It is easy to lose patience with science today． The questions are pressing: How dangerous is air pollution? What about low-level radiation? When will that horrible earthquake strike California? And why can't we predict weather better? But the evidence is often described as "uncertain", forcing scientists to base their points of view almost as much on intuition（直觉）as on science．
When historians and philosophers of science listen to these questions, some conclude that science may not be able to solve all these problems any time soon． The unknowns can grow into riddles that are impossible to solve． Because of the unstable and changing state of the earth's atmosphere, for example, scientists have struggled for centuries to predict the weather with precision（精确） but failed．
The case is different for scientists of astronomy． For example, they think that the gravitational force of a nearby space vehicle, though tiny, is able to change the path of a much larger planet if the vehicle spends enough time close to it． With the aid of Newton's laws of gravitational attraction, ground controllers can predict the path of a planetary probe （探测仪）-or satellite-with incredible accuracy． They do this by calculating the gravitational force from each of the passing planets until the probe speeds beyond the edge of the solar system．A much more difficult task is to calculate what happens when two or three times of such force pull on the probe at the same time． Such procedures can, of course, be very difficult, but for experiments, they are effective．
This range of questions-from simple problems to those impossibly complex-has resulted in nicknames for various fields of study: "soft" sciences and " hard " sciences．“Soft” sciences admit a great degree of uncertainty． Academicians tend to judge fields such as sociology, psychology, and political science as “soft” because they are assumed to be understandable, of unnecessary mathematical accuracy, and concerned with everyday affairs such as interpersonal relationships． However, "hard" sciences, such as astronomy and chemistry, are said to offer precise answers． Precise definitions for "hard" sciences vary, but the characteristics of "hard" sciences include: producing testable predictions; performing controlled experiments; relying on quantifiable data and mathematical models; a high degree of accuracy and objectivity; and generally applying a pure form of the scientific method
We can learn from the passage that ．
| A．a large planet is able to change the size of a tiny planet |
| B．ground controllers can affect the gravitational force of planets |
| C．calculating the probe speeds beyond the solar system is possible |
| D．predicting the weather is more difficult than predicting the path of a satellite |
According to the author, "soft" sciences ．
| A．allow for certain inaccuracy |
| B．focus on personal relationships |
| C．are based on controlled experiments |
| D．are rooted in data and mathematical models |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Science, a Long History? |
| B．Science, Accurate or Not? |
| C．Science and Its Functions |
| D．Science and Its Application |
What is the author's attitude towards science in this passage?
| A．Objective． | B．Sceptical． |
| C．Disapproval． | D．Optimistic |
| HOLIDAY HOMES IN MALLORCA Sailing and fishing in summer season. Beautifully situated houses with sights of sea and mountains, yet near to shops and restaurants. Cars and bicycles for hire. Sailing and sports clubs nearby. |
| ITALY IN COMFORT Coach trips of Italy with 21 days to visit five Italian cities. Start from London 1st May, 1st September. The trips are guided by Professor Martin Davis, head of Italian Studies, London University. See the arts and culture of historic Italy. |
| KIBBUTZ HOLIDAYS IN ISRAEL Working holidays on a kibbutz (co-operative farm)in Israel. All nationalities welcome for one to three months, if prepared to work with kibbutz members. Rooms, food and trips to historic sights all provided free—you pay only for the special low-cost return flight. |
| TWO WEEKS ON A CARIBBEAN ISLAND Two-week holidays in the Hotel Splendid, on a lovely beach with golden sands, warm sunshine and deep-blue sea. Tennis, golf, sailing and all water sports, trips around the island. Near to town of Castries with lively evening entertainment—dancing. 1 st November—31 st March£720 per person 1 st April—30 th October£850 per person |
Jack and his wife Mary, who have recently retired, want to see places of cultural and historic interest abroad, but Mary hates flying.
Peter and Maria, university students, want to travel as far as possible on little money, and would like to get to know a country by working there for three months with other young people.
