Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups.

    One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,” explains the professor. “People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly.” It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. “But somehow the action got reversed（顛倒）in the programme.” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures.”

   Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures” — mainly due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing. A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on — much to his surprise. A woman reported, “I got into the bath with my socks on.”

   The commonest problem was information “storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.

   The research so far suggests that while the central processor of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be gotten by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.

1.The purpose of the professor’s research is to __________.

    A. show the difference between men and women

    B. sort and explain some errors in human actions

    C. find the causes which lead to computer failures

    D. compare computer functions with brain working

2.Which of the following might be grouped under “programme assembly failures”?

    A. A woman went to a shop and forgot what to buy.

    B. A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.

    C. A lady fell as she was paying attention to each step her feet were taking.

    D. An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.

3.The underlined word “verifying” (in paragraph 3) can be replaced by “_______”.

    A. improving          B. changing     C. checking       D. stopping

4.According to the passage, the information “storage failure” refers to “_______”.

   A. information collecting system being destroyed

   B. one’s total memory being removed

   C. the loss of part of one’s memory for a time

   D. the separation of one’s action from words

Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absentminded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyse their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups.

     One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,”explains the professor.“People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman's custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her ear rings. But somehow the action got reversed(顛倒) in the programme.” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures”.

     Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures”— primarily due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing. A man about to get his car out

 of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on—much to his surprise. A woman victim reported:“I got into the bath with my socks on.”

     The commonest problem was information “storage failures”. People forgot the

 names of people whose faces they knew,went into a room and forgot why they were

 there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.

     The research so far suggests that while the “central processor” of the brain is liberated from secondtosecond control of a wellpractised routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be “captured” by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.

1.The purpose of Professor Reason's research is  _______.

A.to show the difference between men and women in their reasoning

B.to classify and explain some errors in human actions

C.to find the causes which lead to computer failures

D.to compare computer functions with brain workings

2.Which of the following might be grouped under “programme assembly failures”?

A.A woman went into a shop and forgot what to buy.

B.A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.

C.A lady fell as she was concentrating on each step her feet were taking.

D.An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.

3.The word “verifying” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by _______ .

A.improvingB.changingC.checkingD.stopping

4.According to the passage, the information “storage failures” refer to _______ .

A.the destruction of information collecting system

B.the elimination of one's total memory

C.the temporary loss of part of one's memory

D.the separation of one's action from consciousness

 Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups.
One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,” explains the professor. “People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly.” It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. “But somehow the action got reversed（顛倒）in the programme.” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures.”
Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures” — mainly due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing. A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on — much to his surprise. A woman reported, “I got into the bath with my socks on.”
The commonest problem was information “storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.
The research so far suggests that while the central processor of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be gotten by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.
【小題1】The purpose of the professor’s research is to __________.

四． 閱讀理解：

                         A

Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze(分析) their embarrassing errors , he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups .

   One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her ear-rings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “ The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer, ” explains the professor, “ People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her ear-rings. But somehow the action got reversed(顛倒) in the programme .” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “ programme assembly failures.”

  Twenty per cent of all errors were “ test failures ”—primarily due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing . A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept , put them on —much to his surprise . A woman victim reported : “ I got into the bath with my socks on .”

   The commonest problem was information “ storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.

   The research so far suggests that while the “ central processor” of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be “ captured ” by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.

1. The purpose of Professor Reason’s research is     .

    A. to show the difference between men and women in their reasoning

    B. to classify and explain some errors in human actions

    C. to find the causes which lead to computer failures

    D. to compare computer functions with brain workings .

 2. Which of the following might be grouped under “ programme assembly failures ”?

    A. A woman went into a shop and forgot what to buy.

    B. A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.

    C. A lady fell as she was concentrating on each step her feet were taking.

    D. An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.

 3. The word “ verifying ” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by      .

     A. improving    B. changing   C. checking  D. stopping

 4. According to the passage, the information “ storage failures ” refer to     .

    A. the destruction of information collecting system

    B. the elimination of one’s total memory

    C. the temporary loss of part of one’s memory

    D. the separation of one’s action from consciousness

Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups.
One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,” explains the professor. “People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly.” It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. “But somehow the action got reversed（顛倒）in the programme.” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures.”
Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures” — mainly due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing. A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on — much to his surprise. A woman reported, “I got into the bath with my socks on.”
The commonest problem was information “storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.
The research so far suggests that while the central processor of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be gotten by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors

1. 1.

