Everything on Earth that scientists can see, measure or study is made of atoms and atoms are named by what types of elements (元素)they are. You probably know the name of many elements, such as oxygen or hydrogen. In any case, elements are everywhere: You, your -shoes, your desk, cars, water and air are all made of elements.
Now, there's a new kind on the block： copernicium.
This element was officially named on February 19，but the element itself isn't new. German scientists made and observed it in 1996. But in the 14 years since then, other scientists have been working to study and validate (证实)the original findings. Validation is an important part of the scientific process because it shows that a scientific discovery was not a mistake.
All that hard work finally paid off when the element finally received its name, copernicium, from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Copernicium is named in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus (哥白尼)，a 16th century Polish scholar who proposed that the earth moves around the sun and that the earth turns on its own axis.
Scientists organize all the elements on a chart called the Periodic Table. Each element gets a symbol and its own number, and copernicium gets the symbol Cn and the number 112. This number means that inside every atom of copernicium are 112 protons (质子). The lightest element hydrogen has only one proton inside each atom. Its 112 protons make copernicium the heaviest known element with a name. It was first observed by Sigurd Hofmann»a scientist in Germany. In 1996, Hofmann and his team had to figure out a way to get all the protons together and stick. They used a machine that can speed up atoms up to 10 percent the speed of light. After a week of working on these high-speed collisions(碰撞)，Hofmann's team found copernicium even though it quickly disappeared.
Now, 14 years after Hofmann's experiment, other scientists are able to make copernicium and validate Hofmann's original work. Scientists are excited about copernicium. If such a super heavy atom can be created, then even heavier elements might be waiting in the future. "One of the exciting things is, how far can we keep going?" says nuclear chemist Paul Karol.
What do we know about copernicium?
| A．It is the heaviest element so far. |
| B．It was officially named in 1996. |
| C．It is a newly-discovered element. |
| D．It is the most difficult element to validate. |
Why is copernicium named after Nicolaus Copernicus?
| A．Because he proved the existence of the element. |
| B．It is named in honour of Nicolaus Copernicus. |
| C．Because he observed the element in the 16th century. |
| D．Because he designed the Periodic Table for all the elements. |
By asking “how far can we keep going?” Karol means ________ .
| A．how many elements people can find in the future |
| B．how soon people can find another new heavy element |
| C．how long people can walk carrying the heavy element |
| D．how long people can continue to research into copernicium |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．A New Element Has Been Discovered |
| B．The Periodic Table Is Changed Again |
| C．The Heaviest Named Element Is Official |
| D．Superheavy Copernicium Needs Its Place |
The HOPE IS A GAME--CHANGER PROJECT will deliver unbreakable soccer balls to kids who, all too often, see things horrible, broken and not survive the simplest of circumstances. The project started taking form well before anyone knew where it would lead –which is to test the power of like-minded people working together to turn inspiration into action.
Four years ago Bobby was in Rwanda offering help to the people there and taking photos of a child soldier named Moise with his “soccer ball”，which was a pile of rubbish tied together with a string. This “ball” was the only thing Moise could call his own --- no family, no home, no place to go. Forced to fight in the Congo and having killed three people at the unbearably young age of seven, the boy’s spirit was broken. And Bobby knew, as he took one photo after the next, that he’d never forget him. In fact, he returned the following year to tell Moise he had stayed deep within his heart ---but he was gone.
I recently helped Bobby launch his new book The Power of the Invisible Sun which features a photo of Moise, his ball, and kids from war-torn areas around the world. All of his earnings go towards the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT for the kids he visited over the past decade. They caught the emotional landscape from heartbreak to joy, but share the undeniable longing for recovery and hope.
Bobby and I share the unchangeable belief that delivering hope is really a game-changer, especially to a child. We believe that each indestructible ball will come to represent a lasting symbol of hope. A light no matter how small---The Power of the Invisible Sun.
This holiday season, I ask you to think about whether you are doing enough to help someone else in the world. Or as Bobby likes to put it, consider “taking a concrete baby step”, which added together, can create transformational change. It’s my great hope that the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT will change the lives of children in the world over --- one book, one ball at a time.
59．In the first sentence of the passage, the writer implies that___________.
A．kids live an unsafe life in parts of the world
B．the balls sent to kids should be of good quality
C．young kids can not overcome the difficulties
D．kids intend to break their toys into pieces
60． How may Bobby feel about Mosie?
