单选题{{B}}第二篇{{/B}} {{B}}Explorer of the Extreme Deep{{/B}} Oceans cover more than two-thirds of our planet. Yet, just a small fraction of the underwater world has been explored. Now, Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts are building an underwater vehicle that will carry explorers as deep as 6,500 meters (21,320 feet). The new machine, known as a manned submersible or human-operated vehicle (HOV), will replace another one named Alvin which has an amazing record of discovery, playing a key role in various important and famous undersea expeditions. Alvin has been operating for 40 years but can go down only 4,500 meters (14,784 feet). It's about time for an upgrade, WHOI researchers say. Alvin was launched in 1964. Since then, Alvin has worked between 200 and 250 days a year, says Daniel Fornari, a marine geologist and director of the Deep Ocean Exploration Institute at WHOI. During its lifetime, Alvin has carried some 12,000 people on a total of more than 3,000 dives. A newer, better versions of Alvin is bound to reveal even more surprises about a world that is still full of mysteries, Fornari says. It might also make the job of exploration a little easier. "We take so much for granted on land," Fomari says. "We can walk around and see with our eyes how big things are. We can see colors, special arrangements." Size-wise, the new HOV will be similar to Alvin. It'll be about 37 feet long. The setting area inside will be a small sphere, about 8 feet wide, like Alvin, it'll carry a pilot and two passengers. It will be just as maneuverable. In most other ways, it will give passengers more opportunities to enjoy the view, for one thing. Alvin has only three windows, the new vehicle will have five, with more overlap so that the passengers and the pilot can see the same thing. Alvin can go up and down at a rate of 30 meters every second, and its maximum speed is 2 knots ( about 2.3 miles per hour), while the new vehicle will be able to ascend and descend at 44 meters per second. It'll reach speeds of 3 knots, or 3.5 miles per hour.

单选题Mad Scientist Stereotype Outdated Do people still imagine a physicist as a bearded man in glasses or has the image of the mad scientist changed? The Institute of Physics set out to find out whether the stereotype of a physics 'boffin' (科学家) still exists by conducting a survey on shoppers in London. The people were asked to identify the physicist from a photograph of a line-up of possible suspects. 98 percent of those asked got it wrong. The majority of people picked a white male of around 60, wearing glasses and with a white beard. While this stereotype may have been the image of all average physicist fifty years ago, the reality is now very different Since 1960 the number of young women entering physics has doubled and the average age of a physicist is now 31. The stereotype of the absent-minded scientist has lasted a long time because the media and Hollywood help promote the image of men in white lab coats with glasses sitting by blackboards full of equations (等式) or working with fizzing (嘶嘶响) test tubes. These stereotypes are really damaging to society. Very good school children are put off studying science because they don't see people like themselves on television or in magazines doing science. They simply don't relate to the media's image of the mad scientist. This is one reason why fewer young people are choosing to do science at university. If we want to encourage more young people to study science subjects, we need to change this image of the scientist and make science careers more attractive. But we must also develop children's interest in science. In an attempt to change this negative image, an increasing number of science festivals are being organized. Thousands of people from secondary schools are also encouraged to take part in the international-wide science competitions of which the most popular are the national science Olympiads. Winning national teams then get the opportunity to take part in the International Science Olympiads which are held in a different county every year. These events are all interesting for the young people who take part but they only involve a small proportion of students who are already interested in science. It seems that there is a long way to go before science becomes attractive as subjects like computer studies or fashion and design.

单选题 下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题，每题后面有4个选项。请仔细阅读短文并根据短文回答其后面的问题，从4个选项中选择1个最佳答案。{{B}}第一篇{{/B}} {{B}} Looking to the Future—2040{{/B}} Do you forget to turn off the lights and heaters when you go out of a room? In 2040 it will not matter. They will turn themselves off—and on again when you return. You will choose the temperature for each room, the lighting and the humidity. A sensor will detect the presence of a human (and, with luck, ignore the dog!) and turn the systems on, and when the humans leave it will turn them off again. The sensors will work through the central home computer, and they will do much more than just turn the fires and lights on and off for you. They will detect faulty electrical appliances, plugs or switches, isolate them so that they cannot harm anyone, and then warn you that they need repair. They will detect fire and if you are out of the house, the computer will call the fire brigade. It will also call the police should the sensors detect an intruder. This will not be difficult because the locks on the outside doors will be electronic. You will open them using your personal card—the one you use for shopping—maybe using a number known only to you. It will be impossible to lose the key, and a housebreaker will have to tamper (拨弄) with the lock or with a window. It is not very difficult to make such tampering send a signal to the computer. The computer will be more than a fireman—policeman—servant. It will be an entertainer, and most of your entertainment will come right into your home. It does now, of course, but by 2040 “entertainment” will mean much more. For one thing, you will be able to take part actively, rather than just watching

