1 . When people first walked across the Bering Land Bridge thousands of years ago, dogs were by their sides, according to a study published in the journal Science.
Robert Wayne of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Jennifer Leonard of the Smithsonian Institute, used DNA material—some of it unearthed by miners in Alaska—to conclude that today’s domestic dog originated in Asia and accompanied the first humans to the New World about 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. Wayne suggests that man’s best friend may have enabled the tough journey from Asia into North America. “Dogs may have been the reason people made it across the land bridge,” said Wayne. “They can pull things, carry things, defend you from fierce animals, and they’re useful to eat.”
Researchers have agreed that today’s dog is the result of the domestication(驯化) of wolves thousands of years ago. Before this recent study, a common thought about the precise origin of North America’s domestic dog was that Natives domesticated local wolves, the descendents(后代) of which now live with people in Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48.
Dog remains from a Fairbanks-area gold mine helped the scientists reach their conclusion. Leonard, an evolutionary biologist, collected DNA from 11 bones of ancient dogs that were locked in permafrost(永冻层) until Fairbanks miners uncovered them in the 1920s. The miners donated the preserved bones to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where they remained untouched for more than 70 years. After borrowing the bones from the museum, Leonard and her colleagues used radiocarbon techniques to find the age of the Alaska dogs. They found the dogs all lived between the years of 1450 and 1675 A.D., before Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov who were the first known Europeans to view Alaska in 1741. The bones of dogs that wandered the Fairbanks area centuries ago should therefore be the remains of “pure native American dogs,” Leonard said. The DNA of the Fairbanks dogs would also expose whether they were the descendents of wolves from North America.
Along with the Fairbanks samples, the researchers collected DNA from bones of 37 dog specimens(标本) from Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia that existed before the arrival of Columbus. In the case of both the Alaska dogs and the dogs from Latin America, the researchers found that they shared the most genetic material with gray wolves of Europe and Asia. This supports the idea of domestic dogs entering the New World with the first human explorers who wandered east over the land bridge.
Leonard and Wayne’s study suggests that dogs joined the first humans that made the adventure across the Bering Land Bridge to slowly populate the Americas. Wayne thinks the dogs that made the trip must have provided some excellent service to their human companions or they would not have been brought along. “Dogs must have been useful because they were expensive to keep,” Wayne said. “They didn’t feed on mice; they fed on meat, which was a very guarded resource.”
1. The underlined word “remains” is closed in meaning to ______.

A．leftover food	B．animal waste
C．dead bodies	D．living environment

2. According to the study described in Paragraph 4, we can learn that ______.

A．ancient dogs entered North America between 1450 and 1675 AD

B．the 11 bones of ancient dogs are not from native American dogs

C．the bones discovered by the gold miners were from North American wolves

D．the bones studied were not from dogs brought into North America by Europeans

3. What can we know from the passage?

A．Native Americans domesticated local wolves into dogs.

B．Scientists discovered some ancient dog remains in 1920s.

C．Latin America’s dogs are different from North America’s in genes.

D．Ancient dogs entered North America across the Bering Land Bridge.

