Many people have talked about whether or not computing machines can think. Can they or can't they?
     Almost certainly, a machine can do any work in thinking that a person can do-if the correct way for doing
the thinking work can be told exactly. Besides, many programs have been made to direct machines so that
they work in very clever ways. Machines have been taught to play chess and to leam from what happens in
the games so as to make their play better and better. Machines can beat many persons who play chess.
Machines can translate from one language to another. They can prove statements in geometry (幾何) as
taught in school. Machines can notice printed marks on paper, so that a person is no longer needed to look
at the marks.
     Computers can be used in many ways, such as business, science, industry, and govemment. Computers
study oil-field examinations made by airplanes; they keep record of oil sales; they study the working condition
of the machines; they help in plan- ning and producing oil; and much more. If people cannot tell exactly the
correct way to do certain work in thinking, it is still a question how much of this work a machine can do.
Suppose a person is "teaching" the machine and telling the machine "yes" when the machine is right, and "no"
when the machine is wrong. Then the machine can keep on searching among possible ways for solving
a problem-until the machine can do as well as the person, and per haps much better.
     But, what is thinking? People can agree about much that is thinking, and much that is not thinking; but they
can't reach agreement because the word "think" is not a scientific word with an exact meaning. A lot of the
discussion is wasted breath because the persons are using different meanings of the word "think".
     People, however, have only had experience with machines that appear to think since 1944.
     It would be too early to say that after the next 200 years, machines will not be thinking. And to consider
that machines can think gives people a big push to give to machines more and more work in thinking.

1. The underlined part in paragraph three is about computers used in ________.

A. Education.
B. Govemment.
C. Sports.
D. Industry.

2. What does "this work" mean in paragraph four?

A. Thinking.
B. Teaching.
C. Searching.
D. Telling.

3. What is the main idea of paragraph five?

A. There is much to say about thinking.
B. People discuss a lot about thinking.
C. There is no answer to what thinking is.
D. People already know what thinking is.

4. What does the writer want to say in the passage?

A. A machine will do any work in thinking like a human being.
B. A machine can do better translation than human beings.
C. A machine won't be able to beat every chess player.
D. A machine will be able to make plan programs.

5. Which probably is the best title for the passage?

A. What Is Thinking?
B. Can Machines Think?
C. Can Machines Be Taught to Think?
D. Can Machines Beat All Checkers Players?

     Communication theory (理論) often talks about how speakers should present their material (材料).
However, listeners play the same important role. Some of them focus on the speaker, while others daydream
or talk to a neighbor. What is the difference between these two kinds of listeners? Generally speaking,
effective (有效的) listeners have discovered the advantages of paying close attention. Not having experienced
the rewards of paying close attention, ineffective listeners continue to wonder why they can't remember what
they "heard" or why they do poorly on tests.
     How do effective listeners manage to pay close attention? First of all, they avoid letting poor circumstances,
like an uncomfortable seat, a personal problem, or the speaker's mannerisms, distract (分心) them. Instead,
they "tune out" anything that will keep them from understanding and remembering what they hear. After leaving
a lecture or meeting, they remember what was said,not the room conditions or the poor delivery of the speaker.
On the other hand, ineffective listeners who think they are paying attention to the message can be easily
daydreaming.
     In order to prevent probable distractions, effective listeners actively but objectively focus on the message
itself. They do not prejudge the speaker as representing a viewpoint which is completely different from their
own, nor do they prejudge the material as boring,too easy,or too difficult. Effective listeners accept the new
ideas. To help themselves become actively concemed with the speaker's message,effective listeners write down
important words and phrases as a reminder of difficult ideas.
      Ineffective listeners don't like theoretical material;they may pretend to listen but daydream instead to avoid
hearing what they don't agree with or readily understand. Moreover, rather than attending to meaning itself,
ineffective but well-intentioned listeners might be so interesteq in taking a lot of notes that they miss the
speaker's main idea. These listeners leave a speech or a class with a notebook full of words.
     Clearly, a certain amount of effort is concemed with (與...有關(guān)) listening actively, objectively, and openly
to new ideas. But as that effort begins to pay off for ineffective listeners, they too will develop this skill as a
beneficial lifelong habit.

