The scene in the Hollywood movie The Day After Tomorrow, where global warming could soon turn the global climate (气候) into a new ice age, may never occur, according to new research.

    The next ice age could be 15,000 years away, say European scientists who last month announced a continuous record of 7.40,000 years of climate data (数据) obtained from the Antarctic ice.                         

     Scientists from 10 nations have now almost completely drilled through a 3,000-meter.depth of ice high in the Antarctic mainland. They figure out that the area where summer temperatures can fall to –40℃, has at least 900,000 years of snowfalls,, kept as neatly as the growth rings of a tree. And the ice and air caught in each layer(层) have begun to answer questions about the climates in the past..

     The results show that there have been eight ice ages in the past 740, 000 years and eight warmer periods. And by comparing the pattern of global conditions today with those of the past, the researchers reported in Nature that the present warm period could last another 15, 000 years.

     Research suggests that there is a very close connection between greenhouse gas levels and global average temperatures. It also shows that carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) levels are the highest for at least 440,000 years.         

     "If people say to you: the greenhouse effect is a good thing because we would go into an ice age otherwise, our data say no, a new ice age is not hanging over our heads,” said Eric Wolff from the British Antarctic Survey. "Now we have eight examples of how the climate goes in and out of ice ages… and you can learn what the rules are that go into the climate models that tell us about the future."

     Scientists found that whenever temperatures rose in the frozen record, so did carbon dioxide level. "In 440,000 years we have never seen greenhouse gas get as thick as it is today," said Dr Wolff.

48. In drilling through the ice in Antarctica, scientists, have found that______.

     A. the lowest temperature there is －40℃     B. the depth of ice is 3,000 meters

     C. the ice has existed for 15,000 years          D. snowfalls are kept in certain patterns

49. The information of the global climate conditions in the past can be obtained through______.

     A. separating carbon dioxide from the air     

   B. examining the growth rings of trees

     C. comparing temperatures in different areas

     D. studying the ice and air caught in each layer

50. We can infer from Eric Wolff's words that_______.

     A. there is something wrong with the data     B. greenhouse effect is always a bad thing

     C. a new ice age will not come in the near future

     D. greenhouse gas will get thick in the future

51. What would be the best title for the passage?

     A. Research over the Antarctic area.                    B. Warm period to last about 15, 000 years.

     C. Report on the eight ice ages in the past.    D. Hollywood movies and the global climate.

Brown said he was by no means annoyed; ___________ he was glad to be able to make himself clearly understood.

The US first lady Michlle Obama is among the world’s 100 most powerful women in a list topped by German premier Angela Merkel for four years in a row, according to a Forbes ranking released on 19 August.

    Michelle Obama debuted at No.40, coming in ahead of Talk Show host Oprah Winfrey at 41 and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth at 42.

   Sheila Bair, chair of the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which insures bank deposits, remained No.2 after debuting on the Forbes list last year. She has gained increased fame as the US recession lasts.

   The list is based on factors such as politics and economic impact ,media reach and career accomplishments.

   The chief executives of Dupont and Sunoco are new to the top 10, replacing the Xerox Cop. Chair, who dropped to No. 15, and the former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who fell off the list after leaving office in January.

   Rice’s successor, Hillary Clinton, came in at No.36,dropping from No.28 last year when her presidential bid made her the woman with the highest public profile on the list.

   Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, retained No.35.

   “Woman in power are rising to leadership positions in business, government and philanthropy(慈善)by making daring and unconventional moves,” Forbes said. “Gone are the days of women feeling they have to stick with one employer and patiently wait for promotions.”

    “Highly ambitious women are moving across companies and industries, making big leaps with each change, and repositioning themselves for opportunities that allow them to gain a breadth of experience.” The business magazine said.

    Merkel , 55, became the first female premier of Germany in 2005 and was successful in retaining power in a federal election on September 27.

   Michelle Obama, 45,has won the support of fans for her down-to-earth personality, her views of healthy eating and the arts, and her fashion sense that has seen her grace several best-dressed lists.

41. What does the underlined word “debuted” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Go on stage for the first time .              

B. Make the first public appearance.

C. Appear on the list for the first time.

D. Introduce a film to the public for the first time.

42. Condoleezza Rice was not included in the list probably because ________.

A. she exercised  less influence              

B. she kept her new job a secret

C. she is no longer a public figure            

D. she was silent after resignation

43. Hillary Clinton ranked 28 last year because __________.

A. she was the former first lady                 

B. she was running for president

C. she frequently appeared in public           

D. she got support from her husband

44. We learn from the text that powerful women today ______.

A. change their jobs more frequently          

B. are better political leaders than men

C. are not content with being housewives    

D. have changed their traditional concept

45. What is the author’s attitude towards Angela Merkel?

A. Admiring.       B. Neutral.     C. Objective.      D. Extreme.

— When did you first meet Tom?

— On May 2, ____, the first day I came to this city.

All the children are busy going over their lessons as the final exam is __________.