For people，who are interested in sound，the field of sound technology is definitely making noise．In the past，sound engineers worked in the back rooms of recording studios，but many of today's sound professionals are sharing their knowledge and experience with professionals in other fields to create new products based on the phenomenon we call sound．
Sound can be used as a weapon．Imagine that a police officer is chasing a thief．The thief tries to escape．And the officer can't let him get away．He pulls out a special device，points it at the suspect，and switches it on．The thief drops to the ground．This new weapon is called a Long Range Acoustic Device（LRAD，远程定向声波发射器）．It produces a deafening sound so painful that it temporarily disables a person．The noise from the LRAD is directed like a ray of light and travels only into the ears of that person，but it is not deadly．
For those who hunger for some peace and quiet，sound can now create silence．Let's say you are at the airport，and the little boy on the seat next to you is humming（哼唱）a short commercial song．He hums it over and over again，and you are about to go crazy．Thanks to the Silence Machine，a British invention，you can get rid of the sound without upsetting the boy or his parents．One may wonder how the Silence Machine works．Well，it functions by analyzing the waves of the incoming sound and creating a second set of outgoing waves．The two sets of waves cancel each other out．Simply turn the machine on point it at the target，and your peace and quiet comes back．
Directed sound is a new technology that allows companies to use sound in much the same way spotlights（聚光灯）are used in the theater．A spotlight lights up only one section of a stage；similarly，a "spotsound" creates a circle of sound in one targeted area．This can be useful for businesses such as restaurants and stores because it offers a new way to attract customers．Restaurants can offer a choice of music along with the various food choices on the menu，allowing customers more control over the atmosphere in which they are dining．Directed sound is also beginning to appear in shopping centers and even at homes．
（1）What could be inferred from Paragraph 2 about the effect of the LRAD？
| A． |
It causes temporary hearing loss． |
| B． |
It slows down a running man． |
| C． |
It makes it easy to identify a suspect． |
| D． |
It keeps the suspect from hurting others． |
（2）The Silence Machine is a device specially designed to ．
| A． |
silence the people around you |
| B． |
remove the sound of commercials |
| C． |
block the incoming sound waves |
| D． |
stop unwanted sound from affecting you |
（3）What feature do spotsounds and spotlights share？
| A． |
They travel in circles． |
| B． |
They clear the atmosphere． |
| C． |
They can be transformed into energy． |
| D． |
They can be directed onto a specific area． |
（4）Directed sound can be used for ．
| A． |
creative designs of restaurant menus |
| B． |
ideal sound effects on the theater stage |
| C． |
different choices of music for businesses |
| D． |
strict control over any suspicious customer |
（5）What does the passage focus on？
| A． |
How professionals invented sound products． |
| B． |
Inventions in the field of sound technology． |
| C． |
The growing interest in the study of sound． |
| D． |
How sound engineers work in their studios． |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。
(2011年湖北)In today's throwaway society，dealing with the city's growing mountain of waste is an increasing challenge for the city council(市议会)．
Recently，Edinburgh is faced with the problem of disposing of(处理) about 250,000 million tons of waste a year. Despite different ways to dispose of much of it in a green manner－largely through encouraging recycling－its aging facilities such as the Powderhall landfill do not have the ability to deal with it.
The European Union (EU) has issued a new policy，regulating how such mountains of waste are to be disposed of. The five councils (Edinburgh，East Lothian，West Lothian，Midlothian and Borders) face fines around ￡18 million a year from 2013 if they don't increase recycling levels and rely less on landfill. With this in mind，the councils got together with the idea of building a large incinerator plant(垃圾焚烧厂) to burn half of the waste produced in their districts. But this plan fell apart after the change of target levels by a new UK government waste policy which required that no more than 25% of the city's waste should be disposed of in this way by 2025.
After the plan was abandoned，a private company which already transported millions of tons of the city's waste by train to a landfill site near Dunbar，offered an alternative solution when it suggested opening a huge waste site near Portobello.
Since Powderhall is supposed to close in 2015，it seemed necessary for the members of the Edinburgh Council to accept the suggestion. But soon they turned it down－after 700 local objections reached them－because it would have meant hundreds of lorries a day making loud noise through heavily populated areas.
That still leaves the council with a problem. By 2013，only 50% of 1995 levels of waste will be allowed to be sent to landfill. Even if recycling targets are met，there will still be a large amount of rubbish to be burnt up. Due to this，Edinburgh and Midlothian councils have now decided to work together to build an incinerator plant as time to find a solution is fast running out.The main way of handling waste in a green manner in Edinburgh is ________.
| A．recycling |
| B．restoring |
| C．burying |
| D．burning |
The five councils worked out a plan to build an incinerator plant to ________.
| A．reduce the cost of burying waste |
| B．meet the EU requirements |
| C．speed up waste recycling |
| D．replace landfill sites |
The city council of Edinburgh rejected the suggestion to open a huge landfill site near Portobello because ________.
| A．it came from a private company |
| B．the council was not interested in it |
| C．it was not supported by EU |
| D．the local people were against it |
What is the final decision of Edinburgh and Midlothian councils?
| A．To open a new landfill nearby. |
| B．To close the Powderhall landfill in 2015. |
| C．To set up a plant for burning waste. |
| D．To persuade people to reduce their waste. |
（2011·全国II）
"I didn't hear them call my name," explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) as she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. "Are you ready?" is what she heard. Then she said, "I shook my head no, and then they said‘yes’ and it was announced again."
It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen-year-old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana----she was still on cloud nine．
"I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen." Present in the audience（观众）that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher.
