Be careful what you say around your dog．It might understand more than you think．
A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany．The dog also appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child．Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee．
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects．Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back．In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right．As the dog couldn't see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words．
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew．The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before．
The correct object was chosen in seven out of ten tests, suggesting that the dog had worked
out the answer by process of elimination（排除法）．A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive．
Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog．For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed （品种）known for its mental abilities．In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months．
It's hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say．Even if they do, they can't talk back．Still, it wouldn't hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then．You might just get a big, wet kiss in return!
1. From paragraph 2 we know that __________．
| A．animals are as clever as human beings |
| B．chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills |
| C．dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees |
| D．dogs have similar learning abilities as 3-year-old children |
| A．Rico is smart enough to get all commands right |
| B．Rico can recognize different things including toys |
| C．Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics |
| D．Rico won't forget the names of objects once recognizing them |
| A．Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training． |
| B．The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie's mental abilities． |
| C．The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects． |
| D．Rico is born to understand its owner's commands． |
| A．To train your dog． | B．To talk to your dog． |
| C．To be careful with your dog． | D．To be friendly to your dog． |
2 . New research says 35 percent of the deaths of children worldwide are caused by hunger. The research is from poor to middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Robert Black from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland was the leading writer of the research. He says more than 3.5 million mothers and children under five die in poor countries each year because of hunger.
He says more than two million children die from underdevelopment, either before or after birth. Millions of others who survive face a lifetime of disabilities or early death. And the effects are not just physical. Poor brain development can limit economic success as children become adults. Then the cycle of poverty and hunger often repeats for their children.
Doctor Black says hungry children are also more likely to have conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease as adults. He says the studies show that food programs need to place the greatest importance on the first two years of life. Hungry children can suffer the whole life damage from age two.
So it is high time to improve their diets. Diets should include foods rich in vitamin A and other useful things. The researchers say early help like these could reduce child deaths by 25%.
The research has faced some criticism（批评）. A medical aid group says the researchers underestimate（低估）the number of child deaths from hunger. The researchers say there are findings that support this treatment but more studies are needed to compare it to hospital care.
1. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?| A．Poverty and hunger have influenced all children's lives in the world. |
| B．Hunger has some bad effects on children's physical and mental development. |
| C．Ever year over two million children die of hunger after birth. |
| D．Poverty and hunger can limit people's success. |
| A．If a child is hungry at childhood, he will be disabled in the future. |
| B．Criticism is the best medicine for hunger. |
| C．The results from the research is not satisfactory. |
| D．Generally speaking, hungry children have less chance of catching heart disease when they grow up. |
| A．Before birth. | B．Between birth and the age of two. |
| C．From age two to five. | D．Under the age of five. |
| A．Hunger—children's biggest enemy. | B．How to prevent hunger. |
| C．A latest survey about hunger all over the world. | D．Time to improve our living conditions. |
3 . From the moment you open your eyes in the morning, you can feel sweat (汗水)running down your body, even if you’re barely moving at all. That’s what most people in China felt like this summer. In fact, the entire northern hemisphere(半球 )saw high temperatures in July. The Arctic Circle(北极圈) was no exception(例外). Temperatures in the city of Norilsk, which is in the Arctic Circle, reached a record high of 32 ℃, The Atlantic reported. Temperatures there are usually just 10 ℃ at this time of the year.
The heat wave in the Arctic is mainly a long-term result of global warming, according to the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences. In fact, while the whole world is getting warmer, the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. This is called the polar amplification effect(极地放大效应).
The most direct impact(影响) of Arctic warming is the melting of Arctic ice. According to NASA, Arctic sea ice is now disappearing at a rate of 13. 2 percent every 10 years. NASA said that if this continues, the Arctic will have no ice by the year 2040. This has put some Arctic animals, like polar bears, in danger. The ice that the bears live on has shrunk(缩小), the Toronto Star reported.
Melting ice can also cause sea levels to rise in the long term. Since 1993, sea levels have risen at a rate of 3. 2 cm every 10 years, the Guardian reported. Some countries, such as Tuvalu(图瓦卢) in the South Pacific Ocean and Maldives(马尔代夫) in the Indian Ocean, are at risk of disappearing into the sea.
