1 . Challenging work that requires lots of analytical thinking, planning and other managerial skills might help your brain stay sharp as you age, a study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology suggests.

Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany gathered more than 1, 000 retired workers who were over age 75 and assessed the volunteers’ memory and thinking skills through a battery of tests. Then, for eight years, the scientists asked the same group to come back to the lab every 18 months to take the same sorts of tests.

Those who had held mentally stimulating(刺激), demanding jobs before retirement tended to do the best on the tests. And they tended to lose cognitive(认知) function at a much slower rate than those with the least mentally challenging jobs. The results held true even after the scientists accounted for the participants’ overall health status.

“This works just like physical exercise, ” says Francisca Then, who led the study. “After a long run, you may feel like you’re in pain, you may feel tired. But it makes you fit. After a long day at work-sure, you will feel tired, but it can help your brain stay healthy. ”

It's not just corporate jobs, or even paid work that can help keep your brain fit, Then points out. A waiter’s job, for example, that requires multitasking, teamwork and decision-making could be just as stimulating as any high-level office work. And “running a family household requires high-level planning and coordinating(协调), ” she says. “You have to organize the activities of the children and take care of the bills and groceries. ”

Of course, our brains can decline as we grow older for lots of reasons-including other environmental influences or genetic factors. Still, continuing to challenge yourself mentally and keeping your mind busy can only help.

1. Why did the scientists ask the volunteers to take the tests?

A．To assess their health status.	B．To evaluate their work habits.
C．To analyze their personality.	D．To measure their mental ability.

2. How does Francisca Then explain her findings in paragraph 4?

A．By using an expert’s words.	B．By making a comparison.
C．By referring to another study.	D．By introducing a concept.

3. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Retired Workers Can Pick Up New Skills

B．Old People Should Take Challenging Jobs

C．Your Tough Job Might Help Keep You Sharp

D．Cognitive Function May Decline As You Age

2 . The traffic signals along Factoria Boulevard in Bellevue, Washington, generally don't flash the same length of green twice in a row, especially at rush hour. At 9:30am, the full red/yellow/green signal cycle might be 140 seconds. By 9:33am, a burst of additional traffic might push it to 145 seconds. Less traffic at 9:37am could push it down to 135. Just like the traffic itself, the timing of the signals changes.

That is by design. Bellevue, a fast-growing city just east of Seattle, uses a system that is gaining popularity around the US: intersection(十字路口) signals that can adjust in real time to traffic conditions. These lights, known as adaptive signals, have led to significant declines in both the trouble and cost of travels between work and home.

“Adaptive signals can make sure that the traffic demand that is there is being addressed, ” says Alex Stevanovic, a researcher at Florida Atlantic University.

For all of Bellevue’s success, adaptive signals are not a cure-all for jammed roadways. Kevin Balke, a research engineer at the Texas A&M University Transportation Institute, says that while smart lights can be particularly beneficial for some cities, others are so jammed that only a sharp reduction in the number of cars on the road will make a meaningful difference. “It’s not going to fix everything, but adaptive signals have some benefits for smaller cities,” he says.

In Bellevue, the switch to adaptive signals has been a lesson in the value of welcoming new approaches. In the past, there was often an automatic reaction to increased traffic: just widen the roads, says Mark Poch, the Bellevue Transportation Department’s traffic engineering manager. Now he hopes that other cities will consider making their streets run smarter instead of just making them bigger.

1. What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Increased length of green lights.	B．Shortened traffic signal cycle.
C．Flexible timing of traffic signals.	D．Smooth traffic flow on the road.

2. What does Kevin Balke say about adaptive signals?

A．They work better on broad roads.

B．They should be used in other cities.

C．They have greatly reduced traffic on the road.

D．They are less helpful in cities seriously jammed.

3. What can we learn from Bellevue’s success?

A．It is rewarding to try new things.	B．The old methods still work today.
C．It pays to put theory into practice.	D．The simplest way is the best way.

3 . Your next car might drive itself. After years of trials on city streets, driverless vehicles are now nearing the live phase. Last month, a driverless bus began carrying passengers through Lyon, France, Most in the automobile industry think self-driving vehicles will be on the road by 2020 or before.

