填空题阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1) 第23-26题要求从所给的6个选项中为第2-5段每段选择1个最佳标题；(2) 第27-30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。 Things to Know about the UK 1 From Buckingham Palace to Oxford, the UK is loaded with wonderful icons (标志)of past eras. But it has also modernized with confidence. It's now better known for vibrant(充满活力的) cities with great nightlife and attraction. Fashions, fine dining, clubbing, shopping—the UK is among the world's best. 2 Most people have strong preconceptions about the British. But if you're one of these people, you'd be wise to abandon those ideas. Visit a nightclub in one of the big cities, a football match, or a good local pub and you might more readily describe the English people as humorous and hospitable. It's certainly true that no other country in the world has more bird-watchers, sports supporters, pet owners and gardeners than the UK. 3 Getting around England is pretty easy. Budget(廉价的)airlines like Easy jet and Rynn air fly domestically. Trains can deliver you very efficiently from one major city to another. Long distance express buses are called coaches. Where coaches and buses run on the same route, coaches are more expensive (though quicker) than buses. London's famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance(个体的) drivers. But Usually you need to give a call first. London's underground is called the Tube. It's very convenient and can get you to almost any part of the city. 4 The UK is not famous for its food. But you still need to know some of the traditional English foods. The most famous must be fish and chips. The fish and chips are deep fried in flour. English breakfast is something you need to try. It is fried bacon, sausages, fried eggs, black pudding, fried tomatoes, fried bread and baked beans, with toast and a pot of tea. Other things like shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding are also well-known as a part of English food culture. 5 Pubbing and clubbing are the main forms of English nightlife, especially for the young. Pubbing means going to a pub with friends, having drinks, and chatting. Clubbing is different from pubbing and includes going to a pub, or a place of music, or a bar, or any other places to gather with friends. Clubbing can be found everywhere. Usually there is some kind of dress code for clubbing, such as no jeans, no sportswear, or smart club wear, while pubbing is much more casual. A. Education B. People C. Transport D. Drinks E. Food F. Nightlife

填空题阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1)第23～26题要求从所给的6个选项中为第2～5段每段选择1个正确的小标题；(2)第27～30题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确选项，分别完成每个句子。 {{B}} A Brief to Singapore{{/B}} 1．Singapore is an independent city-state in southeastern Asia, consisting of one major island the Singapore Island—and more than 50 small islands, located off the southern tip of Malay. The city of Singapore, the capital of the country, is at the southeastern end of the Singapore Island; it is one of the most important port cities and commercial centers of Southeast Asia. The total area of the republic is 640 sq. km. 2．Low-lying Singapore Island has no outstanding relief(轮廓鲜明的) features. A central area of hills rises to the maximum height of 176 m. The country has a wet tropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 27.20℃. The average annual rainfall is 2,413 mm; the wettest months are November through January. 3．Singapore is governed under a constitution of 1959. A president, elected to a four-year term is head of state, and a prime minister is head of government. The president used to be selected by Parliament, but by a 1991 constitutional amendment(宪法修正案),the president is now elected directly by the people. The Parliament is the lawmaking body with its 81 members popularly elected. 4．In the late 1980s the country had some 290 primary schools with 278,300 pupils and 160 secondary schools with 200,200 students. The main institutions of higher education are the National University of Singapore, several technical colleges, and a teachers college. 5．Singapore has one of the highest standards of living of any country in Asia. In the late 1980s the gross domestic product(GDP) was estimated at $23.7 billion, or $8.870 per person. The fishing industry is centered on the port of During on southwestern Singapore Island. Industry has grown rapidly since the 1960s, and Singapore now produces a diversity(多样化的 ) of goods, including chemicals, electronic items, clothing, and processed foods, etc. Shipbuilding and petroleum refining are also important.

