In 1977, a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a 19-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia. Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness with confidence, so she was sent to Hammersmith Hospital in London. She was then only semi-conscious and on the "Dangerously Ill" list. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were confused by the very unusual symptoms . While they were discussing the baby's case, a nurse asked to speak to them.
"Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitlan, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium poisoning. (铊中毒)"
"What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is extremely rare."
"A few days ago, I was reading a novel called A Pale Horse by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitlan explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are described. They're exactly the same as the baby's."
"You're very thoughtful and you may be right," another doctor said. "We'll carry out some tests and find out whether it's thallium or not."
Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium, a rare metallic substance used in making special glass. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (杀虫剂) used in Qatar.1The one who first suggested the correct cause of the baby's illness was _____.
| A．a doctor in Qatar |
| B．Nurse Maitlan |
| C．Dr. Brown |
| D．Agatha Christie |
The baby was sent to London because _____.
| A．she was born there |
| B．the hospitals in Qatar were full at that time |
| C．she was the daughter of a doctor in London |
| D．the Qatar doctors were not sure whether they could cure her |
As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _____.
| A．had never met this baby |
| B．had spent a long time studying the baby's case |
| C．visited the baby in the hospital at Hammersmith |
| D．gave Nurse Maitlan some advice on the phone |
It seems likely from the passage that the baby's illness had something to do with _____.
| A．a dangerous pair of glasses |
| B．the water in Qatar |
| C．a harmful substance used to kill insects |
| D．a dead writer |
When the baby was sent to the hospital in London, her case was considered to be _____.
| A．an urgent one |
| B．quite a simple one |
| C．a usual one |
| D．the result of thallium poisoning |
C
Gorillas are born with an international sign language of gestures that they use to communicate，says a new study from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
From beating their chests to putting objects on their heads，shaking their arms，and even bouncing on all fours，the animals use more than 100 gestures to communicate with each other
Professor Richard Byrne，a psychiatrist involved in the research，says it was hard to figure out the meanings of the gestures.
“We don't really know what the animals are thinking. Often the gestures have more than one meaning，depending on the context，”says Byrne.
The study showed that the gorillas did not learn the gestures from each other，as had been expected，but performed them instinctively (本能地).
“Everyone had assumed different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures，”he says. “But that's not what we found. The more sites we went to ,the more we saw the same gestures being used. They seem to be naturally equipped with a pretty complex system of communication.”
The study also found that gestures were performed with close attention to the potential audience，so that silent signals，for example， were only given when other apes could see them. Other gestures，such as the "disco arm shake" were only ever seen directed towards humans.
Byrne believes that the findings may explain how the human language developed.
“There has always been speculation（猜测）that the origins of the human language might lie in gestures，”he says.
“Many researchers have therefore studied the gestural communication of the great apes for clues to the evolutionary origins of human gestures，”he adds.
Several studies have shown that great apes are capable of imitating gestures. However，the scientists found that what appeared to be copies of human actions were actually gestures the apes were already able to make themselves. They're “reusing” gestures from their own repertoire，not learning new ones.
64.According to the passage，Richard Byrne's research has found_________.
A. different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures
B. gorillas know the sign language from birth
C. how gorillas learn from each other
D. gorillas develop a variety of languages when growing up
65.Why can't the researchers really know the meanings of gorilla gestures?
A. Because gorillas possess the ability of making many kinds of gestures.
B. Because they haven't made deep research into the animal.
C. Because a gorilla gesture may have different meanings.
D. Because gorillas can't exactly express their thoughts.
66.If a gorilla wants to make a silent gesture towards another gorilla，he_________.
A. needs to know how many other gorillas are watching him
B. needs to make noise first in order to draw attention
C. will first make sure his gesture can be seen
D. will first consider whether he can carry out his gesture
67.According to the passage，many scientists study the sign language of great apes in order to ____.
A. find the origins of the human language
B. find ways for people to communicate with apes
C. learn how animals communicate
D. discover the meanings of animal gestures
B
The beet (甜菜) is a tasty root vegetable that does not require much work to grow. People think of beets as being always dark red，but they can also be pink，yellow or white. Beets are high in nutrients，and both the root and the tops can be eaten. The leaves make good salads when the plants are young，and the greens can be cooked when the plants are older. Beets grow best in full sun and in loose soil that is not too wet.
Remove stones from the soil while preparing the ground，and test it before adding fertilizer Beet seeds can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked at the start of the growing season. Planting them every two or three weeks will provide a continuous harvest into the fall. A beet seed is a fruit containing several seeds. Overcrowding the plants will mean that the roots cannot spread out and grow，so thin the beets by removing the small
er ones and using them as greens.