1. The underlined phrase "tune out" means "_____".

A. deal with
B. pay no attention to
C. pick out
D. think about

2. Which of the following statements is close to the writer's opinion?

A. Listeners will develop listening skills if they copy all the words the speaker said.
B. Listeners may remember what was said if they prejudge the speaker's viewpoint.
C. Listeners should accept the new ideas and write down important words.
D. Listeners can daydream to avoid hearing what they don't understand.

3. The main purpose of this passage is to _____.

A. point out the results of effective listening
B. describe the listening habits of poor listeners
C. discuss the methods which are used by all kinds of listeners
D. state the differences between effective and ineffective listeners

     Maybe you are an average student. You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not
necessarily so, however. Anyone can become a better scholar if he or she wants to. Here's how.
     1. Plan your time carefully. When you plan your work, you should make a list of things that you have
to do. After making the list, you should make a schedule (日程表) of your time. First your time for eating,
sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. Don't forget to set aside enough time
for entertainment. A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will make you realize what is
happening to your time.
     2. Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may
be a desk or simply a comer of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or
television! When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.
     3. Make good use of your time in class. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teacher
says. Really listening in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher
says.
     4. Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes. Review the important points
that your teacher mentioned in class. If you know what your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read
that material. This will help you understand the next class. If you do these things regularly, the material will
become more meaningful, and you will remember it longer.
     5. Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have leamed about a
subject. They help you remember your new knowledge.
     The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't be overly worried.
     There are other methods that might help you with your studying. You will probably discover many others
after you have tried these.

1. A schedule will help you _____.

A. finish your work quickly
B. solve all your problems
C. find more time for your habits
D. know what is happening to your time

2. If you listen carefully in class, you _____.

A. can do less work after class
B. don' t have to take any notes
C. don' t have to do any work after class
D. can remember everything the teacher says

3. Which of the following is true?

A. Tests are the most important parts in your study.
B. You should review everything your teacher mentioned in class.
C. If you have a good place to study, you'll become a top student.
D. Planning work will make you clear about what to do and when to do it.

4. The best title for this passage is _____.

A. How to Make a Plan
B. How to Improve Your Study
C. How to Pass a Test
D. How to Review Your Lessons

     A prairie is a type of grassland. Prairies are made up of a complete interdependent ecosystem. This means
that all kinds of plants and animals in a prairie region depend on one another for survival (生存). The members
of a prairie ecosystem include grasses, flowering plants, animals, soil (土壤), sand, and fire.
     You may look at a prairie and think there's nothing there but grass, but that' s not true. Most of the prairie's
living things are below the ground. Underneath the prairie' s surface are roots and bulbs (根莖). The roots of
the prairie flowers and grasses run deep. Some of them are as deep as 3.5 metres below the ground.
     It is impmtant for the roots to run deep because fires are a part of the prairie ecosystem. When a fire bums
through the prairie, plants with shallow (not deep) roots can not survive. Plants that have deep root systems
are able to survive the fires. When fire burns across a prairre, it bums dead plants from the top and returns
those nutrients (養(yǎng)料) to the soil. This adds to the richness of the prairie soil. Prairies have some of the
richest soil in the United States. This cycle of growth and buming has been going on for thousands of years.
Big bluestem is the plant that gives parts of the prairie the name "tallgrass prairie".
     Big bluestem has very deep roots, and its stems (莖) are often 2 metres tall.
     The American bison (野牛) or buffalo, is the country' s largest land animal. Its home is on the prairies. In
1830, there were an estimated 30 million to 60 million bison in the United States. By 1889, Americans had
made the bison population to fewer than l,000 animals. Through great efforts, bison are being reintroduced to
the prairies. They are also kept in zoos. The bison population has grown to several hundred thousand today.
     Humans have put the prairie ecosystem in danger. Through constant farming, building, fire prevention,
and ignorance( not knowing) of how the prairie works, the United States has lost much of its natural prairie.
Through education and other work , we can hope to save some of it.

