When it comes to social behaviour，mammals are in a league of their own. Some birds may form pairs，or even cooperate to hunt，but the complexity (复杂性) of their relationships can hardly compare to those within a school of dolphins，a herd of elephants or a group of humans. What makes mammalian social groups different from a flock of starlings or a shoal of fish，is that in many cases the individuals could recognize each other. Although we may think that all elephants look pretty much the same，we can easily tell individuals of our own species apart and it has become clear through studies that the same is true of other species. Dolphins have their own signature whistles that act like “names”，and elephants can recognize and greet other individuals they have known but not seen for many years. This is something that only a few species of birds appear to be able to do.
Mammals in complex social groups not only recognize each other as individuals，but also they remember a lot of information about that individual. Social groups often rely on this memory—such as knowing who is dominant to whom，who is related to whom，and who has done what to whom in the past. It’s like remembering who you have lent money to or done a favour for，and who hasn’t repaid that money or has talked about you behind your back. You have to learn who to trust，who your friends are，and who to watch out for.
All this remembering goes on in a particular part of the brain called the neocortex (大脑皮层)．If you compare the size of a mammal’s social group with the size of this part of the brain，you will find they are remarkably closely related. This area seems to take a long time to develop fully and animals in which it is very large take a very long time to grow up to adulthood. During this time，the youngster has to learn all the rules of social behaviour in their group and to piece together all the relationships between the group members：Knowledge that will be needed to avoid getting into trouble.What is special about a mammalian social group according to the passage?
| A．All the individuals cooperate to hunt. |
| B．The individuals can communicate with each other. |
| C．The individuals can recognize each other. |
| D．The individuals form closer relationship. |
The passage suggests that elephants________.
| A．are cleverer than dolphins |
| B．can recognize other species |
| C．may mistake a member for another |
| D．have good memories |
Animals whose area of the neocortex is large________.
| A．will have a long period of time before they become adults |
| B．will spend a shorter time learning the necessary knowledge |
| C．will learn the necessary knowledge much more easily |
| D．will have more difficulty in growing up as adults |
If the neocortex is larger，the animals________.
| A．can live a longer life |
| B．have a smaller social group |
| C．have a larger social group |
| D．have a greater body size |
In order to make his/her point clear，the author use the means of________.
| A．analyzing cause and effect |
| B．making comparisons |
| C．giving wonderful examples |
| D．providing different figures |
I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world.
From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a deformity that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes.
Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season.
“The world will see him when he can walk,” she told Dad. “And he will walk.”
Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin.
A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs (肢). Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs.
“There's nothing anyone can do but you can't,” Mam said. “You and I are going to walk through town.”
The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. “Hold your head up high, now, Ronan,” she said.
We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride.
That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk.
Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me—Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do—and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it.
I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived.What was the problem with the author as a baby?
| A．He was expected unable to walk. |
| B．He was born outward in character. |
| C．He had a problem with listening. |
| D．He was shorter than a normal baby. |
The underlined word “deformity” in the second paragraph most probably means _______.
| A．shortcoming | B．disadvantage | C．disability | D．delay |
Why did Mam dress him and herself in finest clothes?
| A．To hide their depressed feeling. |
| B．To indicate it an unusual day. |
| C．To show off their clothes. |
| D．To celebrate his successful operation. |
From the story we may conclude that his mother was _______.
| A．determined | B．stubborn | C．generous | D．distinguished |
According to the writer, what mattered most in his success?
| A．His consistent effort. | B．His talent for music. |
| C．His countless failures. | D．His mother's promise. |
If women are mercilessly exploited(剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend large sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time changing their old-fashioned dresses. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with necessary things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or picking her way through deep snow in high heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability(稳定耐用)? That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money _______.
| A．by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry |
| B．because they are capable of predicting new fashions |
| C．by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing |
| D．because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothing |
To the writer, the fact that women change their old-fashioned dresses is seen as _______.
| A．a waste of money | B．a waste of time |
| C．an expression of taste | D．an expression of creativity |
New fashions in clothing are created for _______.
| A．the commercial exploitation of women |
| B．the women's strength of character |
| C．basic qualities of inconstancy and instability |
| D．an important contribution to society |
The English, as a race, are very different in many ways from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, the Belgians and the Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems restrained, even embarrassed. You have only to witness a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, and no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “On entering a railway carriage, shake hands with all the passengers.” Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspected.
