1 . Only humans speak using words. But all animals can communicate in one way or another. Maybe you have heard about the way bees dance around to send messages to each other and the way dogs make loud noises in different ways to give warnings.
Do you know that animals can communicate through infrasonic (次声的) sounds? This is how it works:
Humans hear low sounds like thunder rumbling (雷声轰鸣) in the sky. But we don’t hear sounds lower than these. However, elephants can hear many lower sounds, and they use them to communicate with each other. This is known as infrasound.
Another surprising thing about infrasound is that it travels over several kilometres. Sounds which have a higher pitch(音调), like the ones people can hear, don’t travel through walls, leaves, trees and so on. And that is why we can’t hear sounds from more than 100 metres away. But infrasound is much ‘stronger’, and things like grass and trees have no effect on it. Because of that it can travel much farther. Elephants can hear infrasonic calls from four kilometres away!
There have been reports that people were watching elephants feeding or resting when the elephants all ran away for no reason at all. It is clear that they heard a warning call from a long way away, but the people didn’t hear the sound. In places like a zoo where you can get nearer to animals, it is a bit easier to sense when infrasonic sounds are made. When you stand near mother elephants with their babies in a zoo you may notice a weak rumbling in the air every few minutes — not loud or strong, but clearly noticeable. They are infrasonic calls — the mother elephants “talking” to their babies.
1. Why does the author mention bees and dogs in Paragraph 1?| A．To show humans are special. |
| B．To introduce animal communication. |
| C．To compare different kinds of animals. |
| D．To tell us an interesting story about animals. |
| A．belongs to high sounds |
| B．can travel longer distances |
| C．is higher than the sound of thunder |
| D．gets weaker when traveling through walls |
| A．The people watching also heard the warning call. |
| B．The people could hear lower sounds than elephants. |
| C．The elephants were frightened by the people nearby. |
| D．The elephants communicated through infrasonic sounds. |
| A．live in the wild | B．go to the park |
| C．stay closer to animals | D．watch elephants feeding |
| A．Wild Elephants | B．The Animal World |
| C．Talking Through Infrasound | D．Dog Communication |
2 . I was in a department store with my family a few days ago. Usually I am one of those people who do not like to go shopping.
My mother and I were
I knew that she lost her family and was all
| A．Therefore | B．However | C．Thus | D．Otherwise |
| A．answering | B．preparing | C．looking | D．calling |
| A．friend | B．family | C．book | D．bag |
| A．clean | B．dirty | C．full | D．empty |
| A．shop | B．gift | C．girl | D．lady |
| A．get up | B．come up | C．give up | D．make up |
| A．shaking | B．puzzling | C．crying | D．relaxing |
| A．for | B．with | C．by | D．in |
| A．anywhere | B．somewhere | C．everywhere | D．nowhere |
| A．But | B．Or | C．As | D．So |
| A．missed | B．disappointed | C．dismissed | D．lost |
| A．smile | B．hope | C．honesty | D．worry |
| A．it | B．which | C．that | D．what |
| A．send for | B．wait for | C．look after | D．call on |
| A．book | B．money | C．card | D．toy |
3 . Last Friday, at least 5 people were killed by lightning in Nepal.
Lightning strikes are the second most common cause of deaths during natural disasters in the US. The first is floods. Around 400 people nationwide are struck by lightning each year, and of those, 70 people die. That is, more people are killed by lightning than by tornadoes and hurricanes.
Because lightning kills only one or two people at a time, its danger does not receive as much attention as other disasters.
"If you hear the thunder, you are in danger from lightning," said Rocky Lopes, a disaster educator at the American Red Cross.
"Thunder means that lightning is close enough to hit you at any time, so you should move indoors immediately and stay there until the storm has ended. The most important thing to remember is to seek shelter (遮蔽物), " Lopes said.
Summer is the peak time for lightning storms, so when lightning strikes across the sky, remember these safety tips:
♦ Stop working, fishing, swimming or playing in open fields.
♦ Do not stand under a tree.
♦ Get off bicycle and motorcycles.
♦ Crouch down (蹲下) if there is no shelter.