1. Which of the following is true?| A．Some countries in the ocean will disappear in 10 years. |
| B．China is the hottest in the northern hemisphere this summer. |
| C．The temperatures in Norilsk used to be lower than this summer. |
| D．The world gets warmer because of the heat wave in the Arctic. |
| A．The heat wave in the Arctic. |
| B．The result of global warming. |
| C．Getting warmer in the world. |
| D．The Arctic getting warm faster. |
| A．The polar will become dangerous. |
| B．Sea levels rise in the long term. |
| C．There will be an end of water shortage. |
| D．There will be no ice in the world by 2040. |
| A．Heat hits Arctic. |
| B．Arctic animals are in danger. |
| C．The world became hotter than before. |
| D．Some countries may disappear into the sea. |
4 . Los Angeles is a relatively new and spreading city, which means there’s a big canvas (画布) for architects of many styles to put their 3D stamps on the city. For architecture fans, here are some must-see spots.
Watts Towers
Designed and constructed by Italian-born Simon Rodia over the course of three decades, the 17 towers—the tallest is 100 feet high—consist of metal and found objects such as broken glass, pottery chips (陶器碎片), seashells, etc. You can take a guided tour of this place, learning about the history of this attractive project. 1727 E. 107th St., LA.
Getty Center
Architect Richard Meier’s shining city on a hill took 16,000 tons of marble to build but today it’s a wonder, housing the Getty’s main art collection and offering unbelievable views of Los Angeles. 1200 Getty Center Dr., LA.
Sturges House
Frank Lloyd Wright designed nine different structures throughout Southern California. This was Wright’s first turn away from the textile (纺织) block buildings he’d been designing in California and toward stressing natural factors of the structure to mix with the natural surroundings. 449 N. Skyewiay Rd., LA.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Frank Gehry has lived in Los Angele s for decade s and hi s world has been se en throughout the city. This one, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, is his most luxurious (奢侈的) building in Southern California. You need not sit through a symphony performance to get a glance at the interior(内饰). The concert hall offers free self-guided audio tours recorded by actor John Litligow. 111 S. Grand Ave., LA.
1. Where should you go to visit Watts Towers?| A．1200 Getty Center Dr., LA. | B．1727 E. 107th St., LA. |
| C．449 N. S kyewiay Rd., LA. | D．111 S. Grand Ave., LA. |
| A．It is made up of 9 structures. | B．It is a textile block building. |
| C．It fits in well with its environment. | D．It is a luxurious building. |
| A．Simon Rodia. | B．Richard Meier. |
| C．John Lithgow. | D．Frank Gehry. |
5 . CHRISTMAS LANE
Tuesday, December 19, 6:00pm
Florida Strawberry Festival Agricultural Show Center Building
2508 WOAK AVE., PLANT CITY, FL 33563
Santa and Mrs. Claus greet you at this holiday occasion with giant toy soldiers and a 14-toot reindeer, Christmas castle, face painting, children’s performers and decoration-making.
Price: $5; $3, ages 4-12; 3 and younger free.
Phone: (813) 478-0494
HOLIDAYS AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Tuesday, December 19, 8:00 pm
Universal Orlando
6000 UNIVERSAL BLVD, ORLANDO, FL 32819
Get into the holiday spirit at Universal Studios with the Macy’s Holiday march including balloons and floats, Santa and the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular live stage show based on the Dr. Seuss classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Price: $ 105, $100 child.
Phone: 1-800-837-2273
SEAWORLD'S CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Wednesday, December 20, 9:00 am
Sea World
7007 SEAWORLD DRIVE, ORLANDO, FL 32821
Sea World’s celebration welcomes guests with everything from a sparkling (闪亮的) Sea of Trees, classic holiday tunes, an ice skating show, a Christmas market, Elmo’s Christmas
Wish show and a special Shamu’s Christmas-Miracles show. Remains open until 10 pm with extended hours on New Year’s Eve.
Price: $99, $94 ages 3-9.
Phone: (800)327-2424
CHRISTMAS IN THE WILD
Wednesday, December 20, 9：30 am
Lowry Park Zoo
Editor’s pick
1101 W SLIGH AVE, TAMPA, FL 33604
The animals come out at night for the zoo’s new holiday party with carolers (唱圣歌者), costumed characters, performers, a Christmas tree, holiday treats, music and photo chances with Santa. $21.95 after 4 pm on event days.
Price: $29.95, $27.95 seniors, $22.95 ages 3-11, 2 and younger free.
