Most people think that the older you get, the harder it is to learn a new language. That is, they believe that children learn more easily and efficiently than adults. Thus, at some point in our lives, maybe around age 12 or 13, we lose the ability to learn languages well. Is this idea a fact or myth(悬念)？

Is it true that children learn a foreign language more efficiently than adults? On the contrary, research studies suggest that the opposite may be true. One report, on 2,000 Danish children studying Swedish, concluded that the teenagers learned more, in less time, than the younger children. Another report, on Americans learning Russian, showed a direct improvement of ability over the age range tested; that is, the ability to learn increased as the age increased, from childhood to adulthood.

There are several possible explanations for these findings. For one thing, adults know more about the world and therefore are able to understand meanings more easily than children. Moreover, adults can use logical(逻辑的) thinking to help themselves see patterns in the language. Finally, adults have more self-discipline (self-control) than children.

All in all, it seems that the common idea that children are better language learners than adults may not be a fact, but a myth.

1.The main idea of the passage is ____.

A．teenagers are more difficult to teach

B．Danish teenagers can learn Swedish faster than younger children

C．adults are more logical than children

D．the ability to learn languages increases with age

2.According to the passage, teenagers can learn a foreign language _____ than younger children.

A．harder                               B．more efficiently

C．more slowly                           D．more carefully

3.Which of the following possible explanations for older student’s better achievement is not mentioned in the above passage?

A．Adults know more about the world.         B．Adults can use logical thinking

C．Adults have more self-discipline.            D．Adults can read better.

With the possible exception of equal rights, perhaps the most heated argument across the United States today is the death penalty (死刑). Many argue that it is an effective deterrent (威慑) to murder（谋杀）, while others think there is no enough proof that the death penalty reduces the number of murders. The argument advanced by those who are against the death penalty is that it is cruel and inhuman punishment, that it is a mark of a bad society and finally that it is of questionable effectiveness as a deterrent (威慑物) to crime (罪行) anyway.

In our opinion, the death penalty is a necessary action. Throughout recorded history there have always been those peculiar persons in every society who made terrible crimes such as murder. But some are more dangerous than others. For example, it is one thing to take the life of another in time of blind anger, but quite another to coldly plan and carry out the murder of one or more people in the style of a butcher. Thus, murder, like all other crimes, is a matter of different degree. While it could be argued with some reason that the criminal in the first instance should be merely kept from society, such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer.

The value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime may be open to discussion. But the majority of people believe that the death penalty protects them. Their belief is proved by the fact that the death penalty prevents murder. For example, from 1954 to 1963, when the death penalty was carried out from time to time in California, the murder rate remained between three and four murders for each 100, 000 population. Since 1964 the death penalty has been done only once, and the murder rate has risen to10.4 murders for each 100, 000 population. The sharp climb in the state's murder rate, which began when killings stopped, does not happen by chance. It certainly shows that the death penalty does stop many murderers. If the law about death penalty is vetoed (否决), some people will be murdered----some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect. This is really a life or death matter. The lives of thousands of people must be protected.

1.The main purpose of this passage is to _________.

A．speak for the majority

B．argue against the value of the death penalty

C．speak ill of the government

D．argue for the value of the death penalty

2.Which of the following is among the heated arguments across the USA besides death penalty?

A．Air pollution.                           B．The war against Iraq.

C．Equal rights.                           D．Election of president.

3.The numbers in the last paragraph show that ______.

A．if they stick to death penalty, the number of murders will be reduced

B．death penalty almost stopped from 1954 to 1963

C．the population of California has risen

D．death penalty is of little value

4.It can be inferred that the writer thinks that ______.

A．the death penalty is the most important problem in the United States today

B．the second type of murderers (in Paragraph 2) should be sentenced to death

C．the veto of the law about death penalty is of little importance

D．the value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime is not to be discussed

London Underground

The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time，the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work， they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This  would  help ease(减轻) the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems，the idea of the London Underground，the first subway system，was born.

The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays，but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) long. About 30，000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed)， and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However， the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰)， as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems，riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.