In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc, often accompanied by appropriate gesture. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than anyone of a different nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. A more emotional man might describe her state “Oh, she is a goddess”, whereas an Englishman might just say “Oh, she’s all right.” An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting, “It’s not bad you know”, or on seeing some very unusual scenery he might convey (表达) his pleasure by saying, “Nice, yes, very nice.” The overseas visitor must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest and involvement. Instead, he must realize that “all right,” “not bad,” and “nice,” very often have the sense of “first-class,” “excellent,” “beautiful”. This unique style of language use is particularly common in England, and is known as restrained statement.According to the passage, the English are different from other nationalities in _______.
| A．habits | B．attitudes | C．character | D．all of the above |
The underlined word “restrained” in the second paragraph probably means “_______”.
| A．calm and controlled | B．polite and friendly |
| C．nervous and quiet | D．silent and kind |
In Britain, if you don’t want other people to think you are strange, you’d better _______.
| A．talk with others as much as possible |
| B．behave just like the English do |
| C．say nothing about yourself |
| D．shake hands with everyone you meet |
If an Englishman says “all right”, it may mean “_______”.
| A．not bad | B．correct | C．quite right | D．wonderful |
From the passage, we can infer that an Englishman _______.
| A．doesn’t like to show his feelings so much |
| B．has less emotion than people of other nationalities |
| C．finds it easy to express his emotion |
| D．likes to have a joke with strangers |
Summer in Europe is very nice for us to visit one of our favourite cities for a break. Below we have put together a short list of our favourite summer break locations（地方） that offer a great balance of culture, sunshine and fun.
Berlin, the second most populous city in the European Union, gets the third place on our list. It has three famous airports: Tegel International Airport, Tempelhof International Airport, and Schonefeld International Airport.
The capital of Germany is on this list not only because it is a fantastic place to go on holiday but also since it teaches a very important lesson to humanity（人，人性）. The Berlin Wall, the better part of which still remains well kept for educational and amusement（娱乐） aims, reminds us of the extra costs paid by everyone. Today, the undamaged part of the Wall, known as the East Side Gallery, shows striking murals(壁画)；if you are interested in this chapter(时期) of the city’s history, there is also a Berlin Wall Memorial you would want to visit. The Potsdamer Platz, divided into two by the Wall, is a newly developed area that is famous for a large shopping center and movie theatre complexes（混合体）, and adds a bit of modern colour to Berlin’s historical value.
Much like the other places that made the list, Berlin is also a city of art. The city has over one hundred and fifty museums in all, and a few of the ones providing an extraordinary experience include the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe, the Museum of Indian Art, and the Museum of East Asian Art. Appreciating Berlin’s art is much like taking a university course in itself and it can only be truly appreciated in several trips.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in this passage?
| A．Berlin is a city with a large population in Europe. |
| B．Berlin has many parks and bridges. |
| C．Berlin is a city with many museums. |
| D．Berlin is the capital city of Germany. |
From the passage, visitors can enjoy .
| A．beautiful sights | B．striking murals | C．art museums | D．all the above |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．The reasons for Berlin to be chosen on the list. |
| B．Berlin’s modern developments. |
| C．Berlin’s historical feature. |
| D．The significance(意义)of the Berlin Wall. |
If Peter is interested in German history, he should visit .
| A．the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe |
| B．the Museum of Indian Art |
| C．the Berlin Wall Memorial |
| D．movie theatre complexes |
Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones. They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. Some are shy “in real life” but are confident to communicate with others online; others find support from people of their own age on relationship issues, or problems at home.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can introduce problems, such as bullying or arguments. Going online is great fun, but there are also a few people who use the Internet for offensive(冒犯性的)or illegal aims. Children must be made aware（意识到的） of both the good things and the dangers.
To keep children safe your management must cover the family computer. Just as you decide which TV programs are suitable, you need to do the same for the websites and chat rooms your children visit. Remind your children that online friends are still strangers. Reminding them of the risks will keep them alert(警惕).
Computer studies are part of schoolwork now, so it’s likely that your children may know more than you do. We get left behind when it comes to the latest gadgets（小玩意）and the interactive areas of websites, like chat rooms and message boards, which are especially strange. The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. Chatters love to use abbreviations(缩写)such as: atb-all the best, bbfn-bye bye for now, cul8er-see you later, gr8-great, Idk-I don’t know, imbl-it must be love, kit-keep in touch, paw-parents are watching, lol-laugh out loud, xlnt-excellent!
It seems like another language, and it is!The passage is meant for .
| A．children | B．parents | C．teachers | D．net bar owners |
Which of the following will the author probably agree with?
| A．The Internet is no good for children. |
| B．The chat language is strange to adults. |
| C．Children shouldn’t chat so much online. |
| D．The Internet is a good place for children. |
In order to keep children safe online, you’d better .
| A．choose suitable websites and chat rooms for them |
| B．teach them to use correct net words |
| C．surf the Internet together with them |
| D．forbid them to use the Internet |
If you stand beside him when your son is chatting about something secret online, he may use .
| A．bbfn | B．lol | C．paw | D．cul8er |