Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon (峡谷) when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region.
Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents (啮齿目动物) and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well.
“This is a huge find,” says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. “I don’t think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago.”
San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare.
Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils.
The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment.
“We have a confused view of what this time period was like, ” says another scientist. “A discovery like this could really be an important contribution.”
About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California.
【小题1】
What does the passage mainly focus on?

When Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it was a revolution in communication. For the first time, people could talk to each other over great distances almost as clearly as if they were in the same room. Nowadays, though, we increasingly use Bell’s invention for taking photographs, accessing the internet, or watching video clips, rather than talking. Over the last two decades a new means of spoken communication has appeared: the mobile phone.

         The first real mobile telephone call was made in 1973 by Dr Martin Cooper, the scientist who invented the modem mobile handset（手机）. Within a decade, mobile phones became available to the public. The streets of modem cities began to feature sharp-suited characters shouting into giant plastic bricks. In Britain the mobile phone quickly became the same with the “yuppie”, the new type of young urban professionals who carried the expensive handsets as status symbols. Around this time many of us said that we would never own a mobile phone.

         But in the mid-90s, something happened. Cheaper handsets and cheaper calling rates meant that, almost overnight, it seemed that everyone had a mobile phone. And the giant plastic bricks of the 80s had changed into smooth little objects that fitted nicely into pockets and bags.

         Moreover, people’s timekeeping changed. Younger readers will be amazed to know that, not long ago, people made spoken arrangements to meet at a certain place at a certain time. But later Meeting time became approximate under the new order of communication: the Short Message Service （SMS） or text message. Going to be late? Send a text message! It takes much less effort than arriving on time, and it’s much less awkward than explaining your lateness face to face and the text message has changed the way we write in English. Traditional rules of grammar and spelling are much less important when you’re sitting on the bus, hurriedly typing “Will B 15mm late - C U @ the bar. Sorry! -).”

         Alexander Graham Bell would be amazed if he could see how far the science of telephony has progressed in less than 150 years. If he were around today, he might say “That’s gr8! But I’m v busy rite now. Will call U 2nite.”

1.What does the underlined part in Para.2 refer to?

A. Houses of modern cities.                      B. Sharp-suited characters.

C. New type of professionals.                    D. Mobile phones.

2.According to Paragraph 4, why did Meeting time become approximate?

A. People were more likely to be late for their meeting.

B. SMS made it easier to inform each other.

C. Young people don’t like unchanging things.

D. Traditional customs were dying out.

3.If you want to meet your friend at the school gate this evening, which of the following message can you send him?

A. Call U@ SKUg8 2nite.                   B. IM2BZ2CU 2nite.

C. CU@ the bar g8 2nite.                   D. W84U@ SKUg8 2nite.

4.What does the passage mainly tell us about?

A. Alexander Graham’s invention.

B. SMS as a new way of communication.

C. New functions of the mobile telephone.

D. The development of the mobile phone.

B
Across the United States, there are several places where two independent towns grew together to become one city — but kept both their names.
Winston?Salem is one of them. It’s a mid?sized city in what’s called the plateau（high land）, between the Atlantic Coast and the inland mountains in the state of North Carolina. The Winston part is a relatively new place, founded early this century. It’s home to the nation’s biggest open?air tobacco market.?
The giant R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company’s headquarters is in Winston?Salem, and Winston is the name of one of Reynolds’best?known cigarette brands. Fast?growing Winston soon surrounded the much older town of Salem, so in 1913, people in the area voted to combine them into a single place.?
From a historical and tourist point of view, Salem, or Old Salem, as it’s called today, is the interesting and unusual part of town.?
Salem was founded in the 1700s by the Moravians. They spoke German, and their community was religiously based, with single men and single women living apart in separate dormitories. The Moravians greatly valued women’s work and brainpower. In fact, one of the nation’s oldest boarding schools for young women— the Moravians’Salem Academy founded in 1772 — is still in operation. ?
Over the years, Salem lost its Moravian character. That all changed, though, when a nonprofit group began to rehabilitate the historic area. These days Old Salem is what’s called a living history museum, with exhibits, music, and tours of 18th-century houses, taverns and Moravian dormitory buildings just seven blocks from the tallest skyscraper in Winston-Salem.?
The historic community is booming again. Just as R. J. Reynolds is taking in millions of dollars making cigarettes across town, Old Salem is generating about S| 15 million a year in tourism revenue and donations.?
61. From the passage we can know that____________.?
A. Winston-Salem is the name of a city?
B. Salem is home to the tobacco market?
C. the city Winston-alem has two names?
D. Old Salem is the name of a tobacco brand
62. It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that__________.?
A. the two cities benefited each other?
B. Salem developed faster than Winston?
C. R.J. Reynolds Company has moved into Salem?
D. the combination meets the wishes of the people
63. The city Salem is special for its__________.?
A. boarding school                          B. lifestyle and tradition?
C. respect for brainpower                    D. religious belief
64. The underlined word “rehabilitate” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to “_________”.?
A. reconstruct            B. evaluate         C. enlarge         D. decorate?
65. What will probably be talked about in the following part? ?
A. Some other attractions in Winston-Salem. ?
B. How Winston makes profits from tourism. ?
C. Other examples of cities combined by two parts.?
D. Something about the boarding school for women.

