1 . Your Genes, Your Future
How would you feel if someone gave you an envelope with a description of every one of your genes? Supposing this information could tell you what illnesses you were likely to get, or even what illness you might die of, would you open the envelope?
It's a difficult question to answer. But the fact is that scientists have already begun to discover how certain genes influence us. And in the next decade, they will learn a lot more.
We have known for a long time that many of our physical characteristics are inherited（继承）. For example, our eye colour and certain diseases are decided by our genes. As long as you have a good diet, scientists can predict your height by looking at your parents' heights. And we now know that the need to wear glasses has a genetic cause. Our eating habits also appear to be decided by our genes!
With other characteristics, things are not so clear. Certainly, scientists have now shown that some traits（特性，特质） are strongly influenced by our genes. Do you prefer getting up early or late? To a great extent, it's your genes that decide. Do you enjoy dangerous sports such as car racing? There is a gene that influences how much excitement we need.
But with most psychological characteristics, scientists are learning that both our genes and our environment affect us. This is true of things such as how violent we are, and how well we get on with other people. So, even though scientists may soon be able to describe our genes in detail, it does not mean they will be able to predict our future with any real success.
Nevertheless, the fact is that scientists will be able to "read" our genes in the near future. This will create new problems. To give a few examples, insurance companies may not want to insure people whose genes predict certain illnesses. Employers may not want to employ people who have a gene for violence. One thing is already clear -- with these new developments, life is going to become even more complicated!
1. Which characteristics is mostly likely to be inherited?| A．Eye color. | B．Interest. |
| C．Future. | D．Ability. |
| A．You may die of a certain illness described in the envelope. |
| B．There will be an increased number of violent people. |
| C．People may take part in dangerous sports such as car racing. |
| D．Insurance companies may refuse to insure people with a gene for certain disease. |
| A．Because we’re affected not only by our genes but also by our environment. |
| B．Because scientists will not be able to read our genes in the near future. |
| C．Because life in the future will be more complicated. |
| D．Because scientists can’t describe our genes in detail. |
2 . Talk about a real-life hero! Ten-year-old Larry Champagne from St. Louis, Missouri, hit the brake (刹车) on a runaway school bus. He saved himself and 20 other kids on board from disaster.
It all happened in one terrible accident. On the way to school, the bus driver, Ernestine Blackman, suddenly fell ill. Seeing the car was running away, the other kids started to scream, but Larry ran to the front and stopped the bus.
“At first I thought, ‘We’re going to die,’” says Larry, “but after I pressed the brake, I felt safe.”
Larry’s speedy reaction made news all over the country. He appeared on TV shows as a hero. The bus company gave Larry a big gift. His school hung a medal of honor around his neck.
“My grandmother always tells me to do what’s right,” says Larry. He thanked his brother, Jerrick, 9, who “helped me get the bus driver up” during the emergency（紧急情况）. How did he know how to stop the bus? Larry is something of a mechanic（机械师）. He helps his grandfather work on his old truck. “He gets his hands dirty,” says his grandfather. One thing is for certain: Larry knows where to find the brakes.
1. What did Larry do to save the runaway bus?| A．He parked it for the sleeping bus driver. |
| B．He helped all the kids climb out through the windows. |
| C．He dialed 911. |
| D．he pressed the brake. |
| A．When the kids finally stopped screaming. | B．When the police officers arrived. |
| C．Once he pressed the brake, and the bus stopped. | D．When the bus driver started driving again. |
| A．appearing on TV shows | B．a scholarship from his school |
| C．a big gift from the bus company | D．a medal of honor |
| A．helping him get the bus driver up | B．helping him work on his old truck |
| C．teaching him how to find the brake | D．teaching him how to stop the bus |
| A．Larry’s job is a mechanic | B．Larry knows something about machines |
| C．Larry is a robot | D．Larry knows nothing about machines |
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place "Tomesha"-- the land of fire. Death Valley's present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and colorful parts of Death Valley is the Devil's Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from dreams. Sand sculptures stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.
1. The name of the valley comes from__________ .
| A．an Indian name | B．the death of the miners |
| C．the local people | D．a National Movement |
| A．no one had ever known the desert before the miners |
| B．it's still not easy to travel across the desert |
| C．people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert |
| D．people have changed the natural sight of the desert |
| A．the terrible sights | B．the moon-like sights |
| C．dream-like sights | D．the ever-changing sights |
| A．appreciates | B．is fearful of | C．dislikes | D．is tired of |
4 . As nanny, cook, cleaner, shopper, driver, and gardener, she has one of the most demanding jobs in Britain today. And paying someone else to do the chores which take the average housewife 71 hours a week would cost €349.
At over €18,000 a year that’s more than the earnings of 70 percent of the population, including train drivers, firemen, prison officers, and social worker. Looking after a baby less than a year old takes a housewife into an even higher pay league. According to a study, she earns €457 a week — at nearly €24,000 a year, the same as teachers, engineers, and chemists.