Understanding why members of her family and her friends would be there, AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete（比赛）．"She's always been my role model．I've danced with her since I was six. She's been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I've learned to get over bad life's experiences and learned how to move on because of her."
One of those bad life's experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18. She found writing helped her get through the rough days. She said, "I write a lot about my brother. I write a lot, a lot, a lot...”
As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens（青少年）about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Sheiley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving, in addition to many other things to help the youth.
When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, "Don't let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way, it is easy to be yourself."What do the words “on cloud nine” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．frightened |
| B．troubled |
| C．very happy |
| D．very angry |
Shelley takes her dance teacher as a role model mainly because she i s ________.
| A．determined |
| B．friendly |
| C．strict |
| D．experienced |
How many children did the Hennings have according to the text?
| A．1. |
| B．2. |
| C．3. |
| D．4. |
What did Shelley often do after she became Miss Louisiana Teen?
| A．She visited drunken drivers. |
| B．She gave dance performances. |
| C．She made speeches on safe driving. |
| D．She helped other teens with their studies. |
What suggestion does Shelley give to the teens?
| A．Be yourself with the support of friends. |
| B．Meet friends whenever possible. |
| C．Go easy on yourself and others. |
| D．Have a good role model. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。
“Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move，” said David Belle，the cofounder of parkour(跑酷)．
Do you love running？It is a good exercise，yet many people find it boring. But what if making your morning jog a creative one？Like jumping from walls and over gaps and ground rolls？Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale？Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.
Yes，that's parkour，an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible，getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city，they may jump over fences，run up walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.
Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds，but its participants see parkour much more than that.
Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy(哲理) behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination，go straight，and jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life，to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said，“I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life，my way to do everything.”
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone，at any time，anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself that you earn energy and confidence.Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of ________.
| A．its cofounder，David Belle |
| B．the film，Casino Royale |
| C．its risks and tricks |
| D．the varieties of participants |
The underlined word “obstacles” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “________”．
| A．streets |
| B．objects |
| C．barriers |
| D．roofs |
Which of the following is true of parkour?
| A．It challenges human abilities. |
| B．It is a good but boring sport. |
| C．It needs special training. |
| D．It is a team sport. |
As its participants move around a city，________.
| A．they can ask for help |
| B．they may choose to escape |
| C．they should run to extremes |
| D．they must learn to survive |
Which of the following is the philosophy of parkour?
| A．Sports and extremes. |
| B．Excitement and popularity. |
| C．Dreams and success. |
| D．Determination and freedom. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。
(2012年江西卷，D)For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured (忍受). The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being "processed" at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passenger move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being "processed" at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and cannot turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people's lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing — or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master. What does the writer try to express in Paragraph 1?
| A．Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages. |
| B．The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short. |
| C．The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams. |
| D．Man has been fond of traveling rather than staying in one place. |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph 2?
| A．By giving instructions. |
| B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By following the order of time. |
| D．By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers and turning back to modern high speed trains because ________.
| A．they pay less for the tickets |
| B．they feel safer during the travel |
| C．they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
| D．they don't have to waste time being ‘processed’ |
What does the last sentence of the passage mean?
| A．They could enjoy free and relaxing travel. |
| B．They needed the clock to tell the time. |
| C．They preferred traveling on horseback. |
| D．They could travel with their master. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Air travel benefits people and industries. |
| B．Train travel has some advantages over air travel. |
| C．Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
| D．The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
C
Researchers are now using three-dimensional, or 3D printing to create models of the human heart to help heart specialists. The heart doctors can use the models to better help patients before an operation.
Surgeons regularly use digital images to explore the heart in close detail. But no two human hearts are alike. This led Matthew Bramlet to create exact heart models from those images. Dr. Bramlet is a pediatric or children's heart expert at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He says the 3-D models show information he cannot get any other way.
A 3-D printer uses images from a digital display to create a physical model of a human heart. Matthew Bramlet says doctors can use the model, in his words, "to understand the anatomy(解剖) for the first time."
Pictures from medical tests like CAT scan or MRI are sent to a 3-D printer to create a heart in a plaster or clay form. The printer then constructs the heart, thin layer by thin layer. Dr. Bramlet says the model matches the real heart in every detail.
Dr. Bramlet has built model hearts for different kinds of heart operations. All of the operations were successful. In his first case, digital images showed only one tiny hole in a baby's heart. But, the 3-D printed model showed several defects or problems that the baby was born with. Dr. Bramlet says those defects could not be seen easily in the images. The heart surgeon was able to change the type of surgery for the patient based on the 3-D model. He added that 3-D heart models saves time during heart operations.
Matthew Bramlet continues to research the technology. He is working with the National Institutes of Health to build a 3-D library that includes heart models and images that others can use.Researchers use three-dimensional, or 3D printing to__________.
| A．create models of the human heart |
| B．help heart specialists |
| C．make the painting more concrete |
| D．research human heart |
The reason why Matthew Bramlet created exact heart models is that________.
| A．no two human hearts are alike |
| B．surgeons regularly use digital images to explore the heart |
| C．he created exact heart models from digital images |
| D．3D painting is popular |
What does the underlined word mean__________?
| A．failure to win or to realize a goal |
| B．a change or changed state |
| C．the protection of something |
| D．a fault in someone or something |
How does a 3D model form__________?
| A．a 3-D printer uses images from a digital display |
| B．doctors can use the model to understand the anatomy |
| C．pictures are sent to a 3-D printer, the printer then constructs the heart, thin layer by thin layer |
| D．the model matches the real heart in every detail |
What's the main idea of the passage_________?
| A．the use of 3D painting in medical care |
| B．what is 3D painting |
| C．how 3D painting works |
| D．the research of 3D painting technology |