填空题阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1)第23～26题要求从所给的6个选项中为第2～5段每段选择1个正确的小标题；(2)第27～30题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确选项，分别完成每个句子。 Singapore 1 Singapore is an independent city-state in southeastern Asia, consisting of one major island the Singapore Island—and more than 50 small islands, located off the southern tip of Malay. The city of Singapore, the capital of the country, is at the southeastern end of the Singapore Island, it is one of the most important port cities and commercial centers of Southeast Asia. The total area of the republic is 640 sq. km. 2 Low-lying Singapore Island has no outstanding relief(轮廓鲜明的) features. A central area of hills rises to the maximum height of 176m. The country has a wet tropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 27.2℃. The average annual rainfall is 2,413 mm; the wettest months are November through January. 3 Singapore is governed under a constitution of 1959, as amended (修正后的). A president, elected to a four-year term, is head of state, and a prime minister is head of government. The president used to be elected by Parliament, but by a 1991 constitutional amendment (修正), the president is now elected directly by the people. The Parliament is the law-making body with its 81 members popularly elected. 4 In the late 1980s the country had some 290 primary schools with 278,300 pupils and 160 secondary schools with 200,200 students. The main institutions of higher education are the National University of Singapore (founded in 1980 with the combination of two major universities), several technical colleges, and a teachers college. 5 Singapore has one of the highest standards of living of any country in Asia. In the late 1980s the gross domestic product was estimated at ＄ 23.7 billion, or ＄ 8,870 per person. The fishing industry is centered on the port of During, on southwestern Singapore Island. Industry has grown rapidly since the 1960s, and Singapore now produces a diversity (多样化的) of goods, including chemicals, electronic items, clothing, and processed foods, etc. Shipbuilding and petroleum refining are also important. A) Introduction to Singapore B) Education C) Economy D) State System of Singapore E) History of Singapore F) Land and Climate

填空题How to Learn Language Successfully 1. Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages. They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules or grammar, and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others. They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others, so what makes language learning so much easier for them? Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners, we may discover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them. 2. First of all, successful language learners are independent learners. They do not depend on the book or the teacher; they discover their own way to learn the language. Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain, they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves. They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions. When they guess wrong, they guess again. They try to learn from mistakes. 3. Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore, successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language; they look for such a chance. They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake. They will try anything to communicate. They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things; they are willing to make mistakes and try again. When communication is difficult, they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete. It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every world. 4. Finally, successful language learners are learners with a purpose. They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it. It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it. 5. What kind of language learner are you? If you are a successful language learner, you have probably been learning independently, actively, and purposefully. On the other hand, if your language learning has been less than successful, you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above.

填空题 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。 {{B}}Public Relations{{/B}} Public relations is a broad set of planned communications about the company, including publicity releases, designed to promote goodwill and a favorable image. {{U}} (46) {{/U}}Since public relations involves communications with stockholders, financial analysts, government officials, and other noncustomer groups, it is usually placed outside the marketing department, perhaps as a staff department or outside consulting firm reporting to top management. This organizational placement can be a limitation because the public relations department or consultant will likely not be in tune with marketing efforts. {{U}}(47) {{/U}}Although the basic purpose of public relations is to provide positive influence on the public image, this influence generally may be less than that provided by the other components of the public image mix. {{U}} (48) {{/U}}Publicity on the other hand should not be divorced from the marketing department, as it can provide a useful adjunct to the regular advertising. {{U}}(49) {{/U}} The point we wish to emphasize is that a firm is deluding itself if it thinks its public relations function, whether within the company or an outside firm, can take care of public image problems and opportunities. {{U}}(50) {{/U}}Many of these have to do with the way the firm does business, such as its product quality, the servicing and handling of complaints, and the tenor of the advertising. Public relations and directed publicity may help highlight favorable newsworthy events, and may even succeed in, toning down the worst of unfavorable publicity, but the other components of the public image mix create more lasting impressions. A Publicity may be in the form of news releases that have favorable overtones for the company initiated by the public relations department. B Furthermore, not all publicity is initiated. by the firm; some can result from an unfavorable press as a reaction to certain actions or lack of actions that are controversial or even downright ill-advised. C Publicity then is part of public relations when it is initiated by the firm, usually in the form of press releases or press conferences. D Many factors impact on the public image. E It surely causes heavy losses to the company. F Poor communication and no coordination may be the consequences.

填空题The Fridge The fridge is considered a necessity. It has been so since the 1960s when packaged food first appeared with the label: "store in the refrigerator." In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. The milkman came daily, the grocer, the butcher, the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered two or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted and we were never troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh vegetables are almost unobtainable in the country. The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food preservation. A vast variety of well-tried techniques already existed--natural cooling, drying, smoking, slating, sugaring, bottling... What refrigeration did promote was marketing--marketing hardware and electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing dead bodies of animals around the globe in search of a good price. Consequently, most of the world's fridges are to be found, not in the tropics where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mild temperatures where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of f-ridges hum away continuously, and at vast expanse, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled space inside an artificially-heated house--while outside, nature provides the desired temperature free of charge. The fridge's effect upon the environment has been evident, while its contribution to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don't believe me, try it yourself. Invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss the hamburgers but at least you'll get ride of that terrible hum.