♦ Avoid open spaces, wire fences, metal objects and electrical objects such as hair driers.
1. In the US, ______ is the most common cause of deaths during natural disasters.| A．lightning | B．tornadoes | C．hurricanes | D．floods |
| A．400 | B．70 | C．330 | D．5 |
| A．stand still in the open spaces |
| B．find shelter to hide in |
| C．stand under the tree |
| D．stop working in the fields |
| A．Floods are the most common cause of deaths in the US. |
| B．Less than 70 people are killed by tornadoes and hurricanes each year in the US. |
| C．If you hear the thunder, you should move indoors right away. |
| D．People don't pay as much attention to the danger of hurricanes as that of floods. |
| A．The Danger of Lightning | B．Some Safety Tips against Floods |
| C．How Lightning Happens | D．5 People Killed by Lightning in Nepal |
4 . Parents should stop blaming (责备) themselves because there’s not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.
I’ve seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself (懒散地躺) on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. “I don't know what to do with him these days,” she said. “He’s forgotten all the manners we taught him.”
He hasn't forgotten them. He' s just decided that he' s not going to use them. She confessed (坦白) that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.
Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, “I don’t like your dress; it’s ugly.” One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.
“Where did we go wrong?” her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.
1. This text is most probably written by ________.| A．an expert in teenager studies | B．a headmaster of a middle school |
| C．a parent with teenage children | D．a doctor for mental health problems |
| A．the change from good to bad that ' s seen in a child |
| B．the way that parents often blame themselves |
| C．the opinion that a child has of his parents |
| D．the advice that parents want their children to follow |
| A．lazy | B．quiet | C．unusual | D．rude |
| A．pay no attention to them | B．are too busy to look after them |
| C．have come to hate them | D．feel helpless to do much about them |
| A．Parents have no choice but to try to accept it. |
| B．Parents shouldn’t pay attention to the change at all. |
| C．Parents should work more closely with school teachers. |
| D．Parents are to blame for the change in their children. |
5 . When having a meal, a European usually holds the knife in the right hand, and the fork in the left. He uses the knife and fork with his both hands. He keeps his knife and fork in his hands until he finishes eating.
But an American, on the opposite, may use just one hand whenever possible and keep the other hand on his lap. He uses the fork in his right hand to pick up fried potatoes. When he has to cut his meat, he changes his fork to the left hand and cuts it. Then he puts down the knife and changes his fork to his right hand to pick up the sliced meat. Then, perhaps, he will suddenly think of his coffee or orange. So he has to put down his fork in order to drink his coffee or orange. Now you can see, an American is busy all the time at the dinner table. By the way, Europeans usually have their coffee after meals, but many Americans prefer to have coffee during the meal.
If you are present at a formal dinner, you might be confused to find so many forks, knives and spoons put before you. You might be at a loss to know what to do with them. Don’t worry. The rule is simple. You just use them in the order in which they lie, beginning from outside towards the plate. The small fork on the outside on the left is for salad. The spoon on the outside on the right is for soup. There is another little knife, called a butter spreader, on a bread-and-butter plate on the left. As the bread is passed, each guest helps himself and puts his pieces on the small plate. Next to the soup there will probably be the blunt(钝的) knife for fish, which is smaller and blunter than other knives.
