Surprisingly, no one knows how many children receive education in English hospitals, still less the content or quality of that education. Proper records are just not kept. We know that more than 850,000 children go through hospital each year, and that every child of school age has a legal right to continue to receive education while in hospital. We also know there is only one hospital teacher to every 1,000 children in hospital.
Little wonder the latest survey concludes that the extent and type of hospital teaching available differ a great deal across the country. It is found that half the hospitals in England which admit children have no teacher. A further quarter have only a part-time teacher. The special children’s hospitals in major cities do best; general hospitals in the country and holiday areas are worst off. From this survey, one can estimate that fewer than one in five children have some contact with a hospital teacher—and that contact may be as little as two hours a day. Most children interviewed were surprised to find a teacher in hospital at all. They had not been prepared for it by parents or their own school. If there was a teacher they were much more likely to read books and do math or number work; without a teacher they would only play games.
Reasons for hospital teaching range from preventing a child falling behind and maintaining the habit of school to keeping a child occupied, and the latter is often all the teacher can do. The position and influence of many teachers was summed up when parents referred to them as “the library lady” or just “the helper”. Children tend to rely on concerned school friends to keep in touch with school work. Several parents spoke of requests for work being ignored or refused by the school. Once back at school children rarely get extra teaching, and are told to catch up as best as they can.
Many short-stay child-patients catch up quickly. But schools do very little to ease the anxiety about falling behind expressed by many of the children interviewed.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Every child in hospital receives some teaching. |
| B．Not enough is known about hospital teaching. |
| C．Hospital teaching is of poor quality. |
| D．The special children's hospitals are worst off. |
It can be inferred from the latest survey that________.
| A．hospital teaching across the country is similar |
| B．each hospital has at least one part-time teacher |
| C．all hospitals surveyed offer education to children |
| D．only one-fourth of the hospitals have a full-time teacher |
Hospital teachers are found________.
| A．not welcomed by the children and their parents |
| B．necessary |
| C．not welcomed by the hospitals |
| D．capable |
In order to catch up with their school work, children in hospital usually turn to________.
| A．hospital teachers | B．schoolmates |
| C．parents | D．school teachers |
We can conclude from the passage that the author is________.
| A．unfavorable towards children receiving education in hospitals |
| B．in favor of the present state of teaching in hospitals |
| C．unsatisfied with the present state of hospital teaching |
| D．satisfied with the results of the latest survey |
Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by travelling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South Africa. The man who finally found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan.
Magellan sailed from Seville in August 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the severe （凌冽的） winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel （海峡） which is now called Magellan Straits. In November 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America.
They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. But they didn’t see any land until they reached the islands off the coast of Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as Philippines, men were dying of starvation. While they were in the Philippines., Magellan was killed in battle.
The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail around Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan’s expedition （探险队）.Magellan Straits were discovered by Magellan ______.
| A．in August 1519 | B．in October 1520 |
| C．in November 1520 | D．in December 1520 |
The number of the ships lost on the whole expedition was ______.
| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
| A．Dangers from rocks and storms | B．Lack of fresh food and water |
| C．Severe winter in Patagonia | D．The death of Magellan |
For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of these searches have been done over the radio. The hope is that someone in outer space may be trying to get in touch with us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages on spaceships traveling through space, on the chance that someone may be receptive （善于接受的） to such messages.
Scientists are using powerful radio telescope to listen to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years of earth. In addition, they will scan (扫视) the entire sky to “listen” for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight channels at one time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy （银河星系）, scientists find that five percent are like our sun. Perhaps half of them have a planet like earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the star for temperatures to be right for the evolution of life. Based on the inhabitable (that can be lived in) planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets support some life.
However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent （有智力的） life exists on other planets. Some believe that twenty years of searching without any intelligible （可理解的） messages shows that no one is out there. They say that the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely.
Other scientists believe that our search hasn’t been long enough to rule out the possibility that intelligent life exists in our galaxy. Although our sun family in only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billions years old. In that time, some scientists think it is likely that civilizations are much more advanced than ours. Perhaps these civilizations （文明） send us no signals; perhaps we have not recognized the signals they have sent us. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep looking.According to the passage, how many planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable?
| A．5 billion | B．10 billion | C．15 billion | D．200 billion |
The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about ______.
| A．how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| B．why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| C．where scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
| D．when scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets |
The underlined word “monitor” in the passage means “______”.
| A．find | B．follow | C．check | D．form |
Which of the statements is TRUE based on the information in the passage?
| A．The earth is one of the oldest planets in our galaxy. |
| B．Most scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planet. |
| C．Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planet. |
| D．Scientists don’t believe that there might be life on other planets. |
People celebrate birthdays in almost every country on earth. And they celebrate them in many different ways.
In China and in Japan, for example, the arrival of New Year is more important than a person’s birthday. So everyone adds a year to celebrate their ages on New Year’s Day, instead of on their birthdays,
In Brazil, the special birthday food isn’t cake, but special candles. In China, it’s long noodles—for long life. In Iceland, people have pancakes with candies rolled inside them on birthdays.
In Britain, a birthday is an all-day celebration. At school, the birthday child is lifted up and “bumped” by his classmates. This means the child is lifted by the feet and arms and bumped to the ground, once for each year once for good growth. In Israel, the same custom is followed, except the birthday person is lifted and lowered while sitting in a chair.
In Holland, children not only get presents, but also give things out. They give cakes, cookies and candles to their classmates and teachers on their birthdays.
