It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond. Pluto's recent departure from the classical planet family clearly proves that size really matters.
Astronomers voted on August 24 to create the first scientific definition of the word planet, and Pluto obviously didn't make the cut. It turned out to be only a "dwarf planet" (矮行星). After weeks of heated debate, over 2,500 astronomers from 73 countries voted on the definition of a "planet" at a conference of the international Astronomical Union (IAU). According to the definition, a planet must have a clear neighborhood around its orbit. Pluto has widely been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930. Unfortunately, it has a special orbit which overlaps with Neptune's. It is all because, compared with Neptune, Pluto is very small. It is attracted by Neptune's gravity when the two planets get closer.
According to IAU, a "dwarf planet" should have an orbit around the Sun. It will not have a clear neighborhood around its orbit, and must not be a satellite. The new classification means that the science textbooks will have to be updated. The solar system is now made up of the eight "classical planets," together with a number of dwarf planets. The classical planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The debate over Pluto's status started in 1992. After an advanced telescope was sent into space, astronomers started find a belt of objects, which lies beyond Neptune. The belt contains nearly 1,000 objects, including Pluto. As they continued the exploration, scientists recently discovered at least 41 dwarf planets at the edges of the solar system. There are at least two objects of a similar size to Pluto.
It seems that even if the IAU had kept Pluto's status as a planet, the classical theory of nine planets in the solar system would have had to be changed, but the other way around. More dwarf, planets of a similar size to Pluto would join the family of planets. Scientists will probably find many more dwarf planets.
小題1:According to the passage, Pluto is          .
A．a(chǎn) planet which has a clear neighborhood around its orbit
B．a(chǎn) satellite of Neptune which was discovered in 1930
C．the smallest planet in the solar system
D．a(chǎn) planet which has an orbit around the sun
小題2:The sentence "It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond" quoted in the beginning of the passage is used to           .
A．tell us a small fish can hardly survive in the big pond
B．tell us the size of an object really matters
C．mean that a small planet can hardly exist in the solar system
D．explain the disappearanee of Pluto in the solar system
小題3:From the last paragraph we can infer that if IAU kept Pluto's status as a planet, the number of planets in the solar system would be        .
A．eightB．nineC．less than nineD．more than nine
小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true aceording to the passage?
A．According to definition of a "planet", if Pluto were bigger it would not have left the classic planet family.
B．It's quite possible for dwarfs to lose if they compete with big men
C．Pluto has a special orbit which overlap with Neptune's, because it is so small as to be attraeted by Neptune's gravity when the two planets get closer
D．A "dwarf planet", which can not be a satellite without a clear neighborhood around its orbit, should have an orbit around the Sun.

