The Mayan（玛雅的）Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. The Mayan achievements were many. They had farms, beautiful palaces, and cities with many buildings. The Mayan people knew a lot about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time, because they could use it to make their lives more comfortable and rewarding（值得的）. Knowledge about tools and farming, for example, made their work easier and more productive.
The Maya believed in many gods, including rain gods, sun gods, and corn gods. The people built large temples to honor the Mayan gods. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult for them to build these cities, because they had no horses to carry the heavy stone they used to build with. Workers had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing.
Although the cities that the Maya built were beautiful, and the people worked hard to build them, very few of the people lived in them. Usually, only the priests（牧师）lived in the cities.
The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler than the elaborate buildings in the cities. They lived in small huts（小屋）with no windows. The walls were made of poles covered with dried mud, and the roof was made of grass or leaves. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature.
The Mayan priests studied the Sun, the Moon, stars, and planets. They made a calendar from what they learned. The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over. The Mayan calendar was far more exact than the European calendars of the time.
Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from some disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. Archaeologists（考古学家）are still trying to find the lost secrets of the Maya.
1.What does the underlined word “elaborate’’ mean?
A. easily built B. carefully made C. slowly fixed D. quickly designed
2.From the passage we can infer（推理）that .
A. most Maya lived in beautiful cities
B. many Mayan cities and temples are still standing
C. the Maya were intelligent and culturally rich people
D. the Mayan calendar was the same as European calendars
3.Why it is said that the Mayan people lived a better life than most people of that time?
A. They had better building skills and housing conditions.
B. They believed in many gods, and honored the Mayan gods.
C. They had knowledge about tools and faming.
D. They studied about nature and the world around them.
4.What can be the best title for this article?
A. Mayan Gods B. Mayan Buildings
C. Productive Maya D. Mysterious（神秘的）Maya
Want to save money when travelling by train?
Here are some ways：
Day Returns
This ticket can save you up to 45％ on the standard fare（费用）. You have to travel after the rush hour period Monday—Friday, but can travel at any time on Saturday or Sunday.
Big City Savers
These are special low-priced tickets on certain trains. You have to book in advance（提前）－at the latest by 16：00 the day before you travel. It’s first come, first served.
Weekend Returns
Weekend Returns are available（有售）for most trips over 60 miles. Go on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and return the same weekend on Saturday or Sunday, and save up to 35％ on the standard fare.
Monthly Returns
These are available for most trips over 65 miles. Go any day and return within a month. Monthly returns save you up to 25％ on the standard fare.
Family Rail Card
For 20 pounds this rail card allows you to take a second adult and up to 4 children for only 3 pounds each when you buy single or return tickets. You can travel as often as you like until the card becomes out of date.
1.How many ways does the writer tell us to save money when travelling by train?
A. Five. B. Four. C. Three. D. Six.
2.Big City Savers are special low-priced tickets on trains.
A. certain B. return C. weekend D. all
3.Monthly Returns save you up to on the standard fare.
A. 45％ B. 35％ C. 25％ D. 65％
When I was 14, I left school with learning disabilities and decided to surf the biggest waves in the world, first in California and then in Hawaii. One morning, I met an old man, a bum（流浪汉）, on the street comer. He asked me if I was running away from home. I told him, “Not exactly, sir. ”
After talking a while, he told me that he had something to show me and share with me. We walked several blocks until we came upon the downtown Public Library.
The bum asked me to sit down and wait a moment. Later he returned with some books, and then said, “I want to teach you two things. Number one is never to judge a book by its cover, for a cover fools you. I’ll bet you think I’m a bum, don’t you?”
I said, “I guess so, sir.”
“Well, young man, I've got a little surprise for you. I am one of the wealthiest（富有的）men in the world. But a year ago, when my wife passed away, I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life, one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum on the streets. For the past year I have been going from city to city doing just that. Number two is to learn how to read, for there is only one thing that people can’t take away from you, and that is your wisdom（智慧）. ”At that moment, he gave me the books he’d pulled from the shelves. His parting request（请求）was for me to never forget what he taught me. I have remembered until today.
1.The boy when he was 14.
A. liked running B. left school
C. did well in study D. traveled around the world
2.Which of the following is true?
A. The old man took the boy home.
B. The old man was homeless and poor.
C. The old man was friendly to the boy.
D. The old man and his wife went from city to city.
3.The old man taught the boy how to .