A．He was very proud of Mosie’s bravery.
B．He felt sorry for Mosie’s ruined childhood.
C．He thought money could solve Mosie’s problem.
D．He felt happy to tell him what was in his heart.
61．Which of the following about Bobby’s new book is TRUE?
A．It earned a lot of money to help kids like Mosie.
B．The photos inside reflected the kids’ hopeless life.
C．Its title shows the author’s belief to change the world.
D．It changed the life of the kids recorded in the book.
62．The underlined part in the last paragrph probably means___________.
A．starting the first step as a baby does
B．taking an active action from now on
C．making great changes step by step
D．doing some small but good deeds
Can you believe your eyes? A recent experiment suggests that the answer to that question may depend on your age.
Martin Doherty, a psychologist at the University of Stirling in Scotland, led the team of scientists. In this experiment, Doherty and his team tested the perception(观察力) of some people, using pictures of some orange circles. The researchers showed the same pictures to two groups of people. The first group included 151 children aged 4 to 10, and the second group included 24 adults aged 18 to 25.
The first group of pictures showed two circles alone on a white background. One of the circles was larger than the other, and these people were asked to identify the larger one. Four-year-olds identified the correct circle 79 percent of the time. Adults identified the correct circle 95 percent of the time.
Next, both groups were shown a picture where the orange circles, again of different sizes, were surrounded by gray circles. Here’s where the trick lies in. In some of the pictures, the smaller orange circle was surrounded by even smaller gray circles — making the orange circle appear larger than the other orange circle, which was the real larger one. And the larger orange circle was surrounded by even bigger gray circles — so it appeared to be smaller than the real smaller orange circle.
When young children aged 4 to 6 looked at these tricky pictures, they weren’t fooled — they were still able to find the bigger circle with roughly the same accuracy as before. Older children and adults, on the other hand, did not do as well. Older children often identified the smaller circle as the larger one, and adults got it wrong most of the time.
As children get older, Doherty said, their brains may develop the ability to identify visual context. In other words, they will begin to process the whole picture at once: the tricky gray circles, as well as the orange circle in the middle. As a result, they’re more likely to fall for this kind of visual trick.
55．Doherty and his team of scientists did an experiment to evaluate________.
A．children’s and adults’ eye-sight
B．people’s ability to see accurately
C．children’s and adults’ brains
D．the influence of people’s age
56．When asked to find the larger circle,___________.
A．children at 6 got it wrong 79 % of the time with no gray ones around
B．only adults over 18 got it right 95% of the time with gray ones around
C．children at 4 got it right about 79 % of the time with gray ones around
D．adults got it right most of the time with gray ones around
57．Visual context may work when children get older than________.
A．4 B．6 C．10 D．18
58．Why are younger children not fooled ?
A．Because they are smarter than older children and adults.
B．Because older people are influenced by their experience.
C．Because people’s eyes become weaker as they grow older.
D．Because their brain can hardly notice related things together.
第二部分: 阅读理解(共16小题,每小题2分,满分32分)
第一节（共12小题：每小题2分，满分24分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
On September 22, 1986, Jay Brunkella, a police officer in the Rogers Park district in Chicago, was shot during a drug arrest and died. Shortly afterwards, fellow officer Ken Knapcik, a 20-year veteran（老警官）of the force, returned home after work to find a note from his 15 year old daughter on the dining table.
Dad—This poem came directly from my heart. I love you so much! It scares and amazes me that you go out every day and risk everything to provide us with all that we have. I wrote this to express how much I love you and how much lost I’d be without you ---Laura. PS: Hey, let’s be careful out there.
Titled The Ultimate Cop, Laura’s poem was dedicated “To all the cops in the world who have daughters who love them with all their hearts. And especially to my dad”. It was about a police officer’s daughter who sees on the night time news that her father has been shot. Part of poem: “Daddy, my Daddy, can you hear me cry? Oh, God, I need my Daddy, please don’t let him die.”
Ken Knapcik stood alone as he read the poem. “It took me several minutes,” he said. “I’d get through part of it and have to stop before I could go on. I was weeping. She had never told me she was scared.” He took the poem to work the next day and showed it to his fellow officers. I’ve never seen so many grown men cry. Some couldn’t finish it.”
