Does school start too early? Judging from the teenagers who yawn in class, it does. And those students aren’t just lazy. Scientific studies have shown that school does start too early for young students.
According to a series of studies done across the U.S., the later classes begin, the more academic performance improves. Boys and girls naturally stay up later and sleep in later. The trend begins around age 13 or 14 and peaks between 17 and 19.The teens also need more sleep in general, so forcing them to be up early for school cuts into their sleep time as well as their sleep rhythm, making them less ready to learn during those first-period classes.
Practice is proving the science. Hundreds of school districts in the U.S. have experimented with later start times and the academic performance of students has improved as a result. A study of 9,000 high school students in three states showed that grades in science, math, English and social studies all rose when school began at 8:35 or later. What’s more, attendance（出勤）goes up and student depression goes down.
The later school starts, the better the result, too. According to a study, delaying the opening bell from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. paid off more than delaying only until 8:00 a.m. Students who get at least eight hours of sleep, and preferably nine, perform better than those who do not, so a greater delay raises the chances of achieving those numbers.
So, it turns out morning class is just too early for students to learn chemistry equations（方程式）or study an ancient poem. If you cannot change the school schedule, adjusting your own timetable to ensure eight hours’ sleep can also help you perform better at school.If the first period class begins too early, which problems might appear among students?
a. Being in low spirits.
b. Feeling sleepy.
c. Missing lessons frequently.
d. Performing poorly in English.
e. Becoming lazy.
| A．a, b, c | B．b, c, d | C．c, d, e | D．a, b, d |
The writer proves “School starts too early” by ______.
| A．doing survey |
| B．doing experiments |
| C．comparing statistics |
| D．observing students’ behaviour |
According to the article, students can obtain relatively enough sleep by ______.
| A．changing the sleep rhythm |
| B．changing the opening bell |
| C．adjusting their own schedule |
| D．sleeping as late as possible |
It is implied in the passage that in the morning ______.
| A．there should be no classes |
| B．students’ sleep should be guaranteed |
| C．there should be Chinese lessons |
| D．there should be no science lessons |
Originally from tropical South America, the red fire ant gained entry to the United States through the port of Mobile, Alabama in the late 1930s on cargo ships, but the first colony of the red ants was not found until 1942 by a 13-year-old boy in his backyard.
It immediately began to thrive in the new land and colonies spread quickly throughout the southeastern states. By 1975 the red imported fire ant had colonized over 52 million hectares of the United States. Now, it has infested more than 275 million hectares in the country.
Red imported fire ants build mounds in any type of soil. They also make mounds indoors. Each nest used to have but one queen, but now many mounds are often found with multiple queens. With multiple queens at work, its population increases rapidly. It’s common to find a nest with over 25,000 workers.
Red imported fire ants can cause a number of problems. They construct their colonies on precious farmland, invading crops while searching for insects underground. They also like to make their mounds in sunny areas, heavily infesting lawns and pastures. They can quickly strip fruit trees of their fruit. Small birds such as baby quails are fair game to the expanding colony. They appear to be attracted to electromagnetic fields and attack electrical insulation or wire connections. They can cause electrical shorts, fires, and other damage to electrical equipment. Worst of all, their stings can be deadly to livestock and humans.
53. When was the first nest of the red ant found in the United States?
(A) In 1930s. (B) In 1942. (C) In 1975. (D) After 1975.
54. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?
(A) Each nest of the red ant has one queen.
(B) The red ant was originally found in North America.
(C) The red ant can reproduce young ants very quickly.
(D) The red ant does not build mounds inside the house.
55. What kinds of problems can the red ant cause?
(A) Health, social, and agricultural. (B) Health, social, and environmental.
(C) Social, environmental, and agricultural. (D) Health, agricultural, and environmental.
56. What is the purpose of the article?
(A) To ask for help to kill the red ant.
(B) To urge people to protect the red ant.
(C) To provide information about the red ant.
(D) To seek help from the government to control the red ant.
(You may read the questions first)
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A university graduate described as a “respectable and intelligent” woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of （证明有……罪）shoplifting for the second time in six months.
Ana Luz, recently studying for her PhD, has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops .
Luz ,who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road, Cambridge, admitted stealing clothes worth ￡9.95 from John Lewis in Oxford Street, London, on March 9.
