A Charlotte, N.C., man was charged with first-degree murder of a 79-year-old woman whom police said he scared to death. In an attempt to evade policemen after a bank robbery, the Associated Press reports that 20-year-old Larry Whitfield broke into the home of Mary Parnell. Police say he didn’t touch Parnell but that she died after suffering a heart attack that was caused by terror. Can the guy be held responsible for the woman’s death? Prosecutors(公诉人) said that he can under the state’s murder rule, which allows someone to be charged with murder if he or she causes another person’s death while committing or fleeing from a severe crime like robbery—even if he or she doesn’t kill someone on purpose.

But, medically speaking, can someone actually be frightened to death? We asked Martin Samuels, chairman of the neurology department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Absolutely, no question about it.

The body has a natural protective method called the fight-or-flight response(战或逃反应), which was originally described by Walter Cannon，the chairman of Harvard University’s physiology department from 1906 to 1942. If, in the wild, an animal is faced with a life-threatening situation, the autonomic nervous system responds by increasing heart rate, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and slowing digestion, among other things. All of this increases the chances of succeeding in a fight or running away from an aggressive beast. This process certainly would be of help to primitive humans. However, in the modern world there is obvious decline of the fight-or-flight response.

The autonomic nervous system uses the chemical messenger to send signals to various parts of the body to activate the fight-or-flight response. This chemical is toxic in large amounts; it damages the organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. It is believed that almost all sudden deaths are caused by damage to the heart. There is almost no other organ that would fail so fast as to cause sudden death. Kidney failure, liver failure, those things don’t kill you suddenly.

By the way, any strong positive or negative emotions such as happiness or sadness can cause the same result. There are people who have died in intercourse or in religious passion. There was a case of a golfer who hit a hole in one, turned to his partner and said, “I can die now”, and then he dropped dead. For about seven days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon there was an increase of sudden cardiac death among New Yorkers.

1. Why the Charlotte, N.C., man was charged?

A. Because he threatened the policemen to kill an old woman.

B. Because he caused an old woman’s terror and she died.

C. Because he beat an old woman and caused her heart attack

D. Because he murdered an old woman while robbing a bank.

2. Which of the following about the fight-or-flight response is true?

A. The fight-or-flight response was raised and proved by Martin A. Samuels.

B. It is a natural protective method that can’t be found in all creatures but humans.

C. The ancient humans had a superior fight-or-flight response than modern ones.

D. The fight-or-flight response is beneficial to both our actions and organs.

3.What activity can we infer is less likely to damage the organs?

A. Winning a big lottery.                   B. Missing a dead family.

C. Watching a horror movie.                 D. Listening to a sweet song.

4. The purpose of the passage is_________.

A. to explain why people will die of a heart attack

B. to offer some advice on protecting us from heart failure

C. to compare different kinds of feelings to cause a death

D. to show strong emotions can cause a sudden death

第二部分：阅读理解(共两节，满分40分)

第一节 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

BEIJING (AFP) — Archeologists in China have uncovered more than 3，000 dinosaur footprints，state media reported，in an area said to be the world’s largest grouping of fossilized hones belonging to the ancient animals．

The footprints，believed to be more than 100 million years old，were discovered after a three-month excavation(发掘、出土) at a gully in Zhucheng in the eastern province of Shandong，the Xinhua news agency reposed．   

The footprints range from 10 to 80 centimeters (4 to 32 inches) in length，and belonged to at least six different kinds of dinosaurs，including tyrannosaurs，the report said Saturday．

Wang Haijun，a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Sciences，said the footprints faced the same direction．Xinhua said．

This indicated a possible migration or a panic escape by plant-eating dinosaurs after an attack by predators(食肉动物)，Wang added．

Archeologists have found dinosaur fossils at some 30 sites in Zhucheng，known as“dinosaur city．”The region has seen two major digs since 1964，and experts say the discovery of so many dinosaurs in such a dense area could provide clues on how the animals became extinct millions of years ago．

Plans are being made to set up a fossil park in the area．

36．We can infer from the text that_____．

A．most of the footprints are more than 32 centimeters long

B．the footprints found belong to some predators

C．the dinosaurs were running in all directions because of an attack

D．the area is considered to be a perfect tour source

37．Which statement below is true according to the passage above?

