Edward Wilson is America's, if not the world's, leading naturalist. In The Future of Life, he takes us
on a tour of the world's natural resources (资源). How are they used? What has been lost? What
remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use? Wilson also points out the need to
understand fully the biodiversity (生物多样性) of our earth.
     Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment (环境) protection, Henry David
Thoreau. He compares today's Walden Pond with that of Thoreau's day. Wilson will use such
comparisons for the rest of the book. The problem is clear: man has done great damage to his home over
the years. Can the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to
support us in the future?
     Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today. Even our
agricultural crops can gain advantages from it. A mere hundred species (物种) are the basis of our food
supply, of which but twenty carry the load. Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten
thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural
homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas.
      At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the
environment. If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may well read and act on the ideas in this
book.

1. We learn from the text that Wilson cares most about ______.

A. the environment for plants
B. the biodiversity of our earth
C. the waste of natural resources
D. the importance of human values

2. How many species are most important to our present food supply?

A. Twenty.  
B. Eighty.
C. One hundred.  
D. Ten thousand.

3. Wilson suggests that one way to keep biodiversity is to ______.

A. learn how to farm scientifically
B. build homes for some dying species
C. make it clear what to eat
D. use more species for food

4. We can infer that the text is ________.
A. a description of natural resources
B. a research report
C. a book review
D. an introduction to a scientist

     There are several advantages in planting trees:they firm the soil, soak(渗透) up extra water and take
carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. However, it now turns out that planting trees could add to global
warming. We all know that tree roots do a great job of keeping soil firmly on the ground and out of the
wind's power. The problem is that some of the dust clouds play an important part in soaking up carbon
dioxide.
      Huge dust storms blow out over the oceans from  dry parts of North Africa and Central Asia. Tons
of dust are lifted and left as a thin film over the ocean surface.
     Dust from China is carried east and left in the Pacific Ocean. If a treeplanting programme there is
successful and the dust supply reduced, the net result may be that less carbon dioxide gets locked away
in the ocean.
      Andy, an environmental scientist has spent the past few years studying dust and says his work shows
clearly the complexity of the system. For this reason the need is to focus on cutting carbon dioxide giving
off rather than doing anything else.
     Robert, an American scientist, has  shown that when native grassland areas are invaded by trees,
carbon is lost from the soil. "We are studying why the soil carbon disappears, but one theory is that trees
do a lot more of their growing above ground compared to grass, so less carbon goes directly into the soil
from trees." said Robert.
     In wet areas of the world, the gain from trees absorbing carbon dioxide above ground seems to be
outweighed by the loss of carbon from the soil below ground.
     Countries that plan to fight against global warming by planting trees may have to think again. Solutions
to environmental problems are often more complex than they first appear, and understanding the Earth's
climate is a very great challenge.

1. People usually hold the opinion that ________.

A. huge dust storms can destroy carbon dioxide
B. planting trees could reduce global warming
C. huge dust storms can destroy the oceans on the Earth
D. planting trees is the only way to control huge dust storms

2. Andy, an  environmental  scientist, believes  that________.

A. environmental problems are more complex than expected                  
B. trees shouldn't have been planted in dry places
C. dust plays a more important part than trees
D. carbon dioxide is harmful to everything

3. Robert's experiment proves that ________.

A. trees absorb more carbon than grass
B. carbon can turn grass into dust
C. less carbon can make trees grow faster
D. grassland areas should be covered by forests

4. The best title for this passage is "________".

A. The importance of planting trees
B. The dust clouds soak up carbon dioxide
C. Is it really useful to plant trees to reduce global warming?
D. Why the soil carbon disappears

