Babies who watch TV are more likely to show late learning development and language at 14 months, especially if they are watching programs aimed at adults and older children, according to a new study, which would probably surprise those parents who leave their babies in front of a TV set.
Babies who watched 60 minutes of TV daily had developmental scores a third lower at 14 months than babies who were watching less TV. Although their developmental scores were still in the normal range, the difference may have been due to the fact that when children and parents are watching TV, they are missing the talking, playing and other communications that are important to learning and development.
This new study, which appeared in the Aechives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, followed 259 lower-income families in New York, most of whom spoke Spanish as their primary language at home. Other studies of higher-income families have also come to the same conclusion: TV watching is not only non-educational, but it seems to slow down babies’ development.
But what about “good” TV, like Sesame Street? The researchers didn’t find any difference when compared to non-educational programs designed for small children, like Spongebob SquarePants. Earlier research by some of the same scientists, most of whom are at New York University School of Medicine’s Bellevue Hospital Centre, has found that parents whose children watch non-educational TV programs like Spongebob SquarePants spend less time reading to their children or teaching them.
At this point, parents reading this will probably be astonished. TV is so often a parent’s good friend, keeping children happily occupied（占时间）so that the adults can cook dinner, answer the phone, or take a shower. But, clearly, this electronic babysitter（保姆）is not an educational aid. It is best to make sure the babies are fast asleep if you have to watch TV.According to the first paragraph, 14-month-old babies who watch TV probably_______.
| A．learn things quickly |
| B．prefer programs for older children |
| C．surprise their parents with their development |
| D．speak later than babies who don’t |
Babies who watched 60 minutes of TV daily had lower developmental scores perhaps because _______.
| A．they watch non-educational programs |
| B．they have little communication with their parents |
| C．they lost interest in real things |
| D．their parents don’t speak English at home |
We can infer from the passage that______.
| A．Educational and non-educational TV have different effects on babies |
| B．Many parents leave babies to the TV to do their own things |
| C．Educational TV is very popular among higher-income families |
| D．Lower-income families tend to teach their babies at home |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Developing Better Learning Ability |
| B．A New Study on Babies’ Bad Habits |
| C．TV Watching Is Bad for Babies’ Brains |
| D．Make Sure Your Babies Watch “Good” TV Programs |
Premier Win Jiabao continued his second trip around the quake disaster zone on May 23, 2008, visiting surviving students in Mianyang, one of the worst-hit cities.
In a tent school, where more than 500 students from the destroyed Beichuan Middle School were studying, Premier Wen encouraged them to study harder following the disaster. “let us not forget the earthquake,” he told the students. “Then you will know what life is all about—it is bumpy, as the roads are. Today, people save us and take good care of us. In the future, we will help them in return.” He wrote on the blackboard to encourage them, “Hardships make a country stronger.”
His first trip to the area was on May 12, just hours after the powerful quake rocked Sichuan at 2:28 pm. During the next four days, Premier Wen set foot in almost all of the worst-hit counties, walking over rocks and tiles, comforting weeping children and encouraging rescuers.
The Chinese Premier says saving lives is the top priority. “We must try all means to get into those areas. The earlier, the better. One person can be saved one second earlier. As long as there is a gleam of hope, we will make efforts 100 times greater than that.’
Chinese are deeply moved by what the Premier has said and done. A mother sent a message to her son in Beijing, saying “The 66-year-old Premier Wen has worked really hard for quake relief. He has comforted and moved us. Pass this on to your friends, pray for him.”
67. What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Hardships make a country stronger.
B. Premier Wen jiabao went on his first trip around the quake disaster zone.
C. Life is difficult.
D. The Chinese are deeply moved by Premier Wen.
68. By saying “Then you will know what life is all about—it is bumpy, as the
roads are.”, Premier Wen want to tell the students that _______________.
A. Life is filled with various difficulties , we must overcome them
B. roads of the area are rough, we should repair them
C. they should forget the earthquake and study harder
D. earthquakes are common on Sichuan, we shouldn’t be afraid
69. What did Premier Wen do when he first set foot in almost all of the worst-hit
counties EXPECT________________________________.
A. walking over rocks and tiles
B. comforting weeping children
C. encouraging rescuers
D. asking them not to forget the earthquake
70. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. The Chinese are grateful for what the Premier has said and done.