A specialist named Cindy Haynes says little or no fertilizer is needed in rich soils. Once the seeds are planted，however，she suggests covering the soil to protect it from the rain and during dry periods. She also suggests putting a fence around the plants to keep away rabbits and deer. She says the only work beets need once they have been thinned is weeding and， when the weather is dry，a weekly watering. For best results，beets should be picked when the roots are two and one-half centimeters around. Larger beets can be tough，and have to be cooked for a long time. Beets can be eaten in many ways.
60.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. How to test the soil. B. How to plant beets
C. When to harvest beets. D. When to plant beets.
61.Smaller beets are often removed in order to .
A. give other beets space to grow B. add more fertilizer to the soil
C. plant new seeds D. use the green，young leaves in salads
62.What may the next part of the last paragraph be about?
A. When to pick beets. B. How to eat beets.
C. The uses of beets. D. The taste of larger beets.
63.The passage is most probably from a(n) ___________.
A. gardening book B. education magazine C. science report D. entertainment magazine
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题;每小题2分.满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
When I was four years old，I broke my elbow. After many weeks in a cast (石膏) I returned to the hospital to finally have it removed. My mother found it strange that I was so enthusiastic about returning to the place where I had experienced so much pain. Yet she soon discovered my fascination with the healing process and how doctors helped to enhance it.
I was in fear as the doctor removed my cast and asked me to move my arm，and immediately became scared as the pain came shooting back through my elbow. After another series of X-rays and examinations my arm was put into a new cast I had begun to doubt the reliability of the doctor，and my mother thought I would be unwilling to return a second time.
When the day came to have my cast removed again，I was nervous. Yet I was optimistic enough to trust the doctor as he once again removed my cast and asked me to move my arm. And this time it was better! Nothing hurt!
On the way back home I released (松开) my mother's hand and ran ahead，and out of her sight. She was immediately worried that I would come upon someone dangerous. At the age of four I was already known for liking to talk with strangers that I felt were potential friends. When she caught sight of me again， I was looking up into the face of an old broken-legged man，saying，“Don't worry，sir! The doctor will fix your leg. Look how he fixed my arm！”
Since then I have continued to be fascinated with the human body and medicine. I also still love to help people，and never miss an opportunity to encourage someone. But most of all，I still believe that optimism and trust are the building blocks of happiness and success. Many things can change，but I am proud to say that these parts of me have always stayed the same.
56.The author was nervous when he returned to the hospital the second time because .
A. the hospital seemed like a more frightening place B. the doctor there was unskilled
C. he was afraid of the pain D. he was sure his elbow wouldn't recover
57.What did the mother fear when the author ran out of her sight on the way back home?
A. That he would break his elbow again.
B. That he would run down others and break their legs
C. That he would lose his way.
D. That he would come upon a dangerous stranger and get hurt.
58.What can we learn about the author from the passage?
A. He is optimistic and enthusiastic. B. He was hard-working as a young boy.
C. He doesn't like making friends with strangers.
D. He could become anything but a doctor.
59.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. An Unforgettable Hospital Experience B. Lessons of a Broken Bone
C. What Makes for
Happiness and Success? D. Broken Bones Take Long to Heal
D
FOREIGNEXCHANGE
ACLASSOFTHEIROWN
| Name:SusanLane Age:22 Place:Reykjavik,Iceland,1994. Cost:$7,000 Organization:AFS Experience:“Ithinkitwasaturningpointinmylife.Ibegantounderstandmoreabout myownculturebyexperiencinganothercultureandseeinghowotherpeoplelive.” |
| Name:SaraSmall Age:23 Place:Crivitz,Germany,1996. Cost:$8,000 Organization:EFFoundation Experience:“IlovethetravelingandImadealotoffriends.IfoundtheEuropeanschool systemtobehardbutIamfluentnowinGermansoitwasworthit.Ididmissmyfamily andfriendsinAustraliabutIwouldlovetodoitagain.” |
| Name:LeanneSmythe Age:20 Place:Minnesota,America,1994. Cost:$6,000 Organization:SouthernCrossCultureExchange Experience:“Ilearnthowtobereallyresponsible.ItwasgreattobeonmyownandIgot onreallywellwiththefamilyIwaswith.Iwilldefinitelygobacksomeday.” |
| Name:DavidLinks Age:16 Place:Stuttgart,Germany,1996 Cost:$6,000 Organization:SouthernCrossCulturalExchange Experience:“IwantedtotrysomethingthatwasverydifferentfromAustraliainculture. InGermanyeverythingwasdifferentbutIsoongotsettled.ThefamilyIwaswithwere greatandIreallyfeelasthoughIhaveasecondfamily.” |
| Name:TomJennings Age:21 Place:Conflans,France,1995. Cost:$7,000 Organization:SouthernCrossCulturalExchange Experience:“ThereweretimeswhenitwasdifficultbutIlikedit,experiencingadifferent culture.Youjusthavetoplayeachsituationasitcomes.Ifthereisonethingyoulearn whenyouareonastudent-exchangeprogramitishowtotakecareofyourself.” |
| Name:LindaMarks Age:19 Place:ChonburiProvince,Thailand,1994 Cost:$3,500 Organization:RotaryInternational Experience:“It’slikearoller-coasterride,therearelotsofupsanddowns,butyoualways comebackformore.Ihadafewproblemsbuttherewasalwayssomeonetoturntoand thatwasgreat.” |
67．Thestudentswhorefertoboththegoodtimeandthebadtimeinclude______.