A．The number of the footprints found is more than 3000．

B．The dinosaurs may live in an age 10，000，000 years ago．

C．The discovery of fossils may open a new age．

D．Archeologists still wish to find some more fossils．

38．The passage may be picked out from_____．

A．a magazine    B．a science book   C．a newspaper    D．a students’ textbook

    14 days for just ￡2090 pp

    Fully inclusive from the UK

    Price covers：International airfares，departure taxes，fuel charges，local transportation，accommodation，all meals，entrance fees，guides，daily tours and visas for UK citizens.

    ◆Days 1­-3：UK­—Shanghai

    Fly to the great city of Shanghai and in the evening, sample traditional Shanghai food. Visit the beautiful Yu Gardens，Old Town，Shanghai Museum，cross the Great Nanpu Bridge and tour the Pudong area .Also explore Xintiandi with its 1920's style Shikumen buildings and end your stay in Shanghai with an amazing Huangpu River evening tour.

    ◆Days 4-­7：Shanghai­­—Yangtze River Tour

    Fly to Yichang and change (approx.one hour)to board your Yangtze River ship for the next four nights. Enjoy a tour of the Three Gorges Dam(三峡大坝)before sailing on the grand Yangtze River，passing through the impressive Three Gorges. We take a side trip to the Lesser Three Gorges or travel up the Shennong Stream in a peapod boat and enjoy various shore trips along the way.

     ◆Day 8：Chongqing­—­Chengdu

    Get off in Chongqing and drive to Chengdu for an overnight stay.

    ◆Days  9­-10：Chengdu­—­Xi'an

   Visit the famous Panda Reserve to see the lovely animals. We then fly to the historic city of Xi'an for two nights' stay and enjoy traditional Shuijiao. Next day explore one of the most important discoveries of the 20th Century—the Terracotta Warriors(兵马俑)，followed by the ancient City Wall and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing.

    ◆Days 11-­13：Xi'an­ ­—Beijing

Visit Little Wild Goose Pagoda and see the ancient objects at the well-­known Shaanxi Provincial Museum before walking through the lively Muslim Quarter to see the Great Mosque. Later fly to Beijing for three nights' stay and try Peking Duck.During our stay in Beijing，we stroll through Tian'anmen Square to the Forbidden City，the largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China，and visit the Summer Palace. Next day we take a walk on the Great Wall，tour the unique Temple of Heaven and enjoy an attractive Chinese Acrobatic Show.（杂技）    

◆Day 14：Beijing­—UK

    Fly back to the UK，arriving home later the same day filled with happy memories.

1.The underlined word “sample” in the passage probably means “______”．

A．buy           B．reserve         C．taste        D．make

2.The first and last scenic spots to be visited in Xi'an are______.

A．the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Mosque

B．the Terracotta Warriors and Shaanxi Provincial Museum

C．Little Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque

D．Little Wild Goose Pagoda and the Muslim Quarter

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the ad?

A．The tourists will have to pay extra for fuel and meals.

B．The tourists will visit the 1920's Shikumen buildings in Beijing.

C．The tourists will take a side trip to the Three Gorges Dam during the tour.

D．The tourists will stay in Beijing for three nights before leaving for the UK.

4.The ad is mainly intended to______.