4. The first humans into the New World brought dogs along with them because ______.

A．dogs fed on mice

B．dogs were easy to keep

C．dogs helped protect their resources

D．dogs could provide excellent service

5. What does the passage mainly talk about ______.

A．the origin of the North American dogs

B．the DNA study of ancient dogs in America

C．the reasons why early people entered America

D．the difference between Asian and American dogs

2 . If there is one thing I’m quite sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we still be reading newspapers. Not those newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of the news from the television or have the radio switched on in the background or in the car. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.
The basic British character won’t change, and one of the characteristics of the British is that we don’t much like talking to each other when we get up. So what better way is there to keep yourself thinking in the morning than to wrap yourself in a newspaper?
Over the past couple of centuries, human beings have developed a close relationship with the newspaper. It has become as natural as breathing or enjoying the sun. And it is not just the British who love newspapers. On suburban trains in Calcutta, for instance, just one person in the whole car will buy a newspaper and read aloud the best bits to his fellow passengers, much to everybody’s enjoyment.
The nature of what is news may change. What essentially (本质上) makes news is what affects our lives and the big political stories, the coverage of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters, will continue much the same. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though. It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives, like genetic engineering. In the future I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do, whether it’s love or depression. We develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.
It’s quite possible that in the next century newspaper will be transmitted electronically from the national equivalents of Fleet Street (伦敦的舰队街，以报馆集中而著称) and printed out in our own homes. In fact, I’m pretty sure that that is how it will happen in future. You’ll be probably selecting from a menu, making up your own ________ by picking out the things you want to read and say. You might even have an intelligent screening device (装置) to do the job for you.
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about the competition between the different media. They actually have a relationship, feeding off each other. It was once predicted that television would kill off newspapers, which hasn’t happened. What is read on the printed page is more enduring (持久的) than pictures on a flickering screen or sound lost in the sky. And as for the Internet, it’s never really satisfying to read something just on a screen.
1. The author of the passage is most probably from _______________.

A．Russia

B．India

C．Britain

D．America

2. According to the passage, the future of newspapers ____________.

A．will be mainly connected with scientific research

B．will report more important political activities

C．will directly cover more on scientific research

D．will build a bridge between different people

3. The underlined part “bespoke newspaper” of the passage probably refers to _____________.

A．a newspaper which dares to report the truth

B．a newspaper edited to one’s own interest

C．a newspaper edited and published for the public

D．a newspaper which only covers the life of family members

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．It was centuries ago that newspapers came into being .

B．Televisions have taken the place of newspapers .

C．The Internet will gradually take the place of newspapers.

D．The nature of news may remain the same over generations.

3 . The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological disaster area. Nauru’s heartbreaking story could have one good consequence — other countries might learn from its mistakes.
For thousands of years, Polynesian people lived the remote island of Nauru, far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.
However, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. The whaling ships and other traders began to visit, bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started, which reduced the population from 1,400 to 900.
Nauru’s real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate(磷酸盐)on the island. In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.
A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine. When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.
In 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.
Unfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem — their phosphate was running out. Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000, Nauru was financially ruined. Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island. This will probably never happen.
1. What might be the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To seek help for Nauru's problems.

B．To give a warning to other countries.

C．To show the importance of money.

D．To tell a heartbreaking story of a war.

2. What was Nauru like before the Europeans came?

A．Rich and powerful.	B．Modern and open.
C．Peaceful and attractive.	D．Greedy and aggressive.

3. The ecological disaster in Nauru resulted from _______.

A．soil pollution	B．phosphate overmining
C．farming activity	D．whale hunting

4. Which of the following was a cause of Nauru's financial problem?

A．Its leaders misused the money.

B．It spent too much repairing the island.

C．Its phosphate mining cost much money.

D．It lost millions of dollars in the civil war.

5. What can we learn about Nauru from the last paragraph?

A．The ecological damage is difficult to repair.

B．The leaders will take the experts'words seriously.

C．The island was abandoned by the Nauruans.

D．The phosphate mines were destroyed.

4 . What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange or red? If you do, you must be an optimist (乐观者), a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays (灰色) and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined (意志坚定的). You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists (心理学家) tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference (爱好), and the effect (影响) that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don’t choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful (开心的) and more comfortable (舒服的) than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing (压抑). Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.

Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don’t forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief.

1. According to this passage, ________.

A．one can choose his color preference

B．one is born with his color preference

C．one’s color preference is changeable

D．one has to choose his favorite color as soon as he can see clearly

2. We would pay attention to colors because ________.

A．colors do have effect on our moods (情绪)

B．colors may have effect on our work and study

C．light and bright colors make people happy

D．you can know your friends better by the colors they like or dislike

3. The main idea of this passage is ________.

A．one’s color preference shows one’s character

B．you can brighten your life with wonderful colors

C．psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference

D．one’s color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on human beings

4. “I am feeling black” means ________.

A．I am feeling well	B．I am very happy
C．I am excited	D．I am depressed

5 . 短文改错
下面短文中有10处语言错误，请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在其下面写上该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（﹨）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I live in a very old town which is surrounding by beautiful woods. It is a famous beauty spot. In Sundays, hundreds of people come from the city to see our town and to walk through the woods. Visitors have asked to keep the woods clean and tidy. Litter baskets have been placed under the trees, and people still throw their rubbish everywhere. Last Wednesday, I go for a walk in the woods. That I saw made me very sad. I counted seven old cars and three old refrigerators. The   litter basket were empty and the ground was covered with pieces of paper, cigarette ends, old tyres, empty bottles or rusty tins. Among the rubbish, I found a sign which was said, “Anyone who leave litter in these woods will be punished!”

