Children have an increased risk of attention problems, seen as early as grade school, if their moms inhaled (吸入) a certain type of air pollution when they were pregnant. That's the finding of a new study. Released when things aren't burned completely, this pollution is known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. The biggest sources of these PAHs: the burning of fossil fuels, wood and trash. Frederica Perera works at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City. She researches how exposure to things in the environment affects children's health. In a new study, she and her team studied the exposure to air pollution of 233 nonsmoking pregnant women in New York City. Because burning tobacco can spew (排放) PAHs into the air and lungs, Perera's team focused on nonsmokers. The researchers wanted to probe (探查) other sources of PAHs, ones that would have been hard for an individual to avoid. The team started by testing the blood of each woman during pregnancy. The reason: Any PAHs in a woman's blood would also be available to the baby in her womb. Nine years later, the researchers investigated signs of attention problems in those children, now age 9. They asked each child's mother a series of questions. These included whether her child had problems doing things that needed sustained (长期的) mental effort, such as homework or games with friends. The scientists also asked if the kids had trouble following instructions or made frequent, careless mistakes. All of these can be symptoms of a disorder called Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder, or ADHD. About one in 10 U.S. children has ADHD. Among the women studied, traffic and home heating were the primary sources of air pollution exposure, Perera and her team suspect. Some of these women had low levels of PAHs in their blood. Others had high levels. Those with high levels were five times as likely to have children who showed attention problems by age 9. The new findings were published November 5 in the journal PLOS ONE.
1. Perera and her team chose nonsmoking pregnant women all over America.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
B
[解析] 由第二段第三句“... she and her team studied the exposure to air pollution of 233 nonsmoking pregnant women in New York City.”可知，Perera和她的团队研究的是美国纽约市233名不吸烟的孕妇，而并非全美国。
2. The main purpose of the research was to find out how exposure to PAHs played a role in harming the subjects' physical health.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
B
[解析] 由第二段第二句“She researches how exposure to things in the environment affects children's health.”可知，这项研究的主要目的是发现暴露在PAH环境下的污染物是如何影响孩子的健康的，而并非孕妇本人。
3. Nonsmoking mothers were selected because the effect of smoking on PAHs was unclear.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
B
[解析] 由第二段最后一句“The researchers wanted to probe (探查) other sources of PAHs, ones that would have been hard for an individual to avoid.”可知，研究人员以不吸烟的孕妇为研究对象，是想探明PAH的其他来源，并且前一句表明了燃烧的烟草能够排放出PAH。
4. The blood of each woman was tested once a month during pregnancy.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
C
[解析] 由第三段第一句“The team started by testing the blood of each woman during pregnancy.”可知，研究人员检测她们在怀孕期间的血液，但是并没有提及每个月都要检测一次。
6. The women with high levels of PAHs in their blood were more likely to have kids with ADHD.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
A
[解析] 由最后一段倒数第二句“Those with high levels were five times as likely to have children who showed attention problems by age 9.”可知，血液中PAH含量高的孕妇，生育的孩子在9岁前患ADHD的风险是其他孩子的五倍。
7. Traffic and home heating were considered to be the biggest sources of PAHs for the subjects in the research.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
A B C
A
[解析] 由最后一段第一句“Among the women studied, traffic and home heating were the primary sources of air pollution exposure ...”可知，对这些研究对象来说，交通和家庭供暖是空气污染物的主要来源。
New Research Lights the Way to Super-fast Computers
1 New research published today in the journal Nature Communications has demonstrated how glass can be manipulated to create a material that will allow computers to transfer information using light. This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds and power in the future. 2 The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems. 3 Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems, the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signals once they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing. 4 "The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data," said project leader, Dr. Richard Curry of the University of Surrey. 5 "This has eluded researchers for decades, but now we have shown how a widely-used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as 'pn-junction' devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector—something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds." 6 The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.
1. A. Expectation of the discovery B. The problem of current computers C. A new finding D. The purpose of the research E. Public reaction to the discovery F. The use of the new material Paragraph 2 ______
5. A. optical information B. processing speeds C. electrons D. positive charges E. data technologies F. all-optical systems The results of the research can help computers to increase ______.