   The purpose of the professor’s research is to __________

   1. A.
      show the difference between men and women
   2. B.
      sort and explain some errors in human actions
   3. C.
      find the causes which lead to computer failures
   4. D.
      compare computer functions with brain working
2. 2.

   Which of the following might be grouped under “programme assembly failures”?

   1. A.
      A woman went to a shop and forgot what to buy
   2. B.
      A man returning home after work left his key in the lock
   3. C.
      A lady fell as she was paying attention to each step her feet were taking
   4. D.
      An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks
3. 3.

   The underlined word “verifying” (in paragraph 3) can be replaced by “_______”

   1. A.
      improving
   2. B.
      changing
   3. C.
      checking
   4. D.
      stopping
4. 4.

   According to the passage, the information “storage failure” refers to “_______”

   1. A.
      information collecting system being destroyed
   2. B.
      one’s total memory being removed
   3. C.
      the loss of part of one’s memory for a time
   4. D.
      the separation of one’s action from words

Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks．When he came to analyze their embarrassing errors, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups．

One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear．“The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer,” explains the professor．“People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly．” It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings．“But somehow the action got reversed（顛倒）in the programme．” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “programme assembly failures．”

Twenty percent of all errors were “test failures” — mainly due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing．A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept, put them on — much to his surprise．A woman reported, “I got into the bath with my socks on．”

The commonest problem was information “storage failures”．People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it．

The research so far suggests that while the central processor of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended．Otherwise the activity may be gotten by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors．

63．The purpose of the professor’s research is to __________．

       A．show the difference between men and women

       B．sort and explain some errors in human actions

       C．find the causes which lead to computer failures

       D．compare computer functions with brain working

64．Which of the following might be grouped under “programme assembly failures”?

       A．A woman went to a shop and forgot what to buy．

       B．A man returning home after work left his key in the lock．

       C．A lady fell as she was paying attention to each step her feet were taking．

       D．An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks．

65．The underlined word “verifying” （in paragraph 3） can be replaced by “_______”．

       A．improving                                         B．changing           

       C．checking                                             D．stopping

66．According to the passage, the information “storage failure” refers to “_______”．

       A．information collecting system being destroyed

       B．one’s total memory being removed

       C．the loss of part of one’s memory for a time

       D．the separation of one’s action from words

四．閱讀理解：
A
Professor Reason recently persuaded 35 people to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for two weeks. When he came to analyze(分析) their embarrassing errors , he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groups .
One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her pet dog her ear-rings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. “ The explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer, ” explains the professor, “ People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her ear-rings. But somehow the action got reversed(顛倒) in the programme .” About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these “ programme assembly failures.”
Twenty per cent of all errors were “ test failures ”—primarily due to not verifying the progress of what the body was doing . A man about to get his car out of the garage passed through the back yard where his garden jacket and boots were kept , put them on —much to his surprise . A woman victim reported : “ I got into the bath with my socks on .”
The commonest problem was information “ storage failures”. People forgot the names of people whose faces they knew, went into a room and forgot why they were there, mislaid something, or smoked a cigarette without realizing it.
The research so far suggests that while the “ central processor” of the brain is liberated from second-to-second control of a well-practiced routine, it must repeatedly switch back its attention at important decision points to check that the action goes on as intended. Otherwise the activity may be “ captured ” by another frequently and recently used programme, resulting in embarrassing errors.
1. The purpose of Professor Reason’s research is     .
A. to show the difference between men and women in their reasoning
B. to classify and explain some errors in human actions
C. to find the causes which lead to computer failures
D. to compare computer functions with brain workings .
2. Which of the following might be grouped under “ programme assembly failures ”?
A. A woman went into a shop and forgot what to buy.
B. A man returning home after work left his key in the lock.
C. A lady fell as she was concentrating on each step her feet were taking.
D. An old man, with his shoes on, was trying to put on his socks.
3. The word “ verifying ” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by      .
A. improving    B. changing   C. checking  D. stopping
4. According to the passage, the information “ storage failures ” refer to     .
A. the destruction of information collecting system
B. the elimination of one’s total memory
C. the temporary loss of part of one’s memory
D. the separation of one’s action from consciousness

My father never wanted his children to know what he did for a living. Dad worked in Plant C. Lying beside Lake Erie, it saw him in at sunrise and out at nightfall. Sometimes my mother would take my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and me to the public beach in our hometown of Ashtabula. She’d gather us round and point to the smokestacks, coughing clouds into the sky.