单选题The Biology of Music Humans use music as a powerful way to communicate. It may also play an important role in love. But what is music, and how does it work its magic? Science does not yet have all the answers. What are two things that make humans different from animals? One is language, and the other is music. It is true that some animals can sing (and many birds sing better than a lot of people). However, the songs of animals, such as birds and whales, are very limited. It is also true that humans, not animals, have developed musical instruments. Music is strange stuff. It is clearly different from language. However, people can use music to communicate things—especially their emotions. When music is combined with speech in a song, it is a very powerful form of communication. But, biologically speaking, what is music? If music is truly different from speech, then we should process music and language in different parts of the brain. The scientific evidence suggests that this is true. Sometimes people who suffer brain damage lose their ability to process language. However, they don"t automatically (自动地) lose their musical abilities. For example, Vissarion Shebalin, a Russian composer, had a stroke (中风) in 1953. It injured the left side of his brain. He could no longer speak or understand speech. He could, however, still compose music until his death ten years later. On the other hand, sometimes strokes cause people to lose their musical ability, but they can still speak and understand speech. This shows that the brain processes music and language separately. By studying the physical effects of music on the body, scientists have also learned a lot about how music influences the emotions. But why does music have such a strong effect on us? That is a harder question to answer. Geoffrey Miller, a researcher at University College, London, thinks that music and love have a strong connection. Music requires special talent, practice, and "physical ability. That"s why it may be a way of showing your fitness to be someone"s mate. For example, singing in tune or playing a musical instrument requires fine muscular control. You also need a good memory to remember the notes (音符). And playing or singing those notes correctly suggests that your hearing is in excellent condition. Finally, when a man sings to the woman he loves (or vice versa), it may be a way of showing off. However, Miller"s theory still doesn"t explain why certain combinations of sounds influence our emotions so deeply. For scientists, this is clearly an area that needs further research.

单选题Customers often defer payment for as long as possible.

单选题We are disappointed to find out that he has made a fatal mistake.A. crucialB. foolishC. stupidD. important

单选题第二篇 Will Quality Eat up the U. S. Lead in Software? If U. S. software companies don"t pay more attention to quality, they could kiss their business good-bye. Both India and Brazil are developing a world-class software industry. Their weapon is quality and one of their jobs is to attract the top U. S. quality specialists whose voices are not listened to in their country. Already, of the world"s 12 software houses that have earned the highest rating in the world, seven are in India. That"s largely because they have used new methodologies rejected by American software specialists. For example, for decades, quality specialists, W. Edwards Deming and J. M. Juran had urged U. S. software companies to change their attitudes to quality. But their quality call mainly fell on deaf ears in the U. S—but not in Japan. By the 1970s and 1980s, Japan was grabbing market share with better, cheaper products. They used Deming"s and Juran"s ideas to bring down the cost of good quality to as little as 5% of total production costs. In U. S. factories, the cost of quality then was 10 times as high: 50%. In software, it still is. Watts S. Humphrey spent 27 years at IBM heading up software production and then quality assurance. But his advice was seldom paid attention to. He retired from IBM in 1986. In 1987, he worked out a system for assessing and improving software quality. It has proved its value time and again. For example, in 1990 the cost of quality at Raytheon Electronics Systems was almost 60% of total software production costs. It tell to 15% in 1996 and has since further dropped to below 10%. Like Deming and Juran, Humphrey seems to be winning more praises overseas than at home. The Indian government and several companies have just founded the Watts Humphrey Software Quality Institute at the Software Technology Park in Chennai, India. Let"s hope that U. S. lead in software will not be eaten up by its quality problems.