B
[解析] 由第一段最后一句“This development could significantly increase computer processing speeds ...”可知，这项研究结果能帮助计算机加快处理速度。故选B。
6. Current computers transfer information using ______.
C
[解析] 由第三段第一句“Computers currently use electrons to transfer information ...”可知，目前的计算机使用电子传送信息。故选C。
7. The new glass material makes it possible to fulfill different computing functions into one component, leading to ______.
F
[解析] 由第二段最后一句“... bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems.”可知，这种新型的玻璃材料能利用光把不同的计算机功能集合到一个组件上，从而实现全光系统。故选F。
8. Glass is used in the research to carry and process ______.
A
[解析] 由第五段第二句“... something that can carry and interpret optical information”可知，在这项研究中，玻璃可以用来传递和处理光信息。故选A。
第4部分：阅读理解 下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道题。请根据短文内容，为每题确定1个最佳选项。
第一篇
Why Buy Shade-grown Coffee?
When people argue about whether coffee is good for health, they're usually thinking of the health of the coffee drinker. Is it good for your heart? Does it increase blood pressure? Does it help you concentrate? However, coffee affects the health of the human population in other ways, too. Traditionally, coffee bushes were planted under the canopy (树冠) of taller indigenous (土生土长的) trees. However, more and more farmers in Latin America are deforesting the land to grow full-sun coffees. At first, this increases production because more coffee bushes can be planted if there aren't any trees. With increased production come increased profits. Unfortunately, deforesting for coffee production immediately decreases local wildlife habitat. Native birds nest and hide from predators (捕食者) in the tall trees and migrating birds rest there. Furthermore, in the long term, the full-sun method also damages the ecosystem because more chemical fertilizers and pesticides are needed to grow the coffee. The fertilizers and pesticides kill insects that eat coffee plants, but then the birds eat the poisoned insects and also die. The chemicals kill or sicken other animals as well, and can even enter the water that people will eventually drink. Fortunately, farmers in Central and South America are beginning to grow more coffee bushes in the shade. We can support these farmers by buying coffee with such labels as "shade grown" and "bird friendly". Sure, these varieties might cost a little more. But we're paying for the health of the birds, the land, ourselves, and the planet. I think it's worth it.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A.Farmers are changing the way they grow coffee.
B.Coffee is becoming more expensive to produce.
C.Shade-grown coffee is more expensive than sun-grown coffee.
New research from NASA scientists suggests emissions of black soot alter the way sunlight reflects off snow. According to a computer simulation, black soot may be responsible for 25 percent of observed global warming over the past century. Soot in the higher latitudes (纬度) of the Earth, where ice is more common, absorbs more of the sun's energy and warmth than an icy, white background. Dark-colored black carbon, or soot, absorbs sunlight, while lighter-colored ice reflects sunlight. Soot in areas with snow and ice may play an important role in climate change. Also, if snow and ice covered areas begin melting, the warming effect increases, as the soot becomes more concentrated on the snow surface. "This provides a positive feedback, as glaciers and ice sheets melt, they tend to get even dirtier," said Dr. James Hansen, a researcher at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York. Hansen found soot's effect on snow albedo (反照率), which may be contributing to trends toward early springs in the Northern Hemisphere, such as thinning Arctic sea ice and melting glaciers and permafrost. Soot also is believed to play a role in changes in the atmosphere above the oceans and land. "Black carbon reduces the amount of energy reflected by snow back into space, thus heating the snow surface more than if there were no black carbon," Hansen said. Soot's increased absorption of solar energy is especially effective in warming the world's climate. "This forcing is unusually effective, causing twice as much global warming as a carbon-dioxide forcing of the same magnitude," Hansen noted. Hansen cautioned, although the role of soot in altering global climate is substantial, it does not alter the fact that greenhouse gases are the primary cause of climate warming during the past century. Such gases are expected to be the largest climate forcing for the rest of this century. The researchers found that observed warming in the Northern Hemisphere was large in the winter and spring at middle and high latitudes. These observations were consistent with the researchers' climate model situations, which showed some of the largest warming effects occurred when there were heavy snow cover and sufficient sunlight.
1. Which of the following statements of soot is NOT true?
A.It absorbs the sun's heat.