6 . On numerous drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle (甲虫) from certain tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.
Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, Mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and re-uses her plastic bags.
Mom creates a kind of give-and-take relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to fend off the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it’s likely they’ll be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house are captured (捕获) in a juice glass and set loose in the garden.
I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for spent (开败的) dandelions (蒲公英) to parachute; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came compassion and an instinct (本能) for preservation.
I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and re-use packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other through the palm (棕榈树) leaves above my porch (门廊).
Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.
1. Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A．Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B．To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C．To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D．Because on Mother’s Day her mother shows her how to be friend to nature.

2. According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following is the author’s mother NOT likely to do?

A．When she came across a lost dog, she helped it to find its shelter.

B．In spring, she spent some time watching the plants growing in the garden.

C．She joined in the campaign to encourage the public to contribute actively towards a better environment.

D．She walked to a nearby shop which was within ten minutes’ walk rather than drove there.

3. What can we conclude from the article?

A．The author’s mother is very patient with her children.

B．The author’s mother knows how to live in harmony with nature.

C．The author’s mother always took care of the wildlife that came into her yard.

D．The author’s mother used to remind her to slow down to protect the environment.

4. We can infer from the article that ______.

A．the author thinks that too many people now label themselves environmentalists

B．the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard

C．the author believes that only by learning to slow down, can we enjoy life

D．the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

5. What is the main idea of the last three paragraphs?

A．How the author taught her children to protect the environment.

B．How the author’s mother influenced the author.

C．What inspired the author to slow down and enjoy life.

D．How the author spent her time with her children.

7 .    

How to get rid of waste is a great problem for the world today. Waste must be treated _______ it does not become a danger to life. _______, in some countries, waste from factories is still poured straight into rivers. People who use the water from one of these rivers often get_______ The water may become so polluted that it _______ all the fish in the river. When these rivers finally reaches the _______, it pollutes the ocean.

In many countries with _______, human waste is piped directly into the sea without being dealt with. This is not _______. Although the sea itself can break up the waste, beaches_______become polluted. _______ scientists suggest people take the waste far out to sea in ships where the wind and waves break it down.

In 1989 an international law was passed to ________ people putting waste into the sea. It is now against the ________ to put anything into the sea nearby. Such rubbish as plastics may not be thrown________the sea anywhere. Other waste may be put into the sea, either 19 or more than 40 kilometers from land, ________ the nature of the materials.

The ________ of dealing with waste has become so great that several international organizations have been ________ to protect the world and control pollution.

1.

A．as if

B．so that

C．ever since

D．now that

2.

A．Luckily

B．Happily

C．Unfortunately

D．Hopefully

3.

A．sick

B．hope

C．rich

D．fun

4.

A．raises

B．feeds

C．kills

D．breaks

5.

A．pool

B．lake

C．spring

D．sea

6.

A．grassland

B．plains

C．sea coasts

D．deserts

7.

A．safe

B．useful

C．dirty

D．wrong

8.

A．need

B．may

C．can’t

D．needn’t

9.

A．So

B．Because

C．Since

D．But

10.

A．stop

B．suggest

C．keep

D．find

11.

A．school

B．organization

C．factory

D．law

12.

A．out of

B．away from

C．into

D．above

13.

A．depending on

B．feeding on

C．leading to

D．connecting to

14.

A．news

B．method

C．problem

D．disadvantage

15.