Knapcik keeps Laura’s poem in the pocket of his police jacket. He takes it with him every time he leaves the house for a new shift. “I don’t want to be out there without it,” he said. “I’ll probably carry it with me forever.”
51. Laura wrote the poem ____________.
A. in memory of her father who was shot in the drug arrest
B. to show her great sorrow in losing her father
C. to show her respect to all the cops who lost their lives
D. to tell Officer Ken Knapcik how much she loved him
52. All the officers cried because ____________.
A. Jay Brunkella was shot and died
B. they were greatly touched by the poem
C. the poem was so sad that they couldn’t hold back their tears
D. they thought of their dangerous life
53. Knapcik keeps Laura’s poem in his pocket ______________.
A. to treasure her daughter’s love and to value his own life
B. to keep it from getting lost
C. because he can’t go out without it
D. to mourn over the death of Officer Jay Brunkella
54. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Poem for a cop B. An officer’s death
C. A cop’s daughter D. Love my job, love my daughter
As we all know, it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence (《独立宣言》). He wrote it in two weeks, and after a few changes, it was accepted by the Congress (国会). As a result, he became famous.
Born in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, a brilliant student at school and almost talented lawyer later, was much interested in politics.
Jefferson was elected the Governor of Virginia in 1779, and he was sent to France as the representative of the American government in 1784. Sixteen years later, at the age of 57, he was elected president after Washington and Adams.
Far from a handsome man, he was tall with long arms and big hands. Jefferson, who was an amusing talker in conversation but a poor speaker, was generally good-natured.
Jefferson was regarded as a defender of freedom in America. As a president, he protected the right of free speech. Interestingly enough, in his eight years as president, Jefferson never vetoed (否决) a bill which the Congress had passed. He did a lot in organizing the new University of Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson died on July the fourth, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of American Independence.
5. From the passage we can infer that America won its independence in _______.
A. 1786 B. 1800 C. 1842 D. 1776
6. How old was Thomas Jefferson when he became the Governor of Virgina?
A. He was 26. B. He was in his forties.
C. He was 36. D. We don’t know.
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Jefferson wan an amusing talker, but not good at speaking in public.
B. Jefferson was not an easy person to get along with.
C. Jefferson was not only very talented but also very handsome.
D. Not being politically minded, Jefferson never vetoed a bill passed by the Congress.
4. Jefferson died when he was ________.
A. 72 B. 83 C. 73 D. 92
8. Jefferson’s greatest contribution in American history should be that ________.
A. he did a lot in organizing the new University of Virginia.
B. he was strongly against the slavery
C. he wrote the Declaration of Independence
D. he was for the right of free speech
阅读文章，选择正确答案，回答问题。
It was a very foggy day in London. The fog was so thick that it was impossible to see more than a foot or so. Buses, cars and taxis were not able to run and were standing by the side of the road. People were trying to find their way about on foot but were losing their way in the fog. Mr. Smith had a very important meeting at the House of Commons and had to get there but no one could take him. He tried to walk there but found he was quite lost. Suddenly he bumped into a stranger. The stranger asked if he could help him. Mr. Smith said he wanted to get to the Houses of Parliament. The stranger told him he would take him there. Mr. Smith thanked him and they started to walk there. The fog was getting thicker every minute but the stranger had no difficulty in finding the way. He went along one street, turned down another, crossed a square and at last after about half an hour’s walk they arrived at the Houses of Parliament. Mr. Smith couldn’t understand how the stranger found his way. “It is wonderful,” he said. “How do you find the way in the fog?”
“It is no trouble at all to me,” said the stranger, “I am blind.”
1. According to the passage, we can infer that bump into means _______.
A. knock off B. meet by chance
C. strike D. traffic accident
2. Which of the following statements are NOT true?
A. The stranger has a better sight than Mr. Smith.
B. Heavy fog can cause traffic accidents.
C. It’s easy to get lost in a foggy day.
D. The fog was getting thicker and thicker.
3. Why is it no trouble at all to the stranger to find the way in the fog?
A. Because he is a local inhabitant of London.
B. Because he lives next to the Houses of Parliament.
C. Because he is familiar with the route.
D. Because he finds the way not by sight but by heart.
4. This article mainly tells us that ________.
A. London is a foggy city.
B. Mr. Smith works for the government.
C. A blind stranger led the way for Mr. Smith in a foggy day.
D. Mr. Smith had a very important meeting and lost his way in the fog.