1.What led the British government to build the London Underground？

A. Traffic jams and pollution.

B. Population and pollution.

C. Overcrowding and traffic jams.

D. The poverty and subway problems.

2.How did the London Underground solve the smoke problem？

A. It made the tunnels larger.

B. It put fans in the tunnels.

C. It cleaned the chemical gases in the tunnels.

D. It reduced the number of passengers riding in the train.

3.The underlined phrase “catch on” most probably means “______”.

A. be troublesome           B. become popular and fashionable

C. keep up with             D. seize

4.Which of the following is TRUE？

A. To relocate the workers’ homes outside London，the government built the subway.

B. There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened.

C. The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic.

D. There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened.

(2013·湛江一中期末测试)If cars had wings，they could fly and that just might happen，beginning in 2012.The company Terrafugia，based in Woburn，Massachusetts，says it plans to deliver its car­plane，the Transition，to customers by the end of 2012.

“It's the next ‘wow’ vehicle，” said Terrafugia，vice president Richard Gersh.“Anybody can buy a Ferrari，but as we say，Ferraris don't fly.”

The car­plane has wings that unfold for flying—a process the company says takes one minute—and fold back up for driving.A runway is still required to take off and land.

The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies，although it is both.The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations，and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.

The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient and cheaper way to fly.They say it saves you the trouble of trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports：you drive the car to the airport and then you're good to go.When you land，you fold up the wings and hit the road.There are no expensive parking fees because you don't have to store it at an airport—you park it in the garage at home.

The car­plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet.It has a maximum take­off weight of 1,430 pounds，including fuel and passengers.Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal(边缘的) conditions.

The Transition's price tag：$194,000.But there may be additional charges for options like a radio，transponder or GPS.Another option is a full­plane parachute.

“If you get into a very awful situation，it is the necessary safety option，”Gersh said.

So far，the company has more than 70 orders with deposits.“We're working very closely with them，but there are still some remaining steps，” Brown said.

1.We can learn from the first paragraph that ________.

A．car­planes will be popular in 2012

B．people might drive a car­plane in 2012

C．both the Transition and the Ferrari can take off and land

D．Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts

2.It takes the car­plane one minute to ________.

A．fold and unfold its wings

B．unfold wings for flying

C．land in the airport

D．meet flying safety regulations

3.According to the passage，which of the following is NOT true?

A．The car­plane needs a runway to take off and land.

B．To meet aircraft regulations，the company has been working with FAA.

C．The car­plane may fly as high as normal planes.

D．People can park the car­plane in the garage at their home.

4.The underlined word “it” in the last but one paragraph refers to ________.

A．the radio

B．the transponder

C．the GPS

D．the full­plane parachute

The US government has started a website, Admongo, to help children think critically about the advertising aimed at them. It claims to provide visitors with an “education” through games and other entertainment.

A cartoon man dressed in old time pilot clothing greets visitors to Admongo. "Call me Haiz", he says upon arrival in a rocket ship that opens up with a crazy world inside it. Spacey dance music plays in the background as Haiz tells visitors that they need to learn about advertising.

Its inventors say eight to twelve years old is the age kids develop their critical thinking abilities. Kids of that age are also a big market for advertisers.

The idea behind Admongo is to teach children three things: To identify the advertiser. To know what the advertiser is really saying. And to know what the advertisement is trying to get the child to do.

Children learn these things through a video game. They create their own game character. They can choose different skin colors, hair styles, eye and mouth shapes. Then they begin a trip through ad-land, where there are ads on buses and billboards. The players have to find all the marketing in the neighborhood before they can move on to the next level.

The Admongo game takes players inside a home, to the advertising studio and everywhere else ads can be found. It is a complete exploration of the world of marketing.

One such area is food marketing. The Federal Trade Comission (FTC) says it is a big business. The FTC estimates that food, drink and fast-food restaurants spent more than one and a half billion dollars on advertising to young people in 2010.

The FTC says children are important for three reasons. They buy products. They influence parents and caregivers to buy. And they are the future adult buyers of the products.

A recent study says most advertising aimed at children is for foods of the lowest nutritional value. First Lady Michelle Obama has said she would like to see advertisers marketing healthy foods for children.

1.The best title of the text may be ________.