Researchers put a price on each chore, then tried to find out how long the average person takes doing them. They found housewives spend an average 70.7 hours a week on housework — with looking after the children (17.9 hours) and cooking and cleaning (12.9 hours each) the most time-consuming.
A wife with a part-time job still works and average of 59 hours a week at home. Those in full-time employment put in longer hours at home than in the workplace. The good news is that these hours sharply as children get older. While the average mother with child under one puts in 90 hours weekly, the figure drops to 80 hours from one to four and to 66 hours from five to ten.
Mother-of-four Karen Williams from London said, “Paying the housewives may not be practical, but the government should recognize the value of housework, perhaps through the tax. Running a house takes a lot of time and most husbands don’t understand this. For example, my husband only puts a shelf up now and again. He never cleans the kitchen — that’s the real test.”
1. Who earns most according to the text?| A．A social worker. | B．A fireman. | C．A gardener. | D．A teacher. |
| A．takes more time than doing any other housework | B．means more duties than being a teacher |
| C．requires the mother to be well-educated | D．prevents the mother from working outside |
| A．66 hours a week | B．71 hours a week |
| C．80 hours a week | D．90 hours a week |
| A．housework is no easy job | B．her husband has no time to clean the kitchen |
| C．a housewife needs to be paid for cleaning | D．the kitchen is hard to clean |
5 . I love charity(慈善) shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won’t find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.
The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity’s appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful it had been flooded with donations(捐赠物). They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favourite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children’s books, all 10 or 20 pence each.
Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don’t encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open.
The shops have very low running costs: all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than ￡110 million a year, funding(资助) medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better place to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and tread lightly on the environment.
1. The author loves the charity shop mainly because of .| A．its convenient location | B．its great variety of goods |
| C．its spirit of goodwill | D．its nice shopping environment |
| A．sell cheap products | B．deal with unwanted things |
| C．raise money for patients | D．help a foreign country |
| A．The operating costs are very low. | B．The staff are usually well paid. |
| C．90% of the donations are second-hand. | D．They are open twenty-four hours a day. |
| A．What to Buy at Charity Shops. |
| B．Charity Shop: Its Origin & Development. |
| C．Charity Shop: Where You Buy to Donate. |
| D．The Public’s Concern about Charity Shops. |
Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe or finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the fifteenth century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in battle. By the eighteenth century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job.
Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from early nineteen hundreds. A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.
The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. The new plants produced much larger crops. The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs. Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play “Othello”. It describes the unpleasant feeling a person has when someone has something he wants. A young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if his girlfriend begins going out with someone else. Or, that green-eyed monster may affect your friend if you get a pay rise and he does not.
1. A greenhorn now refers to ____.
| A．a person who is new in a job | B．a new solider |
| C．a young horse | D．a cow without horns |
| A．who is good at growing plants | B．whose thumbs are of green color |
| C．whose garden is greener than others’ | D．who is younger than his neighbors |
| A．colors | B．language | C．politics | D．agriculture |
| A．In about the 16th century, a greenhorn meant an experienced soldier. |
| B．The Green Revolution may have some connection with green thumbs. |
| C．The green-eyed monster was probably created by William Shakespeare. |
| D．The green-eyed monster can be used to describe a person who is jealous. |
Begin your tour with our exhibition about the planets, then move on to the Space Laboratory and see some of the experiments carried out in space. Visit our international space station, where you can climb into our full-scale Space Shuttle model and experience life on board as an astronaut (宇航员).
You will know all about space by now and to help you further, our Space Center astronaut will tell you about how young people train as astronauts in our own training school. Finally, you can watch our amazing Space Show in our IMAX cinema, which will help you understand everything you have learned during your visit better.
Outside we have an outdoor exhibition including a giant solar system, full-size rocket models and outdoor games. Don’t worry if it rains — much of this is under cover.
After that, why not visit our restaurant Resto Space for food and drink on a space theme (主题)? And don’t forget our Space Shop, offering you a lot of gifts to take home.
The Euro Space Center is open every day during school holidays, and also during other times except Mondays. Opening times are 10:00-5:00. For entrance fees, call our booking service on + 32-61-650133. Or you can email us for up-to-date entry information at info@eurospacecenter.be.
1. Anyone who goes to the Euro Space Center will _____.
| A．visit there for free |
| B．become a true astronaut |
| C．feel as if he was in space |
| D．do any space experiments he wants |
| A．enjoy food and drink |
| B．watch an amazing space show |
| C．learn about space experiments |
| D．know how astronauts live in space |
| A．will be open all day long |
| B．will be open only for 5 hours |
| C．will be closed for the whole day |
| D．will have a space show in the IMAX cinema |
| A．Learn to be an astronaut |
| B．Welcome to Space Shop |
| C．Come and take a space walk |
| D．Show your talent for science |
Retail (零售) Sales
Retail offers plenty of opportunity for teens who are looking for a job. This type of work can pay from $10 to $15 an hour depending upon the duty you are expected to take on. It can also be great for teens who are friendly and enjoy talking to other people. For more information, call us at 111-222-3333.
