How much can environment affect intelligence? In one study, striking increases in IQ occurred
in 25 children who were moved from an orphanage(孤儿院) to more stimulating（使人兴奋的，使人振奋的） environments．The children, who were all considered mentally retarded and unadoptable, were moved to an institution where they received personal attention from adults．Later, these supposedly retarded children were adopted by parents who gave them love, a family ,and a stimulating home environment．The children gained an average of 29 IQ points．For one child, the increase was an amazing 58 points．A second group of initially less "retarded" children, who stayed in the orphanage, lost an average of 26 IQ points.
Other encouraging results can be found in early childhood education programs, which provide
stimulating intellectual experiences for disadvantaged children．In one study, children from low-income families were given enriched environments from early infancy(婴儿期) through preschool．By age 2 their IQ scores were already higher than those in a control group．More important, they were still 5 points higher seven years later．High-quality enrichment programs such as Head Start can prevent children from falling behind in school.
A particularly striking environmental effect is the fact that 14 nations have shown average IQ
gains of from 5 to 25 points during the last 30 years．These IQ boosts, averaging 15 points, occurred in far too short a time for genetics to explain them．It is more likely that the gains reflect environmental forces, such as improved education, nutrition, and living in a technologically complex society.
1.What's the main idea of this passage
A．Retarded children cannot improve their IQ's.
B．Orphanages are full of mentally retarded children.
C．Environmental factors influence a child's IQ.
D．Early childhood education programs are important.
2.The author is in favor of _____________ according to the passage.
A．putting retarded children into institutions
B．providing early childhood education programs
C．keeping children in orphanages
D．keeping retarded children with others like themselves
3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an environmental factor that affects IQ .
A．Good nutrition． B．Improved technology.
C．Better education． D．Food pollution.
4.What can we conclude from the passage ?
A．Attention from parents has little effect on a child's IQ.
B．Head Start programs are a waste of money.
C．Increases in IQ have happened in the US more rapidly than elsewhere.
D．Genetics are less important than environment in gaining one's IQ.
Have you ever thought, “I wish I could take a year off and just travel around the world”? Well,
three lucky American teenagers were able to do just that．The teens—two males and one female--got an all-expenses paid, yearlong hike to five continents.
This trip didn’t include any five-star hotels or shopping funs．Eighteen-year-old Jamie Fiel
from Keller, Texas, 17-year-old Arsen Ewing from Canyon, California, and 16-year-old Tyler Robinson from Lincoln, Massachusetts, didn’t expect fancy treatment．They signed up for the experience of a lifetime, which included hard work, often uncomfortable accommodations, and encounters with（遭遇） some of nature’s most dangerous animals and environments.
Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler were among hundreds of high school kids nominated by their science
teachers to take this trip．Earthwatch Institute sponsored this adventure．Each year, Earthwatch employs thousands of volunteers worldwide to help with scientific research projects．
The group went all around the world to get a close look at the most pressing environmental
issues of our time．Their assignments were as varied as their locations, and included measuring and attending pink flamingos in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, and tracking giant sea turtles in Costa Rica.
As they worked with the Earthwatch scientists, Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler began to understand
that we are at a critical moment in the life of our planet．Time for change is running out．As the teens went from country to country and witnessed different environmental dangers and challenges, they understood that solutions to important environmental issues start with the power of one person's actions．They realized that each of them can make a difference.
1.These teenagers went on the journey around the world _____.
A．to experience the most serous environmental problems on the earth
B．to bring the kindness of America to the other parts of the world
C．to go on sightseeing around the world
D．to call on more teenagers to join Earthwatch Institute
2.What’s true about their journey?
A．They had to pay for their journey at their own expense.
B．They often had to move from one hotel to another.
C．They had to take great pains to collect environmental information.
D．They received a warm welcome every time they arrived at a new place.
3.It can be inferred that Earthwatch Institute could be _____．
A．an international university that takes in students from all over the world
B．a TV station that makes programmes on the beautiful scenery of the earth
C．a travel agency that organizes adventure trips specially for school children
D．an organization that brings science to life for people concerned about the earth’s environment
4.What did they these teenagers learn from the journey?
A．It was high time that people protected the environment.
B．Long journey was not suitable for school children.
C．It should take the whole world to help the children.
D．Environmental problems can be solved if school children take part.
You may have heard the term “the American Dream”．In 1848, James W．Marshall found gold
in California and people began having golden dreams.That 19th century “American Dream" motivated(激发) the Gold Rush and gave California its nickname of the "Golden State".
The American Dream drove not only 1800s gold-rush prospectors（采矿者）but also waves of
immigrants throughout that century and the next．People from Europe, and a large number of
Chinese, arrived in the US in the 19th century hoping that in America they would find gold in the
streets．But most．instead, worked as railroad laborers．They created the oldest Chinatown, in San
Francisco, and gave the city a Chinese name "the old gold hill"．
In the 20th century, some critics said that it was no longer possible to become prosperous through determination and hard work． Unfair education for students from poor families and racial discrimination almost made the American Dream a nightmare(噩梦).
Then, in the 1990s, California saw a new wave of dreamers in Silicon Valley．People poured
their energy into the Internet． This new chapter of the American Dream attracted many business people and young talents from China and India to form start-ups and seek fortune in America.
