Ladybugs (瓢虫) are loved by people so much. In many cultures they’re considered good luck. There are about 5,000 different types of ladybugs in the world. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the most familiar in the UK is the seven-spot ladybug which has a shiny, red-and-black body. Most people like ladybugs because they are pretty graceful and harmless to humans. Farmers also love them very much. They eat aphids (蛀虫) and other plant-eating pests.
Most ladybugs have oval, dome-shaped bodies with six short legs. Depending on the types, they can have spots, stripes (条纹) or no markings at all. Seven-spot ladybugs are red or sometimes orange with three spots on each side and one in the middle. Their head is black with white patches (斑点) on either side. The ladybug’s bright colors can warn animals they’d better not eat them. When they are in danger, the ladybugs produce an oily, yellow fluid from joints in their legs—and their coloring acts as a reminder to any predators who have eaten their kind before that they taste disgusting (令人厌恶的)!
These bugs have another trick to avoid danger too—remain still and pretend to be dead. Simple, eh? Birds are ladybugs’ main predators, but they also fall victims (牺牲品) to frogs, spiders and dragonflies.
Seven-spot ladybugs are native to Europe but were introduced to North America in the mid-1900s to control aphid populations. These ladybugs are happy in many different habitats (栖息地), including grasslands, forests, cities, suburbs and along rivers. During spring and summer, when they are most active, these ladybugs can be seen fluttering around or walking on the leaves of plants. But when the weather turns colder in autumn, they look for a warm, secluded place to hibernate, such as under rocks or even inside houses. They like to group together, too.
1. In many cultures what do ladybugs stand for?2. Why do farmers love ladybugs?
3. What will ladybugs do when they are in danger?
4. Do you love to keep ladybugs as pets? Why or why not? (Write 30 words or more.)
相似题推荐
Birds don’t like eating plastic. But more seabirds are eating plastic waste in the world’s oceans. Why?
It is possible because the plastic waste smells like food, according to a new study published in the journal Science Advances.
Matthew Savoca is the study’s lead author (作者) at the University of California. “Animals usually have a reason for the decisions they make,” he said. “If we want to truly understand why animals are eating plastic in the ocean, we have to think about how animals find food.”
The study found that plastic waste easily collects algae (海藻) on the water. Together, they give off a smell that is very similar to the krill (磷虾), many seabirds feed on the krill. It could explain why some birds—including albatrosses (信天翁) and shearwaters (剪水鹱)—are nearly six times more likely to eat plastic than other birds. They usually find food by their sense of smell.
More plastic pollution enters the world’s oceans every year. A study last year showed that about 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans every year. It is enough to cover every coastline (海岸线) in the world.
Birds and other sea animals, such as fish, eat plastic. It can badly hurt their organs (器官). Some birds even mistakenly feed their babies waste instead of food.
Scientists hope this study can wake people up and help save the seabirds.
1. Where does Matthew Savoca work?2. How do albatrosses and shearwaters find food?
3. Is the plastic pollution a serious problem now?
4. What is the scientists’ purpose?
5. What is the passage mainly about?
【推荐2】Fish live in water. They use their special organ(器官) called gills(腮) for breathing. Some fish are dangerous to humans. Here are the world’s most dangerous fishes.
Electric Eel(电鳗) — It is a South American fish. Electric eels are long and usually gray-brown in color. The electric eel can reach up to 9 feet long and can weigh up to 22 kg. The fish has a mouth. It is rich in blood vessels(血管). The fish can use them as lungs(肺). Its tail has the electric organ that gives off 300 — 650 volts of electricity.
Stonefish — These venomous(有毒的) fish are generally found in the waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific. These fish have small eyes, large heads and mouths. If you ever see one, stay away from it.
Piranha(水虎鱼) — There are more than 60 kinds of Piranha fish. These meat-eating fish have sharp(尖利的) teeth. Most of the Piranha fish eat plants or anything that they can find.
Puffer Fish(河豚) — It can inflate(使膨胀) itself with water and air to turn into a ball several times its real size. One puffer fish has enough toxins(毒素) to kill about 30 humans. There are total 120 kinds of puffer fish all over the world.
| Four World’s Most Dangerous Fishes | |
| Electric Eel | ◆It comes from ◆The blood vessels in its mouth can ◆The electric organ in its tail can give off electricity of 300 — 650 volts of electricity. |
| ◆They live in the waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific. ◆They are venomous and they have small eyes, large heads and mouths. | |
| Piranha | ◆They have ◆They feed on meat, plants and so on. |
| Puffer Fish | ◆It can inflate itself to turn into a much bigger ◆It can kill humans with its toxins. |
【推荐3】When we talk of plants, most of us will think of things that grow from the ground and have green leaves, but there are plants that do not look or act like other plants. Some of these belong to a special class of plants called fungi.