Michael, a young computer programmer, has been working hard and needs a holiday to relax in winter. He would like to go somewhere warmer and sunny, where he can swim in the sea, and he enjoys sports and dancing. The best holiday for Jack and Mary would be_________ .
| A．the 21-day coach trip of Italy |
| B．the 2- week stay in the Hotel Splendid |
| C．the 14-day trip around a Caribbean island |
| D．1-3months’ holidays on a kibbutz in Israel |
The most suitable place where Peter and Maria can enjoy their holiday would be_____.
| A．an Italian city | B．a kibbutz in Israel |
| C．a Caribbean island | D．a port in Mallorca |
Michael would most probably go to ________ for his holiday.
| A．Italy | B．Israel | C．Mallorca | D．a Caribbean island |
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE ?
| A．In Italy, one can travel with a guide. |
| B．In Israel, one can work with others. |
| C．In Caribbean, one needs to pay £720 in summer. |
| D．In Mallorca , one can hire a car for sightseeing. |
Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Li Wen, a student from No.2 High School, could not follow his teachers in class and, therefore, was doing badly in his lessons. He was in such low spirits for a long time that he started to cut his finger with a knife.
Another student, 16-year-old Yang Fang from No.1 High School, was afraid of exams. Even though she was well prepared for an exam, when she looked at the exam paper, she couldn’t think of anything to write.
A recent survey from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems. Their troubles include being anxious and very unhappy, and having problems in learning and getting on with people.
Liang Yuezhu, an expert on teenagers from Beijing Friendship Hospital has the following advice for teenagers:
Talk to your parents or teachers often.
Take part in group activities and play sports.
Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on with others may have ______.
| A．physical problems | B．mental problems |
| C．fights with their classmates | D．arguments with their parents |
Li Wen cut his finger with a knife because ______.
| A．he was afraid of his teacher |
| B．he was so worried about his studies |
| C．he wanted to frighten his parents |
| D．there was something wrong with his finger |
Liang Yuezhu’s advice tells us that ______.
| A．it’s necessary for the students to be with experts |
| B．only group activities and sports can help the students |
| C．it’s better for the students who have mental problems to join others |
| D．teachers and parents can’t do anything about the students’ mental problems |
Rock and roll music developed in the United States in the early nineteen-fifties. It was based on the music called rhythm and blues that was performed by African American musicians.
Early rock and roll singers developed their own kinds of music. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan were the most popular rock and roll musicians in the early 1960’s. All were American. Then, in 1964, a new rock and roll group from England invaded America: the Beatles.
Some people say the Beatles’ music shook America like an earthquake. The Beatles changed rock and roll forever. Their early songs were influenced by American rock and roll musicians, including Chuck Berry. But the Beatles looked different and sounded different from any musical group before them.
The Beatles released their first album in the United States in 1964, when all of the top five records in America were by the Beatles. In 1967, they released an album called “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It was one of the first “concept” albums. That is, all the songs were linked by a common story or idea.
The popularity of the Beatles led the way for more rock and roll bands from England to become popular in America. The Rolling Stones was the most important of these bands. The Rolling Stones is one of the few groups from the 1960’s that is still performing and recording today. In 1965, the group recorded one of its most famous songs, “Satisfaction”.
The musical instrument most linked to rock and roll is the guitar. Experts say Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influential guitar players in rock and roll during the late 1960’s. His “Purple Haze” was liked by many people.
By the 1970’s, rock and roll music became known as rock music. It expanded into many new forms. For example, there was country rock, hard rock, acid rock, and heavy metal rock. Punk rock, jazz rock, and glitter rock.
In the middle 1970’s, experts say rock music regained some of the energy of early rock and roll. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band became popular with their album “Born to Run”. Springsteen’s music was like the lively rock and roll music of the early nineteen-sixties. Many of his songs were about social issues. He sang about the effects of unemployment and the war in Vietnam. The main topic of this passage is _______.
| A．the history of American music |
| B．the famous rock and roll groups |
| C．the new forms of rock and roll music |
| D．the development of rock and roll music |
Which of the following matches is NOT true?
| A．the Beatles — Chuck Berry |
| B．the Rolling Stones — Satisfaction |
| C．Jimi Hendrix — Purple Haze |
| D．Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run |
Whose songs were mainly about social problems like unemployment and war?