A．The guide of Admongo                   B．An education website for children

C．A popular online video game               D．An advertising website

2.The government started the website to _________.

A．attract the biggest market of buyers.

B．sell the products of its company.

C．help children know about advertising.

D．advertise the video game for children.

3. Players in the website game can_________.

A．choose hair styles for their character.        B．travel to a supermarket.

C．eat in a fast-food restaurant.               D．play video games during the trip.

4.According to Michelle Obama, lots of food advertised for children are _____.

A．healthy           B．of high nutrition     C．yummy           D．of low quality

An anxious mother watched as rescuers freed her baby from a muddy well. After being pulled from the well，the baby joyfully ran to its mom as the rescuers took a break.

It was a difficult and potentially dangerous rescue: the baby was an 8-month-old elephant, and at first its mother thought the humans were trying to harm it. The baby elephant fell into the five-foot-deep well near Kenya's Amboseli National Park. Local people had dug the well for water.

It took 30 minutes to remove the trapped elephant. While Vicki Fishlock of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants made a loud shout to frighten the mother away, two men struggled to get a rope around the baby elephant. Once the rope was in place, Fishlock used her jeep to pull the baby out.

Fishlock recognized Zombe, the mother of the trapped baby elephant，from a mark on her ear. She believes that in the end Zombe realized the humans were trying to help.

“Rescues where the elephant’s family members are around are always stressful, and I'm always happy when everyone is safe,” Fishlock said.“The reunions (团聚) always bring tears to my eyes. The depth of their love for each other is one of the things that make elephants so unusual.”

The very next day, another baby elephant fell into the same well. The 3-month-old's family had been driven away from the area by local people. Once it had been rescued, the Amboseli Trust had to send it to an elephant orphanage (孤儿院) in Nairobi, Kenya's capital city.

The rescues showed the plight of elephants across Africa. Elephants are fighting to survive, as conflicts between the animals and humans are increasing. Thousands of elephants are also being killed for their tusks. The tusks are sold in Asia, where ivory trinkets are in high demand.

The Amboseli Trust has been studying elephants and trying to help them since 1972. Fishlock said, “We hope this rescue persuades people that elephants are special and deserve to be protected and treasured.”

1.We can learn from the text that _____.

A．Fishlock had seen the baby elephant before

B．The mother elephant was a great help to rescuers

C．the well was dug by local people to trap elephants

D．the mother elephant was unfriendly at first to the rescuers

2.What causes Fishlock to think that elephants are special?

A．Their trust in humans.                    B．The deep love between them.

C．Their great ability to survive.               D．The good communication between them.

3.What did the two baby elephants have in common?

A．They were both 8 months old.              B．They were both rescued by local people.

C．They were both trapped in the same well.     D．They were both reunited with their mothers.

4.The underlined word "plight" in Paragraph 7 probably means“______”.

A．a strong personality                      B．A dangerous situation

C．an annoying habit                       D．a close relationship

5.What would be the best title for the text?

A．An elephant rescue                     B．The elephant, an unusual animal

C．An elephant rescue organization            D．Conflicts between humans and elephants

A yoga master made a shocking statement that Abraham Lincoln had been a Himalayan yogi in a past life．Lincoln delivered a proclamation setting up Thanksgiving as an American holiday in 1863．Research throws light on a possible Hindu （印度的）origin for the American celebration of Thanksgiving．

"The holiday of Thanksgiving has a Hindu origin," says Richard Salva, author of a book on the reincarnation （转世）of Abraham Lincoln entitled Soul Journey: From Lincoln to Lindbergh which is based on a statement by the great master of yoga, Paramhamsa Yogananda, who declared that Abraham Lincoln had been a Himalayan yogi in a past life, and that he was reborn as the famous pilot, Charles Lindbergh．

“During my search for signs of a past-life yoga practice,” SaIva said, “I noticed that President Lincoln repeatedly chose Thursdays as national days of prayer, fasting （禁食），and thanksgiving．This was interesting, because Thursday is considered a holy day — a day for prayer, fasting, and spiritual reflection — among Hindus, who call it “guru day”.”

