1 . Fencing or Not
Wildlife fences are constructed for a variety of reasons including to prevent the spread of diseases, to protect wildlife from poachers (偷猎者), and to help manage small populations of threatened species. Human-wildlife conflict is another common reason for building fences. Wildlife can damage valuable farm animals and crops. Some species carry diseases of agricultural concern, and a few threaten human lives. At the same time, people kill wild animals for food, trade, or to defend lives or property, and human activities destroy wildlife habitat (栖息地). Separating people and wildlife by fencing can appear to be a mutually beneficial way to avoid such harmful effects. But in a paper in the journal Science, published recently, some scientists argue that fencing should only be used if worse comes to worst.
According to the scientists, although fencing can have conservation benefits, it also has costs. When areas of wildlife habitat are changed into islands, the resulting small and isolated populations tend towards extinction, and the resulting loss of larger-bodied species can affect interactions between species in ways that cause further local extinctions. Therefore, scientists are asking that conservationists carefully weigh up the biodiversity costs and benefits of new and existing fences.
In addition to fences’ ecosystem-wide impact, the scientists don’t think they always achieve their specific aims. Construction of fences to reduce human-wildlife conflict has been successful in some places but the challenges of appropriate fence design, location, construction, and protection mean that fences often fail to deliver the anticipated benefits. In some places, fences also provide poachers with a ready supply of wire for making traps.
A variety of alternative approaches, including better caring for farm animals, community-based crop-guarding, insurance and wildlife-sensitive land-use planning are suggested to reduce conflicts between people and wildlife without the need for fencing. Some projects working with local people and government agencies in Indonesia have shown that human-elephant conflict can be dramatically reduced without using fences.
The scientists conclude that as climate change increases the importance of facilitating wildlife mobility and conserving landscape connectivity, fence removal may become an important form of climate change preparation, and so fencing of wildlife should be avoided whenever possible.
1. What does the underlined word “mutually” in Paragraph 1 probably mean________?

A．Indeed.

B．Outdoors.

C．Straight.

D．Both.

2. According to the scientists, what will fencing influence?

A．Land building.

B．Species diversity.

C．Human population.

D．Wildlife’s body size.

3. What is mainly discussed in Paragraph 4?

A．Replacements for fences.

B．Wildlife-protection methods.

C．Effective land-use approaches.

D．Conflicts between human and wildlife

4. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A．argue and prove

B．inform and explain

C．appeal and discuss

D．compare and assess

2 . “Oh, my God! Did I really just send that text?” Most people have said something that they wish they could take back. And if they had paused to think about it first, they probably would have acted differently. Pausing doesn’t pay off just when you speak. Scientific studies have shown that making a habit of pausing before you do something can actually have a big impact on how your life turns out.
In making decisions we rely on two areas of the brain. One area creates and processes emotions; the other governs logical thought. The type of decision, how we feel about it, and how prepared we are to handle it help determine which brain area has the most influence.
But our age also plays an important role. Thinking through the consequences of one’s actions is actually harder for teens because the area controlling logical thought is not fully developed until around age 25. This is why teens often feel an intense emotional drive to act impulsively--it’s how their brains are structured! Though this tendency to act without considering the outcomes can lead to problematic situations, impulsivity during the developmental years evolves because it makes teens more open to new experiences and ideas. This openness helps teens become independent adults.
The key to making impulsivity work for you--instead of against you--is to train your brain by practicing pausing. This doesn’t mean you stop taking risks or being open to new experiences. But you won’t know if the risk is worth it until you think it through. Deciding to take a risk based on logic shows self-control, not impulsivity.
What are different ways to pause? You might take a deep breath, count to 10, or ask, “Is this worth it?” Different strategies work for different people. Whatever works for you, keep doing it! By practicing pausing, you can actually change your brain. This means that over time, pausing, instead of immediately reacting, becomes your “natural” response. And with this change, people are on their way to enjoying the life rewards that come with high levels of self-control--even if they weren’t natural--born pausers!
1. What challenges teenagers________?

A．Giving natural response.

B．Making logical decision.

C．Acting before thorough thinking.

D．Choosing brain-training strategies.