1. A prairie is a type of  ________.

A. plants
B. animals
C. grassland
D. soil

2. What is the meaning of "interdependent ecosystem" in the first line?

A. All things in a prairie region depend on one another.
B. Animals live on plants in a prairie region.
C. Fire plays an important role in a prairie region.
D. Soil has a close relationship with a prairie region.

3. By 1889, the bison population was ________.

A. about 30 million
B. fewer than a thousand
C. about 60 million
D. several hundred thousand

4. We can leam from the article that ________.

A. fires may destroy a prairie and therefore must be prevented
B. the interdependent ecosystem is both below and above ground
C. the prairie ecosystem is in danger because of farming and building
D. people haven't realized that they are losing their natural prairie

     Geography is the study of Earth and its climates. Scientists use it to study global (全球的) warming and
track (跟蹤) the weather. Govemments use it to leam where people live and work and to plan what to do with
the land. It is now easier than event. use geography because of a science called space technology.
     The United States launched its first satellite in 1958. Some space missions (使命) that followed were
geographical studies. In fact, earth science is a big part of the work of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).
     Astronauts looked out of the space shuttle (航天飛機). They decided to take photographs of Earth from
their vantage point. Over the years, picture quality improved. Shuttle photography now shows land features,
such as rivers. It can even show the streets oflarge cities. Photos of the same places at different times show
how the land is changing.
     NASA does not use just photographs, though. In 1958 it launched TIROS (the Television Infrared
Observation Satellite). This first use of a satellite to study Earth was effective (有效的) in giving weather
forecasts. It led to the creation of new space tools to use in geography.
     The Landsat Program began in 1972. This satellite sent detailed (細致的) views of Earth from space. The
pictures were so precise (精確) that scientists could count the number and kinds of crops in a field. Landsat
showed where Earth's surface had faults along which earthquakes might happen. This information helped in
the planning of new cities and factories. Landsat also made discoveries. In Antarctica it located ranges of
unknown mountains. It pinpointed small lakes in Virginia that were not on maps. Landsat, now more advanced,
still flies today.
     Another space tool is Earth Observing - 1 (EO - 1). This spacecraft fiies right behind Landsat. It takes
pictures of the same sites. The two sets of pictures, viewed together, show how cities grow and how other
places, such as rain forests, become smaller over time. This helps scientists learn how people affect (影響)
geography.
     One of the newest space tools is the Geographical Information Systems ( GIS). CIS is computer software
that helps scientists to study Earth. CIS is different from ear- lier space tools. Businesses, schools, and even
average people-not just the government-can use it to show them how changes in the planet might affect
them.

1. Why do govemments study geography according to the passage? 

A. To improve the environment.
B. To make the land use plan.
C. To make new discoveries.
D. To count the crops in a field.

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. The U. S. satellite program began in 1972.
B. Landsat was able to take pictures of other planets.
C. TIROS was successful in giving weather forecasts.
D. GIS can only be used by the govemment.

3. EO -1 takes photographs of the same places as Landsat because  _______.

A. the two groups of pictures can show the changes of Earth
B. EO - 1 is practicing for future photography missions
C. Landsat is out of date and new pictures are needed
D. Landsat can't send detailed views of Earth from space

4. From the passage, we can infer that _______.

A. GIS is the newest computer to study Earth
B. NASA only depends on photos to study Earth
C. satellite pictures can give more detailed informations
D. recent U. S. satellites are as advanced as the old ones

