I was in the middle of the Amazon （亚马逊） with my wife，who was there as a medical researcher．We flew on a small plane to a faraway village．We did not speak the local language，did not know the customs，and more often than not，did not entirely recognize the food．We could not have felt more foreign．
We were raised on books and computers，highways and cell phones，but now we were living in a village without running water or electricity．It was easy for us to go to sleep at the end of the day feeling a little misunderstood．
Then one perfect Amazonian evening，with monkeys calling from beyond the village green，we played soccer．I am not good at soccer，but that evening it was wonderful．Everyone knew the rules．We all spoke the same language of passes and shots．We understood one another perfectly．As darkness came over the field and the match ended，the goal keeper，Juan，walked over to me and said in a matter﹣of﹣fact way，"In your home，do you have a moon too？" I was surprised．
After I explained to Juan that yes，we did have a moon and yes，it was very similar to his，I felt a sort of awe（敬畏） at the possibilities that existed in his world．In Juan's world，each village could have its own moon．In Juan's world，the unknown and undiscovered was vast and marvelous．Anything was possible．
In our society，we know that Earth has only one moon．We have looked at our planet from every angle and found all of the wildest things left to find．I can，from my computer at home，pull up satellite images of Juan's village．There are no more continents and no more moons to search for，little left to discover．At least it seems that way．
Yet，as I thought about Juan's question，I was not sure how much more we could really rule out．I am，in part，an ant biologist，so my thoughts turned to what we know about insect life and I knew that much in the world of insects remains unknown．How much，though？ How ignorant （无知的） are we？The question of what we know and do not know constantly bothered me．
I began collecting newspaper articles about new species，new monkey，new spider…，and on and on they appear．My drawer quickly filled．I began a second drawer for more general discoveries：new cave system discovered with dozens of nameless species，four hundred species of bacteria found in the human stomach．The second drawer began to fill and as it did，I wondered whether there were bigger discoveries out there，not just species，but life that depends on things thought to be useless，life even without DNA．I started a third drawer for these big discoveries．It fills more slowly，but all the same，it fills．
In looking into the stories of biological discovery，I also began to find something else，a collection of scientists，usually brilliant，occasionally half﹣mad，who made the discoveries．Those scientists very often see the same things that other scientists see，but they pay more attention to them，and they focus on them to the point of exhaustion（穷尽），and at the risk of the ridicule of their peers．In looking for the stories of discovery，I found the stories of these people and how their lives changed our view of the world．
We are repeatedly willing to imagine we have found most of what is left to discover．We used to think that insects were the smallest organisms （生物），and that nothing lived deeper than six hundred meters．Yet，when something new turns up，more often than not，we do not even know its name．
（1）How did the author feel on his arrival in the Amazon？
| A． |
Out of place． |
| B． |
Full of joy． |
| C． |
Sleepy． |
| D． |
Regretful． |
（2）What made that Amazonian evening wonderful？
| A． |
He learned more about the local language． |
| B． |
They had a nice conversation with each other． |
| C． |
They understood each other while playing． |
| D． |
He won the soccer game with the goal keeper． |
（3）Why was the author surprised at Juan's question about the moon？
| A． |
The question was too straightforward． |
| B． |
Juan knew so little about the world． |
| C． |
The author didn't know how to answer． |
| D． |
The author didn't think Juan was sincere． |
（4）What was the author's initial purpose of collecting newspaper articles？
| A． |
To sort out what we have known． |
| B． |
To deepen his research into Amazonians． |
| C． |
To improve his reputation as a biologist． |
| D． |
To learn more about local cultures． |
（5）How did those brilliant scientists make great discoveries？
| A． |
They shifted their viewpoints frequently． |
| B． |
They followed other scientists closely． |
| C． |
They often criticized their fellow scientists． |
| D． |
They conducted in﹣depth and close studies． |
（6）What could be the most suitable title for the passage？
| A． |
The Possible and the Impossible |
| B． |
The Known and the Unknown |
| C． |
The Civilized and the Uncivilized |
| D． |
The Ignorant and the Intelligent |
本文是为旅游爱好者介绍几个度假的好去处。
Holidays
| Holiday News Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
| The Snowdonia Center The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain lesson. The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
| The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours. |
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
A. Choose the holiday in Devon.
B. Go to the Snowdonia Centre
C Join the World Sea Trip of 2008
D. Visit Acapulco and HawaiiIn what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
| A．It provides chances of family gatherings. |
| B．It provides customers with good food. |
| C．It offers a sport lesson. |
| D．It offers comfortable room. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
| A．You can have free meals on deck every day. |
| B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
| C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
| D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
At the Snowdonia Centre, the beginners’ costs of ￡57 do not cover .
| A．food | B．rooms | C．body exercises | D．walking shoes |
Most students hate their endless homework. The students from Class 2, Senior 2 of the High School Affiliated to Peking University certainly did so before they published their own collection of English novels at home.
Their small book contains stories about a holy (神圣的) war, the happy life of a self-taught artist and the story of a laid-off worker who devoted his last breath to playing his beloved accordion (手风琴). The book becomes an instant hit on campus. About 3,000 copies have been sold and the class is already working on the second volume.
"We're up to our ears in homework. Exercises and exams make us out of breath. But to do something creative and full of imagination is such a great achievement," said Yu Xiaoxiao, 16. "I took the writing as an ordinary homework at the beginning, but after I finished the first part of my story, I could not help but let it flow," said Wang An, who wrote "Accordion".
Inspired by "Lord of the Rings", Jiang Lu wrote his story about magic wins between angels from the light and the dark side. "The main message of the story was to look at the balance of the world. Both dark and light angels fight with love as their weapons. I want to tell people that selfish love might bring hate," Jiang said.
