1990 was a significant year in world enents. In Febbruary, Nelson Mandela was set free after 27 years in prison. In October, East and West Germany became one country again. Then at the end of 1990, the World Wide Web was born. For this final event we have one man to thank, Tim Berners-Lee, the father of the Web.
Berners-Lee was born on June 8, 1955 in London, England. His parents, both computer designers, encouraged him to think and work creativelhy as he grew up. He was an excellent student and naturally took an interest in computers and science.
After graduating from Oxford University, Tim went to work at a science research centre in Sfwitzerland. There be developed some of the different systems that would later become the Web. The first was HTML, the computer language used to make web pages. The second was an address system that let  computers anhywhere find each other and send and receive information. In 1990, while still at the science centre in Switzerland, he put them together to make the first Internet browser. It could run on any computer and allowed people to create  share their information with the rest of the world.
Tim knew that the more people used the Web, the more useful it would be. He wasn’t interested in money but knowledge, so he gave out his invention for free to anyone who was interested. Many were interested and the growth of the Internet began.
Today Tim works as a professor at the MIT in America, researching new and interesting ways to use the Web. He has received many awards from governments and organizations for his efforts. He is still not very interested in money. That is why he is so admired by his students and workmates. It may also be one of the reasons that few people outside the world of technology know his name.
【小题1】 The underlined word “significant” (in Paragraph 1) most probably means “       ” .

Text messaging, or simply “texting”, which allows people to send and receive messages on  mobile phones, becomes very popular today.
The advantages of texting are obvious. Texting helps to save money. If you have a few words to greet your families and friends on their birthdays or on some important festivals, sending messages can be cheaper than phone calling. Texting helps to save time. Even if you want to send a message to 100 people, you can do it one second. Texting helps you to “talk” to someone when he is too busy to answer the phone. Texting can also help you to “talk” to someone secretly if you don’t want others to hear what you are talking on the phone. These advantages are so amazing that many people are crazy about it. They hold mobile phones in hands all day long, send dozens of messages each day, and even text while driving or walking.
However, texting has its disadvantages. Junk messages may come into your mobile phone box now and then. When your phone box gets too full, you can’t receive any more messages. You may therefore miss some important information.
What’s more, if you don’t do texting properly, for example texting while driving or walking, it can be dangerous. It can cause injuries and even death. It was reported that about 6,000 people were killed and half a million were injured for this reason each year. In Fort Lee, a small town in New Jersey, USA, three people died because they walked into traffic while texting in 2011. Two researchers at Stony Brook University, New York found that texters are 60% more probably to have an accident than others. When people are texting, they don’t notice other people or things around them. To reduce traffic accidents, all drivers of the UN are now not allowed to text while driving. About 32 countries have passed laws restricting the use of mobile phones while driving.
Texting is a wonderful way of communication. However, only when we use it properly, can we fully enjoy the fun it brings.
【小题1】 How many advantages of texting are mentioned in the passage?

任务型阅读（5分）

In today’s class, we’ll learn how to send birthday e-cards to friends anywhere in the world without leaving our classroom. I’ll show it to you on 123 Greetings, which is one of the most popular e-card websites.

Step 1: Surf the Internet and go to 123 Greetings. Click (点击) “Happy Birthday”

Step 2: Make your e-card. After clicking the card you want, you’ll see a menu.

Step 3: Add your text in the box.

Step 4: Enter your e-mail address. Then enter your friend’s e-mail address.

Step 5: Click “Send”, and your birthday e-card is on its way.

1.How many steps are there to send birthday e-cards?

A. Two        B. Three       C. Five        D. Six

2.What is 123 Greetings?

A.It’s a post office which posts birthday cards

B.It’s an e-card website which sends birthday e-cards.

C.It’s a workshop which teaches how to make e-cards

D.It’s a company which produces e-cards

3.This passage is most probably from a(n)_______class

A. Art        B. History     C. Science     D. Computer