Scientists have discovered a special biological behavior in dolphins（海豚） that could lead to a treatment for late-onset diabetes（晚发的糖尿病） in humans. Studies on dolphins found that healthy dolphins switch into a diabetic-like state overnight when they are not feeding, but return to normal when they eat the following morning.
The extraordinary finding has led scientists to suggest that dolphins have “genetic switch” that allows them to imitate diabetes while they are not feeding for a night, without suffering any ill effect.
If researchers can identify a similar genetic pathway in human, they may be able to develop drugs to effectively switch off diabetes. Some 2.2 million people in Britain have type 2 (or late-onset) diabetes, a figure that is expected to reach 4 million by 2025 as a consequence of rising levels of obesity（肥胖）.
The tissues of people with type 2 diabetes have become resistant to insulin（胰岛素）so they lose the ability to control sugar levels in their blood. The condition can damage the heart, eyes, kidneys（肾脏） and nerves and contribute to 5% of all deaths, according to the World Healthy Organization.
Dolphins appear to imitate diabetes to keep high levels of blood sugar when food is rare. Like humans, dolphins need some sugar in their blood for their brains to function normally. Venn-Watson’s team analyzed 1,000 blood samples（样本） from 52 dolphins while they didn’t eat anything overnight and fed in the morning. At night time, the dolphins’ metabolism（新陈代谢）changed greatly and showed similar characteristics to that seen in people with type 2 diabetes.
“It is our hope that this discovery can lead to new ways to prevent, treat and maybe even cure diabetes in humans,” said Stephanie Venn-Watson, director of clinical research at the National Marine Foundation in San Diego.What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Humans get some idea of treating diabetes from dolphins. |
| B．Dolphins can switch into a diabetic-like state overnight. |
| C．Humans can suffer the same disease as dolphins. |
| D．Dolphins should be fed regularly to avoid diabetes. |
The key to applying the finding to curing human diabetes lies in ____________.
| A．producing insulin in a larger amount |
| B．developing drugs from healthy dolphins |
| C．identifying a similar genetic pathway in human |
| D．analyzing more blood samples from hungry dolphins |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scientists have found a similar genetic switch in humans. |
| B．More British people will suffer type 2 diabetes due to obesity. |
| C．2.2 million people with type 2 diabetes die in Britain every year. |
| D．Dolphins imitate diabetes to avoid a high blood sugar level. |
What will happen to dolphins if not fed for a night according to Venn-Watson?
| A．Their metabolism breaks down. |
| B．They become resistant to insulin. |
| C．Their heart and kidneys are damaged. |
| D．They keep high levels of blood sugar. |
In a great many cities, hundreds of people ride bicycles to work everyday. In New City, some bike riders have even formed a group called Bike for a Better City. They declare that if more people rode bicycles to work, there would be fewer automobiles(汽车) in the downtown part of the city and so less dirty air from car engines. For several years this group has been trying to get the city government to help bicycle riders. For example. They want the city to draw special lanes(通道) for bicycles only on some of the main streets, because when bicycle riders must use the same lanes as cars, there are accidents. Bike for a Better city feels that if there were special lanes more people would use bikes.
But no bicycles lanes have been drawn. Not everyone thinks they are a good idea-----they say it will slow traffic. Some store owners on the main streets don't like the idea------they say that if there is less traffic, they will have less business.
The city government has not yet decided what to do. It wants to keep everyone happy. On weekends
, Central Park----the largest place of open ground in New York----is closed to cars, and the roads may be used by bicycles only. But Bike for a Better City says that this is not enough and keeps fighting to get bicycle lanes downtown.