A．punished

B．set up

C．refused

D．called at

8 . Animals can be of great fun, but it’s important to know ____ to be safe when you’re with them. Both indoor animals and outdoor animals need to be ____ kindly all the time. This means different things ____ on the animal and the situation. ____ a wild animal, being kind may mean staying far away ____ the animal doesn’t feel threatened and so you stay ____ .
Stepping outside can mean a world full of great animals to see —____squirrels in trees to birds in flight. In some parts of the world, kids ____see slithery snakes, black bats, ____even cool coyotes. And don’t forget raccoons, skunks, and other critters ____come out in some places at night.
The rule in the great outdoors is simple: Don’t ____or go near an animal. ____some of these animals may look cool or even cute, leave them ____These animals aren’t like regular pets. They’re not ____to being around people and may bite or attack if you come near them. They also might have rabies(狂犬病).
Don’t ever try to ____a wild animal. Bird feeders are OK, but other animals, ____they look hungry, shouldn’t ever be fed. When it comes to these animals, it’s better for everyone if you stay ____and check them out at the zoo, on the Internet, on TV nature shows, or in books.
If a pet looks sick or is injured, stay far away. An animal that ____loves to be petted may get very ____and even bite when it is feeling ill. Tell an adult so he or she can get_____for the animal.1.

A．what

B．why

C．how

D．which

2.

A．taken care

B．served

C．protected

D．treated

3.

A．depend

B．look

C．wait

D．call

4.

A．To

B．With

C．As

D．Treating

5.

A．so

B．and

C．but

D．because

6.

A．safe

B．dangerous

C．threatened

D．calm

7.

A．like

B．round

C．from

D．not only

8.

A．should

B．have to

C．will

D．may

9.

A．or

B．and

C．but

D．either

10.

A．what

B．that

C．those

D．who

11.

A．touch

B．look

C．feel

D．keep

12.

A．Because

B．Even

C．Although

D．Since

13.

A．outside

B．lonely

C．alone

D．quietly

14.

A．using

B．used

C．being used

D．to be used

15.

A．keep

B．feed

C．attack

D．check

16.

A．however

B．if

C．after

D．even if

17.

A．closer

B．closely

C．away

D．far

18.

A．normally

B．always

C．rarely

D．often

19.

A．happy

B．satisfied

C．excited

D．upset

20.

A．exercise

B．hope

C．plan

D．help

9 . I’m a pig, and my son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a dragon! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not! I am talking about Chinese zodiac signs. Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That’s why I am a pig and my wife is a dragon. If you, like me, were born in the year of the pig, then you are brave, thoughtful and loyal. The year of the pig is filled with good fortune.

Now let’s take a closer look at this interesting animal.

Pigs were first raised by man about 9,000 years ago, and are still a very common farm animal in many parts of the world. We don’t just use pigs for their meat — almost every part of the animal is used. The hair is used for artists’ brushes. The fat is used to make floor wax, rubber and plastics.

Pigs have also been important in the world of entertainment. In 1995 the film ‘Babe’ starred a loveable talking pig as its main character. The film won an Oscar and was nominated for 6 more. In England you can even go to watch pig racing. A farmer, Rob Shepherd, has been raising money for charity by holding pig races on his farm. The events have been very successful. People don’t just want to eat pigs, it seems!

Pigs also play an important role in the English language. For example, if someone says that he will travel to the sun one day, you can say “pigs might fly!” to him. Hungry? Well then, you can “pig out” and eat lots of food. And what if someone rescues you? Well, you can say that they “saved your bacon”.

1. The writer wrote the first paragraph in a ______ tone.

A．sad	B．confused
C．serious	D．humorous

2. We may know from the passage that ______.

A．people in England like pigs more than other animals

B．pigs are more useful than ordinary people imagine

C．pigs are the first animals raised by man

D．more people don’t want to eat pigs now

3. The underlined sentence “pigs might fly!” in the fifth paragraph means “______”.

A．What you have just said is impossible

B．Pigs are great animals

C．I don’t understand your words

D．I can’t agree with you more

4. Whichagram shows the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

10 . A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.
On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I –can do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”
On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) access the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.
So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be move.
Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighlzir had telephoned them about him clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warming and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.
North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.
Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”
1. One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ____.

A．clothes dryers are more efficient	B．clothesline drying reduces home value
C．clothes dryers are energy-saving	D．clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

2. Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

A．He is a kind-hearted man.	B．He is an impolite man.
C．He is and experienced gardener.	D．He is a man of social responsibility.

3. Who are in favor of clothesline drying?

A．housing businesses.	B．Environmentalists.
C．Homeowners Associations.	D．Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.

4. What is mainly discussed in the text?

A．Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.

B．Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.

C．Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.

D．Different varieties of clotheslines.