B.It is responsible for climate change.
C.It reflects sunlight.
D.It may account for a quarter of global warming over the past century.
A B C D
C
[解析] 由第二段第一句“... absorbs more of the sun's energy ...”可知，煤烟灰吸收太阳热能，故A项正确。由第三段第一句“Soot in areas with snow and ice may play an important role in climate change.”可知，煤烟灰是气候变化的原因，故B项正确。由第一段第二句“... black soot may be responsible for 25 percent of observed global warming over the past century.”可知，20世纪观测到的全球变暖有25%是黑煤灰引起的，故D项正确。由第二段“... while lighter-colored ice reflects sunlight.”可知，煤烟灰吸收太阳光，而浅色的冰则反射太阳光。故C项错误。
2. Which of the following areas shows a greater warming effect?
4. What is the main cause of climate warming during the past century?
A.Soot.
B.Snow.
C.Greenhouse gases.
D.Wind.
A B C D
C
[解析] 由第六段第一句“... greenhouse gases are the primary cause of climate warming during the past century.”可知，温室气体是20世纪气候变暖的主要原因。故选C。
5. The largest warming effects happened in the Northern Hemisphere with ______.
A.thin sea ice and insufficient sunlight
B.light snow cover and sufficient sunlight
C.heavy snow cover and sufficient sunlight
D.thick sea ice and insufficient sunlight
A B C D
C
[解析] 由最后一段最后一句“... the largest warming effects occurred when there were heavy snow cover and sufficient sunlight.”可知，北半球观测到的变暖现象大多发生在中高纬地区的冬春两季，这表明部分大规模的温室效应发生在有厚雪覆盖层和充足阳光的时期。故选C。
第三篇
A Record-breaking Rover
NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has boldly gone where no rover has gone before—at least in terms of distance. Since arriving on the Red Planet in 2004, Opportunity has traveled 25.01 miles, more than any other wheeled vehicle has on another world. "This is so remarkable considering Opportunity was intended to drive about 1 kilometer and was never designed for distance," says John Callas, the Mars Exploration Rover Project Manager. He works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "But what is really important is not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance." The solar-powered Opportunity and its twin rover, Spirit, landed on Mars 10 years ago on a mission expected to last 3 months. The objective of the rovers was to help scientists learn more about the planet and to search for signs of life, such as the possible presence of water. Spirit stopped communicating with Earth in March 2010, a few months after it got stuck in a sand pit. But Opportunity has continued to collect and analyze Martian soil and rocks. During its mission, Opportunity has captured, and sent back to Earth, some 187,000 panoramic (全景的) and microscopic (微观的) images of Mars with its cameras. It has also provided scientists with data on the planet's atmosphere, soil, rocks, and terrain. The rover doesn't seem to be ready to stop just yet. If Opportunity can continue on, it will reach another major investigation site when its odometer (里程计) hits 26.2 miles. Opportunity has been working on Mars since January 2004. Researchers believe that clay minerals exposed near Marathon Valley could hold clues to Mars's ancient environment. Opportunity's continuing travels will also help researchers as they plan for an eventual human mission to the Red Planet.
1. Opportunity is a record-breaking rover in the sense of ______.
A.how long it has stayed in space
B.how far it has travelled
C.how much investment it has involved
D.how many facilities it has been equipped with
A B C D
B
[解析] 由第一段第一句“NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has boldly gone where no rover has gone before—at least in terms of distance.”可知，至少从距离上来说美国宇航局的火星漫游车“机遇号”到达了其他任何漫游车都没能到达的地方。故选B。
2. What does John Callas say about Opportunity's long-distance travel?
A.It hasn't met scientists' expectation yet.
B.It hasn't been appreciated appropriately.
C.It is secondary to what has been discovered.
D.It is what scientists have been aiming at.