阅读短文，文中有15处空白，每处空白给出了4个选项，请根据短文的内容从4个选项中选择1个最佳答案，并填入题前的括号内。 {{B}}Where Did All the Ships Go?{{/B}} The Bermuda Triangle is one{{U}} (1) {{/U}}the greatest mysteries of the sea. In this triangular area between Florida, Puerto Rico and Bermuda in Atlantic, ships and airplanes{{U}} (2) {{/U}}to disappear more often than in{{U}} (3) {{/U}}parts of the ocean. And they do so{{U}} (4) {{/U}}leaving any sign of all accident or any dead bodies. It is{{U}} (5) {{/U}}that Christopher Columbus was the first person to record strange happenings in the area. His compass stopped working, a flame came down from the sky, and a wave 100 to 200 feet high carried his ship about a mile away. The most famous disappearance in the Bermuda Triangle was the US Naval Air Flight 19.{{U}} (6) {{/U}}December 5, 1945, five bomber planes carrying 14 men.{{U}} (7) {{/U}}on a training mission from the Florida coast. Later that day, all communications with Flight 19 were lost. They just disappeared without a trace. The next morning, 242 planes and 19 ships took part in the largest air-sea search in history. But they found nothing. Some people blame the disappearances{{U}} (8) {{/U}}supernatural forces. It is suggested the{{U}} (9) {{/U}}ships and planes were either transported to other times and places, kidnapped by aliens{{U}} (10) {{/U}}attacked by sea creatures. There are{{U}} (11) {{/U}}natural explanations, though. The US Navy says that the Bermuda triangle is one of two places on earth{{U}} (12) {{/U}}a magnetic compass points towards tree north{{U}} (13) {{/U}}magnetic north.{{U}} (14) {{/U}}planes and ships can lose their way if they don't make adjustments. The area also has changing weather and is know{{U}} (15) {{/U}}its high waves. Storms can turn up suddenly and destroy a plane or ship. Fast currents could then sweep away any trace of an accident. Bermuda Triangle 百慕大三角区 Pueto Rico 波多利加 compassn. 罗盘，指南针 supernatural adj.超自然的 kidnap v.绑架 alien n.外星人 magnetic adj. 有磁性的 1. A. from B. of C. about D. on 2. A. often B. look C. sometimes D. seem 3. A. rest B. another C. other D. others 4. A. without B. by C. from D. upon 5. A. saying B. being said C. said D. says 6. A. On B. In C. From D. Since 7. A. took up B. took as C. took after D. took off 8. A. for B. about C. on D. from 9. A. missing B. missed C. miss D. having missed 10. A. and B. or C. nor D. neither 11. A. also B. no C. more D. beside 12. A. which B. there C. where D. that 13. A. instead of B. except C. than D. nor 14. A. Similarly B. Furthermore C. However D. Therefore 15. A. as B. for C. by D. from

阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1)1～4题要求从所给的6个选项中为第 1～4段每段选择1个正确的小标题；(2)第5～8题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确的选项，分别完成每个句子。请将答案写在相应的横线上。 {{B}}Electromagnetic Energy{{/B}} White light seems to be a combination of all colors. The energy that comes from a source of light is not limited to the kind of energy you can see. Heat is given off by a flame or an electric light. On a cloudy day it is possible to get a sunburn even though you feel cool. Visible light and the kind of energy that produce warmth and sunburn are examples of electromagnetic energy. The sun is 93 million miles from the earth. Yet we can use energy from the sun because electromagnetic energy travels through space. Many other kinds of energy are also types of electromagnetic energy. Radio, television, and radarsignals travel from transmitters to receivers as low-energy electromagnetic waves. Infrared (红外线的) radiation is an electromagnetic wave. When it is absorbed by matter, heat is produced. Waves of infrared and visible light have more energy than waves of radio, television, or radar. Ultraviolet rays (紫外线) and X-rays are electromagnetic waves with even greater amounts of energy. Infrared radiation is used in cooking food and heating buildings. Sunlight and electric lights are part of our requirements for normal living. Ultraviolet radiation is useful in killing certain disease organisms. X-rays and gamma rays have so mush energy that they travel right through solid objects. They can be used to detect and treat cancer. X-rays are used in industry to find hidden cracks in metal, and in medicine to reveal broken bones. Usually we use electricity to generate electromagnetic energy. The source of most of our energy is the sun. Heat from the sun causes water to evaporate. When the water falls to the earth as rain, some of it is trapped behind dams and then used to operate electric generators. Other generators are powered by coal, but the energy stored in coal came from the sun, too. Until recently, the source of the tremendous amount of energy given off by the sun was a puzzle. If the sun depended on chemical reactions, it would have used up all its energy long ago. Experiments with electromagnetic radiation led to the theory that mass can be converted into energy. About forty years after the theory was proposed, nuclear energy was harnessed (利用) by man. Chemical energy comes from electron (电子) rearrangement. Nuclear energy comes from a Change in the nucleus of an atom. Compared with chemical reactions, nuclear reactions release millions of times more energy per pound of fuel. We now believe that the sun's energy comes from the nuclear reactions in which hydrogen is changed into helium (氦). Nuclear energy is beginning to compete with coal as an economical source of power to generate electricity. It is also being used to operate engines in large ships. Scientists continue to seek new and better methods of obtaining and using energy.

