Once upon a time there was a blackbird that lived in a cherry (樱桃) tree outside my window.
Every day, the blackbird would sing and sing. When I ate my breakfast, the blackbird ate his breakfast. When I ate my lunch, the blackbird ate his lunch. When I ate my dinner, the blackbird ate his dinner. The blackbird always ate the cherries off the cherry tree outside my window.
One day, Mother was going to make a cherry pie. We picked all the cherries off the cherry tree. When it was baked, she put the pie by the window to cool off. While I was eating my breakfast, I saw the blackbird fly around the tree. But there were no cherries on the tree. He flew in through the window to sit by me then over to the window by the pie. I smiled. The blackbird looked at me and smiled, too. He said, “I’ll have my pie without ice cream!” And with that, the blackbird took the pie under his wing and flew out of the window. I rushed out of the house and saw the blackbird eating the pie! Soon, the whole pie was gone. We looked at each other and smiled.
1. Where did the blackbird live? (No more than 8 words)_____________________________________________________________
2. What did the blackbird have for his meals? (No more than 2 words)
_____________________________________________________________
3. What did the writer and his/her mother do before making a pie? (No more than 5 words)
_____________________________________________________________
4. Why did the writer’s mother put the pie by the window? (No more than 4 words)
_____________________________________________________________
5. Who ate the whole pie? (No more than 2 words)
_____________________________________________________________
1. Where are Hi and Lo talking?
2. How many pandas can you see in the picture?
3. What is Hi’s question?
4. Does Lo know why pandas like old films?
5. How does Hi explain his question?
3 . Dogs like living with people. They are very friendly. They can do many things for people.
Some dogs help people to look after sheep. Some dogs help people to find the lost children. Some dogs can help the blind, and they are the Seeing Eye Dogs.
Now we can see this kind of dogs all over the world. They are working for the blind. The Seeing Eye dog is strong and easy to train. He helps the blind to walk from place to place. Before a dog becomes a Seeing Eye dog, he must learn in a training school for about three months. First the dog has to learn to sit or stay when he hears the trainer’s call. In his next lesson the dog learns to take his trainer to cross busy streets. The dog has many things to learn. At the end of the training he must take tests. When he passes the tests, the Seeing Eye dog will do things by himself.
The new master (主人) may be a man, a woman, or even a child. It takes the dog and his blind master about a month to learn to work and live together.
Answer the questions according to the passage. (必须使用完整语句作答)
1. Besides helping people to look after sheep and find the lost children, what else can dogs do?
2. Where can we see the Seeing Eye Dogs now?
3. How long must a dog learn in a training school before he becomes a Seeing Eye dog?
4. What must the dog do at the end of the training?
5. Who may be the new master of a Seeing Eye dog?
After getting some information about dinosaurs from the encyclopedia (百科全书), Mary got interested in these animals. She surfed the Internet and found a lot more about dinosaurs. Here’s what she wrote in her notebook.
General information
Millions of years ago, long before there were any people, there were dinosaurs. They existed (存在) on earth for about 165 million years and suddenly died out (灭绝) 65 million years ago.
Fun facts
Size
◆The largest dinosaurs were more than 30 meters long and up to 15 meters tall.
◆The smallest dinosaurs were about the size of a chicken and had very long tails. They ate insects (昆虫).
Egg
◆Most dinosaurs were hatched (孵化) from eggs.
◆The biggest dinosaur egg ever found was the size of a football.
◆There were egg-eating dinosaurs that stole eggs from other dinosaurs’ nests (巢穴).
Brain
◆A lot of dinosaurs have big heads, but they didn’t have much brain inside. Most of the space was taken up with muscle (肌肉) and bones instead.
Tail
◆Dinosaurs that used their tails to beat their enemies had four feet and ate plants.
◆Dinosaurs that used their tails for balance (平衡) had two feet and two small arms, and they were often meat-eaters.
Discovery
◆From looking at bones, scientists can figure out (弄清楚) the shape of the dinosaur’s body.
◆There were more than 800 different kinds of dinosaurs.
Conclusion
We can only know about the lives of dinosaurs from the fossil (化石), eggs and footprints they left behind. But we still don’t know how they sounded, how they behaved, what colors they were and so on.
Oh, my God! Dinosaurs are the most mysterious animals in the world!