                                                                      Paragraph 1
      Scientists have learned a lot about the kinds of food people need. They say that there are several kinds of
food that people should eat every day. They are: (1) green and yellow vegetables of all kinds. (2) citrus (柑桔)
fruits and tomatoes; (3) potatoes and other fruits and vegetables; (4) meat of all kinds, fish and eggs; (5) milk
and foods made from milk; (6) bread or cereal (谷类), rice is also in this kind of food; (7) butter, or something
like butter.
                                                                      Paragraph 2
     People in different countries and different places of the world eat different kinds of things. Foods are
cooked and eaten in many different kinds of ways. People in different countries eat at different times of the
day. In some places people eat once or twice a day; in other countries people eat three or four times a day.
Scientists say that none of the differences is really important. It doesn't matter whether foods are eaten raw
(生的) or cooked, canned or frozen. It doesn't matter if a person eats dinner at 4 o'clock in the afternoon or
at eleven o'clock at night. The important thing is what you eat every day.
                                                                      Paragraph 3
     There are two problems, then, in feeding the large number of people on earth. The first is to find some
ways to feed the world's population so that no one is hungry.
     The second is to make sure that people everywhere have the right kinds of food to make them grow to
be strong and healthy.

1. According to the scientists, which of the following groups of food is the healthiest for your lunch?

A. chicken, apples, cereal, cabbages
B. potatoes, carrots, rice, bread
C. oranges, bananas, fish, tomatoes
D. beef, pork, fish, milk

2. It is important for people to eat _____.

A. three times a day
B. dinner at the right time
C. cooked food all the day
D. something from each of the seven kinds of food every day

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. People in some places don't have enough to eat.
B. There are too many people in the world.
C. One of the problems is that no one is hungry.
D. The scientists are trying to make people grow to be strong and healthy.

4. If there is Paragraph 4, what do you think is going to be talked about?

A. When people should eat
B. What to do with the two problems
C. How to cook food in different ways
D. Why people eat different kinds of food

     Three key facts about rising sea levels need to be pointed out to the world's politicians and planners:
sea-level rise is now unavoidable (不可避免的), it will happen faster than most of us thought, and it will
go on for a very long time.
     Even if greenhouse gas emissions (排放) stopped tomorrow, the oceans would continue to become
larger as they get warm. The climate scientists estimate that sea-level rise may be in the range of 1 to 2
meters by 2100, with a small risk of an even greater rise.
     For many islands and low-lying regions, even small rises will cause disasters. But for most countries,
the problem is what has been built on that land: New York, Sydney and Tokyo, to mention just a few
cities. Unless something can be done, great areas of urban network will disappear under the waves. It
will take a great engineering effort to protect these cities-an effort that may be beyond economies that
have been brought to their knees.
     None of this means we should fear, and stop trying to forbid emissions. But together with these efforts,
we need to start acting now and we must stop building in danger zones.
     Billions of dollars are being spent on constructing homes, offices and roads in vulnerable (脆弱的)
coastal areas. For instance, the skyscrapers of Shanghai are being built on land that is mere 4 meters
above sea level on average, and they are sinking under the weight of the buildings. Therefore, planning
for new coastal developments is to go against reality. If we want to build a lasting heritage for our children,
we should do so on the plentiful land that is in no danger from the sea. It is one of the effective ways to
slow down climate change, and we should be acting on it now.

1. The most possible reason for the rising of sea levels should be _____.

A. greenhouse gas emission
B. temperature change of the oceans
C. vulnerable coastal area
D. fast urban development and expansion

2. New York, Sydney, and Tokyo are mentioned in this passage to show _____.

A. climate change has been completely out of control
B. modem cities are usually built along the coastline
C. the coastline is very important for modem countries
D. climate change can do harm to economies

3. The effort to protect coastal cities may be beyond economies because _____.

A. much money has been wasted to build coastal cities
B. people have lost confidence in their economies
C. economy development has made climate change worse
D. protecting the cities may cost more than what has been obtained

4. According to the author, we should _____ to deal with sea-level rise.

A. move big cities like New York and Shanghai to higher places
B. stop building skyscrapers in big cities like Sydney and Tokyo
C. build cities on the land free from the danger of sea-level rise
D. be aware of the danger of greenhouse gas emissions into the ocean