A．SusanLaneandSaraSmall B．LindaMarksandDavidLinks
C．TomJenningsandLindaMarks D．LeanneSmytheandTomJennings
68．Thewritingabovewouldprobablybe______.
A．therecordsofstudents’activities
B．theforeignstudents’namecards
C．thenoticeaboutavisittoforeigncountries
D．theadvertisementfromaninternationaltravelservice
69．Thestudentwhovalueslearninganotherlanguageis______.
A．LindaMarks B．SaraSmall C．TomJennings D．LeanneSmythe
70．Howmanystudentsmentiontheculturedifferencetheyhaveexperienced?
A. Three. B．Four. C．Five. D．Six.
C
Reading about history is nice, but finding ties to long-ago historical events in your own backyard is really exciting.
In their heavily populated area, neighbors Adam Giles,13, and Derek Hann.12, uncovered pieces of glass that looked quite different from what’s used today. “After digging about two feet down, I came across an interesting bottle,” Derek said. The bottle had a “pontil scar” on the bottle, an indication that it was hand-blown rather than machine made. It also had the name “Fraser” on one side.
Adam found remains of a green bottle and some very thick brown glass—again, far different from today’s.
After doing research on the computer, the boys contacted Aimee Wells of the county’s Cultural Resources office. She showed them a computer program that digitally puts old maps over modern satellite photographs.
Bingo! Their back yards were once part of a military（军事的） encampment（营地） called Camp Alger used by Ohio soldiers on their way to fight in the Spanish-American War in 1898.
So how do a few bottles get connected to a brief war that was more than a century ago? “We get there by good judgment,” Wells said. “We know the time period of the bottles and what happened in that area.” Anyone can dig a hole, but archaeologists seek a deeper understanding. How do objects found relate to things around them?
When Derek and Adam realized that a solider might have held that Fraser bottle 110 years ago, they wondered what he might have been thinking. What did he see as he looked around him? How did he pass the time waiting to go into battle?
Historical records show that while waiting for orders, the soldiers in and around Camp Alger played baseball, played instruments and walked seven miles to the Potomac River once a week for baths. A spread of strange fever forced the closing of the camp, and there are no buildings to study. “What’s left is only what’s in the ground,” said Wells.
Derek’s and Adam’s back yards have joined the 3,400 places listed on the county’s register of archaeological sites. The boys were given tips on how to dig effectively and safely, and on how to document the location of items found.
The official record of their finds serves as another piece of the puzzle for historians seeking to form a more complete story of what happened.
“Not everyone is going to have historical objects in their own yard,” Wells said. “That’s okay. Make your own time capsule and bury it. What would you want people to know about your life years from now?”
63. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How Adam Giles and Derek Hann dug out the remains of an ancient military encampment.
B. What Adam Giles and Derek Hann found in their back yard and its relationship with an encampment.
C. The great contribution Adam Giles and Derek Hann made to the cause of archaeology.
D. The tips on how to dig out ancient objects buried under the ground safely and effectively.
64. From the passage, we can see that the boy’s discovery _______.
A. includes all kinds of hand-made and machine- made glass.
B. has helped historians find out what happened in 1898.
C. couldn’t have been meaningful without Aimee Wells’ help.
D. has added the county to the list of archaeologist sites.
65. When Wells said “We get there by good judgment.” (Paragraph 6), she meant that_______.
A. they have established the ties to Camp Alger by finding out the time period of the bottles.
B. they have figured out how to get to the place where the brief war happened.
C. they have managed to dig out the bottles in the back yard safely with common sense.
D. they were able to locate the soldiers who used the Fraser bottles 110 years ago.
66. Which of the following fits the description of historical records?
A. The soldiers in and around Camp Alger delighted in playing basketball in their spare time.
B. When Camp Alger was forced to close, all the buildings there were destroyed.
C. The soldiers in and around Camp Alger often buried some bottles underground as time capsules.
D. Camp Alger was forced to close because of a spread of a strange fever.