填空题Searching for Smiles 1. Ask most people anywhere in the world what they want out of life and the reply will probably be: "To be happy." Ed Deiner, an American psychology professor, has spent his whole professional life studying what makes people happy, comparing levels of happiness between cultures and trying to find out exactly why we enjoy ourselves. 2. Many people would say that this question does not need an answer. But Professor Deiner has one anyway. "If you"re a cheerful, happy person, your marriage is more likely to last, and you"re more likely to make money and be successful at your job. On average, happy people have stronger immune (免疫的) systems, and there is some evidence that they live longer." 3. So who are the world"s happiest people? It depends on how the word is defined. There is individual happiness, the sense of joy we get when we do something we like. But there is also the feeling of satisfaction we get when we know that others respect us and approve of how we behave. According to Professor Deiner, the Western world pursues individual happiness while Asia prefers mutual satisfaction. 4. "In the West, the individualistic (个人主义的) culture means that your mood matters much more than it does in the East. People ask themselves, what can I do that"s fun or interesting? They become unhappy when they can"t do any of these things. If you ask people from Japan or China if they are happy, they tend to look at what has gone wrong in their lives. If not much has gone wrong, then they are satisfied." 5. People from Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries had the happiest culture, Professor Deiner found. "The biggest cultural difference is to do with pride and shame. Hispanic (西班牙语言的) cultures report much more pride and much less shame than others." 6. Income also made a big difference to people"s happiness, but only at the lowest levels. Average income earners in the US were much happier than people in poverty. But millionaires were only a little bit happier than people on average incomes. It seems that money makes us happy when we have enough to feel secure. 7. But can we be too happy? "You get people who are actually happy, but they think happiness is so important that they try to be even happier. This desire to be always happy is a product of individualism, where the emphasis is on you individually, your emotions and feeling good. People can end up feeling unhappy because ordinary happiness is not good enough for them. " A. Happiest Culture B. An Unhappy Person C. Definition of Happiness D. Cultural Differences in Happiness E. Reasons to Be Happy F. Individual and Ordinary Happiness

填空题A. help others outB. take care of their childrenC. deal with the mediaD. raise their childrenE. realize their dreamsF. see the world

填空题 A. by keeping its original shape and color B. in the life of the cut flower C. tO produce carbon dioxide D. for as long as possible E. by controlling temperature F. to replace the water and solution every day

填空题Continuing Education 1 People around the world agree that education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate students only for the aim of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life. Life is varied; so is education. 2 Ideas about education are more specified in the United States. Education today is not just a high school diploma or a college degree. Many adults are not interested in going to college. They are interested in other kinds of learning. For them, learning does not end with a diploma. 3 Continuing education gives these adults the opportunity to increase their knowledge about their own field or to learn about a new field. It also gives them a chance to improve their old skills or to learn new ones. Scientists, mechanics, secretaries, barbers and cooks can take classes to improve their work skills. If they know more or learn more, they can get a better job or earn more money. 4 Continuing education classes give more adults the chance to learn new skills. There is usually a large variety of classes to choose from: typing, foreign cooking, photography, auto repair, furniture repair, or swimming. There are only some of the classes available. 5 Some adults take classes for fun or because the class will be useful for them. Other adults take continuing education classes to improve their own lives because they want to feel better about themselves. 6 Almost any community college or public school system has a continuing education program. There are classes in schools, community buildings or churches. Most classes are in the evenings, so working people can attend. The classes are usually small, and they are inexpensive. A Ideas bout education in the U. S. B Advantages of continuing education C Good opportunity to learn new skills D Most classes are in the evening E Working people have easy access F Education helps cooks find a better job