     What is the single largest cause  of sick leave in the UK? The answer is not the common cold  or flu,
but back pain. Back pain affects one in three British adults, cost the country over ￡5 billion every year
and is obviously difficult  to treat.
     But now Britain's National Health Service (NHS) will be offering a new solution: acupuncture .
     The ancient Chinese needle therapy has been around in the UK for many years, but for the first time it
has been  officially  supported  by  the  NHS’ advisory body, the National Institute for Clinic Excellence (NICE).
     Traditionally,doctors in the UK have advised back pain sufferers to stay active,do stretching exercises
and take painkillers when  necessary. In more serious cases some people are given  X-rays treatment or
injections with therapeutic substances.
     NICE, however,says there is evidence that acupuncture may be more effective than expensive X-rays
or injections, to patients who  have  been s uffering  for over  six weeks should  be given  acupuncture 
treatments.
     As an alternative to acupuncture , patients will be able to choose either a course of spinal manipulation  (脊柱推拿)  or a series of special sessions.
     In the UK, acupuncture is classified as a complementary  (辅助的)  therapy, which is the term given
 to a medical procedure which hasn't  been subjected  to  the strict trials by which  scientists prove some
 treatment work.
     While many experts have welcomed the move to make acupuncture available on the NHS, some are
still skeptical about its effectiveness.
     Research from the US earlier this month found that simulated acupuncture using toothpicks which do
not pierce the skin could be as good as using real needles.
     So while some are yet to be convinced,  back  pain  sufferers  will be hoping  that acupuncture helps
them feel healthy and mobile again. Employers, on the other hand, will  be  hoping  it gets them back to
work.

1. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Acupuncture m the UK.
B. The largest cause of sick leave.
C. The ancient Chinese medicine.
D. Different ways to treat back pain.

2. According to NICE, which of the following ways is more effective to treat back pain?

A. To take painkillers
B. To use the Chinese needle therapy
C. To take X-ray treatment or injections
D. To stay active and do stretching exercises

3. Which of the following statements about acupuncture is TRUE?

A. Doctors can use needles or toothpicks to perform acupuncture.
B. Patients taking acupuncture have to take a course of spinal manipulation.
C. Patients suffering back pain for a long time are more advised to use acupuncture.
D. Acupuncture costs less money and has lower effects than X-rays or injections

4. Why is acupuncture classified as a complementary therapy in the UK?

A. It is not strict in the treatment.  
B. Some British don't have trust in it
C. The main British treatment is very effective.
D. Its medical procedure hasn't been strictly tested scientifically.

     An overweight, middle-aged man lies dead on a trolley, with a woman weeping over his body. The
body's cold hand still grasps a half-eaten McDonald's hamburger. American doctors' TV ad features the
image which weakens the slightest of appetites and the line "I was lovin' it".
     The hard-hitting US television commercial supported by a Washington-based medical group has angered
McDonald's by taking an unusually direct shot at the world's biggest fast-food chain this week. The line is
a twist on McDonald's long-standing advertising slogan, "I'm lovin' it" and a voice-over intones, "High
cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian."
     The commercial, funded by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), goes further
than most non-profit advertising and has drawn an angry reaction from both the Chicago-based hamburger
multinational and the broader restaurant industry.
     The National Restaurant Association criticized it as "irresponsible" and said it was an attempt to scare the
public with a "limited" view of nutrition. A McDonald's spokesman said,"This commercial is unbearable,
misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonald's trusts our customers to make food and lifestyle choices
that are right for them."
     The commercial, to be aired at the beginning in the Washington area but potentially in further US cities,
comes amid an increasingly lively debate in the US about healthy eating. The first lady, Michelle Obama, has
made nutrition a signature issue and is leading a campaign to encourage physical fitness and improved diets-
particularly among American children, a third of whom are overweight.
     The economic decline has hardly helped the healthy eating cause. McDonald's has enjoyed a relatively
prosperous financial crisis as diners choose its affordable offerings in place of more expensive high-street
restaurants. Its global profits for the six months to June were up 12% to $ 2.3 billion, powered by sales rises
both in the United States and Britain.
     The PCRM's director of nutrition education, Susan Levin, made no apologies for singling out the golden
arches (拱门):"McDonald's is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. Its name and its golden arches
are instantly recognizable. We feel we're making a point about all fast food when we talk about McDonald's."