B. Chinese are deeply moved by what the Premier has said and done
C. What the Premier has said and done comforted the mother.
D. The mother’s message is moving.
The following are some important sights in New York.
American Museum of Natural History
Four floors of exhibition halls here include the world-famous fossil halls with their skeletons of enormous dinosaurs and other creatures; the culture halls, representing a variety of indigenous peoples; and mammal, bird and reptile halls. The renovated Milstein hall of Ocean Life showcases the profusion of life in Earth’s “last frontier”. Also here: Rose Center for Earth and space, with Hayden Planetarium and exhibits on Earth and our universe.
Open: Sunday-Thursday, 10:00-17:45; Friday-Saturday: 10:00-20:45
Empire State Building
At 102 stories tall, the Empire State Building commands an inspiring view of Manhattan. Each year, over 3.5 million people come here for the view from the 86th-floor observatory, where they can take in the sights of the city from a glass-enclosed pavilion or the encircling open-air promenade.
Observatory Hours: 8:00am to midnight daily. Last elevators go up at 11:15pm. Open daily 365 days a year.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (One of the greatest museums in the world)
It is impossible to “do” the entire museum in one day or describe everything you can see here. Go to the museum & spend some time in the Great Hall where you will find all types of help in many languages for planning your visit. If you can, get a guide before your visit or look at their website where you can plan well & learn about their many special exhibitions & programs.
Fee: $12 adults, $7 students & seniors, under 12 with adult free.
Open: Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday. 9:30-17:15; Friday-Saturday, 9:30-20:45.
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
MoMA houses an outstanding collection of American & European paintings & sculptures from late 19th C. to present. Innovative in its definition of “art”, it was a pioneer in exhibiting film, photography, and industrial design. Its retrospectives can draw record-breaking attendance. A happy place to take small children, as strollers are allowed.
Open: Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10:30-17:45; Friday, 10:30-20:15.
64. Varieties of ocean life are exhibited in ________.
A. American Museum of Natural History B. Empire State Building
C. Metropolitan Museum of Art D. Statue of liberty
65. You can visit Museum of Modern Art at the following time EXCEPT ________.
A. at 14:30 on MondayB. at 7:00 pm on Friday
C. at 10:40 on Wednesday D. at 12:00 on Sunday
66. Suppose you are a high school student, who is going to visit Metropolitan Museum of Art with your parents, your 70-year-old Grandpa and your 6-year-old younger brother, how much will you have to pay in total?
A. $42 B. $38 C. $45 D. $50
Close your eyes and imagine you are living in the next two centuries or more. You’ll be living in a world filled with smart robots, which will be helping you to take care of your children, or your elderly parents in your home. You’ll live much longer thanks to the medicine made by genetic (基因的) science. And mankind may be going farther in space than ever before ––you will be living on the moon or Mars.
How should we view the changes that wait for us in the future? Should we be optimistic about the years ahead, or worried about what the future holds? Some scientists and experts are having a discussion about how technology, science and society will develop in the future.
“I’m looking forward to the day when more technology will come to my life,” says John Searle, a professor at the University of California Berkeley Philosophy, “because I think further research in such areas as genetics, physics, chemistry and medicine will help us to overcome poverty, improve health, and
make life longer.”
Hugh Herr, at MIT’s Biomechatronics Group, considers very powerful weapons (武器) as concern (担心) over the future. Another is the growing role of technology in our lives. “Machines taking over what humans do is not a good thing,” Herr says.
That is a similar concern shared by Daniela Cerqui, a social and cultural scientist. “I am afraid that the long-term future we are building will have no space left for human beings,” says Cerqui. “The main values of our society are related to information that must progress as quickly as possible, and computers are much better than humans in these tasks.”
60. The first paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A. how science will develop in the next two centuries
B. how people will live in a modern society
C. what life would be like in the future
D. what computers will bring to our society
61. What is John Searle’s attitude towards the future of technology?
A. Worried. B. Optimistic. C. Uncertain. D. Disappointed.
62. The underlined word “That” in the last paragraph refers to______.
A. the poverty problem in the future
B. machines taking over what humans do
C. the technology of weapons
D. the health problem of humans
63. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The future––full of hope or concern?
B. Great changes will take place in the future
C. The relationship between technology and humans
D. The role of robots and computers in the future
第三部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
It was getting dark when Lisa was returning from teaching out in a small community. She’d been traveling the same route for over a year and there was seldom traffic on this highway.
