(3)
　　The Earth’s axis(轴) is an imaginary line that runs through the middle of the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. The axis of the earth is tilted (倾斜) about 23.5 degrees. This tilt of the earth results in our seasons.
　　In June, the Northern Hemisphere (半球) is tilted toward the sun, so the people in the Northern Hemisphere have longer and warmer days. The days are shorter and colder in the Southern Hemisphere in June, because the Earth is tilted away from the sun. The days start getting shorter in the Northern Hemisphere and longer in the Southern Hemisphere after about June 21. This is the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter in the southern hemisphere. Daytime lasts exactly as long as nighttime on the first day of autumn (about September 21) and the first day of spring (about March 21). The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, usually December 21, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
　　The days are longer in summer and shorter in winter the further you move from the equator. It’s generally dark on a summer night in Florida by 8:30 p.m., but in Vermont, there will still be some light at 10:00 p.m. The situation is reversed(相反的) in winter, where the sun will go down in Vermont by 3:45 p.m. while there remains light in Florida until 5:15 p.m.
　　Northern Alaska is called the “Land of the Midnight Sun” because it never gets dark during the summer months. That part of the Earth is facing the sun all day and all night. Antarctica never sees daylight during those months. The situation is reversed in December and January when northern Alaska never sees the sun while it continues to light the sky at night in Antarctica.
　　11. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
　　A. The Earth’s axis does not exist in reality.
　　B. The Earth’s axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees.
　　C. The earth’s axis is east–west.
　　D. The tilt of the Earth causes seasons to take place.
　　12. According to the second paragraph, we can know that .
　　A. the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun in June
　　B. June 21 is the longest day of a year in the Southern Hemisphere
　　C. December 21 is the coldest day of a year in the Northern Hemisphere
　　D. there is only one day in a year when daytime lasts exactly as long as nighttime
　　13. According to the passage, we can infer that .
　　A. in the Northern Hemisphere, the more northern, the longer daytime in summer
　　B. in the Southern Hemisphere, the more northern, the shorter daytime in winter
　　C. Florida is further to the equator than Vermont
　　D. In China, Changchun’s daytime in winter is longer than that of Guangzhou
　　14. Northern Alaska gets the name “Land of the Midnight Sun” because ________.
　　A. it is always daytime during the summer months
　　B. it is located in the center of the Earth
　　C. it is located on the equator of the Earth
　　D. only at midnight can people there see the sun
　　15. If we want to make science research in Antarctica, we may choose the following months EXCEPT _______.
　　A. December B. January C. February D. June
　　16. What might be the most suitable title for the text?
　　A. Season and space B. The change of daytime
　　C. Land of the Midnight Sun D. Northern and Southern Hemisphere

【答案与解析】

(1)
　　1. C。细节理解题。A项中的immediately与原文的意思有出入;根据文章第一段第一句When we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the ability to get good scores in certain kinds of tests or even the ability to do well in school.可知，聪明并非意味着在某些考试中得高分或者在学校学习好，由此排除B项;由第一段最后一句可知D项不正确;由文章第一段第二句By intelligence we mean a way of living and behaving, especially in a new or anxious situation.可知C项正确：聪明指的是处理生活中实际事物的能力。
　　2. C。细节理解题。根据文章第二段第一句For example, when in a new situation, an intelligent person thinks about the situation, not about himself or what might happen to him.可知C项正确，且可以排除A、D两项;根据文章第二段第三句He probably isn’t sure how it will all work out, but at least he tries.可排除B项。
　　3. C。推理判断题。根据文章最后一段最后两句可知，聪明的孩子想真正了解生活，他努力接触身边的一切事物;而不聪明的孩子则脱离生活，让自己的生活限制在一个封闭和自我梦境的世界里。他们对待生活的态度是截然不同的，由此可推知C项正确。
　　4. A。主旨大意题。本文主要讲述了什么才是真正的聪明这一话题。故答案为A。B、C、D项过于片面。
　　5. D。推理判断题。文章已经探讨了聪明的含义以及什么样的人是聪明的，故排除A项、C项;文章的中心思想并未涉及教育问题，故排除B项;故D项(如何教导不聪明的人)很可能是作者接下来要讨论的话题。
(2)
　　6. D。细节理解题。从第二段可知，随着fibroblast growth factor 2的减少，老鼠就会变得更加焦虑;如果FGF2增加的话，老鼠就会变得安静一些。故D项正确。
　　7. B。细节理解题。从第二、六段的介绍可知，改善老鼠的生活环境可以使焦虑的老鼠变得安静一些，故B项正确。
　　8. D。指代题。从第四段可知此处的it指代大脑，故答案为D。
　　9. B。推理判断题。从最后一段中This discovery may pave the way for new, more specific treatments for anxiety that will not be based on sedation, but will instead fight the real cause of the disease可推知，这项实验为医生治疗焦虑症提供了更好更有效的办法，故选B项。
　　10. D。归纳标题题。本文主要介绍了科学家发现大脑里有一种化学物质对人类的焦虑有很大的影响，此发现对医生找到更好治疗焦虑症的方法很有帮助。故D项作标题符合文章主旨。
(3)
　　11. C。细节理解题。从第一段内容可以看出，A、B、D选项符合文章内容，从第一段的第一句话可以知道C选项与原文不符。故选C项。
　　12. A。细节理解题。从第二段The days are shorter and colder in the Southern Hemisphere in June, because the Earth is tilted away from the sun.可知A选项正确。B、C、D选项均与第二段中的内容不符。
　　13. A。推理判断题。根据第三段The days are longer in summer and shorter in winter the further you move from the equator.可以推出在北半球越往北，夏天日长越长。故选A。
　　14. 细节理解题。根据最后一段 Northern Alaska is called the “Land of the Midnight Sun” because it never gets dark during the summer months.可知A选项正确。
　　15. D。推理判断题。根据最后一段The situation is reversed in December and January when northern Alaska never sees the sun while it continues to light the sky at night in Antarctica.可知在6月，南极出现夜长，昼短甚至极夜的状况。因此，6月去南极考查是不合适的。
　　16. A。归纳标题题。本文主要讲述了由于地球绕太阳公转而产生的四季变化，是讲述季节和空间的关系，故A选项最能体现全文的大意。