As bananas ripen， the green skin turns ye11ow gradually. Chemical changes occur in the f1esh of the fruit as well：starch（淀粉）changes to sugar；pectin（果胶）breaks down，losing its stiffness； and the f1esh softens.
Is ripening fruit a self－contained system， or is the rate of these changes affected by the environment？ We designed the experiment below to see if different atmospheres， produced by different packaging， affected the rate of ripening. You will vary the atmosphere surrounding unripe bananas and observe the effect on the ripening process。
Now set up the bananas in their environments as follows：
1. Put two green bananas in a paper bag and fo1d the top over to seal out the air.
2．Put one green banana and the very ripe banana in the other paper bag and fold over the top.
3. Put two green bananas in a plastic bag and seal it.
4. Wrap（包）one green banana tightly in a plastic bag.
5. Leave one green banana exposed to the air.
Leave the fruit a1one or five days to ripen. Ripening fruit“breathes”． This means that it takes up oxygen and gives off C02. Oxygen is extremely important and necessary for the chemical reactions involved in ripening. In addition, ripening fruit gives off another gas, called ethylene（乙烯）. Not only is ethylene a product of ripening fruit, it also promotes the further ripening of the fruit.
Paper bags tend to keep the ethylene in, but they allow oxygen and ethylene to pass through slowly. Plastic bags do not allow the free flow of oxygen or ethylene. In this experiment, the green banana in paper bag with the ripe banana should ripen most quickly. The green bananas in the paper bag should ripen faster than the bananas in the plastic bag. The banana left exposed to air has an unlimited supply of oxygen, so it will turn brown most quickly. You will notice that the side of this banana that rests on the counter will ripen more quickly than the other sides, because it has the
closest contact（接触）with its own ethylene. The banana that is tightly wrapped in plastic has no oxygen supply and should ripen most slowly. Now can you see why bananas are sealed in plastic in many supermarkets？
72. What makes the green banana in Bag 2 ripen more quickly than the ones in Bag 1？
A. Ethylene from the very ripe banana. B. The free flow of oxygen or ethylene
C. C02 from the very ripe banana. D. The limitation of oxygen supply.
73. How can we slow down the ripening of bananas exposed to the air？
A. To rest them on the counter. B. To keep them in the basket.
C. To put them on the ground. D. To hang them up from the ceiling
74. It can be concluded from the passage that .
A. the ripening banana is a self-contained system
B. the rate of ripening bananas is affected by the environment
C. wrapped bananas experience no chemical changes to ripen
D. ripening bananas give off oxygen, C0, and ethylene
75. Why are bananas sealed in plastic in many supermarkets？
A. To make them ripen more quickly. B. To make them ripen more slowly.
C. To make banana flesh soften. D. To turn green bananas yellow.
For the people living in the Nile Basin, the river is their life:. This 6,825 km waterway, whose watershed（流域） covers three million square kilometers, flows through mountains ,woodlands, lakes and deserts. Its potential for fishing, tourism and shipping is great—but so are its challenges.
Water shortage , already serious in Egypt and Sudan , will soon influence several other countries in the watershed as well. Today, about 160 million people depend on the Nile River for their living. Within the next 25 yeas ,the district's population is expected to double, adding to the demand brought about by growth in industry and agriculture. The frequent drought（干旱）adds to the urgency.
Water quality is also a problem. Precious soil is washed out to sea. Wastes from industry and agriculture create pollution. Higher concentrations of salt influence irrigated soils. Water-borne diseases continue unchecked. In areas where it's hot and damp, water hyacinths choke off lakes, dams and other sections of the river, making it difficult for fishing and other businesses to move forward.
Native people along the narrow area of farmland have watched the sand move closer day by day. They’ve seen the river change course, and their only source（来源） of water thickened with mud. They’re very poor and have few choices.
But a new program, the Nile Basin Initiative （NBI），is offering very practical assistance. The program is more than just a water-management project. It’s a plan for the social and economic development of a vast district: it concentrates on the needs of the poorest of the poor and the environment that supports them.