“Wave to daddy!” she’d shout. Four little hands would shoot into the air. I never knew what Dad did in Plant C, but during 34 years of hard work, he had surgery (手術(shù)) on his shoulder and hand. At 48, he had his first heart attack. He retired in 1993, right after the last kid graduated from college. But the damage was done. A few years later, the next heart attack killed him.

I saw my dad in plant C only once, when I took dinner to him. That night, I looked at my father, covered in sweat and coal, and for the first time I knew why he was so often angry for no reason.

Recently my father’s friend, Toby Workman, walked me there. I knew my father never wanted me to see it. At every station, he described the job and the danger. It was like listening to a foreign language. I walked past many DANGER signs. Toby put his hand on my shoulder. “Look”, he said, “you need to understand something. Your dad was a maintenance mechanic. He worked the most dangerous job. If something broke, he fixed it. ”

A few days later, my daughter graduated from college. I gave her the hard hat Toby handed to me as I left, and this note: “Whenever you feel something difficult, put this on, look in the mirror, and remember your roots.”

1.What is the purpose of the passage?

A．In memory of the author’s mother         B．to know about what the father did.

C．In memory of the author’s father.          D．to remind the family to live well.

2.Which of the following is TRUE of the facts about the author’s father?

A．He didn’t suffer a heart attack until he retired.

B．He always faced danger while working.

C．He was satisfied with his job.

D．He worked in Plant C for 48 years in all.

3.When the author saw her father in Plant C,       ___.

A．her father was fixing a broken machine.

B．she didn’t recognize her father.

C．she understood him about his bad temper.

D．her father was angry about her coming.

4.When Toby Workman described the author’s father’s job, the author   ____  .

A．felt familiar with the job                  B．decided to do the same work.

C．wanted to learn a foreign language          D．felt much puzzled

5.The author gave her daughter the hat to hope that her daughter could    _______ .

A．get encouraged by her grandfather         B．overcome all difficulties by wearing it

C．remember her grandfather                D．follow her grandfather’s work

My father never wanted his children to know what he did for a living. Dad worked in Plant C. Lying beside Lake Erie, it saw him in at sunrise and out at nightfall. Sometimes my mother would take my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and me to the public beach in our hometown of Ashtabula. She’d gather us round and point to the smokestacks, coughing clouds into the sky.
“Wave to daddy!” she’d shout. Four little hands would shoot into the air. I never knew what Dad did in Plant C, but during 34 years of hard work, he had surgery (手術(shù)) on his shoulder and hand. At 48, he had his first heart attack. He retired in 1993, right after the last kid graduated from college. But the damage was done. A few years later, the next heart attack killed him.
I saw my dad in plant C only once, when I took dinner to him. That night, I looked at my father, covered in sweat and coal, and for the first time I knew why he was so often angry for no reason.
Recently my father’s friend, Toby Workman, walked me there. I knew my father never wanted me to see it. At every station, he described the job and the danger. It was like listening to a foreign language. I walked past many DANGER signs. Toby put his hand on my shoulder. “Look”, he said, “you need to understand something. Your dad was a maintenance mechanic. He worked the most dangerous job. If something broke, he fixed it. ”
A few days later, my daughter graduated from college. I gave her the hard hat Toby handed to me as I left, and this note: “Whenever you feel something difficult, put this on, look in the mirror, and remember your roots.”
【小題1】What is the purpose of the passage?