Fungi may appear almost everywhere. ①________________________Because fungi do not have green leaves to make their own food, fungi must take their food from animals, other plants or water. Some fungi live on dead or rotting wood, while others grow on living trees or in dirt or moss(苔藓). Mushrooms(蘑菇) are the best-known fungi.
②___________________For example, cauliflower mushrooms are found in forests from July to October. They can grow to be as heavy as fifty pounds! They grow at the foot of trees. Squirrel’s bread(松茸) is another kind of wild mushroom. Its appearance and use can explain its name. These fungi look like small golden cakes. Squirrels can easily eat them or carry them off to their hole to eat later.
③食品店里的蘑菇是人们精心种植的，可安全食用。People are warned never to touch or taste wild mushrooms, because some of them are deadly. Even less dangerous ones can still make a person very sick.
1. 将①句译成中文。2. 将②句译成中文。
3. 将③句译成英文。
回答问题：
4. From what can fungi take food?
5. What is squirrel’s bread? How to understand the name?
Do you know the self-driving bullet (子弹) train just for the Beijing Winter Olympics? Is there anything new on the train? Let’s have a look!
The train links (连接) Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the co-host cities of the Games. With a top speed of 350 kilometers an hour, the train can run the 174-kilometer journey between the two cities in around 50 minutes, while a regular express (特快的) train takes three hours.
It is said to be the world’s first high-speed train with a 5G live broadcast studio (现场直播演播室). It can carry 564 passengers each trip in its eight cars (车厢). It has business, first-class and second-class cars. Besides, for the needs of media (媒体), it also has special working cars with 12 tables and international electric sockets (电源插座).
The train is painted in white and blue colors and there are 24 snowflakes (雪花) on the outside of the train, showing this is the 24th Winter Olympic Games. Inside the train, there are winter sports photos on the walls and paper snowflakes on top.
The Beijing Winter Olympic Games opened in February, 2022. The high-speed train provided transportation services for the 2022 Winter Olympics and the Paralympics (残奥会) from January 21 to March 16. Up to 40 pairs of trains traveled between the two cities every day.
1. Which two cities does the train link?2. Can the train run faster than a regular express train?
3. How many kinds of cars does the train have according to the passage?
4. What do the 24 snowflakes stand for (代表)?
5. What does the passage mainly talk about?
Some interesting things about Start of Spring
The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Spring, the first solar term of the year, is from Feb 4th to Feb 18th this year. After that everything turns green and full of energy; people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.
Here are some interesting things about Start of Spring.
Flying a kite
Spring is the best season for kite-flying. As a tradition, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one’s health and prevent diseases.
Erecting the egg (立蛋)
In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring. It is believed that if someone can erect the egg on the first day of Start of Spring, he will have good luck in the future.
Making a Spring Ox (做春牛)
This custom in Shaanxi is practised right before the Start of Spring. The officers ask some artists to build an ox with bamboo, wood, paper and paint. When the paper ox is ready, people will worship(敬神) it and hope for a harvest year.
Posting spring calligraphy and paintings(张贴春季字画)
The custom of posting calligraphy and paintings on one’s door in the spring was first celebrated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). People would do so to welcome spring and pray for good luck on the first day of Start of Spring.
Some interesting things about Start of Spring | |
| This year, Start of Spring | |
| Fly a kite | It is a |
| Erect the egg | People who succeed in erecting the egg will be |
| | People build and worship a spring ox for a harvest year. |
| Post spring calligraphy and paintings | People post calligraphy and paintings on the |
In 1901, an Austrian scientist discovered that there are four types of blood. He named them A, B, AB, and O. People have one of these four types. Blood type O is the most common around the world. Blood type A is the second most common, and blood type AB is the least common.
In 1927, a Japanese doctor found that people with different blood types have different personalities (性格), too. He said that people with type A blood are usually calm and serious; people with type B blood are cheerful and outgoing; people with type O blood are generous (慷慨的) and honest; while those with type AB blood are often caring and creative.
More recently, a doctor in the United States wrote a book that connects blood types with what people cat. The book suggests people with type O blood should eat more meat and less bread. A diet for people with type A blood includes more vegetables. His book, Eat Right for Your Type, has been a hit with people who want to lose weight. However, Dr. Peter D’ Adamo believes that eating food that matches a person’s blood type will make the person healthier in other ways, too.
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【推荐1】We are all asked to make a speech at some point in life，but most of us don't do a very good job. This article gives us some suggestions on how to make an excellent speech.