Phillip Lemoyne, prosecuting（起诉）, said Luz selected some clothes from a display and took them to the ladies’ toilet in the store. When she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected, having taken off the anti-theft security alarms（防盗警报装置）.
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying, Mr Lemoyne said.
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions.
Luz, 28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October, but Morag Duff, defending, said she had never been in trouble with the police before that .
“She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn’t really have any explanation why she did this ,” Miss Duff said . “She didn’t intend to steal when she went into the store. She is at a loss to explain it. She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady. She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is anything in particular that caused her to do this.”
Judge David Azan fined Luz ￡ 50, and warned : “You’ve got a criminal record .If you carry on like this, you will end up in prison ,which will ruin your bright future you may have.”
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain, went on to a famous university in Berlin, Germany for her master’s degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University, UK.
45．What is Ana Luz’s nationality?
A．American. B．British. C．Spanish. D．German.
46．What does the underlined sentence “She is at a loss to explain it” mean?
A．In her opinion it was a loss to the clothes shops where she stole things .
B．She doesn’t have any idea why she has the desire to steal from shops .
C．She thinks it is a loss for her to explain why she stole things from shops.
D．Personally she feels ashamed and embarrassed for her shoplifting actions.
47．Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “shoplifting” used in the passage?
A．Carrying goods in a lift for a shop. B．Taking goods to the ladies’ toilet .
C．Selecting some goods from a display. D．Taking goods from a shop without paying.
48．From the passage we can learn that .
A．Ana Luz has already got her PhD at Cambridge University ,UK
B．Ana Luz is ashamed and embarrassed and knows why she often did so
C．the university graduate will be put in prison if she steals in shops once more
D．Phillip Lemoyne is the “respectable and intelligent” woman’s defense lawyer
49．What would be the best title for the passage ?
A．Shoplifting Shame of a PhD Student B．Apologizing for the Actions in Shops
C．Seeking Professional Help from Expert D．Controlling the Desire to Steal from Shops
第二部分：阅读理解(第一节20小题，第二节5小题；每小题2分，满分50分)
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡将该选项标号涂黑。
The gray-haired lady can’t wait to leave the building to search for her dad. Unless watched, she will walk in the streets in an effort to find her father, who died 30 years ago.
Not all cases of Alzheimer’s disease look like this, but Alzheimer’s is a serious disease that is said to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death for people over age 75.
It is said that about three percent of the U.S. population over age 65 have Alzheimer’s. In the early stages, people may exhibit short term memory loss. Some may experience changes in personality, easy to be angry. As the disease progresses, patients might lose the ability to move and may be unable to speak or move at all. This progressive disease generally lasts 8 to 10 years before death occurs.
While no one is certain what causes these changes in the brain’s nerve fibers, their effect is certain. Alzheimer’s destroys not only the patients, but also spouses（配偶）, friends and families.
What should you do if you notice progressive memory loss in yourself or a loved one? Has the person been examined by a doctor who is a specialist in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease? Though many reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease may cause memory loss, its early diagnosis（诊断）and treatment may delay some of the most serious effects.
What feeling will you likely experience, should a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s disease? A person will often go through the various stages of sadness, shock, anger, and so on. If the spouse develops the disease, you may experience hurt and disappointment when he or she doesn’t remember you are married.
Life for the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones will never be the same as the disease progresses, bringing a deep sorrow, loss and even anger towards God. No matter what feelings are present, facing them honestly will serve one better than burying them.
41．What can be inferred from the passage about the gray-haired day?
A．She has been living with her father.
B．She was sad about the death of her father.
C．She can’t search for her father without being watched.
D．She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
42．When people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease , ________.
A．their families and friends will suffer from the same disease
B．their families and friends will experience mental sufferings
C．they will certainly die in 8 to 10 years
D．they will forget everybody but their spouses
43．Memory loss occurs ________.
A．from Alzheimer’s disease and nothing else
B．from sadness, shock, anger, and so on
C．for a number of reasons
D．with changes in personality
44．From the passage we know that .
A．early treatment may stop Alzheimer’s disease occurring
B．it is still unknown what causes the changes in the brain’s nerve fibers
C．nerve fibers in the brain will cause Alzheimer’s disease
D．when one suffers from Alzheimer’s disease ,he will be buried
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. 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.”
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(驯鹿). 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.”
63. 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
64. 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
65. 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