Mary’s notebook | |
| General information | Dinosaurs lived on earth for about 165 million years and suddenly |
| Fun facts | Size: The smallest dinosaurs were as Eggs: Some dinosaurs stole and ate other dinosaurs’ eggs. Brain: The dinosaur’s big Tail: Some tails were used to beat their enemies and some to |
| Discovery | Scientists can figure out the shape of the dinosaur’s body from looking at the bones. |
| Conclusion | There are still many things we don't know about dinosaurs. |
5 . According to the traditional Chinese custom, 2018 is just the year of Dog. Ranking as the eleventh animal in the Chinese zodiac -- the Shengxiao, Dog is a symbol of loyalty (忠诚) and honesty.
● Self-mocker (自嘲)
Words and phrases including dogs (Gou in Chinese) are commonly used by young people when telling jokes about themselves. For example, you can say “Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with me since I am a single dog.” It is believed that dog-related words and phrases usually have good humour.
● Close relationship
Among some young people, adding “dog” to a friend’s name has the meaning of a close relationship. One of the most famous examples in China is that the actor Lin Gengxin is called Lin Gou by his close friends and beloved fans.
● Easy to raise
Kids with pleasant names are easy to bring up, according to an ancient Chinese saying. Parents in the countryside prefer to give nicknames including Gou Sheng and Gou Dan to their kids in the hope that they are as easy to be raised as dogs.
● Metaphor (隐喻)
Since dogs are considered to have many good qualities (品质), the word is included in more than 10 Chinese metaphors. For example, “serve like a dog or a horse,” is used to describe someone who is ready to work hard for the people who have powers.
| Symbol Dog is a loyal and | ||
| Self-mocker The dog-related words and phrases are commonly used by young people when telling |  | Easy to raise Parents hope that kids can grow up as |
| Close relationship Adding “dog” to a person’s name | Metaphor Please translate “Serve like a dog or a horse.” into Chinese. |
6 . I had two pets in my house, a dog named Sam and a cat named Katty. They loved each other so much that they were always together. When I played with one, the other joined in. If Sam barked at something, Katty ran to see what it was. When I took either one out of the house, the other was always waiting by the door when we returned. That was the way it was for years.
But one day, without any warning, Sam died of a heart attack （心脏病突发） at the animal hospital and I had to walk back to our house alone. This time, there was no Sam for Katty to greet and no way for me to explain why she would never see her friend again.
In the days that followed, Katty seemed heartbroken. She could not tell me in words how she felt, but I could see the pain and disappointment in her eyes whenever anyone opened the front door and the hope whenever she heard a dog bark.
As the weeks went by, the cat seemed to feel much better. One day as I walked into our living room, I happened to have a look at the floor next to our sofa where we had a statue （塑像） of Sam that we had bought a few years before. Lying next to it, one arm around the statue's neck, was Katty, happily sleeping with her best friend.
1. How were Sam and Katty getting along with each other？ （no more than 6 words）2. What happened to Sam one day？ （no more than 10 words）
3. Why was Katty heartbroken？ （no more than 8 words）
4. 请将文中画线的句子翻译成汉语.
5. 请给短文拟一个适当的英文标题.
7 . The world is a beautiful place in our eyes． But does it look the same through the eyes of animals？
Dogs can't see as many colors as we can．They can see blues， browns and yellows． They have fewer color detecting cells（色彩感知细胞）than humans do．
Spiders have eight pairs of eyes They can see more colors than humans． They can see ultraviolet light（紫外线）．So they see things clearer than we do，Rats can move one eye in different directions while the other eye stops moving． It is to see their enemies better． They can't see many colors． It' s not necessary because they mainly come out at night， They are good at seeing bright light．
Horses have eyes on either side of their head．So they see wider than humans． They have a blind spot（盲点）in front of their nose．They can't see as many colors as humans do． They can see greens and blues，but most of the time they see grays．
1. What colors can dogs see？（不超过9个词）2. How many eyes does a spider have？（不超过8个词）
3. When do rats mainly come out？（不超过8个词）
4. Why do horses see wider than humans？（不超过12 个词）
5. Which topic is better "World through animals' eyes" or "Different kinds of animals"？（不超过8个词）
8 . It’s sad to learn that a whale has died in the ocean. However, that is not the end for the whale. It gives a lot to other sea animals after death.
