What will our life be like in 2040？
Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror．Your face is young﹣looking．In 2040，medical science is better than ever．Many people your age could live to be 150，so at 40，you're not old at all．And your parents just had an anti﹣aging nanotechnology（纳米技术）treatment．Now，all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt："Turn red．"It changes from blue to red．In 2040，"smart clothes contain particles（分子）much smaller than the cells（细胞）in your body．The particles can be programmed to change your clothes' color or shape．
You walk into the kitchen．You grab the milk，but a voice says，"You shouldn't drink that!"Your fridge has read the small computer chip（芯片）on the milk's label（商标），and it knows the milk is old．In 2040，every food item in the grocery store has a small chip．
It's time to go to work．In 2040，cars drive themselves．Just tell your"smart car"where to go．On the way，you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve（袖子）．Nano﹣sized"smart technology"is all around you．"Your whole body and surroundings will become part of the same network，"says scientist Ampy Buchholz．
So will all these predictions come true？For new technology to succeed，says futurist Andrew Zolli，"it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already．"The Internet is one example﹣what will be the next？
50．The article is mainly about ．
| A． |
what people will eat and wear in the future |
| B． |
how future technology could affect（影响）everyday life |
| C． |
why medical treatment of the future will improve our lives |
| D． |
which kinds of technology people in the future will enjoy most |
51．The word thatin Paragraph 4 refers to ．
| A． |
the kitchen |
| B． |
the fridge |
| C． |
the milk |
| D． |
the label |
52．Which statement would Ampy Buchholz probably agree with？
| A． |
Nanotechnology will became very common in the future． |
| B． |
Nano﹣sized particles may be dangerous to people's health． |
| C． |
Life will be less interesting because everybody will look the same． |
| D． |
People's bodies may become less strong because of nanotechnology． |
53．Which prediction is NOT mentioned in the article？
| A． |
You'll be able to use your clothes to call a friend． |
| B． |
Clothes will be able to change their shapes． |
| C． |
Cars will be able to drive by themselves． |
| D． |
You'll be able to use your clothes to watch a video． |
Hundreds of years ago，a Roman army came north from England to make war on Scotland. The Scots，a brave people，loved their country very much. They fought hard to drive the enemy out of Scotland，but there were too many Romans. It looked as if the Romans would win.
One night，the leader of Scots marched (行军) his soldiers to the top of a hill. "We will rest here tonight，my men,” he said. "Tomorrow we will fight one more battle. We must win or we will die."
They were all very tired，so they ate their supper quickly and fell asleep. There were four guards on duty, but they were very tired as well and also fell asleep one by one.
The Romans were not asleep. Quickly they gathered at the foot of the hill. Slowly they climbed up the hillside，taking care not to make a sound. Closer and closer they came to the sleeping Scots. They were almost at the top. A few minutes more，the war would be over. Suddenly，one of them put his foot on a thistle(蓟，一种植物). He cried out and his sudden cry woke the Scots. In a moment，they were on their feet and ready for battle. The fighting was hard but it did not last long. The Scots wiped out （消灭）the Romans and saved their country.
The thistle is not a beautiful plant. It has sharp needles all over it. Few people like it. But the people of Scotland liked it so much that they made it their national flower.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。Hundreds of years ago there was a war between ________.
| A．Roman army and North England |
| B．Roman army and the Scots |
| C．England and Scots |
| D．a brave people and the Scots |
At first it looked as if the Romans would win because ________.
| A．the Scots were not brave |
| B．the Roman army was so strong |
| C．the Scots did not have a good leader |
| D．the Romans had the support from the Scottish |
"We must win or we will die." What the leader of the Scots said means ________.
| A．they were sure to win |
| B．they couldn't escape from death |
| C．they would win and then they would die |
| D．they must try hard to win, otherwise they would be killed |
The Romans climbed up the hill quietly because ________.
| A．they didn't want to wake the Scots |
| B．they wanted to reach the top |
| C．they wanted to catch the four guards first |
| D．they were afraid of the sharp needles of the thistle |
The people of Scotland made thistle their national flower because ________.
| A．it is a beautiful plant |
| B．it is fresh and lovely |
| C．it had so many sharp needles all over it |
| D．it was the thistle that helped the Scots to win the battle |
American high schools have a dropout rate (辍学率) of up to 50%. There are many reasons for students leaving school:
● For two thirds of the dropouts, motivation (动力) is the problem. They can’t just work hard enough.
● Almost half of them said that they had missed so many classes that they could not follow any more.
● Many said that they were not ready well enough in their earlier school.
● For a third of them, getting a job is more important than finishing school.
High school dropouts have more problems in their future lives. They are more likely (可能的) to be out of work or live a poor life. There is also a big difference in income (收入) if you compare high school dropouts with graduates. A study shows Americans with a bachelor’s degree (学士学位) get about $50,000, those with a high school diploma about $28,000 and dropouts only about $20,000.
