One Sunday evening, Mr and Mrs Hunt were walking by the lake after a dinner party. They saw a bird under a tree. It couldn’t fly. They went over to have a look at it. It was a nice parrot. Its wings were broken and it was saying some numbers. They were surprised. They knew birds could say a few words, but they didn’t know birds could say some numbers. They took the parrot home. It said numbers again. They listened carefully. The bird was saying the same numbers! Mrs Hunt said, “Is this bird saying a telephone number?” Then she wrote the number down and dialed the number on the telephone. It was really a right telephone number. A woman was answering the telephone. She said that the bird was hers. She taught the bird to say the number. The woman came to Mrs Hunt’s house to take her bird back. She thanked Mr and Mrs Hunt very much.
1. When did the Hunts see the bird under the tree?They saw the bird when
2. Where did the Hunts find the bird?
They found it
3. Why couldn’t the bird fly?
Because
4. What made Mr and Mrs Hunt feel surprised?
It was that
5. What did Mrs Hunt do after she wrote the number down?
She
6. Who taught the parrot to say the telephone number?
2 . Police officer Dennis was recently patrolling (巡逻) the streets of Newark, New Jersey. Suddenly, he found four men fighting. As he approached, one of the men tried fleeing, but failed. The police horse tracked down the suspect and arrested him.
“He thought he was going to get away,” Dennis said. “But you can't outrun these horses.”
In Newark and cities across the country, retired racehorses are finding new careers fighting crime. The horses are helping departments with various types of police work. Horses have helped patrol parking lots and schools. They have patrolled city streets. They have chased down criminals.
Police officers say retired racehorses make perfect additions to their departments for several reasons.The 1,200-pound horses are effective crime-fighting forces. The mounted (骑马的) police officers used them to arrest thieves. The animals’ natural intelligence helps as well. Horses can be easily trained to perform duties connected with fighting crime. In addition to being intelligent, horses are generally calm animals.The horse must also be able to follow six commands—walk, stop, stand, back up, side left, and side right. If a horse does not meet his department’s needs, it is returned.
Most of the horses came from Jennifer Nagle’s rescue group. The group has found homes for more than 2,000 horses since it was started 20 years ago. However, today’s troubled economy has made the job of Nagle’s group more challenging. Caring for a horse can cost a great deal of money. According to Nagle, the number of horses in need of new homes has multiplied in recent months. Owners used to call her group and offer one horse for adoption. Now, some inquire about finding homes for five or six retired racehorses.
The adoption of horses by police departments is a win-win for all. The horses enjoy new homes and companions (同伴). Police departments feel closer to people in the community.
“The kids love the horses. A 3-year-old even walked up and petted his police horse.”
The animals also have the ability to ease possibly upsetting situations. Another child who had gotten lost during a shopping trip could not find his parents. The police let the child pet the animal until the boy's parents were located. The child wiped away his tears. He just thought the horse was the greatest thing in the world.
1. The police horse helped Dennis catch the suspect, didn't it?2. Which phrase in the first paragraph has the same meaning as “run after” ?
3. When was Jennifer Nagle’s rescue group started?
4. Why does Nagle’s group face more challenges?
5. What can police horses do for the kids?
6. What makes retired racehorses perfect addition to the police departments? ( List at least 3 advantages)
3 . Pop Princess Britney Spears would be very happy, (or upset, maybe) if she knew what her songs could do for some German farmers.
Recently, some farmers in Germany have been playing Britney's songs very often on their farms. Not that they like her songs a lot, but that her songs can drive away the troublesome wild boars(野猪)! As the boars are one of the endangered species in Germany, pople can't shoot or kill them. Farmers there tried their best to stop the boars from destroying the crops but failed.
One day, one of the German farmers noticed that all the boars were scared away when he started to play one of Britney's songs. The farmer was delighted and then he tried some other singers on the boars.
Madonna's and Robbie William's songs didn't work at all. Only Britney's songs seemed to have the magical power. Every time her songs were played on his farm, the boars would go running away in a rush.
It's reported quite a number of German farmers are using Britney's magic songs to protect their vegetables and fruits.
