Mars Was Not Always Bitterly Cold
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today.  The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate（碳酸盐） minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite（陨石） that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.
The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have confirmed the information.
Caltech Geology Professor John Eiler was another writer of the report. He says knowing the temperature of Mars from long ago provides valuable information. It shows that early in the planet's history, at least part of Mars could support a climate like that of Earth.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."
【小题1】 The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “___________”.

第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，共30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Last fall，before Thanksgiving，I was making my way in my car out of the shopping center parking lot．I was bored in the car. I   36   a woman heavily loaded with    37   and her two boys ,one carrying a pumpkin and the other another bag.
They were headed , I     38   , to the bus stop across the major road.     39   it was too far to walk with all those    40  to any of the nearby bus stops ,on a random impulse（冲动），I rolled down my window and asked if they were indeed headed to the    41   . “Yes,” the mother   42   . I asked , “Would you like a    43  ? “Oh , yes!”  was their   44  reaction.
I was also delighted，and，after driving out of the way of other   45  , I stopped and the boys piled into the back seat . The mother started to push   46  beside them. I   47   her by saying, “Oh ,you come on up here  48   me. I’m not a taxi driver!” So off we went.
Right away , I decided to take them a mile and a half to their home , since I had  49  and they had bags. All the way , I had just a fine time listening and talking with all of them. It felt so good to be able to do this little   50   and showed that with such a small  51   I could make a big difference to a tired mother . I’m not sure   52  got the most out of it.
53   , this was special for me  54  , as a disabled person ,I often receive help and now I know how especially good it feel to be   55   .
36．A．noticed        B．asked     C．helped          D．thanked
37．A．baskets        B．cases     C．bags            D．bottles
38．A．advised        B．thought    C．hoped          D．wondered
39．A．Since              B．Although  C．While          D．If
40．A．vehicles       B．distances   C．directions        D．purchases
41．A．shop         B．bus stop   C．parking lot      D．hotel
42．A．commented      B．promised C．regretted      D．responded
43．A．drink         B．try       C．ride          D．break
44．A．shocked       B．surprised C．excited         D．mixed
45．A．traffic         B．streets      C．signals         D．stops
46．A．along          B．off      C．on            D．in
47．A．urged         B．comforted C．stopped        D．stressed
48．A．with           B．by       C．for           D．to
49．A．money        B．plans       C．time                D．duty
50．A．work          B．trip      C．business       D．task
51．A．attention     B．idea     C．anxiety        D．effort
52．A．where         B．who     C．whether       D．when
53．A．By the way     B．In other words        C．After a11  D．Generally speaking
54．A．however     B．so        C．or             D．because
55．A．useful          B．thankful   C．special          D．healthy

Whether it’s a carol（圣诞颂歌）service or an evening of karaoke in the pub, many people will enjoy a good old singsong this Christmas. Singing aloud will not just lift the spirits---it’s good for your physical health as well. Filling the lungs（肺）with air, increasing the heart rate and getting blood pumping round the body faster can all help our physical health.
For the past few years Heart Research UK has been Funding a Christmas campaign aimed at getting people singing, simply for the benefit it can bring. The organizer of the campaign says singing is a safe, simple and social activity that everyone can enjoy. “Singing is linked to long life, stress reduction, and general health protection. It also brings a great amount of happiness. It is impossible to sing well with a long face because it affects your pitch（音高）.”
Professor Graham Welch, who leads the International Music Education Research Centre at the University of London, has spent more than 30 years studying the effects of singing. He says that singing is a form of exercise. It means we’re also having a strong aerobic activity（有氧运动）when we’re singing, which results in increasing the feeling of pleasure while decreasing that of stress.
“And communal（共同的）singing—like in a singing group, a church service or even a singsong in the pub—helps improve our sense of self-respect. It increases our sense of satisfaction with ourselves, a greater sense of feeling included. ”
Helen Astrid, a singing teacher, also sees the great effects that singing brings. “It lifts us up on a spiritual level, it helps our self-respect, and it’s great for all ages from small kids to grannies—you can have a good sing and let your hair down.”
But she warns people not to have too many beers or glasses of wine, though a glass may help them gather courage before taking to the stage during the holidays.
【小题1】Heart Research UK holds a campaign to __________.