Driverless cars will at first be huddled with human-driven cars. But the first places where they will become dominant(统治的) are dense urban areas - precisely the spots most damaged by the automobile age. Many advanced cities are already reducing the role of human-driven cargo. Driverless cars will quicken that process and will bring us enormous benefits.

Driverless cars will reduce accidents by around 90 percent. That’s big-the annual death toll on the world’s roads is about 1.2 million a year. Pollution and carbon emissions will drop, because urban driverless cars will be electric. The old, otherwise they would stay at home most of the time and the disabled and teenagers will suddenly gain mobility.

On the other hand, driverless cars will bring catastrophe. The best thing about the automobile age was that it employed tens of millions of people to make, market, insure and drive vehicles. Over the next 20 years, the mostly low-skilled men who now drive trucks, taxis and buses will see their jobs reduced. Carmakers are especially scared. The few cars of the future might be made by tech companies such as Apple, Baidu and Google.   Imaging the impact on Germany, where the automotive sector is the largest industry.

Dramatic change is coming, and driverless cars could arrive by 2020. But governments have barely begun thinking about it. Only 6 percent of the biggest US cities have factored them into their long-term planning.

A decade ago anyone hardly saw the Smartphone coming. It has bought an epidemic of mass addiction. Let’s hope we do a better job of handling the driverless car.

1. The underlined words “be huddled with” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “               “.

A．show up	B．exist together
C．get rid of	D．take the place of

2. Why can driverless cars reduce pollution and carbon emissions?

A．Driverless cars reduce the number of cars.

B．Driverless cars will be powered by electricity.

C．Driverless cars save fuel by driving themselves.

D．Driverless cars will reduce too many accidents.

3. What’s the author’s attitude toward driverless cars?

A．Doubtful.	B．Negative.
C．Objective.	D．Worried.

4 . When you have looked through our brochure(手册) and have chosen two or three cottages(小木屋) you would like to stay in, please phone our Holiday Booking Office. The number is: 01225 892299.

31st March to 20th October

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday closed

Sunday closed

21st October to 30th March

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sunday closed

When a reservation(预订) has been made, it will be held for 7 days. We will give you a holiday reference number and ask you to complete the holiday booking form and return it, with a deposit(订金) of ONE THIRD of the cottage rental.

IF WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR COMPUTED AND SIGNED BOOKING FORM WITH A DEPOSIT WITHIN 7 DAYS, WE REGRET THAT YOUR RESERVATION WILL BE CANCELLED.

When we receive your booking form and deposit, your reservation will be confirmed-we will send you a Booking Confirmation, together with advice on how to reach your holiday cottage and the telephone number of a local contact so that you can get further details on the cottage before leaving home.

ARRIVAL

Please do not arrive at your holiday cottage before 3:30 p.m. or later than 7:00 p.m.

DEPARTURE

On the morning of departure, please leave your holiday property(住所) by 10 a.m. to allow caretakers enough time to prepare the property for the next visitors. We ask that you please leave the property as you found it. Please do not move the furniture as this can cause damage to the furniture.

LAST-MINUTE BOOKINGS

If you wish to make a last-minute booking, please telephone the Holiday Booking Office to check availability. If your reservation is made within 10 weeks of the holiday start date, full payment is due when booking.

ELECTRICITY

In most Wessex Cottages electricity must be paid for in addition to the holiday price. In some cottages, electricity is included in the rental and in very few there is no electricity at all.

1. What should you know about your booking?

A．The reservation can be made on weekends.

B．You need to fill a form before booking.

C．A deposit of one third of the cottage rental is needed.

D．The reservation of a cottage will be kept for 7 hours.

2. When does the Holiday Booking Office open on Saturdays in December?

A．At 9:30 a.m.	B．At 9:00 a.m.
C．At 4:30 p.m.	D．At 5:00 p.m.

3. Which is TRUE about electricity according to the passage?

A．There is no electricity in many cottages.

B．Electricity price is more expensive than the holiday price.

C．Electricity is included in the rental in most cottages.

D．You don’t need to pay for it additionally in some cottages.

4. What do we know about last-minute booking?

A．Full payment is unnecessary when booking.	B．Cottages may be unavailable.
C．The cost is lower than before.	D．Additional charges may be made.