In Mexico, it’s good luck to give birthday greetings as early in the day as possible. So it’s usual for the birthday child to be woken up at midnight by fiends singing birthday songs.
In India, birthday celebrations also begin before dawn. Prayers and blessings must be said before morning comes.
In Thailand, two tall candles are lighted the night before the birthday. One is as tall as the birthday person. If it goes out early, it’s bad luck. Another customs of Thailand is that they buy live fish and birds for the birthday person and then the birthday person frees the animals, and it brings good luck.
In Nigeria, people in a certain age group celebrate their birthdays together, on a certain day.
In many countries birthday customs are changing. Old customs are giving way to western style of birthdays, with candle topped cakes. But one thing never changes—birthdays are special days for everyone!It’s a custom to lift and lower the birthday person in a chair in _____.
| A．Britain | B．Israel |
| C．Britain and Israel | D．Israel and Thailand |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．In Thailand people give fish and birds to the birthday person as presents. |
| B．In Holland people give presents to unbirthday persons on their birthdays. |
| C．In Nigeria people who were born in the same period may celebrate their birthdays on the same day. |
| D．In Thailand a candle will be lighted on the birthday night. |
What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．Different countries have different birthdays. |
| B．Celebrating birthdays is exciting. |
| C．Different ways of celebrating the birthday in different countries. |
| D．Everyone likes celebrating his or her birthday. |
Every day, about one-quarter of American adults eat at fast-food restaurants. Cheap, tasty, and convenient, fast food is rich in fat and calories, and it’s low in fiber and nutrients. Thanks in large part to fast food, half of America’s adults and one-quarter of its children are fat, double the rate of a generation ago. In the past two decades, eating habits have changed as people pay more attention to their health. However, many Americans continue to eat red meat (beef in particular) as well as pork, chicken and other foods. Although beer and wine are popular in most areas, many Americans abstain from alcohol, because they think they will become healthier without drinking it. Various kinds of mineral water are commonly available.
Eating styles and habits vary between people of different backgrounds, but Americans generally eat with the fork in the hand with which they write. A knife is used for cutting and spreading; otherwise, it is laid on the plate or table. Fast foods, such as chips, fried chicken, hamburgers, and pizza, tend to be eaten with the fingers. There is an obvious difference between what people may do at home or in a fast-food restaurant, and how they act in a more formal restaurant. Because both parents often work outside the home, some Americans are less likely to sit down as a family to eat once the children are older and able to prepare their own food or serve themselves.How many adults became fat after eating fast foods a generation ago?
| A．12.5% of them | B．25% of them |
| C．50% of them | D．75% of them |
American have changed their eating habits in the past twenty years because ______.
| A．they want to keep healthy |
| B．economy develops faster |
| C．they have different backgrounds |
| D．they have to work outside |
The underlined phrase “abstain from” in Para. 1 probably means ______.
| A．feel like | B．get close to | C．suffer from | D．get rid of |
We can infer from the passage ______.
| A．some fast foods aren’ t eaten with tools in America |
| B．Americans always eat fried chicken with a knife |
| C．Americans prefer to eat outside than at home |
| D．Americans always go home having meals as a family |
Which would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Fast foods in the US. |
| B．Various cultures of the US. |
| C．Diet and eating in America. |
| D．Changes about Americans eating. |
The Intel Science Talent Search is the top science competition for high school students in the US. The 40 finalists were honored in Washington last week. They met with scientists and politicians. President Obama welcomed them to the White House.
These 40 students were selected from almost 2,000 contestants nationwide. They had to present original research to be judged by professional scientists. The students showed their research projects on large posters. The winners were announced on March 15th, 2011.
Wendy Hawkins is executive director of the Intel Foundation, who says the 40 finalists represented excellence across many areas of science.
Selena Li is from Fair Oaks, California. She wanted to find a more effective treatment for liver cancer. She began her research four years ago. A scientist at the University of California, Davis, taught her how to design and do experimental work in the laboratory. Ms. Li placed 5th in the Intel Science Talent Search and was awarded 30,000 dollars.
Scott Boisvert lives near Phoenix, Arizona. He began using a laboratory at the University of Arizona at the age of 14. Over four years, he completed a project studying a fungus(真菌) linked to the decrease in amphibians（两栖动物）around the world. He was trying to find out if different chemicals and substances in the water could kill the fungus. He collected and tested water samples across Arizona. He says, “My results were able to identify a list of chemicals that were significant in the growth and in the movement of the fungus.” He placed10th in the Intel competition and was awarded 20,000 dollars.
Evan O’Dorney of Danville, California, won the top award of 100,000 dollars in this year’s Intel Science Talent Search. For his mathematical project, he compared two ways to estimate the square root of an integer (整数) , a number with no fractional parts.
Wendy Hawkins at the Intel Foundation says these young people represent the next generation of scientists who will help shape America’s future.According to the passage, if you want to win the Intel Science Talent Search, you must________.
| A．have high academic achievement |
| B．be excellent in all areas of science |
| C．offer original research |
| D．do many experiments in a university lab |
Who will be probably engaged in math study in the future and become a mathematician?
| A．Wendy Hawkins. | B．Selena Li. |
| C．Scott Boisvert. | D．Evan O’Dorney |
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scott Boisvert found a new fungus linked to the decease in amphibians. |
| B．The 1st, 5th and 10th students in the competition come from California. |
| C．Scott Boisvert is the youngest winner among the 40 students. |
| D．The Intel Science Talent Search is an intense competition. |
The Wendy Hawkins’s attitude to these 40 finalists is ______.
| A．critical | B．negative | C．positive | D．mixed |