These are whole ecosystem problems, calling for united solutions（解决办法）. Half the Nile Basin's countries are among the world's poorest nations；yet, somehow, they must find the resources, skills and political will to overcome these challenges.
68. What are the great challenges the Nile Basin faces？
A. The development of .shipping industry.
B. Overfishing of native people.
C. Water shortage and water quality.
D. Increasing population and tourism.
69. The underlined word “hyacinths”（in Paragraph 3） refer to “ ”.
A. animals B. plants C. rocks D. salts
70. The program NBI is mainly aimed at .
A. preventing water pollution B. changing the river course
C. improving living condition of the poor
D. preventing land from becoming desert
71. What would be the best title of this passage？
A. People's Life in Egypt and Sudan
B. Frequent Drought in Egypt and Sudan
C. The Poorest Countries in the Nile Basin
D. The Ecosystem Problems in the Nile Basin
It used to be that Christmas, with a little help from Blue Peter, was about adding the personal touch. We'd sit there for hours making cards and gifts for family and friends, knowing that the thought put into them would be properly appreciated.
Nowadays, time is against us, but there is still one easy way for you to make someone's Christmas this year — a personalised card from M＆S’ new website. To celebrate their new site, M＆S is offering Times readers two-for-one on all cards. Simply choose one of the 300 exclusive（独家的）Christmas designs — starting from￡1. 99, personalise it by changing the name and writing a message or uploading a photo. Then, add the receiver’s address and the card will be sent for you. Order by 2pm and it will be posted the same day.
In all, there are l,500 card designs to choose from, covering all kinds of special occasions. So if you want to get ahead of yourself for 2010, you know where to visit. You can even choose to be reminded of those important dates every year.
To claim your two-for-one on M＆S personalized cards, simply visit marksandspencer-personalised.com. Remember to enter the code ‘TIMESFRI’ on the payment page. This code is available for two days.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS：M＆S PERSONALISED CARDS
1. The product given for free must be of equal or lower value.
2. Payment of postage is required.
3. Marks ＆ Spencer reserves the right to take back this offer without prior（预先）notice.
64. What does the underlined part “two-for-one”（in Paragraph 3）mean in the ad？
A. Two paid cards and one free card.
B. One paid card and two free cards.
C. Your name and a message on one card.
D. Your photo and the receiver’s on one card.
65. From the ad we can know that M＆S is most probably .
A. a website selling Christmas cards only
B. an agency of the newspaper Times
C. a company promoting the sales of cards
D. an advertising agency of card producers
66. To order the product for your friends now, you should .
A. enter a code on the payment page of M＆S’ website
B. always order it before two o’clock in the afternoon
C. put into the card your own date of birth and address
D. spend time making cards with the help of Blue Peter
67. According to the ad, if you order the Christmas cards, .
A. they can be delivered free of charge
B. you can enjoy the special offer all the year round
C. their value may be lower than that of a free card
D. you can get a favor of at least ￡1. 99
On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, “You're nervous and that's okay. Everyone is afraid of high school. ”I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends.
On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn't figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be？ I didn't think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it！The schoolmates seemed to regard me as a fool, and they were probably right.
Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out.
With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging.
Since then, I've been elected vice president of my class, which wasn't much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions.
It is normal to be scared about a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is something that any student can overcome. Make sure you participate in some out-of-class activities because you’ll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn't straight A’s.
Most important of all, be who you are , whether you're a “fool”, an athlete, or a lower grader. Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. Now you know the true secrets of high school.
60. The main reason for the authors fear on his first day is that .
A. he was unable to work out the puzzle
B. his schoolmates were unfriendly to him
C. he was not familiar with the new surroundings
D. his schoolbag was too heavy for him to carry
61. From the author's first day experience we can infer that .
A. his home was far from the school
B. he got to school after classes began
C. he didn’t get any school schedule
D. he didn't know the right way to class
62. After his first week at school, the author .
A. was still not accustomed to the schedule
B. gradually adjusted himself to the new school
C. found high school not so challenging as he had imagined
D. ran for president of his class against three other students
63. According to the passage, the secret of the author’s success lies mainly in .
A. making more friends B. getting more A’s at school
C. being who he really is D. joining in out-of-class activities
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most loved children’s books of all time, and many adults enjoys it as well. It tells the story of a young girl named Alice, who follows a rabbit entering a magical world called Wonderland. She has many experiences which seem to change the rules of reasoning or common sense. The popularity of the book comes from its imagination, interesting story, and art work.