1. The writer is not sure about Britney's feeling if she knew the magic of her songs, is he?2. Were the wild boars scared away by Madonna's songs or Robbie Williams' songs?
3. How did the German farmers feel when they found Britniey's songs have the magical power?
4. Why must we Chinese protect pandas from being shot or killed?
Because pandas in China are also
5. How do you think would Britney feel after she reads this passage? Why?
4 . Americans love Christmas trees. The National Christmas Tree Association (协会) says more than 35 million of them were bought last year in the United States. In large American cities, many people buy trees that have already been cut. But many people drive to a tree farm and cut their own tree. Some buy trees online, and the tree is then delivered to their home.
It is said that 10.9 million artificial (人造的) trees were sold in 2012, compared to 24.5 million natural trees. The average cost of a natural tree was $40 and about $70 for an artificial one. Most Christmas trees are now grown on farms. The trees take six to ten years to grow to become Christmas trees.
Real trees are better for the environment, that is because as Christmas trees grow, they collect carbon dioxide and other gases while supplying (提供) fresh oxygen. The trees also protect water supplies.
Some people throw away their natural trees when the holiday season ends. But many people recycle them. There are many ways to do this. Christmas trees can be cut up to be used as fertilizer (肥料). They can also be cut and used to prevent the wearing down of soil. Artificial trees which come mostly from China can be reused for years. Families use them for an average of six to nine years before throwing them away.
1. How many trees were bought last year in the United States?2. Many people drive to a tree farm to buy trees online, don’t they?
3. How long do the trees take to become Christmas trees?
4. Why are real trees better for the environment?
5. Which do you prefer, a natural tree or an artificial one?
No one is quite sure when people first worked with dogs, but one thing is certain---dogs and people have worked side by side for thousands of years. Dogs can do a lot of jobs, and their coolest job is: police dog!
A brief history of police dogs:
European police forces(军队) were used as early as the 18th century. During World War I, countries like Germany began to train and use dogs. In the 1950s, K-9 (一个著名的警犬编号) programs began in London and other cities across Europe. Later, the program entered the U.S. Today, police dogs are a very important part of police forces.
What can police dogs do?
Dogs come in different shapes and sizes, and not every kind of dogs is used for police work. Most police dogs used around the world are German Shepherds(德国牧羊犬). Police forces use them to track criminals(寻找犯人线索), sniff out(嗅出) drugs, search buildings, and do the jobs that policemen can’t do.
1. How long have dogs and people worked side by side?2. Was Germany or England the first country to train and use dogs?
3. Which dogs do most people use for police dogs?
4. What jobs can police dogs do? (List at least two things)
5. Give a proper title(适当的标题）to the passage. (No more than 5 words)
6 . Men are the cleverest and most dangerous animals on the earth. Rats come second. Men kill many beasts, and they've even killed millions of men since very long ago, but rats kill more men. Rats carry many diseases and these diseases have killed and are still killing thousands and thousands of men today in many countries. Rats are dangerous not only in one way. They not only carry diseases into men's homes, they also eat up men's food. They eat 33 million tons of grain every year. Men starve because rats eat their food. Rats are clever, too. They have good leaders to tell them the food is terrible when men put poison in it. There are a lot of rats in our cities and villages today. We can go to the moon, but we can not kill all these terrible animals. Is this dangerous enemy too clever and grows too fast, or are we not clever enough and not clean enough?
1. Why are people thought to be the most dangerous animals in the world?__________________________________________________________________
2. How do rats kill men?
__________________________________________________________________
3. How much grain do rats eat in a year?
___________________________________________________________________
4. How do rats know there is some poison in the food?
___________________________________________________________________
5. What does the writer want to tell us in the passage?
___________________________________________________________________
7 . Can dolphins talk? Maybe they can't talk with words, but they talk with sounds. Dolphins travel in a group. We call a group of fish a "school". They don't study but they travel together. Dolphins are mammals, not fish, but they swim together in a school.
Dolphins talk to other dolphins in the school. They give information. They tell when they are happy or sad or afraid. They say welcome when a dolphin comes back to the school. They talk when they play.