阅读下面的短文，文中有15处空白，每处空白给出了4个选项。 {{B}}Car Thieves Could Be Stopped Remotely{{/B}} Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in a nasty surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobilizer (使车辆不能调动的装置), and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the.thief switches the engine{{U}} (1) {{/U}}, he will not be able to start it again. For now, such devices{{U}} (2) {{/U}}only available for fleets of trucks and specialist vehicles used on construction sites. But remote immobilization technology could soon start to trickle down to ordinary cars, and{{U}} (3) {{/U}}be available to ordinary cars in the UK{{U}} (4) {{/U}}two months. The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car incorporates{{U}} (5) {{/U}}miniature cellphone, a microprocessor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver.{{U}} (6) {{/U}}the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the unit to block the vehicle's engine management system and prevent the engine{{U}} (7) {{/U}}restarted. There are even plans for immobilizers{{U}} (8) {{/U}}shut down vehicles on the move, though there are fears over the safety implications of such a system. In the UK, an array of technical fixes is already making{{U}} (9) {{/U}}harder for car thieves. "The pattern of vehicles crime has changed," says Martyn Randall of Thatcham, a security research organization based in Berkshire that is funded in part{{U}} (10) {{/U}}the motor insurance industry. He says it would only take him a few minutes to{{U}} (11) {{/U}}a novice how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools. But only ifthe caris more than 10 years old. Modem cars are a far tougher proposition, as their engine management computer will not{{U}} (12) {{/U}}tthem to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition key. In the UK, technologies like this{{U}} (13) {{/U}}achieve a 31 per cent drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997. But determined criminals ore still managing to find other ways to steal cars. Often by getting hold of the owner's keys in a burglary. In 2000, 12 per cent of vehicles stolen in the UK were taken using the owner's keys double the previous year's figure. Remote-controlled immobilization system would{{U}} (14) {{/U}}a major new obstacle in the criminal's way by making such thefts pointless. A group that includes Thatcham, the police, insurance companies and security technology finns have developed standards for a system that could go on the market sooner than the{{U}} (15) {{/U}}expects. immobilizer n. 使车辆不能调动的装置 trickle v.慢慢移动 cellphonen.移动电话，手机 immobilization n.使车辆不能调动 ignition n.点火 burglaryn.夜窍行为；盗窃 1. A. off B. on C. at D. of 2. A. is B. was C. were D. are 3. A. can B. have to C. need to D. should 4. A. after B. for C. in D. at 5. A. the B. / C. a D. an 6. A. With B. If C. But D. And 7. A. helping B. being C. get. D. be 8. A. whose B. who C. that D. when 9. A. life B. Cars C. warning D. problem 10. A. about B. to C. by D. on 11. A. use B. inform C. ask D. teach 12. A. let B. allow C. make D. give 13. A. have helped' B. helped C. had helped D. was helped 14. A. speak B. have C. link D. put 15. A. lawyer B. doctor C. customer D. specialist

Paragraph 6 ______.