填空题Goal of American Education Differences in American schools compared with those found in the majority of other countries lie in the fact that education here has long been intended for everyone—not just for a privileged elite. Schools aye expected to meet the needs of every child ,regardless of ability, and also the needs of society itself. (46) It surprises many people when they come here to find high schools offering such courses as typing, sewing, radio repair, computer programming or driver training, along with traditional academic subjects such as mathematics, history, and languages. (47) The underlying goal of American education is to develop every child to the utmost of his or he," own possibilities, and to give each one a sense of civic and community consciousness. (48) Schools still play a large role in the community, especially in the small towns. The approach to teaching may seem unfamiliar to many, not only because it is informal, but also because there is not much emphasis on learning facts. (49) Students spend much time, learning how to use resource materials, libraries, statistics and computers. Americans believe that if children are taught to reason well and to research well, they will be able to find whatever facts they need throughout the rest of their lives. (50) This is America's answer to the searching question that thoughtful parents all over the world are asking themselves in the fast - moving time : "How can one prepare today's child for a tomorrow that one can neither predict nor understand?"A. Knowing how to solve problems is considered more important than the accumulation of facts.B. Students choose their curricula (课程) depending Oil their interests, future goals, and level of ability.C. Instead, Americans try to teach their children to think for themselves and to develop their own intellectual and creative abilities.D. This means that public schools offer more than academic subjects.E. Schools have traditionally played an important role in creating national unity and "Americanizing" the millions of immigrants who have poured into this country from ninny different backgrounds and origins.F. Education is an enormous and expensive part of American life. Its size is matched by its variety.

填空题下面的短文有5处空白，短文后有6个句子，其中5个取自短文，请根据短文内容将其分别放回原有位置，以恢复文章原貌。{{B}}BombExplosionsinThailand{{/B}}ThenewyearcelebrationinThailandwasshatteredbyviolence,whenninebombsexplodedacrossBangkokaroundmidnight.ThreeThaicitizenswerekilledandmorethan30injured.Amongtheinjured,sixwereforeigners.NoChinesecasualtieswerereported,theChineseEmbassyinBangkok,thecapital,saidonMonday.{{U}}(46){{/U}}ButotherembassieshaveadvisedtheircitizenstoavoidtravelingtoBangkok."Thereisapossibilityoffurtherattacksincomingdays,"saidatraveladvisory(公告)fromAustralia."AustraliansareurgedtoavoidunnecessarytravelinBangkok."NoterroristgroupclaimedresponsibilityforthebombingsbyTuesday.{{U}}(47){{/U}}BombingsandshootingsoccuralmostdailyinThailand'sthreesouthernmostprovinces.Yala,NaarathiwatandPattanihaveadominantMuslimpopulationandhavelongcomplainedofneglect(忽视)anddiscrimination(歧视)inthelargelyBuddhist(佛教徒的)nation.TheyhaveaskedforindependenceandaseparateIslamic(伊斯兰的)state.Since2004,theinsurgents(叛乱者)havecarriedoutnumerousattacksinthesouthandmorethan1,900peoplehavebeenkilled.{{U}}(48){{/U}}ButThaiPrimeMinisterSurayudChulanontsaidonMondaythatdomesticpoliticsratherthantheMusliminsurgencywasbehindthebombings."Itislikelyrelatedtopeoplewholosttheirpoliticalbenefits,"Surayudsaid,referringtoThaksinShinawatra.{{U}}(49){{/U}}Surayudwaslaterappointedinterim(临时的)primeminister.Thaksin,however,stillenjoyswidespreadsupport,especiallyinthecountryside.{{U}}(50){{/U}}Thaksin'slawyer,NoppadolPatama,deniedhisclient'sinvolvementinthebombings,accordingtoalocalwebsite.ASomebelievetheexplosionsweretheworkofMuslimseparatists.BSomebelievethatseveralseniorarmyofficersloyaltoThaksinplottedthebombingswithousted(赶下台)politicianstodiscredit(败坏名声)thegovernment.CThaksinwasoustedinamilitarycoup(政变)lastSeptember.DTheThaiGovernmenthasbeenunabletocontroltheviolence,thoughthousandsoftroopshavebeensenttothesouth.ETheembassyissuednotravelwarnings.FNobodyistoblame.

