Looking back on my childhood, I believe that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were all brought up in the same way, my brothers and my sisters soon gave up their flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic (算術).
Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim(暗淡的) memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal(水晶)clear memory of the dogs, farm animals, local birds, and above all, insects.
I am a naturalist, nor a scientist. I have a strong love for the natural world and my enthusiasm (熱情) has led me into varied investigations (調查). I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something brings these observations together in my mind. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books.
But curiosity(好奇心), a keen (敏銳的)eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist. A scientist, up to a point, can be made. A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds

1. 1.

   The first paragraph tells us the writer______．

   1. A.
      was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood
   2. B.
      lost his hearing when he was a child
   3. C.
      didn’t like his brothers and sisters
   4. D.
      was born into a naturalist’s family
2. 2.

   The writer can’t clearly remember his relatives probably because______．

   1. A.
      he didn’t live very long with them
   2. B.
      the family was very large
   3. C.
      he was too young when he lived with them
   4. D.
      he devoted himself to observing nature
3. 3.

   It can be inferred from the passage that the writer was______．

   1. A.
      a scientist as well as a naturalist
   2. B.
      not a naturalist but a scientist
   3. C.
      only a born naturalist
   4. D.
      first of all a scientist

Have you ever been to London? Here is some hotel information for you.

Kingsway Hall Hotel We offer quality service (優(yōu)質服務) in Kingsway Hall Hotel. This location puts guests in easy reach of many places, such as the British Museum and Piccadilly Circus. Our hotel also has modern Western food, and offers a perfect dining environment. The lounge bar is a comfortable place to enjoy a drink while watching the tourists. There are hundreds of dining choices within walking distance. Non-smoking rooms are ready for guests. Hilton Docklands Riverside Located on the bank of the Thames, our hotel is about two miles east of Tower Bridge and 36 miles from London Heathrow Airport. Our hotel has a beauty salon, a flower shop and a swimming pool. The hotel also offers laundry (洗衣店) services, babysitting, shining shoes, and local area transportation. Windermere Hotel Located in the center of London, our hotel puts guests within easy reach of London’s well-known buildings. Buckingham Palace and the Royal Parks are just a short walk away. Within 1.5 miles you can visit Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. The theatres, Harrods shopping centre, and the designer shops of Sloane Square and Knightsbridge are all only a short walk away or a taxi ride away.

1. 1.

   What does Kingsway Hall Hotel provide for its guests?

   1. A.
      Chinese food
   2. B.
      A lounge bar
   3. C.
      Smoking rooms
   4. D.
      A swimming pool
2. 2.

   What is special about Hilton Docklands Riverside?

   1. A.
      It offers different kinds of service
   2. B.
      It offers a reasonable price
   3. C.
      It has convenient transport
   4. D.
      It has delicious food
3. 3.

   This passage is most likely to be found in ______

   1. A.
      a travel guide
   2. B.
      a story book
   3. C.
      a technical report
   4. D.
      a geography magazine

SAS Institute 2012 rank: 1 (2011 rank: 2)
Headquarters: Cary, N.C., USA
Software company SAS climbed to the top of the global list this year, edging up from the No. 2 spot it held last year. So what makes this company so great to work for? Well, for one thing, its leaders are certainly accessible. CEO Jim Goodnight hosts monthly “Conversations Over Coffee,” unscripted breakfast meetings that are open to all employees. These conversations are so popular that other division heads have begun to hold similar events for their employees.  
Google 2012 rank: 2 (2011 rank: 4)
Headquarters: Mountain View, Calif., USA
Google moved up by two spots in this year’s ranking of global workplaces. The highly desirable tech receives 61 times as many applicants as they have existing jobs, and for good reason. Google seems to be all about coaching. The company’s “CareerGuru” program makes 43 of its senior leaders available for one-on-one, confidential career coaching sessions with other Googlers.  
Engineering employees at all levels can also get advice from “EngAdvisors”, senior engineers at Google who can discuss any number of issues, like work-life balance, conflict resolution, and performance reviews.
NetApp 2012 rank: 3 (2011 rank: 3)
Headquarters: Sunnyvale, Calif., USA
All new employees at data storage provider NetApp participate in the TOAST (“Training On All Special Things”) orientation program, which introduces new arrivals to NetApp’s senior management. The meetings are held every month and are always led by the executive team.  
Microsoft 2012 rank: 4 (2011 rank: 1)
Headquarters: Redmond, Wash., USA
As part of Microsoft’s commitment to promoting women in technology, the company established its DigiGirlz program in 2000. Microsoft hosts a series of DigiGirlz Day events where female high school students meet Microsoft employees and learn about careers in technology. In 2011, some 36 Microsoft locations across the world hosted more than 2,000 girls. Microsoft also holds DigiGirlz High Tech Camps, multi-day programs where participants get hands-on experience with technology during workshops and meet with tech executives

1. 1.