     It seems school children all over the world complain about their school food. Cherie Blair, the wife of
Prime Minister Tony Blair, said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not
improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school?
Japan
     High schools have canteens, which serve everything from noodles to rice, but not burgers and chips.
Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls, meat or fish, pickles and vegetables.
     Students take home a menu for the coming month containing notes on nutrition (營養(yǎng)) value. Twice a
year parents are invited to have a taste of the food. The class with the fewest leftovers (剩飯) at the end of
the month receives a prize.
The United States
      A typical menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken, lettuce
and pickles, fruit and cookies. School lunches must also provide at least one-third of the daily dietary
allowances (定量) of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories (卡路里).
     Australia
     Meat pies, sausage rolls and hotdogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops. But as the nation
pays more attention to children's health, healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus.
     Many schools have used a traffic light system. The sale of red-labelled foods, including pastries, chocolate
and soft drinks, is served only twice a week. Healthier green-labelled foods such as sushi, sandwiches, com
and watermelon, however, are served every day.
     In some schools, students have a choice of up t0 89 foods to choose from, including popcorn and rice.
     South Africa
     Most of South Africa's schools do not serve meals at all. Classes end at 1:30 p. m. and students get their
own lunches. Many students bring food from home, usually sandwiches.
     Fast food and fried food sell the best among students, which has led to a rise in obesity among children.
But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different diseases, some schools in
towns have led the way towards better nutrition. Now students at these schools are provided with lunches
of porridge with vegetables, such as cabbages, onions, beans, carrots and tomatoes.

1. What does the underlined word "obesity" in the last paragraph probably mean?

A. Allowances.
B. Sadness.
C. Nutrition.
D. Overweight.

2. We can infer from the passage that _______.

A. a typical menu from a US school is made up of enough nutrition
B. most students in South Africa eat their lunches at home
C. many schools in Australia have traffic lights outside their schools
D. you can have whatever you like in school canteens in Japan

3. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Food served in the US is the best of all.
B. Schools should try to satisfy the needs of students.
C. Schools serve different foods from country to country.
D. School children all over the world dislike their school food.

4. Who is the article meant for?

A. School lunch suppliers.
B. Headmasters.
C. Students.
D. Nutritionists.

     Do you want a happier, healthier family? Here's a simple way: Eat with your family more often.
     Increasingly, researchers are discovering the importance of family mealtime. Several recent studies have
pointed to the same result: Children who often eat dinner with their parents are happier and have fewer
behavior problems.
     Dr Blake Bowden, an American researcher, carried out one study. He found that young people who have
family dinners at least five times a week may not use drugs. They are often happier and do better in school.
     Clearly, family dinners are important for a child's development. Why? Because dinnertime offers busy
families a good chance to sit down together and talk. The relaxing conversation at the dinner table helps keep
good family relationships (關(guān)系). And good family relationships help children develop self-respect and a sense
of belonging.
     Family relationships can also influence a person's health. One study shows that children who enjoy close
relationships with their mothers will not develop serious health problems.
     Sadly, however, meaningful family time is too often forgotten. Parents are busy working and children are
busy studying for tests. According to Dr Blake's study, nearly 25 percent of people say that they have little
time for family.
     According to another study, people spend only about 50 minutes of free time with family each day. And
those 50 minutes are not well spent on meaningful conversations, either. Many parents say they know little
about their children's friends.
     So how can families find more time for each other? How can they enjoy more family meals and
conversations? They need to make.choices. For children,they'd better not spend so much on their tests, but
they may risk (冒險) falling behind their classmates. For parents, they need to go back home earlier and risk
not getting a high position. But for families who do make those tough choices, the rewards are rich. Making
time to eat dinner with family does more than feed the body-it nourishes (滋養(yǎng)) the heart.

1. Are family dinners important for children?
    _____________________________________________________________
2. Why is meaningful family time often forgotten? 
    _____________________________________________________________
3. According to a study, how long do people stay with family each day? 
    _____________________________________________________________
4. What should parents do to keep good family relationships? 
    _____________________________________________________________
5. How do good family relationships help children? 
    _____________________________________________________________