Better pay, a nice house, and a rising standard of living will always be attractive．However, the
new American Dream .is no longer just about money．It encourages Americans to consume wisely to protect the environment, improve the quality of life, and promote social justice（正义，公正）.
The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the model of the new
American Dream．After years of hard work, he grew from a poor young man from Austria into a
super movie star and then a governor． Many people hope his story can save the American Dream
and give California a brighter future.
1.It can be inferred that_____________.
A．America' s golden dream could never be realized
B．America's golden dream had bought great fortune to Chinese immigrants
C．different times have different themes of the American dream
D．determination and hard work are the best way to realize the American dream
2.Why did most of the early immigrants work as railroad laborers?
A．Because they could earn more money as railroad laborers?
B．Because they had to make a living by working as railroad laborers．
C．Because they thought railroad was the first step to find gold.
D．Because railroad laborers were greatly honored at that time.
3.The underlined sentence “his story can save the American Dream” (in the last paragraph) indicates that_____________．
A．the dream of seeking fortunate in America is easy to realize
B．most of the immigrants to America don’t reach their previous goals
C．the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the common examples of the immigrants
D．the immigrants have made great contributions to California
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A．Wave of Immigrants to America
B．Make Fortunes Abroad
C．Hard Work Leads to Success
D．Changes of America’s Golden Dream
Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different c
ountries．Here is some information you may need．
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Name：Susan Lane Age：22 Place：Reykjavik, Iceland, 1994. Cost：$7,000 Organization：AFS Experience：“I think it was a turning point in my life．I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
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Name：Sara Small Age：23 Place：Crivitz, Germany, 1996. Cost：$8,000 Organization：EF Foundation Experience：“I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends．I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it．I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
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Name：David Links Age：16 Place：Stuttgart, Germany, 1996. Cost：$6,000 Organization：Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience：“I wanted to try something that was very different in culture．In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled．The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
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Name：Tom Jennings Age：21 Place：Conflans, France, 1995.. Cost：$7,000 Organization：Southern Cross cultural Exchange Experience：“There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture．You just have to play each situation as it comes．If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchange program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
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Name：Linda Marks Age：19 Place：Chonburi Province, Thailand, 1994. Cost：$3,500 Organization：Rotary International Experience：“There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more．I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
1.According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _______．
A．from $6,000 to $8,000 B．from $3,500 to $8,000
C．anything from $3,500 D．no more than $7,000
2.Most of the students had their trips organized by ________．
A．EF Foundation B．AFS
C．Rotary International D．SCCE
3.The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include ______．
A．Susan Lane and Sara Small B．Linda Marks and David Links
C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings
Far from a Family Christmas
My Air Force room in Florida was 1and quiet—I was alone．My five roommates were
gone for the holidays; I had chosen to 2behind in the camp．Being young and far from my home, I felt 3．My room was comfortable enough, 4I hadn’t realized until then what made it so—the 5of others walking, joking or just lying on their beds．
I was not able to sleep．I was 6of being on my own—in fact, preferred it at
times—but tonight was 7．Tossing and turning in the darkened room gave no 8．The last sign of daylight had disappeared, 9my inner depression． 10, the glow of Christmas lights on the tall pines would only 11me of my great misery.
Suddenly, I heard weak sound of men 12to sing．Yes, the voices grew louder and came
my way．I 13still, enjoying the sound.
In the corridor(通道，走廊) 14my room, voices came near enough for me to hear
Christmas carols（颂歌） being 15．Suddenly, there, four airmen, identities unknown, were slightly unsteadied by holiday 16．The first held a Coke bottle with a lit candle 17its top．The others formed a dancing line behind him.
18I was in the room, with joyful faces in the flickering(摇曳的) light, they sang me
several carols, wished me a 19and left as fast as they had arrived.
I slept soundly soon after, burying my face in my pillow, 20that someone had cared.
1.A．clear B．empty C．amusing D．interesting
2.A．remain B．leave C．help D．work
3.A．disappointed B．friendly C．lonely D．lost
4.A．also B．still C．however D．but
5.A．impatience B．presence C．interest D．delight
6.A．capable B．able C．skilled D．experienced
7.A．poor B．good C．different D．standard
8.A．fun B．comfort C．effort D．progress
9.A．appealing to B．sticking to C．leading to D．adding to
10.A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．Besides D．Yet
11.A．remind B．recall C．remember D．think
12.A．managing B．attempting C．happening D．deciding
13.A．noticed B．slept C．lied D．lay
14.A．opposite B．beyond C．out D．within
15.A．announced B．accepted C．played D．offered
16.A．noise B．confidence C．cheer D．optimism
17.A．stuck in B．attached to C．tied to D．involved in
18.A．Watching B．Seeing C．Guessing D．Admitting
19.A．good luck B．happy New Year C．merry Christmas D．happy birthday
20.A．grateful B．satisfied C．pleased D．surprised
---- You mean the position is still not occupied?
---- Yes, but you must know that our job is very demanding.
---- _______.
A．With pleasure B．I don’t mind
C．Don’t mention it D．That’s all right