A B C D
C
[解析] 由第三段第二句“'But what is really important is not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance.'”可知，虽然“机遇号”漫游车已经行驶了25.01英里，比任何外星漫游车走的距离都长，但是重要的不是漫游车行进了多少距离，而是在这个距离上我们进行了多少探索和发现。故选C。
3. One of the objectives of sending Opportunity and Spirit to Mars is to ______.
A.collect soil and send back to Earth
B.develop multinational space exploration
C.test how well solar-powered rovers work in outer space
D.look for the possible presence of life
A B C D
D
[解析] 由第四段第二句“The objective of the rovers was to help scientists learn more about the planet and to search for signs of life, such as the possible presence of water.”可知，“机遇号”和“勇气号”漫游车一起在火星着陆，目的是帮助科学家进一步了解火星，并且搜寻生命迹象，比如可能存在的水的迹象。故选D。
4. Which of the following statements is true of Opportunity?
A.It will come back to Earth soon.
B.Another rover will be sent to replace it.
C.It is travelling to another major investigation site.
D.It will work with other rovers exploring Mars.
A B C D
C
[解析] 由倒数第二段第二句“... it will reach another major investigation site ...”可知，如果“机遇号”能够继续行驶的话，在它行驶到26.2英里的时候，它就会到达另外一个重要的研究场地。故C项是正确的。
5. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.
A.experts know how far Opportunity will make on Mars
B.researchers are working on sending many more humans to Mars
C.Mars's ancient environment might be exposed with the help of Opportunity
D.Opportunity is supposed to collect clay minerals from Marathon Valley
Wadi Rum is the name given to a valley cut into the sandstone and hard rock in southwest Jordan. 1 The name Rum most likely comes from an Aramaic word meaning "high" or "elevated". The area around Wadi Rum is now also one of Jordan's most important tourist destinations, and attracts an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly trekkers (越野者), but also for camel safaris (旅行) or simply day-trippers from Aqaba or Petra. In contrast, there are almost no local or Arab tourists, though nearby Disi attracts young people from Amman at the weekends. Popular activities in the desert environment include camping under the stars, riding Arab horses, and rock-climbing amongst the massive rock formations. Jebal Rum (jebal means "mountain" ) is 1,574 metres above sea level. 2 But Jordan is not simply a desert environment—it also contains the area which is the lowest point on the face of the Earth—the incredible Dead Sea, popular with tourists for swimming. 3 Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are landlocked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich cocktail (混合物) of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products. Once again, tourists benefit and can participate in water spa treatments and water therapies. The Dead Sea is located in the Syro-African Rift, a 4,000-mile fault line in the Earth's crust. The lowest point of dry land on Earth is the shoreline of the Dead Sea at 1,300 feet below sea level. Because the lake is at the lowest point, this means that water does not drain from it. 4 Figures for the Dead Sea's salinity (盐度) today range from 25% to 35%. But the greatest tourist attraction is the incredible city of Petra. 5 It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2,000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Today, visitors can marvel at the architecture and explore life as it was thousands of years ago. A. It is the largest wadi (riverbed) in Jordan. B. It is the second highest peak in Jordan, rising directly above the Rum valley opposite Jebal Urn Ishrin. C. This vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan. D. The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films. E. Every day, seven million tons of water evaporate from the lake, but the minerals remain, causing the salt content to increase. F. It is without doubt Jordan's most valuable treasure.
In the aftermath (后果) of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, security experts are trying to develop new ways of rescuing people from burning skyscrapers. One 1 is a platform capable of flying vertically and hovering in the air 2 a helicopter. The platform would rise up and down alongside a skyscraper and pick up people 3 in high stories. The idea for the vertical takeoff platform was hatched (策划) more than ten years ago by a Russian aerospace engineer, David Metreveli, who has since moved to Israel. Metreveli's design, 4 the Eagle, calls for two jet engines that 5 four large horizontal propellers (推进器). The spinning of the propellers 6 the necessary lift, or upward force, to raise the platform. The more 7 is supplied to the propellers, the higher the platform 8 . Moving the platform sideways involves 9 differing amounts of power to each propeller. Helicopters are now used in some 10 to get people out of burning buildings. Escape baskets slung from them dangle beside the building for people to climb into. 11 , the baskets cannot reach every floor of a building 12 the ropes from which they hang become unstable 13 a certain length. So far, Metreveli has built a small-scale model of the Eagle to 14 his idea. In the wake of September 11, he has been able to secure enough funding to start building a larger, 4-meter by 4-meter prototype, 15 he calls the Eaglet.
深色：已答题 浅色：未答题