     A research shows that expressions on our faces have a strong relationship with our genes (基因).
According to the study, facial expressions of our feelings are innate and are not achieved in cultural
learning.
     This is the first research to show that blind people have the same facial expressions as the sighted
when showing certain feelings-the same facial muscles (肌肉) start working. What's more, the research
gives the new method of how people control their feelings in certain social situations. It states that people
do not leam to manage their facial expressions by examining the expressions of others.
     In his study, David Matsumoto, San Francisco State University Psychology Professor, examined
facial expressions of bhnd and sighted judo athletes (柔員) that took part in the Summer Olympics and
Paralympics (殘奧會). He examined over 4 800 pictures of different athletes who came from 23 countries.
Matsumoto found that both blind and sighted sportsmen had the same facial expressions, according to a
specific social situation.
     "This suggests genes decide facial expressions of feelings," he said.
     One of his findings was the "social smiles" of judo athletes who lost their match and got the second
place. It is interesting to find that only mouth muscles are used in social smiles, while during real smiles,
shown when a person is really happy, the eyes of a person twinkle and get smaller and the cheeks (臉頰)
rise.
     "Losers pu8hed their lower lip up as if to control the feeling on their face and many produced social
smiles," said Matsumoto. "People blind from birth were unable to leam to manage their feelings with the
help of examining others' facial expressions." He thought that there must be another system involved.
     "It's possible that in order to hide sad feelings, humans have developed a system that closes the mouth
so that they are stopped from crying, biting or rudeness," he said.

1. The underlined word "innate" in the first paragraph means _____.

A. from birth
B. from daily life
C. from others
D. from teaching

2. According to the passage, real smiles are different from social smiles in _____.

A. opening the eyes
B. using facial muscles
C. closing the mouth
D. watching others' expressions

3. How does the writer make us believe the new findings?

A. By telling us an interesting story.
B. By interviewing some researchers.
C. By showing the results of the research.
D. By giving the answers to the questions.

4. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A. Smiles and Olympics
B. Blind and Sighted Athletes
C. Social Smiles and Real Smiles
D. Genes and Facial Expressions

     All over the planet, they are disappearing. Scientists are worried. It may mean the end of the world. I'm
not talking about disappearing frogs. I'm talking about absent vowels (元音). I got a message the other day
that said," Mt@ 3rd st crnr@ 12", signed (簽字) "BT". What did it mean? A young man in the office told
me that BT meant" beauty" and translated:" A beautiful young woman wants to meet you at the corner of
Third Street at noon."  
     The following week I was at a private dining club when a Hong Kong banker named David told me he
had met with a man who pronounced his name Choong,but spelt C - H - N - G." There can't be many names
with no vowels in them," he said. It turned out he was sitting next to a Singaporean doctor named Ng. Vowels
are disappearing at high speed among businesses, too. Ever wondered what happened to Reebok, the
sportswear company? It's still around but has renamed itself Rbk. Kentucky Fried Chicken became KFC.
      I've read articles saying that the no-vowels trend (趨向) is caused by companies trying to give their
products the shorthand spelling liked by young people. But a research finds that the real reason is often more
uninteresting. Flickr,one of the busiest websites on the Internet, was set up by people who wanted the name
Flicker but were too careless to register (注冊) that word.
     Have any readers ever been to a small town in the mountains of California called Zzyzx? A man named
Curtis Howe Springer founded it as a health club and called it Zzyzx because he thought it sounded different.
The business failed. People who looked through lists for somewhere to go never reached it.
     Older readers may remember the computer game Zzyzzyzz that appeared in 1982. Fans did not know
how to ask for it. James Gleick's book Faster has been re-titled FSTR. But the revision is half-hearted with
the main text of the book still having vowels. Why not write the whole book in the simpler way? U cn stll rd
the wtht vwls. On the other hand,just know that vowel-free words can be explained in different ways. One
day I'll get a message from a BT  who may be a beauty. But I'm afraid a bat (蝙蝠) will be out there.

1. The writer's purpose in the passage is _______.

A. to introduce a new trend
B. to study a new language
C. to correct a new mistake 
D. to show a new method

2. The word "around" in the third paragraph means _______.

A. on every side
B. here and there
C. present in a place
D. without special purposes

3. What's the result of the use of vowel-free words,according to the passage?

A. It makes communication easier.
B. It helps us write more quickly.
C. It bringsa lot of fun to people.
D. It causes some trouble in life.

4. What does the writer think of the use of vowel-free words?

A. He doubts the idea a little.
B. He doesn't mind the matter.
C. He doesn't think it's good to do so.
D. He accepts the idea at last.