B

Although we already know a great deal about flu, and although the World Health Organizations is constantly collecting detailed information from its chain of flu reference laboratories throughout the world, it is extremely difficult for epidemiologists, who study infectious diseases, to predict when and where the next flu epidemic will occur, and how serious it will be. 

There are three kinds of flu virus, known as A, B and C. flu C virus is relatively stable and causes mild infections that do not spread far through the population. The A and B types are unstable, and are responsible for the epidemics that cause frequent concern. Following any virus attack, the human body builds up antibodies （抗体） which can be changed into immunity to that type of virus but a virus with the ability to change its character is able to bypass this protection. Variability（可变性） is less developed in the flu B virus, which affects only human beings. As flu B virus may cause a widespread epidemic but will have little effect if introduced into the same community soon afterwards, since nearly everyone will have built up antibodies and will be immune. The flu A virus, which affects animals also, is extremely unstable and is responsible for some of the worst outbreaks of the disease, such as the world epidemic, of 1918&1919, when about half the world's population were infected and about twenty million people died, some from pneumonia caused by the virus itself and some from secondary complication caused by bacteria. Accurate prediction is difficult because of the complication of the factors. A particular virus may be related to one to which some of the population have partial involved immunity. The extent to which it will spread will depend on factors such as its own strength, or virulence （病毒性）, the ease with which it can be transmitted and the strength of the opposition it encounters （遇到）. Scientists, however, have a reliable general picture of the world situation. 

55. Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage? 

A. Symptoms of Flu                                                       B. Man Vs Flu Virus 

C. WHO: The Major Organization against Flu Virus           D. Variability of Flu Virus 

56. What does the author say about the flu B virus? 

A. B Virus is relatively stable and causes mild infections that do not spread far through the population.

B. B Virus is unstable, and is responsible for the epidemics that cause frequent concern.

C. B virus is extremely unstable and is responsible for some of the worst outbreaks of the disease.

D. B virus has a very developed variability, and it affects only human beings.

57. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a factor contributing to the extent to which a virus spreads?

A. The strength of the virus.               B. The ease with which the virus can be transmitted.

C. The strength of the opposition. D. The immunity the virus can bring about.

58. This article is quite probably ________.

A. a piece of news                             B. a special science report

C. an introduction to a book               D. a scientific fiction

When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm. In the winter especially, we were quite far away from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that my life has its problems too.

One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma (哮喘), and the air is so serious polluted that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.

Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment (娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising — and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.

Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens (十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.

What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?

A. Staying on the farm.                      B. Leaving home for the city.

C. Moving to the countryside.             D. Running away from the school.

Which of the following is true about the writer?

A. He lives in the city now.           B. He is in good health.

C. He prefers driving a car.                D. He is very old now.  

In the passage, the writer tries to __________.

A. persuade the reader to live in the city         B. describe his life in the countryside

C. show an interest in the outside world           D. express his opinions about the way of life

How is the passage mainly developed?

A. By inferring.                B. By listing examples.       

C. By comparing.          D. By giving explanations.

If you are a recent social science graduate who has had to listen to jokes about unemployment from your computer major classmates, you may have had the last laugh. There are many advantages for the social science major because this high-tech “Information Age” demands people who are flexible(灵活的) and who have good communication skills.

   There are many social science majors in large companies who fill important positions. For example, a number of research studies found that social science majors had achieved greater managerial success than those who had technical training or pre-professional courses. Studies show that social science majors are most suited for change, which is the leading feature(特点) of the kind of high-speed, high-pressure, high-tech world we now live in.

   Social science majors are not only experiencing success in their long-term company jobs, but they are also finding jobs more easily. A study showed that many companies had filled a large percentage of their entry-level positions with social science graduates. The study also showed that the most sought-after quality in a person who was looking for a job was communication skills, noted as “very important”, by 92 percent of the companies. Social science majors have these skills, often without knowing how important they are. It is probably due to these skills that they have been offered a wide variety of positions.

   Finally, although some social science majors may still find it more difficult than their technically trained classmates to land the first job, recent graduates report that they don’t regret their choice of study.

By saying that “you may have had the last laugh” in the first paragraph, the author means that you may have____.

A. shared the jokes with computer majors        B. earned as much as computer majors

C. found jobs more easily than computer majors   D. stopped joking about computer majors

Compared with graduates of other subjects, social science graduates ___.

   A. are ready to change when situations change      B. are better able to deal with difficulties

   C. are equally good at computer skills       D. are likely to give others pressure

The underlined word “land” in the last paragraph probably means ___.