阅读下面的短文，文章中有5处空白，文章后有6组文字，请根据文章的内容选择5组文字，将其分别放回文章原有位置，以恢复文章原貌。请将答案填在相应的横线上。 {{B}}Why do People Shrink?{{/B}} Did you ever see the movie Honey, I shrunk the kids? It's about a wacky dad (who's also a scientist) who accidentally shrinks his kids with his homemade miniaturizing invention. Oops!{{U}} (1) {{/U}} For older people, shrinking isn't that dramatic or sudden at all. It takes place over years and may add up to only one inch or so off of their adult height (maybe a little more, maybe less), and this kind of shrinking can't be magically reversed, although there are things that can be done to stop it or slow it down.{{U}} (2) {{/U}} There are a few reasons. As people get older, they generally lose some muscle and fat from their bodies as part of the natural aging process. Gravity (the force that keeps your feet on the ground) take hold, and the bones in the spine, called vertebrae, may break down or degenerate, and start to collapse into one another.{{U}} (3) {{/U}}But perhaps the most common reason why some older people shrink is because of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when too much spongy bone tissue (which is found inside of most bones) is broken down and not enough new bone material is made.{{U}} (4) {{/U}}Bones become smaller and weaker and can easily break if someone with osteoporosis is injured. Older people—especially women, who generally have smaller and lighter bones to begin with—are more likely to develop osteoporosis. As years go by, a person with osteoporosis shrinks a little bit. Did you know that every day you do a shrinking act? You aren't as tall at the end of the day as you are at the beginning. That's because as the day goes on, water in the disks of the spine gets compressed (squeezed) due to gravity, making you just a tiny bit shorter. Don't worry, though.{{U}} (5) {{/U}} A. They end up pressing closer together, which makes a person lose a little height and become shorter. B. Once you get a good night's rest, your body recovers, and the next morning, you're standing tall again. C. Over time, bone is said to be lost because it's not being replaced. D. Luckily, there are things that people can do to prevent shrinking. E. The kids spend the rest of the movie as tiny people who are barely visible while trying to getback to their normal size. E But why does shrinking happen at all?

阅读下面的短文，文中有15处空白，每处空白给出了4个选项。 {{B}}The Animals in Desert{{/B}} Some desert animals can survive the very strong summer heat and dryness because they have very unusual characteristics. The camel, for example, can{{U}} (1) {{/U}}an increase in the temperature of its body and its blood of 9~℃. In addition, it can drink an enormous{{U}} (2) {{/U}}water at one time, then store sufficient water in its red blood cells and other parts of its body to supply its needs for two weeks or more. The kangaroo rat, on the other hand,{{U}} (3) {{/U}}all the water it needs from water that it produces during respiration. However, most animals need to{{U}} (4) {{/U}}a fairly constant body temperature, and will die if it rises more than 5 ℃.{{U}} (5) {{/U}}, they need to find some way to avoid the strong sunrays. Nor can many animals either store or produce water in their bodies, as the camel and kangaroo rat{{U}} (6) {{/U}}. So they must find ways to{{U}} (7) {{/U}}water loss from their bodies to the lowest degree. Because very few desert animals can survive the strong rays, the temperature, and the evaporation rate{{U}} (8) {{/U}}a typical summer's day, most of them are active during the night. Only{{U}} (9) {{/U}}the sun has set does the desert come fully to life. The night is relatively cool, and the darkness provides{{U}} (10) {{/U}}, not only from the sun, but also from other animals and from the birds. So the coming of darkness is the signal{{U}} (11) {{/U}}the large majority of animals and insects to continue their search for water and food. When morning comes, most of them seek{{U}} (12) {{/U}}again. Many go underground; nearly all find somewhere shady where they can avoid the sunrays. For many kinds of insects, living in the desert is{{U}} (13) {{/U}}than for animals. Like many desert plants, they have a waterproof skin which{{U}} (14) {{/U}}water loss by evaporation. In addition, some insects spend all or most of their life below ground. Here, for most of the year at least, there is{{U}} (15) {{/U}}wetness, and it is generally cooler than on the surface. 1. A. carry B. bear C. effect D. delay 2. A. amount B. number C. level D. sum 3. A. obtains B. consumes C. brings D. replaces 4. A. raise B. reject C. maintain D. regulate 5. A. However B. Again C. Instead D. Therefore 6. A. can B. may C. must D. need 7. A. quicken B. reduce C. lighten D. keep 8. A. in B. to C. of D. through 9. A. after B. since C. until D. before 10. A. prevention B. protection C. possession D. permission 11. A. for B. with C. from D. among 12. A. food B. shelter C. water D. work 13. A. easier B. better C. safer D. harder 14. A. causes B. changes C. prevents D. suffers 15. A. little B. plentiful C. thorough D. some

阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1)1～4题要求从所给的6个选项中为相应的段落选择1个正确的小标题；(2)第5～8题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确的选项，分别完成每个句子。请将答案写在相应的横线上。 {{B}}Volts from the Sky{{/B}} Lightning has caused awe and wonder since old times. Although Benjamin Franklin demonstrated lightning as an enormous electrical discharge more than 200 years ago, many puzzles still surround this powerful phenomenon. Lightning is generated when electrical charges separate in rain clouds, though processes'are still not fully understood. Typically, positive charges build at the cloud top, while the bottom becomes negatively charged. In most instances of cloud-to-ground lightning, the negatively charged lower portion of the cloud repels negatively charged particles on the ground's surfaces, making it become positively charged. The positive charge on the ground gathers at elevated points. A flow of electrons begins between the cloud and earth. When the voltage charge becomes large enough, it breaks through the insulating barrier of air, and electrons zigzag earthward. We see the discharge as lightning. Lightning can occur within a cloud, between clouds, or between clouds and the ground. The first variety, intra-cloud lightning, is the most frequent but is often hidden from our view. Cloud-to-ground lightning, making up about 20 percent of lightning discharges, is what we usually see. Lightning comes in several forms, including sheet, ribbon, and ball. Intra-cloud lightning can illuminate a cloud so it looks like a white sheet, hence its name. When cloud-to-ground lightning occurs during strong winds, they can shift the lightning channel sideways, so it looks like a ribbon. The average lightning strike is more than 3 miles long and can travel at a tenth of the speed of light. Ball lightning, the rarest and most mysterious form, derives its name from the small luminous ballthat appears near the impact point, moves horizontally, and lasts for several seconds. Thunder is generated by the tremendous heat released in a lightning discharge. Temperatures near the discharge can reach as high as 50,000F within thousandths of a second. This sudden heating acts as an explosion, generating shock waves we hear as thunder. About 2,000 thunderstorms are occurring in the world at any time, generating about 100 lightning strikes every second, or 8 million daily. Within the United States, lightning strikes are estimated at 20 million a year, or about 22,000 per day. You have a 1-in-600,000 chance of being struck by lightning during your lifetime. Lightning can strike twice or more in the same spot. The Empire State Building in New York is struck by lightning about two dozen times annually. You can measure how far you are from a lightning strike by counting the seconds between viewing the flash and hearing the bang, and then dividing by five. This approximates the mileage.