“Lincoln also set aside time on Thursdays to grieve(哀悼) for his son,Willie, who died in Washington．Clearly, Thursdays had a spiritual significance in Lincoln's mind.

In his book, Richard Salva presents more than 500 connections between Lincoln, Lindergh, and the ancient spiritual science of yoga. The connections run through every aspect of the human condition and provide convincing evidence that Lincoln had had a Hindu past life.

More than one out of every five Americans today believes in reincarnation—yet few are aware of how past-life patterns affect them. Soul Journey tries to fill this gap, by offering a substitute experience of reincarnation. Through clear and persuasive similarities between the lives of Lincoln and Lindbergh, the book discovers how the hidden laws of fate and reincarnation impact the events of his or her daily life. It addresses other issues, such as the secret spiritual history of America's greatest president, including his past life as a Himalayan yogi; the hidden clues that reveal past lives; the greatness he achieved; and the spiritual principles behind the yoga postures that millions now practice．

1.Based on Richard Salva’s view, ______.

A．Hindus started the holiday of Thanksgiving

B．the Americans copied Thanksgiving from Hindus

C．Charles Lindbergh had been a Himalayan yogi

D．Thanksgiving had Hindus roots

2.We can draw a conclusion from the passage that ______.

A．in India all the prayers are done on Thursday

B．in India Thursday is a religious day

C．Abraham Lincoln was once a famous pilot

D．Paramhamsa Yogananda once taught Lincoln yoga

3.When it came to the comparison between Lincoln and Lindbergh, the author held a ______ attitude.

A．neutral           B．doubtful          C．negative          D．positive

BEIJING—Apple Inc is one step closer to beginning sales of iPad3 tablet computers with cellular (手机) network compatibility (兼容) for the first time in the Chinese mainland, where the consumer-electronics giant is in the midst of an aggressive expansion.

According to China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, a device by Apple with third-generation high-speed wireless data capabilities was issued the network access license needed for the company to begin official sales in China. The device, listed under model number “A1396”, is compatible with the 3G standard WCDMA, and would work with the cellular network operated by Apple’s local iPhone partner, China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd.

China Unicom declined (谢绝) to comment.

Apple already offers the 3G iPad3 in Hong Kong through its partners, but currently only offers Wi-Fi versions of the device in the Chinese mainland. Still, consumers in China, which according to research firm IDC surpassed (超过) the US as the world’s largest PC market in the second quarter, have been purchasing 3G tablets through unofficial channels.

Separately, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said Sept 6 that the company’s first Hong Kong store, set to open this quarter, will be located in the city’s central shopping and business district in the International Finance Center’s upscale (高档的) IFC mall, a commercial center and sightseeing spot along the city’s waterfront. Wu also said that Apple is planning a new store in Shanghai later this quarter, which will be its biggest store in China. She declined to give more details or to comment on the 3G iPad3.

Apple currently has four full-service Apple stores in the mainland, which receive the most traffic of any Apple stores in the world. The company otherwise relies on resellers to get its products into the market.

The new stores reflect Apple’s confidence in rising demand for its products such as smart phones and tablet computers. Sales in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan helped boost (增长) the company’s third-quarter results, newly appointed Chief Executive Tim Cook said in July. China revenue (收益) surged (激增) six-fold to about $3.8 billion during the three months ended June 25.

“This has been a substantial (重大) opportunity for Apple and I firmly believe that we’re just scratching the surface right now,” Cook said at the time, referring to strong sales in China. “I see an incredible opportunity for Apple there.”

From China Daily 2012

1.According to the news, which of the following statements is true?

A．WCDMA is not the only 3G standard in the world.

B．Apple Inc sells its products in the market of the Chinese mainland all by its own stores.

C．The consumers in China can only get iPad3 of Wi-Fi versions.

D．Chinese mainland is the second largest PC market in this year’s second quarter.

2.Which one of the following phrases can replace the underlined word in paragraph 1?

A．in the interests of                       B．in the front of

C．in the process of                        D．in the case of

3.How many full-service Apple stores in China?

A．4.               B．6.                C．8.               D．Unknown.

4.What’s the probable meaning of “six-fold” in the last but one paragraph?