   What helped make SAS climb to the top of the list in 2012?

   1. A.
      Accessible leaders
   2. B.
      Popular divisions
   3. C.
      Qualified employees
   4. D.
      Quality software
2. 2.

   Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

   1. A.
      Microsoft employed over 2,000 girl workers in 2011
   2. B.
      New engineering Googlers could get advice from senior Googlers
   3. C.
      All NetApp employees had to attend a special training
   4. D.
      All leaders in SAS had the same conversations with their employees
3. 3.

   These American companies are ranked according to _________

   1. A.
      the training program each company establishes
   2. B.
      the wealth each company possesses now
   3. C.
      the level of technology each of the company reaches
   4. D.
      the number of people willing to work for the company

If your mother wants to tell you something, she uses words. Birds cannot talk as we do. But some birds can make sounds to warn their young of danger.
The jackdaw is a kind of blackbirds that lives in Europe. Jackdaws live together. Young jackdaws do not know their enemies. When an older jackdaw sees a dog, it makes a loud rattling sound. The younger birds know this sound means danger is nearby. The sound warns them to know their enemies.
If a young jackdaw is in a dangerous place, a jackdaw parent flies over him from behind. The parent bird flies low over the young bird’s back. The parent’s tail feathers move quickly from side to side, trying to express, “Follow me.” At the same time, the parent calls out, “Key-aw, key-aw. ”The parent mean, “Fly home with me.” The young bird then follows the older one home. Young jackdaws do not have to learn what certain sounds mean. They know the meaning of these sounds from the time they hatch（孵出）

1. 1.

   The jackdaw lives in______．

   1. A.
      Europe
   2. B.
      Australia
   3. C.
      America
   4. D.
      Africa
2. 2.

   Which of the following does this story lead you to believe?

   1. A.
      All animal parents can talk to their young
   2. B.
      Dogs are the most dangerous enemies for jackdaws
   3. C.
      Young jackdaws know the meaning of their parents’ sound when they grow older
   4. D.
      Some birds can give information to one another
3. 3.

   Parent jackdaw can use their tail feathers to______．

   1. A.
      ask their young to follow them
   2. B.
      play a game with the young
   3. C.
      tell the meal time
   4. D.
      give a warning of a fire

1. 1.

   Where did Li Hua see Mrs Daniels’ advertisement?

   1. A.
      At London University
   2. B.
      In a newspaper
   3. C.
      On the Internet
   4. D.
      On TV
2. 2.

   Why did Li Hua write the Email?

   1. A.
      To make friends with Mrs Daniels
   2. B.
      To apply to study at London University
   3. C.
      To get more information about Mrs Daniels’ lessons
   4. D.
      To find out more information about Aston College
3. 3.

   Which of the following information did Li Hua NOT mention in his email?

   1. A.
      His age
   2. B.
      His reasons for learning English
   3. C.
      His language level
   4. D.
      The language skills he wants to focus on
4. 4.

   Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his ______

   1. A.
      listening and writing
   2. B.
      writing and speaking
   3. C.
      listening and grammar
   4. D.
      listening and speaking

Most people who live in Seattle, Washington, love their city. There is a never-ending flow of fun things to do. But, people who live there do not always enjoy the day-after-day absence of sunshine during the winter months.
It is documented fact that sunshine (or lack of it) plays a major role in how each of us meets the day. It also affects how we perform at school or work. When people are derived of sunlight, they can develop seasonal affective disorder, which makes it difficult for them to feel happy or get things accomplished. No major city in the United States is more affected by the “sunshine factor” than Seattle.
To fight drizzle and fog during the winter months, Steve Murphy created a business that is very popular among the locals. The Indoor Sun Shoppe is more than a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle’s winter. His shop offers a huge source of plants and artificial lighting for people who are trying to overcome seasonal affective disorder.
Located in Fremont, Washington, The Indoor Sun Shoppe has an amazing collection of exotic plants and “good bugs” in a humid and well-lit environment. At The Indoor Sun Shoppe, you can spend up to $400 for artificial lighting that will chase away the winter blues. It will also keep your plants healthy. You can buy a dawn simulator that will gradually fill your room with a warming wake-up glow. What better way to meet a Seattle morning when real sunshine is nothing more than a happy thought!
Murphy’s in-home waterfalls are also popular with customers. But his plants and lights remain the “main course.” On a cloudy winter day, The Indoor Sun Shoppe is a bright spot in Seattle!