My father never wanted his children to know what he did for a living. Dad worked in Plant C. Lying beside Lake Erie, it saw him in at sunrise and out at nightfall. Sometimes my mother would take my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and me to the public beach in our hometown of Ashtabula. She’d gather us round and point to the smokestacks, coughing clouds into the sky.
“Wave to daddy!” she’d shout. Four little hands would shoot into the air. I never knew what Dad did in Plant C, but during 34 years of hard work, he had surgery (手術(shù)) on his shoulder and hand. At 48, he had his first heart attack. He retired in 1993, right after the last kid graduated from college. But the damage was done. A few years later, the next heart attack killed him.
I saw my dad in plant C only once, when I took dinner to him. That night, I looked at my father, covered in sweat and coal, and for the first time I knew why he was so often angry for no reason.
Recently my father’s friend, Toby Workman, walked me there. I knew my father never wanted me to see it. At every station, he described the job and the danger. It was like listening to a foreign language. I walked past many DANGER signs. Toby put his hand on my shoulder. “Look”, he said, “you need to understand something. Your dad was a maintenance mechanic. He worked the most dangerous job. If something broke, he fixed it. ”
A few days later, my daughter graduated from college. I gave her the hard hat Toby handed to me as I left, and this note: “Whenever you feel something difficult, put this on, look in the mirror, and remember your roots.”

1. 1.

   What is the purpose of the passage?

   1. A.
      In memory of the author’s mother
   2. B.
      to know about what the father did
   3. C.
      In memory of the author’s father
   4. D.
      to remind the family to live well
2. 2.

   Which of the following is TRUE of the facts about the author’s father?

   1. A.
      He didn’t suffer a heart attack until he retired
   2. B.
      He always faced danger while working
   3. C.
      He was satisfied with his job
   4. D.
      He worked in Plant C for 48 years in all
3. 3.

   When the author saw her father in Plant C,       ___

   1. A.
      her father was fixing a broken machine
   2. B.
      she didn’t recognize her father
   3. C.
      she understood him about his bad temper
   4. D.
      her father was angry about her coming
4. 4.

   When Toby Workman described the author’s father’s job, the author   ____  

   1. A.
      felt familiar with the job
   2. B.
      decided to do the same work
   3. C.
      wanted to learn a foreign language
   4. D.
      felt much puzzled
5. 5.

   The author gave her daughter the hat to hope that her daughter could    _______

   1. A.
      get encouraged by her grandfather
   2. B.
      overcome all difficulties by wearing it
   3. C.
      remember her grandfather
   4. D.
      follow her grandfather’s work

D
　Stonehenge（巨石陣）may have been a prehistoric health center rather than a site for observing stars or a temple in honor of the dead, scientists said yesterday. New evidence unearthed at the World Heritage Site in more than 40 years suggests that the monument was a place where the diseased and injured went in groups, seeking cures.
After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite（輝綠巖）that formed an earlier stone structure.
By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Amtiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”
The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.
Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.
63．Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place for people           .
A．to recover from poor health    B．to observe star movements
C．to hold religious ceremonies   D．to gather huge bluestones
64．What can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?
A．The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best.
B．The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.
C．Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.
D．The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.
65．The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be           .
A．a(chǎn) devoted religious person from Stonehenge
B．one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge
C．the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones
D．a(chǎn) patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge
66．Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．Stonehenge: A New Place of Interest     B．Stonehenge: Still Making News
C．Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers     D．Stonehenge: Still Curing Patients

We might like to think we're not influenced by other people, but a new study into the group-buying mechanisms（機(jī)制） - like those used on coupon（優(yōu)惠券） sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial - reveals that telling buyers who come later to the offer how many have already signed up increases the number of purchasers.
Researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management wanted to understand why group buying sites that have entered the market recently have enjoyed greater success than those operating a decade ago, such as Mercata and MobShop.
Earlier attempts typically left potential buyers waiting for days before confirming whether or not they had got the offer they had signed up for.
“We think one of the reasons group-buying has been successful recently is because of the short time horizon,” says Rotman Professor Ming Hu, who co-wrote the study with Professor Mengze Shi and PhD student Jiahua Wu. “It allows for a herding effect.”
Another reason is the use of an information structure that discloses to later arrivals how many have already signed onto the deal.
Researchers looked at two ways of designing the purchasing mechanism for a group buy:a simultaneous mechanism, where no one knows how many buyers have come before them, and asequential（連續(xù)的） mechanism, where a second group of buyers has the advantage of knowing the size of the first group.
The researchers' analytical（分析的） model shows the most successful mechanism is the sequential one because it eliminates uncertainty for those coming later to the deal, and improves the confidence of those who sign on early, as they're able to track the numbers of those who come after them.
“That boosts confidence,” says Professor Hu, who teaches operations management. Deals for "luxury" services, versus everyday items, work better in a group buy scenario（方案） because they offer consumers a greater benefit.
【小題1】It can be learned from the text that ______.