When a whale dies, it quickly drops to the bottom of the ocean floor. There the whale’s dead body provides food and nutrients(营养) for deep-sea animals. The remains(残骸) can last(持续) for ten years and build an ecosystem called a whale fall — an “oasis(绿洲)” of life in the deep sea.
Chinese scientists found a whale fall for the first time in the South China Sea this year. The whale fall ecosystem can stay in the deep ocean because of great pressure and cold temperature there. They can stop the body from decomposing(分解) too quickly. The depth(深度) makes it hard for scientists to find the whale fall. There are less than 50 known whale falls in the world.
The whale fall in the South China Sea is about three meters long. Scientists have found several species(物种) near the whale fall. Some fish have started to eat the whale’s tail. A scientist named Xie Wei says the whale fall might be quite recent and needs long-term observation(观察). By studying the whale fall, scientists can better understand how sea ecosystems support life.
1. What does the whale’s dead body provide for deep-sea animals?2. Where did Chinese scientists find a whale fall for the first time?
3. Why can the whale fall ecosystem stay in the deep ocean?
4. Are there any species near the whale fall in the South China Sea?
5. What does the passage mainly talk about?
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Victoria Amazonica | The Victoria Amazonica is native to（原产于）South America. It is famous for itssize and strength. Its huge leaves grow to 2.5m in diameter（直径）, and a fully-grown leaf can support a little kid sitting in the center. Its flowers are also big— up to 40cm in diameter. However, you can only enjoy the sight of the flowers for a short time, because they last for only 48 hours or so. |
Calceolaria Uniflora | The Calceolaria Uniflora is a plant from the southern area of South America. It looks like a slipper（拖鞋）. It is also known as Darwin’s Slipper Flower, because itwas first discovered by Charles Darwin in his trip around South America. These amusing flowers also look like little orange aliens walking together over the rocks, so sometimes they are nicknamed the Happy Alien Plant. |
Azorella Compacta | The Azorella Compacta looks like a beanbag sofa, but actually it is made up of thousands of flowering buds（花蕾）on long stems（茎）. It can support the weightof a human. The plant is native to the high Andes in South America. It grows very slowly, nearly 15mm per year. It is also one of the oldest living things in the world. Many of the Azorella Compactas we see are thought to be over 3,000 years old. |
1. How long is the Victoria Amazonica in flower?
2. There are another two names for the Calceolaria Uniflora. What are they?
3. How fast does the Azorella Compacta grow?
4. Are the Victoria Amazonica and the Azorella Compacta weak or strong?
5. Please give a suitable title for the article.
10 . Eight years ago, 1-week-old Diandian was left behind. When people found her in the reeds (芦苇) of a lake, she looked too weak to survive. Now she is the mother of three milu, thanks to the workers’ attention and care at the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve.
Li is the president of a milu conservation association in Yueyang and head of a local milu and bird rescue center, where 11 deer, including Diandian, have their families. Li and his workmates need to work extra hours to take care of the animals from March until mid-May. He remembers March 18 this year. He fed Diandian some fresh shoots and leaves for breakfast as usual, and moments later when he returned, a newborn milu was right beside her. Since it is her third baby and born in the third month of the year, people named it Sansan, referring to “three-three”. Li has developed a deep affection for milu and made up his mind to protect them. “As our country is paying more attention to environmental and wildlife protection, people are increasingly aware that milu are state-protected animals,” Li said.
Milu habitats (栖息地) are usually centered around water, and fishing equipment that used to be a threat to the animals is no longer seen in nature reserves. On May 27, a team of experts went to watch milu near Dongting Lake. It takes time and luck to meet one and count them especially when they live in the thick reeds that are 4 to 5 meters tall. The team leader Song, saw a milu for the first time when he was studying for his doctorate in zoology early in 2009. Since then, he has helped protect the habitats at Dongting Lake. As the flood season is coming, Song and his workmates will go around the lake area day and night to save deer in trouble, and provide feed for the animals when needed.
As the environment improves in and around Dongting Lake, China’s second-largest freshwater lake, the wetland has become cover once again for wildlife. “We will continue to protect these rare animals and their living environment,” Song said.
1. How was Diandian when she was found in the reeds eight years ago?2. Why do people call Diandian’s new baby Sansan?