Phone: (813)935-8552
1. How much should a couple going to Christmas Lane with a child aged 6 and one aged 3 pay?| A．$10. | B．$12. |
| C．$13. | D．$16. |
| A．Create giant toys. | B．Learn drawing. |
| C．Visit art shows. | D．Watch classic plays. |
| A．It lasts a week long. |
| B．It aims at environmental protection. |
| C．People with art gift are especially welcome. |
| D．People can buy Christmas-themed products there. |
| A．Christmas Lane. | B．Christmas In The Wild. |
| C．Holidays At Universal Studios. | D．Sea World’s Christmas Celebration. |
6 . Yesterday my older neighbor, who takes care of part of our garden with great difficulty and efforts, was in deep shock. Obviously，my cats had left droppings (粪便) in his perfect flower beds.
Fortunately, my husband and I weren't at home when this happened，so he vented (发泄) his anger on my friend and neighbor, Katherine. She was kind enough to listen to him and to go down into the garden with him to have a look. She even took a picture!
When I got home, she had left a message on my answering machine about the incident. Having heard it was about my cats again, my stomach turned. Last year, he got so upset that he threatened to put rat traps on the roof，hoping that would warn me to keep my cats indoors. So I was a little worried.
However, I couldn't help but laugh when I heard Katherine tell me what the whole incident was all about. I understand gardening is important to my neighbor and that he keeps his garden perfect to comfort his soul.
So when I saw him in the garden days later, I went over to talk to him.
And the talk turned out to be quite nice. I was really surprised to find that I had the wisdom not to respond to his comments on my cats.
Instead, I had conversations with him about the beautiful flowers he had planted, the color combinations, and the care he took in creating such a sense of order. I tried to convey my understanding and appreciation without arguing or talking down to him.
I was really amazed how that talk turned out. We haven't had a conversation like that for over a year!
1. What do we know about the author's cats?| A．They ate the older neighbor's flowers. |
| B．They chased rats in older neighbor's house. |
| C．They left droppings in Katherine's garden. |
| D．They ruined the older neighbor's flower beds. |
| A．To stop the rats coming. |
| B．To show his concern for his neighbors. |
| C．To make the author mind her cats. |
| D．To express his appreciation to the author. |
| A．considerate and smart | B．sensitive and generous |
| C．creative and kind | D．friendly and enthusiastic |
| A．everyone should mind his own business |
| B．a wise conversation really makes sense |
| C．it is meaningful to argue with others |
| D．we need to take care of others’ pets |
7 . My name is Matthew. I'm not someone who has many secrets，because I'm a terrible liar. But there is one huge secret that I kept for years- -I failed my driving test. I had never failed a test before, and had never even come close. Driving made me anxious , but my parents told me I had to. They signed me up for driving lessons. I had gotten a perfect score for my written permit exam , but getting behind the wheel was a different story.
But when October 30th rolled around ,my pride set in. I wanted to be like everyone else at my school , showing off the brand new license they'd gotten. Looking back on that special day,I can't remember if I was nervous. What I do remember is starting the test , pausing at a stop sign after a few seconds , and being asked by the instructor to pull over. I had received an auto-fail since my pause was indeed a pause and not a real stop. I wasn't upset that I was leaving without a license, but I was scared everyone would know that I had failed. So when I got to class, I told everyone I didn't want to take the test on my birthday.
One Friday a month later, I went to the test spot again and passed. Later that night I drove for the first time by myself, which brought to me an amazing feeling I've never experienced——but sill, I couldn't imagine ever telling anyone the truth. So I didn't. It wasn't until midway through college that I came clean. It turned out plenty of my college friends had failed too! And I gathered enough courage to speak the fact out. Yes ,I had also failed.
Now I realize failure and imperfection are two things everyone has to experience , without which one couldn't make a true man.
1. What can we learn about Matthew?| A．He was a slow learner of driving. | B．He relied heavily on his parents. |
| C．He was afraid of taking exams. | D．He was bored with telling lies. |
| A．To put an end to his lest. | B．To check his parking skills. |
| C．To give him a second chance, | D．To show him a better way of driving. |
| A．Failing to get a driving license. | B．Missing his birthday celebration. |
| C．Making his parents disappointed. | D．Losing face before his classmates. |
| A．Honesty is the best policy. | B．Failure is a way to grow up. |
| C．Truth stands the test of time. | D．Imperfection is another form of perfection. |
8 . Find your new favorite West End musicals, from heartwarming adaptations and award-winning scores to extremely funny musicals and must-see London shows.
