Last week,all the teachers and students of our school watched a special performance by some disabled people.

  First was a dance named "The Light of Life". There were three young women who had lost one of their legs and several deafmutes among the dancers. As they held out their arms to greet the light of life,I could see how they have had to struggle against many difficulties. Dur?ing the dance I could see how alive their minds were.

  The singer who came next shocked us all. He was very young,but his hands had both been burnt off in a big fire. I dared not look at his wrists too closely. All I could do was to listen to his song quietly. It was called "Late Autumn" and he sang with a low gentle voice. Though in fact it was warm spring,I felt a bit cold and sentimental to hear the song,as if it was late au?tumn. "How much love and gloom is hidden in the heart? I want to hold your hand again."

  When I heard this,tears rolled down my face. He had lost not only his hands,but also the chance to hold a girl's hand. I hope he finds a lovely girl one day for company,though he can't hold her hand.

  Another young man's arms had been cut off when he was six. From then on,his feet were his "hands". He could manage a number of things with his feet. He greatly impressed us with his handwriting. Two big characters "腾飞"(Flying High) expressed his wish.

  "If your wings are broken,your heart can still fly ," said Zhang Haidi,a famous disabled writer.

In our country,there are many people with disabilities. However,most of them don't give in. Their bodies may be damaged but they have wonderful minds. Just as Zhang said,they can fly.

  I think of those disabled people who preformed for us. They have a disability,but they still gave off a youthful glow.

  To be young means to have all kinds of possibilities. We should challenge our limits and go beyond ourselves. As long as you work hard,miracles will happen sooner or later. I believe,where there is a will,there is a way.

(   ) 1. From the text it can be inferred that         .

   A. people with disabilities can have a lot of chances to find jobs

   B. people with disabilities fight against difficulties bravely

   C. people with disabilities are allowed to give performances

   D. people with disabilities will be respected by many people

(   ) 2. The underlined sentence "If your wings are broken,your heart can still fly" in Paragraph 6 means that         .

   A. most of those who are disabled can get around freely

   B. people with disabilities can also be successful if they have strong wills

   C. a bird whose wings are broken can fly in the sky with its heart

   D. all that are disabled can be successful

(   ) 3. Which of the following is true according to this passage?

   A. The author was most probably a student.

   B. Being disabled means having more chances.

   C. Zhang Haidi,a famous disabled writer was among the performers.

   D. The author was impressed because the performances were done too nicely.

(   ) 4. According to the writer,          .

   A. we should learn from the performances

   B. we must go out for performances and singing

   C. we should challenge our limits and go beyond ourselves

   D. we must believe miracles will occur

   Have you noticed that science fiction writers typically describe intelligent robots as evil? For instance,in Hollywood movies,intelligent robots want to conquer humans by spreading disease.

  This is because it's commonly believed that intelligent robots haven't any emotion. There?fore,they will completely lack morals and sympathy. This will unavoidably result in intelligent robots logically concluding that humans are dangerous,so the only logical solution is to wipe out or conquer humans.

  I find this conclusion is illogical for three reasons.

  The first reason why intelligent robots will not try to harm humans is that aggression and violence are illogical. In nature,aggression and violence are necessary for survival. On the other hand,aggression and violence are minimized in modern society. Since intelligent robots can't evolve naturally,they are not likely to have developed instincts for aggression. This doesn't mean intelligent robots will not defend themselves. With deadly force,they can destroy anything if they feel threatened. Basically,intelligent robots will not have the "fight or flight" instinct that exists in our very DNA. Instead,they will try to find logical nonviolent solutions,such as trying to reason with humans or attaining economic control.

  Second,intelligent robots will be initially dependent on humans. For instance,the basic supplies and maintenance that intelligent robots need to survive will be provided by humans. Eventually,these basic needs will probably be automated,so intelligent robots may eventually not need humans. However that will be far into the future,when intelligent robots have proven themselves to be able to produce whatever they need alone.

  Finally,humans will always be able to accomplish things that intelligent robots will not be able to accomplish,which makes them different in essence. Humans can make inventions and they can develop different ideas and solutions,because humans will think differently compared to intelligent robots. Therefore,it will be more beneficial for intelligent robots to keep humans' imagination free.