They make a few sounds above water. They make many more sounds under water. People can't hear these sounds because they are very high. Scientists make tapes of the sounds and study them. Sometimes people catch a dolphin for a large aquarium(水族馆). People watch the dolphins in a show. Dolphins don't like to be away from their school. In the aquarium they are sad and lonely. There are many stories about dolphins. They can help people. Sometimes they save somebody's life. Dolphin meat is good but people don't like to kill them. They say that dolphins bring good luck. Many people believe this.
1. What is a school of dolpins?2. When do dolphins talk to others?
3. When do they say “ Welcome” ?
4. Do they make more sounds above or under water?
5. Can people hear dolphin sounds? Why ?
6. How does a dolphin feel in a aquarium?
8 . It was a cool spring morning back in 2009 and I had just started a morning shift as a school crossing guard. Looking out for the children, I suddenly noticed something at sideways. Behind me I first thought it was a small, overweight dog heading towards me. I didn't think much about it, and looked carefully at any approaching children, as well as enjoying the morning sun.
What is wrong with that dog? I thought later on, as I looked back to check on the small dog—it was moving much too fast for itself.
A few minutes later, I felt as if I was being watched, I looked behind me, but the dog had disappeared. Then, as I slowly turned my attention back to the road, I was greatly surprised to see a large koala at my feet and staring right up at me. A number of different solutions crossed my mind. But staying calm was the best. "Are you waiting to cross the road?" I asked the sweet koala. Miss Koala looked away, and scratched (抓挠) behind her ear.
Then it got up on all four feet and impatiently started to cross the road. I quickly checked for any cars, then walked to the road with my stop sign held high, whistle (吹哨) to my lips, and held my breath.
The koala made it to the other side of the street, then continued following the path through the trees and disappeared into bushes.
So why did the koala cross at the school crossing? To safely get to the trees on the other side!
1. Is the writer a school crossing guard or an animal protection volunteer?2. Where did the writer notice the little animal?
3. What did the writer choose among the different solutions?
4. Which word showed that koala didn't realize the danger when crossing the road?
5. How did the writer help koala cross the road?
6. What do you think of the koala cross at the school crossing? Why?
Is zoo life really bad for elephants? Are they really healthier when they walk around free? People talk about these questions for years.
Now researchers（研究者）give scientific evidence（证据）that elephants who walk around free are healthier and live longer than those in zoos. This finding answers a lot of questions about the health of elephants, and it might also bring about some changes in the world’s zoos.
The Ros Club and a group of researchers studied the lifestyle of more than 4,500 elephants. And they find these elephants in the zoo can get illness easily, so they say that being born into a zoo, being moved between zoos, and the possible loss of their mothers, all put the animals at special risk.
They made the study in a European zoo, and the elephants used in this study are from two places, the Amboseli National Park in Kenya and the Myanma Timber Enterprise.
Until these animals’ problems can be solved, the researchers also call for an end to get elephants from their native countries, and they say that the zoos should be strict in feeding elephants. They should make sure there is no harm when they let people watch them.
1. What kind of elephants are healthier and live longer?2. How many elephants did the Ros Club and a group of researchers study?
3. Where did the researchers make the study?
4. What should they do when they let people watch the elephants?
5. What can you get from the passage?
The crow（乌鸦） is an ordinary bird. It is black all over. Crows are dirty birds because they live on bad food. Crows eat a lot of waste food. In this way they are more useful to us than any other bird. Crows are always hungry. They look for food all day long and in the evening you can see them in large numbers flying back to their homes in the trees.
Crows are much noisier than other birds. A lot of crows often get together on one house and talk. Sometimes they talk together, and sometimes they do it by turns. It is easy to know if they are happy or angry from crows’ sounds. Perhaps crow talk a lot because they are friendly birds. A couple（夫妇） of crows will live together all their lives, and if one of them dies, the other becomes very sad and quiet for the rest of its life and sometimes dies, too.
1. What colour are crows?
They
2. Why are crows more useful to us than any other bird?
Because
3. Do crows look for food all day and all night?
4. How do we know crows are happy or not?
From
5. What may happen if one of the couple dies?
6. Do you like crows? Why or why not?