小題1:D
小題2:B
小題3:D
小題4:B
文章講述了冥王星被排除出太陽(yáng)系9大行星的范圍。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)第三段第一行According to IAU, a "dwarf planet" should have an orbit around the Sun。
小題2:推理題。文章通過(guò)冥王星被排除出太陽(yáng)的行星家庭告訴我們大小很重要。冥王星正是因?yàn)樘×�，而被排除在外�?br />小題3:推理題。根據(jù)文章最后一段可知在太陽(yáng)系里有另外好幾個(gè)星星和冥王星差不多大，如果不把冥王星排除，那么就要有另外幾個(gè)星星進(jìn)入行星家庭，太陽(yáng)的行星就會(huì)超過(guò)9個(gè)。
小題4:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第一段可知A正確。根據(jù)第二段最后一句可知C正確。根據(jù)第三段1,2行可知D正確。B的意思和文章的內(nèi)容不搭。
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons (神經(jīng)元）in our brains.
Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate (模仿)it，whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further： mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions y they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.
Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to ( for example ："The hand took hold of the ball" ) , the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball).
Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much researeh suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.
Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact(互動(dòng)）.Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent (相等物）for ncurosciencc of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does--well，perhaps you'll understand why.
小題1:Mirror neurons can explain         .
A．why we cry when we are hurt
B．why we cough when we suffer from a cold
C．why we smile when we see someone else smile
D．why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late
小題2:The underlined word "triggered" in the third paragraph probably means “  ”
A．set offB．cut offC．built upD．broken up
小題3:We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons  .
A．relate to human behavior and interaction
B．control human physical actions and feelings
C．result in bad behavior and social disorders
D．determine our knowledge and language abilities
小題4:What is the passage mainly about?
A．Ways to find mirror neurons.
B．Problems of mirror neurons.
C．Existence of mirror neurons.
D．Functions of mirror neurons.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Most British parents give their teenagers pocket money．Teenagers get between￡7 and￡20 a week．They spend it on fast food，designed clothes，the cinema，concert，magazines and mobile phones．
1)Lazy parents?
37％of parents pay teenagers to clean the living room，66％of parents pay teenagers to take the rubbish out．
2)Lazy teens?
51％of teenagers don’t make their beds before they leave home．
Only 1 3％of teenagers wash the car for money．
Some parents even pay their teenagers to do their homework．
3)Equality?Not Yet!
Boys get more money than girls for most odd jobs．
For washing the dishes，boys get about￡4 and girls get about￡1．
4)And if you need some more money?
Teens get an extra￡250 a year out of their parents on top of pocket money!
About 50％of teens get gifts or money from their grandparents．
Go to Mum if you need extra money! She gives more than Dad．
5)Where you live makes a difference!
Parents in Scotland and the North of England give more pocket money．
6)Spending
51％of teenagers spend their money on clothes．
39％of teenagers buy cosmetics(裝飾品)，jewellery and toiletries(洗漱用品)．
Less than 30％of teenagers save any money．
7)Earnings
Here are some children who tell us about their pocket money：
Emma：I get￡30 a month．I have to take the rubbish out and tidy my room．
James：I get￡10 a week．But I have to clean the car，hoover(用真空洗塵器清洗)the house and load and unload the dishwasher．I usually save the money．
Lain：I get￡7．50 a week．I have to be“good”but I don’t have to do any jobs for the money．
Richard；I get￡5 a week．But our neighbors go away a lot and they give me￡25 a week for looking after their cats．
小題1:This passage is mainly about        ．
A．teenagers everywhere get pocket money
B．how to spend pocket money
C．some bits about pocket money in Britain
D．how to get pocket money
小題2:According to the passage，which statement is true?
A．Parents are lazy so they let children do housework．
B．Teens are too lazy to do housework unless they are given pocket money．
C．The pocket money boys and girls get is not equal．
D．It is not right for children to ask for pocket money．
小題3:We can infer from the passage that      ．
A．boys earn more money at home than girls
B．girls earn more money at home than boys
C．only rich parents give children pocket money
D．most children spend their pocket money
小題4:Who most probably gets the most money for a whole year according to the passage?
A．EmmaB．J amesC．LainD．Richard