1. When do Europeans usually drink their coffee?| A．Before meals. |
| B．After meals. |
| C．While they are having their meals. |
| D．They never drink coffee when they eat. |
| A．to use whichever you like when necessary |
| B．to use them from the outside to the inside |
| C．to use them from the inside to the outside |
| D．to use them from the middle to both sides |
| A．a fork | B．a spoon | C．a knife | D．a plate |
| A．soup | B．salad | C．butter | D．chicken |
| A．Eating Habit in America |
| B．Eating Habit in Europe |
| C．How to use Forks, Knives and Spoons |
| D．Dining Customs of the West |
6 . Homestay in Sydney, Australia
| Linda： Our large house is in Sydney，about 200 meters from Macquarie University and 400 meters from the train station. The train ride is about 30 minutes to the CBD. Now we only have a small bedroom for a female student. The cost is $260 per week, which includes all meals when at home and laundering (洗烫) of clothes. Email：markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
| John： I have a lovely single room for homestay (male, nonsmokers only). The apartment is located across the road from a bus station. A sports field is only a twominute walk away. The room is for both short and long stays. The cost is $220 per week, including breakfast and lunch on weekdays. There is no washing machine at home. Do your own laundry in the apartment block’s facilities. Email: ainsley_ gilkes@yahoo.com.au |
| Eric： I live in the northern suburbs (郊区) of Sydney—quiet for studying and relaxing, yet close to Macquarie University & NCELTR & SIBT. The subway station is nearby. All facilities of the house including a living room with a TV can be used. Owners are very open and friendly, and treat students as part of the family. The prices include all meals (breakfast，lunch and dinner) and cleaning. The fee is $300 per week. Email: mineanny@hotmail.com |
| Rose： Hi，everyone！I have one room for homestay (girl students only) in a house which is very close to Macquarie University (SIBT) & WSU in the northern district of Sydney. There is a bus station across the road. Travel time to the center of the city is 40 minutes by train. We only have one homestay at a time. Therefore, our family can take good care of you. The fee is $230 per week. We are looking forward to having you in our home. Email: cliqi9239@hotmail.com |
| A．find suitable roommates |
| B．advertise rooms for homestay |
| C．find a suitable room in Sydney |
| D．introduce some good hotels |
| A．A male student studying in Macquarie University. |
| B．A male student who doesn’t like cooking. |
| C．Two girls who want to share a big room. |
| D．A girl who often goes to the CBD. |
| A．can smoke in the apartment |
| B．can use John’s washing machine to wash clothes |
| C．is provided with breakfast and lunch on weekdays |
| D．has to walk a long way to get to the sports field |
| A．mineanny@hotmail.com | B．markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
| C．cliqi9239@hotmail.com | D．ainsley________gilkest@yahoo.com.au |
| A．Linda | B．John | C．Eric | D．Rose |
7 . Wind power is a very clean source of energy. This is how wind power works. Wind makes windmills spin(旋转). When the windmills spin, they make electricity. Then we can use the electricity.
A lot of people think that wind power is new, but that’s not true. For thousands of years, people have used wind to sail boats and move water. We still do those things today, but these days we mostly use wind power to make electricity.
Wind power is a very popular source of energy. Most people think that we should use it more and more. First of all, it’s clean. Windmills don’t pollute the environment at all. Second, we can use wind power forever. After all, we will always have wind. Also, wind power is cheap, and it’s getting even cheaper.
A lot of people don’t understand wind power very well. They believe that there are problems with wind power, but many of those problems are not real. For example, some people say that windmills are dangerous for birds. They used to be true, but it isn’t true anymore. Old windmills killed birds because they spun very fast. New windmills spin slowly, and they aren’t dangerous for birds.
However, there are real problems with windmills. One problem is that many people think windmills are very ugly. This is a problem for people, because windmills are often in very pretty areas. Also, wind doesn’t blow all the time, so we can’t use wind power all the time. Finally, windmills are noisy.
Wind power is becoming more and more common. Right now, more than 80 countries use wind power. About 2.5 percent of the world’s power comes from the wind. For some countries, that number is a lot higher. Wind power gives Denmark more than 25 percent of its electricity.
1. Why DON’T new windmills kill birds? Because ________.| A．birds don’t fly near them | B．they are shorter than old windmills |
| C．they spin slowly | D．new windmills don’t spin |
| A．Over 1,000 years ago. | B．About 500 years ago. |
| C．About 80 years ago. | D．About 25 years ago. |
| A．We can’t use windmills at night |
| B．Windmills break all the time |
| C．Wind doesn’t blow all the time |
| D．Windmills are too expensive to use all the time |
| A．Most people don’t like it. | B．Denmark doesn’t use it. |
| C．It’s getting more expensive. | D．It’s getting cheaper. |
| A．Dangerous Birds | B．Popular and Clean Wind Power |
| C．Cheap and Clean Energy | D．Expensive Windmills |
8 . There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume (香水).