1. The bike riders suggest that _____________.
A. bicycles should be used instead of cars B. bicycle lanes should be drawn
C. fewer buses or cars should be used D. the number of special lanes should be increased
2. The advantage(好处) of the special lanes is that _______.
A. they will make cars and buses run slowly
B. they will make it easier for bike riders to go to parks
C .they will make the city more beautiful
D. the lanes will prevent accidents
3. The government has not decided whether special lanes should be drawn ______.
A. so that everyone is disappointed B. because there are different opinions
C. because most people travel by train D. because Bike for a Better City is not strong enough
The British are the most voracious(如饥似渴的) newspaper readers in the world.
They read newspapers at breakfast ; they walk to the bus reading a newspaper; they read a newspaper on bus, as they go to work; and on the way back home, after work, they are engaged in reading an evening newspaper.
There are many" morning papers", both national and provincial. The most famous is The Times. Different from what many foreigners believe, this is not a government newspaper. The various newspapers usually have their own views of the Communist Morning Star. The Labor Party and the Trades Union Congress no longer have a daily newspaper to represent them.
Bold headlines and a variety of photographs are features of the British press. Some newspapers, such as the sober Daily Telegraph and The Times, use photographs sparingly(节省). The more“popular”newsp
apers, using the small or "tabloid"(小报) format, such as the Daily Express, the Mail, the Daily Mirror and the Sun, use pictures extensively and also run strip cartoons and humorous drawings, some of which present striking pictorial comment on politics.
Besides offering features common to newspapers all over the world, British newspapers specialize in pages devoted to criticism of the arts and a woman's page. One feature found in many foreign newspapers is missing in British papers：the serial(连载).
Nearly all papers pay special attention to the reporting of sports and athletics. The evening newspapers are often bought because the buyer wants to know the winner of a race, or to get good tip for a race that is still to be run. There is no censorship(审查) of the press in Britain (except in wartime), though of course all newspapers—like private persons—are responsible for what they publish, and can be sued for libel （为诽谤而被起诉） for publishing articles that go beyond the bounds of decency(正派), or for ignorance of court”. (e.g. calling a man a murderer while he is still being tried．Such cases are not often)
1．Which of the following does NOT serve as an evidence(证据) that the British are the great newspaper readers?
A．They read newspapers at breakfast. B．They read newspapers at work.
C．They read newspapers on bus. D．They read newspapers on the way back home.
2．Many of foreigners think that_______.
A．The Times is an organ (喉舌) of the government
B．The Times has its own views on politics
C．The Times is the most famous newspaper in the world
D．The Times pays too much attention to the reporting of political events
3．British newspapers are characterized by ________.
A．bold headlines B．various kinds of photographs
C．striking pictorial comment on politics D．both A and B
4．Which of the following conclusions can NOT be drawn from the passage?
A．Englishmen always take every possible
chance to read newspapers.
B．In Britain, newspapers must be carefully examined by the authorities(当局) before their publication for fear that they present anything offensive.
C．Few British newspapers publish libelous articles.
D．The Times is one of the world-famous newspapers.
South Korean films
Beijing audience(观众) can view five new South Korean films, all with Chinese subtitles(中文字幕), until April 19 at the Tuixin Cinema on the Beijing National Library grounds.
Two other South Korean films completed their full runs（展出） at the Tuixin Cinema earlier this month.
Location：Tuixin Cinema, Beijing National Library, 39 Baishiqiao Road, Haidian District Telephone：86425566
My love, My Bride
April 15： 9: 00, 13: 00, 15: 30, 17:30, 19:30
Kim's War
April 16： 9:00, 13:00, 18:15
Because You Are a Woman
April 17：13:30, 18:15
Marriage Story
April 18：9:00, 13:30, 15:30, 18:15
Sopyonje
April 19：9:00, 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30
Leon's show
Hong Kong popstar...Leon Lai will give a personal performance at 7：30pm from tomorrow through to September 21 at the Shanghai Gymnasium. The show is to celebrate the opening of the 93 Huangpu Tourism Festival.
Tickets：60, 90, 120, 180 yuan RMB, available (有票) at 66 Jiangning Road.
Address：Shanghai Gymnasium, 1111 Caixi Road N.