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Centerville High School Essay Contest  “Write All About It”
Calling All Aspiring Authors—Centerville High School Essay Contest
◇Rules
1．Students are asked to present essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material plagiarized(剽竊) from another source will be disqualified（取消資格）.
2．Manuscripts should be typed double－spaced，with the student's name，address，and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.
3．Essays must be turned in by 4∶00 p.m. on November 30.They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Rom 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.
◇Essay－Writing Tips
1．Catch your readers' interests—Your opening should immediately pull your readers into your essay. Asking a question or starting with an story，quotation，or surprising statement is a good way to do this.
2．Create a picture—Use active words that show your readers what is happening. Instead of telling your readers vaguely that “the room was disordered”，paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.
3．Have a purpose—Well－written essays do more than just describe an incident or express a viewpoint，and they also communicate a message.
4．Check for mistakes—Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper and make suggestions. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you've overlooked.
5．Format your essay—Neatly type your essay on white paper. Choose an attractive cover for submission. The computer lab will be open after school from 3∶15 to 4∶45 p．m. each day this month so that students can use the computers.
◇Prizes
Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times. Every contestant(選手)will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity or athletic game this year.
First Prize：　　　$150
Second Prize:    Dictionary and thesaurus
Third Prize:     Pen set and journal
Special thanks to the Centerville Writers' Association for the prizes to help encourage our aspiring authors. Good luck to all contestants.
小題1:The first writing tip given is mostly about________.
A．the use of quotations and stories in an essay
B．using active verbs and lively adjectives
C．how a student should begin an essay
D．how to submit your essays
小題2:Information in the passage suggests that________.
A．the essay contest has been carefully planned
B．the students of the school are all athletic lovers
C．most essay contestants have published their work previously
D．Mr. Markham is an English teacher at Centerville High School
小題3:The prize section of the poster is included in order to________.
A．show organizations how to donate prizes
B．inform teachers of the prizes available
C．persuade students to enter the essay contest
D．convince students to buy the local newspaper
小題4:Thanks are given to the Centerville Writers' Association because it has________.
A．offered to judge the contest
B．prepared the essay－writing tips
C．organized the essay contest
D．donated prizes for the contest
小題5:What do we know by inference from the passage?
A．The computer lab usually closes at 4∶15 p.m. each day.
B．Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times.
C．Every contestant will benefit from the essay contest.
D．The essay contest is held annually at Centerville High School.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant (無(wú)關(guān)的) and where the climate is always right. The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with controlled light, temperature，humidity，air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high- rise or a complex （建筑群） in the Saudi desert. It may be an answer to the world’s food problems.
The world already is having trouble feeding itself. Half the people on Earth live in cities, and nearly half of those – about 3 billion – are hungry or ill–fed. Food prices, currently increasing, are badly affected by dryness, floods and the cost of energy required to plant, harvest and transport it. And prices will only get more unstable. Climate change makes long-term crop planning uncertain. Farmers in many parts of the world already are using water available to the last drop. And the world is getting more crowded: by mid-century, the global population will grow from 6.8 billion to 9 billion.
To feed so many people may require expanding farmland at the expense of forests and wilderness, or finding ways to greatly increase crop output.
Gertjan Meeuws and three other Dutch bioengineers grow vegetables and house plants in closed and regulated environments. In their research station, water flows into the pans when needed, and the temperature is kept constant. Lights go on and off, creating “day” and “night”, but according to the rhythm of the plant.
Meeuws says a building of 100 square meters and layers of plants could provide a daily diet of 200 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables for the entire population of Ken Bosch, about 140,000 people. Their idea isn’t to grow foods that require much space, like corn or potatoes.
Sunlight is not only unnecessary but can be harmful. Plants need only specific wavelengths of light to grow. Their growth rate is three times faster than under greenhouse conditions. They use about 90 percent less water than outdoor agriculture. And city farming means producing food near the consumer, so there’s on need to transport it long distances.
小題1:According to the text, Gertjan Meeuws’ farming _______.
A．can be used for corn production
B．is much like greenhouse farming
C．is adaptable to any environment
D．uses more water than outdoor farming
小題2:What is the second paragraph mainly about ?
A．The effect of climateB．The hungry people in cities.
C．The world’s food problem.D．The world’s increasing population.
小題3:What is the purpose of the text ?
A．To compare traditional and indoor farming.
B．To discuss the influence of climate change.
C．To explain the world’s food problem.
D．To introduce a new model of farming.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Scientists at Harvard University and Bates College find female chimpanzees (黑猩猩) appear to treat sticks as dolls, carrying them around until they have children of their own. Young males engage in such behavior much less frequently.
The new work by Sonya M. Kahlenberg and Richard W. Wrangham, described this week in the journal Current Biology, provides the first evidence of a wild non­human species playing with dolls, as well as the first known sex difference in a wild animal’s choice of playthings.
The two researchers say their work adds to a growing body of evidence that human children are probably born with their own ideas of how they want to behave, rather than simply mirroring other girls who play with dolls and boys who play with trucks. Doll play among humans could have its origins in object—carrying by earlier apes (猿類(lèi)), they say, suggesting that toy selection is probably not due entirely to socialization.
“In humans, there are obvious sex differences in children’s toy play, and these are remarkably similar across cultures,” says Kahlenberg. “While socialization by elders and peers has been the primary explanation, our work suggests that biology may also have an important role to play in activity preferences.”
In 14 years of data on chimpanzee behavior at the Kibale National Park in Uganda, Kahlenberg and Wrangham counted more than 100 examples of stick­carrying. Some young chimpanzees carried sticks into the nest to sleep with them and on one occasion built a separate nest for the stick. “We have seen juveniles occasionally carrying sticks for many years, and because they sometimes treated them rather like dolls, we wanted to know if in general this behavior tended to represent something like playing with dolls,” says Wrangham, a Professor at Harvard. “If the doll hypothesis (假設(shè)) was right, we thought that females should carry sticks more than males do, and that the chimpanzees should stop carrying sticks when they had their first child. We have now watched enough young chimpanzees to prove both points.”
小題1:What does a female chimpanzee do with sticks?
A．She gives them to her child to play with.
B．She treats them as dolls.
C．She makes useful tools from them.
D．She treats them as weapons.
小題2: What causes the different toy selection of chimpanzees, according to the passage?
A．Sex difference.B．Socialization.
C．Environment. D．Cultural difference.
小題3:We can infer from the fourth paragraph that ________.
A．socialization has nothing to do with human’s choice of playthings
B．sex difference is the only factor in human’s choice of playthings
C．the biology factor may also influence toy choice
D．people choose different toys in different cultures
小題4:It can be concluded from the passage that ________.
A．both humans and chimpanzees choose their playthings due to sex difference
B．different factors cause humans and chimpanzees to choose different playthings
C．only female chimpanzees have playthings
D．chimpanzees usually choose playthings for their children