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.(医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
1. What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?| A．She made Teddy feel ashamed. |
| B．She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
| C．She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row. |
| D．She told the class something untrue about herself. |
| A．He often told lies. | B．He was good at math. |
| C．He needed motherly care. | D．He enjoyed playing with others. |
| A．His mother’s perfume. | B．A bag. |
| C．Some flowers. | D．Some books. |
| A．She taught fewer school subjects. |
| B．She became stricter with her students. |
| C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher. |
| D．She cared more about educating students. |
| A．She had kept in touch with him. |
| B．She had given him encouragement. |
| C．She had sent him Christmas presents. |
| D．She had taught him how to judge people. |
9 . Music is a language which speaks to everyone—from the day we are born we hear music of some kind of our lives. But there are as many different kinds of music as there are different languages, and it is impossible to describe them all. Here are just a few well-known types.
Classical music is serious Western European music from the Middle Ages to the present (1500 to today) and it is often written for a large orchestra, or for a small group of players. Many instruments can be used. A lot of classical music is also written to be sung as opera. Classical music is very popular and schools often teach this type of music.
Jazz developed in the Southern States of North America at the beginning of this century. The black people of these states, who were originally slaves from Africa, had their own rhythms. Jazz brought classical music and African rhythms together.
Blues was originally black country music from the Southern States at the beginning of this century. It is slow, usually sad music which is often sung by one person with a guitar.
Rhythm and Blues(R&B) developed from the Blues in America in the 1940s. It became faster and more complex and used more instruments, eg. Saxophone, guitar, piano, drums. The music was often about city life and white musicians started playing it as well.
Musicians developed Rock and Roll from Rhythm and Blues in the 1950s and it became popular with young people. It spread to Europe in the 1960s and is now known in most countries. A lot of pop music comes from Rock and Roll.
Pop music developed from Rock and Roll in America, Britain and Europe in the 1960s and is now in every country. The name is used for most commercial music, which we can buy on records and hear on “pop radio”. It is usually played by groups who often use electronic instruments and make videos to go with their records.
1. A classical piece of music which is sung in a theater is called ________.| A．opera | B．jazz | C．Blues | D．Rock and Roll |
| A．films | B．tapes | C．videos | D．radios |
| A．Rhythm and Blues | B．Jazz and Blues |
| C．Rock and Roll | D．Pop music |
| A．the young | B．the old | C．the middle-aged | D．teenagers |
| A．that music is an international language | B．how music is spread around the world |
| C．a few different kinds of music and their history | D．how jazz was developed in America |
10 . Edinburgh is the world’s festival city. There are 12 festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August.
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer.
Here are some of the events:
The Edinburgh International Festival
This is the original Edinburgh festival, which began in 1947. Actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform to huge audiences. You need tickets for most events which take place in theatres around the city.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of shows taking place across the city. More than 20,000 artists take part, as the festival is open to anyone. Visitors can choose from a huge variety of acts.
Join thousands of visitors and locals at the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s main street, to watch all kinds of performers and shows.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival
The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens, in the center of Edinburgh. There are more than 700 events for children and adults who love books. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories. Children can listen to stories and watch illustrators (插图作者) draw pictures.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy music shows around the city. One of the highlights of this musical event is the street carnival (嘉年华), which is free to all. Artists perform street theatre, dance and circus shows in amazing costumes, and everyone can join in the dancing.
1. Which is true about Edinburgh?| A．It’s the Scottish capital city. |
| B．It’s the largest city in the world. |
| C．The festivals are celebrated every month. |
| D．Tourists around the world come to the city after winter. |
| A．It’s free to Scottish people. |
| B．It’s held at the Royal Mile. |
| C．It takes place in July every year. |
| D．The artists mainly perform in theatres. |
| A．The Edinburgh International Festival. |
| B．The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
| C．The Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
| D．The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. |
| A．They can try on different costumes. |
| B．They can join a singing competition. |
| C．They can take part in a street carnival. |
| D．They can get pictures from famous painters. |
| A．an advertisement |
| B．a tour journal |
| C．a news report |
| D．an announcement |
