1 . As data and identity theft becomes more and more common, the market is growing for biometric(生物测量) technologies—like fingerprint scans—to keep others out of private e-spaces. At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.

Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low-cost device(装置) that gets around this problem: a smart keyboard. This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence(节奏) with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key. The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user’s typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus, the keyboard can determine people’s identities, and by extension, whether they should be given access to the computer it’s connected to—regardless of whether someone gets the password right.

It also doesn’t require a new type of technology that people aren’t already familiar with. Everybody uses a keyboard and everybody types differently.

In a study describing the technology, the researchers had 100 volunteers type the word “touch” four times using the smart keyboard. Data collected from the device could be used to recognize different participants based on how they typed, with very low error rates. The researchers say that the keyboard should be pretty straightforward to commercialize and is mostly made of inexpensive, plastic-like parts. The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.

1. Why do the researchers develop the smart keyboard?

A．To reduce pressure on keys.	B．To improve accuracy in typing.
C．To replace the password system.	D．To cut the cost of e-space protection.

2. What makes the invention of the smart keyboard possible?

A．Computers are much easier to operate.

B．Fingerprint scanning techniques develop fast.

C．Typing patterns vary from person to person.

D．Data security measures are guaranteed.

3. What do the researchers expect of the smart keyboard?

A．It’ll be environment-friendly.	B．It’ll reach consumers soon.
C．It’ll be made of plastics.	D．It’ll help speed up typing.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A guidebook

C．A novel.

D．A magazine.

2 . According to a study conducted in 2010, about 39 % companies had blocked employee access to Facebook. They think some employees spend their entire day sitting glued to Facebook, updating and commenting, which has a negative effect on their work.    1    Some reasons are listed why employees should be allowed access to Facebook.

    2    Employees may be working hard to find a particular solution, but cannot come up with anything. Browsing through Facebook can help them gel inspired to find solutions in a different way and be successful at it.

Blocking access to Facebook means that the employer doesn’t trust the employees. People are dissatisfied with the company if they’re not allowed access to Facebook.    3    Therefore, allowing access to Facebook means that the employees are given a certain amount of freedom.

Today many companies have pages on Facebook which they use for spreading news and something about products. If Facebook pages are blocked in an office, how will employees like or share something from the company page? Employees can also interact with each other through Facebook. It creates a sense of bonding and they get along well with each other.    4    Many talented professionals don’t like to join places where Facebook is blocked, and thus companies may lose talented employees.

As far as I’m concerned, whether an organization should ban Facebook depends largely on factors like its culture, type of work, Internet policy, business goals, etc. As far as the employees are concerned, most of them will be in support of allowing access to Facebook.    5    .

A．However, their banning isn’t widely accepted.

B．People hold different attitudes towards Facebook now.

C．People who have special skills are interested in Facebook.

D．Keeping in touch through it helps in improving their relations.

E．So the company should take the employees, interest into account.

F．In order to keep people active, essential that they are kept happy.

G．Firm, they think it’s necessary to take a break after working for hours.

3 . Birth order plays a vital role in deciding the characteristics of a child. And when it comes to the middle child, it certainly plays a huge role. The middle children go through some things only they can understand.     1    

Mostly, middle children have to share a room.     2     They need to share a room with an elder one because they're too young to sleep alone. And just when they think they'll finally have a room of their own, a voice is heard saying, “Dear, please share the room with your younger one, as he's too small to sleep alone.”

Middle children tend to share clothes with their siblings (兄弟姐妹). Their cupboard is full of hand­me­downs from their older sibling, and they need to wear his clothes.     3     They can always show off their elder sibling's clothes and things at school. Also, they get to pass their own clothes to their younger sibling.

    4     They're liked by both, because they can relate well to both generations. On one hand they can recall how much fun it was watching Garfield and Friends, and on the other hand they can talk about the latest video game released in the market.

Siblings' talking is one interesting thing about a middle child. They are not as boring as they appear.    5     Also, thanks to the divided attention at home, middle children are independent and need not rely on anyone.

A．Instead, they are very artistic and creative.

B．But this comes with its own advantage too.

C．Here are some things a middle child can relate to.

D．They rarely enjoy the experience of having their own room.

E．And the dream of having their own room is completely destroyed.

F．They're the problem solvers between their older and younger siblings.

G．As a middle kid, they are the bridge between their younger and older siblings.

4 . 假定你是李华。近期有报道指出中国正在变成一个“一次性社会(The throw-away society)”，即什么东西都用完即扔的社会。请你就此用英文给报社编辑写封信，内容包括：

1. 自己的看法；

2. 举例陈述理由；

3. 提出建议。

注意：

1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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5 . Happiness means different things to different people. For Mary, who has     1     severe sleeping problem, happiness is as simple as having a good night’s sleep.

Bed was once a place     2     Mary went to rest after a long hard day.     3    , she has not had a full night’s sleep in almost six months. Her doctor said that     4     (count) sheep might help her fall asleep. She tried this, but soon got tired of it after it failed to work. She finds the nights without sleep almost     5     (bear) . She is always sleepy and lacks energy during the day.

Mary is not alone. Studies show that more than one in three people worldwide struggle with getting enough sleep. It often takes on different     6     (form): some people can get to sleep, but wake up much too early; some get a full night’s sleep, but are     7     (disappoint) to find that they still feel tired when they wake up; others, like Mary, find     8     difficult to fall asleep in the first place.

Specialists say that people should not worry too much about this problem. In most cases, a lack of sleep     9     (cause) by anxiety and pressure. It is important to keep yourself     10     good spirits and to be positive.

6 . Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.

But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many， many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first. According to US government reports, emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.

Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.

Twenty –five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” says Bruce Anderson.

1. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___.

A．the social movement	B．recycling techniques
C．environmental problems	D．the importance of Earth Day

2. Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

A．The grass –roots level.	B．The business circle.
C．Government officials.	D．University professors.

3. What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?

A．They have cut car emissions to the lowest.

B．They have settled their environmental problems.

C．They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

D．They have reduced pollution through effective measures.

4. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

A．Education.	B．Planning
C．Green living	D．CO reduction