A．one-sixth          B．six times          C．60 percent        D．2times

5.45. By saying “we’re just scratching the surface right now”, Cook means ________.

A．they don’t know much about China’s market

B．they will sell more products and gain more profit in China

C．they need to obtain more permission from China’s government

D．they ignored the rural market in China

China has recently been faced with serious issues of product safety. In Panama, it is said that medicine made with a poisonous chemical sickened some people. A Chinese company had identified it as diethylamide glycol （ [化]乙二醇）, a low – cost substitute commonly used in automobile antifreeze（防冻剂）.

Some countries have banned Chinese-made toothpaste containing diethylamide glycol. China has now told companies to discontinue its use, even though it says the toothpaste is safe. Another industrial chemical, melamine, was found in wheat flour used to make pet food in North America. Thousands of dogs and cats became sick.

The United States has restricted some imports of Chinese seafood because they contained banned substance. And questions have been raised about other products, including children’s toys covered with lead paint.

Chinese officials promised to provide the European Union, the biggest trading partner, with detailed reports on enforcement efforts against unsafe goods.

Meglena Kuneva, commissioner (理事) for consumer protection of the European Union said China should have kept its promise.

China recently closed three companies linked to the Panama and the pet food scare. And it dismissed the former head of its food and drug administration. He was found guilty of corruption (腐败) for approving unsafe drugs. This week, a conference of the State Council approved a proposed special measure on the supervision of food safety. The Xinhua News Agency said it calls for stronger controls over producers, greater responsibilities for government and more serious punishment for illegal activities.

But Chinese officials have accused some foreign media of overstating problems with goods made in China. They say food imports from the United States also fail inspection sometimes. Next Week, American and Chinese food safety officials are planning to hold 5 days of meetings in Beijing to discuss cooperation.

1.How many cases with safety problems are mentioned in the passage?

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

2.How was Panama case dealt with afterwards?

A. Three companies linked to it were closed down.

B. The former head of food and drug administration was removed from his position.

C. More serious punishment was conducted for leaders linked to it.

D. Both A and B.

3.We can infer the followings except that ________.

A．Chinese- made toothpaste is safe

B．the safety of “made in China” is doubted

C．there are safety problems with more Chinese products

D．the Chinese government is to blame partly for the product safety problems.

4.The passage is mainly about ________.

A．China is facing product safety problems

B．more controls are taken of Chinese goods

C．overstated problems with Chinese goods

D．China is losing its trade partners

5.What does “ it ” refer to in the last but one paragraph?

A．China                                B．The European Union

C．Chinese officials                        D．The Chinese company

On the evening of June 21, 1992, a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes entered the beautiful hall of the Bell Tower Hotel in Xi’an with his bicycle. The hotel workers received him and telephoned the manager, for they had never seen a bicycle in the hotel ball before though they lived in “the kingdom of bicycles.”

Robert Friedlander, an American, arrived in Xi’an on his bicycle trip across Asia which started last December in New Delhi, India.

When he was 11, he read the book Marco Polo and made up his mind to visit the Silk Road. Now, after 44 years , he was on the Silk Road in Xi’an and his early dreams were coming true.

Robert Friedlander’s next destinations  were Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Urumqi, etc. He will complete his trip in Pakistan.

1.The best headline for this newspaper article would be ______ .

A．The Kingdom of Bicycles                  B．A Beautiful Hotel in Xi’an

C．Marco Polo and the Silk Road.              D．An American Achieving His Aims

2.The hotel workers told the manager about Friedlander coming to the hotel because______ .

A．he asked to see the manager

B．he entered the hall with a bike

C．the manager had to know about all foreign guests

D．the manager knew about his trip and was expecting him

3.Friedlander is visiting the three countries in the following order.  ______ .

A．China, India, and Pakistan                 B．India, China, and Pakistan

C．Pakistan, China, and India                 D．China, Pakistan, and India

4.What made Friedlander want to come to China? ______.

A．The stories about Marco Polo .             B．The famous sights in Xi’an .

C．His interest in Chinese silk.                D．His childhood dreams about bicycles .

5.Friedlander can be said to be _______ .

A．clever            B．friendly           C．hardworking       D．strong—minded