5 . Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is road testing a new way to keep winter roads ice-free – by spreading on them cheese brine, the salty liquid used to make soft cheese, like mozzarella.

Wisconsin, also called "America's Dairyland," is famous for its cheese. The state produced 2.8 billion pounds of cheese last year! As a result, there was a lot of leftover cheese brine. Disposing of(处置)the brine can be expensive. So what should cheese makers do with the waste?

Normally, towns use rock salt to de-ice streets. The salt lowers waters' freezing point, causing ice to melt(融化). But using cheese brine could help both cheese producers and cities save money, while keeping roads safe. Cheese brine has salt in it, which, like the rock salt, helps lower water's freezing point.

In addition to saving money, cheese brine could also be a more environment-friendly option. Many people suspect that all the rock salt used every winter is harming the environment.

Rock salt is made of sodium chloride, the sane con-pound (化合物)in ordinary table salt. Sounds harmless, right? But while you probably add only a small amount of salt to your food, road crews spread about 20 million tons of salt on U.S. Roads every year!

The chemical washes off roads and goes into the ground. There it can pollute drinking water, harm plants. and eat away soil. By spreading cheese brine on streets before adding a layer of rock salt, Milwaukee may be able to cut its rock salt use by 30 percent.

Cheese brine has a downside too – a shell similar to that of bad milk. "I don't really mind it," Emil Norby told Modern Farmer magazine. He works for one of Wisconsin's county highway commissions and came up with the idea of using cheese brine. "Our roads smell like Wisconsin!" he said.

1. Why can cheese brine help keep winter roads ice-free?

A．It is soft.

B．It contains salt.

C．It is warm.

D．It has milk in it.

2. What is a benefit of using cheese urine on roads?

A．Improving air quality.	B．Increasing sales of rock salt.
C．Reducing water pollution.	D．Saving the cheese industry.

3. Milwaukee's new way to de-ice streets may be an example of_______________.

A．barking up the wrong tree	B．putting the cart before the horse
C．robbing Peter to pay Paul	D．killing two birds with one stone

6 . Today's world is not an easy adjustment for young adults. Key skill set for success is persistence (毅力), a characteristic that researchers say is heavily influenced by fathers. Researchers from Brigham Young University discovered that fathers are in a unique position to help their adolescent children learn persistence.

BYU professors Laura Padilla-Walker and Randal Day arrived at these findings after following 325 American families over several years. And over time，the persistence gained through fathers led to higher achievement in school.

"There are relatively few studies that stress the unique role of fathers，"Padilla-Walker said. "This research also helps to prove that characteristics such as persistence-which can be taught-are key to a child's life success.”

Researchers determined that dads need to practice an "authoritative" parenting style. Authoritative parenting is not authoritarian:rigid，demanding or controlling. Rather，an authoritative parenting style includes some of the following characteristics:children feel warmth and love from their father；responsibility and the reasons behind rules are stressed children are given an appropriate level of autonomy(自主权).

In the study，about 52 percent of the dads exhibited above-average levels of authoritative parenting. A key finding is that over time，children raised by an authoritative father were significantly more likely to develop persistence，which leads to better outcomes in school.

This particular study examined 11 to 14-year-olds living in two-parent homes. Yet the researchers suggest that single parents still may play a role in teaching the benefits of persistence，which is an avenue of future research.

1. What is special about the BYU professors' study?

A．It centered on fathers' role in parenting.

B．It was based on a number of large families.

C．It analyzed different kinds of parenting styles.

D．It aimed to improve kids' achievement in school.

2. What would an authoritative father do when raising his children?

A．Ignore their demands.	B．Make decisions for them.
C．Control their behaviors.	D．Explain the rules to them.

3. Which group can be a focus of future studies according to the researchers?

A．Single parents.

B．Children aged from 11 to 14.

C．Authoritarian fathers.

D．Mothers in two-parent homes.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Three Characteristics of Authoritative Fathers.

B．Key Skills for Young Adults to Succeed in Future.

C．Children Tend to Learn Determination from Father.

D．Family Relationship Influences School Performance.

