at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. According to Paragraph 1 , animals' ability to learn from others' mistakes ______.
| A．used to be ignored by humans |
| B．ensures that they will never fail |
| C．is being lost because of humans |
| D．helps them to survive better |
The underlined word "detecting" in Paragraph 2 probably means "______".
| A．correcting | B．making | C．sensing | D．drawing |
In the experiment mentioned, those unresponsive cells are only sensitive to ______.
| A．the same buttons | B．others' mistakes |
| C．one's own mistakes | D．the monkey's brain |
Today our lives are changing faster than at any time in history. Here we report on three important changes that will have a big impact on our everyday lives in the future．
The cashless society
Cash and bank-notes will disappear almost completely. They will be replaced by smart cards, namely plastic cards: microchip（微芯片）processors（处理器）loaded with some money. When we pay for goods，the shop assistant will put our smart card into a payment terminal（终端）and money will come into his card from our card. When all the money is used up，we will be able to reloadit by putting it into a telephone，dialing our bank account and money will be put into the card from the account.
Interactive telephones
Talking computers will play an important part. They will recognize speech, ask us what information we need, look through a database，and put the information into speech．If we want to book a flight or pay a bill by phone, we will interact with a talking computer to do so. Human telephone operators will be used only for more complex operations such as dealing with complaints or solving special problems.
Traffic jams in cities will be reduced because drivers will use electronic route maps to find the quickest route to their destination. Electronic systems will start changing motorists for driving in cities．As soon as motorists have to pay to drive in cities, they will stop using their cars and use public transport instead. Speed control systems will be built into cars. These systems will automatically（自动地）regulate the speed of the car to take account of traffic and weather conditions and prevent accidents. It will be many years before these changes bring results but when they do，there will be a titanic improvement in road safety.
With the development of science and technology, more and more advanced things will be invented or created. Life in the future is undoubtedly different from that at the present. Cash and bank-note will disappear because .
| A．they will be out of use sooner or later |
| B．they will be replaced by plastic cards convenient to use |
| C．we can load money from the bank |
| D．they will be rejected by payment terminals |
What will you do if the money in your card is used up?
| A．Go to the bank to deposit some money. |
| B．Put the card into a telephone and dial the bank account. |
| C．Buy a new card. |
| D．We don’t know. |
Which of the following would be the best subtitle for the fourth paragraph?
| A．Future cars | B．Speed control systems | C．Intelligent cars | D．Traffic jams |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．When we buy tickets for flying somewhere else, we can have a talk with the computer. |
| B．If you make a complaint, you can use human telephone operation. |
| C．Drivers will stop using their cars and use public transport in order to prevent accidents. |
| D．The help of electronic route maps will decrease traffic jams. |
The underlined word “titanic” in Paragraph 4 means .
| A．huge and great | B．the name of a ship | C．slight | D．increasing |
The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church, a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white, the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings―these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts（工艺）practised in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.
Thatching is a solitary（独自的）craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practised toady has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, keeping and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often unwilling to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to get the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat.Which of the following remains a special feature of the English countryside?
| A．Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses. | B．Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings. |
| C．Cottages with thatched roofs. | D．Churches with cottages around them. |
What do we know about thatching as a craft?
| A．It is a collective activity. |
| B．It is practised on farms all over England. |
| C．It is quite different from what it used to be. |
| D．It is in most cases handed down among family members. |
Thatched houses are still preferred because of _________.
| A．their style and comfort | B．their durability |
| C．their easy maintenance | D．their cheap and ready-made materials |
People in developing countries also live under thatch because ________.
| A．thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction |
| B．thatched roof houses are the cheapest |
| C．thatch is an effective defense against the heat |
| D．they like thatched houses better than other buildings |
Gary Locke, 61, who comes from a Chinese background and even looks Chinese, became the new US ambassador（大使）to China.
“I can think of nobody who is more qualified than Gary Locke.” President Obama said. Locke’s new position is clearly a sign that US President is trying to improve relations with China.
When he made his first speech to the Chinese press in Beijing, Locke said,“I think ,being a Chinese-American, I have a greater understanding of the history and culture of China, but I am here as a representative of the US government.”
Before becoming ambassador to China, Locke was US secretary of commerce(商务部长). This means he has plenty of trade experience, which will be useful in building economic links between the two countries.
Locke’s grandfather went to the United States over a century ago to work as a houseboy for a family in Washington State in exchange for English lessons. His father moved to the US as a teenager.