| A．Elvis Presley’s. | B．Bob Dylan’s. |
| C．Jimi Hendrix’s. | D．Springsteen’s. |
From the passage, we can know that _______.
| A．one of the Rolling Stones’ albums was called “concept” |
| B．rock and roll music had many different forms at the beginning |
| C．rock and roll music probably came from African American music |
| D．the Beatles and the Rolling Stones became popular at the same time |
Zoos have been around for centuries — and they’ve changed a lot over the years. In the Middle Ages, wealthy people kept animals in their gardens. Public animal parks appeared in European cities in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Philadelphia Zoo, the first in the United States, opened in 1874.
Until a few decades (十年) ago, most zoos were organized by creatures — monkeys in one area, cats in another, birds somewhere else, just like museum collections. In recent years, zoos have instead begun grouping animals that would normally interact (互相作用) in the wild. Moreover, instead of closing animals behind bars, designers are creating landscapes like the environments in which these creatures would naturally be found. Nearby signs provide information about the animals and their habitats in parts of the world where they normally live.
The Denver Zoo’s new Predator Ridge exhibit, for example, aims to teach visitors about Africa. Eight acres of land provide homes for 14 animal species, including lions, porcupines, cranes, and wild dogs. Plants from the region grow alongside African-like landform. Ten-foot-tall mounds (土墩) give lions a place from which to survey their surroundings, just as they would do in the wild.
Landscape design makes visitors to the Denver Zoo’s Predator Ridge exhibit feel like they’re really in Africa.
Animals in Predator Ridge can’t actually be mixed with one another, for safety reasons. But hidden deep channels and other smart features allow visitors to see all the animals at once. Different species can see each other too.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Protection of zoo animals. |
| B．Changes of zoos over the time. |
| C．The safety problem of zoos. |
| D．The living habits of zoo animals. |
In the Denver Zoo ten-foot-tall mounds are built to _____.
| A．protect the safety of visitors |
| B．separate lions from other animals |
| C．create a natural environment for lions |
| D．offer visitors a better view of lions |
The underlined part “the region” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to _____.
| A．Africa | B．the Predator Ridge exhibit |
| C．the Denver Zoo | D．the ten-foot-tall mounds |
We can learn from the passage that _____.
| A．the earliest zoos were probably rich people’s gardens |
| B．the Philadelphia Zoo is the first zoo in the world |
| C．the new Predator Ridge exhibit is held in Africa |
| D．more animals will be kept in zoos in the future |
Yinxu (Ruins of Yin) is the ruins of the last capital of China’s Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC). The capital served 255 years for 12 kings. It shows the golden age of early Chinese culture, crafts and science, a time of great prosperity (繁荣) during the Chinese Bronze Age (青铜时代).
Discovered in 1899, Yinxu is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites (考古遗址) in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It lies in central Henan Province, near the modern city of Anyang, and is open to the public as the Garden Museum of Yinxu. It is famous as the source of oracle bone script (甲骨文), the earliest recorded form of Chinese writing. The oracle bone script has recorded almost everything from dream-explaining to events such as harvests, birth of a child, the weather and the success of military campaigns.
Over 3,000 tombs, 2,200 pits, and 200 houses have been dug out at Yinxu. The large number of burial accessories found there shows the high level of the Shang crafts industry.
The site includes a main palace and an ancient tomb. Besides, there are a number of large buildings, at least 53 of which have been dug out.
Yinxu has seen many years of research, first researched by the Academia Sinica in the late 1920s to the early 1930s and most recently by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.During which period may Yin have been the capital of Shang Dynasty?
| A．1600 BC - 1500 BC | B．1500 BC - 1200 BC |
| C．1200 BC - 1050 BC | D．1050 BC - 850 BC |
From the passage, we can know that Yinxu _______.
| A．was discovered in the 1920s |
| B．can be visited by the public |
| C．now proved the failure of the Shang Dynasty |
| D．was the last capital of China’s Shang Dynasty |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
| A．there are 200 houses in Yinxu |
| B．many things are still to be dug out |
| C．Anyang is a city of the Shang Dynasty |
| D．no research has been carried out on Yinxu |