Lisa remembered back to her previous experiences. In those days she was constantly picking up strangers on the road. Her family became greatly concerned about her safety, but she continued the practice until the day her sister told her that one of her friends had been shot by a hitchhiker (搭便车者). That was when the family heard the promise, “No more hitchhikers, I promise!”
When she thought back to these things, she suddenly noticed that a car was parked on the road ahead. Then she saw a man waving. He was in trouble, she thought. But suddenly she remembered the promise. She knew this road well and the chances of another car coming along to help were very little. Now as the man ran toward her car she shook with fear, and didn’t know if he was truly in need. She could not leave him here in this storm. The stranger explained that his car was broken. She knew she had to break the promise. She told him to get in. They drove for an hour into the next city and she took him to a telephone box. She waited until he had made a call. When he reported back to her that a family member would soon be there for him, she wished him well and left.
Tears fell on her cheeks as she drove away. It felt as though she had been holding her breath for an hour. “I hope they’ll understand why I had to break my promise.”
56. We can learn from the text that Lisa promised______.
A. not to pick up free riders on her way home
B. not to drive home alone when it was late
C. to help those whose cars were broken
D. to learn from the friend of her sister’s
57. Which of the following can best describe Lisa?
A. Careful and serious B. Faithful and clever
C. Kind and helpful D. Brave and patient
58. What was Lisa’s attitude toward her breaking the promise?
A. It was very serious.
B. It should be forgiven
C. She was too nervous to go home.
D. She felt regretful about her mistakes.
59. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Lisa’s adventureB. An unusual travel
C. Strangers’ kindness D. The broken promise
What would you do if you were lost in the dark forest at night? The first sensible lesson is that you shouldn’t bother trying to find your way in the dark at all, but just stay put until dawn. Because then you won’t trip over things? No, mainly because you’ll have an idea of direction. The sun rises in the east. But you will be amazed at how many people forget they know that. Apparently, the area underneath a holly bush provides a good makeshift shelter — they are thick, and evergreen. The next thing to do — or rather not to do — is panic, for the obvious reason that unless there is someone there to hear you scream, it will get you nowhere. Just try to think of nice, happy things.
There is always a point in films when a person who is lost in the desert or the snow, dehydrated(脱水的) and exhausted, comes across a set of their own footprints and realizes they have just walked in a huge, round circle. It is wrong to owe it to the unequal strengths or different lengths of your legs. Experiments prove that, without the sun or the moon (or landmarks) as a fixed guide, lots of small errors add up over time so the brain can’t correctly identify the “straight ahead” direction. To just get out of somewhere, pick a spot on the horizon and just head for it.
There are several ways to find directions in the dark, and by far the best is to establish north using the stars. Most people can identify the Plough, which is part of Ursa Major. It looks a lot like a saucepan. The Plough rotates through the sky, but let’s imagine the saucepan lying horizontally (水平地), with its handle on the left. You need to trace a line from the star at the right-hand base of the pan, through the star at the right-hand rim (边沿), and follow it upwards; the north star is roughly five times the distance between those two “pointer” stars. Then drop a vertical line from the North Star to the horizon and that’s north.
“Tonight is very cloudy and I can’t see the Plough.” Maybe luckily, it is quite windy. Keep in mind that almost all of our weather comes from a south-westerly direction. (This only works if you are in the British Isles). To find the direction, you can throw light bits of dried-out grass in the air and see which way they blow; or, if there are clouds and patches of clear sky, see which way they blow across the stars. You can also get an idea of direction from leggy plants. If they look as if they have been blown over, they will probably be pointing north-east. If they are simply leaning in one direction as they grow, there’s a good chance that is south (they will be reaching towards the sun). The last thing to do is to judge your direction and off you go.
68. What might be the best title of the passage ?
A. How to survive in the forest B. How to protect yourself in the forest
C. How to direct your way out of the wild D. What to do if you are lost
69. Which of the following pictures matches the description of the position of the north star?
70. Why will people often walk in a circle if they are lost in the desert or the snow?
A. Because without anything to refer to for directions, the brain will be confused by errors.
B. Because one of the legs is longer and stronger than the other.
C. Because the desert or the snow usually covers a large area for people to get across.
D. Because people usually feel dehydrated and exhausted in the desert or the snow.