A. love people B. become wise
C. choose friends D. experience the bum’s life
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A new planet more like Earth was discovered and regarded as a likely future home for human. The planet contains both land and water with average temperatures around 22℃. It is 600 light years from Earth. There are 290 days a year on the planet. |
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A French company wants to change the Eiffel Tower into a very tall and growing Christmas tree made of 600,000 plants. The Eiffel Tower is decorated（装饰）with 10,000 light bulbs and attracts（吸引）7 million visitors a year. |
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Wow, what a night! The evening got off to a fun start with Steven Hall. Ronan Parke took on Kelly Clarkson’s Because Of You. Jai McDowall finally won because of his wonderful performance. |
1.The new planet .
A. might have 365 days a year B. has no water
C. might be a future home for human D. has bad weather
2. will make the Eiffel Tower become a big tree.
A. 1000 light bulbs B. 600,000 plants
C. 600 light years D. 7 million visitors
3. was the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2011.
A. Steven Hall B. Ronan Parke
C. Kelly Clarkson D. Jai McDowall
As darkness fell, hundreds of people in the Swiss village left their houses. They were staring（注视）forward at the mountain top in the distance. It was covered with ice and snow－beautiful and dangerous.
The huge mountain is called Matterhorn. Mountain climbers had 40 the top through the southem route（路线）. But no one had ever dared to try a winter climbing up the northern side. But now one man was daring to try the 41 route. He was Walter Bonatti, a great mountain climber 42 Italy.
For two days he had climbed. The village people had watched him anxiously（焦虑）. Now they were waiting to see his signal. If he planned to 43 the next day, he would light（点燃）a green signal（信号）. A red light would mean that he was turning back.
A tiny green light 44 high on the mountain side. Bonatti was not giving up! The people 45 . The next day he continued his way upward. He was so lonely and so 46 ! But he would not give up. Again that night he lit the green light. In the morning, Bonatti 47 . He could not see the top；he knew he was 48 there. Though the climb was painful, he moved up.
Bonatti had spent months 49 for the climb. Was the training enough? Did he have the strength and skill to climb to the top?
He was finally at the top! News about his. 50 was radioed to the world.
The trip down the southern route was easy. He was warmly welcomed in the village. He had done the “ 51 ” and would be well remembered as a climber of all time.
1.A. reached B. passed C. watched D. followed
2.A. comfortable B. important C. difficult D. nervous
3.A. with B. from C. in D. at
4.A. turn back B. come down C. go on D. get back
5.A. placed B. appeared C. pulled D. found
6.A. cried B. laughed C. jumped D. cheered
7.A. sleepy B. excited C. tired D. happy
8.A. woke up B. turned up C. got up D. looked up
9.A. already B. almost C. hardly D. surely
10.A. training B. practising C. planning D. asking
11.A. importance B. success C. climb D. courage
12.A. necessary B. dangerous C. perfect D. impossible
IQ（intelligence quotient智商）is a score that shows a person’s level of intelligence.
People used to believe that some people are born with a high IQ and some aren’t.
32 , a study by scientist at University College London has challenged（挑战）this idea. According to an article last October on the Journal Nature, scientists are beginning to think that our IQ is not a constant（不变的）score.
The scientists tested 33 healthy young people in 2004 between the ages of 12 and 16. Then they did tests again four years later, when the same people were between 16 and 20.
Scientists found big changes in the IQ scores between 2008 and 2004. Some 33 and some fell 34 as many as 21 points.
To test whether these scores were meaningful, the scientists compared them with results from brain scans（扫描）. They found that the IQ changes matched changes in the structure（结构）of the subjects’ brains. “A change in 20 points is a huge 35 ,” said Professor Cathy Price, who led the research. He said it could mean the difference between an average and a 36 person. The team has not found a clear cause for these changes. However, they say it is 37 that education plays a role in changing IQ.
“Here we have shown that children’s 38 is likely to be still developing, ” says Price. “We have to be careful not to write off 39 performers at an early stage. In fact, their IQ may improve in a few more years. ”
1.A. And B. However C. Besides D. Though
2.A. rise B. rose C. raise D. raised
3.A. of B. with C. by D. from
4.A. difference B. matter C. thing D. meaning
5.A. successful B. gifted C. able D. rich
6.A. natural B. true C. certain D. possible
7.A. score B. intelligence C. skill D. interest
8.A. clever B. prettier C. nicer D. poorer