7 . Rock music consists of many different styles. Even though there is a common spirit among all music groups, they make very different music.     1     At that time the Beatles entered the world of music from Liverpool.

After they were given an invitation to appear live on BBC, the Beatles quickly became famous in Britain with nationwide tours. By mid-1963, the Beatles had been extremely popular in England.     2     They held large concerts and performed at clubs. They became the hottest thing on the pop music scene in England. They began as a modestly successful musician group and ended the year as show business legends(传说). John Lennon and Paul McCartney were named composers of the year.

    3     They were not sure how the Americans would react to the new type of music. Beatlemania hit New York on February 7, 1964. Hundreds of fans jammed the airport to greet them.     4     The concert was broadcast live and attracted the largest one night audience in the history of television up to that time. The Beatles were described as a British invasion(入侵) by local and nationwide newspapers at that time. Their victory in America was still remembered as a major turning point in the history of rock and roll. Thanks to the Beatles, a lot of opportunities were opened up to new faces on the market.     5    

A．They decided on a tour to the United States in 1964.

B．Even their hairstyles became major trends at that time.

C．Rock music developed in the 1950s and the early 1960s.

D．However, their songs changed the lives of generations to come.

E．Many rock bands were able to follow in the footsteps of the Beatles.

F．They appeared in the films A Hard Day's Night(1964)and Help！(1965).

G．They performed their first concert in America at CBS television’s 53rd street studio.

8 . Money with no strings attached. It’s not something you see every day. But at Union Station in Los Angeles last month, a board went up with dollar bills attached to it with pins and a sign that read, “Give What You Can, Take What You Need.”

People quickly caught on. And while many took dollars, many others pinned their own cash to the board. “People of all ages, races, and socio-economic(社会经济的) backgrounds gave and took,” said Tyler Bridges of The Toolbox, which created the project. “We even had a bride in her wedding dress come up to the board and take a few dollars.” Most of the bills on the board were singles, but a few people left fives, tens and even twenties. The video clip(片段) shows one man who had found a $ 20 bill pinning it to the board.

“What I can say for the folks that gave the most, is that they were full of smiles,” Bridges said. “There’s a certain feeling that giving can do for you and that was apparent in those that gave the most.” Most people who took dollars took only a few, but Bridges said a very small number took as much as they could.

While the clip might look like part of a new ad campaign, Bridges said the only goal was to show generosity and sympathy. He added that he hopes people in other cities might try similar projects and post their own videos on the Internet.

“After all, everyone has bad days and good days,” he said. “Some days you need a helping hand and some days you can be the one giving the helping hand.”

1. What does the expression “money with no strings attached” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Money spent without hesitation.

B．Money not legally made.

C．Money offered without conditions.

D．Money not tied together.

2. What did Bridges want to show by mentioning the bride?

A．Women tended to be more sociable.

B．The activity attracted various people.

C．Economic problems were getting worse.

D．Young couples needed financial assistance.

3. Why did Bridges carry out the project?

A．To do a test on people’s morals.

B．To raise money for his company.

C．To earn himself a good reputation.

D．To promote kindness and sympathy.

9 . Zachariah Fike has an unusual hobby. He finds old military(军队的) medals for sale in antique stores and on the Internet. But unlike most collectors, Zac tracks down the medals’ rightful owners, and returns them.

His effort to reunite families with lost medals began with a Christmas gift from his mother, a Purple Heart with the name Corrado A. G. Piccoli, found in an antique shop. Zac knows the meaning of a Purple Heart—he earned one himself in a war as a soldier. So when his mother gave him the medal, he knew right away what he had to do.

Through the Internet, Zac tracked down Corrado’s sister Adeline Rockko. But when he finally reached her, the woman flooded him with questions: “Who are you? What antique shop?” However, when she hung up, she regretted the way she had handled the call. So she called Zac back and apologized. Soon she drove to meet Zac in Watertown, N.Y. “At that point, I knew she meant business,” Zac says. “To drive eight hours to come to see me.”

The Piccolis grew up the children of Italian immigrants in Watertown. Corrado, a translator for the Army during WWII, was killed in action in Europe.