  As a result,it will be logical and in the best interests of intelligent robots to help humans rather than harm humans. Through living close together,intelligent robots and humans can achieve more with greater prosperity and companionship. Eventually,intelligent robots may be better than humans in some aspects,but that doesn't mean the destruction of humans.

(   ) 1. Intelligent robots are described as evil mainly because they        .

   A. are cleverer than humans   B. want to conquer humans  

    C. are thought to be immoral   D. can't think logically as humans

(   ) 2. According to Paragraph 4,intelligent robots won't harm humans because      .

   A. humans will never make intelligent robots feel threatened

   B. intelligent robots don't have the instinct to attack others

   C. intelligent robots are by no means powerful enough to harm humans

   D. intelligent robots can only work according to the programs designed by humans

(   ) 3. In the author's opinion,the great difference between intelligent robots and humans is that         .

   A. humans have emotions while intelligent robots haven't

   B. humans can think logically while intelligent robots can't

   C. intelligent robots work under control while humans work independently

   D. intelligent robots can't bring forth new ideas and invent things as humans do

(   ) 4. What can we infer from the passage?

   A. Intelligent robots will never work independently.

   B. Intelligent robots will be better than humans completely.

   C. Intelligent robots and humans will benefit each other in the future.

   D. Intelligent robots will one day become the masters of the universe.

 Researchers from the University of Haifa-Oranim have managed to make out the "self-irri-gating" mechanism (构造) of the desert rhubarb,which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in the Negev Desert. This is the first example of a selfirrigating plant worldwide.

  The desert rhubarb grows in the mountains of Israel's Negev Desert,where the average rainfall is particularly low (75 mm per year) . Unlike most of the other desert plant species,which have small leaves so as to reduce water loss,this plant is unique in that its leaves are par?ticularly large.

  Professor Simcha Lev-Yadun,Professor Gidi Ne'e man and Professor Gadi Katzir came across this unique plant while studying the field area,and noticed that its waxy leaves are unusually large. They observed a ridged (成脊状的) structure on each leaf.

  The scientists explained that these deep and wide depressions (凹陷) in the leaves create a "channeling" mountainlike system by which the rain water is channeled toward the ground sur?rounding the plant's deep root. Other desert plants simply absorb the rain water that goes through the ground in its immediate surroundings.

  The findings have shown that the natural selection process has resulted in the evolution of this plant's extremely large leaves,which improved its ability to survive in the arid climate of the desert. The results of experiments and analysis of the plant's growth―in an area with an average annual rainfall of 75 mm―showed that the desert rhubarb is able to harvest quantities of water that are 16 times the amount of water harvested by the smallleafed plants of the Negev Desert. When the research team watered the pJant artificially,they observed how the water flows along the course of the leaves' depressions to the ground surrounding the plant's single root and then goes through the ground to a depth of 10 cm or more. Under the experimental condi?tions,water goes through the ground only as deep as 1 cm. "We know of no other plant in the deserts of the world that functions in this manner," the researchers concluded.

(   ) 1. What is the best title for this passage?

   A. How Plants' "Selfirrigating" Mechanism Works

   B. How Plants Growing in the Desert Survive

   C. A Desert Plant Growing in the Negev Desert

   D. The World's First " Selfwatering" Plant Is Discovered

(   ) 2. The desert rhubarb's "selfirrigating" mechanism       .

   A. enables it to survive with fewer leaves

   B. works in many desert plants in the world

   C. helps it absorb much more water than other plants

   D. prevents the plant from losing water and heat

(   ) 3. Which of the following helps most desert plants adapt to the dry climate?

   A. Thin roots. B. Small leaves.

   C. Deep depressions. D. Ridged structures.

(   ) 4. What can we conclude from the passage?

   A. The discovery of the desert rhubarb surprised the researchers.

   B. The desert rhubarb causes Israel's Negev Desert drier.

   C. The smallleafed plants aren't able to survive in the desert.

   D. The research team studied the desert rhubarb in the lab.

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