阅读下面的短文，文中有15处空白，每处空白给出了4个选项。 {{B}}Save Energy at Home{{/B}} On the average, Americans waste as much energy as two-thirds of the world's population consumes. That's{{U}} (1) {{/U}}the result of driving inefficient cars, using inefficient appliances, and living and working in poorly insulated buildings. Then what can you do to improve the{{U}} (2) {{/U}}? Buy energy-efficient products. — Buy new appliances or electronics of the highest energy-efficiency rating. New energy-efficient models may cost more initially, but have a lower operating{{U}} (3) {{/U}}over their lifetimes. The most energy-efficient models{{U}} (4) {{/U}}the Energy Star label, which identifies products that use 20 — 40 percent less energy than standard new products. According to the EPA, the typical American household can save about $ 400 per year in{{U}} (5) {{/U}}bills with products that carry the Energy Star. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. — Change the three bulbs you use{{U}} (6) {{/U}}in your house to compact fluorescents. Each compact fluorescent bulb will keep half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air over its lifetime.{{U}} (7) {{/U}}, compact fluorescent bulbs last ten times as long and can save $ 30 per year in electricity costs. Set heating and cooling temperatures correctly. — Check thermostats in your home to make sure they are{{U}} (8) {{/U}}at a level that doesn't waste energy. Get an electronic thermostat that will allow your furnace to heat the house to a lower temperature when you're sleeping and return it to a more{{U}} (9) {{/U}}temperature before you wake up. Turn off the lights. —{{U}} (10) {{/U}}lights and other electrical appliances such as televisions and radios when you're not using them. lnstall automatic timers for lights that people in your house frequently forget to turn them off when{{U}} (11) {{/U}}a room. Choose renewable energy.— Many consumers can now choose their energy supplier. If you have a choice, choose an electric utility that uses renewable power{{U}} (12) {{/U}}, such as solar, water or wind. Let the sun shine In. — The cheapest and most energy-efficient light and heat source is often right outside your windows. On{{U}} (13) {{/U}}days, open blinds to let the sun light your home for free. Also remember that{{U}} (14) {{/U}}entering a room equals passive solar heating. 'Even on cold winter days, sun streaming into a room can raise the temperature by several{{U}} (15) {{/U}} dioxide n.二氧化物 insulate adj. 隔热 thermostat n. 温度自动调节器 rating n.等级级别 timer n. 定时器 fluorescent adj.荧光的 blind n.百叶窗 1. A. unlikely B. largely C. tremendously D. vastly 2. A. tool B. factor C. fact D. situation 3. A. prize B. label C. cost D. position 4. A. carry B. bring C. change D. return 5. A. phone B. water C. food D. energy 6. A. less B. most C. rarely D. seldom 7. A. Moreover B. However C. Therefore D. So 8. A. corrected B. changed C. set D. repaired 9. A. comfortable B. common C. convenient D. dramatic 10. A. Tum over B. Turn on C. Turn off D. Turn out 11. A. decorating B. using C. repairing D. leaving 12. A. station B. resources C. supply D. shortage 13. A. bright B. cloudy C. hot D. dark 14. A. air B. rain C. wind D. sunlight 15. A. layers B. levels C. degrees D. points

Where Have All the Bees Gone? Scientists who study insects have a real mystery on their hands. All across the country, honeybees are leaving their hives and never returning. Researchers call this phenomenon colony-collapse disorder. According to surveys of beekeepers across the country, 25 to 40 percent of the honeybees in the United States have vanished from their hives since last fall. So far, no one can explain why. Colony collapse is a serious concern because bees play an important role in the production of about one-third of the foods we eat. As they feed, honeybees spread pollen from flower to flower. Without this process, a plant can't produce seeds or fruits. Now, a group of scientists and beekeepers have teamed up to try to figure out what's causing the alarming collapse of so many colonies. By sharing their expertise in honeybee behavior, health, and nutrition, team members hope to find out what's contributing to the decline and to prevent bee disappearances in the future. It could be that disease is causing the disappearance of the bees. To explore that possibility, Jay Evans, a researcher at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Bee Research Laboratory, examines bees taken from colonies that are collapsing. "We know what s healthy bee should look like on the inside, and we can look for physical signs of disease," he says. And bees from collapsing colonies don't look very healthy. "Their stomachs are worn down, compared to the stomachs of healthy bees," Evans says. It may be that a parasite is damaging the bees' digestive organs. Their immune systems may not be working as they should. Moreover, they have high levels of bacteria inside their bodies. Another cause of colony-collapse disorder may be certain chemicals that farmers apply to kill unwanted insects on crops, says Jerry Hayes, chief bee inspector for the Florida Department of Agriculture. Some studies, he says, suggest that a certain type of insecticide affects the honeybee's nervous system (which includes the brain) and memory. "It seems like honeybees are going out and getting confused about where to go and what to do," he says. If it turns out that a disease is contributing to colony collapse, bees' genes could explain why some colonies have collapsed and others have not. In any group of bees there are many different kinds of genes. The more different genes a group has, the higher the group's genetic diversity. So far scientists haven't determined the role of genetic diversity in colony collapse, but it's a promising theory, says Evans.

The International Science Olympiads are held once every two years．

语法与词汇My uncle was an electrician.

语法与词汇It is (odd) that so little is known about the talented painter.

语法与词汇Electrical appliances such as toasters or hair dryers are designed to (take advantage of) the ability of an electric current to heat a wire.