1. The ad-maker makes a change in the McDonald's slogan _____.

A. to warn people of risk of eating fast food
B. to convince people of cause of the death
C. to remind people of the man's preference
D. to accuse McDonald's of the murder

2. The goal of this passage is to tell us that _____.

A. the TV commercial goes too far
B. people enjoy eating fast food for its taste
C. Michelle Obama's campaign doesn't work
D. McDonald's provides unhealthy food

3. The underlined words "the golden arches" in the last paragraph refers to _____.

A. the line
B. the ad
C. McDonald's
D. fast food

4. What is the theme of the passage?

A. A fierce debate about healthy eating
B. McDonald's targeted in US health ad
C. N US health ad advocates healthy life
D. Say goodbye to McDonald's right now

     "Old wives tales" are beliefs passed down from one generation to another, For Example, most of us
remember our parents' telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth
in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test
of time.
     Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now
report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration. Eating just one
carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic (蒜) is good for you, too. It
can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
     Unfortunately, not all of Mom's advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of
children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is
no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. Sticky sweets made with grains
tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
     Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water, there is still a lot of
truth in the old wives' tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated (积累) from thousands
of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search
for clear scientific support to prove it true or false.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A. Eating garlic is good for our eyes.
B. Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth.
C. Swimming after a meal is dangerous.
D. Carrots prevent people from catching colds.

2. The author develops the third paragraph mainly _____.

A. by cause and effects
B. by order in space
C. by order in time
D. by examples

3. The phrase "hold water" in the last paragraph most probably means "_____".

A. to be believable
B. to be valuable
C. to be admirable
D. to be suitable

4. What is the author's attitude toward "old wives' tales" in the text?

A. So objective
B. Objective
C. Dissatisfied
D. Curious

     Millions of people visit Yosemite National Park every year to see the tall waterfalls and mountains. Thee
mountains are a splendid sight when viewed from the valley floor. Lots of stores, hotels, and restaurants are
needed to handle the crowds. Also, water, roads, and other service systems are part of the infrastructure
(基础设施) that must be maintained.
     Unfortunately,these systems are starting to break down. It's not just in Yosemite but in national parks
around the nation.
     Yosemite is thirty years old according to Dennis Galvin, a National Park Service worker. The park is not
only old but worn out. Two or three times as many visitors come every year. That is too many visitors for the
parks to deal with.
     Four years ago a storm washed out a water pipeline in the Grand Canyon. The National Park service had
to send water trucks to provide water for the visitors. Last month pipes almost broke again and roads had to
be closed for a while.
     Why hasn't the National Park Service kept up the park repairs? There is a lack of money. The United States
has 378 monuments, parks, and wilderness areas. Between three and four billion dollars are needs for repairs.
     Yosemite is one national park that does have money for repairs. It has two hundred million dollars but
cannot spend it any way it chooses. When the park workers started widening the road, they were forced to
stop by the Sierra Club. The club claimed that the road work was damaging the Merced River that runs through
the park.
     A sierra Club lawyer, Julia Olson, feels that the infrastructure needs to be moved out of Yosemite. That way
less pressure will be put on the already crowded park.

1. According to the text, the mountains in Yosemite look most splendid when they are appreciated
from _____. 

A. the bottom of the valleys
B. the top of the mountains
C. the side of the mountains
D. the edge of the valleys

2. National parks like Yosemite in the U.S. find it increasingly difficult to meet the need of visitors
because _______.

A. that transport management needs improving
B. they spend too much on their service systems
C. their service systems frequently go out of order
D. they need help from environmental organizations

3. The main problem of Yosemite National Park is its _______.