2. An impulsive person tends to __________.

A．think through a risk in advance

B．show high level of self-control

C．consider or accept new ideas

D．change ideas frequently

3. According to the passage, by training one’s brain, one can __________.

A．stop taking risks

B．fully develop one’s brain

C．become more open to new experience

D．reduce the influence of emotional drive

4. What is the best title for the passage________?

A．Discover the Brain Function

B．Crying Over the Spilt Milk

C．Push the Pause Button

D．Impulsivity Works

3 . The 100th Running Shoe Keychain
When I was in Grade 6, I joined the cross country running club. I hated running but______ because my friends were in the club. I worked hard but no matter how hard I trained, I ______ came in the last. After yet another meet where I came in last, I told my coach that I was going to ______. I couldn’t run. I hated running and all I was doing was pulling the ______ down. I don’t remember his words, but I do remember he ______to let me quit. I remember feeling that he believed in me even though I didn’t believe in myself. I kept ______and participating in the meets. He never gave up on me. Instead, he always encouraged me to keep going, and told me that I could do it.
Then the final meet came, a huge ______ with less than two hundred students running. We learned that not only the first 20 students ______ the line would win an award, but also the first 100 would be given a running shoe keychain as encouragement. We set off and I quickly______behind. I didn’t stop and kept running. My friends who_____me encouraged me to keep running. When I passed the_____, finally, and received the 100th keychain, there were still students behind me. For the first time, I was not the_____one! I remember how excited I felt and how my friends felt happy for me.
The following week there was a school gathering. We were all called up in front of the school. The coach shared that we were high_____at the meet, and almost everyone on the team came home with_____. I felt ashamed, for I was the one who didn’t win an award. I only came in the 100th place and didn’t______ his praise. Then he came behind me, put his hands on my shoulders and told the school he was _____of me because I never gave up and because of that, I pulled from last ______to the middle of the race--which was an unbelievable personal ______. He spoke on how we all ______one another and how well we worked together, ______we all were racing alone.
I still keep that keychain, which tells me never to give up and always work with others. It doesn’t matter if you are the first; what matters is doing your best.1.

A．obeyed

B．joined

C．agreed

D．practised

2.

A．constantly

B．approximately

C．personally

D．absolutely

3.

A．fall

B．lose

C．rest

D．quit

4.

A．score

B．coach

C．team

D．record

5.

A．regretted

B．forbade

C．refused

D．hesitated

6.

A．begging

B．applying

C．failing

D．training

7.

A．affair

B．success

C．amount

D．honour

8.

A．to

B．beyond

C．over

D．across

9.

A．followed

B．fell

C．left

D．kept

10.

A．helped

B．inspired

C．passed

D．supported

11.

A．field

B．line

C．test

D．match

12.

A．least

B．last

C．quickest

D．farthest

13.

A．spots

B．speeds

C．quality

D．chance

14.

A．presents

B．keychains

C．wishes

D．awards

15.

A．believe

B．value

C．deserve

D．request

16.

A．aware

B．proud

C．capable

D．sure

17.

A．place

B．number

C．race

D．minute

18.

A．matter

B．ambition

C．victory

D．opinion

19.

A．encouraged

B．introduced

C．proved

D．attracted

20.

A．as if

B．in case

C．as long as

D．even though

4 . In high school I had a math teacher, Mrs. Davies, who took her job seriously and expected her students to put forth the same degree of commitment (付出). Strict but fair, she held our attention with her great method. One of her ______ was for students who were more advanced academically. I chose to ______ it and soon realized that the course was a bit over my head. I ____ with the complex problems that others seemed to learn without much effort.

One Friday we were tested ______ our ability to use a theorem (定理) that no one in the class thoroughly understood. The teacher would ______ our papers based on our ability to progress through the problem which easily filled two pages of formulaic notations (公式符号). I was absolutely ______. Finally, I didn't use the required theorem. Instead, I decided to use more familiar theorems to arrive at an ______. I knew I had failed because I hadn't done the ______ assignment. I became resigned (顺从) to my fate.

Our test papers were ______ back the following Monday. Everyone received a "C" except for me. To my surprise, I received an "A". I ______ that there must be a mistake. I watched ______ as the teacher approached my desk, smiled, and asked for my test ______ back. She then went back to copy my work onto the blackboard, ______ the class how I had arrived at the correct answer. "Mathematics is meant to be a creative tool, pushing our minds to a rewarding answer," she said with confidence. ______ I didn't use the required theorem, she seemed really proud of how I'd worked through the problem. The class saw her fold my test paper and put it into her textbook. She announced that it would be ______ with future classes.

My teacher would have been justified (合理的) in giving me a ______ grade. Instead, she used the ______ to deeply influence a student who often struggled. And after forty years, I still cherish the ______. It helped change my self-image. I ______ up to a broad boundary of possibilities which has made my life an adventure. She understood that teaching went beyond strict demands and could be used to ______ Thank you, Mrs. Davies.

1.

A．ways

B．tasks

C．tests

D．classes

2.

A．run

B．take

C．teach

D．like

3.

A．compared

B．struggled

C．connected

D．argued

4.

A．on

B．at

C．in

D．for

5.

A．explain

B．collect

C．print

D．grade

6.

A．tired

B．curious

C．lost

D．satisfied

7.

A．effect

B．end

C．answer

D．interest

8.

A．completed

B．proved

C．fixed

D．required

9.

A．handed

B．held

C．thrown

D．dated

10.

A．hoped

B．assumed

C．declared

D．dreamed

11.

A．angrily

B．regretfully

C．disappointedly

D．nervously

12.

A．paper

B．score

C．question

D．method

13.

A．helping

B．following

C．showing

D．praising

14.

A．Since

B．Unless

C．Though

D．Because

15.

A．shared

B．exchanged

C．practised

D．checked

16.

A．friendly

B．failing

C．corrected

D．wrong

17.

A．possibility

B．creation

C．intention

D．opportunity

18.

A．change

B．memory

C．school

D．life

19.

A．opened

B．kept

C．made

D．looked

20.

A．learn

B．survive

C．inspire

D．manage