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

American researchers have developed a technique that may become an important tool in fighting AIDS virus from attacking its target-cells in the body's defense system．When AIDS virus enters the blood，it searches for blood cells called T4 lymphocytes(淋巴細(xì)胞)．The virus connects to the outside of T4 lymphocytes．Then it forces its way inside．There it directs the cells' genetic material to produce copies of the AIDS virus．This is how AIDS spreads．
Researchers think they may be able to stop AIDS from connecting to T4 ceils．When AIDS virus finds a T4 cell，it actually connects to a part of the cell called CD4 protein．
Researchers want to fool the virus by putting copies or clones of the CD4 protein into the blood．This way the AIDS virus will connect to cloned protein instead of the real ones．Scientists use genetic engineering methods to make the clones．Normally a CD4 protein remains on the T4 cell at all times；the AIDS virus must go to it．
In a new technique，however，the cloned CD4 protein is not connected to a cell．It floats freely，so a lot more can be put into the blood to keep the AIDS virus away from real CD4 protein on T4 cells．One report says the．AIDS virus connects to cloned protein just as effectively as it connects to real protein．That report was based on tests with blood cells grown in labs．The technique is just now beginning to be tested in animals．If successful，it may be tested in humans within a year．
小題1:The new technique can     .
A．cure AIDS
B．kill the AIDS virus
C．prevent the AIDS virus from spreading
D．produce new anti-AIDS cells
小題2:When the AIDS virus enters the blood，it is reproduced by     .
A．itself
B．the blood cells
C．the CD4 protein
D．the genetic material of T4 lymphocytes
小題3:The AIDS virus connects to cloned protein instead of the real CD4 protein because    .
A．cloned protein stays On the T4 cells
B．it connects to cloned protein more effectively
C．cloned protein is made by genetic engineering methods
D．cloned protein floats freely，and many more can be put into the blood
小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A．The new technique has been tested in labs．
B．The new technique is being tested in animals．
C．The new technique may be tested in humans．
D．The new technique is now under clinic test．
小題5:The best title for this passage is     ．
A．AIDS-a deadly disease
B．A new technique in fighting AIDS
C．The spread of AIDS virus
D．The cloned CD4 protein

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


People who eat at home most of the time have better nutrition than those who go out to eat , a recent study shows. Cornell University professors Lana Hall and Karen Bunch interviewed（面試，接見(jiàn)） 3900 people in the survey. “People who eat less than 30 percent of their food away from home eat the most nutritiously,” they said.
“In general, Americans don’t have nutrient, except for iron and calcium,” they reported. They have the opposite problem——over—consumption(過(guò)度消耗), especially of fat.
The food at many fast food restaurants is often low in vitamins. “People who eat more than 30 percent of total calories away from home eat foods that are generally low in nutrients per calorie,” the professors said. More calories and enough nutrient intake（吸收） are required to achieve.
One of the major health risks（風(fēng)險(xiǎn)） is eating too much fat. The professor found than fat consumption became greater as income（收入） went up. It also went up in houses where the female worked. This is probably because these people eat more highly processed （加工的）foods.
小題1:According to the passage, which of the following suggestions would you most readily take?
A．Eat out as many times as possible
B．Eat at home as many times as possible
C．Eat foods with a lot if iron, calcium and fat
D．Eat more highly processed foods
小題2:What is the result if people often dine out according to the passage?
A．They tend to have better nutrition
B．They tend to have less nutrition
C．They can save a lot of time
D．They will spend much money on it
小題3:Nowadays, a major health risk that people face is_______.
A．Eating too much fast foodB．Frequent dining out
C．Eating at home very oftenD．Eating too much fat
小題4:The passage is about       .
A．Eating and Health
B．The Life Style in Modern Society
C．Fast food in the USA
D．Dining out Lowers Nutrient Intake

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Word Power
Author（s）: Kaplan $13,95
You'll never be at a loss for words again．Energize your vocabulary with must-know everyday words that are the essentials of a good vocabulary, engaging lessons to help you use words in text, hot words often found on tests, tips to help you figure out new words, roots, and more．
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Author（s）: Russell Stauffer $ 17．95
Now this is the way to add new words to your vocabulary! Word Smart Junior will make you laugh so much．You'll be amazed that you've just learned more than 120 fascinating and very useful words! Parents, teachers, and friends will marvel at your eloquence （口才）!
Grades: 3-5 Ages: 8-10
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Author（s）: Marcia Reynolds $ 16．85
Do you quake when your teacher says, "Now it's time for grammar"? Do your verbs agree with your subjects?
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Author（s）: Julian Fleisher $ 12．68
The words you use say a lot about you ．．．but the way you put them together says even more．Your grammar makes an immediate and lasting impression on your teachers, and even your friends．So don't make the mistake of thinking that grammar is too complicated．We've created Grammar Smart to help you write and speak with clarity and confidence．
Grades: 6-8 Ages: 11-13
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A．Word Power
B．Word Smart Junior
C．Grammar Smart Junior
D．Grammar Smart: An Audio Guide to Perfect Usage
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B．You will know the history of grammar
C．You will know the make-up of grammar
D．You will learn about the future of grammar
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