填空题 阅读下面的短文，文章中有5处空白，文章后面有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。 {{B}} Read With Greater Speed{{/B}} Do you have difficulty reading in class? If so, a special reading program that helps match sounds with letters could speed up your brain. At least one out of every five elementary school students in the US has trouble learning to read, even when the students are good at other subjects.{{U}} (46) {{/U}} Researchers from Yale University, US, studied e group of child,-en from New York and Connecticut State. As part of the study, 37 struggling readers received special tutoring. Every day, instructors worked with them on recognizing how written letters represent units of sound called phonemes (音素){{U}} (47) {{/U}} By the end of the school year, these children could read faster than before. They also made fewer mistakes, and understood more of what they read than they could earlier in the year. As part of their study, the researchers used a special machine to take action photos of the Students' brains.{{U}} (48) {{/U}}This is the same part of the brain that becomes active when good readers read. This activated brain area appears to include a structure that helps people recognize familiar written words quickly. In lower level readers, this structure remains inactive. A year later, the brain structure was still working hard in the students who had gone through the special tutoring, and they continued to do well in reading Tests.{{U}} (49) {{/U}} However, some researchers still doubt the study.{{U}} (50) {{/U}}A. Many adults are interested in matching sounds with letters.B. The students also practiced reading aloud and spelling,C. The biggest challenge for many of these kids, scientists say, is matching sounds with letters.D. Another group in the study who went through a more traditional reading program didn't show the same progress.E. The pictures showed an increase in activity in the back of the brain on the left side.F. They believe that reading without making any noise or linking words to sounds is more efficient.

填空题The iPad 1. The iPad is a tablet computer (平板电脑) designed and developed by Apple. It is particularly marketed as a platform for audio and visual media such as books, periodicals, movies, music, and games, as well as web content. At about 1.5 pounds (680 grams), its size and weight are between those of most contemporary smartphones and laptop computers. Apple released the iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in 80 days. 2. The iPad runs the same operating system as iPod Touch and iPhone. It can run its own applications as well as ones developed for iPhone. Without modification, it will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via its online store. 3. Like iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad is controlled by a muhi-touch display—a break from most previous tablet computers, which uses a pressure triggered stylus(触控笔). The iPad uses a Wi-Fi data connection to browse(浏览) the Internet, load and stream media, and install software. Some models also have a 3G wireless data connection which can connect to GSM 3G data networks. The device is managed and synchronized by iTunes on a personal computer via USB cable. 4. An iPad has different features and applications. One can use it to execute different and interesting things. There are lots of iPad appliations that the owner can use to enhance the way they communicate. Some of these are how to use social networking sites and other online options. One of the most common uses is for e-mail services. The iPad applications like Markdown Mail allow the adoption of specific and particular options. They enable the owner to personalize their email accounts. 5. While the iPad is mostly used by consumers, it also has been taken up by business users. Some companies are adopting iPads in their business offices by distributing or making available iPads to employees. Examples of uses in the workplace include lawyers responding to clients, medical professionals accessing health records during patient exams and managers approving employee requests. A survey by Frost & Sullivan shows that iPad usage in workplaces is linked to the goals of increased employee productivity, reduced paperwork and increased revenue.

填空题 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。 {{B}}Crime Cycles Throughout the Year{{/B}} Crime has its own cycles, a magazine reported some years age. Police records that were studied for five years from over 2,400 cities and towns show a surprising link between changes in the season and crime patterns. The pattern of crime has varied very little over a long period of years. Murder reaches its high during July and August, as do rape and other violent attacks. Murder, moreover, is more than seasonal: it is a weekend crime. {{U}}(46) {{/U}}. Unlike the summer high in crimes of bodily harm, burglary has a different cycle. You are most likely to be robbed between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. on a Saturday night in December, January or February. The most uncriminal month of all? {{U}}(47) {{/U}}. More dog bites are reported in this month than in any other month of the year. {{U}} (48) {{/U}}. Professor Huntington, of the Foundation for the Study of Cycles, made extensive studies to discover the seasons when people read serious books, attend scientific meetings, make the highest scores on examinations, and propose the most changes to patents, in all instances, he found a spring peak and an autumn peak separated by a summer low. On the other hand, Professor Huntington's studies indicated that June is the peak month for suicides and admissions to mental hospitals. {{U}}(49) {{/U}}. Possibly, soaring thermometers and high humidity bring on our strange and terrifying summer actions, but police officials are not sure. "There is, of course, no proof of a connection between humidity and murder," they say. {{U}}(50) {{/U}}. A. It is also a nighttime crime: 62 percent of murders are committed between 6 p. m. and 6 a, m. B. Because they are surprised that so many people get married in June. C. May—except for one strange statistic. D. "Why murder's high time should come in the summertime we really don't know." E. June is also a peak month for marriages! F. Apparently our intellectual seasonal cycles are completely different from our criminal tendencies.