D

　Stonehenge（巨石陣）may have been a prehistoric health center rather than a site for observing stars or a temple in honor of the dead, scientists said yesterday. New evidence unearthed at the World Heritage Site in more than 40 years suggests that the monument was a place where the diseased and injured went in groups, seeking cures.

After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite（輝綠巖）that formed an earlier stone structure.

By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Amtiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”

The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.

Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.

63．Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place for people           .

A．to recover from poor health    B．to observe star movements

C．to hold religious ceremonies   D．to gather huge bluestones

64．What can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?

A．The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best.

B．The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.

C．Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.

D．The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.

65．The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be           .

A．a(chǎn) devoted religious person from Stonehenge

B．one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge

C．the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones

D．a(chǎn) patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge

66．Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．Stonehenge: A New Place of Interest     B．Stonehenge: Still Making News

C．Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers     D．Stonehenge: Still Curing Patients

You’re lost in the world of dreams and sleep. You roll over, smiling as you come across a swimming pool filled with chocolate. And then, your wonderful dream becomes a nightmare when someone is screaming, “Get up!” It’s just what every teenager goes through each morning!

Now, there seems to be one school that finally understands that requiring teens to show up at 9 am is not just cruel but also harmful to both the kids and the school.

The Monkseaton High School in North Tyneside, Britain, recently decided to experiment to see if there is any difference in student behavior if they just pushed back the start of their day by one hour, from 9 am to 10 am. And the results are surprising.

Since carrying out the later start, Monkseaton has seen a 28% drop in truancy, even hardly any lateness, and best of all, higher test scores. One of the reasons is that the teenagers are much happier to have the extra hour of sleep, but there is also a scientific reason behind why they need the extra sleep.

The school’s decision to push back the time was based on the research done by Oxford Professor Russell Foster, who pointed out that teenagers and adults have different sleep cycles, explaining why teenagers go to bed late and wake up late.

While adults are wide awake and ready at 8 am, teenagers are not fully awake until 10 am, sometimes even noon. Teachers may argue that their students perform better in the morning, but in fact, it is because they are in the zone while their students are still sleepy, making the students easier to control. Memory tests prove that the more difficult classes should be in the afternoon when teenagers are most wide awake.

The Monkseaton school officials are encouraged by the results and plan on voting to make it a permanent change.

What’s the best title of this passage?

       A. Get up early, teenagers!

       B. Finally, a school understands teenagers.

       C. Why do teenagers stay up late?

       D. Difference between teens and adults.

What’s the meaning of the underlined word “truancy”?

       A. grades                      B. subject       s                    C. absence                    D. classes

What can we learn from the passage?

       A. Teenagers and adults have the same sleep cycle.

       B. Teenagers are fully awake at 10 am.

       C. Teenagers are much happier to sleep than study.

       D. Teenagers need the extra sleep also for a scientific reason.

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

A. The Monkseaton school is satisfied with the result of experiments.

       B. It is cruel for the teenagers to show up at 9 am.

       C. The Monkseaton school plans to change the school time forever.

       D. Teenagers perform better in the morning than in the afternoon.

You’re lost in the world of dreams and sleep. You roll over, smiling as you come across a swimming pool filled with chocolate. And then, your wonderful dream becomes a nightmare when someone is screaming, “Get up!” It’s just what every teenager goes through each morning!

Now, there seems to be one school that finally understands that requiring teens to show up at 9 am is not just cruel but also harmful to both the kids and the school.

The Monkseaton High School in North Tyneside, Britain, recently decided to experiment to see if there is any difference in student behavior if they just pushed back the start of their day by one hour, from 9 am to 10 am. And the results are surprising.