1. 1.

   Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

   1. A.
      Seattle is located in the state of Washington
   2. B.
      Citizens love Seattle for their colorful city lives
   3. C.
      Sunshine in Seattle is rare during the winter months
   4. D.
      People who live in Seattle are used to the sunshine absence
2. 2.

   Which of the following best defines the term seasonal affective disorder in Para.2?

   1. A.
      mild temperature and a general feeling of illness caused by gray winter
   2. B.
      exhaustion, depression and lack of energy caused by a lack of sunlight
   3. C.
      winter-related illness caused by the low temperature and little sunlight
   4. D.
      post-holiday depression that comes when relatives leave after Christmas
3. 3.

   The Indoor Sun Shoppe _____

   1. A.
      attracts people from different parts of the whole country
   2. B.
      aims to create a humid and well-lit environment during winter months
   3. C.
      brings only a little ray of sunshine during the gray days of Seattle’s winter
   4. D.
      offers variety of goods helping people overcome seasonal affective disorder
4. 4.

   Which of the following best explains the use of a dawn simulator?

   1. A.
      An alarm clock stimulated by the light rays of early morning
   2. B.
      A bringer of indoor artificial sunshine when there is none outside
   3. C.
      An automatic waterfall system helping make indoor plants healthy
   4. D.
      A better way to meet a Seattle morning with real warming sunshine

The British policeman has several nicknames, but the most frequently used are"copper"and"bobby". The first name comes from the verb "cop" meaning "to take" or "capture", and thesecond comes from the first name of Sir Robert Peel, a 19th century politician, who was the founder of the police force. An early nickname for the policeman was "peeler", but this name had died out.
　Visitors to England seem，nearly always, to be very impressed by the English police. In fact, it has become a joke that the visitors to Britain, when asked for his views of the country, will always say，at some point or other, "I think your policemen are wonderful."
　Well, the British bobby may not always be wonderful but he is usually a very friendly and helpful character.
　A music-hall song of some years ago was called, "If you want to know the time, ask a policeman." Nowadays, most people own watches but they still seem to find plenty of other questions to ask the policeman. In London, the policemen spend so much of their time directing visitors about the city that one wonders how they ever find time to do anything else!

1. 1.

   The British policeman has _______ nicknames mentioned in the passage

   1. A.
      five
   2. B.
      two
   3. C.
      three
   4. D.
      ten
2. 2.

   One of the nicknames for the policeman, "peeler" _______

   1. A.
      is the name of a politician
   2. B.
      is most frequently used sometimes
   3. C.
      is not used any more
   4. D.
      is still used as much as "bobby"
3. 3.

   "If you want to know the time, ask a policeman." That means _______

   1. A.
      the British policeman is friendly and helpful
   2. B.
      the British policeman has plenty of time to help people
   3. C.
      people usually think that the policeman always knows the time
   4. D.
      it is a duty for the policeman to tell people the time
4. 4.

   Which of the following is NOT true?

   1. A.
      The British policeman has some nicknames
   2. B.
      The British policeman is wonderful
   3. C.
      Only the British policeman knows the time very well
   4. D.
      The British policeman is ready to help people

One would have to be a fool to overlook (忽視)the importance of using positive(積極的) thinking for you rather than allowing negative thinking to work against you. In recent years, research in psychopharmacology (精神藥理學) has proved what many people have known over the centuries: a positive attitude is good for you, good for your health, good for your wealth, good for everything. Researchers found that a positive attitude produces a specific chemical reaction which makes people feel better, while negative thinking results in a decline of hormone (荷爾蒙) and shuts down the immune (免疫的) system. This leads to illness and depression. Positive thoughts will make you feel better. Even if you must begin by literally forcing yourself to be positive (faking it, so to speak), it will become contagious (會傳播的) and the positive thoughts will generate nice little chemicals and good feelings which will reinforce the positive thoughts.
For example, if you force yourself to smile or laugh, even when you don't feel like smiling or laughing, if you keep at it for a few minutes, you will soon feel like it. Feelings can generate (導致)thoughts, but thoughts can also generate feelings. Control your thoughts and you can control your feelings. Positive thinking is important in all aspects of our lives. There is probably no single factor more important in determining your success in achieving your career objectives than your own attitude.
It's often been said that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And in the office of militant (好戰(zhàn)) negativism, the positive workers shine like gold. You cannot control external events, but you can learn to control your reaction to those events and thereby have a positive attitude and be happy. This vital key to success is totally within your control. Use it

1. 1.