填空题A．than more recent onesB．the killing efficiency for older eruptionsC．has remained controversialD．Wignall's calculations as acceptableE．has been known to us allF．his ideas

填空题阅读下面这篇短文，短文后有2项测试任务：(1)第23～26题要求从所给的6个选项中为第2～6段每段选择1个正确的小标题；(2)第27～30题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确选项，分别完成每个句子。 {{B}} Volts from the Sky{{/B}} 1．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. 2．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. 3．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. 4．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 ball that appears near the impact point, moves horizontally, and lasts for several seconds. 5．Thunder is generated by the tremendous heat released in a lightning discharge second. This sudden heating acts as an explosion, generating shock waves we hear as thunder. 6．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. 7．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.

填空题How We Form First Impression 1 We all have first impression of someone we just met. But why? Why do we form an opinion about someone without really knowing anything about him or her—aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits. 2 The answer is related to how your brain allows you to be aware of the world. Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in how a person"s eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other makes you see him or her as different. In fact, your brain continuously processes incoming sensory information—the sights and sounds of your world. These incoming "signals" are compared against a host of "memories" stored in the brain areas called the cortex system to determine what these new signals "mean". 3 If you see someone you know and like at school, your brain says "familiar and safe". If you see someone new, it says, "new-potentially threatening". Then your brain starts to match features of this stranger with other "known" memories. The height, weight, dress, ethnicity, gestures, and tone of voice are all matched up. The more unfamiliar the characteristics are, the more your brain may say, "This is new. I don"t like this person". Or else, "I"m intrigued". Or your brain may perceive a new face but familiar clothes, ethnicity, gestures—like your other friends; so your brain says, "I like this person". But these preliminary "impressions" can be dead wrong. 4 When we stereotype people, we use a less mature form of thinking (not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child) that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others. Rather than learn about the depth and breadth of people—their history, interest, values, strengths, and true character—we categorize them as jocks, geeks, or freaks. 5 However, if we resist initial stereotypical impressions, we have a chance to be aware of what a person is truly like. If we spend time with a person, hear about his or her life, hopes, dreams, and become aware of the person"s character, we use a different, more mature style of thinking—and the most complex areas of our cortex, which allow us to be humane.

填空题Washoe Learned American Sign Language 1 An animal that influenced scientific thought has died. A chimpanzee named Washoe and born in Africa died of natural causes late last month at the age of 42 at a research center in the American state of Washington. Washoe had become known in the scientific community and around the world for her ability to use American Sign Language. She was said to be the first non-human to learn a human language. Her skills also led to debate about primates and their ability to understand language. 2 Research scientists Allen and Beatrix Gardner began teaching Washoe sign language in 1966. In 1969, the Gardners described Washoe's progress in a scientific report. The people who experimented with Washoe said she grew to understand about 250 words. For example, Washoe made signs to communicate when it was time to eat. She could request foods like apples and bananas. She also asked questions like, "Who is coming to play?" Once the news about Washoe spread, many language scientists began studies of their own into this new and exciting area of research. The whole direction of primate research changed. 3 However, critics argued Washoe only learned to repeat sign language movements from watching her teachers. They said she had never developed true language skills. Even now, there are some researchers who suggest that primates learn sign language only by memory, and perform the signs only for prizes. Yet Washoe's keepers disagree. Roger Fouts is a former student of the Gardners. He took Washoe to a research center in Ellensburg, Washington. There, Washoe taught sign language to three younger chimpanzees, which are still alive. 4 Scientists like private researcher Jane Goodall believes Washoe provided new information about the mental workings of chimpanzees. Today, there are not as many scientists studying language skills with chimps. Part of the reason is that this kind of research takes a very long time. 5 Debate continues about chimps' understanding of human communication. Yet, one thing is sure-Washoe changed popular ideas about the possibilities of animal intelligence. A Reason Why Not Many Scientists Carry out This Research Nowadays B Report about Washoe's Progress in Learning Sign Language C General Information about Washoe D The Gardeners' Contributions Recognized E Debate on Chimps' Intelligence F Washoe's Love for Three Young Chimps

填空题 {{B}}Why Do People Shrink?{{/B}} Did you ever see the movie Honey, l 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 oste6porosis 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 get back to their normal size. F. But why does shrinking happen at all?