BEIJING, March, 17th --The Japanese automaker Toyota will recall some 4,400 units of FJ Cruiser cars in China over seat belt flaws, China's consumer quality watchdog said Saturday.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on its website that Toyota China will recall these imported cars produced between December 2007 and March 2013.
Toyota is busy working on the solution to the flaw and will release improvement methods before April 15, according to the administration.
This marks Toyota's second recalling this year after the auto giant announced in January that it would recall 22,869 units of Lexus IS cars in China due to wiper arm problem.
China's private auto ownership reached 93.09 million units by the end of 2012, up 18.3 percent compared with the year before. Along with the fast expanding auto market, Chinese drivers grow more concerned about the quality of their cars.
Also on Saturday, the AQSIQ said in a statement on its website that its research has basically confirmed the German automaker Volkswagen's direct shift gearbox (DSG) transmission has defects which may cause engine power failures and urged Volkswagen to recall defective cars after China Central Television (CCTV) exposed Volkswagen's gearbox defect on Friday.
To better protect the interests of Chinese consumers, the AQSIQ announced late last year that it would formulate a guideline to regulate a recall system for faulty cars.
【小题1】What does underlined the word “recall” in the first paragraph probably mean?

D

Sitting on the peaceful coast of the Calapagon Islands. Ecuador , watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn’t forget the Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) arrived here in 1835. He famous work. On the Origin of  Species. You can certainly follow Darwin’s footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.

The islands are centainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of beais and visitors is under govenment control.Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin die hour 200 years ago ,esch day is as impressive as it could be.

The most well crown animal of the Calapagos is the giant tortoisc ( 巨型陆龟),which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Sanra Cruz,the second largest island in the suchipelago.Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself.

Despite strict control over activities and timing,you stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures;diving with sea how that wim and play within inches of you; feeling small shaks touch you feet as you swim and ,most magically , seeing a with and her bady surface with great breath of air.

Travleing between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin , you will fell as though you are getting  a special view of an untouched world .At night you will sleep on board the ship , leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now ai they have been since the beginning of time.

68.What do we know about Darwin’svisit to the istands.

A.studkd afleient cnt cpeatures on the islands.

B.He completed his famous book on the istands.

C.He was touched by the geographs of the istands.

D.He was attracted by well known animals of the islands.

69.Whieh of the fotlowing plavs a role in making the islands “a pradise for wikllife”?

A.Animals on theis lands feed on grass.

 B.Lood go mthent forbids killing wildlife.[来源:学+科+网Z+X+X+K]

C.Fccple nninot visit the islands as they wash.

D.fourists are not allowed to torch the animals.

70．Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of           .

A．the beautiful sea views

B．Darwin’s inapiring trip

C．a clder view of animals

D．various daring activities

71．Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．A Unique Attraction for Wildlife Lovers

B．Calapagos as a Paradise for Adventurers

C．Charles Darwin as a Symbol of Calapagos

D．A Successful Example of Wildlife Protection