“I’m going back to the birthplace of my grandfather ,my father and my mom, and I’ll be doing so as a devoted diplomat(外交官) for America，the country where I was born and raised,” Locke said.President Obama thinks Gary Locke ________.
| A．is the right person for the new position |
| B．is still not too old to be an ambassador |
| C．is not qualified as secretary of commerce |
| D．can help improve US relations with Asia. |
What message did Locke express in his first speech in Beijing?
| A．He is proud of his parents and his grandfather. |
| B．He will work for both China and the United States. |
| C．He will represent the US government. |
| D．He was still not ready for his new job. |
Locke will benefit from his ________ as a former secretary of commerce.
| A．trade experience | B．public relations | C．work training | D．government knowledge |
We learn from the text that Locke’s father ________.
| A．worked as a houseboy for an American family |
| B．was born in China. |
| C．moved to the US as a baby. |
| D．was not able to return to China |
Australia is largely a nation of immigration（移民）, with one in four of Australia’s 21 million population born overseas. But immigrations hoping to become Australian citizens will soon have to take a test examining their knowledge of the country's history and institutions.
While Australia prides itself on its multicultural background, the government wants newcomers to integrate （同化）more fully . Form later this year, new immigrants will have to show an understanding of the English language. They will also be required to answer 20 questions from a list of 200. Anyone who gives fewer than 12 correct responses will not be accepted.
Immigrants will also have to accept what the government considers to be 10 important Australia values, including “mateship” and “giving people a fair go”. Other important Australia values are said to include tolerance, compassion, gender equality and freedom of speech.
The new citizenship application procedures are detailed in a 40-pages booklet（小册子）. It describes Australia as “a nation at ease with the world and itself” but says that newcomers are expected to respect its values. The booklet sums up mateship as voluntary helping and receiving help from others, especially in difficult times. The immigration Minister said they aimed to achieve a balance between ethnic diversity and social stability（稳定）, “particularly as we now draw people from so many different countries and so many different cultures”.
Critics have attacked the English language requirement, pointing out many immigrants could not speak English when they arrived. But the minister said, “We are trying to encourage people to learn English, because we think that is the way they will achieve their dreams in Australia.”What’s new in Australia’s immigration policy?
| A．New immigrants will have to take a test |
| B．New immigrants should speak perfect English |
| C．New immigrants must bring enough money |
| D．New immigrants must be healthy |
Those who want to move to Australia have to answer_____ questions right
| A．20 | B．12 | C．200 | D．10 |
The word "mateship" is closest in meaning to _____.
| A．equality | B．freedom | C．fairness | D．friendship |
Which is one of the reasons for the change of application?
| A．To encourage new immigrants | B．To control the population |
| C．To promote Australia ' values | D．To teach the English language |
Apollo 11, carrying Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, was launched on 16 July, 1969. Five days later they stepped down onto the moon.
Neil Armstrong
On the way there: Of all the wonderful views we had, the most impressive to me was on the way to the Moon when we flew through its shadow. We were still thousands of miles away, but close enough so that the Moon almost filled our window. The moon appeared blue-grey. It seemed almost as if it were showing us its roundness, its similarity in shape to our Earth, in a sort of welcome. I was sure it would be a hospitable（好客的） host. It had been waiting for its first visitors for a long time.
After touch down: The sky is black, you know. It’s a very dark sky, but it still seemed more like daylight than darkness as we looked out the window. It’s a very strange thing but the surface looked very warm and inviting. It seemed to be tan(棕褐色). It’s hard to explain that, because later when I held the material in my hand, it wasn’t tan at all. It was black, grey and so on.
Edwin Aldrin
On the Moon: The blue color of my boots has completely disappeared now into this soil—still don’t know what color to describe this other than grayish(灰色的) cocoa.
Back on board: The moon was a very natural and pleasant environment in which to work. On the Moon, in one-sixth gravity, you have a strong feeling of being somewhere. As we did our experiments, some objects we threw away would go in a slow, lazy manner.What impressed Neil Armstrong most?
| A．The moon filling their window. |
| B．Seeing the shape of the moon |
| C．Flying through the shadow of the moon. |
| D．The five—day flight to the moon. |
What did Armstrong find very strange on the moon?
| A．The color of the sky. | B．The surface of the moon |
| C．The gravity on the moon. | D．The daylight on the moon. |
Edward Aldrin described the soil as ________.
| A．tan | B．gray | C．black | D．grayish cocoa. |
What can be said about Edward Aldrin?
| A．He landed on the moon alone. |
| B．He was sent to the moon by Apollo 11. |
| C．He didn’t notice the gravity of the moon. |
| D．He found it impossible to work on the moon. |