 | The Lion King Enjoy songs such as Circle Of Life. The award-winning adaptation of Disney’s The Lion King features music by Elton John, plus outstanding costumes and wonderful special effects. The Lion King delights all ages with rhythms of Africa and touching stories of love and life. Prices from £43.05 Call 077-533-0589 for Booking! |
 | The Phantom of the Opera Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical, The Phantom of the Opera, tells the tale of a shadowy character who attempts to make Christina the leading lady of the Paris Opera. With a fantastic plot and breathtaking scene, this long-running show is one of the must-see musicals in London. Prices from £30.75 Call 077-916-4545 for Booking! |
 | Thriller–Live See Thriller–Live, a musical in memory of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. The show joined London’s West End after three UK tours and popularity across Europe. Celebrate the career of the King of Pop during non-stop hits at this top London theatre show. Prices from £32.72 Call 077-816-3148 for Booking! |
 | School of Rock Rock out at this award-winning new musical. Based on the 2003 movie, School of Rock follows the story of Dewey Finn and his discovery to transform a class of A-grade students into a real rock group. But will they make it to the Battle of the Bands? Booking until Feb. Prices from £18.00 Call 077-317-8315 for Booking! |
 | Matilda The Musical Be wowed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning production of Matilda The Musical. Roald Dahl’s celebrated story bursts into life in this West End musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. Children and adults alike will be delighted by the little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Prices from £24.00 Call 077-517-8367 for Booking! |
1. The Phantom of the Opera is special because of its _____.
| A．excellent costumes | B．experienced actors |
| C．attractive story | D．beautiful songs |
| A．The Phantom of the Opera. | B．Matilda The Musical. |
| C．School of Rock. | D．Thriller–Live. |
| A．To analyze musicals. | B．To criticize musicals. |
| C．To advertise musicals. | D．To evaluate musicals. |
9 . NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce ,or possibly erase(抹去),the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
1. The passage is mainly about ___________.
| A．a new medical invention |
| B．a new research on the pill |
| C．a way of erasing painful memories |
| D．an argument about the research on the pill |
| A．cause the brain to fix memories |
| B．stop people remembering bad experiences |
| C．prevent body producing certain chemicals |
| D．Wipe out the emotional effects of memories |
| A．people doubt the effects of the pills |
| B．the pill will stop people's bad experiences |
| C．taking the pill will do harm to people's health |
| D．the pill has probably been produced in America |
| A．Some memories can ruin people's lives. |
| B．People want to get rid of bad memories. |
| C．Experiencing bad events makes us different from others. |
| D．The pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories. |
I waited until it was my turn, walked up to the desk and started talking to the bank clerk．He had a really strange expression on his face—just sort of a blank stare．I thought he was looking at me until I realized he was staring over my shoulder．
I began to turn round to see what he was looking at and at the same moment, the outside bank guard, the one with the machine gun, came flying through the door and lay face down on the floor．Following him through the door were three absolutely frightening men wearing those horrible stocking masks．They were carrying guns; at least the one in front was carrying a pistol．
Whether or not they said anything I can’t remember to this day, or whether people just automatically put their hands up I don’t know．I put my hands up but I just didn’t know what to do．For a few moments there was just total silence, suddenly broken by the telephone ringing．I remember wondering who was on the other end of the line．Nobody answered the telephone, so it just kept on ringing and ringing, in this otherwise deathly quiet．
Then two of the masked men went to the counter, jumped over it and got the cashiers and bank clerks to start filling their bags with cash．While the two were getting the money, the one at the door covering us with the gun obviously got a bit of an anxiety attack and started swearing at them, telling them to hurry up and get a move on．
They jumped back over the counter．One of them lost his balance when he landed on the floor and fell over．The other two swore at him again．Then they left through the door, warning us, “Don’t move．Stay like that with your hands up for ten minutes．” Then they just disappeared and there was total silence．
1. What could make the writer sense that something was about to happen?
| A．The small number of customers． |
| B．The total silence in the bank． |
| C．The bank clerk’s unusual behavior． |
| D．The constant ringing of the phone． |
| A．He was frightened to death by the robbers． |
| B．He organized the bank clerks to fight back． |
| C．He shot at the robbers with the machine gun． |
| D．He flew through the door to catch the robbers． |
| A．he was afraid of getting less money |
| B．he was too anxious to leave the bank |
| C．one of his fellows slipped on the floor |
| D．the phone kept ringing at the moment |
| A．there were usually less customers in the midday hour |
| B．the writer didn’t follow like sheep to put his hands up |
| C．the bank clerks were too busy to answer the telephone |
| D．three armed men robbed the central bank in broad daylight |