Food Service
A job in the food service industry is a natural fit for sociable teens who enjoy communicating with the public. It allows employees to work as part of a team while learning about following instructions. It also comes with the opportunity to earn between $8 and $10 per hour. Just call 111-222-3533 for more information.
Babysitter
This job requires someone who is highly responsible. Though it pays generally between $6 and $8 hourly, it also requires a lot of patience. This is a great choice for teens who wish to make a career in teaching, child care, social work or any other field that makes use of social skills or requires interaction with kids. Got a question? Just call 111-222-3336.
Housekeeping
This type of work can bring in about $5 an hour and it will allow teens to learn responsibility and develop their organizational skills. The summer sees an upswing in the tourism industry, so hotels are often looking for more housekeeping staff, and parks often need more people to assist with keeping public areas clean and organized as well. Telephone: 111-222-3330.
1. How much can you earn at least in two hours as a retailer?
| A．$10. | B．$12. | C．$16. | D．$20. |
| A．Retail Sales. | B．Babysitter. |
| C．Housekeeping. | D．Food Service. |
| A．want a part-time job in the summer |
| B．are faced with communication problems |
| C．dream of becoming a housekeeper |
| D．plan to start their own business |
“Any old papers, lady？” asked one of them.
I was busy. I wanted to say “no” until I looked down at their feet. They were wearing thin little sandals, wet with heavy snow.
“Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa.”
They walked over and sat down at the table. Their wet sandals left marks upon the floor. I served them cocoa and bread to fight against the cold outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started cooking.
The silence in the front room struck me. I looked in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, “Lady, are you rich？”
“Am I rich? Pity, no！”
I looked at my wornout slipcovers(椅套). The girl put her cup back in its saucer (碟) carefully and said, “Your cups match your saucers.” They left after that, holding their papers against the wind. They had reminded me that I had so much for which to be grateful.
Plain blue china cups and saucers were only worth five pence. But they matched.
I tasted the potatoes and stirred the meat soup. Potatoes and brown meat soup, a roof over our heads, my man with a regular job, these matched, too.
I moved the chairs back from the fire and cleaned the living room. The muddy marks of little sandals were still wet upon my floor. Let them be for a while, I thought, just in case I should begin to forget how rich I am.
1. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Lady, are you rich? |
| B．A story of Thanksgiving Day |
| C．Don't forget how rich you are |
| D．Does cups and saucers match well? |
| A．she wanted to sell old papers to them |
| B．she showed great pity and care on them |
| C．she wanted to invite them to her Thanksgiving party |
| D．she had the same experience as them in the past |
| A．The girl thought the writer was rich just because she wanted to make the writer happy. |
| B．The writer had thought she wasn't rich because her supplies were not expensive. |
| C．If cups and saucers match well, they are a best pair even though cheap. |
| D．After hearing what they said, the writer seemed to understand what a rich life was. |
| A．show that she was a kindhearted lady |
| B．leave room for readers to think about what being rich is |
| C．remind her that she shouldn't forget how rich she was |
| D．prove that she had understood what meant being rich |
| A．how much money you have made |
| B．what attitude you have had towards life |
| C．the way you help others |
| D．your social relationship |
10 . Probably you have seen photographs of the Grand Canyon, the great valley in the desert country of Arizona. But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.
The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years. Slowly, the river cut down through hard rocks. At the same time, the land was rising. Today, the canyon is one and a half kilometers deep and 446 kilometers long. The oldest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than one billion years old. The width varies from about 200 meters to 29 kilometers across. The rim or top of the canyon is about 2, 300 meters above sea level on the South Rim, and about 3, 000 meters on the other side, the North Rim. As a result, there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon. The South Rim is a dry desert country. The North Rim has tall forests.
The canyon looks different at different times of a day, and in different seasons and weather. At sunrise and sunset the black, gold, brown, and orange colours of the rocks are especially clear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow.
The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best. Most visitors come to the South Rim and stay in campgrounds or hotels. Every point along the canyon’s edge offers a different view.
The North Rim of the Canyon is quieter. It takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River. On the way, you go through Navajo Indian lands, and a colourful pink desert called “The Painted Desert”.
You can walk down into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down on the back of a mule. You can also take a boat trip down the Colorado River, and camp on the beaches at night. But whether you see the Grand Canyon from the top or the bottom, it will be an experience that you will never forget.
1. The best way to feel the size and beauty of the Grand Canyon is________.| A．to see its photographs |
| B．to listen to the report about it |
| C．to travel there yourself |
| D．to watch the TV program about it |
| A．The earthquake. |
| B．The water from the Colorado River. |
| C．The American people. |
| D．The strong wind. |
| A．the same | B．changing with time |
| C．different | D．very low |
| A．length | B．scenery |
| C．width | D．height |