A．encourage the British to travel in China

B．attract the British to traditional Chinese food

C．offer services of booking air tickets to tourists

D．provide the British with a better understanding of China

C
Cancun is a seaside town in Mexico, where most tourists come here to enjoy the beach, water sports and night life. In fact, it is so modern and Americanized that you might think you were in southern California or Florida.
But just a short two-hour hike from the town lie the ruins of the city of Chichen-Itza, one of the capitals of the lost Maya（玛雅）civilization. The center of the ruins of this city is the pyramid of El Castillo. The ancient Mayan religious people climbed this pyramid during festival to honor the Sun god. Tourists today climb it to view the architectural achievements of Chichen-Itza and to prove their fearlessness of heights and steep （陡峭的）climbs. There is a sign in Spanish, admonishing visitors “It’s dangerous to go up.” I gladly ignored it and started my climb.
The climbing was tough. The steps were higher than one might normally take., but the climb was not fearful at all. From the top of the pyramid, I had a wonderful view of the ruins of this Mayan city. What was most striking to me was that just beyond the ruins of splendid structures, gardens, temples and what looks like a modern sports stadium, you could only see forests for miles and miles. It was almost as if some race had mysteriously come out of nowhere, built it up and then suddenly disappeared from the planet, leaving only stones in its space.
The only remains on the top of the pyramid were the Temple of Kukulcan. During the festivals to worship the Sun god, only the high ranks would have the right to enter this temple.
After shooting a few pictures, I realized it was time to go down. Only then did I discover that what people fear about the climb is not the trip going up, but the way going down. I saw a few brave souls who were walking down as if they were in their own house. Looking down at the steepness of the pyramid, I desperately feared this great height. My first desire was to joke with a few people, “Where is the elevator（电梯）?” I figured that a civilization that was this advanced would have had the foresight(预见) to construct an elevator. Lacking such modern equipment, I had to use the chain provided by the Mexican tourist authorities and climb down on all fours.
My climb was complete eventually. I quickly got on the bus back to my comfortable hotel. Leaving the ruined city, I was still wondering what possibly happened long ago. But a few hours later, I was back in the modern world drinking cocktails on the beach, bathing in the sunshine before boarding the plane and waiting for my trip back home to the US, where all the modern things such as elevators are available!
57. Why did the writer pay a visit to the ruined city of Chichen-Itza?
A. He wanted to climb the pyramid of EL Castillo and know about the Mayan civilization.
B. He would got to the Temple of Kukulcan to attend a religious festival to honor the Sun god.
C. He thought the city of Chichen-Itza was quite different from the modern town of Cancun.
D. He was attracted by the ruined ancient buildings there and wanted to take some photos.
58. The underlined word “admonishing” in Paragraph 2 probably means “___________”.
A. urging          B. forcing          C. warning         D. frightening
59. Which of the following best shows climbing the pyramid of EL Castillo is a difficult task?
A. The steps are very high and it is much more scaring to climb to the top.
B. The climbing calls for courage and patience, and also takes a long time.
C. When tourist climb up to the top, there is no elevator to take them down.
D. The pyramid is high and steep, and climbing down is much more fearful.
60. From the last paragraph, we can infer that the writer ______________.
A. had a bad impression of the visit and decided to leave as soon as possible.
B. thought modernization could offer people comforts and conveniences.
C. got tired of the modern life and tried a different one in his own way.
D. enjoyed himself in the climb though it was very tiring and dangerous.

Throughout the history of the arts,the nature of creativity has remained constant to artists.No matter what objects they select,artists are to bring forth new forces and forms that cause change—to find poetry where no one has ever seen or experienced it before.
Landscape(风景) is another unchanging element of art.It can be found from ancient times through the 17th-century Dutch painters to the 19th-century romanticists and impressionists.In the 1970s Alfred Leslie,one of the new American realists,continued this practice.Leslie sought out the same place where Toomas Cole,a romanticist,had produced paintings of the same scene a century and a half before.Unlike Cole who insists on a feeling of loneliness and the idea of finding peace in nature,Lealie paints what he actually sees.In his paintings,there is no particular change in emotion,and he includes ordinary things like the highway in the background.He also takes advantage of the latest developments of color photography(摄影术) to help both the eye and the memory when he improves his painting back in his workroom.
Besides,all art begs the age-old question:What is real?Each generation of artists has shown their understanding of reality in one form or another.The impressionists saw reality in brief emotional effects,the realists in everyday subjects and in forest scenes,and the Cro-Magnon cave people in their naturalistic drawings of the animals in the ancient Forests.To sum up,understanding reality is a necessary struggle for artists of all periods.
Over thousands of years the function of the arts has remained relatively constant.Past or present,Eastern or Western,the arts are a basic part of our immediate experience.Many and different are the faces of art,and together they express the basic need and hope of human beings.
【小题1】The underlined word “poetry” most probably means______.