many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company

Michael Fish may soon be replaced as a weather forecaster by the shark (鲨鱼).
Research by a British biology student suggests that sharks could be used to predict storms. Lauren Smith, 24, is close to completing her study on shark’s ability to sense pressure. If her studies prove the theory, scientists may be able to monitor the behavior of sharks to predict bad weather.
Miss Smith had previously studied the behavior of lemon sharks in the Bahamas.
She then used their close relatives, lesser spotted dogfish, for further research at Aberdeen University.
Her work---thought to be the first of its kind to test the pressure theory ---- resulted from the observation that juvenile blacktip sharks off Florida moved into deeper water ahead of a violent storm in 2001.
Miss Smith said: “I’ve always been crazy about traveling and diving and this led me to an interest in sharks.”
“I was delighted to have been able to research in the area for my degree. I know there’s so much more we need to understand ---- but it certainly opens the way to more research.”
It has been discovered that a shark senses pressure using hair cells in its balance system.
At the Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas, Miss Smith fixed hi-tech sensors to sharks to record pressure and temperature, while also tracking them using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology.
In Aberdeen, she was able to study the effects of tidal (潮汐的) and temperature changes on dogfish----none of which were harmed. She also used a special lab which can mimic (模拟) oceanic pressure changes caused by weather fronts.
She is due to complete her study and graduate later this year. She says she will be looking for a job which will give her the chance to enrich her experience of shark research.
小题1:The passage is most probably taken from _______.

A．a short-story collection

B．a popular science magazine

C．a research paper

D．a personal diary

小题2:What do we learn from the first four paragraphs of the passage?

A．Sharks may be used to predict bad weather.

B．Sharks’ behavior can be controlled.

C．Michael Fish is not fit for his job.

D．Lauren Smith will become a weather forecaster.

小题3:Lauren Smith conducted her research by _______.

A．removing hair cells from a shark’s balance system

B．measuring the air pressure of weather fronts

C．recording sharks’ body temperature

D．monitoring sharks’ reaction to weather changes

小题4:What is the passage mainly about?

A．A popular way of forecasting weather.

B．A new research effort in predicting storms.

C．Biologists’ interest in the secrets of sharks.

D．Lauren Smith’s devotion to scientific research.

Most of the things around you will be replaced or thrown away someday. Where will they go when they are thrown out? What kinds of waste will they create, and how will it affect the environment
Most of our crash goes to places called landfills. A LANDFILL is a low area of land that is filled with garbage（垃圾）.Most modern landfills are lined with a cover of plastic to keep dangerous liquids（液体）from polluting earth and ground water supply. The problem is that more than half of the states in this country are running out of places to landfill their garbage. Because of the unhealthy materials, landfills do not make good neighbors，and people don’t want to live near them. Many landfills are set in poor neighborhoods.
The Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, New York, was the largest garbage landfill in the world. For years, people who live nearby complained about air and water pollution caused by the enormous pile of trash. They say that the smoke have made people sick. The landfill closed in
April 2001.Now can a harmful waste—material that can pollute air, land, and water –be disposed of in a safe way.
Another way to get rid of trash is to burn it. Trash is burned in an incinerator. _ Because incinerators in operation can get rid of almost all of the trash, some communities would rather use incinerators than landfills. There is a problem, though. Leftover ash and smoke from burning trash may have dangerous chemicals, and even make it hard for some people to breathe. They can harm plants, animals, and people.
You can help reduce（减少）waste by reusing bottles, batteries, and paper. You can also recycle newspaper, glass, and plastics t to provide materials for making other products.
From recycled materials, many things are made. For example, from recycled paper we can get newspapers, boxes and so on. From recycled plastic we can get soda bottles, tables, and backpacks.
小题1:Why don’t landfills make good neighbors?

A．Because there are unhealthy materials in them.

B．Because people prefer to live in the city center.

C．Because landfills are not big enough for trash.

D．Because most states are running out of places.

小题2:What does the underlined word “incinerator” _probably mean?

A．An area to collect trash.	B．A machine to burn trash
C．A method that is used to burn trash.	D．A station that is run by selling trash.

小题3:What is probably the best title for the passage?

A．How Is Trash Burned?	B．What Can Be Reused.
C．Why Is Waste Dangerous?	D．Where Does Garbage Go?

We look forward to the day when motorcars will be replaced by some less dangerous ____ of transport.

A．means

B．methods

C．manners

D．ways