Before hearing from Zac, Adeline hadn’t realized the medal was missing. Like many military medals, the one Zac’s mother had found was a family treasure. “This medal was very precious to my parents. Only on special occasions(场合) would they take it out and let us hold it in our hands,” Adeline says.

As a child, Adeline couldn’t understand why the medal was so significant. “But as I grew older,” Adeline says, “and missed my brother more and more, I realized that was the only thing we had left.” Corrado Piccoli’s Purple Heart medal now hangs at the Italian American Civic Association in Watertown.

Zac recently returned another lost medal to a family in Alabama. Since he first reunited Corrado’s medal, Zac says his record is now 5 for 5.

1. Where did Zac get a Purple Heart medal for himself？

A．In the army.

B．In an antique shop.

C．From his mother.

D．From Adeline Rockko.

2. What did Zac realize when Adeline drove to meet him？

A．She was very impolite.

B．She was serious about the medal.

C．She suspected his honesty.

D．She came from a wealthy family.

3. What made Adeline treasure the Purple Heart?

A．Her parents’ advice.

B．Her knowledge of antiques.

C．Her childhood dream.

D．Her memory of her brother.

10 . Below is a web page from Google.

Olympic—Modern Olympic Games The complete results archive of summer and winter Olympic games,with winners lists,statistics,national anthems and flags of all countries since 1896. www.olympic.it/english/home-16k Environment Beijing steel plants to run at the lowest level of cost during 2008 Olympics［2007-03-11］Beijing able to treat 90 pct of waste water ［2007-02-05］·Air quality in Beijing has improved over the past six years［2007-02-01］·Green Olympics dream coming true... en.beijing2008.com/80/67/column211716780.shtml-52k Beijing announces planned route of Olympic torch relay Beijing announced the 2008 Olympics Games torch relay route and set off the Olympic Games torch on Thursday. ...Green Olympics is one of the three concepts of the Beijing Games,... english.china.com/zh-cn/news/sports/11059227/14069663.html-26k Environmental Symbol of Beijing Olympics—‘Green Olympics’

Environmental Symbol of Beijing Olympics—‘Green Olympics’,officially annouced on Saturday,24 September 2005.The symbol,created using a calligraphic art form,is composed of human and tree-like shapes,... my.opera.com/green_head/blog/show.dml/92155-18k Green Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004 On behalf of BOCOG,Wang Wei,executive vice president of BOCOG,gave a presentation about Green Olympics,introduced the environment protection work of BMG and BOCOG,and answered several questions such as protection of cultural relics... en.beijing2008.com/84/91/article211929184.shtml-36k Olympic Games Quizzes and Olympic Games Trivia Who was the founder of the Modern Olympics?In which cities were the modern Olympic Games due to be held/scheduled during the ‘war years’,i.e.,1916,1940,and 1944?...In which three years of the Modern Olympic Games were...More questions... www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/sports/olympic_games.html-12k OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT ...aimed at young researchers engaged in scholarly research on the Olympic Movement,its history and values,and the impact of the...［Full story］SPORT ACCORD［2005-01-23］... www.olympic.org/ Ancient Olympic Heritage and Modern Olympic Games in Athens 2004 As put forward in the various official texts,the Olympic symbols of ancient Olympia,the Olympic flame and the Marathon race and bridges between the ancient and the modern Olympic Games,... www.c2008.org/rendanews/knowledge_detail.asp?id=911-106k

1. When was the environmental symbol of Beijing Olympics made public?

A．On January 23,2005.

B．On September 24,2005.

C．On February 5,2007.

D．On March 11,2007.

2. Which of the following websites is designed for young researchers interested in the Olympics?

A．Environment

B．Green Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004

C．Olympic Games Quizzes and Olympic Games Trivia

D．OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT

3. Which website provides a complete list of the winners in the Olympic Games?

A．Olympic—Modern Olympic Games

B．Green Olympics Forum In Beijing 2004

C．Environmental Symbol of Beijing Olympics—‘Green Olympics’

D．Ancient Olympic Heritage and Modern Olympic Games in Athens 2004

4. What do we learn from the above web page?

A．Beijing has made efforts to improve its air quality.

B．The Olympic torch relay route has not been planned.

C．The Olympic flags will be on display in Athens.

D．A quiz on the Olympics will be held in Beijing.