Since carrying out the later start, Monkseaton has seen a 28% drop in truancy, even hardly any lateness, and best of all, higher test scores. One of the reasons is that the teenagers are much happier to have the extra hour of sleep, but there is also a scientific reason behind why they need the extra sleep.

The school’s decision to push back the time was based on the research done by Oxford Professor Russell Foster, who pointed out that teenagers and adults have different sleep cycles, explaining why teenagers go to bed late and wake up late.

While adults are wide awake and ready at 8 am, teenagers are not fully awake until 10 am, sometimes even noon. Teachers may argue that their students perform better in the morning, but in fact, it is because they are in the zone while their students are still sleepy, making the students easier to control. Memory tests prove that the more difficult classes should be in the afternoon when teenagers are most wide awake.

The Monkseaton school officials are encouraged by the results and plan on voting to make it a permanent change.

1.What’s the best title of this passage?

2.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “truancy”?

3.What can we learn from the passage?

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

Elephants are famous for their supposedly excellent memory. Now it seems that they are good at simple math too.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have found an Asian elephant named Ashya can add small quantities together and correctly identify(識(shí)別）which is larger.
For example ,when researcher Naoko dropped three apples into one bucket and one apple into a second, then four more apples into the first and five into the second, Ashya correctly identified that the first bucket contained more apples and began munching(嚼）on her tasty prize.
Ashya chose the correct bucket 74% of the time "I even get confused when "I'm dropping the apple," Naoko told New Scientist magazine.
Elephants' counting abilities are far from unique. Chimps, pigeons(鴿子)and dolphins have shown the same abilities in lab tests, but what is more impressive for Elephants is that their ability to tell between two figures does not get worse when those numbers are more similar.
The elephants that Naoko tested were as good at telling the difference between five and six as they were at telling between five and one.
Naoko presented her findings last week at the International Society annual meeting in New York.
It is not obvious why elephants should need this mathematical ability in the wild." It is really tough to figure out why elephants would need to count," said Mya, a professor at Cornell University who studies elephants.
One possibility is that they use it to keep track of other members of their herd(獸群）so that no one is left behind. Asian elephants live in groups of six to eight." You really don't want to lose your group members," said Mya.
Another possibility is that the ability for simple math might be a by-product(副產(chǎn)品）of natural selection for a larger brain.
68.The experiments researchers have done recently show that elephants can____.
A. memorize things correctly      B. munch on apples
C. do some simple math          D. change small quantities into larger ones
69.What does the underlined word" tough" in Paragraph 8 mean?
A. Difficult        B. Impossible     C. Easy      D. Useful
70.The reason why elephants need to count is possibly that_____.
A. they want to exercise their brains
B .they often count the members of their herd
C. they hope to stay in groups
D. they have taken regular training

We might like to think we're not influenced by other people, but a new study into the group-buying mechanisms（機(jī)制） - like those used on coupon（優(yōu)惠券） sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial - reveals that telling buyers who come later to the offer how many have already signed up increases the number of purchasers.
Researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management wanted to understand why group buying sites that have entered the market recently have enjoyed greater success than those operating a decade ago, such as Mercata and MobShop.
Earlier attempts typically left potential buyers waiting for days before confirming whether or not they had got the offer they had signed up for.
“We think one of the reasons group-buying has been successful recently is because of the short time horizon,” says Rotman Professor Ming Hu, who co-wrote the study with Professor Mengze Shi and PhD student Jiahua Wu. “It allows for a herding effect.”
Another reason is the use of an information structure that discloses to later arrivals how many have already signed onto the deal.
Researchers looked at two ways of designing the purchasing mechanism for a group buy:a simultaneous mechanism, where no one knows how many buyers have come before them, and asequential（連續(xù)的） mechanism, where a second group of buyers has the advantage of knowing the size of the first group.
The researchers' analytical（分析的） model shows the most successful mechanism is the sequential one because it eliminates uncertainty for those coming later to the deal, and improves the confidence of those who sign on early, as they're able to track the numbers of those who come after them.
“That boosts confidence,” says Professor Hu, who teaches operations management. Deals for "luxury" services, versus everyday items, work better in a group buy scenario（方案） because they offer consumers a greater benefit.
【小題1】It can be learned from the text that ______.