Cheer up! It doesn't have to be that hard. Here are some simple steps to make preparations. Firstly，ask yourself the purpose of your speech.Why are you speaking? Secondly，collect as many facts as you can on your subject.Thirdly，spend enough time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible，and use pictures，charts and graphs (图表) if they help make your points clearer. Lastly，never forget your audience.Treat your audience with respect.They will be thankful.
Just remember! Be prepared. Know your subject and your audience. Be__brief．Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality (个性) come through so that you make person to person contact (联系) with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps，you will see that you don't have to be afraid of speaking in public. In__fact，you__may__find__the__experience__so__enjoyable__that__you__volunteer__to__make__more__speeches! Have a try and see what happens.
1. The second paragraph mainly tells us2. What should you do when you are preparing a speech? (至少列出2个建议)
3. The underlined phrase “Be brief” in Paragraph 3 means
4. Translate the underlined sentence in the last paragraph into Chinese.
5. 请给短文拟定一个适当的英文标题
Firefighting(消防) is an important job to keep people safe and help stop fires from damaging(毁坏) too much property(财产).
There are many important parts to be a firefighter. First of all, firefighters have to be strong enough to do their work, so they need to have physical training, such as carrying heavy objects(物体), going up many stairs, and working for a long time. Firefighters also have to know the latest skills in fighting fires, so they need to go through regular training to keep themselves and others safe. Anyway, the most important part of being a firefighter is to work as a team. They have to work together to stop fires!
Firefighting is very stressful. Firefighters never know when a fire or other emergency(紧急情况) is going to happen, so they have to be ready at all times. Even in the middle of the night, firefighters have to be able to wake up quickly when the alarm(警报) goes off.
Firefighters don’t just fight fires. They also help people who are in accidents. For example, they use their special tools to help get people out of the cars if they’re stuck(卡住). In some places, firefighters also have to be prepared to help people who are sick or injured(受伤的). These firefighters might be trained as nursing staff.
Firefighters are always there to help us whenever there’s an emergency. Firefighting is not easy, but if you like helping people, it might be a good job for you!
1. How many parts are there to be a firefighter?2. What is the most important part of being a firefighter?
3. List one thing which firefighters do besides fighting fires.
4. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
5. Give a proper title to the passage.
Second only to water, tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Whether you like it boiling hot, poured over ice, or served with milk and tapioca pearls, there’s a lot to love about tea. But how much do you know about it? Let’s test your knowledge to see if you’re a real tea master.
1.How many types of tea plants are there?
A.One. B.Two. C.Three. D.Four.
Although there are thousands of different types of teas, they all come from one plant—Camellia sinensis, a bush native to East Asia. The differences come from where the plants are grown and how their leaves are treated after harvest. Leaves used to make green tea are processed（加工）for instance, they can be lightly-steamed or oven-dried—while those used to make black tea are left to dry.
2.On average, which country’s citizens drink the most tea?
A.China. B.The United Kingdom. C.Turkey. D.Japan.
It’s true that the British have the reputation (名声) of being great tea lovers, but they don’t drink as much tea as the people of Turkey. A single Turkish citizen uses more than three kilograms of tea leaves per year, which is enough to make over 1,200 cups of tea!
3.When did tea become widely popular in Britain?
A.In the fifteenth century. B.In the sixteenth century. C .In the seventeenth century. D.In the eighteenth century.
Tea came to England from China in the seventeenth century, but it was so costly that only noble people could afford it. It wasn’t until the first tea shop opened in 1717 that common people got chances to drink tea. By the middle of the eighteenth century, nearly everyone in England was drinking tea.
4.Why did people start adding milk to tea?
A.To improve the flavor. B.To make it cool enough to drink. C.To protect their cups. D.To make it healthier.
In the 1700s, many average British folks didn’t have the strong, well-made tea sets that richer people used. Their thinner cups often broke when boiling water was poured inside. Adding milk first helped cool the tea and prevented the cups from breaking.
While tea lovers will argue (争论) endlessly about how to make a great cup, there’s only one rule. The perfect cup of tea is the one that tastes best to you. No matter how you like it, just enjoy!
| Information about | |
| Brief introduction | As one of the most popular drinks in the world, tea is |
| Different types of tea | ●There are thousands of different types of teas, but they all come from the ● The differences lie in the |
| Tea in Britain | ●The British are known as great tea lovers, but they drink ●In the seventeenth century, tea came to Britain from China. However, because of its high ●In 1717, the first tea shop opened, which made it ●Later, milk was |
| Conclusion | Whether it’s a perfect cup of tea |
