“The world’s oceans are slowly getting more acidic.” say scientists.The researchers from California report that the change is taking place in response to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

      The lowering of the waters’ pH value is not great at the moment but could cause a serious threat to current ocean life if it continues, they warn.Ken Caldeira and Michael Wickett, from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, report their concerns in the journal Nature.Increasing use of oil fuels means more carbon dioxide is going into the air, and most of it will eventually be absorbed by seawater.Once in the water, it reacts to form carbonic acid.Scientists believe that the oceans have already become slightly more acidic over the last century.

       These researchers have tried to predict what will happen in the future by combining what we know about the history of the oceans with computer models of climate change.“This level of acidity will get much more extreme in the future if we continue releasing CO2 into the atmosphere,” said Dr Caldeira.“And we predict the amount of future acidity will exceed(超过) anything we have seen over the last several hundred million years, let alone perhaps after rare disastrous events such as asteroid(小行星) impacts.

       However, it is not absolutely clear what that means for ocean life.Most organisms live near the surface, where the greatest pH change would be expected to occur, but deep-ocean life forms may be more sensitive to pH changes.Coral reefs(珊瑚礁) and other organisms whose shells contain calcium carbonate(碳酸钙) may be particularly affected if the water’s acidity levels keep going up, the team predict.They could find it much more difficult to build these structures in water with a lower pH.

       In recent years some people have suggested storing carbon dioxide from power station in the deep ocean as a way of dealing with global warming.But Dr Caldeira said that such a strategy should now be re-considered.“Previously, most experts had looked at ocean absorption of carbon dioxide as a good thing --- because in releasing CO2 into the atmosphere we warm the planet, and when CO2 is absorbed by the ocean, it reduces the amount of greenhouse warming.”

The ocean is becoming more acidic due to __________.

       A.the higher level of CO2 in the air   B.the warming atmosphere

       C.the increasing use of oil fuels       D. the lower water pH value

According to Dr Caldeira, __________.

       A.more oil fuels will be used in the near future

       B.ocean absorption of carbon dioxide is a good thing

       C.the future situation of the amount of acidity is extremely serious

       D.scientists may predict climate changes with computer models

If the water’s acidity level keeps rising, __________.

       A.the waters’ pH value will become higher and higher

       B.some disastrous events will occur more often than before

       C.organisms living near the surface are more sensitive to pH changes

       D.ocean life whose structures contain calcium carbonate may be affected

Most experts once believed storing carbon dioxide in the ocean would reduce __________.

       A.the CO2 absorbed by the ocean      B.the amount of greenhouse warming

       C.the acidity of the ocean            D.the gradual release of CO2

The purpose of this passage is to __________.

       A.show people the findings of a research team 

       B.introduce Dr Caldeira and his team’s research

       C.warn people of the higher level of CO2 

       D.inform people of how acid the ocean is now


第二部分 阅读理解(共两节,满分50分)
第一节 阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳答案,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
A
Liverpool, with its half a million citizens, is a big city. It's a city with variety and options.
Every year, tourists from all over the world go to Liverpool, most of whom head straight for the stadium to catch the city's two football teams in action. Liverpool and Everton are both world-famous clubs with fans from all corners of the World, as well as a good number of home grown supporters.
Another big draw to the city is the four local boys. Paul, John, George and Ringo, collectively famous as The Beatles. The pop quartet (四重唱表演小组) first put Liverpool on the world map in the 1960s. The Beatles Story, situated at the Albert Dock, is a huge draw for fans, and you'll find the Beatles shop and ever-popular Cavern Club, the “birthplace of the perfect Four”, in the Cavern Quarter of the city. Fans can also join one of the coach trips around the sights associated with the band, from the houses they grew up in, to the places including Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.
But Liverpool is about more than music and sport. It is rich in history, with some of the most shocking architecture in the UK. The city has two great cathedrals(教堂): Anglican-the largest of its kind in Europe; and the more modern-styled Metropolitan. The famous waterfront, with the Pierhead and the Albert Docks, is also worth a visit. Many of the city's great museums are situated here, including the Walker Art Gallery, the Liverpool Maritime Museum, and the Tate Gallery, which is home to the largest modern art collection in the North. The nightlife in the city also has a lot to offer. With more than 250 bars, pubs and restaurants, there is always something for everyone to do in Liverpool. Music, museums, shopping, history, pubs and bars——it's all there. It is the world in one city, a place truly deserving of the Capital of Culture title.
41.Liverpool and Everton are___________clubs.
A.architecture             B.music                     C.tourist                    D.football
42.What made Liverpool first known to the world?
A.The Beatles Story.                                      B.Cavern Club.
C.The Beatles.                                               D.The Beatles shop.
43.Compared with Metropolitan, the cathedral Anglican is__________.
A.more traditional                                         B.more shocking
C.better-known                                           D.smaller
44.Why does the author say “It is the world in one city” in the last paragraph?
A.Liverpool belongs to the world.
B.Liverpool is world famous now.
C.Liverpool owns lots of museums well-known in the world.
D.Liverpool is a lively city with various cultures.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

“When I grow up, I want to be...”

Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations(志向) may have changed from when you were in primary school.

However, it seems career options aren’t only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of the most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website monster. Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.

Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are some of the most esteemed members of society, and they make good money. Joining these high-profile professions is often seen as a sign of upward social mobility.

It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models “for their wealth”. Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun pathway to “wealth”.

However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see fulfillment and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens’ survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet(美食家),waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers’ career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.

With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Choosing a good job is very important.

B. The choice of career needs challenge.

C. Teenagers in the UK like doctors.

D. Careers in teenagers’ mind.

2.What is the top career choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17 according to the article?

A. Medicine                B. Law        C. Bank                D. Education

3.According to the article, all of the following are the benefits of being a doctor except_______.

A. respect from others   B. the oldest profession     C. high pay    D. upward social mobility.

4.What do youngsters think is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career?

A. Prestige           B. Fulfillment                C. Happiness         D. Wealth

5.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. According to your particular talents and skills, you can choose your favorite career.

B. Specific education and training can help get a good job.

C. Whatever career you choose, you should balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.

D. Responsibility is the most important when you choose a goodjob.

 

(共5小题;每小题3分,满分15分)

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Four Habits to Help You Succeed

We all want to succeed, whether it’s in losing weight or learning the guitar. For those who have tried and failed, success seems difficult to understand. Why does one person succeed where another person fails?   1 

Identify your core values

Finding your core values is in line with creating inner motivation.   2  Pick a handful of things and actually write them down. Remind yourself of your values every day, and reflect on whether you are honoring those values through your work.

Pick a goal and focus on it

Choose one goal to start something large enough that will give you a sense of accomplishment, while adjusting well to your core values. Focus is key here.  3  If you perform many tasks at a time, you might never complete your projects because they will take far too long.

Set a deadline for success

Set a date for success. Identify when you hope to achieve your goal.   4  By setting a time limit, you are making the process more real.

  5

Failure can’t be avoided when you take risks, by its very definition, the desire to succeed means you are risking failure. Many people tend to give up far too early. Don’t fall into this trap! Remember your mindset earlier. Know it will happen. A failure is merely you working out the details, and learning what works and what doesn’t. Use failure. Treat it as a good thing, and march on!

A.The more focused you are on one goal, the higher chance you have of success.

B.Make the right decision.

C.I’ve made a list of four habits to help set goals and achieve them.

D.Stick to your goal.

E. Keep it realistic, while not giving you too much time.

F. Sit and reflect on what you value most.

G. Push yourself to be courageous, and take the next step.

 

Professor Barry Wellman of the University of Toronto in Canada has invented a term to describe the way many North Americans interact(互动)these days. The term is “networked individualism”. This concept is not easy to understand because the words seem to have opposite meanings. How can we be individuals(个体)and be networked at the same time? You need other people for networks.

Here is what Professor Wellman means. Before the invention of the Internet and e-mail, our social networks included live interactions with relatives, neighbors, and friends. Some of the interaction was by phone, but it was still voice to voice, person to person, in real time.

A recent research study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that for a lot of people, electronic interaction through the computer has replaced this person-to-person interaction. However, a lot of people interviewed for the Pew study say that’s a good thing. Why?

In the past, many people were worried that the internet isolated(孤立)us and caused us to spend too much time in the imaginary world of the computer. But the Pew study discovered that the opposite is true. The Internet connects us with more real people than expected—helpful people who can give advice on careers, medical problems, raising children, and choosing a school or college. About 60 million Americans told Pew that the Internet plays an important role in helping them make major life decisions.

Thanks to the computer, we are able to be alone an together with other people—at the same time!

1.The underlined phrase “networked individualism” probably means that by using computers people       .

A.stick to their own ways no matter what other people say

B.have the rights and freedom to do things of their own interest

C.do things in their own ways and express opinions different from other people

D.are able to keep to themselves but at the same time reach out to other people

2.According to the Pew study, what do many people rely on to make major life decisions?

A.Networks.

B.Friends.

C.Phones.

D.Parents.

3.It can be inferred from the Pew study that         .

A.people have been separated from each other by using computers

B.the Internet makes people waste a lot of time and feel very lonely

C.the Internet has become a new tool for a new kind of social communication

D.a lot of people regard the person-to-person communication as a good thing

4.Which would be the best title for this passage?

A.We’re Alone on the Internet

B.We’re Communicating on the Internet

C.We’re Alone Together on the Internet

D.We’re in the Imaginary World of the Internet.

 

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