   A. keep for some time   B. successfully get   C. immediately start   D. lose regretfully

According to the text, what has made it easy for social science graduates to find jobs?

   A. Willingness to take low-paid jobs.         B. Readiness to gain high-tech knowledge.

   C. Skills in expressing themselves.           D. Part-time work experience.

A study of English learning problems was carried out among a total of 106 foreign students. It shows that most students considered understanding spoken English to be their biggest problem on arrival. This was followed by speaking. Writing increased as a problem as students discovered difficulties in writing papers that they were now expected to hand in. Reading remained as a significant(显著的) problem.

The information gained helped us in determining where special attention should be paid in our course. Although many students have chosen to join the course with a reasonable motivation(动机), we considered it important to note what seemed to encourage interest. Nearly all the students have experienced some kind of grammar-based English teaching in their own country. To use the same method would be self-defeating because it might reduce motivation, especially if it has failed in the past. Therefore a different method may help because it is different.

Variety of activity was also seen as a way of maintaining(保持) or increasing motivation. Several years ago we had one timetable that operated throughout, but we soon found that both the students and the teachers lost interest by about halfway through the ten weeks. This led us to a major re-think, so finally we brought it into line with the expressed language needs of the students.

10. What is the text mainly about?

A. Foreign students have more problems.

B. There are many ways to improve English.

C. Teaching should meet students’ needs.

D. English learning problems should be studied again.

11. Writing became a bigger problem when foreign students________.

A. had to write their papers

B. became better at speaking

C. became less interested in reading

D. had fewer problems with listening

12. We may infer from the last two paragraphs that ________.

A. different teaching methods should be used

B. grammar-based teaching seems to be encouraging

C. English courses are necessary for foreign students

D. teaching content should be changed halfway.

If two scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory are correct, people will still be driving gasoline-powered cars 50 years from now, giving out heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — and yet that carbon dioxide will not contribute to global warming.

In a proposal by two scientists, vehicle emissions (排放) would no longer contribute to global warming. The scientists, F. Jeffrey Martin and William L. Kubic Jr., are proposing a concept, which they have named Green Freedom, for removing carbon dioxide from the air and turning it back into gasoline.

The idea is simple. Air would be blown over a liquid solution (溶液) of potassium carbonate, which would absorb the carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide would then be put to chemical reactions that would turn it into fuel: gasoline or jet fuel.

This process could change carbon dioxide from an unwanted, climate-changing pollutant into a vast resource for renewable fuels. The cycle — equal amounts of carbon dioxide produced and removed — would mean that cars, trucks and airplanes using the synthetic (合成的) fuels would no longer be contributing to global warming.

Although they have not yet built a synthetic fuel factory, or even a small model, the scientists say it is all based on existing technology. “Everything in the concept has been built, is operating or has a close cousin that is operating,” Dr. Martin said.

The Los Alamos proposal does not go against any laws of physics, and other scientists who have independently suggested similar ideas. Dr. Martin said he and Dr. Kubic had worked out their concept in more detail than previous proposals.

There is, however, a major fact that explains why no one has built a carbon-dioxide-to-gasoline factory: it requires a great deal of energy.

According to their analysis, their concept, which would cost about $5 billion to build, could produce gasoline at an operating cost of $1.40 a gallon and would turn economically practical when the price at the pump hits $4.60 a gallon.

Other scientists said the Los Alamos proposal perhaps looked promising but could not evaluate it fully because the details had not been published.

“It’s definitely worth pursuing,” said Martin I. Hoffert, a professor of physics at New York University. “It’s not that new an idea. It has a couple of pieces to it that are interesting.”

67. What is the idea of the project being discussed in the article?

A. Recycling the carbon dioxide from cars back into gasoline.

B. Create a new gasoline that gives off very little carbon dioxide.

C. Using a special liquid solution to absorb carbon dioxide from cars.

D. Build synthetic fuel factories to remove carbon dioxide from the air.

68. What’s the name given to the new concept?

A. Synthetic Fuel.                                 B. Green Freedom.    

C. Renewable Fuel.                                D. Carbon-dioxide-to-gasoline Factory.

69. Which of the following is NOT one of the benefits of this new concept as suggested in the article?

A. Reduction of global warming.            B. Cheaper gasoline for cars.

C. Longer life of cars.                     C. Less pollution of the atmosphere.

70. What’s the biggest problem in realizing the concept according to the report?

A. Shortage of starting funds.         B. Immature technology involved.

C. All previous similar attempts have failed.

D. The use of too much energy in running the fuel factory.