Charles later wrote the story down under the name Alice’s Adventures Under Ground and gave it to Alice as a Christmas present. Later, he gave a copy to his friend George MacDonald. George read it to his children and they loved it. George suggested to Charles that he make a book from his story. Charles then wrote more parts to the story until it was around 35,000 words. It was first printed in 1866, with art work by John Tenniel, under the name Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . The book was an immediate success.
even mentioned in the popular l999 film The Matrix by the character Morpheus.
56．The passage is mainly about .
A. Charles’ family life
B. a girl’s adventurous experiences
C. a magical world called Wonderland
D. the birth of a book and its lasting influences .
57. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage？
A. The writer published his works under his real name.
B. The character Alice originated from George’s child.
C. John contributed partly to the popularity of the book.
D. Charles offered a copy to George for advice.
58. We can learn from the passage that .
A. Queen Victoria asked for a few of Charles' writings
B. Charles had a gift for reasoning and writing
C. Charles had all his works translated into fifty languages
D. The Matrix was based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
59. Which of the following is the right order of the passage？
a. Charles gave his story to Alice as a Christmas present.
b. Charles had a picnic with three little girls on the Thames.
c. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was first printed in 1866.
d. More parts were added to the story by Charles.
e. The book won a large number of fans.
A. c-b-a-d-e B. c-a-b-e-d C. b-a-d-c-e D. b-a-c-e-d
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1．5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后备题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
War, money and power are a few things that countries and people are concerned about. 36 I agree that those things are important，I believe that everyone should start to 37 more on a growing problem — global warming.
Global warming will not only 38 our country and our generation, but a1so the entire 39 and future generations. It is 40 because the weather has been a lot warmer over the past few years, which 41 the melting（融化） of the ice in the Antarctic. This will soon cause water levels to 42 and flood parts of the world.
Many people ignore this problem because they fee1 43 they can’t do anything about it and have more 44 things to worry about. If we al1 45 so，then our ozone layer（臭氧层）will be 46 and the planet will no longer be able to make life continue to exist. We should do our best to limit the use of our planet’s 47 resources（资源）and keep our air clean. 48 , future generations will suffer from our 49 .
Some might feel that they can't stop global warming from 50 But if every single person does his or her part in keeping the air clean. then it will become a 51 effort. Sure, there are some things that cause pollution and that we won’t be able lo 52 change. This may include cars burning oil，but we can 53 adjust some of these things. People can start carpooling, taking the bus, riding their bikes, or . 54 just walking.
If everyone takes 55 now, I believe we can start seeing remarkable results within a few years.
36．A．When B．As C．How D．Though
37．A．depend B．focus C．hang D．remark
38．A．annoy B．interrupt C．affect D．confuse
39．A．world B．continent C．industry D．climate
40．A．failing B．completing C．changing D．occurring
41．A．lies in B．results in C．suffers from D．escapes from
42．A．reduce B．rise C．drop D．move
43．A．as if B．in case C．even though D．if only
44．A．popular B．suitable C．important D．difficult
45．A．do B．keep C．like D．find
46．A．protected B．strengthened C．destroyed D．surrounded
47．A．unlimited B．natural C．recycled D．industrial
48．A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．However D．Instead
49．A．illnesses B．failures C．decisions D．mistakes
50．A．continuing B．arriving C．improving D．disappearing
51．A．physical B．mental C．national D．worldwide
52．A．slightly B．fully C．hardly D．slowly
53．A．at least B．at most C．at first D．at last
54．A．yet B．even C．still D．thus
55．A．time B．turns C．action D．arms
