C
The world’s first plastic magnet (磁性) to work at room temperature has passed the elementary test of magnetism. Its creators at the University of Durham in the UK have used it to pick iron filings (铁屑) from a laboratory bench.
In 2001, chemists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln claimed to have created the world’s first plastic magnet, but it only worked below 10 Kelvin (开氏温度). Other researchers have made plastic magnets, but generally they only function at extremely low temperatures, or their magnetism at room temperature is too weak to be business use.
So the Durham team can claim to have made the first plastic magnet that could be used in everyday products. One of the most likely applications is in the magnetic coating of computer hard discs, which could lead to a new generation of high-capacity discs.
Jerry Torrance, a material scientist who is an adviser to some of the world’s largest electronics and engineering companies, including IBM, describes the work as “a great scientific breakthrough”. However, he says that practical applications are probably still a long way off.
At first the new polymer (聚合物) showed little sign of magnetism, and after three months the researchers had reached the point where they felt that trying to induce (诱发) magnetism in this polymer was a waste of time. “Just as we were about to give up and try a different way, we decided to check the samples for a last time,” says Sean Giblin.
It was a fortunate decision, because over the months the original polymer had developed magnetic characteristics. Further groups of polymer proved its magnetism and ruled out the possibility that the magnetism had been caused by pollution. In addition, X-ray diffraction data (衍射数据) showed an increase in the straight line of the polymer chains over three months, which probably accounts for the increase in magnetism.
Although the polymer’s magnetism is weak compared with metal magnets, the researchers are confident that they can improve it. And in addition to computer hard discs, the team thinks that plastic magnets could have important medical applications because organic magnetic materials are less likely to be rejected by the body.
64. The plastic magnets made by the chemists from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other researchers couldn’t be used in everyday products because .
A. they didn’t pass the elementary test of magnetism
B. they couldn’t pick up iron filings from a laboratory bench
C. they wouldn’t work at room temperature
D. they could only be used at high temperature
65. The increase in magnetism over the months is probably caused by .
A. checking the samples B. a wise decision
C. pollution
D. the increase in the straight line of the polymer chains
66. The plastic magnets could be used .
A. to compare with the metal magnets
B. to coat computer hard discs
C. to produce medicine
D. to lower the temperature
67. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Birth of Practical Plastic Magnet
B. The World’s First Plastic Magnet
C. A Fortunate Decision
D. The Applications of Plastic Magnets
B
Because he wrote his name so that it could be read easily, John Hancock has a place in the dictionary.
John Hancock was a wealthy man who helped the patriots in the American Revolution. He was president of the Continental Congress. He was also governor of Massachusetts and one of the first men of sign the Declaration of Independence. Yet he is remembered best for his large signature.
The story is told that when Hancock sat down to sign the Declaration of Independence, he said that he would write his signature large enough for John Bull to read without his glasses. Hancock’s signature on the Declaration is four the three-quarter inches long—an inch longer than his usual signature.
Today John Hancock can be used to mean any person’s signature.
60. The passage is mainly about .
A. the American Revolution B. John Hancock’s handwriting
C. how an American expression began
D. signing the Declaration of Independence
61. Hancock is remembered best because he .
A. was governor of Massachusetts
B. helped the patriots in the Revolution
C. signed his name in large letters
D. was president of the Continental Congress
62. John Bull is .
A. another name for Uncle Sam B. England’s Uncle Sam
C. a name that stands for England D. both B and C
63. According to the dictionary, a John Hancock is a .
A. governor B. man who sign petitions
C. strong patriot D. person’s signature
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
A
The desire to make exploration is born with man. Wherever his imagination goes, man also has a strong wish to go. A large part of human history is connected with the exploration of the world in which we live. Again and angina people have set out with surprising courage and patience to look into unknown regions and lands to see what had not yet been seen, to make known the unknown. With kites, balloons and aircraft they left the ground to pass through the lower atmosphere. Now the outer space receives their attention.