"I was shocked by their work and felt so proud to be the editor of my students' book," said Nathaniel Timmermann, the oral English teacher at the school. Liu Xiuqin, an English teacher, started the project by asking students to write whatever was in their mind every week. "They have performed beyond expectation," Liu said. "They wrote interesting stories and their English has improved after they started to express their real minds."
"We never imagined that our homework would be so popular and profitable (盈利的). We sell the novels at five yuan, but many teachers pay more to encourage us," said Yuan Mengyao.After Wang An finished the first part of his story, he ________.
| A．couldn't go on | B．had to put aside |
| C．just wanted to express it freely | D．lost it |
What was NOT the outcome of the students 'homework of writing whatever was in their mind?
| A．Being popular. | B．Being profitable. |
| C．Improving their English. | D．Winning prize. |
What is the reason for the students ' liking to write interesting stories?
| A．It is creative and imaginative. | B．It is profitable. |
| C．Interesting stories are sure to be popular. | D．Interesting stories can be well sold. |
What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Creative homework leads to a popular book. | B．Writing interesting stories. |
| C．Students' new book. | D．A popular book. |
UGG boots have been a winterweather fashion for several years now, combining function, comfort, warmth and even some style. What many UGGenthusiasts don't know is that their boots are a breeding ground for bacteria and cause foot problems.
Doctors believe the boots, which are particularly popular among young teenage girls, are leading to a rise in the number of people suffering pains in their feet and knees.
Dr. Ian Drysdale, head of the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, believes because the foot does not get the proper support on the inside, it will lead to more ankle, knee, hip and back problems. “These boots are not designed for outside wear. Just because something becomes a trend or fashionable doesn't mean it's good or right，” he said. “The particular problem with this type of footwear is that it is unsupported. It's a slipper. You wouldn't normally expect to be doing outdoor activities from something that's indoor. If you decide to wear your pajamas outside all the time, someone will come up and say it's not a good idea.” Dr. Drysdale explained that the feet issues become a particular problem among young teenage girls, whose bones are “plastic” and developing when they are growing. “If that structure is developing in an inappropriate way，” he said，“then the ultimate structure will be deformed.”
Mike O'Neill, a consultant surgeon, said，“As the foot slides around, you get wear and tear (磨损) on the joints on the inside of the foot. The ankle is in the wrong position, the thigh bone also changes position, and you get an abnormal movement in the pelvis, which leads to back problems.”
UGG Australia, who makes the designer version of the boots, told The Daily Wirror that their boots are “comfort” rather than “performance” footwear and consumers should be aware of “knockoffs (仿制品)” which lack reinforced heels in their boots.Teenage girls prefer to wear UGG boots because of the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．design | B．comfort | C．quality | D．warmth |
According to Dr. Ian Drysdale, ________.
| A．there is a possibility that bacteria will multiply in UGG boots |
| B．wearing UGG boots will lead to more ankle and toe problems |
| C．it's not a good idea to wear boots like UGG outside all the time |
| D．teenage girls' bones are plastic enough to wear UGG boots |
The underlined word “deformed” is closest in meaning to ________.
| A．shaped | B．strengthened | C．reformed | D．damaged |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．Potential Harm of UGG Boots |
| B．The Popularity of UGG Boots |
| C．The Unique Design of UGG Boots |
| D．Benefits of UGG Boots |
There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume(香水)。
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encourage him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole lift. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.(医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?
| A．She made Teddy feel ashamed |
| B．She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
| C．She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row. |
| D．She told the class something untrue about herself. |
What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
| A．He often told lies. |
| B．He was good at math. |
| C．He needed motherly care. |
| D．He enjoyed playing with others. |
In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
| A．She taught fewer school subjects. |
| B．She became stricter with her students. |
| C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher. |
| D．She cared more about educating students. |
Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding?
| A．She had kept in touch with him. |
| B．She had given him encouragement. |
| C．She had sent him Christmas presents. |
| D．She had taught him how to judge people. |
The Cost of Higher Education
Individuals (个人) should pay for their higher education.
A university education is of huge and direct benefit to the individual. Graduates earn more than non-graduates. Meanwhile, social mobility is ever more dependent on having a degree. However, only some people have it. So the individual, not the taxpayers, should pay for it. There are pressing calls on the resources (资源) of the government. Using taxpayers' money to help a small number of people to earn high incomes in the future is not one of them. Full government funding (资助) is not very good for universities. Adam Smith worked in a Scottish university whose teachers lived off student fees. He knew and looked down upon 18th-century Oxford, where the academics lived comfortably off the income received from the government. Guaranteed salaries, Smith argued, were the enemy of hard work; and when the academics were lazy and incompetent, the students were similarly lazy. If students have to pay for their education, they not only work harder, but also demand more from their teachers. And their teachers have to keep them satisfied. If that means taking teaching seriously, and giving less time to their own research interests, that is surely something to celebrate.
Many people believe that higher education should be free because it is good for the economy (经济). Many graduates clearly do contribute to national wealth, but so do all the businesses that invest (投资) and create jobs. If you believe that the government should pay for higher education because graduates are economically productive, you should also believe that the government should pay part of business costs. Anyone promising to create jobs should receive a gift of capital from the government to invest. Therefore, it is the individual, not the government, who should pay for their university education. The underlined word "them" in Paragraph 2 refers to.
| A．taxpayers | B．pressing calls |
| C．college graduates | D．government resources |
The author thinks that with full government funding.
| A．teachers are less satisfied. |
| B．students are more demanding. |
| C．students will become more competent. |
| D．teachers will spend less time on teaching |
The author mentions businesses in Paragraph 5 in order to.
| A．argue against free university education |
| B．call on them to finance students' studies |
| C．encourage graduates to go into business |
| D．show their contribution to higher education |