Tel：29189188, 29171145, 49384952, 29197113
Russian Concert
The Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra will put on some excellent Russian choral(合唱的) works at 7：15pm on September 26 and 27 at the Shanghai Concert Hall. They will sing Russian folk songs and a Mass under a Russian conductor who is very famous for conducting chorus(歌唱队) and has given a successful choral concert in Beijing.
Tickets：6, 8, 10, 12 yuan RMB, available at the hall's ticket office.
Address：523 Yan’an Road M. Shanghai
Tel：32275694
Korean songs
The Song and Dance Troupe of the Republic of Korea will give a Song and Dance show at 7: 30pm tonight at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.
Tickets：10, 20, 30 yuan RMB available at the theatre's ticket office.
Address：1376 Nanjing Road W. Shanghai
Tel：29798663
1．The audience in _______ can watch the performance given by Leon Lai from tomorrow through to September.
A．Beijing B．Korean C．Shanghai D．Hong Kong
2．_______ will be on April 18．The cinema's telephone number is_________.
A．Kim’s War; 29798663 B．My love, My Bride; 32275694
C．Because You Are a Woman; 29189188 D．Marriage Story; 86425566
3．________will give a Song and Dance show at 7：30 pm tonight at Shanghai Centre Theatre.
A．Leon Lai, a Hong Kong pop star
B．The Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra
C．The Song and Dance Trupe of the Republic of Korea
D．A Russian Philharmonic Orchestra
4．The address of the Shanghai Centre Theatre is________.
A．1111 Caoxi Road N B．1376 Nanjing Road W
C．523 Yan’an Road D．66 Jiangning Road
5．Which of the following statement is TRUE?
A．We can see all the South Korean films in the morning.
B．Leon’s show is to celebrate a festival.
C．There are some famous pop singers in Russian concert.
D．We can enjoy the Korean songs at the Shanghai Concert Hall.
Today, roller skating is easy and fun．But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball（化装舞会）. He was very pleased and a
little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was ver
y proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merl
in rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin’s grand entrance for a long time!
1．The text is mainly about ________.
A．a strange man B．an unusual party
C．how roller skating began D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century
2．People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _________.
A．often gave others surprises B．was a gifted musician
C．invented the roller skates D．was full of imagination
3．Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________ .
A．impress the party guests B．arrive at the party sooner
C．test his invention D．show his skill in walking on wheels
4．What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?
A．The roller skates needed further improvement.
B．The party guests took Merlin for a fool.
C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.
D．Merlin got himself into trouble.
阅读理解部分（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、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Education is required and free for every child in the United States. Most children start school by the age of six. They attend eight years of elementary school and four years of high school (or secondary school ).The money for free public schools comes from taxes, and each state is responsible for its own educational system .State legislatures (立法机关) set the educational requirements but leave the management of the schools in the hands of the local communities .Most states require their children to go to school until a certain age. This age varies from 16 to 18 years according to the laws of the individual state. The Federal government contributes funds to the states for additional schools and schools services.
After graduation from high school, a student can start his higher education in two –year college, a four-year college, a university or a specialized professional school----either public or private. Most colleges admit students on the basis of their high-school records. The cost of a college education is expensive in private universities, but it is much less in those supported by states and cities. Many students receive scholarships from the schools, the government, or private foundations and organizations. More than 50 percent of the college students work to help pay their college expenses.
Only 2 percent of the population of the country cannot read and write.
1、Where does the money for public schools come from ?
A. From the Federal government. B. From the state legislatures.
C. From taxes. D. From the parents of the school children.
2、What is the educational system in the United States based on ?
A. The Federal governmentB. Individual school
C. Individual state D. Local communities
3、What percentage of the population is illiterate (文盲) ？
A. 50 B. 2 C. 4 D. 6
4、How are college expenses of most students paid ?
A. They won earnings from part-time work .
B. Scholarship from the schools, the government or private foundations.
C. Taxes .
D. Both A and B.