Why should man take the trouble of conquering space? It is hard to list the specific practical benefits that will result in. But one knows, form past experience in other areas, that man will surely see and discover new thing s in space that will increase or scientific knowledge, and this new knowledge will find its way into valuable practical uses. What we learn about man himself, from his experience in space, and from the effects of space and the space flight environment on him, will be extremely valuable. The new techniques developed to carry out the exploration of space, and to keep man alive in space, will certainly find practical uses in everyday life in some way. The areas that will benefit are manifold. They include communication, generation of power, transportation and travel, food production, materials, fuels and many others. But to say definitely just what the practical results will be is almost impossible.
56. The main idea of the first paragraph is that .
A. man desire to explore what is unknown
B. man often goes wherever his dreams to go
C. man is no longer interested in the study of the land and sea now
D. man’s history is his exploration of the world
57. The underlined word “manifold” in the second paragraph probably means .
A. vast B. various C. valuable D. practical
58. The author seems to be in favor of .
A. doubting the necessity of the space exploration
B. the exploration of space
C. exploring more in space than in sea
D. his experience in space
59. The underlined phrase “practical results” refers to the results .
A. that are obtained from experience
B. that can be learned as knowledge
C. that can be made use of
D. helping us make further exploration
第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
It is difficult for you to get up in the morning? Do you sometime oversleep? Are you often late for work or school? Yes? Then Hiroyuki Sugiyama of Japan has a(n) 36 bed for you. Hiroyuki’s bed will 37 you up in the morning! Here is how it 38 .
The bed 39 an alarm clock. First, the alarm clock rings. You have a few minutes to wake up. Next, a tape recorder in the bed plays 40 music or other pleasant sounds. The tape recorder in Hiroyuki’s bed plays a recording of his girlfriend. She whispers in a sweet 41 , “Wake up, darling, please.” A few minutes later, a second recording 42 . The sound recording can be loud music or 43 sounds. Hiroyuki hears a recording of his boss 44 , “Wake up immediately, 45 you’ll be late!”
If you don’t get up 46 the second recording, you 47 be sorry! A mechanical “foot” is in the bed. The mechanical foot kicks you in the head. Then the bed waits a few 48 minutes. What! You’re 49 in bed! Slowly the 50 of the bed rises higher and higher. The foot of the bed goes lower and lower. 51 , the bed is vertical (垂直的). You slide off the bed and onto the floor. You are out of bed and 52 .
Hiroyuki made his bed because he wanted to 53 a contest. He works for Honda Motor Company. Once every two years Honda has a contest for its 200,000 employees—“All-Honda Idea Contest”. The employees think of new 54 . If their ideas win, the employees win 55 . Hiroyuki Sugiyama won one of the top prizes for his bed.
36. A. expensive B. special C. valuable D. comfortable
37. A. get B. catch C. make D. let
38. A. works B. runs C. happens D. moves
39. A. is separated from B. is made up of
C. is connected to D. is made into
40. A. loud B. classical C. pop D. soft
41. A. sound B. voice C. noise D. way
42. A. sends B. turns C. plays D. appears
43. A. pleasant B. interesting C. unpleasant D. funny
44. A. shouts B. calls C. whispers D. persuades
45. A. and B. but C. so D. or
46. A. before B. until C. since D. after
47. A. can B. will C. may D. would
48. A. other B. another C. more D. one
49. A. still B. yet C. already D. even
50. A. end B. middle C. body D. top
51. A. However B. Finally C. Therefore D. Otherwise
52. A. angry B. work C. happy D. awake
53. A. achieve B. win C. gain D. defeat
54. A. ideas B. thoughts C. facts D. ways
55. A. praises B. contests C. prizes D. medals
--How long at this job?
--Since 1990.
A. were you employed B. have you been employed
C. had you been employed D. will you be employed
We a basketball match at five tomorrow afternoon.
A. will have watched B. watch
C. can watch D. will be watching