   We can infer from the passage that______.

   1. A.
      positive thinking can cure you of your diseases
   2. B.
      positive thinking can easily be generated by anyone
   3. C.
      a decline of hormone may cause you to be depressed
   4. D.
      a specific chemical reaction is the cause of negative thinking
2. 2.

   According to the passage, which of the following is true?

   1. A.
      Feeling and thoughts can generate each other
   2. B.
      It's easier to control thoughts than to control feelings
   3. C.
      Your success depends wholly on your attitude
   4. D.
      Keeping smiling will surely make you successful
3. 3.

   Just like a one-eyed man in the land of the blind, you should______.

   1. A.
      control your feeling to what is happening to you
   2. B.
      be king in your office
   3. C.
      pay no attention to what is going on around you
   4. D.
      take positive attitude in the office of militant negativism
4. 4.

   The best title to the passage is______.

   1. A.
      The Bad Effect of Negative Thinking
   2. B.
      Why Should People Think
   3. C.
      Thinking: The Vital Way
   4. D.
      Positive Thinking Benefits People

Left-Handers’ Day
International Left-Handers’ Day is August the thirteenth. The International Left-Handers Day, Web site says the Left-Handers Club started the holiday in 1992. It wanted left-handers around the world to celebrate. And it wanted to bring attention to the everyday problems of people who use their left hands.
One of these problems is difficulty using equipment and tools, like scissors. In general, most tools and equipment are made for people who are right-handed. The Left-Handers Club tries to educate designers and producers to consider the safety of left-handed people when producing their products.
Another problem is that many people have considered it bad to be left-handed. Some teachers and parents have tried to force children who used their left hands to use their right ones instead.
Scientists do not really know why some people are left-handed. They have believed the reason is genetic.They say the gene（基因） increases the chance of being left-handed. It appears to play an important part in deciding which part of the brain controls different activities. In right-handed people, the left side of the brain usually controls speech and language. The right side controls feelings. However, the opposite is often true in left-handed people.
Scientists believe the gene is responsible for this. The gene showed a link with left-handedness in nine to twelve percent of the population.
About ten percent of people around the world are left-handed

1. 1.

   International Left-handers’ Day aims to（目的是） bring attention to_________

   1. A.
      the right-handers
   2. B.
      the everyday problems
   3. C.
      the people who have some difficulty using equipment and tools
   4. D.
      the everyday problems of people who use their left hands
2. 2.

   How many problems of people who use their left hands are mentioned?

   1. A.
      One
   2. B.
      Two
   3. C.
      Three
   4. D.
      Four
3. 3.

   As to why some people are left-handed, scientists believe the reason is________

   1. A.
      habits
   2. B.
      genetics
   3. C.
      parents
   4. D.
      birthplaces
4. 4.

   ______of people around the world are left-handers

   1. A.
      About 9%
   2. B.
      About 12%
   3. C.
      About 9.12%
   4. D.
      About 10%

Don’t talk to me; I’m busy with my iPhone
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That’s not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（乘車上下班的人）. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000—yes, that’s 40,000—“apps” （programs downloaded for the iPhone） have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “ steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music—iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied， then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train

1. 1.

   People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy ________

   1. A.
      playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films
   2. B.
      going to work
   3. C.
      reading books
   4. D.
      thinking private things
2. 2.

   Those who like war games can download ________ to their iPhones

   1. A.
      Tube Exits
   2. B.
      iShoot
   3. C.
      ISteam
   4. D.
      iPod
3. 3.

   The underlined word “occupied” in the last paragraph probably means ________

   1. A.
      delighted
   2. B.
      busy
   3. C.
      controlled
   4. D.
      amused
4. 4.

   The article tells us that ________

   1. A.
      London commuters are unfriendly to strangers
   2. B.
      Apple has earned a lo of money from selling 40,000 iPhones
   3. C.
      with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train
   4. D.
      technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time