Many younger students do not understand the influence of dropping out of school. They often need better teachers, more lessons to get good grades in subjects and more help with learning problems. Some schools in America have changed this situation. Some schools offer evening classes or allow students to come back at a later age.Some students think is more important than finishing school.
| A．finding a job | B．dealing with problems |
| C．making much money | D．studying during work |
The passage mainly tells us reasons that American high school students become dropouts.
| A．3 | B．4 |
| C．5 | D．6 |
We can learn that high school dropouts than graduates in America.
| A．work harder |
| B．take more subjects |
| C．make less money |
| D．are faced with fewer problems |
What do we know from the last paragraph (段落)?
| A．Most of the dropouts can’t work hard enough. |
| B．American high schools haven’t changed the situation at all. |
| C．Dropping out of school doesn’t influence younger students’ future lives. |
| D．Some American schools allow the dropouts to come back again at a later age. |
Sportsmanship (体育精神) means that players should try to win, but respect (尊敬), friendship and competition are also virtues (美德) of sportsmanship.
What were some of the great sportsmanship moments at the Olympics? Let’s take a look!
Respect
Respect means that players should not only respect rules but also his or her rivals (对手). During the Olympic tennis event, the world No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland (瑞士) lost the gold medal. Andy Murray of Brain won it. Federer felt sad but he still congratulated his rival.
Competition
American shooter Matt Emmons failed on his final shot at both Sydney and Beijing Games. But he has never been afraid of the competition. He competed at the London Olympics and got a bronze medal.
Friendship
Badminton players Lin Dan of China and Lee Chongwei of Malaysia are big rivals on the court (球场). During the Olympic Games, Lin beat Lee to win the gold medal. Although it is a pity for Lee, he politely shook hands with his rival. Lin also gave Lee a hug and said, “Lee is such a good rival.” They always hang out together after games. Lin will invite Lee to his wedding ceremony (婚礼) this year.When did Matt Emmons get a bronze medal?
| A．At the Sydney Olympics. |
| B．At the Beijing Olympics. |
| C．At the London Olympics. |
| D．At the Athens Olympics. |
What did Lee do when Lin beat him?
| A．He cried after the game. |
| B．He shook hands with Lin. |
| C．He gave a hug to Lin. |
| D．He hurt Lin on his head. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?
| A．Sportsmanship means that players only try to win. |
| B．Respect means that players should respect rules but nothing. |
| C．Matt Emmons has been afraid of the competition after failing on his final shot. |
| D．Lin wants Lee to take part in his wedding ceremony this year. |
Are you learning English and do you need help with grammar? Do you want to learn new vocabulary or slang (俚语)? Well, you can find help online with these top 5 free English as a Second Language websites.
1. Dave’s ESL Cafe
This is a complete website that can help you learn and practice English. You can read many stories and do a lot of exercises to test yourself. You can also post questions and answers onto the help center.
2. About.com
You can get free English courses from About.com and you’ll get regular e-mails that will help you learn English.
3. The Classroom by Voice of America
You can watch videos and listen to news stories to improve your listening and vocabulary skills. You can also hear English words and their meanings.
4. Heinle’s Newbury House Dictionary of American English
Do you need to find the definition of a word? Use this online dictionary to find simple and clear definitions, as well as example sentences and idioms (习语). You can also find different cultural facts.
5. Personal English Portal (门户网站) on YouTube
You can watch this series of videos on YouTube to develop your listening skills. You can also do a search for “learn English” on YouTube to find other videos. This is a good way to practice English and have fun.You can at the help center on the website Dave’s ESL Cafe.
| A．watch videos and pictures |
| B．listen to news and music |
| C．watch movies and matches |
| D．read questions and answers |
About.com often sends e-mails to its visitors to help them .
| A．get relaxed | B．have fun |
| C．become famous | D．learn English |
The underlined word “definition” means “ ” in Chinese.
| A．来源 | B．释义 |
| C．意图 | D．背景 |
History
Water polo (水球) or water ball is a team water sport. It started in England in the nineteenth century. The sport has been popular ever since.
The Sport
Water polo is played between two teams in a swimming pool. Players swim in the pool, carrying and throwing the ball to their team members. They try to score as many goals as possible.
There are 6 players and 1 goalkeeper (守门员) on a team. The teams have two different coloured caps. Visiting team field players usually wear white caps, and home team field players usually wear blue caps. Both goalkeepers wear red caps, numbered “1”. During the game, the goalkeepers can use two hands, but the other team members can only use one hand when carrying or throwing the ball. The game is divided (划分) into 4 periods. Each goal is one point.
In the Olympics
Water polo was introduced in the Olympics of 1900. The only two teams were Great Britain and Belgium (比利时). Great Britain beat Belgium at last. Water polo used to be a sport for men only, but after a long wait, women’s water polo became an official sport in the Olympic Games in 2000 in Sydney.Water polo started in America in the 1800s.
There are 7 players on a team in a water polo game, including a goalkeeper.
The goalkeepers usually wear blue caps in water polo games.
Each water polo game has 4 periods.
Women’s water polo was introduced in the Olympic Games in 1900.